Category: Being strong

My Focus Has Changed

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Yes, it has.  I am still on my fitness journey, but my focus has to change.  Why, well I want to be true to me.  I know my struggles on this fitness journey of mine.  I know how I’ve overcome obstacles, the biggest one was and is “eating disorder of extreme” .  I know how my body responds to workouts and nutrition and better to some than others.

With this change I am really hoping it doesn’t take long for my body to respond. I know my body is accustomed to certain time of day and specific days of workout but I will be increasing and splitting the workouts. I know how my body responds to change and I am prepared for the struggle hopefully only 2 – 3 weeks. My body requires programming and my mind must sync with the body.  Yeah when that happens it is a bit easier.

I call it change but it is actually tweaking my fitness journey.  Tweaking and why, well I’m a bit on a plateau now and I need to come out of it.  My focus will be greater on workouts and I know nutrition is SO IMPORTANT but I will have to deal with that later.  One at a time.  Too many changes well I will set myself up to fail.

I’m sure others can do it all at one time, nope doesn’t work for me.  I now just try both NOPE again. I’ve been with this body for a long, long time and I know it, we have a relationship.  So first fitness change then nutrition if needed. Changing to unleash a greater me and you know maybe you too can change or tweak what you already know for a greater you.  TO OUR GREATNESS

Well, I Did It Again

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I did, I was expecting greater results from my 7th week of Barre Blend, however I was so wrong.  I gained 1.5 lb. although I lost a few inches I was hoping for a weight loss.

I WAS HOPING, those are words I can shout over and over. HOPING, why, how? There is no results to hoping if you are doing contradictory behavior. I was so off last week on my nutrition, way off.  There were a few days I was under caloric intake and then the rest I ate healthy but too much healthy.  See it is okay to eat healthy but even in healthy nutrition it has to be in proportion with your activity level. Yeah I WAS OVER. Okay knowing all I’ve shared how could I want different result.  As always I have shouted to myself,  “If you want change then you have to change”.  If you want greater results then you must put in the time of necessary for the change.  I did neither of this so yeah again I wanted change but my behavior said I didn’t.

So, yes, this week I’ve already written down what I need to implement to achieve the change I want on my  fitness journey.  Sometimes we need to just tweak and get it done.

Pushing Play Today was and Beginning to Be Challenging

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I  am truly a at home fitness person for so many reasons.  If you’ve read previous post you’d know my reasons.  I don’t swipe out any one who goes to the gym, this at one time was a favorite of. Mine and honestly there are days I miss the gym and then I remember my why.

I stream my workouts and YES I love BOD.  I also have a calendar to follow with the greater than 700 workouts but that number has increased (probably need to check my own accuracy).  I have to push play and with the COVID19 right now it’s challenging me to push play.  I had to evaluate and realize I was following all the. News about it and I as truthfully as the news is, it can also be just as depressing.  I had to challenge my NOW new challenger.

How, well I’m up on the news and I must be as a healthcare worker and an essential person as I am now known, but not to overwhelm myself.  I must continue to use all the precautions and social distancing and as told in childhood – “JUST FOLLOW THE RULES”. This is one of times not to deviate from the rules and express a different opinion (which would be irrational and unsafe)

I know I’m pushing harder in all my workouts once I begin, so that few minutes of meditation after listening to a podcast or reading PD (personal development)  has helped me SO MUCH. Also my prayers.  I include the entire country / world in my daily Rosary prayers .

Today I’m just sharing a challenge and how I’m pushing through.  Please share your challenge and means of pushing through.  To this challenge and overcoming it in a POSITIVE Outcome.

Nutrition is So Important

Of course we all know nutrition is important, well more so when working out.  What so many do not know and I raise my hand or both because I lack the knowledge as well.  There are a various types of nutrition and not just unhealthy, healthy and healthier.

There is a nutrition for losing weight, reducing the caloric intake be mindful of the foods you eat. Losing weight also means to make certain you are taking in enough nutrition, if not there can a down side. Yes the scale will show a decrease at first which may be rapidly then the plateau comes along with other health problems.  The health problems may come later but not the plateau.  If the caloric intake is too low then the body begins to hold onto whatever it can to survive as well as your energy decreases.

