Strength Standards for Women

These sound pretty good. If you don't want to read the whole thing just skip to the table towards the bottom.

I've got some work to do!!!

To Challenge or Not to Challenge

The Women's Challenge is over at JP. I am very happy with what I have accomplished in the last 4 or 5 months. There is a new challenge starting in January but I don't think I will be participating. I am just tired of keeping track and being on a deadline.

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

What kind of stupid ass cliche is that!!!! Seriously, that is almost as bad as "Stop dieting, start living".

First of all this ridiculous "support mantra" tries to compare the value of two completely different things!! The taste of food and feeling skinny has NOTHING to do with one another.

Second, I don't want to be 'thin'. Thin is for 8 year olds and runway models.

This 'mantra', if you will, completely discounts the value food plays in our life, socially, physically and physiologically. These are very important factors in achieving a healthy weight.

What this 'mantra' says to me is that if I want to be thin then I can no longer enjoy my food. And if I do enjoy my food then I must not want to be thin that badly. And people wonder why there are so many eating disorders out there.

For my loyal readers you will know what my mantra is....

Consistent Practice equals Consistent Progress

Practice implies that not everyday will be perfect but that we strive to improve ourselves every time we practice. Some days our practice will be great. Some days not so much. Each day we practice a healthy life. Each day we make progress.

Practice also implies that this is an ongoing process. We don't get to a goal and then stop practicing. Because, like any other skill, if we don't continue to practice we will undo all the progress we have achieved. Practicing a healthy life is a life long endeavor.

Women's Challenge Final Stats

July 29 - Starting measurements
Bust - 44.25
Chest - 36.25
Waist - 41.5
Hips - 48.5
Thighs - 26.5
Calves - 14.75
Upperarm - 16
Forearm - 12
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 218
BF% - 38.5%(??)

Nov 24 (measurement) (Lost this month) (Lost during challenge)
Bust - 42.5 (no change) (-1.75)
Chest - 34.25 (-.75) (-2)
Waist - 36 (-2.5!!!) (-5.5)
Hips - 44.5 (-.5) (-4)
Thighs - 22.25 (-2 each side!!) (-4.25 each side)
Calves - 13.75 (-.25 each side) (-1 each side)
Upperarm - 14.5/14.5 (-.25/-.5) (-1.5 each side)
Forearm - 11.5 (no change) (-.5 each side)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 189.4 (-2.4) (-29)
BF% - 32.3 (-2.2%!!!!)n (-6.2%)
Total inches lost this month - 9!!!!
Total inches lost during challenge - 27.75

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - I have broken my sticking point of 195 and am currently at 189. I won't achieve 175 by the end of the year but I have still made great progress!!

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - Done! I am going to try to get into a 12 now.

Goal 3: Compliance - 50% this month. I don't have time for this stuff. Honestly, I probably did more than I think but it wasn't 'formal'.

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Still at 6 but since I hurt my shoulder I don't hink I will get much further than that but I still have another month to try.

My husband thinks I've lost it....

I signed up for a 5K on Thanksgiving Day.

Running

Since I haven't been able to workout all week because everything I do hurts my shoulder, I decided to pull out Couch to 5K and give it another try. I am running a 5K in a few weeks anyways. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no problems doing Week 1 Day 1. Last time I tried it I had to work my way up to W1D1.

My knee protested a bit in the beginning but that disappeared after the first interval. This weeks interval is 60 sec running and 90 seconds walking. I felt like I could go longer but I didn't want to push it. Depending on how my knee reacts, I think I am going to move up to Week 2 Day 1 the next workout which should be Tuesday.

Now I am off to finish my stretching....

Qi Gong

I really want to learn Qi Gong and an opportunity may have presented itself. I am very excited. I think I am going to begin familiarizing myself with the basics so I am not a bumbling idiot when I start classes.

Falun Dafa

I did the craziest thing today...

I was buying myself a pair of jeans and then I decided to put them back because I have been spending way too much on clothes lately. As I was walking away from the table I decided to buy the jeans anyways but buy them in the next size down. I bought size 12 jeans today!!!!!

I came home and tried them on and I think if my life depended on it I could get them on as long as I didn't breathe much!! LOL My goal is to be in those jeans by the end of the month.

I haven't been a size 12 since I was SEVENTEEN years old. I can't wait to go formal shopping in 3 weeks. (And I have NEVER looked forward to that!!)

No workout today!

Today was supposed to be Yoga but I opted out since my shoulder still hurts whenever I do anything weight bearing. I think Sun Salutations count!!!

However, the scale rang in at 191.8 today. That is just about what I weighed when I got pregnant with my first son (188 according to my medical records). That is also about the weight I got to the last time around when I did Weight Watchers (I don't think I ever broke 190. If I did it was only for a minute or two!). Both times before I was sorta comfortably in a size 16 jean and 1X top. Today I am comfortably in a size 14 jean and in an XL top (yes there is a difference between a 1X and an XL, in case you are curious). Weight training kicks A$$!!!

Back in August I set a goal to be able to buy my Holiday formal in a size 14. Since I have another month (almost) before I need to buy it (actually I may not need it until my birthday) I am shooting for a 12. The last time I was a size 12 I was 17 years old. Now won't that be a killer Yule present!!!

Today's Workout!

Tabata snatch with #20KB

Tabata C&P with #15KB (need to go up to #20)

Windmill - 2X5 each side with #15KB

200 swings 1-10-1 ladder with #25KB

Reverse Crunch with hands overhead - 2X10

Stretches (the usual)

Hula Hooping - 10 minutes CCW, 10 minutes CW

Can I take a nap now??? :)

My Diet SUCKS.....

....lately!! Seriously, it has totally sucked lately. How I have managed to not gain and even lose a couple of pounds in October is beyond me. November didn't start out well either. I rang in the new month with 3 glasses of wine, a tall Malibu and Cran, cream cheese and crackers (with the best candied jalapenos ever!) and white rice and soy sauce (WHITE RICE!!!). So I am getting back on track with a vengeance.

I did the Warrior Diet style IFing in September with fantastic results, great energy, fab workouts so I am revisiting Ori this month with a primal twist. No grains at all, no rice, no potato, no bread...

I will be rotating between 3 workouts with one rest day in between.

Upper body - push-ups, renegade rows and leg assisted ring pull-ups

Kettlebell - Tabata sets of snatch and C&P, windmills and swings

Yoga - 25 Sun Salutations

Everyday in November I will do the 200 swing challenge even on rest days.

Because I am just sick and twisted enough to try...

Kettlebell November 200 Reps Challenge, Are You Tough Enough

If one more person asks me what a renegade row is....

Today's Workout

22 push-ups (incline because my shoulder and back have been bothering me)

3X6 renegade rows

KB alternating swings

KB snatch (Tabata)

Side View Progression

What is up with my hair in some of these pictures!!!

November Progress Report

Oct 5
Bust - 42.5 (-1.5)
Chest - 35 (-1)
Waist - 39.25 (-.75)
Hips - 45 (-3)
Thighs - 24.25 (-.75 each)
Calves - 14 (-.5 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (no change)
Forearm - L-11.5, R-11.25 (-.5L, -.75R)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 197.4 (-13.2)
BF% - 34.5 (-3%)
Total inches lost this month - 10

Nov 2
Bust - 42.5 (no change)
Chest - 35 (no change)
Waist - 38.5 (-.75)
Hips - 45 (no change)
Thighs - 24.25 (no change)
Calves - 14 (no change)
Upperarm - 14.75/15 (-.75/-.5)
Forearm - 11.5 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 191.8 (-5.6)
BF% - 34.5 (no change)
Total inches lost this month - 2

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - Last month I was at 197. This month I am at 192. Only 5 pounds this month but I broke through my 195 sticking point and actually lost during a month of crappy eating!!

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - This goal was reach this month. I am officially a size 14. Not that I have many to wear since my clothing budget is totally maxed out!! LOL

Goal 3: Compliance - HIIT twice a week and SS cardio three times a week - 50% this month. My schedule has bee so crazy I am lucky to fit in my regular workout and that takes precedence over HIIT and cardio.

