Wanted: MOJO

Well folks, it seems that I have lost my mojo. I have just managed to get my Christmas tree up and decorated YESTERDAy! I have not wrapped any gifts (unless I count the box of chocolates that I bought from Costco already wrapped)! I have not pushed play since December 7th... that is two weeks tomorrow!!!! I am feeling sluggish, grinchy and in need of some serious MOJO juice. I am making a plan to restart the round two that I planned to start some time ago officially on the 27th of December. I HATE this feeling of being drained ... both physically and emotionally. Bring back my MOJO!!!

Make it a great day!

Speaking of Confessions

I have fallen off the X wagon, with intentions if that makes it any better :S

I have come to the conclusion that I am going to keep Bringing it when I can BUT I am not going to kick myself in the ass too hard when I don't get the workout in because of all the other commitments that have presented themselves due to the holiday season. That being said, I will just squeeze in a workout (not necessarily just the X) when I am have the opportunity BUT I am making a plan to start after Christmas... without fail and I am going to be more accountable with my diet as well. I have switched coaches this past week and he is sending me a free sample of Shakeology... I finally get to taste it and if I like it I will be using it as my lunch for the 90 days of the program (and perhaps beyond that). I am also planning on sharing my diet with my readers; so, my entries will include the exercise completed, calories burned and meals for the day. So that is my plan of action, but for now all I have to say is Feliz Navidad :D

Make it a great day!!

An Interruption until I make the time to update....

Still Bringing it just not blogging it... will update soon!

Sorry for the delay

I have been meaning to update and haven't in a while... sorry, for those of you following my progress. Last week I took Friday night off to get my Christmas cards addressed and sent... priorities you know! Then Saturday came around and we had visitors so no workout was completed that day... so I doubled up on Legs and Back and Kenpo! I started with Kenpo because I figured it would be a great warm up for the Legs and Back routine. It would provide me with a nice stretch and get my heart rate up ... and that it did!! Here are the stats:

Calories: 573
Avg HR: 140
Max HR: 172

Yeah, that worked! So following that I skipped the warm up and went right into the Legs and Back routine... oh how I love to hate that DVD! My poor knees were cricking and cracking... my muscles were burning and shaking and I couldn't help but smile when I finished it! Here are the stats:

Calories: 489
Avg HR: 132
Max HR: 160

Then on Monday it was town council and as a town councilor I went but it finished late so I accepted Monday as my day of rest. Tonight will be Chest and Back, wish me luck!

Make it a great day!

YogaX = Killer Yoga

OK, so Laura was right... I was surprised by my improvement in the Yoga area BUT I still didn't like it. I think that I don't like it because I am not that great at it. I hate not being good at stuff :(

So, there is not much to report other than the fact that my HRM died... I mean really died! It is still reading that I should check the HR transmitter. So, I am going to buy new batteries tonight and hope that it will fix the problem. So, in addition to doing a workout that I am not fond of I also had no stats following it! Talk about discouraging...

Tonight is either Legs and Back or Kenpo... both of which I like so it should be a good night. Sorry about the negative post but if you could have only seen my version of the poses you would understand why ;)

Make it a great day!
EVEN A MONKEY CAN DO IT... but I have trouble :P

Shoulder (ouch), Biceps (ouch again) and Triceps (Freaking OUch)

Why, oh why did I think that this round was going to be easier? I assumed that because I have been through this once already and because I have looked Shaun T. in the eye and survived that the second round would have been a breeze... WRONG!

You know what I realize? I realize the secret behind this great product... it will never get easy because I just keep getting stronger and asking more of my body. I also realize that if I keep this up that the end of this round should show enough improvement that I will be sharing Day 1 of Beachbody (Jan 2010) and day 90 of round two of P90x... it should be something worth sharing.

In the meantime I am back to being REALLY sore. I mean having to crawl up and down steps rather than taking them two by two. I am back to supporting myself with walls and chairs while trying to sit down. I am back to moaning as I attempt to get comfy in bed... my muscles are sore! But I know that this is the sore that will make changes in my body so I am sucking it up!

Anyway, here are the stats from last nights workout:

Calories: 416
Avg HR: 121
Max HR: 157

I leave you with a pic from today... after a cut and color ;) Make it a great day!

Just for FUN

Comparable pictures...

1st pic was taken last year... the second one today, Beachbody has been good to me!!

Just doing my BEST... and forgetting about the rest ;)

And my best is pretty freaking impressive! lol

So, last night I was so tired... exhausted really but I pushed play and the magic happened... after I got over the stiff, sore feeling in my body. MAN and I sore!!

So, back to Plyo... it was harder than I thought it would be. I mean I thought that Shaun T. would have prepared me better than he did. I pushed through the workouts and am pleased to say that I made it to the end and managed to push through the "bonus" workouts too... but I am much too uncoordinated to do the pitch and catch workout. It is quite a sight really!!

Anyway, here are the stats:

Calories: 654
AVG HR: 139
Max HR: 171

Make it a great day!

Chest and Back

OK, so I have to admit something, I have not unpacked everything from the recent move and my P90x bible has been misplaced!! So, I am not sure what routine I was supposed to do last night... but I did not use that as an excuse. I simply pushed play with the first DVD in the collection... Chest and Back. Now, I should preface by saying that this was my absolute least favorite routine last round. As a matter of fact I always felt defeated while attempting to do it. Even at the end of the round I could hardly do a good Dive Bomber... and last night I did 5 good ones!! I am stronger and I KNOW that I can do it, and it feels good!!

So, here are the facts from last night's routine:

Calories: 429
Avg HR: 129
Max HR: 167

Oh, and I should say that my HRM was beeping all night last night... so I am not sure how accurate my stats are BUT it is all I have as a measure so I will take it.

Make it a great day folks... PLYO tonight - yippee!! Can't wait to try it now that I have faced Shaun T.

:)

I've Got a Feeling...

... that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good, GOOD night!

Because I am starting round two of the X... and I can't wait to see what results I get this round. If Insanity taught me anything it was that I can ask a lot of my body and it will manage. So, I will not wimp out at all this round and I WILL be doing pull ups by the end of it too. I would love to see another 10-20 pounds gone too... even though that is all I have left to lose. I am feeling better now than I have in years and this round should put me on top of the world.

SO, tomorrow I will update on my results and hopefully my body does not throw me another curve ball this time... but if it does I will wait it out and go again.

Make it a great day!!

Costochondritis

Just because I am looking for something to write about as I prepare for my 2nd round of the X and just because I want people to understand about the disease that the Lord thought that I could handle, I thought that I would share some information about the last flare up that prevented me from finishing Insanity as planned. The name of the "flare up" is Costochondritis. Here is what the definition of the problem:

COSTOCONDROITITIS: IS THE SUDDEN OR SLOW ONSET OF INFLAMMATION OF THE TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS CONNECTING THE STERNUM, RIBS, AND SPINE. THIS CAN LEAD TO LONG TERM SCARRING IF ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES ARE NOT USED TO REDUCE THE INFLAMMATION. this is seen in other rheumatoid conditions as well as lupus.

I sometimes forget that I have Lupus except when I take the 5 pills per day to keep me moving (12 on Sundays and 4 pills extra each day when I am in a flare up)... this was almost like a reminder. In any case, now that I just have 2 more days on my anti-inflammatories I am ready to start again... P90x, here we come. Lupus will not get the better of me ... today anyway!

Make it a great day!

A new beginning

So, I decided to begin P90x with my sweet hubby again next week. We are going to take this week off to prepare everything and then we will be back at it next week... I am so excited about it. This is just a post to say, "Stay Tuned"...

Make it a great day!

