*pat on the back*

I don't know if it's because I am pregnant now, or just because life is changing, but I look forward to my days off so much more now, than before. Before it was just like "eeh" I could give or take them. They were nice, but I didn't urn for them the way I do now.

Today I got up early (baah!), got the Monkey Boy fed, dressed and off to school. He really enjoys going to school. I just hope this new-found excitement lasts. I got my nonfat decaf blended ice mocha at Starbucks and headed home to exercise.

I procrastinated for about an hour playing my guitar (hey, it wouldn't be me if there wasn't a little bit of procrastination going on lol). I miss my guitar and singing. It sounds silly but once upon a time I used to play all the time at a guitar shop at open mic night, when I lived in Redondo Beach, CA. I used to write my own songs/poetry and used to be really artsy fartsy. When I was pregnant with my first son I used to play a lot and sing, and he came out being a really well mannered little chill boy, who loves Loves LOVES music, so I am doing it again. I don't know if it's superstition, but I enjoy it, and I believe the baby's ears are developed, so maybe he can feel/hear the guitar, the melody and my voice.



Anyway after I got that out of my system, I got to it and exercised.

One of the questions I have been asked pretty frequently in emails (sorry I am bad w/ responding) is how do I stay motivated to just get up and do it. I thought about it today, and I think about it like this: I just make it a part of my day, like I do brushing my teeth or getting dressed. I have to do it. I don't see it as an optional part of my day. On the days that I feel like I want to make it optional, I just think about how great I feel after doing it (huge sense of accomplishment!), and how I feel feel and look, after time. Before/after pictures are great motivation, and even publishing your accomplishments for all to see is great motivation also because people are so inspiring and so supportive! How can you not get out and do it again when you have people believing in you. It's awesome! That being said, thank you for all of your support. As you can see, YOU are a big part of my motivation, especially on the days that I don't want to do it :).

I was really ambitious today. I created another workout on EA Sports Active 2, with over 20 activities and this time a more well rounded lower body workout (including a warmup, cardio, strength more cardio and even a cool down). The goal was for about 30 minutes but keeping my HR below 130--as the first OB/Gyn recommended. I completed 28:34 minutes and burned 162.5 calories.

I completed most of what I signed myself up for, but skipped maybe 4 of the activities using my HR as a guide. I had a lot of cardio on there, and during the 10 min step aerobics segment, I had a really hard time keeping my HR below 125. I felt great, and didn't feel winded at all, but I guess the doc knows best, right? I even had to stop mid workout and let my HR drop a little (like she suggested), so it was a good idea that I didn't follow through with the other aerobic segment that I had. My goal was to keep my HR in the 2nd Zone (between 115-130 I think).



The other segments I skipped over were some squats and lunges. I haven't done either of the 2 for a while, and I was feeling it pretty good. I did 1 set if 16 of each--which was on the easy setting. I really thought it would have given me a set of 10 which is why I opted for 2 of each to begin with.

Anyway here is a summary of my stats. I had some pretty good goals for today, which I accomplished for the most part *pat on the back.*



Have an awesome day!

If I can do this, so can you...
You can do this, You are a star!

Day 49 (2/18/11)

Friday was a good day for exercise. I did 2 workouts on EA Sports Active 2, back to back. I worked out for about 45 minutes and burned roughly 256 calories.

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but EASA2 has a heart rate monitor, and gives you a breakdown of your heart rate during your workout. Here are the stats for my 2 workouts, and the key in how it categorizes the different HR levels.

Workout #1

Workout #2
HR Zone key:

Did you notice that I am now doing "medium" intensity, instead of easy? I can totally handle it and it rocks!!! Parts can be a little difficult still, but I can do it! I can do all sorts of stuff I couldn't do last year and the year before like jumping squats, jumping lunges, jumping anything--I couldn't really jump w/out a lot of pain before. Nothing feels better than seeing/feeling your body get stronger. The only thing that stinks about that is, now it's (my body) gonna expect more out of me, to see results. Awe man, but yaay!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 47 (Wordless Wednesday)

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 43 (saturday)

Saturday I tried to catch up on some missed workouts on EA Sports Active 2. I did 2 of them. It was a great workout.


