84%--Time for the 25's Days till Christmas Countdown!

I'm giving myself an 84% for my effort at our 10-day Challenge. I started out strong...had a few weak days over the weekend and on Tuesday...but overall, I'm satisfied. I ate way better, I worked out on 7 of the 10 days, which is more than usual AND I got my hubby back into the swing of things, so it was certainly worth the effort!
How'd you do?
Even if you didn't do everything you wanted, did you at least still do better than you would have if we hadn't done this little challenge? I know I did.
So, are you ready for the next one? ;o)

You see...Tomorrow is December 1st...so....we MUST do a 25 days till Christmas Countdown!!!

Here's our 3 goals:
*Work out 5 of 7 days each week.
*Eat consciously and health-fully at least 80% of the time. That means you can have about 2-3 "cheat" meals/foods (ie. desserts) per week.
*Weigh yourself at the beginning (Dec. 1st) and at the end (Dec. 24th). Goal is to not gain ANY. You don't have to lose...but don't let that scale creep up!

I will post this on Facebook too, so we can hopefully get a big group doing this! I would LOVE to have people post their progress on my blog so we can all see how each other is doing. If we all work together and hold each other accountable, we can all get through this Holiday season without having to loosen up our belts! Then come January 1st, we can work on bringing up the intensity (and tightening up our belts!). Right now, let's just focus on being diligent, consistent and dedicated! Leave me a comment if you'll at least give it a try! There is no way to "lose" except for those who won't even TRY!

Happy Holidays!

I know....it's not often you wrap up the holiday season with a 6-pack and bulging biceps...but it is POSSIBLE! I want to help you start 2010 off looking and feeling your best! Just give me a holla if I can help! XOXO!

Challenge? What challenge? Eeeeek!!

So, do you want me to tell you the truth? I have COMPLETELY forgotten the challenge the past 2 days. And when I say forgotten, I don't mean "put out of my mind" I mean seriously forgotten!
I've been eating good still, but it never even occurred to me all day yesterday to work out. I got up and played with the kids, made blueberry muffins with them and then we worked on making homemade Christmas cards. Then we got cleaned up and went Christmas shopping all afternoon. We came home, ate dinner and watch Christmas movies all evening and went to bed. This morning we got up super early, went to church, came home ate lunch, took naps, did some paperwork and then went to my parents for dinner and we just now got home and I sat down to check my e-mail and I was like OHHHH MYYYY GOSH!!!! I forgot to work out the past 2 days!

Oh well. Give me a B-, I guess. I sure didn't mean to not work out, it just completley slipped my mind--which is actually practically a miracle seeing as how I think about exercise just about constsantly. Anyway, tomorrow will be "back to work" with my classes at the gym! Hope you are all doing well and hanging in there!

