helloandie

Ugh I've had the crud this week, probably from travelling. I'm almost back to normal today, but that means I have a lot of work to do with these last 4 days this week. Luckily, I managed to make it to the gym on Monday, so I'm not *super* behind, but I haven't gone on ANY walks and I skipped the gym last night for a nap. I figure it's better to get healthy, then work out. So I'll probably hit the gym tonight or tomorrow. Definitely get my walk in this evening! I'll post what I did at the gym on Monday later, or if you're super curious like RIGHT NOW you can friend me on MapMyFitness.

WELL. I'm back from a fantastic vacation! I completely left my Fitbit behind, plugged in to charge for the trip. Awesome. And then my cat decided to play with it last night and now there's no telling where it's ended up. Hopefully I can find it easily after work. So I managed to stick to only ONE dessert last week, it was s'mores cooked over a campfire on a beach and let me just tell you, totally worth it. I probably walked a minimum of 10 miles each day, maybe more. I did body weight workouts in the Airbnb apartment I stayed at (which was so lovely!) that included squats, push ups, reverse crunches, planks, and the most hated of all: lunges. It was a successful and exhausting week. I can't believe I managed to work out - TWICE - in the middle of all the rushing around and herding children. Tonight I return to the gym.

Check in! Wednesday: Gym day! On the track for 1.09mi, I walked two laps then jogged one lap, then repeat. It was more jogging than I've ever done and I didn't feel like I was going to die. Endurance is leveling!! Hyperextensions - 2 sets of 15, body weight Shoulder presses - 1 set of 15, 5lbs., 1 set of 10, 8lbs.Pulldowns - 2 sets of 15, 40lbs.Deadlifts - 1 set of 5, 45lbs., 3 sets of 5, 65lbs Aaaand then I almost passed out, which happens from time to time so I sat down with my head between my knees until I could walk and I went home. No sugar! Thursday: No sugar! Today: Knocked out my 2 mile walk after lunch today which was a dumb idea because I'm wearing sandals, it's super sunny and I have no sunscreen, and 77 degrees SOUNDS lovely but after half a mile it is not. But at least I don't have to worry about it later?

Checking in! So far - GREAT. Monday: Went to the gym, walked the track for about a mile and a half before working on weight training with my trainer. Hyperextensions - 2 sets of 15, body weight Leg press (machine) - 2 sets of 15, set 1 70lbs., set 2 85lbs. Shoulder presses - 2 sets of 15, set 1 5lbs., set 2 8lbs. Pulldowns - 2 sets of 15, 30lbs. Pushdowns - 2 sets of 15, 30lbs. Seated cable rows - 2 sets of 15, set 1 40lbs., set 2 30lbs. No sugar! Tuesday: Woke up early to walk (2.03mi) and took a walk/jog in the evening (2.02mi) for a total of 5.05mi! No sugar! No sugar so far today and going to the gym after work. Re: smurray - I've been sort of toying with the idea of quitting sugar for about a month (since I read those books!) so I was able to prepare and shop accordingly. I got a bread machine so I can (easily) make my own sugar-free bread. I already avoid all beverages that aren't water, tea, or coffee, so really it's been easy so far. The trick is the preparation, you really have to read a crap ton of labels, purge sugar-containing foods from your house, and shop for ingredients and make your own food. I've been all sorts of food obsessed for over a year now and I keep trying stuff and this seems to be the easiest "diet" yet, really.

Am back! Had to skip a challenge due to vacation. And I'm also vacationing next week, but I couldn't skip 2 in a row! To account for this, I'll have to do some hotel room, body weight workouts in lieu of the gym, and I'll allow for sugar TWICE that week. As in, two separate SINGLE SERVING desserts. And I'll actually try to skip those, but I have to plan for a little vacation slipage because I'm realistic. Walking will not be an issue, I'm headed to the PNW which will have much nicer weather than my home town and much nicer scenery as well. And now, on with it! Main Quest Again: Less squishy/more defined muscle tone! (Slow and steady wins the race, yes? Well it's happening slowly, but it's happening.) Goals Diet - No sugar! I recently read Year of No Sugar and Sweet Poison and WOAH. Sugar is the devil. (I'll be avoiding sugar under its many aliases found here) (+4 CON) Workout - Hit the gym 2+ times per week for weight training (+4 STR) Workout - Go on walks/jogs 3+ days/week, at least 2 miles (+4 STA) Life Quest Finish Good Calories, Bad Calories, learn more about the food I eat (+3 WIS)

Goals Diet - Paleo at least 5 days per week. Allowed exceptions are protein shakes on gym days and grass-fed, organic dairy. (+ 3 CON) - A - I stuck to the diet MORE than my goal and finished up with a juice cleanse from 5/22 - 5/24! Work up to 3 miles on the elliptical without stopping, at least 120 spm (+ 3 STA, + 2 DEX) - CHECK! - A - Completed 5/13 Work up to 3 sets of 8 of dead lifts at 105lbs and squats at 55lbs (+ 3 STR) - CHECK! - A - Completed 5/21 and 5/19 respectively Life Quest 7+ hours of sleep per night, average (+ 2 CHA, + 2 WIS) - CHECK! - A - Averaged closer to 8 hours per night (and sometimes over) than 7. Never under 7! Main Quest Less squishy/more defined muscle tone! (Look better, basically.) A - I see a lot more definition in my legs and my mid-section and my shoulders. I am actually STARTING to see a reduction in the size of my upper arms, which is really very exciting. Wow, I am pretty proud of myself for this challenge. I'm really looking forward to the next one! I'm toying with the idea of trying out crossfit in July... any thoughts?

