The BellaDonna, Get off Your Ass Journal

[BellaDonna]

Day 35- combined my cardio and lower body workout today since I had to miss the cardio over the weekend due to chaos and a to do list that was mile long! I prioritized sleeping in over my cardio. I needed to majorly catch up on sleep.

[BellaDonna]

Day 38

 

Cardio Treadmill at home- 20 minutes BFL HIIT, ab bootcamp

 

I'm staying on track. I am having the HARDEST TIME EVER getting my workouts in. It's required that I wake up super early in the morning. This is the busiest season at work for me and since I have to be in earlier I have to exercise even earlier.

 

There have been days I just wanted to stop BFL because I'm exhausted!!!!! Working out every other day is much better for me than working out 6 days in a row but I am pushing through it. I just wish there was more time in a day!

[SWEET_J]

In the BFL book there is an excerpt where Bill Phillips talks about this issue. He said NO ONE ever complains they have TOO much time on their hands and they just need something to do with it..lol..

Lack of time is the NUMBER ONE thing most people complain about when it comes to working out.

He said you just have to readjust your priorities and make time where you can.

But I completely understand your your frustration!!! Just keep focusing on the BIG PICTURE.

Like the book said...you are making a promise to YOURSELF...you CAN DO THIS!!!

[sidehop]

I think sometimes with any programs and lifelong changes there will be days that you get derailed, have no motivation and energy. Plus most of us aren't training for the Olympics to win a gold medal but rather have a healthy lifestyle which isn't always going to be perfect. In that sense it's probably not going to hurt to indulge, relax, forget about working out for a day or two but stay active and do other things that you enjoy.

[BellaDonna]

I'm still on track but feeling dead lol. I will get to the gym later today.

 

Over the weekend I did massive house cleaning and also switched our 3 closets around for the colder season. That is always a painful task! At some point during all of it I managed to hurt my back a little. Nothing major- the chiropractor will probably pop it back into alignment tomorrow.

[BellaDonna]

Day 44-

 

Gym Workout

 

Cardio 30 minutes HIIT on ellipitical crosstrainer - I did an extra 10 minutes due to not completing my workout first thing in the morning

 

Abs- 3 sets of 15- traditional crunch, extended crunch, obliques Ab machine- 2 sets of 12 Captain's Chair 2 sets of 12

 

Stretching - 10 minutes

 

Soaked for a bit- my back feels a lot better.

[metrogirl]

I want to be like Bella when I grow up. LOL

[BellaDonna]

LOL you're too funny! I wouldn't wish this upon anyone lol. I'm becoming very grumpy during my BFL challenge. Almost wanting to quit.

 

I have been thinking about the synopsis sidehop gave:

 

Plus most of us aren't training for the Olympics to win a gold medal but rather have a healthy lifestyle which isn't always going to be perfect. In that sense it's probably not going to hurt to indulge, relax, forget about working out for a day or two but stay active and do other things that you enjoy.

 

Sometimes I wonder if it is feasible for me to be working out 6 days a week and how important is it REALLY for my bodyfat percentage to reach a certain number. I'm just "a mom" and I'm not joining a fitness competition.

 

But then I remind myself of the personal standard I hold to remain in good shape and that my worst nightmare would be to turn into a "soccor mom" that drives a minivan and thinks, eats, drinks, sleeps "KIDS" and who loses herself in that role. -A woman who has lost every last ounce of her edge and appeal due to motherhood. It's far too easy to get caught up in the soccor mom lifestyle. I have to reserve fitness as something all my own to embrace. I need to still look my best and not "let myself go". I'm not doing this for my husband or anyone else- just myself. That is why I do this.

 

I also vowed to only drive an SUV- never a minivan. lol I've been in vans and they are damn comfortable and convenient and I can see why people own them. I just can't do it though. I must preserve the pre-child me. lol

[SWEET_J]

Bella I think your mindset is a very healthy and reasonable one. If I had children I think I would have the same mindset. I think it's AWESOME that you have these standards for yourself. It takes a LOT of tenacity, dedication and hard work to do what you do. If you slip here and there you can afford to

let it go....because NO one except YOU is holding you accountable. The problem is when we become complacent..and I think that's your fear. Don't beat yourself up too much. In fact I think doing the BFL five days a week is acceptable...if youtruly feel you need that extra day of rest then take it. Chances are if you give yourself permission to do it, yo won't want it..lol...weird how the human brain works...

 

You're doing awesome!!!

[BellaDonna]

I'm still staying on track.

 

FREE DAY today- I am not splurging too much with my eating. I may have buffalo wings later from Hooters take out.

 

I enjoy sitting by a fireplace all day and doing nothing. Lazy Sunday.

[BellaDonna]

I have been following BFL still- just too lazy to post each workout in my Journal.

 

Today is my Free Day. Yippey! I have a Halloween party to go to tonight so I am sure there will be plenty of treats to indulge in. I am dressing as a tiger. I am pleased with the way the costume dress fits me- no lower stomach protruding. yay

[SWEET_J]

Have a great time Bella!!!! Halloween is one of my favorite 'holidays'...LOVE IT!!!

I will be unable to post again unti next week...but gonna stick as close to the plan as I can

on my cruise...have fun!!!

[BellaDonna]

Weird.

