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General Weight Loss Tips

Dear April

My last entry accidentally got deleted. This has happened maybe twice since I started blogging four years ago and I think it happened when the server updated and it got lost. So I apologize for that, it wasn’t intentional, especially since it took me forever to write and now I have no interest in writing it again.

It’s April! I have so many plans and goals for this month that I’m very excited about. But first, I have some updates:

–No Sugar. It’s been three months without sugar. I loosely say no sugar. I eat sugar in other forms such as fruit, natural sugars (I’ve added honey back in), and I will add sugar to a Vietnamese or Thai dish if it calls for it. It has been hard…some days harder than others. Right now I have cake and cookies in my house. I plan to give them away. It’s nice to not have them haunt me. I have sugar in the house, and I still bake. My treats are in the form of my glucosamine “candies”, Izze drinks, all natural fruit jam on toast/oatmeal/yogurt, and fruit smoothies. I’ve been hesitant to tell people I’m not eating sugar, in fact, if you don’t read this blog you probably don’t know.

I don’t want to be watched and I don’t want “sugar-free” to be confused with carb-free or have people think “oh she says no to ice cream, but yes to pizza! bah!” indeed so. This sugar-free thing is for cakes, cookies, ice cream…obvious sugar. It’s not a dietary guideline, it’s just me trying to get rid of something I have a hard time not overeating. I like rules.

– No TV. I have to admit I’ve gone almost five weeks without my regular rotation of TV watching and will confess I’ve been watching Mad Men on DVD this past week (season four just came out). Not a ton, and not like before when I get obsessed and watch five in one sitting. But, considerably less. I’ve noticed that I don’t miss TV in the mindless sort of way of passing time or procrastinating- I can always find ways to fill my time with work. However- I’ve come to realize that watching an episode of a good show with Josh is a treat for a days worth of work. We both work from home and it’s a nice way to turn off from work and relax together.

– Strength Training. Can I just say that I love strength training? I’ve been doing it off and on for almost five years now and it’s very rewarding. We picked it back up in January and I’m lifting weights that are 10-30 pounds heavier than I was then. We make notes during each session- can we increase the weight or stay the same. On February 3rd I could only do 80lbs. on the pull down machine (for arms, back and shoulders) and said I couldn’t do more.

Today I was able to pull down 120 lbs. That’s a 40 lb. increase in strength, meaning that I’m gaining muscle. This is the same for almost all of the machines I do. Did you know that for every pound of muscle you gain, your body burns 50 extra resting calories? Gaining 10 lbs. of muscle is 500 extra calories burned a day! I love that and I can tell that it is one reason that I’ve not gained any weight since January.

–Insanity. This week marks the 12th week of Insanity! I’ve lost 12-15lbs (it’s goes up and down) so far. I just can’t believe we’ve stuck with it for so long. We are already in our second rotation. I will admit that the past couple of weeks have been harder, we’ve done at least three workouts a week instead of our usual six. So we are getting back on track with six workouts this week.

April plans and goals:

The next two months (and most of summer) are going to be pretty hectic. I really need to step up my organization and will need continued exercise and eating well if I’m going to stay on top of everything. Spring marks the beginning of  of jewelry shows and my freelance design business is growing so I can use all the energy I can get.

I’m stepping up my game this month. I’m dedicated to counting calories and keeping a food journal. My goal it to lose 10-12 pounds this month with continued exercise and food tracking. I have no interest (as usual) in doing this by eating “diet” food, my method is to eat less, control portions, eat from home as much as possible and enjoy the food I’m eating.

Continuing with 5 days of the Insanity Workout with one day of strength. We may add yoga and running back in if the spirits moves us. And speaking of us… Josh is wearing all of his jeans now. All of the jeans that just a month ago would too tight. I am still steadily wearing a size 24/22. I’d love to be in a 20/18 by mid to late summer.

What are your April goals?

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Weight Loss Exercise

Final Phase Fat Loss 2 (Pre Release)

Final Phase Fat Loss 2 (Pre Release)

Final Phase Fat Loss

Final Phase Fat loss 2 is not yet released but today and tomorrow there is a half off sale for it. I am really busy these days updating content on this blog and I almost missed this cheap offer.

It seems that John Romaniello, who released Final Phase Fat Loss last year is doing a re-release now I got a link to the presale and for two days it is on sale for 52% off and there are a bunch of bonuses as well right now.

