New Years Resolutions: Getting back into running and getting down to my original goal weight

As you know, I have dropped off of my blogging since July. I had to stop running due to my crazy schedule with the new job. I never stopped working out. I just had to quit the things I loved to do because my work schedule wouldn't allow it. Now I actually quit my job due to not enjoying the work and I wanted something that fulfills my goals in life. I have time to work on myself again. I will be getting back in touch with my goals again. I have started doing Les Mills Combat. It is this AMAZING Martial Arts program. Because Les Mills and Beachbody aren't going to collaborate anymore, the programs are extremely cheap right now. So if you like that kind of workout, definitely look into it! (www.beachbody.com/fitpersonified) So now it is New Years and I need to get my goals together for this new year. So here are my goals:

1. Continue Les Mills Combat
2. Get down to my goal weight of 150.
• I made a pledge to start eating cleaner by getting rid of processed foods with a 14 week process (http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/12/22/cut-processed-food-14-weeks/) 
3. Start running and training for one of the Fort for Fitness races

My biggest goal would be to get my eating on par and actually see if I can get down to 150 lbs. This has always been my biggest challenge. I LOVE to eat. I LOVE cookies, cakes, fried foods, etc. I don't eat them all the time, but I will have to completely cut them out in order to get down to my goal weight. So I made the pledge to cut out processed foods and start eating fresh foods. I know I won't completely get rid of all processed foods but within reason. With that, I would hopefully get the last 20 lbs off.

My running has completely suffered. I miss it so much! I want to start running again to get my endurance back up, then start training for one of the Fort for Fitness races. I know my friend Chandra will be training for their Triple Crown race (10K followed by a half marathon followed by a 4 mile). I am not sure if I can physically do it, but I may see if I can. I know she will be training for it so I know that she will kick my butt in gear. I was training for the half marathon last year and almost made it completely until I got the new job. I am excited to get back into it. My treadmill has been looking really lonely sitting in my living room!

Chandra and I have started recording our podcast every week on Wednesdays at 6 pm EST. If you want to join us for a recording, you can give us your Skype name and we will call you. You can always send us your questions! We will answer them on the next recording. We also do reviews for health and fitness products so if you want to get your business out there, we can advertise for free by reviewing the product. You can find the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher. 

We are starting a new years challenge in our Fitness with Friends group. It is a Love Yourself challenge which will help you reconnect with yourself and help you make effective resolutions that you will actually accomplish this year. There will be weekly prizes and a grand prize at the end of the challenge. It is free so what do you have to lose? If you would like to join us, get ahold of me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/angela.barnets). 

Thank you for baring with me these last few months and here's to a fresh start!

Angela

Fitness Friday: Reliving My Past

Hey all! I know it has been quite a awhile since I have written a Fitness Friday post and I would like to apologize for that. My life had gotten extremely crazy for a bit. I switched jobs twice in a month! Then with that job switch, I have been doing ALOT of lifting on the job. Therefore leading to me finding out I have carpal tunnel in my right hand/wrist. This has been keeping me up at night because of the pain, and sometimes not able to do certain things. Especially basic things like sit here on the computer and type this blog. My fingers are already starting to tingle as I am typing this. While the schedule leaves me with 4 days off, I am finding ways of keeping those days filled to the brim with things I haven't been able to accomplish. It's starting to slow down now and I can actually focus. I even started slacking on my fitness! I am now back to that again as well by helping a friend lose her baby weight by working out with her 3 days a week. My job gives me a huge workout the other 3 days a week and Thursdays are my rest day. So things are starting to come together with my new schedule and getting back to my health and fitness goals for myself, my Beachbody Business, and podcast!

