Workout Wednesday - Part 3

Happy Wednesday, my dear readers!  We've made it to the half-way point through the work week...thank jebus!  And...it's a new month.  September already.  How is that even possible?!  Why did time stretch on forever when you're a kid and now you can't hold on to a week to save your life.

So!  Since it's September 1st, that means it's time to get *back* on the wagon.  Oh, it's so easy to just not exercise in the evenings, especially when it's so hot!  But I don't have much of an excuse now because it's cooling off very nicely once the sun goes down.  As with the two previous installments of Workout Wednesday, I'm linking up with my buddy Amanda at A Family of Shorts for her Journey from Muffin Top to Skinny Jeans.

This week we have some questions to answer!

How is your progress so far? 

Honestly, it's not great.  I haven't worked out or eaten properly for the last week.  Eh.  It's just a week.  Right?  Yep, but I can already tell the difference.  My energy levels are down and motivation is non-existent.  I did, however, pick up a new Jillian Michaels video: No More Trouble Zones.  I might try that one first instead of going back to the same 'ol 30-Day Shred.  I get bored easily with exercise routines, so the more I can mix it up, the better.

Are you where you want to be right now? 

Nope.  Not even close.  If I had stuck to the 30-Day Shred, I'd be finished by now.  *sigh*  It's so easy to just sit around in the evening, reading, watching TV, catching up with blogs, etc.  I am getting my butt in gear and I'm gonna DO THIS THING!

What changes do you foresee that you are going to need to make? 

Oh, yeah!  I need to stop eating so many carbs.  But carbs taste so good!! *whine*  Stop the processed foods.  But those taste so good, too.  *sigh*  Good thing the hubs is modifying his diet along with me - it's so much easier to be in misery make changes when there's somebody doing it along with you.  Drink more water!  Get off my flabby butt and get bizzy!  Put in those workout DVDs, pick up those hand weights.  It's like I'm basically starting over.  Joy!

Do you have any new goals or new challenges?

The goals are really no different than when I started this on August 1st.  I want to lose weight, but that's not the only goal.  If I don't lose weight but gain muscle/lose fat, I'd be happy with that.  I'd like to go from my size large scrub pants down to medium and fit those comfortably.  I want to feel better and have more energy.   I need all the help I can get with two busy-body little boys!  My challenge to myself is to actually stick with the modified diet and exercise routine.  I'm not going to go overboard because if I do, I'll burn myself out and then I won't want to do anything!!

So...wish me luck...again.  LOL 

Listening to: Endless Summer Nights by Richard Marx (what ever happened to him?)
Mood: irritated

Workout Wednesday - Part 3

Happy Wednesday, Kitschies.  I don't know the reason, but I was in a bad mood this morning.  I'm going to blame environment.  I "cheated" and had a green chile cheeseburger for lunch from one of my favorite fast food places for lunch and that pretty much instantly made me feel better.  LOL  But, I'll probably be mad at myself for the cheating later on this evening/tomorrow morning.

As in last week's Workout Wednesday post, I am linking up to A Family of Shorts' Journey from muffin top to skinny jeans.

The topic this week: What's working for you?  Well, at this point, I'm going to say: not a lot.  I have been pretty strict (at least 90% compliance) with the Cornerstone meal replacement program and working my butt of (kinda literally).  But, for whatever reason, the scale is not budging.  Not one bit.  I started at 180 pounds.  This morning I got on the scale and it was 180.4 pounds.  Not only that, I rechecked my body fat percentage on Monday morning.  I started at 35.1% body fat.  This last Monday it measured at 35.4%.  It increased?!  It didn't go up a lot, but it went up nonetheless.  *sigh* 

At this point I'm pretty frustrated.  I've been doing the 30-Day Shred 6 days a week.  I've been watching what I eat - no processed foods, no fast foods, etc.  All this and everything is gradually going up.  So.  This is the new revised plan.  Much like Ms Amanda from A Family of Shorts, I am going to adopt a new lifestyle.  The docs I work with constantly push a low insulin modification diet.  The hubs calls it Dr Kaufman's diet (he tells ALL of his new patients this is the way you should be eating).  Dr Kaufman calls it the Cave Man diet.  Here's the basics of it:

1. Eat smaller, almost snack-type, meals throughout the day (you really shouldn't allow yourself to get really hungry), with 1/3 of it being protein and the rest (2/3) being fruits and/or vegetables.
2. With each meal, eat lean protein (chicken, fish, turkey, etc), raw fruits and vegetables.
3. No refined carbs (basically, nothing white): sugar, flour, cookies, cakes, candies, pies, crackers, pretzels, potatoes, corn, pasta, cereal, chips or sodas (even diet sodas).
4. If you eat rice, it should be wild rice, not white or brown.
5. Dairy is ok as long as it's not "low fat" - this includes milk.  There have been studies that show that 2% milk has been linked to certain cancers.  Whole milk, though higher in fat, has more nutrients your body needs.

