bikini madness

I just read this blog post by Melissa and I couldn't stop smiling. She has the exact same goal that I have (to wear that bikini w/ pride) and to read of her success is so inspiring! Great job Melissa!

no excuse monday

Another wonderful weekend has passed and Monday is upon us. With the rain and fog that greeted me I really wanted an extra hour or so to snuggle in bed.

Lithe was great this weekend! Saturday was Sculpt w/ Bari and Sunday was an early High Mini with Carrie. I can't stress enough how wonderful it is that each instructor has a slightly different way of teaching the class b/c it keeps things so interesting. I've taken Thigh High with Bari but hadn't taken Sculpt w/ her (I've had Steph, Carrie, and Krista--all amazing!). Bari was great and I left Sculpt feeling ready for the day. I think I might even graduate to the the 5 lb. weights next time!

High mini was at 8 am with Carrie. Ann wasn't available at the usual 9:45 slot so Carrie filled in for her and taught at 8 am. It was early but I wasn't going to miss it and I appreciate Carrie's willingness to fill in. Carrie kicked my butt! That class is such an amazing work out and, again, each instructor brings a new element to each session.

Oh and another fun tidbit... I tried on my favorite pair of Joe's Jeans and they are fitting me so much better! They are even a little larger around the waist than a month ago and I needed to throw on a belt. I posted that the jeans I wore on Friday were gapping at the waist but in my head I sort of thought "well, these are supposed to fit a little bigger anyway..." That is not the case for my Joe's! No excuses I'm seeing results. Pure and simple. Yay!

bringin' back the belt

My jeans are too big! My jeans are too big! Here I am whining and complaining about results when... My jeans are too big!!

Woot! Woot!!

i am not

It's amazing what a Lithe class will do for you! As you can see through yesterdays post, I was feeling pretty "meh" about my progress. I went to Cinch and Carrie worked that self doubt right out of me. Down on self doubt!

I can do this and I AM doing it. If I'm not in a bikini by May that's ok. I'm still working hard and eating right and that's the whole point of this experiment. The negative feelings don't get me closer to the end result. I am not lazy. I am not the "f" word. I am not taking shortcuts. I feel strong. I feel healthy. I am beautiful and I am doing it.

My prayer: I would like to see me the way God sees me: wonderfully and beautifully made.

perspective

After a really great High Mini on Sunday my week of Lithe (Wings, High Mini, and Cinch) has been pretty "meh." Yes, I'm still working really hard but I had a personal goal of wearing a bikini on our weekend trip to Florida. That trip is next week and I don't feel ready for that step. I actually don't feel close to ready.

In preparation for the trip I did a little shoppy-shop during my lunch hour. Seriously, WHAT is with the lights in fitting rooms?? Hasn't anyone figured out that if they gave us flattering lighting that we would buy way more?? Sigh. It wasn't a positive experience. Do I expect to be a toothpick? No. I don't even want that. As I've mentioned in previous posts I don't want another body I want the best "me body" I can have. I want to see how great I can look and feel in my own skin. Well, I think I just said it (or typed it)... I want to see how great I can look and feel in my own skin. Somehow I need to figure out how to shed this negative "you have so much work to do until you look great" attitude.

Anne Lamott wrote an essay about body image. She said when she was at her skinniest she STILL thought she was overweight because she never saw herself as beautiful. Her attitude was that of a "big girl" and she could only see herself as such. The essay is really great and I'll try to find and post it. What she points out is that we just have to love ourselves. If you don't think you're beautiful at your current size you won't think you're beautiful at any size--curvy, thin, musculer, in shape or out of shape. We all have our days of doubt. I mean look at this post... it went from "woe is me and my jiggly bits" to "ok let's get it together here." Though I might not be exactly where I want to be - I have to admit that my body is certainly changing. I feel stronger and I need to accept that these things don't happen over night. Sigh. I always said that it would be amazing if we lost a pound just for avoiding the donut. Just for the action of "nope, I'll skip that." BAM! Minus 1 lb. How great would that be?? (Almost as great as amazing lighting in fitting rooms perhaps...)

