All Pain ~ No Gain

I've Officially Gone INSANE!

2010-10-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

I have been doing Insanity. I've completed the first 30 days and I'm moving onto the next 30!

Today was actually my first day of the second month, and OH MY GOSH! I did the 30 minute Fit Test (which basically has you do 1 exercise for 1 minutes as fast as you can - you count the reps and keep a record. You repeat the Fit Text every other week to check progress). Which I have to admit that I killed it because I did 5-10 more reps on every exercise compared to my last Fit Test!

I then had to do 58 minutes of Max Interval Cardio. Let me just say that I thought I was going to DIE! At one point I was shaking so bad and thought I was doing to get sick. I had to stop for 2 minutes and then continue on! It truly was INSANITY!

Sorry for the delayed post on this, but life has been crazy right now. I'm sure I will be doing more posts on this.

Another thing I would like to talk about is going VEGAN!

Until Next time! Which will hopefully be sooner than later!

What Have I Been Up To?

2010-07-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

I have been very busy - that's what I've been up to.

I was only home for 13 days in the month of June between vacation and heading to Arizona for business for a whole week away from my family (which I surprised myself by surviving).

I have also traveled to Oklahoma to see my Grandfather who is very ill. It was so nice to see my kids with him maybe one last time.

In our "home" we are juggling 3 different people playing multiple sports (I am on of those 3), juggling church functions (which we can't do without), spending much needed time with friends and family, and just trying to live our hectic lives as close to normal as possible.

On a FITNESS note. I have changed some things up that I will hopefully talk more about soon. I have been reading a book called Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. That is a deja vu of Body for Life.
The big thing on these programs is that they want you to eat 6 small meals a day. So, I started P90X again (after taking 2 months off it's kicking my butt all over again), and now I'm eating more than I've eaten in a long time. It's actually really nice... hard to get all the meals in, but nice.

I will be discussing some of this in more detail soon.

*Click HERE to watch my latest treadmill dance to Miley Cyrus' Can't Be Tamed.

Beautiful...

2010-06-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

I have been home recovering from vacation... Doesn't everyone need a vacation from vacation???

I did workout on vacation: Ran 2 miles on 2 different days, did ab and legs work, played tennis 3 days, and played with my kids in the pool.

I decided to take last week off from posting, but totally meant to post my latest treadmill video. I did it to Justin Timberlake & Esme Denters Love Dealer:

Also, I will be meeting with a friend this weekend to go over some calorie intake information. She has the diet down pat, and I have the exercise down pat... Now if you could peice us together it would be perfect! If only it were that easy!!!

In the meantime. I have something to share. Someone from our church who knows that I've struggled with body image, and self esteem shared a video with me. It was amazing!

Not a day goes by that I don't tell my children how beautiful, gorgeous, and special they are.

Now head on over to see what Fitness Friday girls has to say! Click HERE to move on over there.

Increasing VS Decreasing Calories Part 2

2010-06-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

Well, in the past week I have found (through friends sending me articles & chatting with me on facebook) that it is simply calories in VS calories out. Which has always made been the advice when trying to lose weight… but apparently doesn’t make sense to my body.

I wear a Timex Personal Trainer watch and chest band with every activity that I do (even mowing the lawn). It tells me my heart rate, how long I’ve exercised, and calories burned. It’s programmed with my information (age, height, weight, etc). I keep track of my calorie burn on Dailymile. It adds it up for me each week. (It does lots of other cool things as well). I have also been counting calories. I have lost 3 lbs in the last 2 weeks which is great – but according to my burn and intake I should have lost a lot more. So I’m still wondering if eating more of the right things (fruits and veggies) would help me out. I will be trying this when I get back from vacation. I do have a fear of slowing my metabolism from eating too few of calories.

However I’m still boggled that P90X recommends me eating so many calories! I kind of view it like weight watchers where you HAVE to eat all your allotted points to lose weight.

I have a fellow P90X’er at my church who recently asked me about “Zig-Zagging” my calories. I was kind of already doing this by eating my calorie allowance for 6 days a week, and one day having a free day (which I highly recommend!) But once I read more about it made perfect sense to me. I'm all about keeping the body guessing. It gets too used to what your doing to it, so it's needs to feel the "shock value" every now and again. Here is what it recommends: Just Click HERE to read the post.

I have had a few questions of people asking me what I'm doing lately. So, next week I will post more about where I'm headed on my fitness journey!

In the meantime, click on the link below and watch my latest treadmill dance!

TREADMILL DANCE # 3 TO JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND ESME DENTER'S LOVE DEALER

I received a comment the other day that a lady tried my routine in the gym... LOVE IT!

Now head on over to Fitness Friday!

Increasing VS Decreasing Calories

2010-05-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

Increase your calories… No, decrease your calories! Which one is it???

I was hoping to lose a few extra pounds before vacation (because we all know what happens when we go on vacation). I would rather work it off before, then have to see the scale when I got home and then work it off! So a couple weeks ago I started writing everything I ate down. My goal was to keep my caloric intake around 1350 (this is my BMR), which I was able to do. (BMR is what your body burns if you were just lying around in bed all day. Sounds tempting right?!?) With exercise I burn between 500-1000 calories a day at least 6 days a week. So whatever happened to the rule of calories in VS calories out? It used to be easy. Well, I’m finding out that it’s just not easy anymore.

At first I thought maybe I would go lower than the 1350… but I’ve also read (from Jillian Michaels’) to not ever go below 1200 calories a day because it slows your metabolism down. Then I took a look at the P90X nutrition. Even though I have done P90X 3 times I have never done the nutritional part of it. Well according to them I should be eating 1800 to 2100 calories a day!

I found so many websites that said so many things. I totally get that you need to create a deficit in your caloric allowance to lose weight. I also know that 3500 calories equals 1 lb loss. Trust me… I’m creating that deficit, but my body isn’t having it. Then I read that if you do too much with too little calories that your body holds onto the fat and uses the first thing it can get its hands on… MUSCLE! I really feel like this is what my body is doing.

So after some consideration and of course just playing around to see what works best for my body I will be increasing my calories (slowly). This is mainly be made up of fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and healthy carbs. Not me shoving my face full of junk food!

