Weekly Weigh In

I have to say, I am completely surprised by the results of my measurements. I didn't expect to see results so quickly especially knowing I could have made better food choices this week (Yesterday, I ate out twice at a local Japanese restaurant.) Anyway, here are my measurements for this week.

• Arms - 12.5"
• Chest - 38"
• Waist - 42"
• Hips - 42.5"
• Thighs - 21.75"

• Weight - 170.2 lbs
• BMI - 27

That's almost 2 inches and over a pound lost in four days! At first I thought i must me measuring myself wrong, but then I weight myself and saw the number on the scale. I'm thrilled!! I'm so ready for next week!

See you Monday! 

Day 3: Cardio Power & Resistance

Holy wow did this video kick my butt!  Yesterday, I wasn't as sore as I expected to be from Wednesday's workout - it hit me today.  But I sweated it out with Thousand Foot Krutch blasting in the background.  After yesterday's rest day (the weather didn't cooperate for a running day), my shins were feeling much better.  They gave me a few slight twinges, but nothing a few seconds break or modifying an exercise didn't solve.

Phase 1:  Warm Up
As with every warm-up in Insanity, you could just do this 10 minute circuit two or three times and have accomplished a great workout for the day.  But this isn't just a workout video - this is Insanity!  Today's workout consisted of jogging in place, Power Jacks, Log Jumps, 123-123 Heisman, Butt Kicks, High Knees, and Vertical Jumps.

Phase 2:  Stretching
Pretty much the same routine as almost every Insanity stretching session.  It's nice, but I'm thinking I may do a yoga session before I push play to get a better stretch.

Phase 3:  Workout Set 1

• Power Jumps - These are such a challenge for me!
• Belt Kicks - The martial artist in me absolutely loves these!  Instead of keeping my hands on my "belt" as Shawn does, I put my hands up as if I was sparring.  It just felt more natural to me that way.  Maybe after I finish Insanity I'll try out Les Mill's Combat from Beach Body.  It's a martial arts based workout.
• Hit the Floor - It took me a few minutes to figure out the proper form on these, but once I did it was an incredible ab workout.
• V Push Ups - Holy crap, these are hard!  I can't even do a regular push up, so for the first round, I modified these to be on my knees.  By the last rep, I pushed myself and tried to do them as shown.  I got about 10 in the 30 second interval.
• Triceps Dips/ One-Legged Triceps Dips - Shawn added this after the third rep.  I was able to do these until Shawn said pick up a leg.  By then, my arms were on fire!  I think I got about five dips for each leg.
• Triceps Ball Push Ups - This exercise was also added after the third rep.  They confuse the crap out of me.  I can't seem to figure out the proper form, so I don't feel like I'm getting the workout I'm supposed to.

My youngest thought that I was supposed to be holding her while I did this set.  She finally gave up and started following me and the video as best as an 18 month old can.  It was too cute!

Phase 4:  Workout Set 2

• Hurdle Jumps - These were pretty fun actually.
• Globe Jumps - Globe Jumps aren't my favorite.  Each rep consists of 4 jumps (left, back, right, front) and it will wear you out fast!
• Moving Push Ups - Wasn't able to do these.  I tried doing a modified push up on my knees in the same manner, but I could ever get my hands and feet in the right places at the right time.  I finally just started doing regular push ups.
• Floor Sprints - These don't seem hard, but trying to keep your butt down while sprinting in a plank position is extremely difficult.
• 8 Hop Squats/8 Push Ups - These were added after the third rep.  The hop squats weren't hard, but the push ups slowed me down.  I the people in the video get 4 reps, I believe I only got 2.

By the end of this, I was yelling at my TV.  My kids checked on me a few times to see if I was okay.  During this set, I also had to take a few breaks because my heart rate got up over 200 bpm.  According to heart.org, for my age, my target heart rate should be between 100 and 170 bpm with a max of 200.  I've found that exercises on the floor cause my HR to jump up higher than exercises where I'm standing up.

Phase 5:  Cool Down

Thank God it's finally over!

I probably won't be running Saturday as I have a birthday party for my cousin to attend.  I will, however, update my measurements tomorrow as Saturday is the day Noom asks me to weigh in anyway.  From now on, my measurement updates will be posted on Saturday mornings.

Day 2: Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Today I did the first real workout of Insanity: Plyometric Cardio Circuit.  I plugged in the DVD, cranked up the stereo system, and jammed out to Three Days Grace, Thousand Foot Krutch, Korn, and other high intensity bands (let's face it, Beach Body didn't select the best background music so I always turn it off).

Phase 1:  Warm Up
This "warm up" could be considered a workout on it's own!  It starts out simple enough with jogging in place and jumping jacks, but quickly increases in intensity to Heismans and Mummy Kicks.  That may not seem difficult, but you do three rounds (that are 3 minutes 30 seconds each), pushing yourself faster and harder each time.

Phase 2:  Stretching
I absolutely love stretching!  I love the way it feels when tight, stiff muscles relax and stretch out.  I take my time and enjoy a long, slow stretch.  Shawn T does a very brief stretching routine that I don't particularly enjoy because it doesn't allow me enough time to feel like I've stretched properly (but maybe that's just my martial arts background talking).

Phase 3:  Workout Set 1
Just like the warm up, you perform three reps of five workouts starting with Suicide Drills and progressing to Ski Jumps.  I got a little overzealous yesterday after my Fit Test and went for a two mile brisk walk and aggravated my shins.  I the first rep with the group, but the last two I had to do some modifications because my shins were really starting to hurt.  I stopped all the jumping and hopping that the group was doing and modified the exercises.

