Curvy Girls Journey......to 42 days until Summer

42 Days Until summer tip: 
Take a walk during lunch!

 Let's be honest. Moving > not moving. But, if you're like most Americans, you spend an average of 56 hours a week just sitting. In fact, hours probably go by without you having moved from your desk. Or the couch.

In fact, sitting that much - even if you are working out daily - can be very harmful to your health. A recent study revealed that sitting for more than 6 hours a day can result in an early death. They're not yet sure why, but one of the study's authors told Harvard's health blog that "Even if you are doing the recommended amount of moderate to vigorous exercise, you will still have a higher risk of mortality if you’re spending too many hours sitting.” So get up.

If you can, set an alarm for yourself so you get up and walk around for 5 minutes every hour. It doesn't matter if you're walking up and down the internal stairs at your office or home or if you're walking to your car and back. Just make it happen.

Then, at lunch, take some time for an extended walk. Now that spring is here, it's warm enough to get out and walk. If it's raining, do a longer walk inside your building or head to a nearby mall (or other large indoor space) and do a couple laps.

Curvy Girls Journey.....to 44 and 43 days to summer

Ahh! I missed a day!! So you are getting two tips today :)
Remember to add these tips to what you are already doing....just because you have a new tip doesn't mean you can stop doing those jumping jacks during commercials! lol

Day 44 Tip:
Throw out the junk food!!
 
You heard us right. Your challenge today is to empty your desk, cupboards, fridge, freezer, car, and secret snack stash drawer of foods and drinks you shouldn't be eating. If you want to reach your fitness goal by summer, prevent temptation by removing all junk food from your house. If the packaged foods are unopened, donate them. Read the labels, if a food has un-pronounceable additives or anything ending in -ose (that's sugar), it goes.

If you find when you are finished that your bag is more than half full, you might want to reconsider your shopping and snacking habits. We know you spent good money on those Ding Dongs and Sriracha Doritos, but they are doing the opposite of helping you reach your health and fitness goals. Those "foods" are just plain bad for you. When your next junk food craving strikes, reach for Shakeology or a piece of fruit!

Day 43 Tip:
Restock your pantry!!

Now that your pantry is empty of all the junk food, what do you put in it?  Here is a basic list of what should be stocked in your pantry to ensure you can eat healthy anytime:

• Canned beans (no or low sodium)
• Dried fruits
• Easy to cook whole grains (brown rice)
• Raw almonds
• Nut butters (1-2 tbsp per serving)
• Spaghetti sauce (no added sugar)
• Salsa
• Coconut oil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Reduced sodium broth
• Spices
• Lentils
• Hot sauce
• Sea salt
• Cupboard friendly vegetables (onions/garlic) 

Use these basics to make your own meals at home which reduces the cravings and convenience of fast food.  

Curvy Girls Journey.....45 Days to Summer!!

45 Days to Summer Tip:

 Instead of fast-forwarding through TV commercials, use them as an opportunity to get your heart pumping and burn calories! Get off the couch and do a speed round. Focus on perfect form, drive the balls of your feet into the floor and spring back up touching your fingertips together at the top of each jump to get your shoulder muscles in on the action. Doing this at full-bore intensity, a 150 pound person can burn up to 150 calories during the commercials in one episode of Scandal. Make this a habit, and you'll see real results!!
How many jumping jacks can you do during one commercial?!?

Curvy Girls Journey to....46 days until summer!

Thanks for coming back for more tips as our countdown to summer continues!
Did you set your goal yesterday?  I would love to hear what it is! Share by commenting below!

46 Days Until Summer Tip:
Figure out how many calories you should be eating!

I know that it can get confusing trying to figure out this magical number and every website or calorie calculator gives you a different answer.  But you don't have to be exact! Here is a quick method to getting an approximate number for your calorie intake:

Sedentary: You work in an office or at home and sit for most of the day. Current weight in pounds x 12 = Calories needed to maintain weight.

Moderately Active: You walk or are on your feet for most of the day (i.e server in a restaurant) or are doing one of our entry level programs. Current weight in pounds x 13 = Calories needed to maintain weight.

Highly Active You spend most of your day doing labor intensive work or lifting heavy objects or are doing one of our high intensity programs. Current weight in pounds x 14 = Calories needed to maintain weight.

If you want to lose weight, subtract 500 calories from that number. But, don't go below 1200 calories.  If you are trying to gain weight, add 300 calories.

I know that counting calories isn't fun and can be time consuming, but it is necessary to make us aware of what we are consuming.  When I first started counting calories, I easily understood why I was so overweight....I was eating WAY too much!!

Now, I use a Free app called MyFitnessPal to help keep track of my calories.  View previous blog posting for more information about this app. 

So start counting your calories today and lets get to our summer goal!!!

Curvy Girls Journey....47 days to summer countdown

Can you believe there are only 47 days until summer!?!


I'm excited about the warm sun, being outside, vacations, swimming....but I guess that also means my least favorite part of summer....a bathing suit!!!
Ugh, does anyone else dread seeing those cute and very small swimsuits arrive in the stores?
I always go into swimsuit shopping with a positive attitude and anxious to find one that looks great on me.  I grab a few different ones in my normal size and head to the dressing room....only to find that none of them fit!! I have to go back out and get a size or two larger just to get them on.  I finally give up and pick the one that hides my most unflattering features and head to the check out.  I leave the store feeling fat and defeated.

