I realize that too often I drone on and on about random things that don't particularly matter to anyone on this blog. But I've already explained that it's my only outlet, and the need for it is great. My husband would rather jam toothpicks underneath his fingernails than listen to me talk about the stuff I talk about on this blog.
But, I am going to try to make my posts more "journal entry" like from now on. Because I'm actually starting something that I can title DAY ONE - today. There might be a need to enter two posts a day so I can log my diet at the end of the day and how my workout went. Or I might just wait until evening to post so I don't end up with two.
If you've read previous posts, you'll know that I've already been prepping myself so it's not such a shock today. I've been eating totally clean for the past 4 days or so. It's been incredibly easy. I haven't been craving anything bad. It's true what they say, if you feed your body the nutrients it craves, you won't crave junk. I haven't been doing any exercise, because I know it's good to give your body a break once every so often, especially before starting something new. And I've been eating. Oh have I been eating! You know what, it's actually hard to get in the required calories when you are eating to build muscle. Sure, it would be easy if you ate calorie dense food like cheeseburgers and french fries. But clean healthy food is typically not loaded with calories. Healthy fats are, but you can only eat those sparingly.
So for breakfasts, I've been eating oatmeal with berries and 5 egg whites. I feel almost sick afterwards because it's so much food. I think I would be better off eating such a big meal in the afternoon, say 3pm, than first thing in the morning. Because that is when I usually start getting hungrier and my mood falls slightly. Although that could have something to do with my children arriving home from school ;)
Anyway, on the agenda today is chest/triceps. This is strange to me since I used to ALWAYS start off the week with legs. It's a nice change.
For breakfast I had steal cut oats, strawberries and protein powder. I didn't think I could stomach 5 egg whites again today so the protein powder really helped. Although, I will be drinking it again post workout and probably eating home made protein bars for snack this afternoon and I typically don't like to eat powder more than once or twice a day. BUT, I found this stuff called RAW protein and it sounds amazing! (more on that in tomorrow's post) I am going to GNC to pick some up today because I ran out of my mulit vitamin and I'm not ordering from Prograde anymore. The GNC women's multi has greater amounts of what I need, is probably cheaper and I bet I won't have to swallow 3 a day! Also, I will supplement with calcium, chromium, glutamine, BCAA's, EFA's, vitamin C, and the rest of my usual supplements. Taking supps 5 times a day is normal now. I fill all 5 cups in the morning so I can just grab the stack I need when I need to take it.
I am also going to try some digestive enzymes to see if that will help my chronic (eh hem) gas problem. As embarrassing as it is to admit that, it's become more than a nuisance. It's so bad that there is not a single day that goes by where I don't have uncomfortable gas and I'm wondering if the protein is to blame. I know as we age, we don't digest our foods as easily as we could when we were younger and one of the side effects to that is gas. I used to think it was because of all the whole grain and fiber I eat but you would think my body would be used to that by now. It's literally been years since I made the conscious decision to eat more fiber. Anyway, I'm going to try a broad ph range type of digestive enzyme. And hopefully I can find one that helps with fats, proteins and carbs since I'm not entirely sure which is the culprit. Some enzymes work more specifically with one macro, like carbs, while another might help with protein. We'll see what I can find.
Here's to the start of a GORGEOUS week! We are having 70 and 80 degree weather here this week and for October, that is such a treat!
And here's to our future success. Let's end the year with a bang!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Pre-day 1: How I'm preparing
The last 3 days (approx) I've been cleaning up my diet, shopping for and cooking strictly clean foods, in prep for my next step. Starting tomorrow (Monday) will begin my next body building routine. I'm following Jamie Eason's 12 week plan. It has 3 phases: in the first phase there is NO cardio at all.
I might find that difficult. The past 4 days with no working out have been a challenge. And I think it will be hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I will be doing no cardio and in the end it will help me achieve my goal. It's part of that thing in my brain I fight with, that tells me to lose fat I need to kill myself with outrageous amounts of cardio. (p.s. I tried that this summer. Did it work? No. I look exactly the same as I did before). But I do still like to go for 30 minute runs outside. And from time to time, I am just in the mood to throw in a DVD from my workout collection for a fun and different way to get my heart rate up. I'm one to get bored easily if I have to do the same thing over and over day after day. So I need the change up.
