Getting it Done

I definitely felt sore today as I headed to the gym. My quads were burning from yesterday's burpees/workout. Still, at the very least I had to get my 10 minutes of running done as part of this week's Whole Life Challenge task. I also wanted to finish Week 6 of C25K.

Of course the voices of doubt sound immediately (will they ever stop?) and from the beginning my legs were feeling like cement bricks. Still, I'm glad the voices that reprimand me and urge me to just push through are louder than the ones of doubt. So I just put my headphones on and started.

At around 11 minutes of the first 15-minute run segment I started to feel really unsteady -- but instead of stopping, I slowed down. I told myself - Just keep going. It's ok if you slow down, but don't stop. 

I'm continuously amazed (and irritated) at how I can fluctuate between determination and doubt, between enthusiasm and apathy. If I know I want to do this, then why the hesitation? Why the voices of self-doubt?

I know I'm willing to work for what I want - I show up; I never give up - yet there seems to be something inside me that is preventing me from giving my all.

I think part of it is linked to fear of failure - I don't want to get into something that I know (think) I won't be able to do ... but I don't think that's the whole story.

There's something deeper inside that I still need to work on so that I can really dig deep and find out what I'm capable of. As always, the journey to physical health is not just about actions - it's about thinking, knowing, and believing in yourself as well as the process.

Still, I'm trying to focus on the positives versus the frustrating points.

I completed Week 6 of C25K. I'm ready to start Week 7 and can't believe I'm getting so close to actually finishing the program. It's exciting and intimidating! I'm just done with Day 41 of the Whole Life Challenge and I'm doing great!

Feeling Proud!

I bloody well did it! I got my butt to the gym, got on the treadmill, cued Day 2 of Week 6 on C25K, warmed up for 5 minutes and then jogged for 20 minutes straight!

I have been feeling so intimidated by this 20-minute run, and now that it's done I have to say that I can't wait to get back on the treadmill and see what else I can do.

Music was definitely important during my jog. I also told myself not to look at the time or the distance or any number - just face forward and jog until you can't jog anymore ... and then dig deeper and finish the 20 minutes.

I did it! I am so happy.

The only issue I had during running was that my pants kept inching lower and lower! Well, my clothes getting too big for me are just another sign that everything is working out just fine.

I was on the treadmill for a total of 50 minutes - of that time I jogged for 20 minutes straight and then jogged for another 10 minutes at different intervals (sometimes just for 1 minute, sometimes for 2, sometimes for 30 seconds). So I jogged a total of 30 minutes. I'm so proud of that number!

On the C25K screen it said: "This is it! the big 20 minute run. Know that you are ready and the only thing you need to do is break a little sweat."

That's what I kept repeating to myself - You are ready for this. You can do this. This is just jogging - not anything tough like burpees for 20 minutes!

I also thought about a lot of people who inspire me, including many bloggers out there who are either already comfortable with their training or are on their way there -- I thought about Norma, Jenn, Kris, Caron, Tim, Rebecca as well as a few others who have been working hard and also helping me stay motivated (whether they know it or not). The last thing I would have wanted was to attempt Week 6, Day 2 and come back and say - I couldn't do it. No! I didn't want to let myself down or give others a chance to shake their head and say - Tsk tsk. If only she had tried harder.

Anyway.

I actually felt a bit emotional after finishing my run. I felt like everything that I've been doing - the early morning yoga sessions, the time at CrossFit and Body Balance, and most of all, the change in what I've been eating - has culminated in this success.

I'm not done - not by a long shot, but each success like this makes me feel a bit more confident. It makes me feel optimistic. Most of all, it reminds me that what may have felt like a sacrifice at one point or another, was totally worth it -- no slice of cake, piece of chocolate, or bowl of pasta will ever make me feel as good as I did after I finished running today. Why would I want to change that?

There's still lots to do, and I'm going to continue workin' it out!

Back from Berlin & GFFE Week 5 Summary

I had a terrific time in Berlin. My best friend's wedding was terrific. My speech went really well!! I met up with tons of friends that I hadn't seen for years, and I danced my ass off that night! The weather there was a bit to cold for my liking, but it did feel good to inhale some cool, brisk air versus the dusty air in Kuwait!

I wish I could write that I came back without losing any World Life Challenge points. Out of the 4 days there, I stayed on track the whole time except for the wedding day dinner. It wasn't even that I wanted to eat what was being served or was craving anything particular -- I just didn't want to be rude or fussy. Plus pulling out some tupperware with my own food in the middle of an elegant wedding may not be the most appropriate thing to do - I'm sure the bride would not have approved!

So, aside from one imperfect meal/evening, I was really good for the rest of the days. I mainly ate at the hotel; the waitresses were fantastic at answering my questions about how the food was prepared and for making substitutions when I asked for them. I have a few more details in my Whole Life Challenge blog if you're interested.

Being away from home was quite an experience in terms of keeping up with the challenge. It took being aware & vigilant of what you're doing and what you're eating to a whole other level. There are definitely quite a few things that I learned while being away but I'll save them for another post.

In the meantime, here's a quick Week 5 Summary for the Get Fit, Feel Epic Challenge:

Week 5 (Oct. 1 - 7)

1) C25K - I finished Week 5 this week. It went well. Before I did the last day, I decided to just run without really concentrating on the time or distance. On that day I ended up doing 2 sets of running - one for 12-min and another for 13-min (with 2 min walking in between). I was so proud of myself! That's the longest I've run at one stretch! I was really happy. I start Week 6 this coming week. There are some big runs scheduled but I'm telling myself - Don't think. Just do it!

2) Nutrition Studies: I only studied one day this past week. It's going very slowly. I have to come up with a better plan so that I can get this done!

