Drop 2 Sizes Results

Sorry it has taken me so long to get to posting my results.

I finished the Drop 2 Sizes challenge a couple of weeks ago and I ended up liking it a lot more this time around.  I really got into the lifting part and I definitely gained some strength.

I worked out every week usually 3-4 times but the average came down to just 3 times a week.  I made sure to lift heavy and upped my weights with each phase.

Just for an example on lifting, I started the program doing some squatting exercises with no weights - now I can easily do squats holding 40-50 lbs (probably more).  For shoulders, I would do single arm presses with a 5lb dumbbell, I just used a 20lb dumbbell last week.  Same with rows, started around 8lbs, can use a 20lb no problem now.

My measurements:

Beginning:
Chest:  45"
Ribs:  36"
Waist:  38 1/2"
Hips:  49"
Thigh:  27"
Knee:  19"
Left Arm:  13"


End:
Chest:  41"
Ribs:  34"
Waist:  35"
Hips:  45"
Thigh:  24"
Knee:  18"
Left Arm:  12"

Total Inches Lost:  -20.5"

So while I apparently lost quite a few inches, I've got to be honest, I really can't personally see that big of a difference in my after pics.  However, I do FEEL better than I did when I started.  I also gained strength, and I definitely can tell a difference in my clothing but mainly just my tops.  Due to my hormone problems, my belly fat is what increased what seems like 10-fold.  I was hoping that with all the work I've been doing with my doctor I would see a bigger difference in my belly and hips but alas I did not.  I did NOT lose a pants size of any kind.  And even though I have personal issues with my hormones right now, I think that even if everything was working properly, I would not have lost TWO pant sizes.

But there's hope, I am currently on a new regime from my doctor to try to get that belly fat to go away :)

It's quite the process.

Oh and as for scale weight, I lost 0.8 pounds.  

Like I said, I ended up really enjoying the lifting aspect of the DVDs.  So much that I am still doing the lifting.  In fact, right now I'm doing a combo of 30 day Shred and Drop 2 Sizes.  I'm doing 2 days of lifting from Drop 2 Sizes, and 3 days of 30 Day Shred a week.

I'm very excited to see my results for a couple of reason.  First, I'm working out 5 days a week.  This is truly amazing because when I started the Drop 2 Sizes three months ago, I could barely workout three days a week because I was so tired.  So my energy is clearly improving!  Secondly, there's just something about the 30 Day Shred that I love.  It's quick, simple, and the last time I did it I had some really good results so I'm excited to see what happens.  And lastly, with my new regime, I'm really hoping that this time I'll see some reduction in my HIPS.

Insanity: Week 2

I'm in week 2 of Insanity.

A couple of things:

1.  I still like it.
2.  It's still hard.
3.  I still can't do all of the moves.

Sometimes I have to force myself to not get overly motivated during these workouts.  The moves are just plain hard and I find that I get so ramped up to do my best that I indeed start sacrificing my form in order to just keep pace with Shaun T and his crew.  This is not good.  I can tell when I sacrifice form, the body parts start hurting.  That's because since I'm not quite as fit as the fine looking people in the workout, I'm not actually performing the moves in the correct way.  My knees will creep out over my toes and my back will bend in awkward ways.  Not good.  But I do find that even going with my own pace, I still get in a good workout.  I'm always out of breath and the muscles are burning.

I took last night off even though I was supposed to do a workout :(  The flu or something similar is running around my office building.  It blows my mind how people come into work when they are clearly sick and should go home.  In fact, 2 people on my floor are at work this week when they clearly should be at home.  So last night I was feeling a little achy and was running a low grade fever.  It was (hopefully) probably nothing but my fiance took away my laptop (my workouts are on my laptop) and made me go to bed.  He told me to err on the side of caution and get extra sleep.  I hesitated because it made me feel like I was failing but he was right.  These workouts are really intense and I would rather take an extra night off then be out for a whole week.

I'm hoping last night was a fluke or that I did indeed do the right thing because I feel pretty good today (knock on wood).

Tonight I will be doing the Cardio Recovery workout.  Don't let the name fool you.  What it should really be called is crazy burning muscle workout.

I really like it.

What's next?   I have another Fit Test coming up next Monday.  I'm both excited and nervous.  I'm excited because I'm pretty sure my numbers will be improving.  And I'm nervous because what if they don't!!!

:)

Either way, I'll post my numbers when I'm done.

Today's Menu:
B:  Turkey Sandwich (turkey, mayo, lettuce, GF bread)
L:  Spring Vegetable Soup with Quinoa Salad
D:  Roasted Chicken and Salad

INSANITY!!!

Tis a reason they call it Insanity.

It really IS Insane how hard it is.

Thursday, March 6th, was my Day #1.

And before I get into it, let me give you the rundown of the program.

Insanity is a 60 day, 6 day a week high-intensity workout.  The first month, the workouts are around 35-45 minutes and the second month they are around the 60 minute mark.

The workouts are fast and intense.  Lots of plyometrics with squats, burpees, and kickboxing type moves.  There are also lots of various forms of push-ups and dips.  The only equipment you need is a a water bottle and some floor space. 

I did my fit test on Thursday and that was really an eye opener for me.  I know I'll improve with each week but wow even just the fit test was hard.  I then realized how much this process was going to physically hurt :)

And hurt it does.  I'm not as fast as ANY person on ANY of the workouts.  Nor can I do all the jumps that are required.  I modify when I have to and right now it's quite frequently.  I just have to remind myself to push as hard as I can and just keep moving.  Also every time Shaun T says "don't sacrifice form for speed" I listen hard.  I can't go as fast so I make sure the moves I CAN do are being done properly.  The people on the video may be getting in 5 reps for every 1 I'm doing, but I'm making sure I'm doing it right.  Speed will come with time.  And even with modifications, it still burns.  Good lord how it burns.  In fact, it burns right now.  I woke up this morning and oh how my body aches.  It's not crippling but it's there.

These are my Day 1 pics:

I'm also going to be very diligent about keeping a food journal again and tracking calories.  I always am mindful of how much I'm eating and I do still use Lose It but I think I'm going to make it a daily habit again.  And I'm going old school and using a pen and paper.

