Mini goal reached and now I really weigh what my driver's license says!

So as of this a.m., I have reached my mini goal as far as weight!  It used to be my ultimate goal but I decided to make it my mini goal when I got real close and see if I could lose just a little bit more!  Anyway, totally excited about it as I have not weighed this since I don't know when and now I really weigh what my driver's license says! :o)  Mini goals and rewards (non-food) are a great way to keep on track!   My reward for reaching my goal is to spend as much money on clothes as my husband spent on his grill!  It's going to be awesome!  I cannot wait.

So tonight is pizza night with the family from out of town and I am going to do my best to behave.  I may get one thin crust cheese piece but I am so afraid of messing up and never getting back here that I might not!  No beer for me though.  I can at least resist that.

Today was a rest day after our crazy Thursday class at the YMCA (love that class!).  I am still in my recovery week so I will either do Yoga or go for a run tomorrow (probably depends on whether I resist the pizza or not!).  Next Monday starts Phase III of X2.  Excited and anxious all at the same time!  I hope you all have a relaxing and productive weekend!

Should I work out if I am sick??? That depends . . . .define "sick".

That depends on your definition of "sick".  If I have a cold, stuffy head or sinus infection, you bet I do still workout.  If I am running a fever or throwing up, however, I opt for a rest day.  I honestly don't think there is anything wrong with working out on days you are slightly under the weather.  Take this morning for instance.  I have had a crazy sinus infection for about a week now.  I knew I was going to do Yoga this a.m. but when I woke up, my right eye was on fire!  It was like someone shoved sandpaper in it at some point during the night.  So I splashed it with water a bunch and did the 68 minutes of Yoga with my eyes closed for the most part.   When I got out of the shower, my eye wouldn't stop running.  Now (in the afternoon), it has gone back and forth all day from dry as a desert to runny as a river all day.  It's something I can do nothing about right now, except let it run its course, so why should I let it slow me down?

And even before this a.m. I did my crazy Thursday class at the gym last week (which was probably day 2 of the sinus troubles) and continued the rest of the week/weekend through my normal routine.  I did a crazy cross fit class on Monday (I totally forgot about my teeth hurting (sinuses) when I walked/jumped, when my legs were burning because of all the squats!).  Monday was pretty awesome though because we jumped in the pool after the work out and did laps.  So refreshing!

I mean, if you want an excuse not to work out, you will find one and illness seems to be a convenient one.  That being said, there are times when you should let your body rest.  If you truly have body aches, fever, vomitting, or other big time symptoms, I don't recommend working out - give your body the rest it is asking for.  If, on the other hand, your allergies are acting up, you have a cold or some other minor illness, strap on those tennis shoes and press play!

This whole article was prompted by a phone call on Thursday by a very good friend of mine.  She asked if I wanted to go to lunch and I said, "Can't.  It's crazy work out day at the gym."  And she said, "You are working out when you are sick???"  It truly never dawned on me not to until she said it.  I am addicted.

Why do the numbers on a scale matter so much????

So my stepmom and I started this diet and today begins day 4 (we have 13 more days in this first phase).  Well, the diet is really, really tough for the first week and I am totally ticked this a.m.  I got on the scale this a.m. and have GAINED WEIGHT!  Seriously????  We took our kids to the movies last night and I completely resisted all the popcorn and candy that the family ate!  I mean, I could eat all that junk and gain weight!  I don't have to torture myself watching everyone else eat that stuff to gain weight!  Why am I resisiting in the hopes of sticking to this diet and losing these last few pounds???  So frustrating! 
Yes, I know that gaining weight is part of any diet.  Weight fluctuates from day to day based on a variety of factors (water, how late you ate, how much sodium you ate, etc.) and I shouldn't take any one day in isolation.  Well I am really not isolating today - the first day I lost a little weight. The second day I stayed the same and then today I gained!  And today is a rest day to boot!  I am trying to convince myself that I don't need to go run and that I need to give my body a rest but then the little voice inside says, "Yes, but remember the scale this a.m.???"  Ugh!
But alas, I will not give up.  I will continue on with the diet.  You want to know why?  Because I feel better and that is what is important - not the numbers on the scale.  Regardless of what the scale says, I have noticed a difference in my body.  The diet is also a cleansing diet and I feel healthier.  My stomach is flatter (yes, you can tell that in just 3 full days), I didn't "gain" 3 pounds over the weekend like I would normally do (I say "gain" because its usually not a true gain in that short of a period, its usually water), I know someone else is being tortured right along with me (thanks Mom!), and I will NOT let food win!  I have a goal and I will reach it!  Scale be damned!  Who invented the personal scale anyway????  I would like to kick him . . . . . really, really hard.

