Hey guys! I have a bunch of random stuff to share with y’all today!
I told you guys in my last post about the F45 Challenge that I started, right? Well, I’m loving it and it’s keeping me motivated!
I’m love love loving my workouts right now! I’ve been going to F45 for 2 1/2 weeks now and I’ve only missed one workout (except for Sundays…they’re closed and it’s always a rest day for me anyway!) I really, truly love these workouts and look forward to them! I’m also already noticing progress and changes, which is surprising to me!
Here’s a pic of my friend and I after one of our workouts! I LOVE this gym!
I’m not sure if I’ve lost any weight or not. My weight always fluctuates +/- 3 pounds so it’s hard to tell if it’s weight lost or just normal fluctuations. BUT, time will tell! I’ve been amazed by the difference I’m noticing in my strength, endurance and stamina though! It’s been insane. When I went to my first class, there were many things that were really hard for me to do. Now a lot of those things feel much easier and I’m doing them with more weight! It’s been so rewarding. It will be really fun to see and feel my progress in the weeks and months to come!
As far as the diet part goes…I am not being hardcore. Quite frankly, I’m just not feelin’ the whole hard core vibe right now. There are times when I love going on an ultra clean diet….this is not one of those times. However, because I’ve been working out so much and so hard, I want to fuel my body right and not sabotage my efforts. Soooo, I’m eating a lot of good, healthy, wholesome things, BUT if I want to splurge a bit….I splurge! It’s perfect for me right now. I still think I’m eating well enough that I should see some decent results. BUT, if in a few weeks I’m not seeing the results I’m looking for….I may have to tighten up the diet a bit. We’ll see.
I love macro counting. I think it’s really eye opening and really teaches people how to eat a good, well-balanced diet. I think most people don’t realize how much fat and carbs they’re eating. I also think most people don’t get enough protein in. With that being said, I really haven’t felt like counting macros lately either. I’m just kind of roughly doing it in my head; I’m making sure I get a lot of protein in and I’m keeping my fat and carbs in check….mostly. It’s perfect and very reasonable for me right now. I haven’t really been keeping track of things in My Fitness Pal either. Gasp!
I love My Fitness Pal. I also think it’s a very good teacher and eye opener. But, GUYS, I’m just burned out of being mega uber strict and tracking every stinkin’ thing I eat. I may want to start doing that again, but for now…I DO NOT. For now, I just want to keep killin’ it on my workouts and filling my body full of mostly good food. We’ll see how it goes. I actually feel good about my efforts right now.
Mmmmkay, when I started the F45 Challenge last week, they recommended that we visit our local Complete Nutrition store and get our body fat analysis done. Oh goody! Actually, I was quite excited to do this. If you guys have been reading my blog for a while, you KNOW how hard I’ve been trying to lose these last 10 pounds! Well, I figured getting my body fat analysis done would be the perfect reality check/motivation for me….and it was!
Sooo, I paid a visit to Complete Nutrition and hopped on their InBody machine. Can I just tell you guys how friggin’ scary that is!??! That scale tells you your body fat percentage and it also breaks it up to tell you the “lean analysis” of each arm, leg and your trunk. It tells you how much water weight you’re carrying and how much muscle too. It’s awesome information, but extremely humbling.
Well, my test told me that my body fat percentage was 22.9%. I wasn’t happy or sad about that number. In fact, I didn’t really know what to think. However, the Complete Nutrition lady said I should be happy with my results. She said I had a lot more muscle than average and my fat percentage was “healthy.”
The test also tells you how much muscle you should gain and how much fat you should lose (in pounds.) My test said 0.0 in both areas, which she said she hardly ever sees. I was happy ’bout that. However, she said that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t and can’t lose any weight/fat, it just says that my body is within a healthy range right now.
I told her I wanted to lose about 10 pounds and lean out and tone up a bit. I asked her what a good body fat percentage goal would be for me. She told me that she thought I would be very happy around 18% body fat. She said I could healthily go lower than that, but it would take A LOT of work to maintain, and quite frankly isn’t necessary. I agree.
