Week 4, Day 3 - Overkill

I have tomorrow off, so I figured "What the heck, I'll kill it today". First I woke up and did my Kenpo X. In the evening, I taught my last cycling class of the semester. Since I'll have a month off from teaching (what am I going to do with myself for a month?!), I decided to send them off with a high-intensity, hour-long workout without the abs section at the end. I had a lot of fun, and left a nice puddle of sweat under my bike. TMI? Anyway, I went to the next studio over and took the yoga class after that. My legs actually cramped while doing a standing split. Mmmm...burn.

I also weighed in at the gym today. I'm still at 135 pounds, but I really don't expect to lose any weight. Besides, I'm back in my skinny jeans (actually, they fit better than when I bought them), so I know I've cut fat. Hooray for muscle! If I stay at 135, I'll be very happy.

Week 4, Day 2 - Running Down a Dream

So much for "recovery". Yesterday I woke up a little bit stiff, so I decided to go for a little jog to loosen up. In the past, I haven't been able to run much because my hamstrings are so weak. No matter how slow and easy I go, they're usually screaming at me by mile 3 and I'm gimpy the next day. But woah buddy, did I feel great yesterday! I walked up a steep half-mile hill and then ran a 1.5 mile loop back home. Once I figured out that my hamstrings were going to hold up, I picked up the pace and just enjoyed the wind in my face. Probably for the first time ever, my lungs couldn't keep up with my legs. I was really bookin' it on that last half mile! Lol, then I immediately did Yoga X. Then I immediately went to Chastain and worked around the farm.

Speaking of Chastain, I taught a lesson for the first time! At least, part of a lesson and supervised by Katie. Maybe I'll be teaching independently by next week. I think I'm really going to enjoy this, especially when I get a student who really enjoys being around horses and wants to learn. I taught a couple girls who were very cute! Totally makes up for the fact that a little white pony bit a welt on my arm, the little beastie. Lol. Occupational hazard, I suppose.

Because of yesterday's run, Yoga X, and day at the barn, my legs were pretty shot today. Core Synergistification was pretty rough during the lunge portions. I got through the lunges as best I could, and then tried to give 110% on the abs exercises.
On a positive note, I can almost do the isometric plank to chaturangas! When I started, I couldn't even get into the chaturanga, let alone hold it for 10 seconds and then push myself back up to plank. I currently struggle with the full minute of alternating plank and chaturanga, but I can do them for maybe 30 seconds. I'm hoping that I can do a full minute in 2 weeks, and then maybe be able to to the running version within a month.
Oh! And I had a sweet potato today!
So let me count the ways I feel great:
1) Enjoyed a pain-free, fast run
2) Gently rocked Yoga X
3) Had a great day at Chastain and taught for the first time
4) Held my planks and chaturangas today
5) Ate that tasty sweet potato!

Week 3 Complete!

Yay, I've completed the first "Adaptive and Mastery Phase" of "Training Block 1". Now I have a one week "Recovery Phase", followed by (surprise!) "Training Block 2". Basically, p90x has these training blocks, each 3-4 weeks long with a "rest" week at the end.

For the past 3 weeks, the first block's schedule has looked like this:
Mon: Core Synergistics
Tue: Cardio X
Wed: Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
Thur: Yoga X
Fri: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
Sat: Kenpo X
Sun: Rest or Stretch X

Lol, p90x has a bizarre definition of recovery. My recovery week looks like this:
Mon: Yoga X
Tue: Core Synergistics
Wed: Kenpo X
Thur: Stretch X
Fri: Cardio X
Sat: Yoga X
Sun: Rest or Stretch X

That Saturday Yoga X may not happen, because I'll be in Asheville for the weekend. I'll try my best to fit it in on Sunday when I return.

I am also going to try to eat better this week. I have been eating whatever I want whenever I'm hungry. I've basically had no regard for my caloric intake. Although I generally eat healthy anyway, I could definitely do better. The fact that I'm seeing results without modifying my diet is really fantastic, so I want to make a bigger commitment and become more aware of what I'm consuming. Lol, this might be difficult now that I have a fridge full of Easter leftovers!
On a positive note, I ate four of my seven target foods at some point this week; I had spinach, plain yogurt, tomatoes, carrots, but didn't get to sweet potatoes, blueberries, or green tea. It's my goal to eat all seven this week!

