Fit Mommy Friday

It's Friday and you know what that means....it's time for the Fit Mommies to check in! :o) So how was everyone's week? Are you able to keep your momentum going? Or have you cut back just a bit now that the Challenge is over?

Before I delve into my week, I wanted to mention a new little "perk" that some of you many not be aware of just yet.

As you may recall, Rachel Hamrick wrote an awesome guest post for us last week detailing 10 steps to making your fitness goals a reality. Well, as a new member of the Fit Mommy community, Rachel has graciously offered to answer any questions we may have about fitness--all through the Fit Mommy Yahoo Group. (If you're not yet a member of the group, send me an email at denise opper (all one word) at gmail dot com and I'll send you an invite.)

Okay! Onto my check in!

Now, as one of you so sweetly pointed out, I managed to sort {cough} escape writing my own check in last week. Was that deliberate? No. I just got all caught up in our awesome guest posts that I didn't stop to think about yours truly. {Hee hee} But there's no excuse this week, now is there??? :)

So! Monday started out really well. I completed a 45 minute Firm tape {Maximum Body Sculpting} and then rode my recumbent bike for another 45 minutes. Feeling at odds with "only" having exercised for 90 minutes {yes, I'm insane and I know it}, I did 30 mins worth of reps later that evening {squats, leg lifts, lunges, crunches in various directions, and jogging in place}. I did this again on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yesterday, I didn't do a single thing less walking all over town, catching buses to/from appointments and what-not. Today--once I'm done with this post--I'll do it again; one workout video plus 45 mins on the bike.

I'm just one of those people that easily loses momentum, so in order to combat that I literally push myself harder to fight through those "I don't wanna" feelings. So far, it's working well. :o)

Nutritionally speaking...eh. Not so good. I definitely need to get more produce into the house. I've been eating a lot of egg/turkey sandwiches on a bagel or wheat bread. {Funny how longer workouts make you feel ravenous!} Like 3 a day! And my water intake is waaaaay up. I've cut back on the chai to where I only had my first cup in *weeks* two days ago, and been drinking a lot of herbal tea. {So yummy!}

My plans for this week are to:

1. Eat more veggies!
2. Keep the 90-120 minute workouts going
3. Drink more water
4. Maybe...just maybe...get more sleep. :)

Okay, now it's your turn! {Oh, and don't forget to send me your requests to join the Fit Mommy Yahoo Group if you're not yet a member.}

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


I'm pleased to report that this week was nearly just as good as last week. :)  There was one minor nutritional indiscretion (Snicker's bar) but in my defense, I actually found it in my bathroom cupboard. I did not intentionally buy it. I'll explain...

Earlier in the week, my mother had made a quick run to the store for me. I don't remember what was going on that day, just that for some reason I didn't have time to go myself. So when she brought the bags inside, I put the pantry items away and put the bathroom items--still in their bag--in the cupboard underneath the sink, sight unseen. For now.

Then on Thursday, I remembered there was still a sack inside the cupboard. When I took everything out, the Snicker's bar was at the very bottom. Apparently mom felt I'd needed a little treat that day or something. :)  Feeling as though I'd won the lottery of sorts, I decided I should express my appreciation and gratitude by eating it. (*Ahem*)

Thankfully I've been keeping up with my workouts this week, so the candy bar didn't do too much damage. :) Moving on!

I've been switching back 'n forth between veggie sandwiches and tuna sandwiches, which have both proven to be quite scrumptious. (Yum!) Water intake is better than before, which I'm proud of. And chai consumption is still low. I've been eating less carbs too, and that's helped me feel less "puffy" overall.

Each morning I've completed at least one--if not two--Firm videos, with the exception of today. Instead I performed my own mini-routine due to time constraints. (Push-ups, crunches in a number of directions, arm/shoulder work, squats/lunges for legs. Four sets of 12 reps each exercise.) And as always, lots of walking.

Well there you have it--my week, in a nutshell! Like I said, I'm under a time crunch this morning (going w/ Dean to his doctor appt in about an hour), so I'd better get going. I hope you all take a few moments this weekend to celebrate all you've accomplished so far during your participation in Fit Mommy Friday. You deserve it!!! :)

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


This week was waaaaaay better than last week for me! :o) I felt extremely motivated (for the most part) and determined to get--and stay--on track.

On Monday, I completed 2 workout videos, "Maximum Body Sculpting" and "Sculpted Buns, Hips & Thighs". These workouts left me feeling amazingly refreshed instead of my usual (wiped out and ready to die!).  But alas, on Tuesday I woke up feeling wiped out and entirely unmotivated (ahem!), so I only completed the first 25 mins of MBS. {So disappointing!} Then Wednesday arrived with me feeling even worse than I did the day before. So I did nothing. {Sigh}

Then Thursday dawned bright and glorious. Suddenly I felt my strength return so I completed SBH&T, and did a few more sets of those exercises on my own later that evening before bed (less the ankle weights). I also did my usual walking around town/running errands, so that was good. I may have covered a mile, counting all the trips. Not too terrible.

This morning I've already completed MBS, and plan to complete SBH&T after this post is finished. :-) Hooray!

My nutritional intake has also vastly improved this week. I purchased a bunch of rabbit food all the necessary ingredients to make a ton of veggie sandwiches (Roma tomatoes, bags of mixed baby greens, Claussen pickle slices, Ezekiel bread), as well as bananas for post-workout snacks. My chai has been limited to 1-2 cups per day, which as you all know is HUGE! ;-) Water intake is also up, and although the scale hasn't budged one iota (darn it!), I feel pretty pleased with myself overall.

