progress this week

Okay got to go to 2 Zumba classes and got in my strength training and as a result i have lost another half inch off my hips.

Going to try to keep this up and hopefully loose more inches! Do need to get new jeans as my current jeans which were figure hugging are now baggy on me.  This is exciting!

Eating is much better getting in simple and fresh ingredients. More water and it's just been a time of making strides in a positive direction. yay!

week 4

Okay this week was better.

Got in two resistance workouts and two cardio and hopefully a third tomorrow. Today did Holly Rigsby's Beginner Workout B instead of Introductory workout B by accident but a workout is a workout. I got moving and burned some cals.  For my chest press portion of the workout i found that my 5 and 6 lbs weights were too light and had to go up to my 8lbs to get a burn by the 10th thru 12th reps. I think next time i will try the 10lbs to really work myself. Just being safe since i was just sick and all. However it is good to know that i'm not as weak as i think i am. Really proud of myself that i got thru 10 reps and 3 sets of the belly blaster move. I remember trying to do that my first time and it was so hard..i think i only did like 4 of them back then.

Getting back to eating oatmeal int he morning and i have really missed it. That mixed with a teaspoon of nutella and peanut butter make a great faux peanut-butter-cup oatmeal treat!

making sure i get enough protein and veggies in is tough with new adjustments to schedule and tons of changes with juggling two kids. I have to get back to meal planning so i can breathe easier in that respect. My problem again is getting meals that are healthy and lower in sodium than traditional crockpot recipes.
My fave crockpot recipe has to be tortilla soup. So easy and can be adjusted to more firey for my family's taste or more mild for those experimenting with mexican heat.

I can't remember where i got the recipe but here it is and in parenthese will be my adjustments

Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup

2 large chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic (i use garlic powder) 
4 oz. green chilies
1 onion diced ( i used frozen chopped)
30 oz. diced tomatoes (love fire roasted)
1/2 to 1 C. Chicken Broth
1 Tbs. cumin (i use less..a little goes a long way with the smokey flavor)
salt & peper to taste
2 Tbs. Cilantro
(white corn tortillas)
(mexican blend cheese)

Here is the way i do it:
Place chicken in slow cooker and lightly coat in garlic powder.
In blender or food processor blend the next 7 ingredients until smooth or to the texture of your desire.
Pour veggie mixture over chicken and set slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Shred Chicken before serving with two forks.

Turn toaster over or reg oven on to broil. place tortillas on cookie sheet and cut into strips 1/4" wide. Toast until crispy and garnish soup with strips and cheese to taste. To cheat with the tortillas, sometimes i do fold them in half and put them in the toaster and then let the family rip apart pieces..whatever works. The crunch factor is what's important.

Et voila!  healthy family meal that every one will love!

week 3

this week i only got to workout twice.i had really really bad allergies. it was just a really bad sinus infection that even affected my balance.


exhaustion and dehydration was what i felt thos week. got bloated from the soda i used to open up my sinuses since i can't take most meds (breastfeeding) and the ones i can take do not work. I want to start over. i just hope to keep progessing.

on an upbeat the makeup i bought for my last 2lbs loss is fabulous!

Lost a pound!

So with my three week makeover to my routine i have lost 1 pound a week! I've reduced a band size in my bust and i'm getting my curvy waist back. Exciting news all around.

this is too cool.

I just got in a new workout video for all you former or current Firmies it has jen Carmen..who I love!

The video is called Strength in Movement with Jen Carmen. It's 60 minutes and intense from what i saw in the preview. Looking forward to doing this since i will have time this week to do it since I will be sans child during my webseminar at school. what a thought 60 min to workout all without interuption (even my 15 min workouts are longer b/c of interruption...sippy cup usually)

wow!

Goiung into week 2 of the Flat Belly workout at women's health and still pretty much following the FYM format except with cardio 2 out of the 3 days. i've increased length of time to 30 min on two days. It's on the elliptical or a long cardio video that is fun (once a week). So i have fun varierty and challenges along the week.

If i can continue to do this , loose 1 pound a week i can reach a nice weight by christmas. To get down to my goal of 140 i would need to loose almost 1.5 lbs a week. hmmm gonna have to think more on that.

Doing a lot more reading on eating and gettting over my fear of journaling food. I just hate it b/c i'm going to be super hard on myself for not doing well and obess over it. but readign more about it helps me to quell that feeling of self judgement. I will get there..i think.

going to eat dinner.

Friday workout

Friday workout

Women's Health Belly Off Friday Week 1 workout

Today was tough even though it was all body weight with the exception of the step ups i used 2 10lbs dumbbells.

With all the movements i can feel that I am usign my core and that i'm getting stronger. I needed this big change.

Yesterday I did my intervals and did 6 cycles. i really pushed and was very tired by the end.
As a result of all my hard work this week I have lost another pound. 2 pounds away from being 171 again and 3 pounds away from my new mini goal of 170lbs.
I have to keep the fun in my cardio so i'm DLing new songs and keeping fun videos on hand to keep variety in my cardio.

