Tone Em' Up Tuesday Link Up

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It's time for Tone Em' Up Tuesdays! I'll be linking up with Brandi every week to talk about what I'm doing to help my Short Shorts Initiative.  Link up with us and share your fitness posts! How are you gettting ready for summer? Do you have a goal outfit you want to wear? Share your stories with us! Copy and paste the code above to add the button to your posts as well.


Lovin those legs yet?  So far, we've got 3 toning exercises for our routine: the Sumo Crab Walk , the Toe Squat with Overhead Reach, and the Split Squat with Elevated Leg. 
This week, I want to make this into more of a comprehensive workout, so read through to the end!
First, the new move:
 

The Standing Leg Extension
Traniner Tip: This is a balance move, as well as a strengthening move, so if you feel off at first use a chair to steady yourself.  The more you hold on, the less you work your core, so use those muscles ladies!

Do it

• Stand with your arms hanging at your sides (I actually like to have my arms up in front of me for this, but to each her own!) Bend your right knee and raise it to hip level, bringing your thigh parallel to the ground.

• Slowly extend your right leg in front of you in a controlled motion until it is fully extended, with your heel forward and toes flexed back toward your body, leg parallel to the ground (if you're not as flexible, get that leg as close to parallel as possible without bending your knee).

• Slowly bend your leg back, keeping your balance to return to the start position.  You can tap your foot down here if you need to balance, but keeping your right thigh elevated the whole time will give you a better burn.  Do 12 reps, then switch legs.

We all know muscle toning is not the only part of the equation, that diet and cardio are a critical piece too.  I read the other day that doing 500 jumping jacks every day for 1 week will help you lose 1 pound of fat.  SO, I incorporated jumping jacks into my routine this morning.  Here's how it went:

100 Jumping Jacks
Split Squat with elevated leg (12 each leg)
100 Jumping Jacks
Sumo Crab Walk (20 steps)
100 Jumping Jacks
Toe Squat with Overhead Reach (12)
100 Jumping Jacks
Standing Leg extension (12 each leg)
100 Jumping Jacks

This took me about 15 minutes, and I did it after a 2.5 mile interval run on the treadmill, so it got me good an' sweaty, but it felt awesome!

I think Express heard about my Short Shorts Initiative (and my $5 per day reward for my good diet)...because I got their spring catalog in the mail yesterday with a $40 off my next purchase of $120 or more coupon, and a WHOLE lot of pictures of girls rockin' that look I want oh so badly...
 

 

I WILL rock those shorts this summer, I'm determined!
PS.  Don't forget to enter my FlipBelt Giveaway, contest ends at the end of the day on Thursday! (I'm wearing a FlipBelt in that sweaty selfie above ;)

What are you doing to reach your goals this summer? Link up with me and Brandi every Tuesday and share your story too! (You must be a follower of both Babe Before Baby and Thin After Twins to participate!) Be sure to link the actual post, not your whole blog, so we can all get inspired!

  

FlipBelt Giveaway!!!

**Edited 3/1/12: The contest is now over, but you can use FlipBelt Coupon code "BBB" at checkout to get 10% your order at FlipBelt.com!!  Tell them I sent you and be sure to check out my review post!!

Over this weekend, this little ol’ blog I’ve got going here hit 100 Followers (now at 103!).  Thank you all for following my journey, and for keeping me going even when I want to quit! 

 

Before I get into my “thank you present”, I wanted to tell you quickly about a 21 day challenge idea that my pal Heather came up with.  It takes 21 days to form a habit, so she’s challenging herself to 21 days straight of exercise.  I’m feeling pretty good on the exercise front, so I’m going to make this 21 day challenge about my diet: 21 days of logging EVERYTHING I eat into MFP, and staying within my calorie range.  This will be challenging for sure, but I think it’d doable, and I’m excited to see how much progress I can make in the next 3 weeks.  (Did I mention if you start today it ends on St. Patrick’s day!? That’s cause for celebration!!)  Go over and check out Heather’s cool post-it idea, I might just steal that one!

 Anywhoo, as my way of saying thank you to you all for following, without further ado, I present, my FlipBelt Giveaway!!

