You're Not Stupid

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evening workout:

Half hour warm-up cardio

Half hour torturous abs class

One hour Zumba

Looking forward to tonight's shrimp stir fry.

Tuna Loaf with Caprese

This is a quick, easy recipe that can be prepared beforehand -- just take it out of the fridge 10 minutes before you want to bake it (while you preheat the oven), pop it into the oven for 40 minutes, and you're good to go! (The picture didn't come out too well - but you get the idea!)

Ingredients:

Tuna loaf

2 cans tuna (in water), drained

2 slices whole wheat bread

1 egg

1 green bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

dash pepper

1 tablespoon breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

Caprese salad

1/2 tomato

3 thin slices mozzarella

1.5 teaspoons pesto

drizzle olive oil

dash pepper

Directions:

Tuna loaf

1. Crumble bread into a bowl

2. Add egg and mix well

3. Mix in tuna fish (I use my hands to really get the mixture ground up properly)

4. Add the bell pepper, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper

5. Just before putting into the oven, sprinkle breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese on top

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes

Caprese salad (I guess this doesn't really need an explanation, but still ...)

1. Slice tomato into rounds

2. Slice mozzarella into rounds and layer on top of tomato

3. Drizzle olive oil on top and add the pesto and pepper

Nutritional info: (calories per serving/recipe serves 3)

Tuna loaf:

230 calories

33 g. protein

14 g. carbohydrates (1.7 g. fiber)

4 g. fat (1.5 g. saturated fat)

Caprese salad - recipe given is for 1 serving

145 calories

6 g. protein

6 g. carbohydrates (1 g. fiber)

11 g. fat (0.3 g. saturated fat)

Working it In

I knew earlier this week that today would not be a 'normal' day -- first of all, I don't usually work Wednesdays, but today my students have a test, so I have to go in. Second of all, I'm both taking my mom to work and picking her up ... and then taking her to physiotherapy later this afternoon, so my a lot of my day will be taken up just sitting in my car. The thing that has been worrying me is ... when do I fit in my workout? My plan for Wednesdays is just 1-hour cardio. So it was just about figuring out when to fit it in ...

I've said before in my posts that anything that disrupts any part of my routine can throw me quite off balance. I've been trying to work on this lately. Life happens. It doesn't mean other parts of my life need to stop, it just means I need to be flexible and not see one, two, or three obstacles as a sign that my focus on fitness needs to stop!

So this morning, instead of rushing to the gym at 6:30 in the morning, I got the chance to stay home --- it was quite lovely to be honest. The silence of the neighborhood, the overall tranquility, the extra time -- yes, it was terrific! I also managed to squeeze in an extra hour of sleep which felt fantastic after yesterday's long day/workouts.

Since I knew the rest of the day would be busy, I took the opportunity to get dinner ready -- tuna loaf tonight (will post the recipe) - low calorie and delicious. Can be kept in the fridge for the day, and will just need to be baked for 45 minutes tonight. Perfect for a hectic day.

I'm glad I had the chance to rest that extra hour because once I left the house, it was pretty much non-stop rushing around all day. I'm happy to say that I did manage to make it to they gym. As soon as my students finished their test I grabbed their papers, rushed to my car, and booked it to the gym. Although I knew I only needed an hour for my workout it's the other stuff that also needs to be taken into consideration in terms of how long the whole workout process takes - starting from the drive to the gym, changing into workout clothes, then the actual workout, followed by showering etc. etc. Anyway. I'm just happy that I managed to finish my 8 km on the cross-trainer and burn those calories. I didn't push it too hard today because I knew that I worked out quite a bit yesterday ... and I have a long workout planned for tomorrow too. I consider today to be more of an 'active recovery' day.

The highlight of my day was definitely the 1 hour I got to sit outside, enjoying the lovely sun and breeze, while mom was in physiotherapy. I've been reading through my thesis and I'm quite relieved that I don't hate it :) During the writing process there were many, many, many times when I just wanted to hit the delete button because I thought it sucked. So, yes, not hating what I've written has been making me feel better about my upcoming defense -- exactly one month from now!

Despite the rushed day, I'm ending it feeling positive and calm ... and hungry! Mmm that tuna loaf in the oven smells good :) Will post the recipe soon!

Cravings, Dust, and Hot Pink Shoes

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

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

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

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

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

So, the swim was out of the question.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ok, to wrap things up.

I did go back to the gym in the afternoon.

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

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

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

I think I'll sleep well tonight!

Finding the Time

I tried to follow the theme of 'slow down' from yesterday's blog post and think I did ok. I had quite a few calm moments through the day even though it was quite jam-packed.

For the past two weeks I've been completing 10 km on the cross-trainer on Mondays. Today, however, I felt like I needed to change things up a little, so I did my boxing training instead. H hooked up the bag for me and set me up with my routine and I went at it for 45 minutes. Boxing at 7 am was not easy, but by the time I really warmed up, it felt great! My form was much better than last Wednesday. I felt like I could move with/away from the bag better; my footwork has also improved a bit. I'd really be happy if I could work in my boxing training at least 3 times a week ... we'll see. Things always seem to be busy (even when trying to slow down)!

I'm really happy with the improvement with jumping rope as well - I still haven't hit my target of 6 minutes in a row, but I'm working on it. It definitely feels easier, which is not something I ever thought I'd say about anything related to jumping!

After the boxing session I got on the cross-trainer for 15 minutes, just enough time to finish 2 km. I didn't have enough time to do anymore ...

