Keep on Keeping On

As promised, here's a picture of me at the top of the mountain I climbed on Monday.  I was channeling Rocky - "gonna fly now"...

I'll quickly tell you about this morning.  Trainer Jonathan did a cardio boot camp...one of the most challenging classes we take.  For 50 minutes the trainer tells us what incline and speed to put the treadmill on and we either walk or run.  My husband was on the treadmill beside me and we killed it! 

We were sprinting for 1 minute, then recovering for 2 minutes for 10 minutes. 
Then we were sprinting for 15 seconds and recovering for 45 seconds for a series. 
Then we did a series where the sprinting increased to 30 seconds on and 30 seconds recovery. 
Then a series of 45 seconds on and 30 seconds recovery. 
Finally, a series of 1 minute on and 30 seconds recovery. 

Each time we had to increase our speed.  Yesterday, the fastest I've sprinted was 4.2 speed.  Today - 5.5 speed.  That's a huge jump!  Eric was up to 7.5 speed - he's a beast!

Did a few more training sessions, but my next favorite was personal training with Amber.    Amber is this 5'3" gorgeous powerhouse!  She holds the title of Miss Fitness Hawaiian Islands for 2008!

Amber had me doing her favorite arm workout.  At the end she wanted me to do tricep dips.  I haven't been able to do those since I was about 28-yrs-old.  I didn't think I could do it, but she assured me after actually seeing my biceps (when they poked out beyond the extra flesh surrounding them) that I could do them.  She was Right!  I did 4 sets of 15! 

It's been a great day of accomplishments!

The Eye of the Tiger

Yesterday was a huge day for me.

 I did the Santa Monica bike ride again. I did it the 1st week with Desi and we made it out about 6.5 miles, it took forever, we huffed & puffed all the way, our legs and butts were sore for 2 days afterwards.


But yesterday we owned the bike ride!


We did the 10 miles from Maxella St. in Marina Del Rey to Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades and back with great lung capacity and strong legs…and it took under 2 hours! Desi wasn’t sure she could do it when we set out, but after only a couple miles she realized she had indeed improved greatly from week 1. So we were victorious in the morning.

Then came the afternoon victory! Due to my tree pollen allergies I hadn’t been scheduled for the hike yet. Desi did the hike her very 1st week and she got sick as a result - she got dehydrated and tried so hard to keep up with everyone else that she hurt her leg. Upon completion she had the chills the rest of the night and she had a bum leg for 4 days.

She was really apprehensive to attempt the hike again. I’ll admit, I was quite nervous. I’ve never attempted to hike a mountain and I had butterflies in my belly during the ride to the mountain. We split up into 2 groups - Desi & I stayed behind with Trainer Bronson.

The 1st half of the mountain is about 10 switchbacks that climb up higher and higher. After each switchback I was out of breath and had to stop for about a minute before continuing on. Taking a short breather was a smart idea because I never really ran out of energy. I kept plugging away and managed to get through all the switchbacks in pretty good shape.

After the switchbacks the rest of the climb is very doable…more climbing but only at certain intervals of the mountain. Yesterday was a foggy, cool day and we managed to climb above the fog to find the sun smiling down on us as we climbed higher and higher. Periodically we’d stop to smell the roses and look at the scenery. It was a gorgeous panorama!


So, we made it to the top and Bronson took a picture of me! It’s still on his cell so I have to get him to forward it to me, then I’ll post it - hopefully tomorrow.

My secret is I never looked up to see how high I had to climb. My other secret is I had my ipod and put on great tunes with a beat so I would dig in and climb to the beat. Coming down was difficult too…some parts were very steep and I had to walk down sideways in those sections to prevent myself from falling.

All in all I knew I had a tough day ahead of me, but I was determined to complete both the bike ride and the hike. I can do more and more everyday and knowing that I set a goal and didn’t allow myself an “out” is very satisfying! I didn’t use my sore legs as an excuse. I never thought I would ever climb a mountain…but I did and it’s a great feeling of accomplishment and pride!


Next time you have a big goal get the Eye of the Tiger!

Feeling Stronger Everyday

That’s exactly how I feel. This week was a great one for me.


It started out with a Bang when the Singulair & Zyrtec finally kicked in to STOP the tree pollen from affecting me. I was able to work out all day every day this week.

My cardio is improving.
I can full out sprint for 2 minutes right now. That may not seem like a lot, but for me as an obese 48-year-old woman who hasn’t run in 20 years that’s a huge accomplishment!

