Trying out Insanity + Another Cool Find

Hey guys!

I just got back from my work out with trainer today. Literally. I'm still in my damp work out clothes (raining sweat, yeah)! On wednesdays we try new things. We try different work out videos. We try harder work outs. Wednesday is the big push day. Today we did Insanity. I don't remember which video. Explosive cardio? Something like that.

There was a bit of jumping. I modified to squats (squat down then raise to toes when you come up so you hit the calves too). I got a little behind in spots. I had to take breaks. I had to modify. But the absolute best thing? I didn't stop or give up. I didn't feel like a fat lump (like I did with R.I.P.P.E.D). The guy on the video is encouraging and smart. He's tough, but reminds you that form is more important than speed and to keep going.

I guess what I really look for in a work out video is that the person instructing is struggling their way through it too. I hate it when I'm watching a pilates video and it seems like gravity doesn't affect the instructor. Or doing some plyometrics (jumping all over the place) and the instructor seems to be doing it on a trampoline or doesn't even get winded. Oh, even worse, when they try to kick up some jokes and witty banter with the other people in the "class" behind them. Form suggestions and "notice how" stuff is great. But don't make me feel like this work out should be so easy that I have the wind, let alone the excess focus to tell jokes and get distracted. ... meanwhile I've collapsed into a sweaty, lardy lump on the floor - THAT makes me feel like a failure.

I like to see the video personality BE A PERSON. I like to see them sweat. I like to hear them breathe hard. I like to know that my muscles quaking are NORMAL and it's not that I'm fat. It's that this work out is so hard it makes Mr. Beefcake quiver. And yeah, I can modify and it doesn't make me a sissy. It means I'm being safe. I like the person to encourage and show modifications because it makes it accessible. I can come up with my own, but it's nice to know that they've thought of those just starting out.

Insanity doesn't show modifications. So I had to make up my own. But it never talks down to you. It doesn't act like a cheerleader. It's more like a coach. They give you imagery as you're going along to help with form. They give you reminders about form constantly. Reminders to hydrate. During the breaks they SHOW you some of the more complicated movements that are coming up. It's really awesome.

I left feeling really pumped and that I want to do it again. That I want to improve. That I want to do better than I did this time. THAT IS AN EFFECTIVE WORK OUT DVD.

34 oz of goodness. Perfect size. 

Internal Screen. 

Shifting gears, the cool find. I found this water bottle last night when I was grocery shopping. It's called a "water tracker" water bottle. It's got this nice little screen inside the top so you don't get poked in the face with ice. It also has this neat feature on the top. It's a knob. The knob has three options: 1, 2, 3. I thought it would control water flow or something... No. It's just there so you can track how many water bottles you've consumed for the day instead of trying to remember. I LOVE STUFF LIKE THAT! Plus it was only like... $6 and BPA free.

Drink counter... on top of the lid. 

So despite all my good intentions to not buy things I don't NEED. I went ahead. I don't think I'll regret it. I lost my nalgene bottle last week and I've had some hydration issues since. In a way I could still call it a NEED. But I'm very pleased with my purchase.

Today...
Menu
B: 1/4 c cottage cheese
S: Baby carrots.
L: tuna salad w/ avocado & sunflower seeds.
S: String cheese.
D: Chicken strips on salad.
S: sliced turkey.

Work out
Insanity - 45 min.
INTERVAL RUN?!?!  

I'm needing some serious motivation to do the interval run today. I've got a meeting (nonformal) with an old department I worked with to transfer over some of my files at 1:30p.m. And I've got to get the piano practice in before I go to work... And I just finished a tough work out. I need a little down time. Maybe after my shift. Maybe a 10pm run. There's no swim class tomorrow morning. Just HIIT and piano. So yeah... I think a 10pm run would be in order.

Here guys. Making you a promise. I will run after work today. I will go right after I finish my shift. I have to keep running so I don't lose my progress.

The Allan Challenge is tightening down. We're supposed to do 1200 calories from today until Sunday and up our water intake by 24oz. Gotta do it! Gotta do it!

Big Fat Insanity Love,
Nanette

Find of the Week!

I'm kind of in love with Ben Greenfield Fitness right now. It is a wealth of information about all things fitness and nutrition. There are podcasts you can subscribe to. You can read transcripts instead. You can submit questions. He talks about things like how to start running, or how to deal with excess skin after a rapid weight loss or what to eat before/after/during workouts. He's a tri-athlete and trainer and really knowledgeable.

