Good morning, all! Happy Sunday.
Well, I'll just get down to it: I gained back 3.7 lbs this week.
Naturally, I'm not at all happy about this. I've worked my behind off (literally and figuratively) for the past 10 weeks, and when you put in as much work as I have, you never want to see the scale NOT go down, much less go back up. With that being said, this blog, and this process, are all about holding yourself accountable, and this week I messed up.
I did every workout and then some. I'm doing a fitness challenge at my good friend's gym with her that is three weeks long. I did that Monday and Tuesday on top of Workouts 9 and 10 of Jillian Michaels Body Revolution. Naturally, this put my body under a lot of stress. Wednesday I had a jam-packed day and I could barely walk, so I took a rest day. Thursday I resumed with the workouts and doubled up on my workouts yesterday to make up for the lost day. This means that I did Workout 10 AND Cardio 3 on the same day in order to compensate. Clearly, the issue this week was not the workouts because I actually did MORE than I've been doing when all is said and done. The problem was that I still have issues with my diet.
I cheated a lot this week, and I didn't do the greatest job of tracking what I ate in Weight Watchers to gauge what I was consuming. This isn't to say that I pigged out on McDonalds, Chipotle and ice cream all week, but I drank a lot more alcohol, had a bunch of sushi with a friend Wednesday night, ate salty foods and drank a lot of soda. I didn't have great self control at all, and it shows by my weight gain. I also understand that me working out more means that I built more muscle this week, so I'm sure that contributed to the weight gain as well, but I can take responsibility for my poor diet choices this week and realize that if I'm going to see success through the remainder of this program, I have to watch my sodium intake and keep the cheating to a minimum.
With that being said, the one thing about this that I've really been struggling with is the self loathing I feel over gaining a few pounds back. I feel like it negates my hard work when it hasn't! I need to learn to stop being so hard on myself. My physical fitness level has improved tremendously, as has my endurance and physical appearance. I worry about how much I obsess over the number on the scale. So this week, I'm actually going to do what I said I'd do last week: put the scale away until next Sunday. I'm not taking it out under any circumstances, nor will I weigh myself again until next Sunday. Instead, I'm going to focus my energy this week on making better diet choices, continuing with my workouts and letting go of this week.
Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. Yes, people can lose twenty pounds in two weeks through a fad diet, but once they go back to normal eating habits they gain it back just as quickly. When you do things the healthy way, you're going to experience setbacks like this from time to time, and I have to learn to accept that and not want to cry every time I weigh myself and I'm half a pound heavier. I've been making positive changes, so I need to focus on my positive results. It's the only way I'll get through this and not give up right at the finish line.
I have three weeks left of this program, and it's time to finish strong! I know a lot of you who read this blog are people who are doing the program too, and I hope my honesty and accountability for my results inspires you to keep going, even if you experience setbacks! Learn to let go. That's what I've had to do this week.
Have a great week everyone! xx
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Week 9: Can You Believe?
Happy Sunday! I hope you're all having nicer weather than Chicago is. Who else is ready for spring? I honestly can't deal with this freezing cold much longer. It'd be nice to turn off the heat too ;).
This week was REALLY tough workout-wise. I moved in to Phase 3 of the program, which is the final phase. Here it the lowdown on the workouts.
Workout 9 is the first front of body workout for phase 3. It is inspired by a lot of power yoga moves and is INCREDIBLY tough on your quads and core. The first two circuits are totally brutal, and the cardio intervals involve a lot of plank (my favorite...NOT). With that being said, I do kind of love this workout despite how "evil" it is. I was dripping sweat by the end of it and felt like I really got stronger with every passing second. It also showed me how far I've come in terms of my fitness level since the beginning of the program. I could have NEVER gotten through a workout like this two months ago. It's empowering to know that I can do this workout. Sure, there are some moves I still struggle with, but that's going to be the case whenever you move up. You're not supposed to look like the fitness models in these videos. That's what you're ASPIRING to. Do you know how long those people have had to work out in order to be in that kind of shape? If you're doing this program and feeling discouraged because you don't think you can do it, remember that. The fitness models in these videos work out for a living, and it has taken them years to look like they do. The same is going to apply to me.
Workout 10 is the first back of body workout for phase 3. This one is KILLER on your legs and butt. It also involves a lot more jump training with weights and cardio intervals with weights. Once again, as difficult as this workout is, (I personally feel it's the hardest thus far), I do love it because I feel my legs getting exponentially stronger with each exercise and am dripping sweat by the end. I feel as though I've accomplished something and gotten a good workout in. Once again, I did struggle with some of the moves. There are a lot of balance moves in this workout that are incredibly difficult for people like me who struggle with that, but I'm confident that will improve with time as I continue to work out more.
