Dare to Soar BodyBlog

I think that one of the hardest things to do is to change my way of thinking and not fall back on the bad habits that I accumulated as a fat person.  I see all of these wonderful bodies that you all have worked so hard to achieve and tell myself, I have to learn to think like them. 

What do you eat? How do you exercise? What keeps you motivated?  How do you overcome obsticles that fall in your way?  Why take this supplement or that one? This is the mind set and the knowledge that I am struggling to achieve.

 The things that seem so basic to you, because you have been doing it for so long, are a struggle to the beginners like me.  I have to remind myself to eat six small meals a day and to make sure that I have protein at each one.  I have to remind myself that it took time to put on the thick layer of fat and it will take time for the progress of thinking like a fit person to show through.  I have to fake it until I make it.  I have to take time everyday to visualize my success.  To see myself looking fabulous and sexy in an evening gown cut high on the leg and low in the back.  I have to post reminders of good habits everywhere.

The body I want will be mine in time.  I will have the right attitude, the knowledge and the power.  Until then I will continue to surround myself with fitness magazines and fit people that I can interogated. 

Not much to report today.  Last nights workout went as planned.  Today my knees were pretty sore so I did a steady cardio session instead of an interval.  Still felt like things were off. 

Getting ready to go into a three day weekend so I will have to stay pretty active.  I plan on hitting the gym tomorrow for some cardio. It is closed Sunday and Monday.  They girls are having some friends over on Saturday night for a sleepover.  I will probably do so yoga and Taebo or go hiking at the forest, or maybe for a swim.  Who knows?  I will do something and I will eat clean.  

My kids brought home a flyer for a taekwondo class.  Of coarse, they are wanting to take it.  Because I want my kids to try new things and develop interests, I signed them up. 

They now want me to take it with them.  I did some when I was in high school but now I am 35.  It would be extra cardio and probably help with flexiblity but I also weight train on Monday nights.  Will it be too much?  Its only $30 but I have to buy the lovely white pjs too.  Will they come in my size? 

Can’t see any reason why I should not participate. Can you?

Today is upperbody again.  Here is the plan:

All exercises are 3 sets of 8 with last set hitting failure.

Incline bench @ 100

Bench press @ 95

Lat Pulldown @42.5

Seated Cable Row @ 35 may go up on this one

Dumbbell lateral raise @ 15

Alternating db curls @ 12

Cable Pressdown @ 35

Next week I am going back to my old program or setting up a new one.  I think I jumped into this one too soon.  My goal is to lose weight so I need to be able to go through with little rest between sets.  I also feel as if my cardio sessions are not as intense.  I am sure that it is just my perception but I must go with it.  I dont want any setbacks.  I think I may do some supersetting or compounds.  I have the weekend to decide. 

“It’s Your Time, Make the Most of It." I read this power statement every morning when I am climbing on the treadmill or other piece of cardio equipment at 5am half asleep and wondering what the hell I am doing out of bed so early. It reminds me that this is my time to get my body back into shape, that at 5 am, the only person I have to answer to is myself and that I do have the time to exercise. It also reminds me to push myself to the limit to achieve the most out of my time in gym. I tell myself, You need to be here so you might as well hit it hard so progress will be seen. Don’t go through the motions. Don’t lift those pink dumbbells. Don’t skip those last five minutes on the bike. It is your time why would you want to give it up or waste it. If you were paying someone for a job, you would expect them to use their time wisely.  NO SLACKING. 

In the larger picture, it reminds me that I am in my prime. I am at the perfect stage in my life to work on and achieve my larger life goals. Everything is possible. I just have to decide where I want to go, what I want to do, and how I want to do it. It is my time. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines, be unhealthy, and not feel sexy.  I plan on making the most of it.

Lower body workout was the point of making it to the gym last night.  I did pretty good.  Expected my legs to be sore today but they aren’t.  Here is the way it went.

Leg Press (Hammer machine, each leg independant) 4 sets of 10  at 145 (per leg)

Lunges 4 sets of 10

Leg curls four sets of 10 @ 60

Calf Raises (standing) 4 sets of 10 @ 110 (could go up)

Cable Crunches 4 sets of 10 @ 37.5

This morning I did a new cardio program aimed at toning the legs.   At first I was not impressed but the furthur I got into I liked it.  It is not something that I would want to do for all my cardio sessions but it is definitely one I will keep rotating.

Tonight I will hit abs and maybe do some yoga.

Cardio in the am was missed due to sick child.  I plan on walking at the park during football practice to make it up. 

Lower body.  Everything is 4 sets of 10 with sets 3 and 4 to failure.  Leg Press, barbell lunge, leg curls, calf raises, and cable crunch.

Meal 1: Raisin bran with blue berries and 1/4 cup milk

meal 2: tuna with 1 TBSP mayo on whole wheat bread (40 calories per slice)

meal 3: grilled chicken with 1/2 cup stuffing

meal 4: tuna again

meal 5:  Sweet potato, California blend vegetables, and grilled chicken.

meal 6: protein shake.

Yesterdays workout was definately different from what I am used to.  That two minutes in between sets is going to do me in. I did not want to just sit there so I walked around or did abs.  I am only used to waiting 30 seconds at the most.  I understand the need for it but I dont like it.  I really think it is my fear of stopping my wieght loss.  I know it is silly.  I am still hitting am cardio (well, except this morning…kid was sick all night, will do it tonight), eating right, and hitting the weights hard. 

Anyway here is my workout from yesterday:

Incline bench 4 sets of 10 at 100 pounds.  Last set made it to seven before spotter had to assist.

Bench Press 4 sets of 10 at 95 pounds. 

Lat pulldown 3 sets of 10 at 35, a set at 42.5 (hard); (probably need to adust)

Seated cable row 4 sets of 10 at 35 (need to go up some)

Dumbbell lateral raises 4 sets of 10 with 12 lbs.

Alternating dumbbell curls  3 sets with 12, 1 set with 15

Cable press downs 2 sets with 30, 2 sets with 35.  (start with 35 on Thursday)

Meal 1: protein shake with blackberries

Meal 2: 1 cup spaghetti with 2 meatballs

meal 3: 1/2 cup potatoes with 3 oz turkey

meal 4: protein shake

meal 5: grilled chicken, 1/2 cup green beans, 1/2 cup stuffing

I started a thread in the over 35 workout journal section of the forum to journal my race to the losers finish line in the Biggest loser contest.  Daring to soar to the losers finish line is the title of my journal.  Please feel free to check my progress there in case I forget to update both spots. 

Great weekend.  My boy dominated the football field.  His team won 21-0.  They were all pumped up. 

I got in an hour of yoga on Saturday.  It felt great to really stretch out some of my muscles. Sunday, I did not do to much of anything.  Mostly cleaned house and worked with the kids on homework. 

Today I had a pretty good cardio session.  Seemed like it took forever for my legs to get warmed up and ready to go this morning.  (2.53 miles, 350 calories) Monday mornings I usually do a long steady speed walk or jog.  I think of it as the warm up for the week.  My body get pushed pretty hard the rest of the week.  I am starting a new weight training program this week.  It will run nine weeks.  Looking forward to it. 

Heres todays plan.  Everything is 4 sets of 10 with the last two sets hitting failure. 2 minutes rest between sets. (will do abs during that time)  Incline barbell press, bench press, Lat pulldown, seated cable row, dumbbell laterial raises, alternating db curls, and cable pressdowns.  I have not trained to failure yet so I am uncertain of the weight I will use.  After today, I should know. 

Attitude is positive.  Today I will make some strides forward.  Oh, almost forgot.  Dropped 2 more pounds.  happy training.