Monday, December 30, 2013

Happy Holidays

We're back from our vacation to Nova Scotia!

We left to fly all day on Christmas Day and arrived to a full farmhouse of family, and feet of snow on the pasture!

We spent 3 days frolicking in the snow, playing games with the nephews, making food, eating food, drinking and spending quality time with our family. There was so much snow! It was absolutely beautiful, and we spent many hours outside sledding, hiking, and just plain having fun. I beat my steps goal every single day we were there, which is probably why I didn't come back having gained 10 pounds (only 2).

I was so busy having fun that I didn't take a single photo. Really. So I'll have to update sometime later when I can take some photos from James, who did take many photos.

I got back to knitting this past week or two, which I love. It's relaxing and it is a method of meditation for me.

In the new year, I'm doing my month of detox.
No alcohol in January, and I'm focusing on adding in some routines to my life to help to make me feel better about my abilities as a responsible adult.

One thing I started doing this week is doing a set of 10 pushups whenever I take a moment to think about it (which means I'll be doing 10 very soon, indeed). 10 is few enough that I'm not going to break a sweat, but enough that it is sometimes a struggle to really pound out that last one. I'm still on my knees, but something is better than nothing. I can do 10 in my office in just a few minutes, without disturbing anyone, it pumps some blood into my brain and refreshes me. Just trying to add little things into my day.

I also need to start taking small walks during the workday so that I keep my step count up.

~Katie

Friday, December 20, 2013

Yay!

Worked out today! I totally slacked this week. It is showing. Why didn't I keep strong through the holiday party week? Laziness.

But I got back to it. Not quitting full stop. I won't let that happen.

Fire 30. Plus some push-ups.



~Katie


Monday, December 16, 2013

Continuing the Project

I have been doing pretty well on the self-love project.

I have not been particularly good, but I catch myself most of the time, and turn it around, or reassess the situation from afar.

Yesterday was not one of those days. I was really, really mean to myself.

So I figured, it's better late than never to re-assess a situation.

Yesterday, I knew that I needed to get a lot of housework done before we left to go meet friends at noon.
I knew that I needed to get a workout in (and did not).
I knew that I needed to do the dishes.
I knew that I needed to do laundry.
I knew that I needed to finish putting up Christmas decor.
I knew that I needed to wrap presents.

Warning: This is rather raw and unpleasant. It is not a cry for help or for reassurance. This is just what I struggle with in turning around my mental view of myself and my first reactions.

What I did (and my internal monologue at the time):
I woke up around 8:30 am.
I then lazed in bed for another hour flitting around on the internet.
I fed the animals, and let the dog out to potty.
I walked into the kitchen and immediately started berating myself for not cleaning up the kitchen after I finished making cookies the night before.
I saw the pile of laundry in the bin, and started insulting myself over how messy I am and how am I going to raise a family with a house that they can invite friends to when I am so disappointed in my own efforts at housekeeping that I refuse to invite friends over for gatherings anymore. And how on earth are we going to raise children with a semblance of tidiness when we can't even do it for ourselves?! I am such a bleeping slob, etc.
I then started a load of wash, folded the dried sheets and put them away.
I then started cleaning off the countertops and sweeping the floor, doing the dishes and putting everything away.
Then the kitty Hobbes knocked over an ornament that was part of my classic NOEL wall-hanging that was waiting to be hung. Glass ornament. Shattered all over the floor. Because I hadn't put it up, and I hadn't put it away, yet.
And then I started berating myself for being so irresponsible. How could I be a homeowner? How could I possibly be regarded as responsible? And what am I going to do when we have kids?
And then I realized it was 11 am and I hadn't worked out or showered and that I hadn't woken up my dear fiance and he wouldn't have time to work out and that he should probably wake up now, because we needed to be somewhere in an hour. And in my harried state, I woke him up with a succinct, "wake up now, we have to be somewhere in an hour"
And then I started voicing my frustrations.
How could I possibly be such a horrible planner that I hadn't thought of this beforehand and why didn't I wake him up so that he could get his workout done? How could I have left him only an hour? What am I going to do when we have kids?
How are we ever going to get to a point where we can invite guests over again and there's not a giant pile of mess everywhere and dog fur all over the house?!

Re-Assess

  1. Yes, I didn't plan well, but I still cleaned the kitchen and got the laundry started, so I'm counting that as a point in the responsible adult column.
  2. A single broken ornament is not the end of the world. I can replace it. I have cats, what did I expect? Non-playfulness?
  3. There's a lot of anxiety about kids in that mental diatribe. Why? Well, y'know, that whole getting married, giant life changes, and all? Yes, it's a big, huge change, that will mean many more huge changes. I get nervous about changes. But guess what? It's going to be fine. That point is not here, yet. As we prepare for marriage and family-rearing, it's a great time to start making those plans a bit more solid and to practice making the changes that we'd like to instill in our future children. Anxiety is a sign that I care and that it's important. It doesn't mean that we can't do it well.
  4. James is an adult. He doesn't need me to wake him up or remind him of what our schedule is. Give him more credit. He's responsible for his own being. 
  5. Take a deep breath, and make a plan. If I think I'm being messy, make it a priority to clean up. 
  6. Don't worry about what other people might think. I see messes more than other people might. 
  7. I can work on prioritizing.
In the end, a fresh perspective helps a ton.
Are there things that I'm not the greatest at? Sure
Are there things that I can work on? Absolutely!
Is it the end of the world? No.
Am I a horrible person because of my propensity towards messes? Not at all.
Does this mean I'd be a bad mother? No. Absolutely not.

