I will be writing a short entry after each day's workout.
I probably should have mentioned that I have shitty knees... We aren't talking "bad" knees. We are talking "horrible, clicky, painful and embarrassing" knees... I tried to wear my Rocktape knee guards first, but they didn't help. Went back to my Tommy Kono knee sleeves and they helped a little bit more, but I still couldn't go full depth without being stuck down there until the husband returns home from work, so I won't be doing full depth in the squats just yet. Hopefully I can get in to see my awesome physio who helped me out with my body falling apart during pregnancy, and she will be able to help my knee. That wont be until the new year though, so for the meantime my squats aren't full depth but its the only way I can physically attempt the challenge.
Day 1: (18TH DECEMBER) Apart from the squats being disgustingly painful, wasn't that bad. Honestly the push ups felt like a bit of a rest after the squats. I did the plank properly, and immediately remembered why I used to cheat. I didn't let myself cheat this time though, if only because it would set a benchmark for the rest of the challenge. Crunches were easy when I crossed my legs in the air... not sure if that's how they were meant to be done, but it worked for me. When I stand now my legs feel a bit like jelly. That's embarrassing.
Day 2: (19TH DECEMBER) My legs continued to feel like jelly all yesterday, and so when Ryan decided to revert back to a 1am wakeup I nearly cried trying to get down on the ground of his bedroom to feed him (and almost decided to just sleep there when we finished!) but instead I forced myself out of bed this morning and came into the lounge room to do the workout. I tried to just wear the Rocktape knee guards today, and they were enough although my knees are making a very sickening, deep clicking noise each squat. Usually they sound more like a crack, but today it was much more sinister sounding... kinda like when your mum would yell at you as a kid. It was always much scarier when she spoke to you in a low, slow and barely audible voice. Well, that's my knees! Apart from the squats, the rest seems more manageable (I get through the plank by shutting my eyes and counting really slowly to myself for as long as I can; that way I get a pleasant surprise when I open my eyes and my timer is actually a good 5 seconds ahead of my counting!)
Day 3: (20TH DECEMBER) Surprisingly, my legs haven't been feeling any worse... the definitely aren't fine, but I had thought each day they would just get worse but they haven't. Very excited as today we head back to Proserpine for the night, and then on to Mackay for a week's holiday tomorrow. Not a very big entry today.
Day 4: (21ST DECEMBER) Rest Day for squats and crunches today - YES!! At my sister's house this morning before we head on to Mackay, so I did the workout in the bedroom. Didn't take too long at all. This might be doable!
Day 5: (22ND DECEMBER) Didn't get around to doing the workout in the morning, and regretted it. Tried to put it off all day but finally did it before a shower in the afternoon. The heat sucks. I know that's meant to be a part of exercising... the whole sweating thing... but I really hate it.
Day 6: (23RD DECEMBER) Still going (not so) strong! I've found it best to make myself do the exercises as soon as I get up before breakfast, and before it gets too hot. Today, it was hard to get myself motivated, but when I saw it was a rest day for the plank I got into it. I don't know how I am meant to do a five minute plank at the end! But I suppose each day adding on a little more makes it seem do-able. Knees still suck but I'm not really expecting a miracle haha. I definitely don't feel as shit about everything these days though, but more like maybe I CAN accomplish these goals... I realise its early days yet, but I'm starting to get a little more optimistic about everything in general.
Day 7: (24TH DECEMBER) Christmas Eve and what am I thankful for? I'm thankful for two wonderful boys who always manage a smile for mummy and daddy and are growing up happy and most importantly healthy. I am grateful for an amazing husband who still after all these years makes me smile and question just what I did that made me so lucky to have him as not only a partner but a best friend. I am grateful for our position in... life. We might not have everything we could ever dream of, but we have a lot more than others and all that we need and that makes us luckier than many. Lastly, I am thankful for my body. I used to hate everything about my body, but looking back over the last few years it has survived two pregnancies, and two massive surgeries with my caesareans, and still been able to get me from A to B every day. It may not be perfect, but its kept running to keep me here with my family and for that I am very thankful. Now to go do today's workout before it gets too hot and I lose motivation!!
Day 8: (25TH DECEMBER) 10 pushups and a 40 second plank today... no worries at all. I listened to music again and it was over before I even knew it! Feeling great! Merry Christmas!!!
Day 9: (26TH DECEMBER) I am an idiot. Yesterday gave me a false sense of accomplishment; made me think I was better. hahaha. Today I was puffing alright! I feel like this challenge gave me a false sense of security, with the first week being generally easy... I don't even want to think about what it will be like in another week!
Day 10: (27TH DECEMBER) *I didn't write anything for today, and can't really remember anything specific looking back at it now. I just remember being a little bit proud that I had made it ten days without giving up or skipping a day. Plus I was excited about going out for dinner without the kids that night!
