I've been terribly busy as of late! I'm working on a top-secret video project that's requiring more time than I was hoping it would, but isn't that how it always goes?
The workouts have been hardcore. I changed things up a bit and have been methodically working on my bootcamp workouts, so I'm getting some heavy sweat going at least three days per week. The accu-measure bodyfat tester I bought several weeks ago, measured myself with, then threw with disgust has shown some promising results: down from 27 mm to 22 mm. I'm hoping that's due to actual fat loss and not to improving my measurement capabilities, since I've been also measuring all my bootcampers. The muscles in my arms are starting to make a reappearance. Wonderful. I had missed them! So, if I lost any fat, it wasn't in the face like usual, but in the arms. And it hasn't shown on the scale.
I've been waffling back and forth for the last week and a half as to whether or not to join Tom Venuto's 50-day challenge. Wouldn't mind the pressure; would hate the pressure. I have until midnight tomorrow night to decide, and it's actually probably earlier than that because of Thanksgiving stuff.
For a moment of sad reflection, tomorrow was also supposed to be the final day for the challenge I started back in September. I have made progress. My life has progressed soooo much in the past three months, although Sept already feels like a lifetime ago. I'm somewhat Sad, because I spent so much of that time between then and now just surviving life. Alright, not really. I have been through a lot. At the same time, I know I could have done lots better. So, that is why I just keep plugging. It'll happen!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Quick
Quick, before I get distracted and go to something else!
I did NOT take off those three pounds. I'm sitting steady at 164 (sad, but true). Workouts are going great, I'm going through my bootcamper's workouts again and tweaking them as needed because I have great plans for them ;). I reset my goal, but this time I'm not going to have that little "panic" button go off inside that makes me do the opposite of what I need/want. So, four pounds, next two weeks? Good goal. Noticed that Thanksgiving is next week, which is of course the original deadline date I had. Sigh. Oh well, on the way to great things anyway!
Also, check out the contest that Tom Venuto of "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" is doing. SWEET!
I did NOT take off those three pounds. I'm sitting steady at 164 (sad, but true). Workouts are going great, I'm going through my bootcamper's workouts again and tweaking them as needed because I have great plans for them ;). I reset my goal, but this time I'm not going to have that little "panic" button go off inside that makes me do the opposite of what I need/want. So, four pounds, next two weeks? Good goal. Noticed that Thanksgiving is next week, which is of course the original deadline date I had. Sigh. Oh well, on the way to great things anyway!
Also, check out the contest that Tom Venuto of "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" is doing. SWEET!
Monday, November 9, 2009
I Believe...
Well, I believe I did it. Lost those two pounds, I mean. Of course, most of it required taking off my jeans... *grin* Just kidding. Weigh-in this morning put me at 163. I believe it must have all come off my face, cause people were noticing already. Jeans were also fitting well this morning, and two weeks ago I gave them up entirely because they were getting too tight.
Now that I'm not in denial, I can really see where I put on the weight in the last year: all in the hip/saddlebag/thigh area. Ew. I notice it most when I'm in Zumba class in front of the mirror. (By the way, if you haven't tried Zumba yet, go find a class nearby. It won't substitute for a good hard bodyweight workout, but it's fun!)
So, that means I'm working. Feeling good, getting several workouts in a week, eating more sensibly- it's so nice to be back to that again.
Goal for this week: three pounds gone forever.
Now that I'm not in denial, I can really see where I put on the weight in the last year: all in the hip/saddlebag/thigh area. Ew. I notice it most when I'm in Zumba class in front of the mirror. (By the way, if you haven't tried Zumba yet, go find a class nearby. It won't substitute for a good hard bodyweight workout, but it's fun!)
So, that means I'm working. Feeling good, getting several workouts in a week, eating more sensibly- it's so nice to be back to that again.
Goal for this week: three pounds gone forever.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Take Two
Well, I just lost about 15 minutes of good blog material. Lovely. That'll teach me to click buttons! Well, I'll try again.