My brain has calmed down. I am feeling a lot less frenetic. Yesterday I hit the practice room and it was okay. The scales aren't coming together like I would like them to. AKA, quickly enough. But I still feel like progress is being made. I need a miracle to get them down by Thursday. 

I didn't do my work out yesterday. I'm kinda only half-bummed since I was still pretty sore from the running. But I got both of my work outs in today. AND!!!   I was able to do the bunny hop without modifying. AND!!! My push up form has gotten better since I took a little break from them. I feel like a champion. 

Food is going pretty well. No big slip-ups. 

Today... 

Menu
B: Banana

S: Cottage cheese (post work out, yay protein!) 

L: Baby carrots + sliced turkey. 

S: Protein bar

D: Salad + chicken breast. 

S: Cottage Cheese (I really like cottage cheese, okay? heh.)

Work out

Swim class - core/leg/cardio intensive. 

ZWOW #13

Stretching. 

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Active Rest Day.

Took my walk around the block. Drank 4 glasses of water. Threw away some crap around the apartment. Did some deep breathing and stretching. Donned some shorts, a fun spring top and my trainers so I could go take a walk and get you guys some photos of a lovely little trail over by the cemetery. I got about 4 blocks away before DOWN POUR. So I'm back home... I'm hoping that this storm is a short one. I live in a desert so our precipitation doesn't last for very long. I was all amped up for my walk and everything. Just something low key as my lower body is still so sore and angry.

Trainer has been having us do a lot of bum work outs... she's found a bit of cottage cheese around that lovely little bit where thigh turns into cheek. I'm loving it because I've got white girl paddle butt. Flat. I can feel things reshaping... which is lovely as I'm not seeing a lower number on the scale.

Okay... so game plan. IF the rain does not subside by 5pm tonight, I will do the ab bonus workout. Even though I would love a nice, long, mellow walk. 

I'm going to see The Hunger Games with my friend Holly tonight. Maybe I'll invite her on my walk. I'd much rather have company. Plus then I could make some better photos. 

Last night I watched about 30 work out videos and put them all into a notebook... since I don't do the workout with the video. There are so many great work out sites. 

bodyrock.tv

my new year's promise

Six pack shortcut (hate the name). 

Zuzana Light

fit2fat2fit

I've got a thing for sites that have body weight exercises. I can do them at home. I don't need to buy any products (for the most part). And I don't feel like they're trying to sell me products as much as using products that they've found effective, but you don't need to buy them to succeed. I have wound up buying some of the fingerless gloves for pushups so my hands stay nice....   and a jumprope, a yoga mat, a stability ball, a resistance band... Nothing crazy. I may have spent around $50. So much cheaper than my gym membership would cost. Downside... I don't have free weights or an elliptical. 

Menu

Breakfast: Access Bar

Snack: banana + plum

Lunch: Chicken breast w/edamame. 

Snack: cucumber + plum. 

Dinner: Steak w/ steamed broccoli

Snack: Plum... 

(my plums are on the verge of dying). 

Big Fat Rest Day Love, 

Nanette

Spring Break...

So yeah! Second work out of spring break!

grumblegrumbledamncheesegrumble. 

work out
25 burpees
25 pushups
25 mountain climbers
25 plank walk outs (start standing, walk hands to plank).
25 one leg touch abs (right)
25 one leg touch abs (left)
25 weighted squats (15lb)
25 back lunge + kick (right)
25 back lunge + kick (left)
25 side v-abs (right)
25 side v-abs (left).

and I forgot one exercise...   But we got it all done in 19 minutes. 300 rep work out! YEAH!!!

Got my stretching in... My IT band is still really tight from last Thursday. I like to think it's pulling everything in to where it needs to be. Correcting posture and the musculature of fat compensation.

It's only day two of no dairy and I'm already making excuses. This is ridiculous.

Internal Dialogue
Nanette, you need protein, just go buy some cottage cheese.
No, Dairy free week.
But you just read that article that said cottage cheese is really good for you after a work out.
No. Dairy free week.
But don't you eat more veggies when you eat them with cheese?
WTF, Nanette!?! You don't put cheese on your veggies, just buck up and eat something different. Stop making excuses. DAIRY. FREE. WEEK.

