Trying New Things...

For years and years, I have put off trying new things. "Oh, I'll try them when I'm thin enough", I've told myself.

I was "weighting".

image courtesy of adaptibar.com

I've stepped outside my comfort zone the last couple of weeks for sure.

I've done [assisted] pull-ups

karate

kickboxing

all kinds of plyometric exercises that made me very sore

And I've found, through all of it, that the soreness is totally worthwhile. I felt vibrant, aware, more fit, and generally calmer. Exercise totally pays off!

Except I've been falling down on that this week. Last week, with spring break, it was a lot easier to get up and move. This week, I'm back to a full work + school load, so it's a little more challenging. So I've been scouring the internet for quick, efficient, and challenging workouts, and here is what I have come up with:

First, a five day workout series from EatFitFuel:

I'm definitely going to give this a try, although some of it looks pretty tough! (And a side note... I'll be jogging/walking wherever it says to run a mile or more).

So, for example, today being Thursday, I would need to do:

10 pushups

20 tricep dips

50 Russian twists

30 reverse lunges

40 bicycle crunches

Add to that a quick mile walk on my break this morning, and a 2.5-3 mile walk/jog this evening when the kids are in parkour/roller derby, and I think I'm good to go!

Another option is this 30 day challenge from Betty Rocker:

Today's email asked me to do:

Warm Up: 

1- Air Jump Rope (30 seconds) 

2- Jumping Jacks (30 seconds) 

Workout:

Format: do 3 rounds; do each move for 0:30, taking little rest between moves and rounds 

1- Sumo Squats (0:30) 

2- Superman Extensions (0:30) 

3- Burpees (0:30) 

4- Floor Wipers (0:30) 

5- Star Plank Walk Outs (0:30) 

6- Single Leg Deadlift to Lunge (0:15 each side) 

7- Alternating Crescent Kicks (0:30)

And, each daily email contains a link to a video, so you can watch and then workout, or workout with Betty's guidance. 

So, now I just have to choose which to do... both might be a little much, though I could certainly try it, as long as they are spread out from each other timewise! 

And, in other trying-something-new news...

I'm doing my first 5k Mud Run (walk/jog?) on Sunday, with my kids!

image courtesy of marriedtoadventure.com

I'm both nervous, and pretty darn excited, about it!

Phew!!!...

It's been quite a spring break! I didn't do the myriad of chores I had planned. Instead, I focused on myself, and enjoying my time off from everything. I also tried out some new workouts...

3 pretty darn intense circuit training workouts with my wellness coach, K

1 kickboxing workout, with an instructor who happens to be my neighbor as well

I stuck to my diet, and drank my water

Eating 25 grams of protein five times a day is not easy. I really am not a huge fan of supplemental protein in the form of powders or bars, though I've been using a lot of them lately. I'm also not huge on eating meat two-three times a day, which I've been doing in order to hit my protein goals. And I really dislike eating within half an hour of waking up.

But, I've been told I will get used to eating early. And I am researching other protein options (tofu, more beans, quinoa, etc.), so that it isn't all supplements and meat.

I think, since my baseline protein goal is 110 grams a day (not the 125+ I've been cramming down, though that was a strong recommendation), I can cut back a bit on the snacks. I like eating three meals a day, albeit not huge ones, and I can handle a snack or two on top of that. And I should still be able to hit at least 110-125 grams of protein daily, without too much trouble! So that's my goal for tomorrow... to test run and see how I feel at the end of the day.

I am sticking with the water though. Seriously, I felt bloated the first couple of days of drinking a gallon of water, but that passed quickly, and now drinking 6 of my 24-oz water bottles daily seems pretty normal and very doable, especially if I get the first 3 down by 1 pm.

image courtesy of finnjackson.com

And, despite advice to the contrary, I have weighed myself a few times this week, with unhappy results. At first, I gained a pound and a half. Now it's back down to last week's weigh-in level.

But, I have lost inches this week, so that's what is getting me through. I've posted the changes below.

