Week 7- Go Away Fat!

WHY DO I STILL HAVE A POOCH!

A little frustrated the last few days.....not seeing the shred results that I anticipated once able to do cardio again.  I know that I could tighten up on my workout and eating habits even more, stop allowing for a weekly cheat meal but I still seek more results.  My body reacted to this program immediately...I tightened up, lost a few lbs and could see significant changes in my stomach, completely flat without sucking in.  Now, 7 weeks later, I am definitely stronger, but just a stronger person under the same layer of blubber.  I have already talked about it being more difficult to get my full weight training workout in and adding 30 minutes of cardio and I am doing my best but I need to do better I guess....otherwise I may not ever see the results I am so badly wanting. My other dreaded body part is my thighs! I HATE MY THIGHS! I do have very strong legs but does that have to mean that they are always going to be big and bulky! I definitely work my legs out the hardest and the leg workouts in this program are no joke! But I still havent been able to get rid of the fat around those muscles....I still have that inner thigh DISASTER area that just brings me down every time I look in the mirror.  So....I am going TRY to get my butt out of bed earlier so I can hit my treadmill before work each day to really bump up the cardio and try to shed this extra layer of blubber that is consuming my mind!!!

Days 38 & 39- Gettin Stronger

I have to admit, its a pretty cool feeling to pick up a bigger set of weights and be able to handle them with more control than the wimppy weights I was used to 6 weeks ago.  I feel my body getting stronger and it makes me feel like such a bad ass! LOL. My body and mind have truly evolved during the past 6 weeks....and truth is I wasn't able to really grasp that until looking back on this blog.  The beginning where I was fearful of a regimen with zero cardio and a meal plan that had me eating 5-6 times a day...  6 weeks later being in a position of fully grasping both concepts and appreciating the affects of them is a feeling I didn't think I would have.  I LOVE IT!

So...I haven't seen any physical changes yet with the incorporation of cardio the last two weeks but I definitely can tell that I am working my body even harder because at night I am EXHAUSTED! I sleep so good lately and even going to bed early I wake up to that dumb a$$ alarm and feel like I could just stay in bed for hours longer.  Another transition for my body to adapt to...kickin it up a notch!

I have yet to get my kicks back out on the pavement to test my mileage....but I am definitely ready.  I know that I won't be able to knock out 10 miles or anything but I am eager to see where my body is at.  I remember when I was training for the Nike Half Marathon, that Karrin told me how much weight training actually benefits running and being able to endure long distances...definitely ready to test her theory.

Considering that 6 weeks have gone by, it is safe to say that Lane and I have gotten sick of eating the same food all the time! So I recently started searching for 'Clean Recipes'....holy crap there are so many out there! It was pretty exciting for me to see the variety of fun, yummy looking meals I can make that keep me within my meal plan guidelines.  Unlike Thiriza, I am NOT creative and pretty much stick to what I know...chicken, turkey meat and fish.  Thiriza has been able to really mix things up while on our meal plan and because of this...Lane has wanted to move in with her, hehe.  But now that I am exploring the internet for new recipes he has gotten re-motivated, as have I. 

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/10/super-moist-low-fat-chocolate-cupcakes.html
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/oatmeal-recipes/
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/

These are just a few of the awesome sites I have been stalking for healthy yet delicious recipes!

Headin into Week 6!

Wow.....have I really made it to Week 6?? To be honest, I didnt think I would make it even 2 weeks, sticking to my clean eating and weight training program....but this dang Blog really worked to keep me accountable during the first few weeks and now I feel strong enough that I can maintain even if no one is watching (reading). LOL. 

As I mentioned before, I had to endure Week 1 of Phase 2 without my co-captain and I was nervous.  I have really relied on her to push me and keep me on track so last week I had to dig deep to maintain my own drive and focus.  Honestly, I struggled a bit last week but I am giving myself credit because I did better than I anticipated doing with Karrin gone.  Since being able to incorporate cardio back into my workouts, my schedule has become more hectic.  My weight training sessions would take me between 45 min - an hour which is pretty typical and a time allotment that I have been acclimated to for a long time.  Now, adding another 30 min of cardio, extending my workout time to an hour and a half really has made a difference.  I am such a routine girl and kind of a control freak..... meaning I plan out the events of my day almost to a 'T' and have a hard time straying away from that.  So last week trying to adapt to a longer workout while having time to still go home, make a "clean" meal, and prepare for lunch the next day....seemed much more crammed.  I know a half hour doesnt make a huge difference and I think the biggest challenge was just being willing to adjust my schedule even a bit....makes sense that the closest people to me have nicknamed me "CF" hahaha.