John is not one of those really famous guys in training. He isn’t famous like Bob Harper or Jillian Michaels but the funny thing is that many of the big name internet based trainers go to him for losing weight. Guys like Vince Del Monte the writer of No Nonsense Muscle Building and Isabel De Los Rios the author of The Diet Solution Program use this very program to lose their last few pounds.

Although the Final Phase Fat Loss program isn’t for everyone, I would recommend it IF you fall into one of these 3 categories (Male or Female):

– You’re struggling to lose the last 10-20 lbs of stubborn fat.

– You’ve lost “some” weight, but have hit a plateau.

– You suffer from regional “problem areas” (belly, hips, thighs, etc.)

Here is a link to the program to check it out http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/goto/final-phase

Questions about Final Phase Fat Loss

What if I have more than 10 lbs to lose?

Final Phase Fat Loss 2 (Pre Release)

Final Phase Fat Loss

Even with more than 10 pounds to lose, you can ABSOLUTELY still benefit from using Final Phase Fat Loss! You see, FPFL can work for a host of people because it is one of the most advanced and sophisticated fat loss programs available. Now, while I certainly can’t list them all, I’ll give you the top 3 types of people who can benefit from the program.

1) Anyone who has hit a fat loss plateau. If you have been struggling at the same weight for a while and need to break through and start your fat loss again, Final Phase Fat Loss can do that.

2) Anyone who has been doing fat loss training for a while, and is looking to take it up a notch and bring their programming and their physique to the next level.

3) Anyone trying to lose the last 5-15 pounds. If that’s you, you NEED to be on this program. Now, I am going to guess if you’re reading this, you fall into at least one of these categories. So, isn’t it obvious by now? YOU will benefit from this program!

Can this program really help me lose fat from my “problem areas”? Absolutely! Problem areas are problems because of the hormones that create them. The places you store your fat the easiest, and from which it is the hardest to lose, are generally heavily influenced by certain hormones. As an example, if you store fat mostly in the belly, then chances are you have high cortisol. This is a special program.

Not only are the unique workouts exceptionally good from a general perspective in terms of overall fat loss, but they ALSO have been designed to specifically call for the release of certain hormones that will help to offset your hormone related fat storage. For example, if you do have belly fat, lactic acid training (which produces growth hormones) will help you to burn it.

Final Phase Fat Loss 2 (Pre Release)Is Final Phase Fat Loss for men or for women?

Men and women can benefit equally. Fat doesn’t discriminate when it comes to who gains weight, and neither should programs discriminate on the fat they fight. Quite a few of my best clients are women; they tend to be the hardest workers…especially the brides! In fact, I’ve never seen ANYONE work harder in the gym than a women preparing for her wedding! As for men, generally speaking, guys have a higher level of familiarity with weight training…therefore the learning curve is a bit smoother for them.

As well, men MAY have a slightly easier time in the beginning (but not for long!). So go to the following link and just check out what John is offering.

Final Phase Fat Loss 2 (Pre Release)

But it is important to do it today or tomorrow as it will be gone soon and back up to the regular price. Final phase fat loss may be exactly what you are looking for to build that beach body.

 

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General Weight Loss Tips

The Public Life

This week has been emotionally hard. But, I’m determined to break into a new week tomorrow with vitality and excitement. It also helps that I will be rolling into the new age of 28.

We are starting a new exercise routine today. Yoga class has (sadly) ended and insanity is nearing completion. So we will be revisiting the first four weeks of insanity everyday monday-friday, saturdays will be off and sundays will be spent at the gym strength training. Yoga and running sessions will be divided up among extra energetic days.

Today I wanted to talk about blogging. I love talking about blogging, more so than my own blog. I get a lot of emails asking about how I started, how I got people to read (kind of), and who designed it. I also get real-life questions that involve the main question “why!?” and then I try to explain and it always comes back as “but why??”

At a distance blogging looks like a means to gain attention, to brag, an adult show-n-tell. But if you look a little deeper you will find that there are many colorful, creative, curious people who just want to share, inspire and learn. I hope I come off as the latter.

I think blogging is weird to most people. Me for example, you can find out my weight, what foods I eat, when I will be at the gym. You know I’m married, that I have two cats, and a rabbit. You know what my bedroom and kitchen look like…when they’re clean of course. You know that I struggle with overeating- which isn’t an easy secret to hide. You know (a little) of what I do to make a living.  You know that I have a strong network of friends. You know that I travel. That I love to eat interesting foods, and that I cook.

