P90X, Week 7, Day 3

Well, I'm terrible at Math, but I believe I'm 45 days into the program now, which means I'm halfway through it! Then who knows waht I will do, but I will have to find a way to keep my body active so I don't regain the weight. I notice my legs are starting to get thinner and more muscular, but the butt and thighs are still there... and that little "pooch" just below my belly button doesn't want to budge, either. It may be with me for the rest of my life?

Tonight's workout was Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps. Have I mentioned that I HATE pushups? 'Cause I do. Man oh man, this workout has sooo many pushups. I was super weak, yet again, probably because I have not had any protein shakes today. We are officially out of protein but will buy some tomorrow, as it is Gold Card week at GNC and you save 20%, which is a lot considering the price of the protein. In addition to the chest/shoulders/triceps workout, I had to do Ab Ripper X as well. That's become like second nature to me, because I do it so often. I like Ab Ripper X. It's over in 16 minutes :)

Other news... Today, my daughter and I went shopping for Easter dresses. I let her pick out her dress this year, and she kind of surprised me by her 3 choices. We had to narrow it down to one. She had picked a frilly pink dress, which really isn't her style, as well as a sparkly turquoise dress (gorgeous), and then a floral dress with blues and purples. She went with the floral dress. I was surprised because all along she ooh'ed and ahh'ed over the flashy turqoise dress. She said the floral dress was more "Easter'y". I guess that does make sense! I had picked out a beautiful dress in the store circular, but once we got to the store, it was nowhere to be found. So I did something very brave; I let my daughter choose some dresses for me to try on. I tried on three, and of the three, she liked a blue floral one the best. It has a ruffle and everything. Definitely not a dress I would have picked for myself, but it is very pretty. I just hope I don't regret the choice later. I have tried it on a couple of times, and each time I have a different reaction. I either love it or hate it. I either feel ultra-feminine and flirty in it, or I feel like Grandma's curtains. Hmmm.

I also got a haircut today. I went into the salon not having a clue as to what I wanted, other than the fact that I wanted all the scraggly stuff cut off. The young girl who cut my hair was very helpful and I picked a style out of a book. She copied it to a "T". I now have side swept bangs and a much shorter length. It's to my shoulders, with long layers. It's cute. I still want to grow it out long, but I want to do it right; I want it to be nice and healthy. So this go 'round I'll be sure to have it trimmed every 6 weeks. Since getting my hair cut, I feel a little chubbier, just because it kind of changed the proportions of my face and makes my belly/butt/thighs look bigger, at least in my mind. I always thought the longer hair kinda hid my fat. Mabye that was all in my head too. Ha.
"

P90X, Week 7, Day 2

(GASP) I posted after midnight. That's because I started Cardio X at somewhere close to 11 PM. It just about killed me tonight, but I slugged through it. I was absolutely exhausted from hauling brush for 2 1/2 hours and burning it in a big bonfire with my family. It was fun, and i know I burned a lot of calories doing it. After finishing Cardio X, I hit a nice, hot shower... and here I am :)

Well, amazing news, I lost 2 more lbs this morning! I had to step on the scale 3x to actually believe it. I hope the weight doesn't go up and down on me; it will drive me insane. I'm getting better at this counting calories thing; I have more than enough to eat each day, and it's pretty well balanced. I had a hard boiled egg and banana for an early breakfast, then drank a protein shake around 11 AM. For lunch, I had a big green salad with lots of fresh veggies and fat free dressing. For dinner, we had pork tenderloin and another big, green salad with almonds on top and light italian house dressing. For snacks I had about a cup of fresh strawberries and later about 1/2 cup of cucumber slices. Like I said in my last blog, the nutritional part has become like a fun little game to me. I enjoy finding the healthiest foods with the lowest calories that still taste really, really good. My pork tenderloin, though it was baked, tasted like it had just come right off of the grill. It was amazing. And 4 oz was only 140 calories. 

My totals for today were: 
Food-1180 cals
Exercise-941 cals

Oh, and I'm starting to see defined leg muscles coming through the fat now. My legs are much thinner from about the knee to the hip. I still have cellulite and saddlebags (UGH), but my quadriceps are pretty cut. I really need to get a tan on this white body to show off my progress so far with P90X. I can't wait for the next 5 weeks to be over so I can see the final results!

P90X, Week 7, Day 1

I really brought it today. I burned 1,499 calories and only consumed 955 in food. That's a little low; I should be consuming around 1200. It was a great day, though. I didn't have a morning client to see today, so I met a friend out for Brunch. I love love LOVE my Iphone app called "My Fitness Pal" which tracks all of my daily calories. I use it when I go to various restaurants to search the lowest-calorie options on the menu. It's become like a little game to me, to pick the healthiest thing on the menu. I'm a bit obsessed, actually. So, for example, we met at I-hop (International House of Pancakes). If you look up Ihop's menu, you will see that most of the plates there are 500+ calories. So, after searching through the different options, I found a Create-your-own omelette which was only 150 calories. It was made from egg whites, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. I drank my share of coffee (with skim milk and Splenda), which was also very low in calories, and rather than the 3 pancakes (490 calories PLUS all of the calories in the syrup) which was supposed to come with my omelette, I opted for a small bowl of fresh fruit... only 80 calories. So, all in all, I only consumed 340 calories at brunch. 


After brunch, I came home and walked my dog Coda for 30 minutes... that burned 106 calories.... and I did Ab Ripper X, which burned approximately 330 calories. Ab Ripper X is only around 16 minutes long, so after completing that I went to see my afternoon client. Once I was finished with her, I came back home and did the Core Synergisitics DVD which works all of your core muscles (abs, butt, thighs, lower back) and burned another 418 calories. I kinda thought I was done for the day after that. In fact, I felt so tired and weak, I made myself 1/2 pb and j sandwich (220 calories) which made me feel better. I took my son to his soccer practice for one hour, then we were off to Chic Fil A for school spirit night. On these nights, 10% of the total sales go to their school budget, so we try to support their school (AND we love Chic Fil A). Again, I used my handy dandy Iphone app to find the healthiest menu option. I decided on the chargrilled chicken sandwich, which was only 290 calories. It hit the spot! 


