"Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys

 

 This spontaneous mash up of "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys and "Daylight" by Maroon 5 is delightful.  Full of messages about being awesome and seizing the moment.  All good things.

Anyways, I feel as if I am still in the beginning stages on my road to a better self, which is ever changing and morphing.  I am trying my best to put my health first, but it feels as if there are all these other pulls in my life that seem just as important (spending time with family, spending time with friends, cleaning my bathroom, helping my parents clean and move to a new home, watching "Girls" and being simultaneously amazed my Lena Dunham's creative genius and annoyed at her character's narcissism, becoming a better speech therapist, making enough money, etc.).  This blog is mostly dedicated to documenting my successes, but I think it's important to understand the road blocks.

Despite the challenges I face and the feeling that there simply just isn't enough time, I have started to look forward to going to Skinnyfit on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  The mere look of the workouts no longer make me nervous, and I find that I am challenging myself to get closer and closer to finishing.  One of my tactics is to rarely look at the clock; this is how I seize the moment.  I already obsess about counting reps, but by avoiding the clock, I don't get bogged down by reality.  Lately, the workouts have been a combination of burpees, box jumps, burpee box jumps, sit ups, pull ups/jump ups, kettle bell swings, squats, wall balls, jump roping, and running.

The three that I can remember go as follows:

-A ladder of box jumps, kettle bell swings, sit ups, squats from 20 all the way down to 1 time.
-10 rounds of  100 m run/10 burpees/10 sit ups/10 plyo lunges (these made my butt hurt, crazily!), followed by a plank as long as possible, and 100 Russian twists
-100 squats/90 sit ups/80 walking lunges/70 push ups/60 burpees/50 kettle bell swings/40 pull ups/30  squats with a med ball (forget what these are called) /20 wall balls/ 10 toes to bar or v-ups.

On the night of the 10 rounds, I actually thought I would make it to finish.  I ended up only finishing the initial 10 rounds, and I was the last person doing them, but I got through the last round with the help of a friend.  There is a 10 year old boy who attends the class with his mom and grandma (who are fit as ever), and he completed them with me.  How refreshing to know there are kids who are nice, encouraging, and unafraid to be a friend. 

I'll get back to being more vigilant about documenting this journey.  But for now, it's enough for me to know that I am getting past that first part that seems really impossible and like I'll get nowhere. 

"Pokemon" Theme Song/Miami University Fight Song

"Pokemon!"

Miami Fight Song---the Atari version!



I had to choose this song, because it was completely refreshing, in a weird way.  I wasn't able to go to Skinnyfit for a few days, and admittedly PMS played a role, but I started back up this week after spending a weekend with a great friend, her dog, and the beautiful Miami University campus in Oxford, OH.  Being a redhawk is one of my greatest accomplishments at this point in my life, and I can never wait to return.  I was able to visit with a student group that I formerly was a part of, and I was able to share my "wisdom" with Lights on Campus, which has recently become a strictly interfaith entity on campus.  As a college student, the interfaith movement was a BIG part of my identity there.  Additionally, I ate at my favorite restaurants, shopped in the cutest boutiques, laughed at college kids while simultaneously being impressed by this radiant invincibility that they all seem to have, stayed among the woods in a cozy cabin, and enjoyed a full break from life for a few days.  Another highlight of my trip there was that we were able to attend a dance show called, "Fusion" by the Asian American Association (which I was NEVER a part of!), and their senior dance included homage to the best (Carly Rae Jepsen, 1D, BSB, Psy), including choreographed moves to the Pokémon theme song.  Seriously, CHOREOGRAPHED MOVES!!  Anyways, I thought if they could do that with no shame, then I can work out and get fit with pride.

Enter, this week!

Tuesday's WOD:

4 rounds of
400m run
40 squats (with arms up)
30 sit ups
20 push ups (chest to ground)
10 pull ups
5 burpees

Bonus medicine ball jump thing alternating with a star jump (a modified jumping jack, essentially) in alternating ladders (so, like 10 medicine ball things/1 jump, then 9 medicine ball things/2 jumps). 

