Back in Full Swing

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Hullo my luvs! I'm back on track. I took a week off to recover from a heavy period. I'm feeling a lot better now, although it still took a lot to get my butt in gear and workout tonight. Thankfully I met up with a friend tonight and we had a venting session. Sometimes that's all a girl needs is a good vent to release some of the stress from daily life.

I started the KISS Total Body - a workout from Becoming a Beautiful Badass. I enjoy the total body workouts instead of focusing on upper/lower. I'm used to the previous program I was following so this will take some getting used to. Here is tonight's workout and then I'll explain more:

Barbell Squat:

2 sets of 65 lbs x 5 reps

2 sets of 45 lbs x 10 reps

NOTE: It's a bit of an adjustment doing all heavy sets to splitting it with heavy and light sets. I almost feel like it's too easy. I'm sure if you ask me tomorrow I'll tell you I can really feel it.

Standing Overhead Press:

2 sets of 55 lbs x 5 reps

2 sets of 45 lbs x 10 reps

Pull-ups: 

2 sets x 5 reps

2 sets x 10 reps

NOTE: I'm still working on getting new equipment and I'm still not strong enough to lift my body weight. My solution is to stand on a box, grab a beam, pull with my arms (as much as I can) and lift with my knees. So far it seems to work well - I feel quite weak by the 10th rep. 

For the most part I'm on track, I still have my moments or bad days. The last time I weighed myself I was at 228.6 lbs! I can't tell you how great it feels to be under 230 (and not by just 0.02 lbs). I've asked my husband to hide the scale for 2 weeks. I'll weigh next on August 8th but progress pics I'll wait for a full 4weeks and post around August 22nd.

My goal is to weight train 3 times every week and to add 1 or 2 days of hill sprints. I'm reluctant to do hill sprints because I'm afraid to look foolish. When I weight lift I'm at home in my basement...hill sprints means the public...it's silly I know. I have to get over myself and just do it. Funny how that one sentence holds so much truth for my life. I really need to take my own advice and put it into practice in many areas of my life, but that in itself is a whole other post. 

New Archnemesis - Reverse Barbell Lunge

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Thank Goodness It's Friday!!

As you know I missed Tuesday's workout but made up for it Wednesday, I briefly considered working out yesterday but knew that would be overdoing it. So, I shifted this week to Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

As promised I finally decided on my next training program. I decided I like simplicity and I'll be doing the Beautiful Badass K.I.S.S. Total Body program. I'll still be working out 3 days per week instead of 5 sets of 6 reps I'll be doing 2x5 (heavy), 2x10 (light). It's an 8 week program, although I can continue on with it beyond the 2 months. If I'm able to purchase some new equipment I'll probably look at another plan. I will finish the phase before moving on.

Here is today's workout:

Reverse Barbell Lunge: 5 sets of 55 lbs x 6 reps

NOTE: I have a love hate relationship with lunges...I love that they work so many muscles, especially my glutes, but I hate doing them. I still struggle a bit with my balance and I find any exercise that is done on each side just feels like yo're doing so much more.

Push-up: 5 sets of 6 reps

NOTE: As usual I did knee push-ups. To test myself I did 3 real push-ups although I wasn't able to go all the to the floor.

Inverted Row: 5 sets of 6 reps
NOTE: Same as last week.

Side Plank: 2 x 20 seconds and 1 x 15 seconds

NOTE: I used an actual timer..this was a major struggle today.

I'm gonna sign off for now, I'm really very tired tonight. Have a good night!

A mishmash of random thoughts

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Sigh...it's been one of those days. The kind where all you want to do is crawl into bed and wake up tomorrow. It's been a long weekend which has been both good and bad. As usual it's the last few days before payday and we're completely tapped out. We managed to scrounge up enough food to scrape by but payday is TOMORROW...not today. In fact I'll be staying up till midnight to go get groceries...thank you 24 hour Sobey's!!

Today was our great aunt's funeral, I think the service was really nice - the parts I could hear and understand. The funeral was in a French Catholic church. I was excited when I realized the service would also include English (I was certain the whole thing would be in French). Then I realized I couldn't understand the English either - no I wasn't having a stroke or an episode -  the speaker system wasn't very good and everything came out distorted. The only thing I heard clearly was the minister clearing his throat. The cemetery was short but sweet and the lunch after was nice. Auntie Margaret lived to be 99 years old. She lived a good long life. I'm going to miss her lots, but I know she's happier where she is now. I'm sure she's smiling down on us.

Riley is at that age where she refuses to nap...I can't even get her to fall asleep watching tv anymore. She's also at the age where she really wants to assert herself so there's been a lot of yelling lately. When she really throws a fit she stomps up the stairs slams her bedroom door, opens it up sticks her tongue out making a raspberry noise and slams the door again...all the while screaming at the top of her lungs. Man, I just don't know where she gets it from....lol.

