Peak 10 peaks again (and see me chat about the program!)

So, we're back from paradise. We had a fabulous time! Heck, I even have some pictures to share. However, real life slapped me in the face pretty much as soon as we landed, so I'll get around to posting a real Hawaii update this weekend. Oh, and a Self-Stitched September update, too. In the meantime, want to hear about one of the things that made coming home a bit easier? Sure you do! ;)

Peak 10, round 3 officially started while we were on vacation, but I joined the group last Friday. Almost all of my favorite gym friends are doing this round, which is really exciting. Even my brother is joining me this time - Suh-weet! He has been slowly working out with me more and more until it became apparent that he needed to just get a membership already and that led to him joining the Peak 10 group as well.

The workouts are proving to be just as tough and fun as the first two rounds. Although, can I just say that taking a full two weeks off means that those few classes back in the game are just brutal. Like, haven't felt this beat up in months, brutal. I think by this weekend my body will start to feel normal again, at least, I sure hope so!

While round 3 was getting off the ground, the first two DVDs were officially released and are now available for purchase! If you'd like to play along at home, why don't you pick them up and join me, eh? Either way, you should check out the website. There are previews of both videos (you can see me jumping around in the Cardio Intervals preview) and if you'd like to hear what I think about the program and my results take a look at the behind the scenes video. ;)

Our core group of Peak 10 folks are all doing this round and I'd say that we're all pretty dang motivated to just kill it this season. I've got some pretty lofty goals for the next 8 weeks, but I'm so excited to try and reach them. Bring on the crazy!!

Peak 10 program - Final update

Well, the program is officially finished and man oh man, is there a lot to recap! It's a long one, so settle in, why dontcha? :)

Final Program Results:
The final weigh-in was last Sunday, bright and early at 8am. There was such a happy buzz in the entire group as everyone was feeling pretty fantastic about having completed the program and having some fantastic results. So, the big question, how did I do? I'm ECSTATIC over my final results. The most notable stats:

* Down 15.5 lbs (!!) in 9 weeks
* ~3 inches off each thigh
* ~2.5 inches off my hips

I've seen my before and after pictures and they are pretty ridiculous. I'm not going to post them here as Michelle is still getting her new site up and running, but will post a link to them when they are up.

What the numbers don't tell you is that while I have had brief moments when I've weighed less than I do now, I have never, EVER been this lean and this fit. EVER! I absolutely carry my weight in my hips/thighs/booty (hello typical pear shape) and this is an area of my body that has always caused me grief. I looked at the back of my thighs in the mirror over the weekend and gasped. Why? Because it was the first time that I have ever been happy, no, down right giddy over the state of my legs. I seriously could have sat down and cried. I had pretty much given up on ever really being content with my lower body and to have something staring back at you in the mirror that is better than your wildest imagination is pretty mind-blowing. I cannot wait for bikini season and have a drawer of several new bikinis that are just itching to get worn out and about. :) I mean, I'm even planning to wear shorts this season and I might even give a mini-skirt a whirl.

In addition to the great results on the scale and asthetically looking so much better, I've also gotten so much stronger. Two months ago, I was convinced that God just forgot to give me a tricep muscle because it didn't matter what I did in the gym, the tricep push-up was just a disaster. I attempted a full set of them (on my knees - just keeping it real) at a weights class 2 weeks ago and about fell over when I could do the first one, then the second and kept going until I completed the whole set. If it had been appropriate, I'd have gotten up and done a jig right there in the middle of class. Guess I do have a tricep muscle after all. I've also bumped up my heavy weights to 12lbs and can do a decent set of bicep curls with them. Seeing as how I started the program using 8lb weights, it's a pretty big improvement. Lastly, my cardio fitness has just gone through the roof. So much so, that I think I might start jogging this month, an activity that just never felt do-able until now.

I think women are so primed in this country to constantly nitpick at themselves, no matter what they look like, but I'm over that. I love the way I look. I love how strong I've become. I love that I am leaner and healthier now than I ever was in high school or college. I love that my husband is getting to reap the benefits of this new me!

DVD Shoot:
The next morning was the shoot for both DVD workouts - cardio strength and cardio intervals. I was pretty excited to have the later call time of 11am, so I had time to sleep in a bit, have a normal breakfast and really wake up before heading out to the studio. I got there right as the first group was starting to film for real and everyone looked so good! The energy was palpable and you could just feel that it was going to be a good day.

The few of us that were only filming cardio intervals hung out for awhile chatting, eating lunch and getting our makeup done - it was a nice relaxing start to the day. When the first shoot was complete, we all hung out together for a bit and let those that were also doing cardio intervals rest and get ready for the next shoot. By about 1:30pm, we were dressed and getting ready to rock and roll. Before we got started, we had a ton of individual and group pictures taken for promotional materials for the program and the DVD. The photographer, David Heisler, was so freaking awesome and was just a great person to have on set. I can see why he is so popular - I'd love to work with him again. Here are a few of the individual images from the day - I might be a bit of ham. Heh. :P

{All photos courtesy of David Heisler}
The rest of the pictures from the day are just amazing! He did a really fantastic job of capturing the high energy and fun from the day.

