I'm Moving!! (To Tumblr)

I am a little behind the times when it comes to things dealing with technology. I am not the most savvy with things like phones, computers, TVs, etc. That being said, last night when I was messing around on the computer, I discovered what tumblr was all about. I had heard about it before from people and saw different things referring to it online, but never took the time to actually check it out. Turns out that it is actually pretty cool. It is almost like Facebook for bloggers. You can post just pictures, just text, both, a single picture, multiple pictures, and much more. After taking some time to really check it out, I decided that it is time for me to make the switch. From now on, you can check me out at http://fridaritamargarita.tumblr.com/ I will still be keeping you updated on my P90X, clean eating ideas, healthy lifestyle tips, and more! I hope to see you there!

And P90X week 1 begins ...

I just finished day 3 workout with P90X, and I have to say that I am loving it! Although I am undoubtedly waking up sore, I at least know that it is working. With the P90X package comes a set of DVDs containing each workout and a little booklet that outlines everything from the P90X program to muscle groups to nutrition, and even gives you a breakdown of each workout in its entirety. It also outlines the three workout options -- original, doubles, and lean -- breaking each workout down into each phase with a day by day and week by week list of what workout to do on what day.

Although I know that I am not going to necessarily "bulk up" by doing the original workout program, I still chose the lean workout option, seeing as it contains a little more full body cardio training programs. This option contains some type of cardio workout every other day with muscle specific workouts in between. So far I have successfully finished Core Synergistics, Cardio X, and Arms/Shoulders + Ap Ripper -- and needless to say ... I am SORE.

Along with the intense workouts, I have been trying to have just as intense of a focus on everything I am putting into my body. If you know me, then you already know that I have a relatively healthy eating regimen to begin with. But for the past few months I have been falling off a bit and not putting as much focus on what I have been eating or when. Because of this, I will be focusing a lot more on something I like to call Mindful Munching. "Mindful Munching" means putting your mind where your mouth is, only eating when you are ACTUALLY hungry and not just because something sounds tasty, and really thinking about every bite that you are putting into your mouth. This doesn't mean that you have to restrict any certain foods, it just means that you need to understand the effects food has on your life. And with knowing about the effects of food on you, you also need to know yourself. I know that if I have chocolate in the house, there is no doubt that I will be eating it, therefore I do not buy chocolate. If I have a severe craving for chocolate, I find myself a single serving of dark chocolate. This satisfies my chocolate craving without going overboard. Everyone has cravings, but not everyone has the will power and strength to know when it is okay to give in to them. It is all about moderation. Through mindful munching anyone can lead a healthful lifestyle and healthy relationship with food.

Thus far, I have been more or less successful with the dietary aspect, slipping a little on account of snacking (my weakness). But I have made note of the slip ups I have had to help me not make them anymore. I am feeling great about where this challenge is going and excited to keep moving forward. Keep coming back, because soon to come will be workouts, recipes, and more details on how my challenge is going!


Until then, Live Healthy and Live Happy!!

Welcome back!!

So it has been a while since I have been on here ... 7 months and 29 days to be exact. Over the past seven months, I have been busy getting closer to my degree, getting promoted, starting up a new love for boxing, and meeting tons of new people along the way. Last time I was on, I mentioned having my New Year's Resolutions. I have still been trying to keep up with them and even have them in print so I am held more accountable.

Most of the things on this list I have been able to uphold. I have been trying my hardest with the things that are life changing and key to living a well balanced and happy life -- things like doing what I love, live my life, laugh often, don't judge, eat from the earth, being open minded, and all over having a better outlook on life. Along with these things, I have been putting a lot of effort into going local, especially when it comes to my food. I love knowing where my food is coming from and what I am putting into my body, but even more importantly what I am NOT putting into my body (pesticides, transfats, processed products, hormones, and all the unnecessaries). Food is such a necessity when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. It is your fuel and helps to set you up for living a good life, so you may as well make it the best quality you can.

Although food accounts for 80-85% of the whole package, the rest of it is made up with fitness and activity level. As you know I am already an active person, always on the go, running around, doing yoga, and riding my bike, but over the past few months I have been really focusing on my strength. To do this I picked up boxing, started doing more weights and strength training, and doing more fast paced and full body cardio work outs. Doing this has all worked out for me thus far, but I have been wanting something a little new. Some of my friends have done or are currently doing P90X and absolutely love it. I hate having to go out and buy a whole new workout routine, but I have heard that this one is definitely worth it. Lucky for me, my sister and her husband did P90X a while back and she so graciously let me borrow theirs. So starting tomorrow, I will be starting in my P90X journey!

During this journey I will be writing on here, filling in with how the workouts are, how I am feeling, what I am eating, and my "transformation" along the way. But knowing that I am starting tomorrow, I must be off. I need to make sure and get a good night sleep so I can be well rested for the day ahead of me tomorrow :) Goodnight all!

Welcome 2012!

Happy new year! It's a new year and I am ready for anything. I am not usually one for making "New Year's Resolutions", but for some reason this year just feels a bit different....

One of my resolutions is to actually start blogging regularly. I clearly have been neglecting FridaRitaMargarita, and it is about time that I get back in to it. For at least the next year, I am taking on the lifestyle of a pescaterian, blogging about it along the way. I will be eating as natural of a diet as I can, making new recipes and trying new foods.

I am super excited to get back in to the swing of things and start sharing my good food and crazy times with everyone.  A new year calls for a new outlook on life, and I definitely have a positive one! I can't wait to let the good times roll :)

Until next time...
HAPPY 2012!

Hello there, again. Sorry for my disappearance! (PLUS the second half of the challenge!)

So today is day 15 of the 30 Day Challenge, the day that I am giving you the second half of the challenge. I know that I have been a little out of the loop for about a week, and I apologize. Things on my end have been oober crazy whirlwinds all over the place. I barely have enough time to stop and breathe, let alone write in my blog. In the past two weeks, I have started at a new school, made the final decision in my moving process, began packing, and been at work any time that I haven't been at school. And although I may not have written about the second week of the challenge, that doesn't mean I haven't been doing it.

I have stayed true to my challenge and been pushing myself to do the challenge, no matter what the circumstances -- and boy has it been tough. I even managed to eat completely homemade meals/snacks on day 10, even with having to leave my house for school at 6 am, and not getting back home until 7:30 pm. I was able to pack breakfast, two snacks, and a lunch to bring with me. I almost caved after my last class ended at 6:30 pm and stopped at Chipotle on my way home, but I stuck it out threw my 45 minute drive and made something when I got home instead.

So although I have not been as on top of every bit of the challenge (especially writing things down and posting on my blog), I would like the take the last 15 days of the challenge to change that. What I would like to challenge myself, and all of you, to do for the next two-ish weeks is to take everything learned from the first 15 challenges and combine and improve on them.

I have decided to do this because I feel that it is very important in life to be able to organize your health and food choices on your own. Real life may become an obstacle every now and then, but if is our job to know how to assess each situation and work with it accordingly. We need to be able to balance everything in life, and learn how to do so on our own terms. And that is what I will be doing.

This will be my experimenting phase and I will make sure and keep track and record about what works, what doesn't, what I can change, what I am thinking about next, and more. So I hope that you join in, let me know what works for you, or what you think about what I am doing!

Thanks for all the support so far! I really appreciate it!!!

Happy Monday, and Happy Healthy Eating!

Days 6 & 7: Food Pyramids ... well, sort of.

Over the decades, the food pyramid has changed several times. When thinking about the food pyramid, most probably think of the old school pyramid with the bottom fourth being grains, the next fourth being half fruits and half vegetables, the next fourth being meats/proteins and dairy, and the top fourth being "extras" (fats, oils, and sweets). Now, the food pyramid goes from left to right and the proportions are different as well. Instead of the grains being 1/4 of the pyramid, and most other categories being about 1/8 or less, each category is very similar in size -- except for the "extras", which is still the smallest.

With all the changes in the food pyramid, it is easy to see how someone could get confused or behind with the latest information. That is why I wanted to try and get back on track and fit my meals in to the pyramid.

You may think it can be a bit difficult to actually keep track of it all or work out your food in to the pyramid, but luckily if you go to www.mypyramid.gov, there is a system that lets you fill out all of your information (age, weight, height, sex, etc) and plans out a specific pyramid just for you. This will help you get started and set a customized plan for you and your food.

As far as the "food plate" goes, it is a more specific design for the food pyramid at each meal. If you are to take your plate at each meal and first fill it up with at least 1/2 vegetable (and/or fruit), about 1/4 protein, and the remaining 1/4 complex carbohydrate (aka: grain/starch) then that is your food plate. This design allows for you to fill up on your fiber, keeping you full and stopping you from filling up on unnecessary calories.

If people were to do this for every meal of every day, then it would leave very little room for swerving off the path of healthy eating. And following this meal plan allows for people to have those foods that they can't live without -- all in moderation of course.

So I challenge you to do this -- today, tomorrow, for yourself, your family, friends, and more. This will help to teach your body to know what it actually needs and suppress those urges for things that you may think that it needs.

I hope this helps, at least a little bit! And until next time, Happy Healthy Eating! And happy Tuesday!!

Day 5: Making all grains WHOLE

It may seem like it's not too difficult to switch all the grains you are eating to whole grains -- and you're right, it's not. At the same time, you have to be very conscious and read the labels of the grains that you are eating. It is just as easy to think you are eating whole grains when you're actually not, as it is to truly be eating them.

That is why reading your labels is very key to eating healthy. No matter what the food, no matter who the company/maker is, no matter what the front of the packaging says ... READ YOUR LABELS.

There are a few things to look for when reading labels:

• When looking at breads, pastas, and other grains -- the first ingredient should be a whole one. Whether it's whole wheat, whole oats, etc.
• Know your ingredients. If there is something on the label that you can not pronounce, it is probably not something that you should be putting in your body.
• Beware of hidden ingredients. There are lots of ingredients that are hidden by other names. For example -- high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils. These are all things that you need to watch for because they can easily be looked over when looking at the ingredients. And you'd be surprised how many things these couple ingredients are in.
• Sugar content. The amount of sugar per serving should not exceed about 10. This will help to prevent blood sugar spikes with quick drops in energy, leaving you feeling groggy and bad. There are a few exceptions, like juices (you still want to make sure that your juice does not have any added sugars to it).

For me, it has become innate to look at the labels of almost everything I eat. But I too get off track with my grains, especially when I go out to eat. Yesterday, I tried to be very conscious about every grain that I ate to make sure it was the best quality and a whole grain. A way that I do this, is making sure that anything that I keep around the house is whole grain, so I am not tempted to snack on/eat things that are just empty carbs. 

Some of my favorites that I like to have around are: Ezekiel bread (found at whole foods or any local health food store), homemade granola/granola bars, Food Should Taste Good Brand whole grain/whole corn tortilla chips, Kashi whole grain frozen waffles, Barilla whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and quinoa.

And I understand that sometimes when you go out to eat, it can be hard to make whole grain choices. That is why I always consider two different options when I am out.

1. Is it made in house? More times that not, if the restaurant is good enough quality to make their own pizza dough, pasta, tortillas, etc, then those grains are probably good enough for you to eat.
2. Opt for no grains and sub for other complex carbohydrates such as: potatoes (not fried!), root vegetables, corn, or beans/legumes.

I hope this all helps keep you on the track for sticking with whole grains! I know that it has definitely helped me out a lot. If you have any other suggestions or questions, please don't hesitate to speak up! Hope your week ended on a high and I hope that your weekend is great!

Until next time... Happy Saturday!!!