Les Mills Combat - week 5

5 weeks down....

I am over half way in the program.  Yahhoo!!!!

What did week 5 look like?

Well, it was basically cardio cardio & cardio.

It had none of the High Intensity Interval Training in it this week.  It was 45 - 60 minutes of kick boxing every day.

I'm good with that.

That means no Burpees!!!

And I did trade out my weekend Les Mills for my 10k.... the weekend workout was only the 30 minute video so I say this was a better trade off then what was called for.

I will say, I am a little frustrated that we are half way through & I'm supposed to be seeing some results.  I am, embarrassingly, the highest weight I have ever been in my life. 

Hanging head in shame.

I'm not seeing the definition that they said I would see in my arms & abs.

Hanging head lower in shame.



I will say, my flexibility & my kicks are improving though.

& I will say, I'm enjoying my workouts.

But I want results.... sigh....

I'm trying not to give up.

I mean, I know the results are a little thwarted with Easter & Cadbury Egg season.

DANG YOU CADBURY EGGS!!!!

So I'm really trying to focus on nutrition with the program the last 4 weeks.

I'll be happy with ANY result... I NEED some sort of result.

My motivation is sagging. 
My spirits are turning into despair.
I need some sort of return on the investment I'm putting into myself.

I don't think that's too much to ask....

I say it all the time... I truly mean it more then ever now... I'm still Pressing On!!!

Log Off - Shut Down - Go Run 10k

I hope everyone had great races this weekend... I know there were a lot going on.

Everyone breaking free of the cold & getting these road races under their belts.

While I missed the big race in town, I did get in the 10K sponsored by Gone for a Run.

I had been on my feet for 10 hours on Saturday for a wedding & my feet were killing me, but I didn't even let my mind think twice about doing the 6.2 miles.

Now, I knew my time would be affected - but as I've made it pretty clear this year, I could care less about time.  I just wanted to see the 6.20 on my Nike GPS watch & know I earned that medal.

 & earned it I did.

Luckily, it was a beautiful day, so it was a pleasure to get out in sunshine & inhale fresh air.  It was nice too because I saw some familiar faces & had some company for a few miles of the loop.

I actually started out pretty good keeping my intervals at 3 min walks/2 min runs for the first 4 miles. 

I wasn't sure I would even be able to do any running at first with the way my feet felt & plus, I wore tennis shoes that I don't typically run in. I use these shoes for my Les Mills Combat. I tried running in them when I first got them, but they caused blisters on the back of my feet. I'm not even sure why I put them on but noticed those were the shoes I had on once I got to the park.  Ooops. 

This was exactly how I felt when I looked at my shoes on my feet

I ended up getting a blister - but not in the back of my feet, but on the sole of my feet, the same place that I got them for the Ky Derby MiniMarathon.  What is happening with this spot on the bottom of my foot?  Anything over 5 miles & it pops up.

Needless to say, the last mile & a half was strictly walking... whatever... I was moving. I got my miles in.
I got my medal.
I EARNED my medal, I should say.

I just really enjoyed having the challenge ahead of me of doing this 10k the day after a wedding.  Made me see strength that I have deep in me - especially when others don't see it. I know I can do it.

Did you have any races this weekend?

 

How did you do?

I think everyone in Kentucky is wishing for good weather tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big race around here.

The Kentucky Derby Marathon/miniMarathon.

This is the race that I registered for... only to see 10 minutes later that I had a wedding already booked.

Oops.

Luckily, they gave me a refund & I was angry for missing this race.

This would have been my 6th medal for this race. 

I hate skipping dates in medals.

So I've been sad about missing this race....

That is, until I saw the forecast for the race.

Windy, cold, rain.

Oh snap...

all of a sudden, I'm not too sad I'm going to be missing the race.

But, I'll have to deal with the weather myself with a bride & groom wanting beautiful pictures on a day that isn't going to be beautiful.

& by 4pm, there's a chance of 60mph winds & tornados.

Probably me tomorrow
with a camera in my hand instead of Toto

I think I'd rather run in rain....

Anyways - good luck to all my Kentucky buddies running the race.

Remember your hat.
No cotton.
Layers.

& just enjoy that finish line.

