Power 90 Day 31 - Yesterday's photos and measurements!

We made it to Day 30! A third of the way there! I've still been kind of hit and miss with the workouts. I was so proud I didn't miss any for weeks, but then we both got off track and it's been hard to get back to it.  I usually do the strength training days, but always find an excuse not to do cardio. I could tell though, yesterday when we did the strength DVD together, I was less in shape than I had been.  I have to keep doing the cardio.  Though after the workout, we went out and did yard work together and I know I got my heart rate up.  Whew! I've not done my workout for today yet BUT the house has been full of teenagers and I want to workout with Christopher when he gets off work this afternoon.  No excuses this time.  I have to make him workout with me.  he's missed more than I have.

Ok, my measurements on Day One were:

Chest      45.5
R Arm    16.5
L Arm    17.12
Waist      48
Hips        48.25
R Thigh   26
L Thigh   24.75
R Calf      17
L Calf       17

Measurements for Day 30 are:

Chest      44.5
R Arm     16
L Arm      15.25
Waist        44
Hips          46.5
R Thigh     24
L Thigh     23.75
R Calf       16
L Calf        16

For a loss of 14.12 inches overall!  That's a lot of fat! Oddly I've only lost 3 lbs since I started Power 90.  So I'm guessing there must be some serious muscle gain under all the fat that's making up for the loss. I'm ok with that. :)

So, now the photos!

 Day One is on the left in blue. Day 30 is on the right.

I'm pretty happy with the results so far. I think the next month will show some really visible results.  I've started using Shakeology which is the supplement meal replacement shake that Beachbody sells (not cheap either!).  My coach actually gave us a bag for free which was part of a Challenge pack which included Hip Hop Abs!  My daughters are doing that workout now. I hope to add some of the Hip Hop Abs workouts to my Power 90 workouts to get an extra boost. My coach said that was a good idea. It looks like a lot of fun, but I don't know if I'm that coordinated lol. 

Anyway, the Shakeology has a ton of super foods in it, and I can tell my body is taking some time adjusting to it.  I think it's definitely working as a cleanse LOL.  I was hoping not to get too dependent on this brand of protein shakes since they're so expensive, but everything I've heard and read about how much they help with weightloss and making your body healthier might make me buy another month's worth afterall.  Especially if they have another challenge pack with the Les Mills Combat workout.  That one looks really awesome.

*** Update***  I just did my workout for today with Christopher.  I did all the ab rippers!!  Woohoo! My arms are jello now, which will be hard to  type with at work, hah.  Have a great night y'all!

Power 90 Wow Day 23 already?! Seeing results!

Well as I had said in the last entry, we were losing momentum. However, things have kind of turned around for me.  I understand now why cross training is such a good idea. Doing the same workouts every day for 2 weeks was doing a little for me, but not enough.  That has changed now.

Friday, I only had 2 of the girls at home since Faelyn was at her grandma's.  Christopher was working, so I decided since I just got paid, why not take the girls to the pool at the Davy Crockett Birthplace park.  It's in the middle of nowhere and usually only has campers in it. So we did! It was great!  The pool hardly had anyone in it and the water was so crystal clear and warm.. It was really nice. I swam around in there, trying to work my arms and legs as much as I could for at least an hour, then got out and laid in the sun to dry my bathing suit and get some color. I have more of a tan this year than I have in decades! Though it's more like one big freckle lol.

Saturday, Christopher had to work again, but Faelyn was back home and Corina (my oldest daughter) had called and said she and her husband Tyler wanted to go swimming.  So we all piled in their Explorer and went up to the lake. It's farther away but it's FREE! We ended up staying for over 5 hours, in and out of the water. Christopher even came up and met us when he got off work.  Then we went out to dinner together.  It was really nice.  Anyway, I did more working out with my arms and legs in the water for a long time til I got pretty tired and got out to dry off and eat a protein bar.

Sunday was my rest day.  While I hadn't done the DVD workouts on Friday or Saturday, I did still get a pretty good workout, so I'm counting that. By Monday morning, I was finally really noticing some changes. I'm starting to see definition in my legs.  They're not just solid logs of round fat anymore. Parts of my thighs are starting to sink in a little. It's very slight, but I know it's there.

Unfortunately Monday ended up being a second rest day.  I had plenty of time to do my workout early in the day, but I wanted to workout with Christopher.  He was supposed to get off work at 2pm.  However, he didn't get off work til after 4, then we had to run errands and make dinner then I had to work and he had an article to write.  So, I never got my workout in at all yesterday.

Today I decided I was just not going to wait on him anymore.  I had to make sure I did my workout no matter what. So, I got up early and did the workout first thing. I was really surprised! It was the day for cardio again which I usually hate. I don't like the power yoga part because I've not been able to do it well... but today I did all of it! I feel MUCH more flexible, and my legs feel stronger. The knee lifts also were a little easier, and I was able to get my knees much higher than before.  I know this is due to the swimming exercises I've been doing.  I'd work on getting my knees really high since it's so easy in the water.  I think this helped get those muscles stretched and more flexible.  It was awesome!  I feel great!

Also, since the scales were so erratic in the bathroom floor which is uneven, we had moved the scales to the back door area by our bedroom door. It's much more stable there... I just wasn't happy because my weight on the scales there was a lot higher than in the bathroom.  But I agreed it was more regular of a reading, so we left it there. Well, I'm finally below the weight I thought I was to start with! After seeing the weight suddenly go back to a higher number and then not move at all for a week or two.. it was really discouraging. Now, seeing it go down AND seeing the changes in my body, I am so thrilled!

