hi! this post will be long. get a snack!
i mentioned my participation in Rx+ week a few times last week. well, i did it! Rx+ week is over and i completed each and every aspect required! the reward? i get to buy an Rx+ shirt. with my own money. haha–no, but really, the rewards from participating in this week-long challenge have been great, both mentally and physically. before i get to my reflections on this past week, i need to address something about my workouts these days.
some of you have asked about my workouts and if i am ever going to go back to the “regular” gym. the answer: no.. well, not anytime soon. plus, my gold’s membership has expired. i have been working out at GPP since april. i used to not go every day–sometimes i would go to gold’s or do a workout at home. but since sometime in june, i have been working out at GPP exclusively. unless i am out of town, my daily workout is always at GPP.
can you spot me & nick?
it is not news that i like my workouts planned for me–i have had success with body for life, insanity, and jamie eason’s livefit trainer. i did all of these programs not because i am unhappy with myself and striving for some “12 week change”.. but because i don’t want to think up my own workout. yes–i can think up my own workout, but i enjoy following a plan. plans keep me motivated. i like structure. well, GPP is one long, ongoing planned program! so, of course i love it.
many have asked “what is GPP? is it crossfit?” these questions are best answered by the founder of GPP, not me. you can read about what GPP is here and you can see how it compares to cross fit here. anyway, there is a new workout every day (posted the night before) and you just have to show up, do the workout (which averages 30 minutes) and come back the next day. so planned, so perfect. plus, every aspect of fitness is calculated into these workouts. as long as you complete the five weekday GPP workouts, you will hit all ten aspects of fitness: cardio, strength, power, agility, balance, flexibility, coordination (big one i need to work on!), stamina, speed, and accuracy. what more could i ask for?
SO.. that’s my spill on my moves these days. now you know. let’s talk about Rx+ week!
Rx+ week (which stands for prescribed plus.. meaning more than the usual) was designed by the trainers to jumpstart and give momentum to all health and fitness goals. anyone at GPP could participate, but it was not required of anyone. it was a 6 day (well, 5 1/2 day) stint of 2-a-day workouts (11 total–2 each day monday through friday and then a 2-hour long final workout on saturday). one workout was to be completed at GPP and the other was to be completed offsite. ideally, you were to complete one in the morning and one in the evening. however, you could double up if needed. on monday i did a 5 PM GPP workout and 7:30 PM offsite. on friday i did a 6 AM offsite and 7:15 GPP workout. it worked. there was also a nutrition plan to follow for the week–the burst cycle diet with 500-1000 added calories (depending on your calorie needs and specific goals) of protein to sustain the extra workouts. it is important that i mention this diet was initially designed for weight loss, but for the purposes of Rx+ week it was modified to allow extra calories.. the point of using the plan was because it is straight forward and hard to stray from–not because it is for weight loss.
before Rx+ week started, i was geared up, excited, and ready for the 2-a-day workouts. i don’t have much of a life (news flash…) so i knew i could fit in the extra workouts easily. i was IN. THEN i heard about the nutrition plan. to be honest, i almost backed out of Rx+ week when i heard there was a nutrition plan. i know how tough any nutrition plan is to follow and i already eat well. i thought to myself, “i don’t need a nutrition plan! this is a joke! i eat clean..for the most part…” but, in the spirit of the challenge, i ultimately decided to participate in Rx+ week and follow the nutrition plan. i wasn’t doing it to lose weight. i wasn’t doing it to “get back on track” after my trip. in fact, i was (and am) quite happy with myself, inside and out. i was doing Rx+ week because it was a challenge! we all like to challenge ourselves, right? some people run marathons, some people play sports. i like fitness challenges like this. they’re fun for me.
so. all of last week i followed the plan. the workouts, the nutrition, the recommendations (sleep, water, vitamins, etc.) and i succeeded. i didn’t think i needed Rx+ week, but looking back, i realize it was something i really DID need. it was good for me!
these are my reflections…
having limited options makes it so much easier to follow a plan.
the whole point of the very detailed items on the burst cycle diet (let’s call it BCD) is to keep you from straying. it is human nature to eat more and to be more likely to cheat if you have LOTS of options. if you choices are limited and the nutrition plan is cut and dry, you are less likely to mess up. BCD requires you to eat the same thing day in and day out NOT because they are the only nutritious options, but because it helps keep you diligent.
meal planning saves money! and time.
i used to be an avid meal planner. i even posted a VERY thorough post about it.. back in 2010. what the hell happened?! oh, yeah, i got lazy. i got into the habit of not planning out my meals and just buying whatever looked good at the store and piecing together meals after the fact. i ended up at the store several times each week which also meant i spent way more than i needed to. additionally, there was a lot of food that went to waste because i never ended up using it before it went bad.
