Eight Twenty-Six & 34 Things...Revisited

I wrote this post for my Loudest Sound blog on my birthday a year ago, but never posted it. Not sure why, I think I just wanted my posts on that blog to basically be about music and not so much about me or my personal life. Now that I have two blogs going, I feel better about posting this and think it's time to revisit some of these goals and see what I can cross off the list and think of some things to add for this year. I turned 35 this week, much to my chagrin, and even though it was a tough pill to swallow of me not being where I'd like to be or where I'd hoped to be at this point in my life, it is time to move on from the negative feelings and focus on the good that is to come. I was fortunate enough to mark off a few things over the last year, so let's see where the next year takes me!

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Today marks 34 years since I joined this crazy world. I’ve always made such a big deal about my birthday and usually drive my friends and family crazy with a countdown and constant reminders, but this year I was actually pretty quiet on the subject prompting some of those close to me to ask if I was feeling well. Perhaps it’s because I’m getting older but in all honesty, I was just preoccupied with other things, mainly music and a certain trip I have coming up in a few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I still thought about the day itself, but it was in more of a “reflecting” manner than a “hey, time to party” manner.

Thirty-three was not a bad year overall. I certainly accomplished one major thing which was to find a new job and I did that, but I’m still hungry for more. And when I look back at my life and everything I’ve said I would have liked to have accomplished by this point, I’m nowhere close. I would have to say that probably the best thing that happened to me this year was that I fell in love with music and writing all over again. Not that I ever stopped loving either, but that intense passion had started to wane over the last couple of years and I needed something to kick start my heart back in gear.

So, I decided to create this list of “34 Things I want to do While I’m 34” to sort of help me get more inspired to get to further points in my life. I believe that 33 was a great catalyst to get me here and now I’m ready for the next step. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I would tell the 17 year old me half a lifetime ago now, and the common theme I seem to keep coming back to is, “To live your life, no regrets, going after each dream and each moment.” Hopefully in a year, I’ll look back at this list and there will be many awesome things that I experienced and accomplished all while learning more about myself along the way. Life is a journey and when you get stuck in a rut or don’t know which path to follow, it’s always a good idea to take a step back and dig deep within your soul to find out what it is that truly makes you tick. For me it’s music and writing and so the journey begins to take that love even further.

34 Things I Want to do While I'm 34

1) Host a party (this might be more successful once I move back into Houston)

2) Read MTV book and find 3 other books to read (Hey, I did read a couple of books, just not that MTV book. )

3) Start Photography again (Now that I have that new camera, I need some help!)

4) Gain more exposure for this blog (And my Loudest Sound blog)

5) Get a press pass to one concert

6) Complete an art project

7) Take a road trip to a new place

8) Visit& Hike Enchanted Rock

9) Write more and submit items for publishing

10) Visit Houston’s art museums

11) Visit California

12) Meet my Black Rebel Motorcycle Club friends in real life ( Still have a few more so not marking it off just yet)

13) Meetand interview Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (still hoping for that interview)

14) Get my passport (Yes Liane, I know. Soon. )

15) Pay off some of my debt

16) Expand my record collection

17) Unclutter my life/apartment

18) Go to Colorado to visit family

19) Take a kickboxing class (Thanks to Kristen for inspiring this one even more now)

20) Take a dance class ( I did go to 1 ballet class, but I think I should continue)

21) Learn how to sew

22) Learn to cook better

23) Take the dogs to the beach (I don't count that 5K in Galveston, so we'll try again. Road trip to Cali, maybe?)

24) Save money to take a real vacation (Keeping this one because I still have yet to leave the country. See #14)

25) Visit New Orleans

26) Take a writing class or 2

27) Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle

28) Take piano lessons

29) Start ice skating again

30) Get a promotion at work

31) See Mazzy Star live (Sigh. I added this right after they announced the album last year, but there were no TX dates. Still hoping though.)

32) Write 2 short stories

33) Go to the observatory to see the stars (Hehe, I kind of did that in California.)

34) Learn to speak better Spanish

So what else should I add to the list? Hmmm...I realize some of these are slightly cheesy and maybe not what I want to do a year later so open to ideas.  I'll update the list soon!

PiYo Journey: Moving Forward to New Limits

Sorry for being MIA the last week.  After I finished my 3-Day Refresh, I was in a little bit of a fog fighting what I am guessing was some remnants of my detox and also just very much looking forward to some much needed time off.  I got a little behind with my PiYo workouts, but I doubled up a couple of days and am still on schedule.  I finished week 4 and am now on the other side of the hill.  I do plan to continue with the advanced schedule once I finish this so there will be another 8 weeks added on to my PiYo journey. 

 

Last week I was introduced to 2 new workouts, Hardcore on the Floor and Drench. Both of which did not disappoint.  Hardcore on the Floor was similar to Core, but you never left the floor, hence the name.  There were plank exercises working your glutes as well, the typical various crunches and a superman sequence that ended with my new favorite move, the sea turtle.  The workout lasts about half an hour and it is definitely another favorite.  Drench, on the other hand, is the first workout that left me feeling sore ever since the first week.  I could tell my booty was burning all day and yesterday I definitely felt it when I sat down.  It is similar to Sweat, but definitely more intense.  Honestly, everything was sort of a blur in that workout so until I give it another go, nothing really stands out except this is the workout that you finally do the famous PiYo Flip move.  I hope to get a great picture of myself doing this next week on the beach in California.  Be prepared to work that booty!

 

The PiYo Flip

 

Today, week 5 started off with another new workout called Sculpt.  I think we've learned by now that Chalene is expecting us to be working it 100% every time with these workouts.  This is another workout that I will need to do a few times before feeling like I've found my groove, but just as I was thinking to myself I need to do more upper body, she shows up with all kinds of push ups.  You work the entire body, arms, core, legs and butt for sure.  I had never had to stop in the middle of the squat/lunge sequences as much as I had to with this one.  It is a burner for sure!

