Times are hard, and we're all feeling it. I'm, as I type this, thinking about all the ways that me and my husband can cut back on some things to save a little money now that performance season is coming up. I'm a saver, so I like to start early making a small nest egg, and this unfortunately might mean cutting back on....my gym membership.
Saving $50 a month sounds pretty good, but when I weigh it with losing all that gym equipment, tons of classes and free/open rehearsal space, it's hard for me to give it up. Still, I think it might be worth it to put a little money away so Dave has some financial cushioning while I'm off doing my thing. So I've started to think of more ways I can exercise without a gym.
First of all, my apartment complex has a small gym. The only problem is that the ellipticals in that gym are AWFUL.But, I can use mine at home then go to the apt gym for weights and other machines. It's doable.
But many people don't have apartment given fitness centers and I may not always have that luxury, so I definitely had some creative thinking to do.
Fitness doesn't have to cost $50/month or $99 per week or whatever gyms and trainers cost these days. You can get fit in the beautiful outdoors or the comfort of your own home for next to nothing, especially if you have someone like me giving you tips, tricks and training sessions online! lol Glad I can help!
Here are a few ideas for exercising at home or outside:
-Take your own stairs. Walk up and down the stairs while listening to your iPod. It's like having your own stair master, complete with interval training! Doing this for 30 minutes will easily burn 300 calories (based on calorie chart for a 150 pound person). Trust me a half hour or even an hour will go by fast when you're listening to your favorite playlist.
-Play some tag or sports in your lawn or at the park. Join a pick up game of football or ultimate frisbee if you see people playing at the park. Get your friends together for a game of basketball. Got kids in your life? Great! Nothing can motivate you to get up and move more than getting your butt kicked at tag by a 10 year old. :)
-Yoga/pilates/zumba/etc on tv. here are actually fitness channels now on Comcast or other cable/satellite provider listings that have easy to follow workouts that you can do right in your own home! Give it a click!
-Take the dog, or your Significant Other, for a walk!
Go fast or go slow; it doesn't matter. Just go! Spend an hour just walking around or to the store and back. Those calories will burn away and you'll actually get to connect a bit more with your furry friend, your beau or yourself.
I have plenty of ideas along these lines and as I try them myself, I'll keep sharing them with all of you and let you know what seems to work the best :)
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Changes
Sometimes we all have to make changes and sacrifices in order for our bodies to do what we want them to.
I know as a dancer that I must demand a lot from my body, and my diet has to work for me. The problem is finding a diet that works for both my lifestyle and my body. This has proven very difficult. If I don't get enough protein, I can't work out as hard. if I don't eat enough carbs, I barely have a kickstart for my workouts and practices. If I don't get enough fruits and vegetables, I get dehydrated. It's really hard to find a balance.
And not just for dancers. Everyone has to find that perfect balance between what they eat, what they do with their bodies, and what they want their bodies to be like. This is so much harder than even I expected, but it's also super important.
It really is all about balance. If there is something you want to eat, you have to balance that desire with how badly you want to shape your body and really think about what effect that food will have on your goal.
I know how I want to eat, but recently I found out that it simply doesn't work for my body and my needs. It's really unfortunate, but it's something I have to deal with because right now, being a dancer is more important to me than eating certain foods. I need to make my nutrition a priority above all else, or my dance career might come to a screeching halt. Lack of proper nutrition can lead to illness, injury or worse, and I just cannot afford that right now. I don't know anyone who can.
We all have to find the nutritional balance that works best for ourselves. No two people are alike and no one diet will work for everyone. Do what's best for you, and most importantly, figure out what is important to you and feed that desire. :)
I know as a dancer that I must demand a lot from my body, and my diet has to work for me. The problem is finding a diet that works for both my lifestyle and my body. This has proven very difficult. If I don't get enough protein, I can't work out as hard. if I don't eat enough carbs, I barely have a kickstart for my workouts and practices. If I don't get enough fruits and vegetables, I get dehydrated. It's really hard to find a balance.
And not just for dancers. Everyone has to find that perfect balance between what they eat, what they do with their bodies, and what they want their bodies to be like. This is so much harder than even I expected, but it's also super important.
