POST BOOT CAMP THOUGHTS

I wasn't in great shape when I started boot camp and I'm not in great shape now that I've finished boot camp, but I'm better off than I was when I started.

I have lost 7 pounds.

I can fit into one smaller dress size, but my regular size is still wearable. Everything just fits MUCH better and some items are downright loose. This makes me very happy.

I haven't tested myself to see if I can run a mile without having to stop and walk yet.

Even though boot camp wrapped up on Friday, we were supposed to go for Performance Tests on Monday morning, but I was out of town and couldn't make my AM class. I told uber-instructor Kari that I'd be at the PM class to do the PTs with that group, but at 6:30opm it was still 103 degrees outside and there was no way I could do a boot camp in that kind of weather.

I knew they'd put us through the opening warm up exercises before doing the PT's which not only consisted of running the mile, but doing sit ups and push ups. We were to compare our post boot camp results with our results from day one...remember that day? It was raining and I said I felt like G.I. Jane. Pffft!

Instead, Andres will time my mile and count my sit ups and push ups for me. Emily will re-measure me and I'll post those results.

Over the weekend I tried to stay on my eating plan and did pretty well until we hit a great steakhouse in Kansas City Sunday night for din din. I had an 8 oz rib eye and it was delicious, but omg I was full.

Monday morning Andres and I got up at 6am and went on our 11 mile bike ride around the lake.

I saw all the cars in the lake's parking lot...all those boot campers out there somewhere sweating and dying. Not me!

After the ride I got out my yoga mat and did my core exercises, 180 different kinds of sit ups and planks and by 7:15am I was getting ready for work!

I had my boot camp fare all day...keeping to the six small meals plan. I felt good about all of it!

I also felt a sense of potent relief when I was riding around the lake. "I don't have to get up and go to boot camp anymore!" But I also felt a sense of paranoia...worry...constant fretting..."I don't want to lose what I've gained".

That bike ride didn't seem strenuous enough. I wasn't dying at the end of it. I found myself wanting to do more. I think when the weather cools off a bit I might try adding a little run into my day. We'll see how it goes.

Andres and I went out to a fried chicken joint with Andrea (his daughter) and her family last night. I removed skin from the chicken I ate, but then ate some of it anyway and I had 10 pieces of fried okra. I feel terribly guilty about this. Andrea and I talked about this paranoia and the word "eating disorder" came up. LOL Well, I don't about becoming anorexic or anything *looks at hips* nope...no anorexia in my future, but I DO have an anxiety about eating.

This morning Andres and I did not get up and do our ride, so tonight when I get home I'll be hopping on the old elliptical. I haven't been on that since boot camp started, so it will be interesting to see how much more I can do on it now.

I want to do the mile run in the morning. That's really gnawing at me. Must get that done.

Boot camp wasn't fun for me, but I'm glad I did it. Someone at work asked why I was doing it. "You won't be able to maintain that level of intensity on your own." he said.

I agreed and knew as much going in, but what I DO have is a new perspective on what a work out should be...COULD be. My stamina is up and I've become accustomed to wonderful new eating habits.

My eating habits before boot camp were horrible. I pray I never go back to that. I won't be as strict on my eating as I was during boot camp, but I'll be MUCH better than I was before boot camp.

My new goal is to lose another 3 pounds to make it an even 10 pounds down.

After I reach that goal...I'll set a new one.

Final Analysis: Boot camp was good for me. I suppose the difficult things usually DO end up being good for you in the end. I would recommend at least one tour of duty to my friends.

Andrea and Jaimie plan to "re-enlist" in the fall. Jaimie invited me to join her.

ROFLMAO!!!!

BOOT CAMP: DAY 18 - FIN

I can't believe I made it through a month of boot camp, but I have.

This day came quickly, but it was also a long time coming, if that makes sense.

I can't believe the month has passed.

The accomplishment gets little fanfare here though besides the t-shirt I got at graduation today.


I have rush to get everything ready to head to big ol' Seminole Oklahoma for my 25 year class reunion.

I have 2 hours before I have to hit the road and I still have to pack, wash the car, run by the bank and maybe go by Dillard's to see if I can find something to wear tonight.

Everyone have a great weekend.

BOOT CAMP: DAY 17 OF WORKOUTS

The fact that I am in a foul mood might affect my perception of boot camp today.

Jaimie left an irritatingly chipper note on my wall indicating that she thought boot camp was good today.

*sigh*

Well, Jaimie, if by "good" you mean they gave us a good working over, I say Yes, boot camp today was excellent. Magnificent, even.

Lots of cardio and leg work today. I think the bear crawl (walking on your hands and feet) has surpassed jump rope as my most hated thing to do at boot camp. And it was hard enough doing the bear crawl going forward, but seriously....did they HAVE to make us do it backward too?

To say I was struggling with the backward bear crawl would be an understatement. It was so bad that Uber-instructor Kari got down beside me and was yelling at me that I could, indeed do it.

I tried. I really did and I got to the end of the backward bear crawl part and started on the second bear crawl forward stretch, but halfway through...I swear I was going to fall on my face.

