I'll be forming groups of 5 people every month, providing support and accountability to help YOU reach your fitness goals! Contact me for details... tamara.gomez18@gmail.com
My personal journey with balancing my life as a mother, daughter, sister, friend, employee, and STILL finding time to lead a healthier life.
About Me
- Tamara Ahmed
- I'm a busy mom, working professional, and lover of all things fitness. I've lost 20 lbs in and kept it off for the past 2 years without stepping foot in a gym. I'm all about learning to be a better ME and paying it forward. Contact me at http://fb.me/tamaragomez18 or tamara.gomez18@gmail.com
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Next X: What's New About P90X2™
Courtesy of Team Beachbody Newsletter Issue: #235, September 09, 2011
by Steve EdwardsMC2
The program
- Foundation. The first training phase is about your foundation, as in your base, or more specifically your attachment to the ground. What we mean here is not just your legs but your entire kinetic chain. There's a saying that goes, "You can't shoot a cannon from a canoe" that relates to your base, meaning that if it's not solid, you're going to wobble like the visual this saying evokes when you attempt to do anything explosive. The goal of the Foundation phase is to help you create a solid attachment to the earth so you do all other movements without compromising your form. When this happens, you'll look better, feel better, perform better, and be much more resistant to injuries.
- Strength. Next, we take your strong foundation and strengthen it big time. This training phase will be most familiar to P90Xers because it's similar in structure to what you're used to. However, the individual workouts have evolved. You'll continue to work from instability or athletic positions, because this will help you integrate your strength gains more seamlessly into your real-world movements.
- Performance. Finally, we take all the physiological changes we've been making with your body and focus them on pure performance. The key to this phase is something called Post-Activation Potentiation or P.A.P. (which we'll explain next time), and doing repeat series of movements called complexes. These workouts will destroy you in an oh-so-beautiful way. After a few weeks of P.A.P., your body can feel more springy, loose, and young. It almost feels as if, to borrow a phrase from King Arthur of Camelot, "You don't age. You youthen."
Friday, September 9, 2011
I'm The Most Motivated LAZY Person Ever... And Here's My Secret...
Here's the truth about me (in my eye) and I would take a guess that the people closest to me would agree...
If you're at all familiar with the book Personality Plus, I am a Peaceful Phlegmatic. If you're
not familiar with it, READ IT, it's great! Here's the description of a Peaceful Phlegmatic:
Phlegmatic: This is the flat-type. They are easy going, laid back, nonchalant, unexcitable and relaxed. Desiring a peaceful environment above all else.
A peaceful phlegmatic is neutral - they tend not to actively upset people, but their indifference may frustrate people. They try not to make decisions, and generally go for the status quo. They care about people and harmony.
So how do you reconcile all of this with the person I have become more recently? It was a choice. All of the above mentioned, the eating and watching TV and being generally lazy, coupled with having a desk job where all that moves for 8 hours a day is my fingers, type, type, typing away, let to me being FAT, unhappy, unconfident, sluggish, sick all the time… generally just miserable. Was I obese? No. Was I unhealthy, YES! And 20 extra pounds on a 5'0" frame is a lot of weight.
I made the decision that in SPITE of the above traits, enough was enough and something had to change. I work through the barriers. I push past the doubts. I tell myself that I have NO limitations. The motivation that I have comes from simply taking action and CREATING motivation. It does not come naturally. Do I curse every morning when my alarm goes off and I know I have to get up and work out? Heck yes! I do it because I HAVE to. It's non-negotiable. And when I'm done, the feeling of accomplishment is worth it. I tell myself that I have worked my a$$ off for the past 2 years and there is NO WAY I'm going back to where I was. I have created healthy habits. That's all it is, a habit. ANYONE can create a new habit. Am I perfect? No way! I try my best to be consistent and balanced. I get lazy, tired, worn out; there are days when I don't want to eat right or exercise. Sometimes I give in and that's ok, we all deserve a break, and this is a work in progress. But for the most part I do it anyway, because it's important to me. I don't sit around waiting for motivation and inspiration, I make it happen, cause it's not going to come along and smack me in the head.
I read personal development to keep my mind filled with positivity. I surround myself with positive people that encourage me. People that have what I already want and so it gives me something to strive for. And I keep myself accountable by helping others, which has become my passion and my drive in life. For once I AM excited about something! And on the days that I want to just be lazy… I remind myself that I have put myself out there, people are watching, and if I were to suddenly come back 20 pounds heavier again, I would be letting people down, including myself. That thought keeps me going. Sometimes the best motivation is knowing that others are counting on you.