Today's Menu:

B:  breakfast casserole:  eggs, broccoli, potatoes
L:  beef stew
D:  bbq chicken, roasted green beans and baked potato

Drop 2 Sizes: Week 1 Complete and Metabolic Workout review

It's Monday.

And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Just wanted to let you all know that I did my Metabolic Workout!

Lets get down to it.

There are 2 of them:  Timed and Countdown.

I did the Timed one this week.

It is 15 minutes.  Yes, only 15 minutes.  Basically you do a move for 30 seconds and then you rest for 30 seconds.  And in those 30 seconds you are supposed to do as many reps of that move as humanly possible.  So be prepared to push yourself.  You an either half-ass it or go all in.  What kinds of moves you ask?

squats, squat-thrusts, lunges, kettle bell/dumbbell swings, and plank type moves to name a few.

And just so you know I went all in.  And it was a solid workout.  I was sweating, breathing hard and so thankful when it was over.  At one point during the workout she mentions that unless you give it all you got, you won't get all the results you want.

And that was the push I needed.  Because I want results!

There is also a warm-up and foam roll workout included but I did things a little differently.  I did my own standard warm-up and then I chose to do the foam roll AFTER the metabolic workout because there is no cool-down.  BTW, the foam roll is only 5 minutes or so.  I will definitely be adding the foam roll to my cool down from now on.  If you don't have a foam roller, go get one.  I happened to have one from my trek to physical therapy last year.  I believe it was around $20 or so.  I also have a rumble roller but I will definitely be using the foam roller for this one. 

And look here, below is the kind of I have and it's only $15.  Got to love Amazon.

White Foam Roller 6x36 Round

There you have it folks, that's week 1.

And today starts week #2.

Good times.

Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 47 & Whole30 Results

I haven't been this happy to see a Friday in a looooooong time.

Only because my Whole30 is officially over (HOORAY) and tomorrow is pizza day.

It's the little things in life.

Weigh in:  +/- 0

Awww.  I was hoping for at least a little loss.  I even stuck to the rules of my Whole30 til my weigh-in. 

Oh Well.  I will say one of the best things about doing a Whole30 is that when I would have a weigh-in, I didn't sweat getting on the scale.  At ALL.  Simply because I knew I was eating pretty darn perfectly.  So whatever happened on the scale, I just chalked it up to my body doing it's thing.  I didn't really care because I was already working out and eating as clean as humanly possible so there was nothing left for me to tweak!  

Add that one to the list of good things about the Whole30 folks.

Now what I did this week:

1.  I earned around 18 AP.  I did SIX Jillian Michaels workouts.  And I kicked butt every single time.

2.  I ate 214 points.  WOO HOO!! Finally got that total up to where it should be.

3.  Water is officially my beverage of choice these days!  In fact, I haven't had a soda at all this year.  My boyfriend actually pointed this out to me last night.  I wasn't really a big soda drinker to begin with but still, I think that's excellent.  I'm a big proponent of never drinking soda regardless of your weight.  I have one family member who had a giant soda problem.  He would go through a case of diet dr. pepper like every day or two by himself.  BY HIMSELF.  He never had a weight problem in his life but he now has a neurological disorder that his doctors attribute to over-consumption of artificial sweetener from the soda.  Something to think about.

4.  What I ate?  I ate what I was supposed to eat.  Breakfast casserole with veggies, zucchini noodles with a seafood tomato sauce, steak with veggies and mushrooms, salads, fruit, almonds, ... you get the picture.

And now for my Whole30 results.

I don't really know how to handle my Whole30 results.  The rules of the program are you are NOT supposed to weigh yourself during the entirety of the 30 days.  I obviously didn't do that and continued my weigh-ins as per usual.

That's where this gets tricky.  If I had done the program to their rules, I would have weighed myself on the morning of July 9 (Day 1) and logged that number (which I did) and then waited until the morning of August 8 (Day 31) to weigh myself again (which I also did).  And If I had followed that protocol, the numbers would have told you that I lost 10.2 pounds in 30 days.

But I didn't do that.  I continued my weekly weigh-ins.  I started the Whole30 on Tuesday July 9th but the tricky part is my last "official" weigh-in was Friday, June 28th so while I was blogging I used that last "official" number as the starting number.  So if you go by my blog posts, I lost 3.2 pounds in 30 days.

Which is right?  Both I guess.  It just depends on how you want to look at it.

I know most people are going to try the Whole30 for weight loss even though a lot of the success stories in the book are from people who have body ailments that get healed (tendonitis, skin problems, digestive issues etc.).

I know one of the reasons I wanted to try it was because people were spouting about losing upwards of 15 pounds in 30 days.  How can that NOT be motivating?  In any case, I thought it was important to give you both sets of numbers.

I don't care which one is accurate because I lost inches.  Which, for me, is more important.  A 10 pound weight loss matters not if you don't get smaller in the process.  So because I lost inches, I don't care if it was 10 pounds or 3 pounds, I still lost the same amount of inches.  But don't forget, I was doing my Jillian Michaels challenge at the same time so I was working out too.

Here are the numbers:

Start
Chest: 39.5
 Ribs:   32.5
Waist: 33.5
Hips:    41
Belly Button:  34
Upper Thigh: 22.75
Leg @ Knee: 17
Left Arm: 12.75

End
Chest:  39 
Ribs:   32
Waist: 32
Hips:    40
Belly Button: 33 
Upper Thigh: 22.5
Leg @ Knee: 17
Left Arm: 11.25

Total inches lost:  -6.25"

And here are the pics:

The area I lost the most from is probably the least recognizable from the pics.  It was from my waist and hip area.  My hips aren't as wide now and my waist is a little more defined.  I know I lost inches from that area because I can fit into pants that didn't fit prior.  And the difference in my clothes is pretty amazing so I figured the pictures would definitely reflect that but I don't think it's as noticeable in a picture as it is to me.  No matter.  I'm pleased to be able to add some pieces of clothing to my wardrobe that were previously too tight!

And there you have it folks.  Nothing too major for me.  But as a disclaimer, I've never lost weight quickly or easily.  It takes me longer than an average person to lose weight.  It's something I've had to learn to deal with over the years.  I don't always deal with it very well but I do my best to work with what I have. 