I have been doing alot of thinking today about my life before my weight loss. I have been thinking of the girl that once was and isn't anymore. I was this overweight, depressed, self conscious person. I acted quite the opposite though for others. I had some close friends but after high school, I lost alot of them due to life's circumstances. I gained more of them in the process, but have already lost some of those because of the changes I have gone through with weight loss, getting married, having children, etc. I miss alot of my old friends that I used to see all the time, but don't anymore due to life and being busy. I sometimes wonder why I put myself this journey of my past, but I think I need the reminder of where I came from to validate my here and now. I really didn't enjoy life back then. I was constantly looking for validation from others that I fit in. I was extremely unhappy with myself. I didn't have a great family life growing up either. I still don't have a great relationship with my mother and father. I think that's where alot of my insecurities started. My father didn't love me because I was fat and (in his eyes) was not pretty. My mother would put me down mentally all the time. She still does. I am now not speaking with my mother. My relationship with my father has improved, but I have to wonder if it is because I lost weight and therefore now validated as pretty and acceptable to my father.... It could also be that we have more in common because he is into health and fitness as well. These things combined with me being overweight just made me the person I described earlier. I never had a problem getting friends or dates, but I always felt inferior to my friends. Most of them were skinny and pretty/good looking. I met my husband when I was that person. We dated for years on and off, because I didn't think I was good enough for him. He loved me as that person and now as the person I am now. That just shows what a great person he is though. :) I still wonder how I got so lucky sometimes! I look back and see some great things that I accomplished for myself as well as the things I did wrong. I try to focus on the positive and definitely not live in the past. The past is what made us who we are but it does not define us as who we are. Other people do not define you as a person either. It is how you treat yourself and others that defines you. I made a huge change 4 years ago by losing weight and changing the way I treat myself. I promised to treat myself with respect and not allow others to disrespect me either. That's led to alot of changes. I have alot less friends now, but I know the ones I do have are real ones. Although I wish I could have kept alot of them due to the length of time we knew each other, I knew that it wasn't based on a true friendship. I sometimes feel alienated by my past, because of all the changes I made. I often question myself on what if I didn't lose weight and change myself? Where would I be?? Sometimes I don't even want to know. I am sure you are wondering what my point for this blog is and I really hadn't had a true point in mind. I just kind of wanted to get some things out. I don't really have someone to talk about these things with alot of the time so I will just write about them! I lost my best friend in the shuffle as well. She is in another state and I never even get to talk to her anymore. I just now got her back on Facebook because she either deleted her Facebook or me at some point then came back again. Not sure but I don't even have her phone number anymore. It's hard to find a person that you can confide it 100% of the time. I know my husband will listen, but he usually knows everything I am going to say anyway. It's just nice to have a great friend outside of your marriage as well. I know I have a couple friends I can confide in, but it's also hard for me to just open myself up face to face! I am an enigma sometimes LoL I don't know why I am that way about spilling my guts to people. So my advice here is to just look to your past for lessons on why you are trying to accomplish your current goals, but do not live in the past. Let the future define you and where you are going. 

I also got a new tattoo this week that I am very happy about! 

The quote is a Marilyn Monroe quote. I feel that it suits me. I was looking for something that was about my weight loss journey and this doesn't scream weight loss but it fits with my life up to this point. 

As always with the new month, there are new Beachbody Specials! Here are this months specials:

PIYO® CHALLENGE PACK: The highly anticipated new program from Celebrity Trainer Chalene Johnson is here! Get amazing results with this low impact, high intensity program that utilizes the most effective Pilates and yoga-inspired moves. Through the end of July, this challenge pack is reduced to $140 (normally $160). Comes with FREE SHIPPING with Shakeology for FREE!

3-DAY REFRESH™ CHALLENGE PACK: Introducing a simple and convenient 3 day program that offers a break from poor eating and gets you started on a better diet. Get ready to lose weight and feel healthier in 3 short days. This month it’s reduced to $140 (normally $160).

SPANISH 21 DAY FIX® CHALLENGE PACK: One of our best selling programs is now available in Spanish! The 21 Day Fix in Spanish Challenge Pack Promotion is normally $160, but this month only its just $140. (SPANISH VERSION ONLY)

I am also giving a $40 dollar gift card with any of these Challenge Pack purchases. That brings them all down to just $100 spent. You will not find any of these programs cheaper anywhere else! Everything is backed by a 30 day money back guarantee as well so if you do not like it then you can get your money back!! 