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Push-ups - I got up to 6 push ups this month. I had to switch back to incline push-ups though a couple of days ago because my shoulder and back have been bothering me. Hopefully I will be back to regular push-ups soon.

The diet has hit the fan....

LOL

Actually I have decided to give the Eat Stop Eat IF approach another go. I experimented with various IF plans and I fell into the Fast 5 (ish) way of IF. It worked great for the past few weeks. The problem I find now is that I am NEVER hungry and I am eating way to FEW calories. So here is my plan.

Fast from Tuesday 8pm to Thursday noon (I know that is a little longer than the 24 hours but that is how the schedule will play out.) and from Friday 6pm to Saturday 6pm. The Tuesday to Thursday fast will not be a true fast. I will allow things like cream in my coffee and such. But no meals. Friday to Saturday will be a true fast.

The rest of the time I will keep carbs moderate but will not do super low carb. Fat will stay relatively high.

Upper Body Workout from Hell

Since adding in the Sun Salutations, my upper body work out has been kicked into high gear. Sun Salutations are rough on the upper body. Well they are rough on everything, but paired with my regular upper body workout it is down right brutal. I actually cut out renegade rows today for fear of over working myself!!

Push-ups - 22 in 5 sets (Week 1 Day 3 - I actually get to move to Week 2! I have been stuck at Week 1 since switching to regulation push-ups)

Ring pull-ups, leg assisted - 25 in 3 sets

Renegade Rows - 0

Sun Salutations - 23

What he said...

Metabolism = Over-rated

Well said, no need to elaborate

Greetings and Salutations

Sun Salutations that is....

A friend of mine and I have challenged each other to do 108 Sun Salutations in a row by the end of the year.

I don't do a lot of yoga but I love Sun Salutations so I will be adding 1 additional Salutation each day until the end of the year. That will get me to 105 on December 31st. I'll just have to tack on an extra 3 that day!!!!

Today was 21 Sun Salutations. I am tired!! Those are hard once you hit double digits. They were easier today than yesterday though so I am optimistic.

Unscheduled Workout

I was not scheduled to workout today but I decided to anyway.

5 min warm up
Tabata KB swings
10 minute cardio
Tabata KB snatch (only half the circuit - I am out of practice on my beloved snatches)
Windmills
15 minutes cardio

The scale was back down to 195.? today so I must have been retaining a bit of extra water from my weekend of carb-debauchery!!! LOL

October Progress Report

I don't really see that much difference in the pictures but my measurements show a big change. I have also gone down in clothing size.

Aug 27
Bust - 44 (-.25)
Chest - 36 (-.25)
Waist - 40 (-1.5)
Hips - 48 (-.5)
Thighs - 25 (-1.5 each)
Calves - 14.5 (-.25 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (-.5 each, 'bout damn time!)
Forearm - 12 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 210.6
BF% - 37.5%(-1%)
Total inches lost this month - 7

Oct 5
Bust - 42.5 (-1.5)
Chest - 35 (-1)
Waist - 39.25 (-.75)
Hips - 45 (-3)
Thighs - 24.25 (-.75 each)
Calves - 14 (-.5 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (no change)
Forearm - L-11.5, R-11.25 (-.5L, -.75R)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 197.4 (-13.2)
BF% - 34.5 (-3%)
Total inches lost this month - 10

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - Last month I was at 210. This month I am at 197. A loss of 13 lbs this month, 21 lbs total. Twenty-two pounds left to reach Open Challenge Goal. (195 has always been a sticking point for me so I am going to have to refocus myself!!!)

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - Last month I was still in an 18. This month I am comfortably in a 16 and can wear a few 14s. I may try to reach a 12 by the end of the challenge. I haven't been in a 14 since well before my first son was born and I am not sure I was ever in a 12! (I think I jumped straight from a 10 to a 14 right after highschool.)

Goal 3: Compliance - HIIT twice a week and SS cardio three times a week - Last month my compliance was 75%. This month I had an unscheduled week off when I got my tattoo. If we count that week then I am at 75%, if not I am at 100%. (For those that didn't see it, it was not a little tattoo! LOL)

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Push-ups - Last month I could not do any regular push-ups. This month I am able to do 4 in a row and 12 spread out in sets. I have restarted the 100 push-ups program with the new layout and doing regular push-ups. I am progressing slower than I should because I am taking 2 rest days in between each workout because the regualr push-ups are harder on my back. So far, 2 rest days has really helped and I am finding my back is less and less fatigued each time.

Kick A$$ Workout!!

I had a very good workout today. Today was supposed to be an off day but I needed the distraction. What better way to divert negative energy but toss around some cast iron!!!

I started with a circuit of push-ups, renegade rows and leg assisted ring pull-ups, repeated three times. Then a tabata round of KB swings with a few snatches thrown in! That I followed with a tabata round of planks and glute bridges. That is hard to do tabata style!!! Then after the obligatory 5 minutes rest period I did 20 minutes on the gazelle.

Food is not so good though. I was peer pressured into a piece of carrot cake at lunch. ;) Of course it doesn't help that I could happily eat nothing but this carrot cake for the rest of my life and be completely fulfilled! LOL (Yes, it is THAT good!!! Well, almost!LOL)

I Did It!

I had my photo session yesterday. It was a blast! Although I am very sore today from sitting in awkward positions. Who knew sitting up straight on a bed for an hour was better than any plank!!! I will have proofs by Friday. She took tons of pictures so I am confident there will be several I like!!

O.M.G.

You will never believe what I am doing today!!

For those of you that do not know me personally, let's just say I have always had a bit of a camera phobia. I have ALWAYS hated my picture taken. I have also NEVER liked the way my arms looked. (Truthfully I still don't but....) Even as a little stick figure with a 26 inch waist in highschool, I was self conscious of my arms. So that makes what I will be doing in less than 4 hours all the more amazing. What am I doing??

I am having Classic Nude Portraits done! :0

Guess I took that recent self esteem post to heart! LOL

Sorry, I won't be posting pics. ;)

Fifteen Pounds!

I have lost fifteen pounds this month. I don't know how. I wish I did so I could keep doing it. Eating has been sporadic, but always in check calorie wise. Exercise has not been as often as usual. I just don't know. Maybe my body needed a long break!!

Regardless I am not complaining!!

Feel Good Emotions

People say that there are good and bad emotions. For me, emotions are just emotions. It is want you do with those emotions, how you allow them to affect you and how they direct your actions that count. Those emotions that have been deemed “bad” have gotten a bum wrap. Is anger really all that bad? There are plenty of things to be angry about in this world. Is guilt really all that bad? If you are guilty doesn’t that tell you something? Is fear really all that bad? Doesn’t fear have a usefulness?

People constantly try to push away or ignore those emotions that they view as “bad”. I think the reaction to an emotion is far more important. Being angry at someone, in and of itself, is not bad. That person did something to elicit the emotion you are feeling. Ignoring the emotion or pretending it is something it is not is denying yourself of the full potential of the experience. It is denying yourself of the full potential for personal growth. It is the way you channel that feeling that is good or bad. The feeling, itself, is neutral.

For an example from a recent blog post…I became so angered at someone that I literally threw something at them. (It was just in their direction!). It was not the best way to handle the situation. There were many other options. I allowed my emotion of anger to elicit a bad action. This response to my anger is what is bad. The anger, itself, is neutral. On the flip side, if I am angered by some social injustice and I take part in an effort to correct it, I am reacting to my anger in a good way. The anger, itself, is still neutral.

If I feel guilty for something I did, the guilt is just another feeling. It is how I act on that guilt that is good or bad. Am I going to continue to do whatever it is that created the emotion of guilt? Not recognizing guilt and not being open to what guilt is trying to tell you is bad. The guilt, itself, is neutral. Am I going to try to make the situation right? Am I going to make it a point to never do it again? Understanding what guilt is trying to tell you and learning from the experience is good. The guilt, itself, is still neutral.

