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!!!