Workin' those gams.

Alright, before I get into visual food stuff, let me just say, that for the first time (ever?), I'm noticing some kick-ass legs! Especially my thighs. The culprit? Pretty sure it's the 24Cycle class. I'm sure running, zumba and general strength training are helping too, but I think all of those speed intervals and hill climbs on the bike are really making a difference. Still lovin' that class, even though it damn near kills me every time. I'm even, dare I say it, thinking of taking it on twice a week! That's gonna take some balls though, so we'll see if I follow through, heh.

Quick Fitness Side Note: Did Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD this morning and seriously, am I the only one who STILL struggles with those damn Tummy Tucks (see: Lower Abs segment)?! I was relatively comfortable with my lower ab strength until this move came along. I CANNOT do more than 3 in a row and even then, I'm usually letting my heels tap the ground. Ugh. Sorry. Just needed to bitch. Still totally in love with that DVD though. I increased my weight on some of the moves today and it definitely made a difference.

FOOD!

Last night's dinner and today's lunch were the results of some freestylin' (why do I always wanna say "free-ballin"? Oh wait, because I'm a total perv). I had some ricotta cheese sitting in the fridge that I had been wanting to use for a while, but I didn't want to do traditional lasagna or stuffed shells...

I also wanted to incorporate a decent amount of veggies and some ground turkey, but wanted to leave out starchy noodles to keep it from feeling too heavy...So I went with lasagna, but with veggie "noodles."

Pre-oven:



No recipe, but I had a general idea of how to go about assembling this dish. Within the above mess is some roasted zucchini (x3) and roasted yellow squash, which I tossed in olive oil, salt/pepper and Italian seasoning. Thinly grated and roasted in the oven for, I dunno, 20-30 minutes?

Then there's the cheese/meat mixture: Took some lean ground turkey and cooked it with a small chopped onion and minced garlic. While that cooled, I mixed 1 and 1/4 cups of ricotta, couple tablespoons of grated parmesan, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and garlic powder in a bowl. I then added the meat mixture, a large handful of cooked [frozen] spinach, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs. (Just call me Ol' Cheesy Meat Hands. Or don't. Too scandalous, I reckon.)

I removed the roasted veggies from the oven and began layering everything, including some sauce:



Ended with sauce on top and sprinkled on a bit more cheese:



Baked at a little over 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Doug turned on the broiler during the last few minutes to rush the browning of the cheese.



Doug made some garlic toast on the side:



Friggin' yum, dude. It was one of those meals that got kinda stressful as I went along and ended up taking a bit more time since I wasn't following a recipe, so I was worried that it would end up being only kinda "meh." But it wasn't meh at all. It was damn tasty! Doug enjoyed it as well and agreed that next time, we can add in mushrooms and eggplant, which I've seen done quite a bit on other blogs/recipes.

This of course yielded leftovers, to which I added some crushed red pepper and promptly inhaled for lunch. Such a filling, flavorful dish. And you easily leave out the turkey, should you prefer a meatless version (which I may do next time, and just replace the turkey with the aforementioned mushrooms and eggplant).

That's all for food stuff. Still debating on going to quiz tonight. I have the urge to buy a hula-hoop and just wreck that shit all evening. And maybe play some Wii Boxing, for old time's sake (used to have Wii Fit & the balance board, but gave it to my mom). And maybe some yoga... And maybe some baking... (Seriously? I usually HATE baking, but have totally done it like 4 times in the last week. Weird.) Love geeking it out every week with friends, but I'd also thoroughly enjoy some solo time tonight, shaking and baking it, if you will.

These things take time.

Lots of thoughts went on over the weekend. Some highs, some lows and some in-betweeners.

