Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps & Ab Ripper X - Week 5!

Hello week five!

Ok, so I'm a day late.  I did those two workouts on Saturday and they DRAINED me.  Sunday was spent trying to get hydrated and yesterday I just didn't have it in me.

So today I did yesterdays workout, I'm not dropping out any weight lifting days, just today's workout of Plyometrics.  I got the "ok" from my trainer, I did plyo's on Saturday anyway :)

So tonight's workout (actually last night's) was awesome, mostly.  Man my arms just get so weak from the push ups, I couldn't do any one arm push-ups.  My arms were shaking so badly, it sucked writing 0 on my worksheet though.

Besides that it really was an awesome workout, I really can't believe this is the start of week 5, it is going by so fast.  Time to really start focusing on my food, which means starting tomorrow, maybe, I will be including my eating too.  I won't call it a "diet" because it's really not, I get to eat a lot, it is just making better choices.  I can still cheat once in a while :)

My biggest issue into this week is my WEIGHT!!!!  I know, I know, I don't really need to lose weight but when you see the number going up as you are working out and eating better, it kind of deflates you.

I somewhat anticipated this moment, it always happens about a month in when I'm really working out.  I know it is lactic acid build up, water weight, fat becoming muscle (because thankfully the body fat is going down), but still.  Kyle may or may not take our scale and hide it from me for a while, but I'll try to be good.  He is the best support, helping me push through this part and reminding me I will most likely feel this way for about a week, my body is adjusting, ugh, it still sucks.

Tomorrow is a new day, I had a great workout today and will have another great one tomorrow :)

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Kyle Griffin Style Boot Camp

This afternoons workout was a fun boot camp workout given by my wonderful husband Kyle :)

It was a really good workout, tough since I had done Core Synergistics this morning but it was awesome.  We all sweated our asses off, had fun and it was just great to be in the gym with Kyle leading a class again!

I'm getting pretty sore as the day is going on but I just had a wonderful shake with vanilla greek yogurt, milk, one banana, 1/2 cup of blueberries and some ice, YUMMY!  I love shakes, you can get so many good nutrients in one drink, this one was extra tasty :)

Core Synergistics

I was supposed to do Core Synergistics yesterday at 5am, I didn't do it.  I was tired, it is freezing cold here (not that it is freezing in my house) but hearing that cold wind, it's dark.....I know excuses, excuses. 

Last night I headed to my friend David's for a night of yummy Mexican food and laughs.  We just have the best time together and our friend Misty was with us too.  Seriously it was like a five hour ab workout with all the laughing we did :)  I had a taco salad, um their taco salad is quite large and I ate 95% of it along with chips, salsa and queso.



See that thing, seriously how could you not just DEVOUR it??? :)

Don't worry though I'm making up for the awesome meal today.  This morning I did Core Synergistics I had Tony Horton with his silly cheesiness AND Kyle Griffin, the more serious and still fun type of trainer :)  

I always push it extra hard with Core Syergistics, because like I've said before it is my FAVORITE workout.  But holy crap, having Kyle there making sure I was in good form the entire time.  There was no slacking in the hips for any push ups, no butt in the air not the slightest, lunges were deep, banana rolls (my nemesis) were actual banana rolls, "perfection" was expected and that was what I gave.  AWESOME workout this morning!!!!

And we did my body fat this morning.....

18%!!!!!  Woo hoo, down 1% in three weeks, that makes me happy :)

This afternoon I am doing Kyle's boot camp class, a trial run, with my sister Mindy.  We are both at different fitness levels, Kyle is excited, we are excited, I can't wait to see what my hubby has in store for his boot camp!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Kenpo X

So I feel like I would be able to truly defend myself after four weeks with Kenpo X in my workouts ;)

I kid, I kid, well maybe kid a little :)  I LOVE this workout!!!  It goes by so fast, it is deceiving, you might think it is easy but if you truly put your entire body into the punches you get one kickass workout!

I do not do the yelling noises for the last 10 or so reps, I fear I would scare my father-in-law more than I already do with my awesome kick boxing.  He can't help but laugh when he sees me doing it, but he does feel that I could kick someone's ass if I needed to ;)

Today my right knee is really sore, I must have kicked a bit too hard with it.  Tony tells us to be careful and not pop our joints, but I must have.  I will be icing today and I'm ready for my easy workout of Stretch X tonight.

