Let me preface this by saying that I know weights vacillate all the time... BUT this morning I got on the scale and the little digital numbers said 143.8. That's two full pounds lighter than when I weighed in on Day 1. Sort of a nice surprise considering it's only Day 3.
Yay Insanity :)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Plyometric Cardio Circuit
... aka OUCH. It's 11 pm. I did the plyometric cardio circuit at around 7. I am already sore.
My big takeaways from tonight's workout are that my flexibility, cardio endurance, and arm strength have all gone to shit. It's tough when you expect to be able to do something, and then struggle through it (i.e. the warm up). I was POURING sweat after the warm up! Yuck.
Also, and I need a vehicle through which to complain about this -- Shaun T really messes with my OCD when he skips the split-the-leg stretch and leg lifts on the left side. Come on, man.
In terms of the actual exercise, for as much as I was sucking wind, the plyo cardio circuit went by surprisingly quickly. Very fast-paced, and by the time you get tired of an exercise it's almost over. The only crap thing is the little two-minute bonus exercises he conveniently adds on after you finish the third round of the circuits - when you expect to be DONE. Nope, have an extra two minutes of crappy Cross Jacks when the last thing you feel like doing is jumping. Thank you.
I certainly couldn't keep up with our friends in the video. Mountain Climbers are probably the dumbest thing in existence. I had to switch to push-ups from my knees pretty early on. And the combo of Ski Abs/In-Out Abs is brutal. I may or may not have grunted occasionally from determination/pain/frustration/disbelief.
And finally, based on the Nutrition Guide which allocates 3-4 oz of steak for dinner, I have also determined that Shaun T is on crack. Who can only eat 3-4 oz of steak?!
That's all for the evening. See you tomorrow for Day 3 and Cardio Power & Resistance.
My big takeaways from tonight's workout are that my flexibility, cardio endurance, and arm strength have all gone to shit. It's tough when you expect to be able to do something, and then struggle through it (i.e. the warm up). I was POURING sweat after the warm up! Yuck.
Also, and I need a vehicle through which to complain about this -- Shaun T really messes with my OCD when he skips the split-the-leg stretch and leg lifts on the left side. Come on, man.
In terms of the actual exercise, for as much as I was sucking wind, the plyo cardio circuit went by surprisingly quickly. Very fast-paced, and by the time you get tired of an exercise it's almost over. The only crap thing is the little two-minute bonus exercises he conveniently adds on after you finish the third round of the circuits - when you expect to be DONE. Nope, have an extra two minutes of crappy Cross Jacks when the last thing you feel like doing is jumping. Thank you.
I certainly couldn't keep up with our friends in the video. Mountain Climbers are probably the dumbest thing in existence. I had to switch to push-ups from my knees pretty early on. And the combo of Ski Abs/In-Out Abs is brutal. I may or may not have grunted occasionally from determination/pain/frustration/disbelief.
And finally, based on the Nutrition Guide which allocates 3-4 oz of steak for dinner, I have also determined that Shaun T is on crack. Who can only eat 3-4 oz of steak?!
That's all for the evening. See you tomorrow for Day 3 and Cardio Power & Resistance.
INSANITY - Day 2
I have an expert tip for anyone who is working out: Don't take 3 weeks off.
Last night we did the Fit Test, and I had to pause the DVD at one point to ease my burning lungs. Man, all that cardio endurance I built up went away FAST.
Today I am sore, mostly my back/shoulders... probably from those damn push-up jacks. But really the exercise I hated/hate the most is the power jumps. Those things suck. I despise anything having to do with jumping (vertically -- side to side isn't so bad). And, boy, did I forget how annoying Tonya was. She is so smug! I can't wait til I beat her in an exercise.
Anyways, here are my results, and those measurements I promised you.
1. Switch Kicks 71
2. Power Jacks 51
3. Power Knees 124
4. Power Jumps 25
5. Globe Jumps 12
6. Suicide Jumps 17
7. Push-up Jacks 22
8. Low Oblique Somethings 60
Weight 145.8
Size pants 6/8
Chest 34.5
Waist 26.5
Hips 40
Thigh 23
Bicep 11.5
Belly 33.5 (This isn't really an Insanity measurement, more just for me!)
Glad to be back (for now). Tonight I have the "Plyometric Cardio Circuit" to look forward to...
1 day down, 62 to go!
Last night we did the Fit Test, and I had to pause the DVD at one point to ease my burning lungs. Man, all that cardio endurance I built up went away FAST.