~Katie

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Not How I'd Prefer To Lose 5 Pounds

Let's take it for what it is: I had the flu this weekend.

What a pathetic face.
Not the flu that I'd heard about, that the rest of my friends and colleagues and loved ones had. It was my body's own version. I think everyone reacts to flu differently. Some have more respiratory issues, some have tummy issues, some have intestinal issues, some have fever, some don't, some have headaches, some don't, sometimes it lasts a week, sometimes a couple days. Everyone's flu symptoms differ with chemistry.

I felt fine on Saturday, and stayed home with James on Saturday night, since he had his version of flu Thurs-Saturday and I'd left him to fend for himself most of that time. We watched movies, I drank bubbly, and then crashed early. I woke up with a sore throat and feeling rather queasy. I wondered if it was the chinese food we had the night before. This morphed through the day.

It was not good.

I stayed home yesterday and had some of my first solid food in 24 hours: oatmeal, and saltines with chicken broth.

Skitz was quite sure that the chicken stock was for him. He kept trying to steal it. I barely had any. Low sodium chicken broth is yucky!

I still don't quite trust myself with more solid food.

But I dropped a whopping 5 pounds in 2 days.

Not that I am going to take a note from that and attempt to keep the sick going. But I'm drinking more water and having bland meals and keeping anything that could upset my tummy far far far away.

Shakeology was a godsend, because I knew it had a load of vitamins and minerals in it, and it's blended, so not difficult to digest. I had it when I finally felt I could on Sunday night and I am so glad that I did. It helped give my body what it needed without taxing my system.

I feel nearly human today. I would say totally human, but I'm nervous about working out because I'm still recovering, but I don't want to miss too many workouts in a row. So we'll see. I'll try. I'll take it easy.

James could tell when I was starting to feel more human. I stopped moaning every 5 minutes. When I have a fever, if it's not a very very high fever, I don't like taking fever reducers because the fever is doing its job of killing off the virus. Does that even make sense? But at the same time, I hate the way that a fever makes your skin super sensitive and how you ache all over and there's nothing to do and no position to relieve it. So instead, I moan and whimper every few minutes. Even when no one but the animals is there to hear me. Eventually, I took a hot bath with some bath salts to ease the feverish aches, and it worked wonders.

But we'll focus on the positives:
1. I lost some weight that had been nagging me.
2. I was forced to just pay attention to my body and rest.
3. I got some quality time in with my fiance and my animals.
4. It didn't last more than 2 days and I never developed a cough.

~Katie

Friday, December 6, 2013

Another Day, Another Workout

It may come as no surprise that I'd struggle through the holidays. Meals and parties lead to much indulgence on my part. I love a good party. I love to celebrate.

I will tell myself that I deserve pizza because I've had a rough day. And eat half of the pizza, then suffer gastrointestinal issues and a couple pounds of water retention. And then I'll struggle through a workout, finishing half of it because I didn't eat well enough to fuel the workout. Or I'll just give up halfway through because I waited too long and am running out of time.

I am struggling.

And I accept that. I'm also working through it. I could have forgone my workout today and given myself a bunch of excuses, but instead, I squeezed into my workout clothes (all the while regretting the giant mirror showing how my body reacts to the contortions of donning a sportsbra), and did my workout.

I didn't dog my workout, either. This week, my workouts have mostly consisted of barely getting into or past the aerobic zone. But today, today I even got into the anaerobic zone and the VO2 Max a bit. I almost quit halfway through, but I didn't! I took a small break and got right back to it.


So, while I struggle against blaming myself and then comforting that blame with food and beverage, I'm not going to let it stop me. I will continue this journey. 

To infinity, and beyond!

~Katie

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Funk

I'm in such a funk today. All I wanted to do was lie in bed with all of the animals around me and catch up on Grimm. And then I was reminded to do my workout. And then all of the other things that I need to do today to get this house into semi-decent shape flooded into my brain.

And then the funk set in. I did my workout, but it hasn't helped. I tried to get into it, but I was just grumpy. 

And so now, I do some of the things I have on my slate today. I might even get out the camera and do some of the fun chores. And find something to feed us eventually.


~Katie

Friday, November 29, 2013

Black Friday!

More like pink & purple Friday here!


I'm a sucker for workout shoes. These purple ones arrived a couple days ago. They have a special sole that make it easier to pivot on the carpet I workout on. So it's easier for me to protect my knees with all of the cross punches.

So far, I really like them.

Anyways, today was Fire 55. I didn't have breakfast before doing it, so I was dragging by the end. But I made it through!


~Katie

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving Workout

Turkey Day is here!

I am so grateful for being able to spend this day with my fiancé focusing on just being together and doing things we love.

