Quick Summary

I didn't have to go to work either yesterday or today. I feel like I finally got a real taste of what my summer holiday is going to be like. All I'll be doing is working out, eating, resting, and alternating between studying for my personal trainer certification & working on my research. Definitely can't complain! Oh, and travel of course. Yes, there will be lots of travel!

I didn't get around to blogging yesterday. I was so wiped out by the end of the day that I barely made it off the couch and into bed!

So here's a brief summary of what I've been up to:

Here's what I did:

Workouts
Morning
- cardio warm-up (just a 1 km jog)
- weights almost 1 1/2 hours -- focus was 4 sets of 10 reps. I increased my weights with each set (except for the step-ups) and was pleased with my performance
- sat poolside for an hour though I didn't swim

Afternoon
- Kajukenbo practice for almost 1 1/2 hours

Evening 
- Jiujitsu practice for 1 hour

See what I mean about being exhausted? It was fine. I didn't overdo it. I just think that not getting a good night's sleep the day before had me start the day a bit tired, and I never really recovered from that.


Burpees: Tuesday 30 & Wednesday 30
Squats: Days 10 & 11: 105 & 110 respectively (ouch!)

Today: 

Morning
- Body Balance (1 hour)

Afternoon
- CrossFit (1 hour): strength focus: Deadlifts (lifting 120 kg feels good now (264 lbs); WOD: 4 rounds (30, 25, 20, 15 reps each) mountain climbers, hand-release push-ups, jump squats; followed by 100 crunches & 3x1 min planks.

I left the CrossFit box drenched. in. sweat!

Food

Yesterday: 
Breakfast and lunch (see what I ate on Monday) (my usual banana date mix plus chick peas -- not the chicken wrap)

The only things different were an apple that I had as a snack & my dinner - steak with vegetables.

Today was quite different! I don't know if I changed things up because I was bored of the food or tired of posting the same photos!!

Breakfast: Scrambled egg 

(1 whole + 1/2 cup egg white) + mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers

Lunch: Chicken with broccoli and 1/2 sweet potato

Dinner: Shrimp with vegetables

Snack: 2 oz of this dark chocolate

Other stuff: The main thing I accomplished today was that I signed up for my CPR and First Aid certification through the Kuwait Medical Association/American Heart Association. I'll be doing the course at the end of this month.

Making Progress

I'll start with the two main highlights of my day --

First of all, our warm-up at CrossFit was either 150 regular jump rope skips or 100 double-unders. I felt like I needed to get warmed-up with my skipping before starting the double-unders so I went ahead and did the 150 skips (I'm definitely improving) ... and then slowly but surely I worked up to 100 double-unders!! The maximum number of unbroken double-unders I could do was 8, but nonetheless, I'm so proud of myself for actually completing 100 in a session. I just gotta keep working at it!

The second highlight of my day was buying UFC tickets for UFC 162 in Las Vegas for this summer!!

I'm so excited!! :)


I spent some time trying to figure out my routine for the upcoming few weeks. I've got a lot of stuff going on (as usual). I'm going to try to take advantage of my time in Kuwait during my summer vacation to really workout hard. When I first did my schedule I calculated that I was working out for almost 5 hours a day ... that didn't seem reasonable or sustainable, so I've had to modify the plan a little.

Wednesdays are going to be my easy days. I'll use the mornings to get stuff done around the house, catch up on blogging, and maybe do some of my Personal Training studies. Then I'll head to Body Balance class and get a good stretch in. It's been 2 weeks since I did a balance or yoga class so it felt good to get back into the studio.

A shadowed snapshot of me in class today (before class started) 

Since I stayed home, my eating was a bit off in terms of timing. I only had my date and peanut butter in the morning, along with a cup of green tea, before heading to the gym. I had my banana before I went to CrossFit in the afternoon.

Breakfast/Pre-CrossFit snack - broken up through the day

After getting home at around noon, I was starving. I had a bigger lunch than usual - but still leftovers from yesterday - the last bit of fish soup (though a much larger serving because I wanted to finish it) plus the last bit of vegetables from Monday night's veggie mix.

Lunch: Fish soup and a Side of Vegetables

I had my banana and another cup of green tea just before heading to CrossFit.

Our CrossFit WOD sounded simple enough (they always do) ... and then you get started and you think, how in the world will I survive? Today's WOD: 15 minutes AMRAP -- 10 deadlifts (50 kg/110 lb), 15 box jumps, 20 burpees. I only managed to complete 4 rounds, and let me tell you, it was exhausting! [The strength portion for the day was push presses - 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 @ 20 kg, 30 kg, 40 kg x 3 ... I tried 45 and 50 but I couldn't complete the reps of 6 -- max I did was 3 reps at 45 ... disappointing!]


After I got home from CrossFit I was starving! My stomach was growling like crazy. I hadn't planned on that and I wasn't sure what to eat. I ended up grabbing 1/2 cup of raw cashews and 1/4 cup of raisins. It finished all too quickly, and it didn't really satisfy my hunger. I may need to work on coming up with a better small protein snack for times like that. It's tricky because dinner time is close, but a light snack just doesn't cut it in terms of taking care of my hunger!

