Hmmmm...

Thinking about coming back now that summer is over...

BodyRock TV

Love this.
www.bodyrock.tv

     I actually found this on Youtube and love this girl. This site posts 12 minute workouts that you can do in your living room. No crazy moves, normal people can do them, but really hard by the end. Its a great addition to the P90X2 workouts if you feel like you need something just a little more site-specific (like abs, or thighs, or butt)... or if you don't have a lot of time... or if it's an off day. It's different every day so totally adheres to the whole 'muscle confusion' thing. And she's totally ripped without looking like a man. And she has a Brittish(?) accent. And I want the pink sandbag so bad. Check it out.

P90X2 Phase 3 and DepoProWTF

     So after a few weeks of half-ass workouts, I'm back and totally recommitted. Which I meant to do last week. And the week before. But anyway, moving on...
     My biggest struggle has been lack of results. I do feel better, I feel stronger, but I need to see it. Especially after 2 months. But I will finish this P90X2 program even if it takes a year. It won't. Even if I don't see results. I don't. My plan is 5 weeks of Phase 3.
     Here are some of the issues I am currently dealing with:

• I got a DepoProvera shot the week I started this program. One of the side effects is weight gain. Although I didn't gain any weight when I was on it a few years ago (ok, maybe more than a decade ago, in my early 20s) I think its messing with me this time. I have cut hundreds of calories a day by not drinking Pepsi, I drink a ton of water (I was drinking none) and I work out 4-5 days a week and still I've gained about 8 lbs and all my clothes are too tight. DepoProWTF. It should be out of my system the beginning of May and I refuse to get it again because I am convinced that it's screwing with my metabolism. Because its definitely not because I'm getting closer to 40.  
• These P.A.P. upper and P.A.P. lower workouts are soooooo repetative. It is 4 rounds of 4 moves and then 4 rounds of another 4 moves. I like that I can do all the moves but geez, so boring after the second round. Plus, you do each workout twice a week. Blaahh! And I'm only in the first week! Don't get me wrong, I like it, but I find myself watching the clock the entire time.

     I've also added runs to my workouts to get in some much needed cardio. Well, its more like run-walk-runs and its only a mile or 2 but I hope to be able to run 3 miles without stopping by the end of this program so I can start my marathon (!!!) training in June without dying in the street.

What do you think about Truvia?

     I drink a lot of coffee, especially now that I've almost just about stopped drinking soda. I've been using Splenda in my coffee for years. It's super sweet so you don't have to use a lot and zero calories so you almost believe it is healthy. And then I learned it was really a chemical. Now, I really already knew this, but the more I thought about it the more it bothered me. Especially when Truvia came out.
     Truvia is a natural sweeter from a Stevia plant, extracted from the leaves. The Coca-Cola Company developed it, and they know their sugar. Every time I hear someone talking about Truvia, I hear 'well, it's not a chemical'... So I tried it. And its good. No after-taste and it does taste close to sugar. And it dissolves, even in iced coffee, unlike real sugar.
     I bought packets because its convenient easy to regulate and travel with. I have a Keurig at home and at work so convenience is important. 2 packets of Splenda = 2 packets of Truvia. Here's my problem. (And I know this is really a mental health problem). There is way more sweetener in the Truvia packets than in the Splenda packets. Like, 3 times as much or more. Huge, full Truvia packets as opposed to the almost empty Splenda packets. It kills me to pour all that sweetener in my cup. Even though its natural, and better blah blah blahhh. It looks like a half cup of sugar. I can't deal. It's killing me. I miss my whisp of chemical Splenda. But I'm a Truvia girl now.

Change is good.
Change is good.
Change is good.

    

Falling Down, Getting Up

Uggh.

Positive-    I have stuck to this P90X2 workout plan for 7 weeks.

Negative-  This past week I have eaten so much garbage, every single day, that I've gained
                6lbs. In a week. And I feel like total crap. I was going to post pics of my half-way point,
                but I'm not, because I don't see any difference.

