28 Day Plan and more

I know, it's been ages since I blogged ~ sorry to all who actually read this.

Metabolism Makeover class ended a week ago and we then started a 28 day program. Today is day 7 and I am loving it. Every meal, every day is mapped out for you along with a small and simple substitution list, which is great because onions are on menu, eww! Following this has been super easy and the food and snacks are delish. Loving vanilla protein powder mixed with cottage cheese, walnuts and fruit. Today, Sunday, is all protein ~ Meal 1 was 5 egg whites and 3 whole omega-3 eggs; Meal 2 was chocolate pro pow, peanut butter mixed together with water, always a fav; Meal 3 was 6 oz. of top round; Meal 4 was 6 egg whites and 1 oz. cheddar cheese and Meal 6 will be 6 oz. shrimp, smart balance butter and walnuts (I'm substituting coconut for walnut). Most other meals consist of fish and of course chicken.

Workouts have changed to, lots more running, which I'm actually starting to like. Saturday I did leg 2 in the Dandelion Run, a 1/2 marathon. My portion was 3 miles, most of which was up hill. It was brutal, but once over I felt great. I'd accomplished something I never would have thought possible.

Anyone who has the opportunity to join Ben's Bootcamp and Metabolism Makeover should! Not only have I lost loads of pounds, fat and inches, I've gained self-esteem, the ability to try things outside my comfort box and know that I can do them, I've gained the knowledge and was given the tools to learn to change my eating habits. I've gained great new friends who motivate me every day to push myself and be the best I can be.

Cardio Monday ~ 30/30/30

In the words of Stewie Griffin "What the deuce?" That was my thought around 7:30 this morning. So, cardio day and I have a love/hate relationship, and today it leaned a little more on the hate side.

In the past we did 30 seconds active, 60 seconds rest for 20 rounds. Today CB upgraded us to 30 seconds active, 30 seconds rest, 30 rounds. Cheese and rice I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. Thank you FIB for the "good jobs" and "you can do its" really motivated me when I needed it today.

5 stations because all five of us were there ~ welcome back C ~ burpees, hill climbers, bike, high knees and renegade rows. After the 30 minutes of hate was over I started feeling good, actually it was probably 5-10 minutes after that when I finally could breath again.

Figured out some new recipes for this week to switch up and get out of the boredom stage. New twist on fish and chicken, plus a breakfast smoothie which I had this morning and yummy!

We just finished week 8, half way there! Can't wait for next measurement day.

Need to step it up

So, I've been extremely frustrated with myself the past few workouts. I feel like I'm doing less, but working hard, if that makes any sense. However, I think I've figured out what my problem is. It's an emotional road block, at least that's my theory. I've been thinking about my sister a lot lately and really missing her and talking to her and thinking about all the things I'll never get to do with her again and since I don't usually talk about it I've been keeping it bottled inside and I think that is what has been holding me back in workouts (and probably other stuff too). Now, I just have to figure out how not to let my emotions affect (or is is effect) my workouts. And maybe that's not even it, maybe I'm just getting slower, but I don't like that theory.

Food has been good though. Calories and percentages were just lowered this weekend and so far, no problems at all. I actually really enjoy sitting down with fitday and figuring it all out. My favorite meal is lunch. I have a "salad" everyday, but keep it un-boring.

Today's salad:
2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup fat free mozz. cheese
1/8 cup walnuts
2 HB egg whites
packet Healthy Selections tuna mixed with spicey brown mustard on top
YUMMY!!!

Just for Gab - Here are the numbers

Pounds Loss: 20.5 pounds
Body Fat Loss: 3.5%
Hips, Waist, Thigh and Upper Arm: 6 inches total loss

Great job to all the girls!! My FIB who lost 7% Fat - YEAH YOU!!!

Ending Week Six

Today is the last day of week six so we did some measuring today, just Erica and I, the other 3 are tomorrow. I was a little nervous about it, but was very happy with the results.

Food this past week was pretty good ~ I switched up what I'd been eating to add a little variety and help get over the boring week I had previously. I had some WW pasta and shrimp one night which was a nice change, but decided pasta was too many carbs for my menu, but still a nice change every once in a while. I also added spicy brown mustard to my dinner, I've been mixing with asparagus to add a little something extra. Let's see what else... peanut butter! I'd been avoiding it the first five weeks, but added it last week to the BBC brownie batter and that was a really nice addition ~ Kevin loves it too.

I'm loving lunch time salads. Been changing and adding new foods each day. One day added apples, I've added HB egg whites, some days walnuts, a couple days I switched the baby spinach with a cup of cucumbers cubed and that was tasty.

I don't have any plans for anything new this week, probably just variations of previous weeks. My numbers might be changing tomorrow, so I haven't planned next weeks menu yet.

This mornings workout was VERY frustrating for me. I didn't feel like I was getting the numbers I should be, but I was really pushing myself as much as I could, not sure what my problem was or if I even had a problem, but was frustrated with myself anyway. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back on.

Finally...

I guess I've finally recovered from that Cardio Day, JK ~ been a lazy blogger, I'm over it now. Last Saturday was the end of week four and we were allowed to weigh ourselves if we wanted, I had already the week before, but did again Sat. morning, I'd lost 15 pounds in four weeks! Can't wait until next Saturday when it's the end of week six and we get measured. I'm going to try not to step on the scale until week eight.

This week was back to evening classes ~ the boss was back from vacation so no more getting away with coming in late. Missed the girls!! But, next week no more work so back to mornings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday!! Which also means back to Cadio Days...

I'll try to be better at blogging and putting in what I eat, workouts, etc. This week I tried squash, it was okay, kind of bland. Tonight I'm having brussel sprouts ~ that's right TWO new veggies in one week ~ making up for no new veggies the week before.

Last nights workout was Spread the Wealth: you can see pictures on Ben's Blog.
Circuit 1
Kettlebell Swing x 10
Push ups x 20
Goblet Squat x 10

Circuit 2
Renegade Rows x 10 each side
Reverse Crunches x 15
Split Squat x 10 each side

We had 10 minutes on each circuit and had to complete as many round as we could, I tried to count but lost track, I think I had done Renegade Rows and Reverse Crunches in round 4 when times was up on Circuit 2 and 5 full rounds in Circuit 1. push ups were killer for me. I'm back to knees, but have been working on touching the ground with nose and chest before coming back up, gives me spaghetti arms!

OMFG ~ Cardio Day

At 6:30 this morning I was a cardio day virgin, at 7:30 this morning my innocence was lost! Wow, what a different workout then I am use to. There were five stations: firehose (another first), sprints, burpees, high knees and the bike, sounds easy enough, right? I thought I was going to die ~ part way through this workout was the first time in three weeks that I questioned whether I could do this. Of course I can, but there was a moment.

I think the first round was 30 secords work, 90 seconds active rest and we did each exercise twice and had to beat at least two scores, we all did! Second time around was 30 seconds work 60 second rest and again had to beat two scores, and again we did. My heart was beating so fast and my lungs were on fire! It was a great workout, but hard ~ not the work itself, but how I felt. It was a little weird not working with any kind of weight.

I think I'm too tired to think about typing right now ~ more later.