A book

Rachel's recent checking in post came at the right time for me.

Awhile ago, someone who cares for me shared their wish that I would lose more weight. More weight? Well, I lost about 38 kg over a four-five year period. Have kept that weight off for about a year or so . Have a healthy BMI but it is still a weight that is at the higher end of the healthy BMI.This pic was from 38 kg ago....

After Easter, this year, I tried stepping up workouts and eating mostly healthy. I lost 1 kg over the last three months. My doctor was pleased -she said most people who lose weight regain it and I hadn't. But that person-who-cares and myself weren't happy.

Could I deny myself a little, lose another ten kg,?

I bought some Weight Watchers magazines.And thought - - if they can do it, so can I. For my even better health; for fitness; for another; to learn even more self control and self discipline; and, yes, vanity prevailing, to look better.

Walking, jogging, instead of Taebo. Counting WW points. I lost a kg this week. Only nine more to go!

And I've ordered this book - from a lifetime Weight Watchers member. Looks good!

New goal weight, here I come!

Anyone going to join me?

January 3

Pleased to say that yesterday I was mindful with my eating - thinking about what I would eat BEFORE I ate. Just that stopping and thinking helps. So, ate well - and not too much!

Today I did a 73 minute workout. Very proud of myself! A 31 minute Taebo Cardio Circuit 1, with Greg and with the addition of light weights. Then a workout that Jonathon gave me for Christmas. The 42 minute Crunch Cardio Go-Go. Think Go-Go dancers! Making a fool of myself in the family room.

But having fun.

Thanks for your encouragement in the challenge, Cindy. And for your updates!

Joining that challenge...

Hey, Cindy, can I join your challenge?

But mine will be a January challenge.

The challenge?

1. To continue with my daily workouts. But with a mostly one hour mostly Taebo focus. I just want to feel and look fitter and Taebo always does that for me.

2. Work on what I am eating. Need to eat healthy. Stop this junk! Diets just plain don't work for me. But working on eating well, on good habits, on the whys of eating, on eating mindfully, well, this helps. Reading Skinny Bitch and Half-Assed for encouragement.

3. Use my slogans. My mottoes. My affirmations. Where I am today is where my mind put me. Where I'll be tomorrow is where my mind will put me. Get Fit Have Fun Be Strong. Every day above ground is a blessed day. Use your mind and spirit. Be what you wanna be.

Affirmations help me, remind me of who I am and who I want to be.

So, that is my three step January challenge. Cindy, how are you going with yours? Maybe we can post regular updates?

Workout log

Saturday I did Taebo Advanced Live 5 - killer glute work to the song My Sherona.

Sunday was Turbo Jam Cardio Party 1 - good kickboxing cardio, esp to some Brittney Spears songs and to Don't Blame it on the Boogy.

Today? Not great music but a different workout - no kickboxing, just cardio and some light weights. The FIRM TransFIRMation Cardio Overdrive.

Anyone want to update re workouts - or lack thereof? :-)

Working out and weight loss

This week, I changed up my workout routine. Inspired by a thread at Video Fitness, I pulled out my Cindy Crawford workouts.

High repetition, low weights, fast paced but not true aerobics.

I alternated between The Next Challenge and Shape your Body all week, I gave it my all. I sang to the music ( songs by Blondie, Seal,the Smithereens, - the song Crazy, Top Top of the Pops and so on).

I worked hard and enjoyed myself. And today , in spite of a big restaurant lunch yesterday, and in spite of the accompanying fair amount of alcohol, I found I'd lost a kilo.

Woo hoo!

And my arms and glutes just look a littletighter, too

Thik I'll try and stay with Cindy this week!

OMG! Sore bu**

That's me today. I find it hard to walk up my stairs.

Why?

My Bu** is killing me after some great workouts.

Yesterday I did Taebo Advanced Live 10 - cool music ( Knock On Wood, Your Love is Lifting Me Higher, Boogie Fever, Simply Irresistible) and some killer floorwork. Ouch.

Then today I did Cindy Crawford's The Next Challenge - some effective cardio/leg/lower body work then abs and chest/upper body. Nice music too - especially the Blondie song.

