Rockin' Body

I'm going to start Rockin' Body on January 1st and I'm going to follow the calendar included with the package. This means some days I'll have over 45 minutes of exercise but I'm ready to get back into the more serious workouts so I need to do this.

I didn't do well with the 30 for 25 Challenge and I can think up two reasons (other than the obvious self-blame, LOL). First, I wasn't willing to stray from the 30 minute stipulation. I have a lot of 45 minute workout DVDs that I *could* have done to mix up the variety and not get bored but I didn't. I had set a timer for 30 minutes and dammit, I wasn't going over. I'm weird in that way. Secondly, the decision of what to do was sometimes overwhelming for me. Rather than just do something, I would throw my hands up and declare it a missed night because I just couldn't decide what I wanted to do. Again, I fully realize how silly and cop-out that sounds but it's how I am. I'm a horrible decision maker sometimes.

Last night I was reflecting back to when I was doing the Insanity workouts. Now granted, I didn't finish the schedule due to injury; but until I couldn't do it any more, I was doing really well at staying on track. I pin that success on the fact that the Insanity workout had a schedule to follow. I knew as soon as I got home from work which workout I'd be doing that day. Sometimes it was a 30 minute workout, sometimes 45, sometimes more. The minutes didn't matter. My goal was to finish that day's schedule and I just did it.

Rockin' Body also has a schedule. It's broken up into 4 weeks so I figured January 1st was as good a day to start as any. I've set up a new tracker to the right where I'll mark my progress with the workout schedule.

Bah!

My follow-through is quite lacking lately! My 30 for 25 challenge is failing miserably. So far I've done the 30 minutes of exercise on FIVE days out of fourteen. That's 36%. Hrmpf.

On a more joyous note, my Sweetie bought me Shaun T's Rockin Body workout dvd set! I should have it by next week sometime and I'm excited for some more fun 30-minute dance type exercises. I've mentioned before that I'm the whitest white girl and my dance moves are awkward and clumsy at best - but truth be told, I still have so much more fun with the workouts when I'm doing those types.

Hula Hooping!

A friend of mine started C25K and said she was hoping to like running eventually. I told her to experiment because exercise is always easier to stick with if you enjoy what you're doing. She replied that she liked the hula hoop. Which reminded me ...

I LOVE the hula hoop! (Comes in as a close 2nd to climbing on playground equipment, lol - I'm a kid at heart!)

I guess it never occurred to me to use the hula hoop as part of an exercise because it's just something I do for fun. I've never really hooped for more than 5 or 10 minutes either so I didn't realize how much of a workout it could turn out to be.

About a year ago, Sweetie made big ones for us to use. She made them relative to our heights as instructed in the DIY she found online. Mine is empty (light) and her's is a bit weighted by being wrapped in duct tape. The empty hoop makes you work harder to keep it spinning so it's more of an aerobic exercise. The weighted one makes your muscles work harder to swing it but it's easier to keep spinning.

Last night, I decided my 30 minutes of exercise was going to be the hula hoop. I turned on Elton John's Greatest Hits (disc 1) and got to spinning! Within 10 minutes I was bored so I tried walking around, hopping, moving my arms around, trying to "dance", and even spinning in a circle while keeping the hoop going. It was so much fun and I was dripping sweat by the time I finished - which was a welcome surprise! It's not as much as a muscle workout as my other routines are because I don't feel any soreness today. I'd like to do it again with my heart rate monitor on to see how much I'm getting out of it. I have a feeling it will be the exercise for those days when I don't "feel like it".

30 for 25

Another blogger is doing 30 for 30 - which is 30 minutes of exercise for the 30 days of December. I decided better late than never and I love a good countdown!
Tonight I did the Billy Blanks Boot Camp Cardio - which is a convenient 30 minutes. Yesterday I played Wii boxing for about 30 minutes and my arms are TOAST! Which means when Billy broke out the resistance bands today, my muscles were screaming. I was really hoping that pushing through on those arm exercises would warm up those sore muscles and help them loosen up. Not the case. It was very difficult to pull my shirt off when I finished. It's hard to lift things. It's hard to type. Ouch. I'm hoping tomorrow is better!

Doing it halfway

I'm doing well with the food and water part of getting back into a healthier lifestyle. The exercise is wishy-washy. Sunday I raked leaves for about 1 hour and sawed branches off trees for about 30 minutes. And judging the soreness in my body, those two activities counted as a strength-type exercise!

Sunday night though, I discovered a welt in a very uncomfortable place and haven't done much activity since then. It's difficult to even sit, let alone jog in place or do lunges and squats. So I'm putting off the exercise regimen until that welt heals. I do have the dvds that my friend loaned to me so I'm ready when my body is!

When Life Gets Hard - Dedication Gets Harder

Life has been hard the last couple weeks. Financially and emotionally draining. Starting Monday of this week, I went downhill again with the fast food crap. I had fried mexican on Monday, Wendy's on Tuesday, KFC on Wednesday night, and pizza Thursday. Friday I finally got around to eating the soup I'd prepared for the week. Today I had a rare roast beef sandwich and pudding for dessert. My body finally got around to punishing me tonight.

I started following Drew's journey of Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit online. The whole concept is interesting to me. I've never struggled with being overweight but I'm blessed with a deceiving body image. People see me and assume I'm healthy and fit when really I'm not much better off than overweight people. I took a look at Drew's suggested meal plans and went right back to my slump of not being able to afford what it takes to follow along. I'm still going to get away from fast food and processed foods but I wish I could afford to do the whole "clean food" cleanse that helps people detox so effectively.

So I'm back to my normal diet again. Soups for lunch (I freaking made a month's worth of 2 types of soup, I shouldn't let it go to waste!). Non-processed meals for dinner. No more eating when I'm not hungry. Getting my minimum of 48oz of water a day.

