A Full Week!

It has been a FULL week for me.

I started off the week still feeling quite achy from my workouts from last week. Part of it was from my general training and getting back to  my weight lifting, but most of it was me still recovering from the MetaFit training course! I think I did a few too many burpees, squats, and lunges -- my left knee was feeling terrible!

I approached my workouts with caution, but was happy that I didn't feel any major pains.

I just focused on active recovery on Monday with a long walk.
It's just as well I didn't do anything major because Tuesday ended up being a LONG day of workouts.

I went to a 7 a.m. Yoga class at the martial arts center. Then I hit the weights and did a MetaFit class at my local gym, followed by 2 hours of Jiujitsu in the evening.

Wednesday was my first evening Muay Thai class. It was fantastic! I had such a good time :) It felt great to work up a sweat hitting pads again. That class was followed by Yoga for Muay Thai. I left the martial arts center feeling relaxed and totally stretched out, which led to a great night of sleep.

Thursday morning I was back at the gym for weights and MetaFit and then a really intense session of Jiujitsu. I'm preparing to take my blue belt test soon, so I've been drilling my moves quite seriously.

Today I attended a 6:30 a.m. Muay Thai session followed by another hour of yoga. Plus tonight I've got Jiujitsu again.

Filling up the Mini Cooper with my Muay Thai gear and yoga mat.

Glad I didn't get a Smart car!

It feels fantastic to be able to fit in 3 1-hour yoga classes in my week. I am SO stiff. Not doing any proper yoga for 10 months has really had an impact on my flexibility. I'm hoping that continuing to do the classes will really help me loosen up.

Aside from Jiujitsu I don't really have anything else scheduled for this weekend. I may try to fit in either a MetaFit session or just some walking. We'll see. Rest is definitely on the agenda! The Whole Life Challenge starts tomorrow!! I can't wait :)

Finally!!!

By the end of BJJ class last night, I was feeling totally spent. The previous days of training had caught up to me. All wanted to was to get a good night's sleep.

I may not have slept for long, but I did sleep soundly, and I was ready to get up and go when my alarm went off at 5 a.m.

I already had my gym bags (yes, bags) packed, my clothes had been laid out -- I just had to eat a little something (a small salmon burger - just the patty that I made yesterday with nothing else and half a cup of green tea plus my vitamins), get ready, and head out the door.

Then came my first big challenge -- my first solo drive in London!

I took lessons to drive on the 'other' side and I've driven around a bit with D in the car with me ... but this was the first time I was going out on my own. Luckily, at 6 a.m. the roads are quite clear, so I got to my destination without any problems. Yay!

So what got me out of bed so early in the morning?

Muay Thai training!

I was so happy to finally be able to make it to a class. I have been missing it so much, and I really felt like it was what has been missing from my routine.

The class was great! The people were friendly and welcoming. The workouts was challenging and fun. I worked up a great sweat and boy did it feel great to hit pads after such a long time. Yes, I was definitely happy.

After Muay Thai there was a yoga class, so I attended that. I was told that on Fridays they focused on flexibility -- that perfect for me. I haven't properly done a yoga class since October. Boy was I stiff! I tried my best with the poses. It felt so good to stretch out -- definitely something very necessary in my fitness routine. I'm excited to track my progress over the upcoming sessions.

My second big challenge was getting back home! I left the martial arts center at around 8:45, so it was kind of rush hour. There were so many more cars on the road. There were a few tense moments (roundabouts and narrow roads with cars coming from the opposite direction as well), but I survived (as did the other drivers on the road) :)

I entered the house sweaty and grinning from ear to ear -- now that's the way I like to start the day!!

my Hayabusa bag and equipment all ready to be taken out the door

February 2014

Can you believe the first month of 2014 is gone already? How are you all doing in terms of your fitness/health goals? Have you recovered from 2013's holiday season? Have you been sticking to the plans that you set out for yourself at the beginning of the year? One month is already gone -- make the most of each day!

January 2013 was pretty good for me. Starting on the Whole Life Challenge soon after the year began has been an excellent way for me to shed those unfortunate holiday pounds and stay focused the bigger picture -- my health, getting fit, and losing these last few stubborn kilos.

With travel, family stuff, and getting back into work, January was not without stresses, but overall it went well. I didn't waste time wondering about what to do at the gym - I just went to the gym and did something. Bit by bit my overall plan started to come together and I've started February with a strategy in mind.

The first thing I did to start of the month right was to get back to my Saturday morning yoga on the beach sessions. It was really tough because I still can't put pressure on my wrist. I spent most of the session on my elbows/forearms -- boy was I sore afterwards! It was very challenging for me, but it was totally worth going. I know the only way to get my flexibility back is to keep on practicing.