Remember last week when I mentioned possibly going and getting a new fitness magazine? Well, I didn't. I started to--even opened a couple of them up and read through them a bit. But I realized they didn't have any new nuggets of wisdom that I didn't already know (or couldn't access online for free), so I put them back.

And I have to seriously thank my sister for talking me out of buying wasting my money on a new set of workout DVD's. Perhaps you've seen them, too? They're called the Brazil Butt Lift (very stupid name) but I'd heard from other moms how "awesome" they were, so I--being the total follower and workout video junkie that I am--suddenly had this overwhelming urge to BUY NOW!

Only trouble was at the "amazing low price" of only 3 payments of $20/each plus $13 shipping, I couldn't afford them.

So I did the next best thing. I pouted and bemoaned my existence for about 10 minutes.

And that's when my phone suddenly rang; it was my sister. {Superwoman! Dum, dah, dah dahhhhhhh!} She "swooped" in just in time to save my sorry self from making a huge financial mistake (like cutting out grocery money to buy them!), and telling me that everything "Brazil" covers is already featured in all the other videos I own. {Hmm! Imagine that!} You see, she was smart and actually watched the commercial, whereas I was blinded by the idea that this amazingly awesome series was the answer to my sagging backside, sight unseen.

Now I must ask...Have any of you found yourselves getting swept up in the latest and greatest exercise "toy" hoopla? Did you succumb to the temptation or were you able to resist? Frankly, my reaction surprised me a little bit as I'm usually one of the first to scoff at anything outside of The FIRM. (With the exception of Jillian Michaels. Ahem.) I honestly don't know what came over me! However, I can definitely say that I now understand how people can be so easily misled, by what they see on TV or otherwise, as being the answer to their weight and body shape woes!

A humbling experience? You bet!

Alright, enough of my rambling. How did the rest of you fabulous ladies do? :)

A Little Inspiration (Fit Mommy Style)

I realize the Fit Mommy meme doesn't post 'til Friday but I thought I'd share what I did today in hopes that it inspires someone. ;-)

I decided to use 2 "FIRM" videos back-to-back, which made for a great 90 minute routine with extra emphasis on the lower body.

First up was "Sculpted Buns, Hips & Thighs w/ Tracie Long" (and although it doesn't mention it within the title, it also focuses heavily on the abs). This is a 45 minute gut-busting, hip-burning routine that I love to hate! (Hee hee) The video is a compilation of exercises found in two other Firm videos, "The Tortoise" and "The Hare" (cute, huh?). I don't own either of those tapes but I have borrowed them from my library once or twice in the past. (Excellent stuff!)

What I enjoy about this workout is the strong focus on the hips and thighs through a heavy concentration of old-school floor work. If you've never strapped on a pair of ankle weights and did a bunch of leg lifts (in various ways), then you don't know what you're missing! LOL It's my absolute favorite way to work the back of my legs, which is often a source of contention between me and the mirror. ;-)

Now before you watch the clip, you have to promise to remain open minded. Because the video is rather dated (early 90's), cheesy workout gear abounds. (Ahem) But trust me, the workout itself is a true gem!Okay, here's a little taste...





Moving on to workout #2...

Once I completed that, I popped in my other Tracie Long favorite, "Maximum Body Sculpting". This 45 minute routine incorporates heavier weights with several standing-leg exercises. Because of this, you'll need the Firm's signature 14 inch step (the "fanny lifter"), and several sets of dumbbells (3-15 lbs). Unlike the first workout, this routine does not require ankle weights and the "cheese factor" is eliminated. ;-)





There you have it! My Monday morning routine (at least for this week). What was yours???

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


Here's the short version of my week:

Monday ~ Workout 25 mins with weights. {I was feeling lazy...}

Tuesday ~ Short walks around the neighborhood running errands. {Woke up early that day and didn't have the energy to do what I should've done. *Sigh*}

Wednesday ~ Ahem. Nothing. Except walking here 'n there. Nothing major.

Thursday ~ Cardio 30 mins on exercise bike at top speed (14.0 mph). Actually broke a sweat this time! Woohoo! Also went for a (very short) jog around the neighborhood. Was more like jog for 20 seconds, walk for 40 seconds, jog for 15 seconds (Ouch! Cramp!) followed by walking for another 75 seconds...repeat for 12 minutes. {Pathetic...}

Friday ~ At this moment I'm preparing to ride my bike for 30 mins, followed by a workout video for 60 mins.

Based on the above totals, I'm really not happy with my performance this week. I'm hoping today's workouts will blast things back up a bit, then I plan to sneak in a little extra time with the bike tomorrow morning before church. My thighs--they need help! :o/

Nutrition was going okay until I had a major craving for a Whatchamacallit candy bar last night. {It was unbelievably good! *Hee hee*} We went out to Red Robin one night for supper and I was really good! (You'd be so proud of me! *wink*) I ordered chicken pesto pasta (sans chicken) and ate only a small amount. I then had the rest boxed up and have been slowly eating it for lunch throughout the week. {I LOVE pesto! Sooo yummy!}

My water intake's been good and my chai consumption is down. I've been drinking maybe 2 cups per day instead of my usual 6-8... {LOL} :o]

The scale hasn't budged since last week, which is fine. Granted I'd be the happiest woman alive if I could report otherwise, but based on my lack of movement this week, it all makes sense.

