4 Month Results!

As promised, I am reporting my 4 month results!  After a round of Hip Hop Abs, Rockin' Body, Slim in 6 and half-way through Brazil Butt Lift, I feel GREAT!  Looking at my photos side by side make all those hours of sweat and determination worth it!  I can actually see my pre-pregnancy figure coming back! :)  It's such a great feeling.

So after 120 days of working out 6 days a week I have lost...

25 lbs. and 25" total off my body!

Wow!  So excited!

To Tell the Truth: Pain & Gratitude

My sister-in-law Chrisandra is visiting for the weekend from D.C.  Wanting to do something fun with the kids, we went on a day trip to Kure Beach, NC about 2.5 hrs away.  I tried my best to prepare, bringing towels, suntan lotion, diapers, extra clothes, motion sickness pills, etc.  I made sandwiches and brought healthy snacks like Shakeology energy bites, veggies, fruit, nuts, etc.  I thought I was so prepared.
I was wrong.
About 45 minutes down the road, I realized what I'd forgotten.  I forgot to take my morning dose of prednisone, the steroid I'm on to control my arthritis symptoms.  Sometimes I'll forget to take it and remember a few hours late.  I end up hurting for a few hours while I wait for the medication to kick in.  But this time it was impossible to turn back.  And I'd purposefully left my purse (where I keep a few extra pills in case I forget and am away from home) because I didn't want to carry it around on the beach. 
I knew I was in trouble.
My main arthritic symptoms are pain in my hands and wrists.  My hands, fingers and wrists swell and get so painful that doing anything becomes close to impossible.  I tried to be smart all day, letting my husband rub the suntan lotion on the kids and letting Chrisandra help me change the baby.  I didn't even drive home.  But by the time I walked in the door and took the prednisone 12 hours late, I was practically in tears because of the pain. 
I was useless for the rest of the night, being unable to help bathe the children and unpack our stuff.  I put my heavy wrist bands on my wrists and curled up in a ball on the couch.  I waited for the medication to kick in. 
As I lay there, I remembered how I used to live with that kind of pain EVERY DAY.  I still struggle daily with pain and physical limitations, but nothing like what it was before.  I no longer have weekly shots of arthritis medication.  I'm on the lowest dose of prednisone I've been on since my diagnosis 6 years ago.  And lately I've been able to do small things that used to be impossible.  Little things that seem trivial to normal people, but are a big deal for me: I can now operate a stapler, unscrew some water bottles and carry the laundry basket around the house. 
In short the past six months I've been the best I've been for years.  And as I lay there in horrible pain, feeling like my hands were literally on fire, I was struck by a deep gratitude for the increased health I've been blessed with. 
It's still a daily struggle.  I still have trouble changing my baby's diaper, buttoning my shirt or putting my daughter's hair in a pony tail.  But that horrible, debilitating pain...it's MUCH less now.
There are a lot of reasons for my symptoms getting better.  Part of it is the warmer weather.  I'm eating much healthier now.  Exercising has done wonders for all my joints, increasing the blood flow in my body.  But I honestly believe the main contributing factor is Shakeology. 
I take it faithfully EVERY SINGLE DAY, sometimes twice a day.  Just 2 weeks after I started Shakeology, my hands were noticeably less inflamed.  I'm wearing my wedding ring again, which is totally amazing.  Shakeology is helping people in so many different ways: lowering cholesterol, speeding up metabolism, helping to regulate digestion.  It has helped me immensely with getting me to eat healthier and to lose weight.  But the main benefit I've experienced is reduced inflammation.  All my arthritic symptoms have lessened, and I am SOOO grateful.
So thank you Beachbody, I am grateful every moment for your product, Shakeology!
____________________________________________________________
For more information on Shakeology, watch these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaFMBDLLsqk
 http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/angiepete?bctid=614712694001
 http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/angiepete?bctid=16664447001

Also you can see an ingredient list (pdf file on the bottom of the home page), more information and you can place an order on my website, www.myshakeology.com/coachangiepete

