Run, Forrest, Run!

Hold on to your seats, because you guys are not going to believe this! But... a few months ago I started running. *gasp* I know! I also never thought the day would come where I'd be huffing and puffing around a park without anything chasing me. Miracles still occur, people! So you might be asking, "How on earth did this happen, Liesl?!"

Believe it or not, it all started with a teeny tiny little device called FitBit. What it is, is just a simple step counter. (You get ones with more bells and whistles though) But, to make it more exciting, FitBit has an app where you can compare your daily and weekly steps with friends and family (whom also own FitBits). My entire family and some friends have these, and I decided to get in on the action.

Now, I'm not the most competitive person in the world, but I WANTED to be at the top of that leader board. And although I already averaged about 10k to 15k steps a day, I just needed to make sure I stayed at the top. (My brother often gives me a run for my money!) 

So, one evening I threw on my running shoes, headed to the park and started running, albeit slowly and with plenty of walking in between. I don't know if it was the lovely cool breeze, fresh air, solitude, fun tunes blasting over my iPod, burst of endorphins or the fact that I reached 20k steps on my FitBit that night, but I was hooked. And I've just kept on returning to the park, addicted to that rush of feel-good hormones that flood my body after a great run.

I now run about 3 to 5km up to four times a week, which is a huge accomplishment for me and makes me feel fantastic. I don't run fast, and I don't run if I don't feel like it. For years I always wondered how people could torture themselves like that, looking like they are near death as they jog past me. But now I get it, dear red-faced-unsexy-sweaty-people-of-the-world, I'm one of you now!

Besides running, and walking a lot during the day, I've also incorporated an exercise routine I do at home about four or five times a week. I know it sounds like a lot, but it really isn't if you do it for 20 minutes while watching TV or some YouTube videos. My 20-minute routine consists of various arm exercises with my 3kg weights, squats, lunges, push-ups and sit-ups. (I'll skip the lunges and squats if I've just gotten back from running.)

I've found that just doing something active every day, really makes me feel wonderful, and it has also motivated me to eat healthier, too. Running has been great for keeping anxiety at bay and helping me sleep better, and incorporating weights into my workout routine has made me much stronger and more toned.

I'm not planning on running marathons, but it would be great to be able to run 10km in one go, which is my ultimate goal. Other than that, I just want to continue living a healthier lifestyle and taking care of my mind and body. And, of course, I just want to continue kicking ass on that FitBit steps leader board! *sticks tongue out at my brother*

Step Counter: FitBit Zip (here)

Shorts: Nike Pro (here)

Trainers: Nike Free Flyknit (here)

Earphones: Sudio KLANG (here)

Bottle: DropBottle (here)

If any of you own a FitBit or similar step counter, what's your daily average steps? Do you also compete with family and friends?

Thankful Thursday

Source

I'm Thankful...

1. ... for the air conditioners in my house as we're creeping closer to unbearable humidity and heat here in Taipei.

2. ... that I'll be able to see my sister in two weeks.

3. ... that it's almost weekend.

4. ... for pretty flowers that brighten up my home.

5. ... for INSANITY. (Yes, I'm doing this to myself again...) There's just no other workout like it!

What are you thankful for today?

FOCUS T25 (Week 10)

Aaaaaand, that's Beta Phase, people. Done and dusted! Originally, this would have been the end of our Focus T25 journey, but I decided to continue with Gamma Phase, the third cycle in this workout program.

In general, Week 10 was way better than Week 8 and 9 for me. I've gotten so used to the workouts now, that I could basically do them with my eyes closed.

Here are my updates from Week 10:

Day 64 - Rip-T Circuit (Monday)

For some reason, this workout is scheduled three times this week, which sucks because it's not my favorite. There are still some moves that I can't do properly, and it's very frustrating for me. I basically just wanted to get it over with.

Day 65 - Core Cardio (Tuesday)

Dare I say that this workout was easy!? Maybe because I have a lot of energy today or it could be my excitement for tonight's New Year's Eve celebrations with my friends. 

Day 66 - Rip-T Circuit (Wednesday)

Because we had the day off work today, I had to do today's workout at home and I didn't have my dumbbells. Hence, I had to substitute the Rip-T Circuit workout with one I don't need weights for. Of course I chose to do Speed 2.0. This workout is just the best!

Day 67 - Dynamic Core (Thursday)

All motivation to exercise has totally left the building, and I'd be lying if I said I gave it my all today. I'm feeling a little bored with the Beta Phase set of workouts now, and I can't wait for the next round.

Day 68 - Rip-T Circuit (Friday)

Thank goodness this was the last time I had to endure this workout. It's not that it was particularly hard, it's just not a fun one for me and I literally dread doing it. Well, now it's over with and I don't ever have to look back.

Day 69 - Speed 2.0 & Stretch (Saturday)

I'm happy that I got to finish off Beta Phase with my favorite workout, Speed 2.0 Can Shaun T please develop an entire workout program with these types of routines!? I like that it's so fast-paced, and that I'm so busy trying to keep up with it, that I can barely look at the clock. 

