Week Two Day Four Active Rest Hah!

My husband bought a whole box of hand-warmer packets some months ago. I've been cracking a packet open each morning to keep in my gloves while I walk the dog, and they're still hot enough to use while I stand at the bus stop waiting for my son to come home 8 hrs later. If I'm lucky, they'll continue to generate enough heat for the dog's evening walk as well. Today's an "active rest" day according to the Shred Program. Ha!

Distance / Calories / Time Elapsed

I got to the gym and hopped on the elliptical for 20 minutes, pedaling at a leisurely 180 Strides Per Minute. The mileage is nearly identical to 20 minutes of HIIT where I'm running like heck for a minute and then walking to catch my breath. Because these new ellipticals have more resistance on their glide motion, there's no way I'll be able to match the mileage I used to get, but at least they don't give me blisters. After a quick Cage Stretch, I wrap my hands and put all my gear under the Nexersys. I'm a creature of habit so I punch in 9 rounds of Beginner Follow Me. My accuracy is probably the best it's ever been so it's a good thing that I've started doing a few rounds on the Intermediate level which continues to flummox me. Eventually I'll get the hang of it. When I finally remember all the combinations and what I can use to substitute for them!

My accuracy and strikes are lower than last week which is a bummer, but the program isn't predictable. I missed a few punches and kicks for the first two rounds because the program is much quicker in calling the combinations. I'm also leery of doing the Upper Cut punch because there's a danger of crunching your wrist. Elbow jabs are safely replaced with lead and power hooks. When I'm done I notice an odd screw among my things. It seems to have fallen out of the machine. Uh oh. Punching and kicking too hard? I hand it off to a gal at the front desk before I drop onto the Mat for a quick stretch. Then I clamber back onto the elliptical for a slow 15 minutes of LISS.

The gym scale reads 112.4 lbs. I've been trying to watch my salt intake. Today my home scale reads 110.2 lbs and a Body Fat of 20.6%. Yesterday it was 21.1% and I'm going to attribute it to water weight which can really mess with muscle and fat readings. What I can't deny is that I'm still softer than I was last spring and summer when it averaged 19%. I can see it in the mirror, in photos and my BF was lower according to my home scale. I'm not sure if I'm ever going to reach my goal of 16% BF and if I ever get there, how long will I be able to sustain it? I know I'm not a naturally lean person. But it'll be interesting to try.

Active Rest Day

20 min moderate cardio = 1.69 miles
Cage Stretch
Nexersys: 9 rounds Follow Me Beginner
  Accuracy 95% / Strikes 105% / Average Power 131% 
Nexersys: 3 rounds Follow Me Intermediate
  Accuracy 48% / Strikes 86% / Average Power 91% 

15 min LISS cardio = 0.91 miles

photos posted for actual stats:

Follow Me Beginner Female

Follow Me Intermediate Female