Message me for details!!

www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified

<3 Angela

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott:  Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny:  Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger:  Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell:  It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker:  Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker:  Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#FitnessFriday - My Real Look Into Fast Food

In my previous blog, I spoke about how I got another job with a crazy schedule. That job was at Rally's as an Assistant Manager. Well I am now not working there (LOL) because I received a call from the Walmart Distribution Center and they wanted me to take their Physical Abilities Test (PAT) for a job. So I went and took the test and I passed it. Now back story on this PAT:  I had previously taken the test and did not pass it last year. I was pretty mad about that because I was in great physical shape. Anyway the Distribution Center is where my husband also works. He makes really good money and I would like to be able to make the same amount, so I waited 6 months and started applying again. Of course they didn't call me until I had started a new job right? Exactly! Of course I quit Rally's and am now going to be starting there. The job is very physically demanding so I know I will be getting my strength training done three days a week while I work. Did I mention the hours are only 14 hour days Friday through Sunday? Yea I love that too, because I can be home with my girls all week. 

I always understood that fast food was bad for you, so this isn't a story about me finding out that it was bad for you. I am just going to reiterate just how bad it is for you. You never really know until you see it first hand. Not only is the food greasy, but it isn't always the best food physically. Some of the food is old and not always fresh. I had to wash my face and shower every day! I am currently nursing a sty on my eye from all the grease. The food prep was only halfway done properly most of the time. It wasn't that people weren't washing their hands or not using gloves, but they weren't holding with proper hold times on food to save money on food cost. So sometimes the food was held all day if it wasn't ordered right away and the fries and fried food was just constantly refried in more grease when it was ordered. Lettuce, onions, and tomatoes were out all day so it was never fresh unless you got there right when the restaurant opened. When I watched the fryers being broken down and cleaned, there was all of this built up grease and breading from the fries and chicken from just one day!! It made me think of what it does to your body. That stuff just builds up in your body the same way. You can't take your body apart and clean it out like the fryers can. So what happens when you eat that food all the time?? I should have taken a picture of it. Fast food is so dangerous! I was only working there a week and a half and my body is broken out from just being in the environment. Please just think of what you are consuming the next time you decide to choose fast food as a place for your next meal. I understand that you cannot always avoid it but you can sure try!

The next episode of HELP should be up in the next day or so. I did an interview with Grant Stieglitz who ran the Boston Marathon this year and last year. He has also done 28 other marathons. He is very dedicated and positive! I enjoyed the interview and learning what motivates him to keep up his training. Please listen to it and let me know what you think! For the next episode, I am trying to get another guest interview that I am really excited about. So definitely look forward to the next episode! 

<3

Ang

Co-Hosts:

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott:  Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny:  Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger:  Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell:  It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker:  Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker:  Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#FitnessFriday: Reevaluating Goals, New Job, New HELP Episode!

Hello All! 

So it has been a crazy couple of weeks for me! It is still taking me a bit to get used to all of these changes. I actually found a different job and quit my old one. That in itself was extremely hard for me. I was at my old job for 2 years and I was very comfortable with the schedule, but not the pay. The pay had me very stressed out because it just wasn't enough. I thought that getting a different job would be easy. I thought it would be just moving on and it wouldn't affect me the way it has. It's a completely different schedule and new set of duties which are totally opposite what I have been doing. I am working in a restaurant after not doing so for 10 years. So I am on my feet all day, cooking, moving, working crazy schedules, etc. This is compared to my old job where I sat most of the day on a computer working 9 to 5. Why did I do this you ask? Why would someone go from one extreme to the other? Simple. Money. Money talks and makes the world go round. So now I have to rethink everything. I also need to deal with the mental issues I am having. With everything going on, I am doubting myself. I am doubting that I can do this job, that I won't learn everything I need to know, that I won't be able to adapt, etc. Before everything happened, I was in alot of stress about financial issues. Now it feels like I am just transferring that to negative thoughts about myself and my abilities. I know I can do this and I know it will help me, but being in a whole new place is very daunting. Especially when you have to learn all this new stuff! It's going to take alot of determination to get over this hurdle and talk myself off the ledge. My husband has done alot of that talking already! 

