On an Ebb

Thankfully, I was beginning to wonder if i was ever going to see it again.

Since my last update, i have since stopped taking Sam-e. It really wasn't doing anything for the anxiety, and since I'm not depressed, i really didn't see the sense in taking it. I'll keep it in the nutritional section of my pantry for now.

I have managed to only have 1 mild flutter of anxiety this week prior to going to my client. I managed to get through the brief annoyance. The 2nd mild flutter was with the younger client on a walk on the first extremely hot day this week. We did 2 miles, 3/4 of which where up-hill at mostly a 45º incline. It was a scorcher, and I wasn't prepared for a walk that day, but she wanted to walk as opposed to doing her training so walk we did.. I'm going to have to start charging more for that stuff lol. I don't mind though, good training for my Spartan Sprint on June 4th!  Less than 2 weeks away!!

So anyway, we were about .75 of a mile from her home when i just started feeling weird.. i let it go, then i actually had a heart palp, and then i got nervous, trying to shut down an anxiety ridden mind is like trying to shut off a fire hydrant with a toothbrush. My greatest fear was her being in a situation where i fell ill and she needed to go for help or something.. i know, i know.. stupid, but that is what people with anxiety like mine worry about. However, i kept on trucking up those damn hills lol, and started REALLY dumb conversations just to keep my mind off of it. Oh and i also found a nail at the end of someone's driveway and picked it up and disposed of it properly, would want them to get a flat tire lol. See! it's stupid stuff like that! 

Between the bootcamps and the hill training I'm getting here i think I'll be good in a week-and-a-half! At least i hope so anyway!

The reason for this post.. silly me.. i noticed now that I'm exercising extensively with the 0530 bootcamps and some client workouts at the end of some days, I'm too tired to have anxiety. I mean I'm exhausted. I was sitting in traffic on my way home from my "up-hill" client the other day and i literally wanted to close my eyes and sleep. NORMALLY i would be a frantic mess trying to find the path of least resistance home. I'm just too tired to care anymore, even though the brain is subconsciously controlling those attacks, my conscious self is like "Would you cut the crap already, I'm tired.. my body weary"...

Hopefully, now that the system is calmed down from the last major attack, that this will be more the norm.. I like riding on the Ebb

It's 2-Fold

Sorry I've been nearly non-existent lately. I have just been busy with clients and bootcamps, and haven't had time to blog.

The good news is.. I'm completely off of my medications. I'm not going to say it's been easy because it hasn't been. The first 2 days completely off were atrocious: headaches almost as bad as migraines, a few hard-core panic attacks..

Let's talk about that there panic attack for a moment, shall we? It was day 2, and i was REALLY OFF that day. VERY tired, cranky, headaches.. it was just awful! I was on my way to a client and 1/2 way there it hit me like a wrecking ball to the head... Sheer and utter panic. I get to my client's house.. no one is there.. i really needed to use the bathroom.. I know gross, but if you suffer from panic or anxiety disorders you most likely experience the same thing i do. Then MORE panic set in because i HAD to go and i didn't want to defecate myself. I called my husband to at least provide a distraction, and it worked for a few moments, then the wave came even harder. The client comes home and i explain to him what is going on and that i will have to call my husband to pick me up because I'm just sick.. He understood completely, thankfully, and eventually hubby arrived to come get me.. i left my car there and went home and went to bed.

Since then i have had 3 other attacks. One was the following week, on a Saturday then again the next Monday. I've had increased anxiety since then when going to this client. I speculate that it is just my brain associating that client and house with panic. Every day that i go there it's been getting better and better. I've found that chewing gum and singing my favorite Duran Duran tunes helps because I'm breathing a certain way. OH yeah.. forgot to mention. I noticed that when my anxiety starts i immediately check my breathing and sure enough I'm either holding my breath or shallow breathing. So that may even be the trigger to most of my attacks.. that I'm on auto-pilot when it comes to my breathing. it's just very strange.

It's been 3 full days now and i haven't had a single episode of either!

What i have been doing in addition to being consciously aware:
1. Doc put me on Sam-e, now i am not in any way/shape/form suggesting you take this holistic approach because it's not for everyone. This supplement acts like serotonin and stabilizes mood. Normally it's suggested for depression, but because the Lexapro is considered an anti-depressant it should have the same effect. The dangers associated with Sam-e are why i recommend talking to your doctor about it first, as it CAN make things worse as noted on it's side-effect/warnings all over the Internet. It takes 7-10 days to take too.. so it's not like popping vitamin-C and you feel better, it needs to build up in the system.