Snack: Mix of cashews and raisins

I've come to realize that once Wednesday comes around, I'm feeling tired and I'm not really in the mood to cook. I need to prepare for this in advance and have stuff ready either from the day before or pull something out of the freezer. Luckily I had frozen a batch of shrimp and vegetables that I had cooked from a previous dinner. I know that frozen is not as good as fresh, but home cooked meals (even after being defrosted) are definitely a better option than order in or other types of packaged frozen dinners. The dinner tasted ok, though by the time I had heated it up, the shrimp were kind of overdone so they were a bit rubbery. The vegetables, however, were yummy.

Dinner: Shrimp with sweet potato, red bell pepper, peas, mushrooms, and some pine nuts

I'm definitely going to have some emergency meals handy so that I can at least have 1 cooking break during the week.

Dessert: 10 grapes

Today:
- Workouts:

• Body Balance at the gym (1 hour)
• CrossFit at CrossFit Q8 (1 hour)
• Burpees: 80 {total: 3,610/20,130}
• Squats Day 4: Rest

- Food:

• Breakfast: date + 1 tablespoon all natural peanut butter, 1 cup of green tea
• Lunch: big bowl of fish soup (2 1/2 cups); mixed vegetables (leftovers) about 1 1/2 cups
• Dinner: shrimp and vegetables
• Snacks: banana, green tea, 10 grapes

- Other: I made some progress on bookings for this summer. Still lots to book and schedules to coordinate!

Not Another Change!

I totally freaked out when I found out kickboxing was cancelled for tonight and that my trainer was going on holiday for 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS??!!! {I need to cry a little.}

I woke up this morning thinking that even though it was still a holiday that I was going to get back to my regular routine - morning workouts at the gym; evening workouts at ClubFit. I've got tons of work to take care of in the middle of the day ... so yes, back to my normal routine.

Body Balance was amazing as always. I really needed to stretch my hips out as I think walking/jogging outdoors on the pavement has caused a different type of soreness. Nothing painful, just a bit stiff.

I got home and sat down to get some work done ... and that's when Marc messaged me.

While I'm not in a total panic, I am feeling a little frantic. I cannot go for 2 weeks without any MMA training. Shadowboxing can only take me so far ... I've got to come up with a plan ASAP.

I know on some evenings I can hit the track and work on my running. Perhaps I'll go spinning on the other days ... there are some options, but I'll need some time to figure it out. What a relief that the food aspect is taken care of with the Whole Life Challenge.

I'm trying not to freak out. I'm glad I've learned to roll with the punches a bit more and not totally break down when changes in my routine come up, but I have to admit that I'm kinda getting tired of them.
We'll see what happens.

Today's Workouts
Stretching: Body Balance (1 hour)
Burpees: 100 {challenge total: 2,040/20,130}

Today's Food
Breakfast: Coconut cinnamon paleo pancakes
Lunch: Leftover fisherman's pie
Dinner: Chicken with vegetables
Snacks: 2 dates; a cup of green tea; 1 orange


By the way, I have been updating my Whole Life Challenge blog on a daily basis. I haven't managed to post a VLOG each day, but I'm still posting. If you're interested in updates, you can check out today's post here :) 

The Weekend is Finally Here!

Ok, my idea of having Wednesdays as a 'chill day' is not translating into reality. I don't teach on most Wednesdays, so I do have to to get things done ... but that often means I end up being busier than ever.

Yesterday was so busy that I didn't really have the energy to blog. I was so exhausted after my evening workouts (Body Balance in the morning, then Zumba followed by Cardio Kickboxing at night) that all I really wanted to do was sleep!!

Unfortunately, because I was so busy yesterday, I didn't get through the stack of grading that I wanted to get done. That meant that I was at my desk at 5 o'clock this morning quickly planning a lesson and creating slides for today's class. Not fun, especially because it was encroaching on my morning workout time.

I left the house at 7 a.m. -- that's usually the time I'm finishing my warm-up at the gym! I contemplated not going at all since I knew I wouldn't be able to complete the workout that I had planned on doing. Then I thought, what the heck. Let me just go and do what I can.

I warmed up with 3 minutes of jump rope and then got straight to my weights workout. Since this is the final workout portion A of this phase, I really wanted to end by upping a few of the weights. This is how it went:

2 sets; 15 reps each
Squats: last set 65kg (143 lbs) [increased by 5 kg (11 lbs) for the last set]
Lunges: last set 55kg (121 lbs) [increased by 5 kg (11 lbs) for the last set]

Then came the big challenge -- one arm dumbbell rows. I've been lifting 17.5 kg, which has been tough but not impossible. Today, I kept staring at these:

20kg dumbbells (44 lbs)

I really wanted to lift them for my dumbbell rows, but I was slightly hesitant -- would I be able to do them. The answer is: YES!! I did, and I was so happy :) It wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Only the last 3-4 reps on my left arm felt tough. Other than that, it felt great!!

The workout ended with 2 sets of 20 push-ups followed by 2 sets of 20 Swiss ball crunches.