By the way, did anyone catch the season finale` of Jillian Michaels' show? I totally missed it so I'm going to have to download it. (Sigh)

You know, I think I need to venture over to the store and pick up a new fitness magazine. Maybe that'll help pull me out of my laziness. What do you think? :o] Do magazines inspire you or do they make you feel worse? I admit things can go either way for me in this department. Just depends on my mood. ;-] Right now, I'm in "Gimme some inspiration!" mode so it should be good.

How was your week, fellow Fit Mommy?

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


This week's topic: Stress Managment (LOL)

Right off the bat, allow me to admit to my nutritional failures (x's a kajillion!) this week. As I've mentioned a time or two in the past, I'm one of those "emotional eaters" that binges on junk whenever the going gets tough. I realize this is a totally stupid thing to do, but never-the-less, I find it soothing. Until I step on the scale the next day that is. {Yikes} Then I find myself feeling less-than-soothed.

I had been doing so well up until about Tuesday when my plumbing decided to stage a hostile takeover. As my washing machine hit its spin cycle, dirty water would suddenly flow back up into the tub and our single (yes, single!) toilet would overflow. {Nice...} Our landlady--who really is a sweetheart and I totally felt bad for her--came over, along with her friend, Rob who acts as our maintenance guy. He's pretty cool, too. Anyway, they set out to snake the plumbing but couldn't find the house's "clean outs" (ever hear of those? I hadn't until that very moment), so they had to dig. And dig. And dig. Eventually they asked Rob's nephew to come over and help. (Believe me, this was a HUGE undertaking and I'm so glad I never felt the urge to get a blue-collar job!)

Long story short, the plumbing wasn't fixed until 11:30pm. By then, I'd finished off the anniversary cake I'd received a few days before. Trust me, there was waaaaay more than one slice left to begin with. More like three! I was that stressed. (I know that sounds nuts, but when you're going to the grocery store to use the ladies room, or you're wondering how you'll take a shower in the morning? Or do laundry??? Enough said.)

Then the very next day, I received word that my sister had been admitted to the hospital. (She has a severe form of Lupus.) She lives way out in Pennsylvania and I'm over yonder in Washington. This news unleashed another wave of anxiety, which brought on yet another binge, this time consisting of Chicken in a Biscuit crackers, a bowl of Frosted Flakes, and a peanut butter sandwich. In one sitting. At one point Dean--my sweet, smooth talking husband, saw what was happening and asked, "Do you honestly think eating all that's going to help?"

No. I mean, yes. I mean...oh, darn it all!

Later that night, I rode my exercise bike for over an hour and did 4 sets of 20 push-ups. That felt so much better than the food! :)  My workouts both before and since these incidents have been good. I've clocked at least 60 minutes of exercise in each day, plus additional walks (per usual).

Want to hear something interesting and kinda weird? I actually lost 2 lbs this week! {Wow, how did that happen?}

So does anyone else stress-binge like there's an international food shortage or like a bear getting ready to hibernate for the winter? Hopefully not!!!! But if you do, I just want to say that the "power" workouts relaxed my nerves far better than the food and I'm sure it'll be the same for you. Give it a shot next time and let me know. :)

To recap: Workouts--60 mins + each day with the exception of Wednesday (120 minutes +)
                Nutrition--Not good at all. Over-ate significantly and all junk!
                Positives--Lost 2 lbs
                Negatives--See "nutrition"

How was your week????

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


 
Summer has officially arrived across the US, finally reaching us Washingtonians this past week. Record-breaking temps streak across the nation and for many ladies, thoughts of "getting in shape for summer" fill our heads. We start to worry about what our arms look like in short sleeves or in a tank top, *if* we're going to wear a swimsuit (and if we'll look good doing so!), are our legs "shorts" worthy, etc. Indeed, summer has a tendency to bring out the vanity in the majority of us ladies, wouldn't you agree? :o)

In fact, I recently chatted with some friends of mine from church about this very topic. One lady was saying how she used to love using workout videos years ago, so naturally I piped up about my favorites: The FIRM and Jillian Michaels. (Hee hee) Turns out, she really enjoyed The FIRM "back in the day" and missed them. She even mentioned wanting to try out their newer DVD workouts but wasn't sure if she'd like them as well as the older ones. (Well, why didn't you say so?...*wink*) So me--being the total workout pusher that I am-- offered to loan her a stack of my Firm DVD's along with Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. Hee hee! I hope she likes them! ;-] She might not be my friend after next week (hee hee) but here's hoping things remain Kosher between us! Ha! Okay, onto this week's check in!

Nutritionally, I haven't been eating as well as I should be. More fruits and veggies? Nope. Less carbs? Definitely! Less food in general? Oh yeah! In fact, I haven't been consuming much of anything except water because it's so blazin' hot! Oh and cold cereal. And I did snitch some bites of Dean's Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream last night. {Ahem} Man, that was good! :o)

Workouts have been a lot better. I've been keeping up with my walking, although I haven't been going as fast as I normally do, due to the heat. (Yes, I'm whiner.) My regular workouts are getting back to normal. I performed 3 this week (60 mins each): Cardio Sculpt, Banish Fat/Boost Metabolism, No More Trouble Zones. They about killed me after having a streak of less-than-stellar weeks under my belt. {Ahem} But it felt good to blow the dust off a bit. ;-)

Wanna know what's really bugging me? The darn scale! It ain't budging, whatsoever! Ugh...stupid thing.