 

I just wanted to say that I am still very much in love with this program.  Other programs I grew bored of right around this point in the journey, but I find myself missing PiYo on days that I don't do it.  I look forward to continuing to see my progress.  I know I am getting stronger and more flexible.  I know my body doesn't hurt as much as it did with other high impact workouts.  I know that I am seeing better results than I ever have.  There really is something to be said about finding your soulmate workout. 

 

 

My 3-Day Refresh Review

If you have been following my posts this week, you saw that I took on one of my biggest challenges yet, the 3-Day Refresh.  This past June at Summit, Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler announced a new product that was about to launch called the 3-Day Refresh.  It was in response to the Shakeology cleanse many had started doing, but that was never endorsed by Beachbody.  You could consider the 3-Day Refresh a mini version of the Ultimate Reset, the 21 day cleanse and body reset system that is offered by Beachbody that has helped numerous people regain control of their lives and health in just 3 weeks.  However, many felt they just needed a quick boost to refocus their efforts and that is why they developed the 3-Day Refresh.  Just after Summit as coaches were returning from their week of sinful eating in Las Vegas, the results started coming in from those that had already completed their Refresh.  In just three short days, people were losing up to 7 pounds, and even more in some cases, and were doing this through shakes and real food.  This isn't a juice cleanse and it isn't a fast.  It is simply a way to break some unhealthy habits you may have picked up, a way to drop a few pounds for an upcoming event or a way to kick start your metabolism if you've hit a plateau in your weight loss journey.

 

3-Day Refresh Kit

 

I quickly ordered mine so that I could hopefully bust through my current plateau as well as refocus on my healthy lifestyle.  I was enjoying too much yummy, but unhealthy food recently.  I also have a trip coming up and just wanted to look and feel my best when I got there.  I admit, I was a little nervous about this.  I don't usually do well with little amounts of food and calories and in the past with other "kick starts" or detox diets, I failed miserably.  This time I knew I'd have support from not only my Beachbody family, but luckily one of my best friends was going to take this ride with me. 

 

Monday was day 1.  I went to the store the previous day, but failed myself in that I didn't get everything laid out and ready to go like I should.  I also didn't sleep well the night before so that didn't help with my energy level.  The morning was pretty similar to most of my mornings, except I decided to skip my workout since I don't like to workout without a small snack in the morning plus since I was only allowed a certain amount of calories for the day, I thought I should see how I do and then if I felt up to it, I would workout when I got home.  You are allowed to do light-moderate exercise while doing the refresh so staying on my PiYo journey was fine.  When you first wake up, you are supposed to drink 8 oz of water.  Then, for breakfast, I had a tropical strawberry Shakeology with half of a banana blended with ice and water.  Later that morning I had my usual green tea that I have most mornings and then about another hour or so after that I had the Fiber Sweep shake that comes in the kit.  I am going to give it to you straight that this can be a hard drink to swallow if you have texture issues.  It is thick and grainy, but luckily has a light lemon flavor.  I just chugged it as soon as I could and then downed some water afterwards.  Throughout the day, it is advised to drink half of your body weight in water, which really isn't too much more than what I normally drink so that was fine.  Just a few more trips to the restroom which means more exercise, right? For lunch, you get your first Vanilla Fresh protein shake of the day along with a vegetable, healthy fat and fruit option of your choice.  I actually felt pretty full after that and thought, I got this.  I was pretty tired, but wasn't sure if that was to be attributed to the body doing it's thing or just from a bad night's sleep and no exercise.  A few hours after lunch, you get a snack that consists of a vegetable and healthy fat of your choice.  I wasn't too hungry throughout the day for the most part, but by the time I got home I was starving which made me cranky.  The Refresh guide comes with dinner recipes that are made up of vegetables so for the first night I chose the stir-fry veggies.  I accidentally used balsamic vinegar thinking it was a free food, but it actually turned out quite good so I have a new favorite side dish for the future.  You also get another Vanilla Fresh shake and can choose to have a cup of vegetable broth if you'd like, which I did.  I went to bed pretty early that night hoping to have a better Tuesday, and I did.

 

 

Tuesday was my best day on the Refresh.  I had more energy, I felt great and even got my PiYo workout in when I got home from work.  I only lost about a pound that first day, but I didn't let that get me down.  I had read many other's comments on Facebook about their results and figured I just didn't have a lot to lose and it was only the first day.  I enjoyed another light dinner and went to bed, but struggled falling asleep right away because I had worked out in the evening and I don't usually do that anymore.  That unfortunately led to a Wednesday that was pretty similar to my Monday.  I woke up Wednesday, my final day of the cleanse and was down about 2 more pounds so that had me excited.  I just kept telling myself after all the dreams I had about food that I just had one more day to get through and I can do it.  I chugged along through the day, downed that last Fiber Sweep begrudgingly and just couldn't wait to get home.  I skipped another workout yesterday unfortunately.  I was just too exhausted and was getting very cranky again.  Right about that time, I found another group of comments on Facebook by others saying they just gave up because it wasn't working for them.  I'll get to my thoughts on that shortly.  I made my final meal of lemony green beans and Vanilla Fresh shake and vegetable broth and again, went to bed pretty early.  I was glad it was over.