I'm not sure if it's the Sam-e that has been helping, or me trying to be aware and unafraid of my illness, but either way it's working.

2. EXERCISING! I am a personal trainer, and I own my own fitness business, and i host bootcamps M-F in my area. If you take a gander on the Internet and watch videos of some of the bootcamps out there you will notice instructors just shouting and motivating and counting time/reps. Not THIS instructor!! I WORK OUT WITH MY CAMPERS!
My theory is 3 sided:
1. If I have to wake up at 5am, I'm going to make the most out of it!
2. I'm a constant mirror of form, they can look at me and see how my body is positioned and if i notice them with bad form i can correct them and they can visually see me doing the workout properly.
3. How can i tell how effective the workouts are if i don't do them myself?!

It's been 3 weeks and not only do i feel the difference in my posture, strength, and physical appearance, I'm noticing great improvement in my cardiovascular endurance, and tolerance.. I think i might be ready for Insanity again! lol (I'll do it between cycles 1 & 2, when i have a week off). The Spartan Sprint Race is 2 weeks from tomorrow.. I feel pretty confident that I'm ready, or at least i will be ready... oh my heart just fluttered lol.. pre-race jitters lol

I find that getting that 0530 workout in gives me SO much more time and energy to get everything else done too. My campers mentioned the same thing going into week 2 "they have more energy throughout the day".

I HIGHLY recommend working out as a means to deal with anxiety disorder. I had another blog on wordpress last year and had tons of articles regarding that topic, but for some lame reason they suspended my account.. whatever.. looking to the future now and I've always been happier at Blogger anyway.

How to Get Rid of Back Fat

Monkey on your back? Or is it the dreaded back/bra fat?

A lot of women (and men) store their unused energy (fat) in their back. Some hide it well using baggier shirts or even a slimming device designed to keep it all together.

Whatever the case, it's embarrassing to those that have it. The good news is, there is a way to get rid of it!

Exercise and diet! How dare I day the D word! The fact of the matter is, somewhere along the lines of your food intake, you are consuming a lot more carbs than you are expending. The end result is what you see above. 

Some people store it in their hips, butt, lower abdomen, and some store it where it will find a spot to cozy up to!

In order to take control of this situation you will want to add more cardio to your routine. You need to burn the unused calories. Another way to do this is by lifting weights. I'm not talking lifting like Arnold either. The popular fitness myth is that working a certain area of your body, also called "spot reduction", will solve the problem. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

The most important concept to understand for anyone looking to lose fat anywhere on their body or for weight loss is caloric balance.

Simply put, when you consume as many calories as you expend you will not lose back fat weight.
When you consume more calories than you expend, you will gain body fat and weight. Conversely, if you expend more calories than you burn you will lose back fat and weight.

It is important to consider that this caloric deficit must consistently occur over a period of time to make a noticeable difference. Consider each pound of body fat equals 3500 calories (that math doesn't change) and you can easily figure out that you must successfully maintain a 500 calorie caloric deficit daily for a month in order to lose 4 pounds of body fat.

Where do I start?

Cardiovascular exercise should be the base of your exercise routine if getting rid of back fat is the primary goal. Cardiovascular exercise, specifically high intensity interval cardio (HiiT) burns a large amount of calories which is important because it will significantly contribute to attaining a negative caloric balance.

Regardless of whether you have little or a lot of back fat you would like to lose, cardiovascular exercise is an absolute necessity. If you happen to have only a small amount of stubborn back fat, challenging yourself with high intensity exercise is most important.

Weight Training

Full body weight training is another great way to boost your metabolism by maintaining the muscle you have during a fat loss program. It is important to concentrate on full body weight training for a number of reasons. First, concentrating on the "problem muscles" is not going to burn fat which is covering them, but build the muscles below the body fat and possible making the area appear to be even fatter.

A full body weight training program trains the major muscle groups of the body equally so it will efficiently burn the most amount of calories possible. A balanced, full-body weight training program will train all muscle groups effectively but not over-train them. Over-training a muscle group when on a low calorie, fat loss diet can lead to excessive muscle breakdown or as mentioned before could build the isolated muscles under the body fat instead of burning it.

Below are some examples of back exercises that you can add to your over-all weight training.

