Lindsay Brin

3 Rules to Avoid the Holiday Weight Gain

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 14:46:00 +0000

Did you know the average weight gain during the holiday season is 2-5 lbs.? Sure it doesn’t sound like much, but 1-2 pounds makes your jeans feel tight. And 5 pounds usually puts you into a new size. Yikes!

Don’t deprive but don’t give into every craving! Have some of your favorite holiday treats (in moderation) But get right back on track. Between now and New Years you will have several days you indulge (notice I did not say overindulge). You stack Christmas on top of Thanksgiving on top of Halloween and top it off with Egg Nog and cookies the week before New Years…let’s just say that equals about 10-15 days of indulging. Be mindful and get back on track. No more marathoning indulgences between now and New Years Day.

And guess what – there is a plan to get you back on track. It stops the cravings in their tracks, it’s all natural, takes 3 minutes to read, doesn’t include hokey cleanse juices. Just a simple reset that gets you back to “normal”. Check out the 3 Day Hunger Reset.

Keep a plan. An exercise plan. You eat better when you exercise! Maybe switch to evening workouts if you tend to overindulge in front of the DVR at 10:00 pm.
If you need an exercise plan make sure you check out my new 30 Day Core program. It’s a total body weight loss plan that concentrates on the mom belly muscles. And it will have you looking svelte by the New Year!

Don’t go outside your perimeter. You may have heard it before – all those little bites, licks and tastes off your kids plates + mindless Goldfish grabs = too many calories. Instead of eating 5 Cookies while firing off emails and cooking dinner, set a POA. A Plan of Action. Plan your treats. Take time, savor them.

Develop your POA. Get back on track with the Hunger Reset here. And start 30 Day Core now (if you haven't already). And enjoy the holidays!

Lose Baby Weight - Postpartum Weight Loss Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 16:05:00 +0000

Lose Baby Weight - Workouts

Postnatal SlimDown Workout Video: Week 1
for more Lose Baby Weight Videos click here

Postnatal SlimDown Cardio Workout - don't know when to do this workout? Get the calendar at www.momsintofitness.com/post-slim

Postnatal SlimDown Workout Video: Week 2

You were asked to gain 15-35 lbs. over the course of 9 months. That is a significant amount of weight to lose. Women have a much higher blood volume during pregnancy. And that does not vanish overnight. Within the first 4-6 weeks your postnatal body is considered “normal” in the fact that all systems are back to normal. But you are left with loose muscles, extra fat, fluid retention for breastfeeding and sometimes some cellulite that did not reside on your thighs prior to getting pregnant.

18-20 pounds usually goes within the first 4-6 weeks (based on a 30 pound weight gain). The 18-20 pounds comes from: baby, amniotic fluid, placenta, blood volume, breast tissue, fat storage urination and the uterus involution. With all of this in mind, notice how hard your body is working in the first few weeks postpartum, it is a super delicate time for their body!

...expect your body to be back at it's pre-pregnany weight around 6 months Postpartum. Anything before that is simply unrealistic.

Vacation Detox for Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:00:00 +0000

Celebrated turning 36 on the beach!

I slipped away for a 7 Day Disney Cruise to San Juan. Not only was it one of the best family vacations, but I came back feeling like I took a vacation! Turning 36 on a beach in 90 degrees, can't complain. My parents even took the kids back to the ship after 6 hours of beach and I relaxed without worrying about a 6, 4 and 3 year old getting in the water (even though the water was freezing it sure doesn't stop the kids!) Ahhhhhhh.

So you probably don't read my blog to hear me gloat about being on the beach while the February Freeze took the US by storm:) I am gonna give you some pointers:
1) How to keep the vacation weight gain to a minimum.
2) How to detox after the vacation is over.

Have you ever done that? Worked hard to to feel and look good on vacation and then tossed out the healthy rules for vacation? Me too. And I think it is ok. Keep reading.

One day everybody will look at the camera!

While thinking of the Vacation Rules I realized I did not want to provide your common "Stay Healthy while on Vacation" type Blog Post. I wanted to toss out the rules that don't let you completely relax on vacation. You are a mom, you need vacation. You need a day without rules. You need a day without being the family brain. So while this is not the most scientific - it is a vacation plan any mom can follow and not come back feeling like they ate bricks!

Vacation Rules:

Exercise - not necessarily everyday, but enough to keep the bloating away and keep your energy going.

Skip the Buffet - if you happen to be on a cruise like me this one can be a hard one. Allow yourself one trip to the buffet.

You can have dessert - heck yeah! You know those frozen ice cream/yogurt machines with a cone? For just a few hundred calories you can satisfy your sweet tooth and your kids begging for ice cream.

Hydrate - Water will keep you hydrated in the sun, deplete bloating and help keep you full.

Alcohol - do I promote drinking? Nah. But sometimes a beer or a glass of wine (or a few) are your way of winding down and vacationing. And keep in mind those fancy frozen drinks are about 500 calories a pop!

Keep the BLT's to a minimum - that's Bites, Licks and Tastes. Eating Twizzlers on the beach? Sampling the leftover mac and cheese on your kids plate? Grabbing some Goldfish while you toss some to the kids? Following lunch with a few harmless Hershey Kisses? I hate to say it, but these add up to an easy 300 calories, which is equal to about a 20-30 minute workout. DON'T DO IT! Stick to breakfast, fruit for a snack, lunch, fruit for a snack and dinner.

Get back on Track - did you indulge heavily one day? Or give into every craving? Ok, it's in the past. Get back on track with good breakfast - fruit and oatmeal or fruit and yogurt. And be a little more cautious at lunch and dinner.

Vacation Detox:
For me I came back from vacation bloated and hungry every 2 hours. So I did the 3 Day Hunger Reset - 2 days after I got back cause I just wasn't ready to commit:) Day 1 was hard! Day 2 I started to notice my cravings were going away. And Day 3 I felt like I could put myself on the scale without being mad at myself. And Day 4/5 I felt like me again!

Follow the 3 Day Hunger Reset! It's not about a crash diet or extreme detox, it's literally the most natural way to reset your Hunger Cycle.

Think of it this way. You eat (and drink) more often on a vacation. Your body gets used to this new habit. Your body expects this to keep happening. So we need to get your body out of this habit.