I did come across a great BMR calculator that also allows you to put in your activity level, which should give you a better feel for what your supposed to be eating. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still at a loss as to what the truth is… decreasing or increasing calories – but I figured I couldn’t go much lower in calories. This BMR calculator actually told me to eat with the 1300 range to lose weight with all the activity I do – which makes me all that more confused because I’m NOT losing weight!

So besides increasing my calories, I’m also changing things up with my workouts. I’ve been mixing P90X with some Tracy Anderson arm ideas. I do find it odd that she doesn’t recommend women lifting over 3 lb dumbbells because it “creates bulk”. But I LOVE some of her moves and their fun. This is where I also came up with an idea. Tracy doesn’t recommend running. Especially if your trouble zone is your behind! Well… I’m a runner, and I’m not giving it up, but I do understand what she’s saying. Because trust me… My behind is not getting any smaller! So she recommends skipping, jumping, and other things on the treadmill. She calls it treadmill dancing. This is where I got creative… I love to dance, so I came up with the idea to make up a routine to some good workout songs. This is what I’ve come up with:

Treadmill Dance # 1 to Rihanna's Hard

Treadmill Dance # 2 to Justin Bieber's Baby

I plan on coming up with 1 new one a week and posting it. I love doing it and it’s a great workout!

Feel free to comment and let me know what you think about all “calorie” mania!

Don't forget to hope on over to see what Fitness Friday Girl says at God Speaks Today!

I Promise I Haven't Been Slacking!

2010-05-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well…

Where have I been (just in case you were wondering)? Well I haven’t been slacking that’s for sure. I haven’t posted in the last 5 months, so here’s the past 5 months in fast forward…

We moved into our new house the first week in December, and I spent the first two days painting our master bedroom & our kids’ bedrooms. And then all the moving began with countless trips from storage and my in-law’s house where we were living.

Then Christmas Came…

January was a month of me starting another round of P90X and getting things put in their place around our new home. I also decided to start training for another 10 K.

Then February hit. I turned 30, and 2 separate weeks out of the month I traveled to Phoenix for a business trip. This was my first time being away from my kids for more than 24 hours, but it was nice to be able to stay with my Brother & Sister in law, along with my beautiful nieces. They did a great job of keeping my mind off things & I was more than grateful to not be ALONE in a hotel wondering what my family was doing back home! The last week in February my parents, brother & his girlfriends came into town to visit… And my little brother got engaged!

Oh, and February was also the month that I picked up my first Twilight book. I'm officially a TWI-HARD!

In March my husband joined me in the “30 Club”. Then we traveled to Oklahoma for a family wedding that my son was in. This was shortly followed up to a trip to Dallas to visit my parents, brother & his fiancé. And I was pushing my body beyond it’s breaking point with training and doing P90X.

April came and exhaustion began to set in! This is when I started to feel it mentally and physically. Ran my race on April 24th with shin splints in 58 minutes and took the next 6 days off of not doing ANYTHING physical!

May is here (and almost over) and I can’t even believe it. I have a new rejuvenated energy about me, and now I’m ready to go. I hope you all can join right back up with me!

So enough goofing around... Lets get back to business!

Filling Up the Healthy Way (rerun)...

2009-12-10T21:22:00.000-08:00

My family and I are in the middle of a move, so here is a rerun that I think is helpful...

As you all probably know by now, I am a HUGE advocate of Jillian Michael's Making the Cut. I feel that it's a very feasable program and I can do a lot of it from home. (What I can't do from home I tweak so that I still work the same muscle group).

I signed up for Jillian's newsletter a while back on her website and really enjoy reading some of the tips. Here is one that she wrote about:

If you think you're suffering from a food addiction, the first step is to make sure you're eating correctly for your metabolic type. (You can find this out by taking the "What to Eat" quiz on my site!) This will help a lot. If you're certain that you are eating as you should for your metabolic type and you still feel hungry all the time, here are some tricks to make you feel more full so you don't derail your progress:

Drink tons of water. When you feel as if you're starving, pour yourself a huge glass of water or grab a bottle of flavored seltzer — it will help quell the urge to snack, and some of those fruit-flavored waters can even satisfy a sweet tooth.

Sleep! There are two hormones that regulate our appetite, both of which are directly affected by how much sleep we get: leptin and ghrelin. Together, these hormones work in a kind of "checks and balances" system to control feelings of hunger and fullness. Getting the right amount of shut-eye will help curb your appetite.

Examine your hunger. The next time you feel really hungry between meals, consider the last time you ate. If it was less than three to four hours earlier, your stomach isn't growling, and you're not weak or tired, it's likely that you're emotionally unsatisfied rather than genuinely physically hungry.Think about what, besides eating, soothes you. Steer yourself toward positive feelings of self-worth, and you will pick activities and behaviors that inherently contradict self-loathing and self-destructiveness.

Don't panic. You can and will lose weight. Even if you're eating more than the meal plan calorie allowance, you can still lose — it just might take a little longer. Exercise is crucial. Working out harder and more often will help burn those extra calories you might take in if you have a bad day.

Do NOT beat yourself up! You can do this. One slip up is one slip up, and if this is to be a lifestyle change you can't expect to be perfect 100 percent of the time. Believe in yourself, and get back on the wagon tomorrow.

(Michaels, 2008)

Now go check out Sandy and Debbie and see what they have to say this week!

Chicken Finger Linkin' Good!

2009-12-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a recipe that my family loves to eat. We can't get enough of them...

6 oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast cut lengthwise or in chuncks
1/2 C Fiber one cereal
1/4 C Egg Beaters original (or just use regular egg whites)
1/4 tsp Garlic Salt
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber one cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add garlic salt and pepper to crumbs. Place crumbs in one small dish and egg beaters in another. Coat raw chicken with egg and then crumb mixture. Place chicken on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray a light mist of nonstick spray on top of the chicken and place in the oven. Cook for 10 minutes then turn chicken over. Add another light mist of spray and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes.

Calories: 240
Fat: 3.25 g
Carbs: 26 g
Fiber: 14 g
Protein: 42.5 g

*I love buffalo sauce so I change things up a bit. Instead of dipping them in the egg, I dip them in Franks Red Hot Sauce and then put them in the cereal mixture. This actually drops the calories to 175, but it increases the sodium content.
*For my husband and kids I have also dipped them in bar-b-que sauce and then put them in the cereal mixture.

