Weigh In

Ok I promised a weigh in AFTER vacation and today is the day...

Three weeks ago, at my last weigh in on October 28th, I weighed 190lbs...

Today I weigh...

Yes, those are my feet and the tattoo is a koi fish :)

183 lbs!  I've lost 7 lbs since my last weigh in (INCLUDING my time on vacation) for a total of 38 lbs lost so far!!!

Not only am I out of the 190s and into the 180s, but I'm only 4 lbs away from the 170s, AND I'm only 8 lbs away from being HALFWAY through my goal!  Look at my ticker!  Almost HALFWAY to my goal!  I am beyond ecstatic!

I've gone from a size 18 to a size 12 !!!

So I normally do weigh ins every two weeks, but since my last weigh in would've occured in the middle of my vacation, I did a three week weigh in, but now I'll be back to every two weeks, so my next weigh in will be...

December 2nd!  170s....HERE I COME! :)

Weigh In

Last time I weighed 195 lbs on October 14.

Today I weigh....

190 lbs!!!

For a total of 31 lbs lost so far!

Oh my gosh.  Such a great feeling.  To see "31 lbs lost"...it's like crazy.  I'm so excited right now!  AND I'm only 1 lb away from the 180s! Seems like the 190s just flew by!  Hopefully it'll be the same with the 180s LOL

My next weigh in will fall in the middle of our trip to Disney World, so I'm bumping it to the following Friday, so my next weigh in will be November 18th!

And for a quick update, everything's going great.  After doing the Shred for 30 days straight I had a few "injuries" so to speak and had a lot of problems with my back, knees, and most of all, shin splints.  Geez.  Those were feakin' BAD.  I even called the doctor on those ones LOL  But after I finished the Shred I iced the crap out of my legs, took a few days off, and haven't had any problems since.  Now I still get the occasional "aches and pains" after a good workout, but of course that's to be expected. 

I've stuck to my exercise plan and I've been doing a varity of things like I wanted to do.  My original plan was to "do a variety of things", then I thought I would try the 6 week Biggest Loser Cardio Max workout, but that workout is just too long to do at home with the kids, so I'm now back to my "variety of things".  I will still do the BL Cardio Max occasionally, but I'll have to do after Josh gets home and he can watch the bambinos.

I'm still sticking with the kickboxing (although I missed class this week), but I made it up at home by trying a few new things with Josh.  We did the Pure Cardio disc from Insanity on Monday and I thought I was going to die.  Freak that was hard.  I did try to pace myself because he told me it was non-stop, no breaks, so I wanted to make sure I made it through the WHOLE DVD.  When he told me there was only 10 minutes left I tried to kick it up a notch, but I was burnt out by that point, so I had to stay with the same "pace" I was working at before, which trust me, it was still work.  LOL  But hey, I made it through!  And then we did Ab RipperX from his P90X discs, which I've tried before, but I feel like I did MUCH better this time.  It's only like 15 minutes, but it's straight ab work.  Something like some 300+ crunches/sit ups (he says at the end, but I forget the EXACT number).  Anyway,  I think I did better this time around an I might start doing that on a regular basis.

Anyway, I guess my "weigh in" sort of turned into a Weigh In/Workout Watch combo, but that's the update for ya!  And I have a new "mini series" in the works to start sometime in November, so keep an eye out for details on that... ;)

Workout Watch

Okay time for another update....Working out is still going great.   I've still been going to the kickboxing class at the gym and I'm still working out at home as well.

Today I went back and tried the 30 Day Shred again for the first time since I finished my first 30 days.  I did Level 1 and it went great.  It was still an awesome workout, but I can definitely see a difference in my endurance now.  I've been working out regularly for almost 2 months!  Crazy.  Anyway, I did all the moves, no modifications, and powered straight through the bicycle crunches, which were a HUGE challenge for me the first time around.

And I have something else to add that I found kind of "surprising" yesterday.  I went to kickboxing class last night and we were using steps.  I'm sure you all know what that is, but in case you don't it's just a big, hard plastic step that you use to step up on to make certain exercises more challenging.  Anyway, in the middle of class I bent down to get my step and I read something on it.  It says, "MAX recommended weight limit = 225 lbs"....  Now you might be thinking, "So??? Who cares....What does that matter?"  Well, if you recall, before I decided to start this change I weighed 221 lbs... 221 lbs.... So I was only 4 lbs away from being TOO HEAVY to use this specific peice of equipment.  That is just astonishing to me.  I was TOO HEAVY for something. TOO HEAVY to use something, to use this step.  That is just unbelievable.  What else was I missing out on because I was "too heavy"?  What else WOULD I be missing out if I hadn't made this change??

I'm so happy I made this decision and so happy I'm doing this and seeing stuff like that, while slightly depressing, just gives me even more drive to keep going and be healthy and fit!

Weigh In

Last time I weighed 198 lbs on September 30.

Today I weigh...

195 lbs!

I've lost 3 lbs since my last weigh in for a total of 26 lbs lost so far!

I'm so excited!  I haven't been 195 lbs since this time LAST YEAR! I'm stoked!  And I'm only 6 lbs away from being in the 180s! I haven't seen 180-something since HIGH SCHOOL!

Oh, and the best part....I'm over a quarter of the way through my original 91 lb goal!  More than a quarter of the way there!!! That's crazy to me. 

I'm so glad I started this blog and joined MyFitnessPal and started tracking all of this.  Last time I was "on a kick" I didn't keep track very well.  I knew I was losing weight, but I didn't realize how much work I'd actually done, and I think that contributed to me "falling off the wagon", but now that I can actually see what I'm doing and watch the tickers move and see the numbers go down, it really reminds me of how much I've accomplished and how much I still have left to accomplish and keeps me completely motivated to keep going.

By the way, for anyone reading who wants to lose weight or watch what they eat or just be healthier, I definitely recommend signing up for MyFitnessPal.  Click here or use the MyFitnessPal link to the right of my blog.  It really has a TON of tools and resources to keep you on track with your goals, plus there is an entire online community where you can go and ask questions and just get support.  Plus, if you have a smart phone, you can download an app straight to your phone, so you're only a button away from entering your food or looking through the database to get nutritioal info on something.  Definitely worth signing up.

