I remember a few years, even months ago when I was too embarrassed to wear tank tops. That doesn't mean that I didn't, it just meant I was waiting for my photo to be posted on PeopleofWal-Mart.com.
Today is arm day and undoubtedly a tank top day. Something as simple as toned arms and/or shoulders has boosted my confidence and quite honestly motivates me in the gym. It's one thing when your trainer says it. He sees me every day and knows every inch of my body like the back of his hand. It is a whole different feeling when it comes from a stranger. When I was out a few weeks ago some guy came up to me and told me that I had nice shoulders. Then the sales lady at Macy's used the same line to convince me to buy a top. In the same top my uncle had a lot to comment on. At the bar a few weekends ago a guy asked me if I worked out. Okay okay... message received! It is not my imagination. I have nice arms now. Maybe they will distract from the ass? Ehhh not likely! I can't wait for the day that someone comments on my legs and booty. Not to be confused with the, "Damnnnnn, Hey girl let me holler atcha!" kind of comment either. Lol.
I downloaded a new blogging mobile app. O' shucks!!!!
Today, a temp at my office and I were discussing weight loss and fitness. I amazed myself with all of the stuff that just rolled off my tongue. Speaking to someone that I have never met before and someone that didn't know my story was kinda fun. I wasn't looking back reflecting on the aspects of the lifestyle that I missed any longer. It was almost like I was telling someone else's story. I have come to a place in my journey where I AM what I strived to be for so long. I am an average weight, not wishing to be. I am now an athlete, a fit woman, a strong and dedicated person who follows her goals. How cool right?
I was asked what 1 piece of advice I could give someone struggling with weight loss. Hmmm... my first though was to tell her to subscribe to my blog. Haha. If I had to pick just one, it would be the following:
You have to change the way that you look at food. If you eat several small meals a day, there is no reason to go all out on flavor. You are going to have another meal in 2 hours. Food is fuel. It is not a treat. That's not to say that you can't have a cheat meal but that is a completely different subject.
I used to go to a restaurant and go all out because I didn't get to go out very often. Who was I kidding? I eat out all the time. Uhh! The lies I told myself just piss the new me off. I used to put salt and cheese on everything so it tasted good. The taste of success is so much better. Fat lasts longer then flavor. Last night I ate my last meal, dry plain chicken breast and a plain baked potato. That's it! No butter, salt, cheese or sauce. I don't care about that crap anymore. The work that I need to do in order to offset those kind of additives just make me exhausted to think about. Food is fuel. If I want yummy flavor, it comes with a price. I will wait until I earn it. As much as I workout, I do not do enough in a day to earn cheese at every meal. We have to change the way we look at food. I hate eggs but I eat 3 dozen a week. Why? Because that is what is good for me. I make them and eat them, its over in 6 minutes. I can survive that. It is just that simple.
I feel silly admitting this but I just KNOW that I can't be the only one doing it.
I am sitting at my desk at work oogling women on fitness websites. I'm trying to mentally cut and paste body parts to see what I think I will end up looking like at my goal weight/size. haha.
This weekend, I have struggled with what to write as my next blog entry. I wanted to of course make it worth reading (and writing) but all the while I wanted it to have something we could take away from it. Nothing major or noteworthy has happened in my "journey" this weekend but maybe that's just it... being able to reflect on where I have been and where I am going. Taking the time out to reevaluate where I am right now.
This weekend I hit a major fall on the scale. I briefly saw the little red needle settle on 171. That puts me at an 87lb loss to date. Yeah Man!!! I did not get around to doing my measurements but I did take my progress photos. I didn't see in the photos the loss that I was hoping for but I did see it on the scale. Pardon my emoticons but >:( w.t.f.? My clothes are fitting looser then last week so I understand that the changes are there-somewhere.
Here I am a few weeks past the Warrior Dash and just a week and a half to the Rebel Race. I am coming along well with strength and endurance. I can really feel the difference. I spent most of this weekend up and down steps and it really did not physically take that much of a toll on my body. Awesome, simply awesome.
I am stuck in a bit of a lull where my upper body has decided to meet my goal and my lower body has taken a vacation. I am extra... ummm... lumpy and jiggly this week in my legs and thighs but Xavy assures me that it is simply the fat begging to break up. He better be right or he is going to get hurt for calling my fat, fat. haha. Nobody calls my fat, fat, but me! (I am not sure how to grammatically build that sentence.)
