May, 2015 | Saved By Grace

Beginning Treadmill for Plus Size Gals

May 20, 2024 By Christine 3 Comments

Thank you to Rainbeau Curves for sponsoring today’s discussion on beginning treadmill for plus size gals.

When I stepped into the gym for the first time, I didn’t recognize hardly anything. Then, I saw a row of treadmills in the corner of the cardio floor and I got excited because I though, “Hey! I know what this is. I just jump on and run, right?”

Boy was I wrong! First of all, there are so many buttons to push to get a bigger picture of what you are doing in your workout and each machine style is different and offers different benefits and drawbacks. If you are starting the treadmill for the first time or the first time in a long time, here are some tips for beginning treadmill for plus size gals.

Beginning Treadmill for Plus Size Gals

Check with your Doc before beginning an exercise program. He or she may have some recommendations and they will probably also want to check you out and run some basic labs to make sure you are healthy enough for vigorous exercise on a treadmill.

Do your Strength Training before any treadmill time. You will get a better burn of calories if you do. You should also stretch before starting any exercise.

Make sure you have good quality running shoes. It is very important that you have shoes that are made for running or jogging and not just sneakers. They will offer your foot the proper support so you won’t get fatigued as easily and as you are carrying extra weight on your body you need a shoe that will offer the most support. Your shoes do not have to be expensive, but they should be made for running.

Get some grease or powder. Don’t laugh. I seriously recommend greasing up or powdering your inner thighs and pubic area. You can buy stuff made for runners such as Anti-Monkey Butt, too. I have some and it’s well-worth it. I will never forget the time I forgot to use my powder and I had to take days off my workout routine because I had chafed so bad. To grease up your thighs and areas where you chafe, try Body Glide.

Wear the proper clothing. It is important to have comfortable clothing to run and jog in on the treadmill. I like Rainbeau Curves because they have so many great pieces and they are made for plus sized people, not just oversize traditional pieces. I suggest getting versatile pieces such as this Jocelyn Tank with built-in bra (I can wear this tank without an additional bra with DD sized bust and it is supportive enough!), Kayla Layer Tee and Krysten Capri. Wearing the right clothing is not only important for comfort and smooth movement,but also for compression. Compression can help you workout better and it is possible that it helps with blood flow, too!

Start small and don’t over-do it at first. It may feel like you are supposed to go all out when you hop on a treadmill, but don’t feel like you have to. In fact, it could be dangerous and you could get hurt. Start on a low speed with no incline until you get a feel for the machine and how it moves as well as how your body takes it. I promise you if you stick with it, your endurance will get going and you will see a difference in what you can do in a short amount of time. For instance, I started barely able to go for 10 minutes, not even a mile on no incline at a walk. Now, less than 6 months later, I can do 4K in 50 minutes with varying intensity (called interval training) with no problems. Be patient with yourself! Start with a manual setting rather than a programmed one until you get used to different speeds, inclines and workouts.

Don’t take the machine’s word for it when it comes to calories burned. Sometimes, they can be wrong. Ask your gym when the last time they were checked to see how accurate they are. You will most likely get the most accuracy out of commercial treadmills because they ask for a lot of information such as your age and weight to give you the best picture.

Be safe. Follow all the treadmill’s safety guidelines and read them before you step on. Know where the emergency stop is. Never get on a moving treadmill and if you must get off of one, stop it completely. Some machines offer a clip that you can clip on to

Try to find a gym that offers newer equipment. This can be important because some of the newer treadmills are made for higher weight limits. You want one that can handle your rockin’ body because it will help with how your legs and knees hit on impact.

Find a way to zone out. I find it helps to pass the time if I don’t watch the treadmill and I instead listen to music on my phone on Pandora or I watch a TV program. Before you know it, you will have burned a couple hundred calories without even knowing it.

Have a goal in mind. Whether it’s to burn a certain number of calories or workout a certain amount of time or even go a certain distance, create a personal goal each time you get on the treadmill. This will help you push through when you feel like giving up. It is important to listen to your body, though. If it is feeling very fatigued or very pained or you feel light headed or dizzy, it is time to stop. It’s not worth getting hurt. There is always another chance.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: plus size fashion, plus size work out clothes, plus size workout wear, treadmill for beginners

DIY Foaming Charcoal Face Scrub

May 17, 2024 By Christine 7 Comments

DIY Foaming Charcoal Face Scrub- Make your own charcoal scrub to fight blackheads. Charcoal helps clear out pores. Try this DIY Natural cleaner.

A couple of popular brands have recently come out with some charcoal facial skin care products. This is because charcoal has long been used to clean anything from teeth to skin for a long time. This is no new thing. In fact it’s probably more of a turn of the century thing or even older. The reason being is, charcoal has a way of taking out impurities and helping to clear blackheads and oily skin.