Oh hey...have any of you been watching Jillian Michaels' new show, "Losing It"? What do you think of it? I of course, love it!!! :o) If you haven't seen it yet, click on the link to check it out. You can watch full episodes online. (Most convenient, I'd say! *Wink-wink*)

Well that's it for me this week. Now it's your turn! The floor is officially yours...  :o)

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


Oh..my...goodness, what a week!! For those of you who are not one of my current Facebook friends, let me repeat my current status message: After all that's happened this week, I deserve a serious super-hero cape! I don't know if I'm coming, going, or already been there! LOL Seriously, it's been that kind of week.

We've had recital rehearsals on Monday/Wednesday, and with it, I worked the front desk at Abby's ballet studio. (The current receptionist is also one of the students--so she obviously couldn't both dance and answer phones, sell tickets, etc.) Monday was easy, but Wednesday got a little nuts. ;o] Crazy, ballet Mommas anyway!

Then on top of that--remember how I said we were "done" with the recital music? Ahem. I take it back. Turns out, some things were still in need of tweaking, which is what we did. On Wednesday night. Until 10pm. (Yawn) But now--NOW we're done. Hooray!!! Everything should be absolutely splendid, and Dean will receive all the glory and honor fit for a king when he reads his name in the recital program. (Hee hee)

I promise there's a point to all this rambling, so bear with me for just a moment longer. :-}

Additionally, I started another side job--one that will last through the end of the month. Things were going pretty well, when suddenly my computer decided it hated me in the worst way possible. Everything I had worked on through (again) Wednesday night---GONE! Totally, 100% gone. I cried, people. I couldn't help it. I was so frustrated, I literally felt sick. I had to re-do everything. Not fun, not fun at all.

Soooo! All that whining to say: my workouts totally STINK this week! I haven't lifted a single weight even ONCE! (I know...alert the media, right? LOL) I've been getting my walks in as well as some bike time, which is "okay". But I feel like such a slug because of this. I mean, yes I've been busy--and trust me, there's plenty more to this story that I'll cover in a separate post--but that's just an excuse. What I should've done was manage my time better. I tend to get SO focused on one thing, that I have a hard time switching gears. Does anyone else struggle with one-track-mindedness? Please say yes. :o{

On a happier note, I have been eating pretty well. Lots of veggie sandwiches, juice, water...and chai. {Ahem} At least at the beginning of the week. I'm trying really hard to fight off a cold bug so by Wednesday (there's that dreaded day again! LOL), I kinda stopped eating. I have no appetite or energy to speak of. I'm not "sick-sick" but my body feels like it's fighting hard to avoid succumbing to the virus. {Yuck} Then again, maybe I am sick but I'm too busy to stop and pay attention! {Hee hee}

I'm whining.

In closing: I've decided that this coming week, I'm going to pay close attention to my schedule and really, really work on managing my time better. I want to fit everything in, without feeling like I'm on a time-crunch to do so. Wish me luck! Oh, and with that, I'll also get back to my regularly scheduled workouts. (Oh, Jillian...!)

How did your week pan out? Were you able to meet your goals?

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


It's another gloriously sunny day here in Washington state! {Aren't you glad when I open with a joke? *Grins*} Okay so perhaps the weather isn't all that glorious but I'm determined to be cheerful. This is in an effort to combat the sheer laziness settling in this morning. I woke up and--I'm not kidding--my first thought was, "Ugh...I don't wanna work out!" Then I smooshed my face back into my pillow. It's days like this that are so tempting to think, "I've done enough this week" or "I'll just work out tomorrow". But we all know that's not true. Or at least, I know! :o) 

Yet as tempting as the idea sounds, I cannot afford to continually slack off. I've done too much of that lately and believe me, it shows. I've also discovered that the older I get (I hate the way those words taste..ick!), the harder it is to keep my weight and figure under control. I suppose this supports the research that states that after the age of 25, we lose 3-5% of our muscle mass every decade. Of course, exercise reduces or eliminates this issue, but only if you actually do it. :-]

Want to know what I do on days like this, when motivation is scarce? I go to my favorite fitness websites for inspiration! Websites like Oxygen Fitness Magazine , Muscle & Fitness Trainer (similar to SparkPeople in that there's a free option, but it's for the "gym rat" types--of which I'm not, but I want to look like one) and other favorite magazines like Muscle & Fitness Hers  and Fitness Magazine. After spending a few minutes on any of these sites (or a combination thereof), I'm fired up 'n rarin' to go! :-]

How do you stay motivated? What inspires you to get up 'n get moving on days when you'd rather stay in bed?

Before I open the floor for comments, I should probably share about my week, huh? (Minor detail...) Okay, so I did my usual walking on Monday and Tuesday (approx 2 miles each day--very mild workouts, obviously). Then on Wednesday I did the Firm-Cardio Sculpt, Thursday was Jillian Michaels' "Banish Fat/Boost Metabolism" cardio workout (which I hate doing, but love the sweaty results), then today's workout was Jillian's "No More Trouble Zones". I hate this one, too. But I appreciate the results!

I've also eaten several veggie sandwiches (yum!) and consumed a lot more water. Hooray! I've even cut back on my chai consumption! (Gasp, shock, horrors) Crazy, huh? ;-]  I'm hoping that the decrease in sugar will work wonders for my figure. We'll see! If not, I can always go back to my normal 4-5 cups/day. (*Hee hee*)

Okay ladies, it's that time! Fit Mommies, report for duty! :o]

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


 

Wow, is it really Friday already?! I think Memorial Day through my schedule off a bit--or at least, my sense of a schedule off. That's more like it.

