The Aftermath.... 14 days down, 14 to go!!

Hey there peeps!! It’s been a while…. But don’t fret my pets…. I have not fallen off the wagon – completely.

I am just back from a lovely long weekend in sunny FL! For those of you know me/who read my blog, you know that I HATE the cold (Boston) and LOVE the sun (Florida). You might be asking yourself the same question that I am currently asking…. then why do I live here?? Maybe one of these days I will sit down and make a serious pro/con list. But for now, I will continue being a massochist…. and look forward to my next trip (2 weeks from today – WOOOOO!!).

Ok, SO – here we are 14 days post-BC, with 14 days to go until my next bikini debut. We have some work to do my friends!! But first, an update:

I completed boot camp on 2/8 at 105.5 lbs, and made it down to 104 five days later. I was able to do this with my post-BC plan of Tracy DVDs (PD1), cardio dance (at Equinox some days and BC cardio others), eating clean, and yes – splurging (on wine… and chocolate chips…. and lots of dried cranberries). Seriously, the chocolate chip/dried cranberry splurging was getting out of control. I am happy to say that there are none left, so that will no longer be an option. And yes, there are none because I ate them ALL before my trip….. Whatever!!

As I am writing this, I have no idea the damage I did over vaca. 5 days of eating pretty clean by day, and splurging big time by night. I was able to squeeze in PD1 twice, GOOP Arms/V-Day Abs every day, and BC cardio once. Also there was lots of walking involved… including a 45 min power walk along Vanderbilt Beach in Naples yesterday. It was fab! I guess all in all not tooooo bad. But I could have done a little more working out and a little less ice cream and chocolate covered gummi bear consuming. C’EST LA VIE!

Today, I wasn't really on my best behavior.... Pretty much followed the vaca plan - good clean eating by day and then tonight I ate a bunch of weird/random stuff.

But onto some GOOD NEWS - One post-BC tool that I have found to be very effective is a shared google doc with my friend, Kristie. In this doc we each have a tab where each day we list our workouts, food consumption, weight, and measurements (to be input weekly). I tried to copy/paste here but I'm having trouble with the formatting... Maybe I will figure it out later.

Tomorrow, I will wrap up PD1 and squeeze in some BC Cardio. I am really excited for PD2, everyone seems to love it!! Over the next 2 weeks, I am going to embark on my own little mini-boot camp. I have several social obligations (read: eating fests) to attend, and will have to find the balance between good behavior and splurging. I will not binge on dried fruit and hidden chocolate stashed in the back of my cabinet (oops) and I will complete PD2, do cardio at LEAST 10 (of the 14) days, and continue with GOOP arms and V-Day abs. Seriously, I think I see a difference in my shoulder definition from GOOP already! <3 Also, March 1-3 I am planning to do the 3-day V-Day cleanse… Has anyone done this yet?? If so, would love to hear your experience!!

Here's a little THINspiration for you all!!

Good night peeps.
Cheers to staying on the TAM track!!
Xo
Kerri

DAY 31 - Don't Dream Its Over

Where to even begin?!?! Day 31 - 1st day off BC.

I had almost forgotten what freedom felt like! The ability to wake up at 7:30, blow dry and straighten my hair, enjoy a delectable cup of morning coffee - I mean WOW! The little things, right??

Menu for the day:
1 cup black coffee
Breakfast - 4 oz plain kefir w/ 1c pineapple
Lunch - 8-9oz roasted turkey w/ 1c broc & cauliflower
Snack - Apple w. 2 tbsp Teddie's pb (maybe a little more than 2 tbsp... I was finishing the container)
Dinner - Steamed Turkey with Kale and dried cranberries (subbed for golden raisins)

So overall, still pretty TAMtastic!! For a few reasons... I have tons of TAMtastic food in my fridge. I also received a box from Boston organics yesterday filled will ALL TAM-approved fruits and veggies (kale, lettuce, beets, sweet potatoes, kiwi, oranges, apples, pears, bananas). I also really loved the BC food (for the most part), and I have always eaten low-carb so these items are not too far off the normal course for me. I do not plan to jump back into processed foods, or oils, or overly sauced items... I am saving those things for dinners-out so I can have what I really want. But I will not eat TAM-only foods every day. However, it will certainly be a learning curve. My goals from here are to maintain the weight and continue to tone!!

So... onto to the weight and the toning and the measurements. I have been really hesitant to post some of these numbers here... But since so many other people have posted theirs, and have HELPED me track my own progress.... here goes nothing....

Kerri's TAM 30 Day Challenge
Start: 1/10/2011
End: 2/8/2011
	Measurements (inches)
	DAY 2	DAY 31
Neck	12	11.25
Chest - Top	31	29
Chest - Widest	33	30.5
Chest - Bottom	29.5	26.5
Waist	28	25
Navel		29
Hips	37.5	35.5
Bicep - R	9.5	9.5
Bicep - L	10	9.75
Thigh - R	22	19.5
Thigh - L	21.5	19.75
Calf - R	13	12.25
Calf - L	13	12.25
Weight (lbs.)	116.5	105.5
BMI (kg/m²)	21.4	19.3
Body Fat (%)	28.40%	22.70%
Lean Mass (lbs.)	83.4	81.6
Fat, fluid, etc. (lbs.)	33.1	23.9

There you have it!! If anyone is interested in more detail, I weighed myself every day and measured every 5 days, so I have TONS of more data. Shoot me an email or facebook message, and I will be happy to send you the details. :)

Some of the more interesting things I noted were the following:

• I lost 11 lbs in total, including 9.2 lbs of non-lean mass (what I call fat, fluids, etc.)
• Total inches lost = 22" (this is not the most reliable of statistics but I figured I'd include anyway)
• During the middle of bootcamp (days 10-20) the #s on the scale didn't move much, however this is REALLY when I lost the most non-lean mass and body fat %, particularly in the ab-area.
• During the cleanse, I lost a total of 2.5 lbs and around 2-4% off of each of my measurements!! Not too shabby! I guess my muscles really were BOLTING together!!
• My biceps and calves did not change drastically in circumference, but they are much more toned and much more lean :)
• Clearly I will need to order the HIPcentric Metamorphosis!

Ok - so there you have it! I am very happy with the results - I'll put it out there. I am in a good place, and have clear goals of what still needs to be tightened and toned.

Bootcamp turned out to be exactly what TA said it would be - a jumpstart towards achieving the results you have always wanted!! My personal weight loss story started about 3 years ago... Growing up, I was a competitive dancer. Always long and lean. Around senior year of high school and into college I started dancing less and less, ultimately stopping all together. Over this time I gained a significant amount of weight. Going from a naturally thin person to more of a chubby chica. I am 5'2" and at one point owned a pair of GAP jeans in size 8. (holy crap - why do I admit these things??). I yo-yo'd throughout college - losing weight during summers, and gaining some back throughout the school year. Fitness was not part of my life.

