Phase 3 Review

Phase 3

Workout 9:
Length: 36 min
Ease: 4.5/5

[My] Avg Cal: 293

Workout 10:
Length: 34 min
Ease: 4/5


[My] Avg Cal: 301

Workout 11:
Length: 35 min
Ease: 5/5
[My] Avg Cal: 314

Workout 12:
Length: 35 min
Ease: 4.75/5
[My] Avg Cal: 314

Cardio 3:
Length: 33 min
Ease: 5/5
[My] Avg Cal: 308

First off, the cardio is a bitch and I hated doing it. It seemed more like 2 steps up, not one.
Weeks 9 & 10 were nicely challenging, very good about making me feel like I'd progressed.
Weeks 11 &12, were hard. I mean kill-you hard, but at the same time, it flew by. I was sad about making it to the end, I wanted to keep doing those weeks.
Warning, this phase is not great for those with knee issues. There isn't an issue with modifying to suit your knees, but you have to do it alot.
Also, while it may seem corny,  I definitely say listen to and believe in Jillian's cool down speeches in Workouts 11&12. It's a great pick-me-up

Body Rev Results

 

These look like poor results and not a good plug for the program, right?

That's somewhat true. These pictures do not adequately illustrate a few things. For one, those pants became looser, especially in the tummy.  2, my arms became alot stronger, more muscled . 3, my endurance shot through the roof. 4, I graduated from 5's being a challenge, to using 8's, and now have 12's to challenge myself. I never thought I could get up to 12's.

So why the poor results?

I'm not sure. I mean, I lost no weight the first month, but 1 the first 2 weeks were not particularly challenging to my fitness level, 2 I may have been building muscle. Phase 2 included my diet going into a tailspin because of my job. I don't eat much fast food, because everything that sounds good to eat is too high in calories, and that makes eating out a bummer. However, out of necessity, I began eating out several times a week. Also, my drinking....got heavier than expected on the weekends. I had a no weigh in challenge going, which helped me not see what the drinking and fast food were doing, not that the fast food could be helped a majority of the time. I gained 5 lbs. Which leads to Phase 3, where I barely shed that which I gained in phase 2.  

I expect that my second time around with this will be much more satisfactory.

I will still recommend it to anyone. I'm not a success story, and it's my on fault.

Phase 3 review later

Previewing My Last 2 Weeks

It looks...scary fun. I know now I will be sweating hard. I can't believe I've gotten this far. Even if I haven't gotten far.  I hate having to fight for every single pound, what seems like harder than most people, but 6 weeks of less than perfect eating gains me 5-6 pounds. I was still exercising, active, just gah!
I so want to do phase 2 and 3 over again, but I don't know if I should do that later and keep to my 30DS intense I want to do. I hate feeling so indecisive.
Also, I may not be finished, but I definitely recommend Body Revolution.

Right now on Mondays/Thursdays disc I get to do 'Boat pose hold, hollow man hold, boat pose hold, hollow an hold, boat pose hold' and I can do it without needing to drop! I am so proud of myself.

Review of Phase 2

Phase 2

Workout 5:
Ease: 3.5/5
Length: 35 min
[My] Avg Cal: 290

Workout 6:
Ease:3/5
Length: 32 min
[My] Avg Cal:  263

Cardio 2
Ease: 3.5/5
Length: 31 min
[My] Avg Cal: 281.2

Workout 7:
Ease: 3/5
Length: 35 min
[My] Avg Cal: 248

Workout 8:
Ease: 3.5/5
Length: 34 min
[My] Avg Cal: 255


I enjoyed the first half more than the second half. They were all challenging and fun, but for some reason weeks 5&6 were more fun for me.
in general, it was challenging for the level I've previously been at without making me feel like i was completely out of my element.  I was sad to be done with it because there was some moves that were new and I wanted to master. Of course, there were some I hated. A note to those with limited space, there are certain moves in the last 2 weeks that needed at least 5 feet across and  4 feet wide [aprox]. It was not enough to just turn sideways in a narrow space.

Wow

I'm almost done with Phase 2! Where has the time gone?
I'm glad I have 2 1/2 months before my fitting. I may be able to lose some weight by then.

