Basic Steps

So you know how I bought a step but a I figured that I would be able to find some exercise dvds or youtube vids that would get me moving but wasn't full of complicated moves. I've been proven wrong. I've tried Kathy Smith - but I get lost. In fact I did her thing morning and by the second combo I didn't get what she was doing. I've tried two Fit for Duty vids - but in one the instructor does something strange and they both did some stretchy things at the start which I don't like. There is one more that I'm going to try tomorrow. To be honest - I'm even thinking about going non-English. Jennifer Hößler has a warm-up vid on youtube that looks pretty good. I might even learn some German - I think that's what she is speaking.

Killed me

So to shake up my routine for the next few days I decided to take on some hard cardio. I went with Jillian Michaels (who else would it have been?) 'Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism.' Holy crap it killed. 50 odd minutes of torture. I didn't make it all the way through every exercise. Tomorrow I will do better. If I do this for the next few days I won't feel so bad because I'll be on holidays and in a hotel room again, eating every single yummy thing that I see. I'll be taking 'Walk Away the Pounds' with me for some gentle action.

It's December? Seriously???

I don't know how that happened. One day it's January and the next it's December. What happened to the year?

At the start of the year I was all gung ho get fit.  I loved feeling fit and that my body was changing. I was full of energy and loving life.

Towards the end the year I was sick and sore. I felt unhappy that I kept missing out on exercise, which made me feel even worse.

Now I don't feel I exercise enough, so I've put on weight. I'm back to walking off the pounds and enjoying it, still Zumba'ing every time there is a lesson although this week killed my sides, I also like using dumbbells so my arms are looking better and better.

During my holiday break I want to pick it up a notch again. I will be traveling around a lot so I don't know what I'll do but I hope to doing something daily.

Yesterday I did this:



I had thought that I was doing okay with my arms lately but this one pushed me again.  I even went down a weight size!

Proof!

Photographic proof I did exercise! My black cat hangs around while I workout and during stretching joins me - demanding attention of course.

Another week down the drain

I can't believe it - it's like the universe is against me at the moment.  This week I've had some serious sore knee issues.  For a few days I had to ice me knee.  So, starting to walk again today.

Photo time?

It's been a while since I shared a photo - I still take them once a month but I haven't felt like putting myself out there. But today I am.

Compare the fronts from 12 months ago:

Not to much of a change after my 2 months of being sick, not eating well and no exercise.  But you can see the smaller tummy, upper arm, boobage.  Overall though I feel a lot healthier - I can feel the muscle developing under the fat, I can take a walk for an hour and I don't think it would matter - running is another topic though :(

Workout plans? Another week of walking - today I did the 2 mile routine. Hopefully Zumba will be on this week. For next few weeks it's all about getting moving more.

Oh my!

Still feeling sick - have an awful cough and still feeling it in the bones and muscles. 

But enough was enough - today after crawling back into bed for a bit of extra sleep in (today is a holiday in our town) I decided I really had to do something. 

I weighed myself recently and I had gained back 2kg already.  Plus clothes that I was considering giving away now fit better because I have put the fat back on.

So I started from the beginning again and did a Walk Away the Pounds 1 mile walk. Yes it was easy - I couldn't use the dumbbells though. So I'll need to keep on at it.

Did I mention that my birthday was yesterday?

Confession

My week of no excuses turned into a week of having a cold. Everyone at work is sick too. Luckily tomorrow is the last day of the week - yay for weekends, and then Monday is my birthday and Tuesday is a town holiday :)

So all over this!

So I've just had a play around with creating my own Tabata style video :)

Hopefully this upload will work but this makes it pretty easy for me to workout.

Week 30

What's Motivating Me This Week?
My manly muscles - if only I could rid of the flappy arms

What's Bugging Me This Week?
The flappy arms

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Why can't I stick to the routine? I make excuses for myself in the morning like,,, 'I've had a bad night's sleep' or 'I just did Zumba last night so I don't really need to workout this morning.' So I've planned two rest days after Zumba nights and not giving myself excuses otherwise. Last week I only ended up doing the Zumba classes - grrr.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

Tabata? I tried 'The world's fastest workout video' although I didn't do the first exercise properly - I did my it without the push up and the jump. The problem is that you can't really tell when to stop and start with this video if your concentrating on the exercise.

