Week 3 Weigh In

Well... somewhere around my first post, I said that I wanted to do Insanity for 28 consecutive days because that's how long it supposedly takes to form a habit. I formed my habit. I work out religiously everyday even when I don't feel like it. Today marks day 21 with only 7 more days to go until I officially form my "habit". I did get sick last week and had to take two "unauthorized" days off but I got right back on track and made up for it by even working out twice on some days. While I don't see too many physical changes, I can tell you that I am already in a lot better shape than I was in when I started. I'm able to workout longer and harder and feel myself growing stronger everyday! (Woo-hoo!)

I'm not pleased with this week's weigh in but I can say I  honestly feel like I've lost some inches. I bought this grey pencil skirt last year and only wore it once because my butt stood out just as far behind me as my belly did in front of me. Then there was the issue of the pouch and the long split up the front and I just couldn't bring myself to wear it again. Well, I wore the skirt today. I'm still round in the center but it doesn't look as bad as it did before. In fact, it keep rises up because there's too much room in the waistline. Here's a pic:

Hopefully some day soon I'll be posting another pic in this last minute outfit with it falling off me. Hey, a girl can dream. Right?

This week I decided to go back to eating "real food" for breakfast instead of the Special K. I also opted to stop eating the white bread on sandwiches for lunch.

This morning I had sausage links, scrambled eggs with cheese on wheat toast for breakfast. For lunch I'll have a salad with some sliced baked turkey breast. I'll have sugar-free jello for snacks and all the water I can stand. I'm not sure what I'll have for dinner yet but I'm sure it will be healthy. My husband joined me in the weight loss journey less than 6 months ago and he's already dropped 50 lbs. (That is SO unfair!!! but I'm happy for him).

As far as exercise goes, I will continue Insanity for the rest of the week. Next Tuesday, instead of doing the "Recovery Week" Core Cardio & Balance, I think I'll do Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred. I had good results with that workout before so we'll see what happens. that will be my "recovery". I'm not sure if I'll immediately return to Insanity or if I'll start training for the 5K in early October. My sister talked me into running and we're both going to do the Couch to 5 K program. I'll probably do that and alternate Insanity every other day. But again, we'll see...


Oh... I didn't tell you guys how much I lost this week. ONE FREAKING POUND! Can you believe it? I worked so hard. I ate right and worked my tail off but I didn't manage to loose the 4 lbs I was shooting for this week. I guess this is normal. Usually weeks 3 and 5 are rough (according to Biggest Looser). So I'll continue to work hard. I will celebrate this single pound loss because it could have very well been one gained.

Set Back or Set Up?

I'm pissed off.

I've been working really hard this week. I've done all of my workouts and even an extra one yesterday (for two in one day), I haven't had any beef (even though steak is one of my favorite foods) and I didn't have as many "grown up drinks" as I normally would have or would have liked to yet I got on the scale today and saw that my weight loss was exactly 0 lbs.

The official weekly weigh in isn't until Tuesday but I expected to have lost at least 2 lbs since this past Tuesday by now. WTF!!!

So then I ask myself: "Is this a set back or a set up?"

Will I allow one bad week to cause me to turn back to my old ways? Will I throw in the towel and reason that there is no use and that I am destined to be a fat girl for life? Will I still be overly attentive to any blemish on my face because I feel that's the only attractive part of my body left?

OR will I use this 0 lb weight loss as a propeller to push myself to another level? Will I learn from this and workout harder and/or longer and eliminate anything that is not nutritionally necessary from my diet? Will I remember that being healthy is not a destination but rather a life-long process? What will I do?

The way I see it is I can either sulk in my saltiness (bitterness) and binge eat another 3 lbs on by tomorrow or I can rejoice in the fact that I have not gained anymore weight. I can either be upset that I didn't reach my supper aggressive goal of 4 lbs this week or I can be happy that I am on my way to a healthier happier me.

Basically, it's all about how I/you/we choose to look at things. There are a couple of bible verses that come to mind which I find comfort, encouragement and strength in right now and I'd like to share one of them with you all. I do/did have another blog where I posted daily meditations so I'm not going to duplicate that effort on this blog. However, I find that whatever is in us is bound to come out. Good or bad. And right now, this is what's on the inside encouraging me to go forth on the outside.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9)

Insanity in Tripple Digit Weather

The thermometer on my car said 104 degrees yesterday. If anyone knows anything about me they know that I absolutely detest the heat! I don't know if its because I'm carrying around this extra "insulation" or if something really happened to me after I turned 25 that just made heat unbearable to me. I'm one of those people you see walking around in the dead of winter with a light jacket on and if you catch me on the right day, you may even find my windows cracked. I don't even store my fans away for the winter. Instead, I use them all year long. (By the way, God bless whomever invented the fan and air conditioner!)

