Get Fit - Get Healthy: Week 10

1. If you haven’t yet, join the challenge here: GET FIT and GET HEALTHY

2. Every Saturday come back to The Art of Making a Baby and {shutter}mama to read the tips on how to be fitter, healthier and more confident.

3. Weekly write a post about your progress, following the questionnaire below, take a self-portrait (optional) and link up with us.

4. Don’t forget to grab the GET FIT challenge button on the sidebar and display it proudly on your blog or GET FIT post.

5. Link your post with Selfie Saturdays if you took your week’s self-portrait.

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Problem Zones:

I recently started a weight loss tumblr to not only hopefully inspire others but to be inspire by others...and with that - came about 700 followers in literally weeks and LOTS of questions that involved how to get rid of/tone these trouble zones. But I HAVE to mention that you can't opt to lose fat off only a specific area of your body. You have to work on your whole body. It's a very common misconception. One that I had to get drilled into my head.

Love Handles:

This is the most common complaint that you usually will see right alongside the extra weight in your tummy area. I'm no pro with this area, because it's one area that I've been BUSTING my butt to fix.

** So first off, if you're not familiar with the term "love handles", it's simply the extra flab or excess weight that sits on the sides of the abdomen.

** In the process of reducing or "trimming" this area, you HAVE to incorporate aerobic/cardio exercise. It's just a must. There's no way around it. You have to raise your heart rate to burn that level of fat before you even begin to tone.

** If you want to tone these suckers the appropriate exercises would be: basic crunches, leg flutters, twist crunches, sit ups...

Arms:

Ahhh I know this one very well, I was once told that I have "lunch lady arms". I feel that it's very genetic so I feel like I have to work a bit harder to tone these guys.

** The arms are a difficult area because when you think that you must reduce you don't think weights...but weights - it is!!!

** And just like the above ^ you must incorporate cardio/aerobic exercise.

** Toning these guns will include such exercises: Tricep Pushups (to do this, simply place your hands directly under your shoulders), Bicep Curls with Dumbbells, lying tricep extensions, chair press (put your hands on the edge of a steady chair and grip your feet on the ground in front of you, lower yourself without touching the ground and bring yourself up - 3 sets of 15 reps or whatever you feel comfortable with)

Thighs & Boooty:

The thighs and butt are just one of those areas that we all have an issue with and we all desire to wear shorts - with that is gonna come some hard work!

** Cardio!!!! Running, jump rope, biking, dance - work those legs

** Toning and muscle builders - squats, lunges, yoga, pilates

Abs:

My new favorite! Having lost a recent amount of weight I really, really desire to have some abs - not all disgusting manly ones, but some sick, sexy abs.

** This is just like the rest, if you wish to obtain it, you HAVE to do a full body workout. Abs is also something that you shouldn't focus on every day!

** Cardiooooo is a must!

** Toning and muscle control: situps, pushups, planks, core pilates & yoga exercise, twist crunches, reverse crunches...there's a lot out there!

Note: I have read and watched all sorts of videos and a great body DOESN'T start in the gym - it starts in the kitchen. You can do ALL these exercises but it's CRUCIAL that you eat the right way - so PLEASE stop over at Elena's blog and READ UP. I also encourage you to begin researching healthy homecooked meals and snacks. Watch labels, get informed on what you're putting into your body. Because what you do now, will affect your future!!

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Week 10:

Your weight {if you don't feel comfortable sharing this, you don't have to}: I have officially lost a little over 20 lbs since I first began. It's been super crazy, but really, REALLY rewarding.

Your fitness challenge(s) for the week: This upcoming week I really want to step up my weight and toning routines...Last week was very cardio oriented and I'm ready to start really pushing some weights in.

Your food challenge for the week: About the same. Tracking my snacks and calories a little better. Also I've made a big switch with a lot of my main choices of food and grain - so it's just learning to maintain and find new, yummy recipes.

How well did it go: This week I busted it, I really pushed myself and I remember being so drenched in sweat that my workout shorts were soaked. And I had the AC as low as it could go! A huge breakthrough this week was that I fit into my motivation jeans! On my birthday we ordered two brand new spankin pair of jeans from Delia's and I knew I was doing this challenge and was afraid that if I bought new jeans that they wouldn't last long cuz I'm losing weight...so we bought them smaller and I officially totally fit in the suckers!

Failures and slip-ups: I overate once, it was a home cooked meal, but it was still unnecessary.

Weekly challenge wisdom: Tomorrow you will have wished you started today.

Advice to fellow GET FIT members: Try new recipes!

Your Fan Loving Selfie ( optional but strongly encouraged):While attempting this selfie today, my hand caught the strap of my camera and it took a fall - completely destroying my lense....I have another lense but at this point I was just devastated and I was literally sobbing. So no, selfie this week as I try to figure out how to replace said lense :[ However, I do have a new progress photo!

<a href="http://www.shutter-mama.com/search/label/Get%20Fit/"><img border="0" src="http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy169/sonyamarie89/getfit.jpg"/></a></center> 
<center><a href="http://prebabyblog.com/"><img border="0" src="http://prebabyblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/gethealthybanner.jpg"/></a></center>

XOXO,

ME