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May Makeover Challenge Sign Up - 2009/05/02 09:13
Since no one has posted a new monthly challenge thread yet, I thought I'd jump in with the May Makeover challenge. If nothing else, it will keep me posting daily since I started it!
This month, the focus will be on making over our bodies with healthy nutrition and a balanced exercise plan as usual, but also transforming just one other aspect of our lives that we may have allowed to fall into disrepair or disorder or never quite took to the level we wanted. This can be anything--your hairstyle, your make up, a relationship, your disorganized closet, your weedy garden, that craft or art project that has been sitting in the closet, or a room that could use some sprucing up with a few bargain accessories--as long as it's something that you can change in one month.
Sizzlin' Summer Challenge Motivation: [16:40] cdub: Did you ever get those green jeans? How did the size fit? [16:46] causticmuse: I got the jeans, but can't wear them in my current ass. [16:46] causticmuse: When I trade in for a smaller ass, I will rock them mightily. [16:46] cdub: LMAO
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causticmuse
Admin
Re:May Makeover Challenge - 2009/05/02 09:56
Well, here I go again!
EXERCISE Starting Monday, I am doing the program outlined by LL Cool J's Platinum Workout book with a week of Red Carpet Ready workouts while I'm away from my home and gym on a trip to see my sister. This will get me through the "Bronze" phase of the program.
Week 1 M/W/F: Full body machine circuit (1 circuit x 15 reps each; 30 sec. rest between exercises) + 15 minute incline walk or HIIT
Week 2 (Trip to California) M/W/F: Red Carpet Ready Action Hero Babe workouts with Valslides, resistance tubing, and bodyweight
T/Th/Sa: 20 min. HIIT Run
Week 3 (3 x 12 rep straight sets w/ 1 min rest between sets) M/Th: Upper Body + 15 min cardio @ 60% MHR) T/F: Lower Body + 15 min cardio @ 60% MHR)
Week 4 (3 x 8 rep straight sets w/ 1 min rest between sets) Mon: Upper Body + 20 min cardio @ 55% MHR Tue: Lower Body + 15 min cardio @ 60% MHR) Thu: Upper Body + 20 min cardio @ 60% MHR Fri: Lower Body + 15 min cardio @ 65% MHR)
NUTRITION I am going to keep calories close to maintenance this month at 1800-2000 calories per day. I've been off program with exercise for so long now that I'm confident that just adding the extra calorie burn back in while eating at the same level will cause me to drop fat and build some muscle back up without resorting to calorie restriction. The meals in the LLCJ book are calibrated for males, however, so I'm going to look at the New Rules of Lifting for Women and Muscle and Fitness Hers 12 Week Makeover meal plans for my recipes.
- 1800-2000 calories/day - Macronutrient ratios: 40-50% carb / 30-40% protein / 20-30% fat - 5 meals per day on non-lifting/rest days, 6 meals (due to added PWO shake) on lifting days - 16 cups water per day - Supplements: multivitamin, calcium + D, 6 fish oil caps, l-glutamine, creatine/l-glutamine pre-workout
MAKEOVER There are almost too many things I want to fix up around me, but I'm going to keep this realistic and choose my living room and patio as my makeover victims for this month.
The patio houses my weight bench and Powerblock weight set as well as some extra pairs of free weights, a small round outdoor dining table, lots of resin chairs, two wicker novelty chairs, and DH's grill. It has no discernible style at all, and now that it's getting warm again, I find it too stifling to work out in there.
Our living room has decent couches, but it's a mess at the moment with one of the sofas commandeered as Yarn Central for my crafting business. We have a very tall wall in there thanks to the vaulted ceiling, so there is a lot of vertical space to fill up. Neither of us loves what we have going on up there now, and I really want to put up the set of four Chinese scrolls my sister brought back for us from Australia last year.
Sizzlin' Summer Challenge Motivation: [16:40] cdub: Did you ever get those green jeans? How did the size fit? [16:46] causticmuse: I got the jeans, but can't wear them in my current ass. [16:46] causticmuse: When I trade in for a smaller ass, I will rock them mightily. [16:46] cdub: LMAO
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SavyArt
Admin
Re:May Makeover Challenge - 2009/05/03 09:22
I'm in. Although, I'm busy as all get out.
Exercise
I'm going three HIITS (running, because my bike is busted for some reason) a week, and I'm splicing in P90X and P90X Plus weight routines for this month instead of my standard weights/machines. DH is joining me on these (we'll see). I'm also doing the outside 30 minutes of brisk walking M-F, with the end of the month commencing the shift to running outside - SLOWLY. I can run miles at a time, but I'm literally going to continue my HIITS on the treadmill and add in a beginning running plan where you only run 2 minutes and then walk 1 for 30 minutes to start because the shift to outdoor running is so hard on my joints. My theory is that it'll reduce the shin splints and make me a happier camper than last time.
Nutrition
I'm sort of doing a three-cross hybrid of BFL, intuitive eating, and Dietpower. I am really focused on getting to about 150 lbs by the time I start my 1/2 marathon training in July. As such, I need to really force the tracking right now to make sure I am on the straight and narrow. At the same time, if I am hungry - I want to be able to eat and add more if it's necessary, or pass on it if I'm not. And in either case, I'm going for the clean eating BFL structures, with looser standards on "freeday" where I am working on the intuitive eating part and starting and stopping with my brain intact. It's a challenge to other aspects of my personality.
