2/2

Work out-done. That's all I have to say about that...

Right now, to be honest, I'm sorta freaking out about skin cancer. Not that I HAVE skin cancer...but I just watched this video about it and it's making me paranoid. Also, a good friend of mine just went through the whole process of finding out he had melanoma and then having surgery and is now in remission.

Anyway, I do have a little bump on my arm that is a bit worrying. I'm going to a dermatologist soon. In fact, I'm going to schedule an appointment tomorrow. Just to be on the safe side. It's scary to think that I need to be checked for a disease that could kill me. Sometimes I think if I don't go to the doctor for these types of things they'll never find it and I'll be okay. Sorta like: if I don't see it or know about it, it doesn't exist. But, we all know that isn't really the case.

Ugh. Sometimes growing up (old) isn't that fun.

11 questions

My friend, Claire, whose blog I recommend, tagged me (Yes! Me!) in a little "meme" that I'm definitely going to participate in! I tell 11 random facts about myself, then answer 11 questions. So, here I go:

11 Facts about Moi:
1.) I don't really like watching the local news, but I know it is important to stay up to date with current events in my area. So, I watch it.
2.) I love writing letters. But I've been really busy lately and haven't kept up with writing. In fact, I've got a letter half written sitting beside me.
3.) I used to suck my thumb as a child. I stopped in first grade for fear of being laughed at.
4.) I still have my baby/childhood blanket. It's on my bed and I sleep with it every night. However, I don't travel with it. Too risky.
5.) Even though I've been to England, if I could only travel to ONE other place for the rest of my life (outside the U.S.), it would DEFINITELY be England.
6.) I don't like scary movies. They always scare me way too much.
7.) I want to write a book.
8.) I have an uncanny ability to turn almost any normal situation into an incredibly awkward situation. I don't mean to, it just happens. Fortunately, my friends, family, and boyfriend think it is an endearing quality.
9.) I don't really like T.V. that much. I watch a few shows, comedy mostly, but otherwise, I don't care too much about it. In fact, I don't even own a T.V.
10.) I despise video games. Funny thing, I actually own a Wii, but have only played it about 5 times (and that is a generous number).
11.) I've cried while playing Monopoly. Because I was losing. I'm a poor sport, sometimes.

Now, 11 questions from Claire!!

1. Which is your favourite holiday or celebration? Basically everything that falls between Thanksgiving and my birthday or Mardi Gras (whichever comes first). So, that includes Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (yes, it's a holiday), Christmas, New Years, Valentines Day, my birthday and Mardi Gras. However, if I could only pick ONE, I'd go with Christmas. It's MAGICAL!

2. What's your favourite song to rock out at a karaoke party? Or, if you're not a karaoke person, what's your favourite song to sing in the shower?
I've never karaoke'd (it is on my to-do list), but it's probably a toss up between Rocket Man and Bennie and the Jets

3. Do you wear pyjamas? If so, do you have a favourite pair?
Yes; I don't have a favorite pair. It's really whatever is closest and how hot/cold I am. No, that's not entirely true. I do have a favorite summer gown. It's white with flowers and real thin. It is probably the only thing I can sleep in on those super hot, muggy evenings.

4. Which of the cities you have visited is your favourite?
London, hands down.

5. What do you think of the Kardashians?
I have a sick obsession with them. Kim annoys the piss out of me, but I like her sisters. I don't watch their show regularly, but I do keep up with them. It's sad.

6. Do you have any tattoos?
Yep :)

7. Who was your favourite teacher?
My 10th grade English teacher, Mrs. Borrego. She was tough but amazing and I learned so much. She helped me learn to accept criticism.
My 11th-12th grade Chemistry teacher, Mr. Diskin. He was incredible at making chemistry FUN! For a while, I had every intention of being a chemist.
Dr. Hochkeppel, my college band director and conducting coach. I've never had a teacher that inspired me as much as he did. He was tough and expected nothing but my absolute best, and he believed in me. I owe much of my success in music to him.
Dr. Garcia; she wasn't as much of a teacher as a mentor (though she was the piano instructor at my university). She guided me through some really rough times in my academic career. She put more time and effort into my education that she was required, but I'm grateful for it every single day.

