Since most of what I've been writing lately has been about me and not the kids, I started a new site to chart my progress.  I will update this one when the kids do something noteworthy.  Easter is this weekend, so I'm sure I'll at least have pics to post.

That's my time for my first 5k.  I am more than pleased, since my goal was just to finish it within the allotted hour.  And I didn't finish last.  That was my biggest fear.  Trevor finished at 38:24.  He was hoping for less than 36 minutes, because his Running Club coach promised a treat to anyone who did, but I was still very impressed with his time.  He left me in the dust, which is what I wanted him to do.  I didn't want to hold him back. 

About a mile into the race, I got the worst cramp.  It hurt enough to make me think I was going to puke on everyone around me, so at that point I stopped trying to jog.  I could see my car, and for a moment, I considered hopping in and just waiting for Trevor to finish.  Then this petite pretty woman approached me, and we hit it off.  If it weren't for her, I definitely don't think I would have done as well.  She kept a fast walking pace and luckily for me didn't feel much like jogging.  It turns out she's 3 months pregnant.  At 3 months, I'm pretty sure I already looked about 6 months along, so I would have hated her if she weren't so nice.  She stuck it out with me until the end, and I did end up jogging the last little stretch with her.

Trev wants to continue training to do more races, so I plan to keep alternating running/walking with the Chalene program.  I only got in 2 of the Burn workouts this week, since I was letting my body rest in preparation, but I think it was well worth it.  I'm going to book another race soon so I can continue to have a goal.  It turns out fear of embarrassment is a very strong motivator for me.

I usually take a nauseating amount of pictures of the kids at the beach (or anywhere else for that matter), but this time I just took the camera on the first day.  To be honest, it was sort of a relief when I realized I had forgotten the camera on the other days.  I put a lot of pressure on myself to capture every moment, and then I spend so much time trying to get them in the right pose, looking at the camera, smiling, etc.  It's virtually impossible to get 3 squirmy kids to do all of this simultaneously, so I ended up frustrated and defeated.  So, here are some pics that I was able to get, and I think they turned out ok.  Something I should keep in mind when we go back in August.

I lost track of whatever day I'm on, so I'm just calling this an update.  Thursday through Sunday we were at the beach, which normally spells disaster for me.  I can't tell you how many diets have been abruptly halted by a trip to the beach.  I have also never exercised while there...at least not on purpose.  So, this was my first true test- vacation, away from the structure of my own home.  I am proud to say I passed with flying colors.  I didn't exercise on Thursday, because I was exhausted from the drive and just ran out of time.  However, I more than made up for it on Friday when I walked 3.8 miles with the fam in the morning, and walk/jogged with the hubby for 3.7 miles in the evening.  That brought me to a grand total of 7.5 miles IN ONE DAY!  I kept up the momentum with a CEX workout on Saturday and another 3.8 mile walk Sunday morning before we left.  As far as diet goes, I was aces on that as well.  I did have one awesome meal consisting of a burger, onion rings, and ice cream, and it was so yummy.  But it didn't derail me.  It was my treat for the week, and I was back on plan the next day.  I also guzzled water the entire time.  I'm proud to say I lost another 2 pounds, which I don't think has ever happened after a trip to the beach.

Yesterday, I did the normal CEX Burn Circuit 1, and this morning I walked 2 miles.  The 5k is on Saturday, and I feel confident I can at least walk it in an hour.  Hopefully I'll get a little fire in me and be able to jog some of it as well.

    Yesterday was a scheduled day of rest on the ChaLean program, and I've been trying to do cardio even on the rest days, but a big Bio exam precluded that.  I think the day off did me some good, as I was fresh today with no more soreness.  Yay!  My body is finally adjusting to the torture.  Today was Burn Circuit 2, and while I was lifting 5 and 8 pounds last time (even 3 for one exercise), I was lifting 8, 10, and 12 this time.  I was also able to crank out 4 true push ups...Well, I was able to get up on my toes and come down a couple of inches- not as far as I was supposed to- but that's still better than nothing.  When it warms up this afternoon, I plan to walk at least 3 miles with Trev today to keep on my training schedule for the 5k.  It was below 40 degrees this morning, and I had a headache, so I was not getting up at 6am today.

So, on to product reviews...The first is the Clean & Clear Acne Control Kit.  I don't know if it's from working out, drinking tons of water, or sleeping in my makeup (GASP!), but I have developed what I like to call "meth face".  Over the past week or so I have broken out worse than I ever did as a teenager. And it didn't seem to be stoppping, as I was noticing new bumps every day.  I finally decided to take care of my skin for the first time ever, and I saw the Clean & Clear kit at the store.  It comes with a face wash, moisturizer, and spot treatment.  I've been using all 3 for 2 days, and I love it.  My face is already clearing up and the new bumps, particularly those around the hairline have stopped.

