Wow it has been almost a month since my last post. I guess I have been trying to figure things out for myself. I am now trying a different approach to my eating, thinking, goals, and my workouts. On the eating front I am now trying the "Build the Muscle, Burn the Fat" approach. Simply I am adding protein to every meal and snack and trying to consume most of my simple carbs before dinner, and only have protein and veggies for dinner. So far it is working to drastically decrease my afternoon and evening munchies. Under this plan you are supposed to visualize yourself at your goal and do affirmations every morning and night. This has helped me to believe in myself. It helps me feel stronger and more confident. Just yesterday after I was done with my run I was walking back to my car, and I actually saw myself at my goal size. I felt strong, powerful, and proud.

I am going to try high intensity interval training (HIIT) for the next 9 weeks. This is supposed to burn some major fat. Under the Lose the Belly Fat plan doing HIIT is supposed create at least a 2 pounds fat loss in the first week. He even says that this is huge under estimate. I will let you know.

I also joined project hydrate My water consumption has always been a problem. Give me a chance to win free stuff and suddenly I become very motivated.

I am not sure which of these chance, or if it is all of them, but for the last few days my energy level has been very high.

I have so much more to talk about, but it is already an hour past when I wanted to go to bed, and I just finished my 84 oz of water for today. Quick side note my WI for this week was 163.

Just do it

It is Sunday and that means it is time to review last weeks goals and list this weeks goals. Last weeks goals were:
Monday: gym after work cardio, strength at home before bed (no) Tuesday: gym after work cardio (went before bed) Wednesday: strength before bed (no) Thursday gym cardio (did it) Friday: off Saturday: run or gym weather dependant (nope). Got two days done and I logged all my food except for Friday and Saturday. I tried a friends venison stew. I was reluctant, but it was delicious. I'm getting there.

This weeks Goals

Exercise: burn 1200 calories this week

Food: log food everyday except Thursday (Thanksgiving)

Enjoy turkey day in moderation remember more does not make it taste better. You are not pregnant or nursing and can not say you need two pieces of pie one for you and one for baby.

Clean up house for 20 minutes every night before bed.

Take multivitamin daily.

I went for a run on a trail today. It felt so good. I might just see what time the local turkey trot is on thanksgiving and maybe sign up. Now that I have run outside I realize that I can still do it. It is not as hard as it feels on the treadmill. I guess the treadmill is just not for me. I will have to learn to run in the cold. It was chilly today. This last summer I was looking forward to running on this trail after the leaves had changed. Guess what, I missed it. I have been avoiding running and now I missed the beauty of this trail and the color leaves on the trees. Next year I won't miss out.

Next week I want to start listing a menu and trying to stick with it. I used to do this before and it helped so much. I want to get back to grocery shopping with a list and not just winging it.

This is my workout plan:

Monday: Gym after work cardio and strength

Tuesday: Run or gym before bed

Wednesday: off

Thursday: Run before heading to sisters for thanksgiving

Friday: Off black Friday have to be at work at 3 am

Saturday: Run and strength training

I know I can do better than last week!

Bring it On

I decided to join in two challenges. Nothing like a challenge to get me motivated, especially when it is one with a plan. The challenges are:
The Hundred Push up Challenge
The Two Hundred Squat Challenge

Tonight I am doing the initial test and I will do the first week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. For the second week I hope to be on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule, but due to a stomach virus I was not able to do the initial test on Saturday and therefore was unable to start workouts until Tuesday.

Initial test results:

Push-ups 5

Squats 60

There is one other challenge out there, the two hundred sit-up challenge, but I decided not to do this one because when I tried to do the initial test it caused my neck and back to hurt. I tried twice and decided that I must not be performing the sit up properly so it was in my best interest not to keep trying and hurt myself. Crunches have always hurt my back, which is why I normally do them only on the ball. Maybe once I buy a new ball, my cat put a hole in mine, I will try the sit up challenge on the ball.

Between me and my kids being sick I did not write often last week, but I did want to mention that after work on Wednesday I was really tired. I debated back and forth as to whether or not I was going to go home and take a nap or go to the gym and workout. When I got home I went straight to the fridge looking for something to eat even though I was not hungry. I then shut the fridge, grabbed my gym bag and left. I did forty minutes of cardio at the gym and afterwards I felt a lot more energized then a nap would have done. I was so proud of myself.

Here is my workout plan for this week:

Monday: Run 2 miles

Tuesday: Cross training 40-45 minutes Workout 1 of Squat and Push up challenge

Wednesday: Run 1 mile race pace

Thursday: Workout 2 of Squat and Push up challenge

Friday: Run 2.5 miles

Saturday: Run 30 min. EZ Workout 3 of Squat and Push up challenge

Workout Plan For the Week

Here is my workout plan for this week:

Monday: Run 2 miles

Tuesday: Cross training 40-45 min.  Strength training

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Run 1 mile race pace

Friday: strength training

Saturday: Run 2.5 miles

Sunday: Run 30 mins. easy run

Hopefully I can stick with this plan this week.  That will be my one goal that I will focus on for the week.