A few years out of school, something just clicked. It was time for me to get myself back into shape. I cut the carbs (not in a high-fat/protein Atkins kind of way... but more in a no white starches/bread/pasta/etc.) and started working out. I started with mat based exercise 3x a week at a local studio, I increased the intensity my dieting - I was on a strict diet of yoplait light yogurt for breakfast, fruit as a snack, a south beach meal bar for lunch, a rice cake w pb for afternoon snack and grilled chicken w veg for dinner. I was very regimented and went on to drop over 20 lbs. This worked for me. I stopped the mat exercise as soon as I stopped seeing results and joined Equinox. I became more lenient with my eating as the exercising became more intense. I dabbled in long distance running/yoga/tabata/pilates/barre method... pretty much you name it, I've done it! And I maintained the same weight (+/- 5 lbs) for those 3 years.

results that I wanted. It is a very frustrating thing working really hard and knowing exactly what you want, but being unable to attain your goals. I now believe that it is because I never had a method. Welcome Tracy Anderson!! Where have you been all my life?! After 30 days, I am confident that if I stick with the method that I will continue to see the results. The other cult-like followers of TAM are inspiring on a daily basis. The method is challenging in a new way every day.

Bootcamp itself is NOT sustainable. Unless you have no job and a live-in chef. However, the things you learn throughout those 30 days are sustainable. Today, I felt like a bump on a log not working out. My body was confused. I found that I had so much free time, and... I kind of hated it! But I ate clean, felt happy and am looking forward to tomorrow.... Back to my mat I go.... Because there is much more work to be done!! BRING IT PD1!!


I have a ways to go, but I look forward to getting there. With a little help from my new friend, Tracy.

Xo
Kerri

DAY 30 - SWEAT is the ONLY fairy dust :)

Well, peeps... I did it!!!!!! I can hardly believe that it's all over.

30 days, by the book, Tracy Anderson Method BOOTCAMP!!!! Done and Done!!!

I will report final weigh in/measurements tomorrow. Today there was no movement on the scale, and I was feeling pretty bad about it. But then, I went back and looked at some other TAM bloggers' cleanse results, and it appears as though I am not the only one fighting the scale during this phase. It seems as though the real results come across in inches rather than lbs (and who doesn't want that?!)... so I look forward to facing the pink measuring tape in the am... When it is actually light out.... because I can sleep til 7:30!! Woo!!

Now, a  note on my personal contingency plan. For the foreseeable weeks, I will continue to eat as clean as possible. I will continue muscle work and cardio dance. But I will take days off, and I will indulge in the finer things in life. I have already set up lunch dates, and dinners and I am not afraid of gaining back an ounce or undoing the work of the past 30 days. I am a regimented person and very dedicated when I set my mind to something. And when I said - Tracy Anderson here I come! - I meant it.

I currently have the Perfect Design Series (1-3) as well as the Mat Workout DVD. That is my muscle plan for the next 2 months (give or take), rocking it 5-6 times per week. My cardio plan is cardio dance 4-6 days per week mixing up Equinox-style dance (a la lauren hefez), BC cardio (for it's accessibility and ability to be done anywhere) and I may foray into some of TA's other cardio (i.e. treadmill dance). Sounds like enough to keep me TAMtastically challenged while continuing on the path to being a Fit Fiona!!

I am taking tomorrow off, and then Thursday BRING IT PDS!!! Tomorrow I will add some more BC reflections, thoughts and recommendations for those who may be considering bringing TAM into your life. I will say this - it is a truly incredible and mind-opening experience. It takes serious commitment. But, commitment = results.

Ok folks... so here it is. As a tribute to my VERY LAST DAY on the TAM 30-day method, and my very last day on the cleanse here you have it -

A day in the life of the TAM CLEANSE!! (Each is a 4 oz serving.)

7am: Kiwi Puree (this no longer phases me... at this point I am just indifferent)

9am: Blueberry Applesauce (no clue why the image flips when I added it to the blog... I swear I took it straight!)

 

11am: Kale Spinach Beet Juice (...holding on tight so no one will come and steal it!!)
 

1 pm: Edamame & Carrot w/ Cayenne (looks worse than it tastes... Seriously, whats not to love about edamame + cayenne pepper? for real!)

 

3pm: Tomato Gazpacho (SO glad I skipped the red onion here. It tastes so fresh and simple!)

 

5pm: Sweet Potato Corn Pudding (yummmm) w/ Kale Juice (seriously, kale + apples = delish! ...and yes, that is an ice cube)

7pm: Chicken Protein Soup (I know some other people pureed this soup. I just double checked and nowhere does it say to do so. But hey - if you did more power to you!! I think it is delish as is. While I formally mocked this soup for not being much protein... I have in fact grown to love it)

9pm: Choco Chestnut Pudding - And then God said - let there be pudding!

Well folks... there it is!! Not to shabby huh??

That's all for now!! Tomorrow is D-Day.... THE FINAL weigh in/measurements... Stay tuned!!

I just still can't believe I'm done. While the past 30 days have been challenging (to say the least) I feel strong, capable, and accomplished. I truly ROCKED IT by the book for 30 days. I will never look back and say I shouldn't have done that or I could have done it differently or better. Because I did my very best... and am better off for it. I learned a system that WORKS for ME. I learned that I am STRONGER than I thought possible. And I learned that even me - the QUEEN of excuses and rationalizations - can wake up every single day before dawn to rock it out!

Tracy Anderson, you ROCK MY WORLD!!

So CHEERS to 30 Days down....

And never looking back :)

XO

Kerri

DAY 29 - Hold On For One More Day

I mean, is this a joke?? Tomorrow is the LAST DAY??

Despite all of the trials and tribulations of inundating myself with TAM and committing to 30 days of by the book bootcamp, I really can't believe its almost over! Key word being ALMOST.

Tomorrow marks the 30th - and final - day. OMG.

This morning, I completed my last TAM BC-cardio. Tomorrow, I am rewarding myself by going to my FAVORITE cardio dance class. I am going to sweat with lauren hefez!!! I assure you all, her dance cardio is way more challenging than the TAM bootcamp one. LOL. And, what the heck, right?

One more day of 5:30 wake up, one more day of beet/dirt juice, one more day of 2+ hours on the mat, one more day of mastication-free food, one more day!!!!!

So, for the sake of full disclosure - I have been a bit skeptical about some of the TAM moves. Especially some of the sequence 3 ab stuff.... Particularly the tuck crunch with 1, 2, 3 cross legs and frog bend (if you don't know what I mean... sorry, pretty hard to explain). However, today I worked out in a sports bra and was studying my stomach while doing said move and you can REALLY see it working the v-shaped abs. Like for real! So, Tracy - you brilliant biatch - you win! And no, I would never go out in public in the sports bra... we're not there yet... But it's a pretty fab sports bra and I was really HOT. lol... in temperature that is ;)

So as I mentioned in the last post, this morning I "paid the price" of eating my choco puddin' so late. I actually gained weight! What the....? Who gains weight on a cleanse? Seriously!! LOL Hoping tomorrow will be back on the right track... We'll see. Fingers crossed, hopes high!

