I'm 34 Today

Happy Birthday to me.  I am 34 today.  Never thought I would be excited to be 34, but things just seem to keep getting better and better the older I get.  And now that I have decided to take control of my health, I feel so much better.  I have a completely different outlook on life.

Things don't seem quite as bleak, and depressing.  My life is now full of possibilities.  I can see myself starting to dream big.  Where those dreams will take me we will just have to see.

Well it is now time for my protein bar, and time to get my little one out of her PJ's.  Especially since it is 1030 now.  Ha Ha.  But it is the weekend, and my birthday so I guess I'm allowed to slack a little bit.

But not too much slacking, because I still have to work out today.  It may be recovery week, but I still have Core Syn to do.  Can't wait to get it started.  I always hate this one before I start, but once I get going and about halfway through, i love it.  Go figure that one out.

Ashley

Wow

So just a quick post here.  I found my picture from when I started Insanity.  And I compared it to my 30 day picture.  And all I could say was WOW.  It was really cool to see how far I had come in 90 days.  Yes it could have been better had my nutrition been better.  But the things that you can't see like the parts of my belly that are hiding, are shrinking tremendously!  I am very excited to see where the last phase of P90X will take me. I know that the last week was full of bad nutrition.  But now it is back to business as usual.

So here is the picture:

Pretty amazing if you ask me!

And here are the results of my 30 day pics from P90X:

So there you have it.  I will be taking my 60 day pictures next Tuesday.  I am not expecting to see any change at all really.  Maybe a little more toning in my arms and less, but that's about it.  And that's okay.  I am getting better everyday and pushing play everyday and that is what matters the most!

Ashley

Phase 2

So phase 2 of P90X starts tomorrow.  Since Hubby is a week behind me I am going to be doing one more week of phase 1 diet.  It just makes it easier to plan out the weeks meals.  I will be so glad when I get to add a few more carbs into the mix though, it will be much easier to plan meals for the week.  We can start to eat some sandwiches for lunch, and I can get back to eating cereal for breakfast.  I know hubby will be happy when he can have oatmeal for breakfast more often.

I think we are going to try and eat the majority of our carbs during the day and stay carb free to carb low at night.  Eating smaller meals at night will definitely help hubby, since he works out at night.  Of course we didn't stay carb low last night.  We had pizza.  It was so good, but I was a piggy!  We both had 4 pieces, the two of us ate an entire large pizza.

But we are back on the bandwagon today.  Every once in a while you just gotta be bad.  I can't be good all the time, that's definitely no fun.  So now I am saving myself for my birthday, and something sweet this time.  I am going to make myself a banana cake, my favorite!!

I am going to take my 30 day pictures tonight.  I think there has been some change, but not really all that much.  I am really hoping for a little more change here in the second month.  Of course in an interview with Tony Horton, he said that a lot of people in the test group didn't see big results until like day 70 or so.  So I am just going to stick to the nutrition as best as possible.

I am also going to try and not weigh myself as much in this second month.  All of the sudden I have become scale and weight obsessed.  I am usually not like that.  Of course I guess since I am so anxious to see results I am weighing myself more.  My goal is to be down 10 lbs by the end of next month, or the end of this phase.  I am pretty sure I can do it, we shall see, I have a few hurdles to overcome.  Like going to my parents house, and a football game next weekend.  And then going to Tampa for a meeting/mini vacation with hubby.  But at least I will have hubby with me to keep me in line!

I will post pictures in the next few days or so.  And by the way the mashed cauliflower was awesome!!

Ashley

Three Weeks Down

Can't believe how fast time is flying.  It seems like only yesterday I was starting Insanity.  Now Labor Day weekend is coming up, and my birthday at the end of September.  I am hoping to be down below 180 by then.  That is going to be my goal anyways.  To be turning 34 and be down to 179.  I haven't weighed that much since probably my junior year of high school.

I really want to get there.  I think I can, considering that I lost 10 lbs in the first month of P90X.  I think 10 lbs in the second month is an acceptable goal.  Although I am still having doubts sneaking in.  Saying what if I can't, what then.  I guess I just keep going, and be proud of whatever I did get down to in a month.  I guess I'll always have that little voice in my head.  But that doesn't mean I can't prove it wrong!