SO with a new crazy schedule comes with trying to work in a workout schedule into that. I have realized that I have to start working out before I go in to work because there is no way I am going to be able to get one in after. I am so spent and tired both mentally and physically when I come home! It literally sucks the life out of me. I am hoping that gets better as I get used to the schedule and work. So I am now reevaluating my workout schedule and goals for the year. I have been thinking to myself about my running and what I want to do about it. I know I said I was going to train for a marathon this year, but I am just not sure it is in my cards. I could definitely try for a half marathon and just stick to that one goal I had to run the half in September at Fort4Fitness this year. I could also do the half marathon at the Veteran's Marathon in November as well. I think that may just be what I do. I feel almost like I am giving up on my dream to run a marathon, but it is not like I won't ever run one though. I can still do it later. I just don't think it is in my cards this year with all that is happening. I am still debating about it though and once I figure it all out, I will be sure to disclose those plans with you.

I recorded a new episode of the podcast! It posted this week. I interviewed a really good friend of mine on this episode. He talked about his eating disorder, physical and mental issues and how he is overcoming them, and eluding to his new show he is starting. Be sure to go have a listen! On the next episode, we are having one of the Boston Marathon Runners who ran for Fort Wayne on. He will be talking about his experience, training, and answering any questions. So if you have any questions be sure to get them to me asap! We are recording on Thursday the 22nd. I am really excited about this episode! I hope you guys are too. Also please share the podcast page with your friends! Please give me any feedback you have!

<3

Angela

Co-Hosts:

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott:  Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny:  Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger:  Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell:  It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker:  Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker:  Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#Fitness Friday: New May Specials and Some Recipes!

Hey guys! 

I thought I would share some recipes for you this week's Fitness Friday Post. I don't get to share recipes much but I figured I would give you a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack example for an extremely healthy day of eating. If you are like me, you know it is HARD to find healthy meals that will keep you full through the day. People always think that they have to eat very little to lose weight and that is not true. It is especially true with the 21 Day Fix. People are amazed by the amount of food that you are eating with that program. SO here is a great breakfast idea:

Baked Eggs in Avocado (courtesy of Fitsugar.com)

Notes

This recipe calls for chopped chives, but feel free to serve with whatever fresh herbs or other toppings you have available. A tablespoon of salsa or a little hot sauce would offer a nice hit of spice.

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
4 fresh eggs
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Slice the avocados in half, and take out the pit. Scoop out about two tablespoons of flesh from the center of the avocado, just enough so the egg will fit snugly in the center.
3. Place the avocados in a small baking dish. Do your best to make sure they fit tightly.
4. Crack an egg into each avocado half. Try your best to crack the yolk in first, then let the egg whites spill in to fill up the rest of the shell.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of your eggs and avocados. Just make sure the egg whites have enough time to set.
6. Remove from oven, then season with pepper, chives, and garnish of your choice. Enjoy!

Lunch (Courtesy of Lady Behind The Curtain):

Mad Hatter Salad

by SherylAugust 7, 2011

This recipe takes coleslaw to a whole other level with the addition of broccoli, top ramen noodles, the seasoning packets and nuts. Great for family get togethers, church potlucks, or barbecues.

Mad Hatter Salad Recipe (serves 12)

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package coleslaw mix

8 green onion, chopped

1/2 cup butter

1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets

2 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the coleslaw mix, green onions and broccoli.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Crumble the ramen noodles into a bowl, and mix with the almonds and sunflower seeds.  Sprinkle the seasoning packets over all.   Add to the skillet; cook and stir until noodles and nuts are toasted, about 8 minutes.

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, and soy sauce.  Seal, and shake vigorously to blend.

Just before serving, combine the slaw mixture with the nuts and noodles.  Pour the dressing over all, and stir briefly to coat.

Dinner (Courtesy of JillianMichaels.com):

Think it's too early to start grilling up some salmon? Think again! Not only is this lean protein a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and a hefty serving of tryptophan (the precursor to the feel-good brain chemical, serotonin), but early May also happens to be the start of the wild salmon season in Alaska. This recipe for Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers packs a serious flavor punch with fresh rosemary, garlic, and lemon and spares you from sodium overload.

Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound wild Alaskan salmon fillet, center-cut, skinned, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pint organic cherry tomatoes

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Combine rosemary, oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add salmon; toss to coat. Alternating the salmon and tomatoes, divide among eight 12-inch skewers.
3. Oil the grill rack by oiling a folded paper towel, holding it with tongs and rubbing it over the rack. (Don't use cooking spray on a hot grill.) Grill the skewers, carefully turning once, until the salmon is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 6 mins
Total Time: 26 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 246
Total Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 67 mg
Sodium: 211 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 23 g

Snacks:

Graze.com has healthy, organic snacks that they send to you for either 6 or 10 dollars a box monthly or every two weeks. I LOVE these snacks!! Go check them out and get you 1st and 5th box free with this Friend Code:  1P4DTVRMP

Some other healthy snacks include:

Nuts

Protein drink/bars

Greek yogurt

Fruit and cottage cheese

Chicken and brown rice

Anything that is packed with protein!

I love to share recipes so share some of your favorite healthy recipes with me!!

Beachbody Specials for May!!

Chalene Johnson's PiYo Workout is coming out in June and you can submit your email to get the update when it is coming out and a possibly win a FREE PiYo System! Go here to submit your email for notification:  www.PiYoTBB.com?referringRepId=329949.

I will give the first 5 people to order the May Challenge Pack specials and extra 25 dollars off the discounted price!! Hurry before the extra 25 dollars is gone!

P90X3:

An extreme workout program designed to burn fat, build lean muscle, and get you ripped in 30 minutes a day.The latest creation by extreme fitness expert Tony Horton, who found a way to help people get exceptional results with shorter workouts.Explosive 30-minute routines that are packed with dynamic, high-intensity moves, designed for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. 

TurboFire:

TurboFire is for anyone who wants to shape a lean body, sexy legs, toned arms, and tight abs, FAST. All workout levels – although TurboFire is considered an advanced program, there are special new features to help beginners stick with the program. Anyone who enjoys working out to music and is a fan of kickboxing and intense cardio.

You can check these out along with all the other great Beachbody programs at:  www.beachbodycoach.com/fitpersonified.

Hope you have a great Fitness Friday!

<3

Angela

This is a Blog Hop post. The following are the 'rules' of the #FitnessFriday Blog Hop:

Visit thehealthymoms.net every Friday and link up your Fitness Friday post or any other fitness-related post.

Put our Fitness Friday button (above) somewhere on your blog or blog post and invite your readers to join us every Friday.

Place these rules on your own Fitness Friday post.

Leave a comment on thehealthymoms.net and here so we can visit your blog too!

Visit the other blogs linking up at thehealthymoms.net and the other blogs that co-host Fitness Friday every week (below).

Co-Hosts:

Chandra Sullivan: Spark Your Motivation

Tere Scott:  Teachable Scotts Tots Home School

Danielle Nabozny:  Lipgloss and Yoga Pants

Lisa Belanger:  Inspire Me Well

Maryann Mitchell:  It's Not Food, It's Me

Wendi Barker:  Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker:  Live, Laugh, Love, Lacey

#Fitness Friday: New HELP Episode! Advertising for the Podcast, Workout Fails

We have recorded another episode of the podcast this week. It has been a few weeks since there was a new episode. Chandra and I were very busy and working through some things so the podcast kind of had to take a break. We discussed how life gets in the way sometimes, but you have to pick yourself up and keep on moving. We have both been really lax on the workouts this month. With her having some issues inside her home business that needed taken care of and my stresses, things have been really hit or miss. I discussed last week how stress can affect your weight loss and workouts. I have been brainstorming ways to get back on the wagon and get myself headed to a better result than what I have been seeing lately. I have a shipment of Shakeology on the way so I am thinking I will just have that for breakfast for a few weeks to see if that starts slimming me down. I haven't made the best food choices lately so I am going to really hone in on that. I want to get this last bit of weight gone before my marathons at the end of this year. Plus the better I eat, the better my body will be able to train. So what I am trying to get at here is to tell you that I am not perfect. I was overweight and I lost that weight. I worked my ass off to get there. It wasn't easy and it still isn't. I am really having trouble with this last bit. Sometimes I wonder if this is the hardest part. I am not seeing immediate results and that is what makes it seem so impossible. SO I will just keep pushing and making changes that will eventually lead me to the place I want to be. Anybody can do it. If you want to do it, you can. I tell everyone that it is the hardest thing that I have ever done. It is also the best thing I have ever done. You just have to put your all into it. When you fail, you make the changes that are necessary and keep moving forward. You brainstorm to find what you can do differently to make sure you don't fail again. You cannot be wishy washy. You have to be dedicated. If you are on and then off and then on, you won't achieve results. You will be constantly playing catch up. Put your mind to it and succeed!!