3) Core work: My core work sucked while I was away. I'm getting back on track with that from tomorrow.

4) Balance: I've been doing at least 15 minutes of yoga each day. I made it to two Body Balance classes last week as well as my morning yoga. I didn't do yoga in the mornings in Berlin, but I did make up for it during the day.

5) Gleason's: I've had 1 boxing session with a trainer this week & I finished Week 2 of Gleason's ... so on to Week 3!

Week 5 Challenge: 
Make a fitness routine based on your favorite TV show.

Well, I'm currently watching House ... so I decided that for every time House and his team get a diagnosis wrong (at least 4-5 per episode) I'll do 10 sit-ups. I watched at least 1 episode a night, sometimes 2 -- so i was doing 50-100 sit-ups per night. :)

So now we're on to Week 6. I've got tons coming up this week and it's my birthday on Friday, so I'm wondering how all my fitness/diet plans are going to pan out - we'll see :)

I'll leave you with a few photos from Berlin:

Me at the Brandenburg Gate:

At this point I had already walked 12 km that day ... the hotel was about another 2 km away and I just didn't want to move anymore. I was tired and cranky but for some reason it just made me giggle uncontrollably. Even though the stoop was a bit wet, I had to sit down and take a break - I may be smiling, but I was not amused at how a little stroll ended up taking so bloody long (plus I was freezing!!)! 

D & I near Checkpoint Charlie:

This is not the dress, but it's a new one I bought (in 1 size smaller than I was wearing in June) for the pre-wedding drinks reception:

Me and my best friend (the groom):

Now I'm back home & back to my routine (landed at 6:30 a.m. and was in front of my class lecturing by 8 a.m. - I'm exhausted!) There's lots of work to get done!

Staying in the Moment

I had a terrific workout today, or should I say several terrific workouts today.

I knew that I'd be busy this evening packing and prepping for my trip, so I decided to make the most of my morning workout. I didn't do them in the order that I would have liked, but class schedules plus time with the trainer were things out of my hands. Still, I did them anyway.

I did my usual yoga in the morning ... and then I made it to Body Balance class. After the class I was feeling SO relaxed. I really didn't want to do anything else, but I also knew that if I didn't, I'd really regret it.

I got on the treadmill and completed C25K Day 2 of Week 5. It went really well. I wasn't gasping for air. The 6-min run segments didn't feel tedious. I wasn't anxious to slow the speed down as the running segments were coming to an end. I just kept going. I was really happy with that. The program today only got me to 3.5 km so I just continued walking to complete 5 km.

After that I worked with H on some boxing. We did 45 minutes of pad work and OMG it was exhausting. I was sweating within the first 5 minutes, and he was relentless. It felt great though. I wish I had more time to devote to boxing. It all comes down to scheduling.

So everything was great in terms of exercise. Work is going well (aside from the huge stack of papers that needs to be graded by Monday - yuck), and the challenge is going awesome. Today I finished Day 19 with all my points fully intact.

Now I'm trying to pack for my upcoming trip. The weather here is in the 40's, whereas in Berlin it's in the teens (this is Celsius; that would be 104F down to the teens in Fahrenheit). Packing for that kind of weather sucks. Then of course there's the part about my dresses and shoes being fit for a summer wedding -- but I'm not changing them now. I'll work up a sweat dancing.

Speaking of dresses, I've decided not to wear the dress that I originally wanted to for a couple of reasons: 1) Even though it fits quite well, I still have a ways to go before I feel comfortable and confident in the dress. I know half the people at this wedding and will be giving a speech. I definitely want to feel great in whatever I'm wearing that day. 2) It's a great cocktail dress, but I didn't think about the dancing part of the night. I definitely want to dance, and that dress (even after I lose some more weight) is not a dancing dress. It's a stand and sip on cocktails kind of dress.

So for now, it's a no go on the dress, which only means that I need another one. I found one on Sunday. It's gorgeous. It's the most form fitted dress I've ever worn, and it's 4 sizes smaller than one I would have bought last summer ... I'm hoping it brings me the confidence I need on the big day!

As for the challenge while I'm away - I'm trying not to panic about it or over-think, but I am a bit worried. I am confident that I'll make the best decisions possible, but I guess I'm a bit irritated that there will be many things that are not in my control. I'm also worried about the drinking. One of the first events is a night out at a bar. I know I don't have to drink. I know that I am responsible for whatever choice I make. I guess what's frustrating is that I don't know what choice I'll make right now. I don't know. I'm a bit nervous, but I'm also trying to go with the flow and see where I end up.

I may not be blogging/commenting frequently over the next 4 days, but I'll definitely try to when I can!

Not Enough

Today is the second day in a row where I'm starting it with less than 3 hours of sleep at night and ending it with just about 1,000 calories eaten -- both those things need to change.

I'm struggling in both areas and right now I'm just too tired to think about them -- I may post about it later. At this moment, I just know that I need more sleep, and I need to eat more.

Cutting out all the processed foods, dairy, sugar, etc. means that my calorie intake from my 'normal' foods has been greatly reduced. Now even when my meals are substantial (e.g. 1 cup of egg whites + 1 whole egg & mushrooms + tomatoes for breakfast), I'm struggling to eat up to 1,000 calories.

I simply have NO appetite. I'm still eating when I'm hungry, but I'm just not feeling as hungry anymore. I don't really want to eat just for the sake of hitting a number. At the same time, I do want to make sure that I'm eating enough so that my body has the nutrients it needs and that I have the energy I need to carry out my workouts.

Sleep is just as important. It freaks me out when I don't get enough rest (especially on CrossFit days) because I know I need to be rested to have a good workout.

It's really frustrating, and now I'm thinking about seeing a doctor about it. I just can't afford to be so tired that I miss a workout.