Pull ups:

3 sets of 10-12 reps if you can do it. Women, I know this is a difficult exercise because we are naturally weaker in that area, but you can use a chair underneath as a tool to help push yourself up. (or you can do a reverse, or negative, pull up.)

Seated Rows:

3 sets of 8-12 reps.

This exercise can be done with a machine found at the gym or with a band at home. If using a band, wrap it around a doorknob, table leg, your feet or other sturdy object. Hold the handles. Lift your elbows up to just about shoulder height with your palms facing the floor. Keep the shoulders down and away from the ears. Squeeze the shoulder blades together and draw your elbows straight back. Keep your hands and forearms parallel to the ground; do not bend the wrists or lift the hands. Then slowly bring the elbows back forward. 

Bent Over Rows

3 Sets of 8-12 res on each side.

The bent over row is an effective exercise to target the upper back, where back fat usually is found. Place your left knee up on a bench or chair to support the back. Hold a weight in your right hand. Tighten your abdominal muscles and squeeze the shoulder blades together as you lift the weight up. Lift your right hand about waist high. Do not twist the body as you lift. Then slowly lower the weight.

Back Hyper-extension

3 sets of 8-12 reps

 The back hyper extension exercise will tone your overall back. It can be done on a special bench in a gym or while on a ball. If using a ball, place it on the floor. Place your hip bones against the ball. (A common mistake is to lie on your stomach; this does not target the muscles correctly.) Clasp your hands behind your head. Tighten the muscles of the back and buttocks and lift up off the ball so you are arching your back. Then lower back down onto the ball.

*If you have back pain, just arch as much as you can without hurting your back. As the muscles strengthen, you will be able to lift up higher. Do three sets of eight to twelve repetitions.

Checklist:

Proper Diet (balancing your carbs and eating the proper amount of calories)

Cardio Exercise

Weight Training Exercise

Playing Catch-up

I'm soooo sorry! I haven't blogged my progress since day 1, I am horrible! Rest assured, I have been very busy with training and business stuff.

Here's the update:

4.12.11

Rest Day on the TurboFire Schedule, was going to do a C25K run, but the temps were in the 40's. Too cold.

4.13.11

TurboFire Tone 30 Class.. OMG.. bands are no joke. No run today due to rain, and lots of it.

4.14.11

TurboFire Fire 45EZ (nothing EZ about that!!!!) & Stretch 10

Great workout, i was drenched. There were a couple of times when my body just pittered out, but I pushed through it. Stretch 10 is like the cherry on top.. sweet!

4.15.11

TurboFire Core 20 and C25K run. 

Core 20 = no joke. Different from the usual floor abs exercises and you will feel it the next day for sure!

C25K run was great. ran 1.11 miles in 14:23. not bad! I definitely like the Nike+ GPS app for my iPhone. It's fun and affective! and if you sync it to Facebook, when you start your run it posts to your profile and every time a person likes your post or comments on it you get your own cheering squad cheering you on! I was laughing so hard at one point! lol because i didn't know why that was happening! Made the run fun though, that's for sure!

4.16.11

TurboFire Stretch 40

No C25K run due to cold temps and rain

Finally, on my way

My game plan changed. I'm now doing the TurboFire prep schedule instead of the Chalean/TurboFire hybrid.

After reviewing the program, it was simply to easy, and it focused more on Chalean than TurboFire. I need TurboFire to increase my cardio endurance since the Spartan is now less than 2 months away.

Last night i started TurboFire, the day 1 schedule is Fire 30 and stretch 10. It wasn't easy, but i didn't feel light-headed and want to pass out either. There were a couple of times that i had to bring my intensity down just a tad, but it was short-lived and i hopped right back on the train with them.

I am kind of disappointed that the day 2 schedule is just stretch 40. I might sub it for another fire 30 and use stretch 40 as my rest-day workout (tomorrow)

I will also be starting my C25K training today. My plan, once I finish with my business work, is to drive around the neighborhood to mark out 1 mile. 

I am also going to incorporate weight training 3 days per week, with the hubby, using the 5x5 method. Being that the spartan is less than 2 months away, i need a proven system to build strength, and the 5x5 will do that for me in the minimal amount of time i have to work with.

Diet is going to be a crucial part of the equation. With all of the cardio/running and weight training I'm going to need a large amount of calories. The biggest obstacle i have, personally with the diets, is variety. I get tired of eating the same things over and over, chicken is great, but i can only handle so much of it!! I can eat endless salads forever, but they do not provide enough calories and protein to sustain me to my next snack or meal.