8. How much sleep do you need each night? Do you sleep well?
It varies. I try to get 7-8 hours each night, especially nights before I teach. However, I don't sleep well when I've had a nap and been lazy all day. I love naps, but I have to limit them so I can sleep at night.

9. If you were a Star Wars character, which one would you be?
I don't like Star Wars, so I can't really answer this one....

10. What is your favourite kind of candy?
Chocolate.

11. The Simpsons was recently voted the greatest TV show of all time - what's your take on this?
I've never watched much of The Simpsons, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy it or haven't enjoyed it when I have watched the show. I just don't care too much about it...basically, I can live without it. This being said, it's run has been remarkable. Not to mention the fact that so many people STILL watch it religiously. It's a show that's almost as old as I am, and has an audience that ranges from senior citizens to young children. These facts alone are enough for me to agree that (thus far), it is the greatest show of all time.

Whew, that was fun! Now time to do some school work...Thanks, Claire :)

2/1

So, if you've been reading this blog, you know I have changed the order of my workouts. Today, rather than sculpt, I did cardio. It should make my Tues/Thurs mornings a little bit easier.

I've really come to enjoy writing in my blog about the daily exercise routine. It's a bit of a motivator to workout. Anyway, it's funny how you really can see improvement in just a short amount of time. The yoga is still hard, but I made it halfway through without needing to make adjustments or take a break. Last week I couldn't do ONE move without taking a break or stopping entirely. It's pretty encouraging to see that I'm getting stronger. I don't think I've lost much weight or inches yet, but any bit of improvement is good.

Also, I was able to do jumping jacks for 30 seconds!!! I HATE jumping jacks. They hurt my boobs (seriously) AND they are hard. I think the new sports bra is a good thing. I'm going to credit this $40 sports bra for making my jumping jacks much more bearable. It was worth every dollar!!

Oh! I almost forgot, I was complimented on my triceps this weekend! My aunt said she could see some definition in my arms! So, another good sign! Hopefully I can remember all of these positive outcomes on days when I have no motivation!

Until tomorrow...

Weekend Notes

I failed in doing my workout yesterday (Saturday). There was too much going on. I spent most of the day with my aunt, cousin, and grandmother, so I won't complain. I rarely get to spend entire days with them. We took my grandmother to have her nails done and get a cheeseburger, which she loved. So rescheduling a workout for valuable family time is excusable (in my book).  This meant I did the sculpting video today. Tomorrow (Monday), I'll start cardio and go all the way through Saturday. This should be a challenge. In essence, I'll be doing workouts 7 days in a row. Fortunately, they alternate so I have a day between to allow my muscles to heal.

That's all I've got for now. Good news is: I've finished one full week of Power 90!! Woot!!

1/5 and Friday Favorites!!!

Done. Did. Not too much to say about that. Today was strength/sculpt, by the way.

Now I'm just REALLY tired. All I want to do is take a nap, which I think I'll do in a little bit once I finish my laundry.

As most of you know, today is FRIDAY!!! For those of you who don't know it's Friday, please check your calendars and prepare to enjoy the weekend. I'd like to list a few of my favorite things today, since Friday is probably my favorite day of the week!

