July 31, 2012

Last night was a rough one. Josh was up in the mountains, and so it was just me and Hallie. But she actually went to bed pretty early. That was amazing and out of nowhere. I stayed up because I kept expecting her to wake up at 11:30 like she usually does when she falls asleep at 9pm. But she never did. While I was waiting though I cleaned things, sorted boxes, cut coupons, and packed things away in the basement. It was so nice to get that taken care of.

But while I was working I kept snacking. I had already eaten 2-3X the amount of calories I should have for the day and it was all crap! But I couldn't stop. When I am stressed I eat. I wanted to eat anything I could because we have nothing to eat. And I fell into one of my old bad habits. I was punishing myself for eating horribly by not letting myself go to bed until I worked out. So, I ate the fudge topping for icecream that's been in the fridge since we moved in. Then I ate the caramel topping. I literally ate it with a spoon! Then I ate an entire can of those gross pillsbury rolls and dipped them in cinnamon sugar. And that still wasn't enough. So I ate the Stephen's Hot Cocoa straight from the can!!! Oh my word. Seriously, Caraline??? You are Nuts! I was completely disgusted with myself. And I realized it was already after 2am. And I hadn't worked out again like I was supposed to, but instead ate everything in sight. I decided to forgive myself and reminded myself that I am enough. I am good enough. It's ok. Tomorrow I will be better. So I stopped punishing myself and I let myself climb into bed. And I immediately passed out.

Since Hallie went to bed early she also woke up early. I was crazy tired and could hardly keep my eyes open. After she got tired I decided we should both go take a nap. We were in and out of sleep until almost NOON! AaaaHHHhhh! Our whole day was gone! I kicked myself in the butt and jumped out of bed. I scooped up Hallie and ran into the living room to make up for lost time. Of course after she was done eating I was hungry. I did great at first. I ate grilled chicken breast and then snacked on raw cherries. But Hallie fussed for a couple of hours because her belly was hurting her and I ended up snacking on crap again. (I think it might be because I knew which workout laid ahead of me today. lol)

But she finally got tired and I laid her down for a nap and started up the DVD since it was still in the Xbox from yesterday. As soon as I got started on the 60 minute workout Hallie started fussing. But I let her be because she needs her alone time and I need my workout time.

When Bob brings out the minions to get started he warns everyone "They have no idea what's in store for them." And I knew he wasn't going to be nice. NOoooo!
The workout starts off with deadlifts using a single heavy weight. The deadlifts transition into deadlifts with rows, and then into single arm rows. I start realizing that this is a kettleball workout disguised as weighted exercises. The squats continue with double arm swings, single arm swings, then alternating swings. I was thoroughly enjoying swapping the weight from one hand to the other by letting go at the top of the swing and catching it with the other hand. Though I kept wondering how many people have accidently dropped or thrown their weight during this part??? And then immediately started praying that I didn't just jinx myself. You continue on with a lot of double arm swings, deadlifts, suitcase swings and tons of switching and alternating, all with squats of course.

Then you move into weighted squats and weighted squat jumps. The weighted squat jumps were impossible for me. I just couldn't do it at this point. My thighs were shredding. Then he expects you to hold the squat position while pushing the weight out in front and back, then pushing it overhead and back, then holding it up (while still in squat position). My legs were were having their own little seizures and I kept lifting up to give them a break. I just couldn't stay down there not knowing what torture lied ahead for them during the rest of the video.

I was so happy to put the weight down. The relief swelled inside of me. But then he threw something new at me. Handwalks! Where did these come from? Luckily, I was handling them pretty well. But then he added in planks, pushups, and mountain climbers. Ya, I wasn't moving very fast. And he kept telling everyone to go as fast as they can. I just couldn't. I was spent. But at least it wasn't squats or lunges.

Then he said he'd let us rest. Rest my butt! I will have you know Mr. Harper that jumping jacks are not my idea of a rest! And then he throws you back into more squats. Aaagghhh!!! And guess what??? There's still forty more minutes left of this brutality.
When Bob asks Becky if her legs are burning and she says "no" I wanted to kill her! Luckily I didn't need to because the next thing you know he's punishing her. And you can tell he's out for blood. And when he's done with her she's about to collapse, and so am I. When he asks her again a few minutes later, you can tell she has learned her lesson because all she mumbles is a humble "yes". Watch out you minions! Bob means business!

One thing that kills me with his workouts is that there are no water-breaks. Insanity offers you them constantly. But even though Bob is pushing you to the same intensity he offers no relief. He is relentless. Like he mentions in the video... "YOu asked for me as a trainer. And now you've got me!" You are absolutely merciless Mr. Harper. But one of my favorite parts of the video is when he's telling you that you can do it because it's only an hour long. And all you need to do is suck it up and keep going! Seriously, Bob??? I just about shouted back at him to "suck on this!" as I held my fist up, but then I chanted "suck it up, and keep going" as my own little mantra to keep me pushing through the pain.

This video is very humbling to those that think at-home workout videos are not exercise. It will prove to you that you are not as strong as you think you are. It shows you exactly where you need to improve, and it is determined to help you get there. And I just love that the poor little minions were not perfect athletes and models and that they were struggling just as much as I was. YaY! Sorry, but I am a little selfish. It made it so that my pride wasn't as badly bruised as it could have been. But I completely understand now how Mr. Bob Harper stays in such wonderfully delicious shape. I could just eat him up. I think that his hotness was his only saving grace from my burning hate during this video. And of course, I completely forgave him over and over as my legs trembled as I crawled into the shower. Ahhh the sweet exhaust of success. lUVD it.

Bob Harper's Inside Out Method - Body Rev Cardio Conditioning - 60 Minute Cardio Workout

Timer: 1:01:15

In Zone: 1:01:15

Avg BPM: 170

Peak BPM: 200

Calories: 1076

Ya, that probably could've been more if I hadn't cheated on so many of the moves. But I just couldn't take the beatings. Maybe next time. If there is one...

July 30, 2012

Today I couldn't get Hallie to lay down hardly at all. When I finally did I knew that whatever workout I was going to attempt it needed to be a short one. But I only had one video left... Bob Harper's Inside Out Method Body Rev Cardio Conditioning. I have been postponing this one all week because my Mom warned me that it was a tough one. But I have eaten absolutely horribly today so I decided I better do it.