All the details are here. It's about getting rid of refined carbohydrates for 3 days, letting your body deplete some glucose storage, and resetting your hunger cycle.

Pair the Vacation Detox with a 10 Day Workout Challenge and your body will be back on track in no time! Nip it in the bud, before your vacation habits become permanent habits.

Nutrition for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Healthy eating tips, healthy snacks for kids, healthy meals for kids and nutrition or kids. It's all right here in this 6 page pdf to download.

Kids...just how are we supposed to feed them? We want them to grow up healthy and strong in all aspects of life. As moms we all have the same goal.

And believe it or not -- supporting their nutritional health is a lot easier than you think. In this video I am going to hit the Top 5 Things every Mom Needs to know about Kid's Nutrition.

Portion Perfection
Nutrient Needs (also includes water needs)
The Plate Method
Can kids have candy?
How to make a Healthy Plate while still providing your kids with their favorites like Mac n' Cheese and Pizza.

To get the 6 page Kids Nutrition just go to www.mif.me/kids

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for Free Workouts every week and more Kitchen Hacks! Kitchen Hacks like the Top 10 Diet Mistakes Moms Make.

Diet Tips & the Top 10 Diet Mistakes Moms Make

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 16:30:00 +0000

Top 10 Diet Mistakes Moms Make

See more Kitchen Hacks and Mom Diet Nutrition HERE.

1. You throw in the towel after 3 days of dieting. The first 3 days are the hardest! You need to give your body time to deplete some fat storage and stop the cravings. The best way to do this is—eliminate all added sugars for the next 3 days, these are refined carbohydrates like sugary cereal, candy, junk food, and starchy foods like white rice. By eliminating alladded sugars from your diet for 3 days you are giving the body time to deplete some glucose stores while also breaking the hunger cycle. The cravings will stop after 3 days and you will be motivated to continue!
Download the pdf -- How To Do the 3 Day Hunger Reset.

2. You have the kids ready to go, but forget about you! It’s 6am and the kid’s lunches and snacks are ready for school, but you do not prepare your own. So then you reach for the most convenient item to satisfy your hunger. Prepare ahead of time so you have something healthy and convenient! Portion out your snacks and even your lunch so they are right there when the time comes.

3. BLT’s. I am talking about the Bites, the Licks and the Tastes. You take your kids for a walk in the stroller – your grab a handful of Goldfish to keep them happy – you pop a handful in your mouth. You are clearing the dishes – your daughter didn’t eat all of her spaghetti – you take the last 4 bites. Those Hershey kisses in the candy dish – you tackle your sweet tooth after lunch. Don’t do it! It adds up easily and can take 30-60 minutes of exercise to work that off. Eat within your perimeter and no bites, licks and tastes in between your meals and snack time.

4. You go to the Store with the Kids. You know that bakery cookie the kids get for free at the store only last for 10 minutes! Then you spend the remaining 45 minutes rushing through so you don’t have to battle the kids sitting in the grocery cart and/or not throwing in every bag of chips they want. Go at it alone, even if it means you get up early one day of the week or spend your babysitting time going to the store. You can take the time to educate yourself and you will come home with less temptations.

5. You commit to the Workout but you don’t commit to the Nutrition. It’s day 7 of your new workout routine and it is going well. But the scale isn’t budging. Ugh. 99% of the time the nutrition part is the hardest part to change when committing to a new routine. But do it – you will get there twice as fast! And it usually is the main reason the scale isn’t moving in the direction you would like to see! The easiest way to do this? Eat 20% less. Done.

6. You eat the right foods. But you eat too much of them. There are so many options out there, which is the “right” food? Most of the time you know which is the right or better food. Pick the apple over the cookie. Pick the grilled chicken over the fried. But is that enough? You really do need to know just how many calories you are consuming. So for 7 days food journal, that’s it and you won’t really need to do it again. And the good news – there are plenty of apps out there to help you with this!
>>>>>Try My Fitness Pal or the Moms Into Fitness App....we will calculate how much you should eat to lose weight!

7. You don’t drink enough water. I know you all have heard this before so I am not going to harp on it. Drink water. Don’t drink too much soda. It helps flush fat and is one of the number one aids in weight loss! If you are pregnant or breastfeeding you need more – According to the Institute of Medicine you need 13 cups a day for Breastfeeding (16 cups total but 20% of water comes from foods), 10 cups if you are pregnant and 9 cups if you are female.

8. You forgot to turn off the Pregnancy or Breastfeeding Radar. Studies show that moms that don’t lose the weight in between having kids on average keep 10 pounds per baby. So 3 babies = 30 extra lbs. Turn off the pregnancy eating and get back to you in between having kids. And if you are like me – 3 kids in 3 years – you might have to modify that plan a bit!

9. You crash and burn at 9pm. Ahhhhh the kids are in bed, the dishes are done (maybe), the homework is behind you, you have some emails to catch up on. And maybe you never ate dinner. Do not let this time be when you fall off the bandwagon! Find some good After Dinner Treats, and ones without too many calories. Your best bets are: homemade hot chocolate, hot tea, lowfat chocolate milk, a hot bath, something other than the sleeve of Girl Scout Cookies or Chips and Salsa!

10. You have no plan. Or you had not time! Either way it can be a recipe for diasaster. Convenience trumps all, right? Plan ahead so your convenient meals are not always fast food. And your convenient snacks are not always pretzels, chips or a granola bar. Choose the better foods, which might not always be the best foods. Funny how some things come about …I mentioned on Facebook that I only cook once a week for 2.5-3 hours and all the moms wanted to know my secret. There was no magic to it - just planning ahead. I

If you need a little help in the nutrition department and how to prepare everything for the week in under 3 hours, check out the CookOnce eBook. Our Registered Dietitian put all the goods in it!

10 Day Core MeltDown for Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Hot Darn...Spring is fast approaching! And with that comes vacations, swimsuits, tank tops, swimsuits, shorts, swimsuits. You get the picture.

So I created a 10 Day Core Meltdown with all new videos - and they can all be done in 20 minutes or less! All the videos are on YouTube so they are super easy to follow. No signing up, no links, just do the videos. And we broke down the 10 Day Schedule on Pinterest.