But not this summer!!!!!

I have 47 days to get my body into the best shape it has ever been!! I am determined to be healthier and leaner this summer! Do you want to join in with me on this challenge?!?

I am going to be posting a tip every day for the next 47 days that will get us in shape for summer.  Not only will we look good, but we will feel better about our bodies and have more confidence when facing the swimsuit shopping trip! Let's get started today!

Tip for day 47:
Set a clear and attainable goal!!
 
 Be ambitious but reasonable
Any goal worth working for requires dedication, effort, and persistence. That said, remember this is a short term goal. Set your sights on something that can be achieved if you work hard for the next 47 days. (Keep in mind that a healthy rate for weight loss is about 2 pounds per week).

Be specific
Deciding that you will lose 8 pounds is a more effective goal than just saying that you want to lose weight. As you work to attain it, you'll have a clear measure of your achievements, and knowing exactly how much farther you have to go will keep you motivated. The best part about having a specific goal is there will be no question when you have achieved it.

Be positive
Make reaching your goal be about what you will do instead of what you will not do. Thinking about unhealthy habits or foods you should avoid keeps those guilty habits on your mind all the time, and ultimately makes you feel deprived. Focus instead on positive changes that you will make to be healthier and more fit. What healthy foods will you eat? What workouts will you do?

Share your goal
When you've determined what you are working for, tell the world! Tell your friends and family, let me know in the comments, share it on social media. You'll invite support from unlikely places and your enthusiasm may inspire others to join you.

Keep it real
Focusing on a clear, attainable goal gives you a concrete reason push harder in your workouts and stick to healthy food choices. For the next 47 days, I'll be giving you tips and challenges to help you reach your goal, but I'd like to remind you that your body is ready for the beach right now. All you need is a bathing suit and a body of water, or sprinklers, and you're good to go. However, I understand that after a succession of holiday feasts and winter hibernation, what many of us need is confidence. Reaching your goal should give you the confidence to strut your stuff.

Let's do this!!!!

Curvy girls journey.....to spiralizing

I have seen posts about people using zucchini and carrots in place of pasta and was curious! 

It turns out they used something called a spiralizer. This kitchen gadget will turn your zucchini into perfectly shaped noodles so you can enjoy a plate of "spaghetti" without the carbs! 

After a little research, I bought this one from Amazon. 

http://www.amazon.com/Brieftons-Spiral-Slicer-Stainless-Spiralizer/dp/B00CBVCVLM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396377213&sr=8-3&keywords=Vegetable+spiralizer

This one was smaller than most I had seen and the price appealed to me since I wasn't sure exactly how it worked. Well, I tried it and.....love it!! The zucchini was sliced into thin spaghetti strands with little effort and I had a delicious, healthy meal ready in no time at all! 

Here is my zoodles (zucchini noodles) with mushrooms and sauce that I enjoyed for dinner: 

I am excited to try out some more recipes with my new found toy and will post their results! So if you are looking on a creative way to eat healthy or cut down on carbs, get to spiralizing!!! 

Curvy Girl's Journey.....to learning to eat right

Sorry I haven't posted in sooo long! The flu bug made it's way around my family and then once I got out of the habit of posting, it was difficult to start again.  Kind of like exercise and eating right! lol

I have been struggling with portion controls lately.  I like to cook and eat healthy foods, but the problem is that I think I can eat more because.....well it's healthy, right!?! I can bake sugar, gluten, and dairy free cookies and think they are absolutely yummy.  But I compromise with myself that I can have more than normal because they don't have sugar in them.  But really, the calories still add up!!!

So what should I do?? I've found the solution!!
I need to relearn how to eat and what portions are right for my body!
Harder than it sounds.  I found a new workout program that I know will help me with this new goal.  It's called the 21 Day Fix and focuses on nutrition as well as exercise.  Because we all know that you can workout for hours but if you aren't eating right, then your body isn't going to change.
21 Day Fix is a 21 day program that features 30 minute workouts.  The part I like about this program, is that it also comes with color coded food containers. 

These containers will help me learn how much I should eat.  Based on your height, weight, age, etc, you will be allowed a certain number of each container.  For example, the green container is for vegetables and you may be allowed 4 containers a day.  The food plan will then list which foods fall into this container category.  If it doesn't fit in the container, save it for tomorrow! Its that simple! *I've also heard that the food plan allows chocolate and wine :)

I am determined to make this work for me! If you have problems with portion control or want to see a change in your body in a short amount of time (but still the healthy way!), then join me in completing the 21 Day Fix! I am starting the beginning of April and would love to have others going through the same program to help me stay on track and motivate each other.  I will offer a private challenge group on Facebook where we can gather and discuss what our successes and failures are together.  It will be a small group of 10 people or less so we can stay connected (this also means that spots are filling up fast)! 

So let's get ready for summer by jump starting our metabolisms and learning correct portion sizes! You can join me in a few ways.  Click on the 21 Day Fix banner on the right of this blog to purchase your program. Or if you have questions, or would like to talk to me a little more about the program, send me a message and friend request on Facebook. 

Here is one lady's amazing results from this program.  I can't wait to see our results after 21 days!!!