The Wedding/Summer How-To Game Plan

I've had quite a few of you out there in blogging land emailing me asking for tips on how to get in shape for the summer, how to get fit for your upcoming wedding, etc. Obviously, my game plan is now back in high gear to drop the pregnancy pounds as soon as possible, so I thought I would try to hit some of the high points to making any lifestyle change a successful one. And yes, I am going to be 100% honest with where I am at and my progress...hoping this can pep up others, too!  

a. Set Goals. You need to establish what you're looking to achieve with weight loss/muscle tone/etc. Before my wedding, I knew I wanted to lose a few pounds, but for the most part, I wanted to lean out the muscle I had and work on refining my arms, midsection, and legs.
Now, my goal is to refine/tone everything...yes, I said everything, with a focus on my legs, thighs, and booty as this is where I gained most of my baby weight.

I cannot believe I am going to share this, but here are a few pictures of me pre-workout aka what my body looks like now {5 weeks post delivery}...I'm currently at 127 pounds and I am wanting to get back down around 118-120=my happy weight.

b. Count the Calories. This is the number #1 thing to do to figure out exactly what may be inhibiting your weight loss-you can burn hundreds of calories by doing lengthy sessions of cardio, yet if you don't know exactly what is going into your body, you won't be able to figure out what you need to eliminate to lose that pesky weight. For me (given my BMI, height, starting weight, etc) I normally stick to about 1400-1500 calories a day, broken down by 3 small meals and 2 snacks, which helps to keep the metabolism going! {Also, keep in mind, this number is a bit higher for me right now since I am breastfeeding and need additional calories, so it's most like 1800-2000 calories}.
A great way to find out whow many calories you need to be consuming to lose weight is here.

c. The Workouts. During operation "think wedding skinny", I worked out about 4 times per week. The people at the Y loved seeing me so much, I am sure of it. Typically, I would run 3-4 miles on the treadmill (rotating between a 5.5 and a 6.5 pace), and would mix that with strength training with light weights (5, 8, and 10 pound weights depending on each exercise) 2 days per week. Before AND after each workout, I would do 5-10 minutes of stretching to keep muscles loose, and I always finished with a 10-15 minute ab workout...yes, I know this sounds like a lot, but once I got the hang of it, my gym trips lasted right about 1 hour.
Currently, my workouts connsist of running 2 miles on the treadmill, doing my normal ab routine, and lifting weights...right at about 45 minutes at the gym. I cannot wait until CC can go to the gym nursery so I won't have to be so rushed and she can have some playtime, too.

d. The Other Stuff. To really see a difference, you must be willing to make big changes. I limit myself to a few alcoholic beverages per week, and when I do drink, I consume low calorie/low sugar drinks-SkinnyGirl Margaritas, champagne, red wine, light beer, etc. However, I do admit, I let myself indulge and I allow myself to have a sweet or two each week-nothing crazy, but a sugar free popsicle or frozen yogurt every so often. Don't deprive yourself!

e. Dress the Part. Part of the motivation to workout is to look good while doing it. Spend some of your hard earned money on some flattering {yet still comfortable} workout clothes...this really helps me when I get in a lull. Even better, you don't have to spend your entire paycheck on a new wardrobe. I buy most of my tanks, sports bras, and shorts/skorts from Target and Old Navy...moderatley priced, fun colors, and the fit is fantastic!

f. The Most Important Detail. Stay hydrated! Sure, we all love our addictive drinks-coffee, tea, sodas, etc-but the most essential thing we can do for our bodies is to drink plenty of the good stuff, H2O! You should be drinking between 8-10 glasses a day so arm yourself with a great water bottle and keep refilling it!

