Tag Archives: exercise

Plateau No More

Posted on November 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

Caddy-for-Hire

In case you don’t recall, I’ve been trying to lose the 70+ pounds I gained during pregnancy.  After birth, around 30 pounds dropped rather quickly and I’m assuming it was all water since I was bloated and swollen like a dead whale ready to burst.  Anyway, after that it was a bit of a struggle to lose the weight with no time to exercise and my cravings for comfort food.

Fortunately, my mom has been helping out and I’ve been able to fit in some workouts here and there.  Also, I’ve been reevaluating the way I eat, and have started to eat more vegetables and less bread and rice.  Just so you know, there is no way in hell am I going to cut out the foods that I love, but I can at least slow down on the whole eating thing.  So, after about a two month plateau at 167 lbs, I’ve finally started to lose more weight.

Currently I’m at 160 pounds, and just have 15 more to go to reach my pre-pregnancy weight and 25 pounds to reach my goal weight.  It makes me happy to see the weight disappear.  I figured that it took me 9 months to pack it on, so it’ll take me 9 months to shed the weight off.  Right now I’m on month 5, so just 4 more months to go!  However, the holidays are quickly approaching and everyone knows how much I enjoy my holiday grub.

Stay tuned to find out how I handle the ubiquitous holiday weight gain.

FRE

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Losing It – Week 5

Posted on September 23, 2011 | Leave a comment

Nico and me.  Yes, I have no makeup on.  I only wear makeup when I’m going out which is rare nowadays.

What the F@#&?!?

On Monday I stepped onto the scale and was horrified.  It claimed that I gained five pounds, which I have a hard time believing.  Yes, I didn’t exercise much last week, but I feel and look thinner than I did the week before.

What the hell.

Anyway, Vic thinks the scale may be wrong and that I need to change the batteries.  Let’s hope he’s f@#&ing right.

Ugh.

Monday

So I did Yoga, and walked 2 miles.

Tuesday

Today I did Core Synergistics and walked 2 miles.

Wednesday

Today my mom left after staying with us for 3 months to help out with the baby. Let’s see how well I’ll keep up with my exercise with Vic being busy with school and his random side jobs.  Today I walked 3 miles, and only completed 30 minutes of the Kenpo video :(

Thursday

Just walked 2.5 miles today.  No time for any workout DVDs, thankfully this week we “rest” from the craziness that is P90X.

Friday

I walked 3.5 miles today, and have to admit that I’m already bored with the P90X workouts.  Maybe it’s the lean version I’m doing with all the Cardio, Core Synergistics and Kenpo going on.  I’m more of a free weights, pull-ups, push-ups kind of person and not so much a cardio person.  Hence, the reason why I’m walking and not running.  I hate running.

Saturday

We walked 2.5 miles today.

Sunday

Again, just walked 2.5 miles.  I’ll start back up with the P90X tomorrow.  I think I’m going to switch to the regular version which has more weight lifting.

STATS:

  • Starting weight: 178 lbs
  • Current weight:  172 lbs
  • Goal weight: 135 lbs
  • Pounds left to lose:  37 lbs
Ugh.

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Losing It – Week 4

Posted on September 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

Tet Trung Thu – Mid Autumn Harvest Moon

Okay, so I’m doing much better with the whole exercise thing and not so much with the food thing.  I mean, how can I not eat good food when it’s just sitting right there waiting for me to indulge.  I’m just not that kind of girl that eats grilled chicken breast, brown rice, and steamed broccoli for dinner.  I like food a lot, and when I say “like” I actually mean I “f*cking love” food.  Good food, whether it be simple comfort fare, exotic dishes or a 12 course gourmet dinner, is what I yearn for.