So can you imagine me, the "Hater of Heat" working out in triple-digit weather? I couldn't neither but I did it. I don't keep any fans or air conditioners in my basement because it gets a little dusty and I'd hate to have that blowing around and get my bronchitis acting up so I figure I'd rather be a little hot than unable to breathe. The only thing I hadn't planned for was for the temperature to get so hot. This is like the 4th or 5th day of a heat wave. We (Philadelphians) do not do very well with the heat. I once visited Las Vegas in July and I was sure I was going to die. The weather lately has really starting reminding me of that.

It would have been very easy for me to just take the day off and chalk it up as a "rest day" but I couldn't. I told you guys yesterday that my goal was to loose 4lbs by next Tuesday and I'm sticking to it. In fact, if my body permits, I plan on working out twice on Saturday and Sunday just to see if it will put me any closer to my goals. Even if I were to only loose 2 lbs a week, I'd still reach my goal of being at most 199 lbs by my vow renewal on October 16th. I just don't want to get too close to the date and then have to try some crazy fad diet to get there. I'd rather work my tail off right now while I have ample time than to risk not meeting my goal at all or even worse - gaining more freaking weight.

Tonight  I plan to do more of the Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance workout. I like this one. It starts out a little easier than some of the other ones but as soon as you get comfortable and thinking "oh, is that all?", Shaun T. starts pumping you up to go even harder. I really have to admit I dig his style. He is my second fitness professional second only to Jillian Micheal's. If anything out of the norm happens during tonight's workout, I'll be sure to keep you guys posted.

I sort of liked working out in the scorching heat because I was literally dripping pools of sweat. Insanity is the only exercise program I've ever done that feels so effective. Right now I'm wondering if the extra temperature caused me to burn more calories. We may be on to something here. LOL

Please, please, please...be sure to stay hydrated, know your limits and don't hurt yourselves. Just because the temperature is high does not mean we can't workout, it just means we have to be more careful in doing so.

Insanity - Week 3, Day 2

Hey Folks! Last night's workout was a killer! I accidentally did the Plyometric Cardio Circuit Workout again for the 2nd day in a row. I put the wrong disc in and by the time I realized it, I was too far into it to stop and do something else.

All in all it went well.Today is the 2nd day of the 3rd week of my journey through Insanity and I'm feeling pretty good. The sweat is still dripping during the workouts so my body is definitely not getting used to it yet. However, I am finding that I can do more and more without falling out on the floor in pain or stopping for water breaks. Nevertheless, I still stay hydrated when working out and follow all of the safety cues as not to cause injury. And I can't stress enough how important it is to stretch!

Speaking stretching, my calf muscles are killing me. I'm really kicking myself in the butt for not taking full body measurements now because I can tell I've lost inches off of my chest area, thighs and right arm. I'm still suffering from an injury to my left wrist but I'm determined to push past it because I don't want my left arm to stay flabby while the right one is toning up nicely. One of the things I like the most about Insanity is that you don't have to use any weights or outside equipment. You're using your own body weight and resistance to loose fat and build muscle and it doesn't require too much space either.


I have about 12 more weeks before my vow renewal in Jamaica and 20 lbs to go until I reach my first goal of hitting the 100's. If I keep at this pace, I can definitely pull it off. Even if I only loose 2 lbs per week, I should see more than I'm shooting for. The physical activity is not the problem for me. It's food. I have to get more discipline.
 
I've set a pretty aggressive goal for myself of 4 lbs by next Tuesday. In order to help accomplish this, I've decided to eat more fresh/frozen veggies and less carbs. I try to limit my carb intake to one meal per day. I've also decided not to allow myself my usual weekly "bad meal" this week. I'm staying away from pork and beef as well until I can't take it anymore. I'm like a walking, talking, weight-loss experiment. If it sounds reasonable and likely to work, I'm willing to try it (as long as its not too painful, LOL)

Week 2 Weigh In

Hi Blog Friends! I’ve been away for a couple of days but I’m still pushing on. The last time we spoke, I was feeling a little under the weather but I’m feeling much better now. Thanks so much for all of your well wishes and encouragement!!!

I followed all of the advice I was given and I took a little break from working out. I rested for 2 days and then went back at full force. I feel myself starting to get a little sick again but I’m not sure if its really my body trying to tell me something or my mind trying to get my body out of working out. In any case, I’ll see how I feel after tonight’s workout. Tonight will be "Pure Cardio" with Shaun T's Insanity.  I’m still only doing ½ a DVD. I'm just a little crazy

 I'm not completely insane yet. I don’t know how people do the whole thing straight through!! Oneday....  Until then, I’ll take it easy and continue to do my 20-25 minutes of Insanity per day and watch what I eat. When that stops working, I’ll move onto the full workout.

Before I post my week 2 results, I'd like to start by sharing with you some things I did last week that impacted my weight loss. #1, I think I can show you better than I can tell you:

I present to you - Exhibit A

 

Funnel Cake....

