Today has been a better day! It started off with some pretty low motivation to exercise but I turned that around by doing a lifting session that I haven't done in years. I did the BFL upper body lifting routine. The intensity was not super high but it got my butt in gear and I'm proud of that fact. I also had a decent eating day - again, not perfect but a whole lot better than it has been.
I think I have also come across some awesome motivation. While on Facebook today, I found a link to a page that showed I have a reunion coming up in November. The last time I dropped a significant amount of weight....was about 5 years ago for my last reunion. I would love to be able to wear a sexy black dress and knock the socks off of everyone there!
I'll be honest, fashion has NEVER been my thing. I am very much into comfort over fashion no matter what the venue but I think there is a tiny part of me that would LOVE to be able to make jaws just drop onto the floor (most importantly my hubby!).
Well there it is - starting tomorrow I have 106 days until the reunion. I will take measurements tomorrow and come up with my goals.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Positive Nutritional Affirmations
Here are some positive statements that I have come up with:
- I love to eat healthy nutritious foods.
- Healthy foods taste great!
- My body is being fueled by healthy foods.
- I eat every 2-3 hours and my body is healthy and fit.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Day 9 of the Beachbody Challenge
I have a confession: my eating has been pretty poor lately. I feel like I have lost some focus and drive with the nutrition part of the equation. My exercising has been consistent but as we all know, performance suffers when you aren't feeding your body well. I think I try to hide behind excuses like: "this run was tough because of the high temperature and humidity" and "my lifting session was light because I'm sore". Now, I'm not saying that these aren't actual factors that can and have impacted my sessions but......my nutrition hasn't helped the matter either.
All of the above is plain and simple fact - the hard part is figuring out how to fix the problem. My husband would say: "so just stop" but I find that much easier said than done. I don't usually have trouble getting myself psyched to exercise and when I have a race that I'm training for, it is that much easier. Food seems to be a totally different subject. Even when I have been training for events, I've struggled with maintaining good nutritional habits even when I KNOW it will help me attain my race goal. So what do I do now????
Lately, I've been trying to listen to motivational audio books as well as read similar books. A common theme in these books is listening to you self-talk. This is what you say to yourself. Keeping in mind that "You are what you think about most" this type of inner conversation is extremely important. I'm often telling people that I'm a stress eater or boy do I struggle with my nutritional habits (see above). This is the wrong type of self-talk. So, I'm trying to change that habit and as you can see it is a huge work in progress. I need to start turning the negative statements around and stating them in positive ways. So my negative nutritional statements may become something like "I eat to fuel my body" or another common one is "I eat to live not live to eat".
These are not new ideas to me. I have heard and tried all this before. I believe that it works but I've never stuck with it long enough. This time my positive self-talk will be productive (see I'm working on it already - LOL). I am going to start my writing some positive statements on some cards and carrying them with me so that I can pull them out throughout the day. I'm taking responsibility for myself and I will not use others as an excuse. Will this be a perfect process? No. I am not a perfect being and I will not be striving for perfection. But, I know I can do a better job than I have been doing and that will be my initial focus.
All of the above is plain and simple fact - the hard part is figuring out how to fix the problem. My husband would say: "so just stop" but I find that much easier said than done. I don't usually have trouble getting myself psyched to exercise and when I have a race that I'm training for, it is that much easier. Food seems to be a totally different subject. Even when I have been training for events, I've struggled with maintaining good nutritional habits even when I KNOW it will help me attain my race goal. So what do I do now????
Lately, I've been trying to listen to motivational audio books as well as read similar books. A common theme in these books is listening to you self-talk. This is what you say to yourself. Keeping in mind that "You are what you think about most" this type of inner conversation is extremely important. I'm often telling people that I'm a stress eater or boy do I struggle with my nutritional habits (see above). This is the wrong type of self-talk. So, I'm trying to change that habit and as you can see it is a huge work in progress. I need to start turning the negative statements around and stating them in positive ways. So my negative nutritional statements may become something like "I eat to fuel my body" or another common one is "I eat to live not live to eat".
These are not new ideas to me. I have heard and tried all this before. I believe that it works but I've never stuck with it long enough. This time my positive self-talk will be productive (see I'm working on it already - LOL). I am going to start my writing some positive statements on some cards and carrying them with me so that I can pull them out throughout the day. I'm taking responsibility for myself and I will not use others as an excuse. Will this be a perfect process? No. I am not a perfect being and I will not be striving for perfection. But, I know I can do a better job than I have been doing and that will be my initial focus.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Day 3 of Beachbody Challenge
Day 3 workout is in the books and boy was it HARD!!
Today was Asylum Strength - I haven't done this workout in a while. I am sometimes amazed just how quickly you can lose conditioning when you don't do something for a while. That is the beauty of cross-training. Our bodies adjust to the stresses that we submit them to so when we are constantly changing things up, our bodies continue to change and progress!
I'm feeling really good about this week has gone so far. I know it is just the first week of this challenge but I am encouraged by how things have gone so far. I know it won't always be easy and that I will face unforeseen challenges but I am confident I can and will make it through!!
Today was Asylum Strength - I haven't done this workout in a while. I am sometimes amazed just how quickly you can lose conditioning when you don't do something for a while. That is the beauty of cross-training. Our bodies adjust to the stresses that we submit them to so when we are constantly changing things up, our bodies continue to change and progress!
I'm feeling really good about this week has gone so far. I know it is just the first week of this challenge but I am encouraged by how things have gone so far. I know it won't always be easy and that I will face unforeseen challenges but I am confident I can and will make it through!!
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
It's been a while and a new challenge!
I haven't been posting recently and I'm not sure why I stopped but I'm going to start back up - starting today (obviously).
I entered The Team Beachbody Challenge today. I'm going to follow my own P90X/Running hybrid for the next 90 days and submit my results. There are daily and monthly awards as well as a $100,000 grand prize. I have done challenges like these before (Body for Life) and haven't really made much progress with them. However, I have learned a lot since the last time I did one. I know what my biggest mistake was with the other program so I'm already a step ahead!!
I have my initial pictures and measurements for the challenge and I will be updating progress here on my blog. My hybrid program will include lifting from P90X and Insanity the Asylum as well as my running. I will also include yoga and plyometrics from P90X. I'm really looking forward to not only completing this challenge but excelling at it as well!!
I've also signed up for Chalene Johnson's Car Smart Program. My hope is that it will help me follow through with this challenge all the way to the end. I received my first installment yesterday and it dealt with confidence and stopping negative self talk. The funny thing is, it isn't anything that I haven't heard before - this time I will actually take it to heart and follow through on the actions.
My exercise sessions have been very good this week. Yesterday I did P90X Shoulders and Arms. I love that workout!! I didn't do Ab Ripper because I was afraid I had strained a muscle the last time I did it so I did a modified ab routine instead. Today was a fartlek workout with my running group. We did a total of 6 miles with about 4 of it being the fartlek section (1 mile warm-up and cool-down). We did the same workout last week but we were a bit faster this time around. I will be upfront right now - exercising usually isn't my problem. Nutrition has been my problem in the past but this time I will be using the concepts outlined in the Car Smart program. I will be using Positive Self-Talk to help change my attitudes about food.
There it is! My plan for the next few months!! Clean eating and intense exercise. I will do my best and not expect perfection. The important part is to commit fully - this was one of my biggest problems with the Body For Life challenges. Sure I told myself that I was committed but I know better now. I did not discipline myself to follow the program and took too many shortcuts. This time nothing will stop this time!!
I entered The Team Beachbody Challenge today. I'm going to follow my own P90X/Running hybrid for the next 90 days and submit my results. There are daily and monthly awards as well as a $100,000 grand prize. I have done challenges like these before (Body for Life) and haven't really made much progress with them. However, I have learned a lot since the last time I did one. I know what my biggest mistake was with the other program so I'm already a step ahead!!
I have my initial pictures and measurements for the challenge and I will be updating progress here on my blog. My hybrid program will include lifting from P90X and Insanity the Asylum as well as my running. I will also include yoga and plyometrics from P90X. I'm really looking forward to not only completing this challenge but excelling at it as well!!
I've also signed up for Chalene Johnson's Car Smart Program. My hope is that it will help me follow through with this challenge all the way to the end. I received my first installment yesterday and it dealt with confidence and stopping negative self talk. The funny thing is, it isn't anything that I haven't heard before - this time I will actually take it to heart and follow through on the actions.
My exercise sessions have been very good this week. Yesterday I did P90X Shoulders and Arms. I love that workout!! I didn't do Ab Ripper because I was afraid I had strained a muscle the last time I did it so I did a modified ab routine instead. Today was a fartlek workout with my running group. We did a total of 6 miles with about 4 of it being the fartlek section (1 mile warm-up and cool-down). We did the same workout last week but we were a bit faster this time around. I will be upfront right now - exercising usually isn't my problem. Nutrition has been my problem in the past but this time I will be using the concepts outlined in the Car Smart program. I will be using Positive Self-Talk to help change my attitudes about food.