Nov. 20, 2015 vs. Jan. 22, 2016 vs. March 26, 2016

Weight: 200.6... 196.8 (-3.8)... 189.6 (-7.2; -11 total)

Bust: 43 inches... same... 42 inches (-1 inch)

Waist: 39 inches... 37 inches (-2 inches!)... 35 inches (-2 inches; -4 inches total)

Hips: 45 inches... 44.5 (-0.5 inches)... 43 inches (-1.5 inches; -2 inches total)

Thighs: 25.5 inches [each]... same... 25 inches (-0.5 inches)

Upper arms: 14 inches [each]... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)... 13 inches (-0.5 inches; -1 inch total)

Neck: 14 inches... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)... 13 inches (-0.5 inches; -1 inch total)

Clothing size: 14/16/18... same... 14 solid, so down 1-2 sizes!

So, beyond diet, how am I planning this week's exercise? Well, on Tuesday and Thursday, I will be trying out a 45 minute karate class with my neighbor/instructor. Besides that, on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, I will either do circuit training on my own, or an Insanity workout. Today, I'm taking it "easy", with a core workout (lots of plank work!) and a 3 mile family walk.

Here's a good inspirational start to a good week!

Sunday Check-in... Challenge Week Two Down!

I have finished my second week of the Twelve Week Challenge! And, since Tuesday, I have hit both my protein and water goals every day! I'm pretty happy about that—at first, I thought the water goal was darn near impossible, but as long as I'm halfway there by midday, it's manageable. I'm still working on the five meals a day part, but am getting there. I found the Insanity diet guidelines, which have some good small-meal ideas, and I know there are a ton of other ideas out there on the internet.

That said, here's my progress so far...

Week One: Starting Weight

Week Two: Down 2.6 pounds

Week Three: Down another 2.4 pounds

I am definitely making progress! I actually set up a separate weight loss ticker just for the Challenge (see the footer of this blog), and have set 20 pounds in 12 weeks as my goal.

My focus points for this week:

• Worry about protein and water (and for my own goals, fiber), not calories
• Eat a mini-meal within 30 minutes of waking up (so far, I can do smoothies, but nothing too solid, and I've gotten it to within 45 minutes of waking up, but that's it)
• Getting my exercise routine in place. I was sick this last week with a cold, and didn't exercise much at all, which makes a 2.4 pound weight loss all that much sweeter! This week, I'm off from work, so I'm joining my wellness coach, K, for hour long workouts Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. See other plans below.

I think I've finally come up with a manageable exercise plan, taking my busy schedule into account...

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Insanity workout, plus as much walking as I can
Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: C25K + Bowflex, and as much walking as I can

I'll be test-running this over the next couple of weeks. Yesterday was the first time in days I felt like exercising at all, so I did some Amazon streaming stuff - a mixture of kickboxing, yoga, plank work, and tai chi.

See you in a week—maybe sooner, maybe not!

image courtesy of purehappylife.com

Well, hmmph...

 First, here's my weigh-in for the week, one week into the Challenge, 11 weeks to go...

Down 2.6 pounds, which is pretty good!

I thought I had it all figured out. Then I met one-on-one with my wellness coach, who ran some tests, and...

I'm dehydrated

My bone mass is on the lower side

And I'm at just over FORTY percent bodyfat

On that last one, I'll just say eeewwww...

image courtesy of artsjournal.com

Her plan for me?

Five meals a day (small ones),

with plenty of fiber, and 20-25 grams of protein apiece

A gallon of water each day

A calcium-magnesium supplement at bedtime

45 minutes of cardio 6 days a week

Strength training 2-3 times per week

I am going to give it a try, as she has had great success with this plan herself (she's lost, and kept off, over 100 pounds). If it doesn't work, if I don't see/feel any physical/mental changes in the next month, I will resort back to FAA. And fwiw, my husband (who is in great shape!) says she's got a great approach planned for me.

Today's inspiration...

Image courtesy of kaymorriswrites.wordpress.com

Challenge Time!

So this week, on Sunday to be precise, I started a Twelve Week Fitness Challenge, complete with cash prizes for the top three winners (determined by percentage). I've been attempting all week to hit my protein goal, hit 1600 calories a day, exercise daily, and...

