San Francisco Update Part 2 - Following My Passion

"You're crazy for working out on vacation."

I cannot tell you how sick and tired I am of people calling me 'crazy.'

Crazy for exercising on vacation.
Crazy for exercising intensely.
Crazy for lifting weights so religiously.
Crazy for lifting such heavy weights.
Crazy for not eating bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Crazy for doing the Whole Life Challenge twice and giving up sugar, preservatives, dairy, grains ... and continuing to follow that eating pattern 80-90% of the time.
Crazy for waking up early to go to the gym.
Crazy for sleeping early so that I can wake up early and go to the gym.

Crazy. Crazy. Crazy.

I'm getting used to it. I can shrug it off. However, it still upsets me.

Where were these people to say that I was crazy when I smoked, when I wasn't getting more than 2 hours of sleep a night, when I ate so much and moved so little during my vacations that I'd come back 10-20 lbs heavier than when I left?

I could go on and on (perhaps I will in another post), but for now, this is about San Francisco and I'll start with what I learned.

What I Learned

I enjoy working out (ya I think we all kinda knew that).

Working out on vacation wasn't seen as a task. I took opportunities to workout in new places and try new things. I enjoyed feeling good. That didn't mean I didn't do fun things. It just meant that I prioritized what I wanted to do - places I wanted to visit, foods I wanted to eat, activities I wanted to participate in. Just because I exercised everyday that I was in San Francisco doesn't mean that I am crazy. It means that I did what I enjoyed.

So what I learned was - I should do what I want to do. What other people think of my habits should not (does not) matter to me. I do not judge them for the decisions they make or their actions. Therefore, they should not judge me on mine.

As we rounded up our vacation, D and I both learned that we enjoyed doing these various activities. It was fun to stay active. It was great mingling with new people who shared similar interests. It was wonderful bonding over new adventures together.

The most important thing - we learned what made us happy together.

I'm not sure what else could beat that kind of vacation outcome!

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There wasn't much I wanted to do in San Francisco. I mainly wanted to take in the city - see the Golden Gate Bridge, walk around, catch a baseball game, and just chill.

I did exactly that (plus all my workouts of course, hahaha.)

I passed by both a CrossFit box and a Jiujitsu place - neither of them looked appealing to me, so I skipped training there and stuck to the hotel gym. Our hotel gym was small, but the one next door at the Four Seasons was MASSIVE (over 3 floors). They had a boxing studio which I took full advantage of!

I loved this boxing studio - wish we had something similar in Kuwait!

My other workouts were normal gym workouts - cardio, weights, mini-CrossFit WODs, stretching, and some Kajukenbo practice.

A typical day at the gym for me -- yes, even while on vacation! 

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Out and About in San Francisco

D & I at a Giants vs. Mets game

Visiting the Golden Gate Bridge - with the traveling tapestry (#thetravelingtap4 on Instagram)

A major highlight of my San Francisco trip was meeting blogger Kim (she used to write at Forty is the New Fabulous) -- we've kept in touch over the years & I was thrilled when she drove up to meet me. We had a great night out. It's wonderful when you online connections turn out to be great real-life connections too!

Who says I only go to the gym? LOL -- D caught this candid shot of me wandering around San Francisco. It was a bit too cold for my liking, but I had a lovely time.

Next Stop: NYC! 

(Link to: San Francisco Update 1)

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

I love Mondays because I do my MMA training on Monday mornings. I can't wait until summer vacation begins and I'll be able to add a few more days of MMA training - including some sparring - in the morning. Today I mainly focused on boxing, so donning my 'Boxing Attitude' t-shirt seemed appropriate ;)

An early meeting at work meant only a 45-minute workout for me this morning. I wish I could have gotten my butt out the door earlier, but it just wasn't happening. Despite doing my morning yoga to center myself and stretch, by the time I left the house, I was frantic :/ Must work on that!

