Sunday, August 30, 2015
Best Benefit Porefessional Dupe
Love Benefit products but can't afford them? Best Benefit Porefessional Dupe I've tried - totals about $17 (versus $31 for a tube of Porefessional) for almost three times the product (2.17 oz vs. 0.75 oz!)
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Focus T25: End of Week 7 (Week 2 Again)
I should have weighed and measured myself yesterday morning. I took a look at myself yesterday and was like, "Wow! Lookin' svelte!" *
Today I woke up, looked in the mirror, and thought, "Who's the blob?" It's incredible the difference a single day can make. Sadly, I did not weigh myself yesterday. So I have to give you all today's measurements. UGH!
I did weights yesterday instead of the double T-25 workout I was supposed to do. I've mentioned before that I don't think there is enough ab or upper body work in this program so far, so I decided to do the two mega-workouts that work over my entire body (the Crunch workouts I mentioned forever ago in my "Reboot Your Body" post) as a "double", which ends up being about two hours, instead of the T25 double (lower and ab intervals), which ends up being about one hour. This way I'll work on building my muscle, which will burn more calories.
I feel it all over today. My legs are burning, I can't touch the floor, and it hurts my whole torso to stretch my core muscles. My back and arms are sore, as well, from my upper body workout. Not to mention I am cramping hard. I am an unfortunate person that has 10 days of PMS, followed by a full 7-8 days of the actual blood moon, and my blood moon started this past week, so can you guess that I had a good week again? I didn't! You are right! I forced myself through every day and fought the urge to just skip a week. I barely made it every day. But you know what? I did it. And that's what counts.
I apologize if it seems like I mention the monthly thing a lot - especially if there are any men that actually read this - but I feel like this is a factor of female fitness that is often overlooked when it comes to our progress. You can eat the right amount of calories, exercise your arse off every day, and get 8 hours of sleep every night, but once a month your hormones will come along and screw you up. This is somehow a fact that every workout program or magazine I have ever seen overlooks. I just want to emphasize that it is okay for our weight loss to take longer because these are factors beyond our control, and you shouldn't beat yourself up if you aren't losing as fast as you think you should be.
Anyhoo, Week 2 (Again) is over. Moving forwards.
*For me, you understand. As svelte as my Easter egg body can look.
Starting Month 2, T25 Week 6 (1A), 4/27/15:
Weight: 178.8 lbs
BFP: 39%
Arm: 11"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 33"
T25 Week 7 (2A), 5/3/15:
Weight: 178.2 lbs
BFP: 38.3%
Arm: 12"
Thigh: 20"
Waist: 32"
Today I woke up, looked in the mirror, and thought, "Who's the blob?" It's incredible the difference a single day can make. Sadly, I did not weigh myself yesterday. So I have to give you all today's measurements. UGH!
I did weights yesterday instead of the double T-25 workout I was supposed to do. I've mentioned before that I don't think there is enough ab or upper body work in this program so far, so I decided to do the two mega-workouts that work over my entire body (the Crunch workouts I mentioned forever ago in my "Reboot Your Body" post) as a "double", which ends up being about two hours, instead of the T25 double (lower and ab intervals), which ends up being about one hour. This way I'll work on building my muscle, which will burn more calories.
I feel it all over today. My legs are burning, I can't touch the floor, and it hurts my whole torso to stretch my core muscles. My back and arms are sore, as well, from my upper body workout. Not to mention I am cramping hard. I am an unfortunate person that has 10 days of PMS, followed by a full 7-8 days of the actual blood moon, and my blood moon started this past week, so can you guess that I had a good week again? I didn't! You are right! I forced myself through every day and fought the urge to just skip a week. I barely made it every day. But you know what? I did it. And that's what counts.
I apologize if it seems like I mention the monthly thing a lot - especially if there are any men that actually read this - but I feel like this is a factor of female fitness that is often overlooked when it comes to our progress. You can eat the right amount of calories, exercise your arse off every day, and get 8 hours of sleep every night, but once a month your hormones will come along and screw you up. This is somehow a fact that every workout program or magazine I have ever seen overlooks. I just want to emphasize that it is okay for our weight loss to take longer because these are factors beyond our control, and you shouldn't beat yourself up if you aren't losing as fast as you think you should be.
Anyhoo, Week 2 (Again) is over. Moving forwards.
*For me, you understand. As svelte as my Easter egg body can look.
Starting Month 2, T25 Week 6 (1A), 4/27/15:
Weight: 178.8 lbs
BFP: 39%
Arm: 11"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 33"
T25 Week 7 (2A), 5/3/15:
Weight: 178.2 lbs
BFP: 38.3%
Arm: 12"
Thigh: 20"
Waist: 32"
Monday, April 27, 2015
Focus T25: End of Week 6 (Or Week 1 Again)
Well, guys, I sucked this week, I really did. I had like no energy, was craving sugar, was extremely tired, and bloated up. Women may guess what my problem was based on those symptoms. If you guessed "PMS", congratulations! You are correct! I figured it out today after a week of wondering why the heck I was craving chocolate, pizza, and burritos so badly. I am one of those unfortunate people who start early (lasts 10 days), and so I somehow manage to be taken by surprise every month when either my boyfriend or myself looks at a calendar and puts two-and-two together.