Case and point.  My boyfriend did the Whole30 with me.   We ate the same foods every day except he would add in a couple pieces of fruit or extra protein to pad his calories because he eats more than I do.  We both also workout usually 5 days a week.  However, he does ride his bike to work 5 days a week so in addition to his regular workouts, he automatically gets in the extra cardio from his bike.

His Whole30 results?  He lost 20 pounds.  And he needed to lose maybe five.  When I first heard his results I was, of course, jealous.  But after some time, I decided to use his results as encouragement.  I did the exact same things as he did.  I ate the same food, I got in my workouts.  Therefore, my results were the best that my body could give me.  I was already aware of my body's sluggish metabolism (it's documented somewhere on this blog - I had it tested YEARS ago and they told me it was -18% slower than it should be).  I am acutely aware that I've always had a hard time losing weight so I should be proud of my accomplishments.  I didn't cheat on the diet.  I ate as perfectly as a human being can eat and I did my workouts when I could.  And no, I didn't lose 20 pounds but I lost some and I lost inches.  So, I am very happy with my results.  I mean, hey, I could have not done anything at all and gained weight during that time.

Right?

So, we're taking the weekend off and then I'm going to hit it again.  I'm going to do an almost Whole30 as best I can until we leave for vacation at the end of the month.  And after vacation, we're going to be at it again until I get to where I want to be.  And he is determined to do it with me until I reach my goal.

Isn't he the best??

Have a great weekend!

Jillian Michaels Challenge: Update

Hello internet world.

I'm still doing my Jillian Michaels challenge.  Man, I'm really starting to like her.  I've always been a fan but I'm really loving her DVDs.

Since I'm doing so many different DVDs, I thought I'd review some of the new ones.

Killer Buns and Thighs:  Level 1

The Facts:
This is a 30 minute workout PLUS warm up and cool-down.  You'll need a set of dumbbells and a mat if you're working on a hard surface.  (Actually, the dumbbells aren't desperately needed in this one.  You could get away without using them say, if you were traveling or something.)  This is a circuit workout.  She runs you through a series of moves that, obviously, targets your lower body, you repeat that circuit and then you move on.  She throws in some cardio moves every now and then but this is mainly a strength/toning video.   But you DEFINITELY will be burning some calories.

I burned 362 calories according to my HRM.

I LOVE this DVD.  Mainly because I LOVE working out my legs.  Always have.  But this is also a great workout.  I love the pace, she changes poses quickly but you will definitely feel the burn in all the right places.  If you do this one regularly enough, there is no way your butt won't look amazing.  And I'm just on level 1!

No More Trouble Zones:

The Facts:
The workout is 40 minutes PLUS WU and CD.  Get out your dumbbells and mat for this one.  This is another circuit style workout.  Each circuit targets something up top and something down below.  You'll do a series of moves targeting said muscle groups, repeat the series and then move on to 2 other muscle groups.  I believe you do this for 5 circuits total but I'll have to double check that.  This DVD also is predominantly strength training.

I still need to wear my HRM while doing this to get a count.  But I'll do that soon.  I promise.

I also LOVE this DVD.  Every since I did p90x last year, I've grown very fond of strength training.  So this DVD is right up my alley.  It's called no more trouble zones because she literally hits every zone in your body.  Even if you're short on time and can only do half of it you'll still hit both upper and lower body and get in a good workout.  The only caveat with this one is that there is just one workout.  I plan on keeping it in my rotation sparingly so I won't get sick of it.


6 Week 6 Pack: Level 1

The Facts:
This is a 30 minute workout PLUS WU and CD.  Like Killer Buns and Thighs you need a set of dumbbells and a mat (if on a hard surface) BUT you can definitely do this without the weights.  It's another fast paced routine that targets the abdominal muscles.  But don't think you'll be on the floor the whole time.  She has you doing moves you wouldn't think target the waist but they do.  In addition to my abs being worked, I also felt like my arms and shoulders got a decent (not great) workout due to moves like the plank.  Just holding your body weight up is enough to give them a workout.

Need to do a HRM reading with this as well. 

I very much like this workout.  I'm not going to use the word love yet, but I feel like I MIGHT fall in love with this one too.  I like that the moves are different.  I was a little apprehensive about doing a workout that focused only on getting a 6 pack, but after doing it and seeing how well rounded the moves were, I was definitely up for keeping it in my rotation.  And yes, I definitely think if you do this workout, your waist will shrink.

And now my disclaimer about all 3 videos.  I firmly believe you will get excellent results with these videos.  But only EXCELLENT results if your diet is clean.  And when I say clean I mean just short of perfect clean.  I didn't realize how much more effective workouts were until I changed my eating.  There is a reason she includes menus with most of her DVDs and talks about eating.  It's more than half the battle.  That being said, I imagine you'll get really good results if your diet is still in progress. 

I believe diet is the most important factor of getting a great body and also the hardest element.  It is TOUGH.  So take it a little at a time.  It took me years of trying to get to a point where I was willing to change things.  I had the info, my soul was willing but my brain wasn't on board.  This year, things have fallen into place.  I've made changes that I sincerely hope are lifelong.  And I also hope I keep seeing results.

Mini Progress Report:

I'm about halfway thru week 3 of my 7 week challenge which is kind of like a halfway point so I took some preliminary measurements last night.  I'm down around 6 inches all over.  I also tried on some previously too tight pants/shorts and they seem to be fitting now.  Week 1 was a great week.  I did 4 workouts.  Week 2 was less than stellar - only did 1 workout.  And now I'm on Week 3 with my 3rd workout happening this evening.  I'm pretty happy with the 6 inches considering I feel like I lost a week with Week 2.  No matter, I will push forward.  I'll give a real update next week with pictures and actual measurement numbers after my Whole30 is over.

Ripped in 30: Update

Before the holiday and my break, I was on level 2/week 2 of Ripped in 30.

First, let me give you the facts:

Workout 2/Level 2 sticks with the circuit style training:  3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, 1 minute of abs.  The total run time is about 30 minutes and the only equipment you need is a set of hand weights, a mat (if you're working on a hard surface), and some good old fashioned motivation.  I burned 325 calories according to my HRM.

Man, this one is tough.  So far I can say that Ripped in 30 is definitely harder than 30 Day Shred.  I actually wish I had done this one first and I'll tell you why.