Going to try something different for dinner tonight, mashed cauliflower.  One of the girls I used to work with told me she made it all the time and they were fantastic.  So we shall see how that goes.  Got a huge head of cauliflower to make it with.  Hopefully we will have leftovers!  Sounds like something you would want the next day as well.  If it goes well, I'll post my recipe in the next couple days or so.

I Earned It

I got my Insanity T-shirt today.  I was so excited when I opened the mailbox and realized what could be in the package.  I almost ripped it open right there on the street.  But I did show some restraint, and waited til I got in the house.  Had to take a pic right away though, and send it to hubby to  gloat!  He didn't fill out the form yet, so he doesn't have one.  We are going to do his stuff tonight so he can have a shirt as well.  I think he is pretty jealous though!!

So here it is.  Took all the willpower I had to make dinner first and not start plastering the internet with photos.

August 22, 2012

Tonight for dinner we had Bacon Wrapped Chicken Shish Kabobs.  They were pretty good.  You take chicken marinated in a little bit of red wine vinegar, and low sodium soy sauce.  Marinate for in fridge.  About 20 min before assembling kabobs, throw in pineapple chunks and mushrooms.  Boil some bacon for 5 min (yeah sounds and looks nasty, but turns out better in the end).  Then ready to assemble.  Take small piece of jalapeño put on chicken then "wrap" with a small piece of bacon.  Then put on skewer with pineapple and mushroom.  Repeat.  Broil for 5-7 min on each side.

Like I said it was pretty good.  The best part of todays meals were the twice baked potatoes.  I used half a huge potato for my husband and I.  Cooked tater in microwave, scraped out innards.  Mixed that with a very small amount of cheese, 4 oz turkey, 1/2 cup fat free sour cream.  Scooped back into potato skins.  Popped in fridge for overnight safe keeping.  Then when at work, I just nuked it in the microwave.  Got a lot of compliments on how good it smelled at work.  And it was really good.  It was nice to have a whole carb in a meal.  Of course that meant no carbs the rest of the day.  But hey, it was worth it!

If I have any more outstanding recipes I will post them later.  We have had a few that I really liked.  Especially the tzatkiki sauce for turkey olive feta burgers.  I now use it over my bocca burgers, with a little feta cheese.  Oh and it is soooooo good!!!  I'll post a recipe tomorrow or the next day.  Oh and I will have to post my protein bars as well.

Ashley

Previous recipes from myP90xnutritionplan.com

One Week

Yes that is correct, I have just one week left of Insanity.  Up to this point, I haven't missed one single workout.  I am so proud of myself for that fact alone.  I haven't lost as much weight as I had hoped I would.  But that's okay.  I have much more stamina, enough to get through an hour of Insanity.  And yes I take "unscheduled" breaks.  I can't go completely through every exercise and not take a moment to catch my breath.  But I can do more now then when I started.  I can even make it though the warm-up without stopping.  So there is plenty of improvement there.  I also wore a pair of scrubs today that I couldn't wear before.  They were way to tight around my mid-section.  Mainly cause my paints caused me to have a muffin top (yuck!).  Well today I wore them with no problems.  Yes I have a little bit more to go before they look really good, but hey every small accomplishment counts in my book!

It's those small accomplishments that make me want to keep going.  It's when I don't have to tell my daughter, "Mommy is too tired right now, lets run around later."  It's getting to work and feeling full of energy, and being ready to take on the day.  It's fitting into a skirt and having a little bit of extra room.  It's hearing my little girl cheer me on, "You can do it Mommy."  "Yeah Mommy, you did it!"  Those are just a few of the things that keep me going back for more every day.

