5 posts tagged “weight loss”
HOW IS YOUR SUMMER GOING???
Feeling good in that bikini? Or too many margaritas, hamburgers, fried chicken, and strawberry shortcake got you covering up? :)
Its never to late to get yourself moving and feeling better....even in the middle of summer.
For those who have been participating in the Vox Fitness Challenge: round two, we have been working for the past 12 weeks and got some mo going. We challenged ourselves to get up and get/keep moving for 12 weeks and we made it! woot! :) Some of us have been here since the beginning of round one (February 4th) and some are new since round two.
And now that round two is wrapping up some of us want to keep going and are going to keep going with ROUND THREE ! And we would like to invite more people to join us!!!
The start date for round three is Monday, August 11th so get that marked on your calendar!
The Vox Fitness Challenge is a 12 week challenge for anyone who wants to get in shape and wants some virtual workout buddies. This is also for anyone on a current program who wants some virtual workout buddies. There is no set curriculum or program that anyone has to follow as far as diet and exercise....and there is not set fitness level of the group. (we are all over the place!) What you do as far as diet and exercise is totally up to you...as along as it encompasses health and wellness.
The point and purpose of the challenge group is really two-fold:
1. To challenge people to try and stay on a course of being active and healthy for 12 weeks.....and see if you can surprise yourself with what you can accomplish if you stay the course. For most people in round one and two, just staying the course for 12 weeks was the biggest source of pride. Even if you aren't working out big, just staying consistent is huge and is also a huge step towards having future successes since most people cannot stay consistent...and lack of consistency is the biggest cause of people not getting in shape.
2. To have a place of support where you can have people cheer you on and lift you up.....because you don't have to do all this alone!
The only real stipulations of the 12 week group challenge are:
1. You report in your opening stats (see more info here)
2. You report in your ending stats (see more info here)
3. You report in with an update a minimum of once a week.
* It is here that some people had some challenges because they forgot or got busy. This is a stipulation not meant to hem anyone in or to be too stringent. But if you are joining because you want support in your workout journey, then checking in once a week shouldn't be too much to ask? As well, when you don't check in regularly, then its easy to have "out of sight, out of mind" syndrome and totally fall off the wagon...which is what we want to help you not to do. The point here is to have an active, supportive group....not just a group with a big membership where no one posts or is there offering support to each other.
4. You are positive and non-judgemental towards your fellow group members (bonus points if you add fun to the group! :))
5. You "sign" a commitment contract, to yourself, for the 12 week challenge
So, if your interest is peaked, please read up on the challenge via the links provided at the top. If you have any questions, please let me know! And after you read up and you are game to sign up for round three, please definitely let me know asap! :)
(p.s. all round two participants please make sure to let me know if you plan to participate in round three, if you have not done so already! thanks! :))
* please note - The Vox Challenge group page is private for members only so you cannot view it before you become a member.
The 12 week Vox Fitness Challenge is wrapping up it's 12th and final week! Congratulations to everyone who participated! woot! :)
Much speculation has surrounded the topic about what is next and many people have expressed interest in doing another 12 week challenge to keep the momentum going! I think this is a grande idea!
Sooooooo, we are going to be starting another 12 week challenge on Monday, May 5th.
This time around, things will be the same as the original deal.....but with a couple of changes.
The new and improved Vox Fitness Challenge (read carefully!):
1. This challenge is open to everyone on Vox, regardless of whether or not you participated in round one. If you are a current participant of the round one challenge, please let me know if you plan on continuing or not.
Please don't feel obligated to continue on or join up. The challenge is totally voluntary for those who are seriously interested in taking it on.
2. On May 5th, you must report your starting point stat for one or all of the following:
- weight
- % body fat
- body measurements (thigh, hips, waist, chest, bicep)
- clothing size
3. Your first post should include, in addition to your starting stat(s), a little about yourself, what you plan on doing for the challenge, and what you hope to accomplish.
4. What you do for the challenge is pretty much up to each individual as we all have different goals, abilities, and desires. Just as long as your plan of action revolves around activity (exercise), health, and wellness. Starving yourself and/or using strange diets is really not a long term plan for success.
The first challenge was a big mix of different people doing different things and everyone was starting out from somewhere different. Don't feel shy because you may not be exercising or doing anything now. The whole point of the challenge is to just start!!! :) And if you are just starting, perhaps try picking up Bob Greene's Best Life Diet. It's a great way to get started, gradually, for long term health and wellness. Bob's vision is to get everyone making lifestyle changes that last a lifetime.
5. At the end of the 12 weeks, you must report in your ending stat(s) as per above.
6. You must post a minimum of once a week to the Vox Fitness Challenge group with a report of how things are going. It doesn't have to be long or verbose.....just a simple update is fine. The whole point of the group is support....so a quickie once a week should not be a challenge even for the busy people. Don't join the group if you don't plan on participating.
7. Please follow the links above and read all the info that was posted for the first challenge. The same things apply for the second challenge and I don't feel like posting it a second time. Please take the time and read up.
