Turbulence Training - Day 63 of 84

131 today - down half a pound from last week.

grapes, toast w/ reduced sugar jelly [1 pt] scallion & tomato egg cups w/ cheese [2 pts]

bean & tomato salad; I had two bowls of this. I was hungry after the first but shouldn't have taken a whole second bowl. Half would have been fine.

raw vegetables

venison ribs & homemade coleslaw [1 pt]

coleslaw [2 pts] & rice cakes [4 pts]

Three cups of coffee and two cups of tea. No water. 1 activity point unused this week.

Scallion & Tomato Egg Cups - Recipe

Breakfast is usually the same for me - an omelet with vegetables. The only problem is, it takes a bit of effort to put it all together, especially when I'm out of chopped vegetables. I prefer the grab and go meals. I hate prepping. So I gave these "muffins" a shot.

1 cup egg whites or egg substitute

2 large eggs

1 large tomato, chopped into small pieces

6 scallions, chopped fine

2 oz mozzarella cheese, but into 9 small chunks

salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray.

2. Mix the egg products in a bowl. 

3. Stir the chopped vegetables. Add salt & pepper.

4. Pour the mixture into 6 of the cups in the muffin tin, staggering them to distribute weight evenly. Fill empty cups halfway with water.

5. Press one piece of cheese into each egg mixture.

6. Bake 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick/knife comes out of the middle of a muffin "dry".

This makes 3 servings, each with 155.9 calories, 6.5 g fat, 6.4 g carbs (1.2 g fiber), 17.6 g protein. 3 WW points/Core+1

Turbulence Training - Day 62 of 84

I hadn't planned on working out today, because we were going to finish putting down the laminate flooring. Then my husband fell off a ladder at work and sprained his ankle so he's been sitting on his ass all day acting like an invalid. I don't mind that he rests his ankle - the floor can certainly wait - but I do mind acting like it's the end of the damn world. It's not even a bad sprain. Freaking baby.

Obviously, I'm in a bad mood, and have been for several days. It's not PMS. It's worse than that. For the last few months, I've been a raging bitch 75% of the time. I can't stand to deal with people or even be around anyone. Just the sound of a voice grates on my nerves. There are things I want to say to people, and shouldn't. I'm taking steps to remove myself from such situations, but that's not going to solve the anger issues and mood swings. It will, however, keep relationships from imploding.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana & yogurt

tilapia w Swiss cheese sandwich [3 pts] & baked butternut squash "fries"

raw vegetables, tuna w/ mustard, rice cakes [2 pts]

grapes

homemade tomato soup, chicken thigh w/ light cream cheese [2 pts]

homemade granola bar [4 pts]

Three cups of coffee. No water. 11 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 61 of 84

After I blogged last night, I had a fun size bag of M&Ms [3 pts]. It was hard to just eat one little, tiny bag. They were not satisfying (mentally) at all! It was like giving a dehydrated man a drop of water and disappearing with the full gallon jug. But I told myself, "This is how it's supposed to be. If you insist on eating sugar, you're going to do it in very small doses." Then I told myself to STFU.

Warm Up

Y-squat - 10 reps

Decline push up - 8 reps

Bulgarian split squat - 8 reps per side

Spiderman lunge - 10 reps per side

repeat

Workout D - rest 1 minute after each superset

A1) db push press (3x5x25 lbs)

A2) one-leg ball jackknife (3x10 per side)

B1) db close grip press (1x8x 20 lbs, 2x8x25 lbs)

B2) bb split squat (3x8x45 lbs per side)

C1) assisted pull up (6/6/6)

C2) dips (15/15/15)

I could not do the one-leg jackknife on my floor. Half the floor is the new laminate flooring, a quarter of it is carpet, and the other quarter is just the plywood under the carpet where we started tearing out the floor. So I couldn't find a good spot to get good control over the ball with just one leg. I did regular jackknives for this week and when the floor is finished this weekend, I should be able to do them with one leg next week. 2 activity points

Interval Workout A - 3 min warm up, 30 s bench jumps or shuffles very hard pace, 30 s jog in place moderate pace x 6, 3 min cool down - technically this should have been burpee intervals but I want variety. I alternated bench jumps and shuffles for my work intervals and it worked out very well. 80 calories burned, but I think I'm not going to take the activity point. I'd like to leave some cushion so I don't eat too many points foods. Of course, I could always overeat the Filling Foods so I don't know why I bother keeping track of activity points anyway.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, avocado & salsa, toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt]

WW yogurt [1 pt], grapes & mandarin oranges

air popped popcorn w/ extra virgin olive oil, chicken thigh; Odd combination but I had a snack with my son and was still hungry so I stole a piece of chicken from the crock pot.

chicken thigh w/ salsa & light cream cheese [2 pts], sweet potato

apple & cottage cheese

Four cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 9 weekly and 13 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 60 of 84

I wasn't sure if I was going to do today's intervals on the threadmill or do bodyweight exercises, or even do a different interval scheme, but in the end, I went with the treadmill.

Interval Workout B - 3 min warm up, 60 s very hard pace, 90 s moderate pace x 6, 3 min cool down - Not my favorite interval routine, but doable.
Distance: 1.62 miles
Calories: 165 (1 activity point)

omelet w/ onions, peppers, avocado & salsa, toast w/ reduced sugar jelly [1 pt]

tilapia & mixed vegetables, a small bite of cheeseburger & 4 fries [~2 pts]

banana & Fiber One yogurt

beef w/ homemade barbecue sauce [1 pt] & jalapeno cornbread muffins [4 pts]

carrot & celery sticks

apple & cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 16 weekly and 11 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 59 of 84

Whoooie, my legs are tight. I need to stretch. Badly.

