Change takes work

It's a good thing today's focus was upper body, because my legs are almost nonfunctional. My quads are so sore from the killer Barre workout we did.

We were indoors tonight, which worked out nicely since it was pouring outside. Lightning, thunder, the whole bit. We had a cute little "worksheet" with lists of upper body exercises on one side and core exercises on the other. We rotated between two rooms, checking off each exercise as we went. Then, out of nowhere, Bethany would pop in and say, "twenty push-ups!" We used our resistance bands to do everything from bicep curls to tricep extensions and wood chops. In the core room, we did most things on our mats, but used the exercise ball for crunches, too.

My arms were done at the end! I could hardly finish my last set. It's not that they were sore, they just wouldn't work! I was trying so hard to finish my last 10 chest presses, and I was struggling. We talked about mental barriers and pushing through the burn to make a difference. Man, I was trying! My mind is SO WEAK. All I was thinking was, you can't do this, it hurts, give up. 

I remembered my food log today, and Bethany was kind enough to stay after class a bit to talk about it with me. My goal for this week is to change up my lunch choices. I'm going to look into some recipes for chicken salad (with apples, walnuts, no mayo!), so I can improve the quality of my lunch, but sill have an easy meal. I'm planning to have things like chicken on a whole wheat tortilla instead of a ham and cheese sandwich. I'm also going to try to save my protein bars for when I'm out and it makes a good snack option. When I'm home, I plan to have things like nuts or an apple, and a cheese stick. 

I guess that's it for now. I'm anxious to see if these small food changes will make a difference on the scale next week. 

 

Halfway In!

This week we had class Tuesday & Wednesday, because Memorial Day was Monday, and we all need a day to relax with friends and family. I thought class was tough when we had a day between to rest, but back-to-back Body Back? I was nervous. The plan was to have targeted workouts, upper body one day, lower body one day. 

I weighed-in before class, and...no loss. What?? I don't understand. I'm still going to Stroller Strides five or six days a week AND I've added these two nights of Body Back. That's seven or eight workouts a week, and if you do the math, that's seven or eight more workouts a week than I used to do. Why in the world would I not see a loss?! The dreaded word I never thought I'd have to deal with...plateau. I'm not sure why I thought I was immune to this common setback (and I'm still kind of in denial). I'm hoping it doesn't last too long since we are in week four of this eight week program. That's right, HALF WAY! Half way in and I'm not even close to half way to my goal. Depressing, to say the least. I didn't have much to talk to Bethany about during my one-on-one time because I forgot my food log. I know, I'm a genius. How in the world are we supposed to discuss my eating habits when I forget my log at home. 

I also left my other homework, "10 Really, Truly, Fabulously, Honestly Wonderful Things About Me." It was this cute little worksheet where we had to share great things about ourselves. "I AM ____, because __________." It was much harder than I thought to think of 10 super things about me and explain why. We each shared a couple of our ten things in class. I could hardly remember one of mine! Ugh, I hate not having my work. And on top of that, I obviously NEED to talk about my eating habits since I didn't see a change on the scale this week. I want to be sure I'm not sabotaging myself somewhere. I know I'm not eating as perfectly as some do, but I've still made huge improvements from where I was. I'm much more aware of how much and the kinds of things I'm eating. 

On a side note, I recently discovered that my go-to meal at my favorite taco shop was COMPLETE SABOTAGE. It really didn't seem that bad. Shredded chicken, cheese, garlic sauce. Yum! (Okay, it was nachos...but still.) I stumbled across the "nutritional" information...O. M. G.! Almost 1600 calories. That's right - six-teen hun-dred cal-o-ries. I was going to this place once a week and eating more than my days' worth of calories in one meal! Not to mention the soda or adult beverage I usually ordered. Man, oh man. It's a wonder I was able to lose any weight at all. I have since found a more reasonable alternative when we eat at my beloved taco shop. Chicken tacos - under 300 calories each. No, they're not as good as the tortilla chips dripping in queso, but 1600 calories?! No way is that worth it. Or is it?? No, no. Definitely not.