No wonder it's hard to walk up those stairs without pain. But it's so worth it and the workouts are so much fun.

There's a fine line between pleasure and pain ~ The Divinyls.

Workout Update

Well, guys, its just Julie and me posting right now? lol!

Friday I did another Turbo Jam workout. Cardio Party 3. About 50 minutes. I love, love, love the moves, the kickbox and dance and capoeira, in this one. And I love the music - "Party Party People".

I was woo hooing and having fun, doing my workout before mass and ice skating. Jonathon ( son number 4) told me to calm down! lol!

Saturday was a time for a short workout. Turbo Jam Cardio Pary Remix - two turbos or anaerobic drills. A high energy workout in only 30 minutes.

Girls Just Wanna have Fun!

This week's log.

Hmmm..Not sure about goals this week...But I want to keep up the emphasis on kickboxing and cardio..And I need some weight or resistance work ( I've seen my arms!)....And I want to have fun in my workouts...Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Sunday A weight workout, late afternoon, after a busy but great day at our church's 25th celebration. The FIRM TransFIRMation ~ Hard Core Fusion. Aussie readers - this set, with weights, is available for sale right now at Big W!

Monday Kickbox, dance, capoeira, cardio. Turbo Jam Cardio Party 1

Tuesday Another Turbo Jam - Kickin ' Core - 30 minutes higher impact kickbox cardio, 15 minutes strength and ab work - I used a weighted medicine ball...

Wednesday The Firm Pump Jump n Jab Around the 40 minute mark, kickbox intervals alterated with dumbbell resistance work. Finishes with push ups, planks, ab work. Nice one!

Thursday Turbo Jam Punch Kick and Jam 50 minute workout, more athletic and less dancy kickboxing than other TJ workouts. I love how the music in TJ is real music, not canned techno stuff, and how it is geared to the routines. A capoeria section, then capoeria legwork and some work on form with or without a resistance band.

My eating has been up the creek. I am eating irregularly, at odd times, missing meals, not always making the best selections - like cake for a very late breakfast two days in a row and no proper dinner two nights in a row - just a mandarin or cheese and crackers. HMM. Really, Really Need To Get Back Into A Better Eating Routine.

Julie, how's your eating plan going?

Leonie's Workout Log

Goals for this week ~

*Concentrate on cardio/kickboxing, especially Turbo Jam and Taebo. Why? I find that cardio/kickbox helps me keep that calories balance and works out my upper abs ( my problem area). And it helps burn off stress, all those powerful punches and kicks, all that cool music.

* Work on portion control and avoidng mindless eating, picking at food...

* Smile more!

Sunday Not a bad eating day, in spite of those yummy margaritas! lol! Did a 40 minutes workout - Turbo Jam Cardio Party 1. Busta move!

Monday Worked out with dh and son Jonathon - an hour long Taebo Advanced Live 9. Classic Taebo, leg and butt and ab work, pushups. My arms were feeling it. Yay! I was singing and jumping and happy, with all the endorphins cruising in my veins...Its okay, I can laugh at myself! :-)

Tuesday Fitting a workout into a busy day. Turbo Jam Punch, Kick and Jam. A more athletic version of TJ.

Wednesday. In a rush, couldn't decide what to do so did Turbo Jam Fatblaster. Gota love all those Turbo drills in this workout. had a terrible tummy ache this evening so ate a late but light dinner ~ a Weight Watchers meal, Chicken Carbonara.

Thursday Another TJ workout - this time a weights workout. I am a bit of a cardio freak but I know weights are important for bone density, building and toning muscle, increasing metabolism. So, I did Booty Sculpt plus Abs with 7 and 9 lb weights and a resistance band.

Friday. Today! Still on my TJ craze so did Cardio Party 2 - love the kick sequence in this, to the music and lyrics of Sir Mixalot - Baby Got Back.

Saturday. Tired - lack of sleep, and worked at church working bee, so had to workout in the afternoon. Decided to go for corny dancing fun. Richard Simmon's Disco Sweat - I can make it harder by increasing the impact. Sang Disco Inferno!

How's everyone's week?

Workout Log Week of Sun Sept 29

Am keeping an online log - do you want to join me?

