BEACH BODY CHALLENGE

This week I'm trying something different...a challenge with a prize for the winner!

Did you realize that there are only 2 months left until summer?

Let's enjoy a friendly competition...it can't hurt to have an added incentive to our weight loss endeavours right?

The Beach Body Challenge is simple...whoever loses the most weight/inches/clothing sizes by the first day of summer wins!

LOL...I'd like to get each of us one of these illusion suits :)

The prize for the winner of the Beach Body Challenge is the must-have accessory that fits everyone heading to the beach...flip flops!!

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

It's time for our monthly check-in so we'll be using the stats you take today as your beach body challenge starting point.

Since I post my weekly blogs on Saturdays, the beach body challenge results will be posted on June 22.

(I will be contacting all participants on June 21 for their end of competition stats so I can announce the winner on the blog the next day)

If you'd like to join the challenge please leave your name and current stats in the comment area below :)

My check-in this month is pretty much the same as always. All I've done this year is stay stuck on a plateau. My inches haven't changed and my weight fluctuates by a pound or two...always gaining and losing the same two pounds over and over again. LOL...I am still weighing myself every day and it's never the same weight two days in a row.

I thought up this beach body challenge as a way to boost my competitive side enough that hopefully I would see more weight coming off and staying off. I haven't worn a bathing suit in decades...bought myself a tankini last year...and really want to find the confidence to wear it this summer :)

NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: The Weight of the Matter

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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.

TAKE A BREAK

 

This week's topic is how the 80/20 Rule applies to exercising.

 

And I have to admit that this is my biggest stumbling block. I just don't get it, lol. Ask Al, he'll tell you that we've had many discussions on this subject.

 

The theory is...you must rest your body...take a break from workouts...or you won't see any results.

 

It's kinda confusing for me, so if you've got any input, please feel free to help me understand fully.

 

The way I understand it is that when your muscles recoup from a workout your body has to burn something to do it and if you have a low enough amount of incoming calories, it must burn fat to do it.

If you don't rest, your muscles don't completely heal.

When you rest every several weeks, it finally has this chance, and you see some weight loss. But, you're probably wasting a lot of the fat burning you could be reaping from your workouts. It would be far more optimal to work out just three of four days a week. That way you wouldn't have just one healing/burning period per month but one per week.

My confusion comes with my quest for weight loss. I feel the need to exercise after every meal to get rid of some of the calories I just ate. So, following that logic, I exercise 3 times every day. Of course there have been times when that just wasn't possible...lol I guess that's another 80/20 scenario I hadn't realized.

Oh, what a coincidence! During the writing of this week's blog post, I did myself an injury,lol, that's karma for you! Now I see first hand how important it is to give your muscles time to adjust.

BTW...in case you are wondering what I did to myself...I had doubled up my workouts at the beginning of April because I hadn't seen any significant weight loss for the first three months of the year. I started getting twinges of pain in my belly. LOL...I was hoping that it was the muscles churning away at my belly fat but it most likely was them screaming for a break!

Although I now understand more about taking a break, part of me still wants to exercise after every meal. So I am working on a compromise that I can be comfortable with :)

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

1. Are you already using the 80/20 principle in your workout routine? If so, do you take a monthly or weekly break? Do you see any weight loss as a result?

2. If you aren't currently following the 80/20 rule for exercising...will you join me in giving it a try?

or this challenge, I am going to try both methods. First I will try taking a break once a week and see if there are any results at the end of a month. Then I will try the other method by only taking a break at the end of the month and seeing what results ensue. Perhaps there will be no weight loss at all...but at least I will know I have healthy muscles :)

NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: Beach Body Challenge!

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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.

A SLICE OF LIFE

 

In my opinion, there are 2 kitchen appliances that are a crucial part of healthy eating. The first one will be discussed this week and the second one will be the topic of an upcoming blog.

 

 

An electric food slicer is a must! It can be used to slice meat, bread, cheese, fruits & vegetables.

 

For us, the most important use health wise is slicing bread. We buy unsliced loaves from in-store bakerys and slice them ourselves at home. Don't know about stores in your area, but here, the stores have their blade set in a locked position and cannot slice bread thinner for you.

 

Here is a pic of store sliced bread:

 

 

And here is a pic of bread sliced at home:

 

 

See the difference? It also means a difference in calories too. It may not look much thinner but depending on the type of bread, it could mean 100 less calories in a sandwich. Something I am very thankful for :)

 

 

Our 2nd favourite thing to slice up is meat. Since processed lunch meats are a no-no, we now make our own lunch meats by cooking up beef, pork, chicken, turkey, meatloaf etc. and then slicing them thinly.

 

 

And thirdly, we also slice our own cheese. Real cheese slices are much tastier in sandwiches and burgers than processed cheese ones...and of course much healthier.

 

You can also slice up fruit and vegetables. Pretty handy for slicing something big like a pineapple or watermelon. But personally...I find it too much trouble to drag out the slicer when I just want to slice up a tomato, red pepper or potato for supper...I still do those by hand.

 

 

Another use for the slicer, would be to thinly slice up desserts/snacks such as banana bread or fruit cake so that your treats wouldn't be so heavy in calories.

 

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

 

What would you slice up? Can you think of something I haven't mentioned that would make our diets healthier if it was sliced thinner?

 

LOL...I'm sure you can guess what I would slice up!

 

NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: 80/20 Rule for exercising

 

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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.

WHAT'S YOUR WORKOUT?

There are many different ways to work out....

These are just a selection that I found online...I'm sure there are many more ways to workout.

And the most popular of all....

walking, jogging, running!


THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

Part 1: What is your favourite way to workout?

Part 2: Challenge yourself to try a new method of workout for one week...and let us know what you tried and how it turned out :)

My favourite workout is walk aerobics. I have 2 dvds which contain a total of 8 different workouts. 15 minutes = 1 mile. I mix & match workouts so my muscles don't get used to the same movements. I've gotten as far as 3 miles at a time. I also use hand weights while working out...I started with 1 lb. and am up to 3 lbs. now.

As for part 2 of the challenge, I'm going to try out some beginner's yoga and I've got a cardio dance dvd to try out :)


NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: A Slice of Life

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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.