Food Prep

In the last post I talked about how my commitment has been pretty lackluster.  So I took a very good look at myself, and I have to stop being so lazy.  I am not going to do more than I feel I can keep up (the whole lifestyle vs diet/quick fix conversation), but once I get on a schedule I know I can do this.

Yesterday I spent a few hours prepping food for the next week or so.  Here's a pic...

What you see is
-salad (lettuce, cucumber, carrots) which I will add banana peppers and tomato to when I get ready to eat it
-chili with ground turkey (1 cup)
-ground turkey (4 oz), brown rice (3/4 cup), peppers and onion
-spaghetti sauce with ground turkey (1/2 cup)
-crockpot chicken (3 oz) with peppers and onion
-salmon (4 oz) with sweet potato, brown rice (1/2 cup)
-whole wheat pasta baggie (2 oz)
-grilled chicken baggie (3 oz)

Add in my egg whites, Greek yogurt, oatmeal, pears, and watermelon and I think I am pretty much set for the week and probably longer.  I placed most of the chili and spaghetti sauce in the freezer.  This is my first time prepping food, so I am not sure how long this will last.  Because of that I wanted to freeze food just in case.  I did not want anything to go bad.  I'm actually proud of myself for doing this.  I really hope it helps.  I'm almost positive it will.  It HAS to cut out my fast food trips right?!?!  I'll be sure to come back and share my experience with this next week.

For exercise I have mostly been walking and doing Zumba.  I need to get back in the gym and hit weights though.  I love weight training.  I just get intimidated going into that area of the gym by myself.  I just have to get the courage and go anyway.

Well, I feel like I have made progress this week, and I am really starting to feel that desire to change.  Have a great day!

Daft Punk- One More Time

Beginning to Feel Like a Runner

Perhaps I should say jogger, because I don't really think I run...but really who cares. The point is something has changed for me. On Monday (3/12/12) I jogged for 30 minutes nonstop! I just went out and said I am going to do this. I warmed up for 5 minutes jogged for 30 and had a super super slow walking cool down. I was really excited! Then on Wednesday (3/14/12) I wanted to prove to myself that Monday wasn't some freak accident. First, nerves got the best of me. I kept thinking what if I can't do it again, which almost made me stay home. Then I realized my ipod was in my mom's car (she live 20 minutes away from me). Then I went to the place I normally jog and there was a couple of dogs loose. Technically, they were with their owners chasing something, but they were not on a leash and I'm afraid of dogs. At this point I got back in my car and left. Then I turned around and said I'm going to do it anyway. I'm so glad I did. I did my normal 5 minute warmup and told myself that I would not look at my watch. I just kept jogging. When I did look at my watch it said 33 minutes. At that point I thought well, I would like to be able to jog a 5k in under 40 minutes, so let's just see if I can jog for 40 minutes and where I'll be at that point. I'm happy to say I jogged 2.9 miles in 40 minutes. Whoo Hoo!

When I finished my legs felt funny. Have you ever been on the treadmill or the elliptical FOREVER and when you finally get off it feels weird to walk on the non moving ground? This is how my legs felt after the 40 minute jog. I was tired, but not wiped out. For the first time I thought, "Wow, I'm a runner." I know different people have different ideas of what constitutes a runner, but in my mind if I say I'm a runner then I am one lol! I don't have the fastest pace in the world, but I can remember when I was struggling to jog 30 seconds. So, this is a HUGE accomplishment for me. I have a 5k towards the end of April (Mayor's Cup). I'm really confident now that if I continue jogging 3 days a week I can finish in under 40 minutes. Today was my rest day, so I'm going to shoot for 40 minutes again Saturday.

It is amazing to me how my thought process has shifted. When I first began trying to jog I hated it. I hated it mostly because my shins hurt all the time, and I would become so disappointed with the very short time span I could actually jog. I had no confidence and I thought I looked like a complete idiot. I was embarrassed to run in public. Eventually, I just had to suck it up. Over time my shins stopped hurting and it felt great getting to know people who are at the park around the same time. I began to get a thumbs up, a smile, or a great job from familiar faces as they passed by. I started to get to know the guys who work at the local running store and they get just as excited as I do when I talk about a new distance. I began to reward myself with running stuff for a job well done (I got new, really cute Sweaty Bands for finally reaching 30 minutes). I began to realize that the only person judging me when I jogged was me. Everyone else just wanted to support me. Now I love it. I love being outdoors and admiring everything around me as I jog. I still have major issues with the treadmill. If the treadmill is my only option I am likely to skip running and do something else (I hate the treadmill that much). I guess the point of all this is that I feel like a new person. I'm so happy I stuck with jogging.

I started with the couch to 5k plan on CoolRunning.com. After a point I stopped using it though. I would get really upset with myself if I had to repeat a week or if the next week was too hard. So, I just decided to do what I could do everyday. I know this isn't a real plan, but it's honestly what I did. I would set my watch and go. By not worrying so much about the plan I was doing that day I was able to just go out and enjoy my jog. By no means am I knocking the couch to 5k plan. It got me up to the 20 minute jog. So, I think it's great. I just had to do something different because of my all or nothing attitude. Anyway, running is great and for the first time I feel like I really can accomplish a half marathon this year. It was on my list of goals for the year, but I did not honestly believe I could do it until now. I am super pleased with myself right now.

On a side note, I have a dry erase board on the door of one of my rooms. I use it for motivation. My sister visited me earlier in the week and this is what she left on my motivation board while I was at work.



Haha! She's so funny. It really made my day, and I'm going to keep it up for awhile. I hope you all have a fantastic day! Remember to reach for the stars, because the only person setting limitations on what you can do is you!