There it is! My plan for the next few months!! Clean eating and intense exercise. I will do my best and not expect perfection. The important part is to commit fully - this was one of my biggest problems with the Body For Life challenges. Sure I told myself that I was committed but I know better now. I did not discipline myself to follow the program and took too many shortcuts. This time nothing will stop this time!!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Reaching Your Goals
Infomercials these days really push getting the body of your dreams in 90 days or getting rich with "X" or technique. However, for some, these dreams are much farther than 90 days a way. I can't vouch for the get rich programs but some (especially the Beachbody products) of the fitness programs are quite good and give great results if you put in the work. But again if you are farther than 60 or 90 days away, it can be discouraging.
I want to encourage you to look for the small steps. If you have 100 pounds to lose, you will never reach that goal if you don't lose the fist 5 pounds. If you want to bench press 200 pounds you will never reach that goal if you don't increase from 150 to 160 pounds. Some goals, like the ones above, are easier to see the progression than others. One of my goals is to be able to do a full pull-up. At least to me, this is a hard one to see progression with - you either make it up or you don't. I will periodically go out to a bar (a chin up bar not a drinking bar - LOL) and try to do a pull-up. I get myself part-way up and still can't quite get my chin over the bar. Have I gotten myself up farther than I could last year? Probably but I don't know that for sure. However, yesterday something pretty cool happened. I have been trying to add some swimming into my routine. It is not an everyday thing but whenever we make it to the pool I like to try and get in a few laps. The pool we belong to has a 50 meter lap lane and last year I would swim a few laps, get tired and need a break. The break didn't need to be a long one but I still needed the break. This summer has been different in that respect. The first time I tried I did 6 laps straight and then stopped. If felt good and I made the decision to try 8 laps the next time which also went well. Yesterday I did 10 without difficulty.
Now here is the cool part! There is a fast lane and a slow lane - I use the fast lane but you never know what the overall speeds are going to be in the lanes. There have been days when really fast swimmers have shown up and days when even the "fast" lane is quite slow. Yesterday was an average day - all the swimmers were able to continuously swim (no one was stopping at the wall) at a nice even pace. This is the part that was really encouraging to me. I was not trying to swim hard - I just wanted to be able to swim 10 consecutive laps - but I found myself catching the swimmers in front of me when I swam freestyle and keeping pace with them when I swam breaststroke. I credit this to my increased back strength (especially with the breaststroke). Then on my last lap, I caught the swimmer in front of me and since there was no one coming at me, I decided to power my way to the end and really surged past the woman and had quite a big gap between us when I hit the wall.
Why bother writing about all this? Last year, I would have never been able to do this after only swimming laps 3 times this summer. I am stronger physically and cardiovascularly. I HAVE made lots of progress. Can I do a pull-up yet? No, but I am getting a lot of satisfaction out of the progress I did make. Look for YOUR progress and enjoy it. Set little goals and celebrate when you reach them. Sometimes we miss the little achievements if we don't look for them - so look for them!! Remember though, once you meet one goal - make another and then another and then another until you reach that big goal. Once you reach that big goal....make another one. There seems to be a pattern here (lol).
What small goals or achievements have you reached lately? I would love to hear about them!
I want to encourage you to look for the small steps. If you have 100 pounds to lose, you will never reach that goal if you don't lose the fist 5 pounds. If you want to bench press 200 pounds you will never reach that goal if you don't increase from 150 to 160 pounds. Some goals, like the ones above, are easier to see the progression than others. One of my goals is to be able to do a full pull-up. At least to me, this is a hard one to see progression with - you either make it up or you don't. I will periodically go out to a bar (a chin up bar not a drinking bar - LOL) and try to do a pull-up. I get myself part-way up and still can't quite get my chin over the bar. Have I gotten myself up farther than I could last year? Probably but I don't know that for sure. However, yesterday something pretty cool happened. I have been trying to add some swimming into my routine. It is not an everyday thing but whenever we make it to the pool I like to try and get in a few laps. The pool we belong to has a 50 meter lap lane and last year I would swim a few laps, get tired and need a break. The break didn't need to be a long one but I still needed the break. This summer has been different in that respect. The first time I tried I did 6 laps straight and then stopped. If felt good and I made the decision to try 8 laps the next time which also went well. Yesterday I did 10 without difficulty.
Now here is the cool part! There is a fast lane and a slow lane - I use the fast lane but you never know what the overall speeds are going to be in the lanes. There have been days when really fast swimmers have shown up and days when even the "fast" lane is quite slow. Yesterday was an average day - all the swimmers were able to continuously swim (no one was stopping at the wall) at a nice even pace. This is the part that was really encouraging to me. I was not trying to swim hard - I just wanted to be able to swim 10 consecutive laps - but I found myself catching the swimmers in front of me when I swam freestyle and keeping pace with them when I swam breaststroke. I credit this to my increased back strength (especially with the breaststroke). Then on my last lap, I caught the swimmer in front of me and since there was no one coming at me, I decided to power my way to the end and really surged past the woman and had quite a big gap between us when I hit the wall.
Why bother writing about all this? Last year, I would have never been able to do this after only swimming laps 3 times this summer. I am stronger physically and cardiovascularly. I HAVE made lots of progress. Can I do a pull-up yet? No, but I am getting a lot of satisfaction out of the progress I did make. Look for YOUR progress and enjoy it. Set little goals and celebrate when you reach them. Sometimes we miss the little achievements if we don't look for them - so look for them!! Remember though, once you meet one goal - make another and then another and then another until you reach that big goal. Once you reach that big goal....make another one. There seems to be a pattern here (lol).
What small goals or achievements have you reached lately? I would love to hear about them!
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Asylum: Day 20 Game Day & Overtime
Today was a really tough workout! If I'm being completely honest...I Did Not feel like working out this morning. However, I knew that I needed to do it and I got myself moving. I'm quite proud of that fact!!!
Game Day in and of itself is really hard but I knew that I was adding Overtime and I think this is why I didn't feel like getting going. I was nervous about the session but that is when you need to push through! We all have days when either we are just plain tired or when we just get that "I don't want to workout" feeling. Assuming your body is trying to send you important signals like "I'm exhausted and I need a rest!", push through on the above days. When you make your body exercise when your head is telling you no....that is when we truly grow and get stronger! Just get started and if you can't keep it going then so be it but at least try!
That was where I found myself after the Game Day session. Once I started Game Day, I was loving it but by the time I was finished, I was toast! But, the wanted to try the Overtime workout so I immediately pushed play. After about 3-5 minutes I just knew that my body couldn't do it. I was not happy that I had to stop but I knew it was for the best.
My important take home message today is to just get up and try! It may turn out great and it might turn out to be crap. The important thing is that you get up and do your best. I know that is cheesy but you know what???? It is the truth!!!!
Game Day in and of itself is really hard but I knew that I was adding Overtime and I think this is why I didn't feel like getting going. I was nervous about the session but that is when you need to push through! We all have days when either we are just plain tired or when we just get that "I don't want to workout" feeling. Assuming your body is trying to send you important signals like "I'm exhausted and I need a rest!", push through on the above days. When you make your body exercise when your head is telling you no....that is when we truly grow and get stronger! Just get started and if you can't keep it going then so be it but at least try!
That was where I found myself after the Game Day session. Once I started Game Day, I was loving it but by the time I was finished, I was toast! But, the wanted to try the Overtime workout so I immediately pushed play. After about 3-5 minutes I just knew that my body couldn't do it. I was not happy that I had to stop but I knew it was for the best.
My important take home message today is to just get up and try! It may turn out great and it might turn out to be crap. The important thing is that you get up and do your best. I know that is cheesy but you know what???? It is the truth!!!!
Friday, July 08, 2011
Asylum Day 19
I've been busy lately! This past week I started Chalene's 30 Day Challenge. It is a program on organization and time management. It has been good! I've had to think about things that I haven't really put concrete thought and action to. A lot of us make to do lists, some do so every day and some do so only every once in a while, but this program is forming it into a set program. I've really been enjoying it and encourage everyone to check it out. BTW, it is free.
As for my workouts - they have been pretty good. I had a great run the other day! I think it was especially satisfying because I didn't really want to go fast that day but the group shot out of the gate. I had a decision to make: stay slow and have them run away from me or change my mindset a get on my horse. I chose to go fast but I'll be honest, I was ticked about it at first but I dropped that attitude as fast as it came on. I just focused on doing my best and I was extremely proud at the end! My average pace was 8:39 and we ran 5 miles. This was made especially difficult by the 74 degree and 100% humidity weather.