So, were you able to keep active and eat relatively healthy over the holiday weekend? (sly grin) I realize that might've been tough with all the yummy BBQ's and other such culinary adventures taking place. I personally dined on pizza and breadsticks, which was definitely not the best thing for my hips! {Carbs are not my friends.}

But I did manage to (drum roll, please...) pick up the necessary produce (lettuce tomatoes, pickles) and hearty bread (12 grain) to make plenty of my veggie sandwiches! Hooray!! I've officially eaten veggies this week, ladies! Oh my gosh! Alert the media, folks! Aren't you proud of me?

Yes, I'm aware I need to get out more. Moving on!

These are my workouts for the week:

• Monday: 2 mile walk (blah...)
• Tuesday: Firm-Cardio Sculpt
• Wednesday: Jillian Michaels-No More Trouble Zones (a literal pain in the rear!)
• Thursday: 1.5 mile walk (double blah) / personal hip and thigh routine: donkey kicks at various angles, leg lifts, squats: 4 sets of 12-15 reps.
• Friday: 4 mile walk (an improvement, however slight) / will perform personal hip/thigh routine later this afternoon/evening adding 5 sets of deadlifts, lunges, leg presses.

On a slightly different note, how many of you watched the season premiere of Jillian Michaels new show, "Losing It with Jillian" this week? I watched it the first night, then the children (who go to bed at 10pm and were sorely disappointed they had to miss it) caught the encore showing the day after. They love her almost as much as I do! (Hee hee)  Anyway, if you missed it (or have no idea what I'm talking about) you can check it out here.

Alright, ladies! It's your turn! How did you do this week?

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


Okay, I'm going to be very blunt and honest with ya'll....

I did virtually nothing this week. (Let the flogging begin!)

Sure I did a few push-ups, crunches, squats. I also did my usual walking around town, running errands and such. But as far as a serious sweat-inducing workout? Nope. Not even once.

Yep. That's bad, I know. {Sigh} And to be honest, I don't know really know why. I mean, I wanted to...I just didn't get up 'n do it. Needless to say, I'm very disappointed in myself. You all hereby have my express permission to chide, cajole, and otherwise coerce me into submission next week.

On the plus side, I cut my calories back a bit which hopefully helped curb the inevitable "lazy week" weight gain. {I haven't checked yet because--I'm scared to!} But I figure it must've helped a little bit as my jeans are looser in the waist this week than they were the week before. Then again, that could be chalked up to hormonal/water fluctuations so...who knows? :)

I've been having too many bad weeks lately, have you noticed? What is wrong with me, anyway? Ugh! I've got to kickstart (emphasis on the "kick") myself back up. Summer's almost here and that means short sleeves and tank tops. There's no way I want my Incredible Hulk arms flopping around in the gentle summer breeze, you know? Those suckers have to be tighter. Period! :)

Please oh please say you've had a better week than me....I need the inspiration, ladies!

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


 
This proved to be a 90% cardio week for me and here's why.
 
For Mother's Day, Dean bought me a Sony e-Reader (and a pink one at that!). This little gadget--which I never thought I'd be this excited over--allows me to read hundreds of e-books (if I had hundreds to read) like a regular paperback book (if the paperback was pink and had a digital screen). I seriously have a hard time putting it down!
 
And it's for that reason that I found myself on the recumbent bike a lot this week, just so I could sneak in some extra reading time! (Hee hee!) Now I know that totally goes against the whole mind/body connection (thinking about what you're doing while you're doing it), but it was such a nice little diversion, I must admit. :o)
 
However, I did run through my own quick routine consisting of push-ups, crunches, oblique twists, squats and lunges (3 days). Therefore, I didn't completely disregard strength training, but rather scaled back on it a bit. (Okay, okay...I scaled back a LOT.)

For the record, the bike workouts were 60 mins. each, alternating between tension level 1-6 throughout the workout.
 
Oh, and here's another "naughty" confession: I ate horribly this week. Dean bought me a king size Twix bar (again, mother's day) and I also baked a cake. I ate the Twix bar in one sitting (oink) and had several slices of cake from Monday through Wednesday (mooo). Oh yes. And there was an incident with a bag of Doritoes. Lots of Doritoes. {Sigh} Let's just say I'm avoiding my good friend, The Bathroom Scale!
 
I hope everyone else stuck to their programs more than I did this week. {Ahem} I obviously need to step away from the little pink e-reader and get my rear in gear! :-)
 

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


Hooray! We've made it through another week, ladies! :) Aren't you excited? Okay, clearly I need to slow down on the caffeine... (Hee hee)

I did pretty good with my workouts, considering my epic failure earlier this week. Ahem. While my upper body (and ego) recovered (believe me--I'm still a bit sore!), I focused on cardio and lower body to even things out...

Monday - 60 mins bike/personal ab routine
Tuesday - P90X (Chest/Arms/Shoulder) = OUCH / Walking
Wednesday - Firm Lower Body workout / Walking
Thursday - Lower body routine/Abs (personal routines consisting of lunges, squats, plyometric jumps, crunches, reverse crunches, oblique twists, pelvic lifts) / Walking

However, I haven't worked out at all so far today. Why? (I'm so glad you asked.) Well, it's because my husband has the day off. Which means I slept in ('til 6:45am).

