Viva la Resistance: The recap

Move that body: 1-mile walk with a planned run tonight on the 'mill

Today is Dec. 1.

Exactly one month since Nov. 1.

Nov. 1.

That's when I promised myself - and y'all - that I would complete two strength/resistance training sessions a week.

Yeah, about that.

I am not the ripped girl that I hoped I'd be and I'm not here bragging about doing curls with the 15-pound weights in the garage. However, it was important for me to set the goal and even more important for me to try. I could have done better - maybe - but I did something.

Viva la Resistance: The results

Number of weeks in challenge/number completed: 5/3.5

Number of times I did Jillian Michaels: .5

I started it once but Miles got super fussy. I've found that the best resistance routines are those that are easily interrupted, i.e. weights in front of "Good Morning America."


Number of times I squeezed in a session while watching "The Biggest Loser": 3 - nothing like Dolvett to get you moving.

YUM!

Favorite workout: A circuit that requires just two pieces of equipment - a set of hand weights and a jump rope. Wait. Make it three pieces of equipment - a set of hand weights, a jump rope and a cell phone. Blast Pandora on your cell phone and set a timer on your phone for 15 minutes. Jump rope for one minute; drop it. Do a lower body move (squats, lunges, dead lifts, side lunges and curtsey lunges) for one minute. Pick up your weights if you didn't use them for the lower body move and work up (bicep curls, shoulder raises, upright row, tricep extension, widegrip curls) for one minute. Repeat 5 times, doing a different lower body and upper body exercise each time around.

How did you do with the challenge?

By the way, you'll get two entries into the giveaway (which includes a Bic Band, iTunes gift card, magazine subscription and Bob Harper DVD) for commenting and three if you completed the challenge. I've been keeping track on a spreadsheet with all who have entered and commented on previous posts. I'll select the winner of the giveaway Sunday night.

Viva la Resistance: Let’s be honest

Move that body: Mish mash circuit workout

I had high hopes when I gave myself the November Viva la Resistance challenge. I thought it was just what I needed to get myself going in terms of strength training. Reporting back to you, and my desire not to let anyone down, would motivate me to get up at 5 a.m. and hang out with Jillian Michaels.

And, to an extent, the challenge was what what I needed. I am forcing myself to do even the slightest of weight workouts just to meet the goals of Viva la Resistance (two sessions a week). I take advantage of Miles’ post-run naps to do a bit of Pilates.

However, I have yet to get up early and successfully complete a Jillian workout. I’d like to partially blame Miles, who hasn’t gotten back on a schedule since the time change, but I know part of it’s me. I choose sleep over exercise. At night, I choose couch time over exercise. And on the weekends, I’m often catching up on a missed run.

Plain and simple, it’s hard and I’m not meeting my expectations. BUT, I’m not going to beat myself up. I’m trying and meeting the minimum requirements; I am not giving up; and I’m learning a lot.

My Viva la Resistance lessons (so far):

Be creative. If Miles wants to be held but I’m trying to fit in a session, I find ways to incorporate him into the workout. I’ll put him on the yoga mat and do a pushup so that each time I lower to the ground I give him a big ole kiss. I’ll wedge him, in the Boppy, between my legs and do sit-ups.

Create a mantra … and stick to it. This is a recent thing, like the past two days, but I’m starting to ask myself, “What do you want more?” What do I want more: To lie on the couch or make Dolvett proud during “The Biggest Loser” commercials? What do I want more: Clean laundry or a 15-minute circuit workout?

Identify obstacles and find a way around them. My biggest problem is trying to get things done with Miles around. He’s needy, as I assume most babies are, and wants to be held a lot. I can’t lift weights and hold him. I just can’t. I can take a class outside of the house and devote 45 minutes to myself. My friend and fellow blogger L told me about a December boot camp class. It’s twice a week for three weeks, and it’s only $30. The fee is worth the time for me and the chance to socialize, rare things this day.

How have you been keeping up with the challenge? What are your obstacles?

Weighing in: So long, sucka

Move that body: 2-point-something mile run and 20 minutes pilates

I said good bye to my friend, today.

I was not sad.

I was glad to see her go, actually.

After all, I spent what seems like 3 months trying to get rid of her.

I think I should celebrate … with some ice cream. Or, better yet, a pedicure. My feet are looking crazy now that I’m running more miles. Probably how I kicked that friend to the curb, anyway.

Blogger’s note: Be glad I’m not like other bloggers and thus too lazy to get off the couch and grab the camera to take a picture of my feet.

Weighing-in rundown

Weight loss this week: 0.8 pound

Pounds till WW goal: 1

Pounds till pre-baby weight: 11

Pounds till I can fit into my cords that are now required as it SNOWED today: ??

What’s working this week: Miles. More miles. I think the week’s total was 18.

What’s not working: I already told you – snacking. Carb-heavy snacking.

Goals for the week: Pick up some snacks that don’t involve carbs when I go to the grocery. You know, things like vegetables and salsa.

Viva la resistance

My goal is two resistance workouts a week and, well, I sort of accomplished that. I did an intermittent upper body workout. By intermittent I mean doing weights for about a minute at a time at which point Miles screamed forcing me to stop and pop that God send of a pacifier back in his mouth. This morning, I did do 20 minutes of pilates – 10 minutes focusing on the abs and 10 minutes on the butt.