After dinner, I was hoping for a chance to get a nice, hot shower and rest a bit. My husband was outside cutting up trees with his chainsaw and wasn't able to take our children to their karate class, so I ended up taking them to that, too. On the way, the kids BEGGED me to take the class with them. I really didn't think I'd have the energy to take the class, and I was a bit embarrassed at the thought of doing so, because I have never tried it before. Although I was timid about it, I agreed to do it for my kiddos. I actually did very well! I was the only female (other than my 10 year old daughter, who is a green belt) in the class, and I was surrounded by 3 black belts, 1 other green belt, and a blue belt. Even my 8 year old (who is a white belt) has more experience than me. But thanks to P90X, I knew most of the abs exercises that they started warming up with, and I was able to keep up with them. I think I surprised 'em a bit when I showed them up on the pushups. The thing I need the most practice with, however, were the step-blocks. My coordination was not the best, and I definitely need more practice! I did great with kicks; Sensai said I'm very flexible. Must be all that yoga. So, the 60 minutes of karate burned another 644 calories. I honestly don't know if I'll be returning to karate class, but it was kinda fun and I learned some helpful self-defense techniques!


The hardest of all the exercise was definitely the P90X-Core Synergistics. I was covered in sweat by the end, and I opted out of the Bonus Round because that was when we had to leave to make it to soccer practice. 


All in all, I'm feeling pretty good-confident, strong, and maybe even a little bad-a@@. But not sexy yet... Still lookin' to feel sexy :)

Warning: This is going to be a rambling post. I should have been in bed at least a couple hours ago. I'm a terrible sleeper. Too nosey, to afraid I'm going to miss something, no matter how exhausted I am feeling. So, I'm thinking that I need a makeover. I'm just clueless when it comes to hair and makeup and all of that. If/when I do wear makeup, it's typically a mixture of very cheap stuff and a few Mary Kay products. I am very pale and feel that I need the coloring that makeup provides. I wear very little-typically mascara and lipgloss will do the trick. So, it's not as if I want to change my low-maintenance approach, but I really do want a new hairdo. Right now it's long with shaggy layers. It doesn't look good. I have had it long all of my life, with the exception of a bob haircut maybe twice. I want something that will actually look good on me. I love long hair, but I think I look scraggly with it after awhile. Now that I've lost some weight, I want to try something new with my hair. I would like something long-ish but different. I just don't know what.


I would love a new wardrobe too. I haven't tried anything on in a store in awhile. I am not sure how that experience would be. On the one hand, it might build my self-esteem to see that I can wear smaller sizes; on the other hand, those harsh florescent lights m the dressing room might highlight flab that I wasn't even aware of. It would be great, though, to have some new clothes for Spring. Which reminds me, I need to get the kids Spring outfits for church on Easter Sunday. I'm usually on the ball about that sort of thing; in the past years, I've had their Easter outfits picked out weeks or even months in advance. However, we have spent Easter at the beach for the past 2 years and have not really dressed up. This year, we'll be at home, and we'll be going to our church, so we all have to look spiffy. My daughter says she wants a yellow dress. I have the shopping itch. Bad. 


So, you've seen pictures of me posted on this blog. Please throw out some ideas for me for hairstyles. I desperately need a new look!


GOOD NIGHT :)

P90X, Week 6, Day 7

Well, I almost forgot to post this evening, because today's workout is "Rest Or Stretch X". While I had it in the back of my mind to do the stretch video, I opted for Rest today. Then the guilt caught up with me. But the rest won.

P90X, Week 6, Day 6

Just finished Kenpo X! It's Tuesday, so it's my biggest calorie burning day of the week, because I took my step aerobics class this morning (60 minutes long, high impact), and then had Kenpo X tonight. I am pretty exhausted. I noticed while doing Kenpo X that there are things I've been doing wrong all along, as far as some issues with form and different moves. I guess as long as I've been moving, it is ok. Definitely seeing my waist shrinking and now even my bottom half is starting to catch up. The arms are getting CUT. I can see my muscles are becoming more and more defined. I still have a little jiggle in my wiggle everywhere on my body though. I guess that is to be expected. I'm over half way through the program now! YEAH!

P90X, Week 6, Day 5

I said I wouldn't make it a habit to substitute the gym for P90X workouts, and I'd only done it once so far (last week) until tonight, when I opted for the gym again. It's just easier to use the gym equipment for my back, and I feel that I work my legs harder at the gym than I do with P90X... I'm a pro at working my legs by now because that's always been a problem area for me. So, with that said, I worked out using gym equipment for about an hour, then came home and completed Ab Ripper X... "I hate it... but I love it"....

P90X, Week 6, Day 4

Hey there! I shared my before and after pictures earlier, and I know they weren't the prettiest, but I also shared them on facebook and got positive responses. I know I have more work to do. Tonight's workout was Yoga X, 90 full minutes of yoga. I know I always complain about how much Yoga is involved in P90X, but it was a nice workout to do tonight since I was feeling pretty sore from last night's workout. My body enjoyed the stretching and breathing. I had my usual interruptions-Corey and the kids- which ruined my "chi" a few times, but I managed to stretch and breathe on past it. Now I have to concentrate on paperwork-this late at night. I've been terrible about managing my time and getting work done from home.

Before & After Pics... with actual pics this time!

Ok, so this is my very modest version of Before and After pictures, because my swimsuit and underwear pics will not see the light of day! In my Before Pic, it was November, and I was fat and miserable. I wasn't able to button my shirt. In the after picture (taken today), I'm not only able to button the shirt, but it is starting to get baggy on me. Neither picture is the best quality; they were taken with my phone by my 10-year-old daughter. But I hoped that the identical clothing will give you an idea of where I was and where I am now. I still have a ways to go, though!

