Well, last week I missed two workouts. For good reasons though. A photo shoot. Mixing my album, and sickness. So I still got in one. And to be honest, I needed the break. So I didn't do any measurements last week.
I'm on a new path this week though. Eating clean, taking my RVL shakes once or twice a day and my three weight circuits. This new phase in ChaLEAN is CRAZY HARD! I've never been literally dripping with sweat after a workout before. I've never needed a towel during my workouts. Until now.
This better get me some serious results!
We shall see on Monday, going into week 11.
Week 9
I didn't see much progress this week with my measurements. And I most definitely will NOT weigh myself. I just know I would be discouraged by it. I did work out really hard and did get in one insane cardio session. I didn't do two, only one. But that is better than nothing. And I was reeeeally sore the next day. Even though it's cardio, it's not your typical step-aerobics class. It's more of a boot camp style.
I couldn't find a promo video of the cardio workout, but here's one example of some of the moves by this one chick:
So yeah, she makes it look easy. I feel like a dying dog by the end. I do like that they are 45 mins max.
I specifically tried to put in extra effort last week because I have a photoshoot tomorrow. I need some updated photos for my upcoming album release. So.... That was plenty of motivation for me. I'm not happy about my non-results... It seems like my body is not wanting to respond. Seems ridiculous. I do know that I need to stick with it though. Another couple months and I'm sure my body will realize I'm not just pretending.
I was motivated after I saw this video. This woman had to go through three rounds of ChaLEAN Extreme to get like this. One round is 12 weeks long. So it took her nine months. That seems realistic to me.
So... here's to week 9!! On to the third phase of this program. I am excited to change things up. The first phase was the "Burn" phase (medium weights and 10-12 reps to reach failure), the second phase was the "Push" phase (where we lift very heavy and do only 6-8 reps max to failure), and this third phase is called "Lean". I expect we will be lifting a little lighter and doing higher reps. We shall see!
Even though I haven't lost the inches I'm hoping for as of yet, I AM feeling stronger. I Do feel generally better and healthier. I feel happier and have more energy. I also feel more productive during the day when I workout. So on that basis alone, it is definitely worth my 35 minutes every other day.
I couldn't find a promo video of the cardio workout, but here's one example of some of the moves by this one chick:
So yeah, she makes it look easy. I feel like a dying dog by the end. I do like that they are 45 mins max.
I specifically tried to put in extra effort last week because I have a photoshoot tomorrow. I need some updated photos for my upcoming album release. So.... That was plenty of motivation for me. I'm not happy about my non-results... It seems like my body is not wanting to respond. Seems ridiculous. I do know that I need to stick with it though. Another couple months and I'm sure my body will realize I'm not just pretending.
I was motivated after I saw this video. This woman had to go through three rounds of ChaLEAN Extreme to get like this. One round is 12 weeks long. So it took her nine months. That seems realistic to me.
So... here's to week 9!! On to the third phase of this program. I am excited to change things up. The first phase was the "Burn" phase (medium weights and 10-12 reps to reach failure), the second phase was the "Push" phase (where we lift very heavy and do only 6-8 reps max to failure), and this third phase is called "Lean". I expect we will be lifting a little lighter and doing higher reps. We shall see!
Even though I haven't lost the inches I'm hoping for as of yet, I AM feeling stronger. I Do feel generally better and healthier. I feel happier and have more energy. I also feel more productive during the day when I workout. So on that basis alone, it is definitely worth my 35 minutes every other day.
Week 8
I splurged on wine this week. I still got in my three weight circuit workouts and pushed myself too. I think I'm finally starting to see a visible difference. It's taking so freaking long, though... it's hard not to get discouraged. But I just know my body is stubborn. Four kids in five years will do it.
This week, I'm ordering more RVL from Monavie.... that protein powder is amazing. Whipping it up in my magic bullet with water and some ice makes it as creamy as a milkshake, no joke. My favorite is making it with coconut milk. Sooooo good!! And it holds me over. And it's got a bazillion nutrients in it that you can't get anywhere else. Love it. And it tastes really awesome, unlike that gross Vega protein powder everyone was talking about. Vega does have some good ingredients, but it's just as expensive and tastes horrible. Tastes like a dirt and worms smoothie.
