Workouts and Eating

Today I thought I would share with you my workout and eating regimen only because I think I finally found something that works for me and might even give me my six pack abs...someday.  :o)     Most of you will want to skip this post and that is ok.  I'm fine with that. 

As you know, I am a pretty regular exerciser and somewhat a healthy eater.  I know that I need to work better at both of these areas if I want to lose the fat I have slowly packed on around my waistline, and for the past six weeks I have been doing just that.  I actually started working out more regularly the beginning of the year, but the past six weeks I have been strict to my schedule.  I have also been trying a new eating approach and really paying attention to what my meals contain.  I'm not really trying to lose "weight" as I am at a decent weight, I am trying to lose the fat and build muscle.

My workouts have been a combination of Zuzka Light's Power Cardio and Strength DVD workouts, Tatianna's (from lovingfit.com) upper and lower body workouts and interval cardio.  I really like to use the DVD workouts during the week because they are short, about 15 minutes long, which is perfect because I do another 20 min HIIT combo on the treadmill afterwards.  Tati's workouts are usually around the 30 min length and with a 20 min run afterwards it just made my weeknights too short, so I do them on the weekends.  The HIIT (high intensity interval training) run combo that I do is 10 min of alternating 30 sec of a full out run with 30 sec walk, followed by 5 min of flat running. 

My schedule is this:
Monday: rest or yoga
Tuesday: fullbody workout followed by HIIT run combo
Wednesday: HIIT run combo
Thursday: full body workout followed by HIIT run combo
Friday: rest or yoga
Saturday: Upper body workout followed by HIIT run combo
Sunday: Lower body - optional HIIT run combo

I have a calendar set up to help me keep track of which exercises I need to do for the week and it feels so great to cross them off and know that I actually did them!  This schedule has worked out really well for me and I am noticing changes with my strength/stamina and the way I look.  I am at the point where I am adding in some weights to my workouts which adds some intensity to the workout.  I am also working out for six weeks, then taking a week off and doing nothing but yoga or resting.  I want to give my body a break every now and then, plus it keeps me motivated.

As far as my diet goes, I have been doing intermittent fasting every other day (EOD).  I tried the 16/8 combo but it didn't really seem to work for me.  With the EOD method, I eat normal every other day and "fast" on the off days.  I will explain what I mean when I say "fast" so you don't think I am not eating all day.  To start out, I figured out what my calorie range needed to be on a normal day using this formula.  Since I am trying to lose "weight" (more fat than weight) I cut the total down by 20%.  It comes to around 1250-1300 calories.  I don't really count my calories per say, but I try to use this as a guide. Now, my normal days I eat my normal calorie range, and my fasting days I cut my calories in half.  Yes, I said half, and no I am not starving myself.  Here's what I do: I fast on MWF which are the days I rest with the exception of Wednesdays when I run.  So I'm not doing a super intense workout on the days I am fasting and burning myself out.  I eat a small breakfast if I am hungry, and a larger lunch and then a smaller meal at night.  The EOD fasting really calls for you to eat one large meal a day, but I have a hard time not eating at night, so I just eat a small meal. The reason I chose this method, is because the research stated those who did this method of fasting lost more fat and gained more muscle than other methods.  So I tried it, and it works really well for me, but  I am also going to take a week off the fast the same week I take off my workouts, just to let my body take a brake. 

I have also been eating healthier.  I have a portion of protein, veggies, fat and carbs with every meal and use my hands as measuring tools - 1 palm is protein, 1 fist of veggies (though i usually do two with a salad), 1 cupped hand of carbs and 1 thumb of fat. My meals are pretty similar during the week which makes it really easy to prepare everything for work, and the weekend they are a little more lax only because I cook for the family and they don't want to eat salads all day.  :o)           

I haven't measured myself in awhile, but I think I am down about a 1/2 -3/4 inches around my hips and thighs.  I am finally able to get into my smaller jeans now without a muffin top! Plus, I am now starting to see definition in my arms, legs and abs.  I still have a ways to go and it's a slow process, but it's working!  Maybe I will get brave and post some before and after pics for y'all.  :o)

I really enjoy working out and being fit and healthy, and I want to make this a permanent part of my life.  I know it will be hard when I am in PA school, but a 15 min workout is definitely doable and will help me keep my sanity while studying. Not to mention if I can be in the shape I want to be in by the time I start, then all I will have to do is maintain which is a little easier.  I can do this. 