I didn't have very much. I shared with my mother in-law. It wasn't really "worth" the calories. Instead, I saved them for McDonald's and cotton candy. I know... I know... bad decisions. I'll do better this week. I have to!! I KNEW I was going to "eat bad" while at Six Flags so I saved some calories during the week.  

By the way, here's a pic of the gang:

That's me in the center hiding 95% of my body. I SO can't wait until the day I don't feel the need to do that way anymore. 

OK, back on track now....

#2 - I skipped 2 workout days and took my allotted rest day so I didn't really have all the workout time in that I planned on having.

#3 -  I'm still not following any formal "diet" plan. Instead, I'm making sensible choices and reducing the amount of carbs I have. I'm detoxing off of junk food too.

With all of these factors, I still managed to loose 2 pounds!

While I should be thanking my lucky stars that I didn't gain 2 pounds, I'm disappointed because I know if I would have been a little more focused, I could have lost more, easy! Maybe I'll think about this the next time I decide to slack off.

A wise old friend used to tell me: "slow progress is better than no progress".  She was right. But I'm in this to win this for the long haul. So I'll take my 2 pound loss and update my ticker happily...

I started at 224 (this time around) and I'm down to 219 for a total of 5 pounds lost in 2 weeks. Next week's goal is 4lbs. I'm thinking seeing 215 again will feel good.

Too Sick to Excercise?

My plan was to work out every day for at least 28 days without taking a break because my father once told me that it takes 28 days to form a habit. Unfortunately, I was forced to break my habit after only 8 days. (I wonder if this means I need to start all over again?) The injuries didn't stop me. I didn't get bored and I wasn't even tired. Why did I take a break, you ask? Because I was sick. I'm so disappointed in myself right now. I came up stairs from an Insanity Workout soaked in sweat (gross, I know) and the air conditioner was on full blast. As soon as the cold hit my wet chest, I KNEW I was done. That somehow triggered my bronchitis and I could barely breathe. I was almost ready to head to the ER. I thank God that He is healing me. Maybe it was time for me to take a break? Not! I have goals to reach. Sick or not.

I know, I know...I need to get well so that I can give it my all and it probably would serve my body better if I would just get some rest and start back when I'm better. I know all of the these things. I'm just afraid that this "sick break" will end like those past where I miss one workout, then two, then three. Then the next thing you know I quit working out all together.

But that isn't going to happen this time. That's why I started this blog. I actually set reminder alarms to remind me to workout and record my activity/blog. so even though I didn't workout at all today, I still felt like jotting down why I didn't do anything today. I don't feel too bad because I honestly was sick. I hate medicine and refuse to take it - especially anything a doctor tells you to take everyday. I think that's how dependency begins. They didn't have all these medications back when my grandparents where younger. It's just drug companies trying to get richer.

Enough of my conspiracy theories. Back to the blog...

 I never call out of work or take PTO unless I have something to do. Today, I spent the entire morning in the bed. I woke up only to take cough medicine and go back to bed. I had to make a few runs with the kids after summer camp but I didn't do much at all. I have to save all of my energy for 6 Flags tomorrow. God, I hope it isn't too hot and I'm able to breathe through the humidity. If all goes well, I'll workout tomorrow night when we return. We'll see. Karron (the husband) told me I should take it easy because he doesn't like to hear me wheezing. Maybe I can ride this sickness out and get dinner cooked all week. Just kidding... but you can't knock a girl for thinking about it. LOL.

In closing, I'd like to wish AJ a happy 6th birthday. I can't believe my baby is getting so big!!!
Also, I'd like to wish Karron a happy 5th wedding anniversary! I love you and these have been the happiest 5 years of my life!!!!!

Target Area

So... today has been a pretty good day so far. I had my Special K for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and only one 5 calorie sugar-free jello for a snack. Tomorrow is my son's 6th birthday and my 5th wedding anniversary so I'm trying to "save" some calories for this weekend's celebrations. We're headed to 6 Flags Great Adventure and I'm hoping my fat butt can fit in more rides than I was able to at Sesame Place last month. (Yall should have seen me trying to squeeze in the flying swings, LOL).

Here's a pic of my two favorite guys that I'll be celebrating tomorrow. This pic is from last year but its always been my favorite. My guys really enjoy fishing.

I'm really going to have to do something special with my daughter soon before she feels left out of the 7/15 club. LOL since I'm in a picture posting kinda mood right now, I'll post a pic of her too. I still haven't managed to get her to agree to workout with me but I'm working on her. She doesn't need it but it would be nice to have company every now and again. Correction: we all need exercise but yall know what I mean.

Have you noticed that I haven't posted a full body pic of me yet? You wanna know why? Because I HATE how short and round I look in pictures - especially pictures with others. There is a pic of me on my sister's blog and I hate it. I look huge. My sister is tiny but that just makes it even worse. I guess. Here's that pic.

But the picture that really set me off is one I had a co-worker take today. I've been seeing a lot of blogs with pictures on the side showing progress and I wanted to do something similar or maybe a slideshow. I haven't decided yet but the first step was to just take a pic. Until I really looked at it, I thought my problem was my gutt and my butt. But now I know that my wasitline (or lack thereof) is an even bigger problem. 