I biked 15 miles from Marina Del Rey to Santa Monica and it was a breeze. I did that same bike ride my very 1st week here and it was very hard both on my legs and lungs. But this time I put my ipod on some jammin’ tunes and got in my zone and just kept going. Actually, I was the leader of a group of newbies who hadn’t done the bike ride before so I had to look like I knew what I was doing…lol!

I finally got back to the Santa Monica Stairs this week. I did them the 1st week and was totally freaked out by the big black hole I was climbing down into. My fear allowed me to only do the stairs twice. I spent the rest of the time speed walking the gorgeous neighborhood that overlooks the Pacific Palisades with a view of the Pacific. This time I had Trainer Bronson with me…the most inspirational of all the trainers. He walked down in front of me so I could only see his back and the 3 stairs directly in front of me. Then we climbed back up. I did 4 trips this time which amounts to 800 stairs. I know I’ll eventually have to get over this fear of climbing down, but for right now I’m sticking with what works.


My strength is improving.
This week I graduated to heavier weights on pretty much every machine I use.

I also graduated from modified planks to full planks. I can’t do them for the full minute, but I start out with a full plank, then revert to the modified version for the remainder of the time. Eventually, I’ll be doing the full plank the entire time. Planks are the ultimate abs/core exercise - say goodbye to your muffin top!

Modified Front Plank

Full Front Plank

 

Full Side Plank

 When the Going Gets Tough
The tough get going!

Between Schuyler giving me bi-weekly boxing lessons and Bronson giving me weekly mixed martial arts/self defense lessons I’m much tougher than I ever was. This week Bronson focused on some Krav Maga and Kung Fu defense techniques which were really cool. I think my college daughter and all her friends need to take lessons with Bronson. He’s been teaching this for some time and actually had a former client write to thank him for his lessons. She was attacked in a mall bathroom and she kicked the guys ass! Now that’s what I call Girl Power!



Push It Real Good
The trainers watch me very carefully and know how hard they can push me. And, of course, I push myself. I’m always hard on myself and think I can do better. I never give myself a break which is something I’m learning to work on while I’m out here.

During one of Schuyler’s cardio boot camps this week I was so frustrated with myself because I couldn’t keep up. Schuyler told me to keep my incline high and my speed lower and that worked, but I was mad at myself. Of course, once I looked around the class I realized everyone was either half my age, or at least 50 pounds thinner than I am. Of course I couldn’t keep up. But in my mind I should be able to otherwise I’m a failure.

Sheesh! I obviously need to lighten up a bit which my friend Sharona likes to gently remind me.



What Have You Done For You Lately?
So…what have you done to put yourself FIRST this week?
Did you make time to exercise?
Did you make time to plan and prepare whole food nourishing meals?
Did you make time to relax in a warm bubble bath?
Did you make time to take a nap in a hammock or just stare at the sky and find adorable could shapes?
Did you at least stop to smell the roses?

How many of these questions get a YES from you? If the answer is NONE, then I urge you to Take Care of Business.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

I know it’s a movie title, not a song title like most of my posts, but it’s apropos for this posting.


The Good


There are so many good things I don’t know where to begin. First I have a shout out to my girl Debbie. I thought about you all day today because during 2 workouts they played “Sweet Child of Mine.” That is Debbie’s theme song - she sings it at every event we go to whether there’s karaoke or not.

Had a great walk on Venice Beach today. I walked up a storm for 60 minutes keeping my heart rate between 123-130 - my fat burning zone. I felt so empowered when I was finished.

Today I did bear crawls for the 1st time - something I haven’t been able to do my 1st three weeks. Every couple of days now I’m able to do something new that I couldn’t when I first arrived…what a great feeling!

This past week I’ve noticed how much I now sweat. It would always take me at least 20-30 minutes to begin sweating, but now that my fitness has vastly improved I sweat immediately. I sweat during every workout and feel gross at the beginning of my day, but I have to wait to get back to the apartment before I can shower. That shower in the evening is so cathartic!


The Bad

I only dropped 1 pound and 3.25 inches this week. I know those numbers are certainly better than nothing; however, The Biggest Loser is so ingrained in our psyches that we consistently expect bigger numbers. I was a little bummed, I’ll admit. I worked real hard last week and I ate only the healthy meals LIFE prepared for me without cheating.

So glad I’m not home because if I was when I got on the scale and had that result I would have said “F%*k it” and would have eaten whatever I wanted to make me feel better.

Obviously that’s one of the biggest issues I’ll have to deal with at home.


The Ugly
That would be my hair…my grays have grown in and I seriously need some help.

So I’m bringing in the professionals. I’m headed to Santa Monica tomorrow afternoon for a makeover at Art Luna Salon. Art is supposed to be one of the best in LA so I’ll be seeing for myself. I’m showing up and saying, “Make me a new woman.” I’ll post a picture for you when it’s done.