A few years ago, one of my friends told me that if I changed my diet, I would get the body that I desired.  However, I am not a fan of eating boring, bland food in the name of dieting.  I am not going to become a vegan no matter what books or documentaries people suggest I read and see.  I mean I’ve already read and seen most of them, and it hasn’t deterred me from eating meat yet!  On top of that, I don’t really want to be super skinny and looking like some waif thin Hollywood starlet.  I just want to be a healthy fit version of me.

I like my curves, I’ve accepted my cellulite, and I believe in eating what I want as long as it’s in moderation.

Enough of my rant, here is last week’s workout update:

Monday

I did the Cardio X and walked 3/4 mile (it was frickin’ hot and the dogs didn’t want to walk).

Tuesday

Shoulders & Arms with Ab Ripper and walked 3/4 mile (I’m getting lazy with my daily description of my exercises).

Wednesday

Yoga and walked 3/4 mile (maybe I need to write down what I eat as well).

Thursday

Legs & Back with Ab Ripper and walked 1 mile (definitely can’t tell you the calorie intake since that’s too complicated to figure out with the type of food I eat).

Friday

Kenpo and walked 3.5 miles (I should probably link what I eat to existing recipes).

Saturday

Yoga and walked 1 mile (I just have no time to write a bunch of recipes at the moment. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to get back to doing that, but we’ll see. At the moment, the kid controls my life.)

Sunday

Rested and walked 1 mile (I also pigged out on Banh Xeo in celebration for my son’s 3 month birthday…it’s an Asian thing.)

STATS:

  • Starting weight: 178 lbs
  • Current weight:  167 lbs
  • Goal weight: 135 lbs
  • Pounds left to lose:  32 lbs
I can’t tell you how frickin’ shocked I was when I stood on that scale today.  I could have sworn I gained 5 lbs from all the food I ate this weekend.  I guess those muscles are doing their job and burning calories when I’m doing nothing.  Or, maybe the heat wave helped me lose weight by sweating like a pig.  Who knows, but what really matters is that I’m closing in on my goal weight by exercising and eating what I want.  Let’s hope my progress continues at the same rate!

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Losing It – Week 3

Posted on September 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Happy Labor Day!

I’ve been eating real good this weekend, and when I say good, I mean steaks, tri-tip, BBQ chicken, potato salad, rice, fresh corn, vine ripened tomatoes, etc. So, I’m totally hoping this “good eating” has not wreaked havoc on my weight.

Please stay tuned to find out if it did or not by the end of this post.

Yeah, anyway, let’s get back on track.

Earlier this week I developed a sore throat and skipped a few workouts in order to recuperate.  I’m not entirely sure if my sore throat was due to me getting sick or if my allergies were acting up.  It’s really hard to tell sometimes, but seeing that I never developed a fever, it probably was just allergies. So, I erred on the side of caution and was lucky to have my mom here to help take care of the baby.

Here is last week’s workout update:

Monday

Today I walked about 2 miles, but was too exhausted to workout. Instead I took a 2 hr nap & I got to sleep in today. Thank you mom for helping out & watching the kid! I think I’m getting sick.

Tuesday

Today we walked 1.5 miles and I did Yoga X. I can tell I’m getting stronger, but I still can’t do crane. Looking forward to the rest of the week. Hope everyone else is doing well!

Wednesday

Ok, so I got sick and took a day off.  Sore throat sucks, and I don’t want to get the baby sick.  He’s not yet 3 months, and I’d hate for him to get what I have. Luckily my mom is still here to help take care of the baby.

Thursday

Still have a sore throat, but decided to do P90X while my mom was still here. Today I did Legs & Back with Ab Ripper X and walked 2 miles.  I’m starting to think my sore throat is caused by my allergies.

Friday

Today I did Kenpo X and walked 2 miles.  Unfortunately, I still have a sore throat.  I’m glad the baby hasn’t gotten it yet, which really makes me think it’s my allergies.  It’s so hard to tell sometimes.

Saturday

Did Core Synergistics and walked 2 miles with the dogs.  Throat isn’t sore anymore, just scratchy.  I hope I don’t get a cough.

