Proud

I don’t talk about my family much on this blog, but I wanted to just take a minute today to say how incredibly proud of my Aunts that I am.

Both of my Aunts approached me at the end of the Summer and asked, if they started training, if I’d be willing to run with them on Thanksgiving for their first 5k EVER.

They told me I inspired them to start running, and it brought me to tears.  Here are these 2 incredibly strong women, who have raised amazing children of their own, who have stepped in to help me and my sisters when my own mother decided she didn’t want to be a part of our lives anymore, and they’re telling me that I inspire them??? Holy cow.

I was humbled, flattered, and honored to say the least, and of course I agreed to run with them.

The have both each lost over 50 pounds in this past year, and they look better and better every time I see them.

Both of my Aunts, one in her late 40s and one in her mid 50s, inspire ME, and I cannot wait to run this 5k with them tomorrow morning.  I promised them I would stay by their side the entire race, and that I didn’t care about my own time, I only wanted to run with them, so while tomorrow’s race will certainly not be about personal bests, it will be about family, and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my Thanksgiving morning.

 

 

 

In other news, it’s obviously a big food day tomorrow, and I’ve decided to make it this week’s reward day so I don’t have guilt eating some of my favorite foods.  I will still try to eat consciously and not over-stuff myself, but I’m not going to beat myself up over it, and I’m not going to let the holiday drag beyond tomorrow.  One day, that’s all it is, and we’ll get right back on track on Friday! J

You can (and should) enjoy the holidays, and stay on track, so long as you make sure you’re limiting the holiday to just one day. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

I've been nominated!!!

Wooo hoooo!!!
I'm so very excited, humbled, and thrilled to announce that this little ol' blog of mine has been nominated for the second year in a row for Healthline's "Best Health Blog" award!
I do my best to keep it real here, to tell you about my good days and my bad, to share what's working and what's not, and I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing about my journey.
It would mean so much to me to win this award, not just because theres a cash prize involved (nice bonus!) but because it will prove that this journey is meaningful, not just to me, but to everyone I'm sharing it with.  I love hearing how I've inspired you to start your own journies, so I hope you will support me by voting here: http://www.healthline.com/health/best-health-blogs-contest for Babe Before Baby, or by clicking on the big ol' icon on the right side bar over there where it says "vote daily".  And yes, you can vote 2 times a day, every day from now until the contest ends in January, so please vote early and often! What's in it for you? Well, I vow that whatever cash prize I do win, I will give away 1/2 of it to my readers.  That's right, I'm GIVING YOU my prize! So go vote people!

Healthline I appreciate your support more than you know :)

Eating out while Carb Cycling

Let’s be honest people.  Eating out is a part of most of our daily routines.  It used to be a treat…a special occasion even, but in today’s day and age of working moms and busy schedules, sometimes eating out is not only convenient, it’s the only option. 

This is where you have to be tough on yourself.  You do NOT need to go crazy every time you eat out or get take out.  You do NOT need to eat what your husband/family/friends/co-workers are eating.  You can’t reach your goals if you just eat like everyone else, it’s that simple. 

 

I try and tell myself this every day in the office when the various donuts/cupcakes/cookies/etc are tempting me in the kitchen.  Sure everyone else in the office is indulging.  Sure, it would be nice to give in as well…but the reality of the situation is, that I have different goals than the rest of my co-workers.  Sure, some of them are naturally thin and have nothing to worry about in the weight category, but it’s about more than just weight loss, it’s about being healthy, and fueling yourself with the right foods the majority of the time.  Every day indulges are a habit we really need to break free from as a society, and I’m not saying it’s easy, but your body with thank you for it over time.

So, that being said, yes, I’ve eaten out multiple times since starting carb cycling.  I enjoy eating out on my “guilt free” day the most, but if I have to eat out during the week when I should be on plan, here are some tips to keep in mind.

·         Beware the sodium monster.  Inevitably, food you don’t prepare yourself is bound to have more sodium, and even more if you’re eating at a convenience/fast food place versus a restaurant.  Be prepared to see the scale go up the next day, even if you stayed under your calories, for the pure fact that sodium makes you retain more water.  It goes away, don’t worry, but drink extra H20 on these days to compensate.

