Week 10 Challenge

Week 10 Challenge!
Cardio a minumum of 3x's for 30 minutes.
Increasingp ush-ups or planks each day.  If you do 20 pushups or 30 seconds of plank the first day, then try to get 25 pushups and 45 seconds of planks on day two and so on. Push yourself each day to beat the number from the day before. Do this Thursday through Wednesday.

2 weeks until our next run.  The Red Flannel Run in downtown Des Moines.  I've started the C25K (couch to 5K) app on my phone this week.  It's three times of 30 minutes and the lady on the app tells you when to walk, run, cool down and warm up.  When you are doing intervals of 60 second runs and 90 second brisk walks, the time goes by very quickly.  If you're thinking of doing a 5K but are unsure where to begin, the couch to 5K program is great. If you don't have a smart phone, you can print off workouts online too!

Race 1...DONE!

Well, it wasn't pretty but Molly and I did it. Our first race of 13 for 2013.  It was terribly cold at a mere 10 degrees.  The foot was pretty sore and our time wasn't great but we finished like champs and number one is complete.  The others that were supposed to join us wimped out from the cold but it didn't stop us! The rest will seem like a breeze compared to the 5K we did on Saturday.  Just for the record, it is hard to walk when you're in 4 layers of clothing! I felt like the kid from "The Christmas Story" all bundled up like the Michelin Man.  But it was fun to get out and get moving together.  Next up is the Red Flannel run in Des Moines February 16th.  We have a great group of people joining us for that and it should be a lot of fun. I also thought it was pretty cool that we're doing 13 races in 2013 and my number was 133. Coincidence? I think not.  This year is going to rock.

1 of 13

And so it begins. Mine and Molly's year of 13 races for 2013.  Tomorrow morning is our first 5K in Newton. It's called the Pink Nose & Blue Toes Run.  Appropriate name since the high is supposed to be about 20 degrees.  Brrr! I haven't been able to run the last 2 weeks because of the tendinitis in my foot.  They put me back in my boot for a few days and on some anti-inflammatories.  Hopefully it will be ok for me to get through the race tomorrow and work my way back on track for February's Red Flannel Run with Molly, Melody and Rob. 

Subway

Just a random thought...if subway is supposed to be our healthy fast food alternative and everyone knows January is the month of weightloss resolutions, why is this months special melt sandwiches with bacon instead of one of their fresh fit sandwiches???

Week 8 Challenge

Here is the week 8 challenge.  Time to get tough people.  

1 min plank
50 jumping jacks
20 push ups
25 squats
20 bicep curl to shoulder press
20 lunges each leg

Do three rounds, three days this week.

2 days, walk or run or run/walk for 30 min.  

Non-scale victory

Sometimes we become so obsessed with the scale we lose sight of all the progress our body is making.  This happens to me all the time. I so desperately want a certain number that I forget that bodies don’t always follow science and there are outside factors that can screw things up but that doesn’t mean I’m not making progress.  Last month after falling off the wagon for a while…in fact our wagon backed up and ran me over a few times…Scott gave us an assignment to get 3 miles on the treadmill as fast as we could.  Walking, jogging, running, whatever it took to do 3 miles straight and then send him our time.  I found after being a slacker those fun little things called shin splints paid me a visit.  My three mile time was terrible.  56 minutes.  I basically had to walk the entire thing.  I felt so ashamed but I sent Scott my time and knew that it could only get better from there. 

This week he gave us the assignment of doing 4 miles as fast as we could and sending him the time.  I was dreading this.  I didn’t workout Friday or Saturday with my parents in town, sitting at a wrestling tournament all day and preparing for company.  I knew yesterday I needed to get to the gym and work off some sedentary days and sodium.  I was determined to do my four miles, even if it killed me.  I walked the first .25 miles to warm up my legs and hopefully avoid the shin splints this time. Then I used Scott’s training method from Thursday night and ran .5 miles, walked some, ran .40, and so on down to .1 miles then started all over again at .5.  I didn’t have a particular goal in mind until I hit mile 2 and realized I was under 30 minutes.  I knew I wanted to get this 4 miles under and hour.  And I did!!! I came in at 57:36.  I completed a full mile more in just a minute longer than the 3 miles had taken me last month.  I was so proud of myself!!!  I beat my time, I increased my miles, I didn’t stop going and I believe this is the first time I’ve ever done 4 miles on the treadmill non-stop.  Hooray me!!! For a second it crept into my mind not to post this because other people can run 4 miles in probably half that time and then I reminded myself, this is my journey!!! It doesn’t matter how fast anyone else runs anything.  This is about me and I do not have to be compared to anyone but myself.  And the next time I do 4 miles (which I have a feeling, if it’s up to Scott, will be sooner than later) my time will get better again.  Progress, slow and steady is what gets us where we need to be.  The first of my 13 races for 2013 is in two weeks and I know that I can do it.  So hooray.  Go me.  

Week 7 challenge

Week 7 challenge

We’re taking a page from Scott for this week’s challenge.  This is a variation of what we did last night at training.  Since some of you may not have access to kettle bells and dumb bells at home I am going to switch it up a bit.  Here are you options depending on your equipment.

