My little - but significant - weight loss last week has me super motivated to keep going and lose more!
Weeks six through to the end are always the toughest for me. I get to be wholly physically exhausted. When it's bad, even yoga does little to perk me up. So here's hoping I can stay energized through these last three weeks!
Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga
The break from Pure Cardio last week did me good as it was easier to get through it this week. It's still tough, especially at 5:30am, after a weekend of hard workouts, but I made it through. I was hoping yoga would be nice and relaxing but it was the opposite - one of the hardest classes in a long while. Ugh! My arms and legs were aching by the end.
Tuesday: walk + PeakFit Cardio Strength 2
I got to have a lazy morning today - wow! At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did some ab work. Then, after work, it was time for the real work - CS2. Sigh. I cannot express how much harder this is for me in the evening. By the end, I am just wiped out. I took my time with the stretches and was then good for nothing the rest of the night. Ugh.
Wednesday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101+ Dozois' HIIT - Breathless and Energized + yoga
My workouts will get messed up later in the week so instead of doing my relaxing workout this morning, I had to work. I didn't do HIIT all morning but Ilyse's dance workout is similar to a HIIT as you jog/jump rope/jack for long stretches and then recover. I forget how much I work in this one. Dozois' HIIT is a workout - but I like how short it is, at 15 minutes. Yoga at lunch was so nice - all stretching.
Thursday: Dozois' Total Body Cardio and Strength
It was time for weights today. I really enjoy Michelle's Glo C+S; it's effective and fun without being super hard. Sometime this summer, I want to buy some new weights - 12 pounds. My heavy set now is 8 and I think 12 would be a good, substantial challenge - and the most bang for my buck!
Friday: PeakFit Dynamic Flexibility
This was a lovely change today. I needed a day with no high impact and this workout is just great for a rest day. I managed to break a sweat - and sweated quite a bit - because stretching is hard work! And Michelle leads you through some yoga moves that work all your muscles.
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn
This was a fun workout today. I like that this original CIB does not make you go to the floor. It still works you hard but there's no dread factor, which is nice!
Saturday: Cardio Strength 1 on Glo
Wow, I always forget just how hard this workout really is. Michelle has you going up and down to the floor and the cardio is super intense…. Dang! The only thing that saves it from being impossible is that the peaks aren't unbearable. Next time, I need to remember that and it'll keep me motivated. Ha! I added on an additional 10 minutes of low-impact cardio and then 10 more minutes of ab/stretching. So, one hour and ten minutes of working out. Not bad!
Calorie Counts:
It was a lost cause this week. It's been bad. Here's hoping I can get back on track next week. Only two more weeks are left in this Challenge and I want to see some results!
Monday, April 27, 2015
Friday, April 24, 2015
Kitteh Cuteness
I fear that our cat, Dooku, has been abducted and brainwashed. He's been so lovey-dovey lately and so needy…..it's just weird.
And on top of it all, he's been super cute, which makes us want to give in to all that neediness. I don't know what's up but I hope it continues. Ha!
And on top of it all, he's been super cute, which makes us want to give in to all that neediness. I don't know what's up but I hope it continues. Ha!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Broccoli Raisin Slaw (2015:5)
Broccoli slaw has become a favorite thing in our house. Even Mr. Higgins loves the things I make with the conveniently packaged slaw. Our favorite broccoli slaw recipe is very tasty...but I'm always on the lookout for new recipes.
When I came across Recipe Girl's concoction for Broccoli Raisin Slaw, I was immediately intrigued...but skeptical about the raisins. I'm not used to having raisins in my slaw....but Craisins are good in salads/slaws....
So I decided to give this slaw a try. I used light Miracle Whip instead of light mayo and Taco Bell hot sauce instead of Tabasco (which I thought was in my fridge but was not). Despite these minor substitutions, the slaw was great!
I loved the slaw, the raisins, the dressing....and Mr. Higgins would have gobbled it all up if I had let him! This one is a keeper! Who knew raisins could work with broccoli?!
When I came across Recipe Girl's concoction for Broccoli Raisin Slaw, I was immediately intrigued...but skeptical about the raisins. I'm not used to having raisins in my slaw....but Craisins are good in salads/slaws....
So I decided to give this slaw a try. I used light Miracle Whip instead of light mayo and Taco Bell hot sauce instead of Tabasco (which I thought was in my fridge but was not). Despite these minor substitutions, the slaw was great!
I loved the slaw, the raisins, the dressing....and Mr. Higgins would have gobbled it all up if I had let him! This one is a keeper! Who knew raisins could work with broccoli?!
Monday, April 20, 2015
Week Five: Peak 10 Challenge #3
Oh, week five, how I dread thee! La sigh.
After the first four weeks of the Peak 10 Challenge, Michelle throws you a curve ball: for the next four weeks you add an additional Cardio Strength into the mix. This is hard for me since it means one day, during the work week, I have to do a CS after work. I do not like this. But at least it shocks the body - hopefully.
Monday: Anytime Anywhere
No Pure Cardio this week. I skipped Anytime Anywhere last week so it's back this week, along with a HIIT instead of Pure Cardio. Oh, fun. To add to the fun, I was dealing with having had very little sleep on Sunday night; I woke up so exhausted on Monday. It was a morning I could have easily called in sick, but I didn't. Somehow, I got up and did this workout. A meeting meant no workout at lunch.
Tuesday: Michelle's Tip Top Shape on Glo
It was time for weights today so I tuned into Michelle's Glo workout, which is one of my favorites. My arms were aching by the end of this one! The cardio isn't as tough, which is fine - I needed a lighter day since there will be more high impact cardio this week. At lunch, I went to hear our nutritionist talk; she's always fun!
Wednesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits + yoga
I finally slept last night, thanks to two Advil PMs. I rarely take those because two make me feel groggy and gross the next morning. So, yay, I slept! Boo, I felt lethargic all morning. This HIIT workout was the last thing I wanted to do, but I got through it. I added on some cardio, skipping McLean's ab work at the end, to make this workout longer (50 minutes). At lunch, I finally got to work out today, and it was good to get back to yoga.....even if she made us plank a hundred times.
Thursday: walk + Peak Fit Cardio Strength 2 + Michelle's Heart-Pumping Total Sculpting
I walked at the rec today and it was good to have that break at lunch. It worked out that on this day, when I had to add in my additional CS, I took off work early to get my thyroid labs drawn. Getting home early was great! I did the 55 minute CS2 and then 10 minutes of Michelle's strength workout on Glo. CS2 is difficult but at least the moves are more basic than the CS - Fat Blaster. Michelle's strength workout on Glo is tough and I stopped halfway through because I'd already had enough!
Friday: BodyFit 360 + walk
My reward for a hard workout the previous evening was the original 360 this morning. I took it easy and tried not to jump too much. I also skipped a portion of the harder work to do a longer stretch. My body, my muscles, needed the break. At lunch, I walked the track at the rec, mainly for steps. Though I wasn't going fast, I broke a sweat.....so I worked harder than I thought!
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn
I got a late start working out and felt rushed today. It was nice to do More CIB as it was my first CIB; I always enjoy it's familiarity. But it's tough! The first circuit always gets me. I was tempted to do more cardio but circumstances didn't let me. I spent 10 minutes stretching and doing some ab work and had to call it a day.
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party
Today was a good workout day, though, when I started, I didn't know if I'd have the energy. The original CS gets me every time. It is tough. There is no letting up for 55 minutes. Whew! I wanted more steps after I was done, so I tuned into Ilyse's dance workout for 20 minutes. Very fun! My workout ended with stretches and ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1628 (leftover pizza in the house)
Tuesday - 1296
Wednesday - 1263
Thursday - 1290
Friday - 1660 (it could have been worse)
Saturday - 1201
Sunday - 1272
Don't be fooled by Saturday's low number. We lost power for 3 hours and all the food I wanted was in the fridge, untouchable. Ugh! And I regret Monday's pizza….but…..
Major, major news. For the first time in 2015, I'm within my five pound "normal" weight range - just barely, like by 0.4 pounds, but I'm in it. And this was after the pizza! I knew I felt different - less bloated - so I got on the scale on a Sunday, of all times, and was dumbfounded. And then ecstatic! The meds are finally working! Yay! Now let's hope the doctor doesn't change them.
Another week down, three more to go!
After the first four weeks of the Peak 10 Challenge, Michelle throws you a curve ball: for the next four weeks you add an additional Cardio Strength into the mix. This is hard for me since it means one day, during the work week, I have to do a CS after work. I do not like this. But at least it shocks the body - hopefully.
Monday: Anytime Anywhere
No Pure Cardio this week. I skipped Anytime Anywhere last week so it's back this week, along with a HIIT instead of Pure Cardio. Oh, fun. To add to the fun, I was dealing with having had very little sleep on Sunday night; I woke up so exhausted on Monday. It was a morning I could have easily called in sick, but I didn't. Somehow, I got up and did this workout. A meeting meant no workout at lunch.
Tuesday: Michelle's Tip Top Shape on Glo
It was time for weights today so I tuned into Michelle's Glo workout, which is one of my favorites. My arms were aching by the end of this one! The cardio isn't as tough, which is fine - I needed a lighter day since there will be more high impact cardio this week. At lunch, I went to hear our nutritionist talk; she's always fun!
Wednesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits + yoga
I finally slept last night, thanks to two Advil PMs. I rarely take those because two make me feel groggy and gross the next morning. So, yay, I slept! Boo, I felt lethargic all morning. This HIIT workout was the last thing I wanted to do, but I got through it. I added on some cardio, skipping McLean's ab work at the end, to make this workout longer (50 minutes). At lunch, I finally got to work out today, and it was good to get back to yoga.....even if she made us plank a hundred times.
Thursday: walk + Peak Fit Cardio Strength 2 + Michelle's Heart-Pumping Total Sculpting
I walked at the rec today and it was good to have that break at lunch. It worked out that on this day, when I had to add in my additional CS, I took off work early to get my thyroid labs drawn. Getting home early was great! I did the 55 minute CS2 and then 10 minutes of Michelle's strength workout on Glo. CS2 is difficult but at least the moves are more basic than the CS - Fat Blaster. Michelle's strength workout on Glo is tough and I stopped halfway through because I'd already had enough!
Friday: BodyFit 360 + walk
My reward for a hard workout the previous evening was the original 360 this morning. I took it easy and tried not to jump too much. I also skipped a portion of the harder work to do a longer stretch. My body, my muscles, needed the break. At lunch, I walked the track at the rec, mainly for steps. Though I wasn't going fast, I broke a sweat.....so I worked harder than I thought!
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn
I got a late start working out and felt rushed today. It was nice to do More CIB as it was my first CIB; I always enjoy it's familiarity. But it's tough! The first circuit always gets me. I was tempted to do more cardio but circumstances didn't let me. I spent 10 minutes stretching and doing some ab work and had to call it a day.
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party
Today was a good workout day, though, when I started, I didn't know if I'd have the energy. The original CS gets me every time. It is tough. There is no letting up for 55 minutes. Whew! I wanted more steps after I was done, so I tuned into Ilyse's dance workout for 20 minutes. Very fun! My workout ended with stretches and ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1628 (leftover pizza in the house)
Tuesday - 1296
Wednesday - 1263
Thursday - 1290
Friday - 1660 (it could have been worse)
Saturday - 1201
Sunday - 1272
Don't be fooled by Saturday's low number. We lost power for 3 hours and all the food I wanted was in the fridge, untouchable. Ugh! And I regret Monday's pizza….but…..
Major, major news. For the first time in 2015, I'm within my five pound "normal" weight range - just barely, like by 0.4 pounds, but I'm in it. And this was after the pizza! I knew I felt different - less bloated - so I got on the scale on a Sunday, of all times, and was dumbfounded. And then ecstatic! The meds are finally working! Yay! Now let's hope the doctor doesn't change them.
Another week down, three more to go!
Friday, April 17, 2015
Health, Fitness, and Diet
Eating healthy is a challenge for most of us. If we lived in a bubble with no outside influences, it might be easier if we're willing to do it. But we don't live in a bubble. We're influenced by commercials, billboards, emails, spouses, kids, co-workers.... Every day we are assaulted by choices and unless our will is strong, it's super easy to stray from our healthy diets.
It's almost daily that I hear someone at work talking about wanting to lose weight. They talk about fad diets, new cookbooks for blood types etc, etc. I rarely hear them talk about working out. But, interestingly, they should probably be thinking more about that than healthy eating...
Recently, our workplace dietitian referred to this article about staying slim in old age. There are studies that now say exercise is more important than diet as we get older. Eating great every day is not enough. This is bad news for a lot of people, especially those in my parents' generation who do not "work out" per se. Their idea of exercise is gardening. While that's a good way to be active, it's not an activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it in your target heart rate zone for a long period of time. Nor does it increase bone density.
For those who refuse to work out or who cannot commit to it, diets and fad diets are often attractive. I see this all the time and they drive me crazy. Drink lemon water every morning. Drink five glasses of green tea every day. Eat only protein. Drink all your food.
Then there are the "it" food finds. The most recent is coconut oil. I never jumped on that bandwagon and I'm amazed who has. When our nutritionist talked about it, I was appalled - and so happy I never bought it. And what she said is common sense: saturated fats are solid. Coconut oil is solid just like lard, butter, and shortening. Personally, I just think of all that stuff reforming in my body and sticking to my arteries. Ew! Coconut oil is the worst oil on the market today. It's 90% saturated fat!!! (Lard, for reference, is 43% saturated fat.) The oils with the least amount of saturated fat are canola, safflower, flaxseed, sunflower. Cook with those. Put coconut on your hair, nails....use it externally.
Another gripe of mine is the milk/dairy haters. Sure, a lot of people are lactose intolerant but milk and dairy products are good for you. They are natural. Soy, almond, coconut milk....look at the ingredient list for those. They have to add tons of nutrients to make them healthy.
There are no short-cuts to weight loss. Eating healthy, making the right decisions....it's a constant thing. A diet that is not sustainable will result in only temporary results. You have to commit to a lifetime of eating right. That doesn't mean you can't have a bad meal....but that bad meal should be a rarity. No one perfect and we have to enjoy life. But don't buy into miracle diets or products. Make smart decisions.
For me, the answer to staying healthy is cooking my own meals. I have to eat what I buy so that means I'm not tempted to eat out. By cooking my own food, I know what's in it. I usually have a bad meal a week and that's a conscious decision on my part. By being too strict, you can ostracize yourself from fun social events and occasions. When my co-workers all pick an unhealthy place for an event, I can't say no - at least not every time.
Oh, and work out! Wake up early, stay up late, walk around outside at lunch... Find what works and make it a habit. It's not all bad and you'll feel so much better!
My health rant is now ended.
It's almost daily that I hear someone at work talking about wanting to lose weight. They talk about fad diets, new cookbooks for blood types etc, etc. I rarely hear them talk about working out. But, interestingly, they should probably be thinking more about that than healthy eating...
Recently, our workplace dietitian referred to this article about staying slim in old age. There are studies that now say exercise is more important than diet as we get older. Eating great every day is not enough. This is bad news for a lot of people, especially those in my parents' generation who do not "work out" per se. Their idea of exercise is gardening. While that's a good way to be active, it's not an activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it in your target heart rate zone for a long period of time. Nor does it increase bone density.
For those who refuse to work out or who cannot commit to it, diets and fad diets are often attractive. I see this all the time and they drive me crazy. Drink lemon water every morning. Drink five glasses of green tea every day. Eat only protein. Drink all your food.
Then there are the "it" food finds. The most recent is coconut oil. I never jumped on that bandwagon and I'm amazed who has. When our nutritionist talked about it, I was appalled - and so happy I never bought it. And what she said is common sense: saturated fats are solid. Coconut oil is solid just like lard, butter, and shortening. Personally, I just think of all that stuff reforming in my body and sticking to my arteries. Ew! Coconut oil is the worst oil on the market today. It's 90% saturated fat!!! (Lard, for reference, is 43% saturated fat.) The oils with the least amount of saturated fat are canola, safflower, flaxseed, sunflower. Cook with those. Put coconut on your hair, nails....use it externally.
Another gripe of mine is the milk/dairy haters. Sure, a lot of people are lactose intolerant but milk and dairy products are good for you. They are natural. Soy, almond, coconut milk....look at the ingredient list for those. They have to add tons of nutrients to make them healthy.
There are no short-cuts to weight loss. Eating healthy, making the right decisions....it's a constant thing. A diet that is not sustainable will result in only temporary results. You have to commit to a lifetime of eating right. That doesn't mean you can't have a bad meal....but that bad meal should be a rarity. No one perfect and we have to enjoy life. But don't buy into miracle diets or products. Make smart decisions.
For me, the answer to staying healthy is cooking my own meals. I have to eat what I buy so that means I'm not tempted to eat out. By cooking my own food, I know what's in it. I usually have a bad meal a week and that's a conscious decision on my part. By being too strict, you can ostracize yourself from fun social events and occasions. When my co-workers all pick an unhealthy place for an event, I can't say no - at least not every time.
Oh, and work out! Wake up early, stay up late, walk around outside at lunch... Find what works and make it a habit. It's not all bad and you'll feel so much better!
My health rant is now ended.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Michelle Dozois: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster (Review)
The companion to Michelle's new CIB is a new Cardio Strength (CS) - Fat Blaster. I was super excited to try it out and, as usual, Michelle does not disappoint.
There is no warm-up, just like in the other CSs. But for the first circuit, you have no "peak;" this cardio sequence ends with the climb instead.
And so this follows the format of the other CS: basecamp, ascent with weights, cardio with no weights, peak. I think, for me, the ascents here are harder than previous CSs because the moves are more complex and use more muscles. The climbs seem a bit easier as they're a bit more dance-y. You'll hear no complaints from me but some may not like the dance-y-ness as much.
Michelle also has some new peaks for this workout, which is nice. Particularly challenging is a reverse tuck jump. Instead of bringing the knees up and forward while jumping, you pull them back and up, trying to lean back and touch your feet as you jump. I can't go fast but it's fun and challenging.
There's a nice, good cool down and stretch at the end.
Michelle's style is evolving and, I think, gets better and better. The added complexity of some of the moves makes them harder to remember but they're fun to do once you get the hang of them. I can almost do the other CSs and CIBs from memory....but these Fat Blasters are going to be harder to remember. That may be a good thing. For a clip, go here.
Bottom Line: This is a great addition to the Peak 10 line and fans of Michelle's will be pleased. It's an advanced workout - but also super fun!