I covered tangible changes, physical changes, metabolic changes and last but not least... emotional changes. Emotional changes have been interesting to say the least. Apparently last week I was P.M.S.'ing, we all know how that goes! The last few months my cycle has been a bit in the air, I assume because of my drastic drop in body fat. Maybe, maybe not... but that makes me feel good so lets roll with it. I suppose with that being said, it is reasonable that I went up, down, jiggled, toned, got a pep in my step when walking in front of a mirror and then cried. haha. Again, we all know how this goes. P.M.S. may be to blame for my emotional instability but I cant use that excuse for anyone else.
Yesterday, I had a brief conversation with my mom about my weight loss goals. It did not go exactly as I would have hoped. In fact, it did not go how she had hoped either. Some how, some where, she has let herself be concerned that I am getting too skinny. She fears my goal weight is "unhealthy". Kind of a catch 22, huh? A part of me wanted to jump up and down that my mom was saying I was doing well reaching my goals. The other part of me wanted to scream. What I need is support, not judgement. A year ago her response was the exact opposite. I can only imagine that having seen me fat for 13-14 years, it looks odd now that I have slimmed down to simply "overweight". (According to my BMI.) I feel terrible for even putting this out there like I am now. I do not ever intend to paint anyone in a negative light but I am trying to stay honest with my real ups and downs on here. In an effort to defend my new found muscles, I told my mom about the competition. She sounded as if it was news to her so chances are, she will not read this part. *knock on wood*. Actually maybe it would be good if she did. This blog is my way of expression. I need to put it on here for me. For you. Oh' mom!!!! lol
So, the more I work on my body, the more I learn about it. Lifting weights has been one of the single most effective training method for my body. The more I lift, the stronger I get. The stronger I get, the more definition I see in my body. The more definition I see, the more I think that I am some bombshell waiting to be released. Haha. My visible muscle groups have become individual trophy's that I can take with me every where I go. Sleeves? Oh honey, that was a thing of the past. I love passing a mirror or rubbing my hand down my arm. I earned every millimeter of muscle under there. Obviously this whole competition idea is taking a life of its own. Its not a goal now, it's on.
I have pointed out a few competitors photos to some friends and family and the responses are really varied. I forget that not everyone understands the hard work that it takes to obtain a figure like that. I think because I am exposed on a regular basis, it is becoming more reasonable and reachable. I will admit that at 258lbs., my opinion was different. I knew a figure competitor and I was less then impressed. I preferred the "slender" look over the muscles. Looking back, I wonder it it was really just because I saw it unachievable. I wonder if I was 158lbs, if my opinion would have been different. I guess I will never know. I do hope that when the time comes, I have the support of all of my peers. Everyone I speak to says that this is one of the single most grueling things that they have done in their lives. Many never do more then just on competition. Ever. It is just as scary as it is exciting.
Oh I am going to be in trouble for this one :)
I'm closely watching as Xavy starts training for his third competition. He is still several months out and the meal plan and training regimen is already extremely precise. I really am looking forward to watching the whole process from start to finish. As it gets closer, we will have to get a cheering section together to support him. After all, he is going to need a whole team to carry all of his trophy's. ;)
It is so much more then good luck and good genes. It is hard work, discipline, determination, confidence and the unwavering support of your peers. That in itself, is what makes makes these competitors incredibly attractive.
Check this side by worked photo out. I want to be a diva! Now the big challenge.... Do you think I can get Kelly to do it with me?
There is a relationship between a trainer and a client that is unlike any other. It is often a love/hate relationship. The difference is you are paying to experience the "hate" part. (I am thinking that I could start a whole new blog on that issue.) It can be trying some times but more times then not, you are happy to have them on your side because you know they will be there for you through thick and thin. (Pun intended.). Yesterday, my old trainer Chris sent me an email. He was not recruiting, hating or even questioning. He was reaching out to congratulate me on my success. How freaking awesome is that? I trained with him in Golds Gym, about a year or so ago. We had a blast together but other financial commitments kept me from training and renewing my membership at Golds. It meant the world to me to know that he had been checking in on my progress. Thank you, Chris.
This morning, I woke up to a text from Jen. She weighed in this morning and was down another two pounds. I was so excited for her that I completely overlooked the fact that she text me before my alarm went off. haha I am really experiencing what real trainers feel when their clients tell them about their success. Kinda warms the heart and re-motivates you to keep on trucking. Not for myself but for them as well. What a cool feeling! I want to feel like that every day. Right on the heels of Jen's big news, I decided to take the plunge. This morning I ordered my personal training manual. I logged in and downloaded my first continuing education course.
