Tony Horton eating Doritos?

So, I had this very vivid dream last night. I walked into some kitchen and there at a round wooden table sat Tony Horton himself. He had a Family Size bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos open in front of him and his hand stuffed full of them and he was cramming them into his mouth...crumbs falling everywhere! Instantly I began digging through my purse for my camera so I could catch this on film and show the whole world what our "hero" is doing in the privacy of an empty kitchen.
HA HA HA HA
What in the WORLD?
The night before that I dreamed all night long about possible catastrophes that might happen while I was up instructing (people fainting, me forgetting my routine, forgetting the music, etc.)
Seriously, exercise and nutrition is taking over my life!
Even at the circus last night, all I could think about was how FIT those people must be to be able to do these amazing stunts and how when the elephants put their front foot up on the little stool thing that it looked like they were doing lunges. When I told Matt that he said, "Does everything have to be about exercise?"
hmmm.....how am I supposed to turn that off? If I'm not working out, I'm cooking. If I'm not doing either of those, you can bet I'm thinking about them...writing my next routine, planning my next meal.
I actually have begun to really try to "rein it in" when I talk because I know people get sick of hearing it all the time. ESPECIALLY people who aren't into "IT".
Ugh! I know how important balance is in life. I know that anything (even good things) in excess can become negative. Where do I draw the line?

My cup runneth over!

You people are just the BEST! Don't ever let me hear anyone say that on-line friends aren't "real" friends. I can't begin to tell you the amount of support I felt yesterday and the confidence boost you all gave me with all your sweet comments, FB posts and text messages! Starting Sunday night all the way through 9:30 pm last night, I was receiving messages from you all wishing me luck with my classes, building up my faith and then asking how it all went!
Since Matt isn't into computers and he has nothing to do with e-mail/FB/blogging/texting and such, I thought I'd show him some of your messages. He was very impressed, to say the least. Not only did you guys think about me and pray for me, but you genuinely care and that came through very clearly in your messages! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
So...many of you are wondering how it went. I'll just give you the minute-by-minute scoop. It may be long...so feel free to skip ahead if you want!
3:52-OMG! I meant to leave at 3:45! Now I'm running 7 minutes behind already! Off I go.
4:01-It's too quiet in the car. I need some jammin music to get me pumped up for this--however--I refuse to listen to anything that doesn't glorify God...so I grab Brooklyn's Hillsong United "Tell the World" CD. I sing along and pray in the Spirit whenever the music breaks.
4:14-Arrive at the gym. Stop at the bathroom first to pee for the millionth time and then off to the aerobics room. Wow! There are already like 10 people in there and they are all talking about "I wonder who the new instructor is going to be." I announce--"It's ME!"
4:22-A man in a uniform shirt comes into the class room and hollers out "Is there a Jennifer Jones in here?" I raise my hand and he looks at me with this really confused look on his face (because I'm wearing my mic at this point) and he says "Ummmm....you're not a member here...!!??" I explain to him that I am a member of the sister gym and that I am the new instructor. He apologizes for the confusion and I proceed to get everything ready for class.
4:28-I decide its close enough to starting time to go ahead and push play on the cd player and make sure my mic is working. It's NOT! AUGH! Panic!
4:30-(when class is supposed to be starting) I holler out to the FULL classroom now--"Does anyone know how to work this stereo system" Thankfully a friendly guy comes over and together we figure out the problem. Whew!
4:33-Class begins. I tell them my name and explain that although this used to be a Step Aerobics class, we will now be focusing mainly on weights instead. I watch a good 3/4th of their faces drop. One lady says, "WHAT? You mean this isn't going to be a step class?" I say "No. We will use the step, but we will mostly be doing weights for this first class because the next class (Boot Camp) will be entirely high intensity cardio. She says, "But this class is called STEP." At this point I really didn't know what to say. I told them "I'm sorry. I've never taught a step class and I was told that we could switch this class to weights since we do cardio afterwards. I am more than happy to learn some step moves though and add them in next time." Finally we begin exercising.
5:15-The first class is done. It went really well, I think, except for their dissapointment about the class change. I took a 3x5 index card with my notes on it and I managed to work out every body part adequately in 45 minutes. yay! I tell them to go ahead and put away ALL their stuff (step, weights, etc.) because we won't need anything for boot camp.
I watch every. single. person. walk out of the room and I freak out for a second thinking that NO ONE is going to stay for boot camp! AUGH!
5:16-It dawns on me--oh yah! The water fountain is outside of the room....they just went to get drinks! Whew! About half of them come back for boot camp. We get started with a light jog.
5:17-I turn to face the group and ask if any of them is familiar with Beachbody, P90X or has ever heard of Insanity. They all look at me like they have no idea what I'm talking about (except for one man). I explain that I work for Beachbody and am currently in the middle of a fitness program called Insanity, and that our Boot Camp is going to be a lot like that. (they have no idea what this means....)
5:18-We begin sequence #1: Jog, Jacks, heisman, 123 heisman, football run, high knees, kick butts, jump tucks and then DRILLS (plank, 8 push ups, 8 running man, jump back up).
5:40-OH MY GOSH! I totally underestimated how hard it was going to be doing this kind of intense workout AND having to talk through it! I am doing everything in my power to control my breathing and get legible words out. I look at the clock and tell them to Push Hard--this is our LAST DRILL!
5:41-We finish up and begin our cool down/stretch.
5:45-Class is dismissed.
5:54-I'm finally back in my car, safe and sound, ready to head home. I glance over at the clock and OH MY GOSH!! WHAT????? 5:54??? Class isn't supposed to be over until SIX!?? I realize...I let them go 15 minutes too early! OOOOOPS!!

