Post Easter Pic

Hi girlies! So, I said I was going to upload a pic of me with my bunny, well here it is. Sorry it's late, I've been crazy busy and extremely sore from Level 7. I want to fast forward time to day 10 of Level 7 so that I can see the results that will come and then come back to real time and use that as fuel. ughhh...if only. After seeing the results from level 6, I'm sure this level is going to provide results in its own way as well.

 

I'm also happy that I was able to do the 30 mins of cardio again; yesterday I had to ease up and calm down because my knee was acting up. I think I'm getting arthritis from all the dancing and sports in my teen years. Actually, while I was doing cardio today, I heard my knee crack again but no pain this time. I'm hoping it goes away for good one of these days, if not I know it will get to my head and I probably will end up at the Doctor's office to get an arthritis check up.

I hope your holidays just as festive as mine were, I could use another four day weekend. :)

Happy TAMing!!!!

Level 6 Day 9

Ok, as you may have previously read, I redid level 6 because I missed out almost a week on the Method.  Wow, I think this level has been my favorite so far.  I can feel all my muscles working in every rep.  I finally got good at the planks and my arms feel much stronger.  My shoulders are more femininely defined!!! Since I was in sports in my younger years, I always felt I had broad shoulders, and now with TAM, my shoulders are looking very girly again.  Love you Tracy!!!  I am also noticing my tummy shrinking, and although I don’t really want to lose any more weight, I lost another pound.  I am now at 110lbs, and for 5’ 2” I think that’s ideal, I don’t want to look underweight.  I really just want to get toned now. 

I know I still have a day to go on this level, but I just couldn’t wait to let you all know how great level 6 has been.  It’s not a walk in the park, but all that sweat and trembling arms (mine definitely trembled and let’s not forget me falling over after each rep) while doing the planks will really pay off.  I am excited to see what level 7 will be like. 

I am a true believer of Tracy Anderson’s method; I wish you all are still progressing as well. 

Food Info: went to my local market this past weekend and they had absolutely no Kale in stock! I was so disappointed, I wonder if it’s out of season.  I will check my health food market this weekend if I get a chance.  Happy Easter!!!  I will post a pic of me and my mini lop (bunny) sometime this weekend in the spirit of Easter.  J

Oh, and I am getting ready to order Continuity, do any of you pretty ladies know if any other equipment will be needed other than the 3lbs weights?

Level 6 Day 4 Repeat :-/

I’m sorry Tracy, I have been MIA from our workouts for almost a week.  Eeeek.  I promise I will start back up again today.  I will have to redo Days 4, 5, and 6 on Level 6 and work through the entire week so that my muscles can wake up again.  The good thing is that I didn’t gain a pound! Very surprising!  My dear friends, unfortunately I don’t have a great excuse for being out.  I stopped on Tuesday because my legs were aching when doing any type of cardio, so I decided to take a day or two to recover.  Well, that day or two ended up being 3, then 4, then 5, then 6!  I know, I know, its verrry bad of me!  My body is going to hate me tomorrow for what I’m about to do to it today.  (To wake up those accessory muscles back to how they were).  It’s so easy to lose sight of what my goal was.  This guilt feels far stronger than the short lived tranquility of those past days.  And it wasn’t truly tranquil because in the back of my mind I knew what I SHOULD HAVE been doing, but just kept brushing it off.  I guess it was inevitable for me to have a relapse after going strong for so long, I’m still amazed at how far I got without completely giving up on this method. 

Today is a new day, back to Tracy and Me time.  I know she’s going to kick my butt again! And I’m ready for it!

Level 6 Day 1

Level 6, wow, you really are testing my buttons.  As I began Level 6 today, I felt inspired once again by Ms. Tracy.  She first starts off saying that Level 6 will take me to a place where I will really start seeing my body transform and not to lose motivation because the best results are still to come.  How did she know that after finally finishing level 5 (after what seemed like a month), I was feeling like throwing in the towel.  Maybe after much of her research she found that some people began feeling just as I did once reaching the midpoint.  It’s like she knows what to say at the exact time I need to hear it.  Very surprising. 

