Things I have learned.

I just got done working out and I learned some things, some I figured out myself and some I researched about. The first thing I learned is about strength training. I once had a personal trainer, like over a year ago. Any way, I know that personal trainers mean the best and they have a LOT of good information but they arent always right, I dont care how much training they have. wanna know why they arent always right? because there isnt just ONE way to lose weight. there are many many ways a person can lose weight you just have to find what works for you. My personal trainers name was Gina and she used to have me sit at a weight bench and do curls and things with my arms to tone my arms. good right? not anymore. I learned today that to maximize your workout, you need to work your upper body WITH your lower body. when you sit at a bench and do curls, you may be toning your arm, but your not burning calories. if you just simply add a lunge to the curl you will be losing weight while toning. cool huh?

I learned that you should NEVER ever get "used" to your workout. I was doing one of my lighter pilates videos today and I realized I am totally used to it and its not as hard as it was when I first started. Of course that was the goal to be able to do the work outs really well but the second you realize your work outs are easier, thats when you need to make them harder. your workouts should always always always be hard for you, thats how you know your transforming your body. I have comcast on demand which has about 100 work out videos for free and I mean the really good stuff, not the lame 2$ at wal mart ones, So i am able to switch things up quite a bit so I am never doing the same thing. I realize if you dont have comcast then you cant just go buy a new workout every week so f you find that your pilates or yoga are easier a really simple thing to do to make them harder is to add weights. I added 3 lbs weights to a lot of my work outs because it alters what muscles you are using and it keeps your heart rate up. I am adding weights to my cardio which i hope will help. I will let ya know!!!

Random stupid question

Ok so I have a random stupid question that I am not sure how to phrase it so help me out here. When you are on your period and you get bloated and chubby, is that actual weight that you have gained, or is it like your body is swollen and it goes completely away after your period is over? The reason I ask I am wondering if it is pointless to work out while to you are on your period or if when my period is over I will have lost like 10 lbs! I have been working out while on my period but I am seeing absolutely no results so I am wondering if its because I am on my period. thoughts? comments? concerns?

IT

IT is coming. its enevitable. its unfortunate. it is going to ruin everything I have worked for. It is going to make me very moody. IT sucks. I Dont want it to come. can I give it to you? will you take it from me? It is not my friend, and I dont want it. IT is my period. it will be here on wednesday and I am not looking forward to it. But still I will do what I always do and pretend it doesnt exist. I will workout as normal and eat as normal. I wont weigh myself cause its obvious women gain weight during their period. anywho, wish me luck during this dreadful time. :-( corky picture included just for your entertainment.

Legs STILL hurt. FYI.

What I learned last night

So last night I did a new workout from the Jillian person who trains people on the biggest loser. we have comcast on demand and her videos on included so it was fun. Anyway her work-outs are SO SO SO hard. my whole body was shaking like half way through and its painful today which is good. BUT, the most important thing I learned was how important warm-ups are before your work-out. I never fully understood why and then I did some research on it. With my pilates I jump right into the video thinking they have got it all worked out for me ya know? wrong. they have the workout but they dont have the warm up. now here is why it is important. compare your body to a rubber band, when a rubber band is cold and you try to stretch it,snaps it in half. well your body is much the same way, if you dont warm up your body first and you try to stretch it and work out, your muscle will in a sense snap and they anything you do after that is pointless. I learned this because the other day, I didnt warm up and I did an exercise where you sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you and reach for your toes, It hurt and I thought that was normal but for days after that, my muscles felt strained and like I pulled something. SO, before every work out you should do a 5 min warm up, not only to not injure yourself but it makes your entire strength training work-out twice as efficient. YAY!
But for reals, her workouts are rough and good. she combines cardio and strength training and puts in into an interval training program. its about 30 mins and SO SO SO Good. almost better then pilates. lol they are even.

I felt fat tonight

So I didn't go to the gym tonight so I was feeling a little lazy which in turn makes me feel fat. So I decided to take some pictures so maybe I could SEE my progress. It kinda worked.
for some reason the top one makes my shoulders look like a football player! AH! lol thats not how they are lol. sorry for the inmodesty, I just got done "working out" lol. for like 5 mins.

My first post here!!!

Alright, I have been doing this weight loss thing for about 2 - 3 months so this isnt the begining, but its never too late to start I guess. When I decided to lose weight I weighed the most I ever have. my immediate change was to eat 6 smaller meals a day. now, when I say that some people think I have like a piece of bread as a meal and thats not the case. I eat good meals, muffins, fruit, yogurt, granola bars, salads, eggs, steak anything you would normally eat, I just dont eat as much. So far it has worked wonderfully. I have lost over 20 lbs and 2 dress sizes. I want to lose 2 more sizes and 20 more lbs. So I am half way there!!! My work out routine is pilates for 20 mins a day, and cardio with my heartrate at 135 for 30 mins a day. BUT I have hit a slump where I am not losing weight anymore so I need to push through it so I am now doing 40 mins of pilates and 40 mins of cardio. hopefully it will push me through the slump and then I can go back to my normal routine. the hardest part for me has probably been drinking my 64 oz of water a day. its just so much water!!! but it does help to speed your metabolism so whatever. anyway!! for now I am positive and in good spirits, hopefully it will stay that way!!