HAPPY WEDNESDAY WEEK 10!!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday.  I had an early maintenance call right after workout, so I had to shower and get going fast.  I did have a good HIIT yesterday though.  Did 2.5 miles in 25 minutes at 1% incline.

Today, had a good LBWO with Lunges, Roman Chair, Calf raises and hanging leg lifts.  

Anyone know of a good site to get good Plyometric exercises off of?  I'd like to learn some to strengthen my core and change things up more.

Watching DVR'd "Biggest Loser" last night I was thinking:  Body For Life should do a reality show.  I think a lot of what they do on Biggest Loser is too "jazzed up for TV" and it would be nice to show a person who maybe only needs to lose 50 lbs and how that plays out in real life, rather than "I need to go from 400 lbs to xxx lbs" dramatic stories.  Has anyone suggested it to them?

Hey Steph,

Check out P90X. I beleive that it has what you are looking for.

Missed wo 's Mon. & Tues. Have a date with Kristey after work so she will put me through my paces I'm sure. Just didn't have the energy after  getting home at 7:30 pm last night. I get to sleep in tomorrow or not maybe I'll start my wo's in the am again as I have been getting up at 4:15 am so far this week. Will have to see how I feel when I get up hopefully not too sore. Will make an honest effort. Great idea for a show real people fighting to lose weight under their daily life's pressure not hidden away at a fat farm. I like watching Biggest Loser but can see how easily they get in trouble when the get back to their real reality. So sad. What a mental struggle it must be. BFL IS EASIER AND MORE PRACTICAL in my humble opinion.

Lets keep pushing ahead gang. Enjoy the baby steps along this journey,persistance not perfection wins this race.

Claude

HAPPY THURSDAY WEEK 10...

Claude - Have looked at P90X and thinking about it.  I don't personally like following along to a DVD, so I'll consider it if the routine can be learned and then done at the gym without taking the DVD.

HIIT was really really good today.  I upped the bar to run the whole 5 cycles at 1 minute each of 4,4,7,7,9 mph at 1% incline.  Hit 2 miles at 20 minute and 2.56 miles at 25 minute.  Walked out  and cooled down to 2.7 miles over another 2 minutes and stretched.  Very good workout.  My hammies were sore from yesterday too.

Quaker makes an awesome oatmeal called "Weight Control" and it has more fiber for fullness and is sweetened with Sucralose, so it tastes good but very low in sugar.  I have two packets nuked for 2 minutes with water and 1-scoop protein powder, then thin up after cooking with about 1/2 cup Almond Milk....YUM YUM...and it sticks with you well!

Also:  Tyson makes a "Ready for the Skillet" fajita kit that has your marinated chicken breast strips, peppers, onions, and tortillas.  Toss the tortillas and either eat the meat and veggies or get your own compliant tortilla substitutes.  Very convenient.

Healthy Choice has some very convenient pasta dishes that are self contained in that the WW pasta you cook it in the container which has slots in the lid to "drain" the pasta afterward, and a sauce pouch that you nuke and pour over the cooked pasta.  They have like ziti with meatsauce, penne with marinara etc.. and the sauce is rich in veggies so that it gets you 1/2 cup equivalent of veggies in the meal.  And you get a LARGE portion to eat...I was surprised at how much it made!  Great buy..If you have Big Lots store in your area, I got a 4 pack for $7...less than $2 a meal!  I usually steam some extra veggies with it, but very portable for work lunches and traveling!

HAPPY FREE DAY WEEK 10...

Had a good UBWO on Friday morning and really pushed it.  Not running on Saturday this week as it's my weekend off after 12 days on, so I just take it easy.

Had a great Sunday, probably enjoyed myself too much based on my food journal stats.  But it's just one day/week and seems to tell my body to let go of the fat during the other 6 days, so time to get going on the next week...

WEEK 11...Here I come...how about you?

HAPPY MONDAY WEEK 11!!

There's only this week and next and we're a wrap for this challenge.  How is everybody?

LBWO was tough this morning.  I'm a firm believer in the "Monday Food Hangover Syndrome" from Free Days and are a little too free.  I had one of those yesterday, because the Carb Junkie came out in me at lunch.  I was too busy cooking things to take to church yesterday morning and forgot to eat breakfast myself.  I only remembered when my belly started growling during church.  So I ate pretty crazy the rest of the day and evening to satisfy cravings.

