T-Minus 3 Hours Until Vacation!

Yup, you read that right. I'll be leaving soon to start the 10 hour road trip to North Captiva Island. I'm stoked to be getting out of Georgia for a little while (poor roommates probably aren't too happy to have to watch the dee-oh-gies for me!). I'm also really excited to be able to show off my hot new bod... to the three other girls that'll be with me (N. Captiva Island isn't that populated), but who cares! I'll take lots of pictures so I can upload them when I get back. For now, here's a teaser from the great and almighty internet:

(click here for original URL)

Don't worry, I'm even jealous of myself! On top of being absolutely fabulous, this trip will also be a great way to test my will power. Taking myself out of the comfort of home and routine, I really hope I'm able to stick with my nutritional goals while still being able to treat myself (read: beach cocktails). This is where that book I bought will hopefully come in handy. I've also decided to take a break from Insanity while I'm down there. I'm not sure if where we are staying even has a DVD player, and I won't have access to my gym pads (I tried to do a workout without them once and noticed a huge difference--not a good one at that). Rest assured, however, as I have already packed my tennis shoes, plus plenty of sports bras, socks, and running shorts. I'm actually about to Google the trails on the island so I can have a tentative route and distance already mapped out.

I'll be honest though, this vacation couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Sure, I had originally factored it into my 2-month Insanity schedule, but I'm about sick of the whole shebang. I need a break from it, and when I come back rested, I'm hoping I'll be able to attack it once again full force. This whole past week has been tough. I've been tired all day, unmotivated to do my workouts, and when I actually did finally do them, I felt like I was regressing in terms of stamina and strength. I Googled it, and apparently there's a such thing as over-training. Not sure if I'm victim to this, or just being lazy, but most sites recommended a short break and then a return to the original schedule (and surprisingly enough, Insanity and P90X were mentioned time and again as the top offenders). So I'm just going to focus on a mental and physical recuperation during this trip. I think a few tropical drinks, a nice deep tan, and the smell of the ocean will do just fine towards that purpose.

I will try to update while I'm there (not sure what the reception is like), but if I'm unable to, expect a picture-heavy post middle of next week. Everyone have a great end of March!

Day 15 of Insanity

It's hard to believe I've been doing this for 2 weeks now! Today marks day 15 of Insanity, which means the second, dreaded Fit Test, weight/measurement recordings, and picture updates. I know you're all dieing to see hot pictures of me, but let's start with my Fit Test results from this evening.

Just in case you can't read it, it says I'm a bad ass baller. Seriously though, I didn't think these kind of numbers were even capable for me. I'm really psyched with my improvement. My main method consisted of checking my score from the first Fit Test prior to doing the move and then powering through until I hit that number. If I could keep going, I did; if I couldn't, I took a small break and then forced myself to continue, trying hard not to glance up at the timer. I thought my stamina was improving--even though I have yet to complete a workout 100%--but this is real proof.

I'll be honest though, this Fit Test kicked my butt (just like the first time all over again). I felt nauseous and dizzy when I finished, which means I must have really gone as hard as possible. At one point, my heart rate monitor said I reached 92% (during the Power Jumps). I paused the DVD during the next break to give myself extra time to come back down. I wish I had done more Globe Jumps, but I was exhausted at that point. New goal for week 4!

Next is a quick rundown of my weight and inches lost since I began Insanity. Remember, I started working out in January, a few months prior to doing this particular program, so I'll be listing Insanity results and overall results.

In terms of weight, I've lost 2.5 pounds with Insanity, and 10 pounds overall!

In terms of inches...
    
     Chest: 1 inch since Insanity/1 inch overall
     Arms:  .5 inch since Insanity/.5 inch overall (but my, have they toned and strengthened up!)
     Waist: 1 inch since Insanity/3 inches overall!
     Hips:   0 inch since Insanity/3 inches overall!
     Thigh: .5 inch since Insanity/2 overall

And now for the moment everyone loves, and I loathe (but hey, it's going to keep me honest)... pictures!