Anyway, that's it for this week's weigh in.  Next weigh in October 28th!

Workout Watch

Okay time to update on my workout routine.  First off, I've been going to a cardio kickboxing class twice a week at the rec center for about a month and half, maybe two months now.  It's a 45 minute class and we do a little a bit of everything, not just kickboxing moves.  The instructor changes it up a bit for every class and some days are A LOT harder than others,but every class is hard and it's a really good workout.  Plus it's a great way for me to get out of the house for some productive "mommy time" and I like being able to change up my routine some.

I've actually been "changing things up" quite a bit and trying a variety of exercises to keep myself entertained LOL  Last week I realized that every time I go into the basement I actually walk right past this giant, dusty piece of workout equipment...an elliptical.  Yeah, we have an elliptical in our house LOL  My parents got it awhile ago, but it never gets used and was just sitting in the basement, SO I dusted it off, threw in some new batteries, and parked it in front of the TV in the basement, so now whenever America's Next Top Model or Teen Mom comes, I just jump on the elliptical and watch my shows.  It's actually a lot harder than it looks LOL  I'm still working on finding the right settings and making sure I keep my heartrate up high enough to truly be burning calories.  It's difficult because the machine gains momentum so you have to make sure you have the resistence set high enough that the machine isn't doing the work for you, which is what I've been working on and I think I may have found my niche.

Also last week, we (Josh and I) took the kiddos up to the rec center pool and I decided to try out swimming as an exercise.  Again, a lot harder than it looks.  When you're just in the pool for fun it's not all that bad because half the time you've got you feet on the bottom anyway, but I got in the far lane and did a bunch of laps back and forth the length of the pool, trying not to stop for too long on either end.  I did some like "breast stroke" style (I think that's what it's called) and then did some holding onto a board in the front so I really had to work my legs. Did that for about 45 minutes while Josh played with the kids in the toddler pool.  Tried to go for an hour, but little ones were growing restless so we had to skidaddle. LOL

And I've still been doing my Biggest Loser Cardio DVD, but I'm finding it difficult to get in a 45-55 minute workout with the kids during the day, so I think I'm going to start incorporating the 30 Day Shred back into my routine, which is what I thought would eventually happen since I love that thing and it's a great 20 minute workout.  What I'll probably do is just evaluate the "situation" and decide which one I think I have time for, so I'll be doing a little of both, but not everyday like I was when I did he initial 30 days.  I never realized how much my body actually benefits from rest days, so I'm going to keep up with that.  I've been doing some sort of workout (either DVD at home or class) five days a week and taking two rest days, on which I do the elliptical because it's so low impact that it still gives my legs, knees, joints a chance to recover.

Anyway, that's the update on my workout routine right now.  It's not really a routine per se since I'm doing a bit of everything, but it has become "routine" for me to exercise which was always the goal and will continue to be the goal :)

Workout Watch

Ok everyone this is going to be my new series where I post workout updates and I've also added another mini ticker to the side bar couting out how long working out has been a part of my life :)

So I started my Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD on Saturday.  It's a six week program consisting of three levels, but unlike the Shred where you go from one level to the next, with this DVD each level is an ADD ON, so you do Level 1 for 2 weeks, then ADD ON Level 2 for the next two weeks, and then ADD ON Level 3 for the last two weeks so that by the end you'll be doing a warm up, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and a cool down.

I started with just Level 1 on Saturday, but I was doing this DVD last summer and didn't make the full two weeks, so I'm pretty familiar with Level 1 already, so today I added on Level 2.  Level 1 is about 30 minutes and is where the majority of the work comes in.  It's pretty much a circuit workout hitting every part of the body with several cardio bursts thrown in between the moves.  Level 2 and Level 3 are both high intensity circuits 10 minutes a piece.  I haven't seen Level 3 yet, but Level 2 is okay.  They have two people "hosting" it.  They're both past contestants, one guy and one chick and they have some sort of awkward sexual tension and they talk and flirt and hit and make fun of each other the whole time.  It's pretty much like watching two 12 year olds in gym class...

I'm not really into joking and talking during my workouts.  I like to get pretty serious and stay focused.  An occasional comment or two I'm okay with, but these two are at it the whole time, right up until the very last second.  Blah. LOL 

Anyway, I did Levels 1 and 2 today and it went great.  There are a lot of jumping jacks, simulated jump rope, and jump squats, and when I first did this DVD last year I couldn't do ANY of it.  I did the modified version of all those moves, but now I can every single bit of it and I'm super stoked.  Can only get better from here!

30 Day Shred: Results

Ok so first off, yesterday was my last day on my first round of The 30 Day Shred, so...

Day 30...

DONE!

I am so excited I finished it!  It certainly wasn't easy, but I've gained so much from doing this 30 day challenge.  I learned so much about myself and my body and what I can handle and I really feel like I'm finally getting control of my life and my body.  It really was an eye opening experience for me.  Like I said in past 30DS updates, I never would have imagined that I could actually do some of these things, and granted I couldn't do ALL of them, but I could do a lot more than I thought and for that I'm extremely proud.  The Shred is definitely something I'll be doing again!  Maybe not in entire 30 day chunks, but definitely as part of my exercise routine from now on :)

So... should we move on to the fun part?  The results...?

Well today happens to also be my 2 week weigh in date, so...

Weigh In

On September 16th I weighed 203 lbs.

Today I weigh....

198 lbs!

I've lost 5 lbs since my last weigh in for a total of 23 lbs lost so far! AND I've finally broke into the 100s again! 

Okay.  Enough suspense.  Let's see some results!

30 Day Shred Results

(All stats/weights/measurements are from beginning THE SHRED only)

Weight:

Before:                                              After 30 Days:                                  Difference:

210 lbs                                                198 lbs                                                 -12 lbs

Measurements:

Before:                                               After 30 Days:                                  Difference:

Waist- 41 inches                                   36 inches                                            -5 inches

Bust- 44 inches                                     42 inches                                            -2 inches

Under Bust- 40.5 inches                        38 inches                                             -2.5 inches

Hips- 42 inches                                     41 inches                                            -1 inch

Thigh- 27 inches                                    26 inches                                            -1 inch

Arm- 14.5 inches                                   14 inches                                            -0.5 inches

Overall, after the 30 Day Shred I lost 5 inches off my waist and a total of 12 lbs!