Wish me luck!

Positive Thoughts and Persistence Pay Big

Yesterday I took my allergy meds and headed to Marina Del Rey Beach for our weekly beach boot camp. At the beach there is a bird sanctuary that is surrounded by a large fence or cage (not sure how large the area actually is - at least several acres).



Boot camp always begins with a timed walk around the bird cage.

It’s not easy…we’re walking in the beach sand which is hell on your calves and lower back. It’s like walking or running in quicksand because you sink deep before you come back up only to plant another foot in the sand and sink deep again.

I wear Under Armour sneakers which have holes in them for ventilation. The ventilation is great, but the sneakers quickly fill up with sand and my feet feel like they are being strangled. So…I do beach boot camp in bare feet.

Okay, so we begin the workout with a timed walk around the bird cage and I timed in at 14:34. As a veteran of beach boot camp I already know that when we are being timed to do the first round slow because every time we do it again the trainers expect us to beat our previous time.

Next up was a G R E U L I N G round of stations:


Station 1


1. sprint to the 1st cone, drop and do 20 push ups


2. sprint to the 2nd cone, and do 20 squats


3. sprint to the 3rd cone, drop and do 20 burpees


4. sprint to the 4th cone, drop and do 20 full pushups


5. sprint back to the very 1st cone and repeat steps 1-5 four more times



Station 2


1. sprint sideways with right leg leading to 1st cone


2. sprint sideways with left leg leading to 2nd cone


3. drop and do 20 burpees


4. sprint to the 1st cone and repeat steps 1-4 four more times



Station 3


1. grab a partner, wrap a band around them and hold on to the ends.


2. the partner sprints in the sand for 40 yds. with you pulling them back (like Jillian does on The Biggest Loser


3. switch places


4. repeat steps 1-3 two more times

This was all followed up by doing the bird cage again. And we had to beat our 1st time.

My plan was to keep my girl Desi in my sights. She beat me by 1:30 last time so I knew if I could stay close to her heels, I’d beat my time. I rounded the final corner and Trainer Schuyler yelled to me that I had 30 seconds left. I sprinted full out to him. When I arrived at the finish line he had a big grin on face and said, “I lied. You killed it! Finished in 12:12!”

I took almost 2:30 off my first time. Who knew I could do that? I certainly didn’t. Schuyler’s trick just proves that our minds control our bodies. I thought I only had 30 seconds left and I sprinted to beat that.

Yes, I was gasping for air. Yes, my heart rate was very high. Yes, I did it!

And you can too. Your positive thoughts and persistence can take you anywhere. Where do you want to go?

If You Like Piña Coladas

We’ve talked about nutrition, healthy wholesome foods and entertainment foods. Now let’s talk about alcohol.


We all know those fabulous island drinks are filled with empty calories. The same goes for beer and wine. But what you don’t know is the real reason trainers tell you to watch your alcoholic intake…it’s not just the calories.

Alcohol slows down your metabolism for up to 72 hours.

Say what?

It’s true.

So if you go on a little drinking binge with your friends on Saturday night, then spend some quality time on Sunday and Monday trying to burn off those calories, your workout isn’t as efficient. Bummer!

The rule of thumb: alcohol is an entertainment food to be enjoyed 1-2 times a week and in moderation. Keep to that rule and your metabolism will thank you.

Famous Last Words

Didn't the end of my post yesterday say that I would pace myself for the next few days? 

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

I went in this morning and hit that gym like lightening.  So much for taking care of myself.

Today I went home even earlier than yesterday...I missed the last 2.5 workouts due to allergies.  They're making me feel like I have the flu. 

I can deal with it.

What I really love is when I look at myself in the mirror I can see that my shirts and shorts are getting big on me.  I have to throw out my sports bras...don't worry...the girls won't be flying around loose...I already have sports bras the next size down so the girls are taken care of.

Speaking of the girls...I have always had fibrous breast tissue and was told years ago not to worry about it because it's usually caused by caffeine.  Well I've been caffeine free for 2 months now and 90% of the fibrous tissue is gone.  I'm amazed!

If you recall, back in February when I began this blog my daily goal was to burn 300 calories during exercise.  Today I burned 2000 calories during exercise.  Imagine what I would have burned had I finished up the day...

I know when I return home that lofty 300 calorie burn goal will be out the window and the goal will be more like 1000.  I know it's a lot, but remember, when I get home I'll still be many, many pounds away from my goal weight. 

What are your daily calorie burn goals?  Don't have any...then I urge you to begn thinking about them.  Start out at 300 for the remainder of this month, then work your way up to 350 during the 1st half of May.  Baby steps will get you where you want to be.