The disc comes with some premixes for shorter workouts and a movement review. I highly recommend watching this review as Michelle takes you through some of the more complicated moves you'll see later on. One thing about Michelle's Peak 10 video evolution - the moves have definitely gotten more complex to keep them varied.
You'll need light and heavy weights for this workout and Michelle alternates their usage. You begin with the lights, then heavy, light, heavy, light. (Like all other CSs.)
There is no warm-up, just like in the other CSs. But for the first circuit, you have no "peak;" this cardio sequence ends with the climb instead.
And so this follows the format of the other CS: basecamp, ascent with weights, cardio with no weights, peak. I think, for me, the ascents here are harder than previous CSs because the moves are more complex and use more muscles. The climbs seem a bit easier as they're a bit more dance-y. You'll hear no complaints from me but some may not like the dance-y-ness as much.
Michelle also has some new peaks for this workout, which is nice. Particularly challenging is a reverse tuck jump. Instead of bringing the knees up and forward while jumping, you pull them back and up, trying to lean back and touch your feet as you jump. I can't go fast but it's fun and challenging.
There's a nice, good cool down and stretch at the end.
Michelle's style is evolving and, I think, gets better and better. The added complexity of some of the moves makes them harder to remember but they're fun to do once you get the hang of them. I can almost do the other CSs and CIBs from memory....but these Fat Blasters are going to be harder to remember. That may be a good thing. For a clip, go here.
Bottom Line: This is a great addition to the Peak 10 line and fans of Michelle's will be pleased. It's an advanced workout - but also super fun!
Monday, April 13, 2015
Week Four: Peak 10 Challenge #3
Easter at my parents' house meant a long weekend of bad eating. It was a good time and I have no regrets....but now it's time to get back to the routine of working out and healthy eating.
Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga
Mondays with PC are always fun. After taking Sunday off from working out, I needed this cardio. I always have to skip a bit of one section and usually that ends of being the last - hardest - one. This time, I skipped part of the third section so I could do all of the harder last section....for a challenge. Lunge jumps are in the last section, just so you know what I mean by "hard." At yoga we did tons of leg work so I'm expecting to hurt tomorrow. Ow! It was fun and I love the classes that have focused work like that but I expect pain later on.
Tuesday: Amy's Sports Sculpt + McLean's Cardio Hip Hop + weights
Today was my lighter cardio day so I chose to do McLean's hip hop dance workout again, since I enjoyed it so much on Friday. Then, I did something new: Amy's Sports Sculpt. It's mostly low-impact though she does have some jogging in the mix. It was good, definitely not great, but different. At lunch, I did weights at the rec center. Ugh. It was crowded and hot.
Wednesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits + yoga
For the last few Peak 10 Challenges, I've subbed McLean's HIIT workout for some of the Anytime Anywhere workouts, which wear on me after a while. It was nice - but tough - to do this HIIT again. I skipped the burpees, doing jacks and high knees instead. At yoga we did some more back poses, some of which I skipped. Then the instructor did an ab series that almost killed me. Fun!
Thursday: Michelle's Total Body Cardio + Strength + walk
Winding down the week, I needed a weighted workout. I love this workout from Michelle - but it's tough. I'm happy to say that elbow planks up to straight planks and back down again - this is getting so much easier for me! Yay, progress! At lunch, I walked at the rec since I needed more steps.
Friday: Body Fit 360 Vol. 2 - Dance Conditioning
My light day - yay! It was so nice to take it down a notch today. I even made most of the jumping moves in this workout low-impact. The stretch, though not as good as the original 360, felt really good. A nice morning!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn + Scott's Lower Body Power
Whenever I start the original CIB, I think, wow, this is easy! But it sneaks up on you and soon I was dying. This CIB is better proportioned, I think, because the ascents are 80% low-impact……not that that makes this workout any easier. I struggled but got through it. I wanted just a little more when I was done with that, so I did 15 minutes of Scott's leg workout - lots of squats and plies. My workout ended with a 10 minute stretch and some abs. So, an hour and 25 minutes - not bad!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Amy's All Around Energy
I was feeling a little off this morning and working out did not sound appealing. However, once I got into Michelle's new Fat Blaster video, I felt better. This one is tough because some of the moves are complex and not easily remembered. But I like it! Look for my review soon! I then did 15 minutes of Amy's mostly low-impact workout. Following that, a stretch. So, one hour and 20 minutes of work!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1288
Tuesday - 1264
Wednesday - 1482
Thursday - 1259
Friday - 1282
Saturday - 1353
Sunday - BAD
We had pizza on Sunday and I ate way, way too much. Thankfully, I knew about it ahead of time and ate well the rest of the weekend. I was afraid to weigh….though I took my measurements and they look good! Some improvements.
Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga
Mondays with PC are always fun. After taking Sunday off from working out, I needed this cardio. I always have to skip a bit of one section and usually that ends of being the last - hardest - one. This time, I skipped part of the third section so I could do all of the harder last section....for a challenge. Lunge jumps are in the last section, just so you know what I mean by "hard." At yoga we did tons of leg work so I'm expecting to hurt tomorrow. Ow! It was fun and I love the classes that have focused work like that but I expect pain later on.
Tuesday: Amy's Sports Sculpt + McLean's Cardio Hip Hop + weights
Today was my lighter cardio day so I chose to do McLean's hip hop dance workout again, since I enjoyed it so much on Friday. Then, I did something new: Amy's Sports Sculpt. It's mostly low-impact though she does have some jogging in the mix. It was good, definitely not great, but different. At lunch, I did weights at the rec center. Ugh. It was crowded and hot.
Wednesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits + yoga
For the last few Peak 10 Challenges, I've subbed McLean's HIIT workout for some of the Anytime Anywhere workouts, which wear on me after a while. It was nice - but tough - to do this HIIT again. I skipped the burpees, doing jacks and high knees instead. At yoga we did some more back poses, some of which I skipped. Then the instructor did an ab series that almost killed me. Fun!
Thursday: Michelle's Total Body Cardio + Strength + walk
Winding down the week, I needed a weighted workout. I love this workout from Michelle - but it's tough. I'm happy to say that elbow planks up to straight planks and back down again - this is getting so much easier for me! Yay, progress! At lunch, I walked at the rec since I needed more steps.
Friday: Body Fit 360 Vol. 2 - Dance Conditioning
My light day - yay! It was so nice to take it down a notch today. I even made most of the jumping moves in this workout low-impact. The stretch, though not as good as the original 360, felt really good. A nice morning!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn + Scott's Lower Body Power
Whenever I start the original CIB, I think, wow, this is easy! But it sneaks up on you and soon I was dying. This CIB is better proportioned, I think, because the ascents are 80% low-impact……not that that makes this workout any easier. I struggled but got through it. I wanted just a little more when I was done with that, so I did 15 minutes of Scott's leg workout - lots of squats and plies. My workout ended with a 10 minute stretch and some abs. So, an hour and 25 minutes - not bad!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Amy's All Around Energy
I was feeling a little off this morning and working out did not sound appealing. However, once I got into Michelle's new Fat Blaster video, I felt better. This one is tough because some of the moves are complex and not easily remembered. But I like it! Look for my review soon! I then did 15 minutes of Amy's mostly low-impact workout. Following that, a stretch. So, one hour and 20 minutes of work!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1288
Tuesday - 1264
Wednesday - 1482
Thursday - 1259
Friday - 1282
Saturday - 1353
Sunday - BAD
We had pizza on Sunday and I ate way, way too much. Thankfully, I knew about it ahead of time and ate well the rest of the weekend. I was afraid to weigh….though I took my measurements and they look good! Some improvements.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Unbroken
I recently finished Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. As my norm, I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie.
Once again, I'm amazed at how much I enjoyed non-fiction. My review from Goodreads is below..
After hearing several people rave about this book, I decided to read it, though this type of nonfiction does not usually intrigue me.
Right from the start, Louis' story kept me riveted; I never wanted to put down the book. For someone to survive what he went through....is nothing short of miraculous. One can't help but reflect upon a person's will to survive and Louis' will was stronger than anything I've ever seen.
This book should be required reading, especially for the younger generation that did not grow up hearing their grandfathers speak of the war. We cannot forget the sacrifice, the war, the devastation of so many.
Once again, I'm amazed at how much I enjoyed non-fiction. My review from Goodreads is below..
After hearing several people rave about this book, I decided to read it, though this type of nonfiction does not usually intrigue me.
Right from the start, Louis' story kept me riveted; I never wanted to put down the book. For someone to survive what he went through....is nothing short of miraculous. One can't help but reflect upon a person's will to survive and Louis' will was stronger than anything I've ever seen.
This book should be required reading, especially for the younger generation that did not grow up hearing their grandfathers speak of the war. We cannot forget the sacrifice, the war, the devastation of so many.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Michelle Dozois: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster (Review)
It's always so exciting to get new workouts from Michelle Dozois. If you haven't noticed already, I love her - her style, her enthusiasm, her smile, her fitness level, her workouts.... Everything! She inspires me to stay in shape and try new things. I was so happy to get her new Fat Blaster CIB in the mail and can't wait to tell you about it.
This workout follows the breakdown of every Peak 10 CIB: warm-up, basecamp, ascent, climb, peak (do these four five times - five circuits of each, repeated twice for 10 minutes each), cool down. It runs about 60 minutes and for that time, you will be sweating like crazy!
Michelle's warm-up is good with squats, light running, and stretches.