In phase two: I think she introduces some cardio into the mix. I'm not exactly sure though because I've only read up on phase 1. Why read ahead and possibly psych myself out. I was going to try to stay in the here and now, remember. And also, I caught a glimpse of carb cycling in phase 3. Yikes! But by then I'll have clean eating down to a science and cycling shouldn't be that bad.
I bought a small journal type book that I am writing only healthy clean recipes in. I find it so frustrating at times when I'm trying to think of something good to make for dinner and I either can't find a single recipe that falls into the "clean" category because I've procrastinated and don't have time to do endless Internet searches. This way, I can just thumb through my book of delicious favorites. I need to constantly keep adding new and yummy recipes and ideas into my new book so I don't get bored. Because boiled chicken and broccoli every night does NOT excite me. So far the book idea is really working out great! I've already found and made several meals and protein bars. It's going to be my savior! The only thing I'm a bit worried about is that while Jamie does post some terrific recipes, there just aren't that many of them. So I'll be on the hunt constantly. If you have any you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you!
Eating much of the same things every day is pretty convenient and doesn't bother me for the most part. During the day, I generally eat a lot of the same things and it works. I find it's a lot easier because I don't have to think about it. Dinner is where I like more of a variety, and I know my family does too. It's also more of a challenge because they are pretty picky about certain habits I have (i.e. sneaking protein powder, flax, wheat germ into food or swapping out fatty cuts of meat for leaner versions). And a lot of the time, it's easier make sure I'm eating all my veggies when I just cook them into the meat. While my husband doesn't mind that, my kids are not very happy about it. Especially things like onions and mushrooms - two of my favorites.
It's hard when not everyone in the house is as gung ho as you are about eating for health. I think the key is just keep trying until you hit on recipes that everyone enjoys and remember to throw those into the rotation more often. Plus, it really doesn't take a lot of brains to figure out that just cooking a lean piece of meat, steaming a vegetable and making a pot of brown rice is a super simple and basic healthy meal that has many many options for variation. One night it could be steamed fish & asparagus in foil alongside brown rice. The next night could be chicken breast, sweet potato and steamed broccoli. And then grilled flank steak, a salad and couscous. It's not difficult.
It becomes a little harder when you want to cook all time favorites and make them healthier yet still lovable. For instance, my kids LOVE tater tot hotdish and I maybe make it for them twice a year. They never get it because tater tots are not exactly healthy and neither is the creamy sauce. But mainly I don't make it because I love it too. And I can't stop at a 1 cup serving. I could eat half a 9x13 pan! When you have trouble with portion control and going back for seconds (eh hem....me), it's best just to not make it at all.
There are options. It doesn't have to be tasteless or difficult. But it does require some research and planning. Especially if you are new to it. And a lot of reading nutrition labels at the store. I like to follow this rule: the fewer ingredients the better. That means it's close to it's natural state and less processed.
I have it in my head that this is the way it's going to be. No excuses. And unless I get lazy and slack off with planning ahead, this lifestyle will be very manageable. All these years I just assumed it would be too much work. Or something that only someone with the best will power and mind control could do. But the truth is, anyone with the determination and drive to succeed can do this. And that includes me!
I might find that difficult. The past 4 days with no working out have been a challenge. And I think it will be hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I will be doing no cardio and in the end it will help me achieve my goal. It's part of that thing in my brain I fight with, that tells me to lose fat I need to kill myself with outrageous amounts of cardio. (p.s. I tried that this summer. Did it work? No. I look exactly the same as I did before). But I do still like to go for 30 minute runs outside. And from time to time, I am just in the mood to throw in a DVD from my workout collection for a fun and different way to get my heart rate up. I'm one to get bored easily if I have to do the same thing over and over day after day. So I need the change up.
In phase two: I think she introduces some cardio into the mix. I'm not exactly sure though because I've only read up on phase 1. Why read ahead and possibly psych myself out. I was going to try to stay in the here and now, remember. And also, I caught a glimpse of carb cycling in phase 3. Yikes! But by then I'll have clean eating down to a science and cycling shouldn't be that bad.
