Week 7, Day 4

Yesterday just about killed me. Not just the workout, though. I left home @ 5:00 am and got home @ 8:45 pm. Yes, almost 16 hours after I left home I got back home. And then I put my son to bed and went to bed. What a life. Workout was fine that morning, but I had a terrible eating day. Monday is not going to be good news next week.

Today Corey was sick so we were on our own! After 2-3 minutes of my group discussing whether or not we would actually stay to work out(How's that for commitment?) we all jumped on the treadmills. After 15 minutes I was sooooo bored, so another gal and I went outside to "run the hill" while the other two stayed inside and did weights with a "Biggest Loser" graduate. I expected we would kind of gently jog down the hill and then powerwalk back up it, butb My friend and I actually RAN THE HILL with the non-Biggest Loser workout group. I couldn't believe it! Their leader encouraged us to run with them and we did! I almost died for the second time in two days. That was seriously hard (remember, I am a terrible runner) but I did it.

I am definitely noticing that I am a person who needs a very positive, encouraging person as my trainer. Some people need an "in your face", challenging trainer. Some people want someone who is all business -- no joking around. I need someone very personable, and encouraging who will give me my daily pat on the back for showing up and trying and who can give me great encouragement to keep going. I also really like the trainers who actually do the workouts with us so I can look at their form and also know they aren't asking me to do anything they aren't willing to do.

Week 7, Day 2

My muscles have been really tired the last two days. Not sure why that is. I've been exhausted before I've even started! Today we were all in a good mood from the positive numbers we saw yesterday. Which was a good thing, because Corey decided to step it up a notch today! We did some really hard exercises using a stability ball. . .and yes, they included push-ups! Yuck. We also did the Jacob's ladder, boxing, medicine ball stuff, and some crunch type exercises using the kettle ball. Corey had a good tip for mastering the Jacob's Ladder, which is one of my better exercises to begin with. He suggests we NOT watch the time on the machine, but pick a spot to look at far off in the distance. He said it makes the time go faster. . .and it does. It was a great suggestion.

The other Biggest Loser group is in week 11! They have all signed up for session #2. I don't know if I can afford another session. The money aspect of it is definitely a major reason why I show up everyday, though!

The other funny part of today was the triathlete coach who was teaching the bootcamp for "regular" people. He was so loud, and so militaristic, we were all cracking up. "Hup down, Hup down, Hup down. That's Hup DOWN, not just Hup." Kudos to him, though, for doing every exercise he expected to his students to do.

Did a 5 mile workout to a Leslie Sansone video this evening. Didn't get me to 1000 calories, but it was something, anyway! I love her workout DVDs because she has normal looking people, who aren't skin and bones on them. The people on her videos range from their 20's to their 70's and have all lost weight walking. She stresses activity and movement, not perfection. I like her style.

Week 7, Day 1 and "The results are in"

Today was a HAPPY day at the gym. Finally had some real numbers with real results (besides losing pounds). I also had a big week last week. I seem to be in a pattern of two small weeks, one big week. Everyone loses weight differently, this must be how my body allows itself to shed fat.

So, the six-week results are . . . down 9 lbs (only half of my 6 week goal -- boo!), BUT, down 2.5" on my hips, 3" off the waist, 4.5" off each thigh, and .5" off each arm -- that's 15.5" off those areas. Yay!! I would have more off my arms if I had better form, but I'm not complaining!!!! I knew the hips and waist were way down. The thighs shocked me, though. If they measured chests that would have been down too. Sure wish the body could spot reduce!

Everyone had good measurement results and we are all going down, just not as quickly as we'd like. It's never as quickly as you'd like.

The halfway point (week 6, Day 5)

My Biggest Loser group has finally reached the halfway point! I think that is a big accomplishment in itself, regardless of my limited weight loss. I've showed up, Monday-Friday, @ 5:28 am for 28 of the 30 days (two days were vacation -- but I did still exercise) and put in a good 55 minute effort. I've worked out at least one more time on almost all of those days, plus the weekends. I do not enjoy it anymore today, on day 30, then I did on day 1, and I'm even a bit discouraged because I am so far from my weight-loss goal (perhaps I was unrealistic in thinking I could lose 36 pounds in 12 weeks?). On the other hand, I now have biceps! Who'd have thought that was possible? And, I've lost inches--my whole group has. We'll see how many on Monday.

