Second time with this workout - still not any easier!
Those friggin' Level 1 Drills - four push-ups, plank run, up & down, ski abs, in-and-out abs. Yeah, kills me every blasted time. Which is a good thing. But I can't WAIT for my upper body to be strong enough for me to get good, deep push-ups all the way through that drill. By the end I'm on my knees just hoping I don't plop down and smash in my nose!
But it's fast and ridic and I end up as a sweaty, snotty mess. I love it!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Keeping up my committments (heh)
Before I started Insanity, I made some commitments to y'all and myself.
As you can see by my posting schedule, I've not kept them :(
But, here's what I have done, other than getting off schedule last night, I've done all my workouts on the day they were scheduled! So 6 out of 7 days = cool beans!
I've finally got my Day 0 pictures (actually Day 3 since I had to wangle the roommate into taking them for me since my camera is busted). They're in my email and I'll post them in a bit. (Urgh. Fat rolls, ahoy.)
I've been tracking my meals in my fave Android meal tracker app - MyFitnessPal.com. I love that I can save my frequent meals and recipes and just plug them in. I also love the social aspect; I joined because a friend was already on it and encouraged me to join in. You can give kudos to people for meeting goals, connect with people's blog posts about their meals, and encourage folks who haven't logged in recently. My username is Lisaparker528 if you want to friend me.
I'm trying to figure out the way to copy the MyFitnessPal record into a blog post, once I do, that'll be one step removed instead of trying to re-type everything here.
It's not been a perfect start, but it's been a start. Remember "Perfect is the enemy of DONE!"
As you can see by my posting schedule, I've not kept them :(
But, here's what I have done, other than getting off schedule last night, I've done all my workouts on the day they were scheduled! So 6 out of 7 days = cool beans!
I've finally got my Day 0 pictures (actually Day 3 since I had to wangle the roommate into taking them for me since my camera is busted). They're in my email and I'll post them in a bit. (Urgh. Fat rolls, ahoy.)
I've been tracking my meals in my fave Android meal tracker app - MyFitnessPal.com. I love that I can save my frequent meals and recipes and just plug them in. I also love the social aspect; I joined because a friend was already on it and encouraged me to join in. You can give kudos to people for meeting goals, connect with people's blog posts about their meals, and encourage folks who haven't logged in recently. My username is Lisaparker528 if you want to friend me.
I'm trying to figure out the way to copy the MyFitnessPal record into a blog post, once I do, that'll be one step removed instead of trying to re-type everything here.
It's not been a perfect start, but it's been a start. Remember "Perfect is the enemy of DONE!"
Szechuan Black-Eyed Pea Salad - Awesome Recipe!
We're having a potluck at work and I was struggling to find a healthy, simple-to-prepare, hopefully crowd pleasing recipe.
But this is awesomesauce! I just made it for the first time and I'm kinda chomping at the bit to make it again for myself! Also, I'm not the world's biggest fan of beans or peas, but the sauce and the other elements cover up the black-eyed pea flavor so I barely notice them. Also, Asian flavors for the win!
Szechuan Black-Eyed Pea Salad - Serves 6
- 2 14-oz cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely minced (2 Tbsp)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)
- 1 avocado, cut into cubes (1 cup)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Szechuan sauce (try to find a reduced-sodium variety)
- 1 Tbsp honey
Toss together black-eyed peas, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno pepper, and garlic in large bowl.
Toss avocado with lemon juice in separate bowl. Add avocado to black-eyed pea mixture.
Whisk together oil, vinegar, Szechuan sauce, and honey in bowl used for avocado. Toss black-eyed pea mixture with Szechuan sauce dressing.
For variation: try rolled in whole wheat tortillas, or serve over baby spinach that has been sauteed in a nonstick pan with veggie cooking spray or a touch of olive oil.
But this is awesomesauce! I just made it for the first time and I'm kinda chomping at the bit to make it again for myself! Also, I'm not the world's biggest fan of beans or peas, but the sauce and the other elements cover up the black-eyed pea flavor so I barely notice them. Also, Asian flavors for the win!
Szechuan Black-Eyed Pea Salad - Serves 6
- 2 14-oz cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely minced (2 Tbsp)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)
- 1 avocado, cut into cubes (1 cup)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Szechuan sauce (try to find a reduced-sodium variety)
- 1 Tbsp honey
Toss together black-eyed peas, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno pepper, and garlic in large bowl.
Toss avocado with lemon juice in separate bowl. Add avocado to black-eyed pea mixture.