Weigh Day: Swimsuit Body

This weekend I did something crazy: I wore a SWIMSUIT!  And not just any swimsuit.  I wore a swimsuit that hasn't fit me in FIVE YEARS!  And for the first time in forever, I wasn't embarrassed.  I still have a ways to go to reach my goal, but I feel so encouraged.
It's been two weeks since I've weighed and measured myself because my new scale up and died on me.  But the good news is that I have a new one.  And I liked what that scale had to tell me this morning.  In the past two weeks, I've lost two pounds and an inch and a half off my body.
Hooray!
I took my 4 month pictures a few days ago.  I still need to edit and post them.  So stay tuned!
________________________________________________________________
How are YOU doing on your weight-loss journey?  Are you feeling encouraged or discouraged?  Are you getting closer to your goal?  Send me your results! angiepete@gmail.com

Substitute It! Spinach

When it comes to building a salad, lettuce is the obvious first choice.  We use lettuce on sandwiches, burgers and tacos.  Some prefer iceberg lettuce, others prefer romaine or green leaf.  They all vary a little in taste and texture, but the concept behind their uses is the same.Well, what about SPINACH?
Spinach has been gaining popularity in the last decade.  It used to be famous as a disgusting slimy side dish.  Something your grandparents would feed you and expect you to eat.  I remember at times looking at that glob of spinach on my plate as a kid, wondering where I could hide it.
Spinach was NOT my favorite vegetable.
The creators of Popeye showed the character eating spinach straight out of the can.  Upon swallowing the veggie, Popeye would gain super strength and save Olive Oyl, the damsel in distress.  It was one of the first instances of using television to promote healthier eating.
We now see spinach everywhere.  Spinach salads are popping up at restaurants around the country.  Grocery stores carry a variety of different types and brands and even some Subway restaurants are serving spinach as a possible sandwich topping (I was SOOO excited!).
I've been trying to substitute spinach for lettuce in salads and sandwiches as much as possible.  I still use SOME romaine in my salads, but about 2/3 of it is spinach now.  I did this because I knew that spinach was healthier for us.  I just didn't know how MUCH healthier.
So today I looked up a comparison chart between lettuce and spinach.  And I was right!  When I compare spinach with the romaine lettuce we prefer, spinach was higher (sometimes more than double) in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY. 
I now have validation that my choice to use spinach has been a good one! :)
Below is the chart so you can compare spinach with your lettuce of choice.  So next time you are eating something with lettuce, consider substituting spinach instead!

