A warning about brown rice syrup

Hello everyone-


I came across an article on Yahoo this morning that is not necessarily about weight loss, but it IS relevant if you eat brown rice/brown rice syrup.

Click here for article


Recently, studies have shown that organic brown rice syrup COULD be a high source of arsenic, and the article also mentions rice itself having arsenic in it.  This just makes being gluten free even harder, if you don't want poison in your food.  And going organic won't change it much- the arsenic was found in organic brown rice syrup-containing foods. 


I actually have a jar of organic brown rice syrup that I think I might have to toss in the can after reading this. 


As far as I know, stevia is still safe to use for sweetening, so I think I will keep doing that. 


I really think the best way (at least for me) is to just avoid grains altogether, since everything seems so wrong with all of them these days.  I usually feel better when I do.




Have any of you tried to be grainless? How do you like it?

Tracy Anderson's Weight Loss Advice for Brides

Hello everyone!


I came across an interesting article-



In it, Tracy Anderson discusses various tips about shaping up before a wedding or other special event.

1. Start Early

Basically, as soon as you start planning for the wedding or event, plan out your workout and fitness regimen.  Don't be one of those  people who waits until the last minute and needs to lose 30 pounds in a month, because you will be sadly disappointed.

2. Diet

Do not deprive yourself severely while trying to lose the weight. Tracy suggests eating cleaner- use lemon juice on salads instead of dressing, eat lots of vegetables and lean protein, and exchange the occasional meal with a protein shake or a bar.

3. Exercise!

Your body will  not look its best no matter how you diet if you don't exercise as well.  "If you want to look like you and a healthy version of you and the best version of you for your husband-to-be, then you need to start sweating and exercising and designing your body to look like a woman," Tracy says. 

For more info- the link to the article is here:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Tracy-Andersons-Wedding-Weight-Loss-Tips-22945906

Just a Few Opinions.

Hi everyone!

Still waiting to heal up and get my workout done, but this post isn't really about me this time. 

I have lately (and previously) read both a lot of hate and praise for Tracy Anderson and her method. Just thought I would write things that are commonly said and state my opinions on the subject as intelligently as possible.

1. Tracy's diet is dangerous/unhealthy/etc.

Well, in a lot of ways, yes it is, especially for the long term.  In her defense, she does say that this is not how to eat for life.  However, I disagree with her saying how her way of eating is the only way.  MANY people have done her method eating healthfully making their own choices and had great results. On Tracy's Facebook page recently, someone asked if the diet plan was absolutely necessary and they replied that it is optional and that many have achieved results with their own eating plans. (This was said after people came out of the woodwork and shared results)

2. Her method injures people.

In my opinion, I think this is a fairly weak statement against the method IF you are paying attention to your body and doing the moves correctly in the sense that ANY exercise can result in injury. Even walking can cause injury (look at me and my poor ankle for example).   You hear about athletes getting hurt ALL the time. Any exercise done in bad form can also cause injury. It's not TAM specific, it's common sense and fact.

3. Her method is not for people with a lot to lose.

Are you kidding me? I know people who have lost 60-70 pounds doing the method and eating reasonably.  ANY type of movement, when done consistently will cause weight loss especially in conjunction with eating right. However, everyone's body IS different and responds to different workouts accordingly. Which leads me to my next one...

4. Tracy's claims that other workouts make us bulk up are bullshit.

Well, back to the whole "everyone is different" statement, I can attest to the contrary- I have tried a lot of workouts in the past.  Notably, I tried to do P90X at one point. Guess what happened? NO weight loss, seemingly NO fat loss, I was just a heavier, more "solid" version of my previously and still obese self.   Some of us DO bulk from certain exercises, some of us do not.  To quote one of my professors, there are no rules, recipes, or regulations when it comes to human beings.