 

Overall, my thoughts on this cleanse are good.  I am proud of myself for sticking to it and not cheating.  I honestly didn't crave food, especially sweets, during that whole time.  Yes, I saw pictures of food and thought how delicious that would be right about now, but I didn't blow it with a piece of chocolate or crackers or some other thing that I could have easily talked myself into.  I was hungry, but I wasn't dying of starvation because I got to eat again whenever it got to be at its worst in the stomach growling department.  I think because I get up so early, that could have been a factor as well.  If I was able to start my day a little later, maybe that would help because my day wouldn't be so long.  The Vanilla Fresh shake is actually quite tasty and I added cinnamon to it to give it a little more flavor.  I recommend blending it in the blender with ice or at least using a very good shaker with cold water.  The Fiber Sweep didn't cause me to have to run to the bathroom, if you know what I mean, which was one of my concerns.  I noticed from drinking so much water, that my body temperature lowered a little and at night I wasn't as hot as I usually am so that was nice.  And, I loved the recipes they supplied because like I said, I plan to continue using those paired with proteins for meals in the future.  My negative thoughts, and these are just for me, are that I was tired, which could have been more from the sleep issues rather than the actual cleanse.  I did find it hard to stay focused again during work and with fewer calories consumed and the fact I wasn't able to eat like I normally would, I did get a little cranky towards the end of the day on Monday and Wednesday.  Tuesday was my best day and I have seen many people say that same thing about their day 2 and I have seen others say that they had energy the whole time.  It really depends on your body.  Would I recommend this to a customer or a friend? Absolutely.  But I would share with them my experiences so that they can have an idea as to what they could encounter.  Will I do it again? Yes.  This 3-Day Refresh is safe to do monthly if you'd like.  I know August will be a crazy month as it is my birthday month so I am already planning on doing another round in September.  Next time, though, I think I'll try it on a weekend.  Since I get off early on Fridays, I think I'd like to see how I do with being able to work out in the afternoon after I've eaten and also have the ability to take a nap should I have to.  Another time I may try it in the middle of the week and see how my body reacts to it that way. 

 

The thing you have to remember is that there is no quick fix.  This isn't going to make you lose 20 pounds in a weekend and it isn't going to eliminate all of your bad habits for you.  You still have to put in the work.  I will say that even though I was dreaming about my first real meal, I didn't go crazy and have no intentions to.  I had my normal strawberry Shakeology for breakfast and avoided the kolaches that were in the kitchen this morning when I got to work.  What I am excited about most is that I am refocused on my healthy eating and that feels good to be in that head space again.  And that I am not craving sweets.  Shakeology helps with that, but I still have my moments.  With this though, I can't even think of eating something sweet right now.  And now my results.  I lost 4 pounds and 7 inches in the 3 days.  I have read that others continue to lose weight afterwards so I am hoping I see that too.  If not, I am still proud of myself for taking this challenge head on and getting it done.  If you're interested in starting your own 3-Day Refresh, I would be more than happy to help you get started and offer you support. 

 

 

Playing Catch-up on my PiYo Journey & 2 Pesky Enemies Return

Well, the weekend flew by and I didn't really give myself a chance to sit down and write.  I hate that.  Why can't we just have a little bit more time to do all the things we need to do and want to do in that short amount of time? In any case, I did stick to my journey and worked out every day even though Saturday was supposed to be my "rest" day.  I am glad I did so that I am back on schedule with the program calendar.  I start my third week of this amazing journey and I just keep falling more in love with this program with each workout. 

Friday, I did Define: Upper Body.  I am slowly starting to get those triceps push ups and side planks.  What I am most excited about is the definition I am starting to see in my arms.  There's always been some sort of underlying definition, but now it is starting to show a little more.  Coming from someone that thought you always had to lift weights in order to gain strength and muscle definition, I am so amazed at how quickly I am seeing changes in my body.  It definitely helps to keep me motivated to keep going.  The fact that many of these workouts, like this particular one, are short and easy to bust through in no time helps also. 

As I mentioned, Saturday was supposed to be my "rest" day, but I was so impressed with one of my challenge group members getting up and bringing it that I just couldn't sit and rest.  Plus, I really start to miss Chalene even after a day so I decided to do Sweat and stay on schedule.  I don't know what it was, but for some reason on Saturday when I did this program that I've done a couple of times before really kicked my butt.  I have done P90X and 21 Day Fix workouts, but never have I dripped the amount of sweat I was dripping that morning.  It was insane! I was pushing myself a little harder too, trying to start getting deeper into those lunges and just really enjoying this workout.  Yes, there are times when I may say a bad word here and there, but in the end when I'm done and am experiencing that high, I am proud of myself for doing it.  I've seen another coach lately mention that guys are telling her that workout is not that big of a deal.  I challenge them to try it.  You might be amazed.  I think those haters are just scared they might actually get their butts kicked by Chalene too!

Just after that Sweat workout.  You can't tell, but my hair is soaking wet.  Awesome workout!

Sunday was the Core workout again.  I remember how I felt the next day after I completed that workout last time.  I hurt in places I had never hurt before.  A common theme in my PiYo journey.  I believe I have mentioned before about how I was in a car accident a few years ago and one of my injuries I sustained was a dislocated rib that still occasionally likes to slip out of place.  My chiropractor has told me that basically the best remedy is to build up my core and I had been doing that, but recently before I started PiYo, I had started to slip on my core workouts and I could feel that rib slipping again.  So, after doing the Core workout, I think it is safe to say that that rib will be staying put for a while.  What is awesome is that the place I felt the most post workout soreness was actually in that area so I know those muscles got a great workout along with my obliques and all of my back muscles.  You even get a little butt and leg workout with this routine. I think this is one of my favorite workouts so far because of the way it challenges you and the moves are just awesome and different than the usual core workouts I've done in the past.  One of the last moves is this punt kick move you do while in a modified side plank position and you just feel your whole core working.  I know I have some abs under there that are dying to get out! I can't wait to see them!