Results of Eating Better

A little over 3 weeks ago I decided that I wanted to try eating better and see what it would get me. I know how I love food and how I'm used to eating, so I did not want to commit to this for too long. Spring Break was coming up, so I decided I would do it until Spring Break started. The hope was that I would get decent results in 3 weeks and it would be enough to motivate me to continue to make better choices. Surely I could do this for 3 weeks right???

Well, kinda lol! For the most part I did extremely well (I think so anyway). I probably had 2-3 bad meals a week, compared to every meal being a bad meal. Let me say I was not trying to eat clean. I tried eating clean one day, and it was just too hard for me to go from eating junk all day to eating clean. So, I just aimed to eat better. I went to the grocery store and I only shopped the exterior of the store (except for my Fiber One cereal and whole grain spaghetti and spaghetti sauce). I pretty much grilled/baked chicken and fish and shrimp. I ate tons of veggies and fruit, and I only drank water. I cooked at home a lot! Frozen veggies was a life saver for me, because I'm normally really short on time. I also decided I did not want to do any microwave meals because of the sodium.

I'm not the best at picking healthy foods when I eat out. So, when I got off track it was usually because I went out to eat with friends and family. I know I know...look at the menu ahead of time and decide what you're going to have. The problem is that when I get there everything looks so good! Oh gosh, let's not even talk about rolls at some of these places geesh! Anyway, I didn't do too bad. I also continued working out with Sam twice a week and on my own at least twice a week.

So, enough blabbering...here's what you all really want to see...results:


I lost 8.2 lbs and 4.5 inches in 3 weeks and a couple of days! I'm super excited about that!!!!! Go me!!! In the past it has taken me 6-9 weeks to do that! To me this proves what everyone has always said...your diet/nutrition is sooooo important.

On another note, I want to talk about a killer workout Sam made me do last Thursday. I had to workout with a deck of cards. The four exercises were squats, push ups, v-ups, and burpees. They each corresponded to a certain suit. Face cards counted as 10, aces were 20, and a joker would double whatever the next card was. By the end I had done 104 push ups, 104 v ups, 106 burpees, and 113 squats. It was so hard, but I felt like super woman when I was done!

Also my co-worker has gone out of the country for 3 weeks and he let me borrow his Insanity dvds. He didn't give me the schedule, so I just picked one to do yesterday. I chose the dvd that says Pure Cardio. Oh my gosh! Since when did a warm-up become so much work? lol! I made it through the dvd and only took 3 breaks, so I was proud of myself.

So, in summary my little experiment worked and I am definitely motivated enough to continue to make better food choices.

I Conquered the 20 min Jog!!!!!

This blog is almost a week late, but I finally did it!  I did all of the 20 minute jog that is part of the couch to 5k program.  I did it this past Sunday.  I was planning to meet my mom to walk that afternoon, but something in me just felt like jogging.  My mother has not even gone walking in almost a year, so I knew jogging was out of the question for her.  What to do?  What to do?  I decided to go 30 minutes early. 
I had previously jogged with Sam for 11 minutes, so that is what I was planning to do.  I did a few quick stretches and I started with my warm-up.  I usually do a 10 min walking warm-up, but I really felt the urge to jog so after 5 min I took off.  I told myself I was not even going to look at my watch until I jogged to a certain point (which is about 1.4 miles).  I didn't make it lol!  There came a point when I was thinking I need to stop, so I checked the watch.  I was at 12:14.  I immediately thought, hey this is longer than I jogged with Sam, so I can stop now and feel like I accomplished something.  My calves were starting to burn, and I remembered Sam telling me that he knew I could do 20 min if I really put in the effort.  I also thought that I only had 8 min until the 20 and if I stopped now that I would always wonder if I could do it.  So, I kept going.  I looked at the watch again at 14:36 and I was really at my stopping point (or so I thought), but then one of my favorite workout songs came on the ipod (Janet Jackson - Make Me).  This gave me the burst I needed.  Not too much longer after that I saw my mom drive up.  I looked at the clock again and I was just over 18 minutes.  At this point I realized I was really going to do this.  I jogged by my mom and held up 1 finger so she knew I would be back in a minute and kept jogging.  The next time I looked at my watch it said 20:36. 

I forgot where I was and I screamed and pumped my hands in the air.  I was literally on the verge of tears.  I told my mom what happened and got words of encouragement and a hi-five from her.  Then I sent a text to Sam and he sent 3 or 4 "I'm so proud of you," "I always knew you could do it" kinds of texts.   I can't even explain how I felt when I finished.  I felt like some kind of warrior princess!  I never thought I would be able to jog 20 minutes nonstop.  I remember when jogging 60 seconds was a struggle, and I'm not exaggerating.  My legs used to hurt and I would be out of breath after jogging 60 seconds.  In some ways that seems like a lifetime ago, but I can remember it like it was yesterday.  I ended up jogging 1.6 miles in 20 minutes.  When I was done I walked another 1.5 miles with my mom.  So, to anyone doing Couch to 5k, or any other running program, stick with it.  If you have to repeat weeks, who cares, repeat it.  JUST KEEP GOING!  You can do it!  You can do so much more than you can ever imagine.  DO NOT GIVE UP EVER!  Whew!  I got excited all over again writing about it lo!

Quick Look at January Goals:
Try new exercise:  I tried the Plank Knee Raise  
I liked it.  It was something different and it was challenging.  I realized how much trying just one new thing can spice up a workout

Try a new food:  I failed at this.  I'll try to remember to try 2 for Feb to make up for it.

Oh, I have not jogged since last Sunday because I was supposed to jog again on Tuesday and ended up in a minor car accident.  I guess the woman behind me decided a red light means keep your foot on the gas and she rear ended me as I was stopped at the light.  I'm not cleared for exercise until tomorrow.  I basically ended up with a lot of soreness in my neck, shoulder, and back and a headache.
I hope you all have a fantastic day and remember NEVER GIVE UP!!!!!!!