See for yourself:








I've heard it time and time again that you can not "target" specific pockets of fat on your body and you just have to do lots of cardio to get the weight down. I SO hope thats another weight loss misconception and there really is something I can do to not make me appear so darn round. I hate it. I took a picture to show yall what I'm talking about.

See what I mean? Granted, the dress could probably stand to be a size smaller but I buy lots of clothes off the web and don't bother sending them back unless their too small. It makes me feel good when something is too big. It doesn't happen very often. LOL


The longer I look at this picture, the more I feel compelled to start singing "I love you. You love me we're a happy family..." That's it. I'm staying focused. I'm in this to win this. I don't want to look like "Barney" anymore. 


So contrary to everything I've read and watched regarding target areas and not being able to isolate and defeat them, I'm going to do every oblique exercise known to man to reduce my waist line and if some of the bootie gets lost in the process, that wouldn't be such a bad thing.


Have you guys ever tried to loose weight in one particular area? Did it work? What did you do?

You Can Do ANYTHING if you Really Want to...

It was almost a year ago that went to a routine doctor's appointment and learned that I was "morbidly obese". At 4'-11" tall and 238lbs, I knew that I was over weight but hearing this paper thin woman tell me that I should consider weight loss surgery and not bother running because it would be too much weight on my knees pissed me the heck off. I had to do something. I immediately left her office and hopped on my elliptical that was being used as a coat rack for years and kept moving until I couldn't breathe. Five minutes after my "workout" started, I was done. and exhausted. I felt defeated and hopeless. There was no way I would ever come close to weighing the 123 pounds that she recommended. Or so I thought then...

But then I started watching Biggest Looser and saw the transformations of so many brave men and women that were in the same state as I was and then I knew that this could be done but it was going to take a lot of work, determination and patience on my part. Slowly my goals shifted from becoming thinner to becoming healthier and running a 5K. I still haven't done one yet but I definitely can and hope to run my first for colon cancer in memory of my grandmother and lung cancer for my step-father. They both lost their battles to these terrible diseases.

I began running on my treadmill. At first, I couldn't run 1 minute without coughing and nearly puking but I kept at it until I could run a mile comfortably without stopping. Then I moved on to HIIT and workout videos. I was always persistent in working out (once I got started) but refused to diet. Hence, I became a  "fit fat girl". But I'm getting better at that now.

Moving forward to the present, I am now able to do Insanity. It's not easy and I do most of the DVDs half at a time. When your BMI is 45% (like mine) 20 minutes of intense max interval training is all you need (with a sensible food regimen).

 I decided to post a small clip of me doing selected moves in hopes that it will inspire and encourage someone else that they too can do anything if they truly work hard at it.

Again, I'm no where near where I want to be but it feels good that my 12 year old daughter can't do 3 minutes of this workout with me or run a mile faster than me. The goal is to be her size again. ha ha ha

Enjoy - try not to laugh to hard but I look crazy so I don't mind if you laugh a little. LOL

Insanity - Week 1 Weigh In

Thanks for checking in folks! A new blogger friend was kind enough to not only inform me that my settings weren't allowing certain people to post comments but she also told me how to fix the problem. I would have tagged her in this post but I didn't "clear" it with her yet. So, Audrey if your reading: Thanks!!!

Now I know everyone is anxious or at least curious to see how I made out my first week. I'm going to tell you in a minute but I want to share a few things with you first if yall don't mind. Is that okay? Thanks. No worries, I'll be quick.

On this weight loss journey of mine, I've read hundreds if not thousands of articles, books and tips on weight loss. There were a few restrictive consistencies that I noted throughout all of them that I didn't like. I'll admit, I've tried damn near all of them and will try some more before it's said and done. I didn't say that they are ineffective - I just said I don't like them because I want to eat what I want to eat when I want to eat it. (LOL) 

I started out (this time around) at a whopping 224 pounds. Keep in mind that I'm only 4'-11". That puts my BMI waaaaaaayyyyy up there and puts me at risk for a crapload of diseases and illnesses that I'm not trying to have ever - let alone at the age of 29.

Back to the restrictive consistences that I've noticed: I don't like the idea of depriving myself of carbs. Our bodies NEED these for energy so that we can burn fat. Granted, there are "good carbs" and "bad carbs" but many diets, (I won't name names... yall know which ones I'm talking about) require us to eliminate them completely in order to loose weight. It leaves me cranky, weak and tired. Besides that, I love baked potatoes and white bread. (Wheat smells funny to me but I will eat it).

