Regrouping

Whew! I worked tons of hours the last 10 days. We’re trying to remodel an apartment this month so the new tenant can move in on the 1st, but it’s a lot of long hours. Then when we get home, dinner needs to be made (assuming we don’t eat out). After dinner we catch up on other errands and chores. We take turns who goes out and stays home with the kids in the evening. They watch tv movies. Finally around 11pm bed.

That left almost no time for exercise since my last post. Also, with the family watching tv in the living room, I can’t do Turbo Fire. I managed to do it a couple times, but they lost patience waiting for me to finish, especially the days with longer routines scheduled. There’s not enough room in my bedroom to do it. However, Oxygen magazine has a cardio and weights routine you do 3 times/week that I do have room for. I will probably have to get some more weights since I only have 5′s and 10′s. It’s pretty challenging and definitely better than trying to muddle through making up my own, hoping it will work. I’ll still do some of the Turbo Fire when I can sneak enough time into the living room.

I’m going to start meal planning. What I’d like to do is make a month’s calendar of meals. Then I can do up a shopping list so I can get everything but the fresh stuff then buy the fresh stuff once a week. I think that will help a lot. No more rushing around half hour before meal time deciding what to make with what we have around. An added advantage is that I can see at a glance how healthy we are eating rather than trying to remember. Some of it will probably be generic entries like fresh fruit or veggie. Then I’ll just wait and see what’s on sale.

Valentines’ pig out

Yesterday, of course, was Valentine’s day.  We’ve been doing well with business lately so, my husband decided to treat the family to dinner at a local rustic lodge a few miles out of town. They have fancy meals with appetizers, bread, salad, main course, and dessert. We ordered seafood stuffed mushrooms and bbq riblets for starters. Then came the salad (could have had clam chowder, but thought that was too heavy). Then wonderful, homemade bread before our main course. I ordered a filet minon. It’s great. They wrap it in bacon and rub on black pepper. It came with baked potato covered in sour cream and fresh butter. Last, but not least was dessert. I had a piece of chocolate cake with fudge icing and chocolate bits. I ate half and brought the rest home. I also brought home some of the meat. Still, it was a LOT of calories. Oh, and I had 3 cups of coffee with cream and sugar during the meal.

The leftover cake was today’s breakfast. Chocolate cake drowned in milk is one of my favorite naughty breakfasts along with cold pizza. The meat became an open faced sandwich for lunch. Dinner tonight will be the potato soup I’d planned and cooked for last night before finding out he wanted to go out.

I feel somewhat guilty. However, we don’t do that very often and it was a great family night together. Back to the exercise today with HIIT 20, Stretch 10.

Biblical inspiration

Fitness PhoenixX comment on my recent post (I Don’t Wanna Exercise) really got to me. “Push play. Every day! Keep it moving! Once you start…”

Guilty as charged

What got to me was the end of her comment about getting started. It made me think of a Bible verse. It’s supposed to apply to your decision to live for Christ. However, I think it can apply to any healthy decision. It’s Luke 9:62(KJV)

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Jesus doesn’t want people changing their minds. Nor should we about fitness. That’s part of why I call this blog Fitness, Just Do It. I just need to do it. Not over analyze. Not question each day. Just do it. It’s not that complicated. Like a Christian walk, it just takes commitment and faith. Commitment to stay with it in good times and bad, and faith that eventually I’ll be more healthy.

I admit, last week was a major stumble. I gained back most of the weight I’ve lost. It would be so easy to just walk away and say lamely, I tried. But if I am honest, I know I didn’t! Besides, I’d still be overweight and unhappy. Quitting won’t solve obesity. This is a new week. Another 6 workouts to challenge myself. Starting today. Starting NOW. No turning back.

No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is FIT…

But I don’t wanna exercise

That’s what the little voice inside is saying. I’ve missed a few days this week. First it was my birthday and then the stomach flu. It’s amazing that missing just a few days feels like such a huge setback. No wonder people get frustrated and throw in the towel. I’m just far enough along the program (Turbo Fire) that the newness has worn off. From here it’s all commitment and dedication to keep going. Since I missed a few days, I’m picking 2 workouts to do for today and tomorrow (probably Fire 45 EZ today then one of the shorter HIIT and Core tomorrow). Then I’ll jump back in with week 3 on Monday. No reason to start all over again.

Right now my big problem is temperature. The weather has warmed up over 60 degrees to around freezing outside. We didn’t light a fire in the house yesterday. This morning was in the low 60′s inside. We are low on firewood and I knew I’d be gone all day so didn’t light on this morning. When I got home an hour ago, it was down to 57. I’ve lit a fire and am waiting for it to warm up more before doing today’s exercise. It’s nice to be able to send the kids outside to play again.

