Jodie's Weekly Check In

I don't mean to make a habit of checking in on Wednesdays... I WILL be better next week and do it Monday!

April 4
Weight: 122.6 lbs (+ 0.8)
Body Fat: 23.4%
Measurements: Waist 25.5"; Hips 37"; Thigh 20.75" (+ 1")

Unfortunately I have gained some weight, but this is entirely deserved as I haven't been putting in my best effort recently. Now that the main bulk of thesis-writing is done I'm committing to eating better and finishing Ripped in 30. I joined Jillian Michael's DietBet for an extra dose of motivation.

I would still like to reach my goal weight (115 lbs) by graduation, but 118 lbs might be more realistic. I am going to try really hard to keep checking in here, log my meals every day and get regular exercise.


It's so hard to get back into it after a lot of slipping up, but I am determined! I will finish my thesis and I will lose the remaining weight. I am trying to visualize myself in my graduation dress feeling good about everything.

Jodie's Weekly Check In - late again!

Somehow Wednesday is turning into my check-in day... I WILL post next Monday!

March 26
Weight: 121.8 lbs (-1.6 lbs)
Body Fat: TBC
Measurements: Waist 25"; Hips 36.5"; Thigh 20.75" (no change)

I didn't exactly get back on the wagon this past week. In fact, it was one of the least healthy weeks I've had in awhile as I had some cake at Lusa, a few meals out and I didn't find the time to exercise. It's not showing up in my weight or measurements, but my skin has been terrible, so that is definitely a motivation for me to return to my green smoothies. On the plus side, I am much further along with my work. I hope I can find some balance this week.

I never did get back to Ripped in 30 so this week I'm going to start Week 3, and hopefully get to a Zumba class. It's always hard to return to healthy habits after indulges like cake and extra sleep but I know that after just a few days it feels natural to eat salad and work out. I try to tempt myself with healthy food I really like, such as banana pancakes. Next week I am going to hit it hard and get back on track, extra exercise and excellent nutrition. (It will help to have payday, too - I am living off soup!) We've got just over 6 weeks until graduation and I would really like to reach my goal weight by then.

Jodie's Weekly Check-In - late!

I'm long overdue an update on this so here goes...

March 19
Weight: 123.4 lbs (+1.4 lbs)
Body Fat: TBC
Measurements: Waist 25"; Hips 36.5"; Thigh 20.75" (+0.25")

I always let myself go a bit during breaks so this isn't a big surprise! Since my measurements haven't changed that much, it's likely that some of the weight gain is just bloat. I definitely feel like jelly, not firm at all.

I would say that I did good and bad things over spring break. I made an effort to have healthy meals and snacks at home, so overall my diet was good. I didn't consistently track my intake, which led to me giving into temptation a few times when I was out. But it's nice to enjoy a meal out from time to time... now I just need to stick with home-cooked meals for a few weeks!

I did exercise, but I split Week 2 of Ripped in 30 across two weeks instead of trying to keep doing it on my regular schedule. For the remainder of this week, I want to do Week 3, with one day next week and running into Week 4, so I should be done with the program 3/29. I'll be setting a new program to go up until graduation.

I would still love to achieve my goal weight by graduation, but it is going to be a real challenge! I'll need to be really consistent with my diet and make an effort to get in extra cardio at the fitness center. Hopefully by my check in next Monday I will have a better idea of where I'm at weight wise and feel like I'm back to my regular routine.

Weekly Challenge: With Meditation There's No Limit to What We Can... Imagine

Hey guys! This week's challenge is to meditate, ideally for 10 minutes or more twice a day.

I never do meditation, but it's been recommended to me enough times that I felt like I had to start. Hopefully this will help with a range of things like stress relief, concentration and focus. Please read the following links for information on how to begin:

How to Meditate Daily
How to Meditate: 10 Important Tips
20 Practical Tips For Quieting the Mind

Remember to say how it goes in your next weekly check in!

Jodie's Weekly Check-In

Hello from South Carolina! I don't have scales here and I forgot to pack my measuring tape so this weekly check-in lacks actual numbers.

