Got this from a friends blog. . .STAY MOTIVATED! *Pause music player first

Daily Progress Blog Entries:

P90X Half Way There!!!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Gonna give my body ONE day off

Today I am just not feeling well. . .I am not sick.  I am just very uncomfortable and achy so instead of pushing my body too hard I am going to listen to it and take today off. It was YOGA day, so I am not heartbroken and tomorrow I will pick back up with LEGS & BACK and AB RIPPER.  I should be up to working out by tomorrow afternoon :)

2 Tylenol, a HOT bath and some sleep should fix me right up!!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Week 2 Day 3

SHOULDERS & ARMS
AB RIPPER!!

Today I had to dig deep down for motivation! It wasn't until about 4pm that I finally got off my butt and put in my DVD's. Ya know what I discovered? Once I put my workout clothes on I get a boost of motivation and my workout gets done! I did arms and shoulders which is WOW very hard! Then added the ab ripper (my favorite) however it's so difficult and the more I do it, the better my form and endurance is getting :) I am exhausted an now I am going to raid my fridge!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Plyometrics!

The plyometric workout was harder the second time around. I guess it's because my muscles are sore and so this 2nd time around was tough! My legs were not complaining. . . .they were SCREAMING at me. Well, I want sexy legs and plyometrics will do the job! I was very tempted to add Ab Ripper to my workout but I am being obedient and following the program schedule.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Week 2 Day ONE- PICTURE

HERE IS WEEK 2 DAY 1 PHOTOS!
Well, not much change as you can see. . .but I feel better and I can actually see/feel like my abs/core getting a little firmer and slightly more defined. I think I will post on Day One of each new weekly workout. The pics won't show 'dramatic' changes but it will help keep me working for that next "week __ day One" photo op.

I did Chest and Back. Since I had bands this week it KILLED!! All together I added up all the push ups and it came out to 107 push-ups and just counting the pull-up/band exercises it came to 82!! I would have to say I am pretty proud of myself :)

Sunday, March 27, 2011

X Stretch. . . .LOVE IT!

I really liked the X Stretch workout. I am relatively flexible so most of the stretches were just outside of my comfort level. I am able to reach past my toes & touch the ground with most of the moves and when stretching single hamstring/legs I can lay almost flat on my leg and touch my face to my knee!!!. My Back is my 'least flexible' so some of those were pushing more on the 'slightly painful' rather 'just outside my comfort'. I am pumped to see how much my flexibility improves by the end of the 90 days. I just might surprise myself!

My back has always been tight my entire life which is probably from so many years of having a rounded, barreled chest/back. It feels good to have my back much straighter and flat, but now comes the work to stretch my back muscles. It hurts while I am stretching and aches afterward, but little by little I am sure I will see improvement because I have LOTS of room for improvement!

**Note to self**
Buy a YOGA MAT  :)

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Rest Day

Today: Sunday is my rest day, however I am going to fit in Stretch X because my Saturday Night was a mess. I had a bit of a prednisone/prograf roller coaster ride night :) I notice it comes and goes. I will have weeks and do very well, and then BAM one really tough day. I am not making excuses, I am pushing my rest day to tomorrow. Since I am actually on about 10th or 11th day I think, but to get my workout schedule on track I will be officially starting week 2 day 1 on Monday.

It's late. .or I guess early Sunday morning and perhaps I should start to try to relax and sleep. Klonopin is helping :)

Friday, March 25, 2011

I didn't do Stretch X today. . .

I decided against doing stretch X today. . .I figured I needed to push myself harder since yesterday I did Ab Ripper and that was it. I just felt like a bit of a slacker if I only did stretch today. So as I reviewed next week's schedule I figured I could slip in a Legs and Back workout since tomorrow I am doing stretch X and resting Sunday~ Just thought I would update because I am feeling good that I finished legs and back  which makes it my 2nd time doing it. Monday I will have my workout on track and shouldn't have to shift my workout like this every week :)

Day 7 . . . Should be my rest day

Yesteday "Day 7" should have been my rest day, but I am having to move the workout around a little for a couple days so I can get on the week/day schedule that I want. . .which is to set it up so Sunday is my rest day not Thursday :) SO I manipulated and switched out a few workouts. I did Ab Ripper yesterday and went bowling last night (which I a sore from doing). It has been years, since before my lung transplant that I have gone bowling. My shoulder and back are feeling it. I bowled with a 10 lb ball most the night :)

My Abs are looking a "little" tighter and I can see slight improvement. I am being really obedient and not doing ab ripper every day, which is what I would like to do since it's one of my main focus areas. Every other day though no matter what! Today I will just do stretch X and Saturday I will do Ab Ribber and probably legs/Back. . .we'll see. Then Sunday REST DAY with a fresh start Monday on track so I don't have to change the workout around at all!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Why am I doing this??

