Let me start by saying not only did we survive Ben's farewell workout, but we all showed up for BBC - IROC style!! I will say it was certainly different not having Ben there, but I think we all did pretty well considering. We did a cardio day and a "bootie camp day" we had to make a few modifications, but all in all not too bad!! They were last chance workouts for us because we knew we had to face the week six "weigh in".
Judgement day was today for me - and boy was I nervous! I didn't want to let myself, Ben and the other girls down. We are all working so hard and I wanted so badly to see good numbers! I really did not want to be disappointed.
So, my d-day started with me getting on the scale at home....I am 18 pounds lighter than I was on 2/18!! I am still shocked - and it put me in a pretty good mood to head to the gym and face the calipers and the tape measure.
Here are some highlights of my week six "weigh in":
My body fat went from 35% to 29%
I lost a total of nine inches - five of which were in my waist - HOLY CRAP!!!
(I gained an inch and a quarter in my thighs, but I can deal with that....we'll call it muscle growth!!)
I am just so excited - and MOTIVATED!! All the hard work is paying off...and for the first time in a really long time I am actually, genuinely proud of myself!! I have a long way to go, but today is a victory in my book!!
Have a great night everyone!!
Oh, and Ben's Back from PA - we remembered this morning how much we missed him the past two days! Someone needs to hide that fire hose on Ben!!! He keeps coming up with new ways for us to "slam it". True Story: 20 bucks to the first person who puts it in the middle of Bootie Camp Pond!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Week SIX?!?! Time sure flies when you're havin' fun!
I can't believe we have been doing this for six weeks - it does not seem possible!! This week is measurements and will admit I am a little nervous - not because I don't think I will see progress, because I know I will, but tomorrow is our last day with Ben before measurements on Friday. I told him I was going to pull a weight watchers and starve myself for the rest of the week, I was of course joking though! I know too much now to think that not eating would be beneficial. Us Moosers are not letting Ben being away stop us though, we are all going to meet at IROC for a workout on Wednesday and Thursday morning. The change of scenery will be nice, don't get me wrong, I just hope we can work out with the same intensity as if Ben were standing there with us. Speaking of workouts - let me get you caught up: We have been busting butt the past week!! Saturday we added our sixth day of workouts and Ben sure did not disappoint. We got to work out with another class so being with a new group was actually a lot of fun! So our workout was: Pile On. If you want to know what this one is, check out Tonia's blog titled: "I'll admit it - I almost lost my lunch." It was a good one for sure!! After class Deveney, Margaret, and Charlotte stopped by our Metabolism Makeover class to offer words of encouragement, menu suggestions, and to share their success stories. These three women have all seen AMAZING results with Ben's programs, but it was nice to hear our own struggles thru the journey are not out of the norm...and they all had the same thing to say - preparedness and planning ahead are the keys to success with this program. I think I do a pretty good job with this, but there is certainly room for improvement, so this is my goal for the next week or so - plan, plan, plan and stick to it!!
Oh, so a couple of new recipes for the week: If you try them, let me know what you think!! I already love the pineapple and chicken salad, and I am going to make the flank steak salad this weekend: I posted the nutrition information as well if you are interested!
Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Corn Vinaigrette
Ingredients
3 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 4 or 5 ears of corn) or frozen corn kernels, thawed1/2 cup vegetable stock or broth2 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper (capsicum)2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)1 tablespoon ground cumin2 teaspoons dried oregano1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes3/4 pound (12 ounces) flank steak1 large head romaine lettuce, trimmed and torn into bite-sized pieces4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
Directions
Place a dry, large cast iron or heavy nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring often, until the corn begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a food processor, combine the stock, lime juice, bell pepper and 1 cup of the roasted corn. Pulse to puree. Add the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper and the cilantro. Pulse to blend. Set the vinaigrette aside.
Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler (grill). Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Rub on both sides of the steak. Place the steak on the grill rack or broiler pan and grill or broil, turning once, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Cut into the center to check for doneness (medium doneness is 160 F if using a meat thermometer). Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices. Cut the slices into pieces 2 inches long.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, onion, black beans and remaining roasted corn. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently to mix well and coat evenly. To serve, divide the salad among individual plates. Top each serving with slices of grilled steak. Serves 6
Calories – 309 - Protein 20g - Carbs – 38g - Fiber 10g - Fat 11g
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Pineapple Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each about 5 ounces1 tablespoon olive oil1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained except for 2 tablespoons juice2 cups broccoli florets4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
For the vinaigrette1/4 cup olive oil2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 teaspoons sugar – I omitted. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Cut each chicken breast into cubes. In a large, nonstick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked chicken, pineapple chunks, broccoli, spinach and onions.
To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat evenly. Serve immediately. Serves 8
Calories – 187 - Protein-17g Carbs-8g Fat-9g Fiber-2g
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Spinach Berry Salad
Ingredients
4 packed cups torn fresh spinach1 cup sliced fresh strawberries1 cup fresh, or frozen, blueberries1 small sweet onion, sliced1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Salad Dressing2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 tablespoons honey2 teaspoons Dijon mustard1 teaspoon curry powder (can be omitted)1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
In a large salad bowl, toss together spinach, strawberries, blueberries, onion and pecans. In a jar with a tightfitting lid, combine dressing ingredients. Shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Calories-158 Protein-4 Carb-25g Fat-5g Fiber 4g
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Well I guess that is all for now, time for this chicky to get ready for Ben's going away gift to us - he told us he would make sure we knew he was going to miss us while he was away!! I'm sure!!!
I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow - provided we survive!!!
Oh, so a couple of new recipes for the week: If you try them, let me know what you think!! I already love the pineapple and chicken salad, and I am going to make the flank steak salad this weekend: I posted the nutrition information as well if you are interested!
Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Corn Vinaigrette
Ingredients
3 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 4 or 5 ears of corn) or frozen corn kernels, thawed1/2 cup vegetable stock or broth2 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper (capsicum)2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)1 tablespoon ground cumin2 teaspoons dried oregano1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes3/4 pound (12 ounces) flank steak1 large head romaine lettuce, trimmed and torn into bite-sized pieces4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
Directions
Place a dry, large cast iron or heavy nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring often, until the corn begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a food processor, combine the stock, lime juice, bell pepper and 1 cup of the roasted corn. Pulse to puree. Add the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper and the cilantro. Pulse to blend. Set the vinaigrette aside.
Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler (grill). Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Rub on both sides of the steak. Place the steak on the grill rack or broiler pan and grill or broil, turning once, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Cut into the center to check for doneness (medium doneness is 160 F if using a meat thermometer). Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices. Cut the slices into pieces 2 inches long.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, onion, black beans and remaining roasted corn. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently to mix well and coat evenly. To serve, divide the salad among individual plates. Top each serving with slices of grilled steak. Serves 6
Calories – 309 - Protein 20g - Carbs – 38g - Fiber 10g - Fat 11g
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Pineapple Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each about 5 ounces1 tablespoon olive oil1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained except for 2 tablespoons juice2 cups broccoli florets4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
For the vinaigrette1/4 cup olive oil2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 teaspoons sugar – I omitted. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Cut each chicken breast into cubes. In a large, nonstick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked chicken, pineapple chunks, broccoli, spinach and onions.
To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat evenly. Serve immediately. Serves 8
Calories – 187 - Protein-17g Carbs-8g Fat-9g Fiber-2g
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spinach Berry Salad
Ingredients
4 packed cups torn fresh spinach1 cup sliced fresh strawberries1 cup fresh, or frozen, blueberries1 small sweet onion, sliced1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Salad Dressing2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar2 tablespoons honey2 teaspoons Dijon mustard1 teaspoon curry powder (can be omitted)1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
In a large salad bowl, toss together spinach, strawberries, blueberries, onion and pecans. In a jar with a tightfitting lid, combine dressing ingredients. Shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Calories-158 Protein-4 Carb-25g Fat-5g Fiber 4g
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Well I guess that is all for now, time for this chicky to get ready for Ben's going away gift to us - he told us he would make sure we knew he was going to miss us while he was away!! I'm sure!!!