I've done this diet before and it works.  It's slow, but it does work.  It really is a lifestyle change.  And after a few months, I start feeling better, sleeping better and my clothes fit better.  How many times have I reached for a meal that's pre-made because it's easy (and usually pretty cheap)?  No more of that!  Smaller portions and "whole" foods will be my new goal.

On a higher note...I checked my measurements on Sunday (chest, biceps, waist, hips, thighs and calves) - I've lost anywhere between a 1/4 and a 1/2 inch on each of the areas measured.  This is kind of encouraging, but it's just not enough for me.  I am on L2, D5 (or is it 6?) of the 30-Day Shred.  It is taking me everything I have to get my butt doing this exercise in the evening.  I really don't like to exercise, but I'm making myself do it because I know it'll be worth it in the long run.

Here's my question of the day:  If you're on a weight loss journey, what is working for you?  And if you've been on a weight loss journey, what worked for you?

And don't forget!!  You only have a couple more days to ENTER MY GIVEAWAY!

Listening to: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden (meh!)
Mood: discouraged 

Workout Wednesday - Part 2

Happy Wednesday, Kitschies!  I hope this day finds you well.  I'm kinda...meh...today.  What's meh?  Meh is where you don't feel great, but you don't feel bad, so you're just...meh.  I think it's just that it's Wednesday.  Or it could be that I was taken a little out of my normal routine this morning because the hubs had to be at work early so I had to take the kids to grandma's house - in his car.  I used to jump at the chance to drive the hubs' car, but now that I have a better, nicer car, I'd rather be in mine.  It's funny how the littlest things can throw you out of your routine.

So, today is day 10 of the 30-Day Shred.  It's supposed to be day 11, but I took Sunday off.  I just was not feeling like working out on Sunday.  I got right back with the program on Monday, so a day off doesn't kill me.  I'll just adjust it to the 31-Day Shred.  LOL  The workouts are still pretty difficult for me.  I'm pretty out of shape (wait, round is a shape), so I'm still working on my endurance.  I'm dripping sweat by the end of the workout and that's a good thing, or at least that's what I keep telling myself.  I'm not as sore as I was at first, but I can still feel it in my legs if I have to squat down for something.  I do enjoy the workout, but it's a struggle to get to that point.  When I get home and the kids are *finally* in bed, all I want to do is crawl in to bed or veg on the couch.  But - I make myself get up and get the workout done.  It's ONLY 20 minutes and I know I'll feel better afterward, but still...it's a struggle.



And to augment my weight/fat loss, I'm lucky enough to work for a group of physicians who prize health as a whole.  We offer a physician-assisted suicide program weight/fat loss program.  The company is Cornerstone Wellness - the program was designed by a physician (who happens to be friends with one of the docs I work with) who comes in and trains the staff who in turn train the patients.  This program is so interactive - there's no way you can fully participate in this program and NOT lose weight/fat.  Here's the gist of it: a protein shake with milk and some fruit in the morning; a protein shake, a little bit of lean protein and some fruit for lunch, some high protein/high fiber snacks mid-morning and afternoon and a "sensible" dinner (lean protein, low-ish carbs, fruit and veggies).  Along with this program is a fully interactive database where you enter what you eat so you can track exactly what you're putting in your face.  It gives you a daily goal of calories and breaks it down in to fat, carbs, fiber, etc.  Check out THIS PAGE to get a better description of the meal planning part of the plan.  You also can track the amount of exercise - you pick from an expansive list of exercises and plug in the amount of time and it gives you the approximate number of calories burned.   In addition to all the work the patient does, you get your BMI tested every 2 weeks for two visits then once a month to check progress.  I'm due to have mine tested next week.  This is what I like the best.  Why?  Because I've been really sticking to this diet for the last week and doing The Shred and I haven't lost more than a half a pound.  Seriously.  I know - muscle weighs more than fat - but it would be nice to see that number on the scale go down, too.  I know you know what I mean!  I know it's not just about the number on the scale, and now that I've been with this program for 10 days, I do notice that my tummy is going down and my legs are starting to tighten up.  I'll be measuring this weekend I'll post my progress in next week's Workout Wednesday. 

And now I'm linking up with A Family of Shorts and her Journey From Muffin Top to Skinny Jeans.

I "met" Ms Amanda through my first online swap.  She has a great blog that centers around family and the daily ins and outs of holding it all together.  This week's JFMT topic is: Support.