with Rx+ week, i had all my meals planned out in advance. i made a trip to the store to buy the necessary items and stuck to the meal plan the entire week. this sneakily got me back into the habit of meal planning and budgeting. little did i know i was really off track with my grocery shopping, budgeting, and meal planning. okay, i knew i was off track, but i didn’t realize the severity of it until i reflected on the time and money saved after last week. the added bonus is that Rx+ week’s meal plan gave me momentum to continue the planning rather than falling back into my wing-it-and-go-to-the-store-every-other-day habits. score.
i mindlessly snack (out of boredom, habit, and anything but hunger) way more than i thought.
wow. i know that i have a bad habit of snacking on random things when i walk in the door from work. it’s been a lifelong battle and i always try to keep myself in check. when i did body for life, i was VERY diligent. i did not stray from the meal plan one bit (and thank goodness the meal plan allowed one whole day off!) but the point i am trying to make is that if i am following a plan, i FOLLOW IT. if i am not following a plan, i get lazy. i overeat. i say, “it’s ok to eat 7 handfuls of trail mix! it’s healthy!” or, “three bowls of cereal? don’t mind if i do! i worked out hard today!” –when really, this behavior is wrong.
snacking out of hunger is good. snacking out of boredom or habit is bad. the first day of Rx+ week i stopped myself from grabbing random handfuls, bites, or tastes of things no less than 10 times. it was eye-opening! i couldn’t believe that i went to eat things without even thinking SO OFTEN. quite the wake up call. it put me in check.
smart snacking makes all the difference.
we were allowed to snack on protein-rich foods as much as we wanted throughout the day. working out twice a day does a number on hunger! instead of grabbing ALLTHECARBSINSIGHT, we were asked to snack on veggies and foods that contained a good amount of protein. i consumed plenty of herbed turkey from whole foods’ deli (yum), babybel cheese, premier protein RTDs, hard boiled eggs, scrambled egg whites, and raw veggies. these snacks filled me up and kept me going through the day.
it’s OK to adjust things to suit your needs.
BCD tells you to eat a cup of cottage cheese and a serving of fruit in the morning for breakfast. i don’t know if i mentioned it, but i gave up (my beloved) cottage cheese months ago while trying to figure out my GI issues. i haven’t added it back into my diet yet. i miss it so much! i am one of those people who love cottage cheese and used to eat it by the spoonful straight out of the container while standing at the fridge. yum. but since i am working on my gut issues (i still need to update you all on that!) i decided to sub the cottage cheese with a protein shake.
even though i changed the plan that was outlined for Rx+ week, i still succeeded and “passed” (if you will) the challenge. the whole point of the nutrition plan was to clean up our meals and be diligent with nutritious eating. several people complained about the meal plan and it was easily adjusted to suit their needs–it is important to remember that there are a LOT of healthy options out there. what works for one may not work for the other. don’t be afraid to find something that works for you (and your belly) and go with it.
i am so grateful my palate likes healthy, nutritious food.
like i just mentioned, several people complained about the nutrition plan for Rx+ week. some people had dietary restrictions, but many people just didn’t like certain foods. the thought of cottage cheese made them gaggy or the idea of eating 4-6 oz of plain meat/poultry for dinner had them cringing. for me, it was easy. over the years i have developed a love for all things healthy. yes, i still love the taste of some of the junk, but i appreciate food that is good for me.. not just because it is good for me, but because it is delicious.
vitamins are better in gummy & chocolate form.
you can’t expect my sweet tooth to disappear overnight, can you? my gummy vitamins and chocolate calcium disc were never missed. not once. and now i am totally out of those trader joe’s vitamins.. dangit.. anyone wanna mail me some? i’ll pay you!
working out doesn’t have to seem like a work out.
some people thought i was crazy when i mentioned i’d be doing 2-a-day workouts.. but really, you have probably done some 2-a-days recently yourself! it’s not like workouts have to be some horrible, grueling thing! one of the offsite workouts was a hike. i went to the usual GPP workout in the morning and then, after work, i went hiking with marshall and the pups. this was my second workout of the day, but it sure didn’t seem like a workout! the same goes for the times we run around at the park with the dogs, ride bikes for fun, go snowboarding, or play sports. it’s good to be active!
i need to be more confident.
speaking of sports.. one of the offsite workouts last week was hooverball. i was TERRIFIED of showing up for the workout because i am SO not athletic. i suck at sports. i am not being cute or modest.. i suck. i am bad at sports, especially at ones that involve hand-eye coordination. i clogged as a kid and i was never on any kind of team.
so, anyway, i saw hooverball on the agenda and got that sick feeling in my stomach (the same one i got when i saw handstands on the agenda) but i decided i was going to suck it up and not back out. marshall told me i need to be more confident and just try to do things.. that i would never learn to do things if i never tried. he’s so right!
