School's Back From Summer... Got Goals?

School is now in session...

Most of my Houston teacher friends have been back from summer break for about a week but kids will be returning to the school routine tomorrow. As we begin the new year, I hope to set some personal goals on the campuses I am working with (remember, I am coaching teachers this year) and help teachers meet their goals too.

Goal Setting

Alright, so you may not be a teacher or a student but we all should set goals. I am going to talk about my health and fitness goals for this year but before I put them out there for the world to see... let's talk what goals should look like.

Firstly, it is important to know that goals have to be realistic. For example, I know I will never weigh 110 pounds or be a size zero even if I went on an all-liquids diet... That is unrealistic and unhealthy for my body. Secondly, goals need to be measurable. I can't necessarily measure my happiness although that is probably arguable. A measurable goal will have some sort of data to back it up- like weight, body measurements, or a fit test (like how many push-ups I can do in a minute). Next, goals need to have a time frame. This is important because with no end in mind... your brain doesn't take it as seriously. In addition, meeting lots of short-term goals adds to your success and willpower to continue meeting more goals! We want to avoid discouragement and celebrate small successes.

One side note here about weight goals... I think initially, weight goals are good to have especially if you know you have excess weight. For me, a weight goal is discouraging. I worked really hard to lose weight and now that's most of it is gone, I am seeing my scale settle instead of continuing downwards. Here's why: When you work out, you build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat BUT it also burns TWENTY-FIVE times more calories than fat. PS. Muscle also gets rid of cellulite.

Got Goals?

My personal fitness goals:

1. In the next thirty days, I will workout 5X a week before work.
2. In thirty days, I will increase my Fit Test results by 10% in each exercise.

My personal health goal:

1. For the next thirty days, I will eat clean while on the job and will track my food. 
2. I will cook dinner at home during the week for the next month. 

I've posted mine... What are yours?
Follow my blog, post yours and keep us updated. Let me help YOU reach your goals!

Think. Work. Achieve. The Choice is Yours.

Some Workout Snapshots

What's Been UP!? 

I began my new job last Friday as a curriculum coach for middle school science. I am thrilled with my new team of coaches (middle and high school) that I have the opportunity to work with this year and I know I am going to learn a TON! The middle school coaches and I completed our first professional development on Thursday this past week with new science teachers in the district which was a BLAST. Like I said, the people I work with are so fun! PLUS, they are open to my crazy ideas and Quantum Learning tendencies which is a HUGE bonus and SO exciting! YAY FOR AWESOME CO-WORKERS! 

Morning Workouts

As I am sure everyone has experienced, whenever one begins a new job, there is a learning curve so I've been a bit busy! BUT I continued to squeeze in workouts and here's how: I knew I would be exhausted after work (especially after a long, restful summer!) so I set up an alarm at 5:15 AM labeled: "Workout, fatty!" that sounds like a tornado warning alert. That probably goes without saying, it jars me awake. :D (*Note: I don't think I am fat but it nags at my mind if I don't work out! LOL!) Recently, I spoke to a friend of mine embarking on the mission of working out in the morning. I suggested an article I read about transitioning workouts to the wee hours of the morning and I will do the same for you if you are interested in it. Here it is: http://www.runningfordummies.net/2012/06/dummies-guide-to-waking-up-early-to.html I know it says running but it's applicable to workouts in any fashion. 

No Equipment Workouts

If you've read my previous posts, you already know that I workout in my living room for FREE. I do own lots of exercise equipment like weights, sandbag, equalizer, ball, mat, pull up bar... BUT you don't need all that stuff to get in a good workout. 

I find all my workouts (or I make them up) from BodyRock.tv, Pinterest, or other social media (Twitter, Facebook...).  ***Follow my workout board: http://pinterest.com/jgricketts/workout/

This first workout I'll share with you is one I did on August 11. I was thinking I would be able to get two rounds completed in about 15 minutes... WRONG! It took me just over 16 minutes to run through one circuit! It was a good one! Now, if you are just starting out, divide the reps in half and try it to run through it two times! Ether way... try it, beat my time and tell me what you got! BRING IT. :D (If you're not sure what something is, let me know and I can help! Also, this one does say exercise ball but substitute regular floor crunches if you don't have one.)