We also talked on the podcast about advertising for and with the podcast. We want to find more ways to get our name out there. We would love to have more listeners! If we could find some places to advertise, we would be willing to advertise that company on our podcast in return. We also talked about getting some professionals on the podcast who work for different companies in health and fitness. Chandra does alot of reviews on her blogs for different products. We would love to do some product testing and reviews on some episodes. If you know of any way to help us get our name out there, please contact me here or on the podcast page. As always, please give us some feedback on the podcast!!! We would love to hear what you think! We are going to have a Google Hangout soon as well as maybe a Twitter chat session. We will keep you posted on when those will be.

<3

Angela





Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365

#FitnessFriday: Shakeology and Supplement Giveaway Ending & How Stress Affects Weight Loss

Hello All!

So I wanted to tell you first that there are only 3 DAYS LEFT in my Shakeology and Supplement Giveaway!! Enter now and each day until it ends!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway 


So I have been under alot of stress lately due to the lack of money we have. I am just stressing out because the lack of money is due to my job not paying me enough. I just cannot make the bills I need to make and my husband has to pay all the bills including mine and it's still not enough. So now I am trying to look for a different position as well as try to build my Beachbody business. Unfortunately neither has been very fruitful lately and that is stressing me out more! I WANT to succeed! I WANT to help people lose weight! It was the most amazing thing I had ever done for myself. I have been thinking about looking into what it takes to become a personal trainer as well. It's all so stressful to think about!!

So getting away from dwelling on my issues, I wanted to go over what stress can do to affect weight loss. Stress can seriously hinder your progress! The hormones released when stressed include adrenalin -- which gives us instant energy -- along with corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol. High levels of adrenalin and CRH decrease appetite at first, but don't last long. Cortisol works on a different timetable. Its helps replenish the body after the stress has passed, hangs around a lot longer. If it remains elevated, it will increase the appetite and therefore make you eat more. Alot of people also sit and stew when they are stressed, while eating more. So there is no way to expend the extra energy and extra calories. Therefore causing weight gain as well. I know a really amazing way to reduce stress, EXERCISE!! I don't know what I would do without running! It is my favorite way to forget about my troubles for awhile. What I am saying is to get your stress under control by understanding that is what your body is going through and mind what you are eating as well as stick to your workout schedule. If you let the stress take control and just give up, you will lose to it. Your body will respond by packing on the pounds because it doesn't understand what is going on. You have shocked your system. Even if you are eating a little more, you will still have your endorphins moving and you will feel better. 

I have been trying to adhere to the same rules that I just outlined to you about not letting stress win. I am definitely going to hope that the stress will die down soon, but you can only have a positive attitude and work hard to make it pass. I am hoping to record another episode of H.E.L.P soon as well. I tried to get a Google+ Hangout set up this week to get people talking about fitness and asking questions, but that didn't work out so well either. If you haven't listened to the podcast, please do! If you have listened, please give me some feedback on how you like it! We haven't heard any feedback and would like to know if what we are doing is a good thing and/or how we can improve. 

Thanks and have a stress-free weekend!!

Ang




Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365

Spring is Here! Running, Giveaway, & New April Specials!

Spring Running!

Now that spring has finally sprung in Fort Wayne, IN, I have gotten outside to run quite a bit. I have been trying to slowly insert myself back into outside running again. I have seen that my body isn't accustomed to it yet for the longer distances. The first time I got out there, I ran 6 miles and it hurt a little bit. I got out to run last night and I couldn't get to 4. I got to about 3.8 and was just barely able to make it. I did get new shoes that are very comfortable!