I must say, I am proud of myself for finishing the first two cycles of the Focus T25 workout program. Mostly, it wasn't too difficult to stick to the program, and I think it's greatly because the workouts are a mere 25-minutes each. That being said, sticking to a 2-month intense exercise program is not always a walk in the park. Of course there are days that I didn't feel like it, or weeks where I just couldn't motivate myself to eat healthily.

I'm super ready for Gamma Phase now! I haven't seen any of the workouts yet, but I have a feeling they are going to be crazy. I'll be off to South Africa next weekend and I'm not sure yet how easy it will be for me to fit in a daily workout, but I'm going to do my best.

After finishing Gamma Phase in four weeks, I'll write a detailed post on my general experience with the Focus T25 program, and how it compared to my INSANITY experience.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

FOCUS T25 (Week 9)

After the Major Fail a.k.a Week 8, I was so motivated to give it my all in Week 9. The weather has been so miserable, which definitely makes it harder to work out. I just have to keep reminding myself that we'll be on our way to summer in South Africa in exactly two weeks, which is a great reason to be in the best shape I can be.

I've been trying to eat healthier, but the colder it gets in Taipei, the more food I want to stuff in my face. Christmas meals didn't help much either on the eating-healthily front. Whatcha gonna do, right! Anywho...

Here are my updates from Week 9:

Day 57 - Rip-T Circuit (Monday)

I felt very motivated to exercise today, after I've not been able to work out since last Wednesday. It felt good to be back at it again, and although I'm not feeling 100% yet, I'm glad I'm back on track.

Day 58 - Dynamic Core (Tuesday)

Ugh! "Core" means ab workouts, and ab workouts means me moaning and groaning for 25 minutes. So that's that.

Day 59 - Core Cardio (Wednesday)

This workout was welcomed with open arms today, as we've all been freezing in the office. Finally we could jump around and get warm. And, working out on Christmas day!? We should be getting extra points for that!

Day 60 - Dynamic Core (Thursday)

Man! This one AGAIN. Hates it. At least I'm finally warm after freezing the whole day.

Day 61 - Upper Focus (Friday)

Today is so cold in Taipei, that we literally couldn't wait for our workout in the afternoon to just be able to warm up. We even did a quick 8-minute Speed 2.0 session in the morning to just get ourselves warmer. Upper Focus does not require that much jumping around, so we opted to do Speed 2.0 instead to warm up our bodies after work.

Day 62 - Speed 2.0 & Stretch (Saturday)

Today I substituted the Speed 2.0 workout with Core Speed, which is an alternative. Oh man, this workout is so fast and I could barely keep up. I liked it, but not more than Speed 2.0. Maybe it will go better next time, as I know the movements know and I wouldn't have to look at the screen as much. I didn't have time to do Stretch, as I got up too late and had lunch plans. Maybe I'll squeeze that one in tomorrow.

On Monday we're heading in to Week 10, which is the last week of Beta Phase. I really can't believe it, these couple of months have just flown by! I'm already looking forward to Gamma Phase, as I'm so ready for a new set of workouts.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

FOCUS T25 (Week 8)

This past week was a disaster, healthy-eating and exercise wise. I'm not sure if it's the disgusting cold and rainy weather in Taipei or what, but all I've wanted to eat are chips, baked goods and chocolates. I even had McDonalds, people! (*hangs head in shame) Whatever. YOLO. It's hard for me not to give in to cravings, because I never deny myself a treat. I vow to make healthier choices next week, though! Also, I couldn't exercise on Thursday, Friday or Saturday, so I feel like Week 8 was a total bust. Nothing I could do about that, let's just hope and pray that Week 9 will go much smoother.

Really, how are we at the end of Week 8 already?! It seems like just yesterday that I was so sore after Day 1's workout. Nowadays, I'm not sore after workouts anymore, although I can feel that I've exercised. Two more weeks and we're done with Beta Phase!

Here are my updates from Week 8:

Day 50 - Core Cardio (Monday)

I was relieved to see we had this workout today, because I feel it's the easier one out of the Beta Phase bunch. Damn, I've been so NOT in the mood to exercise today. The weather is gloomy and I'm wearing three layers of clothes. But, this feeling I have after working out is totally worth it!

Day 51 - Upper Focus (Tuesday)

Dumbbell time! For this workout, I feel like my 3kg weights are too heavy for some of the exercises. But I don't want to buy new ones just for this. My workout buddies have been innovative and filled up big milk bottles with water. Maybe I should get myself some of those, too. (Just for the one exercise where the 3kgs are too heavy for me.)

Day 52 - Speed 2.0 (Wednesday)

Even though I worked out by myself today, I had a good time during this one. If Shaun T came out with a workout program that only consisted out of these types of workouts, I'd be all over it! Next week, I'm going to substitute Speed 2.0 for Core Speed though, to see what that one's like. Hopefully I'll like it just as much.