They are very good and healthy... and you're free to play around with whatever spices you want mixed in with the Fiber one! ENJOY!

Check out other recipes at God Speak's Today

**** And if you didn't see my previous post, check me out below in my comfy jeans from college!!!!

Me and My Comfy Jeans...

2009-12-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of me in my favorite jeans from college midway through my weight loss journey. (Keep in mind I graduated college in 2003). I was so proud that I could get back into these jeans!

And here is me in them now...

Where and How to Begin Working Out

2009-11-19T14:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a letter that Sandy AKA "Fitness Friday Girl" received. She and I will be addressing this letter today, so don't forget to check out how Sandy responded.

Dear Fitness Friday Girl,

I am not fit. I am not athletic. I am not strong. My body has never been my friend in this regard. I'm not exactly clumsy, but I'm not really coordinated either. I have rhythm since I'm musically talented, but I can't dance.

I've just never enjoyed physical activity. Even as a child it was not easy for me. Since I've been slender all my life I never had to worry about my weight. However, I'm now approaching 40 and things are changing. I have noticed a small gain, mostly around my middle. Let's just say I couldn't fit into my wedding dress anymore. Ugh. (Though I have birthed three children -- that's gotta count for something.)

FFG, the truth is, I haven't got the foggiest idea where to begin regarding exercise. Exercise looms like a fire-breathing dragon, like Mt. Everest in my path, and I am paralyzed with fear. My body is weak, my muscles are tight and sore, and my joints are swollen and painful because I have rheumatoid arthritis. I know I need to strengthen my body, not just to lose weight, but for my well-being and the health of my bones and muscles. I know that. But as I said, I haven't the foggiest idea how to start.

What would you advise a poor, pathetic soul such as me to do? Yoga? Walking? Wii Fit? (No running, please. Knees can't do it.) Weights? Could be a problem if my hands are very stiff. Some days are better than others.

Am I beyond hope now that I'm almost 40? Is it too late now to begin physical fitness after a life of sedentary-ness?

I know a fitness goddess like yourself is probably disgusted with a sloth like me, but have pity. If FFG wishes to answer me publicly, that's okay. Your kindness and expertise are appreciated.

Humbly,
Unfit Girl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear “Unfit” Girl,

Even though I hate addressing you that way, I want you to know that I was once in your shoes! Writing your letter I feel is 50 % of the battle.

Now before I even get started I hope you know that with Rheumatiod Arthritis you will need to contact your physician. The exercises that you will be able to do solely depends on the extend of your RA. They will also probably tell you the more you move the less stiff you may get. Now, keep in mind this is simple movements like walking, stretch, water areobics, etc. Keeping your joints active does help with this condition, but anything that is low-impact will be most beneficial for you. I have some issues with my hips due to some car accidents I was in. The harder I work them the stiffer they get. I always have pain in the when doing doing walking lunges or any kind of heavy squats. And for 3 days after the 10 K I ran on Halloween my hips ached beyond belief... which is why I probably never be able to to a full marathon! But let me share some tips with you...

I think that one of the easiest things to start off with when trying to get in the groove of exercising is simply walking. You can get great benefits by adding in a 30 minute walk every day. If you just starting out, walk at the same pace the whole time, then once your body gets adjusted start adding things to your walk to burn more calories. For example: You can start at your pace and gradually workup to a faster pace. You burn more calories when walking in intervals (intervals meaning: Slow pace for 5 minutes, your fastest pace for 2 minutes, and on and on). You can also burn more calories when doing uphill walks, or if you’re on a treadmill put it on an incline for a couple minutes, and then back down to a flat level.

Here are just “Some” of the benefits of walking:

• It's inexpensive, requiring little equipment other than a pair of sturdy shoes. There are no fees to pay, no courses to drive to, and it's as easy to do as strolling around the block.
• It's probably the safest form of exercise. Walkers stand little chance of developing shin splints, tennis elbow, or torn muscles, cartilage, or ligaments. About the only way you can hurt yourself is by tripping on the sidewalk.
• Walking is one of the most efficient, low-impact workouts available.
• Walking offers a host of long-term benefits, which were outlined in the study. Among the findings: women who walked briskly (3-4 miles per hour, or one mile every 15-20 minutes) had a 54% lower risk of heart attacks and strokes. Walking also lowers blood pressure, improves the cholesterol profile, lowers the risk of osteoporosis, and may lower the risk of certain kinds of cancer. There is also evidence that walking helps reduce stress.
• Walking may also reduce the discomfort of the commonest forms of arthritis. In addition it can help with weight loss, one of the most commonly recommended interventions for osteoarthritis.

Read the Realage Article here

I walked after giving birth to my two children, and then would slowly increase my pace leading up to a jog for 3-5 minutes, and then walk again. By doing this it builds up your endurance levels allowing your body to go further distances. I used to huff and puff to get to 2 miles, and just a mere 2 ½ weeks ago I ran my first 10 K (6.2 miles), running for 1 hours straight! I am very aware that running might not be for everyone, trust me, it wouldn’t be for me if I didn’t have my “things” to keep my mind occupied. My things are: When I run on a treadmill I read a book. Yes, I said that correctly, it’s my daily reading time and I cherish every minute of it. Now when I run outside, I never leave home without my ipod shuffle. I usually download songs that have steady beats so that it helps me to keep the pace. Music is HUGE for me. So, find something that can “distract” you a bit, but yet help you to push yourself out of your comfort zone… find your niche!

As for the next step, I would add in some resistance training. I’m not asking you to go to the gym and crank out multiple sets on the bench press. You can go as simple as doing bicep curls with canned goods! There are also things like resistance bands where you can work the muscles a bit easier then lifting heavy weights. But depending on the resistance they can also be equally hard depending on what you’re looking for!

If you’re looking to tone do light weight with more repetitions. For example, use 5 lb dumbbells and do 20-30 reps of bicep curls. If you are looking to build your muscle then do heavier weights with less repetitions. Example: 10 lb dumbbells doing 10-15 reps of bicep curls.