Source: PBfingers.com found on Pinterest

This workout I completed on August 10 and didn't leave myself enough time to complete the 3 rounds as it indicates in the instructions (I had lunch plans and had to shower!) BUT I did run through TWO rounds in almost 16 minutes (3 rounds is estimated to take 30 minutes). It was another great workout and I wished I would have better utilized my time so I could do all three rounds. It's worth repeating though and definitely worth sharing too!

Source: twitter.com/ohStarz found on Pinterest (I know follow on twitter too!) 

I just love the name of this no-equipment workout! FAT BLASTER! What's not to love?! I always aim to workout for a minimum of 12 minutes so I was able to run through one circuit and a little into a second time for this workout. It's a good full body workout that really gets your heart rate going. For jump rope, I just pretend I have one moving my arms like I really am jumping rope. 

Source: http://backonpointe.tumblr.com/tagged/workout-challenge found on Pinterest 

Photo credit: Me- Hawaii! 

BodyRock.TV "Want You Back" Workout

1) Lateral Side Lunge Using a Chair

2) 2 Low Side Lunges 1 Clean and Press

3) Touch Downs

4) Sand bag low squat medium squat full squat 

This particular workout is an interval workout. You will do the exercise for 50 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. You complete the circuit 3 times through for a total of 12 minutes. Most of BodyRock.TV's workouts are like this however there are rep challenges thrown in there every once in awhile. It is important to vary your workout regimen to promote muscle confusion. 

Click the link below for the video from BodyRock.tv... A lot of the times, BodyRock.TV workouts can be modified to  do without equipment or pieces of furniture in your living room. If you need help, post on their facebook's or message me and I can help! 

http://www.bodyrock.tv/2012/07/31/want-you-back-workout/

So here's four of the workouts I've done recently that does NOT require equipment. Don't think about it. Just do it. 

Think. Work. Achieve. The Choice is Yours. 

True or False: ALL carbs are bad.

True or False: ALL carbs are bad. 

If you answered true... you're WRONG. (Sorry for yelling.) Now, read why. ;)

With a surge of people following the Atkins diet several years ago, we've all heard that cutting carbs out of your diet is a quick way to lose weight. Now, this is true... however, cutting any one food group out of your diet will help you lose weight. Initially. The truth is that there are different types of carbs: simple and complex. Take the next few minutes here to digest (haha!) the following chart... 

Ok, got it? Simple= bad; Complex= good. 

I don't think I can sum it up better than that but I can say that after eating more complex carbs over simple ones, I FEEL better. I don't crave sweets as much as I used to- which was A LOT and it's easier to turn down sweets when offered. 

Two Week Challenge

Your mission should you choose to accept it... 

1. Create a Meal Plan for the next two weeks incorporating proper portions (see earlier post).
2. Eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout each day.
3. Drink a minimum of 8 glasses (16 ounces) of water a day. NO COKES. 
4. Follow this for two weeks. No "cheats". 

I promise you that you will FEEL the difference in your body. Try it. Post back. 

Think. Work. Achieve. The Choice is Yours. 

HIIT Workouts and Tracking

Time in the Gym 

I used to believe that in order to have an effective workout, you needed to go to the gym, work out one or two muscle groups at a time and then spend additional time with the cardio equipment. My husband despises cardio and seeing as that's who I typically frequented the gym with, we nearly never did our 20 minutes of cardiovascular workout... We'd spend a couple of hours lifting and doing abs so when you're going after work, you're ready to get home, eat dinner and go to bed. In addition, between the two of us, we were spending around $70 a month to go to the gym maybe more.

I am not saying that this type of exercise regimen won't get you or keep you in shape but I am saying that you don't HAVE to workout for hours at the gym in order to be in good shape! I'll tell you how in just a second...

I was finding it difficult to get to the gym on a regular basis with my work schedule and being tight on money, Brandon and I decided to cancel our gym memberships and workout at home- P90X style. As I have mentioned in a previous post, I have never made it through an entire 90 days with P90X- I inevitably would get sick and lose progress which would make me start from the beginning again. In addition, I did not eat healthy- Remember, I always thought, "If I workout, I can eat whatever!"