I have to admit that I've been pretty indulgent over the last week. I've been eating candy during the long car rides, I had two meals out (including Cook Out!) and I ate lots of cookies over the weekend as well as homemade burgers. It hasn't been ALL bad as I've stuck to healthy breakfasts (smoothies, pancakes), resisted bad airport food in favor of a salad and I made some good recipes for Chip and I, such as carrot, cumin & cilantro soup and chickpeas, cauliflower & coconut curry. We went grocery shopping last night so I have nice meals planned for the week. I will probably veer off course a little when I go to Charlotte this week and next week when I'm traveling back to Oxford (so early!) but I'm trying not to go way overboard. Too many metaphors.

I didn't get as much exercise as usual due to the travel. I did Ripped in 30 Week 2 on Monday, Thursday and Friday. I actually did pack my mat and weights for the weekend away in the mountains buuut that didn't happen! Part of that is because RI30 Week 2 is my least favor. So much planking, why are you doing this to me?! So this week I'll be doing 2 more sessions of Week 2 before I move on to Week 3. My exercise days this week will hopefully be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

I found the weekly challenge more difficult than expected! I didn't have much time to beautify so I focused on giving myself a compliment each day (and asking Chip!) and packing my favorite outfits. I took some time yesterday to have a long shower, shave my legs, moisturize, and wash and blow dry my hair. That was a relaxing experience in itself as mountain water is the best! I also tidied the house and washed the sheets to make the bed feel nice. Chip says it makes no difference to him but I always feel better if everything is clean and tidy. Today I'm going to paint my toenails and I'll do my fingernails later in the week before I go to Charlotte. I'm definitely due for a haircut as soon as I get back to Oxford.

I'm sure that if I weighed myself right now I wouldn't like what I see as I've not been putting in my best effort. But when it comes to looking in the mirror or putting clothes on, I am liking what I see. I feel a lot more toned than I was when I started 6 weeks ago. Even without going to the gym I can tell that doing HIIT and paying attention to my nutrition is working. My goal for the next couple of weeks is basically to stay on the wagon, but once I get back to Oxford it will be to increase cardio and lose fat. I want to reach my goal weight/measurements by graduation.

Amendment to Weekly Check In

I weighed myself again this morning out of curiosity and my weight came up as 121.2 lbs, which would mean I was up 0.4lbs rather than 1.2lbs. I changed my numbers on the Progress Tracker page because I think that is more accurate!

I skipped my workout today because I felt so cold and awful, will probably have to skip tomorrow's too with travel buuut the day after I will get back on track!

Jodie's Weekly Check In

March 3
Weight: 122 lbs
Body Fat: 23.1%
Measurements: Waist 25; Hips 36.5; Thigh 20.5.

I feared this week's weekly check in! As you can see, I am 1.2 lbs up in weight, although my measurements remain the same. My small weight gain can be attributed to a few things: I'm retaining water (and I look physically bloated) due to my time of the month, I didn't stay as hydrated as normal over the weekend, and I had a few too many treats over the week.

My calories this week were higher than normal. Looking back, I realize that I made a few mistakes with my food choices. I decided to batch cook a number of meals, and to make flapjacks. Good... but what ended up happening was that I got bored with my meals and ended up reaching for the tasty tasty flapjacks rather than being completely disciplined. I could tell that I was eating too much sugar as I felt groggy when I woke up and my mouth felt sore.

We went for Rice & Spice on Thursday and I felt okay about having a curry and not eating all of my rice. That was a great treat that would have balanced out, calorie-wise, if I hadn't gone to a conference on Saturday and taken advantage of the free food! I'm not good with a limitless amount of food in front of me, especially when I'm nervous and want something to do with my hands. I ended up eating a lot of the mini baked goods, which unsettled my stomach the next day due to the sugar and dairy. So, in future I still need to work on how I handle events. I'm finding myself a bit hungrier than I was before; after a splurge it always takes some effort to re-train myself to crave the healthy things.

I completed Week 1 of Ripped in 30, doing 5 days a week. I also went to 3 Zumba classes at the gym, and on one day I did a small amount of Blogilates. I'm finding it really great to do HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training, what Jillian Michaels does) in the morning and extra cardio in the evening when my energy has recovered. I didn't think I would like Zumba but it's starting to get into my blood and I would love to do it every day! Unfortunately, since I will not have access to a gym after May, I'm trying to give some thought to how I will keep up the cardio at a later stage. I guess I will be able to go running. I'm not sure I want to do too many at-home DVDs, I'd rather be outside or at a class. I'll have to give this more thought.