I think this is the 3rd time I've posted this song, but since it's the song that made me keep going:
Janet Jackson - Make Me

Good News!

It's been awhile.  I'm still trying to catch up on reading blogs. 

School:
I normally keep this blog weight loss or fitness related, but I had a great day yesterday so I want to talk about it.  A professor I had last semester loved some of the research I did so much that she wants me to enter it in a university-wide competition in April.  I was really pleased that she liked it so much.  I'm also entering the same research in a competition on Monday.  On top of that I have been really stressed out with 5 classes and working 80 hrs in one week.  I have been a functioning nutcase suffering from sleep deprivation.  So, I was going to drop 1 or 2 classes.  I had to meet with one of the professors I was thinking about dropping because of a research paper.  I was with him for about 40 min and he is absolutely amazing!  I left thinking there was no way I could drop him.  He's really great.  I left feeling better about that class, but still a little down about the workload I'm taking.  Well, I came home and had a letter waiting on me from the UA. 

This came along with another letter that said as long as I complete the 5 classes I am signed up for right now, I will graduate in May!!!!  Technically, I knew that according to my calculations this should happen, but there is something about getting it officially from the university.  I had applied for graduation early in December, but had not heard anything so I was getting nervous.  I was so excited yesterday!  Whoo Hoo!  I also had dinner and a movie with my parents, so that added to my fantastic day.

Now Back to Fitness:

I see Sam twice a week.  During my work week, my exercise sucks.  I literally don't have the time.  I see him during my 90 min break between classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Other than that, I am either in class or trying to catch up on sleep.  He's going to write me up two plans: one for my work week and one for my off week.  He says the work week plan is going to be really short, but he wants me to do something.  He says sleep is very important and he does not even want me trying to do hour long workouts  (even on the weekends that I work).  He started talking about lack of sleep and hormones and weight gain.  So, I'll let you all know what he comes up with when I see him Tuesday.

I can't even remember most of the things we did this past week.  It has all been a blur.  I can tell you that he jogged with me on Thursday.  I told him how I had not done anything on my own since my work week started, and that included jogging.  I was complaining how I was going to have to start all over with my jogging and I was depressed about it, so we went to the track.  We jogged for 11 min.  I have no clue about the distance, because we were talking so I wasn't counting laps.  I learned it is so much easier when you have someone with you.  I do have a few friends who run, but they are so much faster than me and can go a lot longer, so I never ask them because I would hate to slow them down.  It was really nice jogging with someone else though.

Before I go Win, Lose, or Blog is accepting applications for their next season.  I competed in this and had a great time.  Plus, you get prizes and who doesn't like prizes!  Anyone can apply.  Several sizes are accepted.  Many of the ladies from my season had already lost a lot of weight.  Some weighed a lot less that I did and a couple weighed more.  Basically, if you have any weight to lose...apply!  Here's a link that will give you more info and tell you where to go complete the application.  Give it a shot!

Aaliyah- Try Again

Measurements, Comparisons, and Goals for the New Year

Happy New Year everyone!

Technically it has not been a full 6 weeks since my last measurements, but I like to do this at the beginning of every year and compare.  So...here you go.

I gained weight for the first time since June.  I could have waited another 8 days and had a real "6 Week" measurement.  If I had done that I would have worked out hard and eaten perfectly to get the weight down.  I really would have just been playing mind games with myself though.  Measuring today shows exactly what I've been doing since 11/28/11...not much of anything.  If I'm being honest, I am shocked that I only gained close to 4 lbs.  I feel like I should have gained 10.  I worked out here and there and paid no attention to what I ate.  I'm also shocked that overall I lost 0.5 inches.  The number I pay the most attention to is the measurement around my belly button, and I gained there.  Overall, I definitely could have done better, but looking at this is a good reminder that if I slack off it will show.

Weight and Inches Since 2009

Starting Weight-------02/??/09-249.0

First 2010 Weigh In--01/04/10-228.4
First 2011 Weigh In--01/01/11-243.6
First 2012 Weigh In--01/01/12-227.8

Starting Total Inches----02/??/09-285.00
First 2010 Total Inches-03/02/10-274.25
First 2011 Total Inches-01/01/11-282.25
First 2012 Total Inches-01/01/12-269.0

Looking at these numbers make me happy.  Strictly looking at these numbers I have not started off a new year better.  I've lost a good bit of weight and a nice number of inches.  Here's hoping that Jan 2013 will look even better than this.

Fitness/Health Goals for 2012:

-run a 5k under 35 minutes

-jog a half marathon

-wear a swimsuit...in public without a coverup over that covers the entire suit lol!

-try 1 new healthy food a month

-try 1 new exercise or aerobic class a month

-navel measurement under 33 inches

-weigh under 180

-have more fun and laugh more

-find something I enjoy as a celebration that does not revolve around food or drinking

Goals for next 6 Weeks:

-5 total inches lost

-5 lbs lost

-consistent with Couch to 5k

-consistent with strength training

-up the fiber, lower the salt

-drink more water

-take my own luch to work more often

Suggestions to help with my goals are ALWAYS welcome.  I'll probably be reading your blogs for ideas about new foods and exercises anyway!  

 

I did Zumba on Wii again today for about 30 minutes. 

Pitbull - Pause (the Keenan Cahill version)

I thought this was cute lol!  One of the zumba trainers from the videos and game is in the background doing the routine you would see on the game.

