Monday, June 27, 2011

Stumbling

I just don't know what to possibly say today.

Ever since I got home from my 2week work trip where I lost 3 lbs I have steadily gained weight. I tipped the scales this morning at 157.6.

157.6?!?!! How could I possibly gain 8 lbs in as many days? That would take some serious work, calorie wise. It just don't make a single lick of sense. I cannot figure it out, what have I done differently? I'm still working out, I'm still eating on plan. I mean I had my usual cheat day, and perhaps I dipped into the cookie jar one too many times, but not enough times to explain an 8lb gain.

I am freaking out right now, I just don't get it. I am angry, frustrated, annoyed, discouraged, and heartbroken. Yes heartbroken. Last week 149.6lbs was a great victory for me, I managed to widdle my weight down to a value I hadn't seen since highschool - a good 7 years ago. I was excited to move onto my next and ultimate goal of being a fit 135lbs. I am watching that slip away, and have no reason to explain why.

I feel let down by my body, that I am trying so hard to lead it in a direction for healthy living and all it wants is to be fat and unhealthy. It has got me scared, scared that the diet I have trusted and that has worked so well up until this point is failing, and I need to find some other nutrition plan to get my weightloss back on track.

I have a million feelings in my head right now, and none of them are positive or hopeful. I know that since getting home things have been very different for me, but I have never blamed stress or anything other then the way I eat or work out for my weight.
I mean everyone says the formula is simple: Calories in - calories out
Not: ((Calories in*Cookies) - Calories out)*(exercise)*(water intake)-(water retention)/(stress)*(PMS)

I just feel lost. It took me a good 3 months to lose 8 lbs. Have I really undone 3 months of work in one week? It seems impossible, especially considering how well I have been doing with my exercise and that I haven't been eating differently at all.

Sorry for all the babble, I just really needed to vent. For the reasons stated above I will not be weighing in this week....

Friday, June 24, 2011

Insanity - Week 3

By now I have already done all of the workout in the first part of Insanity at least once, many I am on my 3rd or 4th go around. Every time I do them I feel like I improving my form, or speed, or endurance.

This past week I had an add on routine called "Cardio Abs" it is a 15-20 minute routine that is meant to be done in addition to another workout. Normally "Pure Cardio" which sucks because I don't feel like doing anything other then passing out after "Pure Cardio" but "Cardio Abs" is a nice routine that focuses on your abs and obliques without any situps. Most of the exercises fixate on keeping your core tight in a plank or sitting position and raising your legs (using your core) its fairly difficult and after doing it for the first time a couple of days ago my abs are still sore from it. But I think I love it =). Something about that burn a few days after a routine reminds me how hard I worked and about the results I will see.

Also last Monday I had my second fit test. My results were:


Switch Kicks : 71    (+12)
Power Jacks : 39      (-5)
Power Knees : 70    (+15)
Power Jumps : 40     (+7)
Globe Jumps : 10     (+1)
Suicide Jumps : 10   (-2)
Push Up Jacks : 14   (+3)
Low Plank Obliques : 48  (+4)

Not bad. A bit disappointed in my power jacks and suicide jumps. I feel like those should not have been less, because if anything I have been getting stronger (just look at the other exercises for proof). If I had to try and explain why I would probably say that I was focusing on form and pacing myself and not on getting the best number I could.

The first week I just saw the exercise and did it until I couldn't anymore. This time I knew what the movement should feel like when done right and focused on that and possibly did not push hard enough to get those extra reps. Next fit test I will know better and just go all out.

So far I have been doing pretty good keeping up with the program. Ever since I got home it has been difficult to find time to do my routines. Now that I am home I have dogs to care for, dinner to cook, chores to take care of. It's a lot of work and it's hard to sneak away for an hour to do a workout. I have been making it work though. Since I got home I have only missed one work out, which I intend to make up later this week.