What's kinda stupid is that I'm having a hard time selling myself on any other food items... So I've had a freaking fruit leather because it's too early to bust into the chicken breasts I made and that's IT. So here we go with the menu planning so I can force myself to have SOMETHING even if it's not cheese.

Breakfast: fruit leather.
Snack: plum
Lunch: tuna salad + steamed broccoli
Snack: orange.
Dinner: Chicken breast + steamed edamame
Snack: NOT CHEESE... something...   don't know what yet though.

And I do hereby swear to put in an hour at a piano at some point today.

Big Fat Stick To It Love,
Nanette

E2E - Back on the Wagon #7

Weigh in: 313 (-2)


Waist: 47" (same).


Water: 160 oz 5/7


Workout: 6/5


Food:
Monday -     1400
Tuesday -     1500
Wednesday -  1550
Thursday -    1750
Friday -      1700
Saturday -    1250

Book: I haven't ordered a new one yet. But I've been reading Mark's Daily Apple.

Mom's version of gardening. Yup. Those are silk flowers. 

Buddy: Eaba is still packing up the house but she got a pretty good update in this week.


Quote: This is not a commitment to a challenge or a diet plan. This is a commitment to your body and a commitment to lifestyle change. This a commitment to a healthier tomorrow.


I've been all over the scale this week. Because of that I'm going to try to stabilize things by reducing or at least trying to stay constant with my sodium. I have struggled SO HARD to get 160 oz of water every day. I failed this weekend. But I did well when I was at work and whatnot. 


I'm being knocked flat by my allergies... at least, I THINK it's allergies. You can hear them in my video... they're just rocking out in my sinuses.


Oh! Video! 

Today, I took off with the eating before even thinking about it. 


Breakfast: Plum, goat cheese (2oz). 
Snack: orange, goat cheese (1oz). 
Lunch: smoked salmon. ------------------------------------current spot today 780 calories. 
Snack: pork chop w steamed brussel sprouts. 
Dinner: At my friend's house (not sure what the menu is). 
Snack: At my friend's house. 


I think I can stay under 1900 calories today. Which makes it a success. 


NEXT WEEK'S GOALS
- Work out with Trainer 3x
- Work out on my own 2x. 
- DRINK MY FREAKING WATER! 
- Box up the book shelf. 
- Return library books and borrowed books. 
- NOT SPEND MONEY. 
- Work out days = 1700 calories (not under, but AT 1700). 
- Non work out days = 1300 calories (not under, but AT). 
- Post one new video. 

Personal Mini Challenge 

DAIRY FREE WEEK!!!

Big Fat New Week Love, 

Nanette

Back on the Wagon #6

I went out walking today. I took my camera so I could try and capture the feel of Preston and Idaho before I leave. Something to get all gushy about when I think Manhattan sucks.

I had three miles. Three quiet miles to think about how I'm leaving these people and this area behind. The people who know what branding a cow smells like and practice things like irrigation, well-digging and crop-rotation. The culture that keeps families close (suffocatingly so), goes to church every Sunday and talks about the ONE mugging that happened in our town last month. I'm KIND of getting why my parents would like this place... no cars. no traffic. fewer worries about your kids running around with the 'wrong' crowds (in pleasantville they don't exist).

Preston is in Cache Valley near the tip of the Rocky Mountains. We can usually tell East or West depending on which mountains we see... North and South are Open sky. 

With Traffic like this it's amazing people get anywhere. heh. I saw a grand total of 28 cars over the course of three miles. 

Local Color. 

The view from the field behind our house. Idaho is SO BROWN. 

Today's menu
Breakfast: pear+raspberries+ 2 squares of dark chocolate
Snack: Orange + plum
Lunch: Chicken breast w/pesto and goat cheese.
Snack: carrots+cucumber slices.
Dinner: Tomato, steamed brussel sprouts + smoked salmon (3oz)
Snack: Honey greek yogurt w/ raspberries.

Work out
3 mile walk.

3 rounds of... 
20 low abs.
10 side plank dips: right.
10 side plank dips: left.
60 second plank

10 minute lap swim.