At any rate, I sucked this week because of that. I started Day 1 of Beta and gaped at how fast everyone on the video - even the modifier - was moving. I floundered my way through the video and went into Day 2 with some trepidation. As the video started playing, I stood there in silent shock. It looked like everyone in the video was on fast-forward. They were all moving so quickly that for a few moments I was absolutely convinced that I had accidentally sped-up the DVD. Nope. Nope. It was just them, being fit as shit.
So I stopped and thought. I finished Month 1, Alpha, with only a few "Nailed It!" boxes under my belt. Was I really doing the smart thing by jumping straight into Beta, which was obviously an entirely different tier of fitness, when I still hadn't mastered Alpha? Would I discourage myself by my inability to follow along and potentially injure my already messed-up tendons?
I came to a natural conclusion and decided to re-do Alpha before moving into Beta. Consequently, I have decided to push myself even harder on this go-round. While it was difficult this past week, due to hormonal changes, I worked so hard that on the last, double day I was not even able to do the second workout. I had so exhausted myself that I lay spread-eagle on the ground after finishing the first video. I was on the floor for such a long time that my boyfriend came out looking for me, concerned for my well-being.
Even so, one or two good days does not make up for four bad ones, so I was not surprised to see that my weight had gone up slightly this week. Still a bummer, though!
End of Month 1, T25 Week 5, 04/18/15:
Weight: 177.6 lbs
BFP: 38.7%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
Starting Month 2, T25 Week 1A, 4/27/15:
Weight: 178.8 lbs
BFP: 39%
Arm: 11"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 33"
At any rate, I sucked this week because of that. I started Day 1 of Beta and gaped at how fast everyone on the video - even the modifier - was moving. I floundered my way through the video and went into Day 2 with some trepidation. As the video started playing, I stood there in silent shock. It looked like everyone in the video was on fast-forward. They were all moving so quickly that for a few moments I was absolutely convinced that I had accidentally sped-up the DVD. Nope. Nope. It was just them, being fit as shit.
So I stopped and thought. I finished Month 1, Alpha, with only a few "Nailed It!" boxes under my belt. Was I really doing the smart thing by jumping straight into Beta, which was obviously an entirely different tier of fitness, when I still hadn't mastered Alpha? Would I discourage myself by my inability to follow along and potentially injure my already messed-up tendons?
I came to a natural conclusion and decided to re-do Alpha before moving into Beta. Consequently, I have decided to push myself even harder on this go-round. While it was difficult this past week, due to hormonal changes, I worked so hard that on the last, double day I was not even able to do the second workout. I had so exhausted myself that I lay spread-eagle on the ground after finishing the first video. I was on the floor for such a long time that my boyfriend came out looking for me, concerned for my well-being.
Even so, one or two good days does not make up for four bad ones, so I was not surprised to see that my weight had gone up slightly this week. Still a bummer, though!
End of Month 1, T25 Week 5, 04/18/15:
Weight: 177.6 lbs
BFP: 38.7%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
Starting Month 2, T25 Week 1A, 4/27/15:
Weight: 178.8 lbs
BFP: 39%
Arm: 11"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 33"
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Focus T25: End of Week 5
My boyfriend told me after measuring myself at the end of week 5 that I am thinner now than I was when we met back in 2013. That means a lot to me. This program is hard, yes, but it is changing my body. I feel as though I'm carving my figure out of the body I used to have. My pants and shirts are looser and I am starting to comfortable in my own body.
Yesterday, end of week 5, I finished my first 30 days of Focus T25. I stuck with it and never skipped a day. I admit, unequivocally, that even when finishing the month I was still unable to fully do the non-modified exercises. Tendon damage aside, the workouts are still just as hard now as they were when I began; this didn't make sense to me at first, since I've lost weight and have been exercising the whole month. One would think that would mean that the workouts would be getting easier, but they haven't been.
Then my boyfriend pointed out that this experience is typical, because these programs are designed to ramp up in difficulty as you proceed through them.
Oh, right. Duh. Kinda sorta forgot that. Having that pointed out to me made me feel slightly better than I had when I was berating myself.
I can't wait to continue with the program. Since January I have gone from almost 200 lbs (I think I was 198) to what I am today - 177.6 lbs. That over 20 lbs. Not a short time frame to lose only 20 or so pounds, but I stopped in the middle for a while and lost my motivation for a few months, so for me it is pretty significant. Since starting the program, I went from 184 lbs to 177.6 in a month - sure, only 6.4 lbs in a month, but I started this program after I had lost all of my water weight just changing my diet, so that means I have lost 6.4 lbs of straight-up fat. And I'm going to keep going!
