P90X3 Day 1 Video

P90X3 Day 1

This is so far out of my comfort zone I don’t even know how to explain it lol. I am extremely self conscious on video, but I want to share my P90X3 experience with you guys! So I started the program today and shot a short little video. Mind you I totally blanked when I hit record lol, and I’m sure it’s more hilarious than informative. But I promise you I WILL do this until it comes naturally to me.

How fitness is like a bear hunt

bearhunt

So maybe I’ve spent too much time in child care, or maybe my perspective has been purposely driven by children’s books. But this occurred to me today and I realized that fitness is a lot like going on a bear hunt. Know the story “We’re going on a Bear Hunt”? The part where it says “we can’t go over it we can’t go under it, we have to go THROUGH it!”

From now on whenever you face a challenge I want you to think of this story and how they go through the swamp, over the mountain, through the tall grass, etc. notice there isn’t just ONE obstacle either?

Today is not that day!

Did you ever have one of those days where your mind is fully engaged in the fitness game but your body just isn’t? My body is screaming for mercy right now, I am fighting it every step of the way. Since when do I let my body over ride my brain? Ummm never!

I’m having surgery next week to finally get rid of a painful ovarian cyst, it’s been nagging at me for six months so I’m more than ready. What I wasn’t ready for was my Dr. telling me to stop taking ALL anti inflammatory prescriptions and herbal supplements. What? Really? Yeah I’m 40 years old and not sure you realize how vital those are for me at this stage in the game lol. I NEED anti inflamatories just to walk! I have an old knee injury from gymnastics when I was 16. I tore my ACL and the whole inside part of the cartilage of my knee, yeah that’s the medical term lol. Forget what it’s called but it’s never been the same of course. Before I got fit I had just endless months of pain and my knee actually gave out on a regular basis. So dealing with arthritis is nothing new to me. Since getting fit though the muscles around my knee have gotten so much stronger, it never gives out anymore. I’ve also started drinking Shakeology which makes ALL the difference in my nutrition, but especially with my arthritis. It is that cushion for my joints that allows me to do all the crazy things I do. It’s like a shock absorber for my knees and honestly it’s the best investment I’ve ever made in my health. Between Shakeology and glucosamine/condroiton I just don’t have issues with my knee at all anymore!

So when my doctor told me to stop taking both of those for two weeks before my surgery I thought OH NO!!! As of today it’s been one week since I stopped taking them both and I am literally in agony. My knee hurts all through the day and night, I can’t sleep, and my range of motion is that of an elephant. I am sore, really feeling my age. I know the benefit is worth it of course to have the surgery and I see that it’s a short term trade off for a bigger payoff. But I am hyper aware of the lack of cushion in my joints right now and how much of a difference those two products make in my normal life. Not only that but without ShakeO I am craving all the sweets and garbage that just have been off my radar for so long! This is really a test of my WHY power and taking everything I have just to get through each day.

To make matters a bit more challenging I am also doing Insanity! Which is by far the hardest workout I’ve ever done, it is brutal! So of course the timing is like are you kidding me? I’m doing the hardest workout ever and without any cushion for my knee? Uh yeah Mechelle lol. I realize each day that I may not even make it to the day before the surgery at this breakneck speed and that is ok. I had originally intended to workout right up until the day of my surgery, but right now I see that without my anti inflammatories and ShakeO that just might not be smart or possible even. It’s a battle in my mind, because I’m not the type to give up on anything, ever. I make a commitment and I see it through, that is just part of my chemical makeup. So to give up now? Yeah it’s going to take a lot of pain to get me there.

At the same time I think oh crap these people who look to me for support are going to judge me. So I need to keep in mind what I would tell any of you in the same situation. Listen to your body, do what is right for YOU. Please don’t judge me for pushing myself. It hurts my feelings when people don’t trust my own judgement for myself. But I am keeping in mind that the big picture is more important than squeezing in another week of Insanity. I know Insanity will always be there for me when this is all said and done and I’ve had my 40 year maintenance performed lol.

A lot of what got me to where I am now was pushing myself past my limits. I’ve fought through many injuries and colds, many days where I just didn’t want to. So to develop that kind of mindset you have to have a really strong determination. It’s that same determination that fights me at times like these when my body is just incapable of doing what I want it to. It is extremely difficult to just flip that switch off. And unless you’ve been through what I have I’m afraid you just won’t understand my stubbornness. And that’s ok! I am figuring it out and know when to say when.

One of my favorite quotes is “there will come a day when I can no longer do this, today is not that day!” Tomorrow? Eh maybe lol

Dream bigger my darling!

too low

“The greatest danger for most people is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it’s too low and we reach it.”