Kari was showing this other girl, who seems to always need adapted exercises, a modified version of the bear crawl. I guess this girl has some condition or something, but anyhoo....Kari was showing this girl a version of the bear crawl where you're standing on two legs and taking large, lunge type strides. I stood up and started doing that. I think Kari started to tell me to get back down, but she must have changed her mind. Maybe seeing my beet red face changed it for her. Who can know these things?

Shout out to Miss Chipper Jaimie for doing the bear crawl all the way through!

I feel kind of bad about this bear crawl thing. I mean there were good things that happened today. For instance, for the first time in my LIFE I did push ups the regular way...not on my knees and I felt great about that...surprised at myself and great, but this bear crawl failure. It colors everything.

I can't bear crawl for long lengths of time.

woe is me.
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.
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LOL

okay...see, writing things out always gives me a good perspective. Who cares if I can't bear crawl. I did my best, right?

Right.

Okay...one more day and guess what? I'm going to my high school reunion. Yep, I'll be up for Boot Camp in the morning and by 1pm I'll be in Seminole, Oklahoma decorating for the reunion. I can't wait to see everyone.

BOOT CAMP: DAYS 15 AND 16 OF WORKOUTS

I think I am out of words about Boot Camp. I went yesterday, but didn't write because there is nothing but the same old, same old to say.

It was hard.

I'm sore.

I go to bed at night with a sense of ...not dread. That's too strong, but I find that I put off going to sleep because I don't want to get up at the dawn of crack and go to boot camp. Add to that the fact that ever since my alarm didn't go off that time I tend to wake up around 3:30 or 4:00 and I can't go back to sleep for fear that I'll miss my alarm again, so I just lay there in bed tossing and turning, drifting off, but jerking awake again, checking the clock.

When I get up I'm not sleepy, but I get sleepy later in the day.

However, today...I hit the wall.

Uber-Instructor, Kari said today's work out would be "a good one". She did not disappoint.

It was hard but not too hard. I was pleased with my performance and I had a very encouraging sub-instructor with my small group. She motivates me to push harder simply because she IS so encouraging. I think she got a lot out of me today. (Yes, Jaimie, I'm talking about Susan...sorry)

Note for self: You did 125 tricep push ups today young lady, and Susan (sub-instructor) told you your form was perfect, so you should feel really awesome about that.

Andres' daughter, Andrea, who has already completed her Boot Camp told us at the beginning that it WOULD get easier. I now find that she was right. It IS easier. When I started out I felt worn slick just during the appetizer portion of our sessions, but now....no sweat. I can run wherever they want me to run and do whatever warm up exercises they throw at us and then do the stretches and then I can run again after that.

But the entre' portion of class seems to be harder this week. I'm not sure, maybe it just seems that way to me because I'm still sore from Monday's class and so I'm starting from a muscularly weak and painful place. Jaimie? What do you think? Is it harder? I dunno.

I can do all they ask of me in class, but when I get home...well, at least today...it hurts to lift my legs to get out of the car. It hurts to walk up the stairs....it hurts to take off my clothes. This morning I cleaned up and started to get ready for work, but I had a bit of extra time, so I laid down on my nice, soft, lovely bed.

...and I slept. I woke up long enough to call my boss. Andres asked me if I was going to call my boss and tell him I'd be late and I said, "Yes" and then said, "but my phone is downstairs." I know Andres didn't understand that I was hinting for him to bring my phone upstairs to me when he went down because he went downstairs and came back up without my phone. I didn't say anything, but I inwardly whimpered as i got up and went downstairs to get my phone.

I called Bill (my boss) and told him I was done up and in bed and I heard him snicker! He did! And I was like, "did you just laugh?" He said, "Boot camp finally found your breaking point, huh?"

"yes." I said. And then asked if it was okay if I came in after lunch.

He said yes. (Thank you, Bill) (Everyone wave at my boss)

So...I crawled back into bed and banked some Z's while in the fetal position.

I feel much better.

I only have two days of boot camp left to go. I'm glad that it will be over, but I'm very nervous that I will lose any hard fought for ground I've gained this month.

Today I am wearing a skirt that is a size smaller than my normal size. *smile* dropping a dress size was one of my goals. Don't get me wrong, the skirt isn't LOOSE or anything like that, but it's on, damn it!

The skirt is on.

HOO-YA

BOOT CAMP: DAY 14 OF WORKOUTS. (last week of camp)

Well, I made the most of my splurge meal this past weekend. Andres' daughter always has a 4th of July party at her house and I knew lots of good food would be on hand, so I stayed on my dietary track until that blessed event.

Oh the humanity.

There were burgers and ribs and potato salad and Greek salad and cookies and two desserts and beer.

It was sheer heaven and I enjoyed every bit of what I ate.

We had fun with everyone who was at Andrea's house. A big shout out to Andrea and Kevin for hosting everyone again.

Today...us boot campers had to get back on program after three days of no classes. I did workouts each of those three days off. We have to do it for homework or else we get "encouragement". So I wasn't too out of it, however I was nervous about what would be in store for us.

I was right to worry.

Kari had us doing sprints and lots of core bodywork in between sprints. Lots of planks.