                      It's a happy day when you can get your favorite shirt buttoned! LOL

P90X, Week 6, Day 3

Holy Smokes! I lost ANOTHER pound this morning! That makes 26! Again, I should clarify that only 9 of that has been from P90X so far. But assuming that I maintain that 9 lb weight loss and keep losing from there, that's not too shabby for a month and a half. Tonight's workout was a killer. It was Chest, shoulders, and triceps. And Ab Ripper X. I did the Ab Ripper X first, because I actually enjoy it (it's only 16 minutes long, which is probably why), and I feel that it is one of the workouts my body most needs. Then I did the Chest, Shoulders, Triceps workout. OUCH is all I will say about it. I kept up pretty well, until they got to the one arm pushups, and I admit I kind of slacked on those. But they were only one type of what seemed like 20 different types of push ups. Have I mentioned I hate push ups? Wow. My arms feel like jello right now, not because of fat, but because they feel so worn out. I WILL be sore tomorrow!

P90X, Week 6, Day 2

Whew! Cardio X was a beast. I put it off until pretty late, and I really didn't want to do it, but I know these workouts are a necessary part of my day. I am excited to announce that I've officially lost 25 pounds!!! I must clarify that I have only lost 8 using P90X thus far; the remaining 17 pounds were lost through diet and other forms of exercise from December until I first started P90X (mid-February). Honestly, I don't LOOK like I've lost that much weight. I can see where I've lost it in my boobs :( and in my middle, but my butt and thighs need a lot more work. Then there's this little circle of fat that surrounds my belly button that I just can't get rid of. I still have 6 weeks, however, so I hope to tone these areas in that amount of time. If not, I will continue to work out until I've reached my fitness goals. I am glad I started this fairly early, as bathing suit season is right around the corner!

Speaking of which, I booked our summer vacation (I may have mentioned that in a previous post) in Hilton Head, SC. I fell in love with Hilton Head when we went last summer.  Unfortunately, our resort is not nearly as luxurious as the previous one, but I will take what I can get. This year's will be much smaller and older, but it's right on the beach.. In case you are wondering, we rent our friend's timeshare (we've done it for the past 2 years) for our family vacations. We have had the best experiences and best vacations this way! Recently, my friend asked if we wanted to buy her timeshare. After praying about it for months, we decided to go for it. She sold it to us for $1,000 which includes the week we will be spending in Hilton Head, NC. It was an amazing deal, as my other friend who just recently purchased a timeshare paid $20,000 for hers, plus pays $1300 in maintenance fees each year. Our maintenance fees will be around $800 per year, which pays for our vacation. If we want to transfer to any other location (anywhere in the WORLD!) we just pay a minimal fee to do so. It's very exciting, and I am looking forward to all of the wonderful memories we can make as a family.

I got really off the subject there... point is, I'm getting ready for bathing suit season! The pool opens soon, we'll get a beach vacation, and then in September, I get to be a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding! Barefoot on the beach :) Super exciting.

P90X, Week 6, Day 1

It's Week 6!!! I just finished Core Synergistics. It was harder than normal, and I'm not sure why. I noticed I had a stomach ache after dinner earlier, and even though I worked out about 4 hours after I ate, I really thought I was going to throw up a couple of times. I'm covered in sweat. I'm about to throw in an ab ripper X, even though it's not time for another one yet, I need to get rid of this stomach fat. It's grossing me out. And Ab Ripper X, although very hard, is only 16 minutes long, so it will be over soon. Might as well do it now that I'm good & sweaty!

P90X, Week 5, Day 7

Today's workout is REST AND STRETCH :D Just finished stretching, now going to rest. I've been staying up way too late and desperately need a good night's sleep. Good night, friends!

P90X, Week 5, Day 6

Just finished another late-nite workout, Kenpo X, which burns around 600 calories. In addition, today was my step aerobics day at the gym, so I burned close to 600 calories in there as well. I went for a short 20 minute walk with one of my clients, burning about 70 calories there... So overall, I burned around 1220 calories, which is about what my daily caloric intake is for FOOD. Not all of my days are like that, mind you, but Tuesdays usually are.

Kenpo X was ok, but my body was fatigued from last night's legs workout and this morning's step aerobics. I could tell while doing the kicks that the backs of my legs were pretty sore (hamstrings and backs of knees). This is most likely due to the number of hamstring curls & squats I did last night, combined with the number of kicks we did in step aerobics class. Kenpo X is pretty fun, and now that my forms look better, I can visualize someone's face while I'm throwing punches, which is a bit disturbing, I admit. But hey, at least I know how to block, punch, and kick in case I'm ever attacked in a dark alley way somewhere.

Well, I have to hit the hay. I have an early morning meeting, and I will be put on the spot and have to speak in front of a group of my peers, which always makes me really nervous. In other news, I booked our summer vacation tonight... We will be going to Hilton Head, SC again (we went last year). We stayed in a luxurious resort last year, but it wasn't available for the time frame we wanted this year, and everything else on the east coast was pretty much booked. SO I found another smaller, LESS luxurious resort on the beach for us to stay in. I pray that it's decent. It's beach front and has 2 pools (one heated), a jaccuzi, a club house with activities for the kids, playground, tennis courts, etc. The only thing I don't like is that the laundry facility is separate from your room. Last year we had it made. Trying not to compare the two places too much, because I know we will have an awesome time together regardless. Hilton Head, SC is beautiful and lush and green, and there's really good shopping, restaurants, and family oriented activities. August 19th is our scheduled arrival date. Pray for NO HURRICANES that week!!!

