day 173 (day 5 / week 25)

Today I did level 3 and then level 1 (with some level 3 modifications) of the 30 day shred, day 22 (56 minutes), and 5 sets of 20 reps of the Quickfire Challenge (QFC) Side Crunches with 5lb hand weights (this took me about 12 minutes).

In the last week or so, I have realized that I am procrastinating with exercising a lot, and that I am hitting some sort of a plateau with exercise--nothing is changing and I'm getting bored easily (I have mentioned these things a few times here). I also realized that I need to start exercising earlier, because my Monkey Boy is a distraction too, and I need to step it up a notch and exercise more, so that I can quit complaining (and coincidentally eat more lol). It's nice to realize all of this, but nothing will ever change until I actually do something about it.

The computer is my biggest distraction/tool of procrastination. Unfortunately my hubby comes in a strong second. There isn't anything wrong with these things and I definitely don't have to remove them from my life to accomplish my goals (what a surprise that would be to my hubby! lol), especially now that I know what triggers my procrastination for exercise. Yesterday and today I did something about it. One of them fell into my lap without my even looking for it (totally a God thing) which kind of also helps me with another.

I have a routine--I wake up in the morning (6am), go to the kitchen, fill up my water, get my yogurt and vitamins, then sit down (veg) at my computer and read emails and do my sparkpeople thing (points, reading articles, check off my goals, etc) and some other stuff. This routine is a BIG problem. Yesterday I decided that today and onward I would not come to the computer until AFTER I am finished exercising. My computer would be my reward and this TOTALLY worked (for today at least). I was finished with almost an hour of exercise before I normally would have even started--when I procrastinate. On the weekends I am going to try to speed it up and get to exercising while my hubby is in the shower. Out of sight, out of mind. Check and check.

The other thing that I tackled yesterday (the God thing) was my boredom of my workout. I don't feel sore and I am just bored. Randomly, I was invited to a group on sparkpeople called Quickfire Challenge (QFC)--the leader of the group puts up daily challenges/exercises for us to do, and this also helps me a lot with boredom and I am sore today! Yesterday one of the QFC's was to do a side lunge with a knee lift (surprisingly a Jillian Michaels move--it starts at :20 on the screen). It's kind of like the side lunge/anterior shoulder raise in Level 1--30DS (I think this is what she calls it), but w/ no weights/shoulder raise, and the leg that you lunge into, goes into a knee lift. I did 25 of them on each leg, 4 times (4 sets/25 reps). My butt is kickin'! Whew! Doing these QFC's tackles the boredom and also extends my workouts so they are longer--every extra minute helps!

The thing that I am saddest about in all of this revelation is a few articles I read about exercise and losing weight and maintaining weight. I knew that the FDA, ACSM and CDC suggest 30 minutes of MODERATE exercise on most days, but I think I purposefully blocked out the fact that if you want to lose weight or maintain weight loss you need to double that. Studies have shown (conducted by The National Weight Control Registry) that the 5000 people in this study that have lost weight, and have maintained that weight loss for 5 or so years do at least 60 minutes of moderate exercise EVERYDAY. *cry* I guess I need to step it up a notch. The lazy part of me doesn't want to, but I think I am ready. I have been teasing myself with it anyway.

So I guess that's it. I realized what was standing in my way, and I found a way to get around it. Hopefully I can stick to it! If I find myself lingering away from it, I guess I will have to create a sparkpeople goal, so that I can check it off (the same way I got myself to eat enough veggies, drink my water and take my vitamins lol--so sad but you gotta do what you gotta do!).

Have a great Monday! Try to realize something that is blocking you from accomplishing a goal, and find your way around it. Don't give up! Make today count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 135 (day 2 / week 20)

Today I started off my workout (Ramp It up from Slim in 6) with the word of the day, from yesterday, resonating in my mind....boredom. If I think I'm going to be bored with my workout, then I'm going to be bored with my workout. Why am I letting myself be self defeating? I am a star! I can do this and have been doing this! I know I can do this!