I was kind of bummed out that NO ONE I knew was there...which means I have no one to ask what they thought about it. But overall, I am VERY pleased. I kept cool and calm the entire time, I don't think I made any big mistakes. I think the worst thing I might have done is got off beat a time or two. I kept a smile on my face, and made every effort to crack jokes when it was appropriate and to encourage them to "come on!" and "a little lower" (squats) and "get it up" (high knees) and "push hard! We're almost done!" (toward the end of a move).
I'm already thinking about the fact that I have to do this all over again in just 2 days! Augh!
Right now...this just seems like SUCH a headache...but I think it will get better after a few more classes.

Okay...I gotta get up from here and get ready for the gym. (man it feels good to just be going to work out and not having to teach! :o)

Peace! Be Still! (Mark 4:39)

I know Jesus was talking to the wind and the waves when he uttered this command....but today I need it to apply to the butterfly's in my stomach.
October 5th is finally here. I've known for about 2 months now that today would be the day that I would start "officially" teaching classes at the gym.
In August I told myself "oh don't worry about it until September. You have plenty of time to prepare."
In September I told myself "it's okay....don't fret. You have an entire month to get ready for this."
On October 1st I said "you still have a full 5 days...you'll be fine."
On October 3rd I said "just enjoy the weekend, you can spend all day Monday getting prepared."
On October 4th at 9 pm I said "OH CRAP! I HAVE LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO PREPARE!"
And now...here we are on the morning of October 5th and I feel like I'm shaking from head to toe. This can't be happening. I can't be allowing myself to get this nervous.
I've bought my microphone, I've ordered my music, I've written my routines down and I've prayed myself up. The only thing left to do is practice my routines once today and then TRUST GOD to do this. It was by HIS leading that I even pursued this....so why I am freaking out about it?

Time is running out!!!

News Flash: Today is September 30th. That means that if you start today, you can be finished with any of Beachbody's 90 day programs by the end of 2009! Or, if you've been thinking about ordering Insanity (a 60 day program) , NOW is the time to do it so that you can be finished by the end of the year. 2010 is right around the corner! You might as well start the NEW YEAR out with a NEW BODY!
Also, keep in mind that the products that Beachbody sells make EXCELLENT Christmas gifts. Pricey maybe...but just think...you'll be giving someone the gift of HEALTH and a longer life! That is PRICELESS. I am very seriously considering ordering my mom Slim in 6 for Christmas and my brother Power 90. Neither of them exercises currently but both of them want to get started. These are more like "beginner" programs than some of the more extreme ones like P90X and Insanity (although they will DEFINITELY still get the job done!)

Anyway, I am realizing VERY QUICKLY that the cooler temperatures are on their way and sadly, my jeans aren't fitting quite the way I want them to. It's time to turn up the heat a little. My "problem" is eating right. I LOVE to exercise (most days) ...so that's not an issue for me...but food (DESSERT!) is just the thorn in my flesh. I crave something sweet after EVERY meal (including breakfast and snacks!) If I actually indulge myself...I end up eating sweets 5-6 times a day! NOT GOOD.
Anyway, join me in a quest to look HOT in our jeans this winter. There is no good reason (and no dessert yummy enough) to be miserable the whole fall/winter season with pants that are uncomfortable and tight! Just think about how that feels for a second and that should be all the motivation you need!
Who's in?

Facebook Sucks

Sucks my time away, that is!
Anyway...I just wanted to give a little explanation to a Facebook rule I have, for any of you who might wonder about this.

I don't accept friend request from guys.
It's just a simple way I show respect to my husband. He's not a computer kind of guy and it's not fair to him that I might be chit-chatting with other dudes by way of Facebook without his knowing. Even harmless chatting is not in the best interest of my marriage

Of course there are exceptions to every rule.
The exception for this rule is: Men who are 1/2 of a married couple that we are both good friends with or people in my family. That's all. So...if you send me a friend request and I don't accept...please understand that I have nothing against you...but I just want to always honor my marriage first.
If you're a guy and you want to say something to me, you can always feel free to post on my blog, where my husband and I both love reading all the comments.

Thanks for being cool about this! Y'all are such an awesome group of people!

wondering if this stuff really works?

So, if you're one of those....who wonders if this whole P90X thing works....well....decide for yourself:

My hubby Matt before P90X:

My hubby Matt after P90X:This is ALL from P90X. He hasn't set a foot in the gym in years. AND---he is still a work in progress! Just check back in a few months when we're done doing a mish-mash of P90X and Insanity!

Crick

That is a funny sounding word if you say it over and over, like I have recently to describe why I can't turn my head more than a few degrees to either side. And I actually wondered if it is even a "real" word. Here is what I found:
crick: \ˈkrik\: a painful spasmodic condition of muscles (as of the neck or back)

On Friday morning I woke up feeling fine, had my prayer and Bible study time and then decided to take a short little 15 minute nap on the couch before I had to make breakfast. Sometime during that 15 minutes, I majorly messed up my back and neck. I woke up and it was like next to impossible to turn my head from side to side or look up or down. OUCH!

I mean...I've had plenty of "cricks in my neck" before and they usually wear off with time.
But I am going on the 4th day here of this. On Saturday morning, after having tried Tylenol, Ibuprofen and Aleve with no success, I decided what I needed was a good, hard core work out to knock the stiffness out of me. So I went to kickboxing, zumba and abs at the gym (a full 2 hours) and while I didn't notice that the "crick" held me back any from my workouts....I did recognize that the pain hadn't lessened ANY when I was done.

So, I'm wondering if any of you have any suggestions? It seems like the only time this isn't bothering me at all is when I lay down on my back with my head in a perfectly straight position. Very irritating.....

