The Polyvore Files | Work it, Girl!

I am in beast mode with my health and fitness again. The holidays have passed, I am anticipating the warmer days ahead (even if they are still a bit off in the distance), and I want to look amazing this Spring and Summer. This was the first year since 2004 that I didn't start off the year either overweight from a previous pregnancy, or actually pregnant. So this year, there is no challenge to lose a massive amount of weight before bathing suit season. I have just a few pounds to lose and some toning to start working on.

Jason and I have been discussing how the investment of a treadmill would actually be a great thing for us. Some days, I just can't get out for a run, either because I don't have someone to watch my younger 3 or because of the weather. A treadmill will give me that opportunity to keep my workouts consistent, and doing something I enjoy... running!

I created this file in Polyvore, highlighting some of my favorite running and healthy lifestyle necessities, and at the end, I have also included a few of my favorite workout stations on Pandora that I usually listen to. Jason and I recently signed up for the Color Me Rad 5k and I want to be in the best shape I can be as I celebrate one year of weight loss on our April 5 run.

• Pants - My favorite workout pants are a pair of Fila brand that I got a couple of years ago at Kohl's. I have purchased a variety of others, including a super expensive pair of Under Armour that I was highly disappointed in. 
• Shirt - If it's super cold, I can wear a long sleeve wicking shirt, but for the most part, I prefer a tank top when running. Too much in my way just gets annoying and slows me down. 
• Sports Bra - A sports bra is a must. I have yet to find a sports bra with an underwire that fits me properly, so I just make due with the ones I have like this one. 
• Running Shoes - I haven't exactly had an opportunity to try a large variety of running shoes, but out of the 10 or so pair that I have had the last several years, the Adidas Energy Boost are by far my favorite. I have a bad knee area from broken leg several years ago and since I purchased these shoes, I have yet to have knee issues. Seriously, no joke...NONE! I have them in blue but would love to have them in this purple next. They are a bit pricey but definitely worth every penny!
• Armband - I just recently purchased a Belkin iPhone armband, after using one Jason had. I was previously using a waistband device, but prefer this much better.
• Earbuds - I was previously using these Yurbud earbuds, which I do love, but they didn't fit in my tiny little ears, quite like I wanted them too. I recently purchased Sony headphones similar to these and as much as I loved my Yurbuds, these are amazing! 
• Water bottle - Surprisingly, I wasn't too picky in this department, so I really don't have a water bottle recommendation. I have always loved the Camelbak products, but a more affordable product is what I have, this Contigo insulated water bottle.
• Protein and Smoothie Bottle - The Blender Bottle is great for whipping up your protein shake or drinking your smoothie on the go. I use mine when I make get my protein intake every morning.
• Socks - I don't actually own any compression socks, but I have been wanting to get some for added support of my shins and calves. These are definitely my style and I would totally wear them over my pants to show them off!
• Heart Rate Monitor - I currently have a different brand of heart rate monitor, but I have been lusting over the Polar monitors for some time now. They just seem to be sleek and a lot more user friendly than what I have, so I hope to be getting one soon. Lucky for you, you may be getting one before I do because I have teamed up with 7 other awesome women to give one lucky person a Polar FT4 in the color of their choice.

My favorite Pandora channels when working out: 

1. Deadmau5
2. 80's Pop
3. Bruno Mars
4. Foster the People
5. Imagine Dragons

What are some of your favorite workout necessities? Do you listen to music when you work out? What's some of your favorite music to have or channels to listen to?



New to The Polyvore Files? It's so simple to participate. Create an outfit or a room decor idea over at Polyvore, share it in a blog post, then come back and link up here with me or with Kara over at The Snugly Duckling. Be sure to grab our button below too!

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Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise (formerly Fat Butt Friday)

New year, new name for what was formerly Fat Butt Friday. I wanted to do this name change because I felt like my journey wasn't so much about losing weight now, but more about maintaining the weight I am at now. I still have a little bit of weight I want to lose, but after losing over 50 lbs. in 2013, I wanted to put my focus more on life now after the weight loss. Food is my addiction, so I believe I will always struggle with learning to block out that voice inside my head that tries to convince me that food is the answer to all my problems. I am such an emotional eater! 

I want this series to be a place for others to share their weight loss journey's as well. A community where we share our stories, recipes, successes, and struggles without judgement. Let's come together and encourage one another! However, always remember that being over weight, never devalues anyone. We are all equally important in this world and should love and accept ourselves no matter what size we are at. 

