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Happy Mother’s Day!

Angela C. — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:10:58 +0000

I just wanted to wish each and every mom out there a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Our rewards don’t come in dollars or even cents, because the time and energy that we put into our children is priceless.

I hope you enjoy(ed) your special day.

Isagenix Cleanse Day #1: Doubts and Challenges

Angela C. — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:33:54 +0000

Have you ever noticed that as soon as you set an ambitious goal, obstacles appear?

My hurdle occurred on Day #1 of my Isagenix cleanse this month, in the form of a kid’s bean burrito.

You may be thinking to yourself, “That’s not that hard to say ‘no’ to!” Unless you’re me and you haven’t eaten solid food in 2 days.

Add to that the challenge of living in a household where you come home to dessert baking in the oven or delivered to the door from a loving friend, and you’ve just entered a minefield. Anywhere I step, I’m running into something that could blow this cleanse out of the water: fresh baked banana mufffins, Hawaiian food, a bean burrito. Check it out:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAeGIb4xirA

Well, at least I stuck with the original plan, avoided the kalua pig (my downfall last time), had a laugh with my sister about all the food in the house, and moved on.

Sometimes, I just need a minute to review, renegotiate and recommit to my goal.

How about you? What are you taking on and what’s been challenging you? Leave me a reply below!

Starting anew in 2010

Angela C. — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:00:29 +0000

Well, kettleviewers… so far, I’m starting 2010 off with a clean slate. Like many, the new year brings a sense of “I can do it!” to everything I’m taking on.

I think 2010 is going to teach me discipline. My health and overall fitness goals are just part of the whole picture. In every aspect, I’m learning to tackle a little bit each and every day, consistently.

I could focus on nutrition, exercise, saving money, connecting with friends, or even my business goals, and keep myself motivated by doing something — even just a little — every single day.

It’s like the adage of saving for a rainy day. If I put aside a dollar for every day this year, I’d have $365 on December 31st that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

I know, some of you would like to put aside TEN dollars a day — and if you have it, by all means, do it — however, for me, taking bite-sized pieces really works.

I find that setting my sights on a realistic goal, like “get some physical activity in,” or “no sugary sweets today,” allows me to focus on a small choice or activity that will pay off over time. Check it out:

I think that my scale(s) are a little off, so let’s not get excited about losing 5.5 pounds in one week, people. I didn’t starve myself, and I haven’t started my cleanse yet.

What I am really tracking here are the inches on my body. Last week, I dragged myself into training, pretty upset. My clothes weren’t fitting the way they were, even a month ago.

My trainer challenged me and my partner again — lose a pound a week, or pay up! Jerk!

I mean, here’s a picture of him teaching us how to do “the jerk.”

So my workout partner, Ty, and I decided to keep eachother accountable over e-mail/text/harrassing phone calls:

“Eat healthy today?”
“What did you do to workout?” ”
“Put that mini Reeses’ Peanut Butter cup down! Two pounds a week!”

Jerk!

Just kidding! Every little bit helps, really.

I’m keeping my eye on my one year goal– to have lost 80 pounds, and over 12 inches in my waistline — through discipline, consistency, and a sense of humor.

Not to mention, I have an even bigger goal; that is, to be a healthy mom.

Happy New Year, everybody! Leave me a comment!

P.S. I’ll be tracking my progress starting from January 2010. Feel free to look at past blogs under the category “Measurements” to see how I’ve fared since May 2009.

My First Workout of 2010

Angela C. — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 11:48:46 +0000

Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

(Happy New Year!)

Today I decided to work off some of the good luck noodles and not-so-good-for-me desserts from 2009. I put my kid on my back and took a brisk warm up walk through the hills of Hawaii Kai. Then I came home to complete a ladder consisting of clean & press and swings:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaygUps4QRc

And that’s how I did a 15-10-5 on 1-1-10!

I hope the turn of the calendar year reinvigorates you towards your life goals. Let 2010 be the most productive, healthy, prosperous and happy year for you yet! I believe that it will be for me!

Leave a reply here, on youtube, or on facebook. See you tomorrow!