Today is Monday and it's time for Define: Upper Body again.  I couldn't get out of bed this morning.  I just couldn't no matter how much coaxing or trying to motivate myself I said I will just do it later.  I ended up regretting that decision throughout the day because my morning workouts are like my morning cup of coffee ( I don't drink coffee, but I think this is a good comparison).  I just feel off without it and I was actually in a cranky mood most of the day.  So note to self, get up and get to it so that your day won't feel all funkified in a bad way.  I went home and I busted through those 20 minutes and felt awesome afterwards.  And stronger.  Tomorrow we get a new workout, Buns.  I am afraid I won't be able to sit or squat for a week.  

 

 So, I have a confession to make.  I have been a little hard on myself and I can feel myself losing some of my mojo.  Not so much with the workouts, but with being a Beachbody coach.  Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and I love that I am hopefully helping others make a change in their lives, but sometimes it can be hard to motivate others when I can feel a little lost myself.  Sometimes I'm not even sure if anyone is paying attention to what I say so I just tell myself to just blow off posting today or sharing something exciting or inspiring.  I fear that I am getting on people's nerves and have lost a few friends over it.  Some days I don't really feel like I am getting support from some of the people in my life, not that it's their job, but just to feel like they take a genuine interest in how much I am passionate about this would be nice, but this is my journey and I have to remember that.  I am also a little frustrated that I'm not further along after being a coach for almost 6 months when I see so many others gaining fast traction.  I know that is some of the old me just trying to bury its way into my brain.  I have a lot of doubts lately that I will be able to grow this into what I'd love to see, but I just keep looking at some of the other successful coaches and they all had days where they felt the same way.  I won't quit.  I have this voice deep in my heart that says just keep at it and so I will.  I also know I should never compare my journey to anyone else's because when I do that I am standing in my own way for my success.  Some days will be harder than others, but in the end I know it will be worth it.  And I need to kick that fear to the curb, because it won't get me anywhere.  I think that our weekly Wake-Up Call struck a nerve with me and spoke to me in a good way.  One thing that stuck out was this quote, "Resistance has a way of sensing when you're getting weaker." I think that is so spot on.  It is so easy to just start a downward snowball effect of negative thinking and wanting to give up.  It's like that little devil sitting on your shoulder saying, "just quit, you're not good at this."  You have to be stronger than that resistance.  I have another confession and that is that part of why I am being hard on myself is that the negative talk in my head is allowing me to think badly of myself because I am not where I want to be in my weight loss journey either.  I know it's stupid especially since in just 2 weeks, I have lost about 5 pounds and 3 inches from my waist and hips, plus my flexibility has greatly improved already and my booty is looking a little higher these days.  I know I can still step it up, especially in the food department, but I am proud of myself of where I came from and certainly thinking I would never achieve that.  I have decided to put the scale away for a while and not focus on that.  I am going to take a big deep breath and just relax and enjoy the journey.  Same with being a coach.  I have said countless times before that I didn't become a Beachbody coach for the money, and that is absolutely true. At the same time, however, I do want to inspire people enough that they do want to join my team and pay it forward in their own way.   If it happens, great.  If not, then at least hopefully someone is reading this and realizing they want to make some sort of change in their life as well.  I have a vacation coming up in a few weeks and I think that will really do me good to recharge my battery and find my center again.   What types of things do you do to recharge or get some sort of motivation back when you can feel the doubt coming on? What do you do to overcome fear in your everyday life?

I have this posted on my Beachbody vision board and I just need to keep it in mind every single day.

 Meals for the Day:

Breakfast: Strawberry Shakeology with frozen black cherries, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, water and ice

Morning Snack: Whole wheat tortilla with all natural peanut butter

Lunch: I had to run an errand at home which cut my lunch short so I stopped to get a salad from a drive through place near my office.  Big mistake.  It tasted horrible and I barely ate it before tossing it in the garbage.  Lesson here is to BE PREPARED! I failed myself today, but will be better prepared tomorrow. 

Afternoon Snack: Carrots and hummus

Dinner:Turkey spaghetti sauce with spiral pasta

 

PiYo Journey: Day 19 and Feeling Refreshed

Well, I have to say that Day 2 of my 3-Day Refresh was much better than my first.  We'll see how today being my last day turns out.  Yesterday, I still felt a little sluggish in the morning, but throughout the day, I definitely had a lot more energy as compared to Monday.  Not sure if it's because of the cleanse or because I slept a little better, but either way, it felt great to have that energy because I needed it.  I came home, just pushed play and busted through another Sweat workout as part of my PiYo journey.

 

The other day I posted that Sweat still kicked my butt, but you know what? Yesterday I rocked it! I felt more focused on the workout than I previously have and I took certain moves like the burpees and piyo push ups at my own pace and I think that really helped.  I didn't half-ass it either which made me proud.  And triceps push ups are slowly getting easier for me.  I wasn't lightheaded or worn out at all after I was done which I wasn't sure how I would be affected with not eating as much as I am used to.  Actually, because I had worked out in the evening as opposed to my usual morning time, I had a little trouble falling asleep right away.  So, hoping today I get that same energy boost I felt yesterday so I can go home and rock out a new PiYo workout and wrap up this last day of the 3-Day Refresh.

 

 

I had seen from another friend that did the Refresh that at night she and her husband noticed a change in their body temperature at night being cooler.  This had me excited because I have a warm-natured body and always have to sleep with it super cold.  I don't know if it was just the higher consumption of water or a mix of the shakes and food as well, but I have definitely noticed that the last two nights I have not needed to turn the air down as much and I have actually been cold at night.  I definitely plan to continue drinking as much water as I am now, which is really not much more than what I usually drink, to see if that continues to help. 

My Fiber Sweep drink that I have mid-morning.