I thought it would be easy once I got home since my boyfriend was doing the workouts with me, but he gave up after the first week. Which makes me feel awesome for sticking with it, but also bummed that I lost my work out buddy. I guess I just have to be my own buddy - like I have been for the past 6 months.

I have a little less then 2 weeks of phase 1 left. Then I have a recovery week (a lot of stretching and yoga for core and blance) and then enter 4 weeks of phase 2 "Insanity - Max". I am not going to lie, I am a bit worried about phase 2. I am considering extending phase 1 for another month since I still struggle with phase 1 moves, but we will see.

So on and so forth. Can't wait to see my body transform - I'm still waiting.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Weigh In 6/19/11

Weigh In - 3 days late. My life has been turned upside down since I got home. I have been a busy bee running around and doing tons of chores and errands trying to get things back in order. Being gone for 2 weeks really throws a kink in things.

Here are my weigh in results:


May 162011
Weight: 149.6lbs (-3)
Body Fat: 29% (0)
Bust: 35.5" (-.5)
Waist: 28.75" (-.25)
Hips: 38.5" (-1)
Bicep: 11.25" (0)
Thigh: 22.5" (0)
Calf: 14.5" (-.5)




Wow! The precautions I took while away on travel really seemed to have paid off. I am officially down past 150, and have officially lost more then 20lbs! My first goal has been accomplished - sure it took me 6 months, but still I got it done, and thats more then I can say for the past 6 years of my life.

I feel fantastic about my results (in the numbers). I have been working hard to eat right and am now about 2 weeks into my "Insanity" workout routine. Not sure I am seeing massive physical results from the program, since I can't really put my finger on anything that looks different from last week, but I feel tighter, and stronger, and I am getting better at the work out routines.

All I can do is stay strong, and keep up with my diet and exercise. Onto my new goal - 130! Another 20lbs, this one will probably take a lot more than 6  months to achieve but I'm feeling motivated and I know if I stick with the plan and don't falter I will make it there.

Go Me!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Insanity - Day 9, 10 & 11

So I messed up the whole schedule by skipping Tuesday, but as I explained I was just simply too exhausted physically and mentally to even push though a video chat, let alone a "Pure Cardio" workout. So Tuesday I took a rest day.

I resumed my program where I left off at "Pure Cardio" although I remember being extremely tired through out the workout I felt like this time I was able to push harder and take less breaks then I had the previous times. Likewise with my Thursday workout.

Thursday was my 3rd time doing "Cardio Circuit" and I kept having the oddest feelings of deja vu while doing the workout. I think this is going to get interesting seeing as the rest of the videos for the next two and a half weeks are the same ones recycled.

Also, I am heading home tomorrow! I can't wait to get back home and see my friends and family and my puppy (ok so he isn't really a puppy anymore...) and my scale. It has been pure torture these past two weeks not knowing how much I weigh, my morning weigh in usually effects my meal choices for the day and these two weeks I just had to assume the worst and make the right choices. I really really hope all my hard work paid off, I expect to see at least 5 lbs, but knowing my body maybe I only list 3, which would still be ok. I really would like to get to and even past 150, that would be a great reward.

 I am all packed up and ready to get up bright and early tomorrow for a good 9 hours of aviary transport.  I took a snap shot of my little mini fridge at the hotel before I left, thought you guys might like it. Just to give you guys an idea of the kind of stuff I was eating. This was mostly for lunches, dinners were normally salads, or broiled fish with extra veggies.

All of this stuff was from the Super Walmart:

Frozen Brussel Sprouts
Frozen Edamames
Cherries
Grapefruit Cups (no added sugar)
Pre Cooked Chicken Breast
Hard Boiled Eggs
Avocados
Spinach
Herb Vinaigrette Dressing
Cesar and Cobb pre-prepared salads

On various other days I also had fresh grapefruit, strawberries, mixed greens, mixed nuts and frozen broccoli. These were all easy meals that could be prepared with a microwave and plastic cutlery. Its kind of fun to see how creative you can get with limited resources.