Around 2pm we got started with the shoot. The workout itself is about an hour, but the total filming time was about 3 hours. Surprisingly, we had very few retakes, but we did stop inbetween each section to breathe and towel off a bit. In some ways the breaks made the workout easier, but at the same time, you also lose your grove each time you stop, which makes re-starting a bit rough. It was really interesting to see what goes into a fitness dvd shoot what with the spacing and cameras and all of the other hoopla. I will say, though, it was much more relaxed and mellow than I was expecting it to be. Michelle has such a great presence on set and that really set the tone for the day. It's pretty hard to be nervous or anxious when the star of the show is relaxed and having fun.

At the end of the day, there were lots of high fives and congrats to pass around and then the majority of us headed out to a local mexican restaurant to get our grub on. Yes, we ate and no one was shy about food. It was a really nice way to end such a fun day - you know, instead of me just going home and bouncing off the walls by myself. Ha!

The dvds should be out sometime at the beginning of September, assuming editing and everything goes well. I cannot recommend these workouts enough - they're intense and high energy and you may even find yourself cussing at the television, but they are also so much fun.

So, what now? Well, I'm sure most of you won't be shocked to hear that I'm signed up for the next round of Peak 10. It's only been a week and I already really miss the workouts and the group camaraderie that is key to this program. My goal for this round is to get stronger and leaner. The scale isn't my focus this time around, but more about making my body as fit as possible - I'm gunning for those tricep pushups to be done full out and to get up to 15lb weights. And yeah, I want to hang out with my crazy workout friends some more, too. :)

Lights, Camera, Action

I was really, really trying to keep this on the downlow until Monday, but I'm bursting at the seams with excitement, so I'm going to go ahead and spill the beans.

Guess who is going to be in the Cardio Intervals DVD?!

ME!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I'm feeling right now. We've been rehearsing since last weekend and I think it's coming together well. The outfits and shoes have been selected and our placements are pretty much set. We're doing one last walk-through today and another full-out rehearsal tomorrow afternoon. Spray tans will commence after our last workout and then, Monday morning is go time.

I'm so freaking honored to have been asked to be part of this and am really looking forward to giving it my all. I'll post a final weigh-in and video shoot update next week once everything is completed, but for now, any good vibes you have for me would be appreciated. While I'm pretty much bouncing off the walls right now, I'm guessing that once Monday comes around, I'm going to be a wee bit nervous. I'm hoping to shake off the nerves as much as possible and just have fun. We have a great group that will be on set and I think it will be a blast. :)

Fitness Program update: Sucking wind and why the Exerspy is my new BFF

Sunday was the official halfway point for the fitness program I'm doing at my gym. It's been an intense and fun 4 weeks and I'm working really hard not only during the workout sessions, but also at keeping my food in check.

When we signed the contract for this program, it stated that the workouts were going to be "intense and extreme." She wasn't exaggerating. The circuit and cardio interval sessions she has put together are some of the most intense workouts I've ever done. None of the moves are particularly difficult, it's just that they're done back to back with no real break inbetween - save for grabbing a sip of water, wiping the sweat off your face and then getting right back to sucking wind. There are a handful of trainers that are doing the program, too and when they look like they're about to keel over, you know it's tough. I'm really enjoying the group camaraderie and think I might actually miss the workouts when the program is completed, as crazy as that sounds. While I still think that the official workouts are insanely hard, I have noticed that other classes I used to think were difficult at the gym are now a bit easier. My cardiac fitness is definitely improving as is my overall strength.

As for the food bit, well, it's going well, but in many ways it's a more difficult transition than the workouts. I'm used to tracking my food and counting calories. It's not a big deal for me. However, it's been gently suggested to us that since the workouts are on par with what athletes do and since we're trying to lose body fat while maintaining lean muscle, we should really cut out all grains from our diet for duration of the program. Now, before folks start screaming about how it's not healthy, I'm still eating plenty of carbs - they're just coming from fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, etc - sources that typically offer more nutritional bang for your buck, since every calorie needs to count. Bread, rice, pasta, flour, and all that tasty stuff have been pretty much cut out. I still eat a grain in the AM (I just can't quite give it up!), but otherwise, they're more or less gone from my diet. Sadness. I've gotten incredibly creative with my meals and have actually found some new recipes that will stick around for the long term. I've also been surprised at how I've been able to work in some of our favorite Batali grill recipes into my meal plan without completely sabotaging it. I fully plan on adding back in some grains when this is over, but I also don't think it's been a bad thing to have figure out other things to eat instead of just relying on rice and pasta for a meal to feel complete.