Short End of the Year Review

This has been a pretty decent year for me.  I weighed in this morning at 227.8.  So, I have gained weight since last time I posted a chart for you all.  This is a yearly review though, so I am going to focus on the fact that I lost 20 lbs from my heaviest weight this year.  That's something to be happy about.  I am also in an XL shirt at Old Navy (I buy a lot of clothes from there.)  I can technically get into a L shirt, but my boobs are too big and it's not really flattering for my stomach anyway.  So, I've gone from a tight XXL to an XL that is lose around my stomach.  I also entered my first 5k this year.  I did not warm up properly and ended up slightly injured, but the point is that I overcame a fear and did it anyway.  There is one on Jan. 28,2012 that I plan to enter.  I have also dropped from a comfortable size 20 jean to a comfortable size 16.  On top of that I have lost 15 inches over 8 different spots on my body since I started working out in June.  I have also tried new workouts, new foods, and did things completely out of my comfort zone.  let's not forget meeting Sam!  He is amazing and through him I learned that I am stronger and can do things that I would have never imagined.  I might not have done everything I planned to do, but I definitely think I made a pretty great start.

Recap of this year:
-20 lb loss
-2 jean sizes down
-XXL to XL shirt
-completed 1st 5k
-15 inches lost since June
-got out of my comfort zone

Tomorrow I will take measurements for the new year.  I have done this for 2011 and 2010, so I will be able to compare the two.  I'll also jot down a few goals too.  So, check back tomorrow evening for that.

I worked out this morning for the first time in a week and it felt amazing!  I did 30 minutes of Zumba 2 on Wii.  My sister bought it for me for Christmas.  The graphics are much better than the 1st one and you are able to track your weight and it gives an estimate for calories burned.  So far though, I like the songs on the first one better, but I only did 6 or 7 songs out of close to 40...so I might have a different opinion of the songs as I do more of it.

Happy New Year everyone!

2 Years in the Making

(I originally wrote this blog on Friday, Oct. 21, 2011)

First, and most importantly, it’s time for the Dora song. I DID IT!  I DID IT! I DID IT!  YAY!  I am now in the 220s, which is the lowest weight I’ve been in over 2 years!  I’m so excited!  REALLY EXCITED!  Can’t you tell by all the exclamation marks!  Lol!  Today was not my official weigh in day, but since I was only 0.6 lbs away, I’ve been stepping on the scale every other day.  I want to celebrate, but I can’t think of a reward that does not involve food, alcohol, or money (I’m trying to spend less right now).  I am less than 3 lbs away from the lowest weight I’ve been in many many years, probably somewhere between 6-8 years.  Since that’s so close maybe I’ll save the reward for that milestone.  I’m eyeing a dress that’s on clearance for $15, and I’m thinking that might be my reward when I lose the next 3 lbs.  Yes, I know, I know…I said a reward that does not involve money.  So, this is when I need for you good people to give me other options.  I seriously cannot think of anything else.  It’s also alright for you to say “just get the dress Briana.”  Haha! 

In other news I saw Sam today.  Goodness, I’ve missed him.  I have not seen him in close to 3 weeks.  I’m actually going to have to stop seeing him for a couple of months, but I still had a couple of sessions that I had already paid for.    So, I’m using them.  It’s amazing how quickly I lost all the endurance I had gained with him since June.  3 weeks off probably undid 60% of the strength and endurance I had gained in over 3 months.  I was still better today than I had been the very first time I saw him.  So, that’s good, but whew today was rough.  I had to stop and go to the bathroom because I thought I was going to vomit.    I actually had to stop twice.  Sam is not a believer in the Biggest Loser style of working out.  He doesn’t believe you should workout more than an hour and he doesn’t want you to be sick.    That is not the point of what he does.  So after the second time I was about to vomit we quit for the day.  This means I did not do the last 3 exercises (curl to press, dips, and v-ups) of the final round.  In all honesty, if Sam had said to finish I would have done it, but I was glad he said to stop.  Part of what I like about Sam’s workouts so much is that we rarely use machines.  This means when I am no longer seeing him I can still do a majority of things at home.  Today I would only need dumbbells (which I already have) for the curl to press.  Everything else used my body weight.  So, here’s what I did today.

(DID THIS TWICE)

50 Jumping Jacks

40 Squats

30 Modified Push Ups

20 Leg Lifts

10 Burpees

50 Mountain Climbers

40 Lunges

30 Curl to Press

20 Tricep Dips

10 V-Ups

On a side note, I have taken my newest set of 6 week measurements, but I’ll post that on Tuesday after the WLB results go up for the week.  So, come back on Tuesday!

I discovered today's song during a Zumba class.

Ida Corr - Let Me Think About It

I Want to be My Own Inspiration

I'm the type of person who is always looking around for other people who have lost weight for inspiration.  They are "success stories".  I'm always thinking...man, I want to be one of those people.  I want to do that.  I wish that was me.  Well, I want to be my own success story.  I want to be my own inspiration.  I can easily be one of those people if I do what I already know I need to do.

This morning I had to take a picture for Win, Lose or Blog and this is what I saw:

Goodness, I look smaller than I feel like I look in the mirror.  I wasn't sucking anything in and I don't have any equipment to alter photos to make myself look thinner.  I think I look pretty bloody fantastic.  (Sorry about the "bloody"...it's a habit from reading too many British books lol!)  Although, I think  the size of my body looks great in this picture...I'm still trying to figure out why.

I know it really makes no sense to wonder about this, because I've been working hard.  I'm honestly puzzled though.  This is not what I see when I look down at my body or even when I look in the mirror.  I had to run and take a quick check on my belly button and hip measurements and they have indeed gone down in just two weeks.  My head still isn't wrapping around this picture though.  When I look at myself in the mirror or down at myself I think I see about 20 lbs more than this picture shows. 

I'm not an emotional person, but at the moment I want to cry.  There are two reasons:

1- I'm a little upset the self image I have of myself is so messed up.  if this picture is what I really look like, why am I not seeing it?  What's wrong with me?

2- The more I stare at this picture, the more I realize I AM DOING THIS!  I mean I know I've been making changes and I know the scale has been going down, but this picture is just.....WOW.  It's my "aha moment."  I AM DOING THIS!