I did a post last week reviewing my favorite new workout accessory, my FlipBelt (see this post for more info).  In a nutshell, it's a wide "tube" belt, sort of like the fold-over top on your yoga pants (and yes it's that comfortable), that has openings for you to slide your stuff in and out of.  It holds your keys, wallet, phone, etc. securely while working out, and you even have the option of flipping it so that the openings face inward and your items are more secure (although I've yet to find a need for this, my items stay pretty secure without flipping, even when I'm running!).

 

I love this thing so much that I contacted FlipBelt and they agreed to give one lucky follower a new FlipBelt in the size and color of their choice (yay!)  The giveaway is pretty simple.

First, you must be a follower of this blog, so go over to the sidebar and click "Join This Site" in the followers section if you haven't already.  You also need to head over to the FlipBelt website and tell me which color you want (I have pink and violet)! Now see the giveaway box below? Simply enter your name and email (email won't be shared with anyone), click the box stating you're a follower, and write your favorite color in the box. Those are all required, and will award you TWO entries for doing them.

 You also have the chance for 4 bonus entries.

1.       Like Babe Before Baby on Facebook

2.       Social Media:

a.       Follow Babe Before Baby on Instagram (@babebeforebaby)

b.       Follow me on Pinterest

c.       Pin this giveaway on Pinterest!

 

When you've done those, be sure to come back here and click the boxes below to get credit for them!

 

The giveaway will run until midnight Thursday (EST), and I will announce a winner on Friday. The winner will be randomly chosen using www.random.org.

Rewards: My FlipBelt Review

**Edited 3/1/12: Use FlipBelt Coupon code "BBB" at checkout to get 10% your order at FlipBelt.com!!

So I hit 40 pounds down this week, and although I JUST hit it, I bought my reward present a little early (so sue me J).  Brandi had a coupon code for a FlipBelt good for 10% off your order, but it was only valid through February 10^th.  I figured I had worked hard, and knew I’d get to a milestone soon, so I went ahead and bought one.  THEN I managed to get another one in a “trade” that I arranged with Heather, who really wanted an Ipsy subscription, and I just so happened to have a gift one that I never gave away at Christmas…so she bought me a second FlipBelt, and I gave her the subscription!

So what the heck is a FlipBelt you ask? It’s this awesome invention to replace that annoying armband you have to wear if you want to bring your music with you on a run.  It’s a band that has openings in it (2 in the front, 2 in the back) that allows you to slide your phone, keys, money, etc. into and keep secure while being active.  If you’re worried about things sliding out, you can flip the belt so that the openings face in, making sure nothing will go anywhere. Do you have fold over yoga pants? It’s sort of like the top fold over portion of those pants…and just as comfy too! It’s not just functional, it’s really cute and super flattering over your workout clothes too!

 

Anywoo….This thing is AMAZING.  Seriously.  Can’t say enough good about it because I love it that much.  I ordered the pink in size large, and the trade I got from Heather is violet in size medium (for motivation!).  The violet one does fit me right now, but it’s a little snug, and I feel more comfortable wearing the large since I can let it sit lower on my hips.  I like to wear longer layering tanks when I workout, so the large lets me sit the band lower than my tank so that I don’t have to tuck in my shirt or anything silly like that.

 

(I borrowed my husband’s phone to put in the pocket so you can see what it looks like while I took a picture with my phone!)

 

I’ve worn this for the past week on all of my treadmill interval runs, and once during a pretty intense Bootcamp.  I’ve worn it while doing my tone em’ up Tuesday moves, and I’ve worn it while just walking around the house.  This thing stays put.  It doesn’t ride up like I thought it might, and it keeps my phone snuggly in place.  I’ve never even had to flip the belt to “secure” my phone because it feels pretty damn secure without it!

 

I'm even more excited for the warm weather now; my husband and I do a LOT of walking and hiking when the weather is nice, and we are about a 30 minute walk to a handful of restaurants that we take advantage of for dinner out or breakfast on weekends.  Walking down has always been kind of a pain though, because I like to wear my workout capris or yoga pants, which don't have pockets. I don't want to carry a bag, so I end up making my husband carry my wallet, keys, phone, etc.  Not anymore!!

 If you don’t have one of these, go out and get one, you won’t be sorry! Check out their website for more information: http://www.flipbelt.com (Full disclaimer: I purchased this FlipBelt on my own and I'm not being compensated in any way for this review, this is just my humble opinion!)

Oh and remember that awesome giveaway I lined up for 100 followers? Well it’s a free FlipBelt, so get to following!!

