Last week (Week 8) was a tough one, probably THE toughest one so far. I was totally boggin'. I just felt a bit run down, like lead, and it was hard to muster the energy to get up much less get through my workouts. I did though, albeit a bit modified, but better that than not at all.
BUT this week I feel fantastic (YAY!) in part because I gave up my morning cup of coffee and caffeine in general. (Oh, and my occassional glass of wine too. None. Nada. Zilch). You, like others have, might say "How can you feel fantastic doing THAT?", or say "I could NEVER give up my coffee!" It was simple, though. I was ready.
Three things really got me to "wean the caffeine" (and wine):
1. It's not as though I think coffee and wine are bad. Actually, I think they're good and as studies have shown, good for you in moderation. But like I said, I was ready. Well, my BODY had been ready for quite awhile, but my BRAIN was not ready to give. The next two points helped get them on the same page.
2. In reading "The Compound Effect", Darren Hardy has a great idea: "Pick one vice and abstain for 30 days. ...Pick something you do in moderation, but know doesn't contribute to your highest good, and take yourself on a 30-day wagon run. If you find it seriously difficult to abstain for those 30 days, you may have found a habit worth cutting out of your life." Basically, determine who's boss--you or your vice.
3. After going to Super Saturday and getting more info on The Ultimate Reset, something I am truly looking forward to doing, I thought, "why not just start now, pre-detox a little in preparation and see what happens". Besides, I'm my best guinea pig for testing these things.
Of course, I dreaded the caffeine crash, which is probably one reason I've never given it up before. But honestly, Day 1, I felt GREAT! Day 2, I crashed in the afternoon. But by Day 3, I was back to feeling fantastic and still do on Day 6 and counting.
A lot of people who have done the Reset already have said how they've "come out of a fog" or "feel so clear" and "sleep better". I can honestly say, I feel the same way just giving up these two items for a week. Plus my workouts have been better this week and my appetite and digestion has improved too. Like anything, you don't really "get it" til you've done it. It's really quite liberating! AND the bottom line is that it really IS all in your mind. It's simply a decision and the wherewithall to just do it; to change even just ONE thing and see how it impacts you.
What one thing will you change today? Remember, change is temporary--you can always go back to something. But if that change has a positive effect or makes you feel better, perhaps you won't want, or better yet--need--to.
Have a great day and continue taking steps to be fit!
Just finished up Week 5 of P90X Lean and while I pretty much stuck to things, I did keep it on the lighter side as to not be too burnt out since I was planning on throwing in a rather challenging hike too. I was a bit nervous about this one since it would be a long, hard day with lots of elevation gain (roughly 5000 feet) and some pretty decent mileage (14), not to mention chasing daylight. However, I was surprised at how exceptional I felt all things considered and this endeavor ended up being quite the success! (E & E and Recovery drinks were most helpful too!) It was a fantastic adventure! Pictures posted here simply don't do it justice. But needless to say, this was a great test to show just how much my fitness has improved in the last several weeks, which is exactly my goal for future events. My workouts aren't just for staying in shape and healthy for everyday life, but also to keep me strong and conditioned for some of life's greater adventures and experiences. That said, I'm looking forward to even greater gains as I start Week 6!
Whatever the reason, goal or motivation, the benefits of fitness may be even more far-reaching than we might initially think until ultimately put to the test when we're able to experience opportunities we might not have otherwise. So push play, challenge yourself and take steps to be fit every day!
Today is Day 24 of P90X Lean for me and what a day it was!
It was cardio today and since I'm ramping/mixing up my cardio, I've been throwing in some Turbo Fire for fun. I intended to do Fire 45, but my DVD player doesn't like that disc and won't play it, so I did the 55 EZ program instead, figuring what it may lack (ha, ha) in energy I'd make up for with a little extra time. But I actually really like the way this one's laid out and Turbo Fire in general reminds me of what we used to call "high impact aerobics" way back in the day, music and all, only much smarter and with Chalene's twist.
But I like it even more when I have days like today when I can workout a little later when no one's home to care. Considering I workout on a second floor and on carpet, which makes me have to pick up my feet more, I'm sure it shakes the place a bit. Plus I have the opportunity to really get into it and push it which not only makes it that much more fun, but if you really want to make any gains, you have to push yourself, something Chalene will constantly remind you to do too.
Getting my feet off the ground and this kind of air is something I haven't really done much of since I was about 18, so to be able to do it still (or perhaps again) at 44 really gives me a boost and lets me know I'm getting that much stronger in this process. Needless to say, I rocked the house--literally and figuratively.
So just remember, it's never too late to get off the ground and get moving. Push yourself, push play and keep taking steps to be fit, even just one small consistent one, and you WILL see results!
Wrapping up this third week was not as I'd originally planned, but worked out well when all was said and done. I had planned to do another activity for this last day, but it ended up not working out and seeing that I had taken yesterday as a rest day instead, I could not let today go by as simply a blank entry. The whole thing frustrated me and while I could have easily let the day blow by, I managed to pull it together, albeit later in the day than usual, and did a full workout of Shoulders & Arms and then some.
Frustration can be a great motivator because I had one of the best S & A workouts yet (although I can't discount the benefits of some E & E along with)! I decided I was going to make it count and with that extra bit of mental energy to burn, managed to up both weight and reps and still do Side-Tri-Rise of 20 each, both sets, at the end. I was impressed, considering I have a tweeked shoulder right now.
One interesting observation has been my lack of appetite though and as such I feel I haven't been eating enough, especially protein. Hard for me to eat when I'm not hungry and ironically, I'm not always hungry when working out hard. On one hand, you'd think it'd be a blessing, but metabolically it can be curse as the body will actually slow things down without enough food. Might be the reason I haven't seen more noticeable results this week, although I do feel stronger. Perhaps it's just a transition period, but I'm going to have to make it a point to make sure my body is getting enough food to recover and rebuild properly.
All in all, I count this week another success and look forward to Week 4 starting tomorrow! I hope you're making strides and good progress toward your goals too! Keep pressing play and taking steps to be fit, every day! Best to you!
Today was a cardio day in my P90X Lean phase and, as I'm known to do, I swapped out Cardio X for TurboFire 45 and a good stretch, after which I proceeded to go on a hike in our beautiful local mountains.
It wasn't a tough hike per se, only 6 miles, but the last 1/2 mile required more of an uphill climb to the summit. What was funny was that a couple of sections were rather steep and congested with chaparral and shrubbery that I basically had to squeeze through or I'd get caught up in it if I wasn't careful. Going up these stretches, I was on my toes a lot, with my arms holding my poles out in front of me as to not be attacked by the bushes, like doing sneaky lunges but uphill. I literally laughed because I just did these yesterday! But thank goodness I did, because little did I know it was great prep work for today's hike.
For the longest time, I worked out simply to work out and stay healthy and in shape. However, working out takes on a whole new meaning when your daily workouts are actually prep work for other activities. Whatever your reason, a fit lifestyle enables us to do not only live our everyday lives better, but to expand our horizons and perhaps do and experience so much more than we might have ever imagined. Honestly, when I get outdoors, I'm always truly grateful that I'm healthy and strong to be able to partake in some of the most incredible experiences in "God's Playground". There's SO much to see and do and I hope to be fit and healthy long enough to check off all the wonderful plans on my activity list!
Keep pressing play and continue to take steps to be fit, every day!
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