Proud to be a Power Couple

There is nothing I love more than working out with my fiance. He constantly motivates and encourages me in positive ways. So this Wednesday I am thrilled to say we were up at 5:45am hitting the gym together before work.

Me: "I can't do a pull up."
Jared: "Sure you can, hop on up there."
.... still can't do a pull up, but the point is he gives me that extra motivation to try. And that's my advice to all of my readers. Try new things, push yourself to new limits, and focus. You WILL see results.

So why am I on the mat without weights? Because today was ab day. The abs are the absolute hardest for me. On my best days, my arms can compete with Michelle Obama (yeah right, who am I kidding...) but my abs, not so much. Although abs are made in the kitchen, there are some great moves you can do at home or at the gym to kick start your progress and tone up.

My recommendation once you get these basic moves down is to incorporate a medicine ball or weight plate . That additional weight will give you that extra push to results. 

PS - We have hit 199 days! #forbetterorwelch

Transformation Tuesday: Body built on Snacking Right!

This transformation Tuesday I give to you my daily struggle... the snack attack. Snacking was my HUGE downfall. In the left photo I lived at my parents house. I had full access to a pantry of snack goodness, and you better believe I had my hands in the chips. I wish I could say it was easier living on my own, but I do live with my fiance. I am sure most of you can imagine our pantry. One shelf of raw almonds, seeds, and whole grains... the other Doritos, Oreos, Golden Grahams (who even knew Golden Grahams still existed!?) The bottom line is temptation is everywhere. It's not about starving yourself, but making the swap to a healthier choice. That's where I come in.

GOOD snacking:

• Cherry tomatoes: Don't knock it until you try it. Pringles has it wrong, start popping those tomatoes and you'll get it.
• Popcorn: No, this does not mean movie theater butter. 
• Frozen berries: I am addicted. They are perfect for that after dinner frozen treat craving.
• Carrots: My go-to for mindless snacking. Need something to crunch on at work out of boredom? Annoy your co-workers for a few minutes and crunch down some carrots. I recommend skipping the hummus when you can. Although not terrible for you, everything in moderation.
• Kale chips: I will be the first to admit, some brands do the kale chip wrong. And by wrong I mean they taste like throw up. Find your brand OR make your own.
• Clementines: And aren't those Cuties commercials the best?
• Nuts: I have said it in previous posts and will say it again - it's all about portion control. Stay away from peanuts, honey roasted anything, and choose raw when you can.
• Apples and almond butter - swap the peanut butter for almond
• Shrimp cocktail: I understand most people aren't walking around with Ziploc bags of shrimp, but they are a great snack, low calorie, and high protein
• Edamame

and now for the BAD, no good, put it down right now, list:

• Potato Chips: It pains me to say it, but potato chips are one of the worst options. They are high in sodium, carbohydrates, and can spike blood sugar levels
• Canned Fruits: VERY different from fresh or frozen, riddled with excess sugar and preservatives 
• Fat free yogurt - Yuck!! It may read fat free but it's high in sugar, stick to the greek
• Trail Mix: This is basically just candy...
• 100 calorie packs: I would much rather eat 300 nutritious and filling calories than 100 calories of trash

Unfortunately the list of bad snacks is endless from cheetos to fritos, I trust most of my readers know that these aren't your best options, so use my list to make some changes! 

Happy Monday!

Here's a new week and new goals!  This Monday's topic - Supplements.

I worked at GNC for awhile, and got hooked on every fat burner on the market. You name it, I’ve tried it. What do I have to say about it? Save the $60 and get yourself a cup of coffee and a good multi-vitamin, because the benefits are the same. I won’t be a hypocrite, I will still try a fat burner from time to time, but for a true result, they are pretty useless.

However, I do believe strongly in my daily routine of vitamins. I am the girl with the pill box that looks like she is crazy, but is really popping omegas. I share with you my top five vitamins:

1.       Omega 3: If you check our medicine cabinet, you’d think my fiancé and I are hooked on fish oil, and it’s because we are. The benefits are endless, but the reason I take 4-6 a day is for  heart health, and most importantly brain health.

2.       Vitamin D: Those that know me are probably rolling their eyes. It’s March, I live in San Diego, what Vitamin D am I missing? I still take one daily. Why? Improved muscle function, and cardiovascular benefits.

3.       Turmeric:  Here’s the weird one, and for those looking for skin help. One of my bridesmaids turned me onto this supplement for anti-inflammatory purposes. It helps keep  skin looking picture perfect.

4.       Vitamin C: See ya later, seasonal flu.

5.       Super B Complex: Because I’d rather take one vitamin with all of the B families than a dozen. B  vitamins are great for an extra metabolism boost.

Remind yourself of your progress and be better than yesterday.