 

I was watching a home video from last year (Christmas). I feel like I looked better then than I do now. I hate that because I was not going to the gym back then. It is like a demotivator for me to see that.....grrr

 

My thighs looked better and smaller before I was doing BFL. I feel like building my quads since going to the gym makes my legs look less slim. I'm wondering if I should ditch some of the weight training and add in some yoga which will lenghten and tone my muscles. If I did that I would no longer be a BFL'er. I think I could live with that though.

 

I am at the point where I am dreading my BFL weight training workouts- they take too long. If I did some yoga it would be a form of stress relief along with exercise.

 

(SWEET J- I hope your ears are not ringing while you are on your cruise as I make this drastic dissent from BFL lol)

[sidehop]

I'm sure videos and such can throw things off. Could be water retention too?

 

Although I know people that skip certain workouts like working out the obliques as the muscle builds, it looks like they're getting bigger love handles. At one point in time I stopped doing them with Insanity also.

 

I know that feeling...you do feel like plateauing with the routine.

[BellaDonna]

I guess my overall sentiment is that my primary goal in being fit and losing weight is to look smaller and thinner. I am noticing now when looking at pics & vids that a 45 minute lower body workout a few times a week is not really giving me those results. Now I have built-up quads and my thighs do not look smaller. They looked smaller when I was not working out as intensly and eating Christmas cookies in a Christmas video. Go figure! lol

 

Could be water retention too?

 

 

I don't think so. That usually affects the looks of a stomach and face but not really legs. I feel like having rock hard legs is making me look like a rock. I don't want to look like a big rock. lol

 

I'm kind of bummed out that I would look better when I wasn't even busting my ass like this. lol Well they do say that most of weight loss is diet. Intense exercise may not make a huge difference for me. I might just be better off with yoga and cardio and short weight training routines. I might not need to make my muscle feel an intense burn and be sore for 2 days later. I think it is just going to make me have bulkier legs. I should mention this does not happen with my upper body so it might just be my genetics. I'm just likely to over-build in that area (legs). Even in professional weight training competitions you will notice that bodybuilders tend to be disproportionate despite their best efforts to bulk up evenly.

 

I think I need to contunue with upper body at it's current intensity, lower the intensity of anything to do with thighs, keep calf challenged and abs for sure (but like you I do not over-focus on obliques due to fear of the dreaded "handles")

[sidehop]

Have you done actual fat caliper measurement and tape measure to see if you actually gained more muscle mass? If it makes you feel any better my legs measure 24" around. Too much biking over the years and my upper looks out of proportion. Kind of off balance really, big head + medium body + horse legs.image removed I hated doing upper with BFL...still do.

 

I'm still contemplating the P90X for the same reason and throw in cardio on leg days.

[BellaDonna]

I have a scale which measures bodyfat percentage and on that scale my muscle mass has increased and my bodyfat percentage decreased. I'm afraid of looking like a grasshopper with giant quads.

 

image removed

[metrogirl]

LOL.....how on earth did you u come up with the whole grasshopper thing? I was like "why is she posting pics of insects?" lmao

[BellaDonna]

LOL because of how big the tops of it's legs are. -First creature that came to mind. lol

[BellaDonna]

I feel a little bit liberated today.

 

This is my plan: continue to follow BFL way of eating, minus 2 carb servings a day (from the last 2 of the 6 meals). I will still have a free day once a week because I think it is vital for keeping me sane and also tricking my metabolism not to store fat.

 

I'm going to tone it down a knotch with the weight training and reduce the 45 minute workouts to 30 minutes and increase the 20 minute cardio back to 30 minutes. I am going swap out weight training for yoga once a week- eliminating one lower body day- which should help with the cricket quads lol. I am also going to make an effort to add in more activity daily whenever possible.

 

So today so far I took a 60 minute walk with my son to the post office instead of driving.

 

Tonight I will hit the gym for some Upper Body weight training and a leisurely swim in the pool afterwards.

[BellaDonna]

Today's Gym Workout

 

HIIT cardio on ellipitical 30 minutes

 

Ab bootcamp 15 minutes- combination of machines and floor exercises

 

Stretching 5 minutes

[BellaDonna]

Yesterday was my free day. I actually ate very well all day until it was time to pass out Halloween candy.

 

Then I indulged in 3 reese's peanut butter cups, 1 kit kat, and one bag of peanut M&M's Chocolate binge, anyone?

 

I knew it would happen so that is why I tried to behave all day. I never keep candy like that in the house ....when it is in front of me on Halloween my willpower is ZERO!!!! At least it was planned cheating I guess .

[sidehop]

My goodness there are candies everywhere. Rite Aid actually had people lined up buying 50% of candies as if the kids didn't bring back enough candies. Kit Kat was good...and peanut M&M's even better

 

I guess my wife and you will be fighting over those Reese's peanut butter cups. She LOVES them. I rarely touch them.

[BellaDonna]

I could live on Reese's peanut butter cups. Chocolate and peanut butter together is one of the best combination on Earth. Luckily my husband shares the same view on this (it was actually one of the first things we realized we had in common when we met lol) So a lot of our first dates were to the ice cream parlor for REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP SUNDAES - yum!

[BellaDonna]

I woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning. The scale said I lost 2lbs.

 

I have to say, since I have lowered the intensity of some of the weight training I am no longer extremely hungry and I have an easier time cutting down on the carbs. I also have been drinking decaf green tea 2-3 times a day now. I think the change of course has boosted my metabolism. I feel like my stomach is not bloated now that I have been drinking the green tea.