Don’t forget that you can also modify bigger body weight moves. Like pushups: If you can’t do a regular push up, then drop to your knees and do them. Don’t ever get down on yourself for dropping to your knees. When I first started out I could only do about 5 regular pushups and then would have to drop down. Now I can do over 25 regular pushups without stopping!

When I’m lifting I also love to listen to music. I tend to listen to music that makes me want to push myself harder. Because thinking of working out in dead silence seems a bit boring to me!

I can’t express how glad & proud that you asked Fitness Friday girl this question. I know there are a ton of people out there who have realized they need to do something to get healthier and just don’t have a clue as to where to start. Every one is different, and everyone has their own niche, or something that makes them motivated. For me it’s running, lifting, P90X, dancing, Jillian Michaels, and all around just being healthy and fit. For you, it might be swimming, water aerobics, a low-impact aerobics class, or playing with your kids at the park! Whatever it is find it because you won’t regret it!

Always remember that there are “fitness junkies” like myself who are here for support and accountability. I wish you the best of luck with what lies ahead for you!

Sincerely,

“Fitness Junkie”

PS… Don’t forget to check out the suggestions that Sandy has when it comes to getting started in fitness.

Foods to Calm You Down Fast

2009-11-15T17:27:00.000-08:00

Holiday to-do list expanding too fast? Work pressures got you tearing your hair out? No date for the season’s festivities? Regardless of the cause, when we’re stressed we often counterintuitively turn to diet-busting goodies for comfort. Instead of soothing our frayed nerves, many of them ultimately make us feel worse.

Take the classic, curling up with a pint of ice cream. It's a total backfire. Why? Sweets are insidious: After the initial rush, the body's insulin response kicks in, causing a sudden blood-sugar drop that triggers the release of stress hormones. Soon you're feeling more jangled than you were before you inhaled that whole container of Chunky Monkey. And alcohol, of course, is a wolfish stimulant in calm sheep's clothing.

But true comfort foods do exist:

Berries, any berries. Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood-sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in cortisol, a stress hormone.

Guacamole. If you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs in order to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus, their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips -- crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.

Mixed nuts. Just an ounce will do. Walnuts help replace those stress-depleted B vitamins, Brazil nuts give you a whopping amount of zinc (which is also drained by high anxiety), and almonds boost your E, which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multitasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a little tension.

Oranges. People who take 1,000 milligrams of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressures than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind, and you'll get a bunch of C as well.

Asparagus. Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.

Chai tea. A warm drink is a supersoother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.

Dark chocolate. Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.

http://www.realage.com/blogs/food-bites/foods-to-calm-you-down-fast

It's Harder Than I Thought!

2009-11-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Lets just say that maintenance mode is harder than I thought!

By day 5 of my recovery day I was pretty good, and by day 7 I felt great! SO great that I thought it would be a good idea to walk on the treadmill. Walking wasn't the problem... the problem was the ear-full that I got from my husband and mother-in-law for not abiding by the Doctors rules who strictly said NO treadmill... not even walking!

I have been trying to keep track of my calories, which on some days are actually lower than what I want them to be. * TIP* If you eat too few of calories your metabolism begins to slow down. And this is NOT what I'm trying to do for my body right now. So I've been trying to eat at least every 2-3 hours just to keep it up a bit!

I have been lifting my 5 lb dumbells in reps of 25 or just until I feel the "burn" and ironically my shoulders and triceps have been sore. This goes to show that you don't have to lift heavy weights to get results! Especially if you want to tone. Less weight, more reps are the key!

So, as for weighing in this morning. I weighed 127 lbs. On Wednesday I actually saw 126 lbs! But even though I've lost 1-2 lbs I'm worried that it's my muscle that I'm losing instead of fat. I guess only time will tell! In the meantime I have about 6 weeks recover left!

Now hop on over to see what Sandy has to say at God Speaks Today.

Switchin' Gears to Maintenance Mode...

2009-11-05T19:47:00.001-08:00

I’m officially on the mend, which means that I’m in maintenance mode for the next 8 weeks. The surgery went well but of course not without a hitch…

I went in weighing 128 lbs and came out weighing 138 lbs. Yep… that’s 10 lbs in merely 8 hours! I can honestly say that’s the fastest weight gain I’ve ever had! After the surgery I could not urinate, and being that the whole surgery was based around my bladder – this detail posed a problem. Therefore they tried to assist me by dumping 5 liters of fluid intravenously, while I was drinking as much as possible. 6 hours later, I was finally able to oblige the nurses and my husband took me home. Once I took one look at myself in the mirror I knew that they had over done it on the fluids. My whole face was swollen. And it wasn’t until 48 hrs after my surgery that my body started getting rid of that excess water in every way, shape, and form!!!

Here is a picture of my face 24 hours post surgery. It was still pretty swollen, especially around my eyes. As you can tell from the pic... I wasn't feelin' to hot!

Well, me being the worry-wart that I am, I have been totally freaked out about not being able to work out. As I have stated in a previous post, I have not missed more than 4 days of working out in over 17 months. So not working out for 8 weeks, is posing a problem in my everyday life! After a lot of thought and prayer here is what I’ve decided.

1. My husband took pictures of me so that I know where I’m currently at on this journey. I highly recommend doing this with any weight loss or fitness journey.
2. I took my measurements – as I have done periodically since I began losing weight.
3. I have a food journal to keep track of my calories.
4. I calculated what would be a healthy calorie intake for me with a BMI calculator. (Check it out on my sidebar if you haven’t already.)
5. After week 2 of complete rest I will begin lifting a 5 lb dumbbell doing multiple different arm exercises at very high repetitions just to maintain the muscle that I’ve built up. I can only do one arm at a time since I can’t lift over the 5 lbs.
6. Weekly weigh in’s just to keep me accountable.
7. Drink LOTS of water (which I already do).
8. NO alcohol (which I maybe have wine once a month).

This is what I have so far & I will continue to brainstorm and even tweak some things along the way. Feel free to give any advice along the way!

Below are the pictures my husband took of me:

My husband always says I'm full of "sass".

Now head on over to see what Sandy has to say about working out with small children (something I know all about), and what Debbie is saying about staying Disciplined! They are awesome ladies!

******* And if you haven't seen pics from my very first 10 K. Take a look at my previous post. It was a beautiful day to run for a good cause!