Ok, I guess this is my results post! I hit my elliptical goal on 5/13 (A), my squats goal on 5/19 (A) and my deadlift goal on 5/21 (A). I KILLED the diet goal (A+++!), finished up with a juice cleanse that was easier than i would have thought, and got loads of sleep (A). Every goal hit. Overall I would say C+. Just kidding. An A I can feel great about!

I'm on day 2 of my juice cleanse today. it's easier than i would have guessed, but it's still pretty challenging. the juices are SUPER tasty, so there's that!

YES! I DID IT! I did my dead lifts last ight and it was by FAR the hardest goal to meet. After the first set I was like, there's no way. Halfway through the second set I was like, wow, I'm almost done, this is totally easy. THe last set... boy it was hard. I'm sure other YMCA members were like why is that girl whimpering over there?? But I don't even care, because I did it. My juices for the cleanse came a day early, and I'd been doing the prep (modifying diet to transition easily into juice and only juice) all week, so here I am at a little after 1pm, halfway through my 3rd juice of the day. I am Hungry. Capital H Hungry. But if I can do 24 dead lifts at 105lbs, I can totally do this. Needless to say, my diet is going SO well. I GOT this challenge.

TOTALLY hit another goal last night. I did 3 sets of 8 squats with 55lbs of weight. AFTER i did 10 body weight squats and 8 with 45lbs. It was hard, but not as hard as I'd feared, and those were some of the best squats, form-wise, I've done! I was pretty dead afterward but managed 2 sets of 10 shoulder presses at 10lbs and 1 set of 10 hypers. All I have left is those deadlifts, and I'm a little nervous because I haven't lifted that much yet, but 10lbs extra shouldn't be too hard?

Well my trainer is out of town this week so instead of a comprehensive workout tonight I plan on hitting my squat goal: 3 sets of 8 at 55lbs. And then assuming I have any energy left, (hah, I'm sure I will) I'll do bench press and shoulder press and reverse crunches. That leaves a whole week to get those deadlifts done. And I start my juice cleanse Friday! Can't wait!! My diet is kicking ass. I had one serving of manicotti in the past week and half of a cupcake. Other than that it has been mostly salads and raw veggies and grass-fed beef and chicken breast. My sleeping has been good, a little over 8 hours a night! Seriously looking forward to the next challenge, although I have no idea what my goals will be!

Thanks! I *did* make it! And... I hit one of my goals!!!

I did not make it to the gym last night and I am very sad about it. I kept feeling worse throughout the day and either had a 24 hour stomach bug or some mild food poisoning. Ugh. I might go in tonight to make it up, but Tuesdays are harder. We'll see!

I'm sending my fitbit force back today. The rash on my arm got a little worse so I guess I just have to get over it and hope they come out with a new model soon. I will *so* miss my silent alarm. Feeling pretty nauseated today and hope it goes away before I have to go to the gym tonight. I don't want to take it easy tonight, I skipped going this weekend because of mother's day and all and I can feel my body craving some soreness. I'm going to try and hit my elliptical goal tonight or Wednesday, it depends on how early I can get to the gym tonight. I think I can get my deadlift goal done Wednesday or Friday, same with squats. It's just going to be hard! But I mean, I did a total of 30 deadlifts at 95lbs. last week, so 24 at 105lbs should be doable. And I've been squatting above my goal for a couple of weeks, just not 8 reps at a time. Hopefully I'll hit at least one out of three tonight!

Oh man. Ok, well I went to the gym Wednesday, I did all of my homework from my trainer and DANG. That was a serious workout. I didn't think it would be, only 4 things! Yesterday I went for a run/walk. But I ran TWO times in the duration of being outside and father than ever both times. Woah. I didn't feel SO much like I was going to die. And then today I signed up for a juice cleanse. o_o I am excited and nervous. My last day on the 3 day cleanse is also the last day of the challenge! I've been doing so well on the diet, and feel pretty great, so I might just continue to eat paleo and cut out my 2 "cheat" days. I'm barely using them anymore now, so maybe I'll allow myself like, a meal with pasta once every week or two or a couple of glasses of wine per week. After the cleanse, that is. My waist is getting smaller, and honestly the best motivator for me to stick to the diet is seeing results. Well, I am starting to see them and that just makes me want to keep doing it. I think the next challenge is going to make a HUGE difference!!

