HERE WE GO WEEK 3: Day 1

I can't believe that this is the start of week 3!!! I am feeling so good about my consistency and hard work up to this point.

This morning I woke up around 9:30 and feel so good today!!! I just had breakfast: smoothie (banana, strawberries, pineapple, almonds, and peanut butter), 2 eggs, and coffee (3 cups worth).

Today I have class 12-2 but I will be skipping, to work on an assignment and study for a test on Wednesday. I have class 5-8. After class I will be at the gym 8:30-9:30.

Today I have high hopes for the next 2 weeks of my first month. In all honesty, I know I can give more than I have been giving. It is just a matter of time management and organization. I am working hard to overcome that, as well as my decision making.

I figure if I can get to Body Pump at least 2-3 times per week, the rest of the 2-3 days I need to focus on hard cardio, and some arm training (biceps, triceps, shoulders) as well as abdominals and lower/upper back.

On Body Pump days, getting in 20 minutes of cardio (10 before, 10 after) will leave me with a burn of up to 600 calories that day.

On regular days, cardio could see me at over 800 calories alone, not including weights.

Yesterday my intake for calories was probably 1200 total, so I burned almost my complete day off in a 2 hour time span. I now feel confident that this is something I could realistically do on a regular basis.

  

SOMETIMES I JUST FEEL SO HAPPY I COULD CRY. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE IT THIS FAR, WITH KEEPING MY BLOG UPDATED AND NOT CHEATING OR FEELING INADEQUATE. I JUST FEEL GREAT. I CAN'T WAIT TO LOOK BACK ON ALL OF THIS, AND NOT BE LIKE 'IM DONE' BUT KNOW THAT I WILL KEEP GOING!!!

 

For lunch today: water (always), i got 2 pickles hey hey hey heyyyyy, and a wrap (lettuce, gpep, chicken breast, avocado, and hotsauce/dressing). Also had 2 cookies for a mid day snack.

Yumyumyum!!!

I just finished practising a set for Tuesday's Fanshawe College Bible Study:

-bless the lord/10,000 reasons (matt redman)

-overcome (jeremy camp

-how he loves us (david crowder)

-forever reign (hillsong)

Tonight I will be at the gym 8:30-9:30.

I had a lean cuisine at 4:45 before class.

I plan to bring an apple and some water, to class.

Got home and had 1 cookie.

Week 2, Day 7: Night

Okay... I'm all hyped up on adrenaline, while watching my Steelers play the Patriots. I'm yelling in my kitchen. I can't believe how many points they gave up when they had a chance to win!!!

                                      

So today, as you all know, I was doing my 'all or nothing' workout (aka LAST CHANCE WORKOUT) that I will be doing every 2 weeks.

I went to the gym 4:45-6:45 for 2 hours, and burned 1150 calories tonight doing cardio and some abs/arms/shoulders weights. I FEEL SO GOOD! I am so proud of myself for going.

Once again I was like "maybe I'll skip today it's Sunday... the day of 'rest' right?" but then I was like NO RACHEL YOU NEED TO GO YOU CAN DO THIS. I am so glad I did.

 

I had a banana before I left.

Now I am having supper. I am making a wrap (spinach, chicken breast slices, green pepper, avocado) and 3 pickles, along with a smoothie (banana, strawberry, and pineapple with some almonds).

Later on tonight, I had some froyo with peanut butter and almond slices (350 calories). I am also watching LEGALLY BLONDE for the first time.

Some thoughts...

Well today I just feel like I need to do a "thoughts" blog...

I'm really happy with myself that I've been able to keep up with my blog daily. Having accountability keeps me motivated and determined!

I feel like people need to know they are beautiful. I feel like we need to just tell people more often. Saying something as simple as "you like nice today" or "looking good this morning" to someone can boost their confidence and self esteem and set the pace and mood for their day.

Not creating a world of narcisistic self-obsessed ego-maniacs, but rather just being positive and encouraging.

Telling someone they are beautiful or handsome does not always have to be connotated with "omg they like me" or "omg im scared to say that because what will they think". We live in such a materialistic world, where people always think to themselves that how they look expresses who they are. But really, it's how we look inside, and also how we feel inside, that gets spread to the world like wild fire. It doesn't have to be about "clothes" or "hair" or "makeup". Telling someone they look happy, or telling them that they seem confident is a good thing. I am going to start. Consider it a good deed for the day, because making others feel good will make you feel good as well!

Candles and Christmas music = yes. Already starting.

AWARENESS IS KEY.

Being aware of calories is motivation not to eat that particular thing. For instance, a 300 calorie snack = 25 to 30 minutes of cardio to work off. Worth it? Maybe not. Maybe cutting calories in half for snacks would be more worth it, time saving, and healthier.

Be aware of sugar content!!! Some things that seem healthy have a lot of sugar. Some sugars are better than others, but are still sugars. Check sugar content and decide if it is worth it, in the long run.

Be aware of water!!! Whether it is coming into your body or coming out (sweat or urination) you need to stay hydrated. I always have a full water bottle around in visible sight.

Be aware of small changes!!! Losing weight and feeling healthy does not just need to be about massive results. Validate the little things, and this will just reinforce what you are working towards!!! Realizing that your jeans slip off your hips a little easier, or your "muffin top" is a little less apparent now is a great way to stay self-motivated. Even if it is only your psyche and not actually as much of a change as you think it is, do not feel defeated, but rather use this as fuel!!!

Instagram & Bandcamp

I am uploading inspirational photos to my instagram, as well!