Sunday Taebo Bootcamp 1 - with my dh! A 40 minute bootcamp military style workout - with traditional taebo moves, of course!
Terrible with eating - no, I didn't eat too much calorie wise, but I ate unwisely. No dinner for example! Something that has been happening regularly lately...

Monday Turbo Jam Punch Kick and Jam. About 50 minutes of kickbox and capoeira. Fun!

Tuesday Turbo Jam Cardio Party 3- a 55 minute cardio sweat fest. A nice section near the end where you work on form in punches and kicks. And I need to stop eating mindlessly, stop picking at food here and there...

Wednesday A quickie today. Turbo Jam Fatblaster. 30 minutes but advanced - 8 Turbos! Feeling fat, especially, when I look at pics. Am re-reading Overcoming Overeating, Confessions of a Former Fat Girl and The Do-able Diet.

Thursday. Am off to do another Turbo Jam workout. Probably Cardio Party 1 or 2.
ETA - Did Cardio Party 1. Did you hear me singing along with LL Cool J - Mamma said knock you out! lol! And my eating was still pretty uneven..

Friday Planning on another Turbo Jam - probably Cardio Party 3. Didn't happen, our DVD player broke. So I did an old Taebo on VHS. Advanced Live 2 - great music, singing along with Early In The Morning, Be What I Wanna Be. Powerful kicks and punches, great standing ab work. Trying not to eat more than I need. It's all about portion control..

Saturday Gonna try that TJ Cardio Party 2 from yesterday, hopefully the DVD player has recovered!

What have you been up to??

Rachel has been losing weight and getting fit - check out her cool pics.

And me? Today was another time crunch day so I did the 30 minute Turbo Jam Cardio Party Remix. Love the music in this workout - its a happy workout for me...But then I DO love both cardio and high impact!

What have you been up to?

The Biggest Winner

I've been doing the Jillian Michaels 30 minute advanced Biggest Winner workout DVDs. Simply because this is a busy week so only have time for short workouts ~ but I want to make them count. Well, today, I woke up at 6.20 to take son Jonathon to the bus stop. And I had DOMs in my chest, shoulders and glutes. Not big DOMs but a nice little soreness. Woo hoo! I love to feel the results of working out...

Check in

Another check in! Anyone elsewant to join in - or am I talking to myself? lol! Even if you haven't had time to workout, just call in and say hi - we'll motivate you!

My eating on Friday was terrible - I was home alone for awhile, eveyone else was out and that was scary to say the least! I had a lot of work to do for WYD - I am a volunteer co-ordinator in my parish. So I dealt with stress and loneliness by eating a whole pack of peanut M& Ms - 1000 calories!

Woah, just when you think you have emotional eating under control...

I did a Transfirmation workout yesterday too - High Definition Sculpt with Annie. A first for me - I bought this just before I had my surgery. Not bad, definitely go heavier with the weights next time.

We are having World Youth Day in Sydney this week, with the Pope. So yesterday was flat out organising pilgrims - we are going to have 8-10 young Iraqi Christian males stay with us this week! Maybe a week of short workouts - was thinking Jillian Michael's set. But today will be a fun cardio - one of the Turbo Jams.

Taebo

Yesterday I got to do one of my Taebo workouts ~ with my doctor's permission. I did Taebo Ulitmate Upper Body -

Kickboxing with an upper body focus, for 60 minutes. Upper body focus = less pull on my abs and post surgery area.

I loved it! I could have worked out for another 30 minutes, but I showed restraint. And who has the time??

Sadly, I couldn't do my usual full push ups - they hurt my abs. So I did the push ups on my knees. But I know I'll work back up to full, big boy push ups eventually.

At the end, Billy gave his little motivational talk. Get Fit-Have Fun-Be Strong - Remember the Spirit.

Billy Blanks is a Christian. And his motivational talks reflect this. I was jumping around, dancing and smiling at Billy at the end of the workout and during his little talk.

And, so, yes, my workouts remind me of not doing this, my life, on my own strength but of relying on God.

Thought you'd enjoy this...

Isn't it true? I know I am wearing a smaller size now than when I was this weight years ago - all that kickboxing has helped to re-shape my body.