However, that little voice is tempting me to be lazy more. I need to resist my new book and the Oxygen magazine that came in today’s mail, or use them as a reward until after I exercise. I know from past experience that if I give in now, that’s it. That’s unacceptable. I need to push play today.

I give up

That’s right. I give up. No, don’t worry. I’m not quitting blogging or anything that drastic. I just am re-adjusting my workout schedule.

One thing I really don’t like about Turbo Fire is the way the schedule is laid out. They already filled in the days of the week with the first workout starting on Monday. That was a bit confusing since I actually began the program on a Saturday. I really wish it was Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc instead of the days of the week. So I give up. Since I missed the weekend workouts anyway being sick, figured I’d just re-align my schedule to do Monday’s workouts on Mondays. That means today begins week 2.

Training vs. exercising

The following is a re-post of something I wrote on my other blog, AK Homeschool Fun, last spring. Since I’m doing Turbo Fire now, it seems appropriate to post it again here.

*****

Are you training or just exercising when it comes to weight loss? What’s the difference? Is there a difference?

I’ve found a few useful definitions that apply to this type of training. One is the education, instruction, or discipline of a person that is being trained. Another is the process of bringing a person, etc., to an agreed standard of proficiency, etc., by practice and instruction. Finally, undergoing physical training.

To train you must have a three related things. You must have a goal. You must have a specific plan for obtaining the goal. You must have discipline to stick to the plan.

So, why do you need to train? A lot of people who exercise when loosing weight have a general goal weight, but not much of a specific plan for what exercise and nutrition will best get them there. They just know that exercise will burn calories. Unfortunately, without a specific exercise and nutrition plan, they will not be successful. Just compare the number of people in the gym just after New Year’s to now. A lot of them have already abandoned their plans after just 3 months because they lacked either a goal, specific plan, or dedication.

Training also involves a certain level of dedication and commitment. It’s not just exercising when you have a little spare time or want to work off a big meal. Nor is it simply counting calories. Generally, training involves following a set schedule for meal planning, exercise, and days off. So it takes a little planning, but it’s worth it. Training takes the guess-work out of working out and eating healthy.

This is part of the reason Beach Body programs like P90X, Insanity, Turbo Fire, Slim in 6, and Chalean Extreme have such great success. The same for many of the programs in Oxygen women’s fitness magazine. They include elements of both exercise and healthy nutrition, providing education and a specific plan. They are a length that should make exercise and proper nutrition become a habit as long as you don’t abandon the program. In other words, they don’t just give you exercises or a fad diet, they give you a solid training program.

All that’s missing is you and a little dedication. So are you ready to stop exercising and start training?

Turbo Fire week 1 reflections

Today begins week 2 of Turbo Fire, so I thought I’d share my reflections on the last week. It was full of ups and downs, but still better than sitting on my butt all day.

I missed 2 of the workouts. I’m a bit disappointed, but that’s just the way it it sometimes. That still means I worked out 4 times. On Tuesday, I was just way too busy with work. I left the house at 830 in the morning and didn’t get home until around 930 at night. Wednesday’s workout was Fire 55EZ, which was longer than the 30 Minute that I missed the day before.  I did the New To Class version so it was even longer. Then on Thursday afternoon, I slipped on some ice and pulled something in my elbow so skipped Friday’s workout.

My diet was good when eating at home, but we ate out 4 times too. Three of those were fast food. I really need to start packing lunch on busy days. The problem is that I don’t know how busy it will be until after I leave the house. I plan to come home for lunch, but end up eating in town because I’m too busy to come home. My town has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants and fast food places per capita in the country. I don’t know why.

Between missing workouts and eating out,  my weight was down then up. At my lowest point, I had lost 3 pounds. However, after eating out yesterday and not working out, the week’s ending weight wasn’t that good. It’s only down a pound and half. Considering my weight fluctuates that much normally, I’m not really worried. It’s still down and that’s what’s important.

I’m still a little sore tonight, so not sure if I’ll do much or not since I haven’t done today’s workout yet. Not a very good way to start the new week, but don’t want to hurt myself more with all the punching. Maybe I’ll do yesterday’s core and stretch instead of the scheduled 45 minute cardio.

My goals this coming week are eat out less and exercise at least 4 times. I’d like to lose 2 pounds by the end of the week. That doesn’t mean lose and gain some back like this week.  I should spend my eating out money at the grocery store on healthy items between appointments instead of fast food, but I never seem to do that. This week would be good week to do start since I expect it to be busy like last week was.