1.) Afternoon naps. I love, love, love taking naps. In fact, I'm taking one today since I have the time.
2.) Red wine. Since today is Friday and I don't have to wake up too early tomorrow, I'm going to enjoy a glass (or 3) of wine.
3.) Stretching. I love to stretch. Whether it be an early morning, just waking up and climbing out of bed kind of stretch, or one just before/after a work out, I really, really love to stretch. It just feels soooo good :)
4.) Libraries. I like how quiet they are, and how you can get lost in the aisles of books. I love wandering through the stacks and finding something completely new that I had no intention of checking out. I also love the way library books smell. They smell different from regular books...and that's just fine by me.
5.) Candy,Ice Cream,Sweets,Cakes, desserts, etc. You get the idea. Sometimes I think I could survive on JUST sugar. Once, someone told me my world must be a combination of Munchkin Land (from Wizard of Oz) and Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory (Oompa-Loompas, edible tea cups, and all). Now that I think about it, that's exactly how things would be in my world. However, I'm really proud of myself. Since I began my workouts, I've eliminated most sugars from my diet. Now I settle for fruit or honey-sweetened tea. It's not the same, but it will do.

Well, that seems like enough for today. Time for that afternoon nap. Until tomorrow...

1/4

Just a quick post...

I did my workout, but not without having to get over a case of the I don't want tos (not sure that's a real phrase, but I'm assuming you get what I mean).

Anywho, turns out yoga is still kicking my butt. But, I'll get it eventually. It was a LITTLE bit easier today. That could be because I wasn't as sore today as I was Tuesday (which is progress).

Tomorrow is a BUSY day. I'll be working with elementary students from 8-11 (doing a little music class with them, which is pretty nerve wracking since I'm a college teacher), then going to the university for an afternoon weekend, and later in the evening heading to visit my aunts, uncle and cousins for the weekend! Should be a good time, but I'll have to make sure I exercise Saturday! That will be the biggest hurdle--staying on this exercise plan even when I'm out of town. Luckily, it's only 35 mins long, so I won't be anti-social for too long!

Until tomorrow...

1/3

Work out. Done. Not too bad. I donated blood yesterday, so I was a bit nervous about doing too much with my right arm, but since I wasn't lifting heavy weights (only using the resistance band), I didn't have any problems. Those push-ups are going to be the death of me, but once I can do the push-ups, I think I'll be ready to advance to the next level (it's gonna take some weeks, though).

On a different note, I got contacts today!! I've wanted contacts since I got glasses at age 15. I'm just now getting around to it. Anyway, once I got home I noticed my eyes were quite dilated and I was having a hard time reading. I called my doctor to see if that was a normal reaction to contacts. Apparently, it's not. The only thing we can figure out is that SOMEHOW the dilating solution got on one of our fingers and onto the contacts. Really weird. I've taken them out and have cleaned them really well (I'm pretty paranoid about this). Once my eyes are back to normal I'll put the contacts back in to see if my eyes do okay. My fear is there will still be dilating solution on the contacts even if I've cleaned them. However, if that's an issue I'll call the doctor and get another pair that isn't contaminated.

Alright, enough for now. However, I've got to give a shout out to my friend, Claire! She's reading my blog (probably the only person who reads it!!). So, thanks, Claire :)

1/2

Whew. That cardio work out was MUCH harder than I thought. I was assuming it would be a bit easier since the sculpt video didn't seem so hard. My prediction now is I will be advancing with the sculpt/circuit video before the cardio. Again, that's fine.  I'm committed to this, so I'm taking my time and NOT getting burnt out.

And, as expected, one of the HARDEST things about these Beachbody videos is the yoga. Whether it be a full 1 hour yoga session or the power yoga, it's freaking HARD. I think part of my problem today was lack of stretching prior to the yoga. I just wasn't warmed up enough (had just gotten out of bed). But, even if I'd been warm, I know I would have still had problems with it.

Alright, enough. Until next time.

1/1

Week 1/Day 1 of P90.

Not as hard of a sculpting exercise as I thought. I'll be on to the next video within a month for sure. One thing I'm going to need to purchase for the sculpting is a set of weights. I have a band, which works for now, but I think I'll need a set of weights to mix things up and get a bit more build on muscles. I also think I may purchase a tighter band since bands do offer the resistance that weights don't (plus, they're easier to transport).