I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow - provided we survive!!!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ugh, I am a BAD Blogger!
Yeah, yeah, yeah....I know I have been MIA from the blog for a week - Sorry!! So let me catch you up:
First, I do have the pictures of my kitchen made over BBC style - and I promise to get them up!
It has been a great week - I am feeling great, gaining back confidence I lost, and am still loving the workouts! The food is going so much better - I think I have figured it out (that only took three weeks).
I am seeing such an improvement in all the girls - to look at the board after a cardio day you would not know that this was the same group of women that walked in to the gym four weeks ago!! 61 Firehose slams, 17 Burpees, 23 burpees - AMAZING!! GO US!!! I really think we are all having fun smashing our personal bests...and seeing how far we can push ourselves.
I know for me personally I feel like in the past three days I have a reached a place where I can push thru the voices in my head saying "I can't" - and just do it! Growing up, one of my basketball coaches would call me "Can't Do" (in fact he still does) because I would let those same little voices tell me I couldn't "go hard to the rim or box him out". Many a Saturday practice ended with me in tears telling him I couldn't do it. He would call me "Can't Do" just to piss me off. With a little confidence and trust in my coach (and in myself) I realized that I could keep that rebound away from him. That is where I am now - realizing that I can dig deep and do it. Today for example, I had to do push ups so I got on my knees - Ben looked at me and said "get on your toes". I reluctantly got on toes and looked at him and said "I can't do (see there that nickname is) 15 push ups on my toes". Would you believe before class was over I had done 45?!?!? Just putting that trust in myself and Ben gave me the confidence that I could do it.
So much about this journey has been about weight loss, a new body type and smaller jeans, but for me this week has been about finding myself again. Finding a confidence I thought was long lost...realizing that I can do it. To me that is so much more important than any number on a scale. I am loving this opportunity and I can't wait to see where this new journey will take me!!
So I apologize for not writing in the past week - I'll do better...promise!!
First, I do have the pictures of my kitchen made over BBC style - and I promise to get them up!
It has been a great week - I am feeling great, gaining back confidence I lost, and am still loving the workouts! The food is going so much better - I think I have figured it out (that only took three weeks).
I am seeing such an improvement in all the girls - to look at the board after a cardio day you would not know that this was the same group of women that walked in to the gym four weeks ago!! 61 Firehose slams, 17 Burpees, 23 burpees - AMAZING!! GO US!!! I really think we are all having fun smashing our personal bests...and seeing how far we can push ourselves.
I know for me personally I feel like in the past three days I have a reached a place where I can push thru the voices in my head saying "I can't" - and just do it! Growing up, one of my basketball coaches would call me "Can't Do" (in fact he still does) because I would let those same little voices tell me I couldn't "go hard to the rim or box him out". Many a Saturday practice ended with me in tears telling him I couldn't do it. He would call me "Can't Do" just to piss me off. With a little confidence and trust in my coach (and in myself) I realized that I could keep that rebound away from him. That is where I am now - realizing that I can dig deep and do it. Today for example, I had to do push ups so I got on my knees - Ben looked at me and said "get on your toes". I reluctantly got on toes and looked at him and said "I can't do (see there that nickname is) 15 push ups on my toes". Would you believe before class was over I had done 45?!?!? Just putting that trust in myself and Ben gave me the confidence that I could do it.
So much about this journey has been about weight loss, a new body type and smaller jeans, but for me this week has been about finding myself again. Finding a confidence I thought was long lost...realizing that I can do it. To me that is so much more important than any number on a scale. I am loving this opportunity and I can't wait to see where this new journey will take me!!
So I apologize for not writing in the past week - I'll do better...promise!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Oops, forgot food
Honestly, how could i forget that??
Pre Workout: Toast with Almond Butter and 8 Strawberries
Post Workout: Protein Shake
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with turkey bacon, fat free cheese, broccoli, mushroom, green pepper and tomato
Lunch: Ham and Cheese Quiche (I did not eat the crust though - it was very tempting though...Shaun's mom's crust is the best!!) and a Granny Smith Apple
Snack: Blueberry Chobani
Dinner: 3oz Ham Steak with 1 cup of green beans and 1 cup of pineapple.
