Progress

At this point I think the thing that I've noticed the most is an improvement in my energy level. While I haven't really noticed a difference in my appearance, I don't feel as tired at the end of the day. It is really great to start feeling a change for the better and seeing results. This whole process has been so encouraging and beneficial. I can't wait to see what comes next.

Healthy Eating Encouragement

Aloha, all. I can second Andrew's comments about eating healthy, and share some tips that might help with making it convenient -- probably the biggest reason many folks don't eat right. If you need quick snacks during the day because your job keeps you hopping, plan ahead when you're grocery shopping: pick up baby carrots or other veggies you like, and pair with things like salsa or hummus. Grab fresh fruit for when those sugar cravings strike. Mix a handful of nuts into a cup of yogurt. For breakfast trade the doughnut for a bowl of oatmeal mixed with fruit and nuts (my favorite is apples, cinnamon, and pecans). Make places like Fresh n' Easy or Trader Joe's your friend -- if you haven't shopped there, they have lots of healthy convenience foods that won't break your budget. I keep an insulated lunchbag in my desk each day with an assortment of healthy options (yogurt, fruit, veggies, homemade smoothies, etc.) and a couple of icepacks to keep it fresh. Once you change your eating habits for the better you'll find you probably don't even want to go back to the junk. :) Hang in there and keep up the great work!
Teresa

Whew a great work out!

Yesterday's work out was great. I struggled a bit on the cardio, but once we got started with the weights it went well. Andrew is changing up the routine and I like the weight machines. I can tell I have better strength in my legs and arms, but I still have a ways to go with the sit ups/push ups. Overall I feel good. I was not as tired at the end of the session this time. I really appreciate my group. They continue to encourge me. I need that at my age. Andrew makes the hr and 1/2 go by fast. He is truely interested in our progress, but is very patient with me....the routines seem to get lost in my memory and thank goodness for my group they help me remember which one to do next!

Eating Habits Are the X-Factor In Any Weight Loss Program

I'm noticing a trend from all of your posts that your eating habits are satisfactory at best.  I appreciate your honesty, because that is the first step in making a behavior change.  Eating habits can either accelerate success or stop it dead in its tracks.  What we consume on a daily basis is just as important if not more than our physical activity.  Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand and are the perfect marriage for living a healthy life.  You can't do one or the other and expect amazing results.  Sure you can lose weight doing either or, but why limit yourself.  Maximum results occur when both are n'sync.  I'm not a nutritionist nor claim to be, but I can offer you basic nutritional advice that will point you in the right direction.  I also encourage you to invest in the nutritional program offered here at the SRC.  It will help you more than I can and offers plenty of ways to improve your diet.  For example, you can track the foods you eat and the program can suggest foods that will meet your nutritional needs in order to develop a well balanced meal plan.  Watch a free demo on the SRC web page under the Personal Training Tab.  Its not easy breaking nutritional habits that have been with you since childhood, so STAY ENCOURAGED.      

Sadat - Week 2 and 3

Hey All.

Sorry its been a bit since i posted last.

Last week was not so good for me. Monday, I was not feeling well (read that as i stayed up too late after the superbowl) so i did not participate. Wed had a pretty good leg workout in Sparky's yard, and then Friday i missed again! Bad Sadat! Although i did not have a good week of working out, for the most part, i was able to maintain on my diet. so, at least i was not packing on the calories like crazy.

This week was a little better, although i missed mondays workout due to some work obligations, i enjoyed the work outs that Andrew put together for Wednesday. We started using some free weights which i have been anticipating so that made it more strenuous and butt kicking for me. Fridays workout also did a good job on the legs.

Overall, i am breaking through the slumber of not doing much over the past few months. Its nice to get back to being active again and will continue to work harder each week. I am down about 4-5 lbs since the beginning of the program, so at least there is some results to motivate me to push through the semester. hopefully, i will be able to get better at setting aside time during the off days of Ready Set Goal to get my own workouts in, or attend a group fit class.

happy Friday all.

Hello,

Where do I even start? I will say that I am enjoying my work-outs with Andrew since they do add a variety to my normal workout routine. Before I began this program, I was already working out 5 times a week during my lunch hour. I'm not very disciplined in that I can just go the the gym and get on some type of cardio equipment and work out for 30 minutes or an hour, so what I do instead is take the group fitness classes which are offered at lunch, and which I enjoy tremendously. During the first week of the program, I was feeling as if I had made a mistake and should have just stuck with my normal routine of attending the fitness classes, but then Andrew changed up what he had me doing and now I feel as if I'm being challenged, and each week it's getting better.

