Twitter Me!

Please note – you can follow me during my workouts on my twitter account! Its not a full blown account but I do post while working out and comments et al…

http://twitter.com/varza

Hey! You Still Alive Lady!?

(this was originally written on 9-26-09 so its old news but I guess I didn’t hit publish, so no need to read it if you know all about my love life crap already)

Yes, yes I am! But life has just been in a transitional phase for me lately and let me give you a little run down.

I have stated in the past year or so that I was ready for a relationship and what not and yes, I got slammed by some people saying you don’t need anyone you can be happy on your own blah blah blah. And I was happy on my own but I also knew I was ready emotionally and mentally for a true blue relationship. Just over a year ago I stated this… and now, now I am with someone who makes me extremely happy. Now, I just have to say – this person is not new in my life. This is someone who I have been attracted to over a course of several years but I never thought I had a chance with – in fact, I tried to pursue it but things just never seemed to happen. The timing was never right… but suddenly, everything fell into place.

And here is why – I realized I was truly ready to let go of the past and move on. I was ready to fully give myself to someone 100%… and after thinking about what I really wanted, I realized that what and who I wanted was already in my life. He was just waiting for me to wake the hell up and really see what was standing in front of me for the past 6 years. Hell, according to him I was the only one not aware of it.

So, am I happy… hell’s yes. More then I could ever imagine. It just sucks that he isn’t closer.

Now, I do not regret not getting together sooner. I look at it as a positive. I have major major trust issues with guys and when you meet someone and then have to build up that trust in a romantic relationship – its not easy. I had 6 years of learning to trust this man and know that he was there for me and I also know that he walked into this relationship seeing my crazy side several times over. It makes it easier to get thru some of the rough patches because we know its worth fighting for and working through. Especially in a long distance relationship when it would be so easy to walk away from something just because there was a misunderstanding… we are using our friendship as a true building block to something more.

I can’t speak for him… I can only speak for myself. And I am not wholey comfortable opening up but I wanted to share this because some of you have been there watching as I struggled to open myself up to something real and go from hiding and being angry to seeing that I was ready to move on. I wanted it known – that when you really are ready, something amazing and beautiful can happen to you.

Now, to see where this goes… this is a journey I am so happy to be on.

2009 Halloween Costume

I was thinking that this year would be a low-key Halloween. That I would just stay home on Saturday night and hand out candy but I really wanted to go out and have some fun or do something. I mean I LOVE Halloween! Love love love it!

So, a friend of mine and I will be co-hosting a party at my house with bad scary movies and just fun relaxing time at my place (I will be sending out the invites in the next few days to all my local friends!). This also means, that I now have to make a Halloween costume. Now, I could do my Slytherin costume again or one of my other costumes but I want to do something fun and a bit more just wacked out. And in truth – I sold or donated almost all my costumes this past year because of my weight loss. I do still have my Ren Faire costume that I purchased many years ago but in truth, its tight and uncomfortable and I don’t want to deal with a heaving bosom all night long. Especially when my beau won’t be there to enjoy it…

I thought long and hard, should I make something or just buy a costume in a bag or what… then suddenly this morning it came to me… I am going to be a “Grey’s Anatomy Gone Bad” – a bit of a play on the “Naughty Nurse” but with more blood… and more of my body being covered. This of course means that pretty much everything I need will be able to be purchased. Which means, I don’t have to cram sewing into my insane work/working out/school schedule that I have going on. And I can relax over my birthday trip to LA because I won’t have to think about a half-finished costume sitting at home on my floor waiting for me.

So what does one need for a “Grey’s Anatomy Gone Bad” costume…

Scrubs – obviously, some surgery/cutting instruments, props, wacked out hair and blood… lots and lots of fake blood because what is a Halloween costume without fake blood?