All in all, my best advice is to get on a routine, and log each and every thing you eat and drink into a food/drink journal. I use the My Fitness Pal on my iPhone and it really helps to keep me accountable. I also recommend not eating late night (7pm should be the latest you eat dinner unless it's a special occasion), and try to eat smaller portions-after all, restaurant dishes are likely double what you should be consuming anyways.
I promise you, this isn't rocket science...it's learning to eat differently, working out to be healthy and fit, and knowing the end result is worth a little sweat. Having a goal in mind to work towards is something that also keeps us on track-for me, it's fitting into my new bathing suit {seen below from VS} for our beach trip in May, which is a mere 20 days away!

I hope this answers some of the lingering questions a few of you have had. I am an open book so if you ever need advice, support, or other suggestions, I am here to help...good luck my friends!

The Exercise Girl...Where Did She Go?

If you think I have fallen off the workout wagon, I'm happy to report I haven't! I may not be posting a lot about my exercise routines and such lately, so I wanted to let you know health is STILL a major priority and I am slowly trying to convince Jeff to hop on my train, too--that boy loves anything and everything that is bad for you bless his heart.
We've changed our grocery store habits the past 2 months and that seems to help a lot...instead of 1 big stock up every other week, we're making weekly trips to pick up loads of fruits and veggies and fresh proteins to cook for dinner.

My only fault--when I see a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch or a bag of Doritos, those simply must go in our buggy. Afterall, if you can't have even a taste of something that you're craving, you'll end up eating much more of something else in the long run which usually cancels out the "healthy aspect" of it all.

Now, as for my workouts, after the wedding, I am not going to lie...I was burnt out from it all. 4+ workouts each week with at least 40 minutes of cardio, plus 3 sets of weights for strength training, added to endless amounts of ab workouts, and I was a lady who needed a break.
However, now I am still working out 3 times a week, I am walking a lot more rather than running, and I am still using weights to keep my arms and legs toned, but not as high impact. All in all, I feel a lot better and this new routine is much more manageable with a busy lifestyle.
I've even bought some new workout gear recently...as yes, we all still want to look good at the gym while we people watch and pump some iron. Thank you Old Navy and Le Target for having a great sale on activewear ;)

For all you Nashville people, the Green Hills YMCA is where it's at--it's comical and you never know what you're going to see.
Here are a few examples of a "normal" day:
1. Crazy-man-that-is-ALWAYS-at-the-gym breaking a stationery bike while still flexing his muscles in the mirror
2. Uber:prego woman on the stairmaster going so fast you think the baby is going to pop out right then and there
3. The "spinners" club with their crazy shoes and weird gear
4. The "old timers" who love to sport their YMCA t-shirts, sweatbands, and old school Reeboks...adorable I tell you
5. And then the girls that look like they are participating inthe Miss Tennessee pageant...AKA going to the gym to find me a man {now dont get me wrong, no shame in that, but it's funny to watch the singles flirting now that I'm an old married woman!}

Food for Thought

Last night, I tried my hardest to escape reality for a bit and watch The Bachelorette, yet low and behold, poor Ashley is just not winning my attention...is anyone else out there having a hard time watching this season? The Bentley "situation" seems too cheesy and staged, the guys aren't all that entertaining to watch, and I just don't think she fits the category of the other bachelorettes from prios seasons...bless her heart, I think I have to move on to more intellectual shows like The Real HW of New Jersey {haha} and Million Dollar Decorators.

I found an article this morning about the 10 Signs You Need a Rest Day from Runner's World and thought this way very much worth noting--we need to pay attention to our bodies and what they are telling us when we exercise and run a lot...

1. BODY MASS: You lost weight from yesterday

2. RESTING HEART RATE: Your resting heart rate is elevated

3. SLEEP: You didn't sleep well or enough

4. HYDRATION: Your pee is dark yellow

5. ENERGY LEVEL: You're run down

6. MOOD STATE: You're cranky

7. WELLNESS: You're sick

8. PAIN: You're sore or nursing an injury

9. PERFORMANCE: Your workout went poorly

10. OXYGEN SATURATION: Your oxygen level has dipped

So I recently went to the store to stock up on reading material for the honeymoon and can't wait to dive in to these new reads...and by all means, send me other recommendations for good and relaxing books--I love spending my days soaking up the sun AND reading!

