Les Mills Combat - Bring It!

Tomorrow I begin Les Mills' Combat... watch for a new post tomorrow!

Starting Back

A wise person posted on Pinterest once that "You never have to start back if you don't quit."  I recently realized that every time I've gone through a workout program, I've "quit." Whether it was from being rear-ended in my car, to getting married, or whatever, I've put fitness on the back burner for quite some time.  I'm going to change that, though, once and for all.

My original thought was to start P90X again in January.  Well heck, why wait until then?  Let's start in December.  So, December 3rd, it is.  My goal is to have a drastic-enough change in my body that I'd actually be considered for the Beachbody Challenge winner.  Let's do this.

Is anyone else starting a program then?  I'd love to join a support group to help hold me accountable for what I'm doing.  Let me know, and maybe we can form a group or something! :)

Unmotivated... let's change that.

This past week, I've been so unmotivated to eat healthy and complete my workouts.  I don't know why...  As of today, we're about 40-something days out from the wedding, which also means that I'm 40-something days into P90X.  This week has been basically a scrap for me because I just couldn't stop thinking about eating something that I didn't need to have.

So, I indulged.  And I didn't do my workout.  Twice.

I know, it's bad.  I tried so hard to stay on track, but I felt like the more I tried, the worse the inklings were.

I looked at my nutrition plan, and I realized what was going on.  My energy was running out, which is a classic reason to switch to Phase II of the plan.  I'm starting that tomorrow, so I hope I'll be able to have better focus for the last half of the program.  I was so focused - almost to the point of being OCD - for the first month, but around Day 35 or so, it just started going downhill.  I think my attention span is about that long for workout programs, but changing things up a bit with my nutrition plan should do the trick.

Plus, I watched the P90X infomercial tonight, which ALWAYS helps to keep my eye on the prize.  And that prize right now is looking hot in my wedding dress...  and for the honeymoon trip.

So...  Onward and forward!

Workout Motivation

I constantly am trying to find more and more workout motivation, and Pinterest is an EXCELLENT way to get that necessary boost of excitement.  I started a board just for that, appropriately entitled, "Workout Motivation."  I know, creative, right?  Anyway, if you'd like to see some of this motivation, feel free to check out the board:  Workout Motivation Pinterest Board

Hope you all have an excellent Memorial Day weekend!  Make sure you thank a service man or woman for his or her service to our country and for allowing us to be truly "free" individuals.  :)

P90X Plus

To add to my Beachbody collection, I ordered P90X+ to utilize during my in-between program times.  It looks pretty awesome, so I'm looking forward to using it soon.  Has anyone ever used this addition before?  I'd like to hear your thoughts, if possible!

The Next Step - Fitness Announcement

After I finish P90X, I've set everything up to complete Insanity, Insanity: Asylum, and P90X2.  I'm going to finish P90X the Friday before our wedding and am projecting to start Insanity the week after our honeymoon.  I've got to splurge just a little bit while we're on the cruise! :)  But that's not the biggest thing...

I'm going to apply to become a "coach" for the products.

It's slightly like anyone who sells any other product (Avon, jewelry, etc.), but this is something a little bit different in that it's helping you reach your fitness goals.  The title is a "coach" because I'm literally going to be coaching people through the programs, offering all of the products listed on the Beach Body website, and just helping anyone who is interested in getting fit.  I'm also going to start a "Fit Club" in our area for anyone who is interested in trying out one or two Beach Body workouts per week.  Maybe try one P90X workout here, a TurboFire workout there, and a Power 90 workout on top of it.  We can switch it up!  There aren't any of these clubs in our area, so hopefully this will reach out to a lot of people who are interested in getting fit and feeling great and let everyone see how great these programs truly are.

I've had my eye on this endeavor ever since I started P90X the first time because I knew it worked.  Unfortunately, I got rear-ended in my Equinox and wasn't able to finish the program, which set me back quite a bit.  I'm currently on my second attempt of P90X and just started my 2nd month.  In my last post, I showed my results for just one month.  Yeah, it seems like my weight hasn't gone down too much, but let me tell you...  I look COMPLETELY different than I did when I started this.  