I will definitely need to ease back into it. I forget how much the treadmill differs from regular running. I do know that I missed being outside feeling the wind on my face while I was running! 
When I took the above picture, I had run 11 miles! That is a new record for me. I have never run so far and so long. The half marathon training plan is almost over and then it is on to the full marathon training. This is a scary thought! The thought of training for a full marathon is pretty scary but I am going to put my body to the test! I am fully committed to running this whole summer and hopefully be ready by September to do a full marathon. My marathon isn't until November but I want to know that by the time I do the half marathon in September that I can do it twice with no issue. I just hope that my body will let me do this! I have been battling with alot of soreness in my knees and just general fatigue lately. I am hoping that the knee pain was just because I had improper shoes. My last couple runs with my new shoes didn't make my knees sore. I felt a couple twinges but nothing bad through the whole run. 

I have been looking up good exercises and stretches for runners. A big thing that I haven't done much before or after running was stretching. It was one of those things that I knew I should be doing but didn't really do it. I know that with the longer runs, I really should be so I have started incorporating it into my post runs. I don't want to have any injuries or pulled muscles. I have a fear of doing all this training to just get injured and not be able to get the chance to do the half and full marathon. I just don't want to have all my work be for nothing. 

Beachbody Specials!

So for April, Beachbody has alot of fantastic specials going on. I am also making those specials just a little sweeter. So without further ado, here they  are:

The Ultimate Reset:

You can save up to 50 dollars this month! I am offering an additional 20 dollars on top of that! That's 70 dollars off! The Beachbody Ultimate Reset® is a comprehensive, no-starvation, inner-body tune-up that offers much more than the typical cleanse and detox programs on the market. The Ultimate Reset not only helps you eliminate toxins and waste gently and naturally, but it also maximizes your cellular energy production, helping your body process food more efficiently and your systems run more smoothly.* You’ll replace the processed foods you’ve been eating with healthy foods. You’ll eat cleanly—possibly for the first time in your life—and take 
supplements designed to help your body remove from your cells and organs toxins that you’ve been taking in for decades. 

The Brazil Butt Lift:

Brazil Butt Lift is on sale for 140. I will give you another 20 off. That's 60 dollars off the regular price! The Brazil Butt Lift Challenge Pack combines fat-burning cardio workouts with the best lower-body sculpting moves you've ever tried. Leandro's proven TriAngle Training method works all three major 
buttocks muscles from multiple angles to help reduce your hips and saddlebags, slim your thighs, and lift your butt without bulking up your thighs. 

T25:

T25 is on sale for 180. I will give another 40 dollars off. That's 65 dollars off the regular price! T25 is Shaun T's newest program! It is designed to transform your body with 25 minutes of pure intensity and 100% focus in just 10 weeks! 

Power 90:

Power 90 is on sale for 39.99. I will give another 10 dollars off. That's 29.99 for a workout from Tony Horton! Power 90 features fat burning and total-body sculpting focused on abs, thighs, and upper body with trainer Tony Horton. 

Giveaway

I still have my giveaway going for another 9 days!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

<3
Angela

#Fitness Friday: Runner's Knee and My New Giveaway!

Hello everyone!

I hit a new milestone with my running this week: 10 miles! I have never ran that far before! So now that I am hitting these farther distances, I am getting alot of knee pain. I have looked up a few articles on Runner's Knee. I think I have figured out what I can do to help it. I wanted to share with you some of the things that I found out about what causes it and how to alleviate the pain this issue causes, since this is a pretty normal issue among runners. 

Symptoms of Runner's Knee:

Pain behind or around the kneecap, especially where the thighbone and the kneecap meet.

Pain when you bend the knee -- when walking, squatting, kneeling, running, or even sitting.

Pain that's worse when walking downstairs or downhill.

Swelling.


Popping or grinding sensations in the knee.

Causes of Runner's Knee:

Overuse. Repeated bending of the knee can irritate the nerves of the kneecap. Overstretched tendons (tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bones) may also cause the pain of runner's knee.

Direct trauma to the knee, like a fall or blow.

Misalignment. If any of the bones are slightly out of their correct position -- or misaligned -- physical stress won't be evenly distributed through your body. Certain parts of your body may bear too much weight. This can cause pain and damage to the joints. Sometimes, the kneecap itself is slightly out of position.