Soooo, for now I’m going to keep working hard, eating well and I’ll see where it takes me. I think I’ll get my body fat tested again in a month. I’m grateful to have that tool now to keep me accountable and show progress, or lack thereof. Oh, and if any of you want to get your InBody test done (I’m sure you’re all thinking….Oh Goody!), you can have it done at Complete Nutrition as long as you’re a customer (I just had to spend $20 or more on products.) I know a lot of nutrition stores out there have the same machine too. Kev had his done at Max Muscle…same exact machine.
Oh, and after I had my test done, I Googled, “What is a good body fat percentage?” I found this chart…
I thought that was helpful and interesting and it made me not feel so bad about my 22.9%.
Oh, and I thought I’d share with you guys what I decided to buy at Complete Nutrition. I didn’t need any protein or pre/post workout supplements, so I decided to buy this…
I’m always looking for ways to boost my immune system (mine sucks) and I like the whole antioxidant idea too, so I thought I’d try these. I also thought I’d get a little creative and add spinach to it! Ha ha!
Here’s the deal. I like veggies. I enjoy them mixed in my eggs, as a salad or with my dinner. However, there are days that I’m just so dang sick of veggies and don’t want to eat them! These are the days when I get creative.
Sooooo, I decided to mix a packet of my Elev8 with a big ol’ cup of water and a big handful of my fav Power Greens. I put it all in my blender and voila…
I’ve made this a couple times now. Sometimes I add some ice, sometimes I don’t. My spinach mix is always frozen, so that helps to make the drink cold.
The one on the left was made without ice and the one on the right had ice added….
I think I prefer to make it without ice. It’s just easier to drink and goes down quicker/easier. It also seems like when I add the ice, it creates more of a foam on top. That foam makes me want to hurl. I try to spoon out as much of the foam as I can.
I’ll be honest, this “drink creation” isn’t awesome. It’s not terrible either though and it’s such an easy way to get some healthy greens in! Especially on those days when I’m just not feelin’ like eating my veggies.
I think this drink kind of tastes like punch with a little dirt mixed in. Ha ha. I love it though because it’s simple, easy and kind of refreshing! I’ve been enjoying mine with a side of rotisserie chicken…
Oh, and I’m sure you could make this same “dirty punch” creation with packets of Crystal Light or something similar too!
I thought I’d also share some of the other healthy meals I’ve been enjoying lately! I made a big breakfast for Kev and Ty when they got home from their trip to Fiji. They all wanted me to make Grandma’s Fluffy pancakes with chocolate chips…
These turned out so huge and fluffy, but I didn’t eat any of them. It actually wasn’t too hard for me to resist because I’d rather save my splurges for cookies. 🙂
I pulled out some Chocolate Protein waffles out of the freezer and had them with a side of scrambled egg whites topped with natural ketchup.
Yes, I had THREE waffles. So yummy! AND GUYS, I topped them with a little Jif Whips Peanut Butter, some Walden Farms chocolate syrup (love this stuff!) and some whipped cream in a can. Seriously so dang flippin’ good!
Ya, that whipped cream is not perfectly healthy, but it’s only like 15 calories for 2 tablespoons. It makes those waffles taste just like a treat too! I love it when I have some of that whipped cream stashed in my fridge. It’s fun to add to various creations (protein pancakes/waffles, protein shakes, healthy treats, protein pudding, etc.) However, I have to make sure to hide it from the kids because if they know I have a can of this stuff, they can’t leave it alone! AND, for some reason they always break the can somehow and make it so it can’t spray. I can’t figure that one out…but it happens every single time!
Oh, I also cooked up some YUMMY turkey bacon with this breakfast. I found this awesomeness at Costco…
It was a little spendy, but I decided to give it a try. Everyone loved it!