I'm heading out to the pools with mom tonight. I went last night as well. I will miss the hot pools for sure. I spent a good hour talking to my Aunt Loenza today. She was a potty pit stop on the way home from the walk. Small town. Big families. Always a bathroom nearby. Ha!

Big Fat Small Town Love,
Nanette

Back On The Wagon #4

Lately, I've been feeling like I'm really trapped with the whole family reading everything I do and having become a person that my mother wouldn't really be super proud of (sweary, booze sometimes, sex, agnostic)...  And this blog has been so liberating. It's been created through an email address that's not really affiliated with my name or that people could find by googling me.

The next giant realization... I have the ability to create a whole new youtube account and everything. So I may be taking a page out of Mir's book and doing some vlogs. But they'll probably be less about weight loss. My mind has been reeling with possibilities. 

Anyway...   

Here's the health bit for today. 

Menu

Breakfast: access bar + banana

Snack: steak + steamed asparagus. 

Lunch: orange + almonds

Snack: tuna salad

Dinner: orange, tomato, cucumber, protein bar

Snack: cottage cheese and a square of dark chocolate. 

Exercise

50 min swim class. 

I can't wait for PiYo on Saturday... gotta get bendy! 

50sec on/ 10 sec off - ABS!!! (3 rounds) 12 min

- leg lifts

- side sit ups. 

- reverse crunch

- super man

50/10 - BUM!!! (3 rounds)  12 min

- bridge leg lifts right. 

- bridge leg lifts  left. 

- bridge leg circle r/l

- bridge leg lift + circle r/l 

50/10 - ALL!!! (3 rounds) 12 min. 

- Plank

- Plank+ leg lift alternating

- 25lb kettle bell squat rows. 

- Squat jacks. 

In other words... I want to die and I'm afraid that my butt is going to fall off today. But we were aiming for a big push!!!  I may give myself a little leeway on diet today... Only in the way of high protein though... like a chicken breast or baked tuna or something. Yesterday I did so well sticking to the menu. 

I also started my water early today and I've had 8 of 20 glasses of water. I have such a hard time getting in the 160oz. I HAVE to start earlier in the day. Drinking 80oz over the course of a 4 hour shift doesn't give me the same benefit as staying hydrated all day (at least I think). 

Big Fat Midweek Love, 

Nanette

Back on the Wagon #3

So....  we meet again.

Menu

Breakfast: access bar

Snack: banana

Lunch: Salmon baked + steamed asparagus
Snack: Broccoli steamed + little bit o' feta

Dinner: Protein bar + pear + orange

Snack: cottage cheese (1 cup)

Workout

6 rounds: my time -15:28

10 - squat jumps forward/back. 

10 - Deep curtsies (right)

10 - Deep curtsies (left)

10 - Competition sit ups 

10 - Side plank leg lifts (right)

10 - Side plank leg lifts (left)

My shoulder is still pinchy... So more ibuprofen today and some massage. 

Next week is spring break, so I won't be working as much. Trainer and I are still meeting 3x that week. But I won't have aquacise... we are going to be doing some MEAN workouts. I'm stoked.

Diet - I'm totally addicted to cheese. So after the next E2E update I'm going to do a dairy free week and see if I can quiet the cravings and eat it in moderation like a normal person afterward.

Also, I'm trying to eat more on work out days (mainly protein) so I can build muscle - I'm totally not afraid of "bulking up" as far as muscle is concerned. But the eating more on workout days is tough... usually I have to convince myself to eat something for lunch and by late night my appetite returns. Which is probably a good thing... the not being super hungry, I hope that it's my body feasting on the massive amounts of fat storage I've created for it. 

I post these menus for the day and partially stick to them. I am making a commitment to STICK TO THE MENU today. 

Yesterday I said this...                                                        I DID this... 

Menu                                                                                  Menu

Breakfast: access bar, banana                                             Breakfast: access bar, banana

Snack: 3 eggs w/mozz + salsa                                             Snack: 3 eggs w/mozz + salsa

Lunch: Steamed broccoli and a tomato                                   Lunch: Steak

Snack: Tuna salad + pear + orange.                                      Snack: Orange, tomato, pear, peanut butter

Dinner: Steak. mmm.                                                        Dinner: protein bar

Pre-bed Snack: peanut butter and apple slices.                           Pre-bed: cottage cheese 1.5 cup. 