In other news, Xavy and I are much more on the love end of the spectrum this week. I have noticed big changes this week on the scale and in my clothes. My size 12 pants are finally comfortable and I rocked that bikini!
Congrats to Jen! Down another 2 lbs. That is 9 lbs in 2 weeks. She is really kicking booty and it is showing. Kuddo's to Jen for also recruiting her husband and bring/dragging him into the gym with her.
Congrats to Lynn! Lynn popped in the gym for a "hello" the other day. Not only was she rocking in her Warrior Dash shirt, she looked incredible. Awesome!
I would love to use this blog as a sounding board for those of you who are following my journey and also working on your own. Feel free to comment or email me.
Vacation has come to an end. As much as I wish that I was still on the ocean. I am very happy to be home. I am back to the land of meal plans, workout routines, blogging and back to where saying "It's 5 O'Clock somewhere." is not socially acceptable. Admittedly, the first thing I did when I walked into my house was to hop on the scale. I know, I know!!! I think though if your expectations are realistic, it is okay. I am pretty glad that I did. I had a loss or at minimum had stayed the same. IT CAN BE DONE LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!!!! haha. This small victory makes my vacation memories much better. I can reflect on all of the fun without any guilt or worry about playing catch-up.
Blogging from vacation!!! I said that I wasn't going to do it but I can't resist. This is not work, this IS pleasure.
This weekend was a "girls weekend" with my friends, Kelly and Dorotha. We were celebrating our birthdays, friendship, success with our goals of Kelly going into business for herself and me working hard on myself. We are celebrating the life of her awesome father who recently passed and to the good health of my uncle who was seriously injured about the same time.
Our version of "partying hard" is much different then it used to be. Way different. Maybe it's age? Maybe its experience? Either way, there is something to be said for knowing that you can look hot in sensible shoes.
Since we are talking about accessories, I must segway into the whole bikini topic. Yup, bikini. I. Wore. A. Bikini! For the first time in an estimated 14 years, my tummy is seeing the light of day. How cool is that? It's worth losing all of that weight just so I didn't have to fiddle with a wet one piece every time I had to go potty. Oh the little things!!!
Vacationing with a Personal Trainer could be considered cheating but I am proving that it is not necessary to go all out and off of your plan on vacation. It's a damn good excuse if you are looking for one but it is just that, an excuse. On Friday, I snuck in a little work out by trying something new. I had said in a blog entry before that one day, I was going to give CrossFit a try. Whelp.... check that off of my list. The WOD (cool peoples lingo for workout of the day), was 5 sets of 5 bench presses and back squats. That was surely a vacation workout for me. I love love love strength training. I did pretty well too. I needed Xavy's expert opinion on where I should start weight wise. (Really, I was just eager to tell him was going to try CrossFit.) We did what was called a "cash-out", where you kick up your heart rate to finish the workout. The prescribed cash-out was 3x200meter sprints and 3x20 squats. I knew that I would have some troubles with the sprints but I did one set anyway. Go hard or go home, right? The modification exercise was sets of push-up's. I rocked those bad boys out!!!!! CrossFit has been my only workout so far but I am really paying attention to what I am eating too. I had Fishers Popcorn one day for a snack but outside of that, I am keeping to my mealplan by doing just that, planning. I made a few meals to ensure that I knew I was eating clean with no exceptions at least part of the time. I did however go all out on my slice of birthday cake I must admit. Let me tell you, one slice fantastic over the top slice of cake is far better for you then a whole mediocre cake at home. I had one single slice of the best slice of cake that CAKEbar had to offer. It was appropriately named, "Heaven and Hell". Devils food, angel food, peanut butter and chocolate fudge. Uhhh. I am droooling again just thinking about it. I had one single slice and then left, leaving all temptation on at the door. Drinking, well... that might be another story all together. I did not really need to put out the effort to stay on track. Lucky for me, with my body weight much lower now, a drink or two was more then enough. Then, after seeing some of the girls at the bar, I made sure to keep my butt in check. That decision had nothing to do with my health, I just refuse to be a hot mess like some of them. Wow! Where are their mothers? Lol.
All in all, it has been a fantastic vacation of many firsts, many victories and much reflection. I was a challenge at times, sure, but I won't be spending the next two weeks recovering from the damage of what I ate or drank. That automatically makes this vacation a lot more enjoyable.
