Day 29

Well, I did something today that I honestly didn't think I could do. I ran 3 miles. It took me 33 minutes. I'm just amazed that I could actually run 3 miles. I am NOT a runner. I took cross country my freshman year in high school and that confirmed it---I hated running. That was the most miserable semester of my life. I was always the last one to finish the runs and no one wanted to run with me because I whined like a baby the entire time. Fast forward 15 years to me now. I am NOT the same girl I was back then. So-so-so many things have changed. 2 of the biggest ones are my self confidence level and my fitness level. I was the "traditional" teenager back then--lazy and unhealthy. I also had extremely low self-esteem. I never thought I was good enough for anyone (guys or girlfriends). Thankfully, that began to change little by little and by the time I was a senior in high school I was into aerobics classes at the local gym and was active in many groups and clubs at school--even the leader of our Bible study group.
Anyway, I said all of that to get to this point: I am going to quit saying "I'm NOT a runner" and change my confession. I really enjoyed that run yesterday and felt totally empowered by it. I didn't set out to run 3 miles..it just happened. I kept thinking, 'okay-when I get to 20 minutes I'll stop' and then 'well, I'm just past 2 miles--so when I get to 2 1/2 miles I'll stop' . Then of course, when I got to 30 minutes I saw that I was just short about 2/10ths of a mile of making it to 3 miles so I decided to keep on going.
This all took place AFTER I had already done a 45 minute core/interval class!!
Anyway, I ate good all day and when Matt got home from work, we 'pushed play' and did Plyo X.
I'll admit, I didn't put much heart into it this time. I could tell my body was aching already from my earlier workouts...so I kinda just did what I had to get through it. I still worked up a good sweat and burned a couple hundred calories. (in additoin to the 600 I burned earlier!)
In all, it was a great day!

Day 28

A great first day of Phase 2. I ate well all day and then did my work outs strong and intense tonight. Today was Chest, Shoulders & Triceps with ARX and I know what you mean Christina about your arms being noodles! All those push ups--by the time we got to the one-arm-balance ones where you lock your heels together, go into a side plank, raise your arm and look up--I could hardly hold myself up on one arm, I was shaking so badly! Nevertheless, I pushed through and finished it. Then I was really looking forward to setting a goal with ARX. I have never done all 25 of every one of the exercises. I always seem to take a break somewhere in there...so I was determined that today was the day. I was going to do every single one of each exercise. It was all good and going perfectly until I got to about #20 on the mason twists. My legs were shaking so bad and I was so exhausted that my stomach muscles actually gave out on me for a second there. So I ended up doing about 40 of them with my feet up and 10 with my feet down. Not too shabby though. I think by next time, I will be able to say I did all 344 (or whatever it is) ab exercises right along with the group on the dvd.
I didn't bother to wear my HRM tonight--as I don't really burn many calories on these weights work outs and it's actually kind of discouraging.
For breakfast I had an egg white scramble with FF mozerrella cheese and 1 turkey bacon with coffee/cocoa.
For lunch I had a chef salad with light ranch and 5 crackers (70 cal). Also a bowl of fruit with 3 apple slices, 10 grapes and a very small banana.
For snack I had 5 tortilla chips and 1/2 of a Honey & Oats granola bar.
For dinner we had baked tilapia with stir fry veggies and a little brown rice and a big green salad.
We did each have a homemade rice crispy treat tonight for dessert. I have no idea how "bad" those are but they are all gone now...so no more to worry about.
Kate: I got on the scale today and it said 137. I was like WHAT??? It's been staying at 134 consistently and I've been doing better and better with my eating and workouts so I was really expecting to see a loss. I have no idea why I would be going UP...but whatever. I'm not going to let it affect me too much. I know I'm doing what I should be...and that's the best I can do.
For all of my readers who may not know Demi Eliese--I want to introduce you to her! She is super cool and super hot and super hardcore into fitness. She became a Beachbody coach recently and can help you if you should ever decide to try any of Beachbody's amazing programs! You can check her out at http://www.beanbabes.blogspot.com/ If you do go to her site, you should check out her before and after pictures! They're enough to inspire ANYBODY! When I say I want to see results at the end of this P90X program--THAT is what I'm talking about!!

Okay, well, I'm off to the bed to watch a few minutes of the Bachelor before I drift off to lala land. I'm looking forward to tomorrow--gym classes AND plyometrics! Mega-calorie-burning day! Bring it on!!

Planning for Success!

I've spent the last hour or so preparing these calenders. It was a little time consuming...but I totally think it is going to REALLY help us SUCCESSFULLY complete the next 62 days of this program. I am going to post these right next to the TV where we work out and keep a marker beside it so we can physically check off each day as it is completed. I think seeing what is before us is going to really be a great motivator. I just thought I'd share in case any of you want to copy this idea. I got these blank calanders from http://www.calendersthatwork.com/ if you're interested.

Day 25, 26 and 27

So, Friday was Day 25--and I did nothing. No exercise whatsoever. It was a super busy day and there wasn't an opportunity to get in a work out of any kind unless I had done it at 5 am or at 10 pm. Literally, I was gone from the house from 7:30 am until 10 pm! I had a dentist appt. first thing in the morning to get a cavity filled. It's the craziest thing. I go get my teeth cleaned every 6 months and everything is always perfect. Then all of a sudden I have this very bad, very deep cavity that "almost needs a root canal" according to my dentist. Crazy. Anyway, I got the filling which took about 2 hours and then a couple of hours later when the anesthesia wore off....Oh My Gosh! I was HuRtInG! Thankfully I had some Fioricet (for headaches) that I could take and that helped some. I eventually decided that I was going to tough it out through the night and then if it wasn't better by Saturday morning, I'd call the dentist. (who happens to be a personal friend of ours who is also doing P90x!!) Anyway, I woke up on Saturday morning feeling about 85% better. Yay! So...off to the gym I went. (Ya, Kandy, I decided against doing the 5K race this time). I did my "normal" 1 hour of kick boxing, 45 min of Zumba and 15 min. of abs...but I burned a RECORD number of calories this time--1,001!!! I think it was because of the outrageous humidity. Our weather went from being in the 40's to being in the 70's almost overnight and it was HOT in the gym. I was sweating before class even began! Anyway, as you can see...I took a picture of my HRM for you all. I had to have proof to show you! This was all burned in 2 hours and 4 minutes! Yippee!
I am typing this on Sunday afternoon. I just got home from church (teaching the 5-yr olds) and lunch at Lone Star where I had a chicken sandwich. My tooth is hurting again and I have a headache. We are about to take the kids to the park for a little running around and I'm gonna pop a couple of Tylenol and take my Womens Health magazine to browse through while they're playing. Hopefully, I'll feel better by the time we get back home and I will do Core. I am SO excited about starting Phase 2 tomorrow. I am printing out a schedule for the next 62 days and posting it right next to the DVD player so we can see exactly how far we've got left to go and what is coming up next. I really think having this in front of us will be a great motivation. Every day that we complete our workouts, we can check off that day and see how we are doing. I know for myself---I can't STAND to miss a day when I've got a streak going. :o)
I hope the rest of you all are doing good and sticking to your work outs and clean, healthy eating???? Kate...are you feeling better yet? Kandy, are you still training and eating good? Christina--do you do all 25 Fifer scissors without a rest? Demi-Almost time for your vacation! I bet you're ready! How's the vegetarian life going?

