Diet Vacation Over! What are your two goals this week?
So it's been about 3 weeks, that I have been "off" Jenny Craig. I've had a lot of stress going on - but despite the gain, I've mostly been hitting different excersize to deal with the stress, rather than turning to food. I know that the gain is more from allowing myself a few too many tropical fru fru drinks. The sun comes out, I want to sit in the sun with a fruity umbrella drink in the chase lounge. Which is fine. Just not every day!
Today will be my last day of "vacation" plan wise. I went to Jenny yesterday, checked in with the counselor, and got my week's worth of food. I haven't been getting in enough water, but I have been doing different excersizes. Yesterday was a really bad day, but instead of using food to comfort, I got on the bike and just rode and rode until I was no longer angry. Unfortunately, I took a big spill, trying to stop the dumb thing at a stop sign. I was fine, but the bike is just a little too tall for me, and when I put my foot down to balance, over I went. At least it wasn't while I was riding at warp speeds! So now I have a lovely set of bruises all up and down my right side.
Yesterday, with my Jenny food, I decided to finally give in and buy the Ab Ball. It's a "medicine" ball, but it has handles, and weighs 8 pounds. Add that to my collection of hand weights, my yoga matt, and my new dvd's - these "toys" will be great for the 30 day shred when I get to the second and third levels. The ball also came with it's own dvd routine, which is great.
I've also been considering getting a "kettle bell". Don't know if you've heard of those, and really, I'm not sure I'm strong enough yet, or if my back could handle something like that yet. It looks like a cowbell almost, - hmm, well maybe not. It's like a cannon ball with an inverted triangle handle on it. You swing it! Through your legs, above your head - this definitely looks like something you should do outside! lol! But it's all the rage in Hollywood right now I guess lol - with the "trainers to the stars". So silly, but I love that stuff. lol. If you haven't heard of kettle bell training, you will - it's starting to really take over as the "next big thing", and it's supposed to really work every part of you because no matter how you're "swinging" it, you have to engage your core.
My belly button is really healing nicely! There's a little bruising, that was mroe from the clamp they use than anything. But the sites themselves, are really nice - no ragged edges, there's been no bleeding, not even when he pierced it, and no "crusties". (again, maybe TMI, but you have to really watch it carefully, and it takes about 6 weeks to heal at best). You are supposed to take a shot glass with sea salt water (less is more) and put it over the piercing and just soak it for 10 - 15 minutes. Then you have to use the anti-bacterial soap, and make sure that you get it completely dry when you're done. And you NEVER EVER tough anywhere near it, unless you've completely disinfected your hands. It can be tricky, because they can get infected very easy; but so far we're on day 4, and we're looking great!!!! The only "bummer" is that I'm supposed to stay out of the hot tub, and I don't know that laying in the sun is the best for it either - espeically if I were to get sunburned, and I can't really put spf anywhere near it in case it reacts. But I found one of those kids easter eggs - and I'm going to use one half, to cover it, so I can lay in the sun lol. I also got waterproof bandaids, so that I can go in the hot tub. And I guess I can, I just need to make sure that I really clean it really well, immediately after getting out. But enough of about piercings!!!
Well, except for this. Since I got it done, I notice that I'm really focusing on wanting to slim my abs. And, I'm finding that I'm becoming much more accepting of the way I am right now with my tummy - before I couldn't even look at it, I hated it. But now I'm starting to not feel so bad about it - and the more I find that I'm accepting it, the more I want to wittle that area down. I mentioned in one of my blogs about how our aerobics teacher told us one time - to not hide in sweats in class. Instead, wear shorts - wear the spandex tights and tops - show your body - because the more you get used to looking at it, the more you start to accept and love yourself - and that is a huge transformation in helping you want to see the changes! I noticed once I started wearing those cute "aerobic outfits" (and this was in the 80's, leg warmers and all lol) - the more I realized that I did look ok...... and that I was getting better every day with my body shaping. Wearing those big floppy sweats, just makes you feel bigger and more sloppy! And all that time, I thought it "hid" me. Instead, is just made me look even bigger than I really was! So maybe try it sometime. Brave those bike shorts. Brave the sports bra/top. Even if it's just at home in your living room, it gets you in the "Hey, I am an athletic type person after all!" mode. That's something I love about belly dance too - at first I wore big bulky shirts. But the instructor also said, no, wear something we can see your movements in so we can make sure you're doing them right.......... and the more I wore those things, the more confident I became, and the better I felt. I actually felt sexy for the first time when I'd put on those clothes.
Bottom line with that - when you put something on that makes you feel great, or sexy, it brings out that motivation to keep going! Taking pictures along the way - one when you start - one at your first weight loss goal - another at your next, and so on.... then comparing the pics... you can really see where the weight is going. Where when we just look at ourselves, it's sometimes hard for us to see it at all. Especially in the beginning.
So I'm jumping around here......... but now I have my new toy, the ab ball, and I'm going to give it a go. I'm just about to review the workout video and then pull the matt out and try it. I might even go outside, use the lap top to view the workout, and give it a shot out in the sunshine. Tan and tone at the same time! Woo-Hoo! I'll have to let you know how it goes! I'm excited! I've been a little nervous about doing ANY ab work because of the new piercing, but since there's been no pain, as long as I'm careful, I think it will be fine.
Ok. So here's to phase two. Break over people! This phase is going to be all about excersize, and getting out there and moving. These are some goals:
- Try my new ab ball workout
- ride the bike at least twice a week, even if it's just around the block
- belly dance at least once a week
- 30 Day shred - once a week, and adding up to 3x a week. This will be my number one workout for this phase.
- park further away and walk more
- If I go to the mall, to walk the entire mall, every nook and cranny, at least once around at a good pace - and I can window shop at the same time! lol.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- If an escalator is the only option, walk the escalator!
- Be less efficient when I pick things up - in other words, instead of trying to pick up 5 things at once to save the walking - do one at a time, so that I have to walk back and forth more.
- Ballet workout one day a week.
So those are the fitness goals. I'm really going to hit the weights at home - it will really speed up the metabolism and the bonus, is you will still be burning calories a few hours after you've worked out!
With that said......... enough talk, and it's time for some action. And tomorrow morning it's back on Jenny food full scale. Weigh in is Saturday. Wish me luck on phase two! And for all of you - yes, I noticed too that many of us have been having some stressful times (one blog I read, someone had commented that many of us seem to really be struggling with emotional stuff)... so hang in there if you are, and know that this is a chance to practice your "food coping skills" if you're an emotional eater. My goal is to replace food comfort, with excersize comfort!!!! And remember... even if you don't have time or room to excersize.... you can always do "isolations", where you're squeezing your abs, or your gluts... and every time you do some of those, you're tightening and toning! And it can be done anywhere, without anyone knowing what you're doing! lol!
So - is anyone excited yet?? Are we ready to do this thing??? TEAM EXTRA, Lets GO!!!!!! If you're reading this post (and actually made it through another of my long winded ramblings!) - first, congratulations! Second.... please respond with 2 things you're going to do this week, new or old, to help you stay with this. It can be mental - physical - or food wise.
Ok! You're turn! Oh! And remember to list your "reward" for completing those two goals this week!!!!
Shimmy On my friends!!!!
Trish :)