Sorry!! & Did you know-3

I am sorry that we haven't posted for a while, vacationing- butttt we will be back to swing of things soon, very very soon! Hope you all are exercising and enjoying family, friends and the holiday season......by the way, reminder- the first 15 days are up, we are on round two. Pictures and updates will be posted soon. :) If anyone else is doing this, if you do not know how to post the pictures just email them to me and I will do it for you. great great great!
-Kim


Did you know-

Is lifting weights as important to my physical fitness as aerobic exercise?

Absolutely. Although aerobic exercise burns far more calories, and a higher percentage fat calories, than strength or anaerobic training, weight lifting, or resistance training, increases your lean body mass. Muscle tissue is metabolically active. It uses as much as 45 calories per pound per day to sustain itself. The more muscle tissue you have, the higher your resting metabolism. Even when watching television, the local gym rat burns more calories than their couch potato neighbor. So, while aerobic exercise burns fat during and briefly after a workout, the lean muscle tissue that is gained by lifting weights burns calories around the clock. That's especially important if you want to decrease body fat.

Stronger muscles also enable you to perform daily activities more easily. The result is less fatigue at the end of the day. Well conditioned muscles also reduce your risk to injury.

Strength training is a highly individualized procedure. That's why two equally successful strength athletes may have very different training routines. Nevertheless, in order to increase muscle mass or lean tissue, you need to train with weights a minimum of two to three times per week. The best resource for a program that will augment your aerobic conditioning program is a fitness professional trained to develop a program to meet your needs.

The American College of Sports Medicine now considers resistance training a necessary component of any sound exercise program. So regardless of what your fitness goal may be, get out there and toss some weight around.

(Taken from- http://www.rondagates.com/faq/faq.html#q16)

Review Your Diet!-Did You know-2

• Keep a food diary to see when and what you are eating
  • - Try to keep the diary for at least three days to get a picture of your eating habits
  • - Use a new page for each day
  • - Record the time, place and how you felt each time you ate
  • - Be honest - try and write down everything, including all meals, snacks and nibbles
  • - Don't starve yourself - eating well is your aim; not going hungry
• Use the diary to try to identify your weaknesses!
• Spend time considering if you get all the components you need from your diet
• Clear out your cupboards - rid yourself of temptation and "danger" foods

Tips, they are free so do what you will:

How to add more exercise in your day:

We ALL have very busy lives. Adding exercise is just ONE MORE THING, ugh....so hard....but the cold hard facts people, is that it is necessary!! According to the USDA, to be healthy, it is necessary to be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. About 6o minutes a day of physical activity may be needed to prevent weight gain. For sustaining weight loss, at least 60-90 minutes a day of physical activity may be required. Stay within your daily calorie needs, and children and teenagers should be physically active for 6o minutes everyday, or most days. (mypyramid.gov steps to a healthier you) With this information it can be somewhat daunting and discouraging... First what comes to mind is HOW IN THE HOLY HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO GET A FULL 30-60 MINUTES OF EXERCISE IN IN A DAY?????? but their IS hope my fellow blogger checkers!!! Who has said you need to do the exercises for a full 30-60 minutes at a time? I have thought of some good ideas (at least I think they are) that may help us all to get in those minutes of daily exercise that are so needed! Broken up, not a full 30-60 minutes at a time, but 10 minutes here, 5 minutes there, 8 minutes...etc. you get it right?
Scenero:
Woke up late and you usually exercise in the morning, bummer have to wait till tomorrow...right? Wrong!! Add it in through out the day.

(These should only take up to 20 minutes to do them)

*Do 15 pushups..manly or female style
*Jog in place for 1 min.
*Jump rope 100 jumps
*Do 20 Crunches/situps
*Walk around your house while the commercials are on while watching Opera, or ESPN
*Dance in your living room with the radio on for 1 song
*Skip to your car
*Park far away from the store so you have to walk further (BONUS: then your car doesnt get door dinged if you are in the boonies)
*Do toe/calf raises while doing the dishes
*Vacuume your house or at least one room at a time (BONUS: then your house is cleaner, and that always feels nice)
*Jog to the mail box and back to the house (If you have to go to the Post office, this one may not work for you)
*Do 50 Jumping Jacks (up and down is 1)

Now, if you are really motivated, have more time, and you have the necassary gear (and good weather) you can implament these nice tips:

(These should take ~ a minimum of 20 minutes)

*Bike to work (all the while keeping our earth beautiful) (make sure you wear a helmet)
*Run around your block (call a friend to go with, it makes for good fun)
*Do a work out video (Pilates, P90X, Yoga, or other)
*Combine any 2 of the above (ie. Vacuume house, and do dishes while doing toe/calf raises)
*Strech (ohhh sooo relaxing)

Anyway, I know that there are so many more that we can do, we just have to WANT it. Please! Add more to this list, share your thoughts, the more the better.

Good luck guys.

Here's the deal....

I am hopping that I will see more than just mine and Jake's before and after photos added to this blog. This is important guyzzzzz! I know that it is an evil gruesome thing, before photos, but if you don't have them it is hard to know from where you came, and to where you have gone. :) So do it! Also, taking your measurements is very beneficial to know where you stand. Luckly Jake and I had biometric testing today for his work health insurance (Jaynes is starting a new program to help with preventative care, prevent diabedies, obesity, high colestoral, Blood pressure etc.) We were able to learn about our blood pressure, colestoral levals, BMI, weight/height, and glucose levels.