The arms part of this level was fast, faster than the level before, I think.  Abs are very challenging as well, which is exactly what I want.  Legs, well legs series is always the most difficult for me.  In this level there are more planks, which I despise, I keep falling during the side star planks, not the one’s where your knee is bent and helping you out, it’s the one’s where you leg is fully extended.  I can’t even do one correctly.  I completed the set, which thankfully it was only 15, but I swear I must have looked ridiculous tumbling to the floor after/during each one.  I hope I can get this down quickly so that I can make sure to get the best results I possibly can. 
Results for level 5:
Total inches lost 1.38 inches.
Lost 0.5 inches from my chest (hope it was from my back and not the girls) 
Lost 0.5 inches from my natural waist
Lost 0.6 inches from my hips
Lost 0.2 inches from each arm
All other measurements were pretty much the same.
Lost 2.2 pounds!
 
Diet confession, I have been indulging in cake.  Cake is truly my weakness.  I can be fine without it, but if it’s my house, I cannot help but to binge.  My husband bought me the cake, it is my favorite and I would feel terrible if I didn’t enjoy it, but I also shouldn’t be eating the whole thing.  I might have to take the rest  of it to my mom’s for her and my sisters to enjoy, plus it being out of sight will help a great deal.  Well, going to my local market to buy some more veggies and fruits.  J 

Over the half way mark! Woohoo!

Day 45, felt like it was a long time coming, and when it arrived, I didn't realize it had come. I am very happy with this great mark of accomplishment. This is the first time in my life that I have stuck with a workout method that has not bored me or made me feel like I wasn't achieving any results physically. With Tracy's Metamorphosis, I not only see the results, my mind is more at rest.

So now about Level 5:

I really am enjoying this Level, the only drawback; I have missed several days because of school exams. Although I didn't miss any days consecutively, I did miss every other day this past week. I feel like I've been on Level 5 forever! Now with my exams out of the way, for now at least, I will continue with my 6 days a week.

On another note, I have not been making as many juices as I'd like, haven't had a chance to go to my local market. After today, I will be back on my regular schedule and will begin juicing again. There are sooooo many recipes I want to try!

Happy TAMing and let me know if you have any creative juicing recipes. :)

Level 5 Day 3

I hate not having a set out schedule on the weekends.  I always find other things to do that for some reason have to be done at the exact moment that I start beginning to think about having to do my work-out.  So needless to say, I didn’t do my workout yesterday because I suddenly had to do laundry, then it was because I had to watch the Oscars, then it was because I had to clean my refrigerator, then it was because I had to wash dishes, then it was just simply too late.  Need to seriously kick it into gear.  I missed 3 days (including my rest day) last week.  I know I’ve been a slug. 

So this week is continuation of Level 5.  In level 5, I can really feel the burn in the abs section, targeting the lower abs.  Arms are also feeling the burn.  I actually really like this level.  I didn’t like level 4 much I got bored with it very quickly for some reason.  I like that this level I can feel my entire core engaged while doing the legs series and I know I will definitely see changes in my tummy after this level.  Excited! 

I decided to do my own version of the nutrient boost week.  As you probably read earlier, the texture of the puddings and purees almost made me hurl so I decided to eat the veggies steamed.  I lost two pounds that week! Yay! I continued with the kale juice.  The only thing I did different was that I added two apples instead of just one, or was it half, not sure at this time.  I also added the juice of half a lemon.  This week I’m going to try other juices like goops cucumber, basil and lime juice and some others that I’ve gathered from fellow TAMers.  Excited to see how this goes.  I will keep you all posted.  J

Hungry Cindy = Grouchy Cindy

Level 4 Down!

It feels crazy knowing that I have actually stuck with this lifestyle change for the past 40+ Days.  Over the weekend I finally gave into the Dynamic Eating Plan and began making all the purees, puddings and juices for the week (plus I had just bought my juicer) and was very excited.  So my day 1 was yesterday and I thought it was going to be a breeze.  But much to my surprise I couldn’t even manage to stomach one of the servings.  (weak, I know)

The Power Juice was not too bad, I love greens so it was manageable for me, not quite what I thought it would taste like, who am I kidding, Kale, Spinach, Beets, how could I not have known it was going to taste just as it does?  Any who, I drank this in the AM in place of my morning Joe, when 10AM came around, I opened my lunch bag and decided on the sweet potato corn pudding and I was only able to consume ¼ of a spoonful and that was it! It wasn’t so much about the taste, because I actually do like veggies, it was the texture.  And then I realized almost everything on the Nutrient Boost week would be the same reaction and I was disappointed.

