Sunday, December 28, 2008

We are back!!


We had the most wonderful, romantic anniversary!! I have many photos to share and I will try and post them in the next few days. As for now, we are busy trying to get ready for the movers to come and pack up everything as we are FINALLY moving back home to Texas! We are hoping to have our stuff shipped around the 12th of January and then we are leaving for the US the same week for a house hunting trip and for my husband to have some meetings in regards to his new position. We are also shipping our dog back with us on the same flight so we are trying to finalize all the necessary documents for him to leave Russia and to re-enter the US.

In terms of my program, I am doing well. I went to see a doctor on our visit and he confirmed what I had excepted, I have runners knee and in addition to that, behind my knee I have a baker's cyst. This was wonderful news because both are common not serious. I also have a strained ligament, in my right knee but again, it is nothing that ice and a few days of rest will not fix. I am taking some anti-inflammatories that he gave me and resting for a few more days before starting back slowly on the treadmill.

I will not be posting as much over the next few weeks because of all that we have going on, but I will try and post at least once a week my workouts and updates as to how I am doing.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Blessings this new year to each of you!

Work hard, reach high!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Off to celebrate 9 amazing years!!


We are getting ready to leave for Europe to celebrate 9 wonderful years of marriage!! I will back posting my workouts soon, but know that while we are gone I plan on getting in 5 or 6 good runs and I will watch my eating. I promise!

21 days left in 2008! Keep reaching and working hard!!

Go Little Grandma Go!!

I am so proud and excited in the fact that my dear grandmother was featured in the Dallas Morning News!!! My family will be running the Dallas White Rock Marathon relay together this Sunday and apart of the team is my 81 year old grandmother!! I wish more than anything that I could be there to run with my family. I will have to wait until next year!

She is my inspiration for sure! What a great lesson in life we can learn from someone who gets out there are lives, really and truly LIVES up to her potential each and every day.....even at 81!! I am so glad I have her genes, she is my grandmother after all! I can only hope and pray that I have this much spunk and spirit when I am her age. Thank you, grandma for being such a wonderful example to me in so many ways.

Rooting for you all the way from Siberia! Go get em' grandma!

Click here to read the article and see a video of my grandmother.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Feeling better with an awesome run!

I feel much better today, however my husband is home sick. I am really hoping that he improves before Friday. Both of us are drinking tons of water and taking wellness and immune formulas to keep us well. I was going to take another day off from working out but I just could not do it! I miss my workouts! My body felt so tight yesterday and I was in need of a good run today. My knee did well today and I am icing it as we speak. I did an Itrain interval set which I always love to do. If you are not familiar with Itrain, click here to check it out!

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - did not meet goal.
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Ice knee 3 times a day for 20 mins- done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done

Workout 12/9 -
10 min walk high speed - 4.4 mph
5 min warm up run high speed - 5.2 mph
5 min walk high speed - 4.7 mph
20 min run - Itrain interval set - high interval speed - 7.5 mph with recovery for each interval at 5.0 mph
5 min cool down walk.

Total time - 45 mins
Calories burned - 473
AHR-154/80% MHR -189/98%

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,598
Protein - 37%
Fat - 15%
Carbs - 49%

Meal 1 - 1.5 servings of homemade whole wheat chicken and veggie pasta ( whole wheat pasta, ground chicken, mixed vegetables, garlic, onions, and marinara sauce) 20 oz of water and 2 cups of black tea with milk.

Meal 2 - 3.5 oz of chicken breast grilled with red bell pepper over raw bok choy with sour cream and picante sauce. 20 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 1/2 cup of millet cooked with water and 1/2 apple. 4 egg whites scrambled.

Meal 4 - 7 oz of grilled tilapia, 1 sweet potato, 1/2 cup of steamed veggies. 40 oz of water. 1 grapefruit. 2 cups of ginger read tea with lemon.

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of buckwheat cooked with water and 1/2 apple. 20 oz of water

Meal 6 - 1 scoop of protein powder with 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 20 oz of water.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Great article on injury prevention.

Click here to read the article from Runner's World on how to prevent ligament sprains.

A bit under the weather...

This weekend my throat and ear started to hurt and this morning it has not improved. Just to be on the safe side I am taking today off. We are leaving on Friday for our anniversary trip so this is not the time to push it. The good news is that I have made an appointment in Moscow with a sports medicine doctor to take a look at my knee! It is improving every day but because of my races coming up need I need to find out what the problem has been. Hopefully, I will be able to start training soon for my half marathon coming up in April, if not, I know there are other races in the year and it is not the end of the world. I feel good about the upcoming year, mostly because we will be living back in the US, but I am excited about the goals I plan to reach!!

Daily goals -
Stay within my daily caloric range -done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Ice knee 3 times a day for 20 mins -done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Apple cider vinegar in water 2 times a day - done

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,331
Protein - 43%
Fat - 12%
Carbs - 45%

Meal 1 - 1/2 serving of breakfast mixture - (1/2 cup of millet, 1/2 cup of buckwheat cooked with 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds, 1/2 scoop of protein powder and 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 apple.) along with 1/2 serving of egg whites mixture - ( 6 egg whites scrambled with 1 red bell pepper and 3.5 oz of chicken breast). 20 oz of water. 2 cups of ginger red with lemon.

Meal 2 - 1/2 serving of breakfast mixture and 1/2 serving of egg whites mixture - ingredients listed above. 20 oz of water with apple cider vinegar. 2 cups of white tea.

Meal 3 - 1 can of tuna in water, 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, 1/2 of apple, onion over 1.5 cups of raw bok choy. 20 oz of water with apple cider vinegar.

Meal 4 - 4 oz of grilled tilapia, 1 sweet potato and 1 cup of steamed vegetables. 40 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 1 grapefruit and 2 cups of ginger red tea with lemon. 20 oz of water.

Friday, December 05, 2008

Another great run...

I did well today. I ran strong and my knee felt great. Hopefully I am on the home stretch to total recovery! Off to ice my knee....

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Ice knee 3 times a day for 20 mins- done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 bags of green/white tea a day - did not meet goal.

Workout 12/5 -
20 min slow run with intervals - highest - 7.5 mph
20 mins of intervals, walking and bike with hills.

Total time - 40.20 mins
Calories burned - 343
AHR- 136/71% MHR - 182/95%

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,636
Protein - 35%
Fat - 19%
Carbs - 47%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water. 1/2 cup of millet and 1/2 cup of oatmeal/oatbran mixture cooked with 10 almonds, 1/2 cup of skim milk, a few raisins,1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds and 1/2 scoop of protein powder.

Meal 2 -5 oz of grilled chicken breast with 1 serving of brown rice veggie mixture ( brown rice grilled with mushrooms, garlic, onions, red bell pepper, zucchini, olive oil). 20 oz of water. 2 cups of black tea with skim milk.

Meal 3 - 8 oz of water with 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries with 1 scoop of protein powder. 40 oz of water

Meal 4 - 5 oz of grilled chicken breast with 1.5 servings of brown rice veggie mixture ( brown rice grilled with mushrooms, garlic, onions, red bell pepper, zucchini, olive oil). 40 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries, 1/4 cup of oatmeal/oatbran mixture, . 2 cups of red ginger tea with lemon. 1 cup of popcorn. 20 oz of water.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Great day of cardio...

Totals for the day -
Time - 97:27 mins
Calories burned - 970
Calories consumed - 1,863

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - did not meet goal.
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Ice knee 3 times a day - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - did not meet goal.

Workout 1 - Ellipitcal - 15 mins followed by 15:03 mins on bike - 8.5 kms with 5 hill intervals.
Total time - 32.22 mins
Calories burned - 230
AHR -124/65% MHR - 169/88%

Workout 2 - Warm up - 16 mins of aerobics with a combination of -
Cross body moutain climbers
Jumping jacks
Pushups
Low pulse lunges
Squats
Planks
Boxing
Standing Fire hydrants
Wood choppers holding one 17.6 lb DB.

Treadmill - 30 mins total -
5 min walk high speed 4.6 mph
20 min run high speed of 7.0 mph
5 min walk 3.5 mph at 15% incline and 4.0 mph at 5% incline.

Bike - 13:19 mins- 8.5 kms flat ride - no intervals.
Cool down 5 min walk and stretch.

Total time - 65:05 mins
Calories burned - 740
AHR - 160/83% MHR - 186/97%

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,863
Protein - 35%
Fat - 24%
Carbs - 42%

Meal 1 - 1/2 cup of millet and 1/2 cup of buckwheat cooked with 1/2 cup of skim milk, 1/4 cup of blackberries, 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds and 1/2 scoop of protein powder. I cup of black tea with skim milk. 20 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 1 sweet potato with 7 oz of grilled chicken breast. 1/2 apple with 5 almonds. 20 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1 egg and 3 egg whites scrambled with 1/2 cup of mushrooms. 2 tbsp of ketchup. 40 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 7 oz of tilapia grilled with 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 cup of brown rice, 1/2 cup of zucchini and 1 red bell pepper. 40 oz of water.

Meal 6 - 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and blueberries,1/2 cup of oatmeal/oatbran mixture, 10 almonds, 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 2 cups of red ginger tea with lemon.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Latest clip from Cathe's STS...

Here is the latest clip from Cathe's STS program soon to be released.


Rest day but all goals met.

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - Rest day.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - did not meet goal.

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,616
Protein - 32%
Fat - 18%
Carbs - 50%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water before breakfast. 1 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1 scoop of protein powder, 2 tbsp of ground flaxseeds and 1/2 apple.

Meal 2 - 1 egg scrambled with 3 egg whites and 1/2 cup of mushrooms. 20 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 1 sweet potato with 3.5 oz of grilled chicken breast. 20 oz of water. 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/4 cup of muesli.