Power on!

Frustration Sets In

It's spring here so the tree pollen is having a hey day!  Unfortunately, that means I'm feeling a little under the weather.  It doesn't matter that I take Singulair nightly, sniff my steroid spray every morning, and today I even used the albuterol inhaler the doctor gave me last week.  That pollen still loves to bug me.

Ask Terri.  She's been with me when I ran out of my allergy meds and the tree pollen back east actually gave me pneumonia!  It's crazy! 

In L.A., I see no smog...just pollen.  And it's slowing me down.  And that's frustrating me.

I'm in my 3rd week and ready to step it up another notch.  I started running last week and I'm ready to continue running longer and stronger. 

But my body is rebelling.

My coach Arleigh told me today that during the 1st week my fitness went from A to M on my abilities.  That's not typical.  In other words, my fitness improved exponentially in that 1st week and I keep expecting those same results, but my body won't let me get those same results every week.  I need to learn to pace myself for the next couple of weeks and let my body catch up.  She said in my last 2-3 weeks I'll really be able to step it up and make huge improvements.

Bronson reiterated to me that I'm working harder now than I ever will again.  He said what we do here is way more than he did playing college football.

I guess I just have to be more patient and stop expecting so much from myself.

On a good note, it was a gorgeous sunny day and I stretched, then did a walk/run on Venice Beach, immediately followed by an hour of circuits and 30 minutes of abs/core work.  Lunch was yummy - pan seared sea bass with brown rice risotto and green beans...yum!  I had a visit with the chiropractor then did an hour of partner training with Gorgeous Schuyler of the cute butt!  That's where I hit my wall.

My heart began to race, I became light headed, my breathing was messed up, my face was flushed.  I finished up with Schuyler then went to lie down and rest.  It took almost an hour to get my heart rate and breathing back to normal.  2 hours later my throat started getting scratchy and I realized it was allergies taking control of my body again. 

I sat out of the cardio interval class and continued to rest.  I ended the day after doing an hour gym boot camp, but I was very slow and very careful so I wouldn't pass out.  Getting back home was an adventure.  A few of us were injured so Trainer Jonathan offered to drive us back.  Roberto got to sit in the front; Tom, Kathy and I sat in the back and we had Desi laying across all of us.  Desi is such a trooper...she was totally willing to walk home, but she has a bad limp from an injured hamstring we wouldn't let her walk.  We laughed all the way back...good thing it's only half a mile otherwise Jonathan would have probably gotten a ticket!  Desi's feet were sticking out the window!

I'm gross, sweaty, wet, just plain yuck.  So I'm headed to the shower, then planning to lay on the couch and watch TV for the rest of the night.  I've got to let my body rejuvenate itself so I'm ready for tomorrow.

Night all!

It's All In Your Head

Today I was back in the gym.  Our trainer was Bronson and he had a few words of advice for us.  It was great advice.

Primarily, he told us going to the gym is a mind game.  "Get your head in the right frame of mind before you even walk in the gym."  That way, you work your hardest for the amount of time you're there then you leave it behind you.

Secondly, he told us that what we are doing here at L.I.F.E. is the hardest work we'll have to do.  When we leave here and go back to our real lives we'll know how to workout hard to get the results we want at home.

Third, he said we must combine all the facets of our life to be successful at weight loss: workout, rest, nutrition, water consumption, ice, heat, recreation, etc.  When we focus on being balanced then the real change has taken place and we begin to reap the rewards.

Fourth, he told us that most of us would never be selected for the show The Biggest Loser.  Bronson said all the contestents are screened for a 9-month period where extensive testing and bloodwork is done.  In other words, someone with a slow thyroid like me would never be selected because my weight loss wouldn't be fast enough to make "good TV". 

So we spent our workout doing 2 circuits:  cardio and core work.  We'd spend 5 minutes on a cardio machine (minute 3-4 was pushing to our limit), then we'd head over to the mats to do various ab/core work like crunches, shadow boxing, planks, squats, etc. for 4 minutes, then back and forth.  It was a great workout.  

The one thing I know for sure: when I leave L.I.F.E. I will be much closer to the athlete I used to be in my teens and twenties.  I see changes daily which is very exciting...like my balance is greatly improving and I'm much more graceful now getting up and down on the mats.  I'm so glad I made this decision...it's one of the best in my life to date.

Rock on!