It really is all about balance. If there is something you want to eat, you have to balance that desire with how badly you want to shape your body and really think about what effect that food will have on your goal.
I know how I want to eat, but recently I found out that it simply doesn't work for my body and my needs. It's really unfortunate, but it's something I have to deal with because right now, being a dancer is more important to me than eating certain foods. I need to make my nutrition a priority above all else, or my dance career might come to a screeching halt. Lack of proper nutrition can lead to illness, injury or worse, and I just cannot afford that right now. I don't know anyone who can.
We all have to find the nutritional balance that works best for ourselves. No two people are alike and no one diet will work for everyone. Do what's best for you, and most importantly, figure out what is important to you and feed that desire. :)
Friday, May 6, 2011
Salt Life?
Okay so I don't have a sweet tooth lately, which I thought was a good thing. But no, it has caused me so many problems in the last few weeks: mainly that I'm gaining water weight. No one likes water weight. It feels gross and it's not real nice to look at. I'm not a fan.
Why did this happen? Because instead of having a sweet tooth, I've been craving salty foods. I've been eating a lot of soy sauce with my sushi, popcorn and Amy's pizza. These are all low calorie, good for you foods, but they are incredibly high in salt, it turns out. There was my mistake.
So as usual, when things aren't going my way, I turn to research. I read books, browsed websites and called nutritionists to figure out why this was happening and I have found the answers and some solutions. I know I'm not the only one who has to deal with this, so I DEFINITELY want to share what I've learned with all of you.
1. Salt = water retention.
Eating excess sodium causes your body to retain water, and everyone retains this in different places. Most women retain water around their midsection and legs while men tend to retain it just in their stomachs and chests.
2. Sodium is in so many foods.
It's not just cutting back on adding salt to your food. Sodium is in everything, especially processed foods. Canned soups, frozen dinners an snack foods are filled to the brim with sodium. Steer clear, or just lighten your intake, if you want to avoid bloating up. I've had to give up soy sauce, popcorn and frozen seasoned veggies. I'm sad, but the weight is practically evaporating off now.
3. Natural diuretics CAN help, but only to a point.
Drinking tea or coffee can help reduce some of the water retention, but only a little bit. Use them at first to help your system flush out a bit, but make sure you drink plenty of water too.
4. Water helps get rid of water.
Seriously, drinking water helps to get rd of water retention. It flushes you out better than anything. Drink water. It's the best thing you can do!
5. Don't mistake water weight for body fat and visa versa. Try to be in tune with your body and know what is causing your weight gain or loss so yo can better know how to deal with it. Don't be afraid to visit a nutritionist for extra advice. The best advice is that which is tailored to your specific situation. Everyone's body is different.
I hope I don't miss the salt in my food, but I'm certainly ready to be rid of this water for good. Let's just hope I can keep on track with this!
My favorite seasoning (salt substitute) are McCormick Salt Free seasonings: lemon pepper. The lemon gives me a great acidic flavor that can seem salty to my taste buds and it's great on everything. I also have started to just sprinkle ground ginger on my sushi instead of dipping into soy sauce. It's awesome! I'm sorry I didn't think of it before!
What are some of your favorite salt-free seasonings?
Why did this happen? Because instead of having a sweet tooth, I've been craving salty foods. I've been eating a lot of soy sauce with my sushi, popcorn and Amy's pizza. These are all low calorie, good for you foods, but they are incredibly high in salt, it turns out. There was my mistake.
So as usual, when things aren't going my way, I turn to research. I read books, browsed websites and called nutritionists to figure out why this was happening and I have found the answers and some solutions. I know I'm not the only one who has to deal with this, so I DEFINITELY want to share what I've learned with all of you.
1. Salt = water retention.
Eating excess sodium causes your body to retain water, and everyone retains this in different places. Most women retain water around their midsection and legs while men tend to retain it just in their stomachs and chests.
2. Sodium is in so many foods.
It's not just cutting back on adding salt to your food. Sodium is in everything, especially processed foods. Canned soups, frozen dinners an snack foods are filled to the brim with sodium. Steer clear, or just lighten your intake, if you want to avoid bloating up. I've had to give up soy sauce, popcorn and frozen seasoned veggies. I'm sad, but the weight is practically evaporating off now.