Fear is an interesting emotion.In many cases we do not even understand the nature of the emotion yet it is so strong that is can overwhelm us. I am terrified of tight spaces. Don’t care for elevators and have to be sedated for an MRI. (I don’t care how “open” the darn thing is!!) I also don’t feel comfortable in large crowds. I can not deny that I have this fear. I have no rational reason for it; it is just there! However my fear is not “bad”. It is just an emotion. It is how I allow my fear to affect my life that is important. Am I going to miss the once in a lifetime concert because I am fearful of crowds? Am I going to miss out on a great experience because I am fearful of tight spaces? Allowing fear to deny you of experience is bad. The fear, itself, is neutral. Yet, fear can also help make you aware of dangerous situations and help you be cautious when caution is prudent. The fear, itself, is still neutral.

For contrast, let’s look at am emotion that is generally deemed “good”. What about happiness? Can happiness ever be “bad”? Happiness can sometimes have a very blinding effect on people. Take this theoretical example, a woman has just found out she is pregnant. She is ecstatic. She could not be happier. It is all she can think about and all she can talk about. Unfortunately, she has been blinded by her happiness and forgets that her friend’s son just died. The upset her happiness has caused her to, unintentionally, inflict on her friend is bad. Happiness, itself, is neutral.

So to categorize emotions as good and bad is pointless. Instead we should focus on what those emotions make us do or say. Be more aware of the result of your emotions. How do those emotions effect your decisions? How do they effect your actions? What choices do you make because of them? What lessons do you learn from them? You might be amazed at how different your outlook is once you accept your emotions and examine the effect they have on the whole.

Impromtu Sunday Workout

Sunday is not usually a workout day for me but I will probably not get a chance tomorrow since I will have an electrician tearing apart my kitchen all morning. Okay, it probably won't be that bad but nothing is ever easy with regards to the crappy wiring in this house!!

Today's workout consisted of:

Regulation Push-ups
Stretching (hip flexor, glute, quad, hamstring)
10 min cardio
3 sets Renegade Rows
10 min cardio
Stretching (hip flexor, glute, quad)

I am going to try to get in some kettlebell work tomorrow if possible.

Now, off to bake brownies so I can bribe my electrician to help me hang a light fixture as well!! LOL

Tabata protocol

This is c&p from the All-round Strength Training blog...

The Tabata protocol consists of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This cycle is repeated 8 times, for a total of 4 minutes. Tabatas can be performed using any exercise. The key is to perform at maximum intensity, which has the effect of increasing aerobic capacity and raising the body’s metabolic rate for long after the exercise itself has finished.

If you have never tried tabatas, you are in for a surprise! 20 seconds doesn’t sound like a very long time, but the body fatigues more quickly than you expect, especially if you are not used to high intensity work. Whatever exercise you choose, whether squats, press-ups, burpees or something else, count the number of reps you do in the first 20-second interval and try to get the same number of reps in each of the subsequent intervals. It’s a lot harder than you think.

The Slacker Returns

I have really been slacking on my training logs. Today's log isn't going to be that spectacular. I actually planned to take this week off but the weights were taunting me and I gave in! LOL

Today I did renegade rows, regulation push-ups and hula hooping. Interesting combination, eh??

I have been drumming a lot this week so definitely burning up calories that way.

The past two days I have been starving. I am not really sure why but I have kept everything in check and where it needs to be. I been trying to be careful food wise this week since I have not working out.

My tattoo is healing well but my pants still hurt across the middle of my back so that will probably prevent me from doing a few things over the next couple of days.

All or Nothing

This is such a dangerous attitude.

"Oh, I had too much cream in my coffee this morning! I have totally screwed up. I might as well have chocolate cake the rest of the day."

What does 50 or so extra calories have to do with anything you eat later in the day? Why has food become torturous? Worry less about those 50, 100, or 500 calories you weren't supposed to eat and think about what all that stress you are putting on yourself does to you.

Stress causes a cascade of hormones designed to prepare your body for hard times. Meaning, those hormones are there to make you fat!! So stressing over 100 calories is really counter productive. Being guilty for indulging in birthday cake is pointless. Exercising yourself silly trying to counter act some candy bar you had is crazy.

We need to stop looking at each individual morsel of food and look at the whole picture. If you are eating chocolate cake everyday then you need to examine things a bit. But if you are having a piece chocolate cake at a birthday party every 6 months then what is the big deal? Eat the cake, enjoy the cake, don't feel guilty because of the cake. It is just food.

One hundred percent dietary compliance is simply not possible. We are not perfect beings. We will make mistakes and make choices that don't fit perfectly with our plan. These things do not make us bad. They make us human. Aiming for 100% dietary compliance is setting yourself up for failure. Why do that to yourself? Give yourself permission to indulge every once in a while. Do so with happiness and joy. You might be amazed by how great you feel!!

199.4

That is what the scale read today. I have finally broke 200!!!!!

Push-ups

I can finally do real push-ups! What I have been doing is trying for 10 push-ups in as few sets as possible.

Today I did 4, 2, 1, 1. You will notice that is only 8. The last few I couldn't get back up so 8 it is.

I am amazed at the difference in stress on the lower back between incline push-ups and regulation push-ups. It really points out the fact that my core is not as strong as I think it is. LOL

The week off!

I will probably get in push-ups this week but anything thing that is "sweat inducing" will not happen this week. I got a new tattoo yesterday that spans my shoulders and goes down my spine. So I will be taking it easy this week.

I am going to focus on diet this week. I have never really gotten back on track after my unfortunate trip up north. Since I have been dropping weight really quickly I haven't really cared. But I know I need to pay better attention regardless.

Weekly Wrap Up

I am usually better at posting my training logs but the last few weeks I have been slacking. Slacking in the logging department not the training department.

I have a new workout partner and we are doing kettlebells in the park on Monday's and Friday's. Wednesday's (every other actually) I am taking a belly dancing class and I am still working through the 100 push-ups plan.

I have been doing push-ups on an incline for three weeks, on my knees for 2 weeks prior to that. Five weeks ago I could not even do a negative push-up without crashing to the ground! Three weeks ago I could do a negative but I could not push myself back up. Last night, after I did my first set of incline push-ups I said screw it and decided to try regulation push-ups. I was able to do 2 in a row and then 3 more in separate sets. An hour later I was able to do 4 in a row. I was so excited. I am amazed at how quickly I have built upper body strength!!!

My goal is to be able to do 10 reg push-ups by the end of the year. I am wondering now if I need to increase that number?????

What has loosing weight and getting strong done for me?

It has turned me into a girl! LOL

Seriously, I find myself putting on perfume and lipstick, buying pretty panties, painting my toenails, shaving my legs.

I NEVER used to do any of this. I always thought it annoying. Now I find it fun. And I am not doing it for someone else; I am doing it for me.

To think, it has taken me almost 35 years to embrace being a girl.

Kettlebells in the Park

I met my new workout partner at the park today for some KB swings. It was really nice working out outside. I am also starting Belly Dancing classes this week. I can only take them every other week but it will be fun nonetheless.

Ruthless

That was my approach to cleaning out my closet today.

RUTHLESS

I have been having a crisis of wardrobe lately. Ironically, I did not expect this. I wore a size 16 before and had kept much of that wardrobe. Many of the items I loved. However, my body is built a little differently now. While getting dress this afternoon I put on a shirt that should have fit. It looked like a pillowcase with holes cut in it. Actually, a pillowcase might have fit better than this! LOL

So I dumped my entire closet full of clothes on my bed and tried on every piece. (And I mean EVERY piece ;) )

If it didn't fit perfectly, it got ditched!

If it fit but wasn't flattering, it got ditched.

If it was faded or had otherwise 'seen better days', it got ditched.

At least half of my wardrobe is in a pile destined for Freecycle. Then there are the things waiting to be washed that will get the once over later.

I just sent K in to do the same thing because if the man puts on one more shirt that he wore in the 90's I am going to kick his a$$. I am afraid he won't have anything left when he is done! LOL

On the subject of self-esteem

I have been examining the subject of self-esteem of late. This topic has come up a number of times over the last two months in various forms and from various angles. I feel it is due some blog space. If you are not interested in hearing about my specific roller coaster then you should move on now.