I'm starting to look at Free Day with new eyes.  If "bad food" is an addiction of sorts (and I think it is, otherwise your body wouldn't rebel on you when you take it away) then WHY do we have one day/week that we return to addiction?  To quit smoking; I recognized nicotine for the addictive DRUG that it is.  And as with heroine, cocaine or alcohol addiction you NEVER ingest it again if you want to stay free.  Just one drag off a cigarette puts enough nicotine into your system to trigger all the neuroreceptors to revive your addictive cravings.  So, and I'm just asking here; WHY is it different with junk food?  Why do we say it's okay to have the "drug" one day/week?  Doesn't it sound crazy to say to an alcoholic: "Abstain from drinking 6 days, and then drink for 1 day"?  I'm beginning to rearrange my thinking to just eat clean on Sundays but allow myself larger portions of GOOD stuff.  I think it's almost as damaging to my health to have all this crap ONE day/week as it was to have it all the time.  Okay, I'm finished ranting...I'll be better after a day of clean eating.

HAPPY TUESDAY WEEK 11...

And welcome to the "Solidrocker All Alone Show"...really?  Anyone out there?

HIIT was particularly challenging this morning as my Hammies and Gluteous-Buttus-Cheekumus were really sore from LBWO yesterday.  First couple of minutes on the treadmill were truly challenging until I got the muscles warmed up and then I was off to the races!

Random News:  I discovered that I can use an incline situp bench to pop my back where my chiropractor usually does it for me!  Don't ask for a description of the maneuver...it would require a sketch or picture to explain.  LOL.

Eating went very well yesterday.  I drank lotsa water and ate totally compliant, and even a bit restrictive (which is my usual pattern the first couple days after Free Day).

Supplemental NEWS:  I now take the following daily:  EAS CLA (2-ea meal), D3 (2000 IU daily), Fish Oil (2-ea meal), Saw Palmetto (2 x twice daily), Magnesium (250mg after dinner), Super B-complex (1 ea after breakfast), Low Dose Aspirin (1 ea daily).  I think that's it, other than the EAS Protein powder I drink in the morning as recovery shake (2-scoops or approx. 46g protein)

Ok...let's hear from some of you...

Hi Stephon... you are not alone here although it may feel that way.  So sorry I have not been here to post its just been crazy.  I have read every post of yours - thank you for keeping up so diligently.  You are very motivating and I enjoy reading what you share.  I have been continuing to eat program compliant and do my workout every day.  I went a little crazy on my free day and it really is an addiction like cocaine or maybe worse!  Not sure what makes me think I can go so crazy either but I really need to work on that.  Maybe if I just do the non-compliant breakfast and then eat good the rest of the day??  I missed my cardio on Saturday for the first time in this process (other than when sick).  I had to do a show out of town and was up super early and was just too exhausted to do it when I got home.  But other than that I have been doing very well.  I just noticed on the Transformation.com website a Holiday Challenge for 8 weeks where you can win a trip to Hawaii.  Count me IN!!!  So I am taking new photos and going to be doing that at the same time as finishing up our challenge here.  Since its only you me and Claude on here, I figured it was safe to share (dont want to increase my competition too much you know). LOL.  Anyways... still here... sorry you have felt so alone... you are doing amazing and continue to be an inspiration for me.  Looks like our supplement programs are pretty close, I take a few extra things yet... but bang on!  

Cheers,

Shelly-Anne

HAPPY WEDNESDAY WEEK 11!!

Want2BFit - Thanks for your post.  Don't feel bad, I was just moaning a little.  I should know by now that a post thread starts out with a bunch of enthusiastic members, and then slowly thins out to only a few.  That's life.  

UBWO was really good today.  I also had a great discussion with one of my "regulars" in the gym.  She was telling me about P90X which is what she and her husband have been doing this year.  Also, her husband used to work for Abbott Labs before changing jobs and he got 60% off all supplement products.  WOW that would be great.  Anyway, great workout and information gained today.

My wife and I watched "Biggest Loser" last night.  She loves watching it and vicariously enjoys seeing others dramatically change their lives, but not enough to apply it to herself.  This makes me very sad, but I'm not going to nag her.  I just want to be in the best shape of my life so that I can adequately care for her if she never changes, because she will have major health problems down the road if she doesn't do something soon.