I am still chuggin along with the clean eating, with the occassional cheat meal that I will undoubtedly beat myself up over for 3 days after.  But the cool thing is that the menu items arent much different than what I have always eaten, the frequency of eating is still the killer....but I am DOING MY BEST KARRIN! 

I continue to LOVE my workouts! I am such a weights girl now that I feel like I am cheating when I give up some of my gym time to a cardio machine.  I feel so much stronger now and it is a really bad ass feeling to be blunt.  I admit I check myself out sometimes in the mirror when I am doing weights just because now I have something to look at....a new cool line in my arms that totally pumps me up! The leg workouts are still insane and I dont think those will ever get easier! But it is an awesome pain that I feel that triggers me to keep goin because I know I am making my body stronger. 

Here are a couple pics with 2 of my workouts outlined....it may not seem like much but I dare you to try it. Hehe.....

If you are still reading these...thank you so much! If you are not....then I am going to beat you up with all my huge muscles!

Days 30 & 31

Days 30 & 31

I honestly can’t accurately describe the motivation that this challenge has brought me.  The mere fact that this challenge is broken up into 3 phases encourages my motivation…..the fact that I was able to proudly announce my entrance into Phase 2 brought a new boost to my internal drive!  It also re-introduced Cardio as I mentioned before. ….and boy was it obvious that I hadn’t done it in 4 weeks.  Tuesday night I taught class, and typically, I arrive early and get my scheduled workout done, and then I participate in exercises that exclude cardio.  Well this Tuesday, since I had made it clear that I could do cardio now, my athletic participants were sure to put me on the spot and not let me slack.  So….burpees, squat jax, jump squats, donkey kix….only part of the exercises that I had to once again incorporate into a workout and completed whooped my a$$! With each workout I do, I can definitely tell that I have gotten stronger and built more muscle…but I swear that just means more of my body that will become sore!!!! It is bitter sweet LOL.  Over the last few weeks I have definitely found myself being hungrier throughout the day and I anticipate that feeling intensifying now that I am adding cardio to my workout regimen.  Because of the increased intensity of Phase 2, I am now adding a protein shake to my menu after my workout.  

Yesterday was leg day for me and no joke….the Leg workouts for Phase 2 are KILLER! I had a little sneak peak of their intensity when I did legs with Thiriza and it is DEFINITELY harder to kill a workout like that alone than with a partner.  Thiriza and I were quick to realize that we need to modify our schedules so that we can meet up for our 2 leg days per week.

I am still chugging along and loving every minute of this.  Props to my 2 amazing ladies that keep me motivated and my Laners who is totally destroying his own workouts!

PHASE 2 BABYYYYYY!

PHASE 2 BABYYYYYYY!!!!

Today is the start of Phase 2 which means I have already completed 4 weeks of this crazy program!!! WOW!  I really attribute a great deal of my success in staying with this program to this blog and the supporting group of people I have around me.  The goal for this blog was to keep me accountable and it DEFINITELY has, and so have the many motivating people I have around me…so if you are reading this still…Thank you so much!   I have also been anticipating the arrival of Phase 2 because that means CARDIO!!!! It’s funny that when I started this challenge, and I literally have referred back to my blogs in the beginning to reflect on how I was feeling, I was completely against an all weightlifting program….now I have adapted and I am kind of bummed that my workouts will have to incorporate cardio.  I have transformed into a weightlifting junky and I am beyond appreciative of the positive affects it has had on my body and mind.  I feel stronger physically which has boosted me mentally.  Man….I can really just go on for days about the many positive outcomes that his challenge has presented.  So, Phase Two begins and guess who is gone…..MY TRAINER SKB!!! My rock! And you know…..I have known this for a few weeks and prepared myself for an unsuccessful week due to her absence, but as Phase Two begins I am actually feeling confident in myself and my ability to continue, even in her absence.  HOLY MOLY DOES THAT MEAN I AM MATURING??? LOL.  I am learning so much about training and health while engaging in this process and I believe that this will not end after 12 weeks but continue as a lifestyle. 