I am guilty of this all the time. I have spent the last year trying to make bigger goals, to dream a lot bigger. I’ve had a lot of people tell me I’ll never get there, I have doubted myself at times, I have failed a lot, but I keep setting my aim way higher than I believe I can reach. Why? Because I am going to grow into the person it takes to achieve those big goals!! I wish that for each of you as well.

Comfort food with a healthy twist

I found this on Pinterest today and thought it would be a really healthy recipe. I was disappointed that the original blog used jarred spaghetti sauce and frozen meatballs though. So tomorrow I’m going to make my own version of this with homemade spaghetti sauce and homemade turkey meatballs. It’s just those three ingredients, a spaghetti squash cut in half and cleaned out. Place it open side down, fill the crock pot with your sauce and meatballs and turn it on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Then using a fork scrape the spaghetti squash out and enjoy a healthy version of spaghetti and meatballs!

I will update and let you know how it goes!SONY DSC

Lentil Lime Salad

Here was my masterpiece for dinner tonight, Lentil Lime Salad via the Ultimate Reset

Makes 1 serving so double it if you want extra or leftovers, you do lol

1 c cooked green lentils
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/4 c finely chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Bragg Liquid Aminos
Himalayan salt to taste
1/4 tsp ground cumin
herbal seasoning to taste

Combine it all, toss gently, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. The Ultimate Reset has the best hands down recipes I’ve ever had! It was a tough experience but amazingly worthwhile to me. Changed everything I know about food and my relationship with food. I lost 14 lbs in 21 days with nothing but healthy food. And lots of it!

I still make several of the Reset meals because I just love them.

326 calories
8g fat
49g carbs
19g proteinlentil lime salad

Figure out your why

This guy, Eric Thomas, he inspires the hell out of me!!! I just finished listening to his book Secret To Success and I have to tell you, I am floored. Incredible story, incredible human being.

This clip is a little harsh, but who doesn’t need something harsh? We all do. Bear with the harshness, the basketball and football stuff, because the message is worth it.

Eric Thomas

The newest fitness gadget on the block

I have device envy. It’s really very sad lol. I just saw that FitBit is launching a new activity monitor and I waaaaannnntttt one. Yes I know I already have one lol, but I am always tempted by the wrist worn ones. The only reason I have not switched to a wrist one is because they just aren’t as accurate and that is important to me. I love my Body Bugg don’t get me wrong! Love that thing and depend on it day in and day out.

But I will wait till it launches and see some of the reviews as far as accuracy goes. It’s amazing how quickly the reviews come in! When the Flex was released earlier this year they had reviews up within hours of that thing being sold lol. And the reviews are what kept me from buying one, well that and I had just bought my Body Bugg a few months earlier so I need to be happy with what I have. But now that I’ve had it for 8 months I can “almost” justify trying a new one, right? Maybe not? Maybe I should wait a year.

I love the accuracy of my Body Media. I do not like that it is constantly on my tricep and that it’s not water resistant. But otherwise the Body Media is really accurate and dependable. I have compared it using my heart rate monitor and it is spot on as far as counting calories burnt. I love the sleep mode analysis too and rely on that daily. I would absolutely forget to put a tracker into sleep mode! When I’m tired I just fall asleep standing up it seems lol, so remembering to put it into sleep mode would be lost on me. The Body Media just somehow knows when I fall asleep, that is priceless to me! My work is pretty active and I barely have time to sit down and type most of the day, so that wouldn’t be a detraction for me so much. I guess for me to spend another $130 it would have to be significantly better than the Body Media.

Ok I’m done rambling. Here is the Force if anybody wants to check it outFitbit Force

Carawhat?

Ever read the list of ingredients and see carageenan and wonder what the heck that is? Carageenan is a controversial food derived from red seaweed and is used as a bonding agent in processed foods, sort of like gelatin. There is some research that indicates it is linked to stomach and intestinal diseases, but other research says it’s inconclusive. Of course, lol, research can be supported either way right? Anyway, here is an article about it. Know what you are eating!!!

Carageenan facts

A new gadget please Santa?

I have device envy. It’s really very sad lol. I just saw that FitBit is launching a new activity monitor and I waaaaannnntttt one. Yes I know I already have one lol, but I am always tempted by the wrist worn ones. The only reason I have not switched to a wrist one is because they just aren’t as accurate and that is important to me. I love my Body Bugg don’t get me wrong! Love that thing and depend on it day in and day out.

But I will wait till it launches and see some of the reviews as far as accuracy goes. It’s amazing how quickly the reviews come in! When the Flex was released earlier this year they had reviews up within hours of that thing being sold lol. And the reviews are what kept me from buying one, well that and I had just bought my Body Bugg a few months earlier so I need to be happy with what I have. But now that I’ve had it for 8 months I can “almost” justify trying a new one, right? Maybe not? Maybe I should wait a year.

Ok I’m done rambling. Here is the Force if anybody wants to check it out Fit Bit Force