 

I will post my final thoughts on the 3-Day Refresh after I get through today.  You know you're hungry when you dream about food all night long, but I am very proud of myself for sticking to it.  Yes, it's only 3 days, but in the past I would have been like forget it, give me a steak! I think the problem with those detox cleanses I did in the past was that I always felt hungry.  With the 3-Day Refresh, I only had that a few times and then it was time to eat again.  I woke up this morning and was down another 2 pounds for a total of 3 pounds so far! Can't wait to see what my final results are.   

 

My lunch for Day 2 of 3-Day Refresh.  And yes, everything is easier when you have Jordan Knight staring at you. 

Meals for the Day:

Upon Waking Up: 10 oz filtered water

Breakfast: Tropical Strawberry Shakeology with ice and filtered water.  My fruit for the morning was half of a green apple.

Upon Arriving to Work: Green tea, plain

Mid-Morning: Fiber Sweep shake

Lunch: Vanilla Fresh protein shake with cinnamon, spinach/tomato/avocado salad topped with lime juice, my fruit serving was half of a green apple

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Summer squash tossed in red wine vinegar and light olive oil

Dinner: Vanilla Fresh Protein shake with cinnamon, lemony green beans, 1 cup of organic vegetable broth

 

PiYo Journey: Days 16-18 and a Little Refresh

I'm just going to say that Chalene Johnson is no longer playing around with this PiYo schedule.  Holy moly, she is really turning up the heat now that we're hitting week 4, so in response I must turn it up as well.  It's time for me to push myself to do more standard pushups as opposed to modified.  Time for me to take it up a notch on my least favorite move, burpees, and really start giving it my all in these workouts.  I have seen some great results with this program, but I know I can do better with each day as well as with my eating. 

Saturday I did the Sweat workout again and again it kicked my butt.  Seriously, some parts of it are getting easier, but overall it is still an intense workout.  It is also one of the longest workouts in the entire program and that always throws me off for some reason.  I've been thinking perhaps I need to start doing extra cardio in addition so that I can build up my endurance.  I spent a lot of time before focusing on weights so it might do me some good to get on the treadmill and elliptical machine every now and then.

 

And speaking of cardio, Sunday was a new workout thrown into the mix called Strength Intervals.  I was fortunate to get to do this workout at the last Super Saturday so I already had kind of a general idea as to what to expect.  This workout is about 21 minutes long and it is pretty much nonstop the whole time.  Alternating between fast moves like jump lunges and again, my favorite burpees, while also doing some pushups and "beast" moves.  She also has you hold some of the moves to help build up the muscles more.  Your legs are definitely happy when the end comes.  I wore my shoes for this one just like Chalene and her crew do, and it definitely helped with stability.  The only time it felt a little weird was when you do the PiYo roll move that is also in the Define: Upper Body workout.  I just kept getting a little caught up on the carpet but once I found my groove I was fine.

Today is Sweat again.  Looking at the calendar, this whole next week should be pretty action packed with the workouts with a couple of new ones joining in on the fun.  I slept in this morning because I tossed and turned most of the night, plus I started my 3-Day Refresh today and wasn't sure if I could do Sweat on an empty stomach since I usually need a little something before a morning workout.  When I got home, I was pretty worn out from my first day of this cleanse and decided to not workout.  I was going to try to do the workout using the modifier, but I would rather give it my all so I'm going to wait. I'll either do a few doubles to catch up or just pick up where I left off.  Either way, it'll get done.

3-Day Refresh Kit

As I mentioned, today I started my 3-Day Refresh, Beachbody's new 3 day detox and cleanse.  Unlike juice cleanses and fasts, you actually get to eat some real food in addition to the shakes on this cleanse as well as do some light to moderate exercise.  It went pretty well I think for my first day.  I still started the day off with Shakeology and later had some green tea, but it was weird not "eating" like I normally do.  The Vanilla Fresh protein shake is actually quite filling and tasty, similar to other protein shakes I used to consume, but not all of the other artificial crap that goes in them.  I was most worried about the Fiber Sweep drink after reading so many comments about how the texture made it so hard to swallow, but it wasn't bad at all.  I just chased it with some water and I was good to go.  The water consumption wasn't a problem as I pretty much drink that amount on a regular basis and any cleanse that lets me have avocado and fruit is ace in my book! Your meals you do have basically consist of veggies and a healthy fat and you can have fruit either separately or mixed into your shakes.  They also have a few dinner recipes listed in the guide like a cucumber salad and stir fry veggies for you to choose from.  I had the stir-fry veggies tonight along with my shake and my allowed cup of vegetable broth and I don't feel deprived at all.  I accidentally added balsamic vinegar to my stir fry thinking it was a free food option, but I got it confused with another recipe.  Oh well.  Now I have a great new recipe for stir fry for in the future.  I would say my energy level is about how it usually is for a Monday, especially one where I didn't work out in the morning, so we'll see if I notice a change over the next couple of days.  I have been fluctuating between gaining and losing the same 4-5 pounds for the last 2 weeks and not getting back to the number I hit on the 4th of July so I am hoping I can hit that again with this refresh and just stay focused up until my trip.  I know August is going to be crazy so I need to make every day and every meal count.  I will keep you posted for sure!

Day 1 of 3-Day Refresh Lunch

Meals for the Day:

Upon Waking Up: 10 oz filtered water

Breakfast: Tropical Strawberry Shakeology with ice, filtered water and half of a banana.  This is one of the vegan flavors and with the 3-Day Refresh, it is recommended to use the vegan shakes because the body can help break down the proteins easier.

Upon Arriving to Work:  Green tea, plain

Mid-Morning: Fiber Sweep shake

Lunch: Vanilla Fresh protein shake, hummus, red peppers and blueberries.  I actually felt pretty full afterwards. 