As for the workouts - I am not impressed with my lack of self-motivation to workout on my own. It shouldn't be a surprise. I generally lack self-motivation in other areas as well. I don't know why it makes a difference to see other people doing the same workout on a television screen but it does. I have yet to do the Spartacus Workout and I'm not going to burn another week lying to myself that it will happen. I've got a friend who offered to loan me her Billy Blank dvds and I think I'll take her up on the offer. I don't feel ready for Insanity but I'm beyond a Wii step workout.

30%

I'm not going to finish the C25K program this season. I was 8 runs in on a 27 run program. That's 30%.

However, it's dark when I get home and it's dark when I get up so that cancels out any outdoor exercising. I guess it's back to the dvds or Spartacus workouts!

I'll try to keep this updated when I complete workouts. 

C25K - Run 8

I tried really hard to run to the beat at least once today. I felt like I was running in slow motion. I did it for about 30 seconds or so before it frustrated me enough to go back to running how I usually do. I figured I could hit every beat on the same foot (basically double-time) but that felt too fast. That was more like a track run, not a jog. And this program is described as a jog speed. 

The distance 2.45 miles in 30 minutes. This is the same as Run 7. 

How did it feel? I didn't get side cramp at all, but 25 minutes in I did get acid bubbly rising in my throat. I have no idea what that was about. Felt like I was going to throw up so I stopped and walked for about 10 seconds and tilted my head up. Other than that, I had no issues to speak of. I did wear the heart rate monitor today to see how my heart was doing. I averaged 160 during the walking portions and 175-185 during the running portions.  

C25K - Run 7

Well, I'm about a week behind but I got back out there! Today was when I was *supposed* to start the Podcast track for week 3 (I accidentally ran to that track on Run 5). I think I might have psyched myself out a bit knowing what was in store for me. 

The bpm was raised 2 beats which meant a brisker walk and a theoretical faster jog. I still have trouble jogging slow enough to keep up with the bpm though so I just go with a speed I'm comfortable with.

The colors and smells are SO beautiful this time of year. There was one neighbor bagging his leaves the entire time I ran. I saw the progression of his lawn and he saw the progression of my exhaustion, LOL

The distance ended up being 2.45 miles in 30 minutes. I am just shy of 1/2 a mile from my goal of 3 miles and I'm only on week 3! 

How did it feel? It felt amazing. The warmup walk took a bit to get comfortable with because of the extra 2 beats per minute stride change.  I got a pretty intense side cramp during my second to last walking measure, about 20 minutes in, which lasted  until I started running again. I've never been so glad for running at the end! I finished running halfway around the block, at which point the Podcast track ended. I used the rest of the block home as my cool-down walk. Something strange happened internally but that's not a discussion for the Internet. 

C25K - Run 6

I'm still in the hotel so I used the treadmill again - this time with no issues! I feel like I run harder but according the the mileage completed that it reported to me when I stopped, I ran slower than when I run at home. Maybe it's the downhill portions that's making the difference. I don't know and it doesn't really matter since today's the last treadmill run.

The distance ended up being 2.12 miles in 25 minutes. I stuck with the 4mph walking and 6mph running - with the exception of a few times when I wasn't sure I could keep up any longer and bumped it down to 5mph runs. 

I also realized today that I used the wrong podcast track for Run 5! That would explain why I felt like I was running so much longer :-/

How did it feel? As I mentioned, I feel like I ran harder - and I definitely sweat more. Whether the sweat is a byproduct of the 75 degree closed room or an actual increase in activity, I don't know.  I had the incline at 2% for the beginning warm up walk, then left it at zero incline for the remainder.  I had side cramps about 15 minutes in which lasted throughout the entire run portion for 2 rounds. 

C25K - Run 5

Just a few days overdue but I got it done! I'm in a hotel this week and luckily they have a fitness center. I've never ran on a treadmill before, so today was a bit trial and error. I accidentally stopped it once so I lost all the previous data. Then it stopped on its own a second time because I miscalculated how long I'd be running. So I have no idea how far I ran, but I was running 6mph and "brisk walking" 4mph for the entire 25 minutes. I'm guessing it was 2.5 miles. 

How did it feel? I definitely feel like I ran harder. I tried hitting the "increase incline" a few times in an attempt to keep it the same as how I run at home but I had no idea how long to keep it there or how high. Plus I think when I run up hills at home, I'm actually  running slower because when I did it on the treadmill it definitely felt different. The treadmill was running at the same speed but I felt like I had to run faster to keep up. 

In the end, I had more sweat than I have before. I didn't have any side cramps or soreness after. 

The end result was (I'm guessing) 2.5 miles in 25 minutes.

C25K - Run 4

Today's run marked the beginning of Week 2, which brought increased walking, increased jogging, and a new interval mix!

Week 2 starts with a brisk 5-minute warmup walk, then alternating 90 seconds of jogging and 2 minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

I started the run later than I typically do. The colors of the sunset were spectacular as they reflected off the fall colors of the turning leaves on all the trees along my route. It was unspeakably beautiful. And the smells were so wonderful.

Other than the unfortunate circumstance of starting my girly crap just before heading out - and the cramps associated with that crap kicking in just about halfway through the run - tonight went really well. The stitch in my side showed up at about the 20 minute mark, but disappeared very quickly. Also, I ran further again! It was another 10th of a mile extra. I'm sure it's because I'm running longer but I'm still pretty excited about it.

The end result was 2.27 miles in 25 minutes.

C25K - Run 3

I'm not sure why but today's run was accompanied with labored breathing. I mean, really - really - labored. I don't think it ever returned to normal and it felt like I was breathing really cold air even though it was 75 degrees out. Weird.

Some great news though!

I woke up this morning and almost all the soreness in my muscles was gone! 

Today's run was the last of the brisk 5-minute warmup walk, then alternating 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of brisk walking - for a total of 20 minutes.

