Break Through

I just finished my first yoga class ever, and I feel phenomenal. I walked in not knowing how I'd do or if I'd like it, and left feeling stronger than I have in ages, and feel more confident in my athletic abilities. When I first arrived, I made sure to talk to the instructor and get any newbie pointers she felt I'd need. She literally looked me up and down and said she thought I'd do just fine. In the back of my mind, my self doubt screamed, "ya right!" But, I figured if anything, I'd just take breaks if I needed to. Well... I didn't need to. Now, I can guarantee my poses looked no where near as pretty as some of the other people's, but... I could at least get to them.

My legs, back and core were exhausted by the end, and my muscles definitely started shaking, but, I made it! After class was over, the instructor actually pulled me aside and said she was very impressed with how well I did for my first time ever. And to my surprise, I actually agreed and there was no self doubt on my part. I'll definitely be incorporating yoga into my weekly schedule from now on.

And, I don't know if it was my success in class, but something finally clicked for me as I walked past a window when I got back to my apartment complex... I will never be 135 pounds and "thin," but I actually do love the massive amount of muscle and strength in my legs and butt. Yes, I will always be thicker and have a hell of a time finding jeans that fit through the ass and don't fall of my waist, but being strong and muscular is worth it. For the first time in a while I actually thought to myself, I like the way I look. And let me tell you, that's a great feeling.

This Month's Results

Well, this month wasn't as bad as I thought. Though my weight did basically nothing (again), I did drop 25% body fat, and am down another 3.5 inches. So, at least there is some sort of result.

I have a great motivator that keeps telling me to change it up, mix things around; and I think I'm finally ready for it. I've realized if I am truly going to get those last 11 pounds, it's time to try something new. And, the more I focus on planning ahead and making the change regardless of how different it is, the more apt I'll be to do get it done. So, with that being said yoga on Saturday!

Blogging...

I'm absolutely terrible at continually updating this thing, but I think it's because I'm having such a hard time with these last 10 pounds! It doesn't seem to matter how hard I work out, or how perfectly I eat, I just can't get there. I find myself getting more and more frustrated and at the end of the day the last thing I want to do is write about my non-success.

I meet with the trainer (again) tonight and we'll see what kind of results in body fat and inches this month actually brought, but I have a feeling I'll be about the same as last month. As much as I want it, I'm so frustrated with the plateau, I just can't find any additional motivation. It's getting old very, very quickly...

Problem - I Get it Now!

I've been using a protein powder regularly for the last couple of weeks in a breakfast shake. Though it tastes amazing, I just learned (the hard way), it's not the powder I should be using. I've been gaining weight and bulking up a bit, and I've been getting extremely frustrated. So, after gaining another pound today, I basically had a breakdown and knew I needed to go talk to someone that knew what the heck they were doing. I've had several friends recommend the folks at Max Muscle, and I did a little research. They seemed pretty legit, so I headed down after my workout.

Well, I was impressed with their customer service and expertise. They have literature all over their wall and they actually made me read and check the references to ensure I wasn't being "duped." Turns out, the protein powder I've been taking 1-2 scoops of daily is also a weight gainer. Wow - Thanks GNC for telling me it would help me lose weight... No wonder I've seen the scale go up and up. Ugh! So, an hour and a half later, I left the store with a better understanding of how many calories I should be eating, how much protein to get, some supplements that hopefully help and a little more confidence in what I'm doing. I'll keep everyone posted, but at this point, I already feel a bit better about where I'm headed.

Today's workout:
5 Minute moderate rate warm up on the recumbent bike

3 sets of circuit with a 1-2 minute break after each full circuit is complete
*Burpie throw with 8 lb. medicine ball - 15 reps
*Stability ball push ups - 15 reps
*One leg ball squat - 15 reps per leg
*Traveling push ups w/Bosu - 20 reps
*Core rows - 15 reps per arm w/10 lb. weights

Abs
*60 ball Roll Outs (3 sets of 20)
*Ball core leg lifts (3 sets of 30)
*90 front crunches (3 sets of 30)
*150 bicycle (3 sets of 50)

Cardio
*18 minutes high intensity bike
*12 minutes high intensity elliptical

Food - 1721 calories
17% fat, 53% carbs, 30% protein

Something Needs to Change

I've hit a rut, and something needs to change. I seem to have hit a plateau and I'm more than frustrated. And, I've found the frustration with my weight is sliding into other areas in my life. I feel like my goal is so close, yet I just can't get there. I'm pushing myself harder in my workouts than ever before, and I feel like I'm missing out on all food that is even slightly bad. So, the only thing I can think of is it's time to reevaluate my food intake.

Though I've done plenty of research and seem to know all about how food affects the body, I still can't seem to find the right balance for myself. So, it's time to solicit some help. Several people have recommended Max Muscle to me and have raved about how educated their staff is. The way I see it, I might as well go talk to someone there. Hopefully they have some incite to provide me with.

As I try to work through this plateau, I decided to give it my all and start double day workouts. Even though I have a really hard time pulling myself out of bed in the morning, I have no other choice. If I can get in a 5-7 mile run, five days a week, and continue to lift 6 days a week, somethings gotta give. I sure hope so anyway.

Today's workout:
5 minute moderate rate stair stepper warm up

3 full circuits - 1-2 Minutes of rest between each completed circuit
*Burpies w/Bosu to push up (15 reps)
*Barbel Squat (15 reps)
*Curl to press balancing on one leg (10 reps per leg)
*Ski jump one leg balance squat (15 reps per leg - 30 total jumps)
*Abs/Core ball transfer leg lift (30 reps)
*Side plank twist w/8 lb weight (10 reps each side)
*3 sets of side abs with 10 lb weight
*3 sets of lower abs with 10 lb weight

30 Minutes of high intensity elliptical

Food:

Going Public Again...

It's been a while since I posted my last blog, but I figured, if I'm going to get to my goal, I need to keep myself on track (and have others help me). So, I'm back to the blog. Even if only one person reads this, and helps keep me a little motivated, I'm more likely to make it.

I'll be posting my food intake daily, thanks to a handy new tool I have that will allow me to grab and paste my food diary from another website. I'll also post my workouts, and hopefully have a more clear picture of what's working and what isn't. My most recent workout schedule created by my trainer doesn't seem to be making any difference, so I have a feeling we'll be switching things up again soon. Unfortunately, the trainer that helped me get the biggest results left my gym and starting over with a new trainer hasn't proven to be all too successful. I'll finish out her workout this month, continue to add in additional things she missed, and hopefully structure something different for next month. In the mean time, I'm going to try some different workouts as well (like yoga). So, hopefully all these things help get me back on track.

Amazingly Yummy & Healthy Gnocchi Recipe

I am regularly emailed recipes, and this one seemed worth trying. It was really simple and took a very small amount of time to cook. All I can say is it's AMAZING!

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch)
2 Cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/3 C. of your favorite meatless tomato pasta sauce
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation
1.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2.Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, 1/2 cup of water, 1/3 cup of tomato sauce, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.(If you add additional cheese for extra flavor, make sure to add the calories, fats, etc. to your nutrition count.)

Tips & Notes
Tip: Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta in the Italian section of most supermarkets.

Nutrition
Per serving: 325 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 8 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 6 g fiber; 616 mg sodium; 360 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (50% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Calcium & Iron (19% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 fat