I was feeling hungrier than usual today... Maybe I'm was not drinking enough water? Or maybeeee I was just so anxious for today to be over so I can A. end the epic manic Monday (GMAT class after work = very long day) or B. move on to day 30!! LOL Since I was in class from 7 until 10, I ended up finishing my "meals" pre-7pm. Hoping this will bode well for me in the am :)

In other news.... I really am loving the sweet potato/white corn puree. I know some other BC'ers have hated on it, but what's not to love?? I will post pictures of all of the cleanse items tomorrow for your viewing pleasure :) I keep forgetting to "capture" the tomato gazpacho. But don't worry - tomorrow is the day!!

OK, clearly I have way too much energy for 12am on a school night. And to think... all this without caffeine!! Who have I become? Not sure, but I most certainly will be enjoying some morning coffee on Wed!

A little inspiration before I sign off.... Maybe one day :)

29 DAYS DOWN...
1 DAY TO GOOOOO!!!! :)

Xo
Kerri

DAY 28 - So TAM Close!!!

Sorry for the late post peeps. Sundays are clearly just not a good day for me to blog. Especially yesterday - which was my main squeeze's last day before going to FL for 2 months. We needed some extra-QT :)

SO.... Stayed the same on the scale yesterday. No biggie. Powered through the day on my 4 oz purees. No prob bob. Fitting everything else in - tough stuff!!

Yesterday was super busy with GMAT studying, bridesmaid dress fitting, TAMTAM (40 reps legs/abs, 35L/50R arms, 30 mins cardio = 2hrs 40mins), and more GMAT study. I have to take a practice exam by my class tonight... And have had a very difficult time finding 3+ hrs to sit down and get to it. I managed to get through 1 section... The rest I will do today at some point.

I really can't believe that this is almost over! A few mid-cleanse thoughts...
- I stand by my word that juicing sucks. Plain and simple.
- It is kind of difficult to make yourself eat every 2 hours. I haven't been great at it, and didn't eat my choco pudding until almost 11 last night... oops! I paid for it today tho... More on that later.
- I really am loving the fact that I did this - TAM, BC, cleanse, etc. - just for me. Not for an event, or a trip, or a "goal"... Just for LIFE. Now, the maintenance will be more goal driven... for those events, those trips, those "goals" - whatever they may be.... like looking hot in a Daniela Corte Argentinian-cut bikini, for example. ;)
- I am REALLY, REALLY looking forward to the day - which will be Wednesday!!! - when I can squeeze in a 1 hr. TAMtastic workout no problem! I am ready to get back to life. Life will now include 1 hr TAM 5-6 days a week + 4-6 cardio workouts... (until meta....) But this is soooooo doable!! On about my 3rd left leg-move (push up with leg lift... ahhhh) I was like - OMG after tomorrow, I will be DONE at this point in the workout! How cool is that??

Until then.... I am SO TAM CLOSE!!!

28 down....
2 TO GO!!!!!!!!

Xo
Kerri

DAY 27 - Hold It Against Me

I can NOT believe that I just wrote "Day 27"... This is crazy!!! I guess time flies when you're having fun? Or maybe it's more like... time flies when you're so busy you don't even know what day it is! LOL...

Cleanse Day 2 - done and done!! 40 reps (yeahhhh) legs/arms, and 35R/50L arms. It took me pretty much 3 hours. Oy... It's ok!! Only three more dayssssss. I can do this!!

Another busy day today, and I did not accomplish all that I had intended. Started off making kiwi puree and getting ready for my hair appointment. Scarfed down some blueberry applesauce before leaving. Great (and MUCH needed) cut by Dirk at Bradley + Diegel Salon in Boston. For those who know me, know that I LOVE a good blow-out. And Dirk did a fantastic job!! Too bad I was just coming home to put it in a ponytail to TAM... oh well! lol. Few errands later, I headed home for some beet kale juice and carrot edamame puree. And then... I fell asleep! Completely narcoleptic. I did not have that hour to lose. But obviously, I needed it. After some tomato gazpacho I got to TAMing, followed by sweet potato puree, a shower, kale juice and some QT w my man. Then moved on to the chick noodle soup, cleaned up a bit, Private Practice with a side of choco pudding, and voila! The day is over. What in the world?? This day went by so fast. Literally, too fast. Yes, I was supposed to study today. No, I did not. Tomorrow - I will STUDY. I have to at least take a practice exam (3 hrs)... Plus 3 hrs of TAMing... plus going into the back bay for a bridesmaid dress fitting.... It's gonna be a long day peeps. BUT seriously? I can manage pretty much anything at this point.

Today, I am feeling strong, capable, and ready for the last 3 days. I can do this!! There was some downward movement on the scale today (woo!!) but I have decided I will save the cleanse results for the end... I will just indicate on a daily basis which way the scale moved - up, down, flat - for those who are curious.

If I were to do BC again, or advise anyone who was planning to do BC I would recommend planning it out so that you end on a Friday. Not a Tuesday. It is not really tons of fun to cleanse on the weekend. Now, it would be completely fantastic to finish on a Friday, wake up Sat. morning, eat clean all day and then have a fantastic dinner out for date night or night out w friends. Absolutely fabulous! Especially if you had your hair blown out that very day ;) The GOOD thing about cleansing on the weekend is that you can make your juices right before you drink them, and it doesn't seem so nightmare-ish when its not 12am on a "school night." Also, if I were to do the cleanse again (which I actually plan on doing on a semi-normal basis) I would absolutely NOT be juicing my own kale leaves. I will figure out another way.... Order from pressed? Or the juice press? Or find someone to open a juice bar in Boston, and then go there. Seriously, that's my plan. No more of this nonsense. Unless someone were to buy me a kick-ass juicer. But at this point... I think I'd rather have these or these or these.... Valentine's Day... anyone?? ;-) jk

OK, off to dream about kale juice and applesauce!!

27 days down....
3 TO GO!!!!!!!

XO
Kerri

DAY 26 - My Humps

What you gonna do with all that junk?
All that junk inside your trunk?
I'm a get, get, get, get, you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my humps!

...Until today!! Because today is CLEANSE day numero uno!! After finally calming down from last night's debacle, I started rocking the cleanse. Not too shabby!! I took some pics but forgot others, so will post "a day in the (eating) life" tomorrow for those who are curious. 9 servings of 4 oz foods. Not bad... Although, a little word to the wise.... Dwight Schrute is a LIAR!! Beet juice is NOT delicious.

Now, those of you who know me know that when I met my bf he had this adorable idea that all vegetables "taste like dirt." We have come a longgggg way since then, and he even eats kale!! Imagine that?! Well, my friends... Beet juice tastes like dirt. Take that Dwight Schrute!