The stitch in my side didn't show up until the 20 minute mark (another 5 minute improvement)

The end result was again 2.25 miles in 25 minutes. Even as tired and out of breath as I was, I had a huge smile on my face when I realized I was passing my typical "finish" place and still had a minute to go on the timer! 

I'm still improving so I feel good about the results. Today was the last of Week One. Thursday I will start with Week Two, which is longer runs and longer walks. Just when my body was getting used to this one. Keep on pushin' on!

C25K - Run 2

I was really not sure how today's run would feel. My body has been experiencing post-Insanity workout type pain yesterday, and even worse today. It hurt to do anything. My shoulders, back, sides, abs, butt, thighs, legs and foot. Yup, literally my entire body!

Today's run would either loosen up my muscles or feel like torture for 25 minutes.

Today's run was the same: a brisk 5-minute warmup walk, then alternating 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of brisk walking - for a total of 20 minutes.

So, how did the "run" feel? My muscles loosened and felt great before the warmup was done. I didn't get the stitch in my side until about 15 minutes in (a 5 minute improvement from the first time). My lungs never felt like they were on fire and I never felt like I was going to throw up. Improvements!

The end result was again 2 miles in 25 minutes. I did my post-run cool-down stretches and quickly realized the pain in my body was still very present. I think I need to borrow a friend's foam roller and just deal with the pain of working those out.

All-in-all I felt good about today. I got out there and ran even though I was still hurting. I also improved in many areas. Monday is my last of this routine.

Success! The wheels are turning :D

After nearly a month of not doing any workouts, I finally got in the first day of the C25K schedule!

The first 3 "runs" consist of a brisk 5-minute warmup walk, then alternating 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of brisk walking - for a total of 20 minutes. I was running to a specific beat so I kept a consistent pace throughout. I did have trouble keeping my pace to the beat of the jogging portions. I don't know if my stride is just different from what they created the BPM for, or if I should be running faster, or slower? I couldn't imagine running slower though. I knew I was supposed to be jogging so I was doing that. I felt like I needed to jog in slow motion to keep up with the beat, or run to hit on every 1/2 beat - so I just jogged at what I felt was a normal pace and ignored the beats for those parts.

I downloaded the mp3 tracks from the Podrunner Intervals site. Honestly, if it weren't for this mix, I'm certain I would not have kept the pace I kept. If anyone else needs this sort of help but you don't care for the techno type mixes, check out http://www.c25k.com/ for other mixes (even podcasts) available.

So, how did the "run" feel? My thighs started burning about 4 minutes into the warmup, but then the burning went away by the time I finished the first jog. The burning in my legs was gone. The burning in my lungs had just begun. I was very grateful for that 90 second brisk walk! I had my breathing back to normal just in time for the alarm to sound that it was time to jog again. All in all, the whole run lasted this way until my very last interval of walk/run/walk. I had to really mentally push myself to stay in pace with the beat for brisk walking. The end result was 2 miles in 25 minutes, which I'm pretty sure is further than I've ever gone since I was a sophomore in highschool (1994!)

A side note: I really expected it to be "easier" because I've done Insanity (the 1st 3 weeks anyway) and all 30-days of Hip Hop Abs. I don't want to imagine what it would have felt like without those programs priming my body (and mind)!

Green Tea - thoughts?

Lately, I've been tossing around the idea of switching from coffee to tea for multiple reasons. I first began looking into it when coffee started upsetting my stomach. Then I started getting fitness newsletters that touted the benefits of tea as an appetite suppressant (in line with a healthy eating plan) as well as the many antioxidant benefits. So when today's Health Notes article from HyVee was about green tea, I didn't expect to be reading anything I hadn't already learned.

I didn't expect to learn that by drinking at least 3 cups of green tea a day, I could see results of lower LDL cholesterol totals in as little as three weeks.

This is a renewed motivation to get my blood tested. With current test results in hand, knowing I've been taking fish oil capsules for well over my intended one-month test time frame, I'll have something to compare after a month of drinking green tea.

Are you a tea drinker? What do you think of the claims?

Talk it up

I talk a mean game but I'm not showing much promise on the follow-through. Today was beautiful outside, my stomach was back to normal, and I'd had plenty of sleep. I did not go out and run though.

On a better note, Sweetie bought me some lettuce! So I'm not having chicken and frozen veggies this week after all, but chicken and lettuce :D

I need some cooperation here!

I was going to start the C25K today if the weather cooperated. Not only has it been raining all day, but my stomach has been flip-floppy all day as well. 

Sweetie and I went to St. Joe MO today so I could get a haircut and we could visit my sister-in-law who's in the hospital from pneumonia. That 6 hour outing completely exhausted me. A small voice in the back of my brain is saying, "Go. Run. You'll feel better." But I'm not one of those people who you'll see running in the rain, or the cold, or any other weather I wouldn't otherwise be in. I don't understand those runners. Maybe it's one of those things that just "happens" to you when you start running. If so, I'm not in a hurry for it, LOL

The results are in!

I posted my "after" stats of measurements and weight. As I had guessed, not much changed. I lost an inch in my hips and gained half an inch in my bicep muscle - and might have lost 3 pounds. Three pounds could be normal water fluctuation though so that's not really a victory. So I maintained.

I've been planning to start the C25K for 2 weeks now. Last week I wimped out because I got myself all worked up about the possibility of encountering a dog. Sweetie helped me through that fear, or at least helped me come to the realization that we never see loose dogs in our neighborhood so there shouldn't be a concern. And she made sure I knew what to do if I saw a dog that wasn't attacking me yet.

This week I was ready. I had my workout clothes and water laid out every night. I had my alarm set for an hour earlier than usual. And I snoozed the alarm - again and again and again. Every night I'd go to bed with the same affirming thought, "I WILL get up and run in the morning. I will NOT hit snooze." I even went to bed earlier so I wouldn't be so tired in the morning. But every morning turned out the same and I never ran.

I'm thinking if the weather cooperates, I'll get out there tomorrow and just get started with it. I think I've just given my body too much time off and I need a reminder of that excellent endorphin rush to get me going again.