Day 24

I feel like I'm cheating on this program because I haven't done any of the videos this week. I totally intended to...but intentions aren't enough apparently. I have, however, still been working out daily. Today was my regular day at the gym. I did a 1 1/2 hours of HARD working out and burned 798 calories. I am actually very anxious to starte Phase 2. It seems like we've been on Phase 1 forever because we started the program over so many times only to quit after a couple of weeks--that we've done the videos from Phase 1 way more than the rest. As a matter of fact, the only time we've really done any of the other videos was during our first round of the program. I can't even remember what comes next...but I know I'm ready for it. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, then Saturday is my gym day and Sunday is stretch--then it's Phase 2 time! I got an email tonight from BB showing the latest million dollar body winners and it is SO inspiring! What a dramatic change some of those people have made in their appearance in just 90 days! (like you too Demi!) I really want my 90 day pics to be like that this time.....a major change--not subtle. Of course, I know for that to happen, I am going to have to get WAY more serious about this than I have been. (especially the eating part).
As a matter of fact, you know what? I was fixing to close up this laptop and go to sleep...but I think I'll get back out of bed right now and do Ab Ripper. It's the least I can do--just 16 measly minutes and then I can get back in my cozy, comfy bed with ripped abs instead of flabby ones. Yah....that's what I'll do. Adios my amigos!

Day 22 & 23

Tuesday, yesterday, I did a 45 min. interval class at the gym and then hopped on the elliptical for 30 minutes for some cardio. Ate good.
Today, Wednesday, I did 35 min. on the elliptical while I watched The Biggest Loser (that I had dvr'd). What a crazy episode. Carla and Joelle...I just couldn't figure them out. How they ever became friends in the first place is beyond me--they're SO different. Anyway, I'm actually glad they're BOTH gone. They both brought drama to the show and that is one thing they don't need any more of.
On a different note...I noticed that I lost a "follower" today. Crazy but I feel rejected. Like---I wonder what I did or said to make "X-follower" want to stop reading my blog and remove their name from my list...??? Strange.
Anyhow, as much as I HAAAAATE to admit it, we haven't done any P90x videos since last Friday. It is the recovery week and I am still working out...but I wish I was at LEAST doing the days that Core is scheduled. I really feel like I'm getting something out of that work out! Anyhow, we went to church tonight, then came home and put the kids to bed and I am finally getting to get into my jammies and into my bed (with my laptop) and suddenly I feel zombie-fied--drowsy--like I'm unbelievably tired. So I'm gonna put this up for now. Tomorrow is my double-class-day at the gym so I need my rest and energy!

Day 20 & 21

Sunday and Monday.
I had really good intentions of doing StretchX on Sunday...but a quick afternoon nap won out. We didn't have much time between church, eating lunch and then heading back to church for a super bowl party at 5...so I just took a 20 minute snooze instead. (couldn't risk getting sweaty before the party!) Eating wasn't great on Sunday...but not as bad as I normally would have done at a party like that. I had a small plate of my favorite things and then stuck a piece of gum in my mouth. (that always does the stop-eating trick for me!)
Monday was supposed to be the beginning of our Recovery Week for phase 1. Yoga was on the schedule. As you guys know, I hate yoga, so I was going to replace it with something else. Well...something else ended up being falling asleep on the couch at 7:30 pm! We rented Open Season 2 and watched it with the kids after dinner and it made me sleepy. I was disappointed that I didn't get in a work out on Sunday OR Monday...but I also know that life happens sometimes and I am trying to learn "balance".
When your friends start describing you as "this is my exercise-obsessed friend, Jen" you know there could be a balance problem! (wow...how did I become THAT girl? That's what I used to always call YOU Kandy! ha ha)

Day 19

Saturday, my favorite day! I have really been enjoying my classes at the gym on Saturday mornings again. I had quit going for a while because I hated that it was taking away from our family time. But right now while it's SOOO cold outside and there's not a lot to do around here, I'm back at it and I'm LOVIN' it!
Today was 1 hr. kickboxing, 1 hr. Zumba and 15 minutes power abs. It's a grueling 2 1/4 hours...but I eat up every second of it! I'm pretty good at all of it, which helps me to push even harder. I am pleasantly surprised at how high and hard my kicks are. I can tell my balance has really improved since doing P90X. We have the kind of bags now that are held up by sand bases (instead of hanging bags) and I'm kicking hard enough that after a few kicks, I have to pull the bag back over to my spot! Then in Zumba, I have really gotten confident--always the one to do the highest possible intensity and the lowest possible squats. It feels good to know that I'm encouraging others to push harder. I have people tell me almost every time that they like to stand by me because they feed off my energy. I honestly don't know where I get it...but when I'm in a group fitness setting, my intensity level sky rockets. I just refuse to let ANYONE outdo me. I burned 843 cal. according to my HRM today. Not too shabby...but I will admit, we stopped at Krispy Kreme this afternoon and I had a hot glazed doughnut right off the conveyor belt. YUM! It was sooooooo good!
Anyhow, I gotta get off here. My mom and dad are over right now and I need to go visit! Love ya'll! hope you're having a great weekend!

