Insanity; Starting Month 2

Hi all! I meant to post sooner, but we've had a little situation going on here in Okinawa. This, to be more specific:

Say hello to Typhoon Guchol, a category 4 typhoon headed straight for Okinawa. Yay. So we've been cleaning up around the outside of our home, getting last minute items for our typhoon kit, and making sure we have things to keep the wee ones happy during the storm and possibly after in case we lose power. It's starting to rain now, the winds are picking up, and it'll be hitting us sometime tonight into tomorrow morning.

I am pretty sure Shaun T tried to murder me yesterday.  I started month 2 yesterday (fit test and max interval circuit), and I am feeling it! My muscles have felt the shock in a huge way; I have gained 2lbs of water weight alone since in just 2 days!! No worries, it's normal. It's my muscles being shocked from the new routines. I have done my research on this. I had recovery week all last week, and now it's the first week of month 2. I am on day 37, and my glutes are on FIRE. I feel every muscle in my body right now. It's a good hurt...a good hurt. The workouts are more difficult and so far they have all been longer (around an hour each vs 40 minutes). I did better on my fit test again yesterday, which was a YAY moment for me!

I have a book review waiting for you all for Anew, and let's just say...WOW!! I can't wait to write my review for this. It is a must read! I absolutely loved it, cover to cover!

Be on the lookout for another post very soon, including my book review!

HarperGirl

BodyMedia Fit Armband

I posted a few entries back that I was getting one of these babies:

Well...it's FINALLY here. There was a mix up with the mail, and I didn't get the first one I ordered. Luckily, Amazon has pretty decent customer service for us military folk overseas, and they sent me a new one for free! Thanks, Amazon :) So now that it's here, let me tell you how much fin this little toy is.

My favorite thing; it syncs with my iPhone. Anyone who knows me well knows that I love gadgets. Call me a nerd, but I love electronics. Always have, always will. So anything that allows me to play with my iPhone more has me hooked! Anyways, I can type in the food I'm eating and it'll add the calories to my daily bank. It keeps track of everything. EVERYTHING. I have to be disciplined though and really look at what I'm eating and make sure I put it in. That is what I love about this. It's great for people like me who have food addictions. It will hold you accountable. Being able to sync it to my phone allows me to carry it with me wherever I go, so if I go out to eat I can plug in my food right away instead of waiting till I get home and possibly forgetting something.

Then there is the calorie burn. Oh how I love seeing what I burn all day long! It's not even bed time yet for me, and I've burned almost 2,000 calories (Insanity workout plus running errands and cleaning house)! Insanity only counts for....217 of those. Not what you thought, hu? Me either. But I am still at a calorie deficit for the day. I have a deficit of over 715 calories right now. This tells me if I can have that 100 calorie Skinny Cow ice cream that's calling my name all the way from the freezer! So...yes I can have that after my kiddos are in bed :)

This is what it looks like on me:

I had a few "what is that chick wearing?!" looks today, but that was expected...and ignored easily... but other than that, it's a great little tool. It's easy and comfortable to sleep with on. You charge it right on your computer. It syncs with Bluetooth, so my data updates wherever I am without wifi. My friend helped me set it up (thanks again, Justi!!) and she's loving hers as well! I can keep track of just about everything. You'd be surprised that you burn calories in your sleep! You burn calories for just existing, it's just a matter of how many.

Here is an example of what it looks like on my iPhone (these are the totals from my day today)

Something else I love is that you can customize this! There are armbands in all different colors (I have chrome/black) and you can order skins for it too. This is a really cool feature!

For someone who needs that extra push with weight loss, I think this is a great tool to have. It helps you see what your caloric needs are, and it gives you a real number to what you are burning. Having a deficit at the end of the day means weight loss! It's simple to use, easy to understand, and really gives you a visual.

Do you want one? Of course you do. You can get one here or here!

Look for more reviews of this later. I haven't had this long, so I'd like to wear it more and I'll update how it's going with this!

NOTE:: I'm actually wearing mine backwards in this pic, but you can see what it looks like and what size it is facing forward.

HarperGirl

DVD Review: Totally Ripped Core/Shoe Review

Hey everyone! So, I got Bob's new Ab DVD in the mail about a week and a half ago. This DVD is about 48 minutes long with a warm up and cool down. You only need one set of dumbells for this workout. I'm using 8lb dumbells, but use what you're comfortable with, or if you need to modify, you can use just your own body weight. There is a 45 minute workout and a mini workout. I have not done the mini workout yet, but I will soon!

This isn't one of Bob's normal workouts where you're drenched in a pool of your own sweat by the end of the hour, but you will be feeling your abs for the rest of the day! It not only works your core, but it pushes the limits of your balance as well. I have a crooked spine, so some of these balance moves were very challenging to me. Bob loves to work balance and core together, and since I've been using his DVD's, my balance has greatly improved, but I still have to work to get through these routines. Some moves are very simple, like the crunches and variations of them, and others are deadly, like the side burpees and plank twists at the end. Bob knows just how to push you to your limits and then some. I have done this workout twice and I feel it at the end! I did this workout 15 hours ago, and I still feel my abs! It will really work your core, your balance, and your strength all at the same time. It's a nice DVD to have in between the cardio workouts to break up the week. So...yes! Go out and get this DVD right now!

Next review; Puma running shoes!

You can get these babies here! I bought mine earlier this month and I've got to say...I've fallen in love with them. I've done both outside running (with the ginormous Japanese hills here on our base) and running on the treadmill with them. They are very breathable; I felt the wind blowing around my feet while I was outside! The insides practically molded to my foot. They have amazing support, and have a sort of "spring" to them when you take each step, which launches you to your next stride. I've done regular cardio workouts with them and they are great for that too, but I'm using them just for running since I have other athletic shoes too. I've officially switched from being a Nike Girl to a Puma Girl!

So if you are in the market for new shoes, go with the Puma running shoes! They run true to size! I normally wear a 6, and I ordered a 6 without trying them on and they fit perfectly.

Until next time!

HarperGirl