Look at that... long time no update (AGAIN). I'd just like to point out that Google makes updating a pain in my ass. It just seems to be a problem when you have more than 1 gmail account and your blog isn't associated with your primary email address. Whatever... enough with the technical crap.
OK - well I'm still going strong with my workouts. I have just over a week left of the T25/P90X3 hybrid I've been doing. Then I'm moving on to PiYo. I'm very hopeful that it is a workout that Christie and I can do together. If not, then so be it.
First and foremost... for about 2 weeks now on my weight check in days (Wednesday & Saturday mornings) I have weighed in under 170lbs. That is a big deal for me. Its something I've been striving to get to and been SO close for months. MONTHS. I don't think that I really had plateaued. My workouts really haven't changed. I'm still doing cardio & I'm still doing strength. My nutrition, still pretty much the same. Creature of habit? Yes I am. So yes, maybe I do only weigh 169.6lbs, but when you've been hovering between 171 - 174lbs for months, its a nice change. My next goal weight is 165lbs. I can get there. It may take a few more months to get there, but I will get there.
What really changed? One thing I did do was just add some dedicated ab work. I started with 3 days a week doing Power90's TH100 ab routine (10 exercises, 10 reps per exercise). After less than 2 weeks of that I jumped up to the TH200 ab routine (yes, same 10 exercises but 20 reps per). Also a few weeks ago I got some medicine balls courtesy of the Beachbody big summer blowout (and my family). lol Those things ROCK!! When the TH200 became less challenging I found a way to make it more challenging by incorporating a medicine ball wherever possible. This really started working my fat section. Especially those full body crunches. Do those but with the medicine ball held behind your head (not resting on the ground) and then crunching everything in? Feel it all the way through the core. AWESOME. I've also switched from doing any regular push ups to doing push ups using the medicine balls whenever push ups are called for in my workouts. Push ups off of medicine balls or side arm balances off of medicine balls, crazy core work. You fall and you fail if you don't engage that core. Its great stuff. Also - I added in trying to hold a plank at the end of my workout on the days that I'm not doing the modified TH2x0 ab routine. My goal has been to out-plank my previous plank. I think my first one was maybe 1 1/2 min. I'm now up to 3 min 15 sec. Time to push for more tomorrow.
Regardless of the "in my mind" plateau or the cursed number on the scale, I know my body has been changing. My abs want to come out and play. My waist is shrinking. I don't know what the size of my waist is, but it will be measured (for better or worse) AFTER we finish our NH vacation next weekend and before we start PiYo. I know it has shrank. Last year I had 1 pair of size 38 waist cargo shorts that I was pushing the limits on. This year, towards the end of spring, we bought 3 pairs of size 32 waist cargo shorts. Every one of those are too big now. All my work pants are 34's with stretchy waist, all too big. My shirts, I can't even wear XL anymore. Those are completely weeded out of my closet & dresser. Some larges fit good, but then again some size mediums fit good as well. Bottom line is, the scale doesn't tell the whole story. It is just a number. It does not tell the whole story, but it is still a measurement of progress.
On another note... its just a few more weeks until I have my 6 month follow up with my Dr. I went and got my blood taken for blood work this past weekend. I have been on Pravastatin for high cholesterol for years. I have also been taking a very low does of high blood pressure medication. My last check up (January) I had already lost about 23 lbs (now up to 27lbs) and all my blood work came back good. Vastly improved over what it was. In addition to that my blood pressure was normal. My goal was (as I told the Dr) to come back in July and prove to him that I no longer needed this medicine. I've changed my lifestyle (for the better) and with fitness & mostly good nutrition I am healthy. Do I have 6 pack abs? No (not yet). Either way, my waistline is no longer as wide (if not wider) than my chest & shoulders. I don't have the fat overhang, hanging over all my pants. My body is fairly muscular and getting better. I fully expect my blood work to come back and be substantially better than what it was in January. I expect that I will no longer be on any medications after that appointment. There will be no reason to. A year of excellent, healthy reports - tell me why I need the harmful medicines? I don't - and I won't.
It has been a crazy ride so far. My 1 year of dedication to fitness in my life comes up on July 27th. I'm looking forward to doing before & after pictures of that. I have the befores... I can't wait for the side by side comparison. :) Keep following so you can see that as well.
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