Warm Up

Y-squat - 10 reps

Decline push up - 8 reps

Bulgarian split squat - 8 reps per side

Spiderman lunge - 10 reps per side

repeat

Workout C - rest 1 minute after each superset

A1) wide squat (3x8x60 lbs)

A2) stability ball crunch (3x15)

B1) front squat (3x8x40 lbs)

B2) Romanian dead lift (3x8x60 lbs)

Bodyweight circuit (1-3 rounds):

C1) Y-squat (20)

C2) diagonal lunge (10 per side)

C3) inverted row (10)

C4) burpees (10) or jumping jacks (60 s)

I loved this workout! Those wide squats really hit the spot. As much as I hate front squats, these were really good. I tried to focus on form. Good stuff! I did the inverted row with my suspension trainer, and I did jumping jacks for my last exercise. I am doing enough damn burpees this week. 2 activity points. LOVED this workout.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana

omelet w/ onion, red peppers & salsa, toast [1 pt] w/ avocado

salad w/ light dressing [1 pt]; I really need to make some Core dressing. I'm trying to use up the last of my light dressings that I bought. Plus, I have a bad case of the lazies.

red pepper slices, WW yogurt [1 pt]; I am not a fan of yogurt with fruit, but the Berries 'n Cream is quite good.

tilapia w/ cheese on light wheat bread [4 pts], homemade tomato soup

grapes

apple & cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 24 weekly and 8 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 58 of 84

Interesting workout today. I haven't really done complexes before. I used a barbell that weighed 25 pounds - for the split squats it was a lot of weight but for everything else it was too light. I'll bump up to 30 pounds next week.

Warm Up

Y-squat - 10 reps

Decline push up - 8 reps

Bulgarian split squat - 8 reps per side

Spiderman lunge - 10 reps per side

repeat

Workout B - 60 second rest between rounds, none between exercises

A1) bb complex (1-3 rounds, rest 1 min at the end of each round): 8 reps (per side when applicable) of split squat, good morning, row, dead lift

Bodyweight ciruit (1-3 rounds):

B1) jumping jacks (60)

B2) Spiderman push up (8 per side)

B3) Siff squat (25)

B4) waiter's bow (15)

B5) burpees (10)

I can't do these Spiderman push ups. I did 16 regular push ups, starting on my toes and then going to my knees.  The whole workout took 30 minutes, and it was a lot more intense than I expected. 2 activity points.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana

omelet w/ onions, red peppers & salsa, toast [1 pt] w/ avocado

raw vegetable slices & grapes; I didn't have any portable protein so I made the best of an on-the-go lunch.

cream of wheat pancakes w/ light syrup [1 pt]; It is National Pancake Day!

apple & cottage cheese, about an ounce of venison

Three cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 31 weekly and 6 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 57 of 84

It's Meatless Monday! Winging it, again.

Warm Up

Y-squat - 10 reps

Decline push up - 8 reps

Bulgarian split squat - 8 reps per side

Spiderman lunge - 10 reps per side

repeat

Workout A - rest 1 minute after each superset

A1) db flat press (3x6x30 lbs)

A2) one-arm db row (3x6x30 lbs)

B1) db triple press (3x6x20 lbs)

B2) bb row (3x10x45 lbs)

C) dead lift (3x20x45 lbs)

I hate conventional dead lifts. I have such a hard time with them. It ends up that I have a mix of conventional, Romanian, and stiff-leg deads. I absolutely have to work on getting the conventional deads down. The triple press is a bitch. It's actually 18 reps - you do 6 reps at 3 different bench angles PER SET. Good fun. My legs were total toast after this workout, and it was primarily an upper body workout! 2 activity points for this workout (which took 30 minutes).

Interval Workout A - 30 bodyweight squats warm up, 30 s burpees very hard pace, 30 s light jump rope/jog in place moderate pace x 6, 3 min cool down - This whole thing took 10 minutes, and burned 67 calories. I followed up with Turbo Jam 20 Minute Workout, and I burned 142 calories. 2 activity points for cardio today. I could barely stand without shaking after my intervals - I don't know what possessed me to add another 20 minutes of cardio. I did want to test out Turbo on the new flooring (laminate) and it's much easier to twist, but damn, my sneakers are loud.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana

omelet w/ onion, peppers & salsa, toast [1 pt] w/ avocado

salad w/ light dressing [1 pt]

jicama & red pepper slices

pinto bean burger w/ mustard on romaine lettuce wrap, baked butternut squash "fries"

apple & cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 33 weekly and 4 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 56 of 84

Weigh in day - 131.5. That's down about 3 pounds from last week, but still not close to my December low. I don't think I'm going to make 127 by the end of the next 4 weeks. I probably could if I stuck to a 1200 calorie a day diet but screw that. I need food.

I was thinking about going back to measuring out my food and tracking calories for a while. I still planned to follow the Weight Watchers Simply Filling Technique (old Core), but just write down how much I was eating to see how much I was actually eating. I'd convinced myself that I needed to do that for a while (I'd planned on doing it until I left for New York). But I don't want to be a slave to that again. I think I am (slowly) starting to recognize my "satisfied" threshold. Sometimes I ignore it, so the next step is to work on listening to that part of me that tells me I can stop eating. It's just that sometimes my mouth and brain are enjoying to food so much. So I'm not going to track calories again. I'm going to stick with what I've been doing. My lack of progress has nothing to do with the plan I'm on. It never does. My lack of progress is all a result of my stupid decisions to overeat junk food. My regular food choices are good. Damn good. I need to get myself into that "once in a while, a little bit is enough" mentality for the chocolate and sweets. If I were at maintenance, I could probably fit a small amount of chocolate into my daily menu and be okay with it. Since I still want to lose about 15 pounds, I'm having a hard time "allowing" myself to make it a part of my life. As a result, it becomes that forbidden food that always derails me when I can no longer resist. I need to find a way around that. I refuse to live my life without sugar. I just won't do it.

scrambled eggs w/ onion, red peppers, avocado & salsa, ground venison

banana & a few grapes

chicken breast, salsa & light cream cheese [2 pts] over salad vegetables

rice cakes w/ peanut butter & nutella [6 pts]

grapes

chicken breast, salsa & light cream cheese [2 pts] w/ Spanish bulgur; I did have another half serving of the bulgur about half hour after I ate.

apple & cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee. No water today. 1 activity point unused this week.

