He's Still A Loser

I was quite surprised when I watched The Biggest Loser this week and saw that Daris gained weight after 30 days at home.  I know there will be a lot of naysayers and negative comments made in the cyberworld, but, first off, let's give credit where credit's due.

He's dropped over 150 lbs. so far (that's a whole person)!  He entered the contest as a boy and emerged as a man, but he's still young.  He went home and still had to battle some personal demons.  That's the battle he lost; however, his goal to be a real marathon runner came to fruition.  He had a setback, but I guarantee he picked himself back up and went home for his last weight loss phase - and he lost it!  I know because that's where my brain is right now.

I thought, as most of America did, that Daris & Koli would be the top 2 at the weigh in.  But they weren't and it all came down to balance.  They were single-minded in their focus and lost the balance they worked so hard for on the ranch.  

I've already heard negative comments about Koli being cocky - talking about the confetti raining down on him.  That's not cockiness - it's someone finally loving himself enough to see that he deserves something so wonderful just as much as the others deserve it.  Let's not forget Koli's reaction when John went home.  He was ready to give up his spot on the ranch because he felt John deserved it more!  I'm so happy to see Koli turn it around.

I didn't vote on Tuesday night.  I couldn't choose between the two of them.  Both are guys who have never been in love, never thought they deserved anything good in life.  How can I possibly choose one over the other?

Kudos to Ashley & Mike.  They struggled at home but were still able to maintain the balance.

And that is what I will be working on beginning next week when I fly back home.  I won't have trainers to push me or chefs to fix my meals.  It'll be me, myself & I making the right choices and maintaining balance in my life.

I can't wait!

And The Beat Goes On

Just like my love - everlasting!

It’s been 7 weeks now.  I still miss my hubby.  I guess that means I have a really strong marriage, huh? 

It’s funny.  I love my kids…and I do miss them, but not like I miss my honey.

I’m not actually antsy to get back home, but I am looking forward to next Wednesday when I fly back to the Baltimore-DC area to continue my journey at home.  I will so miss my LIFE bubble and friends and trainers, but we have plans to get together.

Hopefully, Bronson will come east for a short time this summer to teach women’s self defense.  Ginger and I know we could get a boatload of women and their daughters to participate and seeing Bronson again would be so great…he is truly the most inspirational of all the trainers.

My coach Arleigh may be doing a quick jaunt to Baltimore too…so my friend Bess and I can do a boot camp with her.  That means her visit will be both heaven and hell…lol!

A bunch of us are planning a reunion in November in Miami.  Call us crazy, but we’re going to do a bike ride from Miami to Key West - only 165 miles!  We’re trying to get Rob & Jonathan to come out and do it with us...both great trainers that we love…and a lot of fun!

You know I’ll always miss Cute Butt Boy.  That smile, that BUTT!  But I’ll certainly miss how much he has always believed in me…more than I believed in myself.

I’ll truly miss my Zumba cohort Amber.  She was Miss Fitness Hawaiian Islands 2008.  She looks it too.  Killer arms!  I want my arms to look just like Amber’s!  She’s helped me in so many ways, answered so many questions; even though she trains only part time she has a great influence over so many of us.

I’ll miss Luis the Chilean God’s sense of humor.  I always laugh when he trains me…even if my legs are on fire…and with his leg workouts they usually are!

We have another new trainer - Becca.  She’s quiet.  But the quiet ones are the ones you usually have to watch out for.  She’s quick with a smile and a compliment on how great you’re doing, but she goes for the kill during a training.  Just ask my abs.

Then there’s Nicola.  My butt hates her.  The rest of me loves her…always smiling…always positive…that cute British accent.  Nicola always makes my day.

Yup, leaving will be bittersweet, but I just can’t live without honey.  Maybe we can get him to move to LA.  Not!  Honey is not a city boy…no way no how. 

A favorite from The Whispers:
    “Don't stop for nobody
    This time I'll keep my feet on solid ground
    Now I understand myself when I'm down
    Like the sweet sound of hip music
    There'll always be something new
    To keep the tables turning
    Hey this super song
    There'll never be an ending
    The beat goes on, the beat goes on, the beat goes on.”