Snack: Ben's "Brownie Batter" (1 scoop of protein powder, 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, and 1/2 cup of strawberries - add a little water and mix it all up)
Pre Workout: Toast with Almond Butter and 8 Strawberries
Post Workout: Protein Shake
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with turkey bacon, fat free cheese, broccoli, mushroom, green pepper and tomato
Lunch: Ham and Cheese Quiche (I did not eat the crust though - it was very tempting though...Shaun's mom's crust is the best!!) and a Granny Smith Apple
Snack: Blueberry Chobani
Dinner: 3oz Ham Steak with 1 cup of green beans and 1 cup of pineapple.
Snack: Ben's "Brownie Batter" (1 scoop of protein powder, 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, and 1/2 cup of strawberries - add a little water and mix it all up)
Ben’s Back and Feeling Better! (a two day update!)
We thought we missed him; that was until about 40 minutes into yesterday's workout! Just kidding Ben, we did miss you! A three day break was too long!
Yesterday was a great workout – it was Tuesday so that is Cardio day for us Moosers. It was the typical set up – 30 second sprint/90 second active rest for 10 rounds and then 10 more rounds of 30 second sprint/60 second rest. The stations were the bike, burpees, the firehose slam, and the arm band pulls. You can watch a video of the workout here.
After our workout we did superwoman’s and planks for 60 seconds each – 3 rounds. I think you can tell we are getting stronger, both mentally and physically.
After boot camp Ben came to my house to check out the kitchen and make suggestions on how I can make my kitchen work better for me. He had some really great suggestions. He suggested I move all my foods to one shelf and put everything in its own place. This will make "keeping inventory" much easier. Same went for the fridge and the freezer. He also suggested I precut all my veggies and fruits and portion them into individual tupperware containers right when I get back from the grocery store. The freezer should be for protein back stock and frozen veggies. Lisa has some great ideas for organizing the fridge, check out her blog for some great ideas. I think what I will do is some before and afters and show you all my pantry and fridge/freezer pre-Ben's visit and my new BBC compliant kitchen. I was planning on doing that tonight, so you can expect those pictures tomorrow.
Today's workout was something else! I had sweat dripping off me - literally!! It felt really good though. I can not believe we have been at this for three weeks now! It so many ways I am proud of myself, however, I can't help but be a little disappointed. I am such an instant gratification person so I wish I could see more changes in my body at this point. I can see the difference in my strength (I can even do real "boy" pushups now!) and certainly in the way my clothes are fitting, but I wish I could literally see more of a difference. Okay vent is over, back to today's workout. Tonia worked out with us for the first time and it was nice to have her join us! First we did superman's and planks and then we basically performed eight exercises: kettlebell deadlift, push press, rows, goblet squats, wall sits, kettlebell swings, step ups with weight and wood chops for one minute each - three times. Looking at the board it was pretty daunting, but like I said before we are all getting mentally stronger...it burned, believe me my quads were on fire, but it feels good to be able to push through.
Oh, and Tanner has made a full recovery from eating my raw chicken (not that the garbage gut ever got sick from it) but since then he has helped himself to a stick of butter, 3 chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkles, and a loaf of bread (I found what was left in our bed) Honestly, we don't leave food out on our counters, all you have to do lately is turn your back! He is so naughty he may have to go to a boot camp of his own!! Here let's show you a picture of the little deliquent: (this was on his birthday)
Have a great night everyone - I can't wait to show you all my before and after kitchen shots!
Yesterday was a great workout – it was Tuesday so that is Cardio day for us Moosers. It was the typical set up – 30 second sprint/90 second active rest for 10 rounds and then 10 more rounds of 30 second sprint/60 second rest. The stations were the bike, burpees, the firehose slam, and the arm band pulls. You can watch a video of the workout here.
After our workout we did superwoman’s and planks for 60 seconds each – 3 rounds. I think you can tell we are getting stronger, both mentally and physically.