As for the weekly challenge, I have to admit that I created the reflection chart with Eleana and Rachael in mind. I wasn't sure how much I would get out of it as I felt like I already knew where I tended to go wrong. But I actually found it extremely beneficial! Keeping a chart made me aware of the fact that I needed to make the effort to get to bed, and that my meal plan couldn't be nutritionally sound as I was suffering from a lot of headaches. I'm not sure I could be bothered to keep one every week but I would definitely recreate it for times that I'm struggling, to make sure that I am being positive and focused.

Although I had good days and bad and remained very active, I feel like this was my toughest week so far. I've lost the weight I gained from Christmas and now I feel back to normal, so there isn't as much of a push for me as there was starting out. My body is noticeably different with more definition in my stomach, and slightly slimmer legs. I love working out and I rarely feel the desire to skip it, but it's been harder for me to tell myself no when it comes to food. I definitely need to refocus on maintaining a healthy diet and meeting my next goal. I'm not far away from my goal weight, but my next mini-goal is to get to 118 lbs, which as of today would be 4 lbs down.

It's going to be tough keeping on top of things over the next couple of weeks as I'll be away in South Carolina. I won't be able to weigh myself next week but I will still do a weekly check in with measurements. I am going to make sure that I keep tracking my meals, get daily exercise, and prepare most of my meals at home. I'm hopefully going to go and work at the local library rather than staying at home all day, which will help with not reaching for snacks constantly. I am a little anxious about staying on track as this tends to be where I veer widely off (from lack of routine) but this is the time to really put some effort in!

Hope you have both had a good week and are looking forward to the next. :)

Weekly Challenge: What Makes You Beautiful

As we're about to begin the week before Spring Break, I thought I would set a fun challenge to make us feel good, and help with chilling out during study breaks.

This week's challenge is to do things that make you feel beautiful.

Obviously, what you do is up to you! I'm going to provide some suggestions (please add more in the comments!) but the challenge is to do something EVERY DAY this week that makes you feel good about yourself. I know that money is a factor for us poor grad students so I'm including a range of things that are inexpensive and free. You can repeat the same challenge such as choosing pretty outfits rather than trying to do lots of things if that's easier.

$$$
- Get a beauty treatment - a hair cut, manicure/pedicure, facial, wax, tan
- Go shopping for a new outfit or item
- Have a healthy meal out

$$
-  Give yourself a beauty treatment at home, i.e. nails, face mask, cucumber on eyes (this really does work)
- Do a detox such as Amber Shea Crawley's 3 Day Vegan Cleanse. Your diet would consist of mostly raw fruit and vegetables, legumes and healthy fats, but enough to meet your calorie requirements. (By cleanse I definitely do not mean a fast - always eat food!)
- Buy some healthy grocery items that are great for skin such as berries, salmon, walnuts and greens
- Buy yourself a new tea, i.e. green tea
- Get some photos that you really like developed/framed

$
- Go to a relaxing exercise class such as yoga - or a cardio class if that's better!
- Have an early night and/or lie in with freshly washed sheets and PJs, maybe light a lavender-scented candle
- Make yourself "detox water" with lemon, orange, mint & cucumber
- Take some time to try out a different hair style or make up look
- Plan to wear your very favorite outfits
- Make a list of all the things you love most about yourself (inside and out). Ask someone you're close to what they would put on the list
- Listen to Lionel Richie and trust that he is singing about you

What makes you feel beautiful?

How to be organized

I'm back from work early and still don't want to work on my thesis, so as I eat lunch I'm going to write up a few tips for how to be more organized in your approach to health.

It can all be summarized with one word: Routine.

