Day 67

A new day has come and I am happy to report all is well between Joe & I.  We had a good talk this morning about the miscommunication that took place yesterday, apologies were made, hugs were given and all is well in my little world. :):):) I must say also that I had a lot of questions from friends about me posting what I went through yesterday, but I'm going to have good days and bad days and when I decided to write this blog I told myself I would be completely honest and bold in my writing and I feel I have been and if you know me, you know that I tell it like it is.  I am an open book almost to a fault.  I think yesterday was a good learning lesson for both Joe & I.  I should have NEVER walked away yesterday feeling the feelings I had and vice versa.  It totally pays to be honest in everything you do.  Just be up front with people and if something is bothering you, tell them.  Don't let it stew otherwise it will eat you alive.  So I do take blame for not approaching the situation yesterday, but like I said, all is happy and positive in my life again.  I'm all about positive energy, positive motion and that is what I need in my life.  I know that's why Joe is such a good trainer.  He is a ball of positive energy.  That's why we work well together.  He respects me, I respect him, it's a win, win situation.  That is also why I got along so well and love and respect the Are You X team in Miami, Keith, Danny & Viktoria, they are all a ball of positive energy.  Like energy attracts Like energy.  You know when you meet any of these people that they are just positive human beings.  It's a good thing.  Then there's Glenn.  He is KING OF POSITIVE ENERGY and MOTIVATION.  SERIOUSLY!!!  AMAZING!!!  I am blessed to have these 5 individuals in my life, supporting my vision and my weightloss journey.  Thank you my friends!


So I woke up at 5am and got to the club around 6:40 this morning.  I got on the SPIN bike and rode for 20 mins until Joe came over and then I rode another 10 mins while we talked.  It was a good warm up.  I accomplished a HUGE GOAL today.  It was a goal that I had set on day 1 of my journey.  Joe had asked me what some of my exercise goals were.  1 was be able to do the Big Stairmaster for an hour - DONE, 2 - learn to run - it's a long work in progress, 3 - jump rope - still working on it (thanks for getting me started Viktoria), 4 - to do a pull up - (I have a LONG way to go before I can accomplish that), 5 - do use the assisted dip and pull up machine. - THIS IS WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED TODAY!!!!!  It was HUGE for me in my head.  Believe me.


Training with Joe

• Joe got that lovely 20 lb. soft exercise ball for me to squat down to.  Can I just tell you how much I love to do those low squats.  He had me do 25 to warm me up.  Then we he threw a new curve ball at me, he had me hold the 45 lb straight bar on my back and then squat down.  Um yeah, I couldn't go down very low.  It was a very awkward feeling.  When I squat I hold my hands in front of my chest in a tight squeeze to help balance myself.  So now having my hands up holding this bar on my back, my balancing mechanism was gone and I could not go as low.  I am so grateful Joe is having me do these though because I can already tell it will teach me balance and control of my squats.  I felt really strong as I was doing these.  It got easier to go lower with each set.  I still couldn't go as low as I could without the bar, but for the 1st time I think I did pretty good.  So we did 5 sets of 10 reps.  rotating with:
• Assisted Dip Machine.  So Joe tells me we were going to do this machine and I said are you for real.  There is no way I can even fit on that machine let alone push up 92 lbs.  He put 175 lbs. on the machine.  So Joe says, "Donna, did we not just have a long talk about limiting beliefs."  Touchee Joe, Touchee!!!  That's a true story, in my conversation I had with Joe this morning I mentioned to him that I  didn't like anyone to put a limitation or barriers on me.  And so with me saying no way, I was putting limitations on myself.  So I said alright, I will do it and I DID!!!  Not only did I do it, it was actually very easy.  I was so proud of myself.  Honestly, it felt so natural and so good to do that machine.  So yay for me!
• Then we went over to the massage table and Joe had me sit on the table with both legs straight out on the table and then had me scoot my butt to the edge.  Then he put his bodyweight on my legs and had me go back as far as I could and then sit up.  Well let me tell you , I could go back far!!!  I was impressed that I could do that.  So we did 2 sets of 25.
• Then he had stand on the floor, lean over the table and hold on to each side and then I had to lift both legs up until I was parallel with the table.  I did 2 sets of 30.  Let me tell you, I felt them both hardcore in my abs.  But this last one I could have done more.  They were so easy to do which shocked me.
• Then he stretched me out and I was going to go down and do the pool aerobics, but I get such a good calorie burn with the SPIN bike that I decided to just get on the SPIN bike and I rode for an hour.  Not only did I ride, but I was up and down and leaning over and spinning up just as if I was doing a class.  OMG - the sweat was pouring off of me and I loved every second of it.  I am seriously LOVING the SPIN bike.  I just lost myself in the music and I couldn't stop.  It was amazing and I felt amazing when I finally got off.  I had tons of energy and I just felt so good.
• I finished my day at the gym off in my lovely sanctuary (steam room) for a good 15 minutes and then I spent 15 minutes in the jacuzzi under the waterfall.  So at my gym we have a jacuzzi in the ladies locker room which is nice, but I always go out to the jacuzzi out by the pools.  They have 2 gigantic jacuzzi out there with these totally powerful waterfall in the corners of them.  So when you stand under the waterfall the force of the water just massages your entire upper back and then to make the experience even better there is a jet of water that hits you in your lower back.  TALK ABOUT HEAVEN ON EARTH!!!!  Seriously!  It's the best!  I am just now realizing how important it is to spend this time on recovery after 2-3 hours of intense exercise.  I am so grateful I have that gym that I can go to that has a steam room and a jacuzzi.  I am blessed.