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Today is my last day at work before the big wedding and honeymoon vacation...as hard as I am trying to stay focused, sorry peeps at the office, I have officially checked out--mind, body, and spirit are now in crazy bride mode. I am happy to report that thanks to the lovely creators of Tylenol PM, I was able to sleep extremely well last night--ahhhhh! 

This afternoon, I'm heading to the salon to get my final hair cut and color and then it's to the house to finish packing and loading up my car for my last few single girl nights at my parent's house. Tonight, Jeff and I will spend our last night together cooking dinner and just hanging out--then it's off to meet up with Mom tomorrow morning and let the fun commence. Out of town friends start arriving on Thursday and I couldn't be more elated! Oh Happy Days

Back to Basics...Training Tuesday

I haven't fallen off the workout/training wagon my friends I assure you of that, however, I have gotten a bit busy with other things, though health and fitness is still super important. For this week, wanted to provide links and helpful tips to get you through summertime workout ruts and then I've included some other miscellaneous information, too!

Did your 2011 goals involve losing weight, toning up, or eating better? Check out this helpful article via Woman's Day to make your goals a reality!

Think you're doing it the right way? Read this article to brush up on 10 mistakes you are probably making that could stand in the way of reaching your potential {and P.S. I am guilty of doing some of these!}

Check out these resoures and websites to help you cook {and eat} better.

Some of my favorite workout wear I've recently purchased...yes, keeps the ladies in place and still makes you feel cute ;)

Pink Print Sports Bra via Old Navy

Color Block Compression Shorts via ON

Reebok Women's Skort via Dick's Sporting Goods

Nike Compression Tank via DSG

And here are a few tried and trusted recipes to keep you healthy, yet satisfy when you're hungry:

Hawaiian Turkey Burgers via Our Best Bites

Low Fat Baked Crab Cakes via Recipe Girl

Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers via Our Best Bites

Bobby's Lighter Frozen Chocolate Mousse Pie via Paula Deen

The Dreaded Diet

Normally, I pretty much eat what I want...in moderation. Coupled with 3 to 4 days of exercise and portion control, I'm on a fairly routine food plan, but can incorporate a few indulgences every now and then since I know what my "happy weight" fluctuates around. 
However, 2 weeks from today=bridal portraits, which means this girl is going on a very strict... dare I say d-i-e-t. 

Please tell me there are others of you out there who despise that word...ugh, such a nasty connotation. We'll just say I want to look my best for the pictures and that we're "cutting back a bit". So needless to say, I have to watch myself and this is "the plan" I came up with:

Exercise

• 9 to 12 miles per week on the treadmill/outside running/arc trainer
• 2 to 3 days of strength training and weights

Food/Drink

• Cocktails: only one day per week {2 drinks}
• 8 to 10 glasses of water per day to keep hydrated and skin looking refreshed
• No eating after 7:30PM
• No dessert {and yes, fro-yo counts as dessert--boo}

Beauty Regime

• Tanning bed: first let me say I cannot wait to go back to spray tanning after the wedding...but this needs to happen to make sure I am not a casper bride
• Whitestrips: yes, I will be using these to keep my pearly whites bright!
• Nightly: using moisturizer and eye cream every night to reduce wrinkles and keep skin clean and breakout free

So tell me, what did you do to get glam and gorgeous for your big wedding extravaganza?? If there is anything I am missing or not thinking about, by all means let me know!

And one other question--I have had people look at me crazy when I told them about bridal portraits...is this just a southern thing? I have friends all over and in talking to them about having them taken so we can display a portrait at the wedding, it was almost as though I was speaking another language...