I'm enjoying working out again. When it becomes a chore i have to change things up and i think i've found a good combination right now and i'm getting results. This is a constant battle for me to breakout of boredom to reach new heights. getting more activity into my day and dancing around the house alot more. All these little thigns help me stay motivated over the past 3 weeks that i've been changing up my routine. It also helps to not have class right now, but one class starts, i just hope that i won't falter.

Fresh new outlook with results so far

Fo rthe last two weeks i've been getting back to basics and trying to getsome weightloss going. with the new elliptical in the house it has helped.

I have lost two pounds and 2.5 inches ( 1 off waist and 1 off hips 1/2 inch off biceps)

I'm hoping i can keep this 1pound a week weightloss going. that would be great.

eating better and looking for better recipes all the time so i can still eat healthy but accommodate my ever changing mood.

I needed to get fun back into the picture so to remedy that i placed an interlibrary loan and borrowed Zumba from an Arizona library. (interlibrary loan is so cool) It's very fun and i remember all the moves from when i used to go to dance salsa and all that in high school. Found this book and ordered it through interlibrary loan as well. Adventures of a Salsa Goddess..what great coverart. can't wait to get o reading it.


Been using the workouts of the flat belly program with Women's Health and they are tough and good enough for a good solid change but still have the same aspects of the FYM workouts. Vareity enough to challenge me.

Change is good.

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 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 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 15 end and on to Week 16

Well week 15 was challenging and I have to say it was harder because i was traveling and eating choices were not the best. Now that I am home i have bought cantaloupe and salmon and salad and am cleaning out my system.

Still looking for a new medicine ball or toning ball rather i like the Danskin one i have it's 4lbs but i need more weight. The 6lbs by Danskin is Pretty green with swirls.

I already have the danskin Stability ball in Pink with swirls and i love it. The 8lbs ball is blue and it's nice as well.

I'm prepping for week 16. This will be a hard week for me because hubby will be leaving for Iraq on Thursday. I may not see him until almost January the earliest October.

He's been home on R&R Since the 24th and time has just flown by. Today at Church was hard

because it was our last formal gathering to pray as a family. I will try to focus and keep my wits about me, but i find myself being very sad and selfish. It is s o nice having a two parent home and having him home to fix things and things done that i can't get to without him here.

Houston Zoo

At Church

At the Duck Pond

At the San Antonio Children's Museum

What I know is going to be the most difficult is the transition for Victoria. She is so happy with Da-Da being home. Those two are like Peas in a Pod. She will miss him more and I know this will just be hell for her for the next few days when she realizes that Da-da isn't coming back for a long time. There has to be a better way to deal.

So my goals for this week:

Be strong

workout

eat well

comfort family

cry if i need to

comfort Victoria

cherish rest of this week

pray

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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.

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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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.

Kicking butt day 2 week 8

Posted by Christina on January 21, 2009 at 10:30am
Since class started this week i need to move from 6 days a week to 3. So i'll be doing my carido in the morning and resistance training in the evening.

This morning: 5 cycles of the 1 min rest and 30 sec burst. My bursts today were all jumping jacks. It was invigorating and now the effects of my workout i'm alert and ready to take on the day. I think I'm just getting comfy with them and may need to start moving on to burpees. Are they okay at this stage of the game?

I'm still in a lil bit of a funk with my eating habits even though they are great this week with me eating on time and eating portioned supportive meals. i think that's why i don't log in with the food because it becomes a numbers game to me and it depresses me. I know Selene you said exactness is not the goal but it becomes that.


well today i'm going to make the Caramel Onion soup. I haven't been out to get new plastic for storage so i need to limit the food i make this week. There is plenty of yummy quinoa -squash and it's so yummy.

My snacks have been dried cranberries and almonds at work for my evening snack and my afternoon snack has been fruit and some sort of accompaniment like yogurt or peanut butter.

Need to up my water intake. I've been doing a lot with class prep and trying to get time to clean the house i forget to drink water. worry drives me from other tasks. Yes this is the time when i do the MOST emotional eating during the semester when i'm stressing. So i think that's what i'm worried about now that i'm writing it out. That i'll just fail because of the added stress of this semester.

However:

Week 6 Friday & Saturday

Yesterday my intervals i only got thru 4 cycles. it was crazy i felt so tired...it was so odd. I think after i got over the tired feeling i did a 5th cycle but it was tough.

Ironically today i feel energized and ready to take on Workout B. I wonder if it was a lack of water or not enough food?

kept the stress eating this week down to only one day where i had a really upset patron at the library so i ate 4 sticks of kitkat.
Other than that, i've been on pint with portion sizing and ensuring that i east enough, except for yesterday.

i thought i had eaten enough. Oh i know what it was i brought enough food for dinner to work but b/c of the irate patron( who threatened to sue) I was upset so i didn't eat enough! I had brought enough but i didn't eat it all.

will have to measure again on Monday because the pants i was just fitting into on Monday were loose today! I'm excited.

Saturday:

Did my intervals. my 30 sec burst was using the step and i really burned it out. it felt good.