After only sleeping 5 hours I was REALLY REALLY tired this morning. Now, there are days when I feel like I want to fall asleep on my mat. But today, it wasn't even that I just felt like snuggling on the blue rubber mat. My eyes felt like they were drooping down my face, my eyes and head were just SPENT. My body, on the other hand, was really rocking the leg reps. The moves were feeling ...dare I say it.... easier! But my ass kicking leg lifts ultimately lost the battle... and after 1:40 mins of sequence 3 legs (35 reps each - both legs) I knew I had to go back to sleep if I was going to survive an entire day of working and studying and cleansing.

I went back to sleep for an hour, pulled myself together and made it though. Work + 2 hrs studying + cleansing + 35 reps abs + 35 reps (right arm) and 50 reps (left arm) + 40 mins cardio + shower + choco pudding amazingness = SUCCESS. Yes, the arms sound weird... But I swear my right arm is significantly more TAMtastic than my left... so I need to be drastic for the next few days.

I made it through day 1 of the cleanse. And I think I did a pretty freaking good job :) the food was sufficient - I selected the 4 oz every 2 hours plan. You get to eat again before you're even hungry!! Genius. And seriously, finishing the day enjoying the chestnut pudding in bed while watching grey's anatomy on abc.com literally made my week.

Tomorrow, I'm ready for the cleanse! I'm ready to up my legs/abs to 40 (OMG!) and I'm ready to be that much closer to the finish line! I also scheduled my post - BC workouts for the 2 weeks following the 30 days. I cannot wait to only have to do 60 mins of muscle work... Imagine that!!

Seriously, I remember reading Laura's blog before I started BC and was like "Why does it take her soooo long to finish the workouts? There's no way I would EVER do 3 hrs a day." Well peeps.... little did I know that I would become that 3 hr/day freakazoid. It will be nice to break up the muscle work and cardio (i.e. not both 7 days/week) with the flexibility of sleeping until 730/8 once or twice a week. It will seem like a breeze!

I'm just stating for the record... that next Wednesday - 2/9 - I am not working out. I am taking the  day off!! I will eat like a TAMtastic Fit Fiona, but I am going to sleep in before work have some coffee, maybe even blow out my hair (its been a wet-ish bun kind of month....) and probably make it to the office before 9 (nearly an impossible task these days...).

OMG one last thing. So last night, I was obviously wired, on edge, etc. and having "night before the cleanse" syndrome. I was literally 1/2 awake all night DREAMING that I was missing my 1st "meal" because I was sleeping. The 1st meal today was kiwi puree... for the record... and I was worried I was missing it - Ha! I looked at my phone in a panic at 4 am thinking I was oversleeping for the cleanse.... Problems!! Tonight, I plan to sleep soundly dreaming of coffee and shiny hair.

More snow/rain/sleet tomorrow... Hopefully I can maintain some type of inspiration!
I hope everyone has a TAMtastic weekend!! Can you beliiiieeeeeve its the last one???

26 days down...
4 TO GO!!!!!!!

Night night!
Xo
Kerri

PS - I LOVE that its 10:15 on a Friday and I'm going to sleep! HAHAHAA such a nerd!

DAY 25 - Juicing 101

Wow - what an insane day!! Woke up, standard 5:30 - weighed myself (holding steady at 108), 35 reps legs/arms, 50 reps arms (took 1:50), got ready for work, etc. Work was kind of loco yesterday, I was running around in 42 directions all day. After work, I studied GMAT for 1 hour in a conference room... And let me tell you - the hour flew by. I felt like I literally got nothing accomplished. That sucked.
Got home around 6:30, started cardio at 7. Rocked out 40 mins. Made dinner (french chicken w/ braised leeks) while trying to also concoct chicken "protein" soup for the next 5 days. I of course, ran out of chicken broth and the store downstairs was closed. My fabulous mama to the rescue (thanks PP!). So, dinner took a while because I was being freakish about whether or not the chicken was cooked enough (obviously it was). I also made my main man rice & beans (his fav) to commemorate my last day of "real food". I love love loved the french chicken... Eddie on the other hand, seemed to like it just ok. Either my taste buds have  changed, or I got the better piece ;) I will say, I shouldn't have wasted my time having the butcher cut up a whole chicken for me so that I could have the wing attached... as instructed... neither of us even touched the GD wing. LOL... Oh well! I loved my "last supper."
OK, so by this point it's like 9.... And I have to make my cleanse food.... All 9 items.... Seriously??
So here it goes - kiwi dessert (quick, made only for one day in fear the kiwi boogie mush would turn brown), blueberry applesauce (made for 5 days), edamame and carrot puree w/ cayenne (made for 1 day because I got too annoyed and threw the rest out, prob was enough for 2 days), tomato gazpacho (honestly, I can't even remember :-/ maybe 2 days?, oh. and don't hate me... I skipped the red onion and cilantro... I just hate them... I couldn't do it), sweet potato corn pudding (made I think 2 days, I am very excited to try this), Chicken protein soup (all 5 days), and choco chestnut pudding (all 5 days and yes I ate a few choco chips. Whatever.). Hah! Exhausted even relaying all that.
Of course, the kitchen is a disaster at this point. So before I foray into the world of juicing I decided it was necessary to clean, do dishes, etc. Ugh... tired yet? I unfortunately chipped two of my nails during this process which really grinds my gears!!!!! Since July, I have been doing shellac, which basically allows me to go 2 weeks without getting a manicure, with perfect nails. I am literally obsessed. If you know me, I have probably convinced you to try it at least once, and maybe even converted you to a cult-status follower, such as myself. Needless to say, this really upset me.
At this point, it was like 11 oclock. I was so mad, so tired, so annoyed and I had to make 2 different varietals of kale juice. FML. Sometimes I really wonder if I am truly a masochist.
First - red kale/spinach/beet juice. My juicer did not find much juice in the kale or spinach. The beets seemed to be very juicy (and dyed my hands, my brand new juicer, and everthing else in its path PURPLE). 25+ mins later, the recipe yielded 2 oz of juice. So I went back to basics.... I whipped out my blender, blended the not-dry "pulp" and then squished the blended pulp through the juicer. Is this the way to do it? Probably not. Did I care? Not in the slightest.
Seriously, I  need HELP with the juicing.... Anyone??.... Bueller?.... Why do no other bloggers discuss the torments of juicing?? And no, the snowy and gray city of Boston does not have a juice bar where I could just pop by and have them do this for me.... Can you believe it?!?!
Next - standard kale juice = kale + apple. After cleaning the purple dye off of my juicer, I went at it again with kale #2... starting with the apple which produced juice NO PROBLEM. It's just the kale!! So, again I blended the kale, pushed the mush through the juicer, and then re-juiced all of the pulp. Try 2 was a little better but this is seriously ridiculous. Now we're at midnight. I cleaned the kitchen again, including vacuuming up all of the kale bits off my floor (sorry neighbors!) hit the shower, and went to bed.
I SWEAR I was asleep 5 minutes before the alarm went off at 5:20... Ahhhhh
More later! Sorry for the late-blog... Clearly there was no time. And even it I had blogged, I would have been spewing so much venom no one would have ever read my blog again :( 12 hrs later... and I'm still not over it.
Today will be a better day... Today will be a  better day.....
Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to work I go...
Xo
Kerri

DAY 24 - Public Affair

Day 24 - Yowza!! Can't believe it, tomorrow is my last day before the CLEANSE!!