Glamourous

So...ya'll remember back to last August when I got some "special" pics done? Well....I finally figured out how to crop them to where they are modest. Can you believe all that eye makeup the MAC girl put on me? It looks pretty in the pics...but I could NEVER wear that much glop on my face on a normal day.

The Healthy Choice

Lunch today:
hot dog and chips? (mmm...that sounds DELICIOUS!)
sauteed zuchhini and onions (hmmm...that sounds..........healthy.)

In the end, turkey dog sliced up into sauteed zucchini and onions.
Took an extra 2 minutes to prepare, but soooo good and for once (in the past couple of weeks) I can say I made THE HEALTHY CHOICE!

How about you? How's the eating going? You know it's time to make your game plan because fall is here and that means warm apple pie and all kinds of pumpkiny goodness. Hot cocoa with loads of marshmallows and creamy, alfredo-y soups.

Fall = Comfort food. Comfort food = pounds. Pounds = you too chunky to fit into your favorite jeans. You too chunky = discouraged, unhealthy person. And we know NO ONE wants that!

Just a FYI: There are LESS than a hundred days till Christmas! This is the PERFECT time to start a program like P90X or Insanity! Click HERE to order and get your life in ORDER!

Spacin' Out

Hey guys! It seems like I've been sort of "spacin' out" on y'all lately. I just can't seem to find the time to blog, read blogs and keep up with the rest of my life too. (I know you can all relate-as we all go through this at times).
Anyway, I just wanted to leave a quick note to let you know a few things:

*I think about you guys all the time--especially my close peeps and my Beachbody team! Keep pushing play y'all!!

*I do have things to blog about and pictures to post when I EVER get "spare" time. Ha ha...spare time. What is that?

*I am still working out daily. Going into my 3rd week of Insanity. Not losing any weight yet but that is because I'm on some kind of eating-like-a-hippo binge. Seriously, it's serious. I'm not sure what this funk is that I am in...but I am certainly in an I-don't-give-a-rip mode right now while I'm eating. Of course, when I get ready to put my jeans on and I can BARELY slide them over my thighs---I beat myself up mentally until the next binge begins! Augh! It's a vicious cycle!

*THANK YOU to all of you who left me such encouraging comments on my last post. I am not going to let this issue fall by the wayside. I am going to spend a little time this weekend thinking through and writing down some practical ways I can begin to turn the tables. You are such great friends--so thoughtful and encouraging!

*Beginning in October, I will be "officially" instructing at my gym. Every Monday and Thursday from 4:30-5:30 I will teach an interval/pump class and then from 5:30 till 6, I will teach Boot Camp. I can't wait to bring on the INSANITY to these people! They aren't gonna know WHAT hit them! (that is....if I can figure out how to work out AND talk...that is so much harder than it looks!)

*Just warning you now, as my calendar fills up for the remaining months of this year, it looks as though things aren't going to slow down much. On top of my instructing at the gym, I am also homeroom mom for Grant's class (and possibly Brooklyn's) at school. Matt and I have also begun volunteering in our church in 2 new areas (in addition to my teaching in the Children's Ministry).
I don't know how much time I am going to have to devote to blogging...but as it goes...that is not top priority right now. If you don't hear from me on your blog or my blog, you can ALWAYS feel free to drop me a line via e-mail @ jennimatt10@hotmail.com

P90XOXOXO!!
Jen

It's a thin line

As I washed dishes the other day, my 8 year old daughter came into the kitchen, wrapped her little arms around my waist, buried her head in my chest and began to sob. When I pulled her head back and gazed into her sad eyes, I asked, "honey, what's wrong?"
She looked hopelessly at me and said "mom, I've tried on 7 different shirts. Nothing looks good on me. I'm too fat."
[INSERT BREAKING HEART RIGHT HERE]
Ahhh....the words I never wanted to hear her say. The issue I never wanted her to have to deal with. The feelings I never wanted her to have.
Sadly, she inherited my figure instead of her daddy's. Not that I have an awful figure, but it's just not that lean, lanky look that her daddy's side of the family has. On my side of the family, we tend to be "solid". No matter how much weight I lose, I'll never have that teensy tiny petite look (that we girls LOVE) because I just have bigger bones and thicker skin, it seems. I know it sounds like I'm whining but I honestly think that people with genes like mine have to work twice as hard to have defined muscles and a lean look. It just doesn't come natural at ALL. Matt's side of the family on the other hand, its like their bodies were just born with great muscle fiber and a more "thin" skin that lets all the right curves and bumps show. (Grant got that body).
Anyway, I read an article the other day in a magazine about the fine line between modesty and shamefulness.
It's one thing to want to "cover up" because we want to respect God and our husbands with how we dress. But it's another thing entirely when we wear big moo-moo shirts because we are ashamed of our bodies.
As a mother, I definitely want to instill a sense of modesty in my daughter. It's important so that as she grows into a teen, I don't have to fight her about short skirts and low-cut shirts and belly-button rings. If I teach her now what the Bible says about modesty and how just the slightest bit of "too-much-skin" can affect boys, then she will desire it (modesty) for herself.
On the other hand, I definitely don't want her to feel shameful or embarrased about her body.
So how do you develop confidence and self-esteem without vanity and pride? How do you teach modesty but avoid shame?
Ugh! Parenting is so much more complicated than it looks!

On top of all of this, the sad thing is that she was right. None of her clothes do look very good. They make these clothes for these little girls to fit snug against the skin. That is not flattering unless you are a twig (and especially un-flattering if you are already starting to turn into a young lady up top).

So what do I do? Do I put her on a "diet"? Do I make her start exercising? Do I go out and buy her new clothes?
We already eat very healthy in our house and I have eliminated having junk food in the house at all. Obviously Matt and I exercise daily. The kids don't "exercise" but they run around outside and play, ride their bikes and do gymnastics so they're getting some activity.

