Project BeastBody: Day 4- Beast Cardio/Beast Abs

To say that this week has been challenging is an understatement.  I have worked out with trainers before, I have done tough programs before and I have lifted weights before, but I don't think anything in my past really could have prepared me for the emotional and physical aspects of this journey.  I am not complaining at all.  In fact, I needed this challenge because I was getting too lax in my workouts.  BodyBeast is requiring me to stay focused and I love that.  Now, with that said, I am pretty sure that today I died and lived to tell about it, haha.  I have done P90X PlyoX, I have done 21 Day Fix Plyo Fix, I have done PiYo Drench and I have done boot camps and other rigorous workouts.  I had an idea as to what to expect with today's Beast Cardio workout, but only in the sense of knowing what moves Sagi Kalev would be handing to us.  I didn't realize he would be handing me my ass at the same time. 

 

 

 

This 30 minute workout was definitely plyometrics based, which  means there was a lot of jumping.  Jump squats, burpees, mountain climbers, jump lunges and then some planks and a few moves with weights to really add some variety.  I will have to say that I was excited to see a return of one of my favorite moves from 21 Day Fix's Dirty 30 workout, the renegade row, but damn, I couldn't keep up to even do more than 2! This time at least.  I will get better.  I will get stronger.  About 10 minutes into the workout, my heart rate monitor was no longer able to detect my heart rate.  I am not sure if I was too sweaty or if  like I said, I died.  I got it working again only to quit reading my heart rate again a few minutes later so no telling just how many calories lost their lives today.  Then it was on to the Beast Abs which was about 10 minutes long.  Yay, I thought, I'll get to "rest." Haha, nope.  It was bam, bam, bam through crunches, Russian twists, cobra, spiderman, one armed plank (with a weight I might add, which I didn't do today) and ending with Beast Abs which is spelling out B-E-A-S-T with your feet both forwards and backwards.  Then, at the end of the workout, I curled into the fetal position and couldn't believe what the hell I just did.  And, what's even crazier, is how much I loved it.  Tomorrow is Build: Shoulders and then a rest day.  It can't get here soon enough.  I am really hoping I can walk again by then, too, because unfortunately crawling is not a socially acceptable thing to do as an adult.  Who knew? Happy Thursday, everyone!

 

P.S. I am including a video of someone else's review of Beast Cardio so you can kind of get an idea as to what it was like. 

 

 

Body Beast Cardio Exercises

• Warm Up
• Squat to Overhead Press + Hold
• Toe Tap
• Squat to Jump Squat + Hold
• Mountain Climber + Row + Plank
• Sumo Squat + Hold
• Plyo Push-Up + Hold
• Sumo Jump
• Squat to Upright Row + Hold
• Alt Lunge Jumps + Hold
• Plank + Twist + Sprint
• Cool Down and Stretch

Body Beast Abs Exercises

• Crunch
• Russian Twist w/Dumbbell
• Hip-Up
• Crossed Tuck-In
• Cobra
• Spiderman Crunch
• Bucket Drop
• One Arm Open Plank
• Windshield Wiper
• Beast Abs

Project BeastBody: Day 3- Build: Back/Biceps

Today was a rough start.  I woke up around 2:30am and finally fell back asleep just when the alarm was going off at 4am.  Thought I dozed off for just about 5 minutes, but it was half an hour so a mad dash to get going out of bed and I was onto day 3 of my Project BeastBody, Build: Back/Biceps.  Mad dash is probably slightly exaggerating it as I am quite, no, EXTREMELY sore from the last two days just as I suspected I would be.  I know it is all part of the process, but dang, do I hurt.  And after today's workout, I have a feeling, and am already feeling it, that I'll be sore in my back tomorrow as well.  I will have to say, though, that today's 50 minute workout did feel like it flew by.  There was only 1 super set and 1 giant set, everything else was made up of single sets, but I pushed myself as best I could for being as tired and out of it as I was.  I haven't been logging my worksheets but instead have been using the BodyBeast mobile tracker which will come in handy if I decide to take my workout to my fitness center which I may do as I get further along.  I am not going to lie and will just say that I am sort of dreading tomorrow's Cardio workout.  I don't care for cardio, and I was looking ahead just to get an idea as to what to expect and it is going to be full of squats, jump squats, plyo pushups, planks, lunge jumps and my arch nemesis, burpees.  For a while now, my lower back has sort of kept me from doing burpees full out so we'll see how I hold up tomorrow.  Either way, I'm nearing the end of week 1.  Today has been an emotional day for me and I've noticed that happens when I step up my fitness regimen.  It is like my body is releasing some toxicity I have stored up, plus I just have a few things on my mind, but this too shall pass.  I plan to meet up with my bed a little earlier tonight and be ready to bring it beast style tomorrow.  Happy hump day, everyone!