Turbulence Training - Day 55 of 84

After I blogged last night (you know what's coming, don't you?), I had some chocolate. I ate more than I should have, not as much as I wanted, and nowhere near a binge. I did eat 12 points worth though, so that took up all the weekly points I had left. I really tried not to eat it. The longer I tried to not eat it, the more I wanted it. After an hour, I decided, screw it. I should have had just one serving but I didn't. I just keep telling myself it could have been worse.

I did not get my plyometric intervals in this morning as planned. We decided this week that we absolutely needed to tear out the carpet and put laminate flooring in the entire house. My son's allergies are getting worse, and I put my foot down. I convinced my husband, finally, that I didn't just want to get rid of the carpets for aesthetic reasons. I've been telling him for a year that our son's allergies were aggravated by the carpet (it even bothers me) and I finally gave him an ultimatum. So we spent the day doing that. We have more of the same tomorrow, then we'll be able to finish up next weekend. I also scrubbed my kitchen walls. I'm not taking any activity points for this nonsense.

oatmeal w/ banana

baby carrots

chicken salad w/ avocado, tomato, salsa & light sour cream [1 pt]

grapes

roasted cauliflower & steak

Three cups of coffee, three cups of tea, and 20 ounces of water. 11 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 54 of 84

GREAT NEWS! Binge eating is going to become an official mental disorder. You many think it sounds weird that I'm calling this "great" but this now means that more people can get better help! The criteria for classification can be found here. Unfortunately, I do not meet all of them. My binges do not occur, on average, once a week for three months. Mine are much more sporadic.

Today is the last day of this particular phase of Turbulence Training. 

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout C - rest as little as possible

A1) hang clean (3x6x45 lbs)

A2) db incline press (3x6x30 lbs)

B1) db split squat w/ front foot elevated (3x8x20 lbs per side)

B2) Spiderman lunge (3x20)

C1) pull up (3x6)

C2) Spiderman push up (3x20)

D1) db siff lunge (3x12x10 lbs per side)

D2) mountain climber (3x60)

D3) jumping jack (3x60)

Again, I did push ups on my knees instead of the Spiderman push ups. Someday I will be strong enough for those suckers. 2 activity points.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana

"fried" eggs, Kashi waffles w/ light syrup [4 pts]; This did not satisfy me at all. Immediately after eating, I was hungry. Stupid waffles. Carbs make me hungry.

chicken breast w/ brown rice & garbanzo beans

yogurt [2 pts], apple & some grapes

chicken breast salad w/ dijon vinaigrette dressing

apple & cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 12 weekly and 12 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 53 of 84

I did my last Turbo Jam Fat Blaster workout (for a while) today. I meant to really step it up but I got distracted going through the first set of turbos and sort of lost momentum. 173 calories (2 activity points)

cereal w/ skim milk, fruit salad

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, tomato, avocado & salsa

salad w/ romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, jicama, tomato, tuna fish & dijon vinaigrette dressing

baby carrots

homemade Chinese food [2 pts]; It was mostly Core and really good! It's Core+1, but I took 2 points just in case.

apple & cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee and 20 ounces of water. 18 weekly and 10 activity points remaining.

General Tso's Chicken with Chinese Bulgur - Recipe

Here, I've slightly modified two different recipes to meet my needs (meaning, to use what I had onhand, because I was too lazy to go to the store): Weight Watchers General Tso's Chicken and Chinese Bulgur.

My guys really liked this recipe. My husband said it's a keeper, and 5-year old Picky McPickerson ate every bite!

General Tso's Chicken:

3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs rice vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
2 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups cooked broccoli florets

1. Whisk together the first 6 ingredients and set aside.

2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Cook scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and brown on all sides.

3. Add sauce mixture and simmer until the sauce is thick and the chicken is cooked through. Stir in cooked broccoli florets.

4. Serve over Chinese Bulgur.

Chinese Bulgur

1 cup dry bulgur
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup boiling vegetable broth
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/8 tsp ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
4 oz jicama, sliced to the size of water chestnuts
1 1/2 tbs soy sauce
1/8 tsp pepper

1. Mix bulgur and salt in a bowl. Pour boiling broth over the bulgur. Cover and let stand about 25 minutes, or until all of the broth is absorbed. It took a lot longer than 25 minutes - I ended up finishing it in the pan with the rest of the ingredients. This was the first time I have ever made bulgur, so I had no idea what I was doing.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and cook ginger, garlic, and scallions about 1 minute.

3. Stir in the remaining ingredients (including the bulgur) and  cook, stirring gently, about 3 minutes, until hot.

The numbers for the chicken dish only:

213.4 calories, 4.7 g fat, 18.2 g carbs (2.9 g fiber), 24.6 g protein. 4 WW points/Core+1 (for sugar & oil)

The numbers for the bulgur dish only:

166.4 calories, 2.8 g fat, 32.2 g carbs (8.2 g fiber), 5.2 g protein. 3 WW points/Core friendly

Turbulence Training - Day 52 of 84

I spent a good part of yesterday going through every folder on my external drive and all three of my computers, looking for my "before" pictures for the Turbulence Training Transformation contest. I wish I could say I stuck them in the wrong folder but I did not find them. They aren't hidden files. They just aren't anywhere. I don't know if I could recover them from my formatted memory stick or not, but I'm not going to spend money or piss around trying to find the right free program to do the job. So, I can't submit my results to the contest, but I can still finish what I started!