Day 5--HALF WAY

So, it's Friday and we're halfway done with our challenge. I've succeeded at working out every day for the past 5 days, which is an improvement because Wednesday is typically my "rest day". I decided to do P90X Cardio X that day and wow! I was stunned at how (dare I say....) EASY it has become! Don't get me wrong...you can certainly intensify it by jumping higher, squatting lower, etc. but I remember a time when I would be drenched with sweat and huffing and puffing at the end of that video, and this time, it just felt like a warm up. It has taken me a year and a half of doing P90X to get this point, so if you're still on your first round and think Cardio X is a tough work out, don't let this discourage you. It should ENCOURAGE you...that as you keep going and working at it, eventually it will be come much easier! I honestly think that doing Insanity has completely transformed my idea of "cardio." When you first start doing Insanity, you'll probably think it should be called "Impossible" instead because it pretty much is impossible at first, until your body becomes conditioned to that kind of outrageous intensity for lengthy periods of time. It takes unbelievable endurance to complete an Insanity workout without breaks (which I've never done).
Anyway, got side-tracked there. woops!
What I was trying to say is that the challenge is going well. I don't feel like I've done as good as I wanted to with the food aspect, although I have eaten WAYYYY better in the past 5 days than I would have if we weren't doing the challenge. I made a banana cake the other day and I've had a few small peices of it over the past couple of days. It is soooooo good. Not real sweet and it seems like I'm the only one in our house who is really crazy about it. It practically KILLS me to see it sitting there getting "old". :o)
My workout yesterday was FANTASTIC. I taught classes at the gym. First was 45 min. of boot camp and then 45 min of weights. We did circuits again and we did stuff like burpees and floor switch kicks and frog jumps, etc. After that, I gave them the warning that we were going to be doing some serious weight-training today. I have pretty much decided that my "style" is to multi-task during work outs. I like to work arms and legs at the same time, if possible. So, instead of just standing to do bicep curls, we did wall squats while curling! It certainly took your mind off of the burn in your biceps! I've been trying to encourage people to go up on their weights some, so I've been bringing my own weights from home (10#'s and 15#'s) and I did my bicep curls yesterday with the 15 pounders. Yowch! :o)
The people in my classes are starting to open up a little more and talk to me, which totally boosts my confidence, which inturn boosts my performance (or instructing). I need interaction. When it's silent in the class and I am the only one counting down or talking or making any kind of noices, it feels sort of lonely and I begin to wonder if they all really really dislike me. Thankfully there is one guy, John, who has been friendly and supportive from the first day and he really helps to make me feel comfortable. If you're reading this: THANK YOU JOHN! I hope that by the end of my time there, I will have them all moaning and groaning and counting and grunting! ha ha
Today is Friday and is typically a busy day for me as I always attempt to fit in a MILLION things I want to "get done before the weekend" but some of it will just have to wait today because I AM working out. I wish I had someone to work out WITH because I really don't love doing it all alone in my living room....but unless any of you want to drive to my house today, it'll probably be just me and the dvd player. I think I'll do some Insanity today.
I hope you are all doing good and keeping focused. We only have 5 more days left! YOU CAN DO THIS! Prove it to yourself!

3 days in-7 to go

So, we are on Day 3 of the 10 day challenge...how're you doing?
Monday was great for me. Tuesday was ROUGH. I was hungry ALL day and even though I went to 2 classes at the gym, I seriously drug-butt the entire time and probably only gave it about 75%. All I wanted to do all day was sleep and eat. Ick. I did skip my coffee yesterday, so maybe that is what the problem was?!?! I didn't think I was that reliant on my morning coffee..but maybe I am and didn't know it.
Anyway, today is day 3 and I feel back to my normal self. I have a lot to do today, but I am going to fit in a work out this afternoon while the kids are at school. I'm thinking about possibly doing P90X Yoga even though I really don't like it...I need some stretching. Or maybe I'll do Cardio X...that'll give me a little yoga but still gets some calories burned off.
No matter what, I'll be doing something and YOU BETTER TOO! Keep your eating clean. I ate a LOT yesterday, but for the most part, it was fresh veggies and fruits.
For those of you who asked about my physical I got done the other day....I got the report back. My weight has gone down by 2 pounds (since last year) but most of my other numbers went up--which I thought was weird. My cholesterol, tryglycerdes, glucose--all that went up a few #'s. All I can figure is that last year when I did my physical I had just finished P90X and was eating a VERY VERY clean diet. For the past several months I've been pretty lazy with my choices of foods and maybe that is why the #'s went up? Still, I am within the Excellent range of all of them so I'm not worried...but I am glad that I am getting back on track with my food choices again. It's amazing how relaxed you can get so quickly. It's like one cookie here, one burger there and the next thing you know you're having fries with every meal! Eeeek! (and drinking pop again!) Double Eeeek!
I'm excited to see how AMAZING I feel (and all of you) at the end of this 10 days. Our bodies will SOOOO be thanking us! (and maybe we'll even be able to push away from the Thanksgiving table a little sooner than usual!)

Trendy or Trashy?

I wore this shirt to the other day and I really had a battle within about it.

I saw someone wear a shirt like this to work out in a few months ago and I thought it was so cute. I found one really cheap at Ross and bought it. When I put it on though, it felt really nakedy. I wasn't sure if it was because I have NEVER worn anything see-thru before (and have never worn just a sports bra and shorts) or if it truely was inappropriate.

What does it say to you? Does it say "Look at me! I'm wearing a see-thru shirt!!!" or does it just say "trendy and keeping cool while working out?"

The shirt is extremely thin and soft and comfy...but that isn't why I bought it....I bought it because I thought it was cute. I do NOT, however, want to look like I'm trying to draw attention to myself (or my body) by wearing it. I know I'm probably making way too big of a deal about this...but I just wanted to see what ya'lls opinions are.