I bought a small journal type book that I am writing only healthy clean recipes in. I find it so frustrating at times when I'm trying to think of something good to make for dinner and I either can't find a single recipe that falls into the "clean" category because I've procrastinated and don't have time to do endless Internet searches. This way, I can just thumb through my book of delicious favorites. I need to constantly keep adding new and yummy recipes and ideas into my new book so I don't get bored. Because boiled chicken and broccoli every night does NOT excite me. So far the book idea is really working out great! I've already found and made several meals and protein bars. It's going to be my savior! The only thing I'm a bit worried about is that while Jamie does post some terrific recipes, there just aren't that many of them. So I'll be on the hunt constantly. If you have any you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you!
Eating much of the same things every day is pretty convenient and doesn't bother me for the most part. During the day, I generally eat a lot of the same things and it works. I find it's a lot easier because I don't have to think about it. Dinner is where I like more of a variety, and I know my family does too. It's also more of a challenge because they are pretty picky about certain habits I have (i.e. sneaking protein powder, flax, wheat germ into food or swapping out fatty cuts of meat for leaner versions). And a lot of the time, it's easier make sure I'm eating all my veggies when I just cook them into the meat. While my husband doesn't mind that, my kids are not very happy about it. Especially things like onions and mushrooms - two of my favorites.
It's hard when not everyone in the house is as gung ho as you are about eating for health. I think the key is just keep trying until you hit on recipes that everyone enjoys and remember to throw those into the rotation more often. Plus, it really doesn't take a lot of brains to figure out that just cooking a lean piece of meat, steaming a vegetable and making a pot of brown rice is a super simple and basic healthy meal that has many many options for variation. One night it could be steamed fish & asparagus in foil alongside brown rice. The next night could be chicken breast, sweet potato and steamed broccoli. And then grilled flank steak, a salad and couscous. It's not difficult.
It becomes a little harder when you want to cook all time favorites and make them healthier yet still lovable. For instance, my kids LOVE tater tot hotdish and I maybe make it for them twice a year. They never get it because tater tots are not exactly healthy and neither is the creamy sauce. But mainly I don't make it because I love it too. And I can't stop at a 1 cup serving. I could eat half a 9x13 pan! When you have trouble with portion control and going back for seconds (eh hem....me), it's best just to not make it at all.
There are options. It doesn't have to be tasteless or difficult. But it does require some research and planning. Especially if you are new to it. And a lot of reading nutrition labels at the store. I like to follow this rule: the fewer ingredients the better. That means it's close to it's natural state and less processed.
I have it in my head that this is the way it's going to be. No excuses. And unless I get lazy and slack off with planning ahead, this lifestyle will be very manageable. All these years I just assumed it would be too much work. Or something that only someone with the best will power and mind control could do. But the truth is, anyone with the determination and drive to succeed can do this. And that includes me!
Friday, September 30, 2011
what I will and will not do (click for full post)
Even though today isn't the "official" start date of my next 12 week program, I figured it couldn't hurt to get a jump start on the new cooking/eating routine I will be on.
In case I haven't mentioned this before, I am following Jamie Eason's 12 week training course on bodybuilding.com. She has a few really delicious recipes that I have tried and I highly recommend her pumpkin protein bars. I made a batch yesterday and they are a little slice of healthy heaven!
Today I'm making her turkey muffins for dinner. They are in the oven as I type this and smell wonderful! (it's later, and I just ate 2 of them, they are amazing)
Yesterday I also cooked up a batch of brown rice, boiled a bunch of chicken tenderloins and steamed broccoli and made ready containers for my lunches. I'll have these turkey muffins to add to my ready made list as well. It's really going to be something different I need to get used to, preparing the week's food in advance for the occasions where I won't feel like cooking from scratch or don't have time (this is to prevent hunger slip ups and will ensure that I can stick to my clean diet). The planning and prep is a lot of work, but in the end, it will simplify my week and make it way easier to stick to my whole food diet.
Today was perfect. I'm looking forward to the day when my craving for sugar is gone. The first two weeks will be crucial.
I've dedicated most of this week to rest and recovery, a the much needed break before starting a fresh new program. I feel really lazy but it's going to be one steps back then two steps forward.
I've started and stopped countless programs and every time, I have failed. I have not seen one single thing through to success. So for me to sit here and say "yeah, I'm starting a new program and I'm really going to stick with this one" makes me feel a bit stupid. But I feel it in my soul, it's MY turn. I know, I'm 110% positive, that the ONLY thing standing between me and the figure I want is how I eat. I just have to eat whole unprocessed foods ALL THE TIME to see the change I am after. No question about it. I'm done working so hard and throwing it all away so I can eat chips and crackers and tons of other stuff I know is keeping me from my goal. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips - it's just not worth it.
