Day 36: Day 1 Of Insanity and The Three S’s that I’ve Experienced

Before I get to what the title of this lovely post is about, let me first share with you the results of the scale this morning. It read 173.6. Only one pound more than what it said last week but I’m not stressing it at all. I drank about 16 ounces of water before going to bed (that’s one pound right there) so, I attribute that to the gain. Also, I was reading an article on beachbody.com about the number on the scale. This article was very informative and said that a five pound gain in say, a day or two, (for instance) on the scale isn’t fat, but most likely water. Muscles retain water and it will cause a higher number on the scale until they release it. Also, undigested food and liquids stay in your system until they are passed as well. (Duh!)  And, of course, muscle weighs more than fat. So, you could be gaining muscle and losing fat but you won’t necessarily know it if you rely on the scale. The best way to track your progress is by measuring various parts of your body as well as paying attention to how your clothes are fitting. For me personally, I haven’t been losing much weight since starting Insanity, but I’ve had to get a smaller work shirt because the other one was engulfing me. In fact, the shirt that I am wearing now (which I just got not even 2 weeks ago) is starting to get a little too big as well.) By the way, when I started working here, my shirt size was 22! Now, I am currently wearing a size 14, but will have to switch in about a week or less. So, it is important not to be a slave to the scale.

Onto the part about the title. Yes, Insanity Day 36 seemed a lot like Day 1. I was very unsure about what to expect and kind of nervous about it too. I started the day off with the Fit Test and saw some good improvements with my scores since Day 15. Then, I had to do the first “Max” workout, which was about one hour in length! (I was already partially out of breath by the end of the Fit Test, but still ready to work and push through it.) We started with three sets of warming up (to get my already warmed up muscles even warmer, I guess). Jogging, Jumping Jacks making our arms go straight up above our head instead of the traditional ones, 1-2-3’s, high knees with arms like we are flying, hit the floor, and ski jumps (these suck!). Ski jumps arm where you put your hand down on the floor like you are doing a push up but instead, you kick your legs as high as they will go in the air and land on the opposite side from where you started. Needless to say, I couldn’t go very high and by this move, I was so out of breath, I didn’t even want to. But, I tried. :D

Next came the stretch. (Thank God!) It didn’t last as long as the others do, but it gave my heart some time to calm down a bit. After stretching my now VERY VERY warm muscles, we did three different circuits that contained three sets of the same thing. The moves that I remember the most were the Cross Jacks, Upper and Lower Hooks and Side Suicides (which I couldn’t figure out how to do.)

Cross Jacks are as you guessed it, a different way of doing jumping jacks! (Yay!) As you jump out, one arm crosses above your head while the other crosses in front in your abs, or flabs, if you are like me. Lol. As you jump in, your arms switch positions and your feet cross. It’s actually a pretty cool exercise move and I actually just realized that I had been doing it wrong all along (until today.) My feet stayed in the regular jumping jack position as my arms crossed. It’s a lot better when y our feet cross though, because you feel it more. Yeah!

Upper and Lower Hooks, which I like a lot, are pretty much self-explanatory, but I’ll describe them anyway. Basically, you stand up with knees slightly bent and then do four hooks (punches in front of the chest) and then you squat down further and do four more hooks. Then, you switch sides. I like this move because it works my wings, I mean arms. :D

Side Suicides, which I could not do because of confusion, are like regular suicides except you put your palms flat on the ground beside your feet and then jump to the side. You jump in and then up and then down you go again. I couldn’t do this because my body would not do it. And, it’s a little confusing at first. I’m sure if I keep trying I’ll be able to do it eventually.

