Summer Workout

After this weekend, California finally feels like the summer I have so desperately been waiting for! 

It has been a long time since I've written a workout. After I go months and months of being on a stringent workout plan, I like to take some "off time" and just go to the gym, do what I please and be done. 

Those of you who know me, though, know that I like to have intense workouts constantly in the pipeline. It's the "goal" of getting into the gym, achieving something, writing it down and leaving with the pure satisfaction of "goal achieved!"

I am happy to be back here - with my "Summer Workout!"

About 3 years ago, I had every intention of studying to be a Personal Trainer. I even had all the material from the NSCA. I studied and studied. Meanwhile, I was working at ClubSport in San Ramon. While I was studying and seeing the day-to-day of trainers, I decided that making a career as a Personal Trainer was definitely not going to be me. Unfortunately those were two passions that could not be mixed. 

But fortunately, I had acquired some knowledge and my passion for working out for me had not diminished at all!

When I make my workouts, I pull from many different places and resources. I get things from my NSCA material, my husband, friends (dannymclarty.com) and just general knowledge I've acquired over the years from this obsession.

I'm not an expert. I'm not a professional. I don't pretend to be. And I don't pretend to give out advice to "help you reach your goals." I do this, talk about this and live this because it works for me and because people can usually pick up a thing or two which may work for them as well. 

So....back to my "Summer Workout." (Well...phase one anyways - roughly 4 weeks.)

Day 1: Chest/Back + HIIT Cardio

Day 2: Legs (lift)

Day 3: OFF

Day 4: Shoulder/Tricep/Bicep + HIIT Cardio

Day 5: Legs (Circuit)

Day 6: OFF

Day 7: HIIT Cardio + Abs

Yesterday was (obviously) Day 1: Chest/Back + HIIT Cardio. 

Here is what it looked like:

1 (a). Rotating DB Bench Press

1 (b). Reverse Situp 

- 3 sets; RI = 30 sec. -

2 (a). DB Incline Fly

2 (b). DB Lawnmower

- 3 sets; RI = 30 sec. - 

3 (a). Pullups

3 (b). Reverse DB Fly

- 3 sets; RI = 30 sec. -

4 (a). Wide Grip Pushup

-  3 sets to failure on each -

HIIT Cardio - 20 minutes of Running Sprints. 

5 minute cooldown. Stretching.

In less than an hour, I felt like I had worked out for 2 hours! There is so much beauty in that!

Legs today....

CHEERS!

Mrs. Mango Head

Today began my 3rd week of P90X! Today is also Day 16 with me sticking to my strict GAPS Diet. 

How do I feel? AMAZING!


I did the Chest/Back + Ab Ripper X Workout today. This is my third time doing it and I can honestly say that it still absolutely kills me (in a good way of course)! I shake so much by the end of it, with my muscles capped out in fatigue. I try to do at least one more rep than the previous week. And this is usually all I can do! I feel stronger and in better shape, but P90X reminds me daily that I have a long, long  way to go! 

My stomach, mouth and all "those" problems have been nil yesterday and today! It is always that way almost exactly 2 weeks (to the day) after I start eating only the foods I'm supposed to eat. It is the oddest and most bizarre thing, but it's like clock work. People wonder why I hate to stray so much from my diet - that is why. Two weeks is a long time to deal for one "sinful meal." 

I suspected Tuna this week, though, of making me instantly bloated. I had it for lunch 2 days in a row. Both days I was in a lot of left-sided pain immediately. No Tuna for a few days. I will try it again and see if it is indeed a culprit. 


One food I have been eating that has been sitting perfectly fine with me is the Mango. In California we are so blessed with the amazing, year-round fruit. It's like candy. I ate a whole one yesterday and today! I am fairly certain I may turn into Mrs. Mango Head.



I am not too worried about becomming her, though, because the Mango is so good for you! Did you know that...

• Mangoes are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Vitamin A?
• One whole, peeled mango only has approximately 135 calories?
• Mangoes are High in fiber and are virtually fat-free?

Find out all this an more by clicking HERE. And then go get yourself a delicious mango!