So next week is recovery week and I am really excited for that!  I will still do my cross fit class with my buddies on Monday and the crazy YCross class with the same group on Thursday but the rest of the week will be Yoga and Recovery.  Yay!  Then on to Phase III of X2.  My husband is already in Phase III and every workout comes up stairs all sweaty and out of breath.  Hmmmmm . . I am a little nervous for Phase III but I love to change it up after awhile so should be fun!

Throw out the Junk!

So here is what I threw out in the trash this a.m.  We had lots of left overs from the fun weekend with friends but it all had to go!  I realized that if it was in the house, we were going to eat it!  I cannot resist the greasy, salty goodness of potato chips.  And even though my daughter's princess sugar cookies (in the baggy in front) were not that good (she didn't like them), I was eating those too!

My husband was somewhat upset when I told him Monday night what I was going to do.  He relented though and said it was like "talking to a wall" when I got it fixed in my head that we were doing this (or any other idea I get fixated on).  He did get to keep his favorite snack (pigs in a blanket with a special mustard sauce) but that was the only one.  
So, if you cannot resist it and it isn't good for you, throw it out!  Who cares that you don't want to waste it since you bought it (that was the hard thing for me to get over)?  You feel better when you don't eat that garbage and we have started buying less now when friends come (some of the above friends brought with them and wouldn't take home - see?  they don't want it in their house either!) because we  know they will bring stuff and we will throw it all away if they won't take it.
I did notice that my husband made a considerable dent in the Paddy Pudding (green dirt cake) sometime Monday night as there was quite a bit left earlier on Monday and just a very small amount by Tuesday morning!  Hmmmmmmm . . . .

This morning was Plyocide.  I always wake up thinking "I am not going to make it through it today".  Then I tell myself to just go downstairs, press play and do what I can.  Within about 10 minutes I am racing the clock trying to hammer out as many reps as I can.  I have no idea what happens to change my attitude but it does change!  And by the end, I am slamming out some plyo pushups!  Seriously, me, who I thought would never be able to do a plyo pushup is hanging tough with the people on the dvd.  The first time I saw them on Plyocide, I was thinking "You have got to be kidding me."  But I tried one and was very surprised I could actually do one.  Now if I could only do pull ups unassisted . . . .

Our P90X protien bars came in this weekend so we were excited about that!  They really are the best protein bars I have ever had (and I have tried a lot of protein bars).  If you are interested, check out http://www.coachcrystalfitness.com/ and click on the nutrition tab. 

I really need my strawberry Shakeology to come in!  It should be here by the end of the week (hopefully!).  I am thinking a Shakeology flavor review may be in order later this week.

Friday - Whoohoo!

Well, Friday finally got here!  :o)  Not that it makes a whole lot of difference since I have to work some this weekend but there is something about Friday . . . .

Yoga this a.m. I am totally sore in the right places from my class at the YMCA yesterday at lunch.  Love it!  Then decided it was too gorgeous today not to go for a run so I put in about 3 miles at lunch today too.