·         Remember your portion sizes.  Most restaurant servings are far too big for the portions we should be eating; share an entrée or ask for a take out box when your meal comes and box half of it before you even start eating.  If it’s not on your plate, you’ll be less tempted to finish the whole thing

·         Stick to the recommended food combinations: Protein, Fat, and Veggies on low carb day, and Protein, Carb, and Veggies on high carb day.  Modify menu selections if you have to.

·         Salad is your friend.  It’s the easiest thing to modify in terms of adding/subtracting ingredients, and lean protein is an easy add (think grilled chicken, fish, eggs, etc).

 

Here are some of the things I’ve eaten while dining out or getting take out these past few weeks:

(Above) Low carb: Garden salad with grilled chicken and feta cheese, a little splash of balsamic vinegar for dressing, delivered from a local pizza shop

(Above) Sit down restaurant, cobb salad with grilled chicken, lots of veggies, bacon, and hard boiled eggs.  This was so delicious, I didn't even add dressing!

(Above) Panera Bread has an awesome "hidden" menu that's totally low carb.  This is the "Power Mediterranean Chicken" Salad.

Above: High carb day.  Steamed chicken with mixed veggies, and a bit of white rice on the side.  No, white rice is not the best option, but it's better than fried rice! PS...I think the texture of steamed chicken is kinda gross...

Above: High carb day: scrambled egg whites with spinach (no added fat on the grill) and a piece of dry whole wheat toast.  I put some egg on the bread for a few of the bites so it was sort-of like an open faced sandwich.

Above: High carb day: Salad with grilled chicken and loads of veggies, paired with a bowl of fruit on the side for my carb serving.

Above: High carb day.  This is from a local chain called Izote but it's the same as a Moe's or Chipotle: rice, chicken, lettuce, pico de gallo, and onions.  No fat (cheese, sour cream, guac) on this, and remember to pick rice OR beans, not both (they're both carbs).  On a low carb day, take out the rice and add the cheese and guac for some fat, and feel free to load up on the veggies!

 

 

 

Hope this sheds some light for you, feel free to comment with questions! :)

One More Day

Just a quick post today to update you; I'm waiting until tomorrow until I weigh-in.  I mentioned this last week, but the way the Carb-Cycling Schedule works, you're supposed to weigh in on Saturdays, after 2 low carb days in a row.  I want to make sure I'm not beating myself up about a pound that will be gone by tomorrow, so I'm just going to wait for it.
Hang tight, I'll keep you posted!

My T25 Results!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I’ll let these pictures speak for themselves.

 

 Regardless of what the scale says, I’ve lost inches, gained muscle, and lifted my booty with ten weeks of T25!

This program really is fairly easy to follow…don’t get me wrong, the workouts are intense, but since they’re only 25 minutes long, it’s hard to find a valid excuse not to just get it done. I have my favorite workouts within the program for sure, but there’s enough variety with all of the different DVDs that you never really get sick of any of them. Now that I’m done with the program, I’m still doing the workouts because they’re so short I can squeeze them in no matter what my schedule is.

Are my results not enough to convince you? Take a look at some of my other challenge group ladies' progress pics!

 

(This awesome transformation above is my pal Kelly who has a little baby boy at home, and found the time to make her health a priority! She has an awesomely inspiring Instagram account called "Naptimefitness", go follow her if you don't already!!)

 

 

I have to say that I’m really happy with all of these results, and so proud of my challengers who finished the program, but I’ve been blown away with my own personal progress in just these past 2 weeks now that I’ve added carb cycling into the mix. 

 So that being said, I’ve decided to do a prototype challenge group starting December 2^nd, where’ll I’ll combine T25, Carb Cycling, and Shakeology to get some serious results…didn’t you ask Santa for a better body for Christmas this year????