Reassessment

I want to preface before i get into the thick of it by saying that weaning from an anti-depressant is serious business, and you really have to take care of yourself and listen to your body.

I say this because yesterday was a particularly hard day (day #3 of the wean). Bad headaches, tired is barely a word to describe the lethargic feeling, no appetite, and that is to mention just a few.

I had to skip the workout yesterday, and had planned on working out today, but I'm keeping it at a yard-work only work-out, as my anxiety levels are a bit high, and my symptoms today are worse than yesterday.

I AM afraid of a repeat of Monday, I will not deny it. IT was scary. I am however, grateful for the experience because if one of my boot campers experiences light headed-ness i know what to do while waiting for an ambulance to come. I always say "everything happens for a reason", and whether that is the reason, or it's something that has to do with my physical state, it happened and it happened for a reason. I don't look at it as a set-back, I look at it as a learning experience.

While i was scheduling out my to-do list last night i decided that i am going to forgo the full Insanity jump in and continue with my Chalean weight training and after a week i will switch to the Chalean/TurboFire hybrid. That will allow me to have the weight training i need (and want) as well as bring up my cardio levels.

When I started P90X, i didn't just buy the program and jump in. I knew my body was not physically able to do it. What i did do, is purchased 10 minute trainer then worked up to turbo jam, then Chalean Extreme, THEN i did P90X. And because of that gradual increase, i was able to kick major doopah with P90X! I never felt like a failure or discouraged, and i didn't have any physical side effects, other than soreness, which is what i love because it tells me I'm getting somewhere.

Thinking ahead to the Spartan coming up in June, my decision to register was to give my own brother a push, and to also use this to gauge my own physical capabilities for the Tough Mudder in November. That being the case, I'm clearly not ready for Insanity. I need to take the same "marathon vs. sprint" approach and work my way up.

Game Plan: Chalean/TurboFire Hybrid and Couch to 5k training. Couch to 5k training is a 30 day plan, so even if i start in May i will be OK. In the meantime I'm going to do the hybrid to get started.

Insanity

Today marked day 1 of Insanity (not the mental condition silly, the workout program with Shaun T!).

Day 1 is the Fit Test. There are 8 moves that you do and count and log on your fit test sheet.

Out of 8 I made it to #4 (Power Jumps) for a total of 17, and that is as far as I made it before I literally passed out.

Now I'm not saying this to scare you or to have a pity party. I'm just sharing with you my experience with the program.

There were/are many factors that i am considering as the culprit, and being a trainer i should know better. However, I am human, and humans make mistakes too especially when gauging their own physical capabilities.

#1 The fact that I ate too close to workout. Though, it wasn't solid food, it was a smoothie, i still think the blood was directed to digestion, because my brain wasn't getting it.

#2. The change in workout time. I'm a night person. i love working out at night more-so in the AM because I have more energy and I'm more motivated, my body was still half asleep when i started.

#3. I started another meds ween 2 days ago, and that in-and-of-itself taxes the brain and body like you wouldn't believe... not to mention the headaches!

Those are the main 3 that keep coming to mind. I was making extra sure i was breathing properly, and not OVER exerting myself. After-all it is just a fit test meant to gauge progress, not performance. This is training for my Spartan and Tough Mudder races, I'm not trying to win the Miss America Pageant.

While my hubby was trying to help me come back from the blackness (thankfully, he was home AND EMT certified), I couldn't help but be thrusted back to 2 incidents in my life where this same thing happened, and the result.

The first time was at the gym. I used to frequent Gold's Gym in my mid 20's for morning workouts on my way to work. Loved that place so much, loved the environment, the feeling, the energy. Then one morning i was doing lunges with weights.. Now you have to remember, in my mid 20's i was in peak shape, my body fat was nearly non-existent, and i was shredded and ripped, working out was my drug of choice and i worked it hard, and it showed. That fateful morning, while doing lunges, i passed out. Went down like an over-loaded barbell. I was brought to, checked by medics and i refused to be sent to the hospital, cleaned up and headed to work.

I never went back.

I was so embarrassed at what had happened that i couldn't show my face in that gym ever again. In fact, that pretty much ended my gym time all-together for quite a while.