As for meals, I'm going back to frozen veggies with chicken until I run out - which should be about two weeks. I'm out of steel-cut oats so I'll be having peanut butter toast and apples for breakfast for about two weeks as well. Dinner, as usual, will be whatever Sweetie wants but I need to watch my portion control and not cave to second helpings.

Measurements and Weigh-in

September 2011 (one week after completing 30-day Hip Hop Abs workout schedule)

Chest: 33
L Bicep: 10 (11 flexed)
R Bicep: 10 (11 flexed)
Waist: 32
Hips: 36
L Thigh: 18
R Thigh: 19
L Calf: 13.5
R Calf: 13.5

Weight: 144

Postponing stats

I woke up to the start of my cycle this morning. So, because I am likely bloated, I'm going to wait until next week to do the weight, measurements, and the after photo.

Bottomless pit

I've been doing really great at working out. However, whenever I get back into the habit of daily workouts, it seems to kick my metabolism into overdrive. When I finish the workout I am famished! And when I'm that hungry, I don't do well with portion control. I try, don't get me wrong. I put the good portion amount on my salad plate. I scarf it down and sit for 30 minutes to wait and see if that hunger goes away. Thirty minutes (sometimes more) goes by and I'm still hungry so I eat another helping.
Logically, I can see in hindsight that instead of a second helping, maybe I should be grabbing some fruits or veggies. Unfortunately, that logical sense never seems to hit when that feeling of never-ending-hunger is upon me. The upside is that breakfast and lunch portions haven't changed!
I haven't weighed or measured yet so I can't say with certainty, but I feel like I've just managed to maintain the same weight and measurements. My pants and shirts don't feel like they fit any differently anyway, which is what I was going for.
Still though, if the worst that's happened is that I've maintained my body, I can't say that's a horrible thing.

Productivity :D

I had an excellent week!

The day job has been super busy and doesn't look like it will slow any time soon. Busy days go by quicker and leave me with a sense of accomplishment. They also leave me with an exhausted mind and stress-weary body, but the workouts wipe all that away!

I completed my weekend workouts and managed not to eat like Complete crap. Only 2 more days of Hip Hop Abs and then I'm starting the C25K program. I'm actually hoping to start that tomorrow so I'm back on track with my original calendar. I am a scheduler so I have these calendars that I printed which workout I'm doing on which days. When I changed my rest day and then skipped a few days on the HHA program, it threw off the days. I also have on the calendar that I was going to do Insanity at the same time as C25K but I've changed my mind on that. I think I'm pushing too hard and don't wanna end up back where I was last year.

Wednesday, I will be taking my weight and measurements again to compare with what I took when I started HHA, and also to serve as a comparison for when I finish C25K.

This week's lunch is leftover turkey (some lime-mint roasted and some maple roasted), turkey bacon and whole wheat penne. It seems disjointed because I intended to have sandwiches but the penne was there and Sweetie doesn't like it so I figured I may as well use it. Maybe I'll throw a pesto sauce or something similarly light.

Lazy weekend

Friday was the new rest day for the workout schedule. It's not much of a rest day when I work 2 jobs and have barely 2 hours of down time between them but that's what I've got.
Saturday I woke up very late and didn't have time to workout before heading out to celebrate my brothers' birthdays at the bowling alley. When I got home from that I was just exhausted and didn't feel well. I'd eaten like crap since Thursday night and my body was telling me about it. So I didn't work out.
Sunday I woke up by 9 (still late for what we had planned for the day), proceeded to drive 2 hours to meet up with a friend and help organize for a garage sale (don't feel like we did much though), and drive 2 hours back. I'm exhausted again. I don't feel like crap though. I just don't feel like working out. I've lost the drive. So I'm taking another day off.
I will start up again tomorrow after work. I'm not as likely to talk myself out of working out if I do it as soon as I get home from work. I just walk in the door, change into my workout clothes, and go downstairs. The weekends don't give me that opportunity. I'm a little frustrated that I let it go so easily AND went to crap on the food front, but it's one little slip and not the end of the world. I'll be back on track and feeling great in no time.
I still have steel-cut oatmeal with dried fruit for breakfast throughout the week. I just finished making lunches for the week as well. This week I'll be having tequila-lime seasoned pork with lemon soaked quinoa. I might cook some frozen veggies in a bowl after work to eat on the way home if I don't have room to eat them with lunch. The quinoa tends to fill me up pretty quick.

Measurements 08/03/2011

A continuation of my body measurements.

August 2011 (just before beginning 30-day Hip Hop Abs workout schedule)

Chest: 37
L Bicep: 10 (10.5 flexed)
R Bicep: 10 (10.5 flexed)
Waist: 32
Hips: 37
L Thigh: 18.5
R Thigh: 19.5

I never got around to weighing but I don't think it's changed much since last February (147)

A tiny rant

Few things frustrate me more than a person who is not morbidly obese calling themselves fat. If you're 250 and the target range is 150, you're overweight but not fat. I guess in my head, the label "fat" just conjures up all sorts of negative imagery and seems so demeaning. Why would you be so demeaning to yourself?
On the same line of ranting, I also get frustrated when people assume I'm exercising or eating better because I think I'm fat. Do I have an issue with my belly? Yes. I would like it to be more toned. I would like it to show definition. I'll say things like, "My pants have been fitting tight lately. It's time for me to watch what I eat and start focusing on exercise." and inevitably, someone will pipe up, "You are NOT fat!". Uh, I didn't say I Was.

Double burn!