Now that I'm salivating over my once loved, now forbidden nachos...back to exercise! Tuesday night was all lower body. We had a special guest trainer, Susan - the Stroller Barre instructor. Stroller Barre is a ballet/pilates/yoga mix. I haven't taken a real class with her, so I wasn't sure what to expect. There was a lot of ballet terminology. In French. Yeah, I took ballet growing up, I think I was three. I didn't have a clue what some of these things were. I remember first position and second position. But just the words. I don't know what the feet are actually supposed to do. So that was a fun learning curve. 

Once I figured out what I was doing, we were good to go. This was some serious stuff. We were doing plies "en pointe" for what seemed like forever. Basically, squats with your heels up, really flexing those calves. My legs were killing me! Burning, shaking, almost giving out on me. We did several sets of targeted leg exercises with running spurts in between. Before we were even done I knew tomorrow was going to be bad. How was I going to walk? 

I had a moment at the end of our wall sit. I was at that point where my body was saying STOP!!! (Maybe with a few more exclamation marks.) I guess Bethany could tell...next thing I know, she's right there in front of me - correcting my hunching shoulders and concave chest. And doing what she does best, motivating and encouraging me. Honestly, if she hadn't come over, I would have stopped. I would have stood up to take a break. But I didn't get to. She pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I made it. Barely, but I did.

Toward the end of class we got to use this cute little squishy ball. Very deceptive. The melon-sized, pinkish-red ball was not fun. We were on the ground, squeezing this ball behind our knee, and lifting that same leg up. I think it was called a mermaid? I know for a fact, I did not look like a mermaid. I'm thinking something a little closer to a beached whale. Maybe with it's tale tangled up? It was one of the most awkward and uncomfortable exercises I've done. But, oh my, did that burn! My legs and booty were dying! And they still hurt. It hurts to go up the stairs, and it even hurts to sit down! 

We did some serious leg and booty work! We'll see if I can do anything productive today. And tonight at class...

Yes, I recall being told this recently. If it was easy, everyone would have killer bodies.

Over the hump!!

As of yesterday, I am finally over my slump! Woo hoo!! I'm still not sure what was going on with my lack of energy and overall crummy mood. But it's gone!

I had great workouts at Stroller Strides yesterday and this morning, and had an exciting accomplishment at Body Back tonight. We had another "traveling" class. I really enjoy those. The class seems to go by so much faster and the change in scenery really breaks up the workout. Tonight's class really focused on our legs - hamstrings and quadriceps. I think at every location we moved to, we did squats. Squats, squats, squats. 

Then we were on to "the hill." Oh, how we loathe the hill. After running up and down a few times in partners, we hear, "competition." Now, I am about the furthest thing from 'competitive.' It really doesn't matter to me who wins at most things. Sure, I try, but if it's too hard or boring, or whatever, I give up. (I know, you don't want me on your team.) I'm not sure why. I just don't feel like a little snapshot from a competition defines who I am in the rest of my life. Maybe it does? Maybe it says to others that I don't care or that I am weak? But then I guess that's my other problem, I don't usually worry myself with others' opinions of me.

So anyway...we had a competition. Right away, I'm thinking, "Okay, I'll do it. Whatever." But then I hear, "...free shirt..." Dude, I am SO IN! Free shirt?! Heck yeah, I want a free shirt. Wait, what do I have to do for this free shirt? Oh, crap. A SQUAT competition? We just did a jillion squats! Not to mention Stroller Strides on Tuesday was all about squats. I think we did close to 150 squats throughout class. So then, I'm mentally "out" again. Bethany tells us whoever can hold a squat position the longest gets a Body Back shirt or tank of their choosing. Motivation! I can do this!!

We start the competition, and almost immediately, it sucks. I'm ready to quit. I look around, and no one else seems to be struggling! How is that? I can't be the only one hurting. And I definitely can't be the first one to quit! So there is my goal, don't be the first one out. Sounds easy, right? After longer than I anticipated, someone quits. Okay, I made it this long, maybe I can wait out another person. And this is my goal. Then it's down to four of us. Oh! My legs are burning, and I can tell the others' are too. Four way tie? I asked. Nope. Maybe I can wait out just one more person.

