6 month alumni-week of Nov 15

[Runcrazy]

Oh Cendrine!!! You know me well! YES, those skewers sound delicous! I can imagine making those with cod and can taste it as I type! Your sweet potatoe dish sounds delicous also!!!

Okay, so since I messed up my workout today (I actually don't feel that bad about it since I had a great leg workout and if you remember, Meso 1 gets a little cardio going! ) I decided I might add a little plyo on to the end of my power walking tomorrow (like about 10 minutes). But I'll see how I feel as I don't want to overdue before doing ME on Thursday.

Rachel, I wanted to come back to the hot flashes after you asked me about them the other day. So here's what happens: Oddly enough, I feel the heat first in my face and sinus area which is why when I first was getting them I thought I maybe had a fever. Then I feel heat in my chest and then suddenly, within about 30 seconds my entire body heats up and I mean HEATS UP! (I'm having one right now!) But mostly in my upper body and then I break out in a sweat. And I am suddenly sweating in places I've never sweated before! Then I doing everything I can, as fast as I can, to get my sweater, jacket or whatever OFF as I feel like I'm going to melt or something (anything to get some relief). Mine last about 3-5 minutes (that's the whole heat up and down) and then I cool off again. I'm one of those people that is always cold so when they first started happening, I didn't know WHAT was going on. Last week after DH and I were downtown Seattle, we were in the car coming home and I was having a real hot one...anyway, it was 35 degrees outside, I couldn't get my jacket off, seat belt off, etc. and just had DH roll down the window so I could stick my head out! Then suddenly, they're over and you put your jacket back on and go back to normal! LOL! I always want to get my bra off too but that doesn't work well at work! So, having 20-25 a day was very uncomfortable for me! Believe me, whenever, if ever, you have one, you'll know it! You know the weird thing is my mom THINKS she had a hot flash but basically had NO menopause symptoms. I guess I take after my dad's side of the family. There, that's probably more hot flash information than you care about but that's what I'm dealing with right now! Us lucky girls get to experience all kinds of things with our bodies!!

Okay, enough talk. TBL starts in 5 minutes! Talk to you all tomorrow!

 

[Runcrazy]

Okay one more thing about hot flashes and then I'll quit talking about them. Of all the people I know that are either in menopause or through it, NONE of them have experienced hot flashes to the degree I'm having them. So I'm apparently worse than many people but I'm not having other symptoms people have like not being able to sleep! So, everyone has something different!

Back to TBL!

 

[Runcrazy]

Rachel, I forgot to answer the tree question: I am in the trees! They are all around me. Our living room is on the 2nd floor and we have cathedral ceilings with old growth cedar outside the window. It's kind of like we're in a big tree house! (It's especially cool when it snows.)

 

[banslug]

While I'm in the sharing mode, Rachel, here's the sweet potato dish

5 Med sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch pieces
3/4 cup light coconut milk
2 tsp cardamom ground
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup pecan halves chopped

Preheat oven to 325F. boil sweet potatoes until soft, about 10 min. drain and put in bowl. Add coconut milk, cardamom, vanilla, salt, pepper and cayenne to potatoes. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Transfer to 9x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle pecans evenly oveer sweet potato mixture. Bake for 45 to 50 min.

Oh my Lord, does THIS look awesome! I actually started keeping light coconut milk on hand ever since I found a recipe for Coconut Chicken Soup. I WILL HAVE to try this SOON!!!!!!!!! Thanks for yet another recipe, Cendrine.

To get caught up on some questions you guys asked:

Yes, my bathroom project finally got done. I only have one little detail left to do and I'm actually working on it this weekend. I'll share pics when it's 100% done.

Kids....doing super well. Younger DS, who was having some issues in school the last 2 years due to attention 'issues' and normal lack of retaining info, is doing tremendously well. I have an hour between him getting home and older DS getting home, so I've been able to really concentrate on him and have tuned into what REALLY makes his brain work. I almost took a FT job at our school this year, but in the end, I realized I NEEDED this time with him (alone, without his bro around) to concentrate on his work and MAN it was THE BEST decision I made!