Meal 4 - 4 oz of tilapia grilled with 10 spears of asparagus. 40 oz of water. 1 grapefruit.

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and blueberries and 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 2 cups of red ginger tea with lemon.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Great day, all goals accomplished!

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - done.

Workout 12/2 -
Treadmill warm up 5 mins and 5 mins of aerobics
Bike - 10 km with 4 hill intervals - 17:03 mins
Treadmill - 60 mins total -
10 min walk - high speed 4.4 mph
15 min run with high speed of 6.2 mph at 1% incline
30 min walk with intervals - 4.2 mph at 3,6,9 and 12% incline
5 min run with high speed of 6.5 mph at 1% incline.
Stretch and cool down

Total time - 91.27 mins
Calories burnd - 875
AHR - 144/75% MHR - 185/96%

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,876
Protein - 38%
Fat - 16%
Carbs - 46%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water before breakfast. 1/2 cup of cooked millet with 1/2 scoop of protein powder with 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds. 4 egg whites scrambled and 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries. 20 oz of water with 5 bags of green tea.

Meal 2 - 1/2 serving of tuna mixture - (1 can of tuna. 1/2 apple and onion with 1/4 cup of plain yogurt.) 2 Wasa high fiber crackers. 20 oz of water. 1/2 cup of millet, 1/4 scoop of protein powder, 1/4 of apple, 8 almonds and 1/4 cup of skim milk.

Meal 3 - 7 oz of tilapia. 20 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1/2 serving of tuna mixture - (1 can of tuna. 1/2 apple and onion with 1/4 cup of plain yogurt.) 2 Wasa high fiber crackers. 20 oz of water. 1/2 cup of millet, 1/4 scoop of protein powder, 1/4 of apple, 8 almonds and 1/4 cup of skim milk.

Meal 5 - 3.5 oz of grilled chicken with basil and 1/2 cup of grilled vegetables. 40 oz of water. 1 grapefruit.

Meal 6 - 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and blueberries.

Monday, December 01, 2008

A Thought for Tuesday...


“Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.” Billy Graham

Ask yourself this question, did you make a difference today, not only in your life, but in someone else's life as well? Did you reach your full potential? Are you another day closer to meeting your goals? If not, list where you went wrong. Recognize what you could have done differently and then put it into action! With weight loss it is not always about reaching your ultimate dream, it is however about recognizing that you have 24 hours to do something great! A chance to take your body to a new level, to reach another goal, to touch someone's life in a special way. The finish line is set. It is there waiting for you to cross it, but what about the smaller achievements you can make along the way. Do not loose sight of the countless opportunities that are before you! Take a moment today and think about a goal that you want to reach, it can be anything. Maybe you want to run another mile, lift heavier, drink more water, skip the dessert. Anything that you think will take you one more step towards that finish line. It is not a leap, it is a single step. A single effort that will add up over time. This is how you will reach your dream. Waking up each morning with a mission, a plan as to how you will get there. I challenge each of you to do something different, new and exciting today. Step outside of your comfort zone and reach, really reach towards your goal.

We have been given today as a precious gift, don't waste one second of it. This day will pass us by only once!

Work hard, reach high!

11 days and counting!

Monday Motivation...

"What we can or cannot do, what we consider possible or impossible, is rarely a function of our true capability. It is more likely a function of our beliefs about who we are." Tony Robbins

I had a great workout today. I am enjoying my new bike! I think it will be good for my knee and it adds more variety to my routine. My thighs are feeling my ride today! I did 10 kms and I worked in some hill/resistance work during the workout. The combination of elliptical, bike and treadmill worked well for me.

We are leaving in 11 days for a trip to London and Paris to celebrate 9 years of marriage! I need to work hard and stay on course so that I can enjoy myself on our trip, well within reason! I need to still watch how many cappuccinos and croissants I have, they add up! Hope everyone has a wonderful start to the month! Only 30 days left in 2008! Make each day count!

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - did not meet goal.
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - done.

Treadmill run/walk, elliptical and bike combo -
Warm up - 5 mins aerobics
Bike - 10 km/6.2 miles with intervals - 16:37 mins
Treadmill and Elliptical - 41 mins walk high speed - 4.7 mph and 15 min run high speed - 5.6 mph
Core work and cool down - 10 mins
Oblique crunches - 50 reps on each side
Crunchy frog (from ABX) - 50 reps
Suitcase cruch - 50 reps
Bicycle crunch - 100 reps

Total time - 72 mins
Calories burned - 702
AHR - 145/76% MHR - 180/94%

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,564
Protein - 46%
Fat - 19%
Carbs - 36%

Meal 1 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple with 1/2 scoop of protein powder and 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseeds. 32 oz of water with 5 green tea bags.

Meal 2 - 3 oz of grilled chicken with bell peppers and onions over raw bok choy with 2 tbsp of fat free sour cream and 2 tbsp of picante sauce. 20 oz of water. 1 egg scrambled with 4 egg whites.

Meal 3 - 15 almonds with 1/2 apple and 20 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1/2 cup of millet cooked with 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 20 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 7 oz of grilled tilapia and 1/2 cup of grilled zucchini. 40 oz of water.

Meal 6 - 1.5 scoops of protein powder, 1 cup of skim milk and 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries. 20 oz of water.

Great article on zig zag dieting...

I found this article from Bodybuilding.com. To read the full article click here -

5 Rules for Zig Zag Dieting -


Rule One

Always eat at least 5 meals a day (preferably 6 or 7). Two or three meals simply isn't often enough. Your blood sugar levels will be controlled (and thus your cravings), you'll get protein in small amounts throughout the day to support growth and recovery, and (most important) the enzymes that store fat will be produced in far smaller amounts, making your body far less capable of storing fat!

Simply, by providing your body with a consistent and frequent supply of calories -- life-giving energy -- its need to store fat is significantly reduced. Conversely, when you eat infrequently, your body recognizes a "famine" situation, and the enzymes are produced in large quantities to "swoop down" on every calorie you consume in order to store it as fat in preparation for the "famine" to come.

Rule Two

Remember the 1-2-3 rule. In each of your 5 meals, approximately 1 part of the calories should come from fats, 2 parts from protein and 3 parts from carbohydrates. This is a guideline, not a hard-and-fast law. Just keep the fat intake down to a low level (do not eliminate fat, as some fat is essential for maintaining good health), consume enough protein to support growth and recovery, and carbohydrates commensurable to your energy output (carbos are your body's preferred energy fuel source). Remember that protein and carbohydrates both have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram.

Rule Three

When you sit down to eat, ask yourself, "What am I going to be doing for the next three hours of my life?" Then, if you're taking a nap, eat less than the average amount of carbos; if you're planning on being active, eat more than the average amount of carbos. For average between-meal activities, eat an average sized meal. Always keep your protein intake up to an appropriate level. This simple system ensures that you'll never put fat on from eating excess calories, or cannibalize your muscles from eating too little.

Rule Four

Another thing to remember whether you're trying to lose fat or adding lean muscle is to "zigzag" your caloric intake. For example, if you want to lose fat, reduce your calories during the week, but "pig out" on Friday night and Saturday. This will 1) readjust your BMR upwards, 2) support lean tissue building, and 3) give you a psychological "lift." Remember, in Rule One you learned that your fat storing enzymes were no longer a threat, so you CAN pig out once in awhile! In fact, if you want to put on lean muscle, you MUST! There is no way you can maximize lean muscle mass while on a calorie-restricted diet.

Rule Five

Your reduced intake of calories makes it almost impossible to get all of the nutrients your body needs to remain healthy and active. So, it's important to supplement your diet with vitamins, minerals and other carefully selected substances to ensure maximum progress toward your fitness, health and fat loss goals. Also, no matter how hard you try, no matter how good of a cook you are, or where you buy your food:

You can't always eat 5 or 6 times daily;
There are many instances where your body either requires or can make good use of certain nutrients in greater amounts than what can be derived from Mother Nature alone;
A perfectly balanced diet cannot be maintained during periods of contest preparation or periods where there is a purposeful caloric restriction imposed;
Periods of high-stress training require supernormal intake of many nutrients without a commensurable increase in caloric need;
Periods of high-stress training creates a situation in which various benefits can be derived from nutritional substances not normally found in food or biosynthesized in the body in sufficient or significant quantities but which are either man made or derived from botanical sources
Soil depletion, toxins in the food chain, overprocessing, overcooking, free radical formation in the body, and a host of other (sometimes medically related) factors all interact to make food less than totally nutritious.
Because man has been able to improve on Mother Nature's original work in many of life's arenas, there are some "superfoods" available which are plain and simply BETTER than the normal diet for serious fitness training.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Workout Schedule 12/1 - 12/7 -

This week will be a recovery week with no ST.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 60 min walk,run,elliptical and bike combo followed by core work.

Tuesday and Thursday - 60 min walk,run,elliptical and bike combo followed by lower body work.

Saturday and Sunday - Rest

Friday, November 28, 2008

Circuit Training with cardio intervals.

Today I changed my routine up by adding cardio intervals to my ST routine and lifting lighter weights with higher reps. I have not done cardio intervals with my ST in some time. I was not able to make my intervals as intense as they once were because of my knee but I did increase my speed today up to 6.5 mph. Hopefully with patience and more time I will be back to where I used to be.

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - done.


