Since the day I started trying on wedding dresses, I promised myself that I would seriously make an effort to eat healthier and workout more. It wasn't necessarily about losing weight but instead toning up and feeling confident with my body. I have found a few ways to make sure I stick to it and thought I would share.
Rather than joining a gym and trying to motivate ourselves to workout, Ryan and I joined ARCrossFit. Crossfit workouts are short in duration, high in intensity, and constantly varied. It's like having a personal trainer everyday! The workouts are posted for you and are completely different everyday. We work on strength (e.g., deadlifts, shoulder press, squats) and the WOD (workout of the day). The workouts include pullups, situps, pushups, kettle ball swings, running, box jumps and much more! We workout for less than an hour and get our butts kicked everytime! The trainers are there pushing you through it and people working out with you encourage you...it's great! When I started, I couldn't do 10 pushups in a row without being on my knees. But just the other day, I did 100 pushups (not on my knees) along with 100 squats, 100 situps, and 100 pullups (with the help of a lightweight band)! You notice improvement in no time! Crossfit workouts are used in college and professional sports to get athletes in shape quick, but it's great for everyone! It would be worth checking out. Here's a site where you can find one near you: http://www.crossfit.com/cf-affiliates/. Just click on your state on the left hand side. If you wanna checkout the workouts we do at American River Crossfit, go here: http://americanrivercrossfit.com/. You may even see Ryan or I in a picture or video working out!
So we have the workouts figured out, but we have also stumbled upon a great way of eating! Many Crossfitters have been following the Paleo Diet (http://www.thepaleodiet.com). The idea is to eat like the hunter/gatherers did years ago before pre-processed foods. The diet consists of lean meats, vegetables, fruits and nuts. I started this a few weeks ago and have stuck to it as much as I can. For breakfast, Ryan and I have a smoothie that I make with OJ and frozen fruits (easy to do in a blender!). Dinners are also easy because we just cook the veggies and meat and skip the rice/potatoes/pasta. Lunches are a little more difficult. If I don't have leftovers, I try to have deli meat at work along with lots of fruits and nuts to snack on. I've tried to stick to this diet as much as possible, but sometimes I slip. But if anything, it has helped me make smarter food choices. When we go out to a mexican restaurant I'll go easy on the chips & salsa and fill up on the meats and veggies in a fajita instead! I know I won't be able to only eat the Paleo way, but I'm eating healthier every chance I get!
It's a great feeling to be working out and eating healthy! And it helps that Ryan and I are doing it together! I just feel better overall and have more energy to do all the wedding planning! Less than seven months...can't wait!
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