Fall Muffins

Okay, I will say these aren’t oh yummy yummy like blueberry muffins. They are not overly sweet, or sweet at all when you first eat them but they have a flavourful after taste. I made this recipe up today because I was bored and felt like I would share and I named them “Fall Muffins” because the flavor reminds me of the fall…

p.s. if you don’t like them – not my responsibility. I made em, I like em… I posted the recipe… please note there is a splenda aftertaste… but that happens when ever you bake with splenda I have found but its not horrible.

I would suggest trying these with some butter if you want on them, while warm, or a bit of Apple Butter.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 Cup – Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tsp – baking powder
• 1/2 tsp – baking soda
• 2 tsp – cinnamon
• 1/2 cup – crushed almonds
• 3/4 cup – splenda
• 1/2 cup – Quaker Instant Oats
• 1/2 Cup – Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (I used EAS which is about 120cals a scoop, any other may add calories so just be aware)
• 1 or 2 pinches of salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup – Reduced 2% Fat Milk
• 1/4 Cup of Orange Juice (used Simply Orange)
• 1 Large Egg Beaten
• 1/2 tbsp – vanilla extract, pure
• 2 tbsp  – I Can’t Believe Its Not Butter, Light Melted or Margarine of Choice (please note that if you go with something different, the cals may be different. ICBINB Light has 50 cals per tablespoon)

Fruit Ingredients:

• 1 Apple – cubed (I used a medium Gala) and peeled
• 1 Small Banana Mashed

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place about 20 – 35 almonds into a large bag, with a mallet or something, crush them into small broken almond bits.

Mix the dry ingredients by hang in a large mixing bowl. Put to the side.

In another container pour the orange juice and milk in together. Beat egg in a bowl then pour into the milk & orange juice. Keep the melted margainine to the side in a seperate bowl.

Pour the orange juice/milk/egg mixture in with the dry ingredients and stir by hand until well mixed. It will be lumpy but that is okay!

Pour the melted butter and fold into the mixture.

Add the cubed apple and fold into the mixture.

Add the mashed banana and fold into the mixture.

Mix by hand all the ingredients until you can tell everything is well mixed. It will look kinda of dry when mixed: Add about a dash more of the orange juice and the milk then stir only a few more times.

In a muffin pan, line with muffin/cupcake liners then fill with two large spoonfuls of the mixture into the liners. This will bring the mixture to the top. If you have some left over after filling it – just add a bit more to each one until you have no more left. It will look like below.

Place into the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until you stick a tooth pick in and it comes clean.

This is your final product:

Nutritional Information (estimated)

84g per serving

Calories: 175
Fat: 3.75g / Saturated Fat – .75g
Sodium: 114.75mg
Carbohydrates: 24.25g / Fiber 2.75g / Sugar 10.83mg
Protein: 7.5g

Workouts: 7-30-09 to 8-9-09

7-31-09, Friday

Warm Up
15m – Elliptical, Weight Loss, Resistance 3
5m – Stretching
10m – Ballet Toning & Stretching

Toning

Shoulder Press Hammer Strength ISO, weight per arm – super set with chest
12 @ 20#
12 @ 10#
12 @ 10#

Incline Chest PressHammer Strength ISO, weight per arm – super set with shoulder
12 @ 20#
12 @ 10#
12 @ 15#

3 x 15 @ 20# bar – arm curl, hands wide (super set with curls)

1 x 15 @ 15# dumbbells – curl, right
1 x 15 @ 15# dumbbells – curl, left
2 x 15 @ 12# dumbbells – curl, right
2 x 15 @ 12# dumbbells – curl, left

Leg Press
15 @ 90#
12 @ 140#
9 @ 165#
9 @ 185#
6 @ 205#
18 @ 140#

Abs

2 x 15 – Double Crunch
2 x 15 – Reverse Crunch

Cardio
20m – Internvals, 3.5/5.7 – 1m30s walk/1m run – 2incline/4incline changed with each set
5m – Walking, 3.5mph, 2 incline

