Day 136: Pull-Up-date

My goal was 5 pull ups by age 40.  Real ones.  None of this chin up business.

And I think that a video update is probably the easiest way to see how far I've come with this.

BEFORE (Day 0):
Oh dear.  My 16 year old self would be horrified.

NOW (video taken on Day 121):
Don't mind the grunting and the face.  Those are required for pull-ups.  It's in the rule book.

What to do when one has accomplished a goal 1 year and 2 months too early?  Increase it, of course!!
10 pull-ups by age 40.  Wish me luck!

Day 121: What's next?

So I finished P90X3!  With absolutely no excuses.  Didn't miss a day.  Not for my grandmother's wake or funeral.  Not for the day of my sister's wedding.  Not for the day after my sister's wedding.  Even did a few rounds of MMX fighting with a migraine.  Which really just goes to show how much of exercise is mental.  I just need a good shove and a written public commitment from myself.  And it will get done.

So now what?  Well, I have decided that the weather is starting to cooperate for running outside again.  And that I really need to get back to that.  I have kind of devoted myself fully to the P90X3 workouts and skipped out on the running part for a long time now.  With good reason, trust me.  But there are no more excuses for that anymore either.  So I think I will start myself back up on the Couch to 5k program that I have done before.  Lots of interval training which is good for me.  And knowing that not every day is a great day for running (let's be honest NO ONE is going to get me to run in the rain), I'm going to be simultaneously doing the next round of P90X3 (Lean) on the other days.  So this round of P90X3 will take far longer than 90 days.  But I'm totally ok with that.  And this is my new accountability group folks, so make sure you check in on me.  Especially with the running...

And now onto the fun before and after pics.  I am by no means claiming that I was large or overweight before this.  It's just that over the past few years, I had become slightly "doughy".  When I started this journey I was a size 4/6 and I have recently had to go buy new shorts and pants in sizes 4 and 2.  I have managed to get rid of most of the dreaded muffin top and have bought myself a hard earned "congrats for stickin' with it" bikini.  Which I may or may not be brave enough to wear.   :)

Back before and after

Front before and after

Side before and after

Fun afters!

Day 114: This Is My Jam

So last week I posted videos of a workout that I love but is very far outside my skill set and comfort zone.  Have you seen me trying to be an ultimate fighter?  Not so pretty.  Well... today was Pilates day and that, my friends, is where my skill set lies.  Balance, flexibility, core strength, and no punching things?  Yes please.  I used to do a Pilates class with a reformer machine.  The thing that looks like a medieval torture table.  And that is even harder and more fantastic.  But now I do my Pilates on a mat.  Much less expensive, I tell you.  But much more prone to butt bruising.   Oh well.

Most people have never ventured into Pilates world, so if you have ever wondered what it entails, I will show you.  Don't mind the rather loud breathing techniques.  That's actually imperative to the Pilates way of working out.  Just keepin' it real.