I have to say, being able to look at a scale and not have the compulsion to get on it is nice. I'm scared of next week. I know I haven't met my goals. I also know I'll be on my period, or just off of it, and therefore not have the most accurate . It's all my doing and I'm discouraged that my diet got that f'ed up. I still exercised and I really want to believe that counted for something. I keep wanting to keep up with the no weighing thing, but I feel I need it to be somewhat accountable. Not because the numbers mean much, just enough to remind me to keep it in line, you know?I need to look through my older entries, I know I had plans for what to do after BR but I can't remember. Right now I keep trying to figure out a schedule for doing 30DS double time, as in, 2 times a day for a month.
Hmmmm

Playing Catch up

So two weeks in a row I ended up working a full day on monday, and so did what I asked about last week:
I did Monday's on Tuesday, and doubled Tuesday's with Wednesday's.
And eek, I'm past the half way point of the program! It's so weird. I'm also past the idway point of the month/phase, how is time flying like this?
My No Weigh May thing is probably good for me, because I'm almost certain I've not lost weight this month, and I don't know that I will in the the next 15 days. Something to do with out exercising a bad diet, and mine is all over the place, for many reasons. Some of them are ok, most are just my idiocy.  On a somewhat positive side, I don't think I'm gaining. But I cant be sure fore 25 more days. I don't miss weighing in, but in the past two days I've kinda wanted to know since I'm bumming. Oh well

However, lately I've been feeling smaller to myself, which is not in keeping with my weekly pictures, but it still feels nice.

Question

So yesterday I ended up working a full day instead of a half like I normally do, and so missed the time I normally do that day's disc. Normally, I would do it when I got home, however, I was exhausted when I got home. I was exhausted because the first half of my day was spent doing lots of physical labor while in some humid heat. In fact, I never really cooled down yesterday, got cooler, but I felt hot all day long, and getting home to a house with no a/c on was not helpful.
So, my question, do I let yesterday slide, or do I do workout 5 today, and double up and do workout 6 and cardio tomorrow and be caught up?

I'm so confused.

I thought about combining today and yesterday, but I waiting for the mail to show up because I decided to order myself the resistance cable JM uses in the program because the one I have currently isn't working out.  The plain rubber keeps snagging on my skin. The one she uses is nice and braidy. Plus I like the handles better.  It occurred to me the day after I ordered it I could've borrowed the MIL's since she's putting off restarting the program. But I want one of my own. And according to the tracking it will be delivered today.  Since our mail shows up around 1, and I have other things to do today, I don't think I can practically fit in 2 today.

This no-weigh May thing is... peculiar. On the one hand, I'm loving the freedom from it's tyranny and remembering it's only one small indicator of how my health is going. On another hand, I feel like I'm in a free-fall and that in 23 days I will discover I have gained massive amounts of weight. I suddenly feel that none of my food choices are good for me. I realize this shows how reliant I was on the damn scale, because I know currently 85% of my choices are healthy. It's that 15% that scare the crap out of me and I'm fighting very hard not to let disordered eating habits to pop back up, but instead try to get a tad more diligent about my dietary habits. I also need to remember that there are going to be times where I don't get to be as healthful as I'd like to be, but it doesn't mean I've failed.

End of Phase 1

Well then. Has a month really gone by? My life has been so busy, I guess it has.
So, out of the 30 workouts of Phase 1, I missed 3.  I would say days, but since my weekends are scheduled the way they are, I do Saturday's workout late Friday afternoon instead. By Phase 3 I  should be able to do them on Saturdays again. While 1 of my workouts was missed because I had not yet realized I should move the one workout, the other 2 were frustratingly blocked. I worked last Friday, early enough not to be able to get up and do it beforehand [since I take the fiancee to work in order to have a car], and when we got home our niece and nephew had come to stay the night with Gramma. I had been ok with the idea of missing my last cardio, especially after my day Friday, but and the many circumstances that collided on Friday night to prevent me from exercising upset me.  I did stay very physically active all weekend so I don't feel horrible, just frustrated.

So here goes:
Phase 1

Workout 1:
Ease: 2/5
Length: 31 min
[My] Avg Cal: 240

Workout 2:
Ease:2.5-3/5
Length: 35 min
[My] Avg Cal:  273

Cardio 1
Ease: 3.5/5
Length: 25 min
[My] Avg Cal: 227

Workout 3:
Ease: 3.5/5
Length: 35 min
[My] Avg Cal: 290

Workout 4:
Ease: 3/5
Length: 33 min
[My] Avg Cal: 246

I really enjoyed phase 1. I felt the first 2 weeks were definitely beginner, and would say that those more experienced with working out should take the supplemental cardio option the first week, maybe even the second.  I promise you the first cardio dvd will not be child's play by the end of the phase.  Heck, I'm pretty sure that with the exception of supplementing the first 2 weeks, I could start this whole thing over again at the end. I won't though.
As far as weight loss goes. I did not lose mounds of weight. I didn't lose what I wanted. I'm not following the diet program because frankly, I only find those practical when you live alone. I live with 2 other people no matter which house I'm at.  And they control the spices... I mean, they do the food buying, as is their prerogative, and therefore, no altered diet. That's not to say I didn't make healthy choices. I also made bad ones. I also have a completely different eating schedule on the weekends that I believe is screwing with my system. I have been logging my fod and trying very hard to make good decisions, but I'll be the first to admit my crock pot picks for the end of the day on the weekends isn't 100% omghealthy. But when I know they are, I eat earlier in the day accordingly.  Sometimes, I make a few ingredient substitutions to 'lighten' it up. C'est la vie. I'm working hard and not giving up and it counts for something.

