Time flies...

Time flies when you're busy!

I have a 2 week sojourn coming up and I'll try to maintain tabs here while I am gone.

I have spent a few weeks doing skating, speed and misc Beachbody workouts. I tightened up my eating and found that I dropped another 4 lbs and got in to the 170's! YAY! I was officially 176lbs last week and I am stoked to lose even more. I'm going to use my 2 weeks away from home to show people that it's entirely possible to eat healthfully, lose weight and stick to an exercise regime.

I will be focusing on my last few weeks of RYBO! I know I haven't posted much about it, but there's been not much to post. Due to cross-training, the 30 minute sessions have been all running and I'm pretty much "done", even though the last few weeks of the program I didn't exactly follow the recommendations. I modified it for me due to skating and a ton of other cross-training that got me to my 30 minutes of solid running goal faster. Am I FAST?! NO! I am SLOOOOOWWW... but I can continuously run for 30 minutes.

Goals coming up... maintain the 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week. Keep skating and losing weight. That's the biggest thing. GOOD calories in, calories expended... deficit achieved, drop more weight. I want to be in the 160's by Christmas and I totally think I can do it. Maybe even the 150's.... 62 days to Christmas... that may be pushing it, but hey, I like to dream!!

Thanks for sticking with me! More posts forthcoming.

Warm wishes and better fitness,

Grace

Week 9 and a week 8 recap

This past monday, I went to run and had chest pains, so I quit running 15 minutes into the run. I took it easy and did skating on Tuesday for 2 hours. I don't know what happened, but I think that due to baby being sick, I was probably fighting something too. It just didn't manifest itself other than feeling a bit wonky Monday. I ended up skipping RYBO! for the rest of the week due to a sick baby girl.

I did however attend a speed skating practice this last Friday and I am STILL sore from it! Insane practice! They don't even get on skates for at least the first 45-60 minutes of practice! It's exercises down and back on the rink like lunges, skate walks, more lunges, sprint laps around the outside of the rink and a ton of wall sits. The practice ends with everyone doing pump squats. If you haven't had the pleasure of doing pump squats, here's what they typically are: Stand tall, feet hip width apart or a bit wider. Squat down so knees are at a 90 degree and stand back up. Repeat in succession until you've done 10 reps. On the 10th rep, stay down and hold for 10 seconds. Next set, do 20 reps, holding for 10 seconds on the 20th. 3rd set you're doing 30 reps with a 10 second hold on 30. Then the ladder progresses back down with 20 reps and 10 reps, only on your last set, you hold your squat in the down position for 20 seconds.

Speed skaters START in the 90degree down position and BARELY move up, doing more of a bounce motion for each rep and complete the set with the same 10 second hold. Instead of taking a break between sets however, speed STAYS down and continues in their counting.... on up to 50 reps going by 10's.... holy moley!!! It's a fantastic workout, but at the end of practice, your body is crying "ENOUGH!" and you're looking for the garbage can! There's a reason those in the know often call Speed Skating "Puke practice".

So my plan for today is to run and see how long I can maintain pace. Then compare it to the RYBO! plan and see if I rate at week 9 or go back to week 8. I have a feeling, I'm making so much progress aerobically thanks to skating, I'll be fine. I HATE repeating weeks so, this is my compromise.

I will also be adding in Hip Hop Abs and Insanity for extra cardio and core work.

Sunday - Skating practice - DONE!

Monday - RYBO! and HHA's

Tuesday - RYBO! and Insanity

Wednesday - Skate practice

Thursday - RYBO! and core

Friday - DAY OFF as mandated by my friend DINGO! (much love, chica!)

Saturday - Working a skate scrimmage as a non-skating official

Last night's practice I had a bit of a break-thru. I "got" the speed skating chair position and FINALLY felt what it is like to fly.... I was cruising around the rink. I picked up enough speed from form alone that after 2 hours of endurance and boot camp workouts, I still won a 2 lap skate sprint around the rink! I was beyond ecstatic and just... wow. The hard work is paying off, the pain, the frustration, I'm now seeing the joy and the speed I need to be a contributing member to a derby team. I can't tell you how happy I am about this.... this is huge.

Wishing I could sleep, but still floating from a great practice...

~Grace

Week 8

So today will be the official first day of week 8. Going to run during baby's afternoon nap (cross your fingers I didn't just jinx myself!) and do some medicine ball core work.

Last night, I have to share.... I got my 25 skate laps down to 4m 48s. And that's with a fall. Working more on my perfect circle and going to hit legs relatively hard this week as well. I will do Insanity cross-training with my RYBO! and skating. I think that's plenty.

And yes, you saw that right. The scale counter says 9lbs. I am at 180lbs ON THE NOSE!! GAH! Okay, honestly, I was 180.2lbs this morning. But I didn't want to accept that number, so I stripped down and weighed myself again. 180lbs. Dang. I WILL be in the 170's next week! That is my goal.

Tightening up on the eating this week. Half of each lunch/dinner meal will be veggies. Upping my protein this week as well as water intake. No diet coke for me.

I'm feeling it. I have to say, I can FEEL changes now. I'm starting to see results in my skating and in how I look (just a bit). So I am revved and looking forward to continuing this journey with you all.

~Grace