Thoughts about Losing Belly Fat

I can't tell you how often I'm asked about losing belly fat, getting flat abs, strengthening the core, etc.  A friend of mine, who had a baby within the last few months, was the most recent person who asked my advice, so I decided to resurrect the old blog and write down my thoughts about toning and strengthening the core.

This presupposes that I think I have a perfect set of abs, which I totally don't.  However, I do feel confident and strong in my core, and the following ideas have really worked for me.  And, having had two children myself, I've been there...

So, three steps.  And none of them involve crunches.

STEP ONE: CLEAN UP YOUR DIET 
Abs are made in the kitchen.  You've heard that, right?

I hate to say it -- but it's true that you can't exercise your way out of a bad diet.  So, what's a good diet?  Vegetables (real ones - potatoes/corn don't count!), fruit, and lean protein.  It also means limiting refined/processed sugars.  I have never been good at completely cutting out anything (hello, if you know me at all, you know sugar is my favorite food group), but I have the most success with leaning out when I'm right on point with my diet.  I give myself one day off a week and that is really maintainable for me.

STEP TWO: EXERCISE HARD 

Exercising hard does not mean do a bazillion crunches.  It means make yourself seriously sweat for at least 30 minutes 4-5 times a week.  For most people, the elliptical for 30 minutes will not cut it (I have never broken a serious sweat on an elliptical - ever).

My best advice is to incorporate HIIT training (high intensity interval training).  This basically means that you do not do steady state exercise; instead you do exercises at a high intensity (speed or power), and then bring the intensity down for an equal or lesser amount of time.  A few HIIT workouts:

Basic HIIT (with any movement you choose - running, walking, dancing, etc.): http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/cardio-intervals

HIIT scorcher from The Fitnessista: http://fitnessista.com/2014/05/hiit-scorcher/

Summer shape up work out from The Fitnessista: http://fitnessista.com/summer-shape-up-2014-week-3-workout/

Interval treadmill workout: http://fitnessista.com/2009/08/crackers-make-it-better/

A bunch of Tabata workouts: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fitnessista+tabata+thursday&page=&utm_source=opensearch

...That's enough to get you started.  The point is to exercise your entire body, focusing on building muscle.  This will help you burn fat all over your whole body, and for many, the core will be the first to tone up.

STEP THREE: STRENGTHEN THE CORE

Focus on becoming stronger, not becoming thinner.  When you change your mindset about that, you'll be surprised how fast you become strong!  Crunches, no.  Planks, stability training, squats, push-ups, etc., yes!

Jillian Michaels has a 30 minute program that shows you what I mean -- she does very few crunches and really focuses on total body exercises that emphasize the core.  -- Another way of showing you that you cannot spot train, you gotta work the entire body.  And I promise, your core is gonna feel it!

And, that's it!  Take away message: it's not possible to spot train.  Working one area of the body over and over is not going to give you results - focus on getting stronger everywhere.

And, one more thing.  Be thankful for your body.  Give it love and focus on what is really great about it.

My Favorite Things Party 2013

I'll resurrect this blog for a little party post.

Seminary got cancelled for tomorrow, so since I have absolutely nothing else to do (not), I have to post My Favorite Things party pronto. It was the funnest ever! I got some request from my non-Rochester friends about how this party works, so scroll down to the bottom and I'll explain.

No party post would be complete without a shout-out to my favorite Matt who executes all of my visions.  Really - he hung all of these tissue decorations and pennant banners.  And moved all the furniture, and vacuumed and dusted, and took the littles on a few outings to get them out of my hair while I cooked.  He's the best.

Here are a few photos of decorations (as you know, decorations are my absolute favorite part).

Mint and coral are in! (Right, Lindsey?)

Gable boxes for everyone to take their new presents home

These flags had prompts for everyone to say some of their other  favorite things, but I forgot to do them! 

Food table - but this was taken after the party, so there was no food left on the table.

And here are a bunch of pictures of my little party-goers.  Excuse a little cheeziness, but do you want to know my absolute favorite thing?  It's having girlfriends.  I really love friends.  Thanks, gals. 

Oh, are you wondering what Ashley looks like?  Because she's in like all of these pictures.  :)  Good thing she is wearing one of the party colors!

I like this photo because this is how the party works...we pass presents all around and we all get grabby because we want our presents!