Circuit Training consisting of 5 circuits with Cardio Intervals
Total time - 95 mins
Calories burned - 1,086
AHR -159/83% MHR - 186/97%

Circuit 1 -

Squats with leg raise - 20 reps
Jumping jacks - 20 reps
Boxing hook- 50 reps
Jumping jacks - 20 reps
Squats with leg raise - 20 reps
Spiderman push-ups - 16 reps
BB bent over rows with 56 lb BB - 15 reps
Incline reverse flys with 6.6 lb DBs - 15 reps
Treadmill - 5 min intervals -
1 min - walk warm up 4.0 mph
1min - 5.0 mph
1 min - 5.5 mph
1 min - 5.8 mph
1 min - 5.0 mph

Circuit 2 -

Shoulder press with 19.8 lb DBs - 12 reps
Walking staggered hands push-ups - 10 reps
Two arm bicep curls with 19.8 lb DBs - 15 reps
Reverse flys with resistance bands - 15 reps
Two arm front raise with 11lb DBs - 15 reps
Two arm side raise with 11lb DBs - 15 reps
Elliptical - 2 mins

Circuit 3 -

Cross body punch with 11lb DBs - 60 secs nonstop
One arm horizontal body chop with resistance bands - 15 reps for each side
Wood choppers holding one 17.6 lb DB - 15 reps
Cross body curls with 19.8 lb DBs - 20 reps for each arm
Shoulder press with 19.8 lb DBs - 10 reps
BB bent over rows with 56 lb BB -15 reps
Incline reverse flys with 6.6 lb DBs - 12 reps
Incline BB press with 56 lb BB- 12 reps
Hammer curls with 19.8 lb DBs - 20 reps for each arm
Low pluse lunge - 40 reps for each leg
Elliptical - 2 mins

Circuit 4 -

Laying down tricep extensions with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs - 15 reps
Wide grip lat pulldowns with resistance band -20 reps
BB bent over rows with 56 lb BB - 15 reps
Functional rotations with double front raise with 11 lb DBs - 32 reps
Treadmill - 5 min intervals -
1 min - walk warm up 4.0 mph
1min - 5.0 mph
1 min - 5.5 mph
1 min - 5.8 mph
1 min - 5.0 mph

Circuit 5 -

Wood choppers holding one 17.6 lb DB - 15 reps
Spiderman push-ups - 10 reps
Walking staggered hand push-ups - 10 reps
Two arm overhead extensions with resistance bands - 15 reps
Straight arm pulldowns with resistance bands - 20 reps
Standard 21's with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs - 21 reps
Two arm front raise with 11lb DBs - 10 reps
Two arm side raise with 11lb DBs - 10 reps
Cross body punch with 6.6 lb DBs - 60 secs nonstop
Low pulse lunges - 40 reps for each leg
Double hammer curl/shoulder press/lateral raise/upright row combo with 11lb DBs - 15 reps
Treadmill intervals - 20 mins
5 min warm up walk - 3.5 mph - 4.6 mph
5 mins - 5.0 mph
5 mins - 5.5 - 6.5 mph
5 mins cool down - 4.0 - 3.5 mph


Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,718
Protein - 30%
Fat - 19%
Carbs - 51%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water. 1/2 cup of oats cooked with 1/2 scoop of protein powder and 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds and 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 5 green tea bags with water.

Meal 2 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple and 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 40 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 5 oz of grilled chicken breast, bell peppers and onions over raw bok choy with fat free sour cream and picante sauce. 20 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 2 chicken drumsticks, no/little skin with homemade red pepper masala. 20 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 3 cups of popcorn and 1 square of Lindt dark 75% chocolate with black tea and milk.

Meal 6 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple and 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 40 oz of water.

Knee exercises and ITB stretches....

I posted these because I am recovering from a knee injury. As we live in Russia, I have not seen a doctor as of yet so I am having to perform daily stretches and exercises to help my knee until we find out what the underlying problem is. They have helped a great deal and every day my knee is getting stronger. I now have no pain when I run, and the swelling continues to go down. As of now my runs are only 11 consecutive mins and each week I am increasing my distance my 10% to ensure that I do not re-injure my knee. So far this plan is working well.

I wanted to share these videos I found as there may be others who are suffering from a similar problem as well as have the videos online so that I can refer back to them as needed.





Thursday, November 27, 2008

Rest day....

I am one sore little lady! I feel wonderful in that my muscles have been worked hard and I am feeling it!! I was debating whether or not to do my scheduled lower body and core workout but today is after all a holiday back in the states so I figured a day off would not hurt! :) I will be back at it tomorrow. But for today it is a lazy day for sure!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - did not meet goal - took today off.
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - did not meet goal.

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,681
Protein - 39%
Fat - 22%
Carbs - 39%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water. 2 eggs, 3 egg whies, 1/2 red bell pepper, 3.5 oz of chicken breast, .70 oz of goat cheese and fresh basil. 2 cup of black tea with milk.

Meal 2 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt , 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 40 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 3.5 oz of grilled chicken breast, bell peppers and onions over bok choy with fat free sour cream and picante sauce. 20 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1/2 cups of oats cooked with 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 20 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 4 oz of grilled tilapia and 1/2 cup of grilled veggies. 40 oz of water.

Meal 6 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 20 oz of water.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Upper body ST with cardio.

"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done." - Vince Lombardi

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - done

Workout 1 - Upper body ST with treadmill walk/run.

BB bicep curls with 56 lb BB -
Set 1 - 10 reps
Set 2 - 8 reps

Standard 21's with 19.8 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 21 reps
Set 2 - 21 reps

Two arm hammer curls with 19.8 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 12 reps
Ser 2 - 12 reps

Alternating cross body curls with 28.2 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 8 reps for each arm
Set 2 - 8 reps for each arm

Seated Arnold press with 19.8 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 10 reps
Set 2 - 10 reps

Seated alternating shoulder press with 19.8 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 10 reps for each arm
Set 2 - 10 reps for each arm

Front/lateral raise combo with 11 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 16 reps
Set 2 - 16 reps

Bent over lateral raise with 11lb DBs -
Set 1 - 8 reps
Set 2 - 8 reps

Standing reverse flys with 30 lb resistance bands -
Set 1 - 12 reps
Set 2 - 12 reps

One arm bent over lateral raise with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 12 reps for each arm
Set 2 - 12 reps for each arm

Incline reverse DB flys with 6.6 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 12 reps
Set 2 - 12 reps

Straight arm pulldowns with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Close grip pulldowns with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Wide grip pulldowns with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Under hand close grip pulldowns with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Seated rows with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Horizontal body chops with resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps on each side
Set 2 - 15 reps on each side

Wood choppers with one 28.2 lb DB -
Set 1 - 12 reps
Set 2 - 12 reps

BB bent over rows with 78 lb BB -
Set 1 - 10 reps
Set 2 - 10 reps

BB bent over rows with 56 lb BB -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Seated single arm rows with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps for each arm
Set 2 - 15 reps for each arm

Bench Dips -
Set 1 - 25 reps
Set 2 - 25 reps

Two arm laying tricep extension with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 8 reps
Set 2 - 8 reps

One arm overhead tricep extensions with one 19.8 lb DB -
Set 1 - 10 reps for each arm
Set 2 - 10 reps for each arm

Two arm overhead extension with 40 lb resistance band -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Incline DB press with 28.2 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 12 reps
Set 2 - 8 reps

DB flys with 19.8 lb DBs -
Set 1 - 12 reps
Set 2 - 12 reps

Decline push-ups -
Set 1 - 12 reps
Set 2 - 12 reps

BB bench press with 78 lb BB -
Set 1 - 10 reps
Set 2 - 8 reps

BB bench press with 56 lb BB -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 12 reps

Post workout treadmill walk and run high speed 5.8 mph - 32 mins

Total time - 105 mins
Calories burned -1,086
AHR -150/78% MHR - 184/96%


Workout 2 - Yoga stretches with 15 mins on a elliptical.

Total time - 20 mins
Calories burned - 205
AHR -150/78% MHR - 170/89%

Totals for the day -
Time - 125 mins
Calories burned - 1,291

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 2,044
Fat - 12%
Carbs - 43%
Protein - 45%

Meal 1 - 1/2 cup of oats, 1/2 apple cooked with 1/4 cup of yogurt, 2 tbsp of ground flaxseeds, 1 scoop of protein powder and 4 egg whites. 40 oz of water with 5 green tea bags.

Meal 2 - 1.5 cups of milk, 1.5 scoop of protein powder and 1/2 cup frozen strawberries. 20 oz of water

Meal 3 - 5 oz of grilled chicken breast grilled with bell peppers and onions over raw bok choy with fat free sour cream and picante sauce. 20 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple, 1/2 scoop of protein powder.

Meal 4 - 7 oz of tilapia. 20 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple, 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 40 oz of water. 2 cups of red ginger tea with lemon.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Lower body core work with cardio.

“Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, that soft word of praise or thanks, that delivery of the very best that you can do. It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you think about you. You can never do your best, which should always be your trademark, if you are cutting corners and shirking responsibilities. You are special. Act it. Never neglect the little things.” Og Mandino

Today was a success in every way. I reached all of my goals, I worked hard and I can rest tonight in knowing that I did my best and as a result, I am another day closer to reaching my ultimate dream!! Remember that today is a gift, a blessing another chance to make a difference - make it count!! Work hard, reach high!!

Daily goals -
Complete scheduled workout - done
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Stay within my daily caloric range - done
Knee exercises/stretches - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink 4 - 5 bags of green/white tea a day - done

Workout 1 - 45 min walk before breakfast - high speed walking 4.6 mph and 11 mins of running high speed 5.5 mph. With post walk stretch.

Total time - 48:11 mins
Calories burned - 305
AHR -118/61% MHR - 173/90%

Workout 2 - Lower body work with core. Warm up - Cathe Drill Max DVD -

Prisoner Squats -
3 sets of 20 reps

V squeezes on balance ball -
3 sets of 20 reps

Lateral skaters -
3 sets of 20 reps

Standing Fire-hydrants -
3 sets of 20 reps for each leg.