 So what I am going to do, what I know I can do, even though it isn’t suggested by Tracy is just to eat the dishes as is once they are steamed, you know, before you throw them in the processer.  So my meals for yesterday wound up being the power juice for breakfast, grilled chicken sandwich for lunch with water and the Veggie Soup.  Today will be pretty much the same as yesterday, with the Power Juice for breakfast, grilled chicken salad and will be having the Veggie Soup again for dinner.  We’ll see how this goes.  I haven’t had a chance to try my new method with steamed veggies instead of purees, been way too busy. 

Already I can feel a complete loss of energy both yesterday and today.  I’m not sure if this is because my body is not used to the low calorie diet or if it’s because I haven’t had any caffeine, or maybe it’s both.  I do miss my Diet drinks.  L Yesterday, it took so much will power to do my DC, I didn’t even get to the 30 mins and this morning I felt so fatigue I just couldn’t do any DC, went straight to the MS.  Missing DC is not like me at all, yes I may not like it too much, but I always manage to get it in.  I’m starting to feel a little uninspired, I will need to do another couple of hours reading posts on the Community Page, this always helps. 

Tomorrow is my Level 5 Day 1, hope I can manage to get up in the AM to do this the way it should be done with 30 mins. DC and MS. 

Happy TAMing, or is it?  Yes, it will be again for me!!! 

Oh, measurements for this Level, I only lost 1.75 inches!  Granted, I should still be happy, and for the most part I am, I think it’s all this change in my system that’s making me grouchy-fatigue.  I really need to get through this.

Level 4 Rest Day on V-Day!

Level 4 has been kicking my butt!!
Day 1 (Thursday) was pretty okay, I knew it was going to be difficult as every Day 1 is for each new level, at least for me it is.  I was weighing at my lowest on this day, but I knew with the weekend just around the corner that wasn't going to last. 
Day 2 (Friday) was just as difficult, I didn’t get to do my full 30 minutes of cardio since I had an event to attend in the evening, yes, you read correctly, I am still doing my workout in the evenings from time to time.  Like I said before, I am NOT a morning person.  In the beginning it was actually great, I was pumped when I got up (at 5AM!!), but just like any new thing for me, it became a drag after several consecutive days.  I still plan on working out in the AM, I just can't do it every day. 
Saturday was my Rest Day, ate way too much homemade/take-out food, and if you're Hispanic like me, you know that homemade food (Mexican) is usually worse than take out.  Damn' homemade flour tortillas, they get me every time!
Day 3 (Sunday) Ate more "let's get Cindy fat" food, and it was so tasty, but now I'm seeing the consequences on the scale.
Day 4 (Monday) I behaved a lot better, I ate a grilled chicken salad with fruit for lunch and did my cardio (30 minutes!) and mat workout.  My dinner was not as light as it should be, but I couldn't say no to my personal chef (hubby).  The mat workout is still difficult for me.  I have been feeling the burn during the arms series, which I'm actually excited about.  I noticed that through Levels 1-3, my arms got a little defined around the upper and outer part of my arms, the under part however, I have not seen any changes, still have 'bat wings'.  I think I might see some changes in this level.  Oh, and I really hate side planks!  I cannot seem to balance and fall every 3 reps or so.  Blah!  I know I have to complete this though.

Decided to take my rest day today as a small Valentine's gift to my body.  :)
Now the question... Should I indulge in this?

I can't let this go to waste can I?  But it's just staring at me, sitting nice a pretty on my desk.  I wish I knew how many calories it contains.  I wish I had a heart rate monitor to know how much cardio I would have to do to burn this tomorrow.  Geez, I really need a HRM, I will have to start saving for one, but it's really difficult to save now that I've decided to go back to school.  There is not much that I am able to save when it comes to things like workout accessories.  :-( 

Maybe I'll just eat half. Okay, who am I kidding, I know I'm going to succumb to this sometime before 5pm, I wish I had stronger will power.  Ugh….Another full 30 minutes of cardio it will be then.