Okay, here's how the party works:

I send an invite about 2-3 weeks ahead that instructs everyone to choose her favorite thing that is $7 or under (I suppose some year we could go all Oprah-style, but most of us aren't that rich).  Everyone buys 4 of their favorite thing and wraps them up separately.

That night, we eat food and girl talk until drill sergeant Alissa demands everyone's attention and we do the exchange.  Each person writes her name on a slip of paper that goes in a bucket.  We pass the bucket around as each person chooses four names.  She explains what her favorite thing is (and what makes it her favorite) and those four chosen people get to open their new present!  This continues around the (giant) circle until everyone has explained her favorite thing and everyone goes home with four new favorite things.  (As a side note, once a person has four gifts, her name gets taken out of the bucket.)

Some examples of favorite things: a cute key chain fob (that was mine), spatula, Laffy Taffys, scalp massager, bronzer, dry shampoo, strawberry huller, goat milk soap.  You get the idea - anything goes!

And that's it!  It's a super fun party.  I feel like you get to know people a little better and everyone really loves getting new stuff recommended by friends.

Celebrating Tate

Little Tate just celebrated his 3rd birthday and I have been planning it in my brain for quite awhile.  As you might know, I love parties - especially birthday parties. I love giving someone a chance to feel loved and celebrated and since Tate is one of my favorite people in this universe, I felt especially happy about celebrating him. I'm sure lots of people think spending money and effort on a party for 3 year olds is silly and worthless, but I had a lot of fun doing it, and Tate loved it. Mission accomplished.

 I put up a bunch of pictures in case anyone else wants to throw a construction-themed birthday party...

Decorations included highway signs, caution tape, and balloons (his favorite).

When the kids came in they got to put on a tool belt, and then after one of the activities they got a construction hat.

                                   

The food table...consisted of Nuts 'n Bolts (trail mix) and Boulders (grapes).  The party was at 4:30 pm, so we just went with light snacks.  We put the food in paint trays.

                                   

See why it's called Caution Tape Cake?!  I'm in love with it.  I made the cake and found out how to make the cake, but Matt pulled it off.  He always gets the hard jobs because we both know he'll do a better job.

We had a few activities:  when the kids got there, while we were waiting for everyone to arrive, they colored paper tools to put in their tool belts.

Matt, Summer, and kids came down and were enormously helpful in getting ready for the party.  One of their most darling contributions was putting a tool belt around Nina so that she was properly dressed.

They got their construction hats after they did "pin the shovel on the bulldozer" (not pictured).

                                   
                                       

Another activity was throwing the "rocks" in the dump truck.  Summer made the bean bags for me (thanks!) and Matt fashioned this dump truck out of diaper boxes.

The next activity was the Wrecking Ball.  We let the kids build towers and then knock them over with a wrecking ball. This one was a hit...but totally chaotic.

                                     

And this is how the birthday boy does it.  Rather than throwing the ball as intended, Tate just rammed his whole self into the tower.  That's how he rolls.                                     

Christian enjoying the trucks 

Blowing out his birthday candles.  I love that squishy smile.

Favors were "spare tires" - peach rings.  The back of the bags said "Thanks for joining our crew!"

                                   

Our little family post-party.  It was a wild day, but we had a great time and Tate loved having his friends over to celebrate him.

And finally: one of his friends gave him roller skates.  He has LOVED them and delights in wearing his elbow and knee pads along with his "scooters," as he calls them.  What a proper nerd, right?


That's it.  I love this little guy, and as much as he challenges me, he equally delights me.  He is a spirited guy with a sweet heart and boundless energy.  He loves his family, church, the Children's Museum, and really loves his cars.  He is quick-witted, has a huge and often hilarious vocabulary, and will follow his dad around anywhere.  His favorite song is "I'll Make a Man Out of You" and memorizes books after they've been read to him only a few times.  He gives the best bear hugs and I am so grateful for this funny guy.

                                                

october

We had a million and one leaves in our yard, which necessitated some clean up.

The "unabomber picture."  I know that's not funny, but that's what we both thought when we saw this.

Matt's idea, of course.  Nina wasn't a fan.

Matt's birthday!  Is anything cuter than littles in birthday hats??