Another trend that I've noted in my study of weight loss is that some diets tell us to eliminate all sweets and many of the things we enjoy. Again, I'm not feeling that. I've actually found that basic foods like rice (or in my case turkey cheeseburgers w/o bread) become "forbidden fruit" and we want it so bad that when we're finally all alone with "the fruit" we go buck wild and over indulge . So I do believe in reducing "bad foods" but if there is something I really enjoy, I'm going to eat it. Definitely not as much as I would like to but I'm not going to rob myself of anything I truly enjoy again (unless I'm weeks away from my goal date and just a few shy pounds short of the goal). LOL

Okay, okay... I'm wrapping it up. I'm going to tell you what I lost this week very soon. I just have a few more things to share that influenced how much I lost.

I had a binge night where I had too many turkey burgers (3), I had a bag of plain chips, a bag of pretzels, a bag of cheese fries and approximately 7 "grown up drinks" with diet soda (one every night) of this journey. I've also had white bread for lunch everyday on my turkey salami sandwich with mayo and regular cheese. I'm sure that violated tons of diet rules. LOL

I lost THREE pounds this week!!!!

Next week, I plan on eliminating some of the alcohol and sticking to my healthy snacks of sugar-free jello (5 calories) and maybe sugar free applesauce and pudding (all 60 calories).

I tell you all of this to tell you that all of our bodies are different. What works for some may not necessarily work for all. What works for us early in the game will not work throughout because our bodies are ever changing and adapting. That's why I love Insanity!!! This workout doesn't give you time to adjust to anything. I don't see a plateau in my future anytime soon.

I''ll most likely be avoiding "bad carbs" next week and may substitute the Cardio Recovery day with a 30 min. treadmill run and see if I can still run. My breakfast will remain Special K Red Berries with 2% milk. Lunch will either be a turkey sandwich on wheat with mustard OR grilled chicken salad. Dinner will be relatively "normal" except there will be nothing fried and no white rice but I AM going to have me a darn baked potato!!!

Oh... I will start using a heart rate monitor and posting calories burned in week 2 or 3. I've already told yall that I don't like numbers because they are so universal and we're individuals. 500 calories burned for someone my weight is easy to achieve in 30 min but a smaller person could work twice as hard and not even come close. So we have to be careful with numbers - even the ones on the scale. But this is another post for another day. I'm sorry for rambling. I'm still amped up from my vicious workout.

Thanks for reading and all of the e-mails, FB likes, phone calls, comments and text messages. I truly appreciate the support!!!

Today's the Big Day!

Today is the big day. Today is the day I weigh in and see the fruits of my labor. I’m very excited. I initially weighed myself on my Wii so I kind of want to stick to the same scale. But working in a hospital, the temptation to go hop on the first scale I come across is very great- almost unbearable. I know I’ve at least lost some inches just above my obliques. I put on one of my favorite dresses today that was very tight in that area and I have space now. So that makes me happy.

I’ve been sticking to the Insanity workouts and trying to eat better but it gets hard with so many different things coming at you from so many different directions. I’m used to going to my favorite restaurant and ordering whatever I wanted regardless of how many calories or how much sodium it contained. All I cared was that I was feeling down and food made me feel better. The solution was obvious:  I was going to eat, drink and be merry. But I see where that’s gotten me.

Instead of resorting back to my old methods I decided instead to take all the aggression and aggravation I’m feeling at the moment and use that negative energy for a positive purpose – to burn off some of the fat instead of adding to it by emotionally eating. I’ve been doing pretty well with my food regimen lately but I know I have much more work to do. I hate the term “diet” because it sounds so restrictive but when I call it my food regimen I feel like I’m in control. I hope that makes sense to you… LOL

This week I’ve been eating Special K cereal for breakfast with 2% milk because anything lower tastes like breast milk (aprx. 150 calories), a sandwich for lunch (aprx. 350 calories) and mainly chicken and veggies for dinner (aprx. 500 clories) . Snacks are sugar-free jello (10 calories), pudding (60 calories) or applesauce (60 calories). I typically eat two jellos and (1) 60 calorie snack. I only drink water throughout the day. I like to save my calories for other “good-bad” things like adult drinks which I KNOW stunt the weight loss process but I’d much rather have 4 oz. of vodka with diet soda than a cheeseburger any day. It usually puts me to sleep and I’m too tired to get up and go “midnight munching”. LOL

So depending on the scale, I’ll continue to make sensible food choices and keep my caloric intake in the 1000-1300 range and keep my nightcaps. But if the number doesn’t represent all the hard work I’ve been doing – something has to go.

I am interested in dietary regimen to get a good jumpstart on my weight loss. Can anyone recommend any supplements or food plans beside Weight Watchers? They are great but I intend to do that program at a later phase to maintain. Right now, I have so much to loose (at least 50 lbs) and I want an overnight miracle as if I didn’t gain this weight over a period of time. What? Are you surprised that I know this isn’t as fast of a process as I wish it were? LOL

I’ll post my weigh in results later. There will not be an Insanity Review today because I’m repeating the Polymetric Cardio Circuit and I’ve already reviewed this workout. (I’m following the calendar only making modifications to cut the longer workouts in ½)

Talk to you guys soon and hopefully – no prayerfully there will be good news!