To Xavy, you should be proud of your girl! Please keep that in mind when you are setting up next weeks workout. To be honest, I can't wait to get back home and get back to it. I love my new life.
I have said it before and I will say it again. This is a team effort. Not one of us should have to go through this process alone. Yesterday, I had two new strangers tell me how inspired they are by me and my blog. Awesome. I am inspired to keep going and keep blogging because of you all. I can not tell you how many times Xavy and I reference my blog as motivation in our training. I am seriously giddy with excitement.
Talk about motivation and inspiration... let me e-introduce you to my sister-in-law, Jen. If you have been in Anytime Fitness lately, you have seen her busting booty like nobody's business. I am so proud of her. A few weeks ago, we were having lunch together and I opened up about some tough times during this journey. I think that maybe she recognized that it does not take SuperWoman to make a difference in your/our health. I am just a regular old chick. I also have hard days, weeks when the scale doesn't move, and months where family and/or friends have a hard time accepting my new lifestyle. I do not pretend to know all of the answers but I know how to overcome the struggles. It's though your support system. All is possible when you have someone cheering in your corner. That day, I offered and promised to be in her corner if she was ready to take the first step. Little did I know that her butt was not just going to take the first step, she was going to do the jig!
It is my honor to have Jen as my first "client". I really have to get it right. She is family. If she starts to hate me she might just hit me. haha. On day one, I woke up to a text message that frankly told me what she was NOT going to change. I thought to my self, "Oh' shit! This is going to be just peachy.". By the morning of day two, I had a very different text message to wake up to. One that proudly told me what she DID swap out for her breakfast. Then one about what she was going to drink, then what she was going to have as a snack and that she was finally going to start reading this blog. Let's fast forward past eight more that day. I love it! I know I still do the same thing to Xavy and Kelly nearly every day. Thank goodness for unlimited texting plans. When I did it to them, part of me needed to tell them because I was proud but then I worried instantly that I was bugging them. Both of them encouraged me to keep the progress reports coming and that was what they were there for. They were just as excited that I was working the plan and asking questions. I totally believe it! Every time I saw a text from Jen, I got giddy and clapped my hands like a 6 year old. We made a few initial adjustments to her current lifestyle as a way to ease into this journey. By day 3, she was nine weeks ahead of me in the process. Go Jen!!!! Twice already she asked ME to go do cardio with her. She did 2 miles on her second day on cardio. That is just friggin awesome. I am so proud. After exchanging a few texts with her dear husband, he is too. She is off to an amazing start and has a great support system. When you see her on facebook or in the gym, give her a shout out!
I skipped blogging yesterday because I was a bit distracted. I realize that I kinda missed it. This is so much fun. Thank you for being a part of it.
***
Last night, a guy at the gym was talking to us and discussing his current "plan" that he put himself on. He only saw how his body responded to different changes in his routine both in the gym and with nutrition but he didn't seem to have any clue why. He seemed to be just taking notes from other people and applying them willynilly to see if they worked. It cracked me up to watch Xavy's expression while listening. What an interesting conversation!
I've quickly recognized the importance of knowing your body and how our bodies in general function. I am learning that I need to keep learning. I need to better my understanding for myself and so that I can help others too. In the past few weeks, I have had a few others come to me for some guidance with their fitness journey. Wow, what an honor. Me? I was floored by the thought that someone looked at me as someone able to help them. I still forget to look in the mirror and see the progress that I have made. Some of my body image is all still stuck in my own head but, it is something that I am working on. But.. yea, I get it. I guess I have been through it. I have had to put in the work, I do know what effort it takes. Most importantly, I know that I don't know it all. It is for that reason that I and am constantly trying to learn more. My Google Search App gets just about as much action as Facebook does these days.
I have given it some thought and I am going to step outside my comfort zone and apply all of this knowledge. I am going to take the Personal Training exam. What?!?!?! Maybe more accurately I was strong-armed by Kelly and Xavy. Either way, I am going for it. It really is the next logical step in this process. My life has changed for the better. I am a happier and healthier person then I ever was. You can not buy this feeling. You can only earn it. I hope that I can help others achieve this success and this level of happiness just as my trainers have for me.
What got into us yesterday? For the last two weeks, Xavy and I have been training along side of each other and pushing one another. This is the start of his competition training and its getting crrrrazzzy up here!!! We work as a team to reach the same goal...Go Hard! As fun as it is when he trains me, it is pretty damn fun watching him suffer too.