We spent the morning being a bit lazy, but we're going to a movie soon, so we decided to kick it into gear and get our workouts in. Yes, I realize that it's a day we're supposed to spend with family, but we did that Sunday & my immediate family is out of town. We're being a bit non traditional today & spending it together in non-cooking ways. We've both been looking forward to seeing Catching Fire & we have a date night at a nice restaurant this evening, so it's a day of togetherness.

Anyways, today, I have two workouts on the slate. I've done one: Fire 30. I felt like I could actually give it my all this time. No feeling like I was going to die halfway through. So I'm getting more fit! Yay!


There's still Tone 30 on the slate, which I may have to make up tomorrow while James is at work.

Now to get ready for the day!

~Katie

A few things that I'm grateful for:
A great job & career that puts me to a position to be an advocate and example for women in STEM
A wonderful community
Being able to own our home
The love of a good man
The success of my BeerSox business
Our 3 animals
My family
Security
My health

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow!

If you're interested in joining in the giveaway, go over to the giveaway post. I'm giving away a free Fire Starter Pack! It's a seriously no-strings-attached giveaway. I send you free workout DVDs if your name is chosen from the commenters.

For those of you in the market for buying a Beachbody workout program, there are some black friday deals going on! So head over to my Beachbody page, click on the "Shop Team Beachbody" Link on the lower left side and the deals should highlight themselves if you drill down to P90X®, TurboFire®, INSANITY: THE ASYLUM®, Derm Exclusive®.

From looking through it all, The best deal is the TurboFire Complete System for $99. Seriously, with my coach discount, I think I spent $200 on all of this combined. So if you've been waiting for a time to click purchase on one of the programs I've been working out to, this is the time. I'm kindof jealous.

What You'll Get with TurboFire: The Complete System (the number in each title designates the class length):

  • Get Fired Up: Chalene guides you through the program to help you get the best results.
  • Fire 30 Class/Stretch 10 Class: Throw smoking-hot hooks and make big leaps to the bass of "Give Up the Funk."
  • HIIT 15 Class/Stretch 10 Class: Dial it up for your first High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) class.
  • Fire 55 EZ Class/Stretch 10 Class: Don't let EZ fool you—you'll be sweating to "Dazzey Dukes."
  • Core 20 Class/Stretch 40 Class/Stretch 10 Class: Chalene's most popular class targets your tummy with moves that deliver incredible abs.
  • Fire 45 Class/Stretch 10 Class: Kick, dance, and punch your way into shape to the beat of "Wiggle It."
  • HIIT 20 Class/Stretch 10 Class: "Turn This Mutha Out" with 7 sizzling Fire Drills in 20 minutes.
  • Fire 45 EZ Class/Stretch 10 Class: Take a break from the Fire Drills—but not the fire—as you sweat to "In the Ayer."
  • HIIT 25 Class/Stretch 10 Class: Here's 25 minutes of your most intense Fire Drills yet with Chalene.
  • Sculpt 30 Class/Tone 30 Class: Develop shapely muscles with Chalene's challenging resistance classes.
  • Stretch 40 Class/Stretch 10 Class: Increase your flexibility and lengthen your muscles for a long, lean look.


Plus, get these great tools to help you reach your fitness goals:

  • Turn Up the Burn Fitness Guide: Get more in the know about HIIT and why TurboFire really works.
  • TurboFire Class Schedule: We've taken the guesswork out of working out so you can get the best results.
  • TurboFire Lower-Body Band: Add definition and build long, lean muscles with this body-sculpting band.*
  • Fuel the Fire Nutrition Guide: Maintain high energy while you train with easy-to-prepare snacks and recipes.
  • The TurboFire 5-Day Inferno Plan: See how you can lose up to 10 pounds in 5 days.
  • 24/7 Online Support: Stay motivated with easy access to friends, fitness experts, and live chats with Chalene.


Plus, TurboFire: The Complete System also includes the TurboFire Advanced Classes!

  • Fire 60 Class: Add variety to your schedule with Chalene's longest Fire HIIT Class. This one will have you HIITing it 4 times with Turbo Tracks to motivate you along the way.
  • HIIT 30 Class: Get through your longest HIIT Class and the AfterBurn Effect will be working overtime.
  • Upper 20 Class: Sculpt your arms and reshape your entire upper body.
  • Lower 20 Class: Tone your inner and outer thighs, hips, and booty.
  • Abs 10 Class: Get tight, flat abs in no time with this short, efficient core workout.
  • Stretch 10 Class: Increase your flexibility, reduce soreness, and lengthen your hardworking muscles by warming down after your HIIT and Fire classes.


And get these tools for rapid results:

  • Pink Toning Band with Handles*
  • Results and Recovery Formula®
  • Weighted Gloves
  • TurboTracker Journal


Again, Happy Holidays!

~Katie

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

November Update

This morning, I did the first of my two workouts for today. Fire 30 was on the schedule and I knew I wanted to get in my photos and measurements. I like having these benchmarks, it helps me keep things in perspective. I have still come a long way from where I started last January. And I can build that momentum back!

Fire 30 was taking it out of me this morning!
And this is the not-so-excited to get ready for photos face.

But, nonetheless, I still tracked. I haven't taken photos since July. And the happy pounds have come back.