>>>>Click Here to Follow the 10 Day Schedule

And make sure you follow our 3 Day Hunger Reset. Exercise alone is great, but getting your diet in check will help that scale drop!

Here are the 8 free core workout videos 10 Day Core MeltDown...

Best Lower Abs http://youtu.be/j2YO1St2pDA

Shredding http://youtu.be/TzFT9l5kR1M

Post Workout Ab Routine http://youtu.be/497ijFy9ZV8

Cardio Torch http://youtu.be/23uDzDtUZxk

10 Minute Tabata http://youtu.be/I-knHLHJTJw

Beginner HIIT http://youtu.be/wPpObC5PnwM

Core Cardio http://youtu.be/NRbMxxveTyg

HIIT Cardio http://youtu.be/eVLqhg3Uygc

>>>>Click Here to Follow the 10 Day Schedule

How to do a Postnatal Core Workout - 8 Free Postnatal Exercises

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 19:38:00 +0000

First things first, let me give you the rundown on what happens to your body during pregnancy. A lil' education never hurt anybody:)

After pregnancy, your uterus shrinks about a finger width every day. In five to six weeks, it will return to pre-pregnancy size. That means in that time it will go from the size of a watermelon to the size of an orange. Pretty impressive, right? Your body is remarkably adaptable, and your recovery to pre-pregnancy hormone levels, uterus size, and so on is a postpartum miracle. Your core muscles are just as adaptable.

But you have to use all 4 ab muscles to make them bounce back. You cannot expect them to bounce back unless you initiate the muscle fibers...by you guessed it...doing core exercises.

During pregnancy your Tranverse Abdominis and Pelvic Floor support that baby. So wouldn't it be wise to work those muscles to get your stomach to go back to the way it was?

----Crunches work the rectus abdominis, not the transverse abdominis
----Directly form Wikipedia Training the rectus abdominis muscles alone will not and can not give one a "flat" belly; this effect is achieved only through training the TVA.

Using the transverse abdominis muscle is a big part of your postnatal abs. The TA is a thick layer of muscle that runs from hip to hip, wrapping around the torso from front to back. The muscle fibers of the TA run horizontally, similar to a corset or a weight belt. These muscles are your true core muscles, and strengthening them will give you power and tone your entire body.

So we are going to get deeper and work you inner core. It is a wonderful workout for beginners and workout veterans.

We include modifications for diastasis recti since we do not use the rectus abdominis. More about diastasis recti, how to exercise with diastasis recti and how to test diastasis recti click her for the What is Diastasis Recti 2 min video.

Use this free 8 min Postnatal Core Workout. 8 free postnatal exercises to get you going in your quest to get your body back!

Get more Postnatal Workouts on my YouTube channel - just hit subscribe!

The Day after Thanksgiving - I give you permission to indulge

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 15:52:00 +0000

You indulged. We all indulged. And you know what -- it is totally ok to indulge!! 1 day is not going to throw off your weight (scientific fact 3,500 calories = 1 lb). Maybe you ate 3,500+ calories yesterday (and burned about 1,500 by just being alive) and are feeling quite swollen. But let's get you back on track before 1 day of indulging turns into the month of December. You may need to follow the 3 Day Sugar Cleanse in Step 5, keep reading.

Step 1 -- Maybe the most important step. Put on your workout clothes. Make the decision to workout. Even if it is only for 15 minutes!

Step 2 -- Do a HIIT workout. High Intensity Interval Training. The kids are home and there is minimal time. Unmotivated? Refer to Step 1.

I posted my favorite HIIT workout on www.instagram.com/momsintofitness -- do each exercise for 1 minute, repeat 4x

Step 3 -- Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! If you are like me you woke up a little swollen from all the salt intake yesterday. Get your systems back in order and help flush fat with water. Shoot for 8 cups, 10 cups if you followed Step 2, 12 cups if you are breastfeeding.

Step 4 -- Be prepared for the Holiday Season. Not in terms of the 66 tasks on your list, but daily nutrition and exercise. Commit to working out 4x/week. Prepare healthy snacks ahead of time - they are just as easy to reach for as the red and green Hershey kisses or Gran's Puppy Chow. I tend to "fall off the bandwagon" around 4:00. I am usually bussing kids around and hungry. But if I am able to pull some clean fruit or string cheese out of the fridge or have some packed foods in the car (like health bars) I will less likely gorge myself in Gran's Puppy Chow (most days anyway;)

Step 5 -- Do not pull your usual stunt...I will start my diet tomorrow. Enjoy some Holiday treats but do not go overboard. If you feel yourself falling fast into the Holiday sweets, do a quick All Natural 3 Day Sugar Cleanse, it will reset your Hunger Cycle.

Here is what the hunger cycle looks like. You wake up in the morning feeling hungry but because you have to rush kids out the door and don’t have time to cook, you grab a sugary granola bar or down a quick bowl of sugary cereal. This makes you full in the moment, and meets your calorie needs but 2 hours later you are hungry. Why? When refined carbohydrates, or sugar, are digested the yare converted to glucose and quickly hit the blood stream giving you an immediate spike in blood sugar (or blood glucose) which boosts energy. Your body then releases insulin to move the glucose into cells to it can do its job. However what is not immediately used is then stored in the body. This all happens pretty quickly, sometimes within a 2 hour time period, leaving you feeling hungry. When we get hungry it is one way our body cries out for energy and because our bodies are efficient it craves the most readily available source of energy... sugar. Here is where the cycle begins again.

Yeah, yeah, I have been MIA for the last 6 months. It started with taking off the summer - something I had been promising myself since my 6 year old was in the baby bjorn at 2 weeks old and I was making final edits to my first book. Standing to write most of the book because it was the only thing that soothes a 2 week old (how do they know you are not sitting? never figured that out). So I spent the summer with my kids and put the computer aside!

Then we moved into the house we have been saving, designing and building for the last 4 years. Not realizing what it is like to move 3 kids and 3 kids stuff - holy tamales. I am glad it is our forever house! 6 strep throats, 2 stomach flu's, a babysitter that needed to concentrate on her Master's and not my little ones, the start of 1st grade, Halloween, my 10 year anniversary to my husband and a closet that is finally put together...well that brings me up to speed in November.

