I am BAAAAACK! :)

C 1.1.6

Day: 2

Hey there! :) I am a little back. Not for long. I might disappear again for some time. Or may be not. Right now I can't really say. But I decided to write a little update.

I have been a very bad girl. After my last post I haven't much exercised. I basically had a month-long break from working out. It is not good, but I could not help it. And it is really hard now too.

First my sweetheart took me to Seuchelles for Christmas. It was a wonderful and great holiday. The beauty of that place is amazing, and only the story of sharks made me uneasy. The food was great and oh how I loved the fresh fish. We once went for a trip on a little yacht and the owner would catch fish right in front of us, and we would then eat it for lunch. A M A Z I N G! I have never had such good food. Generally though the Creole cuisine is pretty strange - lots of influences from Africa, India, a bit from France of course. But if you are a fan of seafood - it is for you. We had lobster for Christmas dinner, and it was my first lobster, I have to say I didn't much like it. All in all, you can imagine, I ate too much and didn't have time or opportunity to exercise - seriously if you have only 7 days in a pradise like this, you would not workout!

As you can see, I did add some weight, but not too much and I still fit everything. Back to workout damn it!

Next we flew back to Germany and I head out to Russia to visit my parents for the New Year's celebration. Stayed there for two weeks and in all festivities I again overate like crazy. Both me and my sister were nearly crying from all the yummy foods. But it was good to be back with the family - not too short, not too long, just enough. Obviously, when you don't have enough space, there is no way you can workout - even though I had my Continuity DVD's with me... But I simply never got around to doing it.

Well, after all the travels and going from +30C to -30C I got a flu or cold. And was sick for one more week. And so here I am - this was a fast-forward of my workout-empty life - on the 22 January 2013 (seriously???? when did THIS happen???), Tuesday, and I have restarted workout on 21 January.

I have decided to slowly go back into DC - started with 10 minutes yesterday and will try to get up to the full 30 in about 20 days: I will go by 5 minutes up every fifth workout till I reach 30 minutes again. I think the main thing is to take it easy. Also, if I don't feel like DC, I would do something else for the same time + 5 min.

MS. Instead of repeating anything (after all I was off exercise for a MONTH!), I decided to continue. This decision was made for several reasons. First I was feeling if I go back and start with for instance Continuity again, I would get completely stuck and be completely unmotivated. And for me right now it is really hard to keep the motivation up. Second, I didn't find the level 6 too hard, so I decided to give it a try and see if I can manage. Tracy says in that level that we have to come to ALL the reps in that level as soon as possible. BOY! I realised I sometimes didn't come to all the reps in the previous levels!!! Even by the end of them! So I decided to work really hard. And after 5th day add weights for the second half of each level.

So, level 6 is hard, but to be honest - not undoable. Really. Even after a month break I could do it. Yes, I was sore the next day and doing MS the today was a true torture, but I managed - both times. It is similar to the levels where there is no real standing abs and no weights in the arms section (from level 4). So in the end of the day, it is not horribly bad. The moves are good, and I have to say most of them even enjoyable. Except for one - which is done in plank position. And boy - it is HARD! I only manage to do like 10 out of 20 reps, so beware! :)

Well, I'll keep you posted how it goes, and I really hope to get going with it better than before.

Christmas is close!...

Well, it's  been a long long time since I logged in last and posted an update. Almost two months. Wow. Time flies.

I had a lot of things going on and now wanted to post about many different and perhaps not very related things. Because I am leaving tomorrow and most probably won't have access to Internet for nearly three weeks. Three more weeks is not so much compared to the 7 I have been absent from the blogosphere, but still. :)

TA. Well, I am still holding in. But barely. And it is not about the lack of motivation really. Simply my PhD is taking my life in its own hands and I really can't find enough time. But I did finish level 4 and 5. Now that I am away, I will try to keep active, but I'm afraid I won't be able to work out well and often. When I get back in mid-January, I will start on level 6 of Continuity. Slowly but right ahead.

I had a very sad November. My grandpa died and I couldn't go to the funeral. But at least I managed to say bye to him and see him in October. It took me a little back on my PhD and workouts as well. But I am happy to be travelling to see my family very soon.