By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was sleep. I did end up taking a 20 minute power nap and then I was up and out the door to head to CrossFit. I took some time off from CrossFit while my dad was in town. Now I really want to get back into it. Nothing beats the HIIT of the WODs. Our strength focus for the day was chest presses off the floor. Six sets (10, 7, 5, 5, 5, 5) I maxed out at 35 kg; I could have tried 40, but I didn't feel confident. Our WOD (workout of the day) was killer. I mean, at first it sounded simple, but by the time I was halfway through, I was drenched in sweat! WOD: 20 minutes AMRAP: 5 pull-ups (I'm not there yet, but I'm getting better), 10 push-ups, and 15 squats. I did 19 rounds, which comes to a total of 95 pull-ups, 190 push-ups (180 on my toes, 10 on my knees); 285 squats!!

I wore my new CrossFit t-shirt today -- I'm in love with this picture. We've got it up in the box, and I have claimed him as my CrossFit boyfriend. When I'm focusing on looking up during my squats, it's his face I see, so I use it to motivate me.

I'm so glad I pushed myself to go to CrossFit. There was a point when I almost didn't go -- I've got to remember that if I don't push myself now, then the changes I want to see are not going to happen.

My food for the day:

Breakfast (pre/post-workout) was my usual trio:

Lunch: Fish and Vegetables in Coconut Broth

I made a batch of fish soup on Saturday night for me to have during the week. I didn't have it yesterday, but I tried it out for the first time today -- not too bad! It needs a bit of tweaking (perhaps more lime), but it was rather flavorful, quite filling, and definitely healthy.

I haven't worked out the calorie count as yet, but I will soon and then post it along with the recipe.

Dinner: Baked Salmon with Veggies

Salmon + Sweet potato, bell peppers, and cauliflower

Snack: nuts after CrossFit/grapes after dinner

1/4 cup raw cashews & a tablespoon of raisins

Post-Dinner Snack/'Dessert' - 10 grapes

Today:
- Workouts:

• Yoga in the morning at home (15 minutes) 
• Cardio-kickboxing at the gym (45 minutes)
• Deep stretching at the gym & at CrossFit Q8, post-workouts (total 15 minutes)
• CrossFit at CrossFit Q8 (1 hour)
• Burpees: 30 {total: 3,530/20,130}
• Squats Day 2: 55

- Food:

• Breakfast: pre-workout - banana, 1 date, 1 T natural peanut butter; post-workout - 3 omelet muffins & 1/2 avocado
• Lunch: 1.5 cups fish soup
• Dinner: baked salmon with vegetables
• Snacks: 1/4 cup of raw cashews and a tablespoon of raisins; 10 grapes

- Other:

My to-do list for May 5-June 5 is complete; now I just have to get to filling in all these blanks! I'm sure other tasks will come along, but this chart will definitely do for now!

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!!)

A Smile and a Thing I Love

I had a mini-photo shoot with a friend of mine who is an artist. She's starting an Instagram series (#asmileandathingilove) featuring portraits of people with something they love. I had the honor of being her first portrait. It was the highlight of my day. Here's the pic :)

One-on-One

Ok. Instead of taking you through my day, I'm just gonna start backwards.

I just got back from kickboxing class. I went even though I still am not feeling 100%. However, since it's mainly just a sore throat - no sniffling, sneezing, coughing etc - I thought, this is ok. I can suck it up and just go through with it.

Plus, LJ, the other girl who goes to kickboxing class, sent me a message earlier asking if I was going to be there. At that point I still wasn't sure, but since I left her on her own for yesterday's class, I really wanted to make an effort to go there.

Working out in a small group definitely gives me an extra push.

Groups are great because you establish a rapport. You also have a bit more accountability - like if you skip a class, the trainer and your partners are there to ask you why and tell you off it it's not a good excuse (all in the name of wanting the best for you of course). Anyway.

What I didn't know is that LJ got held up at work and I was the only one in class -- my first one-on-one training session with Marc. Boy did he work me hard! It was great. We went straight through the hour with just 3 1-min rest breaks -- worked on all the punches, elbows (love 'em), knees, and kicks as well as self-defense. The hour flew by!

I felt fine except for a bit of extra dryness in my throat.

So glad (as usual) that I made it to the class.