Feelings and Overeating

Finishing my first 5K was a high, obviously. The lows resulted from my same ol' patterned weekend overeating. The good news is each weekend, I'm overeating less and less. This weekend in particular felt the least destructive one in a long time. I was able to let go of the "all-or-nothing" mentality, stop myself and end the day making healthier choices. Sorta. Haha. The in-betweener was finally getting some things off of my chest to a certain person. A lot of thoughts about this person had been building up in my head for a while (months?), so a proverbial weight was lifted yesterday. Even though those particular thoughts weren't on my mind every single hour of every day, I wonder if just holding them in and letting them build up was causing some underlying stress that was possibly manifesting itself through bad eating? A bit of stretch, but certainly a possibility. After confronting this person, our relationship is in limbo at the moment, but I at least feel a great deal better. (Ah, don't you just love cryptic posts?)

Over the past few weeks, I've been going back and forth on writing down what I eat, tracking calories and tracking points. But the main thing that keeps fucking me up is my weekend overeating pattern. I finally realized that I'm going to be inclined to make these same mistakes regardless of whether or not I'm tracking my food in detail (and I know this because I've done it so many times already).

I've gotten to a point where I'm perfectly capable of making the best possible choices for my body during the week, almost without thinking. I like eating healthy, reasonable amounts of food and I like staying active because my body responds so positively. So why do I get lazy and eat destructively on the weekends?

It really does feel like I turn into a totally different person when 5 o' clock on Friday rolls around. And I don't like that person. She's super-rebellious, unforgiving and reckless.

Moderation. Balance. Blah, blah, blah. I just need to buckle down and plan my meals/snacks as I would any other day during the week instead of just "wingin' it." That's not to say I want to pre-plan every meal and snack for the rest of my life, but my weekends clearly need more structure, at least for a little while. I know it's possible to eat healthily and balanced while still enjoying treats here and there, I just need to re-visit the old determined, disciplined, level-headed Tam. Perhaps a re-read of some of my old LiveJournal entries is in order? I think so. I'm currently about 12 pounds above my previous goal weight. I'm not devastated by it because I've been staying pretty fit, but I'm not gonna lie; I would feel more comfortable with myself if I could take off at least 5-8 pounds. It's less of a numbers/vanity thing and more of a "I just feel heavy" kind of thing.

Fitness

Even though I toyed with the idea of a rest day yesterday, I ended up working out in the evening. But y'know what? I just felt so damn better afterward that I have no regrets. I kept it simple though; 1 mile jog/run on the treadmill and Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD. Broke out a nice sweat, felt a good burn and felt somewhat redeemed from sitting on the couch most of the day.

This morning, I headed to the gym for a mixed routine. Did 2 miles of jogging/sprints/walking/running, 15 minutes on the Step Mill (which I'm starting to fall in love with again, as sick as that may seem) and then topped things off with 1 mile on the elliptical. I actually tried a different elliptical this time; it's an older Life Fitness model with the handles. The last time I used this model was probably 2 years ago, when I joined one of my old gyms (Planet Fitness). I used to love that machine and used it every chance I got, until I got distracted with learning to run. After switching gyms again (to Accolade Fitness), I used a Precor elliptical, sans handles. Now that I'm at 24 Hour Fitness, they have a crapload of the ol' Life Fitness ones, so I decided to give it a go, for old time's sake. And I must say, I totally fell in love with it all over again. I cranked up the resistance and pumped my arms like crazy. It felt good.

Tomorrow, I may/may not get into the 24Cycle class. I tried to sign up this morning, but all of the reserved spots were filled, so I basically need to show up early and see if I can snag any of the non-reserved spots. Worst case scenario, I won't get in and will just end up riding on my own on one of the regular stationary bikes. I've learned enough in that class so far that I think I can freestyle my own routine. But whether or not I'll push myself as hard as Vanessa (instructor) is yet unknown. I'm starting to dig riding in general, so either way, I don't want to skip it altogether.

Lastly, the high from my 5K this past weekend has caused me to seek out some other races in the future. I came across a Classic 10K race that looks like it'll be up my alley. I'm hoping that new challenges like this will keep me a bit more focused with both eating and regular running. It seems like I ran my ass off around this time last year and I miss that feeling. Plus, more runs definitely won't hurt in helping me take off those aforementioned 5-8 pounds. As always, we'll see how it goes.