Before/After:

Thank you to everyone who has been following me on this journey and to everyone for being so supportive and uplifting throughout the beginning of this process.  This is just the beginning for me and it can only go up from here (or go down depending on how you look at LOL).  I'm still going to keep the 30 Day Shred as part of my routine, but next I'm going to conquer the Biggest Loser's 6 week Cardio Max Weight Loss DVD.  I've done it in the past, but I'm going to stick it out the entire 6 weeks this time, and of course I'll continue updating my blog with weigh ins and occasional updates for everyone following.  Thank you all again for you kind words and support throughout this last month!

And just for fun....

Me at 198lbs!

30DS: Day 29

Done!

Today was acutally a little bit easier.  I think I'm really starting to get the hang of Level 3 (by the second to last day LOL) and I've been icing my legs which is helping a TON.  Only ONE day left on my first 30 days of the Shred.  I'll definitely be doing it again, even if not in 30 day segments.

29 days down, 1 day to go!

30DS: Day 28

Done!

Did well today.  Still having a tough time with traveling push ups, but I'm really feeling comfortable with Level 3 at this point.  Don't get me wrong, it's still hard, but at least I know what I'm doing and I'm finally familiar with it.  Almost there!

28 days down, 2 days to go!

30DS: Day 27

Done!

Another hard day today.  I'm having a lot of problems with my knees, muscle cramps, my ankles, and shin splints...BUT I've only got three days left now, so I'm going to power through it!

27 days down, 3 days to go!

30DS: Day 26

Done!

Well I know I'm gettin' close, so I'm really trying to push hard, but geez is this last level a killer!  I'm bummin' out because I rocked out the traveling push ups the first day and I haven't been able to do all of them since!  Grrr!  I did the full first set today, but did the whole second set on my knees.  Ugh.  I think it's because there is so much more stuff happening in plank/pushup position on this level that my arms and chest are just so tired, when they weren't the first day I started.  I don't know, but I'm going to keep pushing as hard as I can and see how good I can do before Day 30.  I have improved a lot on jumping lunges AND rockstar jumps, so I'm pretty proud of that :)

26 days down, 4 days to go!

30DS: Day 25

Done!

Another hard day today.  I was just not feelin' 100% today, but I pushed through and did my workout anyway.  Of course it was tough, but I got it done, and it always feels better once I get done.  Can't believe how close I'm gettin' to completing my first round of the Shred.

25 days down, 5 days to go!

30DS: Day 24

Done!

24 days down, 6 days to go!

30DS: Day 23

Done!

And I actually found it to be a little easier today, which means tomorrow I'm going to feel like I want to die LOL  Everytime I've felt it getting easier, the next day kills me LOL

23 days down, 7 days to go!

30DS: Day 22

Done!

Phew.  Another tough day on Level 3, but damn did I push it!  I am literally amazed at the things my body can do.  The things I can do.  It's astounding.  If you would have asked me 22 days ago if I could do some of this stuff I would have said, "Ha!  Absolutely not!", and I would've been WRONG!  I'm not even "done" yet and I'm already amazed.

When I started this thing I thought the biggest part of it for me would be seeing the physical results, and, although that's a nice plus, it's not even my main "concern" anymore.  My main thing has been watching what my body can do and realizing what I'm actually capable of.  If I can do this stuff, anybody can.

Anyway, another hard day, but another day I'm proud of!

22 days down, 8 days to go!

30DS: Day 21

Effin' done bitches!

Hardest. Workout. Ever.

They say you can lose up to 20 lbs in 30 days...Yeah.  You might lose 7...8...10lbs during the first two levels, but the last 10 lbs...that comes off in Level 3.  Oh. My. God.

The "hard" moves that are part of the actual workout in Level 2 are the WARMUP in Level 3, and that Jillian we all know and "love"....  she was just in hiding.  She came out to play this time around.  She is NOT messing around people.

But with that all said, I kicked butt ladies and gentleman.  I pushed as hard as I could and I'm damn proud of myself.  Yes there were modified moves, but before I did ANY modifications I tried the actual move first and believe it or not, I could actually DO quite a few of them. 

Jillian introduced walking push ups in this level.  Never done them on the Shred before, but I am familiar with them from my Biggest Loser Bootcamp DVD which I used to do last summer when I was on my "kick".  Walking push ups were one of the hardest parts of the Bootcamp workout and I ALWAYS did them on my knees.  Never once did I managed to do walking push ups from the real push up position... buy today, FIRST day doing walking push ups on the Shred...I did 'em!  I rocked those suckers OUT and I actually got pretty far down with my push ups too.

I'm so effin' proud of myself and so freakin' pumped right now!  Can't wait to do it again tomorrow and see what I can do!

21 days down, 9 days to go!  Single digits people!

30DS: Day 20

Done!

I'm two thirds of the way there and I'm DONE with Level 2!  Scary.  So tomorrow starts Level 3 and I've never even seen it.  I did Level 2 with Josh on Day 2 of the Shred, so I knew what to expect come time for it, but I've never seen Level 3.  I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but I don't want to psych myself out, so I'm not going to think about it, and I'm just going to wake up tomorrow morning ready to do my workout!

20 days down, 10 days to go!  TEN DAYS TO GO! Ahhhhh!

Weigh In

Last time, on September 2nd, I weighed in at 205 lbs.

Today I weigh...

203 lbs!

I've lost 2 more lbs for a total of 18 lbs LOST so far!  Yippee!  I'm only 2 lbs away from hitting 20 LBS LOST, and I'm only 4 lbs away from being under 200 lbs! I really hope I can be back in the 100s by my next weigh in! 

Next weigh in... September 30th!

30DS: Day 19

Done!