Day 18

T. G. I .F! This has been a long week --at home for 4 straight days--with the kids (no gym classes). I'm glad the weekend is on the horizon! Today was Legs & Back. It was tougher than I remembered (I had forgotten about all the pull-ups!) and by the time we got to the chair saluations, sweat was dripping like a leaky faucet off the tip of my nose. According to my HRM I burned 280 calories which is pretty high considering this is not a cardio work out. Anyhow, I ate light all day and I feel really good about that. So good, in fact, that I decided to jump on the scale. Dang the scale. It said 134. Not that 134 is anything to be sad about...I remember this time last year thinking "If I can just get down to 135, I'll be happy". BUT...that goal has changed and now I'm repeating the mantra "If I can just get down to 125, I'll be happy". I was really hoping I'd be at 132 or below by now. Oh well...I know the number on the scale isn't the real "judge" anyway. I can definitely tell by my body that I am shaping up. My stomach is flatter and getting more definition all the time. My clothes are fitting better and I am just feeling "thinner". Eventually, the scale will have to reflect these changes. It just has to. :O)

Oh and by the way, Demi--the movie Fireproof was great! Totally worth renting! A little over-the-top dramatic we thought...but still....an excellent movie nonetheless!

Day 17

Oh my...what a day (or night!) it was! The kids were out of school again so after my normal oatmeal breakfast, we did some more playing outside in the ice.
Then it was time to come in and warm up. They watched a movie while I did Core Syn. It's really my day for Yoga but I despise Yoga--and especially when there are 2 little distrations running around my feet hollering "mom" every 5 seconds. (well, really 4 if you count the 2 dogs who think that me doing downward dog is an invitation for them to play!) Anyway, I decided to sub Core for it instead and WOW! I forgot what a hardcore work out that is! I loved it and hated it. Those plank to chatarunga runs got the best of me. I wanted SO BADLY to go down into chatarunga, but everytime I attempted it, I nearly took a bite of the carpet. I just didn't have the strength to hold myself up and run too. Oh well-so I ended up doing the whole minute in a plank run. After a quick shower, it was time for my appointment at the CPA to get my taxes done. I realized as I was running out the door that I had forgotten to eat! I grabbed the fastest thing I could find, which was a light Oscar Meyer hotdog (90 cal), a sugar free whole wheat bun (110 cal) and an apple. The tax appointment went well and we are getting back a significant refund which is great news, as this is our year to get out of debt!! I can't WAIT to get that check and pay off all our credit cards and Matt's truck! yippee!!
Okay--so here's where the day went from ordinary to WOWEE! I asked my mom if she'd mind letting the kids come over for a few hours. She agreed, so I decided to make a romantic dinner for my hubby. When I got home from the store, he was already home and doing his work out so I started cooking. It was just simple turkey spaghetti with salad and whole wheat french bread, but I made us some "specialty drinks" and I put all the red candles I could find on our table. I put on my favorite "sexy music" mix cd and turned off all the lights. Then I changed into a dress that I've only worn once because it's too revealing to wear in public (imo) and put on my spikey heels. I had also rented the movie Fireproof for us to watch. Everything was perfect.
And boy was he surprised when he got out of the shower and came in the room for dinner! He had NO IDEA anything was going on so it was quite a shock. (a much needed shock--we'd had some strained conversations lately and I knew it was time for something out of the ordinary). We ended up having our dinner which was fabulous, enjoying our drinks (best margarita recipe on EARTH) and getting out the karaoke machine instead of watching the movie! I did my best to not giggle while I sang a few songs and threw in some of my Zumba moves for him. Then he got up and sang Justin Timberlakes "Sexy Back" for me and did a few of his own dance moves. I don't know if I was supposed to be laughing, but it was very cute and quite comical. We had so much fun and laughed more than we have in a looooong time. I know God was smiling down on us. Its a magical thing when a couple can be so in love after 11 years of marriage, still get butterflies in their stomachs for each other occasionally and laugh like junior highers ALL while still honoring God with their lives. Yes, it may seem strange to pray over dinner while holding a maragarita in one hand---but you know what? I think God wishes more married couples would do stuff like this! I used to have such a hang up about drinking and not being able to mix "Godliness" with "UnGodliness". I mean, it says that right in the Bible--"what communion hath light with darkness"...but I really think I am beginning to see there is a difference in what we did last night...and going out to a bar and fitting right in with the crowd. Maybe I'm just "preaching" to myself right now...? but I am just so excited to have had this breakthrough.

Anyhow, I sooooooo did not mean to get off on that whole subject in this blog...but hey---my fingers go wherever my mind takes them--and you guys end up having to read it! hee hee hee

Here's a pic of our table...all set....just waiting on Matt to get out of the shower and come see!He insisted on taking one of me when he got in there. I didn't even get a chance to really fix my hair (I let it air dry after my quick shower while I was at the CPA) so I don't LOVE it...but oh well...I guess I don't hate it too much or I wouldn't have put it on here for ya'll to see, huh? ha ha
(hey, at least I'm honest! :o)

I WANT THEM ALL!

Okay, I'm a sucker for funky sayings on T-shirts. I just discovered this site and I LOVE IT! I want ALL of these shirts! I may order one but I don't know how I'll ever choose!
These are some of my fav's:
Operation Shrink-a-Bootie
Got Muscles?
Strong Chick
Kick It
Push.
My Perfect Day: Wake up. Work out, Eat breakfast, Work out, Eat lunch, Work out, Eat dinner, Work out, Go to sleep.
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
Shut up and lift.
I'm totally losing it!
A hard woman is good to find.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.
My mom can benchpress your dad!
The right to bare arms.
Exercise: The poor girls plastic surgery.
Exercise till the booty obeys.

