Holy Soreness!

I have been trying to workout consistently and I am starting to enjoy the way I feel.  But with this new exercise regimen comes the aches and pains of muscles being "AWAKENED". o_O Although I am sore most days, I know I am slowly making my way towards my goals!

That doesn't mean that I don't get a little nervous before going to my next yoga class or lifting session.  Lately, soreness is as commonplace as breathing. It took every ounce of strength in me today to get up and go to my hot vinyasa class (at OnyxMind&Body) since I have been so achy! But, I am enjoying the definition I am already seeing from the few weeks I have been at it.  One of these days I will have the courage to post a picture of my body.

Startups like these are typically followed by a period of body adjustment. But this is a good thing! Listen to your body!!!  If the pain is too much, do something a little easier but KEEP MOVING (as long as you are not injured!).  On the Thedailyhiit website they have what they call "HIIT LITE" for workouts that are not as intense, but still keep you active.

One thing that I have noticed is that when I do stop it is SO much harder for me to startup again. I recently had a 3 day hiatus and it was pretty hard to get back into the swing of things. I know there are some people who say you should work out only 3-5 days a week, but it is best for me to do something everyday. Once again, listen to your own body and DO NOT GIVE UP!

While I find it a little intimidating witnessing the AMAZING women in my yoga class perform poses like this.....

.....while I am finding this move difficult....

I know the aches and pains are my body's way of saying "you are changing; keep it up and one day you will get there!" :)

Oy Vey!

I was going to write about lifting today but I have to get back to the diet issue....lifting will be a topic of discussion later.....

I am in decent shape but I have never truly seen the results of all my training, even when I was working out twice a day.  Five years ago my life revolved around the gym.  It was right before my wedding and I wanted to look ripped! I definitely toned up but NOT 2 hours/day toned up, if you know what I mean.  If not, this is what I am referring to...

oh look - they took my body and put someone else's face on it ;P

As I am going down this path of self "re-discovery"I am finding eating clean a difficult lifestyle to master.  I refuse to think of it as a diet because this is a guide I plan (or would like) to sustain for the rest of my life. So for the five (or six) of you reading this blog, I am asking for some motivation from you.  I told you in the beginning this was going to be a two way street ;)

You see, I LOVE FOOD!!!  I grew up in a Latino household with a gourmet chef of a mother.  All her food was homemade but I was eating more of one food group (hello carbs) than the others.  It was not until my husband pointed out how small a quantity of veggies were on our plates during one of our evening dinners. He would joke around and say "....I will have a side of chicken with this meat....". It felt like a scene out of My Big Fat Greek wedding...."What do you mean he don't eat no meat...that's ok, I make lamb"

Its not to say that we didn't have any vegetables or fruit, it was just not ENOUGH of it.  My diet went in this order from largest quantity to smallest: Rice, beans/lentils, chicken and then a small salad or small quantity of mixed vegetables. 

Oh, let me not forget to mention that I typically ate double or triple servings on most nights (did I tell you my mom was like a gourmet chef?)! I would do a pirouette in the kitchen and become the person who had not eaten in days! Thankfully, I have been blessed with a relatively fast metabolism!

My old way of thinking was that I would workout like crazy but I refused to stop eating my favorite foods even if that meant junk food. So if I craved that bag of cheese doodles (family size) or that ramen noodle (notice how both are high in sodium - I am a saltaholic!!!), I was going to eat it! I would just combat it with more cardio. I was a true believer in this lifestyle



when the whole time I should have followed the the bottom pyramid. I was just sabatoging all the work I had put into the gym as well as my health from eating high fat processed foods. 

When I first started this blog I had planned on starting a vegan diet (topic for another day). I have definitely started eating more vegetables and fruit but I am still struggling with the cravings.  It is taking me everything not to put this computer down and get in my car to buy that bag of cheese doodles. 

In the end, I know my head is in at least the right place....now hoping that my taste buds will follow suit ASAP!!!!

The Elixir of Life

Sweet drinks can be delicious.  When thirst hits, reaching for that big glass of juice or soda seems enticing but we all know it is not the healthy choice. Take it from someone who enjoyed their fair share of sugary beverages, there is an equally tasty alternative out there! WATER....with some flava ;)  

Just to put things in perspective;

1 -  8oz glass (1 cup) of grape juice is

• 170 calories (¹/₂₀  of a pound)
• 42 grams of carbs of which 40 grams are sugar (2 ²/₃  tablespoons)  

This is also similar to other fruit drinks and sodas.  If you were to cut a single drink out of your diet each day (and not replace it with something equally sweet!), you would lose 1 pound in 20 days. You would also spare your body from 53.2 tablespoons (3.3 cups) of "cell-oxidizing" sugar in the same amount of time!

That's a lot of sugar!!!!

Even low calorie drinks like diet soda or low-calorie sports drinks have dyes and additives that take your body longer to digest and could have other lasting negative effects on your body systems (there are no lack of google articles arguing these claims!).

If you are one of those people who enjoy your sweet drinks, try to grab a glass of water instead. I know this can be difficult at first but slice up some limes, lemons, cucumbers and peppermint leaves or whatever tickles your taste buds and mix it all in to create a flavor explosion. It may not be sweet but it will sure be tasty!  My lastest favorite has been lime water....it's so refreshing!!!!

Try to drink at least 8 - 8oz glasses of water a day.  I know this can happen...

....but I promise, it's worth it! And if you didn't know all of the benefits, here is a list that can be found at benefits-of-drinking-water:

1. Lose weight
2. Natural Remedy for Headache
3. Look Younger with Healthier Skin
4. Better Productivity at Work
5. Better Exercise
6. Helps in Digestion and Constipation
7. Less Cramps and Sprains
8. Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy
9. Relieves Fatigue
10. Good Mood
11. Reduce the Risk of Cancer

As I said in a previous post, I am very grateful that I have clean water for so many reasons! Now, add some of nature's skittles and you will be surprised how tasty it can be ;)