Pictures From My Run...

2009-11-04T18:50:00.000-08:00

Running for a purpose.... The 10 K was to help proceeds go to building a school in Haiti. They raised more than $12,000.

This was a first for me, and it was awesome. So awesome that once I'm fully recovered from my surgery I will be training for another - but this time with my husband.

Here are some pictures of the day

My fan club was out watching even when it was cold and windy

Here I'm at the halfway point and handing my jacket to my husband

The home stretch, which happened to be the biggest hill of the whole 6.2 miles

After crossing the line at 1 hour and 8 seconds I was met with a kiss from my biggest supporter!

It was all worth it!

Race Results

2009-11-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for your support. It was a beutiful day to run, especially after it raining here for a week straight.

I have many photos to share, but will do so on my next post.

As for now, I ran my very first 10 K (6.2 miles) in 1 hour and 8 seconds.

The link below is from the professional photographer that snapped our picture as we crossed the finish line. Once you open the link you can then click on the picture again to enlarge it.

http://photos.luxephoto.net/p356392609/eaaaba12

Pictures that my family took will arrive a bit later!

What Lies Ahead...

2009-10-29T19:18:00.001-07:00

This week I'm going to need some encouragement for many reasons. I've spoken so many times about accountability. For me, it's HUGE. Without it I don't know how I would push through all that I do.

On Saturday I run my first 10 K. I've been training for it for a while now, but my fall down the stairs set me back a bit. It wasn't until 2 weeks ago that I could run without shooting pains going down my back. This week I pushed myself pretty hard doing 2 a day workouts. Weight lifting on my upper body in the mornings and running in the evening. Today I ran the longest distance of 5.25 miles in 55 minutes. My goal is to run the full 6.2 in 60 minutes. But I will need some encouraging!

The second part of encouragement that I will need comes 3 days after my run. I'm having surgery and part of the recovery consists of me not lifting over 5 lbs for 8 weeks. I have not taken off more than 4 days off of working out in over 1 1/2 years - including when I hurt my back. So I'm praying for God to give me a peace of mind about all this.

This being said, my posts will change to healthy recipes, maintaining, and other healthy tips as well. Once I'm all healed up and moved into our new home in December I will be doing P90X once again!

Don't forget to take a look as what Sandy and Debbie have to say today on their Fitness Friday Posts!

P90X Review

2009-10-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

I’m telling you up front that this post goes hand-and-hand with Sandy’s at God Speak’s Today. She has just started P90X with her husband, and I on the other hand have just completed it!

Well for the last 90 days I have done P90X (hence the ‘90’ in P90X). Actually… I’m on my final week and I’m choosing to run all week because I’m out of town and training for a 10 K. But I would have done it if I was home, and what I can remember from the DVD’s I can still do here. Yep, I can remember a lot about those DVD’s since I did them so much. Especially the abs ripper!

Now before I go into this I want you all to remember that before beginning P90X I had done Jillian Michaels’ Making the Cut no less than 10 times, I was doing numerous spin classes a week, running 2-3 miles twice a week, among many other things. So, I was not going from being “out of shape” to “hard-core” training. With this being said if you have been working out regularly this is more than doable for you to do! The guy on the video shows you a least 3 different ways of doing the exercises.

I love it that you can choose which program you want to do: Classic, Doubles, and Lean. It uses the same DVD’s of course but just in different order, and Doubles is actually doing it twice a day – and I just want to know what Mom on earth has time to work out 2+ hours a day. So, I did the Classic.

Muscle confusion: That’s exactly what it does… It confuses your muscles so that they don’t get used to what you’re doing to them. I completely agree with this concept 100%.

Now, a 90 minute yoga session I do NOT agree with. When he’s telling me to “clear my mind” all I could think about is “What are my kids getting into?” I’ve only done it twice and lasted 30-45 minutes each time. Now when yoga day comes up I make it my running day, or just an “off” day.

I can’t really say anything poor about the rest of the DVD’s. I liked all the rest of them… some more than others of course. Unlike my friend Sandy (whom I adore) I like Kenpo. I mainly like it because I used to teach kickboxing when I was in college – so it was like reminiscing for me! I also always looked forward to Plyometrics day because I knew I would get a great workout from it. I can tell you that everyday that I did plyo my legs were so the next day! Same goes for the days that I did legs and back.

I also forgot to mention that for the first 3 weeks of the program I used a resistance band instead of a pull up bar. I personally think the pull up bar made a huge difference for me on the “back” days. I could not do a pull up prior to this, but I can now do 1. I know that it’s only 1, but I could never do one before!

Once I thought I was getting into the groove of things after week 4, they went and changed some things in week 5. This is where I did what I thought was the hardest work out of the bunch. Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps… It’s killer. I could do it, but it was hard and my arms were shaking by the end of it. Now also keep in mind that when I say I can do it, this mean I do 15-2o reps of pushup, only 6 of some pushups, and I can NOT do a single arm pushup at all unless I'm on my knees!

I didn’t do the nutrition aspect of P90X, I just did what I normally do in my every day “fit” life. I eventually do want to try it once my family gets settled into our new house in December. But by doing P90X I lost an ½ in – 1 in all over my body. My shoulders and arms are more toned. My husband says my thighs look more toned (this is my “trouble” spot), and my abs are a little more defined. It’s funny because on the days that I did heavy lifting I would weigh around 132 lbs and on the easier / more cardio days I would drop back down to 129 lbs. This tells me that my body was working on it’s muscle like it should be.

Another positive from doing P90X is that it helped me develop more stamina for running outdoors. I can run all day long on the treadmill, but outdoors is usually a whole new ball game. But after the first month of P90X I started running 2-4 miles outside and loving it. I surprised myself the first time I did it without stopping at all!

I really like it. The workouts are long. But as you do them you get more familiar with them which means you can start while Tony Horton’s still talking or giving a demo. It was a big change from me doing Jillian Michaels’ 20 minute Shred DVD’s to doing 1 hours DVD’s. You just have to decide if it fits your lift style.

I will be doing it again here soon. Because I am known to run a good thing into the ground… Like I said before, I did Jillian Michaels’ Making the Cut 10 times and it’s supposed to be a 30 day thing!