C'mon all of you we haven't heard from in a while!  We only have a 1-1/2 weeks left on this thread...PLEASE check in while we're still here, even if you've completely stopped or feel you've failed, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

Hey guys!  Sorry its been so long, yet again.  I'm pretty much out of the running for the end of this challenge.  I sustained a back injury last week that just won't quit.  I assumed it was from lifting or restraining a large unruly dog at work (cause that happens on a frequent basis), but I couldn't think of a particular incident that would have done it.  My husband made me promise not to exercise till it got better (he knows how stubborn I can be).  Well, a week later its still not better.  So I'm pumping myself full of ibuprofen and Tylenol (alternating every 3 hrs at the advice of my mom who is a registered nurse) and I'm doing laser therapy on my back each day (which I can do for free at work).  I'm feeling a little better this morning.  Tomorrow is my day off, so I'm gonna TRY to take it easy all day.  Its getting to the point where I'm considering going to a chiropractor.

That having been said, I'm still eating well.  It was hard at first cause I'm an all-or-nothin kind of gal, so when I stop working out I tend to start eating junk again.  I've been cutting out a meal or two a day since I know I'm not burning near as many calories since I'm limping around all the time and not being very active.  I'm really itchin to get back into it.  I need those endorphins again!!!

Claude, I meant to mention last week, I'm a licensed vet tech so if your daughter has any questions about the profession just let me know.  :)

Hi Guys & Gals,

Well it's been a bit of a rough ride for me since Friday,Migraine hit. Lasted till yesterday so  I'm  back now. This week and next I will be with Kristey. That would be my wife's trainer. So will need to adjust my program a bit since I see her Wed.,Thurs. Had a great run yesterday at min. 18 upped to 7 mph. PB for me so will up my speeds next time. Confession time, Since the first couple of weeks into this I have not done any AB wo's until last Thurs. with Kristey. I either got board and found some of the exercises hard and was just plain lazzzzzy so I decided to creat my abs through the kitchen. Since my ab wo with Kristey I have changed that thought and came to the realization and with new exercises with add these to the list once I get the list from her. Also been getting the urge to start swimming again missing it,still working on that.

Steph,

Thanks for hanging in there with us even when it seems you are alone. Sorry  didn't get to post for a while also here's my recipe for my protien shake:
Hemp Protien : 1 Tbls.
Ground Chia Seeds : 1 Tbls.
Ground Flaxseed : 1 Tbls.
Cocoa Powder : 1 Tbls or carob powder
Frozen Blue Berries : 1 C
Bannana : 1
Fresh Dates : 3, pits removed.
1/4 C Almonds or 2 Tbls raw almond butter.
1 C Hemp Seed and Sunflower Seed Milk&1 C water

Hemp Seed and Sunflower Seed Milk
2 1/2 C water
1/2 C Hemp Seeds
1/2 C Sunflower Seeds
3 Large Fresh Dates Pitted
1Tbls. Cocoa Powder or Carob Powder, Note: this is if you want chocolate version.
Combine all in a blender and blend until smooth.

This recipe is from Whole Foods to THRIVE, Author is Brendin Brazier.

MrsCoopDawg,

Thanks thats very kind to offer to help out Julie, I will  let her know. Lab yesterday the teacher brought in 2 calfs. One was disected into various parts,the other I think was in lager parts. She seems to be ok with all that stuff. The program she is in went from a 3 yr. to a 2 yr. No time to get sick and she works 20 hrs. a week to boot.

Hey Sheeley - Ann,
Thanks for the info. My new Challenge is to be able to do more bench dips than that skinny little Brat, Kristey. She says she can do upwards of 60 without stopping so game on. Will have to get in gear for that. Hang in there sounds that you are doing great glad to hear you are doing so well.

Back to the grind.

Claude

HAPPY THURSDAY WEEK 11!

I don't know if I just felt good this morning, or if I know that today was the first of my last 5 HIIT workouts in this challenge!  Either way, I kicked it:  Did 2.6 miles in 25 mins, 1% incline, 5 cycles of 5 minutes at 4,4,7,7,9 mph each cycle.

Claude - Sorry to hear about the migraines man, keeping you in prayer!  and thanks for the shake recipe; I love shakes and can always use another for "variety".

MsCoopDawg - Great Job...maintaining the eating is MOST important of all.  You can miss a LOT of workouts and still lose weight and stay in shape when you keep up the eating.  By contrast, you can't out-exercise a bad diet.  So, if you have to be good at one component over another, the eating is the main thing!  I'm "all or nothing" as well, and that definitely has it's disadvantages when you don't need perfection so much as persistence and Perseverance.