P90X, Week 5, Day 5

Hello, hello! Today started off asanother emotional day, but by the end of the day, I was able to get myself together and work out. I opted for the gym instead of P90X (GASP). As I've mentioned previously, I don't feel as though P90X has done much for my lower half (legs, butt, thighs). Since tonight's workout was Legs AND Back, and I typically do my back workout at the gym, anyway, I decided to do my legs while I was there as well. I worked 'em really hard, and I felt really good afterwards. I also worked my back, and I could see my muscles bulging in my arms (I'm not joking) as I was doing my reps. I felt really STRONG! I BROUGHT it! I'm not going to make it a habit to substitute the P90X workouts, but I have to admit, they get a little redundant after awhile and it was kinda nice to mix it up a little. Then there's Ab Ripper X, which I did once I got home. It's only 16 minutes long, but it's a doozie. It works your belly fat right off. I'm seeing awesome results from that portion of the workout. I can't wait to see how my abs look in 57 more days! Yes, I'll be done in 57 days!!!!

Thinking TOO much

I have been thinking too much today. Thinking about my journey as a human being and the hurdles I've been through. One of those 'Woe is me' kinda days. I know myself pretty well by now. I know that I muddle through each day to the next just to get through. I know what excites me and what doesn't. I know who has hurt me and who hasn't. I know that's why I don't let people in for very long. I know that's why I feel so alone. I'm tired of putting my trust in people who are merely a facade. I miss my grandfather terribly. My best friend.

Grief is a solitary journey. No one but you knows how great the hurt is. No one but you can know the gaping hole left in your life when someone you know has died. And no one but you can mourn the silence that was once filled with laughter and song. It is the nature of love and death to touch every person in a totally unique way   ~  Unknown

P90X, Week 5, Day 4

Today's workout is Yoga X again, which I'm about to do here in a minute. I have had a mixture of very overwhelming feelings today that I'm having trouble dealing with. I just feel really down. I'm hoping the yoga will help, although I have to admit, I'm growing very sick of yoga and very bored with P90X over all. I hate to say that, because I want to see the program through, and I want the body that is advertised with the program. I've been warned that "Individual Results Will Vary" by a friend who has been through the whole program. I expected that, of course, but it's not really something i want to hear. I am depressed about the 2 lb weight gain. If I'd been blowing off my diet or exercise, I'd understand, but I've worked really really hard. I just want to cry :(

P90X, Week 5, Day 3

Whoa, it's true what they say... You are what you eat. I went to a birthday party today and had a huge chocolate chip muffin (even after checking the nutrition level and reading that one muffin was 320 calories!!! Yikes!), then came home and had pizza. So when doing my workout, which was one of the toughest in the whole P90X series (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders AND Ab Ripper X), I felt sluggish and just like the fat and grease I had put into my body. I feel guilty for taking in all of those empty calories. I only did it because I was really hungry and I knew that I'd be exercising those calories off later. 

The Chest, Shoulders, Triceps workout was terrible. I used weights that were much too heavy, and I wasn't able to do as many reps. Two thirds of the way through the DVD, I remembered that my friend had loaned me the bands to use, so I went out to my car to get those... I used them for one exercise and still found it pretty difficult. I also have to say that I hate this workout mainly because of all the daggone pushups. I am not very good at them, and this workout includes many different types of pushups. 

I did a little better on the Ab Ripper X portion, probably because I'm used to this one by now. It is a really great workout and I can see muscles emerging from the thick layer of fat on my belly. My husband has noticed a difference in my body; he finally said something positive about it when we were 'alone together' Friday night. That may be TMI. So I know that the program is making a difference, but please tell me why my stupid scale said I gained 2 lbs since yesterday ? :(

P90X, Week 5, Day 2

Well, I'm a woman of my word... I haven't missed a day of P90X so far, and now it's P60X, by the way. That's right, I've finished 30 days!!! I just finished up Cardio X, even though it was 11PM before I ever started it. It felt easy while I was doing it, which seems strange considering I am now covered head to toe in sweat. I must be getting into better shape if I think it's easier, because as I recall, it kicked my arse in the very beginning. I am hoping and praying that I will start seeing the scale drop a few pounds in the next couple of weeks. I have heard that real progress with P90X starts after Week 4, because your body builds muscle those first 4 weeks, then it becomes a fat burning machine! I hope this is true. Just wanted to check in and say I BROUGHT it tonight!!! Tomorrow's workout is Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps. I haven't done this workout since week 1 when I did it on accident. As I recall, it was really really tough. I also have Yoga in the AM, so I will be one tired little lady tomorrow!

Love to all~ Nite Nite

P90X, Week 5, Day 1

BRING IT~ Tonight I 'brought it' with my 8 year old son. He hung in with the Core Synergistics AND Abu Ripper X DVDs. What a trooper. Sure, some of his forms may have been a little off, but shoot, some of mine STILL Are! We just completed our workout for the day, and now I have a bizillion things to do, so Adios Amigos & Amigas!

P90X, Week 4, Day 7

Today is an easy one.. Rest and Stretch :) Sorry for the negativity last night... Some good news to report: I had the meeting with my boss and coworkers this morning, and long story short, my boss gave me everything I asked for. This means my schedule won't change that much (I can still be home with the kids in the mornings and afternoons before and after school), and the only addition I have is more paperwork, which I can do from home. Hallelujah. God is good. I don't think my boss was very happy, because she wanted me to take 9-5 type of hours and be in the office every day. I've tried that in the past and it's just too much for my family. It actually puts strain on everyone because I'm so stressed out trying to be Supermom. I am typically a real weeny unless it's something pertaining to my children, so it felt good to actually stand up to her and tell her what I wanted and to have her actually accomodate that. I was kinda shocked!

So, that is definitely a praise, and I will sleep well tonight. Other good news to report: Though I was completely down last night about my weight and not seeing any change, I was able to wear an outfit to work today that I haven't worn in 2 years. The shirt has a teeny tiny waist line with a sash that ties around the waist, and the pants are very fitted. I received one compliment of "You look so skinny!" which completely made my day. It's so nice to HAVE a waistline again. Then there was tonight; I put on my blue jeans to go to work at my church (I work in the nursery on Weds nights), and they felt loose in the legs and waist! They are much more comfortable now! So exciting!

So that's about all the news. I need to go catch up on the sleep I missed from stressing out so badly this week. Good night!