Crockpot Menus of late:
Broccoli Casserole
Creamy Beef over Noodles  [brown rice noodles are tasty]
Chicken and Brown Rice
Broccoli Beef

Push up Power

So in work out 3 one is encouraged to do full on military press. My record is 5. :0 Terrible right? I should practice more. I was proud of that 5.
On Friday I previewed the first half of phase 2. I'm happy I have a week left of phase 1.  Phase 2  looks...tough.  Nothing I can't take and conquer, but boy howdy I'm glad it's a week off.
I'm noticing the switch to 7/8's in my workouts. Whenever she calls for  light weights and I go for the 5's, they see so bitty now. However, ti terrifies me the idea to do the 30DS with my 8's. Also, I have set my sights higher. When I graduate to a higher hand weight, I'm going for 12's. As long as I'll be paying out the butt, might as well make the weight difference worth it.
I had a crappy weekend. Not too much diet, mostly personal. I'm still mostly down. Exercising helps me feel better most of the time, but I' still dwelling.
Also, I'm visiting my childhood by re-watching Ocean Girl. Wow life was different 18 years ago.

I want a practical magic night with hot chocolate......

I werk ooooouuut

Guess who got herself a new pair of weights? 5's were becoming too easy in most exercises. although I was not thinking when I bought them about how I was about to start weeks 3&4 of phase 1 [which is in, oh, 20 minutes]. Bwahaha I'm so going to be cursing myself, I'm sure. I also have the secret hope that going between 7's at the MIL's place and 8's at home will add to the whole muscle confusion theory. Who knows?

This weekend was a great success of coming home after 12 hours work to a crock pot just finished cooking our dinner, thank goodness for plug timers.  Saturday night was Philly Cheese-steak Soup which doesn't sound healthy at all, but I put it into a recipe calculator and it wasn't bad.   Sunday night was a little more naught with Chicken Cordon Bleu, but only for the can of condensed soup added. That one I even went for the healthy version to appease my conscience.

Also, did alot better this weekend about food intake and not overdoing it. Go team me!

Scale Day

Today's Weight: 205.4
Difference: -1.6
Total Difference:  -5.9
-------------------------------

I had very mixed feelings about getting on the scale today. Part of me was excited that I got to weigh myself, part of me was annoyed that I was doing it since I'm trying not to rely on it too much, and part of me was just plain curious what number it would say. I was pleasantly surprised by what it said, I figured it would match last week's number since my weekend's eating was all over the place. I was physically active for most of Sunday, lifting heavy, up and down short flight of stairs, walking to a fro, but my lunch was from a pot luck, breakfast was from Carl's Jr, and dinner was In and Out [granted, I got my double-double protein style with no sauce and I didnt snack after] and Monday I managed to go over calories by indulging in a Carl's cookie after splitting a combo with the MIL. Those cookies have a shitload of calories, prolly why they taste so good.
But who knows, sometimes I wonder about counting calories. Some of my inspirations didn't lose weight by counting calories, but by eating healthily and when they were hungry, and Monday left me very hungry. [and yes, exercising, which I'm doing].  I tend to have days where I feel hungry at the end of the day even though I made good choices, because I'm limiting to calorie counts.
Those inspirational posters always say to go by more than the scale, look for the little things, but I don't think I really have any Non-Scale Victories so far.  I'm back into my 18W Gloria Vanderbilts again, I spose that counts.

I'm enjoying Body Revolution like I said, but I am only 3 days in. Let's see how I feel about it at the end of phase 1.  Secretly, I'm scared I'm still going to be in the same place in 3 months. In general, my determination to lose weight has helped me not be so uptight and depressed, but since I seem to make very slow progress I'm just scared. In general, yes, I know one day I will lose the weight as long as I keep trying, keep going with regular exercise and healthy eating. But I do have small goals, like maybe being 8-10 lbs lighter at the end of phase one. Not only that, but to see a bit of a difference at the end of phase one too, since I've decided to take weekly pictures to motivate me.
Saturdays for exercise are going to be very interesting, since I have very little time in the mornings. Personally, I guess I won't need to eat before exercising if I do it when I wake up since I'll be getting up earlier on the weekends. anywhos.

