Words of Wisdom from Tony Horton

For a while I've been wanting to do a post about losing the baby weight and my progress. I'll get to that post soon (I hope), but first read this. The below statement was published by Tony Horton on his FaceBook page and it really spoke to me. In case you don't know, Tony Horton is the P90X guy. He's over 50 years old and he's a BA like chuck norris!

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Do You Believe In The Truth?

The truth is that thing that is happening to you right now, not that enhanced fantasy version you use to protect your vulnerabilities. People can't move forward in life because they hold too tightly to the past. We also get lost in concepts and beliefs that might have worked for our parents and friends but don't apply to us anymore; which can make it confusing when it

 comes to making decisions to improve our lives.

If you look closely at my first 30 to 35 years on earth you would have bet big bucks on a inept outcome. Bad student, bad athlete, no discipline, poor confidence, lousy work ethic, speech impediment, low self esteem and the biggest procrastinator on earth. What changed?

I began excepting reality. I stopped lying to myself and the people around me. I searched for second and third opinions. I stopped hanging around people with bad attitudes and no ambition. I stopped using the word "party" as a verb and grew up. I signed up for seminars and yoga retreats and saved up for ski camps, so that I could meet people who were curious, outside of my circle and who were kicking ass.

My persona to the world as a young man was just big talk and hyperbole because I didn't have the guts to get in the game and step up to the plate. It was a safe and easy way to exist but it made me sick. I slowly began to force myself to do things that scared the hell out of me. Every single experience built my confidence and improved my life, so I kept going no matter how many times I fell flat on my face.

If you want to believe in the truth then you need to follow some simple life altering steps. Exercise 5 to 6 days a week for the rest of your life. Eat whole foods more often than not, for the rest of your life. Allow your mind, body and spirit to heal with patience, curiosity and plenty of rock solid sleep. Figure out what you love and put as much time and energy as you can, into that. Then share what you've learned with people who ask for your help.

How We Work-Out

The girls and I did a 15 minute ab workout. Aren't' they adorable? Even Dakota was getting into it.

I hope when they get older they enjoy running. I'd LOVE to have mommy-daughter running dates with them! If they hate running, I'll try to forgive them.

Half Marathon Training Starts Next Week! 
Speaking of running, my treadmill has been getting a lot of attention, lately -- particularly in the mornings. I feel like, I'm back in my running routine and it feels GOOD. Oh and my Dallas Half Marathon Training starts next week. I'm so excited! From now until December, that's all you will hear me blog and talk about.

If you are running the same race, let me know - maybe we can run a few long runs together.

First Day Back at Work

My co-workers welcomed me back with a warm reception of hugs. It's good to be back, but my morning was stressful.

This picture is where I worked out, this morning. A little P90X, to start my day.

The Morning Rush:
I woke up like I planned, worked out, showered, and got dressed, but I underestimated the amount of time it would take to feed Dakota. I also realized Trey had parked behind me AND it was trash day AND the trash needed to be taken to the curb. It's going to take a few days or weeks, before I get this routine down.

The past 7 weeks, at home, have been amazing. I've created lifelong memories I will always cherish, but I think Chey was under the impression that I was going to stay at home with her permanently. This morning as I was rushing out the door, she broke down and started crying -- She said, "I want you!!!!" <------Breaks my heart! If anything, I thought this would be an easy transition for her. We've been here before. I've worked her entire 3.75 year old life. But it looks like there will be an adjustment period.

What I missed about work:

- My 30 minute commute (Meeeeee Time) 

- My spotify playlist 

- Eating lunch without any interruptions 

- Water Cooler Conversations. I have a feeling we'll be talking about the Olympics for a while. 

- Scheduled eating patterns - snacks and lunch all scheduled. 

- Routine!!!!!!!!!!!!

But you know, at the end of the day I look forward to seeing my girls. 

My MacBook Pro Crashed & Burned (Tear)

Sunday evening, without warning, my MacBook Pro died. I didn't freak out because I had a feeling my IT guy at work could retrieve my hard drive. He did (YAY), but the laptop is still messed up (BOO).

