Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A Zen Day Of Eating

RC asked me yesterday what a "Zen" day of eating looked like for little ol' me. So I thought I would share.

First, it should be noted that I do a much better job of eating/not eating on the weekends...when I am at home. When I am at home, and behaving, I eat when I am hungry. At work on the other hand, I eat like a pretty dairy cow from the great state of Vermont (shout out to Angie! Hey girl Hey). In other words, I graze. At work I eat to fill time, out of frustration, or when I am bored. I eat because "Look! It's 10:07am....must be snack time".


So when Amy is on point, feeling in control, and making wise choices...the day might look like this:

Breakfast: half a protein bar (I only ate half bc it was kinda yucky)
Snack: 1/4 peanuts
Lunch: 1.5 cups of cream of tomato black bean soup (new recipe, made at home)
Pre-workout snack: half a protein bar
Dinner: 2 ounces of pork chop, 1/2 cup mashed taters, a few green beans and a cornbread muffin (that damn muffin snuck it's way on my plate)
Dessert: SF pudding with fresh raspberries


water for the day: 100 ounces
DIET sunkists for the day: 30 ounces


So there you go. It would have been even better if I hadnt had the peanuts, the muffin, or the diet sunkist...but I can't be perfect :)


At circuit yesterday I burned 350 calories. When we do circuit training, we work with free weights for 50 minutes without a break...just rotating from one workout to another. What I love about circuit is that I have different weights to choose from and can tailor the workout to my level.


Here is what I do and here are the stations.


Sitting squats or plie squats. I showed you a diagram of the plie squats yesterday, and the sitting squat is like you are getting ready to sit on a toilet.


Chest flies and chest press. I use 25 pound dumbbells for those.


Calve raises.


Upright rows and shoulder shrugs. For upright rows I use 20lb dumbbells, and for shoulder shrugs I use 30lbs.


Superman and bridge.


Straight leg dead lifts (great for hamstrings). I use two 40 pound dumbbells.


Standing shoulder press. 20 lb weights


Ab wheel/plank/medicine ball.


Tricep extension and curls. For curls I use 25lb dumbbells, and for the tricep extension I use one 25lb dumbbell.


And that is it. We do 30 seconds at each station and then move on to the next. If there are multiple things to do at one station like the ab station, we alternate each round. So I my do the ab wheel one time, the plank the next, etc. We do 7 complete rotations.


Have any of you ever tried the ab wheel?


I am not going to lie to you. It is badass. You can purchase them just about anywhere and usually for under $10. Tracey and Heather (our trainer) do it with ease. I do it with the shakes of a magnitude 8 earthquake. Heather said that in one of her college classes they hooked her up to little electrodes and machines that measured muscle use and engagement, and that the ab wheel practically worked every muscle in your back, stomach, and arms. More effective than the traditional crunch or sit-up.

I will take my camera next time and take pictures of our little workout room!

Until then my beautiful shiny people...keep fighting the good fight!

15 comments:

  1. That's it! I'm packing the U-haul and I'm moving to florida so you can make me a work out mad woman like you! I just walk and run but I'd love to get my chunky butt to the gym but no one will go with me! CPL was supposed to join with me but now she's all pregnant and all she wants to do is go to get ice cream. Bicep curls of the spoon into the mouth is not what I'm looking for!

    Happy Day! :)

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  2. LMAO I use to have one of those ab wheel's and I broke the damn thing because I was to heavy for it I guess! Ill have to get another one now LOLOL...

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  3. I am complete opposite with how I behave with food. During the work week I am really pretty good because I have pretty much the same routine and I avoid the work kitchen like the plague (except to fill up my water bottle). It's the weekends that get me! So, kudos to you that you can do so well on the weekends.

    Jeff used to have one of those ab wheels (we may still have it around). I used to crack up watching him use it while I sat on the couch (and was 300 pounds!). I may have to go back out and invest in one of those. I need to start getting my tummy in shape.

    Seriously though. You have done so amazing and you were the first person I started following after finding you on lap band talk. I talk about you to my husband like you live down the street!

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  4. I am opposite too - I behave during the week. I am a bit less Zen on weekends. Impressive workout!!!!!

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  5. There are no words for how I laughed when you said " I do it with the shakes of a magnitude 8 earthquake." I'm at work so I can't holla but oh I wanted to.

    Amy you have to share the tomato black bean soup recipe.

    I wonder will I be a workout-aholic when I get my band. Right now I'm just managing walking a mile everyday. Got to ramp it up a couple of notches

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  6. Interesting. I do better at work because I am constantly distracted and don't have time to be hungry at weird times. At home, I wander around wondering about my next meal...

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  7. I'm the exact opposite on the eating. I have to fight to keep myself in check at home with eating, but have no problem here at work. I guess it's good that we have at least one place where we're good right?? You're rocking it out on the exercise my friend! xoxo

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  8. thank you for sharing your workout routine! i'm gonna steal some excercises :-) i did the plie squat today with a 15 lb dumbell!

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  9. Thanks for posting your Zen meal. I plan on asking just about every blogger I follow that question in the near future. I need to know what good eating looks like, you know?

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  10. I'll have to check out that Ab wheel, I think I've seen them at Target. Thanks for the info on your day, I really wonder what other bandsters are eating and if I'm doing it right!

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  11. MOOOOOOOOO!

    (thats how we say hey girl hey in vt!)

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  12. That work out sounds like fun (in a masochistic sort of way, of course!)! I might need one of those ab wheels. Now to find one...

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  13. You're the opposite of me. I'm too preoccupied during work to think about eating and fret about what to eat when it's time, unless I bring my lunch. I get home and I graze. It's as if I have to get my ass out of the house to control my eating because I feel far more guilty buying food at some restaurant where I have trouble figuring out calories and protein.

    Yes, I still journal. Yes, I know I am still so green.

    LOL...

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  14. That ab wheel scares me! I just imagine falling face first on the floor and gauging my eyes out from the whole event. I don't know if I could ever have the strength to hold my body up correctly. Kudos to you for doing it.

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