What I did:

2 complete rounds and an extra run and squat set.  Oh, and I did jump ups instead of pull ups. 

Here's the kicker...I made it to 8 medicine ball things, and had to throw up again.  And this time, I ate only strawberries approximately 2 hours before working out.  So, I stopped, but I felt accomplished, yet again.

And now it's two days later, and I am fighting pain in my core and thigh muscles.  It has been an incredibly long work week, but tonight wasn't unbearable.  I've been eating much better this week than I have been typically, and I have cut my carb intake to my daily reduced fat cheezit allowance, a bowl of kashi cereal, and a greek yogurt.  Otherwise, it's all fruits, vegetables, one serving of dairy, and tuna or other protein.

Tonight, we did this:

"Karen" which is 150 wall balls (squatting and throwing a medicine ball to the wall upon coming up) with a 10 minute cap

Wall Ball Demo

8 minute break

10 min cap, AMRAP of 50 singles, 10 kb swings, 10 burpees

Burpee Demo

Now, considering my vomit situation with the burpees and jumping, I modified my burpees to come down on a box edge instead of all the way down.  And since there wasn't enough wall space, we broke up into two groups.  I did the AMRAPs first, and did 4 rounds with a 15 lb kettle bell, sweat dripping into my eyes.  And then did the wall balls.  I used an 8 lb medicine ball, and I really didn't think I would be able to do a full 150, but I broke it up into 10s, 5s, 20s, whatever it took to get me to keep going.  He called one minute left, and I had 20 left.  I had to take a lot of breaks and water drinks, but when he called time, I had 5 left, and I went for it.  Again, I felt supported and cheered on by my friend and the people in the class.  No matter what level people are on, everyone's on the same page.  It was so rewarding.  I couldn't believe I did it; I may not have done each one perfectly, but I didn't wimp out, and that's what impressed me about myself so much. :o)

They officially gave me a notebook to start recording what I do, and as a chronic note taker, I think that will work out well.  What I am also doing, is writing a positive note to myself at the bottom of each page.  Corny as it is, it'll keep me going when I can see all the nice things I say about myself.

Afterwards, there was a terrific snow storm, and it took 90 minutes to travel about 5 mi.  Thankfully, my friend was driving, and we returned home safely.  It was definitely worth it!

Song of the Day: "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz

"Thrift Shop" (explicit)


This song is amazingly upbeat, albeit a little dirty.  It makes me excited about whatever I am doing.  Plus, it's totally ironic, and that's like a thing, now, right?  Anyways, I ventured to Skinnyfit for the first time alone when this happened...the craziest WOD ever!  Needless to say, I scaled, and barely made it over the halfway point (I got to somewhere in the 400 singles).  I felt incredible though (and disgustingly sweaty and out of breath), because I really pushed myself for the full 30 minutes.  This set is a ladder, and it felt like I was getting nowhere.  The 100 kb swings afterward were a little "bonus" if you will.  Now, if only I could get them to let me pick the music!  And the best part about this workout is that, even though there was a 30 minute cap, a few people wanted to finish out their burpees, and what's the best way to accomplish that when you just feel like you are going to collapse?  Having the support of the other exercisers around you!  It was amazing how people clapped for the few that wanted to finish and struggled through the last burpees, and even more than that, a few people even DID MORE BURPEES with them!  I was astonished by the support that emanates from this group of people.  Maybe next time, I'll get a little closer.

100 singles
40 burpees
200 singles
25 push ups
300 singles
100 walk lunges
400 singles
80 squats
300 singles
100 walk lunges
200 singles
25 push ups
100 singles
40 burpees

100 kettle bell swings, 10 per minute for 10 minutes

"Happiness" from "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!"

