Tri-ing To Catch Up

Holy cow it's been a long time since I've posted!  Sorry about that.  Since I last posted, I finished Phase 2 of the Pull Up Challenge Workout, got a new job, started my triathlon training, got a new toilet, planted a (small) garden and ran a 5K race.  Plus, I came up with that silly title to this post.  So I've been a little busy.  :)

So, to quickly recap my results with the Pull Up Challenge Workout....When I reach up to the pull up bar, from floor to bar, I am at full extension.  I attempted pull ups from a full hang and from beginning with my toes only touching the floor (not pushing off). My initial score from a full hang was zero, and from my toes was 1/4 of a pull up.  At the end of Phase 2, I improved to 1/2 a pull up from a full hang and 4 pull ups from my toes.

I also tested chin ups and got an initial score of zero at a full hang, and a score of 1 full chin up with just my toes starting on the ground. At the end of Phase 2, I improved to 1/2 a chin up from a full hang and 6 chin ups from my toes.  I'm quite happy with those results.  I felt like my upper body strength improved a lot and I like the way my arms and back shaped up!

After Phase 2, I began triathlon training.  I'm using a beginner training program.  I don't expect to be competitive; I just want to finish!  It's sprint distance, so it's 1/2 mile swim, 14 mile bike ride and then 5K run.  I have about a month to go, and training has been going OK, but I miss strength training.  I've only done a couple strength training workouts since beginning the training.  Today I completed TT for Abs, Workout A and it felt great to be lifting weights again.

Last week I participated in a 5K fun run that I have done for the past 4 years.  It was actually the first 5K run that I ever did.  I looked over my results from previous years and discovered that I really haven't improved all that much, lol.  The run is actually 3.8 miles, not really a 5K (3.1 miles).  The first year, I ran it with a time of 40:59, second year was 38:25, third year was 40:35 and this year was 43:12.

Finally, this weekend my daughter and I planted a small garden.  We planted peas, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, basil and one bean plant (that she got from school).  I accidentally broke the bean plant during transplant, so I'm hoping it will still grow.  This is our first time planting a garden so crossing our fingers!

Happy Mothers Day!!


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Busy Times And Smart Kids

Whew! It's been a busy couple of weeks; I will spare you all of the details. :)

I've nearly finished Phase 2 of the Pull Up Challenge Workout. I didn't look too far ahead and so I didn't realize that Phase 2 has 16 workouts, instead of 12 like Phase 1. I'm not sure if I was supposed to do all 16 workouts in 4 weeks, but I decided to keep my same schedule and did Phase 2 in about 5 weeks. I was going to finish this past weekend; however, I still have 1 workout left and then the final pull up test. So far, my best score is 3.5 pull ups from my toes.

After I finish Phase 2, I am going to take about a week off and then I'll be starting my triathlon training. There is a Phase 3 as well, but I think I'm going to have to wait until the fall to complete it.

Instead of my final workout yesterday morning, my daughter and I went to the store and bought her a new bike. Then when we got home, she had to try and ride it right away. :)

After that, I started making lunch. My daughter has decided that she wants a "healthy lunch" on Sundays, so we have been making lunch instead of going out to eat. I think she is just tired of "chicken and french fries", which is the only thing she will eat when we go out. I've tried explaining to her that she can choose a healthier option, but she insists that we should "eat healthy" at home. Who am I to argue with that?? PS. She was reading this over my shoulder as I was typing and corrected 2 typos. Smarty pants. Not that I am a proud mom or anything like that, but I think I found an editor. :)

So after lunch, I spent the afternoon cleaning the house because I knew that the plumber would be stopping by this week. Our house is experiencing multiple system failure. First, the dishwasher was acting funny, then the water softener went kaplooey, and now the dryer isn't heating properly.

In addition, my kids have started swimming lessons and a cooking class (which is pretty cool), so life has gotten pretty busy. :)

Have a great day!