Grocery Shopping

• Spend quality time on your grocery list. Rather than a quick scribble before you head to the store, take some time to think about what you would really enjoy eating this week. I like to jot down ideas and/or pin recipes throughout the week, as well as looking through a few favorite recipe books.
• Work out the calories for new recipes to make sure, if you are doing something more indulgent, that you balance it with lighter meals. You'd be surprised by how many meals are labelled as healthy which are still 600-700 calories.
• If you won't have time to cook everything at once, check that your list has options for food that can be frozen. Be sure to have tupperware/freezer bags available.
• Check your cupboards and fridge for existing ingredients before going to buy more. Think about your budget considerations.
• Yay, it's time to go shopping! Who wants to go to the Farmers Market?? Just keep me away from that peanut brittle... At the store, stick to the list. If there is something on sale that you are sure you will use eventually (such as canned goods), go ahead, but do try to stay away from impulse buying. I also like to make a mental note of what's cheaper at various stores.
• I'm not sure how it will fit with your lives, but I strongly recommend going to the store on the same day each week. This will mean that you don't put it off, run out of food (necessitating a run to Chick-fil-A) and end up going in a rush.
• Also don't go to the store hungry. No no no. This only ends in donuts.

Batch Cooking/Planning

• Batch cooking is everything. Make loads of portions, stick it in the freezer, and you have instant meals FOREVER. Sort of.
• But don't just batch cook ONCE, do it for everything! Batch cook/prepare as many meals as you can once you get home from the grocery store. I went shopping on Sunday, and afterwards I made both dinners for the week, my lunch for the week, and morning/afternoon snacks for the week. All I have to do is get them out of the large tupperwares into a smaller one to take with me for the day!
• Some things, like salads and smoothies, can't really be made up all at once, so I try not to have too many of those kinds of meals in one week.
• Plan out which days you're going to have what. If you have extra at the end, you can still freeze it and go to the grocery store on your regular day as planned.
• Track your meals ahead of time so that you can also plan for calories.

The Night Before

• I like mornings more than most people. After all, I manage to get up, work out and have breakfast before many people are even awake. But that doesn't mean I feel organized enough to do EVERYTHING at that time. So I don't. I always pack my lunch the night before. If I'm going to have a sandwich, I make it the night before and put it in the fridge. I put things into smaller tupperware and check that there is clean silverware. I put fruit and snacks on the counter or on top of my lunch in the fridge. All I have to do is make my smoothie in the morning plus grab water/a hot drink.
• The night before doesn't mean the second before I get into bed. I tend to get to it straight after dinner, while I'm still active enough to be washing dishes and putting things away. If I leave it past 9pm I will likely just think it's something I can handle the next day. Ha ha ha, no.
• Pack your book bag and gym stuff too. You will feel your mother smiling all the way from England.

Snackies

• I don't like to keep a ton of snacks around, because, well, I just eat them all. But if you like to have an assortment rather than just one option, think of keeping fresh fruit, cut up and bagged, in the fridge, or maybe some fresh veggies and hummus.
• You can make your own trail mix (or buy one - but look at the ingredients!) of various nuts, seeds, dried fruit and chocolate, and make it into individual portions to grab and go. I just made flapjacks, which I wrapped up individually, and put some into the freezer out of temptation's reach.
• Did I mention keeping a food journal? Also eating on a schedule will help, especially trying to have your last meal around 7pm for maximum digestion during sleep.

Exercise

• My advice here is much the same as with food. Pick your exercise days ahead of time, rather than relying on when the mood strikes you (it most likely won't). Also get into a routine of working out at the same time each day. It feels normal to me now to get up and work out - so much so that I feel confused at the weekend - which was just from doing it over and over again. If you want to work out when you get home from work, commit to a time you will start by every day.
• But I do recommend morning workouts! I know everyone thinks I'm Satan for the very suggestion, but it really does give you such a boost for the day, plus it's over and done with quickly, and it's extra motivation to eat healthy stuff as you've already started the day so well. Think about trying it one weekend day, then build up to trying one weekday. You never know unless you try, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
• Regardless of when you work out, keep your clothes clean and put them, plus DVDs/weights in view for when you're going to exercise. Put them out before you go to work, or before you go to bed, depending on when you need them for.
• Keep a workout chart to tick off, for Ripped in 30 or shorter ones like Blogilates - something that both keeps you accountable AND brings you joy when you complete it.
• Choose exercise that you truly enjoy. I think that's the real key. Some people love lifting weights and running on a treadmill for half an hour. It's not my thing, so I stick to home DVDs, jogging outside, and fitness classes with friends. That's what I love so I know I can keep doing it. I look forward to it! Try out lots of things, from DVDs to classes, to swimming, to a gym session, to even just walking around a park. There are lots of ways to stay active, you just have to find what's right for you.