Est. Time – 1 hour 40m
Est. Cal Burn 1237

8-1-09 until 8-5-09

Rest/Study for Finals Days

8-6-09, Thursday

Warm Up
10m – Ellitipcal, Weight Loss, Level 3

Workout – groupings are supersets/circuits

4 x 20 yards @ 20# bar – walking lunges
4 x 15 @ 40# – lat pulls

4 x 15 @ 20# – kettlebell/dumbbell swings w/ wide stance sumo squats
4 sets @ 25# ezbar – 21s curls (7 low half curls, 7 high half curls, 7 full curls each set)
2m – Row Machine

Cool Down
Stretching

Est. Time: 1h 10m
Est. Burn: 839

8-7-09, Friday

Work Day – ended up working from 9:30am until 8pm…

8-8-09, Saturday

Warm Up
30m – Elliptical, Glute Trainer, Resistance 7 (324 cal burn)
Stretching

Workout

1 Circuit
15 @ 45# – Lat Pull Down with 1 hand reversed (switch hands each set)
15 @ 40# – Bicep Cable Curl
15 @ 45# – Tricep Pushdown with V Bar

(reduction of weight for the rest of the rounds due to a problem with the popping in my sternum)

3 Circuits
15 @ 45# – Lat Pull Down with 1 hand reversed (switch hands each set)
15 @ 40# – Bicep Cable Curl
15 @ 45# – Tricep Pushdown with V Bar

2 circuits
15 @ 20# – Shoulder Press
15 # 50# – Seated Row

Cardio
30m – Treadmill, Random Inclines, 3.5mph (329 cals burn)
30m – Treadmill, Rolling Hills, 3.2mph (308 cals burn)

Est. Time 2h10m
Est. Cal Burn 1464

8-9-09, Sunday

Warm Up
13m – Elliptical Cross Ramp, Crosstraining, Resistance 6,
Stretching

Workout

15 @ 60# – Laying Leg Curl

3 Circuits

15 @ 12kg – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Left
15 @ 12kg – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Right
15 @ 5kg – Sumo Squat w/ one leg up, left
15 @ 5kg – Sumo Squat w/ one leg up, right
10 – push ups on knees
10 @ 8# med ball – wood cutter w/ squat
15 – Poly Side Skip Jump
15 @ 8# medicine ball – Jack Knife Crunches
3 x 30secs – isometric bridges
2 lengths – walking lunges

Est. Time: 1h20m
Est. Cal Burn: 919

Upcoming Book Releases

Here is a list of the upcoming book releases that I want to share with you all! I don’t have all information on the books but as I get it… I will post it.

Carrie Vaughn – my fav werewolf novelist!

October 1, 2009

Kitty Takes a Holiday – Audio CD – $34.99

November 1, 2009

Kitty and the Silver Bullet – Audio CD – $34.99

January 1, 2010

Kitty’s House of Horrors – $7.99
REALITY BITES Talk radio host and werewolf Kitty Norville has agreed to appear on TV’s first all-supernatural reality show. She’s expecting cheesy competitions and manufactured drama starring shapeshifters, vampires, and psychics. But what begins as a publicity stunt will turn into a fight for her life. The cast members, including Kitty, arrive at the remote mountain lodge where the show is set. As soon as filming starts, violence erupts and Kitty suspects that the show is a cover for a nefarious plot. Then the cameras stop rolling, cast members start dying, and Kitty realizes she and her monster housemates are ironically the ultimate prize in a very different game. Stranded with no power, no phones, and no way to know who can be trusted, she must find a way to defeat the evil closing in . . . before it kills them all.

March 1, 2010

Voice of Dragons – $16.99

Upcoming Jim Butcher Books:

November 11, 2009

Dresden Files: Death Masks Audio – $49.95
Princep’s Fury Paperback – $7.99

December 1, 2009

First Lord’s Fury – New Codex Book – $25.95
The savage Vord are on the march, and Gaius Octavian must lead his legions to the Calderon Valley to stand against themusing all of his intelligence, ingenuity, and furycraft to save his world from eternal darkness.
Audio Book -$ 49.95

January 10, 2010

Mean Streets – $7.99
From four of today’s hottest fantasy authors comes this collection of all-new novellas of dark nights, cruel cities, and paranormal P.I.s.

