A couple of weeks ago, I asked on my Facebook page for you guys to post some questions you had for me. I answered one on Saturday on how to get your water in with some fun phone apps. Today, I’m going to address some of the more basic questions you guys asked.
Q: What kind of exercise can I do besides running to lose weight?
- Well, there are ALL sorts of exercises to lose weight. Running is always going to be a great form of cardio, but there’s also biking (my fave), the eliptical, swimming, and countless fitness DVDs. I’m a fan of anything Jillian Michaels does and also a few of the Biggest Loser DVDs (especially the Weight Loss Yoga one). You also cannot forget about the countless classes out there! Zumba is of course one of my favorites!
Along with cardio, strength training is a great way to build muscle which will help you burn fat and lose weight along with inches. A lot of Jillian’s DVDs incorporate some strength training, but there are countless exercises you can do. There are free weights, resistance bands, and even your own body weight to help you tone up. You can do pushups, sit up, lunges, bicep curls, bent over rows, and so much more. Looking for a better butt? Then try a squat challenge. Or maybe you want badass biceps, then give the 100 pushup challenge a try!
Seriously, any movement you do is going to help you lose weight. Sometimes I just turn up my music loud and dance around like a mad woman! 
Q: How many calories daily are ideal?
- I do not have a right answer for this. I do not count calories since I follow Weight Watchers’ Simply Filling Plan. I do know that websites like My Fitness Pal can help you figure out what will work for you. But, as always your doctor or a registered dietitain would be the best person to answer your question. 
Q: Did you ever struggle with closet eating?
- This is actually something I really haven’t talked about much on my blog. I have suffered from it in the past. I remember as a teen eating a whole other meal after everyone had gone to bed. Along with plenty of times when I worked third shift where I would eat a whole pint of Ben & Jerry’s, several candy bars, a fast food meal, along with other countless empty calories. I worked alone, so there was no one around to see the damage I would do. I was super unhappy with myself during those times and my eating totally mirrored that.
I learned to work through it though. I have learned to deal with my emotions in other ways rather than eating to shut them up. Now I remind myself that food won’t fix whatever the problem may be.It doesn’t always work, because sometimes I will find myself heading to the kitchen to binge on something. But after a few bites, I take a step back and remind myself how far I have come and that I’m better than that.
It has been a total learning process and will most likely be something I will always deal with. If you’re looking for some great reading on binge eating, go check out my friend Emily at Fit & Free with Emily. She has a binge eating series that is phenomenal!
Q: Have you experienced muscle cramps? If so, how did you handle them?
- Muscle cramps SUCK! I get them in my calves and thighs sometimes. They are usaually a result of me not stretching enough. They can also be a result of not drinking enough water! I deal with them by just waiting them out and screaming to Mr. B how badly it hurts.
Q: What did you eat in the beginning when you first started losing weight?
- Great question! Believe it or not, I didn’t hop right on the eating healthy train. In the beginning I relied a lot on Smart One meals and other quick processed things. Then I started making it a goal to try a new recipe a week, which slowly got me cooking more. Now I cook all the time and rarely rely on those quick fixes, although those are still great to have on night where you just don’t feel like cooking!
I say try to cook more and try new foods. You may be shocked that foods you thought you hated, you may actually enjoy!
Well there you have it! My first Q & A post! There were a couple of other queistions, but those will be seperate post because I have a lot to say on those topics.
I wanna know, is this something you would like to see more of? If so, post your questions below or email me via my contact tab! Feel free to ask me anything from my favorite color (red) to my favorite after workout snack! I’m going to try for this once a month!
