Removing the Implanon

I was very excited to get my implant removed.

I checked in and waited in the tiny room, alone, freaking out like I tend to do..
My nurse was amazing. She asked me questions about my family plans and then we chit chatted a bit while she prepared for my slicing.

Doctor finally came in, and he asked me to lie down on my back with my arm extended up.
He did a couple of iodine swabs, then injected the numbing solution.
I'm resistant or something.
I wasn't really numb when he started cutting.
It was a small incision, about a centimeter long, but about just as deep.
He fidgeted around with the hole until the end of the implant poked out, then he grabbed it with these big tweezers and yanked!
Holy cow I felt that! It was painful, even with the numbing thing, but not unbearable.

It was fast though.
He washed his hands and was out the door without another word, while my nurse popped a couple bandaids on and wrapped me in gauze.
She said I only had to leave it on for an hour or so, until the bleeding stopped. I bled through my 2 bandaids, but no more.

The whole procedure lasted maybe 3 minutes, mostly getting the are sterile and wrapping me up.

There's no bruise.
It was sore the day it was removed, and only slightly sore the next day. Honestly, I barely noticed it.

Glad it's over...
but condom prices are ridiculous.
Just saying.

Week 4 T25 results

Ohhhh....

I did not use any supplements this week.
The first 3 days, I woke up early and did the exercises before work... then I switched back to after-work exercises. I skipped my workout yesterday running the kids all over the world, and had my weigh-in this morning.

I only lost 0.2 pounds this week, but
another half an inch off my waist.

It's incredibly disappointing, seeing the scale drop by less than half a pound each week.

The boyfriend says he can feel a difference in my body, though. He says my stomach is tighter and my back and shoulders have more definition.
Even I can feel a difference in my butt... like a pair of globes dancing. hahaha..

My pants are so loose in the waist, but still fit me in the thighs, maybe a tad bit too big, but about the same.
My mom commented on my flat belly.

So there are differences...

Honestly, weight is just a number, but it still bums me out.
Angers me a bit, that I've worked out so hard and watched what I ate like a hawk, but haven't lost pounds... Less than 2 all month.

So I binged. I had pizza, ate fast food, drank sugary beverages... anything I wanted to do.
Now I feel guilty... but not really. I think I needed that day of utter gluttony.

It wasn't all that bad though.
Apart from the diet fail, I took the minions to the park and played on all the equipment with them. We ran, I pushed the round spinny thing, taught Minion #1 how to swing, and really enjoyed the afternoon.

And  you know what else? I wore SHORTS.
I know.
Holy cow.
I haven't worn shorts over my pasty white honkey legs since I was in high school.
Yeah,
T25 has been a huge ego boost to me.
I'm stronger and do look better.
Losing fat and building beautiful muscles,
but still hating the damn scale.

I'll be eating clean again today, and for the next long while.
I actually miss working out...
I feel off on days that I don't.
Even choosing to skip a workout over self pity and spite makes me feel terrible, to be truly honest.
There's no reason for it.

*************

The boyfriend is making me breakfast for the first time...
will he burn it??

Kayla

Exhausted

I've been waking up an hour earlier each day to work out.

I hate waking up early. Not my thing. I'm not a rooster.
Yet, I make myself. I pop the Focus T25 discs in with half an eye open and start the workout. It takes a good 3 minutes before I fully realize what I'm doing.

Then I'm alert enough to really focus on the exercise.

I immediately jump into the shower after putting my eggs on to boil, and by the time I'm out and dressed, eggs are done and cooling. I fix my hair and makeup (which I didn't care to do before) because I actually have more time and I'm aware of what I'm doing.
I like getting pretty now.

It isn't all that bad. It's just hard making the choice to fling the super soft blanket off of myself.
I have to force myself, but it's for the best.
This way, I make sure I never skip a workout.
It's done and over with before my day's even begun.. and I don't want to spoil my hard work with drive-thru breakfast.

I eat fruit with chocolate soy milk for breakfast, snack on fruit, and lunch is generally something healthy I had leftover. Today, I had my salad with the boiled eggs, but I must confess... I just ate the eggs and croutons... But I tried.

Tonight I'm going out to a buffet with my family.... scary thought.
I'm going to eat all the veggies I can... hopefully some nice fish or seafood.
I've worked waaay too hard to sabotage my week.

Anyhow,
Great news!
Last year I bought a belt. It has 5 notches. It fit me on that third notch.
I started casually running... so
When I started the T25 program I was on the very inner notch.
Now, 3 weeks after starting T25, my belt is too large.
I can pull it in another 2 inches or so....
I must make my own notches...
Or go shopping!
How's that for motivation?

