Today is the last day of Syl's September Shred Challenge. I have one last round to fit in tonight. (Oh wait, didn't Syl tack on some extra days because I laughed at her for loosing her shorts???)
I was hesitant to join, and it hasn't always been smooth sailing ... but I'm so glad I did it. If the only thing I got from it was getting to know more wonderful bloggers then I can't ask for anything else. You guys are all great!
Tomorrow will be the final results and while I don't expect anything earth shattering, I have definitely learned some things:
1) I'm already pretty darn fit. The Shred is super tough, super challenging and sometimes I wanted to cry. But in the end I haven't seen huge changes in my body, my cardiovascular fitness, or my strength. I've seen small changes, but not what I had hoped for. Would that be because the Shred is ineffective? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I believe the Shred is highly effective, especially if you are not accustomed to that type of workout. If you believe you are already doing a great, well rounded workout - I challenge you to test that theory by following the 30 day shred. You certainly will not loose your fitness level, but you may learn to believe in yourself and your program.
2) Exercise is not MY demon. I LOVE to exercise. Very rarely do I not want to work out. Even more rare is the day that I do work out and don't enjoy it. If I'm not loosing weight or changing my body shape I don't believe it is due to lack of (or ineffective) exercise. Which leads me to ....
3) If I want further changes in my body I'm going to have to be more thorough with my diet. I'm in the process of analyzing more what's going into my body and trying to make decisions based more upon what it needs rather than just what I want, what is convenient, or basically what's worked in the past.
4) Albert Einstein said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". That's what I've been doing and it's time to change that cycle. I eat pretty much the same format day in, day out and cycle through similar workouts on a regular basis. It's great in the aspects of a healthy life and it most certainly got me to the point I'm at today .... but if I want more I'm going to have to take that path unknown.
Tomorrow I'm going to be laying out some goals for the month of October. Stay tuned......
Life can only be taken one step at a time. The speed and the direction is up to you.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Took a Shot At A Goal
At the beginning of this year I made out a list of goals I wanted to achieve. Other than eating fish once a week (which is improving, but not nearly consistant enough) I had one last goal to reach.
About an hour from my house is a place called Grouse Mountain. Up the side of this mountain is a trail that was built and is now known as the Grouse Grind. It is relatively short, 2.9 km / 1.8 miles ... however, it also has an elevation gain of 853 meters / 2800 feet with 2,830 stairs with an AVERAGE grade of 28%, often steeper.
There are some areas where you literally crawl on all fours. And a few places where ropes have been placed and you can (and once I needed to) actually haul yourself up by the rope.
2 minutes in you are already gasping for air and wondering why the heck you even started. 10 min in you're sure you are going to die, and soon, but the sheer volume of people following you up keeps you going and refusing to turn around.
It is an INTENSE workout. Not really what you'd call a hike. It is referred to as nature's stairmaster for good reason. You just climb, and climb, and climb (many of these steps I took TWO at a time). And on a nice, sunny weekend you do it with probably thousands of people.
I did this "hike" in May 2007 and it took me 1 hour & 32 minutes. That was pre-weight loss. Then Last August 2008, I did it again. I'd lost weight and was in much better shape so was looking for a big improvement in my time. However I was sadly mistaken and it still took me 1 hour and 25 minutes! I was very disappointed.
I knew I'd improve on that time. But I didn't realize until I checked back today how MUCH I had improved. As I approached the top, my son was waiting and he said "you're going to be under an hour - RUN!!!!" My personal trainer, he's tough and definitely is great for pushing me at the end. I did it in 58 minutes & 42 seconds. That's over 26 minutes better than last year, and 33 minutes better than 2007! WOW, that's all I can say!
My son finished in 46 minutes. When we got there he looked up from the parking lot and said "Crap, I forgot how high it is".
Feeling OK today, but my hips can definitely feel I did something different.
My goal was to do this climb in under 50 minutes, but I think now I can see that that was way too lofty. I may reach that one day, but not right now. I'm very happy with my time.
3 more days of shredding left! I had to miss 2 days at the end of the week but it was for very good reason and I don't feel at all guilty. Sometimes other things are just more important, and I more than make up for it.
About an hour from my house is a place called Grouse Mountain. Up the side of this mountain is a trail that was built and is now known as the Grouse Grind. It is relatively short, 2.9 km / 1.8 miles ... however, it also has an elevation gain of 853 meters / 2800 feet with 2,830 stairs with an AVERAGE grade of 28%, often steeper.
2 minutes in you are already gasping for air and wondering why the heck you even started. 10 min in you're sure you are going to die, and soon, but the sheer volume of people following you up keeps you going and refusing to turn around.
It is an INTENSE workout. Not really what you'd call a hike. It is referred to as nature's stairmaster for good reason. You just climb, and climb, and climb (many of these steps I took TWO at a time). And on a nice, sunny weekend you do it with probably thousands of people.
I did this "hike" in May 2007 and it took me 1 hour & 32 minutes. That was pre-weight loss. Then Last August 2008, I did it again. I'd lost weight and was in much better shape so was looking for a big improvement in my time. However I was sadly mistaken and it still took me 1 hour and 25 minutes! I was very disappointed.
I knew I'd improve on that time. But I didn't realize until I checked back today how MUCH I had improved. As I approached the top, my son was waiting and he said "you're going to be under an hour - RUN!!!!" My personal trainer, he's tough and definitely is great for pushing me at the end. I did it in 58 minutes & 42 seconds. That's over 26 minutes better than last year, and 33 minutes better than 2007! WOW, that's all I can say!
My son finished in 46 minutes. When we got there he looked up from the parking lot and said "Crap, I forgot how high it is".
Feeling OK today, but my hips can definitely feel I did something different.
My goal was to do this climb in under 50 minutes, but I think now I can see that that was way too lofty. I may reach that one day, but not right now. I'm very happy with my time.
3 more days of shredding left! I had to miss 2 days at the end of the week but it was for very good reason and I don't feel at all guilty. Sometimes other things are just more important, and I more than make up for it.
Friday, September 25, 2009
NOTABLE POSTS
I'm away from the computer for most of the day, but I've been putting this post together for a little while now. Some good reading (in my opinion)....
NOTABLE POSTS
Often I come across certain posts that really stand out for me. I've been thinking that I want to add a little section once in a while of NOTABLE POSTS. These are posts that stick out for me, for whatever reason.
Here's what has struck me recently....
Pudget: How To Eat At McDonalds - I love the part where she talks about being an influence on her daughters, especially this statement ... "if they see Mommy eat the "unhealthy food" in moderation, every once in a while, they will hopefully realize that it is the way to do it."
Prior Fat Girl: Life is Unfair What a powerful thought here ... "There is a millisecond of thought that goes into every decision to binge or comfort feelings with food - millisecond, I swear. It's in this millisecond which you have the power to stop yourself."
Dancing Through Life: Who Do You Look Up To? I believe that we all have the ability to choose our own destiny. That being said, I also think that the universe gives us the tools and influences we need to get there, including the people to guide us along the way. I know that these people were put in my life for a reason, but it was up to me to find them and let them in. This is a bit of a scary thought for me. While I agree with her, I have a hard time implementing it because I rarely let anyone in. I hope one day I can find the strength and the courage to do that.
One Last Kick At The Cat: Powering Through Frustration. Impatience. Indifference. Desperation. Disappointment. These are the just feelings. They are feelings that make sense. They don't define me. They aren't a reason to give up. If I expect that they will go away and never return I am fooling myself. I can't expect to feel 100% ON all the time just because I have made this commitment. But I can expect to cycle back through all the good emotions if I just stay the course. Nothing to add .. couldn't have said it better myself. Completely mirrors my thoughts.
NOTABLE POSTS
Often I come across certain posts that really stand out for me. I've been thinking that I want to add a little section once in a while of NOTABLE POSTS. These are posts that stick out for me, for whatever reason.