I can't say that physically I feel a big difference, but I know that has a lot to do with my eating habits. I can go for weeks eating realy well, and then, because I am an emotional eater, there are certain times during the month that I just can't keep food out of my mouth (and unfortuantely it's not healthy stuff I'm sticking in there). 10 years ago, when I became pregnant with my first child, I was teaching aerobics and was a health fanatic, once he was born and life got a little crazy, it seems that I go for simplicity rather than health. :( Being a single mother of two kids, that are involved in as many extra-curricular activities as my kids, does not leave a lot of time for myself, so I'm just glad that I even have the opportunity to hit the gym on my lunch hour, otherwise, I couldn't imagine what I'd look/feel like with my eating habits and NOT working out... OUCH! LOL! I think at this point working out only keeps me from not weighing 300 pounds, but what I really want it to do, is make a difference in my appearance. Thank goodness I enjoy it so much.

Even in such a short time, this program has already had a positive impact on me. Not only do I look forward to being with my group every Monday, Wednesday and Friday but I also feel healthier. I don't feel like I am as stressed out as I was before I started. I will admit one downfall is my appetite has increased exponentially. But I am trying to make sure to snack on healthy foods.

I can say with absolute certainty that this is the longest I have been able to stick to a work out regiment. It is exciting and I am grateful for this opportunity to create a healthier lifestyle.

I am finely in

It has taken me awhile to get this posted.
The past 4 weeks have been a great experience. I know by the end of the sessions, I will show progress regarding my beginning numbers. I enjoy the group I work out with, and of course Andrew is a true "sargent".

Ups and Downs of Training

Well, I had been making pretty decent headway -- was up to about 6 miles on the bike in any given workout, along with the rest of the exercises. And then the nastiest virus I've ever experienced slapped me to the floor a week ago, and I'm still trying to recover. I'm finally back at work, and today for the first time I could walk to the other end of the department without thinking I wouldn't be able to make it back. Tomorrow I'll look forward to trying to return to the workout and my group; it could well be that the walk from my building to the SRC will be as much of a workout as my body will take, but soon I'll be back on track and making progress again. Hang in there, everyone, and keep up the great work no matter what seems to be holding you down. :)
Teresa

Working out, Blogging and other "fun" things

So I am now in week 4 of the program. I wish I could report that I have been doing fabulously, but it seems as if all the reason that I have not worked out in the last few years have been catching up to me. Last week, due to a sick son, I missed a day. This week, I had to leave early on Tuesday to attend a work function. Lets not even discuss my eating habits. Andrew made a point last week that he is only with us for two hours a week (even less than that at the rate I am going) and that what we do for the rest of the time greatly impacts our results. In so many words he warned me, "Don't be mad at mid-assessments".

But all in all, my husband points out repetitively that at least I am doing something and at least I am thinking about how I shouldn't eat the bad food as I consume it. Baby steps? Maybe. As far as the workouts go, I am not fond of is keeping track of my heart rate. I'd like to think I don't have a heart on most days, so having to monitor it goes against everything I believe in. Okay, that's a bit dramatic. On the plus side, I actually love working out with weights. Its something I have never done and probably would not ever do with out the Ready, Set, Goal challenge. Andrew is great! He even convinced me to wear an "ASU" t-shirt as a oppose to my normal "Georgetown University". I figured since Georgetown won our rivalary game against Syrcause, why not support the Sun Devils this week.

A fellow goaler Niesha is trying to challenge me to do Pat's Run. Anyone else in?

Meet Your Goals Faster With Interval Training

Hello everyone, today I read a great article on High Intensity Interval Training aka (HIIT).  In the article it compared a traditional 20 minute cardio workout with a 20 minute HIIT cardio workout.  Typically when people exercise they only think of how many calories they burned during the workout.  I'm here to tell you that what really matters is what's going on long after the workout is finished.  The results from the article were astounding.  For example, a 20 minute HIIT workout will elevate the resting metabolic rate for up to an amazing 38 hours versus a traditional 20 minute cardio routine that only increases the resting metabolic rate for up to 3 hours following the workout.  I knew HIIT was more effective in burning calories, but I didn't know there was that much of a discrepancy.  I've already started HIIT with a few of you and it seems to be going well.  This is to encourage all of you to continue to push.  My goal is to eventually get all of you to do HIIT in order to help you reach your fitness goals sooner.  This is a process, so some individuals are ready for this kind of training faster than others, but we will work up to it.  See you soon.    

