Training for My Training: Starting a 4 Week Shape Up Plan

While I still have time before my half marathon training starts on August 18th and for the extra motivation to not become a slacker until then, I volunteered to try out a new work out plan designed by one of my SPASisters. Angelena is a mom and certified personal trainer who offers online personal training plans. Please check out her blog at On Fire Fitness Healthy Living.

An online trainer is something I've wanted to try for a while. I am okay with working out alone and don't necessarily need a person staring at me when I make that "this ish is hard face". I'm pretty good at pushing myself, as long as I have a plan.

So, for the next four weeks I will be skipping my usual body works plus abs class at the gym and will opt for the 4 Week Shape Up Plan. The plan includes 

• docs that allow you to track your goals (i.e. starting measurements, weight, and other goals)
• a food guide with sample meals and a shopping list
• meal and snack guidelines
• 4 weeks of weight and cardio workouts
• a doc to track your successes and struggles
• and lastly, many ways to stay connected if you should need her assistance or motivation

Week 1, Day 1

I won't be providing a day to day update, but since I've already gotten a taste of the plan I figured I'd let ya know how it's going so far. 

I had a rough night with my son (sleep training attempt #345, lol) so I was a little off my rocker this morning. I was finally able to complete workout day 1 in the afternoon while he napped. Almost half way through the workout he woke up, but thankfully he hung out without wanting to be picked up while I finished up. I did modify my cardio choice at the end of the weight training because I needed something quick I could finish up while he was still okay. I did a jump rope Tabata workout instead of choosing one of the Tabata workouts or HIIT treadmill workouts provided. I knew the jump rope would be visually interesting to him, therefore I would be able to get through.

I finished day 1 in about 45-50 minutes. I completed all exercises, the entire duration with the heaviest weights I own. I will probably have to go to the gym for most of the program where I will have access to heavier weights.

I've taken my before shots, but I may post them when I've completed the plan. Also, I will follow the meal plan almost exactly after I go grocery shopping again next week. For now, I am still eating clean, just not organic. Good news is, I've found a closer farmer's market so I can become more consistent with purchasing grass fed meats and organic produce.

Have you ever thought about online personal training? Are you a workout plan type of person, or do you like to wing it?

Thanks for reading,

Tiffany :-)

*Disclaimer: I received this training plan for free in exchange for my blog review. All opinions are my own.

Regaining Momentum

**See first post since January below.**

So far, it's been more of a mental struggle to regain my fitness momentum than physical. It went pretty good the first two weeks. I was so excited to just get a sweat in. And I gave it my all in this one class. The instructor couldn't believe I had just had a baby 7 weeks before. I got the green light by my midwife to workout at 5 weeks and I was at the gym the next day. Yup! But week 3, besides schedule conflicts, I think I am expecting more of myself than I should. I know good and well I won't just return back to running 9 and 10-minute miles just like that. But seeing that 13 and 14 is SO freakin' discouraging. It feels like I will never return to the level I once was. That's ridiculous thinking for just having had a baby 2 mths ago almost and only been working out for 3 weeks so far, but I can't help it! I wanna be where I was!!! It's gonna take too long I think. I think it's time to reunite with my girls from Black Girls RUN!.

Week of June 24th

I'm trying to keep myself accountable for this week and on because last week was a major bust. Here's a snapshot of my plans for the week. My goal is to keep working on speed (I want a 8:30 mile/min avg pace to be easy and not something I'm fighting to the death for on race day) and to build my mileage back up to run half Mary #2 and so on. I'll blog the workout results every other day.

Saturday's long run will be at least  4.

You've set your goals, now how will you stick with them?

I'm the type of person that needs structure.  I need a plan in order to reach my goals.  Mental plans, written out plans, whatever...they all work for me. Most people I know join gyms to help motivate them to continue with their workout plans because they are a) paying for this b) are surrounded by like-minded folk and c) it's what the cool people do when you want to lose weight. 

A little known fact (well, for people who actually know me in real life) is that I've never wanted to join a gym or have felt completely comfortable the times I've gone. I would always stay the bare minimum and do the same thing each visit for fear of looking like a rookie. The gym can be an intimidating place for a newbie.

