My Honest Opinion of PIIT28

PIIT28 is Cassey Ho of Blogilates new HIIT style workout program.

My thoughts before PIIT28: Wow I could really like this! Only 28 minutes? That's too good to be true! Maybe I should just splurge and buy the program. I'll get my BFF Beth to do it with me. I definitely won't fail now!

My thoughts during PIIT28: This is not 28 minutes. That was a lie. There's a warm up and a stretch routine at the end. This is more like an hour. I have to BUY the timer for this even though I just spent $40 on the freaking program??? I hate jumping so much. I have a headache. Why is the sound so terrible? Some of the moves don't match the workbook. Why did I spend the money on this? I don't like this. Okaaaaay, who needs to finish 28 days of this anyway. 

That's pretty much an honest account of my thoughts. I should probably mention that I don't really like tabata or HIIT style workouts that much. I hate repeating the same moves over and over again. Knowing I have to go back and do the same sequence four times bugs the crap out of me for some reason. I have no idea why. I wanted to give it a try though because I LOVE Cassey's free workout videos on Youtube. I also wasn't expecting so much jumping. I get massive headaches after finishing these workouts and I live in an apartment and I'm not about that noisy neighbor life. We're on the bottom level, but I still feel like the apartment is shaking. HA.

I was slightly annoyed that the program is advertised as 28 minutes, when it really ends up being an hour. I realize I could just do the active 28 minutes and 45 seconds workout, but I love the stretching at the end. I'm confusing, I know.

I was REALLY annoyed at the fact that if we wanted the timer that went along with the program that we would have to pay an extra $1.99. Call me cheap, but hello! I just paid $40 for this program. Couldn't it be included?

If you love HIIT style workouts, then this is totally for you! Personally, I would much rather do Cassey's monthly calendars that follow along with her BlogilatesYoutube channel for free. I love them, they're shorter and did I mention they're free?

Have you tried PIIT28? What were your thoughts?

#AlohaBaecationBody

I've said it a million times and I know I will say it a million more.

I need to lose weight. 

I would be lying if I said that vanity wasn't part of the reason I feel this way. More importantly though, I need to be healthy.

Years ago, after a bad break-up, I let myself go for awhile. I slept way more than anybody should. I stayed up until all hours of the early morning, went to work at 5 am, got off between 10 am and noon, ate fast food for lunch and then went home and slept until my dad got home at 6:30 pm. During this time, I set myself and my body up for failure. I formed terrible habits. I ate like crap. The only exercise I got was walking around Target with a shopping cart. I gained weight. Weight that I haven't really let go of. No pun intended, this weight is heavy. There is no excuse for me to be harboring this food baby any longer.

My family is going to Hawaii in December and I am determined to feel confident in a bikini. I want to fully enjoy my time with my family and not worry about how I look. I want to lose the weight for my self esteem. For my ever dwindling closet. For my body. For myself.

I'm a deadline person. I can't just say "I want to lose 10 pounds" because I will never do it. I need to say "I want to lose 10 pounds before I got to Hawaii in December." This allows me to picture an end goal. It allows me to see the reward. I can physically cross days off on the calendar. Hence the hash tag, #AlohaBaecationBody.

I'm never going to be the girl that doesn't love to eat. I love trying new restaurants. I love eating french fries and milk shakes with my mom like when I was a kid. I love going to my dad's favorite hot wing place with him. I love surprising my nieces with those frosting cookies from the grocery. But just because I love food, doesn't mean that I can't love my body too. I took the plunge and purchased Cassey Ho's 28 day PIIT program. I'm hoping that since I spent actual money on a program that I will stick with it. The exercises seem fun and she looks smokin' after creating/completing the program!

I can't wait to see where I am in 28 days. It's all mental for me and I'm so ready.

Drop It Like A Squat

APRIL FOOLS!

I have a love hate relationship with squats. Mostly hate.

I've realized I cannot complete the 30 day squat challenges with 4,000 squats in a row. I just can't. I get bored. My legs break off. Ain't nobody got time for 4,000 squats or legs breaking off.