Day 53 - Rip-T Circuit (Thursday)

No workout today, unfortunately. I had to go to the doctor and an exercise routine was just not in the cards for me.

Day 54 - Dynamic Core (Friday)

Still couldn't work out today. This sucks!

Day 55 - Speed 2.0 & Stretch (Saturday)

It's the 3rd day in a row that I couldn't exercise, and this is totally killing me! I always enjoy the Speed 2.0 workout, and I hate that I couldn't do it today. 

We officially have two weeks left of Beta Phase, and I'm super pumped for them! Because of health reasons, Week 8 kinda sucked and I couldn't exercise, which I hate. But, it does motivate me to go in to Week 9 on Monday and give it a 110%.

Enjoy your weekend, friends!

FOCUS T25 (Week 7)

FOCUS T25 Week 7 Results

Now that I've finished Week 7 of the Focus T25 workout program, I can really start seeing the results! (Damn, I wish I had taken "Before" photos, as this was absolutely NOT what my tummy looked like before I started...) I'm so excited because I've been working really hard to tone up and be stronger. I think that in the end, my final results might just be better than my INSANITY results. We'll see! 

Here are my daily updates from Week 7:

Day 43 - Dynamic Core (Monday)

I'm still not very familiar with the new workouts and I completely forgot that this one was jam-packed with ab routines. I do feel like my core is much stronger, but some of the ab workouts are just too hard for me. I try to keep up with it, but I'm still struggling.

Day 44 - Core Cardio (Tuesday)

Loved this workout today! I've been so cold today and didn't really want to change into my workout wear. But, once we got started it didn't even take me 3 minutes to warm up and start sweating. I do notice that's it's a lot harder to be motivated to work out in the colder months. How do you motivate yourself? I'm just thinking about next month's summer vacation and our wedding coming up. That's enough to keep me jumping like a crazy person!

Day 45 - Rip-T Circuit (Wednesday)

Flashbacks of last week's ab workout fiasco came screaming back to me today. Man! I just can't do those properly, my body just doesn't want to do funny ab thingies. Ugh!

Day 46 - Upper Focus (Thursday)

Oh yeah, this is the one with lots and lots of dumbbell exercises. I like those though! I worked hard today so I'm expecting really sore muscles tomorrow. We'll see...

Day 47 - Rip-T Circuit (Friday)

I decided to do my workout at home today, and not after work as usual. Bummer, forgot that this one needed dumbbells and I've been leaving mine at work. So I just did the Core Cardio workout instead, which I like a lot. Problem solved!

Day 48 - Speed 2.0 & Stretch (Saturday)

I can't even describe how much I LOVE the Speed 2.0 workout! It's so fast and fun and my favorite part is probably that it doesn't include any floor ab work. Yay! I probably look like a complete lunatic doing this workout (I hope nobody can see into my apartment...), because it really is non-stop-action-packed madness! If I can recommend you to try one workout, it would be this one!

So now there are only 3 weeks of the FOCUS T25 workout left! Even though I originally just planned on doing month 1 and 2, Alpha and Beta, I've decided to take on Gamma as well. So I'll start that some time in January and try to keep at it while we are on vacation in South Africa.

In general, my body is feeling amazing! My clothes fit differently and people have been commenting that I've lost weight, even though my weight has stayed basically the same. Obviously, I've definitely lost body fat and gained muscle. And muscles weighs more than fat. 

I still eat like a monster, just like I did when doing INSANITY, and I drink protein shakes. I try to eat healthier, but I do like to snack and I never pass the chance to eat a packet of chips or order dessert. Who cares? I'm very active, so I can eat whatever I want, right? 

Have a nice weekend, everyone! Talk to you again next week.

FOCUS T25 (Week 6)

I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous about starting Month 2, Beta Phase. Excited, but nervous. I couldn't help to think back on how different Month 1 of INSANITY was compared to Month 2, and I guess I thought it was going to be the same situation this time  around. 

But, luckily the workouts are still only 25 minutes, and I don't care if they are totally crazy. At least I only have to huff and puff and sweat and swear for 25 minutes a day. I can deal with that!

Actually, I love the Beta Phase so far! The workouts are definitely a challenge, but it's do-able and we enjoy them. (Well, except for all those damn ab routines.) Obviously, Shaun T wants to make double-sure that we have a strong core and toned tummy by the end of this program. 

Here are my updates from Week 6:

Day 36 - Core Cardio (Monday)

It's always tricky to do a new workout, as I had to keep my eyes on the screen to see what to do next. I knew that the Beta Phase workouts were going to be a lot harder than the first months', and I was so right! We were all totally out of breath during this one, but it was not I'm-going-to-kill-myself tough like the workouts from the second month of INSANITY.

Day 37 - Speed 2.0 (Tuesday)

This workout is not called Speed 2.0 for nothing! It is freakin' fast and non-stop! It was a challenge to keep up all the time, but I really enjoyed it, it's a fun, action packed routine with a lot of repetition.