I admit frankly that I can't wait for Tuesday so that I can start Month Two. Some new workouts will be introduced and I'm excited to continue my weight loss journey.
Starting Month 1, 03/15/15:
Weight: 184 lbs
BFP: 41%
Arm: 13"
Thigh: 23.5"
Waist: 37"
End of Month 1, T25 Week 5, 04/18/15:
Weight: 177.6 lbs
BFP: 38.7%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
Change, T25 Week 1 - 5:
Weight: -6.4 lbs
BFP: -2.3%
Arm: -1.5"
Thigh: -2.5"
Waist: -5"
Yesterday, end of week 5, I finished my first 30 days of Focus T25. I stuck with it and never skipped a day. I admit, unequivocally, that even when finishing the month I was still unable to fully do the non-modified exercises. Tendon damage aside, the workouts are still just as hard now as they were when I began; this didn't make sense to me at first, since I've lost weight and have been exercising the whole month. One would think that would mean that the workouts would be getting easier, but they haven't been.
Then my boyfriend pointed out that this experience is typical, because these programs are designed to ramp up in difficulty as you proceed through them.
Oh, right. Duh. Kinda sorta forgot that. Having that pointed out to me made me feel slightly better than I had when I was berating myself.
I can't wait to continue with the program. Since January I have gone from almost 200 lbs (I think I was 198) to what I am today - 177.6 lbs. That over 20 lbs. Not a short time frame to lose only 20 or so pounds, but I stopped in the middle for a while and lost my motivation for a few months, so for me it is pretty significant. Since starting the program, I went from 184 lbs to 177.6 in a month - sure, only 6.4 lbs in a month, but I started this program after I had lost all of my water weight just changing my diet, so that means I have lost 6.4 lbs of straight-up fat. And I'm going to keep going!
I admit frankly that I can't wait for Tuesday so that I can start Month Two. Some new workouts will be introduced and I'm excited to continue my weight loss journey.
Starting Month 1, 03/15/15:
Weight: 184 lbs
BFP: 41%
Arm: 13"
Thigh: 23.5"
Waist: 37"
End of Month 1, T25 Week 5, 04/18/15:
Weight: 177.6 lbs
BFP: 38.7%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
Change, T25 Week 1 - 5:
Weight: -6.4 lbs
BFP: -2.3%
Arm: -1.5"
Thigh: -2.5"
Waist: -5"
Saturday, April 18, 2015
2 Years Later Update: Beauty Blender Dupe Review - Bundle Monster
My original review on the Bundle Monster dupes for the Beauty Blender is my most popular blog post. I thought perhaps people might be interested in how they have held up and how I feel about them two (2) years later!
Original video: "Beauty Blender Dupe: Bundle Monster Sponges"
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Focus T25: End of Week 4
End of week 4! Kind of disappointing, but I can't say I didn't expect it. I moved from PMS into full on period this week, and I was so exhausted that I really could not give my best effort to this program. I caved and had my favorite Easter candy - Cadbury Creme Eggs. Then, a short while after getting all of that Easter candy, I couldn't even finish the scheduled workout. I felt so bad about it that I threw out the rest of the candy in penitence and redoubled my workout efforts.
I seem to be retaining a lot of water this weekend, so my measurements were up a little bit, but at least my weight and body fat percentage (BFP) went down a tad. This week, I suppose, sort of cancelled itself out. At least my weight went down somewhat. And I will say that, when my monthly ended, I got all of my energy back and I went ham on my double workout day and really nailed it. I felt great. I will say, though, that the schedule had Ab Intervals and Speed 1.0 for the double, and I only did Speed 1.0, since I don't feel Ab Intervals does anything for me. I did my own ab workout, mixed with some cardio, and arm weights, for longer than the requisite 25 minutes of "ab" work, and I felt better after that than I do with Ab Intervals.
AND this is the first time in YEARS that I have been under 180 lbs!!!! I finally broke the wall! I'm so frigging excited about this - 180 has been a nightmare for me to get through and it is a big milestone for me to get there. I started my weight loss journey (before T25) at 192 lbs and now I'm down to 179, and it isn't just water weight I have lost - it's fat. So I'm pretty stoked. I still have 44 lbs to go before I hit my body's ideal weight, but I refuse to become discouraged.
End of T25 Week 3, 04/05/15:
Weight: 180.4 lbs
BFP: 39.4%
Arm: 11.5%
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
End of T25 Week 4, 04/12/15:
Weight: 179 lbs (!!)
BFP: 39.1%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 23"
Waist: 33"
Now, since this is the first warm and sunny day in a long time, I'm going to slather myself in sunscreen and head outside to work on washing/waxing my car to clean off all of the winter grime. Adieu!