The basecamps are very short periods to catch you breath after the peaks. You usually do a low-impact move here.
The ascents are for about 2 minutes and are low and high impact cardio designed to let you recover just a bit before hitting another climb.
And the climbs - about 2-3 minutes - are tough - non-stop high impact cardio. Michelle has gotten more and more innovative with some of her moves. Included in this DVD is a "movement review" where she walks you through some of the more complicated sequences of the workout. I watched it a few times before doing this workout.
Michelle has also come up with some new "peaks" for these workouts. This is one high-impact crazy move designed to get your heart rate up as high as possible - and is only done for about 30 seconds. My favorite new move is a side jump to a one legged jump. It takes some balance but is new and different.
I love the cool downs for all the Peak 10 videos. Very nice!
Michelle has put together a really fun workout here. It's one that will have little to no dread factor for me, and that's a big deal. There's no stupid hard floorwork and for the few floor moves, there's a modifier shown. There's also a more low-impact modification shown, too. Michelle has designed this workout for anyone. Her choreography has gotten a bit more complicated as these Peak 10 workouts evolve, but it's all in good fun and easily picked up after a few run-throughs.
For a clip of this workout, go here.
Bottom Line: If you want fun cardio - not bootcamp or military style - this is for you. It takes coordination and a high fitness level but is fun and effective.
This workout follows the breakdown of every Peak 10 CIB: warm-up, basecamp, ascent, climb, peak (do these four five times - five circuits of each, repeated twice for 10 minutes each), cool down. It runs about 60 minutes and for that time, you will be sweating like crazy!
Michelle's warm-up is good with squats, light running, and stretches.
The basecamps are very short periods to catch you breath after the peaks. You usually do a low-impact move here.
The ascents are for about 2 minutes and are low and high impact cardio designed to let you recover just a bit before hitting another climb.
And the climbs - about 2-3 minutes - are tough - non-stop high impact cardio. Michelle has gotten more and more innovative with some of her moves. Included in this DVD is a "movement review" where she walks you through some of the more complicated sequences of the workout. I watched it a few times before doing this workout.
Michelle has also come up with some new "peaks" for these workouts. This is one high-impact crazy move designed to get your heart rate up as high as possible - and is only done for about 30 seconds. My favorite new move is a side jump to a one legged jump. It takes some balance but is new and different.
I love the cool downs for all the Peak 10 videos. Very nice!
Michelle has put together a really fun workout here. It's one that will have little to no dread factor for me, and that's a big deal. There's no stupid hard floorwork and for the few floor moves, there's a modifier shown. There's also a more low-impact modification shown, too. Michelle has designed this workout for anyone. Her choreography has gotten a bit more complicated as these Peak 10 workouts evolve, but it's all in good fun and easily picked up after a few run-throughs.
For a clip of this workout, go here.
Bottom Line: If you want fun cardio - not bootcamp or military style - this is for you. It takes coordination and a high fitness level but is fun and effective.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Week Three: Peak 10 Challenge #3
Two weeks into this challenge, I'm feeling great. If I could lose the last five pounds of my thyroid weight, I'd feel even better! Ha! At least that keeps me motivated!
Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga
My Monday morning ritual of Pure Cardio is tough. This morning, my knees were a bit achy, as they were on Sunday. That's a bit troubling but not too alarming. I've been asking a lot of them lately! I got through my workout and then managed yoga at lunch. The instructor had us doing interesting moves, including standing on our hands. Keeping my head upside down isn't the most fun, but I guess it's beneficial if all the yogis do it.
Tuesday: Dozois' Tip Top Shape
I needed a break today. Thankfully, Dozois' cardio and strength workout got me going without killing me. Ha! I like the weights in this workout and the alternating cardio is high impact but not crazy. Only one workout today.
Wednesday: Anytime Anywhere No Excuse Workout + yoga
When I woke up this morning, more tired than ever, I could not fathom getting through this AA workout. Somehow - I have no idea how - I got through it. It was as hard as always but I like that push-ups become easier the more I get into a Peak 10 Challenge. I added on some of my own cardio to make this a 50-minute workout. At yoga, the instructor did a lot of back exercises and I had to stop at back bends. My lower back has been good for a week now and I did not want to aggravate it. But it was a fun class!
Thursday: Ilyse's Easy to Follow Dance Moves + Amy's Kickboxing Skills and Drills + weights
I was so happy to have a lighter day today. I needed it. Ilyse's dance workout is a lot of fun and mostly low-impact. Amy's kickboxing is good and a bit more athletic than Ilyse's workout, so a good compliment. At lunch, I did weights at the rec center. It was nice to get away from the computer for a bit.
Friday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength + McLean's Cardio Hip Hop
We were off today for Good Friday. That was good, considering I knew a workout on Sunday just would not happen. So I did my CS today - the original CS. It's always so much harder than expect. I was sweating like crazy in no time and, despite the weight sections, my heart rate never slowed down. To cool down, I did 15 minutes of McLean's dance workout. It was a good change from Ilyse's dances, though I love her. McLean had some different and fun moves. A stretch completed my workout so I got in an hour and 20 minutes. Not bad!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster
Look for a review of this new workout from Michelle soon. It's so much fun! I did this one while we were away at my parents'. It's always hard to fit in a workout but I made time today.
Sunday: rest
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1280
Tuesday -1322
Wednesday - 1296
Thursday - 1295
Friday - bad
Saturday - bad
Sunday - Easter - bad
With the holiday, my eating was not good this week. I was pretty good during the week but being out of town screwed up the diet over the long weekend. I'd lost 0.8 pounds when I weighed on Friday morning....but I probably gained that back and more over the weekend. Oh, well. Sometimes you just gotta live.
Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga
My Monday morning ritual of Pure Cardio is tough. This morning, my knees were a bit achy, as they were on Sunday. That's a bit troubling but not too alarming. I've been asking a lot of them lately! I got through my workout and then managed yoga at lunch. The instructor had us doing interesting moves, including standing on our hands. Keeping my head upside down isn't the most fun, but I guess it's beneficial if all the yogis do it.
Tuesday: Dozois' Tip Top Shape
I needed a break today. Thankfully, Dozois' cardio and strength workout got me going without killing me. Ha! I like the weights in this workout and the alternating cardio is high impact but not crazy. Only one workout today.
Wednesday: Anytime Anywhere No Excuse Workout + yoga
When I woke up this morning, more tired than ever, I could not fathom getting through this AA workout. Somehow - I have no idea how - I got through it. It was as hard as always but I like that push-ups become easier the more I get into a Peak 10 Challenge. I added on some of my own cardio to make this a 50-minute workout. At yoga, the instructor did a lot of back exercises and I had to stop at back bends. My lower back has been good for a week now and I did not want to aggravate it. But it was a fun class!
Thursday: Ilyse's Easy to Follow Dance Moves + Amy's Kickboxing Skills and Drills + weights
I was so happy to have a lighter day today. I needed it. Ilyse's dance workout is a lot of fun and mostly low-impact. Amy's kickboxing is good and a bit more athletic than Ilyse's workout, so a good compliment. At lunch, I did weights at the rec center. It was nice to get away from the computer for a bit.
Friday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength + McLean's Cardio Hip Hop
We were off today for Good Friday. That was good, considering I knew a workout on Sunday just would not happen. So I did my CS today - the original CS. It's always so much harder than expect. I was sweating like crazy in no time and, despite the weight sections, my heart rate never slowed down. To cool down, I did 15 minutes of McLean's dance workout. It was a good change from Ilyse's dances, though I love her. McLean had some different and fun moves. A stretch completed my workout so I got in an hour and 20 minutes. Not bad!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster
Look for a review of this new workout from Michelle soon. It's so much fun! I did this one while we were away at my parents'. It's always hard to fit in a workout but I made time today.
Sunday: rest
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1280
Tuesday -1322
Wednesday - 1296
Thursday - 1295
Friday - bad
Saturday - bad
Sunday - Easter - bad
With the holiday, my eating was not good this week. I was pretty good during the week but being out of town screwed up the diet over the long weekend. I'd lost 0.8 pounds when I weighed on Friday morning....but I probably gained that back and more over the weekend. Oh, well. Sometimes you just gotta live.
Friday, April 3, 2015
Lonesome Dove
My father-in-law quoted Lonesome Dove at my wedding. My husband required my viewing of the miniseries before our marriage. To say that this novel is part of our family's cultural compass is an understatement.
Even though my husband and his family are from Tennessee, they were clearly all meant to be Texans. They understand the minds of Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call better than any Texans I know. My husband is, in fact, very much like Call: hardworking independent people who want to be left alone to do what they want when they want.
I was happy when my book group chose to read this classic by Larry McMurtry (it was not my suggestion) and was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it.
My review on Goodreads:
I never thought I'd read a Western but I couldn't be happier that I did! McMurtry has a gift for bringing unique and odd characters to lovable life. His descriptions of life in Texas and on the Plains is incredibly tangible. You live and breathe every dust storm, river, and blizzard with the cowboys as they make their way north.
Having seen the mini-series before having read the book, I knew my favorite character would be Gus. McMurtry gives him the best lines of the book, which I'll forever call Gus-isms. Call is endearingly hard and quiet. July, Newt, Lorie, Clara, Deets, Blue Duck - these are all unforgettable characters.
I'm so glad I read this book. Every Texan - every American - should read it!