Level 3 Day 10

Surprised.  Today was my day 10 of Level 3 and it was still as difficult to fully complete as it was in Days 5-9.  I did however try to “fully perform” each move, crunch, kick and lift as if it was the very first rep.  All I kept thinking was “really, after 10 freaking days of this and you (muscles) are not bored yet”?  At the completion of my last rep for Level 3 I layed on my mat looking at the ceiling and thinking “wow I did it”. 

So what did I learn from Level 3?  Not to question what my body can do, even at the strangest angles. 

As I began taking my measurements I was a little disappointed with all the 0.1’s and 0.2’s that I was jotting down in my excel sheet, but then when I added them all together it amounted to 5.6 inches lost!  Amah-zing!

Tracy’s method has really taken a hold on me.  I’ve noticed that while I’m driving in my car jamming out I do standing abs! Well, not really “standing abs” since I’m sitting while driving, but still moving my upper body engaging my abs while my lower body stays non-mobile.  I’ve always been a multi-tasker, and now even more so!

Previewed level 4 and I’m ready for the booty kicking it’s going to give me.  I need to lose the stubborn fattiness in my abdomen and lower back that doesn’t seem to want to vacate.  This is where my troubles lie, hence the absentric meta I chose.  Wish me luck! And wishing you ladies out there luck on your TAMing!

Level 3 Day 8

Today was my 3rd day of woking out in the AM as oppose to the PM.  Going to try it for a few more times throughout the week.  I'm actually fond of it although I am NOT a morning person.  I like the feeling I get when I remember that I have already done my workout.  I find myself thinking at work about what the rest of my afternoon entails and it seems like it's going to be another long day getting home at 7:30 pm and working out till almost 9pm, eat dinner and strainght to bed, but then, a small sense of relief and happiness comes over me as I remember that I've already done my Tracy.  It feels good knowing that I will be able to get home and do house chores or just relax.  I think I'm going to hang on to this new routine until my body is forced to get used to it.  :) 

I'm also pretty psyched about the new cardio I'm doing from Tracy's 30-Day Method book, which I just bought a couple of days ago.  I find I can follow that cardio much easier and do 20 mins without breaks.  Tomorrow I will try 30 mins.  I've been reading her book every now and then when I get a few minutes to read somthing actually intersting other than my text books.  It is very informative, I almost wish I had found this book before Meta.  It's more instructional,but nonetheless I am going to stick with Meta until my 90 days. Hmmm....Maybe I will do the 30-Day Methd in between when I finish Meta and get Continuity.

Results so far...
Well, scale is not going down much, but I noticed I have a booty now!  Yay!! I always had a flat rear, but I'm noticing a little nice round toosh!  Also, as I was doing my mat workout on Satuday, I was already thinking of giving up, sad I know,  and then my husband out of no where says that my body is looking tighter.  Made me blush and gave the push I needed to finish my reps. 

Excited to finish this Level my I'm scared of previewing Level 4.
Hope you TAMers out there are doing just as great if not better! 

A special shout out to Jae for nominating me with the Leibster Award.  Check out her most fabulous blog at French Fries and Thunder ThighsThank you Ms. Jae!!!

Level 3 Day 1

After a day of rest, it was so difficult for me to get the will power to begin my DC let alone begin a new level that after previewing frightened me. Had my neices bday celebration and took her shopping after, didnt get home till after 8:30, and my bed looked so welcoming. I just wanted to call it a day. Glad I didnt listen to the bed calling my name. I gathered whatever energy I had and began my DC with my dogs, yes, they like to watch me as I juump up and down and side to side. All throughout the DC I just kept thinking about that Level 3. Finally it was time to tackle the beast. I loved the arms and abs part, feeling the burning kept me pumped. :) Then came the legs series (my most dreaded part) and I actually liked it!!! Yes, it burned and hurt everytime I had to lift and swing my leg while fully extended but it was actually fun!! Weird, I know. Felt so complete and satisfied with myself, really happy I didn't give in to the evil lil me on my left sholder trying to lure me to the bed. Now that I have just burned many calories, I'm craving a pizza my hubby and I made a couple of days ago. Pizza was made with a whole wheat thin crust, spicy tomato sause, cheese, shredded chicken and spinach. Yumm! Ok, really missing him now, he's gone fishing and won't be back till tomorrow afternoon. :( Doing my blogging this evening on my ipad and as I previewed it I noticed that the line spacing between paragraphs are not coming out. Sorry, this is going to look like one long paragraph, unless it displays correctly on the PC, we'll see tomorrow. Ok, now I'm rambling on. Ready for Day 2, you better bring it Level 3!!