But I put it in and WhaLa! it offers two separate workouts. There's the 60 minute cardio workout and there's an alternative 20 minute Butt & Balance Workout. I bet you can guess which one I chose. Yep, the 60 minute cardio challenge! jkjk. Ya, I chose the 20 minute workout. lol. (well, actually it's more like 23:30 p.s.) As soon as I started I could hear Hallie rustling over the baby monitor. But I kept going. After a few more minutes she started fussing, but I decided that twenty minutes wouldn't kill her. She needs to learn how self-soothe anyways. We've been trying to teach her that it's ok not to be held. So this was as good of a time as any. It was extremely hard trying to ignore the whimpering.

It was a really quick warmup to start with, but then you jump right in. It is a great video! It's completely different from the norm because he really focuses on balance which is your core. But he does it by isolating one leg at a time. He throws stationary lunges, weighted deadlifts, single leg deadlifts, single leg bentover rows, front leg lifts, lateral raises, and front shoulder raises at you. I'm not used to trying to balance on one leg so much. I was quick to realize that my balance sucks. But it always has. I am so not a gymnast. lol. But I have always wished I was.

And after he has made you work for it he finishes off with a chair pose. He promises to only make you hold it for 30 seconds and then he'll let you rest. But he lies!... he keeps you there and makes you do pulses. Your thighs are burning, your hands start fidgeting, and your face contorts into all sorts of shapes trying to fight through the pain. And then he makes you hold it again! And of course, the whole time I am growling and muttering how much "I hate you Bob Harper" while he laughs at us. Aaaggghhh!!! Killer. The minions look as if they might collapse which gives me relief because I want to as well.

I liked this short little workout. It wasn't crazy cardio like I thought it would be, but it was nice for the allotted time. And I definitely want to do it again because I really need to work on my balance and I can tell that this workout will do just that. I like this one so much better than his Biggest Loser workouts. I especially enjoyed the leg lifts for some reason. And after completing the workout I did forgive him and actually thanked him because it did feel good.

Bob Harper Inside Out Method - Body Rev Cardio Conditioning - Butt & Balance
Timer: 23:30
In Zone: 23:30
Avg BPM: 139
Peak BPM: 173
Calories: 292

And you won't believe it. Letting Hallie cry for about 7 minutes put her to sleep! I could have done the hour cardio workout. DAngit! Because I really needed a longer workout. Oh well. There's always tomorrow.

July 28th, 2012

Woke up this morning and knew I needed to get the lawn mowed if I was going to surprise my parents. They come home tomorrow. But Hallie and I had a hard time getting going. When I finally started getting ready Josh woke up. It was his day off today. He decided to go with me, so then I had to wait for him to get ready. He takes a while because he procrastinates and gets distracted a lot. lol. He asked if I wanted to drop Hallie off with his parents, but I said no because it's easier to work with her feeding schedule if she's with me. If I don't pump when she eats then I have to pump late and then I don't have enough when she's ready to eat again. It's just a huge mess for the rest of the day, and I just didn't want to deal with it.
But we did go over there. By the time we got started it was almost 11am. Not the most desired time of the day to mow your lawn in July when you live in Utah. The temp was at 98 degrees F today. Not fun when your shoving a large hunk of metal around. And according to the weather people the UV Index was Extreme(11). I don't really know what that means. But I can guess. By logical deduction I would say that it means that you have an Extreme risk of sunburn. Good thing I applied my SPF50 today.  :]  No burns on me as far as I can tell.
I was able to use my parent's lawn-mower this time though. I hate it. I like their old rusty one so much better. This Honda self-propelled one-pull start clipper is just way too complicated. I like simplicity. I like the good ol' days. I like the mower where I didn't have to worry about blade height, engine speed, the clutch, wheel speed, engaging the blades, or the throttle. You just yanked the cord until it started and held the bar down to go. This one was ridiculous. It was either up on two wheels dragging me through the yard or not mowing anything because I forgot to engage everything. I hate this new Beast of theirs. My lines were all over the place. I missed patches of grass everywhere. I kept getting drug through the trees and then snagged on the needles. The old one gave you a good workout, but this one feels like it might turn on you at any moment and eat you alive. I think I'll use the old one the next time I mow. Josh was very helpful today because he edged the yard for me. I really need to learn how to use a weedwhacker. But he was able to get that done pretty quick and then he spent the rest of the time sitting with Hallie in the shade of the tree, listening to music on his phone, and laughing at me being tortured by this machine. Hallie got hungry though and so he finished up the back yard for me while I fed Hallie. Thank goodness! I probably would've killed a chicken had I attempted the backyard. But he did it on a super fast speed and got it done in like 15 minutes! How on Earth is that possible?? It blew my mind. But then I took care of the pond and the chickens and put everything away and we packed up and came home.
I had my HR Monitor on only during the time that I mowed the front yard and these were my results:

Mowing the Lawn

Timer: 1:01:08

In Zone: 1:01:08

Avg BPM: 164

Peak BPM: 188

Calories: 1014

Now I'm really curious as to what it was when I used the other mower. Less? More? I don't know. And this isn't including the back yard. Hmmm??? I guess I have a few more months to find out.

We got home and Josh naturally ended up over at his parent's house. I decided to take over the Olive Oil we had borrowed and return it to them. While we were there they gave us rootbeer floats. I just can't pass up a Rootbeer Float. YuM!!! But it did make me a little queasy. I'm not used to eating icecream or drinking soda. It doesn't sit well with me. But I love the taste.

Then Josh and his Dad decided that they needed to go to Dick's to get archery equipment. His Mom asked if she could steal Hallie and go show her off in the mall, and I decided to go with because staying in Dick's without spending money would be horrible. Have I ever told you how much I love exercise clothing?? Let's just say a LOT! Plus, kids get germs and kidnapped in the mall so I just had to go with. We walked and walked and waited and waited for Josh and his Dad to finish up. The mall is not very much fun when you can't spend money.
When we got back Hallie was exhausted. So I fed her, changed her, and laid her down for a nap. Then I got ready to exercise. Because I decided who cares if Josh sees?? But as I was getting ready to fill my water jug in walked Josh's Dad. The more the merrier right? jkjk. Ya, we only have one room in the house where you can do anything, so it's where everything happens. I decided to commit like I promised myself I would and exercise anyways. They fixed up their bows and arrows with their new trappings in one half of the room while I did my workout in the other half. How embarrassing! Luckily, I had a tough workout yesterday and had already done a form of exercise this morning and chose to do an easy workout. But I wasn't sure which one I should do. I wanted to do one I hadn't done yet, but I only had 2 DVD's left from my mom that I hadn't tried. I chose the ab one because abdominal workouts are usually much shorter than full body workouts. And I was right! I was thrilled to see that it was only 16 minutes long! But don't let the length fool you. It was probably one of the toughest ab workouts I've done. My abdominals really had to fight through this one. I LOVED it! I will most definitely be doing this one again! But you reap what you sow...