Now to the 3 S’s. Since January, I’ve noticed a few things that happen to me while working out. One is SNOT. For some unexplainable reason, my nose wants to run when I start working out. Maybe it’s because things are “melting” and it just likes to slide on out. (That’s why I always have some tissue nearby.) The second “S” is SPIT. Only during this last past week have I noticed an increase in saliva. I can’t even think of why this would be. When I go for a gulp of water, it’s all warm and gross in my mouth and very unappealing. I drink it down sometimes but sometimes I spit it out in a different tissue, which I also have nearby. That last “S” is SWEAT. This makes a lot of sense, obviously, but I only noticed this in excess amounts when I started Insanity. P90X never made me sweat very much (unless it was Plyometrics Day and then I noticed a little more sweat than usual.) I’d only ever get a light glaze from the majority of P90X. With Insanity, you can actually see droplets forming above my lip, by my hairline and even sliding down my face. (It’s quite a sight if you ask me!! I love it though!)

So, there you have it. The Three S’s. They may not be so “clean” but hey, it’s all a part of working out I guess. Plus, that doesn’t even matter once I’ve had my shower. :D Until next time.

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 35: Missin’ Shaun T, H2O, and Sick Stories!!

I have officially completed 5 entire weeks of Insanity! And, it seems like every Sunday, I get the Shaun T Blues. MEANING: I want there to be an Insanity workout on Sunday, the “rest” day. One of the main reasons I want to work out on Sunday is because it’s the day before my Weigh Days and I don’t want a day of inactivity to affect the outcome on the scale. Another reason is because I feel kinda lazy on my rest days. I feel like I should be doing more.

The only reason why I am not doing a work out on Sunday though, is because I do want my muscles to rest. I need a day of muscle rejuvenation in order to successfully complete the week that lies ahead. (I’ve heard that it is important to give your muscles a day off, so it would be silly of me to try to work them too hard.) I guess I don’t miss Shaun T that much.

As said above, Sundays are my lazy days. That goes for more than just exercise as well. These last few weeks, I’ve not been taking in as much water as I want to. (Only on Sundays though.) My daily goal is to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day. (That is the average recommended intake.) Monday through Friday, I have no problem. I drink 32 ounces while working out and the latter part of the day I drink another 32 ounces. Since PJ and I wake up later on Sundays, I’ve only been taking in 32 ounces during my night shifts at work. So, in an effort to correct this problem, I got up today and headed straight for my water cup (complete with a straw!). I sipped on it a little bit and then got ready for work. Before I went to work, I sat in our new pappasan chair and drank the rest of it while texting a friend. (With my handy dandy straw, I don’t have to “come up” for air like with a traditional water bottle. Within minutes, I had my first 32 ounces for the day down and ready for the second.) I think this is how I will do it from now on.

So, who’s ready for “Max” Insanity!? This girl!! I previewed a little bit of it the other night while transferring the files to PJ’s computer and I’m kinda scared, but READY! Hopefully, I don’t go away from it tomorrow wanting to throw up (because that feeling while being all hot and sweaty is one of the worst feelings!!) Have you ever worked out so hard that you just wanted to throw up…or actually did?! I’ve only wanted to throw up twice since starting P90X. I think the first time was the first Plyometrics workout and the second was just the other day with Core Cardio and Balance. The second time may have been because I started in a very cold environment, so much so that I was actually shivering before the workout. And, then I got all sweaty and kinda sick feeling but nothing ever came of it. (Thankfully.)

Well, I suppose that’s all for today. Tomorrow is Weigh Day and Progress Check #2, plus a Max Insanity Workout. (I can’t say that I’m excited about doing both the Fit Test AND a “Max” workout, but I will survive!!) Until Tomorrow!

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 34: Last Day of “Recovery Week”

Today was the official last day of my “Recovery Week.” I still count it as a workout though because I sweat a lot more than any of the other workouts I’ve done thus far. I’m sad to see it go, but very excited for the next month. And, as said earlier, each workout that I have until I finish out the 60 days has the word “max,” in front of it. My knees might be shaking internally (like one of those silly cartoon characters biting their nails and what not) but I think this past month has prepared me for another butt whooping.