Kayla

T25 Week 3 Results

Today I weighed in at 160lbs even.
38.5 - 31.5  41
Bicep - 12.5
Thigh - 24

I didn't miss a workout this week,
but gained .1 pounds,
lost half an inch off my waist,
half an inch off my hips, and
a quarter inch off my arms.

So total since starting the Focus T25 program,
I've lost 1.4 pounds,
nothing off my chest (could be the difference in bras though... I opted for a non-sports bra today),
2 inches off my waist, and
half an inch off my hips.

If I were to do this all over again,
I'd remember which clothes I wore and put on the same outfit for each measurement and weigh-in.

I've noticed my midsection is quite a bit tighter than it was, as are my thighs. My arms are always hard as rocks now.

I haven't missed a workout because I put priority on them. I have to do my workouts as soon as I get off work. My kids even do them with me (between running around and coloring) and sit on my back when I'm doing pushups. Ouch!

I've only eaten out one time, a small sandwich and small fries... Other than that, I've cooked all of my meals. Lots of salads and veggies.

I'm still baffled at how I'm losing inches but gaining weight, but eventually it will make sense. My pants aren't tight anymore.

Super HD and CLK by Cellucor

I made a YouTube video of my current progress with Focus T25

and the supplement I mentioned before...
Super HD and CLK

View it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79kKDKQCGZM

I do love this supplement, simply because I have energy all day, I'm not jittery, and I have no crash afterward.
I'd love to try a full month of this combo along with my T25 and see the results.

Each day I'm working out, I'm covered in sweat.
I love it.
I'm getting even better!

Tonight was Lower Focus, and I did it without a supplement. It is such hard work!
I could not do another squat after the video, but then I took a hot bath and I feel lovely again.
I even made scrambled eggs with yummy veggies to celebrate.
mmmmmm avocado......

I haven't even had my first bite!

I'm off!

Kayla

Hating my Implanon/Nexplanon thing

This could turn into a messy TMI  post... read if you dare!

Here's the story about how I was urged to get the birth control implant, how I loved it, and how I now hate it:

Once upon a time, my uterus preferred to not be a landlord.
I had several miscarriages in a row, then 'Wow a kid!,' then, more miscarriages, one more little angel, then another miscarriage.

I told my OB that I didn't want more children, I'm wonderfully happy with the two that I do have, and I wanted to get the tubes tied and not worry about getting pregnant and having complications in the future. He refused, saying I was too young and I may want to try again later, and he couldn't take that from me. I was pretty frustrated. I've had too many ER trips and blood loss for a lifetime. It's just something I know I don't want to chance again.

He told me my options, and I liked none of them. I want to be sterile. I love my children, and they're enough.

I just hate the idea of something foreign inside my body, giving me a dose of Who The Hell Knows, altering my hormones and my mood.
I want to be as natural as possible.
I get it though... he's a doctor... slave to prescription drug companies... and he wants me to continue to see him and spend my money on things that he says are good for me. I don't buy into all that.
I'm a firm believer in natural remedies and good nutrition and general, chemical/drug free health.
There's got to be something for me.

Which is why I loved the idea of being sterile. No hormones. No shots. No pills. No strange things hiding in my body.

But that wasn't an option.
Also, my insurance would have expired within the next  6 weeks, so I needed to figure out what I was doing right away.

The doc told me the implant would be my best option because it would basically make me sterile for 3 years. He said it had better statistics that getting my tubes tied would.
So I begrudgingly agreed.

It hurt. I'm resistant to most pain meds. They take longer to kick in, and I generally need a higher dose than the average person. I don't understand why. I've never been the type of person to take medicine unless I absolutely can't stand the pain anymore.
He put in the local numb maker and I asked him to wait a few minutes before jamming in the giant needle, but he said it had been enough time and I wouldn't feel a thing. Wrong, Doctor. I felt it all. I felt the giant needle and watched in horror as my skin was stretched further than I ever thought it could go... but it was over in a minute and he wrapped up my arm and left. He hadn't even spent 5 minutes in the room with me. I was to call him after 3 years to get it removed.

The first 3 weeks were awful. Heavy period the entire time. Feeling it poke me under my skin.
After that though.... 9 months of virtually no period. I'd spot occasionally, sure. My "period" lasted 1 or 2 days every other month or so....
but recently, it's like the first month of having it in. It's been over 2 weeks since my period started. It's dark and gross...
Sex seems to trigger it. The last few times I've been able to... I go to clean up afterward and I'm already bleeding and embarrassed. Then the heavy stuff starts the next day. Every time.
Forget a physically intimate relationship!