I really feel like if I had done Ripped in 30 first, I would have had even more amazing results.   I dedicated more time to my 30 Day Shred program because, simply put, I was more motivated.  It's hard to do the same workout over and over.  By the time I hit Ripped in 30 I had already done Slim in 6 AND 30 Day Shred.  Now, while both are fine workouts, they do require that you repeat workouts A LOT!  And after 10+ weeks of doing that, it gets monotonous. 

So by the time Ripped in 30 came around, I think I just needed a break.  I made it to Level 2/Workout 2 and then my 4th of July break hit.

And that puts us right here.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I will NOT be finishing Ripped in 30.  At least not right now.  I definitely want to give it a try, but when I'm refreshed and renewed and ready to dedicate 30 days to doing it the right way because I really REALLY believe this one is an ass kicker that will do pretty amazing things to your body.

I'm actually looking forward to the day that I get to retry it.  And a little scared.

No lie.  That workout is hard!

Ripped in 30: Week 1 / Day 1

After successfully completing the 30 Day Shred Saturday, I decided not to waste any time and the next day I jumped right into:

Ripped in 30:

Yes, another Jillian Michaels program.  Again, I'm a huge fan for a couple of reasons.  

1.  They are NOT time consuming.  The 30 Day Shred workouts clock in at just around 25 minutes and these are just right at the 30 minute mark.  When I did p90x last year, I swear, it felt like my life revolved around working out.  The workouts were a minimum of one hour and up to 90 minutes in length.  That's a lot of time to carve out of an already busy life. 

2.  I really like the 3-2-1 circuit format.  That's 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, 1 minute of abs.  Just when you think you can't do a move for a second longer, BOOM!, she moves on.

3.  I got results with the 30 Day Shred so why mess with a good thing right?

This program differs from the 30 Day Shred in the smallest of ways.  The overall length of the workouts are a bit longer but that's only due to a longer warm-up and cool-down.  And since those are the easiest parts of the workout, it's not noticeable at all.  Also, instead of doing just 2 exercises for the 3 minutes of strength, she now has you doing 3 exercises.  I really like this change as some of those strength poses in the 30DS were grueling and hard to perform properly for so long.  And lastly, instead of doing 3 Levels for 10 days a piece, this one is 5-6 workouts per week with a total of four levels.  It's technically not truly 30 days but you get the picture.

So just a couple of changes but nothing too complicated.

My Day 1 was Sunday and I made just one tweak.  Instead of doing 5-6 workouts per week for 4 weeks, I'm going to perform each level 5-6 times per week for a total of 10 workouts per level.  So my program will actually have 40 workouts total and could actually take me up 8 weeks to finish.

Week 1 / Day 1:

I burned 285 calories according to my HRM.

My initial thought was this is much harder than the 30 Day Shred.  The moves are intense and targeted and I loved them.  I actually had to "march it out" just to catch my breath a few times. She didn't offer as many beginner movements in the exercises.  In fact, she even mentions this.  I didn't mind though.  It's not too hard to figure out how to modify a move if you need to.   It moved just as quickly as the 30DS and before I knew it, I was done.  The next day I had a bit of soreness but nothing I couldn't handle. 

I'm excited to see what kind of results I get out of this one.

As far as eating goes, I'll be continuing to follow my diet of whole foods, no gluten, no soy, no dairy, minimal eggs  (all 4 due to food intolerance) and minimal sugar.  I'll also continue to count my points using Weight Watchers and try to stick to around 215 points per week (I do not eat my Activity Points).

Starting measurements and pics:

Ripped in 30

Day 1:

Chest:  39"
Ribs:    31.75"
Waist:  32.5"
Hips:    40.25"
Belly Button:  34"
Upper Thigh:  22.75"
Leg @ Knee:  17"
Left Arm:  11.5"


Day 1 photos:

Wish me luck!!

30 Day Shred: Final Results

I finally finished!

Saturday was my final workout and I put everything I had into it.  I tried to do all the advanced moves even if it meant I only did for them for a little bit.

I was so proud of myself because I could tell that I had made big progress.  Especially when I was able to do full on jumping lunges for the first set.  Big win for me!

I'll just jump right into the stats.

Measurements:

30 Day Shred

Day 1:
Chest:  40"
Ribs:    33"
Waist:  33.5"
Hips:    42"
Belly Button:  34.5"
Upper Thigh:  24"
Leg @ Knee:  18"
Left Arm:  12"

Day 30:
Chest:  39"
Ribs:    31.75"
Waist:  32.5"
Hips:    40.25"
Belly Button:  34"
Upper Thigh:  22.75"
Leg @ Knee:  17"
Left Arm:  11.5"

Total inches lost:  -8.25"

And I'm totally loving it.  I keep buying new clothes just because I'm starting to feel so good about myself.  In terms of scale weight, I pretty much didn't lose anything.  And I don't care :)

As long as my inches keep going down, then I'm a happy girl.

And finally, my pictures - - side note:  please excuse the mess in the 2nd set :(

Day 1

Day 30

Not the biggest difference in the world, but I think I can see a little change in the side view pictures.  To be perfectly honest, if I didn't take measurements, I probably wouldn't have thought I had made any progress at all!

Here's another fun fact, I weigh almost the same in both sets of pics. 

And since you know how much I love doing this, I went back in time to check out some stats I had from doing p90x last year.

After 30 days on p90x last year, my weight was 3 pounds LESS than what I am now, however look at my measurements:

Chest:  43"
Ribs:    34.5"
Waist:  36.5"
Hips:    45"
Belly Button:  40"
Upper Thigh:  25.25"
Leg @ Knee:  18.5"
Left Arm:  13.5"

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  take your measurements!

I'm so happy I do.  It really does help me keep my head in the game.  Otherwise, I probably would have given up by now.

Just sayin'

 Today's Menu:
B:  homemade larabar
L:  roasted chicken + veggie salad
D:  portobello mushroom pizza

Slim in 6: Week 6 - almost done!

I'm so close.  So very close to being done.

In a few short days, I will close the book on this program.

FOREVER.

No, not forever.  I actually have really enjoyed this program.  I know I've complained about how repetitive it is but the fact of the matter is, I like these workouts.  In fact, I will probably keep at least one DVD (level 2 or 3) in my rotation because I like it so much.

As far as results.  I will post my final measurement and 6 week weight loss numbers when I'm done.  But I've said it before and I'll say it again.