Today I am sore, mostly my back/shoulders... probably from those damn push-up jacks. But really the exercise I hated/hate the most is the power jumps. Those things suck. I despise anything having to do with jumping (vertically -- side to side isn't so bad). And, boy, did I forget how annoying Tonya was. She is so smug! I can't wait til I beat her in an exercise.
Anyways, here are my results, and those measurements I promised you.
1. Switch Kicks 71
2. Power Jacks 51
3. Power Knees 124
4. Power Jumps 25
5. Globe Jumps 12
6. Suicide Jumps 17
7. Push-up Jacks 22
8. Low Oblique Somethings 60
Size pants 6/8
Chest 34.5
Waist 26.5
Hips 40
Thigh 23
Bicep 11.5
Belly 33.5 (This isn't really an Insanity measurement, more just for me!)
Glad to be back (for now). Tonight I have the "Plyometric Cardio Circuit" to look forward to...
1 day down, 62 to go!
Monday, June 18, 2012
INSANITY
In the beginning of April I started doing the Insanity workouts with my dear, dear fiance, Steve. It's a 9-week program, and I got about 6 weeks in before life got in the way.
But I ADORED it.
Here's the thing, I actually hated it. Well, the working out part. I dreaded going home almost every day. I suffered through each exercise. But the way my body changed was incredible. I felt better about myself than I have in years -- if not ever. I didn't complete the program, but Steve did, and he lost 22 pounds!
My good friend, Tracy, thought I should blog about the experience, but I never got around to it. The good news is, I can start over! I decided it's time to get back on the train. As of today, I am starting Insanity from the beginning. Steve decided he can't get enough, and he's going to do it over it again, too. We've enlisted my mom, my sister, my brother, and Steve's parents to do it with us.
I weighed in this morning at 145.8 lbs (when I started in April I was 151.) I'm going to do some measurements, too, so that I can have some more quantifiable measures of success besides just pounds. Those will be posted later.
First up on the docket is the Fit Test. And I'm actually excited. Let's do this :)
But I ADORED it.
Here's the thing, I actually hated it. Well, the working out part. I dreaded going home almost every day. I suffered through each exercise. But the way my body changed was incredible. I felt better about myself than I have in years -- if not ever. I didn't complete the program, but Steve did, and he lost 22 pounds!
My good friend, Tracy, thought I should blog about the experience, but I never got around to it. The good news is, I can start over! I decided it's time to get back on the train. As of today, I am starting Insanity from the beginning. Steve decided he can't get enough, and he's going to do it over it again, too. We've enlisted my mom, my sister, my brother, and Steve's parents to do it with us.
I weighed in this morning at 145.8 lbs (when I started in April I was 151.) I'm going to do some measurements, too, so that I can have some more quantifiable measures of success besides just pounds. Those will be posted later.
First up on the docket is the Fit Test. And I'm actually excited. Let's do this :)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
7 Months
Obviously, it has been weeks since my last post. In fact, it has been so long that, as of today, I am now down to SEVEN MONTHS until my wedding. Seven measley months. To look better than I ever have before. Hmph.
Here's my big takeaway from the last few weeks: I need to exercise. I do so well when I am in my routine, and then something comes along, throws a wrench in the spokes, and I go flying off the deep end. This time it started with my birthday. Then I went to Vegas for work. I got back into my routine, then I went to Chicago. Through it all I was up and down and up and down. I focused on the serious eating well business this last week, too afraid to get on the scale. And when I weighed in this morning I discovered I came through all of that relatively unscathed -- 147lbs. But overall not much progress since January 1st, and now I've lost a month.
Hence, exercise.
It's the only way to speed things up. I went ahead and bought a Groupon for unlimited fitness classes for 4 weeks at a gym not far from my house. The idea is to start exercising BEFORE work so I can't make excuses. If I can get myself into a fitness routine, I think I'll latch on. At this point, I've gotta try something.
Here's my big takeaway from the last few weeks: I need to exercise. I do so well when I am in my routine, and then something comes along, throws a wrench in the spokes, and I go flying off the deep end. This time it started with my birthday. Then I went to Vegas for work. I got back into my routine, then I went to Chicago. Through it all I was up and down and up and down. I focused on the serious eating well business this last week, too afraid to get on the scale. And when I weighed in this morning I discovered I came through all of that relatively unscathed -- 147lbs. But overall not much progress since January 1st, and now I've lost a month.
Hence, exercise.
It's the only way to speed things up. I went ahead and bought a Groupon for unlimited fitness classes for 4 weeks at a gym not far from my house. The idea is to start exercising BEFORE work so I can't make excuses. If I can get myself into a fitness routine, I think I'll latch on. At this point, I've gotta try something.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Day 4
No vascillating on the scale today -- 147.5 lbs.