I don't think I did all that bad when it comes to what I ate, my only fault may have been portion control. A lot of the times at restaurants I end up eating more then I would have a home simply because they prepare me more. Hopefully I worked hard enough that that isn't a problem, but if I don't lose then I am sure that is the culprit.

Can't wait to post my progress.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Hard at Work

I feel awful. I wanted so badly to do my Insanity workout lastnight, but honestly after working 12 hours a day and only getting 5 or so hours of sleep for the past two weeks I feel like I hardly have anything left in the tank.

I was dozing on the way home from work, exhausted and puffy eyed through dinner, and actually fell asleep while on video chat with my boyfriend. I decided instead of doing my "Pure Cardio" last night I would just go to bed.

I really wanted to do the work out, but I remember last "Pure Cardio" I did way late at night and it made my heart feel like it was being stabbed with a knife. Maybe I am just being dramatic, but I just didn't think it would help my mental and physical health any to push through an hour of cardio when I couldn't even keep myself awake.

I will resume my "Insanity" program tonight, with "Pure Cardio", so I will offset by a day, or maybe I will just do an extra work out this week to make up for it. I don't want to get into a habit of skipping workouts, but this week is an extenuating circumstance and I don't think I will let it happen too often once I get home.

In the meantime time I am focusing on eating healthy so when I get home ( SO SOON NOW) I will be happy  with my weigh-in. I worked really hard these past two weeks, so I expect to see at least 5lbs loss. We will see how that turns out.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Insanity - Day 8

Cardio & Power Resistance day. I think that this is my favorite workout so far (maybe aside from Recovery). I think I like it best because its split up into a lot of small water breaks and I always feel like I have the energy left to push through.

The jumps are pretty fun for me, however exhausting. I did notice that I was doing a lot better with the push ups section this time too.

I have been working the crazyist hours during this work trip and have not gotten much sleep, and despite bringing my lunch and choosing only salads or diet healthy foods I really think the food is getting to me. I feel really sapped for energy, it took me a lot to get through the workout. (Not as much as on Friday though, Friday was just brutal. I guess it helps that I had a "Rest Day" yesterday so I didn't have to push so hard.

I want to say sorry to all my friends who I follow for not commenting much this past week or so, but between 12 hour work days, 2 hour commute, 1 hr dinner in a restaurant and my 45 min workout I hardly have any free time to catch up with the goings ons in other people's lives. I hope to remedy that in the next few days because I get to go home on Friday!

Can't wait! Tomorrow is "Pure Cardio" that one sucked. Not looking forward to it - also I really have to stop eating so late (its hard with these stupid hours) but doing these workouts on a full stomach is like a recipe for disaster. I always feel like utter doo afterwards.

Bed for me! I took some measurements this morning, not sure if I should post them or not since I had like a 5 hour hike yesterday that could have dehydrated me. I just want to be sure that any loss wasn't just water weight. I would feel soo much more comfortable if I just had my scale with me.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Insanity - Day 6 & 7

Day 6 was my second day of "Plyometrics Cardio Curcuit." I actually think it was harder the second time around. Now it probably doesn't help that I had just put in a 13 hour day at work and it was 12:00am when I started the workout but I really, really struggled to get through it. I had to keep pausing and taking a break because I was feeling dizzy and felt my heart racing. I think I maybe pushed a bit too hard on my exhausted body, but I am really determined to get through this program. And I just don't want to skip a day if I don't have to.

After my workout I kicked my shoes off and fell straight to bed.

Day 7 is my "Rest Day" there is no video for today. You are supposed to use this day to allow your body and muscles time to recover for the next week. I was toying with the idea of doing "Cardio Recovery" today just to get some stretches in since they feel amazing, but I also went for a 8mile hike through a canyon today and I think that just may suffice in the way of exercise.

But I could use the stretches, maybe I will give it a shot before bed (earlier then 12 this time).  Tomorrow I start again with "Power Resistance" that one was hard, but remember it being pretty fun.