Bobbie and I enjoy Emily Alvers. She has been a positive role model in helping others with their nutrition and exercise and is a BFL Champion. She has continue to go forward and help spread the message of the importance to eat healthy and get up and move.

I wanted to share some photos of various healthy foods/products that Emily purchases to stock her fridge. I get inspired when I see others stocking their shelves and fridge with healthy foods. I hope you enjoy the photos and have a great time at the market this weekend picking up fresh healthy foods for the upcoming week.


If you have missed workouts, or not eaten clean, or feel like whats the use to go forward with the challenge because you are not seeing the changes, please let us know. Its ok, don't quit. Just keep going forward one step at a time. There are 3 days left to sign up for the Transformatiuon Challenge. Maybe you have a friend or family member who would love to do the challenge with you. Having a partner and holding each other accountable is a great way to overcome the trials and temptations. Really take the time this weekend to write in your journal and envision your transformation.

Good morning and HAPPY FRIDAY!

Couldn't believe it's Friday already. Where did this week go?

The morning daily weight was up a bit (within normal variability) but the 14-day average was flat. Not sure if I'll get to taking the Week-6 update photos today. All depends on how my work project goes. Made great progress yesterday. If I don't get the photos today, I can't take them for another week. Just doesn't work to do them on weekends and my mom and two aunts are visiting most of next week.

Got in my scheduled 50 minute HIIT cardio workout on the elliptical yesterday. Good workout. I'm not sure how today's workout is going to fit into the schedule. My daughter's piano lesson was rescheduled and is now in the middle of my normal Friday workout time. I guess it means choosing between and early workout this afternoon or taking the photos. Not sure which way I'll go.

Nutrition yesterday was right on track with no major deviations.

Spencer - My pantry looks pretty much the same. We also live off of brown rice, wild rice and couscous as a dependable supply of healthy carbs. Like your pantry, diced tomatoes and black beans are a regular too. Check out my recipe for black bean & turkey sausage stew. It's a real hit in our family. I make it in bulk in the crock pot and freeze up the extras into portion controlled individual servings for quick daytime meals. http://www.transformation.com/Workou...ean-Stew/32792

Nutrition for today looks like this:
m1 - Vanilla tea shake
m2 - Frozen BFL meal
m3 - Pre-workout protein tea & apple
m4 - Coffee shake
m5 - First of three free meals - probably healthy pizza
m6 - Skip or low carb shake

Oh, found this real inspiring story of a 77 year old guy that races in triathalons but didn't start until age 50. I can really relate to his story since I didn't start running until I was 51 and I hope to keep going until I'm 100.

Here's the link to the story: http://www.transformation.com/Workou...ean-Stew/32792

Daily Gratitude 2/25/11

Thank you to everyone who expressed their condolences yesterday. It really meant a lot to me.

I’m not really sure how it happens . . . one day you’re doing great the next, you are outta control. Then one day, you don’t post your meal plan because you don’t want to share your indiscretions with others . . . and how many times can you say the same thing?

Part of the problem, I think, is that I don’t keep my pictures and reason for doing this challenge handy. It’s in a folder on my table, but it’s too easy to keep it tucked away.. I have 10 weeks & 2 days remaining in this challenge. . . . it’s very tempting to just give up – after all I’ve blown it a bunches so far, and yet, somehow, I can’t, I won’t give up. There is progress being made.

I have been extremely busy with preparing for my granddaughter-in-law’s baby shower which is this weekend – she should drop that little bundle of joy any time now. It does, however, mean I’ve spent an over abundance of time with my loving, and yet overbearing, negative-in-so-many-ways daughter. After a day spent with her, I always feel I need hazardous duty pay and a beautiful cocktail at the end of the day is surely in order. (I know, I know, if it’s not on my free-day, its off-limits). Why can’t I get that into my head, for real?

I also, rather stupidly, I might add, tried to do extra aerobic activity on my weight training days as well, and I burned out very quickly, I guess I’m not as able to tear it up as much in my 60’s as I did in my 30’s . . . hmmmmmmmmm . . . anyway, it resulted in the need to rest my severely worn-out and pissed off self!

I am a bit behind in my Transformation Assignments, I’m almost finished with Step 6, will get caught up. I will not attempt to recap the last few days of indiscretions, but move forward. I realize there are lots of things that can derail me – I have a great-granddaughter due any moment now, and a baby shower this weekend. Deep Breath – here we go!

Tonight (Friday) is typically, one of my free meals, the other is Saturday Morning

WEEK 7, DAY 6, Saturday, 2/26
NUTRITION & HYDRATION
Meal 1 Free Meal - We have a lovely breakfast of 2 sunny side up eggs on top of ½ piece of whole wheat toast, 2 sausage links, grits, & coffee
Meal 2 apple and string cheese
Meal 3 cottage cheese & salad
Meal 4 Salad, red bliss potatoes, ground round patties, onions, garlic & peppers, cottage cheese

Drink at least 80 oz. water

Hang in there Gainsville. Making a change in your health habits and lifestyle doesn't happen overnight, and yes there will be setbacks. This Challenge is a "do over" for me. I did so well throughout 2009 and then bombed in later half of 2010, especially with nutrition. The result is having to undo 9 pounds of indiscressions. So you're not alone and please don't ever feel like your a failure. Take what you've learned so far and keep moving forward. The "challenge" really takes a lifetime to complete and you're only a few weeks into that! You got plenty of time to get it right.

It came down to a choice between getting in my workout and getting the update photos done. I went for the workout. Photos will have to wait until the half way point. Probably see more dramatic differences anyway.