So, this morning's measurements are:
Waist - stayed the same (thanks to the wine).
Hips - lost half an inch
Chest - down half an inch (yikes! This is the one area I can see a significant difference! WHY oh WHY!!)
Arms - stayed the same
Thigh - down .3.
Total inches lost: 7.3 (not counting both legs, and both arms... just one).
Okay, it's not going up, that's good. And I know where I need to improve this week. I need to get in a couple cardio sessions. I admit that I detest cardio. Although the Chalean cardio sessions are pretty fun. So, that's my goal this week.
YAY for week 8 of working out!! I'm officially sticking with the program.
This week, I'm ordering more RVL from Monavie.... that protein powder is amazing. Whipping it up in my magic bullet with water and some ice makes it as creamy as a milkshake, no joke. My favorite is making it with coconut milk. Sooooo good!! And it holds me over. And it's got a bazillion nutrients in it that you can't get anywhere else. Love it. And it tastes really awesome, unlike that gross Vega protein powder everyone was talking about. Vega does have some good ingredients, but it's just as expensive and tastes horrible. Tastes like a dirt and worms smoothie.
So, this morning's measurements are:
Waist - stayed the same (thanks to the wine).
Hips - lost half an inch
Chest - down half an inch (yikes! This is the one area I can see a significant difference! WHY oh WHY!!)
Arms - stayed the same
Thigh - down .3.
Total inches lost: 7.3 (not counting both legs, and both arms... just one).
Okay, it's not going up, that's good. And I know where I need to improve this week. I need to get in a couple cardio sessions. I admit that I detest cardio. Although the Chalean cardio sessions are pretty fun. So, that's my goal this week.
YAY for week 8 of working out!! I'm officially sticking with the program.
Measurement Monday
Good news.
Lost 2 inches in the waist.
Lost 1.5 inches in the hips.
Lost one inch in the bust.
Lost nearly an inch in the arms
Started taking my thigh measurement in a different place, but since last week, lost half an inch.
Yay..... finally things are happening.
But I can tell this will be a long road to my goals.
I just keep looking at this lady who had seven kids! That keeps me going!
Lost 2 inches in the waist.
Lost 1.5 inches in the hips.
Lost one inch in the bust.
Lost nearly an inch in the arms
Started taking my thigh measurement in a different place, but since last week, lost half an inch.
Yay..... finally things are happening.
But I can tell this will be a long road to my goals.
I just keep looking at this lady who had seven kids! That keeps me going!
Measuring Monday
I lost another half inch in my waist this week.
I lost a half inch in my hips.
I lost a half inch in my bust.
And I am not sure about my legs because I find it's hard to measure in the exact same spot every time. So starting today I'm measuring my upper thighs since it's easier to be more accurate.
So I'm done with the scale for now. The measuring tape is telling me the truth.
I feel better eating balanced meals the last few days. Also, instead of having a shake for breakfast like I've been doing on for a few months, I've started eating Ezekiel 4:9 toast with butter and a couple eggs. My blood sugar is WAY BETTER all day long. I have my shake later on or for lunch. That just made a huge difference for me.
The progress is slow, but it is there.
Okay, Moving On.
This last week was a roller coaster for me. Not feeling like I'm making progress. The scale heard a few choice words from me. I'm putting that thing away for a while. And my measuring tape is my new best friend. It doesn't lie to me. So even when the scale says "You fat cow, you just gained 5 lbs even though you're busting your ass," I just pull out my handy measuring tape and realize I did in fact lose half an inch in my the waist, so "Scale: you can put that in your pipe and smoke it."
Also, I've been reading way too much on diets. My mind was more like scrambled eggs by the end of the week. I've read up on all the fad diets, which include taking entire food groups out of your life and replacing them with nothing. And then I've read a lot more saying "don't do that."
I've looked at before and afters of all of them and they are all impressive. I've looked at the science and the principles behind the different theories as well.
The good news is: there is a common denominator.
Cut out junk food and most processed foods. Eat more whole foods.