It was hard and I did my absolute best on everything she asked us to do which means I spent the entire time feeling like I couldn't do the next thing asked of me, but I did it anyway. I guess I know that since this is my last week, it's my last chance to make the most of this experience. One more week will definitely make a difference in my final results if I'm busting my hump to the max.

But I'm paying for it today. The lower half of my bod is extremely sore. And my quads...
I didn't realize how taxing the sprints were, but toward then end when we did our core workout I had to do slow bicycles with my legs while laying on my back and my quads started immediately twitching and they felt weird. It was a very odd feeling and scared me a bit, but I kept at it and the quivering stopped.

I hope the soreness goes away before tomorrow morning's boot camp excursion.

BOOT CAMP: DAY 13 OF WORKOUTS

Today was "Bring a Friend" day at Boot Camp.

It was a foregone conclusion that Andres would be my "friend". When he found out I was interested in signing up for boot camp he was all for it. He thought it would be great for me and he was right. it's been hard, but I can honestly say it's been great for me.

I feel good that I've done it.

I feel good that I haven't quit.

I feel good about the exercise challenges I never thought I could do.

It was important to me that Andres go today. I wanted to share this with him. I wanted him to see what I was doing and to be honest, I wanted him to appreciate how hard I've been working. Not that he didn't before. In support of my boot camp efforts, Andres has been getting up at 5:30 every morning to do his daily bike ride. He said he didn't feel good about sleeping when I was out there busting my hump. He hasn't missed a day and he's been understanding about my end of the day exhaustion.

Andres is in great physical shape. He always passes for 10 years younger than he actually is. (Which is great considering I'm 11 years younger than him. heh)

Andres' son, Andy Jr. came to boot camp with his wife Jaimie today too. And you know what? I was glad he was there too! We usually have a good time when we're all together and I think a lot of Andres' family. I know what it meant to Jaimie to have him there, but I didn't expect it to matter to me that he was there too.

Maybe it's because now the entire family has had this experience. Andres' daughter just finished boot camp and she took her hubby, Kevin, on her "Bring a Friend" day.

I really like that.

I didn't expect it to turn out that way because when Jaimie's mom first suggested I enroll in a 5:30 am boot camp with her I flat out said, "No way!" I wanted no part of getting up early because I NEED my 8 hours a night and I didn't want to be pushed to exercise.

But between the time Linda first suggested it to me and the time the class I wanted to take started I began thinking about it. Why did I flat out refuse to do it? What was I afraid of? And...if I don't do this, what WILL I do? I've always wanted to lose a few pounds and tone up. Why NOT boot camp?

It's a good thing I didn't know how hard it was going to be because I probably wouldn't have signed up, but I did. I emailed Linda (Jaimie's mom) and asked her if she still wanted to do it, but in the end Linda said no.

Miss Linda is NOT a morning person. LOL But she always watches her weight anyway. If she gets a few pounds out of whack she does what she needs to do to fix it. When you're 20 lbs out of whack (or more) you need boot camp. Add to that the fact that I had a 25 year high school reunion coming up in mid July and that Andres and I plan to marry SOME TIME this year and well...it became a no-brainer.

I took a big gulp and signed up. (Odd how easy it is to sign up for things online.)

Today was the last work out for week 3. It was hard. Lots of cardio and I was dying at the end of class. But Jaimie, two of her friends who are also in our boot camp class, and I had briefly discussed doing "The Big Hill" today. "We'll do it on Thursday" we said earlier this week.

OMG...class was so hard for me today that I didn't want to do the Big Hill anymore. When the instructors announced it was time for core and people who wanted to do the hill should go now Andres looked at me to see if I wanted to. I looked around for Jaimie thinking that if they weren't doing it, I wasn't doing it.

Well...they were doing it. There went Jaimie and Andy toward the Big Hill. I took a deep breath and followed them and Andres was right there with me.

I'm glad to say we made it up to the top of the big hill and that includes coming down once when we'd made it to the halfway mark the first time up and then re-scaling the heights a second time. At each tier of the hiil we had to stop and do our core exercises...sit ups. (Note: Andres rocked the cardio portion of the class, but told me later that ab work was NOT his friend)

I almost slid in some dirt and was holding on to grass to keep from falling the first time up, but Andres helped me.

So...that was our big day 13 at boot camp. Andy and Andres said it was hard, but they both did a great job. The instructors were impressed with Andres, but I knew he'd do well and I'm so glad he came to class today.

Now a 3 day weekend looms. No boot camp tomorrow. No work and to make it even sweeter....Uber Instructor, Kari, told me I could have beer with my splurge meal on the 4th. "Just don't tell me about it." She said. "Yes, Ma'am!"

I'm having a burger and potato salad and beer and whatever else I can cram into one meal on Saturday.

Everyone have a happy 4th of July.

BOOT CAMP: DAY TWELVE OF WORKOUTS

I LOVE day 12 of bootcamp workouts.

I never realized how hard the cardio was until today. We focused on strength training.

"We won't be doing much cardio today!" yells Kari before class.

Today was sooo much easier with no cardio.

How many times can I write the word "cardio" in an entry? sheesh!!!

We did strength training with a large rubber band.