It works.  No, you're not going to magically lose all your weight in 6 weeks if you have a significant amount to lose.  However, you will gain some strength, look more toned, and feel stronger.  You'll also probably notice that your pants and shirts fit differently.  And if you're one of those really blessed people (of which I'm not), you might get even better results.

I think this would be a great starter program or a good get back into working out program for anyone.  Plus, it's cheap.  It doesn't require a gym membership or a lot of equipment.  You just need some space, the time, and a a long resistance band or a good set of dumbbells (at whatever weight you can lift - I did 5lbs).


A word about using resistance bands.  I found doing some of the moves (triceps especially) awkward using the bands.  I don't mean you can't do them I mean I, personally, thought it was an awkward movement to do while using a band.  For the tricep exercises, I always switched to a dumbbell and did kickbacks.  It was an easy switch out.

I'm happy this is almost over so I can start something new.  But I'm even happier that I did it.

I really do feel great.

Baby Steps to Working Out ...

I not only need to workout.  I now desperately want to workout.

What happened?

Well, while walking into work this morning I had my A-ha! moment.

I was walking thru the parking garage carrying my gym bag and lunch bag in my left hand by my side.  I then started lifting both bags up so that I could carry my gym bag on my shoulder.

But something happened.

I couldn't do it.

At first I thought I just had a weird grip so I tried it again.  Nope.  I literally could not lift them.  I didn't have any pain or anything, I just didn't have the muscle for it.

So I went to my desk and made an appointment with my orthopedist.  If any of you have been following me, you'll surely remember my run with p90x last year.  It was awesome.  I gained muscle.   I lost inches.  I felt great.  However, I also hurt my elbow.  And I've been resting it since I wrote that post back in June 2012.  It still hasn't gotten better.  And I've stayed off of it because any time I've used it too much it starts hurting constantly.  In fact, 3 weeks ago I went to the Urgent Care doctor because I had some crazy, out of the blue swelling around my elbow that was painful.  She gave me some pain medicine and said "please go see your orthopedist".

So, I'm going to see my orthopedist.  I mean, if I can't lift a gym bag then something isn't right.   It was a shocking moment to be honest.  I knew I had lost a lot of my strength but this felt different.  I felt scary weak.  After a couple of hours passed, I picked up my bags again and tried again to put the bag on my shoulder.  Fortunately, I was able to do it.  I don't know why I completely failed when I tried earlier but either way, it shouldn't happen.

My appointment is Monday afternoon.  And whatever he tells me to do, I'm going to do it.

I'm going to get better and then I'm going to happily workout.

I don't like this being weak thing.

I don't like it one bit.

I might even do p90x again.

But first things first.

To the doctor I shall go ...... 

Today's Menu:
B:  coffee + chocolate pea rice protein + coconut milk = makeshift mocha frappuccino!
L:  rice + thai green curry
D:  steak + mushroom sauce + mashed potatoes + green beans

2 Days til Weigh In and ...

I still haven't worked out!!

What is WRONG w/ me.  I have all of these good intentions to do it but they somehow always go out the window! And it's definitely not for lack of resources.

Let's see.  I have:

1. a gym membership
2. a well stocked home gym (no cardio equipment but EVERYTHING you need for strength training)
3. an awesome location for my job.  I can walk to the gym on my lunch break so time is usually not a problem
4. tons of workout clothing
5. BRAND NEW RUNNING SHOES.  I bought myself brand new, top of the line, running shoes right before Christmas.  They've been walked in a handful of times but THAT'S IT

See?  I have all of those wonderful things.  But the one thing I don't have is any desire.  Usually when I don't workout, I am riddled with guilt and feel just horrible.  That hasn't happened.  UGH.  I tried setting the goals last week for some motivation but even thinking about coming here and telling you find people about how I didn't workout didn't budge me one bit.

I hang my head in shame.

Also as of right now my weight is up this week.  Now you'd think that THAT would be something to get me moving but sadly .... no.

All I can do is try.  I'm going to TRY to start.

Today's Menu:
B:  Vegetable Soup
L:  Lentil Soup
D:  Cajun Chicken Pasta

Lots of soup for me.  I was running late for breakfast so I grabbed what was already made.  I must say it was warm, creamy and very filling.

PS:  I don't want to workout.

I'm a Machine: Strength Training and Weight Loss

It's been a little more than 2 weeks since I've posted.  My ribs are still sore so I've been working out around them.  After the doctor's office, I got one good workout in and it sent me straight back to resting.  So I took the following 4 days off and adjusted what I could do workout wise.

Since then, I have worked out every single day.  I have no idea what's gotten in to me but it's awesome.  That's 9 days in a row of some pretty grueling workouts.  For instance, this past Saturday I did a 90 minute workout.  What is that?!?

I have found that my ribs can handle 4 activities:  running, the elliptical, biking and of course walking.  So I've been concentrating on that.  I REALLY want to go back to strength training but I'm apprehensive only because I'm a little scared I'm going to seriously hurt myself.  I've laid off of my upper body for over 6 weeks now due to my elbow and I'm starting to think I need to start wading back into the water.

Again, it's a little scary because re-injuring injuries just plain old sucks.

But this week seems to be the week.  I'm going to try to do an upper body tonight.  Shoulders and Arms from p90x to be more specific.  However, I'm going for some light girly weights to see how my elbow reacts.  I'm thinking 5 pounders will be good.  It's kind of deflating because back before I hurt my elbow I was lifting pretty decent weight.  Anyway, if there is pain, I'll immediately stop, of course. If there is no pain, FINGERS CROSSED, then I'll finish it out and wait and see what tomorrow brings in terms of soreness.  Then, on Friday, I'm going to do lower body.  Yup, legs and back.  This one will be testing my ribs more.  My doctor told me that the lower body workouts will be what affects my ribs most.  But it's the same deal for the lower body.  As long as it doesn't hurt while I'm doing the moves, I'll finish and then see what the morning brings in terms of soreness.

Hopefully, all will go well and if it does, then I'm excited to start lifting again.

I last wrote about trying to be in a calorie deficit.  Well, I've been exercising like a mad man and apparently I've developed the restraint of a God.  I've been doing SO WELL with my calories!!