My new favorite things are: my 6 year old can read to me and it's amazing, the new 18 quart Crock Pot that fits a turkey, Kids Gap constant online sales, my organized closet, my 3 year old that will now eat a vegetable (so it's only green beans but it's start), the early Christmas trampoline the grandparents got for the kids that tires them out--it works in my favor too, my 4 year old that loves to give hugs, my 6 year old that will go to bed 2/7 nights without a fight, my mom that loves scrapbooking (since I am still on Rylan's birth, he is 4), still love my minivan, snow and everything that has to do with kids playing in the snow, oven baked tacos I found on Pinterest, there are too many to list. But that's me and the last 6 months and all the love and laughter and stress.

That said - Moms Into Fitness has some pretty exciting news. Coming this January!!!

How do you measure your body for Weight Loss?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 18:40:00 +0000

So how do you measure yourself for Weight Loss? Click to learn more about How to measure yourself, or just watch the clip above!

How to get your body back after C-Section!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000

How to get your body back after C-Section, and Vaginal Delivery vs. C-Section

1 week post c-section

First and foremost, no exercise should be performed until you have your doctor's permission!

Please note I am not saying one or the other is better. That is up to your OB. We all end up in C-sections for different reasons and different doctor's opinions (always looking out for the best result). For me it was a transverse baby, a baby with scary low fluid and a third baby who came at 35 weeks. I kinda gave up that I would have a baby the ole fashioned way. But hey I didn't get pregnant the ole fashioned way (except #3 blessing!)

Ok, so C-Sections are scary, but they aren't bad! For me I was in lala land trying to breastfeed my 1st baby in the recovery room…couldn't quite pull it together:) The pain was covered up by drugs - although the drugs spoke for themselves as I fell asleep mid-sentence constantly. But what happens afterwards - when it's time to get your body back?

For my vaginal delivery gals - I have always envied you a bit. You are also left with a " a little mess", but pushing a baby out is an amazing feat! Our ab muscles are affected the same way - we are all pregnant the same way. Your recovery will be slightly different fromm c-sections, …so keep reading.

Does a C-Section cut your muscles?

A C-section is a surgical procedure so there will always be some scarring, but unlike what most women think, your doctor will not be cutting through muscle with the exception of the uterus. When a C-section is performed two sets of abdominal muscles are separated from one another but are NOT cut. A transverse (horizontal) cut—the so-called Bikini Cut C-Section—actually causes fewer complications. Since it is below your bikini line it will be far less noticeable than a longitudinal (vertical) incision.

If you had a C-section some exercises could bother your incision site, so back off until you are ready and only do exercises you are completely comfortable doing. If you feel some discomfort try saying "hut" while doing the work. And/or support your abdominal area with a pillow for more comfort. Otherwise you should be able to exercise around 6 weeks when your doctor releases you. You will just need to start out a little slower than if you had a vaginal delivery. And you may feel numbness for a few months after your procedure. Why? Your nerves were cut and will take a bit to recover.

A C-section is like having a cast on your arm. It will take longer to recover, but the good news is you can have the same end result as a vaginal delivery. As you read above, a bikini cut c-section does not cut through your muscles. The fascia is one of the 5 layers cut as your doctor goes in to get the baby. Fascia covers the muscles and acts as a sheathe to keep our waists compact. After birth your fascia will be back to 90% of its original strength within in 6 weeks, the other 10% will come back within a year. You cannot strengthen or tighten your fascia without surgery…so preventative measures are necessary...staying within the recommendedweight gain is a must!

Vaginal deliveries with midline episiotomies, especially 4th degree (1st being smallest) can create dysfunction of the pelvic floor, which also interrupts core function. Several of the tools and instruments that doctors use to assist you in giving birth, vacuums and forceps, for example, can cause PF dysfunction.

You will have to train your Pelvic Floor and Transverse Abdominis, both deep muscles of the core. Whether you have a vaginal delivery or a c-section the Pelvic Floor and the TA act as a sling to your baby. Which is why you need to train these specific muscles to get back the integrity and strength of your core before returning to traditional abdominal exercises.

My Postnatal SlimDown DVD has all these core exercises. We start with Core 1 using only the inner core, then a progressive core series Core 2, Core 3, Core 4, Core 5 as your core builds strength. Also includes 10 minute toning and cardio workouts to fit your schedule (including Amy who does all the toning exercises modified for diastasis recti).

About Me

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 15:57:00 +0000

More Lindsay Brin Videos and Free Workouts on YouTube

Went through 4 IVFS to get my first two

Then God decided we needed to add to our crew

Vanishing twin, 30 fertility lbs and a miscarriage

Made sure my hubby and me had a good marriage

Five A.M. workouts are something I hate,

But after I’m done, I feel pretty great.

I greet my children with a smile

Instead of “is it already 6am?” denial

I’m a mother of three, all under five.

There are days when I think I may not survive.

Lately most mornings there is an extra body in my bed

At breakfast I do 10k steps to make sure everybody is fed

Then breakfast for kids ends up on the floor.

I sweep it all up and head out the door

For play dates, school, and swimming fun, too.

Yet once we are done, I’m pretty much through.

Thank goodness for naptime, though not for me;

I must fold clothes and clean up after three.

And work, I enjoy being a Work at Home Mom

Although some days I prefer an office that’s calm!

Next soccer and cheer—all at the same time

I wonder how I found time to make this silly rhyme!

And here we go to get Fast food

Permission for Once or twice a week is my attitude

After practice we crash and go to bed.

We didn’t read, or wash; we slept instead.

I’m not perfect and I don’t have to be;

I just do what I can and love my three.

As long as my kids know I love them the best

That knowledge makes up for all of the rest.

Being the best mom you can be

Is for nobody to judge over afternoon tea

Its me as my own good mom judge

But if you want to add fitness & health I can give you a nudge

As moms our to do lists are at least 20 tall

That Bible Study and Parenting class we always stall

But – in regards to fitness & diet – I hope to make it easy for all!