Now, you could go spend money on one of these new facial care products, or you could simply make it yourself. I like to make things myself because in a lot of products on the shelves there are chemicals and things I don’t recognize and the idea of putting something like that to deep clean my pores on my face just gives me the shivers. I looked at one of the leading brand’s ingredients for their charcoal facial scrub and it had 25 ingredients and the only one I recognized was water. I put together an easy recipe that includes a natural toner, scrubber and blackhead/grease fighter!

charcoal face scrub

Here is a simple 5 ingredient version of foaming charcoal face scrub to make at home. To find the supplies, scroll to just under the recipe. These are affiliate links, so I get a kickback if you purchase, but they are the same price as you would normally get. Thanks for helping me keep the lights on here!

DIY Foaming Charcoal Face Scrub

Ingredients

½ Cup Rose Water
5 Activated Charcoal Capsules
1 cup Water
4 Tbsp Unscented Liquid Dr. Bronner's
10 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil
Old Foaming Soap dispenser

Instructions

Clean out your soap dispenser well to remove any residue.
Add the rose water to the dispenser and then the Dr. Bronner;s.Gently mix it together.
Carefully open the charcoal capsules and dump them into the mix. Take a swizzle stick or something small and gently mix in.
Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil.
Slowly add water to full until almost full. Add your pump on and give it a squirt.

Notes

Use 1x per day to clear oil from skin. Reduce use if it dries you out too much. Make sure to rinse well.

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Supplies needed to make DIY Foaming Charcoal Face Scrub:

Rose water (works as a toner)

Activated Charcoal Capsules (blackhead/pore refiner)

Unscented Dr. Bronner’s (foaming agent and cleanser)

The amounts of the items purchased here will make many bottles of this so this is a great deal.

More Uses for Dr. Bronners':

10 Practical Uses for Dr. Bronner’s

DIY Soft Scrub Cleaner

Filed Under: Beauty, Crafts & DIY, DIY Beauty Tagged With: blackhead scrub, charcoal scrub, DIY charcoal scrub, foaming charcoal face scrub

How to Get Over Gym Anxiety When you are Plus Sized

May 8, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

Thank you to Rainbeau Curves for letting me talk to you today about how to get over gym anxiety when you are plus sized.

I avoided the gym for many years because of gym anxiety. Not only did I avoid it, I laughed secretly in my head at those that loved hanging out in the gym and decided they must all be vain, self serving and even rude. I thought for sure they must be making fun of me behind my back. I am so sorry I ever thought those things. I now love my gym time.

Not only does it get me healthy and give me “me time”, but I feel things I never thought I would feel at the gym. These include powerful, exhilarated, inspired and bursting with energy. I am amazed at hoe mechanical my body is and how I am able to push it to it’s limits in ways I never thought possible.

Just 5 months ago, I had bought a wheelchair and decided I would just give in and use it. The time at the grocery store was getting too painful, my daily activities taking twice as long and the idea of taking a walk in the park with my husband was something I thought i would have to say goodbye to. I simply had too much chronic pain.

I then had an “aha moment”. I decided that I wanted to give it one last go at health. I am a fighter and I am not willing to give up. I joined a gym, despite the anxiety, and started eating clean. I also quit that nasty habit of smoking.

The first time I went to the gym, I was very nervous. I actually took a few weeks to give in and just join one. I thought I would be the only big girl in there and all those negative thoughts about the “kind of people” I would see there. Here are some tips for you on how to get over gym anxiety when you are plus sized so you can join me on my journey to health.

How to Get Over Gym Anxiety When you are Plus Sized

Visit a few gyms before you decide on one. I knew I had found the right gym when I saw people that looked like me. Not just other plus sized people, but “average” people. People that I could see myself chatting with. I also loved that my gym provided a room for just women who wanted to work out on their own. Ask questions of the staff and ask for a tour. Most will be more than happy to give you one.

Wear outfits that make you feel confident when you go. I suggest wearing workout and fitness clothing for plus sized women that makes you feel confident and is specifically designed for plus sized people, not just in bigger sizes. I like the brand Rainbeau Curves because they fit well on my body and they are comfortable and supportive. Look for tops that are flowy to hide a tummy like I do in this Lilian Stripe Tank. I like the softness of these Maya Capris.

Go with a friend. If you can’t see yourself going alone right now, find comfort in a friend. Often times, gyms don’t require your friend to be a member, but extend a free guest pass for a specific number of times or indefinitely. Some gyms, like mine charge a low fee each time they go, but if you want a friend to come a couple times, this shouldn’t get too costly. You may even be able to add them to your membership for less and split the difference.

Wear headphones with your favorite music. Zone out. That’s what I do to get over it. I bring noise cancelling headphones, my phone and Pandora. I am able to focus on what I am doing and drown out everyone else.

Go to a 24 hour gym late at night. Our gym is 24 hours at one of the locations in town and at first my husband and I went late at night when peak times were over and we could mostly be alone. This was a great way to get familiar with the machines so my confidence was boosted when I started going during the day.

Make an appointment with a trainer. If this is your first time in a gym, start with a few training sessions. A trainer can help you get used to the equipment and help you develop a plan so when you are on your own, you will know what to do. Some gyms offer a limited number of free sessions when you join, even!