So, for the next few weeks I will be without a mobile workstation. It's more of an inconvenience than a life shattering event.

You know some people store their entire life history on a computer. I use to be that way too. The last few years, I've been tedious about backing up my important files, mainly pictures. I use to have a standard Flickr account, but about a year ago I upgraded to Pro. It's worth the investment, assuming Flickr doesn't die (nervous laugh). The only thing I'm mad at myself for is not syncing my calendar more often. I have about two weeks worth of lost events. So, if I forget to go somewhere or do something, please forgive me -- we'll blame it on the missing calendar. Like I said, I have the hard drive, so if anyone is savy with iCal data, please let me know. It may just be a matter of locating the events on the hard drive. I've been looking, but with no luck.

Do you back-up important computer data? I use used my laptop all day, everyday. I will miss it. One of my favorite spots to work at home is in the dining room. I like to spread all my gear out and get to work. I also like to snack while I work and the fridge is only a few feet away. How convenient.

Occasionally, I would use the MBP when I would workout. I'd have P90X going on the MBP and that way I could watch the morning news. Now, what? I'm not sure. I think work will fix or replace the laptop.

Lulu & P90X. Week 9. Day 60.

One thing I look forward to every week, Group run with my Lululemon friends. I'm so thankful for an awesome running community. These guys and girls are more than runners, they are athletes.

I can't believe this weather. This is unheard of ----> a high of 75 degrees in MAY. No complaints here. I'm taking it in and enjoying the moment.

P90X Update
60 days of P90X. Only 30 more days.
I feel like I'm seeing the most results in my arms, back, and legs. Abs? That's up for debate. I usually do 2 of the 3 recommended ab workouts per week. For the next three weeks, I will try my hardest to complete P90X, including all the ab workouts!

Have you heard, this summer P90X will release P90X MC2? It's geared for those who have completed P90X and are ready for a new challenge. I saw a highlight reel and I'm extremely intimidated.

Here are some Tonyisms, they are the things Tony Horton says throughout the workouts:
1. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your body wasn’t either.
2. Lets make it x like…not exlax thats somethin different.
3. Make it sexy people.
4. Don’t say I can’t, say, I presently struggle with.
5. Good Job!… So Far….
6. Water break….but don’t be going down the hall and getting a Crispy Cream.
7. It’s going to burn. It’s suppose to!
8. Do your best and forget the rest.
9. Nobody said this was easy.
10. You've got to bring it.

P90X. Week 6. Day 40.

Food journaling is stupid. THE END.

Or maybe trying to food journal, while work-cationing in Las Vegas is stupid. Actually, there was no such journaling occurring while in sin city. None. Zero. 

Now, that I'm back I'm going to stick with my original one week commitment. I started yesterday, so we'll see how it goes this time around. Honestly, it's hard for me because I have no idea what my calorie intake should be. Well, if anything else, it helps me stick to clean nutrition.

I still need to eat dinner, but this is what I have so far...Oh, and for dinner, I think I'm making bean and cheese nachos or a bean salad.


What About P90X?
This week has been tough. I can tell you the obvious excuses, like I was traveling and all that, but excuses annoy me. The fact is, I only completed one of the five workouts. Oh, well. Write it off and move on. The good thing is...I'm still moving. I have some miles in, so that's reassuring...but my ultimate goal here is to complete P90X! Regroup and move on....

P90X. Week 5. Day 30.

I'm 30 days into this program and I'm not seeing the intense results, I saw last time. Sure my arms look more flattering, but what about the gut? Ummm..(silence) The main problem is my current eating habits. I eat healthy, but I also eat a lot....(this feels like confession time) AND lately, I've been snacking in the evenings. I've heard the best way to stay on a healthy eating habit-track, is to write down what you eat.....So, starting today, I will write down the food I consume using a food journal. So, far it seems to be helping.

Here is a look at what I had for breakfast and lunch....

There is more info on this log, but this is just a peak. I promise I eat more. Oh yeah, I do.

I plan on going back to basics and Indulging treating myself to treats on weekends....like I use to do. I know exactly what happened, I was marathon training and then ultra marathon training and now I'm not, but I'm still eating like I'm prepping to run a 26 plus mile race and running a total of 40 miles a week. Umm, news flash to self: I'm not!

