starting out, not too bad

so, i don't know if i mentioned this before-- but i joined the gym at work. because my husband is working out something awesome, and i'll be damned if i let him be better than me! so it's a sort of friendly competition now. not one he knows about, but just sort of a way to keep myself accountable.

so, i'm doing it! (she said... again)

last week, i walked a lot on the treadmill-- i found a site that tells you how to be a runner. no joke, i googled it. so it gives you a gameplan. you can search for the one that fits you best, but mine was a weekly plan, where for the first week, you walk 30 minutes. then you jog 2/ walk 4, repeat til 30 minutes. and it keeps changing how you do it until you're running (jogging?) for 30 minutes straight. which is basically a 5K.

also, i tried yoga for the first time ever. it's gotta be great, right? you just lay there. there's soothing music, and you can't be held responsible if you fall asleep.
FALSE.
it's difficult. i was sweating-- sweating!-- halfway through the class. the second half was easier though, but we held the poses for about 5+ minutes each, which was weird and didn't feel like as much of a workout. husband is going to like me doing the yoga though, because it makes me feel loose and i might not ask for so many massages!
there are on-demand workout videos through u-verse tv, but i don't have a yoga mat to do them at home. and i've already discovered that doing them on a pair of towels doesn't cut it. maybe i can talk husband into getting me a yoga mat for our anniversary soon?

so, i did okay for my first week. i'll be going to the gym again today right at the end of work. it helps that i have an "accountability partner" here at work who goes to the gym and classes with me. sometimes it just takes someone asking if you're going to go. like my very own jiminey cricket.

back to my "roots"

right?
guess what i'm doing later today?

joining a gym.

that's right. i'm going back to the gym. i cannot work out on my own. i don't do it. i make time maybe once a week. and now that husband's working out so much and looking hot, i don't want people to wonder how i got that hot spouse. i want them to wonder how HE got that hot spouse! so, since i'm competitive, i won't dare let him outdo me in this fitness race.

it's nice to have support at home, not just on here. and since husband's working out, he's supporting me. instead of watching a movie in the evening, we'll go for a short hike. or play in the pool (it's still activity!). or take the dog for a walk.


love.

Week 3 Check-In

THREE DOWN, ONE TO GO! Woot!

So, how's everyone been doing? Made any progress? Meet any goals this week?

Talk to us.

What are you plans afterward? Do you plan on continuing with your exercise regimen, or possibly changing it up a bit? Are you done after this? 
Personally, I plan to keep my momentum going. I have Zumba Fitness and I might switch that up with some of the fun sports on Wii Active (I am loving the baseball that was introduced this week, and I don't even like baseball that much). I might hit the gym some at work, but I prefer to get my workouts over with in the early morning; that seems to be working well for me. My mom has an elliptical and I may try to do that for about 15 minutes on the days when I pick up my son from her house (three days per week).

And I plan on continuing to utilize our community site. I hope you will, too. I still have goals to meet well after our 30 days are up.

Post here or write up a forum post on Spruz about the results you're seeing, how you feel, or whatever you want. Just let us know the link here in the comments.

You're doing great and are almost done with 30 days! Gives yourselves a pat on the back!

Almost There!

We're almost finished with Week 3 and will be done with the challenge before you know it!

Have you hit any snags? I felt sorry for myself this week because I haven't really seen any tangible progress even though I've completed every. single. workout. Although, when I was scratching my arm yesterday, I could feel muscle definition! And family members have told me I look like I'm losing (even if the scales say otherwise--well, my scale is currently on the fritz so I may just have to get a cheap analog to continue). My pants keep getting looser and I think I may even see a bit more definition in my waistline even if my stomach doesn't look like it's shrinking. Also, I hurt my left foot and ankle (and today, it feels like the inner muscle right below my knee is achy), so I've been glad the exercises have been fairly easy this week and not leg-intensive even though I'd like to burn more calories.

I posted yesterday on the community site that I'm getting kind of bored with my low-cal food options. However, I do go to the grocery store at some point this weekend so I'm going to see if I can vary it up a bit. Is anyone else having trouble finding healthy but tasty meals?

Bored?

Maybe it's just the Week 2 slump (Week 1 was fast and furious), but I'm getting kind of bored with Wii Active 30-Day Challenge workouts. Is anyone else feeling this? I haven't skipped even one session (although Wii didn't record Monday's workout because I had to skip a few activities due to my faulty nunchuck) and the past few days I just haven't been feeling like I'm making much progress even though I replaced the nunchuck and the last workout seemed to go smoothly. Maybe I need to bump up my intensity level (I'm still on easy), but I'm afraid if I do that, it'll want me to run for longer and I already hate the running the most.

I get up at 5 AM but getting dressed, a bottle of water, and the wii revved up takes a few minutes and sometimes I don't get started good until 5:15 or 5:20. Then, I'm still running when the hubs comes in the living room after his shower and I get self-conscious.

I saw good results last week. I even tried on dresses (and bought two!) and didn't feel like a fatty, as I usually do. I feel pretty today in the clothes I'm wearing, but I'm just wondering if I'm doing enough. I'm only burning around 100-140 calories with the workouts (usually the lower end). I know I'm probably toning more than anything and that's great because I need it. I just feel like I need something more.

Any suggestions? Should I just scrap the 30-Day Challenge function of the game and customize my own workouts? Should I do Wii Zumba instead (I haven't even put this in the Wii yet to see how long the sessions are)? Or should I add in something else during the day? I don't have a lot of time and 5 AM is the best time for me but I can't leave the house due to a sleeping babe. I can probably get some walking in during lunch but it's already starting to get warm here. I do have access to a gym with a treadmill, elliptical, weight machines, etc. Does anyone have any ideas? I need help!

Are you bored, too? I know I'm not the only one having problems this week. I want to see weight loss (and I haven't lost anything this week, despite doing my workouts and eating 1600 calories or less/day) but I mainly want to get fit.

I don't like to be a quitter. I'd like to finish the 30 days and I'll probably give it another week just to make sure, but I also don't want to be doing something that's not getting me where I need to be.

How are YOU doing?

Week 1 Progress!

Hey! Look at that! Almost 2 lbs down! In true Tamara style, I must continue to publicly humiliate myself by posting my weight every week, in order to keep myself accountable. Not so bad really... a good push in the right direction. Anyhoo, as some of you may know, I have a relatively new child.
Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I don't... and sometimes I think I can do it all! Hurrah! Go Tamara! With no sleep. Mmmm... not so much. I got worn down, downright exhausted, and then I got sick.

SO! NEW PLAN! While I will continue to work out (cheer!) I will not diet. No sir. Gimme some cheeseburgers... (just kidding guys... that would be mean) but I will continue to keep taking in the proper amount of calories for my bod... I just really hope that the workouts, and my conscientious (balanced!) meals help me continue to lose weight like I did this week. I'm going to keep hoping.

In saying that, I did miss two work outs this week. I'm going to get back on it tomorrow... I'd hate for it to tell me to start over!

I'm really really interested in hearing about what you guys are eating (and not eating!) as we move through this challenge. Tuna and rice cakes aren't cutting it. Or special K cereal. Or boring chicken.

I'm starving. :D