Plantar Fasciitis....doing super SUPER well. I started wearing my shoes ALL DAY LONG, which I didn't really like at first, since I'm a barefoot kind of gal. But it has been so worth it. I still get tweeks and twinges here and there, but NOTHING as bad as it was. The half marathon was in early September and I was shooting for a time of 2:10. I trained for it during the summer, as well as ate much better than I had for previous training, so I was prepared and confident. I crushed my goal time and clocked in at 2:01!!!!!!!!!! Super happy with that.

NOW......sorry to make that all ME ME ME! But I needed to get caught up.

I've been giggling at those of you mentioning that you 'HAVE' to start on a specific day, cuz I'm like that too! lol For ANYTHING, which is where my all or nothing attitude comes in with my eating....that's why it's so hard for me if I fall off the wagon mid-week, because then I have a VERY difficult time getting started fresh on, say, Wednesday or Thursday. The 6 month STS rotation we all did together was the FIRST TIME I actually started a rotation on a Sunday and rested on Saturday. I am seriously thinking of doing that again when we ALL do it again come January 1st (notice I say ALL, cuz I'm in with you)!

Today's EARLY workout was started at 4:45am!!! I've been trying to get started earlier since I'm no longer doing the shorter BFL HiiT cardio, so I NEED the extra time. This morning was Drill Max and STS Extended Stretch. AWESOME combo!!! ANd made for a sweaty Gayle!

Jo, I LOVE the image you've given us with your talk about the hi ceilings and the outside trees! GORGEOUS!

Kim, where are you guys going???

Gotta scoot to get some things done!!! Happy Wednesday!

Gayle

 

[Runcrazy]

Hi All!

Gayle, thanks for all the updates! You are a busy girl! LOL! 4:45??? Ugghhh! You and Rachel are inspiring with your VERY early morning workouts!

I did get in 50 minutes of power walking on the Treadmill (per the rotation!). There is no way I could have added any plyo in! I don't know what I did different yesterday with Disc 3 legs, but my hamstrings are sore like nobodies business! I don't think they've ever been this tight so I'm wondering what I did different! You know, like always, everytime you do these workouts (any of them) you get more familiar and work a little harder! It was probably one of those paper plates moves! LOL!

I'll BBL! Hello everyone! Hope you're having a GREAT day!

 

[cendrine]

Jo, I'd take hot flashes any day over not sleeping at night! how about you?

I have a funny hotflash story: the nursery and the toddler's room at sunday school are right next to each other and I have the air conditioning control in my rooom. I'm always cold, so I always keep it off... well, it so happens that I am always on the same schedule with the menopausal nursery worker next door... She always pops her head in and tells me they are stifling to death and the minute I turn on the ac I am freezing to death... and we are ALWAYS working on the same sunday! LOL! I have learned to come dressed warmly....

Gayle, let me know how you like the sweet potatoes! What a great choice you made investing that one hour with ds! I bet it feels rewarding to see the progress!

Plyo legs for me today. I swear I felt doms walking up the stairs after my workout! I did the STS stretch to try to help it some... Not sure my situation can be helped...LOL! I was thinking of doing rhythmic step tomorrow instead of the walk, but we'll see.

HI everyone else!

 

[FourAM]

OK Cendrine...That is weird, I was thinking about doing RS too tomorrow because I do not have my treadmill right now. I was going to ask what yall suggested instead. I also have to sub something for Saturdays 35 min intervals too.

Ok now about plyo legs...I remembered it being hard. Like Jo said ...every time you do one you get a little better at it. I feel like I was really squat RIGHT on the squat jumps and I did every one of those half turn jumps. Toward the end they did not look too much like 1/2 turns but I did not stop which even surprised me

Jo-Your description of your view sounds absolutely like something I would love! With all the old cedar...I just love that sort of stuff. How is the power walking treating you. That always gets me in the shins...I am always so sore for days afterwards.
I am soo interested in this hot flash thing...You should have been a writer because I felt like I could feel the heat from your description. I could just see you riding down the road with your head hanging out the window and people wondering 'what the heck'!!