Today I headed to the gym to start Week 5 of C25K. It went quite well. I was tired (only 2 1/2 hours of sleep will do that to you) but I pushed through anyway. All the runs were fine and the walks in between were just enough to recover. Even though I managed to get through Day 1 of Week 5, I wonder how much better I would have done if I had gotten enough sleep?

I need to find a way to fix this.


In other news, today was another perfect WLC day :)

Get Fit, Feel Epic Week 3 Summary

I have to say, I'm feeling quite 'epic' :)

It's been a good week. I'm now starting week 2 of the whole life challenge (Day 9 summary here), and it is going so much better than I had hoped. I was so worried about what I would eat and how I would manage without diary, sugar, etc. but I have to say, I don't miss it at all. Over the past week I've had a few seconds of a craving - for a nice latte or for an After 8 mint chocolate - but they've literally just lasted a few seconds. I just moved on and stuck with the program.

This past week I've lost 4.5 lbs. During the week the number actually dipped lower, but I wasn't upset at all to see this number early this morning. I'm eating healthy and I'm eating well; I haven't been hungry at all. My meals are probably a bit repetitive or somewhat similar each day, but it doesn't matter. It's tasty enough to keep me going and definitely healthy so it keeps me feeling good.


Week 3 (Sep. 17 - 23)

1) C25K: This morning I went to the gym to do my final day of Week 4 only to find that I left my headphones at home. Shit. I felt like it would be impossible to run without my music; I'm so dependent on my playlist. I ummed and aaahhed for a minute and so and then told myself - 'Shut up and just do it already, you big whiny baby.'

So, I put my phone on the treadmill console and cued up the program. I already knew what I had to do - 5 min warm-up, 4 min run, 2 min walk, 6 min run, 3 min walk, 4 min run, 2 min walk, 5 min cool down. I set up the machine and I got to it ... and I did it! It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I wish that self-doubting/excuse-making voice would just die already, but she's stubborn. I guess I'll just have to learn to ignore and push past her.

So, this week I only got in 1 session, but with it I completed week 4! I'm so happy that I'm halfway done. I'm actually looking forward to Week 5. I really feel like the strength I've gained from CrossFit is helping me move better!

2) Nutrition studies: Ummm - nope. Haven't started yet. I've been working on a research paper (related to my PhD research) plus grading papers. I really need to make more of an effort to at least start!

3) Core work: I started off strong, but then only managed 4 days instead of 5. It's not like I'm not doing any core work (like we're getting core work done at CrossFit and Body Balance), but it's the 10 minutes I want to focus on in the morning that just doesn't seem to be coming through on the weekends. Again, a bit more of an effort needed here.

4) Balance: I've been doing my 15-minutes of yoga each day and I'm loving it. I'm already feeling myself become more flexible. I also made it to one Body Balance class this week.

5) Gleason's boxing: I started Week 2 and I'm hoping that soon I'll be taking specific boxing lessons at the CrossFit box ... but we've still got to figure out the timings.

Week 3 Challenge - Rebecca set up a mini CrossFit workout:
10 burpees
20 squats
30 push ups

I did this today - round 1 completed in 1 min 35 seconds; round 2 completed in 1 min 55 seconds; round 3 completed in 1 min 45 sec.

The challenge for week 4 is to do something I've never done before ... am not sure what task I'll take on, but I'm sure it'll be interesting :)

Adelante

I wanted to post more yesterday but I came down with a terrible migraine and just could not stand to be in front of the computer to write up a post.

Luckily I woke up this morning without a headache -- very pleased about that.

Yesterday turned out to be an easy day for me. I did my 15 minutes of yoga + 15 minutes of core strengthening work in the morning. Later on in the day I went to Body Balance. I'm still feeling a bit stiff - I can't wait until I regain my flexibility.

Today I headed into the gym to do some cardio. I was really feeling hesitant about doing C25K. After my performance on Tuesday and my failure to run 6-min straight, I was feeling really apprehensive. I dilly-daillied next to the treadmill for a bit -- putting off getting on the treadmill and hoping for some sort of motivation from somewhere. Even when I got on the treadmill and started, I didn't want to do it. I just wanted to stop. At two minutes of my walking warm-up I thought, this is ridiculous. I don't want to do this ...

... but that's not the truth. I do want to do this. I want to be able to run. Bloody hell. What's wrong with me? How come I want this so bad yet I'm not willing to put in my 100% effort? That doesn't make sense. I know that the only way to improve is to keep practicing. Even if it's difficult now, if I keep practicing, it won't be difficult later. I kept repeating all those positive mantras to myself, but really just sounded like 'blah blah blah' in my head. So strange.

On the one hand I totally de-motivating myself and on the other I was scolding myself for being such a slacker.

Luckily the latter voice won the battle, and by the time my 5-minute warm-up had finished, Voodoo People by The Prodigy came on and I was good to go for my 4-minute run. This time I decided to run at 7.0 km/hr instead of 7. After all, I'm trying to work on endurance vs. speed.

Four minutes done without any trouble. Now I had 2 minutes to gear up for the 6-min run. Shit. Will I be able to do it? All I kept thinking was:

I knew it was true.

I just had to keep going -- so I kept repeating that line to myself, and Adelante by Sash! came one and i was good to go.

I couldn't help but smile a little as I heard 'Walk' -- I had done it. Stupid mental block! Now just one more 4-min running segment done and I would be finished with Week 4, Day 2 ... so I got it done.

I was so happy once I finished it. I have to remember why I started this and what it means to me to be able to succeed at this. Almost one year ago, after my surgery, the recovery was so painful that I could barely walk ... with all the bad news I received after the surgery, I just became so depressed. This past year has been all about finding mental strength. It's been so much more challenging than working on physical strength (though no doubt that's been damn tough too).

