The Wenatchee Valley Gold's Gyms Blog

“Super Bowl” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:12:38 +0000

Congratulations to all the New Orleans Saints’ fans! I admit I’m not the football fan that my husband is. The Super Bowl for me is more about commercials, socializing and eating. It’s always fun to get together with friends and eat yummy food while watching the big game. In the past, the food usually consisted of pizza and wings or some other high fat appetizers. Of course, this year I knew I couldn’t do that and, of course, my husband NEEDED to watch the game so we came up with a solution. A “healthy snacks” Super Bowl party! We got together with friends and everyone brought a healthy snack to share. We had soup, hummus, light cheeses, edamame, chicken meatballs, fruit and lots of veggies. My new favorite recipe was a faux ranch dip. Just mix a ranch seasoning packet with plain Greek yogurt and YUM! I LOVE ranch dip/dressing so to find a healthy alternative was awesome. Thank you Kari for giving me another yummy, healthy recipe! I was excited that we had a wonderful time without the junk food. So many social events seem to pivot around food and I realize that healthy living just means choosing the right foods.

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“Pushing Through” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:57:32 +0000

Just three weeks into the challenge and already the workouts are becoming daunting. Nine weeks to go! Ugh! It feels like some days are just easier than others for getting a workout in. Today is a gloomy, overcast day (my little girl is home sick) and it makes me want to snuggle back into bed and NOT go to the gym. I feel like I have to pull out all the stops today. I tend to play tricks with myself to get through a workout. I upload new songs on my iPod, find a favorite show to watch, or cover the display so I’m not watching the minutes slowly pass. I would love to hear some feedback about what gets YOU through a workout. Everyday, or sometimes every minute, I feel like I’m faced with a decision that the will determine my success in this challenge. What am I going to eat and how much, when can I workout and how hard will I push myself during the workout. So I’m just trying to remind myself why I’m doing the challenge, and make every moment count.

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“Discipline” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:00:49 +0000

Wow! What a weekend! I felt like I was put to the test. Saturday was especially difficult. We had big scheduling issues. My daughter had a school activity that required her to be there all day, my husband needed to be at the office all day and I had my two-year old to entertain and his naptime to work around. So when was there time for me to workout? How was I going to work in my healthy eating? How was I going to take care of everything and still take care of me? Thankfully, I have a wonder husband. He was able to go in to work a little later than planned. I got up early and went to the gym, and then finished my workout at home while the kids ate breakfast. I packed lunches for all of us and somehow we made it to school on time and even had cookies for the bake sale. Then I was faced with my next temptation…dinner. We had a small break between school performances in the evening. The kids really wanted McDonald’s and, well, I really wanted McDonalds. I admit it….I have a problem with fast food. “Hi, my name is Melissa and I love french fries.” It would have been so convenient to run and grab fast food. But “It’s not willpower, it’s discipline”, right? So we reluctantly headed home for dinner. Yes, it required more preparation on my part, but in the end I felt great about sticking to my meal plan and it was healthier for everyone. I realized that I will continue to be faced with temptations and challenges in the next couple of months and beyond. My own discipline will be my weapon against them.

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“Stretch” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:13:11 +0000

This challenge is bringing out all my aches and pains. It’s making me feel OLD! How does that happen so quickly? When do you officially cross that line? My body just doesn’t recuperate as fast as it use to, something I took for granted 10 years ago. In this challenge, whether you’ve just started working out or you’re increasing your workouts, your body is feeling the changes. Yesterday, I found a wonderful solution. I went for a stretch therapy session at the gym. Going into the session, I was sore from my lower back down through the backs of my legs. I was completely amazed at the INSTANT relief I felt. Cara explained to me about the benefits of assisted stretching, everything from reducing injuries, increasing blood flow and shortening recovery time. I mean, I always TRY to do my stretches at the end of a workout, but if I’m short on time I cut my stretching time. After yesterday, I’m a big believer in the benefits of stretching and even more with assisted stretch therapy. I was shocked to walk away from the session pain-free and feeling great. Thank you, Cara!

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“Recipes” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:42:19 +0000

I’m always looking for new, healthy recipes. I’m probably one of the pickiest eaters on the planet, so when I find something I actually like I’m really excited about it. If anyone has a recipe to share, I’d love to see it. I tried the Lentil & Chicken Sausage soup recipe from the Challenge playbook and thought it was great. I decided to try and make a favorite soup recipe a little healthier. So, I took Paula Deen’s Taco Soup recipe (you know, the southern gal from the Food Network) and changed a few things. It’s great because you can dump everything in a crockpot and at the end of the day you’ve got dinner. So here it is:

Ingredients:
1 lb Laura’s Lean Beef 4% fat
1 small onion, diced (Optional)
3 cans diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 can Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 (7oz) can diced green chiles
1 can whole corn, no salt added
1 can Kidney Beans -Organic or reduced sodium
1 can Pinto Beans – Organic or reduced sodium
.4 oz package Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
1 packet Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning

Serving Size = 1 cup, Total Servings = 12

Brown ground beef and onions, drain any fat. Add to crockpot with all remaining ingredients. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Calories: 186, Fat: 1.8 g, Carbs: 27g, Fiber: 7.5g, Protein: 14.6g

For those of you using www.sparkpeople.com you can use this link and add it to your recipes and nutrition tracker. http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=910897 .