I seem to be retaining a lot of water this weekend, so my measurements were up a little bit, but at least my weight and body fat percentage (BFP) went down a tad. This week, I suppose, sort of cancelled itself out. At least my weight went down somewhat. And I will say that, when my monthly ended, I got all of my energy back and I went ham on my double workout day and really nailed it. I felt great. I will say, though, that the schedule had Ab Intervals and Speed 1.0 for the double, and I only did Speed 1.0, since I don't feel Ab Intervals does anything for me. I did my own ab workout, mixed with some cardio, and arm weights, for longer than the requisite 25 minutes of "ab" work, and I felt better after that than I do with Ab Intervals.
AND this is the first time in YEARS that I have been under 180 lbs!!!! I finally broke the wall! I'm so frigging excited about this - 180 has been a nightmare for me to get through and it is a big milestone for me to get there. I started my weight loss journey (before T25) at 192 lbs and now I'm down to 179, and it isn't just water weight I have lost - it's fat. So I'm pretty stoked. I still have 44 lbs to go before I hit my body's ideal weight, but I refuse to become discouraged.
End of T25 Week 3, 04/05/15:
Weight: 180.4 lbs
BFP: 39.4%
Arm: 11.5%
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
End of T25 Week 4, 04/12/15:
Weight: 179 lbs (!!)
BFP: 39.1%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 23"
Waist: 33"
Now, since this is the first warm and sunny day in a long time, I'm going to slather myself in sunscreen and head outside to work on washing/waxing my car to clean off all of the winter grime. Adieu!
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Mascara Round-Up Review!
Mascara round-up review!
Includes E.L.F., Benefit Roller Lash, Maybelline The Falsies, Covergirl Full Lash Bloom, Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme, and Max Factor 2000 Calorie Volume!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Focus T25: End of Week 3
Part of me can't believe that I have only completed three weeks of T25, as at this point it kind of feels like I've been doing this forever. I am posting a little later this week because I needed to change my workout schedule again. I had originally begun doing this program Sunday - Thursday, but I was having problems getting the double workout finished on Thursday. I get up at 0500 to workout every day, but I live so far from work that I only have time to get one of the 30 minute workouts finished, so I would have to do the double workout after work Thursday and have time to do nothing else that day. I didn't like that. So I scooted my schedule forward two days, Tuesday - Saturday, so that Saturday was my double workout day and I could take my time.
My back still hurt like crazy this week, but I pushed through it. I also pushed through some monthly pain that I encountered, par for the course. This is the first month in many months that I was actually able to push through that kind of pain and stick with an exercise program, which makes me happy and shows me that I am making progress with my personal fitness.
This was also the week I actually checked off the "Nailed It!" box on my daily workout for the first time. Granted, it was only one day, and the rest of the days I still hit the "Barely Made It" boxes, especially since I put in so much extra effort on the Nailed It! day and exhausted myself for the rest of the week, but - again - progress.
Also showing progress is the scale! I will admit that I gave in to PMS this week and had some donuts, which probably almost definitely kept me from losing more than I did. On two different days. I am shamed, and my boyfriend looked at me accusingly when he saw the Dunkin Donuts bags, but I won't deny that it was like heaven in my mouth eating those Boston Cremes.
Last week, ending T25 Week 2, 3/28/15:
Weight: 184.0 lbs
BFP: 41%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 22"
Waist: 32.5"
This week, ending T25 Week 3, 4/05/15:
Weight: 180.4 lbs
BFP: 39.4%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
Three weeks into the program, I think I can safely say what I find lacking overall so far. I think my measurements week to week demonstrate it quite clearly: There is little to no change in my arms, which doesn't surprise me, because T25 does not really have a focus on arm work. I'm thinking about throwing in some weights on one of my days off just for the arms to add some more tone and increase my muscle, which should increase my fat burn.
I also do not think that there is enough ab work. Shaun T always gets on you to lift your knees above your waist, which works your lower abs, and some of the kickboxing moves he throws in do work on twisting your waistline, but it really isn't enough. Even the Ab Intervals workout, while effective, focuses almost entirely on V-sits and leg lifts, and I can tell that my core is incredibly weak right now.
Usually my core is quite strong (even if it is/was cushioned by a layer of pudge) and I can hammer out ab workouts like no one's business. Doing this program, while I am losing inches off of my waistline, I can tell my core is incredibly sub-par. The rest of me is starting to really tone, and the muscles feel firm when I press on them, but my abs are just not getting there. I know belly fat is the last to work off on the body, but I think part of this is that the program just isn't offering enough muscle development for the core. Therefore, in addition to doing some arm weights, I'm going to do a little ab work on my days off, as well, just to make sure that I'm not seriously neglecting that area.
That's all for me this week. Except that I scored a barely-used ViewSonic 22" LED monitor off of Craigslist for $45! How freaking awesome is that! I'm a Craigslist junkie and I'm always combing it for good deals. I've been meaning to actually get a monitor for a while (I have my PC hooked up to my TV), but I just can't afford one at a "new" price. I found this one posted by some guy who had used it for a Mac Mini for a few months and then put it in his basement when he got an iMac. Score! Pretty stoked about it. It's nice being able to work on my computer without having to squint at the screen.