So there you have it… My insights into P90X. If you haven’t already go check out what Sandy said about it.

Don’t forget to look at Debbie’s Fitness Friday Post!

Dear Noah & Avery

2009-10-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Today's Fitness Friday post is a bit different. I have been trying to change the way that I look at getting fit in healthy lately because somewhere along the way I began doing things for the wrong reasons. Don't get me wrong, the "body image" things has always been a struggle for me, but after I had my two beautiful children I knew that I had to be a good example for them.

As a mom I never want to see my children to go through the hurt and pain that I have gone through. I know that I can't protect them from everything, but I know I will certainly try! I have learned a lot from my mistakes, as I know that they will in making theirs when the time comes. But as for now, I've written them a letter that will hopefully give them a little insight in what my lie ahead for them.

Dear Noah and Avery,

Those smiles, laughs, your tears, and loving hugs and kisses. Being your mother is the best gift I have ever gotten! I loved you both before I ever laid eyes on you.

Not a day goes by that I don’t tell you how proud I am of you and how much I love you. You both have blessed my life in ways that I can’t even express. Since the moment that you came into this world I vowed to protect and love you at all cost.

This world has so much to offer, but also so little at the very same time. There are going to be people in your lives that talk poorly to you, that make you feel bad about yourselves, that put wrong ideas into your head, and that will try to make you give into peer pressure. When this happens I want you to listen to God… Listen to your heart and know that I am always here for you.

God made each and every person unique in their own way. Don’t try to be someone that you’re not. You will never look like another person, you will never be anyone other than who God made you to be. You are an original – you are one of a kind. And I want you to know that you are amazing in every quality and characteristic that you possess.

Respect yourself and the body God blessed you with. Be a leader, not a follower. Have your own ideas and your own mind rather than filling it with what you think others want you to do. Fill yourself with love, laughter, and joy. Surround yourself with positive people who will be life-long friends. Jealousy is a weak quality that hardens the heart. I pray that you will have no desire to compare yourselves to others, and realize that it’s not just you who is unique but that it’s everyone that God created. Instead have the ability to look and admire the beauty in others.

This letter is to give you guidance as to what may lie ahead for you. I have been there, as a child, as a teenager, as an adult, and as your mother. I have wasted so much of my time worrying about being or looking like someone that I’m not, all while losing the focus on my inner beauty. Never lose site of the real you, for you are a gift from God. There is no other like you!

I love you with all my being and always will.

Love,
Mommy

“You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:12

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19

“After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church.” Ephesians 5:29

“…The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

****** There are other wonderful women talking about this very same subject. Go check out God Speak's Today & Heart Choices

Beauty Is Not How Skinny You Are!

2009-10-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

I know last week I said that I was going to post on recovering between workouts, but I'm saving that one for another time.

I have always had the battle of not liking me for me. I have recently had a dear friend tell me to try to see myself as God sees me. As I read her words, I struggled... and then cried. How, I kept wondering... How???

Then I kept thinking, why can't I just love myself for who I am and the way God made. Why can't I ever be satisfied with what I've already accomplished instead of reaching for what seems to be the "unreachable!"

Let me just say that I love being fit and healthy and I will continue on this journey for the rest of my life. But I have to change the way I view myself and thanks to my friend I am trying to get to that place. I can honestly say that I have never in my life "loved" myself, or felt "unique" in any way. Now, that it exactly what I'm trying to do. For me, this is 75% of my battle!

Recovering After an Injury

2009-10-02T04:54:00.001-07:00

I have been an athlete for as long as I can remember. I grew up playing softball and basketball where I encountered many jammed fingers, shin splints, scrapes, bruises, fractured ankles, and many sprained ankles. I started working out and hitting the gym in collage. About 2 years later I was in a car accident where I suffered back and neck injuries, and then less than 24 hours later I was in another one which damaged my next even further. One thing that sticks with me while seeing many doctor’s was them saying, “You’re lucky your body’s in such good shape or your injuries would have been much worse.” Of course I was grateful that nothing was broken, but it still called for a ton of recovery time, which I feared would set me back in my workouts (I was doing Body For Life at the time). I was told that I couldn’t lift ANYTHING!

I let my body rest and recover for about 2 weeks before I slowly worked my way to walking at a fast pace and eventually to running. I’m not much of a swimmer, but this was highly recommend by the doctors so I tried it just to get my heart rate up… trust me, swimming is NO joke! I was still itching to start lifting, but I physically couldn’t do it because of the pain, so I start doing things like yoga and pilates until eventually I could begin lifting again.

I’m saying all this because I have recently injured myself. If you didn’t read my last post, I took a spill down some stairs. I ended up bruising 4 vertebra – causing one to be a bulging disc. I have a deep tissue bruise, along with a hairline fracture in 1 rib. Let me just say that the pain that I was in was far worse than the labor pains that I had with my 2 children! But I am SO grateful that nothing was broken! My husband laughed at me while I was flat on my back in the ER saying, “How on earth am I going to take care of the kids if I broke something?” and secondly, “How am I going to be able to workout?” Yes… those were my first 2 questions!

Needless to say, I was told to take time off from working out. Then recommended 1-2 weeks depending on how well I felt. Well on Monday (3 days after the accident), I got the itch to try to run and was told NO WAY. So, I promised the doctors and my husband that I would wait until Wednesday. So I popped in one of my P90X DVD’s – I was only able to do ½ of it without having pain, so I stopped and decided to run on the treadmill to see how that would go. I was able to run 1 mile without having any pain at all – I was shocked. So, I thought it was be a good idea to try to jog outside to meet my husband and kids at the local park. I made it about ½ mile before I got stabbing pains in my lower back dropping me to my hands and knees.

My point here is to give your body the proper time to recover after an injury. I am a VERY stubborn and hard-headed person (It runs in my family). I mentally think I can do all this, so when I try and realize I can’t I begin to freak out. I’m scared of losing everything that I have worked so hard at. So, I did some research…

First of all, before you do any exercise after an injury, it's wise to get the approval and recommendations of your doctor. Follow their recommendations for when you can resume exercise, how much and what type of exercise is best.