Body Beast Build: Back and Bi’s Exercises
Warm Up
Single Set

• Deadlift 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps

Super Set

• Dumbbell Pull-Over 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps
• Pull-Ups 10 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps

Giant Set

• EZ Bar Row 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps
• One Arm Row Both Arms 15 reps, 12 reps 8 reps
• Reverse Fly 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps

Single Set

• Close-Grip Chin Ups 30 seconds, 30 seconds, 30 seconds

Single Set

• Seated Bicep Curl 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps

Single Set

• 1,1,2 Hammer Curl 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps

Single Set

• Neutral EZ Bar Curl 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps (Can be done with dumbbells)

Single Set

• Airplane Cobra 30 seconds, 30 seconds

Cool Down and Stretch

Project BeastBody: Day 2- Build: Legs

Well, today was leg day for my second day of Body Beast and I have to say while it was rough, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Now, that doesn't mean that tomorrow I won't be crawling everywhere as my main means of transportation, but I am pretty sure that my recent PiYo workouts really helped me with all of the squats and lunges.  I did use weights as much as I could, but there were times when I just relied on good old body weight for the moves and I know I still got a great workout.  Since I am a girl and my goal is to have sexy, sleek legs, I wasn't as concerned about whether or not I used weights or not.  The workout lasts about 38 minutes long and consists of the same dynamic set method that is used in the Chest/Tris workout I did yesterday.  Tomorrow is back/biceps day.  Should be another killer day!

 

Food intake hasn't been as much of a problem as I thought it might be.  I am eating about every 3 hours and don't ever feel hungry.  However, I am thinking I am going to lean towards more of my paleo style diet that I am more used to, though.  I feel good with my food that I have been eating, but I know I could feel a little better and know what works for me.  I try to stick to the 80/20 plan so there are some exceptions to the paleo rule for me.  I certainly don't want to undo all of my hard work since nutrition is such a huge part of any fitness plan. I am already starting to figure out my meals for next week. 

 

I realized something today about myself.  And that is how proud of myself I am for taking on this challenge.  It's hard to think back and remember the girl that would never even think about working out, let alone lift a weight.  I have so much more confidence from this past year and a half than I had in recent years because of my health and nutrition journey and losing that weight and being able to help others on their paths as well.  I think, as cheesy as it sounds, one of the big reasons I am loving Body Beast so far is because I feel like I'm working out with these guys at a gym.  When I first moved back to Houston, I joined what was considered more of a bodybuilder gym that eventually started "softening" a bit to attract more females and I loved it.  It was the perfect environment for me at the time.  Now, I love getting to do these workouts in my living room or if I feel like it, going to my apartment or work fitness center as well, but either way, I'm still working out with people.  It's coming up on my one year anniversary as a Beachbody coach and I can't believe at what a great space I am in physically and mentally thanks to that company and the friends I have made.  Don't let fears hold you back.  If there is something you want, go after it! And with that, I'll see you tomorrow!

  

My calories burned today along with my Results & Recovery drink post workout. 
Also, my little dog Gabby says "hi!'

Body Beast Build: Legs Exercises

• Warm Up

Single Set

• Sumo Squat 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps, 8 reps

Super Set

• Alternating Lunge 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps
• Step-Up to Reverse Lunge on right and left legs 15 reps, 12 reps 8 reps

Giant Set

• Parallel Squat 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps
• Bulgarian Squat Right and Left Legs 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps
• Straight Leg Deadleft Right and Left 15 reps, 12 reps, 8 reps

Giant Set

• Single Leg Calf Raise Right and Left for 30 seconds x 2
• Seated Calf Raise 30 seconds x 2
• In and Outs 30 seconds x 2

Cool Down

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 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.  

The Rebellion Continues

It's been a while since I have posted on this blog.  For the past few months I have been working on building up my Facebook page, but lately I have really missed writing and it came at a perfect time because this week I started on a new fitness journey. 