Day 38 - Rip-T Circuit (Wednesday)

I expected much worse from this one, maybe because dumbbells (you can also use a resistance band) were included, which was a little scary to me. But, it ended up being okay and the workout had a lot of similar routines than Alpha Phase's Ab Interval workout. (Which, if you can remember, I'm not that fond of.) I do like using the dumbbells and it wasn't too difficult.

Day 39 - Dynamic Core (Thursday)

Boo for all the ab work! This one was also very reminiscent of Alpha Phase's infamous Ab Interval workout. At least I'm making progress... I think. 

Day 40 - Upper Focus (Friday)

I'm gonna feel this one tomorrow... and maybe the day after that, and the day after that... We did a lot of work with the dumbbells today and my hands are literally shaking right now. It's good though, I like that we are focusing a lot on arms and back in the Beta Phase.

Day 41 - Core Cardio & Stretch (Saturday)

Core Cardio is an awesome workout and one of my faves from FOCUS T25. I got up early to get my workouts in, and it always make me feel great to start off the day like that. P.S. My arms and back are killing me from yesterday's Upper Focus dumbbell torture!

Overall, LOVE LOVE LOVE Beta Phase! Definitely a little more challenging than the first month, but so easy to get through knowing it's only 25 minutes of hard work and giving it my all.

Also, I'm excited to see some abs making their appearance on my tummy! Yay! Thanks to Shaun T and his core cardio crazyness!

Have a wonderful weekend!

FOCUS T25 (Week 5)

We've officially finished the Alpha phase of the FOCUS T25 workout program, people! And that means we're halfway through the challenge. After 5 weeks of exercising 6 days a week, my body is so much stronger, I've lost inches around my waist and I feel more energized.

Here are my updates from Week 5:

Day 29 - Total Body Circuit (Monday)

We were a little upset to see that we have Total Body Circuit three times this week, but we gave it our all today. I'm definitely improving on the amount of push-ups I can do, and that I can hold a plank for longer than I used to. What what!

Day 30 - Ab Intervals (Tuesday)

I decided to not be negative about this one before starting, but that only lasted for, like, 5 minutes. My abs are definitely not very strong, so I find this workout so difficult and frustrating. I'd rather do any other exercise than ab workouts.

Day 31 - Total Body Circuit (Wednesday)

Here we go again... I had some new workout buddies today and it was actually a little funny to see them struggling. And I thought I was bad at this workout! It's good to know that I only have to do Total Body Circuit one more time until we're at the end of the Alpha phase. Hallelujah!

Day 32 - Cardio (Thursday)

Unfortunately I didn't have time to exercise today. Yes, seriously, I didn't have 25 minutes today to exercise. Work and a very loooooong hair appointment took up most of my day and I passed out at 21:30. I'll try to fit this one in over the weekend though.

Day 33 - Lower Focus (Friday)

Loved this workout today! It's been a little chilly in Taipei lately and this one really warmed us up. It felt great! Although Total Body Circuit is also scheduled for today, I'm going to do it tomorrow morning at home.

Day 34 - Total Body Circuit & Stretch (Saturday)

Yes! No more Total Body Circuit madness for me! I just finished it and I'm so happy I don't have to do it again. But, I have a sneaky suspicion that I'll long for this one once we start the Beta Phase workouts, which should be a lot more difficult... Oh well... Stretch was nice and I feel great now. I love ending my week's workouts with a good ol' Stretch.

It's unbelievable how fast the Alpha Phase went by. I've been working out 6 days a week for 5 weeks!? It really doesn't feel like it. 25 minutes per workout is nothing and it flies by! All this exercising has definitely paid off, and my body feels great! After 5 weeks, all the muscles in my body are more defined and I've lost inches around my waist (I can notice it when I have to start pulling up my skinny jeans every 5 minutes). I have a lot more energy during the day, and exercising this often causes me to make healthier choices when grabbing something to eat. But, old habits die hard and I still like to snack...

I would say that my legs and abs have developed the most, and my core is much stronger. I had a quick peek at the Beta Phase workouts and they seem to have more arm workouts, which is good. That was a little lacking in the Alpha Phase. 

I'm so motivated for the Beta Phase, and can't wait to start on Monday! Remember to check back next weekend for my first update of these new workouts.

Have a wonderful weekend!

FOCUS T25 (Week 4)

And that's Week 4, folks! I can't even explain to you guys how good I'm feeling. I have so much energy lately and I just have a general feeling of well-being. Exercise really is THE best thing you can do for yourself! I'm doing only 25 minutes of exercise a day, and I feel like a new person. Here are my updates from the past week's FOCUS T25 workouts:

Day 22 - Cardio & Stretch (Monday)

Today I had the day off work, so I decided to squeeze in the Stretch workout that I didn't do this weekend. It's weird working out at home by myself, and I missed my workout buddies. I had so much energy today! Probably because I slept in until 10:30, as opposed to my usual 6:15 Monday morning get-up. 

