In 2010, my goal was to qualify for Boston. I trained consistently. I train intensely. I made some mistakes and my body gave out on me. I hurt my foot and as a result I didn't qualify. I'm OK with that though because it was the process that was important. I spent a good 4 months training hard and spending time with good friends - in one way it was a disappointment but in many others it was a huge victory!
For quite a while now, my goal was to drop 10-15 pounds. This has been a tougher road than even the marathon training. There is no arguing the fact that I exercise at a high intensity - I put the work in. The problem enters in on the nutrition side of the equation. You can not out exercise what you can potentially eat! All of those little bites count toward your total daily calories. Just because you break off a piece of cookie (instead of eating the entire cookie) doesn't mean it is calorie free. Just because I spent 1 hour exercising at my max doesn't mean I can give in to those sugar cravings. And, unfortunately, that is exactly what I've been doing. Losing the pounds obviously isn't the right "goal" for me. I'm hoping to make the weight loss a secondary achievement.
I have run the Baltimore 10 Miler for the past few years now. It is a great race - well run - and a fair but challenging course. The field has grown each and every year and because of the layout of the streets, they have gone to a wave start. This means that you need to enter an approximate race time when you sign up so that you can start with people who will be running at about the same pace. The course has had my number the past couple of years so when I had to choose a time, I struggled with what it should be. I decided to make this one of my next goals with the hope that it will help me stay motivated with my exercise routine as well as work on my "secondary weight loss goal". I entered in a time of 1:20:00 for the 10 miles (which equates to 8 min/mile). This will be a HUGE challenge for me so it is going to be imperative for me to keep my exercise intensity high, keep my program balanced (running, strengthening & stretching/yoga). It is also going to be a big help to my speed if I drop those pounds.
So, in the next 108 days I will be striving to increase my running speed, to get my body stronger and to keep my flexibility high. I will be running, using my P90X and my Insanity programs to achieve those goals. I know I need accountability with my nutrition so if you read this, please check in with me - call me out if I seem to be slacking in the food department. The little ticker at the top of my blog should make steady downward progress. I will be exercising at my max and because of that, I need to fuel it with good and healthy foods.
Goals are important! I need to have focus - something to work towards. So, my first goal for 2011 is 1:20:00 at the Baltimore 10 Miler! I will be making others but for right now this is what I'm working towards!!
Showing posts with label Insanity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insanity. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
The End of Recovery Week
This has actually been a tough week. The Insanity recovery week has you do the same workout all week. I have really gotten used to doing something different each day so the repetition got to me a bit. I did mix in a day of yoga and today I will do a stretching session - as soon as I finish this. The week ends with a nice run tomorrow morning - I look forward to these because it gives me a chance to catch up with my runnin' buds.
Next week the real work begins! The Max sessions of my Insanity program begins. I believe there are 4 separate workouts and you just cycle through them one after another. I've seen some video of them and they look really tough. I'm definitely interested in seeing how my body deals with them.
I have 1 more month of Insanity and then I'm getting back into more running. I've already put together a program, which will probably run me a good 6 months, that will incorporate P90X, Insanity and my running. I'm going to alternate the P90X workouts and the Insanity workouts by month with 3 days of running being a constant throughout the program. I really want to see how my body responds to this hybrid. I love the way it will incorporate the lifting, the running and the high intensity plyos as well as the P90X yoga. They have all become so very important to me and the functioning of my body!
Next week the real work begins! The Max sessions of my Insanity program begins. I believe there are 4 separate workouts and you just cycle through them one after another. I've seen some video of them and they look really tough. I'm definitely interested in seeing how my body deals with them.
I have 1 more month of Insanity and then I'm getting back into more running. I've already put together a program, which will probably run me a good 6 months, that will incorporate P90X, Insanity and my running. I'm going to alternate the P90X workouts and the Insanity workouts by month with 3 days of running being a constant throughout the program. I really want to see how my body responds to this hybrid. I love the way it will incorporate the lifting, the running and the high intensity plyos as well as the P90X yoga. They have all become so very important to me and the functioning of my body!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Recovery Week!
I've made it to the Recovery Week in my Insanity program! That means I've made it to the 5 week mark of the program and that next week will begin the 2nd phase of the program.....the Max workouts! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time!!