Today I Feel Like a California Girl

I spent the morning at the Starbucks across the street from my apartment. I’ve also spent some time at the Starbucks in Venice right near the gym. It’s interesting how the Starbucks out here are staffed by typical-looking people. All the Starbucks back home are staffed by young people fully tattooed and fully pierced. I wonder why that is…


The Starbucks out here have really stepped up their game. They have a very large variety of food: sandwiches, healthy food options (like a whole wheat bagel with low fat cream cheese, fruit & a hard-boiled egg), and they even have begun to carry some gluten free sweets.



Buyer Beware
Out of curiosity I looked at an innocent little package of Starbucks Madeleines.  You know those cute little shell-shaped mini cakes sort of like a lady finger? This package had 3 Madeleines in it. Buyer Beware!!!!! When I turned the package over and read the label I was shocked! The number 1 rule when reading a label is you must read the serving size - 1 Madeleine is 1 serving. Only 1 teeny weeny Madeleine. And to make matters worse, that 1 teeny weeny Madeleine is 230 calories! That one innocent package of Starbucks Madeleines is twice the amount of calories the average woman should have in 1 meal! And we all know the amount of sugar and white flour in the snack will spike our insulin and we’ll be hungry in an hour. So that Madeleine really isn’t worth it…is it?


If you’re not reading labels, you’re not informed! And you’re consuming way more calories than you think you are.






Out Today
You may be wondering why I’m not at the gym today. I’ve been sick. If you recall on Thursday I overdid it a little. I had a very difficult time going to sleep that night - I couldn’t get full breaths. Yesterday I woke up the same way…couldn’t fill my lungs to their capacity. So I was sent to the doctor. He did several tests and determined that I’m completely fine. It’s allergies. On the East Coast my allergies affect my sinuses. On the West Coast the different pollens affect my lungs. So I’ve begun taking my singulair again. I feel much better today, but since our workouts are outside today I’m taking 1 last day of precaution. My breathing is much better and I’ll be at the gym in full force tomorrow ready to take on the world!

A Bevy of Information

L.I.F.E. owner Eric Viskovicz gave a talk on nutrition yesterday. It was very enlightening.



Calories and Women


The average woman needs about 300 calories every 3-4 hours in order to keep her insulin levels even and prevent her body from going into “starvation mode”. Anything over and above the 300 calories is stored as fat.

It seems as if the writers of the Game On! Diet know this fact. 300 calories is approximately the size of a legal Game On! meal my team the Wonder Women have been consuming for 5 weeks.


For those of who diet by not eating all day, then just eat dinner (which usually leads to nighttime grazing until bedtime), your body is going into starvation mode. When you finally decide to give your body the calories it’s craving it will hold on to all those calories and store them as fat because your body doesn’t know when it will get calories again. 5 small meals every 3-4 hours will alleviate this.


Eating Out


Eric shared some tips on how to eat out and he had real food from The Cheesecake Factory to use as examples. He showed us a portion of the Chicken Carbonara. If you’ve ever eaten at The Cheesecake Factory you know their portions are obscene. The Chicken Carbonara is 2200 calories - more than a Big Mac, fries & coke. Eric’s advice: if you really love the Chicken Carbonara, then order it with extra chicken and separate it into several meals (5-7) and eat it for your next several meals until you get tired of eating the same thing and dump the rest. That’s a smart idea. Think about it, now we’re not depriving ourselves of our favorite foods, but we’re eating them in moderation. I love it!



Having Dessert


How often do we go out to eat and only get an entrée? Most people also order an appetizer and who can forgo the cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory? Eric suggests deciding right up front whether or not you’ll be eating dessert. If you are, then the dessert is your carb for the meal. So order protein and veggies for dinner, then get the dessert. BUT get the dessert to go. While at the restaurant eat only 2-3 bites of the dessert and take the remainder home. Enjoy 2-3 bites for the next several evenings. Yet another great idea. Again, we’re not depriving ourselves, but we’re enjoying our favorite foods in moderation. AND it’s easy to stay on track during the day when we know we have a few bites of our favorite dessert waiting for us at the end of the day.

 Game On! Scores - Week 5


1) Wonder Women-- 3780 points (765 points week #5)
2) Ga Ga Girls-- 3771 points (741 points week #5)
3) Sassy Sunrise Divas-- 3687 (707 points week #5)




Total pounds released to date: 199 lbs in 5 weeks by 23 women


If you haven’t checked it out, I strongly encourage you to do so:


http://www.thegameondiet.com/




Overdoing It


Today I was sent home at 1:30. I was feeling great and ready to take on the world. At 9am I had 50 minutes of cardio intervals and Jonathan had me running on the treadmill for up to 90 seconds. I had done just a wee bit of interval running at the park yesterday and decided I was up to the challenge to add more running today.