Insanity Pure Cardio (and a confession)

Insanity - Pure Cardio
Well, Shaun T. definitely gave this DVD the right name! This is the most intense cardio workout I've ever attempted to do but it wasn't as difficult as I feared it would be. I didn't do the 25 minute warm-up. I did that yesterday. Had I did the whole thing at once, I'd be making this post from the back of an ambulance. I'm not exaggerating.

Everything went really fast so I don't remember everything we did but from what I remember there was jogging, suicide drills, push-ups, plank-runs, high-knees, boxing, squat jumps and of course the "drills". The most difficult of the moves for me were the drills because it required a series of moves that reminded me of a "super" squat thrust. Now, I'm capable of doing them but not as fast as the people on the screen. "Keep your own pace" and "Know Your Limits" often flash across the screen and several of the athletes on the DVD had to sit down or were told to take a break so I don't feel too bad. Nevertheless, I hope to be able to keep perfect form and intensity someday. Until then, I'll continue to give it my best.

I've only been doing this workout for 5 days but I see an improvement in my fitness level already. I'm excited to see how much I'll change by the time I'm finished. If I don't loose the weight I want to loose, it won't be because the DVDs aren't effective. It'll be because I'm still eating more than I'm burning. :(


Confession:
Part of the reason I started this blog was to make myself "accountable". I set these goals, put them in writing and formed a good plan to reach them. I did well all week long. But then I relapsed Saturday night going into Sunday morning. I took a good nutritious healthy food and ate far too much of it. That food was turkey burgers. Once I realized how bad I messed up by eating 3 (home made) turkey burgers, I further gave into temptation and ate chips and pretzels.

What does my food slip up have to do with Insanity? EVERYTHING. All of the hard work and energy I have been putting forth all week may very well be compromised because of bad choices I made in one night. SMH....

But... I'm not going to continue on this downward spiral. I messed up. It's nobody's fault but my own. That's what I get for depriving myself of everything I love. I think from now on, I'll allow myself something "good-bad" everyday but not as much as I normally would. The calories for this treat will come from my snacks. So I'm sure it won't take long for me to realize 1 bad treat is not worth giving up my 3 snacks a day. We'll see...

Insanity Disc 4 - Completed!

I completed Disc 4: Cardio Recovery its it's entirety today. This is the FIRST time I've been able to complete one of these DVDs non-stop and without cheating. (Well, except for the Yoga stuff but my flexibility has improved already after only 4 days.).

Today's workout consisted mainly of stretching all of the muscles we've have been working to the max up until this point. It felt good. I know this sounds very cliche' but it's the truth so I'm going to say it anyhow: STRETCHING IS IMPERATIVE! The achy body parts I have been complaining about up until this point feel good. Yes, my thighs are still slightly burning and my bootie hurts when I climb stairs but it's bearable now and getting better everyday. I think the "booty on my back" is starting to fall off. If not, at least I know those stretches and muscle toning exercises today relieved some of the pain.

There were no crazy cardio moves today. Instead we focused more on toning and stretching. I even managed to do all of the plank exercises which required me to put my full body weight on my wrists and feet. The wrist is still sore but getting stronger. I'm starting to think that this physical thing is really a matter of you telling your body what to do and not the other way around. (Maybe I've been watching/reading too much Jillian Michaels).

While I realize that while exercise is an important part of weight loss and healthy living, nutrition is equally (if not more) important so I'll start to share some healthy snack and quick meal options along the way as well. However, my primary focus will be physical activity. I've learned that if you workout hard enough and eliminate small things such as regular soda, fried foods and vending machines - you'll will see results. I have no problem with the physical activity oart - I actually like it. My problem is the nutrition. I'm going to work harder on it. I promise. My 30th birthday is right around the corner and I'm trying to be 50 pounds lighter by November 30th.  I at least want to stop shopping in the Plus section/stores.

I'm terrified of what tomorrow's workout will be like. Today was just a little too easy. So I'm going to fall back, relax, play some poker online, watch a little TV with the family and rest up for tomorrow's Insanity adventure.

Oh... my best friend's daughter is having a birthday party tomorrow so that will be my first challenge. I have a weakness for birthday cake, particularly the icing. I'll be sure to count calories and have only 1/4 slice of cake. I'm a firm believe that complete deprivation of the foods we love only causes us to binge and I've come to far to go back there again.

Until I write again, I'll "get fit or hurt trying". Thanks again for all of your support!

l Feel Good ...

I feel good! So for the first time yesterday, I thought about quitting Insanity and moving onto something a little more “weight appropriate” for me. I can do all of the moves that the cast members do but I’m able to keep up the same intensity as they do for extended periods of time. But then it hit me – the only thing I can do is get better! In fact, I’m working a lot harder to move all of my “goods” around then the people on the screen are. Sometimes you have to give yourself a little pep talk. Others can pump you up and help you stay focused but at some point you have to believe it for yourself.