Brandon and I took pre-P90X pictures and for whatever reason, we never really got very far with it together so I preceded on my own on a different path. A friend of mine had referred me to Jillian Michaels and I started her 30 Day Shred DVD. (See my previous post on her DVD.) After I cycled through this twice, I purchased her Ripped in 30 DVD which I actually like a bit more- there's four workouts/levels (whereas the first one I bought is only 3). It felt amazing to get through this DVD and I could definitely tell I was making progress. About that time, I started seeing some pins on Pinterest about BodyRock.tv and looked into the program and HIIT workouts.

HIIT

Do you currently spend hours at the gym or wish that you had time to workout? Staying fit is an important part of life. Think about it like this: we fuel up our cars to get from place to place; we must fuel up our bodies to do the same. If we never ran the car, the fuel gets bad, the engine gets rusty, etc. If you're fueling up and never working out, essentially it's kinda the same. Muscles are like engines. If they aren't used, they deteriorate. If you don't want to spend hours in the gym, I've got fabulous news for you- YOU DON'T HAVE TO!
HIIT workouts are High Intensity Interval Training. It is exactly as it sounds. You workout in a higher intensity through a determined number of intervals. As Jillian Michaels says, if you want to workout in 30 minutes, there's no resting. Typically a HIIT workout might be intervals of 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. They contain cardio as well as strength components- so you're building muscle while toning- a perfect combination.
If you've never attempted a HIIT workout, don't be intimidated. Everyone starts somewhere and that's the other great thing about these type of workouts- you do as much as YOU can in that time frame. Let me give you an example of a HIIT workout using the 50/10 interval (50 seconds work, 10 seconds rest). We'll do three rounds of 4 different exercises. This workout would be 12 minutes long.

1.  Jumping Jacks
2.  Tricep Dips 
3. Squat Jumps
4. Push-Ups

Let's say you want to modify tricep dips, you can change your leg placement to make it as difficult as you want (legs further out, hard; legs elevated, advanced) and do as many as you can in that 50 seconds. If  you only get ten, great, because you'll see improvements if you continue these HIIT workouts! You can modify for any of the exercises making it as easy or difficult as you can manage. I like to repeat the same workouts every once in awhile using my old scores so I can track my progress which brings me to another important point...

Track Your Progress

As you embark on your journey of HIIT workouts, keep a notebook with your workouts. (I use a one-subject spiral.) I document the date of the workout, the interval, the exercises and the number of reps I accomplish in that workout in a chart format. It really is a cool feeling to go back and do an "old" workout and blow your scores out of the water! Try doing a HIIT workout routine for 2 weeks and then repeat the first one you did. I dare you.

Think. Work. Achieve. The Choice is Yours. 

Meal Plans and Portions

Meal Plans

Here's how the discussion of "what's for dinner" goes at my house:
5ish
Me: "Brandon, what do you want for dinner?"
B: "I don't care."
Me: *inward sigh- why am I always coming up with ideas AND cooking them?*

6:30PM
B: "I'm hungry. What's for dinner?"
Me: "Tell me what you want."
B: "I don't care."
Me: *LOUD SIGH*
B: "Do you wanna just go somewhere now? It's already 6:30."

Without a plan in mind, most of us will opt for option B: eating out. There is a plethora of great restaurants around our house but there are several drawbacks to that decision:

1. Dining out on the town hurts your bank account. Brandon and I have dined out so often that we are tired of all the places around us (and trust me, there's A LOT). Typically a dinner costs us (with tip) around $50 a pop. So let's just say you eat at restaurants 4 times a week and there's $200/ week or $1000/month and that's JUST dinner. Brandon typically buys breakfast and lunch when he's working too so that racks up as well. 
2. When it comes to eating clean... not all restaurants meet that standard. Have you ever looked up the nutritional value for popular restaurants around you? You will be amazed that even the "light" meals are packed with calories, fat, sugar and salt. I noticed this when I started tracking what I was eating through Lose It (app on iPhone or log online at www.loseit.com). Here's a homework assignment for you: Take a moment, navigate to your favorite restaurant's website and locate the nutritional facts (some do NOT have this so that makes ya think!). 
3. If you don't prepare it, there's no guarantee it's cooked the "cleanest". Cooking at home is the best way to ensure that your food is prepared with no additives you don't want. I'm sure you all have encountered that ONE time that a food service worker put mayo on your sub although you said not to... UGH, I hate that! 