At 10am a bunch of us walked over to Admiralty Park for boot camp. In between each exercise I would run to the next station. By the end of the 90 minutes I was running for 3 minutes. As we walked back to the gym I led the way dancing to my ipod to keep my heart rate up. I immediately filled my water bottle and sucked down all 28 oz. in 5 minutes, then refilled it and started on more. I ate lunch at noon - chicken spinach salad - then relaxed on the sofa and almost fell asleep. My cheeks were red and my face was warm to the touch.


At 1:30 I got back on the treadmill to burn more calories before heading out to volleyball on the beach. Within 5 minutes I began feeling a little woozy. They sent me home. I had already burned almost 2500 calories and they told me my body was fighting back. I pushed too hard today. So I was back in the apartment by 2pm. I showered, napped, had a yogurt with granola, then a protein bar. My face is just beginning to get back to normal.


Tomorrow I have the Santa Monica Stairs. I’m planning to go down the 2nd set of stairs - a concrete narrow maze. I plan to have one of the trainers walk down in front of me so I can see his back and not the descent.

                                                      Only a small section of the stairs.

I will be victorious tomorrow!

It Keeps You Running

I had a lightbulb moment today during a discussion with Eric V, the owner of L.I.F.E.  He said Healthy food is fuel; the rest (sweets, chips, alcohol, soda, etc.) is entertainment.  You get entertainment twice a week.

That means one day you can have a couple of cookies and a few days later you can a glass of wine.  Then you're done for the week.  That is true moderation.  How often do you spend time on entertainment: going to the movies, playing golf, etc?    Well, that's pretty much how often you should have "entertainment food".

So remember, healthy foods are the fuel we need to sustain our bodies.  It keeps you running.  No food should have power over us.  We actually are the ones to give the food the power, then we are its servants.  Not a good place to be.

Don't give any food your power!  You have all the power you need inside of you to make the right choices and drop the pounds you want to be rid of.  Just do it!

On another note, today I was able to do something I haven't been able to do in a very long time.  I was lying down on a workout bench and in one swift move pulled myself into a sitting position.  I know many of you take that for granted, but I haven't had a strong enough back or stomach mucles to do it.  In 9 long days I was able to accomplish a simple goal.  Go me!

Oh yeah, and I noticed today my workout shorts are very, very loose.  When I look in the mirror I can already see that I'm thinner.  That just gives me motivation to work even harder at the gym. 

So tomorrow I want everyone to go out there and MOVE your bodies and begin taking control of your food.  You can do it!

Monday Monday

So good to me.
Monday, Monday, it was all I thought it could be.

And it was.  Even though the day started out rainy and cold, I left the apartment at 6:45am and walked to Starbucks where I got a nice, warm decaf tea.  I was due at the gym at 7:30 for my official weigh in.

I dropped 6 pounds and 8.25 inches.  My legs didn't get any smaller though.  That's because they keep working them hard!  My legs haven't had an opportunity to lose any inches because they are building muscle to keep me going.

After the weigh in they started working my legs again.  The morning was filled with stretching & myofascial release, circuit training, cardio boot camp, abs/core work, and a posture evaluation. 

That was very cool.  Amber showed me exactly what was wrong with my posture and had me do some exercises to get it back in shape.  By doing these exercises everyday, my posture will slowly go back to it's original position.  That's exciting to me!

Lunch had me with the therapist.  She has a knack of getting right to the point.  There is no pussyfooting around and she challenges me with questions I've never thought about.  She helps me see things in a new light and I am slowly beginning to forgive myself for gaining the weight.

Early afternoon was spent at the beach in boot camp - yet again.  The sun had come out, the air had warmed up, but it was extremely windy.  I walked, ran and even crawled in the sand.  I laid in the sand and did crunches.  I had sand in my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my hair...pretty much everywhere.  I wanted to take a shower, but more workouts awaited me back at the gym.  Will it ever end?

I started a spin class, but my right knee was really bugging me so I decided to skip the class and do interval training on the treadmill.  Worked up a really great sweat so now I was sweaty and sandy.  Finally, I had another boot camp in the gym.  Johnathan used my ipod - hooray - so we go to listen to some great R&B. He worked us so hard!  

Afterwards I sat around in the lounge for 30 minutes just relaxing before I walked back to the apartment.  I hopped in the shower to get sand free.  I ate a tropical salad for dinner and am now sipping a cup of hot tea and getting ready to go lay down in bed and read.

After a weekend filled with only 6 hours total of exercise, Today's 6 hours has me back in pain.  Going to take some ibuprofen.  Night.

