My set came with instructions on how to use the bands with proper form. Did yours? My weights aren't near heavy enough, but I figure at least I am working enough to be DRIPPING with sweat when I'm done, so something is working!

I know what you mean about the 90 day thing! I'm excited as well. It's nice to have a structured workout but with a little variety. I like having the calender lay everything out for me! I already am feeling a bit better and definitely more aware of my posture and muscles I didn't know I had.

Yes, I workout first thing in the morning. I've started setting my alarm for 4:00 A.M. so I can get up and get it done with NO excuses. That, and everyone else is still asleep so they're not trying to watch me struggle through it! I'm hoping that once I get used to it, I will wake up a little easier and be able to sleep a bit longer.

Are you an A.M. extremist?

Day 6 DOWN!

I did get the dvd with the band instructions. I just feel like I can do the reps more acurately with the weights.

I work out at 530 in the morning but I don't have to be at work until 8am. So while I'm exercising my hot rollers are heating up and so is my morning coffee I only work 4 hours a day and I have plenty of time when I get home but then I feel like it looms over my head all morning. Though I don't like getting up early, I like to just get it done so I have the rest of the day to do whatever.

I started my Lean circuit one today. I felt inadequate but that's only because I just finished a month of Burn. It's part of the program I know, but still I kept thinking..."Oh, I can't do this very well". Chalean does encourage and say do as much as you can. I felt like she was talking to me How did she know I wanted to stop? lol It doesn't take much for me to want to quit. But... that is where the 90days encourages me. I can do it!

Deb

Yeah, I think the bands would feel a little awkward to me too. But then again, I'm a little awkward with the weights right now! I'm starting to get my groove on though, it's just a constant struggle to maintain form!

My new weights FINALLY arrived and boy oh boy they certainly kicked it up a notch!!!!! Wow! Now I know what I was missing. Still glad I went ahead and started though. I got 9 days under my belt while I waited!

If you just finished the Burn phase, maybe the Lean phase IS too much for you just yet. Did you do any of the Push phase? You are certainly more experienced with this than I am and I don't mean to interfere if you just want to switch it up to work for you. But I just assumed each phase would be a little tougher than the next (I don't know I haven't watched any of the other phases yet) and if you skip a phase it may be a bit of a jump. Of course whatever works for you and you are comfortable with.....by all means sweat it off Girl!!

Sounds like you've got your morning routine down! Once the initial shock to my system wears off and I start waking up before the alarm, I really do like getting up early. Of course, I get razzed for turning into a pumpkin at 8 pm though! ha!

I know what you mean about Chalene, she is great! It's kinda like having a workout buddy. I wish she wouldn't walk around so much because I still need those visual guides at this point, but she is a bright personality that I don't mind spending my morning with!

Day 10 DOWN....and pressing on!

I'm on the second phase... is that Push? Now I'm all confused

I finished the first week and I feel pretty good. I'm sore and akward but at least I did it!

Deb

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you! Yes phase 2 is the Push phase according to her schedule. Of course I figure as long as you are moving you're on the right track. Great job getting through it!

I had an out of town guest and still got my workout in!!!!! Wooo Hoooo! I'm not letting anything or anyone getting in my way!

Day 13 DOWN! And pressing on!

That is impressive! I at times find any excuse not to exercise!!!

LOL! Thanks! I am really starting to look forward to "my time". It's still a challenge to get up that early, but as long as I stand firm with my bed time, I can do this. My husband and son kinda tease me because I start fading fast after 8, but now I just get things lined out for the next day and tell them I'm going to bed! My head hits the pillow and I am OUT by 9!! I find that I am sleeping much better too!!!!! I used to wake up several times a night and sometimes just couldn't go back to sleep.......not anymore baby! I might wake up once or twice, roll over and I am out again! Yeah!!!!

I'm starting to get anxious about weighing and measuring at the 30 day mark. I am wearing a pair of jeans that I couldn't comfortably wear before, so I am seeing progress.......not quite as much as I thought I would but I'm headed in the right direction anyway!