So today - worked from home which made fitting in TAM much easier. I got to sleep in a bit, which was nice and much needed. I have been feeling pretty sluggish the past couple days, and I think my pity party yesterday took a lot out of me. Going to hit the hay early tonight ready to rock it out bright and early tomorrow!!

Today, I did 35 reps abs/legs and 50 reps arms (5 extra for the left side... I couldnt remember how many extra I added yesterday - tomorrow I will rectify!) followed by 40 mins of cardio. It truly is a blessing that the legs go first because it takes so much out of you!! Finishing the muscle with with arms makes u forget how horrible the leg portion is. Then the cardio really ends things on a high note. Hallelujah for that! Today the entire workout took me 2:20... improvement from yesterday at least!!

I was down a pound this am! WOO! Tomorrow I will measure to see the pre-cleanse progress.

In other news, I saw this pic online today of J-Simps leaving TA's studio in LA! Good for her! She could use a good butt kicking... And she has a wedding to get ready for!! If anyone can help her, TA can :)

Then....                                                                Now.....

 

Good eating day today - spinach/chickpea omelet for bfast, broccoli puree soup for lunch (OMG soooo much better when u eat it directly after making it instead of reheating), mango for snack (yum!) and salmon with steamed broc for din. Seriously, I can not believe how much I have been enjoying the salmon. Pre-TAM I exclusively ate salmon in sushi - not smoked, not grilled, nothing but raw.

So anyways, it was a decent day today. Still feeling tired, but hoping for a good day tomorrow. At least it won't be snowing!! And my main squeeze gets home from a business trip :) What's better than that?? Sorry for the lame-ish blog. Hopefully the pics of JS helped keep y'all entertained!!


24 days down...
6 days to go!!! Ahhhhh!!

Xo
Kerri

DAY 23 - Bounce With Me

Hey peeps! Another day down... another day closer to the finish line!! One week from right this very moment I will have completed my eating and workout for the final day. Imagine that?

I certainly have a love/hate relationship with the BC, and TA specifically. LOL Obviously, said TA relationship is one sided... but I am sure she would agree this is how I should feel about her at this point.

I am very very sore from Sequence 3. Since I had been generally in good shape throughout sequences 1 and 2, I really wasn't expecting this. The back of my legs/hamstrings are killing! But in an odd spot... below glute towards inner back thigh - accessory muscles anyone??

Today, the muscle work took me 2:10 - 35 reps legs/abs, 40 reps arms. Oh! And I did an additional 10 reps for the LEFT sided only arm movements, since there is still a visible difference between the definition in my right and left arms (left arm = slacker arm). 40 mins of cardio topped it off, bringing me to 2:50. Yikes. This is kind of killing me, but I have one week left. It will not kill me. I do however realize that that is an unsustainable amount of working out... I am not a professional athlete, dancer, or TAMer after all...  But 1 more week is achievable. Fo' sho'!

Good eating day - apple w/ pb for breakfast (love!) which I have to say is keeping me FULL for much much longer these days. This was a typical pre-TAM snack for me and would not keep my full for more than an hour/hour and a half. Today it kept me full for four+ hours. Progress people!!
Lunch was turkey burgers (yum!) with tomato/basil side. Snack was "pea mash" - I used edamame, which was more like a chop than a mash but was good bc i love edamame. Dinner was tilapia with spinach. Well balanced, overall delicious. I would honestly eat that BLD combo any day, any time.

I am feeling slightly overwhelmed by life at this point. TAM, work, GMAT study (which will require a significant time commitment per week), my other "jobs" (fashion and nonprofit work), and all of the day to day BS that life throws at you. It is a lot. I know I can handle it... Organize, prioritize, execute... but I am having a but of a pity party tonight. In addition I had a few people-related things really bother me today - the way people connive to get ahead in life, the way people ineffectively manage groups, the way people have no regard for how their behavior is effecting those around them - all completely unrelated, but all equally effected me today. Like I said... pity party. Oh, and another snowy day. Snow is the source of all evil - I am convinced. So or those of us dreaming of better days, better weather, or just a chance to show off your new V shaped ab lines in a bikini.... Here is some inspiration :)

I was back down to 109 today! Let's hope I can maintain this until the CLEANSE. My body has big plans for the cleanse days... I just know it. My skin and I talked it out, and we decided that there was a bit extra hanging around (literally) in a few places... I think during the cleanse, this extra skin will go on vacation farrr farrr awayyy and will never return. Or maybe just evaporate into thin air! Who knows ;) that's the beauty of the TAM... hey, a girl can dream. right?

23 down....
7 to go....
By the Book!!!!!!!!!!!

Night Night,
Kerri

DAY 22 - Do Somethin'

Ok so I need to clear something up... I was confusing some of Britney's greatest hits. LOL

Earlier when I referenced Gimme More I was actually thinking of this gem. Both have special places in my heart. The Do Somethin' video was the video my girlfriends and I would watch in college before going out and laugh at the interior LV Murakami Cherry Blossom in the "car scene" (which was subsequently removed because BS did not have rights to it - HA!). The Gimme More performance was something that my gf's and I would "recreate" when out dancing at night.... Good for some serious chuckles :) And yes, both of these classics can be found on my muscle work playlists, because they make me smile.

Now that that's settled!! Day 22 - Yowza!! I am feeling super inspired today. Maybe bc I am so close to the finish line? Or maybe I am just on crack because I've been up for so long and only slept for 5 hours... and I still have a longggg way to go before I am home for the night.... On the positive side - tonight I am starting a GMAT course, which was also one of my new year’s resolutions :) While I am totally strapped for time right now, it will be great to get the ball rolling with this endeavor!! Stephanie Stahl... Here I come!!!

