Ambitions

"You can do anything you put your mind to," were the words of my mother and I am certain the words also spoken by many others. But what is it that drives an individual to succeed? Why are some more successful than others? And are you born with ambitions or bred with them?

When I was working my former, monotonous, and conforming job, I often dreamed of what owning my own store would be like. In fact, those fantasies are usually what got me through my toughest days. Sure, any other person might be thankful to have a job like I had; insurance, 401k's, salary...and as ungrateful as I may sound, it was a good job, just not for me.

I am not a rebellious person nor one who necessarily hates authority; I was a really good student and a pretty good kid, I just don't like being told what to do. Art class was always my favorite because there were no restrictions;I could create anything and nothing inhibited my imagination.

As kids, my mom would listen to cd's of motivational speakers, and being that we couldn't drive ourselves, we listened to them too. I remember how much my siblings and I taunted her for making us listen to them. Looking back, I begin to wonder if they really did help me to have a much more positive and ambitious outlook on life. That wasn't the only influence my mom had either. If we said the word 'fat' we had to put a quarter in a jar. When complaining about time, we learned that patience was a virtue. And most importantly, our visualization exercises.

Prior to every athletic event my mom would have us close our eyes and 'visualize our success'. For my brother and I, that was scoring or defending a goal and for my sister it was nailing that standing back tuck. If we did succeed by scoring a goal or flipping without falling...then we got a beanie baby (all the rage in the late 90's). So, as hilarious as it may be, I have always practiced my visualization exercises so that I can hone in and focus on my goals; whatever they may be.

It has been 4 wonderful months that my store has been open. It doesn't pay me nor does it really make that much money as of now...but the simple fact that I took a dramatic leap and invested into a risk that will forever change me; well that is pretty successful in itself I must say.

Am I scared? Hell yeah, but dwelling on fear won't help me to get ahead.

:)

Religion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

I just came across this viral video that so many are talking about. This poem raises questions which I have yet to settle with my own beliefs. I was raised Roman Catholic by my parents. My father; whom was raised by devout Catholics his whole life, and my mother; whom was raised Methodist until she married my father. Her reasoning for becoming Catholic I am certain, was not an option, and was necessary in order to marry my father. My parents are no longer married, and following the divorce my mother continued to take us kids to Catholic church where most of us finished out the sacraments (leading up to marriage). My mother remarried my now step-father whom was raised in a very religious household (his father a baptist preacher). My stepfather willingly attended Mass with us despite being raised Baptist. My father continued to attend Mass regularly.

Mom(Methodist turned Catholic)

Dad(Devout Catholic)

Step dad (preachers' son)

Siblings & I (Catholic)

When we were younger, we never missed Mass & I recall praying the rosary together as a family on a weekly basis. We always prayed before meals; in fact I remember thinking my food would be poisoned if I didn't pray before eating. We attended Religious Education classes which I completed leading up to College. Junior high is when I became active in the church, volunteering my time and participating in dances, trips, and lock-ins. In high school I was a Catholic camp counselor, I volunteered twice a week and my church mates were my best friends. I had lead many of the prayers as a youth leader at that time.

If you are not Catholic or not familiar with the religion, then it may be hard for you to understand some of what I discuss. I was taught to believe certain things and too often I failed to ask, 'why?' From the moment I was born til the moment I die, religion would have a great part in who I was & am.

Sacraments are one of the major differences in the Catholic church versus a protestant or non-denominational.

1.) Baptism

2.) First communion/Eucharist

3.) Penance- Or confession.

4.) Confirmation

5.) Marriage

6.) Anointing of the Sick

7.) Holy Orders

When conversing with a non-catholic on religious issues I always feel as though I am defending my religion. There is a lot of mis-information out there about Catholics and it is difficult to clear the air because so many non-Catholics are extremely opinionated.

Ultimately the question we must ask ourselves is, 'does religion matter?' This question lingers in my mind on a daily basis...it is something that I struggle to answer. As a catholic, interested in marrying a non-catholic, it is very important for me to determine. What I have concluded from my research and own prayer is this:

God wants us to believe in him and encourage others to do the same.

Religion is simply the way we express our love for God as Christians.

Religion for non Christians...well I believe we all pray to the same God and are too stubborn to recognize that. The bible was written so long ago & by so many different people in many different languages....this isn't a matter of who is right or wrong.

Religion is an interpretation of what we want to have faith in. It is the way we like to learn...a 'method' if you will.

Without religion, you lose structure and direction. Religion keeps us reminded of God's love and sacrifice for us. As for Catholics, this is what our sacraments are; a reminder, a practice.

