STC Day 4&5

STC Day 4 &5

Cardio and Advanced Bonus Workout #3B

Felt very tired today with paper writing. Can't wait to hand it in tomorrow.

Cardio yesterday was intervals: variety of movements for HI Burst: Y squats, lunges, skater, side lunges.

Today: Workout Advance wk #3a

I am so sweating.

For the sumo squats..the only one with weight i used both of my 10lbs dumbbells for resistance.

The Sb pass is still tough. as is the stability ball Push up..still have to modify it with the ball closer to my core.

Eating was better today with salad with very little dressing (1tbs) with dinner and lunch. So happy I'm getting better at this. even with a lunch out at a meeting. SO happy about that!

i just realized i was doing advanced workout #3 and not number 1...oooo no wonder i've been falling..i'm not supposed to be there...i guess my pages just flipped themselves..ahhhhh

going back to advanced workout #1 Friday.

Listened to coaching call and i feel so much better about missing a meal..with this hectic week I've been having i have skipped a meal on Monday and just forgot to eat.
So Lunch and snack were out.

i am still eating under my calorie intake but i'm increasing. Eating at the low range makes me tired. Beginning to look at why i get hungry especially after snack. I think it's because i'm not drinking enough water in the afternoon. Getting back to Green Tea with Goji Berry infusion..yummy! OR Water with fresh lemon slices.

STC Day 3

Day 3 of STC

Todays'' wrokout was difficult.
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1 Leg Bench Squat: 3s 8r
Stability Ball Back Extension: 3s 10r
Dumbell Snatch 1s 4r
Squat w/ clean and press 2s 10r each side
Spiderman Push up 3s 10,12,10r
V-up 3s 10r
T-up 1s 4r

Okay so i need to work on Dumbell Snatch, V-ups and T-ups. They are quite difficult.

STC day 1

Well today i have eaten poorly but i have planned for tomorrow.

Lost the weight gained from being in Houston at convention and while hubby was home for R&R.

so i'm back down to 171. I've just had a rough time with allergies and the migraines associated with them. Also my jeans are way loose again cause i'm on

today: cals up to 1300 which is 500short of where i need to be. but i forget to eat when i'm in pain with allergies and migrains.

Did some yoga to help out my back which has been sore due to improper sleeping.

Goal: to bust through my emotional eating and become bootylicious! I have a size 10 dress I'd like to nicely fit into.

I want to be able to have a picture taken of me without thinking OMG i hope i don't look like a whale. Which translates to confidence..i want to gain body confidence. I have so much to offer this life of mine and i want my physical self to reflect that as well.

I want to improve plank. To be able to do it for 25 seconds and get to 30 sec without falling over.

Manage stress in a positive manner instead of eating through it.

will be adding more to this as i think about my goals and morph during this transformation.


Step to take:

1. Meal Planning - this is huge i need recipes done for me so I'm looking at cooking light and other healthy websites to get ideas for meal planning. I'm very moody with food so i may have to plan the night before.

2. Getting in cardio - i tend to put this off to the last possible minute even though i do get it in. Some days are better than others but i want to constantly improve over the next 12 weeks. Oh yeah and do a few rounds of burpees.

3. Being consistent...this is a huge problem for me that i want to solve..i seem to have a good week or 2 then followed by a disaster that throws me off with exercise or with eating. NO MORE! i want to have consistent months. Not be so hard on myself when i can't accomplish something but focus on what I [b]did [/b] get done.

Ostacles:

1. stress - emotional eating..i am going to be taking a summer course and it's going to be tough so i need to find ways to take my stress out in positive ways

2. Boredom and doubt - i platue easily so i need to increase weight and make it to the base gym to get to the family room so i won't have to purchase weights. It will also get me out of the house.

3. Preceived lack of support- because i'm doing the single parent thing ad family is 3 hours away i often have a notion of lack of support and that i'm all alone. I need to reach out and really ask for help when i need it. Asking for help is not asking for a handout...it is acknowledging that i need help and encouragement.

Rewards: better physical condition, makeup and new clothing...looking good in my pictures when I go to Puerto Rico in June.

did workout today: Advanced Bonus #1 workout A

using 10lbs weights for everything that called for a weight.

Added 2 more reps to Mountain climber finally found a way to do it and not have my step slide away. Sheesh..what a mess that used to be.

It was hard to get through the Reverse crunch but, that's always been a sore spot since high school even when i was in shape and trim.

Cardio will be tomorrow...i have the beginnings of a another sinus headache...i can't wait till this all clears up.

week 17 workout in

Well, despite my sinus headache i was able to get in my workout today. I found Sudafed sinus headache meds and it clears me up just fine.

I used 8lbs weights for the Step up Press combo. Not ready for 10lbs on my shoulders.

it's a very sore spot since they got messed up in high school.

