Great ab workouts w/o equipment

Bicycle Exercise


1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straight the left leg out to about a 45-degree angle while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps.

Vertical Leg Crunch


1. Lie face up on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
2. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
3. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Long Arm Crunch


. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Reverse Crunch


. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
5. It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

Full Vertical Crunch


1. Lie on your back and extend the legs up towards the ceiling.
2. Place hands behind your head (lightly cupping it) and contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. At the same time, press the heels towards the ceiling, creating a 'u' shape with the torso.
4. Lower down and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Plank on Elbows and Toes


1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Link

Food Humor from Ted Alexandro.

No subject for me today, thanks.

I got an email from Susan a few nights ago telling me about this new show on TLC called "I Can Make You Thin" with Paul McKenna. I've yet to see it for myself but it sounds like something that just may work. I met my mom the next day for our bi weekly walk together and just as I went to open my mouth to tell her about it, she asked if I had heard of this new show. Obviously, it is making an impact on people who are normally skeptical of such promises. The thought of actually losing weight for most people is as far fetched as telling a white guy, "I Can Make You Black!"

Here are some snippets from the email (Thanks, Susan!) Some pretty simple common sense, don't you think?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. When you're hungry--eat! Depriving yourself only slows your metabolism, i.e. your body goes into major fat storage mode. When you do eventually binge, more of the food becomes fat.
2. Eat what you like. Not what you think you should. You should like everything you eat, which flows into the next rule:
3. Eat consciously. Savor every bite and put the knife and fork down in between each bite. Don't eat in front of the tv, while reading, etc. This will help your stomach tell your brain when it's full.
4. When you're full--stop! If you follow number 3, it should be pretty easy to tell when you're full. But if it isn't, guess. And if you're hungry again in 10 minutes--eat! And around we go again.

Love.

Tonight's dinner was very healthy and quick.

Lemon Pepper tilapia with green beans and jasmine rice.

The jasmine rice was the only item from Trader Joe's and I think it really made the meal. It was a rice, red quinoa and golden flax seed blend. I needed to add just a little salt, but other than that..very tasty. It comes in a microwaveable pouch that you pop in for 90 seconds. The rice is already fully cooked. The fish and green beans took just about 10 minutes. All in all, a good start to our healthier habits. Now if we could just cut back on the crack...

Goals

Tim and I have just shook on a verbal agreement that we are losing weight this summer. Some of you who know Tim would think he doesn't need to lose anything. Well, we have both piled on more than we are used to and just want to start over. I am not going to let Alayna grow up in a household where she sees her parents becoming lazier and fatter as the years go by and then wonders why we harp on her to eat right. So with that being said:

Erin's goal - 20 lbs

Tim's goal - 5-10 lbs (more about toning and strengthening his heart)

We are not going to stop eating meat (we are way too stubborn at this point to do so..) but we are going to incorporate a lot of vegetarian and vegan foods into our daily lives. Tim eats anything I make for dinner, so this should be easy enough. :) I'm going to keep a food journal to help myself gauge my progress.

If anyone wants to come walking with me this spring and summer, let me know!

Not a fan.

I've never stuck to a diet. I've never actually been on one. Personally, I don't believe in them. So, therefore..not a fan.

I definitely wouldn't call myself fat, but I'm certainly not in shape. Pre baby I was 135. At 5'8, that's not bad at all. I worked out every once in awhile, ate and drank whatever I wanted and never gained a pound. I hate old Erin. God, I hate her.

Now, I'm struggling with maintaining 155 - 160. I can't say I have been actively trying to lose anymore weight, just sort of wishing it would go away on it's own. My stomach and butt are the worst. Sitting here typing this I'm looking down at my rolls and cringing a bit. I see you, don't you look at me like that. You're not welcome here. Go home. Yes, I talk to my fat. You have to, or else that jerkass is gonna unpack and live with you permanently. Gotta show 'em who's boss.

Kidding aside, I'm done with it. I hate it.

I'm dedicating this blog to healthier living. Recipes, exercises, fun things to do on a nice, warm day. Winter is almost over and I'm tired of the same excuse for not exercising. Snow can seriously kiss the fattest part of my butt.

Seriously.