The Hottest Trend in Workouts: HIIT, Tabata & Crossfit (free workouts for moms)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 11:24:00 +0000

The Hottest Trend in Workouts: HIIT, Tabata & Crossfit

Consider these workouts the hot buttons for the New Year. Why? You not only feel like you have worked out to the max, your body registers the intensity and burns more calories. Shred mega calories in under 25 minutes!

HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training

Sarah Joseph, a colleague of mine with a Masters in Exercise Science, explains it best! It’s been around for ages but has recently become more popular with exercise programs such as P90X, Insanity, and various other independent projects by fitness gurus. There is a reason why this type of training has become popular in highly motivated individuals and why you should try it too. You can Google a list of reasons why you should try HIIT training but I’m going to try to give you some info that might not seem as obvious. READ MORE…

FREE HIIT Toning workout:

Tabata Protocol

Tabata, a style of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or HIIE (High Intensity Intermittent Exercise), is a short intense workout that burns mega calories. It can be used to train cardio, strength, pretty much anything. And the best part? In 20 minutes or less you can get a complete Total Body Workout. Tabata started out in 1996 with a Speed Skating study done by Izumi Tabata. The research proved a large gain in V02 Max, otherwise known as your ultimate fitness ceiling. Unlike a HIIT style workout, Tabata has a Protocol of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off. This is repeated for a total of 4 minutes, then recovery. These 4 minutes are considered one round. And the rounds are manipulated to make the workout easier or harder.

FREE Tabata Cardio workout:

CrossFit

Cross Fit can be found in gyms across the U.S. Extremely popular due to it’s measurable way. It can be done with or without equipment and usually different components of the workout (time, reps, exercises) are manipulated so one continues to see results and can measure their increased fitness level. The goal is to go fast with good form.

2 Cross Fit style workouts

*WarmUp & CoolDown on your own

Workout Option 1 Rep Total = 1 min of each exercise, 3 rounds, count every rep (i.e. you did 35 screamers in minute one, start counting from 36 in minute two). GOAL: complete more reps with each round.

Workout Option 2 AMRAP (as many reps as possible) = 12 reps of each exercise, no rest,. GOAL: perform as many rounds of the 6 exercises as you can in 15 minutes.

*If you happen to be a mesomorph body type like me, the maximum you should do the plyometrics in this workout is 2x/week.

The Maintenance Workouts

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 08:00:00 +0000

You've completed Pretty Fierce, now what? Welcome to Pretty Fierce X, my brand new maintenance workouts in the Moms Into Fitness App for Apple, Droid and Kindle devices. If you want to continue seeing results, you've got to put in the work! I've got the plan all mapped out for you with Pretty Fierce X, Pretty Fierce XX and Pretty Fierce XXX.

New workouts every month so you can continue to challenge yourself to be the healthiest, fiercest mom you can be! The workouts come complete with mobile calendar telling you what to do each day, making it easy.

Order the Pretty Fierce Maintenance 3 month pack for only $19.99 (retail $14.99 EACH) I'll be right there every step of the journey, join me now!
*Download code will be emailed to you within 2 days.

The Details:

Pretty Fierce X: For days 61-90 after the Pretty Fierce 60 Day Total Program. Comes with Maintenance Calendar and 2 new workouts. Total Body Endurance 2 (45 min) to help you sustain workouts longer and burn right through the fat. Core Plyometrics (32 min) for a brand new challenge, from 1 leg plank walks to Plank Froggers. *Not for Diastasis Recti.

Pretty Fierce XX: For days 91-120 after the Pretty Fierce 60 Day Total Program. Comes with Maintenace Calendar and 3 new workouts. Upper Body Endurance (30 min) to create long, lean arms. Lower Body Endurance (30 min) to burn max calories and lift the glutes. Plus the Core Carving Workout (15 min). *Not for Diastasis Recti.

Pretty Fierce XXX: For days 121-150 after the Pretty Fierce 60 Day Total Program. Comes with Maintenace Calendar and 3 new workouts. 3 Metabolic Conditioning Workouts, each 28 minutes. *Not for Diastasis Recti.

*Cater to your schedule and choose from the 4 day Calendar or 5/6 day Calendar.

The 3 Day Cleanse: jumpstart weight loss!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Woke up this a.m.,

My body in complete mayhem,

swollen head to toe,

don't wanna eat stuffing no moe'

My body has a desperate plea,

please, please exercise me!

It said get rid of the chips and dips,

and please, please follow these tips!

So here we are 4 days after Thanksgiving. And although I can proudly say I worked out 3 of the last 7 days, I cannot say I ate well, AT ALL! Between the movie theater treats, rotel dip and Turkey dinner x 3, well I ate my way through the last few days.

Ho Hum, what the predicament. And I refuse to gain another 5 lbs like I did last year over the Holidays (see pictures below). In fact, did you know stats show the average weight gain between November and January is 5-7 lbs!

So if you are feeling like me, no worries I have some advice that will make your body happy with glee:)

The 3 Day Sugar Cleanse

Our body needs carbohydrates, especially to help our brain and muscles function. However, in today’s culture we are absolutely surrounded by the macronutrient in a form that can actually inhibit our weight loss goals. While carbs are necessary, and should make up 45 to 60 percent of your entire daily intake, your main source of the nutrient should be fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. Instead, refined flour, rice, and sweets rule the roost.

If you find yourself stuck in a carb craving mode there is a way to cleanse and reset your body. Cravings are complicated; they can be triggered by hunger but also emotions. If you find you are an emotional carb consumer, it is important to find way to deal with your emotions in a way that doesn’t send you to the pantry. However, if you feel that your sweet addiction is fueled by hunger it is most likely you are stuck in a hunger cycle. This hunger cycle is common and usually centers around sweets and refined grains.

Why? When refined carbohydrates (the sugar and white foods are your refined carbs, do not eliminate carbohydrates all together) are digested they are converted to glucose and quickly hit the blood stream giving you an immediate spike in blood sugar (or blood glucose) which boosts energy. Your body then releases insulin to move the glucose into cells to it can do its job. However what is not immediately used is then stored in the body. This all happens pretty quickly, sometimes within a 2 hour time period, leaving you feeling hungry. When we get hungry it is one way our body cries out for energy and because our bodies are efficient it craves the most readily available source of energy… sugar. Here is where the cycle begins again.