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout B - rest as little as possible

A1) push press (3x5x50 lbs)

A2) db Romanian dead lift (3x6x35 lbs)

B1) one-arm db row (3x8x30 lbs)

B2) 1-leg squat (3x8)

C1) glute-ham raise on ball (3x12)

C2) stability ball ab curl (3x15)

I rocked the RDLs! I wasn't sure I'd be able to hold on to the dumbbells but I had no problems. I kind of wish I'd pushed it to 40 or 45 pounds. I did the squats with my suspension trainer and it was the best set of single-leg squats I've ever done. I could get down low and balance better. Totally awesome! 2 activity points.

Interval Workout B - 3 min warm up, 30 s very hard pace, 60 s moderate pace x 6, 3 min cool down - I didn't really enjoy this today, even know it was the last one. I don't think I'm going to run for intervals during the next phase.

Distance: 1.11 miles

Calories: 103 (1 activity point)

fruit salad & cottage cheese

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, tomato, avocado & salsa

tuna patties (tuna fish, egg, herbs, flax meal) [2 pts] w/ mustard on rice cakes [2 pts], carrot & celery sticks

brown rice & garbanzo beans; I should have had a proper protein because I was hungry, but I was too cold to stand in the kitchen and cook anything. It's 70 degrees in my house, I'm wearing 2 sweatshirts, and I am still freezing my ass off.

ground venison (w/ taco seasoning), fat free refried beans, light sour cream [1 pt] on romaine lettuce wraps

apple & yogurt [2 pts]

40 ounces of water and I lost count on the cups of tea. 20 weekly and 8 activity points remaining. I think I am eating too much. I'm not taking more than one serving of anything (because I measure most things out), but I think it's too much food. Or not the right foods. Hell, I don't know.

Turbulence Training - Day 51 of 84

Turbo Jam Fat Blaster today - 183 calories (2 activity points) but I felt like I could have put more into it. Thursday is my last Fat Blaster workout, so I may really try to go as hard as I can.

As the time for Insanity draws closer, I am getting more and more nervous about my decision to do it in the spring, rather than the fall. It's a lot of cardio - much more than I care to do - and no weight training (unless I do the optional upper body strength workout it comes with on my rest day, but I think I actually want to rest on my rest day). I could always throw in some sets of pull ups 2-3 times a week. So anyway, I'm second-guessing myself again. I don't know if I can do it. And that's ridiculous. I know I can. I just might have to take more breaks or longer breaks or not jump as high or whatever. But it is still terrifying.

fruit salad & cottage cheese

omelet w/ onion, green pepper & salsa, toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt]

chicken, brown rice & vegetable soup

celery & carrot sticks

venison tenderloin, broccoli & cauliflower w/ dijon vinaigrette dressing, baked butternut squash "fries"; I actually ate the squash before dinner. I was baking it and I forgot to spray the pan. When I went to flip them over, they stuck to the pan, so I just let them cook and pried them off and ate while the rest of dinner cooked.

oatmeal w/ peanut butter [3 pts] and banana

Two cups of coffee, six cups of tea and 20 ounces of water. 27 weekly and 5 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 50 of 84

Meatless Monday again. I didn't really plan out a menu, but kept a general idea in my head.

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout A - rest as little as possible

A) clean & press (4x5x50 lbs)

B1) one-arm db row (3x8x30 lbs per side)

B2) Bulgarian split squat (3x15x7.5 lbs per side)

C1) db forward lunge (3x8x20 lbs per side)

C2) elevated push up (3x12)

I'd planned on doing the Bulgarian split squats and elevated push ups on my suspension trainer, but I was short on time and couldn't mess around with strap adjustments and compensating with my core - it would have taken a lot longer because I have to go slower on the straps. 2 activity points.

Interval Workout A - 3 min warm up, 60 s very hard pace, 120 s moderate pace x 4, 3 min cool down - I was dragging ass for this workout, probably because I didn't eat beforehand. I had to go a few extra seconds to hit my distance goal.

Distance: 1.30 miles

Calories: 137 (1 activity point)

omelet w/ onion, green pepper & salsa

polenta w/ cream of broccoli soup

green smoothie; This was the first time I have ever made a smoothie with spinach & kale. I also used banana & mango, and skim milk and fat free cottage cheese. I put a couple drops of Splenda in it, as well as 1/8 teaspoon of xanthan gum to thicken it up. It was not horrible. It made two servings. I drank one and put the other in the freezer. I'll probably pull it out some time this week and toss it back in the blender to see what happens.

homemade granola bar [4 pts]; I made some fruit & nut granola bars for my son. They are good but SO tiny and not worth the 4 points at all.

polenta, carrot & celery sticks, grapes

vegetable soup w/ brown rice & chick peas; Even though I had two bowls of this, I felt hungry after I finished it. While I was eating, I felt not hungry. Or thought I did. This eating to satisfaction stuff is hard. I'm always afraid I'm going to be hungry 10 minutes after I eat, but I'm afraid of eating too much. I eat often, but I eat relatively little at a time. I know I need to try eating more substantially at my meals, but again, I worry about eating beyond satisfaction. Vegetables are not freaking filling. Fruit just makes me want to keep eating. You know what fills me up? Meat. Not protein, necessarily. Beans & quinoa don't fill me up the way meat does. They are too low fat. I am not getting enough fat in my diet on a regular basis. I am positive, even with my 2 teaspoons of healthy oils. Not enough. I will say though, Mondays are always the hardest. I plan like to continue doing Meatless Monday but I'm going to piss and moan about it every so often.

more grapes

Three cups of coffee and 80 ounces of water. 31 weekly and 3 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 49 of 84

I made my suspension trainer today. Just from the little bit of playing around with it I did, my abs are a tad sore. I am going to try to use the system this week. I think I can use it for elevated push ups tomorrow, and one-legged squats on Wednesday. I start a new routine after this coming week and I don't see any exercises I could replicate on the suspension trainer. I am going to start a folder in my bookmarks for suspension exercises, and after I finish Turbulence Training in 5 weeks, I may play around with it in my weeks "off" and maybe even take it with me on vacation. If possible, I'd like to put together an upper body routine to do while I do Insanity.

