Cutting Out the Sweetness

It's been almost 2 weeks and I haven't eaten any delectable desserts.  I wish that I could say that cutting them out was making me feel fantastic and giving me energy I never knew I had, but it's just not.  I feel sluggish, tired, and irritable.

I remember when I first participated in p90x, Tony Horton explained that I would feel this way in the first 30 days.  The days when I was cutting out the crap that was killing my body.  These days were supposed to be hard, supposed to help my body get used to using the good foods to fuel my body.  I don't remember feeling that way before,  but I sure feel this way now.

Although I'm not engaged in p90x this time, there is no question as to the Calorie requirements that my activities require.  Getting through the next 3 weeks will be a challenge.  A challenge that I'm hoping will be a great jump start to a new way of respecting and collaborating with my food to improve my health.

Shred Day 17

This morning I tackled a whole hour of cardio with the Power 90 Cardio Interval workout.  OH MAN.  Sweating Buckets.  Such a great workout this morning.  So glad I got out of bed.

Shred Day 16: Pushing Through Anger

When I'm angry I function best if I'm doing at least 2 workouts a day.  Having kids and trying to put in extra is a challenge.  This morning I:

Ran 2.2 miles in 20 minutes (this was a hill run)

25 squats
25 crunches
15 5lb curls (each arm)
25 toe out heel lifts
25 regular heel lifts
25 toe in heel lifts
25 bridges
25 crunches
25 chair dips
15 step back lunges (each leg)
25 heels to the heavens
15 lateral arm lifts 5lbs (each arm)
25 plie squats
25 in-n-outs
15 squeeze curls 5lbs. (each arm)

I did this circuit 2x through.

I little bit of my excess energy has been expelled, but I could really spend the next week getting rid of the rest of it.  Exercising when the outside world is beating down on me is a necessity.  Maybe I can get another workout in later.

What really gets you out and exercising?

Shred Day 15: Two Weeks Left

I did NOT want to get up this morning.  I even rolled over and slept for another 30 minutes before my panicking "what time is it?" body jumped out of bed. 

I got up and did the Biggest Loser Cardio Max workout.  I never understand why I seem to sweat more than the people who are fatter than me on the video.  I only did the 30 minutes worth.  Since I slept in a bit.  However, I did pound out the p90x Ab Ripper.  I'm going to be sore tomorrow.

My hubby says the workouts are working.  I don't feel like it.  But I guess if the person closest to me can say, "you're not looking so fat", then it must be doing something.  Only pictures will tell. 

I've got another two weeks before my post pregnancy exercising is officially over.  I figure one year after I deliver is "post pregnancy."  But after that, it's just normal shredding the fat.  If it's on there for more than a year, then I have become comfortable in my fatness and it's not "baby fat" anymore.  So, I better put in some extra hard workouts in the next two weeks and hopefully be back to my pre-second baby weight. 

I'll post my picture progress at the end of my post pregnancy time.

How are you doing on your health goals?

My Shred: Day #9

Wednesday

Have I ever mentioned how beautifully peaceful it is in the morning?  If you haven't experienced the serenity, then you need to get up early, get a light blanket, a chair and sit outside to watch the sun rise.  Everything starts to come alive.  It's emotion that plants itself into your bones.

What makes it even more wonderful is to run in the stillness.  I love it!  The crisp morning air does wonders for the soul.  It does for mine anyway.  This morning I had a fantastic time running.  Although I didn't run far (because of the graceful world of being a woman), I did enjoy the beauty around me.

Here's how I did this morning:

1.5 miles

25 crunches
25 bicycles
25 reverse bicyles
20 twist crunches
20 hip rock n' raise (p90x)
25 crunches

What did you do today?

My Shred: Day #7

Monday

OH how it feels so good to be working out again.  I was able to run farther than I thought I was going to be able to.  I thought because of my being sick I would have to walk most of my mileage today.  Not so.  WooHoo!!  So here is what I did:

2.81 miles

25 crunches
25 bum lifts
30 twist crunches (15 each side)
25 bicycles
25 reverse bicycles
25 crunches
25 hip rock n' raise (p90x style)
25 crunches
15 bridges

Happy Exercising!

Shredding the Pregnant Fatness

I am soon coming up on 1 year since my Green Bean was born.  And I just haven't been putting in the time or effort to lose all the weight that I gained while pregnant. (both times)  I am sick of feeling gross.  I'm sick of feeling tired.  I just want to feel good in my own skin.  And I always feel best when I am eating healthy and working out regularly.

So, I put together my own plan for the rest of the year.  That's right.  All the way through December.  I am going to tell you all about what I'm doing and how it feels to do it.  And hopefully I will get to where I want to be.

July 16, 2012:

p90x ab ripper- I only got through v-up roll-ups

2 mile run- it was so humid (I know it's nothing compared to places East of here) I thought my lungs were going to collapse.

Lean Arms Pyramid- this was WAY harder than I thought it was going to be.  I only did it one time through.

p90x Lean: Weeks 1 & 2

I started again. This time with a bit different expectation. I'm doing p90x 5 days in a week, not 7. I have also succumbed to the fact that because of children waking in the night, there will be days that I don't get to do my workout. This is all okay. (I never thought that I would say that, but it is.)

