Days 2 and 3 of Thrive were fairly uneventful. I've been trying to figure out the amount of food to eat with the supplement in order to not have a repeat of day one.
Day two I ate a full meal and then took the supplement and wore the patch.
Day three I just did the patch and "researched" meal sizes that might not affect the supplement.
Today, day 4, I think I have my answer: one serving of greek yogurt. I had one greek yogurt around 10 minutes AFTER taking the supplement and I feel awake and energized but not crazy. Ideal scenario has been met.
The sad part of today is that I forgot my Shakeology packet at home so I drank a bottle muscle milk. It's not a bad supplement, but it is missing the enzymes and pro/prebiotics that Shakeology has.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Friday, December 5, 2014
Me as a Guinea Pig with Thrive
As a Beachbody coach, I have mixed feelings with trying other company's products but I also can't resist the urge to jump at the opportunity to be in a focus group (aka guinea pig) with something new and exciting and this is very new and exciting to me.
From what I have gathered, this is a nutrient and energy packed system designed to give you the fuel and energy you need to be active.
I'm supposed to work my way up to taking two supplement pills, one shake, and one patch a day. Today I took one pill and...wow. The instructions said take it on an empty stomach. I will never be doing that again. Too much energy in a short amount of time went into my system. I didn't crash when I finally came down...but I was highly uncomfortable. Uncomfortable enough to not even try the patch.
I should also note that I'll be using Shakeology for my shake instead of the Thrive shake because it contains soy, which I'm allergic to. There doesn't appear to be a soy free option, so this is a double experiment for me. I know Shakeology aids in weight loss, I've been drinking it for almost a year now, so Thrive could, potentially, increase that.
Tomorrow I will be taking a supplement after eating breakfast and I'll be doing 1/4th of a patch.
The reviews said that people react very differently. Some people can start with the full doses and not really feel any difference, others (like me) are on the opposite side of the spectrum. I can certainly say, if I ever need an energy boost those little pills will do the trick and then some!!
Wish me luck! <3
Love and Light everyone!
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Still researching!
I don't want anyone to think that I have forgotten about my blog. Trust me I haven't. So far I have found that the best food plan to follow woul be an anti-inflammatory one. I would be following the meal plan of someone who has an auto immune disease. I'd likely be going gluten free and increase certain vegetables. I would also need to increase the amount of probiotics I intake, which I've already done with Shakeology.
My doctor gave me a book from a local nutritionist that I will be reading so I'll update again about this ate I've read that.
I apologize for the delay!
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Lyme Disease Diet - Research Quickie...coming soon!
Hey guys,
I just wanted to let you know that this weeks research quickie is going to be a little delayed. I'm trying to find more sources of actual studies on people with Lyme and how their diet affects their health. As someone with Lyme, I want to find a diet that will help me no longer have the few flare ups that I get.
I'm looking forward to finishing up the research and sharing it with you all.
Marq
I just wanted to let you know that this weeks research quickie is going to be a little delayed. I'm trying to find more sources of actual studies on people with Lyme and how their diet affects their health. As someone with Lyme, I want to find a diet that will help me no longer have the few flare ups that I get.
I'm looking forward to finishing up the research and sharing it with you all.
Marq
Friday, March 14, 2014
The Power of Visualization
"If you can't see it, then how are you going to get it?!"
That is a thought that was running through my head when I first decided that I wanted to lose weight. Waay back before I actually understood my "why" behind my desire to lose weight and get back the physique I once had. So, this thought has been in my mind recently, since I just discovered my why not too long ago.
The art of seeing what you want to achieve, and I do believe it is an art, is called visualization. I'm sure we all know what visualization is, but just to ensure we have all of our i's crossed and t's dotted (=P) let's throw a definition out there:
Visualization is "...a cognitive tool accessing imagination to realize all aspects of an object, action or outcome". In a sense it's kind of like day dreaming, but with a purpose behind it, because you (re)create a scenario using most, or even all, of your senses" (Baumgartner, 2011).
I use visualization on an almost daily basis now because if I can't see myself with a four pack in a bikini for the first time ever, then how am I going to know what to aim for? How am I going to know when I reach my goal?
Visualization has many uses outside of helping you get the body you want. Psychologists use it in their practice to help patients exercise specific reactions to situations; athletes use it before a match; actors use it before they perform. It helps because the brain is being trained to perform the task, it's like practicing a practice match.
Angie LeVan, MAPP, (2009) goes over a great way to get started with visualization. I've included the excerpt below:
Reference(s):
Baumgartner, J. (November 8, 2011). The psychology of dress, the doctor is in...you closet! Visualize it. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-psychology-dress/201111/visualize-it.
LeVan, A. (December 3, 2009). Flourish! Seeing is believing: The power of visualization. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/flourish/200912/seeing-is-believing-the-power-visualization.
That is a thought that was running through my head when I first decided that I wanted to lose weight. Waay back before I actually understood my "why" behind my desire to lose weight and get back the physique I once had. So, this thought has been in my mind recently, since I just discovered my why not too long ago.
The art of seeing what you want to achieve, and I do believe it is an art, is called visualization. I'm sure we all know what visualization is, but just to ensure we have all of our i's crossed and t's dotted (=P) let's throw a definition out there:
Visualization is "...a cognitive tool accessing imagination to realize all aspects of an object, action or outcome". In a sense it's kind of like day dreaming, but with a purpose behind it, because you (re)create a scenario using most, or even all, of your senses" (Baumgartner, 2011).
I use visualization on an almost daily basis now because if I can't see myself with a four pack in a bikini for the first time ever, then how am I going to know what to aim for? How am I going to know when I reach my goal?