So, 6-min may not seem like a lot, but for me, each little step feels like a big accomplishment. I just have to keep the positives in mind when I approach the treadmill again.


After C25K, I went to the assisted pull-up machine. I know it's not the same as doing pull-ups, but I really wanted to practice my form and just get used to the movement.

I also took some time to practice my cleans. I had one of the trainers work with me to help me position my arms. I find the posture for cleans to be very awkward. I can't get my elbows high, and I feel like I'm leaning too far back and not resting the bar on my collarbone properly ... We did several sets (just with a 20 kg bar) and I felt much better with the movement once I was done. With some more practice, I'm hoping I'll get better.

Get Fit, Feel Epic Week 1 Summary

I've had a busy, busy day - pretty much non-stop since 4:15 a.m. Apparently 4:00 a.m. is my new wake-up time regardless of what time my alarm is set for. I'm just gonna roll with it and hope that on days I feel really tired I'll get a chance to take a nap.

I focused on cardio at the gym today - a boxing session followed by C25K. I started Week 4 of C25K. I'm embarrassed to say that I couldn't complete the 6 min straight run. I'm so disappointed in myself. It's only 6 minutes, what the hell?! I stopped at about 4, walked for a bit (around 35-40 seconds) and then picked up the run. I even had trouble completing the last 4-min stretch ... I did make up the jogging time I missed by doing it even during the cool down period ... but that's not the point. I need to be able to run at a stretch ... it was disappointing.

I experimented with 3 new ingredients tonight for dinner - spaghetti squash (Loved it! Was totally fascinated at how the squash really did come out spaghetti-like!), red snapper (impromptu purchase at the supermarket today, but it looked so fresh - had to try it; it came out quite good sautéed in tomatoes and onions), and finally purple potatoes. I loved the color of the potatoes - I cooked them with mushrooms and they came out quite well. It was a really filling, low-fat, low-carb meal for under 500 calories.

Ok, now for my Get Fit, Feel Epic update.

I've been so busy trying to get used to my new schedule that Week 1 kinda passed me by. I didn't get much done in terms of working towards my goals ... I'm a bit late writing this post, but here's my update:

Week 1 (Sep. 3 - Sep. 9)

1) C25K: No sessions completed
2) Nutrition studies: Haven't started yet
3) Core work: From Sunday I started doing a core workout in the mornings. I've managed to do it each morning since. I do 500 reps of different exercises (e.g. 100 crunches, 60 second plank pose, 30 push-ups - broken into groups of ten - and so forth). The routine varies each day. I plan on doing this 5 times a week.
4) Balance: From Sunday I started doing 15 minutes of yoga first thing in the morning. It feels really good to start the day with some deep breathing and good stretches
5) Gleason's boxing: I completed Week 1, Day 1

Week 1 Challenge - Do something that makes you feel fabulous.
Well, I already wrote about it in my first Get Fit, Feel Epic post -- D and I have really started to invest some time and money into getting healthy. I'm really happy we've taken this step.

So not a whole lot done in week 1, but we're already 2 days into week 2 and I've made progress in some more areas, so hopefully my week 2 update will be better (and on time).

The Week 2 Challenge is to find a way to display our goals so that we stay focused. This is perfect for me as I really need to be more focused and organized with me time -- there's so much going on. I want to do it all, and I know I can, but I need to get organized and be reasonable with my time.

I'm a bit behind with commenting on blogs -- I'll get to them soon!

Will end on a silly/amusing anecdote - was heading out this morning and as I picked up my Everlast boxing bag I noticed that it went perfectly with my outfit for work. Had to snap a shot :)

Fingers crossed for a good night's sleep!!

Practicing my Exercises

I'm so glad I enjoy going to the gym. In the beginning I was really obsessed with burning calories - and I mean really obsessed. At the end of each workout, my elation or frustrated depended entirely on the number of calories burned (and you know those machines aren't accurate anyway!). I didn't get any satisfaction from the exercises; it was just about the number. Taking it to that level ended up being a form of psychological torture for me, though it took me a long time to figure that out.

In my obsession with the numbers, I never really took the time to enjoy what I was doing and notice any progress. I did lose weight, but I didn't notice whether or not I had become faster or stronger.

Now, it's entirely different. I do wear a heart-rate monitor to give me a general idea of how many calories I burned, but I don't use it to measure the success or failure of a workout. I also don't use the number of calories to try to negotiate my food intake. I don't exercise so that I can eat more. I do, however, eat slightly differently depending on my workout of the day - intense/mild/none. I still have work to do on eating right, but my perspective on that is continuing to improve on a daily basis. It's my outlook and approach to exercise, however, that has changed dramatically, particularly after completing the New Rules of Lifting for Women weights program and now with CrossFit.

Completing the New Rules of Lifting for Women program was one of the best gym experiences I've had. I bought the book and completed the 7-stage program. I trusted the program. I did the best I could, and I got amazing results. I am so much stronger now that I ever was before. My body shape has changed a lot. Most of all, I am so much more confident in the gym (and in my regular life as well). I'm no longer afraid to pick up heavier weights or at least try an exercise that looked intimidating before. I remember that I would refuse to do burpees properly at the gym. I was too afraid of failing at them, so I would modify the exercise and just be 'satisfied' with that. One day, at home, I told myself - Right. Stop being ridiculous. Try a proper one right now. There's nobody here to judge you, criticize you, mock you. Just do it. I did.

That one little action really changed my attitude.

There are still many exercises that I find intimidating, but I don't shy away from them. I give them a go. If my body is not ready for it, then that's fine - but I'll give it a go.

This attitude has brought me to my newest phase -- not just exercising, but practicing as well.