My pants fit looser.  My shirts are a bit more baggy.  I'm more flexible.  I feel better.  That's what's important.

Believe me - I'd love to post my pre-beginning and Day 30 photos, but it's a little bit embarrassing! :)  I promise that I will post them sometime...  but just take my word that you can tell a huge difference in just a short amount of time.  

So anyway, if anyone is interested in the "Fit Club," let me know.  I'll probably start it around August or September, depending on how quickly I'm able to go through the Coach program.  The more, the merrier!

Month 1 Results

I'm a slacker and haven't made time to do any blog posts recently, so I'm sorry! It's been crazy with my classes starting back, doing wedding stuff, getting new house paperwork together, and working out. Good news, though, is that I've been doing really well with P90X Lean! Here are my results for Month 1:

Weight: DOWN 5.2
BMI: DOWN 2.8%
Total Inches: DOWN 9.5"

I'm VERY pleased with this outcome, especially considering that I've had to slack a few times on the food intake because of wedding showers or trips. Looking forward to seeing how Month 2 turns out!

Week 2 Results (with a Savannah Trip In-Between)

Well, I survived Week 2!  I served as a teacher chaperone to our middle school's Savannah trip, and really enjoyed the food from the coast.  The food was just fabulous, and I made sure to enjoy some perfectly-spiced boiled shrimp and snow crab legs.  Mmmmmm. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.  We walked all over the place, so that helped create even more of a caloric deficit.  I wasn't able to do my Kenpo X workout because there wasn't a DVD player in the hotel, but the walking made up for a little bit of it.  I was a little bummed because Kenpo X is my favorite, but getting to sight-see with the kids was all worth it.

Here are my Week 2 Results:

Weight: down 1.2 lbs
Body Fat %: down 0.5%
Chest: down 0.5"
1.5" Under Chest: down 0.25"
Stomach: same
Hips: down 0.5"
Mid Left Thigh: down 0.25"
Mid Right Thigh: down 0.5"
Mid Left Bicep: down 0.25"
Mid Right Bicep: same

I'm totally cool with these results, especially since I was on a bus for 11 hours during the weekend and since I wasn't able to eat fully-balanced meals.  My only concern thus far is that my right bicep hasn't changed at all yet.  I'm hoping that will change this week because I can't have one arm majorly bigger than the other!

Hope everyone is doing well and pushing play to their fullest extent! :)

New Motivation and Week 1 Results

Yesterday, my fiancé met my mom and me for lunch at Chick-Fil-A.  I got my newly-usual meal, the Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad with Light Italian Dressing, while the fiancé ordered the Spicy Chicken Sandwich meal and my mom ordered the 8-piece Chicken Nugget meal.  This doesn't sound too important, but it's the basis of my motivation.

As we started eating, the aroma of my fiancé's sandwich floated up to my nose and smelled SO GOOD.  Now, at this point, I haven't had any bread for 9 days or anything fried for over a month.  I was used to eating bread at least once a day, if not for all three meals.

So, I said to him, "God, that sandwich looks good."

He turned his head, looked in my eyes, and said, "It is, but I'm proud of you."

I'm proud of you.  That statement says so much when you know the person saying it truly means it.  He knows my struggle with my weight; he knows that I want to reach my goal; he knows that I want this to be long-term instead of just for our wedding.  But most importantly, he wants me to be happy. So BOOM.  There's my additional motivation.  Bring it.


Week 1 Results:

Weight: down 3.8 pounds
BMI: down 1%
Chest: down 0.25 in
1.5" under chest: down 1 in
Stomach: down 0.75 in
Hips: same
Mid Left Thigh: down 0.5 in
Mid Right Thigh: down 0.25 in
Mid Left Bicep: down 0.25
Mid Right Bicep: same

I'm VERY pleased with my results for Week 1.  Praying that this success will keep going at this rate!