I bought a new camera and enjoyed taking it everywhere with me. I took some nice pictures which are more like learning for me. I started out with learning photography from Photography Concentrate. Their "Extremely Essential Camera Skills" is really good and easy for the very beginners! It just gets you going from scratch!

These are some photos I took at my University (Jacobs University Bremen) when it was beautifully snowy for the first time this winter!

Now I read a lot of tips and advice, and really hope I can apply them in practice now on my trip.... We are heading out in a couple - yes - minutes!!!! Have to order a taxi and go! I will be crossing the equator for the first time in my life and will spend a wonderful week with my sweetheart in Seychelles! Can't wait! Christmas with the sand, palms, fruits, sea and lots and lots of sun!

To whoever celebrates what: 

Merry Christmas everyone! Happy New Year! Happy Hanukkah!

Continuity 1.1 Level 4... Oh Boy...

Level C1.1.4

Day 4

So folks, I started level 4! I was really tired and bored with level 3, as again I had to redo it at certain point. Sigh... Now that's done, and I was SOOOO happy to move on to level 4. I still get really excited about MS changes - they are new and unexpected. I know a lot of people like to preview the new levels, but I don't. I actually like to turn it on an be surprised. :) It means of course that MS does not take 30 minutes, but well over 40 at first - as I pause and rewind and do the exercise again. But it is so great - the anticipation of something new and you don't know what to expect!

My verdict so far: I loved level 4! It is weird and strange, but I still loved it! But beware: it is different!!! It is surprising and strange.

First, I think there is a little weird thing going on with reps (I am not sure if it was supposed to be that way or not...). Basically all exercises are repeated - and it looks like it is simply repeated by copy-pasting the video... 

Second, there are no arms with weights or standing abs. That was a shocker. So basically you do the sequence of moves for the arms without weights, and then they are repeated a second time. Weird. And then a shocker: after arms, you go directly to the mat for abs. And to be honest, I liked this little change - whether it was indeed planned or not... You would think that arm exercises without weights would be easy-peasy... Nope! I still can't even contemplate doing them with wrist weights: my arms are falling off as it is. The abs - well I have to be honest, all the exercises are doable and don't seem hard at all, but by the end your abs really hurt. For me this change is somehow "Back to simplicity"... It is great!

Third, the leg moves are doable! Wow! I actually can repeat most of the reps from the start and after day 5 will be putting ankle weights. And I like them - they are truly enjoyable. Lots of moves, during which you feel stretching all along your body. There are many of the exercises - about 8, and some of them I feel very very very well on my inner-thigh! Goody!!!! 

WARNING: Level 4 definitely has some video-making problems. So left leg lifts miss 3 exercises!!! Not one, not just a different angle, but whole 3 exercises! And nice ones too - from the very beginning. Hence, the video seems to be really short (total of 27 min), but if you do all the leg moves on the right and left, it becomes about 30 min workout. What I do - I simply rewind the video back to the start of right leg moves and mirror then for my left leg. By now I am almost able to do them on my own.

So, that is level 4. I have in generally not been eating extremely healthy. Me and my bf really want to go on diet - together to lose some of those kilos (I didn't really gain anything...), but I definitely lost some of my tight and cool abs (as I can't really workout more often than 4-5 times a week these days...)

But I think I'm still keeping it up reasonably well....

I also found a cool way to sparkle the DC a little and make it a little more fun: little skirts for dancing and tennis! They are so cute - I love them!!!! :)

Long long time...

Level: C 1.1.3

Day: 7

Hellooo everyone!!!

Its been a long long time. I kind of fell off the wagon of blogging for several reasons I guess. First, lots and lots of things happened in my life - good and bad. Second, I lost some motivation to blog and tell people things. Sort of felt like going deep inside of my little shell and never emerging out of it. I guess, this happens to people from time to time especially when stress is what life is about... Damn, that sounds bad. :)

So about the things that happened so far. First, I did get my driving license. From the first attempt. Hurray!!! But with it also "buying a car" business came. So yes, I bought a car - a nice cute little Ford Ka from 2001. I purposefully wanted mechanic transmission so that I can learn to drive properly. And to be honest, it is not so bad! But all in all, I LOVE my car!!! Getting a car, however, means I move LESS - this is a bit of concern for me, but I will try to workout even more.

