Hows and Whats: No S and BodyPump at home!

Well, if you've read this blog with any sort of consistency, you've probably gathered that I have a bit of diet and exercise ADD. I can't let it bother me too much though, because I'm still in the ongoing phase of figuring out what works best for me, with regards to eating, working out and managing my weight. That said, let's see what I've been up to this month, shall we?

How I'm currently eating:

The No S Diet. I know, sounds like a fad, right? Those were my thoughts initially, until I scrolled through the website and saw how unbelievably simple it was: No Snacks, No Seconds and No Sweets, except on days that start with S. Three meals a day, five days a week. You can also make exception days as needed, for holidays and special occasions, so no need to ever feel guilty. And "No Sweets" is not to be confused with "No Sugar." It's not quite that strict, it's just a way of keeping consumption of Twinkies and the like down to a minimum.

I actually tried No S a while back, sometime in February/March and initially had good results. But once the numbers on the scale stopped moving, I panicked, stopped watching my diet altogether (this was around the same time we bought our house and moved), and eventually went back to what was familiar (calorie counting).

As you'll probably remember from my last post, I jumped on the SparkPeople wagon as part of returning to calorie counting. Well, once again, the numbers started to make me anxious, I would overeat, then overexercise and/or skip meals to try and keep my calories balanced. This was not fun, at all.

So far, No-S has made the most sense and has required the least amount of work and stress. I don't do well with Intuitive Eating; it sounds great on paper, but once I put it into practice, I find myself snacking more, thinking about food constantly and justifying not-so-healthy foods more often than I normally would. With No S, I have just the right amount of discipline and don't have to stress as much about indulging on the weekends, which is when I tend to crave treats anyway. It allows me to work with my desire to indulge, instead of constantly working against it.

I re-started No S at the beginning of this month, and so far, I'm doing well. And to prevent a relapse like last time, I'm reminding myself to have much more patience. The weight will come off slower than it would otherwise with excessive precise restriction, but I'll be more likely to keep the loss off.

It's been quite a relief; this is the closest I've felt to being a "normal" eater. I'm still eating healthy, balanced meals during the week and with each "free" weekend, I'm enjoying treats, but noticing I can be satisfied with less and less, as each weekend goes by. Some things just aren't as appealing as they once were, which leaves more room for better quality meals and desserts. But if I happen to cave into a slice of grocery-store birthday cake, it's still no big whoop.

I know it probably just sounds like another one of my phases, but I'm continuing to give it a genuine effort, as I'd like to finally settle into a way of eating that helps me achieve weight-loss (without hating myself) and can be maintained for the rest of my life.

I'm still using SparkPeople for support and to track my days of sticking with No-S. There's even a No-S Spark Team for additional discussion and encouragement.

If it's something you think you might be interested in, just reading the information on the website should be enough. I borrowed the book from the library and while it was a good read, it just went into more detail about the developing history of the snack industry (how we got fatter as they got richer), the effects of excessive sugar on the body (which, we can agree isn't good for anyone), and how seconds jack up our portion control and mess with our hunger/fullness cues. There's also a discussion board on the website, should you have any additional questions.

SO. That's where I'm at with eating. And it feels pretty damn good. But what makes me feel even better?

What I'm Currently Loving:

Les Mills Pump at-home workout system. Oh. My. God. In a word, obsessed. I tried a BodyPump class in-person ages ago and loved it, but the class schedule never worked for me, so it remained unrequited love... Until now!

When I heard there would be a BodyPump at-home system, I was skeptical. Will it be as challenging as the class? How broke will it make me? Will I get sick of it?

So far, YES, it is as challenging as the class! And as with any weight-training workout, you just need to continue to add weight to your bar to increase your fitness level. Great instructors with near-perfect cueing and the beat-driven music makes it easier to keep your reps consistent. Most challenging tracks for me so far? During the Pump & Shred disc, the lunges are pretty rough, as is the chest track. After doing what feels like a million chest presses, Joel makes you jump to the floor and bust out push-ups; ultimate muscle burnout!

Next, the cost. Always an area of concern, especially when considering big packaged deals from Beachbody. Luckily, you can try it for a trial period at a discounted price. Since I already own the smaller type of barbell that's used in the workouts, I just needed the DVDs, so off to eBay I went. I would definitely look into eBay as an option first and do some comparison shopping for the barbell; you might be able to save quite a bit of cash. It ended up being more than I usually spend on workout DVDs (I think my eBay deal came out to about $20/disc), but I was in a fitness rut and desperate to try something new that I could actually grow to love. And I definitely love it something fierce!

I've been doing 3-4 of the DVDs for about 3 weeks now and haven't gotten sick of it at all. I just love the pace and the challenge so much that I have to force myself to take rest or cross-training days! So far, my favorite disc is Pump & Shred. It's 45 minutes and leaves my muscles shaking and dripping with sweat every time. Pump & Burn is my next favorite, as it's about 30 minutes long and perfect for mornings where I'm short on time, but still want a challenge.

Results so far? I'm down almost 3% body fat! And I was able to increase my weight load this morning, so I know I'm getting stronger, which is awesome. My upper body is finally making progress! I can't say enough about how great I think this system is; to find something that gives awesome results AND is actually kinda fun is, well, pretty damn rare for me.

I'd like to do more of a detailed review, but a) I haven't tried all of the discs yet and b) Fit Bottomed Girls already did a pretty good job of hashing out the details.

All in all, I can say that July is shaping up to be one of the better months I've experienced in a while, in terms of eating habits and exercise. I'm much more at ease with food, thanks to No S and my body is loving the Pump workouts. Feeling both lean and strong at the same time is the ultimate confidence boost.

I plan to check in again within the next few weeks to follow up on my progress, both with No S and Pump. I also have the Insanity Workout System on order (thanks again, eBay!), so I'm looking forward to sharing that experience as well.

Hope everyone's summer is going well!

Hows & Whats.

Time for another edition of Hows & Whats.

HOW I'm currently eating:
DISCLAIMER: As with any nutritional plan, always seek guidance from a professional first; this way of eating is what currently works for *me* and may not be the best option for you.

Oh, food. You and I always seem to be at odds, depending on the week and where my head is at. For the time being, I'm aiming for higher protein and less sugar, using Jackie Warner's book as a guide:



I actually bought this book shortly after it was released, just never got around to doing a proper review. I know it probably comes across as just another fad, but it's actually a pretty decent read when it comes to food. And nothing is banned; the main goal is to eat less refined sugar and processed foods, which pretty much every one can benefit from. I'm fond of this plan because it works best for my current way of eating (eat clean for 5 days, then allow for some treats on the weekends), but also forces me to improve my meal composition (less sugar, more protein, more veggies and focusing on whole grains & fruits for carb sources). Each day, I aim to eat 4 servings of lean protein, 3 servings of veggies (though I allow myself more if I want), 2 servings of fruit, 2 servings of healthy carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, pasta, wheat bread or wraps, etc.) and 1 serving of healthy fat (olive oil, nuts, avocado).