Over the last 4 weeks I have used and built muscle in places that I didn’t even know existed, now over the next 4 weeks I am hoping to shed my outer layer that is disguising those muscles and really be able to see the hard work that I have put in to my own body.  I believe the hard work I have put into my mind is already showing thru and I am excited to continue enhancing that part of myself as well.  

So….here’s to making it thru Phase One and getting ready to DOMINATE Phase Two!

Pushing my Limits and Still Learning ...

Days 22-23 Pushing Limits I have been very reliant on the guidance of Karrin and Thiriza for both the workouts and meal plans involved in this program.  Up until Monday, I had either performed a workout with the company of one of them or done an at home workout created by one of them.  Also, relied on Karrin to plan my meals…really relieving me of any obligations to care for myself….all I had to do was put things in action.  On Monday, I orchestrated my own gym workout and executed it all alone….may seem like no big deal but it was actually a true ‘out of my comfort zone’ experience.  I was nervous going into the gym alone and knowing that I would have no one to lean on except myself, and that it was a possibility people would be looking at me if I was doing something wrong.  Karrin and Lane were at the gym also and since Karrin knows me so well, she offered for me to join their workout so that I wouldn’t be alone…and I almost gave in…but that internal PUSH carried me thru my insecurity and I attacked a leg work out on my own.  Like I said, it may seem like no big deal, but at the end I was very proud of myself and felt as though I conquered yet another challenge that this program faced me with.  It showed me that although I love the company of a partner to help motivate me, I wasn’t reliant on one to get things done.  Whether I have another person pushing me or I am pushing myself, I know personally, that a PUSH is what will drive me towards success.  The universe is so funny with the way it works because on Monday I was presented with this gym opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and on Tuesday I orchestrated an opportunity to help PUSH others and get them out of their comfort zone.  Tuesday’s RSF class was not a typical class and I knew going into it that the planned exercises were going to be intimidating for people…..but the method to my ‘madness’ was only to help people push their own limits.  I automatically assume that people are driven with the same motivating factors as I am.  Being presented with a scary and uncomfortable situation, pushing through it and then feeling the ultimate reward when completed.  But I learned that not everyone is the same, and that it is possible to push someone to hard.  This also makes me wonder if I inadvertently extended the high expectations I have on myself to others…..and whether or not that is positive.  This is all yet another example of how the elements of this 12 week challenge have caused me to explore my life, my physical and mental challenges and also my skewed perceptions of what is acceptable.  I am continuing to push forward and hopeful that there are many more lessons to be learned. 

Great Inspiration!!!

Days 17-20….Killed Jill!

Days 17-20….Killed Jill!  Dang…..It’s been 4 days since I last blogged and I feel like I have missed so much! Obviously, with 4 days having gone by I have a lot to share…but I will try not to drag on too much.  My last blog I shared all about my bad attitude and how it was affecting my workouts….I am happy to report that the evil attitude bug quickly left and I had an awesome

 Day 17 (Thursday).  Thursday night was my Jills Kills class at RSF and I was pretty pumped! This class was going to incorporate the workout that was scheduled for me via this challenge, with a few additional fun spurts of cardio.  I am blessed constantly with the partnership of SKB during many of my workouts and really I don’t think there is anyone that can push me more than her …however, there was a different sense of motivation and encouragement on Thursday for me.  Being surrounded by these amazing athletes that constantly inspire me and now being able to share my workout with them and to be involved in class rather than just leading it……It was very uplifting and just what I needed to get rid of my bad attitude! KILLER WORKOUT! 