When I finally rousted myself out of bed at 7am, I had every intention of climbing on the bike and logging in a good 45 mins or more of cardio. (Sounds good, right?) So, I went into the bathroom to get ready (ponytail, brush teeth, wash face a bit) mentally preparing myself for the torture ahead, when suddenly I heard sounds coming from the kitchen.

Sierra was up.

And that, my sweet ones put a screetching halt to my workout.

For those of you who don't know me very well, here's a little secret insider scoop--I don't workout in front of my family. Well, with the exception of my sister. But she's clear in Pennsylvania and I'm all the way out here in Washington. But I digress. Point being, when the kids or husband are up, my workout is over. Kaput. Finito. Finis. Over. Done.

I know that sounds kinda nutty, but it's just how I am. I look at my workouts as my leave me alone time a cherished hour of peace. They're my time to think, sweat, push myself, perhaps even utter a few unkind things toward my TV trainer of the day. :) And I really don't like to be interrupted.

However, I do plan to try to get something in later today. Dean plans to mow both the front/back lawns today, so that just might be my ticket to Fat BurnVille. (Hee hee)

Hmm. Where was I? Oh yes. Nutrition!

Well, I didn't too horribly bad. No junk food, which is great. No sweets. (Hooray!) Still heavy on the carbs and light on the produce though, which is bad. {Sigh} I plan to do better this week though. I'm going to get more fixings for veggie sandwiches and perhaps take a stroll through the local Farmer's Market this weekend to load up on fruit for snacking. That'll be good! :)

Alright, I've taken enough of your time. It's your turn to check in! :)

Oh wait. One last thing. Has anyone been keeping up with the Core Conditioning program? What do you think? Have you noticed any results yet?

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*



Happy Friday, ladies! I just completed the Shoulders & Arms workout (P90X) and am feeling pretty darn spritely, if I do say so myself. I pushed myself a little harder than I did earlier this week (funny what 1.5 extra hours of sleep will do!), and am very proud of myself. I completed more reps with heavier weights--woohoo! Per the prescribed routine, I still have their Abs workout to do but I'll get to that in a bit. I wanted to get this post up first! :)

As I somewhat mentioned, today I got to sleep in (til 5:30am). Dean's OT is decreasing (at least for today) and we could definitely use the break. Not that the extra money isn't needed or appreciated...LOL. But sleep, I've learned the hard way, is quite a necessity.

My workouts this week have been ranging anywhere from 60-75 mins, taking the form of workout DVD's (P90X) and the exercise bike for added cardio. This is of course, on top of the almost daily walks around the neighborhood running errands or taking Sierra and Ethan to taekwondo class.

Nutritionally, things have been going fairly well. I've upped the veggies/fruit and water, and haven't had a single sweet thing to eat all week. Hooray! :) Well, okay--there was 1 peanut butter and jelly sandwich. {Ahem} But it was on multi-grain bread so that's not too bad, right? (LOL) I know, I know. Excuses!

As far as improvements are concerned, I've noticed that my arms are already looking tighter. I'm still holding out for a dramatic "backside" transformation, though. {Sigh} Oh, the pain of being half-Mexican and loving carbs! Did you notice I didn't record any weight loss? That's because there isn't any! :o/

How was your week? Anything exciting to report? Changes, transformations--it's time to share 'em all! :)

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details.*


I don't know about you, but for me this week has been incredibly exhausting. Dean's been working OT all this week (and last), waking up at 4am and working 'til 4pm. Now some of you may be wondering what that has to do with me. Well, I shall tell you. It's because I wake up 10 mins before he does in order to get everything ready to wake him up 10 minutes later. (Setting out clean towels for his shower, starting the coffee...and of course, putting on my makeup and quickly brushing my hair and teeth. Ahem.)

So what does glass of whine have to do with my fitness exploits? In a word--everything.

Although I've been consistent with my exercise, my workouts feel incredibly lazy. Forced. Borderline unenjoyable. Why? Because I'm so darn tired. Not even the massive amount of liquid energy I've been consuming (chai) has helped much. I'm often afraid I'm going to drop a weight on my foot (or my head if I'm doing a chest press or something), so I really have to be careful. :o)

Yesterday was by far my best day. I had a nice burst of energy while I was doing the P90X's Legs and Back workout, and yes--before you ask--my inner thighs are a tad sore. I was hoping to feel it more in the backend, but no such luck. Perhaps if I'd pushed myself harder I would've. I admit I went a bit "easy" on myself during the wall-sits and one legged wall-sits. I didn't go down nearly as far as I could've/should've because I was worried that, once I was down, I wouldn't get back up! I'd just keep sinking toward the floor and take a nap. (Hee hee)

Please don't think I'm advocating anyone here to workout past the point of exhaustion. I'm sure I'm getting very little to no benefit by doing this, but I'm the type of person who *has* to workout each day otherwise I feel off-center. Even if I do have to d-r-a-g myself through it.

I've given myself a few (to several) days off in the past during times like this, but instead of being peaceful it only made me feel worse. I couldn't enjoy my day(s) off because it felt like I was "bad" for not working out. Seriously, I would beat myself up with thoughts like "Are you kidding me? You're too tired?", "One lazy day turns into a  habit!", "And now you want a donut?!"

Addiction. It's a powerful thing. :-}

What about you? Are you driven to workout each day? Or do you allow yourself a day off here 'n there? Please tell me I'm not the only psycho.... LOL!