My weigh in this morning, still at 143.  I complained to Kyle, he told me to stop it, we will do my measurements tonight and body fat again.  I can tell a big difference, I wish we could have done my measurements before I started this but we couldn't find the tape we use and I was too lazy to go out and buy a new one.  I finally found it, of course it was with all my yarn, I must have used it last to measure pant legs for sock monkey pants and didn't put it away, oops :)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Core Synergistics

My FAVORITE workout!!!!!!  It was awesome, I could do everything, even prison cell push ups.  Week four is going to be a great one, I just feel so good, sore but it is finally a good sore :)

Food has still been difficult for me.  I'm slowly getting better and better, but I do have a random day where I really want something bad so I eat it then get back on track.  I know that if I keep doing that I will never stop craving the bad stuff, but baby steps, baby steps.

I forgot to do my weigh in this morning, so I will have to do that tomorrow.  A little scared but hopefully I didn't gain anymore, maintaining would be ideal right now.  Kyle doesn't really want me basing anything off of my weight, and I'm not, I just like to know where the numbers are.

After this week we will do my body fat again, now that will be nerve racking, that number will have hopefully gone down a tad, stayed the same or worst case gone up.


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Yoga X - Week 4!

I made it through another hour of Yoga X, it does keep getting easier and easier each week.  I am enjoying, feeling the burn in the poses, but you are supposed to :)

I'm super duper excited for Core Synergistics tonight, my most FAVORITE workout!!!

On a sad note, my friend's sister passed away on Friday.  It was a sad weekend, her funeral is tomorrow.  Anyone reading this, please say a prayer for Pam.  I know she is up in Heaven now, we have gained one amazing guardian angel.

Week 3 Summary

Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X -

Did well on this workout, getting better and better at Ab Ripper X, hoping soon I can actually keep up with their pace!

Yoga X - 

I made it through an hour this time, woo hoo!!!!  Seriously some of this is so TOUGH, this is one I can't wait to be able to do in its entirety too :)

Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X - 

I didn't do it :(  Those that know me know how clumsy I am, I have a box by my desk at work that has been there for like five months, no joke.  I managed to trip over this stupid box on Friday and of course strained my right hip flexor :(  I skipped this workout.

Kenpo X - 

Still feeling some pain, so all I did was stretch and ice.

Sunday Funday -

I made it to the gym, hip flexor was feeling better, I did 30 minutes on a stair stepper and it felt great!  The hip flexor is feeling better I'm ready for week four!!!!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Plyometrics - Not

Last night was plyo's night, I didn't do it.

I felt like crap yesterday afternoon, it's been a tough week.  One of my co-workers sisters has been battling breast cancer for a long time, she took a turn for the worse over the weekend.  Everyone has already said their good byes to her, it is extremely hard to watch this happen and know how incredibly hard this is for their family.

Watching my Grandpa pass away from cancer was the worst, it is one memory that I can never forget.  I have a HORRID memory, seriously I don't remember a lot of things from high school but I do remember watching my Grandpa die when I was 12.

I know their pain, I know their feelings of wanting to keep Pam with them, but also their feelings of wanting her to pass on so she is finally out of pain.  I've known their family since I was in my mom's belly, heck my mom, Pam and Jonnie (my co-worker) all walked a picket line together when they all worked together for the phone company while my mom was pregnant with me.

Pam is one amazing woman, she has left her mark on a LOT of people.  Jonnie is doing damn good considering the situation.

Now if I was in Jonnie's place I don't know that I could handle it as well as she has, yes she has broken down, but to see her pull herself together to help the entire family get through this, it amazes me.

So last night I just wasn't feeling it, I wanted to play games with Bella, watch a movie and just enjoy her.  Kyle sadly was working so he couldn't hang with us.  

That is what I did, enjoyed my beautiful daughter, played games, watched a movie, Bella loved it.  She was so happy I wasn't working out, then comes the guilt, I really need to be doing my workouts in the morning.  I'm hoping, hoping, hoping I can make the transition next week.

It is truly difficult to do something for yourself sometimes when you have a child, who wants to spend an hour to two hours working out at night when you can spend that time with your child?

Ok, enough of the guilt trip and this post will get into the "fitness"....NOW...