My trainer Corey and I are definitely not on the same wave length. His suggestions (for life outside the gym) do not fit my lifestyle and I get tired of the EXTREME world view he espouses. Religion issues aside, I don't think all his ideas about food are bad or wrong, but they are unrealistic and unsustainable in the long-term for me--an extremely busy working mom, wife, pet owner and community volunteer who LOVES FOOD. I am not going to follow his eating plan and thus will not achieve the results that may be possible if I did (I am following the nutritionist's/dietitian's advice, though). I've accepted that. I'm not sure HE'S accepted that, though. And despite what he told me, yes, I AM happy when I eat a delicious cheeseburger. I am not just fooling myself. For anyone who hasn't read Eat, Pray, Love -- read it. I am the "Eat" chapter. I LOVE and APPRECIATE good food, especially that which is prepared by others for me. I think there is a difference between stress and boredom eating and general over-eating of processed food (which I have been a master at doing in the past) and eating and enjoying food for more than the nutrition it provides, including the TASTE, the SMELL, the TEXTURE, and yes, the SOCIAL aspect. I believe that food and eating have an important cultural purpose as well.

However, he is a good trainer inside the gym and I think that while I would prefer the training style and exercises of the other trainer, the heavy emphasis on whole body workouts and strength training has probably been the correct approach for me given how weak I am and my disinclination to do it on my own. I'll take a walk, or do an elliptical machine on my own; frankly, there is no way I'd ever pick up a medicine ball or kettle ball or do a push-up without someone telling me I had to. I do appreciate that he has listened to my concerns about the weights being TOO HEAVY and the past couple weeks he has adapted my weight levels downward even though the other ladies are doing heavier weights. Despite my new biceps, I am weak, what can I say?

So, overall, even though I, once again, will not meet my goal, I am happy with the program. It got me off my lazy butt. I've proved I CAN get up at 5:00 am and workout, if that is the only time in my life where I can gain an hour to exercise. I'm no more tired than I was getting up @ 6:00, so I guess that means I actually am less tired. I CAN eat less and more healthy food and not starve to death or feel completely deprived. I CAN do more than I thought I could and I DO push myself more than I would on my own. I HAVE met some awesome people. I LOVE the gym and its staff, Hybrid Fitness , and think it is a model operation, with the combined focus of whole body group exercise, personal training and nutrition (they even have a healthy restaurant on site, which I would love to take the meal plan, but can't afford it :-()

The next twelve weeks start in June. . .by then we will have a dog, which I have been given the responsibility of walking in the morning. I will have to decide if I should continue this program or not and if I can fit it in with the dog walking. I think some of my group are signing up again. I don't want to slide backwards. . . but I was going to take my Diet Coke money (after the first 12 weeks) and save for a trip to Hawaii!

Week 6, Day 2 "No Surrender"

So today, Corey told me I needed to "surrender completely to the program." For some reason that just completed irritated me and I was already irritated this morning. The alarm clock woke me up out of a sound sleep and I'm just not feeling the "Biggest Loser" love these days. When I follow the program completely (surrendering to it in body and mind) I don't lose anyway, so I don't see what else I have to surrender. I have a somewhat bad attitude about it, but I'm still showing up and participating. I think that's good enough. One of the problems is that I've bonded more with the ladies in the 5:00 am group (we have more similar personalities and life circumstances) than the people in my own group, so I feel kind of like a fish out of water. I look over at what they are doing, and while it doesn't seem fun either (they ran 4.4 miles today. . .I'm fairly positive I can't do that), I still yearn to be over there. I never see them doing weights like we do.

Today, we had some kickboxing, some leg stuff on a box, some arm weights, and heavy bag flipping. Another morning of fun, fun, fun!

On the upside, the weather has been so freaking amazing that I have taken some really great, long walks in the evening. They might not be at a great pace, but I'm still getting the calories in. I LOVE walking!!!! (especially walking while reading, my special talent).

