Friday Five

I'm back! I've actually been back for a while now but I just haven't been able to bring myself to blog or get on the computer. I figure Friday Five is the best way to kinda catch up on what's been going on with me lately.

1) My Dallas trip - Flying to the States for only 5 days was quite a long journey to make. Still, the conference was really good and my presentation went well. I got to meet up with some friends -- including a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in 23 years (yes, that's right, 23!!!). We were separated during the 1990/1991 Gulf invasion/war ... and thanks to Facebook we were able to reconnect. Since he lived in Dallas he came to visit me. You'd think that after 23 years we'd struggle to find anything to talk about, but the 2 hours we spent together were great! It was quite a treat :)

I went to the gym only once while I was there, but I walked outdoors every single day. It was nice to take advantage of the fresh air and at least some greener/scenery - a good change from Kuwait.

I managed to stay on target with the Whole Life Challenge on all the days except for the last day which is when I was traveling back to Kuwait - no way to properly plan - a 10 hour flight, a 14 hour layover, followed by another 6 hour flight. I didn't eat badly (though I did have a slice of carrot cake in London when I was catching up with a friend; didn't finish it though coz' it wasn't that good) but I didn't follow the plan exactly. The challenge is about being aware of the choices you are making. Given the circumstances, I did the best I could.

Me in Dallas, TX (March 2013)

On my first day I ordered an egg white and spinach omelet (it came with mushrooms and tomatoes); when I asked them not to bring any bread they surprised me with 3 bananas! The bananas were my breakfast for the following 3 days :)

2) General Thoughts about Eating - There were 2 days in Dallas where I ate badly ... badly in the sense that because I wanted to stay on track I only had a banana and 2 dates plus maybe a handful of nuts all day; on one of those days I also had a plain grilled piece of salmon. I felt sick.

It was stupid of me to do that. I know the purpose of the challenge is not to starve yourself because that's not healthy. Still, I couldn't bring myself to eat anything that was off plan. It was stubbornness and stupidness on my part. I should have eaten.

Food = fuel. No food = no fuel = crankiness, dizziness, and general yuckiness!

As I said, it wasn't smart.

As soon as I got home I got back on track. Cleaner than clean eating; making sure I ate properly and ate to fuel my body. It's been much better.

However, before I got to that point, I hit a really low point. (This is kinda linked to #3.) I don't know if it was jet lag, the long travel, getting my period, or the general depression that I was feeling, but my body felt sick. My body felt hungry and starved for energy. I couldn't really put my finger on it and that's when I decided that I needed to eat something and I mean really eat something -- not a binge, not a treat, just food that I wanted.

By the way, upon returning from my trip, I weighed myself the morning I arrived and saw that I had gained 3 kg (6.5 lbs). Again, I don't know if it's because of all the factors I mentioned above, but those were the facts and it pissed me off. Could one day of bad eating really have caused that gain?

I went through a really frustrating few days. I was just feeling off ... and that's when I ate. That morning I had a coffee (with milk); I had an omelet for breakfast, a salad for lunch, another salad for dinner, but then I had 2 mini sliders, including the bread, plus I had a brownie for dessert. (The foods I underlined are the ones that weren't whole life challenge friendly)

I didn't feel guilty about it at all. In fact, I really enjoyed my meals and I felt good. It really felt like that was what I needed.

When I woke up the next day, I felt great. I think part of my funk was low blood sugar and general low blood pressure. In any case, after I ate that meal, I felt really good and I was ready to attack the last 3 weeks of the Whole Life Challenge.

Since that day I've been totally on point. I've lost the 3 kg; in fact, I've lost 4.5 kg (10 lbs).

 One of my latest salad creations - featuring grilled chicken, baked tomatoes, and French beans -- recipe coming soon, I promise!

3) My Mental State - I have not been in a good state mentally. I really feel like I've been in quite a funk since the end of February when my kickboxing trainer went on vacation. Without a routine and with a 10-day holiday, I just didn't seem to be able to find my own footing. I was exercising daily, and I was sticking to the Whole Life Challenge, but my body wasn't responding ... and for sure my mind wasn't focused at all. There were a lot of things going on in my mind - partly to do with negative self-image, stress about what to do with my training, stress about my upcoming trip, wondering what to do next with work ... and then most of all, an upcoming 'anniversary' of a really traumatic event in my past. I don't like to give the date any significance and I try not to think about it ... but inevitably it seems like around this time of year, my mind really takes over my body and I just start to shut down. My insomnia was back. My stress levels were through the roof. My anxiety was out of control.

I was miserable. I really do think that was part of my weight gain. Not that I was eating out of misery - in fact, I didn't touch a single thing during even my worst bouts of depression. I exercised daily and I ate right ... but my body just seemed to be holding on to my fat - perhaps as a type of insulation against all that shit that was surrounding me.

I don't know. All I know is that once things started settling down in my mind, the weight started to come off and I was feeling lighter - lighter in the sense of no burden on my shoulders as well as physically lighter.

I think sometimes it just happens that way.


4) Getting Back into It - I landed in Kuwait at 7 a.m. on Thursday (March 21), came home from the airport, showered, changed, and went straight to work to teach my 10 a.m. class. That day I was totally shattered, but I made sure not to nap. My main task was to go to the grocery store and make sure my fridge was restocked with all the necessities. I did my minimum 10 minutes of stretching and 10 minutes of workout as needed by the challenge and that was it.

I thought that I the jet lag would really drag me down (given that I was dealing with an 8-hour difference) but I think I've just been so crazy busy lately that I didn't suffer from any jet lag at all!