I’ve also enjoyed random salads for lunch lately…
When I remember, I love to buy a bag of broccoli slaw. It is the perfect addition to a salad; it adds a little crunch and a boost of nutrition! This salad consisted of romaine, broccoli slaw, apples, cherry tomatoes, rotisserie chicken and hard boiled egg whites. I topped it all with some Bolthouse Farms Creamy Balsamic dressing.
I love it when I have a salad for lunch, however there are days when I just caaaaan nooooot eat a salad! Those are the days when I enjoy my dirt flavored punch. Ha ha. I’m grateful for options!
The other day I made nachos (essentially chips with melted cheese on top) for a bunch of my kids and Kev. It looked so good to me, so I decided to get creative!
I melted a little cheese on top of some Food Should Taste Good chips and then topped it with some leftover pulled pork (my easy and healthy Pulled Pork recipe) and a bunch of salad stuff (romaine, broccoli slaw, green onions and tomatoes.) I topped it all with a little ranch dressing.
This was actually dang good and I was glad I packed some protein and veggies into my nachos!
I made spaghetti for dinner the other night and I made some zucchini noodles for Kev and I.
Guys, I actually really love zucchini noodles! They are so good (almost taste just like pasta!) and so quick to make! I topped mine with a little cooked ground turkey and marinara sauce. I also had a salad on the side…
Can I just tell you guys how much I love raisins on salad!??! They are so tasty. I’m not even a big raisin person, but they just make a salad so good!
I made this for dinner the other night and it tasted so good to me!
This is one of my very favorite summer meals! It’s just grilled chicken marinated in my favorite marinade with roasted veggies, grilled pineapple and grapes. YUM!
I’ve also been having this for breakfast most mornings…
My egg wrap (usually filled with turkey and sauteed onions/peppers) topped with salsa and lite sour cream. I also enjoy a protein waffle or pancake on the side topped with my fav Jif Whips, Walden Farms chocolate syrup and whipped cream. SO GOOD!
I also went to lunch last week with my childhood friend, Melodi. She is a huge health nut (when she and I get together, we could talk health and fitness foreeeevvveer!)
We went to a wonderful little place called Aubergine and Company. Melodi always knows of tons of good, healthy places to eat! I’d never been here before, but it was awesome!!!
They basically make yummy custom salads full of so much goodness! I loved mine! I forgot to take a picture, but I’m holding my leftovers in that picture. The only thing I’d recommend is to get the salad dressing on the side. I usually always do that, but I forgot this time and there was a TON of dressing on there. However, they make all their dressings from scratch and the one I had was a cashew ranch; healthier, yes, but I’m sure it was super high in calories. It was way good though and it was so nice to spend the afternoon with my dear friend.
Well, I have one last freaky picture to share with y’all. When I started the F45 Challenge last week I decided to take a “before picture.” Woot! Ha ha. Before pictures are always super humbling, but I like to take them because they help to keep me accountable.
On the “official” F45 Challenge page it said to take your before pictures wearing either underwear (uhhhh, no) or a two piece swimsuit. Well, I don’t have a two piece swimsuit, so I decided to just take my pic in a sports bra and shorts. If you recall, last summer I did the Oxygen Magazine challenge and they suggested taking before pics in a sports bra and shorts. Soooo, I decided to stick with that. Soooo, here ya go…
Can I just say that I’m not proud of this picture. I’m not really ashamed of it either. It is what it is. Considering I just had my body fat analysis done…OH, and I also had one of the trainers at F45 take all my measurements (holy humbling!), I’m kind of feeling like putting it all out there in an effort to motivate myself and see what I can do!
I also feel a need to mention that before I took this picture, my hair was up in a ponytail. I thought it would look better to wear my hair down in this picture. Ummmm no. I think it looks like I have a mullet!!! Bwhahaha. So darn pretty. 🙂
I also want to mention that I’m a little discouraged because I’ve been trying to lose these last 10 pounds for a YEAR!!! Seriously folks. I did that Oxygen Challenge a year ago and loved it, but I think I still look exactly the same!
