Time Flies When You're... Um...

Don't how it happened, but I've done 6 weekly reviews and find that I'm actually on week 9!!! How did that happen?

Here's a speedy catch up on what happened since I last left you:
After week 6, while still travelling, I also caught some mean flu-y thing.
So, week 7 was the first week that I was not truly not able to complete my requirements.
I only logged 4 workouts that week: 2 cardio and 2 strength. Wah! I guess it isn't really *that* bad, since it means I only dropped one cardio and one strength, but it feels really bad.

Then came week 8, back home, fighting off the end of the nasty cold. That one was much more typical, I managed to finish all the requirements with a bit extra to spare. It was good to be back on track.

The best news of all is that I've finally lost some weight! When travelling, I had at least three family members that I haven't seen in a while point out that I've lost weight, and when I got home, I found that I was actually 5 pounds lighter than when I started. Crazy. Especially since the first month I didn't lose any weight, which I chalked up to muscle gain.

Well, there it is. And now I'm officially in the last quarter of the plan. The best part is, I already know what I'm doing next... but I won't give it away yet. Sorry!

At this point - I'm happy with my personal progress, though unsatisfied with the Self Challenge workout plan. I feel that it's too easy for me. Maya, on the other hand, is still quite capable of kicking my ass. And she still yells at me for missing workouts. I still haven't figured out how to tell her that I'm actually running at least 3 additional days a week. Ah well, so it goes...

Self Challenge -Week 6 in Review

Now the complications begin. This week, on tuesday, I left for a 9-day trip to Italy for an ultimate frisbee tournament. I've been to this tournament before (many times) so I was quite familiar with what to expect. I knew that I could get plenty of running in but that the strength workouts were going to be the tough part. So I crammed as much on Maya as I could in the beginning of the week and then took a resistence band with me to do the third.

As it turns out, I didn't use it and this is the first week that I don't complete all of my requirements.

Requirements:
2 x 30 minute cardio workouts
1 x 45 minute cardio workouts
3 x 25 minute strength workouts

What I actually did:
6 x cardio workouts: 5 x 45 minutes of running (three of those were in one day - I'm in relay training mode) and 35 minutes of aerobics with Maya

2 x Yourself Fitness workouts: 30 minutes of pilates & 30 minutes of weight training

Food-Wise:
Yeah. I was in Italy. I don't believe the piadine sandwiches, plates of risotto and strozzapreti really translate into "2 grain-carbs". Delicious!

Self Challenge -Week 5 in Review

Ok, Month 2 - there are a few changes to the routine. I'm still required to do 3 cardio workouts a week, but one of them is now 45 minutes long instead of 30. That was not a problem: I was already doing much more than the required minimum.

As for the strength requirements, they added one more 25 min session a week. Not that huge of a difference but a bit trickier for me, especially when travelling.

The food requirements however took a dramatic turn: they switched to a units plan, where for breakfast, for example, you should eat 2 grain-carbs; 2 fruit-carbs; 1 dairy-protein; and 2 fats. And they provide a chart telling you what your options are for each of those. Doesn't sound too terrible, does it?

So here's what happened that first week into Month 2:

Requirements:
2 x 30 minute cardio workouts
1 x 45 minute cardio workouts
3 x 25 minute strength workouts

What I actually did:
4 x cardio workouts: 160, 30 & 120 minutes of all running and 30 minutes of aerobics with Maya

4 x Yourself Fitness workouts: 45 minutes of upper body, 45 minutes of core & 45 minutes of lower body & 15 minutes of yoga

Food-Wise:
While I did check out the table, and see what my options were for each meal, I didn't really follow the plan beyond that.

This week wasn't too difficult to keep up with, I seem to be on a roll!

Self Challenge - Week 4 in Review

Here it is, the end of Month 1... I have to say, I'm a bit disappointed in the month overall. While I've managed to complete the minimum amount of required workouts, I only had one really good week. I'm falling behind on my two Nike+ goals that I'd set for myself: one was to run 16 times this month and the other was to run 5 runs at a faster pace than I normally do.
I actually still have 3 days to try and finish these goals, but it's looking a bit unlikely that I'll manage.

So, here we go:

Requirements:
3 x 30 minute cardio workouts
2 x 25 minute strength workouts

What I actually did:
3 x cardio workouts: 45, 30, & 35 minutes, all running (booo! that's even less than last week!)
3 x Yourself Fitness workouts: 45 minutes of lower-body, 45 minutes of core & 45 minutes of flexibility

Food-Wise:
Yeah, nothing new here.

So where does that leave me after one month? Pretty much nowhere. I weigh exactly the same, my measurements are identical... I don't really have a tangible success meter. Oh well, time to keep on trucking.

I thought it was interesting that I've found this article that says that a well known NYC fitness guru has been recommending the Self Challenge to his clients. Well, that's interesting, but I guess it's possible that it would help if I followed the eating plan. Although I must admit, the eating plan seems to be very restrictive in terms of calories! I'm pretty certain (and Tamsen even more so) that I need more than 1600 calories a day.

Well, here we go, onto Month 2 and its new and improved diet plan!

Self Challenge - Week 3 in Review

Well, after last week's über-motivated working out, week three was back to the bare minimum... This time, my excuse was travel. I had to fly to NYC on thursday and knew I wouldn't be able to do any strength workouts, so I crammed them all in the beginning of the week. And by all, I mean I only got two strength workouts down. *bows head in shame*

Requirements:
3 x 30 minute cardio workouts
2 x 25 minute strength workouts

What I actually did:
3 x cardio workouts: 45, 45, & 45 minutes, all running (the last two on the treadmill in our hotel)
2 x Yourself Fitness workouts: 45 minutes of upper-body, 45 minutes of core

Food-Wise:
Still no journal. I do hope next month has a better food plan, because this month's just isn't doing it for me!

Not too happy about this week, but I guess I still did more than the base Self Challenge requirements. That still doesn't make it satisfying though.

Self Challenge - Week 1 in Review

I finished week 1 of 12 of the Self Challenge, and I have to admit, I'm still a bit meh about it.

Requirements:
3 x 30 minute cardio workouts
2 x 25 minute strength workouts

What I actually did:
3 x 30 minute cardio workouts (only because I flaked out on my 2 hour Sunday run, which means that this week will be off the charts, since I did it on Monday instead)
2 x 25 minute strength workouts (the self challenge one)
1 x 60 minute Pilates session
1 x 30 minute Yourself Fitness upper body workout

Food-Wise:
Didn't keep the journal - My "food plan" has me eating: about 450 calories for breakfast, 400 calories for lunch, a calcium snack of 100 calories, another 550 calories for dinner and a 120-calorie treat - so 1620 a day, which doesn't seem like enough to me.

I tried to make sure I had about 450 for breakfast, then the rest of my day is usually a mystery, though I have been cutting down on the amount of alcohol in the evenings (to cut those unnecessary calories... except for when they were necessary, and then I didn't cut them.)

My second attempt at the Self Challenge Month 1 Strength Workout was only slightly less frustrating. I did make it through the entire thing this time, but was still a bit annoyed at it. I also tried to do the mp3 walkthrough this time but I'm pretty sure it miscounted the reps and it also wouldn't let me pause it. Which was annoying.

I'm not sure I'll do it again since I have my Yourself! fitness program now and therefore have someone to walk me through all my exercises and count down for me. I'm lazy that way.