I weigh the same as I did on Sunday.

Which makes me feel like this:

image courtesy of thehouseofcommons.wordpress.com

FOOD

So I'm turning back to my trusty friend, the Food Addicts Anonymous Food Plan, albeit with a little added fat (and hard cheese, limiting to 1 ounce).

I like this plan because 1) It is real food; 2) I don't have to track everything I eat (calories, grams of protein, etc.), as long as I am eating on plan; 3) no weird combos, or gimmicks; 4) I can easily make meals that work for the plan, and my family (though sometimes I do give them additions to the meal).

Here's a quick run-down of the meal structure, with my additions in purple:

Breakfast:

1 serving starch or grain

1 serving fruit

1 serving protein

1 serving dairy (or half an extra serving protein)

1/2 serving fat

Lunch:

1 serving raw vegetables

1 serving cooked vegetables

1 serving protein

1/2-1 serving fat

Dinner:

1 serving raw vegetables

1 serving cooked vegetables

1 serving protein

1 serving starch or grain

1 serving fat (1/2 listed on official plan)

"Metabolic Adjustment", aka the Bedtime Snack

(and no, I'm not eating this 4 hours after dinner)

1/2 serving dairy

1 serving fruit

And I'm adding in an afternoon snack, namely nuts (1 serving)

or something similar. I'm also using a good quality (unsweetened) protein powder as my protein here and there. I might add in a protein beverage mix (likely 1/2 a serving) to my afternoon snack. Maybe.

Note: No flour and no sugar on this plan.
Eventually, I may add whole-grain flour products back in, but that's a ways down the road.

In real life, this looks like today's plan:

Breakfast:

Baked oatmeal, made with apple, egg whites, protein powder, soy milk, and flax seed

(grain ✓, fruit ✓, dairy/protein ✓, 1/2 a fat ✓)

Lunch:

Mixed greens with leftover sauteed green beans, 5 oz. tuna, 1 tsp walnut oil, half a lemon

(raw veg ✓, cooked veg ✓, protein ✓, 1/2 a fat ✓)

Snack:

Just a Handful of Raw Almonds (Trader Joe's)

Dinner:

Homemade turkey & 3-bean chili over brown rice, topped with tomatoes, avocado, green onions, and sliced radishes

(grain ✓, raw veg ✓, cooked veg ✓, protein ✓, one fat ✓)

Bedtime Snack

An ounce of this lovely pesto Gouda, and a sliced kiwi

(1/2 dairy ✓, fruit ✓)

Putting that all in MyFitnessPal just to see what it looks like puts me at about:

1443 calories

97 grams of protein

37 grams of fiber

And only 25 grams of sugar

I think that's pretty good!

EXERCISE

image courtesy of dreamstime.com

Of course, no fitness challenge is complete without exercise! I'm still working out my exact "plan", but here's what I have so far:

Sundays: 

morning walk/jog around a local lake (about 2.8 miles) OR 2-3 miles on the treadmill if there's too much rain. I try to make the lake part a family outing!

Yoga, about 30 minutes, often with my daughter

Mondays:

What I call my "morning mile" walk on my break at work*

Otherwise, this is a rest day, as I am out of the house for about 12-13 hours

Tuesdays:

Morning Mile

Insanity Workout, or a really good bike ride with the kids (8-10 miles)

Wednesdays:

Morning Mile

Bowflex workout (strength training), 20-30 minutes

Thursdays:

Morning Mile

Insanity workout

Evening walk while the kids are at classes

Fridays:

Morning mile

Afternoon walk

Bowflex workout (strength training), 20-30 minutes

Saturdays:

Insanity workout, or hiking, or other family fitness adventure

* I also do a lot of "incidental" walking during the day, aiming for at least 10,000 steps daily, but the Morning Mile is faster paced

So there's my grand plan! I'll let you know how it goes. And for the record, here's my latest scale readout (this morning):

I'll try to post a scale picture each Sunday, when I have to send one to my wellness coach!