Cendrine-I think you gave me my sweet potato recipe for Thanksgiving! It souds delicious and I am itching to try it. So what better day than Thanksgiving. As far as the persimmons go...I have no idea what you could do with them but I bet if you googled recipes you might find some interesting ones. When I was a kid, I would eat them green. My lips would be all puckered. Of course a stomach ache was what followed. I have not had a persimmon in years.

Kim-I think it is so cool that your whole family works out together sometimes. That is so great! You just do not hear of that too much! I hope you have great fun on your trip! YOu will be missed around here!

Gayle-I am so glad you are going to do the next round of sts with us. You are such a rallier<---I do not know if that is a word But I know if anyone can get me going it is you !


OK I think I am already feeling the plyo...Bring it on DOMS!

Have a great night !

Rachel

 

[Runcrazy]

Rachel, my shins are good! I never have a problem with shins, if anything I have a problem with my knee (the knee that keeps me from running!) but I didn't have any issues today. I also had my TM on 3% incline. If you aren't going to do the walking, then yes I'd substitute RS and then for the walk/run intervals I'd do the first 5 intervals of either Imax 2 or 3. Since I can't run, I'm going to do the first 5 of Imax 3. When I get my other computer up (it has all my pictures on it), I'll post a picture of our window with the big tree and you guys can see what I mean about the tree house affect! LOL!

Cendrine, you got my mouth watering over the fish recipe and I kept thinking about it all day today! I didn't have any skewers to make kabobs, and not quite all the ingredients so this is what I did instead:

2 lbs cod lightly brushed with olive oil and place in baking dish
chopped up green onions (about 7 med) sprinkle over cod
chopped up 1 big red tomatoe and spread over cod
chopped up 1 yellow bell pepper and spred over cod
squirted some lemon juice over all the ingredients
sprinkle johnny's seaons salt and pepper
sprinkle dill
baked for about 30 minutes at 350

When the fish was finished I cut up clementines and put them on also! Then I served with steamed asparagus.

It was a big hit for a Wednesday night!

My hams and glutes are so DOMS's that I don't know if I can get through ME tomorrow. We'll see! Or maybe I'll just have to go lighter on the weights! By Saturday I probably won't be able to walk! I still can't believe I did the wrong workout! I was about half way through Disc 3 when it occurred to me I was doing the wrong workout!

 

[Runcrazy]

Cendrine, didn't you ask about your calves hurting when doing lunges? I'm was trying to find the post. If I'm answering the right question, that used to happen to me and it would happen when I was starting to get fatiqued and losing my form. Make sure you are keeping focus and really pushing down through your heel and pull that back leg in just a little. Chances are you have put your leg back too far and have distributed too much weight to that leg. (Does that make sense?) If I'm answering the wrong question, can you refresh me what the question was.

Have a good day tomorrow everyone!

 

[FourAM]

Jo, I can not wait for the pics...I have this picture in my mind and I want to see if it is even close. In fact I have a mental image of you house in my mind up on top of the hill. You just explain it so well.

I did do RS today and I had a lot of fun with it. I had again only done the Fitv version and this was way different so I had to pay attention which is good cause I get to really use some brain power too...That has got to be good for you right? I am so glad it is Thursday, Just one more day till the weekend . I guess I need to start my Thanksgiving grocery list.
Did you ever decide what you were going to do Jo?

Ok I am off to work. Cendrine I hope Jo's advice helps with the calf!

Rachel

 

[cab0899]

Good morning everyone, I didn't get a chance to check in yesterday as had a meeting at the school (I'm the treasurer for the before/after school program) after supper then DH and I did Insanity.

I have an extra long weekend Thursday and Friday off instead of just Friday that just happens very occasionally due to the part time schedule of my job. Kind of nice to have the extra day but less pay this week

Cendrien What did you decide to do with the persimmons? I have to admit that I would have no idea what to do with them! I don't really know what they are DD has done Insanity with DH and I a few times, she does well with keeping up! I think the kids like it because it's jumping stuff with no choreography to follow. They find Cathe hard to follow even grapevines confuse them. DS did his first workout with us on Monday and declared it way hard then Cathe!