Oh great! Now I just thought about the fact that I am posting it for you all to see--so if you decide its "trashy" I've just shown it to everyone! wonderful...:o)

10 day challenge---can you handle it?

So maybe you're not up for a 90 day program right now (or maybe you're smackdab in the middle of one and are starting to slack off some)...whatever your current situation, I have a challenge for you:
There are 10 days until Thanksgiving. I propose that for the next 10 days we will:

1.)Eat clean with EVERY bite. No cheating. NO JUNK. Just high protien, good carbs and lots of fruits and veggies. My main hurdle with this will be not having dessert. I've gotten back into that awful habit of eating something sweet after every meal. Ugh!

2)Work out every day. I know that is a lot to ask...but we're only talking TEN days here. SURELY you can swing that for just 10 days right? (or at least that is what I'm asking myself!)

Matt and I are doing it as well as my mom. I want to see how many more people are on board???
Challenge yourself. See what you're made of. Prove it once and for all that YOU are in control..not your appetite, not your mood, not your surroundings! One thing that fires me up more than anything is thinking that I have "lost control". Maybe I'm a bit of a control freak..I don't know..but I will not be ruled by anything (other than God) and I will CERTAINLY NOT be ruled by my feelings or by my mood.
Reward yourself for accomplishments and happy times during these next 10 days by doing something GOOD for you body...like a invigorating work out rather than weighing it down with a big serving of sugar (cupcake/cake/cookie).
Who can argue this: You'll feel a heck of a lot better after that work out than you will after downing that bowl of icecream!!??!!

If you are a follower of my blog and you read this post and you don't leave me a comment and tell me that you are joining me, that's fine....just know that I will know that you are a WUSS! ;o)

Falling in love all over again!

Have you ever fallen in love with something (or someone) again? Maybe you were passionate about it at one time but things got in the way, the hecticness of life, and before you know it, the fire has dwindled? Not that you don't still "love" it...you just haven't made it a priority for a while?
There are SO many things that have fit into this category at one time or another for me (scrapbooking, daily Bible Study, cleaning house, exercise, disciplining my kids, eating healthy...etc...)
Well, this weekend, I fell in love again...with P90X and Insanity.

It all started with a FB post that Demi had put up--something about her abs being so sore it hurt to cough or laugh.
Call it a sickness if you want...but when I read something like that, it makes me say "ooohhhh I want to do whatever she did!!"
So, I found out what it was and I did it PRONTO. Turns out, it was Insanity's Max Interval Circuit.
I knew I was "in for it" when I put the DVD in and saw that it was 59 minutes long! DAAAANG! That is the longest workout I've seen in the Insanity program! Eeek!
I actually updated my FB status all thoughout the workout...(everytime he gave us a water break). Here is what I posted:
#1: Max Interval Circuit = Easy Peasy! Although for some reason I can't breathe! 51 min to go...
#2: Oh Ya! I'm killin' it-38 min to go!
#3: Oh my Gaw-ud!!! 29 more min...
#4: man this is about as fun as childbirth...14:43 left...
#5: not sure HOW I'm gonna teach kickboxing at the gym tomorrow if I can't even move!...4 min left...
#6: can it be true? I'm done...and I Lived!!! if I can do it--you can too!!! (well maybe...;)

Ya'll....if you are addicted to working out....and especially if you've done P90X...you really need Insanity. It is the most fun I've ever had doing something so painful! I can't believe I shelved this program instead of finishing it. I thought that it was too much to do it AND teach my classes at the gym so I put it aside for now....but after doing that workout, there is NO WAY I'm doing that again! Besides the fact that I burned 459 calories in that one hour (which is the most calories I've burned in an hour in a loooong time) I also learned LOTS of new, fun, cool moves to teach my class!
Speaking of...my poor kickboxing class on Saturday!...I don't know what they thought about me. I came in there with all kinds of crazy stuff like floor switch kicks and those oblique burpee things and jump tucks. I think they were in for a shock.
Anyway, then last night (Saturday night) Matt and I got in bed and were scrolling through the channels for something to watch and we ended up stopping on "Get Ripped in 90 days"--the very infomercial that we saw and ordered P90X from. Even though I've seen it at least 15 times, we sat and watched it again and with every minute that passed...the fire was stoked inside of us! Oh how I love P90X and seeing those little snippets of the workouts on the infomercial made me realize how much I have missed it!!
Just like a good old friend...you forget how much you love them till you spend some time together and then you wonder how you EVER let them get away.