Tone Em' Up Tuesday Link Up

<a href="http://www.babebeforebaby.blogspot.com" target="”_blank”"><img src="http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt108/brandi_b/tt200_zps11a224e1.jpg"/></a>

 

It's time for Tone Em' Up Tuesdays! I'll be linking up with Brandi every week to talk about what I'm doing to help my Short Shorts Initiative.  Link up with us and share your fitness posts! How are you gettting ready for summer? Do you have a goal outfit you want to wear? Share your stories with us! Copy and paste the code above to add the button to your posts as well.


How's it going ladies?  So far, we've got 2 great thigh-toning exercises for our routine: the Sumo Crab Walk and the Toe Squat with Overhead Reach.
This week, I'm adding a great exercise to work the front of your thigh, as well as your butt!  I did this move in bootcamp on Saturday and my legs are still sore!!
 

Split Squat with elevated leg
Traniner Tip: This is an up/down movement, not a forward movement, so protect your knees and make sure your front knee does not go past your toe!

Do it

• Stand with back facing a chair, bench, step, etc (about 2 feet away), hands on hips, and bend left leg behind you to place top of foot on chair seat.
• Squat, lowering your hips towards the ground as you bend your right leg 90 degrees with knee over ankle; the goal is to get your thigh parallel to the ground.
• Take your time and keep yourself steady as you lift and lower, between 15 and 20 times

Don't like doing regular "counted" reps? Burn it out for 30 seconds on each leg!  Here's a sample routine using the moves we've got so far:
Split squat 30 seconds right leg, 30 seconds left leg
Sumo Crab Walk 30 seconds
Toe Squat 30 seconds

Repeat this group 2 to 3 times, and see how many reps you can get in during those 30 seconds!

I hope you're enjoying these moves I've go so far.  Any comments? Questions? Leave me some love in the comments and let me know how you're liking this series so far.  Also, keep in mind that the toning we're doing is not going to matter much if your diet isn't there.  My diet has been MUCH better this week, but I did over-indulge on some chocolate last night (oops!).  I've decided to bribe myself into better eating habits to help with this issue I've been having....so I'll give myself $5 for every day that I log EVERYTHING I eat into MFP, and that I stay within my alloted calories.
 

(Won't this jar look way better with some moolah in it!?)

After 20 days, I'll have $100...sounds like a shopping trip to me!! Maybe I'll be able to get myself some size tens this time :)

What are you doing to reach your goals this summer? Link up with me and Brandi every Tuesday and share your story too! (You must be a follower of both Babe Before Baby and Thin After Twins to participate!) Be sure to link the actual post, not your whole blog, so we can all get inspired!

  

Let the Games Begin!

This morning marks the start of the DietBet game...which in my head I'm calling the hunger games since I'll be hungry for the next 4 weeks :) (Just kidding)

Last week wasn't good diet wise...that damn blizzard really threw me off! Being snowed in for 2 days means a lot of comfort food, a lot of alcohol, and alot of laying on the couch, but I did shovel for about 4 hours total, over 2' of snow, so I burned some of it off! If you follow me on instagram (What? You don't follow me yet? @babebeforebaby), then you'll know I also splurged on a Shamrock Shake Monday night because I'm giving up ice cream for lent, and I had to get my Shammie Shake in before that happened (it's only once a year people!) So what does that mean for me on the scale this morning?

Down only 0.6 pounds.  Not surprised. I will do better with my diet this week: I have to, this game is on! I have to stop making excuses since my social life will always get in the way...dinner out with my sister and nieces tonight, Valentines Day tomorrow, Date night Friday, dinner&drinks with friends Saturday, breakfast diner food Sundays....I will always have plans. I must learn to make better decisions! So here's to a better diet week, and before I go, here's a quick clip of that squat move I posted about yesterday (I apologize for my huffing and puffing, I had just gotten off the treadmill and was still out of breath from my run!)

May the scales be ever in your favor!!

Tone Em' Up Tuesday Link Up

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It's time for Tone Em' Up Tuesdays! I'll be linking up with Brandi every week to talk about what I'm doing to help my Short Shorts Initiative.  Link up with us and share your fitness posts! How are you gettting ready for summer? Do you have a goal outfit you want to wear? Share your stories with us! Copy and paste the code above to add the button to your posts as well.
 