Using the new 10lbs weights for the pullover goblet squat was a good change. The goblet squat i used one 10lbs and one 8lbs weight to total to 18lbs. Much better than last time i did workout B.

For the dead lift i still need to go heavier. for chest press as well so i made it harder by doing it on the stability ball.

As for the SB pass i did a ladder today 6,8, 10 passes for each time i came to the exercise. So i progressed from a small number to 2 passes over the recommended reps. I'm glad i could finish with a high number but would like to do 10 passes every set.

I feel strong and happy that i have gotten through this workout and found amendments that need to be made and ways to increase the challenge of a movements until i get heavier weights.

Week 17 Day 3

Workout A i blasted thru today! It was such an accomplishment. I have just added a rep to my pushups i can now do 3 sets of 13. I'm so excited!



Having pumping music is key to me accomplishing my push ups without thinking about it except for breathing.

Bought a set of 10 lbs weights and used them for lunges and row. It doesn't make a big difference in the row so i need to go heavier but in my lunges a big difference.


Going to Puerto Rico in June to visit my grandparents and have my kiddo put her feet on the same beach and ocean my family has stepped in for generations. So i'd like to drop a size by then.

Will work hard to do that. Eating better today and got in my sweet tooth without being a glutton. Plenty of water today and protien. Happiness!

went curly with my hair and this is what it looks like:


taking my journey in a revived direction because i've been in a funk since hubby left after being home for R&R. Cleaning out my house again and focusing on making this a comfy place to be and not just exist.

It's been rough, but today i got off my rear and did chores and stuff before i got slammed today with a sinus headache which i had to lay down in a dark room to get over.

Great workout though!

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Now playing: Kevin Rudolph & Lil Wayne - Let It Rock
via FoxyTunes

Week 17 Day 2

Okay after being sore for 3 days from using heavier weights, i can get to day 2

I can really say again that i truly like the tri sets Holly has introduced. They are invigorating.

My only challenge was the Stability Ball passes...i just read the book again and i was trying to go to high in reps so i was with in the limit of 5-8 passes. I hit 5 and quit on the 6th one b/c my abs were burning like crazy.

Still need to get heavier weights. Will have to do that today. The Goblet squat was just fine at 16lbs total. i just made it to 10 reps. I could go 2lbs heavier i think.

Cardio will have to be done tonight..toddler is up and wanting breakfast. Trying Tabatas again. I'm strong enough to do this and it was challenging last time i did it but i liked it.

It was a good workout. Happy Friday!

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Song List for my 15 min workout: songs chosen at random by WMP
1) Lady Gaga- Just Dance (club Remix)

2) Beyonce- Get Me Bodied (My favorite)
3)Summertime - NKOTB
4) Rihanna- Please Don't Stop The Music

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Now playing: Britney Spears - Womanizer
via FoxyTunes

New Mini goals for the next 4 weeks

New goals for the next 4 weeks:

1) eat healthfully


2) workout with heavier weights

3) stretch more


4) have fun

5) try new things

6) 5lbs weight loss or better

Week 16 closing thoughts

My week 16 closing and thoughts:

Lost a total of 18" all around. Went from a size 18 to a 14 and reached my goal of 30lbs total loss since January of 2008.

I can finally see my self as beautiful once more. I'm not at my ultimate goal yet but I'm working on it and i know that eating is my biggest area to work on and I'm diligently doing that this month.

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I'm more active and want to go out and do things now. This has been such an inward transformation as the inches have just melted away. That for me has been the more important than the scale.

Thank you ladies for all the wonderful support. I appreciate it so much. I haven't been on much but it's been hectic. Hopefully soon I'll post more. Got finals coming up so i will post when i can.

Cheers!

week 17..struggle and the blues

Did the April workout as posted on the website and i have to say it was the toughest workout to date..not because it is tough by nature to challenge me, but because i've been a wreck for the last week.

Hubby had to leave 4 days before Easter to return to duty in Iraq. My mom got sick so i couldn't go up there to spend Easter with them so even though i did get to go over to a friend's house, Easter to me felt empty.

I mis him and can smell him in bed and i randomly cry throughout the day. A love song came on during my workout and i was crying doing push-ups. I'm just empty. I had a complete household for 15 beautiful days and i'm back to an incomplete home.

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I thought this wouldn't be so hard for me to go back to the existence i was working with work school and baby. It's plenty hard and i'm not doing well with this. Trying to go out with friends and look forward to the new movies coming out and go see them so i can get relife from being mom for an hour or two but I want my daughter to be with daddy. I want to come home to a husband who smells b/c he's been working out or doing house repairs. I want to have Sunday breakfast with my hubby sitting across from me and get huranged for kissing in the restaurant.

Just have to keep pushing i guess. It will get better ...right??

