home work outs

Hey everyone! I just wanted to share some of the work outs I did last week when I wasn't able to go to the gym. Jorge sometimes doesn't get home till 7:30 or 8. By that time the kids club is closed at our gym, and I'm not able to go. Sometimes I take him to work so I can go to the gym, but If that does not happen, I always try to find some work out to do at home. 
Luckily for me Jorge got an the new Xbox, and there is a bunch of great free work out videos on there. They have Insanity, Jillian Michaels, P90x, and other great work out videos. Some of my favorites right now are works out by Tracy Anderson. She has a few free work out videos in the Xbox fitness or you can buy them but for me I just choose to do the free work outs. Below are some links to free work outs I found on-line that you could try out. Usually, when I do her works outs I do two different work outs.

The other work out videos I do from Tracy Anderson are Transform 1 and Transform 2.

These are great work outs, and I really feel exhausted by the end of the videos. Here are just a few videos to check out and try. 

The key to working out at home is to  motivate yourself. It can be really hard to be motivated when you have a perfectly nice comfortable couch waiting there, and tempting you to just relax and not work out. Working out at home can be tough, I always remind myself that if I don't work out I'm not going to accomplish my goals and it would be like giving up on myself. Only you can improve yourself and get the work out you need to meet the goal you want. 

1. Tracy Anderson Transform 2 Cardio - YouTube

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   www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsFt1_H-2...‎

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   YouTube

   Dec 31, 2013 - Uploaded by All Tracy Anderson

   
   

   Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy9rbSlL2y_piWSxmfOoa9r_LUn71Mihs&feature=edit_ok.

1.    Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis Workout L1 - YouTube

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   www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEcE15yt12w‎

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   YouTube

   Aug 2, 2013 - Uploaded by sephill chap

   
   

   Order Metamorphosis now at tracyandersonmethod.com For all body shapes! Tracy Anderson Method.

3. 1. Tracy Anderson Transform Days 111 120 - YouTube

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      www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzIA8Z64jr8‎

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      YouTube

      Aug 3, 2013 - Uploaded by Desmond D. Shannon

      
      

      Tracy Anderson Transform Days 111 120 ... Tracy Anderson Transform 1 Toning 1by All Tracy Anderson31 ...

   
   

   1. Insanity is my favorite workout when I really want to get a good cardio burn. I have the work out videos and I highly suggest investing on it. I did this work out series before I got pregnant and loved it. It gives you a calendar to follow so you know what work out you should do for the day, which is really nice! I don't follow the calendar anymore though just because I'm doing something different everyday. I really like to mix up my work out. That way my body doesn't get used to just one work out and I get results quick by surprising my body with different work outs. 
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   3. I know that working out can be hard sometimes especially if you have toddlers that run around every where. I usually work out when Liam is napping but sometimes those naps are when you want to relax. When Liam is awake I place him in his bouncing toy, and work out while he watches me. Sometimes he will even watch me and he think it's funny. I find it useful to work out in front of him because I feel like I am setting an example for him. I believe Liam will grow accustomed to exercising, and he will always be an active boy.
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   5. If you are a Bachelor fan here is a work out you can do while watching.
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   7. Here is a show I love to watch and will try it out this sunday while watching it. 
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   9. There are a lot of different work outs to do. Any work out is better than no work out. 
   10. Try it out! 
   11. +Jillian Michaels 
   12. +Insanity 
   13. +P90X 
   14. +Walking Dead 
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The wrong idea (Skinny fat)

Use to have this mind set about lifting weights

This is a little extreme but this is what image would come to mind about lifting weights

I totally used to be that girl who thought lifting weights would make look like a man... Well that isn't the case anymore. Jorge would always tell me I needed to do more weight lifting to get a toned body, but I never listened to him, instead I would just grab 5 pound weights. It would take a very long time to see any kind of result, and it never felt like I had a great workout. So this last week I decided it was time to try something new, instead of just doing cardio I have been doing more weight lifting with heavier weights. I have to admit that it has not been easy, and sometimes I have felt like just going back to cardio and light weights, but now that I have incorporated heavier weights into my workout I have been noticing better results. My legs feel more toned, my biceps are starting to get some definition, and my shoulders seem to be getting lean and muscular. Cardio is great for your body but if you are looking to tone your body, you might want to start weights lifting. 

Get this idea out of your mind. 

This is not me, I just wanted to show that weighing less does not necessarily mean you look better!