So, how did I stick with my plan to lose the weight? Well, because I am a person who needs structure and also a self-motivated person, I was completely fine with following workout DVDs from home, following the C25k running program, and other genius iPhone fitness apps (i.e. Nike Training)  I've discovered along the way. Now, I did go to the gym to use the elliptical machine and occasionally lift weights, and matter of fact that was where majority of my cardio would come from. My apartment complex has a very small gym barely used by the residents, so most times I'd have it all to myself.

 

Most people need workout buddies, and maybe it's my personality, but I don't. I wanted to lose weight so bad I could taste it. Well, maybe not taste it, but I sure could see what I wanted to look like anyway. I constantly visualized myself the way I wanted to look (& still do). Those mental pictures kept me going on days I wanted to stop. I set short term goals to reward and encourage myself along the way. My long term goals began to seem more easily attainable once I knew I could meet those short-term goals.  I never deprived myself of foods or even activities I knew I would enjoy because I wanted to lose weight. I remained focus, but you HAVE to learn how to get "along" with foods that ARE going to be around regardless. Fact is, everyone else is not on the same journey as you are and regardless to whether or not you want to completely give up sugar, for example, you need to learn how to be around it without having a mental breakdown and causing a setback.

 

Once something has become routine, it's hard to stop. Decide what works for you and dedicate yourself. Remember that it didn't take over night for you to become "that" way, so it's not going to take overnight to "fix" it.

Quest to Rid of this PUDGE!

Last Friday I went bathing suit shopping for the first time in 5 years.  It's our 3-year anniversary on the 15th, so we decided to go on a quick getaway.  I don't know how to swim and just sitting splashing in the water becomes boring after a while, so I had no real reason to buy one.  Oh, and having zero body confidence at the time played a major role as well.  I was pretty nervous about how things would turn out and whether this would be an ALL day thing.  Fortunately, I found what I needed in store #2.  It's the end of the season, so Target had a few pieces I was surprisingly happy with on the clearance rack.  (My confidence is SO much higher now, I can just tell).  I really went looking for a nice one-piece because my stomach is no where near where I'd like for it to be, but I decided to get the two-piece anyway because I could always a) hold my pudge in (haha) or b) wear a tank over it.  

I will admit when trying it on, I was still pretty proud. I didn't look horrendous and I really felt like all of my hard work over the past 2 years has paid off, I just need to keep pushing it if I ever want to lose the gut.  We ended up not going to our original destination, Florida, due to a rain forecast (& I don't even think it rained down there) and the hotel we did stay in didn't have the Jacuzzi we hoped for, so I didn't even get to wear it.  Not to fret though, I just have more time to get it right!  

I opted in YumYucky's Finish What You Started Challenge to tame the pudge, but it's going on 3 weeks and I still don't have the motivation.  Last week I scored 22 points.  My exercise was on point, but my eating habits fell by the wayside.  Week 2 was worst. I scored 13 points. I'm so ashamed to say that all I've eaten for my dinners since Thursday night has been fast food. *hangs head in shame*.

Now, going into week 3, I have a new plan.  I need something new. After months of watching others, contemplating, and nagging the husband (lol), I got Insanity.  I get bored, and I think this will get me out of the rut.  I'm still in pretty good shape (check my last 5k time lol), so this is why I decided on Insanity versus P90X.  I hear that Insanity is for those that are already in shape.  I need SOMETHING that will get rid of this belly! I know abs are made in the kitchen, but I feel like adding this extra intensity to my running routine instead of the circuit trainings (sorry, Jillian, but anytime you start to memorize the script of a workout DVD, it might be time to let it go lol) as well as not allowing slip-ups on my "diet" so much will make it better.

Enjoy a few pictures from the beautiful Appalachian Mountains...

I may be prissy, but I still like nature "stuff" lol

I was obviously not dressed for a hike, but this was a spur of the moment, walk and talk kinda thing. The exercise nerd in me, turned on my iMapMyRun app so it was a little over a 1 mile 'hike" around this state park.