Phew.  Another hard day today.  I've continued to push myself since tomorrow is my last day on Level 2.  By this point in Level 1 I felt like I had really conquered the level, but I'm not quite there yet with Level 2.  I think this level is just harder in general, but I'm going to push through and I will be starting Level 3 on time.  Scary how fast this month is going by!

19 days down, 11 days to go!

30DS: Day 18

Done!

And I've been trying to push really, really hard because I'm only two days away from Level 3 and I know I could be feeling a lot more prepared, so I'm just going to try the best I can over the next two days to make sure I'm as "ready" as possible.

18 days down, 12 days to go!

Yesterday I had...

Total Calories- 1060

Breakfast- 0.5 tbsp Nutella on a slice of 100% whole wheat bread
Morning snack- Caramel rice cakes
Lunch-Baked cod w/ garlic mashed potatoes (skinny version)
Afternoon snack-Light string cheese and popcorn
Dinner-Homemade Mexican Stir Fry

Notes:
Yesterday I tried a new recipe for "Mexican" Stir Fry with strips of steak, black beans (no sodium), corn, tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper in a chipotle lime sauce over white rice.  It was absolutely delicious. I got it out of a healthy recipe book and tweaked it a bit, but I can't believe I never thought to do something like that. I'm usually very creative with recipes and that's something I would have never thought of, so thanks "Eat and Lose" cookboook!

30DS: Day 16 and Day 17

Although I did workout yesterday, I never managed to get on here and track it, so... Day 16 AND Day 17 are...

Done!

Yesterday was Day 16 and my fifth day on Level 2.  There are several moves that they show a modification for including a deep squat (modified to a higher squat verse being very low), deep lunge (modified to higher lunge verses sinking down low), plank jacks (modified by using only one leg at a time verses jumping out with both legs), plank jumps (modified by bringing one leg in at a time without jumping verses jumping both legs in simultaneously), and double jump rope (modified to single jump rope).  So until yesterday I had been doing a lot of the modifications.  My legs are strong so I've been able to do both squats and lunges VERY well, and nice and low, but all the jump moves...yeah.  They were all super hard for me so I modified the plank jumps, plank jacks, and double jump rope.

But yesterday was Josh's day off, so we worked out together again.  Now the "first time" I was exercising (some point last summer) I would have NEVER worked in front of my husband, let alone worked out WITH him, because he is so much stronger than I am and so much more fit and I was embarrassed, but this time around is different.  Doing this shred for the last two weeks and seeing how quickly my body can change and how strong I really am has given me a lot more confidence and even confidence enough to work out with Josh. 

The first time we worked out together last week was kind of tough on me because he could do a lot of the stuff "better" than I could (form wise etc.) and it made me feel badly that I wasn't there yet.  Not because of anything he said or did, but just because of my own insecurities and my own way of thinking. I didn't let it get me down and this week I changed my whole attitude towards it.  Instead of feeling bad about myself, I just pushed even harder.  I knew Josh was right there with me and not doing ANY modifications, so I went for it too.  I did everything.  All the moves.  The right way.  No modifications.  I did the plank jacks, the plank jumps, and even DOUBLE jump rope.  Now granted I had to pause a few times during the double jump rope, but it's still a HUGE improvement to go from modifying all those moves to actually DOING THEM in one day, and I would have never thought I could do it had I not had Josh right there next me.  He was super proud of me and I was super proud of myself. I felt great, and I even went for it again today.  It was a little harder today, but that's what happened in Level 1 too, so I know it will only get easier from here on out.  And then it'll be time for Level 3 LOL

Anyway, like I said, I'm super proud of myself and I can't believe how much my whole body is changing and how much difference exercise really makes.  When you're "dieting", yes, you'll lose weight, but with exercise you're really changing your WHOLE body and really getting fit and healthy and it makes you feel great!

17 days down, 13 days to go!  And I'm not stopping there!  Exercise is here to stay!

This week I had...



 OK so another "This week I had..." LOL  Been doing great this week.  I've been making more pita pocket pizzas with a variety of toppings,  for lunch I made spaghetti with broccoli using Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta, tonight we had oven "fried" fish that mom and I breaded with Corn Flakes then baked, and the other night we had shrimp fajitas cooked without any butter or oil.  They were delicious! 

I love putting just about any type of meat into a flour tortilla.  You can do so much with it and there are so many different options and flavor combos.  You can make a "snack wrap", roll it up like a burrito, or just eat it like a taco, and if you use small ones you hardly need anything in there to "fill it up" and after topping and all you have a couple FULL tacos with minimal calories.  I've made steak tacos, chicken tacos, SPICY chicken tacos (to satisfy my chicken wing craving...LOL), shrimp tacos, pork tacos...whatever.  It's all delicious and with the right cuts of meat prepared healthfully, it can all be fairly low in calories.

I've also grown to love the pita pockets, especially for pizza.  If you load it with veggies you hardly have to use barely any cheese and you still get that fresh pizza taste. Yummy!

Anyway, that's a little bit of what I've been eating :)

30DS: Day 15

Done!

I'm officially half way there!  Well, half way through The Shred at least.  This is just the beginning of course, but it's a milestone nonetheless.  This is the absolute longest I've ever consistently worked out in my entire life, aside from "gym class" of course, but I have to put that in quotes because I was a completely slacker in gym and rarely did what I was supposed to be doing, so that doesn't really count either LOL

Anyway, I'm ridiculously proud of myself and, aside from having a massive chest cold, I feel great!  Today was a bit of a struggle...some ups and some downs.  I'm still doing great with a lot of the leg strength exercises/moves, but I'm also still doing a few modified moves, like modified "plank jacks" (jumping jacks in a plank position...) and I'm still doing single jump rope about half the time I should be doing double jump rope, but considering that Day 1  I couldn't even get through half of the REGULAR jump rope without having to stop and finish by walking in place....yeah, I'm killing it. LOL

15 days down, 15 days to go!  Bring on the second half Jillian!


"I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday." -Unknown

30DS: Day 14

Done!