I'm going to put pounds of muscle on my body and I'm going to nourish myself with only the most nutritious foods. My body will be running like a smooth machine and I'm going to look defined and fabulous, just like the women I admire so much on bodyspace. There is no reason I can't do it. They had to sacrifice. I'm sure it was super tough. But they did it, and so can I. My mind and will is strong enough.
I'm not going to buy into any other "quick fix" idea or be under the delusion that anything other than strength training is going to produce the body that I want. I'm not going to buy another workout that promises "results" in X amount of time or your money back. I'm not going to explain to everyone who sees me eat (or not eat) something, the reasons for which I am doing so. It's a waste of my time. I'm not going to pay attention to those who misunderstand what "body building" is. They have a picture of a manly looking women with gigantic biceps and a bad tan in their head. That is not my goal. And I'm not going to justify to anyone the reason my goal is important to me. Being skinny is not my goal. I'm not going to set a time limit on my goal. I know I want to drastically improve aesthetically in a certain period of time, but I also know that it is cumulative work. It is "building". It takes lots of time. It takes consistency. And it takes heart.
There will come a day, when the cardio junkies and junk food junkies are wondering why their bodies aren't changing even though they workout all the time, and I'm going to have the smokin' hot body they wish they had. Those are some pretty big words and a pretty cocky attitude. But I believe in myself and I know that I can do it. I'm tired of wanting it. Knowing it's been right there within my grasp the whole time but not giving it 110% like I know I need to. If it's worth having, it's worth working and sacrificing for. I know that I deserve to give my body the best and get the best in return.
In case I haven't mentioned this before, I am following Jamie Eason's 12 week training course on bodybuilding.com. She has a few really delicious recipes that I have tried and I highly recommend her pumpkin protein bars. I made a batch yesterday and they are a little slice of healthy heaven!
Today I'm making her turkey muffins for dinner. They are in the oven as I type this and smell wonderful! (it's later, and I just ate 2 of them, they are amazing)
Yesterday I also cooked up a batch of brown rice, boiled a bunch of chicken tenderloins and steamed broccoli and made ready containers for my lunches. I'll have these turkey muffins to add to my ready made list as well. It's really going to be something different I need to get used to, preparing the week's food in advance for the occasions where I won't feel like cooking from scratch or don't have time (this is to prevent hunger slip ups and will ensure that I can stick to my clean diet). The planning and prep is a lot of work, but in the end, it will simplify my week and make it way easier to stick to my whole food diet.
Today was perfect. I'm looking forward to the day when my craving for sugar is gone. The first two weeks will be crucial.
I've dedicated most of this week to rest and recovery, a the much needed break before starting a fresh new program. I feel really lazy but it's going to be one steps back then two steps forward.
I've started and stopped countless programs and every time, I have failed. I have not seen one single thing through to success. So for me to sit here and say "yeah, I'm starting a new program and I'm really going to stick with this one" makes me feel a bit stupid. But I feel it in my soul, it's MY turn. I know, I'm 110% positive, that the ONLY thing standing between me and the figure I want is how I eat. I just have to eat whole unprocessed foods ALL THE TIME to see the change I am after. No question about it. I'm done working so hard and throwing it all away so I can eat chips and crackers and tons of other stuff I know is keeping me from my goal. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips - it's just not worth it.
I'm going to put pounds of muscle on my body and I'm going to nourish myself with only the most nutritious foods. My body will be running like a smooth machine and I'm going to look defined and fabulous, just like the women I admire so much on bodyspace. There is no reason I can't do it. They had to sacrifice. I'm sure it was super tough. But they did it, and so can I. My mind and will is strong enough.