Anyhoo, have a good week, guys! Moving into week 4 for me.
My back still hurt like crazy this week, but I pushed through it. I also pushed through some monthly pain that I encountered, par for the course. This is the first month in many months that I was actually able to push through that kind of pain and stick with an exercise program, which makes me happy and shows me that I am making progress with my personal fitness.
This was also the week I actually checked off the "Nailed It!" box on my daily workout for the first time. Granted, it was only one day, and the rest of the days I still hit the "Barely Made It" boxes, especially since I put in so much extra effort on the Nailed It! day and exhausted myself for the rest of the week, but - again - progress.
Also showing progress is the scale! I will admit that I gave in to PMS this week and had some donuts, which probably almost definitely kept me from losing more than I did. On two different days. I am shamed, and my boyfriend looked at me accusingly when he saw the Dunkin Donuts bags, but I won't deny that it was like heaven in my mouth eating those Boston Cremes.
(Weeps quietly)
Last week, ending T25 Week 2, 3/28/15:
Weight: 184.0 lbs
BFP: 41%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 22"
Waist: 32.5"
This week, ending T25 Week 3, 4/05/15:
Weight: 180.4 lbs
BFP: 39.4%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 21"
Waist: 32"
Three weeks into the program, I think I can safely say what I find lacking overall so far. I think my measurements week to week demonstrate it quite clearly: There is little to no change in my arms, which doesn't surprise me, because T25 does not really have a focus on arm work. I'm thinking about throwing in some weights on one of my days off just for the arms to add some more tone and increase my muscle, which should increase my fat burn.
I also do not think that there is enough ab work. Shaun T always gets on you to lift your knees above your waist, which works your lower abs, and some of the kickboxing moves he throws in do work on twisting your waistline, but it really isn't enough. Even the Ab Intervals workout, while effective, focuses almost entirely on V-sits and leg lifts, and I can tell that my core is incredibly weak right now.
Usually my core is quite strong (even if it is/was cushioned by a layer of pudge) and I can hammer out ab workouts like no one's business. Doing this program, while I am losing inches off of my waistline, I can tell my core is incredibly sub-par. The rest of me is starting to really tone, and the muscles feel firm when I press on them, but my abs are just not getting there. I know belly fat is the last to work off on the body, but I think part of this is that the program just isn't offering enough muscle development for the core. Therefore, in addition to doing some arm weights, I'm going to do a little ab work on my days off, as well, just to make sure that I'm not seriously neglecting that area.
That's all for me this week. Except that I scored a barely-used ViewSonic 22" LED monitor off of Craigslist for $45! How freaking awesome is that! I'm a Craigslist junkie and I'm always combing it for good deals. I've been meaning to actually get a monitor for a while (I have my PC hooked up to my TV), but I just can't afford one at a "new" price. I found this one posted by some guy who had used it for a Mac Mini for a few months and then put it in his basement when he got an iMac. Score! Pretty stoked about it. It's nice being able to work on my computer without having to squint at the screen.
Anyhoo, have a good week, guys! Moving into week 4 for me.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
E.L.F. Haul!
I don't usually do hauls, as I don't have the money to buy enough products at once to actually do a haul, but I caught a sale on E.L.F. products and decided to do my first! Hope you enjoy.
Focus T25: End of Week 2
Well, guys, I have finished week 2 of Focus T25. Slightly disappointing results compared with week 1, not gonna lie:
Last week, ending T25 Week 1, 3/21/15:
Weight: 185.2lbs
BFP: 40%
Arm: 12"
Thigh: 22.5"
Waist: 33"
This week, ending T25 Week 2, 3/28/15:
Weight: 184.0lbs
BFP: 41%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 22"
Waist: 32.5"
Not as dramatic results as the previous week, but at least I still lost half an inch in general. I can't really vouch for the accuracy of the Body Fat Percentage (BFP), as I weighed myself three times before the scale showed me anything other than "E%" (whatever that means.) I don't think this is the program - in fact, I know exactly why I didn't lose as much this week. There are three reasons:
1) I went ham on the first day this week and severely wrenched the right half of my back. I'm talking about massively wrenching. I did the workout Sunday and woke up Monday feeling like someone took a baseball bat to my back. I had a painful knot so large in my lower right back above my pelvis that when I sat with my back to a chair, I was crooked from the lump pushing out on that side. The muscles along the curve of my right shoulder blade were incredibly tight, as well, and are still a little sore. I could not even twist to the left, because my right muscles were so tight that it wouldn't allow any large range of motion.
I kept up with the workouts, though I had to drastically modify them and take it easy because of my back pain. Finally, in desperation on Wednesday, I took a fist and essentially punched the knot out. Instant relief. But that really hindered my workouts and I know I didn't do as much as I could have, which is a big reason I didn't have better results.
