Knitter in Progress

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 :)

About a week ago Casa KiP got back from 6 days in Walt Disney World. And for those of you who knew about our last trip , yes, we did in fact take Rage. I, personally, was not really interested in going to Florida in January BUT we had to go then because my sisters and one of my brothers-in-law were participating in the Goofy Challenge. The Goofy Challenge for the uninitiated is running the 1/2 marathon and the full marathon during Mickey's Marathon Weekend. Why would one do this you ask? Well, because you get three medals--a Donald, a Mickey, and a Goofy. They also got three very sweet shirts. I will admit that during the excitement of the weekend I wondered why I didn't decide to do it too but then I remembered I HATE running. I have never once gotten a "runner's high" mostly I just curse every step I am taking and then I curse those steps for days afterwards because my shins and my feet hurt so much that I can't walk so running 39.3 miles in two days was not...

November 14: This was a good week--all cardio, no HIIT this week or for the next few weeks. I did try using the weighted gloves three times this week; it felt harder unfortunately I did not wear my heart rate monitor to get a gauge as far as calories burned. I am debating on whether to continue using the two tone and sculpt videos--they are really easy--I may sub in P90X Shoulders & Arms and Chest & Back. I am also toying with the idea of adding in an extra cardio three days a week during this cardio only phase. November 21: I added the weighted gloves for all the cardio this week and I love the added challenge--it's just enough. I used a higher resistance band for the toning workouts--it didn't really add that much of a challenge. I will be interested to see if the advanced dvds offer more of a toning challenge. I am also adding in four days a week of running; I'm helping my kiddos train for a race in January so I end up running with them. November 28-December 18: ...

I have been thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2011. One of the higher priorities on my list is to finish some of my works-in-progress--it seems that I add to my works-in-progress, then start to feel overwhelmed by everything on the needles, then start something else to take my mind off it. I am going to change that this year. So 11 in 11 is born. The rules are simple: **I will finish 11 things before the end of this year(and if I finish more bonus). **A finish in knitting = finishing a piece **A finish in regular cross stitch = finishing a piece **A finish in HAED stitching = finishing a page(trust me each page of these projects is more than the equivalent of another type of project). What types of crafty endeavors do you all have planned for the next year?

Year in Review 2010 1. your best FO of the year: Based on the tenacity it took to master the pattern, I would say my Skew socks are my best FO of the year. 2. best FO of the year made by a blog you link to: I have not really been reading as many blogs but there are plenty of FO on Ravelry that I have liked this year. 3. best yarn you tried: No new yarn for me this year--I stuck with my old stand bys. 4. best book/mag/pattern of 2010: Book: I have to say that, for me, Aran Knitting was my favorite release of 2010 in the knitting category. I also loved Amy Butler's Style Stitches so much that it motivated me to buy a sewing machine. Magazine: Oxygen is still my favorite magazine--I look forward to reading it every month. As for knitting, I have found myself buying Vogue knitting more and more and disliking Interweave Knits more and more. I am letting my Interweave subscription go when it's up this year which is bittersweet for me as I have subscribed to it since I started knitti...