Fitness & Fat Loss, Essential Tips

Wow...so the last several months of life have been trying, chaotic, and stressful. I wasn't focused on the things that make my body healthy and strong-like training and nutrition. I LOVE these things and feel best when I fuel my body well and push myself or try new things.

I am happy to say that I have been back on track the last couple weeks and I FEEL AMAZING> it's funny how much it all impacts my daily being and how I feel.

Since my "return" to a training plan and eating clean, I have dropped 9.4 lbs of body fat. All from working hard each session, a balance of cardio and weight training AND keeping the eats clean. I am also tracking what I am putting into my body. 
YES...and the abs are returning. Hello my little friends...

I have started training for the 2015 Challenge Triathlon season AND as well as the Maine Coast Marathon 39.3 Mile Challenge (half marathon on Saturday, marathon on Sunday). If you want to join us for the Maine Coast Marathon (half, full, relay, challenge...use DISCOUNT CODE JenSmall and save some $$ off your race registration).

The biggest factors in my nutrition is:
A) meal prep and planning 
B) clean supplements.

Meal Prep and Meal Planning 

If you are looking to lose weight OR your are a time crunched athlete looking to optimize your performance, knowing what you are eating is KEY! When you "wing it" meal to meal with out a plan or an idea of what you are going to put into your body, that is when the pitfalls of unhealthy choices becomes a hazard.

Go into your week with a plan of what you will eat and invest some time into yourself to do a little preparation. Today (Sunday) is that day for me.

I baked a whole hormone-free chicken and then separated all the meat, cooking down the bones for stock. Hard boiled eggs are cooked & peeled, ready to grab & go from the fridge. Veggies are ready for salads, snacks and meals. I just LOVE Olivia's Organics baby lettuces and baby spinach. Easy peasy...

From the stock, I will make THIS soup via Cooking Classy :

Chicken Avocado Lime Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts*
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped green onions (including whites, mince the whites)
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced (leave seeds if you want soup spicy, omit if you don't like heat)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 3 medium avocados, peeled, cored and diced
• Tortilla chips, monterrey jack cheese, sour cream for serving (optional)

Add Swanson® Flavor Boost® For More Flavor

Directions

• In a large pot heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add green onions and jalapenos and saute until tender, about 2 minutes, adding garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, cumin, season with salt and pepper to taste and add chicken breasts. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken has cooked through 10 - 15 minutes (cook time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts). Reduce burner to warm heat, remove chicken from pan and let rest on a cutting board 5 minutes, then shred chicken and return to soup. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Add avocados to soup just before serving (if you don't plan on serving the soup right away, I would recommend adding the avocados to each bowl individually, about 1/2 an avocado per serving). Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream if desired.
• *For thicker chicken breasts, cut breasts in half through the length (thickness) of the breasts, they will cook faster and more evenly.

Clean Supplements

Let's face it. Im busy. You're busy. When I am burning 2-3k cals a day on a long training session, refueling is definitely important. How much is just as important as when when it comes to food. I keep it as clean as I can (veggies, fruits, lean proteins, complex carbs) but when you are eating 5-6 meals per day, that can be a challenge. 

For the last year I have been using the cleanest supplements I can find and my body definitely knows the difference. My energy is always SO high when I am fueling well and recovering properly. 

My favorite post workout shake not only delivers 36 grams of organic undenatured whey, but I am also getting balanced macros and replenishing my body so I can go and smash it again the next day. 

So what does a typical day look like for me?? Here is Sunday's food.

Woke up at 3:30am, first thing is stumble to the kitchen and get my liquids in me! I had my ionix, (first thing! on an empty tummy) and a cup of Morning Thunder tea> I will also drink 16 oz of water. 

Pre-workout: 1 scoop IsaLean PRO(vanilla), 1 Scoop IsaGreens and 1 scoop Replenish (orange) mixed with water. I also had 20 oz of water. I took my daily vits and my Powerbar Beta Alanine.

Off to the gym to run. It was snowing again so I opted for the treadmill. Today's run was 12 miles and then I did a quick/easy 30 mins
My fuel while running was 20 oz of water, 20 oz of Powerbar Perform in Lemon/Lime, 1 Powerbar fruit blend (which I did not consume, did not need it felt really good) and 1/2 an e+shot. 

Post-workout (meal #1): 1 IsaLean PRO shake (vanilla) with 1 TB coconut oil, 1 TB chia seeds, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries. 