There are SO MANY MORE....go check 'em out (and send me one if you want to! :o)
http://t-shirts.cafepress.com/health-and-fitness_womens-clothing?topic=738

Jen's thought for today:

I need a friggin tanning bed ASAP!
okay, this ashy white skin has GOT to go. Being 10 pounds heavier than I want is bad enough, but being ghostly white with it is just unacceptable!
I usually use self-tanner in the winter time to take the "edge" off and give myself a little bit of "glow" but for some reason, this year, that's just not cuttin' it. I actually think the bottle of Dove Energy Glow I am using right now is defective. I am as white on my legs and face and arms (the places I put it) as I am on my tummy and back....so I think they forgot to put the tanning stuff in the lotion or something. Or maybe I've grown immune to it?? ha ha
Anyway, nevertheless, I have got to make a date with a tanning bed. Besides the jolt of "summer-feeling" it gives me, I'm ready to feel (and look) sexy in my undies again. Sweatshirts and jeans are all good (and believe me, I live in them) but its nice to look good in my sports bra and gym shorts too!
Now if I can just shut up the little voice in the back of my head that is telling me "you shouldn't be tanning--you have a possible skin cancer on your forehead". I know I should go to a dermatologist and get it checked out--it's a little crusty spot that won't go away right on my hairline on my forehead. But quite frankly, I'm so afraid he's gonna tell me I have to stay out of the sun (and tanning beds) and as ignorant as it is, I know I probably won't do it. I am just gross when I'm white. period. Just like I won't give up my highlights. I need them. If I am going to have any level of self confidence (in my physical appearance) I have to get in my work outs, have a decent tan and get my hair done. You girls can have your purses and shoes--you can have your pedicures and manicures and expensive make up. I just need those 3 things (and maybe a few cute outfits for when I actually get to leave the house).

Day 16

Here is my thought for the day: I really wish I could just exercise all the time and not have to worry about the nutrition part.
I love my food. Especially my dessert. I'm fairly certain that is precisely what is keeping me from my 6-pack abs and buns of steel.
Somehow when I am holding a bowl of gooey-yummy-sweet goodness in my hands--all my reasoning flies out the window and I'm left thinking, "oh well, it's worth it" or "I'll just work out extra hard next time" or "I'll skip a meal later"...ANYTHING to justify swallowing down 500 calories in 5 minutes.
Today I worked out like a machine! I did 60 minutes on the elliptical while watching The Bachelor that I had dvr'd from Monday night. Then tonight I did Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper. I think I put in about 2 hrs. and 15 minutes....and that doesn't even count all the running around and playing in the snow/ice I did with the kids earlier today.
Sounds good, right....BUT...I also made banana cake today with our overly-ripe bananas. Then tonight (since the kids don't really love the banana cake) I made them chocolate chip cookies. THEN Matt got home from work and wanted eggs and biscuits...so I made him a few biscuits and used the rest of them to make sugar donuts. I ate some of all 3 of these desserts! EEEeeek!
For breakfast today, I made the kids biscuits & gravy with turkey sausage and scrambled eggs. I ate mostly eggs and a little bit of the b & g w/ sausage.
For lunch I had my WONDERFUL Progresso Light Sante Fe Chicken soup (160 cal), a few tortilla chips and a piece of banana cake.
For snack I had 1 slice of cheddar cheese with 10 Kashi crackers.
For dinner, since Matt was working, I just ate a bowl of raisin bran cereal with skim milk.
Then I had 1 of the sugar donuts and 2 little chocolate chip cookies!!!
See what I mean? I didn't get nearly enough fruits and veggies or protein today--and way too many sweets and carbs. AND...that was with me having some restraint!! I would have liked to have more cookies tonight!
Anyway, I have to tell Christina that I did it! I took your accomplishment and used it as my inspriation and I did ALL 50 MASON TWISTS WITH MY FEET UP! First time ever and I really didn't think I could do it...but once I heard you had done it, I decided I was going to do it even if it kiled me! ha ha And looky there---I could do it after all! Makes me wonder how often I don't push myself as hard as I could. Tonight for the shoulders & arms work out, I did almost all of the reps using 15 lb. weights. I usually use 10's but I decided to push a little harder and see if I could do the 15's. It was harder, but totally doable. I was still able to get 15 reps on each one. On the tripcep kickbacks, I did use 10's though.
Okay, well, I'm getting sleepy, and with all this working out, I know I need my rest. G'night!

Day 16

It's been a long day! We got iced over all through the evening hours and all night long last night so we woke up to a solid white blanket covering everything this morning--which meant school was out AND my classes at the gym were cancelled. Ugh! I love, love, love my classes at the gym and I can really tell when I miss one or two...my motivation level starts sinking. But, nevertheless, I got up today, put on my sneakers and pounded out 58 minutes of plyometrics AND I threw in Ab Ripper too since I missed it last night. My HRM registered 376 calories...but that actually seems on the low side to me-for as hard as I was working during that plyo video. I'm wondering if my battery might be low. I've noticed that my HR reading is lower than usual lately AND it doesn't beep when I push the buttons anymore...??? hmmmm...I'll have to check on that.
Anyway, I was really proud of myself for getting my work out in early today and then planning out a healthy meal for our dinner.
For breakfast (7am) we had Kashi Go Lean oatmeal with a few raisins and walnuts mixed in and hot chocolate/coffee to drink.
For lunch (11:30 am) I had 1 turkey burger with 1 slice of cheddar cheese melted on top and a small (3/4 c.) bowl of my left over block party stew. I wasn't quite satisfied after that, so I had a small banana and small (kid size) protein bar (140 cal).
For snack (4 pm) I shared some apples with the kids and a few Kashi crackers w/ cheese.
For dinner (6 pm) we had whole grain brown rice with onions, carrots and peas in it, a 4 oz. filet of baked tilapia, a green salad, mixed veggies and a small (2 x 2) piece of cornbread.
For dessert (8 pm) we had a bowl of Edy's light icecream. Probably a cup each so that's not great, but geee...if the stuff is in the house...we seem to keep eating it. Good thing it's almost gone!

As for Biggest Loser tonight....I loved this episode this time---but what a MAJOR BUMMER that Danny had to go home! I SOOO felt what Tara was saying to Dave. He just didn't realize what a enormous opportunity he was giving up on. I just hope they continue to exercise and eat healthier. They may not get "skinny and buff" as they said....but hopefully they'll at least get to a healthy, normal weight and be able to live normal lives. I was proud of Joelle this time for at least putting some effort forth. She certainly had a look of determination on her face when she was running on that treadmill tonight! As for the challenge--I hate those kinds of challenges. The person who wins really can't claim any victory. The only reason Helen won was because no one saw her as a big threat--and therefore didn't put footballs in her bin thingy. Who knows how many times she actually ran back and forth and how many footballs she actually contributed.... I hated to see the strong teams put out right away--it just didn't seem fair.
As for the chef dude and that little calorie guessing game...we played at home and were pretty much WAY off every time. I can't believe that after all these years of me being nutrition-conscious, that I still wasn't able to accurately guess the calories for those dishes! That's kind of scary considering I guesstimate calorie counts for some of the foods I eat! I sure could use a chef dude to come to my house and take me healthy-food shopping and teach me how to cook stuff!! I want one of those grill/panini maker things they used on there. It would be so nice to be able to "grill" food anytime instead of having to wait on or ask my hubby to do it all the time. Plus, we only use a charcoal grill (he doesn't like gas grills) and I can't seem to get the hang of using it. Anyway, that's my dish on BL for this week. Hey, did any of you notice that Jillian wasn't even in the show for like the first hour? It was just Bob. Weird.
Okay, as ridiculous as this is, (because it's only 9:34 pm) but I'm getting sleepy so I think I'll put this up and get to sleep. I would normally watch a little TV but our dumb satellite has been out ever since it started sleeting yesterday and so the only TV we can watch is the little 19" with rabbit ears that is in our guest bedroom. Oh well.....
Goodnight y'all!