Product of the Week

This Thursday, I give you my favorite carb – Ezekiel Bread. Forget the bad reputation carbs get. When you are training and working hard your body, your body NEEDS carbohydrates. The problem is, most people chose the wrong types, and false marketing claims of “whole wheat” don’t help the problem. My body started seeing significant progress when I turned away from the whole wheat grocery store brand, or even Thomas English muffins, and started looking for words like “whole grain” and “sprouted.” This bread is hands down my favorite.

The benefits:

•          Source of complete protein – yes, carbs AND protein in one!
•          Contains wheat, barley, millet, lentils, soybeans, and spelt
•          NO refined sugars, all complex carbohydrates (the good carbs)
•          No preservatives and no flour
•         The best part – it fills you up! The craving is fulfilled, and you are satisfied longer.

How do I like it? Toasted with smeared avocado and topped with smoked salmon (if it’s pay week…)

Acai Bowls- Berry Devine!

If you live in SoCal, you've had or know what an acai bowl is. A delicious blend of anti-oxidant rich acai berries topped with granola, fruit, or toppings of your choice. They are refreshing, satisfying, and insanely addicting. But are they healthy? 

My answer is yes-  the acai bowl can be fit girl's dream of a treat... in moderation. Unfortunately, there is always a but... the real trick on finding the perfect acai bowl is to stay far away from the chain smoothie spots and keep it local. Make sure you are ordering from a place that has fresh fruit, fresh ingredients, does not pack on the toppings or sugar. Say no to the chocolate chips, yes to the berries.

If you live in San Diego, my first recommendation is Seaside Smoothie and Juice Bar in La Jolla. They keep it health-concious and delicious.

All the good stuff!

Places to stay away from:

1. Robeks - 69 grams of sugar? No thank you.

2. Jamba Juice - 92 grams of sugar!? Mine as well chug a 2 liter.

You can always be creative and make your own!

Wednesday Weigh In

Today is a good day. Shoot, today is a great day. As a rule of thumb I never go on the scale. My fitness mentors have all instilled the brilliant idea of judging weight loss solely on how your clothes fit.  Why? Muscle weighs more than fat. Trust me, 130 pounds of fat looks a lot different than 130 pounds of muscle. But after noticing my progress, curiosity got the best of me, and I asked a fantastic co-worker (shout out to Monique!)  to bring in a scale for me. I was weighed at the doctor’s four months ago at 136 pounds. Here we are today after a big breakfast…

Am I proud? Hell yes. Did I need to see this for validation? No.  The proof is in my muscle definition. 125 may seem TOO heavy for some girls, but I am certainly smiling. Don’t stress yourself out over numbers. Keep that pair of jeans that are a little too tight in close reach and every few weeks, months, try them on again.  I promise, the satisfaction far exceeds a numbers game.

Now here's a photo of me and my incredible fiance, because I am extremely grateful for his constant support and motivation to be better every single day.

206 days #forbetterorwelch

Progress Time!

It's been a few months since I have posted so let me catch you up to speed - wedding planning is going wonderfully with the help of my fantastic mother and some kickass bridesmaids. I said yes to the dress! Finding out I was a size 2 wedding gown was reason enough to tear up that day. With that - I bring my progress...


For the past three years, I have loved fitness. Cycles of the Insanity DVDS, Kickboxing, running, and weight lifting. For those three years I stayed the same size = determination interwoven with some serious frustration. I remember crying to my fiance a year ago saying "why am I not losing the weight? I count calories, I work out every day, I bust my butt! This is unfair!"  Well, since I first started this "fit bride" journey I have went from a size 6 to a size 2. None of my clothes fit, and I am tying waist belts around every dress I own until I get a wardrobe upgrade. Trust me, I am not complaining. So what is my secret? EAT WELL. I keep coming back to this topic, because of how truly essential it is to results. This year has taught me one valuable lesson: you can not work off a bad diet. 200 calories of avocado will never equal 200 calories of potato chips.

Oddly enough, I started "dieting" for reasons other than weight loss... my skin! I have struggled with acne for years, and the last thing I want is a break out on my wedding day. I cut out skin irritating foods such as dairy products (this has been a struggle,) simple carbs, and started incorporating more fruits and veggies. I also have been drinking 3x as much water. This in combination with switching up my work outs has lead to long overdue body change.

So my recommendation to all - switch up your work out routine, clean up your diet, and avoid the dreaded body plateau.

Some of the major swaps:
Soy creamer instead of regular in my coffee
NO artificial sweetners
Raw almonds instead of flavored or salted mixed nuts
No potato chips (except for a few cheat days)
Thomas English Muffins to Eziekel Sprouted Bread (This minor change has made a huge difference!)

And now for my progress:

2 years - present day

Present day

Present day morning grind