End of Beta Week 2 Weigh In

So, although the numbers don't show a very big difference at all, I still feel like I'm definitely gaining muscle and the workouts are still a challenge.  If winter ever ends, I'd really like to get some more running in.  I'm also going to attempt to not eat two BOXES of Girl Scout cookies this coming week like I did last week…

End of week 2 weigh in:
Weight 141.4 lbs
Waist 28.75 inches (down ¼ in since last measurement)
Hips 32.75 inches (also down ¼ in)
Thigh 19.75 inches (same…this is where I'd really like to lose some. Ugh)
Bicep 11 inches (up ¼ in…?)

So, this week…less cookies, more water, maybe more running if the snow stops after the beginning of the week.  I'm feeling a little discouraged right now without bigger results, but I know I just need to stick to it and get some running in as well and it'll be good.

Why I Love Shaun T

I started this blog saying that I eat junk food and I don't intend to stop.  I had a moment after the first 5 weeks of T25 where I thought about trying to eat "clean" and drink shakes and all that stuff for the second 5 weeks.  That moment lasted all of 3 minutes.  First, I realized how expensive shakes are.  It's expensive to eat healthy as it is.  It's nowhere near being in my budget to buy some powdered crap that surely doesn't taste good anyway.  I love fruit, I really like vegetables, and I eat a decent amount of both.  I'll stick with that.  And I'll keep my Girl Scout cookies and Cap'N Crunch cereal and chocolate and bread  too.  Second, I realized I'd be even more moody and crabby than I naturally am if I tried to deprive myself of whatever I felt like eating.

About three weeks into T25 I found the T25 Facebook page, and Shaun T's fan page.  And it has been such a blessing to see that he's not fake, he's not someone to preach never indulging in dessert, and he's very open about being real.  I have no desire to follow a fitness professional who demands that exercise and "clean" eating take precedence over enjoyment of life.  This was Shaun T's post today:

And it was captioned, "My true love! Sometimes I just need a damn donut! #85/15rule"

Ha!  I've been saying for days I want a donut.  How can you not love a fitness professional who posts a picture of himself loving his bag of processed, powdered, sugary donuts!?

I didn't order Focus T-25.  I didn't want to do it at all, actually.  My husband ordered it for himself.  Not to be outdone, I said I'd do it too.  And I have really really fallen in love with it.  It's short, which is so good for me, but it's extremely challenging, which I need in order to not be bored and quit.

I've said it before and I'll say it again…You don't have to give up things that you love, devote all your time, or be miserable to be healthy and in shape.  I'm thrilled with the muscle I'm gaining doing this program.  I wish I didn't have the lovely layer of fat (on my hips especially) that's covering those muscles, but I will never NEVER choose to be miserable just to have a slightly lower body fat percentage.  Kate Moss said once, "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."  That stuck with me because she is so full of crap it's not even funny.  Give me some muscle and a donut and I'll feel better than any girl who starves herself just to look how she thinks she's "supposed to".

*stepping off my soapbox*

Catch Up

I got a little behind this week too, but I'm caught up now after two workouts today.  I'm midway through week 2 of beta.  I'm feeling strong.  I'm eating crappy.  All is well.  Measurements on Sunday ;)

I got a little behind

I got a little behind. And I don't mean that I've got a little behind. I mean, I got a little behind in T-25. The first week I attempted beta week 1, the husband was out of town and I was crazy busy with work and I only got three days in. So this week, I repeated week 1 and got it all done.  Beta is great. A definite increase in intensity and I love using the weights. I didn't like the resistance band that came with it, so I'm using 5 pound dumbbells.  Next week or the week after I will switch to 7 pounds.

Ok, so since I was not only behind on working out but on blogging also, I'll give you my thoughts on the five beta workouts real fast.

W1D1 Core Cardio.  This workout was a good step up from the alpha cardio. Nothing crazy but a few new moves and definite sweat.