Specifically, what is the relationship between body confidence and self-esteem. Are they the same thing? How do the effect each other? Can you have one without the other?

I have always considered myself to have a very high level of self-esteem. (Okay there was a period during my first marriage that that wasn't true but that is another blog post!) I think my friends would all agree. I am a very confident person and I know what I am capable of. However I have had periods in my life where my body confidence was all but non-existent. I am talking about being comfortable enough in your body to let someone (other than your SO) see you naked. Where do you rate??? (My comments section better be really full after this! Scale of 1 to 10 will suffice. LOL)

Since this is my blog, I am the one who gets to fess up, so here goes...

High School - I weighed 130 dripping wet, 28 inch waist, B cup. If someone had suggested I get naked I would have slapped them! Being a teenager aside, that sort of thing was frowned upon! :)

College - I was 180 ish, I was a bit more relaxed, not specifically happy with my body but I would have let someone see me naked then. At least after a drink or two ;) Although I will admit there were other issues playing in this time in my life so that may not have been all about body confidence.

After having 2 children - I was 270 (:0). Are you f-ing kidding me? Now way in hell, not if my life depended on it. On a scale of 1 -10 I would rate my body confidence in the negative. I didn't even want my husband to see me naked then much less some outside observer, theoretical or not.

I am no barbie doll, nor do I ever wish to be (Man, can you imagine trying to buy jeans!). My goals are to be healthy and strong. For a very long time I was sick and weak. Really, it wasn't even THAT long ago. It is only in the last year that I have gotten to the point of describing my physical self as healthy and strong.

Am I where I want to be physically? No, but I am getting there. These things take time and since I am more focused on the process and the learning experience, I am not on the fast track to 'barbie-land'. (Shudder to think! I am top heavy enough, thank you very much! LOL) I am healthy, and through my daily practice I will get healthier. I am strong, and through my daily practice I will get stronger.

Back to those original questions that started this ramble....

Are body confidence and self-esteem the same thing? I do not believe they are. At least not for me. I know there are many people that have a much closer tie-in than I, but for me they are separate but parallel states. They can entertwine with one another but are ultimately separate.

How do they affect each other? I think this is obvious. You can have a good self esteem and not be comfortable with your body, but once you are comfortable with your body then your self-esteem can't help but go up.

Can you have one without the other? I think I already eluded to this. You can have good self-esteem without being confident in your body BUT I don't think it works the other way around.

Last, but not least...Am I confident enough in my body to let someone see me naked? Six months ago I may not have opened myself up to the possibility of criticism. My confidence was still teetering on the edge; there but not quite firm. Now, I find I don't care about the possibility of criticism because anyone that would criticize doesn't see the journey. I know where I have come from. I know where I am going. And if whoever it is that fills the role of that theoretical observer doesn't wish to see the journey beyond the stretch marks than their opinions are unimportant to me. SO I guess that was a VERY long winded way of saying, Yes, I am confident enough to let someone else see me naked.

It's finally Friday!!

I officially weigh less than my husband!

205.8

Five more pounds and it is party time!! (Not goal party time, mind you!)

Today I am feeling very motivated so I have a quite challenging workout planned.

Starting with Week 2 Day 3 of 100 push-ups. That will be followed by deadlifts and glute bridges. I will finish up with 2 Tabata circuits that I will throw together on the fly. They will most likely include plenty of KB swings (2H and 1-arm), snatches (because I love snatches), C&P and high pulls. If I haven't puked by then I might throw in some windmills.

My top 5 favorite fitness blogs

Simple Strength

Mark's Daily Apple

Tracey Reifkind

Swigg Blog

Modern Forager

Week 2 Day 2

I finished week 2, day 2 of the 100 push-ups plan round 2. That is it for today. This round I am really feeling these in my shoulders. Amazing what changing the incline can do.

Yesterday was a brutally simple workout of deadlifts, ball bridges and snatches.

What to do....

What to do...

I really want to do the Strength program in NROL but I seem to be stuck with my little knee issue.

I do have a kettlebell strength program. I would need to buy a new KB to do it but it would give me an excuse for a new one. (Because I need one! LOL)

Part of me wants to keep winging it but.... And since I am making kick ass progress right now I should probably continue to wing it....

Still my Type A personality craves structure...

Oh, what to do... what to do...

Daily Practice

In response to a recent MDC post....

The question was, How do you deal with falling off the wagon?

My response was, get the hell off the wagon; the road is too bumpy anyways!

Seriously, ditch the idea of being "on the wagon" and "off the wagon". The imagery of "the wagon" in weight loss is there because people a "traveling" towards their destination. The destination being their goal weight.

I prefer to think of this process as a "daily practice". A practice that is not entirely focused on weight loss and more focused on manifesting a healthy life. It is also a practice that will go on for a lifetime. Not one that will stop once I reach my desired body composition. I like the term daily practice because it doesn't set up expectations of perfection that are unobtainable. A daily practice, much like someone that has a daily yoga practice or daily Tai Chi practice.

I make the commitment to practice everyday. Each day I will practice a healthy lifestyle. I realize that not every practice is going to be perfect. Things in my practice are going to happen that are not ideal and are not exactly how I want. I will not be at my best everyday. However, everyday I will get up and practice. If today's practice is less than it should be then I will still get up and practice again tomorrow.

And as the quote says above....

Consistent Practice equals consistent progress. (I have seriously been considering getting that tattooed on my body! The question is where??) That's from the Simply Strength blog, BTW.

Push-ups Soloing

Push-ups were all that made it into the workout today.

BUT, I have NEAT galore. I discovered wet carpet under my bookcases in my homeschool room. So I have spent the whole day rearranging the house. :)

There's a reason Tabata circuits are short...

DAMN!

These just never get any easier do they? I don't even know how long I have been doing Tabata style circuits and they still kick my ass.

Circuit 1: in no particular order, swings make up the missing rounds

2H swings
1 arm swing L&R
alt swings
snatch L&R

Circuit 2: in no particular order, swings make up the missing rounds

2H swings
cleans L&R
C&P L&R
highpulls

And it looks like I am back to posterior work only. One week of BW squats and my knees are starting to act up. So back to bridges and RDL galore and evil stretching.

Number crunching

I did some number crunching tonight.

Since January I have lost 35 pounds. Not bad for 8 months. That averages about a pound a week so it is on the low side of normal.

But I think what is cool is that at 210 pounds I am wearing the same clothes that I was wearing when I weighed 185 pounds. On top of that my posture is way better, I have muscle and my shoulders are wider.

So for my number crunching...

My body fat has gone down 8%. (I actually think it is more than that but the calculator I am using is all I have to go by.) Based on that, of the 35 pounds I have lost, all but 2 pounds was from fat.

I have reduced my body weight by 15% without starving myself.

I have lost a total of 31.5 inches. Seven of them from my hips, 5 from my waist and 5 from my chest.

And my BMI has dropped 5.5 points. Ironically though, I would have to lose lean body mass in order to be considered a healthy BMI at 20% body fat. And that is to be in the top range of "normal". At my initial goal of 165 with 20% body fat I will still be considered over weight.

So, not bad for 35 pounds, if I do say so myself! LOL

The elusive last set

Maybe it is a mental block or maybe I am just writing a REALLY challenging program for myself??

But, I can not seem to finish the last set of my circuit. I am thinking of switching the order of the circuit. Right now I have snatches as my last set. I LOVE snatches. I can make (and have) an entire workout out of snatches, but I am snatching my heaviest KB and they are HARD!!!!

Here was today's workout:

Working in a circuit:

BW, just shy of ATG Squats (12, 12, 10)

Deadlift, 92lbs (12, 12, 10)

Incline Push-ups (4, 3, 2, 2, 4)

Leg Assisted Ring Pull-ups, heavily assisted! :) (4, 3, 2, 2, 4)

KB Swings, 25 (12, 12, 10)

KB snatches, R&L, 25 (12, 12, X)

It is amazing what not doing quad work for over a month will do to your balance. I am not using weight yet so I don't know if I lost any strength. Honestly, if I did it is probably a good thing. Achieve that quad/ham balance a bit faster! LOL I am planning on keeping the squats BW only for a while. I am not that interested in the knee pain I was having returning anytime soon. For now I will work on full range of motion and perhaps add some light weight down the road.

