This Spartan came home WITH her shield!

(and a lot of mud!)

The purpose of the blog was to mark the journey with Panic & Anxiety to the Spartan and Tough Mudder events. 1 challenge is complete; I competed in and completed the Spartan Race in Tuxedo NY.

I did have pre-race jitters... hard core... it was the waiting that was killing me. Once I was at the starting line I was honed in on the objective of going up an extremely steep hill for an extremely long distance not knowing what was to come after that.

I had to climb, crawl, and strategically maneuver my way through rocks and boulders on the side of a ski resort; I saw spiders i never knew existed! OH and I'm sure poison ivy is just a short way away  from showing it's ugly wrath as well.

I had to crawl through a make-shift mine which had brush, bugs, reptiles, cramped space, and barbed wire just above my head for about 100 feet... with no way out.. You had no choice but to go forward. I got stuck on barbed wire 1/4 of the way through, hind-sight my heart flutters, but at the time i was determined to get through that obstacle, and I did and made friends with a frog too!

I had to climb through and over boulders with a car tire, climb a 20 foot high net and come back down, climb walls, crawl under walls, pull cinder-blocks attached to a rope the height of a 2-story house, cross monkey bars ( I fell 2 bars from the end because my shoulder gave out, and they wanted me to do 30 burpees but I told them to go scratch and went back to the bars and did 4 more for good measure).

I had to carry an orange Home Depot bucket 3/4 full of gravel up a hill for .25 a mile, then back down dump my gravel on TOP of the pile and bring back my bucket. At this point I was exhausted, I was in near tears because I was so mad because I wanted to be done! So I chucked the bucket on top of the gravel pile, flipped it over and off (yes, I gave an inanimate object the double bird) and tossed it to the pile of other buckets and flipped it off again. THEN I had to pull a boulder on skis up-hill and around a small course which ended on hot coals, then back uphill and hike over and through boulders AGAIN. This was where I was on E. I started to get light-headed, and had to stop for a break. 

Back down the hill to a soap soaked wall that I had to climb over. I was smart and used my upper body and pulled myself up with the ropes... Flipping off the bottle of soap as I was going to the next obstacle... totally owned that one!

I fell 1/2 way across the Spiderman wall and had to do 30 burpees... thank goodness that I do those a lot in bootcamp! I totally failed on the spear throw and had to do another 30 burpees. I won't be doing burpees for a while needless-to-say!

I had to crawl through cold mud on my belly under barbed wire going uphill for the length of a football field. Admittedly, the mud crawl was the best part of the event. Though gross as heck seeing worms, grubs, ants, spiders, the blood of other Spartans, and getting cut up by rocks and other sharp objects, the camaraderie with the other Spartans through this obstacle was beyond reproach. My hair and shirt got stuck on barbs on the last string; everyone stopped so as not to tug further or spring it back to the Spartans coming up the rear while 2 other Spartans untangled me from the mess. Then for a long boulder hike before a steep downhill trek full of loose rock and dirt.

That ended us up at the ice crawl; yes, the name implies the same as the mud crawl, but it was downhill for about 50 feet under barbed wire and over ice cubes... TONS of ice cubes... it was cold... very cold... but at the bottom of the hill from that we had to jump through a much appreciated firewall! It ended with the gladiators at the end that I, and my awesome sense of humor, made them and the spectators laugh! lol

When I arrived at my first gladiator (that wanted to pummel me with these huge padded paddles) I stopped short, looked him in the eye and said like a mouse "really? Do i have to? Can i just get into the fetal position?" lol so we bumped to make it look good. The next guy was busy with someone else, but the very last guy wanted to kick my butt so as I ran really fast passed him shouting "please, please, please don't hit me!" everyone erupted in laughter!

Then i got my banana, water, free beer and shower lol...

I'm sure I missed an obstacle here or there, but those are the ones that I remember.

Minus the scraped up elbows and knees, twisted ankle, bruises, and that it took me 3 hours to go 3 miles... it was a blast!!!

I have a new found appreciation and utmost respect for the men and women of our armed forces. While i had 3+ miles of torture, they do this in foreign countries carrying tons of gear in not-so-forgiving clothing and conditions. I was able to carry a camelbak (backpack filled with water) and wear anti-skid socks so i didn't get blisters, and wear gloves to protect my little hands from blisters, in order to get me through this. I was able to quit if i wanted and go home. They get to have some of those things, but I was able to shower after my event, they usually have to stay all yucky for days on end, and they can't just say "F this" and go home whenever they want.  They have to do it on the side of a mountain, in a desert or jungle with heavy equipment, sometimes being shot at, and even worse- not knowing where the enemy is. Not to mention the spiders!

If they are lucky though, they will find a frog to hang with.

I hope to post pictures or video in the future so stay tuned!

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

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.

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.

Stepping up my A Game

TD9

Staying in-line with ChaLean's schedule it was Burn 3 today. I took a few rest days in a row, headaches and other obligations, no excuses - i know.

I had the chance to have a conversation today with a friend of mine that ran in the Super Spartan over the weekend in SoCal. I received a lot of good information in regards to training, even though I'm only running the 5k version.

His advice was to train with running. Running, as you know, is already my weakness, so i have to step up my game now.

One of the goals on my dream board is to do couch to 5k, and that is what i am going to use to train, initially.

After DH left for work i pulled my new toy out of my proverbial toy box. The TRX Suspension Training System. I spent part of my day watching the set-up video; the video also includes basic moves and a basic workout.


There was nothing "basic" about it. I broke a sweat during the first move! I will say that I am IN LOVE with the suspended crunches! This is definitely going to be the equipment that will finally allow me to do pull-ups! and climb over walls lol.

Here is a running list of what i need to improve on:
Running
Endurance
Cardio Endurance
Strength
Strength Endurance.

That's pretty much everything associated with fitness! If i had a pool, swimming would also be on the list!

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!