Here's what I've been doing:

Friday: 3 km walk
Saturday: 1 hour yoga on the beach; 1 hour spinning class
Sunday: cardio, MMA training, & weights in the morning; 1 hour spinning class in the evening
Monday: 100 burpees plus other conditioning exercises in the morning; CrossFit in the evening (yes, I restarted CrossFit)
Tuesday: cardio, MMA training, & weights in the morning; 1 hour spinning class in the evening
Wednesday: Day 2 of Week 7 of C25K which means 26 minutes straight of running (felt awesome!!!); CrossFit in the evening
Thursday: cardio, MMA training, & weights in the morning; 1 hour spinning class in the evening
Friday (today): 2 hour outdoor bootcamp (featuring yoga, Zumba, core/conditioning exercises, and some fitness challenges)

So as you can see, I have been BUSY and I feel great. The exercise has helped elevate my mood and of course it's also helped me drop the weight. I actually wasn't exercising to lose the weight. I was just enjoying getting back into a routine and being active. I'm feeling much, much better. Whew!

Here are a few fitness pix from throughout the week:

MMA training - working on my elbows and right crosses & testing out my new UFC 4 oz. gloves - love them!!

I was very proud of my 3 sets of 10 reps of 50 kg (110 lb) front squats

Tire Flips at CrossFit Q8 (so good to be back!)

My prep for this morning's boot camp & a few pix from the workout (that's me in the front with the light purple top - shakin' my ass!) :) 

5) My Goal in terms of Moving Forward: 

(I'll be visiting your blogs and commenting soon!!)

Wednesdays are My Chill Day

I love that I don't teach on most Wednesdays this semester. It's kinda like a surprise treat in the middle of the week - a day off, then one more day of teaching, and then the weekend.

I had a late night last night so it was kinda nice to get another hour or two extra of sleep (meaning up at 6:45 instead of 4:45 a.m.). The only problem I have with 'lazing' around is that it makes me more lazy and I really don't want to get out of bed.

I've decided to take it easy on Wednesday mornings - spend a bit of time at home, doing things in the house, reading a bit, catching up on blogs etc.

I got to the gym around 9:30 a.m. and just chilled with some of my friends before the 10 a.m. Body Balance class.

Me in the Body Balance studio before class

I took some time to catch up on some reading for my upcoming paper and enjoy the sunshine at the cafe at our gym after showering and changing. I wasn't sure what to do for lunch because I realized that I hadn't made an extra portion of dinner last night, so I decided to grab a salad - their broiled shrimp avocado salad is delicious (no dressing) - and have it at home. Not having to frantically worry about cooking lunch and preparing meals was the highlight of my chill day!

Last week I found out that there was a Zumba class being held in the studio where I do my cardio kickboxing. The class is from 5-6, and it is taught by the person who introduced Zumba to Kuwait. I had been dying to meet her for ages (and I found out she's actually married to one of my classmates, who happens to be the guy who owns the gym where I do my kickboxing) ... Since I really miss doing Zumba and can't fit in the classes that are at my regular gym into my current schedule, I decided to try it out.

It was AMAZING. Her class was way better than any other that I've attended. She's got a fabulous energy about her. I felt a bit stiff since I really haven't done any Zumba since October, but I caught on and did pretty well for my first class with her choreography - I think.

I was dripping with sweat by the time class was over, and although Marc said I didn't need to warm-up with the kickboxing group since I was already warmed up, I did their warm-up anyway.

Had a great kickboxing class, and by the time I was done, I was more than ready to be home, in my pjs, and in bed!!


Today's Workout
Cardio: Zumba class (1 hour)
MMA: Cardio kickboxing (1 hour)
Stretching: Body Balance class (1 hour)
Burpees: 40 {challenge total: 960}

Today's Food
Breakfast: 3 egg muffins & half an avocado
Lunch: Broiled shrimp and avocado salad (from the PQ)
Dinner: White fish with half a sweet potato and legumes
Snacks: 4 dates - eaten throughout the day - and 1/4 cup of mixed nuts and raisins


It was a satisfying day :)

Stressful Day

I've had another incredibly hectic day.

I was up at 2:00 a.m. (only 3 hours of sleep) mainly because I was stressed/anxious about things that I had to do during the day --- partly related to work (papers to grade/presentation to prepare) but mostly related to my dad's hospital visit. I couldn't stay in bed so I just started my day just after 2 a.m.

The good news is that everything that needed to get done today did get done. However, it came with a lot of stress and anxiety throughout the day.

I spent 4 hours with my father at the hospital. He's doing ok, but he could be better. On our way home, as he was coming up the stairs, he fell.

I'm not a parent, so I don't know how it feels to see your child get hurt ... but what I do know is that when I saw my father on the ground, my heart hurt so much - it was unbearable. I immediately ran to him and helped him up. He was quite shaken and unfortunately also cut up and bruised a bit. We cleaned up the cuts and I bandaged him up ... but I was shaken for the rest of the day. I didn't want to let him out of my site. Strange how the roles reverse as we get older ...

By 3 p.m. I was so exhausted that my body was hurting and shaking from lack of sleep and stress. I tried to lie down for a bit and did doze for a few minutes ... but it wasn't enough.

My biggest worry - I wanted to get a workout in, but would I be able to?

After de-stressing a bit with D, I pulled myself together and got in a Zumba workout. I felt much better after that - a good ass-shaking usually does that.

Despite all the stress I felt today, not once did I think about turning to food to help me cope. There's nothing that food would do to help make my day any easier ... I just stuck to my usual plan. It's starting to feel normal for me now, and that definitely feels good. I didn't have much of an appetite, but I made sure I ate. I don't want to get into the bad habit of skipping meals and letting my emotions dictate how and what I eat. Stuff happens all the time; I just gotta learn how to deal with it in a normal way. No more excuses. I'm enjoying my newfound health and wellbeing way too much to throw it away.

It's Official!!

I spent the last 2 days dancing my ass off and training ... to become a Zumba instructor!!!

Day 1 Zumba training:

Day 2 Zumba training:

Officially a Zumba Instructor! 