Here's what has struck me recently....
Pudget: How To Eat At McDonalds - I love the part where she talks about being an influence on her daughters, especially this statement ... "if they see Mommy eat the "unhealthy food" in moderation, every once in a while, they will hopefully realize that it is the way to do it."
Prior Fat Girl: Life is Unfair What a powerful thought here ... "There is a millisecond of thought that goes into every decision to binge or comfort feelings with food - millisecond, I swear. It's in this millisecond which you have the power to stop yourself."
Dancing Through Life: Who Do You Look Up To? I believe that we all have the ability to choose our own destiny. That being said, I also think that the universe gives us the tools and influences we need to get there, including the people to guide us along the way. I know that these people were put in my life for a reason, but it was up to me to find them and let them in. This is a bit of a scary thought for me. While I agree with her, I have a hard time implementing it because I rarely let anyone in. I hope one day I can find the strength and the courage to do that.
One Last Kick At The Cat: Powering Through Frustration. Impatience. Indifference. Desperation. Disappointment. These are the just feelings. They are feelings that make sense. They don't define me. They aren't a reason to give up. If I expect that they will go away and never return I am fooling myself. I can't expect to feel 100% ON all the time just because I have made this commitment. But I can expect to cycle back through all the good emotions if I just stay the course. Nothing to add .. couldn't have said it better myself. Completely mirrors my thoughts.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Shred - Level 3 Day 3
Yesterday kind of sucked. First off it was day 3 of Level 3 and I don't know why but Day 3 has always been the hardest one for me to muster up the motivation to do. But it did seem a tad easier. Maybe because it was the only exercise I did yesterday.
Plus, both kids were sick yesterday so they didn't go to their sports - which meant I didn't get out to the track to run. Sure I could have done it at home, I certainly don't need to "go" somewhere to run. But I had a bunch of things that really needed to be done at home and I was just feeling burned out.
I'm loving the challenge of the 30 day Shred. I love setting my mind to something and doing it. But I think when it's over I'm going to take a couple days to rest and recoupe!
Then I got up this morning to see a 2 lb gain from yesterday morning. I know that's not possible, and I question my scales accuracy sometimes because my MIL (who ate completely different things from me yesterday) also gained exactly 2 lbs from the morning before. That just seems strange, so I'm pushing it out of my brain (or to a very back corner).
My tummy feels pouchier than normal and I'm feeling just soft in general - which makes no sense at all. But I won't quit ... I'll never quit!
My Mommy & Daddy are coming today and spending at least the weekend with me, maybe longer. We're going to go downtown tomorrow so I may not be around to read others blogs. I'll get caught up over the weekend.
Plus, both kids were sick yesterday so they didn't go to their sports - which meant I didn't get out to the track to run. Sure I could have done it at home, I certainly don't need to "go" somewhere to run. But I had a bunch of things that really needed to be done at home and I was just feeling burned out.
I'm loving the challenge of the 30 day Shred. I love setting my mind to something and doing it. But I think when it's over I'm going to take a couple days to rest and recoupe!
Then I got up this morning to see a 2 lb gain from yesterday morning. I know that's not possible, and I question my scales accuracy sometimes because my MIL (who ate completely different things from me yesterday) also gained exactly 2 lbs from the morning before. That just seems strange, so I'm pushing it out of my brain (or to a very back corner).
My tummy feels pouchier than normal and I'm feeling just soft in general - which makes no sense at all. But I won't quit ... I'll never quit!
My Mommy & Daddy are coming today and spending at least the weekend with me, maybe longer. We're going to go downtown tomorrow so I may not be around to read others blogs. I'll get caught up over the weekend.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Carb Crazy
WOW, Yesterday was a day like I haven't had in a long time. I went absolutely CARB CRAZY!
Today I did some better planning and am including more protein at each meal, plus some in between. Maybe that's what was missing?
Sure alot of it was whole grain, but still, it was rather excessive.
Whole grain cereal for breakfast. A flaxseed bun, AND whole wheat pasta at lunch. Another flaxseed bun in the afternoon (they are SOOO good). All Bran Guardian cereal for dinner (yeah it was one of those days). Followed by a couple whole grain crackers with cheese.
I easily could have downed a huge bucket of plain air popped popcorn as well, but I was starting to feel like I would burst so I held off.
It's not like I've been severly cutting back on them so I'm not quite sure what prompted that. I'm one who believes that good, healthy carbs are necessary fuel for hard workouts. But still, I definitely went overboard and felt like crap.
Today I did some better planning and am including more protein at each meal, plus some in between. Maybe that's what was missing?After my day long indulgence I went out for a run. When I started I thought there was no way I'd manage more than 5 minutes. My whole body felt like lead and I could feel all that food sinking me into the ground. I told myself I'd muster through it for 15 min and see how I felt.
Well ... after 15 min my mind just clicked in and I got that wonderful feeling that I could just go on forever. I found a great little subdivision with all these intermingling paths and it was so pleasant. It was also HOT - 29°C (aka 84°F) at 6:00 in the evening. After 50 minutes I definitely was a big sweaty mess afterwards.
Then ... I came home and did Level 3 of the shred. Man that sure makes my heart rate fly through the roof. My husband walked in just as I'd finished and found me crumpled on the floor, sweat literally dripping from my face. Poor guy, I don't imagine it was the most attractive scene.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Shredding Level 3
OK, there is NO doubt that Level 3 is much more enjoyable than Level 2. I was going to say it's easier ... but it's not that. If possible, I think I actually had even more sweat dripping off my face. Either that or it was terribly hot last night (which I don't think it was).
I think the issue I have with level 2 is all the small muscle shoulder work she does - which is SUPER tough for me.
Level 3 seems to be your prize for sticking it out with Level 2. There are some very, VERY hard moves. Rock star jumps, squat jumps, lunge jumps - my heart felt like it would explode. And jumping jacks WITH weights??? Actually that move I kind of question the safety of because I can see the high possiblity of injury from flinging around weights like that. I make sure to have a slight bend in my elbows during that one so as not to overextend the joints.
There are some moves that I remember being absolutely killer from when I did this DVD before (though not daily, just on an occassional basis). This time around they actually weren't so bad. I used to think mountain climbers were the devil, this time they were just good. Walking push-ups used to be tough ...not now!
At the end I felt like I wanted to collapse. Though ... after I did Level 3, I did Level 2 - hahaha. I want to do this a few times in the next 10 days. I'm a sucker for punishment that way.
Today is just the regular single session of Level 3 and 45 min running.
Oh ... I also tried my first Green Monster yesterday. I tried a pretty basic one with milk, frozen banana, spinach, flax, almond butter & ice. I know these are a huge buzz in the blogging world and everyone raves about them so I decided to give it a try.
My verdict ---- Gross! I can't imagine how anyone could love these things. To me it just tasted like icy banana with the odd mix of almond butter in there. I tried it before I put in the almond butter and it wasn't great, but adding it seemed to make it worse. I don't mind bananas, though they are best when they are ripe but not yet having any brown spots. And I like them in some baking. However, I'm not one to put them on a peanut butter banana sandwich, or mix into my oatmeal (gag!). So maybe the Green Monster is just not for me.
I tried finding a recipe without banana but they are few and far between. I think I can happily live my life without going down that path again and not feel like I'm missing out on anything. I'll keep my spinach in my salad, my almond butter on my toast, my milk alone in a glass and my banana as a plain, simple snack!
I think the issue I have with level 2 is all the small muscle shoulder work she does - which is SUPER tough for me.
Level 3 seems to be your prize for sticking it out with Level 2. There are some very, VERY hard moves. Rock star jumps, squat jumps, lunge jumps - my heart felt like it would explode. And jumping jacks WITH weights??? Actually that move I kind of question the safety of because I can see the high possiblity of injury from flinging around weights like that. I make sure to have a slight bend in my elbows during that one so as not to overextend the joints.