Sunday

I did the Cardio X today and walked 2 miles. My throat is still scratchy, and I have much more energy despite my nose running like crazy.  Hopefully these allergies (yes, I’ve concluded I’m not sick) will go away soon!

STATS:

  • Starting weight: 178 lbs
  • Current weight:  172 lbs
  • Goal weight: 135 lbs
  • Pounds left to lose:  37 lbs
I seem to be losing about 2 pounds a week, which is quite consistent and not too drastic.  I think I remember reading about how losing 2-4 pounds a week is healthy and helps ensure that you won’t rapidly gain it back like those who lose weight quickly.  
Alrighty, now let’s hope this week will be a bit more successful both in regards to exercise and food!

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Losing It – Week 2

Posted on August 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

Ok, so this past week I was bad, but whatever.  I’m not going to be hard on myself about it, and I’m not giving up because I didn’t workout 6 days in a row. There’s no law that says I must do things exactly so.

Here is last week’s workout update:

Monday

I didn’t get a chance to do P90X today, but I did walk 3 miles with the kid and the dogs.

Tuesday

Today I only walked a mile with the dogs.  Really feeling lazy for some reason.

Wednesday

I’ve been very bad this week. Did not do any P90X so far, and only walked a mile today. Hopefully I’ll be back on track by Friday. My energy level has definitely dropped. It’s amazing how quickly that can happen after only a few days of not exercising.

Thursday

Finished Core Synergistics just now, and walked 3.5 miles earlier today. Feels good to be back in the game!

Friday

Walked 2.5 miles & completed the P90X Cardio. Hopefully I’ll be able to find time this weekend to fit in a workout. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Saturday

Did Shoulders and Arms followed by Ab Ripper X today.  I also upped my weights from 5 lbs to 7 lbs, and I’m thinking that may still be too light.  Thank you baby Nico for giving me strong arms!

Sunday

This afternoon, I had my book club meeting in Santa Barbara (we discussed “The Help” and then watched the movie), so I didn’t do any type of exercise except walk my dog really slow (it was too hot for her).  I think we walked about a mile. Also, I think I did pretty good with my food selection at the book club meeting.  Had a small black bean quesadilla and iced tea at CPK, and no popcorn or Icee or candy at the movies!  Yay, me.

STATS:

  • Starting weight: 178 lbs
  • Current weight:  174 lbs
  • Goal weight: 135 lbs
  • Pounds left to lose:  39 lbs
Despite not working out for four days, I still lost two pounds.  Must be the extra muscle burning calories while I did nothing, or me watching what I eat & drink.  I did give away all the beer in my fridge to a friend who came by to visit!  Oh, how I’ll miss drinking a Guinness on my official rest day.

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Losin’ It – Week 1

Posted on August 23, 2011 | 4 Comments

Here’s Nic and my arm which looks very big to me.  Can’t wait to have slim, toned arms again! (Photography by Amy Albertson)

Alright, week one of working out is done and I feel good.  My energy level has increased significantly, I’m sleeping better, and my skin looks clearer.  Let’s hope I can keep this up!

The following are my posts about my workouts.  I belong to a support group on Facebook with other moms that are trying to get back into shape.

Monday – Core Synergistics

It’s been almost a year since I worked out this hard, and I was literally sweating buckets this afternoon. I’m also trying to walk 2-3 miles a day since I’m not in running shape yet. I must admit, it totally feels good to get back into an exercise routine. Oh, and I also had a shake to replace one of my meals. We’ll see how that goes since I do enjoy my food.

Tuesday – Cardio X

Today was week 1, day 2 of P90X Lean. I did the Cardio X workout and walked 3 miles. I replaced one meal with a shake, and am feeling good – not too full, not starving. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Wednesday – Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X

I realized that I no longer have a strong core like when I regularly did Pilates. Some of those Ab exercises I couldn’t even do, which was quite depressing. Also, I think I need to up my weights for my arms. I guess I’m stronger than I originally thought. Must be all the baby picking up & carrying going on. I walked 2.5 miles as well.