The rest of my day was fine. A bit tiring - lecturing for 3 hours with a sore throat is not fun.

Hoping for an early night tonight - definitely need some rest.

Today's Workout
MMA training: cardio kickboxing (1 hour)
Stretching: 15 minutes

Today's Food
Breakfast: 2 omelet 'muffins' & 1/2 avocado
Lunch: leftover veggies from last night's dinner & 1 omelet 'muffin'
Dinner: a whole life challenge friendly version of Shepherd's pie
Snacks: 1 banana, 3 dates, 1 cup of green tea


Click here for today's Whole Life Challenge VLOG & update :)

I tried

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm hoping to incorporate morning workouts into my daily routine from now until September. The one thing that I didn't plan for was how this affects my breakfast. I had originally planned to make my omelet muffins on Sunday and have a couple each morning for the week - however, I just don't feel like eating that much right before heading to the gym. I'd eat them afterwards, since they're a really good source of protein and vegetables, but I usually don't come back home after the gym (heading straight to work, doing errands, or just chillin') ... so I have to figure out something to eat right before my workout and then something for right after that will hold me over until lunch.

My morning workouts won't be super intense, but they will be complete workouts. I'm still saving my energy for my afternoon training sessions which will always be more intense (CrossFit, kickboxing, or boxing). At the same time, I don't want to take it easy in the mornings because if for some reason I can't/don't make it to my afternoon sessions, I don't want to feel like I didn't have a proper workout.

In terms of food, yesterday I had 3 dates before heading out to the gym and then I had a banana and 2 more dates after my workout. Today I had 2 dates before my workout, and since I had a bit of time before I needed to be at work, I stopped at the PQ (my regular haunt) and had an omelet (they're fantastic about catering to your dietary needs - cooked in olive oil, hold the sauces/cheese, and use egg whites) and some green tea.

So far, this has worked out well ... I'll just feel more comfortable if I have a more sustainable plan. I really don't want to be buying my breakfast each day. We'll see. For now, it's working.

This morning's workout was good - 20 minutes on the treadmill again. I'm slowly trying to increase my jogging so that I'm back to where I left off with the C25K. Although I know I completed the 10K a few weeks ago, I know I didn't run 5K straight, and that's something I still want to do (and then work up to 10K straight of course).

I followed this with 20 minutes of jump rope - with very little rest in between. I'm getting so much better at this. I can easily do 200 skips without stopping. I've also been working on doing one-leg skips as part of my boxing training which is also improving!

I then did 20 minutes of bag work. I didn't punch hard because I had forgotten my wraps/gloves [hadn't planned on boxing this morning] but I did focused on form and technique. I practiced some of my kicks as well.

I then went on to 20 minutes on the cross-trainer (increased the intensity a bit more than yesterday) and ended with 50 crunches, 50 Swiss ball crunches, and 100 leg raises (50 per leg).

I had a short but exhausting day at work and was absolutely starving by the time I got home. Luckily I had leftovers from last night's dinner (baked white fish with tomatoes & a crispy cauliflower, sweet potato, and kale salad).

After eating, however, I suddenly felt sick. I had been having cramps all day anyway, but this was different - it felt like food poisoning & my body reacted as if it was food poisoning.

It was terrible. I was bewildered because I ate exactly what I had last night - surely it couldn't have been food poisoning!

The thing that I was dreading most was not going to my planned CrossFit session in the afternoon. I've already missed so many classes with travel etc. that I really didn't want to miss another one.

I rested for a bit, took a 20 minute power nap with the hope that my stomach would settle down.

I felt a bit better but still quite queasy and definitely unsure about whether or not I should go to the class ... still, I forced myself to get dressed and go. If I felt really bad, I could always stop and come home. [I'm trying to keep that Plan for Success attitude at the forefront of my mind.]

As luck would have it, class was cancelled (due to a car accident and an injury - nothing too serious thankfully). The Coach had actually called me but I was in such a rush to get to the Box that I hadn't answered and thought I would just talk to him when I arrived ... the joke was on me!

