Abs for Beginners

One of the best parts about being back at school is having my favorite gym partners back, my best friends and roommates, Morgan and Taylor. I'm so proud of them for taking time out of there busy schedules to get in the gym. One thing I love about working out with Morgan and Taylor is that they are not afraid to ask for advice and workouts. This week they were all about the abs, wanting to know what my ab workouts are like. Well the truth is my ab workouts are pretty basic, I don't do anything super crazy or out of the ordinary. Anyone can do what I do. So I want to share with you all the same ab workout I shared with them. So please give it a try :)

• Russian Twists (weighted for 1 minute)
• Leg up crunches (30 reps)
• Bicycle crunches (1 minute)
• Plank (1 minute)
• Side planks (30 seconds/ each side)
• Swimming (1 minute)
• Glute Bridges (30 reps)
• Mountain Climbers (1 minute)
• Lying leg raises (30 reps)
• Sit-ups (30 reps)

It's okay to give yourself a pat on the back... you deserve one...

Last week I was able to participate in welcome week for the freshman at my school! Not only did I get to teach two cycling classes for freshman, but I was also able to tell them a little bit about my fitness journey. I participated in four presentations on health, fitness, and stress management. I was only able to speak for a few minutes in each presentation, but I hope I left an impact on some of the freshman class at Christopher Newport University.

At the end of each presentation I had several students tell me that they had already started reading my blog or they followed my fitness instagram (@stressedtoskinny), and they all said they loved it, which left me happily surprised.

I had a student tell me that I stopped her from buying unhealthy food in the grocery store and I had another student tell me that she tries every one of my workouts. I had one student tell me that I helped motivate her to start her journey. I even made a connection with a freshman that had recently lost 60 pounds (how amazing, you go girl!). To hear all of this positive feedback, support, and appreciation, made me so happy!

But I also had an emotional reaction.

In the first presentation of the day, I thought I was going to cry after the group of students overwhelmed me with a round of applause after announcing that I have lost 35 pounds (I achieved this applause after each presentation and felt like I could cry tears of joy each time). Sometimes I forget what I've done. Sometimes I feel like I just woke up one day and I was skinny, but that's not the case. I often forget how hard I work, and how hard I have worked, to maintain and achieve the body that I have today. When a student asked me how I lost the weight, at the end of one of my cycling classes last week, I had to answer honestly stating, "I worked my butt off." And it's true, I did. I had to use willpower, I had to workout more than I was used to, and I had to completely change my mindset, but I did it, and for that I'm giving myself a much deserved pat on the back.

It's important that you also give yourself a pat on the back once in a while. No matter how small the achievement, reward yourself. If you work hard and give it your all, you need to remember to tell yourself you did a great job. I regret anytime that I was down on myself during the process of losing weight, for instance, when I wanted to lose 2 pounds one week and I only lost half of a pound. This is still an achievement. If you ever feel like you haven't done enough, look back, if you really didn't work hard enough, than work harder next week, but don't put yourself down.

So today I want each and everyone of you to look at what you have achieved lately and give yourself a pat on the back. Talk yourself up. Tell people how great you've been doing. Tell me how great you've been doing. Reward yourself with a new shirt. Give yourself a pat on the back and a round of applause, you deserve it all.


Side Note:

If you have been going through a life changing journey of your own and I've helped you in some way, please let me know how you are doing! I love to hear from all of you and I can't wait to hear more great things.

You can contact me via my email at lacey.gero.14@cnu.edu :)

How to squeeze a workout in on campus without even thinking about it

The hardest part about college is managing your time. It's hard to fit everything in, I completely understand. For me going to the gym is part of my schedule, I don't use time as an excuse. I treat going to the gym as if it is one of my classes, but I understand, it may not be as important to others as it is to me. So you may find that you can't make it to the gym everyday, then what? Well you need to workout at some point so here are a few easy things you can do, to workout, without actually having to go to the gym.

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Take the long way back to your dorm 
• Run up stairs instead of walking 
• Go do some cartwheels with your friends on that beautiful green grass outside
• Studying? Take a quick break and do 10 jumping jacks
• No one in the halls? Do some walking lunges 
• Go to the football stadium, run up and down the bleachers 
• Tv time is also a good time to do some crunches 
• Forget your car, walking and biking is more fuel efficient anyways 

Anyone can make time to workout if they want to. 