 

Oops! Yep, that's a cookie in my hand!

I am not by any means an expert in health and fitness, but plain and simple, weight loss is definitely about a balance of routine exercise and high quality foods. Of course, we can't live a life without indulging every now and then, but I don't believe a healthy and successful weight loss excludes one or the other. Therefor, those are the guidelines I stand by here. Those are the guidelines that worked for me when none of the other ones did. I have tried all of the fad diets and weight loss programs like Weight Watchers, and honestly, the best program is to just stop eating the junk and to get up off the couch and move! 

In 2014, my goals for health and fitness are to continue to educate myself more about clean eating and to run more. I would love to participate in my first 5k and perhaps even find some other ways of exercising that I love just as much as running. 

If you are interested in sharing your story and being a guest for Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise, I would love to hear from you. Be sure to send me an email at sixcherriesontop(at)gmail(dot)com and we can talk. I also encourage you to email me if you have any questions or would like to talk one on one about something you don't feel comfortable sharing in the comments. I would love to be part of your buddy system to help encourage you to lose weight and challenge yourself this year.

Leave a comment below telling me some of your health and fitness goals for 2014.

                    

fat butt friday | running with dr. scholl's massaging gel insoles

if i can, i pretty much run every single day. even if it's just 1 mile, that 1 mile brings me closer to my health and fitness goals. last summer i fell in love with running. i started out not being able to run more than a quarter of a mile without... well, basically... dying! little by little i build up my strength and i grew to love it so much that i couldn't wait to get up each day to run.

i didn't really run much during the winter because every time i got out there the cold would squeeze my lungs and the wind would make my eyes water so bad i couldn't even see where i was running. it's a whole different ballgame in the winter! but as soon as spring hit this year, i ran out, got a pair of shoes that i absolutely love, a new heart rate monitor, running clothes... all the things!

the running shoes i chose have been the absolutely best shoes i have ever put on my feet, so when i received the dr. scholl's massaging gel insoles, i was a little reluctant about putting them in my shoes. i supposedly have the best insoles already in my shoes and i wasn't sure that removing them was the best idea. so, instead of removing the insoles already in the shoes, i actually put the dr. scholl's massaging gel insoles in my shoes on top of the other ones.

best idea ever!

the only way i can describe how it felt when i run is the way a dodge ball feels... that flexible rubber-like bounce back that they have... like little trampolines in my shoes.

the dr. scholl's messaging gel insoles were extremely easy to put in, and probably even easier if you remove the insole that comes with your shoes. i had no issues with them sliding around because the gel-like material keeps them in place. i honestly haven't considered removing the insoles that came with my shoes to compare because i have been happy with the results i had so far. i have had no problems with my feet hurting during or after my runs and can even go as far as saying that i have not really had any knee problems lately either (i am so prone to issues in my right knee from a fibula break right behind the knee a few years ago). i look forward to improving my running this summer and my goal is to be able to complete a 10 mile run within the next year.

running is not a sport that requires you to invest in a whole lot of equipment, but definitely, the most important thing to have is the proper foot support from your shoes.  be sure to check out dr. scholl's massaging gel insoles and your feet will thank you next time you run!

as a member of bzzagent, i received these products free of charge for an honest review. all opinions are my own and in no way influenced in any way or by anyone. six cherries on top disclaimer/terms of use


♥ joni 

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fat butt friday | push ups & sit ups

one thing i have realized, but kind of already known at the same time, is that just because you are thin or even losing weight, does not mean you are strong. you can be thin as a rail and not be able to run further than your mailbox or even do more than a few push ups. i have been on both ends of the spectrum. last year, i ran 4 miles for the first time ever.  i am not thin, in fact, doctors would consider me overweight. but, the point is, i have never been able to run even one mile since the last time i did in high school.

jason was super fit when he was in the marines, but he got a bit out of shape the 4 years between leaving the marine corp. and joining the national guard. you may or may not know, but as part of the military you must meet physical fitness requirements. recently, jason had a physical fitness test and he didn't do as well as he would have liked so we both decided to work together to improve ourselves.

i personally have NO upper body strength. i can't do a regular push up, nor can i do a regular (hands behind the head) sit up. i have never had any upper body strength. i remember having to do pull ups in high school and not being able to do any... NOT ONE! i remember taking gymnastics and being able to do all the floor exercises, but anything on the bars, you could forget it! i just didn't ever have the strength.