So for the person that wants to be like me… I do what I do, not just for me and for my family, but to show YOU that you can do it too… but don't try to be like me, just be the best version of YOURSELF possible. Quit with the excuses and just get started, now! And if you need help and a little motivation, I'm here for you… :)
Friday, August 5, 2011
Do I Take The New Job... Even If It Doesn't Include A Raise?
In the past year I have dedicated myself to personal development, to learning new concepts from experts on topics such as leadership, motivation, confidence, personalities… It has truly changed my mindset and the way I live my life. One of my favorite authors has been John C. Maxwell and I recently purchased his book, The Maxwell Daily Reader. It's a compilation from many of his different works and you read one passage every single day. This one really spoke to me, especially his very last line. I have recently been contemplating a job change, within my company, but it may not involve a raise. My first instinct was no raise, no move. But now this makes me think… if the job will teach me new skills and make me better and more marketable, isn't that worth MORE than a slight pay increase in the long run???
What are your thoughts?
Becoming Better and Better
By John C. Maxwell
There is nothing noble in being superior to someone else; progress is becoming superior to your previous self. Is that something you strive for? Do you try to become better than you were last year, last month, or last week? George Knox was right: "When you cease to be better, you cease to be good."
To become self-improving…
Become highly teachable. Pride is a serious enemy of self-improvement. For a month, put yourself in learning roles whenever possible. Instead of talking in meetings when people ask for advice, listen. Tackle a new discipline, even if it makes you feel inadequate. And ask questions anytime you don't understand something. Adopt the attitude of a learner, not an expert.
Plan your progress. Determine how you will learn on two levels. First, pick an area where you want to improve. Plan what books you will read, conferences you will attend, and experts you will interview for the next six months. Second, find learning moments wherever you can every day so that not a day passes without your experiencing improvement of some kind.
Value self-improvement above self-promotion. King Solomon of ancient Israel said, "Let instruction and knowledge mean more to you than silver or the finest gold. Wisdom is worth much more than precious jewels or anything else you desire." Make your next career move based on how it will improve you personally rather than how it will enhance you financially.
- The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player
WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU DOING TO CONTINUALLY GET BETTER?
Friday, July 15, 2011
Isn't Cardio The Best Way For A Woman To Lose Weight?
I found this old Q&A from Jillian Michaels and wanted to share :)
Why does my online workout program consist of just one day of pure cardio and four days of weight training? Although I love weight training, I've always thought it's the cardio that really helps a woman like me lose the weight. Why so little pure cardio?
ASK JILLIAN: Okay — I love dispelling this myth. Resistance training when done in circuits with cardio intervals is the best way to lose weight for the following reasons:
1. Resistance training will help burn intramuscular fat and create lean muscle tissue, but you can't build muscle mass unless you are lifting extremely heavy weights and eating more calories than you are burning in a day. Additionally, it is VERY difficult for a woman to gain muscle mass because we simply don't have the testosterone needed to build muscle tissue the way men do.
2. Resistance circuit training burns more calories than straight cardio both during the workout and after. This is because you are getting the benefits of a resistance-training workout and a cardio workout all in one. Additionally, you will burn more calories for up to 24 hours after weight lifting than you would with cardio alone because your body has to work hard to return your muscles to a pre-lactate state (the state before training).
Here is what cardio is good for: weight-loss extra credit. In other words, you can only train your muscles so many times in a week without overtraining them, which is counterproductive. Your muscles need adequate rest and recovery time for best results, but you can do as much cardio as you want. I mean, you can't run a marathon every day, but you can jog, bike, use the elliptical machine, or swim pretty much as often as you want.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Long Distance Parenting - How Do You Deal?
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Why I'm Earning A Presidential Active Lifestyle Award
Beachbody® Joins President's Challenge
Between July 15th and August 17th, the Presidential Council will recognize:
- All customers who buy a Beachbody fitness program or order Shakeology®
- All current Coaches
- All new Coach signups
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Getting Our Parents Healthy, 10 Minutes At A Time
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
An Invitation To My Friends...
Thursday, March 24, 2011
My New Favorite Meal
This is one of my absolute favorite recipes now, from the TurboFire 5 Day Inferno Meal Plan! We had it for dinner last night and I'll tell you, I've never liked salmon, but I clean my plate when we have this. I want more just thinking about it!!!
I do make some small substitutions. I'm not a fan of ginger so I leave that out. I should try it just for the heck of it, right? I also double or even triple the bok choy, because once you cook it, it shrivels up to nothing. And I love garlic so a little extra doesn't hurt. J I use hot chili sesame oil to give it a little spice. It's phenomenal. I get my wild salmon from Trader Joe's, sometimes they have patties and sometimes fillets. And I buy the pre-cooked brown rice from Trader Joe's as well. Overall, the meal takes about 10 minutes to make!
