So, I realized after writing my last post that I had PMS. It was a bit of a surprise because it was my second period in one cycle. Totally my fault. I lost track of my birth control pill.
But it has led me to research a bit about what goes on with our hormones and why we crave carbs, sugar, salt and everything else in between during this hormone flux.
As it turns out, apparently, we burn an extra 200-300 calories per day during this time. Great news, right?! But, it would seem, our cravings are much more perverse and can cause us to eat over 500 more calories then we would normally.
However, there do seem to be some supplements that can help with all this PMS drama. Evening primrose oil is supposed to help considerably, as well as fish oils, magnesium and B vitamins.
So I have the date marked on the calendar and I am going to try some of these to see if they help level the playing field a bit.
If you have a PMS fighter that works for you, please share!!
Started level 4 yesterday and I loved it! That plank pose is pretty killer, but I am excited as I know what those planks can do!!
My goal is to finish level 4 before I leave for my trip to Australia on Dec 10!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Food and Vices!!
Yesterday I decided to take some measurements after my work out and discovered that I am right back where I was when I started Meta, at least that is what the measurements say. I do feel stronger and leaner but I really an not losing any weight.I do not have to ask any questions to figure this out. There is no mystery as to why I am still a size 12, why I still feel tired, why I still feel frustrated with myself.
I chose not to do Tracy's diet plan. I already know how to eat well. I also found it to be very fussy to prepare and not really family friendly. I really thought I would be able to lose weight with out much diet alteration.
My main vice is wine. I am not a 'drinker' per say. But I love a few glasses of wine. It starts while I am cooking on a Friday night with a glass, then a glass at dinner, then a glass while cleaning up, and then a glass while relaxing in front of the tv. Saturday might be a similar kind of night, then Sunday we might eat out and have a few glasses. On Mondays I often go out to the pub quiz with my girl friends. So by the time all is said and done I have consumed 4 glasses of wine per evening. Over a week that can add up to a whopping 3000 calories, just from the casual drinks on the week end. There goes a lb of fat lose. Not only that, alcohol literally halts the metabolism.
I am not even going to go into all the crap I eat while I am drinking wine! Last night I polished off a bowl of salty pretzels while watching a movie. I feel bloated and spacy today, which lead to a way late sleep in and missing a work out. To top if off I am super cranky.
So while I am busting my butt trying to create a regular workout routine for myself, I am completely sabotaging my own efforts with a few libations.
I have managed to curb the wine consumption in the past. What I find is that I compensate with sugar. So instead of wine I will eat ice-cream. It was only during my sugar fast that I was able to completely get rid of both these habits. I am reluctant to do this kind of sugar fast again. Failure is inevitable. I can't sustain it over the long haul and when I do fail it is an epic sugar binge.
I am not going to give up socializing. And I am not likely to sip on green tea while everyone else is drinking.
I am not sure what to do with myself right now. I am trying to be kind and understanding. I am hoping an answer will come from some quiet meditation. My instinct is to not bring wine into the house at all. Only drink it out while socializing. Save the calories for those moments and focus on keeping myself busy with other things while at home. Knitting is great for this!
Time to bust out the needles!!
I would love to hear what you all think!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Rebounder
So, I am reading the forum this morning and there are at least 6 threads started about dance cardio and shin splints, and other aches and pains from newbies. QVC must have had Tracy on again!
I really want to help these women out. If they injure themselves or feel overwhelmed by the dance cardio they may lose interest in TAM altogether. And we just would not want that!
Dance cardio is so important to weight loss. It just must be done. A rebounder can make a HUGE difference to someone struggling with dance cardio on the floor.
Here are some questions being asked on the TAM forum, and then how I think Tracy might answer those questions (well, really how I would answer them):
What alternatives are there for Tracy approved cardio?
A. Rebounder, treadmill dance, synchronized swimming, acrobatics cirque style, surfing, leaping through a park like a 5 year old. Ok, Ok, in all seriousness! A rebounder is a great alternative. It is fun, kind to your body and NASA called it the most effective exercise designed by man.
Will I burn enough calories with rebounding?
A. There are many variables to cardio that effect the number of calories burned. If you work at a level that has you consistently moving at optimum exertion then you should burn around 300 cal 30 min and be covered in sweat. But if your just going to bounce up and down don't count on eating cheese cake for dessert!! Tracy says to alway perform. Go for it! Have fun! Move that tush!
I am scared I will fall off the trampoline.
A. Listen, there is always a risk when you exercise that you are going to get injured. The more you listen to your body the lower your risk is. But if you don't take any risks your butt will continue to get bigger. So get off it and get on the rebounder!
Take it slow. When you rip the plastic off your new rebounder and you finally wrestle the thing into position, don't just jump on to the thing and go wild. You need to build up your stamina. Try jumping gently for 10 min. If that feels good then stop. Put it away until the next day. Slowly build your stamina up. Your whole lymph system is going to be activated and you may experience some interesting side effects in the first few days. You may find you are incontinent, that you get a head ache, and feel flu symptoms. This is normal and it will pass. building up your work out slowly will minimize these symptoms.