3. Natural diuretics CAN help, but only to a point.
Drinking tea or coffee can help reduce some of the water retention, but only a little bit. Use them at first to help your system flush out a bit, but make sure you drink plenty of water too.
4. Water helps get rid of water.
Seriously, drinking water helps to get rd of water retention. It flushes you out better than anything. Drink water. It's the best thing you can do!
5. Don't mistake water weight for body fat and visa versa. Try to be in tune with your body and know what is causing your weight gain or loss so yo can better know how to deal with it. Don't be afraid to visit a nutritionist for extra advice. The best advice is that which is tailored to your specific situation. Everyone's body is different.
I hope I don't miss the salt in my food, but I'm certainly ready to be rid of this water for good. Let's just hope I can keep on track with this!
My favorite seasoning (salt substitute) are McCormick Salt Free seasonings: lemon pepper. The lemon gives me a great acidic flavor that can seem salty to my taste buds and it's great on everything. I also have started to just sprinkle ground ginger on my sushi instead of dipping into soy sauce. It's awesome! I'm sorry I didn't think of it before!
What are some of your favorite salt-free seasonings?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Nothing like a good workout...anywhere!
So I was at work for hours longer than I wanted to be, and I was desperate for some gym time, having missed half my workout that morning (thanks to my husband's car battery dying). Does this ever happen to you? I hate it. Missing a workout makes me feel sluggish and icky all day.
So while I was at work, I decided to make the most of my shift during the down time and work out there. Hopefully you all can use these ideas where you work when its a little slow. Here's what I did:
1. Plies/Squats: When no one is in the restaurant, there is a lot of counter space to use as a "ballet bar." I would go through my plies and squats like this:
-While holding on to the counter with one arm, stand with your feet turned out, about hip width apart or in "second position." Squeeze all muscles in lower body and abdominals as you bend your knees (keeping knees in line with toes" and then straighten up slowly. By the end of 30 reps, your derrière will bee feeling some serious burn. Try to do 3 slow sets of 30 before your manager comes back from the bank, lol.
2. Static bicep/tricep workout: Hold your arms straight out to the sides for as long as you can in one shot. I usually go for 2-3 minutes straight, then let them down to rest before going for another. Holding up the weight of your own arms is a killer toning workout, and its how dancers have long and lean arms (we hold our arms out, up and strong throughout our entire barre/class). Try it anywhere, anytime. Its a great toning exercise that you can do at work so long as you don't care if your coworkers give you silly looks for a minute lol.
3. ABS! - This one definitely makes you look silly, but when your abs are burning and getting toned, you wont care. Hold one arm behind your head and stand firmly on one leg (the same leg as the arm you're using). Then bring your opposite leg into your chest, crunching inward with your abs (like an angled crunch while standing. Repeat on other side. Try for 3 sets of 25-30. It's good times, and something that you can do in an empty office or a bathroom at work in no time at all.
Its not a complete workout by any means, but it's a great supplement when you just don't have the time or space to exercise properly. It gets me through. Do you have any other ideas?
So while I was at work, I decided to make the most of my shift during the down time and work out there. Hopefully you all can use these ideas where you work when its a little slow. Here's what I did:
1. Plies/Squats: When no one is in the restaurant, there is a lot of counter space to use as a "ballet bar." I would go through my plies and squats like this:
-While holding on to the counter with one arm, stand with your feet turned out, about hip width apart or in "second position." Squeeze all muscles in lower body and abdominals as you bend your knees (keeping knees in line with toes" and then straighten up slowly. By the end of 30 reps, your derrière will bee feeling some serious burn. Try to do 3 slow sets of 30 before your manager comes back from the bank, lol.
2. Static bicep/tricep workout: Hold your arms straight out to the sides for as long as you can in one shot. I usually go for 2-3 minutes straight, then let them down to rest before going for another. Holding up the weight of your own arms is a killer toning workout, and its how dancers have long and lean arms (we hold our arms out, up and strong throughout our entire barre/class). Try it anywhere, anytime. Its a great toning exercise that you can do at work so long as you don't care if your coworkers give you silly looks for a minute lol.