i went to hooverball on friday morning and, wouldn’t you know it, i had such a blast! nobody cared if i was a crappy player. and, guess what? i actually did pretty well. not the best, but dang.. i caught the ball, got it over the net, and succeeded! i really need to stop selling myself short. (it’s easy to do, i am only 5’1″.)
i love sandwiches. i could easily eat one a day.
i guess this is not a recent discovery, just a reflection. i am just thinking about how tasty sandwiches are. and there are so many options! if i had to eat something for lunch the rest of my life, i would probably pick sandwiches because you can put any sort of spin on them depending on what goes between the bread. i am going to continue on with the sandwich kick this week!
fresh fruit & vegetable juice one of my keys to a happy belly.
instead of having a serving of fruit each morning, i had a few servings… depending on what marshall blended up that day. he makes fresh fruit and veggie juice each morning. on the mornings i miss out on it (like friday) i notice my stomach is more prone to getting upset. i haven’t yet pinpointed the whole reasoning behind this, but i am going to keep on keeping on with the fresh morning juice. it makes me feel good.
if you fall down, getting back up and plugging right along is the best option.
during tuesday’s offsite workout, i totally ate shit and scraped my leg up on the bleachers. IT HURT. instead of pouting and stopping, i kept in line with the group and finished the workout strong. and, guess what? i was fine. sure, it hurt, but it was a scrape. it wasn’t a life or death situation. it’s good to toughen up and play through it. this was a good lesson and one i should apply to other walks in life.
sleep is important.
WOW. i was tired last week. i couldn’t help but go to bed at an earlier hour each night. as the week went on, the earlier i turned in. after saturday’s workout, i took a 3-hour nap. sleep is GOOD! i’ve never had a hard time sleeping, i am good at it, but i really am not good at making myself go to bed at a decent hour. and, whether i like it or not, i have to wake up when the alarm tells me to. Rx+ week made my body SCREAM for sleep. i had no choice but to get to bed earlier. i want to use this momentum and keep going to bed at a decent hour, because i really do need the sleep. it is important.
it really is all in your head.
whether it be working out a little extra, eating specific things and passing up the sweets or junk, or waking up at a certain hour.. you really CAN do it. if you think you can’t, you are wrong. it is your head giving you a hard time. i was 100% dedicated to completing Rx+ week and that meant NO excuses. i couldn’t hit snooze a few extra times and miss a workout. i couldn’t cave and eat dessert every night just because it was there. i couldn’t just throw in the towel and decide i was too lazy to hit the extra workout for the day. i had to do everything–as outlined. and i did. and i was able to. my body was capable of every last bit of Rx+ week and any doubt was all in my head. the brain is a funny thing.. often times you are much, much stronger than you think.
i actually came across a quote today that fit with this reflection, so i wanted to share it:
“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves!” -Thomas Edison
think about it. so true, right?
community and teamwork are both uplifting.
it’s no secret that one of the reasons i made it through Rx+ week was because i did it with so many supportive people. we were all in it together, which makes ANYTHING easier than doing it by yourself. i am fortunate to have found such a great community of fit-minded individuals who encourage each other to excel at health and fitness each and every day. i am grateful for everyone who has put themselves out there and tried their hardest–it has inspired me to do the same.
for the very last workout on saturday, we did a teamwork workout that required us to pass plates along a line for a total of 400m. it also included a 400m group run. it was not a hard workout (thank goodness, since we were all so beat!) but it was great to participate in that teamwork exercise. i missed out on this as a kid. like i said, i never played sports, i was never on a team, i was actually quite the loner when it came to all that. i am not trying to get sappy here, but man.. the feeling of belonging to a team and knowing that you are giving a part of yourself for everyone to succeed as a whole feels pretty damn good. i like it.
it feels good to be proud of yourself.
yep. don’t be shy.. if you are proud of yourself for something–anything–let that pride shine. not in a braggy way, but in a damn-i-feel-good-about-myself way. i think many have been conditioned to shoot down compliments and even refrain from complimenting ourselves because it comes off as a negative type of pride. but it’s so important to give yourself a high five, a pat on the back, and two thumbs up every once in awhile.
those are my reflections. i told you this post was going to be long. maybe you read all of it, maybe you read some of it, and maybe you read none of it (in which case, you wouldn’t be reading this now…) but i hope that you are able to take something away from whatever you did read and form some of your own reflections about your latest and greatest achievements in life.
i am so glad i decided to participate an Rx+ week. i found things out about myself that i didn’t even know were missing to begin with.
Q~
why are you proud? what was your latest and greatest achievement?
you saw that question coming, right?
xo. janetha g.