With that attitude in mind, I didn't focus on the workout anymore, but on my body. My muscles. My movement. My breathing. The task at hand. I just closed my eyes and focused. You'll be surprised with what you can accomplish when you approach every task with this kind of focus. Before I knew it, I had done every single second of Ramp It Up, as if I had been doing it for a month straight...including those tedious leg lifts! I did EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM--IN A ROW! I definitely felt the burn, but that burn just made me focus even more!

The moment I decided to let go of the workout and focus on my body, my entire focus of the workout changed. I am no longer thinking about the mundane and monotonous workout--the time that it takes to complete it, but that the more I do this, the stronger I am going to get.

A friend of mine that lives next door to my in-laws here in Vegas, runs every Saturday morning with her "running group." When we first moved here and she saw that I had been losing weight, she asked me if I wanted to go running with her. First I thought, "wow that would be a great way to lose this weight faster" but then reality set in and I kind of chuckled in the back of my head thinking, "that's a good one, a fat girl 'running.'" But instead of saying "no," I said, "when I have a pair of running shoes that fit me w/out causing pain, I will go running with you," knowing fully well that that wasn't going to happen. I think it was the next weekend that my MIL bought me these shoes (I love them so much!).

I saw my friend the week after I got these shoes and I was still on the high from being able to fit in these shoes, that I mentioned to her that I had them now. Well she invited me then. The idea of going to run, is more exhilarating to me at this point, than doing it. I am scared! She said she would email me some information and we left it at that.

Two days ago I got that information and it's been gnawing at the nape of my neck ever since. When it was just the thought of her and I running, I was ok with it. Now she has a runner friend coming too! They want to run 5 miles for 2 hours. How on earth am I supposed to do this??? I have not ran a single step in a VERY long time--at least 5 years. I used to run all the time when I was fit, but I had some problems with my foot, that I am afraid will come back to haunt me.

All of this went through my mind as I found my focus in my workout today. How will I ever become a "runner" and get into the best shape of my life, if I don't just do it? My friend knows that I am overweight (duh it's obvious lol) and she knows that I will probably not be able to run like her and her friend. She knows she will probably have to stop for me a million times, and she still wants me to come (I think, lol). What's the worst that will happen? I go and all of this happens--I'll stop, my foot will hurt, I will have to walk, I'll slow them down, annoy her friend, yadda-yadda-yadda. No the worst thing that would happen, is that I think about it, and that's all that I do. "What if I went running with her?" "Would I have been able to do it?"

I think I'm going to do it. I woke up this morning planning my email to her, telling her why I couldn't do it. I will tell her exactly how I feel, and if she still wants me to go, I will. If she doesn't, then I will go running in my own neighborhood, by myself, just to see how I do. What's the worst that could happen? I find out that it's just not the right time for me yet, and I know, not assume, but actually know :).

It amazes me that when God sees us grabbing for the strength to do something, He gives it to us. We can do all things in Christ, who gives us the strength to do it! ALL THINGS. (Philippians 4:13).

I can do this. I am a star!

day 131 (day 5 / week 19)

Today I did Turbo Jam's Cardio Party, but felt like I had to force myself to do every minute of it. I even skipped through a few minutes of it *gasp!* where I literally wanted to just sit down and watch. I don't know if I feel tired, but I'm a little sore from yesterday. I think I'm just bored with Turbo Jam now *gasp!*. Don't get me wrong, I truly <3 size="1">*gasp!*

It sounds ridiculous, and maybe boring for you guys, but I think I am going to do the Slim in 6 series over again--for another month. I had great results in the first month I started exercising, and I have no doubt (after yesterday's workout) that I will see great results again. It still blows my mind that I thought, "this is harder that what I have been doing," when I was doing "Start It Up!" yesterday, because it used to be REALLY easy for me to do when I was doing Slim in 6 often.

So that does it, tomorrow I will start Slim in 6 again. Maybe I will feel more energy due to a lack of boredom. I will definitely have to bring my own music into the mix though, cause going from club music in Turbo Jam, to elevator music in Slim in 6, is music shock (kind of like culture shock, but with music lol). We'll see what tomorrow brings!

I hope you all have a great Monday. Before we know it, it will be Friday again, so make today count! The day's fly by so fast if we don't stop to smell the flowers!

I can do this. I am a star.