For instance, for the past 2 weeks I've been running over a 500 calorie deficit PER DAY.  And yes, it's really, really hard.  But totally doable.

I haven't measured myself (that's coming this Friday) but since I last posted I am down 4.4 pounds.  I haven't done any lifting in those 2 weeks, just cardio, so I'm a little afraid of muscle loss but only a little.  Honestly, I'm just too excited about having 2 weeks in a row where I LOST weight.

I don't want to toot my horn too much because maybe it was a fluke?  My weigh-in is on Friday and I have high hopes for yet another loss. 


As for my menus, I ended up doing 2 weeks of Vegetarian.  It was kind of hard to get enough protein but I REALLY enjoyed it.  This week, I added some meat back into the menu but only because I was seriously craving a hamburger :)

Also, an update on the Shakeology.  The first week was pretty good but I started getting sick the second week.  It tastes GREAT but I started getting an upset stomach and so I quit taking it.  I talked to my BB coach and she had some suggestions.  I still haven't tried her suggestions because I really don't want to get sick again.  If I do try it out I'll let you know how it works out.

But it seems important to note that that first week (the one where I was fine), the Shakeology would hold me from breakfast until lunch w/ NO HUNGER.  AND it gave me LOTS of energy.  AND at the end of the week I lost 3 of the 4.4 pounds that I mentioned above.  I'm not saying that was ALL the Shakeology because I've obviously been doing something right w/ my calories and working out.  I think the Shakeology just helped me keep my calories down which is what essentially caused the weight loss.  The second week (the one without Shakeology) I lost 1.4 pounds.  So there, success either way.

Today's Menu:

B:  Coffee + Creamer + Kashi Go Lean + Almond Milk
S:  Buffalo Jerky
L:  Salmon + Orzo + Veggies
D:  Hamburger + Lettuce/Tomato + Lite Mayo/Ketchup + 2% Amer. Cheese + Baby Carrots

Trying to Work Out

Just wanted to give an update on my progress.  I am still working out but am dealing with another injury.  I just got back from the doctor's office and I have torn some muscles around my ribs.  And trust me, it is as unpleasant as it sounds.

I got the go ahead to continue to exercise but not to do anything that causes any pain.  So no twisting, turning, jarring movements.  I think I'm pretty safe with walking, running, biking, and the elliptical (the one with no arms).  I can't do any lifting with my upper body (no problem because the elbow is still out of commission) and the lower body needs to be done with caution as squatting and lunging requires the particular muscles that I've torn.

My body is broken.

The key is to keep moving.  Within reason.  The good part is that the more I move the better I feel.  When I sit for too long then the pain sets in.

As for progress.  I'm still making gains in the lean mass category.  I have had very minimal fat loss.  Since I ended round 1 I have gained 3 pounds of muscle and lost 0.1 pounds of fat.  Unfortunately, I do not want any more muscle gain.  I have plenty and I'm starting to look bulky.  I need fat loss.  That means only one thing.  Calorie deficit.  And apparently I'm not in one.

Calorie restriction is not my friend.  I'm really good at working out but really bad at staying within my calories.  I have no choice though.  If I want the fat to come off I have to watch how much goes in my mouth.

So diet now needs to become my focus more so than it is.  In fact, due to a friend's request, I have decided to go vegetarian for one week.  I have a friend who had to change her diet for health reasons.  She started out as vegetarian and moved to vegan recently to help out a condition she has.  She is loving it so far and honestly, looks great.  So I told her I'd give the vegetarian a try.  Well, Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian.  I honestly have no fear about doing this because little known fact, I really don't like meat at all!  I know I need my protein to keep my muscles strong so I eat it.  However, when I made my menu for this week I had to be creative to keep the protein content up.  I'm pretty happy with what I came up with and will let you know how it goes!

Today's Menu:

B:  Oatmeal + Coffee
L:  WW noodles mixed with Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese topped with Chunky Vegetable Tomato Sauce and RF Cheddar Cheese (1/2 serving)
S:  1/2 serving of above
D:  Roasted Ratatouille with Baked Eggs

Recovery and P90x

I'm not 100% but I'm far, far better off than I was this time last week.  I stayed in bed until Saturday and then slowly made my way back into the world.

Great way to spend a vacation huh?

I don't know what I had, but it was horrendous.  I did, however, manage to get that second interview after all.  The unfortunate part was that I had to go while sick.  I mustered every ounce of strength I had and got through it.  A two hour interview no less.  It wasn't my best performance but I was so happy to have the opportunity I didn't care.  Now it's just wait and see.

Also, while I was recuperating, plans were made, challenges suggested, gauntlets thrown .. you know the routine.  My boyfriend got P90x.  Yeah, you see where this is going.  He wants me to join him on this venture and maybe I was delusional from the sickness, but I accepted.

Yesterday was my first day.  I meant to post but it was my first day back at work AND out of bed so I was overly busy and completely exhausted.  I know my first few days of doing this are going to be lackluster but I'm going to give it everything I have without pushing myself too hard due to being sick last week.  We didn't make any bets or anything because honestly, if we stick to it, the end result should be our rewards.  And I'll be honest, I'm kind of scared.  In a good way I guess.  But he really, really wants to get back into shape (he started a new job awhile ago and you know how schedules change and life happens) and I want to do everything I can to encourage him.  Also, it'll be good for the both of us.


He will be performing the Classic schedule and I will be performing the Lean schedule.  Yeah, I didn't know there were two different types either.  Basically the lean is more cardio intense.  March 19th was Day 1.  I took my body fat, measurements and weighed myself so I'll be posting those as I go along.  Tonight I am going to take a picture because I forgot to do that yesterday.  Maybe I can coerce him to let me take pictures of him too.  Other than that, it's just working out and majorly tightening up on nutrition.

The program has 3 different phases of nutrition and honestly, they're tough.  Right now, I'm supposed to be eating 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fat.  I don't know if you've ever tracked your macros before but this one is quite intensive.  It's called the fat shredder phase I believe.  I didn't hit it yesterday but I was pretty close.  I'll be easing my way into the nutrition portion because all of this all at once might very well overload my circuits.

Today's menu:

B:  oatmeal + 100% maple syrup, coffee + creamer
S:  LF cottage cheese + strawberries
L:  roasted carrots + green beans + stuffing + seared flank steak
S:  almonds + chocolate milk
D:  sushi (i think)

macros so far: 45% carbs , 34% fat, 21% protein -- needs a little work

Nap Time Would Be Nice

I wish nap time existed for adults.

