Transformation Challenge: Days 20-21

The halfway point has come and gone.  I planned on making a big deal out of it with half-way point reflections or something philosophical, but that just didn't happen.  And neither did a post on the actual half-way point.  You see it's Finals week at UC, which equals Rachel scrambles frantically to get all her projects and exams done that she has put off all quarter in order to workout and look fabulous.  Because of this, I'm tired and can barely remember yesterday.  But I will try and summarize the past two days before I do one more assignment and turn off the lights, because tomorrow is another (frantically busy) day!

Workouts:
Day 20:  Yoga - 1 hour and Barre - 1 hour
Day 21: Cardio Attack - 55 min


Challenges:
Cheating on the eating.  Yesterday I had a fudge pop and lite cool whip.  While it's not all that unhealthy it isn't on the cleanse and I didn't need to eat it.  And today I really was bad. I had a beer. I'm not supposed to have any alcohol on this cleanse, but today is my second to last day and my cohort went out for pizza and beer after our (awful) final exam.  I only had a few bites of my friend's pizza and one delicious Purple Haze.  How could I resist when my favorite beer was on tap?!

Accomplishments:
Cardio Attack still sucked. But I think I didn't die quite as bad as last week?

Transformation Challenge: Day 19

Despite losing an hour of sleep, today has been a pretty good and productive day.  I started my day off with a special class for challenge participants at BFF.  It was a combo of yoga and pilates mat work.  It should have been easy, but I was really struggling today.  Not sure if the class was really that hard or if I was just that tired.  Anyways, it got my day off to the right start and I stayed busy the rest of the day.  I met my classmate/friend Mary at Panera to go over our study guide for my Career Development final that is on Tuesday.  We powered through and got it just about finished before my computer died.  I then took a mini shopping trip, came come and chopped veggies, made a delicious dinner of salmon and zucchini squash and then wasted time online.  I definitely didn't get everything done I was supposed to, but I still think I did alright.  

Workout:

Survivor Sunday Mat class - 1 hour

Challenge:

Staying hydrated.  I don't know what was with me today, but I couldn't quench my thirst.  My mouth was so dry even after drinking water.  I was craving a sprite while studying again at Panera (not the only thing I was craving with all those goodies around!) but stayed strong and avoided the pop.  

Treat:

I did a little shopping for new workout clothes and came home with a bag full of vibrant neon colored tops and bras.  This should put a little pep in my step on the way to work out!  I still need to find a good pair of capris or  yoga pants, but I am so relieved to have a few more sports bras to get me through the week without doing laundry. 

Transformation Challenge: Day 18

I think my body has already embraced this whole Spring Forward thing.  I'm so tired that it already feels an hour later than it is.  I suppose that means that I should head to bed, but I had to get today's post in before I could crawl under my covers.  Hopefully I will have a great night's sleep where I can breath normally and I don't wake up crying from a bad dream like last night. Seriously, why am I always getting dumped in my dreams? I'm not even dating!! This is so unfair.  I'm single and should be able to just enjoy my no-boy drama life and instead my dreams decide I need a little heart-break and drama to make up for my calm reality.  Sheesh, no fair, dreams, no fair.

Workout:

Dance Class - 1hour

Challenge:

Not eating a bagel at Panera while I studies with Emily.  Seriously, it's like they pump warm yummy bagel smell through that place to make people ruin their diets.

Accomplishment:

I finally hit my benchmark weight! (well for a day at least).  I had told myself that I could buy a new/smaller pair of my favorite Ann Taylor Loft jeans when I hit this weight.  I've been needing this size for a bit now, but wanted to hit my goal before I forked over the semi-large sum for denim.  I headed in to Loft today because they were having a 30% off everything sale and I figured this was perfect timing.  I tried the size smaller on and they fit! But then when I was moving around I noticed they stretched out a little and weren't all that tight around the waist...gasp, could it be?  Was I really 2 sizes smaller?  I risked it and tried on the next size down and breathed a sigh of relief when I buttoned them.  However, while the "fit" there weren't as flattering as I'd like, but given a little time (say til the end of the challenge maybe?) I think they will be the right size for me.  While this is uber exciting and all, I became a little frustrated.  Do I buy the pair that fits better now but will likely be too small soon? Was it worth the $50.00?!! Or do I buy the size that is a little small at the time but should fit soon? But what if I stop losing inches and stay at this size? After going back and forth and not having a support system in the store, I gave up and left without either pair.  It's like the universe does not want me to have jeans that fit!  But just you wait universe, I'm going to get to that next size down.  You may have won the battle, but I will win the war of jeans!!! Guess that means back to the gym tomorrow, eh?

