I might sound crazy, but keep reading!

The reason for sounding crazy, or crazier than usual, would be because I've recently picked up a copy of "The Secret" and watched the movie online. There is a chapter about loosing weight. You really SHOULD read it, trust me it all sounds crazy and new-aged at 1st but give it a chance and you'll be floored! I promise!

I know this 1st hand, because last night before I went to bed I decided I was going to weigh my self this morning, before I ate like normal. Only I decided I was going to weigh 156! That's right I decided 10 hours before I actually weighed myself what I was going to weigh!!! I pictured myself at my happy weight, I pictured a bunch of different scales with 156 on it and I felt success and happiness for the weight lost and fitness gained! TA-DA! I actually worked! And trust me I haven't been at my healthiest lately. Yesterday I ate a bunch of onion rings and chocolate!

But I do have a theory as to this whole thing. I think picturing yourself at your happy weight, feeling strong, powerful, sexy and successful, and believing in yourself, makes healthy habits more automatic. The key is to believe your already there, fit and healthy. The book actually says don't weight yourself, believe you have already lost the weight and always, always think positively! Well I can't not weigh myself, for one I wanted the proof it works, and for two I think it still plays a role in being healthy, even though I love feeling awesome more! Even though I've been eating not so great stuff, I have gone for runs, even if I didn't get to them in the morning! Like today, I didn't go for a run till 1 or 2 in the afternoon, I planned on going as early as possible! Ha! But hey it still happened! That's the important thing, it makes you think like a fit health and strong person, you don't feel "fat and ugly". So you don't feel the need to drown your sorrows in ice cream and crap!

I sound crazy more often than not, but trust me on this! Give it a try for a few weeks, read the book and/or watch the movie. You can even youtube it! If you try it send me some updates!

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." -Martin Luther King, Jr.


Love,
Ash!

Weeks Goals

On sunday I came up with my 2 goals for the week! Goal 1= At least 200+ mins of cardio and 100+ mins of strength, weights, pilates, yoga, etc! I think I'm already at 130mins total! Pretty good! (100 of that is cardio! Half way there and its TUES! YAY!) And Goal 2 has a story! I was in my local grocery store looking at its VERY small meal replacement and protein bar section, when I looked up at a shelf I've seen one hundred times before!?!? And noticed low fat chocolate soy milk in a box thingy! So I decided to try it!!!!! I LOVED regular chocolate soy milk, but gave it up shortly after giving up coffee this fall. Mostly because I put it in my coffee, and it was high in cals & sugar. Now I'm back to coffee and soy milk! Only I don't have 1+ cups EVERY morning, more like a few times a week, and I only put about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in it, almost BLACK! :) And My GOAL this week was to trade my treats for a cup of soy milk. Since it's only 70 cals and has protein in it, I figured it would be more filling than a square (or 4) of dark chocolate, maybe, at least it would be chocolate with less cals, and still kinda healthy. Well....I forgot about it till last night, and I also temp. forgot this afternoon after my pre-workout fruit parfait thing! oops!

Updates on workouts!
Sunday: about 20 mins of kickboxing (a dvd)
Monday: Am before school-20 mins of elliptical
After School- nice out so I went for a run about 30mins
Today: Am-Pilates about 25-30mins
After School-started out with a kickboxing dvd (recorded from tv! lol) but realized I'd done it too many times, and it was too easy! So stopped and did my own workout :S so about 30 mins of kickboxing and some ab work on my stability ball.
I now need to get a new kickboxing dvd (any suggestions?) And get some sleep! I think I might be fighting off a cold, I'm pooped and I only stayed up till 10 last night, which is earlier than last week, and usually normal for me! I just realized monday night that 9 should be my new "bed time"! I feel tons better in the morning!

Good Luck,
Ash!

Treats, treats and...ohh no!

This week is vacation week, which adds up to 2 birthdays, and too many sweets at family dinners! Today I've done pretty well with my hour long cardio workout! I promised myself an hour of elliptical/treadmill, which I did! YES! Actually I warmed up with some jump rope, 1-2-3 crunches on the stability ball, and push ups, so maybe even an hour and 10 mins!?!? Not bad, if I do say so myself! lol Only problem is, I'm a little afraid of the scale at this point, because of my snacking the last few days! :S And today my sister and mom decided to get Chinese for lunch....I was good and had an apple with cinnamon and nutmeg on it, and a very small plate of fried rice and noodles w/ duck sauce! Still....I probably shouldn't have!

I REALLY need to rein in my eating, I think thats my biggest road block. I'll eat really healthy for a few days, then one day have WAY to many treats. Then eat uber healthy, and have too much chocolate the next day! Its a bad cycle! But I do have to say the 4-5 meals a day has curbed my snacking! And I used to snack....a lot! So now I must tackle the treats, or more like balance them!?!? Anyone have any ideas? I would love some tips on this, I'm at a loss!!!!

{Also I'm going to post a youtube video of Gabby Reece, the pro-volleyball player, talking about eating healthy as she goes through her fridge! Actually there are 3 videos, but for now I'll just post the fridge one!}

Don't forget to~Live, Laugh & Love

Ash!

One too many splurges!

Last night it all started with pizza, I had 4 pieces of a small pizza, which was at least one too many, if not 2 too many! Not good! And then today, I spent some time with my fam, and also some cookies, an ice cream cone thing, baked beans which I'm sure had sugar & other not that healthy things in them! And then tonight I had homemade chicken soup-pretty healthy, but then I had a small slice of my dads bday ice cream cake, even a small slice was probably too much since I'd already had cookies & ice cream! Ohh well! This morning I jumped rope & did some strength moves from SELF mag, for about 30 mins, about 300 cals, so over all I don't think my sugary overload today did a lot of damage! I want to keep up the jumping rope, its good cardio, good for speed, I think?, and burns a lot of cals! But I am NOT good at it....at all! In fact, I theorize my elementary school gym teacher hated me because I couldn't jump rope and was too scared to try most of her gymnastic routines! :S lol Tomorrow I'm going to spread my 4 meals out a little better, with less, WAY less sugar and chocolate! I know my weekend will prob. be crazy, so I'll cut back tomorrow. And hopefully make it outside for a run, even though snow is in the forecast! Good Luck guys! Don't forget to comment!