Anyway, feeling good. Nice work out. Ready for tomorrow's (cardio/abs...ahhh!!!)

Review of Power 90 prep week....

Today was an off day from working out. However, I got a little bored, so I went for a 30 minute walk. It felt good-not too strenuous, but I didn't feel lazy.

Since it was my day off, I decided I could have a very moderate dessert. So, at lunch I had about 1/2 cup of fat free vanilla ice cream, and at dinner I ate a very small sliver of coffee cake. It was probably more than a dietician would have recommended (I'm going to assume they would say nothing at all), but it was remarkably less than I would have eaten two weeks ago.

While at the gym (doing my 30 minute walk), I decided to use the scale and see if my weight "guess" was accurate. Turns out I weigh about 10 pounds MORE than I thought. Ugh. Good news, I measured my waist (and only my waist) to compare it to the measurements from last week, and according to the records, I have lost an inch in my waist! That makes the weight disappointment a little less.

As of today, I'm pretty motivated to keep up this diet plan. I know it is better for me to get off my butt and do something productive for my health than it is to sit at a computer all day without any physical exercise. Plus, I REALLY want to climb that wall this summer!

This week I start the "real" Power 90 workouts. I'm glad I did the other video for one week, I think it's going to make this week seem a bit easier since I've already made it through week one--sore muscles and exhaustion. The biggest challenge will be getting up and starting my workouts on Tuesday and Thursdays BY 4:50am at the latest (they are 40 mins long). But, as my WONDERFUL boyfriend tells me, I'm tough, I can do it!

So, here we go, Week 1 :)

#6 (week 1 in the books!)

So, yep, as the title says, week 1 is in the books. Only about 14 more to go...(not exactly sure on the number of weeks, but I know it is about 14).

Next week starts the REAL Power 90. This week was Power 90 Express Fat Burner, or something like that. However, I'm pretty sure the workouts will be similar.

Either way, I'm glad I made it through the week. It wasn't so bad. I've done really well with my "diet." No sodas, candy, desserts or anything. I've limited my sugars in coffee and tea by trying to use honey in tea and fat free flavored creamer in my coffee without additional sugar. I've also stayed away from a lot of the "bad" carbohydrates like white bread, rolls, white rice, etc. In fact, I've had very few carbs in general. Instead, I eat fruits (which give me a boost in energy because of the sugar).

So, I'd say I've been pretty successful. Now to enjoy a day without exercise (or intense exercise, I may go on a relaxing walk if the weather is nice).

#5

I've got a feeling that simply saying I did my workout is going to get boring. However, I'm trying to avoid admitting I didn't do it...so...at least I can say I did.

Anyway, to avoid this getting to boring (for me as the writer), I'm going to continue reminding myself why I'm doing this. I've already listed a few things, and obviously general "good health" is a desired outcome, but I've got a few other goals as well.

I should explain that I turn 30 in less than a month. Last year, I had a list of things I wanted to do before I turned 30. However, due to general laziness and being pretty busy, I didn't get around to a few of those things. Now, I'm changing the list to "Thirty while Thirty" or something like that. Meaning, 30 things to do once I turn 30. I haven't finished it, and I'm sure it will be a work in progress, but here are a few of the thing on the list that relate to an active, healthy lifestyle:

1.) Running a half marathon
2.) Doing another triathlon (even a mini-triathlon)
3.) Climbing a rock wall at camp without help
4.) Finishing Power 90
5.) Completing P90X (we'll see if this is even necessary)
6.) Taking a multi-day rafting/hiking trip

I don't have to be a superstar athlete to complete all of these, but in my current condition I would struggle to do several of them, and I KNOW I couldn't run a half marathon or climb a rock wall without someone pulling me up...or even attempt at finishing P90X. So, that's the fitness goals. I'm sure I'll add a few, but I also want my list of 30 things to be varied and not just fitness oriented!

Until tomorrow....

