Busy busy busy

Wow I feel like I have spent a whole week in a car! Vacation was nice in Kansas. Actually walked or ran every day but one. Enjoyed getting to know my sister-in-law while we walked and talked. When I returned I completed a chest and back workout from P90X last weekthen went to Hoday and mall of America- then did cardio off and on then drove to Iowa to swap kids with grandma. This week I was able to get in my shoulders and arms workout but not completely because I ran short on time. I did the AB workout too. However, after having a minor procedure done on Monday I had to take it easy a few days- now, I am able to workout again and man am I missing it. I feel mushy. I hate feeling mushy. Today I plan to get in some cardio and hopefully tonight I will get a P90x routine in too. Gotta get serious again for my final 30 days.
So far folks- I have noticed some toning in my back and arms, additional strength for sure- more push ups and pull ups than ever before. I didn't follow the P90x diet though. Just using shakes twice a day(most days) and eating dinner with the family. Still can't seem to give up the evening bowl of cereal. Guess I'm weak. Oh well- at this point in my life I am just glad to be able to do the things I want and not hurt too much from it.
Can't make myself look different today but I can help myself get there by working it everyday.

I'm not giving excuses

So last post was a few weeks ago and by the way- I do my Kenpo on Saturdays not Thursdays-no idea where I got off track there. I have not been too good at getting my workouts in lately- I prefer to work out early am and lately most of my clients are early so-I find myself getting in cardio at the gym with my clients and not getting in my P90X cardio workouts. I have done my weight workouts tho- I am able to do a few unassisted pull ups now- compared to my original 1/2 pull-up. Also have increased a few weights on arms so- it's working at making me stronger for sure. My eating plan consists of two Supplement RX protein meal replacement shakes a day plus a few thermogenic fat burners and lite snacks, then dinner has been fairly controlled healthy meals. Still struggle with my evening snacking tho. Some day I will get this down. I have had a flakey couple of weeks so I might go back to the beginning of phase 2 and repeat it- this time with consistency on the cardio. I like the workouts but sometimes I really get sick of Tony and his jokes-probably because I have heard them 40 times now and they just aren't funny anymore. Anyway- this week I am on vacation so I will keep up the cardio-with a goal of 400 calories a day plus if I can remember most of the workouts I will do weights too. Gotta do it-especially when there is so much fattening food around-can't keep my hands off the sweets! Oh the shame. My brother is a baker too which is great but also very very bad for my diet. YUM!

a new week

This week I have done pretty good so far. Haven't done my Cardio X today yet- but plan to get it in tonight. I like Thursday's better because I get to do the Kenpo Karate. I look like a dork but I like the skills and balance I am learning. I am even dreaming of P90X but not because I am a freak die hard for it. I wake up with the words " I know it hurts....it's supposed to!" or "Bring it! This is P90X people!" broadcasting through my house, floating up from the basement where my dedicated husband is busting his butt to be even hotter than he already is! Sometimes it motivates me and sometimes I put the pillow over my head and wish we had a door on our basement. Either way- it's a good reminder that I have to get my own workout in or Don wins. I can't let him do better than me- brings out my competitive side. I am still struggling with losing weight tho- I do like having my hamstrings ache from the intese workout, or my chest muscles burn from the 400 push ups but, somewhere along the line I am not eating the right number of calories. I have since merged my employers RXsupplement line for meal replacement shakes with the meals in P90X. So- I have a shake for breakfast and lunch and then have dinner off the menu- it's good food- kids like it so it's easy. I noticed I haven't been snack crazy between breakfast and lunch today- I had some orange slices(3) and I only ate them because I saw them in my lunch bag and needed soemthing to take with my vitamin- not really because I was starving. This is a nice change. Previously I got hooked on the idea that I needed a snack- think it's been killing my weight loss too.
So- I will give you an update on my progress with the shakes next week- I do feel like my clothes fit better so- that is a nice plus related to the p90X. However, I really want to have some sculpting by the time I hit the pool and that...won't be too long so I better get busy!