You also need time to get used to the motion of jumping up and down, and the instability of the trampoline surface. Rebounding exercises every muscle in your body. It is very much like working with a stability ball in that all those little muscles twitch and wake up to help stabilize your body.
Can I do dance cardio videos on the trampoline?
A. yes and no. The Meta cardio can be translated to the trampoline, as well as 30 day Method cardio. However there are many sequences that can not be done, like traveling across the floor in a grapevine, for example. If you really feel you are missing out you can get on the floor and do these sequences to your hearts content. Honestly, I don't think you would be missing much if you skip this. When you work your way up to 30 min and start trying new steps on the rebounder every muscle in your legs are being activated.
Here are some videos to help expand your mind into the world of rebound cardio. The last one is my favourite!!
Tracy doing her thing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtUEr_oy_o4
Tracy's instruction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjQtynZBFJ4&feature=related
Check out the guy in the scrunch socks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCHYkgUqHqc&feature=related
What kind of rebounder should I buy?
A. Good news! Tracy is expected to come out with a rebounder and a video with it!! But if you can't wait for that, an Urban rebounder ($80-$120) is a good choice. It is a great price and has the perfect amount of bounce for this kind of work out. I got mine from Amazon.
There are many types of rebounders out there, some of them are really expensive. You may be tempted to splurge on an elite model, like a Bellicon ($700). But beware. Some of these rebounders have a very soft bounce, meaning that the recovery of the bounce takes more time. It will be harder to get your work out done on one of these rebounders until you are really fit. Also, I have heard that the cords on these things need to be replaced regularly at $80 a pop. Might as well buy a new Urban for that!
I had a Needak ($400) that I originally purchased for my son. I donated it to my son's school because it was too big to store in my small apartment and they were using an old rebounder for him everyday. After I gave it away I discovered TAM. I was kicking myself. The Needak is a very good rebounder. It is a little bigger then the Urban. However I have heard that the springs are softer and need to be replaced every two years.
You may be tempted to by a cheap rebounder. But these rebounders are very hard on your back and ankles as the surface matt tends to be hard with tons of reverberation. They are also high risk for injury as a spring can break mid work out, or the matt may rip.
If you live in a small space you may want to consider buying a model that can be folded up and the legs fold in. If you can leave the rebounder in place all the time then you have more choices.
If you do choose to buy and Urban rebounder you will find it starts to get squeaky really fast. A squirt of WD40 on all the springs takes care of the noise.
Here is a list of additional benefits of regular rebounding:
I really want to help these women out. If they injure themselves or feel overwhelmed by the dance cardio they may lose interest in TAM altogether. And we just would not want that!
Dance cardio is so important to weight loss. It just must be done. A rebounder can make a HUGE difference to someone struggling with dance cardio on the floor.
Here are some questions being asked on the TAM forum, and then how I think Tracy might answer those questions (well, really how I would answer them):
What alternatives are there for Tracy approved cardio?
A. Rebounder, treadmill dance, synchronized swimming, acrobatics cirque style, surfing, leaping through a park like a 5 year old. Ok, Ok, in all seriousness! A rebounder is a great alternative. It is fun, kind to your body and NASA called it the most effective exercise designed by man.
Will I burn enough calories with rebounding?
A. There are many variables to cardio that effect the number of calories burned. If you work at a level that has you consistently moving at optimum exertion then you should burn around 300 cal 30 min and be covered in sweat. But if your just going to bounce up and down don't count on eating cheese cake for dessert!! Tracy says to alway perform. Go for it! Have fun! Move that tush!
I am scared I will fall off the trampoline.
A. Listen, there is always a risk when you exercise that you are going to get injured. The more you listen to your body the lower your risk is. But if you don't take any risks your butt will continue to get bigger. So get off it and get on the rebounder!
Take it slow. When you rip the plastic off your new rebounder and you finally wrestle the thing into position, don't just jump on to the thing and go wild. You need to build up your stamina. Try jumping gently for 10 min. If that feels good then stop. Put it away until the next day. Slowly build your stamina up. Your whole lymph system is going to be activated and you may experience some interesting side effects in the first few days. You may find you are incontinent, that you get a head ache, and feel flu symptoms. This is normal and it will pass. building up your work out slowly will minimize these symptoms.
You also need time to get used to the motion of jumping up and down, and the instability of the trampoline surface. Rebounding exercises every muscle in your body. It is very much like working with a stability ball in that all those little muscles twitch and wake up to help stabilize your body.
Can I do dance cardio videos on the trampoline?
A. yes and no. The Meta cardio can be translated to the trampoline, as well as 30 day Method cardio. However there are many sequences that can not be done, like traveling across the floor in a grapevine, for example. If you really feel you are missing out you can get on the floor and do these sequences to your hearts content. Honestly, I don't think you would be missing much if you skip this. When you work your way up to 30 min and start trying new steps on the rebounder every muscle in your legs are being activated.