I’ve tried everything from cabbage diets to magic pills to Atkins and Weight Watchers. They all failed. Why? Because I gave up!! I’ve done all sorts of workout videos and aerobic classes enjoyed every one of them but then I somehow lost interest. When I was in my early 20’s, I could drop weight much faster. I expected things to work out the same way now that I’m 29. Sad to say, things have changed for me L. But that just means I have to work a little harder. I wasn’t crying when I was sitting at Outback Steakhouse or cruising through the drive-thru so why should I cry now that I have to reverse some of the damage? What this all boils down to is that there is no “quick fix” – not a healthy one anyway. So instead of viewing this as a diet or working out. I’ll look at is as a change and exercising. I’m in it for the long haul.

It finally dawned on me that the only thing in my way of reaching my destination is me. I am not a powerless victim of fried chicken, macaroni & cheese, cheese steaks and supersized extra value meals! I have choices. Depriving myself of these things is not the answer either. It’s all in moderation…..

Remember what you eat in secret shows on the scale – Jillian Michaels

Insanity - Disc 3, Part 2

Today started out pretty rough. My thighs and hip flexor are killing me and I still have this mysterious wrist pain. Nevertheless, I kept my promise to myself and did Insanity anyway. I came into the exercise sore and actually finished up feeling a lot better. I somehow managed to work my glutes and back out really well.  I also did my own stretch before even starting the DVD. Otherwise, I tend  to start cramping during the warm up and barely make it to the stretch.

Disc 3 allows a lot more water breaks and only had one excercise that irritated me - Power Jumps. I enjoyed the push-up work because I remember a time when I couldn't do one push-up. Today, I did just about as many push-up as the fit, skinny people in the DVD. Yeah, I was feeling myself big time!  And I still have a sore wrist. I'll try to ice it before going to bed tonight.

In addition to the power jumps, there were more squats, hurdle jumps and something called globe jumps, I liked those. Once again, I was tricked into doing mountain climbers. This time he called them floor sprints. It was a milder variation of the worst move in the world and  I can see myself doing this in lieu of them going forward. There was also an exercise very similar to the basketball suicide drills where we were iinstructed to "hit the floor" continually. I had trouble performing this because of my gut but I hung in there. I hit my ankle and a few time made it down to the floor.

Anyhoo, tomorrow is Friday - the real test. Fridays and Sundays used to be my rest days. So it's going to be a struggle to workout but I'm committed to "get fit or hurt trying". LOL

Insanity Disc 3 - Part 1

Well... I got off to a late start tonight. I got a surprise (but much welcome) visit from my brother. He said he was going to try Insanity with me but he chickened out. I know he's probably going to read the first three sentences and claim that he wasn't scared but Blogger World, I'm telling you the truth: Baby Boy was shaking in his boots. Instead of working out. we laughed talked, ate dinner and even visited our Dear Ole' Dad. But I have a goal and a plan to reach that goal so I headed to the basement at 11:00pm to do my daily workout after all the fun was finished. I decided not to let my workout stop my life and not to let my life stop my workout. (But that's another post for another time).

I originally planned on doing the program twice a day with half in the morning and half in the evening but Disc 2 left me too sore to get out of bed without limping let alone work out early in the morning so I decided to just go at my own pace and workout twice a day when my body permits. I could have done the whole 40 minutes tonight but I wanted to quit while I was ahead and save some energy for tomorrow. I'm praying that my hips, glutes, calfs, and wrists have time to recuperate by then. I will begin stretching more throughout the day in hopes that this will alleviate some of the pain.

The first 2 minutes were what Shaun T. called a "warm up" but it was a workout for me. I didn't enjoy it as much as yesterday's routine but I stuck with it anyway. Yesterday's was more difficult but today's repeated Power Jacks. I don't like those but I did it anyway. There weren't any other noteworthy moves in this part of the disc but I can say it's tough on the knees so don't slack on the stretches. I actually stretch before the routine because the stretch takes place after you've already used the muscles. I'm not the most fit person in the world so I stretch first preferring to be safe early than sorry later.

The stretch was awesome!!! I know I complained about the Disc 1 stretch but it must be because I've grown accustomed to the Active 2 (Wii Game) stretches and the Jillian Michael's stretches. We did a lot of the same moves that I originally hated the other day but they felt good. I guess I didn't appreciate the stretch before because my muscles hadn't been used with such intensity until the past two days.

It's time for me to hit the shower and play a few hands of Live' Holdem'. I know this is only my second day (or technically my 1st and a half) but I'm enjoying this. Next time around, I hope not to need to break the routine in half. But even if I do, who cares? This isn't about Beach Body, Shaun T or anyone else. This is my journey so I'll make up the rules as I go along. But I will continue to press on. We all have to start somewhere and I'm starting from where I'm coming from and if you've been where I'm at, you understand. If not, you probably think I'm just rambling. I am but there is a method behind my madness. Thanks for reading!

