Sigh..... Here We Go Again...

So, after God knows how long, I've decided to get back on the wagon I totally fell off.

The plan, to start jogging again, even if it means going alone at 5am in the morning. I'm starting this tomorrow and will post regularly about my activities.

Here we go again. Hopefully this will be the last time I'm starting all over.

500 Calories....

When I bought my Garmin FR70, the first goal I set was to burn at least 500 calories through exercise daily. There were days that I ended up burning about 1000 calories and more but, the main goal has been to ensure that I get at least 500 calories burnt everyday.

If you are like me who bores easily, then you would definitely be looking for a variety of exercises to achieve your calorie burning goals. Here are a few exercises I do to ensure that I blast those 500.

1. Jump Rope

This was the only tool I had when I started at 242 lbs. I jumped rope twice a day till I lost 20 lbs. It is fun and burns a lot of calories quickly. However, I must warn you that it can be quite merciless to the knees. My advice would be that once you feel any kind of pain you need to take it easy.




2. Elliptical

It is very easy to blast 500 calories on this machine within 30-45 minutes. This is the exact brand I have in my bedroom. It's a Trojan Image 350. What I love about it is that I can workout at any time; be it at three am or ten pm. I don't have to worry about safety outside since it's an indoor machine. Oh! and I sometimes watch episodes of Drop Dead Diva or Teen Wolf when I'm on this baby....

3. Hip Hop Abs

Who knew that I would fall in love with Shaun T? lol! I love to dance and the fact that I don't even notice the minutes as I tilt, tuck and tighten away makes this a great tool for me. As you watch the video for the first time it may seem like a very simple workout but once you begin, the sweat just begins to drip. Try the Fat Burning Cardio and Total Body Burn and see how many calories you would burn.

I actually plan on starting his Rockin Body program once I'm done with this and who knows, maybe when I'm fit enough I will give Insanity a go. :-)

4. Jogging

Like I tell my Mom anytime we go out jogging/walking, "It doesn't matter if you are as slow as a snail, as long as you are not walking it's jogging." It can be a slow jog for beginners and as your endurance and fitness levels increase, so can your pace. Jogging burns a lot of calories too. 

5. Walking

Now, this is something we all do everyday. On days that I am too tired to do anything intense, I walk. It could be a brisk walk around the neighborhood or a 60-minute session on the treadmill. 

SO there you have it. These are the main exercises I do in addition to lifting weights and other strength training exercises. What exercises do you enjoy?

Getting Back In The Game...

These last few weeks have been crazy for me. The power outages have made me lose my running rhythm. I'm too scared to go running in the dark and the elliptical isn't really a fun workout for me anymore. So, over the weekend I decided I was going to have to find alternatives to prevent me from falling totally off the wagon. I've had these Jillian Michaels and Billy Blanks workouts on my laptop waiting to be used. Perhaps it's time. 

This morning everyone at the office seemed to like my appearance. It's amazing how they seem to think I've slimmed when I still think I have a long way to go. This is what I looked like (forgive the photo, not all phone cameras are equal. lol!)

Have a great week folks!

Weigh In No. 2, Still Jogging...

The past week has been a very busy one. I resumed work after a well deserved two week vacation and things continued from where they paused before the break.

Have I mentioned that I'm still jogging? Well, I am! And I'm doing more jogs than walks as the days progress. I still think I can do better with my eating. Don't get me wrong, I am eating healthy. It's just that my supper options still worry me. Perhaps preparing meals ahead would solve the problem? Let's see what happens.

Anyways, let's get down to business. It's time to see if I've been doing something right.

Previous Weigh In: 210.5 lbs

Today's Weigh In: 208.3 lbs

Loss: 2.2 lbs

Enough said. I'm off to work.

C25K Week 6 Complete!

image via google 

As I got to the 20th minute of running I asked myself "am i really doing this?" Unfortunately, it was at this same time that I began to feel some pain in my right knee. I still pushed through and decided to give my knee a break before I commence Week 7. 

These past few weeks have been irregular for me. I just keep travelling between 200lbs and 204lbs. Perhaps it's because even though I exercise regularly my eating has been all over the place. Rice has been the culprit so far. I measure a cup and then it becomes two. :-( My vegetable and fruit consumption has decreased at an alarming rate. I need a slap on the wrist. It is based on these that I have decided to undergo a three day detox where I would be forced to consume mostly fruits and vegetables. 

Have any of you done detox programs? What was your plan like? Did it help improve your eating patterns? 

February Wrap Up

So, the month has come to an end and I decided to reflect on my doings this month.

• I exercised at least 5 times every week. 
• I started exercising during lunch break. Intense 45 minute workouts baby

The bad things

• I only did the twice a day workout 4 times. I'm so disappointed. However, there were days that I was just too exhausted to go in the evenings.
• I didn't watch my food intake. With the stress of my mini car crash on Valentines Day came more personal issues that had me drinking more juices and eating out more. Hopefully that would change in March.

I'm sure many people are wondering why I didn't post a weigh in on Monday. Thing is, I only remembered to weigh in after I had worked out at the gym. Now, that wouldn't be an accurate reading since the number would definitely go down after the kind of cardio session I had. I therefore decided that I would weigh in next Monday.

Oh! and after a long hiatus I've decided to continue with the C25K program. I stopped at Week 4 and I plan on continuing from where I left off. 

C25K Update.

I can't believe that I haven't blogged in a while. Finished Week Three of the C25K program last week with so much ease. I was surprised since work has been really hectic these last few weeks and I am usually exhausted by 5pm. Guess, my endurance levels are increasing, right?

So, Week Four begins today and I am actually looking forward to the three and five minute runs. It's strange but the gym has become a part of who I am. I get there with my Ipod and once I get onto the treadmill to begin my run it seems like the rest of the world is non-existent. lol! If only I could watch my diet with such fervour, the pounds would drop much faster. lol! Maybe I should start a food journal, again!

Wish me luck on the C25K thingy. Cheers.

C25K + Week Two = Complete!

Is that even an equation? lol! I'm just so excited that I was able to complete the last 90sec run. The feeling of accomplishment set in as soon the voice on the podcast said I had finished the run for the day. Thank God! I was so excited that i continued brisk walking for an additional 40minutes. how bout that?

Anyways, I'm looking forward to Week Three. Wonder what i should be looking forward to. :-)