Squatting Firewalkers/Crab walk with resistance band -
3 sets of 50 reps

Balance ball leg curls -
3 sets of 15 reps

Mountain climbers -
3 sets of 20 reps

Low pulse lunges -
3 sets of 15 reps for each leg

Balance ball plank roll outs (elbows on ball in plank position to roll out ) -
3 sets of 15 reps

Side to side crunch with both legs raised holding one 17.6 lb DB -
3 sets of 20 reps

Balance ball roll outs on knees -
3 sets of 15 reps

Cross body mountain climbers -
3 sets of 20 reps

Balance ball plank crunches( elbows on bench and feet on ball- pull knees to chest) -
3 sets of 15 reps

Diagonal chops with squat holding one 17.6 lb DB -
3 sets of 15 reps for each side.

Horizontal chops with resistance bands -
3 sets of 15 reps

Balance ball exchange -
3 sets of 15 reps

Standing oblique crunch with leg raise -
3 sets of 20 reps for each side

Total time - 56:12 mins
Calories burned - 535
AHR - 144/75% MHR - 176/92%

Total time for the day - 104 mins
Total Calories burned - 840


Daily Intake -
Calories burned - 1,746
Fat - 20%
Carbs - 40%
Protein - 39%

Meal 1 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 apple, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/4 scoop of protein powder and 2 tbsp of ground flaxseeds. 3 egg whites scrambled with 1 egg. 40 oz of water with 5 bags of green tea.

Meal 2 - 3.5 oz of grilled chicken with bell peppers and onions over lettuce with fat free sour cream and picante sauce. 20 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 1 scoop of protein powder, 8 oz of water and 1/2 scoop of frozen strawberries.

Meal 4 - 7 oz of grilled tilapia and 1 sweet potato. 40 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 apple, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/4 scoop of protein powder. 20 oz of water.

Meal 6 - 2.5 cups of popcorn. 1 cup of milk, 1/2 scoop of protein powder. 2 cups of red ginger tea with lemon and 1 square of Lindt 75% dark chocolate.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Upper body ST with my first run since my knee injury!

Today was awesome! I lifted hard, and I ran for the first time in weeks since my knee injury! I could not help myself today. I felt as if I was going to burst if I did not run, I miss it so much. I only ran for 11 mins with a high speed of 5.5 mph, so I kept it slow and steady but I was so excited to be running and best of all - without pain! Hopefully tomorrow I can do this again and slowly increase my time as long as the swelling keeps down and I am pain free.

Daily goals -
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Complete workout - done
Stay within caloric range for the day - done
Knee exercises/ stretches - done
Ice knee at least 4 times a day - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done


Upper body ST with walking intervals - Warm up 10 mins - Cathe Drill max -


Chest/Back supersets -


Superset 1 - DB Flys/WideGrip Pulldowns -

DB flys - 3 sets of 10 reps with 19.8 lb. DBs
Wide grip Pulldowns with 40lb P90X bands - 3 sets of 10 reps


Superset 2 - Decline push-ups/Straight arm pulldowns -

Decline push-ups - 3 sets of 10 reps
Straight arm pulldowns with 40lb. P90X band - 3 sets of 10 reps


Superset 3 - DB Press/ One arm rows -

DB Press - 3 sets of 12 reps with 31lb DBs
One arm rows - 3 sets of 12 reps with 31lb DBs


Superset 4 - Wide-fly push-ups/BB bent over rows -

Wide fly push-ups - 3 sets of 10 reps
BB bent over rows - 3 sets of 10 reps with 78 lb BB


Shoulders/Rear delt supersets -


Superset 1 - Military Press/ Rear flys on balance ball -

Military Press - 3 sets of 10 reps with 19.8 lb DBs
Rear flys on balance ball - 3 sets of 12 reps with 6.6 lb DBs


Superset 2 - Front and Side raise combo/ Bent over flys -

Front and Side raise combo - 3 sets of 16 reps -
Set 1 - 16 reps with 11 lb DBs
Set 2 - 16 reps with 6.6 lb DBs
Set 3 - 16 reps with 6.6 lb DBs

Bent over flys - 3 sets of 8 reps
Set 1 - 8 reps with 11 lb DBs
Set 2 - 8 reps with 6.6 lb DBs
Set 3 - 8 reps with 6.6 lb DBs


Superset 3 - Scapular retractions/Upright rows -

Scapular retractions - 3 sets of 10 reps with 40lb P90X bands.
Upright rows - 3 sets of 8 reps with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs


Bicep/Triceps superset -


Superset 1 - BB curls/Two arm tricep pulldowns -

BB curls - 3 sets total with 56 lb BB
Set 1 and 2 - 8 reps and Set 3 - 6 reps

Two arm tricep pulldowns - 3 sets of 15 reps with 40lb P90X bands


Superset 2 - Static curls/Balance ball dips -

Static curls - 3 sets of 10 reps for each arm with 19.8 lb DBs
Balance ball dips - hands on the ball - 3 sets of 10 reps


Superset 3 - Bicep curls/ Two arm laying tricep extensions -

Alternating Bicep curls - 3 sets total -
Set 1 - 8 reps for each arm with 31 lb DBs
Set 2 - 8 reps for each arm with 25.5 lb DBs
Set 3 - 10 reps with each arm with 19.8 lb DBs

Two arm laying down tricep extensions - 3 sets of 10 reps with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs


Post ST walk on tread for 15 mins high speed 4.5 mph and 11 min run high speed 5.5 mph - 26 mins total

Total time - 99.19 mins
Calories burned - 1,060
AHR - 153/80% MHR - 192/100%

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,844
Fat - 16%
Protein - 39%
Carbs - 45%

Meal 1 - 1/2 cup of oatbran/oatmeal cooked with 1/4 cup of milk, 1/2 scoop of protein powder and 3 egg whites. 20 oz of water with white tea.

Meal 2 - 3.5 oz of grilled chicken breast with bell peppers and onions over lettuce and picante sauce and fat free sour cream. 20 oz of water with 4 bags of green tea.

Meal 3 - 1.5 cups of milk, 1.5 scoops of protein powder and 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 20 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1 tbsp. of protein powder, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 2 tbsp of ground flaxseeds and 1/2 apple. 20 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 1 small sweet potato, 3.5 oz of grilled tilapia. 1/2 apple with 2 tsp. of almond butter. 40 oz of water.

Meal 6 -3.5 oz of chicken breast with bell peppers and onions over lettuce and fat free sour cream and picante sauce. 2 cups of decaf red ginger tea with lemon. 20 oz of water.

Meal 7 - Late night snack of popcorn - 3 cups and 40 oz of water.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Oh how I love thee cheat days!

What can I say, I am human! Each week I stay pretty strict on my diet for 5-6 days, then comes the FUN! Pasta, bread and cheese! Yesterday was my cheat day and it was glorious! I did rather well actually for a cheat day and loved every second of it!

Today I am not going to be as strict as normal so we will call this my mini cheat day number 2! I think I deserve it and I know my metabolism with love it as soon as I go back to my low calorie day tomorrow. For those wondering I cycle my calories so that I have 6 days a week that are low or within the lower range of my allowance. Then 1 day a week I go for a higher range, well above my daily allowance. It works well for me and I have seen great results doing this.

For those of you just starting out on your weight loss journey I think it is important to remember that you need to allow your self meals or treats that you can look forward to. This is after all a lifetime commitment. Have in your mind a restaurant or a favorite dish that you want to indulge in and set a date for it. Everyone is different but for me it works well. Now as with anything in life remember moderation is key! A cheat day does not mean you can take a gallon of cookies and cream ice cream and just devour the whole thing! Never forget that you always have control as to how much you are going to consume, even on days where you are splurging.

I was SO excited yesterday as we went to Metro, similar to Sams and Costco in the states. Every once and awhile you can find some great fresh veggies and yesterday I hit the jack pot!! Fresh broccoli, zucchini and basil. I was also happy to see that they had sweet potatoes, tuna steaks, as well as tilapia!! I bought 4 bags of frozen tilapia! When it is in you better stock up! So now for this week I have such a great variety to choose from. It is funny the things we get excited about over here!

Looking ahead to next week I am pumped! I was reading through my Turbulence Training this weekend and I have found some more great ideas for exercises to fit into my program! I also browsed through some youtube videos of various workout routines. I am always looking for new moves to spice up my routine! Working out in the same place inside of your house for 3 years can sometimes get dull and repetitive! I have said this before my heaven help me the day I step foot in a gym back in the states, I will never want to leave!! I really will be like a kid in a candy store!

My knee is consistently doing better each day. The swelling is going down and my stability is better than ever. I am hoping that after the end of this week I can start to run again. Starting off slowly of course, but just to run period, regardless of the speed will be so great,I miss it so much.

Hope everyone has a blessed weekend and you reach all of your goals!! Keep pressing on!!

Workout Schedule - 11/24 - 11/30

Monday 11/24 -

AM - 45 min walk before breakfast.
PM - Upper body circuit

Tuesday 11/25 -

AM - 45 min walk before breakfast
PM - Lower body circuit and core work.

Wednesday 11/26 -

AM - 45 min walk before breakfast
PM - Upper body circuit

Thursday - 11/27 - Happy Thanksgiving!

AM - 45 min walk before breakfast
PM - Lower body circuit and core work

Friday - 11/28 -

AM - 45 min walk before breakfast
PM - Upper body circuit

Saturday - 11/29 -

Day off

Sunday - 11/30 -

Day off

Daily Intake - 11/22-
Calories consumed - 2,279 - High calorie day.
Protein - 21%
Fat - 38%
Carbs - 41%

Meal 1 - 1/2 cup of muesli and 1/2 cup of milk.

Meal 2 - Stuffed eggplant with garlic, tomatoes, cucumber and onions (a dish served at our favorite restaurant here. It is a Uzbeck restaurant and oh so yummy!) 2 skewers - a mix of chicken, beef, pork and lamb kebabs, side of bread and a cappuccino

Meal 3 - 1.5 slices of whole grain bread with goat cheese! My all time favorite thing!!