Solution? 

Meal plan. I like to meal plan for an entire week and grocery shop from there. When you're trying to eat clean, you're shopping the perimeter of the grocery store- fresh fruit, veggies, etc. Due to the shorter shelf life of fresh food, you don't want to over buy and waste so a week's worth is a good time frame.

I am a bargain shopper so I do NOT like wasting money and that includes throwing food away. I stick to my meal plans and proper portions so I do not overeat. Keep reading for more information on proper portions. Also, if you buy something with a nutritional label, check the ingredients. I avoid anything with ingredients that are un-natural (pretty much anything you can't pronounce) as well as a lot of salt, fat or sugar. Salt is in pretty much everything on a shelf so be wary of how MUCH salt is in those products. 

Note: If meal planning for several meals a day sounds like too much, start with just dinner. Try it out! Plan one week of meals for just dinner and see how it goes! Here's a dinner/shopping planner for you that I adapted from something I found on pinterest! 

Portion Distortion

In order to maximize your metabolism as well as reap the benefits of a stabilized system (no drops in blood sugar and more), you should aim to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. We're aiming for about 300 calories each meal. You want to eat a lean protein about the size of your palm- that means girls, probably about 4-6 ounces and guys, a bit larger. In addition, you're looking for two cupped hands of veggies and one cupped hand of complex carbs (grains or starches). 

You gotta start some where. Why not start now? Go plan your week's worth of dinners. :D

Think. Work. Achieve. The choice is yours. 

Endorphins, HGH and the Scale

Girl, Look at That Body...

I work out!

I try to workout 6 times a week. Yes, six and sometimes seven... Know that six times in one week may be out of reach right now for some of you but you can get there. Some of you may even say, UGH, I don't WANT to workout 6 times in one week OR I don't have TIME to workout that much, etc. Here's what I do now: If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse. For ME, it's important and not just because I want to look good. I want to FEEL good. Regular exercise releases endorphins (a chemical in your body that makes you feel happier). **Check out the WebMD article on endorphins and depression! 

This morning, I sat down for some coffee (a splurge at $3 a cup) with a friend of mine. Amongst other things, we talked about health and fitness and the fact that as we age, it's harder to see the fat melt off. 

Unfortunately as we age, our metabolism slows down due to the decrease in the production of HGH (Human Growth Hormone). HGH is responsible for increasing metabolism and it occurs when we are in deep sleep SO... rest up and soak up what HGH you do produce however don't be too upset; HGH can also be produced during weight training 

providing further evidence that this is an important aspect to your fitness regimen. In addition, eating 6 small meals a day will encourage your metabolism to be more consistent throughout the day therefore burning fuel more efficiently. The science behind eating more often is simple. When we eat inconsistently (I.E. skip breakfast, small lunch, big dinner, etc.) our blood sugar fluctuates which also throws off our insulin production from the pancreas. Here comes the mood swings, the dizziness, blurred vision, etc. <--- Man, oh man, did I have all those! In conjunction with those symptoms, our BMR (basal metabolic rate) slows down since our bodies aren't sure when we'll be eating again. The great thing about BMR is that it's not stationary. We can influence our BMR by eating smaller meals more often and by exercise. I'm sure you've all heard that muscle weighs more than fat... Well, that's true BUT muscle burns roughly 25% more calories than fat and recently, I've learned that what my scale says is not necessarily what matters most. Sure, gravity loves me. I don't care. What I DO care about is that my clothes are fitting better than ever and I feel great. 

The ball is in your court. If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If not, I guess you'll find an excuse. 

Think. Work. Achieve. The choice is yours.  

Muffin Top?

Muffin top? I don't even LIKE Muffins! 