There. That's it. You are guaranteed to lose weight and feel healthier. It seems you can do slow carb, low-carb, no-carb or high-carb, low-fat and still achieve fantastic results. I think it does involve some experimentation to see what your body responds to. Try it. If you feel terrible, change it.
There. That's it. You are guaranteed to lose weight and feel healthier. It seems you can do slow carb, low-carb, no-carb or high-carb, low-fat and still achieve fantastic results. I think it does involve some experimentation to see what your body responds to. Try it. If you feel terrible, change it.
For most of the week I was reading up on this popular paleo diet and while the science sounds convincing and the before and after photos are impressive, I have some problems with it. For one, the premises and the science is based on evolutionary theory. That pretty much discounts most of the science. They start with the premise that man was originally a hunter-gatherer and base the workouts on that premise as well. Well, no, man was originally a vegetarian in the Garden of Eden. I'm sure plants had much more protein content before the Fall. And man's system operated at a different level. We may not have needed as much protein either because man's muscles probably recovered at a different rate. After the Fall and even more so after the flood, man's bodies deteriorated at a much faster rate and needed meat and carbohydrates to survive, besides the plants they already ate.
I personally think the Maker's Diet is the best one I've seen. He actually bases the diet from the Bible and looks at the guidelines God gave in both the Old Testament and New. I like his approach. While we are allowed to eat "unclean" meats in the New Covenant, that doesn't mean it went from bad for you to good for you. For example, pork still comes from scavenger animals. Not everything that is permissible is beneficial.
What about this whole grain-free fad? I think most processed grains like enriched wheat is acceptable to cut out of your diet. You don't need to eat that much wheat. Gluten in general is over the top in most American diets. Gluten is pretty much glue. How much glue do we need to eat? I'm skeptical of cutting out all grains entirely. I think some are very nutritious. I ate Ezekiel 4:9 bread this morning. Hey, if God gave the recipe, is it really that bad for you??
I personally think the Maker's Diet is the best one I've seen. He actually bases the diet from the Bible and looks at the guidelines God gave in both the Old Testament and New. I like his approach. While we are allowed to eat "unclean" meats in the New Covenant, that doesn't mean it went from bad for you to good for you. For example, pork still comes from scavenger animals. Not everything that is permissible is beneficial.
What about this whole grain-free fad? I think most processed grains like enriched wheat is acceptable to cut out of your diet. You don't need to eat that much wheat. Gluten in general is over the top in most American diets. Gluten is pretty much glue. How much glue do we need to eat? I'm skeptical of cutting out all grains entirely. I think some are very nutritious. I ate Ezekiel 4:9 bread this morning. Hey, if God gave the recipe, is it really that bad for you??
Anyway, that, and after I took a look again at the BodyForLife before and afters I realized there is not one way to get lean and fit. I've always liked Bill Phillips' program. He balances protein, carbs, fats at every meal if possible. You eat 6x a day. You workout hard most days of the week in short spurts. It works. Look at the results. No paleo person can say it doesn't work or that these people aren't healthy.
Anyway, I'm ready to move on to this new week with some new motivation. Mostly, because I got some Powerblocks!!
Anyway, I'm ready to move on to this new week with some new motivation. Mostly, because I got some Powerblocks!!
Just when I was feeling fat and defeated, Steve went and got me a serious upgrade from my little dumbbells that you don't have to spin the ends off to change the plates. Those are crazy-annoying when you're changing them between every exercise and you're trying to keep your heart rate up. Well, now in 10 seconds, I can change the weights and go HEAVIER! I can actually make some progress now!
They will take some getting used to.
They are big blocks. I'm used to small, round dumbbells.
They are color coded!
That is a NICE feature.
So this will reignite my fire this week.
Hey, I'm six weeks in! Feeling good, even though I'm not seeing that progress I'm wanting. I think my body is freaking out a little right now. But I'm going to push until it realizes it's not hanging on to this fat anymore. I'm the boss.
Hey, I'm six weeks in! Feeling good, even though I'm not seeing that progress I'm wanting. I think my body is freaking out a little right now. But I'm going to push until it realizes it's not hanging on to this fat anymore. I'm the boss.
I'll try to get a picture of me using them so you can see how big they are, LOL.
Moving on...
Moving on...
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