Meal 4 - 1/2 of mixed oats cereal (processed) with 1/2 cup of milk

Meal 5 - Whole wheat pasta with grilled chicken breast in pesto sauce with mixed berry yogurt for dessert and a piece of 75% dark chocolate.

Daily Intake - 11/23 -
Calories consumed - 1,510
Protein - 37%
Fat - 25%
Carbs - 38%

Meal 1 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple and 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds. 32 oz of water with 3 green tea bags.

Meal 2 - 1/4 serving of whole wheat pasta and grilled chicken pesto. 40 oz of water.

Meal 4- 1.5 scoops of protein powder, 1/2 cup of frozen blackberries and 1.5 cups of milk. 20 oz of water.

Meal 5 - Fajita salad - 5 oz of grilled chicken breast with bell peppers and onions grilled with olive oil and served with lettuce, fat free sour cream and picante sauce. 40 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 2.5 cups of popcorn and 2 squares of Lindt Ecuador dark chocolate 75% with decaf black tea with lemon.

Turbulence Training push-up variations...

Try these! For the first time I tried a new one, the walking staggered hand push-ups yesterday and I can tell you I am feeling it today! Great stuff!!! If you have not checked out Turbulence Training do so, it is wonderful. Click here to find out more.





Friday, November 21, 2008

Upper body circuit...

I lifted well today. I did one of my circuit workouts and once again it proved to be a great way to burn calories while lifting! Today was longer than some of my other circuits as I was having to change the weights of my DBs so that took a bit of time, but it also gave me a small rest between muscle groups so it worked well.  I finished the workout with a 10 min walk on the treadmill, I was aiming for 20 mins but I could feel my body was starting to fatigue and I needed to get my post workout shake in and fast!! 

I am pleased with how my program is shaping up despite the fact that I still can not run on the treadmill because of my knee. I am getting some great workouts in and I am seeing a difference in the mirror as well as with the measuring tape! That is encouraging! I just need to stay on course, and allow my knee to heal then I can get back to all those wonderful intervals and runs that I miss so much. 

I am looking forward to this weekend, it is my weekly free or cheat meal! Yea! I am really strict with my diet 6 days out of the week so I allow myself one day to indulge - but not too much!  For me my cheat day usually includes more oats and yogurt throughout the day which I love, sushi for lunch or dinner or soba noodles and of course my favorite treat goat cheese and whole grain bread!  For my sweet tooth I like to add dark chocolate, 85%!!  

Tomorrows workout will be leg work with some core and a walk. Hope everyone has a great day and a wonderful, productive weekend! Work hard, reach high! 

Full Body Circuit with post workout walk on treadmill. Warm up - Cathe Drill max dvd - warm up set only. 

Push-ups - 3 sets of 10 reps - 90 reps total -
Close Grip push-up 
Spiderman push-up - (regular push-up then take one knee to the elbow on each side) 
Walking staggered hands push-up - ( one hand down low at chest level and the other staggered high above shoulders, then push down and come up then crawl forward into the next position and push down...repeat for 5 reps back and forward for a total of 10 reps)

DB flys -  4 sets alternating reps and weights - 
Set 1 and 2 - 15 reps with 19.8 lb DBs 
Set 3 and 4 - 8 reps with 25.5 lb DBs 

DB Key Press -  
3 sets of 10 reps with 25.5 lb DBs 

Standing DB shoulder press -
3 sets of 8 reps with 19.8 lb DBs.

DB upright rows - 
3 sets of 8 reps with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs 

Scapular retractions with resistance bands - 
3 sets of 12 reps 

Rear delt flys on balance ball - 
3 sets of 8 reps with 11 lb DBs 

One arm DB front raise - 
Set 1 - 8 reps with each arm with one 19.8 lb DB 
Set 2 - 10 reps with each arm with one 17.6 lb DB 
Set 3 - 15 reps with each arm with one 11 lb DB

One arm DB side raise - 
Set 1 - 10 reps with each arm with one 19.8 lb DB 
Set 2 - 12 reps with each arm with one 17.6 lb DB
Set 3 - 20 reps with each arm with one 11 lb DB

Laying down two arm tricep extensions and one legged bench dips - 3 double sets - 
Set 1 - 10 reps with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs, followed by 15 dips 
Set 2 - 8 reps with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs, followed by 15 dips 
Set 3 - 10 reps with a pair of 19.8 lb DBs, followed by 15 dips

Standing bicep BB curl - 
3 sets of 8 reps with 56 lb BB. 

Alternating bicep curls - 
2 sets of 16 reps (8 reps for each arm) with 31 lb DBs 

Alternating hammer curls - 
Set 1 - 12 reps ( 6 reps for each arm) with 31 lb DBs. 
Set 2 - 16 reps ( 8 reps each arm) with 25.5 lb DBs 

One arm DB rows - 
3 sets of 8 reps for each arm with one 47 lb DB

Bent over BB rows - 
Set 1 - 10 reps with 100 lb BB
Set 2 - 10 reps with 78 lb BB
Set 3 - 10 reps with 78 lb BB

Total time -  93 mins 
Calories burned - 917 
AHR - 146/76% MHR - 179/93%

Daily Goals - 
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done 
Take all supplements and vitamins - done 
Stay within caloric range for the day - done 
Ice my knee at least 4 times a day - done 
Knee stretches/exercises - done 

Daily Intake - 
Calories consumed - 1,758
Protein - 35%
Fat - 19%
Carbs - 46%

Meal 1 - 1 cups of oats/muesli mix, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple, 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseeds. 3 bags of green tea with water and milk.  20 oz of water. 

Meal 2 - 1 scoop of protein powder, 8 oz of water, 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 

Meal 3 - 1 cup of milk, 1.5 scoop of protein powder and 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 

Meal 4 - 1 cup of white bean soup with a side of asparagus and broccoli. 40 oz of water. 

Meal 5 -  2 eggs and 1 egg white scrambled. 40 oz of water. 

Meal 6 - 2.5 cups of popcorn. 3 cups of decaf black tea with milk. 20 oz of water. 









 






Thursday, November 20, 2008

Turbulence Training Bodyweight 1000 -

This kind of stuff makes me happy! I love these of workouts, so effective and so much fun!!! 


Another Cathe Clip!!

I cannot wait for STS to be released!! In the mean time here is another clip. This one is from the bonus leg routine from mesocycle 1 -


Taking the day off...

I woke up this morning and did not feel my usual self. Not sure if I am about to get sick or I am just tired, either way, I am taking today off. Today I had scheduled core work and a walk so I will have to make it up tomorrow. Despite the fact that I took today off, I still met all my goals! 

Daily goals - 
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done 
Take all supplements and vitamins - done 
Knee exercises and stretches  - done 
Ice at least 4 times throughout the day - done 
Stay within caloric range for the day - done  

Daily Intake - 
Calories consumed - 1,249
Protein -  38%
Fat -  28%
Carbs -  34%

Meal 1 -  20 oz of water. 3/4 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 apple and 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds.  2 cups of black tea with milk. 

Meal 2 - 5 egg whites scrambled with 1/2 cup of grilled veggies, and 3.5 oz of ground chicken breast. 40 oz of water. 

Meal 3 - 2 eggs scrambled with 1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms. 20 oz of water.  2 cups of decaf black tea with lemon

Meal 4 - 3.5 oz of ground chicken, garlic and mushrooms stuffed in a red bell pepper. 20 oz of water. 

Meal 5 - 1.5 scoops of protein powder, 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and 8 oz of water. 20 oz of water. 


Wednesday, November 19, 2008

P90x Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

Today was great. I lifted well, I feel wonderful and the swelling of my knee is going down. I did not do my morning cardio today as I did not want to over do a good thing. I wanted to give my knee a rest so that I could continue walking this week without injury.  This was my last P90X workout for awhile as I am going to switch up my weight training for a few weeks, as I do from time to time. I am going back to doing a circuit format on Friday, then after about 2 - 3 weeks I will go back to P90X.  

P90X Chest, Shoulders and Triceps - 
  • Slow motion 3 in 1 push-ups -  20 reps 
  • In and out shoulder flys - 16 reps with 11 lb DBs 
  • Chair dips with one leg - 23 reps 
  • Plange push-ups - 10 reps 
  • Pike Press push-ups - 12 reps 
  • Side tri-rise - 10 reps with each arm. 
  • Floor fly push-ups - 16 reps 
  • Scarecrow - 10 reps with 11 lb DBs 
  • Two arm overhead tricep extension - 8 reps with 19.8 lb DBs in each hand. 
  • Two twitch speed push-ups -  16 reps 
  • Y overhead shoulder press - 8 reps with 19.8 lb DBs 
  • Lying down two arm tricep extension - 10 reps with 19.8 lb DBs in each hand. 
  • Side to side push-ups - 10 reps 
  • Pour flys - 15 reps with 6.6 lb DBs 
  • One arm side leaning tricep extensions - 8 reps for each arm with one 19.8 lb DB
  • One arm push-ups - 13 reps on knees. 
  • Weighted circles - 15 reps with 11 lb. DBs and 25 reps with 6.6 lb DBs 
  • Throw the bomb - 10 reps for each arm with  one 19.8 lb DB
  • Clap/plyo push-ups - 1  clap push up standard then 12 clap/plyo's on knees
  • Slo-mo-throw - 10 reps with 11lb DBs 
  • One arm front to back tricep extensions - 10 reps for each arm with one 19.8 lb DB. 
  • Balance push-ups/T- push-ups - 20 reps 
  • Fly-row-overhead press combo - 8 reps with 19.8 lb DBs, then 8 reps with 11lb DBs 
  • Lying down DB cross body blows - 16 reps with 19.8 lb DBs, then 20 reps with 11 lb DBs

Total time - 49.39 mins 
Calories burned - 436
AHR - 138/72%  MHR - 181/94%

Daily goals - 
Drink at least 20 oz of water before breakfast - done 
Take all supplements and vitamins - done 
Stay within caloric range for the day - done 
Drink at least 128 oz of water throughout the day - done 
Knee stretches/ice knee at least 4 times during the day - done 

Daily Intake - 
Calories consumed - 1,444
Protein - 30%
Fat - 12%
Carbs - 58%

Meal 1 - 1/4 cup of muesli, 3 egg whites, 1/4 scoop of protein powder made into a protein pancake and topped with 3 tbsp of yogurt and 1 tbsp of strawberry jam. 2 cups of black tea with milk and 4o oz of water. 