I think I am going to lower the weight on my deadlifts and switch to Romanians to better isolate the posterior chain. I am really trying to keep quad work to a minimum!

I can't wait until the weather gets cooler so I can move my workouts outside. I want to start doing some sprint/KB combos but I can't do it inside and outside is to miserable right now!

My weight dipped below the 210 mark today. Very exciting. I won't count it official until it stays there a few days. My eating has been very erratic lately and that actually seems to be helping! Calories have been in check but macros are way screwy.

My ever so difficult children interrupted my workout today so I never got my stretching done. I am heading to do that and my bridges now. I may even hit the gazelle or hula hoop when I am done.

Amazing what a week off can do for you...

Well my week of less than stellar eating has paid off. Now mind you I wasn't too bad but my carbs were WAAAYYY higher than they usually are. (Of course I had a friend point out that just breathing on the bread isle gave me more carbs than normal! LOL) When we got home from our trip I was only up 2 pounds. I expected far more. But that was gone the very next day. Today I hit 210. I haven't been 210 in..... well..... my 2nd trimester with Drake?? Yeah we'll go with that!

I have actually been keeping my carbs higher than usual. My workouts were suffering before my dreaded trip and I had decided to up hem anyways!

Yesterday's workout was rough. I haven't done anything heavy in almost 2 weeks. Boy can I tell!! I reintroduced squats yesterday after my 1 month ban! I did body weight only. I will probably keep it at body weight for a while because I really like walking! LOL My knee only popped once yesterday and that was after sitting at my desk for a couple of hours. SOOOO, so far so good.

I also added back in my beloved deadlifts. My month off from those has cause my numbers to drop again. But I am sure they will recover quickly. I am shooting for 75% of body weight by the end of the year. I might need to bump that up. I can almost do that now!

Still working through the 100 push-ups plan. Although I have gone back to the beginning and switched the type of push-ups. I have gone from knees to incline.

And, as always, KB swings and snatches are a staple. Without them I might have withdrawal! LOL I am such a junky!

It's that time again!

Aug 27
Bust - 44 (-.25)
Chest - 36 (-.25)
Waist - 40 (-1.5)
Hips - 48 (-.5)
Thighs - 25 (-1.5 each)
Calves - 14.5 (-.25 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (-.5 each, 'bout damn time!)
Forearm - 12 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 210.6

BF% - 37.5%(-1%)

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - I am at 210. Not as far as i would like to be but considering the month I have had I can't sneeze at 8 pounds!

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - I am still an 18 but I can get into some of my 16s so I am on the verge of sizes.

Goal 3: Compliance - Goal 3: Compliance - Performing HIIT twice a week and SS cardio 3 times a week. Compliance sheet will be maintained. Success at the end will be determined by compliance %. - My compliance is 75% because of my week out of town for the funeral. The rest of the month was 100%.

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Push-ups - Still at 0 here but I have progressed from push-ups on my knees to push ups on the bench. I was able to do 7 of them. That is up from 3 when I started the challenge.

Back on track Monday

Why does everyone start on Mondays?? LOL


This week has been completely and totally off-program. Diet and exercise is just not easy to maintain while driving for 45 hours in a car, getting 10 total hours of sleep and attending a wake and funeral over a 4 day span (man it seemed longer than that). Then driving home into a Tropical Storm which lasted FOREVER and dealing with an old house that does not like wind driven rain was the icing on the cake this week.

My body is simply done with this week. So instead of trying to jump back in I am resting until Monday. This seems like an excellent time to reevaluate the program and make changes. I doubt I will make many changes. I am happy with what I am doing and it is working, slowly, but working. I do think I will up carbs. I have been considering it for a while now. In fact I am tempted to say the hell with macros and just eat, keeping calories in check through IF.

I will be pulling out NROL today and flipping through it. I have been considering alternating between it and kettlebells. I know replacing the kettlebells entirely would be a bad idea. I have too much fun doing them.

Haven't done crap...

...this week. If you read my other blog you know why. If not, sorry, I don't feel like explaining it again.

Today's total...

is 97! It would have been 99 but I didn't count two of them because I couldn't get my elbows locked out on them. I am talking push-ups of course. Today was week 3/day 1. I really struggled on today's but I did it. Set 3 and 5 I had to take a brief rest (10ish seconds) before completing the set.

I skipped planks. After 99 (97) push-ups I was done!

My weight was up 1 pound today. I figured that after my high carb weekend and my raging sunburn was probably the cause. Then I got a surprise early visit. So maybe the gain was TOM related. Maybe it was a little of everything and I will see a big drop next week. I am going with that theory! LOL

Eating was good today, although out of order. I usually start my day with PWO shake but I didn't get my workout in until 8 tonight. So I ended the day with PWO instead.

Logs for Week of 8-4-08

New log style this week. As much as I like the type logs I just can't keep up with them in the computer. Workouts this week were bare minimum.

SS cardio this week was on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and HIIT was on Monday and Friday

Better now

I finally finished my workout, minus the SS cardio. Just don't have it in me today. I will spend all day tomorrow at a water park chasing my children around who can't swim so I will get plenty of cardio there. I did do my 3 "required" sessions this week already though! And if we are counting my kettlebell workouts as HIIT then I did 1 extra session there.

After my workout was finally finished I made my protein shake and put blueberries in it. I felt instantly better after that. So I guess I need to up my carbs a bit. Blueberries in the protein shake it quite yummy so I guess I can manage! ;P

I completed week 2 of the 100 push-ups program today. I did every one of them I was supposed to. I probably should have waited until tomorrow or Sunday to do my exhaustion test for next week but I knew my weekend was going to be crazy and I would likely not have the energy to do a good job. So, although doing the exhaustion test 4 hours after my workout was not ideal, I was still very happy with my numbers. I did 26 push-ups. I have NEVER done that many push-ups at once before!!! So that put me, BARELY, into the third column. The reps in that column for next week are really intimidating!!! But I am excited. I still haven't tried any big girl push ups yet. I think I will wait until I do my monthly check in for the Open Challenge.

Food will be a bit challenging this weekend. My husband's company is throwing their summer party and suppling food. Chances are it will be bbq style foods; burger, dogs, etc. If I stay with meat items only I should be fine. Hopefully they will have salads and fruit as well. I am packing some snacks but those are mostly for my children since they have some food restrictions! I will sneak in some nuts and maybe some pepperoni crisps. I am also planning on mixing up some coconut oil bark. I should be able to find a bucket of ice to put it in to harden it up.

Warp Speed Revisited- Sorta

I really liked the diet the diet that came with WSFL. My only problem was eating so many freaking times a day. My body just doesn't work like that. So I think I will take the general layout and tweak it to suit my eating schedule.

Here is what I came up with. This will follow my typical 16 hour fast and 8 hour eating window. Non workout days tend to have a shorter eating window since I don't have to have a PWO shake.

PWO shake (11am) - 1 cup skim milk, 1 cup wild blueberries, 1 scoop whey PP, creatine and matcha powder, water and ice as needed

Meal 1 (1pm) - spinach salad with 2 tsp oil, 2 hard boiled eggs, 1/4 cup raw nuts, 4 ounce lean meat, chai with 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Meal 2 (4pm) - toddy coffee ice - 6 Tbsp heavy cream, 1 scoop PP, matcha powder, 8 ounces frozen toddy, water and ice as needed, Torani sweetener

Meal 3 (7:30pm) - 6 ounces lean meat, spinach salad, salad veggies, 2 tsp oil

This gives me 1650 calories, fat 52%, protein 33%, carb 14% on workout days

and

1380 calories, 60% fat, 32% protein, 7% carbs on non-workout days

uhg!