After boot camp Ben came to my house to check out the kitchen and make suggestions on how I can make my kitchen work better for me. He had some really great suggestions. He suggested I move all my foods to one shelf and put everything in its own place. This will make "keeping inventory" much easier. Same went for the fridge and the freezer. He also suggested I precut all my veggies and fruits and portion them into individual tupperware containers right when I get back from the grocery store. The freezer should be for protein back stock and frozen veggies. Lisa has some great ideas for organizing the fridge, check out her blog for some great ideas. I think what I will do is some before and afters and show you all my pantry and fridge/freezer pre-Ben's visit and my new BBC compliant kitchen. I was planning on doing that tonight, so you can expect those pictures tomorrow.
Today's workout was something else! I had sweat dripping off me - literally!! It felt really good though. I can not believe we have been at this for three weeks now! It so many ways I am proud of myself, however, I can't help but be a little disappointed. I am such an instant gratification person so I wish I could see more changes in my body at this point. I can see the difference in my strength (I can even do real "boy" pushups now!) and certainly in the way my clothes are fitting, but I wish I could literally see more of a difference. Okay vent is over, back to today's workout. Tonia worked out with us for the first time and it was nice to have her join us! First we did superman's and planks and then we basically performed eight exercises: kettlebell deadlift, push press, rows, goblet squats, wall sits, kettlebell swings, step ups with weight and wood chops for one minute each - three times. Looking at the board it was pretty daunting, but like I said before we are all getting mentally stronger...it burned, believe me my quads were on fire, but it feels good to be able to push through.
Oh, and Tanner has made a full recovery from eating my raw chicken (not that the garbage gut ever got sick from it) but since then he has helped himself to a stick of butter, 3 chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkles, and a loaf of bread (I found what was left in our bed) Honestly, we don't leave food out on our counters, all you have to do lately is turn your back! He is so naughty he may have to go to a boot camp of his own!! Here let's show you a picture of the little deliquent: (this was on his birthday)
Have a great night everyone - I can't wait to show you all my before and after kitchen shots!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Is It Saturday Yet?!?!?!?!?!?
Only kidding Ben!
Today was cardio day for us MOOsers (boy was it ever!) More interval training with the same set up as Tuesday but this time we had four stations…the group favorite stationary bike, step ups, the fire hose, and a new one…and I don’t know what Ben will call it but we will call it band rows. I have to say, we were all very excited to see that fire hose laying across the floor this morning, but I think Ben switched the hose we used on Tuesday for one that weighed at least 40 pounds more. Man did that hose feel especially heavy today! I think yesterday’s butt whooping took more of a toll than I thought. I am exhausted; it seriously took a lot of “digging deep” to get through today’s workout. But with the support of Ben and the other girls and a little playful betting between Missy and I, we were all able to find it within ourselves to “get there”. It is amazing to think how far we have come in just two weeks. Can you imagine where we will be in two months?!?! I can’t wait!! I can already see a difference in the other girls – everyone’s faces look thinner – it is so exciting!!
Oh and before I forget, my after dinner snack last night was ½ cup of no fat cottage cheese and ¼ cup of blueberries (thanks for the recommendation Ben!) I really need to get to the grocery store the fridge is getting pretty bare!! I have my shopping list all ready to go though. My plan of attack was to meal plan for the week and buy only what is on my list. I’ll let you know how that goes! If I remember to bring my list in the store I will be doing well!! (Ask Shaun, I love to make lists I’m not so good at following them or remembering to bring them with me!!) Speaking of food here was today’s menu – nothing too exciting – like I said Old Mother Hubbard’s Cupboards are pretty bare!!
Pre Workout: Toast with Almond Butter
Post Workout: Protein Shake
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, cheese and tomatoes
Lunch: Large Tuna Wrap on a whole wheat wrap loaded with veggies
Snack: Greek Yogurt
Dinner: Well I was going to have chicken, a veggie and a baked potato. But when I went home to cook my chicken that had been thawing in the sink, it had disappeared. After some quick scouring of the usual hiding spots I saw it….the empty Ziploc bag that once held my dinner and one very guilty dog hiding behind me. You see it is VERY EASY to tell when Tanner has done something wrong; he literally wears the guilt on his face. He crinkles up his nose and lip and tucks that tail between his legs. So, dinner is on hold while I figure something else out. I guess that will teach me – frozen meat goes in the microwave to thaw. Honestly, who needs kids really????