The good news is you can stop this cycle. By eliminating all added sugars from your diet for 3 days you are giving the body time to deplete some glucose stores while also breaking the hunger cycle. The goal is to replace the normal sugary foods you would reach for with lean protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy foods. These foods are metabolized in the body at a much slower rate and have a considerably lower impact on your blood glucose levels.

Cutting all sweets for 3 days will help curb your cravings and help jump start your weight loss. Keep in mind, this is not something you do for 3 days then go right back to what you were doing before. The purpose of the 3 day time period is to give you a goal, but you will also find that after 3 days you are much less likely to crave the food. This does not mean you can never have sweets again, but it needs to be sparingly. Allowing yourself a sweet treat 3 times per week, however if you can replace the desire with a different food such as pears, apples, or banana you will better serve your body and not start a slippery slope back to sweets-ville. Cutting carbs will help the physiological reason why you are cravings sugary foods, but you may still need to work on the emotional aspect of the food. If you do not address both aspects of your relationship with the food then it is likely you will regain all the weight once you allow sweets back into the diet.

So cheers to the next 3 days! You with me?!?!

December 2012 (last year)

January 2013

What is the BEST time of day to workout?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 20:24:00 +0000

So what really is the best time to work out? I am sure you could find 441,000,000 Google Pages (this number is fo' real!) on this exact topic, but what mom has time to research and decide which of the sources is correct?

The Best time of Day to Workout and Lose Weight:

Your body and your metabolism do not care! Your body will burn the same amount of calories whether you kick start your day with a workout or snooze better because you worked out at night.

The best time of the day to workout is when you WILL workout. For me that means making a calendar every Sunday. Two days of the week tend to be 5 a.m. workouts and two days a week tend to be 9 p.m. workouts--except for last week:) At first my 9 p.m. workouts were not successful, meaning my mind and body turn off the minute my kids are in bed. But I HATE 5 a.m. workouts, so it was kind of my only other option! And I am selfish and want to workout by myself, without kids crawling all over me.

So how do you properly prepare your body for working out?

First thing in the Morning: You can go on an empty stomach, half an apple, banana or one cup of juice. (BTW I do not usually recommend juice since it can be a lot of empty calories, but it is just enough to amp up your glycogen storage for a tough workout).

Late Morning: After the kids are off to school and you have had breakfast, this is probably one of the best times for your body to workout.

Lunch: Well, this is a hard one. More than likely you will have to schedule your lunch after your workout. Try not to add an extra snack prior to the workout.

Late Afternoon: For all you moms that fall off the bandwagon about this time of day (I used to do it!), this could be the best time for you. Just like late morning, it is one of the best times for your body to workout. Your lunch is settled and glycogen stores are full of energy. It also helps get rid of that afternoon slump.

Evening: For working moms, I recommend the evening workout before you pickup your kids (if this is possible), otherwise it just might not fit in your evening schedule. For Stay-AT-Home-Mom’s (SAHM), I recommend the workout after you get the kids to bed; it will keep you on good behavior at dinner!

*Pregnant or Breastfeeding: Make sure you eat a snack of protein and carbohydrates within the hour. Some great snacks for example are: apple with peanut butter, milk and a slice of bread, yogurt and almonds.

If that is all you want to know, carry on with your calendar planning. OR for the science…read on.

You can push yourself more if you have the energy. A calorie is a unit of energy and it comes in three different forms: fat, protein and carbohydrate. For intense workouts, especially when you push that anaerobic phase (anaerobic = the burpee you are cursing at or the point you have a hard time breathing = the good stuff that increases your fitness level), your body depends on glycogen. Carbohydrates, like I mentioned above when I was talking about energy, refuel your glycogen stores. These carbohydrates break down into smaller sugars after eaten and are used as energy. What is not used, is stored in the muscles as glycogen, when the muscles are full, it gets stored as fat.

Since glycogen is stored in the body, you are able to workout first thing in the morning. And since most of us are not professional triathletes, our workouts can usually sustain the stored glycogen, theoretically. But I will say, try it out. See what works for you, your schedule and your energy. And yes, there will be days that you have no energy no matter what and that is because you are a mom with 30 different jobs.

What I have in common with Kate Middleton & Kim K

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 23:48:00 +0000

Kate Middleton, Kim Kardashian and me all have that post-baby belly! We all have it, and expectations set forth by the media are R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S.

Kate, what great class you have, you are a true princess. And Kim K, I am sorry the media tore you apart, shame on them.

Your uterus shrinks about a finger’s width every day. In five to six weeks, your uterus will return to pre-pregnancy size. That means in that time it will from the size of a watermelon to the size of an orange. Pretty impressive, right? Your body is remarkably adaptable and your recovery to pre-pregnancy hormone levels, uterus size, etc. is postpartum miracle and your core muscles are just as adaptable. Your body is a machine in the several weeks following birth. But you do need to help that miracle along.

So what can you do?

A woman should not begin exercise until she has permission from her OB to begin exercise, which is usually during the postpartum checkup at 4 or 6 weeks postpartum. Whether childbirth was through vaginal delivery or c-section exercise can be resumed gradually. Although a c-section may take a little longer to recover, considering it is a major surgery. But you can get your stomach back since c-sections do not cut through the muscles like the once did (doctors now perform bikini cut incisions).

While in the 4-6 week postpartum period a mom can do some inner core movements to activate her core muscles. Moves that include the pelvic floor and transverse abdmoninis muscle, like pelvic tilts, kegels and transverse activation.

You were asked to gain 15-35 lbs. over the course of 9 months. That is a significant amount of weight to lose. Women have a much higher blood volume during pregnancy. And that does not vanish overnight. Within the first 4-6 weeks your postnatal body is considered “normal” in the fact that all systems are back to normal. But you are left with loose muscles, extra fat, fluid retention for breastfeeding and sometimes some cellulite that did not reside on your thighs prior to getting pregnant.

18-20 pounds usually goes within the first 4-6 weeks (based on a 30 pound weight gain). The 18-20 pounds comes from: baby, amniotic fluid, placenta, blood volume, breast tissue, fat storage urination and the uterus involution. With all of this in mind, notice how hard your body is working in the first few weeks postpartum, it is a super delicate time for their body!