I didn't have time to do my interval training, so I just did burpees until it was time for me to cool down and stretch. I got 70 done.

So, it was a bit rushed at the gym this morning, but I got my workout in. I worked out for exactly one hour, which isn't too shabby.

Tonight I've got taekwondo and Jiujitsu practice after which I've got a farewell dinner to attend.

I love all my workouts, but I really am glad that tonight is the end of my big workouts of the week for me. It's not the exercises that are draining, it's more the prep time and the bloody laundry that follows that irks me.

On to the weekend!!!


Yesterday's Workouts
Stretching: Body Balance (1 hour)
Cardio: Zumba (1 hour)
MMA training: Cardio Kickboxing (1 1/2 hours)
Burpees: 0

Today's Workouts
Weights: NROL Workout 6A
Stretching: 15 minutes
MMA training: Taekwondo & BJJ (1 1/2 hours)
Burpees: 70 {challenge total: 1,240/20,130}


Yesterday's Food
Breakfast: Omelet muffins & 1/2 avocado
Lunch: Felafel bites (homemade) with a tomato salad
Dinner: Quinoa with vegetables and grilled chicken
Snacks: 2 dates

Today's Food
Breakfast: Banana & 2 teaspoons of peanut butter; Omelet muffins & 1/2 avocado
Lunch: Baked salmon over quinoa with vegetables
Dinner: Grilled lamb + hummus and tabbouleh
Snacks: 2 dates and green tea

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 :)

Putting up a Fight

In my recent posts, comments from both Marion at Affection for Fitness and Marc at Fat of Fit? got me thinking -- what are my fitness goals.

I'm doing a lot of different things at the moment, and while it may seem a bit chaotic, I'm actually really enjoying everything I'm doing. In fact there are several other things I'd be doing right now if I had more time (and I'd probably need more energy) - namely CrossFit, Zumba, and RPM.

Since I can't do it all (hrrumph) I'm focusing on MMA at the moment. I'm doing a combination of boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, and Jiujitsu. What I'd really like to do is get to the point where I have developed very good technique and some bad ass power behind my punches (I'm very, very close). I still have a LOT of work to do on my kicks and knees. The ultimate goal is to train at Fight Club Kuwait. They're really intense and very, very good. I want to be sure I have a good foundation and feel up to it before I join so that I'm totally committed --- and then I can really kick some ass!

Right now I'm doing my MMA training 5-6 nights a week.

In the mornings I'm working on my cardio, resistance training, and flexibility.

Again, it may seem like a lot, but I believe all the workouts compliment each other ... and as long as I make sure to eat right and get proper rest, I think I'll be fine.

--------------

This morning I headed to Body Balance class. I cannot emphasize how much I absolutely adore that class. Many people come in and assume that it's going to be easy stretching and just some basic yoga. Let me tell you, we work up a sweat!

This evening I had cardio kickboxing. I was happy to be rockin' my new t-shirt from Fight Club Kuwait - co-sponsored with Fighting Against Rape, a foundation in Sweden that promotes self-denfense for women (and men).

I tried a spinning back fist today for the first time -- loved it, though of course I need more practice. :)

Today's Workout
Stretching: Body Balance (1 hour)
MMA: Cardio Kickboxing @ ClubFit (1 hour)
Burpees 40 {challenge total: 650/20,130

Today's Food
Breakfast: Egg muffins with quarter an avocado
Lunch: Grilled shrimp with sundried tomato
Dinner: White fish cooked with sweet potato, sugar snap peas, bell peppers, and mushrooms

The Burpees Did It

I've realized that the soreness in my thighs that I was feeling earlier this month is actually from the 60-daily burpees that I've been trying to do each day (I have not been successful at doing these on a daily basis, but I haven't given up). After doing my 60 burpees on Sunday (after a 9-day recovery period from my bronchitis) my thighs were killing me. I'm torn between just ignoring the soreness and continuing the burpees so that I don't have to keep going through this soreness or taking a day or two to rest and recover before continuing.

I did not do the burpees yesterday ... but now all I keep thinking about is how behind I am with my burpee count.

My workouts have been spot on.

Yesterday I went to Body Balance in the morning. Marko has taken over the class since his wife, who used to lead the class, has gone to work at another gym. I was a bit apprehensive about how the class would go. It's hard to switch to a new group exercise leader when you're so used to one person and their particular style (plus they know your strengths and weaknesses) but he was great & I really, really enjoyed the class.

At night I had a killer kickboxing session at ClubFit. Marc really pushed me in the beginning - forcing me to put out the idea of being sick and just focus on what I could do and bang out those punches. It was terrific.

Today I had another session at Sidekick Academy. The taekwondo/kickboxing session is nothing too new for me. They're quite technical about getting form and posture right, which is great. The Brazilian jiujitsu part is really interesting -- something very different from anything I've ever done before.

So, my exercise has been great.

The thing that I've been faltering with for the past 3 days is food. I don't know what's happened to me but I do know that I need to get a grip.