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Spinach/Tomato/Avocado salad topped with lemon juice and red wine vinaigrette

Dinner: Vanilla Fresh Protein shake, veggie stir-fry, 1 cup of organic vegetable broth

Before Bed: Chamomile tea

Day 1 Dinner

PiYo Journey: Day 14 & 15

Happy Friday everyone! I don't know about you, but I am so happy this week is over.  It was such a gnarly beast for me, mainly just in how I felt and I hated that.  I feel like I'm finally coming out of my well and ready to take on the world again.  Do you ever feel like that? Sometimes we just have to take a break from life and not put too much thought into things and let things unfold.  I am a control freak and tend to have problems doing that, but I'm learning.  The only thing I can control is me and how I handle things life throws at me and that's all I can do.  Nothing happened to trigger it.  I just seemed to be off this week.  So enough about that, let's get to the fun stuff.

 

I ended up taking Wednesday off from my PiYo journey so yesterday I picked it up again with the Core workout.  I think I'm going to start doing this workout in shoes like Chalene and her crew do because yesterday I kept losing my stability and balance on some of the moves, but I pushed through it.  I can definitely tell my core is getting stronger and tighter from doing those moves.  I think my favorites are still going from the downward dog split to connecting the ankles in a plank position and then back up again.  I don't struggle as much with that move or the similar move of bringing the knee above the elbow from that split position.  In time I'll be able to do this whole half hour workout without needing to take a pause for the cause.  My diet wasn't so great yesterday.  Let's just leave it as a cheat day and move on.  I preach all the time about being prepared, but this week I have been completely unprepared and feeling out of whack.  Next Monday I start my 3-Day Refresh so I should definitely be feeling more like myself then.

 

 

Today I did Define: Lower Body.  It felt like a really long time since I'd last done this workout.  I have noticed my quads getting a little more defined and harder, but what is funny is that my dominant side (the left side) doesn't seem to be progressing as much as my right side so today I tried to focus a little more on that side.  I have always struggled with knee problems, but doing all of these lunge and squats has actually helped strengthen my knees and I am getting down pretty low with no problems.  I notice sitting at my desk all day seems to irritate them more than exercise! Tomorrow it is back to Sweat and then Sunday we get a new workout called Strength Intervals.  I can't believe I am almost to the halfway point of my PiYo journey.  I don't plan on ending after the 8 weeks is over.  I am going to keep going with the more advanced side.  The more I can do this program the more confidence I'll have in myself when it comes time to teach it once I get certified. 

 

I only have two more weeks until my trip.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  With my Refresh next week, I am planning to keep it up with the healthy eating since I know once August gets here , which also happens to be my birthday month, I'll be partaking in a few celebratory meals.  This weekend will be a good test to how well I do with temptation with family in town.  Wish me luck!

 

PiYo Journey: Day 13

Sorry for the delayed post about yesterday's workout.  This week has been a weird one and my brain wasn't up for writing so I just unplugged last night, blocked out the world and went to bed really early.  I feel a lot better today so it is something my body needed obviously.  I think because I have been eating more wheat (gluten) my body has been feeling more tired and I have been feeling more bloated.  I switched to a more paleo diet a few years ago, but thought I would give some grains a try.  I can handle some, but I guess my body does not react well to some other items.  Oh well.  I'll get back on track with my 3-Day Refresh next week and PiYo.  It felt good to rest and although I didn't work out this morning, I am not stressed about it since I have worked out every day since last Tuesday. 

 

Yesterday we got to do a new workout called Buns! Yowza was that tough! Twenty-eight minutes of lunges, squats, sumo squats, skaters, clockwork lunges and then the floor work that included the typical donkey kick/fire hydrant type of moves.  And of course, everyone's favorite...BURPEES!!! I really thought I was going to be sore today, but in all honesty the only place I am sore is in my obliques.  I'm not sure if that is residual from the other day or if the few side moves and planks we did yesterday are the culprit, but I certainly feel it today.  I am not complaining though! I am loving getting that little bit of definition in my abs.  I think after I can do my refresh next week that will really help boost me along. 

 

I will either do the Core workout tonight or just pick back up tomorrow morning.  I know I have said this in almost every post, but I really think I might have found my soul mate workout.  Don't get me wrong, I still love lifting weights and feeling my strength in that way, but this is something totally different.  I love the nutrition guide that comes with it, I love that the workouts are short and all you need is a mat and I love that just about everyone I have seen that is doing this program, including myself, have been seeing such amazing results in a short amount of time.  Women who were thinking they would need surgery to remove extra skin or that thought they would never see their abs after having kids are seeing phenomenal results in their bodies.  A lot of men have joined their wives or are starting their own PiYo journeys and are getting maximum results and realizing this isn't some frilly workout.  It really does go to prove that with the right nutrition and exercise you can change your body.  If something hasn't worked for you, why not try something else? I can't wait to get certified in PiYo so I can share this program with the world. 

 

I don't have any pictures to share today, so I will leave you with this quote.  Have a great Wednesday and I'll be back later to continue with my PiYo journey!

 

 

Meals for the Day:



Breakfast: Strawberry Shakeology with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, half a frozen banana, water and ice

Mid-morning Snack: 2 whole wheat tortillas with all natural peanut butter

Lunch: Turkey spaghetti sauce with pasta

Dinner: Tuna salad with ak-mak wheat crackers (I was really tired and just went to bed pretty much after this.  I had too many carbs for what I should have had for the day.)