First Wedding Shower

I survived my first wedding shower!  It was so much fun, and we received so many nice gifts from our friends and family.  The food was delicious - three of my mom's closest friends (one of which is my godmother) hosted the shower, and the menu was just incredible.  A friend of mine from my previous workplace made chicken salad and pimento cheese, and she also made a white chocolate strawberry cake from scratch.  It was precious... and so tasty.  There were also a few plates of veggies and fruit to munch on, and one of my mom's friends made homemade mints.  What's ironic, though, was that she hasn't made those mints since my mom's baby shower...  which was for me.  I tried a few bites of everything, but I totally downed my piece of cake.  I must say, though that I was proud of myself for not overindulging in the yummy goodness.  I even managed to lose a pound yesterday!  I guess the Kenpo X worked wonders.

So far, I'm pleased with my P90X workout results in just a week.  Since last Monday, I've lost three pounds already.  Some of it is probably just fluid, but hey, I'll take it!  I'm staying focused and making sure that I look the best I can for the wedding and honeymoon...  and beyond.

Food Journal

So, these blog posts just about my food intake are boring.  BORING. So that's being nixed.

I'm now keeping up with my food just with a Word Document so I can print it out anytime.  It's just easier for me to visualize it that way... and less boring for you to read!

Day 4 Info!

Protein: 1 Fried (with Pam) Egg
Protein: Chicken
Protein: Shrimp
Protein: Luna Protein Bar
Protein: Chicken
Protein:
Protein:
Dairy: Danactive Strawberry
Dairy: Sharp Shredded Cheddar
Dairy:
Fruit: Banana
Vegetable: Broccoli
Vegetable: Salad
Vegetable:
Vegetable:
Fat: Almonds
Carb: 1 Whole Wheat Eggo Waffle and Rice Pilaf
Snack - Single: String Cheese
Snack - Double:
Snack - Drink: P90X Results and Recovery Drink
Condiment: Honey Mustard
Condiment: Ranch Dressing 

P90X Workout: 427 Calories Burned

Food Log Day 3

Day 3

Protein: Chicken

Protein: Meatloaf
Protein: Luna Protein Bar
Protein:
Protein:
Protein:
Protein:
Dairy: Danactive Strawberry
Dairy:
Dairy:
Fruit: Orange Vanilla Smoothie
Vegetable: Salad
Vegetable: Broccoli
Vegetable: Sweet Potato
Vegetable:
Fat:
Carb: Two Wheat Eggo Waffles
Snack - Single:
Snack - Double:
Snack - Drink:
Condiment: Light Italian Dressing
Condiment:
 
P90X Workout: 275 Calories Burned

Food Log Day 2

To help keep myself accountable, I'm doing a food log that's separated just like the P90X breakdown.  Instead of counting calories, I'm managing my intake of specific types of foods, as well as using portion control.  The red font items are what I neglected to eat, which helps serve as a visual for me to see what I'm lacking.  Anyway, here's my Day 2 Log:

Protein: 3 eggs
Protein: Ham
Protein: Tomato Basil Tuna

Protein: Luna Bar
Protein: Shrimp
Protein: Chicken
Protein:
Dairy: Sharp Shredded Cheddar
Dairy: Danactive Strawberry
Dairy:
Fruit: Apple and Pineapple
Vegetable: Lettuce
Vegetable: Broccoli
Vegetable: Corn
Vegetable: Sizzling Rice Soup
Fat:
Carb: Rice
Snack - Single: String Cheese
Snack - Double:
Snack - Drink: Hot Tea with Splenda
Condiment:
Condiment:
 
P90X Workout: 280 Calories Burned

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack

Hello everyone!

It's been quite some time since I posted last on this site, and I've had many fitness ups and downs since that post.  I'm back online now to get in my best physical condition, especially since I'm getting married in a few months! 

Not only do I want to look great for our wedding and the honeymoon, but I also want to just look fantastic and feel great. 