I am still 6.6 pounds down from where I started in January!
My waist is still down over 3 inches from where I started!

My back rolls have come back, but I'm determined to whittle those away with better eating, and more exercise!

Back: well, those rolls are back. Time to work on them a lot more.

Front: Luckily, my waist is still there!

Side: There's some work to do to get back to July's trim shape
And there you have it.
174.6 pounds of backtracking. But I'm geared up and ready to take the rest of the holidays by storm.
James & I have our challenge, and I can power through this slump.
I have been putting off buying new jeans because I still have a couple brand new pairs in a size down. I know that if I buy new jeans that fit, that I'll just feel comfortable in them. I'm trying to motivate myself and also keep my spending to a minimum. I tend to overbuy at the same time that I overeat, they go hand in hand as default stress actions.

Also, don't forget to check out the giveaway post if you're interested in a free Fire Starter Pack!

~Katie

Monday, November 25, 2013

Monday Workout

Today, my workout was Fire 55 EZ.



I missed both of my weekend workouts. And I went to a big party on Saturday & my family's Fakesgiving yesterday. So needless to say, my photo update will be tomorrow. It will not be pretty, but it's how I keep it real. I'm not going to wait until I get lower than I was in August to take an update. This blog is about life & accountability, right? 

~Katie

Holiday Giveaway

So, I often get asked about some of the programs that I use and I know some of you are curious to try something out before committing to one of them.

I have an extra Fire Starter Pack that leads you in to TurboFire!



This is how to get your fire started!
New to intense workouts like TurboFire? Or want to move like Chalene Johnson? Then, the Fire Starter Pack is for you! It includes:

Get Fired Up
Chalene guides you through the program to prepare you for the challenge and help you get the best results.

Fire Starter Class
Chalene breaks down every move you'll do in TurboFire. So if you're new to class, you'll get started on the right foot. Or, if you're a TurboFire fanatic, you'll learn how to perfect your form to become a true knockout!

Low HIIT 20 and Low HIIT 25 Classes
Chalene will show you how to burn fat the low-impact way. But low impact doesn't mean low intensity! Use these to build up to or take a breather from the high-intensity HIIT workouts.

Stretch 10 Class
Increase your flexibility through yoga and special stretching techniques that help you create long, sexy muscles.

I thought that this would be a great time to have a giveaway of it, since it's an extra for me and I'd love to share it, especially if you've been curious about it for a while.

All you have to do is comment on this post and make sure your email is included in your contact (and if you don't feel like writing out your email in the comment, feel free to comment and then email me directly katieworksout@beachbodycoach.com). I will close the entries at midnight Central Time on Wednesday, November 27. I will then write out all of the names and pick out of a hat. I'll announce the winner here on the blog, but I'll also email you so we can arrange to mail it out to you.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Fitting It In

Today, I could have told myself that I didn't have time to work out & still go to Ladies of Craft Beer. But I didn't!

Just finished my workout & now it's time to shower & head to dinner with the ladies!



And I also got new glasses in! 


Nothing like new glasses to give you a new outlook on life! BA-dum-Ching!

~Katie

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Getting Back

It's been a rough start. I'll admit that. I fell off the wagon less than a week into my new program. I are everything & drank everything that was high in calories. A week and a half later & I'm about 5 pounds up from where I was aiming.

And I'm not going to let that make me quit. 

Last night, I did most of my workout before going out to see friends. I was very tempted to not do a workout at all. VERY TEMPTED. But I put on my duds & pushed play. 


And then I went to see some great old friends, one who is a former roommate who's back visiting. Yes, I had beers. Yes, I are dinner (grilled salmon Caesar salad), and my mood started coming out of it's funk.

Sorry for the blurriness. Low light does not make for good iPhone focusing. (Oops)

Don't you love how spending time with friends can snap you out of it?

Today was a productive morning! I did laundry, put away laundry, did dishes & then did my HIIT 15 workout. I was supposed to also do another workout, but I have to finish chores, shower, eat, and get downtown for the Untapped Festival! We'll be working the booth from 1 pm until 10:30 pm today. So I'll be on my feet for a number of hours.


Yay!

~Katie

Friday, November 8, 2013

I did it!

PLast night, I forgot to blog this, but it was HIIT 15 & Sculpt 30. Let's just say that the last time I did Sculpt 30, I was crying like a baby because I couldn't do even a third of the delt exercises without feeling horrible strain. So I just stopped doing it.

This time, I struggled through. No crying or whining. I didn't finish every rep. I had to recover a bit, but I never quit.

And I'll be stronger because of that.



And then James & I started making dinner & a crock pot turkey/quinoa meatball recipe I found online.

We are trying to make an effort to cook more often, in order to keep our waistbands & our wallets fit. When I saw the recipe for the meatballs, we had over half of the ingredients in the pantry, and they just sounded fantastic!

I don't have any photos of them, but they were ready to be put in the fridge for later when I woke up. I love crock pot recipes!

~Katie


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Maintenance Update



So a bit ago, I made a list of the things that I wanted to get done that are hanging around in the background whenever I try to read, watch TV, go out to see friends, etc. These are the sucks on my attention, and things that I tend to let bring me down, but they are also things that need, or have needed, to get done for a while.