A Couple of Wrinkles

Today was a great day.  I had to be at the gym by 10am so I got to have a lazy morning.  I worked out for 2 hours.  I went to the movies with my girl Desi, then cabbed it over to Whole Foods to buy more protein bars (mine have to be gluten free).  And we had an earthquake, but I never felt it.  My roommates felt it in the room, but out on the street while I was walking to the movie theatre Desi and I felt nothing.

It was so nice to shower, put on real clothes and makeup and jewelry and sandals.  I felt like a real person again. 

Tomorrow it's back to being a workout machine.  I'm looking forward to my official weigh in 1st thing in the morning.  Check back with me tomorrow for the great news!  I know I've lost some weight because I see a couple of extra wrinkles on my face.  As I drop the pounds and my face thins out I guess I'll have new wrinkles...ugh!  Oh well, time for some anti-wrinkle creams.  Any suggerstions?

And The Week Goes On

6 days down.  Whew!  After busting my ass Thursday, yesterday was somewhat of a break.  Immediately after breakfast I had a stretch class.  Then went directly to the Santa Monica Stairs.  I was so excited to do the stairs, but didn't realize how freaked out I would be.  

I'm only a little afraid of heights, but I don't have a great spatial ability.  For instance, when on a trampoline I can't just look at the sky or a field, I Must have a point of reference that's close to me like a fence.  So seeing that the stairs go on endlessly made me very nervous. 

The good news is I did the stairs.  The bad news is I was only able to do them twice.  I had a difficult time going down.  Going up was slow but very doable.  I speed-walked the surrounding neighborhood which was truly gorgeous.  The homes overlook a Canyon and even include a view of the Pacific (and start at about $3.5-million).  I have an idea to help make the stairs easier and I've discussed it with Jonathan the trainer.  We'll see if it works next Friday. 

Following the stairs was 1 hour circuits, then lunch.  At 1:30 I had 30 minutes of TRX training followed by 90 minutes at the Santa Monica Pool.  My day ended with a relaxng massage.  I got back to the apartment 1.5 hours earlier than normal so I had some down time to just veg.  That felt great.

Today, however, was a very different story.  I got to the gym by 9:30 and we headed out to Marina Del Rey Beach for boot camp (very difficult) and a game of flag football (so much fun).  After lunch I did the MOST difficult workout I've ever done.  50 minutes in I hit a wall and had a meltdown.  I mean a Real meltdown.  I ran off to the locker room and was sobbing uncontrollably. 

All I could think was "How did I get here?"  How did my weight and health get so out of control that I had to sign up for someone to kick my ass almost 40 hours a week?  Are bad habits really worth this?

Of course, I could always leave but that's not what I want.  I want to change my ways and as I've said before Change is difficult.  And it's going to take a long time to get this weight off.  So I need this place to help me get my head on straight before I go back home and continue this journey without all my trainers, nutritionist, therapist, etc. here.

As all these thoughts are going through my head my coach Arleigh (the one who's kicking my ass today) comes to check on me.  She tells me to get it all out of my system and come back when I'm ready.  So after 10 minutes of "letting loose" and philosophizing I got back in the game stronger than before and more determined than ever to finish this job I've come to do. 

So I've been good to myself today. I sat in the hottub a bit then took a long relaxing shower, curled up on the sofa wrapped in my blanket and watched Pretty Woman. Tomorrow is only 2 hours at the gym and a bunch of us are going to the movies afterwards...popcorn & soda not allowed!

I will begin posting my meals to give you ideas on http://www.deechangesworkouts.blogspot.com/

Don't Stop Believin'

Today was by far the most challenging. It began with yoga - a little difficult to do anything on my knees since my right knee is still very sore and bruised from the airport fall. Also, I had acid reflux and it’s not easy to do downward dog with it. So I didn’t burn as many calories as I would have liked, but I still finished the class.



Then I rode my bike to the gym and immediately joined Jonathan the trainer for an hour of circuits. He had me on and off the elliptical the entire time. I didn’t step on the treadmill at all today. Wow.

With no rest, we jumped right into a bike ride. We rode from the gym to Venice Beach (aka Muscle Beach) and onto the famous Santa Monica Pier.

It was truly a gorgeous ride. The beach is very deep with crystal white sand, the water is a deep blue filled with endless waves, the boardwalk is alive with skateboarders, inline skaters, runners & bikers. A few people in our group went all the way to Temescal Canyon - 20 miles roundtrip. I was slower so I only did about 6.5 miles out, then back. I enjoyed being outside and had a light bulb moment. It’s a great way to force yourself to exercise.

Think about it. We get on a cardio machine at home or at the gym and we get tired and decide we’ve done enough. Basically, we psyche ourselves out. But when you get on a bike and head out until you’re tired it forces you to do so much more because you have to come back. Essentially you’ve doubled your workout - something most of us would never do indoors.