2) It was a bad food week for me. I think I over-ate my allotted 1400 calories per day every single day. I went out to eat on Tuesday with my boyfriend to celebrate some good news I received at work, and then I had a retirement party to attend on Thursday, so I ate even worse than usual. I've been very hungry, which leads in to number 3:
3) I am PMSing. For any guys that this makes uncomfortable, so sorry. It's a fact of life for 50% of the Earth's population, and my PMS symptoms are, unfortunately, fairly severe. I generally bloat up three pant sizes, can't go to the bathroom, and get ravenously hungry. So, in addition to wanting to eat everything and never feeling full, I am also bloating and can't go. Plus I'm extra fatigued from it, so mustering the energy to exercise has become more difficult. None of which are helping with the whole weight-loss thing. Let's not even discuss the food cravings I've been having. Like glazed donuts. And pizza. And burgers. And molten lava cakes. And large, icy mugs of beer.
(Fans self) Is it getting hot in here? Phew. Now I know how I gained so much weight in the first place. Argh. The struggle is real.
Anyway, bring on Week 3! I refuse to let Mother Nature bring me down.
Last week, ending T25 Week 1, 3/21/15:
Weight: 185.2lbs
BFP: 40%
Arm: 12"
Thigh: 22.5"
Waist: 33"
This week, ending T25 Week 2, 3/28/15:
Weight: 184.0lbs
BFP: 41%
Arm: 11.5"
Thigh: 22"
Waist: 32.5"
Not as dramatic results as the previous week, but at least I still lost half an inch in general. I can't really vouch for the accuracy of the Body Fat Percentage (BFP), as I weighed myself three times before the scale showed me anything other than "E%" (whatever that means.) I don't think this is the program - in fact, I know exactly why I didn't lose as much this week. There are three reasons:
1) I went ham on the first day this week and severely wrenched the right half of my back. I'm talking about massively wrenching. I did the workout Sunday and woke up Monday feeling like someone took a baseball bat to my back. I had a painful knot so large in my lower right back above my pelvis that when I sat with my back to a chair, I was crooked from the lump pushing out on that side. The muscles along the curve of my right shoulder blade were incredibly tight, as well, and are still a little sore. I could not even twist to the left, because my right muscles were so tight that it wouldn't allow any large range of motion.
I kept up with the workouts, though I had to drastically modify them and take it easy because of my back pain. Finally, in desperation on Wednesday, I took a fist and essentially punched the knot out. Instant relief. But that really hindered my workouts and I know I didn't do as much as I could have, which is a big reason I didn't have better results.
2) It was a bad food week for me. I think I over-ate my allotted 1400 calories per day every single day. I went out to eat on Tuesday with my boyfriend to celebrate some good news I received at work, and then I had a retirement party to attend on Thursday, so I ate even worse than usual. I've been very hungry, which leads in to number 3:
3) I am PMSing. For any guys that this makes uncomfortable, so sorry. It's a fact of life for 50% of the Earth's population, and my PMS symptoms are, unfortunately, fairly severe. I generally bloat up three pant sizes, can't go to the bathroom, and get ravenously hungry. So, in addition to wanting to eat everything and never feeling full, I am also bloating and can't go. Plus I'm extra fatigued from it, so mustering the energy to exercise has become more difficult. None of which are helping with the whole weight-loss thing. Let's not even discuss the food cravings I've been having. Like glazed donuts. And pizza. And burgers. And molten lava cakes. And large, icy mugs of beer.
(Fans self) Is it getting hot in here? Phew. Now I know how I gained so much weight in the first place. Argh. The struggle is real.
Anyway, bring on Week 3! I refuse to let Mother Nature bring me down.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Focus T25: End of Week 1
WHO WANTS TO FIND OUT HOW I AM DOING? YOU DO? LET'S GO ON THIS ADVENTURE!
Wow, guys, I am tired. Week 1 was so hard for me. This is a hard program, no bones about it. The calendar has you scheduled for Monday - Friday, but I decided to do Sunday - Thursday, since ain't nobody wanna be doing anything on Friday after a long work week. Fridays are the days that I just get home and collapse.
I started doing this program in the afternoons/evenings when I got home from work, but the program is so high-intensity that it would get me too amped up to sleep in the evenings. I took a deep breath, thought long and intensely about my life, and switched my workout schedule to 5:00am and moved my bedtime up to 9:30pm. Surprisingly not that hard to do! I just had to retrain my circadian rhythms, but the schedule is fine for me now, and I am already awake/alert by the time I get to work.
The program is hard. I've said this already, but I will say it again. Even when I was at my optimal body weight for my height and I was doing yoga/weight-lifting/running every day, I can say with confidence that I would have had trouble finishing each workout. Knowing this makes me feel a little better about how badly I'm sucking at this so far. That and the fact that the people in the videos who have ostensibly been doing the workouts with Shawn T for quite some time also have an incredibly hard time completing them - and this includes the woman doing the low-impact modifier exercises, which is what I do since my tendons have been blown out since 2011.