This is something that I've been chanting over and over to myself. There's no point exercising for 2-3 hours a day and then eating a bag of Doritos (which is what I did today). They were in the house and I ate them. I'm totally surprised at myself and on the other hand I'm not that surprised.

The appetite that I lost during the worst part of my bronchitis has obviously returned. First it was bread and cheese and today it was chips. This is not good. There's food leftover from when my dad was here - it's gone now - and now there are some munchies that are part of the welcome basket for D's parents. They arrive tomorrow so all that food will be gone too.

I'm definitely disappointed in myself. I should be able to share the same living space with a bag of chips and not give in to temptation ... the fact that I did so gluttonously consume something that I knew was bad for me makes me realize that I do have a long way to go. This is the first time in a LONG time that I had such a binge. I'm going to do my best to ensure that it's the absolute last time that happens.

I've always preached - Don't bring the food in the house. I broke this cardinal rule. Shame on me.

It's done. I'm here now.

There's work to be done!

Stretching and Desserts

I went to Body Balance class yesterday after almost one month. My legs were so stiff and sore, particularly after all that rowing on Sunday. I had a bit of difficulty with the standing stretch poses - variations of the warrior pose - but I pushed through. A lot of people think that body balance will be an easy stretching class, but I'm telling you, 15 minutes into it and I'm already sweating. By the end of the 50 minutes, I'm totally ready for the 10 minutes of relaxation and meditation.

I feel bad that I've been neglecting my yoga and stretching lately. Aside from post-workout stretching, I haven't been doing anything else ... I need to get back into it.

I totally felt the impact of yesterday's class today - my legs felt great. I feel like the class totally worked off the stiffness that I was feeling before and loosened up my muscles. It was a much needed stretching class!

----

Last night I hosted my annual Secret Santa evening. It went really well. The appetizers and main dinner were all featuring healthy foods, but the big question was dessert. So, before my guests came over I sent out a group text asking about dessert. Usually everyone says they're on a diet and don't want to have any dessert, so I wanted to know beforehand - no point having sweets around the house if nobody wanted them! They all said they wanted dessert mainly because they thought I made excellent desserts (wonder where all those gained pounds came from??). Anyway. It was definitely nice to hear that they enjoyed my cooking/baking, so I obliged.

They came. They ate. They enjoyed, and then the rest of the desserts were packed up in a box and given away.

Secret Santa Stockings - Just waiting for Santa

Dinner - featuring lots of grilled lean proteins

How's that for a stocking to be stuffed? ;)

Exercise Classes

Today was a good day in terms of exercise. I've definitely found that on days when I'm scheduled to workout in a group or class the chances of skipping the workout are really small, even when I'm crazy busy like I have been these past few days.

Lately CrossFit and boxing have been the two main classes that I rarely miss. We're a small group, 3-5 people, so your absence is definitely noticed when you don't make it. Plus you miss out the training for the day which kinda puts you behind the next time you show up.

Zumba, Body Balance, and RPM are the other classes I try to attend as much as possible. I don't feel as much pressure to attend these classes because there are usually a lot of people, but I have found that people still notice when you're absent. People ask where you've been if you've been gone for a while. I don't exercise for other people, but the last thing I want is for people to think that I'm lazy!

I know a lot of people who can't stand going to exercise classes. They find them intimidating and impersonal.

I love them as a change in my routine, as a way to just a workout done with someone else leading the moves so I don't have to think too much, and for the group support.

It may be intimidating at first, but I've found that when  you're committed to a class, people notice. That's when they offer you encouragement and support - and definitely praise as you get faster, stronger, and more flexible.

I got a lot of positive comments after Body Balance class today. Not only about the weight loss, but also how my posture and flexibility had improved. It felt great getting those compliments.

Boxing class was good today too. I find that the hour goes by really quickly - wish the class was longer.


Other than that I spent my day stuck in traffic for about a total of 3 hours - maddening - and at my desk for 8 hours - just as maddening. I can't wait until I get this piece of writing done.

Food was alright today. As always, planning is key. I didn't really feel like thinking about cooking, and actually felt a bit irritated as I was chopping veggies for tonight's dinner, but I got it done. I really need a better back-up plan. I haven't even had time to go and do a proper grocery shop - must get on that. Still, an impromptu prep of some veggies - eggplant, cauliflower, sweet potato, bell pepper, and peas (I've never tried this combo before) cooked in some olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, and curry powder & a piece of grilled haddock and I was good to go with leftovers for tomorrow!

Falling into place

Tonight I went out to dinner with some very good friends of mine. We went out for Japanese food. Part of me was relieved because I knew that I would have some WLC-friendly food options. At the same time, I love maki rolls and sushi -- but would it be worth using bonus points for a bit of rice?

In the end, I stayed true to the challenge - ordered a salad with no dressing (I had actually taken my dressing) and had some sashimi. I asked the waitress tons of questions about my food. She eventually got the idea of what I was looking for and was really accommodating in terms of explaining which foods had sugar/soy etc. so that I could eat without worrying.

It takes a bit of planning, a bit of question-asking, and a bit of decisiveness, but overall I'm not finding it too difficult to maintain my eating patterns even when I go out to eat. It's a good feeling.

