Not really a quitter, Insanity. Just frustrated with you.

So here's the thing. I never did finish Insanity. I got through the first five weeks just great. It was when that "kick up a notch" for the second segment really kicked my ass ... and then I got sick. (I've talked about this before.)

So three months after starting Insanity, I have decided to put it on the backburner. I got to the end of week eight.

The bad thing? The second month really wasn't meshing well with my exercise schedule. I cannot do an hour-long workout all at once during my workweek. I tried it for a while, and then I started dreading getting up in the morning and attempting to do any exercise at all.

When I came up with my new plan a couple of weeks ago, I figured I would be able to finish Insanity in a couple of weeks and be happy. Not really so. I got in a couple of workouts on the schedule (which were 40-45 minutes apiece) and would use other workout DVDs I liked on other days. On some days I was "lazy" I brought out the bike and ride around my neighborhood twice ... which is 12 miles. Three times this week while watching television I would sit on a stool and pump some iron while getting my dose of "The Voice" and all the fun teen soapy stuff on ABC Family.

A couple of weeks ago I discussed my new goals. I am happy to say that I have met them the past couple of weeks! (The goal I set was to work out an hour a day for at least 5 days.) Some days I did work out for more than an hour, others a little less. It all evened out in the end, I think.

The last time I weighed myself was a month ago. That week I had been sick, bloated, feeling bad and on my period. Yep, four weeks later, on period again, but after weighing myself I lost 2.6 pounds in the month. I do like that number. Indeed, I have lost more than that in a month before when I was on my first go-around doing Weight Watchers.

After that brief period of not working out for a couple of weeks, I pretty much had to start over again. Going straight back into where I left off was not a good idea. I read that if you are out of your routine for a while you need to start back up slowly to avoid injuries. That is what I have been doing.

In two weeks I plan on going back to the Insanity exercise program, but before I do that I want to try something else first. I was surfing through Prevention's Web site and found an interesting book and DVD program called the Two Week Total Body Turnaround. You can find some details on it at Amazon.com, here: http://www.amazon.com/2-Week-Total-Body-Turnaround-Jumpstarts/dp/B0044KN5IG/

I ordered it from Prevention because they let you try it for free for three weeks. And since the program itself is only two weeks, I figured, what the heck. While waiting for the program in the mail, I went to Hastings in Benton and found the book itself in the bargain bin. So for $8 I bought it and started reading the book, including the food plan they suggested. I liked the food plan because it still fits in with my Weight Watchers points, and I get a list of types of foods, the amounts and what time of day to eat them. Bascally you are eating three 400-calorie meals and two snacks. Two fruits a day, three dairy, four grain, four vegetable, three protein and three fats.

The book also encourages you to work out for an hour a day, with one day a week of "active rest." Basically you are to do 30 minutes of cardio  and 30 minutes of sculpting exercises every day. The author details plans daily, including charts on your exercise schedule, pictures of several exercises and an eating menu. Personally I am not one to look at pictures in a book and follow them that way. I need a more fluid visual reference. To complement the program, two DVDs go along with it, a cardio and a sculpting DVD. So I will use these DVDs instead of looking at the book.

The funny thing right now is, I have started the program today. However I don't have the DVDs of the program. In the book, author Chris Freytag suggests power walking for cardio, but you can substitute that for pretty much any cardio activity, such as riding a bike or swimming. As long as the heart rate goes up. As for the sculpting, I have a Jillian Michaels Get Ripped in 30 I have been using, as well as another Prevention sculpt DVD that goes with their walking program. (Wasn't a fan of that one.)

Since I have the book, I started this morning cooking an egg white scramble with cheese and a dollop of salsa, and a PPJ and banana sandwich. That was breakfast. (2 grain = bread; fruit = banana; protein = egg whites; dairy = ff cheese; fat = peanut butter.) For a mid-morning snack I ate a peach and string cheese. (Fruit and dairy). For lunch I ate turkey dogs in tortillas with two cups of green beans topped with mixed nuts. I am about to eat my second snack, my third dairy, some string cheese. And for dinner I will have my last items on the list. Starchy veg: 1/2 cup of refried beans; protein: Boca crumbles; fat: guacamole; veggies: 1 cup each of tomatoes and broccoli slaw. Basically this is my version of a taco dip. I'll either eat it plain or scoop it up with some red bell pepper.