Tomorrow I have Asylum Game Day and Overtime on the schedule. I've done Game Day once and it was really hard but I've never done the Overtime session yet. I was exhausted the first time I did Game Day so I'm really nervous about adding another 15 minutes of Overtime onto the first session!
I've made some nutritious snacks today. I made a couple of different bars (one from Leanness Lifestyle and one from Precision Nutrition). The one from PN is a bit high in fat but the carbs are pretty low and the one from LL is a bit more balanced between the protein and carbs. I also made some muffins - I hadn't made these muffins in a long time and boy did they taste good today! They too are more of a balance of protein and carbs with lower fat levels. My goal is to make a week's worth of snacks so that I can have lots of variety but I don't have to make it and it isn't highly processed.
This came about because the the 30 Day Challenge. I'm going to make not only 4 weeks of dinner menus (which I do pretty regularly) but I'm also going to create 2 weeks of "daily meals" that have lots of variety but are all put together so I don't have to think about it.
Gotta run - Peace!
As for my workouts - they have been pretty good. I had a great run the other day! I think it was especially satisfying because I didn't really want to go fast that day but the group shot out of the gate. I had a decision to make: stay slow and have them run away from me or change my mindset a get on my horse. I chose to go fast but I'll be honest, I was ticked about it at first but I dropped that attitude as fast as it came on. I just focused on doing my best and I was extremely proud at the end! My average pace was 8:39 and we ran 5 miles. This was made especially difficult by the 74 degree and 100% humidity weather.
Tomorrow I have Asylum Game Day and Overtime on the schedule. I've done Game Day once and it was really hard but I've never done the Overtime session yet. I was exhausted the first time I did Game Day so I'm really nervous about adding another 15 minutes of Overtime onto the first session!
I've made some nutritious snacks today. I made a couple of different bars (one from Leanness Lifestyle and one from Precision Nutrition). The one from PN is a bit high in fat but the carbs are pretty low and the one from LL is a bit more balanced between the protein and carbs. I also made some muffins - I hadn't made these muffins in a long time and boy did they taste good today! They too are more of a balance of protein and carbs with lower fat levels. My goal is to make a week's worth of snacks so that I can have lots of variety but I don't have to make it and it isn't highly processed.
This came about because the the 30 Day Challenge. I'm going to make not only 4 weeks of dinner menus (which I do pretty regularly) but I'm also going to create 2 weeks of "daily meals" that have lots of variety but are all put together so I don't have to think about it.
Gotta run - Peace!
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Asylum: Day 16 - Vertical Plyo
It has been a few busy days since my last post. My hubby has been on vacation since Thursday and I love having the family together but it can really throw off my exercise routine (especially on the days I usually run first). I can ask the kids to go up and watch TV or something if I'm doing Asylum later in the day. This is much harder to do when the hubby is home too.
Onto my recap....in my last post I talked about my Game Day session. I have to admit that this workout really wiped me out! However, I did push through on Sunday and I got my Strength session done. I had actually thought about increasing my weights this session but boy am I glad I didn't! It was during this session that I REALLY felt how tired my body was from Game Day. Everything was really hard on Sunday but I did my best and am proud of it. I still struggle with the Progressive D-bell rotation - I can keep up the pace on the first rotation but on the 2nd & 3rd rotations I can't keep up the pace (push-ups really slow me down) and don't get in all 8 reps. I just really try to do as many reps as I can and will continue to work on it until I can get all 8 reps for all 3 rounds!!
On Monday my body rebelled a bit. I woke up to exercise but I could not get moving. My body was totally exhausted....or so I thought. I decided to not do my Asylum Speed & Agility workout but in a couple of hours my body was itching to do some exercise. Monday is one of the days that I usually run with the kids so I decided to do something with them. It turned out that my daughter slept until 10 am so before she woke up my son and I went on a 5 mile bike ride. It was not a very high intensity (I think my son is still a little nervous riding out in other neighborhoods) but I got myself out and that is important! When we got back to the house my daughter was awake so the 2 of us set out for a 5 mile bike ride. The intensity was a bit higher. I'm really proud of how she is riding her bike because as of a couple of months ago she was totally scared to ride a bike. So for me it was a total of 10 miles on the bike - I haven't gone that far in a long time.
Monday night we took our 2nd annual Fireworks Express train ride. We take a nice train ride (about an hour 1 way) and then watch a beautiful fireworks display and then ride the train back. It is a wonderful night but it is also a very late night. Which brings me to this mornings workout. I was supposed to run first thing and then do my Asylum Vertical Plyo session. I did not make my run this morning because of the late night but I did do my Asylum workout! I may also try to get a run in a little later but I'm not going to freak out about it if it doesn't get done. We may also go to the pool today and if we do I may substitute some swimming for my run.
One last thing....I have just started the Chalene Johnson 30-Day Challenge. It is a program to help you set and achieve your goals. One of my assignments is to publicly promise to achieve my Push Goal so here it is: I promise to save $30 per month, track my spending and set a budget for myself. I will incorporate updates on this endeavor in my blog to help keep me accountable.
Have a great Tuesday!
Onto my recap....in my last post I talked about my Game Day session. I have to admit that this workout really wiped me out! However, I did push through on Sunday and I got my Strength session done. I had actually thought about increasing my weights this session but boy am I glad I didn't! It was during this session that I REALLY felt how tired my body was from Game Day. Everything was really hard on Sunday but I did my best and am proud of it. I still struggle with the Progressive D-bell rotation - I can keep up the pace on the first rotation but on the 2nd & 3rd rotations I can't keep up the pace (push-ups really slow me down) and don't get in all 8 reps. I just really try to do as many reps as I can and will continue to work on it until I can get all 8 reps for all 3 rounds!!
On Monday my body rebelled a bit. I woke up to exercise but I could not get moving. My body was totally exhausted....or so I thought. I decided to not do my Asylum Speed & Agility workout but in a couple of hours my body was itching to do some exercise. Monday is one of the days that I usually run with the kids so I decided to do something with them. It turned out that my daughter slept until 10 am so before she woke up my son and I went on a 5 mile bike ride. It was not a very high intensity (I think my son is still a little nervous riding out in other neighborhoods) but I got myself out and that is important! When we got back to the house my daughter was awake so the 2 of us set out for a 5 mile bike ride. The intensity was a bit higher. I'm really proud of how she is riding her bike because as of a couple of months ago she was totally scared to ride a bike. So for me it was a total of 10 miles on the bike - I haven't gone that far in a long time.
Monday night we took our 2nd annual Fireworks Express train ride. We take a nice train ride (about an hour 1 way) and then watch a beautiful fireworks display and then ride the train back. It is a wonderful night but it is also a very late night. Which brings me to this mornings workout. I was supposed to run first thing and then do my Asylum Vertical Plyo session. I did not make my run this morning because of the late night but I did do my Asylum workout! I may also try to get a run in a little later but I'm not going to freak out about it if it doesn't get done. We may also go to the pool today and if we do I may substitute some swimming for my run.
One last thing....I have just started the Chalene Johnson 30-Day Challenge. It is a program to help you set and achieve your goals. One of my assignments is to publicly promise to achieve my Push Goal so here it is: I promise to save $30 per month, track my spending and set a budget for myself. I will incorporate updates on this endeavor in my blog to help keep me accountable.
Have a great Tuesday!
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Asylum: Day 13 Game Day!!!
I got back on track yesterday and had a great day! My eating was good and I got back into my Asylum workouts (Back to Core - absolutely love that one!), got in a 2 mile run with the kids and a 1.6 mile bike ride. I would have liked to bike more but we just rode to the library, got some books and rode home. I'm trying not to push the kids too hard - I want them to think of exercise as fun and not a chore because that is the only way they will continue it for a lifetime. I've always said, my kids don't have to be sport super-stars but I want them to be active. I want them to find something that they enjoy and are willing to continue.
So today was Game Day. I've watched the workout but hadn't done it yet so I was kind of nervous. I was right to be nervous - it was a BEAST!!! The workout is broken up into sport groups: running, swimming, soccer etc. Then you do a few different moves - Shaun T. style - that simulate that sport. I was absolutely dripping with sweat when I was finished and boy was I finished!! LOL! My entire body was exhausted! I will admit to needing breaks - my goal will be to get through the entire workout without any extra stops (there are water breaks built into the session).
I was pleased with my ability to recover AFTER breakfast. My hubby and I took the pup out for a walk (aprox. 1.5 miles) and my legs felt good. In fact I still feel pretty good but I am feeling a bit tired - I may take a nap. Tomorrow will be my strength workout and I'm looking forward to that workout. I'm going to stick with my 10# dumbbells and see how I get through everything - I may try to increase the weights a touch on the next strength session.