Insanity - Cardio Abs

Timer: 16:45

In Zone: 16:45

Avg BPM: 149

Peak BPM: 185

Calories: 236

After I showered and fed Hallie and changed her again I tried working on some of the bills and stuff while Josh continued to mess around with his bow. Around 6:00 I decided I was hungry and I better cook something if I didn't want to starve. But I haven't been able to go grocery shopping in over a month, so our supply is getting a little low. I decided on some Rice-A-Roni, Smoked Lean Turkey Kielbasa, and random frozen veggies that were the last of the bag that I mixed together. I threw the Kielbasa on the grill, sauteed the rice, and steamed the veggies and then Hallie got hungry again. I fed her while everything was simmering and finishing up. But the timer went off before Hallie was done so I asked Josh to check on the food for me. He walked into the kitchen and yelled back "What do you want me to do?" Umm.. follow the next step on the box, stir the veggies, and flip the meat. He said he did and sat back down to watch his show. Once Hallie was done I walked in to find the veggies burning, the rice spilled all over the stove, and the meat overcooked. Really?? Ugh.
 I handed Hallie to Josh and asked him to finish burping her so that I could take care of the food. I tried to save as many little veggies as I could, put the rice back in the pan, and bring the meat in and cut it up and stir it into the rice. Then all of a sudden I realized the house was quiet. I walked around trying to find Josh to let him know that dinner was done, but he was nowhere to be found. I scowered the yard and found nothing so I decided to come in and I could hear my phone ringing. Next thing I know Josh walks in the front door. empty handed. I asked where Hallie was and he said that he left her over at his parent's house. Really?? Can't he just hold her for 5 minutes?! Every time I ask him to hold her he pawns her off. He is more than willing to hold her in front of people ( but not for very long before he hands her off), but he does not burp her for me. He just ends up propping her up next to him to watch tv or he lays her down somewhere. I feel like I'm better off just doing everything.
Needless to say, I was completely frustrated and exhausted once again. I really needed to workout or clean something. And since I had already exercised twice, I decided to clean. I did the dishes, carried the table to the basement, cleaned up most of the old dining room, and put the xbox on KSL for sale (which Josh promised to do 7months ago when he bought the new Stars Wars Xbox and PS3 against my wishes and I told him he needed to make up the monetary difference since we were expecting a baby).
Then his mom brought Hallie back over. I changed her, fed her, and burped her when Josh came in and said that he was going to go practice his shooting. I got Hallie ready for bed while he was out, and then he came back and sat down to watch tv again. While he was doing that I started responding to the messages I was getting about the Xbox. Josh got all excited and of course started thinking about getting a new bow for it. I told him NO. It was the Xbox he bought me for my birthday even though I don't play videogames. Then he claimed that he gave me his old one to replace that one so the Xbox in the bedroom is mine and this one is his. Seriously?? I feel like the Little Red Hen sometimes. I don't care what he says. We're not buying anothe bow or a shotgun with this money. I'm using it to pay the new doctor bill that just arrived. Aaargh! I need to clean something else now.

But I better head off to bed since it's past midnight already. He will either be the demise or the reason for me getting into shape. Because I react to stress in one of two ways: Eating or Exercising. But it usually ends up being the latter. But hopefully not anymore.

July 27th, 2012

Well, I didn't get to mow the lawn this morning like I wanted to because it was raining. I guess I'll just try again tomorrow.
It was a pretty rough night though. I was able to get Hallie in bed around 11:00, but Josh was still up. I finally convinced him to come to bed, but then he kept me up with his movie. And he kept freaking out on the baby monitor. I've talked to many people that have told me that their monitors make random annoying beeps too. But Josh can't handle it. He kept screaming at the thing. Like that's really going to make it stop. Geez. So then he kept turning up the volume of the tv to combat the monitor. At one point he asked me to scratch his back so I was in hopes that it might calm him down. Next thing I know he jumps up grabs the monitor and slams in into the headboard. I thought he might've broken it, but it was ok because it started beeping again not too long afterwards. I don't know who's the bigger baby- my husband or my three month old. lol. Luckily, I woke up to Hallie fussing in the next room at 7:00am and discovered that he had not only turned off the monitor, but had also unplugged it. Seriously??? Was that really necessary? He has been doing this since she was born. I used to stay awake paranoid and scared because I couldn't hear her because he would turn it off so that he could sleep. And then I just started sleeping out on the couch so that I would be able to hear her. Once she started sleeping in her crib I found myself sleeping on the couch with her on his particular cranky nights. I always shut the bedroom door so that he can get his sleep, but it doesn't seem to lift his mood much. But when I found that he had waited for me to fall asleep last night to turn the monitor off again I was ticked. I was really hoping to be able to get out with Hallie and get away. But we were trapped inside due to the weather, and lo and behold it was his day to not go in until 1:00pm. Hallie and I ended up falling asleep on the couch, and then he came out around 10:30  and fell asleep until noon.

When she finally went down for an afternoon nap I knew I needed a really tough workout to beat the stress out. And I chose the perfect one... Insanity's Max Interval Circuit. I was kind of frustrated when I started it and it said that it was an entire hour long though. That is a loong time to exercise! Especially since I knew it was going to be hard, and with my luck Hallie wouldn't sleep the whole time. Which she didn't. 10 minutes into the workout and I was already wanting to quit. Thirty minutes in and I thought I was done for. Forty minutes in and Hallie woke up. I paused it for a second and ran in and grabbed Hallie and laid her on the couch hoping that she'd be entertained watching me hop around for 20 more minutes. It kind of worked. Although, at one point she scared the crap out of me because I turned around and there she was laying on her back with her head dangling over the side of the couch cooing and giggling! Aaahhh! I have no idea how she did that because I had laid her on her belly parallel with the couch, but that will be the last time I lay her on the couch alone.
The workout was absolutely brutal though. It's the first time I've ever attempted it. I've never followed the program long enough to do some of the workouts. And I really don't ever want to tackle it again. The length of the workout and the intensity of the exercises was just too much to be enjoyed. And plus, I didn't burn as many calories as I was hoping. But I should've figured as much because I couldn't do the moves to their full extent. Although I did burn quite a few in all actuality. My calves are sore from yesterday and I just didn't have the energy. And I think I might've been trying to preserve some of my oomph to last the entire 60 minutes. Now I know why they put the word "max" in the title. It'll be a while before I attempt this one again.

