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Shes still working hard
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeanette Balmut has been selected to participate in the Year of You, a fitness challenge hosted by The Manteca Bulletin, CalFit Manteca and CORE Athletic Performance. Balmut is keeping a weekly journal, highlighting the strides and struggles of her fitness journey.

Day 218

Monday and start of week 32.  Its training day with Javi and something tells me it’s going to be a good one.  Yep, I was right.  We do LEGS and BUTT.  My two biggest things on me, which means I have to work the hardest in this area.  We do squats, lunges, machines, weights, oh my lord, it’s tough.  Not as tough as it will be tomorrow when I am in excruciating pain.  I finish the night with a 1.5 mile on the treadmill. 

It’s just Mike and I on Monday nights for dinner so we opt for the easy way and go out.  Mike gets chicken fajitas and I get steak tacos.  I really, really, wanted a cheesy enchilada or a smothered burrito…but I was good!

Day 219

I had prepared my breakfasts and lunches for the week on Sunday so it’s easy to pack for the days when it’s all prepared in advance.  Today my goal was to do at least five miles at the gym.  Mike had a goal too.  His was to hit the streets.  I ended up doing 5.75 miles and other than the balls of my feet killing me, I felt great.  Mike came home about an hour after me and had done double what I did — ugh!  How does he do it? I had prepared hamburger patties and grilled veggies for Mike to throw on the barbecue and then I took a little leftover ground beef and made a taco salad for me.  Both were great, quick and easy.

Day 220

That damn scale still hasn’t moved.  Have I told you how much I hate it?  It’s so frustrating that I work so hard, conscious of my diet, my intake and I am so faithful to this and day after day it just stands still.  UGH, I try to not to obsess over it, but it’s impossible not to.  It consumes me.   Trying to be patient because I know it will go down eventually — I just need to keep at it! Today is upper body circuit training day.  Sounds easy, right?  NOT!  Javi has me run for three minutes then do bench presses then pull ups then finish the circuit with burpees using the half stability balls.  I keep going over and over till I die and then finished with abs.  Exhausting but worth it.  I finished strong with a two mile cardio.  It was easy since I had people to talk with while working out and the little league World Series was on, perfect! For dinner it was tri-tip and roasted broccoli with garlic. 

Day 221

I actually felt like I was on vacation this morning when I woke up.  I think it knew I wouldn’t be meeting with Javi for another 36 hours.  I was like, it’s a free day!!!  I have been so sore since the Monday workout.  My co-workers are so tired of hearing me wince in pain and call out for help just to get up from my chair.  Yesterday I had no idea how I was going to get through the workout but once I was at the gym all warmed up, all the pain was gone and I was good to go.  So today, even though I am super sore, moving slowly and still crying out in pain, I know that once I get to the gym, I will be feeling great! I come home from work and do something I have not done in six months.  I took a nap.  I must have been exhausted.  I used to take naps daily, I was a big fat cow and would sit down for second and fall asleep.  Not anymore, I usually have plenty of energy and anxious to change and get right to the gym.  Not today, I sat down for a second and out I went.  I woke up with the little league World Series on and Mike hanging out watching it.  It was so not like us.  I ended up going to the gym, turning on the LLWS there and watching it as I did two miles on high incline.  Not the best or hardest workout but at least I did something!

Day 222

Since yesterday was kind of a rest day, I know it’s NOT going to be like that today. It will be a hard training day with Javi and I am so looking for it.  I have to work hard today because this weekend is going to be a fattening one.  I will need to do extra cardio too just so I can splurge on Sunday. 

I get to the gym and end up doing my cardio FIRST. Javi explains to me why this isn’t the best thing and that I should always do my cardio after my weight training. We do arms today.  And plenty of them!  He had me do five different exercises and then finished with a few abs.  Javi advised me to do stomachs EVERY day, now.  Not just when I am with him.  So I will now be making it a point to do some sort of ab workout every single day.  

Day 223

Today we got up early and headed out to Mitch’s baseball tournament in Ripon.  I made wheat pancakes with pecans and used sugar-free syrup for those who wanted syrup.  After the first game we raced home and I made a quick salad and grabbed a protein bar for the next game.  After sitting in the sun all day, I really, really, wanted to just come home and crash on the couch and watch a good movie, but NOPE, I didn’t. I went to the gym like a good girl.  I was determined to do five miles again.  Mainly so I could eat tomorrow and eat A LOT!  It was nice and quiet in the late afternoon at the gym.  It took me a full 70 minutes to complete my five miles.  I didn’t push it today just steady with a nice incline. Came home and whipped up another salad for dinner. 

Day 224

Up early and to the gym.  I had to get my workout in early so that I could pig out at breakfast later today.  All I could think about was the breakfast buffet.  I literally was getting excited —bacon, sausage, potatoes, omelets, pastries. OH MY, I think I’ll have one of everything.  I remember being told not to have cheat days —but just cheat meals —well this my friends is going to be a cheat MEAL.  I finish my workout, race home, shower and head to the bay area.  Meet my childhood girlfriends in Livermore and head to Horatio’s at the San Leandro Marina.  It’s been YEARS since I have been here.  We walk in, give our name and the hostess takes us to our seats. I look around for the buffet, what??? NO BUFFET?  Are your serious?  I am like a sad kid on Christmas morning that didn’t get what they wanted.  I wanted to throw a little tantrum but I held it in and just read the menu.  They only had about 6 options for breakfast.  Nothing too exciting.  I ended up getting banana waffles and bacon. It was good, but not what I wanted to CHEAT with!  The company was by far the best part.  To see my girlfriends and spend time together is way better than any cheat meal!

I drove home and made the horrible mistake of Costco shopping on Sunday afternoon ALONE.  UGH, what a joke.  It’s so packed and busy and now that Mike always goes with me and I have become spoiled with him being there, this felt like the hardest thing ever.  Trying to shop and load and unload, Yuk!  I got home and made a big turkey meatloaf for dinner.  This way we have leftovers for lunches etc.  Sweet potatoes and broccoli too.  YUM.  

The fridge is stocked, I am about to start my 33rd week and I am still hovering at 60 pounds.  I really need this week to be the week that it starts going down again.  I’m trying not to get discouraged and I’ll just keep working hard and staying determined.