She Sweats 12-Week Run Builder: Week Three

i cant believe i already finished week 3. the weeks are kinda flying by. i had to adjust the plan a few days to fit my new schedule. after i finished week 2, i had about 3 days to wait to start week 3 so that my running training could fit the upcoming weeks. i orginally started the program kinda on a whim, and didnt make sure it matched up with my training. i stayed active in the 3 days though. i shaved 2.5 mins off in my 3 mile run.

week 3-5 are the same workouts. good thing im really enjoying them. stage 2 is "the pace setter" stage. the strength workouts are done circuit style. and, i kinda love it. my favorite day is leg day. having that sore-cant walk feeling is just the best to me. arms is becoming a new favorite too.. especially after flexing in the mirror today :) (what.. you know you do it too!)

this week started adding in HIIT workouts. which. i kinda hate. they are hard. (i guess thats the point? lol) im using the turbo fire 25 HIIT for my workouts (if you have an xbox, its on xbox fitness, which tracks how you are doing and get more points the harder you work, pretty cool). i didnt get any runs in this week, which.. kinda sucks. i was suppose to go yesterday, but things didnt workout well with timing (i overslept and then it was too hot to run). but ill make sure to add in an extra run this week so i can keep building my base. 

my eating is about 60/40 right now. but i prepped my food for this week, so it should go much smoother. and there aren't any more cookies in the office, so thats a plus. im starting to see my body change and strengthen, so i wanna feed/fuel it right. 

off to start week 4!

*happy dance*

why am i dancing? well.. ive gotten all my plans to align. found a better race training that will work better for me. AND it gives me some extra time to lose some lbs before i start training and to get my eating on point.

im focusing more on myself than what other people are doing around me, and i just have this great feeling about everything.

i made no excuse yesterday when i wasnt feeling well and did my workout anyways.  this is the motivation i wanna keep up.

thanks for listening to my rambles. :)

She Sweats 12-Week Run Builder: Week Two

i survived week 2 you guys. im really loving this program so far. leg day is such a killer. i love it. my butt hurt for days!

this week i fueled properly. what a difference. i felt stronger, and felt like my recovery was better. however, i did get a bad side cramp when i did sprints, maybe i wasnt hydrated enough? usually if i drink water during a run i get the worse side cramps. so maybe it was from all the fuel i ate. my cardio days are a banana and rice cake, and my strength days is a protein shake, banana, and rice cake.

 About Time Whey Protein Isolate, Cake Batter flavor

my run on day one was slow. but i cant beat myself up like i usually would. im proud of myself for even getting up and doing it. i wake up at 5:30 in the mornings to get my runs in. and when i get a response of "your crazy" or "whew i could never do that" it makes me feel super committed to what im doing. if you want something, youll make the time.

on my lifting days i tried to up my weights on most workouts. im surprised how much i can actually lift sometimes! my arms and legs are my biggest insecurities (um hello, i can cover up my stomach with a shirt!) and i cant wait to see them start changing. lifting heavier weights on arm day made me feel good, baby steps!!

so, i guess what im trying to say is.. i loved this week. and i can tell im getting stronger. things can only get better from here :) though, my eating isnt what it should be, i can feel my body changing. but just to be sure.. i took progress pics this morning. this is a  2 weeks difference. im kinda surprised at the changes i see. but love seeing them! btw. these pictures are totally embarrassing for me, and it took alot for me to post them. but its part of my journey and im going to embrace it. im proud of the progress i made. so i shall flaunt it. please be kind with your words.

i hate food

ok. thats a lie. i love food (warning: im about to ramble)

me loving food is the problem. these past 2 weeks, ive done good during the week with my food prepped. but with nothing prepped for the weekend, it turns into a big pig out session. its horrible. and it makes me feel horrible. and i feel alot of times i cant get things under control. its something i struggle with all the time and im ready to get it under control.

im about to sound like a broken record... but i think im gonna do a whole30 again. its the only way i feel in control and get results. yes i wanna lose weight, but i really wanna do this whole30 (60?) to get my eating habits under control. i hate how food can be so addicting. i need to be addicted to the right stuff.

ive been busy on pinterest looking for more whole30 recipes so i dont get bored with what im eating. i will be super prepared for this whole30. cuz failing to plan, is planning to fail. and i just wont this time. ive been doing really well with my workout program, and i feel like im sabotaging it with my eating. and i just wont have that. i dont wanna put in the work to see no results.

so for the next 2 months im challenging myself to get my eating right. probably with a whole60. you will not control me anymore food. im talking to you cookies and chips!