Seriously though this group is going to be awesome, but I’m limiting it to only 5 people because I really want everyone to get focused attention from me and not slip through the cracks, so this is for people who are really committed to wanting to see a change!  I’ll personally guide you through Carb Cycling, and make sure you stay on track with daily accountability through a private Facebook group.
If you’re interested in learning more, leave your email in the comments or email me at babebeforebaby@gmail.com!

Carb Cycling: What I'm eating

I got a lot of questions after last Friday’s carb cycling post about what I’m eating.

I’d like to preface this by saying that everyone is different, and I’m fully aware that not everyone is as boring as I am when it comes to food, nor is it their cup of tea to try and eat that way.  It’s just the way I roll people, I like simple, I like easy, and I actually prefer to pretty much eat the same thing on weekdays during the day and just change it up for dinner.  There are plenty of other options out there for carb cycling options, this is just what I'm eating because I find it works well for me and is easy enough to plan for.

So, that being said, this is what I eat, Monday through Friday.

Meal 1 (6am):

Plain Non-fat Greek Yogurt, sweetened with Stevia drops
½ cup of Kashi Go lean (all mixed in)
(I don’t have a serving a veggies with this meal, even though I’m supposed to!)

Meal 2 (9am):

Shakeology (I almost always use the vanilla latte recipe: 1 cup cold coffee, ½ cup almond milk, ice, and blend)
I leave for work at about 8:15, so I mix this in my blender and put it in a thermal cup and drink around 9 when it’s time, it keeps well
On low carb days, a 100 calorie pack of almonds
On high carb days, a banana

Meal 3 (12pm):

3 ounces of Chicken breast (I bake a whole package on Sunday nights and portion it out, just seasoned with a Mrs. Dash’s seasoning mix)
2 cups of green beans (this is basically a whole can of green beans, use low sodium to make sure you’re not getting too much salt)
On low carb days, string cheese
On high carb days, 1 cup of brown rice

 

Meal 4 (3pm):

Quest Bar (cookie dough is my favorite)
On low carb days, celery with 1 tablespoon of Peanut Butter, or Carrots with Laughing Cow cheese
On high carb days, an apple

 

Meal 5 (6pm):

This is where it typically varies for me
Some sort of lean meat (3-5 ounces)
Veggies (usually broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or a mixture of all 3)
On low carb days, I will either add a little fat to my cooking method (like Olive oil, or a butter based sauce), or add a little cheese on top of the meat
On high carb days, I omit the fat and stick to baking or broiling the meat, and add a carb like brown rice, quinoa, mashed potatoes, etc.

And that’s it.  It’s not exciting, I know, but like I said, I keep things simple and I prefer it that way.

Throughout the day, I drink a gallon of water, and I have 1 to 2 cups of black coffee in the morning.
At home after dinner, I’ll have seltzer or if I’m really feeling a bad craving I’ll have some peppermint tea (black).

This is breaking down to about 1200 calories on low carb days, and about 1500 calories on high carb days, and believe it or not, I’m not hungry.  I was when I first started, but I’m finding if I hit the 2 cups of veggies at every meal like I’m supposed to, I feel very satisfied until the next time I’m supposed to eat.  I think the biggest thing for me has been closing the kitchen after my 5^th meal, that after dinner snacking was my biggest downfall.

If you follow the Turbo Cycle for carb cycling, Sunday is a totally guilt free day where you can indulge in whatever you want, and try to hit about 1,000 calories more than normal (2500 calories).  I did well on my first reward day yesterday, and was proud to say that when I put all my indulgences into MFP for the day, I hit the 2500 calorie mark pretty dead on, and didn’t feel like I over-did it.  I had made a no treats promise to myself until Thanksgiving (chocolate, cookies, cake, ice cream, etc), so my rewards yesterday were pretty much based around pairing carbs with fat, which you’re not allowed to do during the week; I had homefries and toast at breakfast with my egg white omelet, I had popcorn and beer at the hockey game I went to, and I had a delicious burger with French fries for dinner, and after each meal, I felt satisfied but not guilty. 