Next Comments →
Sounds like an awesome week, I’m glad you enjoyed it so much!
I’m the same way with my workouts, I’m currently in week 11 of Livefit, before that I was making my way through a lot of the plans in the Women’s Health Book of Fitness – although I’m perfectly capable of creating my own workouts, I’d rather follow a plan someone else has set up.
Agreed!! And yay–good luck with the rest of LiveFit!
Do you know if there is an app for Live Fit? ONe of my biggest issues is bringing the workout with me to the gym & figuring out what exactly each exercise is, do either of you have a way to help a new-ish weight lifter out with this?
Thanks!
I know you asked Janetha but I can give you my 2 cents. I don’t think there’s an app for Live Fit workouts, as a search for it comes up empty in the app store. So I just copied and pasted the workouts for a whole week into an email to myself and looked up the exercises before I went to the gym. A bit old-skool, but it worked.
It sounds like this week was a great experience for you. I would love to experience something like this. I’ll have to remember to look for something similar in the future. And I always remember to take my calcium when it’s the Adora supplements too. They’re so good that they don’t taste like a supplement. Random q: have you tried the new Justin’s vanilla almond butter? I’ve been looking for it everywhere but it must not have made it to the East coast yet! I’d be happy to do a trade of vanilla almond butter for those Trader Joes vitamins. :) Kidding, but seriously, let me know I’d you really want some mailed to you!
I can’t find that almond butter yet! I have been looking… haha, I will make my sister in Cali mail me the vitamins. But thank you! And if I find that nut butter I will pick some up for you and let you know!
Haha, glad you have a source for your vitamins! And thanks. I’ll let you know if it shows up over here!
This was such an inspiring post!! It is so easy to be self-defeating, but we really can do anything! Thank you for reminding me :)
Thanks for your comment! You definitely can do whatever you put your mind to.
You really went for it! Wow!
I have to disagree about sandwiches though – I a m most definitely a hot food person. I can happily eat 3 hot meals a day :)
I have a friend who CAN’T eat hot food.. like not even soup. He waits for his food to get to room temp before he eats it. He also can’t eat really cold food and waits for it to be room temp, too. Your comment made me think of him for some reason! I do like hot meals but I think my love for bread just makes sandwiches amazing. I could live off ’em. What is your favorite hot meal?
I get pretty cranky if circumstances force me to have a whole day of cold! Most days my lunch at work is soup or leftovers to heat up in the microwave! And the best dinners? Anything involving pastry or gravy :)
you are such an inspiration!
Did you seriously advocate a diet that only allotted 1000 calories while workin out twice a day? Wtf? This is supposed to be a healthy living blog and you, of all people, should know that intense exercise + 1000 calories a day is not OK.
No, actually.. I didn’t. If you read the post in its entirety (which I am guessing you didn’t, based on your comment) you would see that I was eating around 1800-1900 calories daily to sustain the activity. Typically, I am right around 1400 calories which is normal for a person of my size and activity level. So, I agree with you, 1000 calories and intense exercise is not OK. Which is precisely why I didn’t do that.
I actually did read the post in its entirety, which is why I said you advocated the diet, not that you followed it to a T by eating what it prescribes. By participating in the challenge and posting about it, you are being an advocate of the challenge and the diet. If it were me, I would have spoken out against the diet and inquired why the gym used it, as it is not healthy for anyone. But then again, I don’t write a healthy living blog, so what do I know.
No need to get snippy there at the end. I am sure you know a lot. And just because I write a blog (which I do not refer to as a “Healthy Living Blog”) does not mean I know more than the next guy. I don’t.
However, by participating the the challenge I advocated the nutrition plan I followed–which was the BCD with 500-1000 added calories.. not the BCD. The BCD is not intended to be used in conjunction with the challenge workouts. It was a base (breakfast, lunch, dinner) for us all to use as a starting point to build around and to drive home the fact that we should choose to eat the same meals each day for the 5 days.
I know it is hard to recognize tone over the internet, so I hope you know I wasn’t trying to pick a fight with you a bit. I like you, Krystina, and I appreciate your comments always. Your reply to my reply came off a bit defensive, so I wanted to clarify that I wasn’t trying to start an argument.
I write this blog to share my personal experiences, not to preach or tell others what is right and what is wrong. I never claimed to be an expert, but the person who designed this challenge IS an expert, who I trust very much, and so I felt very comfortable participating in such a wonderful experience.