A Comparison of the Nutrient Content of Spinach and Lettuce Types
		Spinach	Lettuce, iceberg	Lettuce, looseleaf	Lettuce, romaine	Lettuce, butterhead
Nutrient	Units	Value per 100 grams of edible portion
Water	g	91.580	95.890	94.000	94.910	95.580
Energy	kcal	22.000	12.000	18.000	14.000	13.000
Energy	kj	92.000	50.000	75.000	59.000	54.000
Protein	g	2.860	1.010	1.300	1.620	1.290
Total lipid (fat)	g	0.350	0.190	0.300	0.200	0.220
Carbohydrates, by difference	g	3.500	2.090	3.500	2.370	2.320
Fiber, total dietary	g	2.700	1.400	1.900	1.700	1.000
Ash	g	1.720	0.480	0.900	0.900	0.590
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	99.000	19.000	68.000	36.000	32.000
Iron, Fe	mg	2.710	0.500	1.400	1.100	0.300
Magnesium, Mg	mg	79.000	9.000	11.000	6.000	13.000
Phosphorus, P	mg	49.000	20.000	25.000	45.000	23.000
Potassium, K	mg	558.000	158.000	264.000	290.000	257.000
Sodium, Na	mg	79.000	9.000	9.000	8.000	5.000
Zinc, Zn	mg	0.530	0.220	0.290	0.250	0.170
Copper, Cu	mg	0.130	0.028	0.044	0.037	0.023
Manganese, Mn	mg	0.897	0.151	0.750	0.636	0.133
Selenium, Se	mg	1.000	0.200	0.200	0.200	0.200
Vitamins
Vitamin C, ascorbic acid	mg	28.100	3.900	18.000	24.000	8.000
Thiamin	mg	0.078	0.046	0.050	0.100	0.060
Riboflavin	mg	0.189	0.030	0.080	0.100	0.060
Niacin	mg	0.724	0.187	0.400	0.500	0.300
Pantothenic acid	mg	0.065	0.046	0.200	0.170	0.180
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.195	0.040	0.055	0.047	0.050
Folate	mcg	194.400	56.000	49.800	135.700	73.300
Vitamin B-12	mcg	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Vitamin A, IU	IU	6715.000	330.000	1900.000	2600.000	970.000
Vitamin A, RE	mcg_RE	672.000	33.000	190.000	260.000	97.000
Vitamin E	mg_ATE	1.890	0.280	0.440	0.440	0.440
Lipids
Fatty acids, saturated	g	0.056	0.025	0.039	0.026	0.029
Fatty acids, monounsaturated	g	0.010	0.007	0.012	0.008	0.008
Fatty acids, polyunsaturated	g	0.146	0.100	0.159	0.106	0.117
Cholesterol	mg	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Phytosterols	mg	9.000	10.000	38.000
Amino Acids
Tryptophan	g	0.039	0.008	0.009	0.012	0.009
Threonine	g	0.122	0.053	0.059	0.074	0.059
Isoleucine	g	0.147	0.075	0.084	0.105	0.083
Leucine	g	0.223	0.070	0.079	0.098	0.078
Lysine	g	0.174	0.075	0.084	0.105	0.084
Methionine	g	0.053	0.014	0.016	0.020	0.016
Cystine	g	0.035	0.014	0.016	0.019	0.015
Phenylalanine	g	0.129	0.049	0.055	0.068	0.054
Tyrosine	g	0.108	0.029	0.032	0.040	0.032
Valine	g	0.161	0.062	0.070	0.087	0.069
Arginine	g	0.162	0.063	0.071	0.088	0.070
Histidine	g	0.064	0.020	0.022	0.028	0.022
Alanine	g	0.142	0.050	0.056	0.070	0.055
Aspartic acid	g	0.240	0.127	0.142	0.177	0.141
Glutamic acid	g	0.343	0.162	0.182	0.227	0.180
Glycine	g	0.134	0.051	0.057	0.071	0.057
Proline	g	0.112	0.043	0.048	0.060	0.048
Serine	g	0.104	0.035	0.039	0.049	0.039
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 12 (March 1998)

To Tell the Truth: It's Getting Easier

I've mentioned before that I'm not exactly a fitness guru.  I don't love to run or workout and if I were to be completely honest, I have to say that I liken working out to my other daily chores: somewhere on the same level as cleaning toilets.
The reason I work out every day is simply because it's something I have to do in order to get and maintain the kind of fit and healthy body that I desire.  I tried the "sit on the coach and eat relatively well" approach, but it didn't work.  I've learned that being fit and healthy takes a combination of BOTH exercise AND nutrition.
Period.
When I first started the workout program, it was a daily struggle to get myself up and going.  Just pushing play every day took great self will and motivation.  But I had committed to doing it and that was that.  I could have sat around and continued making excuses.  Because everyone knows I have plenty of them (physical pain from Arthritis and Lupus, 5 kids to distract me, moving from state to state twice in a six week period, etc).  But I didn't.  I kept at it.
And now as I get to the end of my fourth month on this workout regiment, I have to say that it is GETTING EASIER.  During the second month I noticed I no longer had to struggle internally with myself quite as much just to get myself going.  I had established a WORKOUT HABIT.  There was no longer a question about whether or not I was going to do it.  I knew I was.  Just that alone made it so much easier.
As I slowly get into better shape, the workouts aren't as hard to get through either.  I'm not as sore the next day.  I don't have to pause as much.  And I surprise myself when I can get through more and more reps of a particular movement before it starts to burn.
It's getting easier!

I tell you all this not to brag but to show you that if you are just beginning, DON'T GIVE UP!  I promise that it will slowly, gradually get better.  A few months down the road you will LOOK better, you will FEEL better and it will be easier!
It just takes consistency.  Do it every day and your body will thank you.
_______________________________________________________________________________
By the way, yesterday was Weigh Day.  Sorry I didn't report but my bathroom scale has decided to call it quits.  And just 2 weeks after I bought it!  I will take its carcass back to the store when I get a chance.  I thought I had gotten a good digital scale, but obviously not. 
But how did YOU do?  E-mail your results to angiepete@gmail.com.  I want to know your progress!