I can really tell in my waist that I've lost some weight--thank goodness! I also notice that my shoulders are starting to strengthen up, which is making me look more proportionate. I have to say one of the main reasons for doing this whole lifestyle change is not only to become more healthy, but also to see what my body is capable of doing and looking like. We only get one, why not use it to the best of its ability?

I don't notice too much of a visual change with this angle, but I can certainly feel that my hamstrings and back muscles are getting a lot stronger.

Check out those obliques!

See what I mean about the shoulders?

Overall, I'm really happy with my progress over the last two weeks. If anyone has any pointers on how to maximize my results in the upcoming weeks before Fit Test 3, I'd love to hear them (exercise, nutrition, or otherwise), especially since I may be running my first 10k July 4th. Thanks in advance!

Your Weekend, My Work Week

The hardest part about my new lifestyle is trying to make it mesh with my old one. Working the bar until midnight or later 3 nights in a row doesn't go well with waking up early, eating healthy, and working out, but I'm trying my damnedest! I've been taking dark chocolate roasted almonds and protein bars to work to make sure I get something to eat during my shift. Before, I would go from 4:30 pm-1 am without so much as a glass of water--not the best way to treat your body.

Speaking of eating (which I love to do), this morning I tried the Omelet Muffins that my brother-in-law, Billy, posted under the comments of Food Porn. I modified the recipe somewhat by opting out of the meat and doing all veggies. I figure I can always add meat in a sandwich later if I want, but the protein in the eggs is plenty. I used green and red peppers, mushrooms, onions, and spinach; I also added garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper to the suggested red pepper flakes from the original recipe.

Chopped it all up and mixed it together, adding a dash of milk.

I realized too late that I didn't own a 12-cup muffin pan, but only a 6-cup one. It was a job filling them up. I know they ended up too full, but I figured what the hey, it'd be messier to try to fix it. Let's roll with it.

I had some mix left over and made myself a traditional omelet on the stove after popping these in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (my oven cooks a lot faster than nice ones).

Yup, definitely filled them up too much. Oh well! They look good, in an overflowing kind of way. They look much better separated.

I also hate to waste food, so I collected all of the "spillage" and stored that in a separate container. I figure I can use this single portion of eggs in a breakfast wrap.

By the way, does anyone else save the containers from Chinese or Mexican restaurants? Those are my favorite things to use!

All in all a success, albeit a messy one. So thanks to Billy for supplying the inspiration for my breakfasts this week!

The rest of today will consist of Pure Cardio AND Cardio Abs (Oh no!). If you remember, Pure Cardio is one of the hardest workouts, and today I'm supposed to finish it and jump directly into Cardio Abs, which I have yet to try. I'm excited, but then again I'm not. Good thing I've had lots of coffee already.

Afterwards it's off to Geoff's track meet (the boyfriend--he's a track coach at a local high school), and then work at 5. I'll be closing the bar down tonight, so my day probably won't end until around 2 am. Hopefully it's over before I know it, and then tomorrow is my off day (from Insanity and work). I'm thinking of dragging Geoff and the dogs to Kennesaw Mountain if anyone (sisters and Billy, I'm looking at you here!) would like to join us. Everyone have a great Saturday!

"That S*** is Ba-na-nas, Yo!"

The title of this post is in regards to yesterday's Insanity workout--Pure Cardio. It's a quote from none other than the instructor himself, Shaun T, fittingly spoken at the end as he lay on the ground, dripping sweat, possibly rethinking his future as a fitness professional. I looked and felt the same way afterwards (minus the fitness professional part), but I'm still smiling! (On a side note, I was able to keep my heart rate to 75% during the warm-up, and complete it totally--the first time I've been able to do either! If you've ever done the Insanity warm-up, you know how difficult that can be.)

The workout itself is one of my least favorites because it really is bananas, but the video has me cracking up every time. He admits to the camera and his crew that he's nervous about the workout during the warm-up stretches. This made me very skeptical the first time around, but it's reassuring when you see others (including Shaun T) taking a break to get water or reset, making the whole thing seem more possible. If these incredible god-like bodies are having trouble, then by all means I should be, too. I'm actually really glad I decided to do this instead of P90X, because I like the honesty of it. Not sure the guy's name that instructs P90 (Tony something?), but he seems annoying.