Do I tell her "honey, you're not fat. You look beautiful." Or do I say (more honestly) "yes, you need to start watching what you eat and getting more exercise."
Even right now as I type this, I am watching her try on every shirt in her closet and come out with a hugh sigh every time because she hates the way she looks. This just shouldn't be something she has to deal with at age EIGHT!

I feel like I'm standing on a fence, walking a thin line and if I fall off to either side I'm going to totally mess her up. Anyone have any advise?

Most Embarrasing Picture EVER

I can't believe I'm doing this....but....in the hopes that it inspires someone out there...I am posting this MOST EMBARRASING picture. My mom found this picture of me right before I made the decision to get in shape. It is from my 26th birthday party (July 2004). I was up around 190 pounds then and MIS-ER-UH-BULL!!! My marriage was falling apart, my self-confidence was ZERO and I had to take diet pills to even make myself get out of bed in the mornings. It was really bad. I would go to a store to try to find clothes and just cry because nothing fit or looked good except "old people" clothes. I pretty much hated myself.

This is really my REAL "Before" picture because this was taken right before I COMPLETELY changed.

Not only did I start working out, I started tanning, getting my hair and nails done and as soon as I lost some weight, I bought a whole new wardrobe. Subsequently, my self-confidence started building, my marriage became passionate again and my energy was soaring!

Most of you know "the rest of the story" as far as how I got from THIS to where I am now...but I'm happy to share it with anyone who doesn't know. You can also go to my Beachbody coach site to read my testimony.

So...there you have it--a picture of me at the worst I'll ever look/feel/be in my entire life. I am so glad I made the decision to get fit and change my life forever!

one for fun

I threw on Matt's AE hat and snapped a pic. Man--my hair is like a wild mane!

"before" side pic for Insanity

Here is the side view. My tummy is not quite as toned as it was a few months ago when I finished my Round 2 of P90X. Thankfully Insanity is already in progress!!

"Before" pic for Insanity-Back

Here is the before pic-Back view. Here you can see the 4 butts I was talking about in my post. Lovely...

"Before" pic for Insanity

So..here is the "front view" before picture for Insanity.

Yes! This IS Insanity!

Can you see the sweat POURING into my eyes?

Insanity Pictures

So...I have like 3 minutes to do this post....so there won't be a lot of chit-chat. I took these pics of me during the 1st Insanity work out I ever did. It was nuts. I was pouring sweat. WHY I thought ya'll needed to see...I don't know...but if any of you are wondering if it's true what they say about "working out in a pool of your own sweat"--well....it is.

As for my "before" pics....I am going to post them but I am not going to post Matt's because I'm not sure if he'd want me to or not. (He's so much more modest than I am.) Anyway, I'll tell you the specific areas I am hoping to transform during this Insanity Journey. I'm hoping that by being so open and honest with you all---that this will hold me accountable!

First of all...there is that lower-tummy area--the part that stretches SO badly when you're pregnant--well, I'm sick of the blubber! I want to be able to wear a sports bra and shorts to work out and not have that flopping up and down. (sadly may need tummy tuck to really take care of it though---ie..may have to 'deal' with it.)

Secondly, the thigh issue. Ick. I don't want the "friction" when I walk-ESPECIALLY when I'm in my swimsuit.

Lastly there is the extra set of "butts" that I've got goin' on there. Uhh..no thanks! 2'll do.

So...there you have it. I'm not horribly dissatisfied with my body just the way it is right now...but if I'm going to go through this 60 days of PURE INSANITY, then I want to have some clearly defined goals for myself.
In terms of the scale-I am starting out at 134 and hoping to end up somewhere between 120-125.

Ps. Thanks to Rene for the cute suit! She gave it to me for my birthday!

***Okay-I've been trying to post this for DAYS and it won't let me upload pictures! I will try to post the pictures via a different host. Wish me luck!

Not exactly what I was hoping for!

Hmmm....this is weird.
I am eating only mostly the foods that the Insanity Nutrition Guide says to. I am doing my workouts faithfully (plus adding in a few P90X workouts too)...and yet when I got on the scale yesterday, it said I had GAINED 2 pounds.
That is SO. NOT. COOL.
I'm banking on the theory from my "debits/credits" post I did a while back--and that the deposits I am making right now just haven't caught up with me yet. Yes...that must be it.
Surely I am not sweating gallons every night during these Insanity workouts only to be GAINING weight!!??!!!
The true "proof" will be when I weigh on Friday. I will have been doing the program for a full week and a half then and SURELY by that point, I will have had some success with the scale.
By the way, just FYI, my starting weight for this Insanity Journey was 134. Yah...I had gotten down to 129, so that means I gained 5 pounds over the summer, since I finished my last round of P90X. Bummer.
Anyway, my goal is to finally get down to the elusive 125. I haven't seen that number on my scale since high school, so it's about time.
I wish I could NOT be so hung up on the number that the scale says...but forgettaboutit. I care. It's like the only solid proof that what I'm doing is paying off. Yes...my jeans get looser and that could be an indicator---but not necessarily. Sometimes my jeans feel looser/tighter depending on the time of the month and whether I'm feeling thin or heavy that day.