Insanity + Flare up = Failure

Well folks, last week I began a new flare up, in my chest, that cause intense pain and I could not catch my breath at moments. As all of you know Insanity alone can do that by times... so added with this new symptom that I had caused me to not push play. It has been one week and with some added meds I am starting to feel better and in a little less pain... so I am now at a position where I must make a decision. Do I finish the last two weeks of Insanity or do I throw in the towel and start my P90x again with my hubby??? I am leaning towards the X because I will have a companion... but I will see. In the meantime I am going to push play tonight and do a Month 1 routine along with the Cardio Abs. I know that I won't be doing any Insanity this weekend because my Mr. Wonderful and I are heading on a road trip together. We will be meeting up with friends and the girls are going to be treated to a full body massage, mani, pedi and facial... ooohhhh, I can't wait! I also know that we will be eating at some of our favorite restaurants... which is a recipe for disaster for my diet :P

When we return we will be ready to tackle the X again... actually I am looking forward to the change. I am ready for the weight training and looking forward to giving my joints a rest.

Or do you all think that I should just "suck it up" and finish Insanity for the T-shirt? I really wanted that darn T-Shirt :S What to do?

Make it a great day!

Accountability for last week

OK folks, let's see how I did with last week's list... did I succeed at everything that I set out to do? Let's take a look:

To burn over 4000 calories - NEGATIVE :(
To not miss a workout - NEGATIVE :((
To eat clean - NEGATIVE :(((
To avoid sweets AND A BIG NEGATIVE!!

So, how do I make it better this week? Good question since I have bigger obstacles in my way this week... I will be on the road for four of my days and I NEED a serious plan to keep on track. Besides, I have new, small jeans on their way.

I am not going to defend what happened last week, but what is in the past is just that... the past. On Sunday we all put all of the Halloween treats in a big bag and shipped it out! It is all gone and so is the temptation. I have my meals planned out for the next two days and then I will be on the road... but when I return I am going to be more conscientious of my meal planning... this will avoid falling off the wagon and going for easier options.

Also, I have booked a suite rather than a room and will be bringing my daughters portable DVD player... I am going to get some serious calorie burning done this week. I won't be disrupted and won't be feeling guilty about being downstairs and selfishly taking time for me. NOPE... on the other hand I will be basking in alone time, feeling totally selfish all the time and I am going to make this week make up for my sloppy behaviour lately. YUP... I will be strong, focused and committed.

In the meantime, I should say that I loved my workouts Thursday - Sunday. I did not miss any BUT I could not find the strength to pull doubles on Sat/Sun like I had planned. These Max workouts are so intense that it is hard for me to ask my body to endure it twice in one day. I really want to get all my workouts in on time this week because I want Sunday off with my family...

So, here I sit thinking about my poster in my home gym: Passion + Commitment = Results. I am gonna do THIS!

Oh, it seems that the scale is down about 10 pounds... I know that it would have been more if I would have kept the diet in check... two more weeks to hit this out of the park.

Have a great week folks and remember to MAKE it a great day!

Hallowe'en pics, as promised

The first pic is when I tried the costume on... but the night of the party I wore leggings and a long sleeve top under it... it was just TOO cold out. Anyway, here we are... lil devils :P

Rest day, Intervals and a gift :P

So, I have been a bit quiet because Tuesday night was insanely busy at my house so I opted to make it my day of rest. Then Wednesday came and so did visitors (did I mention that we built a new house and it has people wanting to come over and visit;)... Interval mission failed!!!

Anyway, last night I was really beating myself up about it BUT I invited my little Angel girl to do it with me and we got Intervals done early. It was great and she did really well for an 8 year old!! We had some good numbers and my plan to catch up is to do two workouts on Saturday... one when Mr. Wonderful takes our 5 year old to the rink and another in the afternoon/evening. I will be back on track before Sunday night.

Now, it seems that I have lacked a little motivation lately and as such I knew that I needed a carrot to get me to commit to finishing the program. I have two weeks and a few days left and damn it I am going to DO IT! So, while blog stalking yesterday I went to visit Laura and saw her wearing a pair of kick-ass boots and JEANS... OMG those jeans were awesome. So, as my carrot I went to Abercrombie today and bought a pair (might I add that they are a full size smaller)... and a sweater :P So, that will be my gift to me for finishing the program. I should get them just in time to go to Montreal and see my BIL and SIL... I hope that I look half as good as Laura does!

So, here are the facts from last night:

Calories: 636
Average HR: 142
Maximum: 173

Make it a great day!

Max Cardio Circuit and a buddy

So last night I knew that I had to really dig deeper and try to get my calorie count up because of all that crap I ate on Halloween... so I did something that I would not have normally done - I asked my Mr. WOnderful to join me. When he said no I whined a little, suggested that he shut the TV off and come join me and when he said no again I walked downstairs by myself. No buddy to push me :(

The reason I asked Mr. Wonderful to join me is because I always push myself further when he is there... maybe it is some sort of animal instinct to make him think that I am a strong woman. I am not sure but whatever the reason I do get more out of my workout when he is there. Anyway I went it alone ... for the first 20 minutes or so and then Mr. Wonderful felt guilty and joined me. It was SO NICE to have him at my side suffering with me. And I think that he enjoyed it... we will see if he joins me again tonight :)

So, here are the facts:

Calories: 594
Avg HR: 137
Max: 175

Make it a great day!

Is it Normal????

Is it normal that, despite missing a workout this week, my glutes are killing me? I mean they are more sore after one week of the second month than they were when I started this journey!!! They are really sore... and it has me rubbing my a$$ a lot! I mean even in public... how much would it cost for a butt massage cause I think that I could use one.

That being said... I did miss a workout last week (again) when I went to the clinic with my baby girl. She had (has) a large mass on her wrist and it turns out that it is a cyst. They tried to drain it and then injected medication in it to try and reduce the size of that thing... ooooh, that was not a fun night. I got home really late and quickly decided that I would not be pushing play. I had a great conversation with Mr. Wonderful regarding missing routines and he encouraged me by telling me that I still have it a priority and I am doing a great job. Awww, he is the best and he is right, I can't beat myself up over missing A workout.

Hallowe'en... I hate this holiday!! I mean, why do I need to test my willpower... I was doing good! Surrounded by all these treats and temptations was more than I could take... so I caved and had a few snacks. All in all it was not the most sucessful week for me - healthwise. On a lighter note, Mr. Wonderful and I dressed up for a party on Saturday... we were devils. I have to get a photo and share with you all ... we won for best all-round costume :P We had a ton of fun - oh, but did I mention that I overindulged there too??? Yup... drank mixed cocktails with Pepsi!! All night... until 2am. I will NOT be stepping on the scale this week because I do NOT want to get discouraged :P

Now, the good news is that today starts a NEW week... with new goals. My goals this week:

To burn over 4000 calories
To not miss a workout
To eat clean
To avoid sweets

That is a BIG list... but I know I can do it!

How to Train Your Dragon and Max Plyo

Imagine this... Tuesday night, sitting around the supper table with my little family of five and my sweet middle child asks, "Mom, can you watch How to Train Your Dragon with me tonight?" How could I say no???? I couldn't... and I didn't! I intended on watching the movie early and then putting the children to bed and going to workout but it seems that my body would not be game for that. I laid down at 6:10 p.m. with the children, turned on the movie and was asleep before 6:30 and only woke up at 5 a.m... how is that for a nap!!

Anyway, we shall call Tuesday my day of rest and on Wednesday I put on Max Plyo and it was a great routine. Well, all except the side push ups - those are brutal and my arms are clearly too weak for them... but darn it, I tried! I know that as hard as these routines seem the first time round that I can and will conquer them! I am sore this morning again... just like in the first week. I feels GREAT!

As for the HRM issue I worked that out too! How you ask? Well it was actually quite simple... I took my hubby's chest strap :P It worked like a charm! I do have another complaint though... I did not finish the routine... the last 11 minutes of it froze on my DVD. I am thinking that I am going to ask my Mom for her Max copies and that way I am assured that I can get the entire DVD.