Insanity - Max Interval Circuit

Timer: 1:00:44

In Zone: 1:00:44

Avg BPM: 179

Peak BPM: 203

Calories: 1158

July 26th, 2012

Hallie wasn't sleeping very deep today so I knew I better choose a semi-short video. And since I did Insanity yesterday I  knew I better choose something a little easier. Plus, I really don't want to be driven insane from monotony. lol. Yes, that was supposed to be a lame play on words. Haha I promise I won't make you suffer through too many of those.

 So, I chose one that I've done before. Today's challenge was The Biggest Loser's The Workout  Bootcamp. And this time I was a little wiser and started off with level one, which they call Week 1-2. Usually I jump ahead and just go straight for Week 5-6, but I want to see the differences with my heart rate and calorie burn. And actually, the first level was pretty hard for me at times. I only used my 5 lb weights because I'm not super strong right now. My legs are sore from yesterday's plyo workout as well. The first little bit of the movie I was getting really nervous because I was afraid it was going to be too easy. And then I was really worried that I might waste 30+ minutes to discover I only burned 100-200 calories. But that wasn't the case...

The Biggest Loser The Workout - Bootcamp

Timer: 30:08

In Zone: 30:08

Avg BPM: 157

Peak BPM: 189

Calories: 464

It did get harder as the movie progressed, and there were certain moves that were especially difficult. I am really struggling with pushups. They kill me. Especially when they want you to pump out a whole bunch. Or when they add moves onto the pushups. Like Mr. Bob Harper (I think that's his name. lol) makes you do walking pushups in this video and then he makes you hold the pushup position. Killer. After doing tons of squats he also makes you hold a DEEP squatting position. I will warn you - Your thighs will BURN! It's great afterwards though. I feel my legs might be sore tomorrow. I am kind of happy that every movie seems to make you do pushups because maybe in a month or two they'll be a lot easier for me. I can't wait. But anyways, I plan on mowing the lawn early in the morning so I'll chat with you later. Goodnight!

Don't worry Chomper, me too. lol.

July 25th, 2012

I'm exhausted!

Hallie had an upset belly and kept me up all night long. We ended spending the entire night on the couch so that Josh could get some sleep.

When she finally zonked out this morning I decided it was a good time to pack everything up and head over to my parents' house. They are out of town so I've been taking care of it. Plus, I needed a different workout DVD since I'm borrowing 3 at a time.

I had a hard time choosing which ones I wanted this time. But since I had done three of the Supreme 90 Day in a row I decided to switch things up a bit. And I wanted a good challenge today since I had eaten a lot of junk last night and this morning. That's what happens when I'm tired or stressed.

So, today I decided to do Insanity's Plyometric Cardio Circuit. Ya, it completely kicked my trash! Hallie had fallen asleep and so I decided it was the right time to go for it.  Of course she woke up as soon as I started. But I decided not to let that stop me. I had her in her bouncer which usually doesn't last more than a couple of minutes but she actually didn't scream today!!! She did start getting fussy about 10 minutes into it though so I had to reinsert her binky and shake the toys during every water break. Luckily, the Insanity series has many water breaks (because you definitely need them).  

I also had to run out for a potty break during the first water break because I accidentally drank 64oz of water before my workout. lol. I have never liked M&M's until recently. My Mom was given a gift of assorted M&M's and it's quite addicting. It has milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut, almond, peanut butter, coconut, raspberry, mint, and pretzel. For some reason the concoction is lovely. But if I grab a bag of just one kind at a time I don't like them. I'm odd, I know. Haha. But there is one healthy perk to eating M&M's... I have to drink water when I do... and LOTS of it. That's why I drank 64oz before my workout. Because that dang M&M cocktail seduced me and then trapped me! Dang you M&M's! And another discovery I've made is the sad realization that you just can't hold it after you have a baby. I never believed all of the complaining and jokes before, but now I do. It's a horrible side-effect of having a kid. The whole movie I thought I was going to pee my pants! I spent half the movie doing the potty dance. jkjk.

But seriously, that was an INSANE workout. I couldn't do all of the routines because it was just TOO much. And I had to cheat on a bunch of the moves because they were way too hard. Even during the water breaks my HR was only getting  back down to 190. Holy cow, right?!? It's called Insanity for a reason. The ski jumps, ski abs, burpees, and in&out abs were my greatest enemies today. I just couldn't do them. I gave them my all, but they were victorious over my weak, out of shape body.

And this was the outcome:

Insanity - Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Timer: 41:42

In Zone: 41:42

Avg BPM: 184

Peak BPM: 208

Calories: 829

Yowza! That's an awesome burn for 40 minutes of your day. But it definitely required a good shower afterwards because I was drenched from head to toe in sweat. lUVD it!

But when I'm finally able to complete all of the exercises I'll redo it and post my results.

Until then, Goodnight!

July 24, 2012

Supreme 90 Day - Chest & Back

Timer: 33:02
InZone: 33:02
Avg BPM: 149
Peak BPM: 193
Calories: 465

July 23, 2012

Supreme 90 Day System - Core

Timer: 28:33
InZone: 28:33
AvgBPM: 165
PeakBPM: 194
Calories: 478

July 22nd, 2012

Today was Sunday and I was very tempted to workout, but I know I'm not supposed to so I didn't. Plus, the whole day was a lot crazier than I had anticipated.
First, Hallie couldn't fall asleep. She was up until sometime after midnight. It was kind of rough. But Josh had hopped in bed earlier. After I got her to bed I had to get ready for bed. Which is a long process. I hate getting ready for bed. Sometimes I really wish makeup was never invented. lol. When I finally did get in bed Josh woke up, and then he couldn't fall asleep which kept me up. We were up until sometime after 4:30am.
Then I received a call at 7:30am from my Dad. He was informing me that my Aunt Marlene had passed away. It was heartbreaking. We all loved her so much. I feel terrible for my Dad. I have no idea how it feels to lose a sibling, and I don't want to know. I wanted to say something supportive that would make him feel less pain. But I didn't know what to say. I never know what to say when there's a death. And the lack of sleep wasn't helping either. I was able to fall back asleep, but then I woke up to knocking at my door at 8:30am. It was my parents. They were going to make a roadtrip back to Iowa for the funeral and were planning on leaving early Monday morning. And they wanted to know if we wanted to go. The rest of the day was spent trying to decide if I wanted to go and if we could. I did want to... Really bad. But could Hallie handle that much time in her carseat?? I wanted to be there to support my parents. But I didn't want them to have to spend money on us. I wanted to visit with all of my relatives. But it's normally a 2-day drive by itself. How long would it take us to get there if we had to stop every 2 hours to feed and burp Hallie for an hour?? I wanted to go to the funeral and say my goodbyes. But I knew it would be hard on me.  Finally I prayed at 9:30pm and my parents and I decided we'd just make another trip when Hallie was a little older and it would be easier. It killed me and relieved me at the same time.

