The fitness roller coaster

I'm so good about being fit and healthy...for a few months at a time.  Then, a switch flips and I sabotage myself.  At the moment, I have several things working against me:

1.)  The scale I was using was out of balance.  WAY out of balance.  So, while I thought I had only gained 20lbs, I had really packed on 30lbs.  Oy.

I really just feel horrible physically right now.  It was fine when I was just 10lbs over my targeted weight.  I could deal with that.  I still felt good, and I was okay with how I looked.  At this point, I'm not okay anymore.  I don't like the way I feel, and I don't like the way I look...Except that I actually have boobs now.  That's always a plus.  But the boobs don't make everything magically better.  I still feel like crap, and I don't really like what I see when I look in the mirror anymore.

2.)  My blood pressure is getting high.  I can feel it every time I workout, creeping up, making my face red.  I've been reading up on it.  Apparently, a 30lb weight gain will do that to you.  I've lost 10 of those pesky 30lbs.  Now, I just need to lose the other 20lbs, and I will be golden.

Sodium intake, of course, also affects blood pressure, and I'm pretty sure I'm having way too much.  For the past three days, I've woken up with swollen feet and fingers.  I'm drinking enough water, but I'm retaining water like a sonofabitch.  It's not pleasant, and it has to stop.

Things have to change, and I have to make those changes now.  I really need to get myself in order.  I don't want to have a heart attack at thirty-one years old.      

3.)  I've been taking aerial for a little over two months now.  I love it, and I'm getting stronger every week.  I can feel it.  I'm just not where I want to be.  So, I'm going to have to kick it up.  The frustrating thing is that I am so sore after one full aerial class that I'm afraid to do anything the next day.  I'm going to look into active recovery and see if I can find a routine that works for me.  I want to maximize my strength building without over-exercising, which is just a glorified form of anorexia - one that is rampant today.

4.)  There is a Whataburger down the street from my house.  I love bacon cheeseburgers.  While they are not reactive for me, I really need to not have it more than once a week or once every two weeks.  It's so difficult.  It's just right there, beckoning to me.  "Libasaurus, come to me.  Partake of my bacon-y, cheesy goodness!"  Oy.

5.)  There is something in bloom right now that is making me puff up like...something that puffs up.  Saturday morning, my eyes were so swollen I could barely keep them open.  I'm also randomly breaking out into hives.  Yay!

6.)  I don't have anyone to hold me accountable for my own health.  My aerial instructor holds me accountable one day a week.  I feel like I'm letting her down if I miss a class, and I'm constantly driven to push myself because she believes in me that much.  I just need that the other six days of the week.  I really do need a fitness buddy.  Or a drill sergeant.  Or Nick Fury.

Argh!  I am so miserable!!!!!!!!

Back On Pointe

If you're looking for well thought out and challenging fitness routines, Back On Pointe is a good place to start.  She has well-rounded general workouts and several different workouts if you're targeting muscle tone in specific areas of the body.

Upper body strength is of the utmost importance in aerial dance, and I have been on the search for upper body and arm routines that I can supplement my training with.  Everything I've read says your body gets used to doing the same sets of exercises over and over again.  So, I want to constantly be doing something different.

Her routines are great, because you don't have to go to a gym to do them.  Most of the exercises use things commonly found in your house.  Some of them occasionally require free weights, but they are inexpensive and can be found at Wal-Mart or Target.  

The only thing I don't like about her routines is that she's fond of the Mountain Climber move.  I hate that move.  I want it to do die in a fire.

It's too soon yet to make any sort of judgement on the effectiveness of the routines, but I will you posted.

Post-Workout Smoothie

Smoothies can be a great way to start the day,but they can also be They're also great recovery drinks pre- and post-workout.

My current post-workout smoothie is a Chocolate Banana smoothie:

1c goat milk
1T cacao powder
1 banana
1t honey
 
I once read an article that chocolate milk was the best recovery drink after working out.  The article suggested that drinking an 8oz glass before your workout gives you the carbs and protein needed to power through your workout.  It goes on to say that drinking an 8oz glass after your workout provides the rest of the protein needed to repair your muscles.  The article said that you would feel less sore if you followed this method.  And you know what?  It was right.  After trying this method, I went from being so sore I could move after a workout to being barely sore, if at all, the day after.

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/chocolate-milk-diet

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/

Protein

Protein is a pretty important part of the human diet.  It's one of the three sources of fuel the human body runs on (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins).  Making sure you have enough protein within 30 min of your workout is imperative to muscle repair.