It's not rocket science by any means, but since my fitness goals include improving my sprinting speeds and increasing my lean muscle mass, Jackie's nutrition plan is pretty much spot-on for properly fueling my workouts. Before following her plan, I was eating healthy (for the most part), but had cut back on protein and found myself eating more carbs, in addition to drinking more alcohol and overeating on the weekends. Doing so was starting to affect my athletic performance; I just always seemed sluggish whether I was running or lifting and was taking longer to recover, thus bailing on more workouts. Getting back into my protein groove has already kept me from half-assing a session and has kept debilitating muscle soreness in the backseat.

I'm into my second week of following the plan and have noticed a dive in my junk food cravings and my appetite is starting to subside as well. First week, I dropped 3 pounds, so I can't complain. And because there's no counting calories or tracking involved, it's keeping my anxiety and binges at bay. I'm not hungry either, which is kind of a big deal. As with any healthy eating plan, there is some more prep involved (taking time to cut up veggies for snacks & lunch; boiling eggs and mixing protein shakes the night before, etc.), but nothing I haven't had to do before.

HOW I'm currently sweating:
Right now, my routine is pretty basic: 2 days of cardio, 3 days of strength/weights, 2 days of rest. For cardio, I head to the gym and do some sort of mix of the following, for about 45 minutes or so: sprint intervals, incline walking, stairmaster, elliptical or spinning. I try not to do any single activity for more than 20 minutes because I have a confession to make: I'm officially bored with cardio.

Back when I first started to lose weight, I adored cardio and despised strength training. Anyone who's followed me from my LiveJournal days knows this is true. It seems after getting into Jari Love and Jackie Warner workouts, I finally learned to love lifting and compound strength exercises. They just always seem to give me that edge when trying to meet a goal, be it improved definition or fat loss. I STILL meet women to this day who shy away from weights or believe they shouldn't start lifting until they're closer to their weight goal. For any ladies reading this, please, please, please- don't put off this type of training any longer. You will NOT get big and bulky (unless you're getting testosterone injections, lifting 300+ pounds AND eating a steady diet of chicken & creatine supplements). Study after study has proven time and time again that weight training boosts fat-loss efforts, improves performance in other fitness activities and improves bone density. You can scarf down all the milk and calcium supplements you want (*raises hand*), but adding some extra resistance in your workouts will ward off osteoporosis and fractures even more. Running, yoga and Zumba are all great, but don't be afraid to pick up some dumbbells a couple times a week.

Ok, stepping off of my soapbox now.

WHAT I'm currently reading:
Well, technically, all I should be reading is my ACE Personal Trainer Manual, but I need a break from that every once in a while. Right now, I'm pretty much obsessed with Oxygen Magazine. 

I'm letting my subscriptions to Shape, Self and Fitness all expire because I relate to less and less of their content every month. I don't identify with flavor-of-the-month celebs or the numerous underweight models featured on every other page, parading as fitness role models. And when I'm in the mood to read about exercise, I want to read about just that; not flip through dozens of pages featuring beauty products and $500 boots. Can you feel the rage?

Well, Oxygen is not like the others. Forget the anti-aging moisturizers and bring on the butt-kicking workouts! I've gotten 2 issues so far and just reading them makes me feel like a strong, healthy bad-ass. They cover a variety of workout types, share great clean recipes, tell inspiring success stories and feature models who truly do exemplify what eating healthy and working out should look like, without any fluff.

Don't get me wrong; those other women's health mags deserve some credit, but they just seem so shallow to me now. And honestly, if I see another Kardashian being played up to be a source of health/fitness inspiration, I'm gonna need corrective surgery to pull my eyes from the back of my head.

Bonus: You can score a subscription from Magazine Deals Now for a more than reasonable price. (I've used this site tons in the past; it's legit. If you sign up for their mailing list, you get sweet discount codes too.)

What are some of your current Hows & Whats?

Bob Harper- Pure Burn, Super Strength.

Alright folks, time for another DVD review from Bob Harper's Inside Out Method. After taking a stab at his intense Cardio Conditioning workout, I must admit, I was a little hesitant to try the full-hour strength workout.

My verdict? Another intense, muscle-challenging session! Because this is a weight and resistance-based workout, it seems to move at a somewhat more manageable pace than the cardio conditioning DVD, but that's not to suggest that it won't get your heart rate up, burn out your muscles and leave you panting. Below are some of the moves ("some" is the keyword here, people):

• weighted squats
• wide rows
• deadlifts
• push-ups
• bicep curls/shoulder press
• shoulder combo (front raise, lateral raise, "pinky-up" raise)
• down and outs w/ weights (squat thrusts performed with dumbbells in hands, some with push-ups in between, then an added jump at the top)
• plank rows
• single arm flies in a squat position
• lunges (single side, alternating sides w/ dumbbell in both hands, jumping alternating sides w/ dumbbell)
• matrix lunges
• tricep work (extensions and skull crushers)
• ab work (crunches)
• T-stance (in plank with dumbbells, alternate raising each arm while working into a "T" position)
• T-stance with push-up in between arm raises
• plank with knees to elbows, alternating sides (bring knee up toward elbow of same side, then return to plank, repeating move on other side. eventually increase speed.)

For a more complete list, I'd highly recommend checking out this Amazon review; she does a better job than me of listing all of the moves in order, both for the full hour workout and the shorter beginner's workout.

Probably the two most memorable moves for me were the down & outs and the T-stances, particularly when Bob instructs you to add push-ups in between. Definitely dropped some F-bombs during those intervals. He's also a fan of making you do isometric holds of different moves, usually while in squat position or holding up your dumbbells. Sadist.

Another tricky move that I had never tried before was going into a lunge and passing my dumbbell back and forth between both hands, reaching underneath my front leg. Bob said the point of this move was to ensure proper form and he's right. You pretty much have to perfect your lunge, otherwise the passing of the dumbbell will get messy.

It seemed like Bob provided better instruction throughout this video, compared to the cardio one. Probably because using weights demands proper form. He has different assistants this time, but still has two girls and one guy. Helen, who does not have the typical body of someone who has had four kids, performs all of the advanced moves. The woman is a machine. And my new hero. As with the last DVD, everyone is sweating, panting, groaning and not always smiling. Even the other girl who performs the easier/modified moves looks like she wants to cry or scream from time to time. I must be just as much of a sadist as Bob, because I kind of found joy in seeing that, haha.