Maybe someone who reads this blog may ask themselves "why is Jamie doing this?". . . sometimes I ask myself that. Why do I exercise?? My number one reason I push myself to workout and stay fit is because I understand the physical and medical benefits from it. Also I get a lot mental and emotional benefits as well. I feel better about myself when I can look into the mirror and know I put in the work to look the way I do. I don't ever want to feel like I have "settled" and I am pretty sure that would create some unhappiness for me. I KNOW what I can change about myself. I KNOW that there is always one thing I have control over even if it is the only thing I have control over and that is my level of fitness. When I was just months/weeks from transplant and I only had around 11% lung function, I would get out and try to get some kind of exercise. I walked on the treadmill at the gym and rode my horse with my portable oxygen slung across my back.

Now that I am post transplant I believe it is even more important than ever. I have the gift of my donor's lungs inside my body and I believe it is my responsibility to keep those lungs as active and healthy as I possibly can. I wouldn't be doing my new lungs justice if I didn't do all I can do to accomplish peak performance out of them.  *This is my opinion* I know of people who are over weight, inactive, and unhappy with the size, shape, or weigth they are right now, however, they can have control over all those. Exercise, in whatever form you enjoy, will make you feel better, look better and improve your self esteem. So I am doing what I do because I have experienced first hand all those benefits.

Living with CF can create physical abnormality's and although others may have never noticed them. . .I did. I tried to focus on the things I COULD change. I couldn't change my clubbed fingers, or my barrel (rounded) chest/back. I couldn't change those things, but I could change my weight, my muscle tone, my ability to keep up with those around me who had 100% lung capacity. I could do all those things because I put in the hard work. If you think it's TOO HARD. . . .it was harder for me & I did it . . .I am still doing it!
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Day 6- Kenpo X

Did it, don't care for it cuz I actually took karate for years and this "kenpo/karate" form sucks. . so I altered the way I did some of the punches, blocks, and kicks :) I was pretty sweaty afterward though!!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Day 5

Legs and Back. . .well, for me just mostly Legs. I keep forgetting to go to the store and buy a set of bands. Bands can be substituted for the pull up bar. I hope to eventually maybe get a pull up bar, but for now I need bands. However, the Legs part of the workout is KILLER! I can't even imagine how many variations of lunges I did. Also did the wall squat, I remember that from gym class in school. . .it's been THAT long ago since I did those. I am 100% sure I may not be able to walk tomorrow. No Pain, No Gain! I keep looking in the mirror hoping to see some improvement, maybe not now. . but I WILL :)

Monday, March 21, 2011

No P90X today. . .

I had a cool opportunity today that I couldn't pass up and it took my entire day. So I didn't get P90X today. Tomorrow will be completed FOR SURE. Ugh, I don't like that I missed it, I can't really talk about what I did today, but it was a SUPER cool thing! Worth missing P90X for :)

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Rest Day

I don't like to workout or do other stuff along those lines on Sunday since it's a 'day of rest' and should be used for spiritual and charitable work.  Don't get me wrong I am not perfect, but I really try to keep the sabbath day holy. So no workout today, it will throw off my schedule a little but not too bad. I can rearrange it to keep on track :)

Tomorrow Day 5 . . .I may be working out late tomorrow. . . but I WILL fit it in!!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Day 4. . Yoga X

Today was Yoga X or lets say "torture" not just physically. I have never really done much Yoga, and I realized why today. . . .cuz I find it slow, monotonous and frankly I am not sure I have the patience for it. I got through about 45 minutes of the hour+ workout. . . . it could be partly due to my caffeine withdrawal. I have not drank a Diet Dew for about 2 days now. My head is pounding and my fuse is short. I can feel I am on edge. I was going to try to cut soda/caffeine while doing the P90X to get maximum results. I'm just not sure if I 100% committed to doing both at the same time :) Diet Mnt Dew will be my reward for kicking butt on my workout. Don't get me wrong I don't drink a TON of soda. For the most part I drink about one can of Diet Dew a day.

So day 4 down. . . .didn't go all that well, but I did all I could take (for today).

Friday, March 18, 2011

P90X day 3

Today I did day 3. . .I was still pretty sore from day one day two ;) Day 3 was shoulders and arms. My arms and shoulders were still sore from doing shoulders and back. Plyometrics kicked my butt, literally. The back of my thighs and my butt are killing me but it's such a good feeling! I can't wait to see the results. The pain sucks, but it is a sign the workout is working!