Meal #2: 6 oz chicken breast with chili/lime hot sauce, celery and a giant scoop of 12 spice hummus. 

Meal #3: 4 Triscuits (Garden Herb), cucumber slices with 1/3 cup of salsa. So not totally clean here but I wanted a couple crackers with my salsa.

Meal #4: a bowl homemade soup (see above) with MORE salsa on top!

Meal #5: a big salad with mixed greens, chicken, green chilis and salsa, avocado

I was totally craving salsa all day!! I got this super awesome spicy cilantro salsa which was fantastic...I even added a bunch to my soup. 

My macros for the day:
Carbs 97g
Protein 194
Fat 29g
Sugars 28g

Transformation Tuesday: Powerful Prudie

I’m currently New Jersey bound with a car load of friends on our way to a nutritional education weekend and I am so excited to learn and be with amazing, like-minded people!

I came across this saying a while ago that you are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with and if that is the case, I am pretty happy with the choices I make and the people I spend my time with day to day.  

I love what I do and being able to help people reach their goals-and I am blessed to be part of a team that is so awesome. I truly feel blessed.

One person on this team of amazing people is my friend, Prudie Duross.

Meet Prudie, age 47. Here’s a bit about this sassy gal…A bit over a year ago, Prudie started using our nutrition program to feel better and drop a few pounds. She reports that she had no energy, “could not get out of her own way” and would be in bed by 7:30 every night. She lacked mental clarity and focus.

Prudie is an accountant and during tax season, she works 60-70 hours per week and is also on the local Fire Department call force. She is also a fire investigator and photographer for the department. So as you can see, a lack of energy and focus could be detrimental to her career!

Once Prudie started her program (which was a nutrition shift with minimal exercise added), within two weeks her energy levels were up and she was feeling great! She was no longer falling asleep in her chair after work, she would now come home and workout, do stuff with her children, get the house cleaned and prepare dinner for the family. After her first 30 days, she was down 17lbs and feeling like a new woman!

In the last year she has lost a total of 55lbs and 78.75 inches!! She has completely transformed her body and improved her quality of life.

I asked Prudie to share a bit with us about her transformation!

What would be your biggest piece of advice to give someone who wants to get started on their own journey?

If someone wants to get started, I would recommend they really need to be fully invested in their journey. Without the right mindset, it is so easy to get derailed by others and your own negative self talk! Talk with family to get them on board with support, especially during the initial few weeks.

What is your favorite moment in your journey?

My favorite moment in my journey was when my daughter took my picture after a year on the program & I put the picture side by side with my before picture. It was not until then that it truly sunk in that I had completely transformed my body composition & metabolism. I could not see what my results truly were when I looked in the mirror. It is so important to take photographs at the beginning of your journey to be able to have the motivation to keep going & to truly document your journey.

If you could go back in time to the "old Prudie" and say just ONE sentence to her, what would it be?

I would tell the "old Prudie" ... You need to make yourself the priority & follow what is in your heart, not what everyone else wants or expects you to do!

What is your favorite meal?

I do genuinely look forward to my breakfast each morning which is almost always egg white omelette with spinach, parmesan cheese, chive & sometimes asparagus or tomatoes, with half a whole grain English muffin w/ all natural peanut butter.

Transformation Tuesday!

I am excited to bring TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY to Miles, Muscles & Mommyhood!! 

Having shared my own story of weight loss has brought so many people into my life that have had similar struggles and successes with overcoming obesity and reaching their health goals. I love the diversity of HOW and WHY and I am so  happy to share these stories with YOU. 

Let me introduce my friend, Jennifer. 

From Jennifer-Today, I got to live my version of a Cinderella story.  I got to tell the girl on the left that her goals of finally being healthy and running a marathon were achieved. I am now at peace with my past so I can live in the now.  All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to peruse them. ~Walt Disney. 

Jaw dropping, right!!?? Jennifer has lost a staggering 160lbs. This beautiful Mom and Wife is just as pretty on the inside as well. I have been blessed to get to know Jennifer though mutual friends and the power of social media. I am HONORED to share her story!

In her own words:

My challenges with my weight started at a very early age. I can remember being on a diet as early as second grade. I was active as a child however so that slowed down the inevitable weight gain to a degree. By the time I graduated high school however my weight was in the 200's. When high school was done so were the sports and dance. The weight came on even faster. I tried every diet there was, TWICE. That was before I realized that diets don't work. I rode that roller coaster for years. Taking off ten or fifteen pounds and putting back on twenty or more. I did not have any health issues at this point but I dreamed of more. I desperately wanted to run and feel good. I also longed to wear the beautiful clothes that my counter parts were wearing in management for a professional hair care company. At the age of 28 I had enough. I was just over three hundred pounds and fed up. Was this really living I asked myself?! I had found my breaking point...