I was able to go for a 7 mile run on Saturday and it went really well. I wasn't sore afterwards - like I was after the 11 miler the week before. The first 3.5 miles were completed in about 10:30 splits and the last 3.5 miles were in the low 9's. I was very pleased with how my legs felt at the faster pace. I could definitely feel that it was faster - thanks for pushing the pace Cathy! I was happy when we reached the end of the run but I know that I could have kept going.
I did not complete the last Plyo CC session on Sunday because I tweaked my foot on Saturday. I was coming down the steps and a tendon, or something, twinged and it has been a little sore. I decided it would be better to rest it than to do a lot of jumping an lateral movements. It is still a little sore but I didn't have any trouble with the Core Cardio & Balance workout. This was a new workout for me and I liked it - good thing because I do this same workout all week long. There is one section of the workout where you just BLAST your hip flexors and then your shoulders. I'm really hoping that the shoulder work will help me with the plank work in the sessions (I usually start to give out in my upper body before my core "dies").
I think I'm also going to take some 1/2 way photos. I really haven't seen much scale motion but I do feel better. I also feel like my core is stronger and firmer. As these workouts ramp up I'm really hoping to see some downward movement on the scale. My nutrition isn't perfect but I really feel like I'm starting to correct some things.
I'm off for meal #2 - trying a Shakeology drink that I got from a friend. Make it a great day!
I was able to go for a 7 mile run on Saturday and it went really well. I wasn't sore afterwards - like I was after the 11 miler the week before. The first 3.5 miles were completed in about 10:30 splits and the last 3.5 miles were in the low 9's. I was very pleased with how my legs felt at the faster pace. I could definitely feel that it was faster - thanks for pushing the pace Cathy! I was happy when we reached the end of the run but I know that I could have kept going.
I did not complete the last Plyo CC session on Sunday because I tweaked my foot on Saturday. I was coming down the steps and a tendon, or something, twinged and it has been a little sore. I decided it would be better to rest it than to do a lot of jumping an lateral movements. It is still a little sore but I didn't have any trouble with the Core Cardio & Balance workout. This was a new workout for me and I liked it - good thing because I do this same workout all week long. There is one section of the workout where you just BLAST your hip flexors and then your shoulders. I'm really hoping that the shoulder work will help me with the plank work in the sessions (I usually start to give out in my upper body before my core "dies").
I think I'm also going to take some 1/2 way photos. I really haven't seen much scale motion but I do feel better. I also feel like my core is stronger and firmer. As these workouts ramp up I'm really hoping to see some downward movement on the scale. My nutrition isn't perfect but I really feel like I'm starting to correct some things.
I'm off for meal #2 - trying a Shakeology drink that I got from a friend. Make it a great day!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
February 17th Update
Wow - things are really moving along! I completed day 25 of my Insanity program. I'm almost 1/2 way finished. The program is intense but I am loving every minute of it! I haven't seen much movement on the scale but I was noticing today that I'm really feeling good! I don't really know how to explain the feeling but I just feel better than I was before.
I am starting to get a better handle on my nutrition as well. Reality is, I haven't dropped any weight because my nutrition hasn't been good enough. Afternoons are my weak times so I've been trying to alter my habits/schedule to account for this time better. Some days it works better than others but the important thing is that I keep working at it!
The weather was absolutely beautiful today - about 65 degrees. The weather really fired up Chip and he decided to start digging in our veggie garden. In order to combat this I decided to take him out for a run. My kids were home so I got them on their scooters and the 4 of us did a 1.5 mile loop in our neighborhood. It was a GREAT time and it did a pretty good job at tiring Chip out (at least for a little while). I'm proud of both Chip (we only walked once) and the kids. The section where we walked was on a pretty steep hill and I was afraid that the kids might fall. Tomorrow, I'm hoping to get us all out to the park so we can hike on the trails.
The warm weather leaves on Saturday - back to reality! It's back just in time for my Saturday run with "The Group". I'm not planning on running as far as I did last week. I'm planning on between 7-8 miles. Eleven was definitely too far to start off with! It should be a good time!!