Anyway, that's what's been going on with me this weekend. I love my group fitness classes at the gym and they are the foundation that my success has been built on and I would NEVER want to be without them. But as we all know, there comes a point when we have to move out of the comfort zone if we want to see more drastic, more serious results...and Beachbody did that for me---and it will do the same for you, if you want it. I would love to help you re-ignite that fire!

Right On!

Whether you think you can, or you think you can't---either way---You're right!

When I heard this quote the other day (by someone famous but I don't know who), I fell in LOVE with it. It is SOOOOO right on.
The only thing limiting you is your own MIND. What you believe you can do. Sure, you can't fly...that's the law of gravity. But I'm talking about perserveance and determination here.
If you're a fan of Biggest Loser, think about Dina with that dang box she "couldn't" jump onto. Sure she could have done it...EASILY...but she didn't THINK she could...so she couldn't.
Don't limit yourself. Dream Big...then KNOW you can DO IT!

I've learned something about this Beachbody coaching....I can cheer you on and send you recipes and e-mail you every day and ask how you're doing ...but you have to WANT it for yourself. You have to have the DRIVE within...because I can't be there to physically get you off your couch and make you move. I hesitate to even try to talk someone into buying a program like P90X or Insanity when I can hear it in their voice that they really aren't committed. I know this one person...they want to be fit and to lose weight so bad....and they are always asking for my help...but everytime I tell them what to do, they don't do it. A few weeks will go by and they'll get miserable again and then ask me to "PLEASE HELP ME" again. There is only so much I can do for you. I wish I could come to your house and work you out every day...but that's not realistic.
There were years that I "wanted to lose weight sooo bad" but I didn't want to actually DO the work to get the results. Then one day I woke up and I had had ENOUGH. Like seriously, I was TICKED OFF and I had a FIRE inside. I put on my shoes, drove to the gym, signed a contract and the rest is history. From that very day on, I have worked out consistently and regularly and that's been over 5 years now. I'm not exactly sure what flipped my switch. I just know that I was at the end of the rope. I had to change and it had to be NOW.
When you get to that point and you know--that you know--that you know--that this is IT.
Call me. :o)

Headaches are such a PAIN

So...I've been having headaches for about 2 weeks straight now. Nothing horrible or major...just enough to make me take Tylenol 2 or 3 times a day EVERY day. It's getting really irritating now though and I've been trying to think "outside the box" or the tylenol bottle--and see if there could be any explainable reason for them. I've come up with a few:
1. Dehydration. Not sure about this...but I know I am drinking wayyyyy less water than I was during the summer. I'm lucky if I drink 1 bottle of water a day, maybe 2 on workout days....so I'm trying to increase this.
2. I have some really tight muscles in my neck/shoulders that bother me a lot. When Matt takes 15 seconds and rubs them, I can feel the tension just MELT out of that area and my headache seems to go away temporarily. After talking to some friends about this on Sunday, I'm thinking about scheduling an appointment with a chiropractor...??
3. Not enough stretching/too much lifting heavy weight. I do a lot of heavy lifting preparing for my classes and instructing my classes but I don't do nearly enough stretching. On Sunday I did P90X Stretch X and WOW! Besides the fact that it had a very peaceful calming effect on me, I also felt MUCH better afterwards and so much looser and less uptight. That P90X...they have a video for EVERYTHING! :o)
Anyhow...I really hope this ceases because it's beginning to really wear me out. I wake up with a headache and go to bed with a headache. And for those of you who saw where I posted about the miracle-working Peace of Mind that Origins sells...it does help relieve the pain "on the spot" like it says. It just comes back within about 15 minutes...so I know I need something more.

On a side note...for those of you following me on my fitness instructing journey: Things are getting SO MUCH easier. It is starting to come more natural now. YAY! I wondered if it would ever feel "second nature" to be up there in front of the class talking over the microphone but yesterday I strayed from my notes and just did what came to my mind and it went really great. I hope (and plan) that by the end of this temporary job (ends in Dec.) that I will have a clear sight of what I really want from this--whether I want (or God wants me) to pursue instructing further...or if it's time to move in a different direction. I really think this is preparing me for something bigger...something more powerful in the way of ministry. Only God know's right now....!