Belly Loss: Day 19

Might as well post this early today.

I still can't do my exercises for the evening.  But the foot has healed enough to allow me to do my morning Pilates workout - if I stabilize the ankle with a brace or a bandage.  So I got some work out done today.  I'll do more tomorrow, and get some swimming in, to boot.

The foot's healing pretty nicely, so I figure I should be able to walk without the brace, and at full speed, by Sunday.  All that's really left is some light bruising, and tight tendons.  I'm treating the bruises with some ointment, and the tendons are being stretched out pretty regularly.

Belly Loss: Day 18 / Medical Update

Okay, so we're getting better.  Bruising is a tad worse, but the pain is MUCH less.  I'm still using an ankle brace, but I occasionally take it off to stretch out the tendons.

Diet is still on track, but I had Tokyo Joe's today, so I might be a tad above the mark.  But I've been good, and TJ's is only bad if you overeat, so I'm still okay.

I figure three more days, and I should be able to walk for exercise again.  I'll be starting  Week 3 all over again.

Belly Loss: Day 17 / Medical Update

Pretty much a repeat of Day 16.  My foot's healing pretty fast, though.  Still not running or walking-at-a-good-pace material, yet.

Interestingly, it only now started to bruise.  But not around the ankle (where the primary injury occurred), but around the knife-edge of my foot, and behind my three small toes, where they join the foot.  And it's very light bruising, too - I had to look twice to be sure that's what I saw.

Belly Loss: Day 16

Aside from a carefully controlled diet (about 1800 calories), no physical activity today.

It was hard enough to get to work, and even then I needed a cane to walk.  I couldn't exercise in any capacity without putting my ankle at risk.

Belly Loss: Day 15

Had to cut the workout short today.  My diet is on track (right around 1800 calories).  I had the morning ab-Pilates workout, and got half-way through my hour-long walk. 

That's when disaster struck.  I had tripped and screwed my ankle is JACKED UP.  So far, it seems to be a really bad sprain and not a break (I had to walk three miles home), but this puts a crimper in some workout routines.

Here are pictures of the ankle (the right one is the injured one), and my left knee:

Belly Loss: Day 12, 13, and 14

A particularly crappy weekend for me.  While I didn't go and overeat or anything, I did wind up not doing my exercises for the two days I should have.  I had the morning Pilates workouts, but not the evening ones.

However, if I find two more students for the classes I teach, I can join Enshin Karate in Denver, which is something I've wanted to start for some years, now.

Belly Loss: Day 11

Okay, a decent day.

A 20-minute total-body Pilates workout this morning.  I figure I'm going to do the total-body routine the days after a core workout, and the core-centric Pilates the day after a Maximum Metabolism workout.

So I started today with a PBJ sandwich and some peanuts.  Those things sneak up on you - 300 calories per sandwich.  I have to be careful.  Thankfully, I'm getting used to eating a LOT less.

Lunch was a JJ's sandwich...or rather, half of one, and a cheese stick.  For my afternoon snack, the other half was eaten.  I later had another apple for a snack at school.

Dinner was a very tasty 6-oz. cilantro flank steak - Garlic, olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper mixed into a baste and grilled.  Mmmmmm.

I finished the day with a heart-pumping 45-minute intervals walk and the Max Metabolism workout.  I'm getting better, but I'm starting to dread next week when I go to longer stuff.  Today was one set at 15 reps again.

Total Calories: 1589/2000

Belly Loss: Day 10

Okay, a pretty good day today.  I did a little improper eating, but I managed to stay pretty good, actually.


So the day starts off with 15 minutes of the Ab-centric Pilates workout.


I was home today, so I decided to make a full breakfast.  This consisted of one items with several ingredients.  Mix four egg whites with two full eggs, some minced ham and onion, and a tablespoon of basil pesto.  Throw the ham and onions into a medium pan with olive oil, and "brown".  Whisk the whites and eggs together, then throw it in the pan.  Wait until it starts to solidify, then throw in some diced tomatoes and cheese, and you got yourself a great omelet.

Lunch was a sandwich, and I (like an idiot) missed my afternoon snack.  Dinner after the belt testing (more later) was two slices of Little Ceasar's pizza and two breadsticks.  that used to not come close to filling me up...I think I actually felt like I ate too much (that's a good thing, in this case).

Evening exercise didn't have cardio, but it did include the Cut To the Core routine, one set of 15 reps.  I'm starting to do the "Make it Harder" options in a few of them.  That's a good burn.

Total Caloric intake: 1333/2000.  A little low.  Need to fix that.

Belly Loss: Day 9

OW! MOTHER F***ER, SON OF A B****!!!!!