Jo I would love to see pictures of your house! It sounds beautiful! Living on the prairies it's hard to imagine a tree house like house! We are tossing around the idea of moving to a bigger house next year. How are the hamstrings today?

Gayle Thanks for the update! Sounds like things are going well with the kids, work and the half marathon. We're going to Disney World in Florida for 9 nights from Nov 29-Dec 8. Going just after American thansgiving to avoid the busy time.

Rachael Are you sore from pylo? RS is a workout for the mind and the body, LOL! Once you know the routine, it's so much fun! Like dancing.

Got to go wake kiddos up and get them off to school. Then maybe I'll go get some groceries. All this free time! I'm thinking I might stop and buy one more suitcase and then come home and start wrapping Christmas presents. I have all the shopping I"ve done, hidden in suitcases so now I need the suitcases. So maybe I'll just wrap stuff up?

I promise DH I'll wait till after supper to do Insanity as he wants to do it with me. I know if I do it alone, he'll never do it
Kim

 

[banslug]

Hi ladies. Sorry, gotta be SUPER quick right now. Just being accountable! RS was this AM....LOVED it and I was super pleased that it actually seemed comfortably fun, with a nice sweat.....not killer as it has been sometimes in the past.....and that was WITH my really jumping and giving it my all! WOO HOO!

I checked out the Nov rotation and I believe I'll do ME with you guys tomorrow. Although, that's subject to change, as usual with me!

Gotta scoot to work/school!

Gayle

P.S. In case any of you doubt it, YOU ALL ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Runcrazy]

Hi Everyone! Well I made it through ME! My legs were still tight but loosened up as the workout progressed! I haven't done this workout in quite a while and forgot how grueling all those reps are! But I felt great afterwards! I've really enjoyed the variety this week! Also I forgot how grueling it is to do a total body workout!! I think I've really gotten used to the 2-3 body part workouts and like them (and the rests! ).

Kim, what a great idea for hiding presents in suitcases! Much better than under the bed! LOL! I used to put stuff in closets or in the bookshelf (depending on size of course) or sometimes I just had things in my office at work!

Gayle, love having your enthusiastic posts again! YOU ROCK TOO!!! LOL!

Hello Cendrine and Rachel! Did you get RS done today?

BBL!

 

[cendrine]

Hi Everyone!

I had a super late night last night and simply could not fall asleep! I finally went downstairs and had a glass of wine to help me... I never do that, in fact, it was lucky there was even wine in the house!LOL So finally I fell asleep and then bing! 4 am and I'm wide awake ! sigh! So I stayed in bed and read my book all the way through.... My doms are so bad I didn't manage to talk myself into walking, just kept right on reading.... I planned on taking the kis on a bike ride in the afternoon to get my walk in then, but that never happened because I didn't get home til 3 and had to scramble and get stuff done before heading out again for an appt. So no workout today.... I hurt all over, I even have tight shoulders after doing plyo legs and I can't figure out why! So there is no way I can do ME tomorrow. I was thinking I might do upper body ME, but now I'm toying with the idea of doing my walk tomorrow and ME in its entirety on Sat. What do you all think?

Jo, thanks for your help with the calf issue, I think you might be right about me stepping back too far. I think I have been trying to go lower and have sacrificed form in the process. Will watch it closely next time I do legs.
Your fish dish sounded extremely yummy! I made another yummy one today too. Roasted fennel, olives and tomatoes with tilapia. yum. Simple tastes so good!

Kim, I need to wrap presents too, it's the best way to hide them! LOL! I found a persimmon cinnamon crumb cake that had my guys' attention, so this weekend I will try that and if I have any persimmons left, I will make some cookies, also a recipe found online.... Don't you just love the internet?

Gayle and Rachel, RS for both of you, fun, fun! I'm glad you both had such a good time with it! I love that one!

