Update

Ok, so the whole "I'm going to blog six days a week" was a total lie. It was well intentioned, for sure, but the fact is that I just don't have the time to blog every day.

However, the workout plan hasn't changed, and I'm very proud of myself for getting through the first week successfully. I had sort of assumed that the soreness and stiffness would disappear after the first few days, like it did during volleyball preseason in high school. And it has definitely faded, to some extent. But I'm beginning to think that the slight muscle aches may be something I just live with for a while.

The one weakness in Insanity (in my opinion) is the cool down session. There is not nearly enough stretching to keep me walking the next day. Once I figured that out, I added about 15 more minutes of stretching on to the end, and I've been much happier ever since. I would seriously recommend this for anyone attempting this workout; you may save yourself several days of agony.

I am not going to lie and say that I am enjoying this. In fact, it totally sucks. I've always wanted to be one of those people who craves exercise, who can practically replace their morning coffee with a brisk jog. I'm not. Maybe after two full months of kicking my butt into gear every day, I will become one. But for now, it takes a lot of self control to NOT collapse on the couch immediately after coming home from work. After a ten hour day of work, and an hour commute, spending another hour exhausting myself before I can relax is the last thing I want to do. But I keep telling myself that it WILL BE WORTH IT.

And if I'm not in serious shape by the end of July, I'm never working out again.

LH

A Little Inspiration

Just a Recipe

Just so you all know, Tuesdays are my 1 day of 7 that I will not be working out. The schedule calls for the day off to be Sunday, but Tuesday works better with my schedule. Which is why I didn't blog yesterday.

I just wanted to share a quick recipe that I stumbled across last night, because I was hungry, and had all of the ingredients on hand. It just kind of fell together. 

I cooked up a spaghetti squash first. For those of you who don't know what spaghetti squash is, it is a very mild (almost tasteless) squash that looks like spaghetti when it is all cooked up and scooped out. To cook it, I simply cut it in half (the short way), scoop out the guts and seeds (I sometimes roast and salt the seeds),  place them upside down in a microwavable glass dish, cover it very tightly with plastic wrap, and throw it in the microwave for 10 to 15 minutes, until it is soft to the touch. Then I scoop it out into a bowl. Ta da! A vegetable instead of pasta.

Last night, I was craving something fresh and summery, so I roasted a package of grape tomatoes in a pan (cut in half, fry in a little olive oil, cut side down for several minutes), and tossed them with the squash, fresh basil, a hunk of goat cheese (mix while the pasta/squash is very hot so it melts in), and grated parmsan on top. 

So. Good. 

I'm off to eat lunch...if I can make it downstairs. My legs are in agony.

LH 

Day One

Yup...two posts within an hour. The first post was introductory, so now I have to talk about my first day. This will be short.

My workout of choice is Insanity. I figured if I'm going to commit, I may as well commit.

Holy. Freaking. Crap.

Insanity comes with many different DVDs, and a nine week calendar marking which day I'm supposed to do each DVD. They cycle through, and I never repeat the same DVD two days in a row. This is good...I have very little tolerance for boredom in a workout. This is part of the reason any workout attempts have failed in the past. I really miss the variety of sport workouts; working out with a volleyball team is completely different from running on a treadmill. I love the first, and I hate the second.

So today I popped in my little DVD and pushed play. Shaun T stands there, all ripped, and explains that this particular DVD is just a fitness test. I repeat this test every 2 weeks so I can track my progress, and see the improvement. I like this aspect of the workout, because it gives me specific numbers to target. But oh my goodness, did I ever get my ass kicked!!! Let me put this way: There is no way I could possibly do worse in two weeks than I did today. As I sit here writing this, my legs are still shaking.

I stretched, took a long hot shower, and I can still feel the soreness beginning.

Tomorrow's workout should be a joy.

LH

Random Fact: The word "nerd" was first coined by Dr. Seuss in "If I Ran a Zoo".

Beginnings

My life lately has been insanely busy. I work between 45 and 50 hours a week, as a nanny for two adorable little girls. I coach volleyball. My husband and I have our own business that we are trying to grow. We recently bought and remodeled a house. And we do our best to find time to spend just focused on each other. It's a pretty great life, and I am so incredibly thankful for it.

However (isn't there always a "however"?) all of this craziness has led me to neglect one thing...my health. In high school, I played two varsity sports, was in theater, and of course, there was P.E. class. I wasn't just crazy busy, I was also physically busy. I never thought about being in shape, or staying fit, I just was. The thought of working out for the sake of working out never crossed my mind. In fact, if it had, it would have seemed a little silly. I was able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, and it pretty much worked for me.

Guess how that's working out now? You guessed it...not so great. I've come to the point where I no longer feel healthy, and that is what bothers me the most. I feel sluggish, out of shape, and just plain icky. This is a relatively unfamiliar feeling to me...for the most part, I've always been pretty confident in myself physically. And this isn't about a dress size; no matter what I do, how little I eat, or how much I work out, I will never be a size 2. In fact, I probably couldn't fit one boob into a size 2.

So it's not about eating less...it's about eating healthfully.


And it's not about working out to get skinny...it's about feeling athletic again.

And if I'm honest, I want to go shopping and feel good in the dressing room again. Because I love shopping, and lately, it's been a little less fun. (At least it's saved me some money, right?)

And if I'm honest again, I'll admit that I'm a big talker. I like to make charts and plans and lists, and tell myself "This month, I shall accomplish such and such a goal." But often, the charts and plans and lists are the end of the accomplishment. This is the very reason for this blog. You all, whether you are one person, or ten, or a hundred, or more, are my accountability team.  I am vowing here and now to stick to this, and for the next 9 weeks, I will blog six days a week about my progress.

I'm not sure of what the blogs will consist. They might be a new recipe, or something that inspired me that day. They might be recounts of my workout struggle. Who knows? The only way to find out is to read. I hope that some of you will join me on my journey to a healthier me!

LH


Random Fact: There are an average of 2 credit cards for every 1 person in the United States of America. Sad Story.