It's Been A(Long)while

Sooooo, it has been forever and a day since I last posted on this sad little blog of mine.  Quite honestly this year has been so full of bad things that I haven’t really wanted to talk about any of it because of how depressing it all was.  And by depressing, I really mean I was depressed for at least the first three or four months.  I won’t bore you with all the details but let me sum things up so you can finish reading this post sometime today.  :o)

1.      We finally closed on the new house (yes I will post pictures)  on January 18^th.   The week leading up to closing I requested a walk through.  We did not get a walkthrough.  There were some things that were not finished - some we knew about, some were a surprise.  Then, a couple days after closing we received and invoice from our contractor asking for additional money.  Our roof was missing shingles, and the shingles that were on would flap horribly in the wind.  We asked them to fix it, but they said not until we get our money.  There are a few other things that we found out were done poorly or incorrectly, so the first few months of living in a nice new home with so many flaws made me sick to my stomach.  I wasn’t even excited to move in, and I’m just now starting to enjoy the house. 

2.      I finally found a part time job as a C.N.A.  It lasted a whole two days.  When I got the call for an interview, they asked me what hours I could work.  I explained that I work full time in Wichita and wouldn’t be able to work until 6:00 pm, but could work until 10 or 11.  They said that would be no problem.  I interviewed, got the job and sat through two days of HR orientation.  Finally, after all the paperwork and orientation, I was ready for work.  I spent two four hour shifts training with another C.N.A and when I asked for the next week’s schedule, the scheduling lady said she needed to talk to the nurse in charge of things to see how they wanted to work me in.  Well, they decided that since I couldn’t do a 5-10 shift, that they couldn’t use me.  So I am still looking for C.N.A. work.

3.      I didn’t get into PA school, but I honestly wasn’t thinking that I would. I took the opportunity to do a feedback session and found out what I already knew – I need to get experience.  They also told me that my personal statement didn’t do a good job of explaining why I wanted to be a PA or set me out from the crowd.  Even though this hurt the most, it was good information.  Everyone that read my PS said it was great and well written, but apparently it wasn’t.  Since I wasn’t having much luck with finding a C.N.A. job and with everything else going on at the time (read below) I decided to wait a year to reapply.   

4.       Brad’s job progressively worsened, and sometime in April (I think) Brad slipped on the stairs and tore the muscles in his back.  He had to stay home for a couple of weeks.  After about two weeks of unpaid resting, Brad was finally ready to go back out and his boss decided to take the truck in and have a few things done to it.  So Brad would be sitting for another week.  When that week was up, Brad’s boss kindly told him not to worry about picking the truck up as he wouldn’t be driving anymore and gave a really bad excuse.  We were not surprised by all of this, but it would have been nice to know three weeks ago since Brad wasn’t being paid during this time. 

5.      Finally after a couple of months of searching, Brad found a job and started work again in June.  The first day on the job he pulled up to an elevated scale and as he was getting out of his truck he fell.  Five feet.  Onto his side.  He broke five ribs and bruised his lung and spleen.  So, once again he is at home mending broken ribs for another month or two.  At least this time it was work related and workman’s comp has been helping with everything. 

As you can see this year has truly been a year of the unlucky 13.  It just seemed like no matter how positive I tried to be and to look for the bright side of things, I just couldn’t find the light.  It was all sucky.  It still sort of is, but things are quieting down, Brad will go to work again soon and I decided to apply this year to PA school.  The PA program just hired a new chair and I had the opportunity to meet with him and talk about my chances. He gave me some really great ideas to get the experience I need plus some other general tips and advice.  He also said that I shouldn’t wait a year to apply and that if I want this, to go after it. There shouldn’t be any reason why I can’t get 100-200 hours by my interview in January.  He even offered to practice interviewing me and wants to follow up with me in a couple months.  This was a pretty big boost for me, and his pep talk really helped me get excited about this whole PA thing again.  So I talked to Brad and I’m going to go for it.  The next three years (one year of volunteering to get my hours and two in PA school) might suck a little, but it will be so worth it in the end. 

That has been the past seven months in a nutshell.  I will talk more about the house, post pictures and talk about a few other things that are going on at a later date, but I thought I would at least show my face on here and explain why I haven’t felt like posting much lately.