I'm not going to buy into any other "quick fix" idea or be under the delusion that anything other than strength training is going to produce the body that I want. I'm not going to buy another workout that promises "results" in X amount of time or your money back. I'm not going to explain to everyone who sees me eat (or not eat) something, the reasons for which I am doing so. It's a waste of my time. I'm not going to pay attention to those who misunderstand what "body building" is. They have a picture of a manly looking women with gigantic biceps and a bad tan in their head. That is not my goal. And I'm not going to justify to anyone the reason my goal is important to me. Being skinny is not my goal. I'm not going to set a time limit on my goal. I know I want to drastically improve aesthetically in a certain period of time, but I also know that it is cumulative work. It is "building". It takes lots of time. It takes consistency. And it takes heart.
There will come a day, when the cardio junkies and junk food junkies are wondering why their bodies aren't changing even though they workout all the time, and I'm going to have the smokin' hot body they wish they had. Those are some pretty big words and a pretty cocky attitude. But I believe in myself and I know that I can do it. I'm tired of wanting it. Knowing it's been right there within my grasp the whole time but not giving it 110% like I know I need to. If it's worth having, it's worth working and sacrificing for. I know that I deserve to give my body the best and get the best in return.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
I've got the magic in me (click to read full post)
Alright, I'm officially fed up with trying to go go go like a hamster on a wheel with all the cardio and getting nowhere. When they say it doesn't work for fat loss, they mean it! Plus, the added "bonus" of trying to eat less than I need to maintain and then getting wild cravings and pigging out on the wrong foods later, just isn't adding anything but misery to the mix. The thing that irritates me the most is I know better! I've read about it time and time again. Still, every once in a while there is some conflicting literature that will say "no no, all you need to do is burn more than you take in and use to maintain. Simple as that." Oh, and workout like a crazy friggin animal, as if there was nothing better to do with your time.
No. It's not that simple.
Your body processes foods differently. That is why I can't stuff myself with sweets all day - as long as I exercise it all off, stay below my caloric requirement for the day - and still be fit. Oh, I'll be fit if I get my heart rate up the suggested amount for heart health. But I won't look fit. And if I'm eating crappy foods, I'm still at risk for health issues later on. But my point is, if I'm going to workout to have a better body, I might as well eat the way I'm supposed to and back it up. Otherwise, I'm just wasting my time.
So, my long term goal is 6-8 months from now. I guess I will shoot for 8 months so that puts me right at the end of May (again). I'm not waiting for November. Screw that. I'm ready...NOW. I just can't take this nowhere-bound train any longer. I'm getting off at Realityville. I'm eating like a bodybuilder and I'm working out like a bodybuilder. No more pissing away my time. It's on!
And now a thank you....
In one of these gossip magazines that my mom gets (even though she never bought a subscription for it), they do these "20 things you didn't know about me" interviews with random famous people. Anderson Cooper did one not too long ago. And if you don't know who he is, he is a journalist and CNN anchor. I don't watch him but know who he is because sometimes, if my husband gets the itch for news, I might catch a glimpse. Anyway, he's a pretty lean looking guy. One of his "20 things" was - "I workout nearly every day. Yes, I know how annoying that sounds." And this statement (or the tone of it) is sort of the same reason I typically don't boast on Facebook about the workout I've just done. People don't care. They don't like to hear it. I think it's because they don't like to be reminded about their own personal lack of exercise or want to feel inferior. I would personally love to see more comments about a good workout then all the complaining and drama that is usually the case on Facebook. But then again, I workout so..... But, in my own experience, talking to people who don't have the bug like me, just don't want to hear it. And maybe even some that do, don't want to hear it all the time. That is why I have a fitness blog. Because I like to talk about it. It's a HUGE part of my life, it's a passion not everyone understands. I know only people who have a like mind about fitness and health will read it. And if you don't like what I have to say, you don't have to read it. So I don't feel like I have to hold back on my opinions and my take on certain issues pertaining to health and fitness. Because even though I research and read a LOT, most of the stuff I rant about is still just MY opinion. And I love my readers because they have open minds and their own opinions, which might be completely different from mine. And that's ok! It's what makes us all unique and interesting to each other. So thank you to my loyal readers (all two of you) for listening to me vent and complain and whine. For seeing me through failures and successes. For knowing exactly when to lift me up before I fall. For caring enough to leave comments, every one of them are precious to me. I'm lucky to have a network, however small, to connect with. Because it's hard to go it alone.
No. It's not that simple.