Looking good and being healthy is not the same as being skinny. In fact I have met a lot of skinny people who are very unhealthy, and think that just because they are skinny they look good.  Look at the picture above, the girl on the right weighs 123  pounds, now look at the picture on the left, the girl weighs 137 pounds. Now why would she look better, but weigh more? The answer is simple she has more muscle and less fat. I'm not saying she looks bad on the picture to the left, but she definitely looks better at 137 pounds. 

This is what skinny fat looks like.

Don't worry too much about what the scale says! If you see your body getting toned and looking great, do not mind the scale. Weight lifting will not necessarily make you look big and bulky. 

Which one would you rather look like? Just remember to be healthy and keep working out. Try lifting weights more! I promise you that you will start feeling like you are getting a better work out! 

Don't stop doing cardio though! I try to get in at least 20 minutes of cardio when I work out. I've been starting my workout with 10 minutes of cardio, and then I move onto weight lifting. When I lift weights, I do a couple of exercises then I run for 2 minutes at high enough speed to get my heart rate up. That is how I get 20 minutes of cardio without getting bored out of my mind! Here is an example of what I did this last week.

Leg day:

10 min of cardio

30 calve raises on bench press

40 inner thigh machine

40 outer thigh machine

3 minute run

12 squats 

12 sumo squats

3 minute run

20 lungs R/L

 stretch

I suggest choosing weights that you feel comfortable with don't over do it, but also make sure you are pushing your body. You want to feel sore the next day. 

Arm days are where I struggle I never really know what to do when it comes to my arms. I usually ask Jorge what to do, because let's be honest guys target working out their arms the most. So he will show me a few arm work outs to do. My arm strength is pretty weak right now. I really want to work on the arms for sure. I will post my achievements in a couple of weeks!

 If you have Pinterest look for ideas! I get a lot of my work outs from there! 

http://www.pinterest.com/deidrechambers/

Squat Challenge completed

I DID IT!! Finally finished the 30 day squat challenge. Today was the last day and it feels great that I accomplished it. I can really feel a difference. My butt feels more toned and firm, and  last week I wanted more of a challenge, so I started using 7.5 pound weights to get more of a work out. I didn't use weights every day during the 30 days, but when I did start using weights I could really feel the difference. It took a lot of motivation to get myself to do it but I'm so glad I finished it!! The plank challenge I'm still working on, it's more difficult than I thought. I don't have a lot of core strength, due to my pregnancy (moms you probably know what I mean.) I'm still working up to 5 minutes but I'm not going to give up! I'm now up to about 2 1/2 to 3 minute plank right now. If you do ever try these challenge don't give up! It will pay off!

Happy! 

 I'll update you guys later on a new work outs and what I've been eating the past few weeks to help me stay fit and get the toned body I've been wanting. 

update

Seriously the squat challenge... SO HARD! I do feel a difference though! I'm on day 17 and I have to motivate myself to do every single squat! It's a great feeling though when I'm done though. What I've been doing to be able to do all the squats is that I will break the squats into sets. When I'm at home I will do it through out the day. I also do some kind of work out video. When I make it to the gym I will add 5 pound weights to get a deeper work out. After each set of squats I do, I will then go on the stair machine for 5 minutes. I can really feel it working and feel that my butt is getting more firm!! 

day 17

 The plank challenge is getting more tough. It isn't as hard as the squat challenge that's for sure! 

I'm up to 2 minutes right now. I also do other core strengthening work outs to build up my abs. 

I can feel the muscle in my stomach but I know it will be awhile till it shows. I still have the mommy belly and know getting my stomach back will take a little bit longer. 

Squat and plank challenge

So, I've tried the squat challenge a few times. I will do it the first few days, then lose my motivation to finish the 30 days. I really want to accomplish the 30 day squat challenge!! I found the Plank challenge to try out as well. Hopefully, I will be able to finish both challenges! Wish me luck! I would love to hear feedback if anyone has tried this or if you want to do the challenge with me. I would love that! 

I'm on day three right now. This is the picture of what I look like right now. I will update the picture after I make it half way to show how my progress is going.

Another great way to get your booty firm is the stair machine or incline on the treadmill. 

I have stairs outside my house, which is way nice! I can feel the burn going up and down the stairs. Yesterday I had Liam with me and that made it more of a challenge with a 20 something pound baby strapped onto me. 

good work out!

For the moms at home if you have stairs in your home that will work to! 

See how many times you can go up and down. I would keep doing it till you feel a good burn.

The plank challenge is also 30 days to work towards being able to do a plank for 5 min.