Heck - all of those suggestions would work for me & my wedding too...

Here's to all of us tomorrow!

I am a Nutrition Journal NERD!!!

So, some of you had mentioned something about the charts I keep when I do my month end posts.

I will admit, I am a chart nerd.
I am a journal nerd.
I am just plain a nerd.

Admitted.

But my secret it out - I am a bigger nerd then you ever thought.

I blame my Moleskin Journal.
It's fantastic.
It calls to me.  Speaks to my soul.
"Write in me"



So for the past 3 months, I have drawn up a chart, with the thanks of all those little squares keeping me straight & organized, at the beginning of every few days to track my health & nutrition for the day.

Now, I know... I KNOW...
There's apps for that.

I did the MyFitnessPal thing for months.  Like MONTHS!
Like I was on a 7 month streak.
but when I went to camp with my youth kiddos & didn't get to log in & that number streak went back to zero - it took a part of me with it.

I'll admit - it didn't really do much good for me anyways.

I couldn't find things, or some of the calorie counts were so different.

Look up a Venti Chai Tea Latte from Starbucks - bet you get at least 5 different calorie counts.

So I made up my own chart.

Where I can write down what I eat.
How much water I drink.
How much coffee or tea I drink.
When I work out - what I do
How I feel... emotionally & physically

& yeah, I don't have things that tell me how many calories I have left in my day, but that's OK

I do have a chart that tells me how many fruits & veggies I ate instead.
More important things to me.

& the best thing to me?

When I get a new page to start a new day.

Nothing like the sense of a fresh start.

Who knows - I may need to reach out to a publisher.
I think I have a winning idea for a journal on my hands.

Do you Journal your 'health' things?

What is it about reading other's experiences?

Boston Marathon.

Yep... all people who love to run & love running was excited about Marathon Monday.

I would have been more excited if my stupid computer was working.  Our new work location has the shottiest internet speed so I couldn't get the live stream.  I could pause it for about 15 minutes to only see about 45 seconds of footage.

GRRR!!!!!!

But thank goodness for Twitter that was constant on updates.

I still felt the excitement.

& today, I'm already loving reading on recaps of runners & their experience running the race.  The things they saw.  The pictures they took. The way they felt.

I saw none of the things with my own eyes.
I didn't cross a finish line.

But I still get so choked up reading everyone's recaps of it.

I usually get choked up on most recaps - especially if it's a first time marathoner / half marathoner / runner doing ANY race....

But these Boston recaps just do me in.

On the news, the video of the young lady who ran with one leg when she lost the other in the bombing... the way she collapsed at the finish line.  Yep - I sat watching it over my dinner & instantly burst into tears.

Something about the power of running... the connection with runners.

It's something pretty amazing.

I'm off to find more recaps.

Week 4 Les Mills Combat... with a 5k thrown in

I can't believe I've been doing this thing for 4 weeks now... a full month..

& the cool thing? I'm still LOVING IT!!!

It's still enjoyable to me.

Maybe I just have a lot of pent up anger at the end of every day & want to do the punches & kicks to get it out of my system.

That would make sense.

There was 1 new workout in there this week.

A new Plyo High Intensity Interval Training work out.

HOLY COW.

I have a love hate relationship with it.  That's for sure.

I still am seeing no progress in my Burpees... & I still hate them.

Y'all that do them - just imagine if your shoulder was injured & it hurt to put any weight on it, much less all the body weight  & jumping that body weight around too. It sucks.

I keep pressing on though.

I did switch one thing up this weekend.  Instead of doing the interval training on Saturday, I decided to go for a walk. 

It was beautiful out & I hadn't been on the hills of my street in MONTHS.

Oh my goodness....

My butt & shins reminded me what hill training feels like.

It honestly was the slowest 5k in the history of 5k's... but I just wanted to enjoy the beautiful day, the spring air & just moving differently.  I'm fine with it.

So another week down.

& I'm still doing the Bootycalls... I did 4 days last week (slept in on Friday) & already got my ab work out in this morning at 5:30am....

No one can't say I don't try....

The "Perfect" Body

How many of us do this?

Stand in front of a mirror & see things we would like to change about ourselves.