Deciding how much weight to use was a little tricky for me... I've gotten spoiled with my Jari Love workouts, where each person's weight amount is usually displayed during each interval. Bob mentions using up to 12 lb. dumbbells, but kind of leaves it at that. It's also assumed that Bob and his assistants use the same weight amount during the whole workout, but that wasn't going to fly for me. I found myself bouncing back and forth between 5 lb. weights and my slightly-more-than-8 lb. metal dumbbells. During the shoulder raise combo, I stuck to my 5 lbs. because the isometric holds were murder. I think even 3 lb. weights would be challenging during that segment.

So, overall, another good DVD. I think I'll always prefer Jari Love for my strength training, but I appreciated the variety of moves Bob offered in this workout. It got my heart rate up a lot higher than I expected, made me sweat tons and provided a lot of moves that challenged my upper body, a current area of weakness for me.

After trying 2 of the 4 DVDs so far, I can say that if you're looking for a "fun" workout, this set probably isn't for you. I've found myself having to get motivated to do these workouts because there's nothing happy and cheerful about them. These workouts are strictly about building and maintaining a high level of fitness. If you're looking for a no-nonsense, let's-get-down-to-business kind of workout, you can't go wrong with Bob and this series. Out of all the fitness DVDs I own (and there are quite a few, trust me), this set has felt most like what I'd imagine a workout with a personal trainer would be like, simply because of the function and variety of moves presented.

And because Bob has both males and females working alongside him, it becomes clear that his workouts aren't about "getting that bikini bod" or "bulking up;" they're simply about getting a fit, healthy, strong body. He recognizes that you have to work hard to get in good shape; no gimmicks, no short cuts and no "10 minute workouts." (He even says at some point that a 10 minute work out is a warm-up, which made me laugh because he's pretty much right.)

Although Bob makes me cuss in frustration and sweat to the point where my sweat band can't absorb another drop, I feel like a bit of a warrior when that cool down rolls around. I'm definitely feeling stronger and more capable of physical challenges. Any serious fitness DVD collection isn't complete without the Inside Out Method.

Pancakes and Push-ups

This morning, I tried the beginner/20 minute workout from Bob Harper's Pure Burn Super Strength DVD. As part of my 10K training schedule, I was supposed to do a 2 mile run plus some strength training, so it seemed like a good opportunity to try the shorter workout.

It really is a beginner's workout. It's super-basic, but still functional. You work your upper body with bicep curls, various dumbbell raises, rows and push-ups. You briefly work your lower body with weighted squats and lunges. The workout ends with some basic ab crunches and then you're done.

While this shorter workout was perfect for complementing my run, it really doesn't seem like it would be much of a workout on its own. You could significantly increase the weight to make some of the moves more challenging, but I still found it to be too short and basic to be effective with increased use (it's only 20 minutes including the warm-up and cool down). But, that said, if someone truly is brand new to working out, this is a great stepping stone into learning proper form for popular strength exercises. Bob does a good job of describing proper form with every move.

I'm planning on trying the full one-hour workout in the next few days, so be on the lookout for another review soon.

Moving on to food, I had such a tasty breakfast this morning! I got my new issue of Health magazine the other day and came across a great recipe for Blueberry Oat Pancakes with Maple Yogurt.

I used the recipe as more of a guideline though and threw together my own version:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1/4 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• splenda and cinnamon to taste (optional)

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, saving the blueberries for last. Pour batter onto a heated pan, cooking/flipping as needed.

My version yielded 2 mid-size cakes and they were so good! They turned out much better than I thought. I didn't take a picture though because they weren't all that photogenic. Quick, filling pancakes that I look forward to making again this weekend! I just had mine with syrup since I'm out of yogurt.

That's all for now. I took the day off from work and need to take advantage of a cheap berry sale at the grocery store before all the good ones are gone!

Running back to where I used to be.

It became evident to me this week that my running has taken the backseat for far too long now. How did I know? Because I felt like this during my 3 mile run yesterday:


I haven't been running much at all the past couple of months and when I do, my attempts have been no more than 1-2 miles at a time, usually as a warm-up to another activity. That's better than nothing I suppose, but last year, I could bust out 4 or 5 miles at a time without feeling like I wanted to pass out and lie on the floor indefinitely (which is more or less what I ended up doing yesterday, post-3 miles).

It got me thinking about how I ran 10K on my birthday in March and how well I did at my first 5K race in April. Since then, my speed and endurance have gone to crap (by my own personal standards), but I'm ready to get back in the game.

I found an 8-week 10K training plan that looks like it'll guide me at just the right pace. I also found a 13-week plan, but I think the 8-week version is a better fit for me and my current fitness routine. I changed the start of the week to Sunday, making my rest day Thursday. I already tend to rest on Thursdays anyway and I figured it was best to make slight customizations where necessary, so I'm more likely to follow through and meet my goal.

Initially, my goal is primarily distance. Yes, down the road, I'd love to get back to running miles in the 9-minute range, but I've noticed that getting too caught up in speed sometimes sabotages my efforts and I give up all together. When I think back to the days when I first started running, distance always led to better speed eventually.

I don't have any specific plans for my cross-training; I'll just do whatever I feel like at the moment. Today, I did the Biggest Loser Last Chance Workout for a good mix of cardio and strength. I also foresee more Jari Love DVDs in the future as well, especially since I broke down and bought a 55 lbs. aerobic weight set:

I don't see myself going to the late-evening BodyPump class any time soon (even though I loved the preview class), but I've found that some of my Jari Love DVDs are the next best thing (particularly, Slim & Lean). She also uses this type of barbell, so it's perfect for taking my strength training to a new level.

Originally, I ordered the set on Friday and canceled it just a few minutes later, thinking I should wait. But after working out over the weekend, I found that my current variety of dumbbell weights are becoming easier to use. And my standard barbell set is too large, heavy and bulky for high-rep workouts, so yesterday, I went back to the site and re-ordered the 55 lbs set. It's a damn good price with cheap shipping and I'll obviously get a lot of use out of it, so no buyer's remorse for me. It's supposed to be delivered on Thursday, just in time for my weekend cross training! Pretty excited to do BodyPump-esque workouts in my living room. I also came across a couple of other Jari Love DVDs on Amazon where people said they make good BP alternatives, so I added them to my wish list. Hope to buy them both over the next few months. My wage decrease goes into effect this month, so I gotta be extra careful with my spending these days!

Return of the Mack.

It's been several days since my last post, but I've returned. And since I was singing this song the other night and Doug had no idea what/who I was talking about, here ya go:



Still a pretty smooth jam after all these years, no? Anywho. I'll start with some quick food re-caps:

This morning's breakfast:



Breakfast Banana Split, adapted from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. I didn't actually "split" the banana, I just diced it up. Added diced strawberries, Oikos plain yogurt (sweetened with just a tad of Splenda), about 1/3 cup Grape Nuts cereal, drizzle of light Hershey's chocolate syrup and a dab of almond butter.



This was ridiculously good. It really was like having a banana split for breakfast (der!). And of course, filling. The original recipe didn't call for Greek yogurt or almond butter, but they're obviously better sources of protein and healthy fat, both of which I needed after my workout this morning. Picking up more strawberries from the store soon so I can repeat this again later in the week.