The second incident didn't even involve the gym, or training. I was accompanying my boyfriend at the time on a business trip to South Carolina. We were on day 2, had eaten breakfast together and he went off to his meeting and I to the pool. It was a hot day, but nothing i wasn't used to, nice breeze, kids playing and splashing around, i had a great book what could be better? 

That's what i thought too.. then i didn't feel to good.. I started feeling 'funny', so i calmly packed up my stuff and headed to my room on the 7th floor at the end of the hallway. Before i was even able to hit the elevator button in the lobby the blackness started. 'Stay calm' i kept saying to myself. I made it to the 7th floor, and just like a horror movie when the hallway seems to lengthen for miles, i started making that trek to my room. Cleaning ladies where staring at me as i was nearly crawling to my room (i know, i know.. why not help me right?). Once inside, i got sick, I'll spare you the details, and passed out on the bed.

When he came back from his meeting, (6 hours later), I was still passed out on the bed. He woke me up. Scary to think that i could have died, and my last visual was the cleaning lady staring at me while i was trying to get to safety lol.

When events like these happen, they change your life, well they changed mine anyway.
I never felt comfortable in a gym environment ever again; i was always afraid that it would happen again. People staring at me when i work out also makes me feel very uncomfortable because it brings me back to what i saw when i opened my eyes when the medics brought me to. I know the saying 'When you get smacked down, just jump back on the horse', but for me that horse just kept bucking me off. So i found working out at home to be a better substitute, even though i didn't have the equipment that the gym had. 

Then, in my mid 30's Beachbody and P90X came into my life and the rest is history. I don't need a gym now! Though, it does not help the blacking out situation. So I'm going to have to monitor that and keep you abreast of what happens.

Just Like the Wind

Daylight savings had me getting out of bed at 0945 this morning! Today felt like a swift wind, can't see it and blows by real fast!

It was Hubby's work day tonight, so dinner was earlier than normal. That kind of screws up my system a little bit, but they say variety is the spice of life! I'll play along.

No panic attacks today, I felt just a tad edgy for a brief moment around 2pm ET, the majority of the day i felt a bit depressed, not unmotivated depressed.. ok maybe depressed isn't the correct word. I felt helpless... ok that will fit a bit better... Although i had some great phone calls with advertising companies and the local Chamber of Commerce and a great friend out in the Vegas area, I still felt helpless. Like i'm going nowhere, even though i'm doing all i can do at the moment to get this business up and running. Enough about that though let's get to the training..


Tonight's workout was ChaLean Push Circuit 1 and Extreme Abs. Oh goodness lol. Push is a lot different than Burn. Instead of working the upper and lower body at the same time like Burn, you only work one part at a time, with heavy weight for 8 reps max. If your arms don't feel like jello, you aren't lifting heavy enough! Never-the-less it was a great workout! Extreme Abs is EXTREME, it's not for the faint at heart, it burns immediately and you hold that for about 15 minutes! Feels GREAT though!

I have decided that Tuesday's and Thursdays are going to be my TRX Training days; keep it simple and remember it with the letter 'T'!

The weather was a bit chilly, so i opted not to start the C25K. I'm keeping my eye on the weather this week to see when i can fit that in. It looks like Friday might be the day for that! Temps will be in the lower 60's.

Oh yeah, the food journal.. I consumed about 1300 calories today. I'm up to 1085 right now and still have to add in a part of dinner, but i have to do research because it's boneless pork chops.

Speed Bump

Hit a minor speed bump.
On day 3 of panic attacks, so i haven't been training. The weather has been cooperating and I had every intention of starting C25K this weekend, but my body had it's own idea, and i am a bit troubled by it.

I haven't had an attack in quite a while, I've had uneasy feelings in certain situations, but not a full-on panic attack.

It started Friday mid-afternoon. Our new carpet was being installed, hubby was in the dining room playing on his computer and I was cleaning the kitchen and chatting with him when i started to feel 'edgy'.

I went outside on the back deck to catch my breathe and cool down (with the edginess comes hot flashes and the feeling of not being able to breathe), once i caught the chill i went back in the house and had some cold water to drink. I felt OK after about 5 minutes.

Saturday, hubby and I were out and about running errands. We decided to go to a local tex-mex place, but on the way there we were detoured because of flooding. I got a little edgy a couple of times, but nothing too severe. We got to the restaurant, and there were a ton of little kids there, i mean LITTLE, like the ones that scream and cry for no reason at all but to hear themselves? yeah, those. I spotted a booth in the far corner of the quieter side of the main room and asked the host if we could sit there, he told us he had to have it cleared, but we could wait if we wanted. Well, that waiting period did me in, we never got seated in that booth because no one ever cleared it, so he put us in the main dining room seated behind a party of 6, and surrounded by little babies. Look, I love little babies, but not that many in one place in a crowded bustling dining room when I'm already 'edgy'.