I remembered to weigh in this week (after forgetting last weekend from being sick). I'm up 2 pounds. I don't know what is going on but I'm still not ready to be super strict with my eating. I just can't. It's not good for me, mentally, so I may just have to be content to fluctuate these few pounds for a while. I don't know why I can't control my eating. I am still working on that whole "satisfaction" thing and I really do expect it to take a while to get the hang of. So I am not in a panic yet. I've hung in there for 3 years so far. I can be patient.

We went out for breakfast today, at our favorite buffet. My intention was to eat reasonable portions, and I did! I was full, but not stuffed, but unfortunately, I did not stop at satisfaction. One tiny bowl of fruit put me into the "satisfaction" zone, and I did not go out to eat for damn fruit. I could have done that at home. I'm not disappointed that I "overate" because I do want to be able to do this on occasion. I skipped the last trip the family made to the buffet a few weeks ago and I didn't think it was unreasonable that I went this time.

Lunch was a plate of raw vegetables.

Dinner was crab-stuffed lobster tails, bacon-wrapped scallops, and jasmine rice with mixed vegetables. For the scallops, I left out the lettuce and avocado, and just made the spicy mayonnaise to dip the scallops in.

For dessert, I made some lava cakes that Hungry Girl adapted. I further adapted them because I didn't feel like buying the fat free products just for the recipe. I don't think using 1/2 tsp of butter and 1/2 tsp of skim milk instead of light whipped butter and fat free coffee creamer is going to make much difference in terms of nutritional information. Oh, and instead of using a sugar-free fat-free pudding cup, I just made some sugar-free fat-free pudding. It was very good, but dangerous to have the ingredients on hand. I kept sneaking into the chocolate chip bag, and I ended the day feeling like total crap.

Two cups of coffee. I didn't get any water in today.

I built my own suspension trainer!!!

I first saw the TRX Suspension Trainer on an episode of The Biggest Loser, and it looked like a pretty cool piece of equipment. Versatile and portable, it was something I wanted because I hate going on vacation and not having equipment. I have a tendency to not do bodyweight only exercises when I'm out of town, so I figured if I had one of these, there would be no excuse. Suspension training is something I could get into, but I really didn't want spend $200 for the equipment. A quick Google search for "suspension training" led me to some great, great reviews and resources. YouTube has a lot of videos of exercises.

I got it in my head the other day that I absolutely had to have a TRX. I talked to a few people who use it and love it, and I was sold. But part of me still couldn't part with the Double Benjamins, especially with Turbo Fire being released very soon. I remembered seeing a guide online for making your own suspension trainer, and I recalled it being pretty simple. So I found the guide again and watched it a couple times. The more I watched it, the more I was convinced I could make my own. So I took my list of equipment needed and headed to The Home Depot.

To give you an idea, here is what you need:

3 8-foot lashing straps - I bought 2 packs of 2 for $6.97 each
quick link with screw lock - $2.89
2 5-inch pices of 1-inch diameter PVC pipe - I got a 2-foot section for $1.60
good tape for covering knots and stuff - I bought some Gorilla tape for $2.97
rope for foot straps - I did not buy this. Instead, I used that extra lashing strap to make foot straps

Grand total: $23.05 with tax. Just over 1/10 of what it would cost me from TRX (though I did see them cheaper on Amazon, and there are other brands available).

I should note that the lashing straps I bought have a 600 pound break limit and hold up to 200 pounds. I don't remember what the next step up for weight was, but the straps were 16-footers, and I didn't want to have to mess with cutting too much, especially since I've never really seen a strap before. I'm not quite sure what the weight limits mean. My husband weighs about 230 pounds - I don't know if he will be able to use the system or not, or whether it will depend on the exercise. He assures me that he will be able to do everything I can do. Not that he will...

The first task was to cut the PVC pipe to make two handles. We made 2 5-inch handles (which the video calls for) and 2 6-inch handles to start off, because I wasn't quite sure what I wanted. And I say "we" because I could not grip the cutters to cut the pipe. My hands were too small and my grip strength is, well, lacking. So even though I swore I was going to do this project all by my little self, I had to suck up my pride and ask my strapping husband for help right off the bat.

Next, I had to figure out how to even set up the lashing straps - I had no idea how they "buckled" but I finally figured it out.

The biggest thing I was worried about was getting the handle loops tied correctly. The video suggests using a bowline knot. I practiced it with a different rope before putting my handles on. It was terribly frustrating, and at first, the knot with the rope was different from the rope with the straps. It took me a while to actually get it. I am not two-dimensional person when it comes to learning, and I need hands on live demonstration for anything to do with making things like this.

Then I put all three of my straps (the one without the handle is the one that loops over whatever anchor you're using - tree limb, pipe, pull up bar) into the carabiner.

I cut the buckle off my fourth strap, then cut the strap in half. I put each half through one of the handles on the suspension system and used a bowline knot again to secure it - foot straps!

I think you're supposed to trim the leftover strap and/or tape it up. I think I'm going to leave it alone for a while, until I get a feel for the contraption and make sure I don't need to untie it to make adjustments.

