A New Name & My Pit Crew (and other miscellany)

First things first.  Yes, I changed the name of my blog.  Making Memories of Us.  It just seems to fit with what's going on in the season of my life right now.  Please let me know if you have issues with following in any fashion.  Hopefully I didn't screw something up!

Secondly, I wanted to give a very brief update on my laser hair removal adventure!  First of all, I should remind you that I typically shave my underarms every other day.  I shaved on Saturday (after my appointment, though the clinic told me I could have shaved beforehand, I wanted them to see the area to ensure they got it all!).  The technician working with me told me to shave as normal/needed throughout this process.  Plucking is fine too.  Waxing is not.  OK, so I shaved on Saturday when I got home.  I didn't shave again until Tuesday!  After just one treatment.  And the hair was softer, thinner, and just noticeably less.  I was impressed.  I can't wait to see the progress over the next few months (I have six total sessions, spaced 5-6 weeks apart).  I'll keep you posted.  My next appointment should include my upper lip, eyebrows, and bikini area, but I'm waiting to make sure I'm getting the price we discussed at my first appointment.

Thirdly, I started Jillian Michaels's 30 Day Shred this week.  I meant to take some measurements to see how I progress.  But I totally forgot.  I'm adding this workout in to three-mile runs three times per week.  Today is Day 3.  I'm totally sore.  All over.  But it feels so good.  And when I hit my goals, it'll feel even better!

Finally, I wanted to offer some clarification.  I mentioned that laser hair removal isn't pain free.  But it's also not awful.  Well, at least not for me, in my armpits.  But I also didn't think natural childbirth was that painful, to be quite honest.  The fact is that the laser pinches you more than anything.  It's a bit of a surprise when it hits, so you're not expecting it.  And it is a sharp, intense pinch.  But it doesn't linger, like when you stub your toe (now that is worse than childbirth, in my humble opinion!).  My point was simply that laser hair removal typically occurs in rather sensitive areas of the body.  So it might be prudent to pop a Motrin or something before an appointment if pain is something you don't handle real well...

Gettin' Organized & Gettin' Fit

Hey Y'all!  Today's been pretty productive, which is surprising considering how darn lazy I feel!

But I got on a kick fairly early this morning.  I was ready for church just a wee bit early and perusing the articles on the Yahoo homepage.  One of the articles listed a handful of wonderful exercises you can do to tone up at home with limited equipment.  I was inspired!  

One of the exercises was pull ups.  Specifically, assisted pull ups!  If you know me, you'll know that upper-body strength is not something I possess.  Before I got pregnant was Bunkey, Hubs and I were working out together at the gym fairly regularly.  I'd run on my own, but Hubs was coaching me in some weight training to build up some muscle tone.  I was really progressing well and could see the results of my hard work!  One of my favorite machines at the gym in Virginia was the assisted pull-up machine.  I was able to do a few sets and was working toward doing pull ups on my own.

And then I got pregnant and my doctor advised I limit my weight training.  Pull ups were out.

And then we moved out here (California) and with a newborn and horrendous childcare fees, if simply became impossible for me to work out when I wanted where I wanted.  Early morning gym sessions were not going to happen.  I don't enjoy working out in the evenings either.  So I was pretty limited.  

With a treadmill in the garage my cardio was covered.  Purchasing the Brazilian Butt Lift videos gave me a bit of variety.  I could do both while Bunkey napped.  Neither took up a ton of space in our living area and neither required much special equipment.

I lost all my baby weight, but my muscle tone was lacking and my strength left much to be desired.  I knew I needed to make some changes.

Which beings me back to this morning and the Yahoo article about pull ups!  Since Bunkey has been born, I've wanted to jump back on the strength-training bandwagon and get back to my pull ups.  But being limited to my "home gym" I knew I couldn't do that.  We simply can't buy expensive gym equipment while living the military lifestyle...  The fact of the matter is that I can't do a pull up on my own.  I need assistance.  Yes, there are doorway pull up bars that don't require drilling or putting holes in walls.  That's great, but they don't offer the boost I need until I build up enough strength to do pull ups on my own.

Enter Super Bands!  The article on Yahoo mentioned these bands and I began to get exited! I told Hubs all about them, how you can loop them over the pull up bar and then hook the resulting loop around your knees/ankles to offer resistance and assistance.  When Hubs told me he knew what I was talking about and had actually seen these in practice at CrossFit gyms, I got really excited!