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To reduce caloric intake make certain you’ve consulted a dietitian, MD or for me Portion fix on BOD.  Portion fix breaks down the protein, carbs, fruit and vegetables necessary for a healthy weight loss and it includes about 85% of food we already consume.  Now there is another nutrition program I use 2B Mindset,  teaches me how to arrange the food on my plate, depending on the time of day, what to eat first, how to enjoy every celebration known.  In reducing our intake it is IMPORTANT to get the correct nutrition in for a healthy weight loss.  Psst…. I’m still working on my nutrition some days are a bit difficult than others.

Now, If you want to lose weight and pack on the muscles don’t get shocked.  Your intake will increase, you will lose the fat but that lean, healthy muscle may not reduce the number on the scale.  What does this mean, well you need to decide if. You want tone lean body or if you want tone, lean body with muscles.  Either way NUTRITION is key.  You can workout for hours but without the right nutrition you just maybe sabotaging your workouts.

To weeks of GREAT workouts and GREAT NUTRITION.

It Is A WOW of a workout

I did a sample workout, I’ve been thrilled to do because I’d done a couple of the trainer’s workout before.  Now in case you didn’t know I stream my workouts, which for me has so many benefits.  Yes, the benefits but that is not my focus today.  I did a workout  and it was just a 30 minute sample.  After the workout I felt the adrenaline just flowing and I was excited I did the entire workout without stopping.

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Now I have did boxing on You Tube and each time I was sweaty and felt ever so good.  However this workout was different, there is boxing, weight lifting and an ab workout. Yeah, I even decreased my starting weight, recommended is light, medium and heavy.  From experience I know not to jump too high in the beginning until you get to know what the workouts will be like and which angle the trainer is using.  I decided on 5, 12 and 15 lbs.. I never used the 5 lbs.  This was Saturday’s workout and I felt nothing until I woke up today, Sunday.  My muscles each and everyone of them is feeling yesterday’s workout, greater in the back, shoulders and butt.  I’m wondering what the full workout will be like, but since I’m currently during a Barre and have 3 weeks late until I answer that question.  But My Oh My is my response.  Boxing at a new level.

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Is it POWER or STRENGTH or Both

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There are days I get confused myself with power and strength.  With that said I’ve come to my conclusion and it works for me.

It takes both power and strength to endure on my path.  I need the strength for lifting and push through on a challenging workout as this also applies to challenges in life.  I also need the strength to be patient with my self and again sometimes in life challenges  oh in so many ways in life challenges.

I need the power to increase my weights and actually lift, because if I cant lift then why would I increase. I need the power to roll out of bed on those 3 AM mornings.

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I definitely need both the power and strength in my mindset. Being honest with myself I have to change my mindset sometimes in my goals because the fear is there and that negative doubting voice is also there.  It takes power and strength to push through that fear and both to shut up that negative voice.

I guess it is safe to say whatever applies to an individual,  for me I have to say both.  What applies to you? Which ever make this week and this to come of both POWER and STRENGTH.

I’m Halfway There

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I am at that point.  I completed week 4 of my current workout Barre Blend.  I’m excited to have made this far for several reasons and they are all mixed.

1. When I begin the first day and the first 10 minutes in I was thinking this is really low impact and on this day using the recommended weights 1-5 lbs., my choice 5. I had the 8 lbs. ready because really I THOUGHT 20 lbs. maybe this is combination workout.
2. Combination workout ballet, Pilates, yoga, light strength, kickboxing. Now why would this program recommend such light weights.
3. Did I mention it’s a combination workout well within 10 minutes may have been 9 I understood. I checked my weights did I accidently pickup the 8’s or 10 lbs. NOPE 5 lbs. and I quickly reduced to 3 lbs. and have been there for 4 weeks.
4. Honestly a few of the routines I had to drop the weights to nothing because I was losing form and balance oh endurance too. I first contributed the drop of endurance to me sometimes doing a pre-workout before my workout. My pre-workouts are usually 1-3 miles on the treadmill and 2 miles on the elliptical beginning at speed of 3.4 up to 7 but today I begin at 3.5 and increased to 8.5.
But it wasn’t the pre-workout that challenged my endurance and barre workout it was both the weights and a new approach to fitness on a new level.
5. As always follow the recommendation of the trainer.

This week-end sometime I will be purchasing 1lb. weights and maybe 2 lbs., because I know this low impact, high intensity will be challenging as each week the intensity increases and I want to be better (though I have improved) than the past 4 weeks.

To a week of progression.