Only 2 LBWO, 2 UBWO & 4 HIIT left in this challenge!  But every ounce you have into them.  Eat clean like you've never done it before!  Finishing well is the key.  Everybody can START well, but they quit or fall away when it gets tough.  Focus on the finish line...IT'S JUST UP AHEAD!

Good afternoon to all of you in this particular part of the BFLfamily,

I occasionally come here to read but rarely post because I'm over at the Newbies thread started on Oct. 3 ...and I take too much time there as it is. I enjoy your corner of the club house too though.

Are you all planning on doing another challenge? If so, do you have  a planned start date? We ( on the Newbie thread) are planning C2 starting in early january. We won't finish our challenge until christmas day though, I realize that you'll have finished much earlier. You probably won't want to wait too long. I'll watch to see if any of you are starting again though.

Stephon, I noticed that one of the winners on the transformation site, Michael (??) has some exercise videos on his blog part of the page. They were quite different and i thought you might enjoy them. I don't remember plyometric moves per se but they were truly different and he bopped from one to the next in a fashion that was almost plyometric-like!

Glad to hear that your wife enjoys watching the biggest loser. I had the thought that she might just surprise you and be ready some day when you least expect it, similar to how something holds people back from starting a relationship with God but then at some point they are ready to respond and they're off. I think it's great that you are loving her whether she ever loses weight or not ...  and living out the reality of positive change in fitness and weight loss.

I don't have an understanding of what it's like to struggle with obesity but I certainly struggle in other areas of my life and I know what it's like to feel defeated and to barely dare to hope for change because too much of it is dependent upon me. Even with God's help it just seems like I am doomed to fail in certain ways because of my weaknesses, weaknesses that i guess I am thinking are strong enough to counteract the help God could give me? Boy oh boy, I didn't mean to turn this into a self analysis post here ... I just wanted to say that i think I can understand the feeling of being defeated and the inner struggles that the apostle Paul mentions about doing the things I don't want to do and not doing the things I should.

This is thought provoking! I will pray for your wife when I think of her.( when I read your posts and possibly other times)

I look forward to seeing what you've achieved during this challenge. I bet that there are others besides me who appreciate your posts but may not be taking the time to write. You're not alone here, it just feels like it sometimes.

PatriciaK - THANK YOU for your occasional visits and your encouraging words!  I most appreciate the prayer for my wife.  Today is her Birthday #55 (She won't mind me telling, as you all don't know her anyway - tee hee!) and she is taking it pretty hard.  I'm planning on trying to appeal to her that this could be the LAST birthday she ever feels badly about herself, and that she could have a whole new lease on life by her 56th birthday!  I know I started when I was 48 and felt 60 (according to my survey on www.realage.com my real age was 59!), but I can safely tell you that after my first 12 week challenge I felt at least 20 years younger!  Three months to a whole new outlook?  WHO WOULD TURN THAT DOWN?  Pray that she finally sees this and agrees to get going to the "new her".

You said "even with God's help it just seems like I am doomed to fail in certain ways because of my weaknesses", just remember what the Lord told Paul when he asked that his "thorn in the flesh" be removed.  2 Corinthians 12:9 - "My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Our weaknesses are NEVER so strong as to counteract or override God's help.  Just have faith and rely on Him when you are weakest.

HAPPY FRIDAY WEEK#11!

Nothing big to report today, just checking in.  Decided to double up tomorrow on HIIT and LBWO because I wanted to get 8 hours of sleep last night to recharge a bit.  

PatriciaK - Forgot to answer your question yesterday about when I'm doing another challenge after this one:  I can't answer for the others on this thread, but I will be doing Active Rest through the holidays and getting ready for 2012.  I will officially enter for another 12 weeks around Jan 2nd or 9th.  I made a promise to enter as many challenges before my 50th birthday as possible, so I've got two more challenges to get in through June.

Happy Saturday Week 11 - 12:

If you started with me on 8-22-11, then day 84 is actually coming up on Tuesday 11-15.  So we don't actually have a full week remaining.  So decide now if you want to skip Free Day and get an extra workout in or what.  I spent my Free Meal at Dinner last night so that I could be good for the next four days before "After" pics.  

Hoping everyone has a great weekend and check in before our time here is up for this challenge.  And be sure to post your after photos.  I'll be keeping tabs on the thread for a couple weeks after we end just to see your results.