Detraining in Fit AthletesThe reasons why deconditioning happens (what happens to your body when you stop working out on a regular basis) are becoming more clear thanks to several research studies focused on aerobic fitness. In one study, well-conditioned athletes who had trained for a year stopped exercise entirely. After three months, researchers found that the athletes lost about half of their aerobic conditioning.

Detraining in Beginning AthletesThe outcome is much different for new exercisers. Another study followed new exercisers as they began a training program and then stopped exercise. Researchers had sedentary individuals start a bicycle fitness program for two months. During those eight weeks, the exercisers made dramatic cardiovascular improvements and boosted their aerobic capacity substantially. At eight weeks, they quit exercising for the next two months. They were tested again and were found to have lost all of their aerobic gains and returned to their original fitness levels.

Detraining and Exercise Frequency and IntensityOther research is looking at the effects of decreasing training level, rather than completely stopping all exercise. The results are more encouraging for athletes who need to reduce training due to time constraints, illness or injury. One study followed sedentary men through three months of strength training, three times a week. They then cut back to one session per week. They found that these men maintained nearly all the strength gains they developed in the first three months.

If you stop exercise completely for several months it's difficult to predict exactly how long it will take you to return to your former fitness level. After a three-month break,it's unlikely that any athlete will return to peak condition in a week. In some athletes it may even take as long as three months to regain all their conditioning. The time it takes to regain fitness appears to depend on your original level of fitness and how long you've stopped exercise.

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/TrainThruInjury.htm

It was nice for me to see that I can easily maintain by working out 1 time a week until my body is healed. Giving your body enough time to heal and recover from any kind of trauma is essential. If you begin too early, or do the wrong type of workout you can set yourself up for reinjury, or prolong your recovery time even further.

Next week I will be posting on giving your body recovery time in between workouts, which is just as important! Stay tuned on Fitness Friday…

Don’t forget to hop on over and check out Sandy at God Speak’s Today, and Debbie at Heart Choices!

What's Going On In Your Life?

2009-09-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

I guess by now you're probably tired of me saying that my life is crazy right now. But just because my life has been crazy doesn't mean that I haven't continued living a health and fit life style - it just means that it's been harder for me to find time to blog about it, or even look at anyone else's blog for that matter! I guess I have a lot of catching up to do.

Here is what's going on in my life right now...

We are building a new house:

I have offically signed up for my first 10 K (6.2 miles), so I've added more running to my weekly training sessions.

I have stuck to P90X, which I love. It's hard, but I love it. I'm currently at week 9. It's funny to see on the weeks that I weight train (which is 3 weeks in a row) I gain 2-3 lbs. During my recovery weeks I drop back down to 129 lbs again. It just goes to show how much I'm working my muscles! And even though I haven't lost any weight while doing it, I've lost at least a 1/2 inch everywhere on my body.

AND I can do 1 pull up for the first time in my life! I know 1 is only 1, but it's better than NONE!

But....

While training with P90X I have developed an injured shoulder. I can still use it, but it pretty much aches all the time. It's hard to lift weights with it, but I can still do things like pushups and tricep, bicep work. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a rotator cuff issue.

And then, as fate would have it, I took a little trip down some stairs.

Not by choice! I was carring a cup of coffee and my purse and a book getting ready to call some patients for work. When I slipped. I can remember it like it happened in slow motion. My feet went out from underneath me... I physically saw both of them in the air. And since my hands were already preoccupied the first thing that hit was my back. I immediately realized I couldn't move. My father in law came running and tried to help me when my back went into spasms and I felt like someone was stabbing me repeatedly. I called my husband who called a close friends who was a Chiropractor. I was told not to move (which I couldn't anyway due to the amount of pain I was in) and to call an ambulance. Being the stubborn and strong willed person that I am I was determined to try to stand up instead of calling an ambulance, but once I moved an inch it sent my back into spasms again with me screaming!

The ambulance was called and I was taken to the ER. They did a CT scan. It showed no fractures, but it was very inflammed. I have bruised vertebraes, bruised ribs, and possible hairline fractures on my ribs (which they can do nothing about.) I am extremely sore and feel like I've been hit by a truck. The hardest part is not being able to pick up my own kids.

I'm so glad that nothing was fractured. My friends and family rallied around my family and I and prayed. I have never been more touched in my life. By the time I even got out of the Cat scan 3 of my best friends were there, and that's not to mention the many other friends and family that were praying for me.

It could have been MUCH worse. God was on my side. I also know that being in shape and working out the way I do helped to protect my body. Who knows what I would have done if I had fractured my back.

So... that's what I've been up to. Leave me a comment and tell me what's going on in your lives right now. Are you busy? Are you keeping up with eating healthy and working out hard?

Everything In Moderation...

2009-08-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

This shirt says it all for me & yes that is attitude you see! I love my chocolate and I love my coffee even more. These two things are my Achilles Heel. As long as I’ve been trying to stay on a healthy path I always manage to slip up with have chocolate or something else sweet. Oh and heaven forbid you try to snatch my coffee away from me… Actually, if I had to pick one to give up forever it would probably have to be chocolate. Yes, that is how much I love my coffee. It quite pathetic I know!

All this being said, you don’t have to give up EVERYTHING when trying to lose weight or stay healthy. My exercise patterns are consistent, so to me that means if I want to splurge a bit, why not??? It doesn’t mean that I’ve fallen off the wagon. But by having that one small Dove Dark Chocolate, or one small chocolate chip cookie gets me over my cravings and I move on. It’s all about moderation, and moderation IS NOT the whole bag of Dove Dark Chocolates, or the batch of chocolate chip cookies you just made. There is nothing wrong with taking a bite of something, and then pushing it aside. Sometime that one bite is all I need to realize that it just doesn’t taste as good as it looked!

This is also why I strongly believe in having a “Free” day. I have talked about this in other posts. I feel that I can take one day and eat what I want. I used to go WAY overboard and literally eat anything and everything in site, and now I’m to the point that I feel like it’s a waste and sometimes it doesn’t taste like it used to. The thing that I always want on my free day is pizza. I love to sit and eat pizza with my family. It’s a good weekend tradition.

So, keep in mind that just because you splurged on that one cookie doesn’t mean throw the whole day away and keep eating them. It means stop at that one and move onto something healthier. But at the same time… you didn’t deprive yourself!