Meal 2 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt and 1/2 apple with 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds. 20 oz of water. 

Meal 3 - 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and 1.5 scoop of protein powder. 40 oz of water.  

Meal 4 - 1 cup of Arrowhead Mills bear mush, 1/2 cup of milk, 3 tsp. of fruit sweetener. 40 oz of water.  2 cups of black tea with lemon. 

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

New Cathe Clip of STS

Morning walk with core work...

After yesterdays walk I am so happy to report that my knee is doing well. The swelling has gone down and my mobility is better than ever! I kept the walk short this morning to ensure that I did not over do it. It has only been 2 days of walking now but I am super excited about the possibility of getting back to running maybe in a few weeks.  I am not going to push it though, a friend wrote me and put it best, what is 2 or 3 months off from running in the long run! I need to pace myself to ensure that I am start back strong! 

It looks as though our stay here in Siberia is going to be extended until the end of January, possibly February.  I am going to try and make the most of this time in order to get myself ready for my races coming up back home. I am going to have to start the year off slower than I wanted to but I need to work on crossing the finish line strong and not injured, then working on speed can follow! This is a journey that does not end after one race, it is one I want to continue for life! 

Hope everyone's day is wonderful!! Keep pressing on!! 

Morning walk on treadmill followed by core work - 
High speed on treadmill- 4.4 mph walk - 35 mins 
P90X Ab Ripper X 
Cathe Butts and Guts Ab work - part with 11 lb DB
Additional Core work - 
Planks to T-planks, 
Diagonal and horizontal body chops with resistance bands
Standing fire-hydrants with oblique crunch
Windmills, side to side twist and standing cross oblique crunches holding 10 kg plate (22 lbs) 
Balance ball work - prone jackknifes, roll outs and V glut squeezes. 

Total time - 73 mins 
Calories burned - 503
AHR - 122/64%  MHR - 161/84%

Daily goals - 
Drink at least 20 oz of water before breakfast - done 
Take all supplements and vitamins - done 
Drink at least 128 0z of water throughout the day - done 
Knee stretches and ice knee at least 4 times a day - done 
Stay within caloric range for the day - done 

Daily Intake - 
Calories consumed -  1,401
Protein - 29%
Fat - 27%
Carbs -  44%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water before breakfast. 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt with 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseeds and 1/2 apple. 1 cup of black tea with milk. 

Meal 2 - 1/2 cup of oats, 3 egg whites, 1/2 scoop of protein powder mixed into a protein pancake topped with 1 tbsp of maple syrup and 3 tbsp. of yogurt. 20 oz water. 

Meal 3 - 1/2 cup of homemade ground chicken chili, 1 sweet potato. 40 oz of water. 

Meal 4 - 1 egg, 4 egg whites scrambled with 1/2 cup of grilled veggies and 3.5 oz of ground chicken. 40 oz of water.  1 serving of  homemade pumpkin custard (egg whites, pumpkin and honey.)

Meal 5 - 3 cups of decaf black tea with lemon. 2.5 cups of popcorn.


Monday, November 17, 2008

P90X Back and Biceps with morning walk.

Today was my first big day back on the treadmill!! I walked slowly at a 3.0 mph to warm up and slowly over the course of 55 mins increased my speed to walking at 4.3 mph. My knee feels good I iced it right after I walked so I am hoping that tonight it continues not to swell. If all goes well I will do this again tomorrow and hopefully every day this week. I am doing to take it day by day and see how my knee feels but I am SO excited right now to be back doing at least some kind of cardio!! 

My ST workout today was by far my hardest ever. My arms really do feel as if they are going to fall off!! It was great, but I am having to fight for the last 3 reps or so, I mean really fight for it! I am still getting used to the 8 -10 rep range, so I am constantly having to change the weights of my DBs to try and get the exact weight I need to maximize lifting as much as possible. Towards the end of the workout my arms started burn in a way that I have not felt in so long. My bicep muscles where absolutely drained! As I was fatigued, my form started to break and I really had to focus on staying strong with my form to the end. This is something I need to work on next time. Also I need to remember to breathe! Why do we want to hold our breath when we are lifting heavy? :)

I am so proud of myself today. I was able to walk this morning, my knee is slowly getting better and I had a great ST session. Today I can rest in knowing that I did all that I could to take myself another step closer towards meeting my goals! 

Daily goals - 
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done 
Take all supplements and vitamins - done 
Stay within caloric range of the day - done 
Drink at least 128oz of water throughout the day - done 
Knee exercises/stretches and ice knee at least 4 times a day - done 

Workout 1 - Morning walk before breakfast. 
Total time - 55.21 mins 
Calories burned - 365
AHR - 121/63%  MHR -  155/81%

Workout 2 - P90X Back and Biceps. 
Total time - 66.53 mins
Calories burned - 638
AHR -144/75%  MHR -  182/95%

P90X Back and Biceps - 
  • Wide front rack pull-ups - 8 reps 
  • Lawnmowers (one arm bent over rows) - 8 reps for each arm with one 48 lb DB. 
  • Standard 21's - 21 reps with 42.7 lb BB. 
  • One arm cross body curls - 8 reps with each arm with 31.3 lb DBs. 
  • Switch grip rack pull-ups - 8 reps 
  • Elbows out lawnmowers (one arm rows with elbow out to side) - 10 reps with each arm with one 37 lb DB. 
  • Standing bicep curl - 15 reps with 42.7 BB. 
  • Bent over one arm concentration curls - 12 reps with each arm with 17.6 lb DBs 
  • Corn Cob rack Pull-up - 6 reps 
  • Reverse grip bent over rows - 15 reps with 65 lb BB. 
  • Two arm open curls - 12 reps with 25.5lb DBs 
  • Static arm curl - 16 reps with 25.5 lb DBs 
  • Towel rack pull-ups - 6 reps
  • Congdon locomotive - 40 reps with 25.5 lb DBs 
  • Crouching Cohen curl - replaced this with standard curls with BB - 15 reps with 42.7 lb BB.  
  • One arm corkscrew curl - 10 reps with each arm with 25.5 lb DBs 
  • Rack chin-ups - 6 reps 
  • Seated bent over back fly - 23 reps with 11 lb DBs
  • Two arm Curl up/hammer down - 6 reps with 31.3 lb DBs then, 10 reps with 25.5 lb DBs. 
  • Two arm hammer curls - 8 reps with 25.5 lb DBs 
  • Max rep rack pull-ups - 8 reps 
  • Supermans - 5 reps with 10 sec. hold. 
  • Two arm in and out hammer curls - 8 reps with 25.5 lb DBs 
  • Strip-set curls -  4 sets total - 
  • Set 1 - 8 reps with 42.7 lb BB 
  • Set 2 - 8 reps wtih 42.7 lb BB
  • Set 3 - 8 reps of two arm curls with 25.5 lb DBs 
  • Set 4 - 8 reps with 42.7 lb BB. 

Totals for the day - 
Time -  121.74 mins 
Calories burned - 1,003

Daily Intake - 
Calories consumed - 1,636
Protein - 31%
Fat - 19%
Carbs - 50%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water before breakfast. 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries, 1 scoop of protein powder. 1/2 cup of muesli and 2 egg whites cooked into a pancake with 1.33 tbsp. of strawberry jam. 1 cup of black tea with milk. 

Meal 2 -  1 serving of pumpkin custard (egg whites, pumpkin and honey) and 20 oz of water. 

Meal 3 - 1 scoop of protein powder, 8 oz of water and 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 20 oz of water. 

Meal 4 - 1.5 servings of homemade ground chicken chili with adobo peppers in chipotle sauce. 40 oz of water. 

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of yogurt and 1/2 apple. 1 scoop of protein powder with 8 oz of water and 1/2 cup of strawberries. 20 oz of water.  






Saturday, November 15, 2008

Workout Schedule 11/17 - 11/23

Monday - Morning walk, as much as knee allows followed by P90X Back and Biceps. 

Tuesday - Morning walk, as much as knee allows followed by Core Combo - P90X Core synergistics, Cathe Core max, Baron Baptiste Yoga with Ab Ripper X and Cathe Butts and Guts, floor core work. 

Wednesday -  Morning walk, as much as knee allows followed by P90X Chest, Shoulders and Triceps. 

Thursday -  Morning walk as much as knee allows followed by 30 min of Yoga X. 

Friday - Morning walk, as much as knee allows followed by Core Combo - P90X Core synergistics, Cathe Core max, Baron Baptiste Yoga with Ab Ripper X and Cathe Butts and Guts, floor core work and a light full body strength training circuit. 

Saturday/Sunday - Day off or Stretch X 

Day off...

Today I enjoyed a lazy wonderful day off with my husband! Sunday as usual is my day off from logging so I will be back on Monday ready for another great week of workouts! Have a great weekend! 