I am wiped out today. I don't know exactly why but I suspect it has to do with the fact that week has been psychotic and my sleep patterns are messed up.

I made it through half of my workout today and simply did not have the energy to even consider KB swings. I am going to take a rest and go back later.

I am also beginning to suspect that I am keeping my carb levels too low. Which really sucks because I like my diet I don't really want to add any carbs. Maybe I will play around with a small amount of berries in my shake. It's time to switch up the diet anyways.

The scale actually hit 213 this week. It didn't stay there but the number was nice to see anyways!

Cardio has been hit or miss this week. I put it as part of my goals that I would do 2 sessions of HIIT a week but I think I am going to have to rethink that. I suppose, depending on how you look at it, my kettlebell work could be viewed as HIIT. Maybe I will adjust the work vs rest times and use that as HIIT. After I do that KB work I don't have anything left for additional high intensity anything.

OK, enough whining and blabbering for now. Back to the kettlebells!

Painfully Simple

I was talking with someone the other day and mentioned I had just finished working out and that I was tired. She then proceeded to express her concern about how hard I workout. She said that "There are much simpler ways of losing weight." and "That I was going to hurt myself." Oh and let's not forget, "You don't want to get big and bulky like one of those freaky gym guys." (no offense to any freaky gym guys!)

I told her that my workout wasn't just about losing weight. I mean, I could do that and sit on the sofa all day watching TV. I know, I did it!

And I only wish I had the ability to get "big and bulky".

Working out was more about being healthy and being grounded. It was about knowing my body, not only it's weaknesses but also it's strengths. (Something I think the average person doesn't really know.) It is about becoming stronger and healthier. And it is about discipline. Working a little each day toward a goal whether I make good progress or not. It is not about the training volume. It is about the daily practice of bettering myself and my health.

When I realized the conversation was beginning to take a heavy philosophical turn I lightened it up by saying, "Besides, take a look (showing her my log). My workouts are painfully simple." She responded with, "It's the "painfully" part that I don't like!"

After reflecting back on that conversation, I wondered if it was really so natural to shun pain. Surely our paleolithic ancestors didn't avoid running down a wildebeest because their legs might be sore the next day. They accepted the pain was a part of life.

Now I am not talking 'broken bone' pain. I am referring to that 'I just had a killer workout' pain. That pain that lets you know exactly what muscles you have and exactly where they are.

Don't use "pain" as an excuse to avoid exercise. It is a natural biological response to work. And I am talking work of the muscular type.

I don't mind one bit when someone says to me, "I don't exercise because I don't want to." That person is being honest. Is it healthy? Perhaps not but they aren't making excuses to cover up the truth; that they have no desire to do it.

It is those excuses that irritate me.

"I'm too old for that." - Guess what? You're not getting any younger.

"I don't like to sweat." - Neither do I. That is what indoor plumbing it for. Suck it up and shower afterwards.

"I have bad knees." - So do I. Figure out why and do something to fix it.

"I don't have time." - Yes you do. Trust me!

"It is hard to workout with the kids." - Now I will admit with little ones things can get more challenging, especially at that in between, toddler age. But that is what nap times are for. The bigger kids can exercise right along with you. Just think of the excellent roll model you are being. Perhaps they won't be 30 trying to pass off any of these excuses.

"I just don't have any energy for that." - Gee I wonder why? Put down the Doritos and pick up some almonds.

"I can't afford it." - Huh? Is our society really so commercially driven that we think it costs money to make you heart beat faster and your muscles to contract??

Did I miss any?

Feel free to add on if i did!

Not my day

Well, I got jack done today. The kids didn't even finish their schoolwork. The second day of school and we are already behind!

The psychiatrist office screwed up my son's appointment so we ended up in the wrong office. This was AFTER they confirmed the appointment TWICE yesterday. So after sitting in the wrong office for 15 minutes they informed me that we could either reschedule or I could drive to Orange City. Since we have plans tomorrow I opted to drive to OC. They said they would call OC and let them know I was on my way. They didn't. So after a 30 minute drive and 30 minutes of sitting there for them to even look into the waiting room, (It's a psychiatrists office so hovering around the window is strictly frowned upon) she picked up the sign in sheet, crossed Kyllian's name off and closed the window. Twenty minutes later after they called the person who came in after us back I got up and made a nuisance out of myself. She didn't know we were there. :0 When I pointed out that she crossed our name off the sign in sheet she said she thought we were someone else. Huh????? So now it is 1 1/2 hours past our original appointment time with a child who was STARVING, CRANKY and UNMEDICATED. I was not amused.

By the time we got out of there, got food and picked up Drake, dropped the new prescriptions off at the pharmacy and got home it was time to start dinner and attempt to get some school work done.

I did get the dog walked and she was gasping for breath when we got home so evidently it was more intense than usual!

Today was a light day so no major workout was missed so I am not going to worry about it. I may move the windmills to tomorrows workout?? Who knows. We will see what schedule busting disaster tomorrow brings.

Log for the week of 7-28-08

Saturday's workout was done on Sunday because of scheduling conflicts.

I didn't get any HIIT done this week. But I did get all my SS crap done. I was able to increase my snatch numbers on my Max Vo2 training and I am keeping pace with the 100 push-ups plan!

Sixty-Five

That is how many push-ups I managed today. Not all at once but as part of the 100 push-ups program I blogged about earlier. I was able to eek out 2 more than what today's plan required. Go me! LOL

Yesterday I didn't get anything done so I tacked on yesterday's planks to today's workout. Those were hard after 4 sets of bridges.

Weight wise I am fluctuating between 215 and 214 this week. Yesterday was my high carb day so I gained a bit but I expect it all to be gone by tomorrow.

I have been pretty lax on cardio this week (We all know how I feel about cardio, don't we?). I am getting ready to go do my steady-state-twenty-minutes-of-hell as soon as I am done with this post and then I am planning to do some HIIT before walking the dog tonight.

How's This for a Goal....

I want THIS dress in December

A Little of This and a Little of That...

I have no grand topic inspired post for today so let's make this a "update" post.

I did my second day of the 100 push-ups plan. I did manage to get three more push-ups than required on the last set so I was happy.

My knee is better. I have completely laid off quad work. My workout is based around KB swings and KB snatches, along with the push up program and cardio (SS and HIIT). I am also doing some glute specific and core work here and there and some downright evil stretches. Oh, let's not forget cardio. Have I mentioned how much I hate cardio???

I feel like I should have more on my workout plan but what I have is intense and hard. I think I will resist the urge to add more for a few weeks.

I am having major carb cravings lately but my carbs have been VERY low for the past few weeks so I think I am due for a carb up. I am trying to hold off until Friday though so I can join the boys on pizza night. (We finally found a good gluten free crust!!)

I have finally dropped below 215 (214.2 as of today) and I am ALMOST into about 5 pairs of "new" pants hanging in my closet. I do have a few 16W that I can get into and be sort of comfortable. LOL Shirts are another story. I must be the only woman on the planet that can't lose weight in their boobs. (And before anyone says they wish they had my problem, remember, YOU can probably buy bras IN A STORE. I have to special order them online and pay through the nose for them!) I am wearing a 40 band right now and it is WAAAYY to big. But I am not quite ready for a 36. With my cup size I will need to be in a 36 before I can buy a bra in Target, if I am lucky!

I will be getting my follow-up cholesterol screening done soon (once I get off my lazy butt and go to the lab!) and I am anxious to see the results. My totals were god last time but my good (Thats is HDL right??? Why can I never remember that?) number was very low and my triglycerides were borderline. Since following a keto diet, I am hoping to show much improved numbers.

Measurements

July 29
Bust - 44.25
Chest - 36.25
Waist - 41.5
Hips - 48.5
Thighs - 26.5
Calves - 14.75
Upperarm - 16
Forearm - 112
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14

BF%38.5%(??)

Progress Pics

Can YOU Do 100 Push-ups???

NO!? Wuss!

Okay, neither can I, but I'm gonna darnit!