Another great breakfast discovery (not pictured): Lemon Oatmeal! Also an idea I picked up from the BL Family Cookbook. It's pretty simple, really... Just add lemon juice and/or lemon zest to taste. I sweetened mine a bit and also added some egg whites and a scoop of vanilla protein powder for extra bulk. The lemon flavor makes the oats taste so clean and light- I love it!

Last night's dinner:



I threw together a chicken-veggie stir fry with peanut butter sauce and served it over spaghetti. In a pan, I cooked up:

• diced chicken
• onions
• minced ginger
• minced garlic
• broccoli
• carrots
• salt
• pepper

For the sauce:

• 2 TB creamy peanut butter (you could use crunchy instead)
• 2 TB Hoisin sauce
• about 2 or 3 TB of fresh lime juice
• Sriracha to taste (I probably used almost a tablespoon)
• about 2 TB fresh chopped cilantro

Whisk ingredients together in a separate bowl. Whisk in water until desired consistency is reached. Once the sauce thinned out, I added it to the stir fry after the meat and veggies were all cooked through.

I was really pleased with this dish! I really am becoming more and more confident in the kitchen with each meal I make. It's a good feeling. I have a much stronger sense of which spices and herbs to use and find myself experimenting more and more, instead of relying on recipes all of the time. I still have a lot to learn, but I've noticed these past few months that something has clicked and I'm a much better cook than I was several years ago.

Last pic I want to share is actually from a while ago (last week? the week before?):



This was an alfredo dish that Doug made. Chicken, broccoli and mushrooms over penne. For the sauce, he used a can of fat-free cream condensed soup; can't remember if it was cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, but either way, it turned out really nice. I can't remember what else he added to the sauce, but if he recalls, perhaps he'll be nice and share in the comments. *Wuh-ink*

Aside from lots of great food, I also finished reading a great book, The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl. Seriously, read this book now if you haven't already. I've read my share of autobiographies of women who have struggled being overweight and either lost the weight or didn't, but this book far surpasses all of them. I saw so much of myself in Shauna, it was almost hard to read at times. But she's incredibly funny, witty and driven. Whether or not you're trying to lose weight, this will still prove to be an excellent read.

And lastly, I've re-kindled my affair with Jari Love, specifically her first Get Ripped 1000 DVD. I hadn't used it since I first tried it back in March (!!!), but I've been addicted to it for the past 2 weeks, up through this morning. Crazy good workout. The cardio bursts jack my heart rate up and the strength moves make my muscles work hard. I always feel like crapping out at about 40 minutes in, but I keep pushing and finish out the last 20 minutes anyway. When I remind myself how I'm knocking out both high-intensity cardio and high-rep resistance training in one workout, I manage to push through, even though I just want to lay on the floor and die. I think deep down, it's the hot guy in the back row that keeps me going. Man. Super hot.

Seriously though, Jari Love has become my favorite trainer (sorry, Jillian!). Anyone who can get me to actually like strength training is nothing short of a miracle worker. Her workouts always leave me feeling strong and capable. (The physical results aren't too shabby either!) She has a great teaching style and she just seems so darn nice! I know I've talked about her on here before, but I just had to gush once more because I'm really happy I gave her DVDs a try. Totally changed my attitude about fitness.

I suppose that's all for today. Hope everyone has been doing well! Have a great week.

BODYPUMP!

This morning, I got pumped...



...For BODYPUMP!
I'm a dork, I know this. Am I in love? Totally. Am I already sore and busted less than 2 hours later? Sigh. Unbelievably so. Tomorrow is gonna suck, haha. My arms and shoulders seem to be suffering the most, but I can also feel it in my back, calves and butt as well. Mission accomplished!

So, it's 60 minutes long and the basic breakdown goes like this:

• Warm-up
• Legs/Squats
• Chest
• Back/Gluteals/Hamstrings
• Triceps and Biceps
• Legs/Lunges
• Shoulders/Arms
• Abs
• Cooldown/stretch

Each track is about 5 minutes long and you take regular breaks in between to stretch and change out your weights. My favorites were the squat, back/gluteal/hamstring and bicep tracks. The back track is where we got to do deadlifts, rows and a clean & press. I kinda knew what a clean & press was via Jari Love DVDs, but it's a bit different with a barbell and it took me several tries before I could get the hang of it. Once I did though, it was a pretty fun move.

Triceps weren't my favorite, but they never are because my elbows always flare like a mo' fo'. In fact, there were a bunch of personal trainers walking around to check everyone's form and of course, dude came up to me and told me to bring my elbows in. I said, "Yeah, I know; my elbows flare like crazy." He agreed and said that was one of the hardest muscles to train.

Hands-down toughest track? Lunges. Holy burnout, Batman. I wanted to push hard and not stop (especially since a body-builder chick came by and started praising me on my form), but I had to flat out stop and just stand up straight a few times. I couldn't tell if it was the extra weight from the barbell, the high number of reps or the half-lunge pulsing moves that did me in... I'm gonna guess it was all of the above. The backs of my legs, my quads and butt cheeks were on fire.

The abs track wasn't too bad since it was mostly various crunches, but there was some plank work that I ended up doing on my knees a few times.

I of course was sweating like crazy, but felt pretty bad-ass when it was over. I officially need to start improving my upper body strength and my core. Those were the areas I struggled the most.

So that was BodyPump. The only downside? It's not (as of yet) going to be offered on the weekends. I guess this was just a "preview" session. So, so bummed. And according to the schedule, they're not bringing it back until after July 5th and the only night I'll be able to go is Thursdays at 6:30pm, after the 5:30pm Zumba class I usually go to. BUH! I'm definitely not doing both back-to-back and I loathe the idea of waiting that late in the evening to workout, but that may be my only option if I want to stick with it. I'm sure they'll add more classes later, but in the meantime, it's going to be pretty limited. Oh well. I'm just glad I finally got to experience it and see what all the hype was about. I'm officially a fan!

If you have a chance to check out a class near you, please do! It's pretty much the ultimate strength workout and I can't wait until I start seeing the results. Might just have to look into investing in a small barbell so I can get my fix at home, in between classes, heh.

Gone official, gone foodin'.

Trying to fit multiple things into the blog today, so hang in there kids. My feedback on French Women Don't Get Fat is indeed around the corner (as in, hoping to post it in before the end of the day because I finished the book yesterday and cannot wait to blab!), but since I had some other bits to share, I thought breaking everything into two posts would be a better fit. This week is going by a little too fast for me, which has been good in some ways (see: typical work week), but a bit unforgiving in others (see: blogging stuffs).