Quick recipe of the morning (except we had it for dinner last night): Egg white omelet with salsa and reduced fat feta cheese. Really, really good.
Happy Thursday morning!
Quick recipe of the morning (except we had it for dinner last night): Egg white omelet with salsa and reduced fat feta cheese. Really, really good.
Happy Thursday morning!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Day 3
??? lbs.
It may be time for a new scale. This morning I tried to weigh in and it said 148.5 lbs. Since I was on a different floor surface, I went back to my original floor surface and weighed in and it said 148. Desiring accuracy, I waited a few minutes, got back on the scale... and it said 149.
So I weigh one hundred forty something pounds.
It's 10:00 so I have to go watch Revenge. Just trying to get my daily post in. Success!
It may be time for a new scale. This morning I tried to weigh in and it said 148.5 lbs. Since I was on a different floor surface, I went back to my original floor surface and weighed in and it said 148. Desiring accuracy, I waited a few minutes, got back on the scale... and it said 149.
So I weigh one hundred forty something pounds.
It's 10:00 so I have to go watch Revenge. Just trying to get my daily post in. Success!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Day 2
148.5 lbs.
I am STILL sore. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to go to free Yoga class at work on Tuesdays with my co-worker Sarah. So I am going to try going today even though the chance of my arms supporting the downward dog into facing the sun move is highly unlikely.
A few things…
Steve came up with a delicious little snack. Blueberries combined with a mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips. Very yummy. About 70 calories in one TBSP of chips though, so keep the portion small. Just a heavenly little palette cleanser People (me) forget how good white chocolate chips are.
Also, we tried a pasta recipe from Hungry Girl last night… the “Hungry Girl-fredo.” I get cravings for creamy cheesy things almost as much as chocolate, so this was a must-try for me. Turns out, it was PRET-TY good. The pasta was the only thing that took away from the overall awesomeness. Hungry Girl uses “House Foods Tofu Shirataki” noodles, which are tofu-based noodles. They’re in the fridge section, in single serving packages in water. They’re a little slimy, which is the only indication that it’s not real pasta. But the recipe was only 81 calories! We went ahead and added some grilled chicken and it was really good and really filling. A recommendation we didn’t try was throwing the noodles in a pan after you drain them and such to further eliminate any sliminess. To be fair, slimy is too strong a word, this meal was really good and one I’ll be eating again. But we ARE going to try the pan thing to see if we can make it even better.
I’ll post photos/links later. Ciao!
I am STILL sore. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to go to free Yoga class at work on Tuesdays with my co-worker Sarah. So I am going to try going today even though the chance of my arms supporting the downward dog into facing the sun move is highly unlikely.
A few things…
Steve came up with a delicious little snack. Blueberries combined with a mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips. Very yummy. About 70 calories in one TBSP of chips though, so keep the portion small. Just a heavenly little palette cleanser People (me) forget how good white chocolate chips are.
Also, we tried a pasta recipe from Hungry Girl last night… the “Hungry Girl-fredo.” I get cravings for creamy cheesy things almost as much as chocolate, so this was a must-try for me. Turns out, it was PRET-TY good. The pasta was the only thing that took away from the overall awesomeness. Hungry Girl uses “House Foods Tofu Shirataki” noodles, which are tofu-based noodles. They’re in the fridge section, in single serving packages in water. They’re a little slimy, which is the only indication that it’s not real pasta. But the recipe was only 81 calories! We went ahead and added some grilled chicken and it was really good and really filling. A recommendation we didn’t try was throwing the noodles in a pan after you drain them and such to further eliminate any sliminess. To be fair, slimy is too strong a word, this meal was really good and one I’ll be eating again. But we ARE going to try the pan thing to see if we can make it even better.
I’ll post photos/links later. Ciao!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Day 1
I bet this is my fifth blog post that's titled, "Day 1." I find that amusing.
I weighed in at 149.5 again this morning. Don't feel strongly about it either way. It is what it is.
Yesterday Steve and I did the "Red Zone Challenge." Basically, while you're on the couch enjoying all of the 1:00 NFL games, you watch the Red Zone Channel. They show you every touchdown from every game. So, whenever someone scores, you do 10 pushups or 15 situps. There were 73 touchdowns yesterday. When it got to the point where my wrists were going to fall off, I started incorporating other basic exercises in place of the pushups. Squats, lunges, weights, etc. Let me tell you, I am SORE... and it feels GREAT.
Maybe I should exercise more often.
I weighed in at 149.5 again this morning. Don't feel strongly about it either way. It is what it is.