My biggest thing is late night snacking. However, Freytag wants you to drink at least 2 liters of liquid a day. I have pretty much done that already. BUT if I am wanting to eat something, I will just make some tea and drink that. Should tide me over until the next morning!

Wish me luck! (Haha, no one reads this blog anyway. I am just throwing my thoughts out into the universe.)

All right. Better start.

Well I think I am off to a positive start this time around!
I made my goal I set for myself the first full week on the second go-round of 100 days.

As I said before, I wanted to ease myself back into exercise because of the UTI that I had the previous week, and I didn't want to overdo anything since I had not been very active at all for two weeks.

So basically I:

• Worked out four days out of seven.
• Saturday: walked 3.1 miles.
• Sunday: rode bike 6 miles
• Monday: rode bike 6 miles
• Tuesday: Did nothing. Thought about exercise, though. ;)
• Wednesday: rode bike 12 miles.

WW activity points: 20.

However I ate too much during the week. Had too many late-night cravings. However I am really working on that and am making efforts to distract myself so I don't do it.

First 100: Epic FAIL

All I have to say for the 100 days that ended at the end of May: it was a good try.
I am going to have to say those past 100 days have been a learning experiment with my personal endurance, will power and laziness.

What I accomplished:

• Doing 75% of the Insanity program.
• Keeping a blog like this and actually trying to stick to it.
• Exercising five and more days a week.
• Really learn I have to make an effort when there are time constraints.

What I learned about myself:

• I need to cut myself a break when I get sick. 
• When I am lazy, I can be REALLY lazy.
• I really do eat too much.

I didn't lose any weight during this time. I tried, though. In the end I gained weight. For several weeks I ended up getting ill, and that put a damper on my exercise efforts and motivation.
Last week I had some painful pre-period troubles. Then I traveled to see some friends in Chicago. After that I came home to severe pain for several days and an early-morning trip with Ken to the ER because I knew there was just something really wrong. Turned out I had a severe UTI. (I'm still taking meds for it.)

I still have less than two weeks left on the first go-round of the Insanity program. I am determined to finish it. Then I am going to start it all over again. However I had to ease myself back into exercise this week, because I did not want to aggravate anything. I have done activity every day since Saturday. I am hoping to get back into the swing of Insanity tomorrow. I figured I would need to feel a little crazy first.

So I am going to do this 100 days again. This time I have slightly different goals.
I have another event I am going to at the beginning of September. This next 100 days started June 1 (although I didn't start moving my ass at all until June 4) and will end on Sept. 8.

This time I will:

• Work out a minimum of five days a week. Do a DVD in the morning, and ride my bike (weather permitting) in the evening.
• Do a minimum of an hour a day, moderate to high intensity level.
• Get back into my smaller size 8 clothes. 
• Really watch my food intake and try my best not to go on stupid late-night binges.
• Cut myself a break if I injure myself or get sick again.
• Don't be a lazy ass when I just want to sit on it and not exercise.

I think these are much better, more realistic goals I am going to set for myself when I was just reaching for numbers earlier this year. I had set some unrealistic things for myself. Walking 15 miles a week? Riding my bike 30? Lose 25 pounds? I can't think of those numbers like that now. They were lofty goals, for sure, but I set them so lofty I wasn't being realistic and was setting myself up for failure. Well, it was a learning experience, that is for sure.

Behind again ...

So Blogger was down all last Friday, so I wasn't able to post my exercise update.
Much improved this week over the previous! I was able to:

• Ride my bike 12 miles
• Walk one mile
• Cardio/sculpt about 3.25 hours
• Total days of activity: 6.

As I said that week I am not weighing myself until the Thursday before Memorial Day.
I think this will help me keep my sanity and acknowledge that yes, I do eat over my weekly points (sometimes the activity points, too). But I try to eat  healthier things. Some weeks it might be CEREAL! Another week I am nibbling on brownies for a week. Right now I have a love affair with cinnamon toast made with low-carb pitas.

I win and lose at the same time.

Oy I have been bad ... and frankly don't really give a rat's ass.

Really pretty bad about posting on this blog. It's been another 25 days.
Every weekend I have had something going on.