Week 16 Workout B

How i hate the jack knife and the plank on ball. I'm still not even up to the minimums on those. It just makes me angry. I can get up to 9 Jack knifes and the plan on ball maybe 20 sec..but there is much rolling around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC64hZYvs1M


Jack Knife on Ball - Katie Butlers Back to Basics Video

Will have to keep trying on that one.

Everything else..i need heavy weights. Holly's video on bikini body reaffirmed the need but cost is a factor. will try to freecycle and craigslist for weights at good prices.

I also want an adjustable bench to do some of the back movements..i wind up bending forward too much.

Found this video which i would love to work up to one day:

Ridgeline Fitness Podcast 7 "The Roll Out" - More bloopers are a click away

Keep working..keep going..work through stress and finish strong

Week 15 Day 1 And 2

Day 1:

March Workout.

Almost got thru the whole thing...it's always the Cs that i miss out on trying a new workout. I'm traveling and didn't have my book to access so i tried the March workout. I'm thinking maybe i would have gotten thru if i hadn't been traveling all day and tired.

it was challenging. I enjoyed what i did get thru.

Day 2

5 cycles of HIIT today! I am so happy that i made it to 5 cycles....i know i can make it to 6 next week! This is just so great! My stamina is going up. I've also been searching for new HII movements and i found some on exercise TV and a interval training video so that can be adapted to the HR HIIT prescription. It's good because i feel like it's a game and i'm really huffing and puffing.

Today is my second day in Huston. It's fun..it's nice to be in a big city again. I'm at the TLA 2009 conference (Texas Library Association). It's been fun so far. It's nice seeing young linbrarians like me. Got some insights to some books from the authors and learned about some web 2.0 stuff. Hope to learn more tomorrow. Have seen some of my big bosses and it was nice chattign witht htem outside of work. Learning about new technoliges and the new features of some of the databases..so can't wait to get the new stuff into our branch and get trained on all the uber cool features.

Databases are so sexy.

Workouts week 14 Days 1 and 2

Since hubby is now safely home and we are all happy I can't express to you my contentment. My life has suddenly sunk into bliss with a complete family under my roof. The joy of my daughter saying Da-Da and the smile across his face as he embraces her.

The passionate kiss he gives me when we wake. The breakfast he made for us and his joy making food on US soil and enjoying his first breakfast taco in months. I revel in domesticity.

My workouts have gone to the three day a week program to accommodate hubby, baby, work and class. I am really pushing myself and enjoying the hard work.

I only got thru 4 cycles of intervals again and would like to make 5 but i am really pushing hard already. maybe next time. My resistance workouts are difficult but i enjoy them and can really feel the power in my muscles as I work them.

My eating is portioned and i'm feeling good ..tired from lots of traveling but happy and content with my world.

Mini Goal Reached

Another mini Goal has Been reached!

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I've lost 2 pounds and have passed my half way point which was at 172lbs. I'm now at 171lbs as of this morning!

This is so great. How will i celebrate? Makeup? Shoes? new blouse?

Will have to keep focusing on having fun in my workouts and putting something fun into my routine like i did this week by adding belly dancing to relive some tension and work the abs

Met my parents in Austin to take all the grandkids to the Children's museum and they had so much fun! ( they meaning my kid, my niece and nephew) It was great to watch Victoria run around and know she couldn't break anything but she could touch and play with everything!

Plus, she napped all the way home. Ahhh how blissful.
I digress, my parents and my brother said i looked great.
Not to mention that when i did get a look at my self in a mirror i was actually quite pleased with how I looked. Also, my capris looked a little larger than they had when i first put them on that morning.

I truly is the little things that make life sweet. What a journey this has been for me thus far.

Week 13 Resitance Training

Yesterday was a struggle with my workout. It was Movements B and i was fine until i got to the Jackknife on the stability ball.

Ideally it's supposed to look like this:

However, I tried and i remember being good at this at one point. But for soemreason today i just fell and kept falling off the ball. I did 4 good reps each time and finally stopped wanting to get bruised on purpose.

I know it will get better but sheesh was that rough. Stability ball plank was a little tough but i stuck it out for 30 sec each time before i started shaking and rolled off the ball. I'm so glad i do this at home and not at the gym...what a mess it would be.

Adjusting my food again. My breakfast tacos are becoming to much for me to eat. Especially with the flour tortilla. I have been eating them without the tortilla lately and when we finally had some with it was quite filling. This is good to know and i put my food down during each bite and let myself enjoy the flavors of egg salsa and cheese and guacamole. I also had a book to read so that made for a good few minutes in between bites. Drank a lot and found that i had leftovers.

I have to say, my new outlook on this whole thing has me in a better mood than weeks previous. To add a little bit of variety to my week I've added some belly dancing to my week. Found videos on YouTube that are really great.
Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pvyXkFTa18

Just another way to have fun and relax and take time for me. Victoria likes to try to follow along it's too cute!