Yesterday Steve and I did the "Red Zone Challenge." Basically, while you're on the couch enjoying all of the 1:00 NFL games, you watch the Red Zone Channel. They show you every touchdown from every game. So, whenever someone scores, you do 10 pushups or 15 situps. There were 73 touchdowns yesterday. When it got to the point where my wrists were going to fall off, I started incorporating other basic exercises in place of the pushups. Squats, lunges, weights, etc. Let me tell you, I am SORE... and it feels GREAT.
Maybe I should exercise more often.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
My First Secret
From all of my dieting experience, I have determined that there are a few crucial things you need to do if you are attempting to lose weight, no matter what "diet" you decide to try. Here they are...
1- Drink water. A lot of it. All the time. Have something you can refill and do it constantly. Find out what temperature water you like, and if you prefer it with lemon, whatever, and then get to it.
2- Eat. A lot. All the time. You've probably heard that eating many small meals throughout the day is the way to go. It keeps your metabolism working. NOT eating may help you lose weight in the short term, but ultimately will end up ruining your metabolism and your life. Eating 3 big meals and then nothing in between makes your metabolism spike, you want it to be steady.
3- Be prepared. You need to have food (healthy food) on standby and ready to go. Loads of food. That way, when you get hungry, you have something on hand. One of the worst things you can do is let yourself get hungry and then start looking around. Bad, bad things will start to look SO good to you, and you'll just grab at whatever you can get your hands on. Don't let that happen. If you're going to eat constantly, as you should, you need to have the food ready to eat. You don't want to get home from work, starving, and just make a pop-tart because it's easy and you can't wait. Which leads me to my next point...
4- Remove temptation. There will inevitably be days when the thought of anything involving lettuce makes you want to cry and you just want to EAT SOMETHING BAD. There are ways around this. But if you're, say, hungover or desperate, you're going to start scavenging through your cabinets for something naughty. The key to beating these, as I mentioned, inevitable cravings is to not have anything bad in your kitchen. You can't grab a pop-tart if you don't have one. You will need to have something to appease yourself, so make it something reasonable. Leading me to...
5- Treat Yo'self. Look, if you're trying to eat well for an extended period of time, you're going to need cheat days/treats/comfort food etc. You can't live life without something delicious every once in awhile. (At least I can't.) My old fall back was semi-sweet chocolate chips. When I was craving chocolate, I would grab a handful. I still like this fall back... could be a lot worse. BUT I will now share with you a recent discvoery... my first secret.
Skinny Cow Ice Cream! GOSH I love this stuff. I had tried Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, and they're delicious, so Steve and I decided to try the ice cream. Yum. I am partial to the Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Steve likes the Strawberry Cheesecake (it seriously tastes like a piece of cheesecake smothered in strawberries, not kidding). Best part is, there are only 150 calories in a cup, and I usually don't even need a whole serving! Most of the time I just want something sweet after dinner, and a few bites will sustain me. (Not just now though, about 5 minutes ago I ate an entire cup, prompting this post.) Usually low-fat or healthy desserts taste like cardboard, but I promise this stuff is legit. Give it a try if you want to treat yourself :)
That is all for now. Can you tell it's January 1st and I'm trying to keep a resolution? Happy New Year.
1- Drink water. A lot of it. All the time. Have something you can refill and do it constantly. Find out what temperature water you like, and if you prefer it with lemon, whatever, and then get to it.
2- Eat. A lot. All the time. You've probably heard that eating many small meals throughout the day is the way to go. It keeps your metabolism working. NOT eating may help you lose weight in the short term, but ultimately will end up ruining your metabolism and your life. Eating 3 big meals and then nothing in between makes your metabolism spike, you want it to be steady.
3- Be prepared. You need to have food (healthy food) on standby and ready to go. Loads of food. That way, when you get hungry, you have something on hand. One of the worst things you can do is let yourself get hungry and then start looking around. Bad, bad things will start to look SO good to you, and you'll just grab at whatever you can get your hands on. Don't let that happen. If you're going to eat constantly, as you should, you need to have the food ready to eat. You don't want to get home from work, starving, and just make a pop-tart because it's easy and you can't wait. Which leads me to my next point...
4- Remove temptation. There will inevitably be days when the thought of anything involving lettuce makes you want to cry and you just want to EAT SOMETHING BAD. There are ways around this. But if you're, say, hungover or desperate, you're going to start scavenging through your cabinets for something naughty. The key to beating these, as I mentioned, inevitable cravings is to not have anything bad in your kitchen. You can't grab a pop-tart if you don't have one. You will need to have something to appease yourself, so make it something reasonable. Leading me to...