Speaking of my Mom... she turned 53 in March and she is kicking INSANITY's ass!!! That is right, she is doing the program too and just finished her second week and her fit test numbers are through the roof! She had some small love handles that had developed over the summer and they have since disappeared... she is truly amazing. My Aunt Judy is also doing the program and trying to go it alone... even though we are here to support her we are still 18 hours away and I know that it must be harder for her, but she too will do it! I have strong, beautiful women as my role models... what pillars of strength.

So here are the facts from my first attempt at Plyo:

Calories: 686
Average: 135
Maximum: 163

Make it a great day!

I Worked it OUT!

So, last night I tried to get someone to take my little girl to Karate but to no avail. SO, I suggested she stay home and she was all over that! A night free to watch TV with her big sis... sounded like heaven to her :)

That being said, I accompagned my hubby to a "wake" (visitation, deceased viewing... whatever you call it). Now our intention was to go in, greet the family, offer our condolences and get out of there. So, we walk in and buy a card and our friend said that her husband (the grandchild of the deceased and our good friend) is running late because there was another death and he had to go and pick up the body. As you may have guessed our friend is an undertaker.

So, we ended up staying a lot longer than originally planned. Then when we got home my hubby saw his uncle was at his parents house and convinced me to go and visit there :S I love his aunt and uncle so I went. Upon arriving there I quickly scanned the room to realize that it was a boy's party... our aunt was not around... so I excused myself and headed home to throw on my workout clothes and get to work.

That is right, I was able to do Max Intervals and I loved it. It was fast and furious but I did not expect anything less. Some of the new moves were hard for an awkward chick like me to do BUT by the time I got through the third round of each set I was getting it done. My only disappointment was with my HRM... it kept beeping and telling me to check the transmitter. I checked the HRM on occasion and it was reading 00????? I gotta ask Laura what she did to fix her HRM when that was happening.

In any case, the HRM did calculate when I was standing upright... but anytime that I was in the plank position or on my hands and knees, or squatting the HRM would beep :S I got some data but not all of it...

Anyway, here are the facts even though there is no way that they are accurate:

Duration:1:04:38
Calories: 472
Fat Burn: 15:06
Fitness: 37:14
Average: 142
Maximum: 169

Slacker Week is over

Why do I always do that? These Beachbody programs put one week (or 2 in the case of the X) in the program and call it recovery week and my brain automatically shuts down! During the X it was no different... I slacked off the entire week getting a routine in here and there but did not remain consistent. As we all know consistency is the key to success in these and any fitness program. Anyway, there you have it - my confessional for the week. I was a slacker and only got in 5 routines and burned a measly 2000 calories :S That won't give me the results that I am craving and working so hard for!

So, this marks the beginning of the last leg of this journey. I am excited and scared all at the same time. I am excited for the new routines, excited about pushing myself harder and REALLY excited about the notion of burning about 1000 calories per routine! I am scared too though... scared that I won't be strong enough to push through the routines, scared that I will lose momentum because I may feel defeated and scared that my results won't be well pronounced.

So, on top of all this worrying I have my first dilemma of the second half of this program... tonight I have a funeral to go to, Karate and I want to get in my Insanity workout!! I haven't quite figured out how I am going to get around this but I am sure that I will find a solution. I will let you know tomorrow what I decide to do...

Here are my weekly stats:

Duration: 5:29:41
Sessions: 5
Calories: 2011

It is a little embarrassing but the purpose of this blog is to be held accountable... so there you have it! This will be a better week , I know that because I believe that we are in charge of our own destiny and so if I say it will be I will make it so. That is why I always say...

MAKE it a great day!! It is your day, your choice to make it great or not :)

I am smiling because I LOVE it!

I feel so much better after a great workout... so why can't I wake up at 5am to do my workout? Anyway, I have to decide that it is ok not to do it in the morning as long as I do it at some point in the day. So, last night, I am pleased to report that I was able to get to my workout even though we had a meeting, even though the children had homework, even though the Finale of So You Think You Can Dance Canada was on and I wanted to know if our girl from the Maritimes won... I still chose to Push PLAY and I feel great for it.

Here are the facts:

Duration: 44:59
Calories: 365
Fat Burn: 17:12
Fitness: 27:38
Average: 134
Maximum: 171

That is not what I expected for a recovery week... I thought that we would be meditating or something... I certainly did not expect that my pec muscles would be so sore this morning. I am not sure if it was just Insanity that has made me that sore or if it was a combination of Insanity + Karate but OUCHIE!

Make it a great day folks!!

Karate was a success

Yeah, I feel so much better about get my Karate class in! It was a great night and I had some great remarks from my instructors... it is always nice to have someone recognize your efforts. I kinda feel like a senior karate kid :D












The facts:

Duration: 1:29:58
Calories: 660
Fat Burn: 49:42
Fitness: 39:38
Average: 127
Maximum: 169

Yes, I am still hiding my HRM and getting my stats... just wouldn't be worth working out if I can't record it. I did forget my HRM at home today so I will not have an accurate number of calories burned on lunch but I will use My Fitness Pal to guesstimate the number.

Make it a great day folks... it feels good to have turned this week around!

The calm b4 the storm?

Why am I so nervous about next week? Maybe it is because I have lost a little focus during this, my recovery week? Monday night I had a meeting that I HAD to go to so no routine was done Monday... Tuesday morning, the alarm goes off and I moan, roll over, turn it off - not snooze, not sleep... OFF! That should have been ok though because I would be able to do it at night but would just have to make up for the skipped DVD the next day... SHOULD, COULD, WOULD but didn't! Didn't happen because I had company last night. We never get company through the week and although I was very pleased to have hosted our friends I did not get to exercise again! Then this morning I woke up late because in my fatigued state last night I did not even turn on the alarm!!!! Oh dear, what have I become?

Tonight I am doing Karate that will be worth 600 calories... tomorrow morning I AM getting up with the alarm and doing my workout!. I plan on walking on lunch for the rest of the week as well. I will also try and make up for some lack of ambition by pulling doubles a couple of days... I will kick my own ass for getting so lazy!

Anywho, the lack of posts is due to the lack of exercising going on in my home these days. I also think that my poor planning is making me crazy scared about what is to come next week... get it together MArge!!!

Make it a great day!

Not a good start to the Recovery Week

I am not feeling great! I think that I may be coming down with something :(

Yesterday afternoon I took a three hour nap!! Followed by a 7 hour sleep last night and woke up still feeling yuckie. My tummy is turning and I am lacking energy. I am just hoping to get through the day and I have Karate tonight so I need a miracle to get through the day.

Still trying to make it a great day!

What do you do on a Saturday night?

I do Insanity :P




















After spending the afternoon baking with my lil daughter (while my son slept) I crept downstairs and got to work, after all it was Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs! I am happy that it is over for a bit but I hope that I did enough to prepare me for month 2. I kinda wish I wasn't so keen about the program and that I hadn't read as much as I have about it... maybe then I wouldn't be so worried! Anywho, I thought that I would add a few photos to make the post a little more interesting :P I just snapped them with my phone so sorry about the quality!
Here I am, all warmed up:






















And here I am, almost done... just before Cardio Abs:





















And following the routine I am now off to hang with a few of my favorite people and here is a pic with one of them:)























And I nearly forgot the facts:

Duration: 1:35:50
Calories: 588
Fat Burn: 1:07:59
Fitness: 27:42
Average: 117
Maximum: 166

So far this week: 2725 calories ... I will get over the 3000 mark but not quite to the 3500 calorie/1 pound goal :S Not that it would equate to a pound on this program :S 1 pound is hard to shed on Insanity :S
Make it a great day!