The other thing I would like to try is the jump rope that came with my Asylum package. I can't use it in my house for the workouts because my ceiling is too low. However, I think I may try to get the rope out and try some of the moves in the program. I would just do it as something extra to get some more footwork in. Agility has never been my strong suit and I think the rope will be good for helping me with that as well as helping me get more power in my legs.
Until next time - have a great July 4th weekend!
So today was Game Day. I've watched the workout but hadn't done it yet so I was kind of nervous. I was right to be nervous - it was a BEAST!!! The workout is broken up into sport groups: running, swimming, soccer etc. Then you do a few different moves - Shaun T. style - that simulate that sport. I was absolutely dripping with sweat when I was finished and boy was I finished!! LOL! My entire body was exhausted! I will admit to needing breaks - my goal will be to get through the entire workout without any extra stops (there are water breaks built into the session).
I was pleased with my ability to recover AFTER breakfast. My hubby and I took the pup out for a walk (aprox. 1.5 miles) and my legs felt good. In fact I still feel pretty good but I am feeling a bit tired - I may take a nap. Tomorrow will be my strength workout and I'm looking forward to that workout. I'm going to stick with my 10# dumbbells and see how I get through everything - I may try to increase the weights a touch on the next strength session.
The other thing I would like to try is the jump rope that came with my Asylum package. I can't use it in my house for the workouts because my ceiling is too low. However, I think I may try to get the rope out and try some of the moves in the program. I would just do it as something extra to get some more footwork in. Agility has never been my strong suit and I think the rope will be good for helping me with that as well as helping me get more power in my legs.
Until next time - have a great July 4th weekend!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Asylum: Day 11 & Self-Talk
Well, here it is day 11 of this awesome program! I can't believe I'm almost 1/2 way thru!! This was a very busy and strange week for me. I saw, first hand, just how much of an effect my self-talk can have on my actions. Here is how the past week or so has gone:
Last Saturday, during my long run, my legs felt a bit tired and sluggish. During our conversations I was telling everyone what the Asylum sessions were like and how much I liked them. I also stated that I was semi-worried because I wasn't getting many breaks (between my group runs, the runs with the kids & the Asylum workouts). Then this week started: MD appointment on Monday, my parents took the kids Tuesday because I had jury duty (I had to then pick them up in the evening), dentist appointment Wednesday and and my hubby is off the rest of the week.
Monday I had a great workout. Tuesday I had a really good run but couldn't do my Asylum workout because of time crunch. Wednesday I had wanted to make up the Vertical Plyo workout that I missed on Tues and then do the scheduled Relief but I ended up doing the Relief workout and most of the P90X stretching workout. Today I did my long run for the week because most of my group is going away for the holiday weekend so again no Asylum workout. I will adjust my workouts for the rest of the week to make up some of these missed Asylum workouts.
Now here is the interesting part. I know, deep down in my soul, that a fair amount of this stress I've been feeling and the missed workouts has stemmed from that initial conversation on the long run. I got it in my head that I wasn't getting enough rest and then "The Beast" took hold. Up until that time, my eating was spot on and my workouts were great. Then all of a sudden I missed some workouts and my eating started to go downhill. It all started IN MY HEAD with my Negative Self-Talk! I made this happen and now it is time for me to use some Positive Self-Talk and get things turned around!
I think my plan is to switch today's workout with Saturday's workout. So, since my long run was today, I'll do the Game Day & Overtime workouts on Saturday. I'll keep Friday's workout as it should be - Back to Core. That will get me back on track in terms of my exercising. I will also get back into planning my meals. I definitely got off track on that one but not anymore!!!
Take home message here - watch what you tell yourself. Even if you know something isn't true tell yourself good things and positive things. Don't let that "Beast" worm its way into you head and lifestyle. Remember, "You Are What You Think About Most"! So when you tell yourself positive and healthy thoughts your body will find a way to fulfill those thoughts and wishes. Write yourself notes, recite mantras - find what works for you but do it! Without your head and thought processes being in synch with your desires and goals, your body won't follow through and it is HIGHLY unlikely that you will attain those goals.
You and I are worth a healthy body AND a healthy mind!
Last Saturday, during my long run, my legs felt a bit tired and sluggish. During our conversations I was telling everyone what the Asylum sessions were like and how much I liked them. I also stated that I was semi-worried because I wasn't getting many breaks (between my group runs, the runs with the kids & the Asylum workouts). Then this week started: MD appointment on Monday, my parents took the kids Tuesday because I had jury duty (I had to then pick them up in the evening), dentist appointment Wednesday and and my hubby is off the rest of the week.
Monday I had a great workout. Tuesday I had a really good run but couldn't do my Asylum workout because of time crunch. Wednesday I had wanted to make up the Vertical Plyo workout that I missed on Tues and then do the scheduled Relief but I ended up doing the Relief workout and most of the P90X stretching workout. Today I did my long run for the week because most of my group is going away for the holiday weekend so again no Asylum workout. I will adjust my workouts for the rest of the week to make up some of these missed Asylum workouts.
Now here is the interesting part. I know, deep down in my soul, that a fair amount of this stress I've been feeling and the missed workouts has stemmed from that initial conversation on the long run. I got it in my head that I wasn't getting enough rest and then "The Beast" took hold. Up until that time, my eating was spot on and my workouts were great. Then all of a sudden I missed some workouts and my eating started to go downhill. It all started IN MY HEAD with my Negative Self-Talk! I made this happen and now it is time for me to use some Positive Self-Talk and get things turned around!
I think my plan is to switch today's workout with Saturday's workout. So, since my long run was today, I'll do the Game Day & Overtime workouts on Saturday. I'll keep Friday's workout as it should be - Back to Core. That will get me back on track in terms of my exercising. I will also get back into planning my meals. I definitely got off track on that one but not anymore!!!
Take home message here - watch what you tell yourself. Even if you know something isn't true tell yourself good things and positive things. Don't let that "Beast" worm its way into you head and lifestyle. Remember, "You Are What You Think About Most"! So when you tell yourself positive and healthy thoughts your body will find a way to fulfill those thoughts and wishes. Write yourself notes, recite mantras - find what works for you but do it! Without your head and thought processes being in synch with your desires and goals, your body won't follow through and it is HIGHLY unlikely that you will attain those goals.
You and I are worth a healthy body AND a healthy mind!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Asylum: Day 7
I've made it through my first week of Asylum - still loving the workouts! There is no question that they are hard as all get out but they are totally different from anything that I would do at a gym or out running on the roads and trails - I think that is what draws me to them most!
It has been a very busy weekend! Yesterday I went for a 10 mile run on a very hilly course. It is a course that I haven't done in a very long time and I'm happy I got a chance to do it again. I felt sort of heavy in the legs because of all the workouts I've been doing. I'm really going to have to pay attention to how my body feels in the upcoming days because I'm really not taking any days totally off. I'm not getting any days off because I'm combining the Asylum workouts with my running so even if there is a scheduled "off" day for the Asylum, I'm probably running. That is what happened yesterday. I put the Asylum rest days on my long run day - not going to be able to do both! My goal is to keep this going until our week at the beach and then not worry about structured workouts and give my body a rest.
Anyway, the run went well. We averaged a little under 10 minutes per mile and I'm quite pleased with that considering the hills on the course. I also made time to stretch before getting back in my car to come home and it made a BIG difference in how I felt. I usually stretch when I get home but find that I really stiffen up on the drive back (I do spend a few minutes stretching immediately after the run). This time I spent a good 15-20 minutes stretching on the adjacent tennis courts and it felt wonderful! I will make sure to do this whenever we meet in a place that allows me to put down a towel and lay down (not in a parking lot).
Then last night I went to a graduation party. I admit that my eating was spot on but I wasn't trying to hold myself to that standard either. I do think it is important to relax some of the time. I did allow myself a dessert even though I wrote in a previous post that I was doing "No Cheats" this week. To be completely honest, I had kind of forgotten about that until just now. Regardless, it was a great time and I feel good about my night. It did show up on the scale this morning but I knew that would happen.
Speaking of this morning....I got up and did my Asylum Strength workout. Last time I did it, I used 5# weights just to get a feel for the session. Today, I moved that up to 10# and I liked this weight better although it was still light for some of the exercises (but good for others). I love the "different" exercises in this session. During the warm-up you do something called a Halo Deadlift. On this exercise, you squat down, stand up and then twist the dumbbell around your head without moving your head. I love to feel the twist in the core area. During the main portion of the workout you do a series of exercises called Progressive Dumbbell rotations (too long to explain). The circuit is completed 3 times (8 reps in each progression) and each time you add something to the progression and by the 3rd rotation it is REALLY hard! I can't do all 8 reps at the speed they do it on the TV (yet) so I had a decision to make. The exercise includes push-ups and if I do the push-ups on my knees I would be able to go faster and probably keep up. However, I decided to not do all 8 reps but to complete each rotation with full push-ups. My next goal will be to try to get faster and faster (with good form of course) and eventually do all 8 reps on all 3 rotations. Finally, the end of the workout consists of chest exercises with your feet in the air to work on the core. They are really hard on the abs (10# is not enough for the chest press though) and boy was I shaking at the end. I did better than the last time though - my legs are higher than the people on the DVD but I was able to hold my legs straighter this time AND on the last exercise I kept my feet up for the entire minute.