What about you? Noticed any improvements in clothes, mood, sleep etc.?

Day 15 DOWN......and pressing on!

Since I only work a half day there are times if I'm at home I may doze off and take a nap. BUT... I'm always able to go to be around 10pm. I have been sleeping a little better but I do see a difference overall. Jeans that were tight I can slip off with out unbuttoning. My smaller jeans (i was smaller last year and gained it back) fits again. So before dieting i was a size 12 almost 14, now i am a size 8. I hope to be a 6 before I'm done with this 90 day set of Chalean. I have started to weigh myself. I'm still 160, but feel good about being a size 8. Will I ever be less than that?

Do be discouraged. I have the mental strength to weigh myself now, but you can see it still plays games with my mind. Go by your clothing

Deb

Congrats! That is fantastic progress! Oh to be in single digit clothing again.........oh yeah.....I'm working everyday toward that goal.......I'll get there! Oh, I'm not discourage...more like impatient. But by this time next year, I will probably feel like it went by fast.

I think size 8 is a great size. How tall are you? I have a friend who is six feet tall and when she gets down below a 10 she does NOT look healthy. Don't just get stuck on a number on a tag.

How are you doing with your eating? I've pretty much got mine in check. Once a month it gets a little more challenging, but other than that I do pretty well. I use my heart rate monitor which shows calorie burn for my workouts. Seeing that number and knowing how hard I worked for it makes me more conscious of the calories I consume the rest of the day. I don't count calories per say, I need a long term plan and know I won't stick to that, I just see everything as a lump of calories. We have good lumps and bad lumps and I'm sticking (for the most part) to the good lumps.

Well, have a good one.

I'm only 5'2" so I still have a long way to go for being so short. At times I think I wouldn't need to loose weight if I could just grow! lol Since I was at this size last year, I would really like to be less. It would be more of a goal for me.

As far as my eating, Pepsi was my weakness. I love a tall glass with crushed ice three times a day! So I haven't had that in 2 months. My eating has changed calorie wise, but I'm still not eating "clean" food as Chalean would say. In the morning I have my cup of coffee, about 10am I have a cinammon-raisin muffin with spreadable cheese. At 1230 I eat a frozen pizza french bread and then for dinner I eat a little rice, protein and zuccinni sauteed in a little butter. I stay within my 1600 calories a day. I keep telling myself that after the intial 90 days I will create a new habit and eat better. This the first time of being serious on changing my life eating habits. Last year I did Weight Watchers and I think this is easier for me.

I'm so proud that we are pressing on!

Deb

Ha! Ha! I feel the same about the height! At 5'4'' my big joke is, " I'm not over weight, I'm under tall!". I have step stools all over my house! Guess I'll have to get my body in smokin' hot shape and slap on some killer heels. Ha!

Excellent job on refraining from the soda. Years ago, I was addicted to Dr. Pepper.....6 pack a day! Now I MIGHT have a soda once every 6 to 8 months. I usually can't even finish one now because it will end up giving me hiccups!

Girl, if I skipped breakfast like that with these workouts, I would either fall flat on my face or the townspeople would chain me to a wall mistaking me for a wild beast!!!!!!!

I have a scoop of protein in 8oz. of milk with 3/4 cup coffee in it before I work out. (I was drinking 2 or 3 and sometimes 4 cups of coffee a day before I started this) Then after workout and shower I have a smoothie with about 1/2 cup plain yogurt, scoop of fiber, scoop of whey protein, scoop of greens, dash of cinnamon, tsp. of olive oil, cup of frozen blueberries and top it off with water. I have a mid morning snack, usually something like apple slices with a lean protein. Lunch and supper both are usually pretty similar about 1/2 cup rice, lean protein and steamed vegetables. My beverage of choice is water and I drink LOTS of it.....always have .....suffer from chronic thirst. I may have a cup of herbal tea during the day as well. Usually in the afternoon, almost seems like a snack.