So after Mass this morning we made a pit-stop at Target and picked up the pull up bar.  I also got an exercise ball and a set of 5-pound dumbbells (I already have 10-pounders, but needed something a bit lighter for a few of my exercises).  We looked for the Super Bands to no avail and then walked across the parking lot to Sports Authority with the same result.

But I came home and found them online with no problems!  I placed an order and then got inspired for my next bit of this post: getting organized!

I have a subscription to Fitness magazine.  I also used to have a subscription to Cosmo that I cancelled months ago.  But even though they cancelled my subscription and sent me a refund for my unread issues, they continue to send me the magazine.  Needless to say, I had a small mountain of unread mags under my bed.  I also had a pile of ripped out magazine pages in the drawer of my bedside table.  All were for various exercises or recipes from the two magazines.

So this afternoon I organized all the ripped out pages.  The recipes were clipped together and brought to the kitchen to work into the meal planning.  The exercises were grouped by muscle group (abs, butt, legs/thighs, arms/chest/shoulders, total-body).  Then they were placed in page protectors and into a three-ring binder.

And that, my friends, is my new work-out bible!  I went through the mountain of mags, ripped out what I needed, read the articles that interested me, and tossed the rest in the recycle bin! So now, after my cardio, I can pick out some strength-training exercises from my binder to throw in a routine to coax back that muscle tone I used to have!

So there you have it....getting organized and fit all at once!  Wish me luck!

Detox and Cleanse Day 3

Well folks, I made it! Today is Day 3 of my 72-Hour Cleanse! The friend who inspired this Detox warned me, because she couldn't finish all three days, so the fact that I've made it this far is an accomplishment!

To recap the rest of yesterday, here's the basics. I skipped my run. I had a ton going on and just didn't get to it. I'll make up for it on Saturday, since I normally only run five days per week. Although I was finished with all eight glasses of juice by noon, I wasn't hungry in the afternoon! Granted, I was busy running errands, but I didn't get the hunger pangs until about 5:00 when I was feeding my son. I might have stolen another fish stick! I also kept up the water consumption throughout the day. And the taste? Really not bad at all! For dinner, my husband and I ate Baked Salmon with Red Currant Glaze, Lemon Roasted Asparagus, and Caesar Salad. Lean proteins, more diuretics (which work well with a cleanse!), and no carbs, save a few in the glaze and some in the salad's croutons.

And that brings us to Day 3, the Super Colon Cleanse, which I'm currently half-way through!!!

Day 3: Fresh 9 Super Colon Detox

Blend 3 beets, 3 carrots, 3 pieces celery, 3 cucumbers, juice of 1 1/2 lemons, 1/2 a bunch of parsley, 1/2 20-ounce bag of romaine lettuce, 1 large piece of ginger, and 2 heaping handfuls (about 1 bunch, tough stems removed) kale together.

As with the other juices, I am diluting each glass slightly with cold water. Not only does this thin out the drink a bit, but it helps to go down more quickly. As far as taste, I'd say that Day 2 was the best tasting, Day 1 was the worst, and today's is somewhere in the middle. The root vegetables really give the drinks a dirt-y taste and the earthiness is definitely present in your mouth.

I'll post a full recap tomorrow to let you know how I did and what after-effects I experience!

Detox and Cleanse Day 2

Last night I was famished by 3:00pm.  My last glass of "juice" was at 1:00 and I didn't think I could make it until 6:00, when I was allowed to have some lean protein and veggies.  I started prepping my son's dinner around 4:30 (he eats at 5:00) and I did steal a bite or two of his fish sticks.  I figured they still counted as lean protein and it was enough to tide me over until dinner.  (I might also add that I still went for a 3-mile run yesterday, late morning).

I was so hungry though that I planned to cheat just a little and serve our dinner between 5:30 and 5:45, just a little before the 6:00 rule.

As luck would have it, however, our chicken took a bit longer to cook, and came out of the oven at 6:00 sharp.  Hubs took his time getting to the dinner table, getting a glass of water, a fish oil pill, going to the bathroom, washing up, bringing Bunkey in to join us.  I was about to throttle him he was taking so long when I was so hungry!

