Day 6: The End of Week One!

I made it!! I made it through week one of Insanity!! And, so far, I love it! It’s hard work, but it’s totally worth it!!

Today was a repeat of Day 2; we did the Plyometric Cardio Circuit. This time, though, I had to push myself more in order to get through it. (I’ve been pretty sore the last few days and it was hurting a little more than the first time I did it.) I did get through it though, sweating a little less than yesterday, but still coated in a “nice” film by the end.

I’ve been drinking a lot more water during the workouts as well, a whopping 32 ounces both yesterday and today. I think I am going to make that a “tradition” and, with my new fancy lemonade cup I got from the fair the other day, it should be pretty easy to maintain. The only drawback to drinking so much water in less than an hours’ time is you have to make several trips to the bathroom. (Sometimes you just don’t want to get up and go, but you kinda have to.)

Emotionally, I’ve been feeling better: better about myself and better about the progression of my journey. I’m staying focused and motivated and I’m very excited to see the fruits of my sweaty labor. I’m also very excited to reveal the before and after pictures! (It’s totally gonna blow y’all’s mind. I showed my cousin/son for the summer and he was blown away at the before and current pictures. Those were only after I’d lost about 40 pounds. He laughed too because I was such a chunker! Lol.)

Well, I suppose this post is coming to an end. Tomorrow is my rest day, but I still may write a little something. I hope this blog is encouraging to all who read and, if it is, I would love to hear from you!!

Be blessed!!

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 5: Best Day So Far!!

Today was INTENSE!! The workout today was Pure Cardio, 38 minutes of moving fast and sweating big juicy bullets! It was the best day that I’ve encountered so far with this entire weight loss journey!!

We started out with a light warm up…and if you just read that last fragment and thought I was serious, you’re insane! The warm up is never light. Lol. We did four sets of Jog, Jumping Jacks, Heisman, Double Heisman, Butt Kicks, High Knees, then Mummy Kicks. And, with every round, we had to go faster and faster. I paused the video a few times because my husband woke up and was watching me! (I’m cool if he’s doing it with me, but to be watching me is kinda creepy. Lol.)  Once he fully awoke, he left the room and I was free to jiggle with no eyes watching. The warm up was about 12 minutes long.

Onto stretching! The stretch was about 6 minutes. (This is one of my favorite parts of the videos because it’s a break!) It’s always a nice way to cool down a little bit. I usually don’t like looking at the clock in the bottom left hand part of the screen just because I know that every time I look, I’m that much closer to an/a ___ kicking. (Fill in the blank.)

So, the stretch is over and it’s time to start the 14 minutes of constant exercise. (In the last four videos, they’d always have three or four minutes of exercise then a 30 second water break. Not this time!!) It seemed to go by pretty quickly though. We jumped a lot, did a few football exercise sets, pretended to be jumping frogs, and we even did a move that I always associated with Bringing Down the House. Queen Latifah gets in a fight with this blonde girl in the bathroom. Check out the link to understand what I’m talking about…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG1lSthrFaA at 1:19. Super hilarious!! (We did that for 30 seconds on each leg…youch!)

Anyway, today was fun. I enjoyed the workout more than any other I’ve been through and I was sweating like MAD!! I even noticed a few drops sliding down my face. (If you can’t picture it, you don’t have to; I took a picture for you!)

By the way, I always weigh on Monday mornings as soon as I get up and after I use the restroom (Hey, you’d be surprised how much that stuff weighs.) So, only a few more days and I get to see how the first week went.

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

<<Sweaty!!

Day 4: Recovery…You’d Think It’d Be Nice and Easy…Not!!

Well, as you may have guessed, today was Recovery Day. I woke up thinking that this was going to smooth sailing. Stretching and trying to ease up the muscles that had become sore with the intense work out the last three days. Boy was I wrong.