I'm writing this post before I tackle today's workout--the Plyometric Cardio Circuit. Hopefully I can give it my all knowing that tomorrow is a break (Cardio Recovery--it's one of my favorites, and aptly named, because it's pretty much a yoga video in order to give your body a rest.) I wanted to get in a blog entry before I was too tired to do so, which is why there wasn't one after my workout yesterday! By the way, concerning my last post about getting things done earlier (and just done, period), I actually did really well yesterday. I was able to get up with my alarm and complete an itinerary I made in order to keep myself on track. I got A LOT accomplished.

It goes on like that for a while, but as OCD as it seems, it really worked! I don't think I could plan all of my days in that manner (what fun is that?), but for really jam-packed ones, I'll keep it in mind. Today was more of a lazy off day. I hung out with the dogs, caught up on shows, and did some more laundry--very relaxing.

And oh yeah! Notice the measurements at 9:15? Well I'm excited to report that since I've been doing Insanity (for a week and a day at the time these were taken), I've lost 1 inch in my chest (1 inch overall from January), .5 inch in my arm (.5 overall), .5 inch in my waist (2 inches overall!), 0 in my hips (but 3 inches overall!), and .5 inch in my thigh (2 inches overall). That's 2.5 inches in one week, and the inch in my chest and .5 in my arm are solely from this workout! I'm really amped now that I have numerical proof of my results.

I've also been doing really well with my nutrition and counting calories. I'm trying to make sure I have balanced meals (carb, protein, fat) and 6 pint glasses of water a day. One thing that's really helped on the water front has been to prepare some green tea I keep in the fridge. Green tea is good for you, and it's got enough of a taste to differentiate yourself from just drinking water all the time. I brew a concentrated batch in a measuring cup (about 10 bags for 3 cups of water), let it cool, and then I pour it into an old milk gallon, top it off with water, and stick it in the fridge. My roommates say it looks like a gallon of pee, but who cares! Yesterday I went outside and got some mint from my garden to flavor it--very refreshing.

Ok, so maybe it does look like pee, but I'll take it over the other stuff I drank yesterday. I've heard that coconut water (coconut anything really) is supposed to be crazy good for you, so I found this stuff on my last trip to Cost Plus World Market:

It was 2 for $3 so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it. I bought all 4 flavors (this one is aloe and wheatgrass, but there's also mangosteen and mango, goji berry and lychee, and passionfruit and pineapple). It looks like this out of the bottle:

Looks like aloe vera, right? Well it also tastes like it. It was... weird. Not in a horribly bad way, but I'm hoping since I tried the worst sounding flavor first, the other ones will seem wonderful in comparison. At least the dogs were excited about it...

I ended up just downing it so it didn't mess up the taste of my delicious post-workout snack. Apples with natural crunchy peanut butter and dark chocolate dreams--another find at Cost Plus. It's dark chocolate mixed with peanut butter, and it's amazing. Really gave me the dark chocolate fix I'd been after with a lot less calories (it's comparable to PB for a 2 tablespoon serving).

I actually think I eat more now that I'm trying to eat 5 times a day and keep it to a certain amount of calories. I've gotten really good (and my body, too) at knowing when I need to eat and how big the portions should be. Hopefully this is going to turn out to be a life-long, natural change, as I've begun to do better in the past and obviously dropped off the wagon. As the title of this entire blog suggests, I don't have a regular 9-5'er, so I pray that when that does happen my new exercise and nutrition regimen will marry with it nicely. I'm really trying to use this transitional time between college and adulthood in the best possible way, since I have yet to secure a job, by getting my personal, mental, emotional, and physical self together before I unleash it on the world. But if you happen to know of anyone that is hiring, I think I might be able to fit one in now! :)

Mind Over Matter

I'm posting this update from my phone while I lie (I had to look that one up!) in bed and reflect on the past week. I now officially have one full week and a day of Insanity under my belt, and I'm extremely proud of myself for sticking with it this far. I've already noticed results, not on the scale per se, but as I said in an earlier comment on another post--I just feel tighter and stronger all over. I've also noticed a major improvement in my stamina and level of completion during the workouts.