I am starting to get a better handle on my nutrition as well. Reality is, I haven't dropped any weight because my nutrition hasn't been good enough. Afternoons are my weak times so I've been trying to alter my habits/schedule to account for this time better. Some days it works better than others but the important thing is that I keep working at it!
The weather was absolutely beautiful today - about 65 degrees. The weather really fired up Chip and he decided to start digging in our veggie garden. In order to combat this I decided to take him out for a run. My kids were home so I got them on their scooters and the 4 of us did a 1.5 mile loop in our neighborhood. It was a GREAT time and it did a pretty good job at tiring Chip out (at least for a little while). I'm proud of both Chip (we only walked once) and the kids. The section where we walked was on a pretty steep hill and I was afraid that the kids might fall. Tomorrow, I'm hoping to get us all out to the park so we can hike on the trails.
The warm weather leaves on Saturday - back to reality! It's back just in time for my Saturday run with "The Group". I'm not planning on running as far as I did last week. I'm planning on between 7-8 miles. Eleven was definitely too far to start off with! It should be a good time!!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Day After.....
Yesterday, I went on my first run in about 3 weeks. It was great to get out with my running buds! I have really missed them! My plan was to run about 9-10 miles at a nice easy pace. I ended up running 11 miles. The pace was OK - I did the first 5 a bit faster than I probably should but I was running with a friend that I haven't seen in probably 2 months and we got caught up in the conversation.....I wouldn't trade it for hte world!
The second half of the run was pretty hilly but the pace was slower. Cardiovascularly, I felt great! I was thrilled with the way my Insanity program has kept my cardio shape up. I didn't know how I would feel over a long run because the Insanity workouts are shorter (about 45 min. and I ran for over 2 hours) and they work different energy systems. I was also pleased at the amount of spring I had in my legs going up the hills.
Things felt great until about miles 7-8 which was when I started to feel tight in my legs. There wasn't any pain involved, I just started to feel a tightness, especially in my hamstrings. I was running with a friend who is in PT for a hip problem so we did do some walking which was nice. By the time we got back to our cars at mile 11 I was really ready to be finished!
I did some quick stretching for my legs and sides but boy did I tighten up on the ride home. As soon as I got home, I changed and settled in for some stretching. I was VERY tight! I find that my core area is really effected when I run. I get these little spasms, especially in between my ribs, when I'm finished my runs. I've been trying to work on strengthening my core but I still get those spasms when I'm finished. In addition, my legs, feet and hips were pretty sore for the rest of the day - not injury sore just sore from doing something I haven't done in 3 weeks.
Fast forward to this morning....I am still pretty tight and a bit sore. I was planning on doing my Insanity Plyo CC session this morning but I decided to take a rest day. I figured that if my hips and knees were sore, jumping on them probably wasn't a good idea. I am focusing in stretching today!
I'm also thinking about becoming a BeachBody coach. There is some initial cost involved because you are starting a home business. I'm trying to get a handle on exactly what those costs are and then I'll talk it over with the hubby and decide what to do next. There is a lot of opportunity there but I'm not sure if it is for me - still on the fence. I love the exercise products that is for sure! I haven't tried the nutritional products but everyone on the message boards seem to love them.
Looking forward to a nice day with friends! Also looking forward to getting back to my Insanity workouts tomorrow - I think it is Pure Cardio!
The second half of the run was pretty hilly but the pace was slower. Cardiovascularly, I felt great! I was thrilled with the way my Insanity program has kept my cardio shape up. I didn't know how I would feel over a long run because the Insanity workouts are shorter (about 45 min. and I ran for over 2 hours) and they work different energy systems. I was also pleased at the amount of spring I had in my legs going up the hills.
Things felt great until about miles 7-8 which was when I started to feel tight in my legs. There wasn't any pain involved, I just started to feel a tightness, especially in my hamstrings. I was running with a friend who is in PT for a hip problem so we did do some walking which was nice. By the time we got back to our cars at mile 11 I was really ready to be finished!
