Monthly Archives:August 2017

45 Days and counting

August 30th, 2017 / Categories: Hear Me, inspiration, makin' my own fun, Moose Nuggets, Moosin Around / Comments Closed

What’s that you say? You thought the challenge was only 40 days? Well, you are correct, sir. Congratulations. However, why waste the start of a good thing is what I would like to know.

You don’t, of course. My goal is to continue this as a new lifestyle. There are changes just waiting to be seen.

For instance: my knees no longer hurt! I mean, seriously – they no longer hurt. Now, that is not directly due to the challenge. It is mostly due to Coach Nikki and I working hard at getting them to the point that they no longer hurt. She has been wrapping my knees with her voo-doo band whenever I’m in the gym. Now I do the wrapping and she oversees to make sure it is done correctly. After two minutes, the wrap comes off and I walk about in the gym making sure my toes are pointed forward instead of duck walking like I used to do. (especially with my right foot.) I can’t tell you how many times I would come home after a great workout and have trouble bending my knees to sit after standing in the shower, standing to dry my hair, standing to do my breakfast . . . this week I noticed that is not happening any longer!!! Whoot!!! Article on using voodoo bands

But, that is not even the biggest change. This one can pretty much be attributed directly to the past 45 days of learning to eat clean, reducing sodium and refined sugars . . . at my eye exam last week I discovered my blood pressure was extremely low (for me) at 88/54. Ummm, yes. You read that correctly.

I had to place a call to my doctor to see if she wanted to see me sooner than my normal time in October. Spoke with the nurse, scheduled an appointment for tomorrow. Then the nurse called me back yesterday and said, nope, an appointment is not needed. We will lower the dosage on one of your meds and see you in October, unless you feel you need to come in sooner.

After years of having my BP in the 135-140 range (top number) and 90s range (bottom number) I can only attribute this to the past 45 days. article on blood pressure

Now do you see why I intend to continue?

Thanks Coach Nikki and Crossfit Certitude!!!

40 days – and 40 nights

August 27th, 2017 / Categories: Hear Me, Moose Nuggets / Comments Closed

My crossfit gym recently held a 40 day partner challenge and a friend and I signed up. We downloaded apps that helped us understand how many calories we needed each day in order to build muscle, lose weight, get stronger.

Now, if you are like I am, you have always thought – fewer calories equal weight loss. Right? Wrong!!! As counter intuitive as it seems, you NEED to take in enough calories for your body to survive day in and day out. I slowly got my head wrapped around that and discovered for my height, weight, and age, I needed to take in nearly 3000 calories per day. Yes, blink, you read that correctly.

Before pics and measurements were taken. Instructions on point systems and prizes were given. The process began. My partner and I chatted constantly via messages daily. We worked out together and separately. We tracked our food intake and our exercise both inside and outside of the Box.

Friday was day 40. We had done a certain WoD (work out of the day) back in July and this day was a re-test. We had also done our max on back squat back in July and re-tested that as well. I was excited and pleased to add 35 pounds to my 1 rep max back squat (from 150# to 185#) and cut 2 minutes and 37 seconds off Angie. (100 Ring Rows, 100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 air squats)

We did our after pics and measurements Saturday. My weight loss was nearly 5 pounds. Now, that may not sound like much to some, but it is exciting for me. Look at the pics and I think maybe you will see it, too. I replaced fat with muscle and we all know that the volume of one pound of fat is more than the volume of one pound of muscle. I call the past 40 days a success!

Oh, and I am not finished. I plan to maintain the same healthy eating and exercise program. After all, it takes 90 days to form a habit. This habit is my lifestyle choice.

p.s. it appears that my partner and I won the challenge also – all those extra point challenges on top of our regular points came in handy for the win.

Many thanks to Coach Nikki and CrossFit Certitude for the challenge and for the encouragement. Thanks also to my family who have supported me through these past 40 days – for your love and encouragement. Thanks to my coworkers who have had to listen to me daily yak on about it all.

before after front before after side