PiYo Journey: Day 8

Are you like me? You get to Thursday and all you want to do is sleep? I don't know what it is, but most weeks by the time Thursday comes, I am ready to just press snooze and hide under the covers from the rest of the world.  The good thing is that even though I allowed myself an extra half hour of sleep, I got up and just pushed play.  And am I glad I did! I got to try a new workout today as part of my PiYo journey called Core.  And it works that core area to the max! We revisit some moves we've already learned including side plank into PiYo pike and downward dog split into connecting the ankles, but we also got to meet some new players which were side bend while in side plank (you'll see when you get yours, because I know you'll get your own PiYo journey going) and the punt move.  I think this program was very well laid out in the way Chalene planned it because just as you were getting tired, that move was done and you were on to the next one.  This workout lasted around 30 minutes and when I was done my abs were on fire! It'll be interesting to see how they feel tomorrow.  Speaking of tomorrow, I get to do Define: Upper Body again tomorrow and is it weird that I am actually looking forward to more crouching tricep pushups? I really love them and my arms are starting to look so good! Or as Tony Horton calls them, my glamor muscles. 

 

Meals for the day:

Pre-workout: 6 almonds and some dried cranberries

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg white and a whole wheat tortilla with all natural peanut butter and banana

Mid-morning Snack: Strawberry Shakeology with coconunt water and ice

Lunch: I went to the salad bar at Jason's Deli and got a little salad with a little cheese and a little light Ranch dressing.  I may or may not have gotten a little bit of chocolate mousse.  Oh well.  I wasn't too bad.  Promise.

Afternoon Snack: 4 oz cup of chicken salad from Jason's Deli that I didn't eat earlier because I was full. 

Dinner:Had dinner with friends at one of my favorite Tex-Mex restaurants. Stayed away from the chips and salsa with the exception of a few and had beef fajita tacos and only ate about half of my rice and beans.  I also enjoyed one glass of red wine.  I didn't overdo it and quit eating when I was full.

I didn't allow myself to miss out on my Shakeology today! So yummy!

PiYo Journey: Day 7

This  morning a sneaky voice tried to talk me into just doing my workout after work so I could stay snuggled up with my dogs and sleep an extra hour.  Did I give in? NOPE! I told myself it's only 20  minutes, let's do this.  And I did.  Today was Define: Lower Body again and I have to say between yesterday's Sweat workout and today's workout, I am really feeling it in my hamstrings and booty.  I am getting  more flexible already and can now keep my heels down while I do downward dog.  I still have a ways to go before I can do a half moon pose without the use of my yoga block, but that will come with time.  I can feel myself going lower on those lunge poses and my leg getting higher in those downward splits.  Have I mentioned how much I am loving PiYo? Seriously, I was a girl that loved her some weight lifting but this has been such a great new adventure.  I feel so strong and lean and do I dare say, sexy.  If you have been struggling with where to get started or feeling like you can't workout because of arthritis or injury or age, I highly recommend PiYo.  Not just because it is a Beachbody product, but because of how you feel when you finish a workout.  That post workout high is always what I look forward to.

Exercise is such a great release, not only of endorphins, but of stress and anything else that could bring you down.  I have said this before, but I have fought depression for most of my life.  A couple of years ago I was going through one of the worst times in my life and thankfully exercise helped pull me out of that.  Things don't happen overnight, but if you keep at it, seeing that progress and results really do a lot to your thinking and emotional well-being.  I was thinking about that on my way to work this morning.  I don't know what I would do if I couldn't work out.  I feel off when I don't workout and usually end up in a bad mood.  If you would have known me years ago, I was such a lazy girl that would have never stepped foot in a gym let alone lift a weight.  But once I started, I really never wanted to stop.  When I first got into health and fitness in 2008, I took it to the extreme and let it dominate my life..  I didn't balance fun and fitness very well so I got burned out and then I just quit.  I quit taking care of myself and I quit feeding myself healthy foods.  My weight wasn't the only thing that increased over those few years.  My cholesterol and triglycerides skyrocketed and I was barely into my 30's.  Getting tested to see if I was pre-diabetic wasn't a wake up call either.  I never wanted to be in pictures or in a bathing suit, even in front of my family.  I missed the old me, but she was so buried in depression and had no self-esteem, I honestly thought I'd never find her again.  Sometimes we all just need something to trigger us to shoot us into a new way of thinking.  For me, it was a trip to see a band I adored.  What do you think it would be for you? Do you have children? Do you have a husband or a wife? Is there a part of you that is just scared because you think it's too hard or you could never have results? Stop thinking that.  Stop dwelling on what might not happen and think about what COULD happen.  That is why I became a Beachbody coach because I love helping people find their path.  I love when someone tells me that they are starting a new program and even though it is hard, they want to stick to it.  That is what we do.  It's not about the money, it's about the friendships we build while helping someone find themselves and find out what they're capable of achieving.  If you are ready to take that next step, I am here for you.  

Tomorrow is a new workout, Core.  I have seen a few others post about it so far and I have a feeling laughing or breathing will not be too fun afterwards, but I can't wait to step into the challenge.  Until tomorrow!

Meals for the day:

Pre-workout: 6 almonds

Breakfast: 2 scrambled egg whites and a slice of gluten free cinnamon raisin bread

Mid-morning Snack: Whole wheat tortilla with all natural peanut butter and banana

Lunch: Turkey and veggie wrap on whole wheat tortilla with a drizzle of mustard with a side of carrots; fresh fruit salad

Dinner: Chopped chicken salad with lettuce, tomato, chopped green onions, avocado, a little blue cheese and homemade dressing.  

So, you'll see I didn't have my Shakeology today and I really regret it.  In spite of my post-workout high, by mid afternoon I was sleepy so I didn't plan that very well since I had intended to have my shake as my afternoon snack to stave off those sweet cravings I tend to get late in the day.  I just wasn't hungry because of this PiYo meal plan I'm following and all the water I drank today.  Tomorrow I will be better at that for sure! Plus, I have a dinner out at one of my favorite Tex-Mex restaurants and I need to be a good little girl! 

