Failed Experiment and Sphere of Influence

My 100% Turbulence Training experiment is officially over. Aw come on, I gave it a good 24 hours! :) I am not giving up on my April experiment, just modifying it slightly. :) And it isn't for the reason you think - and technically I am still a petri dish.

First off, I took measurements yesterday and before pictures and I am going to try really hard (C, this is thanks to you) to use positive self talk in this post because I had an epiphany of sorts last night. That said - here is the one negative thing I will say: the pictures I took last night were the most motivating thing I could have done - I was shocked and disgusted with how far I have let my body go during this last five to six months. WOW, talk about eye opening. and although they are terrible (too terrible to post) - I just didn't really think things were as bad as they are...even after looking at my stats and knowing those were high - the pics did me in. I promise I will post the entire before pics at the end of my 30 day experiment. For now, I am just posting my belly button. :) I could always tell I was losing weight based on how my belly button ring fit.
June 07 (left) vs. April 08 (right)


As you can see, there is a HUGE difference.

The good news is I made a decision last night: I am getting to 16% body fat. I know how hard I will have to work - I have done it before. I know what I must do. Something clicked last night and now, it's on.

My DH knows that when I set my mind to something - watch out. Here is an example: when I told him I was going to compete in December of 06, he literally laughed - he didn't mean it mean, he just knows people who have competed before and knows the will power and dilligence required and was skeptical I would do it. But I did. I looked back in my fit day log and here is how my weight decreased after setting my goal:

12/18/06: 127
1/2/06: 124.5
1/15/07: 123.5
3/12/07: 122

So over four months I dropped 5 lb but more than that I changed my body comp significantly going from 23% to 17% so my lean mass increased too. Looking back over my weight log last night gave me lots of confidence that I know what to do to make this happen.

And my attitude is the first thing that has to change. I have to love my body and appreciate it while doing everything in my sphere of influence to change it.

As for Turbulence Training, I am going to continue to do the program however I am going to add in a few more cardio interval sessions and perhaps even some regular 30minute post weight training workouts. I may even add in a shoulder workout and a straight leg workout a couple days a week. See last nights workout for more info on how I modify.

Here are my stats as of 4/3/08:
Weight: 127.8
BF: 21.6% (based on hand held)
Lean body mass: 100.2
Fat lbs: 27.6
Waist: 27
Hips: 37.5
Bicep: 10.75
Thigh: 22

30 days from Thursday will be my goal date and review. I think in 30 days I can lose 4-5 lbs however that won't get me to goal so I look for the month of May to be the completion of that goal. It will take lots of hard work but I am up for it! And I will be tracking my good in my online journal.

In this month's Women's Health there is an article called: "Head Strong" and it is all about your mind and its power when you workout. C-this is for you from your out of body experiment post:

"When you work out harder than you're used to, your brain thinks, We have no data on whether an extra set of deadlifts will damage her body. I better make her pretty uncomfortable by reducing electrical output to the muscles so she'll quit this nonsense....But you can recalibrate your brain to chill - whether you're strength training or trying to shave a few minutes off your half-marathon pace. The key is to train it to think 'been there, done that'. "

Pretty interesting stuff eh??

Have a great weekend guys!
Jess
P.S. I had my company meeting on Friday morning (8 to 12) and the doc called to talk results when I was in the meeting and their office closes at noon on Friday so I will have to wait till Monday.
P.P.S. Look for a VLOG this weekend - our video camera arrived yesterday.

Affirmations and My Schwetty's Gym :))

FIRST of all, I apologize for how large the new picture is on the right. When I check the box to make the image fit the screen it is like an inch tall so I figured either an inch tall or 12 inches tall so I went with the 12 inches. ;) I do love the picture because it was my first contest and I got first and I couldn't stop smiling. And I was waving at my hubby. Love that guy. I do.