Problems with the feet. Runner's knee can result from flat feet, also called fallen arches or over-pronation. This is a condition in which the impact of a step causes the arches of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons.


Weak thigh muscles.
(http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/runners-knee)

Ways to Treat Runner's Knee:

This first one is really interesting because it gives you a process to strengthen the knee without alot of pain involved:  First, you avoid doing anything, including running, that causes the knee to hurt, but you also do as much running as you can do pain-free. This approach will enable the damaged tissues to restore homeostasis (or their natural equilibrium state of breakdown and regeneration) yet will also keep the knee well-adapted to the stress of running. Many runners with PFPS can do some pain-free running. You might find that you can run for a certain duration (say, 20 minutes) and no longer without pain. In this case, run only that far until your limit increases. Or you might find that you can run every other day, but not every day, without pain. Then run every other day for a while. After a few weeks, try a test run 24 hours after a previous run to see whether the limit remains. Continue to increase your running gradually back toward pre-injury levels as comfort allows, reversing this process briefly whenever soreness emerges anew. (http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/injury-prevention/beating-runners-knee_143)

Other ways include:

Rest the knee. As much as possible, try to avoid putting weight on your knee.

Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days, or until the pain is gone.

Compress your knee. Use an elastic bandage, straps, or sleeves to give your knee extra support.

Elevate your knee on a pillow when you're sitting or lying down.

Take anti-inflammatory painkillers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Advil, Aleve, or Motrin, will help with pain and swelling. However, these drugs can have side effects, like an increased risk of bleeding and ulcers. They should be used only occasionally, unless your doctor specifically says otherwise.

Practice stretching and strengthening exercises if your doctor recommends them.


Get arch supports for your shoes. These orthotics -- which can be custom-made or bought off the shelf -- may help with flat feet.
(http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/runners-knee)

So after reading these, I have decided that I should get some running shoes that support my feet alot better than the ones I have. These are 20 dollar Walmart running shoes. They weren't fit for my foot and running style. I have a feeling that has alot to do with my knee pain, because I do have flat feet and don't have the support that I should have. I am also going to get some Joint Juice which is Glucosamine Condroitant which helps with joint pain. I am hoping that these little changes will help with my knee pain. I will of course update you on my progress!

It has been 30 days since I started P90X3 and I did my measurements to see where I stood. So here they are:


My previous measurements:
Weight: 172.8
Chest: 37.3"
Bicep: 12.3"
Thighs: 24.8"
Waist: 34.6"
Calf: 17.3"
Hips: 42.3"

My measurements:
Weight: 171.8 
Chest: 36.4
Bicep: 12.1
Thigh: 23.8
Waist: 32.4
Calf: 17.0

Hips: 40.7

I actually weighed more two days ago when I posted them but I weighed myself this morning and I was 171.8. So I did end up losing even if it wasn't much weight. I lost inches and I love that I lost inches in 30 days! 

I have a Beachbody Shakeology & Supplement Giveaway on the Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast page. I also put it in this blog for you to have an easy way to enter without having to navigate away from this blog. How easy am I right? So now you have no reason not to enter! Who doesn't want free stuff? The prizes are: Shakeology Shaker Cup, Samples of Shakeology, and a bottle of Activit (30 day supply). You get this all for free if you win! There are 17 more days in the giveaway and you should enter everyday to win! 

The Healthy Everyday Lifestyle Podcast has a new episode up on iTunes, Stitcher, and Blubrry. Go listen to it! It's a fairly short episode this time. As always we want your feedback, ideas for episodes, and questions you want answered!!

<3

Ang



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chandra Sullivan
Spark Your Motivation
http://www.sparkyourmotivation.com/the-blog.html

Tere Scott
Teachable Scott Tots Homeschool
teachablescottstotshomeschool.blogspot.com

Danielle Nabozny
Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
lipglossandyogapants.blogspot.com

Lisa Belanger
Inspire Me Well
inspiremewell.com

Maryann Mitchell
It's Not Food, It's Me
fattink.blog.com

Wendi Barker
Wendi's Book Corner
wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

Lacey Baker
Love Lacey 365