After we'd finally said the blessing I devoured my dinner.  It was so nice to chew rather than just gulp!  Since there were no carbs with dinner, Hubs snacked on whole wheat pita chips and hummus for a little bit after the meal.  I tasted one chip with hummus, since it was a new flavor. After all, the hummus has a ton of protein, and one little whole wheat pita chip can't hurt, right? Let's hope not.

I drank more water throughout the evening.

And that brings me to Detox Day 2:  the day of the green monster shake!

I'm not going to lie, I was worried about this one the most.  The ingredients are more like a salad than a drink, and wasn't looking forward to that at all.  But when I mixed everything up last night, it smelled nice and fresh and, well, green.

Day 2: Fresh 6 Green Drink

Blend 3 apples, 3 pieces celery, 3 cucumbers, 1/2 a bunch of parsley, 1 20-ounce bag of baby spinach, 1 large piece of ginger.

I had my first glass of juice at 5:30 this morning.  I immediately diluted it with a bit of cold water, to avoid the issues I had with gagging yesterday morning.  Honestly, this drink wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday's.  The ginger really helped with the taste, and the whole thing just tasted very fresh and spring-like, rather than having a quality of dirt in my mouth, like those beets yesterday!

I'll keep you posted with how the rest of the day goes!

Detox and Cleanse Day 1

Sometime last week a friend of mine posted on Facebook that she was doing a three-day cleanse.  Intrigued, I checked out the blog where she got the information and recipes.  I looked over the ingredients, method, results, and benefits, shrugged my shoulders and thought, what the heck?!

And then I mentioned the cleanse to Hubs who was all for it.  He suggested I try the cleanse myself and perhaps he'll jump on board sometime in the near future.  Thankful that I had a cheerleader (really, I wasn't surprised, because Hubs and I are both very health-conscious) I decided that I'd start the three-day detox on a Monday, and wrap it up on a Wednesday, just in time for the weekend.  Further, I decided that I'd do this over a long weekend, since that would mean Hubs would be home for the first day to cheer me on right at the beginning!

On Saturday, I made my list and we hit up the grocery together.  Hubs helped me pile my cart high with all the fresh produce I'd need, and we were able to get everything for $25.  Not bad considering that accounts for six meals, making this cleanse cheaper than McDonald's....and needless to say, much healthier!

And when I woke up this morning, Hubs was quick to remind me that I needed to get started!  The quick and dirty is that you drink your special juices for three consecutive days.  Each day has it's own recipe, and a specific system to cleanse.  You drink eight ounces of the juice every hour for eight hours each day (total of 64 ounces) along with at least 64 ounces of water.  After 6:00pm you are allowed lean protein and veggies for dinner.

Each day of this cleanse I'll post on how things are going, what recipes I'm using, and what effect all this is having on me.  Follow along if you'd like, or make plans for your own cleanse sometime soon!

Day 1: Fresh 7 Liver & Kidney Detox

Blend 3 apples, 3 beets, 3 tomatoes, 3 large carrots, 3 pieces of celery, 3 cucumber, juices from 1 1/2 lemons together.  

I peeled everything (cored the apples) and ran through my food processor the night before.  The next day I gave it all a second whirl in my blender.  The taste is very earthy, and I can't lie; the first 8 ounces made me gag with every gulp.  Then I started chasing each sip with really cold water, which made the "juice" go down more quickly.  By glass #5, I was just diluting the 8 ounces of juice with cold water, which made it even more juice-like and got the process over with much more quickly.

I peed every five minutes.  

I didn't even pee that often when I was pregnant.

When Hubs reheated his Pho from last night's dinner, I was really jealous.  But this cleanse is a good thing, and I am going to see it through.

But I can't wait for dinner tonight when I get to eat solid food!  I'm making Besto Pesto Baked Chicken and Caesar Salads.

Nine Months...

Well, it took longer than I'd have liked, but nine months later and I am officially free of my baby weight (I'm embarrassed to admit how many total pounds that was, but it was much more than I anticipated, despite the fact that I continued to run until my 38th week)!  That's right, folks, for Lent I gave up baby weight!

Yes, it was hard work.  But I'm running, doing the Brazilian Butt Lift DVD workouts, crunches and push-ups, and loosely following the South Beach Diet!

