Guidelines for Eating Clean

~Day 5~

Quick video update...

Today I want to share my new way of eating which really isn't much different from what I normally do.  Just adding in a few more veggies, fruit, and protein and getting rid of sugar and unnecessary carbs.

I'm obsessed with this book by Jackie Warner.  I know I've mentioned it before but I agree with everything she says and am learning so much.  It really has helped me to have her lay it all out.  I mean I've heard this stuff for years so it's nothing new but something about seeing it laid out is so helpful.

 

It's so simple really...

For 5 days you adhere to the diet below and then you get 2 days where you can have 2 cheat meals that are 1500 calories or less each.  You can have that glass of wine or cocktail as a part of your cheat meal and you can even throw in some dessert. ;)  In my experience I feel that it is completely necessary to have something to look forward to each week.  I am a total foodie and giving up all my food loves completely just isn't an option.  There is nothing wrong with indulging within reason.  It helps keep you on track too if you know you're going to get that burger at the end of the week.

Daily:
*I'm not going to go into great detail but this gives you a general idea.
Check out Jackie's book if you want specifics.

1. Protein: 4 4oz servings
-Fish
-Lean Poultry
-Lean meat (lean cuts of beef or pork)
-Low Fat Dairy (no cow's milk)
-Eggs
-Beans
-Whey Protein

2. Carbohydrates
-Veggies (3 cups)
-Fruits (2 whole fruits)
-Grains (2 1-cup servings)

3. Fats: 1 Serving (Pick one)
-2 tbsp oil
-1/4 cup nuts or seeds
-1/4 avocado

4. Beverages
-3 liters of lemon water
-Decaf green tea or herbal tea
(Although I will say I do have to have my 1/2 cup of coffee every morning.
Not going to give that up.)

Pretty straightforward right?
I mean isn't this we've been taught since elementary school?

XOXO
Sarah Marie

How I Work Out

~Day4~

Quick video update to start.  

Please excuse the way I look.

I have talked a lot about diet which really is where I'm trying to make changes right now, but y'all know that working out is another huge part of being fit.  I have discovered that you can work out like crazy but if you're still eating like crap then you will never see the changes and results you want.  If you want to be healthy and fit you have to combine them...diet and exercise.  

Everyone enjoys different ways of working out.  I am going to share what I enjoy and works best for me now.  Just remember doing the same thing (which I am guilty of) all the time is fine but the only way to see results or to continue seeing results is to CHANGE IT UP!  Throw in some heavy weights every now and then or try a Pilates or yoga class.  Get out of your workout comfort zone.   Like I said, I'm preaching to the choir but it's so true.

Now here's my current regimen.

*Pump (see below): anywhere from 1-3 times a week (varies due to my teaching schedule)
*Cardio: 4-6 times a week.  I do a lot of classes (see below), spinning, or running
*Pilates: once a week (I haven recently added this one)

I tend to be a LesMills groupie.  Actually just Group Fitness in general.  I love love love it and it is what motivates me the most.  Below are quick descriptions of some of my fave classes.

BODYPUMP
This is a 60 minute barbell class that will sculpt, tone and strengthen.  It focuses on lifting low weight with high reps to some great music. This is my favorite Les Mills class.  It's amazing!


BODYATTACK
This is a high energy aerobics based class which combines athletic aerobic movements with strength and stabilization exercises.  If you want to burn some serious calories and feel like you're going to puke by the end, this is the class for you!


BODYCOMBAT
This class is inspired by mixed martial arts and draws from karate, boxing, taekwondo, tai chi, and muay thai.  This class helps relieve a lot of stress for me.  Something about feeling like you're beating someone up is very therapeutic.  Oh and I absolutely love the music in this class!


CXWORX
Only 30 minutes, this class focuses on the torso and sling muscles that connect your upper body to your lower body.  Perfect for tightening the tummy and butt while improving functional strength and assisting in injury prevention.

I also throw in spinning once weekly or every other week.  Right now I'm spinning a lot since I can't run outside.  I will be back to running when the weather warms up.  :)

I will leave you with a few pics from Sportsclub's Super Launch last Saturday.
Thanks Ben Robi for taking these amazing pics.
Always a fun time!

XOXO

Sarah Marie

What Do I Eat?

~Day 3~

First of all here's my video post for the day.

Now, what do I eat?

I was going to go through a typical eating day for me lately, but I thought I would spare you all the details and get right down to it...

I start my day off eating pretty well.  The problem occurs around 2-3 in the afternoon.  Now this is where I get off track.  Most days I am STARVING at this time!!! I mean I am ready for dinner.  Obviously I am not doing something right to be so hungry and depleted by mid afternoon.  I think it comes down to not eating enough early in the day.  I dunno.  If I haven't stuffed my face by mid afternoon it ends up happening on the couch watching TV before bed.  I have never been one to deprive my body and never will be, so going hungry isn't an option.  I am a huge believer in listening to your body.  When mine tells me it's hungry, I'm going to feed it.  Now, instead of binging on carbs and sugary CRAP, what do I need eat instead?