Here are some recipes that have gotten big thumbs up from my family[ies] recently:
Clean Eating Lemon Chicken Penne
Lemony Chicken with Artichoke Hearts
Cuban Pork
Garlic Asparagus with Lime

Body Revolution

And so it has begun! Yesterday was my first day, and I will definitely be supplementing my  first 2 weeks with extra plays of the cardio DVD and my kickboxing DVD. I did get sweaty, but when my highest HR was 161 and my average was down at 137 o_o which is about 15 under my normal average.  My only day to not double up will be Saturdays since by the time I will be getting home I'll be to exhausted and it wouldn't be good for me.
Right now I'm struggling with breaking the habit of weighing myself everyday. My fiancee asked that I stop and only do it once a week because he felt I was doing it too much. My attitudes towards weight-loss have changed in the last few months, and while watching the fluctuations every day was mostly fascinating, it did on occasion still get me down.  It feels weird, not knowing how I'm doing, especially after my somewhat crappy weekend.  Part of me argues, but it shouldn't matter, I need to keep eating right and exercising and come up with alternatives to my food problems on the weekends.
See you in a couple of days

Wednesday Weigh- in cancelled today

Today my scale seems to be spazzing and refuses to give a consistent, or anywhere near accurate reading. 

In 3 more weeks I get to start Jillian's Body Revolution. I'm looking forward to it. I'm really loving my Kickboxing DVD though, and it's definitely something I can work on getting better at while waiting for my turn with Jillian's BR. Right now my heart rate is staying in the high 85% area while doing it, but it's been spiking to  90%.  From what I know, that's not the best, but I'm working on it :)

Annnnd

yesterday was the original end date for my challenge. I still took pics. I will take more next week too.
I have just finished reviewing Jillian's new Kickboxing DVD and damn am I excited to start it. Looks like some awesome cardio, and I recognize some moves I'll be doing in her Body Revolution too, woo-hoo. I think it's a bit sad that I have enough Jillian DVDs to recognize some of her back up.
I like the Kickboxing DVD for the fact that it's in a group this time instead of just her 2 back ups. It's the same in the BR series, although that has both guys and girls, this DVD has just girls.
I have been contemplating mixing the kickboxing DVD with levels 2 and 3 of 30DS since those never became easy. Level 2 is still more challenging for me than 3.  I'm adapting to 3 better than I did 2. So until BR time, I think this will be my plan. Also, 1 day for yoga [cuz I miss it] and my Bob DVD. since I now have a part time job, the next 3 weeks will fly by. wonder what change it will bring? Can't wait.

Also, as of yesterday, I haven't had soda [other than a few accidental sips when grabbing the wrong cup] for 30 days, which was my goal, to not drink soda while on my challenge. I miss soda, but at the same time the thought of the taste of it in my mouth is gross go me. I want to allow myself the option of the occasional soda, but my challenge was extended, should the soda thing be too? I never did notice a health shift by giving it up. Well, ok, one thing, I have been getting sleepy more early in the evening. Even though my teas have caffeine in them, I think I'm still consuming less caffeine with them than all the soda I was drinking. Quandary.....

Hmmm

So I just reviewed the first 2 weeks of the Body Revolution DVDs, I look forward to doing this program. of course, I have only viewed 3 of the 15 DVDs, so I may eat my words later on. However, I still have a month before I start it. The MIL will do it first, giving my time to finish my shred challenge [14 more days, wth?] and do a couple of weeks of the Kickboxing.
The phases are set up very simply:
Week 1-2
Day 1: Front of Body workout [1]
Day 2: Back of Body Workout [2]
Day 3: Cardio
Day 4: Front of Body [1]
Day 5: Back of Body [2]
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: Rest

Weeks 3-4
Day 1: Front of Body workout [3]
Day 2: Back of Body Workout [4]
Day 3: Cardio
Day 4: Front of Body [3]
Day 5: Back of Body [4]
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: Rest

Week 1 of Phase 1 offers a kickstart metabolism week, in which you can do the cardio dvd every day that week [which means 2 times on cardio days]

I haven't thoroughly perused the diet plans, but I did read enough in the kickstart diet [which she warns you to only do once] to know it is not for me. Don't get me wrong, I have many of her recipes, and like them, but niacin free is hard to come by. Also, I do not believe in totally omitting alcohol from diets. If you're a wine drinker, wine with dinner is fine to me. 1-2 drinks [otherwise] a week is fine, because that's, oh what? Moderation.  Alton Brown thinks so too. But the MIL is very into the kickstart diet so tonight we shall be having steak with spinach salad. Sounds good.

It's weird, in my Shred challenge, sometimes the modifications are harder for me to do then the full out move. Like level 2's chair squats with a v raise. When I was doing the modification, I couldn't make it through the 30 second sessions. But then I switched to the regular, and today I made it all the way through [yay me] In general, I feel a small raise in endurance, but I do not yet see a physical difference, nor do I feel one. Bummer. I shall finish and move on.