So how is the workout? The first day I had to take frequent pauses. Shawn T does not let you take a break or pause whatsoever through the videos, with the exception of Speed 1.0, where you do a 30 second active stretch in-between your high-intensity moves. It is go-go-go, and it ramps up the entire 25 minutes to a progressively harder level through the end. High cardio, of course, but that is what gives you faster results, so I don't mind it.
Completing some of the workouts is hard, and I'll be frank - I have barely made it sometimes. A few days I finished the workouts by dry heaving into the sink in my kitchen when I went to get more water. I was so tired at the end of the week that I couldn't do the two workouts scheduled for the last day - I only made it through one. Basically my first week went like this:
BUT I PERSEVERED, DAMMIT. And I'll be durned if I didn't immediately notice a difference in myself. I am one of those people who is always tired. Always. I go to bed and wake up feeling as though I never slept. I've been tested for anemia, thyroid problems, etcetera. I take multivitamins every day. No doctor I have been do can figure out why I am always tired. All of my levels are normal and I'm not low on any mineral or vitamin. I'm just perpetually tired and feel as though I'm operating through a fog throughout my days.
The first morning after I started Focus T25 I woke up and actually felt like I'd slept. I was full of energy - to the point that it felt as though I was dreaming it. I've been happier and I've been smarter - all of that extra oxygen to my brain is really doing a lot of good toward my cognitive processing. AND this continued through the entire week. I'm on my second rest day right now (you get two rest days), and I woke up this morning feeling the way I used to. I'm bagging hard, man. No energy at all because I didn't work out yesterday. It's such a startlingly huge difference internally. I'm not the only one who noticed - I caught a coworker looking at me oddly mid-week and said, "What's going on?" "It's just weird seeing you with energy," she said, sounding perplexed.
It's actually making such a big difference energy-wise and physically that people at work are asking me what I've been doing, and I keep catching my boyfriend surreptitiously checking me out. "You're looking really good," he told me the other day. (Compared to what I had looked like, hahaha.)
Today was the day to weigh and measure myself versus last week, and I'm not going to lie - I was kind of bummed by the weight part of it. I have a very muscular body when I work out - I'm part Viking and I think that's a big part of it. I have a solid frame and my family (myself included) tends to bulk muscle quickly. Then I noticed my body fat percentage and measurements went way down!
Last week, starting program on 3/15/15:
Weight: 184lbs
Body Fat Percentage (BFP): 44.6%
Arm: 13"
Thigh: 23.5"
Waist: 37"
This week, ending T25 Week 1, 3/21/15:
Weight: 185.2lbs
BFP: 40%
Arm: 12"
Thigh: 22.5"
Waist: 33"
I lost 4% of my body fat and my waist dropped FOUR inches!! I was discouraged by my weight going up a little over a pound, but I think it's just water weight. As I said, I bulk muscle quickly and I think that's why the actual scale weight has not gone down, but my BFP and waist dropping so quickly is awesome! My clothes are even already loose!
So, to conclude, I am SUPER FREAKING THRILLED. Week 2 starts tomorrow and I'm PUMPED. Let's do this!!!!
Wow, guys, I am tired. Week 1 was so hard for me. This is a hard program, no bones about it. The calendar has you scheduled for Monday - Friday, but I decided to do Sunday - Thursday, since ain't nobody wanna be doing anything on Friday after a long work week. Fridays are the days that I just get home and collapse.
I started doing this program in the afternoons/evenings when I got home from work, but the program is so high-intensity that it would get me too amped up to sleep in the evenings. I took a deep breath, thought long and intensely about my life, and switched my workout schedule to 5:00am and moved my bedtime up to 9:30pm. Surprisingly not that hard to do! I just had to retrain my circadian rhythms, but the schedule is fine for me now, and I am already awake/alert by the time I get to work.
The program is hard. I've said this already, but I will say it again. Even when I was at my optimal body weight for my height and I was doing yoga/weight-lifting/running every day, I can say with confidence that I would have had trouble finishing each workout. Knowing this makes me feel a little better about how badly I'm sucking at this so far. That and the fact that the people in the videos who have ostensibly been doing the workouts with Shawn T for quite some time also have an incredibly hard time completing them - and this includes the woman doing the low-impact modifier exercises, which is what I do since my tendons have been blown out since 2011.
So how is the workout? The first day I had to take frequent pauses. Shawn T does not let you take a break or pause whatsoever through the videos, with the exception of Speed 1.0, where you do a 30 second active stretch in-between your high-intensity moves. It is go-go-go, and it ramps up the entire 25 minutes to a progressively harder level through the end. High cardio, of course, but that is what gives you faster results, so I don't mind it.
Completing some of the workouts is hard, and I'll be frank - I have barely made it sometimes. A few days I finished the workouts by dry heaving into the sink in my kitchen when I went to get more water. I was so tired at the end of the week that I couldn't do the two workouts scheduled for the last day - I only made it through one. Basically my first week went like this:
BUT I PERSEVERED, DAMMIT. And I'll be durned if I didn't immediately notice a difference in myself. I am one of those people who is always tired. Always. I go to bed and wake up feeling as though I never slept. I've been tested for anemia, thyroid problems, etcetera. I take multivitamins every day. No doctor I have been do can figure out why I am always tired. All of my levels are normal and I'm not low on any mineral or vitamin. I'm just perpetually tired and feel as though I'm operating through a fog throughout my days.