While it is important, you only need so much protein in your diet, even you are physically active.  A sedentary woman only needs .4g of protein per pound of body weight per day, while an active needs .6g.  The human body can only absorb around 7g of protein per hour.  If digestion takes between 4-5 hours, you're look at at max of 28g - 35g of usable protein in a meal.  It is generally recommended to divide up your protein between meals.  How you do that is up to you.  I prefer to start the day off with a bang and have a 1/3 of my protein at breakfast.  I get this with my smoothies and flax granola.  I try to have only a small amount of protein at lunch, because I tend to get lethargic going into the latter part of the day if I have too much.  I usually have a bit of protein with my afternoon snack and then have the remainder at dinner.

On days that I have a workout, instead of a snack, I will have a pre-workout smoothie and a post-workout smoothie, with 9g of protein each.  For dinner, I will have the remainder of my protein.    

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410520,00.html

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dear-mark-how-much-protein-can-you-absorb-and-use-from-one-meal/

http://sarahfit.com/why-protein-should-be-your-workout-companion/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/530256-how-much-protein-should-a-female-take-post-workout/

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/disorders_of_nutrition/overview_of_nutrition/carbohydrates_proteins_and_fats.html

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Get_enough_protein_after_your_next_workout

http://greatist.com/fitness/what%E2%80%99s-best-source-post-workout-protein

Becoming a stronger me...

Aerial class is rocking my face off!  I have phenomenal instructor, and I love my classmates.  There are all kinds of people in the Beginner class from all different walks of life.  Some stay, some take one class and decide it's not for them, but whether they stay or not, we're all very supportive of each other.  

The best part about it is that I can tell I'm getting stronger.  Our instructor has us do conditioning exercises that target the muscles in the upper body.  (I spend half the class upside down in handstands, cartwheels, or doing bridges.)  

Before I started aerial I had very little to no upper body strength.  I've danced for more than half my life, which has led to having very powerful legs.  Arms?  HA!  There was a major difference from last week to this week; though, to be fair, I didn't go to the two classes before last week, and since then, I have added two additional workout days to my schedule.  But it makes a huge difference!  I'm at the point where if I'm having a difficult time with a wrap that I can usually hang in the air long enough to get into the position I need to be in.  It feels great to be making progress, however slow it might be.   

   

Smoothies!

I love smoothies, because they're quick and easy.  I'm talking smoothies you make at home--not the ones you get Jamba Juice that are chock-full of sugar and end up being worse for you than a cheeseburger at your favorite pub.

I find that smoothies are great to start your morning off with an energy boost.  Currently, my favorite smoothie is my Avocado Banana Berry smoothie.  The creamy texture from the avocado and banana makes it oh-so-pleasing to the palate.

1/2c goat milk
1/2 avovado
1/2c strawberries
1/2c blueberries
1 banana
1t honey
1T flaxseeds or chia seeds

I use goat milk because it is easier to digest than cow's milk, and it provides a good source of protein.  For a more Plan friendly smoothie, substitute coconut milk for the goat milk.  I have found, however, that the protein in the goat milk gives me more of an energy boost than coconut milk.

This smoothie is great as a pre-workout drink because it gives me an energy boost.  The healthy fats from the avocado and the antioxidants from the berries also make this a good smoothie for fighting skin breakouts.  (Very good if you're detoxing on The Plan).

Still hanging in there

I'm still on The Plan.  I'm just horrible at blogging.

I've lost the 20lbs I had gained, and my skin is clearing up.  Woot!

I'm going to stick with The Plan, simply because I feel better and have more energy than when I'm eating the foods that make me miserable.

I've added two more days of exercise per week, since Lyn-Genet suggests exercising no more than 4 days per week for no more than 45 minutes per day.  Honestly, I've been exercising 3 days per week for 1 hour, but I'm keeping it simple with basic strength exercises and my aerial class.  I'm not going nuts with the over-exercising.  1.)  In my experience, while exercising regularly is supposed to make you feel happy and when I over-exercise I just feel miserable.  2.)  Over-exercising can cause your body to go into famine mode and have the opposite of the desired effect you are looking for.

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/12/28/7-hidden-signs-of-overtraining.aspx

http://www.eatingdisordersonline.com/explain/anorathletica.php

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-fitness/2010/11/05/10-signs-youre-exercising-too-much