Somehow, it's down to me and one other momma. Wow! We're both waiting for the other to drop, though I know she is strong and determined. I'm worried. I don't think I can outlast her. And I'm thinking, "Man, it stinks to have gone this long to loose!" I keep telling myself, "free shirt...free shirt..." Like my little mantra. And the more I tell myself this, the less I feel my legs burning. Have they gone numb? Nope, still feel 'em! Quick, think about the free shirt again. ; )

We're over five minutes in. Our cruel (kidding!) instructor enlists some of the others to push down on our backs for more resistance in the squat. Apparently we lasted longer than she expected, so she was gunning to end the competition so we could finish our workout. Luckily I had one of the NICEST partners giving me resistance. At the end, over seven minutes in, it was called a tie! Woo hoo!! FREE SHIRT! And yes, a big accomplishment for me, too.

Another killer workout!

I'm really enjoying going to my Body Back classes. As sad as it may sound, I look forward to having somewhere to go on those evenings. No, I don't get to get dressed up fancy or even look particularly cute. But, I'm out of the house. And with no children! Haha! I love them, but I need some me time. And the only way I'm going to get that some days is to go workout. Wow! Who'd have ever thought I would want to leave the house to go exercise?! Me, the couch-potato homebody. Me, who has gone days without leaving the house. And that didn't even bother me! 

Not anymore. We're up and on our way to Stroller Strides five or six days a week. I'm not really sure, but I think this is affecting the rest of my life! ; ) Something about exercise and happiness?? Channeling my best Elle Woods here, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." Okay, not quite where I was going. My husband's wellbeing was never at stake (regardless of what he tells you). I'm getting more done around the house with this new found energy, and I'm sure the kids are getting more quality time with their momma. Now I'm not going to tell you that I have crazy amounts of energy and am now Super Mom! But I have noticed that I'm not dragging every afternoon and wishing for a little nap when the kids finally go down for theirs'. 

I started this week in a funky place. And it was killing me! I hated this slow, tired feeling I was having, but I just couldn't shake it. We skipped Stroller Strides Monday morning, because I just couldn't drag myself to go. I thought, "Hey, you're tired. Take a break. Maybe your body needs it." It didn't seem to help. Monday dragged by. Then, Body Back...well, crap. I went in to class already defeated. I felt I had gained weight since my two pound loss last week, and I didn't get to class as early as I had hoped, so the weigh-in would have to wait until after class...

So here we go. Another kick butt workout! The theme was plyometrics, jump training. Fabulous, right? Not only am I doing this killer workout, but everything will involve jumping. I wanted to just crawl away. Don't worry, I didn't. I gave it my all. We did circuits where we had one minute of four different things, back-to-back twice, followed by a nice lap around parking lot. When we got back, it was four new things. I'm not sure how many of those we did. It seemed like A LOT. I was drained and came home a sweaty mess, so I know I must've done something good. 

Jump Squats. Fun at first...

After class, I weighed-in. So how bad was it? Apparently it's worse if you're delusional. I don't know what I was thinking, but I was convinced I had gained weight. Even after I saw the number on the scale. I'm thinking, "Crap, crap, crap. What's she gonna say?" Then Bethany tells me, "You lost weight!" Wait, what?! Just over half a pound. I'll take it! Especially after I just chugged twenty-four ounces of water during our workout. We had a nice little chat, and discussed a few menu changes I need to make.


Overall, we'll call it a success and I'll keep plugging along. 

Will keep this reference handy...

Color Me Rad?

I ran my second 5K on Saturday, a color run. You know the kind - you run while people throw colored dyes at you. Sounds fun, right? Hey, I figured if I'm out there running, I might as well attempt to have fun. 

And attempt I did. It was so frigging hot! Somehow we signed up for the 1:40 run. O. M. G. Just kill me. Luckily we were able to run a little earlier, at one o'clock. But it was still miserable. The sun was beating down, it was humid, and no wind. Just gross. To top it off, there were so many people walking the course that we were weaving and zig-zagging just to get through.

Here is my before and after pic.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. You can't tell the difference. What can I say? I don't like to get dirty. : ) And I may have dodged the powder being hurled at me...but isn't that a natural reaction? 



Just in case you want to see what other people looked like...