My New 30 Pound Weight Vest

Angela C. — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:15:45 +0000

I’m still taking long uphill walks in our neighborhood, but this time, I’ve added 30 pounds to my body. Wow! I can’t believe that 9 months ago, I was 30 pounds heavier! Take a peek:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_37oEsIVqo

Okay, it’s not really a weight vest (I’m still waiting for Warrior Hardware to import some to Honolulu), but it really is a workout. I love my kelty carrier, and my child loves being packed on my back.

I hope you’re also finding creative ways to incorporate your family into your exercise routine! Send me a comment below-- I look forward to hearing from ya!

Workout Anywhere with a Kettlebell

Angela C. — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:57:38 +0000

Hey, folks!

Yes, I’ve been trying to diversify where and how I workout. Boredom is my enemy.

Today I went to the neighborhood park with my nephew, his best friend, and my 2-year old. It was a clear day, and the playset was empty when we got there. Of course, other kids (and even their parents) wondered what the heck I was doing.

Here’s a brief video of my set, which I did three times: pushups or planks for 30 seconds; jump rope for 30 seconds; and 20 swings.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEXemq5C9Q8

And that’s how you can get a workout in with a kettlebell… anywhere!

Cleanse Day #8/ Kids and KBs

Angela C. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:19:27 +0000

I feel great! Today has been the best day on the 9-day cleanse yet (and let’s not forget those 2 “pre-cleanse” days)!

I had so much energy, it was strange. I didn’t have hunger pangs or hunger pains! I wasn’t extremely tired, and I was craving a workout.

Today was family day, for sure. While my older nephew (who plays high school football) was training at home, I took my little guy to the park. It’s interesting; when I’m not thinking about eating, I seem to fill my time with other, more “active” activities.

Later in the evening, I was able to workout… with my entire family by my side, it seemed. My 9-year old nephew paid me the biggest compliment by asking if he could workout with me and the kettlebells. I broke out the trio of 5/10/20 pound kettlebells, so my 3-year old nephew could join us.

After a minor incident while jumping rope, we were on our way. We did suitcase squats, tricep curls, some work on our obliques, and my nephew got to swing a kettlebell for the first time ever!

He’s hooked. At the end of the evening, he said, “This is actually fun!” Not to mention, he has a little more respect for his aunty’s workout:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4ul2ea0WQY

Stay tuned for the last day of this cleanse! I can’t wait!

Isagenix Shake Day #6 and a Home Workout

Angela C. — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:15:13 +0000

Hey, kettlepeeps!

I’ve finally gotten used to the idea that I am only eating one meal a day. If you’ve never taken “meal replacement” shakes before, imagine that you get to choose the one (sensible) meal you’re going to eat… for five days in a row.

At first, I was obsessed, trying to plan the absolute best meal I could possibly eat. Today, I’m thinking, “Ah, what’s in the fridge?”

Seriously. I came home from my walk, and these were baking!!!!

Another thought that gets me through avoiding things like warm chocolate brownies right out of the oven is that I can always have it later. I haven’t come across anything that I cannot find if I really wanted it later.

The other rule of thumb that’s helped me with this cleanse is that I’m not allowing myself to be so hungry that I cannot function. That may be slowing my progress, but let me tell you, I’m a much happier person.

In addition to my one meal a day, I’ve been nibbling on small amounts of cashews and almonds. I unfortunately started to break out (I knew almonds made me break out before going into the cleanse, however, it’s the recommended “snack.”) One day, I also ate apple dippers out of my child’s happy meal-- no caramel sauce, of course.

The point is, I haven’t been ultra-strict about NOT eating anything but that one meal, however, the choices that I’ve made since that one slip up have been reasonable.

I also found time to work out today. As you know, when I work out at home, I’m bound to get interrupted. On this particular day, I enjoyed taking my energetic 3-year old nephew on a walk/ jog/ run with me. For over 1/2 an hour, we alternated between him running and me jogging, and me watching him climb other people’s walls.

Evenings are tough, and I’m sure other parents can commiserate with me. There’s dinner, and baths, and bedtime. In addition to the normal nighttime business, I’m breaking my son from the bottle, my youngest nephew is getting potty trained, and my oldest nephew… well, he decided to remember his book report was due the next day at his bedtime.