There are some moves that I remember being absolutely killer from when I did this DVD before (though not daily, just on an occassional basis). This time around they actually weren't so bad. I used to think mountain climbers were the devil, this time they were just good. Walking push-ups used to be tough ...not now!
At the end I felt like I wanted to collapse. Though ... after I did Level 3, I did Level 2 - hahaha. I want to do this a few times in the next 10 days. I'm a sucker for punishment that way.
Today is just the regular single session of Level 3 and 45 min running.
Oh ... I also tried my first Green Monster yesterday. I tried a pretty basic one with milk, frozen banana, spinach, flax, almond butter & ice. I know these are a huge buzz in the blogging world and everyone raves about them so I decided to give it a try.
My verdict ---- Gross! I can't imagine how anyone could love these things. To me it just tasted like icy banana with the odd mix of almond butter in there. I tried it before I put in the almond butter and it wasn't great, but adding it seemed to make it worse. I don't mind bananas, though they are best when they are ripe but not yet having any brown spots. And I like them in some baking. However, I'm not one to put them on a peanut butter banana sandwich, or mix into my oatmeal (gag!). So maybe the Green Monster is just not for me.
I tried finding a recipe without banana but they are few and far between. I think I can happily live my life without going down that path again and not feel like I'm missing out on anything. I'll keep my spinach in my salad, my almond butter on my toast, my milk alone in a glass and my banana as a plain, simple snack!
Monday, September 21, 2009
20 Day Results = plbbbtttttt
20 Day RESULTS
Not so happy with these results. I see some of the other shredders having amazing inch loss and I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong. It's disheartening to be working so hard and seeing so little. But I'm sticking it out and hoping that Level 3 will kick something into gear.
I've taken pics but I'm not posting them until the end.
Here's the changes & goal recaps:
WEIGHT - Day 1...148.00....... Day 10....147.6 .... Day 20 ....149.4 (up 1.8 this week, up 1.4 overall)
GOALS
Day 11-20 Recap
Day 21-30 Plan
Not so happy with these results. I see some of the other shredders having amazing inch loss and I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong. It's disheartening to be working so hard and seeing so little. But I'm sticking it out and hoping that Level 3 will kick something into gear.
I've taken pics but I'm not posting them until the end.
Here's the changes & goal recaps:
WEIGHT - Day 1...148.00....... Day 10....147.6 .... Day 20 ....149.4 (up 1.8 this week, up 1.4 overall)
MEASUREMENTS
Chest - Day 1...38".........Day 10...36.5"......Day 20...36.25" (down .25" this week, 1.75" overall)
Waist - Day 1...33.75" ...Day 10...33.5"......Day 20...33.25" (down .25" this week, .5" overall) (at bellybutton)
..........- Day 1...30.75"....Day 10 ...30.25"...Day 20...30.5" (up .25" this week, down 0.25" overall) (at narrowest)
..........- Day 1...30.75"....Day 10 ...30.25"...Day 20...30.5" (up .25" this week, down 0.25" overall) (at narrowest)
Hips - Day 1...38".........Day 10...38"..........Day 20...37" (down 1", down 1" overall)
Thigh - Day 1...22".........Day 10...22" ........Day 20...22" (no change) (at widest - left thigh)
Arm - Day 1...12.25"....Day 10...11.75"....Day 20...11.75" (no change this week, down 0.5" overall) (at widest - just under armpit)Day 1-10 Change - Down 2.75"
Day 11-20 Change - Down 1.25"
Overall - Down3" (whoops, thanks Syl) - 4"
Day 11-20 Change - Down 1.25"
Overall - Down
GOALS
♥ Be 144 or less by Oct 1st - Sep 21st goal 145.6 - not even close
♥ Reduce measurements at bellybutton & thighs - not even close
♥ Shred every day - done
♥ Run 7 out of 10 days - only ran 5 days, but exercised every day
♥ Track my food EVERY SINGLE DAY - done
Day 21-30 Plan
♥ Be 144 or less by Oct 1st (hmmm, can I lose 5.4 lbs in the next 10 days)
♥ Reduce measurements at bellybutton & thighs
♥ Shred every day AT LEAST ONCE
♥ Run min 395 minutes
♥ Track my food EVERY SINGLE DAY
♥ Reduce sugar even further, increase protein
♥ Reduce sugar even further, increase protein
Friday, September 18, 2009
Meet Heike
Once again, you guys are all so sweet. If any of you are ever out BC way I'd definitely be into meeting up.
Yesterday I did manage to scour my social circle and found myself a running partner. YEAH!!! OK, hahaa, maybe not quite what I was hoping for, but she is pretty good company. She listens, she doesn't complain, she's always eager to go along ... however she's a bit smelly and scatterbrained at times.
Meet Heike....
100 lbs. of excited dog is hard to hold. This is just after she gave me a big slobbery smack in the face. (By the way, excuse my outfit, I just grabbed the first thing I saw)
She's terribly out of shape, but we still managed about 6Km. I want to get her fitter so I can take her out on the trails sometimes.
It's a start!! I actually did reach out to someone I know yesterday and asked her if she'd like to join in our running group. However, it doesn't fit her schedule. But it's a move in the right direction for me.
Yesterday I did manage to scour my social circle and found myself a running partner. YEAH!!! OK, hahaa, maybe not quite what I was hoping for, but she is pretty good company. She listens, she doesn't complain, she's always eager to go along ... however she's a bit smelly and scatterbrained at times.
Meet Heike....
100 lbs. of excited dog is hard to hold. This is just after she gave me a big slobbery smack in the face. (By the way, excuse my outfit, I just grabbed the first thing I saw)She's terribly out of shape, but we still managed about 6Km. I want to get her fitter so I can take her out on the trails sometimes.
It's a start!! I actually did reach out to someone I know yesterday and asked her if she'd like to join in our running group. However, it doesn't fit her schedule. But it's a move in the right direction for me.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Shredding without The Shred
First off I want to say thanks everyone for your very sweet comments yesterday. You all don't know how good it felt to have your support, and also how comforting it is to know that I'm not alone. I was thinking of that last night while running. If there are so many of us in this situation ... why?
I think Tamara hit it right on the head when she said ..."I suffer from the feeling that everyone has this amazing social life and tight knit group of friends who they see all the time EXCEPT for me." I know that thought crosses my mind a million times (insecurity much??) . I meet someone who I think is pretty cool, but I always stop short of asking them to do something because I assume that they've probably got this great life and a great group of friends and are probably not interested. Stupid, eh? (how's that for Canadian - hahaa) I think our society conditions us to project to others how busy and full our lives are .. maybe as a sign that we're successful?? Or maybe it's a buffer we can put up from putting ourselves out there. I mean, we are stupid, crazy busy ... but are we all really too busy living life to actually be getting some enjoyment out of it.
Last night was "Shredding Without The Shred". I did some basic running, sprinted numerous flights of stairs, ran 100M sprints on the track and mixed it all up with a bunch of strength moves (way up top in the bleachers as much out of sight as possible). I didn't really do much in the way of abs because that concrete is cold and it had been raining. But I did get in some planks & plank twists.
Tonight I have "off" from any committments. I have a 10K planned, but I'm going to see how I feel about doing that. I've done quite a bit of running this week already. I do plan to do TWO sets of the Shred tonight (maybe Level 2, then 1).
I think Tamara hit it right on the head when she said ..."I suffer from the feeling that everyone has this amazing social life and tight knit group of friends who they see all the time EXCEPT for me." I know that thought crosses my mind a million times (insecurity much??) . I meet someone who I think is pretty cool, but I always stop short of asking them to do something because I assume that they've probably got this great life and a great group of friends and are probably not interested. Stupid, eh? (how's that for Canadian - hahaa) I think our society conditions us to project to others how busy and full our lives are .. maybe as a sign that we're successful?? Or maybe it's a buffer we can put up from putting ourselves out there. I mean, we are stupid, crazy busy ... but are we all really too busy living life to actually be getting some enjoyment out of it.