Do you really blame me for avoiding that?!

Results!

I had my weekly weigh in Monday...and the results? A two pound loss! I'm a little hesitant to get too excited about it though. If you remember, my initial weight was a little higher than I expected it to be. I chalked it up to weighing in at the end of the day versus my usual morning routine. And maybe a little water weight...ahem, PMS. Blah. That being said, this week I've felt a little off. I've been wondering if going to Stroller Strides and Body Back is too much in one day. I'm hoping the aforementioned reason is all it is and that I'll be back to 100% next week! I don't want to cut back on my workouts if I'm still feeling good enough to keep them up.

Monday's workout was really good. I think I'm finally getting used to these high-intensity workouts. The hour goes by really quickly when you're going nonstop. : ) We did our exercises while "traveling." Ha, I wish I was REALLY traveling, but running from station to station does make the class go by faster. We warmed up inside, and then jogged outdoors for our first station. We had lots of new scenery for our class today. Bethany even managed to find a hill. Our favorite! (Note the sarcasm.) One of the more fun stations was a partner activity, Biggest Loser style. One person held a resistance band around the torso of the other, and tried to prevent them from running by pulling back on the band. I wish I had a picture of this, it was quite humorous. 

I did get pictures from Wednesday's workout. Yay! (They're out of order, but hey, I got some pics!) We did a couple laps outside in the parking lot before the big storm rolled in. We paired up and got to it. I was VERY surprised how hard it was to hold a plank position on the stability ball. On the floor, I can do up to three minutes. On this thing, I was dying at one minute.

Plank on Stability Ball

We also used the stability ball to do back extensions. This really targeted the lower back! This was great for me, because I think my lower back is very weak.

Back Extensions on Stability Ball

Last one on the ball. Hip bridge, targeting the hamstrings and glutes. Once I figured out how to do this, and not roll off the ball, it was intense! (In the background, doing lunges while taking the kettle bell side to side.)

 

Hip Bridge on Stability Ball

We used our resistance bands to do a dead lift with a row. This took me a bit to figure out, too. I know, you're not surprised. Besides the fact that I have ZERO knowledge about dead lifts (and exercising in general), I look at Bethany and what she's showing us, and totally feel like I'm doing the exact same thing. Apparently, I'm not. I don't know how to make my body do what you're doing... A little one-on-one, and I think I've got it!

  

Dead lift with Row

My last pic. Squats with the 10 pound kettle bell. I enjoyed this one. : ) It was fun, and we could actually catch our breath for a minute.

Kettle Bell Squats

We had lots of other exercises we rotated through, too. Triceps dips, pushups with one hand on a kettle bell, lateral raises with our bands... It was a great workout! I was drenched at the end of our workout. This coming from someone who doesn't like to sweat, and who really didn't think I was a "sweater." 

I've tried to change my eating a little more this week. I'm still doing my protein smoothie in the the mornings with spinach. I bought some kale to try when I used up all the spinach. Why not? The spinach was hidden in there, I'm sure this would be the same, right? Ugh! No!! It was so gross. Some of the ladies at Stroller Strides told me it was because I didn't use a banana this time. I was out, I really didn't think it would make that much of a difference. We'll see if I'm brave enough to try the kale again...

We got our notebooks at Body Back so I'm continuing to log my food, exercise, and water intake. I also have a few new recipes and meal suggestions to try out. Have any you want to share?

I DID IT!!

Five or six strawberries, one apple, an orange, a little milk, and...SPINACH! 23 leaves to be exact. It wasn't bad! The kids helped me drink it. : ) I probably won't include an apple next time, unless I juice it. The pulp of the apple was a bit too much texture for me. Yay! Go me!!

My Day So Far

I made a pre-workout/breakfast smoothie this morning before Stroller Strides. Fat free Greek yogurt, fat free milk, strawberries, raspberries, and half of a banana. No, it's not green. I did just buy fresh spinach, but it didn't make it in today. Baby steps. At least I bought the spinach! After class, I had my go-to protein bar.