Visualization has many uses outside of helping you get the body you want. Psychologists use it in their practice to help patients exercise specific reactions to situations; athletes use it before a match; actors use it before they perform. It helps because the brain is being trained to perform the task, it's like practicing a practice match.
Angie LeVan, MAPP, (2009) goes over a great way to get started with visualization. I've included the excerpt below:
Begin by establishing a highly specific goal. Imagine the future; you have already achieved your goal. Hold a mental ‘picture’ of it as if it were occurring to you right at that moment. Imagine the scene in as much detail as possible. Engage as many of the five senses as you can in your visualization. Who are you with? Which emotions are you feeling right now? What are you wearing? Is there a smell in the air? What do you hear? What is your environment? Sit with a straight spine when you do this. Practice at night or in the morning (just before/after sleep). Eliminate any doubts, if they come to you. Repeat this practice often. Combine with meditation or an affirmation (e.g. “I am courageous; I am strong”, or to borrow from Ali, “I am the greatest!”).
So, what is your highly specific goal? Can you see it happening yet? If not, keep practicing!
Reference(s):
Baumgartner, J. (November 8, 2011). The psychology of dress, the doctor is in...you closet! Visualize it. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-psychology-dress/201111/visualize-it.
LeVan, A. (December 3, 2009). Flourish! Seeing is believing: The power of visualization. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/flourish/200912/seeing-is-believing-the-power-visualization.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Research Quickie: Is working out after fasting a good or bad thing?
This is a question that has been floating around the internet for, what feels like, forever. It seems like you can read an article that says "YES! Fasting is the key to SUCCESS in fat loss!" and then turn around and find one that says the polar opposite. With that in mind, I present my random research into the subject. Again, I haven't performed a study myself but I have found quite a few.
Eating carbohydrates 30 minutes before exercise, in Coyle, E and team’s 1983 study, resulted in a faster decrease in muscle glycogen and blood glucose concentration during exercise. This would in turn, result in less endurance during prolonged exercise. The team suspects that cause of the loss of endurance is from the process the body goes through following a carbohydrate meal, i.e. increase in insulin levels. Interestingly to me, their study, amongst others, found that providing carbohydrates during exercise frequently delayed the onset of fatigue.
What is muscle glycogen? (Elmhurst College)
* The storage form of glucose in the muscles. Glucose is one of the monosaccharides absorbed by the body when breaking down plant based material. The other two are fructose and galactose. In a nut shell, glucose is sugar. During intense exercise, when he energy stores in the form of fat aren’t enough, the glycogen stored in the muscle is converted back into glucose for immediate use via the bloodstream.
Carbohydrates are a key fuel source for exercise, with the major source during exercise being the muscle glycogen stores (Ivy, 1991). “The greater the muscle glycogen stores, the longer the exercise time to exhaustion.” After its depletion during exercise, assuming you eat an adequate amount of carbohydrates, muscle glycogen levels return to pre-exercise levels within 24 hours. “For the average endurance athlete, a daily carbohydrate consumption of 500 to 600g is required.”
Now, you’re probably saying “But these are all talking about endurance exercises! What about me?!” Well, I have news for you, you can choose to eat nothing or to eat something. The difference for the rest of us isn't large enough to matter, in my opinion. According to the recap of a 2010 Belgian study, by Jennifer Sygo (2013), a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist, the group that fasted before exercise had the best results in weight management at the end of the study while the people who didn't fast had gained weight but more endurance by the end. I would like to point out that the men in this study consumed a breakfast high in fat. If you’re not consuming a breakfast high in fat then...well you’re likely still fine having breakfast before the workout. If you do have a high fat breakfast, then I would suggest exercising and then eating.
Another study by Paoli and team (2011), found that people who ate before exercising burned more calories throughout the day vs those that fasted. So this is something else to keep in mind.
In my opinion, for what it’s worth since I’m not a medical professional…YET!, if you’re doing to be doing light to moderate exercise and you’re not hungry then don’t even worry about it. If you’re going to be running a marathon or doing an intense program like P90X3 or Insanity then I would suggest you eat
first and wait an hour for the insulin spike to normalize before working out and then, during the breaks, munch on some carbs (veggies or fruits, ideally) or have a well-rounded protein shake.
Personally, I have a protein shake or a smoothie with some Greek yogurt and wait at least 25 minutes before I workout. It’s not a meal high in fat and since it’s liquid, it gets into my system faster, so I don’t see a problem. I find that when I don’t have something before I start I am sluggish and don’t push as hard as I could.
Let me know if there's a topic you'd like me to cover next Monday! This topic was suggested by my friend Pam.
Belgium study recapped by Jennifer Sygo: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002457/
References
Coyle, E., Hagberb, J., Hurley, B., Martin, W., Ehsani, A., & Holloszy, J. (February 4, 1983). Carbohydrate feeding during prolonged strenuous exercise can delay fatigue.
Elmhurst College (2003). Glycogen. Retrieved from http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/547glycogen.html.
Ivy, J. (January 1991). Muscle glycogen synthesis before and after exercise. Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas, Austin.
Kravitz, L. (n.d.). Eating or fasting for fat loss: A controversy resolved. Retrieved from http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/fasting.html.
Krssak, M., Petersen, K., Bergeron, R., Price, T., Laurent, D., Rotheman, D., Roden, M., & Shulman, G. (October 27, 1999). Intramuscular glycogen and intramyocellular lipid utilization during prolonged exercise and recovery in a man: A10C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Retrieved from http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jcem.85.2.6354.