Tonight I'm headed to Cinch with Carrie. She's bringing along a measuring tape so that my friend LA and I can take our measurements. I took mine when I began but Chris did it and neither of us really knew what we were doing... I think I might talk to Carrie about how I'm feeling. Perhaps she can shed some light.

high five after high mini

Yesterday's High Mini was my BEST class. My form was ON and I felt strong both mentally and physically. Yes, I still had to modify a few things but I would rather modify and hit all the reps than not modify and mess up my form. Not only that but I just kept pushing myself to go hard and stick to it. After the class I felt really amazing!

Mr. C was fishing this weekend so I decided to visit my parents in Lancaster and meet my friend's new baby boy. I left after Sculpt and drove back in time to catch High Mini. I have to say the trip gave me a bit of anxiety so as I drove back I was ready to let it all out in High Mini. The class was an "ah-ha!" moment for me. It just clicked... form... breathing... positive mental state... it was an amazing class.

the body of me

Another great week of Lithe! I'm at the point where I'm beginning to feel the difference even if it isn't noticeable to others. I think Lauren says other people start to notice the difference after 2 months... that could be wrong. She also says after 6 months the difference is just amazing - and I can believe it. At 5 classes a week I'm feeling a change already.

It's really fun b/c I'm noticing little changes in my body and I'm excited to see the continued results. A good friend of mine said simply: Don't expect to have the body of anyone else but Carmen. But it will be the best body Carmen can have. I love that! I'm excited what to see what my body can do.

Thank you Lithe!

thanks carrie!

A special thanks to Lithe Instructor Carrie! This was the second time I took Wings and this week I was really concentrating on my breathing and form. Let me tell you... it was an amazing workout. Carrie is so helpful and patient. I really get the feeling that she loves what she does and wants everyone to get the most out of every exercise. She kept reminding us to "keep our abs engaged" and it made a HUGE difference in the workout. I'm already sore so I know I was working hard.

Every instructor is really encouraging and motivating. They love what they do and that passion comes through so clearly. It's not about intimidation but more about guidance to really work your body to its maximum potential. The whole concept behind the Lithe Method is so empowering!

wingin' it

After a full weekend of Lithe I'm ready for more Lithe tonight. Wings tonight, High Mini Tuesday, and Cinch Wednesday. Phew!

Last week was a week of 5 days of Lithe and it was really tough but really good. I'm also sticking with the food journal to help me to track and balance my meals/snacks/water/workouts. The journal has been really helpful and makes me think before I reach for the ice cream. I'm a little disappointed because I haven't seen a huge difference on the scales. Bari told me not to weigh myself because it will take some time for my body to adjust to the new changes it's experiencing. Yes, I should have listened to her but I couldn't help myself... and now I admit I feel a bit discouraged. But! I must remember that this is a process and I shouldn't get hung up on that number at this point. Meh. I'll just keep on keeping on!

Wings tonight!

off days

Yesterday and today are my "off days" where I'm supposed to relax before a full weekend of Lithe. What I'm finding is that this week was tough w/ company lunches and stressful workdays that allow for little time for meal preparation. Thursday and Friday might be off days but I need to learn that it's ok to break. Breaking is just as important as going really hard in my workouts. It's tough for me because I'm a very "all or nothing" person. I just need to work on finding a balance.

Alas! I'm very excited for class tomorrow. Sculpt is Saturday and High Mini is Sunday! On the flip side... I have a birthday party on Sunday so I'm hoping I can watch my caloric intake so that my workouts aren't for nothing. As I've mentioned, weekends are tough for me and this week was filled w/ meals that couldn't be avoided (2 company lunches!). While I was certianly Lithing... I need to remember to find healthy choices when eating out or else opt for a salad for dinner.

Have a great weekend!

tall drink of water

I found this blog post and LOVED it. It really makes you think about what your body really needs. Watch out for those hidden calories and sugars!

Check it out:

Gatorade Gimmicks Galore

addicted much

Phew! It's been a week full of Lithe! Monday was Wings (amazing!), Tuesday was High Mini, and tonight is Cinch.

Let's start with Wings... This class is arms and shoulders (though every workout is full body) and while I didn't feel sore yesterday, I certainly feel it today. A little background... each person straps 2 lbs of weight to their wrists and the experienced also use 3 lb hand weights. Steph led the class and encouraged everyone to think about form while doing each rep. I found that if I really wanted to get the most out of the workout I would need to put down the 3 lb weights and just use the wrist weights. At first I felt a bit down about that but then I was reminded that it's so important to hit each rep and I just couldn't do that with the additional weight. The class is really fun and certainly challenging.