Tomorrow's hump day!!

Week 6, Day 1

I am so ready for this to be over. Since I'm not having any success anyway, I feel like it's kind of pointless. But, I'll see it through for six more weeks, I guess. The other group is having SO MUCH MORE success. I don't know if it is their training regimen, their diets, where they started, or what. They routinely lose 4+ pounds a week while we are all struggling with 1 lb or less each week. So frustrating.

Today was weigh-in day. Down .5 lb. Whoopee. Something seems to happen on Sundays. I'm down at home during the day, and then by bedtime I'm up and stay up for weigh-in. Then, I come home, and I'm back down. So, I think I am really down a couple of pounds, but I'm having almost no success on the scale at the gym.

Took a nice walk at lunch time and a nice walk at home. Also played this football game with Matthew and Jim where the swing on the swings and throw me the football while I play wide receiver. I keep jogging the entire game and can burn more than 400 calories an hour. Untraditional workout, but it gets me family time and exercise at the same time.

Week 5, the weekend

I've missed a few days blogging! I've been kind of overwhelmed by life right now. Way too much going on.

I didn't get all my workouts in this week and I didn't eat that well (by my new standards), so I am not expecting to do well at weigh-in tomorrow. I was down this morning a couple of pounds, but back up tonight. So, we'll see. I did enjoy lots of nice walks outside though!

Starting week 6 tomorrow. After this week is over, I've reached the half-way point.

Week 5, Day 3

Someone in my group today asked me what I thought I had signed up for. This was a genuine inquiry after hearing me whining for the 23rd "consecutive" day. I think that is a good question.

I knew I was signing up for a biggest loser workout program, that had a nutrition component, and I knew it would be hard, but I guess I expected better results given that I have followed both the exercise and the nutrition part of the program faithfully for 31 consecutive days. I just figured this would work.

But the other reality is that I didn't expect it to be so hard. I have always been a fairly athletic person, and I used to work out quite regularly, so I figured, "Well, this will be hard for a couple of weeks, but then it will get easier." I figured other "bigger" people might struggle, but that I would hit my groove and be successfully somewhat easily. But, what I've learned is this type of fitness training is not related to being athletic. Hand-eye coordination and a competitive spirit don't count. Being able to adjust quickly doesn't count. This training, at least the part I'm bad at, is all about core and upper body strength, which has almost nothing to do with general athleticim, in my opinion.

I've never enjoyed strength training, and we're doing a ton of it. I still don't enjoy it and it is incredibly difficult for me.

That said. . .today we used. . KETTLE BALLS again. This time, a 25 lb kettle ball that we lunged with and whacked at heavy bag. And then we did some more kettle ball stuff. I didn't get in a second full workout tonight for the first time in a while. I am just tired.

Week 5, Day 2

Well, I didn't hate today's workout. It has been interesting the last couple of days to learn that I just can't burn the calories the others can do the same exercises. I have to do MORE than them. For example, today we were supposed to walk on the treadmill, 15 incline, 3.5 mph pace. He wanted us to get mid-to upper 160's heart rate. So I did that, and my highest heart rate -- 147. I talked to Corey afterward and when I do it I'm going to have to use 3 pound weights in each hand like I did on Friday and I got my heart rate to 170. It is encouraging that my heart is so strong. Trust me -- I'm happy about that! But, I can't believe I have to work even harder. It reminds me of when I was pregnant and they told me my contractions (after 24 hours of HELL) were not strong enough. I couldn't even fathom what a stronger contraction would feel like.

Got my extra workouts in today. Walked up and down the hill at work during lunch (I'm glad that hill serves some purpose besides irritating me in the winter) and then did 30 minutes on the elliptical at home and another 20 minutes of Wii EA Active. I'm done for the day.

