Perfect Ten Challenge, Perfect Work out, Perfect Day

It's time for my first weekly Perfect Ten Challenge report!

MY PERFECT TEN CHALLENGES

1) Begin the NROL4W program (THE NEW RULES OF LIFTING FOR WOMEN - LIFT LIKE A MAN, LOOK LIKE A GODDESS). This program requires 3 work outs a week and I completed my third yesterday (and will be posting it below, as I committed to posting my work outs from now on).

One week on this program and I KNOW that this is the right path for me. I am sore all over, but in a good way. The lunges, squats, push-ups and step-ups KILL me but I just know that the effort is going to pay off!


2) Begin Training for the New Haven Road Race: I only did jogging intervals once this week. I found out that women tend to be really "quad dominant"--meaning the fronts of our thighs tend to be MUCH stronger than the back by as much as 50-75% -- which is one reason that we are far more prone to running injuries, as the muscular development of our thighs tends to be unbalanced.

Some body builders have suggested that I spend the initial phase of the NROL4W program to really hammer the backs of my thighs and bring their development up BEFORE I get more serious about the running. This would likely make the running easier for me over the long-term and make me less prone to running injuries.

This makes sense but I am really addicted to the idea of running so I don't know if I will stop the jogging intervals completely or not during this phase. But I am going to be working those hammies and glutes to the max!

3) Lose 20 pounds by the end of the challenge. Since I don't weigh myself too often I'll just have to trust that if I continue to do what I know I should, the weight will come off. Since I also joined that fitness challenge for women over on the JP board, I'll have to weigh myself at the beginning of February and we'll see where I am at then.

4) Improve sleep habits: I have actually had improvement in this area. There was only one night this week when I couldn't sleep well. I forced myself to get up early and not sleep-in the next morning-- so that I'd be extra tired the following night and not start a bad cycle of being up late and sleeping late. This seemed to work.

Now, as part of this challenge, I am supposed to reveal something that you probably don't know about me. Well, this may freak some of you out but, ever since I was a little kid I have been extremely psychic AND able to speak with dead people.

I know, I know, I expect you to skeptical. I would be too. But I am not talking about vague info here, I get dates, names, info that I couldn't possibly know or guess at. I can't explain it--- it feels similar to making art or music-- like it comes in from somewhere else.

For many years, I made my living doing this. I stopped. Why? I started noticing that a lot of people get overly attached to psychic readers and readings, and they depend on that instead of on God.

People should not call me first when they have a problem, they should call God first. I started feeling like I was not serving people's best interests by doing this so I don't do it too much now.

Now on to yesterday's killer work out!




Thursday's work out:

Warm up - Yoga stretches

Squat
15/65#
15/65#

Push Up (45 degrees)
15
15

Bent Over BB Row
15/50#
15/50#

Step ups (18" box)
15/15#
15/15#

DB Pullovers
15/30#
15/30#

Side bends holding 25# plate
15/25#
15/25#
15/25#
15/25#

Crunches
25
25

Leg Lifts
15
15

Preacher Curls
10/25#
10/25#

Single-Arm Skull crushers
15/25#
15/25#

DB Chest Press
15/25#
15/25#

DB Flies
15/15#
15/15#

Cool down: A few more simple stretches

I upped the squat weight by ten LBS and feel like I can up it by another 10 next time. I think I may be able to squat with 100 or more pounds by the end of the first phase.

The step-ups really kill me! You can understand why they are so effective.




Today was a gorgeous winter day. DH had the day off from work and we had a gift card that we got for X-mas..... so we decided to go out for a fancy lunch. We went to Jimmies here in West Haven. This restaurant is on the beach -- when we walk on the boardwalk, it is right there-- tempting everyone with the great smells!

So we ordered steak and salads, and had a lovely view as we had window seats. I snapped some photos just for you! The sun is trying to break through the clouds in the pic above. Then in the pic below of geese swimming near the shore, you can see a beautiful ray of light coming down. Don't you love it when you take pics and stuff like that happens?




When we left the restaurant we brought our scraps outside for the sea gulls. They hang-out hoping to be fed. Sometimes we actually order french fries to go for the gulls. LOL Here are some pics of Jeff feeding them.







They'll hover right in front of you and if you throw food up in the air they'll catch it. This is so cool to watch! How fitting that on the day of my perfect ten update--- I had a perfect day!

I hope you guys have a great weekend.

xoxox