This was the best birthday present ever!!! Can't wait to teach my first class :)

Getting to It

The past 8 months have been filled with so many big distractions. It's been tough to follow a steady routine. I've pretty much come to accept that my 'normal' routine is one that has to make accommodations for unexpected events. Unexpected events always happen -- so my new plan needs to make allowances for these so that I don't get completely thrown off track.

I don't think I've done too horribly, but I know that I haven't performed as well as I would have liked to. I started this blog on July 12, 2011 - just over a year ago. I definitely thought I would have lost more weight by now. I've only lost 7 kg (15 lbs) in total. I've gained and lost the same few kilos over and over again. It's so frustrating. I could lament over this, but I know that'll do me no good. The positives -- I've dropped 2 dress sizes and I'm so much stronger than I ever thought I'd be. Those are the good things. Now I've got to focus on how to really move forward.

I know I've put in the time at the gym, but I really need to focus on my food. My sweet tooth is a killer, and the fact that I haven't measured my food properly with a measuring cup/scale is showing up on the weighing machine. My estimates aren't good enough. I've got to be more careful.

I only have about a week before I travel again. I can't wait for my trip, but at the same time I really wish I had a bit more time to collect myself before rushing off again. Still - gotta focus on the positive stuff. No more complaining!

So, my parents are gone (they've landed safely), and now it's time to tackle all the other stuff that I've been putting off in my own life.

First stop - the gym!

I did 5 km on the treadmill - a mixture of jogging and walking. I didn't have a set plan; I just wanted to finish 5 km. Zumba class was on at 12, but since it's summertime and people would rather lay by the pool (or have traveled for the summer), there was no guarantee that there would be class. My backup plan was to walk another 5 km if we didn't have class -- luckily we did :)

I spent the rest of the day tidying up a little and doing a bit of work. I hope that I can make the most of this next week. I think that it'll be quite hectic, but what else is new in my life!?! I can relax once I'm in Italy! 

A Bit of Movement & A Bit of Rest

I hate it when I sleep in a little (until 8 am) on the weekends and I wake up still feeling tired. I guess I could have slept more, but I also knew I had a few tasks to tackle today. So, up and at 'em. Did a few errands and then headed to the gym.

My workout goal for the day was to do some cardio. I haven't been doing nearly enough cardio lately and I need to work on getting more hours in. What I really wanted to do today was Zumba. I haven't been to Zumba class in ages, and I really felt that with all the stress of everything that's been going on, shaking it out to some good Latin beats is what I needed.

I put on my Zumba shoes and my 'Show me Some Zumba Love' t-shirt and was ready to go. When the instructor saw me she was like - OMG. I hope enough people show up for the class!! - Lately, they haven't been having enough people to hold classes (they need at least 3). This is what happens when summer rolls around. People are either on vacation or they'd rather be lounging by the pool than sweating it out in the studio. So I had to wait and see if anybody else would show up.

I got on the treadmill and completed 2 km before she came to get me to tell me we had 3 people - Hooray! :) It was a good class - a bit strange with only 3 of us there, but I didn't care. I just wanted to shake off all the stress I've been feeling lately and have some fun - definitely a great way to burn some calories :)

Got home, had lunch, and then took a lovely almost 2-hr nap on the sofa  and watched Wimbledon. It was a good Friday for me!

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.

Getting To It and SSSD Update

I started back at the gym today. It felt good to be back though I could have used a few more hours of sleep before doing my workouts. Still, I wanted to do the Body Pump and Zumba classes which meant getting to the gym by 8:30 a.m.

I used slightly lighter weights for Body Pump today - I haven't done the class in just over two weeks plus my right arm/shoulder is still feeling a bit sore so I didn't want to push it. The class was mainly help me warm my muscles up since it's been a while! I don't want my body to go into complete shock once I get back to CrossFit!

I then went to Zumba, which I also haven't done in about two weeks. I have missed that class!! I forgot how much fun I have dancing. At first I was a bit stiff plus there were a number of new songs that I didn't know ... still, once I warmed up, I was good to go! Shakin' my ass like it was nobody's business ;)

I did absolutely nothing for the rest of the day. I just vegged in front of the TV watching Season 7 of Grey's Anatomy (yes, I'm really behind!). The best part about having the hubby home on a day like this is that when the DVD was over, I just had to text him to come and change the disc for me. Yes, I was that lazy today! :) [He's such a sweetheart for indulging me like this - as long as I don't make a habit of it!]

So, on to the SSSD update:

I haven't even been back a full week so I've only been doing the challenge for 6 days. Plus I gave myself the week off from exercise, so as you can imagine, getting in 6 hours of activity was not easy. Still, this is what I did accomplish:

Weight
I have no set goal of weight loss on a weekly basis. I do know that I want to lose 7 kg (15 lbs) by July 22) so I'm just going to keep working towards that.

This week: Lost 2 lbs (which is not bad considering it hasn't even been a full week!) 

Tracking Calories
Tuesday-Friday I tracked everything I ate. Laziness got the best of me yesterday and today.
Although tracking was the challenge for week 1, it is something that I want to continue as best as possible for the rest of the challenge. It really does come in handy.

Reflections on Food
Damn those carbs! Yesterday and today I ate too many carbs and too much salt. These are the two things that really affect me badly. I need to totally cut them down this upcoming week.
Water intake is good but I'm not back up to my normal intake yet. I think this will change once my exercise routine is back in play.

Exercise
The challenge for week 2 was to get 6 hours of exercise. I did 2 hours at the gym today and I'd say another 2 hours of other types of 'more than normal' activity - the running around/packing/moving with my parents. So I think I can safely say that I did 4 hours this week. I'm not obsessing over the number because it was my week off ... I'm sure I'll hit 6 hours this upcoming week. It'll be another goal that I'll try to maintain throughout the challenge.