So, after all the griping about the workouts and the 5 am mornings and the lack of weight loss, I should say that I am actually happy about my program. As I told my boss today, there really is no downside. I'm getting more fit (regardless of weight loss), I've definitely loss inches, and I'm eating much healthier. All of those are good despite the fact that I wanted to lose 36 pounds in 12 weeks and am more likely to lose only 12 pounds (if that). So, I'm happy that I've made positive lifestyle changes, on my own terms, before a doctor had to tell me to do something. And maybe, by the end of this, I'll actually enjoy doing pushups.

I don't think so.

Week 5, Day 1

Well, today was the first day I really didn't want to show up @ my workout. Between not having a group on Friday and not really losing much weight, I am just losing my inspiration. I'm also getting really negative and grumpy, when I actually do like what I'm doing, even if I don't enjoy it at all while I'm doing it. . .if that makes any sense.

So, it was weigh-in day and I stayed the same. Or, I lost 2 pounds if he wrote down last week's weight wrong when he said I lost 4 pounds. Either way, I've only lost 5 pounds total while and barely make the scale move while other people are losing 5 and 6 pounds a week. It is getting very frustrating. But, I don't burn as many calories, either. I'm working hard, I'm sweating, my heart rate is getting high, and I'm eating well but I burned about 400 calories this morning and other people in my group were well above 500 and one was at 622! How unfair is that!

I did sign up for the Crazylegs Classic, which is a big run/walk in Madison, as part of the Hybrid Fitness team. I haven't decided for sure if I'm actually going to participate or not. I really hate big crowds. But one of my group members convinced me to sign up. Am I nuts?!?!

I did try ZUMBA yesterday, which is a latin dance/aerobic exercise thing. It was sort of fun and I would do it again. I looked ridiculous though. I have no rhythm and like Jim says, "I'm sexy like a koala bear." Zumba is for pumas.

My goal this week is to be more positive. So, I'll try not to complain as much this week.

Week 4, Day 5 (I was deserted!)

Well, my group deserted me today! I was the only person there. It probably sounds good to have received a personal training session to myself at basically no cost, but it wasn't that great. I really missed being part of a small group. We've developed quite a bond over the past 20 days. . .as they say, misery loves company. I enjoy joking around with the others and complaining about the exercises with the others, and mostly, just having the support of three other ladies going through the same process. They UNDERSTAND in a way others can't what it is I am trying to do and how hard it is. We are all facing the same challenges, together.

So, without the support of my group, Corey tried to kill me today. Seriously, my heart rate was in the 170's the entire hour (my MAXIMUM heart rate is 180). When I work out by myself, I usually am in the 120's to 140's, and usually with my group I am consistenly in the upper 140's to about 168 or so. On a rare occasion I reach the low 170's. Today -- almost an hour straight, except for water breaks.

Did I say I hate the kettle balls more than the medicine balls? I take it back. Today was medicine ball hell. For the first half hour every exercise I did (except the Bear Crawl which is its own fun form of torture) used an 8 pound medicine ball -- high knees down the ladder, lunges, squat throws, lateral high knees down the ladder, sprints. Ugh. I was exhausted. Then we did weights, my FAVORITE (hear the sarcasm). And when we finally went to cardio, he made me use 3 pound weights in both hands and do arm lifts because I haven't been able to get my heart rate high enough on the treadmill, even @ a 15 incline (for as out of shape as I am, my heartrate and cardiovascular fitness is really quite excellent). Yes, I got my money's worth and my team's money's worth this morning.

Here's an interesting fact though. I mentioned to Corey that I hate running and he did acknowledge that I do not have a runner's body. Yes! Finally, validation from a professional that my body is not built to run. I feel vindicated for hating to run. I'm built to . . .do something that requires good cardiovascular fitness and lots of lower body power, with little need for upper body strength. Any ideas what that might be (besides birthing babies, and I didn't even get to do that!).

Another hour tonight, and then I need to push it this weekend.

Week 4, Day 4

Woke up to snow today. I knew the weather was too good to last!

Today's workout involved kettle ball weights. Have I mentioned how much I really dislike those weights? For some reason, they seem heavier to me than dumbells or medicine balls. Maybe it has to do with the way the weight is distributed. Anyway, Corey had us doing kettle ball lunges, squats, twists, situps, and leg lifts. And then, if we got done too fast, wall sits with kettle ball passes under our legs. I sweat a lot this morning, much more than yesterday. We also did a little cardio -- elliptical, stair stepper, and Jacob's ladder.

