Love/Hate

I did Plyometrics yesterday.  I was hoping that this far into the program, I would be able to complete this workout full out, not skipping any sets.  Well, that's not happening!  Its SO hard!  Makes me sweat my butt off and makes my hear rate jump in the 180s!  Anyways, before the warm up starts, Tony made a comment about Plyo being love/hate.  And that made me think about all the things I love and hate about P90x.  Here's my list:





I hate watching my sugar intake.

I love that I am learning to really think

about what I eat.

I hate that I feel guilty drinking my 2nd cup of coffee.

I love that I am finally drinking more

green tea now to replace the coffee!

I hate YogaX!

I love Core Synergistics!

I hate how there are people who

don't believe they can BRING IT!

I love my improved self image and confidence!

I hate AbRipperX

I LOVE AbRipperX

I love how much I've pushed passed

the limits my 'mind' created.

I love my abs!

I love my new found drive/determination

and endurance!

I love the P90x Recovery Shake!

I love Cat stretch!

Wow.... looks like the 'love' column wins.  As usual :)

I am documenting this in my blog so that its the equivalent of setting it in stone.  But mark my words - I WILL COMPLETE PLYOMETRICS by the end of my 90 days - doing every exercise to the max!

Goodbye Starbucks :(

was a time in my life where I ordered a Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte EVERYday!  I had a Starbucks card setup that would automatically add $50 to my card when my balance got low.

Now that I am a little more money-conscious AND nutrition-conscious - I have been limiting my visits.  Well, yesterday I decided to treat myself to a post-church snack.  I ordered a Grande White Chocolate Mocha w/ nonfat milk and no whip - and a reduced fat banana chip coffee cake.  Well - I added in my little 'treats' to myfitnesspal (the app I talked about here) and it turns out I paid ALOT for those!  I cannot believe the calories and even worse, the SUGAR!

Reduced-Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Calories 390
Total Fat 7g
Saturated Fat 4.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 500mg
Total Carbohydrate 79g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 51g
Protein 5g 51 GRAMS OF SUGAR!!!  And they call this reduced fat! omg! ...now lets add in the Latte: Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha  (w/ nonfat milk and  no whip) Calories 430 Total Fat 7g Saturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol <5mg Sodium 230mg Total Carbohydrate 79g Dietary Fiber 0g Sugars 75g Protein 14g

OK.. so, tack on another 430 calories and another SEVENTY-FIVE grams of sugar!  YIKES.

 

I think its safe to say that me and Starbucks are going to have to go on a break  :-(

Week 7 - Take 2

Excuses, excuses....that's what this post is all about!

I've been horrible this week.  I worked out ONCE.  I did Legs/Back.  That's all..
I know I know - awful, right.

Here I am - trying to eat all day long to meet my calorie/nutrition requirements - and I'm not even doing the exercise to use those babies up! 

My mother in law has been in town (hi Mom!) and that's part of my excuse... the other part is that my husband (who is doing the program with me) had elbow surgery last week and has been out of commission since.  SO - it would have been totally rude of me to just move on wtihout him, obviously!  See - my only option was to hold off for this week!

Week 7 will officially begin (again) on Monday, Jan. 24.  I WILL be working tonight and over the weekend...maybe YogaX for practice.. not sure yet.
Anyways.. TGIF.
Whats on your weekend workout schedules??

Nutrition Plan... I hate you!

I have always been a healthy eater for the most part.  I like my veggies, I eat whole grains, I don't drink soda...Of course, I AM human, and do of course like my sweet fix too.

When I started P90x, I wasn't too concerned with following the Nutrition Plan.  I am not doing it for weight loss, so I didn't really think it applied to me.  Well, around Week 6/7, my Husband (who is also doing P90x) suggested that we start following the plan strictly.

Soo.. enter, myfitnesspal.com

A GREAT app to record all the foods you eat, your exercise and daily notes.  Its a great resource to track what you're eating.  I am on Phase II of the Nutrition Plan.  This involves 40% protein/40% carbs/20% fat - 2,040 calories.  No problem! Easy Peasy, right?  Protein..Carbs...Fat... oh, wait.  SUGAR.  Where is the category for sugar?  By 2 PM today, before I had even eaten lunch - I had already gone OVER my daily allotment of sugar!

This has definitely been eye opening.  Seeing what you're actually eating is pretty scary.

(btw... this is just a random pic I found online..)


For example - there is a Chick-fil-a downstairs in the building I work in.  Sometimes when I forget my breakfast, I will grab a yogurt parfait from there.  Quick, cheap healthy .. right? 

Um, apparently WRONG.  There is THIRTY-freggin-NINE grams of sugar in that itty bitty cup!  wow.  Anytime we go out to eat now, I have to look up the menu online and choose my meal based on the nutrition guide.  There are so many things that you'd think are semi-ok on the health scale - and they're really BAD.

Anyways - I have yet to have a 100% successful day yet!  Its hard to get in all the calories, but even harder to get the right kind of calories!

Pre-Workout Supplements??