Oh and today I did AB RIPPER! whoohoo it felt good and my abs only stayed super sore for about one full day. I expect my arms/shoulders to be sore however my abs seem to recover pretty quickly. So that's good. 

So tomorrow is Yoga X . . .that might be interesting.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

P90X Day 1

Yesterday was my 'Day 1' of the workout program p90x. I am going to take off from running for a while since p90x doesn't really incorporate running. It includes a good cardio workout along with the muscle and strength training. 

So I started with day 1 workout on March 16, 2011 which was 'shoulders and chest'. I added 'ab ripper' too since my abs are one my focus areas. I can do 'ab ripper' every other day! So here is my evaluation of the workout. Super hard! I don't have bands or a pull up bar yet, so that part of the workout I had to skip (for now).  I am not even sure how many push ups I did. I will be making a chart/sheet to track my workout more accurately in a day or so. The Ab Ripper was a killer ab workout! I have always had a difficult time finding ab workouts that make me very sore (due to my CF abs which I still seem to have a little). My lower abs are extremely sore which I LOVE!  The 'recommended' times for pictures to compare results are about every 30 days. I may post pics more frequent than that, so here is Day ONE pictures. :) bleh. I see lots of room for improvement!

 Day ONE front
Day ONE back
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Day TWO:

Thursday March 17, 2011 I did day 2 workout which was plyometrics. It is all jumping and lunges. It was so very, very hard. in fact I barely made it through and didn't quite finish the whole thing before my legs buckled under the muscle fatigue. Plyometrics by far kicked my trash! I am looking forward to the day I am strong enough to complete that and keep up with the instructor :) So that's my review/response to day 2.

I can't raise my arms above my head, my chest aches,  it hurts to sit up or cough or laugh, and my triceps are very tender. So my final thoughts on my first 2 days are. . .so far it seems to be working :)

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Nature walk

My exercise today was with my grandparents (they are in Oklahoma visiting). We have a lake nearby which is a National Forsest/camp area. It was a nice day, a little windy but around 55 degrees. They wanted to go for a hike or a trail walk so we drove to the Lake. We found some really nice trails that are surrounded by lots of trees and nature. We saw over 15 deer and they were actually very close to us. We walked over 3 miles. . . probably close to 4 miles. It was perfect weather and I got a good easy going exercise. Did I mention my Grandparents are in their 70's and 80's. . . . they are amazing! I barely keep up with them, not even kidding. I hope I am doing as awesome as they are when I am that age ;)

Monday, March 7, 2011

Week 3 of C25K

I have been running with the couch to 5K program/schedule. . .I like it. It builds endurance up slowly and steady to prepare your body/legs/cardio to run 30 minutes continuously. I am still pretty far from that, but I can run longer and more comfortably now. I am alternating runs with stretching and weights. Soon I will be adding the P90X workout along with my runs. I am super excited and kinda in fear of that idea :) I really want to do some body/muscle sculpting. . .bikini season is coming up pretty fast. lol.  Plus I just have to keep thinking "6 pack abs" it is my 2011 resolution!!

I ran 20 minutes today and did about 1.5 miles. It's not about speed, it's about building endurance :)

Friday, March 4, 2011

Thighs were screaming at me

My thighs are yelling at me so badly today :O Yep, they aren't very happy with how hard I have been making them work with running and lunges and leg lifts. . .but dangit, I want sleek sexy legs. I also want to be conditioned with enough endurance to run at least a 5K

 I did the C25K week 2 workout today.  Well, sorta. I ran 2 minutes then walked 2 minutes & repeated that for 20 minutes. I could have ran 3 minutes and then walked about 1 minute. . .but my thighs are so sore I didn't want to push them too hard yet :) I can feel my endurance building up and I can SEE some muscle definition which is so encouraging! I don't really want to lose weight, I just want muscle tone and strength but running is soooo good for these lungs of mine. 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

30 minutes!

I woke up early today around 9am and was down at the gym by 10am. . yes, you read that right! It was an earlier day for me than usual but it felt good! I ran 30 minutes. I did 2 minute run then 1 minute walk repeated that for 30 minutes with a light warm up and a cool down. I am really starting to build up my endurance. I am trying to find a race in the next couple months. I feel a 5K would be a good start then build up to a 10K then hopefully a 1/2 marathon or a sprint triathlon :) One step at a time. . .so for now, shooting for a 5K-10K.