Clean up the backyard  (did this on Sunday rather than going to a social event)
Fix the sink
Fix the ceiling fan in the kitchen
Set up the studio
Work out (5/8 times so far)
Sort through my books (completed!)
Do the laundry (only a couple small loads remain)
Clean & organize the front room
Make the bed (1/2 of the time I get this done)

And to add to the list:
Unpack & put away my luggage
Devise hat storage
Stick to the budget
Go to the dentist
Go to the eye doctor
Do my nails
Take 5 minutes to be quiet and be grateful each day
Cook dinner 5 times per week
Bring lunch 4 times per week

I think that's enough to work on right now.
Nothing is too difficult, but everything needs a little bit of attention each day, and a plan to execute.

~Katie

Start the day off right

Starting the transition to morning workouts! I have lots of things to do in the evenings, so morning workouts are necessary!

Today: HIIT 20



~Katie


Monday, November 4, 2013

Week 2, Day 1 TurboFire

Today was Fire 45. I so did not want to work out today, but I did! So now, it's time to make dinner!

Yay!



I had nearly an entire post on the weekend's maintainance projects, and forgot to save the draft. 

Basically:
1) stopped myself in the middle of a self-shame-down
2) worked out at least once (behind schedule, but at least I didn't quit)
3) cleaned up the backyard
4) went to the dentist for the first time in 5 years & got 2 cavities filled & teeth cleaned. I go for some follow up work next week.

~Katie

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

First Rest Day of the New Schedule

And I still haven't taken those photos!

That's okay. I may not take photos this week. I do need to take my measurements, at the least, just so I have a benchmark to see where I've come from.

As with most programs, I can't see the forest for the trees, unless I break it down visually. So I decided to do just that. Stars are where I will be taking measurements/photos (except that first time).

Colors:
Red is for the Fire workouts, which are intense cardio
Yellow is for the HIIT workouts
Purple is for the Stretch 40 days
Green overlay is for Strength workouts
Blue overlay is for the Core/Abs workouts


Once I did that, I could see the themes for the different sections. I could see how they build on each other.
Week 1: Build up. Sets the stage, gets the body moving.
Weeks 2-4: First HIIT cycle. 2 HIIT, 3 Fire, 1 Strength, 1 Ab, 1 Long Stretch workouts each week
Weeks 5-7: First Cardio/Strength cycle. 5 Fire, 2 Strength, 1 Ab, 1 Long Stretch workouts each week
Week 8: First Recovery. 4 Fire, 2 Ab, 1 Long Stretch workout
Weeks 9-12: Second HIIT cycle. 3 HIIT, 3 Strength, 3 Fire workouts each week
Week 13: Second Recovery. 3 Fire, 2 Long Stretch, 2 Rest Days!
Weeks 14-15: Second Cardio/Strength cycle. 5 Fire, 2/3 Abs, 2 Strength, 1 Long Stretch workouts each week
Week 16: Third Recovery. 4 Fire, 2 Abs, 1 Long Stretch workouts
Weeks 17-19: Third HIIT cycle. 3 HIIT, 3 Fire, 3 Abs, 3 Strength workouts each week
Week 20: Final Recovery. 3 Fire, 2 Abs, 2 Long Stretch workouts

Each section intensifies in time and scope. Weeks 17-19 will take some major motivation, but it will totally be worth the results, right?

This finishes 7 weeks before the wedding, so I may do Focus T25 or ChaLEAN during those weeks.

~Katie

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Day 2 Reignited

Today was HIIT 15 and it was good! I worked hard, I got it in, and I worked out some soreness from yesterday.

I also:
Made my bed
Put my laundry in the basket
Went grocery shopping 

So all in all, good day for maintenance. We should start tackling the front room (again) tonight after dinner.

 

Yes, giving you pictures of my red, sweaty face motivates me. Mark 2 days off the calendar, Jeeves!

~Katie

Monday, October 28, 2013

Day 1. Again!

As I said, today's a new Day 1.

TurboFire Fire 30 was on the schedule for today. Wow. That class kicks me right in the tushie! And I enjoyed every minute.


Yay!

Let's get this gal some dinner!

~Katie

Back to the saddle

I've been pretty good this past week at getting back into the saddle. I may have been a bit heavy on the social side of the equation, though. 

And now, it's time to get back to the physical part of the equation: workouts.

Focus T25 just didn't mesh with me. I'm glad I bought it, because it's totally meshed with James! He loves it & has been really diligent about sticking to his workouts.

With that being said, it's really difficult for both of us to work out in the same house. There's not enough space for both of us to work out together, unless one of us is simply doing cardio on the cycle. So I need to either set up my garage gym, and really rearrange things out there for me to be able to get my workouts done, or figure out what early ass time I have to shove myself out of bed to get my workout in before his. Or give up my evenings & bogart the living room in the evenings.

Because the count-down is here. I have 187 days until the wedding. 27 weeks. 6 months & less than a week. And I'm not being proactive about my health. The past 3 months have all been back sliding. Understandable, but I know that I deserve to treat my body better.

So back to TurboFire, since I lent out ChaLEAN, I'm trying out the just plain TurboFire 20 week program. 