For the first time, it took me about an hour to make, from start to finish, only because I spent so much time pissing around with the knots. If I needed to make it again, I could probably do it in 10 minutes.

A video of the suspension trainer in action:

From Fitness

I played with it a little, as well, and it is a freaking blast! I can go much lower with my one-legged squats and I even tried some atomic push ups.

Turbulence Training - Day 48 of 84

I wasn't in the mood to Turbo today, so I made up my own workout. I put it together last night.

Do the following circuit 10 times:
10 burpees
10 dumbbell swings
10 squat jacks
20 butt kicks
30 second rest
10 jump knee tucks (power jumps)
10 bench jumps
10 shuffles
20 mountain climbers
30 second rest

It was a lot more exhausting than it looked! I only made it through 5 circuits, but I think I'm going to do them every Saturday until my Turbulence Training thing is over. There are just enough weeks for me to add 1 circuit per week, doing 10 the final week (I think). It was a fun, fun workout - something I will for sure keep - but so tiring. With a 3 minute warm up, and a short cool down, it took 22 minutes and I burned 164 calories (I cave myself 1 activity point).

oatmeal w/ peanut butter [3 pts] and banana

scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & salsa, toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt]

grapes & mandarin oranges; I sort of picked at these throughout the afternoon.

chicken breast w/ mustard lettuce & tomato on Flat Out bread [1 pt], cream of broccoli soup w/ cheese [2 pts]; I had half of my planned serving and put the other half in the refrigerator. Walking away after just one bowl was so damn hard. It tasted so good, and I wasn't full, but I knew I was satisfied. Or at least what I think they mean by satisfied. My mouth and mind definitely wanted more, and my belly would have welcomed the soup with an open esophageal sphincter. I did, however, eat the rest of it a couple hours later.

Three cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 14 weekly and 13 activity points remaining. I'm not counting points tomorrow so I'll be "using these up" during breakfast and dinner. I do intend to keep it all reasonable though.

Turbulence Training - Day 47 of 84

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout C - rest as little as possible

A1) hang clean (3x6x45 lbs)

A2) db incline press (3x6x25 lbs)

B1) db split squat w/ front foot elevated (3x8x20 lbs per side)

B2) Spiderman lunge (3x20)

C1) chin up (3x6)

C2) Spiderman push up (3x20)

D1) db siff lunge (3x12x10 lbs per side)

D2) mountain climber (3x60)

D3) jumping jack (3x60)

I actually did push ups on my knees instead of Spidermans. I just can't do them at that particular point in the workout. My arms are too tired. I did manage a big improvement in chin ups. 2 activity points. This workout makes me sweat and pant the whole 45 minutes.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, avocado, tomato & salsa, toast [1 pt] w/ reduced-sugar jelly

quinoa bean salad w/ chicken breast & dijon vinaigrette dressing

Core granola

pork loin & brown rice salad (baked brown rice, roasted chick peas, onions)

M&Ms [2 pts]; I couldn't help myself. I did portion out just a small amount though. Good for me.

Three cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 21 weekly and 12 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 46 of 84

I got up at 5 AM to do Turbo Jam Fat Blaster - 184 calories, 2 activity points. I really dislike doing high impact cardio when my son and husband are sleeping, but I had to get it done and get my shower before they got up. Do you know why? Because I absolutely had to listen to Ass Masters (farting competition) on Lex & Terry. Actually, I watched it, because their radio show now broadcasts as video on their web site. I swear, I am a 10 year old boy trapped in a 34 year old woman's body.

Anyway, yeah, I don't feel like I get as good of a workout when I'm trying to be quiet. This kind of worries me regarding Insanity. I absolutely want to have those workouts done before I take my son to school, but it's so much jumping, and stuff in my living room rattles. My husband insists it doesn't bother him, but I don't know if that's because he really can sleep through anything (he sure can sleep through the noise our son makes on weekends), or because he wants me to exercise how and when I want (he's very supportive like that).

banana

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, & salsa, toast [3 pt] w/ reduced-sugar jelly

carrot sticks, green pepper slices & jicama chunks

grilled chicken breast, quinoa bean salad w/ dijon vinaigrette dressing

apple, Core granola

roasted chicken w/ cream of broccoli soup; The soup looks Core to me, but I added some shredded cheese [2 pts] to my bowl. This soup recipe is a freaking keeper! I loved it, my husband loved it, and my 5 year old is going to bed hungry tonight because he wouldn't eat it.

apple & cottage cheese

Four cups of coffee and 60 ounces of water. 24 weekly and 10 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 45 of 84

As I usually do when I near the end of a program, I've started obsessing about my next adventure - Insanity. I know I still have 5 weeks of Turbulence Training and a week of random workouts (maybe Fat X again?) before another week on vacation, but I really like to know what I'm getting myself into. I'm fairly certain that I won't really know the true ass kicking I have coming until I start. But I've been reading the blogs and the Beachbody board. I've watched the videos (twice) and I've done the Fit Test. I'm scared to death! I don't feel like I'm ready. But I also said that about P90X, and I put it off for a year, and when I finally did it, I wished I didn't procrastinate. So I'm not going to put off Insanity. It fits perfectly in the 9 weeks between trips to New York. So I'm doing it. What's that phrase? Know your enemy?