Meals this week

In case anyone wants some inspiration, I'm going to post my meals for the upcoming week. I'm transitioning into a vegetarian diet for a meat-free March, which I may keep up if I enjoy it. I've been interested in vegetarianism/veganism for a long time, both because of my interest in health and my fiance's interest in environmental sustainability. I'm starting to feel more and more that whilst I do enjoy meat, I don't need to have it all the time. Food/environmental gurus Michael Pollan and Graham Hill suggest that reducing our intake of meat, even just a few days a week, would have dramatic results for the food and agriculture industries. So I'm seeing what I can do.

But I can't even begin to give up eggs. The goat milk stays too. So consider me an ovo-semi-lacto vegetarian for March, and maybe just a flexetarian after.

Anyway, this week's meals are:

Breakfast/Pre-workout: Smoothie (1/2 cup frozen cherries, 1/2 frozen banana, 1-2 handfuls spinach, scoop vegan protein powder, 1 cup coconut milk, mint leaves)
Morning snack/Post-workout: Homemade banana flapjack w/ strawberries or Almond butter on Ezekiel bread
Lunch: Root vegetable lunch pot (Organic cous cous, carrots, sweet potato, swede, onion & chopped tomatoes seasoned with cinnamon & curry powder)
Afternoon snack: Chickpeas & cucumber tossed with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil & mint leaves
Dinner: Finishing off my Turkey hummus meatloaves w/ paprika sweet potato fries; Wholemeal spaghetti w/ olives, feta cheese, red onion & sundried tomatoes (mmm, fat); Broccoli, leek & potato soup

Since I didn't eat too well over the weekend and today I went over my calories due to an extreeeme sugar craving (the peanut brittle in my car is well and truly GONE), I'm going to weigh myself Friday and decide then if I deserve a treat. If so, I'll probably visit Shipley's at some point over the weekend! Yay, forbidden donuts! I know I will be feeling crazy ill after so I will be sure to pair it with lots of water, perhaps a green tea and walking.

Jodie's Weekly Check-In

Hey guys, sorry to dominate all the posts recently... I'm doing my weekly check-in a day early so that it doesn't cut in to my work time tomorrow.

February 23
Weight: 120.8 lbs
Body Fat: 22.8%
Measurements: Waist 25"; Hips 36.5"; Thigh 20.5"

I'm down 1.8 lbs since last week, and 1" in measurements. I can't say that I know exactly why this is the week I lost the most, as I haven't done any extra exercise. My calories were around 1,300 each day, with one lighter day and one heavier day (yay treat day!). I will say that my diet and exercise routine has started to feel consistent again after the break, and I have been making a conscious effort to get to bed earlier and do things to relieve stress.

Regarding the weekly challenge, I usually got to around 2.5 litres each day.

Tomorrow I'm starting Ripped in 30, and hoping to get in a couple of jogs with the nicer weather. I'm trying a new smoothie and snack recipe this week, as well as recycling some old favorites (banana flapjacks!).

I believe in the rewards system, so if I do well again this week I'm going to treat myself to a pedicure before Spring Break. :) Make sure you're good so you can come with me!!

Ripped in 30

Are y'all excited to get started with Ripped in 30? I enjoy beginning the day with Jillian yelling at me, but maybe that's just me...

Since there are 4 levels, I try to complete each one in a week. Each level is meant to be repeated 5-6 times a week; I usually work out every day M-F, and use the weekend as insurance if I have to miss a day or if I am feeling in the mood for more. If I have to miss any and can't fix it at the weekend, I make that up at the end of the month. But I do try to complete the whole thing!

To start out, I would suggest that you commit to 5 days of exercise. You could use my weekday on/weekend off approach, or rest on the days that you know are the busiest days of the week for you. Whatever you do, decide on this before you start. Write it down. (Or comment on here with your plan!) If you wake up day after day saying, "I'm too busy/tired today, I'll get to it tomorrow", the chances are you will never start. Make a commitment and stick to it like you would any other appointment. It's only 30 minutes a day.