We layed on the ground a lot.

The ground was wet....and grassy.

We were all pretty dirty at the end of class and I was surprised to find that I was sweaty again. I didn't think I would be.

So...some of the things we did were difficult (Like the mountain climbers they made us do periodically for just a smidge of cardio) but overall....a great day at Boot Camp!

BOOT CAMP: DAY ELEVEN OF ACTUAL WORK OUTS

BOOT CAMP: DAY ELEVEN (ACTUAL WORKOUT)

Because I missed Boot Camp yesterday morning I had to go to the 6:30pm camp to make it up. The temperature was 94 degrees according to my car. My car would not lie to me.

We were in a nifty new location that had hills for our instructors to utilize.

First of all I must say that the 6:30pm class is smaller and so a bit more of a friendlier group. I had a good time talking to some of the women there.

Boot Camp is mostly women. We have 3 guys in our AM class of about 40+ people. There was only on guy in the PM class. He didn’t look like he was out of shape, but he seemed to be struggling.

I am still exhilarated when sweat drips off my face. When I’m doing push ups and it drips off of my nose…when I’m running and it skates down my jaw line to my chin. I really like that.

This guy must have been off the chart exhilarated. OMG…he looked like he was just dunked in a pool for the entire hour.

We did what they called “Suicides”.

Do I need to explain that? Sprint to the first cone, touch the ground, sprint back to the starting cone, touch the ground, sprint to the second cone, touch the ground, sprint back to the starting cone, touch the ground, sprint to the third cone and then run all the way down to the bridge and back to the starting cone where you will do about 50 squats as a cool down and then you’ll do another round of suicides.

We did this six times on flat ground. On the fifth round instructors yell out this, “C’MON YOU CAN DO IT! YOU ONLY HAVE ONE MORE OF THESE LEFT!”

Thus encouraged, I continue running even though I feel like stopping because I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

It was false light. I should have known when they used the term “one of these” that something was up.

After round six we moved to a new location where cones went up the side of a small, but steep hill.

Have you ever seen horses, pushed to the edge? They have foam in the corners of their mouths and their eyes are rolling in their sockets? That’s what I felt like when I saw that hill. I wanted to start shaking my head and pull out of my harness.

But I didn’t.

I got all….”I can do this. They can’t beat me.” I lowered my head and tried to “sprint” up the hill to cone one, then ran back down, then I sprinted again up to cone two and then ran back down, and then I sprinted (there was some groaning involved here and my sprints probably looked like NOTHING like a sprint) up to the top cone and ran down. That was round one and then we did push ups and then we did round two and then we did squats and then we did round 3 and boy were my eyes rolling then! But …I did it. I really did it.

After the suicides…we were done. It was time for our warm down…180 sit-ups. We do 6 sets of thirty. Each set is a different type of sit-up. Then we get to do stretches.

I wobbled to my car, drove home, wobbled to my house and cleaned up.

This morning I woke up at 4:45 and went to my regular Tuesday morning boot camp. Same spot, but with my regular fellow campers. This morning wasn’t as bad as yesterday, but I was amused to see that I was sweating just as much as I was the night before in 94 degree heat. Of course it was 79 degrees at 5:30 this morning. That doesn’t sound cool to me, but it felt VERY cool.

I was so worried about the heat, but it’s interesting how you’re so busy worrying about dying that you don’t even notice the weather.

Oh, a shout out to Andres’ daughter Andrea. She finished boot camp last week. She lost 12 pounds, 4 inches off of her waist and she reached very one of her fitness goals.

Hoo-Ya, Andrea!!! WAY TO GO!!!

BOOT CAMP: DAY TEN

I messed up when I set my phone alarm last night. I set it, but didn't SAVE it and so...

...

you know that sick feeling you get when you realize you overslept.

Yeah...that was my Monday morning.

So I missed boot camp Friday morning and did a make up class on Saturday, now I missed this morning and will have to make it up tonight...at 6:30....during the heat of the day. The high is expected to be 93-degrees.

Jaimie tried to help me see the bright side by saying, "At least it won't be 103." True...at least it won't be 103-degrees.

Thank you, Jaimie.

P.S. Jaime DID go to class and wrote her blog about it bright and early this morning like a good little camper and it sounds like it was hard...very, very hard. There was hill climbing involved.

And what really chaps me is that for once...for ONCE it was actually COOL this morning!!!

Ugh!!!

I am currently waiting to hear from Boot Camp Uber Instructor, Kari, to see whether or not I can attend boot camp this evening.

BOOT CAMP: DAY EIGHT (of actual work outs)

First of all let me say THANK YOU to those who left encouraging notes yesterday. It really did help me, especially last night. I think I was delaying my bedtime because I knew that as soon as I went to sleep it would be time to wake up and go to Boot Camp. Finally, I forced myself to hit the hay, but I did a quick Facebook Drive By on the computer just to re-read your notes.

And I'm happy to say you guys were right. Today was MUCH better!!!

I was seriously considering not going, but where does that get you? Nowhere. I mean, you have to go again at SOME point or else quit.

Quitting is not an option.