Second, my PhD is not finished yet, which means the stress of it continues to dawn on me. Every day, every evening. I stress out and I don't like that. But there isn't much I can do about it. I have to work on it, I have to write it and I have to get going. On the bright side: the conference I went to in the end of August (yes, after the last post) brought me a best paper prize for the article I was working on day and night in August. That is pretty cool, but I still have about 2 papers to finish up. End of October is my deadline for that... Oopsy - only 3 weeks left... :(((

Third, I am coordinating a BA course in my University and this is not easy. It takes waaaay too much time and I don't like it to be honest. I just want to finish my PhD and get the hell out. :)

Fourth, I am actually now in Russia. Far far away, and the stress is only building up right now as I haven't been able to work for a long time now... My grandpa was diagnosed with 4th stage cancer with only months left and I decided to head to my hometown to spend some time before he goes. I love him dearly, and he loves me, so he was really happy to see me. He still talks and moves a little, but most of the simple everyday things are difficult and almost impossible for him to do. He barely eats, is really picky and grumpy. But nonetheless, we talk, he tells me his life story and I know he appreciates that. So even though it is sad, depressing and a bit unnerving to see death closer and closer, I try to just give him some good days on this Earth before he goes, and try to support my parents as much as I can. So my days have been full with reading and talking, bringing food (and yes running back and forth because it is not warm enough), finding just the right water (which is not bitter - I don't know how it can actually be bitter): I literally had to carry out a water-tasting. And I love doing that, even though this doesn't give me as much time for work (which means almost none at all). I also got to spend some good time with my mum and dad, hug them tons and simply be around them. On that note I have to say that when it is not cold, autumn in the Urals is beautiful! I go for runs almost every day (I just can do much at home) and that is so worth it!

And so now finally I get to the workout part... Most of my blog IS about workouts, but right now I needed to tell some other things before I say: " I have not been really good with workouts". Well I still DO workout. I still do TA. I am now on level 3, and finishing it pretty soon. I missed a lot of time and had to start over and practically redo level 2. It is going slowly and never as I want it to go. But I try to move - go for runs or do a little bit of exersises, even when I don't have a chance to do the MS. So the progress is not as AMAZING as the one in the beginning of Continuity: in the beginning I lost additional 2 kilos and was so skinny and I loved it! Now I have to say I don't have the courage to get back on scale. I know it is not going to be as much as I was a year ago, but the perspective is nonetheless frightening... I will get back with more updates - hopefully - very soon!!!!

Ups and dooowns...

Today was a hard day. It still is. First, it's hot. It is 35C (which is about 95F) and you might laugh at me, but I come from the place it rarely goes over 25... At 30 my head starts spinning, at 35 I have to restart the system, 40 can cause a permanent damage... Hey but honestly - jokes aside - it is hard for me! This is one of the BIG reasons I love Bremen so much: it rarely is above 20 in the summer and almost never below -10 in winter... Perfect 30 degrees range I (and my skin) can tolerate (and I don't give a damn about rains). And even still, I will have to shock some people, but sometimes I might prefer -30C to +30C. Of course when I am in a swimming pool or sea, +30C is kinda better... But anyway, 35C today - with little or no breeze, no air-conditioning, no sea, in basically a city... I find that mind-blowing. 

I woke up pretty early in the morning when it was still sort of fresh, but by 11 I had a pounding headache... I did DC, but every jump caused violent attacks on my brain, so I stopped after 15 minutes - and being completely exhausted (mind you I was doing it in nearly sauna!) I did MS, and that went better, but still hard. My thighs and butt were screaming to stop - they were on fire really. But I made it through AND I made a little discovery for myself today. I finally noticed that Omni is actually Omni, i.e. working on everything! Previously I never noticed how much other parts of the body work during leg lifts. Today - I was pretty surprised! I felt them in my legs, butt, abs, arms, back... Perfect!