Your body processes foods differently. That is why I can't stuff myself with sweets all day - as long as I exercise it all off, stay below my caloric requirement for the day - and still be fit. Oh, I'll be fit if I get my heart rate up the suggested amount for heart health. But I won't look fit. And if I'm eating crappy foods, I'm still at risk for health issues later on. But my point is, if I'm going to workout to have a better body, I might as well eat the way I'm supposed to and back it up. Otherwise, I'm just wasting my time.
So, my long term goal is 6-8 months from now. I guess I will shoot for 8 months so that puts me right at the end of May (again). I'm not waiting for November. Screw that. I'm ready...NOW. I just can't take this nowhere-bound train any longer. I'm getting off at Realityville. I'm eating like a bodybuilder and I'm working out like a bodybuilder. No more pissing away my time. It's on!
And now a thank you....
In one of these gossip magazines that my mom gets (even though she never bought a subscription for it), they do these "20 things you didn't know about me" interviews with random famous people. Anderson Cooper did one not too long ago. And if you don't know who he is, he is a journalist and CNN anchor. I don't watch him but know who he is because sometimes, if my husband gets the itch for news, I might catch a glimpse. Anyway, he's a pretty lean looking guy. One of his "20 things" was - "I workout nearly every day. Yes, I know how annoying that sounds." And this statement (or the tone of it) is sort of the same reason I typically don't boast on Facebook about the workout I've just done. People don't care. They don't like to hear it. I think it's because they don't like to be reminded about their own personal lack of exercise or want to feel inferior. I would personally love to see more comments about a good workout then all the complaining and drama that is usually the case on Facebook. But then again, I workout so..... But, in my own experience, talking to people who don't have the bug like me, just don't want to hear it. And maybe even some that do, don't want to hear it all the time. That is why I have a fitness blog. Because I like to talk about it. It's a HUGE part of my life, it's a passion not everyone understands. I know only people who have a like mind about fitness and health will read it. And if you don't like what I have to say, you don't have to read it. So I don't feel like I have to hold back on my opinions and my take on certain issues pertaining to health and fitness. Because even though I research and read a LOT, most of the stuff I rant about is still just MY opinion. And I love my readers because they have open minds and their own opinions, which might be completely different from mine. And that's ok! It's what makes us all unique and interesting to each other. So thank you to my loyal readers (all two of you) for listening to me vent and complain and whine. For seeing me through failures and successes. For knowing exactly when to lift me up before I fall. For caring enough to leave comments, every one of them are precious to me. I'm lucky to have a network, however small, to connect with. Because it's hard to go it alone.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
say it, do it (click to read full post)
A cat "lifting" an invisible barbell. So cute.
It makes me think of what is in store for me in a short while. I'm actually a little nervous about it. It seems strange to be nervous because weight lifting is my thing. It's what I do. It drives me. It motivates me. It empowers me. It makes me happy. It challenges me. Maybe it's the challenge that scares me.
It's not the soreness. I am so used to being sore that it almost doesn't seem right to me if I'm walking around without some sort of soreness going on. With the exception of last Friday's workout, that was ridiculous.
But the challenge is a little scary. When I lift weights, I don't just grab some random dumbbells and crank out a few sets and done. I carefully research and plan every workout routine. So that when I go to my weight room, I know exactly what exercises I will do, how many sets I will do, the rep range to shoot for, the poundage I will use, the amount of resting between sets I need, etc. I write everything down before and after. I keep a meticulous journal (I've got dozens of them - or at least I did have until I tossed most of the full ones). And I need to push myself to lift more weight or go for more reps every single week.
And even more than the physical challenge involved, the mental challenge is hard. Because I will get to a point (as I'm sure everyone does) when it feels like I just can't improve. I remember last year, feeling like I would never hit the 40lb mark with my bicep curls. I was stuck at 35 or 37 pounds forEVER! And I really struggled with that. I thought, how are my arms going to get any bigger if I can't progress to a higher weight? So I'd start obsessing about it and getting more and more frustrated. I know you plateau and I know you can't just keep going up and up and up forever or pretty soon you'd be lifting 1000 pounds, and obviously that's not possible.
And I would get nervous before doing pullups. I would be scared that I wouldn't be able to do one more than last time and I knew how important it was for improvement to get at least one more rep each time. It was scary because pullups are incredibly taxing. I would literally stand there and think to weeks ahead and get scared at the weight I was going to have to lift or the reps I was going to have to push.