If you have a treadmill and weights

Run/jog/walk to .50 miles as fast as you can

Get off and do 15 sumo squats with a kettle bell or weight

12 shoulder presses

10 rows with kettle bell each arm

Run/jog/walk to .40 miles as fast as you can (slightly faster than the last pace)

Repeat sumo squats, shoulder press, 10 rows

Run/jog/walk to .30 miles as fast as you can (slightly faster than the last pace)

Repeat sumo squats, shoulder press, 10 rows

Run/jog/walk to .20 miles as fast as you can (slightly faster than the last pace)

Repeat sumo squats, shoulder press, 10 rows

Run/jog/walk to .10 miles as fast as you can (this goes super quick so really push yourself)

DONE! (Keep track of your times so you can compare it if we do this again)

If you don’t have access to treadmill or weights here is your variation:

5 minutes jumping jacks, burpees or mountain climbers (count how many you get each set)

25 crunches, 20 sumo squats, 20 shoulder presses

4 minutes jumping jacks, burpees or mountain climbers

25 crunches, 20 sumo squats, 20 shoulder presses

3 minutes jumping jacks, burpees or mountain climbers

25 crunches, 20 sumo squats, 20 shoulder presses

2 minutes jumping jacks, burpees or mountain climbers

25 crunches, 20 sumo squats, 20 shoulder presses

1 minutes jumping jacks, burpees or mountain climbers

25 crunches, 20 sumo squats, 20 shoulder presses

DONE!

Let us know when you’re done and which one you chose to do!! 

This is a picture of Molly and I at Subway 30 minutes after Scott got done kicking our butts at training. I think I was still maroon faced a full hour later. Holy smokes. My body is beat. But it was a great workout as always. Lots of homework and workouts for the week ahead. Thanks for rocking our socks off, Boss.

The long road

Sometimes we need a really good reminder of the long road we have traveled on our journey to a healthier us.  As I've talked about in previous posts, I've been pretty frustrated with my lack of loss the last few months and gaining some weight back and there are days that I'm quite human and think about giving up. I don't, but it does cross my mind that it's too hard or not worth it, even though I know it is.  Then a wonderful friend stumbles upon a picture of the old you and it's a nice little slap in the face that you have come SOOOO far and will never go back to looking like that. Thank you, Melody, for my reality check today.  I hardly even recognize myself in this picture.  Yeah, that's me on the far right in the black and white dress. Holy smokes.  

What is this phenomenon?

Scott gave Molly and I a challenge last Thursday at training.  After many weeks without losses on the scale, he decided that every time something went into our mouth we had to email it to him.  Every time.  Even gum, tic tacs (of which I am addicted) and beverages except water.  We also had to send him pictures of ourselves doing each workout.  We were instructed to do this Thursday at 4 pm until 6 pm on Monday.  Then we were free to enjoy our New Years Eve.  I found this weird thing during those 4 days, I believe they call it...ACCOUNTABILITY!! It’s quite the concept.  Having to report everything to him made me very conscious of what I was consuming.  I was also focused on upping my protein and cutting carbs. I did this, stayed within my daily calories and also found that every time I sent something to Scott, I logged it on loseit.com as well.  Crazy, huh?

At weigh in yesterday I lost 2 pounds.  Molly lost as well.  This may be the first time we’ve both lost in the same week for months.  I’ve been on this terrible cycle of maintaining or up a pound or two for weeks.  There have been no losses, which is why I haven’t been writing on here much because I was feeling pretty crappy about gaining back some weight and not being committed. 

We are extending this philosophy this week and going to continue emailing him every morsel that touches our tongue.  I’ve been logging as well.  Working on my cardio so that I can be step leader on fitbit (I’m always chasing the incredible Ms. T.M) and really trying to watch my carbs.  Hopefully it will continue to pay off on the scale and I can get back to where I was when I returned from Biggest Loser and felt so amazing.  I’m also weighing in with my sister every Friday morning and continuing to prepare for my 2013 year of races.  The first 5k is January 26^th.  It will be here before I know it!! 

Week 6 Challenge

This is our first challenge of 2013 and it's a really good one!

Week 6 Challenge

5 miles of walking/running/biking/elliptical broken up however you want over the week.

150 crunches

50 shoulder presses (if you don’t have light weights use books or jars of food)

50 curls (25 each arm-same deal if you don’t have access to weights)

50 squats

Bonus challenge-Cut some carbs! Even if it’s just skipping the bread at a meal or two.  Try to focus on lean proteins if you want to cut weight and gain muscle.  You’d be amazed at how many carbs we consume in a day.   

2013

2012 was a crazy year, to say the least. I went through extreme highs, lows, losses, gains and plateaus, both physically and mentally.   I was blessed to spend the month of April at the Biggest Loser Resort.  I was blessed to stand beside my sister on her wedding day in August.  But I found, in the later part of the year, that I got too busy and started neglecting my body and what I needed.  I hate that feeling.  So my 2013 resolution isn’t to lose a certain number or find one on the scale. It is to remember every day to take care of me.  To make time for my health. To spend time preparing my meals.  To make good choices.  To enjoy life and not get so caught up in the small things that can often derail our mind.  My goal is to stay positive and focused and to continue helping others.  My other big goal is to complete a 5K every month of 2013 and then hopefully a ½ marathon in Puerto Rico in November.  Overall, I just want to continue to feel better every day and focus on accountability. 

If you are following our 12 week challenge, remember today is the last day to complete Week 5.  We will be posting Week 6 tomorrow.  It’s crazy that we’re half way through already.