I did Hip Hop Abs "Total Body Burn" on Tuesday night. Holy hell that burned! I'd estimate about 20 minutes of the 45 were spent in either a stationary or moving squat position. Wednesday was reminding me of what I had done every time I stood, sat, or walked! LOL

Wednesday night I did the combo "Fat Burning Cardio" which is a pretty common one on the schedule so it's getting 'easier'. Then I did the 2nd workout scheduled: "Hips, Buns, and Thighs". Holy double hell! SO much worse than Total Body Burn (in a good way). Obviously, the title gives away what muscle groups they're targeting with this workout so I should have been expecting it but I wasn't. When there was about 10 minutes left of the workout, I had sweat literally dripping off various areas of my body. I had to take my glasses off because they kept slipping down my face when I was in plank position. My knee would slip every once in a while due to the puddle accumulating under it. Just crazy. Every part in that title is noticeable today.

So the workout is excellent. Hip Hop Abs is so much better of a workout than I expected it to be.

I'm Prepared!

I've got a really busy 3 weeks coming so I decided I needed to plan my lunches so that I could prepare them over the weekend and have one less thing to remember on weekday evenings.

This week's lunches will be "Fiesta chicken sandwiches" and "Fiesta sweet potatoes". 

The chicken was just a container of fresh salsa and 2 chicken breasts in a crockpot on low for 6 hours. I strained off the excess liquid and put that in a container for the week. When I assemble my sandwich, it's a bun, slice of cheese, green peppers, pineapple, and chicken. SO tasty! 

The potatoes are 2 large sweet potatoes cut into bite sized chunks - tossed with olive oil to coat - then tossed with 2 Tbsp of fajita seasoning (I found a diy and made my own) - bake at 350 for 35 minutes. I'm not as impressed with the potatoes. I don't know if I have too much seasoning or if the potatoes just aren't sweet enough to counter the spice (the ones in the bin marked "sweet potatoes" were yellow/white - not orange.

I went ahead and rearranged the workout schedule. I could see myself allowing a skip day otherwise. So I took Saturday as my rest day and started the week on Sunday. I'll take Friday as my rest day this week which will be one day earlier than scheduled but better than 2 days early. 

I tried working out downstairs tonight. The adapter cable was missing quite a few pins so the picture wouldn't show on the television. Since I'd already lugged everything down (fan, mat, laptop, dvds, water, phone) I wasn't about to pack it all back upstairs. So I just played the dvd from my laptop. About 15 minutes in, the laptop decided it wasn't going to recognize the dvd anymore. ARGH! So I restarted the laptop and walked in place while I waited for the start-up to complete and dvd to load. The rest of the workout went flawlessly. Plus, once I turned on the light, I could see my reflection in the black television screen so it was like having a mirror!

I left the fan and mat downstairs. I think I'll keep working out down there. Maybe we'll find a freebie used dvd player somewhere.

Scheduling Snaffoo

I made my workout schedule to give me Sundays as the rest day. Unfortunately, Fridays are so crammed full that I barely have time to get a 45 minute workout in. It's do-able, I did it this Friday, but hectic and just cuts into what little time I have. One one hand, I want to re-arrange the schedule but on the other hand, I realize it's possible and kind of just want to leave it as it is because I really enjoy having that entire day. Ideally, I would get up earlier on Fridays so I can get the workout in before going to the day job - but that didn't happen this time around.
I might also start a twice a week cleaning job at my office. The current cleaning person comes on Wednesday and Friday. Just one more thing that would cut into the little span of time I have between jobs on Friday. Although I'm sure I could find a way to make it work.

As for Hip Hop Abs, I'm getting the hang of most of the routines. This means I can focus more attention to holding my abs tight and putting more energy into the movements. This also means I'm getting tired before the workout ends! Usually about 30 minutes into the 35 minute routine, I'm pounding my fists into my hips to try and loosen them up so I can continue. Then I start the 25 minute routine and barely get 10 minutes in before I have to stop or else I feel like my legs are just going to fall out from under me. Definitely more of a workout than I expected and I'm glad for it!

And Rest, I Did!

Today was my rest day on the workout schedule. I mentioned last night that I had been working other areas of my body with housework throughout the week, and was definitely ready for that day off.
When I say I didn't do anything today, I'm not exaggerating! I reluctantly crawled out of bed at 1:30pm, fixed my iced coffee drink, and sat down with my laptop to work on the logo project. Around 7, I put the laptop down and picked up my book (Catching Fire, pt 2 in the Hunger Games trilogy - excellent quick read) and got sucked into it until about 9:30. The only thing that pulled me out of the book was having to run an errand to the Plaza area (41st & Warwick). When we got home, I helped gather trash and recyclables and brought them out to the curb. That was the extent of physical motion for me.
My eyes hurt from so much near-sighted focus, and my brain is foggy from sleeping in, but my body is enjoying this relaxation bit.

Rest day!

I am so grateful for today's rest day. After a week of workouts, scrubbing floors, swinging hammers, digging and shoveling, running up and down stairs, moving heavy furniture ... - my body is toast!

And by 'rest' - I will truly be resting. I have a logo design project to work on and a good book to shove my nose in. The thunderstorm just confirmed my plans. Absolutely no work to do today!

Whoop Whoop!

This week has been amazing for productivity! I've been pretty good about getting home from work and immediately changing into workout clothes to get the Hip Hop Abs workout done. After the workout, I've been getting some housework done. We've got a bunch of friends coming over for a bbq on Saturday and we wanted the basement renovations done by then, and I wanted the house spic 'n span!
So far, I've scrubbed & mopped the living room and basement floors. I finished some landscaping work outside on that one day that wasn't 100 degrees and also wasn't raining. Great timing on my part ;-)
Tonight I have to head out the door by 7:30 for the weekend job and there are some unpredictable things that might put a kink in my already tight schedule.
Ideally, I'd like to get home from work by 5:30, get the workout in and done by 6:15, sweep & mop the bathroom, hop in the shower, and eat some dinner before 7:30. If anything else pops up though, one or more of those things won't happen. We'll see I guess!