 

As you all know, back in January I took a big step towards my health and decided to give P90X a try.  I loved it, and still do, but I hit a wall about 4 weeks in and decided to go another route with 21 Day Fix.  I enjoyed 21 Day Fix and the meal plan was definitely helpful in my weight loss goals, but I still ached for Tony Horton and doing more weight training so a few weeks ago, I went back to P90X with the passion in my heart to give it its fully deserved attention.  Two weeks into it and the same thing happened.  It wasn't that I couldn't finish the workouts, it was more that my body just needed rest.  For so many years, I have been hard on this body.  I ice skated for years as a little girl, then got into karate, then dance.  I've been in a few car accidents along the way with the last one leaving me with a broken foot and dislocated rib, both of which still cause me problems periodically to this day.  Not to mention all the weight I had gained and lost and gained over the years, all took its toll on my joints.  When I finally started exercising in my late 20's, I went straight to weight lifting and running on the treadmill and high impact step classes.  And whenever I have worked out, I always worked it to the max.  Then, I found Beachbody and a wonderful woman came into my life through that company named Chalene Johnson.  I have never done one of Chalene's workouts but she was working on a program that was going to change fitness and how we work out at home.  PiYo, a fast paced, low impact combination of pilates and yoga, had been in gyms for years, but I had never heard of it.  It's been dubbed yoga for rebels, perfect for a rebel fit girl such as myself.  Now, Beachbody was coming out with a home version so I quickly started following Chalene online and learning more about this new program because I knew it would be a game changer.  PiYo is perfect for just about anyone regardless of age, weight and fitness expertise.  Even if you've been plagued by injuries, PiYo could be the answer for you.  By using your own body weight, you're able to sculpt every inch of your body and since there is no jumping, it is very easy on the joints.  And you're still burning calories like crazy in workouts that are only 20-45 minutes long.  How amazeballs is that?

 

PiYo launched last week and is quickly flying off the shelves so I made sure to snag a copy so I could start my own PiYo journey.  Yesterday, it finally arrived and I quickly sat down and got to work.  I took my measurements and my "before" pictures to submit when my journey is complete.  Did you know that when you submit your before and after pictures to Beachbody after you complete a program you get a t-shirt and can be entered for a chance to win $500? If that's not motivation, I don't know what is, but I digress.  After getting my pictures finished, I completed the first "workout" which is more of a preview of the moves and terminology you'll see throughout the program.  If you have done yoga before, you'll know most of them, but Chalene may call poses by a different name and it is great to see how many of these poses are supposed to look when you are not rushed in the middle of a workout and worried about alignment and posture.  That introduction called "Align: The Fundamentals" was about forty minutes long and it definitely prepares you for the program so don't skip out on watching it. 

 

   

 

The program also comes with a meal plan as do all Beachbody fitness programs.  It breaks down what you should be eating for your calorie range.  So, for me, my range is 1,560 and I fall into Plan B.  It breaks it down even further by telling me how many vegetables, carbs/grains, fruits, protein and healthy fats I should have each day.  No calorie counting! Then it breaks it down even further and tells you the serving size for each item so it really takes the guesswork (and excuses) out of being able to eat healthy while on this program.  If you have the containers from 21 Day Fix, then you're on your way to making this even easier.  That is the key to being successful.  You have to follow the plan!



Everything that is included in the PiYo Workout base kit.

 

 

So, that is PiYo in a nutshell.  I started the program today and will post that in a separate post later today.  This is truly an amazing program that is going to help so many people that probably thought they could never get the body they dreamed of without beating it up first.  I became friends with one of the coaches from the test group and she had fabulous results in the 8 weeks she did PiYo.  Her biggest accomplishment was losing that stubborn belly roll that she had after having three kids so ladies there are alternatives to going under the knife.  If you're interested in learning more about PiYo, I would love to chat with you and help you take that first step towards joining me in the rebellion.  

 

 



Time to Pay it Forward

I may have taken my newfound love for health and fitness a little too far, but there is no turning back now as I embark on a new challenge and path towards a healthier lifestyle.  I have always wanted to find a way where I could help others find their own healthy journey and provide support and help to them whenever and wherever I could.  When I first got back on the workout train a few months ago, I had a very good friend and Beachbody coach, Jodi Lee Haddon, that helped keep me motivated and inspired.  I saw her love for the Focus T25 program and that is when I decided to do the P90X challenge.  I have always been in the mindset that you have to have a gym in order to get in a great workout and see results.  I had tried working out at home with other fitness DVDs but they just did not provide the challenge I needed and craved in order to meet my goals.  Now that I am starting week three of P90X, I can truly attest to the fact that you can get a great workout at home and you can stay motivated to do so.  That is why last week I took the plunge and signed up to be a Team Beachbody coach! It is now my turn to pay it forward and provide that same kind of inspiration and support to others.  In the next few weeks I will be putting together a Facebook page and group and the challenges will begin.  I am very excited about all of these opportunities that have come into my life recently.  A year ago, I would not have had the courage or confidence to do this, but thanks to my coach and the Beachbody products and supplements, I feel better than I ever have.  I cannot wait to get going on my next program, 21 Day Fix.  In the meantime, please visit my coach website and if you have any questions about any of the products, please do not hesitate to ask.