Even while typing this I keep scrolling up to the picture asking "Is this really me?"  I don't have anything close to a flat stomach, but this shirt used to be tight and showed all kinds of stomach rolls.  I just don't know.  I really don't have anything else to say.  I'm just a little in awe...my mind has not caught up to this picture yet.

              

This isn't a song on my workout list, but I'm kinda feeling like an All-Star

Smash Mouth - All-Star

Whoo Hoo!

First of all, I applied to be a contestant in a friendly weight loss competition a week or two ago.  I received an email today saying that I have been accepted!!!  I am so excited.  Their website is Win, Lose, or Blog.  I'll give the address to my personal blog through their website next week when the competition actually begins.  You can also click on the icon to the right of the page to go directly to their site.  They have giveaways (even if you are not a contestant) and nice motivational posts throughout the week.  I'm really pleased to have been chosen.  This will be great motivation for me.  I'm 3 months into my journey and some days the motivation is really not there, but knowing so many people will be watching my progress with help me keep going.  Yay me!

On to regular stuff......
Today was a training day.  I did burpees, mountain climbers, wall balls, high knees, jumping jacks, and ski jumps (I can't find a video of the ski jumps...probably called something else.)  Boy, did I sweat today! 

I went to the grocery store today and stocked up on chicken breast, salad stuff, Greek yogurt, and lite raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  I like to grocery shop, but It's hard to pass up the candy and cookie aisle.  I did good today though.  I would not even allow myself to walk down the aisle to look.

Short blog today...mostly to tell you about Win, Lose, or Blog!  Have a great day!

Love Love Love today's song
Michael Jackson - PYT

I'm Growing

SO........I posted a small gain this week.  I'm up 0.8 lbs. 

Old Me:  A gain???  I don't understand!  I worked really hard this week.  I did all my exercise homework.  I ate better.  Heck I've done more than ever and I still gained.  This isn't working and it's not even worth it.  Wah Wah Wah!  I'm going to Dairy Queen.

New Me:  Well, let's take an assessment of the week.  I did not eat well the two days I went out of town over the weekend.  I did post a gain, but I'm now a believer in this process.  So, work harder and eat better this week.  Get dressed and let's go walking.

That's exactly what I did.  I went walking then after a nice 10 min walk I decided to see how far I could jog.  Normally, I'm at around 3 min.  I did 5 min straight during the 5k.  Today I went for 9 min 12 seconds.  I could have gone farther (not much), but I was back at my car.  Also, I held a plank for 1 min and 32 seconds.  My previous PR (personal record) was 1 minute.  So Whoo freaking Hoo!  Today, I'm kinda feeling like a ROCKSTAR!

Pitbull and Ne-yo - Give Me Everything

Are You Serious? Really????

I cannot even count the number of times I said "Are you serious?" to Sam today.  If I was not saying that I was saying "Really???"  Yeah, it was one of those days.

Yesterday I was really excited to see him today.  I have not seen him for a session in quite awhile.  Last Friday he had to cancel because of an emergency and this past Monday I had to cancel because I was out of town.  I have been doing my homework, so I just felt like a superstar!  Well, I had to work last night, so by the time Friday morning came I was exhausted.  Plus, I was having shin issues.  I was really hoping for an easy day with Sam (cue insane laughter here).

We talked about what we both had been up to and I told him what issues I was having with the homework.  I also let him know I planned to be completely dedicated during this current 6 week stretch.  He thought I had been completely dedicated already.  So, I had to explain to him what I was REALLY doing when I was not around him.  Then he said we were doing a circuit of 2 min on a cardio machine then 3 exercises and we would do it twice.  I thought...no big deal...right....WRONG!!!!  This is what I had to do today

Treadmill jog for 2 min
1 min Mountain Climbers
20 Thrusters  (30 lb barbell)
20 Leg Lifts

Stationary Bike keep rpm above 80 for 2 min
30 sec Squats w/ Pulse
20 non-modified Pushups
20 Wall Balls

Elliptical Trainer keeps steps per minture above 120 for 2 min
15 Alligator Walk  (instead of a quick continuous movement I walked my hands out after I moved each leg)
1  min Burpees
20 TRX Row
2 min Rowing Machine

2 min water break then do it all over again

Looking at this typed out, it doesn't look like much, but just try it.  It's torture.  This will seriously get tagged as an insane workout.  When I left the gym my body just felt like dead weight.  I was not sore...yet, but it felt like body parts were just there.  I have to admit though, once I was done I felt amazing.  I had this Superwoman or She-Ra (I know I'm not the only person who watched She-Ra) glow. The fact I had completed this monster of a workout made me feel invincible.  I wanted to go jog a mile and had delusions of kickboxing.  Yeah, that would be the endorphins kicking in. 
No worries, I listened to my head and got in the car and headed home...no crazy extra working out.  Good thing, because less than 24hrs later.  I am ridiculously sore.  I normally feel my worst close to 24-36 hrs later, so I am not looking forward to the soreness I will have after I wake up tomorrow.

My eating is going really well so far this week.  I only had one slip up and that was Thursday.  Wendy's was calling my name and I ordered a value french fry and a crispy chicken sandwich.  I had eaten so well previously in the day that even with the Wendy's food I was in range for the day.  I think only having one slip up in a week is pretty wonderful knowing how I normally eat.  Mrs. Dash has become my friend.  I was shocked by how many salt free seasoning are in the grocery store.  I currently own three (garlic and herb, chicken blend, and lemon pepper).  Right now they are enough to keep my taste buds entertained. 

Saturdays are my weigh in days, so I'm hoping this week has paid off.  Unless I do something spectacular I won't blog over the weekend.  So, you'll have to wait to find out how my weekly weigh in went.  Regardless, I can say that I feel better.  I honestly feel smaller, whether I actually am or not.  I've had a successful week and for that I am proud.  I feel like celebrating!