I'm doing P90X Lean this go-around, and I'm confident that it will provide excellent results as long as I stick to the food guide and do the workouts as hard as I can.  I've never really finished a Beachbody program before due to unforseen circumstances (or sometimes just plain 'ole lack of motivation), but I'm determined that this time will be different.

P90X Lean and eating healthy will be my life for the next 90 days... and beyond.

A New Start

I took a month hiatus from my "diet/fitness" plan, and I must say that it was enjoyable to not worry about my exact caloric intake or trying to fit in my workout routine.  What wasn't enjoyable, though, was how I started to feel toward the end of this month.  I just felt...  heavy.  I could see a slight difference in my body since I hadn't truly worked out in around a month, and I didn't like that.  Plus, I gained like 3 lbs, which doesn't sound like much, but it put me back to 12 lbs lost instead of 15.  That's not okay with me.  So much effort from January to March, and to see myself change in April was not good.  So...  here's to a new start.

This time, I'm going with TurboFire.  I read about the program, and apparently it's way longer than I'd expected, but hopefully that will help me to stick with it a bit better.  It's a really intense cardio program that is supposed to burn more calories than normal cardio routines.  God knows I want to get to my 145 lb. goal, so I'm going to put all of my effort into this program right now. 

So far today, I'm doing pretty well!  I've been eating correctly: breakfast, morning snack, lunch...  with plenty of water to go with it.  I know it's just the beginning, but hopefully I can stick to this program better than all of the others.  :)

So...  thanks for putting up with me and my hiatus!  Here's to another fresh start.  :)

Cure for Motivational Blues!

To cure my motivational blues, I have decided to try TurboFire.  This workout is made by BeachBody (the creator of P90X, Power 90, etc.), and so far I've had good results with their programs.  This workout looks interesting, so hopefully it will stay that way throughout the entire duration of the workout plan. 

I haven't worked out in a few days - I have a trapped nerve in my neck from inflamed muscles, so I'm trying to give everything a rest so it will get better.  It's the same area that bothered me when I was rear-ended last year, so it looks like I'll have problems with that area from now on.  Grrrreat! 

It's pretty outside today, so I might try to take a walk in the park tonight.  The family is having a fish cookout tonight, so if not tonight, I'll definitely be ready for a walk tomorrow! 

Yaay for good weather.  Anyone else enjoying the B-E-A-UTIFUL weather outside?  If it could only stay this temperature...   :)

The 5K and Being Bored

So, as we all know, I've been somewhat of a slacker lately.  It is difficult to get up extra early in the morning to work out, so I've tried to tweak my routine so I can work out at night.  That works for my schedule most of the time.  Last week, though, I was able to run almost every night up until my 5K on Saturday.  I did improve my time on our local park track, but I must say that I didn't really prepare myself physically for the race.

The night before, one of my sorority sisters got married in Marietta, and the reception was in Atlanta.  Let me just say that it was absolutely beautiful!  The ceremony was so heart-felt, and the reception was seriously in one of the most gorgeous places in Atlanta.  It was fun, but I didn't really get in the bed until around 2 am... and I had to be at the race location at 7:15 am.  Not a good idea to stay out so late, but it's was worth it to catch up with my sisters. 

Anyway, though, the 5K was seriously the most difficult 5K I've ever done in my life.  It wasn't necessarily because I didn't have much sleep or energy, but it was uphill for almost two freaking miles!  There was *maybe* about 3/4 of a mile that was downhill, so none of us really had much of a break during the race.  I finished it in 35 minutes and 50 seconds...  by far the worst I've ever done, but I guess considering the lack of sleep, the course itself, and the fact that I didn't really train until the week before, it wasn't too terribly bad.  I will say, though, that I was completely pooped the rest of the day.  Like, for real.  I went home after an event I had to work and slept for 3 hours.  Ahhh...  bliss. 

So morale of the story, girls and boys - if you're going to run a 5K, prepare, prepare, prepare!  Get sleep, train in an appropriate amount of time, eat right, hydrate yourself, and scope out the route beforehand if you want yourself to be ready for it.  I think I'm going to do Race for the Cure in Atlantic Station this year, so I promise you that I will be much more prepared then. 