Daily Goals - 
Drink at least 20 oz of water before breakfast - done 
Take all supplements and vitamins - done 
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done 
Stay within caloric range for the day - done 
Ice knee 4-5 times - done 
Knee stretches - not all done 

Daily Intake - 
Calories Consumed - 1,354
Protein - 17%
Fat - 25%
Carbs - 57%

Meal 1 -  20 oz of water. 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 apple with 1 tbsp of fruit sweetener and 1/4 cup of plain yogurt and 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseeds. 1 egg scrambled with 2 egg whites, 1 piece of wheat bread with 1 tsp. of mayo and side of ketchup. 1 cup of black tea with skim milk. 

Meal 2 -  1.5 cup of homemade chicken and brown rice soup and .o5 oz of goat cheese with 1/4 piece of bread. 20 oz of water. 

Meal 3 -  1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 apple, 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt and 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseeds. 

Meal 4 - 1.25 serving of homemade pumpkin custard (egg whites, honey, skim milk and canned pumpkin with allspice and cinnamon.) 20 oz of water. 

Meal 6 - 2.5 cups of popcorn with 20 oz of water. 2 cups of decaf black tea with lemon. 

Friday, November 14, 2008

Super light cardio and lower body toning.

Well today was my first day back on the treadmill. It was only for 15 mins and the highest speed was 3.5 mph at a 3% incline. My knee did well with this pace. The back of my knee started to hurt just for a bit, so I backed off of the incline. Most of the time I kept it flat or at an 1% incline.  Along with my walk I did a some punching and jabbing from Kenpo X (no kicks or twist)  and then did the lower body portion of Cathe's Butts and Guts dvd with ankle weights. This was great, it really gave me a good leg workout which was much needed as I have not been doing any leg work because of my knee. 

 I did not burn hardly any calories today, I could not get my HR up. I even used my weighted hand gloves walking and during Kenpo but I just could not get my heart to really start pumping and burning those calories.  It is ok, at least I got out there and was able to walk!! That is a blessing for me as I was so worried it would be so long before I could hit the treadmill again. I am icing my knee as we speak and so far it feels ok. I will do another 15 mins of walking tomorrow along with some Yoga  and maybe if the swelling continues to go down I can increase my time on the treadmill to 20 mins by Monday, if not, then I will rest my knee a bit longer.  

Part of Kenpo X with 15 min treadmill walk followed by Cathe Butts and Guts floor work - 
Total time -  62 mins 
Calories burned -  175
AHR - 90/47%  MHR - 122/64%

Daily Goals - 
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done 
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done 
Stay within daily caloric range - done 
Ice knee 4 to 5 times a day - done 
Knee stretches - done 

Daily Intake - 
Calories consumed - 1,216 - 
Protein - 34%
Fat - 17%
Carbs - 49% 

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water. 5 egg whites scrambled with 1/2 cup of shredded chicken breast and 1/2 cup of grilled vegetables. Side of ketchup and 1 cup of Chi tea with skim milk.  

Meal 2 - 1 cup of homemade Chicken and brown rice soup. 1 cup of decaf black tea with lemon. 20 oz of water. 

Meal 3 - 1/2 scoop of protein powder, 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and 1/2 cup of muesli cooked. 20 oz of water. 

Meal 5 -  3.5 oz of grilled chicken breast with 2 tbsp of red curry paste, garlic and onions sautéed with 1 cup of cabbage and 1 cup of broccoli. 20 oz of water.  

Meal 6 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 apple and 1/4 cup of plain yogurt with 1 tsp. of fruit sweetener. 20 oz of water. 

Meal 7 - Late night movie snack! :) 2 cups of decaf black tea with lemon. 2 cups of popcorn.






Thursday, November 13, 2008

P90X Chest and Back with Abs...

Another great day of P90X! My arms are shaking! I feel good, as if I really got a killer workout in. I am really starting to miss my runs and the rush I get from cardio, but I have to say that my heavier weights gave me quite a rush today! I added some weight to my DBs for my one arm rows, so it is now 48lbs. I needed a weight that was heavy enough for 8-10 reps and where the last 3 reps I am fighting for it while maintaining form. It was wonderful, it burned - in a good way of course and sent my HR way up! That is one sure way to get your heart pumping....lift heavy!! I also changed another set of DBs to where I had a middle weight for DB flys and curls, 20.5 lbs. So now I have the 17.6, 20.5 and 28.2 lb DBs which gives me a wide range. This worked well for me today with my flys. It gave me a good challenge and a much needed burn.

I did a warm up before P90x that really worked me hard. It was great to get some lifting in before the push ups and pull ups started! Those really wear you down! I finished today with the ever so awesome ab ripper x! In the end I was exhausted, but I was SO proud that I once again pushed it and made the most of this time. My knee is doing so much better today, again the swelling as gone down, but I still need to give it a few more days of rest before starting up my walks/runs again. I think tomorrow I am going to try Kenpo and see how that works. Kicking does not seems to give me any problems, unlike plyo, so maybe it will work well. I may also try to do the leg conditioning at the end of Cathe's Kick max dvd. That always gives me such a good burn in the legs!

Hope everyone has a fabulous day!! Work hard, Reach high!!!

Warm up - (not part of P90X) -

Incline DB press - 2 sets of 12 reps with 20.5 lb DBs
Incline DB flys - 2 sets of 8 reps with 20.5 lb DBs
Bench press - 2 sets of 12 reps with 56.4 lb BB
Barbell pullovers - 2 sets of 8 reps with 56.4 lb BB

P90X Chest and Back with Ab Ripper X -

Standard Military push-ups -
Set 1 - 22 reps
Set 2 - 20 reps

Wide front pull-ups -
Set 1 - 10 reps
Set 2 - 7 reps

Military Close grip push-ups -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 18 reps

Reverse grip chin-ups -
Set 1 - 6 reps
Set 2 - 6 reps

Wide-fly military push-ups -
Set 1 - 17 reps
Set 2 - 18 reps

Close grip overhead pull-ups -
Set 1 - 7 reps
Set 2 - 7 reps

Decline military push-ups -
Set 1 - 18 reps
Set 2 - 15 reps

Heavy pants ( bent over rows, I use a barbell) -
Set 1 - 20 reps with 56.4 lb BB
Set 2 - 15 reps with 56.4 lb BB

Diamond military push-ups -
Set 1 - 15 reps
Set 2 - 10 reps

Lawnmowers ( bent over one arm rows) -
Set 1 - 10 reps for each arm with one 48lb DB
Set 2 - 8 reps for each arm with one 48 lb DB

Dive-bomber push -ups ( also known as Hindu push ups)-
Set 1 - 13 reps
Set 2 - 12 reps

Back flys -
Set 1 - 20 reps with 11 lb DBs
Set 2 - 22 reps with 11 lb DBs

Ab Ripper X - total reps - 315 reps

In and outs - 25 reps
Seated bicycle - 50 reps
Seated crunchy frog - 20 reps
Crossed leg/wide leg sit up - 25 reps
Fifer scissor - 25 reps
Hip rock and raise - 20 reps
Pulse-up/heels to heaven - 16 reps
Roll-up/V-up combo - 25 reps
Oblique V-up - 25 reps
Leg climb - 34 reps
Mason twist - side to side twist - 50 reps

Total time for the day - 67 mins
Calories burned - 583
AHR - 136/71% MHR - 174/91%
Push-ups - 193 reps

Daily Goals -
Drink 20 oz of water before breakfast - done
Take all supplements and vitamins - done
Drink at least 128 oz of water - done
Stay within calorie range for the day - done
Do knee exercises and at least 20 mins of yoga - knee exercises - done /yoga - no
Ice knee 4-5 times a day - done

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,483
Protein - 27%
Fat - 21%
Carbs - 52%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water before meal. 2 Buckwheat pancakes with 4 tbsp of low fat yogurt, 1 tbsp of strawberry jam and 1 cup of black tea.

Meal 2 - 1 cup of homemade Chicken and brown rice soup. 20 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 1 scoop of protein powder. 1 cup of skim milk and 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 40 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1/2 cup of oatbran, 1/2 apple, 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt and 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds.

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of muesli, 1/2 cup of skim milk. 3 egg whites scrambled with 1 egg. 20 oz of water.











Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Rest day but all goals where met!!

No ST today, just stretching and part of P90X Yoga X DVD. I did not burn hardly anything but at least I reached my goals for the day! My knee is doing better, the swelling has gone down some and I am in less pain. Tomorrow it is back to ST with P90X - Chest and Back followed by ABX. I am going to use my new heavier weights so I am excited to see how I lift with them. It is always hard when you step out of your comfort zone, but I will never advance if I keep lifting the same weights over and over. It will be so much fun when I am back in the US and can go to a gym. I just keep thinking about all of the variety that awaits me!

As far as my plan for my cardio, I am hoping that maybe by the end of this week I can start up again. I will have to start by walking and will stay clear of all high impact stuff...no plyo....but I have a good feeling that I am on the road to recovery and I will be back running in no time! I wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone for your emails, comments and support for me during this time. Your encouragment as definately lifted my spirits and it keeps me focused, thanks so much!

P90x - Yoga X and knee exercises-
Total time - 31.37
Calories burned - 136
AHR - 102/53% MHR - 146/76%

Daily goals -
Drink water first before eating in the morning - done - 20oz.
Take all of my supplements and vitamins - done
Stay within calorie range for the day - done
Drink 128 oz. of water - done - 136 oz
Do all of my stretches for my knee plus at least 20 min of yoga - done

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,653
Protein - 35%
Fat - 19%
Carbs - 46%

Meal 1 - 20 oz of water before meal. 1 egg yolk, 3 egg whites scrambled with 1/2 cup of shredded chicken breast. 3 bags of Chi tea with water.

Meal 2 - 1/2 oatbran, 1/2 apple with 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt and 20 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 1 scoop of protein powder, 8 oz of water and 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries. 1/2 apple and 2 tsp. of almond butter and 2 bags of black tea. 40 oz of water

Meal 4 - 1 can of tuna, small amount of chopped onion, 1/2 apple mixed with 1/4 cup of plain yogurt and cabbage wedges. 40 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 1 cup of homemade chicken and brown rice soup.