I’m not trying to pick a fight with you either (or call you a liar, evil or a fool as the poster below insinuated). I’m usually impressed with the work you do and the way you eat, but seeing something as rigid as this was alarming. As someone who severely restricted for a long time, red flags go off when I a diet with such limited calories. I’m glad that you ate for your activity level and I’ve never thought that you didn’t, which is why I was surprised by you linking to this diet. I would hate for someone to think that it’s suitable to eat 1000 calories for 3 days and then 2000 for one. I think there should be some kind of disclaimer about that diet (do not do it without consulting yor doctor, don’t do this in conjunction with exercise, or add enough calories to this and just use the diet as a basic guideline, etc) because there are a lot of vulnerable people who read blogs that may go about it the wrong way and harm themselves.
When I see a diet* damn typing on an iPhone is a pain.
The poster below is actually the founder/owner of GPP, Neil. Anyway, I see where you are coming from. I am on the total other end of the spectrum where I have never had a restriction problem with my diet. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, as I struggle with overeating even to this day. Calorie cycling and intermittent fasting are both very popular ways of eating/dieting and I think that the BCD can work for many people. Not all people, but many. Like Neil stated below, it has helped thousands. I agree, though, there are many people reading blogs who read things and their takeaway is not what the author ever intended. It’s always a slippery slope when posting about calories and diets, but at the end of the day I just want to be honest and share my experiences and what works or does not work for me. I hope people can realize that the things I write are specific to me and they should do what works for them. Thanks for your reply!
Krystina – Not trying to start a fight here. Promise. Just VERY confused. How can you be so quick to judge? How is it that you know what is best for Janetha (and apparently everyone else)? How is it that you feel you should have a say in what Janetha should advocate (if indeed that is what she did)?
Can you find no value in what she has written here? Do you not believe that she found value in her experience? I need help understanding your objection to her success. You said, her diet and the BCD (which she did follow to the letter – the letter allows for her deviations and input) was “not healthy for anyone.” Yet it has helped her, and frankly thousands of others. Forgive me, but your words seem to indicate that you think she is either a liar, a fool or evil. And in fact, you are saying all who have found success with this program are one of the same. Aren’t you?
Great work Janetha! :) I totally hear you on the mindless snacking. It is such a terrible habit. Night time is my downfall–especially if I am at work. Staying up all night is so brutal on the body.
The thing I am most proud of myself for is branching out and joining a Crossfit box. I am still in my one-on-one’s right now but actually having people ask me about my goals in person is something that is so rare for me. It is so new to me to actually have people in life outside of the blogging community asking me what my goals are and being able to talk about “weird healthy food (as people in my hometown refer to it as)” with them. I am really excited to see where this journey takes me! :)
I saw that on your workout schedule! I got excited for you :) I know you will achieve your fitness goals. That’s awesome that you have found some community support outside of blogland. Best of luck! xoxo
Thanks for sharing your experience. I checked out the GPP site and set my alarm to go off half an hour earlier tomorrow morning so I can knock out the daily workout before the sun comes up. That’s something I’m proud of.
Awesome! Let me know how you like it!
Oh p.s.- if you need anymore TJs products, I’m your gal. You can use me for my discount and my extensive product knowledge.
Oooo cool! You work there?
Yes, when I’m not teaching. I’ve worked there off and on for almost 8 years.
That’s so cool. You should email me a list of your favorite non perishables if you ever get a chance :)
That list would be soooo long. I love almost everything there. Have you checked out their site? http://www.traderjoes.com/products.asp Scroll to the bottom for product lists. That’ll narrow it down for you.
Cool! Thanks for the link! I will be in Vegas next month and am going to stock up :)
Janetha, great job this past week. I also did the GPP challenge on my own since I am living in Florida. These workouts are awesome and I wish I had all you GPP peeps to workout with. I am trying to get a group here to join me. I am a trainer and really like what they are doing there. So glad you found GPP and have support. Have a blessed week!
Hey Lorie! Wow! Great job storming it from so far away. I wish we could work out together :) Let me know if you rally some troops to do the workouts! You should send some photos to us of you doing them on your own, that would be so cool.
I loved this post Janetha! Great job completing the challenge.
I loved the part about it being all in your head. It’s totally true. If you tell yourself you can’t do something, you won’t. But if you tell yourself you can, you will.
My biggest accomplishment recently was finishing the Spartan Sprint at 34 weeks (8 months) pregnant. It was tough. I’ve got a giant belly which makes everything so awkward. I couldn’t run the whole course, I couldn’t complete all of the obstacles, but I kept telling myself I could finish and I crossed the finish line. And in not bad time to be honest. It was a huge accomplishment for me and I hope that I can show others that they can do anything no matter their condition. Pregnant or not, all you have to do is try.
OH MY GOSH! This is huge! I am super impressed and inspired by your dedication. Way to go! And best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy :) xoxo
You rock! This post may have been the motivation I need to get my butt back in gear after a long lazy vacation.