Here is to getting back on track...


P90X: A Look at this Week 
Sunday - Rest - Ended up going for a 1 mile walk and 30 min elliptical workout (low intensity)
Monday - Chest, Shoulders and Triceps + Ab Ripper X + 30 min elliptical workout.
Upcoming Workouts:
Tuesday Night - Plyometrics. I would also love to run 2 miles.
Wednesday -  Back and Biceps + Ab Ripper X
Thursday - YogaX
Friday - Legs and Back + AbRipperX
Saturday - Long Run 8 - 10 miles. I would love to run 14 MILES.

Now it's your turn to confess....

P90X. Week 4. Day 24.

When we went to Stillwater, you could say we went a little crazy on the snack food. It was Trey's idea to go to the store and get a "few" snacks and once we got there the junk food floodgates opened as wide as my mouth!

Trey said, "Now this is a SWEET vacation!" Indeed.

I feel like I'm still recovering from the sugar high. I'm not feeling tooooo guilty. Saturday, Linda and I went for a 6 mile run.

P90X
This week is considered a recovery week. No AbRipperX. No Weights. Next week, P90X will pick up again with more weight training. Here is what is up with P90X this week.

Sunday   - Plyometrics. Worked out with Linda and Steve
Monday  - YogaX or Running. I ran 5 miles.
Tuesday  - Core Synergistics. I ran 5 miles again :)
Wednesday - Did this tonight, KenpoX and ran 2 miles
Thursday    - XStretch or running 4 - 5 miles
Friday         - Core Synergistics or running 4 - 5 miles
Saturday     - Long Run 8 - 10 miles. I'm thinking 10

Not to embarrass Linda, but I included a video that Trey recorded of her, while we were working out. She modified a few of the difficult moves from plyometrics. Trey was giving her a hard time (what's new). If you watch closely, you can see my green shoe on the right side, kicking away.

Trey said, "Look what they are doing on TV and look at what Linda is doing." She responds with a sharp NO! And we call this Linda90X Version.    B-R-I-N-G I-T!

Okay, since I sort of embarrassed Linda, I feel it is only fair to show something embarrassing of Trey. This is the closest, most recent image I have on stock. Allow me to introduce Trey on the air drums.
Oh, wait...this isn't embarrassing at all. I suck at this.

P90X. Week 3. Day 15 & Taco Soup

I've been doing most of these workouts alone. Trey has a hard time waking up at 4 am to workout with me (understandably). So, I'm considering doing the P90X workouts at night. I like the idea of having my nights free, but if it means Trey working out with me, it's worth rearranging my schedule. We'll see what happens...

3 Weeks in and I'm still on the same P90X routine:
Sunday- Rest
Monday - Chest and Back + Ab RipperX (Did that this morning)
Tuesday - Plyometrics or Running 4 -6 miles
Wednesday - Shoulders and Arms + Ab RipperX
Thursday - YogaX or Running 4 - 6 miles
Friday - Legs & Back + Ab RipperX
Saturday - Long Run (8 - 14 miles)


The toughest workout on the above schedule: Legs and Back. I feel like I'm still recovering from that one. My legs were on fire! My favorite workout on the above schedule: Shoulders and Back. The majority is lifting weights. I'm gonna get ripped...haha. Hopefully not too much. Here is some real progress -- I did 3 unassisted pull-ups. 


Taco Soup
I've been craving this for months, it's something I've made on numerous occasions, but not lately. This is a crockpot recipe from Paula Dean. I modified the recipe (a lot). The biggest change I made was the portion size.  I basically cut the portion size in half and only added half a pound of lean ground beef. I have plenty of leftovers that I will freeze for later. 

Garnished with fresh cilantro

Chey had to do a taste test...

It passed! I'm surprised it wasn't too hot for her. Even with the green chiles, she liked it. I guess they were mild enough for her.

P90X. Week 2. Day 9.

I completed the first week of P90X and all I can say is OWIE! Well, at the moment I'm not sore, but last week I was burning.