I took beginning pictures:


This is why fat people should never wear bikinis. We look skinnier with clothes on; OR at least there is a colorful distraction from our fatness.


I'm pretty sure that I'm more out of shape than I have been, EVER. But the workouts don't seem quite as bad/hard as I remember. Don't get me wrong I still want to smack Tony sometimes, but it just takes longer to get to that point than I remember. Maybe it's because I know the videos? I don't know, but it's been fun so far. Can't wait to do the WHOLE 90 days.

I have been trying to get some running in too. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Because of a flat tire, I was unable to go more than once last week. So far this week I have also only gone once. BUT Saturday isn't over yet. Here's hoping for twice!

Thanksgiving

So, it's that dreaded time of the year. . . Holiday Feast Season. I love it. The cookies, cakes, pies, ham, potatoes, turkey, dressing, caramels. Oh the goodness.

I have been dealing with moving and new apartment problems, a wedding in the family and then Thanksgiving right afterwards. So, I just haven't been able to do p90x or any other kind of exercise. I was feeling really bad about it until I watched Eat, Pray, Love. There is a scene where they are talking about gaining weight. And they just decide that it's better to enjoy the good stuff and buy bigger pants tomorrow. I don't totally agree with freely gaining weight and buying bigger pants later, but I do think that all the wonderful flavors of the season are worth the extra mile run or couple laps in the pool. Don't you?

Break Time

OH, it's break time. There is just not a healthy time to exercise when you stay up all night with a sick baby. It's just so sad to watch such a small body feel so yucky. But I'm on a break. No more exercising because I'm beyond tired. I will start back up on the p90x as soon as the little cheeka is better.

p90x Lean: Week 1

Week 1: Complete. (really I have to do Kenpo today, but I will)

It's been a wonderful week. I got up at 5 am everyday. I got a ton of things finished before my little Sweet Pea even woke up. Wonderful.

My legs are sore and I LOVE IT! I love feeling that I worked hard and have completed so much and am closer to my goal. The goal: to be back to the fitness level I was in before I got pregnant by New Years. It can be done.

p90x Lean: Day 4

Okay so I only got through the moving poses of Yoga X today, but that's more than I thought I would get through. About 4 weeks ago, I really banged up my ankle on a box of baby wipes from Costco and today I could really feel it. Putting my heel down during all the warrior moves was a killer. Really it was my ankle that kept me from going on today. I just don't want to injure it any more than it already is. Even though it hurt a whole lot during the workout, my ankle felt wonderful after. I didn't expect that. I thought I would hobble on it all day, but it felt all stretched out and free. Better.

Oh, when doing p90x you're supposed to take a before picture to compare to the after. I was feeling much better about myself until I saw the picture. To keep myself accountable to someone and make sure I actually finish the program this time, I will give you a peek.


My Post-Pregnancy body. Feeling quite Fat at the moment. I can't even pull down my tank top over my tire. (really I just don't want to stretch it out; I want to be able to wear it after the tire it gone.)

It's weird to see my butt and thighs smaller than my stomach. For my entire life, it's always been the other way around.

p90x lean: Day 2

OH how I forgot that there was so much pain involved with doing p90x. I can barely move, let alone pick up my Sweet Pea OR get down on the floor and play. Even shifting in my chair is cruel to my glutes. OUCH!

Cardio X CAN be done. Woot! Woot!

It's so wonderful. I was able to complete the whole Cardio X without stopping. This was very exciting. Especially since my Sweet Pea was crawling around the living room the whole time. While doing the Yoga and Stretching portions she would climb up on me. I really like it when she climbs up on me, but while exercising it is most inconvenient; however, it is very cute.

I am going to attempt to do it again today. My attempt to add more points into my days. I don't know about you, but while doing p90x I find myself wishing it was worth more points than it is. Oh well, it's better to know that I can accomplish it than to get many points for it. Right?

Legs and Back

So, it's Sunday and I still can't get up and down from a seat without moaning from my workout on Friday. I did legs and back. Oh man, it's a killer. Kicks my ass-literally. But I love it. I had just forgotten how hard it was. Can't wait for next Friday.

Yoga X

Sweat! sweat! sweat! It's wonderful. Burning legs. Falling over occasionally. Getting back up. Doing it again. Being able to do more every week. Love it.

p90x again.

My day off from running was Wednesday. On my day off I usually do p90x. I love it. I didn't want to feel lazy so I decided I would give it a go. I used lighter weights than usual, which was hard to do, but good. Now I know which exercises it was good to drop weight for and which I can continue using my normal. I did the whole workout. Slower, but I still did the whole thing.

The Plan has Developed

I did it. I planned out my next three months of workouts.

p90x has begun again. I am doing the lean version this time. We will see how it goes. It focuses on the core, butt/legs, and arms; so, I should do we well. We will see.

I am also going to keep up my running. Because although I love p90x, it doesn't seem to give me the lung capacity that I desire to continue to race. (actually I feel like I'm going to die if I don't do cardio along with the program.

I am completely stoked about this workout plan. I am officially on day two and beyond tired. It will get better. I know it.