August Challenge Group

The July Challenge Group is winding down with some great results from participants!

Missed out on it? Want to join my August group?

I got started on this whole thing by committing to a Beachbody Challenge Group back in January, and I am SO happy that I did. It was a great group of people all struggling, just like me, but committed to improving our health. I honestly just want to pass along the favor and also commit to the challenge myself. You are absolutely not obligated to use a Beachbody program or buy Shakeology, but I do know how I've been doing with them, and I am really happy with the results. Leave a Comment with your email address, or mail it to katieworksout@beachbodycoach.com I will be creating a private group on Facebook (or email if preferred) for all of us to keep in touch through.

The August Challenge Group begins on August 12

What's in a Challenge group?

It will be a small group of people who commit to getting a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day for 30 days, getting all of their vitamins and minerals, and making incremental changes to their diet to eat cleanly. I will be encouraging you through the 30 days. We'll also be keeping each other accountable and sharing tips, tricks, and struggles.

Don't have a multivitamin?

You can get one at your local drugstore, or you can have a healthy shake that has all of the vitamins by signing up for Shakeology & forgoing your morning Starbuck's. You can order & research the benefits of Shakeology here. There's a brand spanking new Vanilla flavor that is getting some pretty rave reviews. Don't fret, though, it comes with a guaranteed 30 day bottom of the bag return & cancellation. This way, if you try it for a month & don't like it/don't think it works/etc. you can get your money back, even if there's nothing left.

 I recommend the regular chocolate flavor & using a blender.

Don't know what exercise to do? 

I can help you decide what works best for your fitness level, your likes, and your goals. 

Beachbody has programs that suit LOTS of people and they have built in schedules that are programmed to get your the results you want. The schedules usually last 90 days and beyond, so you're not just paying for a month of workouts, you're paying for YEARS of workouts. (Also, Challenge Packs come with a renewing monthly supply of Shakeology, and you save $$ by combining it all into one order)

PLUS, the August 12 start date gives you some time for it to be delivered!

Don't want to do a Beachbody program? 

That's fine, too! Really! I'm don't want you to feel obligated to try a Beachbody program if that's not your thing.

Make a schedule of walking/running/cycling and body weight exercises that only require a pair of shoes and some support clothing!

Join a gym (or use the gym membership you already have) and commit to going EVERY DAY.

The key is to have a schedule, and stick to it! If it's not written down, I know that I rarely complete it. If I just leave my daily exercise up to 'whatever I feel like' I will feel like sitting on the couch and doing 12oz curls.

Need help creating that schedule? I'm sure we can brainstorm some great ideas. I'm not a fitness expert, but I'm an avid researcher! We can find something that suits your lifestyle, your budget, and your needs.

So join me?
Email: katieworksout@beachbodycoach.com

~Katie

Hurrah!

I did the whole workout!

Fire 45 followed by HIIT 20. 

And I used my new heart rate monitor! I used the app that came with it, but I found that my old digifit app is better for my purposes. Digifit isn't old, but I used to use it all the time for my walks & runs. I would log them all, and I like the user interface. It also has a good heart rate zone graphic that tracks while you workout, so it is more motivational to me.

I burned over 600 calories based on my heart rate. My average heart rate was 157 with a max of 184. My resting heart rate is about 64 (for reference).

Yay for new metrics to judge how hard I'm pushing during my workouts!

~Katie

So Maybe This Works

Sunday was an indulgent day for me.

I gave in fully to my stress eating habit. I also spent some great quality time curled up on the couch with James. Because that's just how that goes.

Hence, my weigh in yesterday morning was 172.5. Which is WAY higher than I've weighed in at for a number of weeks.

I figured it was temporary, and I made a huge effort yesterday to maintain portion control & reach the balance that the 5 day Inferno uses for food.  Okay, not so huge that I followed the recipes. But I did lay off of the BBQ lunch at my lunch meeting. I had a chicken thigh (didn't eat the skin) and I had a small amount of butter-drenched green beans.

At about 5 pm, I went over to the grocery store & stocked up on low sodium tuna, fruits, veggies, yogurt almond butter, light & low sodium pop corn, kale, etc.  This way, I can get closer to achieving the eating every 2.5 hours, and having the right types of foods at the right times.

And, after yesterday's marathon day, and then working out for 20 minutes and getting relaxed enough to sleep by 1 am (and rising at 6 am, completely out of character), I weighed in under 170 today.  If I keep this up, I may actually make some of my goals by the end of the week.