April 6, 2010

Changes: Dresden Files 12 – $25.95
(audio CD release on April 15, 2010)

Upcoming releases by Kim Harrison

September 1, 2009

Unbound – $7.99
Revisiting the paranormal realms they’ve made famous in their popular fiction, “New York Times”-bestselling authors Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson, and Jocelynn Drake–plus YA author Melissa Marr with her first adult work–unleash their full arsenal of dark talents. Original.

December 1, 2009

White Witch, Black Curse – paperback release – $7.99

March 1, 2010

Black Magic Sanction – $25.99

Charlaine Harris…

September 1, 2009

Sookie Stackhouse Box Set – $63.92
The inspiration for HBO’s hit television drama “True Blood,” Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse series is now available in this boxed set. Includes “Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead, All Together Dead,” and “From Dead to Worse.” Original.

Must Love Hellhounds – $15.00
These four tales of man’s worst friend, written by today’s hottest paranormalauthors, will have hellhound-lovers howling.

Club Dead – $14.00

October 6, 2009

A Touch of Dead – Sookie Stackhouse Series – $23.95
Every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written in one special volume  from the
“New York Times” bestselling author Charlaine Harris has re-imagined the supernatural world with her spunky (“Tampa Tribune”) Southern Vampire novels starring telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever writtenatogether in one volume. Stories include Fairy Dust, One Word Answer, Dracula Night, Lucky, and Giftwrap.

November 1, 2009

Grave Secret – $24.95
Harper Connelly Mysteries #4

Other Paper back Releases:

Dead to the World – $14.00 – October 6, 2009
Dead as a Doornail – $14.00 – November 3, 2009
Defiantly Dead – $14.00 – December 1, 2009
All Together Dead – $14.00 – January 5, 2010
From Dead to Worse – $14.00 – February 2, 2010
Dead and Gone Mass Paperback Release – $7.99 – April 10, 2010

Okay lunch break over… I will do more later for other authors. If you have someone you want to know more of – let me know and I will see what I can find out. Also, those of you that I know want to order anything – contact me.

Work Outs: 7-19-09 to 7-29-09

Weird week and a half – workouts are really off due to my nephew visiting which means he is a priority. But here it is:

7-19-09, Sunday

Rest Day

7-20-09, Monday

Swimming:

600 – 50 free/50breast for each 100m
200 – kicking – 50free/50 breast for each 100m

Time: 35m
Cal Burn: 557

Would of gone longer but lighting storm came in and they closed the pool…

7-21-09, Tuesday

todays workout – got cut short due to a sick nephew.

Warm Up
5m – Running, Treadmill, 5.3, Incline 4
Stretching

Workout

4 x 15 @ 50# – Squats (5-half, all the way down then half way up/5-half, half way down then back up/5 – full squats)

4 x 12 @ 5# dumbbells – incline shoulder raises

4 x 1m – chest press, bar only

5 x 12 @ 15# dumbbell – incline 1 arm row, right
5 x 12 @ 15# dumbbell – incline 1 arm row, left

3 x 20 – incline crunches

5m – stretching

Est. Time 1h10m
Est. Cal Burn: 748

7-22-09, Wednesday

Warm Up
10m – Elliptical, Weight Loss Program, Resistance Level 5
Stretching

Workout

4 x 20 @ 15# – Chest Press w/ 20s rest between sets

4 x 15 @ 40# – lat pull/w 20s rest between sets

4 x 15 @ 20 (for 2) 25 (for 2) – Bicep Curls (superset with tricep dips)
4 x 15 @ 70 (for 2) 50 (for 2) – tricept dips

4 x 12 @ 50# – leg extensions

Stretching

Cool Down
15m – Elliptical, Hill Program, Resistance Level 5

Est. Time: 1h25m
Est. Cal Burn: 1,118

7-23-09, Thursday

Rest Day

7-24-09, Friday

todays workout – got cut short because the day care was closed and limited on what I could do with a 5 year old with me at the gym