I think today’s workout was probably the worst one yet. I attribute this to the constant stretching and bending and what not. Plus, there were yoga positions. (I am not very fond of yoga.) For instance, the worst one, the one that I would not mind if I never had to do again, was the Plie Yoga Stretch. You stand with your feet apart and then point your toes outward. Then, squat still in Plie position and put your arms out straight as if you were flying. (Here comes the horribly painful part.) Now, bend and put one hand on the floor as the other one stays straight up. Yeah, this hurts!! I think I was actually feeling pain not associated with muscle stretching. Figuring this was not a good thing, I eased out of the position and then eased back in. Still very painful! I then did a modified version and I could still feel the stretch without the sharp pain.

Some of the stretch moves that I liked were the Squats and Pulse Squats. Basically, you slowly squat as low as you can eight times, then bring your thighs together as close as you can while in the squat position at the end of the eight count. The third part of this stretch is to pulse lightly up and down not going up more than two or three inches from your original spot. This really burns (in a good way) and even though my thighs are currently cushioned, I could definitely feel the muscle while doing this move.

This video was 33 minutes, but don’t be fooled; it will stretch you in ways that you didn’t even think you could stretch. I liked the “mellowed” down mid-week session, but I think I prefer the fast paced sweat drenching videos more. (If you have done P90x, it is similar to the Yoga X that you do on Thursdays. The difference is its one-third of the time and in my opinion, twice the stretch. Plus, I can do more of the moves in Insanity than I could with the P90X Yoga.)

Anyway, it is time for me to get ready for an outing at the fair. Hopefully the walking around and sweating (while staying hydrated) will burn some of the calories off from my kale smoothie this morning :D Until next time, be blessed and encouraged!

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 3: Insane Comedy!!

Today started a little like yesterday. I got home from my Audit Shift, ate something, then took a nap. Well, nap is a not quite what I did. But, let’s just go with it. I woke up around 2pm (hey, don’t blame me. I didn’t get much sleep prior to my Audit Shift and was therefore EXHAUSTED!!) Anyway, woke up around 2pm, got to spend a little time with my husband because he was just getting home from his first work shift of the day, and then started Day 3 of Insanity once he left for his second work shift.

You might be wondering what the title of this post could possibly mean. Well, in the next set of sentences, you’ll have a better understanding. Today was Cardio Power and Resistance. It was a 39 minute long workout and I really enjoyed when it was over. Lol. We did about nine minutes of intense warming up, then about six minutes of stretch and then everything else except for the last three minute cool down was pure insanity! Lol. (The warm up was actually kicking my butt!) Still, I pressed through.

The reason why today was so funny is because I was/am so sore from the previous two days. My shoulders hurt like the dickens starting Day 3 and now after finishing it, almost every muscle hurts. Shawn T (That’s what he says his name is), the leader of Insanity, made us do V Push Ups today. You put your hands and feet on the floor real close together and make yourself into and upside down V. Then, you bring your head in between your shoulders and arms using the same motion as you would while doing push ups. (Try it, I dare you.) This was so painful I literally felt the tears welling up in my eyes. (None of those wussy drops because visible because I talked myself into calming down and just pushing through the horrendous pain.) I had to laugh at myself though.

Speaking of something that made me laugh at myself, when Shawn T was revving us up for one more set of what we just finished, I ended up yelling at him. There he was, sweating like crazy, but smiling and trying to get us all gung ho about more beatings. “Let’s do that again,” he said. Not even thinking, I, with half lung capacity, (the other half had left me during the first set), yelled “No! Not again!” while at the same time making a funny face in his direction.

Another comedic portion of the workout involved V Push Ups, yet again. (These things are horrible, I promise! Lol.) The first two sets of the “actual” workout ended with V Push Ups. Well, after the second set, I literally ran out into the living room, huffing and puffing, and woke up my cousin (who is staying with us for the summer) up to tell him “He’s Killing Me! He’s Killing Me!” I then went back into my room and resumed my beating. Lol.