PiYo Journey: Day 6...Yes, I'm still here

Hello friends! I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday weekend.  I know I did, a little too good actually, but it was fun and I am not going to beat myself over it.  I kept up with my workouts, though yesterday I did take a recovery day, I just haven't had a chance to sit down to write.  Today I picked back up with Sweat and I can feel myself getting stronger, but I ain't gonna lie, that workout is TOUGH.  It is amazing how much of an intense workout you can get by using your own body weight.  Last week I saw great results and hopefully they'll return this week so I can keep going.  I tried to stay on track with my eating over the weekend, but that pretty much went out the door when the alcohol started kicking in.  You know, a few years ago when I was so strict on myself, I would have either avoided the situation by not going (that's no fun) or I would have gone, indulged and then berate myself for enjoying those things (again, no fun).  Now that I have been on this journey and from following so many other members of the Beachbody family, I can see that it's okay to have fun like that every now and then.  I certainly can't get like that every week, but every once in a while is not going to be the end of the world and that was something I really had to learn when I started this weight loss journey a year ago.  So I am back on track with my eating this week and doing my workouts and I still feel great.  I am excited that this week another PiYo workout gets added into the mix with Core so stay tuned for that.  In the end, I hope everyone had a really happy holiday weekend and that you made some great memories with friends and family.  Luckily for me, there are no other big blowout weekends planned so that should help me stay on track.  I am also anxiously awaiting the arrival of my 3-Day Refresh, Beachbody's new cleanse.  It is perfect for getting back into healthy habits after weekends like the one I just had and you can still eat and exercise.  How awesome is that?! No starving yourself over here.  This is the healthy way to do it.  I can't wait to share my results from that as well.  I have a trip coming up and I plan to be good up until then! So stay with me.  I'll need your support! See y'all tomorrow!

Meals for the Day:

Pre-workout: 6 almonds

Breakfast: Strawberry Shakeology with coconut water and a little almond milk plus ice

Mid-morning Snack: Whole wheat tortilla with all natural peanut butter and banana

Lunch: Turkey and veggie wrap on whole wheat tortilla with a drizzle of mustard.



Afternoon Snack: fresh fruit salad and string cheese

Dinner: Chopped chicken salad with lettuce, tomato, chopped green onions, avocado, a little blue cheese and homemade dressing.  I am in love with the chopped salad at Corner Bakery and found a clone of the dressing online.  It is delicious!

My yummy mid-morning snack.  I could eat this all day.

PiYo Journey: Day 3

This morning I allowed myself to sleep in and I feel great for getting that extra hour in before starting my day.  I knew that we were getting off early for the holiday weekend so I made the plan to do today's workout when I got home.  Of course, after getting a relaxing manicure and pedicure and it being the weekend, I tried to deter my journey and head to the store for some wine, but I talked myself out of it and did the workout.  

Today's workout was called "Sweat" and yes, by the end of the nearly 40 minute workout, I was nothing but a puddle of sweat.  This is one of the few longer workouts in the series, but man oh man, what a great workout.  I remember getting to do this workout at the Super Saturday in April before it was released to the public.  It is definitely a booty kicker and 5 minutes into it, I was dripping sweat.  Side note, probably not the best idea to do PiYo after a pedi when your feet are still a little lotion-y.

This workout works your entire body from arms to core to legs.  There are lunges and warrior poses, crouching push ups, PiYo push ups, triceps push ups, squats galore and everyone's favorite, burpees.  And just when you think you're finally going to die from this sweaty workout, it is over.  I burned nearly 400 calories and I think that is pretty impressive.  I wasn't hard on my joints and I didn't have to do a lot of jumping or lift a bunch of weight.  I am using my own body and that is awesome!

 

I don't usually weigh myself on a daily basis, but this morning after I had eaten breakfast and had a big glass of water, something told me I should.  I was shocked to see that I was down 2 pounds from where I started this week! I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about how good my results would be at first even though I knew others had such great success from this program.  I feel amazing.  I carry so much stress in my upper back and shoulders and I feel more loose and relaxed up there.  I am seeing more definition in my arms and know my abs and legs will be following suit.  I am so happy that this program came into my life! It is a game changer for sure.  Tomorrow is a rest day and with it being a holiday, it will be a great test of my willpower to not overindulge on sweets and treats.  The good thing is that after that workout, I've already talked myself out of indulging tonight.  Because I am already seeing such great results, I really don't want to disrupt the changes that are happening.  

Meals for the Day:

Breakfast: Slice of gluten free cinnamon raisin bread with a little all natural peanut butter, 2 egg whites scrambled

Morning snack: Strawberry Shakeology with PB2, 1/2 cup of almond milk and water

Lunch: Jason's Deli Nutty Mixed Up Salad, lighter portion (natural grilled chicken breast, organic field greens, grapes, feta, nuts, dried cranberries, raisins, pumpkin seeds, organic apples and balsamic vinaigrette).  I decided to get out of the office and enjoy the day.  You can still eat out and enjoy foods, you just have to choose wisely.  Jason's Deli is an excellent choice because they make everything in house and their ingredients are always top notch for a great price.  

Dinner: Pesto whole wheat penne salad with tuna, spinach, cherry tomatoes with a little red wine vinaigrette (trying to finish this up)

Jason's Deli Nutty Mixed Up Salad

 I plan to sit down this weekend and really figure out my meals better for next week.  I have done well this week, but know I'm missing out on something every day and I don't want that to catch up with me.  The good thing is it seems my body is adjusting to the calories and I wasn't very hungry last night or most of today.  It really is true that what you eat has a big impact on how you feel and how you lose the weight.