Christy

Honestly, I don’t feel like I have much to confess this week. Next week, will be a different story though! My son’s birthday is Thursday and mine is Friday, so let me tell you there will be cake, and parties, and lots of food.

Anyway, here are my confessions:

1. I’d gotten a little behind on the EAS 30-day Challenge, but now I’m just about caught up! I think I’m only 1 day behind now, which isn’t bad!
2. I’ve been eating really well, and obviously working out, even adding in some extra workouts and outdoor activities.
3. I have been very stressed because of party planning and trying to fit everything in to my daily schedule.
4. I’ve also been stressed because I have family coming to visit.
5. Everyday when I step on the scales the number is worse. I just don’t get it. It’s so very frustrating.
6. This past week, I’ve considered giving up more than once. Heck, more than 3 times. I’m just really over this.
7. This is going to turn into a big, fat whinefest. I can feel it.
8. WHY is it that I’m working out, more than I’ve ever worked out, and it seems like I’m running backwards? For real.
9. Okay, I’m done. I’m going to go drink some water, since I just got done working out. TWICE.

Can I just tell you how much I love the EAS 30-Day Challenge? Seriously. I hate monotony when it comes to workouts. The same old same old just gets me down, so having a different workout each day makes me look forward to working out. Crazy, I know

I enjoyed having yesterday as a rest day because my legs and butt were so very sore from all the lunging and squatting and inline skating. Ouch. My body needed the break. This morning, I headed out on my errand and grocery shopping trip. First stop was the car wash where dropped my truck off for a wash and wax. The guy told me it would be about 45 minutes, and that I could wait in the lounge and they’d call me when it was ready. I paid and walked right through the lounge and out the door. Sure, I could have sat on my butt on the cozy couch watching the Price is Right and drinking burned coffee, but instead I strapped my daughter to my chest and we took a brisk 35 minute walk.

After the truck was done, I hit the grocery store where I walked, although at a much more leisurely pace, for another hour. Upon arriving home, I put my daughter down for her nap, put away the perishable stuff, and cranked up the Wii. I hit my workout right away so I wouldn’t make excuses to put it off, and I’m so glad!!

I’m continuing with the High Intensity workouts. I feel like I’m really pushing myself, and I definitely feel the burn. I enjoyed all the upper body workouts, although I think it was a bit too repetitive. I think they could have switched it up a little more, and I would have liked a little more cardio. The side-to-side jumps were fun! Then the dreaded inline skating again. Ouch. I can really feel the burn on those. I felt a little dorky and uncoordinated on the cardio dance portion, but hey, no one was watching

I’m also feeling a noticeable boost in my energy levels, which is so welcome. Since I got my new laptop, I’ve reverted to my old habit of staying up a little later than I should, so the energy boost I get from the workout keeps me going!

Starting Monday, the Sisterhood is taking part in the EA Sports Active 30-Day Challenge. This is my beginning profile.

Name: Christy
Age: 33
Hometown: Leakey, Texas
Family: Me, the hubs, BJ (5), & Mia (21 months)

1) Complete the following sentence – “When I look in the mirror I see…Someone who looks a lot better than she did 5 years ago, and who doesn’t have much further to go!

2) What exercise do you take? What’s your current level of fitness?
I’m a sporadic exerciser. I really enjoy being outside and hiking, but it’s been WAY too hot this summer. I participated in the 30-Day Shred with the Sisterhood, and have used other workout DVDs and the Wii Fit. I would say I have  a moderate level of fitness. I’m not totally out of shape, but I could stand to have some more endurance and strength.

3) How do you relax?
I love to read. Books, blogs, magazines, etc. I also like to watch some TV.

4) Do you watch your weight?
Every single day I’m a chronic weigher!

5) What’s your favorite body part?
My neck and shoulders. Okay, so that’s two, but they’re kinda together!

6) What’s your least favorite body part?
My stomach.

7) What’s your favorite way to workout?
Walking or hiking.

 8) Its time to work out, we’re most likely to find you decked out in?
Shorts and a tshirt with tennis shoes. Oh, a ponytail, too!