Day 11: (28TH DECEMBER) We are leaving Mackay today, so I had to do the workout first thing in the bedroom, while Flynn whinged at the door for me and the husband ran around packing everything up. So lucky he supports me doing this and is happy to take the reigns for however long I need. He even came in for the last 30 seconds of the plank to cheer me through it haha. Went to the shops after and bought some thank you gifts for the family members that let us stay in their empty house, and treated myself to an iced mocha... Holy Jesus it was the best thing ever. Almost made every staggering squat worth it... almost.
Day 12: (29TH DECEMBER) My first day doing a 1:30 minute plank. Not too bad. I chose a song that I knew would be suitable (1:30 was pretty much EXACTLY the first verse and then the chorus) and it went by easily. Pretty relieved it went so well!
Day 13: (30TH DECEMBER) Just crunches and squats today so I pumped them out early this morning in my sisters house. We head back to Townsville today (FINALLY!). Its been a great holiday, but boy will I be glad to be home again. Ry has been sleeping in a portacot in our bedroom and between his constant groaning and farting from 5am, and me waking a hundred times a night thinking I can hear Flynn in the room next door, I am really looking forward to getting back to normal.
Day 14: (31ST DECEMBER) Oh my god! Today was shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Squats? they sucked. My knees were same as usual, and I got 75 squats out straight, but god it sucked knowing I had another 60 to do after that! Then the pushups... oh the pushups. My arms were shaking and I felt sick (probably because I had been awake for a while but hadn't eaten... but lets blame the pushups). Then came the plank... how did I think 1:30 was easy? of that's right, because I hadn't had to do that many pushups beforehand, and hadn't had ANY squats that day... lets just say its lucky there was no one there to call me out on my technique... From now on I am going to split the plank into one minute blocks, and then whatever is left after... I might have to start splitting the rest of them too... I am however excited to do my measurements tomorrow after the workout. That will be my halfway point... If I have made any improvements to my measurements, I promise to record them... If I don't, well, you will know because of the lack of measurements... :)
Day 15: (1ST JANUARY) 15 cms off my measurement! 4.5cms off my chest, 6.5cms off my waist, and 5cms off my hips! Thank god there was some progress! only lost 1kg, but I'm looking at the other measurements and thats pumping me to keep going.
Day 16: (2ND JANUARY) Urgh
Day 17: (3RD JANUARY) This is like an emotional rollercoaster. Some days I am so pumped to do the workout and other days I would rather poke myself in the eye with a hot stick. I just keep counting down until the rest days
Day 18: (4TH JANUARY) Yuck.
Day 19: (5TH JANUARY) So last night I realised I hadn't done the day's challenge, and I almost didn't do it. I honestly didn't want to... but when I saw it was a rest day for planks I sucked it up and did it. Will be so glad when this is done now haha
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OK, so I finished.... It's now the 17th of January, and while I did finish the challenge (at about 9pm last night!) I certainly didn't write much more... I didn't miss any day of the workouts though, and GOD it was tempting. My husband made a joke around day 27 that perhaps he should be dropping me off at daycare instead of our almost 2 year old, as I was certainly chucking a good enough tantrum... but I did it.
So as planned... here are my results.
Day 0 (measurements taken the day before the challenge began)
Chest: 109cms
Waist: 101cms
Hips: 113cms
Weight: 82.5kgs
Day 15 (halfway)
Chest: 104.5cms
Waist: 94.5cms
Hips: 108cms
Weight: 81kgs
Day 31 (measurements taken this morning)
Chest: 103cms (6cms less!)
Waist: 91cms (yes that's a whole 10 freaking centimetres!!!!)
Hips: 107cms (6cms less!)
Weight: 79.5kgs (Who gives a shit!)
I tried to remember the last time I weighed under 80 (granted I realise I am JUST under but give me this one please!) and I think the last time I can remember was around the end of 2008. I was trying to run around the block each afternoon with Tim, right before I moved off college and moved in with him. I remember weighing myself, and I have a sneaking suspicion I was around 77 or 79... but I had been running for about a week, as well as trying "celebrity slim" and when I hadn't had the immediate results I was wanting (meaning I hadnt lost enough weight immediately after beginning), I quit. Anyway, the point of that is that I haven't been around this weight in just over 6 years. Except now I am 6 years older, six years (kind of) wiser, and six years more determined. I am going to start back at CrossFit soon. No scrap that, I am going to START at CrossFit soon, because let's face it, I never really started last time (or the time before that). I would like to blame the pregnancy, as thats what happened both times right as I went to begin, but really I was lazy as well. I got morning sickness and instead of trying to fight through it (thus getting fitter so it didn't affect me as much) I let it take hold and spent both pregnancies in misery and vomiting. But this time, I am really hoping I can stick to it. Anyway, Tim has promised to show me the ropes again in our garage (AKA his personal gym) and then when I feel a bit more confident, I will venture to the actual CrossFit box... But in the meantime, I am REALLY loving the fact that tonight I don't HAVE to do any exercises... It's been a long month.
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