I did some quick stretching for my legs and sides but boy did I tighten up on the ride home. As soon as I got home, I changed and settled in for some stretching. I was VERY tight! I find that my core area is really effected when I run. I get these little spasms, especially in between my ribs, when I'm finished my runs. I've been trying to work on strengthening my core but I still get those spasms when I'm finished. In addition, my legs, feet and hips were pretty sore for the rest of the day - not injury sore just sore from doing something I haven't done in 3 weeks.
Fast forward to this morning....I am still pretty tight and a bit sore. I was planning on doing my Insanity Plyo CC session this morning but I decided to take a rest day. I figured that if my hips and knees were sore, jumping on them probably wasn't a good idea. I am focusing in stretching today!
I'm also thinking about becoming a BeachBody coach. There is some initial cost involved because you are starting a home business. I'm trying to get a handle on exactly what those costs are and then I'll talk it over with the hubby and decide what to do next. There is a lot of opportunity there but I'm not sure if it is for me - still on the fence. I love the exercise products that is for sure! I haven't tried the nutritional products but everyone on the message boards seem to love them.
Looking forward to a nice day with friends! Also looking forward to getting back to my Insanity workouts tomorrow - I think it is Pure Cardio!
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Insanity Day 13
My Insanity workouts continue to roll along. I can't believe that I'm almost 2 weeks into this program. I am starting to see some progress with some of the moves! There is one move called suicide jumps that I was struggling with. It is on the Fit Test and I was able to do 16 in one minute (not sure if this is good or not). This move has you bend down, jump your feet back into plank position, then jump back into the bent position and then finish by standing and jumping up in the air. You then repeat this series over and over again. When I started, I almost felt like my feet were getting "stuck" on the way back in and it took me a long time to get my feet under me so that I could then stand and jump. This morning I felt like my feet got right under me which allowed me to stand and jump more quickly.
I am continuing to work on my nutrition. One thing I need to do more of in this area is plan. I've made progress in that I have moved most of the junky stuff outside into the car (it is the kid's after-school snack) so that I can't mindlessly grab a bag and munch. There is still more junk in my kitchen and I know that my best course of action is to just go up and throw it all away. I'll be honest that it doesn't feel right to just throw out unused food when it hasn't spoiled but I also know that if it is in the house I WILL eventually eat it! OK fast forward about 10 seconds and I just walked up to my kitchen and threw out a bag of chocolate that was up there. I have been munching on it but I can no longer do that - it is at the bottom of my kitchen trash can. Yes, I moved stuff out of the way and put the bag on the bottom and covered it back up. IT IS GONE!!!
My 2nd Fit Test is Monday and I considered making up Wednesday's missed workout tomorrow but have decided against it. I will instead do my P90X Yoga session. I really credit this workout in particular with helping to get my foot back into a pain free state. Side Note: I noticed today that when I went to massage the heel area of my left foot (the one that had the plantar fasciitis) I didn't have any pain anymore! The foot hasn't been bothering me but there was always just a bit of soreness near my heel when I would massage it. My new shoes have also been a big help but I'm looking forward to doing the Yoga session and really working on the stretching of my entire lower body.
Tonight my son got to use his birthday present - Flyers Tickets. He went to the game with his Daddy and just saw them win over the Dallas Stars. I took him to a minor league game a few weeks back and our team won that one too. My "Little Man" 2 for 2 - way to go "Dude"!
The hour is getting late and I need some sleep! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
I am continuing to work on my nutrition. One thing I need to do more of in this area is plan. I've made progress in that I have moved most of the junky stuff outside into the car (it is the kid's after-school snack) so that I can't mindlessly grab a bag and munch. There is still more junk in my kitchen and I know that my best course of action is to just go up and throw it all away. I'll be honest that it doesn't feel right to just throw out unused food when it hasn't spoiled but I also know that if it is in the house I WILL eventually eat it! OK fast forward about 10 seconds and I just walked up to my kitchen and threw out a bag of chocolate that was up there. I have been munching on it but I can no longer do that - it is at the bottom of my kitchen trash can. Yes, I moved stuff out of the way and put the bag on the bottom and covered it back up. IT IS GONE!!!