As Andres' daughter Andrea pointed out in a note, I'm almost to the halfway mark. Who quits when they're half way to a goal? Not me!! So, I'm glad Andrea reminded me of that.

Jaimie, Andres' daughter-in-law, is in the same boot camp class. I've been reading her blog entries about her take on the experience and have been surprised at how similar our feelings are day to day.

She wrote a very positive entry today and I was glad. I wanted to write a positive entry today too because I thought to myself as i took my post boot camp shower, "I need to write about the good things in all of this instead of just the bad."

As I said earlier, Boot Camp was easier today. Not easy, but easier than yesterday!!!

Yesterday...Holy Moly.

Today....I didn't feel so demolished and disheartened at the end of class. We did 2 minute drills. Lots of sprinting and core body work. I liked the sprints. They brought back the plank today and my elbows, which were JUST beginning to heal, got roughed up again. (WARNING: NEGATIVE COMMENT AHEAD) I don't know which I hate more, the Plank or jump rope. Okay...back to being positive.

If EVERY day was like today, I'd consider signing up for another month, but...I know every day won't be like today and besides...I need to rest because I have learned that boot camp takes up more than one hour of your day.

You have to stay on an eating schedule and you have to watch what you eat. It isn't difficult to follow and I'm getting acclimated to some WONDERFUL new eating habits, but it isn't easy to be spontaneous with family and friends. I've also been losing quality family time in the evenings because I conk out so early, but on the up side, by getting my work outs done in the morning I don't have to do it in the evenings. Andres and I try to ride around the lake or run at least 4 or 5 days a week after I get off of work.

This morning as I walked from the parking lot toward the field I chatted with a young woman in her 20's who I'd never talked to before. She told me that, like me, she had considered laying out today because yesterday left her hurting so bad. But after camp was over, as I jogged back to the parking lot with Penny, a 56 year old first timer, Penny told me that she had just signed up for two more months.

There is a lesson here....
.
.
.
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Penny's lost her mind.

*best smile*

Have a very positive day!!!

BOOT CAMP: DAY SEVEN (OF ACTUAL WORKOUTS)

Short update today for anyone who cares. I've been out of town on a shoot today, so could not post any earlier.

In a nutshell, Boot Camp was hell this morning. At one point I thought i was going to barf because my din din from the night before kept coming up. Then as I stood up and started to jog to another area for more workouts I got dizzy and thought...."Well, I'm going to pass out." and for a moment I wished I would.

But I made it through the hour long meat grinder, somehow, and got home.

Andres met me at the door like he does every morning and gave me his usual question, "How'd it go?" And I started crying.

I didn't bawl or anything, although I almost slipped into a jag when he said, "C'mere." and held me, but I got control of myself.

It was hard, that's all and I'm not even sure I was crying because it was hard. I think i was crying from a combination of exhaustion and just well, for lack of a better word, fear.

I dread going to boot camp now. I hate to say that because it really is a positive thing. I AM seeing results in my shape...I think. Maybe I'm just imagining things. But it's good. That which does not kill us makes us stronger, right?

Right.

Again, Andres, not liking to see me that way, told me I could quit. But I told him I wouldn't. "If I'm crying and puking through the entire class I'm not quitting." I said.

But I'll sure be glad when it's over. At least that's how i feel today.

I wonder what they'll do to us tomorrow.

BOOT CAMP: DAY SIX (OF WORKOUTS)

We worked our arms today.

5 sets of 20 reps for each of five arm workouts with bars and balls, so that's 500 arm moves with extra weight.

After each set (100 reps) we had to run to another area to do cardio burst work.

The alternation was interesting. I found myself dying to move to cardio when working my arms and then dying to get back to the stationary arm work when I was doing my cardio.
I am writing to you from my desk where I am having a light soup with fat-free yogurt and a piece of string cheese for lunch.

*stare*

Oddly, I know I’ll be satisfied after I eat and then I’ll eat again at 3:00, so the eating is okay.

I was so tired/sleepy last night that I went to bed without supper. Not good. I need to eat.
I think the running is getting easier. I’m not sure. If it is, the improvement is negligible.

I keep looking for improvements even though I’ve only been doing this for a week and two days. I need to get my expectations under control, but when you’re working this hard you sort of expect to be Wonder Woman by now.

Well, I’m not Wonder Woman.

I’m just Tired and Sore Woman.

BOOT CAMP: DAY EIGHT (5th day of actual work outs)

No days off this week for us weary campers, so I’ve decided to strap in and get psyched for the ride.

And…..the ride got off to a tough start this morning.

Andres and I rode our 11 miles around the lake both on Saturday and Sunday, so I wasn’t a bump on a log this weekend. I also did pretty well with my eating. My splurge meal happened Friday night when Andres and I decided to hit Tokyo House for Sushi on a whim. It was a very nice evening. …but I digress. We were talking about Boot Camp.

I woke up at 4:55 this morning from anxiety dreams about getting ready for boot camp. In the dream I was panicking and racing around trying to find my gear. I was terrified of being late. They told us that if we were late entire class would pay for it, but I noticed today that the late arrivals and those who over-indulged through the weekend were taken off by themselves after class for “encouragement’. That means extra work. That’s a good sign, I suppose. Maybe they’re backing off of the communal punishment idea.