Back to Power 90, though...  I'm seriously getting bored with the workouts.  It's not very motivating when you watch the same routine over and over again, especially when I'm pretty much OCD and ADD at the same time.  I'm obsessed with something right when I start it, but I get really ADD after just a few weeks of it.  It's like the newness wears off, and I've got to find something else that's new, fun, and challenging to replace it with.  I'm trying - God knows I'm trying - to just stay on pace with Power 90, but I'm also trying to incorporate other workouts into the middle of the week, as well.  For instance, going jogging or playing basketball outside.  The weather is finally getting warm enough to be outside without being uncomfortable, so my plans are to keep myself busy with the Power 90 workouts when it's rainy and be outside when it isn't. 

I think that's a good plan...  and as long as I keep myself interested in the activities, I'll stick to it.

Patience

I seem to have a trend of posting on Thursdays.  Not really sure why, but I guess that's when I actually think about posting.  I guess once-a-week is better than none! 

So, I'm STILL at the 15 lbs lost stage, so I've been trying something different: jogging.  We have a local park that's perfect for running, jogging, and walking, so I've been going there for the past several days to build up my stamina.  I've also got a 5K on Saturday that I've got to train for.  Yes, I've got the procrastination bug.  At least I've been working out somewhat hardcore since January, so that's helped my stamina more than I realized.  The boyfriend and I did two run/walk laps around the park yesterday, and I felt pretty decent about it.  Not the fastest I've ever been, but on the flip side, it isn't the slowest.  I've just gotta keep building on it, and I'll be able to run just fine.

I've realized lately that my life theme is patience.  Patience for losing weight; patience for getting into shape; patience with relationships; patience that the right opportunities will come along.  I know I can't lose weight all at once - if it was easy, everyone would do it.  I've got to work even harder to achieve my goals and get into shape.  It's like that for everything, though - when it's time for something to come along or happen, God will make it happen.  :)

Yaay for Green Beer!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!  Make sure you're wearing green or you're screwed.  The pinch monster will drop by today at any given moment. 

I'm staying pretty consistent around the 15 pounds lost mark, but I know I've got to increase my dedication to eating the *right* things.  I eat healthy, but it's not the right kind of healthy - I need more protein, and I can tell it.  I need more water, and I can tell it.  Now, what I'm really trying to say is that I need less carbs.  I realized this morning that all I'm eating is carbs - pasta, cheerios, etc.  I have very little protein in my diet compared to everything else, so I'm going to boost that train of amino acids and hit the tracks running. 

In drink news, I've recently discovered the Minute Maid Just 10 packs.  I love juice; I'm not going to lie.  It's difficult cutting out all of the sugary juices in your diet, but this pack is only 10 calories and has 2 grams of sugar.  The Fruit Punch pack is excellent and makes me happy, so I highly recommend it.  It's yummy, fruity goodness.

So, last post I told you all about my car that I was getting on Friday...  well, it's here and I LOVE IT!  Here's a photo of it just after I washed it:

It's a 2011 Mustang Club of America Edition 'Stang, and it's freaking awesome!  I'm getting great gas mileage, which is really why I traded my 2008 Equinox Sport in on it.  If you guys want to see more photos (and pics of my other 2003 Mustang, my dad's 1956 Chevy, and some other cars), go to www.cardomain.com/id/stanggal and look over to the side where it says StangGal's Garage.  I love cars.  Especially when the name of them consists of starting with "Mus" and ending with "Tang." The end.

Anywho, enjoy some green beer, corned beef, and cabbage tonight!  I'm (hopefully) going out to dinner, so hopefully the calories won't overtake me tonight.  I'm going to try really hard so they don't.  So, raise your glass and enjoy some Killians tonight.  Er...  well...  I will be, at least.

I wonder if they can put some food coloring in my Killians?  We'll see.