After I returned to the gym I jumped in the van with a bunch of others and we headed out to Culver City to Black Tie Catering & Events’ kitchen for a cooking lesson. The kitchen was great and the meal was delicious. We cooked a side of quinoa, a South American whole grain, with veggies and feta cheese & tilapia en papillioute (steamed in parchment paper) with spinach, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes. The only downside…we ate standing up. There were no seats and after the bike ride my body needed a rest.


As soon as we returned to the gym I was back in the van headed out to Marina Del Rey Beach for 90 minutes of volleyball…much to my chagrin. At this point I just wanted a little bit of downtime and I wasn’t getting it. We started out with a bunch of drills which were very demanding and pushed me to my limit - especially since my partner was Eric the trainer. But playing the actual game was fun. We laughed so much and bopped each other in the head and dove for balls and fell in the sand. Yup, we played barefoot and I can’t wait to do it again!


By this time I had used up everything I had in me. We got back to the gym and I had a whopping 20 minutes to rest before I got back in the van yet again and headed to Admiralty Park for boot camp. I really didn’t want to go. I really didn’t think I had anything left in me. But the trainer was my coach Arleigh and I really didn’t want to disappoint her. So I went. Sometimes my 100% wasn’t my usual 100%, but I gave it all I had nevertheless. I even ran on and off during the suicides. I actually ran!


Getting back in the van to head back to gym so I could home I was so emotional. I’m exhausted and I really miss my husband, but I’m accomplishing things I never before thought I could. And that’s why I’m here.

So to everyone out there who is trying to change their lives I say You Can Do It!

Don’t stop believin’.

She Works Hard for the Weight Loss

So hard for the weight loss. She works hard for the weight loss so you’d better treat her right.


It was a grueling day, though I must admit my body wasn’t screaming when I woke up. I was quite surprised. It must be that new anti-inflammatory supplement my buddy Kerry told me about - Zyflamend. I combined it with 4 ibuprofen (prescription dosage) and I was feeling pretty good this morning.


The day began with a 30 minute stretching class, then an hour of circuit training. One of the circuits included using the TRX suspension system.  It’s pretty cool. I especially liked when one of the smokin’ hot trainers, Schuyler, showed me how to do a squat with the TRX. Ooooooh weeeeee…his back end looked so fine. I asked him to do it a second time because I wasn’t sure I understood what he said. Heh heh...of course I understood. I just wanted to see his adorable butt in that position again. He’s in his 20s and hot…so I’m a pervert…sue me!

Anyway, while doing cardio during Schuyler’s circuit training my goal was to finally be at 3.0 speed. I have short legs so I’ve been keeping to a slower pace so I don’t overdo it. Well, Schuyler had other ideas…he said, “let’s put it on a 10% incline at 3.5 speed for 4 minutes without holding on.” Say what? You may have a great ass, but if you think I can do that you’re on drugs.

No, I didn’t actually say that to him but it was my immediate thought. You know what? He was right. I did it. It was hard, I was sweaty and out of breath, but I did it. The moral here is when working out listen to the trainer with the smokin’ hot body.

After circuits with Schuyler I immediately had to walk the ½ mile to the condos where we had a dance class, then a water aerobics class, then walk the ½ mile back to the gym. Lunch time lasted for 1 hour, then I moved onto 40 minutes of cardio.


My coach Arleigh then grabbed me for a 30 minute booty burn class - and burn it did. Then it was back to Schuyler for 30 minutes of boxing. He showed me some cool combinations and I was really good at it…so if you’re thinking about starting something with me, you’d better be sure about it cause I can take you down!

The next 30 minutes was great - I met with Karen the nutritionist. She told me I am on a 1500 calorie/day eating regimen. While we met, I ate a pretty tasty gluten free protein bar. Good thing I did because Arleigh came back and did a Biggest Loser workout with me. I was exhausted!


But they saved the best for last. I don’t know why they seem to schedule the hardest workout at the end of the day but I was killed by Amber! 90 minutes of cross fit challenge - 2 minutes on each station for 5 stations, then on the treadmill. I actually did the elliptical for the very 1st time ever today. It was pretty cool. I love the treadmill though because I can dance on it. And dance I did. I sang up a storm Na na na na na na na; na na na na na na Gettin’ jiggy wit it.


Finally, I ended the night with a bike ride back to the condo. I reeked! Had to jump in the shower immediately, then ate dinner and here I sit with my eyes being held open by toothpicks.


I guess that’s my cue. Take my Zyflamend & ibuprofen and get to bed to rest my tired, but stronger body. ‘night.