Not as Fat as I think I am

So we are plugging along in the middle of month two.  As for lbs on the scale I haven't lost much.  Inches as of last month I'd only lost 1.5.  Being the crazy hybrid that it is and knowing from my first experience w/ p90x itself, most of my results will probably come month 3 or even right after on recovery week.  So I'm not fretting over it right now.  However in general, I'm learning that I really am not as fat as I feel like I am.

One of my friends has recently started selling Avon and she's sent me some catalogs and links to her website.  So I started flipping through one, and came across this outfit that I found really cute, so on a whim I ordered it.  It arrived yesterday so of course I tried it on.  It included a brown sweater, super cute brown boots, and..denim leggings.  A popular style nowadays but one I've always avoided and never thought much about cuz I'm too fat to pull off something cute like that.  I'm more of a bootcut jeans kinda girl, those skinny jeans and leggings are for the thin girls.  I pulled them out of the box and they looked SO tiny.  Still, I put them on.  They fit! And they were super comfortable.  However still nervous about seeing them in the mirror, I put on the boots and the sweater as well, then I walked over to the mirror.  The same mirror that 99% of the time tells me how fat I am.  This time around I felt like I actually looked GOOD.  WHAT????!!!!! 

This morning as I'm preparing to do my workout (yes, I am ashamed, I get behind and end up doing workouts on Saturday), I throw on a pair of my workout pants.  When they were on, I remembered how super tight they used to be not all that long ago for this particular pair. And I realized how loose and baggy they've become. 

Yes, my weight loss may be super slow.  The number on the scale may take weeks or even months to drop a noticeable amount. But the inches and clothing are showing the real truth.  It's happening.  All those styles that I used to think were cute but I could never pull off? Maybe it's time to start checking some of them out.  I don't have to shop at the plus size stores anymore.  Yes I have a long way to go but I've also come a long way. Although I still see that same fat girl in the mirror that I always have, that's really not who I am anymore.

I can do hard crazy workouts like our hybrid. I will do Asylum, I will do p90x2.   Though it may not happen all at once, I will get skinny.  I'm doing it now. Or, I will just Die Tryin'.  Have you seen those previews for p90x2????
~shortteacher83~

Turbo Fire Makes Me Feel Like I'm On Fire......On Fiyah!

TurboFire is my absolute FAVORITE of the Beachbody workouts.  If I was to recommend just one workout, this would be it.  What is so great and wonderful about TurboFire you ask?  Well Thrilledmomof2 was hoping I'd keep this entry short but I could go on and on about the greatness of TF.
First off, it's a Chalene Johnson program.  As I've previously mentioned, she is my favorite of the trainers.  She's so motivating throughout all of these workouts, I really seem to connect well with her. 2nd of all, another big one for me, Variety! TF is filled with so many options.  It has a 5 day inferno plan (which I believe I lost 4 lbs on or so? I just know it worked) that you can choose to do before starting the actual program. It also has a 9 week prep for those that may feel they aren't quite ready to start the actual program.  Then the basic program is 12 weeks.  However one has the option (which I STRONGLY recommend) of buying advanced turbofire workouts.  This can add 8 more weeks on, making your program 20.  Also the advanced package comes with a hybrid calendar of TurboFire and Chalean Extreme for another 20 week program.  Thrilledmomof2 and I did the inferno plan, followed by 40 weeks of TF and TF/CE.  40 weeks later we were still wanting more Fire!!!!
Music was absolutely AMAZING. Songs were catchy, always stuck in my head and I love to randomly belt them out even now :) Chalene did a wonderful job.  Moves were fun, it's basically cardio kickboxing in rhythm to the music. Workouts were different lengths ranging from 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 55, 60 minutes, all seemed to fly by.  The program is as intense as you make it.  HIIT training is a big part of the program where you go really hard for about a minute, then a minute rest, then go again really hard, then rest.  You just keep pushing as hard as you can (which some days were easier than others).  Another awesome thing is Alee, who shows you how to modify in every workout.  If you can't jump, or whatever, follow Alee.  Just do your very best no matter what level you are. Along w/ the cardio, there are sculpting, toning, stretch, and ab workouts.  A nice 10 minute stretch program or a 40 min one.  The 40 min one is half yoga, half stretch. Her sculpting and toning workouts are no joke. Done w/ a band that looks sweet and innocent but I will promise you that is not the case.  40 weeks I lost 15 lbs (which is fantastic for me) and 31.5 inches. We were sad to finish this program, we were excited to press play every day on this one.
As I said before, I could go on and on about this program but to cut thrilledmomof2 a little slack I'll end with this.  I LOVE Turbofire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Enoug' Said :)

P90x Reflection

I was really excited to try p90x out last summer, it being the beachbody program that 'everybody owns but nobody finishes' according to my sister.  Her husband, in the airforce, tried it and stopped saying it was 'too hard.'  So I wanted to do the program and show everyone that I could finish it.  At this pont, I'd already done SI6, Chalean Extreme, and Insanity, so I really wasn't worried about sticking to the program.  I chose to do the doubles version, which adds a cardio workout along w/ the regular classic schedule.