5- Treat Yo'self. Look, if you're trying to eat well for an extended period of time, you're going to need cheat days/treats/comfort food etc. You can't live life without something delicious every once in awhile. (At least I can't.) My old fall back was semi-sweet chocolate chips. When I was craving chocolate, I would grab a handful. I still like this fall back... could be a lot worse. BUT I will now share with you a recent discvoery... my first secret.
Skinny Cow Ice Cream! GOSH I love this stuff. I had tried Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, and they're delicious, so Steve and I decided to try the ice cream. Yum. I am partial to the Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Steve likes the Strawberry Cheesecake (it seriously tastes like a piece of cheesecake smothered in strawberries, not kidding). Best part is, there are only 150 calories in a cup, and I usually don't even need a whole serving! Most of the time I just want something sweet after dinner, and a few bites will sustain me. (Not just now though, about 5 minutes ago I ate an entire cup, prompting this post.) Usually low-fat or healthy desserts taste like cardboard, but I promise this stuff is legit. Give it a try if you want to treat yourself :)That is all for now. Can you tell it's January 1st and I'm trying to keep a resolution? Happy New Year.
The Most Important Diet of My LIfe
I have some good news, some bad news, and some more good news.
The good news is: I'm engaged!
This little beauty has been sitting on my left ring finger since September 1st, after the most perfect proposal of all time. I couldn't be happier. I will be Mrs. Ashley Braband in 8 months.
The bad news is: I will be Mrs. Ashley Braband in 8 months. 8 MONTHS! It doesn't matter if you go to prom or a red carpet movie premiere, there is no single day in your life when you're supposed to look more beautiful than you do on your wedding day. And now I have 8 months.
The other good news: I have a head start. The last time I posted was in June, right before we went to the Outer Banks, and at the end of my big diet effort. I weighed in at 148.5 lbs. Somehow, through all those months, INCLUDING the football season and holidays based solely around food, I kept the weight off. Obviously there were some peaks and valleys (we'll get into the valleys later), but this morning I weighed in at 149.5 lbs. And that was after a New Year's Eve feast.
In my head, my goal has always been to get back to 142. But when I was 142 before, I was just really skinny. For my wedding, I want to be low 140s and toned. It's my arms and back that will be on display the most anyway, so toning is crucial.
Anyone who has read along the past few years knows I've tried many different strategies. Here's my flavor of the week: Hungry Girl. I stumbled upon one of her books and it turns out, this chick is just like me. She's not a nutritionist, she just loves food and has done a lot of research into ways to continue eating good food without getting fat. I flipped through her recipe book after Thanksgiving and decided to give it a try; I lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. Christmas has always been my weakness due to my massive sweet tooth and everyone's inclination to share Christmas goodies for weeks surrounding the holiday, so I gained quite a bit back. BUT... my goal for the months between Halloween and my birthday was to "maintain not gain" and in that I have been successful.
So here I am, ready to embark on another journey. I have 8 months to go on the most important diet of my life. Let's see if I can pull this off.
The good news is: I'm engaged!
This little beauty has been sitting on my left ring finger since September 1st, after the most perfect proposal of all time. I couldn't be happier. I will be Mrs. Ashley Braband in 8 months.The bad news is: I will be Mrs. Ashley Braband in 8 months. 8 MONTHS! It doesn't matter if you go to prom or a red carpet movie premiere, there is no single day in your life when you're supposed to look more beautiful than you do on your wedding day. And now I have 8 months.
The other good news: I have a head start. The last time I posted was in June, right before we went to the Outer Banks, and at the end of my big diet effort. I weighed in at 148.5 lbs. Somehow, through all those months, INCLUDING the football season and holidays based solely around food, I kept the weight off. Obviously there were some peaks and valleys (we'll get into the valleys later), but this morning I weighed in at 149.5 lbs. And that was after a New Year's Eve feast.
In my head, my goal has always been to get back to 142. But when I was 142 before, I was just really skinny. For my wedding, I want to be low 140s and toned. It's my arms and back that will be on display the most anyway, so toning is crucial.
Anyone who has read along the past few years knows I've tried many different strategies. Here's my flavor of the week: Hungry Girl. I stumbled upon one of her books and it turns out, this chick is just like me. She's not a nutritionist, she just loves food and has done a lot of research into ways to continue eating good food without getting fat. I flipped through her recipe book after Thanksgiving and decided to give it a try; I lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. Christmas has always been my weakness due to my massive sweet tooth and everyone's inclination to share Christmas goodies for weeks surrounding the holiday, so I gained quite a bit back. BUT... my goal for the months between Halloween and my birthday was to "maintain not gain" and in that I have been successful.
So here I am, ready to embark on another journey. I have 8 months to go on the most important diet of my life. Let's see if I can pull this off.
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