Now if I could just get rid of the tenish pounds I had to lose when I got pregnant...

BBL: Week 8 Progress Report

Two months done!! This week I finished the last week of the Combination program, and therefore my two-month plan of BBL. I took some time off for a little while since I broke my little toe (whacked it on the coffee table - ouch!), but I only took a couple of days off before I got back into my workouts. Now that I'm done with the prescribed BBL workouts I set out to complete over the last two (plus) months, I'm not sure what my workout routines will consist of other than running, but I know I'm gonna keep it up... I still have aways to go!

Monday: 3-mile run (20:39!), Bum Bum, and Tummy Tuck

Tuesday: 3-mile run (20:39) and High & Tight with equipment

Wednesday: 3-mile run (21:10) and Sculpt with equipment

Thursday: 3-mile run (21:10), Bum Bum, and Tummy Tuck

Friday: 3-mile run (21:10) and Sculpt with equipment

Saturday: Tummy Tuck, and High & Tight with equipment

So, did it make a difference? Here's my total loss since I started BBL:

Chest: 3.5 inches

Right Arm: 1 inch

Left Arm: 1 inch

Waist: 3 inches 

Hips: 6.5 inches

Right Thigh: 4 inches

Left Thigh: 4 inches

Weight: 9 pounds

That is a total of 23 inches gone! I'm proud of myself, but I have more work to do. I don't think I'll be posting my progress each week any more, but I do promise to check in every so often and let you know how I'm doing...and especially when I meet my ultimate goal!!

BBL: Week 7 Progress Report

I'm on the home stretch! Only one more week to go...

Monday: 3-mile run (21:10) and Sculpt with equipment (50 min)

Tuesday: 3-mile run (21:06) and Bum Bum

Wednesday: 3-mile run (21:10) and Sculpt with equipment

Thursday: 3-mile run (21:06), Bum Bum, and High & TIght with equipment

Friday: 3-mile run (21:10)and Sculpt with equipment

Saturday: Bum Bum and Tummy Tuck

So, did it make a difference? Well, to be honest, I didn't lose any weight this week.  I did manage to lose half and inch (how does that happen without losing weight?!)...  So I suppose I shouldn't be too upset...  I just can't figure out how all this exercise isn't making the weight just melt off...  Ugh.  Next week is a new week, right?

BBL: Week 6 Progress Report

Six weeks down, two to go! Here's the scoop...

Monday: 3-mile run (21:10) and Sculpt with equipment

Tuesday: 3-mile run (21:10), Tummy Tuck, and High & Tight with equipment

Wednesday: 3-mile run (21:10), Bum Bum, and Sculpt with equipment

Thursday: 3 mile run (21:07), Tummy Tuck, and High & Tight with equipment

Friday: 3-mile run (21:06) and Sculpt with equipment

Saturday: Tummy Tuck and High & Tight with equipment

So, did it make a difference? Here's where I'm starting to disappear:

Chest:  0 inches lost (3 inches total)

Right Arm:  0 inches lost ( inch total)

Left Arm:  0 inches lost (1 inch total)

Waist:  0 inches lost (3 inches total)

Hips:  1 inch lost (6.5 inches total)

Right Thigh:  1/2 inch lost (4 inches total)

Left Thigh:  1/2 inch lost (4 inches total)

Weight:  1 pound lost (8.2 pounds total)

BBL: Week 5 Progress Report

Whelp, I finished "Phase 1" of BBL and completed four weeks of the Slim & Lift program.  Due to a variety of things (schedule mostly, but also a sharp pain in my hip) I took a week off BBL and then started "Phase 2" this week.  So, I'm five weeks in to my BBL experience and just finished my first week with the Combination program!  I did decide, however, that the cardio routine included in BBL wasn't doing much for me, and since I am running three miles a day, I didn't feel I needed it as much.  So, instead of doing Cardio Axe, I either substituted a different program or simply shortened my work-out that day.  Here's how I did...