My day in general was good -

I got a bunch of work done in the morning and then headed to the gym. It feels great that I feel confident enough now to warm-up for a few minutes on the treadmill and then jog for 10 minutes straight without too much of a mental hassle. I can't wait until I can increase that time - slowly but surely.

My cardio was followed by another great Body Balance session. I can't emphasize how much I love this class. The stretches are amazing. Plus, the flexibility gained from this class helps me so much not just with my other workouts but just feeling/being flexible in my daily tasks as well. I highly recommend some sort of yoga/stretching/balance class - it has made such a difference to my day!

Late that evening I went to CrossFit.

As soon as we walked in we started with our warm-up: 30 burpees, 30 jump squats, 30 hand-release push-ups. Burpees are still torture to me, but I have to say I think I'm getting better at them! I'm usually out of breath by the first ten, but I just keep trying to push through. This was followed by 30 pull-ups.

We didn't do any strength training today and instead went straight to our WOD which was some insane circuit of squats, deadlifts, cleans, and thrusters. Thrusters have become my nightmare! In between each weight exercise we did burpees, push-ups, squats, and crunches. I must have counted close to 200 burpees yesterday. Insanity!

I definitely felt my cardio getting better but I was disappointed in my performance with the weights. I should have pushed harder. I put the bar down a couple of times, especially during the later rounds (I lost track of how many rounds we did - maybe 5 or 6). I should have held on for longer and pushed harder. Will have to work on it.

So great day in terms of food and fitness -- and to top it all off, I got some great fitness swag :)

A new UFC t-shirt, wrist wraps (which will be great for CrossFit), and a new pair of boxing hand wraps:

The Ultra-Metabolism Cookbook by Mark Hyman and a tank-top that reads "Train to Win" :)

Full Day

I feel like every minute of my day was filled with something to do ... though I did manage to take an almost 1-hour nap this afternoon. My Coach said that I should schedule it in like an errand because not getting enough rest is affecting my performance.

Work was hectic. I lost all my files from my flash drive (damn computer virus on my work computer) and I had a massive stack of papers to grade that took me 4 hours to get through - I hate grading! Worst part of teaching for sure.

I went to Body Balance class to de-stress and get a proper stretch - something I really missed last week.

I spent some time with Dad, in between marking papers, washing the dishes, preparing our lunches, and prepping for dinner ... and then I headed off for a much needed break to CrossFit.

There's no doubt that I was tired, but I wanted to workout -- hmmmm little did I know our Coach was going to attack us with a 40 min WOD (3 WODs back to back).

It's always the initial fear factor of once you hear what the WOD is going to be that makes me hesitate. I think to myself - Will I be able to do this? It's really a lot. I'm not sure if I can handle it.

Our WOD:
Round 1:
Snatches + Burpees (4/8/12/16/20 reps alternating between the two exercises)

100 single jump rope skips

Round 2:
Cleans + hand-release push-ups (4/8/12/16/20 reps alternating between the two exercises)

100 single jump rope skips

Round 3:
Push press + pull ups (4/8/12/16/20 reps alternating between the two exercises)

That was our workout AFTER our warm-up (burpees and pull-ups, 5 rounds, though I can't remember how many reps each) and our strength training -- deadlifts - of which I managed KG140, but off a box, not off the floor; I tried KG150 but didn't get as straight as I would have liked to. Gotta work on my grip.


What was more exhausting that the WOD was being stuck in traffic for an hour and half on my way home. I was almost in tears from exhaustion, hunger, and frustration of just being stuck in traffic.

At a quick dinner - so glad I had prepared my salad beforehand - took a shower and then headed to bed.

So as I said, it's been a full day!

Didn't get my grading done so it'll be an early morning for me tomorrow for sure!

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!

Convenience of Carbs

Thanks for the comments on yesterday's post. I know that it doesn't seem like a big deal - it's not like I'm debating whether to have KFC or McDonalds, but more like salad with corn or without! - but there was just something about being in that situation that made me feel uncomfortable. I actually lay in bed thinking about it for at least an hour last night! Still, I think I've made my decision - we'll just have to see what it is on Friday!

I had a good day today in terms of exercise. I did my usual yoga and abs routine at 4:30 this morning. Today, as part of this week's mindfulness challenge with the WLC and just because I've been really wanting to, I focused a lot more on balance. I did quite a few poses on my tiptoes - from just standing and raising my arms above my head, to coming down into squat position, then on just one leg, etc. etc. Each time I started to shake I tried to mentally focus and talk to myself. What is going on? Why are you shaking? How can you move your body so that you can balance more (e.g. a lot of times I turn my feet outwards, but turning them inwards could help me gain more balance)? So on and so forth. I know a lot of it has to do with core strength but the other part is definitely to do with concentration. I need to find it in me to be still (in my mind and in my body). It was a good exercise; I continued this focus in my postures during Body Balance class today. My flexibility has definitely improved. I'm finally able to do the prasarita pose with my forearms and elbows plus forehead fully on the floor. Man what a stretch! It felt amazing!