Food

Breakfast

Fresh Fruit Salad with Watermelon, Blackberry, Apple, Orange, Red Grapes & Coconut Ricotta Cheese

Lunch

Chicken Salad with Spinach, Mango, Orange Segments, Pine Nuts & Raspberry Vinaigrette

Dinner

Lean Turkey Meatballs with Thai Ginger Chili Sauce with Wheatberry Pilaf and Grilled Asparagus

Snack

Turkey & Green Salsa Quesadilla

Dessert

Sliced Asian Pear with Ricotta Cheese and Honey Roasted Cashews

Day 66

I woke up this morning at 4:30am so that I could leave my house by 5am.  I made it to the gym at 5:25 and got up to the Spin Room with 2 minutes to spare.:):):)  Which was a good thing since this is my 1st time taking spin since I came home from Miami.  The teacher needed to set up my bike.  I bought a gel seat from Sports Authority the other day and all I can say is it works like a gem.  My butt was not sore at all after Spin.  In fact after the hour long class I went down to the 2nd floor and rode on a Spin bike down there for another 30 minutes until Joe was ready for me.  I felt so good about the class and the fact that I made it through, not only did I make it through, I was able to do the ENTIRE class with the class.  Meaning I could stand up at a low resistance and do "running" on the bike.  I amazed myself this morning.  I really had SO MUCH ENERGY and was so happy and proud of myself and then I met with Joe.  


That was a bit of a downer today.  Usually Joe is my burst of positive energy in the morning, but not today.  He was pissed off at me and let me know it.  Mainly because I did an extra class yesterday and then I rode for 1 1/2 hrs. before I met with him today (which BTW, he knew I was taking this spin class this morning).  Seriously!!!  WHATEVER!!!  I am doing what I am doing to lose weight.  I know he is just looking out for me, but COME ON!!!  Joe has a good heart and is looking out for me, but I did not need attitude this morning.  I was on a complete ENERGY HIGH and then he sucked the life out of me.  That is what I call an energy vampire.  I don't respond well to negative energy that is obviously there.  So he said we were going to do 40,30,20,10 today.  Which means I do 40 reps the 1st set, 30 reps the 2nd set and so on.  So the rotation was STAIRS (grant you I just rode for 1 1/2 hrs and when he said stairs I thought to myself BRING IT ON) and then a 30 lb barbell something.  I'm not sure what it's called that I was doing but I do know again Joe got frustrated with me because what he wanted me to do initially I just couldn't figure out the movement so I asked him to switch, which he did, gratefully and then I could do it.  Basically it was a palm down curl into a press up.  So the 1st 40 floors were brutal, especially the last 10 floors.  I couldn't find my breath.  And then it took me about 2 minutes after I got off to finally breathe normal.  So I got on the stairs for the 30 floors and I could just feel the anger Joe had towards me.  Again, WHATEVER!!!  I am here to exercise.  So I made the 30 and he pushed stop and said that was it, we were going to stretch.  I totally could have finished the 20 & 10 rotation, but I think Joe needed to cool off.  So he stretched me out and I had tears coming out of my eyes, he thought it was because of what happened yesterday with the pilates trainer, but actually I just felt like my balloon was popped.  He deflated all my energy I had and it was coming out in tears.  So I went downstairs and got my bathing suit on and I just sat in the jacuzzi and calmed down and tried to get my happiness back.  I succeeded. I felt SO GOOD after the jacuzzi and steam room.  I totally need to talk with Joe tomorrow.  I just don't want or need any negative energy like he gave me this morning.  Maybe he was having a bad morning, I don't know, but wow, it really affected me.  Obviously with me writing it all down, it affected me.  Tomorrow is a new day.