Cardio 3 is the cardio workout for phase 3, and it's the cardio I'll be doing for the remainder of the program. This instantly became my favorite. It's definitely hard, but because there are 24 exercises per circuit, each lasting about 20 seconds, the workout is fast-paced and goes by really quickly. Once again, it's so empowering to see how far my conditioning and endurance has come. I did very well at the cardio DVD both times I did it this week, given that it was my first couple times. Sure, I had to stop for about 20 seconds the second time I did it, but compared to where I was a month ago, that's not so bad. I'm confident that by the end of this phase I'll be killing that workout and doing it without pause.
In terms of my diet this week, that was frustrating. I can definitely see that I'm making better food choices, and I did a really great job of sticking to the diet I'm on. What was frustrating this week was my body! It was holding on to water throughout the week and I'm chalking that up to not watching my sodium intake enough. I was getting bloated, and as a result when I'd weigh myself throughout the week I'd see that the scale wasn't moving. I really watched it the last two days and lo and behold I ended up being down about 3.3 pounds this week. I still ate my designated number of points for the day, but I didn't drink as much soda and was careful to eat more fresh veggies and fruits that weren't too high in sodium. Boom. Weight lost, ready to keep rolling.
Another lesson that I'm going to have to stick to: STOP WEIGHING MYSELF EVERY DAY. Your body goes through natural fluctuations throughout the week and compulsively weighing myself only creates more frustration. I'm going to stick to weighing myself Sunday mornings after I wake up and putting my scale out of sight for the rest of the week. That way I won't harp on it and obsess.
Ready to keep rolling on to week 10! I'm taking things up a notch this week. One of my friends asked me to do a fitness challenge with her at her gym, so I'll be doing this program in the mornings and the challenge in the evenings. It should be interesting...hope my body can handle it!
Until next week!
Sarah
This week was REALLY tough workout-wise. I moved in to Phase 3 of the program, which is the final phase. Here it the lowdown on the workouts.
Workout 9 is the first front of body workout for phase 3. It is inspired by a lot of power yoga moves and is INCREDIBLY tough on your quads and core. The first two circuits are totally brutal, and the cardio intervals involve a lot of plank (my favorite...NOT). With that being said, I do kind of love this workout despite how "evil" it is. I was dripping sweat by the end of it and felt like I really got stronger with every passing second. It also showed me how far I've come in terms of my fitness level since the beginning of the program. I could have NEVER gotten through a workout like this two months ago. It's empowering to know that I can do this workout. Sure, there are some moves I still struggle with, but that's going to be the case whenever you move up. You're not supposed to look like the fitness models in these videos. That's what you're ASPIRING to. Do you know how long those people have had to work out in order to be in that kind of shape? If you're doing this program and feeling discouraged because you don't think you can do it, remember that. The fitness models in these videos work out for a living, and it has taken them years to look like they do. The same is going to apply to me.
Workout 10 is the first back of body workout for phase 3. This one is KILLER on your legs and butt. It also involves a lot more jump training with weights and cardio intervals with weights. Once again, as difficult as this workout is, (I personally feel it's the hardest thus far), I do love it because I feel my legs getting exponentially stronger with each exercise and am dripping sweat by the end. I feel as though I've accomplished something and gotten a good workout in. Once again, I did struggle with some of the moves. There are a lot of balance moves in this workout that are incredibly difficult for people like me who struggle with that, but I'm confident that will improve with time as I continue to work out more.
Cardio 3 is the cardio workout for phase 3, and it's the cardio I'll be doing for the remainder of the program. This instantly became my favorite. It's definitely hard, but because there are 24 exercises per circuit, each lasting about 20 seconds, the workout is fast-paced and goes by really quickly. Once again, it's so empowering to see how far my conditioning and endurance has come. I did very well at the cardio DVD both times I did it this week, given that it was my first couple times. Sure, I had to stop for about 20 seconds the second time I did it, but compared to where I was a month ago, that's not so bad. I'm confident that by the end of this phase I'll be killing that workout and doing it without pause.
In terms of my diet this week, that was frustrating. I can definitely see that I'm making better food choices, and I did a really great job of sticking to the diet I'm on. What was frustrating this week was my body! It was holding on to water throughout the week and I'm chalking that up to not watching my sodium intake enough. I was getting bloated, and as a result when I'd weigh myself throughout the week I'd see that the scale wasn't moving. I really watched it the last two days and lo and behold I ended up being down about 3.3 pounds this week. I still ate my designated number of points for the day, but I didn't drink as much soda and was careful to eat more fresh veggies and fruits that weren't too high in sodium. Boom. Weight lost, ready to keep rolling.
Another lesson that I'm going to have to stick to: STOP WEIGHING MYSELF EVERY DAY. Your body goes through natural fluctuations throughout the week and compulsively weighing myself only creates more frustration. I'm going to stick to weighing myself Sunday mornings after I wake up and putting my scale out of sight for the rest of the week. That way I won't harp on it and obsess.