Of course, the other part of this is knowing how many calories you burn in a day to ensure you are in a calorie deficit so you will lose weight. For that, we've been using Exerspy devices. Anyone who has watched The Biggest Loser knows that the contestants wear body buggs to track calorie burn and this is a similar device. I was a little skeptical at first, but after the first few days I fell in love! After years of tracking calories and then guessing what my calorie burn is during the day, it's amazing to finally have the other piece of the puzzle at my fingertips. I wear it from the time I wake up until I go to sleep, just taking it off to shower. By the end of the first week, I didn't even notice it anymore. I upload the data to my computer in the evening to make sure I'm on track to hit my minimum calorie burn for the day, but data can be uploaded whenever you want and multiple times a day. [The minimum is determined based on the parameters you set - how much weight you want to lose, in what time period and your baseline activity level.] Most days I'm over my minimum calorie burn and can either stick with my recommended calories for a larger calorie deficit that day or eat a little more. The thing that has been amazing is that my weightloss has basically tracked along with what the program says I should be losing, based on the food I've entered and the calories I've burned. It's really taken the guessing game out of stepping on the scale each week, which is still amazing to me.

{Wearing the Exerspy. This is what I look like post-workout, even after cooling off for 30 minutes. Yes, I turn 18 shades of red when I hit the gym. No, this does not stop me from wearing pink workout stuff.}

The only downside is that even with the crazy workouts, I burn fewer calories a day than I had hoped, thanks to a desk job. That was a bit disconcerting, but also really drove home just why it's so darn easy for me to gain weight, even being a bit of a gym rat. Maintainence is something that is usually difficult for me and while I'm currently using a loaner device, I plan to buy one at the end of the program. I have a feeling that maintaining this loss will be easier by continuing to use the Exerspy device even after the program is done.

So, after all of this hard work, what is the scale showing? I'm down 7lbs in 4 weeks, which is absolutely insane for me! I'm pretty thrilled with that number and happy that it's not just the scale that has gone down, but that my body looks so much more toned and fit. It's so nice that the hard work is paying off.

4 more weeks and then we have the final weigh-in and measurements. I'm feeling good about the next few weeks and am hoping to get even stronger and a bit leaner. If anyone has any questions about the program, the Exerspy device, my meals, etc, feel free to post them and I'll answer them in my final program update. :)

Jillian who?

It appears that things are finally set in stone enough that I feel comfortable giving a more thorough update on "bullet #2" from last week's post.

At the beginning of the year when I was getting serious again about keeping up a good health and fitness schedule, I mentioned to Michelle, the owner of my gym, my goals for the year. She is just an amazing woman and someone that I've come to think of as more than just the gym owner and instructor, but more as a friend. She was very supportive and even noted how my attendance at classes had been greatly increased in 2010. For the past 6 weeks, I've been pounding away in class and keeping my eating habits in check, more or less. The resulting changes have been small, but they're there and they've been nice to see. Even my brother remarked that I looked leaner than when he saw me over the holidays.

Skip to last Monday. I got to class early and Michelle cornered me. After confirming that I am, indeed, still trying to lose a few pounds and that I have a bit of flexibility in my work schedule, she started in on a proposition. She is partnering with Exerspy for a new focused fitness and weight-loss program designed for people with 10 or fewer pounds to lose or those that are already at their healthy weight and want to get ripped. There were still details to work out, but was I interested? Um, YES!

Last week was a flurry of emails back and forth, trying to change my work schedule around a bit and just trying to see if I could commit to the program fully. By Friday things looked good and last night I signed all of the paperwork. The 8 week program officially starts on Monday the 22nd. :) With "before" pictures. Eeek!

As Michelle said, I'm basically already doing a lot of what they are requiring of the participants. My gym schedule will be tweaked a bit since I have to fit in the required 3 workouts per week, but the supplemental workouts will be the classes that I'm attending on a weekly basis anyways. As for the food stuff, I'm currently tracking on Spark People, but will now track on the Exerspy program instead. Hell, I've even looked at my proposed calorie range and it's almost exactly what is suggested by Spark People. This program is just adding a bit more structure to the routine I've created for myself in 2010 and adds a few more weekly "beatings" to the mix. ;)

My goal is to lose 10lbs and tone up, but I'm also trying to keep an open mind and just see what happens by really sticking to the guidelines. I'm excited to be part of a really intense fitness program that is geared for folks like me, that are craving crazy intense workouts. Even though the program doesn't officially start until next week, I've already been minorly yelled at in class last night. Just a foreshadow of things to come, me thinks.

Oh, but I forgot one of the most exciting parts! There is no guarantee for this, but I'm hopeful that it will pan out - some of the participants will be selected to be in the home workout DVDs that will be filmed and released featuring this program. Eeeeeeee! And now you know why there was much squealing and jumping around last week. ;) Michelle has made a grip of fitness DVDs that are quite popular and I guess sell very well. This will be the next installment of her home workouts and I would just die if I were to be included. She was very upfront that the filming is long and hard and taxing, but I don't care. It just sounds like a ridiculous amount of fun. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

[This whole DVD thing is particularly funny to me as I had an ex-boyfriend that tried his damnest to get me to be a little gym rat, but it just never happened. 10 years later and oh how things have changed. The idea that I could now potentially be in a fitness video makes me giggle to no end.]

So, there you have it. I'm willing signing up to have my arse beat on a weekly basis and I'm actually thrilled about it. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but most of you knew that about me anyways. I'll post sporadic updates here and will definitely let you all know the final results. If I'm feeling brave, maybe I'll even post the before and after pics. And if the DVD thing comes about, count on at least a post or two about that, as well.