"Happiness"

This song always reminds to be grateful for the little things and to look on the bright side of life.  I usually am the one getting on people's nerves because I'm unwaveringly optimistic about things, and I experienced being the annoyed one at Crossfit last night!  The instructor, Ashley is super nice and motivating, and temporarily peeved as she shouted, "The good news is you're almost halfway there!" or "This is your last station of torture!"  always with a smile on her face.  In all actuality, I very much appreciate her relentless positive attitude and inner cheerleader, because it was tough.  I had to skip a couple of classes due to sickness, work, etc, but was very glad to be back.  And I am ready to start seeing results and feeling stronger, which I am confident will happen in a few weeks.  My eating habits have cleaned up, and I got the junk food binges out of my system (for the mean time!).  Just like everyone else, 2013 is time for a new and improved Angie!

Workout of the Day:

A.M.R.A.P.s (as many rounds as possible) with 1 minute breaks

4 minutes of sit-ups
4 minutes of step-ups
4 minutes of double unders (jumping rope in some fashion)
4 minutes of pull-ups (or jump ups)
4 minutes of kettle bell swings

Followed by Takata (sp?) method of exercise, which consisted of 8 rounds of 20 second planks and 10 second rest breaks.

I admittedly took more breaks, but I finished all of it.  Very uplifting to have done so.  And  I had the best night of sleep I had had this whole week!  Till next time...

Song of the Day: "Beauty and the Beat" by Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj

This song pumps me up.  I am a pop music junkie and that Bieber is a good kid!

Hello there, the very few people who read this or ever will!  It's been a while, but life has been hectic.  Started a job in October (my first big girl one, as a speech therapist in a nursing home in Middletown, OH), moving in with friends from grad school and their 6 yr old daughter, moving my parents out of their house currently, acquired a nephew, and settling into being an adult, while hanging onto moments with my friends and family as much as possible.

I completed my first half-marathon on 10/20/12...the Cincinnati Half Marathon (http://www.cincyhalfmarathon.com/), claiming to be "no frills" racing.  There is no music, few cheerleaders, and just a few snacks and drinks afterward.  It was straightforward, not too hilly, and a freaking struggle to complete!  The beats of Nsync, Usher, Eminem, Ke$ha, etc brought me across that finish line.  My time was long (over 3 hours), but my goal was just to finish it, and that's what I did!  I feel like I can complete more physical feats than ever before.  I admittedly took a break from running/any extra physical movement afterwards, but I still feel good about it.  I helped a friend, Kate, finish her longest race, on Thanksgiving Day.  The 103rd Annual Turkey Trot race in Cincinnati, OH (http://www.thanksgivingdayrace.com/), over 10k people there.  And a 10k.  It was exhilarating to be running again, and on a cold crisp day through Cincinnati's highs and lows.  Also enjoyed seeing batman, people running dressed as turkeys, and celebrating with Thanksgiving dinner that day!

Today is the first day of 2013, and the first day to a new commitment to my health.  It started with recovering from last night's festivities, having the day off work, and attending my second Crossfit class (http://crossfit-cornerstone.com/)  at Cornerstone Crossfit.  I ended up getting sick in the middle of it, but I finished my scaled version (see below), but felt amazingly tired and exhilarated after.  My hope is to do this 2x a week and pair it with running short distances 2-3x a week.  Maybe something else here and there.  And to eat well 75% of the time.  Wish me luck!

Skinnyfit WOD:
4 rounds of (for time):
25 burpees (sub mountain climbing)
25 pull ups (sub ring pulls or jump ups)
25 kettle bell swings
25 box jumps (sub step ups)
AND THEN
500 singles (jump rope)

What I did:
1 full round
8 burpees/15 ring pulls/15 kettle bell swings (15 lbs)/20 step ups and 5 box jumps
10 burpees/25 ring pulls/25 kettle bell swings/15 step ups and 10 box jumps
10 mountain climbs/25 ring pulls/25 kettle bell swings/15 step ups and 10 box jumps
AND THEN
125 singles

Song of the day: "Seize the Day" from "The Newsies" (a great, yet underappreciated musical from Disney ca. early 1990s)

This song is also on my running play list, and serves a multitude of purposes.  Primarily, it simply reminds me that there is no better time to start improving myself and taking care of myself than the present.  Secondly, it reminds me that there are people who are facing much more difficult challenges, and so surely, I can handle a weight/health issue.