Pretty much everything is better with support.  Why should weight loss/exercise be any different?  My hubs is my biggest supporter through this.  He tells me he notices "improvements" and encourages me to keep it up.  My bestie, Wendi, just jumped on the Shreddin bandwagon last night, so I know I can go to her when I need a little shove encouragement.  And then there's Miss B - she's been doing The Shred for a couple weeks now and she's kickin' butt!  I don't actually talk to her, but I get little pump ups from her via email.  I also have my coworker, Loretta, who has done The Shred with me before and tells me when I look good or that she notices an improvement.  And last, but not least, my Mom.  She lives 800 miles away, but through the words of encouragement in comments on my blog and weekly weekend phone conversations, she is supportive of me, too.  So often, people view weight loss as a solo challenge.  Though you are the one who's actually doing the work, it's always nice to hear a compliment or feel a pat on the back.  If you know somebody who is working on something for their betterment, pat them on the back and tell them GOOD JOB!!

Now...I'm headed to Sally's to see if I can break my August no-buy.  Wish me luck!

Listening to: The Script by Breakeven
Mood: meh

Workout Wednesday - Part 1

 Welcome to the first installment of Workout Wednesday!!

Ugh!  I feel like I'm stuck in a time warp today.  I got in to work late this morning because Mason had a doctor appointment and then I've had to play catch up with everything.  I hate days like this, though I liked having extra time at home this morning to get caught up on some chores that are hard to do with two excitable kids around.

Anyway.  On Sunday, I started Jillian Michaels' 30-Day-Shred program.  This is the second time I'm doing The Shred.  This is a series of circuit training that lasts 20 minutes.  There are three different levels, each lasting 10 days.  The program consists of a warm-up, 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of ab work, all repeated 3 times.  20 minutes doesn't sound like a long time, but if you're out of shape, like me, you'll be panting within 5 minutes of starting the DVD.  By the end of 20 minutes, I am dripping sweat and my whole body aches.  The first time I did this program, I was really sore.  REALLY sore!  Like, I didn't want to sit down in a chair because my thighs would burn so bad.  The second time around has been a little easier...I think it's the whole muscle memory thing.  My legs and butt are a little sore, but nowhere near as sore as the first time around.  Let's get on with the less than flattering BEFORE pictures.  Shield your eyes. 

YIKES!  I can't believe I'm posting these.  These are more for my reference than for your benefit.  And if you all want to point and laugh at me and say "OMG I can't believe she looks like THAT!", you go right on ahead and do that.  I can't hear you so it's all good.

I'm not going to share sizes and measurements with you.  I will, however, give you *some* information.  I started this program at 180 pounds.  Today I weighed in at 179.6.  The last time I did this, I didn't lose a single pound.  Yep.  That's right.  Not a single pound.  BUT...I did loose body fat.  I'll be measuring both.  How many times have I heard, or even told my patients, that muscle weighs more than fat.  It's true.  And it's frustrating because that means the number on the scale might not move much, but I'll be losing fat and gaining muscle.  With the increase of muscle mass, my metabolism will increase, making my body more efficient.  I started out at 35.1% body fat.  The goal (eventually)?  26.0% body fat and 156 pounds (for those of you - myself included - who are math challenged, that a difference of 9.1% body fat and 24 pounds).  This is going to take longer than 30 days, but if I stick to exercising and decreasing my portion sizes, I'll get there.  As with many things, slow and steady wins the race.

Why am I doing this?  I want to get rid of the wonderful expanded tummy courtesy of two little boys (whom I love very much).  I want to tighten up the waddle under my arms.  I want to get rid of the dreaded back fat and cottage cheese thighs.  I want to look better.  But, there's more to it than just the aesthetic.  I want to feel better.  I want to see myself in pictures and not cringe because OMG I look so fat.  I want to have more energy.  I want to sleep better.  I am doing this for me.  If people think I look better or that I'm "losing weight", that's just an added benefit.  And if the hubs notices...score.  LOL 

Every Wednesday I'll keep you aprised of my progress (or lack thereof).  I'll bring up a topic dealing with exercise or diet or the like.  If there's something you have a question about or something you'd like me to research, lemme know.  I'm an information whore - the more information, the better!!

Listening to: Vampires by Godsmack
Mood: pumped

An Apple A Day

Good evening, Kitschies! I hope you had a productive Monday. Mine was...notsomuch. But that's kind of a good thing. The docs I work with were off today, so that means I was off, too. I had grand plans of going to the library, Target, Sam's Club, to an appointment with the hubs, go by the office, get stuff done around the house. You know - work my butt off on my day off. Well, I didn't do even half of my wish list. I went to the appointment with the hubs, went by the office, Sam's Club...AND I spent a couple hours playing Rock Band...by myself! I bought/downloaded a couple new songs so I sat on my butt, by myself, playing Rock Band. Man, I love that game!! The people who came up with this stupid thing were evil geniuses! I'm sure my neighbors appreciated the loud music coming from my living room, but I didn't care!! It was fun! But, it's back to the grind tomorrow. All good things must come to an end, right?