I think I might be hitting a plateau again so I think I am going to shake things up a bit.  Not quite sure how yet but it may involve stripping the diet even more and moving on to the third phase of X2.
Tomorrow is St. Paddy's Day so I am trying to be extra good today as I know there will be beer and other "not good for you" stuff eaten at the get together tomorrow at our house.  Should be lots of fun though.  I will definitely have to run or do something tomorrow a.m. in the basement.  Supposed to be Back and Base, but my Base is pretty sore right now.
Maybe I should drink Greenberry Shakeology tomorrow in honor of St. Paddy's Day!  I have been sticking to the Chocolate and experimenting with it.  I cannot wait until our Strawberry Shakeology order comes in!

I need to find something to put in my shoes (or work out bag) that takes the stinky work out smell out.  Anybody have any ideas?

Ahhhhh . . . Monday and what I eat to get lean

So I am so exhausted tonight!  I did a cross fit class today with about 5 other people from work.  We go every other Monday for a change up in routine.  We all work out to some degree or another at home or in the gym.  Several of us do Insanity or P90X (or X2 for me).  It's good fun!  I love having the challenge of trying to beat the guys that go to the class.  Plus we really encourage each other too.  Something to be said for working out in a group!  I wish I had a big enough basement to invite people over to work out!

So I have had several people ask me what I eat to stay in shape and lean.  It's the same thing you have seen all over the internet.  No "bad" carbs (rice, pasta), only whole grains, lean meats, veggies, low sugar fruits, tons of water (no carbonated beverages), Shakeology, etc.   I know, I know.  I didn't want to believe it when I did the research.  I kept thinking that there had be some other way than giving up my favorite pastas and carbonated drinks.  Maybe I could work out harder or eat less calories.  Well, I could work out harder and could eat less calories but the carbs were going to stick to my middle when I ate them no matter what.  The only way I can get the lean cut look I want is to give up those things (that really weren't that good for me anyway).  Well, it was hard at first.  It really was.  I mean, we were in church one day and I made a comment about the song director dragging the songs on and on and my husband leaned over and said "you really need to eat some carbs".  But after sticking with it for just a short period, I really was able to cut the stuff out fairly quickly.  I don't know the last time I ate pasta or rice.  And I haven't had a carbonated beverages in ages.  They don't even taste good anymore!  Granted, I still do eat a piece of bread here and there, I mean, I am not perfect but it is a lot easier to be satisfied with one small piece every once in a while now.   And it works.  If you really are dedicated and stick with it, you will see the results.  Be consistent and be patient.  You will get there!

Where to begin!

Rest day today.  Really needed it!  Doing a work out with friends at the gym at lunch tomorrow for something different.  My husband started doing the P.A.P. workouts this week and has me scared to death of them.  Think I will stay in Phase II at least one more week!
Cleaned my car inside and out this afternoon.  Who knew a 2 and  4 year old could mess up a car so much!   The kids tried to help but I think they just spread the dirt around a lot.
We tried Greenberry and Chocolate Shakeology this week for the first time.  I think the new strawberry flavor is my favorite still but the chocolate is really great if you like chocolate (and I do!).  I have to add fruit to the greenberry still but it doesn't take much really (1/4 cup of blueberries today).
This first round of X2 is going by so very fast.  I am not sure why that is.  I did base and back Saturday  morning and realized that it was my 3rd week of the second phase.  It seems like I just started the program.  Oh and when I did base and back and ab ripper 2, I cut a workout that is scheduled for 71 minutes down to about 44!  I had to hurry.  We were supposed to go out of town and my alarm didn't go off so I had to rush.  I just fast forwarded through some of the talking rests (you know, when Tony is talking and every one is standing around).
Thinking of doing the warrior dash in Mississippi next month.  Should be fun and my husband agreed to do it too which makes it all better.  Anybody else out there do those crazy runs?

Plyocide!

What a day.  I am exhausted.
So Plyocide this a.m.  Still love it but it truly drains me.  Then I wasn't prepared at work for how hungry I got and so came home after work and totally blew any healthy eating for the night.  Yoga tomorrow.  How I am looking so forward to it!
My calf is acting up again.  I find it funny that it is just assumed on Plyocide that you can do plyo pushups.  Its not an option, there are no modifications.  It just is.  And who in the crap decided the frog burpee was a great idea?  I can hardly get 12 of them in the 30 seconds we get.  Anyway, its a challenging work out and I burn a ton of calories doing it.  I still have to pause every now and then to catch my breath but the pauses are shorter and fewer.
Okay.  I gotta go to bed!