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.

Go go gadget guns!

Let me start this [long] post by saying that I'm starting to become obsessed with Jackie Warner's Power Circuit DVD. Seriously. I still have 2 new Jari Love DVDs to try AND my new aerobic step arrived yesterday (to take some of the Jari Love workouts to a new challenging level), yet all I wanted to do this morning was bust through 40 minutes of fast-paced pain. I think that's still the biggest appeal right now- the fact that it just flies by, yet leaves me feeling like I still accomplished something. My arms and chest are just feeling awesome right now (and tingly!).

After the DVD was over, I decided to run a mile before hitting the shower. Since that particular DVD is one of my shorter workouts, I figured adding on a quick run would make for a good combo. Some progress notes:

• Since I'm prepared for the lightning-fast transitions, I'm able to keep up with the reps better and put forth more effort, thus feeling more of the burn.
• I'm starting to add weights to certain moves (i.e., lunges and squats) and increasing my weight on other moves (i.e., hammer curls and rows)
• The ab intervals still kick my ass. Not much progress made there because the burn is so bad, I often find myself just watching the DVD and shaking my head in disgust.

I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty impressed with my attitude toward fitness this week. I think having all of these new options (new DVDs, new equipment) is just making me eager to try stuff so I can feel/see my body change. When I reached my goal weight, I was definitely feeling and seeing changes, thanks to discovering HIIT routines and weight lifting, but the results I'm getting this time around are different... This time, instead of being smaller and moderately toned, I feel like I'm just getting cut. Even though my ass is carrying more poundage than it did back in October/November, it's starting to actually lift and look awesome. I've been doing significantly more squats and lunges over the past few weeks than I previously did over a few months, so there ya go.

On that note, I guess I'll go ahead and share just how much I gained back... After November hit (and my binge eating returned), I gained about 15 pounds steadily through January (yeah, do the math on that one, folks. I packed it on heavy and fast). I was back in the 170s for a bit. Seeing that number on the scale (and worse so, feeling every pound of it) was devastating. And although I'm trying to break away from numbers, I am happy to say that I'm finally back in the 160s. My 90 pound goal weight was 158 and my lowest weight ever was 150.8 (!!!). Am I trying to get back to the low 150s? Well, considering how stressed and hungry I got trying to get there, no, not really. I think as far as realistic maintenance goes, anything between 158 and 162 feels the most natural.

Anywho, closing notes on exercise: Tomorrow, I'm gonna bust out the new step and try Jari's Extremely Ripped DVD (essentially, an older version of the Extremely Ripped 1000 DVD, which was the first one I purchased and quickly became addicted to).

Thursday, I'll either rest or do another round of the Power Circuit DVD and a quick run. Not sure yet. Friday definitely needs to be a run day at the gym though, I'm thinkin'.

On to food!

Breakfast:



Baked oatmeal and a glass of cold coffee (I didn't put ice in it, so I guess I can't really call it "Iced Coffee" can I?)



For this version, I used:

• 1 packet of store-brand sugar-free instant maple & brown sugar oatmeal
• about 1/3 cup of canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1 small mashed banana
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• splash of vanilla extract
• splenda

In reviewing the original recipe, I now realize I forgot to add the baking powder, but it was still fluffy and daaaaaamn good. I think adding the banana took it to that new level of awesomeness.



I brewed some coffee last night and left it in the fridge overnight. Mixed it with light vanilla Silk and a few pumps of DaVinci sugar-free Pumpkin Pie syrup. Oh man. So delightful, even though it was like 6 degrees outside when I drank it.

Morning snack:



More 0% Fage yogurt with pineapple chunks.

Assuming I don't get lazy later, lunch and afternoon snack pics to follow this afternoon.

Booo! Get off the stage!