Treat:

I got my hairs did! Something about a nice trim and fresh bangs to make a girl feel good about herself (even if she doesn't have a good pair of jeans).

Transformation Challenge: Day 17

First off let me just say this "ow". My body hurts.  It's aching and not happy with my workouts today.  But, I don't care, because finally finally finally after weeks of flirting with it, I hit my benchmark goal weight today! Yay for results!  I feel like I should have been there awhile ago, but this whole stupid plateau thing is really a debbie downer.  I'm hoping that by taking these supplements and shakes I can keep tricking my body to lose even more.  Just in case that doesn't do it alone, I'm working out like a mad woman.  That's really what I look like sometimes after a workout too.  A sweaty, frizzy haired, beet red faced, mad woman who takes 3 difficult classes in one day.  I'm proud of myself for pushing through it even though I was so tempted to skip the last one.  No pain no gain right? And with that, thank goodness for ibuprofen! Oh and luckily tomorrow is my easy or "off" day.

Workouts:
Body Pump (first time taking this one! Barbell workout at 7am) - 1 hour
Barre - 1 hour
Chickboxing - 1 hour

Accomplishment:
Seeing my muscles flexing while I was working out. Also, burning over 1,000 calories and making it through 3 classes today. Plus that whole meeting my benchmark goal weight :)

Challenge:
Breathing while not working out.  This stupid cold makes it impossible! That was a benefit of all my workouts today. My nose and head clear up when I'm working up a sweat.

Treat:
While this is not a treat I consumed, a purchase from amazon arrived at my doorstep today.  I bought an Oyster blender that is for smoothies and you make it in a to-go water bottle.  Perfect for mixing up a shake real quick and heading out the door. Genius I tell ya! (P.S. It's bright green so of course I love it even more)

Transformation Challenge: Day 16

Well I don't have any horrible dinner episodes to report for my Thursday.  Luckily I didn't have to do that fire alarm dance because I stuck with my simple staple of a kale salad with chicken, craisins, and celery.  I did however discover a new favorite healthy treat. Like I almost cried I was so happy when I tasted it.  See, I love chocolate and peanut butter. It's on the best things in the world quite frankly and when you are trying to lose weight you generally have to say adios to this beauty.  You can imagine how difficult it is to hear Reese's commercials on the radio and to see the Reese's Eggs out on the store shelves.  I just keep licking my lips and biding my time until April comes and I can allow myself to have one.  So you can imagine how stoked I was when I made an evening snack last night that gave me the same taste.  I was feeling pretty exhausted, my muscle were aching, and I was a little hungry (and of course craving dessert).  So I treated my muscles to a chocolate protein drink only I decided to jazz it up a bit.  I only used half of the shake powder, added ice, 1/2 banana, and 1 Tablespoon natural almond butter. Oh my land was it amazing! It was like drinking a chocolate peanut butter shake with half the calories and way more protein.  You can imagine what I will be looking forward to the rest of the challenge. I see this becoming a staple.

Today's Workouts:
Boxing Bootcamp - 55 min. (Sadly this was the last day of bootcamp. While I will enjoy sleeping in an extra hour I will miss the intensity and pink gloves 2x a week).
Yoga - 1 hour

Today's Challenge: 
Well I suppose my challenge would be the fact that our class was holding a poster session and my poster was blank up until 2:30 yesterday. Yeah that's right, I procrastinated and pulled it off.  While my poster wasn't the most professional or beautiful, it got the job done and didn't look to bad.  Unfortunately I forgot the poster when I left for class. Honestly, where is my head these days?! I even commented to myself while I was making it that "Gee it would be so easy to forget to take this with me. Man that would really suck!".  So I made a mental note to remember it and set it on my couch. Obviously that did not work.  I was really hungry and scrambled to make a packet of oatmeal to take with me on the drive to campus.  I must have been so focused on my food that I completely missed the giant cardboard poster sitting in my living room.  Luckily I didn't make it all that far down the road before I realized. I even made it to class just in the nick of time.  So yeah, posters are just a challenge in general. P.S. I got an A so who ever wants to argue against procrastination doesn't know how to do it right.

