Alpha Phase Complete

T25 is broken into two phases, much like the other Beachbody workouts. Only, Shaun T names them: Alpha and Beta.

Friday completed the Alpha phase of T25. Unfortunately I was sick for the beginning of the last week, so I didn't push the final five workouts as much as I'd have liked to. I completed them, but can't say that I "nailed it."

I'm excited for the Beta phase. I'm up for the challenge and excited to see improvements... as well has just how much sweat I can produce in a mere 25 minutes. So far it's been a pretty impressive amount and I expect it to increase.

Now if I can get back to any sort of "healthy eating" I can start seeing some results!

Focus T25

Only on day 2 of this adventure and already blogging!

I'm excited to see how this goes. So far I love the 25 minute workouts. Nice to be done that quickly. Not to say that it's easy. Both days I've been amazed at how much sweat is dripping when I'm done.

I enjoy Shaun T as an instructor, so that's a bonus. I also enjoyed how today's workout incorporated crazy amounts of cardio (the workout is called Speed 1.0) with 30 second increments of balance/stretching. It's hard to balance after going all out!

LesMills Combat - DONE!!

I loved this workout! The punching. The kicking. And especially the HITT (high intensity interval training). Being a 60 day program there was less variety than some of the longer workouts, but the HIIT workouts were vastly different from the more combat style workouts and that added a feeling of variety.

The instructors used a lot of catch phrases and clichés. So, much so that my husband said that he liked to think about them brainstorming phrases and betting who could say the most. That being said, most of them were pretty encouraging. There's a reason the clichés exist.

I also have to give props to Rach, as my favorite female instructor with Beachbody. No overly enthusiastic "fitness instructor I'd hate at a gym" vibes from her. That was appreciated. This was also tied to my happiness of not having to string together moves or exhibit coordination.

Results weren't as good as I'd hoped for. But with the shoulder problem (see previous blog) I did a decent amount of modifying. Hard to work the arms when certain punches hurt and push ups are impossible. Partially due to the shoulder frustrations I let myself find comfort in poor eating habits I had previously eliminated. So, I'm happy to come out of the 60 days as well as I did.

Next up Focus T25. Looking forward to only working out 25 mins a day for 5 days a week. Also looking forward to trying the 5 ingredient recipes. Hooray for a workout designed for busy people who still want results!

Every time I try to upload my picture the internet stops working, so apparently I'm not meant to share it.

LesMills Combat

Holy cow! I'm on Day 58 of this journey and realize that I haven't blogged once. Whoops!

Sadly, this journey is reminding me a little of the P90X "ineffective" time when I ate like a pig and managed to gain weight. It hasn't been that bad, but it hasn't been the overwhelming success it could have been. Let's face it, the food we eat is a daily choice and one that is easy to stumble on. And once one stumbles it's easy to slide and tumble.

My other stumbling block has been my shoulder. It's been bothering me for months. I was near the point of seeing a doctor when I took 3 weeks off of working out to do the Ultimate Reset. I reasoned that 3 weeks without working out would heal me. It did not. In hindsight, choosing to do Combat with a sore shoulder was not the best choice. But, I knew I couldn't do P90X2 (my favorite) with all of its push-ups and balance. And I wanted to try something new. I broke down and saw a specialist for my shoulder last week and learned that it's my rotator cuff, as I suspected. They gave me a shot and told me to only do lower body for 2 days. Now I'm back to my usual routine plus some rehab exercises. It still hurts but it's not excruciating. In September we'll decide if surgery is needed.

Anyhow, What is LesMills Combat?
A. A lot of fun
B. A lot of work
C. ALL OF THE ABOVE

And "C" it is. For someone already in good shape, it leans more toward fun. But it's one of those workouts that how hard you push yourself determines how much you sweat and how much you succeed. (Really, aren't all workouts like that?) It's another (RevAbs being the other) workout that would be a great pre-curser to Insanity. It won't kill you, unless you want it to. Workouts range from 30-60 minutes, though the "60 minute" ones actually start the countdown with about 52 minutes.

LesMills Combat has two energetic leaders and a fun cast. I specifically like the blond who does a lot of "smiling uncomfortably though pain." Like all Beachbody workouts, there is a modifier. She does a less intense version. Unfortunately she didn't help me modify for my shoulder; of course the disclaimer at the beginning makes it clear that this isn't a workout for someone with shoulder injuries. But, I only have 2 days left and "rest" was not a doctor recommendation.