Meal 6 - 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt, 1/2 cup of oatbran, 1/2 of frozen strawberries. 2 cups of Smart pop popcorn and 8 oz of water.

Time to increase my weights......

I am limited as to the types of DBs and options I have here, but I want to start increasing my weight as I have been lifting the same amount for some time now. I added weights to one of my dumbbells as well as my Barbell today which will change my rep range but that is what I need, to kick things up a notch! My goal will be to stay with in 10-12 rep range for my heavier weights and 15 -20 reps for my lighter days.

All of my weights are in kilos as we are over in Russia so the weight in pound may seem a bit odd. I never really watched the details of my lifting in terms of weights down to the .3 or .5 but now that I am trying to increase my strength I will start logging more accurately. Not sure how I will do with my new weights but it is going to be exciting to see what changes take places as a result!! I need to focus on my lifting as my knee is out and I can not do my normal cardio routines. So for now I will make the most of this time as my knee heals and really work on getting lean through lifting!!

3 kg DBs - 6.6 lbs
5 kg DBs - 11 lbs
8 kg DBs - 17.6 lbs
12.8 kg DBs - 28.2 lbs - new weight - increased weight from 25 lb which is what I was lifting before.
One 16.6 kg Dumbell - 36.5 lbs - new weight
One 25.6 kg Barbell - 56.4 lbs - new weight

P90X Shoulders and Arms with Ab ripper X -

Today was another success. All goals were met and I had a wonderful ST workout!

P90X Shoulders and Arms -

Standing alternating shoulder press -
Set 1 - 6 reps with each arm with 25 lb DBs
Set 2 - 7 reps with each arm with 17 lb DBs

In and out bicep curls (two arm curls, with two DBs, one rep in and one outward) -
Set 1 - 20 reps with 17 lb DBs
Set 2 - 15 reps with 17 lb DBs

Two arm tricep kickbacks -
Set 1 - 15 reps with 11 lb DBs
Set 2 - 15 reps with 11 lb DBs

Deep swimmers press (Start low and come up to bicep curl then straight up to overhead press.)
Set 1 - 12 reps with 17 lb DBs
Set 2 - 15 reps with 17 lb DBs

Full supination concentration curl ( curl, then rotate curl towards chest and squeeze at top) -
Set 1 - 10 reps with each arm with 25 lb DBs
Set 2 - 10 reps with each arm with 25 lb DBs

Chair Dips -
Set 1 - 21 reps
Set 2 - 25 reps

Upright rows -
Set 1 - 12 reps with 17lb DBs
Set 2 - 12 reps with 17 lb DBs

Static arm curl ( two arm curls - hold one arm in curl position while you curl the opposite arm 4 reps then switch, always holding one arm in a static hold while lifting the opposite arm.).
Set 1 - 24 reps - 6 sets of 4 count with 17 lb DBs
Set 2 - 24 reps - 6 sets of 4 count with 17 lb DBs

Flip grip twist tricep kickback ( two grips - one palms up then reverse to palms down)
Set 1 - 15 reps with red P90X resistance band.
Set 2 - 12 reps with red P90X resistance band.

Seated two angle shoulder fly( first angle upright fly, then second bend over fly)
Set 1 - 16 reps with 17 lb DBs
Set 2 - 16 reps with 11 lb DBs

Crouching Cohen curl ( crouch down and place two DBs between knees, two arm curl)
Set 1 - 12 reps with 17 lb DBs
Set 2 - 12 reps with 17 lb DBs

Lying down tricep extensions -
Set 1 - 15 reps with 17 lb DBs
Set 2 - 15 reps with 17 lb DBs

In and out straight arm shoulder flys -
Set 1 - 16 reps with 11 lb DBs
Set 2 - 16 reps with 11 lb DBs

Congdon curls ( two arm bicep curls - standard curl up then hammer curl down).
Set 1 - 15 reps with 17 lb DBs
Set 2 - 15 reps with 17 lb DBs

Side tri raise ( lay on side then with one arm push up then lower body)
Set 1 - 15 reps for each arm
Set 2 - 20 reps for each arm

Core work - Ab ripper X - Total reps - 307

In and outs - 25 reps
Seated bicycle - 50 reps
Seated crunchy frog - 25 reps
Crossed leg sit up - 20 reps
Fifer scissor - 20 reps
Hip rock and raise - 22 reps
Pulse up - heels to heaven - 18 reps
Roll ups/ V combo - 22 reps
Oblique V ups - 25 reps
Leg climb - 30 reps
Mason/side to side twist with legs up - 50 reps

Total time - 66.15 mins
Calories burned - 544
AHR -133/69% MHR - 171/89%

Daily goals -
Drink water first before eating in the morning - done 32oz
Complete my ST workout with core - done
Ice my knee 4-5 times - done
Take all my supplements and vitamins - done
Finish all my water for the day - 128 oz - done
Stay within calorie range for the day - done
Do all of my stretches for my knee plus at least 20 min of yoga - done 30 mins total. I did not wear my HRM during the yoga, so calories burned were only from P90X.

Daily Intake -
Calories consumed - 1,670
Protein - 39%
Fat - 17%
Carbs - 44%

Meal 1 - One buckwheat pancake with 3 tsp. of groud flax seeds, 3 tbsp of low fat yogurt, 1 tbsp of strawberry jam. 3 egg whites scrambled with 1.75 oz of chicken breast. 1 cup of Chi tea and 32 oz of water.

Meal 2 - 3.5 oz of roasted chicken with 1/2 cup of roasted veggies. 1/2 cup of apple juice and 32 oz of water.

Meal 3 - 1 cup of skim milk, 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and 1 scoop of protein powder and 32 oz of water.

Meal 4 - 1 sweet potato. 1 cup of homemade chicken and brown rice soup. 32 oz of water.

Meal 5 - 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt and 1/2 cup of oatbran.

Meal 6 - 1 scoop of protein powder and water.

Monday, November 10, 2008

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step....

I found some wonderful motivational thoughts this morning and it could not have come at a better time for me. This is the method that I am trying to follow - breaking up problems into smaller parts, handling them each, one at a time therefore I am not overwhelmed.I realized yesterday that I can be successful each and every day during this time while my knee heals. I can set goals for the day and do what I can to reach them.

Goals can be as big or as small as you wish, they are yours to set and yours to reach. So I urge each of you to take a look at areas of your life where you can set small goals to reach at the end of each day. We all have a choice what we will do with each 24 hours that are given to us. If we do not have a plan, time will pass us by. I want to wake up each day with a mission. Some days the mission will be smaller than others but my goal will be to never stop reaching until I complete my task no matter how small it may be.

Today my goals are -

Drink water first before eating in the morning - done 32oz
Complete my ST workout with core
Ice my knee 4-5 times
Take all my supplements and vitamins
Finish all my water for the day - 128 oz
Stay within calorie range for the day
Do all of my stretches for my knee plus at least 20 min of yoga

Make something amazing happen today for yourself! What can you accomplish today? You will never find out if you do not at least try!!

Today is a gift - let's get out there and make it count!

Success is a determined action away –

Foolish people with all their other thoughts, have this one too.
They are always getting ready to live, but never living.

Your success will start when you begin to pursue it.
To reach your goal or to attain success, you don't need to knowall the answers in advance.

You just need to have a clear idea of what your goal is.
Don't procrastinate when faced with difficult problems.
Break your problems into parts, and handle one part at a time.

Develop tendencies toward taking action.
You can make something happen right now.

Divide your big plan into small steps and take that first step right away. Everyone who got where they are had to begin where they were. Your big opportunity is where you are right now.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Take it.

Copyright 2008 www.yourdailymotivation.com

A good day...

Winter is here! Yesterday we awoke to a windchill of -1F(-18C), I love it!! We are enjoying a week of snow and cold temps that are sure to put anyone in a holiday mood! Since we will not be home for Christmas and we will be packing soon, my husband and I put up our Christmas tree this weekend. So we are starting the holidays early you could say. A part of me is sad that we will not be in the US to celebrate Christmas, but I know we will be home before too long.

As far as my knee, I slipped on the ice this weekend. I did not fall down, but I did manage to aggravate my knee somewhat so we bought a brace for me to wear. I am hoping it will provide me more support as I walk around on the icy roads as well as during my workouts. I took today off to give my knee a bit more rest, and hopfully the rest will pay off. I did manage however to meet all my other goals. So today was a success after all!!

Daily Intake - 11/10 -
Calories Consumed - 1,547
Protein - 29%
Fat - 51%
Carbs - 20%

Daily Goals -
Morning water first before eating - done
Vitamins - done
Water - done -128 oz
Stretches for knee - done
Icing knee 4 times a day - done
Joint fuel, omegas - done

Meal 1 - 3/4 oats mixture cooked with 1/2 scoop of protein powder, 1/2 apple and 1/4 cup of low fat yogurt. 1/2 cup of milk and 3 cups of black tea and water - 32 oz

Meal 2 - 1/2 can of tuna mixed with 2 tbsp. of plain yogurt, cabbage wedges, 1 tbsp. of hummus, 1 tomato with .5 tbsp. of Newmans own light dressing. Water - 32 oz

Meal 3 - 1 scoop of Alive protein powder, 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries and water.

Meal 4 - 1/4 garlic and herb roasted chicken - no skin. 1 cup of roasted veggies ( red bell peppers, onions, eggplant and asparagus roasted with olive oil, herbs and garlic). 1 sweet potato. 32 oz of water.

Meal 5- 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/2 cup of oatbran, 1/2 cup of strawberries and the last 32 oz of water for the day.