The second thing I want to mention is the EAS Nutrition Shake.  I was looking for some sort of healthy meal replacement bar or drink.  I chose this one because it had the most protein (17 g) and was low carb (3g net carbs).  I needed something for Tuesday and Thursday evenings since I'm in class and don't get home until around 8.  I am trying not to eat that late, so I wanted something portable and healthier than fast food.  Anyway, I chose the dark chocolate flavor.  As soon as I pulled off the top, I was overwhelmed by the smell of the protein powder.  The first sip tasted like a chocolate drink with a nutty flavor.  Then, the more I drank it, the more aware of the protein powder flavor I became.  The thing is, with that much protein, it was sure to overwhelm the taste.  I got past it and finished it off.  Then, I continued to burp it for the next hour, which was less than pleasant.  Also, it didn't fill me up.  I still had to snack on something when I got home, which defeated the purpose.  If I'm going to choke down 17 g of protein, I expect it to keep me satisfied for longer than an hour.  I tried these shakes because the ones Beachbody pushes (Shakeology) are way more expensive.  I have 3 more of them to choke down, and then I think I'll switch to protein bars, or something.

We're going to the beach tomorrow for a few days, so I won't be posting.  But rest assured, I will be working my big behind off.

    Trevor is on Spring Break this week, but he still woke up at 6am to walk with me.  He wants to continue training for his 5k while he's out of school, and unfortunately, that's the only time we have to walk without the girls.  He's surprisingly motivational for a 9-year-old boy, but no amount of encouragement could get me to run today.  My shin splints were killing me as soon as I walked out the door, but I pushed through, and we walked 2.5 miles.  Since he's in much better shape, I had him jog ahead of me and then jog back to me.  He wants me to run with him, but I told him he would probably have to leave me behind during the real race.  He said he didn't want to.  Cue heart swelling with pride.

Then is was time for Week 2 of ChaLean's Burn Circuit 1.  I was able to increase my weight for almost all exercises from last week, which was exciting.  The workout is hard but it passes so quickly that it's manageable.  Also that God awful cardio workout I did on Saturday makes me appreciate all of the other strength training ones. 

And now I am ordering my children outside in the backyard so I can study in peace for my exam.  It's nice to have a free babysitter for the week.

    Here's what I've been doing wrong when I start a new diet/ exercise plan- I only check the scale.  So when week 2, 3, and so on roll around I get very discouraged by measly pounds lost and sometimes gained, despite my best efforts.  When the scale stalls, I end up binging out of frustration and rebellion.  I've always had it in my head that the scale should reflect the amount of effort I'm putting in, so I should easily be able to lose 10 pounds a week, dammit.  I'm working hard to change that mentality.  I'm also working on changing the 100 percent mentality in which I'm completely on plan or completely off.  The completely off times account for a majority of my weight gain, because instead of eating like a normal person, I have an "I'll show you" attitude, and I eat everything I want all the time.  I'm still not sure who I'm showing...I'm working on a "moderation is key attitude" now. 

I haven't really discussed my diet on here- mostly because I think that's boring.  I am a "live to eat" person, so eating healthfully doesn't excite me.  I do feel that I should mention that on a typical day, I eat around 1500 calories, mostly from non-processed whole foods.  A whole grain waffle with natural peanut butter for breakfast.  An apple with low fat cheese for a snack.  Lunch and dinner consist of something like stir fry, a portobello burger, or a salad- all with some sort of fruit.  And I squeeze another snack in there, which lately has been pickles and cheese.  Pickles have no calories.  Did you know that? Awesome. 

Along with my diet, the other thing I think that has helped tremendously is that I have significantly decreased my soda intake.  I don't drink regular.  I drink diet.  Diet Dr. Pepper, to be exact.  I <3 Diet Dr. Pepper so much so that I would leave Wesley just to marry into the Pepper family and have Pepper children.  We would be Dr. and Mrs. Pepper.  This, by far, is the hardest thing for me to give up, which is probably why I still have to have some every day.  This also has held me back for quite some time.   The thing is, most people think that it's no big deal since it's diet and has no calories.  Well, the artificial sweetener is way sweeter than actual sugar, so when you overload your body with diet soda, it makes you crave that much more sugar, not to mention when it's the only thing you drink, it leaves you dehydrated, which makes you exhausted.  Not a good motivator for being active.  The Mayo Clinic has a great article which explains the harm in drinking too much.  I try to keep it to 2 cups a day now, which is a tremendous decreae from my previous 2+ liters a day.  I drink a ton of water, and I feel much better. 

