Get Fit or Die Trying

In the middle of the year I decided that I needed to start getting fit again. But exercising while having two kids who constantly needs attention is easier said than done. 

Regardless, I accepted the challenge and began my second round of the Insanity workout program with Shawn T. 

I did my first round of Insanity August of last year and you can read more about that here and here. I still remember how hard it was in the beginning so I was very nervous to have to go through all of that again. 

Like the first round, my first two weeks was ROUGH! I was huffing and puffing and couldn't even make a whole set without dying. Every inch of my body ached! BUT like the first time, I pushed through and by third week I saw improvements in my stamina, strength and muscles. 

Second round was just as hard as the first, if not harder coz I wanted more muscles rather than just lose the fat. So I pushed myself to work harder, or as Shawn T like to say "dig deeper!" It's definitely no walk in the park BUT it's not called Insanity for nothing.  

My last week was a complete drag though. I injured my shoulder doing a balance push up and a lot of the workouts were sore when I do them so I got a little discouraged. My last week of Insanity actually lasted 2 1/2 weeks since I kept skipping days (too busy or too lazy or too cold). 

So since I posted my before and after pics on FB, i've been getting a lot of questions on my diet. Well the answer is, I do NOT believe in diets. I love food too much to give it up. So no, I didn't diet but I just watched my portions. I still ate whatever I wanted including junk foods (and my kids Halloween candies) but just ate less of it. I drank lots and lots of water and stopped any food intake (most days) at 7pm.

I did my workout during Halia's naptime and gave Hyrum something to do like a puzzle or a book. The workouts are between 40-60 mins so it's easy to squeeze it into our busy schedule. 

Insanity is a 60-day program BUT I never worked out on Saturdays and Sundays so it took me quite a bit longer. And I'm not going to lie, it is hard! But definitely possible!!! 

If I can do it, you sure can too!!!

It honestly is A LOT of work to get back in shape. 

Then, its even harder to STAY in shape.

It feels good being back in pre-preggo clothes. I also feel more energetic and my gallbladder problems has definetly improved. I am determined to stay fit coz it just makes life better! And I'm probably going to regret saying this now but I WILL keep it up during pregnancies. That way I dont have to work so hard after...

Who's with me? 

Philippines bound

I am so blessed to have parents that are desperate enough to see their grand kids that they buy ALL four of us plane tickets to go to The Philippines in December. 

I AM BEYOND EXCITED!

We leave here on December 7 then Mav will come back December 28 but kids and I will stay there till January 9. Halia turns 2 on January 12 so we had to make the most out of her being free to fly. 

I haven't had a Philippine Christmas since we left in 1995 and for those that don't know, the Philippines takes Christmas seriously. Christmas season starts in September and they have lanterns and lights and festivals and caroling and yummy food and lots of other cool Christmassy stuff all through to December.  

Last time I was in the Philippines was in 2007 so I'm sure a lot has changed during those 6 years. For Mav and the kids, this will be their first time so I am excited for the new experiences that they are going to have. Especially Maverick with his known dislike of Filipino food. 

On a different note, I'm sure everyone knows of the super typhoon that hit the Philippines a couple of weeks ago. Well a friend of mine has partnered up with a search and rescue team in the Philippines to help the victims with their medical needs. ALL proceeds will be going towards the purchase of medical supplies. Their website will give you more info on their mission and how you can help them achieve their goals. If you are still looking for a way to help, this is a good way to go. 

Less-TV Summer

I set a goal at the beginning of summer to have less than 2 hours of TV for the kids during the day. 

I was very determined to accomplish this goal yet also very intimidated by it. 

First of, I want to say that I have nothing against TV. In fact, I really believe that both my kids learned a lot from educational shows like Barney, Super Why and Leap Frog. I like that they have other sources to learn other than from Mav and I. 

BUT, I made the goal so that I force myself to get out of the house and enjoy the summer weather. 

Now that summer has ended and the days are getting colder. I'm glad I made that goal for myself. We were able to explore different parks, participated in the library summer reading program, have play dates, did some coloring, got plenty of vitamin d, made play-doh snakes, went on walks, played with bugs, went on treasure hunts, caught some fishes, had picnic lunches in the park, and the list goes on. 

It was a good experience for me. I got to spend more quality time with my kids and got to know them a little better. They are only small for a short amount of time that I want to soak it all in. 

Winter is fast approaching. Days will be shorter and is will be  harder to get out of the house but hopefully I can keep up with not depending on the TV for our daily entertainment.