Now if only I could get my timing under control! I've been procrastinating my workouts on the days I have to work the bar, even so far as missing one completely on St. Patty's Day (don't worry! I made it up on Sunday). I lolligag around the house and find excuses to wait until the last possible minute. So my goal for this next week is to get up at a decent time, eat breakfast, do some small chores while I wait for my food to digest, and then get into it. Hopefully a stricter schedule will force me to regulate myself a little better. I'm terrified of missing a day and it turning into a few days and then a week and then a couple weeks, which can happen more easily than I'd like to admit. So if you care about me being hot and healthy and have noticed my absence from this blog, please call me out! I've yet to learn self-discipline (I was hoping it would naturally develop with age!).

But! I will give myself a little credit for my Friday workout. It began with a hike up Kennesaw mountain with a friend, her dog, and her two adorable boys. We hiked up at a leisurely pace, stopping for the kids to get water at every bench (of which I was more than happy to oblige them). The way back down, however, was a totally different story. Once we made it back to the main trail, a huge crack of thunder sounded, scaring the littlest one and the dog. It began to rain, lightly at first, but by the time we made it to the major decline (the steep beginning incline when you come up) it was downright pouring. The 8-year-old decided to take off, and me and the dog happily followed. It was a rush to run down the slick mountain at a pretty fast pace soaking wet trying to dodge the rain. I felt like a kid again! And I burned about 445 calories to boot!

When I got home, I changed my wet socks and shirt and popped in my Insanity DVD for the day. Another hour later, and I was down 425 more calories. It felt empowering to realize I was strong enough, mentally and physically, to make it through two fairly intense workouts when 2 months ago I was pretty much sedentary.

In fact, I felt so good I began to plan my next blog entry as a weekly check-in, pictures and all!

And then mother nature hit. So let's just say we'll wait another week for some photos, which I actually think may be a better idea anyways because it will fall in line with my 2 week fit test. If you don't know, Insanity has you do a fit test on your very first day to have a way in which to gauge your results. I did pretty poorly, but a majority of the moves pop up again in your daily workouts. Like I said, I've been improving steadily, and I'm actually excited for the fit test to come around again (sick, I know). I can't wait to see how much better I do. I just need to remember that my mind will want to quit before my body does. So I guess that's another goal for this week--push myself further mentally in order to achieve physically. Mind over matter as they say. Wish me luck!

Food Porn

So anyone that knows me knows how much I love food, any food. I'm not picky in the slightest. I've tried to steer more towards the organic side of things in the past few years, because I also love vegetables and knowing that what I'm eating is clean (besides the drunk binges at Waffle House and McDonald's). Come to think of it, it's always really been the exercise portion that's been my downfall. I eat fairly healthfully, but it wasn't until lately I realized I was eating entirely too much. (Did you know that one can of tuna is actually two servings!?)

The fitbook that I've already pimped in my previous post has really kept me honest about tracking what I eat and the calorie content. I tried the phone apps that are available, but they killed my battery and were just too slow or didn't have what I needed in their database. Luckily, I've developed a new love for cooking, even if it's just for myself (Geoff hates any food that is green, literally and figuratively). Cooking for yourself is a great way to actually stick to single servings and be totally aware of what you're putting in your body.

However, it's the single servings part that kills me. I wish they actually made meal pills like in Willy Wonka because I think I honestly enjoy the taste more than the sensation of a full belly. In that regard, I've tried to be more conscientious of eating, with no distractions, actually tasting and savoring the food, and stopping when I'm full. You'd be surprised how little can satisfy you. As a challenge to anyone that reads this, eat your next meal at a table, with no tv or internet, and put your fork down in between bites. Actually chew your food and pay attention to the way you feel. I bet you don't finish your meal! (I've also found that using side plates as opposed to full on dinner plates limits what I can fit on the plate and my body.)