 

[FourAM]

Cendrine, I am sorry you did not get good sleep. I think taking the day off was a better choice. You might have zombied through your work out any way and it would have just mad you feel bad that you did not give it all you could even though that would have been all you could give...Did that make sense? I had upper body pain after plyo too, around the same region you were talking about so at least we know we are not alone with that one. I was clueless to what it could be too. Normally I do get sore a little in the traps if I have to do the BB over my head a lot but with plyo the only thing I could think that it might be is that I use kind of heavy DB's for the DL's. Maybe that was it and maybe my form was compromised a little.

OK today was ME for me and man it is a good hard work out! You are right about that Jo. It is weird for me to not do the 2 body part a day work outs too because prior to any of these rotations that is what I have done for years. That is how I started out and I kind of snubbed a full body work out thinking that I would be cheating my body parts out of a good individual work out... Boy was I wrong...Not like I have not been schooled on my misconceptions before by Cathe, though! Just like I am sure I will be again when shock cardio HiiT gets here and I think 'after this 29 min. workout I will probably do something else' I am already shaking!

Ok now I have a bit of an embarrassing Q for ya...How do you keep your work out clothes smelling fresh? I have one of those HE washers so I don't think I can do any of the baking soda remedies that I have read about but I am sure needing something. I have run into two days of work outs where my shirt was done before I was and I normally do not really stink so it really caught me off guard. Then I realized it was the shirt and I was glad that it was not me but wondering why it turned so stinky??? So I was just wondering if yall do anything specific to keep your work out clothes fresher?

It is Friday and it could not have come any sooner for me...DH was having a bad week and that makes me have a long week. He is kind of burned out because every room has been the same and it is like an assembly line. You just kind of go in to each one and we each do certain things in each room and then off to the next one. I think it will be better now though because today we will be doing our last room like that and now it will be off to hallways and patterns which will break up the monotony of the whole thing!

I hope yall are all having a great work out day...Esp you Cendrine...I am trying to send you some real tough and energized vibes~~~~~~~~

Rachel

 

[banslug]

Cendrine, I've had those nights/mornings, and they can be tough. And there's NEVER any downtime during the day!!!!

Well, I ditched you all on the ME workout. As the day wore on yesterday, I was just feeling like more cardio was due today, so I opted for Body Max 2....ALL of it....for the first time in a while. I was drenched and felt so accomplished when I was done. Then I marked my workout sheet "NEXT TIME, increase weights". lol Never easy on ourselves, are we?

I'm headed to work in about 15 minutes....LAST day of work till Dec 2nd!!! WOO HOO!!!

Sorry to hit and run, but I PROMISE, I'll be back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, one more thing....I just printed off a chart that I keep in my kitchen with each day for me to write in my workout. It has the next 6 weeks and it's titled "6 week challenge to end 2009 STRONG". I left January 1st open for STS! LOL

Gayle

 

[Runcrazy]

Well my plan today was Imax 3 combos 1-5 to substitute for the walk/run, but this week has turned to be more physically demanding than I thought! (I think ME wore me OUT yesterday!) Anyway, I ended up only doing the first 3 combos and decided to stop as I tripped a couple of times on my step and was just a hair to tired to have a good workout! My legs were saying "NO WAY!" I honestly don't feel bad about it though and then will take the rest day tomorrow. So...my thoughts: The change in rotation does a body good!!!! LOL!

Cendrine, sorry you didn't sleep well. Hopefully you were able to get your workout in today! I meant to comment about the persimmons...I have never even bought those so I don't even think I know what they taste like!

Rachel, what is the fabric content of your clothes? I used to have that problem with my running shorts but none of my other clothes - it has to do with their inability to wick the sweat. When I get home tonight I'll look at the fabric content as I still have them (yes, they need to go to Goodwill! -haven't gotten to that part of my closet yet! ). All my other workout clothes have a high cotton content so they don't do that. I know what you're talking about though!

