Insanity!

Well, I did it. I tried Insanity! I was pretty intimidated by it, but I did it. My cardio skills aren't that great since I lovelovelove strength and resistance training so much. I'd rather lift weights. Any day. But I know I need to improve my cardio so I figured I'd give Insanity a shot. And man, what a workout!! I Cardio Recovery yesterday and Cardio Power and Resistance today. (If you're wondering why I started with these two workouts it's because my brothers are doing the full Insanity program and my older brother is at my apartment helping me move so I worked out with him). Cardio Recovery wasn't too bad. You do approximately a million and a half squats. Or so it feels. My quads were screaming! And there were a few yoga moves, which made me feel a little womble-y and reminded me of my very long hiatus from yoga (ha). Since it was a recovery workout it wasn't really a workout workout. If you know what I mean. Cardio Power and Resistance, on the other hand, was beast. My heart rate was up to like 180 just in the warm up!! It was pretty brutal. Then again, with all the craziness of moving I haven't really been working out lately (unless you count packing/hauling boxes and walking a lot). So I'm definitely not conditioned to intense cardio right now. Boo. It makes me sad to type that! Especially since I had gotten better at cardio thanks to Plyometrics X. I digress... the workout was rough but so good tonight! I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it since I still have a good bit of packing to take care of. But I knew I would feel better if I took the time to workout. And I'm very happy that I did! I really like that the Insanity workouts are relatively short. Tonight's was like 34 minutes or so. I like that. A shorter, power-packed, intense workout. That's good stuff right there. The structure of the Insanity workouts was somewhat similar to Plyometrics X but still different. There was a set of moves that you do for the workouts, repeating the sequence three times while doing it a little faster each time. The warm up moves were no joke, too. I'm talking double heismans, squat jacks... serious moves. Then there was a stretch before getting into the real workout. The "meat" of the routine was like the warm up- a set of moves repeated three times getting progressively faster. I think there were three different sets. Yeah. Three. So it was totally doable but still tough! I had to take a few breaks and just march it out to get my heart rate down (I hit 191!) but I never stopped moving. I felt so good once I was done! It definitely made me proud to finish that workout. And it reminded me that I need to get conditioned for cardio again, haha. I might give the full program a try once I'm moved and settled a bit.

On to the food portion of my day. I honestly did not eat much today. I don't think I ate enough calories for doing an intense workout tonight.

Breakfast
2 Kashi 7 grain waffles
1 Tbsp Better 'n Peanut Butter
A dash of cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened almnd milk
1/2 scoop protein powder
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Lunch
Chobani lemon yogurt
Handful of raspberries
Fiber one granola bar

Snack
100 calorie black licorice rope

Dinner
1 homemade stuffed pepper (with lean ground turkey, lentils, onion and diced tomatoes with reduced fat cheese sprinkled on top)

Snack
A few dark chocolate covered coffee beans (I can't get away from them! Lol)

Post workout snack
Elite Recoup recovery drink (I drank this during and post workout)

2 slices whole wheat bread
1 Tbsp chunky peanut butter
1 Tbsp all natural cherry preserves
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

It sounds like a lot but I bet if I added it up and subtracted the 500 calories I burned working out, it wouldn't be very much. I might regret that tomorrow. My muscles might ache from the lack of protein. We'll see! Either way, I'm glad that I finally tried Insanity! :D

Lots of abs

I tried a bunch of new ab moves tonight! I picked up SELF Magazine's "Flat Abs Made Easy" and was excited to try some of the moves from it! There are a few different moves that can be mixed and matched for a great core workout. I did like 30 minutes worth of them- it felt great (in a sore, make my abs hate me kind of way, of course). It wasn't anything spectacular, but I definitely felt them working! And I was happy to get some strengthening time in. I needed it. I wanted to do some legs and arms work but I was crunched for time and my legs are sore from all the jumping yesterday. I figured just targeting my abs for awhile was better than nothing! I hope I'm sore tomorrow, haha.