Also, Wednesday night I did the Ab Sculpting dvd. The first routine Shaun was leading just did Not process in my brain. I could not for the life of me get the legs, abs, and arms to coordinate. The rest of the workout went swimmingly. A LOT of ab work. I was a bit shaky toward the end, which is a good thing :-)

Quick Review

Just a quick post to say how much I enjoyed last night's first workout with Hip Hop Abs. I did the Fat Burning Cardio dvd last night and was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it! I felt great after as well. It really got my heart rate up, but not as high as Insanity had been, and my muscles weren't a quivering mess afterward! I think this will be a great way to ease back into Insanity as well as the walk/jog I have slated to begin in September.

Start Your Engines!

Today is August 1st. Well that crept up on me! As I've stated previously, it's time to start incorporating a workout session into my day. I'm starting with Hip Hop Abs because it's still so freaking hot outside. In fact, tomorrow is forecast to bring the hottest temperatures since 2003 to our area. Record high for tomorrow is 109, which was hit in 1984. Our area reached 106 in 2003. I'm really hoping we don't break or meet any previous temperature records, but in either case I'm not going to be doing outside workouts.

I've already mentioned that I would like to run the Powell Gardens 5K on September 10th as my first 5K as an adult. I've recently also become enamored by the Ruckus Course as shared by a friend who recently completed the Warrior Dash.  I mean really, it's like a playground for adults! It looks like so much fun! The realistic part of me fully realizes how difficult it would be without proper training though - so it's something to aim for. The Ruckus Course has been rescheduled for November due to our heat wave, which gives me until October to come up with the $75 (or find a team/sponsor) and get physically prepared. 

Here's my ideal timeline:
8/01 through 8/31 - Hip Hop Abs

9/05 Powell Gardens 5K

9/01 through 9/30 - Couch to 5K Plan and first half of Insanity

10/01 through 10/31 - Insanity 2nd half

11/05 Ruckus KC Course

Luckily, the first week of Hip Hop Abs is 25-30 minute workouts because I also need to get some housework and yard work done before the weekend. Since we're in 100+ temps now, those chores will be done from 6-7am when it's (hopefully) under 90. Tuesday morning I'll finish edging and filling with rock. Wed-Sat I'll do a section of the yard at a time, finishing off with the backyard on Saturday. 

I'm exhausted just thinking of it!

Compliments

I had two people tell me I looked like I'd lost more weight yesterday. One person sees me every day, the other person hadn't seen me in a year. I didn't think I'd lost so much that it was noticeable so I decided tonight that I would weigh myself on the Wii and see what it said.

I had actually gained 1.5 pounds since I last weighed 11 days ago. Not what I expected but not really a big deal either.

Still, the compliments are nice to hear. It's a good feeling to know that others think I look good enough to comment on it!

Closing In

It's almost that time. School will be done within a week or two and then, according to my self-inflicted schedule, I should start incorporating a workout session into my day. Honestly, I've ended up having the time to do it even with school but I've been doing house renovations instead. We've still got enough projects needing done that I'm going to continue with renovations during my free time instead of exercising.

August 1st is the date I have chosen to go official with the exercise. I haven't decided yet which exercise I want to do but I'm leaning toward Hip Hop Abs because it's so freaking hot outside. In September, I want to start the The Couch-to-5K ® Running Plan, which should have me jogging 3 miles within 2 months - just in time for winter - I know, sometimes I'm not very logical. I would like to run the Powell Gardens 5K on September 10th but it looks like I'll be walking it instead (or whatever interval level I'm at on the Plan at that time). It will be my first 5K as an adult and I'm crossing my fingers that I can find some friends willing to crawl out of bed early enough to conquer it with me!

Gardening

All 7 of our tomato plants are plentiful with little green tomatoes! We've even gotten a few red ones from a few - YUM!

Both bell pepper plants have little pepper nubbins on them. One pepper fell off of one and we cracked it open only to find this caviar looking stuff inside. What is that? I really hope all the bells don't do that.

Both of the salsa pepper plants also have peppers dangling all over. I'm very pleased with my ignored gardening method :-)

When the temps get back down to the 80's, I'll throw some more lettuce seed, broccoli, and cauliflower to see how it goes in the front yard. I'm not sure the squirrels and rabbits will let it happen but it's worth a shot. I should probably plant some in a container too.

It would be ideal if I could grow enough lettuce and produce to never have to buy food for lunch but that's apparently a LOT of garden. The yield from one bell pepper plant is enough for 3-5 salads. The lettuce patch I planted earlier in the season was good for about 4 salads. But 4 days isn't enough time for the lettuce to grow to cutting height again. So maybe I'll try a rotation crop next season.

Weigh-in!

Ashley decided to weigh Max today so I went ahead and popped on to check my weight as well! Max and I lost 2.5 pounds each, LOL
I'm at 143 pounds now and within the Wii's suggested BMI. I haven't taken any measurements and don't plan to until I start working out again. I'm glad to see I'm still dropping some just from food changes. I had plateaued when I started working out previously. The plateau in combination with being heavier than I wanted resulted in a poor outlook toward changing my lifestyle. Now that I'm near my ideal weight, the plateau during workout 'season' won't be as discouraging. I can focus more on the changes in my physique and not be so concerned about my belly. :-)

Cool breakfasts

Someone suggested salad for breakfast. I tried it and it was surprisingly filling! I didn't have any added protein - just leaves and veggies and a light drizzle of dressing. I learned later in the day that I probably shouldn't jump right into having 2 salads in one day. It's apparently too much fiber - I wasn't digesting some of the lettuce - so that's something I'll have to work up to.
Maybe to start with, I'll have a small salad for breakfast and my normal sized salad for lunch. Maybe a bowl of fruit with breakfast to help fill up.

I also considered blending fruit with greek yogurt and a splash of juice. The issue here is making time to do so. My mornings are always just-in-time or running late. I'll try making it the night before and see how that tastes having sat in the fridge over night. If that works then I'm golden!

