Project: Fit Mom

Yes, I am finally doing a weigh-in update because, finally, I have some good news!

I lost 3 kilos this month!

June 1: 70 kilos

June 15: 67 kilos

Height: 163 cm

BMI: 25.2 ( Normal BMI range is 18.5–24.9)

Target weight: 60 kilos (BMI: 22.6)

One kilo to go and I’d be within normal BMI!

(Compute your BMI here.)

I know I said I’d go riceless all May. Everything was going well. Until that family trip to Tagaytay that we took towards the end of May. And the no-rice month took a downturn from then.

Anyway, I tried getting back on track again when June came in. I haven’t been totally riceless, but I try to limit my intake to a few spoons per meal. Been chomping on fruits and greens too, and reducing red meat and fatty food intake.

As to my workout regimen… I’d do the home circuit training workout about twice a week (on a good week. Once if I’m really being lazy. Bad.) Sometimes, Nate joins in and I make him my weights.

Oh, and I installed a nice free Daily Ab Workout app on my Android phone. I do the 5-minute workout twice a day. This one I can handle everyday as I can do it even while watching TV.

The workout includes: basic crunch, obliques, bicycle crunch, reverse crunch, long-arm crunch, crossover, half curl, vertical leg crunch, and plank. Each exercise is done for 30 seconds. What I like about the Daily Ab Workout is that all abdominal muscle groups are exercised in just 5 minutes!

So there. It’s not a pretty well-planned weight loss plan. But with a 3-kilo weight loss, I think I’m doing something right.

Finally.

Two weeks ago, my husband and I added Ginkgo Biloba supplements on top of fish oils, vitamin C and B complex supplements that we were already regularly taking.

Ginkgo biloba is said to enhance memory function and improve blood circulation. Recent scientific studies on ginkgo biloba focus on its potential benefits for people who are at risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Those two diseases affect, among many body functions, memory and cognitive (thinking) processes.

I haven’t noticed any change in memory function. I don’t have the sharpest memory anymore since giving birth to three kids, anyway.

But there is one change I noticed in my husband’s blood circulation. He started getting those early-morning thingies again… after a long, long while. Hehehehe.

So I guess we’ll be adding ginkgo biloba to our daily mouthful of health supplements.

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Ginkgo biloba supplements are available in bottles of 60 capsules (Php 445) and 120 capsules (Php 793) at Healthy Options stores. Aside from enhancing relationships because of its ability to improve blood circulation, ginkgo biloba capsules can be beneficial to students by improving memory function. I’m testing it on my teener now who just stepped into high school.

Thanks to Healthy Options for providing the bottle we are testing. You can tell it was a successful test drive.

During the Lenten season, a few of my Catholic friends observed some forms of abstinence. Ria successfully kept herself from using mobile internet during the whole Lent (is that 40 days?). It gave her a great sense of fulfillment that she wanted to do another challenge.

It kinda inspired me too, that I blurted out in one of our Facebook threads: I’m doing no rice for 30 days in May!

It’s now May 3… And yes, Day 3 with no rice!

Instead of rice, I’d eat fresh fruit and a huge serving of salad greens to go with the main dish.

This is like doing the South Beach Diet… Only I still get to eat carbs from fruits, veggies, wheat bread and other sources. I’m avoiding white breads and pasta as well. I’d like to say I won’t have any cakes and pastries… But… those aren’t rice!?? I’ll keep portion control in mind, lest all my rice-less efforts go to waste.

Other than feeling a bit hungry at night, I’d say I’m doing well. I can do this!

So I found this seemingly doable equipment-free circuit workout last night. The moves seemed manageable – lunges, jumping jacks, squats. I can do those, or so I thought. The prospects of burning fats with such a short workout excited me.

So today I put on my gym clothes and shoes eagerly. I asked daughter Patch to put the iPod on the dock and play upbeat music. (Patch: What kind, your 80s music? Me: Any kind of fast music! Yeah!)

I have forgotten that I’ve been mostly sedentary these past few months. So halfway through 60 seconds on the first move (lunges), my legs started to shake already.

I, uh, underestimated the workout. teehee.

For those of you who got excited just as I got with this home workout, and are of the same fitness level as I am (nearly-zero), take it easy. I suggest the following:

1. Begin with 30-second sets per move, with 30-second rest periods in between moves.

2. Build up intensity as you gain strength. First level-up could be completing the 60-second sets per move. If you feel comfortable enough after a few sessions in this level, push further by doing supersets.

3. Remember, it’s circuit training. So after the first circuit, push yourself to go for the second one at least if you’re a newbie. Those with moderate fitness levels should be able to complete 3 circuits.

You may not get fast results, but at least you are doing the circuit workout safely.

And yeah, I need to buy an exercise mat.

I gave up gym membership months ago.

I am not yet sure if it was the best move, since I obviously gained a few pounds. Not going to the gym led to almost-zero fitness activity. Boo me!

Anyway, I opened my Yahoo mail today to check on subscription emails. One fitness site that I have always loved is Women’s Health. I enjoy learning about what’s new in fitness and practical tips too. That’s where I learned about interval sprint training and its benefits.

Today I came across this no-gym workout. It’s perfect for those who have no gym equipment, just a bit of floor space and about 36 minutes a day.

Link to video

The moves:

1. Forward Lunge
2. Squat Jump
3. Pushup
4. Bend and Thrust
5. Plie Squat
6. Jumping Jacks
7. T Stabilization
8. Seated Rotation

The workout is actually a circuit and has 8 moves. Perform Move # 1 for one minute, as many reps as you can. Then proceed to Move # 2 without rest period from Move 1 (that’s called a superset). Do pairs of supersets. Rest for 1 minute before you do Moves # 3 and 4 as another paired superset.

In about 11 minutes you would have done the first circuit (moves 1-8). Repeat all 8 moves to complete another circuit. It’s recommended to do this workout in 3 circuits, with one-minute rest periods in between. Total workout time would be about 36 minutes.

Do this circuit training 3 times a week, but not in consecutive days. The fitness experts that developed this workout say it’s a fast way to zap fats and lose weight. The movements are designed do so, employing the “zigzag method”.

“It effectively increases lean muscle mass and decreases body fat by engaging more muscle fibers and burning tons of calories in a short amount of time.”

I may have found my match.

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Reminders:

Always perform moves in proper form. Initially go for quality over quantity – do the moves in proper form even if it slows you down a bit, rather than doing the moves too fast in improper form. The latter will cause injuries. Once you have mastered proper form, you can start doing the moves more quickly.

Exercise through discomfort, but never through pain. If something’s painful, stop.

Stretch and limber up before any workout.

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I attempted the workout and here is what happened.

Here’s an all-women run that you might want to join -

The Women’s Health-Athena All-Women’s Run on March 19th at the SM Mall of Asia.

(To view larger image, right click and select ‘open image in new tab’)

Too bad, tomorrow is already March 1 and late registration until the 15th will only be at Toby’s MOA and Runnr on Bonifacio High Street. But you can still register online – click here.

Registration fees are P500 for 3k, P600 for 5k, and P700 for 10k. For online registration, there is delivery fee that will be charged on top of the race fee. More information at Run Rio.

The Athena All-Women run is for women only. Lets’ go, girls!