Now for the food part of my day. I felt pretty hungry all day long... I managed to stay on track with small healthy (well, mostly) snacks in-between meals. Here it is:

Breakfast
PB and banana sandwich- two pieces of multigrain bread, 2 Tbsp Better 'N Peanut Butter, 1 small banana and a dash of cinnamon.
Coconut coffee with 1 tsp sugar and coconut almond milk

Snack
1 light string cheese stick
7 strawberries

Lunch
Salad- field greens, baby spinach, beets, grape tomatoes, cucumber, fat free feta cheese, sunflower seeds and low-fat raspberry walnut dressing

Snack
Handful of dark chocolate covered coffee beans (I can't resist them!)
1 medium apple

Dinner
Italian seasoned chicken breast
Pasta salad- multigrain spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, fat free ranch dressing and a sprinkle of feta cheese

Snack
6 rosemary Triscuit crackers
6 pieces of 75% fat free cheddar cheese slices
Small handful of blueberries

That's it! I just can't stop eating those coffee beans, haha. They're so good!! I think I ate a bit too much sodium yesterday and maybe a little too much dairy today... but I did get all my diary from low-fat or fat free sources. I also feel like I ate a lot of fruit and veggies today, which is good! I realized that I didn't log my water consumption for yesterday because I didn't even think of recording it. I drink a lot of water! I don't usually keep close track of it because I know I get enough or more than enough everyday. Today, I think I drank about 72oz.

I won't be working out tomorrow due to traveling... but hopefully I can try a new workout with my brothers this weekend! We'll see :]

Exhausted!

Between my work hours changing to longer days Monday through Thursday, the busyness of trying to pack and everything else involved with moving 300+ miles, I am worn out. Seriously though. On the up side I get half-days on Friday. However, every Friday is spoken for. Booked. Busy. I feel like I have next to zero downtime! And if I want downtime I have to skimp on sleep which is a terrible idea. I don't do well running on less than 7 hours of sleep. Plus, lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. It's a real catch 22. Busy life. Needless to say, my workout life has taken a hit. I hate to admit it, but I have to cut out a lot of my exercise time in order to make time for other necessary tasks. I hate it, but it's a necessary evil. Sigh.

Tonight, however, I managed to fit in a workout! A good one, too. I've heard so much about Insanity so when I  found this 20 minute Insanity workout, I had to try it! Let me tell you, it was a serious workout! No joke!! I thought it looked intense but not ridiculous... well, I was wrong. Haha. I am not very good at cardio (obviously) so this workout really took it out of me! And I was having one of those days when my body feels so heavy. Like every jump took an enormous amount of effort! It was crazy. I'm not sure why I felt so sub-par but it made this workout that much harder. I tried to keep my abs tight and engaged the entire time in order to work them harder. I've been trying to make a conscious effort to engage my abs more often- whether I'm sitting down, walking, doing other strengthening moves. Hopefully it'll make a difference! It's gotta be doing something.

After my big move is over (and I get back from my 7 day cruise, hehe), I'm hoping to get back into a good workout routine and start blogging more regularly. I'm not sure how well that will go since I have a lot of summer plans... but hey, if I want to wear a bikini practically every day, I'm going to be constantly reminded to workout all summer long! Maybe I'll give the real Insanity workouts a try. And then pass out, haha. I feel like those workouts will kill me. Eek. Maybe I'll be brave and try it.

I'm thinking about keeping a food log on my blog, too. It'll keep me accountable. I'll be honest, though, I'm not super strict about my diet. Not as much as I should be. So sharing my food log might be tough for me... I'll have to be very transparent. I think it'd be good for me, though. In fact, I'll log today to start this new idea off:

Breakfast
2 Kashi 7 grain waffles
1 Tbsp Better 'N Peanut Butter
1 small banana
Coffee with 1 tsp sugar and coconut almond milk

Snack
Lemon greek yogurt (Chobani, fat free)
6 strawberries

Lunch
Grilled cheese-two slices multi-grain bread, 2oz cheese (75% fat free cheddar and regular gouda) with 1/4 thinly sliced pear

Snack
Handful dark chocolate covered coffee beans
1 medium apple

Dinner
6oz sirloin steak (with soy sauce and seasoning)
1/2 cup corn

Snack
1 1/2oz goat cheese
15 multi-grain crackers

Sheesh, that looks like a lot of food! It was pretty spread out, though... and it was all yummy! I could've done without the dark chocolate covered coffee beans but I needed a little jolt in the middle of my work day. And dark chocolate is good for you, right? Haha. The grilled cheese sandwich was something new that I tried. It was really different. Sweet and savory, gooey and a little crunchy... very interesting! I liked it, though. Dinner was my hubby's creation. His steak is delicious! We usually eat steak once, maybe twice, a month so I always savor it.