 

She Sweats 12-Week Run Builder: Week One

you guys, im so excited to be doing this program. it feels so good to get back to exercising and in a routine again. and ive felt sore ALL week. like the good kinda of sore. the kinda that makes ya want more ya know?

 obviously i cant tell you what all is in the program (you can buy it here) but i can tell ya how its going for me.

weeks one and two are "the starting line" stage. its weights and running. boy, i sure did miss lifting weights. i never made it through their other program, but im loving the lifting sessions more this time (they are slightly different in this program)!! ive been sore everyday. my soreness last a few days for each different lift day (arms, legs, chest and back). but i love being sore, lets me know its working. and im feeling stronger already or maybe im just more confident, who knows.

i had to switch up the days a little this week to fit my schedule and i think it really affected some of my workouts. they really mean follow it to a 'T'. next week shall be better. my running was only good on my mile run on day one. i can think of a few reasons why this is: 1) im a morning runner. this louisiana heat gets to me too much when i run at 5:30 pm and its 100 degrees. i prefer the cooler mornings and im not worn out from the day. 2) i havent been fueling right.

i never paid attention to my fueling that much, but im starting to realize how big of a deal it is. i didnt fuel right for most of the workouts this week, and it showed. but i have ordered some protein powder that comes in today (woohoo) and im heading to the store this weekend to stock up on easy fuel i can just grab.

speaking of food. im doing really good with my eating this week. i activated my bodymedia again, so im back to tracking. im following a somewhat of a paleo diet for breakfast and lunch, and trying to eat a fairly clean dinner. i feel so much better when i eat clean, so im gonna try and stay on this track and hopefully see a few pounds drop before the muscle weight starts coming on :)

 

mexican rice bowl

every now and then i like to splurge. who doesnt? well.. one of my favorite meals is mexican rice bowls. yummm.

Mexican Rice Bowl

Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey)
1 taco seasoning packet
2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cup white rice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
a few sprinkles of onion powder
cheese, corn, sour cream, salsa, avocado, black beans... any topping you would like


Directions:

1. Brown ground meat, drain if needed, and add seasoning packet (follow directions on packet). Cook til combined and set to the side.

2. Put olive oil in pan and add rice. Stir to brown rice. Mix water, chicken broth, tomato sauce and onion powder in bowl. Once rice has browned some, pour in mixture. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer til liquid is gone, about 25 mins.

3. Put rice and taco meat in bowl and top with any toppings youd like! Enjoy!

one mile

i havent ran in 2 months. but before that i had run off and on. if youve read my blog for a little while, youd know running is such a mental game for me. sometimes i have the focus to just do it.. and sometimes i dont. probably why even though i keep training for a 5k, i can never RUN the whole thing. i must be more of a walk/run person.

but this morning i had a one mile run on the schedule for the training program i started. i seriously was dreading it since i got the program. cuz i havent ran a whole mile in a long time. im sure if it woulda been fine if i had to walk some of it. but I would know that i didnt run all of it.

so i set my alarm for 5:30 to get up and get ready to run. i got up, took my before pictures, while eating a banana and drinking water. suited up and hit the pavement. i did a quick warm up walk.. then took off running. it was so uncomfortable. but then i finally got in a groove. i told myself i just had to run the whole thing. on a normal day, that was setting myself up for failure. but something clicked today. i wasnt horribly out of breath. i wasnt in any kind of pain that i had to stop. so i didnt. as i saw the distance tick by, i got more confident in myself. and i surprised myself. with how i did, and my time. i usually only get a time like that when i have quick walking breaks. but not today. not freaking today. and im just so excited. and happy. and PROUD!