Sygo, J. (February 7, 2013). Fasting and fitness: Should I eat before I exercise? It depends on your workout goals. Retrieved from http://life.nationalpost.com/2013/02/07/fasting-and-fitness-should-i-eat-before-i-exercise-it-depends-on-your-workout-goals/.
Eating carbohydrates 30 minutes before exercise, in Coyle, E and team’s 1983 study, resulted in a faster decrease in muscle glycogen and blood glucose concentration during exercise. This would in turn, result in less endurance during prolonged exercise. The team suspects that cause of the loss of endurance is from the process the body goes through following a carbohydrate meal, i.e. increase in insulin levels. Interestingly to me, their study, amongst others, found that providing carbohydrates during exercise frequently delayed the onset of fatigue.
What is muscle glycogen? (Elmhurst College)
* The storage form of glucose in the muscles. Glucose is one of the monosaccharides absorbed by the body when breaking down plant based material. The other two are fructose and galactose. In a nut shell, glucose is sugar. During intense exercise, when he energy stores in the form of fat aren’t enough, the glycogen stored in the muscle is converted back into glucose for immediate use via the bloodstream.
Carbohydrates are a key fuel source for exercise, with the major source during exercise being the muscle glycogen stores (Ivy, 1991). “The greater the muscle glycogen stores, the longer the exercise time to exhaustion.” After its depletion during exercise, assuming you eat an adequate amount of carbohydrates, muscle glycogen levels return to pre-exercise levels within 24 hours. “For the average endurance athlete, a daily carbohydrate consumption of 500 to 600g is required.”
Now, you’re probably saying “But these are all talking about endurance exercises! What about me?!” Well, I have news for you, you can choose to eat nothing or to eat something. The difference for the rest of us isn't large enough to matter, in my opinion. According to the recap of a 2010 Belgian study, by Jennifer Sygo (2013), a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist, the group that fasted before exercise had the best results in weight management at the end of the study while the people who didn't fast had gained weight but more endurance by the end. I would like to point out that the men in this study consumed a breakfast high in fat. If you’re not consuming a breakfast high in fat then...well you’re likely still fine having breakfast before the workout. If you do have a high fat breakfast, then I would suggest exercising and then eating.
Another study by Paoli and team (2011), found that people who ate before exercising burned more calories throughout the day vs those that fasted. So this is something else to keep in mind.
In my opinion, for what it’s worth since I’m not a medical professional…YET!, if you’re doing to be doing light to moderate exercise and you’re not hungry then don’t even worry about it. If you’re going to be running a marathon or doing an intense program like P90X3 or Insanity then I would suggest you eat
first and wait an hour for the insulin spike to normalize before working out and then, during the breaks, munch on some carbs (veggies or fruits, ideally) or have a well-rounded protein shake.
Personally, I have a protein shake or a smoothie with some Greek yogurt and wait at least 25 minutes before I workout. It’s not a meal high in fat and since it’s liquid, it gets into my system faster, so I don’t see a problem. I find that when I don’t have something before I start I am sluggish and don’t push as hard as I could.
Let me know if there's a topic you'd like me to cover next Monday! This topic was suggested by my friend Pam.
Belgium study recapped by Jennifer Sygo: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002457/
References
Coyle, E., Hagberb, J., Hurley, B., Martin, W., Ehsani, A., & Holloszy, J. (February 4, 1983). Carbohydrate feeding during prolonged strenuous exercise can delay fatigue.
Elmhurst College (2003). Glycogen. Retrieved from http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/547glycogen.html.
Ivy, J. (January 1991). Muscle glycogen synthesis before and after exercise. Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas, Austin.
Kravitz, L. (n.d.). Eating or fasting for fat loss: A controversy resolved. Retrieved from http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/fasting.html.
Krssak, M., Petersen, K., Bergeron, R., Price, T., Laurent, D., Rotheman, D., Roden, M., & Shulman, G. (October 27, 1999). Intramuscular glycogen and intramyocellular lipid utilization during prolonged exercise and recovery in a man: A10C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Retrieved from http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jcem.85.2.6354.
Sygo, J. (February 7, 2013). Fasting and fitness: Should I eat before I exercise? It depends on your workout goals. Retrieved from http://life.nationalpost.com/2013/02/07/fasting-and-fitness-should-i-eat-before-i-exercise-it-depends-on-your-workout-goals/.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Raspberry Ketones Quickie (What's up with this?!)
Most of us have heard of Raspberry Ketones (RK) by now. You've probably seen a commercial for them or looked at them in the diet section of your local convenience or grocery store. I know I wondered if they lived up to the hype, I'm sad to say that the research I've done soo far has left much to be desired. This doesn't mean that I'm discouraged at the possibility that RK could aid people in their weight loss journey, the truth is RK hasn't been tested on humans in any scientific study, the closest we've gotten to human testing is human flesh testing in test tubes (Hand, 2013).
What are Raspberry Ketones?
RK is one of the "...200 molecules that contribute to [a raspberry's] distinct flavor" and smell" (Cox, 2013). RK, specifically, deals with that raspberry smell we love soo well, which is why it is used in products ranging from candles to soaps. I was surprised to find out that RK "...is actually found in cranberries, blackberries as well as red raspberries..." (Cox, 2013) of various genes.
The initial thoughts that RK could prevent weight gain and promote weight loss is due to its molecular structure, which bears resemblance to the structure of capsaicin.
So does it work?
Unfortunately, there isn't enough evidence to say if it does or doesn't. According to Caroline Cederquist, R.D. (2012), none of her patients that added RK to their weight loss regimens noticed a significant change. We will just have to wait for more scientific trials to be sure.