I've learned a couple of things about doing Insanity I thought I would pass along to those of you who are about to start:
1. Don't wear any kind of jewlery--unless you enjoy having it slam against your skin repeatedly. I am an earring girl and I never, ever, ever take my earrings out (small hoops) but I had to break my rule and remove them because with constant forceful jumping, even those little hoops hurt.
2. Don't drink water. Yah, sounds weird...but I'm learning that it's much better to just wet the inside of your mouth and throat with DROP of water than to take a swig. Even though you're SO THIRSTY, if you take a big swallow, you WILL pay for it during the rest of the workout. The more liquid sloshing around in my stomach, the more likely I am going to be to barf.
3. Don't eat for 2 1/2 hours prior. Previously I had said to be sure and give yourself 1 1/2 hours between your meal and your workout--but--that isn't working for me. When I work out this intensly (to the point of almost ralphing) I burp a lot. A tasteless burp is much better than one that tastes like lunch.
4. Clear the room. During these Insanity workouts, you are doing some SERIOUS jumping, moving forward and back, side to side and you really don't have ANY time to check for objects in the floor underneath you. If you have dogs, kids or toys that are prone to getting under your feet---you really need to fix that for the time that you are working out. We have a 8 pound yorkie and she loves to come get under our feet while we're working out---and in P90X---we just step over her---but with these Insanity workouts that won't work. There is NO time between moves and if she's under there--there is a good chance we are going to stomp her guts out. Sounds awful-but I 'm just sayin'...
5. Use the bathroom first! Even if you don't think you need to---TRY! I know I sound like your dad before a roadtrip-but believe me when I say-you don't want to have anything sitting in your bladder when you start doing these jumps! (same goes for #2 too!)

Okay, that's it for now. I will keep passing along tips as I go.
One thing I can say FOR SURE....is that I LOVE the length of these workouts! Yesterday's (Pure Cardio) was 32 minutes long. We warmed up for about 6-8 minutes, worked out at MAXIMUM intensity for about 18 minutes, and then had a nice stretch/cool down for another 6 or so minutes. I know it sounds "too short for a good workout" but I promise you--it's not.

Today is classes at the gym, mowing all afternoon and then Insanity tonight--it's gonna be an EXHAUSTING day! Wish me luck (and loads of energy!)

Diggin It!

So...last time we talked, I was telling y'all about the Insanity Fit Test (that was on Wednesday). Thurday I did the Plyo workout after my class at the gym! Whew!! That was EXHAUSTING! I took some pictures of myself while I was POURING sweat...I know that's just what y'all are dyin' to see...so I'll try to download them and post asap! (hee hee)
Yesterday I did the Cardio Resistance workout while Matt watched from the recliner saying "that doesn't look too hard". HA!!! He had worked the previous 24 hours and was zombie-tired...so he couldn't do it with me...but I seriously considered flipping him off (haha) while he was sitting there commenting on how it didn't look THAT hard. (so easy to say when you're just a spectator!) I knew he was TOTALLY just giving me a hard time--and it was all in good fun--but I'm really not in that much of a jovial mood when my heart is beating at 189 beats per minute and I can't even see for all the sweat running into my eyes. Something about that takes the funny out of things just a bit. :-)
Today was Cardio Recovery which was still very hard...but way less jumpy. I decided do P90X Chest, Shoulders & Triceps today also so I can keep my muscle tone where I want it (not sure how much Insanity is going to do for building/toning arm, back & shoulder muscles???) Anyway, Matt joined me for today's workouts and he's really pumped about doing the Insanity program. Several of you guys have asked what he thinks about it---and so far---he is just as excited about it as I am. It's a very nice (and due) change from Tony Horton. The energy level (and music) is just so exciting and energizing! So far, there is nothing I DON'T like about it. And Kandy, you asked about the lengths of the work outs....well...that is the BEST part! The shorter routines are just over 30 minutes...and the longer ones are about 45. It's SO NICE to be done in UNDER an hour...and...no ab ripper to do afterwards either!
Man...I feel like I'm doggin' on P90X. I am SO NOT. I think it's just that I've been doing P90X now for over a year and it was time to mix things up a bit. Even still, I am totally planning on throwing in some of the strengthening/weights dvd's with the Insanity program.
Also, I don't know that I would have the endurance or stamina to do Insanity if I hadn't already completed P90X.
The time seems to pass so much faster with this program. (hooray! I hate watching the clock!)
The real proof will be when I weigh in next week!
Matt and I took our Insanity "Before" pictures last night. We were a tad bit disgusted with them...but I guess that's good since we're well on our way to losing the blubber!
Eating has been good. Not perfect, but very healthy and comfortable. Even though we've been eating out a little bit, we are being careful and concientious which is a big improvement for me. I usually go hog-wild when we go to a restaurant. It's like I think I'm on vacation because I'm not slaving over the stove in my kitchen! ha ha
I am so glad I didn't wait until we were done with this Round 3 of P90X to order Insanity. I think I might have burned out...but not now! We are on FI-YAH!!!
I also have to give a SHOUT OUT to my newest team member Coach Michelle!! YAY! Congratuations on becoming a Beachbody Coach! You are SUCH an inspiration!

Like Nothin' You've Eva Seen!