I am totally with you about the group support being so key. My small farm town has very few group exercise opportunities, definitely no crossfit or Gpp.
Last time I was proud of myself…..I finished a practicum in July and totally killed it.
So awesome. I loved reading about that week!! And I would totally do it for the challenge. I’m with you on the sports… 100%. I was home schooled. No P.E. for me besides running down the block. Haha. But I always enjoy it when I’m coerced into participating. I was pretty proud of tackling 24-inch box jumps this week at the gym. I just knew I was ready to graduate up a box. I still had to make my husband come stand by me and tell me I could do it, but I was so happy! I used to be so scared of the 18-inch one. Kind of a pansy. :)
I love reading about your progress! I am proud of you and I am glad you are proud of yourself–as you should be!
wow! that is seriously so cool! sounds like an awesome week! you should be proud! I just started crossfit and left the gym too! I’m really loving it so far! just finishing my on ramp classes and then im a total crossfitter ha! jk someday:)
wow girl. You are truly inspiring! That is so cool what you pushed yourself to accomplish. I am the same way when it comes to planned workouts. I just got into working out on a regular basis this summer and started out watching bodyrock videos! Now I usually follow zuzka light, but It’s so hard for me to be motivated if I make up my own routines. I’m proud of myself for actually sticking with working out everyday and enjoying it! I’ve even got some muscles in places that are normally flab! :)
Hi girl!
I whole heart the message of this post!! Happy for you and the rest of us who battle our heads every day. :)
This was a fab post…and you bet I read every word :) you have inspired me in so many ways! I really hope to find a workout program like gpp cuz the group mentality sounds like so much fun. I’m really happy that last week went well for you and for sharing your insights xox
Great post! I am most proud that I stepped up to whatever was driving me to pursue health coaching. And when I was nervous about starting a blog, I decided to give that a try, too. I as fearful no one would read, but I proved myself wrong, and having so much fun with it. So, overall, I’m proud of the handful of life changes I’ve made over the past few months! :)
i think we might be cottage cheese buddies. I had to give it up too, unless it was cultured. But that plant protein is pretty tasty. If you add in frozen banana and lots of ice, it makes it thicker so i kinda feel like it’s a pudding. Oh i am rambling about pudding now. Great recap of GGP, i am proud of you for being HONEST here, even though some took it another way. It’s all about the experience, finding out what works for you, and hell, just having fun workout high.
dang it, i meant GPP
I love this post! It’s brimming over with such good stuff; positivity and accountability from a realistic point of view. :-)
I’m proud of myself for sticking with Weight Watchers. I’ve been going to meetings and eating healthy and clean (mostly) for a year now, and I’ve lost a little over 60 pounds. I have a long way to go, but I am committed to the program. For the first time in my life, I feel I’m doing something nutrition-wise that I can adhere to for the rest of my life, and I’ve accepted that I will need to for health’s sake. That’s huge for me.
Great post! Very inspirational! I loved hearing how it worked for you and it provided inspiration for me to get motivated to make more healthy choices. And, I LOVE that you put cucumbers on your sandwiches as well. They always slip out, but I love them. Right now I’m proud of getting my M.A in a year. Lot of work, but a lifetime goal.
I want to live near you and workout with you every single day. Then eat sandwiches every single day.
Deal. Runny egg sandwiches made by you.
Runny egg sandwiches are the best. I would so like to get in on that workout and sandwich action! ;) You two are awesome.
Totally inspiring post! I wish I lived close enough to GPP to try it out!
You should venture my way sometime :) First class is free!
I love the breakdown you did here, i have to agree with many of them. The thing I really believe in is finding what works for YOUR body. I think you have done that!
That’s so important to recognize. We are all different and have different programming and what works for us is so specific to each person!
i am glad to hear that the workouts didn’t have to be brutal and could be something simple as a nice walk or something! it’s still quite an accomplishment to achieve what you did! it’s hard to be dedicated in the midst of everything else going on in your life even if it is only for a few days!
i start my day with a green smoothie too, it really helps my stomach start off right and get some food in when i have to hit the ground running when i step into work :) i need to be more confident too! i need to stop selling myself short and comparing! my latest achievement is painting and stepping out of my comfort zone to embrace my inner artist haha
I look to you for inspiration on the regular. I think you definitely should be more confident, because you’re amazing!
Read every single word including the comments! I’m so proud of you and the awesome way you reply to the comments….you’ve learned to take the high road :)
I’m motivated to start the GPP workouts here at home and may consider joining you from time to time.
I too like a plan I can follow.
I love you….you continue to help me want to be better and stronger!
xoxo
I love you, too!
This is the motivating post I needed to read. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading!
Since that diet talks about losing 5 pounds a week, did you notice any changes in either body composition or weight (if you weighed yourself for the challange)?