Check out: _racheladriel for more about me and my life... Follow!

Check out: rachesings_ for my singing and vocal and music account... Follow!

I am also working to record songs for my bandcamp as well: racheladeroute.bandcamp.com 

Week 2: Day 7

So today with that extra hour of sleep I am feeling amazing! :) Love carefree Sunday's.

I planned to be at the gym at 1, but I also planned to go to church. Ended up sleeping until 12.

Breakfast: smoothie (banana, strawberry, pineapple, peanut butter, and almonds) 2 eggs, coffee (5 cups).

Snack: 3 cookies = 300 calories, therefore my snack equivalent for the day.

I will go for around 4pm-5pm for cardio/weights and then come home and work on an assignment, and again from 7pm-8pm for cardio/weights. Hoping to see this as a 700+ calories burned kind of day!

Heading to my first workout, 4:40-5:40, wearing my Steelers jersey in all its glory!!! :) LETS GO STEELERS. Hoping they'll let me watch the game at Goodlife.

So I'd like to make a shoutout to a bunch of awesome people who have really inspired and encouraged me:

Rachael Ernst and her blog: Things I Just Do Not Understand

She inspired me with a bit about her own journey, and some tips:

• Don't be too strict with your diet. It's really easy to get fixated on it and it will be hard to stick to. A diet of 1800 cal per day is probably a little more realistic. If you eat too little, your body will go into starvation mode and ANYTHING you eat will be stored as fat and wont be burned.
• Try to eat every 3 hours. It will keep your body from going into "starvation" mode. 
• Drink lots of water. 
• Have breakfast as soon as you wakeup. 
• Keep the good fats in your diet. 
• TREAT YO SELF: in small amounts but regularly. 
• DO NOT get fixated on the number. Muscle weighs more than fat and sometimes your number will go up but don't let that discourage you. 
• How your clothes fit will be a better indicator of your progress. and last but not least, just keep going!!!

Thank you Rachael for your advice and postivity! :)

Week 2: Day 6

Only one day left until the two week mark!!!

I am babysitting all day today. I went to bed around 4am (phonecall and loud roomies and insomnia) and woke up at 7:30. I had a smoothie (banana, strawberry, almond, water) and 2 eggs. (380 cals)

I had a chocolate pudding for a snack.

For lunch I had a lean cuisine (250 cals) and a gingerale (130 cals).

Going to the Western Football game at 4:30... Go Stangs Go!!! :) 

I had a medium hot chocolate at The Spoke (no whip cream and no syrup drip) to warm up after the game.

For dinner, we ended up at Crabby's. I had two Caesars, and some nachos with guacamole, salsa, and buffalo chicken. It was $3.99 Caesar night, and having those puppies "espicy" was not something I wanted to pass up. No diggity.

I weighed myself today, expecting postive results, but was quite unhappy. I am not sure the scale is consistent with the one I weighed myself on at Goodlife. I plan to use their scale tomorrow. I plan to buy a good scale and use it consistently. I was not going to weigh myself so I didn't get discouraged, but I know it is definitely incorrect... 

TOMORROW: Tomorrow will be a "last chance workout" day for me! I have decided that the second Sunday of each month, I will have a last chance workout where I will attempt to burn 1000 calories. I will be going to church 10-12am. I will go home around 12:30, get changed, and head to the gym for 1pm and 1 full hour of cardio, and some weight training, too. I hope to burn 700 or more calories during this time. I will then go home for around 3pm, and work on an assignment due Monday for my therapeutics class. I will then have a light snack before heading back to the gym around 5pm, for another hour of cardio, hoping to burn another 500-600 calories during this time. I will then go home for dinner, and to relax for a bit, and then head back around 7pm. They close at 8pm, so I will get in another hour of cardio, hopefully 500-600 calories as well.

My total burn for the day will hopefully be: 1600+ calories. 

BELOW INFORMATION IS KEY

Some changes I plan to make:

-breakfast: maximum 350 cals

-lunch: maximum 400

-snack: maximum 100 cals

-dinner: maximum 500 cals

-snack: maximum 100 cals or less

Total: 1400 cals for the day

Workout (average cals burn I want):

-cardio: at least 300 cals per day

-body pump: 400 cals 

-regular weight training: 150 cals (on these days do more cardio)

*only one off day per week*

Less cookies. 

Less calorie drinks.

Less frozen yogurt.

Less carbs.

Week 2: Day 5

Good morning world!!!

I am really looking forward to today... IT'S FRIDAY!!! These weeks just seem to fly by.

So today I had for breakfast: 1 smoothie (banana, strawberries, peaches, peanut butter, almonds and water)
and 2 eggs, with only 3 cups of coffe (trying to cut back).

I have a quiz 11-1pm, and then I am going to come home for lunch, just something small. I had a lean cuisine (290 calories).

I had an apple during the quiz, and now I am having some baby-carrots with hummus. Yum yum yum, and oh so healthy, too! :)

I have class 2pm-6pm, and afterwards I am heading out for sushi with a friend at Conception Sushi!

Should be a great day!!!

Happy November, and...

Okay I got back from sushi/hangouts around 10pm, and I can proudly say I DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TEMPURA. I quite enjoyed my rolls and rice, and a bit of breaded chicken and some beef, and of course edamame. Spiced up with soy sauce and wasabe. WASAAAABE!!!

Quite delicious end to a wonderful day. I am taking tonight off to reflect and relax.

Up at 7am, to head to babysitting, and a football game tomorrow! GO STANGS GO!

:) All for now, you beautiful world.

Stay classy.