He’s A Cold-Hearted Snake

Look into his eyes…uh oh…he’s been telling lies.

Last week was a great week.

I was strong and accomplished more than ever.

Thursday morning I had the Venice Beach run/walk. Jonathan was taking us so I grabbed him for a little chat before we left. Here’s how it went down.

Dee: “I only have 11 days left and my goal is to run a mile before I leave here. So far I’ve only run for 3 minutes. Can you work with me this morning to push me to 5 minutes?”

Jonathan: “Sure, I can do that.”

But here’s how it really went down.

We go to Venice Beach and Jonathan had to let us all out so he could park the van. I started walking with Roberto knowing Jonathan would catch up with us. He did.

And then it began.

Jonathan: “Okay, let’s start a slow jog and get to 2 minutes and see how it goes.”

He’s such a liar!

Jonathan:   “C’mon…you can go for another minute.”


                   “Let’s try for another minute.”


                   “Let’s try for another to get to 5 minutes right now.”


                   “You can do another minute.”


                    “Let’s just take it one minute at a time.”


Before I knew it I had run a mile. It took me 20 minutes, but I was concerned with lung capacity, not speed.

And just like that I achieved another goal I wasn’t sure I was ready for just yet.

I got a 5 minute walking break, then he had me run the mile back…I did that in 19 minutes. So I ran 2 miles when all I wanted to do was run for 5 minutes. Sheesh! Way to push a girl, Jonathan.

Jonathan: “Well, we need to find a new goal for you now.”

Dee: “Believe me, I’m not leaving the goal up to you…you’ll have me in an Iron Woman contest next week!”

But alas, after almost 2 hours in the hot tub with Maria & Joe on Friday night we three came to a few decisions.

Joe’s never done the Santa Monica stairs…he’s doing them this Friday morning with Maria & me.

Joe & I haven’t done the bike-hike-bike. I just know Arleigh will schedule me for that particular workout this week because it’s my last week and she believes in me. So, Joe & I have decided to do the bike-hike-bike together. Lord, help us!

Maria & I have decided to play basketball this week with our girl Desi & the guys.

And…Maria and I will be playing water polo this week.

Wish us luck!

Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now

We’re on the move!

Ain’t no stoppin’ us now,

We’ve got the groove!


My LIFE girlfriends and I have been growing by leaps and bounds!

Last week we all overcame several obstacles toward change.

Ginger, Debbie & Judy all did the Bike-Hike-Bike. They rode to the mountain, climbed the mountain, came back down and rode back to the gym. It’s a 3-4 hour affair…not easy and all three of them were nervous about it. But they all persevered and conquered the challenge!

Maria & I were left behind with Cute Butt Boy. Ugh! We always know he’s going to kick our asses…and in true form, he did. He likes to think of it as helping us accomplish the things we think we can’t do. And he’s right, but it still kicks our ass in the process of the accomplishment.

You say tomato, I say tomahto.

Maria & I had to balance ourselves on an upside down bosu ball while doing a squat and throwing a ball against the wall and catching it.

Say what?

Imagine turning this bosu ball upside down and balancing yourself on it. It’s much harder than you think!

We had a couple of other exercises to do, then he pulled out the big gun - the treadmill. Cute Butt Boy is most known for his killer treadmill workouts. One treadmill was on for speed…full out sprinting for 2 minutes. The second treadmill was on for incline - climb the 10.0 hill at 3.0 speed for 2 minutes. Both versions kick your ass.

The 1st sprint session I had to stop after a minute (only for 15 seconds) and he caught me. Damn. I got a little lecture about letting my mind get the best of me. So the next time it was my turn to sprint he stood by my side and kept telling me to envision finishing it. All I could envision was Cute Butt Boy’s cute dimples smiling at me with pride. As he’s standing there he’s whispering sweet nothings to me, “You got this. Keep going. You got this.” It worked. I finished the 2nd time, the 3rd time, the 4th time and even the 5th time. Whew!