I have worked out every single day for an entire two weeks.  14 days straight.  That is just crazy to me.  I've had workout videos for at least a year and I've "started" them several times, but never made it more than a week or so and I always "skipped" days, so I think I'm well on my way to accomplishing one of my goals with the 30 Day Shred...making exercise a normal part of my daily routine.  Don't get me wrong, exercise is still hard for me and still not my favorite thing to do (by far LOL), but most days I'm actually anxious to workout and get it done because I know how great I feel once I do.  I really feel like I've hit a "mini milestone" by hitting this 2 week mark and tomorrow I'll officially be half way through The Shred.

14 days down, 16 days to go!

30DS: Day 13

Done!

I felt great today. At first I was thinking that I'll have to stay on Level 2 a little longer than 10 days because some of the moves were pretty challenging, but it's amazing how quickly your body can adapt if you really push it.  My squat looks awesome and my lunges are coming right along.  Still need some work on "plank twists" (the killer ab move we do for the last minute straight), but that'll come in time.  So will DOUBLE jump rope...  Level 1 we did simulated jump rope for several 30 second time periods and that killed me at first.  I was just getting used to it when I moved to Level 2.  Now simulated jump rope is the modified move for double jump rope.  You jump TWICE as high (which for me is literally as high as I can jump) and you do your wrist/arm thing twice during your high jump.  I know the wrist/arm thing sounds kind of silly, but if you're doing it right, it really IS a killer and really does increase the cardio in the move like crazy. I've been doing as much of the double jump rope as I can and then resorting to single jump rope when I feel like I'm going to die LOL Anyway, I did pretty good with double jump rope today AND with oblique twists.  I'll post of video of that below, but it's crazy hard and Jillian says during the move, "I want you literally gargling your heart by the time you're done with this cardio circuit."  Yeah.  Intense. Makes me feel like I'm going to barf when I'm done with it LOL

13 days down, 17 days to go!  Almost two weeks in AND almost halfway through the entire 30 days! BAM!

(This is the closest I could find to the move in the video.  Jillian calls it "oblique twists", and this is pretty much it, except she has us move our arms as well, not keep them still like that.  Anyway, you get the point LOL)

Today I had...

BBQ pork pizza

 Total Calories: 1176

Breakfast: Active Lifestyle Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal
Lunch: BBQ Pork pizza
Dinner: Spaghetti w/meat sauce

Notes:
Today I had the grand idea to make a BBQ pork pizza, similar to the BBQ beef pizza the have at some places.  We had some leftover grilled boneless pork loin chops in the fridge, so I cubed up about half of one and mixed in about a tablespoon of BBQ sauce, put that on a pita pocket (laid flat) and added chunks of red onion, jalapenos, and a tiny bit of cheese, then baked it off. It was delicious and only about 400 calories. Yum!

30DS: Day 12

Done!

It's crazy how just as I was getting good at Level 1 and perfecting all the moves...BAM!  Got to change it up, but hey, it's good for your muscles right? LOL  I can tell we're working a lot of different muscles in Level 2 than in Level 1, and one big change is the "static" moves.  Instead of going in and out of a lunge or squat as you work your arms, you just stay down IN the move the entire time, really forcing your legs to work.  Hurts, but feels pretty darn good at the same time LOL  I'm actually REALLY good at squating and don't have to follow the "beginner" gal at all.  I can almost get my thighs parallel to the floor and keep them that way the whole time.  It's great.  Lunges on the other hand....a little harder for me, mostly because I lack the core strength to stay balanced.  Level 2 will certainly help my core strength though.  I'd say 40% of Level 2 is doing something in plank position.  Ouch.  This is where I end of taking quite a few of Jillian's "5 second rests", but I'm going to have start powering through some of these moves if I really want to get the full force of this work out.  Only day 2 on this level though so I've got plenty of time to work at it.  Anyway, that's a little about Level 2...

12 days down, 18 to go!  Almost 2 weeks in and almost halfway there!

30DS: Day 11

Done!

Today was my first official day on Level 2 and it went great.  I didn't even have to due all the modifications.  I did some modified moves, but for the most part I was able to do all the moves.   I definitely need some work on some of my form, but overall I rocked it out!

11 days done, 19 day to go! 

This week I had...

I've been slacking on "Today I had..."s again, but like I said in my last update, just don't always have the time, but I'm still on track and still doing well.  Actually made a really yummy homemade chicken breast stir fry last night, and I tried the new oven crisp chicken sandwich from Subway a few days ago, which was very tasty.  I've also added a few new foods to my "diet" including pita bread which is very useful and very yummy.  I made pizza on it a few days ago and then made a sort of calzone in the actual pocket and stuck that in the oven.  Delicious.  I've also been drinking some orange juice and vitamin enhanced waters since I've been getting really, really bad leg cramps after my workouts.  So far it seems to be helping some, but the cramps are just killer, like a charlie horse in both my legs.  Ouch. 

Anyway, that's a little of what I've been doing/eating, just to update.  I'll try to get back on track with "Today I had..." and food pics as soon as I can.  :)

30DS: Day 10

Done.  Barely...

I started coming down with something yesterday, and I'm feeling pretty icky today.  Got some kind of sore throat/cold/stomach bug thing and I'm just exhausted, BUT I did my workout anyway.  Wasn't my best display of 30 Day Shred moves, but I did it!  And today was my last day on Level 1.  Tomorrow starts Level 2 and I'm kind of scared, but also excited!

10 days down, 20 days to go!  Bring on Level 2!

30DS: Day 9

Done!

And tomorrow will be my last day on Level 1.  Scary!!!  Wish me luck!

9 days down, 21 days to go! 

30DS: Day 8

Done!

And I did every single bicycle crunch today!  Now they weren't the best looking bicycle crunches ever, but I did every single one of them and didn't stop the whole time.  Didn't rest, didn't drop my legs, didn't put my feet down.  Nothing.  I just did it! Whoop whoop!

8 days down, 22 to go!  Bring on Day 9!

30DS: Day 7

Done!

Just finished Day 7.  I can tell my endurance has gone up, but it's still pretty difficult which is a good thing, but also scares me for Level 2 which is only 3 days away!  Ahhhh! I killed it today though.  I'm doing awesome with jumping jacks and butt kicks, and I'd say I did over half the push ups today.  Actual push ups.  I WILL perfect the push up!  And I even did better with bicycle crunches.  Still SUPER hard, but I pushed as hard as I could today and I'm really proud of myself! ONE WEEK DOWN!