I ate badly last night, my dinner was pizza rolls.  EECK, I know, so so bad!!!!  My weigh in this morning, the scale said 142.  Amazing how one night of bad eating can stick to you and add some weight.

Thank goodness my awesome husband is my trainer, I was instructed to shake it off and just move forward.  I'm craving bad food again today but I will not have any.  Tonight we are having pork chops and corn for dinner, YUM!!!!  Soon I will be listing what I eat every day, it will help keep me on track, I hope!

After I go out and take care of my rescue horses I WILL do my workout tonight.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X

So I had my mind set on what I wanted for lunch, a ham and cheese sandwich with some ham my parents made and were kind enough to share with us.  I get home on my lunch hour and the ham is GONE!  I was so mad, I didn't want anything else that we had (my stubborn side coming out).  So I made a choice, a poor choice, but I chose to eat McDonald's for lunch yesterday.

I know, BAD, BAD, BAD!!!  It tasted so good going down, but then I was hit with an upset tummy in the afternoon.  I got what I deserved for making that poor food choice but I'll make that choice again at some point.

One thing I'm not doing is telling myself that I absolutely can't have something, I don't work that way.  I will get so absorbed in that, it would be my main focus and then because I told myself I can't have something it would be all I could think about.

I know that was part of my failure before when it comes to healthier eating, Kyle said not to say I'm not ever going to eat a certain food item again but slowly cut back on it and I won't really crave it anyway, but if there is a day when that is all I want then eat it, do my workout and move forward!

So my tummy was kind of upset for the workout, but it was a really good workout.  I'm up to lifting 10 pounds for all my exercises, I know I can bump some up to 15 pounds next week.  

Ab Ripper X was alright, doing better this week, I'm able to do all the exercises even the V up roll ups :)  If you don't know what I'm talking about well, they suck and are pretty tough.

Week 3 is off to a good start!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Weekend Workouts

Friday night I had Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X.

It was a good workout, my legs were dead for Ab Ripper X so the bicycles were tough, actually all of it was but I got through it!  I'm noticing my soreness level starting to go down some, I'm having issues with my eating.

The "issues" are nothing more than me just being lazy about getting my food all organized ahead of time.  But I'm making lifestyle changes in this process and I know I can't be perfect, I'm better than I have been before though and I'm just starting week three of this journey.

Last night I should have boiled eggs for the week, I didn't, I should have made tuna salad, I didn't, ugh.  I will get better, slowly but surely I will use an hour on Sundays to prepare what I need for the week.

Saturday I was supposed to do Kenpo X, I had a funeral Saturday morning that was about two hours away.  I also had work to do and then a dinner date with some wonderful women.  I didn't do Kenpo X, I'm naughty I know!

Sunday I went to the gym, my first time at the gym Kyle is now training at.  It is so nice, I love it!  Check out Max Fitness 24/7, the group fitness room is amazing and Kyle is getting certified this month to teach the Cross Core 180 classes.  

Anyway I went with one of my best friends David, he is an amazing weight loss story, last year he lost a total of about 70 pounds.  This year he is working on toning up and changing his lifestyle along with us.  I ran 2 miles on the horrid treadmill, slow run, my pace was 11 minute miles but it was my first run in a few months, glad I could run the entire time and not have to walk at all.

So really my rest day was Saturday and I worked out yesterday.  Looking forward to getting through week 3 and having a "relaxing" week 4 of P90X next week.


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Yoga X

Normally I am a huge yoga fan, tonight, not so much. I'm pretty sore and my arms were just so tired.

I only did 40 minutes, I was getting too light headed and felt completely wasted after that long. Week 2 is proving to be tough, which I anticipated, glad I made it at least 40 minutes though :)

I am very happy to say that tonight we did my body fat and I am at 19.6%. I am happy, it is a good starting point, and I know I can get to where I want to be for the figure competition!

Looking forward to some chocolate milk tonight, a good nights sleep and weight lifting tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps & Ab Ripper X - Week 2!

The start of week 2, woo hoo!!!!!

Tonights workout was pretty tough for me, I was super sore all day today, work got crazy, stressed a bit but was able to clear my head for the workout.

I was able to lift with heavier weights, only about 3 pounds heavier, and still keep my reps up between 12-15.  I love this workout, working my shoulders is another favorite of mine!