       I think working out so much has made me way more hungry, and this week I decided to say "Screw it, I'm eating". I felt like I've been working out so much that I should be seeing significant results by now and I'm not, so what's the point. In the first couple of weeks I lost maybe 8 lbs, but then slowly it came back. I thought it could be that I was just building more muscle. My clothes are tight, which makes me feel fat. I hate it.
       I ate McDonald's, drank full-sugar Pepsi and ate tons of Easter candy all week long. And now that that's out of my system, it's time for a change. More change. The more I've been thinking about what I've been eating, the more I realize what I need to cut. Like the 4 cups of milk/ day that could easily be 800 calories. Or the Pepsi that's another 500 calories. The large caramel Dunkin coffe every day? I don't even want to know. Couple of Chobani yogurts? Lots of protein, but 500 calories. My Vitamin D is chronically low so I have this mental craving for milk/yogurt/cheese all the time. I need to get over it. Starting today. Monday.

Starting today, I will not drink soda. Not even diet.
I will drink more water.
I will limit myself to 1 yogurt and 1 glass of milk a day. No cheese.
No more drive-thrus. Including Dunkin Donuts. (This will be the toughest.)
I will be aware of how much salt/sugar I am eating and limit it.
Less protein, more veggies.
I will eat only when I'm hungry, until I am not hungry. Not until I am full.
I will run 4 times in the next 2 weeks.
I will lose 7 lbs in the next 2 weeks, to be at my starting weight minus 1 lb.
I will finish 2 more weeks of P90X2 Phase 2. (Then 4 weeks of Phase 3!)
And then I will post progress pics :)
I will.
I can.
41 more days.

Marathon. Can I do it? (AKA Run, Abby, Run)

         Running, running, running... and the perfect excuse to buy another pair of fantastically bright sneakers!        
         Just about halfway through this P90X2 journey and I'm pretty impressed with myself that I may actually finish the entire 13 week program. So motivated that I think I may train to run a marathon when I finish, starting mid-May. There is a Half Marathon in my area the first week in October 2012 that I want to sign up for and run. It's called the Applefest Half Marathon. You get delicious Apple Crisp at the end of the race- totally why I'm doing it. Also, the weather and scenery in New England in October is perfect for running. And there's apple crisp. I am feeling super motivated already.

Here's the link:  http://www.applefesthalfmarathon.com/


         Then, if I survive, in mid-November a full 26.2 mile Marathon. This is the schedule I tentatively plan on following:

         It's 3 short runs and 1 long run every week. I am doing awesome at sticking to this P90X2 4-5 day/week schedule so once I finish, running 4 days a week should be a doable commitment for me. I plan on running a couple miles just once a week for right now to keep in reasonable cardio shape so I don't have a hard time in the beginning of the training schedule and totally crush my motivation. If it's reasonably easy in the beginning, I hope it will build my confidence enough to keep going. Maybe I will set a goal to finish the race in a reasonable amount of time. Or maybe my goal will be just to finish.

Hmmmmmm...

52 more days of P90X2!
Feeling much more in shape than before, definitely toning up.
I want to put a 26.2 sticker on my car.
I can do it.
I will do it.
Do it.

Plyocide Quick Review

Guards the remote so I can't fast-forward, or pause for breaks...

Plyocide is one of my favorite P90X2 workouts. This is why:

• It feels like it has the most cardio so I feel like its more fat-burning rather than muscle-building while I'm doing it. The next day when my butt and legs are so sore it hurts to walk it feels more like it was muscle-building.
• It makes my butt really sore. So sore that X2 Ab Ripper is really hard the next day because anything sitting down or with that V-hold hurts my sore butt.
• I can do it. Without modification. Less reps than Tony and the kids, but I can do it.
• It makes my butt really sore. I know. Again. But its my favorite.

     Push yourself really hard when you are doing this workout. Well, every workout I guess. But especially this one. I feel like I get the most out of it. You need to burn off that layer of fat over the muscle to get that muscle definition! I know there is a six-pack hiding under there. I am determined to find it.
     Base + Back is also an awesome cardio workout. It alternates pull-ups/chin-ups with plyo jumping exercises. So hard, but in an exhausting, good way. It's only downfall is the 940 pull-ups. I can do about 15-20 over an hour. I hate that pull-up bar. It made me a little nauseous but that could've been from that large Dunkin coffee I drank while driving the kids to school. When the DVDs show the screen shot before the workout starts of the equipment needed and 'pull-up bar' is not in the list, I do a happy dance. Seriously. Hate that friggin thing. No girl should be able to whip out pull-ups like that. It's not natural. And I don't want arms like a dude.

More weird sh&t Tony says:

"Twisting, turning, organs bursting..."
"I've got a little blue ball!"

56 more days!