Do some research. Check out what others have to say about the gym you want to join. Feedback from members in crucial in decision-making in most cases.

Realize everyone starts somewhere. If you look around and see people that look the way you wish you did now, understand that maybe they came very far to get where they are now. They might be years into their journey. Don’t allow others appearances to make you feel bad, instead try to feel inspired! Also, try to remain open and friendly. It might surprise you that many people are also open and friendly at the gym and want to cheer you on.

Looking for more Plus Sized Fitness Ideas?

Check out my post on Tips for doing yoga when you are plus sized!

Filed Under: Health

The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 + Printable!

May 4, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

When most people decide they want to go organic with their produce choices, they worry that it is an all-or-nothing sort of deal and they may not be able to afford to live that way. I am here to tell you that you can do pretty well in your organic quest if you know what to buy.

At the end of this post, there is a link for a printable (that’s FREE!) that you can print out to hang on your fridge and a portion at the bottom with wallet sized lists so you have them when you are at the store for quick reference.

The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15

What is the dirty dozen, you ask? The dirty dozen and the clean 15 are 2 lists of produce types that you should watch for or that are generally safe to buy conventionally (non-organic). As you have probably guessed, one of the biggest reasons people go organic is to avoid pesticides. It should be noted that organic does not always mean non-GMO, though.

This list of foods are what are rated to generally use the most pesticides in the industry and which types use less. Either way, you should always wash your produce before eating it.

The Clean 15 is a list of fruits and vegetables that you can generally feel safe about buying non-organic and the Dirty Dozen is a list of fruits and vegetables that you should strive to buy organic if possible. Having this list will help you pick and choose which ones you should prioritize if you are on a budget and can’t afford to buy all of your fruits and veggies organic.

Here are the lists below and the free printable is linked at the bottom as well.

The Clean 15:

Onions, Sweet Corn (watch for GMO!), Avocado, Pineapple, Mango, Sweet Peas, Eggplant, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Kiwi, Cabbage, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Sweet Potatoes and Honeydew

The Dirty Dozen:

Apples,Celery,Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Grapes, Nectarines, Peaches, Potatoes, Spinach, Strawberries, Blueberries and Sweet Bell Peppers

Get your FREE printable for the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen here. You can just download it to your computer and print for later or you can print from the doc right now! The bottom section is small and can fit in your wallet for on-the-go reference.

More Healthy Eating Tips:

How to Eat Clean for Cheap

The Truth about Free-Range eggs

How to Find Time to Cook

Filed Under: Green Living Tagged With: clean 15, dirty dozen of produce, free printable, what is the clean 15, what is the dirty dozen

How to Eat Clean for Cheap

May 2, 2024 By Christine 10 Comments

Eating clean is all over the place these days. You will see recipes for eating clean on Pinterest, people talking about it on social media and even the news doing stories on it.

But what exactly is eating clean?

Eating clean is one of those phrases that kind of doesn’t have a definite definition. For some people, eating clean is simply cutting out processed foods. For others, it is eating raw. For many people, it is a Paleo diet. For myself, it is cutting out as much processed foods as I can and eating as healthy as possible. For me, this means no soda, boxed meals, powdered substances, labels with ingredients I don’t recognize and as organic and non-GMO as possible. The reason I may not fit some people’s definition of clean eating is because I do not militantly cut out things as I am on a budget and sometimes it is hard to eat clean for cheap by doing so. I always weight the benefits and the pros and cons before making grocery purchasing decisions, however.

If you are also on a budget and you are wanting to try a healthy way of eating, here are some tips on how to eat clean for cheap.

How to Eat Clean for Cheap

Know about the labels on food as well as the ingredients and what to steer clear of. Things like high fructose corn syrup, dextrose and glucose are just sugar. Eating clean means avoiding added sugar and most boxed and processed foods contain it. This means watching “health foods” as well. You will spend less if you avoid processed foods altogether.

Shop for produce in season. Shopping in season is always best for saving money, but when you will be buying many fresh things, it is important to stick with what is in season for sales so you can get the best deals on your produce. You will also want to check out farmer’s markets as well so you can buy local as most of the time this is the freshest and best quality and often, you can get organic and non-GMO foods for less.

Make your own convenience foods. If you won’t be buying convenience foods, you will need to still make them if you intend to still save yourself time in the kitchen. You can make things like sauces, soups, stocks and even baking mixes for much cheaper at home and you know what is in them, too.

Join a co-op. A co-op is a community purchasing program with a storefront that allows members to get great deals on local and national food and self-care products at a lower price than a traditional store. If you join a co-op, you will be able to save as well as support local business.

Buy in bulk. Buying in bulk on a clean eating diet is one of the vital ways I save money. I buy things like rice, oats, seasonings, honey, meat and more in the bulk section of my favorite store and it save me so much money when it comes to making my own convenience foods as well as having things like rice always on hand.

Decide what is important to you and prioritize. Maybe for you, it is simply cutting added sugar or eating more fresh foods. Don’t think of clean eating as an all-or-nothing thing. You can start slow with just the things that matter most to you and work your way into more habits as you can afford them.