I was pretty sore this morning. Significantly more so than I was with Seq 1 and 2. Love it :) Holding strong and steady at 109.5 (damn half pound...). Apparently my bitchy body likes this weight. Grrrrrr. A few months before doing TAM, I was researching the Dukan diet, which is essentially a new-age version of the Atkins diet (all meat, no cheese, some veg). I don't really subscribe to this type of diet but it has been getting tons of press bc Kate Middleton's mom and a few other celebs are on it. Anyways.... on Dukan's website, there is a calculator of what your "real" weight is based on your highest weight, lowest weight, current weight, height, activity level, etc. My "real weight" according to Dr. Dukan was 109. At the time, I was like I know I can get there.... someday. Well folks, tomorrow is that day!! (I really hope hahahahaa). I joke about the numbers, bc I know it really doesn't matter, but I am a numbers person.... so I tend to always go back to the cold, hard numbers. On the plus side, I did feel like I looked smaller this morning (right before I weighed myself). So... that was a plus. I also got a pretty awesome compliment yesterday which also made me feel fitter. But I'm really hoping for some meaningful shifting in the coming week... especially in some newly extra skin on my stomach... what’s up with that??
Come on TAM.... I think I can. I think I can. I think I can!

So the workout - day 2 of sequence 3, complete!! Despite my best efforts, I was only able to accomplish 30 reps legs/abs, 40 reps arms and 30 mins of cardio this AM. But, I felt strong and surprisingly capable. The moves just take me a long time... I hope because I am doing them extra right! LOL

Not sure if I mentioned this before but I got the Perfect Design Series last week! Woo! So I am ready for the contingency plan - I have the mat workout, PD1, PD2, PD3 and then will likely get hipcentirc metamorphosis... I am SO curious to see what people have to say about it!! One girl posted this on TAM's facebook page:

Hipcentric day one complete, OMG I can barely walk! And here I though "oh, only 30 mins of MS work, this will be SO much easier!" haha, NOT!

That cracked me up!! And I'm sure could not be further from the truth! TA doesn't mess around.

Alrighty peeps... It's been a long day, but I still have a lot goin' on! Tomorrow - back at it! Up-ing to 35 reps legs/arms, 40 (or more) arms, 40 mins cardio. Will likely take me 2:30 :( but have to power through... I am so close!!!!!!

Xo
Kerri

PS - Is there is seriously more snow coming into Boston?? whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy??!?!?!!??! :(

DAY 21 - 1, 2 Step

Hey y'all! This is going to be a quick update tonight... It's 11 o'clock and I'm wrapping up cooking my lunch for Tuesday. Yes, today is Sunday - tomorrow is going to be a longgggg day!!

BUT... I survived Sequence 3 today!! Woohoo!! 30 reps legs/abs, 40 reps arms. Sequence 3 is very very difficult but in a very very good way. You can really feel each move working. It took me 1:48 for the muscle work (today was a "learning" day) followed by 40 mins cardio. Felt great after! We'll see what manana brings!!

I surprisingly loved tonight's dinner - tofu, corn, tomato, arugula salad. So much in fact... it may make another appearance in my post-BC life :)

Today was pretty hectic, but overall standard Sunday - workout, grocery shop, cook, cook, cook! Oh, AND I bought a juicer!! So basically, to date, I have been blending my kale juice and straining it... This is an insanely tedious process and since I will be having kale juice 2x/day for days 26-30, I decided it was a necessity!! I went for a pretty low level juicer... But fingers crossed!! The reviews are decent, and I wasn't willing to splurge on a great one @ this point. Also, I tried to see if there was a juice bar in Boston where I could just order said juice, or bring in my ingredients and beg someone to juice them for me... and - There is NOT a juice bar in Boston!!! I can't believe it. This city struggles sometimes... it is missing some serious culinary and cultural necessities... good/authentic latin food, bars/restaurants that serve food and are open past 2, a juice bar, a TAM studio... I mean - come on!!! LOL

OK I really need to get some sleep. Alarm will go off at 5AM tomorrow.... and you know how I feel about waking up that close to 4!

Good night peeps. Cheers to another TAMtastic week ahead!!

Xo
Kerri

PS - to those of you wrapping up BC this week..... You're almost there!!! ROCK IT!!!!

DAY 20 - You're a Fireworkkkkk

2/3 down!!! Can you believe it???
Today was a pretty good day. I completed Sequence 2!!! And, it didn't kill me :)
40 reps abs/legs, 50 reps arms + 40 mins cardio... And it took 2 hrs 20 mins! Imagine that!

So today was a busy today... and I missed breakfast :-/ there just was no time!! Does this count as cheating?? I certainly hope not!! Lunch was tofu/kale soup which was great. I love eating the soups much more than I enjoy making them... After the photo shoot today I was running around trying to find 4 oz to-go containers when it occurred to me that I was starving!!! So... I literally ate my snack in my car. LOL What have I come to?? Luckily for me, I had my apple and peanut butter in tow. I ate the 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with a plastic spoon, and then had the apple literally while I was driving. And let me tell you... I hate when people EAT when they drive! Especially sandwiches... not sure why but it just really bugs me. Anyways, moving on...

Tonight, I had a dinner guest to enjoy TA's veggie burgers over romaine. While I enjoyed the turkey burger much more, this was not bad - despite being a much messier version. My TAMtastic dinner date - Kristie - has been serving as my sounding board throughout my TAM journey. She was so sweet as to pretend that the veggie burger was a. fulfilling, and b. delish... She even "rocked out" to PD1 today!! Gooo Kristie :) Special shout out/thanks BC!! Baby, you're a fireworkkkkk... this blog's for you!

Looking forward to the new sequence tomorrow, and thankful that I can start it on a weekend so I can really focus on perfecting each move without the time restraints. Only 5 more days until the CLEANSE and only 10 more days until I am finito!


20 days down...
10 days to go!!!
Bring is sequence 3!!!!

That's all for now...
I hope everyone's having a TAMtastic weekend :)

Xo
Kerri

DAY 19 - My milkshake brings all the...

HAHAHA jk!! I heard this song today during my arm work and honestly had forgotten how much I loved Kelliis... What ever happened to her?? La La, La La La....

Today was another doozie... But I won't spend too much time telling you about how I struggle with sequence 2 because... tomorrow is the last day!!!!! I will be excited for now, and hopefully kick its butt tomorrow, only to sacrifice myself to sequence 3 on Sunday. But HEY - I've come this far, haven't I??? Also, today I did 40 reps legs/abs and 50 reps arms.

Day 2 on the kefir - this time Mango smoothie... 1 c unsweetened/unflavored w. 1/2 c mango. It was awesome.
Lunch was tuna (from the can LOL) with roasted cauliflower and fennel
Snack was SHOT-CAKES... for everyone except for me.... sigh.... Seriously!! Every month, my office has a "birthday party" for all of the employees with birthdays in said month. On the last Friday of each month there is a dessert themed bash/snack attack at 4 pm. And today, there were shot-cakes... aka cupcakes filled with ice cream!! Whaaaaat?! I mean, come onnnnnnn. I have never actually had these decadent delights, but MAN they looked good!! I have really not felt deprived at all during this whole ordeal. But please, click the link and see what I missed!! Yowza. Also, there was a gigantic bowl of tortilla chips in the kitchen by my desk all day!! 2 things I LOVE - ice cream and tortilla chips.
Ok, now that I have sounded like a serious fat kid - I did not, in fact, indulge in any of these SNACKS. Instead, I had my beet/orange/basil mini-salad and chugged lemon water.
Got home, powered through 40 mins cardio and made my shrimp/snap pea/palm/pepper delight for dinner, watched The Best Thing I Ever Ate - Sugar (whyyyy??) and here I am!