First: I haz a new domain name!

http://stretchjeanincident.com

I suppose it wasn't a necessity, but the original URL (http://thestretchjeanincident.blogspot.com) was hideously long and buying a shorter version was cheap, even by my standards, so there ya go. Update your feeds and bookmarks if you'd like, but if you don't want to bother, the old URL will still remain active.

I don't foresee any major changes resulting from the new URL, but it has motivated me to plan a possible blog face lift and more pages, particularly some dedicated to recipes, DVDs and maybe fitness. Yes, I realize all of those topics are incredibly unorganized currently and yes, I promise to fix it. Slowly, but surely.

Second: New Favorite Food Links.

I'm a bit reluctant to label myself a "foodie," because I don't feel I meet the requirements (or can even define them) and the idea of such a label is relative, arbitrary and at times, a bit silly. However, I'm finally moving closer to a place where I just love and appreciate good food (rather than fear or struggle with it) and I love that there are some decent blogs running wild with that same appreciation. That said, there are a bajillion food blogs these days, but I've found a few that I just really dig and wanted to shamelessly promote:

Serious Eats. They publish regular restaurant/product reviews, recipes and special food features (tips on preparing testicles, anyone?). I've found it to be a great resource, not just for my palate, but for my brain as well. It's a site that not only makes me want to continue trying new things (without necessarily making me a crazy hungry maniac every time I read it), but also fascinates me, from a general education standpoint. I'm a nerd for new knowledge these days and what better subject to hold my attention than food? Eeeeexcellent.

The Kitchn. This site features a mix of kitchen designs (geared toward small apartments primarily, but the ideas could easily be adapted on larger scales), recipes and general food Q & A. It's a great resource for some cooking/meal planning basics and of course, great kitchen design ideas, should you be in the market.

Doug is all about design (he friggin' BUILT our platform bed and made his own desk with floating shelves, for example), so his ability to recognize the importance of stylish, yet incredibly functional design within all aspects of the home has indeed rubbed off on me. We don't own a home yet, but when we do, we intend to customize the shit out of it. That said, I plan on using The Kitchn as a resource, as they have some great ideas for storage, appliances, colors, textures, etc.

Food Network Humor. Just for fun, obviously. If you watch Food Network regularly and find yourself mocking the hosts, this is a good site to vent your frustrations and/or encourage your mocking. I personally love the Food Network Drinking Game. One of these weekends when I'm feeling bold (and not planning on leaving the house), I might just open a bottle and play along.

Third: Fitness Notes.

Still rocking the strength training and noticing MORE bitchin' results. I know it'll make me sound like a narcissistic bee-yotch, but I totally spent approx. 10 extra minutes (not all at once) looking at my body in the mirror, lovingly, this morning. Seeing some definition come back in certain areas and enjoying the disappearing of flab in others. But the best part? I haven't been beating myself up at the gym and I've been enjoying wine & chocolate. I know, punch me in the gut for sounding like a total douche-y informercial. But it's true. And I'll expand on that when I write about the French Women... book later.

Monday, I did Jari Loves's Slim & Lean DVD. Tuesday was 24Cycle class at the gym. Yesterday, nothing. Today, I busted out an oldie that I haven't touched in mooooonths (possibly a year? I dunno):



Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones. I must admit, even though I hadn't done this DVD in forever, I was still feeling a bit cocky and thought, "Yeah, I'll just bust through this and will probably use heavier weight the whole time." Psh. I suppose I did bust through it, but not without struggle. And I used heavier weight for maybe like, 2 moves. The rest of the time, I was rockin' the 5 lbs. weights.

Best move that I totally forgot about that made me say "Oh, Jillian, you dirty bitch!" out loud? Plank rows. Granted, they're easier for me now than before, but they still snuck up me. Hell, I can say that for any move performed in plank position. Buh.

Last time I did this DVD, I still felt like giving strength training the middle finger. But now that I don't totally hate it, it was a great workout to re-visit. I still prefer Jari Love and Jackie Warner for strength workouts, but it felt good to throw in Jillian's routine, for old time's (and variety's) sake.

My cramps aren't totally kicking my ass today (well not now anyway), so I think I might make it to Zumba tonight, after a 2 week absence. But if not, I'm not going to beat myself up. I totally go through phases with my workouts and easily become obsessed with certain trends, eventually burning myself out (including, but not limited to: Zumba, 24 S.E.T., incline training, sprints and running). That's not to say that I no longer think Zumba is totally awesome, I'm just trying not to be so strict in my workout schedule these days and settling into the same routines. Going on a different night is always an option, as is just listening to my body and doing what feels the most welcoming at that particular moment. The only exception to this new philosophy is 24Cycle, because I have to reserve a spot and I expect to be tortured a bit. I'm starting to build a somewhat sick relationship with that class; I signed up for the Saturday class this week as well.

Fourth (and last):Hall & Oates Week.

Between gals on Twitter, Doug, our housemate James and I, Hall & Oates seem to be on regular rotation this week, so I decided to officially declare this week Hall & Oates Week, or "H.O.W.", if you will.



You have between now and Saturday to rock this shit out. Enjoy!

Phases and Crazes.

Just a quick check-in posts of sorts. Sadly (or happily?), I don't have much to report this week. I was out of town over Mother's Day weekend and seem to have hit the ground running this week with miscellaneous chores, errands, exercise and of course, work.

I'm almost done with French Women Don't Get Fat and will be sharing my highlighted notes hopefully later this week. I know, I can sense some eye-rolls out there in cyberspace, but as I stated before, it was just one of those books that made me oh-so-curious, not necessarily some new fad I was looking to throw my life into. I know it has probably been cast into that typical-trendy-bullshit-diet category, but after reading the majority of it, I feel comfortable saying that it's not. That doesn't mean I haven't come across parts that made me say "Psh!" out loud, but I have enjoyed it for the most part. Anywho, details to come soon!

I'm going through another strength training phase. After trying to add more running into my routine the last couple of weeks (and more cardio overall), I was honestly disappointed with my appearance and general heavy feeling, even though it seemed like I sweated like crazy every day and managed a stable diet most days. The past few days I've focused a bit more on weights and resistance and hey, guess what? I'm back to toning up and feeling like a fit bad-ass again.

I know balancing both types of exercise is important, but some weeks I'm just more motivated to do one or the other (and more times than not, that motivation goes to cardio). I went to spin class this morning (and signed up for another class on Saturday because I'm a sadist), but plan on mixing up some Jari Love and Jackie Warner DVDs in between. Might throw in a day of yoga or a custom at-home lifting circuit somewhere too. I've got the weight set at home, begging me to do some squats, lunges, shoulder presses, deadlifts and more.

While I know that I benefit from all types of exercise, I think my body type benefits from strength training the most. I've always leaned toward cardio year after year, week after week, day after day, but I need to work at adjusting that ratio and try keeping strength at the top of the list. My body speaks for itself when I stick to lifting on a regular basis.