3. ABS! - This one definitely makes you look silly, but when your abs are burning and getting toned, you wont care. Hold one arm behind your head and stand firmly on one leg (the same leg as the arm you're using). Then bring your opposite leg into your chest, crunching inward with your abs (like an angled crunch while standing. Repeat on other side. Try for 3 sets of 25-30. It's good times, and something that you can do in an empty office or a bathroom at work in no time at all.
Its not a complete workout by any means, but it's a great supplement when you just don't have the time or space to exercise properly. It gets me through. Do you have any other ideas?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Back to the real world
Man, cruises are nice. Everything you need is right at your fingertips, any time of day. It was nice to spend a week on a cruise with my new husband, relaxing and indulging in life's little pleasures and wonderful moments.
We sat at watched the sunset every night on the deck, we spent our days at art auctions, towel folding classes and...oh yeah, spent HOURS AND HOURS in the gym. :) It was the most relaxed I've ever been.
But I have to say, THANK THE HEAVENS for the gym! If I hadn't spent at least 2 hours working out per day, I woulda come off that ship weighing so much more than I do. It is NOT a myth that on a cruise, the average person gains 1-2 pounds PER DAY.
This bears repeating:
The average person gains 1 to 2 pounds PER DAY on a cruise.
On my 8 day cruise, the average person gained 8-16 pounds by the end of the week. Yikes.
Me and Dave staved off most of the weight gain by
a) Being Active: Going to the gym, going for scenic walks on the on-board/outdoor jogging track, and engaging in active activities on shore.
b) NOT DRINKING
That second one may be difficult for many people but not drinking alcohol on board saved us a TON of calories and more money than we can count. Think about the costs:
Each drink ranges from $5 (beers) to $11 (cocktails). I saw many people drink at least 5 beers and a few cocktails each day, and that was before midnight, so who knows what they drank afterward. I'd say that's an average cost of $50-100 per day in booze. Wow. Between me and Dave we saved between $400-800 on that alone! Nice :)
Calorie-wise, we saved even more. With each beer being between 120-200 calories per bottle and each cocktail ranging from 300-1000 calories (the higher end being frozen, fruity drinks and sweet cordial concoctions), the range of excessive calories goes from a surprising 1500 to over 5000 calories per day....just in liquids! No thanks!
So we did well there, but the food was another story. I was easier for me, being vegan, to skip the heavy foods and keep from overindulging too much. But I did eat much more in quantity than I'm used to, and I ended the week with a 3 pound weight gain. I'm sure I can get these pounds off in no time, and it was nice to indulge a little, so I have no regrets. (For more on how I got to eat all the yummy foods I wanted, stay tuned for a NEW BLOG from me about vegan life and veganism on tour!)
Dave indulged alot, and I'm glad he got to eat some delicious food and sweets. But he has some gym time to put in to make up for it, and I'm charged with the task of being his trainer, lol. I guess we'll really put this marriage to the test here!
The point I'm trying to make is that while it is dangerous to overindulge on vacation, as it will typically always result in weight gain, if you balance yourself with a little give and take when it comes to eating and drinking, and keep up with your workouts while you're on vacation, you can let yourself enjoy all that is around you while minimizing consequences. It was nice to let go and enjoy some of the tastiest foods I've ever had, but I also knew that gym time was mandatory in order for me to fully indulge each day. And I never missed a work out, knowing that I wanted to feel free to eat and eat without guilt.
So next time you're heading off for a relaxing retreat or getting into a string of events (i.e. wedding + honeymoon + stress of finals week) like I did where food and overindulging was just part of the deal, try to make sure you leave time for your workouts and put the effort into taking care of your body so you can enjoy the indulgences while you can.
For me, I'm enjoying getting back into my routine of diet and exercise, but I will also say that I can't wait to get back on a cruise ship sometime. Like for our first anniversary! <3
We sat at watched the sunset every night on the deck, we spent our days at art auctions, towel folding classes and...oh yeah, spent HOURS AND HOURS in the gym. :) It was the most relaxed I've ever been.
But I have to say, THANK THE HEAVENS for the gym! If I hadn't spent at least 2 hours working out per day, I woulda come off that ship weighing so much more than I do. It is NOT a myth that on a cruise, the average person gains 1-2 pounds PER DAY.