P90X, Week 4, Day 6

'Just finished my Yoga X, and I'm feeling very relaxed. I had a bit of a stressful day (again). Do you ever just feel that you just want people to leave me (you) alone?! Well, that is how I feel. I feel pulled in many different directions sometimes, and I just want people to let me BE. I'm very selfish in that way; I need space and time to myself. I've been that way since birth.

I did my Step Aerobics this morning, which is not a part of the P90X program, but I really didn't want to miss it. It was so much fun and such a great workout. I sweat like crazy and just felt amazing afterwards. I want to continue to take the class every Tuesday morning, but we'll see what happens with my work schedule. It's all up in the air at the moment. I have a meeting at 10 AM with all the other staff at work to decide what in the world is going on. Personally, I just want things to stay as they are. I love my job and my schedule. I wish people would leave me alone and let me be!!!

P90X, Week 4, Day 5

Ok, it is 10:55 PM and I haven't done my P90X for the day... eeeeek! I am running out of time. I'll be back in an hour to post about how Cardio X went.

One hour later... ok, so I got the workout done before the stroke of midnight! Blame it on the Bachelor. I used to watch it at the gym while I did my cardio, but now that I work out at home, I have to actually sit down and watch it (ok, I don't have to, I choose to). And what a horrible show it is. But it's like a train wreck; I can't look away!

Anyway, Cardio X was actually pretty easy tonight. I have no idea why! I noticed my forms are getting better, especially on the kicks and punches. I wound up covered in sweat, and I know I got a good workout, but it was actually kinda fun and light. It was a good way to burn around 400 calories.

Tomorrow morning is Step Aerobics at my gym, and my P90X workout is Yoga... again. I used to love yoga but I'm starting to get a little tired of it just because P90X incorporates yoga into many of its workouts, if not all.

Still not feeling the transformation I was hoping for... in just 4 days I'll be at my 30 day mark with P90X, so I'll have to take pics and see how far I've come!

P90X, Week 4, Day 4

Well, this may be the first time I'm posting BEFORE my workout, but the hour change really threw me off today, in that I felt like I had more time than I really did. I just got home from Wal-Mart (where I normally grocery shop) and literally just finished putting all of the groceries away. It is now 11:40 PM. Yikes. I have an hour of Stretch X ahead of me. I think it will be just what I need, though, because my body is tired and achey tonight. Good thing I am a night owl. So once I get this stretching out of the way (which is really easy and really relaxing), I will then have 65 days left of P90X! I will try to post a before and after pic when I hit day 30, which will be in about 5 more days. Again, I've only lost 6 lbs on P90X, but I definitely see my weight shifting and things tightening up, especially in my upper body and abs. I need much more work on the lower half, but I have 60 days to get there. I have to admit, I'm NOT happy that I just had to go out and buy new bras because my breasts have shrunk... I was not blessed with the best genes. A flat-chested girl really doesn't want to lose weight in her boobs, just sayin'. TMI? Sorry. Good night friends!

P90X, Week 4, Day 3

Now that I'm on Week 4 of P90X (the Lean Version), I am doing the DVDs in a different order. They change again off an on throughout the rest of the program. Tonight's workout was KenpoX again. I locked myself in my daughter's bedroom (she is away at a sleepover) so that I could get my workout done in private. The boys are off in their own worlds in other areas of the house. This workout involves a lot of kicking, punching, jumping jacks, and blocks. It's a pretty fun workout. My daughter's room has an area rug which slips and slides, and that kind of hindered me from "bringing it" to "it's" full potential. Overall, it was a good workout, I definitely sweat through it, and topped with my Yoga class at the gym earlier, I feel as though I burned a decent amount of calories today. I am going to go reward myself with a nice hot shower and some couch time with the hubs. Happy Saturday everyone!

P90X, Week 4, Day 2

Today's workout was Core Synergistics, and I completed it around 9 PM. I was extremely exhausted from an emotional day, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get through it. But I did. Even with my husband watching me, which was kinda creepy :D I don't like it when people watch me work out! It was as hard as ever, and I had sweat rolling off of me. Now I'm watching "Catch Me if You Can", one of my favorite movies of all time. Just wanted to say that I did bring it tonight :)

P90X, Week 4, Day 1

I can't believe I made it to Week 4. What a day.Between stressing about a new case I was assigned at work and the death of my daughter's baby turtle, it was a bit of a rough day. I exercised every chance I got, even making my clients go on walks with me. I walked, rode my bike, did 90 minutes of yoga, lifted weights, and burned calories on the eliptical today. Altogether I burned 1140 calories... and a great deal of stress. I'm feeling better now, because I finished off the night with my yoga, and I feel nice and relaxed and calm. 
As far as Yoga X goes, my balance was OFF tonight. I am not sure why. I normally do pretty well with balance, but it could just be because I did all the other exercising and my muscles were tired.  I struggled with the 'Half Moon' pose, too. I was able to do 'Shoulder Stand into Plough, but skipped right over 'Crane' and 'Wheel'. Maybe some day... I still feel as though I did my best, but I could tell that my body was worn out. 

At least I'm not stressed anymore. When I get worked up and anxious, I get depressed, and I kind of shut down and become paralyzed and can't make a move. Not literally, of course, but I've noticed myself doing that lately with regard to getting my LPC and alllllll that is required in order to do so. I am not going to go into that tonight, because I'm in a good state of mind right now. I am going to say Namaste, and Good night :)