Warm Up
10m – Intervals, 3.5mph – 5.5mph, Incline 4
Stretching

Workout

3 rounds
20 @ 22lb barbell – Side Step Ups on 16″ step (1 rep was twice over – go over right then back over left)
40 @ 22lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kickbacks on 16″ step
25 @ 8# med ball – jackknifes

Stretching

Time: 45m
Cal Burn…. no clue

Today was a cheat day – I spent the next 6 hours walking around at a large indoor arcade/play place for kids with an all you can eat buffet… ate both dinner and lunch there – ate as many veggies as possible with one of the “healthier” pastas… but had small servings of ice cream and apple cobbler one one slice of pizza. I was weak I know. But whatever, I don’t care – my main concern is that my nephew was happy and having a good time. Thought about going back to the gym but my knees are killing me from basically standing for about 5 hours.

Also – did my BFI today… 27.9%. Weight – exactly 210

7-25-09, Saturday

Rest Day/Study Day for Finals

7-26-09, Sunday

30m – Elliptical Crossramp, Weight Loss Trainer, Resistance level 5

Circuit

Tricep Push Down w/ V Bar
15 @ 25#
12 @ 35#
9 @ 45#
12 @ 35#
15 @ 25#

5 x 15 @ 30# – Low Row with lay back
5 x 15 @ 30# – Chest Press

Stretching

Est. Time 1 hour
Est. Cal Burn 764 (384 from elliptical/384 from circuit according to calorie count)

7-27-09, Monday

teaching swimming to my nephew for an hour… lots of treading and leisure time

45m – hard swimming, mix of breast and free. stopped when my shoulder started giving me problems.

Est. Time: 1h 45m
Est. Cal Burn: 1225 (yes I counted my teach my nephew – not easy work and burned about 500 cals )

7-28-09, Tuesday

Rest Day

7-29-09, Wednesday

Warm Up
10m – Elliptical, Crossramp, Glute Trainer, Resistance 9
Stretching

Toning – each grouping is a super set

4 x 15 @ 40# – Lat Pull Down with 1 hand reversed (switch hands each set)
4 x 12 @ 30# – cable tricep kickbacks

54 @ 40# – Seated Row (5 sets with random reps)
54 @ 10# (last with 20#) – arm straighting thing, the opposite of an arm curl, left arm
54 @ 10# (last with 20#) – arm straighting thing, the opposite of an arm curl, right arm

50 @ 10# + bar – deadlifts (heels on weights to lift them up and get some more focus on the whole back leg)

3 set @ 45# – seated calf burnouts… basically did as many as I could before my calves gave out (about 20 each set)

Cardio
20m – Treadmills, Incline 3, Intervals: 1m15s – walking (3.2) 1m – running (5.5 or 5.7)

32m – stationary bike, weight loss program, level 2

Est. Time: 2 hours
Est. Cal Burn: 1,363

How Far Have I Come?

On this diet?

This is me at C4 a few years ago:

this is me a few weeks ago

That is the difference of 60# looks… not huge but its something

Workouts: 7-11-09 to 7-18-09

7-11-09, Saturday

Rest Day – forced due to female issues

7-12-09, Sunday

Rest Day/Homework day – piling up had to get it done

7-13-09, Monday

10m – elliptical, weight loss program, level 5

Hip Abductions superset with adductions
12 @ 130
10 @ 140
9 @ 150
10 @ 145
12 @ 135

Hip Adductions
12 @ 120
10 @ 130
9 @ 140
10 @ 135
12 @ 125

Leg Press
12 @ 110
10 @ 120
8 @ 130
10 @ 120
12 @ 110

3 x 10 @ 50# – Single Leg Extensions, Right Leg
3 x 10 @ 50# – Single Leg Extensions, Left Leg

Calf Press
12 @ 80#
10 @ 90#
12 @ 80#

10m – Treadmill, Interval Inclines, 3.5mph

3 x 12 @ 8# medicine ball – back extensions w/ twist
3 x 15 @ 8# medicine ball – jack knives

10m – elliptical crossramp, glute trainer, resistance level 10

Est. Time: 1h 10m
Est. Cal Burn: 922

7-14-09, Tuesday

trainer day!