Despite the fact that V Push Ups hurt, I actually enjoy them. I know they are making my shoulders that much stronger and I know that the hard work and the pain that I’ve gone through will show within time. Some more moves throughout the video involved Globe Jumps (Jumping right, back, left, then front with hands straight above your head when you jump and touching the floor when you land), more Squat Jacks (described yesterday) and this really cool move (I can’t remember the name at this moment but basically you squat and when you come up you kick with your left leg, then squat and kick with your right leg and repeat until its time to switch moves. This one hurt too, but it was probably my favorite.)

In addition to all the sweat that was poured out during this session, I was able to take Before Insanity pictures while my husband was home. I had to wince at the few showing with my arms spread out like I was flying (wings and all!!). But, the whole reason I “signed on” for insanity was to get rid of what I didn’t like and to become a healthier me. I’m very excited for the day that I get to reveal them.

Day 4, here I come!!

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 2: Fit Test is Over - Time For the Real Stuff!!

This morning was a little different than most of my mornings. I had to work the Audit Shift at my place of employment last night and therefore didn’t get home till about 7:15am this morning. Lacking sleep and the desire to make myself work out as soon as I got home, I ate a bowl of cereal and then had a nap. My plans of getting only a three hour nap failed because I apparently shut my alarm clock off and didn’t wake up until two hours later. It wasn’t too much of a big deal considering that I didn’t have much to do. But, I would have liked to get more things done during the day than I was able to. I did, however, complete Day 2 of Insanity.

So, Day 2 of Insanity. The title of today’s DVD was Plymoteric Cardio Circuit. (In P90X, I learned that Plyomentrics means jump training.) When I did eventually wake up, the only soreness I felt from yesterday was in my shoulders. It wasn’t excruciating pain, but it was the kind that can be felt with every move. Still, I’ve made myself push through the pain and just suck it up.

We started out with about a seven minute warm-up. It was fast paced and only got faster. No problem. I astounded myself though because I was able to make it through the whole thing, only stopping to control my braid that had kept hitting me in the face and to check my sports bra during the jumping jack session because I felt a cool breeze that wasn’t supposed to be there. Lol. Then, we moved into the actual “work out” part of the session. Doing things like Squat Jacks (regular jumping jacks but squatting when your arms go down), In and Outs (push up position while jumping both feet in between your arms and then back out), and Basketball Jumping (squatting pretending like you are picking up a basketball on the ground then jumping from that position with your hands up like you are shooting it), among other moves. My least favorite are the Squat Jacks only because it makes your calves feel like FIRE! I wasn’t too fond of the In and Outs either just because I didn’t have any shoes or socks on and I couldn’t get very good traction on the carpet. I’m thinking about lacing up my tennies starting tomorrow so that I can be more accurate with the form.

The entire session was forty-one minutes. Seven being the warm up, as stated above, and the cool down was about three or four. A lot shorter than P90X, but more intense and there’s a heck of a lot more sweat involved. I’m excited for tomorrow!

Signing Out,

It’s Possible

P.S

I checked the scale this morning and it said 178.8. So, my official starting weight for Insanity is 178.8. Down, down, down I go!!

Day 1 of Insanity

It’s officially Day 1 of my Insanity. I started the day off with some snuggling with my husband before he had to go to work. But as soon as he left, it was time to hit it hard and get the Insanity Fit Test out of the way. It was a little over 25 minutes, which sometimes seems forever when you apply it to working out. This time, it seemed to fly by and believe me, the sweat was not in short supply. Not even five minutes into the thing, my face had become glazed with a nice layer of the salty stuff and no doubt that it was already as pink as a Strawberry Starburst. (I don’t say red as a tomato anymore because my face never gets red. How awkward would that be?)

In addition to the sweat and the pink face stuff, I had watched a one minute time-lapsed video the other day of a girl doing the Fit Test for Insanity. Its title: Huffing and Puffing. (I laughed when I saw this.) I never actually heard this girl huff and puff because I had to watch the video with no sound because the noise would be disturbing to others. All I can say is that after doing the Fit Test, I can imagine what the girl could have sounded like because I was huffing and puffing like no one’s business! I basically had to tell myself to slow down so I could catch a breath, drink some water and resume the video.