• April 16 we went to Dallas for my sister's 30th birthday. I ate and drank a bit. Tried to eat as healthy as I could. Exercised. Started my Insanity recovery week.

• The weekend of April 23 Ken and I celebrated our wedding anniversary over a couple of days. Lots of Korean food. Finished recovery week. Started Month Two of Insanity.

• This past weekend was the Royal Wedding. I blew the healthy eating by eating scones, Devonshire cream, sinful chocolate cake and petit fours as well as crumpets and tea. All while sitting on my ass that day watching the wedding. (I did exercise on that Friday at least!) 

But then everything went even more downhill.

I am so, so late starting week two of of Max month. Looking back, if I don't do anything today then that would leave me doing exercise exactly three days this week. Almost making the week a wash. I am not even going to attempt to get on the scale on Thursday. I am afraid of what I will find.

My monthly curse has also been invading my space. This explains my nonstop eating over the weekend. (Sometimes this happens, sometimes I have it well under control.) For two whole days I have had cramps. I get more tired and irritable as the day goes on. I took on an extra WW meeting like a crazy person and this totally whacked with my schedule. When I am in moods like this I have to work extra hard to be sensitive to others when leading my meetings. Having an "I really don't give a shit" attitude about what-you-ate-for-breakfast-all-this-week-and-how-you-have-constipation-all-the-time-because-you-don't-drink-your-water-like-say-you-should will not go over well at my meeting tonight or Thursday. Which will make me even more moody when I get home.

Reading this, Ken? Stay clear of me this week. PLUS I have no food in the house. This makes me even more moody that I have to go to Wal-Mart after my meeting. I'll buy some fruit and stuff my face while I watch 20-somethings-pretending-to-be-teenagers sing very well. Glee is my saving grace on Tuesdays.

The bright spots of the week? I can fit into my purple jeans (well I could last week anyway) and the sun is out.

About halfway done.

So. Day 48 passed. Another week going insane.

This week's stats:

• 3.5 hours of cardio/sculpt over five days
• 2.5 miles walk

And my results after two months: barely a 2-pound loss, and a perkier butt.

Trying not to feel totally frustrated. I just got to keep going and going, and hoping at the end of the 100 days positive results will be seen in my mirror.

I want to fit nicely in my purple jeans, dammit. Right now they just barely fit and make my legs look like tree trunks.

It was all about the hair, I swear.

So, we are more than a third through the 100 days (43 have passed).
The not-so-springy weather really encumbered my efforts to go outside. (BOO on you, rain!)

I feel like I accomplished something, even though I cheated a bit on my exercise this week.
Yes, I did Insanity for six days. But not 100% on schedule.

Last Thursday was my off day, and then I somehow extended it into Friday when I went to the mall and enjoyed a round of walking around and getting my hair done all fancy. So when I got home, I didn't really want to mess it up. I paid good money for that cut and color.

Hubby says, "aren't you going to exercise?"
"Nope."
"You need to do your workout."
"And mess up this hair? You are insane."
I worked out by staring at myself in all reflective surfaces the rest of the evening, convinced I look 10 years younger with the new doo.

So my brief bout of narcissism delayed my starting the next week of Insanity workouts. I began on Saturday, and successfully completed every single workout until last night. I was scheduled to do a Pure Cardio and a Cardio abs segment (which in total would last about an hour). However, I was so exhausted after a 10-hour work day (not getting home until after 7:30) and my stomach was growling so loudly, I just didn't have it in me to do the whole thing. I did the 16-minute Cardio Abs segment. I plan on making up for the missed workout on Saturday.

This week's accomplishment:

• Walked a mile or so.
• Three hours of cardio/sculpt.

The scale was really mean, though. I weighed the exact same as last week. I got frustrated. But I was encouraged this week by my Weight Watchers members who have noticed changes in my physical appearance after a couple of weeks. It's all about the inches, folks. I want to lose several more inches so I can comfortably fit into those awesome purple jeans I bought on QVC. Now I have three different purple-colored pants. One is a size 6, though. That will take me a while to fit into again. Here's to hoping.

Today is a rest day ... from the DVDs. The weather is supposed to be so nice today that I plan on walking a mile or so during a break at work and riding my bike when I get home. Saturday's scheduled Insanity workout  is just the Fit Test, but I will skip that and do the Pure Cardio workout I skipped out on yesterday.