Once you've picked your exercise days, it's time to decide how you will record your progress. I've found an example online of the kind of chart you can fill in as you go, which I've pasted below. I used to make my own one at the beginning of each month, with a "before" picture and my weight/measurements, but now I just tick my regular calendar.

Jillian Michaels says it over and over, but you can out-eat any amount of exercise. If you want to see results, you will need to stick to a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. The workouts are so challenging that you will NOT want them to go to waste!

Happy planking, squatting, jumping and crunching!

Losing fat, gaining muscle

So having collapsed on the sofa a few hours ago and having an unintentional nap, I'm now too awake to go to bed. I thought I would write a post instead!

In our post-Zumba chat (i.e. me putting off more library time), Eleana and I talked more about weight loss, by which I'm referring to the number on the scale. I think the first thing I'd like to say is that weight is really nowhere near as important as you think it is. We live in an age where we're inundated with advertisements for unhealthy diets - "Lose 10 lbs in a week!" - which encourages us to believe that weight is the be all and end all when it comes to health and fitness. Really, the diet industry has a lot to gain (no pun intended) from teaching us to pay attention to weight only, because there are lots of ways you can achieve short term weight loss, even if it's just water. But when it comes to sustainably losing fat and gaining muscle, it's much more than sticking to a certain number of calories and seeing the number go down.

It's important to track your progress, and weight is one way to do this of course. But it should be done in conjunction with body measurements, body fat percentage, and how you look and feel to yourself. If you weigh yourself one week and your weight has gone up, think about whether or not you had a healthy week. If you ate well, got some exercise and stayed hydrated, the chances are that you're retaining water due to sodium, menstruation, or any number of things. It's nothing to worry about if you fluctuate a bit. If you find that you are the same weight or higher at the end of a month, and it's consistently not going down, it's time to re-examine your diet. It's always a good idea to increase your activity levels, but diet is the most important aspect. You should aim for the vast majority of your foods to be non-processed, whole foods: fruit and vegetables, lean meat and fish, legumes, nuts and seeds, unrefined grains and fats.

I've already given you some info on how to interpret your body fat percentage. This website gives you information about how to figure out your lean body mass, set realistic goals, and track your fat loss/muscle gain. It's important to note that your lean body mass will go up as you gain muscle. (Although, since none of us are doing muscle-gaining programs, don't expect to see dramatic changes in the number. I worked mine out and I've gained roughly 1.5lbs of muscle in a month, which is only the result of not being very muscular to start out with. That amount will likely drop to more like 0.5lbs of muscle a month unless I actively try to gain it. More detail on that below.)

In order to achieve a slim, toned physique, we need to do two things: lose fat and gain muscle. If you have excess fat (i.e. above 20%), it is advisable to concentrate on losing that first, otherwise you won't see much difference. There is a lot of advice out there for how to lose fat, but to keep it basic: eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly (cardio + strength), stay hydrated, get enough sleep, keep stress levels down. Even if your main goal is to lose fat, you can and should still gain some muscle as you go, provided you are eating enough overall (and enough protein in particular) and doing challenging enough workouts, ideally with weights that are not super light. You will be much happier with your body if you tone it as you lose weight.

Once you have lost enough fat, you can concentrate on building muscle, which is a different process involving increased calorie intake and shorter and heavier workouts. I'm hoping to get to that stage later this year! I can write more about it then.

Okay, enough from me. Y'all post about your challenges and successes! I'll post the next weekly challenge on Sunday and check in Monday or Tuesday.

Jodie's Weekly Check-in

February 18
Weight: 122.6 lbs
Body Fat: 23.4% (approx - my machine is temperamental)
Measurements: Waist 25.5"; Hips 37"; Thighs 20.5"

I'm down 0.2 lbs and 0.75" overall since last week. The end of last week wasn't my best effort as I was first of all feeling too sick to exercise, then it was Valentine's Day/weekend and I indulged in Abe's BBQ, vegan pizza, chocolate-dipped strawberries and some alcohol. I don't really regret anything though! Having a few treats is satisfying, but it also makes me realize that I don't feel good after all that sugar and salt, AND it makes it harder to crave healthy food at the next meal, so I'm reminded of why I don't eat like that usually.