You know where you stand on gravity when your clothes start fitting a little snug... but if you're like me, you refuse to acknowledge this fact and blame it on the dryer, water weight/bloating, etc. My turning point in my weight gain came one day when my husband (after hearing me complain about my fat once again and the fact that all my clothes were tight) said to me, "Why don't you just buy bigger pants?" That's what he said.... this is how I took it...

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! **Now, I must say as a disclaimer: He's a man and didn't think anything of it though I am pretty sure he will think twice the next time he wants to comment on my clothes. 

As much as it hurt to admit it, I knew it was time to do something because I was NOT buying new pants. For one, I pay a lot of money for my jeans due to my giraffe legs and two, if I did buy bigger jeans... what's gonna happen when THOSE get too tight?! I was ending that cycle REAL quick. 

Research

I started doing my homework on weight loss and working out. I had tried P90X in the past and though I loved the results I was getting, I would ultimately get sick in the middle of the 90 days and lose my stamina resulting in starting over every time. (Side note here: I was NOT following the diet which I now believe would have helped maintain my progress.) I knew I needed a shorter term goal so I could feel a sense of accomplishment from finishing. 

A friend had once told me that Jillian Michaels had some great workouts on DVD and that they were about 30 minutes long. So, I purchased "30 Day Shred" by Jillian. What I love about her workouts is they are 30 minutes long, 30 day goal, and tri-leveled. You start at level 1 and progress to level 2 and finally to level 3. She shows you how to modify exercises if you can't complete them and continues to push you to try the advanced movements if you can. It's also set up in a 3-2-1 cycle.  You complete 3 minutes of strength, followed by 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs before moving to the next cycle (There are 3 cycles in every workout.). She also includes a warm-up and a cool-down which is very important in every workout. I was able to complete the program in 30 days and repeated it another 30 days doing the "more advanced" movements in most cases. I had a sense of accomplishment and was encouraged to keep working out to get even better results. 

Now, it is also important to note here that weight loss does not come without a diet of some sort in synergy with exercise. Let me repeat: YOU CANNOT WORK OFF A BAD DIET. <-- It took me a long time to come to this conclusion myself but the sooner you can come to peace with it, the sooner you can reach your weight loss goals. What I did initially is I downloaded a free app for my phone called LoseIt (also available via web: http://www.loseit.com) so I could track my calories. The app made it easy to know what I was eating and helped me realize some of the foods I was eating were high in calories. I began making better food choices (as far as calories go) and seeing the numbers of the scale come down. After awhile, I stopped tracking what I was eating on the app but continued to make better food choices because I was more educated now about what I was putting in my body. I encourage anyone to track their food for 30 days and I promise you will learn what foods you should avoid too. 

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I read a book by Tosca Reno called "The Eat-Clean Diet" in June. This book helped me understand that eating clean isn't a diet.... it's a life style change. Our brains are wired in such a way that if we can't understand the rationale behind something, we don't place as much importance on that particular issue. After I read this book, I understand the principles of eating clean and have placed more importance in making sure I choose foods that are good for my body. I recommend reading this or another book about eating clean foods so you too can help your brain place higher importance on your quality of life because when you eat cleaner foods, it's not just weight you'll lose and here's an example: My mom is now over 60 and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a couple of years ago. She refused to live with the diagnosis and started researching online. She discovered that many people had reduced or eliminated their symptoms by cutting our artificial sweeteners and products from their diet so she got rid of the Sweet N Lo and as much as possible from all other foods and she has been symptom free since. <-- WOW. If that isn't evidence enough! Read the book, it's enlightening! 

Coupled with eating clean and exercise, make sure you drink lots of water, LOTS. If you aren't drinking at least 8 glasses a day, you probably aren't drinking enough water. Think about it like Tosca: if you put food waste into your garbage disposal, you have to have water to flush it out otherwise, it gets nice and nasty in the disposal. The same is true for your body. What you eat has to be flushed out. If you aren't drinking enough water, chances are you are dehydrated. Here are some signs that I have experienced: fatigue, headache, constipation, back pain, weight gain, cellulite, blurred vision... OMG, just by making sure you drink enough water, you can reduce or eliminate those symptoms! Grab a glass and drink it now! 