I need Cute Butt Boy to move back home with me to keep me going. How could I possibly ever say NO to those dimples….and that butt!

Maria had a huge knot in her hamstring so her legs weren’t 100%. When her turn came to sprint she fell off the treadmill…and she was pissed! Cute Butt Boy had her punch out the punching bag, then go outside to walk it off. My girl came back stronger than ever and finished what she started!

Victory!

On another note, Cute Butt Boy has some competition. We have a new trainer who started last week - Luis the Chilean god. We’re all hoping the day comes soon where Luis will have a reason to take off his shirt, except we might all faint and miss it!

But Luis isn’t only a hunk o’ hunk o’ burnin’ love, he’s also a great trainer. His 1st day Desi and I had him for partner training. We were both hurting from the night before - Amber’s Crossfit Challenge. (20 mountain climbers, 30 push ups, 40 sit ups & 50 squats - 5 sets timed! Plus a mile before and after on cardio!)

Anyway, Luis gave us exercises that required us to use our muscles without weights, then he stretched us on the mat. Wow…we both felt so much better. Now, every time Desi says the word Luis, I say “me likey”.

I was lucky enough to have Luis for 2 other partner trainings as well.
Me likey!

By Friday night my body was shot. I took off the weekend. My knees and ankles were bugging me…and my triceps were screaming at me. I stretched as much as I could stand it. But it was all good.

I can’t believe I’ve now been here for 6 weeks. Only 2 more to go. Leaving my LIFE bubble will be bittersweet. I don’t want to go. I want to stay and get stronger in this über positive environment, but I know that’s not practical. 

I now KNOW I can do this at home and I WILL.

I Miss You Much

Last week honey was here. His thought process was “I’m here for only a week and I need to give 110%.”

I understand that thought process, but what honey didn’t think about was that he hasn’t worked out in a very long time. Yes, he does manual labor at home periodically, but not consistently lifting heavy items…and never running. So he arrives and I’m ecstatic because we’ve been apart for a month. It’s so good to see him and he immediately notices my weight loss. Not only can you see the weight loss in my face, neck & shoulders, but also my waist and hips and apparently it’s a big difference.

I see myself everyday so it’s difficult for me to notice a big change in the mirror. But I can tell in my clothes. I’m down 2 sizes and had to buy new work out clothes. I was channeling Flashdance…the big t-shirt falling off 1 shoulder.

So honey works out like the dickens for the 1st 3 days. During cardio boot camp with Jonathan (from my last post) honey keeps up with class…at one point he’s full out sprinting on 7.5 speed. I told him to take it easy and pace himself but he says he’s feeling great.

Famous last words.

He finished the day and started the next day, but left after lunch. He was exhausted and couldn’t eat. The next day he had the chills and began vomiting that night. It lands him in the ER the next morning (Friday) where he stays until midday on Sunday.

Severe dehydration.

Wow…he thought maybe he was coming down something. But he was working out so much that he was sweating so much and that dehydrates the body. We didn’t know severe dehydration could lead to death. That’s a pretty scary thought…

The answer is ELECTROLYTES!

Here at LIFE we all drink a minimum of 2 servings of electrolytes a day. Honey didn’t like the flavor so he wasn’t drinking the electrolytes everyday. Big mistake.

They don’t talk about electrolytes on The Biggest Loser. I wonder how many people try to emulate that show and get sick. You wouldn’t know to use electrolytes. And while Gatorade is the original, it’s not necessarily the best. It’s loaded with sugar. At LIFE we drink Ultima Replenisher. I have a container of powder that I add to a 20 oz. bottle of water 2-3 times a day.

I urge everyone to be sure to use electrolyte drinks when working out more than an hour a day. It’s important!

Honey's back home now.  I didn't want him to leave, but life goes on.  I do think he learned a lot while here at the gym so his plan is to go back home and begin safe, doable workouts daily.  He's looking forward to the day I join him back home again and we can workout together.