I hate to start a post with the letters OMG---but O.M.G!!!!!!!
Matt and I just did the Insanity Fit Test.
Let me just put this in terms you might understand:
The warm up was like my high-intensity boot camp classes at the gym--the WARM UP!
Then we began the actual "work out". It was (I think) 8 different moves--all for 1 minute each. Peice of cake, right? Uh...if you like eating brick-cake. Hard doesn't even begin to describe it. It's not that the moves are hard or complicated....it's that you're trying to do it as fast as you can--as many as you can get in durng that 60 seconds. I would always start out thinking "this isn't so bad" and then after about 30 seconds in...I'd be shaking and coughing and huffing with each breath! Good Lordy I am not nearly as fit as I thought!
I'm not sure how this information I've just discovered makes me feel about beginning the actual program. I know it's gonna whip me into shape--and that is AWESOME. I also know it's gonna be an ENORMOUS challenge for me to conquer the mental aspect of this.
I love my cardio---but I like it at the gym---surrounded by all my girlfriends.
Doing this at home--dodging dogs, toys and kids---on my living room carpet---ugh---not so fun! Of course, you all know I'm 'onetoughgirl' who is CERTAINLY not going to wimp out---NOR---am I going to let my money go to waste. If I shelled out the $$ to buy this program, you can bet I'm gonna do it and make every cent count.
I guess I just never realized, after 5 1/2 years of consistantly working out, that there are still moves out there that I haven't seen---and workouts that I can't do! I really thought "I can do anything" but after watching the "Dig Deeper" video and doing the fit test, I'm beginning to question my actual fit-level. The good thing is: There is always room for improvement!
I think I'm just rambling...
One thing I learned for SURE---DO NOT EAT for at LEAST 2 or more hours before doing any of these work outs. We ate about 1 1/2 hr. before and we nearly puked. Yuk! I still feel like my dinner is sitting in my throat. Gross!
Also, on the positive side---I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Nutrition Guide in this program. It is a million times easier to me than the P90X Nutrition Guide (but of course that is just my opinion). I am also thinking back to when I first started P90X and I didn't know how to cook/eat ANY of those foods. Now I eat very healthy anyway...so maybe that's why this new eating plan seems so easy. Either way, I am MORE THAN HAPPY to share the recipes with you all!
For any of you who are considering ordering Insanity...of course, I have a lot more to learn...but from what I've seen so far---I DEFINITELY recommend it. (maybe even over P90X!!!???) I can't believe I'm saying that because I NEVER thought I could love ANYTHING more than P90X....but....I also NEVER thought I could love my 2nd child as much as I loved my 1st--and then he came along and of course, I do! Well, it's kind of the same situation. P90X is my 1st baby---but Insanity is my 2nd baby and I am in LOVE already!
oh boy..have I gone off the deep end or what? ha ha ha
Give me a little bit of a break...I got my monthly visitor today, I have a huge zit on my chin, I'm moody and to top it all off, I peed my pants during the jump-knee-tucks in the fit test. Nice, huh?
I'm sure you all really wanted to know that about me. I am way too honest. Why am I still talking?
Okay...I really need a shower...really. Later y'all!

Biggest Loser....made personal

So at church Sunday, our pastor announced that Danny, our very large guitar player has been gone for some time. That is because he has been competing on this season of The Biggest Loser!!!

Since they tape the show ahead of time (and then the finalists get a couple of months to take off more weight while the show airs)...we already know that he makes it to the finals! So far, he has lost 150 pounds!

At one point during the taping of the show, he was running on the treadmill listening to praise & worship music when Jillian walked up to him and said "Jesus ain't gonna help you here buddy--it's just ME and YOU!"

HA! (what a DUMB thing to say and how WRONG she is!)

We (at our church) are excited for the show to air so we can watch Danny go through this amazing transformation week by week. Please believe with us that he will win the BIG prize and be this season's Biggest Loser!

(Our pastor mentioned that he really hopes Danny remembers to tithe on that prize too! ha ha)

click on this link to see his photos and read his bio!

http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/contestants/current_cast/danny/index.shtml

The new season of the show airs Tuesday, September 15th!~

Interruptions!!!

Don't you just hate interruptions? I think the most annoying time to get interrupted is during a work out. For me anyway, it takes total concentration to be sure my form is spot-on and that I am really pushing myself. I work as hard mentally when I'm doing an intense workout as I do physically.
Well, since last Thursday when we did Shoulders & Arms, I have had massive interruptions. Not that they were bad things...just things that prevented me from being able to do my workouts. As a matter of fact, one of the interruptions was a visit from Matt's little brother and his wife--and that was a very fun and relaxing interruption, but nevertheless, I couldn't desert my company for an hour and a half every day they were here to do a workout.
Another good interruption is that I finally got my transcription job back and when the doctor decided to start sending me work again...he sent 5 days worth all at once! I was on a strike from the rest of my life until I could get that work caught back up.
Anyway, the rest of my excuses interruptions are just piddly that maybe could have been over-looked, but weren't.

ON THE FLIP SIDE:

Guess what the UPS man delivered to my house about 30 minutes ago???????

INSANITY!

I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's like the feeling you have in your stomach when you're about to go on a rollercoaster. Adrenaline rush coupled with anxiety and a dose of fear. I know this is going to push me 'past my limits' so-to-speak. It is going to be the most intense, most extreme, most Insane thing I have ever done and while that is scary, it's also totally THRILLING because I know what this is going to do for my body!

So for any of you who wondered exactly what you get with this program....here it is:
It comes in this really cool old-school looking hard-back textbook. When you open it, each page (which is thick board) has 2 DVD's in it. At the back tucked away neatly in a special pocket is the Nutrition Guide (YAY! New Recipes!!), the calander and other papers and info that I haven't really looked at yet. This picture is of the big poster/calandar that you use to see what workout is on each day! Cool huh!?

You might have also noticed in that top picture that we also ordered some of the Men's Strength and Muscle Formula. Matt is really trying to increase his muscle mass (and not lose any more weight) so we decided to try this special "recovery drink" for men that includes creatine for muscle building! I'll definitely let you know how he likes it! (thanks Demi for the recommendation!)

Here is what he looks like right now. Not too shabby!! He's got great tone and definition--he just wants to be BIGGER. I think this supplement is going to be the answer. I'll post more pics as he progresses!

So..........What does this mean for our Round 3 of P90X??????????