This year, I'm going to roll with the punches. I'm going to try not obsessing so much. (haha....me? stop obsessing? who am I kidding.) Live for the day. The here and now. I'm going to go slow and steady. I'm going to use perfect form and get a good pump every time. And if I eat my protein and carbs and do what I know I need to do, I will make the progress that I am after.
Easier said than done.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
booty beatdown
I thought about not posting. I thought about sparing you. But I thought it would be kinda fun to bore you to death.
I'm just kidding. I don't want you to die. Please don't die.
But alas, I must bore you to death. I don't have anything to talk about really. My ass went through a punishing last Friday like none I've EVER experienced. Ever. I mean it. I'm doubting anyone who has said they've been sore. You don't KNOW sore!! Saturday and Sunday I was a quivering disaster. I couldn't walk, I couldn't sit, and forget about going from a walking to sitting position and vice versa. Oh. My. Goodness. I knew it would be bad. I knew. But I wasn't prepared for what it actually was.
At first when I woke up in the morning, I thought "ok, I'm stiff and sore. Oh, I'm reeeally stiff and sore." But continued on downstairs. And this is where I messed up. Bad. I actually tried running around the corner. I don't know why I did this. I was happy to be awake. It was a Saturday. Whatever the reason, I don't know. But that's when I felt it. Where my butt cheeks used to be, there were now two very heavy bowling balls. At least, that's what it felt like when I tried to run. My ass literally felt like bowling balls. I don't know why, but that's how I'd describe it. Pain. And bowling balls.
Anyway. Sunday was NO better. At all. I bet you can guess what I did for exercise those two days. That's right - nothing. Monday, I was finally starting to feel the soreness subsiding. I probably could have worked out. But I had a lot of other stuff to do and figured it wouldn't be that bad to take one more day off. And today, I was going to do it all over again but because it was so unbelievably nice out this morning, I ran instead. My master plan is to do the butt routine tonight, but we'll see. I just got all the carpets in my home steam cleaned today and as of now, they are still very wet, despite them telling me it would only be another hour until they were dry (that was two hours ago).
Soooo, anyway, that's my boring life story these days. And if you think I'm sharing my booty boosting secret, you've got another thing coming! ha...just kidding. I think it's called booty beatdown or something to that affect. The cool thing is you get a list of many different exercises and circuits to choose from and you put your workout together yourself. You can change it. No need to get bored. But I'm thinking I'll be good for the next month. If I can stick to this, I'm pretty sure my rump will rise again!
I'm preparing to really cut back my calories over the next month. I've got to try to get a jump on this fat loss thing ONE LAST TIME. Because it's crunch time. I don't know if it's possible but I would love love love to have 5 pounds of fat gone by end of October. I know, I know, good luck. I've got a little strategy that might help. Only time will tell.
I'm just kidding. I don't want you to die. Please don't die.
But alas, I must bore you to death. I don't have anything to talk about really. My ass went through a punishing last Friday like none I've EVER experienced. Ever. I mean it. I'm doubting anyone who has said they've been sore. You don't KNOW sore!! Saturday and Sunday I was a quivering disaster. I couldn't walk, I couldn't sit, and forget about going from a walking to sitting position and vice versa. Oh. My. Goodness. I knew it would be bad. I knew. But I wasn't prepared for what it actually was.
At first when I woke up in the morning, I thought "ok, I'm stiff and sore. Oh, I'm reeeally stiff and sore." But continued on downstairs. And this is where I messed up. Bad. I actually tried running around the corner. I don't know why I did this. I was happy to be awake. It was a Saturday. Whatever the reason, I don't know. But that's when I felt it. Where my butt cheeks used to be, there were now two very heavy bowling balls. At least, that's what it felt like when I tried to run. My ass literally felt like bowling balls. I don't know why, but that's how I'd describe it. Pain. And bowling balls.
Anyway. Sunday was NO better. At all. I bet you can guess what I did for exercise those two days. That's right - nothing. Monday, I was finally starting to feel the soreness subsiding. I probably could have worked out. But I had a lot of other stuff to do and figured it wouldn't be that bad to take one more day off. And today, I was going to do it all over again but because it was so unbelievably nice out this morning, I ran instead. My master plan is to do the butt routine tonight, but we'll see. I just got all the carpets in my home steam cleaned today and as of now, they are still very wet, despite them telling me it would only be another hour until they were dry (that was two hours ago).
