Workout tips when you don't have a gym...

So, I have found some awesome tools to help you when you don't have the money to spend on a gym :)  My personal favorite is my Nike+.  Not everyone understands what it is or how it works.   I am kind of old school when it comes to this, so let me tell you what I know :)

I have Nike+ app on my iPhone (comes automatically with all iPhones and I believe is downloadable on other smart phones).  There is a Nike+ GPS which is $1.99 on the iPhone which I purchased and I haven't even tried it yet.  Apparently that one you don't need a foot pod with...not sure how that works.  How I do it is I have a foot pod that my Nike+ Sensor goes into on my shoe.  So you don't even need a special shoe.  What is great about it is it measures your foot steps and tells you how far you are going.  You can set your run to music which I love!  It even has coaching on it so if you want to run your first 5K it will give you a training plan.  I used it when I did my half marathon and it was awesome!  You can set that you want to run by time, distance or calories burnt.  You can even do basic which is just running and tracking for you.  It will talk you through your progress.  So, I run 20 min normally.  It will say you have run 5 min then again at 10 then it counts down.  After it says your half way point it will count down 5 min left, 4, 3, 2 and 1.  It is awesome.  I even hit my best mile times and Lance Armstrong came on to congratulate me.  It reminds you that you aren't running forever.  You can even look back at your year to see how far you ran all year.  There is even contests on their site to try and win for different things.  You get medals.  Its healthy competition literally.

My other new fav is NTC (Nike Training Center).  It actually shows you videos of what to do for workouts that you build yourself.  Again, it counts down for you and also tracks just like the Nike+.  Now not everyone knows what a Crazy Ivan is (I know I didn't), so you can play the video to show you...the workout pauses while you watch the video and then when you are ready you can just hit start.  Best thing, the app is FREE!  Can you believe it!?!?  I am sure it would be nice on an iPad, but I have only used it on the iPhone.  I did the ab workout and I haven't really been able to laugh for a couple days now because it really worked you out!  The only thing so far I had to go buy was a medicine ball (yknow the heavy ball that when you throw it to your husband he doesn't expect it to be 8 lbs and he almost drops it...lol).

So, those are my on a budget work out tips.  So, no more excuses...go out and move more!

Snacks...

I have a lot of people ask me what makes good snacks during the day.  I have SO many!  Where to start?

• I LOVE Banana/Nutella Wontons = 1 point+ each
• Every day I have rice cakes which are two for 1 point+  They aren't your typical rice cakes...see my earlier post for pictures.  I normally add to it 2 laughing cow cheese (1 on each) and cucumbers = 1 point+ or 1 snack pack of wholly guacamole and salsa (3 points+).  The guacamole really keeps me full longer.
• I also have fiber one brownies = 2 points + each (kinda small and no veggies involved, so I try not to do them to often)
• I also have 2 pieces of 97% fat free turkey deli slices with 1 tbsp each of garden veggie FF cream cheese and sometimes I throw in peppers = 4 points+
• Yogurt (any kind greek just beware of sugars) and special k bran buds (1/6 C is 1 point+)
• 8 oz of trop 50 OJ with 1 banana in the blender with crushed ice (1 point+)

I hope this helps in the snack department.  They are some of my favs :)  I am not a fan of processed food, so I try to stay away from prepackaged things or anything that is high in points for snack.  My night time snack I totally forgot!  I have 1/2 cup of FF Breyers chocolate ice cream with banana (3 points+).  I eat that EVERY NIGHT!  I totally recommend it...so yum!  If you have extra points left in your day add the brownie to it too for a 5 points+ snack.

Side note.  I have bonus points that I try and do at least 3x a week.  Do you use your bonus points?  I don't eat them ever, but I worked out today alot and i was STARVING.  I had popcorn (which I never eat) for a snack and it was 5 points+.  It was so NOT worth the points.  I was still hungry afterwards.  I went and had my wholly guacamole and I was STUFFED even up till dinner.  I agree with my leader that reds keep you full (ie tomatoes, red peppers, apples or strawberries) and avocados do it too.  I know they are points, but they are points that keep you full longer and process very well through your body.  My new thing in the AM for my egg, veggie and cheese sandwich I am adding wholly queso instead of cheese on my sandwich.  It is SO good and adds so much taste and it is made with cheese (I know processed) and veggies (that part is good)!  I am going to try and do how to work out at home tomorrow :)  Any snacks you have to share please do!

I am back!

Well, it has been awhile since I have been on this whole blog thing...life has been a bunch of ups and downs but thankfully my weight loss has never gone up.  6 months was 50 lbs so I got to expect it to come off a little slower here now :)

I am changing some stuff up to try and jump start my system again.  I am adding running/weight training/wii zumba into the mix now and adding LOTS of bran buds to my diet haha.  BTW I found out that turkey before I work out kept me full (I hate to work out on a empty stomach). Loving me some Special K All Bran Bran Buds (1/6 cup added to yogurt).  Helps keep everything moving :)  We shall see if all my hard work pays off.

Some new recipes I have loved is the Chicken Rollatini with Prosciutto and Cheese.  Was super easy to make and so yum!

Some of my non scale victories this week were I got size 12 jeans, a bathing suit and into my short shorts in one weekend!  What a great weekend it was!  Someone asked me did I feel better after losing that weight and it was so hard to answer!  I still have my goal in mind and I haven't given my chance the ability to be happy about where I am!  As soon as I had all these accomplishments this week I was SO happy and took time to say yay me!  Felt great!

This week I was the lucky person who had to start our meeting tracker!  What stress that is (a good one though).  We are each taking the tracker for a week and sharing it with the class...each week a different person gets it and we get to see what other people did!  Kinda cool and allows us to see our food plan through someone else's eyes (not to mention the leader will be picking it apart I am sure...scary! lol).  I hope this is also a kick in the pants I need to get over this hump!

So, let me wrap this up by saying I am back!  I hope to have some new ideas for some snacks up on my next blog :)  Tell me how you are doing or any snack ideas you have!?!?