Monday: 3-mile run (21:50!!), Bum Bum, and Tummy Tuck

Tuesday:  3-mile run (21:37) and High & Tight with equipment

Wednesday: 3-mile run (21:14) and Sculpt with equipment

Thursday: 3-mile run (21:15) and High & Tight without equipment

Friday: 3-mile run (21:10) and Bum Bum 

Saturday: Tummy Tuck and High & Tight without equipment

So, did it make a difference? Here's where I'm starting to disappear:

Chest:  0 inches (3 inches total)

Right Arm:  0 inches (1 inches total)

Left Arm:  0 inches (1 inches total)

Waist:  0 inches (3 inches total)

Hips:  1 inch (5.5 inches total)

Right Thigh:  0 inches (3.5 inches total)

Left Thigh:  0 inches (3.5 inches total)

Weight:  1 pound (7.2 pounds total)

That's a total of 20.5 inches lost!!  I'm not gonna lie, I hoped those inches would melt off a little more quickly, but I can't complain since I've gone down every week...  That's a trend in the right direction!  At this point I have 10 pounds to go before I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight...with a bit more after that to get to my goal of wedding weight.  Think I can do it by Christmas?  Keep up with me and we'll see!!

BBL: Week 4 Progress Report

This week I completed the fourth and final week of the BBL Slim & Lift program!! Tomorrow I'll start the Combination program for maintenance, which is a different combination of the same five workouts. But I'll tell you about that next Sunday! Here's what I accomplished this week....

Monday: 3-mile run (24:10), Cardio Axe, and Sculpt with equipment

Tuesday: 3-mile run (24:14) and Bum Bum and High & Tight with equipment

Wednesday: 3-mile run (23:30) and Sculpt with equipment

Thursday: 3-mile run (23:31), Cardio Axe, and Bum Bum

Friday: 3-mile run (23:30), Cardio Axe, and Sculpt with equipment

Saturday: Bum Bum and Tummy Tuck

So, did it make a difference? Here's where I'm starting to disappear:

Chest:  0.5 inches (2.5 inches total)

Right Arm:  0 inches (0.5 inches total)

Left Arm:  0 inches (0.5 inches total)

Waist:  0 inches (2 inches total)

Hips:  1 inch (3.5 inches total)

Right Thigh:  1.5 inches (2.5 inches total)

Left Thigh:  1.5 inches (2.5 inches total)

Weight:  0.6 pounds (5.2 pounds total)

Again, not great, but at least no numbers went up!  And Hubs is challenging me to a race, so I gotta get just a bit faster, even though I'm stocked that I've dropped nearly three minutes from my times at the beginning of the month!  I'm half-way done, but still have a while to go to my goal...but it's tough fitting in 90 minutes of exercise up to six days a week.  I'm challenging myself, but at the same time I think once I finish this program and modify the routine to my schedule (which will allow me to eat a bit better as well!) the pounds will start dropping!

BBL: Week 3 Progress Report

No pain no gain, right? I'm three weeks in and here's how I'm doing...

Monday: 3-mile run (24:10) and Sculpt with equipment

Tuesday: 3-mile run (24:07), Cardio Axe and High & Tight with equipment

Wednesday: 3-mile run (24:11) and Sculpt with equipment

Thursday: 3-mile run (24:10), Cardio Axe and High & Tight with equipment

Friday: 3-mile run (24:10), Bum Bum and Tummy Tuck

Saturday: Sculpt with equipment

So, did it make a difference? Here's where I'm starting to disappear:

Chest:  0 inches (2 inches total)

Right Arm:  0 inches (0.5 inches total)

Left Arm:  0 inches (0.5 inches total)

Waist:  0 inches (2 inches total) 

Hips:  0.5 inches (2 inches total)

Right Thigh:  0 inches (1 inches total)

Left Thigh:  0 inches (1 inches total)

Weight:  1.6 pounds (4.6 pounds total)


OK.  So not great.  In fact, I'm downright disappointed.  But then I remind myself that we had a four-day weekend with family in town and celebrations for Hubs' promotion.  So, that meant lots of great food and definitely going over my weekly alcohol and dessert quotas.  I'm just glad I didn't gain.  So this coming week is the final week in the Slim & Lift program, and I'm determined to make it count!

BBL: Week 2 Progress Report

Two weeks down and feeling great! Here's the scoop...