I attempted a headstand after class. The last time I came to yoga, I was able to hold the headstand on my own. This time, however, it wasn't the same and I needed help. I was a bit sad to see how much of my core stability I had lost, but again - bit by bit I'll regain it. I just gotta keep trying.

The weekend is over here in Kuwait -- I've got a new (busy) week ahead of me.

Back to yoga on the beach -- assisting with some partner poses, being assisted with a headstand, and enjoying the nice cool sand on my feet

Putting the Plan into Action

I had good time this morning as I researched different yoga poses to do for the Make a Change challenge. I came across the website Yoga Journal and spent ages browsing through the links. The site is terrific. It breaks down the poses by type and then for each type it gives you a variety of exercises with their explanations. I knew of a lot of the poses, but seeing them on the screen really helped me put together a plan of different yoga poses that I want to practice while my wrist heals.

Having my list as well as the MMA drills that I wanted to practice (bjj, kajukenbo, and kickboxing skills) made it much easier for me to get on the mat and actually workout. I hope that this will be enough to get me through the next 2 weeks while I'm away.

I leave for the airport in 2 hours -- time to get everything else sorted!

Ciao!

A Year Gained

I’m 37 today!

Ironically, for some reason from about January or February this year I got it in my mind that I was already 37so I feel like I gained a year hahaha.

I think in reality, because of sticking to living a healthy lifestyle – being active and eating well – I feel like I actually have gained a year.

The first thing I did this morning was head to the beach for our Saturday yoga class. It was a great class, and the highlight was being able to do my first solo headstand. It was awesome!

Here’s to another year! J

Here We Go

Today is Day 1 of the Whole Life Challenge. I'll write a few things about the challenge in this blog, but  my daily reflections will be in a separate blog I keep. If you're interested in following how I'm doing in the challenge, you can check out this site.

This morning I went back to my yoga on the beach sessions. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. I had a late night on Friday and we meet at 8 a.m. on Saturdays. Anyway. I did make it, and it felt so good to be out there in the sun (though it was a bit hot at times) and get some deep stretching on. I think it provides a great counterbalance to all the MMA and weight training.

I tried two new poses today. One was a partnered boat pose. I think it was alright. I do need to make sure my back is straighter though.

The second one was a bit of a disaster. You go into a lunge and then hold one leg up with your hand. The leg and hand should almost be in line (under and over) with your head ... I couldn't manage that (yet). I almost didn't try it because it looked so difficult. Then I thought - why wouldn't I give it a go? What's the worst thing that can happen? I fall in the sand? I was also afraid that I wouldn't even be able to get my leg up -- but I did get my leg up and I didn't fall. My posture is all crooked and weird, but I tried. I'm going to use this first attempt as a marker to see how far I can progress with this pose.

In the afternoon I had a 1-hour BJJ session. It was fun. I'm really enjoying the fight simulation parts of my training because I get to see how the moves and techniques all come together.

me practicing my clinch followed by a leg-hook takedown -- I know, it looks like a big bear hug lol

My final workout of the day was the baseline workout that all participants of the Whole Life Challenge are required to do. Well, they don't have to do this exact workout, but we're all supposed to do something and then do the same workout in 8 weeks to check our progress. I did the official workout. I think it went alright. I still suck at running, but I gave it a go.

The workout was:
2 minutes - as many 25 yard shuttle sprints you can do (I did 12)
1 minute rest
2 minutes - as many rounds of 5 push-ups & 10 squats you can do (I did 25 push-ups & 50 squats)
1 minute rest
2 minutes - as many crunches you can do (I did 63)
1 minute rest
2 minutes - as many 25 yard shuttle sprints you can do (I did 13 -- which is surprising coz' I was so tired!)

I can't wait to see how I progress in 8 weeks!

Whole Life Challenge Day 1 Summary here.

Something's Gotta Give

I'm glad that when I had to change up my routine today I didn't panic or get angry - well, I was a bit irritated that one of the reasons I had to change my plans was because I had a ton of grading to do -- but   this is how things go sometimes, right?

Anyway. I had a good yoga session on the beach this morning. I'm gaining more and more control with my headstand.

Attempting a headstand on my own

I then went to RPM class. Although I am enjoying the class I'm thinking of changing it up. I don't think I'm pushing myself as much as I could. I think I'll get better results on the cross-trainer or the treadmill/running outdoors. I'll see what I can do.


I couldn't make it to CrossFit unfortunately, but I had a really productive afternoon. As the title of this blog post says - Something's Gotta Give!