Even though my husband and his family are from Tennessee, they were clearly all meant to be Texans. They understand the minds of Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call better than any Texans I know. My husband is, in fact, very much like Call: hardworking independent people who want to be left alone to do what they want when they want.
I was happy when my book group chose to read this classic by Larry McMurtry (it was not my suggestion) and was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it.
My review on Goodreads:
I never thought I'd read a Western but I couldn't be happier that I did! McMurtry has a gift for bringing unique and odd characters to lovable life. His descriptions of life in Texas and on the Plains is incredibly tangible. You live and breathe every dust storm, river, and blizzard with the cowboys as they make their way north.
Having seen the mini-series before having read the book, I knew my favorite character would be Gus. McMurtry gives him the best lines of the book, which I'll forever call Gus-isms. Call is endearingly hard and quiet. July, Newt, Lorie, Clara, Deets, Blue Duck - these are all unforgettable characters.
I'm so glad I read this book. Every Texan - every American - should read it!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Coconut Brownie Cookies (2015:4)
When my mother-in-law decided to get rid of cookbooks last year, I took Brownie Mix Bliss from her, deciding to give some of the recipes a try. Camilla Saulsbury has written quite a few books and I own her Power Hungry....though I haven't made much out of it. I tend to buy cookbooks and never use them. Sigh.
I love her recipe from the brownie book for Big Brownie Cookies. They're decadently delicious and even Mr. Higgins - not the biggest chocolate fan - adores them. This past weekend, when I was craving chocolate, I turned to Camilla and her brownie mix recipes once more.
When I saw the Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies, I was intrigued. I love coconut...so I decided to leave out the nuts and make Coconut Brownie Cookies instead.
1 19.5-19.8 ounce box brownie mix
1 2/3 cup sweetened coconut
1/3 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg (I used egg substitute)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (my addition because I love chocolate)
Toast the coconut until fragrant on a foil-lined baking sheet (no non-stick spray required) for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees.
Mix other ingredients, adding the coconut once it's out of the oven.
Drop by level tablespoonfuls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool for one minute on the sheet and then transfer to a wire rack.
These cookies were very tasty. They didn't knock my socks off like the original Big Brownie Cookies... But they're the same in chocolate-y goodness + coconut. So yum!
I love her recipe from the brownie book for Big Brownie Cookies. They're decadently delicious and even Mr. Higgins - not the biggest chocolate fan - adores them. This past weekend, when I was craving chocolate, I turned to Camilla and her brownie mix recipes once more.
When I saw the Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies, I was intrigued. I love coconut...so I decided to leave out the nuts and make Coconut Brownie Cookies instead.
1 19.5-19.8 ounce box brownie mix
1 2/3 cup sweetened coconut
1/3 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg (I used egg substitute)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (my addition because I love chocolate)
Toast the coconut until fragrant on a foil-lined baking sheet (no non-stick spray required) for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees.
Mix other ingredients, adding the coconut once it's out of the oven.
Drop by level tablespoonfuls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool for one minute on the sheet and then transfer to a wire rack.
These cookies were very tasty. They didn't knock my socks off like the original Big Brownie Cookies... But they're the same in chocolate-y goodness + coconut. So yum!
Monday, March 30, 2015
Week Two: Peak 10 Challenge #3
After eating too much last weekend, I'm ready for some serious workouts this week!
Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga
I woke up with a mind-numbing headache this morning so Pure Cardio was more difficult than it should have been. I made it through with my skull still intact, thank goodness, and then downed copious amounts of Excedrin. Yoga was good but I think it aggravated my already sore back. I'm getting really frustrated with the back pain!
Tuesday: McLean's Unleash Your Inner Strength + Amy's Skills and Drills + weights
Today it was time to take it down a notch. These two workouts are perfect together. McLean gets your heart rate up and then takes it down, up and down. Amy alternates kickboxing with bursts of cardio - jumping rope and jacks. All this got me sweating in no time! And it was easy on my back! At lunch, I did weights at the rec. It was not fun but I got through it.
Wednesday: Anytime Anywhere No Excuse Workout + yoga
I was dreading this workout, as always. But I got through it and did better than last week. I still modify the burpees and will continue to do so as long as my back is iffy. At yoga, I asked the instructor about my back and she let me use a foam roller before class. It felt great. I may do that before each class! Thankfully, she went a bit easier on us and gave us a good stretch with some movement, but not too much.
Thursday: Dozois' Total Body Cardio + Strength on Glo + BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 - Athletic Conditioning
Today I needed to do some weights so I turned to Michelle's workout on Glo. It alternates cardio and weights with four sections of each. One part, she has you on the floor in single-arm plank and then you raise up to your arms and go back down to the elbows. This one is always tough for me but I get better and better. I had a work lunch so no workout. I got home a bit early so I did the cardio in Athletic Conditioning followed by a 10 minute stretch. It made me feel better after eating not so great at lunch.
Friday: Ellen Barrett's Grace and Gusto + walk
It was time for something light this morning so I turned to Ellen's new workout. It's low-impact and full of side stretches and plies. Very nice! At lunch, I went to the rec and walked the track. I did some good stretching, too, since I was super sore for some reason. Also, some ab work to round out a 30 minute lunchtime workout.
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster + Amy's All Around Energy
After eating a bad dinner last night, I was ready to burn some calories. A new workout from Michelle got me super motivated. The CIB Fat Blaster is a lot of fun. I was clueless on a few moves but quickly picked them up. Michelle is just so innovative! After an hour of that, I wanted 20 more minutes of some low-impact cardio so I turned to Amy's workout on Glo. That was fun - lots of squats, lunges, plank work interspersed with low-impact cardio. It was nice to finally do a longer, 10-minute, stretch after all this!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party
Another bad day of eating yesterday....ugh. I chose to do the Fat Blaster CS again to get more familiar with it. It's definitely fun - and tough. There's a section of floor work in the last circuit that gets me every time. I warmed up and cooled down with Ilyse's dance workout, which is fun. So, I did an hour and twenty minutes of cardio plus ten minutes of stretching and ab work. I love weekend workouts!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1292
Tuesday - 1262
Wednesday - 1247
Thursday - 1518
Friday - bad
Saturday - bad
Sunday - 1289
Good news! My thyroid levels are now normal! So, no change in medication this week - yay!! Bad news - no change in weight either. I know I haven't been eating as great as I could be so I guess it's good I haven't gained anything. I'll just focus on that positive.
Now that I'm normal, I'm hoping my body will figure out that it can go back to behaving as it used to. Please!
Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga
I woke up with a mind-numbing headache this morning so Pure Cardio was more difficult than it should have been. I made it through with my skull still intact, thank goodness, and then downed copious amounts of Excedrin. Yoga was good but I think it aggravated my already sore back. I'm getting really frustrated with the back pain!
Tuesday: McLean's Unleash Your Inner Strength + Amy's Skills and Drills + weights
Today it was time to take it down a notch. These two workouts are perfect together. McLean gets your heart rate up and then takes it down, up and down. Amy alternates kickboxing with bursts of cardio - jumping rope and jacks. All this got me sweating in no time! And it was easy on my back! At lunch, I did weights at the rec. It was not fun but I got through it.
Wednesday: Anytime Anywhere No Excuse Workout + yoga
I was dreading this workout, as always. But I got through it and did better than last week. I still modify the burpees and will continue to do so as long as my back is iffy. At yoga, I asked the instructor about my back and she let me use a foam roller before class. It felt great. I may do that before each class! Thankfully, she went a bit easier on us and gave us a good stretch with some movement, but not too much.
Thursday: Dozois' Total Body Cardio + Strength on Glo + BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 - Athletic Conditioning
Today I needed to do some weights so I turned to Michelle's workout on Glo. It alternates cardio and weights with four sections of each. One part, she has you on the floor in single-arm plank and then you raise up to your arms and go back down to the elbows. This one is always tough for me but I get better and better. I had a work lunch so no workout. I got home a bit early so I did the cardio in Athletic Conditioning followed by a 10 minute stretch. It made me feel better after eating not so great at lunch.
Friday: Ellen Barrett's Grace and Gusto + walk
It was time for something light this morning so I turned to Ellen's new workout. It's low-impact and full of side stretches and plies. Very nice! At lunch, I went to the rec and walked the track. I did some good stretching, too, since I was super sore for some reason. Also, some ab work to round out a 30 minute lunchtime workout.
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster + Amy's All Around Energy
After eating a bad dinner last night, I was ready to burn some calories. A new workout from Michelle got me super motivated. The CIB Fat Blaster is a lot of fun. I was clueless on a few moves but quickly picked them up. Michelle is just so innovative! After an hour of that, I wanted 20 more minutes of some low-impact cardio so I turned to Amy's workout on Glo. That was fun - lots of squats, lunges, plank work interspersed with low-impact cardio. It was nice to finally do a longer, 10-minute, stretch after all this!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party
Another bad day of eating yesterday....ugh. I chose to do the Fat Blaster CS again to get more familiar with it. It's definitely fun - and tough. There's a section of floor work in the last circuit that gets me every time. I warmed up and cooled down with Ilyse's dance workout, which is fun. So, I did an hour and twenty minutes of cardio plus ten minutes of stretching and ab work. I love weekend workouts!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1292
Tuesday - 1262
Wednesday - 1247
Thursday - 1518
Friday - bad
Saturday - bad
Sunday - 1289
Good news! My thyroid levels are now normal! So, no change in medication this week - yay!! Bad news - no change in weight either. I know I haven't been eating as great as I could be so I guess it's good I haven't gained anything. I'll just focus on that positive.