Tomorrow is DAY 20 people!! I can hardly believe it!! Time is really flying by. A lot of people told me that I looked tired today... and to be honest, I am feeling a bit drained. Tomorrow (sat.) is unfortunately not an "off" day for me, so I will be up early, cranking out my last go around with Sequence 2 AND doing 40 mins cardio before heading off to do a photo shoot for the day!

So, Nicole Richie is TA's new galpal... NR is literally at the TA studio every single day, drinking pressed juices. Remember this (I guess she's come a longgg way from being extremely ana) or this... yikes! And seriously, I'm not knocking Nicole... I really respect the fact that shes been able to turn her life around. I'm just curious if anyone knows her motivation behind this new healthy/fit lifestyle? Or if she has publicly spoken about it?


On another note, I cannot believe that I forgot a "title" for yesterday's blog... My sincerest apologies!! What a slacker. Hopefully today's made up for it ;)

OK I'm rambling... I will leave you all with a little inspiration in the form of white Emilio Pucci..

AH-MAZINGGGG

19 down...
11 to go....
Xo
Kerri

DAY 18

Another snowy day in Boston! Talk about a drag on motivation!!

This morning - 40 reps legs/abs (again really focused on perfection - channelling slimmer thighs) and 50 reps of arms which took me 1:40. Willl do 40 min cardio tonight after work. While I don't love breaking it up... at this point it really is the only option (because waking up at 4:30 am is not an option).

The good news - only two more days of sequence 2!! I literally cannot believe it!! Despite basically complaining every day about it, it has flown by. And while there are parts of sequence 2 that I love, there is a lot that I don't... Particularly move #2. Funny... I didnt like move #2 of sequence 1 either... hmmm.....

So I forgot to mention yesterday that I was holding strong at 109.5. Today up to 110.5. Not sure why? Maybe still had a belly full of kale? No rationalizations... I'm just going with it... We will see what tomorrow brings.

Breakfast today was a lovely tropical fruit salad (kiwi, pineapple, honeydew, papaya). Loved it.
Lunch - turkey kale soup. Delish!! Took a while to make... A lot of work on a weeknight for one little cup of soup, but I think this would be a great recipe to make on a Sunday for lunch a few days.
Snack - Choco Blueberry pudding. Ya'll know my thoughts here. At least no more chocolate untile the CLEANSE (only a week away!)
Dinner - Orange glazed salmon with roasted mushrooms
Overall, great eating day!!

My Perfect Design Series (1, 2, 3) is arriving today!! Woooo!! Just in time to start it right after BC!! I am so excited to move past BC, just to go back to cardio outside of my living room!! I miss my gym, I miss my gym buddy, my favorite instructors, different moves and really just everything about it! I feel truly happy to have found the TAM method, and I look forward to incorporating it and maintaining/improving upon my BC results for as long as Tracy keeps at it! Up next is PDS then the original Mat Workout (which I also got for Christmas!) and then I will definitely order Metamorphisis... clearly hipcentric... I mean, she is actually building in sustainability! How cool is that?? Ok, obviously I am obsessed with Tracy but I also find TAM's new CEO, Stephanie Stahl*, inspirational from a professional standpoint. Post-business school, I would LOVE to follow the this career path. Look out, Tracy! You won't know what hit you ;)

* Stephanie graduated from Stanford undergrad and Harvard Business School. She worked at Boston Consulting Group where she was a Partner, and then as Chief Marketing Officer of Revlon until 2006. Stephanie recently joined TAM to bring the business to the next level. So far, I think the changes to the business are amazing!! See a recent interview Stephanie gave here.

Ok peeps, keeping it short and sweet today!

Happy TAMing,
Xo
Kerri

Day 17 - Makes Me Wanna Pray

Ok, so obviously I like to title my blogs after songs... except for the occasional rhyming title or something like "got kale?" HAHAHA. Today, I switched up my playlist and put on my "Run Girl Run!" playlist from the half marathon. When Christina Aguilera "Makes Me Wanna Pray" came on I pretty much laughed out loud. Because in that moment I was really battling with myself, and I thought - how appropriate!! LOL I also listen to songs like Mercy by Duffy, Clumsy by Fergie, Knock you Down by Keri Hilson and other ironically titled tunes. Maybe one of these days I will post my playlists. But then y'all will really think I'm nuts!! HAHA I listen to everything from Bent to Bieber to T.I. Really, I'm all over the map.

So last night I ate the lamb. I was very very uncertain about this, but Tracy realllll hasn't steered us wrong yet in the eating dept (besides the cucumber mint thing which I just don't understand) , so I figured what the heck... Since lamb tenderloin is pretty much impossible to find, I settled for a 4 oz lamb steak with virtually no fat. And I have to admit it TA... It was not too shabby. I loved the brussel sprouts (obv), and really didn't mind the lamb.

A quick note on the choco pudding from yesterday and then we will move on to today. It has come to my attention that this pudding is approximately 750 calories... Say whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?! Don't get me wrong... I did not think that TA had invented calorie free pudding by any means, but seriously... What the??? The 1/2 c of semisweet choco chips represents 500 cals and the remaining ingredients come in around 250. Why Tracy whyyyyy??? I really just don't see why that is necessary. The ONLY thing I can come up with is that she's training our bodies not to be completely restricted, and not to be "shocked" when we do indulge (post-BC) in a cookie, or some vodka, or a french fry, or whatever your "thing" may be... Anyone else have any theories? AND tomorrow is choco blueberry "pudding".... 1/2 c choc chips + 1 cup blueberries = approx 650? Interesting.... Personally, I'd rather have a little extra protein at dinner, but thats just me.

So... After measuring my hips and investigating my body for "changes" last night, I decided that I should be seeing more dramatic results in the hip/leg area. After all, I have been doing extreme leg/butt work every single day for approx 1 hr for 17 days straight now... thats 17 hours of work!! And they have barely budged! So this morning, I dedicated myself to shrinking my butt and legs with every single move. I upped my reps to 40 (legs/abs) and 45 (arms). I moved slowly and methodically through each move - REALLY pushing, really extending, really "thinking in my butt". I went above and beyond today. And while it was great, and I felt really great after (even though it sucked during). It took me one hour and forty freaking minutes... YIKES!!!! So I finished up after work today - rocking out 40 mins of TAM cardio. I cannot wait to get back to other cardio dance routines and classes (especially when taught by Ms. Hefez!!).

OK, so I decided this morning that I would take some pics of my "progress"... Here's a couple TAM arms on day 17!