Today's song was chosen because I feel good!  So, push play and get moving people!
Cobra Starship - You Make Me Feel...

3 Month Results and Lessons

First, I completed my homework for the week from Sam.  It was hard, but not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.  I completed the circuit on Wednesday and it only took me 22:01.  I thought it would take me close to an hour, so I was excited.  The for the cardio I used an elliptical machine.  I would use it at an okay pace for 2 min and then really turn it up for the next 2 min, and so on.

So, I've consistently worked out at least 3 days a week for the past 3 months now. Some weeks I work out 5 days a week, but I know I've done at least 3 days every single week.

Results:

I'm feeling alright about these results. As usual, I know I could have done a lot better. Just because you have a trainer doesn't mean the weight will fall off. I still have to do the work when I'm not with him, and I don't always do the work.

What I've Learned in the Past 3 Months:
1-I'm much stronger than I thought
2-Yes, soup can have 600 calories and 48g of fat
3-Yes, a salad can be more unhealthy than a cheeseburger
4-When your mind says "You can't possibly do this." Try it anyway...you'll surprise yourself
5-Water really does make your skin look better
6-I thought I hated walking lunges...burpees are worse
This is a burpee www.youtube.com/watch?v=
c_Dq_NCzj8M
7-It's okay to revoke your membership to the Clean Plate Club
8-Fiber makes my tummy happy
9-You should set a few goals that don't involve the scale
10-It is possible to crave things like hummus, carrots, and grilled chicken
11-There will be bad days, but there will also be days where you feel like a FREAKING ROCKSTAR!!!
12-You should celebrate your accomplishments
13-Support is important, but make sure it is genuine and not just someone sticking around to watch you fail
14-You don't have to apologize for making healthy changes in your life
15-It's okay to say thank you after receiving a compliment (and even to believe it... ) I used to be notorious for listing reasons the compliment wasn't true
16-I have to do the work, whether I'm with Sam or not
17-I still have a lot to learn

The following are before and after pics of my face. The first was taken a long time ago, but I was only 2 lbs heavier in the pic than I was at the start of this 3 month journey so, I figured my face was probably about the same. The 2nd one was taken on Sunday, 9/11/11. I can really notice a difference

I'm looking forward to the results of my next set of measurements in another 6 weeks. I may not have lost a ton of weight, but I feel SOOO much better about myself and my body is changing. I'm more dedicated now than I've ever been and I'm expecting big things. Thanks for all of the support everyone!

Also, I met my pushup goal. 3 months ago I said I wanted to be able to do 25 regular pushups in 6 months. I told Sam this and he said "You'll do it in 3." At the time I could only do 2, so I told him "I think I'll leave it at 6 months, thank you." Then he said "Look at me...3 months and that's final." Well, Sam was right...I just did 31 nonstop. My arms feel like jello now, but I did it! Whoo Hoo!

My 1st 5k

Bad News: I ended up injured and had to walk most of it. I had been jogging/walking a 5k for a few weeks at at time of about 42 min. I would do a 5 min warm up, jog 5 min, walk 1 min, jog 3 min, walk 1 min, jog 3 min...etc. Well, I really really wanted to break 40 min, so on race day I cut out my 5 min warm up. On top of that I decided I wanted to jog as far as I could witout stopping before I started my 1 min walks. DISASTER!!!!! First, I felt pain on the side of my leg from my ankle to my knee. Then it got to a point where every time I stepped using my left leg I got a sharp pain that shot straight up to my hip and head. Everyone keeps telling me it sounds like sciatic nerve issues. I stayed off my feet all day yesterday and I am much better today although not 100%. So, changing my routine I ended up hurt and with a much slower time (52:36).

GOOD NEWS: I finished! It's good that I am blogging about this today and not yesterday. Yesterday I was in a really bad mood because I was upset about my time. I mean I was REALLY in a foul mood after the race. My parents were concerned about my leg and I was concerned about my time. Today I am proud of myself for even finishing. It may not have been the race I wanted, but I finished and I have learned NOT to deviate from my routine on race day. Other good news...I jogged a mile. I don't think I've jogged a mile without stopping since middle school (I'm 29 now)! That 1st mile was right at 13 min. I was super excited (before crazy pain kicked in)! They had people stationed along the route to encourage you and I really liked that!

My bib

This is the t-shirt we received, and I can always use new t-shirts, so I LOVED this!

Tuscaloosa's mayor...he's training for a marathon right now

Me...limping across the finish line

final "glad that's over pic" lol!  I could not even fit into this shirt in May (when the race was originally scheduled..yaya for weight loss!)

Eat Better and Feel Better

I tried to jog over the weekend, but it didn't go well.  I think I did 1.5 miles in 25 minutes or something close to that.  My shins were hurting 0.25 miles into the workout and I just didn't have to motivation to finish.  This schedule puts me nowhere close to a 40 min 5k.  My 1st 5k is this weekend, by the way.  I'm nervous, but I'm going to do it anyway.  I know I have not trained like I should have.  Oh, Sam has to go out of town and had to drop out of the 5k, so no 5k pic with Sam a the end.  I'm still planning to have my parents take a pic as I cross the finish though.

On last Friday (I think) I had a perfect food day.  I ate clean all day.  The difference is really amazing!  First, I was shocked at the amount of food I could eat with so few calories.  I was literally stuffed and had only eaten fewer than 300 calories.  I had grilled chicken, a ton of broccoli, and a sweet potato for that meal.  I'm not exaggerating, I was really shocked.  Second, I felt so much better.  Although I was super full I never felt bloated or anything.  I didn't feel sick and I had a lot more energy.  I was happier.  Eating better is a mood booster.  I was on a high that day.  I tried to continue the next day, but I ate out and blew it.