Day 15

Okay, we're BACK! Last week was a much needed break, but it's time to BRING IT again! And not just the work outs--the nutrition too!
Today went pretty well as far as eating goes and we did do Chest & Back last night when Matt got home from work. We skipped Ab Ripper though because both of us got very nauseated last night. We both upped our weights and reps last night so we were pushing really hard. We would do push ups or pull ups until we could go no more. Then we'd rest for a few seconds and then knock another couple out. For Matt, he would do as many pull ups as he could and then use the chair to get a few more. I've gotten to where I can do 1 chin up without the chair on the close grip under handed chin ups but on the rest, I need my chair. I can't figure out why I'm not progressing in that area more quickly. These girls on the videos can do like 10 on their own. I keep up with them on everything else...but when it comes to the chin ups/pull ups...I guess I am just weaker. (UGH! I HATE admitting that..!!)
It's kind of funny, but on these videos when the girls say how many reps they are going to do. If I'm thinking "I'll do 20" and Maureen or Drea say they're gonna do 30 (or thutty as Maureen would say) I think to my self "Grrr....Guess I'm doing 30 because no way is SHE gonna outdo ME!" ha ha ha Who knew I was so competative? :o)
Anyway, by the time we had finished this work out, I was burping and swallowing hard and feeling very much like I was about to lose my lunch and Matt said he had to sit down for a few minutes before he could even get in the shower because he was so nauseous. But again...I'm weird, I know...but I like working out that hard. If I work out to the point of feeling sick...then I know I've really pushed myself.
For breakfast yesterday (7 am) we had Kashi Go Lean oatmeal with a little raisins and walnuts mixed in and some coffee for Matt/ hot chocolate with a teeny bit of coffee mixed in for me.
For "snack" I stole a couple of bites of scrambled eggs off Grant's plate. (9 am) and then a few bites of his chicken tender at lunch (12 noon).
For lunch (1:30 pm) I had a big bowl of salad with light Ranch, Kashi crackers and a turkey burger patty with 1/2 slice cheddar on top (no bun).
For "snack" (4 pm) I had a protien bar (130 cal) and a small banana.
For dinner (7 pm) we had our Block party stew with 1 piece of cornbread.
For dessert (8 pm) we each had 1 low-fat brownie with 1/2 c. Edy's light ice cream!! (bad, I know...but we had to finish them off and get them out of the house! Now they're gone...so no more slip-ups!)

A little stew'll do

This is one of my all time "easy" recipes. I ALWAYS have the ingredients on hand and everyone always enjoys it (except Brooklyn who HATES when I make this because of all the veggies in it). I don't know the specific nutritional information on this...but I'm thinking it has to be pretty healthy. It's almost 100% veggies.

Thanks to Matt's grandma for giving me this recipe (and bringing us a hot pot of it) on the night we moved into our first home together!

Block Party Stew

(give or take any of these ingredients according to your liking or to whatever you have on hand that day)

ground meat

carrots

corn

peas

green beans

beans (pork-n-beans, chili beans, kidney beans, black beans--whatever)

tomatoes, diced

potatoes, diced

celery

onions

tomato paste

tomato sauce

chicken or beef stock

salt & pepper

Brown meat (I use turkey) and season with salt, pepper and whatever else you want. I use garlic salt and some cumin . Throw in onions so they can soften up while meat is cookng--celery too if you're using it.

Then add in all remaining ingredients and heat to a boil. Simmer until potatoes and carrots are soft. (tonight I substituted vegtable juice for the tomato sauce and paste--and it's just as good) Serve with cornbread or crackers.

I like to put this on around noon and let it simmer all afternoon until Matt gets home from work.

M. I. A.

Has anyone missed my daily posts? Or has anyone even noticed I've been gone? Well, I've been M.I.A. (missing in action) this past week. We only managed to do our P90X work out once--Plyometrics on Tuesday night. There is no real good excuse, other than we are just experiencing "burn out." I have been still sticking to my workouts at the gym (2 hours on Tue, Thur & Sat) but for Matt...it's hard for him to come home from work, immediately change into work out clothes--do an hour and 15 min. work out--take a shower, eat dinner, and THEN finally he can relax. This week, we just decided to take it easy after work each day and enjoy some family time. Even though it wasn't good for our "diet"...I think it was definitely the right decision for us. Since we did P90X once already, then semi-did it again and now have started again for a third time...it feels like there has been pressure to work out every day for nearly a year now. Sometimes, you just need to allow yourself some time off. (or at least I do). I definitely have the tendency to over-do stuff--especially when it comes to working out. Like today, I did a 1 hour kick boxing class, a 1 hour Zumba class and a 15 minute power-abs class. I ended up burning 920 calories and afterwards I was actually bummed that there weren't any more classes. I could have (and wanted to) keep going and going and going!
So, on Monday it will be back to work--P90X style. I hope the rest of you P90x'ers are doing better than we are! It really is important to stick to it as much as possible for the first 90 days--if you want to have the kind of results they boast about. If I could just remind myself of that---and of what I could look like this summer if I'll get really serious about this--I'd be so much more motivated!
Okay, time for me to get some sleep. I get to teach the 4 year olds at church tomorrow so I'm sure I'm gonna need to be rested up!