I'm so proud of my friend and roommate, Morgan, who has decided she will workout five days a week this semester. She is skinny and healthy, but she often suffers from stress because of a busy schedule. She is adding fitness to her life and into her schedule by treating it as a daily necessity, which is awesome. Morgan understands that no matter how naturally skinny you are, and no matter how much time you don't have, exercising is important. 

Make the time and you will lead a stress free and skinny life :) 

Gymtimidation

At my freshman orientation someone told me there was no such thing as gymtimidation at our school's gym. What a lie. Every time I walk into the gym I'm intimidated, even now, although I am active and hold a fitness certification, I still get intimidated.

Things that scare me at the gym:

1. The weight lifting room where all the really buff, cool guys hangout and that one random girl who is trying to show all the boys that she can lift too (she is also really hoping to get one of the guys' number). 
2. The area with the weight machines. This area is not quite as scary but I feel like everyone is critiquing my form while using those labyrinths of machines. I'm just trying to do my lateral pulls in peace people!! 
3. The area where everyone is working on their abs. This area (or usually just a mat) make my basic sit-ups look like a joke. 
4. The girls that are running way faster than me on the treadmill. 
5. When there are 5 open treadmills and some random person decides it's okay to take the one right next to you even though there are more spacious options. Talk about creepy. 
6. Walking on the treadmill. Walking is better than running in so many ways so why is everyone judging me as I'm walking (cough cough Taylor Costello)? And if you walk as fast as I do, it's basically running. 
7. Waiting for the stairclimber. There is one and only one that all the girls want to use. Well basically only five girls use it, including me. The problem is you never know when the other girl is going to be done and you also don't know if someone else is waiting. UGH SO FRUSTRATING. Also it's super embarrassing when you're running to get it and some girl get's there before you. 
8. Zumba. Never tried it but it looks fun/scary. (I will give it a try this semester and let ya'll know)
9. Staring. I know people aren't staring at me because the sweat dripping down my face is super attractive, so why??? And oh god please stop with the side eye, it's annoying. 

So that's a long list but I still somehow manage to face my fears and go to the gym everyday. And honestly the more often I go to the gym, the less scared I get because now I'm one of the "regulars". I still get the initial gymtimidation when I walk in, but as long as I suck it up and go confidently, then I can move on to my workout and rid myself of the scary thoughts. 

Please don't let gymtimidation scare you away from the gym. The more often you go, the more comfortable you will feel. Who knows maybe it's a good place for you to meet friends or maybe even a romantic relationship, or it may even turn into a second home for you or in my case, a place to get rid of all the stress. Just remember it's okay to be scared, but don't let your fears get in the way of you living a healthy life. 

Suggestions for facing the dreaded gym: 

1. Bring a friend. 
2. Act like you know exactly what you are doing. 
3. Wear cute outfits. 
4. Block the world out by wearing headphones and have your volume turned up all the way. 
5. Do everything confidently. 
6. Become a regular. 
7. Join a group class. 
8. Don't be afraid to ask for help, there's a staff for a reason! 

My fondest memories at the gym: 

1. Staring at hot guys. 
2. Checking my friends butts for sweat (upon request of course). 
3. Gossiping with Taylor while stretching. 
4. Trying to flirt with my current boyfriend, but him not noticing. 
5. Making senior friends in cycling class (#coolkid). 
6. That one time when I was the only person there (only once).
7. Working really hard and putting in a lot of time there and as a result losing weight and changing my whole life! 

Me enjoying workouts at home! 

Say Goodbye to the Same Old Boring Salad

I don't know how your school works, but at mine we usually have the same variation of food every week... #boring. Even when you're trying to live a healthy life, you need to have variation in your meals!

People often assume that I eat salads all the time, and while yes I enjoy salads, I don't eat them for every meal, and not even everyday. However, when I do eat salads I don't eat the same one every time, that would get boring really fast. I don't want anyone to get bored with healthy food, because it can be so exciting! So in this post I want to offer my ideas on how to mix up your meals, and especially dining hall food.