Anyway. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I was disappointed that there wasn't any class, but I was also a bit relieved that I didn't have to workout when I wasn't feeling 100%. Hopefully everything will fall into place next time!

Feeling Good

Today was one of those days where everything just seemed to turn out well.

I wore an outfit today to work that got several, several compliments - simple black bootleg trousers from the GAP and a sweater top from Top Shop (which is in the smallest size I own at the moment!). Some of my colleagues, who see me on a daily basis, didn't just make a passing comment about how I looked or my weight loss, but were surprised at the transformation. I hadn't realized the outfit was that flattering, though I admit that I felt good in it (it's the trousers and 5 inch heels that I think really did it!). Of course the compliments made me feel good.

I was a bit annoyed that I missed Body Balance class since I didn't finish work on time, but that gave me the chance to quickly meet with one of my friends who happens to be one of the top Muay Thai guys in Kuwait. I'd love to train with him, but I know I'm not ready ... yet. In the meantime he gave me some tips on how to strengthen my wrists because I feel like that's where I need the most work (along with staying firm in my stance) in terms of boxing/kickboxing.

I then had a few hours at home to catch up on some work as well as relax before heading out to kickboxing class.

For the past 3 weeks only me and one other guy have been showing up for kickboxing. It's been quite a challenge because we hold the boxing pads up for one another. Boy do my shoulders get a workout when he hits those pads. There were some punches last night that I thought were really going to take my right arm off. Still, it made me stand firmer in my stance and really focus on steeling myself to receiving the punches - definitely a good arm and shoulder workout! We also did a lot of moving pad work - the coach had me all over the gym floor. It is quite a challenge to stay strong in your stance, continue focusing on the power behind punches, as well as keep your guard up - not to mention make proper contact - as you're moving around so fast. It was a great drill. Some of my punches have really improved, though I seemed to be struggling with my left hook today.

In the middle of it all (I'm backtracking a little), an much anticipated package arrived for me.

I'll be traveling for part 2 of my best friend's wedding (the same friend who got married in Germany back in October). Since this ceremony will be taking place in India, I asked one of my friend's who is a fashion designer in Bangladesh if she could pick up an outfit for me. Instead of buying one off the rack, she asked for my measurements and designed and tailor-made an outfit for me. I asked her for the outfit 9 days ago so I was really tense about her being able to finish the outfit (she was embroidering stuff by hand) receiving it on time. It was supposed to arrive tomorrow, but - thank you DHL - it arrived today!! I was so nervous about it fitting right, especially since I just texted her my measurements, but it fit like a glove and I have to say, I felt like a princess. I'm so excited to be wearing the outfit next week!! [Pictures will have to wait until then.]

My day finished off with a lovely dinner with friends I hadn't gotten together with in a while. We went to a steakhouse, and had steak as well as baked parsnips. I think I can officially say that I am no longer a vegetarian (or pescatarian) as I've had meat 3 times already this week! We'll see how that pans out. Anyway. It was a really satisfying, good day :)

My outfit for the night - loving my new Desigual coat and Dune polka-dot heels (though they are hidden by the trousers).

A closer look at the shoes :)

Rowing

When I woke up this morning all I could think about was how poorly I did on that row machine yesterday. Trying for sub-2 minutes and getting 2 1/2 minutes sucked.

I know that I was tired, and I did try ... but still, I knew that if I wanted to achieve that sub-2 min row, then I'd have to practice.

So, this morning I got up, finished the bit of work that I had to do, and headed to the gym.

I had boxing scheduled for the evening so I didn't want to overdo it. I decided to practice 2 skills - jump rope and rowing.

My workout in the morning was: 

200 jump rope skips followed by a 500 m row. 

I repeated that 5 times. 

My fastest 500 m row was completed in 2 min 5 sec. 

So bloody close! 

I'm amazed at how exhausting rowing is. The first 300 meters is fine, and then the fatigue starts to set it. All of a sudden you're looking at the bar in front of you thinking, pulling it shouldn't be hard - and then you go to pull it and think - why is the bar so heavy?! 