Cardio Recovery + Kenpo X = on target for calorie burn

So tonight I did the routine that was scheduled for last night... Cardio Recovery. I, once again, looked at my Polar FT7 and it read that I had burned a measly 180 calories and I knew that it just wouldn't cut it. Since I have been craving a little P90x and the fact that I missed my Karate this week I thought that I would try my hand at Kenpo to make up for the missing calories. I played it with music and cues and I LOVED it! I skipped part of the warm up since Shaun T. had already accomplished that with the Cardio Recovery and went right into the punches and kicks and it was fun but low impact :S Who would have thought that it would have taken Shaun T. to teach me that I can do more, kick higher, move faster and stronger than I had in my first round of the X. I just can't wait to combine these two programs... it is gonna be FUN!

So, here are the facts for tonight's routine(s):

Cardio Recovery:

Duration: 42:08
Calories: 180
Fat Burn: 41:36
Fitness: 00:23
Average: 101
Maximum: 131

KenpoX:

Duration: 1:04:40
Calories: 454
Fat Burn: 32:01
Fitness: 32:30
Average: 124
Maximum: 160

For a grand total of 634 calories today... not bad but nothing compared to what I am about to burn on the second half of this INSANE ride ;)

Make it a great day!

Day of Rest

Not much else to say... we be back to regularly scheduled exercising tonight. Stay tuned!





















MAKE it a great day!

Opted for Plyo Cardio Circuit instead of Karate

OK, so truth be told I really did not OPT for this change of schedule... my little girl was feeling under the weather so did not want to go to Karate last night. So, rather than doing nothing... I did the routine that was scheduled. I get one more attempt at the Plyo DVD in a couple of days and then I will put that one to rest for a while too :D How fulfilling is that!!

I should say that I think that I hit a mental block last night... I am not sure if I had convinced myself that I too was under the weather or if it was something else BUT I found the routine to be really hard?! I am not sure why...

Here are the stats as they were recorded on my favorite piece of jewellery, my Polar FT7:

Duration: 1:22:03 (got so busy with laundry and such that I forgot to stop it again)
Calories: 563 (After the workout it would have probably been about 380ish )
Fat Burn: 49:15 (extra long cool down)
Fitness: 32:39
Average: 123
Maximum: 166

So far this week I have burned 1503 calories... with 3 days left I have to burn over 500 calories per day to reach my 3000+ goal... so, I think that I will get some extra workouts in when I can. I can do this!!

Make it a great day!

I can FREAKIN do this...

I am feeling so inspired lately ... I know that I can do this! My heart rate is recovering much quicker now and my calorie burn is less BUT I am getting through the routines with greater ease. Don't get me wrong, I am still a sweating mess, panting and pushing my self further and harder BUT I feel much stronger and able. What a great feeling. I have four more routines left this week and then I am onto my first recovery week. Now, when I think about what lies ahead of me I get a little scared because I have read a lot about month 2 and what it demands of the body; however, I am also excited about the thought of burning nearly 1000 calories per workout! In the meantime, should I cut back on my calories because I am burning less calories per workout? Should I start walking or jogging on my lunch to make up for the lack of calorie burn? Or should I just carry on in the same manner? Oh, what to do????

Anyway, here are the stats from my very last Power and Resistance routine of round 1 of INSANITY:

Duration: 50:37
Calories: 388
Fat Burn: 21:27
Fitness: 28:56
Average: 130
Maximum: 165

Make it a great day!

Texas Baked Biscuits

OK, so as I said in the previous post I tried this great and SUPER easy recipe that I found on one of my favorite blogs: Cheeky Kitchen. Brooke McLay has the greatest recipes and writes this great, fun and easy reading blog that I follow. She ALWAYS has great photos, like this one that makes you want to try it:



Anyway, it worked for me and here is the link for all of you to try it too:

yummy and super EASY Texas Baked Biscuits

Thanksgiving Gorge + Injuries = Worse week YET!

BUT I only missed one workout due to injuries and I dug deeper and saw progress none-the-less. I have OVER 10,000 calories burned to date on the program and that has to be good for my body. I can't wait to start really SEEING results and after the recovery week I think that I will take pics to see if changes are happening that I can't recognize in the mirror yet.

This week's game plan is not to miss a workout, push harder and dig deeper. I want my calorie count back in the 3500+ for the week and when you start off the week with Pure cardio it feels like it is achievable.

Diet related issues this week: Thanksgiving is not good for the diet. I tried to behave BUT it is my Mother's cooking that did me in. When I wasn't eating turkey we ate way too late! I turned down dessert last night and stayed busy cleaning up so that no one gave me a hard time about it... and it worked. I did see someone this weekend that I have not seen in a while and they were asking me all kinds of questions about what kind of a diet I was on and how much weight that I have lost... I guess it is noticable :D I proudly tell everyone it is through HARD work... no amount of dieting alone can get good, lasting results.

Oh, and I treated myself on Monday morning with a breakfast recipe that I found online.. it was scrumptious and when I find the author I will give her credit and like her blog here.

SO, here are the stats from last night's workout:

Pure cardio:

Duration:1:00:17
Calories: 471
Fat Burn: 30:37
Fitness: 29:31
Average 121
Maximum: 170

Had some trouble last night with my DVD freezing... I wonder if it has something to do about getting my set on Kijiji? I was SO mad and it affected my average HR for sure!

Tonight is Power and Resistance... c'mon, LET'S GOOOOOOOO!

Oh, and my Mom started today :D She is going to be doing it too... and my other friend should be getting her set this week too so I will have other Insanity addicts to chat with. Gotta love that!

Make it a great day!

Ouchie! My Karate injuries really affected my results

Last night I took three pain killers to numb the pain enough to get through my routine. Thankfully it was cardio recovery. I suffered through but did not get the results that I aimed for because I had to back off a bit... pics below to better illustrate my issues right now :P

My big toe:









The top of my foot, same side:







I also have a sore wrist and my big toe on the other foot is bruised and swollen. I am DEFINATELY wearing protective gear next week!

Anyway, after I weakly got through Cardio Recovery yesterday I looked at my HRM and saw a measly 198 calories burned and decided to go into Cardio Abs to some additional calorie burn. Here are the stats from both routines:

Duration: 1:02:56
Calories: 303
Fat Burn: 58:07
Fitness: 4:40
Average: 106
Maximum: 154

JUST PITIFUL!!!

Tonight is Cardio Power and Resistance... My toes are feeling better so I am hoping to get through it a bit easier.

Make it a great day!

I have lost an average 2 year old :P

So, I managed to hide my HRM last night by tying it to the drawstring on the pants. LOL It was such a hard night because it was my first night of combat, so I am glad that I got the reading.

First let me say that Shaun T has made an animal out of me. When he tells me to dig deep that is exactly what I do in every exercise that I do. So when I got to fight last night I went all IN! I was proud of myself BUT I think that I may have broke a toe. It hurts so bad... and on my other foot I have a HUGE bruise and bruises on my leg... hehe, I am INSANE.

Here are the facts:

Duration: 1:28:20
Calories: 629
Fat Burn: 28:49
Fitness: 48:00
Average: 134
Maximum: 178

Whew! What a night... tonight is back to the INSANITY routine - BRING IT!

And, just for fun... since January I have lost an average 2 year old!

1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human’s skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale’s brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant’s heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant’s penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World’s Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she’s 5’11”)
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she’s 5’4”)
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony"
Make it a great day!

My blood pressure is now 130/80!!!

What a great morning I had! I went for my followup with my rheumatologist which began with the usual triage treatments... weigh in, blood pressure reading, heart rate and oxygen saturation levels. WELL!! Weigh in was exciting... 5 kilos less than May. I can officially say that I have lost 5 pounds on Insanity. Then the blood pressure reading was 130/80... well, I nearly cried. I haven't seen those numbers since before my last pregnancy and Buba is now 5!!!! There was even a time that my family doctor prescribed high blood pressure pills (although I did not take them). I committed in January 2010 too take matters in my own hands and exercise! So, all I can say is that my body seems to be loving the extra attention that I have been giving it.