My plan for the upcoming week - get in at least

• 1 swim 
• 1 boxing lesson
• 2 CrossFit sessions
• 2 C25K sessions
• 1 free weights session
• 1 body balance/yoga/pilates class

Ambitious, isn't it? Fingers crossed I can get them all done!

Challenge for this week: Try a new exercise/gym equipment
Hmmmm I'm not sure what I'll try this week. There aren't too many things that I haven't tried at the gym. I'll hunt around and see what I find and let you know in next week's update!

Back into It

Friday schedule: Body Combat, Body Pump, Zumba - 3 hours back to back; 1350 calories burned.

At first I felt hesitant about whether or not I should do all three classes, but I've learned from the past that this hesitation needs to just be kicked in the ass! 

It felt good to be back in the gym and doing the workouts again. 

In particular, the highlight of my day was going into the Body Pump studio to find this on my bench (sorry for the blurry photo): 

There was also a doctor's coat on my bench. KD, the Body Pump instructor, pulled me to the front of the class (OMG I was so shy and totally blushing!!) and congratulated me - it was so sweet though and presented me with the doctor's coat. Everyone applauded and congratulated me. I was embarrassed but happy at the same time :) We did clarify that I had not become a medical doctor, but I did wear the coat for a few minutes of the warm-up track (made even harder to get on and pull off coz' I was so sweaty from Body Combat). Here's a photo that we quickly took after the workout (at this point I had completed 2 classes, so excuse the dazed/sweaty look, lol): 

In yesterday's post I was wondering about whether or not I should do CrossFit because I still haven't finished NROL4W. I'm almost done with the New Rules program though so I've decided that I'll start CrossFit training from next Wednesday. I'll be able to squeeze in 4, maybe 5 sessions before I travel next. Still, I won't be gone for long so I can rejoin when I return - and then it'll be about 6 full weeks before my next trip (yes, quite a bit of travel this summer). 

I also desperately need to get my eating on track. My crazy huger has subsided, but I have yet to do a proper shop and load up on good fruits and veggies for us. It's on my list of things to do and hopefully something I can tackle tomorrow. 

I'm still trying to catch up on the blog reading/commenting. Slowly but surely I'm making progress - though that stack of papers to grade is calling my name. I'm not sure how much longer I can ignore it!

Trying to Gain Control

I leave for London in three days. OMG - 3 days. I'm starting to freak out. I have so much left to do and not nearly enough time to do it all. I'm trying to tackle each thing one at a time; I really don't have any other choice.

Ironically, before when things would get hectic, the first thing that would get dropped from my schedule would be my gym time. Now, however, it's the one thing I really dread dropping from my scheduled. I do recognize that sometimes things are crazy busy and I just can't make it to the gym - I used to feel incredibly guilty, but now I don't feel that much guilt. Sometimes you just have to take care of other things - as long as that's the exception and not the norm.

There are also times (many, many times) when I use the gym to procrastinate and put things off. I know that a 1-hour workout should suffice, but I stay for much longer because I just don't want to get other things done. It may sound like a 'healthy' way to procrastinate, but when I'm putting off important things, it actually just ends up adding to the stress sometimes.

So, for the next few days I've got a gym plan, but I've also told myself that it's ok if I don't make it because right now getting ready for my PhD thesis defense is really the most important thing.

Today, however, I did go to the gym and did what has become my routine Friday workout - Body Combat followed by Body Pump followed by Zumba. There was no way I was missing Zumba as this is the second week in a row I've only had time to go the Friday class. I think my body has gotten used to doing the three classes back to back, though I do leave the gym feeling exhausted, but very happy!

Tonight was the last night with my in-laws. They wanted to go to a pizza place. Of course I heard the word pizza and I immediately tensed up. I didn't get a chance to look up the menu online so I had no idea what I would order. In the end I told myself not to freak out - I could have a slice of pizza or some pasta - it wasn't going to kill me. I really do have to learn not to panic so much. Regardless of the circumstance, I am still in control.

I got lucky and they had a delicious salad - lettuce, red bell peppers, avocado, boiled egg, potato, and chicken. I asked them to remove the chicken (since I don't each chicken) and add some extra veggies. They were happy to oblige. I was a bit worried about the potato, but it was just 2 new potatoes boiled, so it wasn't a big deal. Overall, it was really yummy. Whew. No need to panic!

Tomorrow things should get a bit more back to normal in terms of eating ... well, maybe. As I said, I have a lot of work to do, so I know I won't be spending a lot of time cooking. We'll see how it turns out. I may have to rely on D to prepare dinner for us for the upcoming days! 

My Aching Thighs and Shoulders!

I'm not sure how I made it to the gym this morning after yesterday's CrossFit session. Actually, getting to the gym was not a problem. I guess I should say - I'm not sure how I made it through today's workouts because my thighs and shoulders were on fire!

I did my usual Body Combat, Body Pump, Zumba Friday routine. Both Combat and Pump classes had lots of lunges and squats - they did not help my aching thighs one bit. Plus all the punching in Combat followed by chest presses, tricep presses, and push ups (to name a few) that were targeting my shoulders/arms -- OMG. I wanted to stop at one point, but I didn't. Zumba was my treat of the day, especially since I missed both classes during the week. So, I got a mega-workout in today ... but let me tell you about yesterday.

I got my first taste of CrossFit yesterday.

We met in an outdoor field and were introduced to the basic idea of CrossFit and shown some of the basic moves. None of us (7 girls) had ever done CrossFit before, which was a relief for me because I was nervous. We had two coaches - F, who I mentioned in my post at the beginning of the month, and YAB, who professional competes in CrossFit competitions.

