The Ever Elusive Perfect Push Up + Abs Exercise of the Day!

If you're anything like me, you can do pretty much every exercise at the gym, but regular ol' pushups... Even the modified 'girl' pushup is daunting task.  I'd like to blame my lack of upper body strength, or my weak shoulders, or perhaps my week triceps, but the truth is I can do multiple sets of other exercises working those same muscle groups (shoulder press, dips, assisted pull ups, etc). There is something about the push up that is just so damn hard for me!  This weekend my fiance's sister and I were playing around with his Perfect Pushups and she thought I was just not trying, until she saw me fail miserably...more than once. haha! Well, damn it! I have a new goal... I WILL MASTER THE PUSHUP!  Well wouldn't you know it, I just received my June issue of Women's Health Magazine and they are featuring a spread on just that.  They've even got a handy dandy guide to pushup variations from easiest to hardest.  If you'd don't want to buy the magazine (although, I'd recommend it because of all the other cool stuff) you can also check it out online here!

Now this is not just about challenging myself to do something that my body has tried to convince me I can't do (although the competitive edge of it all does provide a little extra motivation).  The truth is the pushup is among the most effective FULL BODY exercises out there!  This single exercise works your chest, shoulders, triceps, butt, and strengthens your core...ALL AT THE SAME TIME! What more could you ask for??? You know I'm a firm believer in getting the best possible workout in the least amount of time!  That being said, when you've got a busy day and hitting the gym just doesn't seem possible, banging out a couple sets of pushups seems to be the PERFECT alternative.

Here is the list of all 7 pushup variations from easiest to hardest.  Click the exercise to see pictures/descriptions on the women's health magazine website...

1. Modified "Girl" Pushup
2. Incline Pushup
3. Regular Ol' Basic Pushup (notice it's the 3rd hardest...so it's not so crazy that it's hard to do)
4. Stacked Feet Pushup
5. Decline Pushup (My fiance does these...ugh! I burn with envy)
6. Decline Pushup with Stability Ball (as if the regular decline pushup wasn't hard enough...LOL)
7. Incline Stability-Ball Pushup

The Ab Exercise of the Day! 

(downloaded from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/)

My Confession...

Okay, folks! It's time for a confession.  I have not updated Skinny Fat Chronicles in while because I have fallen completely off the wagon!  Life got pretty busy and my fitness goals fell by the wayside...in the meantime... I GOT ENGAGED!!!!! you can read all about that on my other blog http://lovinglongdistance.blogspot.com. Well, nothing like a sparkly engagement ring to jump start your fitness plan again, so I'll be back on it starting this weekend.  I haven't begun to think about the wedding yet and we haven't set a date, but I do know that I want a strapless dress...sooooo, let the arm sculpting begin. Bring on the Perfect Pushup!!! (Audrey, don't laugh at me... hehe) Look for updates soon!

We all fall off the wagon at some point, but the most important thing is hopping right back on!

12 Best Foods for Your Abs...

Okay, so you know how I'm always talking about The Abs Diet book (Get the book on Amazon.com) !  I'ts my nutrition bible, but seriously, who wants to carry around a book all the time! Well here is a little printable handout with all 12 Abs Diet Power foods (taken from www.WomensHealthMag.com), including a short description of their "superpowers" and how to best put them to use for your body, which goes a little something like this...

1. Incorporate 2 - 3 of these foods into each of your major meals, and at least 1 into each snack. (Remember you should be eating 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day to keep your metabolism working hard!)
2. Diversify your food at every meal to include a combination of LEAN protein, carbohydrates (from whole grains and fruit/veggies NOT SUGAR), and HEALTHY fat.
3. And probably the most important guideline...MAKE SURE YOU EAT PROTEIN WITH EVERY MEAL!  If you are working out and especially if you are lifting weights, protein is CRITICAL for muscle building and repair.  Most experts recommend a gram for every pound.  That means at 147 lbs I should be eating about 147 grams of protein a day!  (This doesn't mean go out and eat a whole pack of bacon! It's all about finding lean and healthy sources of protein like white meat turkey and chicken, peanut butter, eggs, non-fat milk, low fat cheeses, greek yogurt... just to name a few!)

Now Chow Down!

The Ab Exercise of the Day! 

(downloaded from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/)

Skinny Fat Revealed - Understanding Your Body Composition

Being "Fit" is about more than just what size you wear...Sure, vanity is what lures most of us to the gym at first (Gotta get into that bikini before spring break, right!) but the effects are so much more far reaching than that!  After all being "Skinny Fat" is just as bad (probably more dangerous) than being "Fat Fat"... Why, you ask? Well, when you don't look fat, its easier to ignore your over all health.  Sure, I don't look fat.  I wear a size 4/6 (sometimes even a 2 these days) but who would have guessed that my body was storing 41 POUNDS OF FAT!  That's right!  I finally got my body fat percentage measured yesterday and it turns out that I am at a whopping 29.5%...so what does that mean?  Well, it means 29% of my body composition is fat!!!! I also learned that my muscle composition was low (although I have been working on it!) at 36+/-, my water percentage was also low a 51%, and my bone density was dangerously low at 3.3%.  All of this is BAD, BAD, BAD.  