How awesome would work be if there was a twenty minute time frame set aside for napping - whether in your office or a nap room? I'd like to think the nap room would be a dimly lit room, slightly on the cooler side, with large, leather recliners that were so soft that you just sank into them. Pillows and blankets would be available and maybe there would even be a TV - set to some movie that would just play in the background on low volume.

Maybe it would be the golf channel. I love watching golf on tv and I love napping to golf on tv.

I'm finding that when I get home from work I am utterly exhausted. Painfully would be a better word for it. Painfully exhausted. It's no mystery why - I'm not sleeping at night. Last night I clocked in a solid 2.5 hours. Yikes. Hopefully tonight will be better.

I know I haven't written since July but I'm just going to pretend like August didn't happen ;)

Lets just say that the beast overcame my best defenses and I had an entire month of unhealthiness. In all honesty, it probably was a good thing. I was a little too focused on what I was eating, and when, and how much, and what were the calories, and what were the macro-nutrients, and when was I exercising and all that jazz.

Lets just say I had a full "30 Days to gaining 5 pounds"

So, at the end of August, I allowed myself to have a clean slate - I took ownership of my weight gain and I buckled down and began again. Just a little more relaxed. I'm focusing on working out regularly (I'm not putting a number on it or minute requirement - just to do it regularly), eating the best food choices I can make, and eating a reasonable amount of food.

I also bought a new book. It's called "The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift like a Man, Look like a Goddess"

Long title huh? I was scouring bodybuilding boards looking for a couple new strength training exercises to alleviate boredom I'd been having when I noticed people kept mentioning "NROLFW". It took some googling to find out what the acronym meant and then I happened upon the book on amazon and quite a few positive reviews. So I checked out the free preview and then got it.

It was an easy read with a lot of good information. Nothing too new and drastic but rather a lot of good info just contained in one place. I particularly like the workouts. It has a whole 6 month plan and the moves are not "girlie" moves and I like that. You know, squats, deadlifts, push-ups, pull-ups etc. . . and the goal is to get into the heavy weights. I started on August 25th and I can already tell I'm gaining strength which is awesome. My legs needed to gain some muscle for my running and knee health. Also, I feel more capable when I feel stronger.

In any case, I'm following Stage 1 workouts right now - I'm beginning my third week and so far so good. The Stage 1 workouts actually look pretty simple - and mind you, it only takes about 20 - 25 minutes for me to complete them but they're a little rough. I'm definitely sweating when I finish. I also like to push myself so that helps.

On the food frontier I've taken a little break from cooking. The last two weeks I've let myself use Lean Cuisine like foods as my chef for my lunches at work. I think that also has something to do w/ my not sleeping well. I'm strapped for time in the morning because I'm so tired and I'm waking up later and don't have much time to fix my lunch for work.

For example, today's menu:

B: iced coffee w/ whey protein, egg white sandwich
S: cottage cheese and an apple
L: Smart Ones Thai Chicken
S: handful pistachios
D: don't know yet

Since my do-over I've lost about a pound but this time I measure myself and used my calipers so I feel certain that in a week or two I'll see a bigger difference there. In any case, the scale is kind of third on my measurement list and I'm trying to keep it that way.

And that's all that has been going on.

so for right now, I'm aiming for:

"30 days to not be so stressed about my weight"

Dance Dance Revolution

I couldn't muster up the strength to go to the gym yesterday. Opportunity after opportunity passed me by as I lazily chose to sit on my tush. When lunch time hit and my scheduled workout at the gym stared me in the face, I was desperate for a plan of action. I did NOT want to go to the gym. I just didn't have it in me.

So I made alternate plans. I called home and had my boyfriend hook up my old Playstation 2 so that when I got home I could get out my old Dance Dance Revolution games. Yes, I am a thiry-something who used to LOVE to play DDR. Some 5 years ago when I first got it, I used to play that thing for HOURS. Sweating it up in my tiny, studio apartment. Dancing on that flimsy mat til my feet were sore. It used to be so much fun.

I'll admit, I got home, ate some dinner then went into our workout room to have a look at it. I honestly haven't played or looked at in YEARS. The graphics were ancient looking and I laughed at how primitive the whole system is compared to the new PS3. I toggled through the menu then went to go sit on the couch with my boyfriend and let my food settle a little. Honestly, I wasn't feeling it. But I sat there and committed myself to at least 20 minutes. I told myself if at the end of 20 minutes it wasn't doing anything for me, I was free to walk away.

So I put on some "play clothes", strapped on my heart rate monitor and went to work. I was a bit rusty. I used to play on the difficult settings but when I tried it out, I was having a hard time keeping up. Not to mention my heart rate was SOARING! That's a good thing though :) Long story short, I ended up playing for an hour. I had to go back to the beginner settings to unlock songs that I wanted and so I wasn't working out as hard as I wanted but I did burn a little over 300 calories.

Not bad for playing a video game :)

Working Out Is Fun!

Yesterday's double workout was a smashing success.

Somehow I managed to get up in the morning and do some strength training. Trust me, it was sheer will that got me out of the bed. I am just NOT a morning person. But an added bonus of the double workout: I had good energy throughout the whole day. My lunch break workout completely revived me for the rest of the day.

In other awesome news, I also got up early TODAY to get in my cardio workout. I'm meeting up w/ an old friend after work today and so I wanted to get my workout out of the way, otherwise, I might have used meeting her as an excuse to not do it. In all honesty, it wasn't the greatest workout but I figure something is better than nothing.

This is what I have planned each week for working out:

MON: OFF
TUES: Cardio/Strength Training
WED: Cardio
THUR: Cardio/Strength Training
FRI: Cardio
SAT: Cardio/Strength Training
SUN: Cardio

I do a minimum of 30 minutes continuous cardio and right now I'm doing a full body strength training program that also takes around 30 minutes. As I increase strength I will probably move to a split routine but we'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Today's schedule:

workout: AM/done (250 cal burned)

B: Whey, Rasp, Skim milk smoothie (263 cal)
S: Breakfast Casserole (230 cal)



L: Chicken and Vegetable Soup (165 cal)
D: Dining out

That's all I have planned so far. Oh, I think I might be heading to GNC to pick up some more whey protein. Exciting right?

