hello again

It seems as though a lot of us aren't posting on here anymore, or taking the time to read the rest of our  Sweet A(ss)'s on here anymore.  I feel sad about this.  I can count the number of us who are even still in this competition on one finger.  Yeah, ONE finger.  OK maybe one hand.  But I guess it's good that at least a few of us are still going, eh?

I didn't swear earlier.  The parenthesis made it a non swear word p.s.

I think that we need to have our Saturday morning Jillian Michaels party soon.  Maybe.. this week or next.  Because the guys need to see how tough we are, and us girls need to see them suffer for 20 minutes.  It's a win-win situation.  Bethany, you should book a flight asap.  Ok, I'm kidding.  About the flight.

Just think... this could be ALL of us together on a beautiful Saturday morning!  Such a bonding experience that would be.

By the way... total I have lost ___ lbs.  It's going to be kept my secret since hardly anyone else shares juicy details about their sweet A's on here anymore.  But... my pants are still falling off.  Faster.  In an appropriate way of course.

Sick as a dawg

So last week I thought I was going to die... I finally went to the Dr (after months of being sick) and was told I had a sinus infection. The one good thing about being sick is that well I lost a few pounds, I look great right now, aside from still hacking up a lung every ten minutes.
Anyway I owe you all a real post... coming soonish, I think

Insanity is the best workout ever

So I was really tired and skipped the last 3 days of Insanity.

But I'm back to it, and dedicated! My abs are looking too good to let them slip away again.

Pictures soon.

Today is Tuesday

I try to update on Sunday or Monday, and today feels like Monday, but it's Tuesday. Yay!

Anyways, I was successful in breaking through my plateau this week, putting me below the blue line again. (hooray!) Even though someone lovely and thoughtful dropped 6 cupcakes off at our house Valentine's day evening.

I drank my water for the day everyday. Except Friday. I forgot to take my water bottle to preschool with me, and they only have mini preschool-sized cups. I have no idea how much water I drank Friday, but not 80 oz. Overall, it was easier than I thought it was going to be.

That's all.

yeah...

So I never post on here because blogger is blocked at my awesome job... sorry. But no, I still haven't exercised. Whoops...

The push-up chump

Today marks the official half way point. I'm taking up Jason's challenge and posting a picture. I also wanted to introduce the ladies to a phenomenon known as the "push-up chump."

Before push-ups

After push-ups

There are 2 rules to success in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know.

Well, kids, it's about the same over here. Just eating healthy (minus those three bites of coconut cream pie the other day, and it's not my fault Jenn made brownies with hot fudge the other day...but I'd been snowboarding all day long so I ate the whole brownie. so sue me.) and exercising almost every day. I'm not gonna lie though...there's usually one a day a week I just don't have time.

I started running consistently two weeks ago after being somewhat lacksadaisical with it since The Dirty Dash. Oops. However, I'm getting back to where I was, and plan to have my time improved by a good minute by the time I run the half in May.

I'm really thirsty lately, too. This morning alone I have refilled my water bottle 3 times. (okay okay...one of those times was because I watered my plant with most of what was in the water bottle. whatever.)

Also,

...nevermind. If I tell you that, the title of this post will become altogether irrelevant, and I'm planning for success here. :)

Have i really been posting on the wrong site??

I've been eating at L and L Hawaiian BBQ. The Chicken Katsu they serve is amazing and is a sure way to a Phat A.

To fight off the Polynesian calories I play ball with the ward and drink green smoothies daily.

So far I have lost 5 pounds and have lowered my body fat percentage. I contribute some of my success to being busy with school. I have less time to stuff my face.

For the most part I have been eating healthy foods but plan to do better.

Gym Guys

Anyone who hasn't seen Jim Rome's "Gym Guy" needs to watch it. For the longest time 24 hour fitness's gym guys would make me feel like the wimpiest skinniest kid who had no idea what he was doing. I felt silently judged when the 400 pound beasts of a men would watch me struggle to press my 65 dumbells. And even more self conscious when I see them putting up the 120's.

Last week an amazing thing happened: I finally felt like I belonged.