#4

The absolute best part about working out before I go to work is knowing I have done my part and don't have to exercise this afternoon/evening when I get home.

This being said, I'm hoping that this regime will give me more desire to be active. As it is, I'm fighting the urge to quit. I want to stop wanting to quit. Once I get over that hurdle, I'm sure I'll have more desire to do extra exercises.

But, not a bad time today. I made it through the entire workout. I didn't finish the final stretching due to time limitations, but otherwise, I completed the whole thing.

#3

Work out. Done.

Not as bad as yesterday, and that is a blessing!! I'm going to assume it is because:
a.) Day number 3 isn't as bad as day 1 or 2
b.) Today's workout wasn't at 5:00am.

My goal is to continue doing morning workouts on Tuesday and Thursday, but I may have to add a few other days to that so I can get used to morning exercise. I was EXHAUSTED all day yesterday. The morning work out REALLY drained me. I find the opposite is the case when I exercise in the afternoons--it's like a burst of afternoon energy.

Diet: sorta bad. I had drinks with a friend last night (about 5 Mich Ultras) and then sushi today (which mean rice). However, I didn't stuff myself on the sushi and actually brought home leftovers. So that is a plus! (Lunch tomorrow!!!)

Gotta run to rehearsal!

#2

Whew. Woke up. Did it...sorta.

I completed about 90% of today's work out. I got concerned about time. Waking up at 4:45 isn't fun, even if it is to work out. But, I did. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm PROUD of myself, rather, I'm just glad I don't have to worry about exercising for the rest of the day. Especially since a friend of mine is coming to visit this afternoon. Morning workouts are the answer (unfortunately).

I am pretty sore. Especially the insides of my thighs (that's good, I suppose!). I think I'll take some aspirin before I leave for work.

Gotta run!

1 of 97...

After deciding what to blog about, I've come up with a topic. I'm sure it will be incredibly uninteresting to most readers, but it is something I'm comfortable with sharing on the "internets," so it'll do.

Working out. Blah. I've decided to tackle "Power 90." A toned down version of the infamous "P90X." The first week (which started today) is a special fat burning workout that is designed to boost your metabolism and help you get the energy to do the full 90 days of Power 90.

So, today I have stuck to the diet. I've eaten very few carbs (most of them from fruit and my protein shake), and only low fat snacks (handful of almonds). It's gonna take some effort, but I really want to do this all the way through.

My plan is to work out in the mornings before I get too busy with my day and don't do it. This means on Tues and Thurs I'll be working out at 4:45am. The rest of the days (MWFS), I'll try to have my work out finished by 8:00am. I'm also trying to keep myself from sleeping too late.

I've got a few goals/reasons for doing this work out.
1.) I want to be able to climb a rock wall (specifically, the one at Camp Lakewood)
2.) I want to lose 40 pounds
3.) I want to see pictures of myself and not think I look fat.
4.) I want to be a certified lifeguard at camp this summer (maybe...). A better way to say it is, I want to have the ABILITY to do it. Which I am too out of shape to pass a lifeguard test right now.

So, that's it. Today's work out went well. I didn't push myself too hard, but I was definitely breathing hard and sweating. Hopefully the diet won't kill me. It's only one week. Next week I can start eating more food! Yay!

Until tomorrow....

Another Year in the Books

Oh, hey 2012!  What happened in/to 2011?  That's right, a lot of things! So many things, in fact, that I just didn't do my part and actually keep up a blog. Ooops.

Thankfully the blog is still here and I can still type...maybe now I'll be able to keep up with things.

Anyway, I'm not going to write much tonight. It's just too late. I really only ended up here because I wanted to see if I could still remember the password. But, I will say that I'm going to make EVERY EFFORT POSSIBLE to write more in my blog this year. It's my 30th year!!! Time to do something new (like keeping up with my blog), right?

So, goodnight and sweet dreams, my sweet blog. I'll see you soon!