Knitter in Progress

CLX--finished it today and jotted down my final thoughts. Pros: --I love the weight work in CLX. The three month program changes up each month to keep things fresh and keep results coming. --The workout length is great. Each workout is between 30-45 minutes. --The program is set up on a 5 day per week schedule (as opposed to 6 for most of the other BB programs I've done). --I love the results I am getting. I definitely feel the drop in body fat and and I can really see a difference in my arms. All three times I went through P90X I noticed amazing strength gains but CLX has given more of the results I am looking for. --Best nutrition plan--this program and Turbo Fire have had nutrition plans that really work for me. I love the food choices and most are not too labor intensive(I hate it when you need about 50 ingredients for one meal). --The program comes with a motivational CD that I have been playing in the car and, though some people might not like it, it has been extremely helpfu...

Thoughts on my first week of Chalean Extreme . August 22, 2011: BURN Phase Day 1 I did Burn 1 this morning and I added in an additional cardio workout. I used the nutrition guide provided with the program and chose one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and two snacks. My breakfast was ricotta cheese with cinnamon, berries, and slivered almonds. I was NOT loving it. It's going to be a tough one to choke down all week, I'll tell you that. August 25, 2011: BURN Phase Day 4 Today it was Burn Intervals and Ab Burner both of which are right up my alley. I loved Burn Intervals what a great mix of cardio and weights. I am pleasantly sore from my workouts earlier in the week and that just lets me know that I am working things in a new way. I was thinking last night that October 2010 was the last time I did a weight workout. Turbo Fire uses resistance bands which I think are good for toning but it's not the same as hoisting good, old fashioned weights. I can...

I have finished the 20 week Turbo Fire schedule. I really enjoyed this last month because of all the long cardio and HIIT workouts. Overall, I loved the program and would recommend it to anyone who likes cardio and good music. Since doing Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire, my oblique muscles have never looked better. I have definitely gone down in my body fat percentage during this 20 weeks and I have lost around 10 pounds. Even better than all that, I went for my annual doctor's visit and my blood pressure is normal, all my blood work is normal, and I feel great :) I guess all this working out 6 days a week really makes a difference. I am hoping in the next 20 weeks I see even better results :) I will continue with the program as written as well as adding some additional works on occasion(ie--when I have the energy).

I have finished 16 weeks of Turbo Fire and I am getting ready to start the final month. I have noticed more progress in the last month than any other month so far. My obliques are in the best shape ever and I have dropped 5 pounds over the last month which I attribute to this workout as well as getting stricter with my eating. I am very happy that I purchased the advanced workouts(I bought just the DVDs as I do not take supplements and I already have a bunch of resistance bands). I like the longer cardio workouts and I think the toning workouts are a little better than the ones that come with the main program although I still think P90X is better for weight work. I really look forward to my workout time every day and that is saying something because even though I workout 6 days a week I don't always feel energized to do it.

In February I will: 1. Finish a book. **Nope but in my defense I am reading a book that is progressing very slowly and not keeping my attention--I'm about halfway. 2. Finish Diva's socks. **I finished one--one to go :) 3. Finish at least two pages of The Bramble and the Rose. **I did not get any stitching done this month. 4. Lose 5 pounds. **I lost 3 and I am happy with that :)

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...

Cardio or weights? Group athletics or individual? I think it is interesting how people gravitate towards different things. I have always been fond of cardio and weights and I embrace the thrill of pushing myself further and further with each workout. My DH is the opposite he enjoys group athletics and likes having a team to push him further. I always wonder about where everyone falls on this scale.

I don't know about anyone else but one of my biggest fitness/eating issues is motivation--mostly maintaining it. Eating I'm still working on but I have been using something over the last year that has helped me with my fitness motivation. I have been following the Eowyn Challenge . Last year I finished my trek from Hobbiton to Rivendell and very soon I will finish my trek from Rivendell to Lothlorien --I'm on mile 400 right now. Very soon I'll begin my trek from Lothlorien to Rauros which is 389 miles. I basically count a mile as 20 minutes of moderate to hard exercise since I don't really run(I tried it; it didn't take). The Eowyn Challenge site is really fascinating; I cannot believe how much effort went into figuring it all out. It's really inspiring. Of course, if Lord of the Rings isn't your thing, you could always figure out mileage to a favorite destination or a dream trip around the world. I use Tickerfactory to chart my progress and it really...