Getting the coordination and technique right is essential. I don't think I'm rowing efficiently. I'm sure that if I work on that I'll be able to shave those extra seconds off. 

In the late afternoon I headed to boxing class. We had a really good session. I'm enjoying the mini sparring bouts that we're doing. I'd actually like to focus on that more because I think it'll help me improve my reflexes and actually think more about what I have to do. There was one point during the sparring session that the coach was punching (lightly tapping) at my gloves which were guarding my face and all I kept thinking was - what the hell should I do? He's punching at me ... and that's when he told me to focus on what areas of his body were open (his abdominal region) and go for that. Once he said that, it clicked and I was able to work on reading my opponent more instead of just focusing on defending myself. 

It was a good lesson. 

I love bag work/pad work, but I think it's only sparring that will really prepare you for thinking on your feet and landing good punches. 

My legs are incredibly sore from today's rowing. Who would have thought that just under 13 minutes of rowing would leave me so sore. I felt a bit wobbly in my high heels in the evening ... but that sore feeling is so satisfying! 

Working My Arms

I can really see a difference in the way my arms feel and are shaping up. It must be all the boxing. I was definitely feeling a bit of fatigue today after not only Sunday's boxing session, but also yesterday's practice with snatches. In any case, the training is going well and I really am enjoying every second of it. I love the sound of that hollow pop as my punch hits the pad. I can tell that my Coach is really pushing me, coz' he doesn't just hold the pads - no, he brings them towards me hard so I've really got to be ready to not only strike, but also absorb the impact.

This reminds me, I've got to get better at putting on my handwraps. I don't know why I haven't figured it out yet. It sounds silly, but I probably need to sit down and practice wrapping my hands. The last thing I want is to injure my wrist or fingers.

I also realized today that I think my 14 oz. gloves are too big. The extra padding is great, but for the first time today I felt like I wasn't getting enough impact - like the padding was actually getting in the way of me feeling the full force of the bag. I'll try a lighter pair of gloves and see how they work out.

For our warm-ups we've been practicing our skipping. My regular skips are fine (double-unders still suck - must practice!!). However, we've also been trying to skip on one leg. It's been challenging! Surprisingly I'm much better skipping on just my left leg than I am my right. It takes a bit of coordination and balance to do the exercise -- again, lots of practice needed!!


For the first half of the boxing session we focus on technique and skills. For the second half we've got a circuit workout. Today was 3 rounds/1 minute per exercise of:

Pad work with the coach
Bicycle crunches
Bag work - focus on hooks
Back extensions
Bag work - focus on explosive punches {one minute doesn't sound like a lot, but trust me, it is tiring!}
Jump squats
Moving push ups {I started on my toes, but finished on my knees - still, it's getting better}

:)

Five Days Straight

For the first time, I had boxing training for 5 days straight. Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday (today) were 1 1/2 hours of pure boxing/power/strength and conditioning. Monday and Wednesday were kickboxing/technique/and a bit of MMA.

I am absolutely LOVING it!

I see a huge difference in my arm strength and power. Of course I still have a lot of work to do, but I've definitely been improving.

It's quite challenging focusing on your form and then adding the elements of speed and power to the movement. It's so easy to literally get thrown off balance and lose concentration. You've got to be quick, powerful, and accurate.

I've definitely landed quite a few good punches over the past few days. I'm looking forward to throwing many more solid ones.

---

This week I didn't get any CrossFit training sessions in. I was beginning to feel a bit frantic because I feel like I'm behind on my training, especially with traveling as well as not meeting this week. The main concern I had was that one of my kickboxing training sessions happens exactly during our class time. I don't want to give up either. I spoke to my Coach today and he was great about it. He said if I was learning and benefitting from kickboxing that I should keep going to the sessions and he would work out another time for me to train so that I don't fall behind and lose my strength/stamina/endurance.

I can't tell you what I relief it was to hear that. That extra bit of flexibility will really help me out. Can't wait to get my schedule sorted so that I can focus on doing instead of thinking/planning/hoping. At least I'm taking out my frustrations on the boxing bag :)

A few pix taken yesterday:

Heading out to ClubFit Kuwait for my kickboxing session - gotta have my Everlast bag!!