Day 23 - Total Body Circuit (Tuesday)

Guess what?! Total Body Circuit didn't kill me today. Yay! Am I finally mastering this horror of a workout, or was today just a fluke?! Not that it wasn't hard... I just didn't die a thousand deaths during and after. I've been eating a lot more protein lately. Could it be that?

Day 24 - Lower Focus (Wednesday)

This workout really took it out of me today, and I'm going to feel it tomorrow, for sure! We had a good time though, laughing and encouraging each other as we hit the hard parts. 

Day 25 - Total Body Circuit (Thursday)

FML. Yes, Tuesday's workout was just a fluke.

Day 26 - Ab Intervals & Speed 1.0 (Friday)

Two workouts again today. Luckily I had time to do Ab Intervals just after lunch at work, and we did Speed 1.0 after work. I really really hate the ab workouts, I much prefer a jumping-around-like-a-crazy-person kinda workout. Speed 1.0 was fast and fun as usual.

Day 27 - Stretch (Saturday)

I woke up feeling so good, saw that it was a beautiful sunny and blue-sky day, that I decided to go for a 20-minute jog in the park first before doing the Stretch workout. Great idea, because I feel fantastic!

I'm very excited for the next week of workouts, as it's the last week of Month 1 Alpha. After this week, we'll be starting with Month 2 Beta. I'm a little nervous because I haven't seen the workouts, but I'm ready for a fresh batch of workouts and a new challenge.

This past week I've really been trying to ingest more protein, as my muscles are working so hard, but I physically just can't eat a lot of meat. I tried some a protein shake, and although I like it, I decided to spruce it up and make a "Power Smoothie" out of it. Next week I'll post the recipe to my high-protein smoothie concoction, maybe those of you working out would like to give it a try.

Catch you guys next Saturday. Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

FOCUS T25 (Week 3)

Yes, this post is a couple days late. My weekend was a bit busy with work, a birthday party, a BBQ on Sunday and competing in a very special episode of "Survivor: Costco on a Sunday". (Okay okay, it's not a real show, but it should be. And we would kick *ss!) I'm lucky that I don't have to go to work today (Monday), so now I finally have time to update you guys on FOCUS T25 Week 3.

Day 15 - Total Body Circuit (Monday)

Bleh! I didn't really want to start the week off with this workout... I had no energy today and complained my way through it. Blue Monday. That is all.

Day 16 - Speed 1.0 (Tuesday)

I loved today's workout! This one is fast and crazy, but I really enjoy it. My muscles are sore today from yesterday's Total Body Circuit, but nothing I couldn't handle.

Day 17 - Lower Focus (Wednesday)

We had an awesome workout! I like Lower Focus and had a lot of energy today. My legs are a bit shaky now, and I just know I'm going to struggle up, and down, stairs tomorrow...

Day 18 - Cardio (Thursday)

We always enjoy this workout for some reason, and it just flew by! I love how fit I'm starting to feel (comparing to how I felt on Day 1) and I can easily keep up with the workout now.

Day 19 - Ab Intervals & Total Body Circuit (Friday)

Hell yes I did two workouts today! I decided to fit in the Ab Intervals workout after lunch time at work, and then tackled the Total Body Circuit after work. I feel amazing and accomplished right now, and really looking forward to the weekend, although I have to work tomorrow...

Day 20 - Stretch

I wasn't in the mood to do this workout this weekend, as I could probably have fit it in somewhere, so I just decided to leave it until Monday.

I honestly can't believe I've already finished 3 weeks of this workout program. Even though it's only 25 minutes a day, my body has changed so much already. The biggest changes I've noticed are that I have gotten so fit already and my stamina has improved a lot. I can now easily keep up with workouts that used to suck the life out of me.

Also, all the muscles in my body are getting more toned. My thighs, bum and arms are noticeably firmer and my abs and obliques are getting more defined. 

I once read somewhere that it takes 21 days to create a new habit, and I guess that this workout is now a part of my daily life. I don't even think about it. I just put on my gym clothes and get started and it's over before I know it.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! See you back here on Pretty.Random.Things. next Saturday for Week 4's updates. Toodles!

FOCUS T25 (Week 2)

So, here we are; Week 2, done and dusted! This week was so much easier for me than Week 1. It's incredible how quickly my body got used to these exercise routines, as I haven't been sore at all this week, and I can definitely already feel that it's much stronger.

Here are my daily updates from Week 2:

Day 8 - Cardio (Monday)

This was my 3rd time in a week doing the Cardio workout, and I'm pleasantly surprised that it went much better today than it did last Monday. Is it possible for your body to get fit this fast!? I know each week will get easier as I get used to the routines in each workout, as that means I don't have to look at the screen all the time and can focus on doing each movement perfectly. I'm feeling extremely motivated today and I'm excited for the rest of the week!

