P90X: Day Zero

Hey, folks.

I signed up for a Beachbody fitness challenge - I am supposed to work out for 30 days using P90X as my workout program, starting tomorrow, November 28th. I know, I know. I'm completely crazy.

But I figured it would help give me the motivation I need to get through the workouts. I'm not exactly the world's most motivated individual, but I know that a little bit of extra stress (and attention from bystanders) helps me push myself.

Tonight I will be taking my "before" pictures, whose specifications are delineated by Beachbody (front, back, at an angle...etc.). I will also re-weigh and re-measure myself one last time, since I know have to account for my post-Thanksgiving Day "stuffing."

Once I have all of that data, maybe I will (eek) post it. Wanna see my before pics? I certainly don't.

See ya tonight!

Post #7: Klutzes Unite!

I hate working out mainly because I can never seem to coordinate all of my limbs the right way. I can either get my arms doing what they need to be doing, or my legs, but never both at the same time. This frequently results in massive fails - i.e. bruises, nasty spills, ineffective workout maneuvers, or major embarrassment.

For instance, once I went to a gym in Maryland, a rather nice one called "Life Time Fitness" or something like that. I thought I was so cute in my little running ensemble with my iPod. I hopped on, started to run, and jammed out to the music. Next thing I knew, my leg was wrapped around the bar and the tread was hammering my prone ass. I'm pretty sure that didn't go unnoticed. In fact, I know it didn't because the laughter was pretty loud. I heard it over the music that was still playing in my little iPod earbuds.

Even at home I manage to kick over the table lamp or knock over a drink that's across the room. I don't know how. It's borderline telekinesis, if you ask me.

Sometimes I let it stop me from "going for it" - at the gym, at home, outside. I get too embarrassed, so I just don't do it. This feeling is especially bad in gyms where macho buff guys and hot little fem-machines are literally making the workout equipment their bitches.

Anybody else out there feel that way?

I call it the "Bella Syndrome." Twilight fans, anybody? Remember how crazy inept Bella was? She couldn't even go to gym class without whacking herself and a friend over the head with a racket in the same swing.

Well, from this day forward I make a promise to myself to stop letting the embarrassment get in the way of my fitness goals! I say that all us klutzes unite together in a common goal: taking the fitness scene back from the eerily graceful studs and femme fatales!

Who's with me?

Post #6: Water is Boring

I'm sure you've all heard that whole "Eight glasses of water a day!" bit, but who really wants to chug all that boring, flavorless liquid?

Well, my best friend loves water, but she's just plain weird. So if you're like her, then just shut up and let the rest of us discover ways around drinking water.

Check it:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/02/eveningnews/main3991145.shtml

and

http://www.npr.org/2008/04/03/89323934/five-myths-about-drinking-water

and

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=eight-glasses-water-per-day

Apparently, the whole eight glasses of water a day thing is a myth. I've been hearing about that a lot the last few years, especially in the medical community. The actual recommendation is to "have a beverage with meals and drink when you are thirsty." Usually, this is about 4-6 glasses per day, instead of the 8 you hear about everywhere.

So, yeah! We at least cut down on the amount we have to drink in order to maintain our wellness (without wandering into crazy water land). You know, I've actually seen patients overdose on water. Not pretty.

Now, let's discuss water sources. Did you know that you actually get water through your food? Or other sources like coffee, tea, milk, juice, soda, fruits, and vegetables? You don't have to drink a plain old cup of water in order to get those fluids down. Just being sensible about your diet in the first place can help keep you adequately hydrated.

But the point is this: have a BEVERAGE. Doesn't have to be a glass of water - a cup of tea or a low-calorie juice will do the trick too. We can all stop feeling guilty about not carrying those stupid gallon jugs of water around all day.

If you exercise, be smart. Drink some fluids. But unless you're a marathon runner or frequently engaging in sports, you probably don't have to go crazy with the water. Listen to what your body is telling you.

Let me share a product that I LOVE before you go:

Yeah, that's right. Crystal Light. But especially this "Antioxidant: Natural Cherry Pomegranate" stuff. It's full of flavor, has only 5 calories per packet, and also includes such delights as vitamins A, C, and E. The packets are so easy to throw in your purse and take anywhere you go. Out with friends and don't feel like drinking boring water, but don't want to order Diet Coke? Voile! Presto! Insert other such comments here! You have flavored water in an instant.

Also, did you know that there is no scientific evidence that water helps your skin? We are already all water; what else can another cup of water do? But vitamins A, B, C, E, and K have all been shown to help your skin.