We started off with some jogging, rudely interrupted by burpees! Have you ever done a burpee? To me, it's a form of modern-day torture. It really is a challenge (for me) to put all the movements together - jump down into push up position, pull your knees in to your chest quickly, and jump back up. Try doing three of those after being out of breath from jogging and then continuing the jog only to be interrupted again by burpees. I wanted to cry (in a good way, kinda).

The when did a combination of some other moves - squats, push ups, leg raise holds, followed by another jog. We did walking lunges, deadlifts, and more sprints, burpees, and other jumps.

Since this was just an introductory taste, we didn't use any weights. It's amazing how much of a workout you can get without using any weights at all!

All in all, I loved it! It really got my heart rate going and challenged my body to MOVE. Those quick shifts from one position to another are themselves a challenge enough. This is definitely something that I want to continue doing. I think once my PhD is completely out of the way and I finish my NROL4W weights program I will be able to devote time to CrossFit. I can't wait :)

By the way, CrossFit Regionals are happening right now.

Zumba/Crossfit

Skipping Zumba today for my first Crossfit session! You already know how much I love Zumba, but the session is at the same time as the Crossfit training so I'm going to have to miss it :(

I am, however, SO excited about trying this workout, but I'm nervous too. Will I be able to manage? All I keep reading/hearing about Crossfit is how intense and tough it is. I'm all for intense and tough, but am I capable? I guess we'll find out tonight.

Here's a video I found about Zumba vs. Crossfit. It made me laugh - had to share :)

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oxs6YkXKVpc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Moments like these ...

Finally, the end of what has felt like a chaotic week.

Today's workouts:

Body Combat, Body Pump, Zumba -- all one after the other -- a total of 1430 calories burned.

Needless to say by the time I got home, I.Was.Exhausted!

Doing 2 cardio classes with a weights class in between is quite intense, but I like this routine. Combat allows me to practice my boxing moves and get some additional footwork in; Pump is a chance for me to loosen up all my muscles - though this time I upped a few of the weights. OMG, my muscles were screaming during the shoulder and bicep tracks! By the time I get to Zumba, I'm tired ... but once the music comes on, I forget about the pain and just start dancing. In fact, I found that burned 70 more calories than last night! I knew it was my last workout of the week, so I had to make it count!

Tomorrow is my day off from the gym -- definitely some much, much needed rest. I know that I've put in the effort this week, but I am worried that it won't show on the scale come Sunday morning. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself, but I can't help it ...

It's moments like these that I have to keep reminding myself of -- because of course, just before or right after a weigh in you think, 'Did I do everything I could this week?' 

I ask myself this question several times during the week. Every Sunday (and really everyday) I want my answer to be a confident Yes.

I know that each day is not the same as the other. Like yesterday, I knew I was tired. I tried my best, but I knew that it wasn't as good of a workout as it could have been had I rested. Perhaps not having done the evening session would have been better for me - who knows?

The idea of taking a day off, or skipping a workout in order to rest and reenergize, is scary to me. At the same time, I know that there have been times in the past when taking a day (sometimes two or three days) off have really helped me get that extra energy boost that I needed to have a good workout - particularly when it comes to lifting weights. Anyway.

I know I hit all my workout targets. Now I just need to make sure that I eat well and get some sleep. Hopefully the scale will show me some love on Sunday. 

Drained

Short post today.

I think the stress/work/workouts of the week have finally caught up to me.

I'm tired.

Still, I did manage to hit the gym -- twice, but I have to admit, my energy level was not as high as it normally is.

Morning workout:

1 km warm-up -- for the first time I warmed up for 1 min 15 sec and then jogged the rest of the distance (a total of 7 min straight). It's the first time I've ever jogged that long without taking any breaks. I just kept telling myself: You can do it. There's no reason to stop. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Keep moving!

Weights -- I completed Workout 5A of Stage 6 in NROL4W. It went really well. I've definitely noticed an increase in my strength.

Boxing -- Today's focus was mainly footwork and shadowboxing. My arms needed a bit of a rest, though shadowboxing works up just as much of a sweat - especially if you throw in jump rope and jumping jacks in between rounds!

Evening workout:

Abs Blast -- Half an hour of the abs class. It's tough, but I desperately need it! It's much easier to do the class than motivate myself to do abs on my own.

Zumba -- I'm so glad Zumba music invigorates me, but like I said earlier, I was tired today and I know that I didn't move as quickly or enthusiastically as I normally do.

Still, I survived the day (and the week). I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday. I've got a big workout planned, but then a day of rest. I can't wait (neither can my body)!!

Dear Runner

This morning when I checked my email, the first one I got was from Aymstrong, the hosts of the Kuwait Marathon. I love how they started off the email with 'Dear Runner.' Ok, so I'm not a runner (yet), but it gave me hope. It gave me that extra bit of spark that made me think - Yes, I want to be a runner. It doesn't matter how long it takes, I just want to eventually be able to run.

I had preregistered before. Today's email was the official registration (payment etc.) to confirm your place. So I've done it. Now all I have to do is train for it. What was interesting to find out was that we will be running in the desert, so on sand. I've never run on sand before! I'll have to train especially for that for sure!

Today was another full (and fulfilling day).

Early morning workout - I finished Workout 4B of Stage 6 in NROL4W. I've just got one more round left (Workout A5 and B5) and then I'm on to the final stage. The next round is a bit different - I'll be using a lighter weight (the same weight I used for round 2) but doing more reps - and in some cases, as many reps as possible before stopping). The highlight of today's weights workout: Using a 20 kg. dumbbell for my two -point rows! I absolutely love how you can see an increase in your strength as you follow the program.

I had a bit of time left, so I had half an hour of boxing practice - for the last 10 minutes DB came in to spar with me. I've never sparred before. He almost punched my face! Damn! Have to keep my guard up. I tell you, it's intimidating when someone is coming at you with boxing gloves on! So different from my trainer holding the boxing pads and letting me hit. You've got to be quick on your feet, defend yourself, and attack! I was DRENCHED in sweat by the time we were done.