My biggest challenge will be sticking with it. I've been ditching programs partway through way too much. Time to commit.

I can do this!

I can also start making a number of meals again. Right? Bringing my lunch? What a concept!

~Katie

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Things that have been done

Between my post yesterday and right now, many things have been completed!

The laundry is slowly getting done. James is the champion of this!

I cleaned off the tower of stuff in the bathroom, and found a solution for the toilet paper. You see, the kitty cat likes to destroy toilet paper, so we needed it handy, but enclosed. Solution: found!

I cleaned off the dresser top, mostly. There are still a few things to sort through in the big bin, but a solution is forthcoming! I found a place for my hats, too!

The kitchen counter has been cleared off!

Yay! Domestic progress!

~Katie

Monday, October 21, 2013

Maintenance

My goal for the next few weeks of my project is on maintenance. I've been good at taking the baby steps of interrupting negative self-beratement, and looking at situations more objectively.

I've have trouble biting off more than I can chew, and so I'm trying to stick with slow & steady. The need to just shut down still creeps in. The piling up of all the things to do and the nagging of all of the things in the back of my mind is still difficult to deal with.

We have so many meetings, appointments, and social engagements that it is difficult to say no in order to stay home &:
Clean up the backyard
Fix the sink
Fix the ceiling fan
Set up the studio
Work out
Sort through my books
Do the laundry
Clean & organize the front room
Make the bed
Etc

There are appointments that need to be made. There are some things that I could probably let go. And it's not easy to prioritize them. I can't do it alone. And I don't want to just drag someone else into doing it.

I need to work on communication & asking for help.

I need to take a long, serious, objective look on what I am okay with letting fall to the side. And also a long look at what the important things are.

I have time again! I can be social, but am looking at finding a balance. Most of what I'm struggling with is in the realm of maintenance. 

Maintaining my relationships
Maintaining my business
Maintaining my home
Maintaining my body & mind
Maintaining my career

And they all work together in balance. 

I tend to let one or two sections throw off the balance. My home, my mind, and my body often get the short end of the stick. Which ends up throwing off the rest. Time to dedicate parts of each week, or even day, to maintaining all of the parts of my life. And not just allowing time for fun, but making the maintenance fun.

~Katie

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Numbers

The GABF weight gain is in. I am now working down from 174.9 lbs. That's 5+ lbs over a week and a half. And I enjoyed every last one of them. 

So now that I've had a week and a half to reset from the month+ of high stress, I can get back to routine. And that makes me happy!

I haven't decided if I'll stick with redoing T25, or doing TurboFire. I think I may restart TurboFire, since I enjoyed it more & have fewer issues with the moves.
 
The rest of this week is also alcohol-free. My liver could use the break.
Morning breakfast: Shakeology
Evening workout: TurboFire

I can do this! I will erase the effects of this week as quickly as possible with hard work & good nutrition choices. 

I'm worth having a healthy body. 

~Katie

Monday, October 14, 2013

Honestly? Not bad!

After a week of (many) beers, late night food, and running around all over Colorado, I am rather happy with my figure, still. 

That is a feat. I have most likely lost some muscle and gained some fat, but all is not lost. I maintained a good slim figure. And that puts a smile on my face! 


This is a poorly lit photo, but hello flat tummy!

Now, last push to clean the apartment & get out of here! Homeward bound today!

And I forewent buying all of the sugary snacks. We have some pretzel chips, wasabi peas, and waters!

Perhaps we'll pick up some apples along the way.

~Katie

Continuing the project

I will admit to struggling with this project. My first reaction to things not meeting expectations is to blame myself. I am struggling with looking at the situation & finding the lessons learned rather than simply the parts I failed to perform.

When someone doesn't have as good of a time as they expected, I blame myself. I wallow. I find all the ways that I failed that person.

I should have pushed myself.
I should have been more exciting.
I should have made more new friends.
I should have stayed out later.
I should have laughed more.
I should have been the life of the party.
I should have planned better.

These thoughts are dangerous. These are the thoughts that I'm trying to teach my brain to avoid. And it is so difficult to break the habit. It is so difficult to simply look at the situation with open eyes and accept it at face value: expectations were not met. 

What can be changed in the future to meet them? Do the expectations need to be changed? Does the preparation need to be changed? Does the approach need to be changed? Or was it all circumstantial?

My friend Christine has a motto: You are enough.

I am working to believe that deep down. I  am enough. 

I am enough. Whether I am exhausted physically & emotionally, I am enough. Whether I have doubts & question the future, I am enough. Whether the happy facade has left higher expectations from others or not, I am enough.

I am enough.

Strong enough.
Smart enough.
Loving enough.
Fun enough.
Kind enough.
Driven enough.
Forgiving enough.

Just plain enough.

Today, I am enough.

~Katie

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Project Day 3 & 4

Yesterday, I struggled with willpower. I have been restricting myself so much lately, and set aside extra money for the trip just in case. I did not plan on spending the whole *extra* vacation budget in one place. I totally did.

I gave in. I bought everything that my heart desired. I just let myself go hog wild. And stopped when I reached my predetermined *extra* vacation budget.

And it felt good.

Until I was tempted to start second guessing myself and thinking that I had been horribly irresponsible.