Day 13 & 14

Well, I see a trend. We do REALLY good on Mon., Tue., Wed., & Thur. but come Fri., Sat., & Sunday....we abandon our diets! I know this...yet I don't see it changing.
At least I did get up on Saturday morning and went to the gym for a 1-hr kickboxing class, 1 hr. Zumba class and a 15 minute power abs class. I burned 852 calories in that time, which isn't bad but probably didn't make up for my dinner that night! We went to my parents house. My dad had grilled burgers and pork chops and mom had made mashed potatoes, cornbread and cabbage. YUM! I couldn't resist. Then for dessert, I made my "famous" banana pudding.
Anyway, needless to say, I doubt I lost any weight this weekend.
All I can say is it's back to work tomorrow and hopefully we can try to plan better for next weekend.

Day 12

Nevermind what I said about over-training...Ha! I hardly got a work out in today. It was all I could do to make myself do one of my Biggest Loser work out dvd's. I wanted to do P90X Legs & Back with Ab ripper...but I decided to wait on Matt to get home from work. As it turned out, my parents called and asked us over for dinner and then we all watched a movie--so it never ended up getting done. (now I am really glad I at least got in 30 minutes with Bob earlier in the day!) Eating was also a disaster today. I was hungry from the moment I woke up till the moment I finished my bowl of icecream tonight! I'm not even going to bother listing out everything I ate today for you all because quite frankly, I'd never be able to remember it all...and plus, it's pretty embarrassing! I actually had dinner rolls and mashed potatoes and ICE CREAM with hot fudge and nuts! AUGH!
Really, though, I know that is not the end of the world. I AM human. (and woman) (and that oh-so-'fun'-time of the month for me) so I have valid excuses!
Besides, tomorrow is my marathon day at the gym. Class after class after class, I'll be there sweating away the pounds. (or at least that's the plan!)
G'night y'all!

Day 11

Well, the day started out so well...I got up and went to the gym. Did an hour long in-line step class and an hour long interval cardio/weights class. I wore my HRM and burned exactly 800 calories. Not too shabby---but I'm bummed that we didn't do our P90X workout tonight. I am actually a tad bit concerned that I'm getting back into over-training. 2 hours a day is a bit obsessive probably. But I really do enjoy it. Still, I don't want exercise to take time away from my family. Grrr.....it's that thing called "balance". I have a hard time finding it. I'm pretty much an all-or-nothin' kind of girl.
Anyhow, as for eating, I did O.K. today. I didn't flub up real bad...but didn't follow my plan exactly either.
Breakfast: Egg white scramble with FF mozerella, 1 light WW toast, 2 turkey bacon
Snack: 10 banana chips
Lunch: Left over bowl of turkey spaghetti and peas.
Snack: small bowl of Kashi Go-Lean Crunch cereal with a banana and skim milk.
Dinner: Turkey taco soup. I chopped up lettuce and mixed it in instead of tortilla chips. It was actually really good.
Dessert/snack: Protien shake

Day 10

What a succesful day--in so many ways! I started out the day by getting my work for the dr. office done, then it was off to the elliptical machine for 62 minutes while I watched the rest of The Biggest Loser dvr'd from last night. Then a quick protien bar & banana before my shower. I spent the afternoon making phone calls and doing chores that I've been putting off for weeks and I finally can cross 2 BIG ONES off my list! YAY! After that Matt came home and we did Shoulders & Arms. Didn't have time for Ab Ripper because we have decided to start going to church again on Wednesday nights and we had to eat and get showered before we left for service. We actually intended to do it when we got home...but we hurried to get the kids in bed and then ourselves in bed...and forgot all about it. It's already 10:24 and we are just now sitting down in the bed. Whew! Anyway, I ended up burning a total of 678 calories today and got in 2 hours of workout (1 hr. cardio, 1 hr. weights) so I feel really good about today. I also ate good all day long and skipped out on carbs I would have normally had so I am satisfied with my efforts. Man it feels good to be able to say that!!
Today for breakfast I made us egg-white scrambles with tomato, onion and fresh parsley and a little of FF mozerella on top. Instead of toast, I had 2 turkey bacons and a small bowl of fresh fruit.
For "lunch" I had a Pure Protien bar (190 cal/ 20 g. protien) and a banana with water.
For "snack" I had 4 Plum Sweets and a small bowl of steamed carrots.
For dinner we had left overs from last night (turkey spaghetti, salad and peas tonight)
Right now..for "snack/dessert" I am having a small bowl of yogurt with fresh strawberries and slivered almonds mixed in.

Day 9

Today was Plyo X. Not one of my favorite work outs...but certainly one that gets the job done!
I am realizing that I need to get out my nutrition guide again and study it more closely. I have been just kind of "winging it" where our meals are concerned, but I'm pretty sure we are still getting too many carbs and fats. I remember Phase 1 being very un-tasty and carb-less. If I'm ever gonna drop these last 10-15 pounds, I'm pretty sure it's going to come from changing my diet because I just simply can't add more exercise.
Anyway, todayI got up and went to the gym for my core class. Then I did 10 minutes on the elliptical at a high resistance before I had to leave to get Grant to school. Tonight when Matt got home from work, we did Plyo X. Whew! Talk about working up a sweat! I had to take 2 showers today! In all I burned 768 calories!!
As for eating...
Breakfast was egg white scrambles with FF mozerella, 1 light WW toast, 1 turkey bacon, water.
I also had my "usual" cup of 1/2 coffee, 1/2 skim milk with sugar free Nestle chocolate mixed in.
Lunch was a bowl of veggies mixed with a little brown rice and then a bowl of fresh strawberries and bananas and walnuts.
For snack I had 8 plum sweets.
For dinner I made turkey spaghetti with sugar free sauce and whole wheat angel hair pasta. We also had salad and carrots.
For "dessert" Matt had a protien shake and I had a small bowl of Kashi Go Lean oatmeal with raisins and walnuts mixed in. That was probably "bad" but I was still really hungry--even after dinner. Still, when I looked at how many calories that probably was--I cringed.
Tomorrow I am going to aim for only 2 servings of carbs all day. I think if I cut out the toast at breakfast, that will help some. Also, I should probably try to end my oatmeal/raisin/nut adddiction because I think that little bowl of yumminess is about 350 calories!!! (oatmeal is 150, raisins are 100 and nuts are 100) YIKES!

My P90X Hottie

I snapped a few pics of Matt while he was working out the other day. Those of you familiar with the P90X videos will recognize the "famous karen potstirs" in this first pic! ha ha

Here is one of Brooklyn on her birthday with her daddy.