Now that I'm normal, I'm hoping my body will figure out that it can go back to behaving as it used to. Please!
Friday, March 27, 2015
Grateful
Sometimes I forget just how lucky I am to work where I do. It's definitely the prettiest, most maintained, greenest place on this side of the Metroplex. And I'll be the first to admit that, over the years, I've been ungrateful and have taken it for granted.
Spring is such a beautiful time on campus, too. The tulips are bursting out from under the pansies...everywhere! The squirrels are so excited and they make me smile every single morning.
Sorry for the digression. Sometimes I have to step back, reflect, and count my blessings.
Spring is such a beautiful time on campus, too. The tulips are bursting out from under the pansies...everywhere! The squirrels are so excited and they make me smile every single morning.
Sorry for the digression. Sometimes I have to step back, reflect, and count my blessings.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Fiber Fest 2015
For the third year in a row, I had the pleasure of attending the local Fiber Fest with my knitting buddy, CS. We had a blast, as usual.
And, per the norm, I spent way too much money! I went into it allowing myself one purchase. And then three yarns called my name. Sigh.
There were two big trends this year...
--Perfect self-striping yarn, like this from Fishknits.
Yes, I bought some - it's the yellow/gray/dark gray skein.
--Gradient yarns, like this from Freia.
No, I didn't buy any and have regretted it every day. ARG! I'll have to get some online in the near future. There's a purple shawl in a gradient yarn just calling my name!
It was a super fun outing with a good friend. I can't wait until next year!
And, per the norm, I spent way too much money! I went into it allowing myself one purchase. And then three yarns called my name. Sigh.
There were two big trends this year...
--Perfect self-striping yarn, like this from Fishknits.
Yes, I bought some - it's the yellow/gray/dark gray skein.
--Gradient yarns, like this from Freia.
No, I didn't buy any and have regretted it every day. ARG! I'll have to get some online in the near future. There's a purple shawl in a gradient yarn just calling my name!
It was a super fun outing with a good friend. I can't wait until next year!
Monday, March 23, 2015
Week One: Peak 10 Challenge #3
My second Peak 10 Challenge ended in November so I'm due for another one! And the timing couldn't be better: 10 weeks until the next cruise and hopefully close to honing in on the right thyroid dosage.
Since I do weights at least once a week at the rec, I'm skipping the Pure Strength workouts in this Challenge. I'll do weights at the rec instead and one weighted workout in the week, like today's. This workout combines cardio and weights and I love it! Despite not doing consistent cardio, the weights keep my heart rate up throughout.
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio + yoga
I really enjoy Pure Cardio so it was fun to get back into it this morning. It's like a Cardio Interval Burn but without the peaks - so just a tiny bit less intense. At lunch, I did yoga at the rec but our teacher was sick and we had a sub. She was not nearly as good and practically yelled at us the entire time. Ugh.
Tuesday: Dozois' Tip Top Shape
Since I do weights at least once a week at the rec, I'm skipping the Pure Strength workouts in this Challenge. I'll do weights at the rec instead and one weighted workout in the week, like today's. This workout combines cardio and weights and I love it! Despite not doing consistent cardio, the weights keep my heart rate up throughout.
Wednesday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere No Excuse Workout + yoga
I knew today's AA workout would be a killer and it was, though it wasn't quite as bad as my mind had built it up to be. But going from cardio to the floor and then back up for the "peak" move is difficult anytime. I got through it, modifying only the burpies for another high impact move. At lunch, our instructor was back for yoga. She made us work but it felt good. I just wish she had let us stretch more.
Thursday: Ilyse's Full On Cardio Blast + McLean's Attack Your Metabolism + weights
This was supposed to be my "rest" day (when I do BodyFit 360 or yoga or something) but it looks like a workout will not be an option on Saturday, making that a real rest day. I'm bad about taking real rest days so it's good to have them forced upon me now and then. I had to reshuffle my schedule and did a lighter workout today. Ilyse's workout surprised me: I did not remember the amount of non-stop running, jumping, and skipping she does in this one. Dang! McLean's workout was a level 1 so I amped it up a bit, jumping and running when he stepped. At lunch, I did weights and walked a lap.
Friday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn
My rest day tomorrow means a CIB today. This was my first CIB and still one of my favorite workouts ever. It's so much fun and feels so good to do again after a long break. I wanted to walk at lunch but had to go to a work thing instead. Boo.
Saturday: rest
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party
A new workout video from Michelle….oh my goodness!! I was so excited when she put out a new CS and CIB and even more excited when they arrived this week. After watching the movement review on the DVD, I started this new workout - and it was a lot of fun! I'll have to do it again before I review it for you - but it's good! I wanted to get some more work in today so I turned to Ilyse's Dance Party, which is fun and kept my heart rate up. After 1.5 hours of cardio, I decided to stretch and do some ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1280
Tuesday - 1284
Wednesday - 1298
Thursday - 1298
Friday - bad
Saturday - bad
Sunday - 1263
I really wanted to weigh this week but didn't, choosing to wait one more week to let the new meds get into my system. My mom was in town on Friday and Saturday; then I met a friend for dinner on Saturday. I ate way too much but I'm to the point of not feeling guilty. Sometimes, you need to be able to splurge, as long as you don't make a habit of it.
I knew today's AA workout would be a killer and it was, though it wasn't quite as bad as my mind had built it up to be. But going from cardio to the floor and then back up for the "peak" move is difficult anytime. I got through it, modifying only the burpies for another high impact move. At lunch, our instructor was back for yoga. She made us work but it felt good. I just wish she had let us stretch more.
Thursday: Ilyse's Full On Cardio Blast + McLean's Attack Your Metabolism + weights
This was supposed to be my "rest" day (when I do BodyFit 360 or yoga or something) but it looks like a workout will not be an option on Saturday, making that a real rest day. I'm bad about taking real rest days so it's good to have them forced upon me now and then. I had to reshuffle my schedule and did a lighter workout today. Ilyse's workout surprised me: I did not remember the amount of non-stop running, jumping, and skipping she does in this one. Dang! McLean's workout was a level 1 so I amped it up a bit, jumping and running when he stepped. At lunch, I did weights and walked a lap.
Friday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn
My rest day tomorrow means a CIB today. This was my first CIB and still one of my favorite workouts ever. It's so much fun and feels so good to do again after a long break. I wanted to walk at lunch but had to go to a work thing instead. Boo.
Saturday: rest
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party
A new workout video from Michelle….oh my goodness!! I was so excited when she put out a new CS and CIB and even more excited when they arrived this week. After watching the movement review on the DVD, I started this new workout - and it was a lot of fun! I'll have to do it again before I review it for you - but it's good! I wanted to get some more work in today so I turned to Ilyse's Dance Party, which is fun and kept my heart rate up. After 1.5 hours of cardio, I decided to stretch and do some ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1280
Tuesday - 1284
Wednesday - 1298
Thursday - 1298
Friday - bad
Saturday - bad
Sunday - 1263
I really wanted to weigh this week but didn't, choosing to wait one more week to let the new meds get into my system. My mom was in town on Friday and Saturday; then I met a friend for dinner on Saturday. I ate way too much but I'm to the point of not feeling guilty. Sometimes, you need to be able to splurge, as long as you don't make a habit of it.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Thyroid Update
It was the beginning of October, last year, when I killed my thyroid with radiation. Since then, I've been on what feels like a hormone roller coaster. I guess that's a bit extreme but let's just say that I'm still not back to normal.
I went on medication for being hypo (since I no longer produce a thyroid hormone naturally) in December. Ever since then, I've been getting bloodwork done every two weeks and then my doctor has tweaked my meds after every bloodletting. It's been a bit tiresome.
This last time, I was so close to having the perfect number - 0. But it was 5. So, more tweaking, yet another trip to the pharmacy... Here's hoping this final round of meds is the right dosage.
My main symptom of being hypo is weight loss - or lack thereof. My weight just....stays.....about 7-10 over my norm. Given my workout schedule, you can imagine how much this frustrates me.
I'm tired of going to labs to have blood drawn; I'm tired of the pharmacy; I'm tired of having no control over my body. Who knew such a little organ could cause so many problems in the grand scheme of your body!
I went on medication for being hypo (since I no longer produce a thyroid hormone naturally) in December. Ever since then, I've been getting bloodwork done every two weeks and then my doctor has tweaked my meds after every bloodletting. It's been a bit tiresome.
This last time, I was so close to having the perfect number - 0. But it was 5. So, more tweaking, yet another trip to the pharmacy... Here's hoping this final round of meds is the right dosage.
My main symptom of being hypo is weight loss - or lack thereof. My weight just....stays.....about 7-10 over my norm. Given my workout schedule, you can imagine how much this frustrates me.
I'm tired of going to labs to have blood drawn; I'm tired of the pharmacy; I'm tired of having no control over my body. Who knew such a little organ could cause so many problems in the grand scheme of your body!
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Omelets (2015:3)
Within the last year, my relationship with eggs has taken a dramatic turn. It started with hard-boiled eggs. Growing up and in my 20s, the only way I'd eat eggs was scrambled. But last year, I decided to try to perfect my hard-boiled egg technique and, in doing so, learned that I really like them!