 

 

The scale is up a bit this morning, but I know I ate a lot of salt yesterday and didn’t drink nearly enough water, so I’m pretty confident that number will drop again tomorrow.

So there you have it.  And yes, before you ask, I do change it up occasionally.  I have social events and activites, dinners out, lunches out, etc and I just try to hit the guidelines as best I can with the options I have available.  I ate out at Panera Bread a few times this past week, and they have a great low carb hidden menu with a few different salad options that make it pretty easy to stay on plan.  I'm also aware that next month, I might be sick of one (or all of the things) on my daily menu, so I'll probably rotate in a few new protein options, like turkey muffins for lunch, egg muffins for breakfast, or turkey meat/cheese roll-ups for snacks. 

 

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions!

I'm still here

I'm still here, I promise!
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have caught on to the fact that I've been posting about Carb Cycling a lot this week.
I plan on doing a post about this tomorrow, after I've got almost a full week under my belt (I've been doing this since Monday), but I have to say that I'm really loving it so far.  I feel really good today, the scale is moving in the right direction, and my calorie burns have been higher this week than ever before thanks to the kickstart in my metabolism.  In short, I'm thinking this is something I can stick with for a while, especially because it has built in REWARD days!!
In other news, tomorrow is my LAST DAY OF T25! It's like the end of an era! I'll be sure to post my full review of the program sometime soon, as well as my overall results, so stay tuned!

Speed Training

Goood morning! Ok it’s not that good, it’s Monday and I wish I were still in bed, but that’s life, right?

I had a decent weekend, with 2 days of running with an old friend from high school who’s helping me work on my speed so that I can improve my 5k time.

Saturday we met up at our high school track (talk about reliving the past!) and did intervals for about 30 minutes.  She tells me this will help me get my legs more used to running at a faster speed.

Our workout went like this:

2 laps, easy run to warm up (about 11 min mile).

Walk half lap, then do the following:

Sprint for 1 full lap: the goal is to complete the lap in (or under) 2:10 (this would equal an 8:40 per mile pace).  Most of our laps were 1:57.

Walk for ½ lap to recover.  About 10 yards or so before hitting the half lap mark, jog at “grandma pace” (super slow) to get your body ready to sprint again.  When you hit the half lap mark, sprint for 1 full lap again.

Repeat this sequence for as many times as you’d like; since this was my first go, we did 6 sprint intervals.  Next weekend, we’ll do 8, and then eventually the goal is to do 10, with the last 2 intervals SUPER fast (we’re talking 1:45 or less per lap).

I have honestly never done a track workout before, so this was pretty new to me, and I thought I would hate it since I don’t do well when I can see how far I have to go still.  But really, with all the recovery time built in, the time went by pretty fast, and before I knew it, we had finished our 6^th lap and were done for the day!

I have no experience with speed training or anything of the sort, since I’m fairly new to running, but my friend assures me this will help shave minutes off my 5k time (she recently dropped from a 30 minute 5k time to 28, and now she’s training to drop under 25!) T25 has done wonders for my running since there are so many speed and agility drills that work your calf muscles, but hopefully these track workouts will help make even more of a dent in my time.  I still haven’t “officially” broken the 30 minute mark on a 5k yet (coming in faster than 30 minutes), so I’m hoping that these workouts will help me blow that goal out of the water.

Yesterday we did an easy run, which should be at least 30 minutes, but no more than 40 minutes, at a pace where you can talk in broken sentences.  We met up at a local trail that loops around a reservoir for this, and I found myself running faster than I thought I could for an easy pace.

 

Later in the day yesterday, I went for a quick hike with my husband since he had a very rare afternoon off; it was nice to walk through the foliage, but man was it cold!

My friend runs 6 days a week; she does arms on 2 of her easy run days, but other than that, she ONLY runs for exercise.  I’m on my last week of T25 this week, so I’m thinking about focusing on running for the remainder of the month before starting my next program, but I don’t think I’ll care for running only…I need variety in my life, so I’ll probably still throw in some Turbo Fire or T25 workouts here and there.

How was your weekend? Did you try anything new with your workouts?