every morning and night jason and i come together and do several sets of sit ups, push ups, and a few other things to improve our upper body and core strength. working together has been such a great thing because it holds us both accountable and i look forward to spending that little bit of time with jason each day. i also look forward to a day when i can do 20 push ups or 50 sit ups with ease. it's all been so motivating.

i know that just doing these few things aren't going to turn me into wonder woman and it takes more than these few moves to build all over body strength and to help me lose weight, but it is important to me. find yourself a partner and get it done!

do you have a partner to workout with? how has that helped you stay accountable for staying fit?


weight loss update: 19 lbs. lost

♥ ♥ joni - sixcherriesontop(at)gmail(dot)com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram | bloglovin' ♥ ♥

fat butt friday: pre-workout and post-workout snacking

this week was a big fail! i only exercised 3 times this week and ate some very unhealthy foods out  as well...sushi, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, chocolate...ugh! okay i'm done! i feel so miserable and guilty for letting my body down. i am already making plans for a run in the morning. last weekend i ran 4.5 miles, so my goal is 5 miles this weekend.

i have learned over the time that it is best to eat something before working out. at least 30-45 minutes before working out, i have a variety of go to foods that i like to eat to help jump start my metabolism and give me energy to make it through my workout. within 15-20 minutes after each workout, i try to eat again to recover and  refuel my body as well. the most important thing to remember is that you want to eat foods with a good balance of protein and carbs.

i usually eat either apples and peanut butter, a carnation frozen coffee drink, or vanilla greek yogurt with sliced banana and almonds, before my workout. afterwards, i usually eat oatmeal. however, i recently came across this great list of before and after workout snacks that i am going to start turning to, to give me a variety of choices.

i think part of my problem for getting off track lately has been that i am stuck in a food rut and have lost interest in the foods i have been eating over and over and over again. lists like the one above take the guesswork out of meal planning and most of them are fairly simple to prepare.

do you follow the recommendations and eat before and after you work out? if so, what are some of your go to foods?

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

fat butt friday (late again...on sunday): staying hydrated + body measurements

one of the hardest things for me is making sure i get enough fluids during the day. i have always been one to do all my drinking while i eat and in between meals, i don't really get thirsty unless i have just been working out or doing something strenuous. unfortunately, the number one side affect from this for me is usually a huge headache at the end of the day. if i have a headache, the first question i ask myself is whether i have had anything to drink all day. i have literally gone all day without drinking something, which is definitely not good for your body. since i have been working out, i have tried to keep it in mind so that my workout performance is at its best. it's important to me that i get the most out of my workouts, and in order to do that, i have to make sure i am taking care of myself before and after those workouts.

so i got to googling about hydration and have been reading about all the aspects of staying hydrated over at runner's world. from, how much i should drink, to certain foods that will help to keep you hydrated, plus tons of other information. be sure to hop over to begin educating yourself about the importance of keeping your body hydrated. there's so much more to it that simply quenching your thirst.

....................

update: 

although i haven't really lost any weight in the last month, i finally got around to doing my measurements for the month. i was so happy to see that even though i hadn't lost any weight, my body was still changing and losing inches. i have been doing more to tone my body lately and cut back on the running a little, just in the past week. basically, i have been super busy and running wasn't an option, plus it has done nothing but rain this weekend (when i do most of my running). 

here are my measurements for the month, so be sure to go back to last month and check out the differences. 

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

building self confidence through working out

 
six months ago when i added working out for 30 days in a row to my spring and summer bucket list, i never thought i would be here now, able to check it off my list.  i certainly never thought i would be closing in on 60 days either and that it all would have such a profound affect on my self esteem. whoa!

perhaps you are sick of hearing me talk about weight loss and working out, but i believe that the best way to stay motivated is to keep it at the forefront of my mind...live it and breath it, right?

to be honest, it is one of best feelings to work so hard for something. in my 20's, losing weight was pretty easy for me. i'm not sure why because i don't really know enough about health and nutrition and the body, but working out for a few minutes each day was all it took to lose 40 lbs. in just a few months. what i didn't realize was how out of shape i still was because not a lot of effort needed to be put in to lose the weight. i didn't know what it was like to push until i thought i would die, and i certainly couldn't run a mile. in fact, i had never been able to run a mile, even in high school.