CrossFit has opened up a whole new range of challenges for me. It's pushed me to a level that I never thought I could go to before. I struggle during each session, but I keep trying ... and I can't wait to successfully conquer all the exercises ... but the only way that's going to happen is to practice.

So now, I workout at the CrossFit box and I do my workouts at the gym, mainly boxing and C25K, but I also practice.

Running Practice: I categorize my whole C25K attempt as my practice for running since it gradually helps you build up your endurance.

Boxing Practice: My right arm is strong so I love throwing punches with my right arm ... but I've scaled back a bit and am focusing more on my left arm. I also practice my upper cuts - both right and left - because right now I look so ridiculous doing them that if I was ever going to attack someone with my upper cut they'd just burst out laughing (potential defense strategy!) ;)

CrossFit Practice: Box jumps; pull ups; double unders; burpees -- there are other moves that I need to practice, but these are the 4 exercises that I'm working on right now. I struggle with all of them, but as I even with a few days of practice I notice improvement already. Bit by bit they're getting better.

Although I want to be successful right now in all these moves, I'm finally taking the time to enjoy the process of practicing my exercises and seeing myself improve.

It's no longer about the number. It really is about working to reach my potential. What more of a confidence booster could you ask for?

Easier than I Thought

I really have found that on days when I intend to workout in the morning, the best strategy is to wake up and put on my gym clothes. Otherwise, it gets hard to motivate getting out of the door, even if I really do want to get to the gym. This morning, of all the things to distract me from getting out the door, it was reading blogs that made me feel like making a cup of coffee and just catching up on reading and commenting.

Luckily I put that thought on hold - had a banana and 2 dates, put on my gym gear, grabbed a change of clothes and headed out. I had a simple workout planned for this morning - C25K Week 3 Day 3. The dreaded 3-minute run of week 3 has definitely become easier. I increased my 3-min run speed to 7.7 km/hr and my 90 sec run speed to 8 km/hr. I didn't struggle with the pace. What's still a bit challenging is keeping going for that long (3 min, not 90 sec. The 90 sec is easy now). Still, I got it done. I've improved my distance with each running session.

I'm a bit annoyed with the fact that I still dread going for a run (parts of a run), especially when this is something that I actually want to do ... how can those two opposing feelings exist? I don't know. All I know is that when those feelings of dread (it's really that fear of failure that's popping up again) come up, I tell myself - If you want this, you gotta do the work. So I did.

My goal is to try and complete Week 4 while I'm in Italy. I know I'll be gone for 2 weeks, but I think it may be too ambitious to try to complete both Weeks 4 & 5 while being away. I'll be satisfied if I just finish the 3 days of running while I'm on holiday.

I got a chance to relax a bit this afternoon, and for the first time this summer, I finally felt like I was on vacation. It was a good feeling!

Later in the afternoon I headed to the CrossFit Box. We had a good session today. We mainly focused on core work versus strength. It was a nice change of pace (though we were still panting and sweating at the end of the WOD!)

Warm-up
200 jump rope skips (Getting easy now! I should attempt double unders soon.)
Dynamic stretches

Strength focus
Military shoulder press -- you take the barbell and press straight up over your head without using your knees to help you push the bar up
5 sets of 5 reps
I was the only one to manage 2 straight sets with 25 kg weights :)

WOD
15 minutes AMRAP
8 pull ups
10 jump squats
12 hanging leg raises

Doesn't sound like much, right. Try it for 15 minutes straight and then judge!

Ran into a friend that I hadn't seen in almost 2 months and he said that I looked like I had lost quite a bit of weight -- I can never get tired of hearing that statement! :)

Bits and Pieces

After I have a meltdown like I did on Saturday, everything looks bleak and I often feel like I just won't be able to get out of that funk ... and then I see something like this {I tried to embed the video - didn't work! Do take a moment to click on the hyperlink and watch it on YouTube.}


The CrossFit Games
The CrossFit Games took place this past weekend. I wasn't able to watch it live (because of the 10 hour time difference) but I watched most of it via YouTube and the videos on the crossfit. com. Talk about getting the motivation to bury those voices of self-doubt and pick yourself up again!

I took away several things from that video clip:
1. Wow - look at their strength
2. Imagine how hard they had to work to get to where they are
3. Damn, I do a lot of those exercises; granted, not at that weight or at that speed, but still, I do them
4. Not all the competitors go continuously; they need to stop and rest too
5. It's all about giving it your all and finishing - the support from the crowd for the last competitor was fantastic

It definitely gave me an extra bit of confidence that I needed. Does CrossFit still intimidate me? Hell ya.  Will I give up? Absolutely not!


My CrossFit Progress
The cardio aspect is actually really tough - all that jumping around, box jumps and burpees in particular, but it's getting better.

I am now in the advanced group of CrossFitters. I had my first advanced class yesterday. It's a much smaller group which is nice because we get more focused attention (torture) and we can work on technique. The workouts are brutal, but they're invigorating too! I was especially giddy after yesterday's session because of my 100 kg. (220 lbs.) dead lift record! Yay!! Our Coach hit a personal best herself yesterday too - 120 kg!!! Wow!!! I teased her and said it was comforting to know that in case of an emergency she could just pick a few of us up and rush us to safety ;)

My jump rope skips are definitely improving. Yesterday we were supposed to jump for 2 min straight. I got to 1 min 55 sec before the damn rope got caught in my shoe! Arrgh! Before I was proud when I got to 1 min straight; to be at almost 2 min feels great.


C25K
I'm progressing through C25K really, really slowly, but I'm still doing it. I finished Day 2 of Week 3 on Sunday. I upped my speed just a little and kept it at a 0.2% incline throughout. The 3-min running stretches aren't horrible; I know any difficulty I feel with it is really in my head. You can read about my progress here. I hope to finish the last day before I travel and then hopefully do at least week 4 while I'm away.