This morning we had to carry around a heavy ball. The ball wasn’t very big, but mine weighed 15 pounds. We ran to our workout area holding the balls over our heads. That gets old fast, trust me. When we arrived at a lovely spot by the water our instructor, Kari (she’s kick butt and I really like her) told us that today would be a high intensity cardio day. Translated that means, “You’ll be dead by the time we’re done.”

And I was.

The work out, as best I can recall, went like this…

Hold ball and jump.

Jump side to side.

Now run in place with knees high…hold that ball up!

Awesome, okay now go take a run.

So we ran and came back and had to go right into pushups using the ball

One hand on the ball, then switch it.

And so it went. That was the pattern…cardio work-out with heavy ball, run, push-ups…cardio work-out with heavy ball, run, push-ups over and over again.

“OKAY YOU’RE THROUGH!” Yells Kari

But it’s a lie. She only means we’re through with the day’s special program. At this point we line up…hold our balls (stop laughing those of you immature enough to laugh) and start running and then alternately side shuffling (I hate this) to a different grassy area where we do our core exercises.

Core Exercises = fifty jillion sit ups.

Then we stretch and THEN we’re finished.

Tomorrow morning is another wonderful day. I can’t wait to see what they do to me.

BOOT CAMP: DAY FIVE

I was nervous about boot camp this morning because I felt like yesterday's time off would see me losing any ground I might have gained in the first three days of class.

It turned out to be okay.

On day five our boot camp toy du jour was a 10 pound pole. At least I think it was 10 pounds. It was heavy. It was about 4 feet long. We got to hoist that onto our shoulders and jog with it to a lovely hidden glen by the lake where we did squats with the pole. Lots and lots of squats of so many different kinds.

Happily, I have quads like King Kong and so the squats weren't a killer for me. I started feeling the burn at the end, though. Note to self, try to sit down further into the squats.

I'm not sure why, but for some reason the instructors decided we had to run right in the middle of a set. Not in between sets, but right in the middle.

There we were, counting down from 20 and when we got to 12 one of the instructors yells, "DROP YOUR BARS AND RUN!".

We dropped the bars and ran. I don't know why. It was very random and done with zero explanation.

And get this, later, some girl who was across from me in the circle, which means she was as far away from me as she could be said something verboten. There I was doing my squats and counting out loud like a good camper when all of a sudden one of the instructors says something like, "I HEARD AN 'I can't' EVERYONE DROP AND GIVE ME 20!"

So that girl might have said something like, "I can't do this."

Boot Camp rule: NO WHINING!

The 20 push ups didn't bother me too much, so no biggie, but if I'd had to do an extra run with that bar on my shoulders because of her, that would have been a different story altogether. I'd have raked her over the coals....in my mind.

Long story short, I went to bed last night with much trepidation in my heart. I woke up at 4:55 with a dull sense of dread, but by the time we were finished with the bars and had gathered to do our core exercises, something we do at the end of each class, I felt pretty good. Boot camp wasn't very brutal today.

Now we have a boot-camp-free weekend ahead of us and while it's a wonderful thought, it also makes me nervous. Like I said earlier, I don't want to lose any ground, so I may show up at one of the Saturday morning classes that are held for any campers who want to come. That should be at around 10:00am, though, so no early call on Saturday. YAY

DAY FOUR: NO BOOT CAMP

We got a day off today!

We got a day off today!

YAY!!!

It was so nice not to have to get up at 4:55am to head off to camp this morning. Instead, I got up at the leisurely hour of 6:00am and went on a tandem bike ride around the lake with The Marrying Man. That’s only about 11 miles, so no biggie. I actually feel guilty for not doing more.

Still the ride was hard. The wind was pretty strong making about 4 miles of the trip pretty difficult.

My legs…they don’t like jumping and so they did not like the ride this morning. My calves are EXTREMELY sore from Wednesday’s boot camp. I had to go down the stairs sideways today. My calves keep threatening to cramp up at the slightest provocation.

More injury inventory:

1. My elbows are all skinned up. We have to do several plank exercises which puts you on your elbows and toes. Yesterday we had to “walk” down the length of our jump ropes in this position and back again. The elbows were already a little gimped up from previous days, but Wednesday pretty much made them officially scabbed. *gross* I look oh, so professional at work walking around with scabbed up elbows.

2. Knees: they don’t like scraping along on dried out grass either. My right leg has scratches all down the shin.

Food Notes:

We have to keep a log of everything we eat and have been told to eat 6 small meals a day and we’ve been advised what to eat and how to eat it. I haven’t been hungry once…well, okay once yesterday afternoon, but it was fine. I am so full from lunch right now it isn’t funny and I have to eat again at 3:00! I have healthy foods and meals I’ve prepared at the house, so I bring everything I need with me to work. I just had 2 oz of beef with stir-fried veggies and yeah…I’m full. I’ll have half an apple and a half cup of cottage cheese at 3:00.

I’m a little sleepy today.

DAY THREE: Just Do It!

Remember when I wrote about hating the jump rope station on Day Two? Guess what was waiting for each of us Boot Campers when we checked in for duty this morning?

