Weight - 189.6

Weight is coming down some, but still up from WID, 188.6. I still have a few days, but I'm not sure how this one cheat meal is supposed to do me good if I spend the rest of the week just getting back down to where I started. Maybe it's something that takes time to adjust to??? I have no freakin' idea. One more week, and then I'll suggest calorie cycling instead of a cheat meal. I'm not so sure my body agrees with this method.

Jumped on the elliptical for 45 min Saturday. I had to make it like a spin class to add some interest and "fun" to it. It worked, but I'm still having problems getting motivated enough to get back on that damn thing! I played basketball with my DD Sunday instead of the elliptical. I got more time in and had much more fun. The endorphins have to count for something!

Today I'll have to stomach the ellipitcal again, unless the pool is warm! I wanted to hit the gym for my core workout, but looks like my schedule will not allow for it, today will be tight for fitting a lot in. I'll tweak some of the exercises and just hit the HOME gym.

I'm out of water, can't be havin' that! So, I'm off to the store to refill - can't stand tap water. blechhhh....

Weight - 191.4!!!

Up 3 lbs from the pizza, no DOUBT! Trying not to freak out about that and just trust this WILL help and not hurt. My brain is having a hard time justifying this splurge and comprehending that this somehow will HELP with weight loss. I guess if nothing else, this will just be another learning experience for me to file away.

DH told me to give it some time before I give up - "trust him". I figure I'll give the changes 2 weeks, like RC has always said to give for adjustments. Seems like a long time, but it's been 3 years since I jumped on the band wagon to change my habits and health. And really, it's been my whole life. What's 2 weeks? A blink of the eye.

Letting go, trusting, experimenting, these are all new and hard changes I'm learning to make along the way to a fit body.

Okay, these were supersets or giant sets, not quite sure the difference yet. I'll do as RC does when listing this type of workout A1 then to A2 in order as I did them and repeat for however many sets.

5 supersets (giants?)
A1. db fly palms out (hammer curl position - adduction?)
no rest - db fly twisting with palms facing in (suppine)
no rest - db fly
reps-weight: 15-8lb/15-10lb/10-15lb/8-20lb/5-25lb

A2. incline push-up reps: 15/15/15/15

A3. (2-step move) lateral raise, turn palms up bring hands overhead, back to lateral raise position (palms still up), back to sides
reps-weight: 15-5lb/15-7.5lb/12-8lb/10-10lb/8-15lb

A4. BB bent-over row
reps-weight: 20-30lb/20-40lb/20-50lb/20-70lb/10x4 with rest-50lb

4 supersets
B1. machine shoulder press
reps-weight: 20-30lb/20-50lb/20-70lb (PT help after 6)/10x4 hold up 5 sec.-50lb

B2. machine reverse flyes
reps-weight: 20-30lb/20-40lb/15-55lb/15-55lb

B3. machine preacher curl
reps-weight: 15-50lb/15-65lb/15-70lb/10x4 hold 5 sec 1/2 way-35lb

Sooooooooooooo.... workout was a good one, but different than what I've gotten used to. Can't lie and say I didn't feel a pump or anything... for sure did, it felt great. But after having worked out so intensley for so long (about 6 months) it's a weird feeling. I almost feel like I'm slacking. I know that's not the case, and there is more than one way to get the job done, and heck... maybe this will be a shock my body's been waiting for. Just sayin'... totally different styles. I also am starting to think maybe James had a steady focus on FAT LOSS and Mark is looking down the path of putting me in competitions. Yes, fat loss is the same initial goal, but I think Mark may be looking a little further than James was. Dunno....

So, the wierd part of my training session was after Mark studies my food log, like usual, he says, "Do you have any cheat meals?" I answer honestly, I do, I have one cheat meal that is high in fat and low in carbs so that my body doesn't freak out on me too badly from it. He tells me, "no, stop that. I want you to have a cheat meal once a week."

I'm floored by this. Actually, I'm pushing the panic button right now! I keep asking him what he means, and he keeps repeating, like I'm stupid, eat whatever you want. I'm like asking him for rules to this and he says there are none, just make it one meal once a week. No time restrictions, no food restrictions, nothing. Can you just imagine my jaw dropping on the floor right now?

I told him that I'm freaked out about this, and like he really needed for me to tell him that. He tried comforting me by telling me that if my food log was legit then I needed this cheat meal. Well, it's legit. "then you need this cheat meal. Trust me, it's going to help you lose weight." Ohhhhh... I'm so freakin' out. Thinking inside my head - where I'm about to blow a fuse - "but you have NO idea how My body operates. My weight loss seems to be different than everyone elses, it's sloooow and I can't handle things others seem to handle just fine."

I'm still asking him for rules, guidelines, surely I'm missing something here. I think I'll stump him and so I ask him, "what about desserts?" He replies, "go ahead." Okay, I'll try this... "what about dessert AND a cheat meal?" He says, "yeah, you can have one or the other, or you can have BOTH. Let go, eat what you want. Heck, have a beer with it.... just for that meal though."

Okay, so it seems simple enough, there aren't any hidden rules I can find, but... my brain is seriously having issues with this. All of a sudden my "dieting" or "eating healthy" seems a, pardon the pun, piece of cake compared to allowing myself to eat "whatever my heart desires". Wow. Okay, so I'm a freak. And???

As I'm leaving he says, "Do this. I want you to have the most drop dead beautiful physique, and you will get it. Just trust me."

Trust..... It all seems to go back to this again doesn't it? Oh yeah, I enjoyed several pieces of pizza tonight with a diet dr. pepper. I just couldn't bring myself to do dessert or beer.

Weight - 188.6

WOW, I spent a whole day cleaning my closet.  I was amazed at how much stuff I was holding on to.  Most of it was stuff I had promised myself I'd get back into, but somehow I surpassed that moment!  I was able to give it all away!  I filled 4 lawn bags full of clothes with a 1/4 of another one waiting for a more items.

I'm mostly surprised by the fact that I weigh 15lbs more than the the lightest I've ever been doesn't make me "bigger", actually the opposite.  I found clothes that I wore when I weighed 174 lbs.  When I tried them on, I was pleasantly surprised to find they were baggy on me.  Once again, the scale proves to be inaccurate in telling the whole story.

My most shocking moment while playing dress-up was when I found my "fat" jeans.  I remember them well.  They were size 20.  But I remember them fitting rather tightly, squeezing my legs and stomach.  I remember thoughts when I wore them that I probably should move up a size. 

Now I can feel good in my brand new size 12's!

Cleanings are GOOD! 

Okay, now we've worked, upper, lower and core.  I'm curious to see how we will progress.

4 supersets
straight leg raise hold 25 seconds
prone hip extensions 20 reps

4 supersets
decline crunch hold for 30 seconds
decline superman 20 reps

4 supersets
straight arm sit up with oblique twist (switch sides each sit up) 12/12/20/20 (raised reps too easy)
"frog kicks" - prone hip extensions w/bent knees 20 reps
hanging off a bench on your stomach bend knees (as if kneeling). Knees out a bit, bring feet up towards ceiling.

Afterwards he stretched me out and showed me how to do it myself. He was suprised at how tight my hip flexors were, saying, "you weren't lying about these being tight". There was also some tightening in my right hamstring, probably from when I tweaked my knee Sunday during my 6 mile run. Stretching will definitely be as necessary as my workouts from now on.

Mark told me I could do this workout as one of my split days, but wasn't ready to give me more days than that right now. So 3 ST days it is, while I practice patience and trust.