I had an idea this morning that would be for an iPhone/touch app, but am unsure of how to proceed without it costing a bundle (and wouldn't mind making money in the process!). Here it is: I'm an extremely visual person, so a visual representation of how I'm doing weight-wise would be good for me. I'm thinking of having an avatar on a path, 3D preferable, that leads either to a lava pit or a treasure/game/whatever, depending on where you're at regarding your goal. Let's say you put in a current weight of 215 and have a goal of 180. If you type in that you gained 5 pounds, your character would move closer to the lava pit. If you type in that you lost 5 pounds, your character would move closer to the treasure. I'm thinking a game would be fun, as it can only be unlocked once you hit your goal (in fact, several games/levels along intervals might be the most compelling). No games if you're heading toward the lava pit. How fun does that sound? Let me know if you know anyone with the knowhow who'd be willing to partner up on that.
On my own fronts, I'm starting to cruise again after hitting a week's worth of brakes. I intend to lose two pounds this week. I like it when good habits just kick in, because autopilot's the best. Then there's no fighting, there's just making sure the momentum keeps going. It's definitely a lot easier. So, I'm working on that momentum. I figure I'll ramp it up to the point where I literally am flying by December 1, and will hit January 1 at 150. That being said, if anyone wants to lend me their copy of Warp Speed Fat Loss, I'd be willing to borrow it.
The training people thing is going great too. I'm remembering why this is my passion! It's definitely not easy, but when you've got people who are willing to work and who are seeing results, it's all worth it.
I had an idea this morning that would be for an iPhone/touch app, but am unsure of how to proceed without it costing a bundle (and wouldn't mind making money in the process!). Here it is: I'm an extremely visual person, so a visual representation of how I'm doing weight-wise would be good for me. I'm thinking of having an avatar on a path, 3D preferable, that leads either to a lava pit or a treasure/game/whatever, depending on where you're at regarding your goal. Let's say you put in a current weight of 215 and have a goal of 180. If you type in that you gained 5 pounds, your character would move closer to the lava pit. If you type in that you lost 5 pounds, your character would move closer to the treasure. I'm thinking a game would be fun, as it can only be unlocked once you hit your goal (in fact, several games/levels along intervals might be the most compelling). No games if you're heading toward the lava pit. How fun does that sound? Let me know if you know anyone with the knowhow who'd be willing to partner up on that.
On my own fronts, I'm starting to cruise again after hitting a week's worth of brakes. I intend to lose two pounds this week. I like it when good habits just kick in, because autopilot's the best. Then there's no fighting, there's just making sure the momentum keeps going. It's definitely a lot easier. So, I'm working on that momentum. I figure I'll ramp it up to the point where I literally am flying by December 1, and will hit January 1 at 150. That being said, if anyone wants to lend me their copy of Warp Speed Fat Loss, I'd be willing to borrow it.
The training people thing is going great too. I'm remembering why this is my passion! It's definitely not easy, but when you've got people who are willing to work and who are seeing results, it's all worth it.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Focus
You know how they say you can really only focus on one thing at once? It's incredibly true. I can multitask, I'm just not very good at it. And if I do it, then I'm not really focused.
I will be honest here, upfront. I have not been focusing on the weightloss goal as of late. (Obviously, since I haven't been posting daily like I planned.) In fact, I lost focus on that one approximately one week after I started it.
What a surprise.
I've been focusing, instead, on moving, surviving my parents' house, and starting a business. If you didn't catch the word, we moved back "down south" to the South Dakota/Northwest Iowa area. We didn't really stop to think, but that's okay- things are working out.
So I lived in my parents' house for one month, pure torture. We moved out as soon as we could. Not that I don't love my parents, and I have been extremely grateful for their support, but I haven't lived with them for over ten years now, and I definitely run my life quite differently than they do. So, we've got a place, had to spend one over-worked week flipping it, and moved in this past weekend.
