On my personal wellness journey, I have found that eating is the hardest thing to control. Being of Filipino descent, my culture's food is rich and always comes with a side of jasmine rice (and I say jasmine coz that boil-in-bag stuff doesn't cut it at my house). You can see how this can be somewhat of an eating heaven, uh I mean nightmare, for my wellness journey. So getting a hold of my diet (what I eat) was essential to my wellness. The balance between exercise and consumption is pretty much a tightrope.
And I was on that tightrope for a long time. No matter what I tried, I couldn't find the right equation between what I ate and how much I exercised that would give me weight loss. And then I would get frustrated and get off. Then get on again, and so on and so forth. It was tiring. When I enrolled in graduate school, it all got tossed to the back seat.
So when school ended and I joined WW, it was great. I was told exactly how much to eat per day and could fill the day with whatever I wanted. AND I talked to my doctor. She suggested to try not dipping into any of my extra points (exercise or flex) as much as possible. So far it has worked great! I've lost pounds in the double digits since starting about 10 weeks ago... yea that may seem like a long time, but for me, slow and steady wins the race. As I continued on the journey, I learned to cook in ways that could satisfy my hubby (he's Filipino too) and help us both around the waist-line. He, in turn, has accepted what I cook and now we're on the right track.
So you see how important it is to find the right diet (eating and eating for weight loss) for you. It not only has to suit your body (because some do leave you starving at the end of the day), but it has to suit your life. It has to fit in with your family, your lifestyle, your budget, etc.
We are in the final stretch for the Pre-Summer Slimdown. May and June's focus will be consumption. If you do not log your daily intake, please start doing so. Remember - knowing and awareness are very important in any wellness journey! If you are an employee at the hospital, please make use of the LiveWell representative to go over your food intake with you. Remember, don't cheat. Write down everything you eat. Lets do this for about 2 weeks, then start looking to see where there can be improvements.
Some tips:
1. Personally, I don't recommend totally cutting out your favorite foods. Remember, everything in moderation. If you starve yourself off of the things you love, eating will become a chore and you will hate every minute of this challenge.
2. Drink GALLONS of water. Well not gallons. Try to get at least 8 8oz glasses per day. If you drink about 2.5 of those red water bottles given by the hospital, then you've done it. I have found that I will drink more during the day if I drink it without ice.
3. Eat fruits and veggies, but try to venture out and eat some fruits and veggies that you're not used to eating. Preparation is a big thing... who knew pureed cauliflower with the right fixins is a great sub for mashed potatoes.
4. Eat lean meats. If you have to eat steak, ask the server which is their leanest cuts. If you're making them at home, trim the fat before grilling
5. PORTIONS PORTIONS PORTIONS.... watch them! Check food labels to see how much the label gives you nutritional information for... you'll be amazed at how much this will help.
That's it for now! I'll talk about it in class more! Don't forget to get measured!!
>M<
April 29, 2012
April 22, 2012
Solamente Por Ti
You always hear people saying that what is so great about Zumba is that there is no wrong or right way to do it. Now you can say no that's not the way you salsa or merengue, but honestly, as long as you're having a good time, who cares?? See that is the true beauty and draw of Zumba... you can do it any way you like but you are having such a good time doing it that if you get the step wrong it doesnt matter. You don't have to look like your instructor, because that's not what's important... what's important is that you are getting a good workout.. solamente por ti.. only for you.
Now let me back up a sec and say that BAD FORM is not a good thing. I don't know how many times I can say this (or how many times I have said it before. When doing squats, knees never go past your toes; when doing ab songs or any song, keep your abs tight to protect your back; listening to your body when it tells you you are done, when doing weighted exercises, squeeze your muscles not your weights; same thing with leg exercises... and so much more... That's good form... bad form leads to injury. And you're not having fun if you are injured and can't Zumba. So, to practice good form, don't worry so much about staying on beat... make sure 1. that you are not hurting yourself in a bad way (like your joints feel like they are breaking) and 2. trust your body to know when something is wrong... the mind is a powerful thing and it can often convince the body what it can and cant do...
Moving forward... One of the things I love the most about Zumba is that it can be so personal. You alway hear us saying "this is your workout." It is true. For anything in life to be effective, whether it is a diet (eating plan type) or exercise or new way of thinking ... it will not work for you if you do not make it your own. If you don't make it a part of you in some way, shape, or form - it will not stick with you.
