Never Miss a Monday

Ok, I can't say I've never missed a Monday.  I miss a lot of Mondays.  But today, I'm glad I didn't miss it.  I had a great workout.  Here is the breakdown:

Stationary Bike: 4 miles, cardio program, level 3, 15:45
Treadmill: Half-mile, HIIT, 8:20 (incline 5 at 3.5 pace, incline 3 at 3.7 pace, incline 0 jog, x2)
Rowing: 1000 meters, 5:24
Stationary Row: 25 reps, 60lbs
Bicep Curls: 25 reps, 20 lbs.
Dead Fishes: 40 each side
Crunches: 25 on stability ball
Total time: a little over an hour

This morning, I decided to put on a dress I hadn't worn in awhile.  I bought it over a year ago and wore it only once (with a girdle) because it was still too tight.  Today, I'm wearing it with NO girdle.

I need to get my arms under control!

Anyway, I revamped my workout playlist, and I thought I'd share since I've had to scour Pinterest for good songs.  Here is what I've come up with.

Fall Out Boy – My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)
Fall Out Boy – Thnks fr th Mmrs
Fall Out Boy – Dead On Arrival
AWOLNATION – Sail
Nelly – Country Grammar (Hot...)
Linkin Park – In The End
Eminem – Lose Yourself - Soundtrack Version (Explicit)
Jimmy Eat World – The Middle
blink-182 – All The Small Things
The All-American Rejects – Dirty Little Secret
Timbaland – The Way I Are
Jay-Z – Ni**as In Paris
The Killers – Somebody Told Me
Lady Gaga – Bad Romance
Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Pitbull – Timber
Eminem – Cinderella Man
Jay-Z – Holy Grail
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Can't Hold Us - feat. Ray Dalton
Bruno Mars – Locked Out Of Heaven
Lady Gaga – Applause
Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer
Yellowcard – Ocean Avenue
Flo Rida – Right Round - US
Destiny's Child – Jumpin', Jumpin'
Starship – We Built This City
Ke$ha – Your Love Is My Drug
Rascal Flatts – Life is a Highway
Muse – Supermassive Black Hole
Icona Pop – I Love It (feat. Charli XCX) - Original Version
Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
Olly Murs – Troublemaker
Jason Derulo – The Other Side
Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train
Kanye West – Stronger
Ke$ha – TiK ToK
LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem

I just hit Shuffle on Spotify and rock it out.  I like this playlist because it's big enough to hear different songs each time I workout for a few days.

What are your favorite workout tunes?

Before & After

Ok, I've finally made the decision to share my Advocare 24 Day Challenge before and after photos.  They aren't pretty, even the after pictures, but I don't care-- I'm proud of what the results I'm seeing.

I ask that you be kind.  I know what I look like.  You know what I look like.  Let's not make this more awkward that it already is.

Top pictures are before, bottom pictures are after.  This is a difference of 18.5 inches and (if I remember correctly) 12 pounds between the two, all in 24 days.

Here we go.  Please keep in mind the after pictures were at 6:30am.  I was a little sleepy.

I hope I have the guts to push publish on this blog.  I guess if you're reading it, I did.

This is probably more of me than you wanted to see, but if you clicked through from Facebook, you were warned.

I look at these pictures daily, especially on days like yesterday.  Let me apologize for my negativity, but I know anyone on a similar journey has days like yesterday.  Thanks for at least reading; I know writing it helped a lot.

My lack of motivation caused me to gain 2 pounds back, but I'm happy to report that, as of this morning, I've lost the 2 and am on a steady track downwards.

I've lost 16 pounds.  My new goal is 4 more pounds by next Friday, August 15.  That's the date of this big work gala function, and I just bought a new dress.  My goals: 4 pounds and don't look ugly in the new dress.

Thanks for reading.  I think I'll publish this.

#keepgoing

The Struggle Bus

I've been having a hard time lately.  With food, with exercise, with everything.  I feel like my body isn't responding because my mind is off in la-la land.

Since last Monday, my eating has been way out of whack.  I'm forgetting when to eat, when to take supps, everything.  I've had some pretty strong cravings that I haven't always been able to say no to.  Exercise is scaring me because of my breathing, and my body seems like it's falling apart.  I've lost no more weight.  I'm stuck at -16 lbs.

What is going on??

I've got to get my head in the game.  I want this, I want this, I want this, I want this, I want this.  I need this, I need this, I need this, I need this, I need this.

Thankfully, these past 2 days have been MUCH better on the nutrition front, and I have remembered when to eat and have planned carefully for my meals.  That is helping a bunch (obviously).

I hate going to the gym right now.  I dread it.

I hate putting up 4 miles on the stationary bike.  It's boring and annoying.

I've got to get my mind in the game-- who cares if 4 miles on the bike is boring, right?  It's only 15 minutes of my day.  WHY CAN'T I GET OVER THAT?!  I dread the gym everyday because of that damn stationary bike.

2 days in a row... 2 days... that I haven't been able to finish my half-mile strong.  Yesterday, I forgot my inhaler and let my mind get the best of me.  Today, I bent down to tie my shoe .3 miles of the way in and had something twist up in my back that was so painful, I started crying like a baby.

Billy got a new job and is gone 5 to 6 days a week.  I'm lonely.

I feel like life is getting the best of me, and I need to beat it.  I want to do life, not suck at it.

I'm sucking right now.

I've quit too many times, so don't worry-- I'm not quitting.  I just needed to vent.  I'm sure some of my other fitness/weight loss journey buddies can understand.

The wall to the other side is strong and mighty-- but so am I.

Keep going.