Take a selfie, only to think we look fat, so we take another... & another... & another... until we get it just right.

Work out at the gym & focus on that one area that just drives us a little insane... & then realize that there's a LOT of areas & they just aren't changing fast enough for you.

I just recently got Cassey Ho's newest book & have always loved her videos...

but when I saw this video today she posted... I got teary eyed.




It's hard enough to look at yourself sometimes & be happy with the body you have... but to have someone else say things about you?  I can't even imagine.

I think we would all like to take that 'magic pen' & push it in & plump out areas ...

but isn't it something to just see the healthy person in the mirror in the first place?

Today, let's all look in the mirror & point out at least one, if not a few things that we can say, "That's not bad"... "I like that".... "Not too shabby"

By the way, I have awesome thin wrists! :)

Boston... will it ever feel the same?

I can't believe its been 2 years since the Boston bombing...

but there it is.  Right there in my time line.

I took a picture of the screen of my computer where I had watched the race & the cameras had continued for about a half hour of other finishers. 

I had noted I wished it could stay on all day because I could watch every finisher all day long...

little did I know what would actually happen a few hours later after these online cameras went off.

& here we are again.

I'm seeing posts from running bloggers who are ready to make it to that start line.
Prepared to do Heartbreak Hill.
Anxious to cross the finish line.

It's another year of Boston.  A race where dreams come true just by running it.

& yet, it still feels scary to me.

I still will hold my breath until the end of the day & everyone is across safe.

I'm one of those people who doesn't shake things off as easily as T-Swift.

I applaud the people that run it with no fear.
The ones that say, I will not be stopped.

& I do love that while the 1 yr. anniversary - besides Meb winning (Go USA)  - you saw a strong community of runners joining together.

& this year?  A little bit of closure.

The fool that tried to pull this off just got convicted on all counts.

YES!

& we're waiting to see the conviction.

I will say, I think it would be wonderful if it came down while Boston was being ran.

Talk about Irony & Karma all mixed up together.

... & I'll be sitting here at my desk on Monday, once again cheering on some of the best athletes in the world!!!

 

Do you still feel nervous about Boston?

 

Will it always be one of those "where were you?" moments?

 

Are you or someone you know running?

The Blonder Side of Life

Click to join in!!!

Week 3 of Les Mills Combat

Done with 3 weeks. 

That's gone by fast. 

1/3 of the way done

I always like getting out of week 2 of any Beachbody workout because it's typically the same workout as week 1... I'm not a fan of repetition.

I once quit a Jazzercise class that I had gone to for 18 years because they got a new instructor & she would do the SAME freakin' routine every day of every week for a month.  I just wanted to punch myself in the face.

So yeah, needless to say, routine doesn't work for me in working out.

Week 3 was a change... & added in 2 new different work outs.

One - a new 60 minute work out.  Yazzhhaaa!  60 minutes of punching & kicking. Whew. It's a workout.

Especially when your computer just decides to reboot in the middle of it & you cant find your spot, so you just start all over again... making it at 90 minute workout.

#GoMe

& the other new workout is a Plyo workout.

God, I hate jumping.
I also hate burpees.

But luckily this video is only 30 minutes & I've learned that 30 minutes goes by in a blink.

I'm still actually loving this workout & haven't missed one day of the plan.

Am I seeing these amazing results that I'm supposed to be seeing about now?

No...

Thanks Cadbury Eggs.  It's all your fault.

But today's a new day... & we're heading into week 4. I have a new mind set going into it - I am still doing Bootycalls, even doing 10 minute workouts every morning for them... I'm ready to get the whole package deal together in my life.

I'm ready to kick a little butt!

I'm starting to do Booty Calls....

Oh wow...

that title sounds really bad, doesn't it?

I didn't come up with the word "Bootycall" ... especially in this format.

Let me explain myself before my husband's eyes bug out of his head wondering what I'm even talking about.

Some of you may already know.

I have been following the girls from Tone It Up for awhile. 

Look at these girls!

Seeing them on Instagram, seeing a lot of the people I follow do their challenges & plans & I got an email showing they are starting a new Bikini Series coming up next week.

I was intrigued about them & started looking deeper into it.

