I'll take my next Army Physical Fitness Test in October. So today I gave myself a little test to see where I'm at. I didn't do it in a similar setting to the real thing. I'll do that later in the month, but I timed myself doing push-ups and sit-ups and then got on the treadmill to see how fast I could do two miles.
I haven't really been focusing on training for the APFT, other than my increased running. So I was happy that my other work-outs enabled me to do 33 push-ups in two minutes and 83 sit-ups in two minutes. As for the running on the treadmill, I did two miles in 17:48. I am pretty sure that would have been slower outside, but still better than I've ever done it in the past.
This next week, I'll start focusing more on push-ups, sit-ups, and doing some sprint work to help my run times. It's a difficult lesson to admit, but consistency with fitness really does pay off. For so many years I just did what I needed to the last two months before the test. That worked OK, but it really was a dis-service to myself and my health.
Onward and upward!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
New Found Motivation
After my less than ideal results with the Making the Cut program, I was pretty bummed. A friend of mine mentioned a website called SparkPeople.com so I checked it out in April. It's a free site that allows you to set goals, track food and exercise, but it's really a community of people all striving to achieve a healthier lifestyle. There are weight loss tips, excellent articles, workout videos, blogs, message boards, etc. It was a nice reminder to myself to not give up and keep working towards my overall goal to create healthier habits.
From March to June, I kept running regularly and tried a variety of work-out routines from SparkPeople as well as Jillian Michaels. For the most part, I watched my diet...but when we traveled on long weekends, I was horrible. I know I lost and gained the same five pounds at least four times.
Then in June I found new motivation in the form of a fitness group started by an old friend from my high school days. I never would have imagined that a guy I dated when I was 16 would now become my online fitness coach. He and his wife became Team Beachbody coaches and started an online group, Angry Bear Fitness, through Facebook. Beachbody is the company responsible for the P90X, Insanity, Hip Hop Abs, TurboFire, 10-Minute Trainer, and other workout programs. I actually bought the 10-Minute Trainer (TMT) back in 2009, but never really got into it. After reading a few posts in the group, I felt more motivated and realized that I needed to up my game and get a bit more serious...especially when traveling. I decided to pull the TMT videos and resistance bands out of the closet and start the program. I also started using MyFitnessPal which is another free online food and exercise tracking tool. I think I like it better than SparkPeople.
I started TMT on the 8th of July. The regimen is 28 days and you can repeat as many times as you like. At the end of 28 days, I have lost 6 pounds. I can definitely see a difference in how my clothes fit and my energy level is quite high. What thrills me the most is that two of those weeks were spent in Pittsburgh during a tough time for myself emotionally after the death of my grandmother. I took my videos with me and made myself exercise most every day I was there. I also did a good job watching what I ate. I gave in to some of my food weaknesses, but I didn't over-indulge. In the past, that has been my downfall.
I restarted Round 2 of the program and I've even decided to enter one of those contests through the Team BeachBody website since I plan on sticking with the program for another two months. I don't expect to win, but I've found that logging my workouts on the site and holding myself accountable to the other group members that are also doing a variety of workout programs brings back some of my competitive spirit. If I force myself to take before photos, weigh-in regularly, and complete a daily food diary that other people on MyFitnessPal can read, I know I am more likely to achieve my goals.
I am so thankful for Facebook for re-connecting me with my old friend and that he has shared his passion for helping others achieve their goals while he and his family are working towards their own. I think he's lost 17 pounds in his own journey. I'm also so blessed to have a supportive husband that doesn't mind me getting all sweaty and supports my food choices. If any of you would like to join me on MyFitnessPal or SparkPeople, look for me as drsteph01.
Here are my photos from 25 June and 8 August...extra motivation for me to get rid of some more flab!! Slowly, but surely I will get there.
25 June 2011
8 August 2011
25 June 2011
8 August 2011
From March to June, I kept running regularly and tried a variety of work-out routines from SparkPeople as well as Jillian Michaels. For the most part, I watched my diet...but when we traveled on long weekends, I was horrible. I know I lost and gained the same five pounds at least four times.
Then in June I found new motivation in the form of a fitness group started by an old friend from my high school days. I never would have imagined that a guy I dated when I was 16 would now become my online fitness coach. He and his wife became Team Beachbody coaches and started an online group, Angry Bear Fitness, through Facebook. Beachbody is the company responsible for the P90X, Insanity, Hip Hop Abs, TurboFire, 10-Minute Trainer, and other workout programs. I actually bought the 10-Minute Trainer (TMT) back in 2009, but never really got into it. After reading a few posts in the group, I felt more motivated and realized that I needed to up my game and get a bit more serious...especially when traveling. I decided to pull the TMT videos and resistance bands out of the closet and start the program. I also started using MyFitnessPal which is another free online food and exercise tracking tool. I think I like it better than SparkPeople.
I started TMT on the 8th of July. The regimen is 28 days and you can repeat as many times as you like. At the end of 28 days, I have lost 6 pounds. I can definitely see a difference in how my clothes fit and my energy level is quite high. What thrills me the most is that two of those weeks were spent in Pittsburgh during a tough time for myself emotionally after the death of my grandmother. I took my videos with me and made myself exercise most every day I was there. I also did a good job watching what I ate. I gave in to some of my food weaknesses, but I didn't over-indulge. In the past, that has been my downfall.
I restarted Round 2 of the program and I've even decided to enter one of those contests through the Team BeachBody website since I plan on sticking with the program for another two months. I don't expect to win, but I've found that logging my workouts on the site and holding myself accountable to the other group members that are also doing a variety of workout programs brings back some of my competitive spirit. If I force myself to take before photos, weigh-in regularly, and complete a daily food diary that other people on MyFitnessPal can read, I know I am more likely to achieve my goals.
I am so thankful for Facebook for re-connecting me with my old friend and that he has shared his passion for helping others achieve their goals while he and his family are working towards their own. I think he's lost 17 pounds in his own journey. I'm also so blessed to have a supportive husband that doesn't mind me getting all sweaty and supports my food choices. If any of you would like to join me on MyFitnessPal or SparkPeople, look for me as drsteph01.
Here are my photos from 25 June and 8 August...extra motivation for me to get rid of some more flab!! Slowly, but surely I will get there.
25 June 2011
8 August 2011
25 June 2011
8 August 2011
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