Lucky for Josh, he was able to take a 3 1/2 hour nap while I stayed up with Hallie and took care of things. But sadly, it made us miss lunch with my Grandparents. I hate missing family things. I really want to make a greater effort to be more involved with family functions. I've really become more aware of the fact that family is the most important thing in this life. It always has been and always will be. And another let-down, we missed church. We've reallygotta do better. I just wish someone else would make an equal or greater effort. One step at a time, Caraline, one step at a time. 

July 21st, 2012

Saturday, July 21st, 2012

I really wanted to make up the calories from the previous night, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to. Luckily, I had promised my parents that I would mow the lawn for them. I set my alarm for 6am, but because Hallie had kept me up for most of the night I couldn't drag my butt out of bed until 7:30am. I had to feed her, pump, eat breakfast, get dressed, pack the stroller, and get my gear ready before we could even leave. And then we walked there (about .25 miles). Once we got there I had to get everything ready, and of course nothing would go my way. The brand new mower would not start for me! My mom and I tried everything. Finally, I got desperate to get it started before the sun was blazing so I got the old rusty one out. And thank heavens it started! But it was already after 10am and the sun was up and scorchin'. It has been a long time since I mowed the lawn, so all my callouses are long gone. And I didn't realize it until the blister popped on my thumb. Too late. Once I band-aided and gloved up and got started again I realized I was getting a blister on my heel. Then I had to go get another band-aid. I got going again only to realize that my other heel was starting to hurt and the bandaid had shifted on my previously blistered foot. I gave up. I kicked off my shoes and decided flip-flops were the way to go. Not safe. I know I know. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I worked hard and was able to get the front and back yard completed just a little after noon. But the edges didn't look so hot because I didn't use the weedwhacker because I don't know how to use one, and the wheels of the mower had ridden atop the cement edging causing it to be uneven. Sorry Dad! lol. I'll do it better next time.

 But hey! Shoving and yanking that heavy old rusted mower was some pretty good exercise! Especially since I was still slightly sore! I have no idea how many calories I burned though, so I'll have to measure it next time. But hopefully I get to use the new mower next time which will pull me around instead. Because of course it started on the first pull for my dad when he got home later on. Seriously??!!! Geez. lol.
After I finished the yard I downed my protein shake I had prepared earlier and two jugs of water. And then I enjoyed a super delicious tuna sandwich that my mom prepared for me. (Note to self: olive oil mayo is great and bread and butter pickles in super fine pieces and TOMATOES are the secret to making amazing Tuna Sandwiches). After feeding Hallie and lounging on the couch for a bit my mom drove Hallie and I home. But along the way we stopped at the local Farmer's Market to peek at what goods they have this year since it was the first day it was open. There was not a single piece of Fruit or Vegetable there! Seriously???!!!! It was all vendors selling their creations alongside a cupcake stand and 2 shaved ice dealers. what in the world happened to the FARMERS??!! Oh ya, Syracuse bought the farms and sold it to build businesses that have gone bust. We've been jipped! It broke my heart. I'm crossing my fingers there will be some as the season progresses though. Please cross yours for us as well. lol.

Once I got home and fed Hallie again and she fell asleep for her afternoon nap I dragged my tired butt off the couch and decided I better workout before I miss another day of exercise.
I decided to try a DVD that I borrowed from my mom. While I was at her house I decided to borrow a few so that I could mix things up and not get bored with mine. I was going to take more of her Insanity workouts, but then she offered a series I had never heard of before. It's called the Supreme 90 Day System. She said she got them from Bed, Bath & Beyond for super cheap a while ago. So, I decided "Why Not!?"
Here's what happened:

Supreme 90 Day - Total Body
Timer: 33:56
In Zone: 33:56
Avg BPM: 165
Peak BPM: 202
Calories: 568


Not too shabby, eh?! But here's the thing... I lOVEDit! You get to stop for breaks all the time and you can go at your own pace and it was only 30 minutes. But most of all the exercises were DIFFERENT! They are more like what I did when I was personal training. It was awesome. The burn was great! It definitely made my workout more interesting than usual. I mean it's not a super burn like my other DVD, but it was hitting the right spots. But it was quite challenging. Can't wait until it's easy for me! Oh and get this... most videos will let you wait at the main menu for as long as you want but this series does NOT. It's almost as if the DVD is making sure that you don't procrastinate your workout. lol. No chance to sit there and think about changing your mind.  :]  Too bad my tv, couch, and butt aren't in on it too. hahaha! Well, anyways... Gotta go to bed. See you soon!

July 20th, 2012

Friday, July 20th, 2012
I didn't get to exercise, so it ended up being an extra day off. Not proud of it, but I was pretty sore again so it wasn't the worst thing for me. Instead, I ended up looking through bags of baby clothes and items that my sister's sister in-law donated to me. Which is such a blessing. She gave me sooo many wonderful and cute outfits. I am so thankful because Hallie needed warm clothes for Fall and Winter, but we just don't have the money right now. But Lonnie surprised us and came to the rescue!
But that took me a couple of hours because of course we had to play with Hallie while we did it. I was planning on exercising right afterwards, but... my dad came home and asked us to run to the pool store with him. I love spending time with them, so I chose to do that instead. And then on the way home he decided to take us out to eat. Eeek! I know that restaurants pack everything full of sugar, salt and fat, so I had mixed feelings. But my mom and I decided to do the 2 for $20. I chose water. YaY! Always the healthiest choice. But the dang dinner deal comes with an appetizer. Dun Dun Dun!!! (p.s. that's the scary music in the background)We got the chips and guacamole. Not so healthy. Avocados are great for you, but the rest of the crap they add is not. And the chips definitely are not.
 I got the 6oz steak, but I ordered the lean version. My mom ordered the regular version and I was astounded at the difference between the two plates that cost us the exact same! My steak came with salsa on top whereas hers came with butter. We both got broccoli, but mine had parmesan and hers did not (Ya, they put it on the wrong plate. lol). And I got nothing else on my plate. But she also received a loaded baked potato AND a slice of garlic bread.
 Now I know I was better off without either one of those, but you would think they would at least substitute those items on your plate. Maybe offer cauliflower and carrots alongside the broccoli or what about a salad?? I mean, seriously! You are more likely to load up on the appetizer (which I did) or a dessert afterwards without as much food. Ya, so if I ever eat there again I will order it the regular way and just request that they leave the butter off the steak, so that I can at least take home the sides for Josh to eat and get my money's worth. Because my mom didn't even eat the sides at the restaurant. She took them home and ate them later on.
I didn't get home til late, so I never got the chance to exercise. Dangit. And then I found this out...