For some reason, we topped last weeks max weights with no problem on the first set or two. Several times we looked quizically at one another thinking, "Ummm....why isn't this harder?". We came up to the conclusion that we have no friggin' idea. haha. If we had to guess, maybe nutrition? Our meal plans changed to accommodated the new workout style. (Can I get an Amen for extra carbs?) The Miami Heat were winning in game 7? Could that have been it? That put the man in a better mood that's for sure. Oh I've been in training on the night of a Miami loss. Not good, not good at all. I think LeBron James had a better night then I did. I'm thinking it was because we had good company in the gym. Its all about the buddy system. You know you can't give up or slack off because your gym buddy will throw a weight at your head. You get to know eachothers facial expressions and body language. I could be in mid-anything and he will grab the weights and say, "Stop, your knee hurts.". Really? How does he do that? Funny, when I know he is in pain I add another 5 lbs. Haha. (To his other clients, Don't worry- I got your back.) Yea, I am sticking with that. Buddy system!
Speaking of that... I have myself a new gym buddy this afternoon. My sister-in-law, Jen. I am really excited to do cardio. That never ever happens. She started making some changes this week and is doing awesome. Yay!!!
I needed a calculator for this one. 733 pounds. Awesome!!!
Last night, I was faced with a decision. Go to Relay for Life with my family or do Upper Body at the gym. I knew that I made my donation with a hefty Pampered Chef purchase, but it has been a family obligation for several years to take part of these festivities. Going would mean that I would most likely eat junk good or at least be off schedule. I would sit and gossip not burning any of the calories that I was putting in my body. I would get home late and that may hinder my workout tonight. I would also have to have skip my workout last night. I weighed the pro's and con's and came up with I've decision to go to the gym. When I arrived, Holly and Megan were there as well. They also had that very same decision to make and chose their personal health over Relay for Life. If the point of the event was to remind people of the importance of life, wellness and the fight to cure a disease... then we still came out on top. Cancer is not the only disease we need to bring to light. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis...the list goes on and on.
Our choosing to go to the gym, staying consistent and turning out results could inspire someone else one day. We all are working so hard at this process and I can only hope that our families understand that. Our personal health is now a priority. After all, what kind of a caregiver could I be in the future if I was obese? I wouldn't be able to carry or lift a sick friend, run for help, have the endurance to put their needs along side of mine day in and day out. I CAN do all that now. It's not just all physical either. I have a good grasp on nutrition and sometimes what we put in your body is half the answer to our problems.
Last night, collectively, my family and I all supported a cause. We fought for a healthier future and supported each other in our respective journeys. GO TEAM! (All of them.)
Here it is, the end of week 12. This morning I took my progress photos and I would proudly like to welcome my obliques this time around.
I can't get over how much my body has changed in 12 weeks. Last night I finally started making progress at pulling clothes out of my closet that were too big. I am on bag number two and have half of my closet left. Even though this week I finally saw a drop in actual weight, I still know that the number on the scale has little to do with my progress. It's all about size. Tangible numbers in tags.
I started with pants a size 18, gym pants an XXL, t-shirt an XL and bra size 38DD. Last week, I squeezed my butt into a size 12 jeans. They zipped but that did not mean I could breathe. When I got dressed this morning, I grabbed a size medium shirt, 32D bra, and my size 14 jeans that I squeezed into on week 7 or 8. After zipping them up, I noticed that they too are now too big. Back to the now comfortable size 12's I went. Before getting dressed, I took my much anticipated "progresses photos". They say that the proof is in the pudding, right? Little by little, my thighs and hips are slimming down but everything north and south of the border look like a new person since my first set of photos. Even my face, not only has it slimmed down but there is a noticeable smile that seems to get bigger and bigger in every photo. I am so proud of my body now.
I earned it. It's the trophy I get to take home after 12 weeks of killing it in and out of the gym every single day.
So I started a blog post yesterday because I really needed to vent about something that happened the night before. After some thought, I had decided to delete it because it was not necessarily an inspiring story. It was more of a rant. Apparently a few of you read that tidbit but noticed it was deleted because, I got 4 messages asking why I had deleted it. Xavy sent me a message suggesting that I put it back up because this is a blog about my journey. All aspects of my journey. The good, the bad and the ugly. You all have a point. I will tell the story but it wont be nearly as red hot as it was last night. I have had time to cool off.
