H.I.T. 30 day - a magazine transformation experiment

I LOVE fitness magazines. Not those sissy ones like Oxygen or Fitness or even Women's Health (I don't mind Women's Health but I lost faith in their quality). I'm talking about Muscle and Fitness Hers and Fitness Rx for women. I frequently come across those transformation articles and typically glean pointers or exercises to tweak or revamp my routine. While I was on my flight to NY I was reading one such article, Fitness Rx for women December 2009 "H.I.T - High Intensity Training This Holiday Season". In pages following there was also a 30 day Nutrition Plan. I am already eating pretty closely to the Nutrition Plan and pushing the cardio very similarly to the HIT recommendations, but I wondered what if I followed this to the letter?! What would happen?... So I made the decision that upon my return home I would immediately implement this experiment. I arrived home too late on Monday to go grocery shopping, so after work last night, I made a bee line for the grocer and picked up my week 1 items along with my husband's meal plan list (which is obviously very different...I am not a bodybuilder).

I have my foods and I have been totally enjoying the 3 hour eating. This is a change to my usual, which is eating every 2-3 hours in small portions...now I am eating larger portions (still small) but only every 3 hours. I need to tweak this because today I have felt way too full each meal and I am only on meal 3 so far.

I will post the grocery list for each week. I will be logging (and documenting progress) my workout plan and meal plan here which is following the articles in Fitness Rx for women December 2009. See pages 60 & 82.

This will be a challenge to start right in the middle of holidays, but I am pumped! This should be super fun.

Ninja Power

I know this is a fitness blog, but I can't help it. This is too awesome.

Please check this out and spread the word! These guys are the real deal when it comes to the Ninja Turtles Live Action vision:
www.turtlesthemovie.com
Ninja Turtles interview is now online!!! Check it out at http://j.mp/2SXL0I

My first 10k

6.2 miles on a brisk Texas November morning.

The funny story: I went to the wrong park, so when I finally arrived it was 15 minutes after gun time. I made it just in time before they shut down the start line and clock entries. Since I was so far behind everyone I was alone for the last third of the race (for most of the race everyone was passing me on their turn-around). The staff unknowingly picked up the cones a little prematurely, so I GOT LOST!! I ended up finding my way back and completed a little over 7 miles when all was said and done. I made better time that I thought and never stopped running. This was an awesome experience for me - my first race over a 5k and my first race that I was able to maintain a running speed the entire time. This is progress and is so exciting.

My next race is an 8 miler...and I cannot wait!

Still Coughing, Still Training

Ack! Silly cough won't leave me alone!

Yesterday, was speed training. I just ran 2 miles but shaved 6 minutes off my time. *awesome*

My legs were feeling pretty tight/knotty...I think I need to learn how to massage my muscles. Or get a membership to Massage Envy...

Friday night is my final run day before the race and is also the night before the early morning race. I am debating whether to opt out or to do an easy jog. I would prefer to at least jog, but I want to be as strong and rested as possible. *debating*

I've been eating a lot of fruits lately, which has probably increased my sugar intake, but oh well.

I have tweaked our menu to replace turkey for beef. I still will work in maybe 1 meal a week to have ground sirloin or grass-fed 98% or a super lean steak. Our meats have been mostly chicken and turkey - ground, sliced, whole, baked, sauteed, grilled, broiled, stir-fried...you name it! Going on 3 weeks of the meat transformation and haven't had a boring meal yet!

I'm still secretly waiting for some *physical* signs of fitness improvement. ^_^ Would be nice, but interestingly, I'm staying motivated by the seeming lack of progress.

Being Sick SUCKS!

I lost a whole week of valuable training because I got sick. I do not even know what I had. Probably just a cold. It wasn't too bad, but it knocked me off my game. I started feeling sick on Tuesday night, woke up Wednesday feeling it coming on strong, but went for a run that evening anyway (only made it 3 miles because I was feeling pretty weak and didnt want to risk injury). Thursday and Friday I pushed through work, but crashed on Saturday. Sunday felt MUCH better, but played it safe and just rested.

Last night (Monday) was my first day back on the treadmill and I pushed through 4 miles with ease.

The weather is gorgeous...if I can get off RIGHT at 5, maybe I will have time to run OUTDOORS before it gets dark!! FUN!!!

Weight Report: 119
I think I might have hit a plateau at 119, which would be awesome. I'll give it till next week to see. If it is a plateau that would be awesome, that means just a little tweak here and a little tweak there and progress will be in sight!!