Class was great! We finished up the debates; the remaining topics were:

- Should parents be punished/penalized for allowing their children to become obese?

- Should fast food be banned in schools as well as in the surrounding areas in order to promote healthier eating habits?

- Should anorexics (if admitted to the hospital for an anorexia-related illness) be force fed through a naso-gastric tube (against the patient's wishes)?

- Are advertisers justified in airbrushing and photoshopping their models to look flawless and skinner than they actually are?

- Should warning labels be put on fast food, just as they are on cigarette packs?

We had some really great discussion. What was most interesting was our discussions related to how personal opinion/what one thinks is right is cannot always be implemented for a whole host of reasons. What also became apparent was the influential nature of profit and the distinction between individual responsibility for one's own health and what we expect the community/society to do to help individuals along the way ... very interesting indeed!

A bit of rest. Lunch was some lentils with spinach, celery, and tofu -- yummy, but so unappealing to look at. I couldn't bring myself to post a photo!

In the evening I went back to the gym -- 2.5 km light cardio, half an hour of abs blast class, and finally Zumba ... and ending the night at a friend's birthday celebration - smoked salmon over a bed or rocket leaves (lemon dressing on the side) and lots of water. Even though it was a birthday, we all agreed on no dessert, not even cake to share. It helps to be around others who are watching what they eat.

Oh, I finally used my Polar FT60 heart-rate monitor! It was great to see how many calories I burned during weight training as well as during boxing. I had a rough idea before, but now I have a better idea. I burned a total of 630 calories (half from boxing) for my morning workout, and another 650 calories from my evening workout! I'm liking the heart-rate monitor so far - hopefully it'll also help me track my calories more accurately.

Off to dream about running now ;)

Oh My!

My usual Friday routine is 15-30 minutes of cardio warm-up (either treadmill or cross-trainer) followed by Body Pump and then Zumba.

Today I decided to change that up a little.

When I wrote my review of the week I did feel like I needed to change up my routine, especially because I feel like I'm losing/gaining the same few pounds over and over again. I want to break through is plateau in a BIG way ... and break through it for good!

The thing is, I also want to continue with my weight lifting routine. So often have I started a plan and then become frustrated after trying it for a few weeks and not seeing the results I wanted and then giving up. Not this time. Even though I want to change up my weight lifting routine, I am going to stick to what is outlined in New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROL4W). The slow and steady approach has been effective - I'm just antsy.

So, what can I do? I guess it's all about changing up the types of cardio that I do because I have some flexibility in that area.

This morning I went to the gym a bit earlier than usual and went to the 10 am Body Combat class. I haven't done combat in AGES. I could not remember the last time I was in the combat studio. With all the boxing training I've been doing lately (and totally loving it) I thought it would be great to attend the class for some added cardio + boxing ... and my trainer is the one who teaches the class so I knew he would be watching my form. {Before I left the gym he told me that my form was improving and he was glad to see me trying to keep my guard up at all times - I appreciated the positive feedback!}

I absolutely loved being back. I forgot how intense the class was - by the end of it, I was totally drenched in sweat. My t-shirt was literally dripping (gross, but satisfying too!) so I had to rush to my locker to change my t-shirt before Body Pump ... followed by Zumba.

Oh my indeed!

By the time I got home at 2 pm I was EXHAUSTED. I felt really, really good, but also really, really ready to just lie down!! :)

I'm so glad I booked a massage for this evening - I have a feeling I'm going to fall asleep on the massage table! It's a good way to end my workout week!

You're Not Stupid

Another dusty, overcast day here in Kuwait -- out goes the chance of a swim this morning, yet again! I hope the weather cooperates soon! It seems like the days that I'm too busy to swim are the days that it's sunny outside.

I finished the third round of Stage 6 of NROL4W today. All the exercises were 3 sets of 6, so I told myself to swallow my fear and try and go for a heavier weight. I successfully did the dumbbell two-point row with a 17.5 kg weight (38.5 lbs.). Very happy with that. Plus I managed to push 77 kg ((almost 170 lbs.) for the back extensions! It was a bit tough getting started, but once I was in position, I was good to go.

On days that I've been doing the NROL4W weight lifting program, I've kept my warm-ups to a minimum. Five minutes of dynamic warm-up stretching followed by 1 km on the treadmill. My mission has been to jog that entire 1 km. One km (0.62 miles) doesn't seem like a lot at all, does it? Well, for me, it's the starting point. I want to eventually work up to being an actual runner -- my workout schedule is a bit too hectic at the moment for me to start the C25K program, so for now, I'm just working up to running/jogging the 1 km. I was making some progress with this, but then after my surgery, things kind of came to a halt. Since then, it's been really slow and steady progress. Then of course I injured my leg and all that came to a halt once again ... however, now things are finally picking up. This week was a good week. For the first time in forever I actually jogged at 8 km/hr for 4 minutes straight on Tuesday and today I managed to jog for 5 minutes straight. I would love to be able to complete the 1 km under 8 minutes this month all the while aiming to just jog the entire thing.

I wasn't planning on doing much else this morning since I wanted to come back in the evening for Zumba, and maybe even attempt the whole abs class that I tried on Tuesday (I don't know if I'm brave enough for that!). However, my boxing coach (H) was there this morning and although I hadn't planned on it, he said that the bag was up and ready and calling my name, so I went in for a quick 20-minute boxing session. My upper cuts need major work!

After working out, H and I talked a bit about my routine and he was very positive about all the progress I've made recently ... and then we came to the topic of food. The area I've been struggling with a lot is my protein intake. I'm just not getting enough. He emphasized over and over again - I need to eat protein. It's not just about the protein though, he emphasized that I need to make sure I eat properly all the time.