Food For Thought: How to Gain Weight Like A Sumo Wrestler

Have you ever wondered how a Sumo Wrestler gains weight ON PURPOSE?  Well, I have.  Here is a list of what these weighty athletes do:

1.  SKIP BREAKFAST

After waking, sumo wrestlers will train vigorously for several hours on an empty stomach. This makes the wrestlers extremely hungry and able to eat enormous amounts, which results in weight gain.

 

2.  EAT ONLY TWO MEALS A DAY

Sumo wrestlers are known to eat only twice per day. These two meals generally amount to approximately 5 to 10 meals that would be consumed by the average person. This practice encourages the body to hold on to fat and induces weight gain.

3.  DRINK ALCOHOL

Indulging in large amounts of alcohol -- primarily beer -- is a traditional method used by sumo wrestlers to gain abdominal weight. Sumo wrestlers use their stomachs for stability and alcohol raises cortisol levels which results in abdominal fat.

4.  EAT HUGE QUANTITIES

You'd think that to gain weight a Sumo wrestler would chow down on high fat foods like burgers, fries and soda all day.  I was surprised to see that this isn't the case.  They are actually very careful to consume a healthy quality of food such as meat and grains.  It is the QUANTITY of food that is crucial to gaining weight.  The Sumo wrestler will eat until they throw up, stuffing every possible bit into their expanding stomachs. 

5.  NAP TIME AFTER CHOW TIME

The key to the Sumo wrestler's successful weight gain is taking a nap right after binging.  They nap during the day and they eat right before bed.

Many people unknowingly have been on a diet similar to the Sumo wrestler diet.  They skip meals (particularly breakfast), going long periods without eating at all.  And when they DO eat they are famished and end up eating a large meal of high glycemic index foods (like potatoes, breads, pastas, sweets, etc.), especially late at night before bed.  No wonder they have such a hard time losing weight!

So if we want to LOSE weight, we should essential do the EXACT OPPOSITE of a Sumo wrestler.  BREAKFAST is ESSENTIAL.  We should be eating FIVE SMALL MEALS a day and AVOID ALCOHOL and other high calorie beverages such as SODA and JUICE. WATER is your friend!  Also NEVER NAP after a meal and DON'T EAT within at least two hours of going to bed.

Let's be on the ANTI-Sumo Wrestler Diet, shall we?

Weigh Day: Melting the Fat

This past week has been a tough one.  My five children all came down with the Chicken Pox at the same time, including our 9 month old baby. 

To say that it was hard to get through the workouts each day would be an understatement.  It was close to impossible!  I would do five minutes here, five minutes there...whatever I could fit in between the chaos.  There was one day when all I could do was a 15 minute ab workout (which took me an hour and 13 minutes to finish).  I didn't get a shower that day and all we ate the whole day was cereal, canned soup and Shakeology.

But I kept at it.  I made it a priority to continue my goal of not missing a day. 

So I can tell you that I'm particularly proud of my progress this past week considering the kind of week I had.  Because I lost another 1.5 lbs!  And since the last time I measured myself, I've gained 1/2 inch on both thighs (a good thing because I gained muscle mass in my chicken legs!) and lost 1/2 inch in my arms and an inch off my waist, an inch off my hips and 1/2 inch off my chest!

*Insert a little celebratory dance here*

It seems like I've broken through my plateau and the fat is just melting off now!  I even put on a MEDIUM size shirt today and it wasn't too tight!  Here is a picture of me after my shower (excuse the mess, we still haven't finished unpacking and getting settled!)  I'm so happy.  Like I was telling my mom over the phone yesterday, I can't stop now!  I've worked so hard and it seems like my goal is finally in sight.

23 pounds lost and 12 more to go to reach my goal of 135.  I can do it!

________________________________________________________
How are YOU doing?  E-mail me at angiepete@gmail.com to let me know!