So my school serves salmon at least three times a week, which is awesome because I absolutely love salmon. Even though they often change the marinade, salmon can be boring if you eat it the same way three or more times a week. So to solve this fishy (punny) dillema we must turn to sides. If you pair salmon with different sides every time you have it, you will get a whole different set of flavors from the last time. So maybe instead of salmon with a side of asparagus, you could put your salmon atop a salad or perhaps get broccoli instead. Mix it up. You should be eating fish at least twice a week anyways because it's great for your health. This same rule applies for white meats such as chicken or turkey, mix it up and you have a whole new meal.

Now about those salads... I've actually turned salad making into an art form. It's fun to make a salad bring and colorful, which is why I'm always changing up my salads. The best thing about salads is that you can pretty much make anything a salad. Like for example tacos, a taco salad is my favorite thursday treat at school. I get chicken, black beans, lettuce, and salsa and turn it into a salad packed full of flavor. Dressings also add variety to salads. Obviously, the better dressing choices are the vinaigrettes rather than cream based dressings, but if ranch is what stops you from grabbing a piece of pizza instead, go ahead and use it, just skip any cheese or other heavy toppings (croutons, tortillas, etc.).

But if you're not in the mood for a salad, get out there and explore your options. You know what's healthy and what's not, you know you need a source of protein and some vegetables, and you know you don't need to eat everything on the plate. So explore your food options and make healthy choices, but remember to change it up, because variety is extremely important in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Don't be that person that gives up...

My first week of college I decided I would be fit and healthy. I went for runs in the morning and used the gym when I could and on top of that I was eating healthy food, given my new variety of options. I felt great. But that was one week, only one week. As soon as classes started, I started to get lazy. I would do three things and three things only: eat, sleep, and go to class. Eat a lot, sleep a lot, and go to class when I had to. That was my life the second week of school and I stuck with that routine for months.

As you may be able to tell, this routine led me down an unhealthy path. If I would have kept my first week's healthy plan, I would be in a much different situation. I may have started to lose weight then. It doesn't really matter for me now because I like the way my changes have happened, but it may have been easier the other way around. If I would have stuck with my first routine I would have lived a healthier and happier  college life, but instead I gave up.

I gave up. I made excuses. I let myself down.

Please, please, please do not make the same mistakes that I made.

What I didn't understand, that I want you to understand, is that your body can handle almost anything but it is your mind that you have to keep convincing.

It is really easy to go into college with this attitude of "I'm going to live a healthy college life," but unless your mind is fully committed, it can be harder than it seems. Trust me there will be temptations, but I know how strong you are and that you can resist them. There will be times when you want to make excuses, such as, "Well I had that test today and my legs kind of hurt, so maybe I'll just watch some tv with my roommate." But where is that excuse getting you? Nowhere, fast. So your legs are a little sore from that cycling class yesterday, your body is telling you it needs a good run or walk to work those legs out! There will be days when you think that you won't be able to get your workout in... but thats no big deal! You know that you can make 10-15 minutes (at some point in the day) to do some easy cardio like jumping jacks and maybe even some crunches.

You can make it work. You won't give up. You are strong.

If you are reading this you either want some insight into my life or your looking for inspiration or you want to make you life a healthy life. If you fall under that latter category, I'm proud of you (and thank you to the people in the other two categories). You are making so many positive steps to a healthy life, steps that many others can't and won't make, and nothing is stopping you now, because you won't let it.

Once I really got into my lifestyle change there was no stopping me. I would not give up. And now that I'm enjoying this healthy life, I will never go back, I won't give up on eating healthy and working out, because why should I? I've worked hard and so have you.

Stay inspired and DON'T GIVE UP.

A transformation for some inspiration...

One year ago vs. Now

Workout of the Week: Lower Ab Workout

The lower part of your stomach is the hardest to change. Knowing that their is a pouch at the bottom of my stomach makes me uncomfortable, and I'm sure some of you face the same problem (no matter how skinny you may be), so I've been trying to work on that part of my stomach lately. Here's my ab workout to specifically target lower abs, good luck!

Do 3 sets. 

• 1 minute plank
• 40 leg ups
• 30 seconds of flutter kicks
• 60 bicycle crunches
• 30 lying toe touches
• 30 in and outs 

How to Avoid Stress Eating

There are multiple factors that led to my gaining of weight, and stress eating was definitely one of them. Stress eating and binging is a problem that not only college students deal with, but anyone that has a stressful and busy life deal with. 