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're new to my blog and would like to join the merry band of mommies working hard to get--or stay--fit, please click here for all the details. *


Well, I don't know about ya'll but I am wiped OUT! Between waking up at 4am (hubby's working OT) and not going to bed until 10:30-11pm, to working out with P90X on top of that---whew! I need a break from myself this weekend! :)

As tough as the P90X program is, you don't really "feel" all that worked while you're in the middle of it. Okay, that sounded weird. Yes, you feel worked but it's really in a good way. I feel energized, motivated and challenged during the workouts (even if I am often rolling my eyes at Tony Horton's ill-attempts at humor). But then I'm the type of person who clearly thrives on challenge (at least in this area) and this new workout series is giving it to me, no holds barred.

I will say though that my muscles SCREAM at me the next day. Thankfully, with this program you only work 1-2 muscle groups a day so the soreness gets nice 'n evened out. Sore arms/shoulders? No problem. Today we'll work your legs. {Ahem}

Workouts have been very fun and consistent this week. My favorites so far are the Arms & Shoulders and Core Synergistics. I'm also partial to a few aspects of the Ab Ripper X. (And yes, it's just as brutal as it sounds.) However, the vast majority of the moves consist of lying down flat on your back then curling up from there to a full sit-up. Something I cannot do whilst lying down. Forget it. Nope. No way. No can-do. Several other moves consist of leaning back on your tailbone, which really does not feel good.

But (and here's that "thrive on challenge" part of my personality kicking in) my new goal is to work hard to complete the Ab Ripper X like it's nobody's business! (Hee hee)

This week my nutritional intake has been so-so. Haven't had any chocolate or cake (boo hoo) but I've been eating far too many carbs than I should be. {I like bread. A lot.} It likes me, too. That's why we "stick" together. It sticks to my hips, and I keep sticking it in my mouth. We're pals.

What has your week looked like?

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're brand new to my blog or to the Fit Mommy Meme please click here to learn how you can participate. Join the band of merry wives and mothers as we move one step at a time in the direction of health and fitness. :) It's a lot of fun, I promise no one bites, and the encouragement is incredible.*


Whew!!!! I just completed my first P90X workout (Core Synergistics) and I feel amazing! Granted, I felt (and no doubt looked) pretty darn foolish during a few of the moves, but overall--yeah, baby! ;o] I like!

Now before you think I just invested in something as expensive as P90X, I must tell you that I'm borrowing this from Dean's co-worker. The one I was telling you about in a previous post who lost over 20+ pounds doing this program. Anyway, both Dean and I are going to give this thing a shot. I'm not sure yet how well Dean will be able to do the exercises due to his neck/shoulder (and fusion surgery) but we'll see. At least he's willing to try it, right? :o]

Throughout this week I've been consistent with my workouts. Up until today, I'd complete a Firm tape/dvd (sometimes 2 depending on length) in the morning and would--as always--get in a bit of walking in during the day. I haven't done any of the jogging like I was doing in previous weeks, though. I seem to like this better--the whole workout dvd/walking combo. (I'm a creature of habit, what can I say?)

Nutritionally speaking, I'm pleased to report that I've increased my consumption of veggies (fruit?--not so much) and water. I've also gone back to the Ezekiel bread which tastes amazing after not having it for awhile. But I must confess to eating 4 Creme Eggs throughout the week. (Ahem) Yeah, that whole "no junk food" streak? Broken! Shattered! Demolished! {Sigh}

But they sure were good! Hee hee!

I'm feeling incredibly motivated this week for some reason. Perhaps it stems from the Jillian Michaels book I'm reading, Master Your Metabolism? Or perhaps it's due to the new P90X dvds? Knowing me as only I do, the answer is probably *both*.  :o] I'm also really enjoying the increased definition I'm developing at the front of my shoulders as well as my thighs. Wooohooo! (Now if I could just get the back of my thighs to wake up, as well as my jiggly lower abs, that would be great.)

What about you? Were you feeling all gung-ho this week? Sign the Mr. Linky below and tell us about it!

Dear Metabolism: Who's Yo' Mama Now?!

As most of you are already well aware, I'm a huge fan of Jillian Michaels. I've read her first two books and use (in rotation) her three workout dvds. The missing piece of my Ode to Jillian puzzle was the lack of having read her latest book, Master Your Metabolism.

Like a good little frugal-diva, I requested the book through my library.

That put me at #65 on the ol' Hold's List. {Insert deep sigh of resignation here}

But at long last, the clouds parted and the birds began to sing. I received an email stating that my turn had come up! The book was waiting for me--at long last! Woohoo!!

Talk about an exercise in patience! (No pun intended) But that's yesterday's news. What matters now, is that I have a copy in my hot little hands. (Okay, they're actually rather cold at the moment but that's normal for me.)

Master Your Metabolism delves into the world of hormones and explains how they help or restrict weight loss, depending upon their balance (or lack thereof). Jillian starts out by sharing her own weight loss struggles (which I gleaned more than a little twisted pleasure from!), and how she found "the keys to the kingdom" when it came to restoring her body's natural balance. Now that she's operating out of hormonal homeostasis, Jillian says she no longer works as hard to maintain her physique and she feels far healthier than she ever did before.

To make this happen for you, Jillian talks a lot about going organic and removing toxins from in and around your home. While I'm not against organic and buy such things as often as I can, I'm not too keen on the whole "remove toxins from your house" just yet. However, I am open to changing my mind.