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Moving Up - Pull Ups and Workout Journals

This week had 2 milestones - 2 pull ups, and finishing my 8th Workout Journal. Just for fun, I took a quick picture of my journals:



I like to use the small journals that I can easily take to the gym and keep track of my progress. You may notice there are only 8 books in the photo - Book 7 seems to be missing in action. :) Book 1 begins 12/28/09. Prior to that, I used a combination of printed pages and larger notebooks. When I found these little journals, I discovered they were the perfect size.

On Sunday, I did my usual pull up/chin up test. On the full hang pull up and chin up, I got 1/2 for both. Beginning on my toes, I got 2 pull ups and 3 chin ups! Whoo-hoo! :)

Hope everyone is having a great week as well!

End of Phase One

Last week I finished Phase One of the Pull Up Challenge Workout. My goal was 5 pull ups, but I didn't quite get there. :)

Last Thursday, I did a "jump pull up" test, which is how I did pull ups in past workouts (jumping start up to the bar). I got 3 pull ups, which is 1 more than before I began this program.

On Saturday, I went swimming again - still 16 laps in 20 minutes. But I'm not really going for speed at this point, I just want to get in the pool!

On Sunday, I ended Phase One/began Phase Two with my regular test: pull ups from a full hang, pull ups beginning with my toes touching the floor, chin ups from a full hang, and chin ups beginning with my toes touching the floor. Here's a look at my overall progression from the beginning to the end of Phase 1.

Start
Full hang pull ups: 0
Toe touching pull ups: 1/4
Full hang chin ups: 0
Toe touching chin ups: 1

Week 1
Full hang pull ups: 1/4
Toe touching pull ups: 1/2
Full hang chin ups: 1/4
Toe touching chin ups: 1

Week 2
Full hang pull ups: 1/4
Toe touching pull ups: 1/2
Full hang chin ups: 1/2
Toe touching chin ups: 1

Week 3
Full hang pull ups: 1/2
Toe touching pull ups: 1
Full hang chin ups: 1/2
Toe touching chin ups: 3

Week 4
Full hang pull ups: 1/2
Toe touching pull ups: 1
Full hang chin ups: 1/2
Toe touching chin ups: 3


Phase 2 is subtitled "Getting From 1-5 Pull Ups" so I guess Phase 1 did deliver with my 1 pull up. :) Now, moving on to 5 pull ups! In Phase 2, the workouts seem similar to Phase 1, but there have been a couple new exercises and it seems like there are more supersets. I haven't looked too far ahead, but that's how it appears so far. Also, one of things I will be watching more this week is nutrition. Recently, I've had a few more treats than I should have.

Have a great day!


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Weeks 1 And 3 Complete Including The Maiden Voyage

This week I finished Week 1 of the weight loss challenge where I work, and I finished Week 3 of the Pull Up Challenge Workout. I only lost about a pound, but I'm OK with that. :)

On Tuesday morning, I got to the gym a little later then I had hoped, and then realized I had forgotten my tennis shoes at home. Since I couldn't workout in my boots, I went home. I realized I didn't have enough time to drive back to the gym, so I completed the workout at home. Although I did skip the deadlifts. I was running short on time and I couldn't think of a good substitute, so I just skipped it.

Yesterday I finally got my new swimsuit into the pool and completed its Maiden Voyage! The sprint triathlon I am thinking about doing has a 1/2 mile swim, which is about 16.5 laps in the pool. I swam 16 laps in about 20 minutes and I was pretty happy with that considering I haven't swam that far in quite some time.

Today I did another Pull Up Test and improved from last week. From a full hang, I did 1/2 of a pull up, but starting with my toes touching, I got 1 full pull up! For chin ups, I got 1/2 from a full hang, and 3 when I started from my toes (I made sure this week!) I don't think I will make my goal of 5 pull ups from a full hang after the first 4 weeks, but I do feel like I am getting better. Next week I am going to try pull ups from a jumping start. Before I started this program, I could do 2 and I am curious to see if I have improved using that method.

Have a great day!