Here is how I am going to make a change...

Like I said before this is trial and error, so I will let y'all know if this makes a difference.  A lot of this I already do, but I'm going to see if making subtle changes helps.

*Eat 2 servings of fruit a day (Add an apple a day)
*Eat 2-3 veggie servings a day (throw in spinach with a protein shake, eat more at dinner)
*Eat more protein

Pre-workout: 1/2 kashi bar for a little energy
Post-Workout: protein shake...I may add a little more protein to my shakes than usual as well as fruit, handful of spinach, oats, or peanut butter.  I bought some chia seeds which are supposed to be a super food.  I may throw a few of those in as well.

Days that I workout later in the day or not at all:  eggs (2 whites and 1 yolk) scrambled or spinach, mushroom, ham, and sprinkle of cheese omelet, 1/2 grapefruit or prunes (yes, I love prunes!)  They are great for you too by the way ;)  and 1 piece of wheat toast or 1/2 English Muffin (a little carb) or a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, milk, and fruit.

Lunch: Still going to stick with my deli turkey or chicken sandwich but may add some hummus and veggies or an apple with it for more sustenance.

I love a good grilled chicken salad too, but I'm usually hungry in a hour after eating one, so I need to add some fruit or maybe some soup with it.

Snack:  I'm going to try try try to do this right.  Here are some snack combos that I'm going to experiment with to see if they satisfy me or not:

*hummus with whole wheat pita chips or carrot sticks/celery or both
*almonds with 1/2 slice reduced fat cheese
*banana and almond milk
*figs and reduced fat cheese stick
*peanut butter on whole wheat bread
*grapes, reduced fat cheese and a few crackers
*protein shake
*a Kashi bar is always my go to snack if all else fails
(Mocha Choclate Almond is my fave and it has less sugar than a lot of other bars)

Dinner: I know what to do but it's all about planning and timing.  This is definitely an area I can improve upon.

*Grilled meat (chicken, fish, lean red meat) and veggies, sweet potato, brown rice, or quinoa  

*Healthy soups (chicken tortilla, split pea, black bean, soup beans, pinto beans, etc)


Late night snacking: IF and only IF I am still starving right before bed, I will allow myself one of the following (not an entire bag!)

*healthy popcorn (homemade)
*glass of almond milk or 1% milk
*Fruit (I really want to get away from sugar except in fruit)
*cup of hot tea with honey

Now I don't want any confusion.  This is the way I plan to eat during the week.  On the weekend, I get to indulge whether it be a burger, Mexican, pizza, etc.  I have to have a couple of cheat meals every week to look forward to.  I'm also going to allow myself to have alcohol 2-3 nights a week.  Most of y'all know I love red wine, but I'm going to TRY to limit my wine intake.

So there it is.
I welcome any comments, ideas, or suggestions!

By the way, only on day 3 but I can already tell a difference in the way I feel...more energy and not so lethargic all the time.  Really the only thing I've done differently is cut out the sugar and empty carbs and added more fruit.

XOXO
~Sarah Marie~

I'm a Sugar Addict?

~Day 2 Update~

So I'm kinda enjoying blogging about my diet/nutrition progress, so here's an update on day 2.  We will see if I'm still as gung ho about it in a week.   

Here's a quick video update.  Keep in mind I'm only on day 2 of trying to eat clean.

On another note...

I just started a  book by Jackie Warner  who happens to be one of my fitness idols.  I am only on chapter 1 and it's fabulous!  Just in the first chapter I found out I am a sugar addict.  I mean I kinda knew this, but to read about it freaked me out as in I never want to eat sugar again (yeah right).  Everything she talks about makes perfect sense, so why has it taken me this long to figure it out?

This is Why You're Fat

Here are some eye opening facts that everyone should know:

*Sugar creates a response in the brain much like that of heroine.

*Your body can crave it like any other drug.  You can even get the same withdrawal symptoms as those caused by heroin, nicotine, and booze.

*It is not only bad for you but probably one of the worst things you could put in your body.

*It is hidden in food everywhere!  Beware!

Jackie relies on the 5g or less rule.  Don't eat anything that has more than 5g of sugar unless it's natural like fruit.  

I am on day 2 of no sugar.  So my question is...if I cut it completely out, will I still crave it?  I am testing it this week.  So far, I haven't had a huge sugar craving but again only on day 2.      

I can't wait to keep reading and hope to bring you all some more revelations.