Think about this idea in terms of faith. Now I am not putting diet and exercise in the same category as whatever higher power you worship and your belief, because that is completely different. For most of us, we hold our faith close to us and often cling to it as if it were tied to our very own breath. In a way it comes to define us. We find a deeper connection with our faith and worship in our own ways. Now for diet and exercise. Own it like you own your faith. Make it yours. Solamente por ti... only for you. Because then and only then will it truly stay with you. We were given this one body - why not make the most of it?
This is where the numerous other posts come in... Remember when I got real with ya'll about not worrying about what other people thought of you and to focus on yourself for once? This is the same thing...When you're out there Zumba-ing, you can be doing it to lose weight, to tone up, or just get some regular exercise in so that you can live a long healthy life with your family... but remember - do it for yourself also. Make it your own... solamente por ti... because there is only one you and your Z-fam loves you because of that.
>M<
Now let me back up a sec and say that BAD FORM is not a good thing. I don't know how many times I can say this (or how many times I have said it before. When doing squats, knees never go past your toes; when doing ab songs or any song, keep your abs tight to protect your back; listening to your body when it tells you you are done, when doing weighted exercises, squeeze your muscles not your weights; same thing with leg exercises... and so much more... That's good form... bad form leads to injury. And you're not having fun if you are injured and can't Zumba. So, to practice good form, don't worry so much about staying on beat... make sure 1. that you are not hurting yourself in a bad way (like your joints feel like they are breaking) and 2. trust your body to know when something is wrong... the mind is a powerful thing and it can often convince the body what it can and cant do...
Moving forward... One of the things I love the most about Zumba is that it can be so personal. You alway hear us saying "this is your workout." It is true. For anything in life to be effective, whether it is a diet (eating plan type) or exercise or new way of thinking ... it will not work for you if you do not make it your own. If you don't make it a part of you in some way, shape, or form - it will not stick with you.
Think about this idea in terms of faith. Now I am not putting diet and exercise in the same category as whatever higher power you worship and your belief, because that is completely different. For most of us, we hold our faith close to us and often cling to it as if it were tied to our very own breath. In a way it comes to define us. We find a deeper connection with our faith and worship in our own ways. Now for diet and exercise. Own it like you own your faith. Make it yours. Solamente por ti... only for you. Because then and only then will it truly stay with you. We were given this one body - why not make the most of it?
This is where the numerous other posts come in... Remember when I got real with ya'll about not worrying about what other people thought of you and to focus on yourself for once? This is the same thing...When you're out there Zumba-ing, you can be doing it to lose weight, to tone up, or just get some regular exercise in so that you can live a long healthy life with your family... but remember - do it for yourself also. Make it your own... solamente por ti... because there is only one you and your Z-fam loves you because of that.
>M<
April 19, 2012
New Logo!
Hey all... sorry for the wait... the new logo has been approved and we will soon be ready for production!! We are currently taking preorders, the shirts are (for now) lime green with blue/teal writing and will be a unisex type tshirt... contact me if you are interested in ordering one... We don't have a price yet because we are trying to find the best deal... estimate it to be $12- $15... we hope to make an order soon!! so the real blog post will be up this weekend!
April 18, 2012
Sorry!!
Sorry for not posting in a while everyone! Its been a busy couple of weeks. I will have a new post coming this weekend. In the mean time, here are some ZChicas events and news:
New ZumbaChica shirts are in the works... not sure when we'll release the new logo, as it is still under editing, but it will be soon! We think the price will be between $12 - $15.... Keep a look out!!
Til the next post!! Live Well!
>M<
- Zumbathon for Relay for Life: South Rowan YMCA Saturday Apr 28th 9-12 $5
- Zumbathon for Abigail Engle: Friday May 11th at First Baptist Church in Salisbury, 630-930, not sure on cost
- Mayfest: May 12th, haven't nailed down the time yet or the songs we will be doing, but it will be for about 30 minutes
New ZumbaChica shirts are in the works... not sure when we'll release the new logo, as it is still under editing, but it will be soon! We think the price will be between $12 - $15.... Keep a look out!!
Til the next post!! Live Well!
>M<
April 5, 2012
Que Te Mueve?
Motivation is extremely important in our wellness journey, well in any journey. So I have to ask you... Que te Mueve? What moves you? And not just the great songs we do in Zumba, not the routines we do, or all the times we yell at you to move that booty.... what moved you to start this wellness journey? what moves you to keep going?