Week 3, Day 5 - Punching Through Walls

I woke up this morning and thought to myself, "Self, this is going to be a rough day for p90x." I thought I was going to hit a wall for sure. Oh, and I did, but I just punched right through it.

To preface this, I should explain what I did yesterday. I woke up and did Yoga X. As usual, it's 45 minutes of forcing yourself to hang in there, followed by 45 min of balancing, abs exercises, and stretching. It requires way more stamina than any of the other p90x sessions. However, it's getting better - I can now do most of the vinyasas, including (if I concentrate) fairly correct chaturangas. That's way better than 3 weeks ago, when I couldn't do a single chaturanga. Speaking of which, I explained what a chaturanga is in the post below.
Anyway, I did my Yoga X, took a quick shower, then put on my jeans and at 12:45 went to Chastain Equestrian Center. I'll be working there this summer, so yesterday was an orientation of sorts. I rode a cute little chestnut named Sioux (I think of her as "Sue"), so that my boss could see me ride. Sue was green as grass, but I enjoyed just sitting lightly on her and talking her through our little exercise. She was a little nervous being in an unfamiliar ring, but by the time we were done she was walking and trotting straight, and was responding really well to leg and vocal aids. I think she's an athletic gal, and has a very sweet disposition on the ground, so she'll make somebody a nice little horse.
After I rode Sue, I accompanied Katie around the barn to get the swings of things. Tacking horses. Helping her lunge while she taught. Leading riders who weren't ready to steer on their own yet. Basically a lot of walking and jogging around the facility. I had a ton of fun, and am really excited about working there this summer. But OMG, was I tired when I got home. It wasn't muscle soreness, it was that bone-deep ache you get when you've stomped around too much. Lol, so when I got up this morning, my legs felt the impending doom of p90x Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X.
By golly, I did it though. There were a couple times when I just paused the video, leaned over with my hands on my knees thinking "Sweet Baby Jesus, get me through this", and then unpaused it to eek out 5 more leaping squats. I made it my goal to do the same weights and reps as last week, which was tough. Today was decidedly the hardest day I've done so far, but I totally faced that wall and knocked through it some how. I'm really happy!
Tomorrow I have Kenpo X, then Sunday off, and next week is my scheduled "recovery" week of strictly cardio and toning.
I deserve a beer. Happy Friday and Happy Easter Weekend!

Yoga Gibberish

I think I've mentioned chaturanga a lot without explaining what it is. So here goes. The chaturanga is actually a step in a series of yoga poses called a "vinyasa". There are some variations to make this more/less challenging, but it basically goes like this:

1. Plank - balance on your hands and toes, maintaining a straight body.




2. Chaturanga - Keeping your elbows at your sides, lower yourself down while maintaining a straight body. This requires a great deal of triceps strength, and I'm only just now able to do it correctly.

3. Upward Facing Dog - Scoop your body forward and through, and arch your back up. Don't hunch your shoulders. Your weight will fall on your hands and the tops of your feet, as you raise your thighs off the floor. This feels really good.



4. Downward Facing Dog - Return to plank, and then push your hips upward, like you want to bring your thighs to your chest. This also feels really good.




Know you know, and knowing is half the battle.
Dear G.I. Joe, what's the other half?

Week 3, Day 3 - Arms & Shoulders & Heavier Weights

Halfway done with Week 3! Today included Shoulders & Arms as well as Ab Ripper X. I decided that I was ready to increase my weights, and I am so glad I did. I used my new 10 lb weights for all curls, presses, and rows. I decreased my reps from 12 to 10. I stayed with 5 lb weights and 12 reps for tricep exercises. I just wanted the maximum weight I could lift while keeping good form; for triceps exercises, it's harder for me to keep that form, so I kept it light with more reps. Maybe some day I'll adjust those triceps kickbacks to 10 reps at 8 lb.
Tony's suggestion is:
If you want toned muscle, do 12-15 reps at a lower weight.
If you want big muscle, do 8-10 at your maximum weight.