Just the other day I researched Insanity results for other people and it seems like I am not the only one who has had less than the best results for the past month. But, there is hope! I read about a bunch of different people only losing a few pounds during the first month and then GAINING during the recovery week. Once they started the second part of Insanity, they were able to see more results in their weight. (This is one reason why I am VERY excited about the second part.) I’m hoping to lose enough weight to be in the 150’s. So, that’s another 12-13 pounds to go. I know I can do it. (And, with our summer son gone, it should be a lot easier because he won’t be tempting us with chips, cheese and salsa.)

If I remember correctly, I said something about looking for a protein supplement to take after my workouts. (I wanted this because I don’t get enough protein throughout the day and this will help me build muscle a lot easier.) Well, thanks to a couple of friends, we were able to purchase a 5-pound bag of MuscleTech Chocolate Protein Shake from our local Sams Club for roughly $35. I’ve had two shakes so far with 8 ounces of skim milk (200 calories) and it’s not SO bad. In order for me to get it all down though, I have to drink it all in one setting. (Although it doesn’t taste BAD, it doesn’t appeal to my senses as much as a real chocolate shake would. Maybe it’s just the thought of it that makes me kinda squirmy. Still, I sit in our new pappasan chair with my red cup full of protein shake in hand, complete with a red straw, and just “down” it. I, for some reason, cannot get past the froth though. I just cannot drink it!) After I finish the protein shake, I gag, (Lol, for real though) and then go on about my day.) The good thing about this protein shake is that it really doesn’t taste that bad (not as bad as a slim fast chocolate shake does..blech!) and it leaves you feeling full.

Also, the other day, I had said something about going to the library and renting a shadow boxing workout DVD. Well, to my dismay, they didn’t have any such videos and I settled for a 20-minute Jillian Michaels DVD. I’m thinking about doing this stuff at night before going to bed, but I’m still not sure. I might just look up shadow boxing on Youtube or something and go from there.

Anyway, I think that’s about it for today. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope to hear from some of my readers about how your weight loss endeavors have been going. Until next time.

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 31: Sore Shoulders but a Heck of a Good Time

Today was the third day of Core Cardio and Balance. And, even though I never really want to start the video (because I know those arm circles are coming) I have kept pushing “play.” It’s really not that bad though. Once I get started, it’s fun! There is quite a bit of variety in this video and every day I have noticed my body making subtle improvements.

The most obvious improvement that I noticed today was that I could get through 95% of the moves. (When I did this the first day, I would pause several times and even skip parts of the sections in order to catch my breath and survive the thing.) Today, I was able to work past the discomfort so much easier and it was more enjoyable for me.

While going through Recovery Week, I have found my all time favorite move. This move has caused my shoulders to become sore over these past three days, but it is still my favorite move. I can’t remember the name of it but it’s pretty easy to describe. Basically, you squat down and Jab eight times, then you jump 180 degrees and Jab another eight times. You do this repeatedly for one minute!

One of the reasons why I like this move is because it works my shoulders and arms, two of my problem areas. Whenever we get to this move during the video, I feel so accomplished before I even start because I know that even though it hurts, it’s doing a lot for me. When I jab, I actually see muscle and I’ve very excited to “cut the fat” off of my arms so that other people can see the muscle too (without have to look real hard. Lol.)

Another reason I like this move is because it shows how far I’ve come from Day 1 of P90X. I couldn’t do a 180 degree jump at all. I had to step through. The fact that I can actually do the move surprises and excites me! I can now “leap like a cat,” as Tony Horton says.

For some reason, I’ve been thinking about the above mentioned move a lot today. I really enjoy arm exercises that incorporate a lot of power. (unlike the arm circles…blah!) As I was getting ready for work tonight, I had an idea. *Lightbulb!* “I wonder if the library has any videos about shadow boxing?” (I learned about shadow boxing from The Biggest Loser.) So, the next time I go to the library, I’m going to search for shadow boxing workout videos so I can add that to my Insanity. :D

Other than my shoulders being really sore, these past few days have been pretty great. The arm circles are still intense, but it’s all a part of becoming a better me.

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 30: Progress Pictures and A Changing Mind??