I've read in a few different articles that weight and resistance training boosts self-image and y'know what? It's true. That's not to suggest that I don't feel good about myself when I run or spin or stair climb, but there's something about lifting weights and/or working with my own body weight that causes me to be a bit more aware of what's going on with these muscles of mine. I certainly can't speak for others, but I require significantly more concentration when I strength train because I'm paranoid about my form and preventing injuries. And when I manage to perform [heavy] reps successfully, well, I don't know... I just feel like this:



On the inside, anyway. Heh. Notice I didn't throw a picture of The Incredible Hulk up there; although I sometimes push strength training to the side, I'm glad I no longer believe the myth that lifting makes women bulky. Because it totally doesn't (unless you get testosterone injections and live off of a steady diet of steak, eggs and tuna). I certainly feel buff 'n' tough afterward, but I also feel incredibly lean and sexy. And that's not so bad, eh?

That's all I have time for today, but fret not; I have some new recipes floating around in my head that I wanna try this week, so I'll definitely be sharing those, along with pics. Hope everyone's having a great week!

Nothing says "tough" like a sweat band.

So what was more exciting than trying a new workout DVD this morning? Getting to wear my new sweat band!

 

Chuckle if you must, but I've needed one of these for so long now, it's ridiculous. I wear glasses and can't tell you how many times I've blurted out expletives when big drops of sweat all of the sudden appear on my lenses. It's especially bad when doing things in plank position and during push-ups, so I finally took action. And y'know what? It's awesome. Super-absorbent, leaving my glasses and eyes sweat-free!

Ok, enough of that. Time for some fitness DVD feedback! Today's option was:

Not bad! It's broken up into three 20 minute workouts (upper body, lower body and core), so I decided to be ballsy and do all three.

It definitely moves muuuuch slower than her Power Circuit Training DVD, but I kinda appreciated that this time around.

All of the workouts have you do 2-3 strength/resistance moves for about 1 minute each and then you do 1-2 cardio moves in between. For example, after doing a minute of bicep curls and a minute of shoulder presses, you break out into some basic jab punches.

Although cardio moves are added, I can't say my heart rate got very high for very long, nor did I sweat very much over 60 minutes. BUT, I of course worked my muscles over pretty damn good. The lower body segment of course included tons of different squats and lunges that I have done before, but Jackie combined them in ways that were new to me. Probably one of my favorite moves was called a Box Squat (or maybe it was called a Box Lunge??... can't remember exactly) where you squat to the side and then do a forward lunge, alternating both sides. As much as I hate lunges, I really liked this move because it incorporated squats, which I don't mind as much.

A couple of things I noticed (and appreciated) were my breathing and my form. Since the pace of the workout is a tad slower, I found myself really focusing on my form and therefore getting more out of each move. And since my muscles were working harder, my breathing was more focused. It's not like I usually hold my breath every time I work out, I just noticed that making a conscious effort to breathe steadily really helped me move along through the moves and made me feel stronger.

The core segment was, as expected, BRUTAL. Again, maybe I just have wussy abs, but I found myself taking more breaks during this segment because the burn just got to be too much at times. Luckily though, there was one girl doing alternate moves which made a lot of them easier on my back and neck. And be prepared; the cardio moves in the ab section definitely sneak up on you! She throws in mountain climbers, half-burpees (same thing as Jillian Michaels' squat thrusts) and walking planks, all of which I hadn't done in a while and really had to push through.

So, despite the slower pace an decreased sweat output (perhaps the new sweat band is to blame?), I still enjoyed this DVD. It kind of reminded me of a slower, stretched out version of 30 Day Shred, but still moves fast enough that it doesn't feel like a full hour. And I already know I'll be feeling that post-burn soreness soon. In fact, I already am. My quads were already a bit sore from my run yesterday, and now they're all nice and burn-y from all of those lunges and squats. Woo!

Alright, time for pics. I took my breakfast, lunch and snack photos all at once this morning to save time and prevent multiple posts.

Breakfast:





Quick egg scramble in a bowl. Used 1/2 cup egg substitute, 1/4 cup fat-free shredded cheese and a couple spoonfuls of fresh salsa. Stirred and microwaved for about 2:30.



Half a cup of sweet lil' blueberries.



Cold coffee with about 1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze.

Morning snack:



A slice of Honey Whole Wheat with a packet of Barney Butter.

Lunch:



Two slices of leftover spinach & mushroom pizza with a pear on the side.

Afternoon snack:



Baby carrots and light string cheese.

Skipping dinner pics tonight since it will more than likely be more leftover pizza. Later!

Rush, as in not enough time, not the band.

I really need to go back to packing my lunches and snacks the night before. The past few mornings have been too rushed and it makes me cranky. Buh. Oh well. Nothing a little Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth can't cure. Music Tangent: I wasn't a big fan of Sonic Youth before (didn't hate them, just kinda neutral). Doug on the other hand LOVES them. Between hearing him play their albums all the time and seeing them in concert last year, I must say, they've totally grown on me.

Let's back up to last night's dinner, shall we? I had a couple of ideas on what to make, but I also had a Buy One Get One Free coupon to Noodles & Company, so off we went.



I got a small order of Bangkok Curry with a grilled chicken breast on top. Added a few drops of Sriracha and I was good to go.

But y'know what I'm really excited to share? DESSERT:



What is this, you ask? Well, my inner Fat Kid took a Deep Chocolate vitatop, a tablespoon of marshmallow cremé and sprinkled on about a teaspoon of reduced-fat unsweetened coconut. The result? A mother-frickin' Sno-Ball. Only much better, in my opinion. I do enjoy me some original Sno-Balls from time to time, but I get sick of them after a few bites because there just seems to be too much marshmallow and not enough cake (is there ever really enough cake in anything though?). Well problem solved, with my version. And the vitatop has chocolate chips in it, so um, helloooo?! Heaven, for the most part.

Moving on to this morning's breakfast:



A bowl of I-Don't-Know-What and a slice of Great Harvest Cinnamon Chip toast.



Ok, so here's what I mixed together:

• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 tbsp ground flax
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• cinnamon
• splenda
• splash of vanilla extract

I microwaved it for 2:30 and let it cool for a bit. It was good, but maybe could have used a tablespoon or so of flour? I don't know. I just wanted a little bit of oats, but with extra sources of protein, so that's what I ended up with. I guess you could call it Stuffed French Toast in a Bowl? Whatevs. If I want to go for the French Toast effect though, I think next time I need to drizzle some syrup on top. Maybe that's what was missing...

And another shot of the toast, because it made my soul smile:



Quick 'n' Dirty Review of Jari Love's Get Extremely Ripped DVD: Love it! Another great strength & resistance workout. There's definitely not any cardio moves in this one which kinda bummed me out at first, but since it's based around high reps with no breaks in between, my heart rate and sweat output stayed steady the whole time.