Also, how come Marshall doesn’t do the workouts with you?
I didn’t follow BCD exactly as outlined in that link. I followed it as described in my post with the modifications. I don’t weigh myself, so I have no idea if I lost or gained any weight. I feel fit and I feel healthy, that’s all I am after. I don’t care what I weigh and I am not looking to lose anything.
Marshall works out at Gold’s 6 days a week. We have different preferences when it comes to working out.. he likes to lift for an hour each day and I like to do quick, intense workouts. He has come to GPP with me a couple of times, but he likes working out solo for the most part!
haha I totally remember when you felt the same way!
Love, love, love this post Janetha! I really needed to read this before rx+ week! LOL! Then maybe I would have sucked it up and done it! Loved reading about you thoughts and everything. Did I mention I love this post? :)
Missed seeing you last night! I hit the 6:30 pm (which was packed!)….
Hope to see you soon!
I am proud that I signed up for Fitmixer. Sounds a bit confusing but I had a mild anxiety thought when knowing I would have to venture into an eating world I am not familiar with. Well, the veggie world. So, I’m proud I am going to give it my all.
Latest and greatest achievement, small things. I realized that all the caretaker skills I learned from my Dad are still there while taking care of Ben. #2- I bought a shit ton of school supplies to donate for $22.84, I’m sort of nerdy like that, looking for the best deals. A few other things but nothing huge.
This is an awesome post, J! I love the way you challenge yourself. I did so recently myself, with my second annual Warrior Dash (it was tough, but I already signed up to do it a third time next year!). I blogged about it here:
http://wildbluewonder.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/mud-sweat-fears/
Have a great week!!
Great recap of the week – and tips to go along. Sleep is HUGE. When I up my workouts my body screams for sleep, too.
I’m proud of you, too, J! :)
Super interesting! I’d love to do something like this…I should suggest it to our gym! It’s hard when you’re the trainer though – don’t always get my own workouts in (although I’m pretty good at using an hour here or a half hour there to move!). Loved reading your thoughts and the recap – wondering, though, how you’re feeling physically now afterward. What was the result as far as your progress, how your body feels now, your weight (well, clothes fitting – I know you don’t weigh which is great!), etc – see any changes from the big change of activity level? Just curious!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I rarely follow anything prescribed for me or have tried a plan, but every time I read about your experiences it makes me want to! Miss you lately – glad to hear you rocked the week out! Way to go fitness + balance + community + fun! :D
PS – I think you sure have reason to be confident – you are healthy, vibrant, beautiful, and balanced – I love those things about you! Way to go Marshall for encouraging you to step out in confidence (sure love supportive husbands). :D
It was extra fun because all 3 GPP trainers were doing the workouts right there with us! That was one of the best parts. I definitely feel more lean and I am more excited about how I feel inside–I went out to dinner on Saturday and ate whatever and felt like absolute garbage. That’s a sure sign that clean eating has done its job and I will stick to it! Miss you, friend. Hope you can come to Blend next May!! xoxo
I agree with so many things in this post. If there were a “like” button I would hit it. I definitely resonate with he mindless snacking and choosing less than stellar options. I am working on finding real, whole food snacks and figuring out the “why” behind my snacks. I am also realizing the value in planning. Woot!
Awesome! Happy to hear you are working it all out for yourself. Way to go!
I LOVE this post. I’m so happy you had such a good experience and that you shared your lessons with us. xo
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Rx week. I was checking out the workouts every day and it looks intense! The eating plan is what I struggle with the most for myself. I looked at the BCD and it’s WAAAYY too restrictive for me. I want to keep my metabolism up! I do wish that my gym would do a challenge with a clean, realistic eating plan and some intense workouts.
btw, I was reading my Fitness magazine from May and saw that your comment was posted in one of their articles. Something about you hate it when your friends try to pressure you into having a drink or dessert when you are out. I was like, I know her!
Haha yep! That was me!
Totally LOVE this post!!! You rock, Janetha! Way to stick with it, and not let your heart or head give up. Perfect example of reaching something by just telling yourself you CAN! :)
Something I am proud of : killing it all Summer long (pretty much 2x workouts/day every day) so I can do this half IronMan on Sat!!! Ahhhh!
EEP! I can’t wait to see how well you do! You will rock this.
Great post Janetha! I really enjoyed all of the info and appreciate your honesty. I’m a lot like you, I enjoy healthy foods and eating. However, if I don’t follow more of a structured plan, I can get lazy. And like you eat 7 handfuls of trail mix without even thinking. I may try a version of the BCD. I’m pretty good with the breakfast, lunch and dinner options. It will be difficult for me to cut down my fruit consumption, though. Fruit is my go-to snack.