First, I saw they offer a nutrition plan, even in vegetarian, vegan & pescetarian- but the recipe guide costs $150.... WHAT? And you have to print it out yourself, soaking up every last bit of ink you have in a printer... & I read that its basically just a clean eating sort of plan anyways - so I'll skip that....

& I was looking at the work outs they provide & recommend every day... but noticed one thing. 

There are TWO workouts a day. 

Oh mercy...

I do good to get in one workout in a busy day... they want me to do TWO?

I probably wouldn't do this Bikini series anyways because
1. I'm in week 3 of my Les Mills Combat & am LOVING it ... I want to finish the full plan.
2. Some of the workouts look a little advance, especially for someone who has so many issues (knee, back, shoulder - basically the whole body)
 & 3. This body will most likely NEVER see a bikini again anyways...

BUT - getting to the point I was going to make, yet have reached....

Those morning workouts, they said are very important & they call them the "Bootycalls" ... a cute little name to reference the early morning workout.  Everyone needs a cute name for a hashtag in todays world.

But I thought about it & I know I can't do full workouts in the morning.  I have to leave my home at 6:20am to make it to work anyways. 

BUT - & this is a big BUT - & its not mine we're talking about - I have started getting up about 15 minutes earlier this week & I've been doing a 'quick' workout.

Little 5-10 minute work outs that you can find on YouTube - by PopSugar, or Blogilates - & even a few by the Tone it up gals. 

& I'm LOVING IT!!!

I actually am more awake when I leave home.
I feel like I'm doing something good for my body.
I feel like this is a good 'wake up' for me.

& this morning?  I even pushed my alarm clock up more by another 10 minutes.

I may eventually make it where I can do a 20-30 minute work out before I leave for the day....

Now, I'm not going to be all insane work out & do 2 extreme work outs in a day - but it is SOMETHING... & again, my goal this year?  Just keep moving... & that's what the mornings are about.

I'm anxious to see how this affects me.
My strength.
If it helps boost some metabolism fire somewhere.

Please Lord.

So yeah... I'm now a Booty Call gal... I'm hoping to be one for awhile. 

 

Do you work out in the morning?

 

Do you do TWO workouts a day?

Sugar is evil....

Easter.

The day where candy is abounding.

We went to the store to get some candy for baskets for my nieces & for my nephew.

I got a few bags.  With twin girls, you learn to double up on everything so that meant a lot of bags of candy.

Ricky ended up getting a few bags of candy for our nephews basket.

We got home.  I make up the baskets.... & then find that we bought WAY too much candy.

See that bowl... & those bags..
yep... all extra stuff

Oh no.

Extra candy around the house.  This isn't good.

So before I know it, I'm walking by the kitchen & grabbing something every time I walk through.

What is this sort of magic that FORCES my hand to go to this bowl every time? 
It's like there's no control.

It's just one day - right?  Easter is for celebrating.

The Risen Jesus would say to go for it on Easter - right?

Let's just say I would probably be happy if I never saw a Reese's egg again.

.... & then Monday came....

& I felt awful all day long.

Couldn't for the world think why I just felt like a slug, slugging away the sluggish day.

Me all day Monday at work

& then it hit me.

SUGAR!!!  That DANG SUGAR!!!!

I swear. I could feel how bad all the sugar made me feel.

Now, I'm no fantastic clean eating person who eats everything non-processed & all veggie & fruits out of the wazzooo. I do good to get 2 servings in a day....

but let me tell you. I was just reminded what sugar does to a body... & I didn't like it one bit.

Talk about a wake up call to eat better.

Get the sugar away from me!!!

... after one more Cadbury egg....

(Kidding... kinda...)

Friday Five: Good Things

 

5 GOOD THINGS

1. FlipBelt

I got my flip belt because my dang Samsung Galaxy S5 seems to be too big for any of my holders.  I got my belt in & my phone wouldn't go in.  I knew the culprit was because I have a big ole' protector case on it (I'm klutzy) & it has rubber around the edges causing the material to grip it, not letting my phone slide in.  Someone from FlipBelt reached out to me & told me to put it in a sandwich bag & try it - & low & behold, it worked!!! ... & when I did my last 10k, I went ahead & popped it out of the case & it slide in like nothing.  Now granted, I was too afraid to take it OUT of the flipbelt for fear I'd drop it & crack my screen.  That would be my luck.  But it is good to know my FlipBelt isn't useless now.