Over at 100 Push-ups.com they have a plan to get you to 100 in 6 weeks. Now I am not delusional enough to think that I can do 100 push-ups with 6 weeks of training regardless of what some well designed website says, but the plan seems sound. I am going to start with knee push-ups for 6 weeks and redo the program and move up to bench push-ups and then to floor push-ups. I have a goal of doing 10 real push-ups by the end of the year. I have just enough time to run through this program 3 times (knees, bench, floor) before then.

Other than impressing my friends at a party and making my husband feel inadequate, I can't think of any reason that I need to do 100 push-ups, but it would still be cool! LOL

Log - Week Beginning 7-21-08

I am posting a little eary becasue I have decided to take the rest of the weekend off. My legs need some rest time. I will be rethinking next weeks plan. I am overworking my legs. (and I wonder why I have knee problems?!) Not exactly sure how I am going to work it yet. We will see.

Nothing like the threat of a bathing suit...

...to motivate you!!

So, my inbox was the victim of, what I thought was, a bad joke. Then I realized my husband was serious. He wants to attend his company's Summer Party. Which, BTW, is in 2 weeks AND at the local water park! Nothing like a little notice!

After I recovered from my panic attack, I asked him if he was serious. He was and is!

But, I had one hell of a workout today. There is nothing like the thought of my pasty white thighs in a bathing suit to make me push extra hard.

Today's workout consisted of Romanian Deadlifts (4X8 @ 92lbs), Push up and KB swing circuit (4 sets, 12, 11, 10, 9 reps, 25lb KB), highpull/single arm swing ladder starting with 5 reps each side and no rest (20lb KB) and 20 minutes on the Gazelle.

Bad Knees and Evil Cheese

Hey that rhymes!

So this weekend I managed to do something to my knee. I think it was the over zealous BSSs on Friday! I am fairly sure that it is a case of tendinitis based on every thing I have read online. I have been doing the recommended stretches and it is improving greatly. I have also backed off of direct quad work this week. I have a doctor's appointment to confirm this theory on Friday. After he gives his verdict I will adjust my plan accordingly.

What sucks the most is that I am limited in my walking. Working out doesn't hurt and using the horrid Gazelle doesn't hurt but walking hurts. So my activity level is pretty low right now. Which of course is interfering with losing weight. Not to mention leaves me with a very cranky dog! I'm not sure which is worse.

I also think part of my weight stall is due to my cheese consumption. I have only recently starting eating cow's milk cheese and I am afraid it needs to stop. So I will be cutting my cheese down to 1 oz per day max and see if that helps. I am also going to log for the next day or two in Daily Plate and make sure I am still on track. I am not gaining so that is something but I am also not losing.

Yesterday's workout consisted of Plie squats, push ups, windmills and snatches.

Plie squats are hard. I did them with no weight since I was babying my knee. Maybe if my glutes weren't already fried from BSS they would have been easier. I really felt them in my glutes and inner thigh.

I was able to do a set of 5 push ups on the bench. That is up from 3 last week. If I can keep up this pace I might just meet my goal of 10 real push ups by the end of the year. I did 4 sets on the bench 5, 3 1/2, 3 1/2, 3 1/2 (A half meaning I got down but couldn't get back up!) and then I followed that with 3 sets on my knees 10, 8, 6.

I did Windmills and snatches as a circuit and that probably wasn't the best idea. I wasn't able to get in the right position every time for the windmill. Next time around I will separate them and do separate sets.

Today is active rest. I may do absolutely nothing. My legs are SOOOOOO tired! LOL But we got the replacement Wii Fit disk yesterday so I might play some balance games or something. I had plans of doing time on the gazelle but that will depend on how my knee is feeling.

This weeks log

All I have to say it that max Vo2 training SUCKS!!

I WILL stick to my plan!

I spent the whole day at the park with the kids. Even though, for the most part, I sat around and talked with the other moms, I am worn out. All I want right now is a nap!

However, I have made the commitment to stick to my plan. It is not an overly aggressive plan so I really have no good excuses! Of course the fact that today's plan includes BSS doesn't help. Have I mentioned how much I hate single leg work??

So here is what is on the plan for today.

BSS - 4 sets, 6 reps each side holding 25lbs on the working side (Hated Exercise)

KB swing/clean and press into swing combo - 2 sets, 12 reps each side with 20lb KB

20 minutes on the gazelle (Hated Exercise)

I also spent about 15 minutes hula hooping at the park today with the kids.

Where have all the workouts gone?

I haven't been logging my workouts lately. I am lazy and they have been rather unstructured. When you walk into the room, pick up a kettlebell, set the Gymboss and start swinging random exercises for 30 minutes it is hard to remember what you did.

As part of the Challenges on JP Fitness, I am making it my goal to become more structured in my workouts. So I have the next few weeks planned out. Today's workout looks mighty simple on paper but it kicked my butt!!

Single KB front squat, 3 sets of 6 reps on each side with 25lb KB. I was supposed to do 4 sets but I did squats yesterday and by the end of the 3rd set I was done.

KB Highpull (each side) and single arm swing (each side) circuit, 12-10-8-6-4-2 reps with 25lb KB

20 minutes on Gazelle

So there it is. So simple looking. I was so glad to get to the cardio portion and I HATE cardio! LOL

I have a slight fascination with the snatch lately. It is by far my favorite KB exercise. Lately I have been wanting to try a barbell snatch. If only the stupid weather would cooperate. I don't have enough space inside. I would break a window. Imagine explaining that to hubby. He is already convinced that I am going to put a KB through a window one of these days!!

Tomorrow is my rest day so I think I will play around with the barbell snatch with no weight to get a feel for it. I know it isn't technically a rest day then!

JP Fitness Second Half of '08 Challenge

Runs from August 1st to December 31st, must set between 3 and 6 goals and post monthly about your progress.

So here are my goals:

1. Weight goal - 175, I would like to be 165 by December 31st but I think that is an unrealistic goal.
2. Size goal - 14, I have a formal party to go to the first week in December and I would love to be able to look awesome in my dress. (a 12 would also be really cool! I think I may have been 12 last time I wore a 12, okay that may be a bit of an exageration)
   
3. Workout goal - I will incorporate one exercise in each workout that I hate. I have a tendency to avoid things I can't stand, namely single leg work and cardio. So BSS and lunges will be finding their way into my workouts.
4. Performance goal - 10 real push-ups. Right now I can only do them on my knees, I really want to work up to doing them on my toes.
   

Menu

Here is what I have planned for the next 2 weeks:

Dinners:

1. Chicken breasts with Franks hot sauce, green beans with olive oil and almonds and mashed sweet potatoes for the boys
2. Ground buffalo with Mexican seasonings, diced tomatoes and black beans over riced cauliflower, topped with avocado
   
3. Pepperoni Pizza with cauliflower crust
4. Chicken wings with Franks hot sauce and spinach salad with avocado
5. Sesame shrimp with tahini sauce over spinach salad for me and rice noodles for the boys
6. Hamburgers on millet buns (boys only) and spinach salad with avocado
7. Pork loin roast with hummus, cut veggies and sunflower seed crackers
8. Pepper steak over riced cauliflower and spinach salad
9. Seared Tuna steak over rice for boys and spinach salad
10. Meatballs with marinara sauce over zucchini "noodles" and garlic bread (coconut egg bread base)
11. Pork and beef chili with coconut egg bread
12. Crab and cheese stuffed flounder with almond crust, green beans and LC/gluten-free cheddar muffins
    
13. Sawmill gravy with buffalo over LC/gluten-free biscuits and berry salad with cream
14. Chicken Cobb Salads

Lunches:

1. Leftovers
2. Tuna Salad in lettuce wraps
3. Spinach Salad with chicken breast and avocado
4. Omelet
   

Breakfast (boys only):

1. Pumpkin Bars
2. Baked Oatmeal (boys only)
   
3. Popcorn "cereal"
4. hard boiled eggs and cheese

Snacks:

1. sunflower crackers and hummus
2. Pumpkin bars and cream
3. Almond crackers and peanut butter
4. Fruit smoothies (boys only)
5. Toddy coffee protein shake
6. Whipped cream ice pops
7. Coconut oil "candies"
8. Nuts and cheese

Only Two Days?