Meet My Loves

Oh my goodness, I finally figured out how to upload pics INTO my blog! It's fun to be smart ;-) Well, these are my two precious "babies" pictured here. Elizabeth is 10 and Dylan is 8, although this picture is close to two years old now. My angel haired girl is the mature one; From birth, she has been wise beyond her years, and she keeps us on our toes. She is very popular at school and I have a hard time keeping her at home, because she is always being invited to her friends' houses.She is also very witty and  makes me laugh several times per day. She is also good at everything she does. Straight A student, gifted program at school, and she has danced for 7 years now, as well as taken karate for about 2 1/2 years. Today she ran the mile at school and was the second fastest runner in her class. Recently, she's taken up acting, and auditioned for her first speaking part in our church's spring musical. This is a major production that we put on every year, and she got one of the main characters! She's my little over-achiever. Then there's Dylan. He is 8 going on 8, and he is my heart. I think he loves me deeper than anyone on this earth has ever loved me. He has to be the sweetest little boy I've ever known, and I'm not saying that out of bias. I've been around a lot of little boys, and you know how boys have that innate rambunctiousness about them....? He doesn't have that at all. He is very content to just sit beside me on the couch and just be. I had lunch with him at school the other day, and he was allowed to sit on the stage with me and invite a friend to sit with us. He said he didn't want to invite a friend, because he just likes talking to me. Melted my heart. Things don't come quite as easy for Dylan as they do for his sister; He has to work really hard in school, but manages to make all A's and B's with help from his mom and dad. He is ticklish on every inch of his body and is just so much fun to be around, always laughing. Dylan is a Cub Scout and he actually won first place in the Pinewood Derby races this past January, which he is so proud of. The other night, I heard him talking in his sleep, so I went into his room, and he said, "I won first place! I won first place". It was his first win ever. Dylan excels at video games and art. He can beat the pants off of any adult at any video game, and he has created me the most beautiful masterpieces in art class. I almost forgot, he also loves soccer, and has gotten really good at it over the past 3 years.

Okay, so I can't forget Corey, my wonderful husband of 11 years. Corey and I met in college, and he was different from most of the guys I had dated. We were both very young when we met (20 years old), and very naiive. We fell in love very fast and very hard. My senior year of college, Corey moved 5 hours away to attend a different school, and I was devestated. But we kept our relationship going strong. When I graduated from college, I really had no plan for my future or any idea as to where I wanted to live. I had just broken my ankle, so I got a temp job as a leasing consultant, and moved in with my brother, the only family who offered to take me in until I (literally) got back on my feet, who also just happened to live 30 minutes from Corey. After working for the temp agency for 3 months, I was hired permanently and then promoted to Propery Manager of a community which was about 10 minutes from Corey's house. Coincidence? I think not... I think maybe it was meant to be ;) And the rest, as they say, is history....

P90X., Week 3, Day 7

REST AND STRETCH! AHHHHH :) Thank goodness. Can't believe Week 4 starts tomorrow! I've been so HUNGRY today and eating everything in sight. Not good. I still managed to stay within my calorie limit, but it was tough! The only exercise I got today was walking the dog, and doing my Stretch X video from the P90X series. I guess I should be enjoying the break, because tomorrow it starts alllll over again. Oh yes, and I lost another pound this morning! Wh00p Wh00p!

ReFlEcTiOnS

My P90X posts are probably coming off as narcissistic and shallow. I don't mean to come across that way. I really am a deep, spiritual person with many good qualities. It's just that, when you are a wife and mother, and you work, there is very little time in the world for yourself. Through the weight loss journey, I have discovered that there is this whole other 'me' person, and it's been really nice to rediscover that person again. I have had to overcome my own anxieties about what I'm capable of physically, and I've really been surprised at what a fighter I am. I really have to push my way through these workouts. It hasn't been easy to find the time or the energy. But I want my outer beauty to match the inner. I want to inspire others and show them what a little hard work can do for a person. I want to be healthy, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

From the moment I wake up in the morning until the moment I go to bed at night, my day is pretty much centered around others. The morning starts with me preparing breakfast for my two children, laying out clothes, and prompting them to get ready for school. I then drive them either to the bus stop or to the car loop, depending on how much time we have. It is not until they are in school and I'm back home that I get time to myself... all of 15 minutes, usually... before I have to leave for work. I am a low maintenance woman; I take showers at night most of the time, so all I have to do is brush and curl my hair, put on a little undereye makeup, mascara, and eyeliner, and throw on some slacks and a top. I drink my protein shake as I'm on my way out the door. Once I get to work (on the days I'm in the office), I have approximately four hours to get whatever it is I have to do, done. Then my focus is getting back home to my children before they get home from school. Days that I have clients are a little different, and my meetings are focused soley on clients, but I still have to be sure I'm home in time for my children. Now I am not complaining here, not one bit. I love being a mom and this is the way I want it to be. I love having a flexible job where I can basically schedule my hours around their school schedule.

Afternoons are a little tricky, because once I'm home, my focus goes straight to homework and dinner. My husband and I have very traditional gender role expectations, EXCEPT that I work outside of the home on top of everything that I do within the home. It wasn't always this way (I used to be a stay at home mom), but once the children were old enough for elementary school, I went back to work part time. So, cooking and cleaning are my responsibilities. I don't mind cooking; in fact, I love cooking, when I have time to cook. In my opinion, good meals take a long time to prepare. I use my crockpot a lot, which makes life much easier for me. It does all the work while I'm away. The cleaning part... I hate. I hate it with a passion. I think it stems from my upbringing. My mother was a neat freak, and everything had to be 'just so'. I love my mom dearly, and she did an incredible job with our house, but I'm just a live-in-the-moment-the-cleaning-can-wait kinda gal. There are certain things I do every day, like laundry and dishes, but I loathe sweeping, mopping, organizing, vaccuming... just not my thang. And again, when do I really have time? I refuse to spend my weekends doing this sort of thing.

So, after homework and dinner, there is always some sort of extracurricular activity to go to, whether it's Cub Scouts, karate, AWANA, soccer, or dance. We have something to do every single night of the week. Weekends are usually booked, too. It has always been part of my responsibilities to chauffer the children to all of these activities. And of course, once we're home from said activity, there is bathtime and bedtime, and my children are beautiful, wonderful children, but they fight me tooth and nail for every second they can stay awake. They are both late night babies and will stay up as late as they possibly can get away with!