Starting years ago, I found myself turning to food when I had any sort of stress or anxiety. It was easy for me to escape the problem by eating a whole pint of Ben and Jerry's or a box of Oreos. But the truth is, when I got to the bottom of the pint or the end of the box, I didn't feel any better, in fact on top of being stressed I would also have a stomach ache. I even starting thinking that having a stomach ache after eating was completely normal, which I now realize is messed up on so many levels (talk about an unhealthy habit). 

For students especially, stress eating is something I must warn you about. It will happen to you at some point if you let it. But you are smarter than that. You won't allow a midterm tell you to drink the whole milkshake. Instead you will find other ways to cope with stress that will actually help you, more than any item of food can. 

I have now learned to master my stress and I want to help you deal with yours. I had some help from a psychologist who taught me some methods, but I also had to do a lot of research of my own. Keep in my mind, as you read my suggestions, that everybody is different and what might work for me may not necessarily work for you. 

How to deal with stress and avoid stress eating: 

1. Exercise- Even just a brisk 15 minute walk or a short visit to the gym will cause positive endorphins to take over your body and fill it with good vibes. If you're stressed, stay away from weights, which may leave you feeling even more stressed and tense. 

2. Meditation- I was so hesitant about meditation when my psychologist first brought up the idea, but it really does wonders. She suggested Calm.com, which is also available in app form called Calm. On Calm you can pick your amount of time anywhere between two minutes and 1 hour. I usually do 5 minutes when I'm feeling anxious, but you need to test it for yourself and find your perfect amount of time. The app and website are equipped with a soothing voice to guide you and peaceful music! 

3. Stretching/yoga- Some people prefer yoga classes, which are awesome if you're into that sort of thing! Personally I find stretching and constantly falling down in front of people not only embarrassing but even more stressful, and since I'm trying to avoid that, I just do it on my own. Pinterest is a great resource for finding beginner yoga poses. Also you can just do some simple stretches and practice deep breathing for a few minutes! 

4. Massage- If you don't have the luxury of going to get one, find someone willing to give you a massage. You'd be surprised as to how many people will give you one if you promise to massage them after (it's only fair!). 

5. Do something spontaneous- get out of your stressful environment for a few hours or even the day. Go to the zoo or the movies or the mall. Get out of that stress filled campus!! 

6. Crafts and Art- This doesn't work for everyone, it's kind of a hit or miss for me! Take a trip to the craft store and invest in something to create, something that interests you. There's an awesome pottery painting place near my campus that offers discounts every week via there Facebook! Maybe you have something fun like that too, so your research. 

7. Socialize- It's probably not right for me to say go to a party, but... Go to a party. Socializing can have the same effects as exercise on your endorphins. Just don't turn to alcohol or food at the party to help you. Alcohol is just like food in the sense that it may help you for short amount of time, but it won't have a lasting effect and it may cause you even more stress and anxiety. 

8. Talk to someone close to you- Vent to a friend or family member, someone who will help you. Don't talk to someone who may end up stressing you out even more. 

Workout of the Week: You wanna tabata?

In case you were wondering...

"Tabata training (aka, the Tabata Protocol) is a type of high intensity interval training that follows a specific format:

• 20 seconds of a  high intensity exercise 
• 10 seconds of rest"

So here's my tabata workout:

Set a timer for 10 minutes. Do each of these for 20 seconds each with 10 second breaks between each. Do as many as possible in 10 minutes (you should get through them all at least, twice). 

• plank 
• jumping jacks
• bicycle crunches
• tricep dips
• squats (whichever type you prefer)
• wall sit
• butt kicks 
• push-ups 
• high knees 

Finish with an active recovery by either running for three minutes or biking for three minutes (some type of slow cardio will do). 

Recipe of the Week: Oregano and Thyme Chicken Strips

These are perfect for meal prep! Pan seared chicken strips are great on salads or with veggies, which is why I make these!

Ingredients: 

• Package of thinly slice chicken breasts 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• oregano 
• thyme 

Directions: 

Cut the chicken into fajita like strips. In a medium sized bowl mix one tablespoon olive oil, a dash or two of oregano, and a dash or two of thyme. Place the raw chicken in the oil mix and hand toss. Warm up a skillet with one tablespoon olive oil. Place chicken in the skillet and cook until fully done, carefully watching (about 10 minutes). 

Eat some when it first comes out but save the rest to toss with your salads for the rest of the week or veggies and maybe even some quinoa!