so, here i am nearly 60 days after starting one of the biggest challenges of my life, and i feel amazing about myself. i have other "demons" in my life that try to wreck my good mood at times, but when i look in the mirror, i see someone i am proud of...the example i want to be for my kids...someone who doesn't give up. i feel like i can go out in public without a sense of shame and i can truly look people in the eyes when i talk to them. i feel like i am getting the old me back. the me that wasn't afraid to be odd or goofy, or even make you feel a little bit uncomfortable with my weirdness.

like my glasses? the awesome company, firmoo, recently sent them for me to try out. i have gotten so many compliments on the uniqueness of these frames, and i enjoy telling them about the variety of styles firmoo has to offer. i was even able to upload a picture of myself and "try" my glasses on before i made my final choice.

the yellow and blue in these glasses definitely fit my personality and style. a new pair of glasses that better suite me have definitely played a role in how i feel about myself as well. and guess what? new customers receive their first pair of glasses FREE! be sure to check out firmoo for more details and to make your next glasses purchase.

p.s. they even have sunglasses! woo hoo!

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

fat butt friday

i have been so exhausted this week, but i have not let it get in the way of my workouts. i don't know if it is because i am getting up earlier to get my kiddos ready for school or what, but it has been one of those weeks, and i have struggled to get out of bed each day, and i usually don't workout until the afternoon. i guess it doesn't really matter when i workout, just as long as i do it.

as of today, i have been working out for 54 days. what an accomplishment for me. i keep saying that, but it truly is major for me! however, the last two weeks, i haven't really lost any weight, which is not super frustrating to me, but i often find myself wondering why, so it must bother me to a degree. i just feel like i shouldn't be hitting a plateau this early on. i went from sitting on my ass and eating junk all day, to exercising approximately 30 minutes a day and eating as clean and healthy as possible. perhaps i need to workout for longer? this weekend, i am writing down everything i eat and a blog friend who knows a lot about health and nutrition will be looking it over to see if i am eating too much, not enough, or perhaps not enough variety. i just don't know!


some of my favorite foods lately:

hamburgers with lots of lettuce, tomato, and avocado. smoothies are the best! so many different combos to try!

this week i have been doing insanity. i have done insanity before and it is some tough stuff. i have never been able to make it through an entire video though. insanity is not for wimps! i really didn't have any intentions of doing insanity, but i felt like i needed to increase the intensity of my workouts. i haven't been running this week, but i plan to add a run in tomorrow morning.

pressed for time? i found a series of 10 minute workouts at fit for two tv recently and found that they are great. check out this first one below and then give it a try next time you are short on time but still want to get a workout in. then, be sure to head over to the youtube channel, fit for two tv and find the others, and give them a try.

what are some of your favorite workout videos?

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

fat butt friday: i love to exercise

who would have thunk it...that i would love working out as much as i do? i constantly feel like i need to read one more article or watch one more video because i want to be an expert at this. i want to train the right way and be able to read my body when it is showing signs of stress, so as to not push myself to do too much at one time.

so far, i have discovered how much water i should be taking in each day, great foods to eat before working out, as well as after, and stretches i can do to help myself recover on days that i am not running. i have discovered some great new products that fellow bloggers and igers have recommended as well.

i am by NO means an expert at any form of exercise! NOT EVEN CLOSE! running is my favorite but, my longest run to date has only been 2 miles. however, i would love to start sharing some of my favorite discoveries and recommendations with you. i find that i am best educated by those who are actually living the lifestyle, going through the experiences themselves, and actually using the products they recommend. i have learned a lot from the runner's world magazine website, but i am sure that not all of the people who write for that magazine have dealt with being overweight. having a degree in health and nutrition, or any other athletic degree, does not make them an expert at actually putting it into practice, nor does it give them my resume of weight loss struggles and failures. and i will never recommend something simply because i am getting a free product or being paid by a sponsor. often times i have opened a fitness magazine to see ads for products that I KNOW most people who are educated properly and working to lose weight, or stay slim and trim, will not eat.

be on the lookout starting next week for my tips and recommendations that will hopefully help make the most out of your workouts and meal planning. i would love to hear your recommendations of products to try, workout videos, exercise tips, clean eating recipes, and more. leave a comment or send me an email and i will try them out. if i love them, i will be sure to mention them here on fat butt friday.

update: i surpassed my latest goal of working out for 45 days and am currently working toward another new goal of 60 days. i have also increased my workouts to 2 times a day, 4 days a week. this usually consists of me doing a video in the morning and running in the evening. i will be so glad when it cools down a little because it is HOT in the afternoon and running is so much harder in the heat. whoa nelly!

how have you been doing this week? be sure to brag about some of your successes (no matter how big or small) in the comments below!