All in Preparation

Thank goodness for new beginnings. Last week was kind of rough. Getting back on track has only been successful as far as completing all of the workouts I had planned for the week. It was rough because I didn't plan my meals and I ended up eating horribly for about 3 days.  

 

It's usually the other way around. I would usually work out at minimum intensity, but eat well.  I'm just trying to get back the same "oomph" I had when I first started this journey.  to be clear, I want to lose my tummy and I realize that's way more about diet than it is exercise so to speak. Thankfully, I've already done my grocery shopping for the week and my workouts will be as followed:

Sunday - Rest
Monday - 4 mi run + upper body weight routine
Tuesday - Circuit Training
Wednesday - Circuit Training
Thursday - 3.5 mi run (with group)
Friday - Circuit Training
Saturday - 3.1 mi (Atlanta's Finest 5K Run/Walk)

As you can see I have a race at the end of the week.  This will be my 3rd race ever and I'm going for PR so I really want my diet to be on point!  There were hills I weren't prepared for in my first race and lots of logistical errors in my second race.  I've been running routes with excruciating (at least to me) hills the past two weeks and I know for sure this race will be organized a lot better than the second.

**More Pictures to Come**

Motivate Me & I'll Motivate You!

Getting It Together...Back on Track!

I ended up having more fun in New Orleans than I thought I would! It was my second trip there, but my first actually being able to see and participate in a few things.  We saw sites, tasted beignets, shopped, partied on Bourbon Street, hung with friends, and best of all ATE!  But, all good things must come to an end :-(

On our way home, we decided to make a couple of store stops, including the pawn shop (we love a deal).  I accidentally (by accidentally I mean I was not actually in the market for this at the time) found a Garmin Forerunner 305.  The price was too good for me not to pass it up.  They sold it to us for $80. I Googled the item before buying it to make sure we were getting a fair price, because like I said, I wasn't in the market for this  so I hadn't done my research other than seeing other bloggers casually mention it.  For the same model, I saw prices for $129 and up, so I believe we weren't jipped lol.  This item was really on my 2012 wishlist.  So, I'm pretty happy with the price we paid for it.  I can't wait to take it out.  Oh, and I'm probably still going to use Nike+.  I want the Garmin to help me train for faster times and keep me on pace. I don't really care about recording my workouts with the Garmin as of yet.  I like the Nike+ user interface too much.

**7/26 update: I realized the cradle/charger wasn't in the bag. I went back to the shop and they didn't have it either. So basically they gave me $25 (eBay price) to get one. So really I ended up paying $55 for the thing. Niiiice ^_^


Weekly Workout Goals
Monday - rest
Tuesday - Circuit Training & 3+ mile P.M. group run
Wednesday - 3-4 A.M. group run & Strength Train (upper body)
Thursday - Circuit Training
Friday - Circuit Training
Saturday - rest
Sunday - Yoga or Stretching

My schedule seems a little jacked up to me because I forgot I'm babysitting this week so I had to plan my workouts on days I know working out won't be a problem.  I tweeted last week that I volunteered to watch my BFF's 4 kids! Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking.  Hopefully I can stick to the schedule I've planned for myself.  These aren't normally the days I spread my workouts on.  Anyhow, I need to put myself back on a schedule regardless.  Next week's post I'll include my planned meals for the week. The trip threw me off track as far as meal planning and I may have to go grocery shopping tomorrow.  Huh, so much to do and not enough time in the day! Story of everyone's lives!

Lastly, just as the title says, to really make sure I'm getting it together, I have decided to participate in two challenges of bloggers I have just started to follow.  The first is a 7-day "No Excuses" Challenge by RenewedFitness to basically finish a few goals (mostly non-fitness related) that I started, such as register to take the GRE.  Another goal, but not as important, update my running playlist, which I'm almost done already.  The other challenge is by YumYucky and hasn't started yet.  It's a "Finish What You Started" Challenge.  Now this is the fitness-related one that I plan to do starting in August to rededicate myself to my fitness and desired physique goals.  

That's it for tonight's post.  There'll be new recipe reviews I'm trying or have tried posted later in the week.

Motivate Me & I'll Motivate You!

