Day 61 - Filming and Futurama references

Friday, January 22, 2010

So today I had to get myself ready for filming.  I am so excited to get back on set!  I absolutely love that this is the work I am getting to do now.  I love the film I love the crew I love the director I love the cast!

I. Love. It. All.

So, I wanted to make sure I was worked out before our 12 hour filming.

So there I was.  Ready to workout.  And I just didn't want to do it.

Now, of course, I really don't like working out, anyway.  (Who does, usually?)

So I took a moment to analyze and figure out what it was about this workout that was bothering me.

Was it that I didn't want to work out because I was too tired?  No.

Was it that I felt sore?  No.

Was I just "not feeling it"?  No.

I actually wanted to workout, but I just didn't want to do my regular routine.

As Jon and I often like to quote (and misquote) Futurama I realized what the problem was.

This workout was "boring me, Zoidberg"

Ok!  This is fixable.  I have a plethora of other workout videos and things to do to alleviate the boredom.

So today I opted to do a total body workout which included cardio, resistance bands, abs, yoga, etc in less than 48 minutes!  Yay me.

Why don't I do these all the time?  Aha!  Well, I get bored with them too, Zoidberg.

But it was a nice change from the regular routine.

Also, I'd like to add that in the past I've done this workout and never felt as strong as I do now doing it.  I often had to bow out of a rep or two or even an exercise when it would get too difficult.  It was incredibly cool to be able to do the entire work out and feel good!

I'm sure I'll be revisiting that one again!  :)

Filming?  Oh filming was amazing!  A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

I got wrapped at 3:30AM.  Gotta get up at 8:00AM to head to Wisconsin (3.5 hours one way) to visit my dear friend from high school, Debbie, for her baby shower!!!  Cannot wait to see her!  Then, I get to hang with one of my best friends, Lisa, who moved back home to Kenosha, Wisconsin after that!  So excited to see them!  It's been too long in both cases.  I'm missing my ladies!

Today's Goal: Do a total body workout (weights and/or abs with cardio) = SUCCESS!

Tomorrow's Goal: be careful with my choices at the shower!  And if we get drinks with Lisa

Calories Consumed: 1054

Workout:
      Slim in 6 - Ramp it up - less than 48 minutes

Day 33 - Weigh in week 5 and Christmas Dinner

Friday, December 25, 2009

So today was a weigh-in day. I'd been not feeling 100% this week, what with my moods and feeling like ick most of the week. I would not have been surprised if I didn't lose any thing. I would have been disappointed but not surprised.

As it goes, I lost 2 ounces. Not too bad. I'm obviously slowing down in the weight loss "frenzy". I know that happens, but it's slightly frustrating. My friend, Adam, (who has done an IRONMAN - yeah, I KNOW! ) tells me it's possible I'm not eating enough calories so my body isn't cooperating as well as it should/could. I'd LOVE to think he's right. It'd be nice to have the ability - nay - the NEED to eat more calories.

He says there's a fancy scale that can measure fat percentage and hydration as well as weight. That could give a more accurate look at what is going up and down. In other words, if my body fat is going up even if my weight is going down, that actually means I need to eat MORE calories because my body is holding onto the fat because it thinks I'm in starvation mode. Weird! So, maybe I will get ahold of this fancy schmancy scale. :) Thanks for the tip, Adam! You rock!

Tonight we had dinner at my Mom's house for Christmas. It was really fun! My mom is always coming up with crazy fun things to add to the fun of the celebration. This time she claimed Santa had visited and brought a gift for everyone. It was a lottery ticket! So everyone got a ticket and everyone promptly lost. It was great, though! :)

I was as careful as I could be on my calories and I even had a glass of wine and a very small piece of the amazing chocolate cake my mom baked.

I came home after dinner and worked out. Yes I did. Go me!

All in all, a very successful and fun holiday!

Today's Goal: Do not feel guilty = SUCCESS! I was careful and took what I wanted and ate it happily!

Tomorrow's Goal: Make good choices at lunch (having lunch with K and Lori!)

Calories Consumed: 1183

Workout:

Cardio:

3 minutes warm-up

45 minutes jog/run/shadow box/kicks

(6 one-minute sprints)

8 minutes cool-down and stretch

Strength Training

5o push ups

50 biceps curls (10 lbs each hand)

50 triceps curls (10 lbs each hand)

50 chest flies (10 lbs each hand)

50 shoulder press (10 lbs each hand)

Day 32 - Joy and Reading

Thursday, December 24, 2009

So today has been a very "chill" day at work. Very few distractions via phone/email and pretty much all around quiet.

It's given me time to read. Which I adore! I almost never carve out time in my day to do it. I always think I "should" be doing something else. Working on this monologue or sending out this thing for my business...etc. I live in a world of "shoulds" when I have so many "wants".

Truthfully, this job has allowed me the time to read and that makes me so grateful. When I fall into a story I am totally transported. I live the emotions they live, I anticipate their reactions and feelings. It's like I am experiencing the story along with them. It's an investment. Not just of time, but of emotion.

When I complete a book and the story ends (no sequel, or I've finished all the sequels), I'm actually depressed for a while. I feel like I've lost the people. They've "left" so to speak, to go live their lives. It's something I've also experienced with films and TV shows, in some cases. But it's never as heartbreaking as with books. I think it's because I am reading about every nuance and thought and I'm right there breathing with them.