Anyway, I accomplished the Fit Test and from what I saw and did this morning, I am even more excited for the 59 days that I have left to complete. When I get my mind right about these things, it’s like nothing can stop me. I know my ultimate goal and am ready to fulfill it.

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

The Day Before I Go Insane!!

Note: This post was actually written yesterday. I couldn't post it because up until this point, I didn't have an actual blog. But, here it is...

So, it’s the day before I officially start Insanity!! I’m super pumped and super nervous. I’m assuming that these thoughts are legitimate though considering that many people don’t usually consciously “sign up” for an a$$ kicking. (I don’t typically use these words, but “Butt whoopin’” and “Tushy Beating” don’t quite have the same ring to them. Plus, I‘ve heard this particular phrase from a friend who has seen just how insane it is.) Still, I’m excited and ready to shed the last 45 pounds.

Before I actually start releasing the thoughts that I’ve got all bottled up.  I suppose I owe my readers (hopefully there will be some) an explanation as to why I wanted to start this blog. First, it’s sort of a way to document my accomplishments, frustrations, and thoughts regarding the last leg of my “Healthier Me” journey. Second, I want those of you who have a desire to get healthier to be encouraged. I know, before even starting this last section, that it is going to be tough; mentally and physically, but it is possible. Third, I really enjoy pulling the ideas/thoughts/what have you from my mind and putting them on paper, or in this case, a computer screen. I hope you enjoy!

Back Story:

In March of 2011, when I was transformed from Sherri Sehorn to Sherri Pate, I weighed about 236 pounds. (Gasp!) Not my proudest moment, but you have to start somewhere in order to go somewhere, right? Anyway, yeah, 236, thinking I wasn’t “that bad,” realizing that my pictures had two chins but not caring. I was very apathetic to the way I treated myself. Not something I would advise because it gets you nowhere, except, in my case, fatter.

Later that year, I went through a rough emotional spell for about two and one-half months. In that time, I lost 21 pounds because of lack of food. (Which is not good either. Losing weight by not eating enough starves the body for essential nutrients and in most cases, all that weight is gained back plus some.) During this time, however, there was a barbeque at the park, hosted by my church, and though very sad, I agreed to attend. I got in line to nit-pick at the food supplied and saw this person in front of me who I didn’t recognize. He was taller than me by maybe half a foot (I didn’t look that closely), had short hair and was medium build for a male, if not down-right thin. He turned around and shocked the caboodles out of me because it was my friend’s (mentioned above) son!! (He used to be heavier by about 40 pounds or so. Once again, I had never looked that closely.)That’s when I started thinking about my own need to lose weight.

By the end of that night, I found out that he had used P90X to achieve such fantastic results. Crap! How was I going to get the money to purchase that system? What was it even? As my situation slowly turned into a miracle, I kept hearing more and more about this P90X. Gosh, I really wanted to do something to change myself for the better. But how?

November rolled around, my situation became that miracle and I still wanted to do something to change myself. Those desires turned into future “maybes” throughout the remainder of the year only because I was tempted with food that I now know is only good in moderation. I was determined to do something to change myself starting 2012. And I did.

Results:

I went through 90 days of intense physical activity (6 days out of the week), not skipping any workouts and trying not to modify unless I absolutely HAD to. Dropped down to 184. So, 27 pounds in 90 days. Not too shabby. Even before those 90 days were up, I was feeling better, looking better, had a very noticeable difference in clothing sizes and was more confident in my day to day activities. All in all, P90X was totally worth every minute that I spent sweating, doing ridiculous yoga positions, and trying to maintain the Superman-Banana.

Since those 90 days ended (April 5^th 2012) I’ve tried to complete another round of P90X. I blame my failure to maintain it this time because of our new living environment. My husband and I moved on April 12^th and ever since, I’ve not been able to do a week of Round 2 without skipping a day or two or three. (Shame on me.) Mostly, I blame my lack of willingness to get my mind in the right direction. Still, I’ve lost another 8 pounds, which brings me to 176. My goal is 130 and I am confident that with Insanity, I will be even closer (or there!).

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!