In case you were wondering, 69 days until my Caribbean vacation. My thighs are staring up at me like "SHRINK US!!!!!!!!!!!" That's actually a really weird image, but whatevs.

I have compiled a whole list of squat motivation, including a squat challenge that does not require 4,000 of the same type of squat in a row. My attention span is thanking me already.

 

PLEASE do this with me, so I don't have to be miserable fit and fabulous alone.

 

 

Hmmm. Interesting.

 

 

I needed this lovely piece of motivation.

 

 

Toned please!

 

 

If I was your boss I would accept this excuse.

 

I need this.

 

 

So...who's with me??? I'm starting this today. No April Fools jokes here!

 

*None of these pictures are mine. I found them on Pinterest and the links were dead ends. So credit to whoever owns them*

 

 

Track Your Progress Without a Scale

Scales suck - like Target has the shirt you've been eyeing on clearance in every size but your own - suck.

I don't consider them to be accurate. My weight fluctuates way too much during the day and I always feel bad when I get on the scale. I get discouraged if I ate healthy all week and gained weight. I get encouraged in a bad way if I ate terrible and lost weight.

I'm back on my eating healthier kick and I've decided to kick the scale to the curb - not literally because it's my boyfriend's - but I'm figuratively taking a sledge hammer to it.

Here are better ways to track your progress without being a slave to the scale :

• take your measurements - I measured around my stomach for awhile and noticed a positive difference. It was cool to see the measuring tape go smaller and smaller.
• go off how you feel - When I eat like crap, I feel like crap. I get stomach aches constantly when I don't watch what I eat. I use my stomach aches as a sign of how I'm doing diet wise.
• notice how your clothes fit - This is a big one! When my jeans are loose, I sing with the Hallelujah choir.
• go off how you look - confession : I straight up have a food baby if I eat a lot or if I eat crap. Like 4 month old food baby. My bloat goes waaaay down if I'm eating healthy. So watch that food baby, girl! Assuming I'm not the only person in the world with this problem.

I refuse to let the number on the scale make me feel bad. Will you ditch the scale with me?

Let's be friends.

30 Day Beach Body Challenge!

I have 124 days until I embark on my Caribbean vacation. I'm going with my boyfriend, my best friend Beth, and her boyfriend Evan. First of all, eeeeek! I've been working out sort of regularly for the last couple weeks and I've been eating a loooot better. Very minimal eating out at restaurants and water, water, water! I want to look good in that swim suit!

I like doing these challenges because they are quick, easy, and each day is already laid out for me.

This challenge works out all parts of our body, which is cool! All of the ones I see are just for abs or legs or something.

Care to join? It's only 30 days and the time will pass anyway. :)

What do you do to get yourself beach ready?

Let's be friends!

email : miranduh007@yahoo.com

IG : meranneduh1

Pinterest : meranneduh1

6 Simple Ways to Boost Your Metabolism!

This post is totally unplanned, but I really wanted to share this information with you!

This morning while checking my Yahoo mail, I saw an article about simple ways to boost your metabolism. I'm usually not impressed by these articles. It's always the saaaaame information, with little to no explanation about why I should actually follow the advice they are trying to give. This article isn't like that. Thank you Fitness Magazine and Yahoo Shine!

1) Hit the weight room. Weight lifting burns more calories than cardio and burns them even after you stop lifting!

2) Ditch crash dieting. Skipping meals is not okay. Ladies! Shoot for 0.5 to 0.75 grams of protein for each pound of your body weight every day.

3) Don't party too hard! With heavy alcohol intake, your  body prioritizes detoxing over the metabolism of fat. Settle for one glass of wine, not six!

4) Cut back on sugar. The average American consumes 152 pounds of sugar a year!!!! Gross. That averages out to 43 teaspoons a day. Step away from the M&Ms.

5) Get more sleep. Sleep deprivation = more grehlin (hunger hormone) and less leptin (appetite suppressor) If you can't get 8 hours of sleep a night, shoot for consistency. 8 hours of sleep? What's that?