Now, on to the Plyo Cardio Circuit that I did last night. I felt SO good when I did not take a water break during the warm up - Yeah me! I managed the workout better than times before and I know that I will be feeling like I can really manage them and then Shaun T. is going to change things up again. I guess that I will just have to redo the program ;) Here is the deal though, I forgot to shut off my HRM following the workout so my numbers are a little skewed ... but here they are none-the-less:

Duration:1:37:11
Calories: 584
Fat Burn: 1:00:33
Fitness: 36:29
Average HR: 116
Maximum: 172

Tonight is Karate and I think that I found a way around the HRM ban... I am thinking about wearing it under my Karate uniform rather then on my wrist. I will get the reading one way or another ;)

Make it a great day!

Results of the 2nd Fit Test

So, here is the deal... I worked HARD last night to get the best results possible. I was concerned about getting the true number of reps so I got my dear sweet teenaged daughter to help me out. My concern is that I may have miscounted the first time BUT these numbers are accurate. I pushed harder and succeeded. I am a little disappointed with some of the numbers but hey... I was moving!! The first numbers are in ()

Here they are:

1. Switch Kicks - (79) 93

2. Power Jacks - (38) 42

3. Power Knees - (80) 85

4. Power Jumps - (31) 31

5. Globe Jumps - (9) 13

6. Suicide Jumps - (13) 13

7. Push up Jacks - (6) 13

8. Low Plank Obliques - (50) 55

And my HRM stats:

Duration: 35:50
Calories: 286
Fat burn: 15:53
Fitness: 20:37
Average: 131
Maximum: 176

Whew! What a night and Cardio Circuit tonight :D Can't wait...

Make it a great day!

This shit is bananas!

Well, I am a little late in posting today because my little man had hockey this morning and I just completed the Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs now... and I agree with Shaun T... this SHIT IS BANANAS! But I must be a monkey because I LOVE IT!

Not much to report besides that I *think* that I am getting better... we shall see tomorrow. Here are the stats:

Duration: 1:25:07
Calories: 608
Fat Burn: 50:00
Fitness: 34:58
Average:125
Maximum: 167


For the week...

Duration: 7:41:24
Sessions: 7
Calories: 3231

Weighing in at the doctor's office on Wednesday... we shall see what all the hard work equates to (on the scale)

Make it a great day!

Rest Day and Cardio and Resistance

So Friday I had to be on the road early, ate poorly and had 0 energy to do the workout that night... so it was considered my rest day. This morning I woke up a little behind schedule (5:20am) but got right to it. Got the Cardio and resistance workout in and it made me excited about the fit test coming up on Monday. I think that I have improved a lot and I look forward to evaluating it ;) I just took two 10 second breaks during the warm up (both during the power jacks :S) and a couple of breaks during the moving pushups. I have to say that when Shaun T yelled at me to hit the floor, I nearly did! BUT I dug deeper and did better than before... I LOVE INSANITY!!

Here are the stats:

Duration: 56:23
Calories: 469
Fat Burn: 22:05
Fitness: 34:07
Average: 135
Maximum: 171

I don't even know if that is good or not but I felt GREAT afterwards and recovered well.

Make it a great day!

Karate (day 10) and day 11

Wow, have I already completed day 11??!! This program is so awesome that the days are just flying by and I am feeling more confident and stronger with every passing day. Today was Cardio Recovery and it was just what the doctor ordered. Last night during my Karate class I hurt my left quad and with all the stretching this morning it feels a lot better now.

Karate was great and it was a good workout and the Sensai made an announcement that there will be NO jewellery, regardless of its usefulness... so, looks like last night was the final time I could wear my HRM during Karate but at least I got a second reading ;-)

Here is the data:

Duration: 1:36:31
Calories: 586
Fat Burn: 1:04:36
Fitness: 31:39
Average HR: 116
Maximum: 159

This morning's workout, day 11, was Cardio Recovery and I was again disappointed with the number of calories burned but it felt SO GOOD! I took fewer recovery moments while in my deep squats and I noted that my balance has improved greatly as well. Here is the data from this morning:

Duration: 49:50
Calories: 236
Fat Burn: 47:47
Fitness: 1:54
Average HR: 105
Maximum: 134

Make it a great day folks!

Karate and Day 9: Pure Cardio

Well, on Monday night I wore my heart rate monitor to Karate and got caught :o See the instructor made it very clear that there was to be no jewellery to be worn to his classes as it is not a fashion show.. we are there to work. Anyway, he made a scene when he saw my watch and I later went up to him and explained what it was - he seemed ok with it and my plan is to wear it again tonight to get another reading but after that I am just going to have to do "spot checks" when I wear the HRM to see if I am still burning the same amount or if it has changed. In any case here are the stats from Monday night:

Duration: 1:26:32
Calories: 607
Fat Burn: 47:53
Fitness: 38:30
Average HR: 124
Maximum: 168

So, all in all Monday was a crazy day!!

Tuesday morning I knew that I had to be on the road all day for work but that did not stop me. I got up, mixed up a bottle of the R&R Formula and headed downstairs for the gym. I looked at the calender and gasped... it read Pure Cardio! Could it be that I have to redo that workout already? YUP, it could be and it was. I took a deep breathe and popped in the DVD... and I survived ;) I think that there was improvement but I can't be too sure. Here are the stats:

Duration: 54:21
Calories: 445
Fat Burn: 23:05
Fitness: 31:05
Average HR: 135
Maximum: 169

I am feeling great but a little exhausted and I think that it is because I am doubling up with the Karate. Seeing as Karate seems nearly as insane as the program itself I think that I am going to try and just do the Karate on Mondays or Wednesdays (if I do Insanity and Karate on Monday then Wednesday I am just doing Karate). We shall see how that suits me :P I just don't want to burn out and risk not completing the program.

I should say that I did what I was told not to do this morning... yup, I stepped on the scale again. I couldn't help it... I have been working so hard and I knew that I HAD to see some results. I mean my clothes are fitting a bit different but I needed my weigh in fix... and, drum roll please....

4 pounds down since the last weigh-in!!! Yippee... now THAT is encouraging!

Week 2: Cardio and Resistance

Last week I missed a workout day (Wednesday) when I went to Karate that night so this week I am starting a new routine which includes doing all my Insanity workouts in the morning so that life doesn't interfere with my goal of earning my better, stronger and leaner body ;-) So, that being said I used the Wednesday as my rest day and today marked the first day of Week 2.

About today's workout... I sucked! First of all last night I completed my workout very late and it took me a while to unwind and get to sleep... after about 6 hours (maybe a little less) I was up and at it for today's workout. I got dressed, got my water and decided to try it without the R&R Formula to see if it made a difference and tiptoed downstairs to my gym. I pushed play and got started and realized very quickly that I am making progress. I was into the third set of the warm up drills when I realized that I did not start my Heart Rate Monitor!! I was so upset about it ... how stupid! I pressed start on my HRM and continued with the program.

Overall, it was not a great day! I had to really push myself to follow along and did not have great results at all. I think it was a mental shut down that I experienced. I knew that I was not going to have the right readout on my HRM and the fact that my R&R wasn't in my water made me believe that I should have just stayed in bed. SO, the moral of the story is... I will press start when I get dressed and I will treat myself to the yummy R&R Formula every day as they clearly serve as my motivators.

Here are the stats for the day (what I got of them):

Duration: 32:40
Calories: 280
Fat Burn: 12:38
Fitness: 19:52
Average HR: 137
Maximum: 172

Tonight is Karate... :)

Make it a great day!