And so I started looking into why it felt so good to just give in. And what I had done to prepare for it. And how it really was okay. Indulgent? Absolutely. But it was okay. It's not the end of the world.

Today, we set up for GABF & have the first session! It's so exciting!

And I made myself (and soon James) a delicious, and nutritious breakfast sandwich!


~Katie

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Project Day 2

Yesterday was lovely. We walked around downtown Denver, ate a brilliant brunch at Snooze, then wiled away the early afternoon sampling beers and taking the tour at Great Divide Brewery. 

I knew that we needed to be ready to drive half an hour away at 5:30 pm, so I did quite well at moderating my beverage selection given the plethora of options.

We drove out to meet James' best friend from high school & freshman year roommate, who will be one of the groomsmen. They brought us to this adorable pizza joint up in the mountains. The pizza was to die for. They specialize in what they call mountain pie. The crust is thick & fluffy, great for dipping. We chatted & had a great time. It was great to see James & his friend reliving old times. You can tell how close they are.

My body was not behaving itself, and I hope I didn't ruin first impressions by having to make a swift getaway at the end of the night. 

All in all, we had a lovely day. Now, I'm going to see if we have gym access and get in a workout so we can go eat breakfast! We still haven't bought groceries, so dining out, it is!

~Katie
Mantra: I am a curious person who loves learning new things about people & places.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Working on the self-love

Right now, I'm sitting in a great condo in downtown Denver.

I have just completed a month of 12-16 hour days. Intense stress, and little time to devote to working out or eat correctly has me a bit more plump. I have managed to maintain my weight (win!) but have so much muscle atrophy. 

I have a tendency to beat myself up. I look at what I want and measure myself against that rather than measuring against where I've come from.

I have made leaps and bounds of improvement over my state in January.

I have come so far. It has not been easy.

In order to help turn my view of myself around, I'm focusing on having 100 days of self-empathy. 100 days where I build myself up, and support myself mentally. 

And it starts now.

I have worked hard. I have built a business from the ground up and I have the opportunity to participate in this awesome festival! I have worked hard and earned enough vacation & funds to take the whole week to explore this wonderful city with my fiancĂ©. 

And we are going to have so much fun today!

~Katie

Friday, September 27, 2013

Plateau

I'm actually surprised I have managed to maintain my weight this month.

Stress.

Injury.

Illness.

I haven't worked out in what seems like weeks.

I have been paying some attention to what I put in my body, but with this past week's bout of illness, all I want is comfort foods. A lot of comfort foods. This is after stress eating candy. And not working out to save my back. And any number of excuses.

And I have maintained (plus or minus 2 pounds) the 170 pounds that I achieved back in July. I just have to keep maintaining until I can reach the point where I have enough balance to make the changes needed.

GABF will be a difficult time to maintain, but it's Denver. I will walk miles every day. And those miles will keep me in check from the pints that I will consume.

Hopefully.

~Katie

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Rest

Last night, I really only did some high & slow stepping to get my heart going a tiny bit. My back was still in a fair amount of pain, so no impact or twisting was needed.

I iced it that evening & slept with an ice pack under my back for most of the night. I kept my knees elevated on a pillow & a very small pillow under my neck. I woke up much relieved. I was still a bit stiff, but I could move fluidly. 

By the end of the work day, I had no pain! I could even roll my hips. Yes, I roll my hips to the songs in my head. 

I decided to do a TurboFire Fire workout to get my heart rate up. I miss it! Anyways, I got 20 minutes in and realized the cross cuts were not doing my healing any good. So I stopped and did some jumping jacks, running in place, bicep curls, and whatever I could think of to make it longer.

So now, back to ice, after I eat something. 

But first, YAY! My back isn't screaming at me!

~Katie

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Back Pain

Over the past 2 weeks, I've developed some very uncomfortable lower back pain.

Today is the worst.

It started on a weekend that I was rather lazy and stayed in bed way longer than I needed to. But I was reading and was loving it. However, that began the back pain. All of a sudden, I could not bend over very far without feeling as slight twinge in my lower back.

Then I let it rest, but not lying down. I have lessened the intensity of my workouts, which I had already done with my tweaked shoulder.  And it was going fine. It was feeling better.

And then last night, I did a move, standing up, but twisting my trunk, that made my lower back go *ouch*. And so I lowered the intensity and focused on just doing things that were not trunk twisting. And then I took a bath to relax the muscles, and then went to bed.

I think that this was a bad move.

I don't think my posture in the very shallow bath helped matters.

I don't think that my bed helped matters. It's rather soft, and I fear that I'm having a hammock effect.

I hate that! I just bought the mattress 4 months ago! It was a big purchase, I'm not going to throw it out, or donate it, but if it's hurting my back, I don't see how I can stick with it.

So I had really bad sleep last night.
My back hurts more than it ever has.
And I just don't quite know how to focus on things.
I'm in a fog of pain.

Boo.
~Katie

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Another Workout

Pushed it for T25 this evening. 


Boy and I worn out! 

But the day goes on! Might make a few more goals today!

~Katie

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Potential Cause

Here I was thinking that my workouts were the culprit of my deltoid drama.