This morning I made a turkey, swiss, and egg breakfast sandwich on a whole wheat english muffin (important to get whole wheat and not just wheat or multi-grain!). I also had a small cluster of red grapes and 8 oz. of chocolate soy milk. All together it came in at 450 calories. Not bad for what I think should be the biggest meal of the day.

Actually really delicious and filled me up.

For lunch I made a grilled chicken ranch whole wheat wrap. 1/2 breast of chicken, 1/2 serving of shredded cheddar cheese, lite ranch, and a ton of lettuce all for 350 calories.

And for dinner, I made egg rolls! I've been craving something crunchy since I've given up fried foods for lent, and I love egg rolls, so I figured I'd try to bake them and see how they turned out. I've made them once before with tofu, but as I was out, I substituted scrambled egg. They were delicious!

I ended up using 4 eggs because I ran out, but the rest of the ingredients are as follows:

1 Celery Stalk
1/4 Onion
4 Eggs
1/2 Bag of Cole Slaw Mix
1 Package of Egg Roles (next to the tofu in the produce section of most super markets)
(Use as much or as little of the following as you'd like)
Minced Garlic
Siracha (God's gift to mankind)
Soy Sauce
Lime Juice
and Olive Oil (for the eggs and sticking the egg roles together)

Basically you cut up the celery and onion, mix it with the coleslaw, and add the garlic, Siracha, soy sauce, and lime juice to taste.

Next, grill up the eggs (I added black and red pepper, turmeric, and cumin to them.) I left them a little runny, because I didn't want them to overcook in the oven.

Now you can set up a little assembly line in which you lightly baste the egg roles with olive oil, flip them over, fill them, fold them like an envelope, and roll them up.

Be sure to put a dab of olive oil on the flap of the envelope so they stick. Put this part face down on the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

A serving is 3 egg roles, and by my calculations (which are usually pretty accurate--my boyfriend is a math teacher afterall!) a serving is only about 250-275 calories depending on how heavy your hand is with the olive oil and fillings. It's okay, I know. I'm amazing. You are welcome.

These provided that crunch I was after with a very low calorie count (the soy sauce was of course low sodium, and I recorded the entire thing at 300 calories in my log to be safe). The great thing is at about 87 calories a piece, I can eat these as a side with dinner, a snack, or a full meal like I did tonight. I made about 14, but could have made more if my pan was bigger (the egg role package includes 21 sheets). I ended up using the rest of the coleslaw mix with my other half of a tuna can (remember that guy from earlier?) so I can have a tuna salad sandwich tomorrow for lunch. Brilliant!

Please share any other healthy recipes you may have found along your way. I'd love to hear them!

And as for my workout today, I think I produced even more sweat than yesterday (which I didn't think was possible), but I also burned more calories. According to my HRM, 475 to be exact, which puts my net calories for the day at 1,525 (I didn't blog my snacks and the protein shake I had after my workout).

Not once was I hungry or deprived, and my workout only used up 40 minutes of my precious time which otherwise consisted of watching tv and thinking about finishing the laundry (the perks of not having a big girl job). Absolutely no excuse for me not to be able to keep this up. But just in case, please remind me I said that in about 2 weeks.

Product Placements!

This post will primarily consist of all the neat little toys and gadgets I have acquired in the past month to motivate myself to work harder. It'd be a waste of money otherwise! However, first I would like to do a quick recap of the plyo... poli... pylo... oh whatever it was I just did for the last 40 minutes.

It. Was. Intense.

I mean, like, holy bejeezus.

I probably completed about 40% of the workout. The other percentages break down as follows:
10% trying to figure out how to even do the move he was describing/demonstrating (Oh yeah, he, refers to the devil incarnate)
15% sucking air that wouldn't come
15% trying to keep the sweat out of my eyes, and my ponytail to stop falling out (note to self: buy a sweat band and better hair accessories)
and 20% contemplating just quitting and going to Wendy's for a burger

But I stuck in there and finished it to the best of my meager abilities, and I have to say I feel great! I really hope I can keep with it, because it seems even more hardcore than the suicide runs and conditioning training we did in volleyball and lacrosse. I was sweating more than I thought was possible. I know--super sexy.