Yesterday, I felt sick, so I skipped a workout, but this morning I was back to it. Today, I'm thinking about pulling a double. It was Chest and Back + Ab RipperX this am, so I'm thinking about running 6 miles tonight - to make up for the plyometrics workout, I should've done (today).   Better to do a double now, before the Chest and Back soreness settles in.

Hey, I can mark this off my to-do list -- I copied our P90X DVD's over to .m4v format. Now, I can sync the workouts to my phone or just keep them archived on my computer.

Random thoughts about P90X so far:
1. It still hurts.
2. As much as it hurts, it has been refreshing doing something different.
3. But I have to say I MISS running ALL the time.
4. I like to reward myself with a recovery drink after most workouts. My HoneyMilk stash is dwindling down (sad face).

5. I think I like pumping iron!
6. I kind of fell asleep, last week when I was doing yoga at 4 am. I drifted off for a moment and had to shake it.
7. I try to convince myself that P90X will make me a faster, stronger, runner. One week of doing it and I'm convinced!

P1X: DAY ONE

I'm about to embark on something more challenging that an ultra marathon. P90X. and this time it won't be 30 days, it will be the full 90.

90 Days of fun? torture? pain? (fill in the blank)  -- Let's face it -- this program works and it's not a walk in the park, I will earn every ripped ab and muscle definition, that's for sure.

Trey will be joining me on this audacious adventure. Last time, we started the program together and he only made it through ONE day and then sporadically did a few workouts here and there. This time he plans on working out with me...to a certain extent -- more on that later.

If you've been reading our blog for a while, you may remember I tried doing the program while training for Dallas White Rock Marathon. I saw results like WHOA. I lasted 30 days on the program and that was including my normal running schedule 30'ish miles a week. It was too time consuming -- committing myself to both running and P90X. Something had to give and I decided to focus more on running.

My 30 day progress:


This time I will try to modify the P90X program to suit my running addiction. Here is the plan for the next two weeks:

Sunday- Rest
Monday - Chest and Back + Ab RipperX
Tuesday - Plyometrics or Running 4 -6 miles
Wednesday - Shoulders and Arms + Ab RipperX
Thursday - YogaX or Running 4 - 6 miles
Friday - Legs & Back + Ab RipperX
Saturday - Long Run (8 - 14 miles)

*Trey won't be doing any of the Ab RipperX workouts with me and if he doesn't want to do the cardio or yoga workouts, I'll substitute that day with running -- if I'm in the mood. I'm not training for a race, so this flexibility is nice.

If you are not familiar with the P90X workouts they are usually 60 minutes long. Ab RipperX is 15 minutes, and YogaX is an hour and a half long. This is a huge time commitment, but I plan on working out in the mornings. Here's to 90 days! I'm not married to this plan, but I want to strive to work towards a goal and I think this is a great roadmap. I'm thinking about writing a weekly update on our progress to stay motivated and keep you posted.

Indigo Yoga!

While Trey and Cheyenne were at the Cotton Bowl, Friday night, I enjoyed a night of yoga.

For months, I've been wanting to go to Indigo Yoga studio and I finally had a free night. (no kid. no husband). A night just for ME! I went to Kelsey's class called yoga and music and basically got my butt kicked. Whoa, it was sweaty and intense. I still feel fairly new to yoga, so I had to keep looking over my shoulder to see what was up. Kelsey was very helpful and came over to assist me several times. At one point she saw my bad form and announced, "We have a runner in the room!" ME! But honestly if it wasn't for P90X yoga, I would've been completely lost. Thanks, Tony Horton. If you are interested in Indigo Yoga, look them up. The instructors know what they are doing. I was impressed.

So to sum up my Friday night, it was perfection. It was a pizza, yoga, book reading kind of night.

Gaining New Ground & A Note to P90X

Distance: 14 miles
Duration: 02:51:00
Average Pace Per Mile: 09:51
Temperature: Around 84-86 degrees with a cool breeze <--- That's why running in the morning pays off. Cool weather!
Notes: Ran unplugged. No music. It was nice to pray, think, and just run. Now that I'm running more miles, I'm discovering parts of the trail I've never see before.