And then, yesterday, I go to put on one of my "These Boobs Ain't Going Nowhere" sports bras and I realized that my shoulder contorts in just the right way to strain my deltoid and rotator cuff *just* right when I clasp it in the back.  The one from yesterday was easier, but I have one that is tighter, and must accidentally be a 34 band rather than a 36 band, and I usually have to ask James to clasp it for me. I will not give up these bras. They totally lock and load me and my boobs don't hurt during my workouts.

But I may have to ask for assistance more often, or clasp it in front and then scootch it around.

Moving Comfort is the brand. Fiona is the one that was giving me some issues (just one of my three). Okay, after looking at the website, I may have bought that third one as a Jubralee, which, in the reviews, runs small. Which explains why it feels slightly different. Hmm. Must research this more.


Regardless, I think I strained my shoulder putting on a bra so that I don't hurt myself working out. #facepalm

~Katie

Monday, August 26, 2013

Monday!

Cardio for T25 again!

I missed Friday's double workouts to help James move in, then moved all day Saturday, so I just missed them outright.

But I wasn't going to let that keep me from starting back on schedule today!

 
Yep! It's a tough workout, but I kept my intensity high the whole time.

I also got a Fitbit Flex. 


I wanted to use the sleep tracking and have a bit more info than the ActiveLink gives me, plus, I've been considering switching from WW to tracking food & calories. The fitbit app tracks calories burned & consumed. 

We'll see. I'm not giving it up, yet, just seeing if other things work for me.

And trying to continue working towards the healthy lifestyle journey I started months ago!  This won't be a bride body workout. I started this long before we were engaged.

Would I like to have a rocking body on our honeymoon, and in all of the photos, sure, but more than anything, I want a sustainable lifestyle.

So here's to committing to a life well-lived.

~Katie

Dealing with injury

I'm at that point where I'm not sure if I'm injured or not.

My shoulder is tweaked.

At first, I thought it was just sore, but the soreness has dissipated. Now, I realize that it's just not operating properly. Sleeping is uncomfortable. And even raising my upper arm to 90 degrees hurts. And not in the sharp hurt way, but the "this isn't right" way.

So I have to come up with a game plan to modify the program so as to keep intensity, but not strain my delts.

~Katie

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Cyclic Habits

My cyclic habit: Splurging with food & drink on a Wednesday.

This is so frustrating. I don't set out to do it. I don't plan on going all out. But I go a bit overboard.

And I weigh in at WW on Thursdays.

So my splurge day shows up. Every single week.

And it's just so frustrating.

Because I'm not a number.
I've been making progress, palpable progress.
I can wear my smaller jeans most days (unless I'm all bloated).
And every day it just gets better.

So I'll take it.

And may or may not reconsider my WW relationship. 

~Katie

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Total Body Workout!

Wow!

My shoulders are so weak!

And I think I skinned my knee because I was modifying incorrectly. Because looking at the TV & waiting to see the modifier takes too much time. I guess.

This one kicked my tushie!


~Katie

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Eek!

My time management is crud. Especially when it involves getting out of bed earlier than the last moment.

So I had to stop my workout with about 5 minutes to go.  Whoops!

I'll make it up later!


Now: shower, dress, Shakeology! In 20 minutes!

~Katie

Monday, August 19, 2013

Struggle

It may come as no surprise that I've been flagging in motivation.

Seeing results & celebrating them, sure, but lacking the motivation to really dig in & commit to my workouts.

The hybrid program schedule this month is grueling. Every day is an hour or so. And I just could not seem to make time for it. I could make time to watch 2 movies, but not to work out. I could make time for anything BUT working out.

So I decided today was the beginning of a new program. I get a fresh set of workouts. A fresh set of challenges, and the best part is that no day will be more than 25 minutes. So that "time" excuse is out the window.



Day 1 of Shaun T's Focus T25 is in the can! And it looks like I should do the calibration program for my heart rate monitor since I shouldn't be at VO2 Max, or maybe I was?

Either way, phew! I feel better knowing that I have the next month of Alpha T25 to challenge me!

~Katie

Friday, August 16, 2013

Milestone: New Jeans!

Guess who's wearing her new jeans today?

That's right! After 3 months of trying them on every couple of weeks only to bemoan the love handles & muffin-top created by them, I didn't hate what I saw this morning. 

My jeans that *fit* are in the wash, and I wanted to wear jeans today. So I grabbed this pair, closed my eyes and put them on. They usually start to protest at the top of my thighs, but they didn't protest very much today. And then, when I buttoned & zipped them, I didn't have to struggle. They're still a bit tight. They still create a bit of muffin top, but it's workable. It doesn't show up under a loose tee shirt, and my belly doesn't hang over the front (too much).

This is what they looked like when I tried them on a month or so ago.

eek! No! The bulge went all the way around the sides, too. Sorry it's so washed out.

And this is what they look like today. AFTER a big lunch & a full workday.

Wha-BAM! There's still a bit of belly pooch, but it's small enough to be let out the door.

And a more flattering shirt-covering-belly disguise. It also shows off the booty I'm developing!

Brown Chicken, Brown Cow!

So there you have it. I guess this whole working out & eating better food for me really is working!

Time for the weekend!

~Katie