Too old to throw a 2 year old Tantrum?

Ok....Today is my Level 2 Day 10 (cheering inside), which I will do later this evening, and I just previewed Level 3....yikes!  Can I stick with Level 2 through this one???  Please?!?!?!  Ok, I guess I would only be cheating myself, but it's just that there is this move that Tracy does (leg series of course) where she looks down right broken.  Seriously, not kidding.  I really don't think my body can position itself like that, let alone do reps.  Truth...

I'm just a scaredy cat. 

My body is stomping and yelling, but my mind is indomitable.

The good thing?  Tomorrow is my rest day so I will have a day to relax before I hit level 3 with all my might.
I will keep you posted if I survive.  Haha.

Level 2 Day ummm...oh yea 7!

Had to look at my calendar to remember what day I was on.  I "heart" my calendar, it really is rewarding to see even the miniscule amounts of weight loss I have thus far. 

Felt bad for my hunny, he tends to want to carry a conversation with me while I am doing my Tracy.  I'm on the mat trying to keep up with Tracy and simultaneously counting each rep in my mind thinking "come on, I'm trying to lift what seems like a 100 pounds per leg and he's asking what I want for dinner". 
I hate the way that sounds, I really do appreciate him cooking every night, it's just hard for me to multitask when I workout. 

Did my measurements before yesterdays workout and I have lost an overall 4 inches. Yay!!! I may not see the loss on the scale that much, but I can see it in my measurements.

Tackeling Day 8 tonight after my class.  Tip: love listening to Lady Gaga radio on Pandora while doing my Dance Cardio and Muscular Structure. 

Terrible Weekend

Ok, I was bad this weekend. 
Friday was my rest day, which I actually felt guilty about taking.  Needless to say, I also ate like I was resting...I shared a botana (fajita platter) with the hubs.  Botana included rice, beans, chips topped with cheese and plenty of other deliciously bad food.

Saturday's workout was very fun like always, although I can not do the full 30 mins of Dance Cardio yet, I give it my all.  Saturday was a very active day, did major house cleaning for an office party that was going to take place at our house so I think I overly worked my body that day. 

Sunday I was bad.....drank too many glasses of wine the night before and was hungover....blah.

 I didn't get my TAM in and felt terrible.  Today I am going to make up for it and get to those 30 mins of DC that I can never seem to reach.  Mood: Determined!!

Level 2 Day5

Yesterday’s workout was, well, a workout.  I almost fell off the wagon... :(  Working 8-5 and school till 7, getting home at 7:45pm then seeing house chores that need to get done was about to consume me and take me away from my TAM, but I was strong and stood my ground.  

My husband was watching me do the Dance Cardio and said that it was like looking into a mirror, because every move Tracy made, I mirrored her.  Of course that didn't last long.  It's like she has springs implanted in her calves! So yesterday was my 5th day on level 2 and I notice that Tracy messed up on the second leg series....yes, it took me 5 whole days to realize it, but now I know that she really IS human, not just some mechanical woman. 

Gave me hope once again to keep on truckin’!

Weighed myself the morning of and was down another pound, which makes 4 pounds to date!  I know it's not much, but it's a whole lot to me.  I was already dreading casual Fridays at work because none of my jeans were fitting me anymore.  I was doing the unbuttoned jean with a belt over so no one could tell number.  Not today!  My jeans fit once again.  YAY!!!!!

I also started doing this extra abs after my abs work on MS.  Curious to see if I can really actually get a V for Valentine's. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBbBY2gG_f4Cached

Tracy Anderson's Method on Cindy

Okay so after reading several of my TAMers (short for Tracy Anderson's Method Users) blogs, I was motivated to start my own.  Bare with me since this is the first time I have ever blogged about anything. 

I am now on Level 2 Day 5 or 15th day on TAM and I am actually seeing results!  At first not much weight loss, or even still, but I can see my body changing....it's unreal how great this method works!

This is what I plan to look like.....someday.

Stay tuned...