Like I said, an investment. :)

This has been a much better holiday for me than recent years. I've learned so much about myself and my strength. I used to tell my teacher, K Spang, that I understood that I had "things to get through". The fact that I had the knowledge that I had issues should have been enough, right? I figured if I saw my problems, labled them, saw them clearly well, then, I should be allowed to avoid the suffering of FEELING them or going through the process of dealing with them for real. K Spang would say, "Ali, you keep seeing that door and just desperately want to be on the other side of it". I'd say, "YES!" And she'd say, "Well, here's the deal. By acknowledging the problem you've only just NOTICED the door. Now you have to start working your way towards it. You just want to fly through it. It doesn't work that way".

And she was right.

So this holiday season I am really enjoying my time staying warm and close and happy and grateful for love and laughter and joy. Joy is an emotion that I have felt guilty for feeling for so long. I'm not going to feel guilty feeling joy tonight. Maybe that should be my goal for tomorrow. Mom's making dinner and I don't want to feel any guilt. So that's my goal.

Thank you for sticking with my crazy rants of blog-i-tude. Your continued support is incredible. This journey is a good one. Hard, but good. I thank you. And I wish you a glorious happy holiday eve!

Today's Goal: Drink 80 oz of water + Take multi-vitamin = Fail/success (took the vitamin - had about 65-70 oz, but I wasn't too disappointed)

Tomorrow's Goal: Feel no guilt.

Calories Consumed: 1087

Workout:

Cardio:

3 minutes warm-ups

20 minutes jog/run

3 minutes cool-down

Strength Training:

Slim in 6pack abs routine - 11 min.

100 regular squats (10 lbs each side)

100 pulsed regular squats (10 lbs each side)

100 plie squats (10 lbs each side)

100 plie pulsed squats (10 lbs each side)

Day 30 - Alone and Normal

Tuesday, December 22, 2009


So today I had a weird schedule with work. I wasn't told when I signed on to this job that Tuesdays would be from 11am - 7pm. I was taken aback by it at first, and then realized that except for the last week I work, this isn't too big of a deal. So that day I'll work 10 - 6. No big deal. :)


But it's a little odd.


However, it afforded me time to workout this morning and accomplish my daily goal! YAY! I DID get in my cardio AND my ab routine. All that's left is legs. I can do that after dinner! :)


My mom was telling me that all of her friends that have daughters have been having issues with them. The daughters tell them, (the mothers) that they don't know anything. Or they demand things or whatever. I am actually surprised. I mean, my mom's friends all have big personalities but I never would have thought they'd have such issues communicating with their daughters.


Jokingly, I asked what she says when her friends are complaining about their daughters. She, politically said, "Oh nothing! I don't have those problems". Good answer, Mom. :)


This office has me alone for a LOT of the time. I am cherishing this time. It affords me reflection and time to explore things that our crazy, busy lives don't usually allow. I used to hate/fear time without stimulation. It meant I had to just "be with my thoughts". That was horrifying!! Now, I like it. I look forward to it.


Well, along with the snow today, it's definitely getting festive in this city. I am wearing my new shoe-boots (they are so comfy. They form to your feet!) that I got as a gift. :) They are bright red! Absolutely festive! They make me smile!

I definitely fell off the wagon of doing my leg exercises. Having a late day at work left me utterly exhausted. I did well on the cardio front, adding an extra 5 minutes plus sprints so I'm feeling good about that. Hopefully my legs will understand my not working them out today.


Today's Goal: Try and get the cardio done in the morning before work = SUCCESS!


Tomorrow's Goal: Finish the holiday cards and get 'em sent out


Calories Consumed: 1154

Workout:
Cardio:
3 minutes warm-up
50 minutes run/jog
(5 one-minute sprints)
8 minutes cool-down stretch


Strength Training:
Slim in 6 ab routine (slim and 6pack -- 11 minutes)

Day 27 - Accomplished and Laundry room Christmas Carols

Saturday, December 19, 2009

So today was a pretty accomplished day! I love those. Of course, I know I'll never complete everything on my list every time. I am working on getting better at accepting that.

However, we took Sparky to the vet for his shot. I went to rehearsal and it was awesome! I came home and worked out. Then, Jon and I did laundry.

We each donned our festive head-wear: Me - Antlers with jingle bells

Him - Santa hat

Then we got caught kissing in the elevator. (tee hee!)

THEN we decided to fold the laundry down there and sing Christmas carols the whole time. It was a blissful night!

I am feeling very happy and loved today. :)

Today's Goal: Get everything accomplished on my list = SUCCESS!

Tomorrow's Goal: get all my water in. Been slacking a bit

Calories Consumed: 707 (whoops)

Workout:

Cardio:

3 minutes warm-up

46 minutes jog/run

8 minutes stretch

Strength Training:

100 regular crunches

100 reverse crunches

100 oblique crunches (each side)

4 sets of Pilates 100's

100 regular squats (10 lbs each side)

100 regular pulsed squats (10 lbs each side)

100 plie squats (10 lbs each side)

100 plie pulsed squats (10 lbs each side)