Speaking of going back for more, only one more week till I start P90X.  August 7th is the start date right now.  I am having a tough time deciding if that is when I want to start or not.  Here is the dilemma:  Starting on a Tuesday puts Yoga X on Friday.  So what's the problem?  Well i am already getting up around 4am now to do insanity.  So that means I will have to get up at 330am.  Okay, so still what's the problem?  Now that I see it written down, it doesn't seem to be so much of a problem.  It's only an extra 30 min earlier.  And I am going to have to get up earlier anyways to get in the other dvd's and ABRipper X together.  So I guess 330 really won't be that bad.  I mean it two months I went from getting up at 540am and rushing to get ready, skipping breakfast, to getting up at 4am, working out, and eating breakfast, and another snack at work.  Kind-of funny how things change.

I guess that my bed time will really have to be 9pm from now on.  Or more like 830pm.  Well that's not so different from now, I already go to bed at 9pm now.  Ha Ha.  Writing it out puts a lot of stuff in perspective.

But I could start on Wednesday and have Yoga X on Saturday.  But that is the one day that my husband gets to sleep in.  Well okay, compared to me he sleeps in every day.  But I do it as a favor to him so he can get ready for work in peace and not have to run around after our little girl.  He already watches her if I am downstairs working out, unless she is down there working out with me.  Nah, I think I'll keep things as planned.  Plus I am afraid if I don't go ahead and start on Tuesday, I will keep putting off starting.  And I'll be out of my routine.  I don't like to sleep in too many mornings, especially since I get up so early during the week.  well I will just have to see how it goes.

Well I guess that's all for now.  I will check back in and maybe post results from my final fit test next Monday.  And now for the best picture!

Ready To Workout With Mommy!

I love this picture and I am so glad that, at two and a half, she wants to exercise.  I love that I am setting a good example for her!  I hope that I can continue to be that good example and always keep pushing play!

You're Doing What??

I ask myself this question just about every morning.  I get up most mornings at 4am just to work out.  Then it is a quick shower, cram in breakfast, and off to work by 530.  Okay so I don't get up at 4am on the dot, usually I hit my snooze button once.  And it is out the door by about 540.  But hey that is still good for me!!

I have been doing this for almost 7 full weeks now.  Which is even more impressive!!  I have been doing Insanity.  What is Insanity you say, well turn on the tv and watch the infomercial.  That's right I am doing an exercise program from an infomercial.

I have used Beachbody products in the past and I have really liked them.  This program is a lot more intense than anything I have ever done before.  And I am loving every minute of it!!

Do I look like the people on the informercial, or the dvd's? NO, I don't.   But my arms are starting to get leaner, and so are my legs.  My calves have always been "large", but now they have shape.  I can actually start to see my triceps, which I have never seen before.  I can do 16 real pushups, not the girly kind, but the ones the Boys do.  My endurance has gotten better, and I feel like I have so much more energy throughout the day.  Even Nona wants to exercise along with me.

so why am I doing all this craziness?  I want to be healthier, and set a good example for my child.  I want her to see that exercise can and should be a part of your everyday life.  It is just one hour, that is only 4% of your day.  

So I only have two weeks left of my Insanity program.  What is next you ask?  Well good question, next is P90X.  I figured I deserved a rest after the intense cardio I have been doing for the past 7 weeks.  Ha Ha Ha.  Well it will be somewhat of a cardio break.  

I am super excited about starting P90X.  Aaron and I are both doing Insanity now, so we will both be doing P90X as well.  That is another thing that I think keeps me going.  I know that if he can do it so can I, and I can do it better.  Nah, I'm not competitive or anything.  

When we start P90X I am really going to try and work on following the nutrition plan.  I haven't really done that with Insanity.  I have to some extent, but not fully.  I am really going to try and give P90X my all and see how far I can go.  

I know that it is going to take a while to get to where I really want to be and that is okay.  Everyday I get a little bit closer and a little bit better.  That is all I can hope for.  Somedays I get discouraged because I don't feel like I am making any progress.  But then I have days like today, when I work out and I can do oblique push-ups and actually touch my knee to my elbow for the first time.  AMAZING!!!!  

This really is an uphill battle for me.  Exercise and healthy eating has always been a struggle for me!  But I am going to win this time.  I am going to take it a day at a time, this isn't a diet, it's not an exercise fad, This Is A Lifestyle, and I CAN DO IT!!!!