Monday: 3-mile run (25:13) and Sculpt with equipment (50 min)

Tuesday: 3-mile run (24:52), Cardio Axe, and High & Tight with equipment

Wednesday: 3-mile run (25:04) and Sculpt with equipment

Thursday: 3-mile run (24:?? I forgot my time except that I was really happy with it!), Cardio Axe*, and Bum Bum*

Friday: 3-mile run (24:35), Sculpt with equipment

Saturday: Cardio Axe and High & Tight with equipment

*I can't lie. I actually did these two routines on Friday. I had a dermatology appointment on Thursday and just didn't have time for 90 minutes of exercise. That only means that I worked out for two-and-a-half hours on Friday. Yes, that is 150 minutes. Needless to say, I was pooped. And hungry. And really really sweaty.

So, did it make a difference? Here's where I'm starting to disappear:

Chest: 0.5 inches (2 inches total)

Right Arm: 0 inches (0.5 inches total)

Left Arm: 0 inches (0.5 inches total)

Waist: 0 inches (2 inches total)

Hips: 0.5 inches (2 inches total)

Right Thigh: 0.5 inches (1 inch total)

Left Thigh: 0.5 inches (1 inch total)

Weight: 1 pound (3 pounds total)

So a total of 2 inches lost this week (9 total). So as great as I was hoping, but I didn't eat so great this week either. Here's hoping this week is better! Wish me luck!

Finding the time continues to be an issue. Especially when you have to do "make-up" routines. I'm working on it. But I didn't want to just skip anything. After all, if I'm going to have maximum results I have to follow the program to the letter, right? I suppose I could have bumped the missed work-outs to Sunday (my BBL rest day). But I wanted to have some weekend time to just veg. And I hate taking two showers in one day (I don't have time to work out Sunday morning before Mass; it's never gonna happen). I also could have moved one of my runs to Saturday, but again, I normally don't work out at all on the weekends, so if I have to in order to follow the program, I'd rather have as short a Saturday routine as possible. Thus, running Monday through Friday, with BBL Monday through Saturday. Like I said, I'm working on it!

Here's hoping this week is better! Wish me luck!

BBL: Week 1 Progress Report

Okie doke... I've survived Week 1 of BBL!! Let's get down and dirty...

My workout plan this week was tough to get used to, but I managed:

Monday: 3 mile run (25:53), Booty Basics (20 min), and Bum Bum (35 min)

Tuesday: 3 mile run (25:25), Cardio Axe (30 min), and High & Tight without equipment (35 min)

Wednesday: 3 mile run (25:31), Cardio Axe, and Bum Bum

Thursday: 3 mile run (25:17) prescribed rest day for BBL

Friday: 3 mile run (25:19), Cardio Axe, and High & Tight (without equipment)

Saturday: Bum Bum and Tummy Tuck (20 min)

So, did it make a difference? Here's where I'm starting to disappear:

Chest: 1.5 inches

Right Arm: 0.5 inches

Left Arm: 0.5 inches

Waist: 2 inches

Hips: 1.5 inches

Right Thigh: 0.5 inches

Left Thigh: 0.5 inches

Weight: 2 pounds

That's a total of seven inches folks!! In just one week!!! I'm so proud of myself! I still have a ways to go, but I'm getting there!

I'm not gonna lie, it was a struggle to fit so much exercise (up to 90 minutes) into the day along with meeting Bunkey's needs and running everyday errands, attending our Parents Place class, and keeping the house clean and cooking dinner at a decent hour, but I did it! Hubs was great taking over the evening chores I normally do on the days I didn't get to my workout earlier and had to do it after dinner... And there were days I skipped either breakfast or lunch, but I'd grab a quick, healthy snack when I could just to keep myself going! So far so good!

Brazilian Butt Lift: Blast Off!

OK folks, remember my recent post about my boo-tay? Well, yesterday was Day 1, the starting point of my journey with the Brazilian Butt Lift, which after today will be known as BBL. I wanted to keep you up-to-date on my progress, but I'm not exactly sure how much I'm willing to embarrass myself by divulging the details of starting weight, etc, so for now I'm going to stay pretty cryptic.

The plan is a four-week Monday-Saturday program, with rest days on Sundays. So, I'll make Sunday my BBL Progress Report post. I'll report my net inches lost (I won't even mention the unthinkable possibility of a gain), pounds lost, and what my workouts consisted of each day. Perhaps I'll throw in my daily "diet" as well. Mind you, I use the term diet very loosely, since really I just watch what I eat rather than messing with counting, recording, and all that scientific stuff!