Thursday – Yoga X

It’s been a while since yoga has made me sweat like a pig, and I’ve declared crane to be my enemy. I’m not a fan of the workout’s flow of movements.  It seems disjointed to me. Anyway, we walked about 2 miles today.

Friday – Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X

I don’t have a pull up bar and couldn’t find a place in my house to use my resistance band, so I faked the pull ups with weights. Do any of you have a pull up bar? Is it worth it to get one? Still replacing one meal with a shake. Not doing the Shakeology thing, just the normal protein shake. I’m using Designer Whey and buy it from TJ’s. I’m also juicing as one of my snacks.  Today we walked almost 3 miles.

Saturday – Kenpo X

Week 1 of P90X is done! Yay! However, I think I overdid it today with the Kenpo X. I overheated and got nauseous. Not a good thing. Anyway, all is better and am looking forward to relaxing tomorrow.  Another 2.5 miles of walking today.

Sunday – Relax

I walked 2 miles and ate moderately.  No shake, but I did have a carrot/beet/apple juice for a snack. And, I enjoyed a Guinness for dessert this evening :)

Stats

  • Starting weight: 178 lbs
  • Current weight:  176 lbs
  • Goal weight: 135 lbs
  • Pounds left to lose:  41 lbs

Baby steps!  Losing 2 pounds is better than gaining it, plus muscle weighs more than fat and I definitely feel thinner than last week.

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Workin’ Out Really Hard

Posted on August 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

Yesterday I took some pictures of myself in a bikini and was completely horrified.  For some reason, my actual size (either skinny, fit, or not fit) registers with my brain only when I see actual pictures of myself and not by looking in a mirror.  I’m not too sure why, and I don’t think I suffer from body dysmorphic disorder but who knows.

So, Monday (after taking those awful pictures) became my first day working out with the P90X program.  I’ve decided to do the Lean Workout Schedule and to replace one of my meals with a protein shake.  Screw doing the Beach Body Shakeology crap, I’m not spending that kind of money to make a shake. Instead I’m using Designer Whey which I was introduced to by Rob Yontz of True North Fitness back when I did a summers worth of Adventure Bootcamps. Plus, I can easily buy Designer Whey at the local Trader Joe’s.

Anyway, here’s what my workout schedule looks like for the next 3 week:

  • Day 1 – Core Synergistics
  • Day 2 – Cardio X
  • Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
  • Day 4 – Yoga X
  • Day 5 – Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
  • Day 6 – Kenpo X
  • Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
I’m also going to continue walking my dog and the baby everyday for 2-5 miles depending on the fussiness of the little one.  Next Monday I’ll post a review of this week’s workout, but in the mean time you can watch random people showing off their P90X skills on youtube.

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Losin’ It

Posted on August 16, 2011 | 2 Comments

A 135 pound me at the end of October before I found out (or suspected) I was pregnant.  Yes, I’m not wearing any makeup and I did not do my hair.  I am not cat-faced Kim Kardashian!

For those of you that don’t know, I had a baby back in June.  The baby is doing great and everything is all fine and dandy (I’ll post more about him at a later date) except for the fact that the only clothes I can fit are my maternity clothes.

This is totally unacceptable.

I cannot fit into any of my dresses from Anthropologie.  I love my dresses from Anthropologie.  I love everything from Anthropologie, including the crazy looking shoes.

Anyway, it’s been two months since I’ve given birth to my precious and I’ve lost only 30 pounds.  I know that seems like a lot, but when you’ve gained close to 70 lbs, 30 is just chump change.

Yes.  I gained 70 lbs if all of the different scales that weighed me are to be believed.  When I went into the hospital to give birth the first thing they did was weigh me, and I was a shocking 205 lbs.  This was mind blowing since only a week before at my OB’s office I was still in the young 190s.