Back in April I signed up for a 10km which was to be held on November 23. On Saturday I got an email saying that it has been rescheduled to October 27. They said you could request a refund if you wanted ... I have to admit that I felt like canceling for a second. I mean, that's pretty much 1 month earlier. I'm having enough trouble just getting to 1km now - will I be ready for 10km by the end of October? I decided to just stick with it anyway. If I feel completely unprepared by the time of the race, then I can always bow out - but for right now, I'm challenging myself to step it up. Update: I just received an email saying that the race is now on November 3rd. {Don't know why they keep changing their mind!} At least that buys me another week. I'm going to keep on training and hope that I'm ready on the day of the race.


Other Fitness
I'm totally behind in my boxing workouts, but I hope that I can get at least one session in tomorrow. My arms have been so sore from CrossFit. I don't want to overdo it, but I also don't want to let go of the boxing. It's SO cathartic!!

I haven't made it to a single Body Balance/Yoga/Pilates class. The scheduling is all off because of the summer and I've just been too busy. I really do need to make some time to do some stretching and relaxation though. I think it'll help me keep my focus more when it comes to CrossFit.

I've been wanting to go swimming for ages, and today, I finally made it to the pool! I did 20 laps. It felt really good to be in the water. My arms were still pretty tired, but I also felt like the different movement and the resistance of the water did me some good. Although I had a ton of errands to run today, I did take 20-minutes to soak up some sun :)

Life
My main mission for today was to get rid of all the snacks and munchies that were in the house from the time my parents were here. Yesterday I mindlessly sat down with a bag of crisps - I seriously cannot have that stuff in the house! So I packed everything together in a bag and gave them to my housekeeper today. I feel better now that all that stuff is out of the house!

I got my visa for Italy :) Now I can finally start really getting excited for the trip.

I've steadily been making my way through my to-do list. The heat has been brutal though, and even though I'm driving around in my air conditioned car, the sun is merciless. It's in the 50's everyday (120's Fahrenheit). There's only so much an A/C can do!  I'm just glad there's hardly any humidity. We may burn as we walk from the house to the car, but at least we don't sweat that much! I made the mistake of leaving the house without any water today -- I definitely won't make that mistake tomorrow!

One Day to the Next

You know how yesterday I decided to just go with the flow and relax at home with my parents ... well, today was the opposite when it came to relaxation.

I was up and out of the house at 7:45 a.m. getting errands done. I picked my parents up at 9 a.m. and then started off to try and get mom's paperwork sorted out some more ... it was insanely stressful and tedious and we didn't get anything done. In fact, more obstacles were put our way. By the time we got home at 12 p.m. we were all wiped out and demoralized.

I had a quick lunch - my summer salad (it's so filling and refreshing) - made the same for my parents but wrapped them (with love) in a jalapeno-cilantro tortilla to give them a more fulfilling lunch (my dad doesn't think a salad on its own is a proper meal lol). Then we headed out to do one more errand.

By the time I got home, I was so tired and drained ... I really did want to go to the gym, but I was having difficulty finding the strength to actually move. Plus as we were headed home Mom asked me to stay back because she was enjoying the time with me ... dilemma!

I knew that if I didn't go to the gym I'd feel really, really bad. I feel like I'm so behind on my fitness goals for this summer that taking a day off wasn't really an option. So, I told her I'd just do a quick workout and then head home. Of course she was fine with it - though I still felt guilty after I left the house.

I am so behind my C25K routine! I knew that that was what I should be doing at the gym today, but I couldn't bring myself to do it -- I didn't feel like running and of course the idea of the first 3-min straight run was intimidating me beyond belief.

So, I got on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I really did not feel like being there. I was uninterested in walking and even my music wasn't helping me pick up my step. However, as I reached minute 16, I started to feel a bit better. I finished 3 km and then decided, y'know what, I'm going to start Week 3. I can't put it off any longer. If I want to run the 10 km I've got to push through this mental block.

I went upstairs to the women's only section of the gym (I like the privacy when I'm running because I feel so self-conscious and unsure about my running) and started.

It went fine. The most difficult thing for me to deal with was the constant mental struggle - battling the 'you can do this' and 'OMG I want to stop' voices.

I wish my mind would just shut up!

Anyway.

I did it! It went well. I didn't feel terribly winded or anything. I just followed the program and got it done. Gosh - I can be such a drama queen! I hope I don't freak myself out when it comes to doing Day 2! {Full C25K progress reports here}

On the Move

I didn't get to sleep until late last night (again). What is wrong with me? Is it still jet-lag? Vacation mode? Too lazy to go to bed (does that even make sense?). Or perhaps it's just because all I really want to do is park myself on the sofa and watch continuous episodes of Grey's Anatomy - after all, that is what I was doing until almost 2 a.m.

It wouldn't be so bad, but I was up by 6. So much for trying to reach my goal of 6 hours of sleep/night!

It was a busy, busy day mainly filled with errands to run for my parents. Their move is stressing me out in more ways than one, but I know that they are mega-stressed too, so anything I can do to help them out, I'll do it!

I did take an hour break to have coffee with some friends. I would have stayed longer but I started to get antsy about the errands I had to do. Plus I still hadn't made it to the gym so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get a workout in.

I was waiting for a few deliveries at home this afternoon so I thought I would get a head start preparing dinner. I recently bought The Big Book of Food and Nutrition (Men's Health) and they've got lots of great recipes in a section called '100 of the healthiest meals on the planet.' I want to try them all out!

