LiveFit and Yoga

So I completed day 4 yesterday of LiveFit and my arms are still sore from day 2 LOL.... but its a great feeling.  My legs are also still sore from day 3 (legs) ... proves to me that I am working hard!  I love lifting weights and seeing my muscles form.. its a great feeling of accomplishment.  When I have my down days I think about this and it helps!  The meal plan is really helpful too.  I am finally getting into the swing of it.  I still need to scope out some more clean recipes that incorporate lots of protein and veggies (or think them up myself).  I can't beleive that I am actually finding myself hungry every few hours.  But this means that my body is creating lean muscle which is causing a boost in my metabolism which means that I am burning way more calories during the day then before WHICH MEANS that the number on the scale is going down and my waist is shrinking.. <insert happy dance here>

So you know what else I love??? YOGA!!! I am starting a yoga teacher training at the Yoga Loft in Bethlehem PA on June 14, 2013 so I have been regularly (trying) to attend classes to get back into it.  This morning I took a yoga core flow class and I love it!  It feels so good to be on the mat sometimes.. like its exactly where I need to be at that moment!  While there I came across tank...

 and realized that its so true.. yoga is therapy.. its a talk with your best friend.. its a good glass of wine.. its a chocolate covered strawberry.. ok i know some of those things done cause help.. but yoga is amazing.  It makes you feel amazing inside and out.  With each week that I take a class I get better and better.  You aren't going to be able to twist yourself into a pretzel the first class but with consistency maybe one day you can.  Yoga is so healing even when you don't realize you need healing. 
Peace and Love,
Laura

Jamie Eason's Live Fit Trainer Program

Years ago I took up clean eating and lost 25 pounds in 5 months without really working out at all.  I know all the basics of the plan.  

Fast forward to March 8, 2013 (after having another child) I started using myfitnesspal and counting calories with regularly going to the gym 6 days a week (I recently became a stay at home mom).  So I was eating 90% clean and burning a good 500 calories a workout and usually always under calories.  I lost about 11 pounds and 6+ inches total all over (maybe a bit more) but although I am happy with those results I want/wanted more of a outcome.  I feel like I look better and have higher numbers than I do.  I came across the livefit program before but never actually tried it.  So seeing as I felt I needed to make a change I decided to give this program a chance.  I am nervous for a few reasons.  First NO CARDIO!!!  I am not sure I can do that.  While I am not an avid runner I recently ran my first 5k and can run 3 miles and try to 1-2 times a week.  I also feel that cardio is the best way to burn calories which it's still in my head that burning calories is really important.  The other is the meal plan (I don't like to call it a diet).  While I know the basics of clean eating and have practiced it before, this plan requires you to eat A LOT and eat A LOT of protein.  I know that I will need to get creative because chicken breast and sweet potato with broccoli all the time will get way BORING.  I am comfortable in the gym now so I know that will not be an issue for me.  I was very anxious to start the program so I don’t so have all the essentials yet and at this time have no clue what I will eat for lunch, I plan to hit the grocery store later today.  

I have always admired Jamie Eason and other fitness models in Oxygen Magazine so I know that this is the right path for me.  It will take planning, patience, determination and dedication but I know that I can do it.  I know that I can because I don’t want to ever have to start over again.  I want a physically fit body for the rest of my life.  There is no other option for me.  Failure isn’t an option. 

Have you done the LiveFit Program or are you currently doing it?  Any suggestions to share?

MyFitnessPal

I am taking a different approach to my weight loss journey.  I started using myfitnesspal app.  While I am not going to post before and during pictures, until I am happy with my during pictures and progress, I am going to post my stats and I have my food and exercise diary public on myfitnesspal.  I hope that me making this journey public it will constant motivation for me.  I plan on weekly weigh-ins but probably won't record new measurement stats for another month.  My first goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of April and I think I am off to a good start with my 3 pound loss.  My workouts consist of 15-20 minute cardio warmup, then followed by about an hour of weight and strength training.  I also love crossfit so I try incorporate that as well.  My goal is to average a 00 calories burn per workout.  Follow me on myfitnesspal @ fitformealways and please like my facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fit-For-Me/133756053471737 



March 8, 2013
Weight - 149 pounds
Waist - 36 inches
Thigh - 24 1/2 inches
Hip - 41 1/2 inches
Chest - 35 1/2 inches
Arms - 12 inches

March 15, 2013
Weight - 146 pounds
Waist -34 inches

Salsa Chicken

So I talked about adding some recipes to my blog and here is my first one.  A friend of mine taught me this dish.  It's quick, easy and healthy! Perfect for those nights when you come home and don't want to cook.. and it prevents you from grabbing the phone and ordering take out.  So here is the recipe for Salsa Chicken:

Ingridients

3 chicken breasts (cubed into bite size pieces)

1 jar of salsa (I used Newman's Own but you can use any brand you want, just be sure to check the ingriedients to make sure that it's all natural and from the earth)

1 can of low sodium black beans rinsed

Directions

After you have cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces cook it over medium heat with a bit of EVOO.