Last night was "Shredding Without The Shred". I did some basic running, sprinted numerous flights of stairs, ran 100M sprints on the track and mixed it all up with a bunch of strength moves (way up top in the bleachers as much out of sight as possible). I didn't really do much in the way of abs because that concrete is cold and it had been raining. But I did get in some planks & plank twists.
Tonight I have "off" from any committments. I have a 10K planned, but I'm going to see how I feel about doing that. I've done quite a bit of running this week already. I do plan to do TWO sets of the Shred tonight (maybe Level 2, then 1).
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Scrambled Thoughts
I've got so much going on in my head right now. So many directions, so many thoughts. I've been trying to start this post all day. Writing and rewriting. Finally it's come down to a mixed bag of scrambled thoughts.
Some of this stems from the very recent discovery of a medical condition concerning a very important person in my life. Which of course is causing great concern even though I feel pretty optimistic about it, but it is also naturally leaving me reflecting upon my own life. Making me think about where I am, what I want, what direction I'm taking ... I don't want to live a life with any regrets.
Things are also so tight financially. We're at the bottom of the barrel climbing up, and at the moment we have a pretty good foothold, but man is it ever slippery down there. The business is taking off and I really truly believe things are going to look a whole lot brighter in the next year. But it's been a tough couple of years, SUPER tough. It's taught us alot, and I'm way stronger and tougher than I ever thought ... but sometimes you just get sick of it all.
Socially I suck! I am so desperately craving friendship right now. But seriously I can't see me getting anywhere with that at the moment. The friends that I do have, well, we seem to be taking different directions in life and I find I have less and less in common with them every time I see or talk to them. Maybe I'm wrong or picky ... but I really need some sort of connection with my friends. Maybe I'm just too deep in my own self pity and I'm reflecting negatively towards the friends I do have. I dunno...
I find myself hitting a brick wall everytime I try to think of ways to branch out. I'd love to get out and join in something that interests me, thus finding others who are interested in the same thing ... this however takes time & money - neither of which I have. Another idea would be to just put myself out there and meet up with people I know (or people I meet) ... again, time & money. Sure I can invite someone over for coffee/tea, but that gets old pretty quick. I want to go to the movies, I want to go shopping, for coffee, out for dinner... Besides, my days are seriously filled with: go to work, prepare meals, clean, exercise and tote around the kids where they need to go - with the very occassional crash on the couch to watch TV. I've been trying for over a year to meet up with an old co-worker. She's at the same stage of life that I am and trying to find a time that works for both of us is like trying to align the moon and the stars. Most of my current friends are also "couple friends", we only ever get together as couples, and my husband is insanely, stupidly busy trying to keep the company and us afloat that we rarely ever have the chance (or energy) for visits.
I'd love to have friends that I could work out with, especially if by some amazing coincidence their schedules fit mine. But most people I meet seem to think that I'm a little insane on that front (hmmm, am I?? I don't think so). Most people's idea of exercise is a casual slow walk around the block.
Anyhow, I'm sort of wallowing in self pity. Really I have an awful lot to be thankful for. I have wonderful family. I have a husband who adores me and always tells me how great I am. I have good kids that still give me a kiss every night. And despite my feelings of loneliness, I do have lots of people who care about me. I have my health. I have a good, easy, fairly well paying mostly secure job. And for the most part I have a fair amount of material possessions that many people don't have. So I need to stop feeling sorry for myself!
Enough of putting myself out there and all this downer negative talk. I saw this video today that, while really quite repetitive, made me laugh my head off. Have a peek if you need a good chuckle. It (and a nice chat with my sister) picked up my mood.
Tonight is a hair cut, super quick supper, and both kids to their sports - during which I will run and I think I may have to do the Shred video without the video part. It's pretty much memorized now. The other option is to do it at 10pm and I'd rather be crawling into bed at that point.
Some of this stems from the very recent discovery of a medical condition concerning a very important person in my life. Which of course is causing great concern even though I feel pretty optimistic about it, but it is also naturally leaving me reflecting upon my own life. Making me think about where I am, what I want, what direction I'm taking ... I don't want to live a life with any regrets.
Things are also so tight financially. We're at the bottom of the barrel climbing up, and at the moment we have a pretty good foothold, but man is it ever slippery down there. The business is taking off and I really truly believe things are going to look a whole lot brighter in the next year. But it's been a tough couple of years, SUPER tough. It's taught us alot, and I'm way stronger and tougher than I ever thought ... but sometimes you just get sick of it all.
Socially I suck! I am so desperately craving friendship right now. But seriously I can't see me getting anywhere with that at the moment. The friends that I do have, well, we seem to be taking different directions in life and I find I have less and less in common with them every time I see or talk to them. Maybe I'm wrong or picky ... but I really need some sort of connection with my friends. Maybe I'm just too deep in my own self pity and I'm reflecting negatively towards the friends I do have. I dunno...
I find myself hitting a brick wall everytime I try to think of ways to branch out. I'd love to get out and join in something that interests me, thus finding others who are interested in the same thing ... this however takes time & money - neither of which I have. Another idea would be to just put myself out there and meet up with people I know (or people I meet) ... again, time & money. Sure I can invite someone over for coffee/tea, but that gets old pretty quick. I want to go to the movies, I want to go shopping, for coffee, out for dinner... Besides, my days are seriously filled with: go to work, prepare meals, clean, exercise and tote around the kids where they need to go - with the very occassional crash on the couch to watch TV. I've been trying for over a year to meet up with an old co-worker. She's at the same stage of life that I am and trying to find a time that works for both of us is like trying to align the moon and the stars. Most of my current friends are also "couple friends", we only ever get together as couples, and my husband is insanely, stupidly busy trying to keep the company and us afloat that we rarely ever have the chance (or energy) for visits.
I'd love to have friends that I could work out with, especially if by some amazing coincidence their schedules fit mine. But most people I meet seem to think that I'm a little insane on that front (hmmm, am I?? I don't think so). Most people's idea of exercise is a casual slow walk around the block.
Anyhow, I'm sort of wallowing in self pity. Really I have an awful lot to be thankful for. I have wonderful family. I have a husband who adores me and always tells me how great I am. I have good kids that still give me a kiss every night. And despite my feelings of loneliness, I do have lots of people who care about me. I have my health. I have a good, easy, fairly well paying mostly secure job. And for the most part I have a fair amount of material possessions that many people don't have. So I need to stop feeling sorry for myself!
Enough of putting myself out there and all this downer negative talk. I saw this video today that, while really quite repetitive, made me laugh my head off. Have a peek if you need a good chuckle. It (and a nice chat with my sister) picked up my mood.
Tonight is a hair cut, super quick supper, and both kids to their sports - during which I will run and I think I may have to do the Shred video without the video part. It's pretty much memorized now. The other option is to do it at 10pm and I'd rather be crawling into bed at that point.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Do it for your future!
Some days this whole thing just doesn't seem to matter. There are just bigger problems in the world. I mean really, does it truly matter??
In some ways it doesn't ... it's just petty and maybe vain. If I were honest with myself I'd realize that I already am of a healthy weight. At this point it's probably more about my looks than anything else.
Over and over and over you read that weight, diet & fitness levels are keys to good health. I've got that going on, so am I just being petty now? Possibly. But, I can't help but see that I'm still relatively young and this body hopefully has a long way to go. There are health issues that I'm bound to face as I age. I am seeing it now in family and friends and it's terrifying. I have to do NOW what I can to help prevent these issues as much as I can.
A few years ago my Mom was diagnosed Diabetes. That sure scared the crap out of me I tell ya! I mean yeah, it's a pretty common thing, especially as you get older. And it was scary to realize that I could already see the pattern continuing with me. I could see myself doing all the things that could potentially lead towards me getting it too. My eating habits were barely healthy, my exercise was on the very slim side and I was putting on weight - especially around my middle.