I know some people can't even stand the thought of food for several hours after they wake.......but I'm certainly not one of them. On the heavy lift days, sometimes I feel like I will just come undone before I can get my shower done and make that smoothie! How in the world do you do it?

You mentioned this being easier than weight watchers and I totally agree. When I was doing it (probably about 6 years ago now) it was like that was ALL I thought about! How many points is that? How many points have I had? How many do I have left? And at the meetings, it seemed they were all obsessed about what kind of desserts you could make with only a couple of points. I'm not a big dessert eater, but while on W.W., I found myself eating more and more desserts!!!! Not the direction I wanted to go. I've seen it work for several people......while they stay on it.......but once they go off......the weight comes back on. Of course this is true for any system or program (or good ol' common sense) so I had to find something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. And counting calories or points just doesn't work long term for me. But I think I have found my workable solution!!!!!!

And yes, I am proud we are pressing on too!

So, 16 days......and pressing on!

I'm one who really doesn't feel hungry until 10 or so. If I had my way I wouldn't wake up until 9:30 and then have lunch at 10. We eat dinner early at my house since my husband eats his lunch at 11:00. We eat right at 5pm so I can make it by then. Sometimes at 230 or so, I'll have some string cheese. I drink water too, but not a whole lot. My husband drinks like a gallon a day.

We must be twins because I felt exactly the same way about Weight Watchers. I don't care for sweets either. I'd rather have a greasy taco. BUT...when I was on WW that's all I could think about. Trying to save all my points for those Pillsbury Chocolate Chip cookies. I was really a calorie horder. I'm still like that a little bit now. Dinner is my thing. Now if I want some nuts, I'll grab a handfull instead of counting it out. It's a whole mind game, but now I feel like I have the freedom even though it works the same as WW. Crazy I know. My husband, has no control. He'll have those 100 calorie packs but he'll eat like 4 of them. I told him to stop wasting money buying those prepackage items if he is still eating so many of them. lol

LOL That's funny about the calorie hoarding. And those 100 calorie packs kill me! The prices are so bloated on them and I don't know anyone who eats just one pack! I would rather eat something lower in calories overall so a real portion size isn't 200 or 300 calories. No nutritional value at all in those things either!

Trying to get things ready for Thanksgiving. Finding the balance between the traditional feast and a healthier version. Not stressing over it. It is just a day and I can allow myself to enjoy whatever I want. Every year I try to find the balance but generally the steamed vegies and fresh fruit are overlooked by everyone but me. But this year I actually had requests for steamed vegies and fresh fruit!!!!!!! They never even noticed them before! Ha! Both of my parents and my best friend are all making some modifications as well! Very exciting! We're all getting older and want a better quality of life. Woo hoo!

Well, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 20.....and pressing on!

Hi everyone -

I'm just starting week 2 of Chalean. While I've been quite active this year I haven't been doing any strength stuff, and to my dismay I discovered my core fitness was poorer then I believed it to be. So my goal for this year is to work on strength and core. Originally was going to pick up P90x, but after watching and trying just a small portion I decided before I attempt it to go through the Chalean Extreme stuff.

Have any of you guys done more the one round of this?

"My husband, has no control. He'll have those 100 calorie packs but he'll eat like 4 of them. I told him to stop wasting money buying those prepackage items if he is still eating so many of them. lol"

This is exactly why I stopped buying these too!

Hi Everyone!!!

Hope your Thanksgiving was a good one! I didn't diet and had whatever I wanted. Did have some chip and dip and it did my stomach in. It didn't not like it at all. I treated myself to some Pepsi I liked it but I'm not feeling like I have to have it like previous diets. It's amazing how the word "diet" messes me up mentally!

I am finishing my 3rd week of the Push phase. I see alot of difference in my middle section. They are not rock hard, but now I don't look like I'm pregnant anymore. I used to get that alot. People asking me if I was pregnant. I had to say "no, I'm just fat" I can wear a size small tshirt now. It feels pretty good. I'm am so excited to see what will happen when I finish my 90 days.

I love this program. I don't dread it all!

Good luck everyone. Keep pressing on!