Here's a picture of what it looks like (though I also had my forehead down on the floor):

source

I then had CrossFit in the evening.

Our warm-up was: 1 minute each of
- tire flips
- hanging leg raises
- burpees
- kettlebell swings
- hand-release push-ups

Just that alone had me dripping with sweat!

Then, I did snatches for the first time! I definitely need practice, but I think I did alright for my first go. I did many, many practice reps and ended up snatching a final weight of 30kg (66lbs) though I was much more comfortable at 25kg (55lbs).

Our WOD was another killer:
21 thrusters (25kg)
21 pull ups
21 deadlifts (50kg)
21 burpees

That's all that was written on the board. As we looked at the workout we were all kinda feeling intimidated. Each exercise at 21 reps - that's a lot!

That's when our Coach added two more rounds -- same exercises at 15 reps each then 9 reps each.

All of our jaws dropped. It felt impossible. It was taking a bit of time to set up all the stations and as each minute passed, the anxiety towards the workout kept building. We were all nervously looking at each other - first of all wondering how we were going to survive the first round, let alone the other two.

After a while the Coach said that me and another girl could stop after doing two rounds. It was at that moment when I thought, 'Hell no. Why shouldn't I finish the last round? If others can do it, so can I - even if it kills me.'

I'm so glad I completed the whole WOD. My hands are totally calloused; some skin has even ripped off, but I feel good. It was tough, but I tried and completed the workout. The only way I'm going to improve is if I keep on working at it. Just gotta make sure that my hesitant thoughts don't get in the way of my potential achievement.

I've also started finally started my Fitness Nutrition coursework - very interesting. So far it's all kinda the obvious stuff (eat less, move more) but they're getting into the scientific reasoning behind why it's important and how it will affect your body. I'll share what I'm learning as I go along :)

I've definitely hit my stride with my eating. I'm beginning to see that a lot of foods, namely carbs (bread, rice, pasta), were eaten because they were there and because they'd add a little something to my meal ... and most of all, because they were convenient.

For example, I was in a rush yesterday morning and I couldn't decide what to eat for breakfast. I didn't really want a big breakfast, but I didn't want to skip it either. Before, having a bowl of cereal or grabbing a slice of toast would have solved the problem. No stress. No worries. Just quickly fix and eat.  Similar issues come up with other meals too. For lunch I had smoked salmon with a few cucumber slices, and a bit of whole grain mustard. It wasn't the most fantastically delicious meal, but it was fine. I got my pure protein in as well as a few veggies. I know in the past I would have eaten that along with a slice or two of whole wheat bread. Having the bread wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world - but it was unnecessary. It is unnecessary ...

I think that's what I'm learning most through this challenge. I can do without so many of these things that before seemed like they were an essential component to my food.

Last night's dinner was grilled shrimp with bell peppers and sugar snap peas. It would have been the perfect filling for a shrimp fajita. All I needed was the tortilla wrap, maybe a bit of sour cream, and then some salsa ... but I didn't need it. The shrimp/veggie combo was enough.

Before understanding that it was enough, however, I hesitated and questioned if it would really be enough? It's this mental obstacle that has to be overcome. Not having a bit of bread or something else along with the meal wouldn't mean that I'd be starving! It wouldn't even mean that my meal was incomplete. I just didn't need it, and the food tasted absolutely fine.

This whole exercise of being aware of what you're eating, why you're eating, how you're eating, etc. has been so good so far!

Day 12 and I'm feelin' fine :)

Manic Monday

Am totally exhausted today so this will be a quick post.

Up since 4 a.m. - had a short but sweet morning yoga + abs workout and then it was time to rush, rush, rush. I had lots to do around the house, prep for work, teaching (where a student annoyed the hell out of me, and in the end she was in tears - aggravating!), and conferencing with students.

I did manage to get some time for myself and hit Body Balance class - I really needed it. My limbs have been feeling a bit tense/taut. I felt much more relaxed after the class.

Back home with more things to do, namely dinner to prep. I've realized that unless I've got dinner ready on CrossFit days, we end up eating late, and neither of us likes that.

Today's CrossFit session was an absolute KILLER!!

Warm-up:
5 minutes of jump rope
4 rounds of: 3 burpees, 6 hanging leg raises, 8 jump squats

Workout 1: Minimum 6 rounds of - 
10 jump pull-ups
10 burpees
20 jump squats
20 high pull deadlifts (20 kg bar)
120 skips

I managed to finish 7 rounds.

Workout 2: 15 minutes AMRAP
30 plate thrusters (used a 10kg plate)
30 lunges
30 tricep dips (body weight)
30 hanging leg raises

I got to 5 rounds.

Workout 3: (Yes, 3 - damn we were tired and dripping with sweat!)
1 minute burpees
1 minute squats
1 minute hand release push-ups
1 minute plank
1 minute crunches


It was intense!! It was so exhausting, but when I look back at all I did, I feel good :)

I still have a lot of improving to do, but I'm just going to keep pushing!