Triceps, not so much, I just feel like my triceps are really weak so it is tough for me to get through some of the lifts.  The hardest ones for me are the flip grip tricep kickbacks and the side arm tricep things (sorry I don't remember the exact name at this moment) anyway they are hard.  The side arm ones are at the end in the bonus round, I was able to do the bonus round last week and this week, my triceps are so tired by the time we get to those ones, but I did it and got a few more reps than last week :)

At this moment I feel like Ab Ripper X is the DEVIL!!!!  Aaaaaah, my legs were on fire, really my entire body was on fire, it was a TOUGH one tonight.  Looking forward to the day when I can say I am actually enjoying Ab Ripper X.

Nice work Tony Horton, you can be so cheesy but damn you know what you are doing!

Weigh In

So my journey isn't about weight loss, but I did gain some weight (not as much as I thought) over the holidays.  Today the scale said:

140!!!!!

Woo hoo!!!!  Five pounds lost in one week, I'm sure it was mostly water weight, but still nice to see the number down a bit lower.

Kyle thinks I will maybe lose another 10 pounds through the process with P90X and training for the figure competition.  We all know muscle weighs more than fat, one reason I normally don't look too much at my weight number.

Kyle has tomorrow night off from the bar so that is when we will finally get my measurements done and body fat, those are the numbers that I really need to focus on :)

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Plyometrics

O.M.G.......

I remember plyometrics being intense, but HOLY COW!!!!!!

I did it, I made it through the entire damn thing and now I feel as though I can barely walk.  My legs are DEAD, I wish Yoga was tomorrow but alas I must wait until Thursday for that.  Although I did find a good little yoga workout to do in bed before you go to bed and it is AH-MAZING!

All I could think about during this workout was, volleyball, sand volleyball, think of how awesome my ups will be :)

Monday, January 7, 2013

Chest & Back & Ab Ripper X

WHEW!!!!!!!

My chest and back are my FAVORITE to work out, I think it is because (and yes I am biased) but I have a great back even when I'm not lifting and my back is STRONG.  I just love lifting for my chest because well, come on I'm 31, have had a child and like to see the tatas start lifting a bit ;)

But oh man, P90X is so hardcore, yes you can modify exercises to make them easier, I have to do some of the push ups from my knees and I'm not sad to admit that!  The decline push ups though, with your feet up on a chair while you try to do push ups, there is no modifying that!!!!  At the end I was not so smart, I tried to do just one (when I knew better) and pretty much biffed it with my face.

It's all good, no marks, just a story to tell Kyle and have him say, and why did you even try to do one if you were already so tired????  Well because, I'm "superwoman" in my mind ;)

All the back moves were awesome, it is nice to be able to use 10-15 pound weights rather than the 5 pound I use for other workouts right now.  My back is strong and I could easily do 15 reps with 15 pounds, it made me feel good.

I was all happy to blog about my workout and then I realized, I forgot about Ab Ripper X!  So I had to go back out and do that workout, now I'm very, very tired, sore in a good way and glad I made it through another workout.

One day at a time, that is how I have to navigate this journey.  No looking at myself and wondering why there isn't a significant change in a week, just each week getting through it, keeping my good friend motivated and we are so looking forward to the end of this first phase when we can celebrate with a drink :)

Kenpo X & Stretch X

Concerned I had stopped P90X already?? ;)

Weekend posting didn't happen obviously, oops.  Saturday I did Kenpo X, basically it is a kickboxing workout and I love, love, love it!!!!  My legs were pretty damn sore from the leg workout but I got through it.

I used to take a kickboxing class here where I live, it was hardcore, a group just for women, we were breaking boards and everything I felt so strong and empowered.  Then they stopped offering it and I've never been able to find one like it.  But my hubby is now working at a gym so hopefully he can get them to find some kickass kickboxing instructor and do some awesome classes there.

Yesterday I was tired, so tired, but Kyle told me I better make sure I do the Stretch X even though technically Sunday can just be a "rest" day.  I knew he was right, I mean he does know what he is talking about when it comes to this stuff :)

The best part of the stretch workout was when I was in a very difficult stretch to stretch your neck and shoulders.  I was up on my shoulders and neck with my body sticking straight in the air and my hands on my lower back to help support me, you do this before you slowly lower your legs back over your head to the floor, it is an AMAZING stretch!  Anyway, while my legs were in the air Bella walked into the room and said, wow mommy I can't believe you can do that, it looks really hard!