I actually feel drained, exhausted and sticky the whole day. I do need some rest, hence I am happy just from the thought I will have my rest day tomorrow. I think my headaches are only getting worse from all the work on the computer, but what can I do?! I did work for at least 4 hours today in my favourite place so far - the old fire-station, very spacey and airy, love it!  

And I will have to do 2 more now, but at least I am at home, and not in the heat of the day. And I will go to bed early today - need some sleep. Talking of sleep, I found this great iPhone app - Azumio Sleep Time. It apparently trakcs your movement while you sleep to determine when your sleep is light, deep or REM. You can set it up to wake you in a half hour range in the best time, i.e. when you are in a light phase of sleep - this will help you wake up easier, be more full of energy and not abuse your snooze!!! I tried it today - and you know what, it worked! I even forgot to turn on the sound, so it woke me up just with the vibration - and you have to know I am a very deep sleeper, I rarely hear a very loud alarm. I was surprised! Gonna try it again tonight, and will try to get at least 8-9 hours of sleep. Everyone, very recommended app! (I guess though it is only for those who sleep alone LOL, cos otherwise it would track both people's movements... >_< One positive thing about sleeping alone!)

C1.1.2 killer? or just a new level?

It's official: I started level 2 of Continuity 1.1. And well, I heard lots and lots about this level - that it is tough and really really challenging. Well, to be honest, it is hard, but I didn't find it harder than some of the levels in Meta. It had lots of exercises, it is almost 5 minutes longer than level 1, and yes - the moves are tough. But some similar moves we did in Meta, and I would say they are doable... But that said, I do think I will have some sore muscles tomorrow! During MS I felt like my ass was on fire, and after that I was a bit exhausted. Needed (and still do actually) a nap. 

In two weeks I'm moving to a different office, and there I will have a big fat couch... and you can laugh at me, but I will start taking naps in the middle of the day. And I am afraid I will start living in my office at some point. :)))) Ooops.

OK, so great weekend to you all! I'm going back to work and thinking of a holiday in December. Sigh.

Tracy Anderson C1.1.1 results in numbers

Hey you guys! As I have not uploaded my results in numbers from Meta (yet), I thought to upload the results at least now after level 1 of Continuity... I don't think things changed much since Meta, but overall, I am happy about what I have achieved so far. I don't think from now on there will be much change in the cm/inches or kilos, but more in the way I look, but I am still expecting a little bit of change in things and bikini area. I have to say - this is my problematic zone somewhat, but hey - I am working on it! :) 

So here we are.

Boobs: -3 cm (that is NOT good!)

Under boobs: -5 cm

Waist: -8 cm

Hips: -6 cm

Thighs: -3 cm

Left bikini: -7 cm

Right bikini: -7 cm

Arm: -2 cm

Wight: -5.1 kg

These are the results since the time I started Metamorphosis in February 2012. It is almost exactly 6 months now into the Tracy Anderson method and I am still loving it! Most important things for me - there are no push-ups and exercises like that, and it works for me. What else do you need? If you found something that works for you - don't waste it!!!!

I am happy and satisfied. Today is the first day of level 2. I'm excited! Going to preview it now, then workout, and a long working day for me today. Sigh. I know it's Saturday, but I had a pretty unproductive working week, so busy Saturday for me today.

Cheers y'all! Have nice weekends! Not like me :)

Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis GRAND results: before and after pictures

It is nearly 6 months since I started TAM now. I started in February with a little bit of DC and mat DVD. Then I started Meta on 20th of February. I finished it on July 28th. Yes, it took me waaaay longer than 3 months. 5 to be precise. So Meta took me longer to finish. But I did in the end. I am now on to Continuity, but that is all a different story.

Today I wanted to share with you some of my Meta results. Long promised. Long awaited. As I mentioned before, I was a bit reluctant to post anything, as - well truth be told - I was not eating my best in the past 2 months of Meta. Don't get me wrong, it was mostly healthy (with very very very rare food binges), but it was not really a diet - i.e. it was quite a lot of food in the end. But then, I am addicted to good food. I love it. I cherish it. I can't live without it. So being in Switzerland for a month, I just could NOT not eat cheese cheese and cheese. All the raclettes, fondues, cheese platters... Plus my bf was taking care of me - which he did absolutely amazing, anyone can envy me - but it meant we ate a little more than i normally eat. And he also spoils me like crazy - so I had M&M's and Raffaellos almost every day. Sigh. 