What's the Plan?

Random stuff

Have you seen this?



And just for a laugh!

Week 29

This seems to be becoming the excuse post! Two weeks ago I went on a conference and ended up getting sick while I was away and then last week while I was still getting over my cold I was entertaining an in-law that came to stay. So I was really looking forward to this week - a week of holidays and a week of no excuses exercise!

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Feeling like I kick arse!

What's Bugging Me This Week?
I look totally fat in my photos

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Should I keep sharing my photos? It kind of puts me out there.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

My husband telling me that I have more muscle than him.

What's the Plan?
Trying a variety of 10 minute workouts.

Week 28

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Complements from people, trying on a pair of shorts I bought last year and laughing because they are so huge.


What's Bugging Me This Week?

I pulled a muscle in my right arm about 3 weeks ago when I had all that muscle soreness. It still is sore when I move my arm in certain directions. My knee has also been a little tricky - at Zumba two weeks ago we did a new set that involved a lot of twisting and lunges so I did hurt myself a little.

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Why can't I do a lunge successfully?



What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

I tried on a pair of size 14 jeans last week. They were a little tight (and they were plus size 14) but still I'm excited.

What's the Plan?
Last week wasn't so bad - I went to Zumba and I did workout some during the week but I didn't feel I was doing enough. I'm doing some strength this week and leaving the cardio for Zumba.

Week 26 - Yes I'm back!

What's Motivating Me This Week?
 I took some more time off overcoming some crazy flu like thing that wiped me out. Plus I somehow pulled a muscle in my right arm - in my sleep! So anyhow I'm keen to do some exercise this week.


What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Should I try these tops at Virtu?


What's Bugging Me This Week?

Those stupid pins on pinterest that make you think - oh a new fitness blog I could follow, only it turns out its a link to the man trying to sell you his weight loss stuff with a monotone voice.

Also not working out for the last 2 weeks or so means I've put on weight. Oh well.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

I have a step coming to me, as well as my next lot of dumbbells, and a foam roller! No more sore calves and shin splints for me.

What's the Plan?
 New step means I want to start doing some step videos - obviously. This 'Fit of Duty - Basic Step Workout' is pretty easy - so I'm pumping it up with weights. The step won't be getting here quickly mind you - but I'm keen anyway.

Hey folks,,, folk,,, anyone?

I've been taking a break from blogging my health stuff. Partly because I've been way too busy and also because I was getting to caught up with hating myself if I did miss a workout or if I didn't do as well as I should have. So I cut it back to just Zumba lessons if I could make it.  

This weekend was my chance to get back on the wagon so to say, but I ended up not feeling well on Saturday. I spent most of the day napping on the couch or sleeping in bed.  Today, I woke up feeling sore all over still, but I still needed to spend most of my morning in front of the computer doing school work and most of the afternoon on the floor marking school work.

So this week I will do Zumba again and probably not much else until the weekend.

In the mean time, did I tell you fitted into a pair of size 16 jeans?

Funny!

It was a funny week this week. I was meant to do the previous week's plan again.

I ended up getting all sorts of sickness,,, I won't gross you out. At the moment my voice is threatening to die on me.

So although my weekend was great exercise wise, I missed a Zumba class and did only 2 other workout with weights. Shocking.

But I had a funny moment today. In art class we started on our paper mache masks. I had opened up a new 5 litre bottle of glue to use and was pouring the glue into their bowls.  During the lesson some groups ran out of glue so I told them to help themselves to it.  Not one of them could lift up the bottle to pour it properly. I had one boy ask me how I could be so strong.  They are so sweet!

I'm not looking forward to photo time this weekend.

