Journey to the Stage: April 15/15

Somehow my workouts are getting later and later despite me wanting to do them earlier and earlier. Today was no exception. Unless of course I say that today's workout is actually tomorrow's workout and then hop skip and a jump into the Twilight Zone. 







But no. I indeed finished today's workout at 12:15 am (the next day). Now I'll be wired for at least an hour. Good thing I'm a night owl and we homeschool so I can just make everyone sleep in. Tee hee.

Now how about them cardio eh? In Body Beast cardio isn't just cardio. Oh no. That wouldn't be Beasty enough. Cardio includes weights. And crazy things like plyo pushups (which I am nowhere near able to do yet). And jumping lunges. And jumping squats. I am sore all over. It's actually quite mean brilliant putting this the day AFTER leg day.




























Here is the run down of today:

Workout: Body Beast Beast Cardio and Beast Abs (yes indeed, today also included 10 minutes of abs)













Post Workout Fuel: The usual-Results and Recovery with water and banana








Food: Actually not too horrid today. I didn't meet my macros. Which means I'm going to be SUPER HANGRY in the morning. And I am actually closer to my fats than the pic here because I forgot to log my bacon at supper ;) And I'm over in my carbs but that is because of the R&R. Didn't hit my protein though. IOverall I am sure I'm pretty decent hitting my cals BUT it's the macros that are most important. Balance yo.






Additional Activity: Walk in the park. Literally. We had a family walk in the park. I also did some cute overhead presses holding my 6 yo. Those are always good for a laugh. For all of us.

There ya have it. It may be late but I still get it done. I have no reason not to. And if I'd only better manage the rest of my day I wouldn't be getting it done after midnight. I'll add that to my ever growing list of things to work on. Singing off now :)

Rock. Lift. Love 

P90X3 Agility X Review

Last night was a LATE night workout but I did it. You just have to pop that sucker in a push play sometimes. If you think about it too much you'll talk yourself out of it. Anyways, Agility X was on the schedule last night so here is my review on what this particular workout has to offer. 

I have to be honest this is one of the discs that I dread putting in the most. I am NOT a cardio fan. Also the fact that I rolled my ankle the very first time doing Agility X doesn't help. One tip: WEAR COURT SHOES NOT RUNNING SHOES. Tony tells you that. But I didn't listen.

But while I dread putting this one in I always feel pretty awesome and revved up afterwards. I have made definite improvements in many of the moves.

It is an interesting smorgasbord of moves actually. Lunges, squats, jump moves, balance work. Everything designed to get those legs moving (big calorie burning muscles) and get you quick on your feet. This is a workout that I kind of wish we did when I played high school basketball.

There are a few moves that I do modify mostly in terms of the footwork. Like I mentioned before I did roll my ankle doing this one so I am extra cautious of that. There are a few moves (like running around the lines, doing grapevines, and figure eights) that I have to slow it down just a touch so I don't risk injury. I am all about being smart with my workouts and you have to know your limits, which doesn't mean skipping something but means making it work for you.

A major component of this workout is also hitting specific parts. You set up tape on the floor and put Xs on them. You aim to hit those targets. When you are doing the lunges, and certain jumps, you look for those spots and hit them. Just like Tony says "X marks the spot people".

I have to say that Tony Horton also brings his A game with the humour in this one. He cracks a lot of jokes and his monologue during the cool down is particularly epic and sobering.

I hope you have been enjoying my breakdown and review of the various workouts included in P90X3. Remember if you are interested in rocking out some X3 yourself leave a comment, find me on Facebook, I'd love to coach you through the process.

Avoid These Five Fitness Mistakes

So you’ve made the decision that you are finally going to shed some weight and get fit. But before you start off be sure you know these common fitness mistakes so that you can avoid making them.

It’s okay, we all make mistakes. That is why I am here. I am going to tell you what the top five common fitness mistakes are and how YOU can avoid them.

5. Lack of a Plan. For me this is very important. You wouldn’t go on a cross country drive without your GPS would you? So why is it people expect to go on a fitness and health journey without knowing some specifics. Look up fitness plans online, take them with you, refer to it constantly. Keep yourself on track.  This is where workout videos are actually a great option for a newbie. They tell you EXACTLY what to do.

4. Too Much Too Fast. Many people when they start are excited, which is great. BUT that excitement can lead to overload. Don’t try heading out to jog 5 miles the first time. Don’t sign up for a class every day. Don’t just hop into hot yoga. Don’t load up with big weights thinking that you are tough enough. It isn’t just about strengths, it is about smarts. Easing yourself in is incredibly important to avoid burnout, both mentally and physically. Start with three days at a time, even as little as 25 minutes. Then as you progress do more and more each week. 

3. Poor Form. A huge reason why many people fall off the wagon is that they hurt themselves. Often this is due to poor form which can leads to strains, sprains, and even worse, breaks. There are guides on workout videos for a reason, to help you correct your form to avoid injury. If you are hitting the gym, get some help from the staff on your form. There are also plenty of youtube tutorials out there just waiting to show you the way. Avoiding injury is critical and that starts with proper form.

2. Only Cardio. Women seem to be particularly bad for making this mistake. They go and spend an hour on the treadmill or other cardio machine, or they just set out to jog. I’m sorry but that is not going to help you reach your goals. You may lose weight, and yes you are burning calories, but you will remain soft. You won’t get any tone. This also means you aren’t going to see the results you want and may end up leading you to quit your efforts. Add regular strength training and in no time you will see your goals within sight.

1. Improper Nutrition. When I ask many of my challengers about their biggest struggle they tell me it is exercise. Nine times out of ten though that is what should be the least of their worries. You can not out exercise a bad diet, and you'd be surprised how easily you can out eat your workout. If you are serious about getting fit you have to be serious about your diet. Up to 80% of your weight loss and results depends on nutrition. Start eating clean, avoid the inside aisles at the grocery store, fill up on whole foods, drink lots of water.

If you are guilty of making any of these common fitness mistakes don’t worry. Now you know better. Find a plan that will work for you and commit. Take things easy, gradually increasing intensity and frequency. Do research on how to do things right. Balance out your efforts between cardio AND resistance training. And most importantly FUEL YOUR BODY RIGHT!

Now get out there and get Rockin'