Flab to Fab: Week 7

Holy moly, y'all I lost 6 pounds! HooodeyHoooo!

I couldn't believe it. Yes, I've been kicking it up a couple notches since I got back on the horse after being away from working out for a couple of weeks. Yes, I've been absolutely killin' it on the healthy eating tip. But one is never quite prepared for success, is one? :)

I'm also quite pleased to report that my dress fitting was MAGICAL. When I tried on the sample last May, it was like squeezing a sausage into a casing. I was spilling out all over the place. No bueno. But Saturday, it went on like a glove! I was so thrilled, because its very difficult to keep perspective of my body from one week to the next, let alone from May 2008 to February 09! I still love my dress beyond expression, and can't quite believe that its being built as I type!

While I looked much better in the dress, seeing my bare areas really helped kick in my "now or never" instinct about getting SSS (slim, straight and strong) before May. It was just the added pressure I needed, and when mixed with the confidence boost I got from trying on the sample again, I've been really feeling in charge of my body and loving it.

The Workouts:

Tues, Thurs, Mon - sessions with Tiger, my fitness goddess.

Saturday - danced my ass off at a funk party, and walked a mile home.

The weather in LA has been touch and go, and my new job is right down the street from Tiger's condo, so we've been working out there. I've completely fallen in love with her Pilates Reformer machine!

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This funky gadget is multi-purpose, low-impact, muscle-ripping goodness on a stick. It uses resistance springs, straps, pulleys and a sliding carraige to allow you to do over 100 different excercises and target many muscle groups at once. Its especially tough on the core, and since Tiger is Pilates-trained, I'm getting some serious results in my midsection already. I love how graceful I feel when I work on it, since many of the exercises feel similar to warmups from dance lessons. It also works on lengthening as well as strengthening, so its relaxing, even when it gets my heart pumping. I'm totally hooked, and have made the Reformer a must-have when I'm rich and have the space for it :)

We've also been playing with her BOSU balance ball.

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This knobby guy is also multi-purpose and fun to use. Its dome-y side is used like an exercise ball, for balance exercises - but because of its flat platform bottom, it can also be used like a Step for Step-training type routines - targeting core, lower body strength and cardio needs. It can also be flipped and used for upper body exercises and more core workouts, like pushups or planks. I did a video that called for lots of jumping on the ball, which I loved, and boy did I work up a sweat! I highly recommend playing with one if you see it at your gym - its a seriously unique workout.

I've also started to do more ab work on the side, since they can take a workout every day, and I'm loving the results I'm already seeing so much that I really want more. I promise to cover my favorite ab routines soon!

The Food:

I'm back on small meals every couple of hours and finding it to be really comfortable. It sustains my blood sugar levels, so I have more energy and my moods are more stable, and if I'm bored at work its easy and guilt-free to go have a few bites of my food as a quick break. I also noticed that I'm feeling fuller much faster this way, double bonus! I've been bringing my meals to keep costs down and temptation at bay. I even survived a company outing to Chili's by ordering the Express Lunch of soup and salad, asking them to hold the tortilla strips and cheese, and using oil and vinegar dressing!

Its been all about the protein, folks. Lots of egg-based meals, using all whites with one yolk for flavor. I love to make scrambles using different vegetables and meat-replacements - they're cheap, easy and quite filling! Tip: try soy sauce as a seasoning in eggs - its got more body than table salt and adds a richness that I really enjoy. I've also dabbled in egg/shirataki noodle mixtures which are quite tasty. Just yesterday I had an egg-drop soup that was so nummy I plan to make a batch at home for next week!

As a sugar-addict, I really find that the more I eat, the more I want, and the more I avoid it the less I crave. I'm not really the type that suceeds with "just a bite" - I prefer to find a sweet but healthy alternative that won't tempt me into bingeing the way sugar invariably does. Same goes for refined carbs, so I've been practicing smart-carb choices like sweet potatoes and brown rice or subbing them out completely with the shirataki noodles. So far, I'm really loving the food I eat and don't miss the white stuff so much!

I'm down to 2 diet cokes a day and am working my way down to one which is a real accomplishment for me - instead, I'm drinking water like a fish. I think its already making a difference in my skin, and it helps keep the hungries at bay, too. MaPo suggested a healthy margarita alternative that I've enjoyed on more than one occassion, and I'll share it with you, below!

So, this week has been a great one! I'm more motivated than ever and loving the results. I hope I can keep it up, yo. I'm going to a party tonight where the temptation will be mighty, but let's see if all this practice has prepared me.

MaPo's Magic Margarita:

• 1 cup Minute Maid Light Limeade (found in the refrigerated section at market)
• 1.5 oz. Tequila
• Salt - optional
• Cut lime wedge

For Frozen:

Freeze limeade into ice cube tray in advance. Then blend ice cubes, tequila, and a splash of liquid limeade until you achieve your desired consistency. Swipe glass rim with lime wedge and dredge in salt, if desired, and pour. Enjoy!

On the Rocks:

Rim your glass and fill with ice. Pour limeade and tequila into glass, stir, and float away to blissville!

Fun modifications:

I found that topping it off with a splash of diet grapefruit soda made for some wonderful bubbly goodness. Or try just tequila and diet grapefruit soda for the tasty treat known as the Palermo!Try your blend with a mix of lemon and limeade for some sweet n' sour action, or add other flavored sodas to create custom 'rita righteousness!

Calories:

15 in limeade, 100 in 1.5 oz. tequila. No carbs. Did you know that many hard liquors have no carbs? Rum, vodka and tequila have calories, not carbs. Whatever that means :)

What's your favorite drink when you diet?