P90X - Week 3

Considering I've been ridiculously busy at work recently (worked 101hrs this pay period)blogging has not been at the top of my priority list. Somehow, I have only missed 2 workouts in this time - both Kenpo coincidentally.

I am starting to see some changes in my shape and feeling really good about my body. Unlike the 30DS where I just kinda noticed random muscles popping out in strange places, the P90X really seems to be working everything to slim me down evenly. My waistline is looking very smooth and I'm noticing muscle definition all across my abs. My arms haven't changed in appearance much, but my performance in the "Chest & Back" video has improved threefold. My thighs & (miraculously) my calves are also quickly showing some definition. I've also lost 2lbs - which, considering I really don't need to lose weight, is a pleasant surprise. I could probably lose 3lbs more without becoming sickeningly thin. Chances are I'll gain some muscle weight anyway and get back up to my regular 125lb.

Now I'm on my rest week. I probably won't do any P90X related videos even though I should continue to follow the program. But after the last 2 weeks I've survived through, I'm just exhausted and need to just relax and have some down time. It also seems I have planned the workout very well so that the rest weeks correspond with Auntie Flo's visits. It's complete chance but works out very well since she pretty well knocks me on my butt with aches and pains. So at least I'm not going to have to worry about missing "real" workouts.

I'll hopefully be updating regularly in the next couple weeks once some new videos get thrown into the mix.

No more back fat

Before


After


As promised, an after picture. I was wearing a bit of a small sports bra at the time of the photos so I'm hesitant to post pics from the front - too modest or something I suppose. But I will post the pic from the back. And whaddaya know? That unsightly back-fat is disappearing. Yay

So I am currently hanging out in a hotel room while my husband corrects provincial exams. I brought the 30DS video with me but my knees have been very troublesome in the last 2 days - they're uncomfortable enough that I actually can't sleep comfortably. Damn knees. I really really should go see a doctor.

Went for a 3km walk in the city yesterday though, so I got a bit of exercise anyway.

Back to the Internet

I may not have been blogging recently but I assure you I have been working out.

I'm really liking the tracks behind our house - they're much flatter and better groomed than the section by our old appartment. I've sort of left the C25K behind and have just been aiming for 20-25min runs plus warm up and cool down walks. It's been fairly successful and I must say, I much prefer listening to my own mixes than interval podcasts. For some reason it is far more motivating to run along to a song you can sing to than random techno.

I've started playing around with the 30 Day Shred again - since I apparently can't be trusted to actually lift weights or do crunches without visual direction. As you may remember, the first time through the 30DS it killed my knees - in fact, my knees have really not been the same since (I really should see a dr...). So for that reason, I'm only going to do Level 1 gently interspersed with my regular 3-days/week running. Once I finish Level one, I'm going to attempt the much feared P90X. My husband will likely be doing it with me. I wonder how my knees will tolerate that?

Oh, and I took "after" shots today. Forgot to upload them earlier (I'm at work so it's too late now) but I'll try to remember tomorrow. Can I say I'm super pleased with my new body? I think I looked fine before, but now that I've trimmed off that unsightly back fat, toned my calves and thighs, and lost some face chub, I am feeling quite ready to conquer the world. It doesn't hurt that I had my hair professionally cut for the first time since I was 14, and I'm loving the new style. My husband has been feeding me all kinds of cheesy lines lately as well - he says he can't help it, I'm beautiful. D'awwwwwww. I like how he has been pointing out to me the very changes that I am noticing (without prompting or hints). This is a sign that I'm not just seeing muscle definition where it doesn't exist!

It's funny though, I've been working out regularly since April (or was it May?) and there hasn't been any change in my weight or inches. In fact, I've apparently gained an inch in my waist! So I look better than ever but weigh the same and am theoretically larger? Hmmmmmmmm, go figure. The only place I've actually lost inches is my boobs, goshdarnit!