In the process of the journey we sometimes (with me its often, haha, j/k) lose motivation... either because we don't see results fast enough or we are just plain tired or some other thing causes us to lose focus... but in a long term wellness initiative, it is also important to set small "quickly" attainable goals. For example, Weight Watchers asks you to set a goal for yourself at the beginning. It usually is 5% - 10% of your current body weight. It is a small attainable goal that you can keep one eye on while the other eye looks at the bigger picture. Each small victory is another step closer to the larger goal.
It is easy for me to sit here and write about goals and making them and keeping them, when in actuality, I know from personal experience, the act of doing these things is so so much more difficult. Hence why the health/fitness industry is bringing in the big bucks. There is a diet/plan for everyone with any and every kind of goal you can think of. Here are a few:
I am 100% sure I have missed a whole slew of weight loss programs and workouts, but really... you guys are reading this because of Zumba. And just like learning the routines in Zumba, a true wellness journey takes work - most of the time it takes hard work... because eating unhealthy is so easy - heck you can drive up to the bad food! All you have to do is keep your butt on the couch to be unhealthy.
So yea. Wellness is hard work, because the world makes it so easy to be unhealthy. But who wants to take the easy road? I was raised to believe that something I work hard for is so much more rewarding and it will stick with me longer. It will make such an impression on my life that it will change the very fabric of my being. That's what moves me. The fact that I can move forward. That I am not stuck at where I am and I was given the CHOICE to move forward to be a better person, to have good health, to be there for my nephews when they have babies (hopefully when I am old and VERY grey) to spoil, to live a long and healthy life with my husband. And to have joy.
In every day that we are given, when you are struggling to come to class, when that fast food meal is calling you.. ask yourself one of two things: What If? and Que te Mueve? The "What if" comes from a previous blog post, but what moves you reaches further than just that moment. And it doesn't matter what it is... Muevelo!
>M<
In the process of the journey we sometimes (with me its often, haha, j/k) lose motivation... either because we don't see results fast enough or we are just plain tired or some other thing causes us to lose focus... but in a long term wellness initiative, it is also important to set small "quickly" attainable goals. For example, Weight Watchers asks you to set a goal for yourself at the beginning. It usually is 5% - 10% of your current body weight. It is a small attainable goal that you can keep one eye on while the other eye looks at the bigger picture. Each small victory is another step closer to the larger goal.
It is easy for me to sit here and write about goals and making them and keeping them, when in actuality, I know from personal experience, the act of doing these things is so so much more difficult. Hence why the health/fitness industry is bringing in the big bucks. There is a diet/plan for everyone with any and every kind of goal you can think of. Here are a few:
- Weight Watchers - individuals are given a set number of points based on their weight. As they reach their target weight, they are under a "lifetime" plan. It has worked for a lot of people
- The Paelo Diet - individuals eat as our cavemen ancestors did. This diet is high in protein (I mean real meat, not that 90% lean stuff), vegetables, and keeps processed sugar down to nil. I know one person whose family has had major success on this diet. I will see if she will give me a testimony because it is quite amazing.
- The Belly Fat Cure/ABs Diet - individuals limit sugars and bad carbs based on science that has shown that these things can make you keep weight around the middle. Also high in protein
- South Beach/Atkins - also high protein and low carb
- Body by Vi - I had to mention this, but it is still new to the weight loss arena. As far as I know, they are meal replacement shakes that taste great and suppress appetite. I don't know all the details, but I can hook you up with some folks that can tell you about it if you're interested.
- Zumba - of course I had to mention our favorite high intensity-sexy-awesome workout.. haha...
- P90X, Insanity - not for the faint of heart or weak of joints, but gets results... just be careful... I pinched a nerve doing something in the P90X exercises... but I know quite a few people who have gotten great results from it.
- the Gym - oh the dreaded gym. Exercise machines, free weights, weight machines, buff people who are intimidating as heck... yea... you can tell it is not my favorite place... but it also gets results.
So yea. Wellness is hard work, because the world makes it so easy to be unhealthy. But who wants to take the easy road? I was raised to believe that something I work hard for is so much more rewarding and it will stick with me longer. It will make such an impression on my life that it will change the very fabric of my being. That's what moves me. The fact that I can move forward. That I am not stuck at where I am and I was given the CHOICE to move forward to be a better person, to have good health, to be there for my nephews when they have babies (hopefully when I am old and VERY grey) to spoil, to live a long and healthy life with my husband. And to have joy.
In every day that we are given, when you are struggling to come to class, when that fast food meal is calling you.. ask yourself one of two things: What If? and Que te Mueve? The "What if" comes from a previous blog post, but what moves you reaches further than just that moment. And it doesn't matter what it is... Muevelo!
>M<
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