Following this morning's workout, I dropped the truck off and then rode my bike to work 5 miles. That puts me at about 700 calories for the day, so an easier night ahead! That's good, because I have a Cub Scouts parents meeting and Jim and Matthew have soccer. I was going to ride my bike back to the repair shop to get the truck, but have decided instead to ask a co-worker to take me. It is cold, I am a wimp, and I feel I have done my duty for the day.

Week 4, Day 3

I keep thinking this has to get easier. It has to get easier to get up @ 5 am, it has to get easier during the workout, and it has to get easier to find the extra hour at night. When???? I am getting a little crabby about this. As one of my group mates says, "Life is all about choices." I know I made this choice as a result of previous choices to eat too much and not exercise, but still--it sucks.

Today's workout wasn't as bad as the past two days, but I also didn't burn as many calories, so tonight's work-out will have to be more strenuous. Maybe I'll even have to venture downstairs to the elliptical machine. Ick.

Today we worked in the weight area: Some legs, a back exercise, and the benchpress again. Corey finally agreed that the weight on the barbell was TOO HEAVY for me. Yes, I know everyone else could do 55 pounds the appropriate number of repetitions, but I can't at this point. Halfway through our 2nd circuit he took off 10 pounds which was more tolerable, yet still very difficult, at 45 pounds.

Week four, day 2

Learned this morning that I was the BIGGEST LOSER for this week. I can't believe it. That's a lot to live up to. Probably was the biggest loser this week because I was the smallest loser the two weeks before :-) Actually, I think I just got a lot more exercise the week I was on vacation.

Today was a hard day, again. I think I'm getting better, and it just keeps getting harder. Corey says he has to make it harder as our bodies adapt, but dang, I just need a break. Wasn't as tired at work today, though.

Got my 2nd hour in after school. It actually as an hour and fifteen minutes because I can't get my heart rate up high enough at home to burn 500 calories in an hour.

Got two compliments at work today, as well. So, while I'm only 5.5 pounds down, I am much more fit which I guess is showing. Yay!

Week 4, Day 1

Wow, am I tired today. Don't know if was the workout after four days off or the end of vacation, but I can barely stay awake!

Only two of us were there today and Corey worked us hard! We dragged a heavy weight (boxing bag) down the turf today. The first two times, we did it by putting two large rubber bands around our shoulders. These were attached to two very large chains which were in turn attached to the heavy bag. About 100 pounds in all. Hard! But not as hard as the next exercise, which was to drag the heavy weight by the chains using our arms and back. We got down into a squat position, and then the first time we dragged with one arm, the next time the other. Hard! My heart rate was about 170, which was my highest until I did the Jacob's ladder and then it went up to 174. Man. We also did some push-up exercises, plank exercise and some arm things.

I took a walk outside at lunch for about 40 minutes. Not at a fast past (don't want to gross out my co-workers), but at least I got some additional exercise in and could enjoy the beautiful day a bit.

It was also weigh-in day: Down 5.5 total for three weeks. Not what I wanted, but not bad. If I can keep that up, I'd be down 22 for the session, which would be good (but I'd still have another session to go :-( I can tell I've definitely lost more inches than weight, especially off my waist/hips.

Weekend, week 3 -- Easter

Suffice it to say I did NOT eat my diet plan today. I have no idea how much food I consumed at lunch/dinner -- ham, potatoes, asparagus, fruit salad, tortellini salad, 1 roll, strawberry fluff, raw veggies, black bean couscous, a little corn. Wow! Tons of food. But, probably my only meal of the day :-)

The past four days I have only officially worked out for 1 hour. But, I got lots of exercise in on Thursday when we walked the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and then I took two walks at night. I walked for three hours delivering campaign literature for candidates on Friday, and then another hour on Saturday delivering literature for different candidates. Sunday, I delivered a little literature. . .maybe some exercise tonight?

Weigh-in day tomorrow. Hope I'm down more than a pound this week!

Happy Easter!