People are sinners and hypocrites alike. We all make mistakes, say things we don't mean, and hurt each other; that is not the fault of religion, rather a misguided group of people...or simply human error.

It is unfair to blame religion for wars...for the government blends too closely with these notions.

Cathedrals are immaculate and ornate but non-denominational churches with rock bands and flat screen televisions were not cheap to build either. It is by the gifts of God that we are able to build such wonderful sanctuaries. These churches will withstand the test of time and continue to give to the hungry, the needy, the poor, the widowed, and divorced.

Religion is like a team of sorts. Each team practices differently, has a different coach, a different tactic, but ultimately all of the teams share the same goal...and that is to win, or in religions case; to make it to heaven.

What do you think?

Brain game

Why is it that I find myself really enthusiastic about eating well and working hard in the gym one moment then dreaming about junkie food and skipping my workout the next? Last night I told myself I would start doing my workouts before work every morning to free up my evenings...I thought it would get my day started earlier and provide me with an abundance of energy. Sounds great in theory. Then suddenly I remember if I workout before work, I have to shower at the gym which means take all of my toiletries, towel, clothes, make up, meals for the day, etc. etc. etc...I easily became overwhelmed with the amount of organization it would require to simply work out before work and ultimately, did not even give it a chance....yet.

Same goes for making my lunch for today. I prepared lemon-rosemary chicken baked with brussel sprouts last night so that at lunch today I could have a nutritious meal and something besides a sandwich (which has lately been my diet staple). It sounded awesome last night so why am I not crazy about it today?

I wanted to get more psyched about my brussel sprouts so I looked them up on the web to see their nutritional stats. Seeing why they were so good for me really made me want to eat them more. They have cancer-fighting nutrients, more Vitamin C than an orange, folate, potassium, Vitamin K, and carotene. That is a nutrient-dense power food if you ask me! Plus they are cute, like miniature cabbages & they taste like broccoli.

One serving(4 brussel sprouts)

33 Calories

7g Carbohydrate

3g Protein

3g Fiber

I think it is very normal to teeter with motivation and some days you just have to push through. For me, reminding myself why I eat the way I do and why I workout is what keeps me on track most of the time. Am I perfect? No. Is there someone out there working harder and eating better? Definitely. But I am balanced healthy and constantly trying to better myself.

http://www.lesliebeck.com/ingredient_index.php?featured_food=77

Losing Weight Part II

Last time, we discussed the different studies which compared dieting low carb v.s. dieting low fat. The participants which dieted low carb lost more weight. Today, I want to elaborate on why those which dieted on low carb diets lost more weight, and how carbohydrates and fats both effect our bodies differently.

Carbohydrate- Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen & Oxygen hence the name "carbo-hydrate". They play important roles in fertilization, energy, immune system, blood clotting, and development and are broken down into 4 chemical groupings:

Simple Carbohydrates-

• Monosaccharides- Glucose, Ribose (ATP, NAD, FAD, RNA). They are the major source of fuel for the metabolism. When not in use, they are stored as glycogen/ polysaccharides, especially in the liver and muscle cells.
• Disaccharides- Sucrose (table sugar), Lactose (milk).

Complex Carbohydrates-

• Oligosaccharides- Frucstose (Fruit), Vegetables, Starches.
• Polysaccharides- Fiber, Storage of energy (starch and glycogen)

Am I turning you off with all of this organic chemistry? It will be tough to follow along, but we have a weight loss mystery to solve! We know the basics of a carbohydrate, now let us elaborate on glycogen.

Glycogen-Is the secondary form in which unused (glucose) energy is stored and most commonly stored in the liver and in our muscles. Our primary storage of energy is found in adipose tissue, or fat. How much glycogen is stored depends on how much we eat, work out, our eating habits, and our basal metabolic rate.

One thing to consider is that a carbohydrate consists of water, remember the root of the name we discussed earlier? Ever wonder why crash diets work (temporarily)? When you deprive your body of carbohydrates you are also dispelling water. The significant amount of weight that you watch drop abruptly is mostly composed of water. This is also why whenever you dismiss the unrealistic diet and begin eating normally, you immediately gain all of the water weight back (if not more).

Another important contributing factor in the consumption of carbohydrates is the Glycemic Index. Every carbohydrate has been graded its own number on the glycemic index which indicates the level at which insulin rises. The higher the GI (glycemic index) the higher the rise of insulin. When our insulin rises abruptly, it also drops abruptly, very similar to a caffeine binge. After our insulin levels substantially spike & decline, they create a desire for more of the same types of foods and often leave us very hungry. When choosing carbohydrates that are lower on the GI, we will benefit with a higher level of satiety, therefore not making us want to eat as much.

Below is a chart of different types of foods and their GI.