5. Tracy's fans are all a bunch of crazy cult people who are brainwashed by her "teeny tiny" decree.

Well, I do know a lot of people who are big fans of the method and I have yet to meet a "brainwashed" one in the bunch.  Hell, some of you may even think I'M brainwashed too. Your opinion.   Most of the people I know who do TAM do not fully buy into her "teeny tiny" and "perfection" claims, myself included. I call this blog my Teeny Tiny Quest as a play on her words, and perhaps maybe one day I will be close to teeny tiny with hard work and dedication.   As always, I am sure there ARE some who are brainwashed. 

6. Tracy should not be making videos, she is not a certified personal trainer.

Yeah, Tracy and SO many other "trainers" you may be familiar with- to my knowledge, Tony Horton (p90x), Jillian Michaels (Yep, THAT Jillan from the Biggest Loser), Possibly Billy Blanks (the Tae Bo guy) and many more (Kim Kardashian, anyone?)  ARE NOT CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINERS!!!! Shocker!  (If I am incorrect in saying that any of these people are not certified, I apologize. I searched and found no evidence that they have any certs) And yet, people still trust in them to change their bodies and their lives. 

In short, I believe Tracy can do things for ME, but as far as everyone else, they need to make that choice on their own.  I, for one find it difficult for me to stick with anything that I do not enjoy, ESPECIALLY working out.  I finally feel like I have found something I actually do not want to curl into the fetal position and die at the thought of doing. 

Disclaimer- these are MY opinions. If you read this and think I'm an idiot, cool. If you think I'm brilliant, why thank you.  I am not a certified trainer/dietician/etc, just a girl with an opinion.

Another interesting read about grain-freeness

Hello everyone!




I have been doing more reading about grain free eating (in particular how to do it without spending too much money) and I came across something not really related to budgeting but other facts about benefits of being grain free.

I found this on nourishedkitchen.com

"why you should go grain-free

1. if you can get it from grain, you can get it elsewhere.

The big heroes of most grains’ nutrient profile are dietary fiber and B vitamins.   Take heed, every grain is different and different grains offer different nutrient profiles.   Yet, one thing remains constant: if you can find the nutrient in grain, you can find the nutrient in better quantities in other foods. For example, 100 grams of whole wheat flour contains 44 mcg of folate; however, a 100-gram portion of lamb liver will give you 400 mcg of folate and a 100-gram portion of yardlong beans will give you a whopping 658 mcg per 100-gram portion.   Similarly with the B Vitamins niacin and thiamin, while a 100-gram whole wheat flour contains 30% of the RDA for niacin and 32% of the RDA for thiamin, you can find these nutrients in higher quantities in other foods – namely flaxseeds and sesame seeds.   Whole grains are often touted as health foods for their fiber content, but you can find dietary fiber in better quantities in other, more nutrient-dense foods.   For example: 100 grams of cooked brown rice offers up 1.8 grams of dietary fiber; by contrast, a 100-gram serving of cooked collard greens offers 2.8 grams; 100 grams of raw fireweed contains a whopping 11 grams of dietary fiber and even green peas contain about 5 grams of fiber per serving.

2. grains aren’t good for your gut.

Intestinal health is critical to your overall health.   If you’re gut isn’t healthy, you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat.   If you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, your body is malnourished and is more prone to disease.   Grains are associated with a condition called leaky gut syndrome.   Tiny particles of grains, when ingested, can slip through the intestinal walls causing an immune response.   With your immune system excessively taxed by constantly attacking these out-of-place particles of grain, it cannot effectively fight against true threats like pathogens.

3. you’re probably gluten-intolerant.

If you’re white, there’s a good chance that you’re gluten-intolerant to some degree.   Current research estimates that about 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition related to the ingestion of gluten-containing grains like wheat and barley; however, some researchers on celiac disease and gluten intolerance estimate that 30% to 40% of people of European descent are gluten-intolerant to some degree.   That’s a lot of people who are regularly consuming a food that makes them sick. (And, yes, I’m one of them.)