Last night gym: Elliptical for a while, made it about 2 miles without stopping well above my goal spm and only stopped because my trainer arrived and I had to! So that goal is pretty much in the bag, right? I did squats, 10 body weight to warm up, then 5 @ 45lbs, 5 @ 55lbs, and 6 @65lbs. Followed by presses, all at 25lbs, 5, 5, then 12. After that hypers, 4 sets of 10. And finished with face pulls(?) 50 total reps. I don't remember the weight. x_x My trainer has a 6-8 week plan for me, completely independent of this challenge, so I'll probably hit my goals on a non-trainer night. My Wednesday homework is: 95lbs deadlifts, 10 sets of 3, dumb bell bench 3 sets of 10, lunges (hate hate hate) 3 sets of 15, and pull downs, 5 sets of 10. I got my fitbit weekly report and my sleep average was a little over 8 hours. Soon I'm going to have to calculate this myself because my fitbot force finally started irritating my skin so I went ahead and claimed a refund kit and I'll be sending it back. I have a fitbit one SOMEWHERE but I've looked for it a few times and I think it's gone forever. I hope they come out with their next one SOON, I will really really miss it. :/

Still on diet, it's killin' me today. x_x Gym tonight! My shoulder is bother me again, but I just slept on it wrong. Hopefully it's better by this evening! As far as my main goal, I've noticed a big change in how my legs look. They didn't look this nice even when I weighed like, 115lbs, they just looked smooshy. Now there is tone! So I bought my first pair of shorts in YEARS. My waist seems to have shrunk as well. Now, if my upper arms would just get the memo and let go of some of that padding I would be super happy. I've promised myself a tattoo removal if I ever get there. And with the somewhat sudden change in the look of my legs, maybe it's about to happen? Is the diet working?

Hey! So I went to the gym Wednesday, did all of my homework from the trainer and got a lot closer to my elliptical goal. The diet continues to go well although the temptation this week has been HUGE and UNFAIR. It's been a stressful week. But I haven't given in and it's almost the weekend, so I can have some sort of reprieve.

So last night at the gym... dang. My trainer had me do FIFTY squats with 25lbs and FIFTY RDLs at 45lbs. I am so, so sore. I can't believe I did it, though! Made some good progress on the elliptical, too. I was sitting at 140 stm most of the time without even trying too hard. I had fully intended to go for a run today but yeah, not happening. My homework for Wednesday is: Leg press, hypers, pull downs, rows, bench press, shoulder press. Holy crap this week is going to be hard! My diet is going vastly better than last time, I'm still totally holding to my goal! Today I had a ham omelette for breakfast and fajitas, sans tortillas (so I mean I ate chicken, steak and grilled onions and peppers with guacamole) and it was terrific and filling. I also had a salad with lemon juice. So yay! Everything is going well, but I'm getting a little frustrated because this is my second challenge and my 8th month working out (increasingly more, I did start at once a week...) and I just don't see a very dramatic change in my size/shape. Ho hum. Don't get me wrong, I can see differences, but just not as much as I would have thought by this point. I'll stay with the diet and hopefully I'll reach a point where the fat starts burning to reveal the muscle I can tell I've built underneath.

Hah! Thank you, I needed to hear that.

Woo! What a week! My allergies have been awful but I haven't let that keep me from getting outside and trying to run. I did awesome on the diet all last week, I managed only 1 day of off-paleo, so I went 6 for 5! My sleep goal is going well, I had one night of 6 hours 55 minues, but really? I think that's close enough. Plus Fitbit subtracts time for restless sleeping and my average was probably close to 8 hours per night. All in all it's going well. I have gym tonight with my trainer and plan to work on lifting. Hopefully I'll have awesome updated numbers tomorrow!!

Went for a walk with a little run mixed in last night. I am running farther and dying a little less each time. I can actually tell there's progress.

Gym on Monday: Holy crap I was tired afterwards. I spent about 20 minutes on the elliptical without stopping and kept my pace well above 120 stm (mostly around 130) the whole time. I don't remember my mileage, a little over 1 mile? This makes me think my starting point was a bit... off. Which really just means that I have even more ground to cover to make goal. Pretty sure I can do this! Then I worked on lifting with my trainer. I'm still a tiny bit sore! I did 1 set of 10 body weight squats, then 5 reps with a 25lbs weight, 5 with 45lbs, 5 with 55lbs, and 5 with 65lbs(!!!). My goal may have been a little low? We'll see, that's a lot different than 3 sets of 8 and my form was... not super awesome. For dead lifts I started at 45lbs, 10 reps, then 5 with 75lbs, 5 with 85lbs, and 5 with 95lbs. PROGRESS ALL AROUND! Diet is going well although I am RIGHT NOW in the midst of being seriously hungry and not really wanting to put in the effort to make something healthy. Just admitting that is helping a lot. I'll have some almonds until my brain feels better and then I can make some spaghetti squash lunch.

Oh man, 6 miles?? That's awesome! I'm looking forward to two blocks without stopping or walking. I was able to run farther than ever before without stopping yesterday, though. I'll definitely keep trying!

Killed myself at the gym tonight. More on this later. x_x