First thing I did was get checked myself, and I was OK. But I had my doctor run a bunch of tests and he did find that my triglyceride level was a wee bit high. He said it was no big deal and just to make a few changes, but to me it was huge. To me it screamed "you're fine ... for now, but what about the future!". It took a while to get in gear, but the thought that I was damaging my body stayed forefront in my mind the entire time and eventually got me to the place where I realized that I had to get healthy. I could NEVER give up!
I don't want to be in my 60s and suddenly have to re-vamp my entire eating & exercise habits. Sure there may be some things that I will have to change, but I want those basic habits to be in place by the time I get there. As we age things such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer .... they are all a high, high possiblity. We can not prevent everything, but we can try to be as preventative as possible.
So anyone reading this that is either not yet on the healthier living train, or who is, but purely from the angle of looking good ... please, PLEASE keep your current and future health in mind. Those who love you want you to be around for as long as you can.
I'm far from the poster child of perfectly clean eating ... but I strive to do the best I can. Before the only guideline I had when it came to what I ate was "will this help me lose weight?". Now, I try to make my decisions based more upon "What does this do to my body?". I've cut out artificial sweeteners and have very, very little alcohol for starters. There are other changes I'm working on making too. Less sodium, less processed foods, less fatty meats....
I used to view exercise in the same way. Now my thoughts run along ... making my muscles stronger, my heart & lungs fitter, my bones denser.
On another note ... I'm feeling pretty proud of a tough workout I did yesterday. Most Sundays I run with a group of ladies. The one lady I'm most equivalent to for running is off with an injury right now and I've been feeling a bit bummed about running by myself. I tossed around the idea of not joining in anymore, but I still love the group feel. Anyhow, my husband agreed to join me this week AND we also rode our bikes to/from the trail. We did a 13Km ride to the trail, ran about 13Km, then rode home 13Km (with alot of uphill). I was pretty darn exhausted yesterday, but also pretty darn proud. It felt really good actually!
I was a bit upset this morning to see the scale up 3 lbs from yesterday. I know it's not really possible, but it's stilla bit disheartening. But you know what? It doesn't matter. I am healthy! I am fit! I am strong!
In some ways it doesn't ... it's just petty and maybe vain. If I were honest with myself I'd realize that I already am of a healthy weight. At this point it's probably more about my looks than anything else.
Over and over and over you read that weight, diet & fitness levels are keys to good health. I've got that going on, so am I just being petty now? Possibly. But, I can't help but see that I'm still relatively young and this body hopefully has a long way to go. There are health issues that I'm bound to face as I age. I am seeing it now in family and friends and it's terrifying. I have to do NOW what I can to help prevent these issues as much as I can.
A few years ago my Mom was diagnosed Diabetes. That sure scared the crap out of me I tell ya! I mean yeah, it's a pretty common thing, especially as you get older. And it was scary to realize that I could already see the pattern continuing with me. I could see myself doing all the things that could potentially lead towards me getting it too. My eating habits were barely healthy, my exercise was on the very slim side and I was putting on weight - especially around my middle.
First thing I did was get checked myself, and I was OK. But I had my doctor run a bunch of tests and he did find that my triglyceride level was a wee bit high. He said it was no big deal and just to make a few changes, but to me it was huge. To me it screamed "you're fine ... for now, but what about the future!". It took a while to get in gear, but the thought that I was damaging my body stayed forefront in my mind the entire time and eventually got me to the place where I realized that I had to get healthy. I could NEVER give up!
I don't want to be in my 60s and suddenly have to re-vamp my entire eating & exercise habits. Sure there may be some things that I will have to change, but I want those basic habits to be in place by the time I get there. As we age things such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer .... they are all a high, high possiblity. We can not prevent everything, but we can try to be as preventative as possible.
So anyone reading this that is either not yet on the healthier living train, or who is, but purely from the angle of looking good ... please, PLEASE keep your current and future health in mind. Those who love you want you to be around for as long as you can.
I'm far from the poster child of perfectly clean eating ... but I strive to do the best I can. Before the only guideline I had when it came to what I ate was "will this help me lose weight?". Now, I try to make my decisions based more upon "What does this do to my body?". I've cut out artificial sweeteners and have very, very little alcohol for starters. There are other changes I'm working on making too. Less sodium, less processed foods, less fatty meats....
I used to view exercise in the same way. Now my thoughts run along ... making my muscles stronger, my heart & lungs fitter, my bones denser.
On another note ... I'm feeling pretty proud of a tough workout I did yesterday. Most Sundays I run with a group of ladies. The one lady I'm most equivalent to for running is off with an injury right now and I've been feeling a bit bummed about running by myself. I tossed around the idea of not joining in anymore, but I still love the group feel. Anyhow, my husband agreed to join me this week AND we also rode our bikes to/from the trail. We did a 13Km ride to the trail, ran about 13Km, then rode home 13Km (with alot of uphill). I was pretty darn exhausted yesterday, but also pretty darn proud. It felt really good actually!
I was a bit upset this morning to see the scale up 3 lbs from yesterday. I know it's not really possible, but it's stilla bit disheartening. But you know what? It doesn't matter. I am healthy! I am fit! I am strong!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Check-in .... Shred - Day 10
Well .... today is the day! UGH! 10 days of the 30 Day Shred completed and it's check-in day. A day I have been anticipating and dreading all at the same time. The results ...... at the end. :)
10K Run
Last night was an evening with no planned activities so I decided to take advantage and get out for a long run. I chose a route near my house and mapped it all out. It was a nice run ... though VERY hilly. My calves are absolutely KILLING me right now. I didn't use a stopwatch to time it, just my cellphone ... but I know I finished in under 57 minutes. So that's at least 2 minutes shaved off of my last race time, and I didn't push it super hard either. I've VERY happy about that!
Shred Day 10 - Level 2
After my run, and making dinner for the family ... I settled in to do the shred. Soooo didn't want to, and kind of did it on autopilot. Still struggling with the v-sits (those are tough!) and those squats with the upper arm pull back thingie in the first set (OUCH!). However, I'm not sick of it yet and I'm still speaking to Syl - haha.
10 Day RESULTS
My initial reaction was disappointment. The scale registered a 0.4 loss, which didn't really surprise me as I see others have had little change on the scale. But then I did the measurements and some I'm not happy with. Though after thinking about it during my drive to work I let it register a bit and I'm feeling a bit more positive. I'm actually kind of surprised how much I've lost off my arms. But I really thought I could feel & see more of a change in my wasit & hips.
Unfortunately a picture didn't happen this morning. One the first day I took my pic in the main bathroom and I want to do all of them the same for better comparison. However, having 2 teens and myself and all our stuff in the same bathroom is proving to make alone time in there a little precious. I could have squeezed in there just before we left, but I made such a stink to my daughter yesterday about leaving the house by a certain time that I didn't want to be a hypcrite and go past that.
I hope to get pics up either later today or tomorrow morning.
Here's the changes from Day 1, goal recap and new goals:
WEIGHT - Day 1...148.00....... Day 10....147.6 (down 0.4)
GOALS
Day 1 - 10 Recap
Day 11-20 Plan
10K Run
Last night was an evening with no planned activities so I decided to take advantage and get out for a long run. I chose a route near my house and mapped it all out. It was a nice run ... though VERY hilly. My calves are absolutely KILLING me right now. I didn't use a stopwatch to time it, just my cellphone ... but I know I finished in under 57 minutes. So that's at least 2 minutes shaved off of my last race time, and I didn't push it super hard either. I've VERY happy about that!
Shred Day 10 - Level 2
After my run, and making dinner for the family ... I settled in to do the shred. Soooo didn't want to, and kind of did it on autopilot. Still struggling with the v-sits (those are tough!) and those squats with the upper arm pull back thingie in the first set (OUCH!). However, I'm not sick of it yet and I'm still speaking to Syl - haha.