Now, I'm not advocating not drinking water. But if you're like me and find it difficult to choke down those 8 glasses of water a day, then you can start reframing how you approach your hydration.

Think about it. Write down what you drink in day. See what you can change or improve. That's what I'll be doing over the next week or two.

CHALLENGE 1: P90X

I have decided to do fitness challenges in periods of 30 days. They say (I don't know who "they" are, but whatever) that it takes 21 days to make a habit. So I figure 30 days is enough to get a feel for a workout program and decide whether it's for me or not. Plus, shaking things up always helps keep your attention in a workout schedule.

Drum roll, please...

CHALLENGE NUMERO UNO: P90X

Famous fitness program through Beachbody fitness. It's an at-home program that about a billion people have talked about and loved. Using muscle confusion, I will confuse my body to super-sexydom. It requires six workouts per week with a change in nutrition (lots of protein, whole grains, vegetables, and other such roughage). I will be doing the LEAN track.

Check it:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/workout-routines/p90x-workout

With a schedule of 2-3 twelve-hour shifts per week at the hospital, four days of classes, all while planning a wedding, I know this may be rough. But it's important, so in the words of Tony Horton, I will BRING IT.

POST #5: The Pre-Skinny Bride

Ah, the most terrifying part of fitness change: the pre-workout/diet assessment. Don't know about you, but I hate stripping down to my underwear and staring at my thighs as I measure them with a thin strip of measuring tape. It's like stringing up a ham.

So, without further ado, here are my pre-diet/workout numbers:

Weight: 120.2

Height: 5'6"

Hips (the fattest part): 37.2"

Chest: 34.2"

Right arm: 9.2"

Left arm: 9.2"

Right thigh: 20.2"

Left thigh: 20.5" (ugh, my left thigh stores more fat?)

Body fat %: 25.97% (wtf?!)

Cholesterol (HDL/LDL): 64/68

Blood pressure: 120/75 (that is actually pretty high for me)

Now I just need to get some pictures, but I am having a tough time solo. More stuff to come once I can rope somebody into taking my pics.

What are your stats?

POST #4: GOAL POST

"You must have long-term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-term failures."

-Charles C. Noble

I don't want to have any failures, short-term or otherwise, but we all know that life gets in the way of our plans sometimes.

But plans are the only way to succeed with fitness - especially prior to a big date (like your wedding date, ahem).

What are your goals? What's your timeline?

For me, I have until August 4th, 2012, to fit into the gown of my dreams (it's a Claire Pettibone, thereby making it the best kind of dress ever). That's exactly 267 days, or 9 months away from today.

Nine months??? you ask. Yes, I will spend nine months getting ready. Not two weeks or six weeks or two months. You have to start as early as possible, otherwise you will just be crash dieting, not changing your fitness habits.

Though, of course, there always things you can do in the last few weeks leading up to your wedding to give you that extra boost. But let's start back here, in "just engaged" land. We're not quite to "let's look like Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts" land. We'll get there later.

For now, let me share some of my goals:

Goal #1: Lose a total of 11 inches by August 4th, 2012.

*"Lose a few inches?! But you're already skinny!" Go read my "You're Already Skinny" post. I'm not trying to starve my muscle off here. I'm trying to slim down and tone up. Inch loss is a good indicator that you've succeeded in this endeavor - not weight loss.

Goal #2: Be able to lift 12 pound weights through a whole workout by August 4th, 2012.

*I am an utter weakling. I've always wanted to be able to heft around 12 pound weights during a workout. It would make me feel pretty bad ass.

Goal #3: Wear a bikini at the beach without a cover-up by next summer, 2012.

*Blah, blah, blah. Don't give me that hoopla about feeling good in a bikini now. Don't want to hear it. I know there are other beach cover-up types out there too! Let us unite and throw the beach covers into the ocean together next summer.

Pretty simple but well-defined goals. A good goal should include a definitive/quantitative intention with a deadline. That way you can measure your successes on the way to your end-goal.

Feel free to share your goals. I'd be interested in seeing what other brides/fitness types are trying to accomplish.

POST #3: The "You're Already Skinny" Trap

Ever explained to somebody that you wanted to diet/exercise/get fit and they responded, "Oh, you don't need to do that, you're already skinny."

I didn't know if you knew, but you DON'T STAY SKINNY MAGICALLY.

I know, you're shocked.