Review of the past week: Nutrition - I did really well at the beginning of the week but faltered a bit at the end. I ordered out 1 day because of a long and tiring day and then there was the party food. It made for an OK week - the scale actually shows me up a pound for the week but I know that is water weight from yesterday. I'm keeping very clean today and I will most likely get a better indication over the next couple of days on my weight.
Training - was very good all week! There was only 1 workout that I missed (a run) and that was during a thunderstorm and I did get my Asylum workout in that day so I'm not worried about that at all! I feel like I'm putting in a great effort, on the Asylum sessions and I'm hoping to see a big difference by the end of this 30 days!
Goals for the week: I'm keeping my nutrition goals the same for this week.
Workout goals: I will continue with my schedule of Asylum every day with group runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and sessions (running or biking) with the kids on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'm looking forward to seeing that scale moving downward!!
It has been a very busy weekend! Yesterday I went for a 10 mile run on a very hilly course. It is a course that I haven't done in a very long time and I'm happy I got a chance to do it again. I felt sort of heavy in the legs because of all the workouts I've been doing. I'm really going to have to pay attention to how my body feels in the upcoming days because I'm really not taking any days totally off. I'm not getting any days off because I'm combining the Asylum workouts with my running so even if there is a scheduled "off" day for the Asylum, I'm probably running. That is what happened yesterday. I put the Asylum rest days on my long run day - not going to be able to do both! My goal is to keep this going until our week at the beach and then not worry about structured workouts and give my body a rest.
Anyway, the run went well. We averaged a little under 10 minutes per mile and I'm quite pleased with that considering the hills on the course. I also made time to stretch before getting back in my car to come home and it made a BIG difference in how I felt. I usually stretch when I get home but find that I really stiffen up on the drive back (I do spend a few minutes stretching immediately after the run). This time I spent a good 15-20 minutes stretching on the adjacent tennis courts and it felt wonderful! I will make sure to do this whenever we meet in a place that allows me to put down a towel and lay down (not in a parking lot).
Then last night I went to a graduation party. I admit that my eating was spot on but I wasn't trying to hold myself to that standard either. I do think it is important to relax some of the time. I did allow myself a dessert even though I wrote in a previous post that I was doing "No Cheats" this week. To be completely honest, I had kind of forgotten about that until just now. Regardless, it was a great time and I feel good about my night. It did show up on the scale this morning but I knew that would happen.
Speaking of this morning....I got up and did my Asylum Strength workout. Last time I did it, I used 5# weights just to get a feel for the session. Today, I moved that up to 10# and I liked this weight better although it was still light for some of the exercises (but good for others). I love the "different" exercises in this session. During the warm-up you do something called a Halo Deadlift. On this exercise, you squat down, stand up and then twist the dumbbell around your head without moving your head. I love to feel the twist in the core area. During the main portion of the workout you do a series of exercises called Progressive Dumbbell rotations (too long to explain). The circuit is completed 3 times (8 reps in each progression) and each time you add something to the progression and by the 3rd rotation it is REALLY hard! I can't do all 8 reps at the speed they do it on the TV (yet) so I had a decision to make. The exercise includes push-ups and if I do the push-ups on my knees I would be able to go faster and probably keep up. However, I decided to not do all 8 reps but to complete each rotation with full push-ups. My next goal will be to try to get faster and faster (with good form of course) and eventually do all 8 reps on all 3 rotations. Finally, the end of the workout consists of chest exercises with your feet in the air to work on the core. They are really hard on the abs (10# is not enough for the chest press though) and boy was I shaking at the end. I did better than the last time though - my legs are higher than the people on the DVD but I was able to hold my legs straighter this time AND on the last exercise I kept my feet up for the entire minute.
Review of the past week: Nutrition - I did really well at the beginning of the week but faltered a bit at the end. I ordered out 1 day because of a long and tiring day and then there was the party food. It made for an OK week - the scale actually shows me up a pound for the week but I know that is water weight from yesterday. I'm keeping very clean today and I will most likely get a better indication over the next couple of days on my weight.
Training - was very good all week! There was only 1 workout that I missed (a run) and that was during a thunderstorm and I did get my Asylum workout in that day so I'm not worried about that at all! I feel like I'm putting in a great effort, on the Asylum sessions and I'm hoping to see a big difference by the end of this 30 days!
Goals for the week: I'm keeping my nutrition goals the same for this week.
- I will reduce my dairy intake to no more than 1 serving per day.
- I will avoid ALL fast food (if I go out, I will bring my own food).
- I will continue to drink 1 gallon of water each day.
Workout goals: I will continue with my schedule of Asylum every day with group runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and sessions (running or biking) with the kids on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'm looking forward to seeing that scale moving downward!!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Asylum Day 5
This will be a short one but I wanted to make sure to post something.
Yesterday was a tough day - our AC backed up and soaked our carpet so I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees trying to dry out the carpet with our little carpet cleaner. By the end of the day I was totally exhausted, ended up with subs and chips for dinner and topped it off with a small bowl of ice cream. Not my finest hour but it is over and I'm moving on!
I got up this morning to do my Asylum workout but decided to hold off for 2 reasons. One, my neck and upper back were very tight because of the carpet work the day before. The second reason was that I still felt exhausted from yesterday's work (2 workouts and the carpet). I did get out this morning with the kids for a bike ride. It was going pretty well until about the 4.5 mile mark. I heard this strange noise from my front tire. It sounded like a rubbing noise so I tried to move a couple of things to see if they were rubbing. When that didn't work I decided to slow down and take a look. Just as I was coming to a stop......the front tire popped. BANG! It was quite loud. That brought the bike ride to an abrupt halt - luckily we were only about 1/3 of a mile from the house so we walked the rest of the way.
Then, after a few errands, I was finally able to get to my Asylum workout. It was my second time through Speed and Agility. I felt a bit more comfortable with the actual exercises but I'm not sure I did them any better. I did, however, feel like I was able to start most of the exercises more quickly because I didn't have to watch the DVD and figure out what the actual exercise was. It still kicked my butt and I still needed to take breaks but I'm happy with the workout. I've decided to start keeping track of HR so here it is:
Avg. HR: 147 (included warm-up and cool-down)
Max. HR: 175
Calories burned: 657
Workout time: 46 min.
Pretty cool when you can burn over 650 calories in 45 minutes!
Tomorrow is my long run day so I won't be doing any Asylum workouts but I will start again on Sunday with the Strength workout. The one problem that I'm finding with my current program is finding time to work in some yoga. I know it is really important for my body and I need to find a way to work some in - even just 15-20 minutes would be great!
OK, maybe not so short. Off to get cleaned up. Until tomorrow!
Yesterday was a tough day - our AC backed up and soaked our carpet so I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees trying to dry out the carpet with our little carpet cleaner. By the end of the day I was totally exhausted, ended up with subs and chips for dinner and topped it off with a small bowl of ice cream. Not my finest hour but it is over and I'm moving on!
I got up this morning to do my Asylum workout but decided to hold off for 2 reasons. One, my neck and upper back were very tight because of the carpet work the day before. The second reason was that I still felt exhausted from yesterday's work (2 workouts and the carpet). I did get out this morning with the kids for a bike ride. It was going pretty well until about the 4.5 mile mark. I heard this strange noise from my front tire. It sounded like a rubbing noise so I tried to move a couple of things to see if they were rubbing. When that didn't work I decided to slow down and take a look. Just as I was coming to a stop......the front tire popped. BANG! It was quite loud. That brought the bike ride to an abrupt halt - luckily we were only about 1/3 of a mile from the house so we walked the rest of the way.
Then, after a few errands, I was finally able to get to my Asylum workout. It was my second time through Speed and Agility. I felt a bit more comfortable with the actual exercises but I'm not sure I did them any better. I did, however, feel like I was able to start most of the exercises more quickly because I didn't have to watch the DVD and figure out what the actual exercise was. It still kicked my butt and I still needed to take breaks but I'm happy with the workout. I've decided to start keeping track of HR so here it is:
Avg. HR: 147 (included warm-up and cool-down)
Max. HR: 175
Calories burned: 657
Workout time: 46 min.