This is when it all clicked. If I wanted what I had never had, then I had to do what I had never done. I broke up with fast food as well as Ben and Jerry's. I started eating vegetables and fruit. (The joke at the salon that I had worked at was that I hated salad.Turns out it's delicious. Who knew?!) I started making some swaps (lean chicken or egg beaters vs pizza or cereal) and I also started walking. The walking turned to a run/walk and then a very slow jog. In about six months I had taken off fifty pounds. By the end of a year I had taken off one hundred pounds. In eleven years I have taken off and kept off, a little over one hundred and sixty pounds. I enjoy eating clean and running. It was not always easy. I have had many times that I had to remind myself why this was important to me. Now that I am here at a healthier me and I look back, I can truly see that every tear shed and every moment of frustration was not for nothing. Those times of my life built me. They made me strong enough to dare to run that marathon and to not back down when the going gets tough. It is so true that anything is possible when you just believe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. What would be your biggest piece of advice to give someone who wants to get started on their own journey?

Surround yourself with like minded people and lots of motivation. You will need a good support system which other healthy people in your life will provide. Someone to get you active on the day that it's a challenge or to share a new healthy recipe they just tried. 

The other piece of advice is motivation. SURROUND yourself with it! A Pinterst page, Facebook pages, follow blogs and make a vision board. A vision board is photos and words of what "healthy" means to you. Mine is inside a kitchen cupboard door with motivation and goals. Thinking of snacking, just look in that cupboard. 😊 All of this will keep you inspired when the going gets tough and that will be huge in your success.

2. What is your favorite moment in your journey?

Actually that would be the moment captured in the photo. When I was overweight as a child two of my teachers were running marathons. I always ached inside to someday be healthy enough to run one. I am so thankful for the photographer that captured the moment that I made that dream come true. I am crying happy tears there.It is still surreal to me.

3. If you could go back in time to the "old Jenn" and say just ONE sentence to her, what would it be?

"Your tears of despair will be 

replaced by tears of triumph."

4. What is your favorite workout?

This is tough for me to pick! I love Boot Camp and it has brought my life and fitness to a level I never thought possible but I have to go with running. That dream is what kept me going along the journey. Starting as a run/walk, running that first mile then my first 5k, 10k, half marathon and then the Dopey Challenge in January. Running puts me in the right head space. To remember how far I've come and to dream about what's next. Running saved me.

5. What is your favorite meal?

Almond flax chicken (marinated in olive oil, almond butter, lemon and spices) and roasted brussel sprouts. Yummy!!!!

The Challenge: Continued

So several weeks ago, I started a post about a nutritional challenge. You can catch up here...

so I was heading into my day--a nutritional cleanse day and I was a little leery. I actually would say my attitude sucked going into this...I hear the word cleanse and think "GI Cleanse" but this is a detox cleanse--using natural fruit juices and herbs to help to rid the body of toxins and supplementing your day with little snacks. A break to the GI system and a way to flush the body of toxins that build up in our bodies.

Nutritional Cleansing increases the health benefits you’ll receive from the ancient health practice of cleansing. The herbs, vitamins and minerals that aid cleansing do two things:

• Accelerate the removal of impurities from the body.
• Nourish the body with vital nutrients to rapidly revive health.

A cleansed and revitalized body is stronger, resists illness better, is more efficient and performs at a higher level than one that is filled with impurities. Many people notice an ability to reach and maintain their ideal weight.

I was expecting to hate it and call it stupid. I am the biggest skeptic out there. It took me a year to even try this. 

But I was feeling energized and CLEAR. I tried a one day cleanse and I could not believe how great I felt! even dare say better than I had in a long time.

I continued the nutritional plan as written and not diverting from it for a second. After a few days, it was insane how GREAT I felt. And alert. I did not miss coffee and I any sort of craving for "junk" was deeply diminished. In week one I dropped 8lbs and my lean tummy was returning.

I continued on with week two in the same way. Super clean nutrition, eating every couple of hours and using only clean nutritional supplements (vitamins, a super clean protein shake twice per day), implementing the nutritional cleanse to release toxins and lots of water.