W1D2 Speed 2.0.  I call this workout the ADD workout. If you didn't have ADD beforehand, it's enough to give it to you. The first time I did it (the lost week), I hated it. This week, I knew what was coming so it wasn't so bad. Still definite ADD though.  I do like that it's a different set up than the other workouts, even if it's a little maddening.

W1D3 Rip't Circuit. I was expecting something like the alpha total body workout, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is my favorite 25 minutes of the whole program.  I like it much better with weights than the band.  It's major sweat but still doable.  This is me after:

W1D4 Dynamic Core. This is a great ab workout. I'm not crazy sore from it, but my abs are about a thousand times stronger than before I started t25.

W1D5 Upper Focus.  First time for major work on the arms and back. My weak girly arms definitely need some work, so I loved it. Quick paced and a good mix of weights and body weight resistance.

Overall, I can't wait to see my results at the end of the beta 5 weeks.  I'll probably skip measurements and weight tomorrow just because I feel like I've been so sporadic, but I will get back to measuring next weekend (after week 2) and maybe post an update picture with before and after. I feel like I'm watching ab muscles appear before my eyes. It's awesome.

Beta Week 1 Day 1

So T-25 Beta began today. I spent all day yesterday thinking of what it would be like, trying to remember how killer Alpha seemed when I started it five weeks ago. Today was so crazy I had no time to think about it at all.

When I finally put the Beta Core Cardio DVD in, it was almost 1830, I had other things on my mind, and I was just crossing my fingers all the kids would play nicely upstairs for the time it would take me to workout and shower quickly.  

I started the DVD and immediately noticed the music was a little different. Whatever. I hardly hear it once I start. After the obligatory Shakeology commercial, I was ready to go.

**Side note, I checked into Shakeology to use during Beta, but that stuff is so expensive there was no way it was in our budget.  Guess I escaped the attempted brainwashing due to financial constraints.**

This workout was killer. Like feeling like I did the first day of alpha killer.  There were some of the same moves, but a lot of new ones too.  I was dripping sweat by about 12 minutes in, and I was soaked by the end.

I loved it.

End of Alpha

Due to some messed up schedules and whatever else, I wound up having to do both T25 Alpha Cardio and T25 Lower Focus today in order to finish Alpha round on time.  But, I did it.

25 workouts in 5 weeks, some running (not nearly as much as I would have liked), and the results were good.  I did my final weight and measurements tonight, and here they are:

After five weeks, my weight went from 142 to 140.6, which is just a typical fluctuation for me. 

I lost 1/2 inch in my waist, 2 1/4 inches in hips, 1.5 inches in each thigh, and 1 inch each bicep, for a total of 10 inches all around.

Here are my before and after pictures.

Definitely noticeable in the abs, and I notice big differences in my thighs and butt too.

For all my talk about not using shakes and supplements, I'm kind of curious about the results I could have after Beta if I'm even a little more careful about my diet.  I have tomorrow to figure it out...Beta starts Monday!

Week 4 Plateau

I seem to have hit a plateau this week, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. All of my numbers were the same as end of week 3 weight and measurements. However, I didn't get any running in and was much more sedentary this week than I normally am due to snow days and sick kids.

Today I ran 5k, but it was much slower than a normal run for me. I ran the first 1.25 miles with my 9-year-old, the next mile with my 7-year-old, and the rest by myself for a total of 35 minutes. Then I came home and immediately did T25 Alpha Total Body, which is still my absolute least favorite.  I can't do an oblique knee push-up to save my life, but I'll be damned if I don't try hard and keep working at it!

This coming week is week 5 for me, which is the final week of T25 Alpha.  I'm going to attempt to eat well (read: no desserts), hydrate well, get some runs in, and try my hardest during every workout.  Hopefully I'll break through the plateau I sat at this week and set myself up for an awesome start to the beta series.  I'll also post a comparison photo next weekend. Although my numbers didn't move this week, I feel stronger, my muscles feel harder, and I'm committed to finishing this program before I spend a month or so focusing on running to get ready for a couple spring half marathons.