Trying to figure out how I'm going to fit everything into my day is tough! I just gotta take it one day at a time. Being busy makes it ever so much more important to make sure my food is on point and that whatever time I do spend at the gym counts.

Today's Food
Breakfast #1: 2 dates, 1 T peanut butter
Breakfast #2: fresh fruit salad
Lunch: shrimp avocado salad
Snack: 1/2 cup coconut Greek yogurt
Dinner: Grilled salmon with steamed carrots and broccoli
Snack: Papaya & 1/2 oz. dark chocolate

Today's Exercise
Yoga (1 hour)
RPM (1 hour)

100 Day Weight Loss Challenge/Victory

This is a belated post about the 100 day weight loss challenge/victory that is being hosted by Colie's Kitchen. First of all, this should be a Friday roundup of week 1, but since I'm kinda just starting the challenge, this is my introductory post. If you want to see how my week went, you can check out the Friday Five post from yesterday :)

Our week in Kuwait starts on Sunday (so our weekends are Friday and Saturday) which means that today is the last day of my weekend. Somehow my Saturdays went from a day of relaxation to a day of 2-3 workouts. They're all group workouts so they're fun as well as challenging. Today I only went to 2 workouts - yoga in the morning on the beach and CrossFit in the afternoon.

Here's a snapshot of one of my yoga poses from this morning:

I was practicing the mermaid pose. I obviously have to work on it a lot more! 

We also tried out a few group poses - here was our plank tower. 

Ok, so now that I've finished the Whole Life Challenge and I've completed the Specialist in Fitness Nutrition Course it's time to work on the next phase of this year. The main challenge will be my eating habits. I know that I'll be sticking to my Whole Life Challenge style of eating for the most part, but I want to make sure I'm extra careful about what I'm eating, when I'm eating, and how much I'm eating.

Also, with just 9 kg left to hit my goal weight, I know that I'm going to have to step it up a notch in terms of my workouts. I know it may seem like I do a lot already, but what I want to focus on more for the 100 days is increasing my intensity and perfecting my technique. I want to make sure that whatever time I do spend working out is spent wisely.

So, what are my goals for this 100 day challenge? A lot of my goals will be the same as what I have planned for the 13 in 13 challenge, especially since that is a year long challenge. However, it never hurts to have a few specific targets to work towards.

The challenge duration: April 7, 2013 - July 15, 2013 (100 days)
Just looking at those dates I know that my biggest obstacle will be travel, especially in June and July. Still, I know that I've managed to maintain and even lose a bit of weight while on vacation so there's no need to panic too much. As long as I have a plan, I should be alright.

What I really need to do is focus on planning. I need to make more time before the week starts to do some extra veggie prep and make sure things like my food/menu are planned for the week. I generally do this, but sometimes I slack off. I know that as soon as I slack off things start to get messy.

Goals for this upcoming week (April 13-19): 
1. Have menu for the week planned out
2. Do at least 3 weights workouts (finish New Rules of Lifting Fat Burn II workout this week)
3. Do at least 3 focused cardio sessions (1 hour each)
4. Do at least 1 yoga/balance/pilates class
5. Track my food and note my exercise daily
6. Arrange my Fitness Nutrition files and come up with a plan for actually practicing
7. Post 1 recipe
8. Other stuff: Renew my car registration

In terms of keeping track of my weight ... well, I weigh myself daily. I've found that in any given month my weight can fluctuate quite a bit. My main goal is to end each month lighter than how much I weighed on the first day. So far I have been successful following this plan. From January 1st until today, April 13, I have lost 7 kg (15 lbs). I hope to continue on this weight loss trend. My ultimate goal in terms of weight loss is actually a jeans/dress size. I'd really like to wear a size 8 (US) (I think that's a size 10 UK) pair of jeans comfortably (no muffin top!!). That's what I'm working towards. I don't know at what weight I'll be able to achieve that, but as of right now, I think that's the most accurate measure for me versus a number on the scale.

Let's see how it all goes!!

So Busy!!

I'm struggling to keep up with my blog. I really do want to get back to blogging regularly, but I just haven't managed to squeeze in the time. Things have been SO busy, and I feel like they're about to get busier. I seriously need a few extra hours in my day!

I totally forgot about writing a Friday Five post -- that post was supposed to be my easy post to help me keep up with my blog ... ya, didn't happen.

What did happen on Friday was that I spent 6 hours at my desk working on my Specialist in Fitness Nutrition final exam. It's a LONG exam. I only finished 260 questions out of the 350 multiple-choice questions and I've still got the essay and case study to complete. I've pretty much done the case study. I just need to type it up.