Whisk together oil, vinegar, Szechuan sauce, and honey in bowl used for avocado. Toss black-eyed pea mixture with Szechuan sauce dressing.
For variation: try rolled in whole wheat tortillas, or serve over baby spinach that has been sauteed in a nonstick pan with veggie cooking spray or a touch of olive oil.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Motivational Moment
The best time to plant a tree was 100 years ago. The second best time is today. - Chinese Proverb
Cardio Power & Resistance - Day 2 done!
I really liked this workout. Yeah resistance exercises! My bread and butter! And body weight resistance - even better. As much as I like hurling large dumbbells around, pushups and squats are always a killer.
I was a bit sore before bed last night. Woke up this morning - was gloriously sore. Not so much that I couldn't Dig Deeper today, but I could mos def tell I was forcing my body to do some new stuff.
That said, I'll be dang happy to do Cardio Recovery tomorrow. My poor flat feet need a break!
I was a bit sore before bed last night. Woke up this morning - was gloriously sore. Not so much that I couldn't Dig Deeper today, but I could mos def tell I was forcing my body to do some new stuff.
That said, I'll be dang happy to do Cardio Recovery tomorrow. My poor flat feet need a break!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Insanity Day 0 + 1!
So, I did the Insanity Fit Test late last night (Sunday-ish into early Monday AM). I was pleasantly surprised with my results:
Switch Kicks - 71
Power Jacks - 52
Power Knees - 110
Power Jumps - 33
Globe Jumps - 7
Suicide Jumps - 12
Push Up Jacks - 24
Low Plank Oblique - 36
And I did the first workout today (Monday) - Plyometric Cardio Circuit.
To paraphrase someone on the intertubez, there's that moment of horror when you realize you've been sweating like a fiend and you're outta breath and your heart is about to pound outta your chest...and then the warm-up ends and the workout really begins. They really aren't kidding in the informercial about being soaked with sweat by the end of the warm-up. I can testify to the truth of that.
A great thing about the workout is that the movements are deceptively simple. "Of course I can jump like that for 3 minutes," I think.
No. No, I can't. But neither can the super-fit folks in the video. Everyone's pushing to their own personal limit and beyond. People are falling out on the floor all over the place. I seriously haaaate that dang circuit with the 4 pushups, plank runs, jump up, ski abs and all that. But in a few scant weeks when I turn 33, it'll be worth it to have earned my t-shirt and my new body.
Switch Kicks - 71
Power Jacks - 52
Power Knees - 110
Power Jumps - 33
Globe Jumps - 7
Suicide Jumps - 12
Push Up Jacks - 24
Low Plank Oblique - 36
And I did the first workout today (Monday) - Plyometric Cardio Circuit.
To paraphrase someone on the intertubez, there's that moment of horror when you realize you've been sweating like a fiend and you're outta breath and your heart is about to pound outta your chest...and then the warm-up ends and the workout really begins. They really aren't kidding in the informercial about being soaked with sweat by the end of the warm-up. I can testify to the truth of that.
A great thing about the workout is that the movements are deceptively simple. "Of course I can jump like that for 3 minutes," I think.
No. No, I can't. But neither can the super-fit folks in the video. Everyone's pushing to their own personal limit and beyond. People are falling out on the floor all over the place. I seriously haaaate that dang circuit with the 4 pushups, plank runs, jump up, ski abs and all that. But in a few scant weeks when I turn 33, it'll be worth it to have earned my t-shirt and my new body.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Insanity is here!
::scary music plays in background::
I turn 33 in about 66 days (May 28th, if anyone's looking to give any gifts.)
That gives me just enough time to start, struggle through, and FINISH Insanity in time to celebrate another year around the sun.
And I'm flipping terrified. I haaaaate cardio. I'd rather lift weights all day long. I also hate paying attention to my eating habits. And if my nutrition is 80% of my physical results while workouts make up 20% of my results, I've gotta stop eating at Waffle House every night.
I know that working out at high intensity makes me reluctant to eat crap. Struggling through a workout because I ate foulness the day before is closer to the instant feedback I need. Ideally some alarm would go off in my body the second I open the wrapper on a Snickers mini bar. But the next morning will have to do for now.
So my commitments:
- I'll post my Day 0 pictures and measurements here on LPO
- I'll post after my workout everyday - maybe a full post, maybe a blurb, but something
- Which means I'll actually *DO* the workouts every day they're scheduled
- Since the hard part for me is not eating the crap, I'll also post what I eat - everything that crosses my lips from Day 1 - Day 60 (Egads! Accountability!)