Oh, and on a completely unrelated note, tomorrow is our 1 year anniversary. I can't believe how quickly time has passed - what a great year too. I've enjoyed it thoroughly.

C25K W2D3

This is a really good workout, and I am really enjoying running. My husband and I had our offer accepted on a house and it backs on an old railroad bed = perfect place for running. Our current apt. also backs on the tracks, so I am excited that I'll still be able to run somewhere where I won't be seen or hit by a car. Yay. The most danger I could get into on the tracks is stepping in horse manure.

The house also has a pool. How conveniant that I'm already working towards a nice bikini bod!

After regular exercise for a month now, it's really starting to become habit. I don't know what I did with myself before my daily run/Shred/weights. I get so bored now if I'm not doing anything. It's nice to have all this energy and enthusiasm. The slimming down is also a nice side effect ;)

The Shred - Day 16

I am starting to get to the stage where this level is becoming "easy." By easy, I certainly don't mean that I'm not grunting and groaning by the end, but I am able to finish without significant burn in my shoulders. I suppose this means I need to up my weights. I think I'll give the 2.5lbs a couple more days though.

I am able to do all of "Natalie"'s non-adapted moves now. The only exception is the squat thrusts for which apparently I lack the necessary coordination. I try, but keep falling over. So I will stick with a fast-passed version of Anita's adapted move.

I seem to have reached a bit of a plateau with the toning. I'm not noticing any significant changes in my body in the last few days. but hey, these things happen. I'm not discouraged in the least. I find this level isn't working my butt out enough though so I'll be doing the butt blaster video in conjunction with it.

The Shred - Day 13

I'm going to bed in 5 mins, but some thoughts

- My shoulders burn. They are feeling very weak. Ow ow ow.

- My elbows hurt. But not too much. I think it is from all the plank.

- I hate plank

- Jillian repeats "don't phone it in" as much in this level as in level one. Want. To. Punch. TV.

- I'm seeing fantastic improvement in my body. I should take some pics. I have a real bicep muscle that flexes. oooh. aaah.

Exercising is worth it. Really. I never though I would ever be able to stick to a fitness plan. But this is finally working.

Level 2 (Day 11)

It's going to be getting interesting trying to work out at home for the next little while. We've got a friend living with us for a few months while he finishes a subbing job, so he's going to be around most of the time I'm home. This is an issue because I am very self conscious and don't like people to see me in shorts, let alone exercising.

I procrastinated doing my workout all day yesterday until finally, at 9pm, I got the brilliant idea to take the DVD player upstairs to my bedroom and plug it in to the smaller bedroom tv. Why it took me all day to figure this out I do not know. But it worked well. The guys were downstairs getting their kicks watching youtube videos, and I just worked out upstairs in privacy.

So, now you want to know how level 2 went.

It was honestly not that bad. I expected to be as dead by the end of it as I was that first fateful day when I started Level 1. Nowhere near that bad. I was winded for sure, but it was more like Day 5 winded - I got a good workout, got a sweat on, and was wishing it would just be over. Yet I recovered from it pretty quickly and was able to do all the cardio without getting dizzy. I admit I did the modified versions of most of the plank exercises (like the travelling push ups, the plank jumping jacks, and some other cardio movement I for which I can't remember the name). Still, I'm quite happy with my performance.

I'm really starting to notice some changes in my body now too. Before it was all just changes in how I felt - like better endurance, better recovery time, things became easier, I stopped being sore. Now I can actually see visual improvement: a little "2-pack" forming in my abs, I have a little bicep muscle growing out of my arm, my triceps are less floppy, my butt is firmer, my calves seem to be lifting and getting definition, I can see definition in my quadreceps as well.

I'm so glad I'm finally sticking with a fitness routine. These results are fantastic.

The Shred - Day 9

Today was definitely easy. Barely a challenge - well except for the push-ups. Sigh. Will I never have upper body strength?

I should probably have done some more exercise besides that (considering how much chocolate I ate yesterday...) but I had to go to work early. Them's the breaks. One nice thing is that working out has started to become a habit. I don't need to motivate myself so much anymore - I just kinda do it. This is excellent mental progress.