On Tuesday night, I used my "night off" from training to try and catch up on my burpees. I needed about 450 for the challenge buy-in. Yikes! Right? I was pretty sure that was never going to happen at once so, I set my goal to 100. Even that was a bit insane. Xavy shook his head but stuck around after his clients to help cheer me on for the first few. One of the guys at the gym pretty much told me flat out that it was never going to happen. He could barely do 50. What kind of attitude is that? And if he know me at all, he would know that means I will have to do 101. The two guys in front of me were both men in the gym that have inspired me and who I have grown to look up to. There are few females in my gym that train the way I do. It is for that reason that I set my goals against the abilities of my peers on the free weight side of the gym. The abilities of grown men, body builders and Marines. I bust my ass day after day right next to these two men. We already know Xavy is the bomb diggity so he needs no further description. This other guy, who shall remain nameless, is hardcore for sure. He does things in the gym that make me do double takes on a daily basis. I freak of nature shall we? Their training plans are drastically different but from an outsiders view, they are both pretty damn hot. How ever they got there, obviously has worked for them.
When Xavy left that evening, this guy decided to "take me on". In what way you ask? I am still trying to figure that out. The last few days I have been dumbfounded trying to understand his agenda. He began by telling me that my form was incorrect doing the burpees. He made some suggestions and I gave it a try. After having finished 70+ burpees already, no doubt my form was terrible and I was exhausted doing it. When I took fraction of a seconds breaks, he began to push. "Why are you stopping?!?!" Ummmmm because I just did 20 more then your ass can do. lol. I pushed and pushed and gave it my all doing it his way until I popped something in my ankle and bruised my wrists from the cement. I stopped at a whopping 125. Awesome right? Apparently not. He told me in not so many words that I should have done better, I needed endurance. That I needed to train harder in the gym. I was not working hard enough. I think I was in shock or I probably would have broke out my ninja skills right then and there. Not enough? I am not sure anymore how it came up but he told me that his "sister" told him that I had a really pretty face but I still needed to lose weight. She apparently asked him how long would it take me to slim down. He answered by questioning Xavy's training methods and my drive to motivate myself. Xavy's training method? The method that has gotten me from a size 18-12 in eleven weeks? That training method? This dude suggested that my trainer and I get on the same page. Really? I responded to this by explaining that every step of the way, we have had this process planned. He knew what to expect and relayed the information to me. In turn, at each turn, we were on the same friggin page. Of course these two men are going to have different opinions on training but I could not get over how unprofessional and down right rude he was. If he was looking to motivate me, he was going about it all wrong. If he was looking to put down Xavy, Oh' No He Didn't! If he was looking to impress me, epic fail. Instead of walking out of the gym excited that I just did 125 burpees. I walked out feeling defeated and confused. Immediately I talked to our dear Xavy about the situation. As a friend and as a trainer, he picked me up when I had fallen. He reminded me that my shoulders were "ridonculous", that I exceed his expectations with every workout. Most importantly, he reminded me that I have a group of people (you included) that will tell me that I am an inspiration.
Just think, this was the nice version of the blog.
I feel like Aesop telling the moral of the story. lol.
Work as hard as you can. Always. Your 100% may not be someone elses but that does not mean that you are either better or worse then them. Just different. If someone is busting ass in the gym or in any project. Encourage them. Cheer them on. That is the missing piece to this whole puzzle some times.
The other moral is this, "Don't be a douche bag or some chick is going to out you to everybody she knows on the internet." lol.
You may recall that I had started the 100 Days of Burpees Challenge. I was going strong until the Warrior Dash but I have to admit... I fell off of the wagon. This morning I was on Facebook and saw that a friend of mine, (fellow Warrior) had missed only 2 days of the challenge. Not only did she miss them, she was making up for them and still going strong 36 days in. How inspiring is that? Well, apparently pretty darn inspiring since I am jumping back in. This is going to be hell! I am going to take my day off at the gym and catch back up.
To catch up, I have to do the number for each day that I missed. My last set was on May 19th. Let's do the math together shall we...
May 20+22+23+24+25+26+27+27+29+30+31+(June 1st)32+34+35+36= 455
Kelly has suggested that I do 40 per hour all day. I suggest that she go suck an egg. I think I am going to take my time and do as many as I can. I will finish the leftovers tomorrow along with the 37 due. Wish me luck!
Keep it up, Jessica!
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100 Days of Burpees Challenge -stolen by someone else obviously-
The Rules:
Do one burpee on Day One. Do two burpees on Day Two. Continue adding
one more burpee each day. By the end you will have done 5050 burpees
(that's a lot!).