10 Day RESULTS
My initial reaction was disappointment. The scale registered a 0.4 loss, which didn't really surprise me as I see others have had little change on the scale. But then I did the measurements and some I'm not happy with. Though after thinking about it during my drive to work I let it register a bit and I'm feeling a bit more positive. I'm actually kind of surprised how much I've lost off my arms. But I really thought I could feel & see more of a change in my wasit & hips.
Unfortunately a picture didn't happen this morning. One the first day I took my pic in the main bathroom and I want to do all of them the same for better comparison. However, having 2 teens and myself and all our stuff in the same bathroom is proving to make alone time in there a little precious. I could have squeezed in there just before we left, but I made such a stink to my daughter yesterday about leaving the house by a certain time that I didn't want to be a hypcrite and go past that.
I hope to get pics up either later today or tomorrow morning.
Here's the changes from Day 1, goal recap and new goals:
WEIGHT - Day 1...148.00....... Day 10....147.6 (down 0.4)
MEASUREMENTS
Chest - Day 1...38"........... Day 10...36.5"...... (down 1.5")
Waist - Day 1...33.75" ......Day 10...33.5"...... (down 0.25") (at bellybutton)
..........- Day 1...30.75"...... Day 10 ...30.25"... (down 0.5") (at narrowest)
..........- Day 1...30.75"...... Day 10 ...30.25"... (down 0.5") (at narrowest)
Hips - Day 1...38"........... Day 10...38"......... (no change)
Thigh - Day 1...22"........... Day 10...22" ........ (no change) (at widest - left thigh)
Arm - Day 1...12.25"..... Day 10...11.75".... (down 0.5") (at widest - just under armpit)Day 10 Change - Down 2.75"
GOALS
Day 1 - 10 Recap
♥ Be 144 or less by Oct 1st - still aiming for this, I believe it will come
♥ Reduce measurements, specifically Chest & Waist - chest = good, waist = hoping for more
♥ Shred or Fitness class every day - missed Shred one day
♥ Run minimum 3-4 times/week - ran 4 times for total 210 minutes in 10 days, a little less than planned
♥ Track my food EVERY SINGLE DAY - DONE!
Day 11-20 Plan
♥ Be 144 or less by Oct 1st - Sep 21st goal 145.6
♥ Reduce measurements at bellybutton & thighs
♥ Shred every day
♥ Run 7 out of 10 days
♥ Track my food EVERY SINGLE DAY
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Shred - Day 9
First off, I must apologize to all those fellow shredders that I scared yesterday. HAHAHAAA Embrace your fear!
Second .... I did level 2 again last night and it actually wasn't nearly as bad. Maybe because I knew what to expect. I dunno. It's still a major kick ass workout and there are some moves where I have to take a moments break, or put down the weights for the last few reps. But overall I think I love it! At the end I'm a big sweaty mess and I literally want to collapse after I'm done. But that's a great workout ... right????
Last night my son had his first soccer game of the season (they tied a team that's playing a level above them - wooohooo - this is a good start since the last two years they lost nearly every game). We arrived a bit early and then while they were warming up I ran the track and up and down a bazillion sets of stairs. 45 minutes of high intensity interval cardio - LOVE IT!
I'm feeling very strong today. At the end of level 2 she does these plank twists that really target your obliques and pretty much all the ab muscles. I can feel those working and it feels good.
Yesterday I was dealt some pretty scary news, but I'm feeling really optimistic about it. I just have that feeling that things aren't going to be that bad ... a positive vibe. Let's hope I'm right!
So tomorrow morning will be the next weigh-in, measurements & pictures. Keeping my fingers crossed for all of us!
Second .... I did level 2 again last night and it actually wasn't nearly as bad. Maybe because I knew what to expect. I dunno. It's still a major kick ass workout and there are some moves where I have to take a moments break, or put down the weights for the last few reps. But overall I think I love it! At the end I'm a big sweaty mess and I literally want to collapse after I'm done. But that's a great workout ... right????
Last night my son had his first soccer game of the season (they tied a team that's playing a level above them - wooohooo - this is a good start since the last two years they lost nearly every game). We arrived a bit early and then while they were warming up I ran the track and up and down a bazillion sets of stairs. 45 minutes of high intensity interval cardio - LOVE IT!
I'm feeling very strong today. At the end of level 2 she does these plank twists that really target your obliques and pretty much all the ab muscles. I can feel those working and it feels good.
Yesterday I was dealt some pretty scary news, but I'm feeling really optimistic about it. I just have that feeling that things aren't going to be that bad ... a positive vibe. Let's hope I'm right!
So tomorrow morning will be the next weigh-in, measurements & pictures. Keeping my fingers crossed for all of us!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Shred - Day 8 - LEVEL TWO!
Holy crapoli ....... moved up to Level 2 last night. Boy, oh boy, that was what the doctor ordered. I see another member of our little challenge, Lori, also moved up yesterday and felt about the same way.
I had so much sweat dripping off me at one point I thought I'd stop and take a quick pic. The beads of sweat don't seem to show up, but I promise you, they are there. Running down my through my eyes. There was a few times I wondered if it was still sweat or if it had turned to tears (OK, maybe not quite ... but it sounds dramatic, doesn't it???)
I look thoroughly impressed, don't I?
For me, Level 2 is a major shoulder workout. She really targets those little muscles that I typically avoid disturbing at all cost. I'm still using my 5lb weights, but there are parts where I had to put them down. I refuse to stop, but definitely wanted to. And there is one cardio move ... ummm, plank jumps or something ... those are HARD!
Unfortunately that is all I got done. My plan was to also do a fitness class or run. However I had to register my daughter for dance class, which I assumed would just take a few minutes. Boy was I wrong! Over an hour waiting in line!! Grrrrr :( Plus the drive into town and back. Hopefully as soon as we get back into a schedule of some sort I'll find it easier to fit in my extra workouts. I feel all off kilter right now with all the uncertainties.
Tonight my son has a soccer game and it's at a great location that has a ton of stairs. While they're warming up I'm going to run the track and the stairs. There is nothing like climbing a big grandstand to get your heart begging to be let out of your chest!
~♥~ Heidi ~♥~
I had so much sweat dripping off me at one point I thought I'd stop and take a quick pic. The beads of sweat don't seem to show up, but I promise you, they are there. Running down my through my eyes. There was a few times I wondered if it was still sweat or if it had turned to tears (OK, maybe not quite ... but it sounds dramatic, doesn't it???)
I look thoroughly impressed, don't I?
For me, Level 2 is a major shoulder workout. She really targets those little muscles that I typically avoid disturbing at all cost. I'm still using my 5lb weights, but there are parts where I had to put them down. I refuse to stop, but definitely wanted to. And there is one cardio move ... ummm, plank jumps or something ... those are HARD!
Unfortunately that is all I got done. My plan was to also do a fitness class or run. However I had to register my daughter for dance class, which I assumed would just take a few minutes. Boy was I wrong! Over an hour waiting in line!! Grrrrr :( Plus the drive into town and back. Hopefully as soon as we get back into a schedule of some sort I'll find it easier to fit in my extra workouts. I feel all off kilter right now with all the uncertainties.
Tonight my son has a soccer game and it's at a great location that has a ton of stairs. While they're warming up I'm going to run the track and the stairs. There is nothing like climbing a big grandstand to get your heart begging to be let out of your chest!
~♥~ Heidi ~♥~
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Still Shredding
I took a little break from blogland this long weekend and did some much needed housecleaning and organizing. Somehow that helps me regroup and I don't feel so scattered.
Of course, I felt like doing what little Miss Tia did all weekend .....