While I am still definitely on the small side at my gym, I feel comfortable doing my thing. The gym guys are not as intimidating because I recognize them. More importantly I have realized that they are always there. No matter when I go, they are there. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate their presence, I have based a lot of my form and to a smaller degree my workouts by watching them. It just helps to be less self conscious realizing that I don't have 7 hours a day to work out.

Pull-ups also make me feel good. I'm up to 17 (my goal is 25). I have yet to see those giant men even attempt one.

Anyway, we are half way done. Some of you still haven't posted. I hope you are still working out. For those of us who actually check the blog (Sarah, Jason, Bethany and I) stick with it.

Exercising my mind and losing my body

Yep, that's what I've been doing the last few days, exercising my mind in preparation for one of the most demanding tests I've ever had to take in all my years of school. Unfortunately, I've not only put off exercise, but I've neglected proper eating and sleep habits, and even eliminated hygiene as an important priority. I've quickly gained 65 lbs, aged about 10 to 15 years, and developed an unsightly rash that now covers 90% of my body. It's amazing how quickly things can take a turn for the worse. LET THIS BE A LESSON TO ALL. DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? If you're not careful, you can quickly turn into a human slug that doesn't bathe, substitutes water for soda and energy drinks, plays video games until the sun rises, and drops f-bombs and crude anatomical terms into every sentence. It's happened to me in a matter of days and it's not fun. IT'S NOT FUN!!! UNDERSTAND? I hope I've made my point clear

Half way..

We're 1/2 way, and I've hit a little plateau in my weight loss (bummer). I know it's normal, and this is what my positive self talk sounds like:

"Bethany, you are awesome. 136 is a great place to plateau."

lol. Super lame.

Anyways, this week, I am going to drink 80 oz of water a day. Want to do it with me? I'll let you know how it goes next Monday.

Happy Valentine's day! Don't eat any chocolate.

My Clothes Are Falling Off

No really... they are.

Yesterday while I was running at the gym, my pants kept... slipping... down.

That's progress I think.

9 lbs total

Eeee!

Also, I've improved my mile by a minute since July.  

That's all

update

After a less than perfect week, and eating not so healthy Super Bowl food, I was told by a few of my clients that I was looking good + that my arms were amazing...
Ok I'll take that, next step get amazing legs and butt, easy right?

I might do the no carb "cleanse"this week... basically instead of eating bread or pasta after my work out I will eat raw nuts or veggies... I kind of don't want to though

Clydesdale for the win

Needless to say i never intended to be apart of this horrid competition. I believe that the body is a beautiful thing and should be appreciated in every form....

It was my intial plan to wake up this morning and after eating ice cream topped waffles and having my daily coffee to tell each of you how terrible you are for participating in this competition. However when i woke up this morning my wife turns to me and says " Hey fatty McFatty maybe you should exercise or your gonna turn into a Clydesdale(over 200 lbs )"

I cried for hours, i really did, because i was all out of ice cream to eat away my problems. So i have decided to Win this competition....But the opposite way. Starting today i am eating a 10,000 calorie diet. I will sculpt my fat in such a way that when you see me you'll say " Damn he is a fine looking Big man"

My Sweet A.... ss

All this reference to everyone's "A" just makes me want to say "ass" (in a quiet whispered tone of course... cause then it's not cussing).

I'm doing Insanity. It's insane. My abs are coming along nicely. Jase I will post pics soon, but I don't want to ruin the suprise too early. In the meantime I've started my annual swimsuit shopping! SEVEN PEAKS HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Superbowl fail

3 slices of pizza

3 chicken wings

3 cookies

1 cookie bar

a few pieces of sour patch kids

2 cups of soda

1 cinnamon roll

3-5 chips

I think I undid 5 weeks of work in one afternoon.

On another note, I went to a circuit training class called "Boot Camp" that I enjoyed. I usually don't like gym classes but this one was pretty fun. We did 4 sets of 9 different exercises working our chests, triceps, biceps, abs, lower back, hamstrings, quads, calves, A's, and probably some other muscles I didn't realize. It starts at 12 every Saturday. I think you should all come with me next week.