If you miss a day, you can make up that day's burpee count the
following day. If you miss two days in a row, consider your challenge to
be over, take a couple days off and start again at Day One. You can do
it!
Follow the rules and most importantly:
Don't Miss Any Days
I missed Day 7 which meant on Day 8 I had to do a total of 15. That
wasn't too bad, but I told myself I'd never make that mistake again.
Then a couple days later, life got a little hectic and I missed another
day. That meant once again, I had to make up for the previous day before
doing the current day. The goal is to add one burpee a day, every day. Missing a day throws off everything. Imagine missing Day 90. This challenge will build strength and discipline. One Day at a Time
Life moves fast, especially in Manhattan, where I live. But not
everything happens in a New York minute. The 100-Day Burpee Challenge is
slow and steady all the way. The only way to do it, is one day at a
time. Are you in?
The 100-Day Burpee Challenge is not for babies; there are no days
off. As far as I know, crying is not allowed. But if doing 75 burpees
one day, followed by 76 the next day, followed by 77 the next day sounds
like fun to you, I hope you'll join me on this adventure.
Through the years, my friends have changed. Some came and went by choice, others of us just drifted apart because our lives headed in different directions. This is a conversation that my ever so pithy Uncle and I just had last week. It is the nature of life and evolution of ourselves. When my friends were couch potatoes, I was. When my friends were big shots on martial arts, I was. When my friends all had coach purses, I did. We all follow suit with our friends. You make friends by finding a common ground first. Then comes mutual respect. If my bestie told me I looked great in an outfit, I thought I did. Simple. We all have friends, we know how this works. With that being said... the obvious conclusion is that if you want to change your life, you have to either make sure your friends support you without question and encourage you, or go find new ones. That doesn't have to mean ditch the old ones. Maybe for you it does. That is your choice and it will be understood by those that care about you. If they don't understand, well, you just proved your point.
I know I've blogged about this a few other times but this beast seems to keep showing its face. It is HARD! I know I am not the only one going through it.
To my girlfriends who say that I have changed, damn right I have. To my friends who have little Wii Mii avatar (little jerk), that them that they are obese....news flash-you need help! To the girls that think I am only lifting weights because Xavy and Kelly do...hmmmm yep! Have you seen either of those bodies? Do you blame me? That goes for relationships too ladies and gents. My last ex told me that he liked me better bigger. That I didn't need to lose weight. He loved me the way I was. Looking back-his issues were as jacked up as my number on the scale. I was morbidily obese and plagued with joint pain. How the fuzz could someone who loved me not try to help. Encourage me at the very least. I was so blinded by being accepted for my weight that I didn't see what's in front of me.
I have a very few of my "old Lori" friends left. The ones I have kept are just Awesome with a capital "A". The rest, who I hope are reading this... I promise to find time to help. I promise to be a gym buddy if you need one. I promise to work with you instead of against you. In this journey, you NEED friends. I will be one when you are ready. Until then....hush it. View this in full size
Have you ever seen those signs at the amusement park that warns you that there is a really good chance that if you are over weight, you're not fitting in a ride? Well I have. I have dreaded amusement parks for the last 10 years pretending that I really did not like them. I did not want to risk being asked to turn around in a line or getting in and the seat-belt not fitting. It was just easier to stay my big ass on the ground and hold everyone's crap. It is not a fear that I have really ever voiced, it was something that I was very ashamed of. I even went as far as having a sit down talk with my ex-husband about not forcing me to try and get on rides. Okay, so I threatened him within an inch of his life. lol.
On Thursday, my mom called me and asked me to go to Kings Dominion with her and my little cousins. She needed an answer immediately. I also knew that she didn't need me to hold everyone's stuff, she needed someone to go on rides with the kids. Immediately I searched my brain for some excuse and came up a stuttering mess. I hung up the phone having agreed but was not a happy camper. I don't like amusement parks. I mean, I did when I was a teenager but not any longer. But did I? I started giving it some thought. I have conquered so much in the past 2 years, how is it that I am afraid of a roller coaster? I jumped over fire, I did a half marathon, I put on a bikini. I am freaking fearless now. That was kinda when I had that "Ah Ha" moment. When I faced the facts and recognized what I was really afraid of. Then I had my "OH HELL YEA" moment. I have lost 80+lbs. I don't have to worry about any of that any longer. Unknowingly, I had unleashed another beast. The roller coaster beast. For the first time since I was a teenager, I was excited to go to an amusement park.