These are just random pics of some of my meals

At the end of the two week trial period I dropped 14lbs and nearly 2 inches from my waist. From that loss, my body fat dropped 4.7%.

I was sold. There would be NO GOING back to the way I was eating before.

getting leaner every week
no, I did not make my bed 

I consulted a nutritionist regarding this plan and the needs for endurance athletes; she helped me to map out a plan specifically for me (as well as a structure for endurance athletes) and how this is going to play into my life once I up my training and hit some bigger cycles. I was psyched to have her look over the plan and give it a big thumbs up and talk to me more a bit about how the whole system played a role in recovery, refueling and keeping that muscle mass.

BUT--The biggest reasons I am sticking to this plan?

ENERGY-my energy is through the roof! no more stimulants like coffee are even needed. I feel amazing. Never have I felt this energized and focused. 

RECOVERY-my body recovers quicker workout to workout.

STRENGTH-I am preserving LEAN MUSCLE MASS and dropping body fat (measurements and body fat measurements confirm this)

TIME-It made my day easy and simplified my daily nutrition. I have super easy grab/go options and I am getting in MORE nutrient dense meals into my day without spending more time prepping them. 

-It falls in line with every single EAT CLEAN principle I have been behind since I started my own 120lbs of weight loss 5 years ago. Ethically, it agrees with all the fundamentals I have been held onto from the start!

I cannot wait to tackle 2014 leaner & meaner than ever!! 

Slimmons

Once again it appears that I have fallen off the blogwagon, but alas...life has just been a whirlwind of busy, work, travel and fun. I just got back from a week in Los Angeles to see Angela and it was an amazing trip.
Today we can thank a sick child and a snow storm for the odd chance that I am home to actually blog!!

So..let's talk about meeting one of my fitness idols.

You know who I'm talking about...THIS GUY!!

Sparkly.
Spunky.
Sweaty.

Seriously...what's trip to Beverly Hills without a quick stop to hang out with the King of Fitness himself, Richard Simmons.
Yes, THE Richard Simmons.

Angela and I were going to go to a "HardCore" class at Barry's Bootcamp Thursday evening however, a quick walk with the dog would change our plans...on our Abbey walk, we stop by neighbor/friend, Sara's house where we learned that Richard Simmons was in his studio in Beverly Hills that night.

Instant. Change. Of. Plans.

We rushed back to Angela's to get ready for class.

Pink--check

Sparkles--check

Positive Attitude--check

I have been a long time fan of Richard Simmons and meeting him in person just amplified that fandom! He is still so full of energy and is just as sweet & kind as I expected him to be.

The rules are NO PHONES and NO CAMERAS in the studio during class but after he will hang out and take pics. Ok, cool. I can follow the rules...

Angela and I wait around while tons of people start filling up his studio-a traditional "dance" studio with wood floors and a mirrored wall. There are all walks of life here--young, old, fit, not-as-fit, male, female--you name it. I was actually surprised that there were so many YOUNG ladies too!! There was a Zumba convention in town and several young gals were there to check Richard out.  I doubt they even recall the days of Richard Simmons in the 80's.

1980's Richard

Remember Deal A Meal?? (I DO!!)

and this is Richard now. Pretty sure his energy level is the same!!

High energy. The dude is a PERFORMER!! His energy was amazing and I found myself sweating and smiling ear to ear!

Here is a video clip from Richard's YouTube channel and this is exactly how the class was-- High energy, fun and he is definitely a performer! I even recognize a couple faces in this video as his "regulars".
The music was fun (and yes, he still uses records and doesn't miss a beat either!)

Before I knew it, my face hurt from smiling and I was dripping in sweat! It was a 90 minute class and the time flew by...the majority of the class was dance style stuff which was so fun and then we hit up a segment of weight training and then a core set and then a cooldown.

I am so happy that we went to Richard's Slimmons studio vs. Barry's Bootcamp.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Richard and his mission to help people. I have always believed that his heart was genuine. I was so  happy to see that this was 100% accurate and he is even nicer in person than I could have imagined...and Cute as a BUTTON!!

Next time you are in Beverly Hills, this is a MUST STOP.
It was a huge highlight of my trip!!

Not gonna lie, I did squeal like a school girl when he tweeted me today!!

Project X: Update

Ok, so it's been a while since I posted anything about PROJECT X

I am a visual person so here are some visuals. 

This picture was taken on August 26th 2012.
This weekend would prove to be a big turning point in Casey's life...

Let me zoom that in for you so you can see a little better...