In final Saturday news...I am working on building my own website via a Blogging Platform. I am so excited for this new one! It will definitely have a different "edge" than this one: A "professional," Social Media, Branding and Marketing "edge." Stay tuned!


And as always....Cheers!

Week 2: P90X in Full Effect

Week 2 of P90X is in Full Effect!


Week 2 is the same as week one, as far as days/workouts go. So, here I was today back at Chest/Back & the Ab Ripper X Workout!


I had some great energy this morning, since I allowed myself that (fabulous) rest day yesterday. After my Saturday morning Cup-of-Joe at the best place in Tracy, CA (Baristas: It's no wonder they get a 5-star overall rating on Yelp) I hit the gym to do a little cardio. 


(Interject - Running - Rant) I have been craving to run again! And today I finally was able to. It's been so long; oh how I've missed you my dear LunarGlides! I took it nice and slow. I did a nice, little warm up and then ran a very easy 2 miles, pacing at only about 8:49/mile. My sciatica felt great. What I'm praying for is that I can do easy, slow and light and be smarter with my running training so that I can do half marathons and (hopefully) a full this year! (Stay tuned for a *coming very soon* Running Goal posting!)


Once I got home, I ate to refuel, relaxed a minute and then dug right in to my P90X Workout for the day, Chest/Back & the Ab Ripper X. The overall workout was very similar to what I did last week (we keep sheets to track the weight/reps we do for each exercise to watch and ensure progress). 

The difference this week, on my 2nd time around with this specific workout, was that I tried to do at least 1-3 more reps than last time. My goal is to "out do" myself, even if it's just a by a tiny amount! And I did it! By the end of the Abs, though, I was shaking so badly and almost got a little dizzy. I grabbed more water and persisted on. I am so thankful I did so! Today I truly did was Tony Horton preaches, "Bring It!" 

When the going gets tough, the tough don't listen to negative thoughts in their minds. They just "get it done" until the muscles are truly and completely spent! It's all in your hands, you control that...and that's the beauty!

Cheers!

P90X

Today I took the plunge.

After several weeks of feeling blah, icky, lazy and bloated I am back! I am ready, focused, determined and super excited!


It was Day 2 of GAPS for me, so I felt much better already. I added a few things into the diet today. My diet consisted of: Extra lean turkey, chicken, broth, a small coffee with coconut milk and baked crab legs. I added in the additional probiotics and had my other probiotics, enzymes and multivitamin. Still no carbs, more fats (ie. avocado) or raw almonds. Tomorrow I move into Stage 3 (I can move through the stages faster now that I have already been on the diet and heal faster). Stage 3 means I can add raw egg yolks (though I may cook it), ripe avocado and "pancakes." I will probably only make one egg yolk in the morning and have some avocado. The "pancakes" use flax and veggies, which I'm not ready for yet. I will have a half ripe banana or possibly a full one. Working out a lot with no carbs is not good for you. I don't care what anyone says!


My energy level is way up. It always is when I'm eating the way my body needs to be fed! Thus, I was ready to start full-on with P90X today! For the record, YES, I did my STARTING STATS. I took my weight, did measurements and took pictures. That being said, I'm not sharing those stats. I will wait! I'm so glad I took them all for me, though. It's nice to have a starting place. Starting is the hard part, seeing final results is the best part! 



My workout today was Chest/Back and the Ab Ripper X. Ryan and I bought a pull-up bar last night, some extra weights and bands. Chest and back really equaled push-ups and pull-ups....for 45 minutes! The Ab Ripper X was 15 minutes of abs. 


By the time I was done with the workout, I felt like Jell-O! I haven't been that "shaky" from a workout in a long time. I think I'm in overall fairly good shape. P90X told me differently! But that's the beauty in this program for me. I'm shaking it up. I'm doing something different with my workout. Shaking it Up = Results, and for now I won't accept any thought other than that! 


Tomorrow is the Plyometrics workout. I'm nervous for that one, but it won't stop me from getting it done! I can't wait for all of this!

I'd love to have you join me with all of this. If you currently do P90X, I would love to hear from you! Cheers!