6) De-stress! Chronic stress causes Cortisol secretion and prompts fat in the body to be relocated and deposited deep in the abdomen. Maybe that's my problem!

So there you have it! 6 ways to boost that metabolism!!!

Let's be friends! :)

email : miranduh007@yahoo.com
IG : meranneduh1
Pinterest : meranneduh1

Say Goodbye to Cellulite Sally!

Last week, I posted a 15 minute Fat Blast exercise. This week is exercises to beat cellulite. Every girl's worst enemy. Try them out and let me know what you think! :)

These exercises are broken down into 3 levels. Once you feel comfortable with one level, move on to the next level of difficulty.

Level 1 : Beginner

1. long leg scissor > 15 (obliques and abs)
2. modified in + out push up > 12 alternating (shoulders, triceps, chest and core) start in girl push up position, with your hands just wider than your chest, do one push up and then move your hands under your shoulders and do another push up. keep alternating
3. side lunge > 20 alternating (butt and legs) start with feet hip width apart with your knees slightly bent...lunge to your right, bending your knee 90 degrees and keeping left leg straight...step your right leg back to start and switch legs. repeat

Level 2 : Intermediate

1. long leg scissor crunch > 15 (obliques and abs)
2. in + out push up > 20 alternating (shoulders, triceps, chest and core)
3. side lunge + squat > 20 alternating (butt and legs) do the side lunges like before, but add a squat before switching legs

Level 3 : Advanced

1. long leg scissor with knee raise > 20 (obliques and abs) this is basically a bicycle crunch
2. teeter totter push up > 15 alternating (shoulders, triceps, chest, and core) start in push up position with left hand under your left shoulder and right hand a little wider than your chest. do 1 push up and then switch arm positions. keep alternating
3. side lunge + squat jump > 20 alternating (side lunge and squat jump) do the side lunges like before, but add a squat jump before switching legs

See ya later, Cellulite Sally. You won't be missed.

15 Minute Fat Blast Workout!

In a desperate attempt to actually make myself work out do cardio, I found and adapted a 15 minute fat blast work out!

Do each one for 1 minute and repeat the whole thing 3 times.

1) Jump Rope : if you don't have a rope, play pretend.
2) Squat Jump : do a squat like you normally would and then with hands overhead "explode" upward. (this does not count toward your squat challenge!! ;] )
3) Lateral Dash : place 2 items within 8 feet of each other and dash left to right, touching the items each time. (I have a section of hard wood between to areas of carpet that would work for this)
4) Run in Place : get your knees above your waist and pump those arms!
5) Jacks & Jabs : with legs shoulder width apart, starting jabbing! (8 times) and then with fists up by your chin, do the jacks with legs only. If you're feeling crazy, jab the arms at the same time! (for one minute)

15 minutes of your day & you don't even have to leave the house!
 
Say No to Cellulite work out coming soon!!

October 1st : No Excuses!

October kicks off the holiday months and we all know what that means...food! Oh and cute Christmas outfits and little New Years dresses. Uh oh. Do you see the problem?

Since I finally remembered (at the beginning of the month), that I want Victoria Secret abs and a butt, I decided I would start up two challenges. I'm finally feeling good in my jeans again and I'm not going to let my love for everything pumpkin ruin that!

I've never made it through these challenges entirely and this blog is the perfect reason to stick with it. I always come up with some excuse like : 1) it's not Monday. I'll wait until next week or 2) it isn't the first of the month, so technically it isn't day 1. Since I wouldn't want to admit that I failed at my own challenge, I'm doing it all the way this time! 

So with a month left until Halloween and a month and a half until my 22nd birthday, I present to you...Get My A(b)ss In Shape Challenge!

For the sake of public shaming, here goes!!! No excuses! Care to join? Take before and after pictures and stick with it! Let's see how much of a difference we can see in ourselves!

I'm aware that says June...pretend it says October.

I tried to make this picture a little more appropriate...nice try?