Sunday marked the end of the first 30 day phase of ChaLEAN Extreme. Burn Phase, as it is called, was 3 days of weight lifting circuits and 2 days of cardio with either Abs, or Yoga. In this phase Chalene had you focusing on reaching muscle failure at 10-12 reps. Most of the time the weight lifting was combined with another move. For instance, doing a lunge w/posterior fly. To me this phase seemed to have a TON of lower body exercise in it, and it didn't really make my knee injury feel too good sometimes. During Burn Phase I was lifting primarily 5lb, 8lb, and sometimes 10lb weights. Except in Burn Circuit 3 when you do a lot of lunges, squats and sumo squats with calf raise... I did most of that with no weight due to my knee, but I do it once with 5 lbs.
Today, I started Push Phase, which I think that I am really going to like. This phase is all about HEAVY lifting and failing at 6-8 reps. I used 20lb, 15lb, and 12lb weights today on Push Circuit 1. I was a sweaty shaking mess afterwards, and felt wonderful! My push-ups are improving as well... When I started P90X I could do 10 or so right off the bat on my knees.. the end of P90X I could do 20-25 right off the bat on my knees. Now, I am can do 5-6 on my toes before going to my knees. I did 3 normal slow motion push-ups today at the very end of my workout because she saved the push-ups for last. I was already shaky and sore, but forced myself to do 3 on my toes.
The cardio videos in this program are something that I really enjoy, especially Burn Intervals. BI is one minute of hardcore, get your heart rate up exercise followed by 1.5 minutes of really light weight lifting. In BI she doesn't have to lift weights to build muscle she has you do it to build muscle endurance. I only use 3lbs in each hand doing this, but after a minute and a half it is intense. =) Now, the best part about BI is it introduced me to Chalene's kick boxing drills which I immediately fell in love with. So, that lead me to obtaining a copy of her Turbo Jam: 20 Minute Workout video. That is the most fun I have had working out before, and I have started adding it in on my circuit days. Except today... today I felt bold, and tried the 30 Fire Class in her advanced series Turbo Fire. Now, that was crazy intense.. like Turbo Jam on crack. I think once I learn all the moves it would be a little better, but it was a calorie burner, and other then feeling like spaz it was really fun. I plan on alternating between those two Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire videos until CLX is over, and I decide to do another round of CLX or do a full round of one of the Turbo programs.
Other then that the only other fitness I have really been focusing on is biking. I bought a bike a bike 2.5 weeks ago to use while my shin splint is healing (per doctors orders). Taking that slowly because where we live is nothing but hills, and hardly any flat surface, so I have to be careful with my knee. My shin is feeling a lot better, and I think next week I will slowly add some higher impact stuff back in.. I will hold of on running for maybe another 2 weeks.
Weight loss hasn't been as fast as I would like, but I have to remind myself contently that because of my PCOS no matter what I do it will always be harder for me to lose weight. =(
Guess for now I am done. Time for my Burn Phase Results and pictures:
Burn Phase Day 1 Weight: 185.1
Push Phase Day 1 Weight: 179.7
-5.4 pounds in 30 days
I lost: 1" off my chest, .5" off my neck, 1.5" off each thigh and .5" off each calf. I saw no change in my waist, hips, or arms. The lower body exercise in this program must be working, because the inches I lost in my thighs was amazing.
I don't see a whole of change in the pictures this phase. =( Wish I would have taken before and after pictures of my legs. That is where I can tell the difference.