I definitely felt the burn more with my new 10 lb weights. I had a hard time with my last few sets of curls, although I wasn't barely eeking them out. Maybe I need a set of 12 lb weights? Scary! I am definitely seeing a physical difference - I can see some definition in my triceps (definitely never had that before) and more size in my shoulders and biceps. Hehe, I like it.

Ab Ripper is still torture, and I'm sure it always will be. I don't even do the full 25 reps of each exercise. I do 20 and then stretch and breath while Tony does the last 5. The problem isn't that it's too hard, it's that I'm too tired! I honestly feel that if I took 3 days off, and then did Ab RipperX, I could do it all. Lol, but I guess that's the whole point. For Phase 1, which ends next week, I'm going to stick with that 20 reps. I want to gradually work my way up. Here are my Ab Ripper X goals:
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4): 20 reps
Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8): 22-23 reps
Phase 3 (Weeks 9-13): 24-25 reps

Week 3, Day 1 - Supplements and Other Ways to Eat Healthy Stuff

Week 3 begins with a hearty dose of Core Synergistification. Yay! I still struggle with those running chaturangas, but I can get through 95% of the workout quite comfortably. I feel great. To quote Ted Nugent, I'm doing so good it's stupid.

I've already praised the benefits of whey protein - improved muscle growth, faster recovery, tastiness, etc. However, I've made some other additions to my diet. Although I generally eat quite healthy (well, excluding my addiction to all things cookie), I know I'm not getting everything I need, especially with my current activity level.

1. Women's One-a-Day
My lady doctor has been telling me for years that I need a basic supplement. Women's One-a-Day seems to be a great start. It has all the regular stuff found in a daily supplement, plus some extra goodies for our fragile feminine constitutions. Admittedly, I'm a little skeptical that Folic Acid, Magnesium, Zinc and Calcium "provide nutritional support during PMS and menopause", but whatever.
One thing I don't like about Women's One-a-Day is that you absolutely must eat it with food. Don't take this horse pill on an empty stomach, or you'll be nauseous. Heads up.

2. Fish Oil Supplement
Maybe you've heard the buzz about Omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish. Well, they're super good for you. Their cardiovascular and immune benefits are well documented. Also, they appear to reduce inflammation, a boon for my bad skin. And hey, wikipedia says that Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the progression of psychotic disorders in young children. There ya go.
There are lots of brands. I sought one with 400-600 mg EPA and 300-400 mg DHA (EPA and DHA are types of Omega-3 fatty acids). I found mine at Kroger. In any case, if you have a healthy heart, a minimum of 500 mg DHA+EPA is recommended. And make sure it has been distilled to remove mercury and other nasties.

3. Dietary Additions
I'm not a pill addict. I want to get most of my nutritional needs from my diet. I'm getting enough calcium and protein, but I want more more vitamins and antioxidants. The foods listed below are loaded. It's my goal to eat each of these things at least once a week, which I think is reasonable.
a. Spinach - Packed with vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and lutein. Popeye wasn't kidding.
b. Sweet Potatoes - One large sweet potato contains six times your daily need of Vitamin A, which helps promote epithelial cell health and turnover (healthy epithelial cells = healthy skin). Also has lots of vitamin C and potassium.
c. Plain yogurt - unlike its sweetened and flavored counterparts, plain yogurt has all-around higher levels of, well, pretty much everything. I therefore use plain yogurt in my protein shakes. I'm starting to like the tart flavor.
d. Tomatoes - I have fair skin, and therefore have to watch out for the damaging effects of the sun. Tomatoes are the single greatest source of lycopene, an antioxidant which may help to protect against UV damage. Lycopene is highest in cooked tomatoes, so I'm trying to incorporate more tomatoes into my cooking instead of just sliced over salad.
e. Blueberries - the most antioxidant-rich fruit in North America. Period.
f. Carrots - I already eat a bowl of yummy, crunchy, baby carrots every other day or so. One large carrot contains twice your daily need of Vitamin A.
g. Green Tea - I have a long summer of early mornings ahead of me. Some caffeine will be welcome, if not necessary. The antioxidants catechins are also linked to improved heart health and reduced cancer risk.