Bootcamp Week 5 & 6

Day one: Weights! Yay! I wasn't sure I could finish all of the sets. In between sets there was a 90 second exercise - some core, some cardio, all of them HARD!

Day two: Its an interval cardio day. I don't own any cardio machines and its 10,000 degrees outside so I did Fire 45. Felt great! Followed up with some yoga.

Day three: I am loving the weight lifting but its not loving me back. I added some plates to my dumbbells. It was really challenging. All day my neck was killing me. Maybe its the bootcamp, maybe its the way I slept. Did yoga after my workout again and that didn't help my neck. So I headed down for a chair massage (its pays to have friends who are massage therapists!) and felt lovely afterwards.

Day four: What's wrong with me? I felt sleepy all day. Even through my workout, I felt like I was sleep walking. At least I showed up. Or not. It couldn't have been very effective.

Day five: Woke up with a migraine. Not a good day for one (if there ever is a good day for a migraine). Throwing a party with my 12 best girlfriends this evening so apart from wanting to get through bootcamp, there are many preparations to be completed. So, this is an off day. I spent the morning resting  in a dark place with a dozen ice packs and taking a number of over the counter meds. I went through the workouts on today's "menu" and they are awesome! Will get to them tomorrow. And throw in some cardio bc one of my gal pals who is coming is also a pastry chef and she informed that she is coming bearing gifts!

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Day one: Loving all this strength training! Today had an optional extra set of reps. I surprised myself yet again by doing the extra set! Woot!

Day two: Worked through Fire 45 again. Felt really heavy. Also sniffly.

Day three: Definately feeling bad today. I'm just going to sit down for a bit. Don't mind me.

Day four: Back at the doc. I have a sinus infection. He advised me to rest - not even housework - until next week. I am so bummed! So close to the finish line and yet I've been benched!

Day five: Resting seems to include chocolate today. :-) Just a little... 

On a side note: this was the kids' first week of school. Here  they are - on the way out the door!

Handsome-est kinder and 3rd grader our school has ever seen!

Bootcamp Week 4

Day one: Today was tough! I spent all day psyching myself up to do it and then when I did it - it took me 75 minutes to complete. But I'm glad I got it done either way. And I'm glad my schedule is getting back to normal.

Day two: Fail! I spent all day psyching myself up again and the next thing I know, it's 10:30pm. I ate well though. That's something.

Day three: Again with the surprises! The final super set was so super hard I didn't think I could do it. I didn't think I could do the last 5 min of cardio (I chose plyo) after that set. I did it! I did them! Another wonderful thing about Tina Reale's bootcamp is that when you sign up, you are invited into a private Facebook forum to discuss the workouts, nutrition, motivation, victories, etc. Yesterday I was so bummed about - well, about being lazy and one of the other participants wrote this: "... just get up and do it! Don't talk ur self out of it!!!:)" Its so cheesy, but I repeated that to myself today until I got sick of hearing my own voice say that and did it! 

Day four: I keep seeing these ladies post on the private FB page about how their clothes are looser or that they have lost weight. I'm a little jealous. My clothes aren't looser and I don't think I have lost weight (but I'm trying to wait until the end to weigh myself). I do feel taller, stronger, more confident and overall just terrific! I should really focus on those things than simmer in envy. Otherwise, today's workout was great. 

Day five: It turns out that I'm far too curious to wait until the end to weigh myself. Surprise! I've lost 5.5 pounds! Yay! Today's workout was 3 sets of ten minute circuits which I did. But I'm also to do a 20 minute cardio today and I'm pretty much out of motivation. The day is not over. I think I'll pop over to the FB message board for some encouragement. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this program? 

I hate not having a picture for every post. This is totally random. It's my 2nd grade school pic. My hair cut was the consequence of wanting to look like Martha Quinn. And my dress? I have no excuse.

Martha Quinn in the '80's

Bootcamp Week 3

Day one: Woot! Today was awesome. For my first day back I was pretty energetic. Its probably from all that rest last week. Ha! Hubs gave me a mio watch for my bday. After I read a 200 page text book on how to operate it - then spent an hour programming it I got to finally use it! Calories burned = 586!!!! Victory! Using this watch has really motivated me. I love seeing how many calories I burn as I work out.