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Leg Warmers Done And The Challenge Begins

TA-DA! Finished the leg warmers for my daughter. She confided that they turned out better than she expected. Now she wants a matching scarf. :)


Today was Day 1 of the Weight Loss Challenge I joined at work. I've been ignoring the scale and going by how my pants are fitting, so this morning I was up a few pounds higher than I would like to be. My pants are still fitting OK, but I really think my goal is going to be to lose 5 pounds during this 6 week Challenge. This should work well with the Pull Up Challenge Workout I have been using because that will be 5 less pounds I have to pull up!!

This past Sunday was another Pull Up Test. From a full hang, I got 1/4 of a pull up and 1/2 of a chin up. Beginning with my toes touching, I got 1/2 a pull up and 1 full chin up. I feel like I should be able to do more chin ups. I think I complete the 1 and then decide that's it. Next week I am going to make sure I can't do another.

Have a great day!

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Beginning the Pull Up Challenge

I thought I was recovering from my cold, and then it took a turn for the worst. I ended up missing 2 workouts last week. I thought about doing 1 of them on Saturday, but just decided to take that last day of rest before I began my new program on Sunday.

So on Sunday I began Shawna K's Pull Up Challenge Workout. The first thing on the list is to measure how many pull ups you can do from a full hang. My score? Zero, none, zilch. When I reach up to the pull up bar, from floor to bar, I am at full extension, so I tried to do a pull up beginning with my toes only touching the floor, but no pushing off. My score? 1/4 of a pull up. :) I repeated this for chin ups (just for my own curiosity) and got a score of zero at a full hang, and a score of 1 full chin up with just my toes starting on the ground. Hmm....I've got a lot of work to do.

The workout was straight sets of DB rows, incline presses, push ups, squats, etc - 11 exercises in all. It's been a while since I have done straight sets so this is a change of pace for me. The workout went pretty fast - it took me about 35 minutes. Today I'm pretty sore in my triceps, lats and chest. Tomorrow is workout 2. There are 3 workouts per week, and from what I can tell after looking ahead a bit, it looks like Phase 1 has 12 unique workouts. It will be kind of cool to do a different workout every time I go to the gym!

Have a great day!

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TT Voting And New Pull Up Goals

Hello! Seems like so many things have been going on that I don't know where to begin! I'll start with an update on the current TT Contest (#12). Finalists have been announced for the 12-week contest and you can vote here: TT Contest #12 Voting

Thank you to everyone who voted for me during the 6 week mini-contest. It was super exciting to win First Place! The next TT Contest will start December 26. You can read all the rules here: TT Contest Rules

Currently I am using the TT Metabolic Resistance Training Finishers workout. I like the first 2 workouts, but am a bit ambivalent about the 3rd. It's a good workout, but the exercises are by time instead of reps. I typically don't like doing workouts by time. I'm usually not standing near a clock with a second hand, and looking at my watch mid-exercise is annoying. So I counted the number of reps I did in the allotted time, and will just count reps in future workouts.

In a few weeks, after I finish that workout, I am going to start a new Pull Up Challenge Workout that I just bought. I was drawn to it 1) because it is a female trainer 2) with a program to improve pull ups. Her name is Shawna Kaminski and she can do more than 25 pull ups and 100 pushups straight. I am pretty impressed by that! So I am excited to start this workout in early January. Currently, I can do a couple pull ups in a row with a jumping start, but I would love to be able to do a lot more from a full hang. New Goal = 5 perfect pull ups after the first 4 weeks.

I typically don't buy other programs because historically, they haven't worked as well for me. TT always seems to work the best so I am hesitant to start something new. But, I feel like I am in a good place physically and mentally. I don't plan on entering TT Contest #13 because I don't think I have big changes to make. So this seems like a good time to embark on a new 4-week Pull Up Adventure. If it goes well, I'll move on to Phase 2 of the Challenge Workout; if not, I'll be back with a good TT Workout. I'll keep you updated!

Now go vote!! TT Contest #12 Voting

:)

Have a great day and Happy Holidays!!


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My Lucky Day?