"EVERYONE GRAB A JUMP ROPE!!!"

That's right, we had a flippin' jump rope in our hands for the entire hour.

When I wasn't jumping with the jump rope I was running with the jump rope held over my head.

I had to hold the jump rope aloft while doing lunge squats.

I had to lay the jump rope in front of me and jump back and forth over it, do push ups in front of it and then…I got to jump with it some more.

*sigh*

Well, it was lots of running here to do jump rope exercises, then run over there to do more jump rope exercises. (the lake is lovely at dawn though) Then we ran back to where we had just run from to do more interesting things. (note: I had no idea you could do so many things with a stupid jump rope) It was hard for me, very hard, but not quite as hard as yesterday. At one point by the lake, I think it was during the 100 jumping jacks, I found that my mind had left my body.

Cool.

At that point I realized I wasn’t there with Bravo Company (that’s the name of my squad. Don’t laugh) listening to instructors yell, “C’MON! MAKE SURE THOSE HEELS TOUCH THE GROUND!” My mind was thinking about work and other things. The ol’ brain said, “Enough of THIS! I’m outtie.” My brain is very smart.

Note: I’m a sucker for one on one encouragement. I did not know this about myself, but as I was sludging through some jumping exercise about half way through class one of the instructors got in front of me and said, “Just Do It!” I realized he was talking to me and looked up. (apparently when I’m worn out I stare at the ground while trying to jump) He was smiling at me and said, “yep, I’m reading your shirt.”

I looked down at my shirt and sure enough it had emblazoned on it, “Just Do It”.

I suddenly picked up my pace.

I feel great today. Sore, but great!

DAY TWO: OMG

Just let me say OMG. Whatever warm feelings I thought I had about feeling cool at boot camp on day one were immediately dislodged this morning.

I can’t even be creative here so I’m just going to outline what we had to do.

Run about a quarter mile to vacant parking lot. Get in a circle with your group and do calisthenics, many, many exercises designed to get us warmed up. While doing this we all had to tell the group something about ourselves.

I’m not gonna lie, I was tired just doing those warm up exercises. I know, it’s shameful, but there it is. I was already winded.

After the warm up we ran again, longer this time, but I’m not sure how long…half a mile? I dunno. We ran to a grassy area where stations were set up with lighted cones so we could see where we were going in the dark. We had to go around to these stations and do workouts in smaller groups with about ten in each group. Even getting from station to station was a workout.

No rest.

No rest.

Just move and jump and lay down and hold your legs up and lay on your side and hold your legs up. Now raise one leg in the air and hold it while you’re in plank position. Don’t put it down. (I had to put it down) Now the other. Now side plank. Hold yourself up. That was an example of what happens at the stations. Then we would run to the next station for more and by the way, I hate jump ropes. Jumping rope sucks when you’re already tired.

And when you’re through jumping rope please run some more.

I was dying as I moved through the circuit and felt some hope in my chest as we came back around to the station where we had begun. I thought that meant we were at the finish line. I thought it was nearly time to go home. But I was wrong. We got to the station only to find they had more work for us. We had to do a second circuit. My legs were shaking as I tried to do more lunge squats. My abs hurt because most of the exercises focused on our abs today.

“JUST THINK ABOUT THOSE BIKINIS!!!”

Yeah, right.

It was as I was moving through the second round of circuits that I realized something, never ending workouts would be a great punishment in hell.
I was seriously dying and wondering what I’d gotten myself into. Someone’s made a HUGE mistake!!!

But you know what? There is a girl in the class. She’s very large. She was in our smaller group at the start of today’s class when they made us introduce ourselves which is how I know anything about her at all. She’s from the Bahama’s and this is her second month of Boot Camp. She’s been through the boot camp once and has decided to do it again.

Just knowing that inspired me. As hard as it is for me, it must be harder for her and she didn’t quit. More importantly, that crazy girl signed up for more!!! So I noticed that she was always trying her best with everything. I tried my best too. It wasn’t stellar by a long shot. I think I even cast out a disparaging comment about jump ropes to a fellow camper as we approached the jump ropes for a second time. I felt bad about that because it’s not very encouraging to my fellow boot camper to be like that. I made a mental note to keep any grumbling to myself. Besides, a positive attitude absolutely makes a difference.

I returned home sore and had a hard time going up the stairs. My body hurts all over, my arms, legs, backside, back, abs.

But the thing I like about today’s boot camp is…I made it through and….well…that’s about it. I made it through and I feel good about that.

We Have to Say HOO-YA and Everything!

I was feeling very G.I. Jane as I lay on the grass at the park surrounded by 40 other boot campers. It was raining in my face as I struggled to do as many sit-ups as possible in one minute. That was really a nice moment. I felt good about myself in that moment. My first day at Boot camp was more than half way over. Light was seeping into the air. The morning was cool and the rain was gentle.

“14, 15, 16….C’mon, you can do it!”

