Started my last 4 weeks of the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest today. I am using TT 2k4 (which just means TT 2004 - the year Craig came up with this particular program). It was a good workout this morning. This program has a new move for me - the floor press. Never tried that before. You lay on the floor instead of on a bench. I'm sure I got some strange looks at the gym! Someone on the TT forums told me it is supposed to work your triceps more and help strenghthen the midpoint of your bench press.
Also, I added some tunes to the site. Let me know what you think! (Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Too Annoying?)
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
A Couple of Yummy Dinners
I recently realized I hadn't posted any meal pictures for a while! To correct this oversight, I give you Wednesday night's dinner:
Tuna and tofu burgers with a sprinkle of colby cheese
Quinoa made with chicken broth and garlic
I discovered that soft tofu works well as a binder in things like burgers. I used it Wednesday in the tuna burgers and used it today in buffalo burgers. I also used it when I made some muffins last week. I'm not sure what I did, but they all have a little "handle". I told my husband they all look male! LOL 
Tuna and tofu burgers with a sprinkle of colby cheese
Quinoa made with chicken broth and garlic
Strawberries
And Thursday night's dinner:
2 eggs
2 light sausages
Sweet potato hash browns
A serving of canned pears in juice
I discovered that soft tofu works well as a binder in things like burgers. I used it Wednesday in the tuna burgers and used it today in buffalo burgers. I also used it when I made some muffins last week. I'm not sure what I did, but they all have a little "handle". I told my husband they all look male! LOL
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Mosquito Rant
We made it through record snowfall and flippin' cold temperatures this winter by telling ourselves that it would keep the mosquitoes down. It was a lie! The mosquitoes are terrible now! OK, the spring floods might have had something to do with that. I have a huge bite on my leg and it itches like crazy! When you're a kid, they tell you "don't scratch, don't scratch" but now I am a grown woman and I'm going scratch it all freakin' day if I want! Arghh!
Ok, end of rant!
Ok, end of rant!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Why Calories Don't Matter
I was reading some articles by Craig Ballantyne this past weekend and this one in particular hit home with me. I have been eating 1800-2000 calories or more (my RMR is only about 1400) while doing TT and people at work have started telling me I'm getting too skinny. I am about 5'8" and 140lbs - in fact, I just broke through into the 130's. I haven't been that low since high school. I definitely don't feel "too skinny". I feel strong!
Why Calories Don't Matter
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training
Myth: I need to burn 300 calories each workout to lose fat.
Truth: Possibly one of the worst inventions for fat loss was the calorie-counting monitor on treadmills, elliptical machines, and stairmasters. Because of these, millions of men and women now obsess about the number of calories burned per session. You've probably even been one of those people, watching it creep up ever so slowly during a slow-cardio session. All the while knowing that you can wipe out a 30-minute, 300-calorie treadmill session with one fell swoop of the Krispy Kreme hand.
Too many people are brainwashed into thinking that if they don't burn 300-500 calories per session, then they won't lose fat. After all, that is what you've been told time and time again in those fluffy fitness/fashion magazines. The problems with this approach to fat loss are numerous. First off, it's difficult to say if the calorie counters are even accurate. A story on CBS news showed that cardio machines overestimate calorie burning by up to 20%.
Next, depending on slow cardio for advanced fat loss is relatively useless and at the very least, inefficient. It takes a long time for you to burn a lot of calories and one study showed that men who only used cardio training for weight loss ended up with a reduced resting metabolism. You are basically undoing the calorie burning by depending only on cardio. On the other hand, guys in the same study that used strength training didn't suffer a reduced metabolic rate.
So what is the solution to burning fat in a faster, more efficient method? The answer is to burn fewer calories in less exercise time, but with a more intense form of exercise.
And the trick to getting better results in this backwards approach? Your body will burn more calories after exercise (when you use intervals) than it does after you do slow cardio and your metabolism will stay high. Some experts refer to this as the afterburn effect. How do you do intervals? Well, you could sprint for 30 seconds and rest for 90 seconds and repeat that for 6 sets - using the bike preferably or treadmill if you are experienced with it.
Within that short time frame the intervals will cause your muscles to go crazy with activity (I call it a metabolic disturbance). This crazy metabolism boost causes lots of calorie burning after exercise to get your body back to normal. The result is you would end up burning more fat and more calories in the post-exercise period as your body tries to get things under control.
Now there is one time where you'd want to count calories, but that is when you are counting up and determining how many calories you eat per day. Again, you can wipe out an entire workout's work in less than a minute simply by eating garbage. Without some structure and discipline to your nutrition, there is nothing that even my programs can do to help you lose fat.
So exercise nutrition control and interval training. These are the two anti-calorie counting methods that will help you lose fat and get lean.
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit the Turbulence Training website.
Why Calories Don't Matter
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training
Myth: I need to burn 300 calories each workout to lose fat.
Truth: Possibly one of the worst inventions for fat loss was the calorie-counting monitor on treadmills, elliptical machines, and stairmasters. Because of these, millions of men and women now obsess about the number of calories burned per session. You've probably even been one of those people, watching it creep up ever so slowly during a slow-cardio session. All the while knowing that you can wipe out a 30-minute, 300-calorie treadmill session with one fell swoop of the Krispy Kreme hand.
Too many people are brainwashed into thinking that if they don't burn 300-500 calories per session, then they won't lose fat. After all, that is what you've been told time and time again in those fluffy fitness/fashion magazines. The problems with this approach to fat loss are numerous. First off, it's difficult to say if the calorie counters are even accurate. A story on CBS news showed that cardio machines overestimate calorie burning by up to 20%.