This is what I look like right now. I will also post a picture half way through this challenge to show my progress. 

 I won't just be doing the plank challenge to work my Abs out. I will still continue doing other daily work outs to improve my stomach. 

Join my if you want and let me know how it goes for you! 

Snack Attack

Here are some ideas for snacking healthy!

On the go low fat snacks:

-pretzels 

-juice boxes

-low-fat granola 

-graham crackers

-rice cakes ( add PB with strawberries and bananas to give more flavor)

-vegetable sticks or baby carrots

-fresh fruit (oranges, apples, bananas, and pears are good travel snacks)

-individual boxes of unsweetened cereal

-Nuts (1 small handful)

-bagel (whole wheat)

-pudding cup (vanilla is my favorite)

-beef jerky

SNACK ATTACK! Be prepared anywhere:

For the office:

-instant oatmeal

-instant soup

-raisins

-dried fruit 

-low-fat crackers

Convenient store snacking:

-soft pretzel

-juice

-low fat muffin

microwave:

-pita pizza (top whole wheat pocket bread with tomato sauce, herbs, and mozzarella cheese)

-hot bean dip (refried beans, salsa, and chilies, served with tortilla chips)

Jorge makes refried beans fresh! SO good try it out! I also love the pita pizza! I add turkey pepperoni to mine.

Fridge time:

-nonfat yogurt

-cottage cheese ( I love eating it with strawberries, grapes, or pineapple)

- fruits or vegetables

-string cheese

Snack time:

-whole grain crackers with reduced fat cheese 

-pita wedges with hummus (very good!)

-three bean salad. (I haven't tried this out yet but will soon!)

When to snack:

-snacks are important for a daily diet. (HEALTHY SNACKS) The body needs fuel every 4 hours.

-snacks prevents extreme hunger which can lead to over eating at a meal

-protein helps you feel full longer. meat, low-fat yogurt, and a small amount of nuts are great protein filled snacks.

-2-3 snacks a day are typical and should be kept to 100-250 calories. REMEMBER it's a snack not a meal

Good snacking that takes some time:

-sliced apples dipped into vanilla yogurt toped with a little bit of cinnamon 

-banana dipped in yogurt and then rolled in granola 

-baked potato topped with cottage cheese and salsa

-English muffin or pita bread pizza

-hot bean dip

-sprinkle parmesan cheese over fat free popcorn

-fruit parfait 

-cereal topped with fruit 

-frozen grapes 

-fresh vegetables or fruit with cottages cheese

- peanut butter spread on graham crackers

-wrap leftovers in a tortilla and heat up

These are just a few things I try to eat for my snacks. Some I've tried some I haven't tried just yet. Hopefully this can help out with your daily snacking! 

Eating Habits.

Hey everyone! I just wanted to share with you a guide I try to follow everyday. This is from a nutritionist from Utah State University. I keep this on my fridge to remind me to have healthy eating habits. Remember these are just somethings that have been working for me. I'm just sharing some ideas that I thought could help anyone who wants to follow them.

1. Eat every 3-4 hours

Eat smaller meals, more often to keep your metabolism up, and to keep yourself full rather than hungry all the time, trying eats 5 small meals each day. There are always great ideas on Pinterest to try out! 

http://www.pinterest.com/deidrechambers/work-it-work-it/

2. EAT BREAKFAST!!

We've all heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The reason being is if you break down the word it says BREAK - FAST. You sleep 8 hours and when you wake up to eat breakfast you break the fast from not eating those 8 hours. Make sure to eat a great breakfast to start your day! Some great things to eat for breakfast are, granola, apples,bananas, oranges, nuts, bread with peanut butter, oatmeal. 

Here is a link of ideas for meals that you can eat. 

fitsugar.com

3. Variety 

Meals- choose 3 different food groups

snacks- choose 2 different food groups

something to remember is that protein and fiber keep you full longer. Make sure they are apart of at least one of your food choices. 

examples:

Protein: meat, dairy, nuts, beans, tofu

Fiber: Cereal 5+g/serving, bread, crackers, etc. 3+g/serving

fitnessmagazine.com

activelynorthwest.com

4. Balance
It's important to keep each meal balanced to get all the nutrition you need. 

5. Portions

Grains- 1 to 1-1/2 fists

Protein- palm to 1st knuckle

Veggies- unlimited

6. Additions

- Fruits & veggies (2-5/day)

- WATER!! 