Enter P90X into my life... Now I must make time for ME. My husband takes the kids to many of their extracurricular activities so that I can get my workouts in. My self-esteem has improved with watching the fat melt off of my face and various parts of my body. My energy level is up from the workouts, which contributes to a cleaner home. My mood has improved from all of the positive endorphins stirred up from exercising. The one challenge I haven't conquered is making more time for my husband. That's something I will have to figure out with time. He appears to feel a little left out since I started working out at home. We always went to the gym together, though we rarely worked out together. He typically hangs out with the meatheads in the weight room while I am doing cardio on the eliptical machine. But now he has been mentioning that he doesn't like doing cardio by himself and wishes I would go to the gym with him. Funny, since I could never get him to do cardio with me before.

So, all of this is why I am so determined to complete this P90X program and why I blog about it each day. It's something that I can do for myself-an experience that no one else can take away from me. It's hopefully going to change my life in a very positive way. Who doesn't want to look and feel great? I can still be a loving wife and mom and have a cute little figure. I just felt compelled to post these thoughts about why I feel the need to do the program and why it is important to me. I have lost 22 lbs since January, and I have a long way to go, but by summertime, I might actually be able to go to the beach in a bathing suit and not feel dreadfully ashamed of my body. I might be able to feel comfortable in my own skin and show the world that I took the time to do something wonderful for myself. And my children, who see me working out each day, will know what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication. They are my biggest supporters, and though they love me very deeply, I'm sure they wouldn't mind to have a mother who is as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. And yes, I think I'm beautiful on the inside :) I love life, I love to laugh, and I love Jesus. I am kind to others, and generous and giving. I am sure that there are areas I need to work on (I know there are), but all in all, I'm a pretty cool person :)

Thanks for reading... if you are reading... Good night!

P90X, Week 3, Day 6

Today was a BIG calorie-burning day. I had my morning Step Aerobics class first. I can tell my endurance is so much higher than it used to be. I no longer have to stop for water, and I have full energy up until the end of the 60 minute, high-impact class (with 8 inch step). I had so much fun in there. From there, I went to work with clients, and I didn't plan out my diet too well. I had brought along some fresh fruit, so I snacked on an orange and a banana, but didn't eat a "lunch" until I got home, which was around 3:45 PM, and I had a protein shake. Then I did my KenpoX (more cardio) and though it wasn't in my program for today, I threw in an extra Ab Ripper X.


This morning as I was getting dressed, I could tell in the mirror that my waist line has shrunk and my tummy is getting flatter. I can see ab muscles starting to develop underneath the layer of flab. I also called my Drs office to get my weight from my last visit, back in December, and the nurse told me it was 22 pounds heavier than it is now!! Unbelievable. Now that is NOT all from P90X; The scale says I've only lost 5 lbs so far with P90X. I lost the majority of that 22 lbs back in January, when I first started going back to the gym and trying to eat better. I guess it worked. I really hadn't noticed a difference, though, until this past week. So this makes me wonder, should I stick with P90X, or go back to what I was already doing? Which one will give me the best results? Hmmmm....

P90X, Week 3, Day 5

Tonight's workout was Back & Legs again, and Ab Ripper X. I did the Ab Ripper X first, and I definitely BROUGHT IT! I then went to Back & Legs, and as everyone who reads this blog knows by now, I skip through the Back portion, which I do later in the week at the gym with my hubby. This is due to my lack of proper equipment. I did get the bands I need; however, I do not have anywhere to connect them. It's just much easier to go hang out with the meatheads at the gym and do my back while my husband is there to guide me and spot me. Plus I just really like being at the gym. I still miss being there! I'm going in the AM for Step Aerobics; Soooo excited... Loooove my step aerobics. It's like being a part of a dance team. I know I've said that before. My instructor is black (sorry-African American), and most of the ladies in the class are African American, and we do our step aerobics to a bunch of oldies, like old Jackson 5 songs. It's great.

So, for the leg portion of tonight's workout, I definitely felt as though I worked my legs harder than I have in the past 2 weeks. I could FEEL the burn. I'm still trying not to feel discouraged; I have such a long way to go.

Before & After Pictures

Since starting my P90X journey, everyone has encouraged me to take Before and After pictures of my body. First, let me tell you that this is something dreadfully embarrassing to have to do, because you're obviously fat or you wouldn't be doing the program, and you have to enlist the help of someone else in order to get body shots. So, I recruited my 10 year old daughter, and I hope I haven't scarred her for life. In one set of pictures, I'm wearing a blue tankini at Week 1 and Week 3, and the photos are of my front and back. In another set of photos, I'm wearing a tie dye bikini at Week 1 and Week 3, and again, the photos are of my front and back. One thing I failed to do is to pose exactly the same in Week 1 and Week 3, which would have made it easier to spot differences between the 2. I uploaded the pics to my computer and made a slide show, then sat back and watched....

Honestly, I'm disappointed. I know it's only been 3 weeks, but I still look like Miss Piggy in both of the swimsuits. I am planning to keep at it and take another pic at 6 weeks to compare the progress at that point. These pictures are highly embarrassing and I doubt I will ever share them with the world. I'm hoping to see amazing results; I am after all adhering to my 1200 calorie per day diet, and doing the P90X program. I don't understand why I still have cellulite on the backs of my legs, or why my butt looks bigger in week 3 than it did in week 1. Again, I will just try to have faith in this program and keep moving forward. If I don't see any change by week 6, I will go back to doing my own thing at the gym so I'm not wasting my time here. I might also want to add in extra cardio at the gym in order to lose extra weight.

I can't get discouraged now. It's March 4th, so I still have 3 months, basically, until summer rolls around. I want to call my Dr and see if I can get the office to disclose what my weight was when I came in back in November (after bumping my head). If I had to guess, I would say I've lost around 15 pounds since then... 10 of it was on my own with the gym/eating healthier, and the other 5 from P90x... Again, that is just my guess. Sorry if I disappointed you by NOT showing you the pictures on here, but I probalby won't be doing that unless I come out of this deal looking smoking hot... And even then, I don't know that I could do that to myself :{

P90X, Week 3, Day 4

Today's workout was Yoga X, 90 full minutes of Yoga. I'm so happy I was able to do the shoulder stand into plough today! I was nowhere near being able to do it just 2 weeks ago. I'm still not quite able to do the Crane.