Marion @ Affection for Fitness recently asked a question about how many meals should be eaten per day. I guess this answer will vary depending on the individual and what kind of exercise they do as well as many other factors.

For me, I try to eat 6 times a day. When I say 6 times a day, I'm not talking big 500 calorie meals a day. No, it's not about entire meals - it's just about providing fuel for my body.

H went on about this for quite a while. He looked at me and said, "The good thing is, you're not stupid." I had to laugh when I heard that.

He gave examples of people who have been coming to the gym for ages, doing lots of cardio, but then eating crap afterwards or not eating anything at all. Surviving on coffee, a few nuts, and a salad is not enough -- he said it amazes him when people complain that they do not have any/enough energy to workout when those people are barely eating anything or trying to find good energy from junk food. It's called junk food for a reason!! Anyway. The bottom line is, it's about eating sensibly ... and as he said, I'm not stupid. I need to make sure I get on top of this nutrition thing in order to really maximize the benefits from all the hard work I'm putting in at the gym.

With the amount I'm working out, he said it was really important that I eat every 3-4 hours and never get to the point where I'm starving. I do try to do this, but I don't always succeed. He also focused on what I was eating for those 6 meals -- this is where I have to be careful. In the rush to make sure I eat something I don't think I always make the right choices. I mean, I never eat a candy bar or fast food, but sometimes I'll have a slice of toast with peanut butter (not a terrible option, but there are better ones) or a protein/energy bar (again, not the worst choice, but definitely not the best either). He told me that since I don't eat chicken/beef/turkey etc. that I should focus on fish. I need to make sure that with each of the 6 meals I get some source of protein.

There are about 130 calories (26 g. of protein) in an average sized grilled piece of white fish.

There are about 160 calories (3 g. of protein) in a Nature Valley granola bar.

After looking at it that way, the healthier choice is obvious.

Today, after my workout I had an omelette. I haven't had eggs in quite a while, and I was really desperate for a good hot meal. With the workout I did, an omelette (with bell peppers and mushrooms -- NO CHEESE) really hit the spot.

I need to spend this weekend coming up with some better food options for me. One of my goals for this summer challenge is to keep better track of my food; I still haven't started that yet. I know overall I'm not eating bad foods -- but now I'm wondering if I'm eating healthy enough.

Evening workout:

Half hour warm-up cardio

Half hour torturous abs class

One hour Zumba

Looking forward to tonight's shrimp stir fry.

Cravings, Dust, and Hot Pink Shoes

Last night I went out with a few girlfriends. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, and last night was the perfect evening to sit outdoors, chat, laugh, and enjoy some iced tea (unsweetened, of course).

I got home at around half past eleven and I had crazy cravings. I wanted to eat something - I wasn't sure what, all I knew was I wanted it to be yummy. Mmmm what I would have given to have some chips and salsa! Fortunately (unfortunately) there was absolutely NOTHING in the house to snack on. The closest thing to junk food in the house is a box of After Eight mints (40 calories a piece by the way). As delicious as After Eight's are, they're really don't work when it comes to satisfying a craving. *sigh* I'm glad that I don't keep junk food in the house - it's for days like this, which I'm happy to say don't happen often.

I know my will power hasn't changed as much as I would have liked it to ... I know that had there been some tostitos in the cupboard, I would have polished them off. I've definitely taken the right step by not having any munchies in the house. So, I drank some water, brushed my teeth, and eventually made it to bed.

I had mentioned in yesterday's blog post that I was thinking about going for my first swim of the season today ... You should have seen me walking out the door this morning. I had a long day ahead of me ... workout in the morning, work, errands, Zumba at night. I had my beach bag for my swim, my morning workout bag, my clothes for work, and another workout bag with my Zumba shoes and another set of workout clothes. I looked like I was going away for a long weekend! Anyway.

When I had looked out the window, it looked foggy outside ... but as soon as I stepped out I was greeted by dust. Yuck. Definitely one of the pitfalls of living in a desert country. This is a snapshot on the drive to the gym -- visibility was less than 100 m, really nasty (though do you like my boxing glove ornament on my rearview mirror?) :)

So, the swim was out of the question.

I went on to complete my NROL4W Workout A3. While my negative chin ups are still crazy difficult (I cannot lower myself down slowly) -- I can, however, hold on longer and even raise my knees higher, and today I even managed to bend my elbows a bit to lift myself up (just a tiny, tiny bit). I was so thrilled!

I was also so happy to have completed 4 sets (of only 2 reps each) of underhand lateral pulls at 55 kgs (that's 12 lbs)! I did my split squats with 40 kgs (88 lbs), and I know I'm ready to go for a higher weight. I am really pleased with my progress!

I left the house a bit earlier than usual this morning because I wanted the extra time in case I could have fit in that swim ... but since I didn't, I finished my weights workout a bit early ... and since DB (my favorite trainer) was doing an RPM class that morning I decided to join in for the first 35 minutes (would have done the whole class if I didn't have to shower, change, and get to work!). He had warned me that it would be tough after the squats I did ... and OMG - it was tough! My legs felt hmmmm what's the word? Something between 'solid' and 'heavy' - in any case, it was good to get in a bit of tough cardio in the morning.

Work went well. Errands were successfully completed -- including the purchase of my new running shoes!! Finally! I ended up buying the new Reebok zigtech shoes. We'll see how they turn out ...

Today seemed to be the day for hot pink shoes because this is what I wore to work today:

... and these are the new trainers that I bought :)

Talk about a pop of color! I do love pink, but I had not intended to buy these shoes in hot pink ... they just didn't have any others in my size. Oh well. I'm not complaining!

Ok, to wrap things up.

I did go back to the gym in the afternoon.

I did 5 km on the cross-trainer ... and then, I saw that the Abs Blast class that's held just before Zumba was still in session. Since I didn't do any abs in the morning (coz' of the RPM class) I decided to join them for the last 15 minutes.