Some thoughts on the program in general:  Variety!  This program though it doesn't have as much variety in workouts as some of the others I've done, it has way more variety then say SI6 or Insanity. I have a hard time doing the same workouts over and over, so the variety of workouts was a plus for me.  True to what I'd heard, this workout was tough.  I can't do pull ups so I use the bands for those.  Push-ups are also a huge struggle for me.  But I loved the legs, shoulders, and arm workouts, along w/ the kenpo.  I enjoyed plyo as well, except compared to anything in Insanity it was soooooooo slow.  However for most ppl, this is probably a better starting point w/ plyo  than rushing right into insanity :)  I did have good results w/ the program.  I gained a couple lbs the first month which I'm thinking was due to muscle and water.  The last month I lost 10 lbs the last 2 weeks of the program, and a total of 10 inches.

My complaints of the program would have to be the length.  I did it in the summer just because I knew I'd have more time.  But each workout was about an hour long with Yoga being an hour and a half.  Speaking of Yoga, I honestly HATED that workout and only got through the disc probably 2 times.  I was very new to yoga and for some reason dont have the patience for it.  So 93 minutes was excruciating for me.  I did enjoy the last half if I could ever get through the first. Yes I do realize the importance of yoga and I make sure I get in at least some, but I'd prefer Chalene's stretch 40 any day.  I'm glad I was already committed to working out when I started p90x. The videos being so long, time consuming, and it really gets you sore, I could see why a lot of ppl start but never finish.  As for Tony Horton himself, he's definitely in good shape and he's put together a great workout.  His weight lifting technique is different from Chalene's which really aggravated me especially at first, but I'm always resistant to change :)  He's very corny and just talks and talks and talks and jokes throughout the entire videos. Some people love his jokes, to me I'm reminded of 11 yr old boys.  I'm a Chalene girl all the way though, I love the way she motivates throughout her workouts so anyone has a hard time competing against her.
Bottom line, is p90x a great program? Yes definitely!  Does it work? If you put the time (definitely a big commitment here) and effort you will for sure get results.  For a beginner? It's possible but I'd recommend something a little less time consuming to start out w/.  Am I glad I did it? for sure, and I'm enjoying it more this time around in the hybrid w/ TurboFire and Insanity.  Weird how for me, I'm liking Insanity less than the first time and p90x more.

~ShortTeacher83~

My Review of Chalean Extreme

As shortteacher said, this week we decided to share out thoughts on some of the beachbody programs we have done already, It's now turn for  Chalean Extreme. This was my first program and I decided to do that one because it was mainly strength training and not too much cardio. The program is 90 days and it's structured in 3 phases, Burn, Push and Lean.

The First 4 weeks you start with Burn, this is 3 circuits, and you do each one of them once a week, the other 2 days of the schedule is completed with 2 cardio routines, and ab workout and a stretch/yoga class. The burn circuits are about 35 minutes long and you do upper an lower body work at the same time. The second month is the Push phase, also 4 weeks, in this phase Chalene switches gears and makes you lift VERY HEAVY, also you don't work upper and lower body at the same time, it's rather a body part at a time, the cardio, and yoga it's the same through out the whole program, however on week 6, Chalene introduces a more advance ab routine about 5 mins longer than the previous one and trust me those 5 more minutes feel like 5 minutes.... under water!!!!!!!
 The final 4 weeks it's the  LEAN circuit, here your go back to the combination workouts ( upper and lower body) and relatively ligther weights, but the workouts are longer and all of them will require core use, this month also you will see the most results. The last month workouts are brutal! But so much fun.

I lost around 9 inches off my waist,  5 inches off each thigh, it was wonderful. It's a very good program and it''s good for every fitness level, the workouts are not too long and your are only required to workout 5 days a week, I loved it so much that I hybrid it with Turbo fire!
Chalene Johnson is a VERY good instructor, explains the set up, the exercise and also educates you on what part of the body is going to work, what is supposed to feel like, all of that while motivating your without sounding corny or fake.
This workout got me hooked on working out, not only did I lose lbs and inches but I created the habit of working out and that was worth all the money, all the sweat and all my time. I only have positive things to say about Chalean Extreme, if you are looking to start a workout program, to get in shape, to tone your body, and your are a busy person, maybe have little kids (like I do) Chalean Exteme is the PERFECT option!

Thrilledmomof2