It's well over an hour and does move slower than the Get Extremely Ripped! 1000 DVD, but overall, I still enjoyed it. Using the step makes a HUGE difference! Especially when doing stuff like reverse lunges and side squats. Good lord. I had to step off of it occasionally because my quads were on fire.

After the first two workouts (each 30 minutes each), I did the push-ups and plank interval, but skipped the abs routine because I was running out of time and needed to start getting ready for work. Plus, after the ab work I've been doing on the Jackie Warner DVD this week, I was sooo not in the mood for more abs.

Tons of squats, lunges, bicep curls, shoulder presses, rows, tricep kick backs & extensions. Some of the pulsing squat moves killed me, but I could feel my butt and abs working overtime, so I couldn't complain. And you pretty much keep dumbbells in your hands the whole time, so my lifting gloves came in handy for a better, less sweaty grip.

After being disappointed with her Body Rock! DVD the other morning, I'm glad this one met my expectations.

My shoulders and rump cheeks are officially killing me now though, so I don't think I will follow through with my original plan of doing the Jackie Warner DVD again tomorrow. I think I'm just gonna do a 2 mile run (maybe) and call it a day. I know I said last week that I didn't want to break my runs down into smaller distances over the course of more days, but this week, it seems like a better fit.

That's all for today. I think I'm gonna skip lunch and snack photos today since they're basically the same as yesterday, more or less.

Power circuits, indeed.

Alrighty. It's FRIDAY! It wasn't a particularly hectic week, things just moved along rather quickly. I'll get to food pics in a later post because I have some new DVD feedback I want to get out of the way first!

This morning, I wasn't really in a running mood, but I was still excited to try my new Jackie Warner Power Circuit Training DVD.

I set up my dumbbells, popped in the DVD and selected the 40-minute Total Body Circuit. My overall reaction: This is a great strength training workout! It reminded of Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones, only a bit more intense and WAAAAAY faster. When I do No More Trouble Zones, the whole workout seems to draaaaag out forever, which is exactly why I don't do it very often.

Jackie's DVD on the other hand moves through each interval like clockwork. In fact, that's probably the biggest con for me... I like that the 40 minutes flies by, but she moves through the reps a little too fast for me. None of the moves are particularly complicated, but I still would like a few extra seconds to make sure my form is right (especially since she's constantly blabbing about how important form is throughout the whole workout) and also to adjust my weights.

The reviews on Amazon led me to believe that there would be a good amount of cardio (I was expecting some plyometrics), but there wasn't any at all. I think because you do a lot of reps so quickly, your heart rate does get raised a bit to where it feels like you just did a bit of cardio, but the moves themselves are all centered around resistance and strength training.

I used my 5 pound dumbbells most of the time, but tried to switch to my 10 pound set when I could. That was probably another part that kinda irritated me- trying to determine which weight to use to get the best results. Since it was my first time going through everything though, that lack of knowledge was to be expected. That said, I think I need a pair of 8 pound weights. Sometimes the 5's felt a bit too light, but the 10's were too heavy. There was also a circuit with deadlifts where I wanted to use my super-heavy set (I think they're 15 or 20 pounds?), but of course, didn't have time to grab them from the other room.

The format of each circuit is like this: One minute each of three different moves, then you close with a "Power" mini circuit, where you repeat all three moves back-to-back, quickly and with less reps.

She breaks it down into lower body (think various squats and lunges), then moves into upper body (working biceps, triceps and shoulders) and then the last 3 circuits each focus on abs (upper, lower and obliques). I HATED the ab circuits, but I know I'll love the results if I keep up with them. Her goal is to fatigue all of your muscles a bit and my abs were pretty much dead by the end of it.

Despite moving through everything too fast, I'm definitely happy to have this DVD in my collection. I like having a strength training workout that goes by quickly because, as we all know, I just don't like strength/resistance workouts. I love what they do for my body though, so I'm glad I have a new one that I don't hate and will actually be motivated to do more often. I think I'll get more out of it once I have some 8 pound weights and become more familiar with the format.

There's also four individual 15 minute workouts that each focus on upper body, lower body, abs and total body. I'm thinking on Sunday, when I have more time (and if I'm not incredibly sore still), I'll go though each circuit individually to see how it differs from doing the condensed 40 minute version.

I worked up a good sweat and when it was over, I suddenly became aware of how much I worked my arms and my abs. In fact, when I looked in the mirror, I pretty much expected to see a new six pack because the ab circuit seemed so brutal. I dunno, maybe I'm just a wuss in that regard. I did feel strong and buff afterward too, which led to a much-needed positive body mood.

All in all, I'm pleased with Jackie as a trainer and am looking forward to getting more toned and cut by adding this DVD into my regular rotation. Score!

Pushing the limits.

Decided to change things up this morning with a sample fat-loss workout from Joel Marion's site (same guy who designed the CYWT program.)

I actually bookmarked it a while back, but avoided it because, well, it just looked too damn intimidating, haha.

Well, this morning I grew a pair and decided to give it a shot. I told myself to just go at my own pace, but also not be afraid to test my limits. Here's a quick breakdown:

-5 min. warm-up of running in place (butt-kicks, high-knees), mixed with some quick stretching.
-Did the circuit as listed, with the exception of lat pulldowns and push-ups.*
-Took a 2 min. break.
-Repeated the circuit once more.

*Since I was at home and don't have a lat bar, I used a resistance band and a door attachment to mimic it as best as I could. As for the push-ups, I did my own wussy version off of my weight bench because, yes, despite all the weight I've lost and all of the fitness training I've done, I still can't do full-out push-ups, let alone the ones that entail elevating my feet. Definitely something I'll forever be working toward.

The whole session, including the warm-up, 2 min. break and repeated circuit, took me about 33 minutes and burned a little over 300 cals. Plenty of sweat ensued.

I survived! And it wasn't terrible, but it was still an ass-kicker. The "OMG, I'm going to die!" moment came during the second round of mountain climbers. I was certain my hips were going to pop off like a Barbie doll's. But, at the same time, I was proud of myself for pushing through the burn because I could have just as easily given up. It was one of those rare moments where I was conscious of the fact that I was sort of feeding off of my own adrenaline in order to reach a specific goal. I dunno if that makes sense or not, but it was just a cool feeling to have during a moment of self-inflicted torture, heh.

There are also adjustments to be made for next time, between the amount of weight used during some of the moves, and, of course, my form. It was my first time performing a dumbbell snatch. I watched some videos beforehand, but I still think my timing of the jump was off a bit.

Anywho, even though it was tough, it went by suuuuper fast and I felt awesome afterward (once I was able to breathe again, of course). It was a great combination of strength training and cardio and I'm totally looking forward to doing it again.

Cozy comfort zone.

Quote I came across today:

“You MUST be willing to step out of your comfort zone to hit your goals.

No matter if your goal is fat loss, building muscle or eating better you have to make a conscious decision to stop doing what is easy and natural to you, and try a route that actually works.