Moving on to High Mini. I laugh as I type this because the class was led by Krista and as I was walking into the class I said "So I hear you're going to kick my ass in this class" and she smiled sweetly and said "It's a good one..." Boy was she right! This class is t-o-u-g-h but very, very rewarding! It's a TOTAL body workout and you hit every muscle group. I love this class! Yes, I was exhausted but I left the class feeling really pumped up. I look forward to taking this class regularly because I can only imagine the results I will get... Krista, you kicked my ass but you will see me next class! :)

I can't stress enough how great the instructors really are. They are so friendly and really care about the workout and their Lithers. I'm encouraged and inspired by them! They make the classes so enjoyable. Thanks Lithe!!

Oh and a "YOU CAN DO IT" to the new Immersion class that began on Tuesday at Northern Liberties. My friend started last night and I know she will kill it! In her words, "This type of class is my jam!" Love her!

in honor of opening day

Go Phils! Here's to an amazing 2010 Season!

happy monday!

Well my first weekend of food journaling has passed. Weekends are always admittedly tough for me. I work hard and stay committed all week and tend to blow it on the weekend. This weekend was also Easter weekend... While I did ok it was good to have the journal to keep me accountable. I can certainly do better than I did! It's tough but it's doable.

I also had my first big girl Lithe Method class on Saturday. The class was Thigh High and it was amazing!! I was really nervous that I wouldn't be able to keep up but I think I did pretty well and I left feeling strong. The class is intense cardio and leg sculpting and I loved every minute of it. Thigh High is a total body workout. The class was taught by Bari and, like all the instructors, she was so encouraging. How did I feel Sunday?? Very sore! Personally, I love to feel tight because it means that I'm working muscles that haven't been worked. The weather was beautiful so Chris and I went for a hike on Sunday and that was just the ticket. I felt much better after I got moving.

This week begins the 3 classes per week. I'm going to Wings tonight, High Mini tomorrow, and Cinch on Wednesday. Then I'll break Thursday and Friday and try Sculpt on Saturday. My schedule is ambitious but if it seems like too much I have no problem dialing it down. I've also learned that when I feel tight a workout actually makes me feel better.

Happy Monday!

changing it up

The last few days have been so beautiful! Spring has sprung and after all the snow storms that Winter 2010 gave us I think we deserve a few days of sun and flowers.

Working out has become such a release for me this week. Work has been stressful so I've found that I look forward to getting out some energy when I get home. Wednesday was my last Lithe 101 class and it was just amazing! Krista was the instructor and she really helped me to work on my form. I felt strong and was able to get through most of the bar work without needing to break. I'm going to try Sculpt on Saturday and I'm so excited for it but also nervous. While at 101 on Wednesday I met a sweet gal who said Sculpt is really fun and a great workout so she confirmed what I already suspected. I'm just nervous because it's my first "official" class... I'll let you know how it goes!

On my off Lithe days I work in some cardio so I'm not completely sedentary. I love to run but the roads around my house don't have shoulders and cars are dangerously close to pedestrians. I've given it a try and felt really nervous thus defeating the relaxing aspect of running. Consequently, I've been confined to my treadmill... until last night! Like I said, the weather is beautiful and I really couldn't take another evening on the tready (no matter what episode of Sex & The City is on demand). The great thing about Lithe is that the workouts inspire me to look around to see how I can use everyday surroundings as an exercise. Do I have a floor? Then I can do push ups and crunches!

Then it hit me... I have a deck! I live on a hill! I have 2 sets of steps outside (one set leading up a hill to the front door and the other set leading up to the deck)! It's ON. Sprint up the steps to the deck, back down and sprint up the steps on the hill and back down = 1 set. My original goal was to get through 20 sets but I killed that goal and ended up doing 50! I'm so proud of myself for thinking outside the box, getting outside and for exceeding my goal.

I'm looking forward to the weekend of more beautiful weather and Lithe on Saturday and Sunday! Have a wonderful Easter.

(I've also attached a picture of Bear... I caught him drinking my water but had to snap a picture before I helped him to get his head out of the glass.)