Case in point…here’s my after picture last year compared to my before picture this year…
I think I look pretty much exactly the same! Gah!
Oh well, changes WILL happen this time! These F45 workouts are seriously SO DANG awesome. I’m already encouraged with my progress and I’m only a week and a half into the challenge! I may have to tighten up the diet a little bit though (I’m hoping not.) We’ll see!
Well, I need to hit the hay! I love you all and hope you all have a fabulous weekend! xoxo
Glad you’re loving the F45 thing. I realized I’d gotten into a rut with just running and cycling. I used to do weights a lot more regularly. Well, next summer I’m going to be a bridesmade for one of our former exchange students, and I just got the dress. Yes, the bride is very organized. Her wedding’s almost a year away, and I already have my dress. Good thing, too, because I realized how much I need to work on toning! Holy SPANX Batman! I’m going to be almost 49 years old by then, standing up with a bunch of 23 year-olds. I don’t have any qualms about looking like a model or anything, but in that dress I am seriously Flabby McFlabs-a-lot. I’ve been gaining and losing the same 10 pounds for about a year and now have something to motivate me to finally get back to my Body Pump class.
Oh, and my arms hurt so much today, it’s hard to type this.
Bwhahahaha!!! I laughed out loud at your comment Beth! Ha ha. I’m so impressed that bride got you your dress a YEAR early! Woah! I was a bridesmaid at one of my best friend’s weddings when I was 8+ months pregnant once. It was fun. Ha ha. Good luck with your Body Pump!!!!
Calorie Counters like My Fitness Pal are TOTAL EYE OPENERS but also so so so so so good for people who are trying to learn to eat healthier! I actually have an account solely to give tips and tricks to those who ask for my help! 🙂 Every so often I might look up a calorie count to a specific food or use the site so I can count the calories for a whole recipe when people ask for it…. That being said, the numbers should always be taken with a grain of salt, because every once in awhile – they could be wrong. For the most part though, they are ON POINT! 🙂
I’ve learned so much from My Fitness Pal!! I love that you have a separate account for tips and tricks. That’s a great idea!!
You look amazing. I am always impressed with how you stay fit and raise a family. Good for you ! It is hard.
Thanks so much Karen! It is so hard and I struggle most days, but we just keep on going!!! Ha ha.
So glad you are loving the new workouts. Looks like you are doing fabulously.
Thanks so much Abby! I really do love my new gym. It’s very similar to Orange Theory and I remember you tried that out for a while. It’s so nice to get a great workout in!!
I always hear about that body fat analysis reading, and to be honest it scares the bejeebies out of me! I just don’t want to find out I’m 50% fat or something. Sounds like your reading was very good, and you look fit!
I was so scared to hop on the machine too! It was very insightful though. I bet you would have great results…you are lean and strong!
I think you look great!! Your waist looks tighter this year than last year, but both photos are fantastic. I used MFP for a bit, but I have to take breaks because I get obsessive. I’m quite curious what my BF % is!
Thanks Britt! Seriously, whenever I try to lose weight and get in shape, my results are soooo dang slow! I eventually reach my goals, but it usually takes me YEARS….and then I get pregnant. Ha ha. There are no more babies in my future though, so I’m looking forward to hopefully keeping the weight off for good!
Staying fit isn’t as difficult as we think, just remember staying hydrated all the time by drinking water a lot, cut down on sugar and fat foods and the last thing is doing gym. I’ve been doing them and trust me, I never see my weight increase month by month
Those are great tips! Thank you!
I really love all the dish you have in the post. Your fitness is awesome. I really love the way you keep it fit and get a happy life. Love you! Best wish!
Thank you so much!!! 🙂
I have heard about body analysis but i could not apply. Thanks for sharing about good eats . I am also curious about my BF %.
It really was eye opening to get my body fat analysis done!