Next up, T25. Looking forward to having to workout only 25 minutes a day for 5 days a week! On the other hand, I'm sure Shaun T will make it crazy hard. I'll try to update this more regularly. After all, T25 is another 60 day journey.

After the Ultimate Reset

My Ultimate Reset journey ended rather abruptly, as I knew it would. I made some attempt to still eat minimal meat and carbs, but still found myself literally sick to my stomach due to the change. Eye opening how much better the body functions when nourished properly. And how quickly toxins upset that balance.

I've been surprised that when I get lured by junk I actually find myself wanting the Alkalize supplement as a cleanser.

We've also mixed more vegan dishes into our regular meal planning; recently getting a vegan slow cooker book. Eating more tempeh, which we learned that we liked during the last Reset. Finding additional ways to prepare it. I always felt that I couldn't be a vegan due to the lack of cheese and dairy in general. However, we rarely eat dairy anymore. I've become a fan of various other "milks" from soy to almond (my favorite) to coconut to rice. I still enjoy cheese, but more as an accent or treat than a dietary staple. What I really can't handle about the vegan diet is the lack of eggs and honey. This is especially true since I get farm fresh eggs from a guy at work. Nothing beats local fresh eggs and local fresh honey!

Nutrition remains a journey. The Ultimate Reset is a good travel guide.

Oh yeah, the AFTER picture:

Ultimate Reset – week 3

The final week! I’m a little unsure how this week will pan out, as the official final three days will be two days of a road trip followed by a day on the beach. I’m toying with the idea of hitting “pause” and doing the final three days upon returning home. I could certainly take the supplements those three days but am unsure that I have the will or desire to do the meals as planned. As it is, we’re doing a lot more salads and finishing up leftover Reset ingredients before we leave, as many of them won’t hold. (Isn’t that a great thing about real food? It doesn’t stay in the cupboard for weeks at a time.)

Regardless of how or when the journey ends, it has been a good experience. I would guess that vacation will lead to some food splurges but I have no desire to return to how I was eating prior to the Reset. And I have some great recipes I plan on making while on vacation.

There have been some other awesome benefits: I am sleeping great and waking with energy. My complexion is clearer than when I began. I’m at a weight I’m happy with.

The one thing I won’t miss is the Alkanize wheat grass.

Ultimate Reset – week 2

Week 2 is officially over. So far I’ve already lost about 5 lbs and feel like I have more energy, except for at night when I’m exhausted and head to bed early. I’m also sleeping really deeply. Pants that were uncomfortably snug are now my go-to pants.

I have discovered that weekends are the hardest. I’m not able to control meal time as exactly and timing supplements isn’t as exact. I also don’t drink as much water on the weekends, but I’ve always known this. I did better this weekend than last, so I didn’t have the emotional instability of last weekend. Gah, I’d forgotten that that could be one of the things the body needs to cleanse. Anyhow, it’s Monday now and in my first three hours at work I drank 80 oz of water. The pace never really slowed and my body feels better for it.

I said I’d talk about the supplements:  

There are four that are taken throughout the 21 days. These are Mineralize (dissolved in water 4 times per day), Optimize (2 capsules 3 times per day), Soothe (2 capsules once a day), and Alkalinize (mixed with water once a day). I won’t get into the science of what they do; I’ve read it and won’t be able to relay that accurately. These are all taken 30 mins before meal times, with an extra Mineralize in the afternoon 30 mins before snack. I was pretty unhappy about Mineralize at first, as I’m not a fan of drinking salt. But, I’ve come around. I won’t be sad when I’m done with this one, but I don’t dread it. What I do dread is Alkalinize. Every day. I know some people take wheatgrass shots and enjoy it; I do not. I will never choose wheatgrass. I have found that using a shaker cup and the least amount of water possible makes it bearable; I don’t have to smell it and can swallow it in one gulp.

Week 1 (Reclaim week) doesn’t add any additional supplements. It is very much a transition week, in supplementation and food.

Week 2 (Release week) adds Detox three times a day, 30 mins before meals. I’ve seen that many people don’t seem to like this one. I actually really enjoy it (as does my husband). The texture is a little odd but it has a really sweet (but not overly so) taste that I enjoy. I keep thinking that it reminds me of something, but I’ve no idea what that might be. And it does what it claims to, flushing the system.

Week 3 (Restore week) takes Detox out and adds Revitalize three times a day, 30 mins before meals. This is another capsule.

In a couple of days I’ll talk more about food and the overall experience.