This Monday morning hasn't left the best taste in my mouth, but I'm trying to stick to the positive thinking. I've been trying to do that a lot lately... Sometimes I'm successful, and sometimes, not so much.

To start my workout this morning, I tried Jari Love's latest Body Rock DVD. Booooo. I'm sad to say I was not instantly stoked by this one. And really, that's my fault for knowing that it included dance routines (not a fan) and buying it anyway.

The first half is cardio moves led by Jari and her team (mostly knee ups and versions of jumping jacks done at ridiculous speeds) alternated with various dance moves led by some chick named Angie. So annoying. Salsa crap. "Jazz" crap. The only one I found tolerable was the Hip-hop routine because it was the least complicated and incorporated descent resistance and cardio. I was actually looking forward to the disco routine, but that was pretty crap too.

For the record, I can dance. I don't claim to be the best, but I's gots rhythm and I'm not afraid to swing my hips or, if necessary, thrust my pelvis. But dance-based workout routines, where you're expected to learn and master the moves in a couple of minutes? No thank you. I think I was more optimistic about the idea of dancing when I bought the DVD, but now, meh.

I was disappointed with the editing too. During the dance segments, the camera would cut off right above the dancers' knees, so I couldn't fucking see how or when to be kicking and/or stepping and to which sides.

And when it was time to switch back to Jari's cardio moves, the screen just cuts to them immediately, where everyone is already doing the moves at a fast pace; no introduction whatsoever.

After the first half hour (more like 24-25 minutes), Jari leads you into a cooldown stretch before moving on to the next segment, weights & abs. At this point, I turned off the DVD and went into my workout room to run 3 miles on the treadmill and get a real cardio workout. Since I had done Jackie Warner's Power Circuit DVD the day before, I wanted a break from strength & resistance. I'll go back and give the Weight & Abs routine a shot later, as some of the Amazon reviews agree that that's the better half of the DVD anyway.

I still have two other new [older] Jari DVDs to try, so hopefully those will be more in line with her usual format. Also, quick side note: I'm starting to love the Jackie Warner DVD btw, despite how sore it makes me... It's a lot better now that I know how fast you're expected to follow along.

After my let down of a workout, I was disappointed to learn that no, our campus was not in fact on any kind of snow delay, so I had to walk to work in the crummy weather. But it's not the first time and certainly not the last, so I'm over it.

On to breakfast...

Since I was in a bit of a crap mood, I almost bailed on taking pictures today, but finally decided I should since I wasn't having my usual bowl of oats. GASP!



Two turkey sausage links, pumpkin/egg "soufflé" and a banana.

Over the weekend, I pretty much ate all carbs (and didn't drink enough water), so today, I'm cutting back a bit ("bit" is the keyword here, people) on starchy foods where I can.





Basically, I microwaved 1/4 cup egg substitute, 1/4 cup canned pumpkin, splenda, cinnamon & nutmeg. The nutmeg almost ruined this dish! I don't know what possessed me to add it to an egg-based mix (I usually just add it to oats and sometimes, spinach), but I did and I regretted it immediately. Oh well. Next time? Cinnamon = good, nutmeg = bad.



I added a drizzle of sugar-free maple syrup to help out the flavor a bit and it did.



I was gonna skip the banana as part of the "less starch" approach, but it was ripe and calling my name.

Morning snack:



1/2 cup 0% Fage yogurt with 1/4 cup pineapple chunks. Packet of Barney Butter on the side (LOVE these portion-control packets!)

That's all for now. Lunch and afternoon snack post to follow later this afternoon. Hope everyone is having a good morning!

Soreness and Spaghetti.

Oh. My. God. I am so incredibly SORE this morning! The majority of the Amazon reviews for Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD warned of pretty rough soreness the next day, but apparently I thought I was indestructible because I didn't think it would happen to me. Well, here I am, feeling a bit beat the fuck up, especially from the waist up. The good news? I can hold off on getting those 8 lbs. dumbbells I was going on about. If my arms are this wrecked after just using the 5 lbs. set, I think I'm good for a while, heh.

