Knitter in Progress

I am halfway through my third round of P90X. This is more of a hybrid version where I have been mixing up the cardio days with different programs--mostly Turbo Jam and Cathe . I have also been mixing up the ab workouts. I do not really like Ab Ripper--in fact, I call it hip flexor ripper because that's the only place I feel that workout. I have been subbing in Turbo Jam Abs, Insanity Abs, and Cathe's Ab Circuit and Core Max to get a more varied abdominal routine. In addition to those modifications I have been been adding an extra cardio workout after every workout every other week--did you follow that? Basically, I add an additional cardio daily on alternate weeks. I am looking into getting Turbo Fire from Beachbody . I really enjoy Turbo Jam--love the music. Turbo Fire is a big step up from Turbo Jam from what I've read. It incorporates HIIT training (high intensity interval training) as does Insanity but I think I like Chalene's music style more(she's the instruct...

I finally finished my Penguins socks. I started them when they won the Cup(2009) and finished one very quickly and then the dreaded second sock syndrome hit and I worked on the second one sporadically. I thought I could finish them while watching games last season but what I have learned is that I cannot knit a lot during a Pens game--I get too into the game. But they are done now, ready for pre-season which starts at the end of September! I also started another pair of socks for my Grandmother. I'm trying to do them using the magic loop method. I'm not sure my gauge is the same this way but I am getting the hang of it. In other news, I started a third round of P90X when my kiddos started school in August and I have finished the first month, starting the second this week. I just love P90X even though it is sometimes a pain to make the time to workout everyday--the results are more than worth it. Speaking of which, I need to go workout now.

Monday: Yoga--skipped Tuesday: Core Synergistics Wednesday: Plyometrics--skipped Thursday: Stretch Friday: rest, actually out playing with friends Saturday: Yoga Sunday: Cathe's Step Blast First--I DID IT! I completed three months of P90X Lean. I started on December 26 and finished on March 29. Weight: lost 7 pounds Waist: lost 2 inches Hips: lost 2.25 inches I missed three workouts total in the whole time. I am more than thrilled with that since two of them were this week and the other was in my second recovery week. I never missed a workout during the training weeks. I even doubled up when I was sick. Working out a mandatory six days a week for at least an hour is a HUGE commitment for me. Thoughts on the program: I LOVED IT! It is as hard and challenging as you make it. If you push yourself every single workout, you will see a difference. I definitely gained a lot of strength during this program. When I started I really wanted to get better at push ups and tric...

Monday: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps/Ab Ripper **507 calories burned Tuesday: Cathe's Cardio Fusion **687 calories burned Wednesday: Back and Biceps/Ab Ripper **424 calories burned Thursday: Yoga **427 calories burned Friday: Rest Saturday: Core Synergistics **493 calories burned Sunday: Plyometrics **493 calories burned I'm starting my LAST recovery week this week. By next Monday I will have completed the program!

Monday: Chest and Back **380 calories burned Tuesday: Cathe's Low Max, Ab Ripper **749 calories burned Wednesday: Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper **444 calories burned Thursday: Yoga **466 calories burned Friday: Core Synergistics **492 calories burned Saturday: Cardio X **296 calories burned **I haven't done Cardio X in a while and it's still just as weak as I remembered :( Sunday: Rest **off today--unless you can burn a bunch of calories sitting in the sitting, knitting and stitching ;)

Monday: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps/Ab Ripper **456 calories burned Tuesday: Alt. Cardio **Cathe's 4DS--kickbox warm up/cardio/cool down **245 calories burned Wednesday: Back and Biceps, ab ripper **310 calories burned Thursday: Yoga **399 calories burned Friday: Core Synergistics **449 calories burned Saturday: **off** Sunday: Plyometrics **566 calories burned