I want to do the full 65 minutes of workout tonight, so I need to get home a bit earlier than I did yesterday.

I'm using the Pomodoro technique to help me focus at work, and have no idea why I never seriously tried this before. Scheduled work/break rhythms. This is a very good thing.

~Katie

20 minutes

There's an option in the 5 day inferno to do 20 minutes of Fire 55, if you simply don't have time for more.

And so that's what I did. And I put every ounce of stress & frustration into it. James watched. I think he'd be afraid of getting hit by me now.

I gave it as much as I could. Now for a recovery drink & rinse off & soak so that I can get into sleep mode.

Tomorrow is another long day. And the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that.

I just hope I don't end up bringing my work on vacation with me.

~ Katie

The Spirit of the Inferno?

I did not make it to the grocery store yesterday. I did not make my meals for the week. So I'm going to stick with the spirit of the 5-Day inferno rather than the letter. 

I've cut the sweetener out of my green tea. I had Shakeology for breakfast.

I forgot to have my snack, but lunch today is catered, I'm aiming for 350 calories since I missed the 100 calorie snack & the lunch today was slated as a 250 calorie tuna salad.

I will have my apple for afternoon snack & aim for a steamed chicken dinner at the office.

Then tonight, when I get home, it's fire 55.

~Katie

Tracking Update July

The day for picture-taking has come!

Okay, so I wasn't as jazzed about it as it seems. I woke up and weighed in, and did not like what I saw, so I did my workout for the day and then weighed in a bit closer to what I was expecting.

I've been stress-eating a lot this week, and last night curled up on the couch with James and marathon watched The IT Crowd for the entire evening. I made a healthy dinner for us and then ruined it with gummy bears.

But that's neither here nor there.

I can see the small amounts of progress I've made this month. I'm finding that TurboFire is trimming my waistline A LOT! Right at my bellybutton is where it's trimming, and the upper haunches. For Beachbody tracking, the waist is measured horizontally around the bellybutton rather than at the smallest part of your torso. This just gives it a consistent position, because your bellybutton never moves. But what I'm noticing is that as my belly trims up, it does so unevenly. I'm slimming right around the bellybutton, but right below it, on the lower abdomen, it's trimming at a slower rate. I do think it's still trimming up, but with the uneven rates, it makes my lower abdomen pooch out further and it does weird things to how I view myself.  Rationally, I know what is happening, the lower abdomen on women does retain more fat, and it's stubborn fat. It's there to be a cushion for pregnancy (whether one it pregnant or not). But emotionally, seeing it pooch out feels like it's getting bigger, when really, it's just getting smaller at a slower rate.

My hips and lower abdomen are the slowest region for slimming down. I really want to wear my new jeans, but I don't want muffin top. I can button and zip them, but they're too tight, still.

Without further ado, here's the photographic evidence. Every time I get frustrated with my progress, or feel that it's just not worth it, I like to have the photos to show myself just how far I've come, and what a difference I've made.

I'll be shopping for the 5 Day Inferno tomorrow and updating through the week as to my progress!

~Katie

The Perfect Time

The other day, when talking with a friend who was lamenting that he was waiting for the perfect time for something and that things just kept getting in the way, I realized something.

There is no perfect time.

But every time is the right time.

There is no perfect time to buy a house.
There is no perfect time to have kids.
There is no perfect time to start a life with someone else.
There is no perfect time to start that exercise program.
There is no perfect time to take a risk on a business.

But every time is the right time, if it's something you want to do.

If you wait for the perfect time, it will never happen. Life will always get in the way. Life will throw you curveballs and jump up and squash your chances if you wait for the perfect time.

But the right time, the right time is always there for the making.

And the right time will probably only look perfect in retrospect.

~Katie

A Wee Bit of Pre-Tracking

I will be honest, I haven't done my workout in a few days.

And I haven't be great about what I eat & drink.

BUT! I do always have in the back of my head, what trade-offs I'm taking and what my ultimate goal is.

Today was supposed to be my tracking day, but I just didn't have the energy this morning to get up, do my workout, shower, and take photos, take measurements, compile the photos, and then get ready for work.

I am a bit bloated from spending all last night at the brewery sweating my tush off in the heat and making sales, and having some beers. Oh, Gingerbread stout on nitro, you are a happy, happy memory. So are you, Champagne Blonde!