4. grains cause inflammation.

Due to a high starch content, grains are inflammatory foods.   The more refined the grain, the more inflammatory it is.   For example, unbleached white flour is more inflammatory than whole grain flour; however, whole grains are still moderately inflammatory foods and certainly more inflammatory than other foods like fresh vegetables and wholesome fats.   Chronic inflammation is linked to a myriad of degenerative, modern diseases including arthritis, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, emotional imbalance and even cancer.   Unbleached white flour earns an inflammation factor of -421 or strongly inflammatory onNutritionData.com while whole wheat flour earns an inflammation factor of -247 or moderately inflammatory.   Similarly, whole cooked millet earns an inflammation factor of -150 and cooked brown rice earns an inflammation factor of -143 – also moderately inflammatory.

5. grains are fairly new on the scene.

While still a traditional food, grains are, nonetheless, the new kids on the block.   Prior to the advent of agriculture, humans relied on hunting and gathering for their foods.   They foraged for wild greens, berries, fruits and other plants.   They hunted wild animals.   They fished for wild fish.   They didn’t plant a garden, or grow any amber waves of grain or, for that matter, drink dairy from domesticated animals since there simply wasn’t any domesticated animals.   Humans survived like this from the development of the appearance of the first homo sapiens sapiens about 47,000 years ago to the advent of agriculture some 10 – 12,000 years ago. So, for the better part of human existence grains did not comprise any notable portion of the human diet. In essence, what has become the bulk of our modern diet was missing from the diet of our prehistoric ancestors.

6. grains aren’t good for your joints.

Due to their inflammatory nature, grains – even   whole grains – are linked to joint pain and arthritis.     Grain’s amino acid composition mirrors that of the soft tissue in your joints.   Because both synovial tissue and grains are chemically similar, your body has difficulty differentiating between the two.   So, when your immune cells get all hot and bothered by inflammation caused by grain and begin to attack it as a foreign invader, they also begin to attack the soft tissue in your joint – leading to pain, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and, of course, more inflammation.

7. poorly prepared grains prevent mineral absorption.

When improperly prepared as they most often are, grains can inhibit vitamin and mineral absorption.   Grains contain substances like phytic acid which binds up minerals and prevents proper absorption.   Essentially, though your diet might be rich in iron, calcium and other vital nutrients if you eat improperly prepared grain, you’re not fully absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat.   However, please note that souring, sprouting and soaking grains neutralizes phytates and renders the nutrients in grain more absorbable.

8. grains are bad for your teeth.

Due to those high levels of phytates in grain, grain is linked to dental decay.   With high levels of mineral-blocking phytic acid coupled with low mineral absorption rates and plenty of starches for bacteria to feed on, grain contributes to dental decay.  Anthropological records of our pre-agricultural ancestors indicates very little to no tooth decay; however, that changed after the dawn of agriculture.   Indeed, some anthropologists use the presence of tooth decay is an indicator of an agricultural society.

9. grains aren’t good for your skin either.

Grains have a very high carbohydrate content, and while the carbohydrates in grain are complex they are still broken down into sugars nonetheless. These sugars instruct your body to produce more insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IFG-1).   Elevated insulin levels lead to a cascading hormonal response and these hormones activate the sebum-producing glands in your skin – encouraging them to produce more oil.   IFG-1 is also linked with the increased production of keratinocytes which also contribute to acne.

10. eating grain makes you crave grain.

You know how the smell of bread creates a longing in you   – a yearning for a slice, slathered with butter and maybe jam.   Or consider a plate of cookies set in front of you – so delicious – and you can’t just have one?   Foods rich in carbohydrates give you quick energy, but that energy wears off just as quickly as it came. Since grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall you crave more grains and, thus, the vicious cycle continues."

For the full article check it out here: http://nourishedkitchen.com/against-the-grain-10-reasons-to-give-up-grains/

First keto day

Hello everyone!