Today I made Pinto-Sized Shrimp Salad.
This is what it looked like -

Not bad, huh? (It bugs me that the purple leaf on the plate is not centered on top. I'm trying to let it go ... I tried to rotate the photo, but that didn't work. I've already eaten the salad otherwise I would have taken the photo again -- ok. Breathe. Let it go.)

It took some time to prepare - chopping up the bell peppers and marinating the shrimp, but it was worth it. My favorite part was the jalapeno-lime dressing that goes with it. Yum! I'll be sure to post the recipe soon.

So did I make it to the gym? Yes :)

I did Day 3 of Week 2 in the C25K program. I was quite achy and sore from yesterday and I wasn't sure it was a good idea to do the program two days in a row ... but then I thought, why not? It's only 33 minutes of cardio.

I'm glad I did it. The session was much better than yesterday's. You can read about it here.

After that I rushed to Zumba class to get a bit of ass shaking in before dragging my tired/sore ass home to put the finishing touches on the salad.

*sigh*

Busy but satisfying day.

Small Steps (and High Heels)

It's taking me longer than I thought to adjust to being back - both in terms of jet lag and in terms of coping with my new schedule, or more accurately, lack of a schedule. It feels weird not having to do anything. I mean, I've got tons to do, but I don't have to do anything. I can spend the whole day sleeping if I want. I'm definitely not used to that kind of 'freedom.'

I think this week is going to be a continuation of easing into my routine. I don't think I'll be in any set routine until after my parents leave for Bangladesh at the end of this month because there are so many errands I need to help them with plus all the packing to do. I'll have to get my exercise in when I can.

Today was a cardio focus day - I did Week 2 Day 2 of C25K. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get through it, mainly because I am so sore after yesterday's workouts. Still, I pushed through and I didn't do too horribly. I'm just working on getting through each set program before worrying about speed. I'm also trying not to think too far ahead. I know that  longer run will be coming up next week. What I don't know is why I'm trying to psych myself out of it when I haven't even hit that task yet ... talk about worrying too much! [Details about my entire C25K journey are here.]

I'm just taking it one step at a time ... and when I'm not at the gym (by the way, today I tried out the new pair of running shoes that I bought in Mexico - they're awesome!) I'm out and about in the lovely shoes that I've been lucky to have received/bought over the past two months. These pictures are especially for Nanette! They're how I rewarded myself (and was rewarded) for my PhD and Mexico conference success :)

United Nude has become one of my Top 5 Favorite shoe brands, mainly because of their funky designs. The heel designs are awesome and they're super comfortable!

I wore these blue ones for the first time tonight - so comfortable!! Great for summer :)

Another weakness of mine is Steve Madden - loved these polka dots!

I love the color combination in this pair of Jessica Simpson heels!

Some of my friends bought me this pair as a PhD present - they know how to make me smile!! :)

 I found out the city I was in for the conference was the shoe capital of Mexico! :)

I tell you - just when I think I may have enough shoes, I see another pair and I can't help but smile.
My name is PlumPetals, and I'm a Shoe-A-Holic!!

Ready for Summer Challenge Summary

I loved this challenge! The best part for sure was 'meeting' so many new bloggers and having the opportunity to share their journey with them. It's been amazing. Like I wrote in an earlier post, I never thought having a blog about health and fitness would be so rewarding!

So, it's the end of the challenge - how did I do?

I have to say that I didn't hit all my goals. That is definitely very frustrating because it makes me think, if I had 10 weeks to sit down and focus on reaching my goals and I couldn't do it - will I ever be able to?

I think a bit of self-criticism is good. I'm very glad that the voices of self-hate are slowly being silenced and I'm not longer saying to myself 'You're such a failure/loser. You tried to lose x amount of weight in this period of time and you couldn't do it!' No. No more of that. However, I do realize that I have a long way to go and a lot of work to do.

Anyway. I ended the challenge 12 lbs lighter than when I started - that's 3 lbs shy of my goal. I think I've done an excellent job with my exercise. My main focus now has to be nutrition. I need to be more watchful of what and how much I eat. That's going to be my main focus for the next challenge. I'm updating this on my phone so I'm going to save proper Summer Sizzle post later. I'm absolutely exhausted.

Got back from Abu Dhabi this evening and I'm back at the airport less than 6 hours later for my flight to Mexico! I apologize for the sporadic posts over the next few days while I'm traveling. Oh just one more thing, I did workout while in Abu Dhabi - weights & C25K week 2 day 1 :)

Finishing Up the Week

I've done really well this week in terms of hitting my exercise goals. The only thing I had left was my C25K workout - week 1 day 3.

This morning I completed the session. I have to say, I felt great! I didn't feel that mental dread that I felt during the previous two sessions. Instead, I felt well rested and eager to complete the week. It was great to feel the short running intervals were already getting easier! More details about my C25K progress here.

I skipped Body Combat to do the C25K program and after that I headed down to the Body Pump studio. I lessened my weights for the chest and triceps track by 1 kg just because my right arm/shoulder is still a bit sore. My instructor reckons my rotator cuff is inflamed. It's a good thing I'm going on holiday now because my body sure could use the rest!

I headed to Zumba right after Body Pump but unfortunately not enough people showed up for the class for them to hold the session. Too bad :( I had really been looking forward to the class since I haven't had time to attend lately, especially because of the CrossFit sessions. Oh well. Hopefully I can rejoin after I return from my holiday.