I started my last phase of Lean this week. As of 60 days: **I have lost 5 pounds **I have lost 1.5 inches off my waist **I have lost 2 inches off my hips **I am definitely stronger and I am meeting a lot of the goals I have set for myself as far as strength training goes. This week: Monday: Chest and Back, Ab Ripper **I had not done Chest and Back prior to this week. I really liked it. Tuesday: Alternate Cardio **Cathe's Cardio Fusion premix(48 minutes) **2.5 mile walk with the kiddos Wednesday: Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper **I love Shoulders and Arms. I think this workout and Legs and Back are my favorites. Thursday: Yoga **This workout is definitely helping with stress. It is so nice to be able to focus on nothing but holding positions for an hour and a half. Friday: Rest **I worked out late last night and I had plans today so I'm switching up my rest days. Saturday: Core Synergistics **I don't know what it is with this workout lately but I feel like I'm draggi...

My workouts got rearranged this week due to the fact that I had a monster cold which knocked me out for two days of the week. This was also my second recovery week. Monday: **Yoga Tuesday: **sick Wednesday: **sick Thursday: **Core Synergistics Friday: **Cardio X **Stretch Saturday: ** Cathe's Kick Max (cardio only) Sunday: **unintentional off day, I decided to go out to a late lunch with my husband--at PFChangs--and no kiddos(I love them dearly but there is definitely something to be said for a couple hours of adult conversation).

Days 43-49 Core Synergistics: **505 calories burned Plyometrics: **533 calories burned Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders/Ab Ripper: **499 calories burned Rest Yoga: **270 calories burned during the moving asanas(spelling?); I took the monitor off during the standing asanas. **I almost skipped this workout due to a lot of personal goings-on over the last couple of days but I decided to push my way through so I wouldn't get behind and I'm glad I did because it really helped clear my head. Legs and Back: **460 calories burned Cathe's 4DS: Double Cardio Premix, Core Max/Section 1: **457 calories burned ************************************* Next week is my second recovery week and I'm more than halfway through the program. Hurray!!

Day 36-42: Core Synergistics: **burned 491 calories Plyometrics: **burned 530 calories Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps/Ab Ripper: **burned 346 calories Yoga: **I didn't wear my heart rate monitor today. I feel like it gets in my way during yoga. Legs and Back/Ab Ripper: **367 calories burned Alternate Cardio: **Cathe's IMAX Extreme **653 calories burned Thoughts on the week: **I tried wearing my heart rate monitor for all workouts(except yoga and stretch) just to get an idea of how many calories I'm burning. It's about what I thought which makes me feel good--I like that I am able to gauge my own intensity even if I'm not wearing the monitor. **Food: the usual problem. It really stinks that 80% of your results are based on what you eat(10% genetics, 10% exercise). I try to keep telling myself that food is fuel but darn I really like to eat and not always healthy. I'm going to do more work with my journal next week. I may use Weight Watchers Points next week just t...

I finished three Barn Raising squares this month. Clockwise from the top: Great Adirondack Soxie, Shibui, and Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport(leftover from Diva's hat). I also finished this , but it's a Ravelry link because of the whole secrecy thing. ********************************* P90XLean: Plyometrics I love this one more and more every time I do it. It's a lot of jumping but I can feel my jumps getting higher and higher each time. I burned 513 calories.

I blocked some knitting finishes today including part of the mystery gift project. I'll post about all of it tomorrow after it dries. I can't believe it's only the end of January; this month seemed so incredibly long to me. Oh, and I receive the Carreaux cross stitch pattern today--just as lovely in person. ************************************* P90XLean--Legs and Back, Ab Ripper This workout has made it's reappearance in the rotation. I made it through with the same weights I used before my recovery week(15 and 20 pounds). There was much cursing and complaining on my part so I'm thinking that's how I know if I'm "bringing it"--when I want to throw something through the screen but I'm incapable of it because I have to concentrate so hard on what I'm doing.