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“Spin” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Particpant

Melissa — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:21:09 +0000

I love spin class! I remember the first time someone suggested that I try a spin class. I laughed and said that I HATED to ride bikes. My husband and I were just laughing about a time when we were first married and we decided to go for a bike ride. Let’s just say it ended with me on the side of the road with my bike and telling my husband to go back and get the truck because I wasn’t going any further. I hadn’t been on a bike since then. So I reluctantly went to the spin class and now it’s one of my favorites. There is a great energy to the class and it makes the time go so quickly. It’s all about the music, finding the beat of the music, sprinting, and climbing mountains. The instructor talks you through the workout giving gear changes and RPM goals. There was a new release last week that definitely gets your heart pumpin’. My only problem with the class is when I’m too late to get a bike. I happen to attend a lot of Bethany’s classes. She’s a rockstar. She talks you through the entire workout, and somehow still remembers everyone’s name. So come join me for a spin! Be sure to save me a bike….

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“Before Pictures” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:29:00 +0000

So I picked up my before pictures yesterday….OH…MY…GOSH! It’s a good thing I was sitting down when I opened the envelope. Talk about a big ol’ dose of reality!! I OBVIOUSLY knew that I needed to lose weight, but seeing it in all its glory is a whole different ball game. The truth is that I would really like to throw the pictures away and pretend they never happened, but I have to face the reality to make a change. I need to use these pictures as motivation. I think I’ll put them on the bathroom mirror to remind me why I need to go to the gym and eat healthy each day. I’ll use it as a reminder of how my old habits got me to that point. The good news is that I’m done with the first week! The scale is moving in the right direction and I’m still alive! I’m already leaving that girl in the pictures behind. Here’s to 11 more weeks…

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“Food Tracking” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:30:53 +0000

Is anyone else amazed at how much mindless eating we do? Since I’ve started tracking my food, I’m shocked at how many times I’ve caught myself reaching for food when I really wasn’t hungry. Sitting down to watch television or a movie always seems better with a snack, right? Do you finish your child’s plate because you don’t want to see the food go to waste? What about just being bored and wandering into the pantry for something to do? I know that I’m guilty of all these eating scenarios. I know that mindless eating has definitely contributed to my weight. Food tracking has been a great way for me to really put my eating habits in perspective. It’s amazing to see how quickly the calories can add up (and realizing how long it takes to burn them off). Sometimes I don’t eat the food just because I don’t want to take the time to record it. Lazy, right? At least, I know I didn’t need to eat it as much as I thought I did.

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“Eating Out” by Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:25:29 +0000

This weekend I was faced with one of my biggest challenges…eating out. It’s my downfall. I’ve been known to say things like “If I’m paying for it, it’s gonna taste good”. So I make an excuse and order something full of fat and calories because it tastes good. This weekend we went out to dinner to celebrate a close friend’s birthday. This typically involves even more consumption. A typical evening could go something like this: an appetizer to share, a full course dinner that starts with a salad, then meat, potatoes and veggies, and finally a dessert to celebrate. Oh, and don’t forget the wine! Instead, I planned out my calories for the day, made the decision about what I was going to order (grilled chicken salad with dressing on the side) and was armed with a supportive husband and friends. (Thanks Kari for removing the bread IMMEDIATELY!) I even skipped the wine and ordered a Diet Coke. CHEERS! My meal was great and I had a good time without the large caloric consumption. More than anything, I felt great that I did it. It was a personal success!

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“New Class”- Blog from Melissa Schwab, Gold’s Gym Challenge Participant

Melissa — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:23:55 +0000

So I tried a new class today. Apparently, I have two left feet. I learned that if it involves choreography and any kind of rhythm or bouncing, I’m not good at it. Thank goodness for friends because I had a friend with me and we enjoyed laughing with/at each other. There were many coordinated people out there who rocked the class. (A little shout out to Lisa, the instructor, who is awesome!) Despite my uncoordinated attempt at the class, I still know I burned some calories and had fun. I find classes are a great for me when I need the extra push. Besides some of you might catch me in a class, and have the added entertainment of watching my attempt at coordination with my two left feet. See you there!

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