Warm Up
T-squat - 10 reps
off-set push up - 10 reps
prisoner siff squat - 10 reps
stability ball rollout - 10 reps
repeat

Workout B - rest as little as possible
A1) push press (3x5x50 lbs)
A2) db Romanian dead lift (3x6x30 lbs)
B1) one-arm db row (3x8x30 lbs)
B2) 1-leg squat (3x8)
C1) glute-ham raise on ball (3x12)
C2) stability ball ab curl (3x15)

I can't believe I only have one more week of this routine. Time is flying. I am getting better with the glute-ham raise. I needed something sturdier than the side of my couch to brace me feet against. I used the wall in the only hallway we have - it's sort of out of the way, which is why I don't like to work out there. I had to do my 1-leg wall squats from P90X there and I hated it because it was so far from the main exercise area. Anyway, it went much better today. I think I've reached my limit for dead lifts and row because of my lack of grip strength. I am pretty sure I can't row 35 pounds, but I know I can dead lift more - I'll try the RDLs with 35 pounders next week, and hope I don't break a toe when my hands give out. I have straps, but I find them to be a real pain in the ass for dumbbells. 2 activity points.

Interval Workout B - 3 min warm up, 30 s very hard pace, 60 s moderate pace x 6, 3 min cool down - I think I will miss this workout. It's just about perfect for something I hate doing. Gun to my head, this is the interval I will "willingly" run.
Distance: 1.13 miles
Calories: 113 (1 activity point)

cereal w/ skim milk, banana; Core-friendly cereals are not fun at all.

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, avocado & salsa; toasted Core pancake w/ reduced-sugar jelly

chicken breast, half a small sweet potato, quinoa bean salad

carrot sticks

venison tacos [5 pts]; I planned and measured meticulously so I could have these and they did not disappoint! I hated to dip into my points and ruin my Core only streak, though.

rice cakes [1 pt] & skim milk

Three cups of coffee, three cups of tea, and 80 ounces of water. 29 weekly and 8 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 44 of 84

I did Turbo Jam Fat Blaster today. I really need to step up the low intensity segments of the intervals. My calorie burn is slipping - 185 today, 2 activity points.

banana

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, avocado & salsa; toasted Core pancake w/ reduced-sugar jelly; I made these cream of wheat pancakes Saturday and had some left over. They are pretty thick and toast up well.

grilled turkey, quinoa & bean salad

Core granola, carrot sticks

venison steak, salad (lettuce, onion, green pepper, carrots, tomato, jicama) w/ dijon vinaigrette dressing; I hate when a meal is filling but not satisfying. There was nothing wrong with the taste of the steak & salad - they just didn't hit the spot and even though I was hungry, I felt like I was being forced to eat and it was no enjoyable at all.

apple & cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee and 80 ounces of water. 35 weekly and 5 activity points remaining. Two Core days in row! I don't think I overate, either.

Turbulence Training - Day 43 of 84

Meatless Monday again. I planned well. Any chance to make quinoa bean salad is great. Never mind that I'll be eating it for days, just to make it again next week. But I used different beans this week, and added some crunch (carrots, celery & onions). Ooh, maybe next week I'll add some nuts!

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout A - rest as little as possible

A) clean & press (4x5x50 lbs)

B1) one-arm db row (3x8x 30 lbs per side)

B2) Bulgarian split squat (3x15x5 lbs per side)

C1) db forward lunge (3x8x20 lbs per side)

C2) elevated push up (3x12)

Not much to say about this one. I hate Bulgarian split squats. I doubt I will ever enjoy them. 2 activity points.

Interval Workout A - 3 min warm up, 60 s very hard pace, 120 s moderate pace x 4, 3 min cool down - I was not feeling the love today. I was slower than last week but felt like my work intervals were maxed out. I don't know if it was because I'm getting over that cold or what, but it sucked.

Distance: 1.29 miles

Calories: 143 (1 activity point)

banana

omelet w/ onion, green pepper, tomato, avocado & salsa

quinoa & bean salad w/ avocado

acorn squash soup w/ polenta crisps; I really let myself go too long without eating here. I did snack on a large carrot, but 5 hours is too long to go without real food. But I was afraid if I ate a real snack, I wouldn't eat dinner, then end up snacking again later. I didn't particularly care for the meal but it was satisfying in a fueling my body kind of way, though certainly not in an enjoyable experience kind of way. I like my fuel to be enjoyable.

half a banana; I waited about half hour after my soup to see if really was hungry. I was, and half a banana was just enough to push me back over the satisfaction line.

apple & cottage cheese

Four cups of coffee and 80 ounces of water. 35 weekly and 3 activity points remaining. Hooray for a completely Core day!

Turbulence Training - Days 41 & 42 of 84

The last two days have sucked. I've been in such a funk and sick. I haven't done anything but lie in bed and eat lots of bad comfort food. I'm so miserable from being sick and lazy. I'm going to bed tonight, meditating, and hoping to wake up feeling better. Spring is coming.

Turbulence Training - Day 40 of 84

I am so mad, I could spit! I lost my Turbulence Training "BEFORE" pictures! They aren't on my camera memory stick, they aren't on my external drive, and they are not on any of my 3 computers. I'd been having problems with the card reader on my netbook, so I tried formatting my memory stick. I must have forgotten to get the pictures off of it first. The rules for the TT Transformation contest are pretty clear - I can't use my post-P90X pictures. I am so damn mad. I'm going to keep going, of course, but what a damn pisser. I'll have to do TT again sometime this year. Ugh, I'm so mad.

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout C - rest as little as possible

A1) hang clean (3x6x40 lbs)

A2) db incline press (3x6x25 lbs)

B1) db split squat w/ front foot elevated (3x8x20 lbs per side)

B2) Spiderman lunge (3x20)

C1) chin up (6/5/4)

C2) Spiderman push up (3x20)

D1) db siff lunge (3x12x10 lbs per side)

D2) mountain climber (3x60)

D3) jumping jack (3x60)

I did the second and third sets of Spiderman push ups as regular push ups. I was just exhausted from the very beginning of this workout. My chest rattled the whole time and I got caught mid-lift several times with the coughs. I improved my chin ups (which are really supposed to be pull ups) over last week, and I'm trying to really concentrate on the negative, and make it slow. I love my biceps. 2 activity points for this mess.

banana

"fried" eggs, turkey ham [3 pts], toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt]

apple & cottage cheese

salad w/ raw vegetables, tuna & light balsamic dressing [1 pt]

grilled turkey w/ avocado on a bun [2 pts], sweet potato, corn; I probably should have picked a real vegetable.

banana

Three cups of coffee and 60 ounces of water. 9 weekly and 12 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 39 of 84

After I blogged last night, I had an apple.