Pretty cool when you can burn over 650 calories in 45 minutes!
Tomorrow is my long run day so I won't be doing any Asylum workouts but I will start again on Sunday with the Strength workout. The one problem that I'm finding with my current program is finding time to work in some yoga. I know it is really important for my body and I need to find a way to work some in - even just 15-20 minutes would be great!
OK, maybe not so short. Off to get cleaned up. Until tomorrow!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Asylum Day 4: Vertical Plyo
This program is definitely living up to its name! Vertical Plyo is a bear and I loved every minute of it (well maybe not EVERY minute - LOL). I have to admit that I was having second thoughts during the "warm-up" because let me tell you it's NO warm-up. It's just plain hard all by itself! It consisted of a lot of bent leg exercises (lunge type position; squatting positions where you are jumping up and down or twisting side to side; squat hops with the ladder where you just don't come up and on and on). Your quads and hamstrings are just on fire before the workout even starts! At one point Shaun T says some thing like: "If you're tired now you should just throw in the towel now because it isn't getting any easier." I was a bit worried at that point because I was tired! It sure did feel good when the stretching started!
This workout is different in that you don't do circuits and then go back and repeat them. You pretty much just keep moving for the entire 40ish minutes. There are only a couple of breaks in the whole workout. Instead of water breaks, Shaun uses active recovery. These exercises are definitely easier but they aren't easy. The other thing I found very difficult with this workout was the fact that I was getting dizzy with some of the jump/twist exercises. You use the ladder and jump with a twist in and out of the boxes (different variations are performed throughout the workout). Usually you would do 1 direction for 30 seconds and then do the other direction for the last 30 seconds. I could not go in the same direction for a full 30 seconds so I changed the exercise just a touch. I ended up altnernating the way I turned and just kept doing that for the full minute. It allowed me to keep moving for the full time without falling down and breaking my nose or some such thing as that.
Speaking of that dreaded, oh I mean wonderful, ladder - this workout incorporated long jumps both forward and laterally. Shaun recommends shortening the ladder until you work up to the point where you can make the entire distance. So I did that! I shortened up the ladder 1 spot for the forward jumps but had to shorten it 2 spots for the lateral jumps. I'm not sure if the lateral jumps were harder because of my lack of strength or because they were at the end of the session (or a combination of the 2).
The session ends with some very high intensity jumping. There are 2 legged tuck jumps and a couple of different 1 legged jumps. Shaun also adds the ladder to these to make it that much more challenging. You would do part of the time out of the ladder and then move it into the ladder, obviously trying not to touch the ladder each time. It is absolutely amazing how much difficulty that ladder adds. Not only are the exercises hard but there is an added focus that you need to incorporate whenever you use the ladder.
In the end, the workout took a touch under 40 minutes and I burned 569 calories. It was an awesome workout - can't say I'm looking forward to doing it again (seriously though I am looking forward to being able to progress this workout). I have found, with all of these workouts, areas that I need improvements in - speed and agility being one of them and that is tomorrow's workout!
I'm also continuing my running both with my running group and with my kids. Yesterday (can't remember if I posted this yesterday) I went out with the kids and I ran 4 miles. The kids combined some running and some bike riding - we do two 2 mile loops and they run/walk the first one and ride the second one. Then this morning I ran with my group. We ran 3 miles and stopped with that because it was VERY hot and humid. I'm thinking about just riding tomorrow with the kids because they really struggled with the heat yesterday and because I want to keep it fun for them.
Last but not least - nutrition is still going really well. I need to start logging my food on MyFitnessPal though because I want to make sure I'm not shorting myself on calories. It can be a very fine line between reducing calorie intake for fat loss and getting too low and causing muscle breakdown. I also find that when I exercise intensely and reduce my calories too much I get sick. So far I've been doing well and I certainly want to keep that going!
Until tomorrow.....
This workout is different in that you don't do circuits and then go back and repeat them. You pretty much just keep moving for the entire 40ish minutes. There are only a couple of breaks in the whole workout. Instead of water breaks, Shaun uses active recovery. These exercises are definitely easier but they aren't easy. The other thing I found very difficult with this workout was the fact that I was getting dizzy with some of the jump/twist exercises. You use the ladder and jump with a twist in and out of the boxes (different variations are performed throughout the workout). Usually you would do 1 direction for 30 seconds and then do the other direction for the last 30 seconds. I could not go in the same direction for a full 30 seconds so I changed the exercise just a touch. I ended up altnernating the way I turned and just kept doing that for the full minute. It allowed me to keep moving for the full time without falling down and breaking my nose or some such thing as that.
Speaking of that dreaded, oh I mean wonderful, ladder - this workout incorporated long jumps both forward and laterally. Shaun recommends shortening the ladder until you work up to the point where you can make the entire distance. So I did that! I shortened up the ladder 1 spot for the forward jumps but had to shorten it 2 spots for the lateral jumps. I'm not sure if the lateral jumps were harder because of my lack of strength or because they were at the end of the session (or a combination of the 2).
The session ends with some very high intensity jumping. There are 2 legged tuck jumps and a couple of different 1 legged jumps. Shaun also adds the ladder to these to make it that much more challenging. You would do part of the time out of the ladder and then move it into the ladder, obviously trying not to touch the ladder each time. It is absolutely amazing how much difficulty that ladder adds. Not only are the exercises hard but there is an added focus that you need to incorporate whenever you use the ladder.
In the end, the workout took a touch under 40 minutes and I burned 569 calories. It was an awesome workout - can't say I'm looking forward to doing it again (seriously though I am looking forward to being able to progress this workout). I have found, with all of these workouts, areas that I need improvements in - speed and agility being one of them and that is tomorrow's workout!
I'm also continuing my running both with my running group and with my kids. Yesterday (can't remember if I posted this yesterday) I went out with the kids and I ran 4 miles. The kids combined some running and some bike riding - we do two 2 mile loops and they run/walk the first one and ride the second one. Then this morning I ran with my group. We ran 3 miles and stopped with that because it was VERY hot and humid. I'm thinking about just riding tomorrow with the kids because they really struggled with the heat yesterday and because I want to keep it fun for them.
Last but not least - nutrition is still going really well. I need to start logging my food on MyFitnessPal though because I want to make sure I'm not shorting myself on calories. It can be a very fine line between reducing calorie intake for fat loss and getting too low and causing muscle breakdown. I also find that when I exercise intensely and reduce my calories too much I get sick. So far I've been doing well and I certainly want to keep that going!
Until tomorrow.....
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Asylum Days 2 & 3
Just as I counted down to Baltimore, I'm going to try and blog about each day of Asylum. I will tell you right now that I did have to switch a couple of things to make sure I got my running in as well. I do my long runs on Saturdays and didn't want to do an intense workout and a long run in the same day so those are rest and relief days.
So far, things have been going very well! Day 1 was Speed & Agility, Day 2 was Strength and Day 3 was Back to Core. The Strength workout was very intense - I kept my weight light (only 5#) for the first time through just to get a feel for the workout. It was still a very hard workout and I definitely "felt" the burn.
I completed the Day 3 Back to Core workout this morning and I really think this is going to be one of my favorites. It is still really hard, as are all the Insanity/Asylum workouts, but there isn't the jumping and running around that most of the workouts have. It was very slow and methodical but the burn that your muscles get is fantastic.
As I become more familiar with the workouts I will try to pull out specific parts of the sessions that I found either really challenging or just plain fun and discuss them more. I'll be honest and tell you that I have troubles at times getting started with the exercises because I'm still trying to figure out what they are doing. I found this especially true during Speed & Agility. I don't have the footwork down so I had to figure out what they were doing before I could start.
Nutrition has been awesome as well. I've had 2 days now with super clean plans and I'm feeling really pumped about it. There have definitely been times when I wanted to have that cheat but I've stayed away. I've also read a great post recently about cheating on your nutrition plan. At least for right now I'm going to employ the no cheating strategy. I'm in the process of coming up with some new goals and I know that the better eating strategy will put me over the top. I know deep down that this has been the main thing that has kept me from reaching my goals.
I am looking forward to the next 30 days!
So far, things have been going very well! Day 1 was Speed & Agility, Day 2 was Strength and Day 3 was Back to Core. The Strength workout was very intense - I kept my weight light (only 5#) for the first time through just to get a feel for the workout. It was still a very hard workout and I definitely "felt" the burn.
I completed the Day 3 Back to Core workout this morning and I really think this is going to be one of my favorites. It is still really hard, as are all the Insanity/Asylum workouts, but there isn't the jumping and running around that most of the workouts have. It was very slow and methodical but the burn that your muscles get is fantastic.