I still feel the implant poking me sometimes, and I hate that.
I hate the hormones.
I hate that I've been eating pretty clean since the first of the year and running the majority of it, and now trying T25, and I've lost only 3 pounds?!? Since January 1st ?!?
I know it's keeping the weight on.
I got the implant right after a miscarriage when I was really puffy and out of shape, and I still weight practically the same, with all my healthy changes over the last 7 months.

I want it gone.

I want to be me again.
I want my good ol' predictable period and regular weight back.
No more hormones.
No more doctor drugs.

Focus T25 Week 2 Progress Pics!

STATurday - Week 2 results

Once again, I was a little disappointed with my results.

159.9lbs
38.5 - 32 - 41.5
Arm - 12.75
Thigh - 32

This week I lost 1.3 lbs and half an inch off my waist.
I guess I gained a quarter inch in my bum, but that could just be the way I took the measurements or my pants.

So from the time I started the program, I've lost a pound and a half, and an inch and a half off my waist.

I suppose I should be celebrating. I've been eating my fill of healthy foods. I'm never ever hungry.
I look forward to working out, and with each workout I'm better. It's easier, and I'm sore a lot less this week than I was in the beginning.

What I'm gaining is my health. My endurance. My physical strength. It's helped clear my mind and give me a goal.

I just hoped that all the hard work and sweat and muscle soreness would have translated to the scale.

but now that I think about it... 1.3 lbs is a lot in a week, if it's fat. No doubt I'm gaining muscle mass with all these squats and planks and push ups.

I'm drinking about a gallon of water a day now, if not a little bit more.
I'm cooking all of my meals so I know exactly what's in them.

And I do have a new supplement to try....
Supposed to be a good one ; )
I'll do a post about it later...
and probably a YouTube video...
wanna see?

Kayla

Run Naked

Maybe not quite naked...

Today I rearranged the bedroom.
I used to have my dresser in the closet to save space, but I brought it out for a change.
The great thing about doing that was that it has a giant antique mirror that attaches to the back. There was no room for the mirror in the closet. Now I have this giant me to look at when I'm doing my T25.
I can focus on my form. Perfect it. Work harder.

When I started the cardio disc, I had a tee, shorts, and my underroos.
Then I thought, it's just me. Let's get down to the skimpiest thing possible.
It made the workout seem to fly by.
I was more focused on imagining my tummy a little firmer, wondering why my dang thighs jiggle like that, loving the way my shoulders are getting toned... things like that.
I was able to appreciate the changes in my body and getting amped up and working harder to see bigger changes in the future. It was highly motivating.

I didn't use any supplements for this workout. It was hard, but not unbearable. I still wanted to do more though. I even did extra squats after the T25 was over.

I have plans for bikini shopping and exotic vacations and photo shoots when I reach my goals.

Focus T25 - Alpha Total Body Circuit with Cardio Cuts

I was scared to try this DVD because I had heard that Total Body Circuit was the toughest workout in Alpha T25.

I got off work, drank a bottle of water with my last sample of Cardio Cuts, waited about 45 minutes before popping the disc in.
Golly, it seemed like a breeze at first. It was about 5 minutes before I started feeling a bit of fatigue.
The squats seemed easier to do. I could go lower and do more reps with ample energy. The cardio wasn't killing me.

I seemed to have fuel for this workout. I was sweating like I never have. I dropped down to a plank and watched the drops fall off my nose and chin. It was an awesome thing, knowing that I was drenched after only fifteen minutes or so.

I had to start using the modifier when the plank progressions started. I can plank decently. I can pushup alright.... but I've never worked my arms or shoulders, so I burned out easily. I really struggled after a while.

What got to me was squatting as low as I could, and trying to jump and 180 and squat back down again facing the opposite direction. I can't seem to manage that. It's hard to jump straight up from a squat alone.
Then getting into plank position and doing a pushup while bringing one leg up?!? Impossible at this point! I tried and fell over on my face.

The last 10 minutes of the workout was entirely modified... but at least I made it through to the end. I just need to build up my muscles to properly execute these moves.

It's been about 20 minutes since the end of the cool down routine, and my heart rate is still up.
My shoulders are already sore. I'll be feeling this tomorrow for sure.

Awesome thing though...
I wasn't sore after yesterday's workout. I'm not sure if the Cardio Cuts had something to do with it, because of the recovery component, or if I'm finally adjusting to an intense routine.

Tomorrow, I'll try my workout without a supplement and see how I feel.

I love how I'm excited to rush home and sweat. It makes me happy. I'm finally doing something good for myself, instead of focusing on everyone else.