Also, it is important to keep in mind that those who are experimenting with RK are a biased variable because they don't have a control group to compare their results against and they have personal feelings towards the supplement that could affect their results.
What does the FDA say?
Well, for those that might not know, the FDA does not regulate anything this is considered a supplement. They don't even regulate energy drinks, by the way. This is why every bottle you buy of a supplement has the disclaimer. However, RK was deemed "Generally Recognized as Safe" in the 1960s...at a daily dose of less than 2 milligrams. The supplements being produced today contain much more than that, the bottle I picked up at the grocery store contains 600mg a serving, that's 1200mg a day!
Are you side effects?
According to WebMD, no. According to the sources I've listed below, some. It appears that RK has similar side effects that stimulants have: increased heart rate, heart palpitations, and the shakes. It may interfere with blood thinners like Coumadin; lower blood sugar levels; and lower risk of bleeding. However, there isn't enough information to be certain.
So why the hype?
Dr. Oz featured RK on his show back in 2012 and it took off from there. My local herbalist has to keep an eye on the show because whenever he recommends a supplement people flock to her store to buy it.
It's similarity to capsaicin and synephrine, which "...is often marketed as a powerful weight loss support supplement" (Clark, 2012). Synephrine is a stimulant and, according to Shannon Clark (2012), helps boost your metabolism. The idea of being able to boost your metabolism will be covered at a later date because it is a rather controversial topic. :)
Final thoughts?
I'll pass on RK and just stick to eating with a focus on eating whole foods and getting at least 30 minutes of rigorous activity a day.
You can purchase the study Anti-obese action of raspberry ketone at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320505001281
References
What are Raspberry Ketones?
RK is one of the "...200 molecules that contribute to [a raspberry's] distinct flavor" and smell" (Cox, 2013). RK, specifically, deals with that raspberry smell we love soo well, which is why it is used in products ranging from candles to soaps. I was surprised to find out that RK "...is actually found in cranberries, blackberries as well as red raspberries..." (Cox, 2013) of various genes.
The initial thoughts that RK could prevent weight gain and promote weight loss is due to its molecular structure, which bears resemblance to the structure of capsaicin.
So does it work?
Unfortunately, there isn't enough evidence to say if it does or doesn't. According to Caroline Cederquist, R.D. (2012), none of her patients that added RK to their weight loss regimens noticed a significant change. We will just have to wait for more scientific trials to be sure.
Also, it is important to keep in mind that those who are experimenting with RK are a biased variable because they don't have a control group to compare their results against and they have personal feelings towards the supplement that could affect their results.
What does the FDA say?
Well, for those that might not know, the FDA does not regulate anything this is considered a supplement. They don't even regulate energy drinks, by the way. This is why every bottle you buy of a supplement has the disclaimer. However, RK was deemed "Generally Recognized as Safe" in the 1960s...at a daily dose of less than 2 milligrams. The supplements being produced today contain much more than that, the bottle I picked up at the grocery store contains 600mg a serving, that's 1200mg a day!
Are you side effects?
According to WebMD, no. According to the sources I've listed below, some. It appears that RK has similar side effects that stimulants have: increased heart rate, heart palpitations, and the shakes. It may interfere with blood thinners like Coumadin; lower blood sugar levels; and lower risk of bleeding. However, there isn't enough information to be certain.
So why the hype?
Dr. Oz featured RK on his show back in 2012 and it took off from there. My local herbalist has to keep an eye on the show because whenever he recommends a supplement people flock to her store to buy it.
It's similarity to capsaicin and synephrine, which "...is often marketed as a powerful weight loss support supplement" (Clark, 2012). Synephrine is a stimulant and, according to Shannon Clark (2012), helps boost your metabolism. The idea of being able to boost your metabolism will be covered at a later date because it is a rather controversial topic. :)
Final thoughts?
I'll pass on RK and just stick to eating with a focus on eating whole foods and getting at least 30 minutes of rigorous activity a day.
You can purchase the study Anti-obese action of raspberry ketone at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320505001281
References
Cederquist, C. (December 3, 2012). What's the rave with raspberry ketone?. Retrieved from "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caroline-j-cederquist-md/raspberry-ketone_b_2213936.html".
Cox, L. (September 26, 2013). What is raspberry ketone?. Retrieved from "http://www.livescience.com/39972-raspberry-ketone-supplement-facts.html".
Hand, B. (February 28, 2013). What they don't want you to know about raspberry ketones. Retrieved from "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/becky-hand/raspberry-ketones_b_2727943.html".
Future blog post: What is garcinia cambogia?
http://www.livescience.com/39243-garcinia-cambogia-supplement-facts.html
Sunday, March 2, 2014
The Benefits of Working on Myself...I Know My Purpose
I just realized tonight that it's been 60 days since I became a Beachbody coach. I'm not where I want to be with the business but I have had success and I'm holding on to that because success means that I've reached out to people and they've taken strides to change their health for the better.
Anyways, during the first 60 days as a coach I was supposed to go through a "coach basics" course led by my mentor coach. I got about a week in when my life decided that I needed to focus on something more important. I know! What could've been more important than following my life's dream of helping people through nutrition and exercise? That dream is why I'm working two traditional jobs to get out of debt enough to pay to go back to college and get my nutrition degree. That dream plays a huge part in my commitment to improve my own health.
However it turns out getting myself emotionally in the right mindset was what was more important. It's something that I'm still working on, overcoming trauma and managing depression. I've come a LONG way in the last 60 days. I'm no longer relying on two medications, I understand myself and my mind more, I can talk to myself like I talk to everyone else (positively!!), and I can issue a self pep talk like no one's business. I'm on the verge of...dare I say it, feeling truly happy on a regular basis!
