Feeling a little under the weather

One thing I have learned this week is it is better to rest when you are sick then try to work out. I have been fighting a cold all week and stubborn me did not want to give up on my workouts. Part of the reason I am sick is because I have a hard time letting myself rest. Last week I was just go go go and that is not good for your body. Sleep is soooo important!! Try to get at least 6-8 hours a night. You need to let your body rest after your workouts. If you are feeling sick you should follow the above/below the neck rule. If you have a runny nose, sneezing, sore throat you should continue with a low-impact workout. This would be a great day for Yoga or Pilates.  If your symptoms are below the next, such as vomiting, fever, diarrhea you should rest your body. Any day you have to skip your workouts just lower your calories and everything will even out.

I joined a Bootcamp class at my gym this morning. It is 8am MWF. Today I had my first class. I was not feeling 100% but thought I would do it anyways. I got my butt kicked!! Now my cold is getting bad again. I should have just listed to my body and rested. I could be on my way to 100% by now:( Today, I also got a Calorie Point Test done to test my RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate). RMR is the energy required to perform vital body functions. I was told that if I went into a coma, this would be how many calories my body would need just to function. Knowing this number is vital if you are counting calories. I have been struggling with this for months now. I have had no idea if I was eating enough calories, especially with my hard workouts I have been doing. I discovered from the test that I was eating no where near enough calories!! 

My RMR is 1,200. That is the lowest amount I can eat before my body goes into starvation mode. If I eat more then 1,680 without working out, I will start to gain weight. The trainer found the middle number between that which is 1,440. That is my goal number to lose weight and not store fat. If I eat below that number my body will think its in starvation mode and hold onto the fat I do have. On days I do not work out, I need to eat 1,440. On days I do work out, I need to eat 1,440 plus the calories I burned from working out. I have not been eating back the work out calories and that why I have not been able to lose the last 10 pounds! It makes me really nervous to be eating this many calories but I am going to trust the trainer and see if this works. Online you can find calculators to roughly figure out you RMR. I highly recommend doing this if you are not able to get the actual test done. This can truly change your body and help make all your hard work pay off!

Here is the easy recipe for the Fajita Salad I have for dinner almost ever night..Enjoy!

3-4oz Chicken Breast
1/2 Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Sliced Onion
Romaine Lettuce
1 Tablespoon EVOO
2 Tablespoon Mango Salsa
2 Tablespoon Fat Free Sour Cream
Fajita Seasoning( Soon I will be making my own but for now I use Old El Paso)
1/4 cup Black Beans (Optional) 


Cook Chicken 
Cook Bell Peppers and Onion in EVOO
Combine and add desired amount of Seasoning 
Cook until sauce thickens and add to Lettuce
Top with Sour Cream and Salsa
Enjoy!!