-Protein &/or fiber with each meal time

-Activity- consistency is more important than intensity or duration 

7. Emotional eating

Begin identifying reasons you would be eating when you are not physically hungry. Ask yourself when you are about to reach for something to eat, "Am I hungry?"

This is a great guide to follow if you aren't sure what and how you should be eating. I will be posting a few different guides to follow this week! I hope this can help anyone who is looking for ways to better their eating habits!

bye bye baby weight

Hey ladies! I’ve been asked what I’ve done to lose my baby weight. One thing that I did was work out while I was pregnant. You might be thinking I’m crazy: why would I want to work out while being pregnant?  I wanted to stay fit which not only would benefit my baby but would help prevent me from putting on unnecessary weight.

At the beginning of my pregnancy, it was still easy for me to do all the workouts to which I was accustomed. I would attend classes at my local fitness center. I loved going to the aerobic classes. Being in a group setting with other attendees and having the classes directed by an instructor motivated me to work harder. It helped me at times to successfully push through the wall when I felt that I would rather quit.

However, as my pregnancy progressed, it was hard to keep up with the aerobics routine I was following. As a result, I started looking into workouts that would be more suitable for me.

One type of class that I found that was not only suitable for me while I was pregnant but was even more suitable afterwards was a class called “Ball’ates.” It’s a mix of ballet and Pilates that really worked out my arms and legs. Since I couldn’t work out my abs, I just focused on strengthening my legs and arms.

In addition to taking classes at the fitness center, I walked on the treadmill with it being in the inclined position, worked out at home following routines I found on Pinterest designed for pregnant women, and remained as active as I could be the rest of the time.  

At the beginning of my pregnancy, I weighed about 105 pounds, and just before going into labor I was 140 pounds.

While it’s important to remain active, it’s equally important to maintain a good diet. While pregnant, many women make the mistake of eating more often and more than they need to. Many women think eating for two is an excuse to just eat whatever they want. Women using that rationale gain more weight than they need to during their pregnancy, and those unnecessary extra baby pounds are more difficult to lose as a result.

I’m not saying I was a saint while pregnant. There were days when I would just want to eat and eat and eat, taking an extra cookie or grabbing an additional slice of pizza! Like many other women, I would justify such runaway eating with the excuse that I deserved those extra helpings because I was pregnant.  

Go to the gym with friends!

I did my best, however, to eat healthy while pregnant. It was hard, so whenever I craved any sweets, fatty foods, or snacks with empty calories, I would hurry and divert myself in order to follow a more healthy route. I’m not telling other pregnant women to never eat what they are craving! After all, sometimes it’s the body telling women what it needs.  In that situation, it’s best to make an individual decision. I’m just mentioning what worked for me!

Logan Canyon nature Walk

Easy walk during pregnancy and after

 safe to take baby with also!

Now a word of caution about unreasonable expectations for working out after the pregnancy. After giving birth to my son Liam, it took time for my body to heal, and when I did resume working out, I couldn’t follow my routines with the same intensity as I had before. Initially, I worked out as if I were still pregnant, but this time around as a plus, I was able to work my abs.

It took a few months for me to start performing those exercises at the same level as I had before I had been pregnant, and as I said earlier, I had to be patient and just keep working toward my goal.

Oh, and it didn’t hurt that breastfeeding burned some extra calories, too.  

Now, to be honest with you, I’m not eating as healthily as I should be, particularly during the holidays with all the tempting foods and treats available to me. I do, though, use portion control. I still eat what I want, but I control how much of it I consume.

As we all know, the Holidays are the hardest time of the year to stay on track with eating and on getting to the gym. I do my best to workout everyday though. If I don’t make it to the gym, I put on an Insanity Workout disk while Liam is sleeping, or I follow other workouts I found on Pinterest.

You can find so many different workouts on Pinterest, many of them make working out fun! And when you are enjoying a workout, it’s easier to get through it.

Either at home or at the fitness center, I love routines that are upbeat motivating. Zumba is a great class that is fun that burns a lot of calories and that doesn’t feel like a workout. Additionally, some of my favorite classes at the fitness center are power body sculpting, switch, hard core, and ball’ates.  

After 6 months of working out and following portion control, I now weigh around 103 pounds. My goal now is just to tone my body and follow a healthy lifestyle.

Now, no one has to follow exactly what I did, so just do what feels right! It’s possible for anyone to attain goals or proper weight and fitness. Don’t give up! Keep on working for what you want!  And above all, be active!

http://www.pinterest.com/deidrechambers/

 Pinterest has some great work outs and motivational quotes!