Warm Up
13m – Elliptical Crossramp, Cross training, resistance 7

Workout

4 rounds of the following

(1 round w/) 15 @ 20# bar – sumo squat straight on
(3 rounds w/) 15 @ 20# bar – sumo squat, angled w right leg forward
(3 rounds w/) 15 @ 20# bar – sumo squat, angled w left leg forward

Chest Press on Stability ball in plank form @ 15# dumbells – one arm static straight up holding one dumbbell and pressed with other arm… 5 left, 5 right, 5 left. 5 right (10 total each arm) each round

Back Row seated on Ball @ 35# – 2 rounds with 10 regular row, then 5 individual arm rows each arm, 2 rounds with 5 regular row then 10 individual arm rows each arm

15 each arm @ 15# – arm curls

Abs

Crunch w/ weight in knees – 20 @ 6# med ball
Double Crunch w/ weight in knees – 20 @ 6# med ball

Cardio
15m – Elliptical, Hills, Level 4
13m – Treadmill, Rolling Inclines, Level 4, 3.3mph

Est. Time: 1 hour 30 m
Est. Cal Burn: 1129 (mainly cause of the elliptical)

7-15-09, Wednesday

Warm Up
10m – Elliptical, Cardio Training, Level 3
Stretching

Workout

Bicep Curl – superset with tricep pushdowns
12 @ 30#
10 @ 40#
9 @ 50#
10 @ 40#
12 @ 30#

Tripcep Pushdown on v-bar
12 @ 35#
10 @ 45#
9 @ 55#
10 @ 40#
12 @ 30#

10m – Row machine

1 x 12 @ 20# – shoulder press
1 x 10 @ 75# – glute machine, right
1 x 10 @ 75# – glute machine, left
2 x 12 @ 25# – shoulder press

Leg Press – (legs set high to focus more on glutes) superset with calf press
12 @ 90# – feet wide (focuses more on inside)
10 @ 95# – feet narrow (this focuses more on outside of thighs)
8 @ 100# – feet wide
10 @ 95# – feet narrow
12 @ 90# – feet wide

Calf Press
12 @ 55# – toes in (focus on outside of calf)
10 @ 60# – toes out (on inside)
8 @ 65# – toes in
10 @ 60# – toes out
12 @ 55# – toes in

Cardio
20m – Treadmill, 3.4mph, Interval Inclines

Est. Time: 1hr 20m
Est. Cal Burn: 903

7-16-09, Thursday

Rest Day

7-17-09, Friday

20m – Intervals, 1st and Last min – walking then 1m Run, 1m30s walk (5.5 – 3.2), Incline 4
Stretching

4 Rounds x 10 reps
10# + barbell – Incline Bench Press
70# – smith machine squat
30# each arm – ISO Hammer Strength, Front Lat Pulldown

10 – Roman Chair
15 @ 8# med ball – back extension with twist

20m – Elliptical Cross Ramp, Glute Trainer, Resistance 9

Est. Time 1 hour (couldn’t do anymore since i had to pick up my nephew)
Est. Cal Burn 747

7-18-09, Saturday

Warm Up
15 – Treadmill, 3.5mph, Incline 3

Work Out

3 Rounds of the following

12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Left Leg (on a 18″ step)
12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Right Leg (on a 18″ step)

12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Deadlifts

12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Sumo Squat w/ one leg on step (5″ high) Left Leg
12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Sumo Squat w/ one leg on step (5″ high) Right Leg

10 @ 8lb Med Ball – Wood Cutter w/ squat (started in squat, stood and went to the left with moving the ball above my head w/ straight arms. Back Down to the squat and then back up to the right – this was 1 rep)