• Suicide Drills - I was able to do these just fine.
• Powder Squats - I modified to just regular squats and tried to keep up with Shawn's pace.
• Mountain Climbers - I was modified to jogging in place and punching at the ceiling.
• Ski Jumps - I kept my feet about 4-6 inches apart and powered up with my legs while throwing my arms down and back - almost like a row.

After the third rep, Shawn tacked on a few extra exercises:  Switch Feet (couldn't do these) and Football Sprints (did all but the set and sprint parts).

Phase 4:  Workout Set 2

• Basketball Jumps - My shins were still aching, so I did the squatting and "shooting," but no jumping.
• Level 1 Drills - I did modified push-ups from my knees but instead of running it out, standing up, and back down, I just held a full plank until the next set of push-ups.
• Ski Abs - Wasn't able to do these, so I just held a full plank as long as I could.

Shawn tacked on Jabs, Cross Jacks, Uppercuts, and Attack exercises here.  At this point, my youngest daughter had had enough of me doing Mickey Mouskercises (what my oldest calls my workouts) and demanded that I hold her.  I finished as best as I could with a 1 1/2 year old on my hip.

Phase 5:  Cool Down

This is another short stretching secession, but you will discover tight muscles you didn't even know you had.  My first stretches were actually deeper than the cool down stretches!  When Shawn says "peace out," it is such a relief because the last 45 minutes of torture is over!

My Advice

Please be careful when doing these workouts.  Hypoglycemia runs in my family and I occasionally have problems with my blood sugar (though I've never been officially diagnosed).  While I do not recommend eating right before starting a video, you should definitely eat something small about an hour before - a granola bar, a piece of whole grain bread, anything "complex" to keep your blood sugar more stable.

I also have naturally low blood pressure.  So low that my blood pressure is high if I hit 110/70 and I usually have about 100/60.   This causes me to have dizzy spells if I stand up too fast and let me tell you, all the ups and downs of these workouts can definitely set the room spinning for me.  I tend not to worry so much about checking my heart rate because of this.  However, if you have high blood pressure, I would definitely recommend checking your heart rate and making sure you stay in your recommended beats per minute range.  There are several smartphone apps for this, or you could get a heart rate monitor that you wear.  A simple Google search will pull up tons of options.

See you Friday!

Day 1: This Is Me & Fit Test

Hi there!

So this will be my first blog post for the revamped Blog It Off and I figure I should tell you a little about myself.  I am a mother of two beautiful little girls and married to my wonderful husband of four years.  Now, I love my children dearly, but having a little one grow inside you takes a major tole on your body.  I now tote around roughly forty extra pounds of fat and much less muscle.  You see, before my kids I was a very fit martial artist and had been training for eleven years.  I miss the confidence I had when I was in shape.  I miss being able to look in the mirror and not hate what I was looking at.  I feel like a stranger is looking back at me and I'm tired of it.

I've tried a couple things to get back in shape but I haven't stuck to anything for more than a few months because I wasn't seeing results.  I tried running, I tried dieting, I tried to get back into martial arts,  I even tried diet pills.  Nothing stuck in the long run.  I decided that dieting wasn't for me because I wanted a lifestyle change not a short-term fix.  I was discouraged when I tried to pick up martial arts again because I couldn't do everything I had been able to (totally irrational thinking I know..)  I actually kind of liked the diet pills more for the boost they gave me during the day, but also because I lost a few pounds rather quickly.  But pills are not a fix to the problem.  They will not change your lifestyle - the root of almost all weight problems.  Pills can only mask the problem and offer temporary success if you do not use them with regular healthy eating and workouts.

In 2013, I also tried the workout program Insanity.  I liked it, but wasn't pleased with the results (or lack of, actually).  I lost roughly five pounds during the program where all over I see reports of people losing twenty or more in the first round.  Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed.  I allowed myself to give up on my fitness dreams and resigned myself to having "the mommy body" for a whole year.

But not any more!  Late January, I picked up running again and found that I no longer care about what people think when they see me working out - life is to short to worry about other's opinions!  I'm running (well, jogging actually), about 11 miles a week and following a Couch to 5K program.

I've also decided to start my second round of Insanity and did my first Fit Test today.  Here are my results:

• Switch Kicks - 55 (these weren't too bad)
• Power Jacks - 25 (my thighs started burning FAST!)
• Power Knees - 55 (these are harder than you expect)
• Power Jumps - 15 (these are difficult)
• Globe Jumps - 5 (these don't seem hard, but after about two rounds, you're feeling it!)
• Suicide Jumps - 9 (call me crazy, but I actually really love doing these)
• Push-Up Jacks - 10 (I could have just done the "jack" part and been worn out!)
• Low Plank Obliques - 50 (my form started suffering about half way through and my feet kept slipping)

Now for my starting measurements:

• Arms - 12.5"
• Chest - 38"
• Waist - 42.5"
• Hips - 43.5"
• Thighs - 22.5"

• Weight - 171.6 lbs.
• BMI - 27.3

And my "Before" pictures:

I'll be using MusclePharm's Shred Matrix instead of coffee (with LOTS of creamer) for the energy boost I need in the morning.  On days I'm really dragging, I may even use MusclePharm's pre-workout drink, Assault, in Raspberry Lemonade.

I'll be doing my Insanity workouts Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and running my C25K program Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.

I'm using Noom Coach to track my calories in and calories burned.  I also have the Noom Pedometer to track my steps throughout the day, with a daily goal of 8000.

Thank you for reading and following along with me on my fitness journey!  See you tomorrow!