Day 5, 6, 7

Well, I decided not to do double up on Friday and saved it for Saturday and I am grateful that I did because I crushed it on Saturday and did WAY better than I expected!! I did the Cardio Abs right after the Pure Cardio and I felt like I conquered the world. I did do day 6 last night at about 9pm which I admit was too late but I got through it. Some days I feel like I am a real sucess with the program and some times I just feel like I am going through the motions... like I am there in body but my mind didn't show up?!?!? Anyway, I am gonna work on that by beginning my new schedule this week; 5am workouts Monday - Saturday and Sunday as my rest day.

So, without further ado, here are the stats for the weekend:

Saturday: Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs
Duration: 1:11
Calories: 629
Fat Burn: 26:31
Fitness: 44:30
Avg HR: 139
Maximum: 175

Sunday: Plyometrics
Duration: 58:53
Calories: 526
Fat Burn: 21:09
Fitness: 37:36
Avg HR: 140
Maximum: 176

Week 1 is complete and I survived it!

Calories: 3860 (that is just Insanity and does not include Karate)

Physical changes: +1 pound BUT I feel so alive on this program! I really feel like every workout pushes me harder and further and I strive to beat my personal bests all the time. I want to get better, jump higher, sweat more, squat lower and longer and crush it everyday! So my mental has improved while the physical is likely in shock and it will take a while to it to kick in ;)

Additional Observations: I hate Tonya... she is always looking so darn good and doing everything in perfect form!!

Make it a great day folks!

Day 4: Cardio Recovery

I guess I should have know by the name of the workout today that it was going to be a little lighter but I have to admit that I was surprised! It was a nice, slow workout but in the end I felt like I should have done more. I was disappointed with the calories that I burned and the lack of sweat to wipe up... is that normal or am I weird?

I was able to keep up with almost all of the moves, the only exceptions being the deep squats as my knees were on fire and after I though that I was going to lose my squat I held it for the count of 5 and then took a break. I did not require additional pain meds this morning to get me through, the Prednisone was enough (yeah). I was happy with my effort but next week I think that I will try and get deeper and focus more on contracting all my muscles in all the moves to ensure that I get the most out of the workout.

I am considering doing day 5 tonight just to feel the burn!! Anywho, here are the facts from today's workout:

Duration: 41:26
Calories: 339
Fat burn: 39:33
Fitness: 1:53
Average HR: 117
Maximum: 154

Oh, and on a side note, I finally got the courage to step on the scale this morning... I was so worried about all the weight that I thought that I gained over the summer BUT it amounted to 4 pounds! SO, I am 4 pounds heavier today than the day I completed P90x... my goal for Insanity is to take off 10 pounds (I think that sounds like a reasonable amount) and to tone up ... maybe even lose a size in my pants (or 2).

So, that is all for today folks... stay tuned tomorrow to see if I pushed play again tonight!

Make it a great day!

Karate and Day 3: Cardio and Resistance

Well, well, I must be CRAZY or perhaps INSANE!

So, last night I went to my first Karate class and it was an intense 45 minutes followed by some "kata" training to regain composure. It was terminated by another jog around the gym... in total 622 calories gone last night! Yeah me...

Then, at 5am I got up and did my day 3 of Insanity... it was awesome! I can't wait to see how much I improve over the next few weeks. I have been feeling really sore and stiff and have had to resort to Prednisone just to be able to functon. This morning when I pushed play I had to pause it within a minute and go and add Atasol to the cocktail this morning too... but it got me through! It felt so good to be done my workout first thing in the morning. I had a little results and recovery in my 20oz of water during the workout followed by old fashioned oats with dates and almond milk for b-fast. I am feeling so good today... here are the facts:

Duration: 44:10 minutes
Calories: 537
Fat burn: 6:17
Fitness: 45:07
Average: 153
Maximum: 181

Make it a great day!

Day 2: Plyometric Cardio Circuit

So last night at around 7:30pm I had my little boy tucked into his bed, homework was complete, kitchen clean up was done, and I found the courage to push play. It started quite similarily to P90x, with a series of exercises intended to warm up the muscles and joints BUT it was what followed that which took me by surprise! I expected to regain composure and do some stretches like in the X... WRONG! We had to do it all over, just faster! And then again, faster still until I thought I was going to pass out or slip over my sweat piles that were forming all over the place. OUF! That was the warm up!!! WOW, I knew then that I was in for a treat.

So, I had decided to throw in some R&R drink in my water - good idea! I think that it helped... but I should not have used some of that salt-free Mrs. Dash on my chicken stew! I thought that I was going to be sick!! Anyway, I managed to get through it all and felt like a million bucks. I am so happy to be active again and I feel like taking off the summer was the worse thing that I could have done for my endurance. However, I also know that I will rebuild it quickly so I am not getting discouraged.

Now, I should say that my joints are not feeling well this morning. I have inflamation in my left knee and feel a sore hip on the same side. This program will certainly remind me to keep taking all my meds to keep the joints free from inflamation so I can get through the 63 days, and beyond.

OK, so here are the facts:

Calories: 618
Fitness zone: 43:14
Fat Burn zone: 24:46
Average HR: 141
Maximum HR: 182

Yeah, I realize that the workout is only 40 minutes BUT I put on the HR monitor when I got dressed and had to run up and down the stairs a couple of times before the workout. Then I left it on for a bit while I continued to cool down... it took me longer than 4 minutes to cool down.

So, that is it - day 2 completed!!

Make it a great day!!

Let the INSANITY begin

Ok, so I was like a kid at Christmas time yesterday when my Insanity arrived. I broke it open and started to read but there really wasn't much there so I popped in the first DVD and saw Mr. Shaun T himself talking me into digger deeper... oh yeah! Then I tried the FIT TEST; clearly I am not too fit :S I have to confess, or lay blame, that our floor in our gym is not complete so I did it in the family room where the floor is SLIPPERY! I found it hard to do the moves well when I was struggling to keep my form. Anyway, here is the stats:


1. Switch Kicks - 79

2. Power Jacks - 38

3. Power Knees - 80

4. Power Jumps - 31

5. Globe Jumps - 9

6. Suicide Jumps - 13

7. Push up Jacks - 6 (slippery floor)

8. Low Plank Obliques - 50

I was dripping with sweat and feeling whipped at the end of the Fit Test... what will the real deal do to me? I will let you know tomorrow because tonight is the night. I plan on stopping at the store tonight to buy the floor for the gym TONIGHT. In the meantime I will use my yoga mats to control the slipperyness. I also signed up for Karate on Monday and Wednesday nights :P This is going to be a great year and at the end I should have the body that I will be proud of.

Oh and for my calorie count:

Fit Test = 240 calories GONE!
Left my heart monitor on for another 4 hours as I ran around the house trying to get things put away, drove Skylar to her Karate class, did homework duties and put the kids to bed (which included running up and down the steps countless times) and burned nearly another 1000 calories

Here are the stats:

Duration: 4 hours 33 minutes
Calories: 1216
Fat Burn zone: 3 hours 56 minutes
Fitness zone: 21 minutes (can you say FIT TEST?!)
Average heart rate 105
Maximum heart rate 172

So, there you have it... ready to go INSANE!

Make it a great day

En route

Insanity is due to arrive tomorrow :P It is now in my province and on its way home... I am giddy!!

Make it a great day!

Still waiting for the Insanity to arrive

House update

Just because people have been asking... here are a couple of pictures of our beautiful new house. We should, fingers crossed, be in on the weekend.

Insanity seems appropriate

Insane is how I would describe my life right now and so I did what any INSANE chick would do... I ordered INSANITY! It should be here next week and it is the next beachbody program that I am going to do. I plan on doing at least one round of Insanity and then incorporating P90x and Insanity for a hybrid program in December. Stay tuned for the updates... I am grinning from ear to ear today because I am sooooo excited!

Make it a great day folks!