Feeling good about this week though. :)

Weekly Challenge: Drinking Enough Water

We've agreed to start doing weekly challenges in order to break down the struggle and stress of trying to form new habits and break old ones. For the moment I'll be setting the challenges, but Eleana and/or Rachael may take over later on.

This week's challenge is staying hydrated!

Admittedly this is not something I struggle with anymore. I am a camel. But it means I can offer some insight and tips. Staying hydrated is so important - water helps your body function properly, replaces fluids when you exercise, keeps you energized and controls your appetite. It also has a massive impact on the appearance of your skin. Pick your level, consider an action plan and find somewhere to write down how you're doing every day - then include your results in next week's check in!

Levels
Beginner: 1.5 litres or 50 oz per day.
Intermediate: 2 litres or 70 oz per day (roughly the daily recommendation by most sources).
Advanced: 3 litres or 100 oz per day. (This is a case of listening to your body - no need to shoot for this if it doesn't feel comfortable. I drink this much to help with strenuous exercise and the warmer climate.)

Tips:

• Stay close to a bathroom. You will need to pee a lot at first. I promise your body starts adjusting after a little while and then it won't be so bad. Don't hold it though - bad for the ladyparts.
• Give yourself deadlines. I try to drink a litre before noon every day (easier because I exercise in the AM and need cooling down after Jillian has tortured me).
• Keep a large bottle filled up and work through it. (Like an Ole Miss Nalgene bottle from the union - Hotty Toddy!) I also like to keep a cup in front of me that I keep refilling, it's less effort than something with a cap.
• Drink at specific times, or make drinking part of your daily routine - drink a glass when you wake up, before each meal, etc. (I'd caution against drinking too much before bedtime.)
• I've heard people get disparaging about water recommendations, saying that we can't possibly need so much because we take in fluids with coffee, food, etc. It IS important to listen to your body about what you need, but most people don't hydrate enough so I find this comment a little silly. I am a purist and I don't count tea, coffee, soup etc towards my daily amount. Especially as coffee/soda is dehydrating!
• Make the water interesting. Not with chemical flavoring! Make it a "detox water" using Cassey Ho's recipe - slice of lemon, slice of orange, slices of cucumber, mint - or some other variations. Maybe put some berries in it. 
• You could also vary it by having hot water with a slice of lemon or fresh ginger or both. And green tea is awesome! (Sometimes I count it...) Cold water is valuable as your body has to work hard to heat it up, burning more calories. But I like a hot drink sometimes so these are good options.
• I use my Nalgene bottle to make sure I'm getting enough each day (I fill it up then pour it into a glass, for instance), but you could also track it on MyFitnessPal or keep a tally chart throughout the day.
• If you prefer to drink from a fountain rather than carrying water around, work out how many sips equates to 8oz. Measure it out in a glass at home and take regular sips, counting how many it takes you to finish.

Best of luck and remember to comment on it next week!

Creating a Meal Plan

I've been using Livestrong's MyPlate meal tracker for about 2 years, and I've found it to be one of the best tools for weight loss. I know that Eleana is finding MyFitnessPal to be great motivation for resisting the impulse to have an unhealthy snack, and I would suggest taking it a step further: plan out your meals and snacks before the day has begun. This could mean sitting down first thing in the morning to plan out what you're going to eat that day, doing it the night before as you pack your lunch/snacks for the day, or doing it once a week before going food shopping. I'm a fan of the latter because it sets me up for the week, ensures a healthy grocery list and helps me to make sure I won't waste food. I tend to tweak it throughout the week depending on my schedule.

People have different views about how many times a day we should eat. The most common ideas are three big meals versus five smaller meals. I was brought up to have three meals a day, no more and no less. But I would be ravenous when I got home from school and snack a lot before dinner, and even after (dessert is still part of dinner, right?). When I was 18 and got a full-time office job, I needed a snack in the morning and again in the afternoon to keep my energy levels up. As a student, I would eat three meals, skip the morning snack and have something chocolatey in the afternoon. I was sort of on the right track. Now, I aim for 3 meals and a substantial afternoon snack, but since I exercise 5x a week I tend to split my breakfast calories into two meals, allowing me to eat before and after my workout. So I guess I am somewhere in between 3 and 5 meals! Anyway, I think it's important to figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle.