I'm so sick of the "Well, your metabolism is just higher than mine," excuse. Didn't know if you knew, but metabolism variations between humans are actually not that significant.

Check it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/your_weight/medical_myths.shtml

In fact, if you're larger than me, you tend to burn more calories to stay at that size than I do to stay at mine. So nyah, nyah.

But, all of that aside, the "you're already skinny" mentality is just the kind of mentality that leads to failure. Thinking that only large people need to diet and exercise is a huge mistake, because once you reach your goal weight, you'll think you're done. But we're never done staying fit.

My point is this: the "already skinny" trap is teasing you into believing that just because you're not overweight means that you have already met your fitness goals. Barf. Out-of-shape skinny and fit skinny are not the same thing.

Us folk with flab have just as much as right to diet and exercise as the overweight and obese folk. Don't let anybody trick you into believing otherwise!

POST #2: Who Am I?

I bet you're saying, who the heck is this chick and what does she know? Why does she think she can TELL ME?

First off, just so we get this straight, I DO tell you.

Secondly, and much less importantly, I am just your average engaged-on-my-way-to-be-married type chick, but probably just a smidgen more crazy than most.

But what's my background, you ask?

Fitness-wise, I was a sloth for my most of my life until I got to college. Once there, I decided on a whim to try out for the swim team. I think while I was under water the coach was laughing at my efforts, but he took pity on me and told me that he would let me be on the team if I put in a few extra practices before the season started.

I put in the extra work. Got on the team. Never was special or won anything.

After that, I got into running - I trained for and ran a 10k (probably in the dumbest way humanly possible), and then trained for a marathon (only made it to the 16-mile run before I stopped).

I've tried various at home work-out routines: video, dance, yoga. You name it, I've tried it.

Heck, I've even tried crash dieting. What a freaking joke.

Being a mental health nurse and having worked in the field of eating disorders, I really should have known better. There is no easy or quick way to slim down that is good for you. There are, however, a multitude of ways to get from point A to point B (and once at point B get some extra-sexy results) if you're willing to put the time in.

So, here I am, laying it all bare for you folk in an effort to get you and myself motivated for the upcoming nine months to the wedding (and for all of the many months after; A.K.A. "the rest of my life"). Let's just start with the next nine months, though, shall we?

I will be sharing my (eek) photos, stats, and other personal information throughout the upcoming months. Terrifying, right?

Let's get to it.

POST #1: Welcome to the Land of Slim

Hello.

There's hundreds of millions of articles floating around out there about America getting fat, America getting unhappy, America getting sick because America is fat and unhappy. Don't even get me started on American divorce rates.

Somehow, we never seem to correlate our overall well-being to our happiness in our other endeavors, such as marriage. Feeling overweight, tired, and stressed out? Don't have time to work out? Your spouse doesn't seem to want to hop in the sack with you anymore? Now you're even more miserable because it seems like you have found out after all these years that your spouse was shallow and only liked you for your hot body?

Come on.

Your body is your vehicle for EVERYTHING you do. Just like your car, you can't get from point A to point B unless it's running right. We can pretend that a car filled with bags of garbage or the wrong type of gasoline are still "great" cars because they're being driven by awesome people, but we all know the truth. We don't want cars that are garbage trucks. We want cars that will run smoothly, cars that are nice and sleek.

So, why spend all of that time investing money into a nice car and paying for all of the expensive maintenance of said car, but not take care of your own body?

I'm not sitting here advocating for silicone implants or size zero jeans. I'm talking about a sexy little Honda Civic body or smooth, sleek Toyota Camry curves.

Why am I talking about this in conjunction with marriage? Because I think it's a topic that is often stressed over by brides, but rarely discussed in a meaningful way. People either crash diet their way into a tiny dress and then gain all the weight back afterward to the dissatisfaction of their spouses, or they just continue to gain weight over time, little by little...

Weddings are a good way to jump start your way into a lifetime of fitness. Just think: if you feel good and look good, won't that translate into a better springboard for all of the other problems that come along with marriage? Or would you rather approach those problems from the platform of a tired, unhappy, and overweight wife?

We can all pretend that gaining weight is something best left undiscussed, since the love your spouse has for your should be entirely separate from your physical appearance. But what about attraction? Yeah, all the love in the world is great, but if you're not having sex because you're no longer attracted to each other, then you're just friends living in the same space.

Come along with me on my journey to becoming a fit and sexy bride. I'll share all of my best tips and tricks, as well as hilarious fitness stories...maybe you'll learn a thing or two.