I really wish I hadn't. I mean, I'm 'glad' I did, but from the 1st minute it was pure torture! Bicycle crunches -- my absolute nightmare!! Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, he was doing variations on bicycle crunches!!! WTF? We were laughing in class just because we were too sore to cry lol -- hmmmm should I give the class another try? The 15 minutes I did was SO painful!

I ended the evening with Zumba -- I love Zumba!! :) Although I was quite tired, I did put my all into the class and left drenched in sweat but really happy ... that is until I showered and changed and realized that I had to put my hot pink heels on again ... I do love my heels, but after such a long day and 2 hours of exercise, I just wanted my Havaianas!!

I think I'll sleep well tonight!

Last Workout of the Week

As much as I do enjoy working out, I have to say, Wednesday's boxing workout left me quite sore. The extra resistance of working with the swinging bag made quite a difference in terms of how much impact I felt. Add the ab twists and side bends that I did on Thursday, and my sides/lower back were aching big time!

I hadn't planned on doing the 8 km last night, so I didn't really want to overdo it with another 8-10 km this morning. Instead I just warmed up on the treadmill for 15 minutes and then went in for Body Pump class. Since KD, the usual instructor, is away on vacation, S was taking the class -- I've never taken a class with him. Overall it was quite good. I wish he had used the microphone as it was difficult to hear him at times, but other than that, it was a good class. Even though I did weights already 3 times this week, I like going to Body Pump on Fridays because it's kind of like an overall workout/stretch for all my muscles. Although I did increase some of the weights from last week's class, I didn't go crazy and overdo it. Still a challenging workout though. After Body Pump I did another Zumba class. It does feel a bit strange since I just did the class last night, but I absolutely love to dance, and Zumba is the perfect chance/excuse to do it!

I think I hit all my goals in terms of workouts this week. Tomorrow is my day of rest - I can't wait! Will work on my week in review post for Sunday.

If you want to see change ...

... you've got to take steps to change.

I was talking to my students (university students studying English) today about their achievement so far in class. A number of them did not do as well on their midterm exam as they had hoped. So I asked them the ever important question -- did you do everything you could to prepare for the midterm? This would involve taking the time to do the practice exercises, going over their answers to make sure they understood why they made mistakes, looking up words they didn't know, coming to me to ask questions about things they still didn't understand, and above all - learning from their mistakes.

If they didn't take these steps, or do anything at all to help them improve, then was it realistic for them to see change?

You won't see the results if you don't put in the effort.

After class I had a phone conference with my PhD supervisor (who lives in England). It was the first time I was speaking to him since I submitted my thesis, and I was really nervous. It was a relief to hear him say that he thought the thesis was fantastic ... and it was a good reminder for me when he said -- the key to surviving and passing your defense is to take responsibility for your work. You did this research. You did the analysis. Now stick by it and defend yourself. The thesis represents all the work I've done. I need to be confident in myself and my work that I did everything possible to do a good job.

There it was again -- take responsibility.

Your final product represents all the work you've put into it - take responsibility for your work.

I feel like the exact same ideas apply for weight loss.

If you don't put in the effort, things won't change.

If you haven't put in the work, then it will show ... at least with weight loss the journey isn't done, but I know that every weigh in will reflect the work I've been putting in at the gym and the food I've been putting in my stomach.

I'm sure we've all done the math -- you need to burn 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb of fat. Of course that is combined with watching what you eat, exercising, and a whole host of other factors.

I'm sure that even after doing all the math, sometimes the numbers don't add up -- because there are other factors that come into the picture -- metabolism, hours of sleep, water intake, nutrition (not just the calories in food, but the type of calories in the foods that are consumed), stress levels etc. etc.

So really, nothing is 100% guaranteed.

Still, one thing is for sure -- if steps are not taken to reach your goal, then change will not happen.

I know that I can't not exercise and hope to see a loss on the scales.

I know I can't eat whatever I want in any number of calories and expect to see a loss on the scales.

I know that while that ice cream may taste so good for a few minutes, it's going to take me a few hours to burn it off at the gym ...

I am responsible for my actions, and all my actions have consequences.

I know that losing weight/living a healthy lifestyle is something that I really want ... so if I REALLY want it, shouldn't I do everything in my power to reach that goal? It doesn't come naturally to me. I have to work at it. I have to be conscious about what I eat and ask myself over and over - Will eating this get me to where I want to be? The constant effort can be tedious, but obviously I haven't done it well enough/for long enough to see the results I want. I just have to keep at it ...

Alright - down to today's workouts:

I was in a rush leaving the house this morning, which made me a bit frantic as I didn't think I'd have enough time to complete my workout ... but in the end it all turned out ok.

Morning:

1 km warm-up on the treadmill -- I dropped a few more seconds off my time

NROL4W Stage 6, workout A2 -- negative chin-up is still a disaster, but I've improved with the assisted chin ups and I added more weight to my underhand lat pulls, my squats ... overall it was a good workout -- I ended with 100 crunches, 100 ab twists (per side), and 100 side bends (per side) holding 5 kg dumbbells.

My sides and back were already sore from yesterday's boxing workout ... I know those twists and bends are going to add to the pain!

I wasn't sure what to do for tomorrow's workout because of the possible special training that F talked about on Sunday. Unfortunately, we won't be training this week as the trainer will be in Dubai for a CrossFit competition ... maybe next week.

In any case, since I didn't want to overtrain before trying a new program, I had a mild workout planned for Friday ... but seeing that the training session is cancelled, I decided to head back to the gym today for a bit of cardio (8.25 km on the cross trainer, which took 65 minutes) followed by Zumba (so got in another 2 hrs of cardio today). Zumba totally lifted my spirits!

It's finally the weekend -- what a relief!