As I become more familiar with the workouts I will try to pull out specific parts of the sessions that I found either really challenging or just plain fun and discuss them more. I'll be honest and tell you that I have troubles at times getting started with the exercises because I'm still trying to figure out what they are doing. I found this especially true during Speed & Agility. I don't have the footwork down so I had to figure out what they were doing before I could start.
Nutrition has been awesome as well. I've had 2 days now with super clean plans and I'm feeling really pumped about it. There have definitely been times when I wanted to have that cheat but I've stayed away. I've also read a great post recently about cheating on your nutrition plan. At least for right now I'm going to employ the no cheating strategy. I'm in the process of coming up with some new goals and I know that the better eating strategy will put me over the top. I know deep down that this has been the main thing that has kept me from reaching my goals.
I am looking forward to the next 30 days!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Moving On.....
I would be lying if I didn't admit to still being a bit frustrated about this weekend's race. However, there is nothing to be gained by dwelling on things past. On we move!
Today has been AWESOME!!!! I started Insanity: The Asylum today and it was great! The first workout is Speed & Agility (which I have little of btw). It incorporates the agility ladder and boy does that make a huge difference. This workout uses some of the same ab exercises but you have to put your feet into different sections of the ladder. This made an unbelievable difference - really wakes you us to the fact that you were slackin' off as you got tired.
I just thought I sweated with Insanity. I was absolutely drench after this mornings workout. I did have 1 problem though - my room isn't really big enough. I had to move the ladder around in the room for some of the exercises. Like when I had to switch from my hands in the ladder to my feet being in the ladder. I don't have enough room on both side of the ladder to make the switch without stopping - truthfully I'm glad to get a little extra rest (LOL!).
I have also made a promise to myself - I am going to really focus on my nutrition. I'm taking this first week to really focus on a few points:
Tomorrow is a running day but I am also going to incorporate the Asylum workout. It is the strength workout. I'm not sure what amount of weight I'll use but I know I'm going to keep it light, at least for the first time through. I know this is going to be a really tough 30 days but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Here's to the next 30 days!!
Today has been AWESOME!!!! I started Insanity: The Asylum today and it was great! The first workout is Speed & Agility (which I have little of btw). It incorporates the agility ladder and boy does that make a huge difference. This workout uses some of the same ab exercises but you have to put your feet into different sections of the ladder. This made an unbelievable difference - really wakes you us to the fact that you were slackin' off as you got tired.
I just thought I sweated with Insanity. I was absolutely drench after this mornings workout. I did have 1 problem though - my room isn't really big enough. I had to move the ladder around in the room for some of the exercises. Like when I had to switch from my hands in the ladder to my feet being in the ladder. I don't have enough room on both side of the ladder to make the switch without stopping - truthfully I'm glad to get a little extra rest (LOL!).
I have also made a promise to myself - I am going to really focus on my nutrition. I'm taking this first week to really focus on a few points:
- I will reduce my dairy intake to no more than 1 serving per day.
- I will avoid ALL fast food (if I go out, I will bring my own food).
- I will continue to drink 1 gallon of water each day.
Tomorrow is a running day but I am also going to incorporate the Asylum workout. It is the strength workout. I'm not sure what amount of weight I'll use but I know I'm going to keep it light, at least for the first time through. I know this is going to be a really tough 30 days but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Here's to the next 30 days!!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Baltimore Recap
We (me and 2 friends) left for Baltimore at 5 am and it felt wonderful! There was a slight breeze and there were some clouds in the sky. We were hopeful that the heat and humidity would stay low. There was even some rain in the forecast so things looked really good.
The drive down was good - the traffic was light and we made good time. We got there with plenty of time to spare (a little less than an hour before the start). The sun had come out, even though we drove through some light rain on the way down, but there was a nice little breeze and it felt great in the shade. We made our way to the starting area and the temperature increased dramatically. At that point, my hope of a cooler run disappeared. I knew we were in for a tough morning!
I love this race because the organizers are always trying to make the next one better. Each year they ask for runner feedback and then they actually try to fix the problems!!! This year's big change was a wave start and I was very impressed with how well it went! The race has over 5,000 people and this was the first time I haven't felt like I spent the first 3 miles dodging people that had no business starting so close to the front. Now, don't get me wrong, I want people of all shapes, sizes and abilities taking part in these events (I get a great deal of inspiration from a lot of these runners and walkers). However, if you are a walker or are a runner that needs to walk within the first couple of miles - PLEASE start farther back! Race starts are crazy enough as it is! I also realize that there are people that use the run/walk method recommended by Jeff Galloway and these are good runners who can put up some really good times. But again, when there is a very finite amount of space it is really hard to get into a good rhythm when you have to weave in and out of slower runners (especially when the race uses chip timing).
Sorry - I'm off my soap box now!
Back to the race - this year's start was great! My wave started off well and it was quite easy to find a good pace. They also had pacers which was very helpful! I tried to stay with the 1:20:00 pacer and was doing very well until around mile 5. This happens to be a very sunny area where you run down the hill, around a lake and then go back up the hill. The hill is quite long and really doesn't offer much shade. Between the pace, the sun and the hill I hit a serious wall and had to walk. I felt VERY overheated and I knew that walking was my only option.
The water stations did provide some relief. I carry my own water, so I usually run right through the water stops, but I started grabbing 2 cups of water and dumping them on my head. This would cool me off enough to be able to start running again. The timing, of the stations, was pretty good - I would start to fade pretty close to the water stops, dump more water and start to run again. I used this technique for probably the last 3-4 miles of the race.
I'm proud of the fact that I never gave up - although the thought did cross my mind. I just concentrated on putting 1 foot in front of the other. I knew that I just needed to keep moving and I would get there. The funny thing is that I would look at my watch and knew I was still keeping a descent time. So I just kept pushing and before I knew it I was turning the last corner on the last hill. The finish was right down the road!
My Garmin clicked over to 10 miles a little before the race finish and the time read 1:29:32 - about a 1/4 mile later I crossed the finish line at 1:31:42. It's not the 1:20:00 that I had hoped for but I am happy. I left it all out on the course and that is all I can ask from myself!!
The other thing that really encouraged me was how well I recovered after the race. There were times, during the race, that I felt pretty darn crappy but within 15 to 20 minutes I felt really good! I drank my recovery drink, drank lots of water and had a few chips for the salt. But other than my legs being tight from the exertion, I felt really good. As I sit here Sunday morning, my calves are tight but overall even the stiffness isn't that bad. I can't even say that my legs are "sore" - it really is mostly calf tightness.
What have I learned? I really think the Insanity workouts have helped my ability to recover after an intense workout. I really like this and know that I need to continue with these types of sessions. I also realize that, over the past couple of years, the heat/sun has kicked my butt. I train before the sun comes up so my body really isn't used to running in the other conditions. Also, most of our training runs are done between a 9 and a 9:30 pace (I was shooting for an 8-8:30 pace). When these 2 factors are combined it causes a problem for my body. I can't really change my workout time too much - life always seems to get in the way. But, pace is a factor that I can control. Before my next race, whatever that may be, I will work on training at my race pace. My hope is that if I only have 1 factor (heat/sun) to compensate for, my body will be better able too deal with the situation and I will come out with better results.
Well, there it is.....my day at the Baltimore 10 Miler. Thanks for reading!
The drive down was good - the traffic was light and we made good time. We got there with plenty of time to spare (a little less than an hour before the start). The sun had come out, even though we drove through some light rain on the way down, but there was a nice little breeze and it felt great in the shade. We made our way to the starting area and the temperature increased dramatically. At that point, my hope of a cooler run disappeared. I knew we were in for a tough morning!
I love this race because the organizers are always trying to make the next one better. Each year they ask for runner feedback and then they actually try to fix the problems!!! This year's big change was a wave start and I was very impressed with how well it went! The race has over 5,000 people and this was the first time I haven't felt like I spent the first 3 miles dodging people that had no business starting so close to the front. Now, don't get me wrong, I want people of all shapes, sizes and abilities taking part in these events (I get a great deal of inspiration from a lot of these runners and walkers). However, if you are a walker or are a runner that needs to walk within the first couple of miles - PLEASE start farther back! Race starts are crazy enough as it is! I also realize that there are people that use the run/walk method recommended by Jeff Galloway and these are good runners who can put up some really good times. But again, when there is a very finite amount of space it is really hard to get into a good rhythm when you have to weave in and out of slower runners (especially when the race uses chip timing).
Sorry - I'm off my soap box now!
Back to the race - this year's start was great! My wave started off well and it was quite easy to find a good pace. They also had pacers which was very helpful! I tried to stay with the 1:20:00 pacer and was doing very well until around mile 5. This happens to be a very sunny area where you run down the hill, around a lake and then go back up the hill. The hill is quite long and really doesn't offer much shade. Between the pace, the sun and the hill I hit a serious wall and had to walk. I felt VERY overheated and I knew that walking was my only option.