Moving Along

Last night I took a swig of NyQuill before going to bed. To be honest, it wasn't really for my cough. I was just desperate for some decent sleep. I know this could be a slippery slope I'm headed down, but for now, I'm just pleased I got a solid 3 hours, plus another 1 1/2 tossing and turning a bit. I was wide awake half an hour before my alarm, tried to relax, but only managed to stay in bed for another 15 minutes before getting out of bed.

The early start to my day (4:15 a.m.) meant that I had plenty of time to do my yoga and abs workout this morning. The yoga feels so good. Just taking a few minutes for some deep breathing helps relax me. Of course a lot of that relaxation is out the window as I'm trembling doing the plank pose or stiff during push-ups, but I'm hoping for improvement and balance over time.

I met my class today - 32 students (all female) cramped into a classroom that really should only have 22 students ... I feel bad for them. It must be so uncomfortable, but we'll have to make the best of it. Easy stuff for the first day ... I finished early enough to head straight to the gym for Body Balance class.

I love Body Balance. I haven't been to a class in months, and I was definitely feeling stiff ... but all that stretching was much needed. I'm hoping that going to the class at least twice a week will release some of the stiffness/soreness from CrossFit as well as help me gain flexibility and balance to help me with CrossFit (and other exercises). It was a great hour.

I thought about doing C25K after the class, but with CrossFit in the evening ... I thought I'd be pushing it. Hopefully I'll manage a session tomorrow.

I only stayed for the strength & conditioning portion of CrossFit today coz' I had to go pick D up from work. I asked the coach to text me the WOD so that I can complete it on my own either tonight or tomorrow.

For our warm-up we jumped rope and I got quite a few double-unders. I have yet to get any consecutively, but I'm pleased each time I do one.

Strength training today was 5x5:
Cleans - I only managed to get up to 35 kg. (I have a LOT of difficulty with these; I just can't seem to get the shoulder shrug right)
Front squats - I went up to 55 kg though it wasn't my max
Sumo deadlifts (my first time doing these) - I ended at 60 kg without any problems.

So that's it for today. I didn't get in all the exercise that I wanted but at least I managed quite a bit.

A Day of Relaxation

The weather here is absolutely stunning and I'm so glad to be done with my thesis submission so that I can actually sit outside and enjoy the weather without having to rush home to do some work!

My workouts for the day were really good -

Half an hour of cardio warm-up -- including more jump rope

Body balance -- which was particularly challenging as this choreography involved a lot of arm/shoulder work ... and after yesterday's weights session, all I can say is OUCH!

Boxing for an hour ... I really don't like doing my boxing training after body balance, particularly because balance class ends with 10 minutes of meditation. It's a bit disconcerting to go from lying down in the dark to throwing punches ... but like yesterday's post - I just have to suck it up!

I had a really good training session. No bruises or blood this time, but lots of core work - twists and turns - plus focus on form. Boxing once a week isn't enough. I need to squeeze in at least 2 hours of practice before meeting with my trainer on Wednesdays. Don't know where I'll find the time!

After my workouts I got the chance to sit outside for a few hours -- absolute bliss (even though I did have student essays to grade in front of me). Still, I think it's beginning to sink in, and I don't want that feeling to go away!

In the evening I went for a 5k walk on the Mishref walking track. After doing the 10k last weekend I've decided to really focus on improving my run - or probably more accurately, start running. I know I do cardio at the gym and have been trying to work on my running on the treadmill, but it made a huge difference 'running' outdoors. So, I'm going to try and go to the outdoor walking track at least twice a week, if not three times. My goal is to just do 5k outside and build up until I can run the whole distance. I may try to use the C25K program as I know several people have had success following that plan ... we'll see. For now I'll just keep track of how fast I'm going and keep trying to increase my speeds as well as my jogs with each attempt.

So that's it from me. I'm hoping that this newfound relaxation will help me sleep (it still hasn't happened yet ... only managed 3.5 hours last night -- ugh!! It's getting tough to handle).

Stiff Neck

Last night after Zumba class I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck. I don't know why or how it happened, but all of a sudden, I couldn't move my neck.

Unfortunately, I woke up this morning and still felt terrible. My neck is totally stiff. It looks like I have terrific posture until I start moving ... which is when I just look strange! Anyway.

My intention for Wednesdays was just to do Body Balance, but I really wanted to start my boxing training at some point ... so today was the day to begin.

I went to the gym this morning, did my usual 1 km warm-up, and then got started on my

boxing. It's been a long time since I trained -- at least four months, so I am basically restarting with the basics. Aside from attempting 6 minutes of jump rope (which I found very difficult), the rest of the workout was some basic footwork plus some shadowboxing as well as some core training. Not too difficult, but definitely important basic skills to master before taking it up a notch.

After that, I did Body Balance class. It was nice to see some improvement since last week. I definitely think that my workouts and weight training over the past week have helped. I know it's early days still, but it's always nice to see some improvement in just a short time.