For now, I am only going to address the body fact percentage, and I'll save explanations of the other components for another post, but I will explain why its important to know what your body composition is.  As you are losing weight, it is important that you are losing FAT and not MUSCLE!  If you are not eating enough of the right kind of food, and if you do not have a balanced workout plan that includes cardio AND STRENGTH TRAINING (thats right ladies, don't let the grunting men at the gym scare you away from the weight area), you could be burning muscle, and this is very dangerous.  The negative effects of a high fat content go without saying, and increasing your muscle is by far the best way to decrease your fat!!!


Okay, so my body fat percentage is not horrible.  The chart below gives some "recommendations" for ideal body fat percentages in women vs. men (these will vary slightly depending on the source, but not by much).  You can see that my body fat percentage would put me at the high end of "Acceptable" which I read as borderline unhealthy!  This news was a bit discouraging, but on the other hand who knows what it would have been if I had checked it 5 weeks ago when I first started! YIKES!!!  I'm afraid to even think about it.  So instead of being discouraged, I am using this new information to set new goals!  I've got to get down into that Fitness Range of 21 - 24%!!!  WOOHOO! I'm on my way!

Classification	Women (% fat)	Men (% fat)
Essential Fat	10-12%	2-4%
Athletes	14-20%	6-13%
Fitness	21-24%	14-17%
Acceptable	25-31%	18-25%
Obese	32%+	25%+

The Ab Exercise of the Day! 

(downloaded from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/)

Starbucks' best belly friendly treats!!!

Taken from Eat This, Not That FREE eNewsletter! (I really recommend this newsletter if you struggle with what to eat when you go out! I have the hardest time with this!)


So according to our friends at Men's Health Magazine, the best drink at Starbucks is a Grande Cinnamon Dolce Frappucino Light Blended Coffee with only 140 calories, 5grams fat, and 24 grams sugar... NOT BAD AT ALL!  Now, if you're more of a bakery case kind of snacker (are there any chocolate lovers out there?) then you're in for a treat.  Try Double Chocolate Brownie Cookie!!! for only 80 calories and 5 grams of fat (skip the drink if you go for the cookie! have some skim milk instead).


Check out these other "belly friendly" desserts too!
http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/content/healthiest-desserts-america?article=11&page=1

   

The Ab Exercise of the Day! 

(downloaded from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/)

No Excuses! All You Need is 20 minutes...

We all have those days where we barely have time to breath, let alone go to the gym! For me those are the days when it is most important to get a workout in.  After all, discipline is half the battle, and working out has to become a habit!  I have a philosophy about working out...it has to be convenient! I know that seems very contradictory, but its true! When life gets busy, the parts of life that are most inconvenient for you get shoved to the back burner.  If working out is too much of an inconvenience, you just won't go!  But I have begun to look at it this way, working out is me investing in ME!!!  My health and my well-being are important to me so I will make it a priority to ensure that working out fits in the busy-ness of my life!  That being said I am always on the look out for ways to maximize my workout in the shortest possible time!


Today's Women's Health Magazine daily does email was "Perfect 20 minute workout".. Check out on their website.. Its complete with pictures and descriptions.


http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/isometric-exercises?cm_mmc=Newsletter-_-2010_Feb_23-_-Dose-_-readon

I also thought I'd try something new!   

The Ab Exercise of the Day! 

(downloaded from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/)

  

Week 3 - aaahhhh... sweet progress!

Saturday, I jumped on the scale before my work out and saw REAL PROGRESS!!! I was a little discouraged after losing only 2 pound by the end of 2nd week, but I channeled that discouragement into some hard core NEW workouts in week 3, and BAM! the number on the scale dropped 5 POUNDS!!!

Week 3 Stats

Weight: 147 lbs

Height: 5'4"

BMI: 25.2 What does this mean? (CDC)

Body Fat Percentage: ??? (I know, I know, I still haven't asked them to check at the gym)

Measurements

Bust: 37"

Waist: 30"

Hips: 39

How did I jump start my weight loss? Well, I simply switched up my routine.  I wasn't getting results I wanted from my routine, so I changed it.  I registered on http://www.womenshealthmag.com/.  They have TON of really awesome weight loss programs that you can download FOR FREE!!! The programs come complete meal plans with workouts (including pictures, demos, and videos!  You can even download them to your ipod!). 

I chose the Belly Off program!  It boasts that you can lose 12 pounds in 8 weeks!  Trust me when I say that the workout plan will kick your ass, and did I mention that it was FREE!!!!  (a personal trainer at your gym is gonna cost you at least $250).  Check it out on the Women's Health Magazine Website.  I promise you will not be disappointed (you will need to register with their site to dowload the workouts).



I am actually not following the meal plan.  I don't really do well with a set meal plan, so I follow the principles of The Abs Diet plan (also from the Rodale/ Men's Health/ Women's Health family.  I am still eating 5 - 6 meals totalling 1200 - 1500 calories a day which I track on Sparkpeople.com and stick to my Abs Diet Power Foods.


7 Pounds Down... 13 to go!!!