7 days done, 23 days to go!  Come on week two!

Today I had...

Total Calories- 954

Breakfast-Active Lifestyle Chai Apple oatmeal w/ 1/4 cup fat free milk
Lunch-Homemade "Pita Pizza" w/ lean beef, onion, and mushrooms
Afternoon snack-Strawberries
Dinner-Homemade "Spicy Chicken Tacos" w/ side of black beans

Notes:
Came in a tiny bit low calorie wise today, but again, didn't mean to.  I seem to be "busier" on the weekends chasing the kids, going to the store, housework etc. so I don't seem to eat as much or as often, but hey tomorrow's another day, so I'll aim a little higher.

BUT, I did make a delicious pizza on a pita pocket today.  I just left the pocket intact and put sauce, a tiny bit of cheese, lean beef, onion, and mushrooms on top then baked it off in the oven. YUMMY!  It was great and only about 350 calories total :)

Pita Pizza

30DS: Day 6

Done!

Another hard day today.  I'm noticing some sore muscles and some muscles that I think I'm starting to strain a bit, so I took it a little easy on some of the harder moves and didn' go so deep into the lunges and stuff, but tried to keep good form as best as I could.  Definitely don't want to pull anything or hurt myself so I'm going to be careful, BUT I'm proud to announce that I think I could use heavier weights!  I've been using 3lb weights the whole time and the first three or four days my arms were burning the whole time and by the end of the workout they were about to fall off, but today my arms didn't even start to feel sore until the VERY end of the workout which is one of the hardest moves, so I think I could go up to a 5lb weight, but I'm not sure if I'm going to.  I'm supposed to start level 2 in four days, so I don't want to up my weights AND start level 2 and do too much at once, so we'll see...

Anyway, powered through some more push ups today before finishing on my knees and I can totally feel my abs burning away when I do them, and as much as it hurts it also feels good to know that I'm working hard and really feeling the workout.  Everyday I do push ups I'm more and more proud of myself because that's one of the hardest things for me to do.

Now bicycle crunches on the hand...a struggle yet again.  I had to stop three times today and take a couple second breather.  I should learn NOT to stop though because it's almost harder to stop and go back into it than it is to just power through...  Goal for tomorrow I guess :)

6 days done, 24 days to go!  Bring on Day 7 and the END of week one!

Today I had...

Total Calories- 1112

Breakfast- Active Lifestyle Chai Apple Oatmeal w/ 1/4 cup fat free milk
Morning snack-Raspberries
Lunch- Morning Star veggie burger wrapped in small tortilla
Afternoon snack- 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
Dinner- Grilled chicken breast, rice, broccoli

Notes:
So yesterday we had a coupon for a Morning Star product (which are all veggie products I believe...), so I got some veggie burgers and we had them last night and then I had one for lunch today wrapped in a tortilla.  They were delicious and they have half the fat of a beef patty.  Score!

Weigh In

Last time I weighed in at 210 lbs on August 19th...

Today I weigh...

205 lbs!  I've lost 5 lbs!

And I'm freakin' stoked!  This is AWESOME!  I've lost 16 lbs so far!  To go from having to type two-TWENTY-something to getting to type two-OH-something is amazing!  I'm so proud of myself right now and I'm only 6 lbs away from being back in the 100's!  Crazy! Haven't been in the 100's since last November, so...like 10 months.  Almost a year.  Yeah crazy, but I'm just super excited today and can't wait to see what the scale says next time!

Next weigh in... September 16th.

30DS: Day 5

Done!

Holy crap.  Today was a killer.  Don't know if I wasn't quite warmed up enough or what, but the whole first circuit I really struggled today.  Got through jumping jacks just fine, but jump rope was a killer.  Sheesh.  I picked it up in the second and third circuit though except for those damn bicycle crunches at the very end.  I freakin' HATE those.  Jillian say it works "all your abdominal muscle groups at once" (blah blah blah).  I say, "EF THIS!"  It's hard as hell for somethone with NO ab muscles whatsoever.  I might have to start doing a round of those every night along with some push ups (did more of those today! Woop Woop!)

Anyway, since I just finished Day 5 I'm officially half way through Level 1.  You're supposed to do 10 days on each level OR move on whenever you're ready, so I'm really going to try to perfect those bicycle crunches AND work harder on my push ups over the next 5 days so I can move on in time and feel good about where I'm at!

5 days down, 25 days to go!  Come on Day 6!

(Here's a little video demonstrating these effin bicycle crunches...)



30 DS: Day 4

Done!

Just finished Day 4!  Although I'm finding that my enduracne has increased, still another tough day.  I pushed myself a little harder today and finally went for the full on push ups.  Up until now I've been doing push ups on my knees with Anita (that's the modified gal), but today I decided to try the real ones and I actually did it.  I made it through about half the push ups in the video before dropping to my knees to finish.  Now, no, my nose wasn't hitting the ground, but I did some damn push ups and I'm damn proud!  Still need major help with bicycle crunches though...there's always tomorrow!

4 days down, 26 days to do!  Day 5 tomorrow and I'm halfway done with Level 1!

Weigh in tomorrow as well!  Haven't weighed in since August 19th, so time to see how I've done over the past 2 weeks!

Today I had...

Total Calories-1193

Breakfast-Low fat cottage cheese w/pineapple tidbits
Lunch-Lean Cuisine Spaghetti w/meat sauce and mushrooms meal
Afternoon snacks-94% fat free popcorn, homemade shredded beef wrap
Dinner-Homemade chicken chili over baked potato


Notes:
Today I made a homemade shredded chicken breast chili with tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapenos, unsalted chili beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and pepper, then served it over a quarter of a baked potato with a dollop of sour cream on top.  Yum-o!

30DS: Day 3

Done!

Just finished Day 3.  Did Level 1 again today and it almost seemed like it was a littler harder than it was Day 1, but I think that's because I was trying to sink a little deeper into the moves, and I know my butt kicks looked better today than they did the first day.  Pretty proud of that!  My arms are on fire again though and I need work on my bicycle crunches...but hey, that's what the next 27 days are for right?!