9) You’re due to workout, but it’s pouring rain. What do you do?
Workout inside using Wii Fit or a DVD.

10) What’s the one item you wouldn’t be without when working out?
Water.

11) What do you hope to get from the 30 Day Challenge?
I hope to be well on my way to shedding the last 15 pounds clinging to my body.

12) What are you apprehensive about going in?
The committment! Like I said, I’m sporadic at working out!

13) How will you reward yourself after the challenge?
Hmmm. Maybe some new jeans, or an online shopping spree!

14) Complete the following sentence – “I’m Active for …”
Myself. I want to be the best that I can be, and I know being active is the only way I’m going to get there and stay there!

It takes 21 days to form new habits. Goodness knows I need to work on creating some new habits that I’ll stick with. I’m just as good as anyone else at declaring that I’m going to do something, then doing it for a little while, and then slowly petering out.

As we all know, this journey is about making changes that we’ll live with for the rest of our lives. There is no quick fix. We must make changes and stick with them. We must form new habits.

So here are the habits I want to make permanent parts of my lifestyle:

1. Working out. I was never a fitness enthusiast, but after taking part in the Shred with the Sisterhood challenge, I saw the results you can get from working out regularly. I liked the results. I felt strong and fit and so good about myself. So why haven’t I continued to workout? Life has gotten in the way. Summer and vacations and non-schedules have tripped me up in a major way. Right now, I am committing to getting in at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. It might be a workout DVD, it might be a walk or hike, all I know, is I’m going to do something every.single.day.
2. Water. I’ve always been good at getting in my daily water. I usually get in over 100 ounces a day. Traveling has really thrown a wrench in that for me. It’s hard to drink that much water when you’re flying and driving everywhere, and sadly, that’s when you probably need it the most! So I’m committing to reforming my habit of drinking a ton of water each day.
3. Fruits and vegetables. Five a day is what’s recommended. I can do it, and I will. Enough said!

I don’t want to overwhelm myself with new habits (even though these are things I’ve done before!), so I’m going to limit it to these 3 items this time around. I will do these three things for the next 21 days in order to form new habits, and then I won’t stop there. I will make sure that these 3 habits stick with me forever and ever, because afterall, it’s about making changes, not quick fixes.

I am on Day4 of Level 3 on the 30-Day Shred, and maybe it’s just me, but it seems to be getting harder each day rather than easier. I mean, I’m already sweating and out of breath after the freaking warm up! By the time I hit circuit 2 I’m ready to die, and when circuit 3 rolls around, sweat is dripping off of me onto my tile floor. When I’m done, I have to mop the floor and stick my head in the sink and run water on it. My whole body is covered in sweat!

With this level, I feel much more like I did during level 1. Hurting (although not as much) and completely exhausted when I’m done. And did I mention sweaty? For some reason, level 2 didn’t seem so tough to me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it was hard, but I didn’t sweat quite as much, and I wasn’t really that sore. At least not as sore as I wanted to be.

I am half and half on regular versus modified moves. I can usually do the first set of exercises in the regular way, and then on the second rep, I follow Anita. Gotta LOVE Anita over there taking the easy way out, right?! The strenght move I find hardest is the plank row/leg lift. I try to follow Natalie, but end up on my knees halfway through. The cardio move I hate most is the Rockstar. I mean, who makes up that shit? For real? Hate. My least favorite ab move is, of course, the sit up. Sorry, can’t do regular situps without my feet under the end of the couch. I feel like I’m back in high school in gym and I need someone to sit on my feet and count for me. I do love the last ab move where we’re on our sides. I can really, really feel the burn on that one.

How are you doing? What day are you on? What are your favorite/least favorite moves? Are you as sweaty as me?

Once again, it’s time for some fessing up

1. I am still weighing myself everyday. Sometimes more than once a day.
2. My weight is going up instead of down this week.
3. That really pisses me off because I’m doing so good this week.
4. I’ve even worked out or gone hiking most days.
5. And I never work out.
6. Phooey.
7. For dinner tonight, I’m making the same thing we had last night.
8. It was that good!
9. You can find the recipe here, thanks to our very own Lisa!!
10. If I weigh more tomorrow than I did today, I might cry.