So, without further ado, I give you my plan of attack:

The Goal: Return to my wedding weight and fit into all the fabulous skinny jeans in my closet as quickly as possible, keeping in mind that I have Hubs's promotion ceremony the first weekend in September and Navy Ball mid-October. I have a dress I'd like to wear to the ball already, so hopefully I'll be able to rock it by then. I'd also like to get back to my pre-pregnancy run time of somewhere around 21 minutes for a three-mile run. My reward for reaching my goal will be a fabulous new gown for the Supply Corps Ball in late February/early March.

The Plan: Continue running three miles at least five times per week. I'll post my run times in my progress reports. Along with running, I'll be doing the "Slim and Lift" workout plan from the Brazilian Butt Lift for four weeks, and then, depending on my progress, I'll either repeat that plan or move into a maintenance phase with the "Combination" workout plan, which also spans four weeks. I'll post my net loss (inches and pounds) in weekly progress reports, along with the workout plan as completed.

Wish me luck!!

My Butt, His Balls, and a Brazilian

Yeah, I know what you're thinking with that title... Get your minds outta the gutter!

Except that yes, I am talking about my butt. And I am talking about his balls. Military Balls that is. More specifically, the Navy Ball and the Supply Corps Ball. One's in October, then other in February/March.

And I'm still carrying baby weight. More than I'd like to admit. All in my butt and hips. I've reduced my caloric intake and started running religiously again, but it's not falling off as quickly as I'd like. I can get most of my jeans and pants on, but I can't button them....or if I can, they look like they're painted on. Not flattering. So I enlisted Hubs to help. And that is where the Brazilian comes in. We're talking a Brazilian man, here, folks, not a wax job!

Hubs ordered me this little gem:

That's right, the Brazilian Butt Lift! Leandro Carvalho's special workout designed specifically for lifting, shaping, and toning my assets. Hubs ordered the program online for me, and I received the package just the other day! Included are three DVDs with five workouts (plus one bonus workout), an additional DVD with a 20-minute Secret Weapon workout, Body Makeover Guide, Fat Burning Food Guide, 6-Day Supermodel Slimdown Plan, training cards for working out away from home, measurement tracker and measuring tape, Resistance Band, and a pencil for performing the "pencil test".

The Body Makeover Guide highlights different types of butts and the best way to lift, shape, and tone each type, with a personalized 30-day workout plan. Having looked through the guide, each day includes nearly an hour of exercise, with a few rests days worked in to each 30-day rotation. There's a maintenance plan after you've achieved your best booty!

Since each plan starts on a Monday, this week I'm continuing my running (at least three miles, at least five times a week) and using the 20-minute Secret Weapon workout to supplement the runs. I started yesterday (Wednesday) and let me tell you... I am sore today! The Secret Weapon workout is all lunges of varying angles and tempos, to work every angle of your derriere! On Monday, I'll start the "Slim and Lift" program for butt reduction. I plan to take measurements and monitor my weight both before and during my progress to see how it goes. I'd also like to keep up my running, just to maintain my endurance and build back to my pre-pregnancy speed (and also because the Navy is eventually going to make me run a PRT - Physical Readiness Test - and I don't want to embarrass myself). So I'll be working out around 90 minutes five or six times a week, and continuing to monitor the foods I'm eating. Diets don't really work for me, but I incorporate whole grains, fresh fruit and veggies, and lean proteins into my diet anyway. I simply can't taper down to the 1000-calorie-a-day plan outlined in the 6-day Supermodel Slimdown Plan included in Brazilian Butt Lift.

So. Navy Ball is two months from Monday (my start date). I'll have four or five months after that for the Supply Corps Ball. Of course, all the food-heavy holidays are mixed in there, but I'm going to do my best. I haven't decided if I'll publish my weight and measurements here, or if perhaps I'll just publish net weight loss (well, and inches lost as well). I'll let you know.

Either way, I'll plan to post often, perhaps weekly, say on Fridays? with my progress. Rest assured, I will in fact still be posting What's Cooking Wednesday and those meals are actual dinners that I make for Hubs and me (though not always on Wednesdays!). So, don't worry, I won't be eating celery for the next few months!

Wish me luck...and feel free to share your workout secrets!!