Sometimes

The relationship between these two siblings is pretty typical, I think. Tate beats her up (for which he is punished, I assure you), but he can also make her laugh and smile quicker than we can. Sometimes he is really sweet to her, like on this Sunday when I found him reading to her in her swing. Precious, no?

Halloween Time

 Happy Halloween from this Tate-vampire with pink teeth.  He won them at our church Halloween party and even though they were far too large for his mouth, he loved them.

Baby Nina was a baby pig.  I can't handle how much I love this pig.

Tate the chicken

Trick or Treating was much more successful this year since Tate actually understood and enjoyed the process.

"Duck Knight" or "Chicken Fight"

We loved his little dumpy bum and tummy going from house to house.

Halloween is such a great little kids holiday - we had a great October.

It Ain't for Sissies

My Grandpa was known for coining several phrases, including, "Getting old ain't for sissies!" This he would say when telling us about his myriad knee problems that plagued him for the last several years of his life. In the spirit of old Grandpa Glen, I would like to coin my own phrase:

 Teaching early morning Seminary ain't for sissies.

How would you know? you may wonder.  Welp, it's because I teach early morning Seminary.  Every dang (week)day.  Early morning Seminary is much like a Bible Study class for members of other faiths.  It is unique in that it is exclusively for high school kids (grades 9-12) and that it is at 6 am.  I myself was a graduate of early morning Seminary and am proud to have that little badge.

When I was asked to teach, I was 8 months pregnant with baby Nina.  I was excited very quickly before I remembered that I was about to have a newborn! (How I could momentarily forget is beyond me.)  After lots of thought, prayer, and discussion, Matt and I decided to say yes, in spite of our family, friends, and even logic saying we were nuts.  I am happy to tell you that I was then, and still am of sound mind and body.

I can't sugar-coat my life, though.  I have not been this overwhelmed in a pretty long time.  Waking up at 5 am, teaching for an hour, going home to my two littles, planning lessons, attempting to maintain a clean house, entertaining Tate, trying to get Nina to sleep during the day, making healthy food, and teaching four fitness classes a week keeps me busy and my life full.  I spent a good portion of September crying over what I thought was a very silly decision on my part.

On the other hand, I have to count my blessings.  I teach 17 seniors every day - a chance to hearken back to my glory days when I taught high school.  Those students are everything teenagers usually are - smart, hilarious, creative, persistent, and downright adorable.  Their faith is what makes them unique and they inspire me daily.  And I don't say that as a cliche.  I teach the New Testament and study the perfect life of our Savior Jesus Christ every day.  Every morning I have the opportunity to consider the blessings that God has granted me, and I work to teach by and feel His Spirit.  Yes, my life is insane.  But, yes, as in anything God asks us to do, the blessings far outweigh the hardship.

Much of what I am learning is either too boring or too personal to share, but I did want to share one thing.  When the school year started, Nina was a very tiny 9 week old baby.  Since she was born, I prayed fervently that she would learn to sleep through the night before I started teaching Seminary.  I know myself: I need my sleep to function.  At 7 weeks, baby Nina started sleeping through the night and has kept it up since then.  I can't help but compare my experience to what Christ teaches in the Sermon on the Mount.  I see my situation particularly when He speaks to His newly-called apostles.  He is sending them out to preach and telling them to not worry about clothes, food, etc.  (Matt. 6:31-33)

"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink?  or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (How will I teach at 6 am if I am up with a baby during the night?) For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (Heavenly Father knows that I have been called to teach early morning Seminary) But seek ye first the kingdom of God (accept what He asks you to do -- in this case, teach Seminary...), and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (and He will bless you with what you need: a baby who sleeps through the night)."

It may seem silly to pray so hard for my baby to sleep, but it was important to me and Heavenly Father showed me it was important to Him, too.  We call it the Seminary Miracle.  I am so thankful for what I am learning right now, in spite of the long hours and hard work.

In a nutshell: God knows us, He loves us He wants to bless us.  If we serve Him, the blessings will rain right on down.

Trevor and Meg Come for a Visit

Matt's brother and sister came to visit us for what was a very fun weekend. We mostly hunkered down at home, watching General Conference, but we did spend one day at a pumpkin patch. Tate loved the extra playmates and I loved the extra hands and company. The day Trev and Meg left, Matt also left for Chicago for a few days and I was left all alone! We had such a fun time with them -- thanks for coming, guys!

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