That was last week. At the same time, I started teaching bootcamp classes in two locations (both a half hour away from my house and from each other). They are so much fun! Even if I was exhausted by last week, I'm glad it happened.
It's also taught me one thing: it's time for me to get back in the game. Time to stop pissing around and not only get myself back in shape, but be a good role model as well. I can't tell these people to go eat their veggies and then gorge myself on Taco John's. That's just cruel.
So, I am re-focused. I'm not going to get overly detailed because I believe that derailed me a month ago. However, cleaning things up, lowering portion sizes, and getting a bottle of protein powder usually works wonders, so that's what I'll do. AND I'll work on posting more often.
If you want to see what I've been up to, you can visit http://www.carrannmorfitness.com and take a peek!
I will be honest here, upfront. I have not been focusing on the weightloss goal as of late. (Obviously, since I haven't been posting daily like I planned.) In fact, I lost focus on that one approximately one week after I started it.
What a surprise.
I've been focusing, instead, on moving, surviving my parents' house, and starting a business. If you didn't catch the word, we moved back "down south" to the South Dakota/Northwest Iowa area. We didn't really stop to think, but that's okay- things are working out.
So I lived in my parents' house for one month, pure torture. We moved out as soon as we could. Not that I don't love my parents, and I have been extremely grateful for their support, but I haven't lived with them for over ten years now, and I definitely run my life quite differently than they do. So, we've got a place, had to spend one over-worked week flipping it, and moved in this past weekend.
That was last week. At the same time, I started teaching bootcamp classes in two locations (both a half hour away from my house and from each other). They are so much fun! Even if I was exhausted by last week, I'm glad it happened.
It's also taught me one thing: it's time for me to get back in the game. Time to stop pissing around and not only get myself back in shape, but be a good role model as well. I can't tell these people to go eat their veggies and then gorge myself on Taco John's. That's just cruel.
So, I am re-focused. I'm not going to get overly detailed because I believe that derailed me a month ago. However, cleaning things up, lowering portion sizes, and getting a bottle of protein powder usually works wonders, so that's what I'll do. AND I'll work on posting more often.
If you want to see what I've been up to, you can visit http://www.carrannmorfitness.com and take a peek!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
A Metabolic Circuit
My workout on Friday was something sweet. I did my first metabolic circuit (outlined in Afterburn by Alwyn Cosgrove and Stubborn 7 by Josh Hillis) in a long time. Basically, I took four total-body kickass exercises and did as many sets as I could in 20 minutes. Entire workout time: 30 minutes (included warm-up and cool-down/stretching).
I completed 7 sets of 8 reps of each exercise, performed in this order:
Deadlifts x 10lbs dumbbells
Pull-ups (assisted) x 17 weight number (not sure what that means in weight reduction, but is high)
Bodyweight squats
Kneeling push-ups
Now, the key is for me to do this set one more time again next week, and try to get more sets. Once 8 sets are accomplished, I'll increase the difficulty.
If you haven't noticed yet, I'm changing up the workouts every time I am working out, but using high-quality, large muscle-group exercises.
I'm not feeling as focused as I would like to be. Of course, the next question becomes, how am I going to be more focused? That would be planning the menu, following a pre-planned workout design, etc. So, am I ready to do that? Not surprisingly, there's a part of me that says "no." Why? Because so much of my life feels out of control right now, that I feel like I cannot really control anything. Which is stupid. I control more than I give myself credit for, but I'm giving up that control to the chaos of not pre-planning. Ew. But then I realize that I tend to spend hours in the pre-planning stuff, instead of the minutes that it should take. Another ew. No wonder I avoid it.
And no wonder I'm feeling like a failure at many points.
No, I'm not looking for pity or even a kick in the ass, I'm just outlining this in words for myself. I kick my own butt just fine.
So what is one thing I can do to combat this?