I'm not really sure. I know that tonight we are planning on skipping church (bad, I know) and doing a work out. We are about to be committing to church every Wednesday night starting on September 9th so the kids can attend the Awana's program and Matt and I are going to be running the Ice Cream and Soda Shoppe at our church on Wednesday nights...so since that hasn't started yet...we are going to play hookey this time. I am VERY anxious to get started with Insanity and see what it's all about...but I know for SURE that we aren't going to abandon P90X either...so....until further notice, I guess you'll just have to be surprised with us each day on which program we do! ha ha

If any of you want to jump on the Insanity bandwagon with me (and you KNOW you do!) then click here to order!

P90X/D11/R3

Day 11--Shoulders & Arms. Yum!
Started the day out with a step aerobics class and then an interval class at the gym. I HATE it that the chest strap to my heart rate monitor broke because now I don't ever know how many calories I burned. I really should look into getting a new strap!
After Matt got home from work, we sat down at the computer to log onto WOWY and started looking at the other products Beachbody has to offer. I reminded him of how I have been wanting to order P90X+ for, like, EVER and he said "get it". So I clicked "add to cart". Then we browsed through the supplements because our Recovery Drink is almost gone. We (he) decided to try the Performance Men's Formula this time instead. There is enough Recovery Drink left for me for a while if I'm the only one using it and he is really wanting to start taking something with some creatine so that he can start bulking up more.
That was when he saw the little picture/blurb about Insanity. I'd told him about it before...but you know how that goes...until men are ready to hear about something...until they are interested in it themSELVES...it just goes in one ear, circles around once, and then flies out the other ear. Anyway, he said, click on that and let's check that out. So...I did. Long story short, he talked me into deleting the P90X+ off the order for now and getting Insanity instead. His reason was "I'm sick of looking at Tony Horton." All I can think is "oh my gosh can I handle this??" AUGH!
So...in about a week or so, our Insanity journey will begin! I think we will probably still throw some weight-training in too JUST because Matt is REALLY trying to get some major muscle mass right now and neither of us is convinced that you can do that by just cardio alone and no weight-lifting. (do any of you object?)
Anyhow, after our order, we rocked out Shoulders & Arms. That is one of our favorite work outs because #1: There is no jumping #2: There are no pull ups #3: Watching yourself in the mirror is completely self-motivating!
Eating was pretty good. Not gonna list it all out for the sake of time, but I'd give us a 7 on a scale of 1-10.

P90X/D8-9-10/R3

Have you been wondering where my daily P90X posts have gone? I kinda "quit" blogging them there for a bit but I remember that if I don't blog about my workouts/eating--no one holds me accountable, so it's time to get back on board.
Monday was Day 8. The bottom line is this: I cleaned house all morning, had a hair appointment at 1 pm, went to my parents house at 4 pm to pick up kids, mom had dinner fixed, ate smoked sausage, potatoes and green beans with cornbread and then carrot cake for dessert, came home and got kids in bed, went to bed. Yes, you read that right...no workout whatsoever on Monday. My excuse: didn't want to mess up my hair. Lame, I know.

Tuesday was Day 9 and would normally have been Plyo but since we missed Chest & Back on Monday...we did it on Tuesday night. I figured if we skip Yoga like we always end up doing...by Thursday we'll be back on schedule. I went to the gym Tues. morning as always and did my 2 classes there. Had that awful roasted chicken sandwich from Arby's for lunch and then ate baked fish and veggies for dinner. Did Chest & Back and Ab Ripper before bed.

Wednesday was Day 10. We skipped out on church and instead did Plyometrics, ate dinner (turkey&veggie spaghetti with salad) and then watched The Race to Witch Moutain. For those of you who don't know anything about this movie (like I was before we watched it)--it has NOTHING to do with a witch anywhere in the movie for even 1 second. That is just the name of the particular mountain they are climbing. It is kind of a sci-fi movie which I HATE...but I really got into this movie and enjoyed it. It's quite unrealistic...but still very intersting and on-the-edge-of-my-seat. Grant liked it too. (Brooklyn went to church with my dad so she missed it).
Anyway, glad I got Plyo in since I ate kind of crazy. Did good for breakast and lunch (had my Progresso Light soup) but then ate left over carrot cake and ice cream for dessert. Regretted it--but thankfully, it's all gone now. I need to make a mental note to QUIT making or buying desserts! If they aren't in the house..I have no choice. If they are in the house...I can't resist.

Today is Thursday, Day 12, when I'm typing this. I am about to go to the gym for my 2 classes and then tonight when Matt gets home we will do Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper. I am not going to look ahead further than today---but for today---I am going to do my best to improve my eating. Ya'll ask me about it tomorrow and see if I stuck to my guns! K?!!

Unbelievably True!

So, I saw this on a friend's blog and I LOVED it! I hope she doesn't mind that I copied!! She has a fabulous blog and a phenomenol following...go check her out if ya wanna!

More than I bargained for!

So, thinking I would be money-smart and nutritionally-smart, I went to Arby's and redeemed a coupon I had. It was for a Free Roast Chicken Club Sandwich with the purchase of any size drink. Seeing as how a small soft drink was .99 cents--AND--nothing on this sandwhich is fried, I really thought I was getting a great BARGAIN.
Well---lunch for $1.16 is pretty cheap, I'll admit. But LOOK at what I consumed in JUST this single sandwich! AUGH!! (thankfully it was all I ate with my Diet Dr Pepper--I didn't get the combo as pictured above)
Arby's Roast Chicken Club (contains bun, roasted chicken breast, 2 slices bacon, lettuce, tomato, mystery sauce)
Calories: 500
Total Fat: 17
Carbohydrates: 46
Protien: 30
The only thing that was good was the 30 grams of protien! (well, and the sandwich itself was VERY yummy). Anyway, had I known this info beforehand, I would have NEVER eaten this. So here is your word of warning: LOOK UP THE NUTRITIONAL INFO BEFORE YOU GO! Or, at least ASK when you get there if they have a pamplet you can look at. Don't be fooled by words like "grilled" and "roasted" and "salad". Many times they are just disguing the ugly truth! Maybe your chicken isn't fried...but there are much healthier choices if you do your homework!