We had rain on/off all weekend and I'm sad to see the summer going. Even George didn't want to leave his 3 story house that my niece built him. It's made out of cardboard and is starting to fall apart, but he seems to like it and he doesn't sleep up in our attic as much - so we'll have to build him a solid one.
I think I was a bit bummed this weekend. Maybe it was the rain?? I skipped my group run (there's a story there but I'm not quite ready to share my thoughts) and on Sunday I did not Shred (ohhhh, the shame.......). Plus on Saturday I baked about 6 dozen muffins and tried 4 of them. Made me feel so gross!
But Monday I got right back on the train and today I'm moving on to Level 2. I find myself sleeping through Level 1. The push-ups are still tough, but I'm getting through the rest of it fine with 5lb weights and some is getting too easy.
My little girl went off to high school today (Grade 8s only) and tomorrow my son will start Grade 10. I can't believe both my kids are in high school now. WOW!
3 more days to weigh-in and measurements. Getting a bit nervous and hoping there will be some change. I'm fighting the urge to pull out the tape now.
Of course, I felt like doing what little Miss Tia did all weekend .....
We had rain on/off all weekend and I'm sad to see the summer going. Even George didn't want to leave his 3 story house that my niece built him. It's made out of cardboard and is starting to fall apart, but he seems to like it and he doesn't sleep up in our attic as much - so we'll have to build him a solid one.
I think I was a bit bummed this weekend. Maybe it was the rain?? I skipped my group run (there's a story there but I'm not quite ready to share my thoughts) and on Sunday I did not Shred (ohhhh, the shame.......). Plus on Saturday I baked about 6 dozen muffins and tried 4 of them. Made me feel so gross!
But Monday I got right back on the train and today I'm moving on to Level 2. I find myself sleeping through Level 1. The push-ups are still tough, but I'm getting through the rest of it fine with 5lb weights and some is getting too easy.
My little girl went off to high school today (Grade 8s only) and tomorrow my son will start Grade 10. I can't believe both my kids are in high school now. WOW!
3 more days to weigh-in and measurements. Getting a bit nervous and hoping there will be some change. I'm fighting the urge to pull out the tape now.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Shred - Day 4
Shred - Day 4 = Complete ... that's it
Day 4 was one of those days where I really, really didn't want to do it. I had a pretty busy day and also had an upset stomach for most of the afternoon and evening. But around 8:00 I was feeling a bit better so decided to get my Shred on :).
My daughter seems to have the uncanny ability to walk in on me either during the Upright Rows or the Cardio Punches - and she seems to find both those moves quite hilarious. She's done it every time so far and it makes her laugh every time. Honestly, those are probably two of the goofiest "looking" moves in this set.
I was saying yesterday that I feel like I'm ready to move on to the next level, but I got thinking about that last night. I'm still struggling with the anterior raises with a side lunge. I'm doing them, but they're hard and I'm probably loosing form a bit. So I've decided to stay with level 1 until those are not a challenge (or until the 10th when I will move on no matter what).
I did manage to do ALL THE PUSH-UPS last night in big girl position - yay me! Except I did less total push-ups in the 2nd set than I normally do, so not sure if that really counts. Normally I do 20 in the 1st set and 16 in the 2nd - last night I did 20, then 14. Though after I was done the whole thing, I went back and watched that part over and I counted how many they do in the video. Hmmmmm .... I'm doing more than they do in each set - hahahhaa.
Day 4 was one of those days where I really, really didn't want to do it. I had a pretty busy day and also had an upset stomach for most of the afternoon and evening. But around 8:00 I was feeling a bit better so decided to get my Shred on :).
My daughter seems to have the uncanny ability to walk in on me either during the Upright Rows or the Cardio Punches - and she seems to find both those moves quite hilarious. She's done it every time so far and it makes her laugh every time. Honestly, those are probably two of the goofiest "looking" moves in this set.
I was saying yesterday that I feel like I'm ready to move on to the next level, but I got thinking about that last night. I'm still struggling with the anterior raises with a side lunge. I'm doing them, but they're hard and I'm probably loosing form a bit. So I've decided to stay with level 1 until those are not a challenge (or until the 10th when I will move on no matter what).
I did manage to do ALL THE PUSH-UPS last night in big girl position - yay me! Except I did less total push-ups in the 2nd set than I normally do, so not sure if that really counts. Normally I do 20 in the 1st set and 16 in the 2nd - last night I did 20, then 14. Though after I was done the whole thing, I went back and watched that part over and I counted how many they do in the video. Hmmmmm .... I'm doing more than they do in each set - hahahhaa.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Shred - Day 3
Shred - Day 3 = Not so bad!
Last night was day 3 of The Shred video. It actually wasn't quite so bad. I got a few more big girl push-ups in this time. The shoulder presses weren't so bad. Those front raises are still tough. There's a few moves where I think I'll move up to 8lb weights to get a bit more of a work out.
Has anyone else noticed that on the front lunges Natalie stops lunging for a few times and only does the bicep curls? I thought I noticed it on Day 2 then I watched for it last night. Kind of funny. :)
I'm starting to think I might switch to level 2 a bit earlier than the 10 days. Some of you have said you're feeling quite sore and so far the only place I'm really feeling it is in my shoulders, and it's barely noticeable. I am however feeling a little "tighter" already .. but it may just be wishful thinking. I've vowed to stay OFF the scale until Sep 10th for the next measurement/weight day. That's really tough for me.
Running
I also got a good 70 minutes of running done during soccer practice last night. It felt great! I had 2 little stops to talk to some people, but otherwise I just zoned out and ran.
Food
So far September is proving to be pretty good. I've been right on target with points, eating a little extra for the exercise. However, I'm running out of fresh veggies and need to hit up the stand today.
Just a short post today. Lots to get done and little time to do it in. Also this being the last weekend before the kids go back to school I have some extra stuff to get done. Hope everyone has a great day!!
Last night was day 3 of The Shred video. It actually wasn't quite so bad. I got a few more big girl push-ups in this time. The shoulder presses weren't so bad. Those front raises are still tough. There's a few moves where I think I'll move up to 8lb weights to get a bit more of a work out.
Has anyone else noticed that on the front lunges Natalie stops lunging for a few times and only does the bicep curls? I thought I noticed it on Day 2 then I watched for it last night. Kind of funny. :)
I'm starting to think I might switch to level 2 a bit earlier than the 10 days. Some of you have said you're feeling quite sore and so far the only place I'm really feeling it is in my shoulders, and it's barely noticeable. I am however feeling a little "tighter" already .. but it may just be wishful thinking. I've vowed to stay OFF the scale until Sep 10th for the next measurement/weight day. That's really tough for me.
Running
I also got a good 70 minutes of running done during soccer practice last night. It felt great! I had 2 little stops to talk to some people, but otherwise I just zoned out and ran.
Food
So far September is proving to be pretty good. I've been right on target with points, eating a little extra for the exercise. However, I'm running out of fresh veggies and need to hit up the stand today.
Just a short post today. Lots to get done and little time to do it in. Also this being the last weekend before the kids go back to school I have some extra stuff to get done. Hope everyone has a great day!!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Shred - Day 2
Shred - Day 2 = Uninterrupted Success YAY!!!
Here's the new recipe I made last night.....
BLACK BEAN SOUP
Hmmmm, Day 2 seemed easier. Maybe it's because I didn't run BEFORE shredding this time. That would make sense ... DUH! Still drenched in sweat, still muttering during certain moves (push-ups, squats with presses, and mostly during those side lunge front raise things ... grunt). But I managed to do the whole first set and two-thirds of the 2nd set of push-ups in big-girl position before dropping to my knees. My next mini-goal is to do both sets all the way up.