My mind feels more focused and my drive is even stronger than it was for getting my body back. I dug deeper below "I want to lose weight." and found soo many reasons that drive me so much harder, most of them selfish but I've come to realize that the honest reasons are what drive me the most. I was treating wish to get healthy like...a wish. As an after thought or something that I would like to have happen but probably won't happen. I was mentally priming myself for failure, even though I wanted success. Now, I NEED success. It's a hunger that I haven't felt before, it's true motivation.
This same level of drive hit me tonight in regards to helping others live healthier lives. It struck me so hard that I got choked up, I'm still getting teary eyed. I wanted to make a video explaining why I want to help others and why I am a Beachbody coach, but I think I would just cry the whole way through, which is why I'm saying it in a blog instead.
I want to help others because that's what I'm supposed to do, I can feel it in my soul. When I'm offering advice and helping people pick out workout programs (even free ones on here or bodybuilding.com) I feel complete. I feel like I'm actually living my life instead of it just passing me by. All of my life I've felt like time was slipping through my fingers and for the first time I have found something that negates that feeling. I am not alive if I am not able to coach and guide someone through a lifestyle change...even though I'm still going through one myself.
I feel like a switch has been flipped in my head. Everything makes sense because I not only know, I understand my life's purpose! This is a glorious feeling!
(Originally posted on my Sparkpeople.com blog)
Anyways, during the first 60 days as a coach I was supposed to go through a "coach basics" course led by my mentor coach. I got about a week in when my life decided that I needed to focus on something more important. I know! What could've been more important than following my life's dream of helping people through nutrition and exercise? That dream is why I'm working two traditional jobs to get out of debt enough to pay to go back to college and get my nutrition degree. That dream plays a huge part in my commitment to improve my own health.
However it turns out getting myself emotionally in the right mindset was what was more important. It's something that I'm still working on, overcoming trauma and managing depression. I've come a LONG way in the last 60 days. I'm no longer relying on two medications, I understand myself and my mind more, I can talk to myself like I talk to everyone else (positively!!), and I can issue a self pep talk like no one's business. I'm on the verge of...dare I say it, feeling truly happy on a regular basis!
My mind feels more focused and my drive is even stronger than it was for getting my body back. I dug deeper below "I want to lose weight." and found soo many reasons that drive me so much harder, most of them selfish but I've come to realize that the honest reasons are what drive me the most. I was treating wish to get healthy like...a wish. As an after thought or something that I would like to have happen but probably won't happen. I was mentally priming myself for failure, even though I wanted success. Now, I NEED success. It's a hunger that I haven't felt before, it's true motivation.
This same level of drive hit me tonight in regards to helping others live healthier lives. It struck me so hard that I got choked up, I'm still getting teary eyed. I wanted to make a video explaining why I want to help others and why I am a Beachbody coach, but I think I would just cry the whole way through, which is why I'm saying it in a blog instead.
I want to help others because that's what I'm supposed to do, I can feel it in my soul. When I'm offering advice and helping people pick out workout programs (even free ones on here or bodybuilding.com) I feel complete. I feel like I'm actually living my life instead of it just passing me by. All of my life I've felt like time was slipping through my fingers and for the first time I have found something that negates that feeling. I am not alive if I am not able to coach and guide someone through a lifestyle change...even though I'm still going through one myself.
I feel like a switch has been flipped in my head. Everything makes sense because I not only know, I understand my life's purpose! This is a glorious feeling!
(Originally posted on my Sparkpeople.com blog)
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Exercising when others are home...
I love, LOVE, the idea of working out at home. There's no gym membership, no need to remember to pack a bag when I go to work, no having to drive across town after work to get to a gym. These are all great perks, especially the not having to pay a membership fee. Heck, I became a Beachbody coach not only because I want to help people and because I believe in the product, I became one because they're amazing programs to do AT HOME!!
However, I have a mental block when I comes to exercising when other people are home. In my old townhouse this wasn't an issue because I exercised in the basement. In my 439 sq. ft. apartment...It apparently is. Thoughts of "I'm being too loud." or "This is just embarrassing." pop into my head. And while I push myself through because bettering yourself, internally or externally, is worth it I feel uncomfortable the whole time. I don't push as hard as I could. I don't feel as connected with the workout.
Eventually, I began to dread exercising at home when I knew someone else was going to be there. I'll admit, even today I'll skip a workout and just do a different activity outside or power walk the mall instead.
This just isn't going to work for me anymore though. It's harder to lose the weight when I'm not giving it 100%. So now, I'm searching for a place to have my workouts. Since I work in a hotel now, I'm going to be asking if I can use a conference room that's not in use. It's the only solution I have right now, though I'm still thinking of more.
However, I have a mental block when I comes to exercising when other people are home. In my old townhouse this wasn't an issue because I exercised in the basement. In my 439 sq. ft. apartment...It apparently is. Thoughts of "I'm being too loud." or "This is just embarrassing." pop into my head. And while I push myself through because bettering yourself, internally or externally, is worth it I feel uncomfortable the whole time. I don't push as hard as I could. I don't feel as connected with the workout.
Eventually, I began to dread exercising at home when I knew someone else was going to be there. I'll admit, even today I'll skip a workout and just do a different activity outside or power walk the mall instead.