10 – Plyo Side Skip over 1 level of a stair step. (one skip over and back to start was 1 rep)

10 – Hamstring Pull In on Stability Ball

2 Lengths – Walking Lunges, about 6 or 7 yards each way

Ab Work

3 rounds (no breaks in between rounds)

15 – Leg Pull Ins (sat on the step up step and leaned back at a 45 deg angle and pulled my legs in to my chest)
30 sec – flutter kicks, laying on the step up step)

and then… contest time with the nephew – he beat me, I was dang tired by this point

13 – Pushups on my knees
22 – Crunches
2 x 10 secs – planks

20 mins of stretching and yoga (while my nephew did his workout)

Est. Time: 1hour 45mins
Est. Cal Burn: 1050

Workouts 7-4-09 to 7-11-09

You may of noticed I didn’t post workouts last week and there is a reason for that – I took a week off from working out. I was stressed and my body just wasn’t working like it should and when I would go to the gym I would just be blah… I did workout for part of the last full week of June but I didn’t record it because of my mind set. In truth, the break did me well. I gave myself the ability to not worry about counting calories and could just breathe and relax. I was able to just restart and jumpstart my body again. By the time I started back on the 4th of July, I was ready and my mind was back into the game as well as my diet.

While I did gain weight from eating poorly… It is now coming back off. I redid my calorie intake guide for each day and reduced it around 100 more calories to 1880 per day. So far so good. I am determined to eat cleaner as well, as much as I can afford to because well – little cashes and fresh foods are NOT cheap. I am almost back to my lowest weight.

With my workouts – I have decided to keep working out 5 days a week but I am going to be limiting my workouts to 1hour – 1hour 30mins at the most. There may be one day every few weeks where I will do one of my 2 hour workouts but for the majority of the time, it will be the shorter workouts. This will give me a true workout and also allow me to not stress over taking time away from everything else going on. This is essential to my mind set since I am getting prepared for the fall semester at school and will be taking 3 classes. Not an easy task but I have figured out that if I want to get my associates within a reasonable time I will have to take 3 – 4 classes a semester and I will graduate in about 2 years time. Luckily, if I pass these current classes – my science requirements will be over with and then I just have to deal with the math. Once that is done, I should be good. I will post my classes once I get signed up and everything.

Okay – this past weeks workouts (my workout weeks will be from Saturdays to Friday, since I started back on Saturday – the day I declared my indepence from fat – get the 4th humor?! ha!)

7-4-09, Saturday

Warm Up
15m – Elliptical Crossramp, Crosstraining, Level 7

Workout

10 – walking planks

Bicep Curls w/ ez bar – super set with triceps
12 @ 25#
10 @ 35#
8 @ 45#
10 @ 35#
12 @ 25#

Tricep Pushdown w/ v-bar
12 @ 30#
10 @ 40#
8 @ 50#
10 @ 40#
12 @ 30#

5 – walking planks

6m – Stair stepper, Weight Loss Program Level 5. 1m straight, 1m left, 1m right

3 x 10 @ 15# (each arm) – Hammer Strength ISO Shoulder Press
3 x 10 @ 10# + bar – bench press

6m – elliptical, glute trainer, level 8 (3m forward peddle, 3m backward peddle)

2 rounds of:
10 @ 6# medicine ball – Jackknives
10 – Ab Wipers on the floor
10 @ 6# medicine ball – Back Extensions w/ twist

Cool Down
15m – Stationary Bike, Hills, Level 5

Est. Cal Burn: 1020
Est. Time: 1h 20m

7-5-09, Sunday

Warm Up
15m – Elliptical, Level 4, Weight Loss Segment

Circuit

4 rounds: (about 1m break in between rounds to cool down, the humidity was insane today and my inhaler ran out)

10 @ 22lb barbell – Sumo Squat w/ one leg on step (5″ high) Left Leg
10 @ 22lb barbell – Sumo Squat w/ one leg on step (5″ high) Right Leg