One thing that's kind of freaking me out is that I may need to return a pair of capris I bought in an XL and switch them for a L!  I've not work a large in anything in YEARS!  maybe DECADES! I don't know for sure yet.  Have to try on the L, but the XLs just feel much too big. Hooray!

 The measuring tape says I've lost 4 inches on my waist! That's a LOT cause I was bit around to start with! So happy!
                 
We take our 30 day photos soon.  I can't wait to see what a difference there is now. One more week!  Oh and I am going swimming again this weekend! I can't get enough of the lake!

Power 90 Day 18 - Losing momentum

I'm 3 days away from the 3 week mark for Power 90, plus the 6 day fat burn... so basically a month for us. I know it's working, but I am still getting discouraged.  I've read over and over how I should not get hung up about what the scale says, but it's hard to let it go. I've gained 3 lbs according to the scale we have.  of course it's a cheap ass thing.  It's digital, but must be the cheapest digital scale available. /rant.  Anyway, the measuring tape isn't changing much either! I just don't get it.  I can see muscles developing and I feel stronger, but the tape isn't getting shorter?  Why?? 

The one thing that has really kind of kept me from chucking it all is that I tried on a pair of shorts I've had forever. I've never been able to wear them.  I got them on clearance at the end of summer one year,  there were 3 pairs, different colors. I think they were sized wrong or something cause they say they're 18W, and I wore an 18W back then, but they wouldn't come close to buttoning when I got them home. I was pretty ticked off about it.  I've had them so long I know I moved with them 4 years ago. They've been put in the give away bag so many times, and every time I take them back out saying they were such a good deal, and shorts cost so much now and I REALLY need to lose enough to get into them. Well, yesterday, I was looking for shorts since it was so hot, and I found those 3 pairs in the back of my bottom drawer.  I figured, what the hell.  might as well try.  I knew I'd be disappointed.  I think I almost wanted an excuse to just give up... it was that kind of day. But OMG they fit.  I even tried on all 3 pairs to make sure.  Oh they're tight, but I can fasten them and wear them without feeling like I'm being cut in half. I was astounded! Last time I tried, there was about 3 inches or more between the buttons and the button holes.  Nowhere near meeting and buttoning.

So, that was a good thing, but I still find it hard to get excited about that when the scale and tape aren't budging. I know it's a mental thing, but that's me.

This past weekend not doing the Power 90 workouts has made us both lose momentum.. though life isn't helping.  Doing my workouts while kids were still in school was easy.  I'd get up around 1pm and do the workout and get cleaned up and dressed before they got home.  Now they're home all day with friends running in and out.  I have instituted a rule about no friends in the house while I workout, but it barely works. We get interrupted all the time, even by adults. Today, I laid in bed much longer than I should have.  I just really wanted to get some extra sleep. Finally I rolled out of bed at 2pm, then piddled around a little, and talked to my kids. I was about to go workout, then take the gilrs and go for a walk like last week (though it was pretty hot and I was wishy washy about that).. then I suddenly realized I had a bill I HAD to pay today, and needed the car.  I texted C to see if he had paid it for me or was coming home for lunch.  He texted right back that he was on his way.  So much for the workout! I got ready while he ate lunch and then took him back to work then went on to pay the bill. I figured I'd go ahead and do grocery shopping for the week since I had the car. Called Rhiannon at home and we hashed out a menu and she gave me ingredients I needed from the recipes on Team Beachbody, and I got the groceries.

By the time I got home, and got all the groceries put away, it was time to make dinner. Then it was time to get to work.  So, yeah, no workout for me today. I could do the workout after work at 3am, but last night I could barely move at 3am and couldn't keep my eyes open. I'm thinking about just getting up early tomorrow, doing my strength training workout (which is what Day 19 should be) and then go to the pool at the campground and burn some calories there. I'm not sure though. I'd have to take C to work at 8am for me to have the car all day and that's a bit early for me.

Maybe I'll just do both DVD workouts sometime tomorrow.  I could do Day 18 cardio when I wake up then do the Day 19 strength training with C when he gets off work at 5. I'd love to go swimming though. We'll see.

I just wish my shorts fitting was more of an incentive for me.  I've got some hangups I need to get over.

Oh here's a shot of dinner. Baked chicken with a little olive oil and Italian seasoning and a sprinkle of parmesan with my spinach and baby arugula salad with blackberries and sunflower seeds, and home made baked sweet potato fries.

Imported Post - Power 90 Day 4 This Really Works!

I'm on Day 4 of Power 90.  OMG am I sore!  Still.  I know it will ease off the more I do it, but man!  Those leg lifts are killer when you have thunder thighs LOL!

Here's what we've had for dinner the last couple nights.

Shrimp Kebobs with brown rice.  These were SO GOOD!  The smokiness of the grill on the veggies was amazing and the marinade YUM!

Vegetarian Curry with more brown rice. This one is also really good. Very filling. Good to have a meatless meal.

I kind of had a feeling my huge gut was a little less huge this morning, so I got out the measuring tape. I have lost 3 inches on my waist!!!  I'm guessing I was a little bloated from some water gain when we took the before measurements, but whatever the reason, it's AWESOME!  My jeans definitely fit better.  They had been getting so tight I had to unbutton them after dinner at work (good thing I work from home!)

Overall, even though I'm sore when I stand and walk, I feel stronger, more limber (in places that aren't in pain), and even standing up taller. The stretches really help with that.  I am going back to my hometown next Saturday to my nephew's graduation. I wonder if there'll be any noticeable change for the people I see there that haven't seen me for a couple weeks.

Hope you're all doing well!
Patty