I’m coming to realize that my metabolism is just not what it was in my 20s! As a kid, I was the skinny lanky one that could never put on weight, partly because I was a very picky eater and I’d rather be playing than eating. I first started noticing that I could gain weight while playing high school volleyball. The weight training and conditioning definitely help put weight on me and my urge to eat went through the roof. But, I wasn’t a nutritional eater. I loved sweets and junk food… and it showed even though I was playing volleyball year-round. When I graduated high school, I was 5’7″, 130lbs.
Then, on to college at Texas A&M University (WHOOP!)… I hit my heaviest my sophomore year in college…140lbs! And it did NOT feel good. I was tired all the time. My quest for great efficient workouts began with Billy Banks and Taebo. Then moved onto P90 and learned healthy eating habits. At the end of college, I was back to my high school weight.
Med school was an interesting time. I worked out at the gym and maintained my physique. Starting with our 3rd year, I began to see a change in my eating patterns because we were now rotating through our hospital/clinic months where sometimes you just didn’t have time to grab a sitdown meal. I actually lost weight and got as low as 120lbs.
Intern year provided a great year for working out. My boyfriend at the time was a gym rat, which ultimately led me to spend most days in the gym. It was a novel approach to a relationship… it was like having a personal trainer and significant other all rolled into one. So, I got really lean! However, the amount of time spent in the gym isn’t something that could logically continue…I was there roughly 2 hours a day b/c that was his schedule. So, you can imagine a normal 6:30a-5p day plus 2 hours of gym time makes for little fun or learning time.
Residency at one of the toughest anesthesia programs across the country (Massachusetts General Hospital) really challenged my nutritional and workout patterns. A normal “regular” (regular = non-cardiac, non-vascular, non-thoracic) day includes getting to work at 630am and leaving work around 6pm…not including call. Call varied from 4-9 calls per month with the average being 6 calls/month. As you can see, that’s a lot of time spent in the hospital… the 2 hour gym ritual simply wasn’t going to work. So, I stumbled upon P90X. I’m not really sure how I came to find this outstanding program… I didn’t have cable TV. I’m almost certain I did some sort of internet search and stumbled upon it. P90X was a god send for people who need to get a focused, efficient workout in…and it tells you how to do it. If you follow it, you will do awesome! I did one round before going to Brazil…and I got amazing results! After the round of p90X, I looked for other Beachbody products because they knew and understood my need for effective, efficient workouts in my busy world. So, to keep things fresh, I have Insanity, Power Half Hour Master series, P90, Turbo Jam, P90X, Insanity, Chalean Extreme, and now Turbofire.
July 2010-2011: I’m using a combo of Chalean Extreme, Turbofire, and P90X. Most mornings, I wake up at 4:45am and do Chalean Extreme to get my day started right! I get to work around 6:30am. Weekend workouts are usually the longer Turbofire workouts and/or P90X legs and back workout (killer!).
I’m not a Beachbody Coach b/c I simply don’t have any extra time to give. I enjoy keeping a blog to track my progress and I figure other people out there are curious about what works. As a perk, I can still fit into my senior year prom dress. How many people can say that?
July 2011 – 2013: I’ve been alternating the Insanity, P90X, Turbofire, and Chalean Extreme workouts. In fact, Insanity gave me the great lean look I want in roughly 1 month (with regular eating…not following the nutrition guide). After a month of Insanity, I needed to mixup my workouts as I was getting bored and tired, so I added P90X vids (including Ab Ripper X b/c it is incredibly awesome!), and Turbofire (HIITs only b/c I love Chalean’s music!). I pre-ordered P90X2 and hope to get that and start that up. In the meantime, I’ve entered my first Spartan Race and want to keep up my training for these! I’m hoping to do more around the country as well as the Tough Mudder races!
Average day:
Wake up 6am
Breakfast: Shakeology shake (1 scoop + water)
Snack: handful almonds
Lunch: large salad or (1 cup soup de jour + half sandwich)
Snack: yogurt
Workout!!!!
Dinner: anything goes!
August 2014: Since 2013, I have completed 2 half marathons and have decided to get back to the gym and classes. I’ve been really interested in trail running and body pump/HIIT classes. On the list, pilates.
August 2014
My Average Day:
Wake up 6:15am
Breakfast 6:15am = green juice or Shakeology
Snack 9am
Lunch 10:30a= doctor’s lounge soup, salad, and/or sandwich (not always healthy!)… or whatever I can wolf down in 10 min.
Snack 1:30p = oh please let there be a cookie!
Dinner 6p= hopefully something healthy!
Read/study/relax until 10:00p
Bed 10:30p
Post-baby (Feb 2018) on Monday/Friday
(Grandmas help Tuesday – Thursday)
My Average day (2.5mo old baby)
1am – baby wakes –> feed
5am – baby wakes –> feed
7:30a – baby wakes –> feed and play with baby
8:30/9a – Breakfast when baby naps
9:30 – baby is only doing 30 minute naps — eek! Feed and play with baby
11:30 – baby naps –> lunch
12/12:30 –> feed and play with baby
2p – baby naps –> maybe workout if not exhausted?
2:30/3 — baby wakes –> feed and play with baby. Try and keep baby awake until husband home
6p – last feed for baby. Bedtime routine/bath/quietness. Maybe workout when husband home and feeding baby?
6:30/7p – baby down for sleep time. Possible to workout when baby asleep.
7:30p – Dinner for parents
9p – pump Breast milk
11:30p – baby wakes –> feed
My Current Workout Calendar
Related Articles
- The P90x Extreme Home Fitness Workout Program Is Not For Everyone (fitfiend.com)
- Are new intense exercise DVDs right for you? (abclocal.go.com)
- Information About P60X Food Nutrition Guide (after50health.com)
- Eating While Sweaty: Should You Chow Down After a Workout? (blisstree.com)
- Can I work out on an empty stomach? (theglobeandmail.com)
- Workouts That Take the Least Time (and Have the Biggest Benefits!) (self.com)
- Fitness Review: Beach Body Insanity DVD Workout Program (webmd.com)
- The Health Hazards of Blogging (And What I’m Gonna Do About It) (davidrisley.com)
Just found your blog and am excited to see how you manage it all. Glad you had a great time in China~ did you get to Xi’an?
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Hi Sarah! China was amazing as was Xi’an!! I highly recommend the trip! 🙂
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