I had a realization today.  If one were to go Ketogenic, but not eat so much fat, I think it is more like a modified version of paleo- meaning that it's like paleo with dairy allowed and less fruit. 


That said, I did a pretty good job of being low carb yesterday, and so far today as well.


Here's a breakdown of what I ate:


Breakfast:


Sausage and scrambled eggs (2 net carbs)
Dark Chocolate think thin bar (2 net carbs)


Lunch:


Hamburger without bun (1 carb)
Salad without dressing


Dinner:


Grilled steak
Salad (no dressing)


It seems like a lot of fat, but the thing is that I am trying to get my body to rely on fat as fuel instead of carbohydrates.  I still also like to drain and blot greasy food when I can, even if it is "healthy". I just don't like the taste of grease very much.


I also think eating low carb is possible without eating buckets of grease. The only thing I would still prefer full fat is my dairy.  Fat free dairy tastes terrible and it's often loaded with sugar. No good.


That's it for today, going to get some movement in~!


Have a great day!

Tracy's New Baby!

Hello everyone!


On May 21, Tracy Anderson gave birth to her little girl, Penelope.  Yesterday, I saw online a picture of the new bundle of joy.

I think she's adorable. Almost a full head of blonde hair too, haha.

Just want to again say congrats to Tracy and her family, and welcome to the world, Penelope!

As for how I'm doing- I checked in my weight out of curiosity, and I gained a little!  I think it's water weight because my Aunt Flo is due next week.  Also, yesterday I had some crackers so this might be just bloat. 

When I get home from work today, I will do my workout as planned. Feeling a bit sore from yesterday especially in my inner thighs. 

Have a great day everyone!

Hey guys just a quickie post!


I finished my L1 D2 with 25 reps, a 60 minute walk and 30 minutes of DC.




Tomorrow night I will be doing 30 reps. EEEEK. I don't know if I can handle it. I feel kind of sore today. Hm.




Have a good night!!!

Hello everyone!

Tomorrow I am going to once again begin my Metamorphosis journey.

I am also going to start doing what I did before- drinking a shake in the morning. I still have my Tracy shakes and Clean shakes left, along with some frozen blackberries and a myriad of fresh blueberries and strawberries in the fridge.  I also have 5 think thin peanut butter bars and a box of dark chocolate on the way. (I heard they are to die for).  I figured I might as well use these, I WAS losing weight eating/drinking them and it would be a horrible waste of money to let it go.

I also need to really crack down on gluten. I am always reading up on gluten sensitivity and obesity.  Here is what I read this evening:

"In order for your metabolic rate to be normal and burn the calories you take in, adequate nutrition needs to come into the body and be absorbed by your cells. In our country, where food is very available, consumption isn’t usually the problem. Absorption however can often be. Here’s how:

Remember that gluten sensitivity causes malabsorption due to the damage it creates in the small intestine.

If the food goes into your mouth but never adequately arrives at your cells; your cells are essentially starving.

When the cells are inadequately fed they tell the body to lower its metabolic rate.

This results in a person who while not overeating continues to gain weight. Their body just doesn’t efficiently burn what it consumes but instead “holds on” to it.

The stress of the cells being “starved” causes this decreased metabolic rate and is one of the reasons those suffering from gluten sensitivity suffer from obesity.

The good news is that the situation is resolvable. Properly identifying gluten sensitivity and removing gluten from the diet allows the small intestine to heal. Once healed, nutrients again begin to be absorbed properly and the cells, now receiving adequate nutrition, increase the metabolic rate and weight loss ensues."

So for me, calories in, calories out is not enough.  I may eat enough calories but my body may not be absorbing what I need.  I really do not eat much for an obese person.  I eat normal portions most of the time but they usually are not gluten free. 

So, I will be hopefully starting off on the right foot tomorrow. Wake up, drink my shake, do my Meta, go to work, eat lunch, come home, dinner. 