I didn't have food truck fare, I waited until I got home to have 3 eggs and salsa. I'm rather proud of myself for that, even though the food truck fare looked & smelled divine, I didn't have time to take away from my booth duty.

I was loading & unloading my car, standing at the booth, and mingling. So I wasn't sedentary, but I wasn't really that active.

Anyways, that's all to say that this morning, I was feeling a slight bit bloated, and I was a touch hungover/tired.  So I forwent all of the photo taking (you'll get that update tomorrow).

I did, however, take measurements, which I'll retake tomorrow, as well.

I was pleasantly surprised!

My waist has gone down a half inch in the past month. This is after the 2.75 inches during my 13 day challenge in June. TurboFire has been great at whittling my waist & haunches!

My chest is the same, but my hips have gone down a half inch!

I'm wondering if the bra that I wear for the measurements is affecting the chest measurements. It's lace, and has no structure. I chose it rather than a soft cup bra since those have structure.  But what I noticed is that I am now wearing my 36DD bra rather than my 36DDD bras for the past week, so I know my boobs have shrunk, but my measurement hasn't.  Whatever, I'm wearing a smaller bra, and I don't have boob overspill, so I'll take it!

I still have a couple inches in my hips before I can wear my new jeans.

And must plan groceries for next week's Inferno.

See you tomorrow with photos!

~Katie

Really now?

Let's recap:
Last week I:

Was stressed out & got little sleep
Caved to the candy man
Did not get in enough work outs
Ate whatever I wanted

Lost weight.

This week I:
Am still stressed, but am getting enough sleep
Am not caving to the candy man
Am getting in pretty serious workouts
Am eating within my points and making decisions based on the protein/carb/fat ratios

Maintaining 169.9 lbs (about 1 & a half pounds heavier than last week)

This is frustrating.

I'm guessing that my body is trying to tell me that I need more calories, or it will just chipmunk, since last week I lowered activity and upped caloric intake and lost weight. Then, when I returned to working out, and returned to watching what I eat, my body said NOPE!!

Today, I need to get this in hand. My weekly weigh in is tomorrow and I'd like to have lost rather than just maintained. I was only .4 lbs away from my next 5 lbs celebration.

I have already determined that I am doing the TurboFire 5 Day Inferno next week, starting on Monday.

This gives me M-F to really just whip into shape before going up to Nova Scotia and to San Francisco.

It means having planned and scheduled meals, during a time that I will be working a lot, oh, and hour+ long workouts each day.

But it means that I'll be kickstarting my metabolism and being prepared for the day/week. Sunday will be the shopping and cooking day and then I'll just have everything portioned out for myself Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and 2 snacks.  No beer :( But I'll get over that. I think I can still have green tea without sweetener.

We'll see. I just have to plan. It will be a good time to do it, and then I can do a different schedule on vacation and get back to the real program when I return. Right now, I'm on week 13. However, I'm really doing week 12 since last week was low on the workouts. So, next week, is the 5 Day inferno, then I'm going to adapt Week 13 so that I can travel with it more easily & boomerang into week 14 when I get back from vacation.

Okay, This means that I'll be finishing up during the last week of September. EEK!

What will I do after that?

~Katie

Fire 60

Last night, I upped the ante. I've been on & off on doing my workouts (as noted) and this past weekend, I decided to do Fire 60, which was assigned earlier in the week & I missed it. 

Well, I really liked it. The music is good. The workout is good.

It's broken up into 3 20-minute sessions (vaguely) broken up by fire drills.

Warm up

Cardio left & right lead

Fire drill twice

Cardio left & right lead

Fire drill twice

Finale cardio left & right lead

Cool down

Unlike the main programs, there is no "new to class" that breaks everything down. You just have to jump in & use what you've learned through the main program of TurboFire. Fire 60 is part of the advanced pack, so this makes sense.

For me, I think just jumping in, figuring it out, and not taking breaks in between sets helped me stay on target.  The first time I did it, I had to convince myself to not take a long break (or stop) after the fire drills.

Last night, I felt like I needed intense so I subbed Fire 60 for my workout again.

 

See how excited I am? How did that happen? Well, I decided to fire up the music. That means that the music is in the foreground & Chalene's instructions are rather faintly in the background. Normally, I don't fire up the music. I like hearing the cues & the advice.  But last night, I lost myself in it. The music helped me work out some rhythm issues on some of the moves.

I may have to keep with that trend.

I track on Friday.