I'm signing out on my quest to "Get fit or hurt trying" :)

Insanity- Day 1 Part 2 ( DID IT!!!! )

Well... Part 2 of the disc was definitely harder than part one. I'm not going to lie and tell you that I moved as quickly as the tiny people on the screen but I will tell you that I didn't quit!!! That alone is a victory for me. Last year, Insanity was a fantasy but today it's a reality. I'll get better and better as long as I stick to it. I'm tempted to do this one disc every day for a week. That's how much I enjoyed it.

Surprisingly, there was only one exercise in the circuit that I didn't like and that is the "Jumping Squat". I'm not sure why. The basketball squats and side-to-side ski moves we did are very similar and I did them without a problem. Maybe it's because "jumping squats" sounds like a lot of work and basketball and skiing sound like pleasurable activities.

There were some mountain climbers (which I hate more than anything) but the bulk of them were standing so I did the few ones we were asked to do on the floor (he called it something different) without complaint. I even  added in a few of my own. I once felt the same way about jumping jacks and running and now I don't mind either one of those. So practice makes better....

Oh yeah...there was the Level 1 Drill. It was tough but I like it. I'm recovering from a wrist injury (which I have no clue how I got) so it probably wasn't good for me to put all the stress on my wrists but it was worth it because I FELT every second of it even though I didn't stand up every time they did. I just did extra push-ups and floor runs (mountain climbers). The ab moves were great working the abs, cardio, chest, glutes and almost every other large muscle group in the the body.

The stretch at the end of the circuit was good! I needed it and it didn't require too much balance.

I finished with a smile.  I thought I was going to have to be resuscitated at the end but I managed to walk away.

I know I promised to post the before pics and stats but decided to wait a bit. I'm a little too sore to ask the hubby to measure me today. That would involve touching and Shanita is SORE. lol

Insanity Day 1 - Part 1

So... I finally did it.!!! I finally stopped talking about doing Insanity and finally mustered up the guts to do Insanity. I decided not to do the Fitness Test. Instead, I started out with Disc 2: Plyometric Cardio Circuit. I already know I need to be in a LOT better shape than I am in now. As a matter of fact, that's exactly why I'm doing this. I want to become a healthier me. I’ll gauge my success by how much faster I can run a mile, larger my clothes feel and how much longer I can workout without needing a recovery period. Oh yeah… I wouldn’t be too disappointed if I looked good in a 2-piece either afterward but for now, I’ll take what I can get. As we journey down this road through Insanity and beyond, we must be mindful that no two people are the same so we have to use our own measures for our own goals. But that’s another post for another time….

Anyway…I was so excited to see what the big fuss was about that I hardly slept last night. I set my alarm for 6:30am and ended up getting up at 6:00am to start my first attempt. Armed with a towel, 2 litter bottle of water and a lot of guts I headed to the basement. I didn't use a heart rate monitor but will once I complete the program once without the pressure of having it. I think a lot of times we get so caught up on numbers (weight, heart rate, BMI, resting heart rate) and self-imposed deadlines that we neglect to take the time out to enjoy the stress-relieving benefits of exercise. Now maybe if I keep telling myself that’s why I’m doing it, I’ll start to believe it. LOL

I watched so many Youtube videos of people doing Insanity and read so many reviews that I can honestly say I was prepared for what Shaun T. was about to do to me. Within the first 3 minutes of (what I like to call) the warm-up from hell, I managed to work up a good seat and was in need of a water break. But I toughed it out and waited until the rest of the group was able to break too. The “warm-up” lasted apprx. 20min and my heart rate (manually checked) was well above my “safety zone” by this time. I think I sweated out my sewn-in weave…if that’s possible.

The warm-up consisted of a light jog, jumping jacks, jumping side lunges, mummy kicks, sumo squats, high knees, Heisman’s,  and a few other moves that didn't hurt me enough to remember what they were. Then we went into the stretch. I hated the stretch! I’d rather do the warm-up again than to do this awful stretch. The next time I do this disc, I’ll probably do my own thing during this time to target the same muscle groups.  I probably disliked it so much because I'm not very flexible, have very little core strength and have a little too much "insulation" around my belly to fully get into the moves. So forgive me if I’m too critical of the stretch. Perhaps, I’ll enjoy it once I finish the program.

Speaking of the stretch, I can’t understand why it was put in between the (2) 20 minute sections on the DVD. This is what made me thing I was done. Yall would have been laughing. I could have sworn I did something! Then I found out that was only the warm-up. Imagine the look on my face: I’m all out of breath, drenched in sweat and drank ¾ liters of water and that was just the warm-up! I definitely need this in my life!!! I managed to get through the first circuit but decided to finish up disc one tonight.  Supposedly, working out twice per day is better than once because it gets your metabolism going. But that’s another post for another time. I’ll post my experience with the next circuit tonight along with my stats, weight, and before pic.

Be back soon...