Great Weekend!

I had a fantastic weekend filled with lots of birthdays and fantastic food.

On Friday night, I went to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate the first birthday of the weekend. It was just a quiet dinner with one of my friends and my boyfriend. There was, of course, lots of talking and great food. We started with a celebratory drink in her honor and ordered some sweet potato fries for the table. For my entree I went with a chicken dish that included mashed potatoes and broccoli. I knew dessert was a must so I ate just a bit of everything and actually we were talking so much I took plenty of time in between bites which helped a lot.

We ordered cheesecake to share and left half on the plate. I walked away from the restaurant feeling very satisfied with not only my food choices but my fullness level. It's hard to walk away from the Cheesecake Factory and not be overly full. The portions are GIGANTIC. The next morning though, I did wake up and feel dreadfully dehydrated most likely from the sodium intake.

Other than dinner, Friday's menu was pretty good:

B: 1/2 egg sandwich on ww bread w/ peppers, lettuce, cheese, coffee
S: romaine tossed with broccoli slaw, edamame and dressing
L: vegetable chili w/ shredded cheese

I also got in 2, yes TWO, workouts. I woke up before work and did strength training and then took a 45 minute walk on my lunch break.

The next birthday event was to be at my house but not until Sunday so Saturday was spent cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning.

I also got in a 45 minute working running intervals and ate ..... um ok.

brunch: portobello mushroom cap topped with sauce, tomatoes, and cheese
s: skim milk, handful cadbury mini eggs
dinner: pad thai with pork

Sunday Sunday Sunday!

Started the day with eggs over easy and a small glass of skim milk.

Got in a 30 minute elliptical workout followed by 15 minutes walking on the treadmill.

Ate a slice of muenster cheese.

And then we had our birthday dinner for my boyfriend. He cooked his favorite Thai dishes and we had many, many people come over to help us celebrate.

I enjoyed Jasmine rice with Green Curry and shrimp accompanied by a glass or two of wine. And topped it off with a few bites of pie and ice cream.

We started dinner at 5pm and everyone was still having fun at 10:30pm so we ordered some pizza and I had 3 slices of cheese pizza.

I probably could have done without the pizza at the end of the night if I had eaten better after my workout. All I had after that workout was the slice of cheese because I was in the kitchen cooking and before I knew it guests were everywhere.

No matter, everyone had a lot of fun and it was definitely a successful evening.

I did, however, throw the merriment into Monday morning. My boyfriend drove me to work this morning and we stopped at Carl's JR. and got some greasy breakfast goodness!! Yeah, this party needs to come to an end pretty soon.

Lunch is going to be vegetable lasagna w/ whole grain noodles and then dinner will probably be vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables.

I enjoyed everything I did and ate but I'm ready to get back full time to my better way of eating. I feel a little heavy and sluggish but I'm sure it's just from the foods I ate.

Hopefully Wednesday's weigh-in will be kind to me :)

Phase 1 News!

Today is Day #9 of my phase 1. At weigh-in this morning I am officially down 5 pounds and I'm very excited and very pleased with that!

Yesterday was actually a really hard day for me. I think it was emotional though and nothing to do with my diet. I was a little cranky and annoyed and somehow that turned into anger over not being able to eat whatever I wanted. Was I having carb cravings? No. I believe this was completely just emotional. In the past, carbs, to me, equaled comfort and because they were off limits I got very agitated and somewhat angry. Almost like a child being told they couldn't have something.

It was interesting and I'm glad it happened. It showed me two things: 1) I think my actual carb cravings are getting close to being under control and 2) I need to be more aware of my emotions and find things other than carbs to make me feel better.

The episode passed and I had another successful day eating wise.

Today has also been a really nice day!

I was running late this morning and managed to pack everything but my breakfast. No worries though as we have a Starbucks right beside us. I treated myself to a SF latte and a turkey and swiss sandwich. I just threw away the bread and had turkey, swiss and lettuce roll-ups. They actually were very tasty and very filling. Starbucks actually has roasted turkey and not the deli sliced kind. I always find that to be extra satisfying.

Work has been kind of hectic today so I had to sneak in my first snack really quick. It was just a mini babybel.



Nothing too fancy and actually I should have eaten more but I figured a little something was better than nothing at all.

The next thing I knew it was my lunch break. I had my gym bag sitting by my desk ready to go but it was so beautiful outside. Actually, I had no desire to rush to the gym, get in a workout, do the shower thing, rush back to work. My gym is 3 buildings down from my office so I have the luxury of walking there and getting in a decent gym workout. It does require some rushing to get showered and office ready again and sometimes I just don't have it in me to do it.

So I went on a walk instead. I usually walk over to Universal Studios. It's sort of 4 buildings down from my office and a really nice walk.



Me passing my gym and heading up to City Walk






It was so nice out today



I go up there a couple times a week. It takes about 10 minutes to walk there and then I just walk around the shops and people watch with my ipod on.



I should probably just a buy a ticket into the park because it's "buy a day get a year" - so I'd get a season pass. Then I could spend my lunch breaks in the theme park and ride some rides!

It was a nice walk today. I was gone almost the whole hour. Sometimes I don't spend my whole time up there. If I'm in the mood to just speed walk, I'll book it the whole time to try to get my heart rate up. I still wear my HR monitor when I take my lunch walks. It motivates me to walk a little faster even when I don't feel like it. Either way I get between 5000 and 6000 steps in by going up there. It's a real boost as I try every day to get in my 10,000.

And on the way back to my office



That's the wonderful LA traffic. It's usually not so busy this time of day but Obama is here and that means by the time I get out of work, there will be complete gridlock on at least one freeway.

Anyway, back in the office I had my lunch. I wasn't really hungry so I had just one component. Vegetable Soup. I usually eat this with some protein but today I'm just not feeling it.



I wanted to get in my veggies so I ate it.

And now I'm a little sleepy which probably means that I haven't eaten enough calories today. It's true, eating this way, I find that I'm hungry less often but I have to make sure to get in my calories because my body needs them to function! And when I don't eat enough, I get really, really tired.

UGH. OK, I'm getting really tired, I think I'm going to go have some cottage cheese :)