Okay, well that's all I have for now! I'm planning to sneak in some strengthening moves tomorrow evening. Let's hope I have the time and energy! :]

Quick update

Yes, I am still working out!! Not quite as frequently and as long as I'd like to be, but my life is busybusy! I'm moving at the end of the month so that means LOTS of cleaning and packing!! It's pretty much enough to keep all my free-time busy from here on out until our moving day. It's rather dreadful, to be quite honest. I hate packing. I'm still working full-time so as you can imagine, my days are full of stuff to do. I am making time for some working out, though! With the first phase of the Drop 10 plan done, I'm moving onto the second phase! I really like the new moves. It's a nice change of pace from the other strength moves I was doing for awhile. I'm also hoping to start running again this summer!! I've never been much of a runner but I did pick it up while I was at college. When I was running frequently, I could go close to five miles at a time. I want to do a 5k either this fall or next spring so I'm going to start running more. I did venture to the school gym and use the elliptical a couple days ago! That was great! I forgot how much I loved the elliptical. I used it allllll the time last summer. I was a little "rusty" but I still cranked out 4 1/4 miles :] And I felt SO GOOD afterwards! Yay!

Okay, I don't have time to blog more right now, but I will be blogging more in the future! Wish me luck! ;]

Some of my favorite things

I stole this idea from my fellow blogger friend, Cheurice :]  I thought it would be cool to share some of my favorite health and fitness related things as of late. So here goes! Right now I am crazy about...


1) Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Coconut Milk! I'm addicted to it. It has a light and refreshing taste- it's fantastic alone, in cereal, in coffee, whatever! And with only 45 calories and no sugar, it's guilt-free as well :] 

This stuff is delicious!!

2) Fresh popped popcorn. I pop it in a stock pan over the stove with a little olive oil and a little salt. It's my new go-to snack when I just need a little something to munch on between dinner and my cut-off eating time before bed.

3) Squats. My legs are strong and I love working them hard! Squat jumps, dead weight squats, weighted squats, lunge squats. Squat squat squat (ha, that sounds funny out loud). In fact, I did so much squatting and jumping the other day that my legs feel beyond sore. It's great.

4) Hockey playoffs :]  I've always been a huge Boston Bruins fan and it's so exciting to see them in the playoffs again this year!! I would absolutely love to see them win the Stanley Cup again! But how does this relate to my health/fitness favorite things? Well, watching the playoff games makes me SO nervous that I literally can't sit still. So what do I do? Jump. Cardio. Weights. Anything and everything to get out all my pent up anxiety as I watch them play. During the game on Thursday, I worked out so hard and so long that I burned around 800 calories! Woah! Plus, with how beastly hockey players are, they inspire me. Seriously! I can't even skate forget everything they do! It's nuts and it makes me push myself even harder while I workout. Thanks, playoffs ;]

LOVE the Boston Bruins!!!

Tim Thomas, like a boss.

5) My heart rate monitor. This Christmas gift from my brother has definitely become my favorite workout accessory. I loved watching my heart rate go up. I love challenging myself to keep it at or above a certain level for a designated amount of time. I love being able to see my total workout time, average heart rate and peak heart rate once I finish my workout. I also love being able to calculate my calorie burn based on my average heart rate! It's so encouraging. I use this website to calculate it. I know it isn't completely accurate but it is a good tool!

6) Finally having a new prescription so that my own sweat doesn't kill me :P haha. But for real.

7) Green tea with mint. Green tea is SUPER ridiculously good for you! I've been trying to drink more of it lately and this has become my favorite. I'm not usually a big fan of mint teas (I prefer fruity or chai) but my hubby picked this one out and I'm glad he did!

I drink it hot and black

8) This recipe: Protein Pancakes. These things are outrageously good!!! I love pancakes. Always have, always will. So I like trying new recipes from time to time. When I saw this one I saw instantly intrigued because it contains no pancake mix or flour. The first time I made it, I thought I screwed it up because the batter is suuuuper runny (let this serve as a warning to anyone who might attempt to make these now!). But I realized it's meant to be cooked in one skillet, almost like an omelette. At least, that's how I cook them, ha. They're so stinking delicious, they don't even need syrup or agave! Nothing. Just eat as is! I even made them for my brother and Daddy while I was visiting them last week. Everyone loved them. I make 'em with almond milk (see #1) and extra cinnamon. I also use a whey/casein blend protein powder- one is quick release the other is a slow burn- because that's the only protein powder I buy. I've also tried adding some oats, chopped nuts or peanut butter. Jake's favorite blend so far is oats and chopped walnuts because it's almost like banana nut bread in pancake for. I like a little Better 'n Peanut Butter in mine. Yummmm!