Tuesday was a training day.  Oh, I did real push ups for the first time today!!!!!  GO me!  I was shocked by how many I could do.  I even got a compliment from another trainer who was impressed with my form.  It felt great!  I'm going to list what I did, but I did three rounds of everything.
Step Ups (1 min on each leg)
Lat Pulldowns (20)
Burpees (10)
V-Ups (10)
Chest Fly (20)
Leg Lifts (20)
Push Ups (12) non-modified YAY me!
Split Lunge Jumps (10)
Walking Lunges (15)
Jog 1 min, walk 30 sec (5 rounds)
Squat Jumps (12)

This isn't the order I did these in, but I think I remembered everything.  I did 3 rounds of everything except the jogging.  This was actually a pretty decent workout for me.  It worked me, but I felt fine once I left.  I was never out of breath or anything.

Today's song isn't just a song.  I'm not sure if I've talked about it, but I absolutely love Zumba.  So, this is a video of one of the routines we do in class and it's also included on the Wii game.  This is actually a screen shot from the game and it's one of my favorites.  It's easy to catch on!
Zumba Fitness - Feel Like Dancing

Turning Into a Fitness Geek

Today was a training session day.  I'm going to list what I did first, which is kinda tricky.  So, this is the circuit:
Modified Push Ups (21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6)
Jogging In Place with High Knees (60 sec, 50 sec, 40 sec, 30 sec, 20 sec, 10 sec)
Burpees (21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6)
Jumping Jacks (60 sec, 50 sec, 40 sec, 30 sec, 20 sec, 10 sec)
Squats (21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6)
Mountain Climbers (60 sec, 50 sec, 40 sec, 30 sec, 20 sec, 10 sec)

So, basically I did 6 rounds and each round had fewer reps or cardio time.  Then I did
Hamstring Curls (2 sets of 12)
Assisted Pull Ups (3 sets of 4)
V-Ups w/ Stability Ball (2 sets of 10)

The circuit became easy once I got to the round of 12 reps and 30 seconds.  The V-Ups are still hard.  The assisted pull ups are really hard too.  On pull ups #4 I did not think I would be able to pull myself back up and I thought I was going to get stuck on the machine.  Sam laughed hard when I told him that, and so did a few other guys who were around me in the gym.  Overall, it was a good day.

I woke up in a foul mood this morning.  I had to work an odd shift, so I only had close to 2 hrs of sleep before I had to get up and get dressed.  I know I was in a foul mood because I put on my workout pants and thought, "Man, these pants are loose and sagging in the seat now.  This sucks and it's irritating."  Hahahahaha!  Seriously, I was ticked my workout pants were no longer skintight.  I bought them tight so they would not slip when I do burpees.  When I walked in the door Sam said, "Oh no, don't come in here dragging today."  I told him about the pants, so he would know what kind of an hour we were about to have and he thought it was hilarious.  By the time I was done with warm up my mood was much better though.

The food has not been going too well.  I do perfectly until around 4pm.  Then it's like my body just goes crazy and I have to have a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets or anything from Taco Casa.  If you're in Tuscaloosa then you know all about Taco Casa.  I'm a work in progress, so I'm working on it.  It's so hard though.

I say I'm turning into a fitness geek because of my watch.  I've had a watch that includes a stopwatch feature for over a year.  I use it to know exactly how long it's taking me to walk/jog.  I also use it to look at my 1 mile splits.  Well, about two months ago it stopped.  I was not sure if the battery stopped or if I had broken it somehow.  I've been walking/jogging with my cell phone, so my times have not been 100% accurate.  After my session today I went to a store that only sells batteries.  They popped a new battery in and it worked.  I was so happy I thought I was going to cry.  I almost skipped, yes...skipped, out of there.  This made me realize that I am changing.  Whoo Hoo!

Sorry for the long post today.  The song of today is Square Biz.  I know, I have a weird mix of workout songs on my ipod, but when I hear "Everybody get up!" I'm ready to go!  Enjoy!
Teena Marie - Square Biz

No Whining

Today was a training day and as one of my Sparkpeople friends would say, "I completely ROCKED IT!"  lol!  I'll tell you what I had to do towards the bottom.  I never flat out complain.  For example, I don't say I won't do that.  I am notorious for saying "This is craziness, Sam!"  I say it so much that sometimes he sees a look on my face and says,  "just craziness!" before I can get it out lol!  My mind and my body are at odds sometimes.  I can look at something and my mind says oh no, but my body does it anyway.  Well, today there was none of that.  I walked in there very sleepy and I did not think this was going to be a good day.  Boy, was I wrong.  There was no whining or self doubt at all.  He told me what to do and I knocked it out...end of story.  It felt awesome!  Sam told me I did great and he was impressed that he keeps throwing harder things at me and I fight through it. 

Today there were other girls in there (a group of 4).  Do people really work out in full make up?  I mean really...in full borderline almost too much make up???  I was totally distracted lol!  They were thin, but not in the best shape.  They were tired after a few squats.  I have to be totally honest, I smiled a little and thought I do more than that without getting tired lol!  I also remembered when I would be exhausted doing a few squats though.  I've come a long way.

Today's workout:
-Squat w/ knee raise (1 min), pushups (1 min),burpees (1 min),  Reverse Lunge w/ Knee Raise (1 min each leg), Kettlebell Swing (30 sec each arm), BOSU ball plank (1 min)  (3 rounds)

-BOSU ball squat (12) and Bicep Curl w/ Shoulder Press (12)  (3 rounds)

-Tricep Pushdowns (4 rounds of 12)

-Lat Pulldowns (3 rounds of 12)

-Stability Ball Knee Tuck (6 then 12)

I always do a 10 minute warm up on something, usually the bike.