Today's workout was Turbo Jam Fat Blaster - 197 calories (2 activity points). I had a hard time breathing. I'm at the stage with my cold that the chest congestion is increasing and I'm coughing a lot. It sucks.

cereal w/ skim milk, banana

scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & salsa, toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt], ground venison

grilled turkey, carrot & celery sticks

Core granola & apple

venison tenderloin, broccoli & cauliflower w/ butter [2 pts], baked squash & polenta "fries"; I think I overate. I'm not stuffed but I'm definitely full, and more than satisfied. I had to give my last two pieces of venison to my husband.

toast [1 pt] w/ cottage cheese

Three cups of coffee and 80 ounces of water. 16 weekly and 10 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 38 of 84

After I blogged last night, I had an apple & cottage cheese, both Core, so no points. But, I wasn't really hungry when I ate them. Blah. I need to stop that.

I don't know why, but my legs are still sore, after a week and a half on this new routine. I don't normally get sore, and especially not like this. I don't know what's up. I think I need to stretch more.

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout B - rest as little as possible

A1) push press (3x5x45 lbs)

A2) db Romanian dead lift (3x6x25 lbs)

B1) one-arm db row (3x8x25 lbs)

B2) 1-leg squat (3x8)

C1) glute-ham raise on ball (3x12)

C2) stability ball ab curl (3x15)

The glute-ham raises are still giving me trouble. They really stress my calves. I like this workout a lot, though. 2 activity points.

Interval Workout B - 3 min warm up, 30 s very hard pace, 60 s moderate pace x 6, 3 min cool down - I really do like this one! I may keep it in the arsenal.

Distance: 1.10 miles

Calories: 115 (1 activity point)

banana

omelet w/ cottage cheese, onion, green pepper & salsa, toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt]

apple, Core granola

chicken breast, raw vegetables w/ light ranch dressing [1 pt]

pan-seared lime tilapia on flat bread [2 pts], quinoa bean salad w/ avocado

Three cups of coffee and 80 ounces of water. 20 weekly and 8 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 37 of 84

I'm still sick but not working out never even crossed my mind today. I did Turbo Jam Fat Blaster. It was good fun - 200 calories (2 activity points)

banana

omelet w/ avocado, onion, green pepper & salsa, toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt]

quinoa bean salad w/ avocado & chicken breast

carrot sticks

light cream cheese [1 pt] stuffed chicken breast wrapped in turkey bacon [1 pt], baked butternut squash "fries"

banana

Four cups of coffee and 80 ounces of water. 25 weekly and 5 activity points remaining.

Turbulence Training - Day 36 of 84

I am really, really sick. I don't have the flu (which I have always said is the ONLY thing that would keep me from working out) but I can't breathe well, my chest and head hurt, and I have absolutely zero energy (maybe from not sleeping?). It took everything in me to get my son to school and bring two bags of groceries in the house. I probably won't do any weight training this week, but I hope to get some Turbo Jam in by the end of the week. I hate not working out. HATE IT! But I do need to make sure I don't make things worse, so I'm going to rest for a couple days and try to kick this whatever it is that's wrong.

And I'm doubly upset because last night after I blogged, I ate the damn chocolate I'd been trying to avoid all day. I ate it, and even when I knew I was sick from eating it, I ate more. I probably ate 1000 calories worth of chococolate. Not a binge, but definitely enough to make me sick (not my current sick state) and mad at myself for being such an asshat about it - I'd done so well, even leaving activity points unused!

It's Meatless Monday. I semi-planned for the day.

And when I started this entry this morning (I draft as the day goes), I obviously had no intention of working out. That bugged me all day, so I nutted up and did it.

Warm Up

T-squat - 10 reps

off-set push up - 10 reps

prisoner siff squat - 10 reps

stability ball rollout - 10 reps

repeat

Workout A - rest as little as possible

A) clean & press (4x5x45 lbs)

B1) one-arm db row (3x8x25 lbs)

B2) Bulgarian split squat (3x15x5 ls per side)

C1) db forward lunge (3x8x20 lbs per side)

C2) elevated push up (3x12)

Last week, I did the rows as bent over rows, but reviewing the info for Fusion Fat Loss, it looks like they are actually one-arm dumbbell rows. I like those better. 2 activity points.

Interval Workout A - 3 min warm up, 60 s very hard pace, 120 s moderate pace x 4, 3 min cool down - I'm still "enjoying" this particular pattern. I may keep this treadmill after all.
Distance: 1.31 miles
Calories: 140 (1 activity point)

Overall, my workout today was better than last Monday's!

banana

omelet w/ cottage cheese (don't gag!), onion, green peppers & salsa, toast w/ reduced-sugar jelly [1 pt]

vegetable soup w/ hot salsa (to clear the sinuses!)

apple

polenta crisps & quinoa salad; I made an awesome quinoa dish! I made quinoa in vegetable broth, and when it was done, I mixed it in with some black bean & northern beans, carrot & celery slices, and some herbs (cilantro & parsley) and spices (garlic & onion powder). I thought it might need some kind of vinaigrette dressing but it didn't need anything. And I would not share with my husband. Well, I let him have one small serving but the rest was all mine, mine, mine!

chocolate candy [6 pts]; Damn, I really suck.

Four cups of coffee and 40 ounces of water. 28 weekly and 3 activity points remaining.