Day two: We packed up the family and drove to the beach for our Grigg Family Summer Adventure! After check in, I sauntered down to the hotel's fitness center for my workout. It was about 100% crappier than it looked in hte pictures on the hotel website. But they had a treadmill and I had some cardio to do. I deliberately shortened my workout from 50 min to 35 min from the get go bc I didn't want to arrive for vacation and then abandon my fam for too long. The core workout for today said to do 2-3 sets. I thought I would do 2 sets at the highest rep IF I could. Well, I did all three! I just love surprising myself.

Day three: I am now officially guilty about doing bootcamp during our family time. Besides, the hotel gym doesn't have weights. Instead I opt for swimming in the pool and the ocean. Ocean swimming is much harder than I remember but I love a challenge. We also walked. a. lot.

Day four: Our last day at the beach! More swimming at the pool. And a lot more walking.

Day five: Ok - makeup time. LOVE the strength training routines Miss Tina puts together. Seriously, if you have ever been curious about weight training or maybe you used to do it but stopped bc life happened (it happens to us all) I HIGHLY recommend this bootcamp. Today's workout was a mixed bag for me. Some exercises I went up in weight and with one exercise in particular, I used 5lb dumbbells and struggled. Ha! I'm almost nervous about what week 8 will bring. But if I keep surprising myself in the next 5 weeks, then I'm sure it will be a piece of cake.

This or That Healthy Lifestyle

Thanks to Glenneth for this fun meme! 

1. Run/workout in the heat and humidity or freezing temps and snow?

 I wish I had a choice but in south Texas it's either hot, or hotter. 

2. Have washboard abs or flat abs?

Flat abs. 

3. Dr. Oz or The Doctors?

I don't know them. Should I?

4. Cardio or strength?

Strength! The best shape of my life wasn't when I trained for marathons - it was when I did P90X.

5. Cravings: Protein or carbs?

Carbs. Mainly ice cream.

6. Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper?

Jillian. I miss her. 

7. Frozen Yogurt or Ice Cream?

Fro yo is so much more fun!
 

8. To train: Upper body or Lower body?

I've always wanted sculpted and lovely arms. And I like being able to do a lot of push ups and pull ups. But my lower body is stronger so that makes it kind of fun to work out. Its a tie. 

First Lady = First Rate arms!

9. Protein powder or food with protein?

Food with protein. Mainly beans. 

10. Lunges or squats?

Squats. I can do both legs at a time! Ha! I'm so lazy. 

11. Sweet or salty?

Sweet. Chocolate. marshmallows. Have I mentioned ice cream lately? 

12. Workout attire: cute or comfy?

Comfy. I don't think I own any cute workout clothes. Since I play tennis 9 months a year, I would love to have some cute tennis clothes. Its not a priority. 

13. Body Pump or Heavy lifting?

Heavy lifting. 

14. Yoga or Pilates?

I love both and used to teach both but I prefer yoga. 

This is me and one of my besties at the studio. She owned it and I taught classes a few days a week.

15. Nike or Adidas?

Nike! (Maybe a Nike tennis dress is in my future...)

These are my shoes! My husband tells me I look like a smurf when I go running.

16. Running on the treadmill or outdoors?

Outdoors. Treadmills bore me. At least outdoors I can try to outrun potential attackers (I think about this way too much) also, mangy stray dogs and vicious chihuahuas protecting their turf.

17. Whole Foods or Trader Joes?

I buy corporate produce from HEB. I know its not fashionable. But we eat soooo much produce we would go broke if we bought organic. 

18. Summer or Winter Olympics?

Summer! Love love love summer Olympics. I'm kind of sad that its almost over BUT Shark Week couldn't be timed better if they tried!

19. Wine or beer?

Beer beer beer. Beer in my belly. Since starting bootcamp, I've laid off the beer - and ice cream. Basically empty calories are out of the question. 

20. Steamed or roasted veggies?

 That's a choice?! I love them both! Its like Sophie's Choice. How can choose?

Bootcamp Week 2

Day one: Alive and kicking. Barely. Fevers, body aches, chills sore throat all weekend. My birthday had no beer. No ice cream. I think you are not supposed to workout until fevers are gone.

Day two: Still coughing up my lungs.

Day three: Went to the doc. It's a boy! I mean, it's bronchitis!

Day four: Resting.

Day five: I feel pretty good but still have that nasty cough. I WANT to workout but I'm afraid if my immune system hasn't recovered that it will set me back.

This week is wash. Ok - no prob! Tomorrow is a new day!