So... well. Bottom line - diet was NOT the best last 2 months. But then it all showed me how much the Meta workouts can do for me to keep up with what I achieved. So obviously I did not lose any weight in the past 2 months (which is fine with me - I already reached the upper boundary of my goal weight). I also think I became less skiny. But then, I also feel I became more shapely in the right places, muscley - also in the right places, but not bulky at all. You can't really see the muscle, but I - I can feel it! Yeay! :) 

All in all, great good Meta did to me. I did not stress too much about missing days at times, and repeating levels when necessary. Meta made me more organised, and hell - now I know I can do it. The first 2 weeks kilos were running away from me - honestly! The energy, the strength, the confidence that I feel now are so great, that even if I did not lose any kilos, I would have still loved it. :) But I did, and I am happy. I also lost at least 1 size in clothes - I'm wearing confident 34 now, and very tight 32. Before it was 36-38. People notice that I lost weight, and tell me so, even though I didn't really need to lose so much. And I think the biggest change happened somewhere mid-way (even though I was already off diet), because even the least observant people noticed the change in me - the main reason for that was that finally my face caught up with the weight loss, and became a bit less round. :)

I love the way i look in a bikini. I bought TONS of new clothes - and what a pleasure it is to buy closes smaller and see them fit you well and nice! I love the new dresses I bought - and coming soon the dirndl! Will show you the pretty little thing I bought for the Oktoberfest I am going to in September. 

So pictures are bellow. :) I am so proud of myself, I can't stop beaming. And today the workout was great, I added wrist and ankle weights for MS, what a pleasure!

The love handles became so much smaller, and now they are kinda cute... Not hanging, but sexy. :) My butt has never looked like that - it is round and out there. I never had a round butt! I'm honest. I thought I would live my life with a flat butt. And here you go: a cute round butt!

All in all I lost around 9 cm in the waist and hips (each), 2 - in arms, around 10 in bikini area, and 8 in thighs. It might not be so visible, but I did have to buy new jeans - all the old ones were hanging on me! I love that I am toned, but not over-muscley. The only thing that I still want to work on is the thigh area,esp inner-thighs. :) Omni Continuity it is :)

Good luck to everyone who are only starting or in the middle and not getting results - you will! I love how TAM works, and am going for now to continue doing it. :)

Day 91 or a new beginning!

Level: C 1.1.1

Day: 1

Today I started Continuity - finally! 

It took me a week to get back, sort out some administrative issues back in Bremen - like visas, work, meetings, and I finally did the driving theory exam! Passed it right away from first attempt, and now am really really afraid of the practical part - but everything comes in time, so I won't worry about it now.

Continuity. Ah, where do I start?!

1. I LOVE the new DC! There are many good and a few still negative things. Starting with the positives, first, it has a warm-up. The Meta DC was criticized sometimes because in it you just start jumping - off, there you go! Now the DC has a short stretching and warming up and starts with a lower-intensity jumps and moves on to higher intensity, and slows down by the end again.  Second, it has much more interesting moves and actually something similar to simple choreography. So I can now say jump-dancing, not just jumping :) But really, DC in Meta had little to do with dance - it was more of jumping with some movements. Lots of jumping jacks and so on. Now it actually has some hip movement and dancy moves - so important for a woman's body! 

See what I mean? Lots of dancing :) 

Third, I found that at least for me Tracy gave encouragement in exactly the right moments... When I needed it - here she comes and says something along the lines "Just jam with it, girl!" It feels really encouraging. Fourth, it simply is more exciting and I guess - new. By the time you get to Continuity, you are so tired of Meta DC you want to vomit :) Now I am happy about some change. That said, the DC still doesn't have the cool-down in the end (though moving slowly into MS after that provides a little bit of a sort of cool-down). Besides, I found the video montage in places badly done - the movement changes and your screen is focusing on feet and not arms, so you don't know what you are SUPPOSED to do with arms. I mostly improvised and did something, but I think this should not happen in a DC - you have to be able to see all moves. 