Go see Sandy at God Speaks Today, and Debbie at Heart Choices. They always have great info!

A Day in The Life...

2009-08-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a glimpse into my daily life. I pretty much have a routine with a few variations. I got this great idea from Sandy and God Speak's Today. Go check out her daily schedule...

7:00 AM: Crawl out of bed with my head pounding from my allergies and neck being stiff.

7:30 AM: Fix the kids breakfast and fix myself a bowl of cereal. (Kashi Go Lean mixed with a little natural granola & skim milk).

8:30 AM: After mustering up some energy, I put in P90X Kenpo DVD. Once I was done I was glad… 650 calories burned.

9:45 AM: Showered

10:30 AM: Snack: Half of a protein bar and milk. Got the kids in the car and headed to the Chiropractor for my neck. Then ran to the grocery store.

12:30 PM: Fixed the kids their lunch and warmed up leftovers for myself. Chicken Teriyaki stir fry over wild rice. Followed by a small piece of brownie with milk poured over it that I shared with my kids.

1:00 PM: Naptime, and my work time. Put the kids to bed and fixed my notorious 2 large cups of coffee & sat down to call some patients.

2:45 PM: Child # 1 wakes up and I set him up to watch a movie while I still work.

3:15 PM: Snack – Apple and Natural Peanut Butter

3:45 PM: Child # 2 wakes up and I’m now done working.

5:00 PM: Heading to meet my husband to pick out lighting for our new house while my father in law watches our kids. Upon meeting my husband he has a Quick Trip coffee ready for me – YUM!

6:45 PM: Arrive back home and the kids have already eaten. I fix myself a 3 egg white omelet with Fat Free Cheese and pepper. I then turned it into a sandwich on 2 pieces of low carb whole wheat bread and fat free mayo.

8:00 PM: Kids Bedtime

8:15 PM: Snack: the other half of my protein bar from earlier and some skim milk.

8:20 PM: Work time again – followed up with patients.

9:30 PM: Watched TV with my husband

10:00 PM: Played on Facebook

11:00 PM : Bed Time… FINALLY!

Filling Up the Healthy Way

2009-08-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

As my family and I are finally getting into a normal routine after selling our house I now have another hurdle to jump. I got a new job working as a nurse from home. I've been training with another nurse (who is totally awesome and she's actually completed the Boston Marathon multiple times & done P90X!) for the last two weeks which is taking up a lot of me "free" AKA "blogging" time. Heaven forbid I give up my workout time every morning... See I've still devoted amongst all the commotion! But Once the "newness" wears off a bit, hopefully I'll be able to begin multi tasking a little better and start posting more. In the meantime here is a rerun...

As you all probably know by now, I am a HUGE advocate of Jillian Michael's Making the Cut. I feel that it's a very feasable program and I can do a lot of it from home. (What I can't do from home I tweak so that I still work the same muscle group).

I signed up for Jillian's newsletter a while back on her website and really enjoy reading some of the tips. Here is one that she wrote about:

If you think you're suffering from a food addiction, the first step is to make sure you're eating correctly for your metabolic type. (You can find this out by taking the "What to Eat" quiz on my site!) This will help a lot. If you're certain that you are eating as you should for your metabolic type and you still feel hungry all the time, here are some tricks to make you feel more full so you don't derail your progress:

Drink tons of water. When you feel as if you're starving, pour yourself a huge glass of water or grab a bottle of flavored seltzer — it will help quell the urge to snack, and some of those fruit-flavored waters can even satisfy a sweet tooth.

Sleep! There are two hormones that regulate our appetite, both of which are directly affected by how much sleep we get: leptin and ghrelin. Together, these hormones work in a kind of "checks and balances" system to control feelings of hunger and fullness. Getting the right amount of shut-eye will help curb your appetite.

Examine your hunger. The next time you feel really hungry between meals, consider the last time you ate. If it was less than three to four hours earlier, your stomach isn't growling, and you're not weak or tired, it's likely that you're emotionally unsatisfied rather than genuinely physically hungry.Think about what, besides eating, soothes you. Steer yourself toward positive feelings of self-worth, and you will pick activities and behaviors that inherently contradict self-loathing and self-destructiveness.

Don't panic. You can and will lose weight. Even if you're eating more than the meal plan calorie allowance, you can still lose — it just might take a little longer. Exercise is crucial. Working out harder and more often will help burn those extra calories you might take in if you have a bad day.

Do NOT beat yourself up! You can do this. One slip up is one slip up, and if this is to be a lifestyle change you can't expect to be perfect 100 percent of the time. Believe in yourself, and get back on the wagon tomorrow.

(Michaels, 2008)

My first week of P90X

2009-08-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Today’s post is about my first week doing P90X. These workouts are LONG and HARD. I probably feel like their long because I’m not used to working out for over an hour with my 2 small children running around. This being said, I skip over the water breaks (I do drink the water) but I don’t take the full 1 minute breaks because I get enough interruptions just with my kids alone!

I’m doing the classic workout, so my first day was chest, back and ab ripper. Lets just say that my chest and abs hadn’t hurt like this in a long time. My abs were sore for 2 full days afterwards! The second day was plyometrics. Once I began I realized I had already been doing a lot of the same stuff with Jillian Michaels’ Making the Cut. For example: Jumping lunges, jumping squats, sumo squats, etc. Day 3 was shoulders, arms, and ab ripper. I felt that this was the easiest day (so far anyway). The ab work was still a killer! Then Day 4 came… Yoga day. It’s 90 minutes of yoga, I don’t know about you, but 90 minutes of yoga is A LOT when you have two kids doing circles around you. I did 40 minutes of it and took my kids to the park. I think the next day I do yoga I will be doing it in the evening after my kids are already in bed! Today will be legs, back, and ab ripper, and tomorrow will be Kenpo (which is like Kick Boxing). I’ll let you know how these two go.

I’m still trying to get into a normal routine. These next few days I will be covering for another nurse at the new company I work for. So, besides moving, unpacking, signing my son up for preschool, building a new house, and trying to keep my kids in a normal routine – I have also spent the last week training from home for my new job. Once all this calms down a bit I want to start posting a mid-week post and a Friday post. It’s in the works! Who know, I might even do more!

By the way... I weighed in this morning at 127 lbs.