2. Nature Box Sourdough Cheddar Pretzels

Every month I think, I'm going to cancel my subscription for this box... & then these pretzels pull me right back in.  I need to look & see if they have cheddar pretzels in the store - they'd probably be a lot cheaper. Until then, I'll keep looking forward to them once a month.

3. The Wicked Will Rise

The next book in this Dorothy Must Die series came out this week. I gotta get to a book store ASAP!

4. 10 minutes earlier

Traffic has been a nightmare lately on the way home.  A 35 minute trip is now taking like 50 minutes.  In a car.  Stuck on a road.  Drive me nuts, why don't you?  But my manager has to go the same way - so the same traffic. She suggested (with a little subtle push, jedi mind trick way from me) that leaving 10 minutes earlier will help. Boy, does it!  We just catch the beginning of the traffic back up now & at least just slow down & not have to stop.  Cheers for getting home sooner!


5. EASTER

I love all things Easter.  More importantly, our Savior rose from the dead.  He showed the world the truth of who He really was for any doubters.  I love it so much... love to celebrate it too!  GO JESUS!  High Five!

 

What's something GOOD in your life?

How the Month Went: March

Can anyone else believe we are into the 4th month of the year?

As someone who does bookkeeping - that means the 2nd quarter...

That's amazing to me.  Maybe because we got our Christmas tree down in February may effect why it feels like the year is going by fast. But it is another month down.

How did the month go?

20.37 Miles Done

17 days of Exercise

7 days over Step Goal.... 1 DOUBLE DAY over 20,000

So, it wasn't the best month... that's OK

I was down & out with an awful sinus infection, that I honestly think I had pneumonia... The cough was awful.  The breathing was hard. The weakness was miserable.  I was sick.

Needless to say, I have a BIG ole gap right there in the middle of the month.

But as I talked about before - I did make it to my 10k race. & did a 5k as well in there.  Granted, times sucked... ROYALLY... but I did it.

That's me with my arms in the air...
I always love seeing there is at least ONE person behind me in a race finish line pic

& then after the races were done, I started my venture into the Les Mill Combat - which I am ADORING!!!

In just a week a few days, I can feel the difference in my legs with my kicks... I can feel it in my back... I can feel my abs being sore every day, which is a great feeling because I wasn't even sure my abs were still there under all that flab.

So it's another month down...

I hope that I don't have any more big gaps in any of my upcoming months.

My goals for April

* Continue on with my Les Mills
* My Virtual 10k .. just enjoy it - even if its a walk of 6.2 miles
* Water. I'm slacking BIG TIME on downing plain ole water.
* Get working on that step goal again.  7 days is just sad. There's no reason why every day isn't over 10,000 steps.  My desk is going to literally kill me.

When I see this, I know its possible... it's just MAKING it happen more often!

How was your March?

Log Off - Shut Down - Go Run... another chance to run!

I had plans for the year to run the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon this year... to get my 6th medal for this race...

I actually registered.. & then went to put it on my calendar & then DANG IT!!!

Noticed I had a wedding already schedule to photograph that same day.

I've already had words with my bride & groom about scheduling a wedding on the biggest running day of the area... they so don't care.

But I was very fortunate to get a refund, which they rarely do... & I have just been pouting about not being able to do a race that day.

Then I see what one of my favorite bloggers had posted....
 Fairytales & Fitness had information about a virtual race coming up that same weekend.

Sponsored by Gone For a Run

Even better - it's not a half marathon... something I'm not trained for... but a 10k.  Something I just did & am ready for.

AND its the same weekend of the race I wanted to do.... AND I can do it on Sunday, the day after the wedding.

ANDDDDD the best thing?  It has great swag. 

A cool tank top, a race bib, a fantastic race medal.... for cheaper then the half marathon I was going to do.

I'm so in.

I'm excited.

If I can't run the race I wanted to, this is totally a great substitute that works for me.

I love having goals on my calendar.

 

Have you ever done a virtual race?

Joining in with The Secret Blogger Club