Enjoy!
Two 4 oz pieces of wild salmon, without the skin
3 Tbsp. teriyaki marinade or sauce
2 pineapple rings, canned in juice, drained
1 garlic clove
1 medium head of bok choy, roughly chopped
½ tsp. sesame oil
1/3 cup of brown rice
1 tsp. powdered ginger
Directions: Marinade the salmon in teriyaki overnight, or for an hour before grilling. Grill the salmon for 5 min on each side. Place pineapple slices on the grill for 2 min. and sear.
Add rice, 2/3 cup of water, and 1 tsp. powdered ginger into a rice cooker or saucepan. Cook on low heat until the rice is tender. Meanwhile, spritz nonstick cooking spray and ½ tsp sesame oil into a frying pan. Saute 1 garlic clove and the bok choy until soft, yet still crisp.
Makes 2 servings.
Calories 336/Protein 27 g/Carbs 41 g/Total Fat 6 g/Fiber 2 g
Oh man, I'm hungry now!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Can Shakeology Replace The Protein Powder I'm Using Now?
Shakeology has an ample amount of protein. While many protein shakes on the market may have more grams of protein, the type of protein they use often digests so slowly that you can't drink them when you're active. Shakeology uses whey protein, which is one of the most (if not the most) bioavailable sources of protein. That means it absorbs quicker into the system than other proteins. Most proteins, especially when you get them in a whole food, take forever to digest. This means that eating protein right before, during, or right after exercise is generally a waste because your body is using energy to digest something that won't help you for hours, energy that it could be using to enhance your workout or recovery. But when you combine whey protein along with Shakeology's other nutrients, you have a high-protein shake that can fit into many different nutritional slots in your day, something lacking in a standard protein drink
Sunday, February 6, 2011
February Weight Loss Challenge
5 Day Inferno Meal Plan
Inferno Day 4/5 & Results
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Inferno Day 3
Breakfast:
8 oz. low fat cottage cheese
2 pineapple rings, canned in juice, drained
Snack:
Apple with 1 Tbsp. almond butter
Inferno Day 2
6 oz low-fat strawberry yogurt
3/4 cup cubed cantaloupe
1 tsp honey
I also added a cup of green tea.
Because I had a late breakfast, I decided to save my 1st snack for later, which turned out to be a good idea. Lunch was yummy!
3 slices turkey breast
1 whole wheat tortilla
1/2 tomato
1/4 avocado
handful of mixed greens
1 tbsp nonfat Italian dressing (I actually substituted balsamic vinaigrette for this)
I forgot to take a picture BEFORE I started devouring it!
Then came the challenge. Snow came, I left work in Oak Brook at 2 pm. Didn't make it home till 6:30 pm. I was hungry and SOOOO tempted to get something to eat on the road. But I held strong. At about 3 pm I had my snack that I had saved from the morning:
Chocolate Shakeology, 8 oz. water, 2 tsp. peanut butter. Mixed with ice.
This kept me going.
Dinner was:
Chicken Tacos with Beans and Quinoa. As I'm typing this I just realized I forgot to make the beans! Oops. LOL
Two 6 oz. chicken breasts, grilled and then diced
5 tbsp. pico de gallo
1 tbsp. low fat sour cream
4 small whole wheat tortillas
1/2 avocado
5 sprigs cilantro
2 cups black beans, cooked
2-1/2 cups quinoa seasoned with cilantro, salt, and pepper, cooked
*I cheated just a little, you can see some cheese. I just couldn't resist :-O
It was great and we ended the night full, warm, and cozy. SNOW DAY tomorrow!!!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Chalene's 10 Tips for Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthily
Courtesy of Team Beachbody Newsletter Issue: #109, March 04, 2009
http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/109#19559
Chalene's 10 Tips for Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthily
By Chalene Johnson and Denis Faye- Portion control. Digging into the entire box of goldfish crackers, or any other kid's snack, is a bad idea. So it's a good idea to empty out that box into smaller ziplock bags, for better portion control. Do this the moment the treats are pulled from the grocery store bags! This helps children understand what a healthy portion looks like. Meals and portion sizes have increased nearly 40 percent over the last decade. As parents, we have to teach our children that it's not deprivation—it's proper nutrition.
- Sneak in the whole grains. Use whole-grain pasta and brown rice, but don't tell your kids. They'll never know the difference. No one, especially children, likes change when it comes to food. I like to use the "stealth" approach, i.e., fly low under the radar! When I switched my kids from regular pasta to whole-grain, whole wheat pasta, I did it in stages. First, I added just a 1/4 cup of the healthier noodles. Each time I added more, until eventually they were eating the whole-grain stuff and had no idea! They still have no idea! We had spaghetti at a restaurant the other night (the enriched-flour kind), and the kids said the restaurant pasta was "weird . . . kinda slimy!" How fantastic is that? The key is making the changes gradually and not making a big deal about them.
