Up until this point I hadn't had to do the Cardio Abs. To be honest, I was a little scared of the Cardio abs and for good reason too! I had done the Pure Cardio a couple of times already but each time they were without the Cardio Abs.
The reason why I have been a litter eerie about the Cardio Abs is because I did the Ab workout for p90x and it kicked my butt. Beachbody always puts them at the very end of the workout too. I assume that it's the best time to do it, but dang - those ab workouts kick my butt. To be honest, I couldn't even finish the whole thing. I had to do modifications to be able to complete. It was a bit more time consuming as there were two workouts to complete but overall - is wasn't too bad. Still under an hour!
***
Two Weeks done.
So, two weeks have been done after tomorrow's rest day. Tomorrow's rest day will probably be a small yoga workout or stretching workout. I feel like I need to do something on those days just to stay loose. With two weeks completed, it means that I have Fit Test #2 coming on Sunday. I'm a little nervous about it simply because I don't know how I'll do. I want to kill my first Fit Test but we'll see. I feel like I can but I guess it's always a little nerve-wracking knowing that you are out to beat yourself.
Weight loss plateaus are no fun or easy things to be a part of. I've been hovering between 185-190 for the longest time. I've made my plan and believe that it'll take me past this plateau.
I will be cutting my longer distance runs. I will still be doing the Half Marathon at the end of this month, but will not be doing the longer distances 8+ for the rest of the year. Next year I will train for another Half and possibly the full.
While I may be cutting my longer distance runs - I'm keeping my running consistent. I love to run and believe it is a great exercise, I just need to focus on strength training to get to a new level.
I have a couple options in my strength training. I've talked about increasing the strength training the last few posts - it's time to do something about it.
The two options are Crossfit and P90x. I want to do the Crossfit, but don't have the resources around me. I could try and do the Crossfit on my own, but I don't think that it's going to work. That leaves me with p90x. I have done p90x before for 3 or 4 weeks and saw some positive changes so I will come back to that.
Today, Week 1 - Day 1 - P90x begins. It'll be good.
In what way have you made changes to improve your fitness time?
I've been away the last week, actually two out of the last three I've been away from home working at a camp. It's been a lot of fun, but I'm glad to be at home. It's been fun to hang with my wife and get some much needed sleep (I slept until 11am today). I have included a before picture that I took some time late last year and also a picture that I took this past week at camp. I enjoy seeing the differences.
(before.)
I was hoping to come home and find that I had reached the 180s, but it has yet to happen. I knew a time would come that this would happen - that I'd reach a point where I'd need to change my routine in order continue with a healthy weight loss.
I've hit that point.
I have a really normal routine that works well. I eat at the same time each day (usually) and run about the same time as well. I'm going to change a few things up though. This is my plan to approach the dreaded plateau.
I don't believe in plateaus - only action.
I have used the mindset and lifestyle of moderation the entire time and have lost a total of 65 lbs. This seems to be the amount that I have held too. I remember in high school weighing 190 lbs and thinking that it was a healthy weight for me to be at. At the time - maybe that was right, but now that I am older and don't lift weights like I did then -- 190 is not ideal for me. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that I've been able to hit this weight, but it's not my stopping point. My plan is to reach 170 lbs for me to be a lean, comfortable, solid machine.
As I said, I use moderation to be successful and I will not stop using that, but I will use a narrower gate on what is eaten and more moderation on what may be preventing the last 20 from falling. I won't lie, I allow sugar into my diet (and by 'diet' I mean my daily intake) in a few different forms. I put agave nectar in my coffee, I drink one 12 oz Sprite a day, and usually one other form throughout the day. It's worked and I don't feel deprived. I want to find that balance with smaller portions of the sugar - and so I will.
(now.)
Since our recent move, I've had a hard time with the running. I continue to run and enjoy the running, but find that since going full time at the church - I have had less time to run and more work. Go figure that I'd stop working two jobs and work only one that I'd have more work.
I am using the Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training for Intermediate level. Why I chose the Intermediate level is because of all the running that I've done this year. It's average run is 3 miles and that's what I do for my easy runs...so that's why I chose that level. Tomorrow is suppose to be a 6 mile run, but I have a 5k to run so the 6m will not get done. I will attempt to work that in somehow throughout the next week.
Hal's program calls for strength training days - I plan to use the p90x during those days. To be honest, I miss doing the p90x on a daily basis so much that I just might modify Hal's program to fit more of that in it. I feel that when I was doing both the running, and the p90x regularly - I felt and did my best.
I have said all of that just to lay out a plan before you to keep me accountable. That's what this site is for right - to encourage and keep accountable.
My Plan for the Last Twenty.
- Cut out the 12 oz Sprite per day. (40 grams of sugar) - Increase raw green veggies - Modify Hal's running schedule to include more Strength Training - Cut cheese (<--Ha. funny huh? - but really, I need to lower the amount of cheese I eat.) These are simple, doable, attainable goals that I will utilize in order to get rid of the last twenty. My mind is set. This is where positive reinforcement takes place. In our old house, I posted notes to myself in front of our treadmill (before outdoor running became my love) that said this.
"Discipline Pushes Limits" "I am the Machine" "Set Your Mind"
This is where I am.
What is your motto? What do you tell yourself to keep yourself going?
Yesterday was a really good day. I dropped below 200 pounds for the first time since high school! I experienced yoga in a way that I never have – (it was only the second time ever). Another thing that yesterday did, was allow me a peace of mind to take a bit of a break today. Today was 5k Tuesday, but it ended up into Tues-day of Rest on the running front. I will be back at it tomorrow. I took a nap when I got home from school and slept a bit longer than I had wanted too – it was very nice. Saturday is normally my rest day but I will do a run on Saturday to make sure I keep up with my 1,010 in 2010 pace. Rest is so nice sometimes. I still have p90x though tonight. Day five!
Chicken Kabobs.
I tried to make chicken kabobs for the first time as well tonight. It wasn’t quite as successful as I thought that it would be. I use a charcoal grill and grill chicken quite often – but for some reason – when you put chicken, onions, tomatoes, green pepper, and zucchini on a skewer…I just can’t grill properly. It seemed like what should have taken very little time…a looong time – and we were starving. We ended up taking everything off of the charcoal grill and throwing it on the George Forman grill. We cheated. We also had corn on the cob. It was a good meal!
Yoga-X
As I said ealier, I have only tried Yoga once and that was when I was in my ankle boot. I really couldn’t experience it to the fullest, but that changed last night. I experienced Yoga – p90x style...to the fullest. It was a 1 ½ hour long experience! It was quite the workout too! I don’t think I have sweated that much during a p90x workout. My wife joined me in the workout -- she is becoming quite the stud -- in the most feminine way of course!
I have decided that I would give you a bit of a look at what I look like while doing Yoga.
Enjoy!
Yes - that is my wife's Pink Yoga/Pilates mat!!
What is the One thing that has put you out of your Comfort Zone the Most?