Week 13 Day 2 Intervals

Had to do my intervals at home instead of at the gym. It was a little tougher than i expected.

Did a variety of speed moves for my 90sec burst and then patterned that with jumping jacks and oh yeah did four sets of four complete burpees somewhere in there. I was huffing and puffing after 4cycles.

But it was a good challenge.

Remembering to get that green in at every meal is getting better with being able to get salad in and enjoying it without dressing. Fruit is in but has been limited so i'm not getting too much sugar in. Hard when all the new in season fruit is coming out. I so can't wait for Poteet strawberries. They have a festival in Poteet every year. I'd like to go one year to try some strawberry brandy...it sounds delicious.

Calming down from the stress of prepping for hubby's R&R and i'm back ontrack..this is the way things should have been the last two weeks.

Sunday prep to begin again weeks 13-16

Prepping to start over from week 13. I want to give my best. with nothing due this week except a paper which I'm not worried about, so i can focus on a good beginning.

Husband will be home 9 days. i'm so nervous. why it's just my husband??

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i guess it's i just want everything to seem perfect and not normal since he's been away.
normal to me is just chaos. there's never enough time to do what i need to do.

i will get enough done for him to be happy to be home and me to be happy that he sees a clean house.

my mini goals for the next four weeks:

1) not get overly frustrated with core supersets. I think they are the moves that are so challenging for me.

2) Have something green at every meal and pepper in color like orange.

3)not fall down with the one leg curl on the SB

4) Breathe and not sweat the small stuff.

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Friday Workout A Toughie

I was tired so my workout was tough. I went back to doing the 3 day a week schedule this week.

So after Intervals resistance was just rough. I did get through the whole thing though slower than i had anticipated.

I so want the fat off my thighs to melt away i can feel my muscle under there and i'd love to show the hard work. I know it will come with time though.

Eating better making sure to get the green in every meal and stay away from those comfort foods i really want due to stress.

Since the last two weeks have been off due to mid terms, emotional eating and what not i would like to start over. i think I'm going to i wanted to give these 16 weeks my best and the last two weeks have NOT been my best.

I need a new plan of attack. going to have to think about this tomorrow at church while i pray. I do some of my best thinking there. The music and intonation of the word from Father make it so ideal to pray and think about what i need help with and what i need to work on.

Working on programming for the library is also taking time. I need to stop working and start doing things for me..i think this is where i go awry. Plan but plan for myself as well.

Okay meals for this week:
Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce
with rice
Slow Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Chicken
with rice
Considering most of these family style recipes last so long i only need to plan for 3 at most a week. I kinda like that.

My breakfasts are consisting of eggs, salsa and avocado. no tortilla necessary.
other breakfasts are what and flax seed waffles with yogurt and fresh fruit.

yummy!

rediscovering peaches and how good they are. Finally found some in juice instead of syrup and it's heaven. Frozen berry mix is also economical and delicious. The juice from the defrost process is great. what a treat.

I feel better for having written.

week 14 weight loss!

I have reached a goal! I have lost two more pounds and i now weigh 173!

I have officially lost:

This is just wonderful!

Take a look at my ticker i have 33 lbs to go but one more pound to loose and i'm at my halfway point which is 34lbs down and 34lbs to go.

Attacking eating habbits with renewed vigor. To celebrate: healthy lunch with big salad!

celebration #2: makeup..Sephora here i come

Week 9 so far.

Posted by Christina on February 6, 2009 at 1:56am
Week 9 has been very interesting. i fins myself truly growing stronger. Pants are yet again fitting looser and my eating habits have been mindful and healthy. I think the boost from VS shopping really helped.

My strength in side plank is really coming along and i can do 20 sec without gasping for air. so i think next week i will shoot for 25 sec. I am looking forward to getting to 30sec and then lifting my leg. i foresee many falling downs when that happens....lol


I am fully enjoying working out for the first time in a very long time. it doesn't seem like a chore.

The new version of the intervals is also going well. I have adjusted to the 1 minute burst and i find it invigorating and challenging. I think it's about time for that change as sometime i wouldn't keep track of my watch and i would wind up doing a burst longer than 30 sec sometimes in workouts previously.

i've had to go back to 6 days a week but i try to get in carido at the gym at least 2 times a week and the third time is at home due to time constraints.

Week 9 Day 1 Part II

Posted by Christina on January 28, 2009 at 1:44am

forgot to list my resistance training...duh

well, i can say this i am better now at plank than last time. i'm not raising my leg yet but holding up to 20sec for 3 sets is great!
Goal:


The squats i think i will need to get heavier weights. The 8 lbs dumbells are too light.

I'm not sure i quite get the Bow movement but is it prepping for deadlifts? if so then i think i can do it better next time.

Love using the ball for a workout. it's great.