It took the waitress forever and a day to get to us, and by that time I was already in 'flight' mode. So we left and got stuck in traffic on the way to the U-turn on the highway (because of the flooding). That's when the big one started, tunnel vision, stomach drops, shaking, light-headed, chest heavy, hot flashes..... to name a few. I saw the exit ramp, I saw the other side of the highway (which was moving at a fast pace), there was no reason to have an attack that severe. I vocally tried to calm myself down, nothing was working... next step was to jump out of the truck and run, or cry, but hubby pulled into the adjacent parking lot and cut through and took the back roads to familiar roads with no traffic. He's a God send.  

Today, day 3,  I haven't had any 'attacks', but i have felt off-the-mark. Not sure if it's the fear of having another attack, or the fact that I'm just frustrated at it all. I'm weaning off of my meds so we can start a family, and I've been doing AWESOME with the weaning, minus a couple of very minor events that had to do with the wean itself. Now this.. 3 days of hell.

Last week i started a food journal, and i only logged 2 days. Looking back, it's clear that I'm barely reaching the 1200 minimum mark. So i decided today to make sure i did. Hubby went grocery shopping for us, since that is usually a place that triggers an attack because of the loud music in the store (why!?) and the crowds and the lines.

I entered the nutrition label information, weighing my foods, making sure the portion sizes I'm consuming are correct; I'm up to about 1500 calories today. The majority of those calories came after 1pm, and since then i haven't been feeling 'edgy'. Either the lack of calories is triggering the attacks, OR it's just a coincidence that they are subsiding.

I'm going to have to monitor and maybe play around to see if maybe lack of calories isn't creating the problem.

Feel The Burn

TD12

I had a lot of energy yesterday, and I felt I needed to step up my workout just a notch, so I decided on ChaLean Burn 1 AND Burn 2 back to back.

That was a pleasant torture!

I was able to do it because ChaLean isn't a FAST PACED program; you perform slow controlled reps. Don't be mistaken, it's WORK, but it doesn't tax your cardio levels so you can reserve energy. I was shaking like a leaf my muscles were so taxed, and because she does upper and lower body at the same time, my entire body was shaking. I was drowning in recovery drink when I was complete! and a hot shower to relax my muscles.

There were a few times I wanted to call it quits, but I didn't. I kept on bringing it until I was done. I had to keep reminding myself that the want to quit was all in my head, my body still had more to give, and give it did! Until the very last routine. I had to do tricep push-ups. I eeeeeeked out 1. I tried for 2 but my arms could not lift up my body, at all. That was a weird feeling; my brain was like "you can do this!!!" my arms FELT like they had the will, but my body stayed on the floor. 

Then I rolled over, the dogs thought I was playing and starting licking my face, and that's when I realized that the black dog, that is a LAB, needs to be trained to fetch my recovery drink. Maybe I'll put a barrel around his neck like a Saint Bernard! lol

Today, I can feel every single muscle in my body, and I LOVE THAT.

TRX With Video!!

Today is a scheduled rest day on the ChaLean schedule, but I'm not having any of that.

I wanted to start the C25K (Couch to 5K) today, but i ran out of time. So i tortured myself with TRX Core Strength Volume One. Just kidding, it wasn't really torture.. or was it?


Now, here's the deal. The workout wasn't long. There was Workout A and Workout B, and they were tough. Core work is no joke, but it is a necessity. You cannot build a strong house if the frame work is shotty right? Same thing with the core. When the core is strong, the rest of the body is strong, and this inspector found her weakspots! 

Hopefully, I can fit in a C25K run tomorrow. I know it's going to rain this week, so i have to plan it out, being as i only have to run 3 days per week.

That reminds me, i have to add that to my to-do list, mark out a mile with the car. I'll do that in the AM.

TD10

Woke up with the sun and had a lot of energy, so after I created my to-do list, had a few sips of my morning java, I decided to have a cardio party.

 

DH was at a law enforcement event so I had to go it alone. I decided on Turbo Jam Cardio Party! I love that routine! It's been quite a long time since I popped that workout in, and I'm glad I did! Chalene always makes it fun, and it never feels like work until the next day! My upper body, and abs are definitely feeling it today!