...expect your body to be back at it's pre-pregnany weight around 6 months Postpartum. Anything before that is simply unrealistic.

My Postnatal SlimDown DVD has all the modifications you need. We start with Core 1 using only the inner core, then a progressive core series Core 2, Core 3, Core 4, Core 5 as your core builds strength. Also includes 10 minute toning and cardio workouts to fit your schedule (including Amy who does all the toning exercises modified for diastasis recti).

Summer Days

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 01:46:00 +0000

I have been MIA for 6 weeks, and I have no idea what to write about. So I will tell you about my summer!

Swim Team and eating out
That's what June was all about
Laundry, dishes, TV days
It was nice to get out of a routine craze

Spent 2 weeks on vacation in the sun
Gosh this summer has been fun
Loved laying out on the beach
With sunscreen and Pringles in my reach

For 2 weeks now we have been back
And my workout schedule needed a smack
Sweating through a 90 degree run
by myself, no triple stroller, is much more fun

Summer is already halfway through
I have slacked on my workouts too
Getting up at 5am I hate
But it conquers the "should I workout tonight?" debate

4th of July, where does time go?
Harper turned 2 and cries every time I tell her no
Learning time was replaced by rest time
But for summer I don't think that's a crime

School starts in 4 weeks
By then my lazy summer schedule will need its tweaks
2 mornings with all 3 at school
Time to think about #4? Hmm...time to myself might be cool

Don't get me wrong, summer has been the best
But there are several days my kids whine about the simplicity of getting dressed

Stress is about 20% of my day

And at 8pm I am saying hooray

A hot summer run = 3 cranky kids!

The number on the scale doesn't matter

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:10:00 +0000

With tears in my eyes, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have helped me find something I haven't had in a very long time : confidence. I have never been stronger or healthier and it's all because of the inner strength God gave me and the things you have taught me through your blog, site, dvds, etc.

I received this message last week and it brought tears to my eyes! That's the truth, the scale doesn't matter, your confidence is what fitness is all about! Just to feel good about yourself - to be confident again.

Not only did I want to share that message, I wanted to share Jessica's story. She also happens to be the first MIF Mom of the Month!

Your workouts have honestly changed my life since I've had my two babies. I struggle with fertility (due to PCOS) and pregnancies were very difficult on my body, causing me to gain 100lbs each pregnancy among other things.

I'm now 16 months post partum from Baby #2 and I feel like a whole new woman as I've lost 100lbs and dropped 12 dress sizes. For the last 9 months I've been doing your workouts almost every day so you have been with me every step of the way so to speak. My 3 1/2 year old son is so used to your videos on my tv that he refers to you as my friend when he sees you. And truthfully I do consider you a friend for all that you have given me.

Guess who's pregnant???

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Wed, 08 May 2013 02:16:00 +0000

Nah, not me, this bod needs a break from being pregnant for 4 years. Moms Into Fitness is pregnant with the newest in prenatal exercise!

Our newest Pregnancy Workouts are available! There are 3 workouts, 1 for each trimester, plus a bonus core Recovery Program! If you want to see all the details CLICK HERE.

Isn't it funny how photoshop works...my 5'1" self next to Laila at 5'9". We had to do some trickery:)

And here is a little glimpse into it all. And might I mention there are some new safety guidelines. So we did all the latest research and follow ACE, ACSM, ACOG, SOGC and CSEP!

Can you lose weight by working out 1x a week?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:44:00 +0000

Well the short answer to my question is "nope"! After you have a baby you have to use your muscles consistently to get them to bounce back!

Do you ever look at somebody and just assume they have it easy? Like when I looked at a mom with a 7-month old in her cart at Target thinking gosh she has it easy. Or like when you look at moms walking their kids into school and think she can eat what she wants or she has time to work out and I don't.

I went straight to our moms and asked how they do it. Get to know the moms you see on DVD everyday, well almost everyday:)

Michele (Full-Time-Job, mom of twin girls) How I fit it in….I have a wonderfully flexible and supportive husband! We both have full time careers so the week is hectic but even with unexpected events, we stay on task. My husband manages the kids on Monday and Thursday nights while I teach and also Saturday mornings for my 8:15am class. I run home from class on Saturday and we return to Lifetime for 10:45am swim lessons while he gets a workout in. He also takes Tuesday and Wednesday for his gym days and I get the girls to gymnastics. We get up on Sunday, make strawberry banana and blueberry pancakes and head to Lifetime so the girls can play in the Child Center while we get a mid-morning workout in. The girls enjoy doing this once a week and they never let us leave without a strawberry smoothie from the LifeCafe. Wednesday is my day for Pretty Fierce before I pick up the girls from day care at 5:15. This is a good balance for my husband and I but even with splitting the week between us, we still get quality time with the girls, always make sure we have dinner together each night and squeeze in our TV shows!!!

Amy (Stay-At-Home-Mom of 3 boys) To get my workouts in, I focus on two things. First, I plan ahead that days workout, so if it is written down it is harder to ignore. Second, if at first I don't succeed try try again. In other words if the 630am treadmill run was interrupted by a "mommy, I want!" Then I move it to another time of day, and try try again. Because, I will succeed!!

Me - Lindsay (Work-At-Home-Mom of 3) Weight Maintenance = 4x/week, Weight Loss = 5-6x/week. And I do my best to stick to it. Every other Sunday I do 2 things 1) Cook and freeze dinners for those 2 weeks and 2) Schedule my workouts in my iPhone. Because my routine never seems to stay routine. Somebody is always sick, somebody at work always needs something, house chores etc. Usually 2 days a week I wake up at 5am and 2 days a week I workout at night. I always try to get to a class once a week as part of my workout routine! Lately it's between Boot Camp, Bikram Yoga and the Bar Method.

Stephanie (Part-Time-Job, mom of 1) I absolutely have to schedule social workouts a few times a week. I've been doing the 5am classes for years now and it also works with my work schedule. Not only is it more fun to work out in a group but it keeps me accountable. When I don't have scheduled workouts I usually fit in a quick workout either during nap or a run after hubby gets home.