Day 9 - Total Body Circuit (Tuesday)

This is by far my least favorite workout. Maybe because it's the most reminiscent of the INSANITY workouts... I really dislike all the pushups, and can barely keep up. It's frustrating to not be able to do all the movements and keep up with the DVD, but I guess it can only get better from here?

Day 10 - Speed 1.0 (Wednesday)

I had to skip today's workout because I've been extremely nauseous today and struggled with a migraine most of the day. Even just walking around the house made my head hurt, so I can't imagine what it would have felt like to jump around. I might catch up with this workout on Sunday (my usual Rest day) if I'm not sore or tired.

Day 11 -  Cardio (Thursday)

Cardio. Again! My workout buddies and I really like this one and can now do it much better than that first day. I still get extremely tired towards the end, but luckily we have the option of modifying the routine, so I can just switch to that lower impact routine instead of stopping completely. Feeling really really good after this session.

Day 12 - Ab Intervals (Friday)

I went to a wedding straight after work so we didn't have time for our usual after-work Focus T25 session. I got home really late and was way too tired after my long day to exercise. Looks like I'll have to catch up some time this weekend.

Day 13 - Lower Focus & Stretch (Saturday)

I just finished the Lower Focus and Stretch workouts and feel so good and ready for the weekend. I'm thinking I'll do the Speed 1.0 and Ab Intervals workouts tomorrow to make up for the ones I missed this weekend. Am I too obsessed? I just don't want to fall behind and not give 110%. Plus, technically I had two rest days this past week.

It's crazy to think that two weeks of Focus T25 are already over. Eight to go! I'm noticing some changes in my body already. My arms, abs and legs are getting more toned, and my stamina when working out has increased a lot. I haven't weighed myself again since Day 1, so I might do it next week. I'm not trying to lose weight, but it's always interesting to see what happens to your body when you exercise this much.

I just want to be fit, toned and be healthy and feel energized. And by doing this workout program, I know I'm well on my way to reaching my goal.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

FOCUS T25 (Week 1)

Week 1 is in the books, b*tches! You must be thinking that I'm some kind of masochist for doing this to myself again, but actually, I just love me a good ol' fitness challenge. 

So, now that we've finished the first out of ten weeks of the FOCUS T25 challenge, I can tell you guys that this is not going to be a walk in the park. Don't let the only-25-minutes-a-day gimmick fool you, people. These workouts are tough! They might be short, but they are non-stop, action-packed high intensity madness.

Also, it's not really a 5 days a week program. On Fridays, we are supposed to do two workouts (which adds up to 50 minutes) and then you have the Stretch workout (which is also 25 minutes) on Sundays. To fit my personal schedule better, I'm doing the second workout from the Friday on a Saturday morning, and also switching the Sunday Stretch workout to after my Saturday morning workout. I have more time and energy on a Saturday to do a 50-minute workout and I want my Sunday to be a Rest day.

Throughout my FOCUS T25 workout program, I'll be writing a short update about my workouts daily, and I'll post them here on Saturdays. So here we go with Week 1's updates:

Day 1 - Cardio (Monday)

I have no idea why I thought this workout was going to be easy today... Well, seeing that I haven't really been on top of fitness lately, maybe that shouldn't have come as a surprise to me that I was already breathing heavily 3 minutes in. It was challenging, but definitely manageable. I like that I have the option to modify my movements, so instead of stopping, I can just switch to the easier, modified version and keep going. Fingers crossed that I can walk tomorrow...

Day 2 - Speed 1.0 (Tuesday)

I can't even believe how sore my muscles are today, I want to cry! Luckily, once we started today's workout and my muscles warmed up, they felt so much better. This workout was easier than yesterday's, but still made us sweat buckets. I love how quickly it went by!

Day 3 - Total Body Circuit ( Wednesday)

Today's workout was a hot mess. First of all, my sore body did not want to do anything, and then Shaun T threw in some one million push-ups... I had a really hard time keeping up, and was definitely just too sore to give 100%. I need a massage...

Day 4 - Ab Intervals (Thursday)

Ugh. Ab workouts are usually my least favorite and I didn't care much for this one. But, it was a nice break from jumping around like a crazy person, like we've been doing for the past three days. It was hard for me to keep up, my core must be very weak right now. I can already feel my lower back is going to hurt tomorrow.

Day 5 - Lower Focus (Friday)

I really enjoyed this workout today. Although also on the crazy side, the movements are much easier to keep up with and I felt that I could give my all for the entire 25 minutes. Even though I feel great right now, I'm saving the second workout, Cardio, for tomorrow. 

Day 6 - Cardio & Stretch (Saturday)

I love working out on a Saturday morning and literally jumped into these workouts and gave it everything I've got. Cardio was a lot easier for me today than it was on Monday, maybe because I knew what to expect and how to the movements. I immediately started the Stretch workout after finishing Cardio, and it was a very welcome, relaxing workout full of yoga-like stretches and did wonders for my very sore muscles. Tomorrow will be my day of rest. This bod really really needs it after what it went through this week.

