Author Archives: jackmansjourney

Fit Test #2

20 Thursday Jan 2011

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Every two weeks I get to do the Fit Test all over again to see how I am doing physically with the workout.  I like this because you are not just keeping track of your measurements, but how your endurance has improved from day one.  I get to see if I can do more of the moves or if I am doing the same or less.  I prefer to be doing more of the exercise rather than the same or less, but some of them are downright difficult for me to do at this point, espically if it has to do with planks or pushups.   

Now that I have been doing the workout for 2 1/2 weeks, I am improving on doing the exercise correctly.  Which I think changed the results of my second fit test slightly. 

So here is the name of the move and my result the first week and then the second Fit Test.

  • Swith Kicks              30 / 39    (hard)
  • Power Jacks             40 /  37   (I think I did the form correctly the second time which means it’s harder)
  • Power Knees            68 / 79
  • Power Jumps            20 / 34  (hard)
  • Globe Jumps              8 /  9   (Med hard – 4 jumps = 1 set)
  • Suicide Jumps            8 / 8 (hard – still working on this one for sure!)
  • Push – Up Jacks         6 / 17  (still doing with only slight bend in elbow – but my push up is improving weekly!)
  • Low Plank Oblique  20 / 30  (not so easy either!)

Weight:  lost 1 lb
Inches:  1″ around waist and 1″ around hips  (as long as I measured correctly!)

I expect to have better results at the next fit test in two weeks.  Then we have a recovery week and then we start month 2 which is even more insane then the first month!  If you want a very challenging workout, I recommend this on! 

I will post another picture at the half way point and then one at the end of the program!  I hope that I see a bit of a difference! 

A phrase that helps me out that’s said by Shaun T (our trainer):

“I’m not trying to hurt you, I’m just trying to make you better!”

If you are getting this through email visit http://www.jackmansjourney.blogspot.com to visit my actual blog.

Spaetzle Beef Stir Fry

11 Tuesday Jan 2011

Posted by in Cooking

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What to cook for supper?  That was my question yesterday.  I was at the grocery store the other day and decided to pick up an egg noodle.  I went with Spaetzle, which is a German noodle.    Then I was asked what else.  I wasn’t sure yet, so after pulling things out of my fridge here is what I came up with.
Prepare Veggies
Choose 3 – 4 different types of veggies
I used
2 white turnip (small) cut in 1/4 chunks
1 yellow turnip (small) cut in 1/4 chunks
1 carrot (large) sliced
1 yellow beat (adds a sweat taste) cut in 1/4 chunks
1 – 2 cups  Broccoli (frozen) left as is or you can chop smaller
Other ingredients:
1 onion
3 gloves of garlic
1/2 lb lean ground beef (or other meat or no meat)
Spaetzle or other egg noodle
2 – 3 tbs of olive oil
2 – 4 tbs of garlic spare rib sauce
1 – 2 tbs of soya sauce
pepper
steak pepper mix (sorry I can’t remember the proper term
Instructions:
1. Prepare veggies
2. in a skillet or wok saute onions in a bit of olive oil and add garlic (squeeze in garlic press for best results or finely chop garlic). After onions are tender or almost translucent add all veggies except for frozen broccoli.  Add more olive oil as needed (about another spoon full, just enough to let veggies cook). Cover and let cook stirring occasionally.
3.  In a frying pan, cook lean ground beef with pepper and steak pepper or other spices/herbs for seasoning.  There is no need to add any oil as the beef will produce it’s own fat.  When it is cooked and the veggies are slightly tender, add to the veggie mix and stir.  Also add the frozen broccoli – it doesn’t need that long to cook.  Cover and let simmer. 
4.  While the veggies continue to cook, boil water and cook spaetzle as directed on package. 
5.  Drain cooked spaetzle and put into the empty frying pan that held the beef.  Cook over medium heat and add 2 – 4 tbs of garlic spare-rib sauce and about 1 – 2 tbs of soya sauce.   Continue to stir and cook for about 5 minutes
6.  Add spaetzle to veggies and mix well.  Let heat through and continue to cook if needed (until veggies are at consistency that you prefer).
The end result:
It was really delicious!  I was quite surprised because I like following recipes, but every once in a while I get creative.  If you ever try it, do let me know if it worked for you.  Sorry, I don’t have exact measurements of ingredients because I wasn’t measuring when I was cooking this, so don’t take the above as exact.  Experiment and have fun!  Just don’t put too much soya sauce and you don’t need a ton of oil.   
If you are getting this through email visit www.jackmansjourney.blogspot.com to visit my actual blog. 

Week 1 Complete!

10 Monday Jan 2011

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Wow!  I made it through Week 1 of Insanity and I survived!

Here are the names of the workout DVD’s:

Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Cardio Power & Resistance
Cardio Recovery
Pure Cardio
Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Here are a couple of the exercises we do:
Switch Kicks (nice)
Power Jacks (not so bad)
Power Knees (I wouldn’t say easy, but not hard)
Power Jumps  (not my favourite)
Globe Jumps (getting better at them)
Suicide Jumps (a killer)
Push-up Jacks (another killer)
Low Plank Oblique (I can’t get my knees to bend that far)
To see what they look like check out the fit test worksheet!

I must say that I am improving a little bit each time I do a work out.  I can go a little bit faster and do the move a little bit better, but today I was tired.  I have to take lots of breaks.  It’s good we don’t do the same workout every day because for me it keeps me motivated to keep going and wondering what we are doing next. 

I have been trying to watch what I eat as well and get enough protein and fibre in my meals, especially the protein in my breakfast after the workout.  I haven’t decided if I will use a protein powder or not.  Maybe in the second month depending on my results.  I have some time to decide. 