3 days down, 27 days to go!  Come on Day 4!

30DS: Day 2

Done!

Just finished Day 2 of the 30 Day Shred!  You're supposed to do Level 1 for 10 days then move to Level 2, but Josh is off today so we did Level 2 kind of as a comprimise.  It worked the same as Level 1, but with a little more intensity and the moves were a little more complex which made it more difficult for me, but I powered through it!  I did a lot of the "modified" moves which were a little more modified in Level 2 than in Level 1, so that was helpful, but jumping jacks were a piece of cake today!  I hate jumping jacks and they're usually one of the hardest things for me to do, but I conquered 'em today.  Now the double jump rope or whatever it was called...that was another story.  Single jump rope for me, but got the same cardio effect, so I was pleased with that.

Then we followed it up with the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga on Level 1, which was surprisingly harder after just finishing 20+ minutes of The Shred, but I liked it because it was relaxing, but still a workout. 

So that was my (our) workout for today.  I'll be back to Level 1 tomorrow because I'd really like to perfect those moves before moving on.  2 days down, 28 days to go!  Onto Day 3!

Today I had...

Total Calories- 1196

Breakfast-Life cereal w/ fat free milk
Morning snack-Quaker Caramel Rice Cakes (2)
Lunch- Smart Ones Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce meal
Afternoon snack-Nature Valley crunchy granola bar
Dinner-Steak taco w/white rice

Notes:
I just realized that I was too starving and forgot to take a pic of my dinner, so no real pics today LOL But for dinner I cubed up some sirloin steak and marinated it in Kroger Chipotle Lime 30 Minute Marinade.  Then quick tossed it in a pan to heat and served it in a small tortilla with white rice (for a little extra "filling" since steak is higher in calories).

30DS: Day 1

Done!

Just did my very first workout of the 30 Day Shred and I did GREAT!  I loved it!  Definitely wasn't easy, but I didn't pass out or keel over dead, and I didn't even have to stop!  I'm so proud of myself!

Ok so let's start with the basics of the DVD.  Obviously hosted by Jillian Michaels and she has two lean, ripped chicks with her.  One going all out and the other doing "modified" versions.  I put modified in quotes because they're not really all that modified. LOL  Anyway, there is a short warm up, then there are three levels (1, 2, and 3) and each level goes through three circuits each.  A circuit consists of three minutes of strength training, two minutes of cardio, and one minute of abs.  Oh and NO rest.  LOL So you do the first circuit then move straight to the second, then to the third, then there's a short cool down.

All in all I think the DVD is great and so is Jillian at least in level one.  She was firm, but motivational and NOT a bitch by any means.  She wasn't a major hard ass, but she wasn't cutting any slack either.  At one point she has you go into jumping jacks then says, "If you're looking for a modified version of a jumping jack don't look at my girl so-and-so (the modified one...) because there is no modified version of jumping jack.  I've got 400lb people doing jumping jacks. YOU can do a jumping jack."  I actually thought it was pretty funny, but it did motivate me to push through ALL the jumping jacks.  Every single jumping jack in the workout.  Done.  In my Biggest Loser DVDs I had been doing modified jumping jacks at least half the time, but today I pushed through and I was actually surprised at how well I did.  Of course my legs were killing me and I had to close my eyes and picture myself lying on a beach for the last 5 seconds, but hey, I did it!

Anyway, back to Jillian, I actually really enjoyed her.  She clearly knows what she's doing and seems very trustworthy as a trainer.  Plus, she really explained all the moves and how to do them properly which has been one of the biggest challenges for me: getting the moves right. I never know if I'm doing it right, but she really went into how each move should be done and it helped a ton.  Not to mention the "moves" themselves weren't terribly sophisticated anyway.  She used a lot of basic moves that were "simple, yet effective", as she kept saying, and it was true because I could totally feel the burn LOL Especially in my arms.  Holy smokes!  This DVD has WAY more arms than my Biggest Loser ones.  I was only using 3lb weights and my arms are burning right now as I type this blog. Seriously.

As for me, I think I did great!  I did struggle a bit with bicycle crunches at the end and did end up yelling out "Holy shit!" when I had about six left LOL, but otherwise I did awesome.   The way the circuits work out was actually great because just about the time you're ready to give up on the move you're doing and you feel like that particular body part is about to fall off... BAM.  Time to move to the next step in the circuit, so it actually kept me going and kept me motivated because I could tell myself, "Only a few more seconds".

Anyway, I'm super proud of myself, I feel great, and I can't wait to do it again tomorrow!  She says by day 4 or 5 I'll be amazed at how much my endurance has improved.  Looking forward to it!

Today I had...



 Total Calories- 1082

Breakfast-Life cereal w/ fat free milk
Morning snack- Pringles Reduced Fat Sour Cream and Onion chips
Lunch-Leftover spicy chicken taco
Dinner-Homemade chicken and shrimp fried rice








Notes: 
Tonight I made a varied version of "fried rice" using brown rice, chicken breast, shrimp, peas,carrots, bean sprouts, green onion, egg substitute, lite soy sauce, and half a packet of fried rice seasoning mix.  Came out GREAT!

30 Day Shred

It's here!  My very own copy of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred; the tool I'm going to use to jump start my workout routine!

I've never been a fan of exercising or any sort of physical activity at all for that matter (which is probably a large contributing factor to where I'm at now...) Anyway,  I really don't like exercise and although I have several exercise DVDs that I love, I still lack the motivation to workout on a daily basis and have never stuck to a routine, so...

I've heard a ton of great things about the 30 Day Shred and thought, "What better way to hold myself accountable than to HAVE to do something for 30 days straight", so I ordered it.  Now I'm sure many of you know who Jillian Michaels is, but in case you don't she's most commonly known as one of the trainers on NBC's TV show "The Biggest Loser" and...she's a complete bitch.  She's crazy tough, mean, and sometimes just plain rude.  I don't know if her and I are going to get along too well, but hey maybe getting pissed of at her will help me power through a workout... Who knows? LOL  Plus, it has three levels and each level is only about 20 minutes long.  Who can't take 20 minutes out of their day to workout?