The water stations did provide some relief. I carry my own water, so I usually run right through the water stops, but I started grabbing 2 cups of water and dumping them on my head. This would cool me off enough to be able to start running again. The timing, of the stations, was pretty good - I would start to fade pretty close to the water stops, dump more water and start to run again. I used this technique for probably the last 3-4 miles of the race.
I'm proud of the fact that I never gave up - although the thought did cross my mind. I just concentrated on putting 1 foot in front of the other. I knew that I just needed to keep moving and I would get there. The funny thing is that I would look at my watch and knew I was still keeping a descent time. So I just kept pushing and before I knew it I was turning the last corner on the last hill. The finish was right down the road!
My Garmin clicked over to 10 miles a little before the race finish and the time read 1:29:32 - about a 1/4 mile later I crossed the finish line at 1:31:42. It's not the 1:20:00 that I had hoped for but I am happy. I left it all out on the course and that is all I can ask from myself!!
The other thing that really encouraged me was how well I recovered after the race. There were times, during the race, that I felt pretty darn crappy but within 15 to 20 minutes I felt really good! I drank my recovery drink, drank lots of water and had a few chips for the salt. But other than my legs being tight from the exertion, I felt really good. As I sit here Sunday morning, my calves are tight but overall even the stiffness isn't that bad. I can't even say that my legs are "sore" - it really is mostly calf tightness.
What have I learned? I really think the Insanity workouts have helped my ability to recover after an intense workout. I really like this and know that I need to continue with these types of sessions. I also realize that, over the past couple of years, the heat/sun has kicked my butt. I train before the sun comes up so my body really isn't used to running in the other conditions. Also, most of our training runs are done between a 9 and a 9:30 pace (I was shooting for an 8-8:30 pace). When these 2 factors are combined it causes a problem for my body. I can't really change my workout time too much - life always seems to get in the way. But, pace is a factor that I can control. Before my next race, whatever that may be, I will work on training at my race pace. My hope is that if I only have 1 factor (heat/sun) to compensate for, my body will be better able too deal with the situation and I will come out with better results.
Well, there it is.....my day at the Baltimore 10 Miler. Thanks for reading!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Tomorrow is the Big Day!!!
Tomorrow morning I will be leaving bright and early (5 am) for the Baltimore 10 Miler! I still can't believe how fast the time has gone! I have a dry erase board that I've (with my son's help) been counting down the days on and we were just commenting about it starting in the 100's. I've put in a lot of hard work and I'm going to be pleased with however it turns out because I know I have worked hard and progressed in so many ways! There are good days and bad days in running and I don't always have control over that. The best we can do is prepare the best we can and give it all we've got.
I will admit that the nerve have already started which is a good thing! I haven't really felt this way about a race in a long time. For most of last year I was dealing with my foot problem so I didn't go into races with high expectations. This time is different! My training and nutrition wasn't perfect but I'm OK with how things went. Now all I have to do is lay it out there and see where the cards fall. I will be keeping Shawn T. in my head. In the Insanity workouts he is constantly telling you that you can do more than you think you can and when things get tough I will just keep those statements in my head and push through.
Off to finish getting ready - most of my stuff is together but I want to do as much as I can tonight so I don't have to rush around in the morning.
I will admit that the nerve have already started which is a good thing! I haven't really felt this way about a race in a long time. For most of last year I was dealing with my foot problem so I didn't go into races with high expectations. This time is different! My training and nutrition wasn't perfect but I'm OK with how things went. Now all I have to do is lay it out there and see where the cards fall. I will be keeping Shawn T. in my head. In the Insanity workouts he is constantly telling you that you can do more than you think you can and when things get tough I will just keep those statements in my head and push through.
Off to finish getting ready - most of my stuff is together but I want to do as much as I can tonight so I don't have to rush around in the morning.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Only 2 days until race day!!
I had planned on doing 4 easy miles today but things didn't really work out that way. We met at our usual place and headed out for our moderately hilly route. The pace was nice and easy until we go to the one hill on the route. My hill attacker buddy (we both love to pick it up on the hills) took off and was running ahead of everybody alone. I decided to pick it up a notch and catch up with her. We kept that pace for the rest of the run and finished the 5 miles (yes 5 not 4) in about 45 minutes (9:12 pace). It felt really good - we were chatting the whole way so I'm confident for Saturday (as long as it isn't too hot).
Tomorrow I think I'll do some stretching or some yoga to help get stretched out for Saturday. My lower legs have been a bit stiff lately, especially when I add in trail running. I also have to keep in mind that I have added a lot more running than I have been doing. Even though it is a walk/run it is added pounding to my legs so I need to be careful. I was actually thinking about asking the kids if they would like to exchange a run for a bike ride tomorrow.
Off to cut the grass!
Tomorrow I think I'll do some stretching or some yoga to help get stretched out for Saturday. My lower legs have been a bit stiff lately, especially when I add in trail running. I also have to keep in mind that I have added a lot more running than I have been doing. Even though it is a walk/run it is added pounding to my legs so I need to be careful. I was actually thinking about asking the kids if they would like to exchange a run for a bike ride tomorrow.
Off to cut the grass!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
3 Days and Insanity: The Asylum
I have been so slacking on my posts!!! I have continued with my workouts and have been running with the kids. Sunday I actually slept in and it was wonderful - I can't tell you the last time I actually rolled back over in bed and stayed there!! So as a result, Sunday was a complete rest day. On Monday, I went for a run/walk with the kids and the dog (covered just shy of 4 miles), Tuesday we had an awesome run that was about 5.5 miles and today I did a modified Asylum workout (more on that in a bit) and went running on the trails with the kids and the dog. The run was about 2.5 miles and we actually did a fair amount of walking because Will was getting tired. I think he is developing some allergies and that isn't helping either. I'm trying really hard not to press because I want it to be fun. The "funny" thing is that I really believe that Ally wants to run more (as long as it is flat) and I never thought that would be the way it would turn out. So, now I'm up to date on the workout report! Almost.....
I got my Asylum program in the mail yesterday and have been watching the different workouts just to get a feel of what will be involved. I've been itching to try one but I'm afraid I'd get too sore this close to the race. However, I couldn't resist so I did a modified rendition of Back to Core. It was modified in that I didn't do all the reps or hold things quite as long as they did on the DVD. I did try everything in the workout and was pleasantly surprised with how I did with a couple of the exercises. The Agility workout looks insane and I can't wait to do Game Day!! I am really glad to see that the Relief workout is all stretching. I think it is 25 minutes which is a nice amount of time. I enjoy the P90X stretching workout but some of the stretches work on areas that I don't really need right now and the Asylum routine looked pretty good.
I think I'm going to start to cut back a bit the rest of this week. I'm planning on doing a flat 4 miles tomorrow and maybe try some of the agility ladder drills - not the workouts just some instructional drills that Shaun T shows on the workouts. They are just to get you used to some of the exercises and to become more comfortable using it without stepping on the ladder. I think I may do a yoga workout on Friday and a run/walk with the kids. Then the race is on Saturday! Depending on how I feel on Sunday, I may do the Fit Test for Asylum but if I'm really sore then I'll so a stretching day and start on Monday.
In the home stretch! I haven't set any other goals yet but it may just be getting through the Asylum program. I think this will be tough with my run on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday. I have to take a closer look at the schedule and see where I'm going to fit everything in. Have a great day!
I got my Asylum program in the mail yesterday and have been watching the different workouts just to get a feel of what will be involved. I've been itching to try one but I'm afraid I'd get too sore this close to the race. However, I couldn't resist so I did a modified rendition of Back to Core. It was modified in that I didn't do all the reps or hold things quite as long as they did on the DVD. I did try everything in the workout and was pleasantly surprised with how I did with a couple of the exercises. The Agility workout looks insane and I can't wait to do Game Day!! I am really glad to see that the Relief workout is all stretching. I think it is 25 minutes which is a nice amount of time. I enjoy the P90X stretching workout but some of the stretches work on areas that I don't really need right now and the Asylum routine looked pretty good.
I think I'm going to start to cut back a bit the rest of this week. I'm planning on doing a flat 4 miles tomorrow and maybe try some of the agility ladder drills - not the workouts just some instructional drills that Shaun T shows on the workouts. They are just to get you used to some of the exercises and to become more comfortable using it without stepping on the ladder. I think I may do a yoga workout on Friday and a run/walk with the kids. Then the race is on Saturday! Depending on how I feel on Sunday, I may do the Fit Test for Asylum but if I'm really sore then I'll so a stretching day and start on Monday.
In the home stretch! I haven't set any other goals yet but it may just be getting through the Asylum program. I think this will be tough with my run on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday. I have to take a closer look at the schedule and see where I'm going to fit everything in. Have a great day!
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