C'mon... it'll make you feel good

I am in week 5 of challenge number 2.

I finished up Crossfit Equality's challenge on September 14th and started Lurong Living's challenge on September 16th.

I started out on July 14th at 141.6 lbs with a BMI of 33.4.  I finished up at 130.8 lbs and a BMI of 23.  And I turned 6 pounds of fat into muscle.

I also shaved over a minute off my mile time, I accomplished consecutive double unders and went down on a band in my pull ups.

I call that a success.  Add in that I feel GREAT and scale shmale... I am smaller than I think I've ever been.

I started Lurong and I will say it's easier to "cheat" because every meal is a separate entity... as opposed to if you don't cheat at all during the week it's add 6 points to your score kind of thing.  But you also have to do additional workouts as part of this challenge.

WOD 1

18 Min Time Cap:

21-18-15-12-9-6-3 of:
Level I (1)
8 pound Wall Balls
55 pound Deadlifts
12 inch Box Jumps

I did this level because of the darn wall balls.  (You have to throw it up against the wall 9 feet in the air and catch it in a full squat.)

WOD 2:  

12 Min Time Cap:

• 100 Burpees 
• 100 Kettlebell Swings

The twist: Athletes can break up the exercises and REPS in any order they choose.

I did level 2 on this one which had a 26 lb Kettlebell.

WOD 3 

5 Min Time Cap:

• Decending Ladder of Hang Power Cleans
• Ascending Ladder of Shuttle Sprints

Level II (2)
65 lb Hang Power Clean
Shuttle Sprints (10 Meter Increments)

WOD 4

10 Min Time Cap:

• 50 Thrusters
• 50 Toes-to-Bar
• The athlete must complete all 50 Thrusters before moving on to the next movement

 Level II (2)
50- 45 lb Thrusters
50- Ab Mat Sit-Ups
(I did 45 lbs against my better judgement... ;)  but I finished!)

I'll go through WOD's 5 and 6 in next post and I'll post my times too.

I love the workouts even if they are challenging.  But I suppose that's the way it's supposed to be, right?  :)


 

Day 29

Day 29 of my first Paleo Challenge and I've already signed up for my second.  I figure if I last through 8 weeks and go onto my second 8 weeks then it will really be a lifestyle. 

For the most part I don't miss the processed crap.  I miss biting into a big hunk of warm bread spread with butter.  I miss having cheese, but my body feels better without it.  I miss having my wine... but my body feels better without that too. 

All in all, 29 days into it... I let myself cheat on wine one night per week and that's Saturday.  I have eaten so much healthier.  I have more energy.

I have lost a MINIMAL amount of weight though.  My scale is not my friend.... but I am feeling myself get much stronger.  And that is the point.  I am stronger than I was yesterday and not as strong as I will be tomorrow. 

All in all, day 29 of paleo challenge...  I'll continue this.  :) 

"Brave" by Sara Bareilles

Music touches my soul.  I listen to new songs and am instantly transported to a different place.  I listen to the words and every now and again a song touches my soul.  My sister always was the same way.  There were countless times when she would call me and say... HEY listen to THIS song.  :)  

Well, yesterday I was at work and I always have my pandora going.  An acapella rendition of the below song came on and I fell in love.  I shazam'd it so that I could buy it off of Itunes.  

Then I listened to the words.  And I listened again.  And I sent it to my best friend.  And I let the words seep into my soul where they're going to hibernate.  Maybe one day I can be brave.  

You can be amazing

You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug

You can be the outcast

Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love

Or you can start speaking up

Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do

When they settle ‘neath your skin

Kept on the inside and no sunlight

Sometimes a shadow wins

But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

Everybody’s been there,

Everybody’s been stared down by the enemy

Fallen for the fear

And done some disappearing,

Bow down to the mighty

Don’t run, stop holding your tongue

Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in

Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

And since your history of silence

Won’t do you any good,

Did you think it would?

Let your words be anything but empty

Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

See you be brave

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see youjjj

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

I just wanna see you

Perfect Storm

So I started my new paleo challenge yesterday.

I kid I kid.  :)

But I did start this new way of life where I eat much cleaner food... nothing processed.  And for the next 60 days I eat no dairy or sugar.  And possibly beyond...  but for now, I am committing to the next 60 days. 

The first week is done and I am ok.  I made it.  Once I got through the first couple of days, I did truly feel better than I've felt in a very long time.  I have more energy.  I am stronger.

I still miss my coffee creamer and my wine.   I may always miss my creamer and my wine.  But... I feel better. 

The first monday I worked out at my usual time of 5:00 am.  I ate well.
I got into an accident.  Someone rear ended me on the way to my therapist.  I know... I know... how this century I am.  :)   I got home from work and went for a run.  It was hot.  It was VERY hot.  I got home and it took me an hour just to cool off enough to go to bed. 

I woke up at 12:00 midnight with a migraine.  I usually get a warning sign with my vision going funny...  but when you're asleep... well, there's no warning.  And it was a BAD one.  I took two excedrin migraine's and it wasn't putting a dent into it.  It took a HOT foot bath with dry mustard and when it cooled I was able to go back to bed and the headache abated. 

But that was truly my only snafu with the new diet.  :) 

Week one down and 7 more to go.  I feel great.  Let's keep this going. 

Crossfit, clean eating, paleo, blah blah blah

I think I have always exercised.  I can't remember a time when I didn't do some form of exercise... and usually gung ho, balls to the wall, all in.  Then I fall out. 

I have always battled with my weight.  I have a fat head.  When I look into the mirror, I see a fat person. 

I started crossfit about 8 weeks ago and I love it.  It's different every day and the people are so encouraging.  I have seen real results as far as my strength goes but it is still like you dipped me in a vat of fat. 

Tomorrow, my box (what they call the gym in crossfit) is starting a paleo challenge.  Paleo is short for Paleolithic and basically means if we can hunt it, gather it, or pick it we can eat it.  Lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts.  No dairy, no wine, no creamer, ugh. 

I have a partner, Stacie and we gather our points together.  There are prizes and a cash reward.  But the biggest reward will be seeing results and feeling better. 

I have people in my life who are a little less than encouraging.  As in...  "I just don't agree with diets that have a name.  I know you and as soon as it's over, you'll go back to where you are.  Just eat chicken and steamed vegetables and don't drink." 

Another person who IS encouraging but says rather stupid things... "you just need to lose weight.  Stop snacking and just don't eat as much. " 

So tomorrow...  I start this challenge.  I start it for ME.  I will prove this to me and I will make the lifestyle change to make it last. 

Changed my name for Obvious reasons

So... I'm not pregnant and have no plans to be.  But I am still running.  And now, I am full time into decorative Concrete... so I am running on concrete.  :)

I am kind of resurrecting this blog as a way to document my new journey into wellness.  I have been running for about oh...  three years now?  Maybe even four.  I started by wanting to run 3 miles without stopping.  Since then I have run 2 half marathons, a couple of 5k's and I try to run 3-5 times a week.

This week I started a 24 day cleanse through Advocare.  And this is the perfect place for me to document how it's going.  :)

I started on Feb 11th and I'll go ahead and share my stats.  OH Goodness... that's hard.

Starting Weight:  136.3
Chest:  32.5 inches
Waist:  33 inches
Hips:  32.5 inches.

Energy level .. low.  I am just so tired.
I sleep so so..  it seems like I sleep but I wake up so tired still.
overall well being..  I am healthy but sluggish and in a funk.

I exercise but never lose the weight.  I exercise and still have a gut.  Now part of it may be my mental state...  but something had to give.  SOOOOo here I am.  :)

Welcome to my  journey with running on concrete.