I know, I love fruit so much! It is hard because it IS healthy, but it’s also very high in sugar.. so TOO much fruit makes me gain weight… it also does no favors for my sweet tooth.
This was such a great week! Great post! You did awesome! I love storming workouts with you, you make me want to go faster and harder.
I absolutely LOVE it when we go to the same class! You’re so much fun and fit and fabulous!! xoxoxo
Wow! I’ve just realized that you & I are very, very similar! I wish there was something like GPP available in my area — I am going to start asking around to see if there is anything even somewhat comparable – I can rock out a planned workout, but if I go without a plan, my workout usually sucks because I tend to wander and not make great use of my time!
The Rx+ sounds intense but rewarding – good on you for completing the entire thing!
Thanks! And I hope you find something similar to GPP. It is great to have a community to push yourself!
Wow! What a week! Funny how sometimes the things we don’t really think will benefit much, can make a huge difference in our lives! And you experienced so many new things! Totally awesome. I am considering starting BFL over again. My dumb foot isn’t 100% so running and jumping is out of the question as of now. Plus, I really enjoyed the eating regimen…it’s just hard to stick with it if I don’t just start the program over!
Have a great week! xoxo
Do you row at all? I love rowing so much more than running! XOXO
Yes! I can’t do it for a super long time, though, because the straps start to bother my foot. SO annoying! :)
You sound so much happier in this post than you have “sounded” in a long time! Not that you were unhappy before, but this post just makes you seem happy…I could be way off, just an observation :)
I’m the same way with workouts, I could put together a plan, but I like the structured plans SO much better!
Funny you say that, I am feeling really upbeat and happy and refreshed–it’s great! Thanks for mentioning it :)
fantastic recap janetha! i’ve been cutting back on workouts lately–not because i’m lazy but because my body needs the rest–reading this made me realize that everyone is different and should do what’s right for them, which you certainly are doing! props to you!
I didn’t read the WHOLE post but loved it anyways. It is so much easier to follow a plan…
I love your honesty! And yes, plans win at life.
great post! i have never been good at following any sort of plan, but i feel super motivated right now to do so since we’re having our baby in like, 2 weeks. ive kind of used that as an excuse to eat like total crap and i need to get control of that.
that pic of ur snacks is great-any other suggestions? i definitely have a problem snacking on all carbs..they’re so easy which is not a good thing…
thanks for the post!
I should do a snack roundup post sometime. I also really love rice cakes with tuna, crackers with turkey pepperoni, and homemade protein bars! Good luck with the final stretch til the baby!
I love the ending to this post. You should totally be proud of yourself!
And I understand about the chocolate calcium. It’s a sad day when I look forward to that as dessert. LOL! Let me know if you still need TJs stuff. :)
Haha I know, right? Or chocolate shakes :) I totally forgot I am driving to vegas in less than a month! So I get to stock up at TJs! Thanks, though. I still need to mail you your bars! DOH.
Wow, it sounds like you learned a lot from Rx+! As always, thanks for being so honest about your fitness and nutrition goals/struggles.
I’m kind of in a fitness rut at the moment (aka I am so bored with my usual activities), so I love the sound of a structured plan that I don’t have to make up!
Good luck with that rut.. I am sure you will pull out of it!
Hi Janetha! Love your blog! Been following it for a few weeks now, but this is my first post. Congrats on the success you had this week!! You rock!
Also, what types of juices does your hubs make in the morning? Do you have that posted anywhere?
Hi Sue! Hey, that is my mom’s name :) Thank you for commenting and reading! Marshall makes different juice each morning, depending on what is on hand. I will do a post on it ASAP!
Thanks!! :)
Congratulations! I love how you always manage to take every challenge and just go with you. True inspiration!
And just to add a quick note, I am unsure why this often happens when you explain your calorie intake with these types of programs, that you get so many feisty comments. Stay true to yourself, you know your body more than any of us do.(Unless your doctor reads your blog, than she/he may know it better) Keep up the good work and don’t stop sharing :)
I knew there would be a bru-ha-ha over the diet. Oh well, I think you handled it well.
I’m so glad to see that this is a place where you feel you belong and it’s making you feel strong, happy & Healthy.
incidentally, much as people may not like a restrictive diet plan of any sort, the fact does remain that if you are given less choice, you stray far less (innumerable studies have shown this). Also, sleep is sooooo important. Many of the experts feel it’s as important as getting in good workouts and nutrition.
Love you mucho!
PS. I agree that it can be fun to just get a workout laid out for you and you just show up and do it. I remembered thinking that I only liked to pick my exercises on the fly, but then I did Live Fit and really enjoyed the simplicity. Then did a few ZWOWs which you simply follow along. Then I started making up my own workouts, so I follow that from start to finish. It’s fun! :-)
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