And so I started trying omelets. Cruising gave me the chance to try them for free and I learned that I really like them, too! Holy cow!
The next step was learning to make omelets at home. I tried but kept failing, inevitably having to make them semi-scrambled. And then a co-worker said to keep the heat low and steady. Voila! Those simple words yielded the perfect omelet. It was so perfect that Mr. Higgins smelled me cooking one and asked, rather sheepishly, if I could make him an omelet sometime. Wow!
It's incredible just how limited my palate was in youth. I keep finding more and more yummy things...which is not always good!
And so I started trying omelets. Cruising gave me the chance to try them for free and I learned that I really like them, too! Holy cow!
The next step was learning to make omelets at home. I tried but kept failing, inevitably having to make them semi-scrambled. And then a co-worker said to keep the heat low and steady. Voila! Those simple words yielded the perfect omelet. It was so perfect that Mr. Higgins smelled me cooking one and asked, rather sheepishly, if I could make him an omelet sometime. Wow!
It's incredible just how limited my palate was in youth. I keep finding more and more yummy things...which is not always good!
Monday, March 16, 2015
Post-Cruise Workout Week
We returned from our cruise late on Monday and I was back to working out on Tuesday. Ha! I crave routine, even if it makes my sweat and ache. I'm going to start another Peak 10 eight-week challenge on Saturday, so I need to get back in the groove!
Monday: homeward bound
Tuesday: Dozois' Rockin' Body Cardio + walk
It was painful to get up this morning but Michelle got me going. This is an oldie but a goodie and one that I frequently do right after the holidays or a cruise. It's fun, not too difficult, but it always makes me sweat. At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did some ab work.
Wednesday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Dozois' HIIT - Breathless and Energized + Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + weights
It feels so good to be working out again - even if I haven't slept well in three nights! Ha! This morning was fun. I can't remember the last time I did all of Ilyse's dance workout. Michelle's cardio challenged me after my workout hiatus but I made it through and it felt good! At lunch, I did weights at the rec. The only good part about that: the place was deserted because of Spring Break.
Thursday: Ilyse's Easy to Follow Dance Moves + Scott's HIIT - Sporst Inspired Intervals + walk
Today's dance workout by Ilyse was a bit easier than yesterday's so I tried to power it up a bit where I could. I haven't done Scott's full HIIT workout in a very long time so that was fun. I skipped the burpies because of my back. At lunch, I walked a mile at the rec and then did some ab work.
Friday: The Firm's Bootcamp: Maximum Calorie Burn
I was ready for some weights today so I turned to this workout by The Firm. It's good and I always know when I'm not at my best when this one gets the better of me. And it did this morning. When it came time to do lunges with armwork, I stopped. My legs were already not happy and my heart was pounding. I stopped the lunges and did arms only. No workout at lunch today; I needed the break.
Saturday: Cathe's Intensity + Dozois' BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 Athletic Conditioning (stretch)
The weekends always give me more time to workout and I was looking forward to Cathe today since it was something different. I don't love her but her Intensity is a good cardio workout. I did step + low HIIT + high HIIT for a total of 60 minutes. Having not been able to do yoga this week (Spring Break), I needed a good stretch and turned to Michelle's 20 minute stretch on the BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 disc. It's so good!
Sunday: PeakFit Fit Test + Cardio Strength 2 on Glo
On Monday I start my next Peak 10 Challenge so today I did my Fit Test. It was very clear that I'm not in the shape I used to be in. The cruise and/or the thyroid weight gain slowed me down and I actually had to take some breaks during the test. That was really frustrating. Instead of burpies, I did 180 degree jump touch downs. I'm just not willing to sacrifice my back. After the test (about 30 minutes long), I went on to do CS2 on Glo - for 30 minutes. That was also a challenge and it was hard to not get frustrated with myself. But at least that means there's room for improvement. Ha!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - travel day
Tuesday - 1346
Wednesday - 1289
Thursday - 1254
Friday - 1486
Saturday - 1267
Sunday - 1264
There was a party at work on Tuesday so I ate half a bagel….but at least I skipped the sweets! On Friday, I went out to lunch and splurged just a bit. To make up for it, I was super good over the weekend.
Thyroid update…. Starting next week, my meds will go up again. I'm so close to being normal but I'm still hypo. After a week of not sleeping this week, I was worried I had gone over and become hyper. But no. Here's hoping for better sleep next week…. My weight didn't go up too much after the cruise, so that's something.
Monday: homeward bound
Tuesday: Dozois' Rockin' Body Cardio + walk
It was painful to get up this morning but Michelle got me going. This is an oldie but a goodie and one that I frequently do right after the holidays or a cruise. It's fun, not too difficult, but it always makes me sweat. At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did some ab work.
Wednesday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Dozois' HIIT - Breathless and Energized + Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + weights
It feels so good to be working out again - even if I haven't slept well in three nights! Ha! This morning was fun. I can't remember the last time I did all of Ilyse's dance workout. Michelle's cardio challenged me after my workout hiatus but I made it through and it felt good! At lunch, I did weights at the rec. The only good part about that: the place was deserted because of Spring Break.
Thursday: Ilyse's Easy to Follow Dance Moves + Scott's HIIT - Sporst Inspired Intervals + walk
Today's dance workout by Ilyse was a bit easier than yesterday's so I tried to power it up a bit where I could. I haven't done Scott's full HIIT workout in a very long time so that was fun. I skipped the burpies because of my back. At lunch, I walked a mile at the rec and then did some ab work.
Friday: The Firm's Bootcamp: Maximum Calorie Burn
I was ready for some weights today so I turned to this workout by The Firm. It's good and I always know when I'm not at my best when this one gets the better of me. And it did this morning. When it came time to do lunges with armwork, I stopped. My legs were already not happy and my heart was pounding. I stopped the lunges and did arms only. No workout at lunch today; I needed the break.
Saturday: Cathe's Intensity + Dozois' BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 Athletic Conditioning (stretch)
The weekends always give me more time to workout and I was looking forward to Cathe today since it was something different. I don't love her but her Intensity is a good cardio workout. I did step + low HIIT + high HIIT for a total of 60 minutes. Having not been able to do yoga this week (Spring Break), I needed a good stretch and turned to Michelle's 20 minute stretch on the BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 disc. It's so good!
Sunday: PeakFit Fit Test + Cardio Strength 2 on Glo
On Monday I start my next Peak 10 Challenge so today I did my Fit Test. It was very clear that I'm not in the shape I used to be in. The cruise and/or the thyroid weight gain slowed me down and I actually had to take some breaks during the test. That was really frustrating. Instead of burpies, I did 180 degree jump touch downs. I'm just not willing to sacrifice my back. After the test (about 30 minutes long), I went on to do CS2 on Glo - for 30 minutes. That was also a challenge and it was hard to not get frustrated with myself. But at least that means there's room for improvement. Ha!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - travel day
Tuesday - 1346
Wednesday - 1289
Thursday - 1254
Friday - 1486
Saturday - 1267
Sunday - 1264
There was a party at work on Tuesday so I ate half a bagel….but at least I skipped the sweets! On Friday, I went out to lunch and splurged just a bit. To make up for it, I was super good over the weekend.
Thyroid update…. Starting next week, my meds will go up again. I'm so close to being normal but I'm still hypo. After a week of not sleeping this week, I was worried I had gone over and become hyper. But no. Here's hoping for better sleep next week…. My weight didn't go up too much after the cruise, so that's something.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Anguilla
I'm back from another cruise with Mr. Higgins and his parents. We were aboard Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas for 10 days. Despite it being an older, smaller ship, we really enjoyed our time on board. We had two sea days, five port days, and then two more sea days. It was the perfect itinerary!
Our new port this trip was Anguilla. The cruise ship did not take us there but it took us to St. Maarten. There, we got a taxi to the town of Marigot, on the French side of the island, and boarded a ferry bound for Anguilla. The water was super choppy and I've never had a turbulent and unpleasant ferry crossing....but we made it.
Once on Anguilla we took a taxi to Shoal Bay. And it took our breath away. The water, the sand...everything was perfect! We got to spend three hours at this lovely place and that was not enough! I'll have to explore more beaches on this incredible island!
With this sailing of Legend, we set foot on 8 islands: St. Thomas, USVI, St. John, USVI, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominica, Antigua, St. Maarten, Anguilla. Wow!
Our new port this trip was Anguilla. The cruise ship did not take us there but it took us to St. Maarten. There, we got a taxi to the town of Marigot, on the French side of the island, and boarded a ferry bound for Anguilla. The water was super choppy and I've never had a turbulent and unpleasant ferry crossing....but we made it.
Once on Anguilla we took a taxi to Shoal Bay. And it took our breath away. The water, the sand...everything was perfect! We got to spend three hours at this lovely place and that was not enough! I'll have to explore more beaches on this incredible island!
With this sailing of Legend, we set foot on 8 islands: St. Thomas, USVI, St. John, USVI, St. Kitts, Nevis, Dominica, Antigua, St. Maarten, Anguilla. Wow!
Monday, March 9, 2015
Combat Challenge: Thoughts and Conclusions
Wow. I just finished 8 weeks - technically 7.5 weeks - of Les Mills' Combat DVDs. It was a nice change of pace from my normal workouts and, generally, I enjoyed it. Here are some of my thoughts and conclusions....