I also got to use my new Manduka yoga mat. I read that it was the best yoga mat out there, so I thought, why not. I needed a new yoga mat -- If I'm going to get one, it might as well be the best. I had no idea how heavy this mat was going to be (the mat + the canvas bag came to a total of 4 kg or 8.8 lbs.), which totally killed me on the international shipping and handling (paid more than the price of the mat itself!!! I have to get good use out of it!). Anyway. It was great. It really made a difference to my workout as I wasn't constantly afraid of slipping and falling.

I'll write a more detailed review of the mat in a separate post.

Another good workout day ... now I just need my neck to loosen up again!

Forging Ahead

I woke up this morning feeling very sore -- I don't know if it was yesterday's cross-trainer workout or the Zumba workout ... nevertheless, it felt good to have that achy feeling in my legs again.

At times I really confuse myself. I love going to the gym, but still I struggle (quite regularly) with the decision of whether or not I should go to the gym. Take this morning for example. I don't teach on Wednesdays so I have the day free. I do, however, have my never-ending PhD to work on plus something scheduled for 2 p.m. that I have to prepare for ... so my question was, do I go to the gym this morning or not? My plan (that I fixed on Saturday) was to go this morning and do weights and Body Balance class and then tackle the rest of my errands ... so why did I wake up this morning wondering what to do? Why did I feel hesitation about going to the gym and completing the tasks I had set out for myself. They were not difficult. In fact, I was looking forward to them. I guess I just felt pressured for time. Everything would be a bit rushed.

In any case, I told myself to shut up and just stick to my bloody plan. So I did.

Wednesdays are my non-oatmeal breakfast days, so I made myself an egg white scramble with a bit of salsa - yum!

Then I squeezed in an hour of work before heading to the gym.

I finally completed Stage 2 of NROL4W (more on that below) and I went to Body Balance class (my first post-surgery) ... and now I feel great!

I'm a bit torn as to what to do with the NROL4W program. I struggled to get through Stage 2, mainly because I eased myself into it after surgery and also because I was incredibly wrapped up in my writing ... so it didn't get the commitment that it deserved though I am happy with my progress. Part of me is tempted to redo the whole stage before moving on to Stage 3 ... but after seeing my results today - the same as/slightly better than my last workout at the beginning of January - I guess there is not reason to go back ... plus I've heard that Stage 3 is much more interesting and challenging than Stage 2, and I'm definitely ready for that!

Body Balance was fantastic. I was a bit apprehensive, but it was fine. I've definitely lost a bit of flexibility, but I think after a few classes I'll be fine. I definitely want to try to work in at least 2 if not 3 yoga/pilates/balance classes per week. They really help me stretch out my muscles and also tone in general. Hmmmm my workout schedule may need a bit of tweaking.

Feelin' better each day :)

A bit much perhaps?

Today was one of those days when I went a bit psycho on my workout. As I was preparing my gym bag I could not decide what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to do some cardio, and I wanted to swim, plus there was weight training, and Body Balance class ... I just couldn't decide, so I thought I'd just prepare for them all. I ended up packing so much stuff up for the gym that I actually needed to take two gym bags (and that's not even including any toiletries as I already have those in my gym locker!) Anyway.

It's a good thing I was prepared for all sorts of workouts because my routine went like this:

Cardio warm-up: 1 km -- I'm a bit frustrated that I still can't (or am afraid to try to) jog the 1 km straight, but rather am still completing the 1 km with a mixture of walking, jogging, and sprinting.

Weight training: Workout 8B -- Like my training on Monday (which I posted about yesterday) it went much better than I had expected. I was able to complete all the reps at the same weight/resistance as I did before I traveled. Though I have to tell you, starting from last night when I got into bed, my abs were burning! Damn those prone jackknives ... and then this

morning, the walk down the stairs made me realize how stiff/sore my thighs were feeling. Nevertheless, I was going to complete the workout - lunges and all!!

Swimming: It was too beautiful a day not to go

for a swim [doesn't the pool look inviting?]. I wasn't sure when I'd get the opportunity and I only managed to work in 3 swims this entire summer. I was determined to get into the pool -- despite my fears (laugh if you must, but there you have it!) Anyway. I managed 20 laps with just 1 minute rest after my 10th lap ... (total of 1/2 km) -- I wanted to stay and do more, but I wanted to get to Body Balance Class ...

Body Balance class: I'll have to post more in detail about this class at some point ... but just briefly this class is a combination of tai chi, yoga, and Pilates. I loved the fact that I could really feel the strength in my arms and legs when doing the Sun Salutation and other balance poses ... anybody who thinks that these types of classes are 'easy' don't know what they're talking about. You definitely work up a sweat - and by the last main track, my legs are shaking (but in a good way) ... and then comes the BEST part -- 10 minutes of relaxation/meditation. The lights go off, the curtains come down, you lay down with your eyes closed and the instructor calmly guides the meditation (people often fall asleep - snore even!!) It's incredibly relaxing and just what I needed today.

So, I managed to fit it all in - it was a bit rushed, and I definitely wish that I had had more time to lounge by the pool before rushing into the class. I probably won't do the combination of weights, swimming, and balance again as my arms were protesting quite a bit ... but overall I feel great.

Now to get some studying done!!