How is it already the end of January already?? Although Tony and I are more than happy to see it go – from the snow and the frigid arctic air. I look longingly at our gazebo and wish of warm weather. I love coming home from work and hanging out with Tony outside – it’s one of my favorite things.
So when I got in the car yesterday to go to the gym and it was 27 degrees, I didn’t even wear a winter coat – I just put on my Chicago Bears fleece and I was good to go. Yesterday was shoulders and abs. Shoulders are my weakest muscle by far. While I can do 220 pound leg presses, um, let’s just say I grabbed the 5 pound weights for my shoulder exercises, shall we?
The strength took me 20 minutes and then I walked on the treadmill for 40 minutes on an 8% incline.
I had a Balance Bar before working out and a coffee. Guess what? We are back to breakfast tacos!
I have to tell you though, after doing legs the day before yesterday, walking 4 miles on an incline the day before yesterday and 2.5 miles yesterday, my legs were so sore! I was so happy to get to the pool at lunch. I use one of these floaty things and lay on my back and just use my legs to get back and forth for the first 10 minutes – it takes out all the kinks and I feel like a new person when I get out of the pool.
Work was actually steady busy yesterday – I love that because the day goes by so much quicker.
On Sunday night I made Chicago style roast beef for dinner. We love our meat on the rare side, so we pull the roast out at 125 degrees. Another reason to have meat so rare, is that when you have leftovers, the meat doesn’t get tough. I decided to make Italian beef sandwiches for dinner last night. I put the roast in the freezer for about 15 minutes so that I could get really thin slices of meat. Tony bought some au jus from the store over the weekend. I just brought that to a boil, removed it from the heat, and added the thin sliced beef for a few minutes until it was heated through, but still super tender.
I may have added a bit of sriracha to my sammie. On the side is tempura asparagus and poblano peppers. Yum! I still have a good pound of beef leftover, so I think I may turn that into chili over the weekend. I was telling Tony that we have so much food in the house, that I plan on making my meal plan from my pantry, freezer and fridge! I still have a whole ham, chicken breasts, bay scallops, shrimp and ground sirloin for protein – I am sure I can come up with a meal plan based on what I have in the house, and maybe spend $15 on fresh veggies and fruit this week.
So Tony and I were talking about one of our favorite dinners we had at Trader Vic’s a few years ago. I quickly pulled out my phone to find the post to remind myself what I ate that night, and was shocked to see this picture. This was the fall of 2009.
It’s kind of like when you gain weight, you don’t even notice it until your pants start to not fit and you find yourself getting into a bigger and bigger size. I was probably around 185 pounds then. The same goes when you lose weight slowly. You don’t see any changes day to day, but then all of a sudden, you look in the mirror and see this:
That’s me at 160 pounds. Since I am only 5 feet 2 inches, 25 pounds makes a pretty big difference. While I didn’t get my act into gear until June of last year, my mantra going forward is “Stick With It.” I may not see many changes from one day until the next, but I know if I stick with it, I’ll eventually get the results I want. Slow and steady wins the race!
I have my stats, but can’t access them – I think I have a virus on our home computer and Tony’s going to run a virus scan on it – I have all these pop-up ads and it’s driving me insane.
Updated – Stats for the Day:
- 1589 calories, 49 fat, 241 carbs, 95 protein, 11 fiber
- 20 minute shoulders/abs
- 40 minute walk, 8% incline 2.55 miles
- 30 minute swim at lunch
- average blood sugar 127
I work at Zeal tonight – so when it’s a double work day, that means a workout rest day for me. My body needs the rest today. And if I find myself at Goodwill at lunch time, I have no idea how that happened.
I am excited to try T25 this weekend though! Shaun T’s new workouts – each one is only 25 minutes long. I’ll see how it compares to Insanity.
Alright, time to get my shit together and get out the door. I have a recipe for grilled pineapple salsa for you tomorrow – perfect balance of sweet and heat – can’t wait to have it on my chicken tacos for lunch today.
Make it a great day!
A lot of my friends at the gym are using t25 as their off days and loving it! I can’t wait to hear your review… I can’t try it until after surgery too much jumping 🙁
I did the first workout of T25 (of the Alpha series) and I liked it a lot. I don’t follow exercise programs but mix them, otherwise I get bored with it like Helen did.
I’m 5’2″ as well, and short people can’t carry weight worth a damn! Even 5 or 10 lbs makes a big difference. (I have “little bones” too, as my Grandma would say. I think that was her way of saying a ‘petite frame’ haha. I miss that woman!)
and I should add – you look great! You’ve been working so hard!
You really are looking HOT!!!!! Have a fantastic weekend Vat!
Sticking with it is really is the key — consistency, but certainly not perfection. If perfection was required, I would not be maintaining right now.
After a month off from exercising while I did yucky things like work on business taxes, I’m back to three pound weights and the lightest resistance band at my classes. Next week I will try to go to five pound weights and the medium band. Ever onward. You are doing great. 🙂
That sandwich looks AMAZING!!!!!!!!
I swam for a few months with one of my girlfriends a couple years ago. I thought it was a really hard workout. I was so winded…but I LOVED those floaty things you mentioned. I’d never thought to use it as a recovery!
You know I’m right there with you on the shoulder thing – I keep trying to go up on my weights but it rarely happens!!
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on T25 – I still haven’t tried them!!
I love using swimming as a recovery workout. I always feel amazing after!
Stick with it! I am also 5’2″, and we are about the same weight right now (I’m around 157 or 158 I think). I’m REALLY trying to stick with it, but have only had 2 good nights of sleep in the last 7. Being a parent of an 18 month old at 43 (almost 44) is BRUTAL.
I’m working on it though.
I really want to try T25, but I just can’t find time to workout with the young’un.
I have a three month old and haven’t exercised a lick since the day before he was born! I look forward to the warmer weather just to get outside and walk!
Biz – I saw an infomercial for T25 the other day and got really excited. I’m looking forward to your review! 🙂
Have a great weekend!
You look great Biz! Such a big difference, so proud of you! Shoulders are probably my weakest area too. My cousin did Insanity and was in love with it, and now she does T25 and also loves it, hopefully you will too!
YOU LOOK GREAT.
You look amazing, Biz! Great job! I love doing shoulder work. Before I sprained my shoulder last year, I could do a shoulder press with a 25# dumbbell. My goal is to get back to that again by this summer, even if only for a couple reps.
Funny – my shoulders are probably my strongest body part and legs my weakest. We’re opposite!
Stick with it refers to me, too. Consistency, consistency, consistency!
I was at a doctor’s appointment yesterday and told the doctor that I know a lot of people my size wouldn’t exercise but I have to keep trying, to keep moving towards health because I can’t even imagine where I’d be if I gave up!
Have a great weekend. Hope you like T25 – I got bored with workouts!