10 @ 22lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Left Leg (on a 18″ step)
10 @ 22lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Right Leg (on a 18″ step)

1 Length – Walking Lunges, about 6 or 7 yards

30sec – Wall Sits

10 @ 22lb barbell – Deadlifts

10 @ 8lb Med Ball – Wood Cutter w/ squat (started in squat, stood and went to the left with moving the ball above my head w/ straight arms. Back Down to the squat and then back up to the right – this was 1 rep)

10 – Plyo Side Skip over 1 level of a stair step. (one skip over and back to start was 1 rep)

Ab Work

3 rounds (no breaks in between rounds)

20 – Leg Pull Ins (sat on the step up step and leaned back at a 45 deg angle and pulled my legs in to my chest)
15 sec – flutter kicks, laying on the step up step)

Time: 1h 15m
Est. Cal Burn: 954

7-6-09, Monday

Rest Day

7-7-09, Tuesday

Warm Up
10m – Elliptical Cross Ramp, Crosstraining, Level 5
5m – Stretching

Workout

4 rounds of the following – no breaks
1m – Side lunges with one leg on step box with Walk Over
1m – Regular Lunges
20 @ 15# – Dumbbell Swing
15 @ 2 15# dumbbells – Chest Press
1m – Row Machine

Cool Down
5m – Stretching

Est. Time 1h 5-10m
Est. Cal Burn 803

7-8-09, Wednesday

20m – Treadmill, Intervalls, Incline 3, 2m walk – 3.0, 1m jog – 5.0 (186 cals)

3 rounds
12 @ 35# – Squat w/ row
10 – chin ups, counterweighted at 180#
10 – dips, counterweighted at 180#

15m – elliptical cross ramp, glute trainer, resistance 7 (175c)
5m – elliptical cross ramp, cool down, resistance 4 (50.5c)

5m – stretching

Est. Time 1 hour
Est. Cal Burn 621.5

7-9-09, Thursday

13m – Elliptical Crossramp, Weight Loss Program, Resistance Level 6

3 rounds:
20 @ 8# dumbbells – lat raises
15 @ 8# dumbbells – tricep kickbacks

2m – row machine

Abs
20 – crunches
3 x 20 – v crunches
10 – v crunches
5 – 10sec planks
2 – 30sec planks

10m – elliptical, fat loss program, level 4

17m – treadmill, intervals, level 5

Est. Cal Burn: 620
Est. Time: 1 hour 5 mins

7-10-09, Friday

Rest Day

Spinach Breakfast Sandwich

Made a really yummy breakfast this morning, thought I would share it with you:

Spinach Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients
1 – 7-Organic Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Flourless English Muffins – English Muffins (160cals)
1 – Wedge Light Swiss Original (35cal)
1 – large egg (70cal) – use the whole egg not just whites for the additional nutrients
1 – slice of smoked turkey breast (est 20cal)
few leafs of pre-steamed spinach (est 8cal)

Directions

slice and toast muffin, while this is toasting… cut or shred the slice of turkey breast and sautee slightly in pan with Pam. Crack one large egg into the pan and scramble (I don’t scramble in a bowl and then pour, cause I don’t like to add water or milk to my scrambled eggs). Once the egg is scrambled and cooked, place spinach (I used pre-steamed spinach because it helps with the next step) and place on top of your scrambled egg. Place a pot cover over the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the egg/spinach to heat up with the steam while you take your muffin out of the toaster over. Spead half of the cheese wedge on the bottom portion and the other half on the top portion. Take egg out of the pan and place on the muffin then finish with the top being put on.

Enjoy!

Its really yummy.

Nutritional information: Grade B+ on caloriecount.about.com

Est. Total Cals: 293
Fat – 26.2% (9 grams)
Protein – 26.5% (20 grams)
Carbohydrates – 47.3% (36 grams)
Sodium – 774 mg
Sugar – 1 grams
Cholesteral – 232 mg
S. Fat – 3 grams
Fiber – 7 grams

est. time to cook – 6 – 7mins