This bears repeating:
The average person gains 1 to 2 pounds PER DAY on a cruise.
On my 8 day cruise, the average person gained 8-16 pounds by the end of the week. Yikes.
Me and Dave staved off most of the weight gain by
a) Being Active: Going to the gym, going for scenic walks on the on-board/outdoor jogging track, and engaging in active activities on shore.
b) NOT DRINKING
That second one may be difficult for many people but not drinking alcohol on board saved us a TON of calories and more money than we can count. Think about the costs:
Each drink ranges from $5 (beers) to $11 (cocktails). I saw many people drink at least 5 beers and a few cocktails each day, and that was before midnight, so who knows what they drank afterward. I'd say that's an average cost of $50-100 per day in booze. Wow. Between me and Dave we saved between $400-800 on that alone! Nice :)
Calorie-wise, we saved even more. With each beer being between 120-200 calories per bottle and each cocktail ranging from 300-1000 calories (the higher end being frozen, fruity drinks and sweet cordial concoctions), the range of excessive calories goes from a surprising 1500 to over 5000 calories per day....just in liquids! No thanks!
So we did well there, but the food was another story. I was easier for me, being vegan, to skip the heavy foods and keep from overindulging too much. But I did eat much more in quantity than I'm used to, and I ended the week with a 3 pound weight gain. I'm sure I can get these pounds off in no time, and it was nice to indulge a little, so I have no regrets. (For more on how I got to eat all the yummy foods I wanted, stay tuned for a NEW BLOG from me about vegan life and veganism on tour!)
Dave indulged alot, and I'm glad he got to eat some delicious food and sweets. But he has some gym time to put in to make up for it, and I'm charged with the task of being his trainer, lol. I guess we'll really put this marriage to the test here!
The point I'm trying to make is that while it is dangerous to overindulge on vacation, as it will typically always result in weight gain, if you balance yourself with a little give and take when it comes to eating and drinking, and keep up with your workouts while you're on vacation, you can let yourself enjoy all that is around you while minimizing consequences. It was nice to let go and enjoy some of the tastiest foods I've ever had, but I also knew that gym time was mandatory in order for me to fully indulge each day. And I never missed a work out, knowing that I wanted to feel free to eat and eat without guilt.
So next time you're heading off for a relaxing retreat or getting into a string of events (i.e. wedding + honeymoon + stress of finals week) like I did where food and overindulging was just part of the deal, try to make sure you leave time for your workouts and put the effort into taking care of your body so you can enjoy the indulgences while you can.
For me, I'm enjoying getting back into my routine of diet and exercise, but I will also say that I can't wait to get back on a cruise ship sometime. Like for our first anniversary! <3
Friday, April 1, 2011
My Routine
I had a friend on Facebook request that I post my workout routine. I'm sorry I've been so absent from posting, but wedding plans and homework have taken over my life! And the big day is only 2 days away now!!! WOW!!!
But this morning I had an epic workout. It felt so nice to just have the time to myself and focus on my body and my spirit for a little while. Working out always feels so good.
My routine:
60 minutes: Elliptical/Run to get my heart rate up and burn calories at the start of the day.
15 minutes: A different form of cardio to get oxygen flowing through different muscles (Bicycling, Rowing, Dancing, etc)
20 minutes: Weight training. Different muscle groups each day, alternating by areas of the body (Lower, upper, abs/core). I typically do at least 3 exercises for the muscle group in 3 sets of 10-20 (or 50 if its an abs day).
10 minutes: Stretch all muscles in the body (This is THE MOST IMPORTANT part!!)
And if I'm lucky enough to have the time that day, I take a class as well. I love Spin class, Yoga, and ZUMBA the best :)
What's your routine?
But this morning I had an epic workout. It felt so nice to just have the time to myself and focus on my body and my spirit for a little while. Working out always feels so good.
My routine:
60 minutes: Elliptical/Run to get my heart rate up and burn calories at the start of the day.
15 minutes: A different form of cardio to get oxygen flowing through different muscles (Bicycling, Rowing, Dancing, etc)
20 minutes: Weight training. Different muscle groups each day, alternating by areas of the body (Lower, upper, abs/core). I typically do at least 3 exercises for the muscle group in 3 sets of 10-20 (or 50 if its an abs day).