I also gotta say, I really like the looks of my new butt :D

Don't expect any updates tomorrow. I'm taking Easter Sunday off. Happy weekend everyone!

The Shred - Day 7

- I think I might actually flip-out next time I hear Jillian say "Don't phone it in." The constant repetition of this stupid expression is realllllly grating on my nerves.

- I'm quite sore after yesterday, so I still haven't managed more than 2 real push-ups.

- Cans of beans apparently are much more effective than cans of soup. I feel the burn.

- I've finally downloaded my official before pics. I've taken them from 4 angles: Front, Back, Side, other side.

- I'm concerned that I will soon be graduating to Level 2. NOT looking forward to working hard again. But, it is what it is. My body will not tone up if I don't stress it a bit.

- My heart rate recovery time has improved 900%. Now, immediately after finishing the stretching portion of the video, my heart rate is down to 96bpm. After the first day I it was still going at near work-out pace 10mins later (about 126bpm). Now 5 mins later, my hear rate is completely recovered compared with 45mins later. yikes.

- After speaking with my Dad about coming with us to view some houses, he agreed to lend me his set of weights. He has a dumbbell set with 2lb, 5lb, 10lb, and 15lb weights. Perfect.

- I've begun sorting out all my size 9 pants and medium shirts and will be taking them to the Salvation Army shortly. I haven't been a size 9 or medium for a number of years and the clothes are just taking up way to much space. Plus, I always just kept them around in case I ended up gaining weight again. But that was the old unmotivated me. The new energetic me wants to maintain her current size 7 and blast away the muffin top. It's kind of freeing to get rid of the clothes.

The Shred - Day 5

Apparently I should just bite my tongue when I get the idea that this thing isn't hard :P

I'm definitely winded. Also, I think I might graduate from tomato soup can weights to tomato sauce can weights. I'm not getting much of an arm workout and I think using a larger volume can might help. The one snag? I only have one can of tomato sauce.

Today I saw a significant improvement in my recovery time. My heart rate was down to just faster than normal by the end of the cool down, and 5 mins later I'm feeling just fine. This is way better than being utterly destroyed for the remainder of the evening.

One final crazy thought to add. My husband and I have been lusting over this 5 bedroom house located on 3 acres of land just outside town (read no municipal taxes but convenient for work). It's been on the market since at least January - we've been tracking it since then. It's only $7K out of our price range. We've got it in our heads that we'll have our own bedroom, 2 for kids, a shared home-office and a workout room in the basement bedroom. We've got a weight machine being used as a laundry rack in our bedroom now, and we could buy my Dad's elliptical machine since he's desperate to sell it. We could put my 15" tv in there, get a yoga mat. Ah, pipe dreams :)

Wishlist:
1. Another can of tomato sauce or
2. Real weights :)

The Shred - Day 1

Oh.my.god.

So when they tell you this will give you an intense workout, they're not lying. No siree Bob. I almost passed out at the 20min mark during the 2nd round of boxing. I noticed I was punching more towards the floor than the tv and started feeling preeeety nauseous. I would have stopped then and there if my husband hadn't been there to "encourage" me to continue ("Ginny, don't stop now, you can throw up later"). Anyway, I finished. Barely made my way through the cool down, and collapsed on the floor for awhile.

See me before I start. All naive and gung-ho
See the pic my husband took 15 mins after I was done. Still on the floor concentrating on breathing and not vomiting.

I've come to the realization that my resistance band is not going to cut it for these exercises either. It is neither logistically nor physically possible to do the exercises so I'm going to have to invest in some 2lb & 5lb weights - as fun as it was to randomly invade my wine cooler and do bicep curls with a Chardonnay (note to self - find something less expensive next time).

But. 2hrs later I'm feeling pretty good. If not a bit sore. I'm also ravenously hungry so I shall leave you on that note.