On Wednesday I met up with my first 'client' -- she's actually my case study, but she's also going to be a real client of mine. I was nervous, but it went well. It took about 2 hours and I think we're going to need at least another 2-4 hours before I can set something up for her properly. There are so many factors involved in setting up a good program. I don't want to just give out a food plan. I really want to come up with a plan that's going to be sustainable and help the person reach their goals -- and stay positive and motivated throughout the process. It's a tall order, but one that I want to fulfill!

Thursday I had a really good gym session in the morning - weights and cardio - followed by a good RPM session at night.

Me on my bike :)

Today - I did yoga in the morning, followed by RPM ... and then CrossFit in the evening. It kinda sucks that Saturday is the last day of our weekend here and I spent the whole day running around ... but I had the time so I took the opportunity to workout. I'm just going to have to find time during the week to squeeze in those errands that are normally saved for the weekends.

Our yoga pyramid this morning on the beach :) 

As I said, busy, busy, busy.

One week left of the Whole Life Challenge -- going to try and finish off STRONG!!

Making the Best of It

I haven't been sleeping that well for the past 3 nights. I feel like my anxiety is coming back because I've got quite a few things to get done before my trip, particularly getting my presentation done. I've also got  an extra busy week coming up and I'm just wondering how I'm going to get everything done.

The only thing I can do really is try and tackle things one by one. I'm trying to stay focused and organized, but sometimes the rushing thoughts in my mind get the best of me. That makes me anxious. That keeps me awake at night.

Of course during this busy time the extra challenge for the next 2 weeks through the Whole Life Challenge is to get 7 hours of sleep within each 24 hour period. I've got to figure out a way to get my rest in ... we'll see how it goes.

This morning I woke up to a text message that really altered my plans for the rest of the day. I was annoyed and upset. I almost let it ruin my day. I had to really dig deep to let it go ...

I read that quote and I was ready to start the day.
I had a good breakfast - my coconut cinnamon pancakes with half a banana, a few blackberries, and drizzle of peanut butter.

I then headed out to try something new ... yoga on the beach. I was nervous about going to the class - y'know, doing yoga outdoors in public with a group of people I didn't know at all ... but I thought, what the hell. Why not try it.

I'm really glad I didn't call my friend up to check if she was going this morning (she's the one that told me about the class) because she didn't come to class today. I think if I had known she wasn't coming to class then I wouldn't have tried it.

I went and it was really good. It was totally different. It took some time getting used to the feeling of being outdoors and how the mat felt in the sand on the beach, but as the wind settle down, the sun started to just peek out, and the tide started to come in, I definitely felt better.

The poses were not too complicated and the instructor was really good. There were 7 students - 6 of us all doing this for the first time! After the class she said she liked to try out different yoga positions and one that she wanted us all to try a headstand.

I haven't done a headstand since I was 8 years old!! I was really nervous. Am I going to be able to get my butt up and support my weight? Well, with a bit of assistance, I did :)

After class I rushed to the gym and went to spinning class.

By the time I finished both those workouts and showered and changed, I definitely felt better.

Y'know, today things could have very easily gone another way. I could have just moped around the house, binged on something to try and 'comfort' myself, and just been grumpy all day, but really, what good would that have got me? I'm not totally over what happened, but I do know that I had a good day. I didn't do anything to sabotage all the other efforts I've been making to get healthy.

Today was also a reminder that as good as it feels to sweat it off at the gym and shed those pounds, there are other issues that I need to deal with, some things I need to make peace with. Getting healthy requires putting in the work not just on your body, but also on your mind. Yes, there's much, much more 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? ;)

Typical

November 1st already. This year seems to be flying by.

Of course I had big plans for the day - I was going to do my yoga, have a good breakfast, get some work done, workout etc. etc.

Things didn't go according to plan and I started to think, 'Great. What a lousy start to the month.'

That's when I paused and thought, 'Actually, this is life. This is how it always goes. I should know this by now. Make the best of it and just move on.'

So I did.

I had tons of work to do. I find writing absolutely exhausting. The stress of trying to get it all right plus sitting at my desk for hours on end is not a good combination. So today I broke it up and every 1 1/2 hours I'd get up, do a small task around the house (e.g. fold the laundry) do 5 minutes of yoga stretching and then get back to my desk. I did this throughout the day.

Taking a break from my work helped me come back to my desk ready to go for another 1 1/2 hours.

After spending 9 hours at my desk, I was more than ready to do a bit of jumping around and work up a sweat.