Friday, Day 18…..I WANTED TO DIE! Yep…you know what that means….Thiriza and LEGS! Met up with Thiriza, Karrin and Lane at the gym on Friday to tackle an insane leg workout.  I knew it would be bad when Thiriza said “You are stuck doing my leg work out tonight my love”….ya she says it all sweet which totally means ‘you are going to hate me after this’! Karrin and Lane dominated their own leg workout while T and I did the workout outlined for her in Week 5 of this challenge.  Let me tell you…..one of the exercises was 120 walking lunges WITH WEIGHT!!! Thiriza told me that at the beginning of our workout and I think we both kept deferring that particular exercise because we knew it was going to be challenging for us.  We finally looked at eachother and said lets do it! We struggled together and finished it together ….and that was a pretty awesome feeling.  I know that if she hadn’t been by my side, I would have shorted myself in the workout. I will admit that.  And Thiriza said the same thing.  Once again another example of how powerful a partner is with this challenge.  Her and I are developing such a cool bond because we are going thru this process together, experiencing feelings that others can’t quite understand because they aren’t facing quite the same challenges that we are.  Not that I think we are doing something more advanced than other people do, but that we are battling mental and physical challenges while going thru this program and able to relate to each other every day. 

Saturday and Sunday – Days 19 & 20 (Also known as SUPERBOWL WEEKEND!)Going into the weekend, not only did my a$$ hurt from all those lunges and I knew that would cause me to be a bit lazier than usual, but I also had quite a few things planned that I knew would cause me to face the demons of ‘not so healthy food’.  I tend to be a bit hard on myself so I was pre-beating myself up knowing that I had events to attend that would challenge my mental strength.  I was setting myself up for failure even before I had the opportunity to fail.  So, as I arrived at my first ‘temptation challenge’ LOL, boom….there it was…platters of delicious looking food that I couldn’t touch.  Although I had some strength to avoid due to the 3 weeks of success I have already had, I was miserable being surrounded with all these foods that I couldn’t eat.  Sharing my misery were my favorite ladies…K & T.  The three of us having been working so hard and successful at avoiding temptations but this time we all three seemed to be struggling.  So….you know what we did….we cheated….AND WE LOVED IT! Hahaha.  We all gave ourselves the OK to make a plate.  We didn’t do anything extreme like inhale a pizza or anything, but we treated ourselves to some goodies that were not on our strict meal plans.  And to my surprise….the world didn’t come crashing down on me! It was all ok.  I had built up some many harsh consequences that I considered probable if I cheated and none of them happened.  This may not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but for me, this small unimportant experience really bonded me with these girls and this experience.  I am not a robot and still facing real life’s situations that take me outside the barriers of this structured challenge.  But it doesn’t mean that I have failed, just that I am real and capable of continuing forward even when I stray a bit off my path.   Sunday was the completion of week 3 and I am ready to tackle week 4…the last week of Phase 1! BRING IT ON!  So, you can’t see extreme changes in my body quite yet, however I was excited to see that I have a few little muscles poppin out. LOL

Days 15& 16- All About Attitude

Attitude is everything!  I had two workouts over the last two days and although they outlined the same intensity, my success with each workout was completely different.  I attribute this to my BAD ATTITUDE! On day 15 I was pumped to meet Karrin at the gym, focused, and ready to dominate whatever workout she had prepared for me.  Whereas yesterday, still planning to meet my little pregnant diva and follow her drill sergeant orders, my mental demeanor was just off.  Attitude really does play a role, for me, on how successful I can be throughout the day, regardless of what I am doing.  I am obviously even more irritated when it reflects in a poor workout and I only have myself to blame.  I have so many things to be proud of right now and for some reason I am only focusing on my shortfalls.  This change in attitude came after having a heart to heart with the hubs regarding his own insecurities with this program and how he feels that maybe all his hard work isn’t good enough.  Underlying insecurities of my own came out, inadvertently, in that conversation that have brought me down.  Even though I know I am doing the best that I can do, deep down it doesn’t seem good enough because someone else is doing so much better than I am….generating better results.  Although I am beyond proud of her because she is a very close person in my life, I can’t seem to kick the fact that I am not doing as well.  I have been encouraged by her and her amazing successes with this program and used that to motivate me to keep going.  But now my motivation has seemed to turn to envy and jealousy because my body is not transforming the way hers is.  This is in NO WAY a pity party, just keeping my promise to be open and honest and disclose my struggles to whoever might be reading this still.  I am so appreciative of the support I am getting and am excited to approach my next workout with a better attitude.