Tips & Tricks: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Have you ever left something out on the counter in the kitchen? I do. All the time. When my kids don't eat all the brownies from the night before, for instance, I'll cover the dish and leave it out for later. The trouble is that EVERY time I walk by it, the brownies become a temptation. I see it so I want some. And if I walk by enough times, I finally give in.
I'll take just a little sliver, I think. A tiny piece won't hurt too much. So I eat a tiny piece. An hour later and fifteen more times past the brownie dish and I take another small piece. A few hours later, another one. Until I realize come nightfall that all those little pieces actually add up to be a rather large one.
Ooops.

So I've started employing the "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" technique. At least that's what I call it. I notice the temptation to eat the brownies is about 300 times less if I don't leave them out where I can see them. I forget about the treat if it's not left out in plain view.
The opposite goes for healthy food. I've noticed that if I leave good snacks out, I'll reach for those instead. One thing that works well for my family is to put a veggie tray out during the late afternoon when my kids are usually clamoring for snacks. If I just leave it on the table, they'll grab a carrot stick or cucumber slice as they run by instead of trying to sneak chips or cookies behind my back as I'm busy cooking dinner. I don't mind if they fill up on vegetables. I DO mind if they aren't hungry because of too much junk food!
So next time you find yourself tempted by something out in plain view try my new technique: Out of Sight, Out of Mind!

Weigh Day: Fighting With My Scale

Since moving from Georgia to North Carolina 10 days ago, things have been a little...chaotic.  Despite my best efforts, my home is still unorganized.  There are still many unopened boxes and missing items (the toaster, my measuring tape...).  But despite all that, I've been managing to get in my workouts and have been doing amazingly well on my eating.
If I do say so myself.
One nice thing about moving and starting anew is that you have to pretty much start your food supply from scratch.  So I have been ubber careful on what food I'm buying, trying to ensure I don't buy anything that I shouldn't eat and that will tempt me.  The few treats I've bought for my kids are things that they can make themselves and that I don't like enough to make me stray from my goal of avoiding treats.  Things like popsicles and s'mores. 
On Friday we found something I'd been looking for: my bathroom scale.  Excited to see what my progress had been for the past two weeks, I stepped on it and read:
"144."
"LIAR!" I exclaimed, shaking my finger at the tease that was my scale.  "Now I KNOW I didn't lose 8 pounds in 12 days!"
I made my husband weigh himself.  Sure enough, the scale was reading 5-8 pounds less than it should.
"Maybe we should keep it anyway," said the devil on my shoulder.  "It's a very flattering bathroom scale."
Tempting.  VERY tempting.  After all, I hadn't been below 150 since before baby #3 (Three babies ago!).
But my desire for knowing the truth of my weight-loss journey won out.  I bought a new digital scale and brought it home, weighing myself right after dinner.
Not the best time to weigh in, but I wanted to see if it was accurate. 
And it was!  My husband and son tried it, too.  It was the first time I'd let my husband see me weigh myself in years.  He finally asked the question he'd been burning to know for months: "What was your starting weight in January?" 
So I told him.  And I was no longer ashamed.  I felt proud of my progress.
I waited until today to weigh myself first thing in the morning.  And I was pleased to see that during the past two weeks of moving drama, I've lost...
THREE AND A HALF POUNDS!!!!
I have no idea how many inches that translates into since, as before mentioned, I have YET to find my measuring tape.
But that's okay.  It'll turn up eventually!
____________________________________________________________________________
How are YOU doing on your fitness journey?  Remember to weigh and measure yourself today and send me your results!  Tell me how you are feeling about your progress!!! angiepete@gmail.com

Food for Thought: Hidden Sugar

I've been thinking a lot about sugar lately.  It seems like EVERYTHING has sugar in it!  Once you start reading food labels, you'll notice that almost everything you eat has sugar, evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, etc.  Sugar is called many different things by the food industry but in the end it's all just SUGAR!!!

And obviously all this sugar does our bodies BAD.  I have been trying really hard to pay attention to what I'm putting in my mouth.  And as I read those food labels, it sometimes surprises me the things that contain added sugar.  Crackers, sauces, protein bars, granola...some things that you'd never guess!  And sometimes it is one of the first three ingredients. 
So do what I do: pay attention.  Try to eliminate added sugar from your diet and find a brand that is better.  You can find a healthier brand if you look! 
To get an idea of some foods with added sugar that may surprise you, read this great article!