Makeover
I'm a little wary about calling this part a makeover. The reason being is that I am so incredibly busy right now with my daughter's play and whatnot. But I want to get my house under control. It's seriously bad. Not bad the way people complain but it's still relatively clean, but actually BAD. I feel like I'm the only one who puts in the effort to keep things rolling here at home, and it seriously ticks me off. But if it's going to be this way, I had better just give up on fighting it and work to get it under control because *I* can't live this way. Then I'll beat them all into submission. Somehow. This also includes the yard, and we're going to be installing a new front door, fixing the foundation around the house, planting, mulching and more things than you can imagine (and since I'm referring to three acres worth, this is NOT a weekend project.)
But it's not new. So my goal is to keep my head above water, my brain on task, and make over my attitude about it since I feel like I'm pretty much in it by myself. ~Kyra
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causticmuse
Admin
Re:May Makeover Challenge - 2009/05/03 10:23
Kyra, does your husband actually LIKE P90X, or is it just what he defaults to when he feels guilty about getting fluffy because it's the only non-girly DVD program you have in the house?
I'm asking because my DH has openly admitted that despite getting good results on the program the first time he did it, he doesn't really enjoy it. He agrees that the dread factor is very high for P90X. Chris is also a cardio bunny at heart, which makes all the strength work in P90X somewhat less than engaging for him.
I'm encouraging him to train for a sprint triathlon instead since he likes 2 out of the 3 events. We'll see if he's inspired. I think it would take one of his buddies signing up and training with him to make it stick. I'd do it, but you know...that I hate cardio thing is kind of a problem.
Sizzlin' Summer Challenge Motivation: [16:40] cdub: Did you ever get those green jeans? How did the size fit? [16:46] causticmuse: I got the jeans, but can't wear them in my current ass. [16:46] causticmuse: When I trade in for a smaller ass, I will rock them mightily. [16:46] cdub: LMAO
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SavyArt
Admin
Re:May Makeover Challenge - 2009/05/03 11:24
Maggie, my Chris says he actually likes P90X because it reminds him of when he was an athletics in school. He doesn't like watching the time breaks and such, so having someone do it for him is what he enjoys. He just would rather not be working out at all... heh. But in our family photo (did you see that on FB?) He put on his dress slacks and thought he was gonna die. He couldn't breath, and was really uncomfortable and bothered by that. So he's focused on getting off some of the weight now.
He is still coaching soccer, and he runs like mad when he does that. It's 3 days a week, so I figure him joining me for 3 weight-type sessions is probably a nicely rounded program for him. What with all the added yard work we're doing, he'll probably drop 5 lbs every week (I hate men.) ~Kyra
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eyeballrene
50 lb Pink Dumbbell
Re:May Makeover Challenge - 2009/05/03 11:52Exercise Finish out my sports rehab sessions and switch over to being coached for running. I'm not exactly sure what we'll work on at the coaching sessions besides working more on biomechanics and (of course) running, but I'm sure Bryan will have me working my butt off with a major dose of pylometrics and light weights. He seems to think I can hit a sub 2 hour half marathon, which I am currently doubting -- I'm probably around a 2:30 half marathon right now, but I must admit that it feels good to have someone else believe in my abilities right now. It has been a tough road. The SDRNR marathon is also THIS month, on May 31. Since I missed the 20 miler while I was in Chicago, I can't miss any more Saturday long runs with the track club, even though we're in taper mode. I'm honestly not sure what time frame I'll finish this marathon, since all of my long run paces have been quite varied. My goal for this marathon is just to finish and I'm sure I can do that.
Nutrition Up the lean proteins and back off the carbs until the last week of this month. I'm already on track with fruits and vegetables, so no changes there. I've purchased a plain soy protein supplement to add into some of my foods. I also need to be more mindful of what I'm taking in, so I'm going to attempt logging everything in Fitday. I haven't been very diligent about tracking my nutrition on Fitday, as it's just one more thing to do, but I need to do it. It will help prevent me from gaining the excess pre-marathon weight I've put on in the past.
Makeover Where to begin??? My house, my yard, and a ton of personal stuff... Everything needs a makeover. I'll just go with the getting the house cleaned up for this challenge. When I came back from my trip my house felt rather grungy. It needs a major spring cleaning, which will probably take the entire month of May, and then some. I need to replace the living room rug, put up some window treatments, scrub, paint, and get rid household items we no longer use or need. Perhaps this will be an entire summer project, but at least I can get it started now. ~Irene
"Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. -Unknown
"If you stay ready you ain't gotta get ready." -Will Smith
Exercise Continue running at least 4 days per week. Make my long run into a 6 mile run (instead of a 5 miler) by the end of the month by adding 1/4 mile to it each week, while keeping the other ones as one 4 mile run and two 3 mile runs. Use hand weights two days per week just to get into the habit of doing strength training.
Nutrition Continue eating 5 small meals per day, but make sure to eat a fruit or vegetable with each one of them instead of getting lazy and eating string cheese and a granola bar as a meal
Makeover Get the extra upstairs bedroom, that I use as a sunroom for plants, and as a catch-all for clothes, books, magazines, knitting, etc organized so that it will be easy to paint the walls and shampoo the carpet.
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Forum 
But if it's going to be this way, I had better just give up on fighting it and work to get it under control because *I* can't live this way. Then I'll beat them all into submission. Somehow. This also includes the yard, and we're going to be installing a new front door, fixing the foundation around the house, planting, mulching and more things than you can imagine (and since I'm referring to three acres worth, this is NOT a weekend project.)