Have a great night everyone and I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Hello everyone!




Today was the bootcamp workout that almost wasn't.  Last night, my refrigerator and freezer officially died, so I had to deal with that.  For a while I only got my leg reps (25! Yay!) done and my hour of power (walking). 


It's pretty late at night and I just finished 40 minutes of dance cardio as well as 25 of all the arms and abs work. I'm exhausted.


I have to get up early and await the delivery of my new refrigerator, and attempt 30 reps of everything tomorrow. Also tomorrow is my last day of 100% step touching. Scary!






Have a good night!

Missed Days, Starting Over- NOT!

Hello everyone!


Unfortunately, my Memorial Day holiday ended up being a busy one. I took my hour long walk, but then I got too busy (and it was too frickin HOT in a place with no air conditioning) to do my TAM.  So, Day 2 of bootcamp will be done today. 

Pictured: My mentality yesterday.

I was thinking of doing day 1 again but I have only been off for 2 days, not an entire week. 


According to Tracy's Facebook page, there is a note about missing days.  It says it's for Metamorphosis but I am pretty sure it can apply to the book workouts as well since they are also on a 10 workout rotation.

"Once you start Metamorphosis it is really important that you understand all of the gifts it has to give come with you making it part of your lifestyle.  This would mean that the only time you stop would be for a week max if you were sick or something in your life didn't allow for it to happen for a short period of time.  In that case you should pick up right where you left off.  If for some reason you fall off for longer than a week repeat the sequence that you completed before you took the break to get your body moving again with some memory before the next level. If longer than a month of a break happens start at the beginning."

So, that means for today, I will be attempting 25 reps of each exercise and 40 minutes of the step touching.  The workout after next, I am asked to add jumping into it. I'm afraid I won't be able to, but there's no way to know unless I try, right?

Have a great day everyone!!!!

Happy Memorial Day!

Hello everyone!


First, Happy Memorial Day to all of my American friends and readers!

Yesterday, I didn't do so good.  


The day started good- Woke up, had canteloupe and 2 hard boiled eggs, Steak and salad for lunch.  I also powerwalked for an hour.


Then disaster struck- I came home RAVENOUS.  We're talking eat the whole house ravenous.


The previous night, my roommate had picked up some breaded boneless buffalo wings and offered me some, which I declined.  Yesterday, they ended up in my belly.  All 10 of them.   Today, I saw that I had gained 3 pounds and am having tummy troubles (bloating, etc).  Today, I am going to keep my eating very light.  I had some fruit and tea for breakfast, planning on having soup and salad for lunch and dinner.  And, of course, LOTS of water.


I also didn't do my TAM yesterday, but will today.  Not starting over, doing Day 2. 


Have a happy, healthy safe Memorial Day!

Day 1 OFFICIAL Boot Camp Start!

Hello everyone!




A little check in here!


Today I ate the following- (I am not following TA's diet plan, but going gluten free and mostly grain free as well.)


Breakfast:


5 slices of very crispy bacon. 


Lunch:


Salad with butter lettuce, a light drizzling of Italian dressing, some steak strips and some pieces of onion.


Dinner: (I was kind of bad here, went to see Men In Black 3)


1/2 bag of large popcorn (no extra salt or butter) and diet coke. This is a HUGE improvement- normally I would salt and butter the hell out of it and eat the whole thing.   Also, the theater did confirm that their popcorn and topping is gluten free. (Aside from possibility of being in the same truck as gluten, which I am not too worried about right now)


Also on the right- There is a Myfitnesspal.com badge to show how many pounds I have lost since my initial stats. I will not measure my body until my boot camp is DONE. Every 10 day measurements will be taken when I begin Metamorphosis after this.


So, how was my workout?