Yes I am still alive

You might be wondering where I went for like, three weeks...I was here just not blogging. I got pretty busy and by the time my day settled down I just wanted to melt into the pillow. I made it thru the first phase of p90X! I am now on month two! Last week was my down week- that means you don't lift weights, you just do mostly cardio and yoga. I have to admit- I am NOT a yoga lover. I am only able to be in yoga mode for an hour and sometimes that is REALLY hard to do. The yoga moves are challenging and I honestly do feel more flexible but- it is so low key and mellow that I feel like I should be doing something else the whole time- anything that is productive- even pulling weeds! But-as I said-I do feel better. I am adding in chest workouts into this months plan-well-I'm not adding it- p90x makers added it. I am sore already- I felt like I had rubber arms after the workout yesterday. I have never done so many push-ups in one setting in my life. I used to pride myself on doing "real" push-ups, not girly ones. However, I had to go to my knees to finish. I vaguely recall praying while I was down there too! "Lord, help me be able to move my arms today". I mean, seriously- how many women do you know that can do plyo push ups or one armed push ups? Well, I am not one of those women...yet. I did not lose pounds during the past month which annoyed the heck out of me but I think I did lose inches somewhere because shorts from last year fit better. I mostly ate from the p90x menu- it is good , normal food that isn't hard to make or find ingredients for. The family ate most of what I fed them off the plan. They weren't too keen on the gezpacho, aspargus soup or cold cucumber soup. All of the soups are puree'd so- kind of looks like baby food but tastes good. I think I will alter it a bit and leave some parts chunky for texture. Especially the asparagus soup. I am beginning a new diet today- two shakes a day as meal replacements and one sensible dinner (that means I shouldn't cook up some chocolate covered donuts with a side of ice cream) and some 150 cal or less snacks during the day. I have used it before and it works- my only issue is that I really like to chew food and I have learned so much about how to cook and eat healthy that I talk myself into blowing off the shake for a tuna wrap or something more exciting- it's healthy but it means I broke my plan and I HATE when I do that. You should come live in my head sometime- it's loaded with guilt from constantly caving in to cravings. Oh well- it's kept me mostly in shape since my 20's and I think that's something to be proud of. I think I will hang on to that thought today. Look how far I have come since high school with my fitness. Comparably- I think I look pretty good. BRING IT!

Reports on 2nd week of P90X

Heading into week 3 of P90X but wanted to report on my 2nd week. Last week was good. I could tell I was a little tougher on AbRipper and on Kenpo- I am very wobbly with kicks and I get a bit confused on some of the punches when they go really fast but- still felt a little less stupid. I completed a two day fast on Wed morning- lost 5 lbs but I feel like only a few were real pounds-the rest water. I felt fine-maintained control. However, the day I could have food again made me feel a little crazy. Crazy like I wanted to cram anything and everything into my mouth. But- I managed. I feel like I increased my desire to eat over the course of the week tho- not sure what that is about but it didn't help that I decided to bake my daughter a cake for her birthday and made the brutal mistake of licking the beater....it went down hill after that. Started looking for anything sweet- put away a cookie with a spoon of peanut butter mushed onto it, a forgotten number of frosting dips and later a hunk of that cake covered in the frosting that I mixed peanut butter into. What happens to my self control? I did so good for a week and a half then...all hell broke loose. If I could lock up my lack of willpower and always be the stronger me...that would be good. Someday I think I will get there- but I am not crazy enough to believe that I won't have irrational eating days- just wish I could lose the weight first so I don't feel like I am starting over ALL THE TIME. I did get up today (my rest day) and ran 2.25 miles outside! That is impressive for me- I do indoor treadmill but not outdoor REAL running so- I was proud of myself. Wore the dog out too. Monday morning...Core Synergistics here I come. My goal is to improve my heart rate to be in the high end of my zone for longer. And to eat right-with the meal plan stated in the manual. :-) ps. I HATE pull ups...cuz I am a weakling!!!

DAY 4 P90X

today was Yoga day. I made it for an hour and had to run off to work so I didn't get the last 30 min. done. I had my heart rate monitor on and found I only burned 27 calories!!! WHAT??? Oh well- it was more about stretching and getting more flexible so- I'm good. Plus I was able to kick out 218 calories with a fast walk 2.8 miles later. Not a bad day- I am really feeling the cardio X in my calves today- a bunch of hopping around- plyometrics make that muscle scream. It's a good scream- not one of those freaky ones you hear in scary movies...ha ha. I feel really motivated and I am doing great with my eating. I am quite proud of myself today and this far. I pray for continued strength to stick it out. I WANT THOSE RESULTS!!!!

Day three-P90X

Today I feel great- a little sore from Monday. I didn't get the Cardio X workout in yesterday- my schedule was a bit all over the place however, I did get in 20 min. on the cross trainer at Snap. So- better than nothing. Today I am doing Cardio X this AM and then the Shoulders,Arms and Ab ripper tonight with my fitness maniac husband. Don looks so awesome! He lost 40 lbs and is really hooked on staying fit. I'm really proud of him. So- he is motivating me to follow thru on my promise to myself. I have been doing pretty good on following the meal plan- had to improvise on yesterday since I hadn't gone to the store yet but- still took in less calories and not too many carbs (I think) Today- I have my ingredients so I will be able to eat just what it says to. Good thing is that- I get real food- salads with chicken or tuna or beef, turkey burgers, shrimp stirfry, eggs, turkey bacon, cheese, yogurt, fruit, and at dinner I get carbs in rice or potatoes with a regular meal- like Lemon chicken so- I can cook it for everyone and we all get a good meal packed with protein and feel good stuff.
It's a doable diet because it is more like how I eat anyway minus the girlscout cookies, skinny cow ice cream sandwiches and misc. candy from Easter. Ha ha. Three days in- only 87 to go!