Today was Day 30 of Insanity!! This means that I am “officially” half-way through!! I am very excited to have reached this point but a little confounded by the results. In 30 days, I have only lost about 6 pounds. (Which isn’t bad, but it’s not necessarily what I wanted to happen. I think I’d have been happier with a 10 pound loss.) Either way, a loss is a loss and I have and will not give up on my ultimate goal. Every step toward my goal is progress. I’m thinking that I will see a bigger loss within the next 30 days. (Every workout for the next 30 days has the word “max” in front of it. So, I’m assuming that it’s a level up from what I had been doing.)

Today was also progress pictures day. My husband took several pictures of me last night in my sports bra and shorts that I always wear while working out. (The shorts hide half of my upper thigh and it’s hard to see where the progress actually is.) So, today, I asked PJ to retake the pictures while I was wearing my bathing suit. In these photos, you can see a lot of progress from the very first pictures I’ve taken. (Sometimes, when I get discouraged, I look at the “before P90X” pictures to encourage me.) The only bad thing about the progress pictures taken today is that there isn’t much of a difference from the pictures taken on day 1. (That is kind of disappointing, but I didn’t really expect 6 pounds to make a whole lot of difference.)

Either way, like I said, I am still losing and still motivated to keep going. This kind of thing is not a sprint, so I shouldn’t expect it to be something that happens quickly. The weight didn’t just appear so it definitely won’t just disappear. While I’ve made much progress, I still have a long way to go.

Speaking of which, my journey may become an even longer one. Over the past few weeks, I have been thinking about what I actually want my body to be like. My goal since starting this journey has been to get down to 130 pounds (which means that I would have to lose 106 pounds from where I started). Lately however, I’ve been examining my body and my thoughts these past weeks have been consistent in that I want visible muscle. I want my arms and legs to be muscular and I want abs. Since I am not sure that the next 42 pounds that I have to lose will get me to this state, my plan is to work until I do. (Unless of course, my plans change again.)

I’ve told only a few people of my plans for a rock solid body and most of them have looked at me with a shocked expression and then question me as to why I think I need to look like that. It’s not that I think I need to look like that, but the fact that I want to. I want to be strong, I want to be thin, and I want to be healthy and in peak condition. I want to start a “new” life especially since children are a plan for my husband and me in the future. I want to be healthy for them and I want to be able to teach them how to be healthy as well. Moreover, I want them to have a personal example. And, since moms have a very big part to play in their children’s’ lives, I want them to see that it is important to be healthy.

I hope that my posts as of late have encouraged someone out there. Losing weight is tough and it seems even tougher on those bad weeks. The important thing is to keep going at it. It’s a process that does pay off and the reward is so worth it!!

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 29: A New Workout and A New Number!!

Today was the beginning of the “Recovery Week.” And, when you think of recovery, your mind probably goes to something serene and calming, something involving stretching and possibly even yoga. Well, as soon as I found out that I actually had a recovery week in between the two four-week sections of Insanity, I was dreading it! In my mind, recovery means taking it easy in order for your body to heal or “get used to” something, much like coming out of a surgery. I figured this week would be one of those easy-peezy workouts and I wasn’t likely to lose much, if any, weight.

Boy, was I wrong! In all of the workouts I do in Insanity, I sweat a lot! Today’s workout was even sweatier!! You start out “Jumping Rope,” which is actually a good ab workout. Then, it goes to Heismans and Jump Squats and before you know it, your muscles are burning and you have already built up a nice glaze on your face. The first four minutes is a combination of different moves that literally had me on the floor begging Shaun T to slow down or stop. (Lol!) the second section is the stretch, the third, more combinations of moves that I’ve already seen the last four weeks. This workout is everything from Squats to Jumping Jacks, from Push-Ups to Jabs, from High Knees to Mummy Kicks and the worst of anything I’ve ever done: ARM CIRCLES!! (I’ve very much disliked these since P90X!) Only, Shaun T takes them a step farther!