Saturday morning, I had a hard time getting up, especially after eating so much Friday evening...blah. I'm glad I dragged my butt out of bed, even if I didn't start running as early as I normally do. Let's see what week 10 of marathon training brings. Oh, more miles. 

P90X, you have officially become secondary to marathon training because running 37 miles in one week plus P90 does not sound fun. I'll see you every now and then....Maybe, Wedensday? Call me! 

Somewhat of a Break

Last week, I started feeling a nagging pain in my right calf and this entire week, I've decided to take a break from P90X. GASP! 

Oh, let me tell you it has been wonderful! My abs are not getting any tighter, but I feel a little better. Next week, I'll see about doing more P90X workouts. 

Marathon Training.....

So, I'm approaching week 10 of marathon training and I pretty much hungry all the time and I think about food all the time and I really look forward to eating every three hours. I've also discovered I'm a bit of a carb loader.....I have mixed feelings about that one. 

P90X: Day One Compared to Day 30

Day One

Day Thirty

Day One

Day Thirty

Day One

Day Thirty

Now that you've seen the pictures...Anyone up for a round of P90X?!

Bring It!

I've had a lot of people ask me about P90X and according to my blog stats, I'm seeing more traffic on the P90X posts. So, if you are still curious, here is an intro video I found.

This will give you a taste of what I've been up to these last few weeks.



Before taking my 30 day photos, I was a little scared that I wouldn't be able to see an obvious difference. I thought, maybe I'm just convincing myself that my arms are gaining muscle and my stomach is actually transforming. P90X guarantees results, for those who commit and the pictures don't lie. I'm happy enough to move forward to Phase 2. BRING IT! Who wants to join me?!

Marathon Training and P90X

Marathon training plus P90X has been tough. On average, I've been doing p90x workouts 4 days a week and then running 5 days a week averaging around 25 miles (weekly). If you are familar with the P90X program, you know that it's a 6-7 day a week workout program. Yeah, when "they" mean extreme, "they" mean CRAZY EXTREME. I'm cutting myself some slack, since I'm training for a marathon (not too much slack there). I want to push myself, I don't want to kill myself, BIG difference.

Most days I'm mentally and physically tired. I keep going because I'm starting to see and feel results, specifically in my arms and abs, the two areas that no matter how long I ran, I could never tone.

As far as nutrition goes, I've decided to try the P90X Phase 2: Energy Boost-Portion approach. Somewhere in the ball park of 2,400 calories/day. If anything, this approach should steer me in the direction of eating more protein. I'm not married to this, just trying it out. It seems a lot easier than the meal plan approach. Yeah, tried that for one week and got tired of measuring all my food.

Tonight, I'm taking before and after 30 day pictures. I'm not sure I want to share those with the world. Who knows...I might, after all I feel like you are also taking this journey with me. I know that each of you have your own fitness goals and I hope that this encourages you. Like you, I work, have a family, church activities, laundry, have to meal plan/cook/grocery shop/ clean house/ take care of the garden, etc..... Look, we all have the same amount of hours in one day. Sometimes it's hard, but I put one foot in front of the other. No one said this was going to be easy.

In Her Own Words

While I was cooking dinner, Cheyenne was playing in the living room. She started chatting in her baby babble and kept pointing to my P90X nutritional planner. I thought she was asking if she could look at it. Oh, that's so cute, she's asking for permission. So, I said, "Yes baby, you can look at that!" What I didn't know is that there was a pen nearby. She was asking if she could draw on the book. Since I gave her the green light, she sat on the couch and doodled for a minute or two before I realized what she was doing. Oy! At least she asked...

Running + P90X = 1 Slow Runner

Just now getting around to posting my long run info.
Distance: 10 miles
Duration: Not really sure (User error on my part!)
Pace: Steady and Slow - Maybe a 11:00 minute pace
Temps: Around 78 degrees

My running pace has dropped significantly, since starting P90X. I usually run a 9:30 pace, but lately I'm running an 11 minute pace. I found this article that made me feel better. 