 Before I get into this week's killer leg move, I wanted to remind you that it's not too late to sign up for the DietBet that I started! The pot is already over $400!! Talk about motivation people! Follow this link, $20 to join and it starts tomorrow: http://bit.ly/YZoag3

So did you try last week's Sumo Crab Walk? I've been doing at least one rep of 20 every day this week, and I am sore every day from it!  This week's move is meant to add on, so keep on with the crab walk, and add this new move to your routine!

Toe Squat with Overhead Reach
Traniner Tip: When you press your knees firmly together, imagine you're holding something precious between them: your favorite picture.  Your wedding ring.  A bar of chocolate :)

Do it:

• Come into a chair pose: stand with your feet together, abs engaged, inner knees and ankles touching, hips lowered to a half-squat, and raise a dumbell (or medicine ball, or do this withoout weights and just raise your hands) over your head.
• Now come up onto the balls of your feet and keep your lower legs controlled as you lower and lift your butt, about 4 inches.
• Take your time and keep yourself steady as you lift and lower, between 8 and 12 times

I tried this move this morning and WHOA. After 10 reps my thighs were BURNING.  This is going to be a good one, I'll try to post a video clip tomorrow!

What are you doing to reach your goals this summer? Link up with me and Brandi every Tuesday and share your story too! (You must be a follower of both Babe Before Baby and Thin After Twins to participate!) Be sure to link the actual post, not your whole blog, so we can all get inspired!

  

4 week Challenge

First I'll update you on the status of my injury....still injured :(  Rather than push myself to work out today, I'm going to give it one more day and give it a go tomorrow.  We're in the middle of snowmagedon here in the Northeast, so I should have plenty of time to get a workout in while I'm snowed in! Fingers crossed we don't lose power this time!

So I've been getting a whole lot of emails lately from every weight loss company out there (mostly because I have tried them all at one point and am on their email lists)....Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisytem...you name it.  I'm also on some of the Beachbody lists, so I get emails about programs like Shakeology, and cleanses like Advocare.  I'm not here to diss any of these systems.  I think they have their place, and for some people, they work really well, but for me, none of them gave me lasting results.  Why? Well because diets don't work....lifestyle changes do. 

I always lost weight on these programs, and always gained back every single pound plus some when I went off the program.  I think these programs can be good for a jump start, but if you don't realize that it's the lifestyle change that will keep the weight off, they will do no good.  And it got me thinking...why is it that these programs are so effective in the short term? Well, they give you a very regimented program to stick to, and you pay a lot of money for them, so you are motivated to make it work so you don't waste your hard earned dollars.  What if you were just really strict with your regimen for 4 weeks? Meaning you didn't cheat on your diet, you exercised regularly, and didn't give in to pizza and ice cream on a weekly basis? You'd probably lose the same amount of weight as you would on one of these pay programs, because ANYTHING can work if you stick with it for long enough.

So here's what I'm thinking...if money is the motivating factor, would any of my readers be interested in doing a Diet Bet with me? We could set the stakes low, $20 per person (or we could go high if you want the extra motivation!) If you haven't done a diet bet before, it's a website that hosts a weight loss challenge for you, and you're only compteting against yourself! You have to lose 4% of your body weight in 4 weeks to "win", and the winnings get divided equally between anyone who hits their goal. 

You have to send in picture verification at the beginning and end of the bet of you on the scale so they staff makes sure no one is cheating.  So...instead of spending $200 on a system that will be temporary, you spend $20 on a system that would encourage you to stick to healthy eating and exercise, AND you could get your money back at the end.  Interested? Leave me a comment and let me know, I'd love to see what our results are compared to an offical weight loss program!

***EDIT**** Diet bet created! Follow this link to sign up, starts next Wednesday! http://bit.ly/YZoag3

Ouch

Day 2; my lower left abdominal muscle still hurts like a b*tch, and did I mention I took a header on some ice in my work parking lot last night? Yep that helped that pulled muscle a whole lot, not to mention straining my lower back and giving me a nice shiner on my knee.  Needless to say, today will be a rest day from exercise.  This means my diet has to be PERFECT since I won't have the extra calories to play with! I will not let an injury slow me down!

 

Let's head into this weekend going strong! What are you doing to keep yourself motivated?

Tone Em' Up Tuesday Link Up!