I’ll let you know how I make out with dinner and grocery shopping tomorrow!! Oh and don’t forget to listen to Moo92 tomorrow – we will all be on talking about our first two weeks!! Have a great night everyone!!! xoxo
Today was cardio day for us MOOsers (boy was it ever!) More interval training with the same set up as Tuesday but this time we had four stations…the group favorite stationary bike, step ups, the fire hose, and a new one…and I don’t know what Ben will call it but we will call it band rows. I have to say, we were all very excited to see that fire hose laying across the floor this morning, but I think Ben switched the hose we used on Tuesday for one that weighed at least 40 pounds more. Man did that hose feel especially heavy today! I think yesterday’s butt whooping took more of a toll than I thought. I am exhausted; it seriously took a lot of “digging deep” to get through today’s workout. But with the support of Ben and the other girls and a little playful betting between Missy and I, we were all able to find it within ourselves to “get there”. It is amazing to think how far we have come in just two weeks. Can you imagine where we will be in two months?!?! I can’t wait!! I can already see a difference in the other girls – everyone’s faces look thinner – it is so exciting!!
Oh and before I forget, my after dinner snack last night was ½ cup of no fat cottage cheese and ¼ cup of blueberries (thanks for the recommendation Ben!) I really need to get to the grocery store the fridge is getting pretty bare!! I have my shopping list all ready to go though. My plan of attack was to meal plan for the week and buy only what is on my list. I’ll let you know how that goes! If I remember to bring my list in the store I will be doing well!! (Ask Shaun, I love to make lists I’m not so good at following them or remembering to bring them with me!!) Speaking of food here was today’s menu – nothing too exciting – like I said Old Mother Hubbard’s Cupboards are pretty bare!!
Pre Workout: Toast with Almond Butter
Post Workout: Protein Shake
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, cheese and tomatoes
Lunch: Large Tuna Wrap on a whole wheat wrap loaded with veggies
Snack: Greek Yogurt
Dinner: Well I was going to have chicken, a veggie and a baked potato. But when I went home to cook my chicken that had been thawing in the sink, it had disappeared. After some quick scouring of the usual hiding spots I saw it….the empty Ziploc bag that once held my dinner and one very guilty dog hiding behind me. You see it is VERY EASY to tell when Tanner has done something wrong; he literally wears the guilt on his face. He crinkles up his nose and lip and tucks that tail between his legs. So, dinner is on hold while I figure something else out. I guess that will teach me – frozen meat goes in the microwave to thaw. Honestly, who needs kids really????
I’ll let you know how I make out with dinner and grocery shopping tomorrow!! Oh and don’t forget to listen to Moo92 tomorrow – we will all be on talking about our first two weeks!! Have a great night everyone!!! xoxo
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Abs of fire (next stop....steel!!) :)
Well today was a blast! I can not believe that we have been doing this for two weeks already! Between Ben and the other girls, who knew working out could be so much fun? Thank you so much ladies for all the support, motivation and competition!
So this morning started with the dead lift. Missy and I were partners on this one and by that last rep we were lifting 95 pounds. Yeah us! From there we went on to Tabata. Oh how I have missed thee...it was as challenging as I remember it to be. Again Missy and I were partners and we went through four different stations comprised of:
rows and squat presses
landmines and hill climbers
burpees and these amazingly hard single leg lifts
push ups and kettle bell swings.
We did each exercise as hard as we could for 20 seconds and had 10 seconds to transition to the next set in the station. We repeated this for 4 rounds, had a one minute rest and went right into the next station. Holy hell!! You know I played sports all my life, and I know for certain I did not work up as much of sweat in an entire basketball game as I do in one morning with Ben. It is awesome!