T-2 weeks until moving date

So, over the past month we (Mr. Wonderful and I) have been working tirelessly on the building and completion of our new home. It is nearing completion and I just have to say that our home gym looks so inviting! Mr. Wonderful just put up one of the two floresent lights that are going in there and with the electric blue walls I can't see us ever feeling drained when we walk into that room for our daily workouts! It is a gift to have our new play room (that is what the carpenters refer to it).

So, soon I will update with new pics of the completed project and I will be starting our new workout schedule as soon as we get settled... I can't wait!

Make it a great day folks!

On a break and finishing the house

Well, we have yet to get onto round 2 of the X although I had the best of intentions! We simply spend every spare moment working at completing the house and are completely drained when we hang up our tool belts... BUT, hammering, insulating, sweeping, lifting heavy planks, siding and drywall should all count as exercising... I mean I know that I sweat like crazy and that my heart rate is definitely above resting but to what extent I can call it exercise is yet to be determined. I should really wear my HRM some night and then I can really calculate the results of our hard work. I suppose that I should also weigh in but I have been worried that all my results have been sabotaged by my lack of commitment to begin round 2. I will weigh in after the weekend and see where I am at - maybe that will jump start my round 2 even if it means waking up at 4h30 to get in the exercise.

How many of you exercise in the morning on an empty stomach? I always fear that I am not giving it my all because I feel weaker and I am cranky in the morning which doesn't help neither....

Aww, what to do?!

I should say that Mr. Wonderful and I took some time off on Sunday afternoon to spend some quality time with our sweet and understanding children who have been so patient with us as we try to build our family home. Our time together consisted of hiking to the Shigawake Falls and while we were there Mr. Wonderful took this picture of us and then we went to the Cove and swam... so there was great movement on Sunday for the whole family ;) We are still trying to stay as active as we can but maybe not as much as we would like to.





Anywho... there has been no recent updates because there was nothing to update other than we should be priming the house next week... so at least some things are moving forward.

Make it a great day!

Still biking

Well, we are still enjoying our bikes and I have shaved 10 minutes off that 13km run that I blogged about last week. I think that tonight we are going to switch it up a bit and add some kms to our routine... I feel that I am ready :)

This weekend was a total bust for my diet! (and by weekend I mean from Wednesday - Sunday (inclusive)) because my SIL is home and we were party planning and hosting all weekend with lots of YUMMY junkie food and I caved... like a big whimp, I caved BIG time. Ate what I wanted, however much I wanted and never even thought of the consequences! So, here we are Monday, I am taking my lunch and drinking my protein shake... time to take back the control.

Our plan for the week is 3 bike rides with added kms and 3 strength routines, legs and back, chest and shoulders and arms, bi and tri.
Make it a great week!

Got the new bike...

... and got started right away! On Friday night Jeff and I went on a 13 KM run with some serious hills and managed it well. We completed the run in 45 minutes (Jeff could have done it faster but he waited for me :) Then the following night we did it again and I was able to do it in 40 mins and stayed in my fitness zone the entire time:) What does that mean?? Well, it means that I burned 629 calories - Yeah me! Last night was our night of rest and tonight we will be back at it, I can't wait!

Now, I have to admit that I have been less than faithful when it come to the diet side of things! I have been cheating all the time... but I have committed myself to cleaning up my diet again this week and trying my best to stick with it!

Make it a great day!!

Almost done...

too bad the weather improved so early this year because it has been hard to complete the program. 3 more DVDs and then we are going to have two weeks of recovery (Cardio) and then it will be final results time. With the warm weather it has also been hard to keep up with our diet... but I still log my calories and try to keep them in check. Some days are better than others though!

So, Jeff just bought me a new bike :) I pick it up in an hour and we are going riding this afternoon. I love to bike and I am also going to be running again this summer. I should set a goal of a small 5K run this fall or something just to get me on track... what do you think? Anyway, no more P90X until the Fall and then I am going to do one more round of it in our new home gym!! The gym looks SO AWESOME! I just can't wait! Once I successfully complete Round 2 of P90X I am going to treat myself to Turbo Fire and do that!! I am giddy with excitement... can't wait to complete those next small goals.

I am feeling great and looking forward to a summer of cardio, biking and running... should prepare me nicely for my next round of the program that kicked my ass just enough to get 'er done. I think that I am going to try to do the ARX three mornings per week during the summer because I failed at it during the program and I NEED those exercises. I also won't have to get up and get the kids ready first thing in the morning so I should have some extra time to do the short 15 minute routine.

Well, that is the update for now... stay tuned for more updates within the next couple of weeks!

Make it a great day!

Substituting Yoga (again)

Well last night was supposed to be Yoga and I bailed on it! I hate yoga, mainly because of how LONG it takes to get through it! So, instead of the dreaded yoga I went on my bike... for just over 1 hour and burned 568 calories while listening to some great tunes on Bear's IPod and then Jeff and I got up real early this morning and did CardioX and burned another 391 calories! It was great fun and instead of 1 1/2 hours to burn 500 calories I burned 959!! Yeah me!

Now, what I don't understand is how people get up real early and do high impact cardio??? I mean without nutrition I am no good for anything! I get dizzy and do not commit 100% to the routine... biking is easier to do on an empty stomach so maybe tomorrow (if my legs are ok) I will get up and go for a bike ride to Hopetown... maybe :P

So, tonight is Legs and Back and then Kenpo on Saturday and rest day on Sunday... then one more week and we are on to recovery week for two weeks! We are going to mix up our cardio on the recovery weeks... we will aim to burn at least 3500 calories per week by biking and running rather than to do all the indoor cardio dvds... we will get it DONE!

Have a great day and BRING IT!

A little slack on the Ab Ripper

Well, I have to be honest ... I have not been completing the Ab Ripper routine as I should be! Not because I hate it... but because after the workout I am DEAD TIRED and I always think that I will get up and do it with Jeff in the morning... well, he gets up and does it and all I want to do is sleep! I wish I had his dedicatation... I think that I am just lazy!!

BUT on a happier note... I stepped on the scale again yesterday and I am now just 10 pounds away from my goal! 10 pounds... I can't believe that I am so close to my goal! I feel better than I have in years and I know that as long as I keep going I will be looking hotter than I have in years too! I am so close now that I can feel that this is going to happen.

Thanks to P90X and my wonderful hubby... I will be reaching my goal SOON!

Make it a great day!

Who would have thought?

Who would have thought that P90x would have changed my outlook on fitness and healthy living? Who would have thought that Jeff and I would be excited to do 4 hours... that is right - 4 HOURS of activity after supper and before bed??? Where did I find that energy where I once had NONE? I know that Jeff pulls me in to his vortex a lot and I owe my perseverence to him a lot of the time(the Lupus makes me really tired most of the time)BUT I am still the one to push myself! Anyway, all of that to say that I burned 1250 calories last night!!! That was more than all the food that I consumed... and according to My Fitness Pal, if I keep that up I will reach my goal weight in five weeks!! Wouldn't that be nice!

Oh yeah, and just a side note... those size 28 capris that Jeff bought me fits beautifully!! It has been a LONG time since I fit into something like that- well at least two years because that is when they started medicating me and I started losing control!! :S

Make it a great day!

OMGoodness, I have finally broke that plateau I hit

I am so excited this morning... I weighed in and finally I saw the scale actually move .9 KGs!! It is better than the .1 KGs that I have been losing all the other weeks!! Finally, PROGRESS!

Last night I Brought it!! I spent 713 calories while doing Plyo and it was awesome! I am trying to burn at least 3500 calories per week, over and above my everyday calorie burning... that should ensure that I get results. Four days into this "week" and already I have burned 2088 calories so I am reaching my goal at a good pace.

Anyway, have a great day... I know that I will!

Kenpo and 516 calories GONE

So last night was the last day of our 9th week... hard to believe that we are on to week 10 already! I am so proud of us for sticking to it and getting it done. Kenpo never gets boring and always accounts for a major sweat... gotta love that!