-I can make sure I have healthy food at hand and pack a lunch the night before
-I can go to bed on time so I can get up on time, and be able to get everything done in a morning that I need to
-I can make sure I get A workout, any workout, in whenever and wherever possible.
I did get four workouts in last week. I felt sore from all of them, which means I'm pushing myself (I wasn't sore to the point that I couldn't move, so the push didn't go overly far). Good. That's one thing accomplished. Now to get re-focused on diet.
I completed 7 sets of 8 reps of each exercise, performed in this order:
Deadlifts x 10lbs dumbbells
Pull-ups (assisted) x 17 weight number (not sure what that means in weight reduction, but is high)
Bodyweight squats
Kneeling push-ups
Now, the key is for me to do this set one more time again next week, and try to get more sets. Once 8 sets are accomplished, I'll increase the difficulty.
If you haven't noticed yet, I'm changing up the workouts every time I am working out, but using high-quality, large muscle-group exercises.
I'm not feeling as focused as I would like to be. Of course, the next question becomes, how am I going to be more focused? That would be planning the menu, following a pre-planned workout design, etc. So, am I ready to do that? Not surprisingly, there's a part of me that says "no." Why? Because so much of my life feels out of control right now, that I feel like I cannot really control anything. Which is stupid. I control more than I give myself credit for, but I'm giving up that control to the chaos of not pre-planning. Ew. But then I realize that I tend to spend hours in the pre-planning stuff, instead of the minutes that it should take. Another ew. No wonder I avoid it.
And no wonder I'm feeling like a failure at many points.
No, I'm not looking for pity or even a kick in the ass, I'm just outlining this in words for myself. I kick my own butt just fine.
So what is one thing I can do to combat this?
-I can make sure I have healthy food at hand and pack a lunch the night before
-I can go to bed on time so I can get up on time, and be able to get everything done in a morning that I need to
-I can make sure I get A workout, any workout, in whenever and wherever possible.
I did get four workouts in last week. I felt sore from all of them, which means I'm pushing myself (I wasn't sore to the point that I couldn't move, so the push didn't go overly far). Good. That's one thing accomplished. Now to get re-focused on diet.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Three in a row
Today marks the third day in a row that I got a high-quality workout in. The workout today was weights followed by intervals on an Arc Trainer, yesterday was Zumba (more on that), Sunday was a 20-minute run/walk interval workout.
I'm pretty proud of that. I am now on my third week, and my workouts are getting tougher, more frequent. I'm definitely a happier person due to that.
Now, eating. It has not been anywhere near what my brain perceives should be perfection. It's been much cleaner. I'm choosing higher-quality foods when eating out, eating smaller portions, using lettuce and spinach as lunch-time staples. After eating 6 egg whites with mushrooms and spinach for 7 days for breakfast, I'm finding that I can't get myself to eat it again. Point one: don't force yourself to eat it day after day if you don't like it. I was trying to get my calories and ratios perfect. As in, I had used hours the day before trying to figure out exactly what portions I could eat of such and such of food, and was going to follow that. I accomplished one meal. Obviously, that didn't work. It was eye-opening though- first, how much I had been eating before, and second, how much fat is actually in my diet. ONE tablespoon of olive oil has 14 grams of fat. When the plan I had laid out allowed for only 12 grams of fat per meal (on average), that didn't allow for any other type of fat to be in the meal unless I skimped on the oil. Which doesn't work if the pan needs to be greased and you don't have any spray. So next lesson: get spray.
So I continue to the work to improve everything, and continuing to measure myself.