It has only been two days since my last blog post but it seems like forever.

I am gearing up to start the Women's Challenge over on JP Fitness. I think the challenge will be good for me. I don't really have any direction right now. I am just sort of floating along. The challenge will help focus me.

In keeping with my Type A personality I have my workout schedule already in place. I am pulling a few stages from NROLW and NROL and then finishing up with WSFL. I have modified a few of the exercises to incorporate more kettlebells but the basic layout is the same. On my strength training days I will also do 20 minutes of SS cardio in keeping with my new mantra, "Do an exercise you hate everyday!" In between my strength training days I am going to play on the Wii Fit. The Yoga and Balance exercises have actually helped my feet a lot. And since there are plenty of single leg yoga poses there are plenty of things I "hate" to do on there! LOL

Between now and the start of the challenge I am going to focus on swings, push-ups and some ab work.

Diet is ketogenic and I have no plans to change that.

The challenge runs through December 1st which is perfect timing since K's company holiday party in usually the first weekend in December. So I will be able to end the challenge by buying a KICK A$$ evening gown.

I found a picture of us from the party in 2002 or 2003. Man we are both FAT. It ought to be one hell of a before and after picture!

Back on Track

I am focusing on getting back on track today. Yesterday was a carb up day that I took a little too far! LOL I don't think Taco Bell is the preferred carb up food! Not to mention my children were sent home with two bags of the best peaches in the world this weekend and I lost all self control. Man, were they good!

So today I am working on getting back in ketosis by staying as close to 0 carbs as possible. I also have a kettlebell circuit planned for my workout followed by 15 or 20 minutes on the gazelle.

I have a doctor's appointment today and then I am meeting a friend for dinner so I will have to be very careful.

I was finally below 220 but today I found myself at almost 222. I am not really worried since yesterday was a carb up day and my cycle begins soon but it was still a bit of a wake up call to not see the teens on the scale anymore!

So back on course and off to the gym!

Circuits, Circuits, So many Circuits

I have been compiling a list of KB circuits as I find them online for those days that I lack creativity and inspiration. (or for those days that I know I am a big fat cheater and will choose the easy exercises.)

Here is the one I chose today...

Windmills X6

Swings X12

Reverse Crunches X12

Alternating Swings X24

Push Ups X12

BSS X12 each side

Snatch X12 each side

Russian Twist Combo X12

KB front Squat X12

"Keto" Pancakes

These were really good!

1/2 cup almond meal
3/4 cup Vanilla protein powder
3 tsp. Splenda
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 Tbsp oil

Mix all together well and cook over medium heat.

Makes about 4 pancakes.

Cha Cha Cha

I am back to doing the two pound shuffle! LOL

I was hoping to be down to 200 by the time the JP Fitness Women's Challenge began but that isn't going to happen. I am still hoping for 210. Nine pounds in one month is totally doable. Especially now that I am in a weight loss frame of mind.

I really would love to reach my goal of 165 by December 1st. However, I am setting my Challenge Goal for 177. That is 2 lbs a week. I have to hit 2.5lbs a week to hit my 165 goal. I hope I can do that but it is hard to maintain that loss for 5 months without a plateau.

I am going to start keeping a food diary but I am not doing it in the computer. I am going to keep an old fashion pen and paper one. I figure if my weight loss starts to lag I can go back and add a few days into daily plate and see what is going on.

I am also considering adding in more SS cardio. I truly hate the stuff but it is a means to an end so... Get in, get it done, get out fast!?? Between walking the dog and SS cardio I should be burning a decent amount of extra calories.

I was warned...

Someone told me that there were people on the Oxygen forum that were less than friendly. I figured I would mostly lurk so I went there anyways. I was warned.

I just had my hand slapped because I don't count carbs correctly and I confuse people. This isn't the only problem I have had over there. I have asked a couple of questions, explaining that I have done a search or read the sticky but still can't find the answer to my question. Only to be told to use the search feature or read the stickies.

It seems that anyone that does things even remotely extreme, like very low carb or lots of cardio are dismissed as doing it wrong. "That's extreme, it's not necessary." I have never once told someone how to do something. I have never once said, "My way is the right way." I simply answer the question that was posted. How many carbs do you eat? How do you eat that low? I did not ask to have my WOE critiqued.

It is definitely time to move on from Oxygen. Their forum was never a good match. I don't know why I stayed around so long. There are way too many people over there who insist that there is only one way to do something and are very quick to criticize, scold and get sarcastic with those that don't fit their mold.

Tabata ROCKS!

I have been experimenting with Tabata style workouts. If you don't know what that is, it is 20 sec of work and 10 sec of rest repeated for a specific amount of time, sometimes as short as 4 minutes.
I did 2 handed KB swings followed by push ups. I lasted 4 minutes! LOL

I also did BSS today. How many people just fell out of their chair reading that?? Come on now be honest!

I have decided that I avoid the exercises I hate too much. So for the month of July I will be replacing my most beloved exercise, deadlifts, with my most hated, BSS. (Actually it was supposed to be lunges but I think I broke my toe a couple of weeks ago and I can't put that much pressure on it right now. BSS run a close second to lunges.) I will also be adding in some steady state cardio after each lifting session in an attempt to shed some of these pounds.

Almond Crackers

1 cup almond meal
1 egg
seasonings of choice (sweet or savory!)

Combine meal and seasonings in a bowl using a fork. Break up any clumps in the almond meal. Crack egg directly into the bowl and mix well will fork. It will make a crumby dough.

Technique #1: Drop the ball of dough onto a foil lined sheet pan. (The foil is important!) Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and pat flat. Get it close to a quarter of an inch as possible. Use a rolling pin to roll it out even flatter. The flatter you can get them the crisper they will be. Use a pizza cutter to score squares or diamonds into the flattened dough.

Technique #2: Roll a teaspoons worth of dough into a ball. Place it on a foil lined sheet pan and cover with a small square of parchment. Use a can with a shallow lip and flatten the ball into a thin disk. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake at 325 until they begin to brown. Technique 1 took about 30 minutes and Technique 2 took about 15 minutes. #1 was definitely faster but #2 was prettier.

Baked Pumpkin Bars

8oz block of cream cheese, softened
5 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla soy protein powder (that is sweetened, as this is the only sweetener in the recipe)
15 oz can pumpkin
spices to taste (I used cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg)

Mix all ingredients well and bake in a 7X10 Pyrex dish at 350 for 50 minutes. Allow to cool completely and chill before cutting into 8 or 10 bars. I lined the Pyrex dish with parchment and it made getting them out of the pan very easy.

Personally I think it needs to be sweeter but based on the children's consumption of it, they are just fine. These would be great with some whipped cream on top!

Bottomless Pit

That is what I feel like today. I don't know what is wrong with me but I have a serious case of the munchies. I am not even that hungry I just really want to eat. Not even bad things, just eat.

Perhaps it is in response to the recent "overnight" weight loss I had? Perhaps it is that time of the month? Perhaps....

I don't know what else but I am not eating anything else until dinner!!

Instead let me go type up a couple of new recipes!

I wanna be like her when I grow up!

219.8

That is what the scale read today. I am quite excited. After two weeks of fluctuating at the same weight I switched up my workouts and switched to a different fasting plan and I have finally dropped below 220!

I broke up my workout and am doing the strength portion and one of the circuits in the morning and then in the evening I have been doing the other circuit. (Sometimes I set the Gymboss for tabata style and just pick random exercises for 10 or 15 minutes.)

I have also picked up the pace when I walk the dog. (Much to her dismay!) Since I am now thinking of that as part of my workout, I have been doing it more regularly. (I think she has mixed feeling about that!)

I went from the Eat Stop Eat style of fasting to a 16/8 split daily. Doing low carb, the 16/8 split has been easier to maintain!!

So there is what I did to break my plateau. Hopefully I won't have to worry about it for a while now. I would like to see the 100's by August 15th!