I plan on updating our "Before" photos every 15 days....with our current standings of the things listed below. Next date will be: December 23, 2008. Next after that: January 7, 2009. Next will be: January 22, 2009, Next and final/After photos will be posted: February 06, 2009.
That gives everyone a whopping 60 DAYS to get our butts in gear!

For those of you who will be participating I have decided something, and I hope I get some responses!!, I have decided whoever does the Best will be rewarded.....Best as in who looses the most weight for their height, I think that will work....overall....I have decided that if it is a female (and it is not myself, ha ha ha) I will do a Highlight/Lowlight and cut for FREE!!!! If it is a male, (and if it is not Jake) I will do 2 Hair cuts for FREE!!!! But if it is Jake or I that "wins" we would ask that you all pitch in for a $25.00 1 hour massage at a massage school here in Albuquerque. (or if you guys don't like the idea for hair stuff then we can do the massage for the winner anyway. ;) ) And it doesn't matter where you live, if the winner opts for their hair to be done and they live outta state, I will come to them ;) Sweet!

So, if that doesn't motivate you all then I have no idea what will. So I hope to see before's up and going with some great results to boot. Get your friends involved, please the more the better. We are all here to help out. (Comments help to posts too guys! I would love to know how to improve, or even to know if anyone comes to this site besides myself and Jake :D otherwise we will be footing the 25 bucks for our own massages. ha ha ha)
Hurry hurry, time is a ticken...you only have 59 days for a better, feel good, new you!

BEFORES (Please excuse them.... :D)

Before:




Jacob:
Height: 6'6
Weight: 227
Body Fat: 21% ( Desirable: 26% or less for women and 19% or less for men)
BMI (body mass index): 26.6 (Desirable: Less than 25)
Waist Circumference: 39.5 in. (From naval)
Neck Circumference: 16.5 in. (around upper neck below chin)
Chest Circumference: 43 in. (around middle of chest)
Bicep Circumference: 14 in. (around middle of bicep)
Upper Arm Circumference: 15 in. (Right below shoulder, above bicep)
Thigh Circumference: 26 in. (Upper thigh, below buttock, near groin)
Calf Circumference: 14.5 in. (Middle of Calf)







Kimberlee:
Height: 5'8
Weight: 154.5
Body Fat: 30% (Desirable: 26% or less for women and 19% or less for men)
BMI (body mass index): 26.1 (Desirable: Less than 25%)
Waist Circumference: 34.5 in. (From naval)
Neck Circumference: 13 in. (around upper neck below chin)
Chest Circumference: 39.5 in. (around middle of chest)
Bicep Circumference: 11 in. (around middle of bicep)
Upper Arm Circumference: 12.5 in. (Right below shoulder, above bicep)
Thigh Circumference: 24 in. (Upper thigh, below buttock, near groin)
Calf Circumference: 14 in. (Middle of Calf)

DID YOU KNOW?-1

Here are some of the great things that regular exercise can do for you:

• Keep you trim, help you lose fat and preserve muscle


• Improve sleep


• Improve your bone density and reduce your risk of falls and fractures


• Lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, gallstones, and colon cancer


• Raise self esteem, improve mood and relaxation


• Decrease migraine headaches


• Reduce discomfort from arthritis


• Reverse the natural muscle loss that occurs with aging.

GOOD WEBSITE

http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/

Because it is important.

As I do my nightly ritual of keeping my self busy and awake for no real reason I have had time to think. I have been struggling with a few things these days. Some of which are:

* How to become healthier
* How to lose weight
* How to Exercise more
* How to Learn more about Healthy foods
* How to cook better more nutritious meals for myself and for my family
* How to become over all Happier

Just to name a few. As I was cleaning away trying to imagine a magical way to accomplish these things I realized a few things:

A. I have never REALLY dedicated myself to something, like losing weight....exercising regularly...etc.
B. I have never really had to "lose" weight
C. I have never made time to learn "how to"
and
D. I have never really asked for help

From that it dawned on me. I need help! I need help to become the better me that I would love to be. Lets face it, EVERYONE is trying to do something regarding their health. Whether we are trying to loose, maintain, build, tone, or define, everyone is trying for something. There is no secret.....Why should there be? It is okay to want something, and it is also okay to admit that what you want is something you have never had, like the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, or have never been able to achieve on your own.
Presto! Here is my hopeful solution. I am seeking help from you all, and I am also encouraging you to also join the ranks of hopefuls. Lets help a brother out, or sister, orrr cousin, or friend.......you get the idea. We all have our own goals for what we want, but ultimately it boils down to needing support, the know how, and the actual effort that is critical to success.
With this blog I am hoping to get the help that we all need from others' experience, expertise, encouragement, and to ultimately get results. I plan on posting Before/After pictures. I hope to put nutritious recipes on here, "Did you know?" tips weekly about general health, Exercise Tip of the week, and goals, I would also like to see every ones progress, comments, and all that Jazz......okay so there is a lot that can be done......but I cant do it alone. Feel free to post questions about your exercise/health/food.......And make sure that we all help each other out. Sounds like fun huh... letting everyone know how your doing or not doing will be encouragement enough right?!

Will you join me???