My 2nd Fit Test is Monday and I considered making up Wednesday's missed workout tomorrow but have decided against it. I will instead do my P90X Yoga session. I really credit this workout in particular with helping to get my foot back into a pain free state. Side Note: I noticed today that when I went to massage the heel area of my left foot (the one that had the plantar fasciitis) I didn't have any pain anymore! The foot hasn't been bothering me but there was always just a bit of soreness near my heel when I would massage it. My new shoes have also been a big help but I'm looking forward to doing the Yoga session and really working on the stretching of my entire lower body.
Tonight my son got to use his birthday present - Flyers Tickets. He went to the game with his Daddy and just saw them win over the Dallas Stars. I took him to a minor league game a few weeks back and our team won that one too. My "Little Man" 2 for 2 - way to go "Dude"!
The hour is getting late and I need some sleep! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Insanity and Snow - Related???
Today was my first go at the Cardio Recovery workout and I enjoyed it. The intensity is really dialed down from the other workouts and you spend time doing ab work, stretching/yoga moves and some basic strengthening exercises. I felt pretty relaxed after the session but I sort of felt like I should be doing more......here's where the snow enters the picture.
Lots and lots of snow as a matter of fact! I'm not sure how much we actually got here in DE but it was deep and wet. Translation.....heavy! I tried to get out early so that I could clear off the bottom of the drive and so that my hubby wouldn't drive over the snow and pack it down. The mission was accomplished but it took a great deal of effort. I think I was out there for approximately1.5 hours and that was just working on the cars and the driveway. My wonderfully kind neighbor has a snow thrower and cleared the sidewalks! Anyhow, I now feel like I've had a huge amount of work but I still need to clear out the gutters (in the street) and then hopefully get out to play with the kids.
I think I said in my last post that I was keeping track of my heart rates to see if there was any change over the next couple of months. I've made a chart and hopefully in the next few weeks I'll see some changes and be able to report them. My peak HR this morning was only 138 so you can see how much the intensity drops with this recovery workout (the other sessions were in the 170s to 180s). I also tried to take a resting HR (taken after coming down stairs so it isn't truly a resting HR) and got a reading of 58 bpm. I will periodically test this as well and see how that changes as well.
Have a great day and keep working hard!
Lots and lots of snow as a matter of fact! I'm not sure how much we actually got here in DE but it was deep and wet. Translation.....heavy! I tried to get out early so that I could clear off the bottom of the drive and so that my hubby wouldn't drive over the snow and pack it down. The mission was accomplished but it took a great deal of effort. I think I was out there for approximately1.5 hours and that was just working on the cars and the driveway. My wonderfully kind neighbor has a snow thrower and cleared the sidewalks! Anyhow, I now feel like I've had a huge amount of work but I still need to clear out the gutters (in the street) and then hopefully get out to play with the kids.
I think I said in my last post that I was keeping track of my heart rates to see if there was any change over the next couple of months. I've made a chart and hopefully in the next few weeks I'll see some changes and be able to report them. My peak HR this morning was only 138 so you can see how much the intensity drops with this recovery workout (the other sessions were in the 170s to 180s). I also tried to take a resting HR (taken after coming down stairs so it isn't truly a resting HR) and got a reading of 58 bpm. I will periodically test this as well and see how that changes as well.
Have a great day and keep working hard!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Power & Resistance
Day 3 of Insanity is the Cardio Power & Resistance workout. It was an awesome workout and really showed me some of my weak areas. Powerful and explosive movements are not my forte - at least not yet!
The workout is extremely difficult. I even started to get a bit lightheaded at the very end of the session. I took a break through most of the last combo. At first, I was a bit upset with myself but then took a step back and took pride in what I did accomplish. Even the people on the DVD take breaks and stop early and I know this isn't their first time through the workouts. My max HR hit 173 during this workout. I want to keep track of my HRs to see if it changes over the course of the workouts. I plan to use average HRs for just the working sections (not the warm-up or cool-down) but today I forgot to set the lap button so the HR values represent all parts of the workout.
I have also been trying to pay more attention to my nutrition. I am trying to focus on keeping most (if not all) caffeine and sugar out of my diet. If I can do this at least 80% of the time, I think it will make a significant difference in my health and appearance. So far the past few days have been really good. I've had some sugary cravings but I have been able to avoid most of them. I have definitely increased my fruit intake and this has helped with the sugar cravings.
