Day 72: I'm Starting To See a Pattern Emerging Here...

Hello one and all! Yes, I'm a terrible person. I forgot again. I need to stick up reminders or something. I'm sorry!

I tried a new workout to help slim my thunder thighs down. At first, I was very unimpressed. "My legs don't even feel tired!" Now, a couple hours later, they sure do! Good stuff. It probably won't translate into soreness for my run tomorrow, which is good. Trying to remember to do my abs too. I just did 3 30 second planks. I might do side plank ups before bed. I absolutely loathe working my abs. They're so weak, I feel like I'll never have any kind of enviable abs. That's where abs work comes in, right? Blah.

I'll try harder, I promise! Have a good one, folks.

Day 38: Trying Something New and Terrible Cramps

Hello one and all! So today I decided to try something new. I discovered a website called Fitness Blender, and I tried a couple videos today. One for obliques and abs that I could only do one circuit of, one for glutes, outer thighs and inner thighs that I just did once, and one upper body and chest one that I did twice. I just feel even worse today. My cramps are terrible, my back aches, and I'm exhausted. Yay, right? On the plus side, I weighed myself this morning and my menstrual cycle may not have messed everything up yet. I weighed the same as I did early last week, which may be right or may not be. I've heard you weigh a bit more during your period, so I might do my results on Sunday then check again Tuesday. Just to be sure it's accurate. Also, a correction. I was reading my weight and measurements journal, and I realized that I incorrectly posted my weight during my first results post. My starting weight was correct, 166lbs. But my weight lost in those three weeks was 3 lbs, not 4. So my 21 day weigh in should read 163lbs, not 162. My sincerest apologies for not noticing sooner!mill fix it immediately. That's all, folks. Have a great night!

Day 31: Working Hard and Still Loving "Ceremonials"

Hello one and all! Today, I felt an unnecessary time crunch when I went to work out. I had a quick per-workout snack (sprouted grain toast with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter) and waited twenty minutes before starting my workout. I'm one of those "lucky" people who can have breakfast and immediately work out without feeling sick. Yay me? Anyways. I decided to do supersets today. Except instead of doing a total body one, I did one superset workout for the lower body, then picked one upper body exercise from each set from a superset workout I found on about.com. Also...

Abs day! The Oxygen Abs Issue is out, and it's a gooder! I read it last night, and immediately decided to try one of the ab workouts in there. Was it ever tough! I skipped the final exercise for obliques, because I find oblique exercises bother my lower back a bit if I can't 100000% focus on what I'm doing. So I just did two sets each of the first four exercises, and I'll probably feel it tomorrow! Because I loathe working my abs, I decided to follow the advice from some superfit ladies in the magazine: do your abs first in your workout so you have no excuse not to. Great advice! I worked my way through them, then jumped right into my lower body stuff. I feel awesome!

Also, I can't stop listening to the Ceremonials album by Florence + the Machine. It blows my mind. Give it a listen already!

Have a great day, everybody!

Day Eighteen: Sweating Like a Pig and Hitting My Abs

Hello one and all! Today was another running day. It was a little easier today, which was nice. I'm still hoping that someday I'll run and not die! Something to push for, I guess. After the treadmill, I did some of those ab exercises I posted the link to the other day. I kind of just did a bit of a pick and choose. I tried to avoid ones with weights for today, although I did do the toe touch. I also added two 30 second rounds of the plank, and my abs feel great. Seriously, if you haven't already, try them out. You won't regret it!

After my post yesterday, I had a total meltdown moment. You know, crying, laughing. The whole bit. Perhaps you're wondering why? I'll tell you, but don't laugh!

I walked by one of my full-length mirrors with the lights off, and I actually had to double back because I couldn't believe the person I glimpsed was me.

Let me explain. In my room, I have a full-length mirror on the back of my bathroom door. It's the one I use to get dressed. But at the foot of my bed, there's another mirror, on top of a dresser. I don't usually look in that one because the lighting is bad, and I have a hard time angling the mirror so I can see myself. But I usually scope out my side view as I leave my room to make sure everything looks right. I haven't been doing that much lately, because I'm usually in workout gear or my work uniform. But I caught a glimpse of myself in my (tight) workout gear yesterday, and I stopped and cried. I couldn't believe the difference in my body. I mean, I've seen some inches lost. But looking straight on at your body all the time makes it hard to see the changes. And it just made me really happy. I know I still have a long way to go. But seeing progress is great!

In diet-related news, my mom and I start the 17 Day Diet on Monday. She thinks she's insulin resistant, and I'm pretty sure I must be too. So we're going on a sugar detox with the diet. It should be interesting, lots of people see great weight loss in the first 17 day cycle.

That's all for me today, folks. Have a great night!