I did day 1 sequence 1 with 20 reps per exercise.  I am about to do the dancing part of my workout.  I will be following the moderate beginner plan (which I am afraid MIGHT be a little too fast- after 3 days she will have me be jumping, but never know until I try, right?) because I can "walk but not run"-  I walked a solid hour at a good pace yesterday and got a good sweat up. 


And yes, I will do my best to do the workouts EVERY day. It's only a month and I really need to not cop out. Yes, one day at a time, but the daily workouts is a goal I would like to attempt to achieve. 




Have a great Saturday- See you tomorrow! 

New day!

Hello everyone!


In case anyone didn't know, Tracy finally had her baby yesterday!  A little 5 pound 10 ounce girl named Penelope. Congrats to Tracy and her family!


I am still pretty tired and sore from Monday. However, I am going to give my boot camp workout a go, and make some of the ratatouille from the book recipes.  I remember making it before and having been very tasty and good.


Those of you who have done the book workouts or made the recipes- What is your favorite recipe from Tracy?

Well that didn't go well.

Hello everyone!




This is how I am feeling about my workout today.

Facepalm. Oh yeah.

I did something dumb, I decided against bootcamp at the last minute and decided to go with meta. To make matters worse, I foolishly tried to do all 40 reps on the legs (very clumsily and I'm sure with HORRIBLE form) and now I am sore as hell in a bad way.  Also for some odd reason I didn't stretch either. BAD IDEA.


Also cardio was a total BUST!




First, I tried doing the Meta cardio. 5 minutes in, I had to stop. My legs felt like they were weighted down with cement (like during the MS). Then I tried to do the trampoline and it wasn't much better. The longest I could jump at a time was 1.5-2 minutes. I managed 8 minutes and had to quit.


So, I am going to go back to the original plan- bootcamp and TAKE IT SLOW. I have no idea what the hell I was thinking that possessed me to do all the reps. Nope. It's only been one day, so switching now is not too bad. I will just think of today as a warmup. 


Tomorrow I am going to do things the RIGHT way. Boot camp, 20 reps per exercise, 10 minutes of step touching cardio and my walk/stretch. And eating right. I ate slightly junky today too and my skin is reacting kind of badly to it. I tend to get eczema on my hands and belly when I have too much gluten- and my hands were flaring up today, a spot neat my belly button, and a spot on the inside of my elbow. NO FUN.


So, time to go to sleep and do it RIGHT next time.


Sleep well everyone!

Goals for this summer

Hello everyone!




I am off to a very late start, but I have some summer goals.  I had more, but realized that it's probably unrealistic and is just begging for injury or failure.


The original goals: 


1. Walk for one hour a day and start to jog
2. Do 60 minutes of dance cardio
3. Do power yoga as often as I can, preferably daily
4. Stretch for an hour
5. TA MS work bootcamp, then Meta.




The new goals:


1. Walk for one hour a day
2. Build up my dance cardio endurance based on the boot camp book 
3. Stretch
4. MS bootcamp- 6 days a week instead of 30 days through unless I honestly feel up to working out on my rest days.
5. My goal is to be at one hour of cardio (even if it's just step touching) by the time I hit meta. We'll see.
6. NO MORE GLUTEN!!!!! There's really no excuse why I can't other than literally just not giving a shit. (pardon my language)
7. More exercise is extra and not required. If I feel like it, I will do it. If not, no big deal.
8. Try to make vlogs. (finally) I have a different computer set up now so it should work better.


Yeah, I've tried Boot Camp  before and quit, but that is also because I made it an all or nothing thing. I quit because I missed a couple days and thought I "messed up". I was able to get through Metamorphosis up to half way through before, so I figure if I break boot camp down into 6 days instead of daily, it could be more doable for me. I also need to get over it if I miss more days, TAM is an ongoing thing (which is why there's continuity). There is no "end date" or "deadline" because it's a LIFESTYLE change, not "doing a program". If one were to just choose to do the boot camp or meta only, then that is "doing a program". However, keeping up with it from then on is making it a lifestyle and there is no end date to live up to or feel bad about missing. Listening to your body is also very important.