I had every intention on doing strength training at night, but a bad headache and nausea set in. Not sure what that was all about, but this stomach thing has been plaguing me for most of the week, and I haven't been able to workout the way I wanted or scheduled.

My TRX is HERE!

TD8W2

Great workout last night! I was especially proud of DH for keeping up with the insanity of ChaLean's Burn Intervals & Ab Burner. He only had to flip Chalene off 2ce this time hee hee, but he did it.

I noticed some strength endurance changes in myself last night during the workout. I kept the weight the same as the week prior, but I was able to get to the end of each workout. I'm not going to deny i teared up a few times, but i did it and i am so proud of myself for pushing myself to the end of each move. I'm sore today, but it feels delicious!

Yesterday was a particularly odd day of sorts. I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed, but within about 1.5 hours this exhaustive feeling came over me. I was blogging, and catching up with my clients on Sharecare and i literally could not go on a minute longer. I had to put my feet up on the couch and just lay there for a little while. I wasn't mentally tired, meaning i didn't fall asleep, it was my physical self that was dead, like my batteries literally ran out of juice or there was a power outage! Where's that bunny when you need him?! lol

I remained on the couch for about 20 minutes, then as quickly as I stopped I started back up again! Then it was ON! Mt. Laundry was being tackled, I vacuumed the entire house, including the stairs, dusted everything, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom.. it was an all out assault on the house!

Later on that night was when DH and I crushed our workouts, then we were both in bed by 11:30! Unheard of, especially for him!  

My TRX Suspension Kit arrived that afternoon too! I cannot WAIT to get going with that! Check it out:

I Need to Catch My Breath!

TD7

ChaLean Burn Circuit 2 was on the menu tonight.

DH & I had an awesome workout, and I had an over-abundance of energy afterward and decided to do TurboFire HiiT 15 too!

I must be insane!

It was a great time, created a new BFF called Blister on my left big toe.. Blister made a nice comfy home there, oh did i mention blister doesn't like water? We quickly became enemies in the shower, Blister was winning until I put a band-aid on it.

I also became familiar with what is called exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and it's not a fun activity to partake in. It started after HiiT 15 while i was in the shower, I started to cough, chest was tightening, and i was coughing up some mucus at times, but nothing crazy, not like smokers' cough or anything (It felt more asthmatic actually). This annoying chest tightening followed by a cough lasted approximately an hour before it ceased.

At the time, i didn't know what EIB was, I happened upon an article that had mentioned it while I was looking for tips on running outdoors during Winter. Apparently, this is quite popular in the exercise world; I'm just hearing about it for the 1st time even though it's happened to me a few times in my lifetime of working out I and I thought nothing of it.

Here is the overview by Wikipedia:

In a patient with EIB, exercise initially follows the normal patterns of bronchodilation. However, by three minutes, the constriction sets in, which peaks at around 10-15 minutes, and usually resolves itself by an hour. During an episode of this type of bronchorestriction, the levels of inflammatory mediators, particularly leukotrienes, histamine, and interleukin, increase. TH2-type lymphocytes are activated, with an increase in T cells expressing CD25 (IL-2R), and B cells expressing CD 23, causing increased production of IgE. After exercise, the conditions will fade within one to three minutes. In most sufferers of EIB, this is followed by a refractory period, of generally less than four hours, during which if exercise is repeated, the bronchorestriction is less emphasised. This is probably caused by the release of prostaglandins.

The underlying cause of this type of bronchoconstriction appear to be the large volume of cool, dry air inhaled during strenuous exercise. The condition appears to improve when the air inhaled is more fully humidified and closer to body temperature.

This specific condition, in the general population, can vary between 7 and 20 percent. This increases to around 80 percent in those with symptomatic asthma. In many cases, however, the constriction, even during or after strenuous exercise, is not clinically significant except in cases of severe to moderate emphysema.

I am interested to see if it decreases as my endurance increases, or if this is more apt to happen to me during the cooler months, because of the cooler and drier air. I'll keep you updated on that too!

How it came about..

Changes are abound!
The Tough Mudder and The Spartan Sprint on are the agenda for 2011.
My brother took it upon himself to register himself and I in the Tough Mudder in November, so I took it upon myself to register him and I in the Spartan Sprint in June.
I have anxiety and panic disorder and my "family" goal this year is wean off of my medications so my DH and I can start trying for a family.
These 2 events are going to test my disorder to it's max, and by the time they arrive I will be completely off of my medications.
This is my physical and mental journey in becoming a Spartan and a Mudder.
If anything, I hope I can inspire someone else to try and escape the crutch of this debilitating disease.