I had a great workout. Went to the Y early because of a late day conflict. Good to get it out of the way. I also felt more energetic and extended the workout to include some preacher curls for the biceps. Normally I don't do isolation exercises in the short Friday workout but just felt like doing it today.

Looks like more rain and unusually cold weather moving in for the weekend. Already starting to rain, so no outdoor run again this week. I think I'll go for a new record for me and do 8 miles on the treadmill. I'm scheduled for a 12 mile run, so I'll have to add 40 minutes on the elliptical on top of that.

Hope everyone is having a great Firday!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagfangirl27 Daily Gratitude 2/25/11 Thank you to everyone who expressed their condolences yesterday. It really meant a lot to me.

I must have missed something. Whatever happened, warm thoughts of support heading your way from me.

Spencer, in response to your question yesterday:

. I eat clean for about 3-4 meals and then my meals 5 and 6 seem to be to large in portions or not as healthy as it should be. Anyone else having this challenge?

YES! I too have the same problem in the late day. I tend to have carb cravings, particularly when I watch late night TV. The two seem to be connected in my brain. It get particularly bad if I add alcohol to the mix. Lately, I've been able to keep it pretty much under control by drinking a low carb shake when I watch TV (better if I just don't watch TV!). But every once in a while the carb beast comes out.

One solution I adopted long ago is to make my 5th meal (our family meal) intentionally larger than the others and compensate with a smaller 6th meal. That seems to help some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WorkoutGuy I must have missed something. Whatever happened, warm thoughts of support heading your way from me.

My aunt passed away unexpectedly. Here is my blog from that day. Thank you for your support.

Daily gratitude 2/26/11

Quote:

Originally Posted by WorkoutGuy Spencer, in response to your question yesterday: . I eat clean for about 3-4 meals and then my meals 5 and 6 seem to be to large in portions or not as healthy as it should be. Anyone else having this challenge? YES! I too have the same problem in the late day. I tend to have carb cravings, particularly when I watch late night TV. The two seem to be connected in my brain. It get particularly bad if I add alcohol to the mix. Lately, I've been able to keep it pretty much under control by drinking a low carb shake when I watch TV (better if I just don't watch TV!). But every once in a while the carb beast comes out. One solution I adopted long ago is to make my 5th meal (our family meal) intentionally larger than the others and compensate with a smaller 6th meal. That seems to help some.

How I have compensated for this issue as of late is doing 7 meals. I drink 3 shakes a day. My meals look something like this if I need the 7th meal:

M1: EFL chocolate oatmeal around 0600
M2: shake around 0900
M3: EFL lunch, usually leftovers around 1200
M4: shake around 1430
M5: shake around 1700
M6: EFL dinner about 1900
M7: EFL dessert

I don't usually post it because I don't always need that 7th meal but if I get hungry in the late afternoon, that third shake is a lifesaver.

I

Hi Guys,

Not much going on with me today. Going to do some work and then my long run.

Got in a great upper body workout yesterday and plan on doing 12 miles of running today. I need to evaluate the weather. Looks like the rain may have moved out, sunny but cool here. I f the temp goes much above 60, I might proceed with the outdoor run, otherwise my goal is to do 8 miles on the treadmill and 40 minutes on the elliptical.

Nutrition yesterday was good, pretty much as planned. Nutrition for today gets a little screwed up with the long run, but it looks something like this:
m1 - Vanilla tea shake
m2 - Coffee shake
m3 - Cytomax and gummies consumed during the run
m4 - Post-run shake
m5 - Second of three free meals for the week
m6 - Low carb shake or skip, depending on timing and size of m5

Spencer - I guess I too have a 7th meal that I don't report in the daily accounting. I usually do some nibbling about an hour prior to my scheduled 5th meal while I am preparing the 5th meal. I do most of the cooking and meal preparation in our house. Almost always, we eat salads with m5, so I find myself eating a lot of spinich and other vegetables while I'm making the salad, and then there's the two or three olives and some sliced almonds that usually come along for the ride. So, it ends up being a mini-meal before the meal, but it's generlly nutritious food and helps to control my appatite during the 5th scheduled meal. Also, I generally do my workouts in the late afternoon, and we don't eat m5 untill about 7 PM, so I really do need something before then.

Good morning all, on my second cup of tea and the brain cells are finally coming to life.

I set a new record on the treadmill yesterday...8 miles. I also did it at a faster pace (11:20) then I did 7 milies last week. I still dislike running on the treadmill, but I think I finally am adjusting to it. Hope the weather allows me to go back outside next Saturday. After the 8 mile treadmill run, I did an additional 40 minutes of HIIT on the elliptical for a total of a 12 mile equivalent run. I felt pretty good afterward. and am finding that icing down the plantar surface of my feet for 20 minutes after the long runs really helps with the PF.

Nutrition was really good for most of the day but had a small carb fest before bed. The metabolism was still running crazy so I think that it was an acceptable discression. I also consumed fewer calories than planned during the run/elliptical workout, so I think I was still negative in calories for the day.

The scale has been flat this week. Neither up nor down. Going to give it another week before I delcare it a plateau. This is why I like the 14-day average. My experience is that water balance in the body can get screwed up for a week or so, but rarely more than two weeks.

Today is a rest day for me, and nutrition looks like this:
m1 - Vanilla tea shake
m2 - Frozen BFL meal
m3 - Coffee shake
m4 - Frozen BFL meal
m5 - ???? Tocos?
m6 - Low carb shake and low fat string cheese