That’s my partner. We buddied up for this portion of the camp. We had to count for each other while we did push-ups, sit-ups, more sit-ups but in a different way, tricep presses and then some more sit ups. My partner’s name is Dallas. She was a very good counter. She is skinny, a little older than me and has a black eye, but she looks very cool. I was a sucky counter for Dallas because I lost track very early into her pushups. The instructors were walking around all of us barking out things like, “ENCOURAGE YOUR PARTNER” and “30 SECONDS LEFT”. I got distracted and forgot where I’d left off with my counting. I was not prepared for the mental focus needed to count. So I guessed at it. I hope she wasn’t counting for herself, then she’ll know I goofed it up. I will not blame her if she finds another buddy tomorrow, but it should be noted that I did an EXCELLENT job of counting for the rest of the bajillion exercises they made us do.

Class started at 5:30am. Dark Thirty. It was cute. They had a Coleman lantern set up at the table where the instructors check our log books every day. We have to keep a log of everything we eat and how we’re feeling. We get daily emails with encouragement and menu ideas. Andres’ daughter, Andrea, began her boot camp experience about two weeks ago and so was able to give us (us being me and Andres’ daughter-in-law who is in the same class as me) tips like, plan ahead when it comes to eating six meals a day. So I packed my mini-meals last night and had it all ready to go this morning.

The hardest part of camp today was the end of the mile run. They timed the run to get our first day best time. They will time us again on the last day to measure how much we’ve improved.

I was flat out exhausted at the end of that run and looked forward to a little breather, but there would be no breather. At the end of the trail, trainers greet you with this…”GOOD JOB! NOW GET DOWN ON ALL FOURS AND DO...” I don’t know the name of the exercise they made us do, but it was NOT an easy one. (I think it should have been an easy one, because really…the run was very hard) My hands were planted on the asphalt trail. Why couldn’t we be on the grass? (don’t forget, it’s still raining) My feet were together extended behind me. I had to jump up and bring both feet in at the same time and then jump and extend them back out. Totally sucked and I thought I would die.
But I didn’t.

After that terrible exercise I started feeling better Apparently, there is no standing still allowed in Boot Camp. We had to move the entire time. Even if you’re standing there listening to the instructors yak you have to be doing a quick time jog in place. Other instructors will walk around us and yell at us to “MOVE”.

Overall, was very excited about doing day one and worried that they’d cancel class because of the rain and lightening, but the lightening was to the west of us (and beautiful, I might add) so they stayed the course.

When I think about doing this every day it’s a bit overwhelming, so I put that thought out of my mind. Now that I know what to expect, I probably will have a little more dread in my heart about tomorrow morning. I really hated that run and then the quick turn-around to exercise, but I’ll be there and I’ll do it.

And with that I will leave you with a hearty….
HOO-YA!!! ß(they force us to say this at the end of every exercise)

Give Me A Break!!!

I saw a story on Good Morning, America today that just amazes me. Where is integrity in journalism? It's dead and in a grave...that's where it is.

Chris Cuomo did a story about a little girl in Albuquerque, New Mexico who was given a cheese sandwich instead of a hot lunch because her mom had not paid for her daughter's lunches.

You can see the story here http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/

Cuomo was trying to make the school district look bad for giving kids a cheese sandwich, a piece of fruit and milk because parents wouldn't pay for hot lunch. Then we get to see the mom. She is sitting next to her adorable little girl looking very sad and slightly outraged. She has nicely fixed hair, a french manicure and in b-roll shots of her in the story she is wearing a leather jacket and carrying a digital camera and cell phone.

She expresses outrage that the school would embarrass her daughter and force the child to eat a cold cheese sandwich. Cut to a close-up of the offending cheese sandwich. (I'm surprised they didn't play sinister music to accompany the shot of the heinous food)

Cuomo explains that this woman is no deadbeat parent because she had applied for the free lunch program and was waiting for approval to come through, so....

so....

so what????

Clearly she knew she was not approved yet and that her daughter didn't have money for her freaking lunch, so here's an idea. Why not, oh, i don't know, give up your manicures for a couple of weeks so your daughter can have a hot lunch.

Not that I'm against manicures. I, myself, love them, but it would be a cold day in hell before I got a manicure while my child did without!!!

Here's another crazy idea.

FIX YOUR KID A SACK LUNCH!!!

When my kids were in elementary school, I would receive a notice from thecafeteria when my kids' lunch accounts were low. They'd give them a few days to pay it. After that...it was a peanut butter sandwich for the kid.

My son HAS had to have the peanut butter sandwich because he would forget to bring me the note and I didn't know. But when he got the peanut butter sandwich, he suddenly remembered to give me the note and I paid up. He was fine! He did not suffer emotionally because he was forced to have a peanut butter sandwich and milk for lunch while other kids had a hot lunch. In fact, he learned responsibility.

So here is my problem....that ABC News and Cuomo thought this was a story. Furthermore, they LAID into the district superintendent like he was an abuser instead of this mom who thinks everyone should pay for her children so she can keep her hair nice and her nails done and so she can have the digital camera and cell phone.

Are they serious???

Here's an idea Chris Cuomo, why not do a story about people who get free lunches for their kids at taxpayer expense when they can afford french manicures!!!

Yes, I left a comment at the GMA website. Maybe I should leave another one asking John Stossel (he also works for ABC) to check out free lunch parents' lifestyles.