It's National Nutrition Month!

So do something healthy!  So if you have always wanted to eat better/healthier, do it now!  Don't think that you have to make huge changes to make a difference.  Eating healthier is a process, at least it was for me.  Many people tend to go all in or not at all and end up quitting because the restrictions are too much all at once.  You should make small changes that will eventually get you to eating the way you want to.

So here are a few little changes you can make:
1.  If you aren't drinking at least 8 glasses (8 ounces per glass) of water a day (and some people need more), make it your goal for this week to drink at least 8 glasses of water at least 4 days.  It's not that hard, I promise.  I keep a refillable water bottle (32 oz) on my desk and drink and refill it all day long.
2.  If you drink multiple carbonated beverages everyday, reduce the number by one per day this week.
3.  Eat dessert every other night rather than every night.
4.  Quit eating out of the bag/box.  Put some in a bowl or on a plate.  You over eat if you eat straight out of the bag/box.
5.  Get all the food off your counters/out of site once you are finished eating.  If it's there, you will graze.
6.  Switch the bread on your sandwich this week to a whole grain bread.

Little things add up over time.  I didn't just wake up one day and say "That's it.  I am never drinking a Coke again" and then stop drinking/wanting them.  I gradually reduced how many I was drinking each day and then eventually was able to cut them out all together.  I cannot remember the last time I had one!

Just remember, it's baby steps.  And if you set a goal for the week and don't make it, don't beat yourself up.  Look at what you did accomplish and set a new goal for next week.

X2 Chest Back and Balance w/ Ab Ripper

So 4:15 came really early this morning.  I just wanted to sleep!  But I knew how good I would feel if I got up and pressed play so here we are.

My calf is feeling much better after a day off yesterday.  Not sure exactly what I did to screw it up but it isn't hurting nearly as much today.

You know, on some of the moves on this DVD they have a goal of 25.  I cannot remember which one it was exactly but I just laughed this morning when I saw the "25" in the left hand bottom corner.  I thought "Seriously? I am lucky to kick out half that."  But its a goal, I guess.  Need to stick with this phase a little longer than 3 weeks, apparently.  I do love that about X2 - you get to decide how long you should stay in a phase without feeling any pressure to "perfect" your moves in 3 weeks.
And let me just say, I hate abrinome!  That is the worst!  I am trying my hardest to keep my legs straight, feet flexed, legs at a 90 degree angle and my shoulders on the floor, all while trying to twist my middle to get my legs closer to the floor.
Plyocide tomorrow!  I love Plyocide!

Remember - its National Nutrition Month.  Do something healthy for you and your family!

Anybody else struggle with a day off?

Now that I have gotten used to working out 5 or 6 days a week, I really struggle with taking a day off to recover/relax. I know I need it but sometimes it's just hard.  Working out in the morning really sets the mood for me for the rest of the day.  I feel good, I feel like I have worked hard and accomplished something.  I miss that on my days off.

Trust me, I know I need the day of rest and recovery, especially since I screwed up my calf last weekend.  But I kind of spend the whole day beating myself up about it.  I have actually skipped a recovery/relax day and worked out when I should have rested.  I feel it later in the week - I am more tired, my workouts are less productive, etc.  You just need the day off!

And to make matters worse, it's Sunday.  Anybody else get the Sunday blues?  You know what I am talking about - when you cannot enjoy Sunday evening because you know you have to go back to that paper laden desk on Monday and the phone calls and the bosses and the demands and the time constraints and everyone saying they wanted their stuff done yesterday.  Yep, those are the Sunday blues.  And the Sunday blues make me EAT!  Which is why I need to work out!  It's a vicious cycle . . . . .

Well, I start week 3 of the second phase of P90X2 tomorrow.  So there is that to look forward to. Just have to get through this day of rest . . . .