Today's workout routine:
Warm-up- Bodyweight squats, kneeling push-ups, stability ball roll-outs 2x10 circuit
1a: Chest Press 3x8, 20 lb dumbbellss (after warm-up of 5 lbs, 10 lbs x 10)
2a: One armed back rows 3x8, 20 lb dumbbell (after warm-up of 5 lbs, 10 lbs x 10)
1b: Renegade lunges 3x16 (8 each side), 8 lb medicine ball
2b: Kneeling push-ups 3x8
1c: Stability ball leg extensions 3x15
2c: Medicine ball ab twists 3x16 (8 each side), 8 lb medicine ball
20 minutes of intervals: 2 min warm-up, 1 minute on-2 minutes off (5 cycles), 2 min cool down. All on the Arc trainer with a resistance of 15.
I'm pretty proud of that. I am now on my third week, and my workouts are getting tougher, more frequent. I'm definitely a happier person due to that.
Now, eating. It has not been anywhere near what my brain perceives should be perfection. It's been much cleaner. I'm choosing higher-quality foods when eating out, eating smaller portions, using lettuce and spinach as lunch-time staples. After eating 6 egg whites with mushrooms and spinach for 7 days for breakfast, I'm finding that I can't get myself to eat it again. Point one: don't force yourself to eat it day after day if you don't like it. I was trying to get my calories and ratios perfect. As in, I had used hours the day before trying to figure out exactly what portions I could eat of such and such of food, and was going to follow that. I accomplished one meal. Obviously, that didn't work. It was eye-opening though- first, how much I had been eating before, and second, how much fat is actually in my diet. ONE tablespoon of olive oil has 14 grams of fat. When the plan I had laid out allowed for only 12 grams of fat per meal (on average), that didn't allow for any other type of fat to be in the meal unless I skimped on the oil. Which doesn't work if the pan needs to be greased and you don't have any spray. So next lesson: get spray.
So I continue to the work to improve everything, and continuing to measure myself.
Today's workout routine:
Warm-up- Bodyweight squats, kneeling push-ups, stability ball roll-outs 2x10 circuit
1a: Chest Press 3x8, 20 lb dumbbellss (after warm-up of 5 lbs, 10 lbs x 10)
2a: One armed back rows 3x8, 20 lb dumbbell (after warm-up of 5 lbs, 10 lbs x 10)
1b: Renegade lunges 3x16 (8 each side), 8 lb medicine ball
2b: Kneeling push-ups 3x8
1c: Stability ball leg extensions 3x15
2c: Medicine ball ab twists 3x16 (8 each side), 8 lb medicine ball
20 minutes of intervals: 2 min warm-up, 1 minute on-2 minutes off (5 cycles), 2 min cool down. All on the Arc trainer with a resistance of 15.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
What Day?
I refuse to say I've lost focus, because I haven't. I will admit to not being quite as focused as I had hoped I would be. I can make excuses all I like, but there's the truth of it. I won't justify.
I got a great workout in on Tuesday. I'm planning on one tomorrow. I am going to have to get comfortable with working out in my parents' house, or else nothing's going to happen.
Food, on the other hand, has been better than it used to be. Nowhere near where I want it. Today's intake of vegges was great: lettuce salad w/ carrots and grapes for lunch, apple for mid-snack, grapes for mid-snack, salad for dinner. Intersperse that with Cheerios at breakfast, 3/4 a three musketeers candy bar late afternoon, and a 10-piece McNuggets, and you've got my day.
I'm not quite sure where the sabotage is coming from. Something in my subconscious just is wigging completely out right now. It's time to take back control.
I got a great workout in on Tuesday. I'm planning on one tomorrow. I am going to have to get comfortable with working out in my parents' house, or else nothing's going to happen.
Food, on the other hand, has been better than it used to be. Nowhere near where I want it. Today's intake of vegges was great: lettuce salad w/ carrots and grapes for lunch, apple for mid-snack, grapes for mid-snack, salad for dinner. Intersperse that with Cheerios at breakfast, 3/4 a three musketeers candy bar late afternoon, and a 10-piece McNuggets, and you've got my day.
I'm not quite sure where the sabotage is coming from. Something in my subconscious just is wigging completely out right now. It's time to take back control.
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