These aren’t just ordinary arm circles like the ones that Tony Horton made us do in P90X. By the end of the program, I was actually able to do arm circles for a considerable amount of time without feeling all “noodly.” Shaun T makes us Plie while doing arm circles! And, that’s not it! We get in Plie position and flap our wings…I mean, arms, like birds for 30 seconds. (Ouch!) Then, he tells us to keep our arms straight and move them in front of our face for another 30 seconds. (Kind of like we are straight-armed clapping.) The next 30 seconds consists of putting our arms straight up and then taking them out like we are flying over and over. And, the last minute is arm circles, 30 seconds backward and 30 seconds frontward. (By this time, your arms are limp noodles and you are literally telling Shaun T to stop!!)

Today was a great day though. I am so happy to find out that Recovery Week is actually going to be a challenge!! I want to lose weight this week and if possible, I want to be able to see a “16” in front of my weight.

By the way!! Today was Weigh Day!! I was happy to get out of bed this morning because I knew that I’d done well this last past week. I’d done what I said I was going to do! (I said “no” to bad food temptations!) I went into the bathroom, did my business and then stepped on the scale. DRUM ROLL PLEASE: 172.6!!! I have never seen this number before!!! I was so excited that I had to update my Facebook status as soon as I saw it!! I am 2.7 pounds away from being in the 160’s and I could not be happier!! I’m hoping that with this intense “Recovery Week,” I’ll be able to get my weight down enough to see that.

(From last week, this is a 4.4 pound loss. If you remember, last week was a bad week and I saw 177 again. I am very thankful that a renewed mind and a serious attitude about my food intake allowed me to see the 172.)

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!

Day 28: Power in the Tongue!!

Lately, I’ve been inwardly wondering why I’ve been staying at about the same weight. It’s more of a range between 174-177 and it’s been getting me frustrated! I’ve even noticed myself saying that “I’m not losing any weight.” (**bonk to the forehead**) No wonder I haven’t been losing much weight lately!! I let it come out of my mouth. I honestly believed it and that’s what happened. There is power in the tongue and it’s extremely evident in my case.

I’ve also been wondering what needs to happen in order for me to continue to lose weight. I’m tired of seeing the 170’s and I’m ready to master the 160’s. For quite some time now, I’ve been asking myself what I need to do in order to keep making the numbers go down like they did when I was doing P90X.

Yesterday, at church, my pastor did his message on the tongue and how powerful it is. While he was preaching, I was thinking to myself, “I’ve heard this already and I’ve even taught others about it. What else could I learn today?” Well, folks, I learned a LOT!! I think it hit me the way that it did because I was looking for an answer!! This was my answer!! I hadn’t been speaking anything except negative things about my weight. I’d been talking about how I wasn’t losing any weight and that, in turn, made me lose very little or no weight! It’s a simple equation and for some reason I just didn’t “get” it until yesterday!

Here are a few scriptures about how powerful the tongue is:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. -Proverbs 18:21

We all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. If we put bits into the mouths of horses that they may obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Look at the ships also; though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! -James 3:2-5

The way I’ve been speaking about my body is making my body go in that direction. I may be exercising and eating right but I’ve been speaking destruction into my own life and that’s what I’ve gotten. (Maybe not destruction, per se, but negative things.) It’s just the same with everything else. If you say that you are always sick, what should you expect: sickness. If you say that you are going to have a bad day, what do you think you will get: a bad day. Even though our tongue is just a tiny member of our whole body, James says that it’s like a rudder to the ship. Think about the Titantic! That was a HUGE ship! Yet, it was steered by the rudders, which are SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than the ship itself!  Think about it, it makes sense and since it says so it the Bible, it would be wrong of me not to believe it.

So, as a way to make my body get back on the track that it needs to be on, I have decided that I am going to make some cards with positive things to say about myself and my entire weight loss journey. I’m going to write them out and put them on my fridge so that every time I go into the kitchen I can say what the card says. I’m going to put encouraging words and positive words in my bathroom above the scale, by my bed, and practically anywhere I can think of that I will see. I am going to SEE and SAY! And, as I say, my body will follow! I’m excited!

Who wants to join me?!

Signing Out,

It’s Possible!!