You would think that the Tabata was enough right? Oh no, there were still 10 minutes of class left...time for plank and Supermans!!! Before I even talk about these I have to tell you that as I sit here and type my abs feel like they are on fire!! I fought of a sneeze because I was afraid of how it was going to make my abs feel. Okay so planks and Supermans....for planks, get in the first position of a push up and hold it for 60 seconds. Um, yeah it feels great....all you can do it watch the sweat beads drop onto the floor and beg for someone to tell a story, sing a song, anything to make the time go by!! After a few seconds of rest it was on to Supermans, (but I think since it is a class of females, we will call them superwomans). Ready for this one? Lay on your stomach and lift your chest and quads off the floor. Keep your arms outstretched like you are flying. Now hold that one for one minute. Let me tell you my butt felt like it was going to fall off after that one!! But like I said in the first line of this post, I had a blast and I am so lucky to have this opportunity.
That being said here is a look at what my day looked like food wise:
Pre Workout: Toast with Almond Butter. I had two pieces but Tanner ate the crust (and last bite) as always.
Post Workout: Protein Shake
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with broccoli, spinach, cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes
Lunch: 4oz grilled and seasoned chicken breast with spinach and mustard in a whole wheat wrap
Snack: Greek Yogurt - if you have not tried this...you should. It is so yummy!!
Dinner: Huge Salad made with one medium head of romaine lettuce, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, the other 4oz of my chicken breast and slivered almonds, walnuts and pecans. I used the juice of a lemon and some balsamic vinegar. It hit the spot.
Snack: still up in the air on this one. I am lite on my calories today so I need to come up with something good to have tonight...I'll let you know tomorrow what I decided.
Have a great night everyone!! Oh and if you did not see the video from yesterday's firehose slam....you have got to check it out!!!
So this morning started with the dead lift. Missy and I were partners on this one and by that last rep we were lifting 95 pounds. Yeah us! From there we went on to Tabata. Oh how I have missed thee...it was as challenging as I remember it to be. Again Missy and I were partners and we went through four different stations comprised of:
rows and squat presses
landmines and hill climbers
burpees and these amazingly hard single leg lifts
push ups and kettle bell swings.
We did each exercise as hard as we could for 20 seconds and had 10 seconds to transition to the next set in the station. We repeated this for 4 rounds, had a one minute rest and went right into the next station. Holy hell!! You know I played sports all my life, and I know for certain I did not work up as much of sweat in an entire basketball game as I do in one morning with Ben. It is awesome!
You would think that the Tabata was enough right? Oh no, there were still 10 minutes of class left...time for plank and Supermans!!! Before I even talk about these I have to tell you that as I sit here and type my abs feel like they are on fire!! I fought of a sneeze because I was afraid of how it was going to make my abs feel. Okay so planks and Supermans....for planks, get in the first position of a push up and hold it for 60 seconds. Um, yeah it feels great....all you can do it watch the sweat beads drop onto the floor and beg for someone to tell a story, sing a song, anything to make the time go by!! After a few seconds of rest it was on to Supermans, (but I think since it is a class of females, we will call them superwomans). Ready for this one? Lay on your stomach and lift your chest and quads off the floor. Keep your arms outstretched like you are flying. Now hold that one for one minute. Let me tell you my butt felt like it was going to fall off after that one!! But like I said in the first line of this post, I had a blast and I am so lucky to have this opportunity.
That being said here is a look at what my day looked like food wise:
Pre Workout: Toast with Almond Butter. I had two pieces but Tanner ate the crust (and last bite) as always.
Post Workout: Protein Shake
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with broccoli, spinach, cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes
Lunch: 4oz grilled and seasoned chicken breast with spinach and mustard in a whole wheat wrap
Snack: Greek Yogurt - if you have not tried this...you should. It is so yummy!!
Dinner: Huge Salad made with one medium head of romaine lettuce, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, the other 4oz of my chicken breast and slivered almonds, walnuts and pecans. I used the juice of a lemon and some balsamic vinegar. It hit the spot.
Snack: still up in the air on this one. I am lite on my calories today so I need to come up with something good to have tonight...I'll let you know tomorrow what I decided.
Have a great night everyone!! Oh and if you did not see the video from yesterday's firehose slam....you have got to check it out!!!
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