I'm surprised how excited I get before I do the video. I'm literally SKIPPING down the hallway. Though I'm sure that won't last - hahhaa. It's just like I feel that I'm doing something big and positive and I can't wait for the results.Running
I had a group run planned for today but after I got home from work I just wasn't into driving all the way back into town again. It sure would be convenient if their run time was a little closer to my after work time. I'd have to waste about 2 hours in town waiting to avoid the extra drive. It's a good 20 min drive each way and with my fuel tank on the lower side (as well as my bank account) I figured I could just run from home tonight.
But .... as plans will go, that didn't happen. After I did the shred, I made dinner, cleaned up, and then I was just done. I was in bed just after 9:00. I never go to bed that early. Good thing I did because we got an INSANE rain storm last night, seriously I thought the house was going to float away. It kept me up for a good hour or so in the middle of the night. Here's the new recipe I made last night.....
BLACK BEAN SOUP
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 small-medium carrots, sliced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (not condensed)
- 1 can corn
- 3 cans black beans, rinsed & drained
- 1 can stewed tomatoes
- pepper, to taste
- 1 handful of cilantro, chopped fine
- hot sauce - optional
- Saute onion, garlic, carrot & celery in oil for about 5 minutes until onion is softened. Add ground cumin and chili powder, stir through.
- Add lime juice, broth, 1 can ONLY black beans, corn, and pepper. Stir and bring to a low boil.
- Puree remaining two cans of black beans and tomatoes. Add to pot, stir. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until carrots are tender. Add hot sauce if desired.
Makes 16 cups
Nutrition per cup: 114 calories, 0.8g fat, 4.8g fibre
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Shred - Day 1
First off, awww you guys are sweet!
First day of Shred = success!!
My day was a bit crazy yesterday. I had work all day, had to pick up rent cheques from my tenants, had the farrier come to trim the horses feet, had to make dinner early, my son had soccer practice and somewhere in there I also squeezed in a 35 min run (during practice) and the shred at about 9:00. But I did it!
Got into an argument with my husband about it though. With everything going on, I didn't get going on the shred until almost 9:00. I was half way through when my son's soccer coach called me to discuss something. When I was just about done the call, my husband came in the room and crawled into bed (my DVD player is in my bedroom). My daughter had already come in the room twice to giggle at me, saying I looked funny. All I needed at that point was my husband to laugh at me, or to bring up the fact how annoyingly cheesy Jillian is (think she's great, but she's pretty cheesy in this video). So I asked him to leave for a few minutes so I could finish up. He thought I was joking and laughed. Then I begged him to leave ... he covered his head with the blanket and said he'd hide. But I still begged him to leave - well maybe beyond beg ... I may have begun to demand and get downright annoying.
So he up and left, and I finished the video. When I came out he'd settled himself on the couch with a blanket and a pillow and he wasn't too happy with me. He thought I was being ridiculous.
Anyhow, we worked it out and he came back. But he thinks that if I feel so silly doing the video then maybe I shouldn't be doing it. He doesn't understand why I'd feel so uncomfortable with "him" watching me. Which is true, he's my husband I shouldn't feel insecure.
Really I need to aim get it done earlier in the day anyway. Yesterday was a bit more hectic than normal.
As for the Shred ...... WOW, it's a bit tougher than I remember. Well, some moves anyway. Some things were super, duper easy and I feel I need more of a challenge, but others one's (weaker areas such as shoulders) left me wanting to "phone it in" hahhahaa. I can tell that it won't be long before I'm muting the TV and putting on some background music (like others have suggested).
I'm also SUPER excited about something I found out yesterday. My son is going to be having one of his weekly soccer practices at a facility that has a running track and a wicked grandstand with lots of stairs to run. YAY!!!! Is it sick that I find that exciting???? That means that I will have at least 90 minutes per week where I have no excuse to not get an awesome, grueling workout - with no where else that I have to be. Most parents drop their kids off and either go shopping or go home, or some sit in their car and read a book, while their kids practice. I like to take that time as an opportunity to get in a workout. Plus, I like to peek in on what they're doing from time to time. WOOHOOOO, this is going to be great.
Where they practiced last year I still got out, but I had to go for about 1/2 mile down a very dark road in a pretty bad area of town in order to get to an area that I could feel safe again. I did it, but I always felt nervous. Now I won't have to worry about that. Lots of lights, lots of people, and a ton of stairs. I love it!!!
First day of Shred = success!!
My day was a bit crazy yesterday. I had work all day, had to pick up rent cheques from my tenants, had the farrier come to trim the horses feet, had to make dinner early, my son had soccer practice and somewhere in there I also squeezed in a 35 min run (during practice) and the shred at about 9:00. But I did it!
Got into an argument with my husband about it though. With everything going on, I didn't get going on the shred until almost 9:00. I was half way through when my son's soccer coach called me to discuss something. When I was just about done the call, my husband came in the room and crawled into bed (my DVD player is in my bedroom). My daughter had already come in the room twice to giggle at me, saying I looked funny. All I needed at that point was my husband to laugh at me, or to bring up the fact how annoyingly cheesy Jillian is (think she's great, but she's pretty cheesy in this video). So I asked him to leave for a few minutes so I could finish up. He thought I was joking and laughed. Then I begged him to leave ... he covered his head with the blanket and said he'd hide. But I still begged him to leave - well maybe beyond beg ... I may have begun to demand and get downright annoying.
So he up and left, and I finished the video. When I came out he'd settled himself on the couch with a blanket and a pillow and he wasn't too happy with me. He thought I was being ridiculous.
Anyhow, we worked it out and he came back. But he thinks that if I feel so silly doing the video then maybe I shouldn't be doing it. He doesn't understand why I'd feel so uncomfortable with "him" watching me. Which is true, he's my husband I shouldn't feel insecure.
Really I need to aim get it done earlier in the day anyway. Yesterday was a bit more hectic than normal.
As for the Shred ...... WOW, it's a bit tougher than I remember. Well, some moves anyway. Some things were super, duper easy and I feel I need more of a challenge, but others one's (weaker areas such as shoulders) left me wanting to "phone it in" hahhahaa. I can tell that it won't be long before I'm muting the TV and putting on some background music (like others have suggested).
I'm also SUPER excited about something I found out yesterday. My son is going to be having one of his weekly soccer practices at a facility that has a running track and a wicked grandstand with lots of stairs to run. YAY!!!! Is it sick that I find that exciting???? That means that I will have at least 90 minutes per week where I have no excuse to not get an awesome, grueling workout - with no where else that I have to be. Most parents drop their kids off and either go shopping or go home, or some sit in their car and read a book, while their kids practice. I like to take that time as an opportunity to get in a workout. Plus, I like to peek in on what they're doing from time to time. WOOHOOOO, this is going to be great.
Where they practiced last year I still got out, but I had to go for about 1/2 mile down a very dark road in a pretty bad area of town in order to get to an area that I could feel safe again. I did it, but I always felt nervous. Now I won't have to worry about that. Lots of lights, lots of people, and a ton of stairs. I love it!!!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Moment of Truth
Today kicks of the 30 Day Shred Challenge which includes all that wonderful starting information.
I took all my pictures and measurements this morning. Got them all ready to go ... then made the fatal mistake of checking out some of the other challengers blogs before I posted.
It's true, there was a small debate going on within my mind as to whether or not I should actually post the information. Insecurity is a tough thing and comparing yourself to others is plain brutal.
But ... I'm sucking it up because I know that putting myself out there will make me stronger. If I don't put it out there then it's that much easier to back out.
30 Day Shred - Beginning Photos & Stats
Weight - 148.0
Measurements
Chest - 38"
Waist - 33.75" (at bellybutton) - 30.75 (at narrowest)
Hips - 38"
Thigh - 22" (at widest - left thigh)
Arm - 12.25" (at widest - just under armpit)
GOALS
♥ Be 144 or less. I know many of you have goals to lose alot more than that, but this works for me
♥ Reduce measurements, specifically Chest & Waist.
♥ Shred or Fitness class every day
♥ Run minimum 3-4 times/week
♥ Track my food EVERY SINGLE DAY
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