The picture doesn't do the sweat justice, but it was literally dripping off of me everywhere. It does, however, feature my brand new heart rate monitor! UPS delivered it just in time for today's workout. I researched them for a couple of hours Sunday night on Amazon, and the wonderful gnomes that run the place were able to get it to me by today. Love that site. I ended up going with this one--the Sportline Cardio 630 Women's Monitor. It was one of the more affordable, had pretty good reviews, and seemed to be the most customizable (in terms of gender, height, weight, etc. for the calories burned counter), not to mention it's small/stylish enough to wear as an everyday watch. So far so good after the first use. Set up was a breeze, and it tracked me the entire time. Speaking of, I was at about 85% of my max heart rate during this workout, which is ridiculous, but I burned about 400+ calories. I am going to have to work on my breathing.

UPS also delivered this delightful little gem. It's a book filled with cocktail recipes that are lower calorie. I realize that most fitness and health programs board the "no alcohol" train, but let's face it--I'm a 24-year-old bartender. I'm going to drink. Better I'm prepared to make smarter choices about it (although I love craft beers) than quit cold turkey. Tried that once... it made me a very grumpy Gus.

In terms of calorie choices, I've began keeping track of what and when I eat with a book I found at Target next to the yoga DVD's. It's called a fitbook, and seems well worth the $20 I paid for it. It is a 12-week log of fitness and nutrition.

 The above are a sample of the daily tracker. It also has a long-term goal section, weekly goal section, and a place to fill in and keep track of all your stats (weight, body fat %, etc.). Very cool little book which I would highly recommend. I actually bought one for my sister (whom I'm going to have to convince to do this Insanity thing with me).

Lately, I find myself spending more money on gym clothes, nutritious food, vitamins, and little things like those mentioned than regular clothes, bar tabs, fast food, and decorations for the house. What a nice change!

Yesterday Was Day 1 of Insanity

And it was insane, to say the very, and I mean very least. It was only the fit test, but it kicked my butt. I'm reporting now solely to postpone day 1 of the actual workouts, which is the "plyometric cardio circuit."

(Do what now? What's a plyometric? Apparently spell check doesn't know either, which makes it seem like a made-up word for "kill yourself now.")

I decided to do the Insanity workout because I have a hard time keeping focused at the gym. I've been going pretty regularly now for about 2 months, and I have lost 7 lbs., 3 inches off my hips, and an inch off of my thighs and waist. I still have a long way to go. Amazing how easily it all sneaks up on you. I played sports all through high school, and while I could never be considered skinny, I was much healthier, leaner, and in better shape overall. Although now I know how to dress myself and do my hair and makeup, so that has to count for something right? But I do miss the days of required (the most important word!), 5X per week, intense workouts all kicked off with a few weeks of conditioning to combat those pesky high school rules of not having the players actually play the sport until a certain date.

Insanity will hopefully prove to be my annoying high school coach, come back to haunt me and my extra 20 lbs. And in order to really make myself truly accountable and open with this journey, I will post before pictures. Terrifying, really, but everyone likes pictures.

First off, this is my set-up for the living room. I bought some of those piece together mats at Lowe's to help my knees absorb the shock.

And now, most reluctantly, I post my before pictures for your enjoyment. Don't let the smile fool you, folks. I just really hate somber expressions on people's faces.

All I can say is thank goodness I'm somewhat tan... gives the illusion of muscles.

Not sure what the above pose is supposed to show besides my behind, but body builders do it, so I can too! (I guess that goes for the below picture as well)

Overall I am looking to lose the deceptively thick layer of fat that has slowly built its way around my body. I don't think I have any major problem areas, I just need to carve a little off the top... of everything. Feel free to creep this blog, add words of encouragement, join me for a jog at the gym or a hike up Kennesaw Mountain, and/or suggest pointers.

By the way, here are my day 1 fit test results if anyone is interested:
1. Switch Kicks................53
2. Power Jacks................22
3. Power Knees...............60
4. Power Jumps..............20
5. Globe Jumps...............5
6. Suicide Jumps.............5
7. Push-up Jacks.............10
8. Low Plank Oblique.......32