And on Thursday, I have a big BeerSox at the brewery event. Eek!

I will have to either work out double, really keep a handle on the special brews, or (more likely) delay tracking until Saturday and fit in an extra hard workout on both Friday & Saturday.

~Katie

Finally

I feel like I can finally be secure in my cross of the 170 lbs threshold.

I've been toying with it for the past couple of weeks. Or months.

No, really. There's a reason why I started to look at my 7 day trend. I would touch 170 & get happy, then bounce back. The past few weeks, I've been under 170, over 170, but steadily heading into the always under 170 realm. I just need to keep this up.

I dropped 5 pounds in 1 month: March. The next 5 pounds have taken 4 months.

It could be disheartening, but I have a goal. And I will make it. It may be slow, it may not really be steady, but it is.

If I track my food & beverage, and get in my workouts each day, I am successful.

So I just have to keep at it. One day or even one week shouldn't keep me from cranking back into the plan.

It works. Slowly, but it works.

~ Katie

Metrics

Card carrying data monger, here.

There is no taking the analysis out of this lady.

I like being able to track and forecast things. It gives me a realistic idea of what the future holds.

I like seeing what my 7 day average weight it and see when it reaches various thresholds.

I like having a measuring stick to measure against and work towards.

These motivate me.

How I feel motivates me, but when I'm having a bad week or a bad day, it helps to review how far I've come. Today is NOT a bad day, but I'm coming off a rather intense week.

So, what are these tools? Oh, just a ton of spreadsheets & charts, and measurements, weights, and a pair of jeans.

Spreadsheets:

Weights & Measurements
This is where I keep my semi-daily home weigh-ins and my Weight Watchers weigh-ins. I also have a section with the measurements I take monthly.

Weight Chart & Measurement Chart, which are updated on the tracking page here

Differences Spreadsheet
This keeps track of the total drop at home and at Weight Watchers and also the difference between the scales on the days that I weigh in in both places (on average the difference is about 2.5 pounds)

Forecast Spreadsheet & Chart
This is the fun one. I have my current weight trend from Weight Watchers and I have projected the loss if I continue at 2 lbs/week, 1.5 lbs/week, 1 lb/week and .8 lbs/week into the future highlighting when I will reach my first goal of 150 lbs, and then subsequent 145 lbs and 140 lbs. After 140 lbs, I plan to hold steady. There is absolutely no reason for me to be smaller. I'm not even sure that 145 is not too small for my frame & the muscle I'm building.  So I'm really just seeing how it goes after reaching 150 lbs.

Trends I use this to get a 7 day average of my daily home weigh ins. This helps me to see the trends that I'm following. I already have the 7 day sampled Weight Watchers weigh ins, but the moving average takes into account what's going on in between so there is more detail to it.
And there's just a small insight into how my mind works in its motivation. Charts, forcasts, trends.

~Katie

Back in the Swing

Yesterday was my big meeting, so I got to do something after work with James rather than just heading home & crashing.

This week has been full. I've been spending my time either at work, or sleeping. I missed a number of workouts in a row, but I also did not have any beer, because there was no relax time. So I'm down in weight a tiny bit.

This morning, I woke up & realized I had time for one of the two scheduled workouts for today & jumped out of bed to squeeze it in. This means I can go to the social event planned for tonight! Yay!

Tomorrow is going to be another good workout day & next week is the big finale for this section with tracking on Friday or Saturday!

~Katie

Combatting the Burnout

This past week has been long, hard, and very disciplined. 

I do not work well for too long under those conditions. 

The past two days were workout-less & I caved into stress eating a number of times.

But I will not go more than 2 days without working out. Tonight, I get right back on that saddle. I rededicate & recommit.

Yes, my life is a series if recommitments.

Next week, I'm starting to do BeerSox events again, and getting back into the swing of things after a long 2 & a half months "off".

~Katie

The Week That Just Keeps Going

I have eaten the same meal for lunch and dinner every day this week.

It's an okay meal.

My schedule is:
wake up
get ready
work
walk to get lunch & dinner
work
eat dinner
work
go home
work out
relax a tiny bit
sleep

That's it

Today is a switch up because it's checkup day.
I went to Weight Watchers at lunchtime, picking up said same lunch & dinner on my way
I will go to therapy this evening, I really feel like just going in asking how much I owe, and walking out.
I am not frustrated, I don't have anything huge that I'm having issues with, I don't feel like I'm spinning out of control, I don't feel manic, I don't feel sad, I actually feel quite content, if a bit stressed (normal when it's sortof like finals week for my short term assignment, it's okay, I've been steadily working towards this, I've got it, it's just a bit stressful).