FYI – I stopped weighing myself at home once I passed the recommended 30 lb weight gain.

A 193 pound me at 38 weeks, just 5 days before I gave birth to my little monkey.

I’m assuming that the 30 lbs I lost was mainly baby (he was only 7 pounds, 12 ounce) and water.   The rest was just me being glutinous.  Thinking back, I was cooking and baking quite a bit during my pregnancy.  Plus, I indulged in my favorite comfort foods and stopped exercising (except for my daily one-mile walks with Sami) once I entered my third trimester.

Ugh, so I’ve decided that until I get back down to my svelte 135 lbs, I will be devoting Monday posts to my feeble attempts at losing weight.

Baby and a 178 pound me about a month ago.  I know I don’t look too bad here, but if I were to show you the pics I took of me in a bikini yesterday, you would be just as horrified as I was.

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Week 38

Posted on June 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Just 2 weeks to go!

For the past few weeks my days have become very unproductive.  I have definitely slowed down and am surprised that I even have the energy to cook, let alone take a shower.

Here’s a look at a typical day in my current condition:

8:00 am  - Wake up

8:30-10:30 am – Drink tea, eat breakfast, stare at the computer screen

10:30-11:30 am – Walk Sami

11:30am-12:30pm – Cook & eat lunch

12:30-2:30pm – Stare at the computer screen

2:30-4:30pm – Take a nap

4:30-6:30pm – Cook, eat, clean

6:30-7:00pm – Walk Sami

7:00pm-12:00am – Lay in bed watching TV until I get tired

12:00-8:00am – Attempt to get a good night’s sleep even though I seem to wake up every hour to either relieve myself or find a more comfortable sleeping position.

I really don’t know how any of my friends did it, but I’m so freakin’ glad I’m not working or going to school at the moment!

FRE

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Beach Day

Posted on April 14, 2011 | 2 Comments

Sami and I decided to take a long, relaxing, and much deserved stroll on the beach this morning. For the past week or so, we’ve been holed up in the house and only took short walks around the neighborhood while I’ve been working on my dreaded midterm paper.  Usually I can spit out an essay in no time, but for some reason this last paper I had difficulty getting started.  I’m not sure if it’s because I had to collect IRS data and use Excel (which I totally suck at) or if it’s because I didn’t quite understand what I was supposed to be writing about (many of my classmates felt the same way) or if it’s because I’m suffering from the Third Trimester Stupids.  However, I’m starting to think it might be the latter, especially since this afternoon I totally forgot to turn off the simple syrup I was making for the iced tea and almost set the fire alarm off.  Luckily Victor came inside just in time to turn off the stove and air out the house.  Mind you, I was sitting in the kitchen staring at the dishwasher while thinking about making orange juice when this all happened.

Anyhoo, I finally finished and turned in the dreaded midterm paper last night around 10pm (that’s midnight Texas A&M time). This morning when I woke up, I felt really good and completely rested despite going to bed way past midnight (let’s just say I took a very long three hour nap yesterday). My tension headache was totally gone, I no longer felt bloated and fat, and I actually had energy to do something.  Which I did!  I did many things, like walk the dog at the beach, cooked chicken tacos, made iced tea, squeezed some orange juice, made a milk shake, and cut up some cucumber to infuse my water with.

So, the whole reason why I’m even writing this blog post is to make another list. I feel like when I make my lists public, I’m held accountable and therefore must get it done because, you know, the two people out there that actually read my blog will be disappointed if I don’t.

My Blogging List:

1.  Monday — Baby related posts.

2.  Tuesday — Pictures and recipes of dishes I cooked recently.

3.  Wednesday — Life

4.  Thursday — Food, talk about food.

5.  Friday — Randomness

6.  Saturday — No blogging, just enjoying family

7.  Sunday — Another day off from my strenuous job of blogging about myself.

8.  Repeat, until no one cares anymore.

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