XOXO

Sarah Marie

Time to Get Real

OK guys it's time for a change.  I have to be honest I hate this time of year.  I tend to eat when it's cold and can't get outside, so I've put on 7-8 lbs in the past few months.  CRINGE!  It would be one thing if it was muscle mass but unfortunately it's mainly fat.  ICK!  The madness stops today.  I get down on myself for knowing what I'm doing to by body yet continuing to do it.  I'm not gonna lie, I've been killing it at the gym but no matter how hard you workout it all comes back to diet.  This is my biggest struggle.  So it's simple math really.  Calories burned > calories taken in, right?!  BUT I want to eat the right foods, right amount of foods and at the right time.    

I want to invite y'all to come on this journey with me.  I'm not going to do any crazy fad diet or get on a certain program.  I just need to make a few changes, and hopefully I will be well on my way to bikini season.  Now having said that I may have to make some adjustments on the way.  It's all trial and error and finding what works best within reason.  I thought bring y'all along on my journey would be a great way to share what I'm learning and help keep me on track too.  So here's the deal, I'm gonna try to update my blog bi-weekly to report on my progress.  

I may even get crazy and add some videos too... (see below)...

FYI, please disregard my gym hair and no makeup face.  

To be honest this is what I look like most days. 

Next up...I plan to talk about how I'm going to change up my diet.  

I would love to hear from you too!  Anything...advice, criticism, ideas...

Hope y'all will take this journey with me.

XOXO

~Sarah Marie~

Work It

 I'm sure most of us have set goals for the New Year regarding fitness.  So...how are you doing so far?  I've tried Pilates and changed up my routine a bit by throwing in Spin since it's too cold to run outside.  I must be honest though I haven't made it yet to the weight room, but it's coming! :)  Your body gets used to doing the same thing, so it's essential to change it up.  Nothing like a good body shock!  I've been killing the group fitness classes.  I've been trying to get 5-6 cardio workouts in a week. I've been alternating BodyCombat, BodyAttack, and Spin (which is a great alternative to running).  Of course I'm still keeping up with the weights.  I teach 1-2 BodyPump classes a week.     Now let's talk about the good stuff...the clothes, right?!  Of course I always love Lululemon, but let's face it, they are downright expensive!  Since I literally wear workout gear every day, I am constantly searching for cheaper apparel much like Lululemon.  I must say I've found some great alternatives.    Check out these from GapFit...

gFast Capris

Breathe Stripe T

Drawstring Tunic Tank

How awesome is this color? Leggings Another new discovery is the Victoria's Secret Sport line.  They are having their semi-annual sale right now, so it's a great time to buy.  FYI, if you go to the store they have marked it down to 50% off the sale price!!!  What?!!  GO NOW!  

Funnel Neck Pullover

Long Sleeve Studio Tee I've mentioned them before, but I do love my Zella leggings.  I wear them as pants all the time.  I think I've actually only worn them to the gym once.

Live in Leggings I normally wear Asics, but these were on such a great sale and I loved the colors.  Let me say, I LOVE them!  They feel so good on my almost flat feet.  ;)

    Nike Free 4.0 (on sale!) Good luck on those fitness goals!  ~Sarah Marie~

New Beginnings...2014

Whew!  Now that the holidays are over and resolutions have been made, it's time to get back on schedule and into a rhythm.  I crave a schedule and routine and honestly I am dying to get back on track.  Back to eating healthy, limiting alcohol and sugar, adding to and changing up my workouts, and working more hours.

I am so excited to see what 2014 brings.  Here's to a wonderful year full of much love, joy, and happiness!

Our attempts at a New Year's pic...

Ok, so here's a resolution...get a "good" pic of our entire family this year.  

Sure didn't happen last year as hard as we tried.  

 Photo Bomber Eli

Here's to a wonderful 2014!

~Sarah Marie~

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...A Few Highlights

Yes I am a little behind, but as most of you know the holidays are a crazy busy time especially with kiddos.  I want to share a few highlights of our Christmas this year.  

We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family the weekend before Christmas in Knoxville.  The boys and I went up a few days early to see Aunt Lucy and cousins Hannah and Kelly while they were in town.  I had not seen my cousins in years so I was super excited to get to spend a little time with them!

The boys were excited to meet their cousins.

Cousin Olivia arrived a few days later. 

I have to admit I was pretty excited to see my niece!

The boys were thrilled about new toys...

Eli was sweet enough to help Olivia out with her new toy...yeah right!

 Lawn mowers and vacuums (don't ask) where the theme of this year.

We headed back to Greenville to have Christmas and "Santa" in our home.

Santa was very good to the boys.

Poppy and Grammy were able to come down Christmas day to celebrate.

And we finally made it to the crazy Christmas light house.  It may have been the day after Christmas but hey we still made it.  We walked through and saw 300,000 lights on one house.  Insanity!  

 I hope each and every one of you had a very Merry Christmas and a have a wonderful 2014!  

Cheers to a new beginning!

~Sarah Marie~