I'm also quite fascinated by the science behind hormones, and love how the book breaks things down in layman's terms. In fact, that aspect alone makes this book golden in my opinion. Honestly, when you understand how your body responds to various additives and chemicals in your food, which make it harder or practically impossible to lose weight, how can that not make a huge difference? 

The book also covers the damaging effects of stress, lack of sleep, and running on caffeine {insert nervous whistling here}. Jillian also stresses the importance of getting 5-6 hrs of exercise in per week. (However, she doesn't go into exercise beyond that in this book.)

If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend you do! It's packed full of information, meal plans, recipes, etc. I'll be buying a copy of it shortly after this just to keep on hand for reference. And get this--later this month, the Master Your Metabolism Cookbook will be out as well as a MYM Calorie Counter! (Not sure if I'll be buying the cookbook just yet, however I am curious about the Calorie Counter!)

If you have read this book, please leave a comment and share your thoughts. :)

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're brand new to my blog or to the Fit Mommy Meme please click here to learn how you can participate. Join the band of merry wives and mothers as we move one step at a time in the direction of health and fitness. :) It's a lot of fun, I promise no one bites, and the encouragement is incredible.*



Last week I was feeling pretty good about my effort and progress. This week--? Not so much.

While I did get a few extra walks/jogs in, in addition to my workouts, I didn't feel (probably because I wasn't) like I was really trying hard enough. Know what I mean? Like everything I did was just the bare minimum. And really, it was. I could've done more--pushed myself harder--worked out for a longer period of time. But I chose not to. Not to sure why exactly, other than a bad case of "I'm okay right where I'm at. I'm doing so well I'm hardly sweating. See?"

But that's not enough.

There comes a point where one has to really put some effort into their routines lest they become complacent and your progress comes to a halt.

So that's my focus for next week. Pushing, pushing, pushing past all barriers--including but not limited to--my own laziness.

On the bright side, my hamstrings (What is up with that word, anyway? Is that not the weirdest name for a human body part? Makes me feel like I've got Porky Pig legs or something.) are sore from all the deadlifts I did this week. :)  Call me crazy, but that lingering soreness always makes me feel a little bit better about myself.

Now if my gut was sore from crunches instead of bloated, I'd be doing great! (Thank you, PMS...)

Oh, check this out. Dean's interested in trying that P90X Fitness program. Have you seen it? My sister has the set and loves it. Apparently one of Dean's co-workers/managers has been using it and has lost 23 lbs so far. (Wow!) Hence, his new found inspiration. From what I've seen and heard, it utilizes the same methods (muscle confusion, cardio and weights) that the old Firm tapes employ. So with that being said, I'd be interested in trying it out (I mean really, it's a new workout video! Sign me up!), I'm just not sure if it'd be any different from what I'm currently using. Then again, I'm open to being challenged and proven wrong. ;-]  So if we decide to get it, I'll update you all here.

Speaking of updates, I guess I'd better open the floor to the rest of you fabulous ladies so you can share yours! :)

But first, one last thing. If you use a particular program or video, would you mind writing a bit about it? Sort of like a review. I thought it might be nice to share something like that so the rest of us can see if what you're using would work for us. :) What do you think? I'll put mine in a separate post as I have soooooooo many videos to choose from. (If that's the case for you as well, let's just pick out Top 3 or something and go from there. ~Wink~)

Fit Mommy Friday

*If you're brand new to my blog or to the Fit Mommy Meme please click here to learn how you can participate. Join the band of merry wives and mothers as we move one step at a time in the direction of health and fitness. :) It's a lot of fun, I promise no one bites, and the encouragement is incredible.*


How goes the battle? Unfortunately, this week was a bit tougher than I'd planned due to a mishap with my baby toe.

Yeah. My baby toe.

Not some gloriously achieved injury whilst engaged in strenuous physical activity. No, I merely rammed my toe into my bedroom door frame around 4:30am. I was in a mad-dash to get my little dog, Fernando outside before he got sick on the carpet. (Yuck) I was racing about, turning off our house's security alarm, yanking the slider door's blinds up, then turned to see that Fernando was still retching in the bedroom doorway. So I shot back down the hall as fast as I could (did I mention we have wood floors? And I was wearing socks?), when suddenly---just as I was bending down to pick up my baby---CRACK!! My toe hit the door frame.

Not the best way to wake up, lemme tell ya!

So my swollen, very sore, very purple toe prevented me from working out (from the waist down) from Wednesday--Thursday. It was all I could do to put a sock or shoe on! Thankfully, I was still able to get some ab and arm work in during that time. :o/

Anyway, it feels much better now and Fernando did make it outside in time. Barely.

So before the incident, I had been doing well. Used the bike a lot, jogged around the neighborhood in the early mornings...(gasping for air like a fish out of water)

You wanna know something I learned? There's a real method to breathing when you run/jog. While I'd heard such a thing existed, I never bothered to pay attention before now. (I'm sure Tracy is having a good laugh at that, aren't you dear? --Wink!) Moving on!

Nutritionally, I totally bombed--hard. My daughter's birthday was last Friday and of course, that means cake. Plenty of scrumptious, mouth watering, carb-a-licious cake! :) I won't even tell you how many pieces I had (because I lost count), but I will say how bad I felt eating each one. Obviously not bad enough NOT to eat them, but bad enough to hop back on the bike for an extra 20 mins or run around the block an extra lap. I'd like to say that made up for my lack of willpower, but...well...I can't. {Sigh}

So it's back to the drawing board this week. The cake is cleared out, my toe is healed up and I have no excuses!

What about you???