How are you doing with your resistance training? Did it snow where you live?

Weighing in: My new BFF and Viva La Resistance

Move that body: Scheduled 4-mile run (keep me to this, mmkay)

I lost a pound this week - the same pound I've been losing and gaining for the past six weeks.

Yeah, I'm pretty awesome. At least that's what I'm assuming as this pound does not want to leave for good. Nothing, not even weight, apparently, wants to leave a good thing.

::shrugs::


What's working. Um, yeah ... exercise ... I guess. The eating was a bit testy this week. I like sugar. A lot.I did, however, plan for and bring my lunch. I made these sushi bowls and they are awesome. (Note: I subbed brown jasmine rice for the white rice because that's what I had on hand and completely skipped the sriracha because I didn't think I'd need it with the wasabi.) Oh, and even though my mini workout seemed sort of lame the other day - just me and 3-pound weights - I was totally feeling it the next day ... and the day after that.

What's not working. I have been secretly hoping to go on walks during my lunch break but I've had to leave work early almost every day this week and have been eating at my desk.

Goals for the week. Drink more water - I've been totally slacking - and rock it out at the W.O.O.F.

Viva La Resistance. It's only Nov. 3 and I've already fit in two sessions. Well, if you count Halloween's workout. I'm really happy thus far that I'm finding a bit of motivation to get stronger. And since I made my goal this week, I thought I'd sweeten the prize pot for you participants out there.

Say hello to my little friend.

Oh, you know, he's just the trainer extraordinaire from "The Biggest Loser." I picked up a copy of the DVD for me and, since it was on sale, one for you. It will keep us motivated once the challenge is through.

For my comrades in the Resistance, how has your week been going? Have you found a workout you love?

If you haven't joined in, this post will be your last chance. Simply comment with your commitment here or on the initial challenge post and get pumping!

Early to bed, late to rise

I am the coolest person on the planet. Seriously. The coolest.

Last night, I had just put Miles to bed and Mark and I were sitting on the couch. I was watching something on TV, and he had playing with his iPad. I glanced over and saw he was watching a movie.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Oh,” he said. “ ‘Last of the Mohicans.’ ”
 
“ ‘Last of the Mohicans’?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "Why?"

I frowned. I loved "Last of the Mohicans." Twas I who put it in the queue my Netflix account. And he was going to watch it on his iPad? Nuh-uh. I promptly demanded he turn it off and put it on the big screen, as any well-behaved adult would.

And then I promptly fell asleep. At 7:50 p.m.

Sorry, Daniel Day Lewis. Please don't hurt me. I promise to pretend to think you're still cute.

Such an early bed time should have made it quite easy for me to get up at 5:20 to get in some Jillian. Should have. Instead, I stayed in bed with Miles (part of the getting up problem) until 6:15 when he was good and hungry.

Don't worry, friends. I still managed to get a jump start on my Viva La Resistance November challenge. While Miles was chilling on his tummy time mat, I busted out the 3-pound weights and did three sets of 12 reps of the following:

Bicep curl with overhead press
Bent-over row with tricep kickback
Mommy pushups
Crunches
Wide-grip curl
Shoulder press
Bicep curl
Overhead extension

It didn't take much time - 10 or 15 minutes - but it hit most of the major muscle groups. I also managed some squats and lunges in the kitchen while I was making slow cooker shepherd's pie as Miles napped.

If you want a really good upper body workout, here's one for you:walk around Amish land with a 12-pound baby in a sling. It's a good time.

What's your favorite upper body move? Wide-grip bicep curls


Do you fall asleep during your favorite movies? In college, my roommate would die laughing every time I uttered the phrase "I love this movie!" because, inevitably, I'd fall asleep 15 minutes later. Sometimes, in her bed. She loved me.

Up for the challenge

Move that body: 3.02-mile run with my boys

Can I just say wow?

Wow, wow, wow.

I am totally excited (and surprised) that so many of you are willing to join me on my November challenge to get strong. I definitely can't back out now :)

Viva la resistance!

Here's the plan.

Do some sort of resistance training twice a week during the month of November. You can join me and Jillian on our quest to get tickets to the gun show or you can do your own thing whether it's a class at the gym, another DVD program, pilates, yoga (hello chaturangas!).

I'll report my progress on Thursdays when I do my weekly body after baby weigh in. The post will also give you a chance to let me know how you are doing.

Besides the satisfaction of achieving a goal, I plan to make this worth your while. At the end of the challenge, one lucky gal will receive (at least) the following: a one-year subscription to a fitness magazine, a BIC band (review coming soon) and an iTunes gift card.

The drawing for the prize will work like so: Participants will receive an entry for committing to participate. If you did so on the previous post, awesome. You can also join in here. Participants will receive additional "entries" by commenting each week on my post with their own progress, posting about the challenge on her blog (let me know you did so; only counts once); commenting that they exceeded two days of resistance training that week and completing the entire challenge. Everything will be logged in a spreadsheet and I will pick the winner via Random.org.

Let's get pumping.