That Fitness Chic

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Death by Burpees

OK ok... The title is a little dramatic - but I honestly HATE burpees.

EWW 100 burpees...

Hope everyone had a more enjoyable workout than I did!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

CrossFit Workout!

Sorry I have been MIA lately...

I recently went on a trip to California for a few days for a funeral.

I ALSO found an adorable stray dog that I could not keep, and fostered it until I could find it a loving family!!

I loved her SO MUCH, but my family already has 3 dogs things would start to resemble a circus over here if we kept her!!!

Luckily I found her the PERFECT family, a family that has already rescued 2 chihuahua mixes - one of their dogs recently passed away and they fell in love with this sweet girl immediately!

I was a little sad but so happy I found her a family that will care about her. Literally, this family I found her showed me pictures of their other dogs... they WERE WEARING CLOTHES!

I knew this puppy would be in good hands with them.

ANYWAYS- That's what has been consuming me all last week!!!

My workout today:

This was a super fun w.o.d! I loved getting my body running and moving again!

I have been sedentary for WAY too long, I'm excited to get back into my routine of working out!!

I finished in about 9 minutes and 30 seconds!

I also have been looking into learning how to correctly eat & measure my food with zone blocking!!

Hope everyone is having an amazing summer :)

Monday, July 15, 2013

The Benefits of Fitness when Diagnosed with Cancer : GUEST POST!

HI everyone! We have an AMAZING guest poster today MELANIE!

Melanie is currently a Master's student with a passion that stems from her grandmother's cancer diagnosis. She often highlights the great benefits of alternative nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments on those diagnosed with cancer or other serious illness.

To read more from Melanie, visit her blog for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. In her spare time, you can find Melanie trying new vegan recipes, on her yoga mat, or spending time with her family.

Melanie is going to share very insightful information on how fitness helps cancer patients! I recently had a friend pass away from cancer, and I JUST came back in town from an Aunt who recently passed away from cancer - so this message really hits home for me.

When Melanie asked if she could do a guest post I was MORE than thrilled to have her and share her positive message!

A Brief Overview of Fitness and Cancer

Although there are many debilitating conditions that can problematize an individual's ability to lead a productive and positive life, cancer can be a particularly difficult disease to grapple with. Despite the challenges that can result from having cancer, however, there are a plethora of things you can do to alleviate symptoms associated with the condition. As many health experts know, one of the greatest things an individual struggling with cancer can do to optimize wellness during recovery is exercise. Below you will find three different types of exercises that can be done to make the condition more bearable.

Light Exercise Recommendation: Breathing Techniques

For those unfamiliar with light exercise, it is a form of physical activity in which you will not break a sweat. Because it is a less strenuous form of exercise, you will be able to talk and in some cases even sing while you complete the exercises. One great form of light exercise that cancer patients should seriously consider implementing is breathing techniques.

Simple breathing techniques affords many great benefits to the cancer patient, including improved circulation and blood flow, reduced fatigue, and improved lung function. This type and level of exercise is encouraged for those who are battling a prognosis of mesothelioma or other lung-related cancers. In completing a breathing exercise-which will entail consciously controlling and listening to every inhale and exhale-the patient can greatly enhance her or his respiratory function while taking in more oxygen.

Moderate Exercise Recommendation: Yoga

Cancer patients who have a formidable degree of strength and agility may find that they are capable of handling moderate exercises. When this is the case, yoga is very advisable. Although defined broadly, yoga is basically a form of physical activity that emphasizes breathing deeply and stretching to achieve control over the mind and body. The benefits of doing yoga are diverse and include improved physical functioning, decreased fatigue, improved flexibility, decreased cortisol (stress hormone) levels, decreased pain, and better quality sleep. Additionally, yoga can play a role in reducing the individual's experience of insomnia.

Advanced Exercise Recommendation: Weight Training

Cancer patients who have a substantive amount of strength may find that weight training is an advantageous and even ideal form of exercise to participate in. In short, weight training is a type of physical activity that involves lifting weights for the purpose of building cardiovascular strength, toning muscle, and/or improving muscle performance. Weight training can be done in a broad variety of ways. For example, one can lift 20-pound weights for 30 minutes every other day as a stand-alone exercise program. However, one can also mix weight training in with other forms of advanced exercises such as running or cycling. The benefits of weight training are diverse and include increased levels of energy, an improved cardiovascular system, and improved muscle strength.

The National Cancer Institute recommends weight training for people who have increased fat tissue or reduced muscle. Moreover, prostate cancers, head and neck cancers, and cancers of the gut and stomach can result in decreased muscle mass. To make the exercises effective for you, start with lighter weights and gradually build up to larger ones that you can lift for greater lengths of time. As you begin to lift heavier weights, you will see greater results.

Although cancer can be a very difficult disease to grapple with, it doesn't have to be. By implementing any of the exercises listed above to your workout routine, you can begin to cultivate a more productive and positive lifestyle as you decrease the severity of cancer symptoms. In so doing, you'll be sure to walk in greater health and wellness.

Thank you Melanie for sharing this with us!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Unpleasant Weight Gain

IT'S TRUE!

All that binge eating and lack of exercise led to a TWO POUND WEIGHT GAIN!

I know it was not just fluctuation because I have weighed myself all week and have been at 140 lbs.

I GAINED TWO POUNDS!

Two pounds that took me many weeks to lose.

LUCKILY, I'm getting back on the straight and narrow with my eating.

It has been harder to get on a strict exercise plan though, because my days have been sporadic.

I miss the comfort of my old schedule - I did everything at the same time EVERYDAY.

School from 8-12, Work from 1:30-6, Gym from 7-8, Dinner at 8:30 and Bed by 10:30.

I look back by how I thought I had so very little time, but now I see I was SO LUCKY to be on a strict schedule.

Now I have wayyyyy too much room for error and giving up and lying to myself.

-Lying to myself that I will workout after work when I know Jeff and I are BOTH too tired now that he has started his new job.

-Lying to myself that it's stupid to go to my families gym because it's not a CrossFit gym

IN A YEAR FROM NOW, I WANT TO BE IN THE BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE!

I have officially been on this journey for a year, and I feel GREAT about the progress I made.

I want to do even MORE in this upcoming year.

IT's going to be allot harder without my CrossFit membership, but I'm willing to give it everything I've got!

One of the bloggers I follow, Petite Athleat, might start doing customized meal plans and I'm excited to try them out!!!!

xoxoo

Monday, July 8, 2013

BACK AT IT!

I'm BACK!

I took a niiiice long 4th of July weekend ;)

Marshmallow Guns - THE COOLEST THINGS EVER!

Had an AWESOME bbq, Went to the Diamondbacks game on the 5th for fireworks and had a marshmallow war. Things were GREAT!

I have rededicated myself to eating healthy!

I have been struggling ALLOT with eating clean lately - and I have FINALLY received the motivation I needed to push myself to lose the last ten pounds!

An up to date weigh on will be happening SOON!

Big things are coming in my future, and I want to be in the BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE!

Here's to pushing hard and getting back in the swing of things!