Quote from P90X:"It's important to remember that while you're training for running, your speed will likely decrease. This is because you're creating muscular breakdown in order to improve your capacity to run faster later on. This means you'll be slower early in the program, but once your recover and convert your new strength into running speed, you'll be faster." 

Last week, was the first week of P90X. Trey won't be following the program after all. His job is too demanding this time of year. Summer = busy Trey. Maybe by this fall, his work load will be more reasonable and then he can join me. He's still going to the gym. 

What I've discovered so far:
The hardest part is finding time, especially when I have 2 a days scheduled. Finding the balance is key. Last week, I ran 24 miles --- on top of that I worked-out four times doing P90X. Whew! I will most likely add more rest days and possibly cut out P90X cardio during marathon training. 

P90X Nutrition Phase One

Warning: If you are hungry look away! 

Last week, I started the nutrition meal plan and I learned a few things about myself. One thing I learned is that I don't like to follow recipes. I did pretty good until mid week and then I started improvising and using the meal planner as a guide. This worked well for me. Plus, following recipes each night got really old and I had a lot of extra dishes to clean (measuring spoons and cups). I didn't document my breakfast that much, but for the most part it consisted of egg whites and fruit. Towards the end of the week, I started to add toast. I'm a runner, I need my carbs! 


Here's what I liked: 
1. Adding tons of veggies like tomatoes, celery, onions, mushrooms to my eggs. Talk about healthy fillers. 
2. I love having tons of colorful veggies on my plate. 
3. The portion sizes were big, I always felt full, once I figured out I was in the 2,400 calorie bracket versus the 1,800 bracket. The 1,800 calories were not doing it for me. The first day, I knew something was wrong when I got up and felt lightheaded. No bueno, but nothing a little food can't fix. 
4. I like the idea of drinking a recovery drink/protein shake as a desert versus grabbing junk. 
5. Over the course of last week, I discovered I love onions. Really.


Did not like:
1. Eating Egg Whites - They tasted alright, but I really like normal eggs with the yolk. It tastes so much better and I figured, since I'm not at risk for heart disease I can eat normal eggs again. Also, the yolk has all the good nutrients! I would hate to miss out on that.
2. I kind of got burned out on fish. I think it may have been because I ate several meals of it back to back.
3. I prefer brown rice over wild rice.

Dinner
Salmon with wild rice and asparagus

Breakfast
One cup of mixed fruit topped with greek yogurt. Here is my mushroom omelette, more like scrambled eggs. It's the same ingredients no matter what you call it. The recipe called for six egg whites and lots of veggies.

Lunch
Tuna Salad

Dinner
Turkey Burger
We are adding this to the "Let's make it again" list! Some of the ingredients - turkey, parsley, low-fat buttermilk, onions, spinach, and worcestershir sauce. I used a whole grain bun that I got at Central market for .44 cents! 

I believe with this burger, the meal plan called for a butternut squash soup on the side. I used what I had on hand, yellow squash. Main ingredients - squash, shallots, garlic, and low-fat/sodium chicken broth.

Dinner
Dom's Go-To Meal!
Trey worked late and I knew it would be difficult to try to tackle a new recipe and watch Cheyenne at the same time, so instead of making a P90X recipe, I opted to make my go-to meal. By the way, this meal is super healthy, delicious, and it's mexican food. Ingredients: Multi-Grain Chips, my own slow cooked refried beans. I freeze my beans in ice cube trays, so I always have them available. It's better than the can. Other ingredients - a little bit of ground beef or turkey, I had grilled lime chicken, so that's what I used. Topped with whole grain rice, spinach, tomatoes, cilantro, onions, hot sauce, greek yogurt, and sprinkled with flaxseed and/or wheat germ. I should note that aside from having the frozen beans available, I typically keep a frozen stock of rice and meat. That's why it's so easy to make, because I don't have to cook it, it's already been cooked ahead of time! I could go on and on about this meal. And Linda, I promise one day I will make it for you.

Dinner

Grilled Steak with Veggies 

Dinner
Lemon Garlic Chicken
This was delicious. I would be happy to make this for anyone.

If you are interested in a particular meal, I would love to share. After cooking all these delicious meals, it looks like I'll continue on high protein and high veggie road.