So.

Weight this morning was a solid 169 lbs on my scale at home before any food or clothing to mess things up.
This is a big thing for me.

When I broke down in my kitchen last year while dyeing yarn because I went and weighed myself and I weighed 170 lbs, it was the impetus of my joining Weight Watchers online. I lost about 15 lbs in a month and a half. And then I gained it all back plus 15 more pounds.

So getting back to that point, that breaking point for me, it means a lot.

At my meeting, my weigh in was actually .2 lbs over what I weighed in at two weeks ago. I don't really like that. However, given my relaxed tracking from my birthday through the holiday weekend, an overall gain of .2 lbs means that I kept in check and corrected. So, I'm fine with it, but I really do need to barrel through July and get solidly into the small pair of jeans.

They keep staring at me. They want to be worn. I just don't feel comfortable in them, yet. I have a couple inches on my hips to go before they will be non-muffin-toppy.  And I don't like wearing clothes that are too tight anymore. I'd rather swim in clothes and feel the effect of losing weight than wear something that is a bit too tight, but in a smaller size, and then feel constricted and fat.  Does that even make sense?

The feeling of loose clothing has suddenly become a feeling of accomplishment. It means that I've been making progress. It means that I've come a long way from where I started and those articles of clothing were too tight.  Wearing tight, yet, smaller sized clothes, just feels like I'm squishing into it and reminds me that I'm not there, yet. All day long. That I'm not there, yet. That I planned on being there 2 months ago, and I'm still not there, yet. And then I get frustrated and flustered with myself.  And so I wear the loose clothing that proves to me that I've made progress, and encourages me to continue. And I keep the pair of jeans at hand to try on in the morning after weigh-in, just to see if I'm that much closer to feeling comfortable in them. Because that moment. That moment will be a celebration.

~Katie

Work It Out

Today, I decided to combat stress in new ways. I prepared for lunch, and dinner, at the office. I have a big meeting next week, and I want to be fully ready for it. I know I will be, but until then, I have self-imposed 12 hour days. 

This means that normally, I would be stocking up soda & gummy candy for late night writing sessions. Yes, my psyche still thinks that this will somehow make my synapses fire more quickly.

In order to prepare for the day, and the sweet cravings, I packed some chobani bites in a chocolate/coffee flavor. I also went to Zoe's Kitchen for lunch. I ordered a lean turkey pita with a side of fruit for lunch, and another to take with me for dinner.

When dinner time came around, I was very glad to have good, solid food available that didn't weigh me down.

I was also happy that I took a walk in the middle of the day.

I got home late, and did my slated workout of Fire 45 & Abs 10 from TurboFire, and now am having a recovery beer, which is within my points for the day.

Shower, sleep, repeat for the next week.

I am determined to keep the bad effects of stress at bay with clean eating and exercise. The good effects of stress, I'll keep. Like focus, productivity, and focus.

And having a plan for lunch & dinner every day is rather nice. As well, we received our shipment of PB2 from Amazon today, so I'll be bulking up my Shakeology in the mornings! For some reason, the word got out about PB2, and all of the grocery stores that carry it have been completely out every time we go shopping for the past month.

~Katie

Always rolling the ball back up the hill

Holidays & birthdays are my nemesis. I love love love to celebrate.

I really don't like having to think during holidays & birthdays.

But when I don't, the ball slips down the hill, and I have to chase it, catch it, and change the direction.

Currently, I slipped a few pounds. I haven't been religiously tracking.

But I have been working out every day.

My July Challenge has started, so I'm really putting in the effort to keep after it every day.

Let's change this small slip in motivation.

~Katie

13 Day Challenge Results

So, I realized I didn't fully recap my little 13 day challenge for the shoes.

I was really, really good. But in the end, I did not reach my goal of 32 post-its by the end of June 29th.

I went over points on Friday, and on Saturday, too. So I really ended up with 31 post-its by the end of June 29th.

SO CLOSE! But no shoes.

I really enjoyed this challenge! I think I'm going to continue with it during the 30 day July Challenge I put together. But this time, I'm making my goal a little bit more realistic.

I will meet 2 metrics every day & 3 metrics 5 times in 2 weeks (basically, I would have made my goal last time if I had those metrics)

 ~Katie