This just isn't going to work for me anymore though. It's harder to lose the weight when I'm not giving it 100%. So now, I'm searching for a place to have my workouts. Since I work in a hotel now, I'm going to be asking if I can use a conference room that's not in use. It's the only solution I have right now, though I'm still thinking of more.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
TedTalk: Change Anything! Use skillpower over willpower
You can watch this talk here: youtu.be/3TX-Nu5wTS8
I just finished watching this Tedtalk, with notes, and I feel like this is a talk that everyone needs to hear at least once in their lives. Even if you are successful in everything that you put your mind to, you can pass the information in that talk along to help someone who struggles to do what they want to do.
There are two concepts stressed in this talk that resonated with me.
1.) Align yourself and your life with your goals. This is called the Six Sources of Influence in the talk. It's common knowledge that when we are supported and away from temptation we have a higher chance of success. However, in reality, we cannot stay at a retreat for the rest of our days, we must deal with temptation on a daily basis. HOWEVER, aligning your life around achieving your goals means that you'll be less likely to encounter temptations AND you'll have a support group in place in case you find yourself tempted.
2.) Turn bad days into good data. Too many people, myself included, have a bad day and practically give up on their progress. Instead of getting down on ourselves, turning the focus to why we gave in or didn't do what we should've done is key. Discovering the why is what will help us overcome the situation the next time it arrives because when we know the WHY we can find out HOW to overcome it. For example, I have a weakness for French toast and we just got an iHop in my town. When my friends ask me to go, I know that instead of ordering French toast I will only order from their healthier food option section. I will not look at the rest of the menu because it is likely that I will give in. The same can be said for Burger King. For years I would only be able to get Burger King once or twice a year. It was a special treat for me in a way. Then I moved to a town that had a Burger King on the way to the grocery store. My impulse always kicked in when I drove by and I would find myself pulling into the parking lot and ordering food without much thought. Then, since I know it's a weakness, I started driving a different way to the grocery store. Currently, the impulse is practically gone and I can drive the normal way to the store without worry.
Anyways, I just wanted to share this video with you all because it is something I'm going to use myself and have my clients use with Beachbody and when I become a registered dietician!
Monday, February 24, 2014
Vitamin A Quckie
Welcome to the first quickie blog post. These posts aren't meant to be the end all on the topics they'll be talking about. It's more of a collection of quick bursts of information, hence the name. These posts will be me for me than anything else, but I figured, instead of just writing these up and keeping them on my PC, I'd share them with the world. I'm planning on this being an on going series that gets updated every Monday. :D
Why do we want some Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is an essential vitamin that: promotes cell regeneration and division which means healthy skin, gums, teeth, and mucus membranes; assists the immune system by stimulating and production and activity of white blood cells (Harvard School of Public Health/HSPH, n.d.); is crucial for the health formation and maintenance of major organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys (National Institutes of Health/NIH, 2013); aids sight, especially for lower light situations; and may play a key role for breastfeeding.
What is Vitamin A?
There are actually two forms of vitamin A that I am currently aware of, active vitamin A (also called retinol or preformed vitamin A) and precursor/proformed vitamin A like beta-carotene. Precursor vitamin A is created in the body through chemical reactions as the body breaks down one compound. This form of vitamin A is not toxic, even at high intake levels (/HSPH, n.d.). Active vitamin A, however, is a different story and should be capped at 3,000 micrograms, though "...intakes this high may increase the risk of hip fracture or interfere with the beneficial actions of vitamin D" (HSPH, n.d.).
Where do we get active vitamin A?
A leading source is from fortified foods, like breakfast cereals, and supplements. It is recommended that people use a supplement that uses a precursor vitamin A, like beta-carotene, instead of an active version. Another high source is animal based, especially beef liver which can give up to 444% DV in 3oz (NIH, 2013).
Where do I get precursor vitamin A?
FRUITS and VEGGIES! A serving of sweet potatoes pack a whopping 561% DV of vitamin A while a serving of cooked frozen spinach contains 229% (NIH, 2013).
How does my body absorb vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning you need to eat the sources with some fat for your body to do much of anything with it. This is another reason why I add Greek yogurt to my green smoothies, or coconut oil if I'm not using Greek yogurt.
References
Harvard School of Public Health (n.d.). Vitamin A. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-a/.
Medicine Plus (February 18, 2013). Vitamin A. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002400.htm.
National Institutes of Health (June 5, 2013). Vitamin A - Health professional fact sheet.Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/#h3.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Are you ready for a life change?!
My results:
There are five stages of change that people move through when losing bad habits or creating new ones (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance). You’re in the third stage, preparation—getting ready for takeoff. In many ways, this stage is the most important, because you're setting up the course for all the work that lies ahead. This is the time to work out ways around the inevitable bumps, setbacks and plateaus that lie ahead. If it's a struggle for you to eat healthy while you're on the run, get some advice before you wind up in the fast food line. If you don’t know how you'll get to the gym when your kids are home after school, work out a plan before school's out. And don't get discouraged if you've tried to make changes in the past and it didn’t stick. Sometimes it takes a few tries, and you'll learn more about yourself each time.
My thoughts:
I definitely agree with the results, though I feel like I'm floating between prep and taking action. I'm eating better, making my smoothies (SOO good!), focusing on the future and how my health will be. However, I'm also still planning and trying to figure some things out.
What I'm planning:
When to exercise - I hate, HATE, exercising in front of people. I don't care who you are, if I love you or not, or if I even know you, I do not want to exercise in front of you. Haha! This normally wasn't a big deal, however, my boyfriend is now living with me in my tiny 397 sq. ft. apartment. I know I need to just get over this irrational idea because my health is more important...but I'm still feeling stuck.