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It's time for Tone Em' Up Tuesdays! I mentioned last week I'll be linking up with Brandi every week to talk about what I'm doing to help my Short Shorts Initiative.  Link up with us and share your fitness posts! How are you gettting ready for summer? Do you have a goal outfit you want to wear? Share your stories with us! Copy and paste the code above to add the button to your posts as well.

First let's talk motivation...because I don't think you're ready fo' this jelly

Can we say AHHMAYYZING!? This girl's got awesome legs, and I want them.  SO how am I gonna get em?  3 ways: Diet, Cardio, and Stregth training.  Let's be real here; you can't "spot reduce".  If I want my thighs to get smaller, my whole body has to get smaller, and the key to this is diet and cardio.  And we all know that you can't out-run a bad diet, so that really has to get better.  Cardio is key to burn calories, but the strength training is what will tighten up that jiggle...I'm talking squats, lunges, leg lifts galore.  This morning I got in a 5k on my treadmill to hit the cardio side

...and later tonight I'm going to try this move (that the internet tells me will get me legs like Beyonce...we'll see about that!)

Sumo Crab Walk.
Works: Inner thighs and glutes
Need: Room to walk
Directions:
1. Get into a sumo wrestling stance: your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out, and knees extended over the toes.
2. Keep your back straight, chest out, and abs tight throughout this move.
3. In this almost-sitting position, take a step forward, one foot at a time, and advance as far as you can go in the space you are in; then turn around and walk back to your starting position.
4. Do 20 steps total or until you feel the burn in your legs.

What are you doing to reach your goals this summer? Link up with me and Brandi every Tuesday and share your story too! (You must be a follower of both Babe Before Baby and Thin After Twins to participate!) Be sure to link the actual post, not your whole blog, so we can all get inspired!

  

Motivation Monday

This past weekend was a whirlwind of events…I have been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to think!  My weekend started at 5am Friday morning, up super early to get in my Insanity before traveling for work for the day.  I rushed home from out of state for 5:30pm, when we picked up my niece and headed out to grab dinner before the hockey game we were taking her to.  My niece slept over, but we had to be back up at 6:30am to get her ready to go back home since she had something to do early and I had Bootcamp at 8:30.  Bootcamp, then a white trash shower and a first birthday party (2 hours away).  Back home by 4pm, insert manic house cleaning in preparation for Sunday’s Super bowl party and a trip to the grocery store.  Sunday back up to be at the diner by 6:30am, home by 2, showered and start cooking for our guests that arrived around 4.  Super bowl black-out which meant guests didn’t leave until 11:30…and insert yawn here.

 From Thursday night through Sunday night, I ate literally 1 meal at home, and that meal was the Super bowl gorge-fest we put on last night, so it didn’t exactly balance my eating out all weekend.  I’m busy.  I get it.  I found a way to make time for exercise by getting up extra early on Friday and Saturday, but I didn’t find a way to make my diet work.  I ate crappy on Thursday night, and Friday morning I had a bagel for breakfast (not awful but not great either).  Friday at lunch I had a flatbread that I think was relatively healthy, but by dinner I was starving since I’d been on the road all day and stuffed my face with sesame chicken at a Chinese food restaurant.   Saturday morning, egg white flatbread from DD for breakfast, pizza for lunch, leftover pizza for dinner.  Sunday morning, bagel for breakfast, blueberry muffin for lunch (both of these were at the diner I work at, not very many healthy options to choose from!) and then everything under the sun for dinner.

 

I almost cried when I saw the scale this morning, but reviewing my weekend, it’s no wonder I saw a gain.  I start the day off with good intentions and when I’m faced with the real-life temptations of pizza and Chinese food, I can’t control myself.  I have more willpower at home, no question about it, but I came to the realization this morning that life is not going to stop because I’m on a diet.  My schedule will always be crazy.  There will never be a “good time” for me to focus on my food, because it’s always going to be hard.  I have to focus on my diet or I will never see the changes I want.  I have to start planning my meals, and planning my time away from home better.  I’m not sure what the answer to pizza parties is just yet, but I have to stick to my diet much more strictly, especially when I know a pizza party is on the schedule.  I have (yet another) birthday party on Sunday for my BFF’s son’s first birthday, and yes, it’s a pizza party.  I am traveling out of state again all day on Friday, but otherwise (right now) I have no other obligations.  I will not eat out this week aside from those 2 planned events.  I will make smart choices.  I will get better at this eventually!

How did your weekend go?