Casey made a decision to try and see the other side of life and try new things. He started working out and making healthier choices.

He even ran his first 5k on Thanksgiving Day!

getting a pre-race pep talk from Lola

closing in on the finish of his first 5k in 24:56

Here he is in January...skating with Lola and looking quite different than he did a few months earlier.








This picture is from February. Casey is getting ready to go workout and is doing a little impromptu ballet session with Lola. 



And this picture is from today. 



For many years I tried to get Casey involved in my life and get out running and biking with me but he had no interest.

I know first hand that you cannot make anyone change--they must do it themselves. 

Today Casey joined me and my training buddy Marc on our long run

So now down nearly 50lbs and shrinking his pants from a 40 waist down to his high school size of a 30 waist, he has made remarkable improvements in such a short time. 
Next weekend, Casey will do his second 5k race and he is making plans to try all sorts of new things this coming summer like swimming, biking and running. He has his eyes set on several different distance running races and who knows...maybe triathlon will be in his future as well.

All I know is that it is nice getting to know this new version of the man I have been with for almost 14 years.

Congrats Casey on all you have achieved so far! We are very proud of you! 

Project X

I have been working on a project for a little while now I finally feel that I am able to discuss this openly on the blog--Now, in order for you to understand the absolute impact of this major life change, I must back up many years for you to fully appreciate the scope of change that has occurred. 

As you know (or you may not know...) I used to be FAT. While I was walking around all "large", it was my husband who was the athlete. He was always an athlete, from his youth well into adulthood. He excelled at sports, especially football and hockey, and continued to play hockey in college. As an adult, he kept his passion for hockey alive by working as a referee for all kinds of levels of hockey-from high school up to collegiate levels. His job also kept him physically active and fit. He would also workout daily. 
Me...not so much. (ok, let's be honest...I did NOTHING)

Fast forward a few years and due to a change with his job, he was not able to travel for hockey like he could in his other position so he gave up reffing. 
When I discovered my love for fitness and it seemed that the roles were reversed.

I was now the athlete and the pounds were starting to creep onto him. 

Now, when you have any kind of drastic change in your life (ie wife loses a ton of weight) it is also going to change the dynamic of the relationship. Of course there was new stress and strain put into our relationship with the "new Jen". 
I train a lot of hours and that can mean a lot of hours away from home and family. 
Resentment towards my training schedule and "my new life" was starting to build and it was certainly creating a wedge in our marriage. For years I held out hope that Hubby would join me for a run or a bike ride but there was not a shred of interest there...again, only resentment for the sport I had grown to love. I know first hand you cannot force anyone to change, it has to come from within. 

Sometimes life gives you lemons and sometimes life just throws 'em right at you sooo hard it leaves a bruise. So after a series of events it seemed that life was about to take a dramatic turn of events and I feared that we had reached a boiling point. But that is when life--the same life that is chucking lemons at your head-- spins you around and hands you the unexpected.

While Hubby was schlepping around our daughter at the Rev 3 Maine race-and getting to meet some of my wonderful triathlon friends-something sparked a fire in him that weekend and he was ready to make some changes in his own life. 

A couple of days after the race, he told me that he has been INSPIRED by what he witnessed at the race and wanted my help. He was ready to seek out a healthy life.

*picking jaw up off of floor*

I was a little apprehensive at first and to be completely honest, I doubted that he would even stick with a program longer than a few weeks. I mean, football season was rolling around and it would be back to the weekend beerfest-TVwatching-junkfood-eating-crap I had been dealing with for the last several years. 

But here we are now, at the end of October and he is still going strong. I know he is serious because I can count on one hand how many beers he has consumed since late August. THAT right there is an epic change. I believe that he is committed to making long lasting changes and I love that he is making both short-term and long-term goals that are not scale focused.

He has lost 20 pounds.
He is running or biking almost every day (of course, a good coach monitors their athletes and Rx's rest days even when said athlete protests!)
He is running up to 4 miles now and ran a 5k (not race, just distance) in a tad over 30 mins last week. 

We have run together a few times-something I dreamed of for a long time.
I was coming in from a bike ride the other day and saw a familiar figure up ahead of me, running towards me.  To my surprise, it was him. He has decided to get out for a quick run after work (Lola was with my parents while I was out riding). 

So now that I see that he is serious about making a change and he has given me some specific goals for the future, I have agreed to take him on as an athlete. He is doing fantastically well and I will be chronicling his own journey here as PROJECT X.