I can't help but compare this workout to my INSANITY experience, and so far it has its pros and cons. I like that the workouts are only 25 minutes, and that it goes by really fast, but it seems that they've just cut out stretching and water breaks from a typical INSANITY workout and we're left with the 25 minutes of craziness. Not stretching properly has obviously been a huge problem, as my muscles have been extremely sore since Day 1. 

I must say that a short workout like this does make it easier to be motivated to put on those workout clothes and get started. Just when you feel that you can't go anymore, there's only 5 minutes left.

After a week, I can already feel my body changing. Isn't that crazy!? And there's absolutely no way that I won't be really fit at the end of this program. Although the workouts are tough, they are do-able and I like the variety of movements, way more than INSANITY.

I am extremely excited for the rest of this program, and can't wait to be fit again. My workout buddies have been awesome, and I love that my sister is also taking on the FOCUS T25 challenge all the way over in Dubai. She's a flight attendant, so she'll have to do her workouts in hotel rooms all over the world in the next 2 months, which is pretty funny.

Are you doing this program with us, or thinking about it? If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Be sure to come back in a week to read all about my 2nd week of madness!

5 Things I Love...

I love...

1. ... that Emirates (the airline that my sister, brother and his wife work for) has recently announced flights to Taiwan, which means I'll be able to see them more often, and be able to visit them in Dubai regularly now.

2. ... how I feel after a good workout at the gym.

3. ... dark chocolate. Period.

4. ... looking through old travel photos and daydreaming about future adventures with The Fiancé.

5. ... a friendly smile from a passerby on the street. No, not the creepy kind. Just the regular I'm-having-a-good-day-and-feel-like-smiling kind.

What are you loving today?

INSANITY Results

INSANITY Day 63

I thought it would be fitting to write a detailed report (I'm such a teacher...) of my INSANITYexperience, after updating you guys on my workouts every week for the past 2 months. Every time I talk to someone about doing INSANITYthey usually have the same questions, which I'll answer in this post. Also, check out my Fit Test results, which I'm super proud of, especially if you see where I started and where I finished.

Weight

The first thing everyone asks me is; "Did you lose weight?" I know that this is an important aspect for most people and their reason for exercising or doing a crazy workout program like INSANITY but like I said in my very first post, my goal was not to lose weight. I'm naturally slim and I don't think it's even possible for me to lose a lot of weight, unless I drastically cut back on my daily calorie intake, which is not an option for me, as I need lots of energy during the day at work, and, well, I like to eat and snack around the clock.

The most important thing for me was to get fit and toned, and to see whether I could actually do a workout program for 2 months straight. And I did achieve all these things. But, if you must know, on Day 1 of INSANITY I weighed 46.7kg (about 103 pounds), and on Day 63 I weighed 47.3kg (about 104 pounds). My body fat percentage decreased, and I've gained muscle mass, which as we all know weighs more than fat. My clothes definitely fit differently and I've gone down a size in jeans.

Honestly, there's no way in hell your body won't change (for the better) while doing this program; it is impossible. Unless you're sitting on the couch watching the workout DVDs instead of actually doing them. If you are carrying around some extra weight, you will definitely lose some of it, and if you are a lot overweight, you can lose even more.

I really do wish that people would not be so obsessed with weight though. What does it matter what you weigh? It's only a number. It doesn't measure your fitness, or your muscle mass, or how you look, or how you feel. By all means, get your body fat percentage measured, as that's basically the only thing that really counts if you are obsessed with losing weight.

INSANITY Day 27

General body changes

My body has changed a lot over these 2 months. First of all, I can feel my core is stronger and it's easier to sit up straight for a long time. My arms and back are more toned and my oblique muscles (the ones on the sides of your tummy) are more defined. My bum is also a lot more toned and so are my thighs and calves.

I wish that my abs would have been more defined, but I guess that's not really going to happen if you like to stuff everything in your face like I do. Overall, I'm very happy with the changes in my body and I like that my clothes fit better.

Fitness

I haven't been this fit in a very long time. My endurance, strength and stamina has increased so much. I remember how I felt when I did the first Fit Test on Day 1; I was exhausted and couldn't do many repetitions. While doing the Fit Test on Day 63, I felt amazing and I was so proud of myself when I compared my Fit Test results and see how I've improved from Day 1 to Day 63.

My INSANITY Fit Test results

Before/After pics

I know that I told you guys that I'd post some before/after pics after I've finished this program, but I realized they will probably pretty much look the same to most of you if I had to post two pictures next to each other. So I just posted some of my result pics.

INSANITY Day 27

My personal Pros and Cons of doing INSANITY

Pros
- More toned and fit body
- More energy during the day
- Sleeping better at night
- Healthy exercise routine
- The "high" after a workout
- Bonding with my workout buddies
- Increased fitness and stamina
- Feeling of accomplishment after finishing the 2-month program

Cons
- Working out 6 days a week
- Duration of workouts during Month 2 is very long (almost an hour)
- I felt hungry ALL THE TIME
- Having to work out when I didn't feel like it.