Fire-Grilled Corn Guacamole with Chips
Calories: 1400
Fat: 84
Sat Fat: 15
Carbs: 151
Protein: 17
Fiber: 25
Sodium: 2250
Yikes! Huh??!! I was traumatized because although they did help eat some of the chips and dip I ended up eating about 2/3 of it. Ugh.

Lighter Side Classic Sirloin vs. Classic Sirloin
Calories:  250 -  870
Fat:              7 - 51
Sat Fat:     2.5 - 18
Carbs:        10 - 53
Protein:      38 - 54
Fiber:           4 - 7
Sodium: 1580 - 2760

So, ya I did save quite a few calories and grams of fat, but not money...  Oh well, at least I have my health.

July 19, 2012

Body Fat:  16.5 - 17.7%
Essential Body Fat for Females is 13-18%
In the top 25%

July 19th, 2012

Alright, so I finally managed to do things a little different again. I was able to wake up and stay awake. Usually I end up falling in and out of sleep until about 11am. But I was able to wake up when I fed Hallie and then I stayed awake. When she went down for a nap I worked. It took me a few minutes to convince myself to do it, but I did it nonetheless.
Today I decided to do another Jillian Michaels video. I like her workouts because they are circuits. I feel like you get a better workout when you do circuits. It makes your HR go up and down and it confuses your muscles.

In this video you have to choose which level you want to do- 1, 2, or 3. I am the type of person that likes to take it as far as I can go. I don't go easy on myself. I immediately chose Level 3, and then decided I should do Level 1 because that's where you're supposed to start and I want to do it so that I can record it. So, I went back and chose Level One instead. It actually did kick my butt a little. Well, at least the strength parts of the circuits did. I was alternating between my 5lb and 10lb dumbbells. I did a majority of the video with the 5's because the 10's were just too hard. The first go of the first circuit I was able to crank out 20 regular pushups, but on the secod goaround I had to drop to my knees. It was just too much. :(  There once was a time when pushups were too easy for me. But now I struggle. It's so sad. But it's ok because I am going to get into the best shape of my life! Just one step at a time.

Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred
Timer: 27:28
In Zone: 27:28
Avg BPM: 159
Peak BPM: 192
Calories: 432

She does butt-kicks in the video and mentions how the girl is quite literally kicking herself in the arse. And that's what I do. That's what I've always done. I don't just kick my heels back. I kick them as far as I can get them to go. I push myself as hard as I can and then I push a little harder. Everyone has always called me a perfectionist, but I like to think of it as more like my best self. I don't settle, I can't settle, I won't settle for anything less. But I'm not perfect. And I'm definitely not at my best. I expect the best, but I give myself too much slack. Especially with my eating..

So far today:
2 cups steel cut oats + amber agave + frozen blueberries
3 mini cadbury eggs
4oz almond milk + 6oz water + 1/3cup Carnation Breakfast Essentials
2 cups steel cut oats + amber agave + frozen blueberries
2 mini cadbury eggs
Raspberry Zinger Tea + 1tsp Clover Honey
2 mini cadbury eggs
1.5 cups brown rice + .5 cup frozen corn + ICBINBVO Spray + Soy Sauce + Season Salt
2 Original Gardenburgers + 1tsp A1 Sauce + dijon mustard

I can't say it's been horrible. My portions have just been a little much and I should do without the candy. But it's hard breaking bad habits. And it's only 4:30pm. I think I might try cooking up some chicken tonight for dinner. But hopefully I don't mess up my progress. But at least I'm making an effort right now.

Until Tomorrow,
Caraline

Fat Burning Cardio

Ok, so the past few days I have been super, extremely, fabulously sore! Hoorah! I just love love love being sore. It just feels so amazingly good to me! I love that with every step you can feel each muscle stretch and release. It means that you've accomplished something. That all of your hard work hasn't been for nothing. I just love it! I wonder if other people feel the same way or if I'm just nuts. lol.

But because I am still so sore I decided to take it a little easier today. I did one of my older videos. It is from a series called Hip Hop Abs. It uses their secret method: Tilt, Tuck, & Tighten. It took me a few years to actually get around to watching the explanation of the method, and that's when I finally learned how to do it correctly and I could feel the difference. I guess it pays off to watch the instructions sometimes. oops. They use the 3 T's because he is Sean T. lol.

For the longest time I thought he was gay. He was just a little too flamboyant not to be. Especially when the Pussycat Dolls' song comes on and he yells "This is my song, this is my song!!!" The voice and the whole thing just screamed out girly to me. But I loved doin the videos just to stare at him and those arms and abs dance. hahaha. a few years down the road though and... WhaBaM!

He's the instructor for Insanity! whaaat???!!! So. Not. Gay. It completely resolved everything in my head. Now I didn't have to feel so bad for drooling. But then I got married and now everything's all messed up again and I'm feeling guilty when I dance with him. Geez! He needs to go back to being gay, so I can drool again. jkjk.

But anyways, back to our main focus... The Workout. Well, it's not too much of one. I've always known this, so I knew it'd be the right one for today. My body needed a chance to heal and take a break. This DVD is mainly just cardio and abs. I kind of felt jipped at the end because I had spent 30 minutes on an okay workout when I could've spent 40 on a major one. But every muscle counts, and it was so much better than sitting on the couch. I do love his one move. It's called the "Get Busy" and I can always feel it hit the spot. love it. Here's my stats though:

Hip Hop Abs - Fat Burning Cardio
Timer: 29:48
In Zone: 29:48
Avg BPM: 150
Peak BPM: 174
Calories: 425

Pretty good for a 30 minute easy video though, huh? And I'm pretty sure I won't be sore tomorrow  which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong, I lOVE being sore and all, but your body does need to heal so that it can properly build. Plus, I couldn't give every movement my all because I was way too tight. I was struggling just to get my kicks up to hip height. It was Ridiculous! I need to try to do some extra stretching every day.



But after such a major calorie burn to such a meager calorie burn (which it really isn't) I couldn't stop there. I decided to add on a workout I had printed off of Pinterest. It's called The World's Fastest Workout. These are its claims: 1. burns as many calories as a 40-60 minute run. 2. makes your body adapt and improve very quickly. 3. Increases metabolism for next 36 hours. 4. Takes only four minutes, No excuses.
Well, I did it and I used the same HR monitor that I use for all of my exercising. 1. I burn WAY more calories on a 40-60 minute run. 2. It is a good circuit, and it does make you need to catch your breath. 3. I can see it increasing your metabolism because it does increase your heart rate, and uses muscle. But I don't know about the whole 36 hour claim... and 4. It only takes four minutes. How much can you really expect from a four minute workout??