Reasons to be fit: [Loved this]

Feelin' it!

Today, my legs are sore. More specifically, my quads are sore. The good thing is that they are nowhere near as sore as my legs were after the 10k in February. After that run I could barely walk for 2 days. This is more like a post-crazy, intense workout sore & I definitely like this kind of sore ... though I'm ready for it to be over.

I had a great boxing session today. I still need to work on quite a bit of my technique, mainly my upper cuts, but some of my punches are getting really good. Something new we did today completely took my session to another level.

We practiced defense, but not me in gloves and my coach with the pads coming at me ... no, this time he put on gloves too.

Let me tell you. It is completely different when you see a fist (albeit in a boxing glove) coming towards your face. It's scary.

I hated that I felt intimidated and scared, but that was the reality. Coach's glove tapping at my gloves, coming at my head - jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts -- and I had to defend myself.

No real punches were thrown, but light contact was made and that initial light contact took some getting used to.

We only did 4 1-minute rounds of this ... but it wasn't enough for me. I wanted more so I asked Coach to practice some more with me after class.

I loved it.

I like the challenge of having to get over that fear. Of being able to look your opponent in the eyes, predict the punch that's coming, defend yourself, AND strike back.

It was so cool and damn tough.

I'm still scared and my first instinct is still to crouch down and put my hands over my head - but that's the best challenge. Facing that fear and hitting back.

I can't wait for the next class!

In other Women's Fighting news -- Ronda Rousey has been signed the first UFC women's champion.

Can't wait to see her fight!

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!

Clothes and Cardio Kickboxing

I decided to take some time to go through my clothes ... wow. I emptied out more than half my closet. There were some items of clothing that I bought in August (still had tags on them) that are already too big for me. I was really surprised.

Body image is such a strange thing. I mean, I see the numbers going down on the scale (am at my lightest weight in about 7 or 8 years I think at the moment) and I feel my clothes getting looser ... but when I look in the mirror, I don't see it. I mean, occasionally I'll notice that my arms are getting thinner (like yesterday when doing tricep extensions) and my legs are getting a bit more shapely ... but I don't see the significance of 26 kg loss (57 lbs) over the past 3 years [8 kg/almost 18 lbs of which is just in the past 8 weeks]

Isn't that sad? Will I ever get over that hesitation to accept that my body is changing? Surely that is a form of confidence that will be good for me to develop.

I am thinking more positively. I am definitely more focused on my goals, more driven, and also more confident (even if scared and intimidated sometimes) about my fitness level and workouts ...

I guess the bottom line is that there's more work to be done. A lot more work.

That's ok though. I'm ready for the challenge. I know that I've done really well over the past 2 months. I am eager to continue with this progress.

People keep asking me how I'm going to reward myself after the Whole Life Challenge. They're all thinking about food - pizza, brownies, wine -- A food reward is actually the last thing on my mind. There's nothing that I'm craving - how awesome is that?

After today's closet clear out, however, I will be rewarding myself with a shopping spree in a few weeks. I am a size that I've never been before, or at least it's been so long that I can't remember. However, I know dropping another few pounds will help me fit into that size more comfortably. Let's see how it goes.

In other news, today I went to my first cardio kickboxing class at my friend's gym - Club Fit Kuwait.

It was really good. We practiced a lot of different punches/techniques. I have no doubt my shoulders will be on fire tomorrow.

With CrossFit, my other gym training, boxing, and now this, my schedule is getting a bit overcrowded. This is on top of my job and my research ... I really don't have enough hours in the day. I guess it's a good thing I only average about 4 hours of sleep a night, hahahaha. Actually, I shouldn't joke. I need more sleep!!!

Anyway. As the end of the Whole Life Challenge approaches, I'm trying to find a way to organize my time, figure out my training schedule, my life schedule, and my eating plan.