Good morning Gayle, BM2! You rock girl! If only I'd had that much energy today! I like your chart caption! Good motivation to get through the holidays!

Okay, BBL! Hello Kim - hope you're enjoying your day!

 

[Runcrazy]

Did you guys see the STS Cardio covers on the main page for the preorders? Click and then it goes to the workout descriptions! Go look! I'm getting excited!!!!

 

[cendrine]

Hi Girls,

I had a good fix at the chiropractor and followed up the tlc with some heating pad action and early bedtime and am feeling much better except for my plyo doms....! Glad to hear I'm not the only one with them in my shoulder neck area, Rachel...LOL! And I know what you meant abou the clothes too! Some do great, some don't, I never really figured out what to do about it either and didn't bother too much since I work out alone... I didn't know you couldn't use baking soda in He machines, I have one of those, good thing I haven't tried that....What would it do? My machine has auto soak features and I usually do that but it works some times and then it doesn't...

Anyway, I did my powerwalk today instead of ME and every step hurt, but I stuck with it and did a good long stretch afterwards which was even more painful... So, needless to say, I will only be doing the upper portion and abs part of ME plus the walk/run intervals tomorrow. That will put me back almost on track except for the ME legs. Not too bad, all things considered.
Unfortunately dd is sick now, she's holding up ok, my kids both make really good patients, so it is not so bad and we just take it easy which is nice for me too.

Kim and Jo, Persimmons are these orange colored fruits, there are different kinds, the ones I had as a kid were extremely soft almost slippery kind of flesh on the inside, very sweet but also rather neutral tasting. These ones though that I got from FIL are a different kind, these have a tough outer skin and need to be peeled, are a bit more firm but also taste very neutral, so they can be used for a lot of things I guess. My kids love cookies, so I will make some healthy cookies out of them, they won't ever even know what they are eating...LOL!

Gayle, I have yet to do Body max2 all in one sitting! I never seem to have enough time to do it all! One of these days!

Jo, I'm glad to hear you tell me that ME tired you out. When I switched to total body workouts after doing just some body parts each day, I thought I had really gotten out of shape because I found them so hard! Now I'm hearing it from you who are in such great shape, so I am encouraged to think that it's just the change that gave my body a shock...
speaking of which, I'm going to check out those shock cardio title pages you mentioned!

 

[FourAM]

I think the first week of this rotation is beating me up too. I am glad but I am tired. Tomorrow I am going to do the first 5 of IMAX 2 and then it is off for hair day...Got to get that grey covered! Then I think I am going to make my grocery list for Thanksgiving and get to the grocery store...at least that is what I am hoping for anyway! I am looking forward to a short week next week. I do not know why but I am tired. ME has gotten me too.! Now I am curious what will happen next week with pure strength! We will see!

Jo-Thanks for the heads up on the covers...I will have to go check that out right after I am done. As far as the material of the shirts goes, I am not sure. They are in the washer on sanitize right now They were quiet stinky. Hey I guess that means at least I was busting my butt right. I think both days were weight work out days too. Crazy stuff!

Kim-Yes I got the DOMS I have been missing from the plyo work out. All over my body I am ready for a good sore in my chest though. I normally get those when I single out those muscles, like a back and chest workout or something.
I know what you mean about a less pay week. I like the extra days off that we will have next week but if we are not at work we are not laying any material and that means we are not making anything. I think it will be OK though I am just a stickler for saving!

Cendrine-I have no idea what it will do if you put baking soda in the machines. I just know mine is super sensitive and I do not want to hurt its feelings with something foreign that it is not expecting. I too work out alone but my shirt was affecting my delicate senses. It was not a good BO smell...Not that there ever is one. But it was like a sweaty fat guy smell.
Now you have to tell me how you are going to make cookies with persimmons...I am very curious!

Gayle-I am very impressed with your doing all of BM2. I think I might have done that once but that was with lowering my step height for the blast portion. You are in some kind of shape! I can not wait for your encouragement in January!

OK I am off to shower and put on something very unattractive and then I am going to do do not very much! See you tomorrow!

Rachel