Today's been a productive day. I stayed inside and did about 5 hours of paperwork on the laptop. My kids hung out in the room with me, so we communicated during that time as well. It was just a nice, lazy day.

The diet has been pretty laid back today. I had my protein shake and coffee for breakfast, a salad for lunch, some snacks (banana, orange, granola bars, and cheese and crackers). I haven't had dinner yet, and I'm not sure what I will fix. The whole family has been on a weird eating schedule today. I think we ate breakfast around 11:00 and lunch around 3:00. Now it's 8:00 PM, so I better make us something to eat... I'm still staying within my calorie limit each day, but I have not weighed myself since my recent weight loss. I'm afraid of being disappointed, as I'm sure I've gone up a couple of pounds since it's "that time of the month". I took before pictures during week 1, so tonight, I updated those since I'm in week 3, and I uploaded them to my computer and made a little slide show. I'm disappointed with my results so far, but I know I have a long way to go. I definitely have a flatter tummy, but my butt and legs really need some work. It is so disheartening to see pictures of myself in a bathing suit. Why did I have to get such bad genes?

In other news, I hear it's supposed to snow soon. I'm going to go check the weather to see if this is so!

P90X, Week 3, Day 3

Today's workout was Shoulders, Arms, and Ab Ripper X. Since it is Saturday, I took my morning Yoga class at the gym, which is 75 minutes long. I did very well in the class, and maintained my balance and noticed how much more flexible I've become. I did have trouble with Warrior 3 pose, and found myself stumbling over sideways when trying to get my body twisted to one side while my 3 of my 4 limbs were already up in the air. 


I have a question, or maybe a concern... when I'm working out, I'm noticing either my joints snap, crackling, and popping pretty loudly. That can't be good, can it? 


I am back on my chocolate Protein shakes, and I've turned a couple friends onto them in the past couple of days as well. They're really yummy. I noticed that I feel much stronger when doing weight lifting exercises if I've had a shake at some point throughout the day. 


Although I did complete the DVD, I didn't feel as though I really 'brought it' with Ab Ripper X tonight, and I may do it again tomorrow to pick up the slack. I woke up with terrible cramps this morning, which made that particular area very tender and my pain tolerance was pretty low. But when it came to shoulders and arms, I managed to keep up and, as mentioned, felt stronger. I was able to lift heavy weights without exerting too much energy. I was able to do the Bonus Round, with the exception of one exercise. I forget what it is called, but you are lying on the floor. It's the Bi Tri Rise, or something like that. 


As for my diet, it went okay. Weekends are harder because the family is all here, and there is more temptation to eat out or to eat unhealthy foods. We are also very busy on the weekends and I feel as though I have less control over what I eat. For example, tonight was our Cub Scouts Blue and Gold Banquet. It was catered by a BBQ place, and they served pulled pork BBQ, cole slaw, bread, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and fried chicken. I made up my mind that I'd just get a small portion of pulled pork and some green beans, but when I went through the line, the server acted like she didn't hear me, and she loaded up my plate with everything there. Then I felt really tempted to eat it all. I skipped the fried chicken and only ate half of the mac n cheese, but I indulged with the bread, cole slaw, green beans, and pulled pork. Then there was a big honkin' CAKE that someone made and decorated with big, thick icing and little statues of cowboys and horses on it. It was so cute, and looked SO yummy. The old me would have inhaled a piece of that cake without batting an eye. The new, healthy me was able to improvise by merely tasting the icing. I have come a long way in the way I think about food and my understanding of my body and its metabolism, or lack thereof. Sometimes I feel like it's really UNFAIR that some people can just eat whatever they want. It was pure torture for me to sit and watch others inhale their pieces of cake. I was extremely jealous. And don't even get me started on the white chocolate covered pretzels that sat in a cute little basket in the center of every table. Bottom line is, I need to know how to get control over situations such as this one which I have no control over my food options. 


That's about it for today. My body is TIRED and I did NOT want to work out tonight, especially at 9:00 PM, which was when we got home from the Cub Scout banquet. But I dug deep and "Brought It" so that I can say I've done P90X every single day for the past 17 days. That means I still have 73 days left to go :{ Whoa.


Thanks for reading. 

P90X, Week 3, Day 2

Hello, hello. I BROUGHT IT today. Cardio X again. Though my form continues to need improvement, I'm finding myself covered head to toe in sweat at the end of my workouts, so I know I'm doing something right. I am also feeling pretty sore today from last night's back workout and yesterday's Core Synergistics left my leg and butt muscles pretty sore, too. OH, I forgot the GREAT NEWS! When I stepped on the scale this morning, I had lost 2 more pounds!!!! I had to step off and on again a few times just to confirm. Then I did the Happy Dance. Progress, FINALLY. I hope the weight continues to drop. I will, of course, keep ya posted :)

P90X, Week 3, Day 1

P90X, Week 3, Day 1

It's Week 3?! Bring It! I just finished up Core Synergistics. It kicked my arse. I found some parts easier than others. I should be pretty good at it by now, because this is my 3rd time doing it. Not so.... I still struggle. I notice I'm struggling more with energy now that I'm out of my protein shakes. Today is the 1st though, which means it's GOLD CARD WEEK AT GNC... wh00p wh00p! Can't wait to get back on my protein shakes :)


 I went to the gym tonight to make up for the back exercises that I missed with my Back, Legs, and Abs workout due to not having the proper equipment. I did about 7 different exercises, each with 3 sets of 12-15 reps. I am pretty sure my back will be sore tomorrow. It sure was last week. I haven't worked my upper body in years, so P90X has been challenging in that way. I still feel the need to be doing something more, especially for my stomach, butt, and thighs... but I'm going to have faith in this system and see it to the end. Good night, ya'll :)


The End.