If you can, check out my friend, Alicia's blog on eating clean as well. She's got some great material that's research-based as well (That's important, y'all!). Most recently, read about coconut oil and it's benefits in your diet. 

Think. Work. Achieve. The choice is yours. 

Workout Must-haves

My Top 5 Workout Must-Haves...

1. I discovered this nifty little device through BodyRock TV and I use this Gymboss interval timer ALL the time! It's inexpensive ($20) and can be used as an interval timer, stopwatch or countdown timer. It comes in several colors (mine is fushia). 

2. My Nalgene water bottle splashguard...Sold from Amazon (I got mine at Sports Authority, I think) for around $6. It's amazing because it doesn't get water sloshed all over my front when I drink from it. Bonus... comes in LOTS of colors. Mine is the one pictured with the smily face. :D What? I like to smile. 

Buddy in the corpse pose

3. My yoga mat... ah, so cushy. I like using this as an extra pad for my knees for push-ups (when I need to do PU's off my knees) or even my hands sometimes for burpees and of course for actual yoga. I bought mine from Academy but if you're a savvy internet shopper, Amazon sells them too. Mine is 1/2" thick I believe and even my dog loves it. I find it difficult to keep him off it as a matter of fact. He loves it when I lay on it cause he thinks it's fun I am on the ground with him... I am sure I share this experience for other pet owners. :D 

4. My FUSHIA Nikes... I haven't had them for long and I've already put them through the ringer. They are Nike Flex TR's and I bought mine online through Kohls (no longer there) BUT they also sell them locally (or online) at Academy (also in turquoise at the store). They are inexpensive and so far have been great for interval training- no rolled ankles here, people! The next ones I want are the Nike TR Fit 2... 

5. I cannot work out without my hair bands keeping the wispy hair off my face. I got mine at Target but I imagine you can pretty much pick these up anywhere. They have the non-slip stuff in them too so my fine hair is kept in place for the most part... sometimes not.  They are about $3-4 for a set of them. WORTH IT. I can't stand working out with my hair down. 

Think. Work. Achieve. The choice is yours. 

BodyRock'in in the house ta'nite!

So if you have not discovered BodyRockTV yet through social media... Go check it out! For all the endorsing I do for them, you would think I get paid but alas... I don't. Still on that good ol' teacher salary but hey, at least I get summer's off! BOOM! That just happened.

Ok, so BodyRock... It's completely online and completely FREE to use! OMG, FREE. You log onto their site, download their free iPhone app, friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and/or follow them on Instagram... so many facets to utilize! Their workouts typically consist of 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds rest and last approximately 12-15 minutes. That's right, folks... TWELVE to FIFTEEN minutes and WAIT till you see Lisa-Marie and their other BR hosts. Don't be intimated cause it's easy to look at her and say, "Oh my God, I could never look like that!".

I mean, really? I'm jealous. 

Here's the deal: you can't look like that without #1 working out and #2 changing your way of eating. BR works because of the high intensity cardio (even if it's a short amount of time) combined with strength training. BUT if you want to truly embrace a healthy lifestyle and trim more fat than a high school boy's swim team... You HAVE to reevaluate what you put into your body.

I read a book recently written by Tosca Reno called the Eat Clean Diet which has helped me understand more of the philosophy of BodyRock as well as what our human eating habits really should be to maximize our metabolism and general health. In her book, Tosca talks about eating 5-6 small meals a day and discusses proper portion sizes when you eat 6 times a day. She lays everything out in a way that s easy to understand and even provides a sample meal plan and grocery list of staples to have in the house. Here are some of the benefits I have noticed with eating more than 3 times a day:

Endorphins, get some.