Today's Treat:
Chocolate, PB, Banana Protein Shake duhhhhh!

Transformation Challenge: Day 15

Ok I'm just going to go ahead and start with my Challenge of the Day - Dinner. Since I had went grocery shopping at 8am and didn't have class tonight, I had planned on spicing dinner up a little bit.  And when I say spicing dinner up, I really mean try and cook something other than a piece of fish with a side of broccoli.  I had a sweet potato that I've been too lazy to cook (epitome of laziness right here folks) so I decided to make some healthy sweet potato "fries".  I first texted Beth at Bella Forza to see if sweet potatoes were allowed during the cleanse because I know that starches are not, but good starches are ok sometimes.  She said I could probably have one potato so I was super excited and headed to the kitchen. Fast forward to me standing in the kitchen with my chicken breast on the George Foreman Grill and sweet potatoes sliced and drizzled with olive oil in the oven.  I'm just about to pat myself on the back for finding a dinner on the cleanse that I was excited about when I hear a screeching BEEP BEEP BEEP. BEEP BEEP BEEP. The smoke alarm was ah-an-guh-reeee.  I flew over to the smoke alarm to attempt to comfort it by fanning a pillow in front of it and it calmed down. I started to tip-toe away back to the kitchen to open the window and BEEP BEEP BEEP came screaming behind me.  Now if it were just me, I'd deal with the noise while I ran around the apartment, turning off the oven, turning off the grill, opening window, find a fan etc etc.  But I have neighbors who have a child and a newborn (although they do make a lot of noise so this would be the perfect time for payback....but I took the high road).  So you can imagine an image of a frazzled Rachel running across her apartment back and forth trying to calm the alarm and deal with the kitchen.  The best part of this fiasco? I burnt the fries. Black. To. A. Crisp. Guess what I had for dinner? Broccoli.

Lesson of the Day:
Stick with broccoli.

Accomplishment:
Bought a new water bottle and shaker bottle to use for meal and protein shakes.  Oh and I got measured today and have already lost a couple of inches from the beginning of the challenge.  That bike is within sight...

Treat:
I'm about to go make an Advocare Shake with berries to try and make up for my disappointing dinner.

Transformation Challenge: Day 14

I'm just gonna say that I hate Cardio.  So what in the world makes me keep signing up for this Cardio Attack class? Stubbornness I guess. I know it's what I need so I keep taking it in hopes that these pounds will melt off and I'll finally hit my goal weight. If it doesn't work, I'm not going to be a happy camper.  Especially since smores are not cleanse approved.


Workouts:
Boxing Bootcamp - 45 min. mostly arms
Cardio Attack - 55 min of a whole lot of torture

Challenges:
My classmates got frozen yogurt in between our two Tuesday classes. I was drained and stressed and could have really gone for some fro-yo. But alas, I stayed strong because my cleanse forbids dairy and sugar so that would be a double whammy cheat.

Staying awake to hurry up and right a chapter review that is due tonight. It is past my bedtime and I need me some shut eye and recovery time!

Treat:
I sadly ate a whole bag of popcorn because I hadn't consumed enough calories for the day and wanted something crunchy. I'm pretty sure that is not on my list of acceptable cleanse foods, but it didn't forbid it either and I was running out of options.

Lesson:
Everyone at work has been going on and on and on and on about this Advocare product called Spark.  It's a vitamin powder you put in your bottle of water and it has some caffeine and no sugar.  It is supposed to provide mental clarity all day and energy. I admit it, I was skeptical that it would be any different than having a nice cup of joe in the am, but I was wrong.  I took a spark this morning and felt great all day (well as great as one can feel sitting through 2 classes and a supervision session from he...you get the picture). I did not feel the urge to even stop at Starbucks in the afternoon like I usually do on Tuesdays. It lasted me a good 12 hours of focus.  Unfortunately that 12 hours has worn off and I need to take my droopy eyes to bed.