Format
You're given three different calendars to choose from with the Combat DVD set. I can't remember which one I chose but it was the middle one. I've gotten to where I like these calendars as a way to stay on track and motivated. Then again, I'm OCD and like to plan.
Within the calendar you alternate between HIIT and kickboxing workouts. This is nice since the kickboxing tends to focus on arms and the HIIT focuses on legs (with the exception of weights).
Challenge
I would call myself an advanced - but not crazy - exerciser. I have no problem doing intense cardio for long periods of time. With Combat, however, I learned that I have my limits when it comes to jump lunges and burpees. Whew! These HIIT workouts definitely challenged me in new ways, which I enjoyed. They made me stronger and improved my fitness level, for sure.
Aches and Pains
With more intense workouts comes the possibility of injury. With Combat, I experienced more aches and pains than ever before. No longer do I think that my body can do anything; I've learned my limits.
The most troublesome pain was my lower back. I cut back on burpees and that helped temporarily, but then the pain returned. Hopefully, ten days on a cruise ship will help this....
Results
While I can't give you numbers because of my thyroid weight woes, I can say this: the HIIT workouts had a huge effect on my legs. I saw a change in them and Mr. Higgins said they are more toned for sure. My outer thighs or saddlebags are less noticeable. If lunge jumps do this, call me a believer. I'll do them every day! Ha!
Conclusions
I don't know how often I'll do an eight week Combat Challenge like this. It's rough on my body....but the results are great. I guess I'll turn to this when I feel like I've reached a plateau, which I had. Eventually, I'd like to come up with my own Combat/Peak 10 calendar to incorporate both.
All in all, I'm pleased with the results and proud of myself for completing 8 weeks, even when new aches surfaced.
Format
You're given three different calendars to choose from with the Combat DVD set. I can't remember which one I chose but it was the middle one. I've gotten to where I like these calendars as a way to stay on track and motivated. Then again, I'm OCD and like to plan.
Within the calendar you alternate between HIIT and kickboxing workouts. This is nice since the kickboxing tends to focus on arms and the HIIT focuses on legs (with the exception of weights).
Challenge
I would call myself an advanced - but not crazy - exerciser. I have no problem doing intense cardio for long periods of time. With Combat, however, I learned that I have my limits when it comes to jump lunges and burpees. Whew! These HIIT workouts definitely challenged me in new ways, which I enjoyed. They made me stronger and improved my fitness level, for sure.
Aches and Pains
With more intense workouts comes the possibility of injury. With Combat, I experienced more aches and pains than ever before. No longer do I think that my body can do anything; I've learned my limits.
The most troublesome pain was my lower back. I cut back on burpees and that helped temporarily, but then the pain returned. Hopefully, ten days on a cruise ship will help this....
Results
While I can't give you numbers because of my thyroid weight woes, I can say this: the HIIT workouts had a huge effect on my legs. I saw a change in them and Mr. Higgins said they are more toned for sure. My outer thighs or saddlebags are less noticeable. If lunge jumps do this, call me a believer. I'll do them every day! Ha!
Conclusions
I don't know how often I'll do an eight week Combat Challenge like this. It's rough on my body....but the results are great. I guess I'll turn to this when I feel like I've reached a plateau, which I had. Eventually, I'd like to come up with my own Combat/Peak 10 calendar to incorporate both.
All in all, I'm pleased with the results and proud of myself for completing 8 weeks, even when new aches surfaced.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Port of Call
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On our cruise this week, we get to re-visit one of our favorite places, Dominica. This is an island that is often compared to Hawaii - filled with rain forests, lush vegetation, and waterfalls.
One such waterfall is at Emerald Pool. You hike down into this area and at the bottom there's a pool and lovey waterfall. Dominica is filled with these kinds of hidden (well, not really hidden but known) treasures.
Dominica is so pretty that many scenes from PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN (mainly the second movie, I think) were shot here. So lovely!
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Les Mills: Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout (Review)
The last workout to be added to the schedule in the Combat calendar is Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout. As the title says, it's a live recording of the instructors leading a huge group through Combat.
No equipment is needed for this workout - just you!
Combat 60 Live is very similar to Combat 60 - Extreme Cardio Fighter. You warm up with punches and jabs. Then you're given a very short stretch.
What follows is kickboxing - kicks, jabs, shuffles, blocks... In my opinion, this workout is just a bit more intense than the other Combat 60.
As in every Combat workout, there's a move that gets me and leaves me winded and in pain (good pain!). In this video it's a leg section consisting of lunges to a front kick followed by a side lunge. After lunging and kicking and side lunging, you go into the side lunge and do a knee up move that leaves my thighs burning like nothing else. Dang!
By the end of this workout, your arms will be aching...and then there's floorwork. Ha!
Bottom Line: This is a fun kickboxing workout that almost anyone can enjoy!
No equipment is needed for this workout - just you!
Combat 60 Live is very similar to Combat 60 - Extreme Cardio Fighter. You warm up with punches and jabs. Then you're given a very short stretch.
What follows is kickboxing - kicks, jabs, shuffles, blocks... In my opinion, this workout is just a bit more intense than the other Combat 60.
As in every Combat workout, there's a move that gets me and leaves me winded and in pain (good pain!). In this video it's a leg section consisting of lunges to a front kick followed by a side lunge. After lunging and kicking and side lunging, you go into the side lunge and do a knee up move that leaves my thighs burning like nothing else. Dang!
By the end of this workout, your arms will be aching...and then there's floorwork. Ha!
Bottom Line: This is a fun kickboxing workout that almost anyone can enjoy!
Monday, March 2, 2015
Combat Challenge: Week 8
My last week - and not even a full week - of Combat! Wow! I can't believe it's been 8 weeks.
I'm a bit sad as this Challenge winds down but it's been a lot of fun and I've seen some good results. Hopefully that shows in the bikini I'll be wearing next week! Ha!
Monday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 - Athletic Conditioning
A Snow Day meant I could work out for longer today. Yay! (Yes, that makes me oddly excited!) I started with Power HIIT 1 and after doing it every other day for the past 6 days, I was glad to say good-bye to this workout for a while. I think it's given me great results but it's a challenge. My legs were already aching as I started the cardio portion of 360 and Michelle didn't give them a break for 30 minutes. Whew! I took advantage of the day at home to do the full 20 minute stretch on this video. I love it!
Tuesday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix
A delayed opening of work meant yet another opportunity for a longer workout. I subbed this CIB for the second round of Combat 45 - not wanting to do it twice in a week. And this CIB always makes me happy. My legs were still achy from the weekend but they got through this workout.
Wednesday: Combat 45 - Power Kata
The last day to do Power Kata... I do enjoy this one and it's nice to not dread the workout you have to do at 5:30 am. This morning, I was a bit rushed so I shaved 5 minutes off my usual 50 minute workout. Snow and sleet meant a potentially perilous commute and I wanted the extra time.
Thursday: Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + my own cardio
My last Combat workout for a long time! I was happy to be done. Because our internet was down, I did my own warm-up and cardio, then rounded out my 50 minutes with Shock Plyo. It was nice to warm-up on my own and stretch my back. I still don't know what's up with that.
Calorie Counts:
I stayed at around 1270 calories on Monday and Tuesday....then we had birthday celebrations at work on Wednesday. We left for the cruise on Thursday, and while I didn't eat bad, I ate more than 1300 calories.
Good news! The new dosage of meds has finally made an impact on my weight. I lost 2.5 pounds! Only 3 or so more to go! Hopefully this means I can lose my cruise weight when we get back. Fingers crossed!
Look for my Combat wrap-up next Monday!
I'm a bit sad as this Challenge winds down but it's been a lot of fun and I've seen some good results. Hopefully that shows in the bikini I'll be wearing next week! Ha!
Monday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 - Athletic Conditioning
A Snow Day meant I could work out for longer today. Yay! (Yes, that makes me oddly excited!) I started with Power HIIT 1 and after doing it every other day for the past 6 days, I was glad to say good-bye to this workout for a while. I think it's given me great results but it's a challenge. My legs were already aching as I started the cardio portion of 360 and Michelle didn't give them a break for 30 minutes. Whew! I took advantage of the day at home to do the full 20 minute stretch on this video. I love it!
Tuesday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix
A delayed opening of work meant yet another opportunity for a longer workout. I subbed this CIB for the second round of Combat 45 - not wanting to do it twice in a week. And this CIB always makes me happy. My legs were still achy from the weekend but they got through this workout.
Wednesday: Combat 45 - Power Kata
The last day to do Power Kata... I do enjoy this one and it's nice to not dread the workout you have to do at 5:30 am. This morning, I was a bit rushed so I shaved 5 minutes off my usual 50 minute workout. Snow and sleet meant a potentially perilous commute and I wanted the extra time.
Thursday: Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + my own cardio
My last Combat workout for a long time! I was happy to be done. Because our internet was down, I did my own warm-up and cardio, then rounded out my 50 minutes with Shock Plyo. It was nice to warm-up on my own and stretch my back. I still don't know what's up with that.
Calorie Counts:
I stayed at around 1270 calories on Monday and Tuesday....then we had birthday celebrations at work on Wednesday. We left for the cruise on Thursday, and while I didn't eat bad, I ate more than 1300 calories.
Good news! The new dosage of meds has finally made an impact on my weight. I lost 2.5 pounds! Only 3 or so more to go! Hopefully this means I can lose my cruise weight when we get back. Fingers crossed!
Look for my Combat wrap-up next Monday!
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