Katy (Full-Time-Job, mom of 2) Being a full-time working mother with a husband out of town most days of the week makes it important for me to have my workouts scheduled. I utilize any free time that is available to me (which is not much)…that may mean an early morning workout when my husband is in town or possibly hitting the gym at the end of my workday before going home to the kiddos. I find I am a better mom and employee as long as I can carve out an hour for me…no matter what time of day it is! Making exercise a priority and scheduling it is key to making it happen!

Tiffany (Stay-at-home-mom of 4)
I workout around 5:45 AM every morning. If I don't get it in early, the chances of it getting done are much less likely. If I happen to miss an early morning workout (which DOES happen sometimes), my workout clothes come on first thing in the morning and it becomes my main personal goal for the day!

Jana (Creator of Baby Steals, mom of 3) I fit in my workouts by making sure I don't let myself go to bed without a workout! It's really difficult getting the energy to workout at midnight (or later) so it motivates me to shoot for earlier the next day. I have to be realistic being a full-time mom & running a company- but you have to make that time to keep yourself active and healthy!

Jennifer (Work-at-home-mom of 2)
Being a working mom, I treat my workouts like an appointment. I schedule it and don't miss it...just like a work appointment!

Deidra (Stay-at-home-mom of 6) With all the busyness that comes with having a large family, I have found the only time to consistently get in my workout is in the early morning. I have gotten up at 5am to workout for years. It's a non-negotiable part of my day.

I have come to enjoy getting up before the sun to workout even though I am NOT a morning person. The house is quiet and I am able to do something that's just for me. I want my kids to see me practically and consistently walking out a healthy lifestyle. What they see me doing will have more impact than just my words. If I wait to workout until later in the day, it NEVER happens.

34 took my youth!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:12:00 +0000

The age of 34 has taken my youth. I only want convenience - and not to tear my rotator cuff putting 28 lb. Harper into her car seat. And to take 5 minutes to do my hair - and not always put it in a ponytail.

So comes the year of the minivan, and saying bye my SUV I have had for 9 years!

And to the hair that I chopped off earlier this year. I said good-bye to 9" of youthful hair.

But 34 is awesome, once I got over the fact that I am in my mid-thirties. I am starting to realize I need to do what makes me happy and sometimes skip the To Dos. I enjoy my job, my kids (except yesterday at 4:30 - their 7:00 bed time could not come soon enough), the hubby, and my new minivan:)

My Journey Post-Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:13:00 +0000

So we are 3 kids into it, although I want 5 kids, we at least want a little space before #4. The baby (Harper) is already 20 months old, Taylor is 4 and Rylan is 3. It's hard to think that we might prevent getting pregnant after going through 4 IVFs to get #1 and #2. But that's another story for another day!

I am currently pretty much where I was before getting prego with baby #2. And now even better than where I was before having kids.

It wasn't without fluctuations, as you can see here. And currently the 10 boxes of Girl Scout cookies are staring at me. I mean who doesn't love a Thin Mint! But I will have to stick to a few cookies - not a sleeve - for 2 reasons
a) I am not breastfeeding:)
b) I just did our Fierce Lean Out Program after the Christmas Goodies got me, and am back into my clothes.

If you want to see my measurements from pre-prego to 3 weeks to 10 weeks to 20 months post-baby #3, I have them here.

My Holiday Weight GAIN, gone!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Yup, happened to me too. For the last 4 New Years I have basically been pregnant or losing baby weight so my goal was always to get my body back. This year was different!

I started December 1st as my normal self. I started January 1st as my normal self + 4-5 lbs and a lot of empty Puppy Chow & Chex Mix tins!

Got myself back on the Pretty Fierce: Lean out Calendar. I do my own workouts, on mute and with some modifications to the calendar so I don't workout with myself everyday:(

Week 4 of the calendar - the recovery week - yielded my December 1st body! I mean my workout clothes were even uncomfortable, as you can see. My legs slimmed back down and my tummy fit back into the spandex.

The good news is at age 34 (yikes I just hit my mid-thirties!) it is easier to lose weight than when I was 20. So all the hard work over the last 5 years comes into play!

Pretty Fierce Core Workout

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Do I workout everyday?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Brin) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:59:00 +0000

So our Research & Development team for the Pretty Fierce workouts asked me about my routine, and I thought I would share. YES, I totally fluctuate a few pounds. Actually just this week I kicked it into high gear...I weigh myself and use the same jeans as "standard" every few weeks. Let's just say the jeans were tight on the thighs and I did not like the scale this morning! I followed the Fierce workouts the beginning of summer and then kinda hit the pool snack bar and slowed down my workouts:)

For about 4 months I am regimented, working out 5x/week sometimes alternating with 6x/week and watching what I eat. I say 4 months because for the last 4 years it's been getting my body back after pregnancy by about 5-6 months postpartum. And trust me half of those days I am fighting myself to workout, especially postpartum tiredness! Back in college trying to get off 40 lbs it took me a good year, the first 6 months being regimented in my workouts. When I workout I make it count...if I am spending the time doing it I do it right with workouts like the Pretty Fierce Muscles Splits and Hybrids. And I love nothing more than a 20 minute workout, although most of my workouts average 40 minutes.

When I am not trying to get my body back (going for MAINTENANCE) I usually workout 4x/week, sometimes 3 when craziness is at it's peak. One really long workout followed by 3 shorter workouts. I am active most days like walking to the park, jogging around the soccer games or doing some yoga before bed. 2-3 of my workouts focus on toning while the other workout is a run of some sort (V02 max, HIIT etc.).

And when I say watching what I eat, I do not count calories, I do not let it consume my day whatsoever. Most of the time we eat the same things (on Crock Pot rotation!) and I know what works for me. I found what worked for me after watching my calorie intake for several weeks when I began my weight loss journey in 2001. I really haven't done it since, except teetering that fine line with Breastfeeding! A majority of the time it's things like not eating after dinner and only allowing Mexican food 1x/week (my arch nemesis). I know I do this for a living so it's easy for me to know more about nutrition. But if you monitor yourself for a few weeks and teach yourself good portions, you do not have to be a slave to calories! The biggest lesson I learned was eating inside my perimeter...no food outside of breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner.

On that note, I have not had metabolic testing in 10 years. I look forward to seeing my new numbers, as I feel I eat more/burn more than I did on my twenties.