10 minutes: Stretch all muscles in the body (This is THE MOST IMPORTANT part!!)
And if I'm lucky enough to have the time that day, I take a class as well. I love Spin class, Yoga, and ZUMBA the best :)
What's your routine?
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Counting down
I know it's been a while, but trying to get married and graduate in the same month has left me little room of anything else. That being said, I just want to state for the record that holy hand grenade I can't believe I'm getting married in twelve days and graduating in a month!
So with twelve days left, I'm trying to stay calm an easy going, and most importantly focused. I have so much wedding planning to do on top of so much homework, and I have to admit the stress of it all has made working out and staying on my pre-tour/ pre-wedding diet really really tough. Add to that my beloved elliptical has met its maker, currently being held up by duct tape. Thank you Murphy's Law for the great timing on that one.
I have spent my days recently working doubles, making favors, writing papers, and dealing with the en thousand problems that always come up when planning a wedding, and I'm exhausted. But I'm not going to let that stop me from staying on rack and looking beautiful in my wedding dress.
I know you all have felt this way, overwhelmed by everything that's going on in your life. I mean hey that's why I write this blog in the first place. So, I'm going to share some of my motivation with you, so we can all make it through these busy times staying as healthy ad FIT as we want to be.
I'm making time for weight training. Especially for those over 25, even more so for women over 30. weight training in a part of a workout that cannot be skipped. After all, what good is it to lose all the fat if you don't have any muscle to showcase underneath it? Here's what I'm sneaking every day to get the tone I mot certainly want on stage... and of course on my honeymoon.
- 50 sit ups
- 30-50 squats/plies
- 30-60 calf raises
- plank position
- and or course, a little dancing
Most of this stuff I get done in the morning while I'm getting ready. I do squats and calf raises at the bathroom counter while I'm brushing my teeth. I either do 50 sit ups and hold plank for 2 minutes right before I get dressed in the morning or right before I go to bed at night. And of course, I'm always dancing if I have the space, even if it's just from the dining room to the kitchen after clearing a table. All of these thing tone muscle and burn calories, and none of them take more than two - three minutes each. know sometimes it's hard to find an hour to hit the gym, but we can always find 2 minutes here and there.
With all this stress and all the craziness in my life right now, its nice to know that there's always a way to FIT it in.
So with twelve days left, I'm trying to stay calm an easy going, and most importantly focused. I have so much wedding planning to do on top of so much homework, and I have to admit the stress of it all has made working out and staying on my pre-tour/ pre-wedding diet really really tough. Add to that my beloved elliptical has met its maker, currently being held up by duct tape. Thank you Murphy's Law for the great timing on that one.
I have spent my days recently working doubles, making favors, writing papers, and dealing with the en thousand problems that always come up when planning a wedding, and I'm exhausted. But I'm not going to let that stop me from staying on rack and looking beautiful in my wedding dress.
I know you all have felt this way, overwhelmed by everything that's going on in your life. I mean hey that's why I write this blog in the first place. So, I'm going to share some of my motivation with you, so we can all make it through these busy times staying as healthy ad FIT as we want to be.
I'm making time for weight training. Especially for those over 25, even more so for women over 30. weight training in a part of a workout that cannot be skipped. After all, what good is it to lose all the fat if you don't have any muscle to showcase underneath it? Here's what I'm sneaking every day to get the tone I mot certainly want on stage... and of course on my honeymoon.
- 50 sit ups
- 30-50 squats/plies
- 30-60 calf raises
- plank position
- and or course, a little dancing
Most of this stuff I get done in the morning while I'm getting ready. I do squats and calf raises at the bathroom counter while I'm brushing my teeth. I either do 50 sit ups and hold plank for 2 minutes right before I get dressed in the morning or right before I go to bed at night. And of course, I'm always dancing if I have the space, even if it's just from the dining room to the kitchen after clearing a table. All of these thing tone muscle and burn calories, and none of them take more than two - three minutes each. know sometimes it's hard to find an hour to hit the gym, but we can always find 2 minutes here and there.
With all this stress and all the craziness in my life right now, its nice to know that there's always a way to FIT it in.
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