Here are some videos to help expand your mind into the world of rebound cardio. The last one is my favourite!!
Tracy doing her thing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtUEr_oy_o4
Tracy's instruction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjQtynZBFJ4&feature=related
Check out the guy in the scrunch socks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCHYkgUqHqc&feature=related
What kind of rebounder should I buy?
A. Good news! Tracy is expected to come out with a rebounder and a video with it!! But if you can't wait for that, an Urban rebounder ($80-$120) is a good choice. It is a great price and has the perfect amount of bounce for this kind of work out. I got mine from Amazon.
There are many types of rebounders out there, some of them are really expensive. You may be tempted to splurge on an elite model, like a Bellicon ($700). But beware. Some of these rebounders have a very soft bounce, meaning that the recovery of the bounce takes more time. It will be harder to get your work out done on one of these rebounders until you are really fit. Also, I have heard that the cords on these things need to be replaced regularly at $80 a pop. Might as well buy a new Urban for that!
I had a Needak ($400) that I originally purchased for my son. I donated it to my son's school because it was too big to store in my small apartment and they were using an old rebounder for him everyday. After I gave it away I discovered TAM. I was kicking myself. The Needak is a very good rebounder. It is a little bigger then the Urban. However I have heard that the springs are softer and need to be replaced every two years.
You may be tempted to by a cheap rebounder. But these rebounders are very hard on your back and ankles as the surface matt tends to be hard with tons of reverberation. They are also high risk for injury as a spring can break mid work out, or the matt may rip.
If you live in a small space you may want to consider buying a model that can be folded up and the legs fold in. If you can leave the rebounder in place all the time then you have more choices.
If you do choose to buy and Urban rebounder you will find it starts to get squeaky really fast. A squirt of WD40 on all the springs takes care of the noise.
Here is a list of additional benefits of regular rebounding:
- There are 30 health advantages of regular rebounding, including the following: 1. It increases the capacity for respiration. 2. It circulates more oxygen to the tissues. 3. It establishes a better equilibrium between the oxygen required by the tissues and the oxygen made available. 4. It causes muscles to perform work in moving fluids through the body to lighten the heart's load. 5. It tends to reduce the height to which the arterial pressures rise during exertion. 6. It lessens the time during which blood pressure remains abnormal after severe activity. 7. It holds off the incidence of cardiovascular disease. 8. It increases the functional activity of the red bone marrow in the production of red blood cells. 9. It aids lymphatic circulation, as well as the flow in the veins of the circulatory system. 10. It encourages collateral circulation. 11. It strengthens the heart and other muscles in the body so that they work more efficiently. 12. It allows the resting heart to beat less often. 13. It lowers elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. 14. It stimulates the metabolism. 15. It promotes body growth and repair. 16. It tones up the glandular system, especially the thyroid to increase its output. 17. It adds to the alkaline reserve of the body which may be of significance in an emergency requiring prolonged effort. 18. It chemically attains absolute potential of the cells. 19. It reserves bodily strength and physical efficiency. 20. It expands the body's capacity for fuel storage and endurance. 21. It improves coordination through the transmission of nerve impulses and responsiveness of the muscle fibers. 22. It affords muscular vigor from increased muscle fiber tone. 23. It offers relief from neck and back pains, headaches, and other pain caused by lack of exercise. 24. It enhances digestion and elimination processes. 25. It allows for better and easier relaxation and sleep. 26. It results in a better mental performance, with keener learning processes. 27. It curtails fatigue and menstrual discomfort for women. 28. It minimizes the number of colds, allergies, digestive disturbances, and abdominal problems. 29. It tends to slow down aging. 30. It reduces the likelihood of obesity.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
My TAM experience so far
 |
| my before |
But the truth is, at some point, I have to make the decision to get serious about my health and taking time to work out for my own sheer need for it.
I have always believed that if you want something to be different then you have to make it different. But I have always had a bit of an arm chair attitude about it, like advice I am dispensing to the air around me, but not actually following through myself.
I am truly hard on myself. I am being hard on myself this very moment. What if what I am writing is lame, what if no one reads it, what if people do read it and they don't like it! And worse, what if they DO like it and I have to follow through and continue being witty, funny, and profound every time I write. Or, heaven forbid, I have to keep working out in order to justify a blog!!
I say to that voice (the beast), Whatever, you have had your day and your say. It's my turn now! I intend to be fabulous! Get out of my way!
When you set about to change your life one workout at a time, so much comes up. Obstacles jump out to deter you, people misunderstand you, you trip over your own shoe laces, miss weeks at a time in a single blink. I often feel like Alice in Wonderland. It can be quite a trip!
So I just need a place to vent about it all.
I have a trip to Australia coming up and I want to drop some weight for that so I feel good in a sun dress. Time is ticking away.
Goal time:
1. work out 5 days a week for an hour, in the morning.
2. eat less junk.
3. eat lunch.
4. drink more water = 6 cups a day, at least
Happy TAMing!
PS: I am about 5lbs down from the above pic. I will post my stats after I have a better photo to show the progress.
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