8. Everyone who participates in round 2 must "sign" a commitment contract for the challenge. This is a commitment mainly to yourself that you still stay commited for the 12 weeks. The one thing that was highlighted in the first challenge was just staying the course, for 12 weeks, seemed to the hardest challenge. And if you want to move forward in getting in shape, staying the course is what needs to happen!
So, read up, think about it, and let me know if you are seriously interested in joining the second challenge. If you are not part of round one, you will not be able to view the group as its a private group. I will be inviting and adding all the new people, for round two, once round one is finished and wrapped up.
If you are seriously interested or have any questions, please let me know via a comment below or via PM.
Good health, love, and blessings,
Dee
The Vox Fitness Challenge starts this Monday, February 4th, at which point the Group will be going private.
If you do want to join the Challenge, then please make sure to get yourself on board BEFORE the 4th. This means that today and tomorrow (Sunday) are the last chances to join.
cheers~
Dee
Our bodies are mostly water, and so this ongoing intake of water is essential to our every function. Drink the appropriate amounts, and everything is much more likely to function at optimal levels. Don't drink enough water, and over the short term you will experience routine fatigue, dry skin, headaches and constipation; over the longer term, every body function will degrade more quickly. It really is as simple as that.
1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
Everyone has heard at one point or another that they should drink more water. Most people give a shrug of their shoulders and a knowing nod of their head, pour themselves a glass of water, and forget about it until they're thirsty. Feeling thirst is NOT the first sign that it's time to have some water…it's the first sign that you are dehydrated!
In the dietary arena, water is an important addition to a successful weight loss program. The main reason for this is the involvement of water in the metabolism of protein and carbohydrate. Without sufficient water, the human body starts slowing down important water-consuming processes in an attempt at “water rationing”. These processes are a large part of what constitutes your metabolic rate. If you decrease your metabolic rate, you will find it MUCH more difficult to lose fat.
Some quick tips:
Drinking soda (and this includes diet soda), coffee, tea, etc., DOES NOT count as drinking water. Some of these can have a diuretic effect and cause you to LOSE water. Keep in mind that losing even a pound or two of water weight may be enough to trigger many of the symptoms of dehydration!
Drinking tap water is better than drinking no water at all. Without getting into the tap water versus bottled water debate, it is much healthier to have SOME drinking water when feeling thirsty than to have NONE and wait to buy some bottled water later.
Drink water consistently throughout the day. The recommendation of eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day is reasonable for people weighing up to 150 lbs. Larger individuals should add 8-oz of water for every 15lbs over the 150 pound mark. Make sure that the drinks are spread out fairly evenly throughout the day, as drinking a large quantity of water at one time is just going to send you to the restroom in a short while. Make a habit of having one glass of water with each meal. Realize that you may need to drink significantly more water if you live in a hot environment and/or exercise very intensely.
If you feel a headache coming on, drink some water. Many times, headaches are simply a symptom of dehydration. Most of the “headache effect” of a hangover is due to dehydration.
Drink water before having any other drinks and before brushing your teeth. Putting fluid in your mouth, even if you don't drink it, can trick your mind into perceiving that you've had water. That's why boxing cornermen squirt water into a boxer's mouth and have them spit it out (a bad practice based on outdated thinking, in any case). Rinsing your mouth after brushing your teeth can be very similar.
***************************************************************************************************************
Thank you to my friends at DNA Fitness for that awesome info!!!
***************************************************************************************************************
I find that I feel best when my water consumption is up. I generally feel better with less headaches and much less muscle and back pain. That is huge for me since I have a very bad back. If I have a lot of muscle pain, I will stop and think how much water I have been consuming and its usually not been good. And if I get a lot of water in that day, the next day I am fine. I have tested this a few times and now am convinced.
A lot of people tell me that they just forget and its hard to remember. I share the same weakness. So in knowing my shortfalls, I tested a few ways to develop a habit that worked for me. For me, its all about being a habit. When I work out, I drink water no problemo. Its the rest of the time.
I have 2 water bottles. One is 1 litre (32 oz) and the other is a bit smaller. I needed to make it convenient so I don't have to think about it since I always forgot. If its there on my desk, I will drink it. Drinking from a large bottle means that I have a large amount right there. It means less trips to the kitchen which I may not make if busy. And if I am really busy, I keep the second bottle handy so I have even more. With this method, I will drink 2-3 litres a day, sometimes 4. Without it, I would be lucky if I got in 1 litre.
If I am going to be out for the day, and depending on whether I am walking or taking the car and the length of the trip, I plan accordingly. I will take at least one bottle with me, both if I am in the car. If I am out all day, I make sure to buy some bottled water as well. Or if I have some extra at home, I will bring them along. The more I plan for myself, the less chance I will either not drink or will drink something else. It used to feel wierd but now its totally a habit and done automatically.
Adding a lemon slice works too, if you get bored with plain water.
Find what works for you and go for it!