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

fat butt friday (on sunday): body measurements

i have only done my measurements once since i started working out and got a bit confused about where i measured last time, so i decided i needed a diagram showing where to measure. i did a google for a really good one and i just couldn't find one that i loved so i made one in photoshop. i added all the points on my body that i measure, not necessarily all the points that one should measure. some diagrams showed measuring across the shoulders, the neck, and the calves. those are areas i just don't feel like i need to be monitoring.

 **all measurements are recorded in inches**

feel free to pin this chart to share with others or use it yourself. to the right are my updated measurements. i am pretty shocked to see the difference as i compare them to my first set of measurements.

i am pretty stoked because if you look, you will see, i lost a few inches here and there. i have really been getting into running and i love it so much that i actually miss it on my days off. when i said last week i was going to take a week off, i never made it because i was too eager to get back out there. i did take about 3 days off and felt great when i got back out there. now, i only run every other day.

i have also been reading a lot of running websites and watching a lot of videos about health and nutrition. all of the new info i am learning has me so pumped up to stay on board with all these changes i have made in the last month and a half. be sure to follow me on pinterest to keep up with all the websites and information i find most interesting.

how about a little motivation? check out the youtube channel, fit for two tv. this husband and wife couple have lots of great health and fitness stuff going on in their videos, and i love it!


how you are doing with your health and fitness goals?

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

fat butt friday: i made it 30 days!

as of tuesday this week, i reached my goal of working out for 30 days in a row. i originally put this on my 2012 spring & summer bucket list earlier this year, but honestly didn't believe i would accomplish it. for almost 3 years i have been trying to get into some type of workout routine and every single time, i have failed. even last year when i joined up with several other bloggers to do jillian michaels' 30 day shred. i didn't make it the full 30 days.

at some point recently, a light flipped on in my head and things changed. this has happened a couple other times before after giving birth to my other children, but it has never taken me this long for it to happen. i am older now and losing weight is much harder and i get discouraged very easily. one of my biggest tips for losing weight is don't wait any longer...do it now! like i said, it will be much harder the older you get.

i still have yet to miss a day of working out, but i know the day will come when i just won't be able to. perhaps due to sickness, or whatever the case may be, and i am preparing myself for that now. i set high expectations for myself and can really beat myself up when i fail. i am working on understanding that one bad day does not mean i am a failure. a failure is having one bad day and giving up.

i had to be reminded of this just yesterday when i struggled to run the last two days. during both my runs, i had to quit and come back home because i was getting terrible leg pain and my feet felt like they were on fire. i did do an alternate workout, but i was really broken up about it because i really love running. i posted about it on instagram and several of my lovely followers and supporters gave me some wonderful tips for recovery and reminded me that i needed to cut myself some slack. in no way did that mean giving up, but that i just needed to take a break from running and that it was okay to try something else for a few days.

i checked the scale this morning and i haven't actually lost any weight this week, but surprisingly that is not discouraging to me. i know i am doing things for my body that i wasn't doing before, and i can see the changes in my body, regardless of whether i am actually losing weight. i didn't check my measurements, and i probably won't be doing that very often, maybe once a month.

it feels so much better to be writing these fat butt friday posts with a purpose these days. i honestly felt like a giant loser for even claiming that i was making efforts to lose weight when i clearly wasn't. however, in a way, they did somewhat get me to see how bad i was making myself look and has played a small role in my motivation. 

right now, my new goal is to reach 45 days of working out. i set a small goal of 15 days as apposed to another 30 days just because 30 days was such an accomplishment for me that i wanted to slow myself down a little and set smaller goals for myself. i truly believe that small achievable goals are the way to go. setting your goals too high is just setting yourself up for failure.

thank you to everyone who has supported me through this journey so far! if you are struggling like i was, feel free to send me an email so we can talk. having someone to talk to is another great way to stay motivated when it comes to weight loss. i would love to be there to support you through difficult days or to listen to some of your successes, no matter how big or small they may be. i have been doing this with a few other ladies and it is amazing how much their encouraging words and stories of success motivate me.

just one of those days! two workouts, no showers! (don't worry, i eventually took a shower before i went to bed)

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries