24 Day Challenge Results!

I wrapped up my 24 Day Challenge about a week ago. As mentioned in my post about the challenge, this is not a juice-fast, shake-only, starvation cleanse. Think of it as a reset. In the first 10 days you complete the Cleanse–during which you eat whole, clean foods (only avoiding fried foods, sugar, refined carbs, and dairy). You follow the Cleanse with the Max Phase which continues with whole foods, and you can cheese again :), in addition to the awesome supplements you take. 

Clean Eating at it’s finest! Tilapia, broccoli, and big ole salad!

Disclaimer: during the Max Phase you take the MNS Supplements (Metabolic Nutrition System). These supplements do contain a thermogenic that is intended to help with body composition. 

My RESULTS!

Pounds lost: 4

Okay, that is not a life-changing number. And though I was secretly hoping to lose 10 pounds, I can live with 4. Why? Well I am a girl and girls’ lives are rough for a few days every month, bloating included. I also ran a half-marathon in the process of the challenge and allowed myself more carbs than necessary on three occasions and I know that if I would have been more strict I probably would have had better results.

Note: when I say carbs I mean beer. 

But my Before/After pictures do show that I saw some progress! And I feel good. My energy is good, the probiotic does its job, and I do feel like my waist is smaller. I did not take before/after measurements because I couldn’t find my measuring tape.

I plan to continue on the MNS products along with other Advo products. Here are the ones I will continue/start to take:

• MNS E  and Catalyst (for body composition)
• Spark (only when I need it…I still love coffee)
• Mass Impact (this is a great pre-workout for HIIT and Strength workouts)
• Arginine Extreme (pre-workout for Cardio. I used this while training for the half and I tell you, it helps! I know because I am a tester so I tried running with and without it and the days I didn’t take it I wanted to pull out my eyeballs)
• O2 Gold (for cardio. Life changer. You can run, and run, and run and your legs feel strong to the finish. It helps get oxygen to your muscles and keep your lungs feeling fresh)
• Night Time Recovery (horse pills that make you not sore! I took these the night after the half and I was not sore the next day!)

Now, supplements are not for everyone and I get that. I am not recommending you take any, but if you are curious these are the ones I take. If you would like more info on these Advo products you can visit my Advocare site here. I like Advocare products because they are supported by the Sci-Med board of real doctors who have real jobs aside from endorsing Advocare. And Rich Froning (along with other Elite Athletes like Drew Brees, Jason Whitten, and Trevor Bayne) uses it. He is my favorite endorser to look at :).

Peace Out,

E

I am doing a 24-Day Challenge! Day 11 Results

Post by Emily

Before I start..we are not a get slim quick blog–we don’t promote fasting, juice cleanses, or magic pills for drastic (or any) weight loss. Our focus on a healthy lifestyle built around being physically active and fueling your body with proper nutrition is our #1 priority–followed by ramblings.  We are honest about our results, trials and tribulations, and opinions. With that being said…

Why did I choose the 24-Day Challenge?

What I eat in a typical day during the Cleanse phase: 1 Egg on Avocado Toast, Apple with Peanut Butter, Turkey Wrap with mini peppers, Grilled Chicken with a monster salad and 1 small baked potato.

First things first, I am an Advocare Distributor. With that being said I am up for trying anything and have take multiple wellness supplements over the years–from both retail stores and direct sales distributors. I wanted to lose some weight and had been looking into other “challenge” type programs for about a month or so. As I researched, many of programs required you to drink shakes for every meal or cut out entire food groups for period of time and that just isn’t for me. I chose the 24-Day Challenge because along with taking the products that are backed by a board of doctors and physicians, you eat real food. For success they recommend you eliminate sugar, fried foods, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol–which is customary to the principles of clean eating. I also knew that I had to be eating enough to fuel my longer runs and training. I am glad I chose the 24DC because I haven’t felt hungry once!

YUM! Tilapia, Brocolli, and a Salad

Why I am doing the 24-Day Challenge?

Honestly, I want to lose weight. I have struggled with my weight for at least the last five years. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not obese but I have been trying to lose what seems like the same 10-15 pounds for as long as I can remember. I am very active– I am currently training for a half marathon– and I eat healthy about 60% percent of the time. I have been an Advocare Distributor since college and have done two challenges before, but during those previous challenges my mindset wasn’t right and I didn’t follow through–cheated on the nutrition, skipped supplements, etc. I decided to do this challenge because 1) I am in my sister-in-laws wedding this May and I want to look good 🙂 2) I am on this kick of starting things and finishing them and I wanted to see what it could do for me–because everyone who knows me well, knows that I am really good at starting projects/challenges/plans….and then quitting for no reason (I think I have amnesia or something).

What is the 24 Day Challenge?

It is a 24 Day program designed to cleanse your body of waste and toxins, and improve body composition and overall health. There are two phases in the challenge: Cleanse and Max. The Cleanse phase is days 1-10 and is designed to cleanse your body. No worries, this doesn’t cause explosions of any sort, it is a gentle cleanse. Honestly, it made me pee a lot during the first few days. During this phase you take the Herbal Cleanse supplements (a fiber drink, probiotic, and herbal cleanse caplets) and Spark (Advocare energy drink supplement). This phase prepares your body for maximum absorption of nutrients and preps it for the Max Phase. During the Max Phase you take the MNS Supplements and Spark. The MNS packets contain a probiotic, multivitamin, omegas, thermogenics, and other herbal supplements to support your goals. MNS comes in three varieties: MNS E for Energy, MNS C for appetite control, and MNS 3 for comprehensive support.

For my 24 Day Challenge I chose the Watermelon Spark, MNS E, Vanilla Shakes, and added Catalyst and Carb-Ease to my supplements

For more info, go here.

If you’ve been looking to jump start some weight loss, break through a plateau, lean out or tone up, get more defined, perform better, or just improve your overall health and wellness, I want to highly recommend for you to check out the 24-day challenge. It is a great starting point for everyone, no matter the goals. I have no doubt if you pair it with some healthy lifestyle changes, you WILL see results!! So far (Day 11) I have lost 4 lbs and inches–I didn’t measure when I started. Here are my Day 11 pictures.

I love that It is NOT a fad diet. It is HIGH QUALITY, natural, supplements designed to fill in nutritional gaps and work in conjunction with high quality NUTRITION: vitamins, minerals, nutrients, etc. that help your body perform and function like it’s designed to do.

If you do not have an Advocare distributor and coach, I would gladly answer any questions you may have regarding the challenge (you can shoot me an email at emschneweis@gmail.com).

Follow me on Instagram for daily check-ins @therealemilydavis

Exercises That Burn More Calories Than Running…yep you read that right!

Post by Emily

I came across this article today on Yahoo.com; I was curious–anything with a title like “10 Exercises That Burn More Calories Than Running” grabs my attention! I thought I would share it because there has to be people out there, who like me, like to workout but don’t always ever want to run. I will let you read the article to get it’s full effect but some numbers fascinated me. Take a peek below!

Kettlebell Swings- In a study by the University of Wisconsin, participants burned 20.2 calories a minute and their average heart was 93 percent of its max for the course of a 20-minute workout. That is amazing!

Tabatas- For four minutes you complete 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest
“This four-minute miracle drill burns major calories both during a workout and after. In an Auburn University at Montgomery study, participants who did eight rounds of all-out jump squats—20 seconds of hard work, separated by 10 seconds of rest—burned 13.4 calories per minute and doubled their post-exercise metabolic rate for at least 30 minutes.”  That is 107.2 Calories in 8 minutes people

Burpees-“A 180-pound person burns about 1.43 calories per burpee, says exercise scientist and Spartan Coach Jeff Godin. So if you can hammer out at least seven a minute you’re in the double digits. But you should shoot to average at least 10 every 60 seconds, or a rate of 14.3 calories per minute. Why? Performing just 10 reps at a fast pace can rev your metabolism as much as a 30-second, all-out bike sprint, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting.” (source: yahoo.com)

So how does all of this compare to running? Well it is assumed that for most people, running at a 10-minute per mile pace you will burn approximately 10 calories per minute. If you are running faster, you will have a higher burn rate.

So to burn 300 calories I would need to do one of the following:

• Run for 30 minutes at a 10 minute mile pace (6 mph on a treadmill)
• Complete 14 minutes of kettlebell swings. This seems like a lot too!
• Complete 3 rounds of tabata jump squats (12 minutes working out)
• Do 20 minutes of burpees (10 burpees per minute)–probably not 🙂

Doing these might seem like a lot, so I created this Tabata workout for you!

• Tabata #1: Jump Squats & Pushups
  • Alternate each work interval with Jump Squats and Pushups; it will look like this (20 seconds jump squats, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds pushups, 10 seconds rest, repeat these two intervals 6 times). Rest 1-2 minutes before going on to Tabata #2.
• Tabata #2: Burpees & Walking Lunges (add a bicep curl to these if you are feeling frisky). Rest 1-2 minutes before completing Tabata #3
• Tabata #3: Kettlebell Swings & Mountain Climbers (from a plank position)

Complete this workout for an awesome 12-minute workout that will leave you burning calories all day long!

**Note, I am not a personal trainer and by doing this workout you are doing it at your own risk. It is always necessary to consult your physician before beginning a new exercise routine. Don’t sue me, you won’t win.

With Love,

Emily

Things I Don’t Understand About Running…

Post By Emily

So we are four weeks out from our half marathon in OKC. Where has the time gone? As my runs get longer I am finding there are many things I do not understand about running and the affects it has on the body. So here is my Top 5–enjoy!

1. Long runs tend to be easier than weekly runs.

I know it sounds strange, but my long runs on Sunday are usually more enjoyable than my regular weekly runs. I think my mind is very different for long runs–I am mentally prepared for them to royally suck, while my regular weekly runs I am thinking along the lines of “Easy three and then I am done.”

2. Running 6 miles does not mean you can eat 6 times the amount of food to recover 🙂

Okay, maybe not six times–but running longer distances (for me anyway) has not been a shortcut to turning into those super-skinny runners we see on TV. Proper nutrition and portion sizes still remains important in the overall scheme of health and wellness. Bummer.

3. People in small towns find runners to be the best form of evening entertainment.

Seriously. People drive by me up to five times on my runs. Which means they are bored, nosy, stalkers, or all of the above. So people, I will only waive once. End of discussion.

4. My GPS watch and phone are never the same when tracking distance.

I have been using the RunKeeper app (it will do timed intervals for FREE!) and my Soleus GPS watch and they are never the same. No matter where I run. I don’t understand. But I stick to my phone as far as accuracy and my watch for intervals–if I am going to run different paces for certain distances.

**Side note–If you are running any form of timed intervals, find an app or watch that will alert you when to change paces so you don’t have to constantly check the time. It makes the runs go so much faster.

5. I keep signing up for races

Whit and I are running a 10K this Saturday to use it as a prep race for the half. I am going to use it to practice my race strategy for the big day. But we also have decided on another race this summer–and I have been looking into races in the fall. I guess it is my addiction to finishing things–and race t-shirts. But I still do not like to run. I know….there is something wrong with me.

Why core and strength matter for running

Post by Whitney

Running injuries are unfortunately fairly common for runners from beginners all the way to seasoned pros. The monotonous motion using the same muscles over and over can lead to issues. That is part of why I chose to make the investment in a running coach last year while training for my first full marathon. I am a naturally inflexible human….. like there are rocks with more range of motion than I have. I knew that combined with past injuries from my high school glory days and that one time I tried to beat the softball to third base (I was safe), my intense training could lead to problems. I needed the expertise of a coach to help me train holistically.

How did it go? I didn’t suffer one single injury! How you ask? Core and strength. Hands down. I have always been active and have even lifted weights quite a bit, but having a naturally flat stomach lead me to neglect core workouts. I have read much literature about how important a strong core is. What the heck does core mean, though?! I pretty much knew abs were good but that was it. Core basically includes all the muscles in the core part of your body (duh). They are what provide stability and take a lot of pressure off your legs as you cover many miles. It’s not just your abs either. It’s your sides (obliques), back, hips, and glutes, too.

The red areas are what comprise your core muscles.

Having a history of hamstring injuries, I truly believe that focusing on building core strength and even greater leg and upper body strength through weight lifting, kept me from injury. I did have a tiny twinge of a tendon issue in August from slipping on gravel, but that was a freak incident, not from overuse.

A strong core may allow you to learn weird, useless tricks.

So, how do you add core and strength to your training? I enjoy random videos, pinterest ideas and body weight moves. Think crunches, planks, light dumbbell weight moves like bicep curls and shoulder press, superman back extensions, lunges, squats, calf raises galore.

Core can be a game, too! Challenge friends to hold death moves like “6 inches” where you hold your feet up as long as possible.

If you want more specific ideas, look for my next few posts where I will suggest work outs to try!

Until next time, Whitney

Dominican Adventure!

Hey Guys! It has been a few weeks now, but in January, my family and I traveled for a relaxing week in the Dominican Republic. We went to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Resort.

It was incredible!! Beautiful weather and an incredible beach lead to a fun week.

Since it was a Hard Rock, there was memorabilia and fun rock items all around the resort. Including Madonna’s outrageous limo in the lobby. We were told to “turn left at Madonna’s limo” when we got there and I was rather confused until seeing this bad boy.

Three of my sisters, their husbands, my parents, and Luke went along!

We ate entirely too much, which is actually a requirement of an all inclusive in case you didn’t know. When you’ve already paid for it, you might as well consume it!

Aren’t we cute? Spending an uninterrupted week  with the husband wasn’t too shabby either. All in all, it was a fantastic week and I came home rested with a sweet tan. Can’t complain about that!

Until next time, Whitney

Half Marathon Training- Week 1

Well my first week of my training plan is in the books. There is something about week one–it is exciting, daunting, new–and I can’t help but look ahead on my schedule on what the next week will bring.

Workouts I did

Quick Confession: I did not do all of the prescribed workouts. We are calving on our farm and last week was pretty hectic.

My scheduled workouts included:

Monday- Run 2 to 3 miles at an easy pace

Tuesday- Strength Train

Wednesday- Run 2 to 3 miles at an easy pace

Thursday- Strength Train

Friday- Run 3 miles at an easy pace

Saturday- Day off

Sunday- Run 3.5 miles at an easy pace

Here is what I did:

–I didn’t even check the schedule before I went running, so my miles were short too. Failure to plan is planning to fail!–

Friday- 2 miles

Sunday- 3 miles

The running was okay. Because I haven’t been running regularly I am running on a 3 minute run, 2 minute walk interval. I plan to decrease my walk time and up my run time as the plan goes on, but run/walk helps prevent injury as I up my mileage.

***I know, not off to a great start. I am striving for progress not perfection here! This week I have a plan of action for my workouts and what all that they will entail. For example, today I know I will need to go to the farm after school but I am going to run my 2.5 miles first before Cody gets off of work and we head that way.

What is up this week:

Monday- 2.5 miles easy + 10 minutes of abs/core

Tuesday- Strength Train (I will be doing the Tone It Up Kettletoning Workout…it is a great one!)

Wednesday- Run 3 miles easy + Foam Rolling

Thursday- Strength Train (Body Beast Lucky 7 Workout)

Friday- Yoga (PiYo Sweat)

Saturday- Run 4 miles at an easy pace (For me this is about 6.0 mph on a treadmill, or a 10 min/mile)

Sunday- Rest!!

Half Training: Day 1

Here we go! Today is Day 1 of my 12-week journey to 13.1 miles. I wanted to share with you the training plan I will use to get prepared for the big race. I will be using this program from Self.com.

Here is why I chose this training plan, over the millions that are out there.

1. Variety- this plan incorporates long runs, speed intervals, tempo runs, and hills along with yoga, strength training, and cross-training. I like that it tells me what to do (strength, yoga, cross, etc.) instead of the generic “cross training-any non-weight bearing cardio exercise”…what does that even mean?

2. Length of time- 12 weeks seems doable–not like a giant commitment, plus I didn’t have more time than that.

3. Running Frequency- 3 to 4 runs a week is a good frequency for me. I don’t want to run everyday, and this does allow some flexibility when it comes to my crazy school and farm schedule and weather. I really prefer to not run indoors so if it is going to be super nice one day and yucky the next, I can move my runs around.

4. Distance covered- I really like that I run further than 13.1 miles during my plan. My mind is a huge part of my running success, so I know that if I run further than 13.1 miles there won’t be a giant mental hurdle on race day.

As I train I will be using the Endomondo running app on my iPhone–you can add me as a friend!– to track my distance. I have a GPS watch but I can’t ever get it to work just right on my runs.

Are you running a spring race? Let us know!

Follow us on Instagram @fitnessonthepriarie for training check-ins, food, and farm stuff 🙂

Oklahoma CityHalf Marathon…. Here we come!

It is done. I have signed up for my 5th half marathon! Though I hope to go for a new PR and run it without walking, I’m just excited to be a part of it. I have heard nothing but greatness about the meaning involved in this race. I can’t wait to take part and to support it! Emily is running it too (her first!!!) as well as several others we know. We will be keeping you updated on how our training is going, what we are doing to prepare, and how you can train for one too! So, stay tuned! T-minus 84 days to race day!
Until next time, Whitney

Why you should workout when you don’t feel like it…

Post by Whitney 🙂 Now, I’m the first one to admit that there are times when you should seriously take a break. If you have been sick, are recovering from an injury or something similar, by all means sit on the couch. If you’re just feeling super lazy like I was earlier? Get your butt up and do something. My workout for today was 45 minutes of cross training per request of my running coach. I knew I wanted to do an arms workout I got by email from Livestrong that would take 30 min. http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/dashboard/workouts/ How did I trick myself into doing it? I turned on the video. Really. That’s enough to get me curious and off my seat. So, I’m standing there in my work clothes warming up my arms and thought “maybe I should put on a tank” so I did that. Then, the workout picked up and I had to do some push-ups which don’t work well in jeans when you do sissy push ups on your knees. Next thing I know I only have 10 minutes left and I’m in full workout gear.

Did it hurt? Yes. Did I die? It was questionable for a moment, but no. Once the 30 min were up, my arms were shaking but I had 15 min of training left, so back to the email I went. Home workouts caught my eye and one was for a 15 minute leg workout found here. Seeing that I’d need some kicks, I threw on my closest pair and went to work. My friend Melanie can attest to the fact that my post workout texts were not precisely encouraging, but I was done! A bonus? I needed breaks between leg reps so now my kitchen is clean and my floor is vacuumed too. It doesn’t always work out this well, but you never know until you try!

Until next time, Whitney