My coworker and I are going to get back on the exercise wagon again. I had to pinkie-swear with her that we were going to do this. I could do it on my own, but it is so much better to have somebody to complain to who's going through the same hell. We did Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred a couple months back. Well, I finished all 30 days...she did about 20. Either way, it really did work. It consistently kicked my butt! I didn't lose any weight, but the one time I did check, I had managed to lose at least 1% body fat in the course of a week. I'm going to keep better track of it this time around. Today was workout 1. That workout is THE WORST!! Why? Because my fatt butt hasn't seen that much activity since...well...since the last time I did this dang workout. The sessions are only 20 minutes but you work every single second of that 20 minutes and by the end, I'm dripping sweat, my legs get shaky and I'm panting like I'm going to die! I just have to keep reminding myself that the end result is worth it. On top of working out, I'm going to start modifying my diet and trying to cut out some carbs. Not all because I don't want to set myself up for complete failure. I've written down my weight and my measurements and though I won't give you the specifics, I will periodically keep you posted on my progress. Wish me luck! I'll need it - because my legs are going to be on fire in the morning - I can't wait!

Now, speaking of exercise...this is part of the reason I'm having to exercise in the first place. I love to cook. More specifically, I love to bake. If I could bake something new every night, I would. That also means that I'd probably be 300 pounds. That wouldn't be a good thing for anybody. I usually don't do apple things in the summer, but I was craving an apple pie yesterday. So, I hopped on my favorite recipe site, Allrecipes, and I did a search for apple crisp. I didn't have any oatmeal on hand, so I lucked out with this recipe as it didn't call for oats. Have a looksee...

Apple Crisp

4 cups sliced apples
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.

Place apples in prepared dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour water over all. In a bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Blend in flour. Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples.

Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is golden.

NOTES: I used a little bit more than 4 cups of apples. Who can go wrong with *more* apples? I used Royal Gala. Instead of 1 cup white sugar, I used 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 packed brown sugar. I think it gave it a nice pastry taste. I don't know if I melted my butter too much, but it says to *sprinkle* the mixture evenly over the apples - yeah, mine more like plopped on to the apples. I had to pick it up and put little globs all over until the apples were covered, more or less. I don't know that it made any real difference in the long run because I thought it turned out just fine.

See? The "crust" is just kinda blobbed on?

My helper, Mr Nate :)

Fresh out of the oven!

The finished product - perfect with vanilla ice cream!

I really like how this turned out. The "crust" wasn't too sweet and it was pretty light. It had a little bit of juice - a little thicker than water, but not quite as thick as syrup. The extra juice would be good drizzled over the ice cream. We have about a third of the pan left and it's taking all of my willpower to not go into the kitchen and pull a big spoon out of the drawer and...

Enough of that nonsense! I forgot to mention before that if you try a recipe of mine, I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Please drop me an email at megharmeyer @ gmail . com - any and all comments are welcome! Thanks for reading - good thing looking at pictures can't make you fat! :D

Listening to: Dead and Bloated by STP (how eerily appropriate - thanks Pandora!)
Mood: determined

I did it!

Day 30 of Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred has been COMPLETED!! Yea, me!! This is the first time I have *ever* stuck with an exercise program for longer than a week. I started this program with my co-worker, but I think she stopped the program about 10 days ago. The poundage didn't come off as easily as it did after my first kid so I decided to do something about it. This program kicked my butt! I was SO sore after the first day and even MORE sore the second day, but I worked through it. It has three levels that last 10 days each. I skipped maybe 4 days total, but I made them up with each level (so, instead of ending on the actual day 30, I ended on day 34). I'm sure I could've spread out the 30 days even more, but I chose to dive right in - I do this every day. It's ONLY 20 minutes. Who doesn't have 20 minutes to spend on themselves? In addition, weather permitting, I go for a very brisk (about 4 mph) walk at lunch for about 25 minutes. It lets me get out of the office, clear my mind and I get some fresh air. Even though the work outs made me sore (some of them even made me nauseous), it has been worth it. I haven't lost much in the way of pounds on the scale, but I know I have toned things up. I feel better. I sleep better. My clothes fit better. What now? The Biggest Loser Workout: Power Sculpt. I just have to wait for it to be delivered via Netflix. In the meantime, I'm going to keep up my workouts with 30-Day Shred. The payout: I get compliments from friends and family (and even some patients) AND I feel like I've accomplished something. Alas, no pictures today...I'm not *quite* ready for that.

Listening to Strangelove by Depeche Mode
Mood PROUD