Other than that, I've had a very productive day today.  I went to Sam's Club and did a huge stock up on supplies for the house. I've done a few loads of laundry and now I am off to take my kids to dance.  I will post pictures of my food probably tomorrow.


Food

Breakfast

Strawberry Stuffed Whole Wheat French Toast with Honeydew and Cinnamon Apple Yogurt.

Lunch

Feta Cheese Salad with Fire Roasted Bell Pepper, Asparagus, Sun-Dried Tomato, Endive & Radicchio Lettuce mix with Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Dinner

Beef Kebab with Peppercorn Brandy Sauce with Spinach Couscous and Roasted Artichoke Hearts

Snack

Grilled Pineapple Rings Topped with Raspberry Infused Mascarpone

Dessert

Coconut Cheese Cake

The Fresh Diet Girl - Donna Manley - Rowing

Day 65

So today I woke up at 5am and I got to the gym around 6:50.  It's crazy how much stuff needs to get done before I leave in the morning.  Sometimes I am really organized the night before, but not last night.  So I trained with Joe at 7am.  Here's what we did:


Training with Joe

• Arc Trainer - 10 mins.
• Incline Bench Press - Dumbells, So we did 20 reps to warm up and then we did 5 reps of 5x's.  15lbs, 20lbs, 22.5lbs, 25lbs, 25lbs, 30 lbs.
• Romanian Deadlifts - Again 20 reps to warm up and then 5 reps of 5x's.  So these were HEAVY RDL'S.  95 lbs., 135 lbs., 145lbs, 155lbs, 155lbs, 165 lbs
• 400 m rowing x 3
• So then I went and did Fitness Pilates - OMG!!!  I LOVE PILATES!!!  My new fav!  The teacher was phenomenal.  I can't believe how much core strength I have.  I was able to keep up with most of the class, shockingly.  I plan on doing this class every week from now on.  At the end of class the teacher came up to me and talked to me.  She totally made me cry.  I was telling her a little bit about what I've been doing these last 8 weeks and told me I had really good posture, good core & she said that it's fantastic what I'm doing down on the 2nd floor (training floor) she said there I will really gain muscle and sculpt my legs but pilates will sculpt my upper body.  And she said I will start seeing the belly fat just burn off of me with pilates.  OMG - I was just talking about that yesterday.  Then she said I want to tell you, I see the skinny you and you are beautiful.  Well of course that made me cry.  I know I can somewhat envision what I might look like with 150 lbs. off of me, but for her to say that to me was just amazing.  I was so humbled and I felt so my joy when she said that to me.  So that made me think HOW IMPORTANT positive feedback is in people's lives.  I hope I am as supportive to others as they have been to me.  I am so grateful for each person I meet.  This has been an incredible journey so far and I'm just getting started.
• Well after that comment I felt ALIVE.  So I thought I would just stay in that studio and do the Zumba class.  I lasted the whole class but let me tell you, I was not made to Zumba.  Where is my spanish heritage when I need it.  I might be half spanish but you would not know that by watching me try to Zumba.  OMG!!!  I am the WORST dancer EVER!!!  I LOVE to dance, but hell if I can keep to the beat.  OMG!!!  Seriously, it's just sad, but I still had fun!  In my heart, I can dance with the best of them, but in reality, I just am BAD!!!!!!!  So that was my first and last Zumba class.  I'm DONE with that one.  I will stick to Pilates.  