With that said, here’s today’s video. I decided to only include active footage- you can look at back posts to see how I’m making the Isagenix shakes if you’re interested!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7pQTbYKzNE

And be sure to sign up on the e-mail list to stay posted about fun and exciting adventures in kettletell! Aloha!

Fast Food and Slow Progress

Angela C. — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:51:47 +0000

Hi! For those who celebrate it, I hope you enjoyed a Happy 4th of July!

The past week has just been KILLER. Two family members ended up in the ER: my 3-year old nephew had an asthma attack; and my mom was hospitalized for 5 days with pneumonia.

My sister, the matriarch of our household, ended up with a horrible flu, passing it on to her entire family. As of today, all four of them are sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, headachy and have had fevers.

Thank goodness my son and I have managed to get by with just allergies and some congestion. Sheesh! I thought the hot summer would bring some relief from colds!

I’ve been to the hospital every day my mom was in, including the 3 hour bout at the ER. Consequently, I’ve been eating a looooooot of fast food– and by a lot, I mean– grilled chicken chipotle bbq wraps with extra lettuce three times this past week, one trip to get a bean burrito and a (gasp) crispy taco, and one trip to Zippy’s for won ton min. (For those not in the know, it’s a ramen with dumplings).

Add at least one diet soda every single day this past week, sometimes two, and guess what happened? I increased in width.

I could actually feel the difference between this week and last, because I couldn’t fit into a pair of pants I was so proud to wear near the end of June. One inch makes a huge difference in the hips, let me tell ya.

So, here’s what I’ve learned. I like to have something sweet every day, and I’ve been getting by with my morning medium-sized iced vanilla latte (no sugar added powder) with an extra shot of espresso.

When I’m stressed out, however, I crave salty, fatty foods. Although I managed to keep my calories and sugar intake at a relatively acceptable level, I guesstimate that I increased my sodium intake by 100%. Add to that a more than occasional diet soda, and it’s no wonder I feel bloated.

I included my goal sheet below my measurements so that you can see the difference between my progress and the goals I’ve set. And here’s the disturbing thing… I have 12 pounds and 4 inches to go… in exactly two weeks from today.

So, now why is my weight less? I have a couple of theories:

My scale is totally broken. (I’ve more or less discounted this because I checked my weight with my trainer’s scale twice this past week.)
I’m totally dehydrated. (I’m always dehydrated, so I’m not sure about this one.)
Fat weighs less than muscle, or, I actually gained fat. (Hm. Interesting theory. I need to track data to hopefully disprove this.)
I’m bloated. (Fast food + diet soda? This is very possible.)
I’ve actually been doing more strenuous workouts, including more swings and cleans, and walking for longer distances, sometimes jogging, resulting in burning more calories than usual. (This is the theory I like the best!)

Theories aside, I need to take action! The only way I am going to be able to lose the pounds is by increasing my metabolism and decreasing my caloric intake.

If I don’t meet my first goal, I’ll re-evaluate my progress and potentially, need to change my birthday goal. Which doesn’t sit well with me.

For now, I am going to avoid the “convenience” of fast food, pack snacks at all times for myself and the kids, stop drinking diet soda (wah! okay, I’m over it), and start jogging (Sad. I don’t like high impact exercise. But hey, if that’s what it takes, then I’ll do it)!

Please join me as my journey continues. Today, I could use a little extra encouragement. Also, if you have any tips or tricks, I’d love to hear them. Please post to this blog! Thank you and as always, aloha!

Great Home Workout

Angela C. — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:32:22 +0000

Finally! I got a workout in… at home! The assignment:

20+ minutes of cardio
warm up with deadlifts and swings
20- 15- 10- cleans/ push presses
1 minute of four-touch in between
stretch!

I convinced my oldest nephew to take a 1 1/2 mile walk/run with me. He went ahead on his scooter, and I jogged to catch up. Did I mention I was pushing a double stroller?

My brother-in-law was kind enough to manage the kiddos while I worked out. Directly quoting him, “Ang, you got 1/2 an hour before Curious George ends and they come looking for you.”

So, I jumped on the opportunity to challenge myself and complete my homework. I wasn’t able to do 20 cleans/push-presses without rest, but I did manage to do the 15 and the 10 without putting the kettlebells down! And for me, that’s a victory.

Enjoy this video!