Today's song is another one that really gets me moving.  I'm beginning to feel like I say this about every song I post.  Anyway, here it is...
Cascada - Evacuate the Dancefloor

The Boobies are Always the First to Go! (6 Weeks In)

Today marks 6 weeks of working out for me.  I have not done anything hardcore, unless I'm with my trainer.  So, don't expect any mind blowing numbers lol!  I see my trainer twice a week and I'm supposed to do cardio on my own 3 other days a week.  In all honesty I only do about 2 other days of cardio, and until the last two weeks I was not putting in all I could to those cardio days.  I also don't eat as I should.  Don't get me wrong, I definitely eat better, but I cannot say I'm eating clean.  Anyway, enough with the excuses I know you all want to see the numbers and here they are.

	6/7/2011	7/16/2011
Arm	14.75	14.75
Bust	46	44.75
Band	38.5	38.25
Waist	41.5	40.5
Navel	46	45
Hip	48	47.5
Thigh	32.25	31.5
Calf	17.75	17.5
Total Inches:	284.75	279.75
Weight	244	236.8

So, I've lost 5 inches and 7.2 lbs.  I wanted more of a loss on the scale, but I know I didn't do all I was supposed to do.  That's my fault, so I'm not stressing about it.  Plus, a loss is a loss.  That is 7.2 lbs I am no longer carrying on my body.  I know what I need to do for this next 6 weeks and I'm more motivated now to do it.  I'm super excited about the inches lost though.  I lost the most around my bust (1.25 inches).  This always happens, so I'm not shocked.  I'm also really happy about the inch gone from my waist.  Whoop Whoop!

I started jogging on Wednesday and it was fabulous!  I was planning to do the Couch 2 5k plan, but for whatever reason I just was not feeling it.  So, what I did was walk 0.25 mi to warm up then I alternated jogging and walking 0.25 mi.  I did  close to 3.1 miles in 48 minutes.  I was not in any pain or anything.  I was really shocked because when I tried C25K back in March it was horrible.  I was in pain and aching every single time I jogged.  So, I expected the same thing this time, but it was not there.  I think this is because of the strength training I've been putting in with Sam.  That's really the only thing I can think of that is different.  Regardless, it was a really exciting day for me.  It felt GREAT!  I'm going to keep walking the 0.25 miles, but slowly increase the jogging intervals.  I had a slight injury.  My shoes rubbed the skin off my heel and I was bleeding.  I've learned to wear socks that completely cover my heel.  I was supposed to jog yesterday, but I visited my grandmother for a few hours instead, so I'll do it today.

The bottom line is that I'm excited about working out.  I look forward to working out and it makes me happy.  I know it's going to be hard work, but I get excited to see Sam.  I'm also looking forward to my next jog.    This has been a good week!

Today's Song is Whitney Houston's Million Dollar Bill.  I'm a slow jogger, so this song is perfect for em when I'm jogging.  I love when I'm on a section of the trail by myself so I can sing out loud haha!  Enjoy!
Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill

Appreciate the Sweat

In my session today I did mountain climbers, leg raises, step ups, some other up and down exercise on a step bench, and 84 burpees (yes, 84 freaking burpees).  Burpees are so hard for me and I am not even incorporating the push up in yet.  I also dislike mountain climbers too.  I basically dislike things that involve some type of cardio.  My cardiovascular shape stinks.  It's that simple.  I know it's improving, so I'll just have to suck it up until I'm better.

I was in the middle of my burpees and I noticed I don't look quite as fat as I thought I looked in the mirror a few weeks ago.  I know I have not lost much weight, but maybe I have lost an inch somewhere.  I will be able to let you know definitely on Saturday (that's when I take 6 week measurements).  I also noticed that I have a slight concave curve from my waist flowing out into my hips.  I was looking kinda curvy and I liked it.  By the time I left the gym today I was covered in sweat, literally.  At first I thought it was gross and I said, "Ewww....look at my back."  Sam said, "Yeah, look at that!"  My sweat was evidence of my good workout.  I took on a different appreciation for my sweat lol! 

Today's Song is "Hello, Good Morning" by Diddy (Diddy Dirty Money....I really don't know.  All of his name changes are confusing sometimes.)  This is one of my power songs.  It pushes me a little bit more when I'm tired.  The version I use is clean and does not include Rick Ross.
Hello, Good Morning

He's Right

So, it was another day with Sam.  I was still SUPER sore, and he said he doesn't want me that sore and we took it a little easier today.  He said that if I'm constantly in terrible pain from soreness it will be all I ever think about and I will not want to train.  Honestly, he's right.  I was absolutely dreading going to my session today and I almost cancelled, because I just didn't think my body could do it. 

I'm glad I went.  Don't get me wrong; he worked me hard.  I am sore, but I can move comfortably right now.  I don't feel like body parts are going to fall off lol!  We had a chance to talk a little more today, and I feel blessed that Sam was assigned to me.  He really cares and I could really tell that today.  This is his career.  It isn't just a hobby or side job for him.  It is what he's passionate about doing, which makes him more invested in me.  He doesn't want me to simply set weight loss goals.  So, I have other goals like taking steps to eating clean, 25 regular push ups with perfect form, a 5k, a 10k, and eventually a half marathon.

I was doing bicep curls set at 35 lbs and I told him, "You think I'm stronger than I really am."  He looked at me with a grin and said,  "You're a heck of a lot stronger than you think you are.  I'm not the one confused."  After some reflection, I've come to the conclusion that he's right.  This is my 3rd week with him and I'm doing things I never would have thought I could do.  There have been several moments when he tells me to do something and I think I absolutely cannot do this.  I think my body is going to fail me.  Well, I have done every single thing he has asked me to do, so he must be right...I AM stronger than I give myself credit for.