So my week of cardio classes are going well so far.  I think tomorrow I am going to attempt to make the 5:30am spin class.  This will be my 1st time spinning since I've been home from Miami.  I'm excited for it.  I actually bought a gel bike seat for the spin bike so my butt doesn't hurt as bad.  I'm LOVING my food.  With it getting warmer out I put my cheesecake in the freezer last night and by the time I was done at the gym the cheesecake was dethawed.  NUMMY!


Food

Breakfast

Coconut Cream & Walnut Oatmeal

Lunch

Chicken Caesar Wrap with Romaine Lettuce & Cucumber on a Sun-Dried Tomato Tortilla Wrap.

Dinner

Roasted Pork Meatballs with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto with Pesto Pearl Barley and Steamed Sugar Snaps

Snack

Whole Wheat Chicken Tortellini with Fresh Basil Pesto

Dessert

Cinnamon Pear Cheese Cake

The Fresh Diet Girl - Donna Manley - Training on the Soccer Field

Day 64

I woke up at 5am this morning an actually felt well rested today.  Thanks to 2 Tylenol PM's last night.  I got a solid 6 hours of sleep which is unheard of for me.  I'm still sick, but no fever.  I can definitely FEEL where my lungs are affected.  At least now it is in the lower portion of the lungs and I feel like I can breathe again.  The last 3 days I felt it in my upper part of my lungs and just had trouble breathing.  


So I was determined to go and workout this morning.  I had 3 days off and believe me when I say I was scared to get on that scale this morning.  But lo and behold, another 3lbs.  So I now weigh 267!!!  I'm in the 60's now.  Hoorah!!!  It sounds crazy, but those little landmarks of going from the 90's to 80's to 70's and now 60's are huge for me mentally.  It makes me feel like I am doing this.  I am succeeding with my vision and my goals.  Although I watched myself in the video that was taken this morning and I seriously look pregnant.  WTH!!!  OMG!!!  Oh well, my legs are thinning out.  I wish there was some magical way to tell my body to start losing the dang belly fat, but since I have fat everywhere the body is just going to pick and choose where it's going to lose it from.  I am just beyond grateful that I continue to lose.  I'm telling you, 3 is my magic number which 3 has always been my magic number.  It's seriously one of my favorite numbers.  I wish 10 was my favorite number. :):):)  


So my exercise goal for this week is to try and do some group fitness classes.  I brought in the list of classes and their times for Joe to go through and he's picked out a few for me to try this week.  I think it's important to mix up my cardio every week and not just do machines.  Here's what I did today:

Training with Joe

• Jog around the soccer field 6 times to warm up.  I have to say I did this without stopping.  Now when I say jog, it's more like a waddle.  Seriously, I'm not a runner and I'm not a jogger.  But I try!  Joe knows that one of my goals is to be able to run one day and so he said we are going to start working on it every week.  Yay me!!!
• So then he has me run halfway up the field and then peddle back and then run the whole length of the field and then run back.  I do this 20 times to start.
• Then I do 20 dead lifts with a 20lb. soft ball
• Then onto press ups.  This is where I hold the ball up and then jump up and throw it.  Now this ball is 20 lbs so I'm not able to throw it very far. :)  But let me tell you, it's a workout.
• So we do that rotation a few more times and then Joe said for the last rotation he wants to video tape me.  Which will be posted on here shortly.
• So after my workout I decide to go and get on my bathing suit and take the water aerobics class.  I was shocked at how intense it was.  Seriously, it was intense.  After the hour long class I stayed in the pool for another 20 minutes and did laps.  For the laps I either ran in the water, did breast stroke, did side lunges, did lunges, you name it, I was doing it and I felt so alive in that pool.  I love water.
• After that I went into the jacuzzi (I know you'll be happy about this Glenn!) for about 15 minutes and then went into my sanctuary (steam room) for another 15 minutes.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the steam room.  It felt so good on my lungs to breathe in that eucalyptus.  I LOVE IT!!!  All in all, it was a great workout day.