That made me smile and made me feel good :)  We do have a beautiful little girl that watches us intently and showing her the healthy changes we are making makes me very happy and yes the little peanut can still do Ab Ripper X with me!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Legs & Back & Ab Ripper X

Well now that I can barely walk up my stairs......

Thank you legs and back, it was an awesome workout. I get a little scared with my legs because, well I have a hell of a lot of muscle in my legs and I don't want them to get really big. In high school I ran 400s and 200s in track, my legs were huge, not in a bad way but I just don't want them like that again. I know how to do this properly so they just get defined, but it always scares me anyway.

Ab Ripper X was TOUGH, my legs were so tired so that made it harder for me, but I pushed through!!!!

My eating is going well too, glad I ate so many sweets over the holidays because just looking at anything sweet turns my tummy, which obviously helps the healthy eating :)

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Yoga X

Proud, so very proud of myself this morning.  I woke up on my own at about 5am, wondering why my alarm hadn't gone off, well I set it for 5pm, oops.  I still got up though, I guess my internal alarm clock might start working with me so I can do early morning workouts :)

I LOVE Yoga, so much, really I do, but when I am in shape!  Holy cow, I hate it when it hurts to hold your arms out, the chair pose and holding out my arms my goodness they were burning.  It is a good burn though.

All the up and down got me a little light headed so I had to hang out in upward dog longer than they did in the video, but taking no chances on fainting.  Especially in some awkward yoga pose, I could break something or my father-in-law could see me passed out on the floor in some weird position, not that just doing the Yoga doesn't have me in weird positions anyway.  Hmmmmm, weird, I wonder how many people out there have to worry about their father-in-laws seeing them doing Yoga ;)

It was a great start to the morning, 2 days down 88 to go!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps & Ab Ripper X!

Starting off the year making commitments for myself, for my fitness level to finally be where I want it to be and it really began today because of a very good friend. I'm happy to report that my starting weight is 145, better than I expected :)

Thanks to the world of Facebook my friend Christy posted about starting P90X today and wanting to know who would join her. Did anyone? Heck yes, ME! We decided to check in with each other each night to make sure we are doing the workouts, there will be celebratory drinks at the end of each phase. She has never done the program before, but I know she will love it and keep me motivated!

Tonight we started with day three because it is Wednesday, how funny that we are both kind of neurotic and just couldn't start as if it was a Monday :) It was a great workout, I got through all of it even the bonus round. Probably need to increase my weights the next week, but I wanted to start off light. Ab Ripper X is always tough, I have such a love/hate relationship with it!

Now if only I can get my butt up in the mornings, I find it hard to have anything at night besides chocolate milk when I work out too late. Tomorrow will be a big test, I HAVE to workout in the morning because after work we will go visit my mom because she is having her knee replaced tomorrow afternoon, extra prayers are appreciated!

2013......This is the year!

2012 SUCKED, lets just get that out of the way!  Loads of obstacles, major life changes, many health issues for me, keeping a positive outlook for 2013!

2013 is going to be year of "healthy living", I'm not just talking food wise, mentally, emotionally, my family and I just need to live healthier and try to keep the poisons around us at a minimum!

The last week of 2012 I spent trying to recover after four fainting spells the week before, the most I've ever had in that short of a time frame.  They were stress induced, major poisons thrown my way and I finally broke down in every way.  My poor body, but last week was spent drinking a LOT of water and Gaterade, eating salty snacks, and lots of rest.

Today I can finally say that I don't feel nauseous, I don't feel light headed, I feel great!

I have some goals this year, first of all take better care of myself as I'm exercising, do more stretching and add in yoga.  After dealing with IT band syndrome for so long after the half marathon last year it is certainly something I don't want to go through again!

I will be getting back to running, my last run was in June.  I will be getting back into weight lifting, I haven't lifted weights since September.  Yeah, I think I've had a long enough break!

So here's to a healthy and happy 2013, I've got some races planned and the fitness show is in October, it is going to be my year.  I at least want to be able to compete, I'll not speak of placing and push down my competitive side, this is something to do for me because I will enjoy it and it is something I can do with my husband which is a huge added bonus :)

Happy 2013!!!