Next, depending on slow cardio for advanced fat loss is relatively useless and at the very least, inefficient. It takes a long time for you to burn a lot of calories and one study showed that men who only used cardio training for weight loss ended up with a reduced resting metabolism. You are basically undoing the calorie burning by depending only on cardio. On the other hand, guys in the same study that used strength training didn't suffer a reduced metabolic rate.
So what is the solution to burning fat in a faster, more efficient method? The answer is to burn fewer calories in less exercise time, but with a more intense form of exercise.
And the trick to getting better results in this backwards approach? Your body will burn more calories after exercise (when you use intervals) than it does after you do slow cardio and your metabolism will stay high. Some experts refer to this as the afterburn effect. How do you do intervals? Well, you could sprint for 30 seconds and rest for 90 seconds and repeat that for 6 sets - using the bike preferably or treadmill if you are experienced with it.
Within that short time frame the intervals will cause your muscles to go crazy with activity (I call it a metabolic disturbance). This crazy metabolism boost causes lots of calorie burning after exercise to get your body back to normal. The result is you would end up burning more fat and more calories in the post-exercise period as your body tries to get things under control.
Now there is one time where you'd want to count calories, but that is when you are counting up and determining how many calories you eat per day. Again, you can wipe out an entire workout's work in less than a minute simply by eating garbage. Without some structure and discipline to your nutrition, there is nothing that even my programs can do to help you lose fat.
So exercise nutrition control and interval training. These are the two anti-calorie counting methods that will help you lose fat and get lean.
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit the Turbulence Training website.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Today's Tip: Make a List
I give you...my cookbook cupboard. They actually all fit in here at the moment since I lent a couple to a friend. There's a nice variety - good old Better Homes and Gardens, Gourmet Nutrition, Eating for Life, Extreme Lo Carb Cuisine, Cake Doctor Cookbook {record scratches} Wait, back that up, Cake Doctor Cookbook? That can't be right. {Sounds of shuffling, books falling, scissors cutting, tape dispenser...uh.. dispensing}
There! That's more like it!
Seriously, though, Today's Tip is go to the grocery store with a plan! Plan your meals for the week and bring a list. There are so many temptations at the grocery store. (Yeah, I'm looking at you Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries.) Ooh, a funny side note about Captain Crunch. When I was in high school, I threw up after eating Captain Crunch for breakfast. It comes out shockingly bright pink. And since I had eaten it less than an hour before, it still tasted like good old Captain Crunch. I know most of you just said, "ewww" but I see a couple of you nodding your head. Wait, you're not nodding your head? You're watching dogs on pogo sticks? Huh. Well, I suppose that would be fun to watch.
Friday, June 13, 2008
I've Beened Meme'd!
Whatever the heck a meme is. OK, Nanny Goats in Panties, I'll play your game. Believe it or not, the book currently closest to me is The Neurotic: His Inner and Outer Worlds by Joseph B. Furst, MD. Page 123 only has 2 lines so I'm afraid I can't follow the rules to the letter. They read:
Section Two
Neurosis and its Treatment
Perhaps this is destiny, pointing me to read this chapter. LOL
All right, those of you I'm about to tag, go get your nearest book and let's see if destiny speaks to you. Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.
And the lucky winners are:
Section Two
Neurosis and its Treatment
Perhaps this is destiny, pointing me to read this chapter. LOL
All right, those of you I'm about to tag, go get your nearest book and let's see if destiny speaks to you. Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.
And the lucky winners are:
Habits of Contradiction
Something More to Life
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Nanny Goats in Panties Rocks
Whoo-hoo! I got a shout out on Nanny Goats in Panties! If you are interested in laughing yourself silly, I highly recommend checking out this site.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
New Personal Best
This morning I did my chin up test (previous best: 4) before my TT for Mass workout and got...{drumroll}...6! I have to add a disclaimer that I don't go all the way back down, but rather come down until my upper arms are parallel to the floor before going back up. Nevertheless, I'm still pretty proud of the effort. I'm over half way to my goal of 10! I have a little over 7 weeks (51 days) left until the end of the contest so I need to add 1 chin up about every 12 or 13 days.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Fit Yummy Mummy Transformation Contest!
You can vote in the Fit Yummy Mummy Transformation Contest! I used the TT Fit Yummy Mummy Program for the first 4 weeks of the last contest and had really good results. Fit Yummy Mummy is a program aimed at busy moms (workout is less than 90 minutes per week). I'm going to go and vote - these ladies worked hard! You can VOTE HERE!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Grapes, Sunshine, and the Crisper Drawer
I give you....homemade raisins. My son loves grapes. I found these little gems in the bottom of our crisper drawer. I'm afraid I can't give the recipe as I have absolutely no idea how long they have been there.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Overheard...
my son (while swinging), "I'm going backwards and forwards; I'll never get anywhere like this!"
It's so true, though. I feel a little like that myself now. I lose a pound, I go back up a pound. I feel like I'm not getting anywhere at the moment. I think I forgot to mention that my current program is TT for Mass. I actually am hoping to put on muscle which may make the scale go up. Psychologically, it's a little scary. But I just have to go by how my clothes fit and not worry about the scale so much!
He thought I was little nuts for laughing hysterically.
It's so true, though. I feel a little like that myself now. I lose a pound, I go back up a pound. I feel like I'm not getting anywhere at the moment. I think I forgot to mention that my current program is TT for Mass. I actually am hoping to put on muscle which may make the scale go up. Psychologically, it's a little scary. But I just have to go by how my clothes fit and not worry about the scale so much!
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