30 x 30

Hi everybody!

This is my first time writing for this blog, but I thought that I would take the time now to put a little bit out there! The program has been really good for me so far, because I have always found it difficult to take time out of my schedule to work out. It has been nice that this is a department sanctioned project so I don't feel as guilty leaving for an hour in the day to go work out. I have already worked out more in the last month than I did in all of 2010!

My overall goal is to lose 30 pounds by my 30th birthday, which is at then end of May, and exactly 101 days away from today. I started this goal in the beginning of January when I signed up for Weight Watchers online with a couple of girlfriends from home. They were already working out together and making it a priority, but I didn't have anybody to push me here. This program is helping out with that, and the Weight Watchers is helping out with the eating. I have lost 7 lbs since January 1.

I hit a little setback last week because I went on vacation to Puerto Rico (I know, I am not complaining, I promise). I did not really watch what I ate and I did not work out... though we took a hike one day, and walked around a lot. I am proud to say that I only gained .6 of a pound, and coming back to my workouts with Andrew was not as sore as I thought that I would've been.

I am excited to increase my heart rate during the cardio workout today, and to increase my weights during the strength training. I have only taken one Sun Devil Fit class so far, but it was a lot of fun, and I hope to MAKE time for more as the semester rolls on.

Don't forget to check out Devilpalooza happening on the SRC fields today!

Feelin' Good

It's been a great couple of weeks.  I feel like I am in a routine.  With only working out two days a week with this program, I am finding value in working out over the weekends.  My muscles are occasionally sore, but it feels good.  I have always been a runner and have never worked out my legs.  I am really learning the value to a leg work-out.  Overall, I am excited about my work-outs and I continue to look forward creating a good foundation for my goals.

Push Yourself

Hello,

I just wanted to say that everyone is doing great.  I'm very pleased with how the program is coming along.  It is the start of the 3rd week and even though I've already progressed most of your cardio workouts by giving you a higher target heart rate range its time to make additional changes to some of your workouts.  I say some because many of you are at different fitness levels.  This is totally normal of course, so the ones that need more of a challenge I will make changes accordingly.  These changes may be to your cardio or resistance training or both.  I'm already going to start incorporating interval training into specific individuals programs this week.  This is to insure that you continually progress and don't plateau.  Those that I haven't made changes for shouldn't be down on themselves, because as I said above all of you are at different levels.  I'll progress your program when you are ready.  Thank you,

Andrew

Try Again

I started the program about 2 weeks ago and everything was going great, after my first 2 sessions I didn't have too much pain and I was still able to walk without regretting each step I took. Then I missed more than a week of exercise due to being sick. Yesterday was my first day back on the program, Andrew put me through a good workout, at least in my mind it was a good workout. I was nervous that the pain today would be intense, after not doing anything for more than a week but I must say I feel great. I do have soreness, but in places I didn't think would be sore, it makes me releize that there are parts of my body that have be idle for a very long time.

Here we go!

So, this is my first experience with posting on a blog; we'll see how it goes.

Like most of us, on the one hand I have always had good intentions when it came to exercising and eating healthly. On the other hand, I am a procrastinator and can come up with all kinds of good excuses not to exercise and I like to eat whatever is quick and easy.

For me, Micky D's drive thru is quick and easy and it would seem silly to me to order a salad at a place that carries my favorite double cheeseburger with no onions and then of course, fries are needed and a $1 large diet soda. After all I can make a salad myself...mmmm in my mind not quick and easy---therefore the drive thru it is!

All that said, I have high hopes for myself with the Ready, Set, Goal program. The assesment was a bit of a challenge and my muscles let me know that they were not happy with having to work after all of these years.

After just 2 workouts, I was able to balance on one foot while on tiptoe for longer than my 3 second assessment time!

The healthly eating will have to come next as other things get in the way of healthly food preparation, namely a fast food drive thru.

Keep on Ready, Set, Goal "ing".