Ready to keep rolling on to week 10! I'm taking things up a notch this week. One of my friends asked me to do a fitness challenge with her at her gym, so I'll be doing this program in the mornings and the challenge in the evenings. It should be interesting...hope my body can handle it!
Until next week!
Sarah
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Week 8: Mind Over Matter
Hi everyone! Hope you're all having a kick-ass Sunday.
So...where to begin with this week? I'm completely done with Phase 2 of the Body Revolution program and move to Phase 3 on Monday. I can't believe I'm two months in already! In just five weeks I'll be done.
This week was a rough one for me with the workouts. I worked out every day, but I still felt myself really struggling to get through Workouts 7 and 8. I definitely have improved, but it's still not easy. I felt a sense of dread every day when I had to work out this week, and that hasn't been the case up until this point. I had a few things going on personally and emotionally too that had me in a down mood for a lot of the week, so that might have had something to do with it. All I know is Wednesday, when I did the cardio DVD, I felt as though I did it just as terribly as I did the first day. It was a little bit discouraging for me.
Somehow Friday I turned a corner. I think it's because I did something positive to get out of my head and stop stressing out over the things that were bothering me. I signed up for my first 5K! One of my most encouraging and supportive friends through this journey told me to join her team for a zombie apocalypse themed 5K. Basically people dressed as zombies chase you through an obstacle course, and there's a party afterward. I don't know about you, but I think that sounds like a blast. If anything is going to get me to move my butt, it's being chased by a pack of zombies, right? Anyway, my Friday and Saturday workouts went very well and I felt better about moving on to the next phase after I was done. I have to learn to channel anything negative I'm going through into my workouts and transform it into positive energy instead of letting it drag me down. Lesson learned: mind over matter. Always stay focused.
The diet went well overall. I was back on track and tried my best to be good after my cheat week last week. I did have a few beers this weekend, but I also had one of the most fun weekends I've had in awhile. It was nice to finally go out with some friends and have a more low key night after a few weekends of staying in then my birthday party, where I overdid it a little with the drinking.
Anyway, I lost another 2.5 pounds this week! It was great to see the momentum keep going. Here are my phase 2 results:
Total weight loss in phase 2: 8 pounds
Total weight loss since beginning of program: 13 pounds
Total weight loss since January: 22 pounds
I'm feeling great and looking better than I have in the past year. I'm hoping to continue this successful track record in Phase 3, but I must admit I am apprehensive after previewing these upcoming workouts. They look HARD. I'll just have to push through and make them happen.
Thank you all for your continued support. It really does mean the world to me to have so many people cheering me on. It's what keeps me going.
Have an amazing Sunday!
xo, Sarah
So...where to begin with this week? I'm completely done with Phase 2 of the Body Revolution program and move to Phase 3 on Monday. I can't believe I'm two months in already! In just five weeks I'll be done.
This week was a rough one for me with the workouts. I worked out every day, but I still felt myself really struggling to get through Workouts 7 and 8. I definitely have improved, but it's still not easy. I felt a sense of dread every day when I had to work out this week, and that hasn't been the case up until this point. I had a few things going on personally and emotionally too that had me in a down mood for a lot of the week, so that might have had something to do with it. All I know is Wednesday, when I did the cardio DVD, I felt as though I did it just as terribly as I did the first day. It was a little bit discouraging for me.
Somehow Friday I turned a corner. I think it's because I did something positive to get out of my head and stop stressing out over the things that were bothering me. I signed up for my first 5K! One of my most encouraging and supportive friends through this journey told me to join her team for a zombie apocalypse themed 5K. Basically people dressed as zombies chase you through an obstacle course, and there's a party afterward. I don't know about you, but I think that sounds like a blast. If anything is going to get me to move my butt, it's being chased by a pack of zombies, right? Anyway, my Friday and Saturday workouts went very well and I felt better about moving on to the next phase after I was done. I have to learn to channel anything negative I'm going through into my workouts and transform it into positive energy instead of letting it drag me down. Lesson learned: mind over matter. Always stay focused.
The diet went well overall. I was back on track and tried my best to be good after my cheat week last week. I did have a few beers this weekend, but I also had one of the most fun weekends I've had in awhile. It was nice to finally go out with some friends and have a more low key night after a few weekends of staying in then my birthday party, where I overdid it a little with the drinking.
Anyway, I lost another 2.5 pounds this week! It was great to see the momentum keep going. Here are my phase 2 results:
Total weight loss in phase 2: 8 pounds
Total weight loss since beginning of program: 13 pounds
Total weight loss since January: 22 pounds
I'm feeling great and looking better than I have in the past year. I'm hoping to continue this successful track record in Phase 3, but I must admit I am apprehensive after previewing these upcoming workouts. They look HARD. I'll just have to push through and make them happen.
Thank you all for your continued support. It really does mean the world to me to have so many people cheering me on. It's what keeps me going.
Have an amazing Sunday!
xo, Sarah
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