I knew from early on that I wasn't going to make it to the gym, but I also know that I don't need a gym to get a workout done. There are tons of exercises to do that will make you break out a sweat and you don't even need any equipment!

Walking lunges, jump squats, burpees, push-ups, sit-ups, shadowboxing -- these are just a few exercises that you can do without needing much room or any equipment.

30 minutes of all that (ummm minus the burpees though) plus my Gleason's boxing workout and I was dripping with sweat and feeling totally satisfied.

It just goes to show - if you want to get it done, you will.

There really is no excuse to not exercising each day. Just freaking do it. You'll feel so much better after you're done!!

I ended with 10 minutes of yoga and I was feeling totally zen.

So things didn't go according to my initial plans ... that's life. I think that's the good thing about making eating right and exercising part of my lifestyle. It's always going to be there. Whether I'm eating at home, at a restaurant, or at a friend's house ... whether I'm working out at a gym, at the CrossFit box, or at home ... there's always an opportunity to make healthy choices.

Make eating right and exercise a typical part of your day. 

You can't go wrong.

Stronger Legs

I started writing a blog post yesterday but got distracted and didn't complete or post it. Oh well - it happens. Things have just been so busy around here. Even though it's a holiday I've got a bunch of research and writing to do. It really hasn't been much of a break, but just the fact that I don't have to go to work and deal with any lesson prep/marking is a blessing.

I've been feeling a bit stressed with things that I need to get done so before I started my day yesterday I took 45 minutes for myself and had a great yoga session. I was totally calm, relaxed, and focused. I took my time with the different positions and just enjoyed feeling my body loosen up. I wish I could do that every morning, but 15 minutes will have to do!

Later on in the day I hit the gym. After a 30-min cardio session (including 15 minutes of running in intervals) I went up to the spinning studio for RPM class. It felt so good to get on that bike and pedal. What felt even better was that I was able to put the resistance to a much higher resistance than I ever had before. My legs felt nice and strong. It felt AMAZING! I definitely want to try to fit in at least 1 RPM session a week -- scheduling is always the issue.

Today I did a bunch of different cardio exercises. I've been doing some running everyday as part of this week's specific challenge in the Whole Life Challenge. While the running has been going well, it has also been a bit draining and I'm kinda tired of the treadmill.

So today I did something a bit different. I did 2 km on the treadmill (including 10 minutes of straight running - legs definitely felt nice and strong during this run too! So happy!!). Then I moved to the rowing machine, which totally kicked my ass! I managed to do 2 km in just under 10 minutes. I then got on the bike and cycled for 2 km. I didn't like the bike at all. The pedals didn't have any straps so my feet were just resting on the top. Plus the seat was at a slightly downward angle so I kept slipping forward and having to slow down/stop to readjust. Luckily 2 km didn't take me very long to complete (I think it was 5 minutes or just under). I ended with the cross-trainer and did 4 km on that to complete 10 km of movement for the day. I ended with 15 minutes of good stretching.

So things are good on the movement front for me.

My appetite is back. Yesterday I had a crazy craving for meat -- so I had some grilled lamb kebabs for dinner. Then I did something that totally surprised myself. I ate chicken! I haven't had chicken in 5 years! For some reason I was just ravenous -- so I ate! It was all lean, all grilled, definitely all Whole Life Challenge friendly! I think I just needed a change of taste. I've been eating so much fish lately - I was tired of it. The change was appreciated.

I was a bit worried that I would feel terrible after eating so much chicken & meat after such a long time ... but luckily I didn't. I was definitely full after eating, but I didn't feel bad or over-stuffed. I felt a bit heavy ... but by morning I was ready to eat again!

I guess that's just the way it goes sometimes!


I'll end with a recent pic -- The first ClubFit t-shirt I bought was an XL, but what I ended up wearing was a Medium -- that's how deep body image distortion goes. Hope I can get over it!

Supporting Club Fit (Kuwait) [proceeds of t-shirt sales go towards breast cancer research]

Morning Yoga

I've been really good at starting my day off with 15 minutes of yoga. I thought I'd share some of the basic poses I do. I don't do all of these each day; it all depends on how much time I have.

I start of with some standing deep breathing:

I then move on to the standing reed pose:

Next comes the sun salutation (which I absolutely love) [Sometimes I'll do this routine a few times in one session]:

Then I practice some balance poses:

After that I do some floor work - including cobra pose, bow pose, and camel pose:

Some of my other favorite poses are:

I also sometimes do some basic static stretching - hamstring, quads, biceps, and triceps.

Doing yoga each morning really feels great. I highly recommend it - just 15 minutes each day :)

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 :)

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.