We met family for a Mother's Day/Birthday lunch. Mexican food - I wasn't sure whether to be excited about that or not. My usual Mexican food order would look something like chips & queso, and chicken flautas dipped in REAL sour cream. But I didn't order that. (Even though I really wanted to!) I scoured the menu looking for something that wasn't too bad, but still appealing to this super picky eater. I didn't eat the rice or beans, but had about half of the grilled chicken that was smothered in tomatillo sauce. That's completely new for me! And not too bad, right? Applause? 

After lunch, SOMEONE brought out a humongous birthday cake. I politely declined. And it was pretty easy, since it was some kind of Oreo cake (not my thing). 

So there I was feeling pretty good about my decisions thus far...and then this was given to me. 

English Toffee and Black Pepper Fudge. Ugh!! Happy Mother's Day? Anyone want to take this off my hands??

 

Feeling The Burn

I have to remember this!

We had our first full-on, killer workout yesterday. And wow. I'm tired and sore today! I had been going to Stroller Strides Monday through Friday, even on Body Back days (with the occasional Saturday, too). Not today. I could barely open my eyes this morning, and when I finally rolled out of bed, I wished I hadn't. My arms are sore, my abs are sore, my obliques are sore. Even some strange muscles on my back I wasn't aware I had are sore. So staying in this morning was wonderful! And the lazy day that followed? I'd like to blame that on the thunderstorms - perfect excuse to lounge around the house today.

I'm not even sure where to start with our class yesterday. It was nonstop. We had our little warm-up, and the rest of the hour is kind of a blur. Do this for a minute-do that for a minute-run from here to there-do it all again. Oh my gosh. I was a hot sweaty mess at the end of class. 


The upside is we were outside, and it was beautiful. We had a nice cloud cover, so it wasn't too bright or hot. I got to watch airplanes flying overhead as I did my bicep curls. But only for a minute, then it was drop and do mountain climbers for a minute. Or something. I really don't remember. 

I'm supposed to be pushing myself, not just staying where I'm comfortable (as if any of this is actually comfortable). What's that you say? Duh!? Well this is all so foreign to me. I'm not accustomed to pushing myself. I really am not even sure what I'm capable of. Most things we do I would classify as "pushing myself." I am so far outside of my comfort zone that I'm really not sure if my heart rate is up because I'm actually doing it right and getting a good work out, or if I'm getting ready to have a panic attack. Even the next day when I'm sore, I'm thinking, what did I do? Am I supposed to be sore? Did I strain something doing it wrong?

I'm pretty sure this is all related to my complete lack of physical ability. I'm not terribly coordinated. I can trip and fall just walking. On the perfectly smooth ground. I sprained my ankle once stepping down off a large rock at a playground. Another time I messed up my knee by plopping down on my bed. Yup, that's me. I'm not really accident prone, but if someone has to fall down or get injured, I'm your best bet. However, I do have to say that my hand-eye coordination isn't too shabby. Growing up with a little brother that constantly throws things at your head will do that. Not that it helps me with exercising in any way, but I think it should count for something. 

And it's me...

A "motivational" quote I came across today. It seemed fitting. : ) 

Day One - Completed!

Woo hoo! We had a great first class! I had my one-on-one time with Bethany, our fabulous instructor, before class started. I weighed in first thing, and will every Monday. I was a little disappointed to see the number on her scale. Not because I wasn't aware of where I'm at, but mostly because I usually weigh myself first thing in the morning - before eating and drinking tons of water. There was only a two pound difference, but still. That’s two pounds I already thought I lost. ; ) I set a goal to lose 10 pounds in this eight weeks. Sounds a little overwhelming, but I have to remind myself, I lost 11 in the eight week Get Fit Challenge! I CAN DO THIS!!

We documented my starting measurements (bust, waist, hips, and thigh), and took before pictures (front, back, and side). We will see if I can work up the courage to post my before pics… We talked a little about my eating habits, which I think know will be much harder for me than the exercise. I've already started experimenting with smoothies to help get more fruits and protein into my diet. Thank you, Pinterest! My next step is adding some veggies. Makes me anxious just typing that! But I've been told you can't taste them...I'll be the judge of that! I can’t wait to get the Body Back meal plan booklet. It will have meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I’m sure I can find something in there I’ll eat. I hope.