Of course not all carbohydrates are equal or bad for that matter. I think it is safe to say that vegetables are very essential to our overall health and we can benefit greatly by consuming them. Vegetables are a carbohydrate, so to say that all carbohydrates are bad would be a lie. It is also important to note that not all fruits are equal, some fruits are loaded with sugar and much higher on the GI.

I still feel all this research is ambiguous, we are going to have to dig deeper. Next time we will elaborate on the functions of proteins and fats.

'Carbohydrates are not necessary building blocks of other molecules, and the body can obtain all its energy from protein and fats.^[11][12] The brain fats contain 37.8 kilojoules (9 kilocalories) per gram. In the case of protein, this is somewhat misleading as only some amino acids are usable for fuel.'-wikipedia

Sources:

http://www.ajcn.org/content/76/1/281S.short

wikipedia.com

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1AVSH_enUS457US457&biw=1024&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=z5Q_wTzq94c6OM:&imgrefurl=http://gymworkoutathome.com/what-is-the-best-way-to-lose-weight/&docid=JQMyiawHUtzoUM&imgurl=http://gymworkoutathome.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/glycemic-index.gif&w=457&h=490&ei=mKHnTrb2O8fKsQLp9-zkCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=455&vpy=280&dur=332&hovh=232&hovw=217&tx=109&ty=102&sig=101877773486661163758&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=134&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1AVSH_enUS457US457&biw=1024&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=xSxrUF_9meNpYM:&imgrefurl=http://www.glycemicindex.com/&docid=MQCgaOGlBJp1VM&imgurl=http://www.glycemicindex.com/images/gi_levels110.gif&w=110&h=296&ei=mKHnTrb2O8fKsQLp9-zkCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=86&vpy=245&dur=604&hovh=236&hovw=88&tx=74&ty=123&sig=101877773486661163758&page=4&tbnh=139&tbnw=52&start=55&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:55

Monday isn't Mundane!

Breakfast- Kashi cereal w/ skim milk, tsp raw honey, 1 banana

Coffee w/ skim milk

Lunch- (leftovers) 1c. salad with italian dressing, 1/4 c. spinach/artichoke dip w/ sliced baguettes

4-6 cups of hot green tea

Snack- Lunchable w/ crackers, ham, cheese, and a mini chocolate treat (hehehe)

more coffee...addict! & lots of water

Pre-Workout- 1 scoop low carb whey mixed w/ water, 10ish almonds.

Post Workout- Small apple

Dinner-Salad w/ avocado, feta, and homemade vinaigrette. Hormone free ground beef cooked with onion & seasonings, Spanish rice.

Workout-

30 Min. Elliptical, last 10 min high intensity intervals

Back-

Lateral Pulldowns 4x20 I went up to 100lbs on these

Bent Over Row w/ Barbell 3x20 (reverse grip)

Bicep Curl w/ Dumbbell 3x15

Hammer curl w/ Rope 3x15

Back extension w/ medicine ball 3x15

Blame it on the gene's!

It is very easy to become frustrated with weight loss and to simply blame it on the gene's in which we involuntarily inherited. Yes, genetic factors can force some of us to work a little more, and an elite few to work a little less but it should not be our excuse! One of our first indicators as to which type of body we have can be found using this calculator. http://www.superskinnyme.com/body_type_calculator.html

The calculator determines which of the 3 body types you have; ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph. I have not yet measured to see what category I fall in, but based on my research I would presume I am a mesomorph. The 3 categories can be summed up as easily as:

Ectomorph- The skinny girl or boy, struggles with gaining muscle mass, does not retain fat.

Mesomorph- The athletic frame which can easily make muscular gains but will never be stick thin, usually broad shouldered with narrow waist.

Endomorph- Tends to be heavy set, can build muscle but also predisposed to retain fat.

Agenda

I have added a lot of social activities to my agenda recently in efforts to promote my clothing store. Because of this I have been slacking on my gym attendance. The good news is I feel that the word is getting out about Unlabeled, the bad news is that my muscles are going to get very small if I keep this up.

Wednesday-

I trained legs with Jacqui. She found a workout on pinterest, which is like much of that we do on a regular basis, even so it is nice to not have to think a workout through every now and again.

3x15 Squats

3x25 Box Jumps (straddle)

3x20 dumbbell deadlift

3x20 weighted calf raises

3x15 lunges

+ 35 minutes of elliptical

I also had wine twice this week. Two of the events that I attended were serving wine and being the lover of wine that I am, I had to engage in a glass... or 3.

Go ahead, count 'em, only 2 days of workouts this week. AH! I am not too hung up on it, I have been a busy girl and making money is really essential to my overall survival at this point.