9) Planks. I've realized that by simply turning my normal blank hold into a decline plank (by propping my feet up on a chair) I work my lower abs much better. Which makes me extremely happy. I'm also determined to get better at doing side planks with a leg raise. Those killed me in P.A.P. Lower last week.

10) Beets. They used to weird me out but now I can't get enough of them! I particularly love them in a field greens salad with a little goat cheese. Now that is a fantastic lunch! Granted, cooking them always turns my hands (and my kitchen counter) pink, but they're worth it!

They're packed full of nutrients!

Okay, that's all I can think of right now :]  If you'd like, comment below and share some of your favorite things!

Chaos in my workout world

If it's not one thing it's another. You know? Last week I couldn't work out because of my skin infection so I was beyond ready to get back to working out this week! Well, I got a good workout in on Monday night (Drop 10 strength moves and my new tranversus ab routine). Then, my grandfather passed away on Tuesday morning :[  I was at work when I got the (hysterical) call from my poor Mom, she was a wreck. Fortunately, I have a wonderful job and boss who allowed me to leave then and there. So, Jacob and I packed our bags, straightened up our messy apartment and were on the road to Massachusetts within a couple hours. I know my Mom was very happy to have us come up right away. We were able to cheer her up and comfort her. I've been staying busy with her since I got here- trying to distract her but mostly just trying to be there for her. It's been rough. Needless to say, that has thrown a bit of a wrench into my exercise routines, yet again. I can still workout here (especially with all the workout DVDs my brothers have!) but it's tough to make time for it when I just want to be there for my Mom. I have managed to sneak in a couple great workouts, though!

Tuesday night, after getting up at 6:30am, working a few hours and making the 5 1/2 hour drive here, my brothers wanted me to workout with them. I had just eaten some lightened up seafood chowder (yum) and was in the middle of watching the Bruins with my Daddy but I figured I'd give it a shot. They're on the last phase of P90X2 right now so I knew the workout would be rough and awesome. I was right. On Tuesday, I joined them for P.A.P. Upper workout. P.A.P. stands for "Post Activation Potentiation". Apparently it's like the hottest thing in sports science today. It's all about combining strength moves with plyo-style moves or explosive moves. It's pretty intense! The workouts consist of two movements or blocks (I forgot what they actually call them) comprised of four moves. You repeat each circuit of four moves four times and that is one block. There are two blocks in each of the P.A.P. workouts. So, you do four moves back to back then repeat three times. And these moves are no joke! In Upper, we were doing push ups with rows in-between, plyo-push ups (you might know them as clap push ups), pull ups, planks balancing your feet on a medicine ball (okay, I didn't tackle it on the medicine ball but I did elevate my feet to make it a decline plank which killed to hold for 60 seconds four times!). It was nasty! I felt really good when I was done with it, though! So good, in fact, that I decided to try P.A.P. Lower with them on Friday night! I liked that workout a little more. I prefer lower body work since that's what I'm good at. I know I should focus more on my upper body in order to make it stronger, but I'll always love leg work. Mmhmm. Anyways, P.A.P. Lower was just as nasty as upper although I think it was easier than Legs & Back from P90X. Either way, it was still a great workout! We did this cool step up on a block, lift knee, step back down and go into lunge move that I liked a lot. We also did this miserable side plank, lift one leg and hold for 30 seconds move. Yep, couldn't do that one! I think I held it for like 10 seconds before I had to go back down to a regular side plank. That move was brutal! I want to get better at it now. I think overall the workout wasn't quite as strenuous as I imagined but it was still really good. It almost reminded me of Core Synergistics from P90X. But with a focus on lower or upper body strength, depending on the routine.

I'm glad that I was able to get a couple really good new routines in this week! I might try another P90X2 workout tonight just for fun. Maybe some Plyocide. Doesn't that just sounds torturous? I bet it sucks but is an incredible workout. Here's to hoping that I can get back into a more solid workout routine next week!

Wahhhhhhh

I WANT TO WORK OUT SO BADLY!!!! I hate this stupid rash!!!! I'm dying to work up a great sweat and challenge my muscles!!! But I know if I do my skin infection/rash will just get more agitated and take longer to heal. I hate being forced to take time off! HATE. This rash better go away quickly so that I can have a serious sweat session SOON! :[