Arms only at this point... The rest will likely never see the light of day. But good to track progress regardless!!

Food today:

Breakfast - Sweet Potato Silver Dollar "Pancakes"?

Now... I have not made many pancakes in my life. But I'm pretty certain they are not  supposed to look like this! HAHAHA. But they were awesome!! 1 steamed sweet potato + 1 tbsp kefir (not flavored) + 1 tbsp flax + 1 egg white, a little EVOO spray and voila! You (are supposed to) have pancakes!! These were in better shape until they were crushed in their tin foil pack on my way into work :( oh well... Also, the Yacon Syrup really took them to another level!! Now,  I am not a maple syrup girl... at ALL! In fact, I have strong negative feelings towards it.  But yacon... now we're talking!!

Lunch - greek salad! LOVE :) I will say, could have done without the feta (gasp!). It's amazing what not eating dairy for 17 days does to a cheese and salt loving lady like myself... Imagine that!!

Snack - Pear Apple sauce w nutmeg and cinammon. Delish, will add this to the post-TAM repitoire

Dinner - Steamed Turkey with kale and raisins. LOVE!! Last time I made this dish, I clearly didnt use enough kale because it was more like a soup. As we all know, I have an abundance of said vegetable so tonight the kale was a-plenty! Although the recipe called for "1 bunch" of kale... I knew this did not apply to my garganchuan kale bunches, so I went with a little less than half, which was still very sufficient.

As it is wayyyy past my bedtime, I have to hit the hay... Sweet dreams peeps!

17 down, 13 to go... All by the book!!!
(Feb 8th is right around the corner!!)

Xo
Kerri

DAY 16 - Got Kale??

As you know, Sunday is my grocery shopping day. I make my extensive list and head to Whole Foods to stalk up on all the fruit, veggies, and protein they have to offer. This past Sunday, I was trolling around the produce department in search of kale. I literally could not find it anywhere!! So I had to ask the produce guy (hate having to do that...). To my dismay he told me that they were actually out of kale!! Literally, they sold out! What the....?

Is everyone in the city of Boston on TAM boot camp? Or are the people in Cambridge just also obsessed with the leafy green? I could NOT get over this. The lovely produce man explained that the kale shortage was due to people "stocking up" on groceries over the weekend because of the impending cold and snow. Seriously? I have a hard time believing that!!

So, main squeeze to the rescue... yet again!! There is a farmers market/store right by his office so I asked him to pick up 3 bunches of kale (kale filled week we have this time around....). Now, the "bunches" at Whole Foods are pretty modest in size... appropriately so. I could NOT believe my eyes when I opened the fridge and saw an entire kale farm taking up like a quarter of the space in my refrigerator!! Got kale anyone??

This shelf normally stores a case of 1 liter water bottles... Just sayin'. I now have enough kale to last me for the rest of BC. LOL If only it lasted that long....

So here we are, day 16 with a fridge full of kale and a belly full of kefir*. Yup, first day on the kefir! I didn't mind it... at all!! I opted for the blueberry varietal. Tasted to me a lot like Dannon yogurt. I am not really a big fan of Dannon mostly because I think its watery and not particularly satisfying. But compared to what I expected the kefir to taste like... It was dreamy! LOL I could get used to this.

*Kefir is a cultured probiotic "beverage" (I ate it with a spoon) similar in taste and texture to drinkable yogurt, and made from milk fermented with kefir cultures. Originating over 2000 years ago in the Caucasus Mountains-where many people live well over 100 years-kefir has been collecting a long list of health benefits. These include potential benefits such as: enhancing the immune system, stimulating digestion, easing lactose intolerance, lowering cholesterol and controlling the growth of harmful yeast overgrowth. Probiotics, which literally mean "beneficial to life," are live cultures that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Kefir is gluten and lactose free.  Elie Metchnikoff, a Nobel prize winner, was the first to extensively study kefir and its links to longevity, documenting how kefir is an extremely effective natural ingredient that combats intestinal infections.

Not too shabby!! Note - unlike most other yogurts, there were no visible blueberry pieces in the yogurt. Bummer.

Moving on... I was -0.5 lbs this morning!! When I woke up, I was pleased by the appearance of my stomach which is something I never thought I would EVER say (to myself or in a public forum).... However, right after my workout, I checked it out again and I didn't really have the same pleasant feelings towards its appearance.  Hopefully, it will learn - over time - to stay looking lean all day long... Not just right when I get out of bed :-/ LOL

The muscle work today was mentally challenging. I just felt tired. But I powered through 35 reps legs/abs and 40 reps arms. Followed by 30 mins cardio... Lame, I know... but I really didn't have enough time for the 4th set. Ughhh. But in all seriousness, I think that 2 hours is really all I can commit to on weekday mornings which should be enough for muscle work + 40 mins cardio. I want to up my reps to 40 but am nervous I won't have enough time... Maybe I will try tomorrow and hope for the best. I feel a strong day coming on!! What I did really ROCK today were the push up arabesque attitude series and MAN could I feel it in my back (scapula area) after... felt GREAT!!

Lunch was a baked sweet potato. Yum-o!! Pre-TAM I didn't eat many sweet potatoes, as this was really on the "carb" list for me. But I actually really liked the plain sweet potato - no butter, no salt, no cinnamon, no nada - just sweet potato au natural. Mighty fine lunch if I say so myself!! I baked it last night, cut into cubes and re-heated in the microwave... It still didn't dry out!! Amazing, really.

Choco chestnut pudding for snack today... Yay! However I had to make a modification. I opened up my jar of chestnuts to find that they were moldy.... Whaaaaat?! Grosssss, I couldn't believe it! How is that even possible? Apparently they should have gone in the fridge... who knew?? So anyways... I basically used dates in place of chestnuts and dried cranberries instead of dates... The book said you could use dried blueberries... but cranberries is what I had. Sorry Tracy, please forgive me!  Still delicious and nutritious! (Being a stickler for the rules, I really hated having to "modify" this recipe. Just wanted to state that for the record. I will be sure to never make that mistake again.)

Wrapping some things up and then I'm off to an event this evening (in the snow!!) followed by a night full of prepping tomorrow's meals and (hopefully) going to bed e-a-r-l-y!!

Oh, and here's a pic of my tofu/romaine salad from yesterday... Jealous??

Lastly, thanks to you all for reading and for all the comments - they mean so much to me and really help keep the motivation going!! ...In TAM we trust ;)

Have a great night peeps!!

Xo
Kerri

PS - I apologize if I came off haughty yesterday by noting what my doctor told me about "ideal" weights. Obviously, this doesn't apply to everyone because all body types are different! I really hope that no one took offense by that. Also this should NOT be used as a gold standard because A. I am not an expert and B. it was not TA-approved hahaha. Lastly, I know that personally I have a longggg way to go - regardless of anyone's ideals or what the scale says!