 
Today I posted this on my coaching group on facebook:

Re-starting ChaLean Extreme today. After many talks with Coach Susan, i think i am going to train for a Tough Mudder for 2012. I saw that they have a training regimen and it looks fabulous! So have to get started! My biggest weakness is endurance. It never used to be that way, when i was a kid and i would swim/train at “the Y”, i used to be able to swim underwater about 3/4 the length of an Olympic size pool over and over. My trainers used to be amazed at my underwater aquatic abilities lol. Now I’m lucky if i could run a 1/4 mile without wanting to keel over. So train i must!

That post started a VERY quick whirlwind with my brother and I, and HE decided to sign us up for the Tough Mudder in November.

I went to their website and looked at the obstacle course descriptions and I about had a panic attack.

Crawling through tubes, running through electrically charged fences, running through fire..and those are just to name a few.

I became light-headed, heart started racing, and the sweats started. Panic set in.

I decided to get in contact with MY coach, and asked his advice because he was having a hard time with nerves coming into a major event himself. His advice was basic and to the point. Don’t worry about time, just focus on surviving to the end, and train.

As basic as that was, it was very effective.

I already had planned to start a workout program tonight, (as i mentioned above), but now I’m going to increase the intensity of it all. Not only do I have to work on strength; I also have to work on endurance as well. I know Insanity™ is one of the most intense endurance training programs in the video market. It’s a completely mental program that pushes your limits, and I’m REALLY going to need that. I am also going to need extreme strength training, and as much as I LOVE ChaLean I may need something more intense, but I am going to stick with that until I can find a proper substitute.

It's a Crazy Place For a Workout

Yes, I changed the name of the blog!
Over the course of the years since creating this blog (previously known as "It's a Crazy Place"), my life has changed dramatically.

The original intent with this blog was simply a place for me to vent and share and have fun doing the new-hip thing! BLOGGING!

It soon evolved into an anti-cop-hater/pro-police place that I used to vent my frustrations and release some anxiety, and share with the rest of my followers what's truly going on out there in the police world that people don't hear about (for whatever reason).

Then life happened (i know, how DARE it!).. I got involved with a company called teambeachbody and became a coach for them, and i haven't turned back since. I had a blog going when i originally started with them called My Wedding Workout. That blog has since been removed and deleted (why i ever did that is beyond me lol) but it showcased my daily fitness life leading up to and including my wedding and honeymoon. I actually complete P90X WHILE on my Honeymoon in Aruba. That is how dedicated I am to my fitness, I'm just really bummed that i deleted the blog because i really would have liked for you all to have seen it.. I had a lot of fun posting and sharing, but i digress.

After I got married and moved into my married home with DH, I had to quit my job because i just couldn't handle the commute anymore.. somewhere along the way of the last few years I've developed anxiety/panic disorder (more on that later cause it's a tangled web) and my commute more than doubled each way.. after sitting in traffic for nearly 2.5 hours one night having panic attack after panic attack it was decided that i couldn't continue there with a commute like that. SO i decided to speed up my studying to be a personal trainer with NASM. In December 2010 I became a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. In January 2011 I started my own fitness business called Fitness to a T. But during all of that time i was still giving free coaching with teambeachbody under my own team of coaches known as The NJ Fit Club - and continue to do so today. I was able to work from home and have a residual income while i studied for my certified personal trainer exam. I am also an Elite Trainer at Sharecare.com working with Dr. Oz and "Move it and Lose it.

I love what I do, but i also love my connection to law enforcement (as i am married to one) and i want to try and get back to police blogging. The only difference is I am certainly going to be blogging about my fitness journey with my personal training and my coaching. Both are so rewarding in their own respects. 

So basically, this is me. This is my life. This is what i love to do and am passionate about, and i no longer want to keep it separate from my other interests. Being in 3 different places takes a lot of work.. and until they can get that whole cloning thing worked out I am just one person! lol

I'm placing this post in the first quarter of the year because i want to move some blog posts over from another blog that i created regarding the panic and anxiety disorder, and instead of doing a bulk upload and having 20 articles in one day I'm going to back date them. So thanks for understanding and supporting me!