Nope - no bike

Hopped on the bike hoping for a little cycle action - got 2 minutes in and decided it wasn't worth the pain. Looks like I wasted $15 on a bike seat then - hopefully the husband will use it still.

So instead I'm using "Low Impact Cardio Workout for Beginners - Beginner Cardio  Toning Workout Routine" but after all the fluffing around I did before hand I don't have enough time to do it all - I'm taking a quick breather while I my peas and carrots are cooking in the microwave.

Week 25

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Great music - I spend a bit of time today finding new music to workout to. 

 

I also found this YouTube channel, FitnessBlender.com. The low impact cardio looks good so I'll try that next week - or this depending on how I find the bicycle with the new cover - all I know is that I tried to ride again and my v-giny hurt!

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
How could my waist have gotten smaller but my hips bigger? Just of shits and giggle I looked up my waist-to-hip ratio - it's 0.83 - so close!

What's Bugging Me This Week?
I was on the phone with an in-law this week and was asked how my diet was going.  Why do people think that you are on a diet when you are getting fit?  I know she meant fad diet, or even simply watching what I eat but it frustrates me how little people actually know about health. I've been day dreaming about studying again - maybe picking up the health side of my degree... but I don't know.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

Getting back on track and feeling please with how strong I still feel after a holiday.

What's the Plan?
 I really want to increase my cardio, but also enjoy strength stuff - I used my new 1.5kg dumbbells today and thought to myself, 'actually should have bought the 2kgs'.

Radio Silence

Sorry - let me catch you up.

I've traveled up and down the state during my holiday. The first hotel I stayed in barely had room to swing a cat so no exercise. Then I was at my parents so I got in a workout a day. Then I stayed in a unit so I did a few more workouts. I finally ended up in a tent and didn't get any conscious exercise done. I did walk buttloads during the holidays, I also ate everything!!!

So in all I put on a few kg - but I had a great time.

Back at work now, thrown back into it, I did manage to go to 1 Zumba class and do 1 Tiffany Roth workout.

However the other things I achieved when I was away:

• new yoga pants (x4) I looked everywhere and only found them in Big W.  I was seriously pissed off that exercise stores don't cater for larger sizes. Do they not think that if they did, and pluz sized girls bought their workout gear, who then worked out and lost wieght and thus need more, but smaller, workout gear that they wouldn't get repeat business??? Fuck it - Big W I love you.
• new dumbbells (x2)
• new exercise bras (x4) at 15% off
• seat cover for the bike (x1)
• I looked for a foam roller - hell they were expensive so I didn't get one (x0).  I'm going to look online.

So my plan today is to set up my exercise bike and go for a ride and think about what the plan is going to be for the rest of the week.

Also, while everyone else is doing it on pinterest I may as well give it a go too - the Weight Loss Simulator

This is me (sort of) at the moment - and this is me (sort of) at 80kg.

Week 24 and photos

What's Motivating Me This Week?
I feel so strong at the moment. I have had to take my exercise pants in this week - by adding darts or shortening the elastics.

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Should I get jazz shoes? My current shoes just don't do it for my when I'm at Zumba because they are just too grippy.

What's Bugging Me This Week?
For the last few weeks I have had really tight calves.  I've been doing extra stretches for them and use my water bottle to roll the muscle - I'll need to get a foam roller next week when I'm near shops. In the meantime I am worried that it will led to major damage.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 

My husband said to me this morning that he has is crazy funny girl back again.

What's the Plan?
This week is the last week of school, so soon I will be back on holidays but I will be travelling so although I would love to comment to a Jillian Michaels' challenge again, I don't think I will be able to for a large part of that time will be camping.

Anyway I'm about fun and fit this week!

PHOTO TIME!!!

I decided to just go without the camisole - so you can see it.

 So not happy with my back -the fat rolls make my stomach tighten. But check out that butt! Can you tell I had to bring the back seam of these pants in by 4cm?

This isn't too bad. Again - two darts added taking another 2 cms out each.

Not a skinny chic - but getting smaller every time.