So, on to the week one results...

Pounds Lost  -7

Right Bicep    -1 in

Left Bicep     -1 in

Chest          -1 in

Waist          -3 in (I measured a few times to make sure)

Hips            -1 in

Abductors    -2 in

Right thigh  +1.5 in (Muscle?????)

Left Thigh   +1.5 in

Total in lost = 6 inches

Not bad for the first week.  This is much better motivation than just the scale for sure.  I genuinely think the waist is due in part to cutting down soda and therefore not being as bloated.  I knew the abductors (saddlebags) went down.  Everything else, except the thighs, was a pleasant surprise.  I'm hoping the thighs are gaining muscle.  I've always had muscular legs, but I'm hoping they will trim down as I continue in the program.

On today's Chalean Extreme agenda were Burn It Off and Recharge.  Before I do any of Chalean's workouts, I go to Extremely-Fit.com and read Robert Harden's reviews.  He breaks down each workout and tells you every exercise that's in it, so I know what to expect.  It also has some really interesting articles, so I use it to keep me motivated as well.  Anyway, apparently Robert likes cardio because he rated this one highly.  The thing is, cardio is kryptonite for fat people.  We can strength train all day long- we're surprisingly strong, actually.  We naturally build strength from carrying heavier frames, heavier clothes, heavier groceries...Also, I have a 2 year old that still insists on being being picked up on a regular basis, so I'm constantly lifting an extra 25 pounds.

The thing with cardio is that it works the heart, which is already overworked in an overweight person, so we fatigue very easily.  Chalene weighs probably about the same as my left boob, and she's fit as a fiddle, so she and her equally fit cohorts breezed through this 30 minute workout.  I, however, did not.  I had to take constant breaks, and Chalene kept calling me on it.  It's like she had cameras in my house, because she kept telling me to push through, squat lower, give more intensity.  It's a good thing she wasn't here in person, because I think I would have decked her.  I had already decided to skip Recharge and replace it with an Ab workout, because Recharge is mainly yoga.  I couldn't give a damn about my flexibility, if I have rock hard abs.

I made it through to the end of Burn it Off, very discouraged, because I was reminded, yet again, of how far I have to go.  I skipped the ab workout, but I will do it later.  In fact I'll have plenty of time, because my in-laws are graciously taking my children for the night.  Yay!  Unfortunately, we have nothing romantic planned, because we both have tests next week that we'll be studying for. 

    I never thought I would say that, but today's workout was a lot of lower body work, and thanks to years of supporting my massive frame, I easily made it through.  Well, except for the push ups, dammit.  They will be the death of me.  Luckily there were only 3 this time, but they were "Extreme", which basically means that you do them in super slow motion.  I did them on my knees, but I did them.  When evaluating my goals for this program, I think more than weight loss, more than toning, I want to be able to knowck out some push ups.  Real ones.  On my toes.  So, that's what I'm shooting for.  And, if I meet that goal of being able to do 10 or more, I'll be doing them everywhere just to show off- the grocery store, the playground, the library.  If you think that's bad, don't let me get a tight little body, or I'll also be naked in all those places.

In addition to the ChaLean workout, I also got up at 5:30 am again and walk/jogged 2.3 miles.  I officially signed up for the 5k with Trevor in 2 weeks, so I have a lot of work to do between now and then.

I just invented that word, since it's the only thing I can think of to describe how I feel.  It's the exact opposite of quadriplegia, in that instead of not having feeling in my limbs, I am simultaneously aware of every muscle in my body, because they all hurt. Muscles I only know about from taking Anatomy and Physiology.  So, I was happy when today was supposed to be a cardio day...or so I thought.  On today's agenda were Burn Intervals and Ab Burner.

Burn Intervals consisted of high intensity cardio mixed with muscle endurance training.  The weights were much lighter, but there were about a billion reps of each exercise.  That dvd was 45 minutes, and next was the Ab Burner.  It was only 10 minutes, but I felt like I would puke nearly the entire time.  Also some of the exercises require you to be on all fours, but my shoulders were killing me at that point, so I had to skip a lot of those.

I know I'm bitching about the soreness a lot, but in all honesty I'm really enjoying these workouts, which is the first time I've EVER enjoyed workout dvds.  Usually the instructor is annoying, the music is distracting, and/or the workout sucks.  With these, I feel very accomplished when I'm finished.  I feel stronger- like I'm really changing my body.  Also, I really like Chalene.  She is supportive and positive, but not in a cheesey, fake way.  She constantly reminds you to keep proper form, so you won't get injured.  I hope to have great results when I'm done in 90 days, and I'm going to post stats every 30.