My friend Tera started the program and did Plyometrics last night for the first time... I wonder how her legs are this morning? hehe

Anywho, on to week 10 and this week we are going to BRING IT more than eva!

Make it a great day!

Letter to Tony Horton

Dear Mr. Horton,

My husband and I are currently finishing up our 9th week of your P90X program and I felt compelled to write you this letter. WHilst I suffer through your workouts, pushing myself further than I have ever pushed myself before I can't help but wonder why? Why is it that P90X has successfully inspired me to keep going when many other programs before yours have failed. Why to I want to push play every night? Why do I want to tell the world about this program and my successes? Why do I feel so damn good... because of the P90X program, that is why!

Your P90X program has allowed me to believe in myself; to have the strength to push myself and forget about my limitations; to get stronger both physically and mentally; to connect with my husband on yet another level as we reach for the same goal; to be proud of myself and all that I have accomplished. Thank you Tony for giving me this gift!

May you continue to push all levels of individuals with all levels of physical conditions... I know that you will continue to inspire me to BRING it every darn day!

Make it a great day!

Marge

Yoga swap for Core

So, the dreaded Yoga day was made much better when Mr. Wonderful and I decided to swap that DVD for Core. I pushed harder than I ever had for this DVD and burned 591 calories! BRING IT!

I also burned another 166 calories with ARX and, if you can believe it, my arms are still sensitive and sore from the Bicep workout last week! But it is a good sore feeling!

Anywho, it is a new week... another crazy busy week but we are going to keep pushing play and making the magic happen.

Have a great week!!

Shoulders and Back

Well, it has been over 1 month since last we did this DVD and I had forgotten how much I enjoy it! I love the look of my biceps, now that I have them, when I finish up this workout... I look PUMPED hehe

Tonight we are on to core because we do not like Yoga and since Core has Yoga in it that is what we are going to do! I fell off the food wagon a bit yesterday since there was a BIG BBQ party at work but I still managed to stay under my calorie count (although I was over by 23g in the FAT department). Today is a new day... I had a Phytoberry Protein shake for breakfast and I am going to be on the move all day so I will work off those dreaded grams of fat... I will NOT let it store on my a$s and legs... BEGONE fat!!

Anywho, have a great day folks!!

Plyometrics

So, last night we did Plyo and it hurt, it burned and it was GREAT! I have to admit that I was sick all day yesterday and after two trips to the bathroom during the routine I called it quits 10 minutes early. It is the first time that I was not able to do that whole routine and I was really disappointed but before Mr. Wonderful was done his routine I was asleep... I really was sick! Anyway, Mr. Wonderful burned 711 calories and I burned about 500 and since I burned 177 calories yesterday morning I am still well satisfied with the day! Came in under my calories but not too badly.

Then, this morning I dropped off my son at daycare and the daycare provider asked what I was doing and how I had dropped so much weight (hehe) - gotta love that!

Anywho, tonight is Biceps and back another one of my faves!

Make it a great day!

Hear Ye, hear ye...

I would like to announce that I STILL dislike the Chest and Back DVD the most!! I hate it... but I am getting better. I am able to do the first 10 push ups on my feet (like a big girl) and then I go to my knees and complete the sets... but OMGoodness there are a lot of push ups in this dreaded DVD. I can't wait until the end of my second round of this program ... I should be able to pump them out the way Mr. Wonderful does. I burned 431 calories last night and I was feeling the BURN!

* I should say here that when I started this program I was not doing ANY push ups on my feet... they were all from my knees and that was hard enough. That is why I think that there is such an improvement in my arms and shoulders... because of all those dreaded push ups and chin ups.

Anyway, we were burned out last night after this workout so we got up before 5am so that we could do the Ab Ripper DVD this morning... on to Plyo tonight!

Make it a great day!!

Phase 2 complete... on to the month of magic

:P So, we managed to make it through another month and now - since the pictures- we are more motivated than EVER! My Mr. Wonderful looks SOOOOOO amazing and I was feeling great but the pictures are not near as flattering of me as of my dear hubs. Anyway, we are ready to bring it for the last five weeks and I have already arranged a partner for me to work out with, following this round of the program, for round 2... then I will be proud to share those nasty day 0 photos...

Here are Mr. Wonderful's transformation photos: Day 0, day 30, day 60... look out for day 90! Click on the pics for a better view!

Legs and Back and ARX

My legs are getting stronger! All my life I have had heavy thighs and even when I got skinny my legs were never this strong. I love the shake and the sweat that I achieve while doing those darn, dreaded wall squats and chair squats... I will say like Tony, "I hate it, but I love it!"

ARX was harder this morning than it has been for a while and I think that it is because I have skipped it for the past two workouts... :S Serves me right! Anywhoodle, tonight is the last DVD for week seven and then the recovery week begins.


Make it a great day!

Another weekend in Hotels and STILL P90xing it!

Well, I am so proud of Mr. Wonderful and I... we were traveling (10 hour road trip) and stayed in hotels, eating at restaurants and still did the program - never missed a beat! I also should mention that instead of snacking on Chips, pop and chocolate while driving we snacked on pistachios, nuts and water. We felt energized and had zero guilt about our decisions. We ate at some nice restaurants and made wise choices and kind of snickered about it because we realized how far we've come. I bought new pants for Mr. Wonderful and he is down two pant sizes ... and I am not that far behind!! I am happy and although my results are not as obvious as his I know that I am on my way and there is no stopping me now. We are just finishing up week seven and we will be on to week 8 on Wednesday... then day 60 pics!!

Make it a great day!

Defeated!

Why, oh why, is this not easy yet? I felt so defeated last night... Bi, Tri and Shoulders must have to be my worse program! I hate not being able to keep up - I feel so weak and discouraged


Tonight is PLYO... my favorite so I hope that it takes me to a better place mentally because right now :-O

Kenpo success

Even our seven year old daughter got into it last night! She just spent the weekend (both Sat. and Sun) doing her Karate competitions and received her new belt, then she went to Karate on Monday and will be going again tonight and decided - just for fun- that she would join us last night as we did our "karate" for the week! She did great and so did we... BUT

I don't really understand why Tony thought that it was a good idea to make us do those prayer squats and all that leg work following the insane LEG AND BACK workout the day before. It hurts man!! I spend the first 8 minutes of the Kenpo DVD crying (not literally, but you know what I mean) because the pain is nearly unbearable. Somewhere between 8-10 minutes into it the pain disappears and I am always able to Bring it! How does that happen? Where does all that pain go? And today -- I can jump over the moon!!

Anywho, make it a great day folks and BRING IT!

Legs and Back

OMGoodness, will this DVD ever get easy? I am getting through it all now and that is BIG for someone with the Lupus that I have. I shake, I tremble, I sweat, I ache and I succeed!! Today I am hurting e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e! I don't know if it is a culmination of all this week's hard work along with another flare up starting or if it really is just that Tony pushed me that hard this week! We have less than a week left before we start the recovery week and then it is followed by phase 3!! I can't believe that we are almost done round 1!!! I am taking some pics of Mr. Wonderful after the recovery week so that you can be witness of a HUGE transformation for yourself... it is insane the way that man is getting ripped! I will be taking pics of myself too but simply as motivation for me and I doubt that I will be ready to share those with the entire world (not that the world reads my ramblings about P90X... but I am not going to chance it).

Well, I leave you with a picture of how I am feeling today...

Make it a great day and keep pushing play!

Lots of catching up to do...

So, that flare up lasted two weeks and made P90xing it REALLY tough! I lost about three days in total and weighed in (just to torture myself) and found that I still lost .4 KG. Not a lot but I am happy with it considering the modifications that I have been forced to do. The last two routines were easier than I have been experiencing with my joints so I am sure it is all downhill from here.

Tonight is Legs and Back ... just when I thought that my joints were feeling better :P

Have a great week... and keep pushing play!