Now I am home, I've got laundry in, I'm writing my blog and it's only 1:07.  I am about to eat one of my favorite lunches from The Fresh Diet and then it's time to get some cleaning done before the kids get home.  Emily has a softball game tonight so I will be at the field for 3 hours tonight.  JOY!!!  I really do love softball.  Have a great day everyone!!!  I will post pictures of the food after I am done uploading my video to youtube.


Food

Breakfast

Fresh Fruit Salad with Pineapple, Strawberry, Orange, Watermelon, Blueberry & Blueberry Vanilla Ricotta Cheese

Lunch

California Style Wrap with Avocado, Baby Lettuce, Roasted Turkey, Monterey-Jack Cheese and Fresh Chunky Salsa.

Dinner

Chicken Breast & Basil Pesto Roulade with Sweet Baby Peas and Red Bell Pepper Orzo

Snack

Lemon Zest Tea Cookies

Dessert

Peach Cheese Cake

Day 63

I am writing this on Monday for yesterday.  I was sick again yesterday.  I spent most of the day in bed.  My lungs were just burning yesterday and I was still running a fever.  Here is my food for yesterday, but I hardly ate it.  I will post pictures a little later today.


Food

Breakfast

Honey Roasted Granola with Fresh Diced Pineapple & Passion Fruit Yogurt

Lunch

Whole Wheat Pizza Topped with Tri-Color Bell Pepper, Mozzarella Cheese & Marinara Sauce

Dinner

Szechuan Style Chicken Stir-Fry With Bamboo Shoots & Shredded Carrots with Fall Vegetable Saute and Sauteed Button Mushrooms

Snack

Buffalo Style Chicken Strips with Roasted Pearl Onion

Dessert

Tropical Dried Fruit with Pina Colada Yogurt

Day 62

I'm still sick.  I've been up all night coughing up a lung.  Seriously, my body needs to get better.  I'm sick of being sick.  I have a busy schedule today with the kids.  The softball season starts today!  Hoorah!  Both Emily & Grace have games every Saturday until we leave for Breckenridge.  It's so much fun to go to these games and see them play.  I love it!  I'm heating up water right now for my dandelion & senna tea combo.  I don't know why, but my body is retaining fluid again and I'm constipated again.  I think it has to do with this infection I'm fighting.  Thank goodness for good herbs in my life.  I should be normal again by tomorrow and hopefully better.


Food

Breakfast

Apple Ricotta Cheese Crepes with Fresh Strawberries

Lunch

Philly Cheese Steak Whole Wheat Wrap with Sauteed Bell Pepper & Mozzarella Cheese

Dinner

Grilled Chicken Breast with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce with Baby Farmer Carrots and Whole Wheat Linguine Pasta

Snack

Mushroom Crowns Filled with Pesto Chicken

Dessert

Strawberry Vanilla Pudding

Day 61

I am SO SICK today.  I've been sick since last Saturday actually and the night before last my cold traveled down into my lungs.  I still climbed my 100 floors yesterday and worked out with Joe yesterday, but today I am listening to my body.  I woke up with a 102 fever and the chills and my body is just shut down.  So I am taking today as a recovery day.  Tomorrow I plan on either taking a pool aerobics class or a spin class.  Not sure until tomorrow which I will do.  I actually took some Tylenol PM this morning and I got a really good nap in this morning.  Which I desperately needed.  I got my Fresh Diet Food this morning but was only able to eat 1/2 of my breakfast.  I just don't feel good.  So I'll see how lunch & dinner go today.  I also ate my muffin, again only 1/2 maybe a little less.  I am not hungry and then I eat and I feel even more sick.  So it's going to be an interesting day with food.  Here is my food plan for today.