Now I know it's going to be SUPER hard and I'm not expecting that I'll be able to do every move perfectly the first day, but you have to start somewhere right?  I'm going to give it my all, do the best I can, and just keep at it no matter what!

I've got my starting weight recorded, all my starting measurements recorded, and have taken "before" pics, so I'll keep updating in my blog throughout the 30 days, then when the 30 days is up, I'll post all my stats and "before and after" pics (something to look forward too!)  I've also made a "30 Day Shred" countdown ticker to countdown the days for me to keep track and for you all to see where I'm at as well.

Now you may be thinking, "But that's only 30 days.  You're going to have to work out for more than 30 days to meet your goal and change your life..." and yes, that's totally true.  My plan is to use the 30 day shred to A) jump start my exercise regimen, B) get my mind and my body used to working out on a regular basis, and C) as a "go to" tool for whenever I need to change up my exercise routine and "shock" my muscle groups.  My plan is to start with the 30 Day Shred, then continue to workout 4-5 days a week using any combination of my other Biggest Loser DVDs: Cardio Max, Bootcamp, and Weight Loss Yoga, all hosted by The Biggest Loser's OTHER trainer, Bob Harper, whom I love!

Anyway, this is it!  This is my new month long mini series and it starts...TOMORROW!  So stay tuned for details on my first day and updates all along the way!

Today I had...

Total Calories- 908

Breakfast-Egg white omelet w/ham, tomato, and onions
Morning snack-Raspberries
Lunch-Smart Ones Chicken with Broccoli Cheese meal
Afternoon snacks- Pringles Reduced Fat Sour Cream and Onion chips, Quaker rice cake, strawberries
Dinner-Spicy chicken taco and fat free refried beans


Notes:  Today I finally mastered an egg white omelet.  Learned that you have to whip the whites REALLY well and make sure they are firm befor trying to flip.  I've been CRAVING chicken wings, so for dinner I made homemade spicy chicken tacos using boneless skinless chicken breast and spicy garlic wing sauce.  Put the meat into a small flour tortilla, added a tiny bit of cheese and sour cream, and had some fat free refried beans on the side.  De-licious.

Today I had...

Total Calories- 1116

Breakfast- Scrambled egg whites w/ham, tomatoes, and onions
Lunch- Steak soft tacos from Qdoba w/ tomatoes, salsa, and lettuce only
Afternoon snack- Pringles reduced fat Sour Cream and Onion chips
Dinner- Lean Cuisine Four Cheese Cannlloni meal






Notes:  Today the kids and I had lunch with grandma at Qdoba. I hate salad with a passion, so I ordered steak tacos.  The tortillas are a little higher in calories than I'd like, but slightly better than a whole burrito with rice and beans, so I had just the steak on soft flour tortillas with tomatoes, salsa, and lettuce.  No rice, no beans, no sour cream, no cheese, and no guacamole.  I ate all three and it was still around 500 calories.  Not bad for a meal out :)

Quick Update

Just wanted to update and say that I'm still here and still on track.  I haven't "fallen off the wagon" and I'm not on some crazy eating spree LOL  I've just been busy and had trouble finding time to do "Today I had..." every night.  I still plan to do "Today I had..." as often as possible, but I may not get to it every night, so if I skip a day or two it doesn't mean I'm off stuffing my face and eating stuff I don't want to post about, just means I didn't have time. :)

Anyway,  like I said, I'm still on track and everything's going great.  I have my next weigh in coming up in a week on Sept 2nd, so I'll be updating with that. Hopefully the numbers are good. *fingers crossed*

I'll try to update more often, but I do have a new mini-series coming to this blog VERY soon, so be on the look out for that.  I'll explain soon enough... :)

Today I had...

Total calories: 690

Breakfast-Skipped breakfast again...
Lunch-Lean Cuisine Chicken Enchilada meal
Snack-Boiled shrimp
Dinner-Homemade sloppy joes with ground chicken

Notes:
Crazy day today. Barely had time to eat.  Barely have time to do this blog LOL but I skipped yesterday so I'm doing this real quick.  (Pics to come tomorrow) 

Came in WAY under my calorie goal again...by accident of course, but again...oh well.  It was a crazy day and that happens.  Better day tomorrow!

Anyway, definitely want to get into the sloppy joes super quick. Made them from scratch using FRESH ground turkey courtesy of the meat guy at the local grocery store.  Started with a slew of finely minced veggies (again, used our new food chopper).  Had bell pepper, purple onion, carrots, yellow squash, mushrooms, and a bit of fresh jalapeno.  Minced it all up fine and let it cook down all day in tomato sauce with my own seasoning.  Had Josh (my hubby) add in the meat for the last hour and half, the we had 'em on Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Whole Grain White Hamburger Buns.  Only 110 calories per bun.  Yummy!

Today I had...




  Total calories: 787 

Breakfast-Life cereal w/fat free milk
Lunch-Lean Cuisine Four Cheese Cannelloni meal
Afternoon snack-Homemade salsa and baked Tostitos Scoops
Dinner-Chicken breast, white rice, grilled yellow squash







Notes:
Came in kind of low on calories today...Didn't mean to, but now it's 8:30pm and I'm not eating anymore, so too bad, so sad.  I'll do better tomorrow. LOL 

Today mom and I made some homemade salsa in our new food chopper.  It was great. Roma tomatoes, red onion, fresh garlic, fresh jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, and a tiny bit of salt, and we ate it with Baked Scoops.  Delicious, but way too spicy for me! LOL

And for dinner we grilled chicken, but we also grilled big, thick slices of yellow squash with a little bit of salt and a lot of pepper (I like pepper! Yum!).  Also delicious!  I did have a little white rice as a side (seasoned with Molly McButter and "No Salt" sodium-free seasoning), but I only had a tiny serving now that I know how many calories are actually in rice...Probably could've had a bigger serving seeing as how low I came in calorie wise, but I wasn't sure where I was at, so better safe than sorry.

Grilled yellow squash

I feel like I did really well today!  I ate a lot of fresh and yummy veggies and feel really fulfilled!