The World's Fastest Workout
Timer: 4:05
In Zone: 4:05
Avg BPM: 167
Peak BPM: 187
Calories: 69

On a normal 40-60 minute run for me I can burn 800-1000 calories, about 16-20X that amount. If I did this workout over and over (10-15X) then I really would burn as many calories as a 40-60 minute run, but that would require 40-60 minutes straight of this routine. lol. I'm disappointed in whoever made these false claims. Liar. Hopes shattered once again. jkjk. I knew all along it was too good to be true. Because it gives you way too many breaks and these same moves are in the videos that I do for 30-40 minutes. lol. Oh well. That's an extra half slice of bread I burned.

But I am curious if there would be much of a difference if I did it starting from a resting HR. I don't think it will make a huge difference, but I am curious to see if it will make the numbers go up or down. I will have to test this. I'll let you know when I do.

Until then, Kisses from Kiwi

July 18th, 2012

Ok, so the past few days I have been super, extremely, fabulously sore! Hoorah! I just love love love being sore. It just feels so amazingly good to me! I love that with every step you can feel each muscle stretch and release. It means that you've accomplished something. That all of your hard work hasn't been for nothing. I just love it! I wonder if other people feel the same way or if I'm just nuts. lol.

But because I am still so sore I decided to take it a little easier today. I did one of my older videos. It is from a series called Hip Hop Abs. It uses their secret method: Tilt, Tuck, & Tighten. It took me a few years to actually get around to watching the explanation of the method, and that's when I finally learned how to do it correctly and I could feel the difference. I guess it pays off to watch the instructions sometimes. oops. They use the 3 T's because he is Sean T. lol.

For the longest time I thought he was gay. He was just a little too flamboyant not to be. Especially when the Pussycat Dolls' song comes on and he yells "This is my song, this is my song!!!" The voice and the whole thing just screamed out girly to me. But I loved doin the videos just to stare at him and those arms and abs dance. hahaha. a few years down the road though and... WhaBaM!

 He's the instructor for Insanity! whaaat???!!! So. Not. Gay. It completely resolved everything in my head. Now I didn't have to feel so bad for drooling. But then I got married and now everything's all messed up again and I'm feeling guilty when I dance with him. Geez! He needs to go back to being gay, so I can drool again. jkjk.

But anyways, back to our main focus... The Workout. Well, it's not too much of one. I've always known this, so I knew it'd be the right one for today. My body needed a chance to heal and take a break. This DVD is mainly just cardio and abs. I kind of felt jipped at the end because I had spent 30 minutes on an okay workout when I could've spent 40 on a major one. But every muscle counts, and it was so much better than sitting on the couch. I do love his one move. It's called the "Get Busy" and I can always feel it hit the spot. love it. Here's my stats though:

Hip Hop Abs - Fat Burning Cardio
Timer: 29:48
In Zone: 29:48
Avg BPM: 150
Peak BPM: 174
Calories: 425

Pretty good for a 30 minute easy video though, huh? And I'm pretty sure I won't be sore tomorrow which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong, I lOVE being sore and all, but your body does need to heal so that it can properly build. Plus, I couldn't give every movement my all because I was way too tight. I was struggling just to get my kicks up to hip height. It was Ridiculous! I need to try to do some extra stretching every day.



But after such a major calorie burn to such a meager calorie burn (which it really isn't) I couldn't stop there. I decided to add on a workout I had printed off of Pinterest. It's called The World's Fastest Workout. These are its claims: 1. burns as many calories as a 40-60 minute run. 2. makes your body adapt and improve very quickly. 3. Increases metabolism for next 36 hours. 4. Takes only four minutes, No excuses.
Well, I did it and I used the same HR monitor that I use for all of my exercising. 1. I burn WAY more calories on a 40-60 minute run. 2. It is a good circuit, and it does make you need to catch your breath. 3. I can see it increasing your metabolism because it does increase your heart rate, and uses muscle. But I don't know about the whole 36 hour claim... and 4. It only takes four minutes. How much can you really expect from a four minute workout??

The World's Fastest Workout
Timer: 4:05
In Zone: 4:05
Avg BPM: 167
Peak BPM: 187
Calories: 69

On a normal 40-60 minute run for me I can burn 800-1000 calories, about 16-20X that amount. If I did this workout over and over (10-15X) then I really would burn as many calories as a 40-60 minute run, but that would require 40-60 minutes straight of this routine. lol. I'm disappointed in whoever made these false claims. Liar. Hopes shattered once again. jkjk. I knew all along it was too good to be true. Because it gives you way too many breaks and these same moves are in the videos that I do for 30-40 minutes. lol. Oh well. That's an extra half slice of bread I burned.

But I am curious if there would be much of a difference if I did it starting from a resting HR. I don't think it will make a huge difference, but I am curious to see if it will make the numbers go up or down. I will have to test this. I'll let you know when I do.


Until then, Kisses from Kiwi

Day Off

I took the day off because it was Josh's day off. It's just too hard ...and embarrassing to workout when he is home. He said he was going up to the mountains, but never did. I probably would have tried to workout with him home, but he doesn't help with the baby, so it just makes it impossible. I have to try and get her to take a nap usually so that I can exercise, but between him and visitors it just makes it too difficult.
So, instead I entertained Hallie and cleaned the house all day. I was able to keep pretty busy all day long though which was good. I can at least say I wasn't a lazy bum adding on the calories and pounds. I was able to lightly clean the bathroom, do the dishes, and do the laundry in between feedings and fits and so I can say I feel pretty accomplished. I just wish he would at least hold and/or entertain Hallie while he watches tv. It would help out so much. But what can I say, we females are the more accomplished gender... we can multitask. lol. Love them both. :]

July17th,2012 Day Off

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012
I took the day off because it was Josh's day off. It's just too hard ...and embarrassing to workout when he is home. He said he was going up to the mountains, but never did. I probably would have tried to workout with him home, but he doesn't help with the baby, so it just makes it impossible. I have to try and get her to take a nap usually so that I can exercise, but between him and visitors it just makes it too difficult.
So, instead I entertained Hallie and cleaned the house all day. I was able to keep pretty busy all day long though which was good. I can at least say I wasn't a lazy bum adding on the calories and pounds. I was able to lightly clean the bathroom, do the dishes, and do the laundry in between feedings and fits and so I can say I feel pretty accomplished. I just wish he would at least hold and/or entertain Hallie while he watches tv. It would help out so much.  But what can I say, we females are the more accomplished gender... we can multitask. lol. Love them both. :]

Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism

Sunday, July15th, 2012
I took the day off because it was the Sabbath, and also because I am extremely sore! Didn't eat very well, but I was able to convince Josh to walk with me to my Parent's house. That's like a quarter of a mile. And then we walked back. It's not much, but at least it was something. :]

Monday, July16th, 2012
Jillian Michaels- Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Had a hard time getting started again today. Partly because I'm still really sore from Saturday's workout. I haven't eaten the greatest either. But that's alright. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to workout because Hallie had already been sleeping for a bit before I decided to get started. But I took my chances once again. She woke up during the cool-down. So, all went well. I was able to finish and feel good about myself. YaY!
But it was a difficult routine. I've always had a hard time with this video. It always kicks my butt. Especially in the second to last circuit. But I think I've figured out why...

Timer: 53:41
In Zone: 53:41
Avg BPM: 181
Peak BPM: 210
Calories: 1041

Yeah, holy cow right??!! I couldn't believe the numbers when I saw them either. On the cover it claims that you can lose up to 5lbs in one week. Which I thought was completely bogus, but if you were eating correctly and did this video every day with those numbers I think you actually could! Wow, who would've known that they weren't lying in the advertisement. I usually buy things hoping they'll work, but knowing deep down not to get my hopes up. Now I know I can trust some things. I just need to learn to have more faith in myself.
The second to last circuit is where my HR peaks. I think that's why I blackout during it sometimes. I need to find a way to control my HR short of taking a break. But ya, I was super excited with my results! I have been feeling fabulous ever since! My tummy has been tighter and I think my tush is a little perkier. :] lol. Even my mom complimented me on my shape before I disclosed my secret... I worked OUT! haha I guess it really does pay off! Can't keep the smile off of my face right now. I am going to have to do more of this! But I'm not all that excited to attempt this video again for just a bit. lol.

until next time- xoxoxo

July 15-16th,2012 Day Two and Three

Sunday, July15th, 2012
I took the day off because it was the Sabbath, and also because I am extremely sore! Didn't eat very well, but I was able to convince Josh to walk with me to my Parent's house. That's like a quarter of a mile. And then we walked back. It's not much, but at least it was something.  :]

Monday, July16th, 2012
Jillian Michaels- Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Had a hard time getting started again today. Partly because I'm still really sore from Saturday's workout. I haven't eaten the greatest either. But that's alright. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to workout because Hallie had already been sleeping for a bit before I decided to get started. But I took my chances once again. She woke up during the cool-down. So, all went well. I was able to finish and feel good about myself. YaY!
But it was a difficult routine. I've always had a hard time with this video. It always kicks my butt. Especially in the second to last circuit. But I think I've figured out why...

Timer: 53:41
In Zone: 53:41
Avg BPM: 181
Peak BPM: 210
Calories: 1041

Yeah, holy cow right??!! I couldn't believe the numbers when I saw them either. On the cover it claims that you can lose up to 5lbs in one week. Which I thought was completely bogus, but if you were eating correctly and did this video every day with those numbers I think you actually could! Wow, who would've known that they weren't lying in the advertisement. I usually buy things hoping they'll work, but knowing deep down not to get my hopes up. Now I know I can trust some things. I just need to learn to have more faith in myself.
The second to last circuit is where my HR peaks. I think that's why I blackout during it sometimes. I need to find a way to control my HR short of taking a break. But ya, I was super excited with my results! I have been feeling fabulous ever since! My tummy has been tighter and I think my tush is a little perkier.  :]  lol. Even my mom complimented me on my shape before I disclosed my secret... I worked OUT! haha I guess it really does pay off! Can't keep the smile off of my face right now. I am going to have to do more of this! But I'm not all that excited to attempt this video again for just a bit. lol.

until next time- xoxoxo

Hello

Ok, so I am starting a new blog. I want this to be a place where Me, my family, and my friends can post about our fitness goals, progress, and success. And of course all of our roadbumps along the way. Since we already know that those are inevitable.

This morning I had no idea that I was going to start this, so I kind of already messed it up a bit. But that's ok because that's no reason not to get started. All day I kept thinking about how I wanted to exercise. But little Miss Hallie decided she wanted me to give her all my attention instead. So I did. But finally, a little after noon, she laid down for a nap! And what did I do?? I sat down and enjoyed a snack while finishing the rest of the show we had been watching. Bad Caraline! But after it was over I scolded myself and reminded myself that if I didn't take advantage of the moment then I'd lose it. And that wasn't gonna make this belly bulge go away. I kept trying to talk myself out of it with things like "what if her nap is for only like 15 minutes?" and "what if she wakes up before I have time to shower afterwards?" and "isn't cleaning the house more important??" But I decided that I would take my chances and face those roadblocks IF they happened because what if she was an angel and everything worked out for me? and it did! YaY! So, I am happy to report that I was able to complete an entire exercise video and a shower before she woke up. Hooray! And now I am feeling very happy and wonderful! So glad that I made the right choice.

I did INSANITY's UPPER BODY WEIGHT TRAINING. (Yes Mom, I still have one of your videos. lol) and these were my results:
Timer: 48:43
In Zone: 48:43
Avg Bpm: 170
Peak Bpm: 199
Calories: 856

I used the Timex watch & HR monitor my sister gave to me. I sure hope it was correct. Because Dang! That's a LOT of calories! Crossing my fingers. lol. I alternated between 5lb and 10lb dumbbells for the different exercises. I tried to challenge myself. Although, just doing the video was a big enough challenge in itself. The workouts are Hard and I'm really out of shape. The hardest part was probably the plank exercises. There were two in particular. The one included pushups and the other included raising a dumbbell straight out in front in between. My abdominals are probably my weakest point right now. My goal is to strengthen them and hopefully flatten them in the process.

My food today hasn't been too awesome...
Jack Sprout bread + I can't believe it's not butter spray+ cinnamon sugar
2 oranges
like half the box of my Kashi Go Lean Crunch! Berry Crumble cereal
2 slices of potato bread (pre-workout)
10 oz original Almond Milk + 1 scoop Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 Protein Powder (Post-workout)
...and I swear there was more. I just can't remember what right now. oops!
But it's only 5:30pm and I'm supposed to go out to eat tonight with the girls at Red Robin. That's gonna be a diet killer. Oh well. We hardly ever get to do this, so I might make the exception. We'll see... Until then. Adios and Good Luck!