1. My blood sugar isn't dropping so I am more alert, less cranky and less dizzy! (I could have sworn I was hypoglycemic before and TRUST me when I say I used to get CRANKY when I was hungry!!!) 
2. I am making better food choices than I was before because I understand more about what I am putting in my system. When I skip junk food, I don't feel deprived... I feel empowered! 
3. When I do eat something that's not necessarily "clean", I don't enjoy it as much as I remember. For instance, I had some pizza last night and I ate MAYBE four bites before I was like, "Ew, it's so greasy."
4. This is more to do with the working out aspect: I may hate the workout on some days BUT the feeling of accomplishment I have when I am dripping sweat and red in the face when I have finished is awesome. It's true what they say, "You're only one workout away from a good mood." PS. Exercise releases endorphins which is the best antidepressant! Get some! 
5. Um, I get to eat MORE! For a foodie like me, it's like heaven! 

I used to think, no matter what I eat, as long as I workout I will be fine. This statement couldn't be more false. Turns out, what we eat even when we're younger and our metabolism is higher can build the foundation of unhealthy things such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc. If it's not found in nature, chances are there's stuff in what you're eating that is not good for you. I choose to be fit and firm. I don't want to be cranky and "squishy". 

Think. Work. Achieve. The choice is yours. 

Margaritas and Sunshine

My friends are my family and I wanted to dedicate a post entirely to them and how much they mean to me. I am very blessed to have been graced by their friendship and I value each and every one of my friends even if I am not the best at picking up the phone and calling. I can say however that if there is ever anything they need, I will be there or make every attempt to do what I can.

BONNER

This is one of my oldest and dearest friends, Bonner, yes... Bonner. It was her mom's maiden name and when she got married, the Bonner's name is no longer. I think it's pretty awesome but I am sure she gets tired of explaining it to people when she meets them though she would never say so. Bonner is the kindest person I know. She does not have a mean bone in her body and I'm not afraid to lay the smack down on anyone who messes with her! ;) Bonner and I met at Texas A&M through the Equestrian team. We ended up being roommates before I graduated and now she boards my horse, Whitney (the black one on the right). Bonner is a beach/lake bum and tans so easily so I always look like a ghost next to her even on my best "tan" day. Recently (June, 2012), we flew to Mexico and went zip lining (in the rain) amongst being beach bums. Bonner isn't afraid to get dirty or (You'll see...) of taking on new challenges. For instance, I asked Bonner to come with me to our first ever Crossfit class last week.  (Check it out if you haven't heard of it!) We both had a crazy workout and I know I am definitely going again soon. I love my Bonner!!

Mariela and Jen

Jen (far right) became an AP at the middle school I was working at and we hit it off nearly immediately. We were part of the "Sunshine Committee" and had a great time scouting places for our X-mas party. We've been friends ever since. Jen is a phenomenal leader and I could always count on her to give me honest advice. On a personal level, Jen loves to travel, photography and her dogs though they don't like me... hmph. Jen is a lot of fun to be around and her face turns redder than mine when she's embarrassed. ;) Like Bonner, Jen isn't afraid to get dirty... (You'll see...) <3 you, Jen! 

Mariela (far left) and I met through a staff volleyball tournament at our school. We both LOVE volleyball and HATE to lose. We had such a good time playing v-ball, we attempted to join a league and it just never happened (wait list and all that). Coincidently, she was also friends with Jen so we all started hanging out. Last summer (2011), M and I started "Tuesday's Pool Days" during the summer. Each Tuesday, we drive over to my mom's house in Katy with her kids and my pup and swim all day long. She tans super easy like Bonner so again, I look like Casper. Her husband says that we're just alike. We both act like kids if you bring a bouncy house into the picture as evidenced by her daughter's b-day party recently. Mariela LOVES hugs... OK, so maybe not. She got her nickname "Halo" because she wants people to respect her personal bubble though secretly, I think she likes it when Jen and I try to ambush her with LOVE! <3 you, bunches, Halo!

Getting Muddy, Buddy!

Bonner, Mariela, Jen and I signed up for the Warrior Dash in 2010 near Austin, TX. It's a 5K (3.2 miles) race with 11 obstacles including fire, creeks and MUD! We had an absolute blast! See, my girls aren't afraid of getting' dirty!!! We're all signing up for another race in Galveston, TX called Gritty Goddess, another muddy 5K but all females. I guess I should start running/training again... (In my defense, I haven't neglected working out... just running!) 