At the park, I most certainly got all my walking for the day in. On top of that, several times the kids and I literally ran from ride to ride. Every time I caught myself running, I smiled inside. This is a benefit of losing weight that I never thought of. This was what really having "fun" is like. On top of that, some dude came up to me out of no where and complimented my shoulders. Shoulders? Really? That was exactly what I needed and wanted to hear. I know I am a hot tamale. I know my eyes are pretty, I have a nice smile, blah blah blah... This was a new something that was getting me checked out. Yea, man!
So back to the New Heights part of the title. Yet again, I was reminded that I was no longer limited by anything or anyone because of my weight. While I was standing in line for Boardwalk Fries, (not for me), I saw the ride the Drop Tower. How high was it? Freaking high as hell! I could do it. I should do it. I would do it. I ran up to my mom and the kids and told them that I was going for it. I had to go right then and there before I talked myself out right out of line. The look on their faces was priceless. I got in line and committed to it. I locked myself in with room to spare too. There is no explanation for how high 272 feet is. I think I could see Baltimore from that high. When we dropped, the feeling of weightlessness felt like it was never going away. I had such a rush of adrenaline, fear, shock and excitement that I actually teared up a little. It may have been my bodily fluids draining back from my scull but I was pretty sure it was happy tears.
What a fun day. What an obstacle to conquer. This journey unlocks doors that I never even recognized were there. How awesome?!?!?
Do you know what you get when your trainer knows exactly how much you can lift? You get asked to help move furniture. Haha.
What good is all this endurance, strength and power if I can't do anything useful with it? Right?
A few weeks ago, I helped my brother and sister-in-law move to a new apartment. It was exhausting but it was a nice way to test all my new muscles and put them to work. This morning, I was proud to lend a helping hand and be of some real use to Xavy and his wife.
Xavy, Good luck at the Yard Sale today! 'Cause I ain't movin' that crap back ;)
When Xavy asked me how I was feeling this morning, my answer was very simple. "Like Roadkill!" Yup, that is as accurate as I think I will be able to get without grunting and cursing.
***
I am not exactly sure how it came up or how it all started. Perhaps I am too distracted from the pain to recall all of the events of the last 18 hours. I had to revisit my facebook status' from last night just to jog my memory. The last one read, "Apparently
we were only on vacation in Phase 2, stopped to get a
postcard and non-stop flight straight through to Phase 11. Warning: When
Xavy says "we have to do this next one outside" and grabs his keys,
RUN!!!!". I vaguely remember joking with Xavy and telling him that I think I could keep up with him during his competition prep workouts. Oh' that can't have been a good move on my part. I think I should finish this after the Aleve kicks in.
Ahhh... It is all starting to come back to me.
Now that I think of it, I think the Warrior Dash would have been a pretty nice warm-up for last nights training session. Fun? Yes. Intense? Oh that does not even begin to describe it. We did however at least take a nice little field trip. I got to window shop at some of the stores in the shopping strip on one of my many trips past during walking lunges. The coolest part was training along side of Xavy. Not only was I keeping up (Go me!), I got to see for myself what makes Xavy so damn awesome. It was kinda like OOO'ing and AHH'ing at Kelly's CrossFit Photos. It is kinda satisfying watching them sweat isn't it?
My Phase 2 was called Hypertrophy Training. (Don't ask, just wiki it for yourself.) My next Phase is or would have been Power Lifting. Last night, Xavy has decided to call this new made up phase, Hyper Lifting. lol. I am pretty sure he would have a more technical explanation but what it translates to is as follows:
Hyper-Lifting: The Phase of Personal Training where you lift a lot of really really heavy stuff a bunch of times focusing on specific muscle groups rather then all over. Then repeat. Then repeat again. Then go ahead and take 2 off of the last set of reps so we can pretend you are getting a break and then do it again. If you are either still breathing or have not vomited on your shoes, proceed to do yet another set.
All in all, I had so much fun. I really enjoyed training and seeing just
how far I can go. I didn't like having to wake up at 6a.m. for cardio
but apparently that is part of the phase too. I can not tell you much
easier this is having such a great support system and having trainers
that believe you can do anything that you set your mind to. Let me also
remind you that this may or may not be the path you are taking in your
training and that is perfectly fine. This is the kind of training that I respond to and that I enjoy. Please don't let my inner and soon to be outer beast scare you.