Food

Breakfast

Creamy Banana Oatmeal with Fresh Strawberries & Toasted Almonds

Lunch

Grilled Turkey Burger on Whole Wheat Bun with Lettuce Tomato & Dijonaise

Dinner

Cajun Rubbed Grilled Skirt Steak with Tri-Color Couscous and Sweet Baby Peas

Snack

Peanut Butter Chip Muffin

Dessert

Sauteed Pineapple with Key Lime Yogurt Topped with Toasted Coconut Flakes

The Fresh Diet Girl - Donna Manley - 100 floors

Day 60

Wow!  I can't believe on day 60.  For real!  It doesn't seem like 60 days have past but I guess they have.  I feel so good about my life and what I am accomplishing.  I have a great vision of things to come.  I can totally envision how I will look when I weigh 150 lbs.  I hold tight to that vision and then just keep setting new physical goals to accomplish.


I accomplished my exercise goal for this week today.  I climbed 100 floors at 40 steps per floor - 4000 stairs this morning.  It was exhilarating to meet that goal.  I posted a video on facebook.  I still need to figure out how to post videos on here.  I then went and trained with Joe for an hour.


Training with Joe

• First and foremost I did the 100 floors on the Stairmaster. :):):):):)
• Today we did a rotation of 3 things.  4 sets, 40, 30, 20, 10 reps.

• Incline Bench Press - 45 lbs.  When we got to the 3rd set at #6 my shoulder popped and so we stopped doing these at that point.  Joe had me do all sorts of stretches and exercises to figure out what part of the shoulder took the little damage.  It was the rotator cuff.  So we are laying low with the shoulder for a few days.
• Kettle Ball Swings - 25 lbs.
• Bench Dips - I did the 1st 2 sets doing these and the last 2 sets doing a standing tricep extension.
• Stretching 

Here are some pics. from today.

Food

Breakfast

Fresh Fruit Salad with Cantaloupe, Raspberry, Papaya, Banana, Pineapple & Banana Ricotta Cheese

Lunch

Turkey Breast Salad with Avocado, Golden Apples, Baby Lettuce & Raspberry Vinaigrette

Dinner

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Apples & Almonds with Creamy Herbed Quinoa and Lemon Roasted Green Asparagus

Snack

White Chocolate Chip Cookie

Dessert

Maple Cheese Cake

Day 59

It's Wednesday morning and I just finished writing yesterday's blog.  So I thought why not start todays.  I must say how much I love eating The Fresh Diet.  It's been so easy.  I never think about what I have to eat, or how much I can eat.  It's all portioned out for me.  That's wonderful!  No guessing anymore.  And the food is DELICIOUS!!!  I am blessed to be eating this way and having such an incredible experience with my weightloss.


I have such a bad cold.  OMG!!!  I keep willing myself to get better and it's just not happening.  I have so much drainage. UGH!!!  This is the first "cold" in so long but it's not stopping me.  Before I started this lifestyle I would have just stayed in bed for the day and be miserable.  Now I just carry tissues and purell with me.  I keep going!  I want to increase my floors today on the stairmaster.  I will update the blog when I get home.


I have a busy schedule ahead of me today.  I get the kids off to school at 3 different times this morning.  Emily 7:15, Tyler 7:30, Grace 8:20.  Then I'm off to the gym to workout with Joe at 9:30.  So I should get a good 30 mins of cardio in before and after our workout.  Then I have to go to Tyler's school to volunteer.  Then onto Grace's school by 1 to bring her a special lunch.  Then home to walk Luffy and clean.  Then onto dance at 4:15 and we don't get home from dance until 7:45 on Wednesdays.  Yes, busy day and I LOVE that.  Although I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning because I don't workout with Joe until noon tomorrow so I'll have some quality time in the morning to get stuff done in my house.  We don't ever have the TV on at home until Friday night.  I try and limit TV for the kids until the weekend.  I'm not a big tv person either.  I like to veg out on Sundays and catch up on my shows then in fast forward mode.  Sometimes I'll watch it at night before I go to bed, but I typically end up falling asleep 10 mins into any show. :)