Contingency Plans - I am making contingency plans for when I go out with friends. For example, if we go to iHop (a chain we just got) I will only get two slices of french toast and a cup of fruit. Those two slices are A LOT of my daily intake of calories but I rarely go so I will be able to "sacrifice" during the rest of the day by having smoothies, veggie based protein, and quinoa pasta w/ tomato sauce. Now, I just need to have plans for when I get near my temptations like Burger King, sweets, fries, and ice cream. :D
Ways to stay motivated - Mindbloom is a HUGE source of my motivation and so are the articles and stories here. Watching people's transformations is also highly motivational and because of that I'm thinking about recording my own transformation with T25. What do you all think?!
What I am doing - Focus T25 (I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it but I LOVE it...and hate it at the same time) and Turbo Jam when I feel bored; focusing on hitting my daily goals here and on MindBloom; making breakfast and bringing lunch (especially since my financial situation isn't the healthy).
There are five stages of change that people move through when losing bad habits or creating new ones (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance). You’re in the third stage, preparation—getting ready for takeoff. In many ways, this stage is the most important, because you're setting up the course for all the work that lies ahead. This is the time to work out ways around the inevitable bumps, setbacks and plateaus that lie ahead. If it's a struggle for you to eat healthy while you're on the run, get some advice before you wind up in the fast food line. If you don’t know how you'll get to the gym when your kids are home after school, work out a plan before school's out. And don't get discouraged if you've tried to make changes in the past and it didn’t stick. Sometimes it takes a few tries, and you'll learn more about yourself each time.
My thoughts:
I definitely agree with the results, though I feel like I'm floating between prep and taking action. I'm eating better, making my smoothies (SOO good!), focusing on the future and how my health will be. However, I'm also still planning and trying to figure some things out.
What I'm planning:
When to exercise - I hate, HATE, exercising in front of people. I don't care who you are, if I love you or not, or if I even know you, I do not want to exercise in front of you. Haha! This normally wasn't a big deal, however, my boyfriend is now living with me in my tiny 397 sq. ft. apartment. I know I need to just get over this irrational idea because my health is more important...but I'm still feeling stuck.
Contingency Plans - I am making contingency plans for when I go out with friends. For example, if we go to iHop (a chain we just got) I will only get two slices of french toast and a cup of fruit. Those two slices are A LOT of my daily intake of calories but I rarely go so I will be able to "sacrifice" during the rest of the day by having smoothies, veggie based protein, and quinoa pasta w/ tomato sauce. Now, I just need to have plans for when I get near my temptations like Burger King, sweets, fries, and ice cream. :D
Ways to stay motivated - Mindbloom is a HUGE source of my motivation and so are the articles and stories here. Watching people's transformations is also highly motivational and because of that I'm thinking about recording my own transformation with T25. What do you all think?!
What I am doing - Focus T25 (I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it but I LOVE it...and hate it at the same time) and Turbo Jam when I feel bored; focusing on hitting my daily goals here and on MindBloom; making breakfast and bringing lunch (especially since my financial situation isn't the healthy).
The Plan for A Healthy Spark
Hi guys!
Firstly, thanks for coming along for the ride that is A Healthy Spark (AHS). The purpose of this entry is to layout a weekly timeline of events for the blog and my social media presence as a whole.
The Blog
Daily Mon - Fri = fitness progress in the form a video blog that will be uploaded to YouTube starting this Monday!!
Monday = Quickies - posts dealing with a random health/nutrition topic that I have researched. Feel free to suggest topics for me to research and offer your own experiences to the discussion.
Wednesday = Personal Development Topic - posts dealing what I've learned or have been focusing on that week with personal development. I'll likely go into the books I'm reading and the actions I'm taking to better myself and my business.
Saturday = Staturday for Focus T25 and I will be placing my stat updates for the world to see that day and also having a video blog about what I found easy/difficult that week.
Social Media
**I'm still getting everything up and running so I apologize for the lack of content currently. That will be changing shortly though, right?! :D
Instagram: coachmarquita (www.instagram.com/coachmarquita)
Facebook: Marquita Rufus (www.facebook.com/marquita.rufus)
YouTube: CoachMarquita (www.youtube.com/channel/UCZfGZp6AqNL5eON7JBxcvVA)
I look forward to conversing with you all!
Firstly, thanks for coming along for the ride that is A Healthy Spark (AHS). The purpose of this entry is to layout a weekly timeline of events for the blog and my social media presence as a whole.
The Blog
Daily Mon - Fri = fitness progress in the form a video blog that will be uploaded to YouTube starting this Monday!!
Monday = Quickies - posts dealing with a random health/nutrition topic that I have researched. Feel free to suggest topics for me to research and offer your own experiences to the discussion.
Wednesday = Personal Development Topic - posts dealing what I've learned or have been focusing on that week with personal development. I'll likely go into the books I'm reading and the actions I'm taking to better myself and my business.
Saturday = Staturday for Focus T25 and I will be placing my stat updates for the world to see that day and also having a video blog about what I found easy/difficult that week.
Social Media
**I'm still getting everything up and running so I apologize for the lack of content currently. That will be changing shortly though, right?! :D
Instagram: coachmarquita (www.instagram.com/coachmarquita)
Facebook: Marquita Rufus (www.facebook.com/marquita.rufus)
YouTube: CoachMarquita (www.youtube.com/channel/UCZfGZp6AqNL5eON7JBxcvVA)
I look forward to conversing with you all!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
No Excuses! The Power of Self Discipline by Brian Tracey
I started listening to this book today on YouTube and I must say, it is amazing so far. I'm only in the prologue but he has made two points that really resonate with me, so I wanted to share them.