There are a lot of decisions to be made in terms of eating. I could just stick to what I'm doing now. I'm wondering if I should add a bit of dairy back into my diet ... I don't know. It'll be a bit of trial and error. No matter what I do decide, I know that there will be certain things that will never be a part of my diet - fried, fatty, preservative-packed, sugar-stuffed foods are not entering my mouth ever again. I think with that resolution alone I'll be alight -- but I know myself & I think more specific guidelines will be helpful for me.

That's it from here -- I leave you with a picture from today's kickboxing session.

I was holding the pads at this point. Let me tell you, holding your arms up in that position for 5-10 minutes while someone is punching at them is not easy!!

Exercise as Reward

I was still stuck at my desk for most of the day, but I managed to do a few normal things which made me feel better.

Yoga in the morning -- whenever I miss a few days of yoga in the morning (particularly on the weekends because I try to get a bit more sleep) and then I get back to it I remember why I love it so much. It feels so incredible - just 10 or so stretches and I'm totally ready to face my day. It's worth waking up 15 minutes earlier just to do it.

I gave myself a writing target and told myself - if I don't hit it, I won't be allowed to go for my boxing lesson which will be the last one for this month.

Let me tell you, I worked frantically to hit that target, rushed like a maniac to get ready for the class, and then took out all my frustrations on the boxing pads.

I came home, drenched in sweat, pumped full of adrenaline, and right after showering I was back at my desk to work for a few more hours before dinner.

Do what you need to do to get it done. It's not always easy, but it is possible.

Making Peace

Today my motto was to just let bygones be bygones. I was getting too worked up with the food conversations with my dad. There are so many other things for us to focus on. I just have to bite my tongue and let it go, or as I did this evening as he was describing some sort of fried white flour concoction he ate earlier in the day, I just got up and left the room.

I've got to let it go.

In the meantime, I had a great workout today.

It's days like today that I realize why a popular CrossFit saying is "Our warm-up is your workout" -- our warmup today was:

50 burpees
50 deep squats
50 crunches
50 hand-release push-ups

Then we worked on strength training, though I focused more on practicing my technique for snatches and cleans. Cleans are definitely one of my biggest nightmares.

It takes a bit of mind over matter when working with lighter weights and focusing on technique. I want to lift heavy. I love lifting heavy, but I know lifting heavy with a bad technique is just going to be dangerous for me in the long run ... so I lifted light, I lifted several times, and I focused on trying to let it go.

It's also tough sometimes watching these girls who are 10 years younger than me, with flat abs, and fitness/healthy/running backgrounds ... and then there's me.

Still. I show up. I try. I can't get bogged down in those details, though sometimes it is hard ... Gotta shake it off.

After our WOD - which was 5 rounds of 10 deadlifts (120lbs) + 10 overhead squats (45lbs) + 10 burpees, I had my boxing lesson.

It's tough to box after CrossFit coz' you're already achy and sore ... but once I got started, it felt great. Boxing is exhausting but it's exhilarating too.

I'll leave you with a couple of photos from tonight's session :)

Friday night boxing @ CrossFit Q8

I really need to work on keeping my guard up!

By the way - today marks the end of Week 5 of the Whole Life Challenge. It's been going incredibly well :) You can check out my progress here.

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!

Emotional Stress

There have been a few family issues that have been stressing me out lately. I guess that's what's been keeping me from sleeping at night. This afternoon things kinda came to the point where I had to confront the issue head on -- it felt terrible. As I was dealing with it, I kept looking at the clock, noticing that it was getting closer and closer to the time I needed to start getting ready for CrossFit.

Part of me just didn't want to go. I really felt like I was an emotional wreck - unfocused, crying, feeling down in general ...

But I also knew that if I didn't workout, I'd feel worse. It would be good for me to take all that angst out on the weights.

I wasn't entirely convinced as I left the house. Then I made a huge mistake of checking my email right after parking at the CrossFit place - there was an email related to what's been going on and it had me completely burst into tears. I gave myself a few minutes to kinda let it out and then collect myself and then into the Box I went.

We had a bit of time before our workout started, and instead of isolating myself (like I wanted to do) I just chatted with the rest of the team, and before long I started to feel better.