I've been distracted by life lately, and not able to follow my diet as closely as I would like.  Other things have gone well this week, and I have maintained my weight, which is a feat in itself.  So far, I have been following Dr. Fuhrman's diet about 75% of the time for the last 5 weeks, and have lost 6 lbs, total.  It is not at as quick a pace as he suggests, but it actually fits the pace of 1-2 lbs/wk, which is generally recommended as a safe rate.

One way that I have changed, and for the better, is the amount of indulging that I partake in.  I still eat french fries, and butter every now and then, but only a very little bit.  I used to fall into the temptation of an entire order of fries or 2-3 dinner rolls with butter.  The craving used to be so strong, but now, I am able to exercise self-control without too much effort to stop at a couple of french fries or half a piece of bread.  I think that if I didn't indulge at these little times, I would end up binging on crap at some breaking point.

I also document when I have exercised or eaten well.  When I get discouraged, I take a look at my designated calendar pages, and remind myself, that yes, I did it one day, and I can do it again.  By nature, I am an eternal optimist, so this works in my favor.  But I understand that it is easy to become down on yourself when you "mess up" now and then.  That's fine, but let that influence be 10% of your energy and motivation, not 90%.

Until next time..

Song of the day: "Under the Sea"

Reason behind the song of the day: I ran outside today, and it was INCREDIBLY hot and humid.  Later, today, I took a "Broadway Blast" class at Bella Forza Fitness in Hyde Park, Cincinnati (Class Descriptions) with my Groupon, and one of the songs used was "Under the Sea."  It summed up today, perfectly.

Sooo....it's been so very long.  This started out as an ill attempt at documenting my journey through weight loss and reclaiming my health and body.  However, grad school got in the way and I wasn't really excited about this until I started to make some progress, finally.  Throughout the last year, I've become a runner and I worked out sporadically; it truly only became a regular thing in the last month, though.  Let me cut to the chase; I've started following Dr. Fuhrman's book, Eat to Live at the recommendation of my older sister, who saw it on Dr. Oz.  I did not read the book cover to cover, and I do not follow it 100%, but the premises are very easy to apply to my current lifestyle, and it's easy to understand.

I have tried Weight Watchers, low carb, sheer self-discipline and will power, monetary rewards, etc., etc., but the battle has always defeated me.  I now feel as if I am making some headway, and the biggest change to come from incorporating Dr.. Fuhrman's advice is how much better I feel about myself.  My energy is up, I don't need as much sleep, and I just feel a little brighter.  I just started this 3 weeks ago, and I'm not aiming to lose more than 3 lbs. a week as his book is designed to help make happen, but I am averaging more than 1 lb. a week.  I also pair his book with Myfitnesspal.com so that I can track my net calories per day.

I feel like I could write about every detail of how I've changed my diet/lifestyle, but here's the gist:

-I drink more water
-I exercise 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes at a time
-I eat at least 4 fresh fruits a day
-I eat soy based and plant based protein, mostly
-I stay away from additional sugar, fried foods, oil, excessive salt, eggs, white flour, red meat, and poultry most of the time (I haven't been able to dispel cheese and the occasional seafood, chocolate, or bread from my diet...but I have still made progress!)
-I journal about what I've done well, each week

Today, I worked out twice and didn't have any cravings at all.  This is so different than how I was just about 4 or 5 weeks ago.  Food does not rule my life.  I enjoy planning meals and cutting my fruits and veggies ahead of time, but I'm not being too obsessive.  I can't wait to see where else this transformation takes me.

Oh, and side note, I have watched all of "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" Ssn. 2, and each and every show is so inspiring.  I feel as if these people can lose half of their weight, I can lose 50 lbs, which is what was recommended to me by my PCP.  I don't have Chris Powell to keep me going, but I have their stories to remind me that I CAN keep going.  And like them, I decided to visually document my weight loss, by taking a picture in my bra and shorts in 5 lb. intervals.  This, coming from a girl who used to be afraid to look in the mirror fully clothed.  It truly astonishes me how much I have changed.