Before this, though, I did about 30 minutes of heavy cleaning. I also walked 4905 steps.

It was a good day for exercise. My goal was to do 60 minutes, and I surpassed that :).

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 37

You know what bugs me each time I do this exercise game (EA Sports Active 2)? It says at the bottom that I can go to their website for a more in-depth Workout Results, which I REALLY want to do. When I first go this, it made me create a user name so I could do this. Well when I go to the website and type in the user name I created, to get my workout results, it tells me that it's already in use. Well duh! By me! The website is making me create a new user name. What's the point in prompting me to make a user name, if I can't use it?

*shrugs*

I feel as though I have complained about this already lol. It just bugs me ;).

I get to work in the morning. yaay me.

Have a good one.

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 36 (Silent Saturday)

Day 33 (Wordless Wednesday)

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 15 (I really must stop cheating. like. forreally.)

I'm so...tired. Must...sleep. Must stop cheating... :(

I almost fell asleep exercising. I waited too late to start. I did the EA Sports Active 2 for 17 minutes--I was really impatient tonight...just wanted it to be over and done w/ so I can be 1 step closer to my bed--and burned a whopping 83 calories! wow. How impressive is that?

This morning I weighed in the same as yesterday, but lost inches I think on my hips and somewhere else (wanna say my leg??). I forget where off hand, and am too tired/lazy to go find my phone to get those numbers. I'm sure it's dead where ever it is. I'll just update w/ tomorrow's blog in the morning (yes, I am committing myself to exercise early, before I do anything else).

Good night! DLTBBB!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)

Day 13

I got a new toy! Last night we went to Target and they had EA Sports Active 2 on sale--40% off! I have been eying it for some time and hubby said I could buy it (an early bday present to me).

So this morning I woke up, did the original EA Sports Active, and then popped in #2. My USB thingy was faulty so it wouldn't let me use it. It tracks the info transmitted from the heart rate monitor and sensors that come with the game. Totally cool game (comes w/ a HRM?!? How awesome is that!). Needless to say I was disappointed that I couldn't do anything w/ it.

I called the customer service number and they said to send it back to them, and they would replace it (he said it was a pretty common problem w/ EASA2). I decided to just go back to Target and exchange it there, since I really want to play this thing. The replacement was not faulty and I was able to use it. Yaay!

I did the original for 21 minutes, burning 129 calories, and the EASA2 for 18 minutes and burned 91 calories. The 2nd one is different than the first. The first starts off w/ cardio (running or the like) and the 2nd starts w/ like a warm up-warm up (like active stretching), and ends with stretching. It has a real warm up and cool down, and tracks your HR the entire time--you actually see it up on the screen. Pretty cool.

Anyway, as far as my diet (R3P2D3) I'm not doing that great! Although my weight and measurements were the same as yesterday, that isn't real great. I think this round has been the toughest for me. I totally cheated last night and again today (I didn't do this w/ Phase 1 + 2). I would say that I don't know what my problem is, but I do. I was eating pretty healthy before I started round 3, and to go backwards and eat all of the "forbidden" foods to load w/, made me realize what I have been missing out on. It gave me a taste of stuff that I had forgotten that I liked. REALLY liked :(. I totally blew it again today, because I said that if I didn't gain, I wouldn't cheat... but I did, but only towards the end of the day. I was totally good until hubby got home and made something for dinner for him and the Monkey Boy, and I wanted a bite of. And I did. Then another and another, and by the time my fish was done cooking, I was pretty much full.

Oh well, I guess I will just try again tomorrow. It'll be easier because I have to work, and being confined to a desk makes it easy to not cheat. I know I can do it, if I can just make it a few days w/out cheating (lucky for me I work for the next 2 days). I will have to be really strong after that, because it's The Monkey Boy's birthday, and well, you know what goes w/ birthdays. Cake and/or cupcakes.

I'll be back tomorrow evening. Hope everyone has a good night!

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13)