Tomorrow is the recovery workout - I'm really looking forward to it! Have a great day!
The workout is extremely difficult. I even started to get a bit lightheaded at the very end of the session. I took a break through most of the last combo. At first, I was a bit upset with myself but then took a step back and took pride in what I did accomplish. Even the people on the DVD take breaks and stop early and I know this isn't their first time through the workouts. My max HR hit 173 during this workout. I want to keep track of my HRs to see if it changes over the course of the workouts. I plan to use average HRs for just the working sections (not the warm-up or cool-down) but today I forgot to set the lap button so the HR values represent all parts of the workout.
I have also been trying to pay more attention to my nutrition. I am trying to focus on keeping most (if not all) caffeine and sugar out of my diet. If I can do this at least 80% of the time, I think it will make a significant difference in my health and appearance. So far the past few days have been really good. I've had some sugary cravings but I have been able to avoid most of them. I have definitely increased my fruit intake and this has helped with the sugar cravings.
Tomorrow is the recovery workout - I'm really looking forward to it! Have a great day!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Start of Insanity and some Accountability
It has been some time since I've posted here and I think it is about time I started again. I was inspired by my new friend Jessica. I know I need to change my way of thinking about my lifestyle and hopefully this will help me get that ball rolling.
I've been using the Beachbody program P90X since the beginning of June 2010. I was having some foot problems and really needed to cut back my running. My entire workout regimen had be skewed toward running. I was no longer lifting or stretching and I believe this was a large part of my problem (there was also a biomechanical problem). So I purchased the P90X program and it was just what I needed! I got me back into lifting and stretching and even added some Yoga. My body was continuing to make positive changes but I was feeling the need for more of a challenge. Enter Insanity!
Insanity is the most intense workout program I have ever seen. I'm only 2 days into it but I already love it. It starts with a Fit Test where you have 8 different exercises that you do for 1 minute and count how many reps you can complete. You retake the test every 2 weeks to chart your progress. Here are my initial numbers:
Switch Kicks 69
Power Jacks 62
Power Knee 106
Power Jumps 39
Globe Jumps 11
Suicide Jumps 16
Push-up Jacks 23
Low Plank Oblique 60
I'm quite pleased with these numbers and can't wait to watch them increase as I progress through the program.
Today was the first actual workout and it was called Plyometric Cardio Circuit. It was really hard! I wore my HR monitor and my average HR was 168 bpm. It left me huffing and puffing and sweat just pouring off my body. It was hard but I loved every minute of it!
My goals, as of right now, are to lose about 20 pounds and to increase my fitness level to a point where I feel I can successfully complete the Half Wit Half Marathon again and beat my previous time (which I will find and post later).
Thanks for reading and I welcome any and all comments and accountability comments.
I've been using the Beachbody program P90X since the beginning of June 2010. I was having some foot problems and really needed to cut back my running. My entire workout regimen had be skewed toward running. I was no longer lifting or stretching and I believe this was a large part of my problem (there was also a biomechanical problem). So I purchased the P90X program and it was just what I needed! I got me back into lifting and stretching and even added some Yoga. My body was continuing to make positive changes but I was feeling the need for more of a challenge. Enter Insanity!
Insanity is the most intense workout program I have ever seen. I'm only 2 days into it but I already love it. It starts with a Fit Test where you have 8 different exercises that you do for 1 minute and count how many reps you can complete. You retake the test every 2 weeks to chart your progress. Here are my initial numbers:
Switch Kicks 69
Power Jacks 62
Power Knee 106
Power Jumps 39
Globe Jumps 11
Suicide Jumps 16
Push-up Jacks 23
Low Plank Oblique 60
I'm quite pleased with these numbers and can't wait to watch them increase as I progress through the program.
Today was the first actual workout and it was called Plyometric Cardio Circuit. It was really hard! I wore my HR monitor and my average HR was 168 bpm. It left me huffing and puffing and sweat just pouring off my body. It was hard but I loved every minute of it!
My goals, as of right now, are to lose about 20 pounds and to increase my fitness level to a point where I feel I can successfully complete the Half Wit Half Marathon again and beat my previous time (which I will find and post later).
Thanks for reading and I welcome any and all comments and accountability comments.
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