So it wasn't terribly off goal... or terrible as far as calories go, but I think it's so silly that I can make a menu for ONE DAY and still veer from it. I want to get back to consistent Nanette... the one where she bakes chicken breasts and has them ready for the entire week and knows that's dinner every day. As you can see I'm pretty good until Lunch. It's more a control thing than a health thing. I want to be able to control my eating and say "NO. That's not what you'd planned today." and listen to myself. 

Big Fat Stick to the Menu Love, 

Nanette 

Back On The Wagon #2

I'm titling the rest of the week "back on the wagon" to remind myself of the commitment it's going to take. I just maintained last week. But with fewer work outs and carb indulgences, I'm feeling like I'm mentally 20lbs heavier.

Menu

Breakfast: access bar, banana

Snack: 3 eggs w/mozz + salsa

Lunch: Steamed broccoli and a tomato

Snack: Tuna salad + pear + orange. 

Dinner: Steak. mmm. 

Pre-bed Snack: peanut butter and apple slices. 

Work out

50 min swim class (arms). 

10 min round of 

     - 10 pushups

     - 25 crab cross over toe touches. 

     - 15 pulse squats (3 pulses and then go down all the way). 

     - 20 squat jumping jacks. 

Made it through 3x in 10 min. 

50sec on/ 10 sec off; 3 rounds. (12 min). 

     - plank. 

     - bicep curls (10lb weights). 

     - Triceps (10lb weights). 

     - love handle bends (25lb kettlebell). 

Best part! We did it all barefoot. It helped with my squats so much... I was able to put my weight on my heels and keep my toes free (the key to avoiding knee injury). 

My right shoulder is giving me some pinching pain today so I modified some of the work outs... Like pushups. I did those from the knees until I just couldn't anymore and then held plank until Trainer finished her set. 

I'm happy to be moving again. It feels good despite the shoulder. I'm going to take some ibuprofen and ice it a little. I probably pushed too hard today. We may be skipping push ups this week. Plank was good though, I can keep doing that. Gotta tighten up this belly of mine. 

Also, seeing a smaller number on the scale today. 314! :) 

Big Fat MOVE IT Love, 

Nanette

Giddy up!

Okay... so here's me getting back on the horse. This week might contain some boring posts as I get my rear in gear.

Menu
Breakfast - 3 eggs, salsa, onion + steamed asparagus.
Snack - missed it.
Lunch - Tuna salad (no bread!)
Snack - Orange, tomato, steamed broccoli, protein bar
Dinner - Baked salmon+olive oil mayo+almond slivers.
Snack - tea + fruit.

Work out
50 competition sit ups.
25 pushups
25 deep squats
25 push ups
25 deep squats
50 competition sit ups.

1 min plank*

I'm getting my better attitude back at the music job... which is very good. Gotta keep that in check or it's too easy to slip back into the negative whirlwind of the my feelings about the music dept.

Trying to focus on things going well. Trying to focus on things that need to be done in order to move. Trying to keep one step ahead of the changes. But not stressing out... just doing the normal day-to-day tasks.

Big Fat Giddy Up Love,
Nanette

Favorite Time of Day...

I'm basking in the afterglow of a good work out... It is my favorite time of the day. It means being on the laptop, reading health blogs, enjoying the mental break, riding the body high, arms still shaking from muscle fatigue.

Today's workout 

time challenge (do it as quickly as possible). 

High knees - 50x
Back to side lunges - 25x per leg.
Bicep curl w/resistance band (30lb) - 50x
Side abs - 25x per side.
Butterfly/competition sit ups - 25x
pushups -10 x
superman (on belly. lifting arm w/alternate leg) - 10x per side.
pushups - 10x
Superman - 10x
pushups - 10x
tricep dips - 15x

Time: 14:15. If any of you want to... I dare you to beat my time. :)

I didn't get to meet with trainer today as it's a weekend. So I made up my own. We did a lot of legs this so I tried to balance it out with a bunch of arms... not to mention get a head start on my week of 300 pushups. Best thing about working out at home with out the trainer... I can do it in my bra, undies and trainers.