But there are many many things that I don’t share. So why?

Back in the early 2000’s I was introduced to the blogging community Craftster (by ashley, thank you very much). And I was shocked. It was like discovering a little community of gnomes living in the base of my backyard tree. Here were hundreds, if not thousands of women who were a little off-beat. Who made something and felt so proud that they had to share. Because making something yourself is a big deal to a lot of us. I got that. I still get it.

That community morphed into a full-fledge obsession with the online creative community. I would skip classes to stay home and sew appliqués on t-shirts or skirts. Mostly stuff I would later sell on ebay for a little cash. I just couldn’t believe that such people existed, mostly because I had only met a couple of them in my real life. I felt understood and supported by people I never would have met otherwise.

And then I found their blogs. Alicia Paulson, whom I still read, was one of them. I was and am in awe of everything she creates, which somehow turns to magic. Her words are like a really delicious dessert that you never want to end. She is articulate. Her stories about childhood summers, or afternoons at grandparents houses take me back. I can almost smell the pool we frequented as a child.

But most of all Alicia inspired me. She didn’t show me her amazing studio to make me feel inferior about my little creative nook in my shared apartment. She doesn’t share the story about her recent bathroom remodel just to make me crave tile instead of linoleum in mine. She doesn’t show her dinners, or homemade birthday cakes for her husband because she believes she is more awesome than me. I don’t know why exaclty she shares, but if I’m anything like Alicia it’s because we have to. Because it’s inspiring to share. Because we’re a little proud of ourselves.

It’s nice to know that people are out there like us. Who drool over vintage fabrics, or scour the internet for the perfect recipes, or find pleasure in the same things women a hundred years ago did: sewing, baking, gardening,  making a home. In real-life, these activities are often met with resistance. But why? Why not just go to McDonalds? Why not just close your eyes and pick a color for your bedroom (or let someone else do it)? Why not just open a package and eat? Why not just go about life not thinking about anything at all because dare I say it’s a little weird to want to can in 2011, or want to sew your own clothes when you can just go get something at Old Navy, or want to grow your own herbs and vegetables when there are a million super markets? Why do anything at all when you can just buy it? And that’s the point of blogging to me. It’s an army of interesting lives. People who dare to have a bigger life and go a step further to share the life they are creating.

Blogging is inspiring to me. I could only hope someone has found inspiration in my words and life. Inspiration to try a little harder at life, to consider things, to develop your personality to just do something other than watch TV. That would be the highest form of flattery to me.

I share my life because there are people that read what I have to say and get it. I find community and inspiration in that. Something I’ve rarely felt in real life. Because of Krissie, I started to run. Because of Miranda, I gave up TV. Because of Ree, I started taking photographs. Because of Alicia, I made homemade cakes (and dinner!). Because of Roni, I didn’t feel ashamed to share my weight loss journey. Because of Emily, I dreamed of working for myself. Because of NieNie, I don’t feel so scared to be a mother. Because of Heidi, I felt more creative.

And I’m sure all of these women and the countless other ones out there have met resistance for what they do and the lives they lead. But I’m grateful that they do share, because it’s not “over sharing” or “braggy”, it’s real and it let’s me know that I’m not alone.

And to answer the other questions…I create all of the headers and graphics for my blog. My husband does the other stuff, like SEO and wordpress manipulation. Stuff that I have little patience for. People come to my blog through comments I’ve left, twitter, or finding me on google search results. My only advice for blogging is to find your own voice and not to compare yourself to other bloggers. This is one I still struggle with.

I wanted to be as good as so and so. But, I am just one person. Blogging is not my business or main source of income. I make a little money selling ad space on my blog, but I’m very picky about the ads and know the people behind them. I also make a little money when I link to Amazon. About $50 a month- big bucks.

I’m very bad about returning emails and doing product reviews. This is a warning. Some top bloggers will say you should respond to every single email that comes through, even the bad ones. If I did this, I would never do anything else. I’m also bad about leaving comments or creating a community with my blog. I’m not a good blogger or a professional writer. I rarely edit my posts, and it’s obvious. I don’t lose sleep about grammar or spelling, I probably should. So pretty much…don’t do anything that I do! It’s just me and my thoughts around here.

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