A Random Type of Day

Rolling out of bed at 10am...it's like a good portion of my day is gone already!  I'm still on a quest for consistency.  I haven't settled on what days I'm going to do what.  I'm usually good with organizing my time wisely, but ever since I've gotten serious with this blog (which I've had since last year), it's been taking a lot of my time.  Time I should evenly spread doing other things, but I can't pry myself away from the computer.  And then once I am away from the computer, I'm at my iPhone doing the same thing. #NotWinning.  

Anyway, I want badly to complete my goals.  I really want to meet my "flat stomach" goal by uh? ... I need to figure that one out.  It WAS by the end of the summer, but I don't know.  We'll just say that's pending for now.  I was glad to see that Yum Yucky will be starting another challenge.  I'm a new reader of her blog and saw the mid and ending results of her challenge, not to mention the awesome prize she gave away, so I think that'll help motivate me to "finish what I started".

Today's Workout

Before my run, I did an upper body weight routine from Carrot 'N' Cake's blog.  It was something easy on time that I could fit in beforehand.

I'm supposedly following Nike's 5K Training program to increase my 5K speed.  I attempted 4 miles yesterday, but due to the heat and low hydration and the fact that I rolled out of bed so late I barely finished 2 mi.  Today is kind of my make-up day.  According to the plan, I was supposed to take today off, but since my running group is meeting today (in a location I love), I decided to join in so I won't feel so bad about yesterday.  I have never stopped and walked midway run with them, probably because when I'm running, exercising, or doing anything for that matter in front of other people, I never want them to see me at my weakest point (call it pride, I guess?).  Crazy, but it helps me endure.  Don't get me wrong, I will stop if I just can't take it, but I see it as motivation that I don't.

We ran 3.76 miles. My average pace was 10:24.  I'm puzzled at the fact that my first mile was 10:16, but my second was 8:57. Ran down hill maybe? IDK.

Lunch

This was a I-have-too-many-leftovers-from-other-recipes type of day.  I didn't want any thing to go to waste, so I was fortunate enough to find these two "recipes".  I had almost or at least some things that could substitute in the following "creations".

roast beef and spinach sandwich

Ingredients
1 Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese slice
1 tbsp light mayo
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 tbsp mustard

255 calories

Dinner

chicken fajita-ranch wrap

Ingredients

1 tsp chili pepper (to season tenderloins)

2 tbsp ranch dressing

4 oz chicken, tenderloins

2 tsp garlic powder

1 whole wheat tortilla

1/2 cup green bell pepper

424 calories

Do you prefer working out alone or with people?  Do you push a little harder in others' presence than you would if you were alone?

A Monday Message

I usually don't have a problem following through on workout plans (unless you count going past 11 days doing Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred), but a conversation elsewhere asked what my workout goals were this week.  This gave me the idea to start paying more attention to planning my workouts.  Hopefully this will help me stick to a consistent routine.  As of now, I am not very consistent with my strength training as far as the days I do them.  I do them more along the lines of ... when I feel like it.  My goals are still to tone up and flatten the tummy, but I realize I need to be a lot more consistent than I have been the past few weeks.  

I've gotten lax over the past few weeks with my eating and exercise intensity level.  I've been doing the minimum and that's about it.  I can tell I've done a good job just maintaining because the scale has literally not budged in a month.  If i want to increase my 5K time and meet other body goals, that's just not going to work.  So I figure I need to bump up the intensity back to where I started.  When I was so "hungry" to lose the weight.  

I started one of the Nike Plus beginners 5K training programs last week.  Day 1 started with 2 miles and then seems as if it will alternate between 3 miles and 4 miles every other day.  

- - -

Today I ran/walked 4 miles.  On a scale of 1 to 5, today's run was a 3.  I should have known better than to attempt running (especially a distance I haven't ran in a long while) in the middle of the day, in this southern heat.  After mile 2, I started breaking down and taking more walk breaks.  After mile 3, I started to feel light headed and a little dizzy.  Never again.  If I wake up late, I will just force myself to run in the evening when the temps are cooler.  Oh, and HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!  The part of the trail I ran was very shady, but I think I probably should have drank more water starting yesterday!  I have definitely learned my lesson.