As much as I enjoyed boxing, I have to admit I felt a bit out of sorts not doing my usual intense cardio on the cross-trainer. I didn't like not spending that time on the cross-trainer ... at the same time, I did enjoy the boxing, and I know it is another form of cardio (and one with quite a lot of impact) ... I'm going to have to sit down and look at my workout schedule again ... if only I didn't have to work around time and energy constraints!!

The weather is absolutely lovely here ... I'm tempted to go for a swim - yet another thing to add to my schedule. We'll see if I have to time for the first dip of the season tomorrow :)

Patient and Positive - Summer Challenge Week 3

The weekends in Kuwait are on Friday and Saturday, so Sundays are the start of my work week. For some reason, every Sunday morning I seem to be in a rush. I consider myself fairly organized, but somehow or another, I'm rushing ... I wake up super early in the morning to help me avoid this rush, but it hasn't worked. Apparently the extra time just gives me more of a chance to procrastinate.

As I in the middle of all this frantic-ness, a friend of mine who is a yoga instructor in the States (check out his website here, and do take a moment to read his 'about me' page) posted a link to an article he wrote about slowing down and enjoying the present instead of rushing towards the future. It's definitely worth a read so do check it out when you have the time. It's entitled Check Yourself before you Wreck Yourself.

It was just the reminder that I needed -- slow down. You're missing life by rushing around, and all those things you're rushing away from ... well, slow down and confront them. They won't disappear on their own.

So, on to my workout today -- I completed the second round of Workout B in NROL4W. I upped a few more weights and felt really good. This program has definitely taught me not to be afraid of lifting heavier weights - 3 sets of 8 reps ... there's definitely room to challenge yourself. Next week it's going to be 3 sets of 6, so I will continue to push myself.

I only did weights today. I was tempted to go in for another session of cardio, but I know I have a long session planned for tomorrow so I decided not to go overboard and exhaust myself.

Now, for the Summer Challenge update ...

We're heading into week 3 already! Here's a recap of my goals and where I stand so far:

Recap and Progress

I'm lumping my weight loss goal & exercise goal into 1 category:

• Weight loss goal: Lose 10 lbs by May 8
• Exercise goal: gym 6x/week; 3 weight training sessions; 6 hrs of cardio; abs 3x/week
• Mini week 2 fitness goal - try something new

I should be happy that I weighed in 1.7 kg (4 lbs) lighter than last week -- and I am definitely happy that I lost a bit of weight -- but I feel like it's the same 4 lbs that I keep gaining and losing. I've only come down just under 10 lbs since the beginning of February of this year (which is when I restarted keeping proper track of exercise/food/measurements etc.). I just don't have the confidence that next week (and the weeks after) will show significant different changes. I feel stuck.

I know my measurements were good last week and showed signs of progress, but they're not enough. Unless the weight comes off, my BMI won't come down, and that's the truth. This +/- 5 lbs is just not good enough.

The thing is, I feel like this past week represents a really good week for me - my exercise was on point. I hit all my exercise targets (6 days at the gym; 4 days of 1-1.5 hrs of weight lifting; 6.5 hours of cardio; 4 abs sessions). I feel like this is what is realistically possible for me on a weekly basis. There may be some days when I can do more ... but for the most part, this is the standard amount of time/energy that is realistic for me ... and again, while I did lose almost 2 kg, it's the same 2 kg that I gained last week -- what I really need is the NEXT 2 kg to come off ... then maybe some of my confidence will be restored. At the moment, my current weight just represents a 2 lb loss since the start of the challenge. Frustrating :(

I am so tempted to change things up and incorporate some additional strength/conditioning workouts, but I don't know how realistic or sustainable that will be ... plus I really, really want to stick with the plan. I won't know how much the NROL4W program will work unless I complete it ... so I'm going to stick to it. I really do love the program and I HIGHLY recommend the book -- it's just that you have to be patient. I guess that's going to be the case with any workout program that I try. It will take time for the results to show, so I have to be patient and keep trying.

For the new exercise this week, was Wednesday's new boxing routine. Although I have been boxing, it was the first time that I used a full bag -- and believe me, the swing back of the bag added quite a bit of impact to each punch! It was very enjoyable!! :)

Non-scale goal:

I've been making some progress getting through the endless to-do list. Some of it got put on hold again because the mountain of grading I had to do over the past few days. Still, a few things were achieved. I'm still not adding anything to the list until I've gotten them all done. Hopefully I can specify a few more tasks next week.

As for the preparation for my PhD defense ... I had a very encouraging phone conference with my supervisor. I'm making steady process through my thesis and it doesn't look too horrible. Hopefully it'll all go smoothly :)

Finally - my nutrition goal: Drink 3.5-4L of water daily; eat fresh fruit daily; reduce carbs during dinner; track foods on a daily basis ...

My water intake has been great - I've been drinking 3.5 L of water without a problem. I sometimes struggle to get to 4 L, though there were 2 days this past week when I drank 5 L of water -- it's all that cardio!! I'm also super proud that aside from one day I've managed to eat my fruit. I've practically cut out all wheat-based carbs for dinner (save one day) so that's going well. The only place I've been slacking is the accurate tracking of foods on a daily basis. I'm being conscious of what I'm eating, but I haven't been so good at writing it down.

So, all in all -- a good week. I'm very happy with my workouts and quite pleased with my food. Goals for week 3: More of the same; maybe try to fit in at least one yoga/pilates session to incorporate some stretching into my routine.

Overall, it's just about continuing to move forward and stay patient and positive!

CrossFit

A much needed day of rest for me today -- my ass and thighs are definitely feeling the impact of all those squats and lunges from yesterday's Body Pump class ... totally a good kind of sore though :)

The trainer that I'm hopefully going to get a chance to work with soon posted this video on his website:

I'm a LONG way from here, but damn, what motivation!