For now though, I really need to suck it up and finish off my oatmeal. I'll be eating it in an air-conditioned office anyway so it shouldn't be the issue that it is. I think I'm just making excuses for my laziness.

Routine

I haven't had much to write about in here because, in short, the changes I've made have become routine.

Through the week, I eat a bowl of steel-cut oats with dried fruit for breakfast, a very large salad for lunch, and small portions of whatever Ashley makes for dinner. The salad generally has at least 6g of protein but I'm not so concerned with how much I'm getting since I'm not exercising right now. I really like fish or cold chicken but sometimes cheese is all we have.

On Saturday and Sunday, if I'm up for breakfast, I'll have an egg dish or pancakes or sometimes oatmeal is just easier. If we aren't doing anything and Ashley isn't set on making something I'll have a salad for lunch. Weekends are pretty lax on what I eat - I don't really pay much attention but I know I don't eat as much or as well as I do during the week.

If the budget allows, I still eat a twist cone from McDonald's sometimes as often as one a day. It's my one splurge that I don't even try to give up. I work best on eating healthy when I don't feel like I'm telling myself "No" all the time.

I'm still taking the fish oil capsules twice a day. I'll get my blood retested in the end of July to find out if that made any difference.

I'm still not drinking soda. It will be a year in August since I gave it up and I can honestly say that I only miss it when I'm eating greasy diner food - which isn't often. Awhile back, I ordered a mixed drink and didn't even think about the fact that it would have soda in it. I felt miserable later and when I thought back on what I'd had I realized there was soda in the drink I had. Yesterday I had a 12oz bottle of Sarsaparilla made with cane sugar and didn't feel sick after, which was nice to know. Oh, I guess there was a few weeks where Ashley and I were sharing ice cream floats too - which would have had root beer in them. I think the difference is I'm not drinking it all day, or even every day.

I haven't weighed myself since the last time I posted about it so I have no idea if my weight has fluctuated but the pants I bought in the last post still fit the same so I'm assuming I haven't fluctuated much, if at all.

Ashley tried Hip Hop Abs the other day. She agrees that she won't be doing it in front of anyone but that it was a good start toward aerobic activity. She also said it is WAY cheesy, Shaun is very chatty, and the camera man likes to spend a lot of time on a specific girl LOL. She did the 5-minute Abs workout and had to take a break about halfway through, which was great news to me because it means there's a good amount of activity going on. I'll be using that program as a way to ease back into Insanity once school is done in August.

So that's it in a nutshell. Any ideas for a "cool" breakfast I can start on for summer? Low cholesterol, low sugar and filling is what I'm looking for.

Pants!

When shopping for pants at Goodwill over my lunch break today. I tried on 9 pair and ended up with 3. One pair of jeans, one pair of pants, and one pair of shorts. I found out after collecting an armload that even 32 waist is big on me now. Whoa.
The selection for 30 was pretty much nonexistent so I got the one pair of 32 jeans that fit the snuggest. I think the shorts are 32 as well, and they're a tad loose but not sagging. The pants were women's size 10 I think. They're slouchier than I usually would get for pants but of the 6 pair I tried on, they were the only pair that fit well around the waist and weren't tight around the legs. And they are this nice lightweight fabric which will feel great in the summer.

Loose pants

I need to head over to Goodwill this week to shop for new pants. Every single pair of pants I own are loose now. I have two pair which don't require a belt but move around on my hips. The other pairs will fall off if I don't wear a belt. At one point in August 2010, I was wearing a 36 without a belt. I could also wear a 34 but they were tight and very uncomfortable. Being the cheap skate I am, I refused to buy another pair of 36 to be comfy. Instead I started working out so that I could fit back into the other perfectly wearable pants. Now I've done so well that none of them are fitting either. I guess that's not really a complaint though ;-)

Sweetie was concerned that I'm losing weight still even though I'm not on a strict diet nor working out. I think the difference is that I'm still eating less. And I'm still eating salads or fish with whole grains through the week. I think she's right to be concerned but until I feel excessively tired or otherwise 'not well', I'm not going to worry about how the weight is coming off.

Regarding the 'not working out' thing. While I'm not doing an actual routine workout where my heart rate increases, I have been doing something. I came across a clip of Shaun T on the Ellen Show explaining how Hip Hop Abs works. He demonstrated how to hunch your shoulders forward and tense up your stomach, then straighten up but leave your stomach flexed. This was the cornerstone of the entire workout. I decided I'd start doing that throughout the day, just whenever I thought of it. I've been driving that way, working at my desk, and sometimes when I walk. So maybe that's how my waist is slimming. I'm not breaking a sweat but I am activating the muscles in that area several times a day and that's got to be doing something. I know the first couple days of doing it, my abs were actually a bit tender. As if I'd been doing crunches. So there's a little tip for anyone not wanting to sweat their asses off but still want to slim up a bit in the tummy area. Worth a shot anyway. At the least, you won't lose inches but will gain core strength. Either way it's a win. I also noticed that when I'm flexing my stomach, I tend to sit up straight. So it's improving my posture as well!

Don't be an asshat

http://www.susanpiver.com/wordpress

My two favorite concepts from her post today:

• You don't have to wait until "tomorrow" to start a new day. The sun is always rising somewhere. 

• "idiot compassion," is the idea that you’re always supposed to act nice and be some kind of touchy-feely asshat

Eat Right 4 Your Type

I've been reading "Eat Right For Your Type" by Dr. Peter DÁdamo and it has some interesting advice regarding food choices, exercise, and how to deal with stress based on a person's blood type. 


At first, I was like, "Me? A meat eater?" I mean, I'm not vegetarian but I'm certainly not a meat lover either. As I read though, I began to ease up. I do enjoy fish, and all the fish I eat is listed in the allowed or beneficial columns. Something else he stressed was that the meat should be grass-fed and organic but I'm not too concerned about that at this point. 


Then I got to dairy. Minimal to restrictive dairy? I balked. 