INSANITY Day 63

Tips for doing INSANITY

Get a workout buddy - I'm so happy that I had my two co-workers doing INSANITY with me. Believe me, you are going to need some motivation on some days, and having that other person there to cheer you on, will make you more likely to do it and get through it. Also, believe it or not, we had fun. You are going to want to talk about the workouts and you will need someone to complain to about how sore your muscles are. A workout buddy is perfect for that, as they are going through the exact same thing as you are.

Drink a lot of water - You have to stay hydrated for your organs to work properly. You will be putting your body through a lot and you will be sweating buckets. 

Take your vitamins - I'm no doctor, so if you want to make sure about this, ask your GP. I took a multi vitamin daily to make sure I'm getting everything I need for my body to perform at its best.

Eat more protein - You will absolutely have to up your protein intake, as your muscles will be working extra hard during this time. I recommend lean meats and fish and snacking on nuts like almonds.

Wear good trainers - I made the mistake of doing two workouts without shoes on (in my house on the carpet) and my ankles paid the price. They were sore for a week after that and working out was pretty painful.

Ladies, get a high impact sports bra - Believe me, you don't want to have "the girls" flying about while exercising. You are going to jump a lot and I promise you that you'll thank me for this tip. It is very damaging to breast tissue if you don't wear a good bra while doing vigorous exercise.

Eat something half an hour before working out - I found that eating something small, for a little bit of extra energy, about half an hour before the workout was best for me. A banana or an apple did the job.

Don't cut back on calories too much - I know that some of you want to cut back on your calorie intake to lose weight, but you are going to burn a lot of extra calories by doing these workouts anyway. Believe me, you are going to need the extra energy. 

Don't slack off - I remember slacking off a couple of times and I really regretted it afterwards. Actually, the hardest part is usually to just get started with your workout when you're not feeling like it, and if you can do that, put in 100% while doing your workout. You'll feel great afterwards if you know that you did your absolute best.

A huge thank you to all my cheerleaders who motivated and encouraged me through these past two months. It was a wild ride, but I don't regret it for a minute. If you've been thinking about doing INSANITY I hope my experience will motivate you to just go on and do it! You will definitely feel better and look better. What have you got to lose? Probably only a few pounds, or twenty...

If you've done INSANITY and have some extra tips to share, or would just like to tell us about your experience, please share. And to those of you who have decided to take on the challenge, just remember to "push!" and "dig deeper!".

INSANITY: Day 57 to 63 (Final Week)

Aaaaand... that's 2 months of pure INSANITY for ya, done and dusted! Can you believe I managed to finish this program? I can't! Here are my updates from the last week of madness:

Day 57 - Max Interval Plyo (Monday)

I have the day off from work and did the workout while The Boyfriend was out on his jog. I tried to persuade him to join me, but I guess after last time's spectacle, he knew not to give in this time. I love working out in the mornings and feel ready and energized for the day. Although, I know I'm probably going to be super lazy and do a whole lotta nothing...

Day 58 - Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs (Tuesday)

Oops... I realized that I did the wrong workout yesterday. I accidentally did Max Cardio Conditioning instead of Max Interval Plyo, so I had to switch them again today. I'm taking a little break now before I'm taking on Insane Abs, which I'm definitely not looking forward to. This week, I decided to do all my workouts at home, in the comfort of my air conditioner, which means I no longer have my workout buddies with me. Boo!

Day 59 - Max Interval Circuit (Wednesday)

I was Miss Lazy Bum today after I got home from work, and procrastinated like no other before I finally got up and did this workout. I'm feeling kinda over it now and looking forward to finish the program this weekend.

Day 60 - Max Interval Sports Training (Thursday)

I didn't even give myself a chance to sit down when I got home from work today, because it is so much harder to feel motivated for these workouts after you've sat down for a while after a long day at work. I just threw on my workout gear and had an amazing workout. Starving right now!

Day 61 - Max Interval Plyo (Friday)

Aunt Flo is in town (too much information?) which meant that I'm feeling a little sluggish at the moment and really just wanted to curl up in a ball on the couch and watch TV. I've also been having really bad headaches and cramps, which didn't make me excited for the workout at all today. But, I managed to pull through and just finished it.

Day 62 - Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs (Saturday)

I was super pumped this morning to do these two workouts, because they were the LAST ones. Yeah! After having my morning coffee and a banana, I jumped right into it and gave it my all for old times' sake. I was exhausted already before starting Insane Abs, and definitely struggled through that one. BUT, I'm finished now! Woohoo!

Day 63 - Fit Test (Sunday)

Tomorrow I'll do the final Fit Test. Eeek! I'm going to write a detailed post about my entire INSANITY experience and my final thoughts on this workout program, which should be up on the blog within a week. I'll include my Fit Test results, some before and after pics, my personal INSANITY tips for those of you thinking of taking on the challenge, and some other bits and bobs.

Thanks for everyone's support and motivation! Now it's time to celebrate. Cake anyone?