During our skipping warm-up I finally managed to get a few double-unders. I've been struggling to get them over the past week or so. Our warm-up was intense - The quote "Our warm-up is your workout" is no joke when it comes to CrossFit! It included squats, hand-release push-ups, burpees, tire flips, crunches, and more ...

Then we worked on our skills. I was working with M on Cleans & Snatches. I'm still struggling with Cleans big time. I just can't get the movement smooth yet ... the snatches, however, are going well. I just need to keep my focus.

Our WOD was intense - deadlifts (60kg), burpees, and push presses (10kg) -- Reps increased in sets of 3 - so 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 reps of each exercise. I didn't finish (did the 18 deadlifts and then stopped after 9 burpees). I wish I had finished, but I tried my best.

This week boxing classes have started at our CrossFit box -- and my first lesson was today right after the WOD. Man, I was knackered! Still, I love boxing and I really wanted to do it, so I just got to it for another 45 minutes. It felt really good.

I'm so glad I had dinner prepared because I didn't get home until about 9 p.m. and I was starving!

I had to deal a bit more with the family situation after I got home, but at least I managed to de-stress through the workouts so it wasn't as bad as before.

Sometimes things just don't feel right, but you gotta push through anyway.

Starting Week 3 of the Whole Life Challenge -- I've managed to earn full points + bonus points so far. It's going well :)

Get Fit, Feel Epic Week 1 Summary

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

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

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

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

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

Week 1 (Sep. 3 - Sep. 9)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fingers crossed for a good night's sleep!!

Practicing my Exercises

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

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

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

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

That one little action really changed my attitude.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Several Attempts

I only got 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night. I spent a good 3 hours tossing and turning, practically in tears that I couldn't fall asleep. WTF? I'm on vacation. I have no stress. Nothing that needs my immediate attention. Nothing that was distracting me ... and I was still tossing and turning.

The lack of sleep is really fucking with me. There's no other way to put it. I can feel the impact on my body immediately. I'm not lethargic, but there's something inside that doesn't feel right. It's almost as if my organs haven't rested. I know that sounds strange, but I don't have any other way to describe the feeling.

Despite the lack of sleep I still made it to the gym this morning. Today was going to be the only day before traveling that I would have to get a boxing session in. So somehow or the other I dragged my truly hurtin' ass to the gym and headed straight to the boxing bag - didn't even drop my bags at my locker.

I had four goals for my workout this morning:
1) Boxing
2) Practice double unders
3) Practice box jumps
4) Practice pull ups

The last 3 were mainly to help me with my CrossFit training.

My boxing session started off a bit shaky. I found it hard to get the force into my arms, but by the end of it, I had a really good combo set to worn on and the power came out. My poor knuckles! They're still  red, but it was worth it!

I've really improved on my jump rope skips. I can easily jump for about 2 minutes straight. So, the next thing to try is double unders - when you have the rope go under your feet twice in one jump. I must have tried 50 times -- and all I got were 50 whips on my shins from where the rope hit me. So - regular skips, about 800, double under attempts, 50. Successful completion - 0! Not yet ... but soon.

I think I've become obsessed with box jumps. I am so mad that I couldn't do the double box jump! Still, I'm not going to accomplish it just by being frustrated - I gotta practice. I actually started this yesterday (forgot to write about it). This is what I jumped yesterday: [About 17 inches high/44 cm]

I managed to jump that (both feet up at the same time from standing position) 5 or 6 times.

This morning I added another step - after a few false starts, I succeeded at doing that ... and then added one more. It was a no go. I tried so many times - I must have attempted it at least 25 times. :( Fail.
I would take it down a bit, jump that a few times, and then quickly add the step to psych myself into jumping again - ugh. No go!! WTF. I know it's in my head. Anyway. I ended by taking 2 quick steps towards the bench and jumping up one leg at a time. I did that several times. It's not a proper box jump, but I'm working on it. I really want to do this!

Finally, my pull-ups. I used the assisted pull up machine to help me out. I just want to continue to practice so that my body gets used to the motion. I'm doing much better than I did before. It was good to see some progress.