I'm having a great workout week. It's like once I let go of what I thought I HAD to do, it is coming so easily for me. I took yesterday off because my hubby was sick and I wanted to spend some QT with my hubby. And I was really sore from jumping back into it as well. Today was my third AM cardio day this week and it has been a LONG time since I have done cardio so often in the mornings. I am so excited to see how my body reacts. That is one of my favorite things about working out - that feeling of your body changing and improving.

So, I posted on Visionquester's blog on a comment about my daily affirmation cards and I wanted to share some with you. Yes, this is a cheesy way for me to put a picture on my blog because I have been slacking but watch out, I have more pics to come! :)

My affirmation cards are just on 3.5 x 5 inch note cards and I have the following statements on them:

• I love my body.
• I am healthy and my immune system is strong.
• My abs are lean and toned.
• My lower body is lean and toned.
• Exercise comes first in my life.
• My body fat is 16%.
• I am sexy and confident.
  

Now, I read these while I am doing my morning cardio. I focus on each card and then I visualize each of the affirmations. And I know some of you may think affirmations are silly but I think they are key to success. If you don't believe that you are the things you want to be, you will never get there. I like them so much that I am going to make a second set and keep at work. I have other cards that have other, non-fitness related affirmations but when I read them I literally get happier and feel better. You should try it. And speak in the affirmative - the active - NOT the passive. So instead of saying "I will be 16% body fat" say "My body fat IS 16%." Try it. Believe it. Visualize it. See it.

I also wanted each of you to see my workout room. These pics are tough because it is hard to take a picture since the room is small and it is hard to get a good vantage point to take the picture. But, as you can see, I have a pretty good gym set up. The Body Solid gym we have has an olympic bar and a smith rack (which I LOVE for legs). I also have attachments for leg extension and hamstring curls. And I also have a preacher curl attachment. LOVE IT. I have a trainer for my road bike so that is how I do cycling cardio at home. The ONLY additional gym equipment I would want it a step mill cause it is my favorite cardio equipment.

This is the Body Solid gym we have. My treadmill is over in the corner on the right (it is a space saver and is currently in space saving position).

These are just my dumbbells, medicine ball and ab wheel. Above the bookcase is a TV.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I am experimenting with food/exercise software to track food and workouts. I may do the fitday log online like Visionquester but I also am testing this Weighmainia software (google it) because I can keep it on my Treo and then it all links together. The key is for me to log it in.

But for now, I am going to post my daily meals for today so you can get an idea of my food:

• 7am: Protein shake w/6oz. Enhanced Soy Milk (4 carbs); Vanilla protein powder; 1 scoop super food, 1TBS flax seed oil.
• 10am: 4 egg whites, 1 whole egg; 2 oz ground turkey w/taco seasoning, 1 TBS low fat ricotta cheese mixed together.
• 1pm: 1 piece of canadian bacon pizza (work meeting) w/side salad and light Italian dressing. 4pm: Egg white waffle - 3 egg whites, 1 whole egg; 1TBS milled flax seed; 1tsp cinnamon; 1/2 scoop vanilla protein.
• 6:30pm: 1 small apple, 1TBS Naturally More PB w/1/2 scoop protein powder mixed together for dipping.
• 9pm: 1/2 banana, 4 egg whites and salad with vinaigrette.
  

So far, that is it. I am doing legs tonight and 1/2 hour of cardio after. I will have some of fast digesting protein after (probably egg whites) along with a salad and some veggies.

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts. Will post my leg workout later. :)) Have a great week and visualize, visualize, visualize. Eventually what you visualize will happen.
Jess

Starting Point Pic

You have been asking for them and since I am taking Prednisone to kick my bronchitis' butt, I thought I would take a picture while fluffy (that way I have a little excuse :). Truth be told, I can't blame it on the Prednisone since I have only been on it for 3 days (or can I????.....).

Anyhoo...here it is...I will try to post every month. I gotta tell ya, this is HARD to do. Posting not a very complimentary pic..not so much fun. Or as Em would say: Awesome: posting pics from the day of your contest.....Not Awesome: Posting pics 9 months out. :)

I am not even sure what to say other than I have some work to do! But also feel good about some of the gains I have made (not in the shelf like rump) in my shoulders and even quads.