So many people say “that doesn’t work for me” or ” I can’t lose weight cause of my genetics” BULLSHIT. The problem is you want to keep doing the same thing you’re doing now and get different results. You want to eat ice cream and pizza 5 days a week and somehow get different results…

You have to sack up and step out of your comfort zone!”

-Vic Magary, GymJunkies.com (of course.) There are several other tips/quotes on the original post.

Also, I came across a couple of articles here and here about cardio training and sprints.

The more I read on GymJunkies and its linked sites (Mark's Daily Apple is becoming a new favorite as well), the more I'm finding out how my recent approaches to fitness have been, for the most part, counter-productive. Such a discovery has been disappointing, yes, but also motivating. Well, sorta, haha.

For example, when I read about High-Intensity-Interval-Training (HIIT), I was reading about it in the context of breaking weight-loss plateaus. And without being 100% certain about whether or not I've been experiencing a plateau, I ran with the info anyway and started making it a regular part of my weekly fitness routine.

And honestly, one of the underlying reasons I ran with it was to avoid strength/resistance training. Granted, I have been incorporating more resistance training lately, thanks to Biggest Loser Boot Camp, but it's still not the right tool (or rather, not the only tool) that will push me to the level I'll benefit from the most.

The bottom line is, in order to reach my goal (and possibly surpass it and possibly reach the 100 pound mark), I NEED to do more strength training. I also NEED to be more meticulous and conscious of my food choices. These are things I KNOW I need to work on in order to get to my goal faster, but I have just plain lacked the motivation to take action.

So, to help, I will continue reading through my new favorite sites and just beat into my skull that super-high calorie burning cardio sessions are not necessarily going to get me to where I want to be (not on their own, anyway). Plain and simple.

I think my heart rate monitor has caused some of this too. It's become both a blessing and a curse. Obviously, it's great for telling me how hard I'm working and how many calories I'm burning, but at the same time, if I look down at my watch and see that I'm no where near at least 500 calories, I get ridiculously frustrated. Ever since I bought that thing, I've gotten myself into the habit of expecting to see big numbers on the calorie readout. And big number calorie burns just don't happen with strength/weight training (yes, building muscle will burn more fat in the long run, even when I'm not working out. I've known this, yet I still ignore it).

I've conditioned myself to think that big, long sweats = big scale progress, but as I'm finding with each weigh-in, such an idea couldn't be farther from the truth.

I can't say quite yet what all I'm going to try in the coming weeks because there's still a LOT of information I need to filter through, but I can say that this weekend, I will try and fight my mega-cardio urges and instead focus on strength circuits. I need to at least make the effort to try different strength moves so I can find stuff I like (or am at least challenged by) and keep up with it on a regular basis.

I will continue to inhale GymJunkies.com, but will also try some of the tips on sprint training from Mark's Daily Apple as well.

These are the starting steps. I've come a long way, but I still have so much farther to go. Not only in achieving my own personal fitness goals, but in building the necessary foundation of someday becoming a personal trainer. I need to start walking the walk. My lack of progress lately is direct proof that I've been talking out of my ass instead of pushing it. I WILL get toned. I WILL become a size 8. I WILL be an image of health. No compromises, no excuses. No one else can get in my way except me. I've gotten pretty strong so far, but there's still so much left to achieve.

A first proper post.

Alrighty. After my introductory post, I figured it was time to get the ball rolling. Up through this morning, I used Livejournal to track my progress and gain some readers/supporters. I'm still debating on whether or not I want to continue to update the LJ blog, so I'll try maintaining both for a while and see how it goes. I will also try and take some updated pictures this weekend. There are some previous before/after progress pics on the ol' LJ.

While I still plan on posting my daily menus here as I currently do on Livejournal, the main reason I decided to start a new blog was to sort of force myself to talk in more detail about my food and fitness choices. PLEASE NOTE: You will notice that my daily menus consist of a food item with a little number next to it; this number is a Weight Watchers point value. I follow their points tracking system and also track using The Daily Plate (part of Livestrong). Just a quick FYI I felt I should make.

Now that that's out of the way, let's jump into this, shall we?

EXERCISE

This morning I rolled out of bed at 5:20 am and grunted my way to my little workout room. Today's special? Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones DVD. As I'm getting closer to the 100 pound mark, I'm in need of some strength training to build a bit more muscle and tone up. Yes, I should have been doing strength training all along (and I have, just inconsistently), but to be perfectly honest, there's nothing I hate more than push-ups, weights, lunges, squats and ab work. I'd rather attempt to run a marathon without prior training than do a mix of those aforementioned exercises.

Cardio and I are pretty tight. Strength training is currently the acquaintance. We've hung out before a few times, but our meetings usually leave me disgruntled. I know if we hung out more, we'd develop a relationship that I would eventually benefit from... But... Damn it, I hate lunges and push-ups so gosh damn much. Ugh. Anywho. So I'm utilizing the No More Trouble Zones DVD as a way to get me more familiar and comfortable with resistance training. I'll also make attempts to use the weight machines at the gym more. But honestly, this whole process is going to be like pulling teeth. There are 100 things I would rather do. This is me, kicking and fussing over strength training.

On the upside, I got it out of the way before work, so I don't have to worry about talking myself out of it after work. My goal is to do the DVD again this Sunday, so hopefully I'll follow through.

FOOD

Since I already posted my food list here this morning, I'll just leave it there for now. The only major note I have about food today (so far) is that I tried the Boca sausage links for the first time this morning. Not too shabby. I'm not aiming to become a vegetarian, but as others trying to achieve weight-loss may have noticed, vegetarian products do offer lower calorie/lower fat alternatives, while still offering fiber and protein, my two favorite things to load up on. If I can't find a comparable turkey sausage next time I go to the store, I'll probably stick with the Boca links for a while. With 70 calories, 3 g of fat and 8g of protein, I'd consider them a nutritional bargain. The taste takes some getting used to, but overall, I was pleased. I was just excited to have my own sausage/egg/cheese McMuffin this morning, sans guilt. Lunch was leftover Thai Scallops & Noodles. Dinner is up in the air. Wednesday nights is Geeks Who Drink, so I usually try to wing it as far as dinner goes (soup, sandwich, etc.), unless I can come up with something to cook in about 30 minutes or less.

RECIPES

Trying new recipes has been crucial to my success in weight-loss. You'll have to browse previous LJ recipe posts for most of my stuff, but I will share the most recent recipes I tried this week: Italian Meatball Stew and Thai Scallops & Noodles. My version of the Thai dish included Ronzoni Smart Tatse pasta and PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (seriously, I'm addicited to this stuff and will never go back to regular full-fat PB unless absolutely necessary).

Phew! Ok. I think I'm done here. I don't foresee future posts being quite this long, just needed to throw in some extra info here and there to bring folks up to speed.