It's Back...Wedding Wednesday

First of all, I wanted to send a huge thank you to so many of you for all the comments and advice on what we should fill our weekend with while we're in Atlanta in a few weeks... I very much appreciate the tips on hotels, eateries, and shops and will be taking advantage of as many as possible--only problem now is how do I narrow it down? =)

As for today, it's Hump Day which means Wedding talk time. 73 days/10.5 weeks to go and I am shocked at how fast its starting to fly by...hold on, it's going to be one bumpy ride!
Last night, Mom and Dad came over for an invitation stuffing party--I know, we know how to let loose, right? Jeff cooked dinner while us three sat down and got down to business...a little assembly line, I sealed and stamped while Mom and Dad assembled the suite {invitation, response card and envelope, tissue, and accomodations/information cards} and double checked inner and outer envelopes to make sure they were correct! So efficient--1/2 are now done and then we'll finish the other 1/2 once I finish the rest of the calligraphy next week.

These next few weeks are filling up with odds and ends to get taken care of! In no particular order we have to knock-out the following:

• Ordering personalized cocktail napkins for reception
• Finishing thank you notes for shower/wedding gifts
• Meeting with the dress alterations guru for the final fitting
• Finalizing the ceremony {readings, programs, vows}
• Stocking the reception full of alcohol--we know what our guests like ;)
• Addressing rehearsal dinner invitations and mailing those out
• Buying items for out-of-town guest gift bags
• Finalizing paper items {stickers, labels, signs, welcome itineraries, etc}
• Ordering the rest of the gifts for family, flower girl/ring bearer, and groomsmen
• Completing the song and set list for our reception band, Scat Springs
• Meeting with Mary Alice {wedding planner extraordinaire} to hand over the reins and give her full control of "project wedding"--OH SO EXCITED!!!!

As for what I am loving today, the weather most certainly isn't one of them, but there are a few good things to perk up the forecast:

The Britney Spears "I am Femme Fatale" special comes on MTV on Sunday--
you bet your bottom dollar this girl will be watching

Mule Day is this weekend in Columbia...Lauren and Andy are going and we're hoping we can go at least for a bit depending on schedules and weather--sounds like fun to me!

I'm also loving my new hot pink running shorts via Target.
Seriously it's so about the little things ;)

Training and Top 2 Tuesday... Ticket to Ride and Blogging Lessons

I found inspiration for this post as Jeff and I were at the airport last week maneuvering to find something healthy to eat at the airport... as much as we're traveling this year I couldn't help but wonder, how can we try to eat healthy at the airports when we're constantly surrounded by Au Bon Pain, Brueger's Bagels, Panda Express, Chili's, TGI Friday's, and the plethora of other "convenient", but no so healthy restaurants.

For research, I started browing the world wide web for help beyond what I already know... I'm breaking it down by snacks to carry with you, places to eat while you're waiting, and other items to note.

Snacks to Pack or Buy at the Airport

• Raw nuts
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Pretzels
• Low-sugar granola bars/low-fat energy bars
• Bottled water

Places to Eat, Meal Options, and Items to Order

• If you must eat a bagel/pastry, avoid cream cheese and stick to jelly
• For breakfast, stick to egg white omelets with loads of veggies, chow down on the oatmeal at a hotel continental breakfast, or go with a high-fiber/whole grain cereal
• If the airport has a Subway, Quizno's, or other sub shop, stick to the lean proteins--turkey and chicken with vegetables, no heavy sauces, and choose wheat bread or flatbread
• If you simply have to order pizza {and I know that feeling, trust me}, go with thin crust, cheese with veggies. Avoid the meat-lovers and stuffed crusts at all costs!

Other Tidbits of Necessary Information

• Avoid getting sauce on your sandwich/entree--this can cut calories in a mjaor way
• Bring your workout clothes with you and take a stroll if the weather is nice or check-out the hotel gym... I do this ALL the time!
• Order a 1/2 portion or if you have a travel buddy, split an entree with them! Saves calories and $$
• Drink plenty of water--when you think you're hungry, sometimes you're just thirsty so make sure to keep your body hydrated as much as possible

My apologies, as I haven't been talking "training" these past few weeks so I am back with some tips I just read via Shape, Self, and Women'e Health--obviously I had lots of time to read =).