P90X Lean--Day 31/90--Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps New phase, new workout. Today I got up close and personal with Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps. If you can picture that the muscles in your body are arranged into "pushing" muscles and "pulling" muscles then you might be able to understand why this hour was tough. It's all "push" and no pull. You do tons of push ups, triceps extensions plus a bunch of shoulder work. I'll be feeling this one tomorrow. Oh, and on top of that I had to do the Ab Ripper workout immediately following all that pushing. Good thing I have yoga tomorrow to loosen things up.

Today was a cardio day. I decided to do Cathe's IMAX 2 --love it--burned 507 calories. Step aerobics will always be my first love, I think. I never feel better than after a really intense hour or so of step. Eating today--marginal. I should start posting what I eat everyday, but I won't(at least not yet). ********************************* In other news, I did a bit of cross stitch shopping today while I was waiting for the refrigerator guy--I didn't mention that our ice maker died--well it did before the truck did. The truck is fixed. The ice maker still isn't working despite assurances from the repair man that it was fixed. The ice maker has been "fixed" since 11am and now at 9pm I haven't seen a single cube. Guess who I'll be calling tomorrow.

Well, the truck has been to the dealership and is now back in the garage. The fastest turn over from dealership X we have ever had--it must have something to do with the crappy state of car sales as in they have nothing else to do. Apparently, the "module" that translates the transmission stuff to the car's computer died. So now that it's replaced Truckie is back on the road and we're all happy. ************************************* P90X Lean: Today I started Phase 2: Core Synergistics Because I was handicapped by one car, I did not get to workout until after dinner which is always a bad thing for me. I'm tired and my body just does not want to cooperate. So I pushed myself but I just burned out on some of the exercises. Also, as I looked at my food log I realized the only protein I had today was at dinner which may also explain my lack of energy. Thoughts on my first month of P90X: --I lost 3 pounds --I lost 1.25 inches from my waist --I lost 1.5 inches from ...

I got my yoga workout in. I watched the NHL skills competition. I went out to dinner and a movie with some of the crew(Underworld: Rise of the Lycans--which was awesome). Then on my way home. . . my truck died. I'm not sure if it's last rites time; I'll keep you posted.

P90XLean: Plyometrics I worked out early this morning due to other obligations during the day. I really dislike working out right after I roll out of bed but I managed to get through it in one piece and burned about 513 calories which is a little on the low side but as I said it was early. This is by far my favorite cardio workout in the series. Only one more workout and then I'm finished with my first recovery week and on Monday I begin Phase 2.

I will have a bit of time on my hands this afternoon to do something. I'm torn between my secret knitting project and stitching. I want to do both; I do not have time for both. I should knit but I don't always like to do what I should do, you know? Decisions, decisions. ******************** P90X Lean: Stretch This is the first time I have done the Stretch DVD. It is an option every 7th day but I usually take the rest day instead. I may have to rethink that, at least occasionally, because there are some stretches in this one where I can see that I have major room for improvement.

Remember how yesterday I said I was going to get to Core Synergistics before dinner. Um yeah, that didn't happen. SO today I did Core Synergistics AND, instead of Kenpo, I did a workout from Cathe's 4 Day Split--the Double Cardio premix which rocked as always. I was beat during my workouts today. Not just because of the length; I was just drained today but I soldiered through and I'm ready for tomorrow :) Now I'm all caught up.

It's a beautiful day here in Colorado and I'm pretty sure we're in the minority when compared to the rest of the country. It's almost 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. And to make this day even more special--the Inauguration of our new President. Thank God. It is so refreshing to listen to a president who can speak without sounding like he just rolled off a turnip truck. Bring on the change, Obama!!!! ******************************** P90X Lean: Core Synergistics I have not worked out yet today. I took my usual workout time off so that I could sit and bask in the glory of the inauguration speech; I'm tearing up just thinking about it. I LOVE a good public speaker and we haven't had one since Clinton. Anyhow, I'll be working out before dinner.