Yesterday I did a little fitness shopping... I bought some work out/lifting gloves, a jumprope, and a resistance band the 30lb resistance band. At least, I think it's the 30lb resistance band... it's the middle level (moderate - fit). I know I told myself I wouldn't buy more stuff before the NY move. But I bought things that I can pack easily. I'm so tired of doing pushups bc they hurt my hands (hello... my big fat body weight on my delicate lady hands). I've started to get callouses. But I don't want callouses, so the gloves will do... Plus they kind of make me feel like a badass kickboxer. heh.

Today's Menu 

Breakfast: banana
Post work out: access bar
Lunch: 4 egg whites, 1 whole egg, a little mozz and salsa (I've been eating this a lot lately, I like it). w/steamed broccoli on the side.
Afternoon snack: fajita innards and a plum.
Dinner: steak w/ steamed asparagus and tomato slices w/balsamic vinegar.
Pre-bed: orange, tea.

Pushup goal: 30/300

Big Fat Sunday Kind of Love,
Nanette

It's a system!

I used up the last of three bottles of vitamins yesterday! I consider it an accomplishment, since I have not been able to commit to a vitamin supplement for an entire bottle before. So I went and bought replacements (instead of buying candy/food). But I've come up with a system. You know how a pharmacist will give those week long vitamin/pill organizers? I came up with a collegiate version.

Also, finished making the week long menu. I've had a couple locals asking me for what I'm eating . I figured I'd share. It seems to be working! :) 

Click on it... it'll get bigger. 

As long as I stick to it, I'll be fine. Please notice there is NO DARK CHOCOLATE on that list. I've had a little trouble with that the last couple of days. Life has been fluids, vitamins and dark chocolate... I'm starting to feel better, still a whole lot of post-nasal drip. 

I got a short walk in yesterday, maybe a mile). But I'm going out again today and then doing a brief work out set. 

• Crunches 50 sec 
• Push ups 50 sec
• Crunches (side) 50 sec each side. 
• High Knees SLOW 50 sec
• Tricep dips 50 sec

I'm cooking dinner for a friend and his boyfriend tonight. On the menu, baked chicken breasts w/ herbed potatoes and roasted vegetables and a baked apple w/ cinnamon for dessert. 

Big Fat Gettin' Better Love, 

Nanette 

Duhhh...

My brain is dead. This happens every time after a hard work out. My mouth doesn't move right. My brain is fog. It's enough to ask my body to continue to breathe and pump blood... synapses firing in frontal lobe is an outrageous task to ask for. But I tell you what, I FEEL GOOD. "Blissing out" is what I call it.

I had half a turkey burger at Ruby Tuesday with my friend Holly last night. It was our singles night out. The sodium!!! I can feel it in my rings and socks. But this, like anything I put in my body, shall pass. <---poop joke for Allan. I have the other half sitting in the fridge right now. After I posted it to MFP, I saw how much sodium was in that thing... low (comparatively) in calories, but MAN. Salt monster. I think I'm tossing the other half. I'll stick with my cottage cheese and almonds for my salt intake. 

Today's menu 

Breakfast/preworkout: melaluca access bar (130 cal).
Post workout: banana (105 cal).
Lunch: Tuna sandwich on one slice bread. (300 cal).
Afternoon: chopped celery, hot house tomato, kiwi  (110 cal).
Dinner: chicken breast on spelt pasta w/ pesto. (500 cal).
Bedtime: Light creamy swiss - laughing cow, tea (100 cal).

 If I'm feeling needy... I can have a protein bar and not go crazy with the calories.

Big Fat Pee It Out Love,
Nanette

Double Success!

Not only did I avoid eating out with my dear friend Brittany... But I also got her to join my work out. I'm a couple days behind on the February fitness challenge on bodyrock.tv. So we did a fit test. That's 8 minutes: pushups, squat jumps, switch lunges, straight sit ups, burpees, tricep dips, high knees, aaaannnd one more I can't remember. Then I had us doing a 25 rep set of abs, both sides crunches, center, and lower (lifting knees).

I asked if she wanted to work out with me... I let her know it would only take 15 minutes or so.
She told me, "Sure, I'll bring my sweats."
"You may want to bring a sports bra too."

She didn't take me seriously. I showed her the work outs and told her if she wanted to modify she could. (p.s. non-scale victory, being able to DO at least one rep of all the stuff without modifications). She sort of rolled her eyes at me,"It's only 50 seconds per exercise, right?"

"Right." Then we hit the floor and started doing the reps.