Another positive? The DVD is indeed effective and will only bring on better results with increased use. No buyer's remorse here!

That said, I'm starting off slow this morning and catching up on blog stuff before I run. Which will be a short one, btw. I'm aiming for 3 miles and that's about it. I wanna move around enough to help ease my current soreness, but I don't want to overdo it to the point where I make it worse. Using the treadmill at home today too, as to avoid the slick roads on the way to the gym. Anywho. Moving on!

Last night's dinner:

Doug was cool with my pasta & vodka sauce idea, so he measured out pasta and chopped some veggies (mushrooms, zucchini and onions) while we waited for the water to boil and I got started on the ground turkey.









And the final (rad!) results:



So good and all comfort food-y. Added a little bit of grated parmesan and we were good to go.

Dessert (not pictured) was half of a Santa Fe tortilla with a small mashed banana and cinnamon (an idea I got here yesterday afternoon) and 1/2 cup of Maggie Moo's Better Batter ice cream. A relaxing, cozy night at home, spent watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Sarah Silverman Show, The Best Thing I Ever Ate and eating a big mess of pasta. Love.

That's all for now. I guess I should probably get that run out of the way so I can reward myself with a big bowl of oats. My bananas are ripe today, so the possibilities of mix-ins are endless. I'm torn between going the berry route, the pumpkin route, the cinnamon-apple route or the chocolate route. Hmm...

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend!

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!

Wrap Rap.

For dinner last night, I was in the mood for some eggs (or some egg substitute, rather). Since I've been on my oatmeal/greek yogurt/cottage cheese kick for breakfast the past several weeks, I decided it was high time I show my All Whites carton some love.

I threw some fresh spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic/onion powder, kosher salt and black pepper in a pan to cook down. Then I added the egg whites:



Meanwhile, I prepped a Santa Fe Tortilla with some mozzarella and feta:



Once the egg stuff was done, I plopped it onto the tortilla, folded it in half and returned it to the pan for some hot, crispy grilling action:



Final results:





Good grief, I need a better camera. Anywho. It was deeeelish! Super-drippy though, thanks to all the moisture from the veggies and egg whites. I tried to let it all cook off as much as I could, but I didn't want to burn it either. Ah well. Quick, tasty, filling meal.

And for dessert, I just wanted something small and rich, so I headed to the pantry and found these lil' hotties:







I savored each bite. I would have preferred some Peanut Butter & Co. PB, but that stuff is like crack and not particularly safe for me to keep in the house. So instead, I buy Skippy and PB2. This way, I have PB around when I want a reasonable serving, but I'm not obsessed with the flavor to the point where I want to eat it out of the jar with a big-ass spoon (see PB & Co.'s white chocolate and dark chocolate varieties. Holy funbags. Orgasm in a jar).

Some day I'll feel safer around certain foods, but I'm not quite there yet. Baby steps.

Not pictured is the onion ring I ate at quiz and the Yoplait Red Velvet Cake yogurt I had before bed.

We got home later than usual, so I slept in until 6 am this morning and skipped my planned yoga workout. Ah well. I've been slightly drained this week, so it's a well-deserved day off. Tomorrow, I'll either head to the gym or try out my latest DVD:



The reviews on Amazon list breakdowns of all the moves that are covered, so I think it'll be a pretty good workout. Plus, her abs terrify me, so that's probably a good sign that it'll be effective. I'm not expecting it to be as intense as the Jari Love DVD, but hopefully it'll come close.

Probably won't post any new food pics for today. Just feeling lazy and kinda blah. Doug's having dinner with his parents tonight, so I'll be on my own. Not sure if I want to whip up something with beans or just skip cooking altogether and head to Subway... Hmm...

And, what the crap, tomorrow's Friday already? Seems like yesterday was just Monday. Anywho. Hope everyone's week is gong well!