Let's do this thing! Onward to 33!
I turn 33 in about 66 days (May 28th, if anyone's looking to give any gifts.)
That gives me just enough time to start, struggle through, and FINISH Insanity in time to celebrate another year around the sun.
And I'm flipping terrified. I haaaaate cardio. I'd rather lift weights all day long. I also hate paying attention to my eating habits. And if my nutrition is 80% of my physical results while workouts make up 20% of my results, I've gotta stop eating at Waffle House every night.
I know that working out at high intensity makes me reluctant to eat crap. Struggling through a workout because I ate foulness the day before is closer to the instant feedback I need. Ideally some alarm would go off in my body the second I open the wrapper on a Snickers mini bar. But the next morning will have to do for now.
So my commitments:
- I'll post my Day 0 pictures and measurements here on LPO
- I'll post after my workout everyday - maybe a full post, maybe a blurb, but something
- Which means I'll actually *DO* the workouts every day they're scheduled
- Since the hard part for me is not eating the crap, I'll also post what I eat - everything that crosses my lips from Day 1 - Day 60 (Egads! Accountability!)
Let's do this thing! Onward to 33!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Motivational Moment
'Whatever you can do, or dream, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now.' - Goethe
Friday, March 9, 2012
My Fitness Story
Okay - I've never been fit. I was a round child who grew into a slightly-less round adult.
I'm also a Black girl from the South. So...pretty much everyone in my family over the age of 50 is struggling with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, and the like. I'm now 32, had a brief bout with high blood pressure myself, and decided to work on that.
At various points in my life I've been addicted to TV and Nutella. Occasionally both at the same time.
When I was in 5th grade, I had surgery on my left hip: three screws put in to anchor the femur back into the socket. Not a big deal.
Except for the fat rolls in the x-ray. Urgh. I was nearly my current full height of 5'9" and about 200 pounds. Not cool. Not cool at all.
So, I got interested in fitness as I was going through physical therapy. I started using videos at home and I learned to love lifting heavy weights. Dang I wish I could love cardio, and I'm trying my best.
So, if I've been working out for about 21 years why aren't I more fit? First reason: I love food. Around the same time as the hip surgery, I learned to cook. I've practically burnt out a deep fryer from overuse, y'all. I've made deep fried Twinkies multiple times. Over the years I've been embracing healthier eating patterns. Just because God gave us Krispy Kreme doughnuts, that doesn't mean I need to eat them every time the Hot light is on.
Second reason: I'm flamingly inconsistent. I have great ~plans~ for exercising. And I love it when I get into a routine. But then I get frustrated, want instant results, get distracted, and fall off the wagon. Or I get bored. Doing the same thing day in and day out makes me bonkers.
But it's a journey, and I'm committed, and I'm sharing it with you all (gulp). This is gonna be awesome - I can feel it! No more short cuts - it's time for the long cut.
I'm also a Black girl from the South. So...pretty much everyone in my family over the age of 50 is struggling with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, and the like. I'm now 32, had a brief bout with high blood pressure myself, and decided to work on that.
At various points in my life I've been addicted to TV and Nutella. Occasionally both at the same time.
When I was in 5th grade, I had surgery on my left hip: three screws put in to anchor the femur back into the socket. Not a big deal.
Except for the fat rolls in the x-ray. Urgh. I was nearly my current full height of 5'9" and about 200 pounds. Not cool. Not cool at all.
So, I got interested in fitness as I was going through physical therapy. I started using videos at home and I learned to love lifting heavy weights. Dang I wish I could love cardio, and I'm trying my best.
So, if I've been working out for about 21 years why aren't I more fit? First reason: I love food. Around the same time as the hip surgery, I learned to cook. I've practically burnt out a deep fryer from overuse, y'all. I've made deep fried Twinkies multiple times. Over the years I've been embracing healthier eating patterns. Just because God gave us Krispy Kreme doughnuts, that doesn't mean I need to eat them every time the Hot light is on.
Second reason: I'm flamingly inconsistent. I have great ~plans~ for exercising. And I love it when I get into a routine. But then I get frustrated, want instant results, get distracted, and fall off the wagon. Or I get bored. Doing the same thing day in and day out makes me bonkers.
But it's a journey, and I'm committed, and I'm sharing it with you all (gulp). This is gonna be awesome - I can feel it! No more short cuts - it's time for the long cut.
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