Day 8

Do you ever have one of those days where you wake up and feel like you've only been asleep for a few minutes? I had one of those this morning. I woke up with the feeling of sand in my eyes and soooooooo tired. Matt suggested I switch up my morning routine and get right into the shower to hopefully wake myself up. Well, it didn't work. I also tried a big mug of coffee/cocoa which helped a teensy bit...but only for a while. Anyway, I've been dragging ALL day long. No energy, no motivation. It was everything I could do to take off my comfy Adidas pants and warm sweatshirt and put on my gym shorts and tennis shoes...but I did it. Then Matt and I did Chest & Back as well as Ab Ripper X tonight before we ate dinner. It wasn't my best day ever--nutritionally speaking, but certainly not the worst.
For breakfast I had a mug of coffee/sugar free cocoa/skim milk and a bowl of Kashi Go Lean oatmeal with raisins and nuts mixed in.
For "snack" I ate a few bites of Grant's ramen noodles.
For lunch I met a girlfriend at Panera bread. I did the "Pick any 2" lunch special and had a small bowl of chicken tortilla soup with an apple and 1/2 of a chicken chipotle sandwich with water.
For "snack" I had about 8 Plum Sweets (before our work out)
For dinner we had baked tilapia with brown veggie rice, steamed broccoli and salad w/ water.
I didn't wear my HRM tonight during the work out so I'm not sure how many calories I burned. Probably not too many since it was mostly weights (no cardio).
Here's hoping that tomorrow I wake up with double-energy!!
Ps. It's 8:30 pm and I'm already in bed! yippppeee!! I'm GIDDY with delight! :) (hopefully the kids don't realize we put them to bed an hour early tonight! )

Days 5, 6 & 7

Okay, you want the good or the bad first?
Friday was bad. No work out AND we went out for pizza and I ate FIVE peices! Gulp! They were thin crust, veggie toppings and not terribly big...does that help? :)
That being said, I woke up Saturday morning with a little extra pep in my step--knowing that I had some major damage control to do! I headed off to the gym about 15 minutes after I woke up and worked out as long as they would let me (kids can only stay in the daycare for 2 hours). I did a hour long interval class, a 45-minute kickboxing class and then 30 minutes of Zumba. I was actually 15 min. late getting the kids from the daycare--but I had checked beforehand with the girls running it and they said they didn't care--so that's why I stayed for Zumba. Anyway, in all, I worked out for 2 hours and 13 minutes and I burned 960 calories! yay! (Matt did P90X Legs & Back that afternoon.) I also ate very good that day--until we took Brooklyn to The Melting Pot for her birthday for chocolate fondue. Then I had about 3 chocolate covered strawberries, 1/2 a slice of cheesecake and a couple of banana slices.
Sunday, today, is Brooklyn's 8th birthday. I knew eating healthy was going to be challenging today. I ended up having a small bowl of raisin bran for breakfast. We went out for lunch and I ordered the Sirloin Kabob with fresh steamed veggies and brown rice. I think my dinner was actually very healthy and I felt great about that. BUT THEN we came home and had cake and ice cream. It was delicious and I probably overdid it a teensy bit...but still, I resisted the urge to have another peice tonight before bed...so I feel victorious nonetheless.
I probably didn't lose any weight this weekend...but I don't think I gained either. I'm just so glad I went to the gym Saturday and got at least ONE good work out in. Tomorrow is a new day and I'll be poppin' in the P90X videos again!

Day 4

Today was soooo much better! I started off the day with 2 classes at the gym (in lieu of P90X Yoga). I did a 45 minute cardio class and then a 45 minute interval class. I think that second class was the hardest workout I've ever done. We did 2 minutes of weights, 2 minutes of squats/lunges and 1 minute of HARD cardio without anything more than 5 seconds in between. I was practically heaving by the time it was over and my face was blood red. It was miserable and amazing and fabulous all at the same time! ha ha (you hard-core fitness addicts will know what I mean!)
Anyway, I also did pretty well on my eating today too.

Breakfast - 7 am- +200 cal
2 egg whites with chopped pepper, onion & tomato, 1 light WW toast, 1 turkey sausage, water

Work out at the gym -9 am - -783 calories

Lunch - 12:30 pm - +400 calories
Green salad, bowl of veggie soup, big peice of banana cake :o(

Snack - 4 pm - +100 calories
Cherry yogurt cup

Dinner - 7 pm - +350 calories
Garlic mozerrella chicken sausage, Sugar free hotdog bun, vegetarian baked beans, green salad

Snack - 9:30 pm - +100 calories
1/2 banana, 8 Plum Sweets

Hey Kim,
About your question--meal planning. I pretty much try to stick to what the nutrition guide suggests we eat for the most part. However, I also have 2 kids who are NOT into healthy eating (yet!) so I usually try to make at least one extra thing I know they'll like. (mac-n-cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza, chips) They're pretty good about eating whatever meat we eat (unless it's fish). We make them have a small bite of everything on the table though--even though we know they won't like it. They know thats the rule, so they pretty much don't fight us on it anymore. At every meal we pretty much have a high-protien, low fat meat choice, a veggie or two and a salad. Fruit or protien shake for dessert. It gets old for sure...but it's the easiest, healthiest way. I bet it's really complicated though being a vegetarian. How do you get your protien in?
I don't know if I helped you any or not...but if there is anything specific you want to know, please ask! Also, if you're a member at BeachBody, you can go onto their website and access their recipes. There are some really helpful tips on there. I don't know how I would have gotten through the meal planning without that site (and the Thin Kitchens with Danny Teason) in those early days when we first started out. Good luck and keep pushing play! :o)