The rest of the day was spent packing and being pampered at the salon. It felt great to relax after a hectic week ... and tomorrow I'm off to Abu Dhabi! I can't wait :)

Triple Play

I still haven't figured out my sleep patterns yet. I know a lot of people who say that they can't function on less than 8 hours of sleep. Honestly, I can't imagine getting 8 hours of sleep on a daily basis - a DAILY basis! I've pretty much been good with 4-5 hours, though now I'm realizing that 6 is probably ideal for me. I do go through some periods when I am utterly exhausted and sleep for hours on end, but those occasions are rare. In any case, my point is - I went to be early yesterday, hoping to get 8-9 hours of sleep. After 6 hours I was already awake. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. Even though it was only 4:30 a.m., I got up. It's usually distracting thoughts that keep me awake -- and this morning my thoughts were about my workouts for the day.

Earlier this week I made a list of the workouts that I wanted to accomplish for the week. I didn't schedule them for any set days because I knew my week was going to be quite hectic. However, I did know that I'd have to do some planning in order to get them all done. Taking yesterday off from the gym and rushing through my workout on Sunday left me feeling a bit anxious - will I be able to complete everything?

It's those thoughts that kept me from falling back asleep. I was to have breakfast with a friend at 9, so that meant that I'd need to be at the gym early if I wanted to complete both a weight training workout plus cardio.

I was at the gym by 6:15 this morning. I had a lot I wanted to get through.

Workout 1: Weights
I am very happy and proud to say that today I finished the last workout of the New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROL4W). I'll write a separate post about the program itself. All I'll say for now is that it was a 7 stage program that I started in July last year. Today marked the final workout, and I am super, super proud of myself for starting something and actually finishing it! Now I need to figure out what kind of weight training I'll do next!

Workout 2: Cardio
This morning I also did Day 2 of Week 1 in C25K. I just really want to finish the first week of the program before Saturday, so I've got to figure out when I'll squeeze in that final day. I'm updating my C25K stats here.

Workout 3: CrossFit
Yes. I was 3/3 today. My goal was to complete 2 CrossFit sessions this week. I knew I had to go to today's session because the chance of me making it to tomorrow's session is slim. Pre-travel errands always get in the way. Today's session was really good. Our WOD was AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 15 minutes -- 10 deadlifts (40 kg/88 lbs.)), 10 box jumps, 10 plyo side to side push-ups, 10 hanging leg raises, and 20 ab crunches. I managed to complete 6 rounds.

I didn't feel too bad at all after the three workouts. I'm really pleased that I got them all in. Now I've just got one more session of C25K to do this week and I'll have hit my goals :)

Cement Feet

I slept through my alarm today, and the only reason I got out of bed when D did is because the housekeeper was coming in today and I wanted to tidy up (lol) before she got here (I know, sounds crazy, but I knew she'd faint if she saw my mountain of laundry that had not been put away)! Actually, one of the reasons why I didn't feel guilty about skipping the gym yesterday is because I knew I'd have the house to myself, unlike today when the housekeeper would be in. I generally don't like to be in the house while she's here, so it was a bit of extra motivation to get out of the house and go to the gym.

I put on my gym clothes but remembered that I needed to fill in my online visa application for the UAE. It took an hour to complete. By the time I was done, I so did not want to go to the gym. I just didn't. I'm still feeling tired and lethargic - what the hell is wrong with me?! I really cannot understand my mood lately.

I finally made it to the gym but I had 0 enthusiasm or motivation. When I bumped into KD (the body pump instructor) she said she was surprised. "I've never seen you like this." She couldn't believe it. One I'm at the gym, I usually get into the swing of things. Not today. I was literally dragging my feet that felt like they were made of cement.

Two other trainers also noticed the difference in my demeanor and enthusiasm -- they all reckoned (as did D) that I've underestimated what a toll the past 5 years of research has been. My body is telling me to slow down. The trainers were trying to reassure me that I should take it easy. Resting would do me good. Sleep. Eat. Slow down. Everything will be there after you've rested and eaten properly.

It makes sense to me, but I find it hard to pay attention to that kind of advice when I've got certain goals I want to hit. Knowing that I'm traveling again is both good and bad. Good in that I know I want to get in as many good workouts as I can before I travel because I probably won't be exercising while I'm away. Bad in that I just don't feel like I can get into a good groove when I'll be off sync again, so why bother.

My mind never rests. Ugh.

Plus, to add to this feeling of dread, little things were going 'wrong' -

Got on the treadmill - realized I had forgotten to put on my heart rate monitor.
Put on my heart rate monitor - a minute or so later the sensor stopped working and my heart rate didn't register.
As I got to the end of my warm-up, I pressed the button to decrease my speed and the touch screen had stopped working.

OMG - I was so frustrated. I kept thinking that if one more thing went wrong, I'd just pack my stuff up and go home. (Though I also realize that my mind greatly exaggerated the annoyance factor of these incidences. My mind was really messing with me today!) Anyway.

I managed to do 1/2 km warm-up followed by Workout 4 of Stage 7 in NROL4W - squats (2 types), shoulder presses, step ups (ugh), and lateral pulls.

I kept telling myself - Come on. You can do this. Don't give up.

It was hard though. I struggled. I had to talk myself into doing each rep. It was such a mental battle today. I've never had to convince myself so much to get a workout done. Although I was pleased that I finished the whole thing, part of me still felt detached and was like, 'Whatever. I'm tired. I just want to go home.'

I had wanted to start the C25K program today, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to. Still, as I finished up my last set of weights I told myself -


Stop whining. Get on the treadmill and do this!

The post that Blog Wobble wrote yesterday really helped me get through the workout. (Thank you!!!) I kept telling myself, for goodness sake, it's day 1. You can totally do this. You're just making it more difficult for yourself.

So I did it. I didn't have any problems, but today was definitely a mind over matter type of day. I had to talk myself through the whole process (don't give up, just keep moving, this is not difficult, only 30 seconds left etc. etc.) In any case, I finished Day 1. Now I just have to keep moving forward and hope that my mind catches up.