Once chicken is cooked, add the jar of salsa to the pan and black beans to the pan until heated through.

 Serve over brown rice with a bit of shredded cheese of your choice over top!
 Quick easy clean delicious meal!

A suggestion with the leftovers is to cut the chicken into smaller pieces or shred it and add with rice and cheese into a wrap! 

I have shared my quick, easy and delicious weeknight meal, now share yours with me!

Namaste'

Back to blogging after a year of not blogging at all .. oh well.  A lot has changed and will change in the next month.  What has changed?  I had a little baby girl in July and she has completely changed my world!  What will change?  I am losing my job (I am a paralegal) at the end of February and soon will be a stay at home mom for awhile.  I decided to be positive about the change that I didn't welcome at first.  I am still scared.. what if I hate being home all the time and what if we have financial problems after a few months??  I have so many things in life that I want to do and accomplish and I plan on using this time do make it happen.  I want to do what I love and love what I do.  I never wanted to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life.  What do I love?  I love lemons (hence the blog name)!  HaHa kidding.. I love my family, yoga, fitness, healthy eating and feeling good.  I have, through my own creativity (that I swore I didn't have) managed to secure volunteering at a local yoga studio in exchange for free classes = AWESOME!  I will work the front desk, check students in, take payments for classes and clean the studio.  In return I hope that get more practice and knowledge of yoga.  This should, I hope, hold me over until I can afford a teacher training :)  So tonight I will attend a class and work the desk.  I can't believe that it has worked out this way, but it has, and I couldn't be happier!  My dream is to have my own yoga studio.  For so many years I have let myself get in my own way and I am no longer going to self sabotage.  I want things in life and it's not going to just happen to me, I need to make it happen!  So while I still have a month of work left, I am starting the next chapter of my life now.  I am not going to wait a month!  

What I plan for this blog is to write about fitness, clean eating yoga and all the in between stuff!  I hope to soon create my own workouts that I can post and recipes that I create or have tried.  I hope that this is the start of something beautiful.  I know it will be! 

 

 For now until the next time...

ZUMBA

So as I mentioned the other day I wanted to break out of my comfort zone this year... and my first attempt at accomplishing this was trying Zumba.  So lat night I attended a class at Sphericality in Flemington NJ, about a half hour from where I live.  I don’t know where ya’ll (love saying that even thought I’m not from the South) but if you live anywhere near here (there) you should definitely check it out.  Besides Zumba, they have a BarreAmped, Yoga, Gyrotonic and pole classes.  The place is a one-stop shop for a variety of classes.  Anyway, so I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but I have two left feet and my OWN rhythm.  So needless to say I was really nervous to try this class, but LET ME TELL YOU... I LOVED IT!!!!!!  I mean like addicted already!  It is something I am going to keep up with and attend every Wednesday night.  I was worried because my husband is a Police Officer and he does shift work (4 on 4 off) and he is going to start working nights so there would be some Wednesdays that I wouldn’t be able to go, but the teach said I can bring him as long as he is quiet (BONUS).  He is 8 and addicted to his new 3DS so I am sure that will keep him occupied.  They also offer a Laughing Buddha Yoga class that I am going to try on Monday night.  I am really excited for my new found love and am hoping that it will keep me on track with exercise.  I always seem to start in a positive direction and then I get sick of it and fall off... I think I am going to get Zumba for the xbox so I can do it at home freely as well.  Now that I seem to have my working out on track, I need to get my diet on track.  Starting Monday (only because I need to go grocery shopping) and I figure Sunday will be a good day so make a meal and grocery list. I’ll have plenty of free time on Sunday since my football season is over (Thanks to the Jets). Till tomorrow...

Comfort Zone

So instead of a New Years Resolution, I have decided to have a mantra for 2012.  The mantra is Break Out of Your Comfort Zone Girl.  What is my comfort zone?  Home. Couch. TV.  Bed.  Being on auto pilot daily.  I feel like I do the same thing everyday.. wake up - go to work - come home - make dinner - watch TV or a movie and go to bed.. with a little of laundry and internet here and there.  I mean I don't even go to Yoga anymore (and I do really love Yoga) because when I get home from work I just want to be home.  I know that this sounds very much like agoraphoebia but it's really not like that.  So instead of the normal "New Year's Resolutions" that I seem to have every year (get healthy, eat clean, exercise, run a 5k or 10k or a mud run) I decided to be a little more positive about the new year and view the changes I want to make from a different angle.  I am not sure how I got where I am (my comfort zone) and maybe I feel it more now than ever because it's so dang cold out that it's hard to want to do anything or go anywhere after an 8 hour work day, but I know that it is no way to live and I know that I want to make a change.  So in an effort to move forward with my new positive attitude (and mantra) I am going to start taking Zumba classes.  This is definitely taking me out of my comfort zone not only by getting me out of the house but I CANNOT dance!!! So this is definitely going to be a challenge for me.  I am excited to try it out and I really hope that it's something I fall in love with.  Most people that I talk to say that once you try Zumba you become addicted.  Till next time!