On The Flip Side:

I am LOVING this soup! It is Progresso Light Zesty Santa Fe Style Chicken. It tastes just like Chicken Tortilla Soup (but very brothy). The can claims to have 2 servings, but I can easily eat the whole can as my lunch.

Nutrition info as follows for ONE serving (so double the numbers if you eat the whole can)

Calories: 80

Total Fat: 1

Carbohydrate: 10

Protein: 6

1 Weight Watchers Point (if you're into that)

It is DELICIOUS! I crushed up 3 (yes, ONLY 3) tortilla chips on top and some fresh cilantro but you can eat it right from the can and it is fabulous! Everything about this soup is yummy!

Put weight on = Take weight off

Kind of an oxymoron isn't it?
(ps. An oxymoron is 2 words that mean the opposite used together-for instance 'pretty ugly' or 'stinkin' awesome'.)
Anyway....the point is...it's time to start putting some weight on! On your barbell that is. You girls that are out there with a little 5 pounder on the ends of your barbell, it's time for graduation. I promise you--you can handle a little more weight. I think we all get a little too comfy and cozy with our weights sometimes and forget that the goal is to keep moving forward. I'm not saying us women need to be lifting 50 pound barbells, but 20 or 30 is actually very doable--and you'd be surprised at how strong you really are. I remember when I made the jump from 7 1/2 pounds on either side of my barbell to 10's. It wasn't even noticable. So the next time I jumped up to 12 1/2 pounds on either side and wow! I could still do just as many reps as always! Granted, I am SHOT at the end of the set, but still, look at how much harder I worked! People have been commenting on the definition and cut-ness of my arms, shoulders and back here recently and I really attribute this new more-defined look to going up on my weights. Even at home with P90X, I have begun to increase my weights and I am now using Matt's 20 lb. dumbells for several of the exercises. A few (like lawn mowers and congdon locomotive) I think I could even go up to 25's for.
I think that some of us have a little pride in this area and don't want to have to stop before everyone else does. So, to be safe, we grab a lighter weight. But the best case scenario (for ultimate results) is to grab a weight that pushes you to your limit. Ultimately you should NOT be able to (or barely able to) finish the last rep.
You may be saying right now--but I don't want to bulk up. Well, it's like this ladies-you don't have enough testosterone in your body to bulk up like a guy. We are just not built like men and we won't end up looking like one (unless we take some kind of crazy supplements). There are times when more reps at a lighter weight is good---but I'm more of the belief that 15 reps at your highest weight is BEST. If I can do more than 15 without crying for mercy---then it's time to go heavier.
By the way---you do remember that MUSCLE BURNS FAT right? The more of it you have, the more efficiently your metabolism is going to work for you--AND--the more effective your cardio sessions are going to be--THE MORE WEIGHT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE OFF!
Over the years, women have neglected weight training in their fitness and many have attributed weights as a "man's work out" but it's not. Girls, we have to sculpt and tone our bodies if we want to have curves in the RIGHT places. Skinny does NOT equal fit. But a girl who balances her cardio with weight training will have the healthiest, fittest possible body she can have! How many of you will graduate with me? Let's all agree to take it to the next level and see what happens!

Okay--I searched all over the web for a picture of a girl weight-lifting a barbell. I found plenty--but they all cost money to download. So....I ran up stairs, stuck my camera on auto and snapped few of myself. They aren't professonal (like Demi's) THAT's for SURE...but hey...it's redneck photography at it's best! ha ha

P90X/D6&D7/R3

Like I mentioned in my last post, we had friends over Friday night and didn't get in bed until 1 am, so we SLEPT IN on Saturday. Normally when I "sleep in" I get up around 7. Today though, it was 5 after 9! wowsers! It was like being a teenager again--except I felt "hung over" all day (and there was no drinking involved, I promise!)
Anyhow, I spent a good portion of the day outside with Matt helping him put up shelving in his shop building. By the time we came in the house to work out, it was 5 pm and we were SO hungry. I told him "let's eat dinner first and then in a couple of hours, do the work out."
Ya, right. We ate, cleaned up the dishes, took showers and realized that we HAD to make a trip into town to Wal-Mart for something we needed to bring to church early the next morning. It was nearly 10 pm when we got home and I think it was like 10:15 and we were all already in bed! (exhausting day-what can I say!?) So..no work out.
Sunday was busy too. I was scheduled to teach the 5-yr-old class so Matt went to service by himself. Then we came home from church, had lunch, cleaned up the dishes and headed out to the pool with the kids for some swimming. Came in at 3:30 and did CardioX before we had to shower and leave for the Ice Cream Social at church. I TOTALLY meant to eat before we left so I wouldn't be tempted by the free hot dogs and ice cream...but I ran out of time and it was either eat first and get there late---or leave now and be hungry there. I ended up eating 1 hot dog and 2 small bowls of icecream. They have like 15 different flavors of BlueBell to choose from and it's all free. They give out small scoops in little bowls so you can try lots of kinds so I got a bowl of Cookies-N-Cream (my fav) and then I tried a bowl of Southern Hospitality (my NEW fav). YUM!
Working out and eating was not very good but I am pretty sure I have learned my lesson. I am typing this on Monday morning and I have been paying for that kind of eating all morning long...if you know what I mean. Ugh. When you feed your body natural, healthy foods for 5 days and then JUNK all of a sudden, it sorta freaks out on you---just a word of warning! :o)
I'm glad today is Monday and we can get back into our schedule of workouts and eating.