Challenge Update: Week 4

This week was sort of blah.  I started really strong and just kind of fell of it through the course of this challenge.

Really, I shouldn't beat myself up too much.  I lost about 10 pounds in the last month.  I busted my ass through fibromyalgia flare-ups, mother nature, and a serious repetitive stress injury.  Huzzah!

To boot, I've been eating pretty well.  Snacking maybe a little more than I should, but I've found myself addicted to Green Giant Steamers (broccoli and potato) and being super filling they've been helping me stay on track.  Having said all that, I've been inconsistent about tracking my actual food intake most days.

I didn't get a chance to weigh in last Friday because I woke up late (after having not slept again) and rushed into the office for a time-sensitive issue I needed to resolve ASAP!  But my clothes fit better, I am much stronger (even Danny said, "Why did you get stronger than me, mommy?"), and I feel better.  It's just a matter of time.

I loved the results from Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, but I got bored.  I was hoping to do the next workout on the difficulty scale, but I don't want to fail due to bored.  I think I'm going to go the route I came up with months ago: 30 minutes of vigorous activity every day.  I'm going to strive for two to three days a week working the next level on the 30 Day Shred so I can have a structured work out, but other days I will supplement with bellydancing, running, swimming, and some much needed gardening.  All this supplemented with 30 to 60 minutes of yoga and meditation every day to keep me grounded and working towards my other goals.

This week I'm going to take a bit easy.  Last week was mentally trying, and I need to focus on recuperation and restoration.

How are your summer activities coming along?

Challenge Update: Week 2

Oh!  Before I forget!

When I said "without exception" I totally lied.  Last week some anxiety got the better of me and I took a break for a couple days.  I'm not proud of myself, but sometimes the body needs rest.  Also, our computer was down so instead of monopolizing the DVD player for my work out video, I had to restart it every morning.  The player is slow, the intro is slow, and it takes over 10 minutes for me to get my work out started.  Sadly, the longer I have to wait for my workout to start, the more time I have to negative self-talk myself.  By the time my work out begins, I'm too unmotivated to put my heart into it and I do half-assed work outs.

Since the beginning of June, I've lost 9 pounds, but only three since I began the 30 Day Shred (which boasts losing up to 20 pounds). Last time I officially weighed myself I was down to 188.  I keep trying the measurements, but I'm physically incapable of measuring the same place twice.  It's typical for me to gain lots of muscle when I begin a new workout program (which I can see it true, I'm toning up quite a bit), which translates usually to about a 10 pound gain for the first 6 weeks of a routine.  The fact that I have lost 3 pounds in two weeks is a HUGE deal.  By late July when I progress to the next, more difficult, 30 day routine I anticipate will begin the melt zone.  That's when my body acclimates and I'll drop some dramatic pounds, often five pounds per week for about a month before I plateau.  But that will ONLY work if I'm consistent.  Too many breaks or binges, and it's all for nothing.

This week I have a couple challenges for myself.

Try to jog one to two days this week.


I love to run.  I haven't been really consistent about it since I hurt my ankle in March, but I miss it.  Doing it every day or every other day was too daunting.  Now that I'm doing this 30 day challenge, trying to do it so often will probably just set me up for failure.  Instead of setting a schedule or making up a routine (like Couch to 5K), I'm just going to run when the mood strikes me for however long feels right.  I just want to enjoy it, I don't want the effort of some program to weigh me down.  I promise to be careful and warm up and stretch properly.

Get at least one hour of yoga every day including one pose I suck at.


Now that I'm officially on the path to teach yoga and get my teaching certification, I need to start challenging myself more.  An hour every day is more than doable, and I'm going to permit myself to get that hour however I can, if it's 20 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes at night I'll consider that a success.  And I need to work on a pose I'm not good at.  Right now I'm debating between Dolphin pose which requires I strengthen my upper back and shoulders or Boat pose which requires I strengthen my core (both very weak areas for me).  Maybe I'll go crazy and do both.