by mayberry on April 24, 2009
Time for a shredhead update!
Time for me to hang my head in shame and report that although I have been working out, I swear, and watching my food intake, I swear, it’s, uh, not working. I’ve lost just a couple of pounds in almost two months of near-daily workouts. For all of March I did the 30-Day Shred, and this month I am doing a combination of Bob Harper Biggest Loser workouts–Cardio Max, Body Sculpt, and Weight Loss Yoga. Plus I take a power vinyasa yoga class at the Y twice a week, and according to my activity computer I accumulate at least 60 minutes of activity (walking, stair-climbing, pushing kids on the swings, etc.) several days a week.
So it’s discouraging, to say the least. I’m still committed to continuing to work out (I’m supposed to be an expert, after all). At this point, I am in the habit of waking up early and putting in 20-30 minutes of exercise; and Jo is also in the habit of waking up and observing. I have extra motivation to get up because I don’t want her to be up for no reason other than to watch some extra TV. Of course, knowing that we are both up means that Opie needs to get up too. He also needs to crawl under me every time I’m in downward-facing dog and to stand close enough to me to get hit in the head with hand weights on a regular basis.
Hmm. Maybe that would explain the lack of progress. The good news is that I do feel more fit, my muscles always have that slight bit of soreness that tells me I worked them, and I can now do headstand and crow pose. These are probably more important victories than the stubborn numbers on the scale but I’d like both kthx?
I just read a post about research showing that consuming blueberries can help reduce belly fat. Dude, I eat blueberries almost every single day for breakfast and still have a totally flabby gut. Don’t you hate reading advice and tips and realizing you’re already doing everything there is to do, and why on earth isn’t it working?!
Julie pointed out that the blueberries probably need to be baked into muffins to have the most effect. I’m trying that next.
by mayberry on April 1, 2009
I did it!
OK, I mostly did it. I missed 3 days out of 30 on the 30-Day Shred. But I also did 75 minutes of vinyasa yoga twice a week for all four weeks. And I’ve been testing out a watch/monitor that tracks active time; I reach 60 minutes most days (that includes marching in place in my bathroom at 11 p.m. when I realize I am up to 57 minutes).
I didn’t take before/after pictures, but I doubt they’d match the amazing results shown by Kristen, Christina, and Nancy (among many others I’m sure). I still have the flab spilling over the waistband of all my pants, although I do notice that I am not quite as desperate to switch to PJs in the evening as I was before. (Small victories, people. Small victories.)
Still, I am very glad I participated. I’ll put up my lessons learned over at my fitness blog on Thursday (got an April Fool’s post planned there today!). And as of today, go Team Bob!
*
Continuity updates:
- We are getting a fat tax refund. I know that’s not, actually, a good thing (means we’ve been lending our $ to the feds all year) but this was an unpredictable year for us, income-wise, so we’re going to take the money and run. And smile. And pay some bills.
- Two birthday parties planned for this weekend. So far ALL of Jo’s invited guests are yesses and ONE of Opie’s is. Scrounging for additional 4-year-old boy invitees now. Jeff hand-made 10 Superman capes and we have no one to wear them! snif.
- I never did cut anyone off Bloglines. Am total addict.
- Most importantly: Our grocery store rescinded its dumb policy about reusable bags. I found out when I went to the website to deliver a scathing e-mail.
Lots of good news. No foolin’. Hope you get some today too.
by mayberry on March 17, 2009
Two weeks down, two to go! I weighed myself on the Wii Fit the other day and I am down about two pounds. I don’t think that is particularly meaningful because I have no idea what I was wearing the first time I weighed myself, or what time of day it was, or whether I ate a big plate of corned beef and cabbage that day (um, no). But it’s always nice to see that graph sloping downward, and to hear a little bit of positive feedback from the chirpy little board.
I’ve been shredding faithfully, except for the day my kid was sick and my neck was sore, and also today because I worked myself into a lather hosting book club last night (and I did do a challenging yoga class today).
As I commented at Hot By Blogher, I think this will be the biggest lesson learned from drill sgt. Jillian (aside from “If 400-lb people can do jumping jacks, so can you”): Yes, I do have at least 25 minutes a day to devote to exercise. I may not (oh, who am I kidding with the may) continue the daily shred past these 30 days, but I can mix it in with everything else and use it on days when I am crunched (ha, or planked) for time or when I need a boot-camp tune-up.
*I am prefixing everything with “shamrock” today, BTW. Whatever random leftovers we have for dinner (much like the randomness of this post) will be dubbed “Shamrock salad,” “Shamrock stew,” and so on. It’s gonna be huge.
by mayberry on March 9, 2009
- “Take savasana.”
- “That concludes our winter pledge drive here on public radio.”
- “One minute of abs and we are out of workout 1.”*
- “The 3-hour meeting was cancelled.”
- “OK, you can empty your bladder now.”
- “You’ll be getting a tax refund this year.”
- [Child:] “Zzzzzzz.”
*Forgive me, mother(hood uncensored), for I have skipped a day of shredding. I tweaked my neck somehow–not from the Shred–so I gave myself yesterday off. Today, though, it’s back on. Even though I have company at home (a kid waiting out her “24 hours fever-free” quarantine).
by mayberry on March 2, 2009
In the interest of research into the latest fitness trends, and also in the interest of losing this post-pregnancy gut, I am trying the 30-day Shred.
I’m not brave enough to post “before” pictures of myself (also, I stink at taking pictures into a mirror anyway) like Kristen, but here are my start-up stats:
Code Name: Flabbyberry
Tag Line: Wholesome is as wholesome shreds.
Current weight: 135 (so says Wii Fit).
Goal: Wear pants, buttoned, without unsightly muffin-top or angry red welts (seriously. ouch).
Diet Plan: Nothing in particular–just be sensible. Be cognizant of portion sizes and sugar intake (my particular Achilles heels).
Rules: No eating after 8 p.m. Only one latte/week (I can’t stand the sugar-free kind).
Shred Plan: Starting with Level One daily, 3-lb. hand weights. Plus: power vinyasa yoga, 75 minutes, twice a week.
Off to do my first workout!
… pant … pant … gasp … jiggle …
OK, I’m back (wasn’t that SO EASY!). Actually, it was very hard, but I got through it, more or less. It’s short. Even though each individual segment feels crazy long (case in point: push-ups) you really don’t do anything for more than a minute or two. (But you know those two minutes are tough when hitting the floor for crunches feels like a nice break.)
Comfortably zipped non-mom jeans: HERE I COME.
