Cycling Instructor in the Making

This morning I taught the warmup song and first workout song of "The Ride," a 45 minute indoor cycling class at my gym. My coach praised me afterwards and said that I will do the warmup, one workout song, and cool down next week. I'm excited to be on my way to becoming an official cycling instructor. I love the high that I get from intense workouts, specifically cycling and running. It's so exhilarating to get your heart rate up high, jam to music, and let go as if you don't have a care in the world. Cycling has given me nice definition to my legs and has decreased my minutes per mile running considerably. It's such a great cardio workout that I recommend to anyone. I think that people can be pretty intimidated when peaking inside the windows of a cycling class, but they need not be because the people taking the class had to start somewhere too. I aspire to be an inspirational instructor that has a high turnout for every class. From taking a variety of classes from various teachers, I've learned what style I like. I like to encourage and not discourage. I like to build people up instead of tearing them down. I imagine I'll be a bubbly, fun instructor, but I will need help along the way from otehr teachers and class participants. I'm definitely looking forward to the day that I have my own class...

How Not to Get a Second Date With Me

I like to eat. I grew up on home cooked meals, such as pot roast and mashed potatoes, spaghetti and meatballs, beef tips on noodles, meatloaf, etc. My mom gladly passed down her wisdom to me, and I'm happy to report that I can cook! Growing up in Texas, I also enjoyed a lot of barbecue, particularly my dad's famous recipe. In fact, he has a barbecue rub on the market now in the lone star state. I love my steak cooked medium rare, and I can certainly eat a large portion. I think that Texans are bred for meat, actually.

There have been a few different occasions where I have been taken out on a date, and the guy said, "Wow, you can eat." I don't know what the reason behind making such a rude comment was. Could it be that he has only been out with girls who eat side salads? I'm not sure, but I can tell you that if a guy says that to me, he's definitely out of the running to be my "steady." Girls are so consciencience about what they look like and how they are perceived by others. If a guy says, "Wow, you can eat a lot," it doesn't make a girl have a positive self image. I don't have the type of metabolism where I can eat whatever I want whenever I want (thanks Mom and Dad for those wonderful genes). I only have to look at a piece of chocolate and see my waistline increase, so I definitely watch it. If I eat a lot out at a restaurant, it probably means that I ate healthy all day or week and am allowing myself to splurge.

Moral of the story- guys, if you want to get a girl, don't make a comment about her eating habits.

Yummy Salad Recipe

I tend to eat lots of salads in the summertime. With it so hot outside, a cold salad can really do the trick. I came up with this one salad recipe this week that is fabulous, so I figured I'd share! The trick with salads is to have more legumes and less toppings.

Here are the key ingredients:
-Fresh spinach (lots of it since it's only 20 calories for one cup!)
-Fresh sliced mushrooms (again, lots)
-Handful of grapes (red grapes will add color)
-Craisins
-Half Handful of pistachios (handful sizes vary from person to person, but you'll hit somewhere around 100 calories)
-feta cheese (1 oz is 70 calories) (goat cheese also works well and is about the same calorie count)
-Dressing (I like a sweet vinaigrette dressing, such as Newman's Own Light Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette, which is 70 calories for 2 tablespoons)

Happy Eating!

What to Count?

Different books/studies/doctors/nutritionists/etc. have their own theories on what to count in order to lose weight. Are you on Weight Watchers? If so, then you are counting your points, which gives foods a certain number of "points" based on their corresponding amount of fiber, calories, and fat. Are you on Atkins and counting your carbohydrates? What about your calorie count? And sugar intake? There are many different components to nutrition, and it's hard to know what it takes to drop that dress size, cinch that waistline, or lose that weight. I just bought the New York Times Bestseller, "Ultra-Metabolism." When I saw the eye-catching bright orange hardback, I was intrigued to read the inside cover. The clincher for me to purchase it was the line, "Food contains information and instructions for our bodies-eat the right foods and send instructions of weight loss and health; eat the wrong foods and send messages of weight gain and disease." One of the chapters that I am looking forward to reading is titled "not all calories are created equal," raising the question in my mind that if you eat less and exercise more, will you truly lose weight?

So, what should we be counting anyway? Carbs, sugar, points? I'm certain that different diets work for different people. Many of my friends have been successful with the Weight Watchers point system. I also know people that have been successful with Atkins and South Beach. The only hindrance from those diets is that once they got off they gained all the weight back.

Discussion point---What do you count to lose weight/inches? What diets have worked for you?

Baby Steps

Every time I hear the words, "Baby Steps," I think of the movie, "What About Bob." Bob (Bill Murray), from what little I remember, had been recommended that book by his psychologist. "Baby steps" are what would help turn Bob's life around.

Baby steps are synonymous with nutrition and exercise. I have been known to go on crash diets, but they never worked in the long run because I always returned to my old habits. I'm trying to practice "baby steps" now. I don't think that it is possible to get the ideal body overnight (if ever), but I do think that it's possible to take small steps that will help improve your overall fitness in the long run.

As many of my peers and colleagues know, I have been on a low carb diet for a few weeks. I have cut out bread, yogurt, and fruit from my diet. I still need to work on cutting out desserts, but I'm taking baby steps. Of course, it may be possible that no matter how many "baby steps" I take, I may not be able to give up chocolate.

Since I have gone a certain amount of time without breads and fruit, I don't crave them anymore. I used to think that it wouldn't be possible for me to go on a low carb diet, but low and behold I've done it, and I'm very proud of my progress so far. Granted, my clothes may not feel differently yet, but I know with time and continuing with "baby steps," something gradiose will happen. I just have to stick to a plan and have faith in myself.

Workout Variety

I change my workout routine quite often. These past few weeks, I've been in a workout rut, having to make myself get out of bed in the morning and get to the gym. Once I'm up, I'm fine, but I really have to give myself a pep talk. I'm wondering if it's due to fatigue or boredom. When you go to the gym, do you always do the same routine? Is there a favorite cardio machine that you consistently choose? The challenge I'm making for myself is to change up my routine. I just started walking more on a treadmill instead of rushing over to the elliptical trainer. It would be nice to go outside, but it's just too hot for that. Summer in Atlanta is no different than Houston- it's just as much of a scorcher!