More to come all! And no baring of the belly just yet. At least until I break up with Prednisone. Drumroll.....
Oh, and I worked out today! Just did shoulders which consisted of the following:

• Overhead press on smith rack (30lbs warm up)
• Arnold Press supersetted with Standing Lat Raises (20lbs and 12lbs respectively)
• Barbell Row supersetting with Front Dumbbell Raises (Barbell w/10lbs and 12 lbs dumbbells)
• GVT final set - 10 sets of 10 of Smith Shoulder Press using 25lbs

And rode the bike for 30 minutes super light - just enough to get heart rate to around 130-140 - purely to test out the lungs. But it was a start and yet, I am feeling better! I am going to try to do a super high rep leg workout tomorrow along with some more cardio to see if I can get through a workout with just a bit more intensity.

Have a great weekend all!

Jess

Memory Lane...Two Weeks Out + Bad Blogger

I know, I know - it's been almost a whole week since I blogged. I am such a bad, bad girl! Work was crazy again last week (third week in a row) and then we went out of town last weekend to visit some friends. We left Thursday night and planned on taking Friday off but ended up working all day. Planned on working out while out of town - not so much!. The cool thing though....is that I am still gaining mass. I was checking myself out in the mirror at the gym and my shoulders are getting bigger - more dense. My quads are definitely showing more definition and biceps are bigger. This is a good thing....and yes, my fire is back as well although it is not a full fire yet but just a mini-fire....like the fire that is in the fireplace right after you light the paper and the wood - there is that big burst of flames and then smolders down a bit...I am smoldering.

Great leg workout today (Fike - my back is better - off me). I did 8 different exercises...all on my home gym (which is bad ass by the way)....laid on floor and used my feet to push up on the smith rack, sumo squats with heels up, forward facing hack squats, good mornings, lunges, quad extension, hamstring extension and a deep sumo squat. Awesome. Did 20 reps using both legs, did 15 on single...kept heart rate up for the full 75 minutes...did three super sets.

I had an epiphany about my body last week...I was looking at one of the guys in the gym who has "Annoying-Gym-Rat-Syndrome" or AGRS. This syndrome is characterized by a large, over sized upper body and itty bitty legs. It is clear this person spends hours in the gym....but he only focuses on his upper body because that is where is sees the most change. Then I thought to myself...what are you getting so annoyed with? You are doing the same thing! You complain about your hips and glutes and abs and yes you focus primarily on upper body. I have AGRS. Rats! Not cool.

In Oxygen's Glutes issue earlier in the year Carla Sanchez had a training program called Booty School. Basically it is 3 days of glute focused cardio and 3 days of glute/leg, high rep training. Her argument is that women carry their fat in glutes and legs and therefore women have to work harder to keep it off and keep it tight. Duh. I am avoiding training this area because I know it is the hardest to change. As a result, I am sending myself to Booty School!

And to make Krissa happy, I am including pics from last year when I was two weeks out. Which just goes to show you the body is an amazing thing during that last two weeks of manipulation!

OH! And I got my heart rate monitor back so that is super cool! I can tell my workouts have already gone up a notch!

Check back often over the next couple days...I will be posting daily through the weekends! Accountability! I found a direct correlation to blogging and workouts as well as keeping my workout journal and working out! Go figure! :)

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!
Jessica

Visual Goal Setting (Without a Design Program)

Before

After (Nationals in 08)

So, I have no design programs nor am I artistic at all. HOWEVER, I am mean with Microsoft paint and did a before and after pic of what I want my body to look like for nationals. You can all laugh at me but this is how I motivate myself. :) I basically just used a flesh colored paint to fill out my shoulders, arms and traps and then used black paint to make my hips and bootay look smaller. I think it is hilarious but it also gives me massive motivation. You can double click if you want to see it larger and laugh even harder at my after pic! :)

Peace out.