It was a weird week

Brandon had the flu, I had the flu, I had an appointment early on Thursday morning, I missed the gym 2 days (you know, because of the flu), we had a primary activity (where everyone ate costco muffins, except me), some of our best friends packed up and moved, fast Sunday, and Super bowl Sunday.... anyways, it was weird.

My weight/energy/focus has been all over the place. But today, is a new week, and I am refocused.

One month in

We're one month into the competition and I'm glad that we're doing this. I've been a gym-goer for the past few years but been very inconsistent. After a few weeks I'd usually make excuses not to go regularly and never really saw any big gains. I haven't done any measurements, but I think I'm at least a little bit more defined than I was a month ago. I started running a mile everyday after lifting and I think that's the big difference maker because it's burned some fat off my stomach and my 'A'. At the end of 3 months I want to get rid of all my belly fat and get hired on as a shirtless fireman. I've got a lot of work to do before I can join the guys across the hall. Mitchell has been very supportive through it all, leaving handwritten notes of admiration and respect on my pillow and winking at me during the day. I wish I could say the same for Braden. He spends most of his time tearing down others and ultimately making the world a worse place to live in. I would like to see others' pictures to see how everyone is doing. I think it would motivate me a lot. Keep up the good work everyone.

Backwards is not an option.

On May 7, 2011 I will run the Provo City Half Marathon.

On May 21, I'll run a chincy 5K. Just for fun. Because it's a race for women and I get jewelery. Yes, please...

In July I'll run the Hobbler Half Marathon.

I think it' safe to say that in addition to Jillian's shred, I'll be running my "A" off. I also recently (as in today) decided to change my eating habits even more after reading Alain's "calorie" post. Hello, eggs, avocados, lean meats, and...veggies galore.

I have stayed about the same, weight-wise since starting, which is totally fine, and part of my goal - to not gain. BUT with these new things to look forward to, I'm SO ready to kick all ya'lls butts. :) Or at the very least, my own.

I am so glad January is over

I don't like January, my least favorite month of the year. I have to take the Christmas decorations down, it's unnecessarily cold, summer is too far away, it's dark... yuck.

I was feeling sad for myself because it's cold here in Portland, and then I got on my facebook, and clearly I do not have it that bad. Except my California friends who posted things like, "It's supposed to 75 and sunny this weekend." Gross. I better get my beach body ready if I want to live there.

I had the flu. Barf. I'm feeling a quite a bit better, but opted out of going to the gym this morning. On the plus side, I met my weight for Valentine's day 2 weeks early.

Happy February. I'm going to be awesome this month.

My A...

... is getting sweeter.

The End.

Calorie is so not king

Calorie is so not king

To those trying to lose weight calorie is king due to simple math. If I take in less than I am putting out I will magically become Jennifer Garner... right?
While this is true, I would like to submit another thought to the weight loss battle. When it comes to weight loss, and health in general, guilty is WAY more important than quantity.
This about this, we will do an easy one first
Twinkie=150 calories (+tons of sugars and fats) clearly not a good choice
Red Pepper=45 calories (+tons of vitamins, fiber, and water)

Clearly the Twinkie loses this battle... BUT if you did eat the 150 calories and then burned those same 150 cal you would be square... right?
Right?.... so not right

Let's do a harder one...
I am trying to lose weight, for my snack, do I eat....

String cheese: 80 Kcal
Whole wheat bread: 70Kcal

Both are nutrition dense foods, but which is better for weight loss?!

Here is where the calorie counters run into trouble... I bet most of you out there would choose the bread,it is after all whole wheat.

You would have made a better choice than the Twinkie, but to lose weight you need to limit your sugars!
This is basically carbs in any form. Yes I do realize that carbs are in EVERYTHING... but the important thing to remember is;
While trying to reach a weight loss goal the best time to consume grains (breads, pasta, rice, oatmeal...) is right after your workout. This is when your body processes them best, and they are much less likely to be stored around your waist for future use.

When I am trying to lose weight I consume more calories than I would normally even want to eat. My meals and snacks consist of things like;
raw nuts, lean protean, vegetables, vegetables, vegetables, low fat cheese, Omega 3 eggs, avocados....
Lots of nutritious, very filling foods.
I never feel hungry... I usually struggle to finish my entire meal!