1. We all know what we need to do to achieve our goals but often we stop before start by saying "Someday I'll..."
I know I had, and honestly still have, this habit when it comes to certain areas of my life. I know the root of this habit: I felt that I don't deserve success. This thought stems from almost a lifetime of depression stemming from a singular event. However, I've consciously decided that my past will no longer dictate my future. Now I am relearning how to talk to myself and how to be a positive influence in my life, much like I'm a positive influence to others in theirs. We can all overcome our past trials to create a better future for ourselves, it just takes time.
2. Self discipline, in my opinion, is key for success in every goal that involves personal investment. Another, and equally important key, is perseverance. The beginning of the journey towards accomplishment is the easy part, in a way. It's keeping the momentum that makes the journey difficult.
3. "Self discipline is the ability to do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."
I'm going to be saying this on a daily bases. It inspires me to keep focused.
Has anyone else read this too? What are your thoughts?
1. We all know what we need to do to achieve our goals but often we stop before start by saying "Someday I'll..."
I know I had, and honestly still have, this habit when it comes to certain areas of my life. I know the root of this habit: I felt that I don't deserve success. This thought stems from almost a lifetime of depression stemming from a singular event. However, I've consciously decided that my past will no longer dictate my future. Now I am relearning how to talk to myself and how to be a positive influence in my life, much like I'm a positive influence to others in theirs. We can all overcome our past trials to create a better future for ourselves, it just takes time.
2. Self discipline, in my opinion, is key for success in every goal that involves personal investment. Another, and equally important key, is perseverance. The beginning of the journey towards accomplishment is the easy part, in a way. It's keeping the momentum that makes the journey difficult.
3. "Self discipline is the ability to do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."
I'm going to be saying this on a daily bases. It inspires me to keep focused.
Has anyone else read this too? What are your thoughts?
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Having Motivation in the Morning
I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels super motivated in the evening and resolve to do soo many things the next day (i.e. clean the house, exercise, pack lunch, etc) only to wake up the next day and find that the spark is gone. Sometimes, there's no recollection of WHY there was motivation to accomplish all of the tasks.
Well, my aim this week is to move beyond that and I've gotten a few ideas from an article: addicted2success.com/mot
ivation/15-ways-to-wake-up
-with-motivation/ .
My key take-aways are:
1. Have my goals predominately place everywhere I'm going to be. Luckily, there's only two for 2014: get out of debt and be a successful Beachbody Coach (the latter is a hefty goal with many smaller steps required though). So, I'm going to be placing these goals EVERYWHERE! On my phone, in my bathroom, on my fridge, in my car, and even at work. There won't be a day that I don't remember my goals because they'll be staring me in the face all day, everyday!
2. Focus on TODAY! I've only had a "I wish I had..." mentality growing up and switching that to a "Today I'm going to..." mindset isn't going to be easy but take-away number one will make it easier. I've found that out before when I did the same thing during a period when I was attempting to get promoted at work. Having my work goal on my clip board for me to see daily kept me going strong in and out of work. I didn't have any "I wish I had..." thoughts because I had already done what I needed to do.
3. Read voraciously! Now, the author isn't talking about reading fiction for the heck of it. He's talking about books that inspire and/or are focused on personal development. This is a stance that Beachbody takes and is one of the three behaviors they stress to their coaches. Everyday is a chance to better myself and that's what I'm going to do. I'll be revisiting Failing Forward this week.
4. Practice discipline. There's two lines, that I combine into one in this quote, that really struck me from this article: "It's in discipline that we gain freedom...to get more done, to improve, and to remove regret from our lives." (Chad Howse, 08/03/2013)
Again, take-away number one is going to help with this because it will keep me on track and increase my discipline through practice. It will also raise my consistency, a key factor in successfully completing any life change.
So, there you have it. My four take-aways from the article linked above. Life changes take time but they are doable. There are success stories all over Spark People and the Internet. We can ALL change our habits for the better, it just takes drive and support.
Well, my aim this week is to move beyond that and I've gotten a few ideas from an article: addicted2success.com/mot
ivation/15-ways-to-wake-up
-with-motivation/ .
My key take-aways are:
1. Have my goals predominately place everywhere I'm going to be. Luckily, there's only two for 2014: get out of debt and be a successful Beachbody Coach (the latter is a hefty goal with many smaller steps required though). So, I'm going to be placing these goals EVERYWHERE! On my phone, in my bathroom, on my fridge, in my car, and even at work. There won't be a day that I don't remember my goals because they'll be staring me in the face all day, everyday!
2. Focus on TODAY! I've only had a "I wish I had..." mentality growing up and switching that to a "Today I'm going to..." mindset isn't going to be easy but take-away number one will make it easier. I've found that out before when I did the same thing during a period when I was attempting to get promoted at work. Having my work goal on my clip board for me to see daily kept me going strong in and out of work. I didn't have any "I wish I had..." thoughts because I had already done what I needed to do.
3. Read voraciously! Now, the author isn't talking about reading fiction for the heck of it. He's talking about books that inspire and/or are focused on personal development. This is a stance that Beachbody takes and is one of the three behaviors they stress to their coaches. Everyday is a chance to better myself and that's what I'm going to do. I'll be revisiting Failing Forward this week.
4. Practice discipline. There's two lines, that I combine into one in this quote, that really struck me from this article: "It's in discipline that we gain freedom...to get more done, to improve, and to remove regret from our lives." (Chad Howse, 08/03/2013)
Again, take-away number one is going to help with this because it will keep me on track and increase my discipline through practice. It will also raise my consistency, a key factor in successfully completing any life change.
So, there you have it. My four take-aways from the article linked above. Life changes take time but they are doable. There are success stories all over Spark People and the Internet. We can ALL change our habits for the better, it just takes drive and support.
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