Training with Joe

• So today Joe warmed me up on the stairstepper for 10 mins and I told him I want to beat my 40 floors after the workout for my cardio today.  So I got off and started walking to the area we were going to train in I say to Joe "Yeah, I feel like I am stronger and my endurance is up"  Joe - "I'm glad you say that, we are going to put your endurance to the test today."  I think GREAT!!!  Why did I open my mouth.  I have no idea what he has in store for me.  So we head over to the stretching area and Joe tells me to wait by the back extension.  So I think GREAT I LOVE the back extension.  Then Joe bring over the SOFT 20 lb medicine ball.  I HATE when he does that because I know what that means - LOWWWWW SQUATS.  I was right - Low squats and he also had me do deadlifts holding the 20 lb. ball.  JOY - So here was our routine - we did 4 rotations!
• 30 squats - I had to go ALL THE WAY DOWN and touch my butt to the ball and stand up.  The 1st set I had to push up off my knees so then Joe went and got two stands and put them under the ball which raised it up 3 inches.  It was STILL LOW.  But I never used my hands after that.  I was able to do perfect squats.  Then for the 4th and last set he had me hold a 10 lb. ball and squat.  JOY!!!
• 15 - Back extensions - On my 4th and last set the back of my legs were BURNING like nobody's business.
• 50 dead lifts - yes, I said 50.  So by the 4th and last set of these I wanted to just throw up.  My LEGS were just quivering like crazy.  But I did it.  So we got done and I asked Joe why he said I would test my endurance.  That was a normal workout, well then he reminded me I said I was going to do the Stairmaster.  OH CRAP!!!  He's right, my legs were JELLO by the time I was done with his workout.  But I told myself going into this workout that I wanted to beat my 40 floors that I did yesterday.  So I went to the bathroom, cooled down and then went to the Stairmaster and I started walking the stairs.  I felt good.  I felt strong.  I got to floor 20 and I thought this is nothing, I can do 50 today.  Around the 40th floor my legs were aching, but I still thought I could get to 50 so I kept going.  Thank goodness for some great music.  I still have my entire playlist on my ipod so I was fast forwarding through songs a lot until I got to a fast song - A lot of The Black Eyed  Peas. :)  So I made it to 50 and I thought, well I'm up here I might as well keep going.  My legs were BURNING.  I got to 55 and the song on my IPOD changed to a slower song which I typically fast forward, but the song was The Climb by Miley Cyrus.  So I listened to the song and it just brought tears galore.  I seriously cried through the whole song, cried and climbed.  So I'm wiping my eyes and Joe gets on the stairmaster next to me.  I was at floor 62 by then Joe was climbing with me and I really pulled from his energy.  I thought maybe I could do the 100 today but by floor 79 I was cramping up and when I hit 80 I pushed stop and climbed down.  Joe jumped down and high fived me and made sure I was ok.  My legs were just shaking but I was fine.  When I went to leave I had to walk down 2 flights of stairs and seriously, my legs were JELLO.  But I did it!  I not only beat my 40 floors, I doubled it.  Tomorrow morning at 6am I am going into the gym and I am doing my 100 floors, 4000 stairs.  I can't wait to see what I can accomplish in the future.  This is amazing for me.  Me, at my weight, climbing all those stairs.  Who would've thought it was possible.  I am doing it!  I feel so alive right now.  This weight of mine is no longer going to control my life.  I am going to control my life.  I feel so blessed and thankful for all the support I have in my life.  I am grateful for last week in Miami.  It was my turning point.  It was my breakthrough.  I am going to not only make my weightloss goal, but I am going to life a healthy active life from now on.  I truly am blessed!

Food

Breakfast

Cherry Vanilla Ricotta Cheese Crepes with Fresh Pineapple

Lunch

Chicken Caesar Salad with Grape Tomato, Romaine Lettuce, Whole Wheat Croutons & Sun Dried Tomato with Caesar Dressing.

Dinner

Grilled Chicken Breast with Spiced Pomegranate Sauce with Rosemary Carrot Mash and Whole Wheat Fusilli Pasta

Snack

Vanilla Pecan Pudding

Dessert

Raspberry Cheese Cake