Soooo, anyway, that's my boring life story these days. And if you think I'm sharing my booty boosting secret, you've got another thing coming! ha...just kidding. I think it's called booty beatdown or something to that affect. The cool thing is you get a list of many different exercises and circuits to choose from and you put your workout together yourself. You can change it. No need to get bored. But I'm thinking I'll be good for the next month. If I can stick to this, I'm pretty sure my rump will rise again!
I'm preparing to really cut back my calories over the next month. I've got to try to get a jump on this fat loss thing ONE LAST TIME. Because it's crunch time. I don't know if it's possible but I would love love love to have 5 pounds of fat gone by end of October. I know, I know, good luck. I've got a little strategy that might help. Only time will tell.
Friday, September 23, 2011
health tip for you
Want a FUN way to burn TONS of calories?
Dance!
You heard me! Get up, crank up the music (you know, the kind that really makes you want to shake your groove thing) and go for it! No one is watching!
I have been doing this almost daily and I am AMAZED at what a great workout it is. I think I'm going to wear my heart rate monitor next time just because I am curious as to how many calories I burn in an hour. I danced with my kids for two hours tonight. TWO. HOURS! And I could have kept going and going....but it was bedtime.
I swear, this has become one of my favorite things to do lately. Sometimes, during the day when everyone is gone, I just go downstairs to crank up the music real loud and I can't help but move. It's even better in the dark because then we can turn the disco ball on, put our wigs on and really have fun!
This morning, I really punished my butt and legs. I did 50 minutes of circuit training with weights and incorporated some explosive moves with my medicine ball (think moving jump squats and jump lunges). My legs were so rubbery when I finished I could barely walk up the stairs. Between that and all the dancing I just did, I will be lucky if I can walk tomorrow!
I noticed (already) how easy it is to get into a cardio rut. I call it a rut because I get too comfortable with it. This morning, it was so gorgeous out and would have made for a really enjoyable run, but I forced myself to get down in the basement for some weight training. That's the hardest part after so long. Running is easy. Training with weights requires more focus. It requires a plan. And it's hard work! But I love the way I can FEEL when I've worked my muscles. I love imagining the tiny tears happening and the rebuild process that makes them bigger and better than before.
Although, I'm not in "build mode" yet. I'm just sort of slowly getting myself acclimated again so that I'm ready to hit it hard in November. I get excited thinking about it. And I get excited thinking of the future. I can't say for sure what it holds, but I know it will be something great!
Hope you all had a great first day of fall! I know I did!
Dance!
You heard me! Get up, crank up the music (you know, the kind that really makes you want to shake your groove thing) and go for it! No one is watching!
I have been doing this almost daily and I am AMAZED at what a great workout it is. I think I'm going to wear my heart rate monitor next time just because I am curious as to how many calories I burn in an hour. I danced with my kids for two hours tonight. TWO. HOURS! And I could have kept going and going....but it was bedtime.
I swear, this has become one of my favorite things to do lately. Sometimes, during the day when everyone is gone, I just go downstairs to crank up the music real loud and I can't help but move. It's even better in the dark because then we can turn the disco ball on, put our wigs on and really have fun!
This morning, I really punished my butt and legs. I did 50 minutes of circuit training with weights and incorporated some explosive moves with my medicine ball (think moving jump squats and jump lunges). My legs were so rubbery when I finished I could barely walk up the stairs. Between that and all the dancing I just did, I will be lucky if I can walk tomorrow!
I noticed (already) how easy it is to get into a cardio rut. I call it a rut because I get too comfortable with it. This morning, it was so gorgeous out and would have made for a really enjoyable run, but I forced myself to get down in the basement for some weight training. That's the hardest part after so long. Running is easy. Training with weights requires more focus. It requires a plan. And it's hard work! But I love the way I can FEEL when I've worked my muscles. I love imagining the tiny tears happening and the rebuild process that makes them bigger and better than before.
Although, I'm not in "build mode" yet. I'm just sort of slowly getting myself acclimated again so that I'm ready to hit it hard in November. I get excited thinking about it. And I get excited thinking of the future. I can't say for sure what it holds, but I know it will be something great!
Hope you all had a great first day of fall! I know I did!
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