Then nuts. Peanut butter acts as a poison to my blood type? WTH? 


And then finally in beverages. Steer clear of coffee and beer. Oh I was reeling by that point. I was fighting this logic. I've been drinking and eating those things for years with no problems! 


I didn't feel like doing the research to validate or refute his claims though. Then I got to the 'Common Questions' portion of the book. Basically, the level of intensity recommended for following this diet is in relation to how you feel. As long as I am not always tired, having indigestion, experiencing insomnia, noticing a lack of concentration, always feeling cold, or experiencing muscle and joint pain then I'm basically okay. Or if I start having medical problems (high cholesterol?). 


At this time, my only real symptom of my current diet is the high cholesterol. So while I will try to incorporate some of these guidelines into my diet, I don't think I'm to a point yet where I need to be strict about it. Should I eat cheese or yogurt every day? No. But I don't think the occasional casserole with cheese or the dish with cream sauce is going to break the bank at this point.


The exercise portion indicated that Type Os benefit from strenuous exercise and use physical exertion to relieve stress. Bingo! 

I copied a chart that someone online put together which hits the highlights of the food portion for Type Os.

Each of the food groups are divided into three categories: Highly beneficial ( food that acts like Medicine), Foods allowed (food that are no harm to the blood type) and Foods not allowed (food that acts like a Poison)

Characteristics of Type O - Best on High Protein Diet
Thrive on intense physical exercise and animal proteins Do not do well with dairy and grain products Hardy digestive tract The leading factor in weight gain for Type Os is the gluten found in wheat germ and whole wheat products. Type O have a tendency to have low levels of thyroid hormone and unstable thyroid functions, which cause metabolic problems and weight gain. Type O have high stomach-acid content, can digest meat easily.
	Comments	Most Beneficial	Food allowed	Food not allowed
Protein	The more stressful your job or demanding your exercise program, the higher the grade of protein you should eat	Beef, Lam, Mutton, Veal, Venison
	Type Os can efficiently digest and metabolize meats		Any meat except for those listed not allowed	Bacon, Ham, Goose, Pork
	Cold-water fish are excellent for Type Os. Many seafoods are also excellent sources of iodine, which regulates the thyroid function.	Cod, herring, Mackerel	Any fish or seafood except for those listed not allowed	Barracuda, Pickled herring, Catfish, Smoked salmon, Caviar, Octopus, Conch
Dairy	Type Os need to severely restrict the use of dairy products and eggs		Butter, Farmer, Feta, Mozzarella, Goat cheese, Soy Milk	All other dairy products and yogurts
Fat	Type Os respond well to oils	Olive Oil, Flaxseed oil	Canola oil, Sesame Oil	Corn oil, Peanut oil, Cottonseed oil, Safflower oil
Nuts	These foods should in no way take the place of high-protein meats, and they are high in fat especially if you are overweight.	Pumpkin seeds, Walnuts	All kinds except those listed not allowed	Brazil, Cashew, Peanut, Pistachios, Poppy Seeds
Beans	Type Os don't utilize beans particularly well. They tend to make muscle tissue slightly less acidic and inhibit the metabolism of other nutrients.	Aduke beans, Azuki beans, Pinto beans, Black-eyed peas	All kinds except those listed not allowed	Beans - copper, kidney, navy, tamarine. Lentils - domestic, green, red.
Grains	Type Os do not tolerate whole wheat products at all.	Essene Bread, Ezekiel Bread	Amaranth, Barley, Buckwheat, Rice, Kamut, Kasha, Millet, Rye, Spelt	Corn, Gluten, Graham, Wheat (Bulgur, Durum, Sprouted, white and whole, Germ and Bran) farina, Oat, Seven-grains, or any products such as flour, bread and noodles made with these grain products
Vegetables	These vegetables inhibit the thyroid function for Type Os			Brassica family: Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mustard greens
	These vegetables help blood clot, Type Os lack several clotting fractors and need vitamin K to assist in the process	Kale, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, spinach
	These vegetables irritate the digestive tract and the high mold count can aggravate Type O hypersensitivity problems.			Alfalfa sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, fermented olives
	These vegetables can cause arthritic conditions in Type Os			Nightshades: eggplant, potatoes
	This vegetable affect the production of insulin, often lead to obesity and diabetes for the Type Os.			Corn
	This fruit agglutinate all blood types but Type Os.		Tomatoes
		Artichoke, Chicory, Dandelion, Garlic, Horseradish, Kale, Leek, Okra, Onions, Parsley, Parsnips, Red Peppers, Sweet potatoes, Pumpkin, seaweed, turnips	All kinds except those listed not allowed	avocado
Fruits	Dark red, blue and purple fruits tend to cause an alkaline reaction the digestive tract, and therefore balance the high acidity of the Type Os digestive tract to reduce ulcers and irritations of the stomach lining.	Plums, prunes, figs
	These fruits contain high mold counts which can aggravate Type Os hypersensitivity problems (allergies)			Melons, cantaloupe, honeydew
	These fruits are high in acid content which may irritate the acidic stomach of Type Os		Grapefruit, most berries	Oranges, tangerines and strawberries, blackberries, Rhubarb
	Fruits are not only an important source of fiber, minerals and vitamins, but they can be an excellent alternative to bread and pasta for Type Os		All kinds except those listed not allowed
	Type Os are extremely sensitive to this fruit.			coconut and coconut-containing products
Spices	Rich source of Iodine to regulate the thyroid gland	Kelp-based seasonings, iodized salt
	Soothing to the digestive tracts of Type Os	Parsley, curry, cayenne pepper
	Irritants to the Type O stomach			White and black pepper, vinegar, capers, cinnamon, Cornstarch, Corn syrup, Nutmeg, Vanilla
Condiments			chocolate, honey, cocao	Ketchup, pickles, mayonnaise, relish
Beverages		Seltzer water, Club soda and tea	Wine	Beer, Coffee, Distilled liquor, Black Tea