Day 3

Bad, bad, bad. That's all I have to say about today. I messed up by not planning out my meals appropriately. I ran errands most of the day and even though I did grab a protein bar and a bottle of water on my way out the door, it wasn't enough to sustain me all day, so I made some less-than-perfect choices. Still, at LEAST I pushed past the soreness and my lack of motivation and did my P90X work outs plus 20 extra minutes on the elliptical while watching the last bit of Biggest Loser that I couldn't stay awake for last night.
I didn't even write down my food journal today...but I can tell you this:
For breakfast I had 2 egg whites, 1 light WW toast and 1 turkey sausage patty w/ water.
For "snack" I had a small handful of dark chocolate covered plums.
For lunch, I halved a slice of pizza with Grant at Sams club.
Came home for a few minutes in between errands and ate 1/2 c. chicken salad (made from recipe in P90X nutrition guide) with Kashi 7-grain crackers.
For my next "snack" I ate my protein bar & water.
For "dinner" at 4:30 pm while I was at my mom's house, I had a ;Diet Coke and ate a big ole slice of supreme pizza that was left over from Sunday! Argh!! Then I ate 3-4 bites of banana cake.
Next I came home and did the P90X Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper X videos. After that, I jumped on the elliptical for 20 minutes. In all, according to my HRM, I only burned 293 calories. That doesn't seem like very much for working out for an hour and a half! But then, I hardly even worked up a sweat, so I guess I can't expect much.
At least I know tomorrow is back to the gym for me and I'll get a good cardio work out then for SURE. 2 solid hours of jumping, squatting and lunges! Yee Haw! :)
By the way, speaking of Biggest Loser. I do not like this whole "one person from each team goes home" thing at ALL. Geez...they just got there and already we're sending them home expecting them to make progress by themselves--without their best friend? Could they have possibly have learned enough in that short period of time to be able to be succesful? I doubt it. I will REALLY be surprised if Laura makes any progress. She's already under my skin. I especially like the yellow girls...the sisters Mandi and Aubrey.
Okay, well, I better get to bed. I have to get up super early (5 am) tomorrow to get my work done before I go to the gym! Goodnight!

Day 2

Well, today was not as successful of an eating day as I had yesterday, but still not horrible compared to before we started this thing. I did get lots of working out in today, so hopefully that made up for my eating.

Breakfast - 7 am - +150 calories
2 egg whites, 1 light WW toast, 2 turkey bacon

Core class at the gym and 30 minutes on the elliptical machine - 9 am- -473 calories

Lunch - 12 pm - +350 calories
9 little smokies mixed with a little brown rice, salad. Had 2 gulps of Grant's milk (skim)

Snack -1 pm- +125 calories
1 cup coffee, 1 cup skim milk, 1 packet of sugar free cocoa

Snack - 4 pm - +200 calories
baby carrots with 1 tbsp. light ranch, homemade turtle !!! (bad, I know but it was the last one!)

P90X Plyo video - 5 pm - -293 calories

Dinner - 6:30 pm - +300 calories
slice of turkey roast w/ gravy, veggie soup, salad

Dessert/snack - 8:30 pm - +200 calories
Peice of WW banana cake and 1/2 protien smoothie

Oh my--we are sore today! That's a good thing though--and tomorrow will probably be worse!
Okay, gotta get off here and watch BL!! I dvr'd it and now I finally get to SIT DOWN and watch it! YAY!

Day 1

So, like I said in my earlier post...we're back at it. P90X that is. Today was a good 1st day. Here's what I did:
Breakfast- 7 a.m.- +200 calories
1/2 bowl of Kashi Go Lean oatmeal with raisins & pecans mixed in.
1 cup of coffee mixed with 1 packet of sugar free hot chocolate mix & 1 tbsp. skim milk

Lunch - 12 p.m. - +400 calories
Taco salad: lettuce, 1 c. turkey taco meat, 1 tbsp. salsa, 2 tbsp. homemade guacamole, 2 tbsp. FF cheddar cheese, 5 baked Dorito chips crushed up. Water to drink. 1/2 small peice WW banana cake

Mid-day work out - 1:00 - -179 calories
Did Biggest Loser Cardio work out (30 min)

Mid-day snack - 3:30 p.m. - +100 calories
1/2 an apple and 1/4. c. grapes

Chest & Back and Ab Ripper X - 5:00 p.m. - -201 calories

Dinner - 7 p.m. - +400 calories
Filet of baked tilapia over 1/2 c. brown rice
1 1/2 c. veggie soup (from P90X nutrition guide)
Dessert - 8 p.m. - +100 calories
other half of my peice of WW banana cake

We also did our measurements today. I am posting them because I will more than likely lose this little sheet of paper they are written on and if I put them on here...I will have a record!
Matt: chest 40 1/2, waist 38, hips 37, right thigh 21, left thigh 20 1/2, right arm 14 1/4, left arm 14.
Me: chest 35 1/2, waist 32 1/2, hips 36 1/4,right thigh 21 1/4, left thigh 21 1/4, right arm 11 3/4, left arm 11 1/2.

Now Kandy and Kate..if you go grab a measuring tape and measure and compare your #'s to mine---you BETTER e-mail me and tell me what the outcome is. :o)

Ps. Welcome Kim to my blog! I'm so glad I can help and inspire you and your fiance through YOUR P90X journey! I appreciate your comments!! Good luck and BRING IT! :o)

Y'all ready for this?

(can you hear that song in your head? :o)

Well, today is the first day of the rest of my life. The past is behind me. (Literally--it is stuck on my back end!) Today marks day 1 of phase 1 of my next round of P90x. It's that time again. Time for butt-kicking, sweat-dripping serious-ness. I've got my next goal before me (125) and I can't keep letting Kate beat me to it! :o)
Matt is doing it with me..so that is extremely encouraging. We are definitely going to adapt the work-outs to our personal needs (meaning I will skip on Tue & Thur & Sat because those are the days I hit the gym). Also, we will have to adapt the nutritional part a bit too. He and I have completley opposite goals this time. I ONLY want to lose fat (not build more muscle) and he ONLY wants to build more muscle (but not lose any more weight).
Let me clarify that...I don't want to LOSE any muscle either...but I also don't want to push myself like I was before lifting weights I can hardly handle in order to build up more muscle. My quads, hamstrings and biceps are as big as I want them to be--and I can confidently say they are almost completley solid muscle--which is awesome. Now if I can just burn off that layer of fat that encompasses them, I think I will be in good shape (literally!! :o)
Matt has lost all the weight he can stand to lose (he's sitting at about 170-175 right now) so his goal is to build, build, build. If he sticks with this, he will be one muscular, cut, buff dude at the end of this 3 months!!--as will I if I can actually drop these last 10-15 pounds! (I am at 134).
So, wish us luck.
I will be posting my food for the day again. It's boring reading I know--but it keeps me on track and holds me accountable.
So, what are ya'lls plans and goals for fitness this new year?