Experts recommend eating breakfast within an hour of waking up. Eating breakfast is so so important! Those who eat breakfast every day are five times less likely to be obese. We tend to think of dinner as being the biggest meal, but you're much better off having more calories early in the day. It's recommended that you eat every 2-3 hours. I have low blood pressure, so I have to take this seriously or else I risk dizziness and fainting, but I think it's a good idea regardless; it helps regulate your appetite so that you're not starving by the time you reach the next meal. It's also important not to eat dinner too late/too close to bed time. Bob Harper of the Biggest Loser show says you should feel a bit hungry by the time you're laying down to sleep. As for eating and exercise, it's good to eat before and after, without drastically adding on extra calories. It's simplest to line up your workout with a meal. So you could exercise right before breakfast, lunch or dinner, and have a snack about an hour before, or exercise about an hour after a meal and follow it with a snack. For a morning workout, plenty of people like to run without any food in them, but this makes me feel like death (I've almost fainted in a gym twice!) so I tend to have a smoothie, giving myself time for it to digest to avoid nausea.

To finish this post, I'll give you an example of the kind of meal plan I stick to each week. There are variations as I don't tend to have 4 slices of bread in a day or 4 eggs or whatever.

Breakfast/Pre-workout: Smoothie (current ones in rotation are Spinach Berry - 2 handfuls of spinach, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup coconut water, 2 cups water, 1 cup frozen mixed berries; Kale Orange - 1/2 frozen orange, 2 kale leaves, 1/2 cup almond or coconut milk).
Morning Snack/Post-workout: Peanut butter & strawberry jam on Ezekiel bread; 1/2 wholemeal bagel & boiled egg; vegan overnight oats w/ coconut milk, chia seeds, banana, strawberries and almond butter; Porridge w/ banana & almond milk
Lunch: Salad, soup or sandwich using Ezekiel bread, sometimes a combination. Currently a salad of Romaine lettuce (4 leaves), 1/2 Roma tomato, chopped red onion, sliced cucumber, 3 slices of chicken breast (from the Kroger deli counter, 1/2 lb lasts me for 4-5 salads), 1 tbsp honey mustard dressing
Afternoon Snack: Raw almonds & raisins (15/30); Lara bar; Apple w/ peanut butter & raisins; Carrots & hummus, deli meat
Dinner: Turkey meatloaf w/ sweet potato fries (Iowa Girl Eats), Thai red curry w/ tofu & brown rice (trying to help my Rice & Spice cravings and healthify a favorite dish)

On weekends I usually make pancakes! :)

Once upon a time I ate Shreddies & cow's milk for breakfast, snacked on coffee drinks and snack size chocolate bars, had a sandwich for lunch and a pasta dish for dinner. I feel much happier to be free of dairy and processed wheat, concentrating on lots of veggies and protein. I still have a ravenous sweet tooth which I am attempting to work on, but I am doing so much better than I used to.

Jodie's Exercise Plan January - February

I am a Jillian Michaels disciple so this month's workout plan is pretty typical...

1/27: Yoga Inferno Level 1 MWF; Shed & Shred Level 1 TTh
2/3: Shed & Shred Level 1 MWF; Yoga Inferno Level 1 TTh
2/10: Yoga Inferno Level 2 MWF; Shed & Shred Level 2 TTh
2/17: Shed & Shred Level 2 MWF; Yoga Inferno Level TTh

I usually work out first thing in the morning, which leaves time to fit in some evening classes with my fellow Brits. I'm planning on taking up weekend yoga when I pass my driving test too.

For the last week of February I'll be starting my very favorite Ripped in 30! Maaaybe once it warms up I will get back into running too.

Jodie's Weekly Check-in

I actually got back on the wagon starting January 27, so I'll post my starting stats followed by today's. My goal weight is 115 lbs, but once I get there I'm going to reassess if I'd like to lose more or maintain and try to gain more muscle.

January 27
Weight: 125.8
Body Fat: 26.5%
Measurements: Waist 26"; Hips 37.5"; Thighs 21"

February 10 (today)
Weight: 122.8 lbs
Body Fat: 25.2%
Measurements: Waist 25.5"; Hips 37.5"; Thighs 20.75"

3 lbs down, 7.8 lbs to go.