- Lead by example. If you're giving your kids apples but you're eating Snickers, it's never going to work. Following a healthy diet needs to be part of the commitment of good parenting. Never use the "D" ["Diet"] word in front of children. When you do, and they see you eating healthily, they assume that healthy food is something you're forced to eat as a punishment. Lead by example. Say, "Mommy is eating this for more energy and to be stronger." Make negative comments about food without nutritional value. For example, when I do have the occasional "treat," I will often say, "Wow, that piece of cake gave me a sugar crash and a headache. Now I feel so sluggish!" Use positive comments about healthy food without reference to weight. Try, "I feel so much stronger when I eat fruit for a snack!"
- Make food fun. Taste is something that changes over time. Our taste buds actually change as we age; this explains why some children will eat broccoli and green beans and others find the smell and taste worse than starvation! Continually introduce healthy food and find unique ways to introduce the food in stages. For example, your children might try a small amount of broccoli mixed in with their mac and cheese. Once you've gotten them to accept that as a regular staple, transition to broccoli with a creamy cheese soup. Eventually, your children may acquire a taste for steamed broccoli! Can you imagine the day? But starting right out of the gates with a big plate of steamed broccoli in front of a child who doesn't eat green things is asking for a battle! Baby steps!
- Don't pressure kids to eat. Present the food, but don't force kids to eat it. Making demands will just polarize your kids, while letting them eat healthy foods on their own terms leads to healthy habits. If your first attempt doesn't work, don't take it personally or assume that this is a life-or-death situation. Take a deep breath, let it go, and try it again another day—try serving those healthy foods prepared in new ways. It often takes several times before your child will decide to try something new. Oh, and I don't know if this works for everyone, but I find that my children will often try new food with their grandparents and at their friends' houses, foods that they won't try with me! Ask what new foods they tried and then offer to prepare them, and get excited about their willingness to try new foods.
- Be careful what you say. Everything a woman says about her body is like writing on the slate of her female child's self-esteem. I volunteer to teach exercise to children of all ages in the public school system. I have personally heard children as young as 6 say, "I'm fat!" Or, "I have a big belly like my mommy." Or, "My mommy doesn't want you to see her because she got fat." Seriously! Not only do kids hear what you're saying on the phone to your girlfriend, but they are projecting those negative images on themselves. It's unhealthy for you and your young children to be thinking anything other than positive thoughts about this amazing body that God gave you! Do your best to serve as a positive role model by speaking lovingly about your body and your journey to health!
- Relax! Food shouldn't be a source of angst for your family. Try to get your kids to eat healthier, but be creative, consistent, and calm. The bigger you make the issue of eating healthy foods, the more resistance you may feel. Play it cool. There are many studies proving that you can place salad on the table 10 to 15 times before a child will decide to try it. Remember that "insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result." If it didn't work the first time, try a different approach, a new way to prepare and disguise the food, and, again, remember the importance of doing this in slow, small steps.
- Get kids involved. Let them help cook meals and learn to read food labels. Teach them what's too much sugar and what's an appropriate amount of fat. Teach your children what purpose carbohydrates serve in moderation and what they turn into when we eat them in excess. Pick one item and just find that on your labels. For example, this week my children have been looking at the sodium content on labels. They get a kick out of trying to find the canned soup with the lowest sodium content or shocking each other by reading a label with an off-the-chart level of sodium. Food shouldn't be a mystery. I meet adults every day who have no idea how much sodium, carbs, or protein they should be consuming, let alone how many calories. Let's create a more educated generation when it comes to food!
- Think daily. Young children have shifts when they are hungry. A child will not starve himself or herself. We are so focused on eating huge portions three times a day, but naturally, most children will eat one full meal and graze at other meals. Avoid the bad habit of saying, "One more bite," or, "Clean your plate." These phrases teach our children that they are good if they eat more, when what we want to teach our children is to respond to their bodies when they feel full. Young children eat to provide themselves with energy. Eating to soothe sadness, eating to stuff ourselves, or eating because it's simply that time of the day are all bad habits we pass along to our children.
- Read up on nutrition. Read books about food. Explain where it comes from. I highly recommend Eat This Not That! for Kids!: Be the Leanest, Fittest Family on the Block! It has giant pictures of common kid foods. It's fun to make a game out of learning which foods are best! Also, check out CalorieKing.com, which lists the calories for most every food you can imagine, not to mention the nutritional information for nearly every restaurant in America!