The first morning after I started Focus T25 I woke up and actually felt like I'd slept. I was full of energy - to the point that it felt as though I was dreaming it. I've been happier and I've been smarter - all of that extra oxygen to my brain is really doing a lot of good toward my cognitive processing. AND this continued through the entire week. I'm on my second rest day right now (you get two rest days), and I woke up this morning feeling the way I used to. I'm bagging hard, man. No energy at all because I didn't work out yesterday. It's such a startlingly huge difference internally. I'm not the only one who noticed - I caught a coworker looking at me oddly mid-week and said, "What's going on?" "It's just weird seeing you with energy," she said, sounding perplexed.
It's actually making such a big difference energy-wise and physically that people at work are asking me what I've been doing, and I keep catching my boyfriend surreptitiously checking me out. "You're looking really good," he told me the other day. (Compared to what I had looked like, hahaha.)
Today was the day to weigh and measure myself versus last week, and I'm not going to lie - I was kind of bummed by the weight part of it. I have a very muscular body when I work out - I'm part Viking and I think that's a big part of it. I have a solid frame and my family (myself included) tends to bulk muscle quickly. Then I noticed my body fat percentage and measurements went way down!
Last week, starting program on 3/15/15:
Weight: 184lbs
Body Fat Percentage (BFP): 44.6%
Arm: 13"
Thigh: 23.5"
Waist: 37"
This week, ending T25 Week 1, 3/21/15:
Weight: 185.2lbs
BFP: 40%
Arm: 12"
Thigh: 22.5"
Waist: 33"
I lost 4% of my body fat and my waist dropped FOUR inches!! I was discouraged by my weight going up a little over a pound, but I think it's just water weight. As I said, I bulk muscle quickly and I think that's why the actual scale weight has not gone down, but my BFP and waist dropping so quickly is awesome! My clothes are even already loose!
So, to conclude, I am SUPER FREAKING THRILLED. Week 2 starts tomorrow and I'm PUMPED. Let's do this!!!!
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Starting Focus T25...Holy Moses
Well, guys, in another desperate attempt to get my weight under control, I've started the Focus T25 program.
I feel as though this is the recurring story of my life - feel disgusted at myself, start a workout program, get tired of it and stop, then the cycle repeats itself all over again. But I am really going to give it an honest effort this time. I think I've finally found my motivation.
So here we go - I'm starting the Focus T25 program. I watched some reviews of it and read that if you need to lose the fat first, prior to toning, Focus T25 is the best for you. I like how short it is, as well. I live about an hour from work, so it's hard for me to find time in the day to fit in exercise.
I used to never have a problem with working out - I used to be quite close to my "optimal" body weight. That, of course, was when I had the time to weight lift, do yoga, and go running every day when I lived on Guam. That lifestyle is just not feasible for me, though - not anymore. For one thing, I don't live in an area that supports that sort of lifestyle year-round. New England certainly is not Guam when it comes to weather that is accommodating. For another thing, I really don't have the time.
So T25 it is! I would post a before picture, but I have to be honest - I'm not that brave. I can't bring myself to do that. I can give you guys my measurements, though. Perhaps that will shame me into actually staying true to the program! Weight: 184 lbs (just eating only 1400 calories a day got me down from 192lbs - yikes, I don't even like admitting this). Waist: 37", arm: 13", thigh: 23.5". Let's see how I do!
I feel as though this is the recurring story of my life - feel disgusted at myself, start a workout program, get tired of it and stop, then the cycle repeats itself all over again. But I am really going to give it an honest effort this time. I think I've finally found my motivation.
So here we go - I'm starting the Focus T25 program. I watched some reviews of it and read that if you need to lose the fat first, prior to toning, Focus T25 is the best for you. I like how short it is, as well. I live about an hour from work, so it's hard for me to find time in the day to fit in exercise.
I used to never have a problem with working out - I used to be quite close to my "optimal" body weight. That, of course, was when I had the time to weight lift, do yoga, and go running every day when I lived on Guam. That lifestyle is just not feasible for me, though - not anymore. For one thing, I don't live in an area that supports that sort of lifestyle year-round. New England certainly is not Guam when it comes to weather that is accommodating. For another thing, I really don't have the time.
So T25 it is! I would post a before picture, but I have to be honest - I'm not that brave. I can't bring myself to do that. I can give you guys my measurements, though. Perhaps that will shame me into actually staying true to the program! Weight: 184 lbs (just eating only 1400 calories a day got me down from 192lbs - yikes, I don't even like admitting this). Waist: 37", arm: 13", thigh: 23.5". Let's see how I do!
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