My Bff's and I at an Astros game (Jen, me, Mariela, and Bonner) 

KELLY 

I met Kelly at Supercamp, a Quantum Learning Network affiliated camp that focuses on life skills and academic skills.  I cannot begin to even tell you how valuable my time with QLN has been to me and how much I learned and grew as a person, an educator and a friend... All I can say is that if you are fortunate enough to be able to be a part of the program, DO! I promise you it is WORTH IT. Though I forged many friendships and still keep in touch with many of them through social media, emails, etc, my friend Kelly and I have kept up with visits and phone calls more often even though we're 1000's of miles apart. Kelly is an amazing woman and I am so happy our paths crossed. She is outgoing, honest, funny, and confident among many other positive adjectives. Kelly is a former gymnast and a trapeze artist. <-- How cool is that?! She was recently diagnosed with cancer and is approaching her battle with it head on. As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure I cried more than she did. If money wasn't an issue, I'd see her much more often! I am proud of her and honored to be considered her friend. I love you, Kelly! 

Kelly and I in one of our "photo shoots"

These woman are all amazing in each of their own ways. I am so lucky to have them all in my life and always look forward to seeing each and every one of them. 

Think. Work. Achieve. The choice is yours. 

5-4-3-2-1 Workout

No better time than now... Here is my workout I am doing today:

 

Navigate to: http://www.fitsugar.com/Easy-15-Minute-Workout-21588220 for the original posting.

Fifteen minutes of strength and cardio is good enough to burn fat while toning. You go at YOUR OWN PACE. We all have to start somewhere and if you're working out at home- who CARES what you look like!?  

Think. Work. Achieve. The choice is yours. 

Wearing a smile?

ABOUT ME

My name is Jamie. I am 32 years old, married going on five years and no kids... just my dog, Buddy, a five year old German Shorthaired Pointer. He loves water and chases anything that moves.

I have two sisters- I'm the middle kid, say what you want about that- older: Terri and younger: Mary. The picture below is Terri, Mary, Mom and I in NYC Central Park June, 2012. We took us a little girls' trip! (Another blog coming about NYC trip- SO MUCH FUN!)

My dad is retired US Coast Guard and now works for an oil company in Houston. My mom is now retired from office work for a plastic surgeon. My parents just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in Hawaii (see below). AinaKai Photography (same photographer who did Mary's wedding pictures in Hawaii) took my parent's pictures. They are beautiful!!!

I'm an Aggie- graduated with a degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M in 2002. While I was at A&M, I rode on the NCAA Equestrian team in English Equitation (flat and fences). I worked in corporate America for two years and then earned my Alternative Certification for teaching. I taught middle school science for several years before leaving the classroom as a curriculum specialist. This past year, I earned my Masters in Educational Leadership from Lamar University and I just got a new job as a district science coach for middle school.

I met my husband, Brandon, through a friend of a friend of a friend. Literally. We hit it off as friends, hung out a bunch and somewhere in between, started dating. We got married in Lake Tahoe, CA/NV in 2008.

Here is a picture of my bridesmaids, Terri and Mary (sisters) in Lake Tahoe for my wedding.
I loved my photographer and would highly recommend him should you decide to get married in Tahoe as well. Check him out, Matt Theilen.

 Here is another great shot of Brandon from our wedding day in Tahoe. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day.

Brandon worked in real estate and mortgages for a long time and wasn't satisfied with the desk job aspect so he is now a fireman for the City of Houston and works for a volunteer fire department as  duty crew (paid during the day) as a side job. He's much happier.

As for my personal interests, I enjoy cooking and baking (follow me on pinterest: jgricketts) as well as movies and television amongst so many other things. I love being active especially working out and I would like to use this blog as a platform to organize my thoughts, my research and my goals to get in the best shape of my life. 

WEARING A SMILE

I believe that one of my best attributes is finding the positive hence the blog name: Wearing a smile. I make it a point to greet people with a smile. I think of it as I can smile at someone and they in turn smile at someone else, it's my version of paying it forward. In my blog, I aim to help achieve my own fitness goals by publicizing and receiving support from my followers. Motivation is like bathing... do it daily! :D

Think. Work. Achieve.The choice is yours.