Did I write already that on day 5 that I had a bead of sweat fall of my eyebrow and onto my cheek?  Wow.  I have never sweat like that before.  That was for Pure Cardio.  It also happened the next day for Plyo Cardio Circuit workout.  They are probably the most intense workouts.  The Cardio Recovery is probably my favourite because you do the moves slow and very controlled.  But don’t be fooled, you still sweat, get out of breath, and feel it after the workout!  It is a log of squat holds, which are always tough.

I’m not sure how much I will blog about Insanity, but every once in a while I will give you an update.  Maybe once a week!  Last week I lost 2 lbs from my starting week.  On Jan 17th we do our second fit test and take new pictures, so I will definitely have an update that day!  I’m sure I will beat my record for the fit test moves even if it is only by one more each! 

5 more days left to go of the second week.  I know I can do it.  Just got to plow through it.  I wonder if this Sunday my body will miss the workout?  It didn’t yesterday!  

What do you hope for in 2011

04 Tuesday Jan 2011

Posted by in Self Improvement

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I have a new devotional book for the 2011 year and the first devotional was for the New Year.  I read Revelation 21:1 – 6.

A New Heaven and a New Earth

 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”<sup class="footnote" value="[a]”> for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’<sup class="footnote" value="[b]”> or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 

www.biblegateway.com

Then a question was asked:

As you enter the new year, what about your life, setting, or circumstance fills you with hope?

I need to think about that question.  I think it will be a great and interesting year with getting married and all that comes along with planning, the wedding day, and then living with your spouse.  I know there will be struggles but I hope there will be more good times than struggles! 

At work I have more hours and a new title and with that comes new responsibilities and I hope that I can live up to them.

I started a new work out plan and I hope that I can finally enter a healthy lifestyle that works for me and stick with it.

But with all of these things that I am looking forward to in 2011, I must keep Christ at the center of them all or else I will probably fail at them or struggle or get burned out.  I know with him all things are possible and he gives grace and joy in all circumstances.

So here is to a new year where I will look to Christ for strength, guidance, and wisdom as I journey through life’s ups and downs.

Insanity!

04 Tuesday Jan 2011

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Can I say that when a workout program is called Insanity you can probably believe that it is going to be insane!  On January 2nd my two workout friends and I switched from Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred to Shaun T’s Insanity!  And I thought Jillian was tough! 

“Insainty is a 60 – day cardio-based total-body condition program.  We believe it’s probably the most intense workout ever put on DVD.”      Ok – we chose this workout? 

Month 1 – 5 total-body cardio conditioning workouts.  6 days a week.  30 – 40 minutes a day. 

“Be smart.  Many beginners told us that even the warm-up will feel like an intense workout until you get use to it.”   This is true.  No lie there.  The warm up is like Jillian’s level 1 of 30 Day Shred.  I’m not sure we will ever get use to it.  Again, we chose this workout?

Month 2 – 4 new workouts.  45 minutes a day.  Still 6 days a week.  More intervals and intensity.  And we were thinking this would be easy?  Not at all! 

We actually previewd a couple of the DVD’s.  It looked scary!  It is scary!  But I know that if I stick with it I will see results and begin a life of changed lifestyle that will get me in the swing of keeping healthy. 

“Doing Insanity is like conquering your own Mount Everest.  it’s not for everyone.  But if you’re willing to dig deep, you can take yourself to a level you never knew existed, a level your mind will tell you not to pursue.  It happens every time.”  It will definately be like conquering Mt Everest.  I think of jogging.  When I started I never thought I would get to the point I could run a 5K race or that a couple weeks after we stopped jogging I could run a distance and do it jogging the whole time.  But I did it.  I accomplished that goal.  With that in mind I set forth determined to complete this program.  Yes, I will be sore and tired and possibly grumpy in the morning and not wanting to wake up, but I will push through. 

It’s time to get back in to the routine of waking up early every day, not just 3 times a week.  What does this mean?  I need to go to bed EARLY!!  Especially since my body will need that recovery time for sure!  I need to use my time wisely so that I can get to bed early.  I need to take advantage of those couple hours between my workout and my job.  The workouts are longer so I have to make sure I am up earlier so that I don’t make my workout friends late for work and we get to finish the entire workout.  Sorry about that this morning!   I’m sure I will find other areas that will need to be adjusted because of this new workout schedule, but I will adjust as they come along.

I’ve taken my before picture.  I’ve recorded my weight and measurments.  I’ve completed the fit test (which was yesturday).  In two weeks, I do it all over again to track my progress.  It will actually be good to see some results from all of that hard work.  

So that’s me today, just a few minutes ago actually.  It’s not the best picture, but it will work. 

I’m excited to see what the next two months will look like in every aspect, not just with my workouts. 

This year I am comitting to a healthier lifestyle.  What are you doing different in this new year?     

Turkey Soup

02 Sunday Jan 2011

Posted by in Cooking

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It’s only the next year, but I finally made my turkey soup … a week later from Turkey dinner.

It’s hot on the stove and ready to eat!  I love cooking soups.  I got a crock pot for Christmas and people talk about making soup in the crock pot, but I’m not so sure about it.  I will have to try one of the recipes from the book.

There is just something about making turkey or chicken soup from scratch.  Boiling the bones and watching the water turn into a yummy smelling broth and adding all those veggies.  My house smells of a nice mix of turkey soup and banana bread!    I decided not to put any rice in this soup.  I have potatoes, carrots, yellow and white turnip, Jerusalem artichoke, and yellow beats, and turkey of course.  I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and summer savory.  By the way, any New Brunswicker’s reading this could always send me a fresh package of summer savory anytime.  It is hard to find around here.

I am ready to give it a try, but waiting for a certain someone to come home for supper.  Perhaps our guests later will get a taste as well!