I mean there is a lot of legs in this one!!!!

But nonetheless, I love the DC! Wohoo!

2. I love the plain white background in Continuity (like above). I mean the design with day-light and sofa and large windows in Meta was cool. But then the moves are so much more visible on the simple white background. And it doesn't distract your mind - you concentrate on Tracy and her moves. Perfection in simplicity!

3. The MS is challenging, and I love getting back into it. It does feel a little bit easier that level 9 of Meta, though the balancing exercises are a killer!!! I am falling mostly while doing those instead of doing them actually :) But I think it will come. Also because of all the balancing you have to do, you feel that all your muscles are engaged. Amazing!

I mean how on earth are you supposed to balance on a weight... with one hand??!!

All in all, I loved my first day of Continuity. It feels good to be back on the train. :) My body was hungry for exercise, and felt so good to start moving again - finally! 

As I mentioned before, I decided to change the schedule of workouts to 3+1 instead of 6+1. This means I will workout for three days in a row and rest one day. This would mean that I will still work out 5-6 times a week at least, but I won't have one specific day for a rest day - it will rotate around the week. It will also be psychologically easier (one of the tricks for the laziness inside us - I will write more about the tricks soon), as you don't have to go on for 5 days in a row, but just 3. Easy-peasy! For this purpose I also created a new tracking calendar (follow the link to a pdf file) - which is convenient, because it starts with first workout day of the 3, and finishes with the rest day, so you can start with the next sheet with no days' skipping and so on, it will just logically flow from one to another. This was something that annoyed me in the tracker on TAM website: it has 5 workout days in the end of the page and then you have to start again with the 6... You know what I mean? Now I don't have such problem (yes, I know I am a bit of a nerd...):

You can use this if you would also like to do 3+1 schedule! Just download and use :)

As to the rest of the goals I set earlier... I am still drinking from time to time - meeting a friend today for instance for a beer. But will quit as promised on the 6th of August. I am still procrastinating... Damn it. But I am one step closer to the driving license - I passed the theory test yesterday. I didn't have any soda, I woke up at 7 several days in the row except for today - after all it is Saturday and I simply can't not rest just a little bit... I haven't gotten too far with my work, but I will tomorrow! Yey! :) I love the energy that the exercise gives me!

Challenge number two

(Results are coming, but still a little later...)

Being done with Meta means that I DID IT! I managed to win my laziness and succeed in the challenge I set for myself. But I am essentially challenging person. This is how I work and succeed: I set challenges for myself, and I do everything I can to succeed, and even if I don’t, I know I did everything I could to achieve the goal. Mostly I do succeed though. :)

These past 5 months I have had one of the most difficult challenge I have ever had. It was tough, and sometimes I did feel horrible, but never did I want to give up. But my goal of healthy lifestyle is not achieved yet. It is a much longer process. So it is time to set some new intermediate goals towards the bigger goal.

Right now I’m travelling, so there isn’t much I can do. But I am back in Bremen on the 1^st of August. This is when my new challenge starts. And I need to set several challenges, and not only for work out. So this is the list of little things that I will try to do for a month (exactly 31 day):

1. Get up every day no later than 7, be in office no later than 9 (or start working at home at 8:30).
2. Go dry: quit drinking ANY alcohol for a month (start date: August 6).
3. Quit red meat – only lean and white meat and fish.
4. Quit any soda (this is going to be quite easy I think).
5. Start Continuity (23 workouts at least: 3+1 schedule).
6. Finish Chapter 5 and 6 – fully.
7. Get the driving license.
8. Record all procrastination, don’t do more than an hour a day.

So. The list is long. I know. And it will be hard, but this is my new challenge for one more month. I will report on all these things. Right now what is important for me is my PhD – so I have to work, I have to concentrate, and the workout should help me on my way, not distract me.

Time for a New Life and New Beginnings! :)