Does anyone else use a pre-workout supplement??  I normally do... on strenth training days.  I prefer Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump 250 but I also use MuscleTech Nano Vapor.


Sometimes I wonder if they really do anything?  Or if its just in my mind that I can lift more/do more reps after taknig one of these... BUT, I just experimented doing Legs/Back with Nano Vapor and without.  Normally Legs/Back is Day 5... but I did it this week as Day 1.  I could totally tell a difference in yesterday's workout compared to my Week 6 Legs/Back workout.  I was really dragging, did not have as much energy/intensity and felt drained about 1/2 way thru.  On the other hand, when I have taken the pre-workout supplement, I stay energized, I max out my reps and weight and always finish strong.


So - has anyone else had luck with any other supplements?

Confessions...

So...I've been kind of a yoga drop out.  I did it for Week 1 & 2 - and have not done it since!

I need to get back on the ball with doing it.  I don't know why, I just have such a hard time getting myself motivated to do it!  I think part of it is that fact that its a 90 minute workout.  Yuck!  When I look thru other yoga pictures, and different poses, etc., I think its awesome that people have that kind of flexibility and posture.  I really want that for myself and I think it will benefit other areas too.

Week 7, Day 1 starts tomorrow.  I plan to be more strict with myself...workout wise and nutrition wise.  I don't care what it takes, but by the time I reach day 90  - I WILL be able to do Crane!

Goals

Goals are one of those things that people set - and forget.  Or some people use them to keep themselves super motivated.  I think the fitness aspect of life is definitely one of those things that helps when you create goals.  Otherwise, how do you know when you've reached a new level?

Well, here is the look I am going for:

I think this look is perfect.  Not so muscular that she has lost her femininity at all.  But enough to where you know she takes this seriously and looks Ah-Mazing!
While I am definitely enjoying P90x - I am not sure if it will get me here or not....  Maybe if I did a 2nd round, my arms and abs would be close....but not legs.  I think that is one thing that P90x skimps on a little bit.  I mean, between Plyo, Kenpo and Legs/Back, you are certainly working your legs....but you're not building/strength training them as much as I would like and need.

Speaking of Legs/Back.... Week 6, Day 5 was yesterday.  I had an awesome workout.  My pull up numbers are going up and up... but I still am not able to do them w/out a chair.  Those wall squats are KILLER!  I think this is the first time I did them w/out coming out of the squat early.  So, yay!  Another milestone :)

Anyways - I guess I'm about half-way thru!  Time to take new progress pics and measurements.  Can't wait to see if there is any change.

Thanks for following along :)

Superman Banana!

SUPERMAN!

BANANA!

SUPERMAN!

BANANA!

SUPERMAN!!!

BANANA

SUPERMAN (hardly!)

AND....ONE MORE BANANA!

SO...Not the most graceful pictures..lol...but I'm trying!  Here is what its supposed to look like:

So....thats my goal.  to get the form and posture of the multi-talented..flys through the air with greatest of ease... Dreya. :)  I'll have to do a side by side comparison of this pic and a pic of me at the end of the 90 days and see how close I get!

I'm halfway thru Week 6!! HECK yeah!

Wow!  I can't say I'm surprised that I've made it this far....but I feel quite happy with myself.  I am definitely surpassing what I thought I was capable of!  MORE push ups, pull ups, curls, rows, etc then I ever imagined doing!  I'm increasing my weights each week, and trying to increase reps on the push ups/pull ups too.

Weeks 5, 6 and 7 have a different schedule than the beginning:
Day 1:  Chest Shoulder Tri
Day 2:  Plyo
Day 3:  Back/Bi
Day 4:  YogaX
Day 5:  Legs/Back
Day 6:  KenpoX
Day 7:  Rest or XStretch

I have done semi-okay keeping up with this schedule...I would like to eventually get that Day 7 XStretch in.  Its just hard time wise.  These workouts take up SO much time! But SO worth it.

Also - I have been very loosey/goosey following the Nutrition Plan.  I am trying hard to stick to the plan now.  Phase II - Energy Boost....I"m in Level I - 2040 calories.  We'll see how it goes!

Pics to follow!

P90x Recovery Shake

I am a believer!

I was skeptical at first.  I thought, oh, its just a way for the mother company to make more money.  The product probably does nothing but charge your credit card.

Well - I stand corrected.  The recovery shake is Ah-Mazing!  The flavor is okay.  Its nice to have a change from chocolate - which is the usual flavor of my protein shakes.  Generally speaking, I have been drinking a Myofusion shake made w/ skim milk in the morning.  SuperPump as my pre-workout supplement on strength training days - and 2 scoops of P90x Recovery post workout.

I must admit - I have not been sore again since I've been taking it.  Well... I take that back.  I was very SORE after chest/shoulder/tri.  But other than that, its been great!  I am glad that my husband talked me into ordering it.  

Maybe I'll go ahead and try the protein bars too... We'll see :)

Back & Biceps

Seriously Tony? 26 different exercises? Ahhh! This was hard. I can say without doubt that my muscles reached failure. I had no idea there could be SO many curl variations! Good workout though...I can totally forsee some great results :)

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