I have to say one of the biggest pluses to being laid off in February is that I've gotten to know my neighbors better. In fact, I've gotten to know a couple ladies really well and I'm honored to call them friends. I haven't stayed anywhere long enough to really get to know people since I was a kid. You should see our area when we all get together. It's a complete obstacle course to maneuver through our sidewalks. There's usually 3 trikes, a gaggle of boys beyblading, pieces of sidewalk chalk strewn about, and lawn chairs on any given lawn - depending on the time of day and where the shade is. It's a riot and I love it! This morning I strolled over to one neighbors yard and joined her and her family for breakfast - yes I was still in my pjs. It doesn't get much better than that! I guess my point is...life is better when you GET TO KNOW the people around you! On that note I've realized I still haven't had supper. I'm gonna go warm up some fajitas my neighbor gave me. Thanks Mel!!

Join me tomorrow when I decide which Beautiful Badass program I'll be doing once I've completed week 4!

Progress!!!!

Well it's workout #5/12 and I'm still feeling really good. I'm not sure if I mentioned the beginner program is only 4 weeks long (12 workouts). I'll decide in week 3 which Beautiful Badass program I'll move on to next.

Before I continue I just want to send a shout out to my lil sis from another momma. Today is her 25th birthday! Sending her lots of love - MUAH! 

  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DRE!!!!!!

After my workout, I decided to get my husband to take a progress pic since it's been a while. Since August 2010 I've lost 18 lbs. I've probably lost 100 lbs by now but it's the same 5-10 lbs I kept gaining and re-losing. I've had quite a few people tell me I look like I've lost weight, but I honestly didn't believe them - until now. Even I can see a difference now after looking at my progress pics (below). I look forward to posting even more dramatic progress pics. I'll post my next progress pic in week 4. 

Today's workout:


Reverse Barbell Lunge: 1 set of 60 lbs x 6 reps and 4 sets of 45 lbs x 6 reps
NOTE: So, I confused myself, forgot what I was doing and added the heavier weights to the barbell. I was halfway through the first set on my second leg when I realized I was supposed to be lifting 45 lbs. I switched back to 45 lbs but I felt empowered to know I could lift 60 lbs at least for 1 set.


Push-up: 5 sets of 6 reps (knee push-ups)

Inverted Row: 5 sets of 6
NOTE: I took a pic of how I'm able to do the inverted row. I lean my back on the end of the bench, prop my feet on the table and lift myself up about an inch off the bench.


Side Plank: 3 x 15 seconds per side
NOTE: I was able to increase my time by 5 seconds.


I just want to take a moment to talk about something that's been bothering me. People assume I'm lazy or that I'm not trying very hard because I can only plank for 15 seconds, do girlie push-ups or come up with some odd way to be able to do the inverted row. It's taken me years to finally accept the fact that it's not because I'm lazy or not trying, it's because I'm lifting my body weight. MY body weight is a lot heavier than those people who've made comments. I'm lifting 230 lbs which is a lot harder to lift up off the ground or suspend in the air than someone who weighs 160 lbs. The important thing is I'm trying! I'm finding ways to do the exercises required, instead of giving up and saying I can't do them at all. When I get better equipment I'll be using resistance bands to make it easier until I'm able to hold up my own body weight. I may only be able to hold myself up for 15-20 seconds or lift myself an inch off the bench, but dammit I'm DOING it. Can others say the same?


Okay, I'm done, for now. =) Have a great night! I'll be back on Saturday.

Becoming a Beautiful Badass

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It's been about a month since my last post. I overdid it after the marathon, then ended up with poison ivy. I'm finally getting back to normal and then I caught whatever my kids had last week...oh the joys of being a parent. I've had a fever for 2 days and a seriously sore swollen throat. I can handle the sore throat it's the fever that turns me into a big baby.

A while ago I happened upon a link via a fellow blogger's site and I was introduced to this no-nonsense trainer Nia Shanks. This woman is certainly someone to look up to. She can deadlift 315 lbs! She recently released her new training program "Become a Beautiful Badass" she had me at the title. So, I thought about it, talked it over with my husband and decided not to purchase the program...and then I decided you know what? What do I have to lose? It really is common sense and simple. To find out more sign up for the Beautiful Badass Mini Course.

I'm committing to following these simple guidelines over the next 12 weeks (to start). I'll keep you posted on the results. I'm excited about focusing on strength and improving performance instead of weight loss. I will follow her simple nutrition guidelines as well.

Instead of waiting for some perfect day to start (remember I'm still feverish) I didn't want to wait. I started today. Here is today's workout:

Deadlift: 5 sets of 55 lbs x 6 reps

Chin-ups: 5 sets of 6 reps

NOTE: So, at 233 lbs chin-ups aren't happening right now, so I did my best. I used my weight bench and barbell to pull my torso up off the bench. I made sure to use my arms to pull myself up and even at that it was not easy. At some point I hope to get a power rack and resistance bands. For now I'm doing my best with what I've got.

Standing Overhead Press: 5 sets of 40 lbs x 6 reps

Plank: 3 x 15-20 seconds

NOTE: I surprised myself with this one, I held on longer than I thought I could.

Tomorrow I'm off to find a hill and run some hill sprints. September 13th will be my 12 weeks. I can't wait to see how strong I am then!