It felt so good to be able ROCK that work out. It felt really good to share how hard it was. She was panting along with me... sweaty... working hard. She gave up early on a couple of rounds. It shouldn't give me satisfaction... but I definitely felt great being able to complete them all, going as hard as I can without giving up.

Brittany liked it a lot. The work out was a lot harder than she had imagined 15 minutes could be. It looks like I have a new willing work out buddy for when I'm without trainer. I work so much harder when I can compete.

Eaba asked for a more complete summary of the menu and work out for the week... I'll post a couple of days at a time.

Friday
B: Banana+blueberry+vanilla almond milk smoothie
S: Almonds
L: Portobello mushroom-crust veggie pizza.
S: Baby carrots, kiwi, steamed broccoli
D: Sushi Date
S: 1 c. cottage cheese.

Saturday
B: French toast! (spelt bread, coconut oil, cinnamon and egg w/honey).
S: Banana or pear.
L: Baked chicken breast + steamed zucchini
S: Cucumber, Tomato, Celery
D: Baked 4oz salmon filet + edamame
S: small handful of cashews, mint tea

Sunday
B: Grapefruit + blueberries.
S: protein bar
L: Spinach salad: almond slivers, dried cranberries, little bit of gorganzola, carrot, cuke, tomato + italian dressing.
S: Spelt toast with Adam's peanut butter.
D: Lean ground turkey with red bell peppers, cilantro, tomato and onion.
S: 1 c. cottage cheese.
(prep: bake 4 chicken breasts for next week's work lunches). 

And the workout... 
Friday: Self training (ZWOW 4 video on youtube if it's posted, if it's not, the bodyrock 300rep challenge since I only got 1/2 way through it).
Saturday: off - there will be much soreness.
Sunday: walk/run the couch to 5k. 8x - 1 min run, 1.5 min walk.
Monday: off
Tuesday: Swim class AND Personal trainer.
Wednesday: Personal trainer
Thursday: Swim class
Friday: Personal Trainer

Taking another challenge...

Allan over at Almost Gastric Bypass extended a challenge to blog twice a day until February 22 since most of us fall to crap on the weekends, or have inconsistency, or go back on our commitments to ourselves and our bodies.

So here we go.

Today is a rest day from working out. Two days of pushing, pushing, pushing! My legs are so stiff. Apparently, I have a tendency to CLENCH my ankles together when doing my girlie push ups. But this is such a better pain than the low back pain I get when I'm inactive... it's dull and achy and gets sharp when you bend. I would take stiff over that any day. I'm lining up a massage next weekend as a reward for sticking to the new work out. I should probably buy Sarah one too, since she's the one getting me off my ass (for now, I plan on getting in 2 work outs this weekend with out her).

Food.

Today's Menu
Breakfast: handful of blueberries, handful of almonds.
mid-morning snack: Protein bar (promax 9g sugar 24g protein)
Lunch: Spinach Chicken Quesadilla + steamed veggies
afternoon snack: Orange and tea
Dinner: egg white omelet with fresh veg.
bedtime snack: banana and peanut butter.

I'm running out of ingredients, so I'm modifying the meal plan as I go. I'm just replacing it with other items from the week. I don't feel there's anything that I should tell myself "NO" to on this list. The most processed stuff on there is the tortilla for the quesadilla and the protein bar. I've been LOADING up on protein lately with the new work outs.

I took new photos yesterday for progress' sake. I have not taken my measurements. I'm not sure I've lost weight because I'm pretty sure I'm getting some good muscle going on. With this much soreness, I had better get some good muscle going on.

Finished another book... that makes 5 since the beginning of January. I've got to finish 3 more by the end of the month to be on track for my goal of 100 books in a year.

• The Art of Racing In The Rain 
• Total Constant Order - Chappell
• Looks - George
• Creepers - Dahme 
• 47 - Mosley

Most of them are Young Adult - since they read faster and they've been on my "to read" list for a while. Also on the list; Eat, Pray, Love. The Secret, Atonement, The Stupidest Angel, The Aviary, The Little Prince, Moral Disorder, Recovery Road, Life is Hard Food is Easy. Let's see how many I can finish by next week! :) I can usually read one in two days or so if I don't get too busy.


Big, Fat, Twice a Day, Love <----- just how I like it! ;)
Nanette