Also, I took out yoga because I am not a fan of over training and I firmly believe that weight loss is 90% diet, exercise just makes your body LOOK nicer and helps along the weight loss more. (Burning calories, every little bit helps)


I am going to take new measurements tonight, weigh in in the morning and get my ass on the mat!


Also if I do not meet my goals 100%, I PROMISE this time not to scrap everything, call myself a failure, etc. I am working on being more lenient with myself. It's harder than it sounds!  

Trying to decide.

Hello everyone!


Yesterday I ended up having a pretty active day.  Two dog walks, a walk to the bank, and a dirty bathroom that needed scrubbing. 


No TA- Why? Because I am trying to decide if I want to do the book workout before going to meta.  It seems like the logical thing to do because:


1. It gives me a chance to strengthen up cardio-wise
2. I do have a lot of time this summer during the day- decided to not take summer school this time.
3. I have heard from others that it helped them a lot before starting Meta to lose some weight and get stronger with the MS work as well.


Whichever path I go, today I won't be able to do it because I do have a busy day, but tomorrow should be better. 


Well, I will think it over today and make a decision. 




Have a great day!

Day 1 down, Day 2 to go!

Hello everyone!

Yesterday ended up going *almost* perfectly clean eating wise.

Breakfast:

1/2 pound (1/4 kg) of fresh strawberries with Greek yogurt

Lunch:

Green salad with 3 ounces of buffalo meat

Snacks: (Here's where it got bad)

A few pieces of hard candy

Peanut butter

A couple slices of cheese

Dinner:

Same as lunch.

I did the first day of the first level of Tracy's bootcamp with 20 reps of each exercise and 10 minutes of step touch cardio, and I am a little sore this morning.  Goal for day 2 is to do 25 reps. I have also been taking my dog on long walks for more exercise. 

Speaking of walking the dog, I am about to go do it now. Have a great day!

Back to Working Out

Hello Everyone!




Today I am planning to get a real workout in today, after I take care of some other stuff.


In the meantime, I do have a little menu plan for today.


Here is what I have had so far!




Breakfast


1 large Fuji apple and a handful of raw walnuts


Lunch


A big salad made of spring mix lettuce, steak strips and balsamic vinegar


Dinner


TBA but I am thinking grilled oyster mushrooms and tofu with some salad on the side.  




It doesn't sound like much food but I am not feeling blah or anything. Also no stomach trouble (no grains!) which is also a good sign.


I have also been drinking water with meals and trying to give up soda. Might have to wean myself off gradually because I do get headaches without it. 




Have a great day everyone and I will check back later when I get my workout done.

An apple a day...

Hello everyone!




As you can guess by the title, I am going to make a positive step in my diet- eat one apple a day for breakfast.

I went to the Korean grocery store with the intention on buying a few apples, and happened to come across boxes of about 14 big, juicy looking, organic Fuji apples (my favorite).  And they were on sale. Always a plus.


I am not a big eater in the morning, so while it sounds paltry, it fills me up for a while.  I actually find that when I eat right, I find myself eating very little without being hungry. It concerns people but I honestly feel great when I eat healthy even if it's not very large portions. You do not need to be stuffed like a turkey to get enough food. You will know when you've had enough. If you are not genuinely hungry for dinner because you had a clean, wholesome lunch and breakfast, that is OKAY. You are not starving. You would feel it if you were. Now on the other hand if you feel lightheaded, dizzy, by all means- EAT!




It's time for bed now, looking forward to that breakfast apple!

More prenatal workouts with Tracy!

Hello everyone!




Tracy Anderson is back again with more pregnancy workouts on fitsugar!







The moves look very easy on the body (and the baby) but as always, if you are pregnant, talk to your doctor first before doing anything.


Still no word on a release date for the pregnancy workout DVDs but I have heard they should be coming out this fall.