This week, I am doing 3 days of cardio {30 minutes/3 miles}, interval training {fast bursts of speed mixed with slower longer paces to burn more calories}, and 3 workouts involving weights...for those that thing you bulk up with weight training, think again... mixing high reps with low weight helps you to stay lean and I have seen a noticable difference and it truly works!! 

And now, venturing to another fun topic... Taylor's Top 2 Tuesday...

Top 2 Things I've Learned About Blogging

1. Don't be concerned with what people think... if you blog, I am quite certain you started based on what you wanted to write about, what interests you, and about your life. I hear of people getting tied up in the followers/friends/comments and to me, that's just not what it's about... I want to track my life so I can keep up with people and bookmark the exciting things as a digital scrapbook--so my advice: do this for you and no one else!

2. Let people contact you...on the contrary, the blogging world has introduced me to all kinds of people and great networking opportunities because of this little daily snapshot into my life. If you let people email you and post comments, fun friendships can develop I promise! It's easy to do: go to Dashboard, Edit Profile, and check "Show My Email Address".

Also, for those of us with security issues, let us comment when you post: go to Settings, Comments, and then check "Pop-up Window"... I promise lots of people {including me} will start leaving you more comments.

Training Tuesday...Tips & Tricks from Moi

Back for round #2 on this Tuesday to share some of my secrets—a few tidbits of advice I have learned through my often tumultuous love of everything health and fitness...and please note to self, these things are specific tips and tricks that work for ME, meaning use with caution and remember to pay attention to what your body is telling you to do!

1. Use the scale to your advantage... unlike some people, I tend to argue that you should weigh yourself everyday. If you have a goal in which you're trying to accomplish, this is the way to track even if you've gained a pesky pound or two--however, keep in mind your actual weight can fluctutate throughout the day so take note!

2. Find your “happy weight”--check out this quiz... for me, my happy range is between 113 and 118 and I always know what I need to do to get back to business if I indulge in a few too many treats

3. Do in moderation... and yes, I most certainly believe this 100%--yes, you can have that cocktail, but cut back elsewhere--skip the steak and opt for fresh fish and a small salad--you shouldn't deprive yourself from something if you REALLY want it, but make sure you increase your activity or elminate something else to hold yourself accountable and not go overboard

4. Choose a goal and stick to it--have an important event coming up? a bikini you're wanting to fit in? aelect a goal that you think you can meet and do what it takes to get there! sometimes, it's better to choose smaller goals and then increase as you meet them... it's said that when you meet a goal you're apt to continue because you've seen just what you can do! don't sell yourself short

5. Surround yourself with positivity--if you're happy, you'll exude happiness, you'll be more likely to keep your body in check, and life will be all the more fun! have people in your life that bring you down? let them know that their negativity can influence people around them, or if you don't feel comfortable talking with them, simply cut back on your time spent with them

"life is too short to be anything but happy"

6. Eat 4 to 5 small meals a day… keeps your metabolism at top speed, burning the products you put into it and helps keep you going!! I have found that I do better when I have my larger meals at breakfast and lunch--and that mid-afternoon snack is a must in my book!

7. Write down what you eat—keep a food journal like the one posted here. This will help you keep track of calories consumed, number of glasses of water you drink each day, etc—this can really show you just how much that Ben and Jerry’s can backfire if you’re trying to lose weight

8. If you can’t make it to the gym, try a DVD... I've said it before and I'll say it again, that Jillian Michaels knows her stuff--The Shred is one of my favorite DVDs when I can't make it to the YMCA and you'll still feel the burn {today AND tomorrow!}

9. Don’t do it for anyone but yourself!

10. Don’t burn yourself with the same routine… switch it up! Go to a Pure Barre class, take a fun dance class with your girlfriends, take your honey on a weekend hike—if you do the same exercises each and every day, your muscles will adapt and you’ll be doing yourself a major injustice so get out there and use what God gave you!!

What are your favorite tips and tricks you've mastered and want to share??