Ever have one of those days where it seems everything goes your way? I think today is my day. First, I was feeling really strong in the gym this morning. I was doing TT for Mass, phase 1, workout B and I raised up all my weights and had new personal bests in squat (110lbs), romanian dead lift (85lbs), cable chop (90lbs) and BB step ups (80lbs). Then I decided to try pull ups even though my arms were a little sore from yesterday. I ended up doing 5!! I used a closer grip (shoulder width vs. a wider grip) so maybe that helped. Or maybe it was the Depeche Mode I was listening to - who knows? :) I'm still proud of the effort. And I made my goal of 5 pull ups in only 2 and half weeks!

Second, as I was walking to the bus stop, I reached into the pocket of a jacket I haven't worn in a very long time and pulled out $4.03. Whoo-hoo! Money I didn't know I had. I think I'm going to buy a lottery ticket today!

Advice From the Naked Cowboy

I was flipping through my Fitness magazine and they had a little Q&A with NYC's Naked Cowboy. About his workout, he says, "I lift weights for an hour and run for nearly two hours every day, but I would never call exercising 'tedious.' Once you do that, you'll be pitting it against what you'd rather be doing, and a kingdom that is divided cannot stand. I think of my workout only as fun - the most fun there is."

What a great way to put it! If you don't enjoy your workouts, you won't stick with them and then your diet will go off track and then 3 months from now you'll be wondering why your weight loss efforts failed. This morning I thoroughly enjoyed my workout. I started with 35 minutes on the elliptical. I used that entire time to delete specific songs on my mp3 player. It's not very user friendly! After that, I did 12 chin ups! New best! After that, I did the "6 minute abs" circuit (in previous post). Good ab workout! Then, I did 5 pull ups - 1 at a time! LOL I would do 1, then rest a bit, then another, then rest, etc. Fun workout today!

New Tunes, Pull Ups and Daily Diet (Served in Bonus Watermelon Bowl)

I tried to be cool the other night and make a watermelon bowl to impress my son. He's 4 years old. I thought surely I could impress him. Here's a picture of of the bowl:

I showed it to my son, all excited because I thought it turned out pretty good. He says to me, "That's great, Mom".

Isn't he a little young for sarcasm?

Anyway...I've had a lot of people ask me about my diet during my transformation. I decided I would just post a typical day of what I eat. This is a workout day (all times are approximate):

5:20am (pre-workout): 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

6:30am (post-workout): 1 scoop GNC Wheybolic Extreme 60 in about 4oz water

8:45am: oatmeal made with 1 packet plain instant oatmeal, 2 oz blueberries, 4oz skim milk, 1T walnuts, 1/2t ground flax, 1 packet Splenda; additional 4oz skim milk to drink

11:45am: homemade cream of cauliflower and turkey sausage soup; salad made with 2 cups spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, a couple croutons, 2T homemade sugar-free French dressing

This is usually when I take my pills: 1 GNC women's ultra mega active multivitamin, 1 ProCaps Omega 3 Fish Oil, 1 ProCaps Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails

2:00pm: plain nonfat yogurt with strawberries, blueberries, 1 packet Splenda, 1/2t ground flax, 1T walnuts (or I'll just have 1 oz cheese with an apple/plum/peach)

5:15pm: My version of Texas Thin Crust Pizza from Gourmet Nutrition with turkey sausage and salsa instead of ground sirloin and bbq sauce (Often I just have a protein like chicken or beef, a vegetable like broccoli or cauliflower, and a fruit like pears, applesauce, or strawberries.)

8:00pm: GNC Lean Muscle Meal in about 12oz water (running out of this soon and then will finish off my Muscle Milk)

In other news...I attempted pull ups this morning! Last time I tried, which was several months ago, I just hung there like an idiot. Today I was able to do 2 and a half! (They weren't pretty.) I was very surprised, but very happy.

I added a few new tunes to the player in the side bar. My new favorite is "Forever Can Be" by Ashes Divide. It's Billy Howerdel's (A Perfect Circle) solo project. If you like A Perfect Circle, you'll probably like Ashes Divide.