Day 21 - Early morning "Pure Cardio"!

I got up early again this morning and completed today's workout: Pure Cardio. This is probably the toughest workout for me with the Plyometric one coming in at a close second. However this morning I felt great and really did push myself to my limits. I am starting to really get used to the movements which I think is helping me with my form. I still have to stop and rest and the 'drills' are still very challenging; my arm strength, although better than when I started, its still my weakest area so I do find myself having to adapt the push-up type drill exercises...but I am getting better. 

The biggest area of focus for me now is my food intake and nutrition. I have started to use MyFitnessPal.com again to track what I am eating and drinking and I have started to cook myself some 'clean and lean' meals using mostly vegetables (from my Riverford Organic Food veg box that I get delivered each week). I am getting back into the nutritional routine that I was doing earlier in the year, when I lost quite a bit of weight. I hope to combine the benefits I got earlier in the year from healthy eating with my workout challenge so that when I have finished this challenge in December I will be in the best shape of my life! 

I have also sorted out my workout schedule so that I can catch up on the now two additional rest days that I have taken this week. So I am still scheduled to finish this superb challenge on the 18th December (41 days to go)!

Day 13 - Pure Cardio

I really struggled to get up early again today but forced myself as I knew that this morning was the only opportunity that I would get today to do a workout. I am struggling to sleep at the moment, I just think I have too much on my mind and I am therefore struggling to switch off when I go to bed. I'm hoping going to bed earlier and doing some relaxation/breathing exercises and some meditation prior to sleeping will help!

Anyway, as soon as I pressed play on the DVD and Shaun T started talking to me, I felt motivated and full of energy. Today's workout: Pure Cardio is really tough (I should stop saying this really as all of them are EXTREMELY tough apart from the 'Cardio Recovery' one!)...but I felt great this morning, I still had to take the occasional break but I am definitely getting stronger.

Tomorrow is my rest day and I am looking forward to it, although I may go to the gym and do a swim or go for a walk just to get some gentle exercise - nothing too strenuous. Also tomorrow I will take my measurements again, jump on the scales and also take some more photos to update my records. Then on Thursday its my second fit test! I don't think my measurements will have changed much or maybe not at all but I do think that I will see progress  in my fit test (fingers crossed!). At the beginning of the week I was slightly concerned about my weight going up by 3lbs so I am also hoping that the scales will be kinder when I weigh myself tomorrow!

...and only 49 days left...

Day 9 - Pure Cardio!

I'm back to my early morning routine! Somehow it suits me better to get my workout completed before the 'real' day has begun. Thankfully too my stomach problems from yesterday seem to have completely gone...so there was nothing to hamper me this morning and I did a really good workout. It was extremely tough (EXTREMELY TOUGH!) this morning but I know I am pushing myself even harder this week. I am also feeling more confident in the stretching and I am seeing progress as I am able to stretch further than I could on day one. There is still a lot of room for improvement but the main thing is I am seeing progress. I am also still struggling with the push-up drills but I am at least attempting them and when it gets too much I am adapting them so that I have bent knees (the main thing is I keep going!). I'm sure I will get there and eventually I will be able to complete the workout in full but at least I can do a handful of press-ups in one go now instead of just one and then collapsing in a heap! :-)

Tomorrow its the Plyometric Cardio Circuit...bring it on!

Day 5 - Pure Cardio

Wow, what a great start to the week - an early morning 'Insanity - Pure Cardio' session!

I am also starting to find getting up earlier is easier than it was when I started this programme last week. Getting a fantastic exercise session completed whilst others are still asleep does feel good. It makes me feel that I have really achieved something before the true day has started and I am therefore ahead of the game! 

Today's session was hard, I had to take quite a few breaks and the pace seemed to be amazingly fast at points but I stuck at it and finished it feeling like I had done an OK job. I did have a concern that whilst stretching I had perhaps pulled the muscle in my left inner thigh as it was aching and a little painful, however as I continued with the drills the pain subsided and I am now just left with a minor ache, so not too concerned as I have aches all over! - this I knew would be the case this week and probably next week whilst my body adapts to the new moves that it is being asked to do. I will however be keeping an eye on this 'twinge' as I don't want anything to stop me from completing this 60 day programme. 

Tomorrow is my final day of the first week and it will be another 'Plyometric Cardio Circuit' session. 

Week 1's schedule so far (my tick list!):
Thursday (17/10/13): Fit Test 1 - COMPLETE
Friday (18/10/13): Plyometric Cardio Circuit - COMPLETE
Saturday (19/10/13): Cardio Power & Resistance -COMPLETE
Sunday (20/10/13): Cardio Recovery - COMPLETE
Monday (21/10/13): Pure Cardio - COMPLETE
Tuesday (22/10/13): Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Wednesday (23/10/13): Rest day