Oh, not working out after this surgery is killing me. All I am doing is a little ( very little) bit of walking. No, I should say shuffling! lol! And even that makes me tired. Gosh!

How are you all?

Hit Me With Your Best Shot!

Like a Virgin.

True Colours.

Mickey.

And many others songs, on the workout DVD I did yesterday and today.

An 80s aeobics and music mix, with Richard Simmons ( yeah, I know, sorry - and corny as h**l).

I jogged in place, I did high impact instead of the workout's low impact moves, to make the workout more advanced. And I had a whale of a time - sweatin' and singin' and dancin' to 80s hits.

And because of the high impact, my heart rate was up. Cool!

I felt like I was at party, being a dag, dancing around, doing aerobics moves and singing.

Now, that is not just a cardio workout - it is pure fun.

I think working out should be fun, at least some of the time, don't you?

Lift up your hearts.

Today my heart was lifted by Mass at 7.00 a.m., by the prayers and by the Sacrament. Peaceful. Helpful.

Today was my heart was lifted by my Taebo workout. (Yeah, I know). Punching, kicking, pushing myself to the limit, singing to loud music, sweating, made me forget my failings and my faults, my imperfections, my self centredness.

Hey, is is a new day and a new start.

Rachel, hope your new baby is well.

Everyone - any new starts with your health and fitness regime?

Rules to Live By

...At least for this week...

After reviewing my responses to my children and the aftermath of too much chocolate in the Easter season, I have decided to make a few temporary rules for living.

A temporary Rule of Life.

Re-reading Secrets of a Former Fat Girl reminded me of the role of rules in one's life.

The author, Delaney, shares how a few rules and a few mantras can help one change. She suggests adopting the mantra "Whatever it Takes" and "Its Not an Option (INO) ~ whatever it takes to get the change that is needed and giving up is not a option.

If you have any doubt about the role of INO to change you life, think about this: Right now other"mere words" have just as much power over you. Words Like"I am weak" and "I am not worthy." Words like I can't". These words are defining you; they are shaping the way you live now. Secret 3 : Adopt INO can help you fix that...

The idea of living ( and eating) by some set of rules is hard even to think about I know. When you life is full of stress ( as most of ours are), you savour the freedom to eat what you want and do what you want with the little downtime you have..But you know on some level that this is hurting you more than helping you..

How not to use INO: to make youself feel bad for not living up to some impossible standard you set for yourself . Think about INO as the encouraging words of a coach, not the judgement command of a drill segeant. It is meant to lift you up, not tear you down.

Chapter 3 "Secrets of a Former Fat Girl" Lisa Delaney.

This week's rules? Or should I say ~ Current Rules?

* Morning prayer and/or Mass ( getting back into good habits)

* No sharp words ( 'nuff said)

* No chocolate ( self explanatory, in the post Easter chocolate haze)

* No large helpings, no seconds, no nibbling

* Workout with intensity

I'll let you know how I fare with these rules. Assuming you are interested, of course!

New workouts

Went shopping yesterday and found a couple of new DVD workouts, on special.

Of course I had to snap them up!

Both were Crunch Fitness workouts, from the Crunch gym.

Both were fairly short - one 30 mintue, one 35 minutes. I did both , one after the other, for a good hour plus workout.

Crunch Fatblaster Next Step - 35 minutes of step aerobics. A whole lot of fun, especially the cardio bursts.

AndCrunch Burn and Firm in 30 - 30 minutes of circuits, cardio and weights.

Combined, I had a great workout, some different moves to keep both mind and muscles guessing.

Happy Easter!

Easter workouts?

Rachel, I hope yours was or will be labour - hey, we are still in Easter season, aren't we?

Cindy, prayers for your father.

My Easter workouts? Grabbing time to work out makes me a cooler person. I hope. Nicer. I hope. Healthier. More fit. More fun. Puts an added smile on my face.

What workouts? Aerobic weight training and step aerobics. Weight training ~ light weight high rep. Kickboxing.

Working off chocolate and tiredness .Working out to look and feel better, to be better. Even at Easter.

As a fellow poster says in her avatar, on the Ya-Yas fitness forum ~ What can I say, life is my catwalk. I want to be a"hottie"senior citizen.

Happy Easter season!