Okay, so I started correctly, with my 20-minute ab-sculpting Pilates workout.  That went fairly well.  I'm not tiring out quite as quickly, but it is a HELL of a workout in and of itself.

Okay, move on to a pretty standard, yet still tasty, breakfast of a whole wheat bagel half, with all-natural Colorado honey and a handful of peanuts.  Follow that up with a lunch of Tuscano Italian - basically macaroni noodles with a tangy Italian style sauce with olive oil.  Snack was a PBJ sandwich and a large sour apple.  Dinner was a teriyaki chicken with baked potato and corn. 

Okay, so the evening workout.  Here's the pain.  Week 2 is supposed to increase time or reps (depending on the exercise) by 50%.  So that's a 35-minute intervals walk, followed by a set of 15 reps each on the Maximum Metabolism workout.  Now I'm keeping the dumbells at 5lbs, so to avoid bulking up in the future, but that's still a killer five pounds when you throw in all that crap!  My arms hurt, as do my legs.

But it's worth it.  Oh yes, it's worth it.

Belly Loss: Day 8

Okay, back on the exercise wheel.  Sometimes, I feel like a hamster.

So I did something stupid and somehow forgot my pilates session this morning.  Good thing the plan doesn't actually require it, but it's still a good idea (and one I'll fix tomorrow).

So I started my day with 1/2 bagel and honey, rounded by about 1/4 cup of peanuts.  Then, a decent lunch of chicken and rotini noodles, covered with pesto sauce and oil (MUFA).  A couple of cheese sticks for a snack, and a teriyaki steak with green beans and broccoli cheese rice for dinner.  That rounds to about 1800/2000 calories for the day.  I need to step it up; I shouldn't be coming that far under 2k.

For the final part of the day, my exercise time is ramped up.  A 45-minute power walk at about 70% intensity (got to learn the neighborhood a bit more, as I got lost), followed by a set of 15 reps each for the Cut To The Core routine (previously doing 10 reps each).  That was a burn.  But it felt great, and I got the 35-minute interval walk tonight, along with the Maximum Metabolism workout with the dumbells.  I should be sufficiently whining by the time I go to bed.

Belly Loss: Day 7

Scheduled rest day.  So Nyah!

Calorie intake: about 2100/2000

Belly Loss: Day 6

Okay.  15 minutes of Pilates this morning.  Again, ab-centric, but mostly because I couldn't find my Basics DVD until this morning.  I might use the "Advanced Slimming" workout for week 2, or I may stick with the ab workout.  Not yet sure.

Then an hour and a half of Taekwondo (or, as some people noted, "ewok-kwon-do").  And I just now finished up with a hard metabolism workout (primarily arms and legs).

Calorie intake was not monitored today, due to a lot of factors, like Stephanie L's birthday party and other crap.  But I tried to watch it, and the beer was probably the worst thing, diet-wise.  And I kept that to four glasses.

Belly Loss: Day 4

Mirrored Day 2. a 15 minute start to the day with Pilates, followed by the controlled diet. Finished the day off with a Interval-based power walk, and the metabolism booster workout. Today I had dumbells to keep the upper body working properly, and that was damn exhusting! Total caloric intake: 1515/1600.

Belly Loss: Day 3

Similar to day 1. 20 minute Pilates in the morning, with a 30-minute power walk and ab-centric calisthenic workout in the evenining. Total calorie intake: 1525/1600.

Belly Loss: Day 2

The day started similar to yesterday. I did about a 15-minute Pilates (again, ab-centric) session to start my morning. Did the Calorie Torch Walk (intervals with a very fast walking pace), and the Metabolism Boost workout, which is mostly legs. I controlled and timed my meals so I ate four times (one of them ...over an hour), and kept the calorie count down. Total calorie intake: 1526/1600! Oh yeah!

Belly Loss: Day 1

I started the morning with a 20-minute ab-concentrated Pilates workout. At the end of the day, I completed a 30-minute cardio walk and five core-oriented calisthenic exercises, each of 10 reps. Total calorie intake: about 1,535. My maximum allowed: 1600. In other words, a good start! Stay tuned for day 2!

Belly Loss: Day 5

15 Minutes of Pilates in the morning, followed by a 900 calorie breakfast/lunch/snack combo (not all at once). Started evening workout with a 90-minute Taekwondo class, over an hour of it was intense cardio. Came home to a 1060-calorie dinner, but I slowed it down so I didn't eat all at once.  HOWEVER, my calorie limit is now 2k, so I'm still within limits. Finished with a core-centric calisthenic workout, and added a dumbell to the toe reach to increase the effectiveness.

Total calories: 1960/2000.