We spent some time getting to know each other and discussing our personal goals, challenges, and motivations. There are seven strong women in this class with me. We all have different objectives and are at varied fitness levels, but it makes for a great dynamic of supporting and encouraging one another.

Next up was our fitness assessment. We performed a range of exercises to get a baseline of our current ability for this journey. Biceps curls, crunches, pushups, squats, and quarter mile run to name a few.  I was particularly proud of my plank time – three minutes! I would have never thought I could hold a plank for that long. At the start of February, I could barely hold it for just over a minute. Eight weeks later I was up to two and a half minutes. And now, three minutes. I'm anxious to see how much I can improve! I have some great motivation and encouragement in this class. One of my team members from the Get Fit Challenge is also in this Body Back class. We were a little competitive trying to one-up each other throughout the assessment. Bethany kept telling us that it was NOT a competition. : ) But my former teammate really pushed me to give it my all at each exercise.

So for the first day, I'd say it was a success! No one puked or passed out. Ha ha! But really, that may come...

Body Back Starts Today!

How is it that I am already anxious about this class? It’s only two o’clock, I have hours before the high-intensity, sweaty exercise starts. Oh how I hate to sweat. That’s probably why I don’t do it much. ; ) I’ve never been one to exercise. I don’t enjoy it. And frankly, I’m not even sure I’m doing it right. I remember dreading P.E. through most of school. I wasn’t overweight, I was just so un-athletic. Remember those physical fitness tests we had to take? Ugh! And field day? Blah! Can I just root on the others and make them cute signs? Okay…got a little off track there.

So here I am, signing up for an eight week exercise class. And it’s not just any class – it’s Body Back! In addition to twice a week “high-intensity workouts,” there will be before and after measurements, pictures, and fitness assessments. What makes me the most nervous is probably the meal plan and food diary. Ah! People are going to see what I eat every day?! How embarrassing! Better throw out those leftover cookies and donuts now (thanks Grammy & Pa Pa!).

I know this is my major downfall. I eat like crap. It’s true. I’ve always been a picky eater. Well, not always. My mom says when I was a baby I ate everything. So somewhere between babyhood and now I decided I didn’t like most things. But if it’s a carb, I’m in! Potatoes, bread, pasta...yum, yum, yum! My number one problem: I don’t like lettuce. Or tomatoes. Or onions. It’s probably easier to list what I do like. Same thing with fruits. So you can see, I’m in trouble. This will be a HUGE challenge for me. I’ll be trying new things (new to me, everyday to you) and figuring out a way to actually eat them. Or starve. Kidding!! Just kidding. And I guess I have to eat said foods without lots of butter and cheese. (My favorite way to eat broccoli and cauliflower!)

This next eight weeks is a continuation of my recent journey to get fit. Yes, I want to lose weight. And yes, I’d like to tone up. But my biggest motivation is to do this for my kids. I want them to see me as healthy and happy. I want to pass on good habits to them. Maybe I can prevent them from being in this place I’m at now. Wishful thinking? Maybe. But I’m willing to give it a shot for all of us.

I started taking the kiddos in my double stroller to Stroller Strides at the end of January. For whatever reason, something clicked for me. I decided to commit to going five to six days a week. Two weeks into going, this amazing thing happened - the Get Fit Challenge. I had no idea how much I would learn and grow in the next eight weeks. I got randomly put on THE BEST TEAM EVER! These ladies were such a support and encouragement to push harder and go faster. At the end of that eight weeks, I was down eleven pounds and eleven inches. It’s just amazing to me. Since then, I’ve lost another three pounds. Woo hoo! 

Our Get Fit Challenge Team!

What’s your goal, you ask? Well, I’m not really sure. I don’t have a number in my head where, “I would be happy at…” It’s really just a feeling, where I will be comfortable in my body. Where I’m not constantly pulling on my shirt so it’s not clinging to my stomach. Or hiking up my pants because I feel like I’m hanging out over the waistband. I do know that there are a few more pounds and inches that I really don’t need. Or like.

I’ll let you know how tonight goes. I’m really excited! The hubs is supposed to be home early so I can get there before class to talk about my goals and my personal fitness plan. Oh, and let’s NOT forget pictures and measurements…