Inspiration on Day 10

"Wow - we only have two days left, remember when it was day 2 and we were thinking that it is going to be a very challenging two weeks?", says Amy my new Boot Camp friend.  That is so true!  Everyone in the group is tired but really pushing hard to end strong. 

Today I stayed for a restorative yoga class and man did that feel great.........I had never taken a restorative class before but I can promise it will not be my last.  I urge any of you that practice yoga to take the time to try one of these classes.

Still no weight loss, which is extremely discouraging.  However, almost everyone is saying the same thing - except of course the men - who always seem to lose weight very easily.  We are being told to expect the weight loss to come about day 3 AFTER boot camp.  Supposedly our bodies retain fluid as we build muscle.  Yah ok!

Our very motivating head coach is leaving us today but left us with this quote by Zig Ziglar:

"It was CHARACTER that got us out of bed, COMMITMENT that moved us into action, and DISCIPLINE that enabled us to FOLLOW THROUGH."

Exhaustion!

Sorry to report that I skipped today (Day 9).  Yesterday was brutal and literally everything ached last night.  My muscles/bones were spent.  It is strange because I am not mentally tired - in fact I have tons of energy.  I was up at 5:15 but my body just wouldn't get out of bed.  I had pretty much resigned myself to this last night as I fell in to bed and said to Arthur "I need a break, my body is telling me I need a break".  He encouraged me to "not quit" in which I very loudly responded "I'm not quitting - I just need to have a rest day or I won't make it until Saturday".

There is some disappointment (I had to take a day off), yet I am going to go to a yoga class tonight (a calmer type workout) so I am OK with it all.  I preach to listen to your inner voice and mine said  "take a day", so I did.

Day 8

Since I began Boot Camp on Sun night May 1st, I have worked out 16 times (basically 2x/day).  On Mothers Day I did absolutely nothing - not because I didn't want to - but because I hurt my back on Saturday.  You may wonder what exercise I did that bothered my back?  Believe it or not it was yard work on Saturday.  As I pulled weeds and got my gardens ready for planting I knew I was bending instead of squatting.  I ignored the signs that my back was giving me and I kept going, thinking, "no way would I hurt myself doing this if I haven't hurt myself with all the boot camp stuff".  WRONG!  Remember:  it doesn't matter how good of shape you are in, you need to listen to your body and bend/lift properly!!!!

Today - Day 8 - was very demanding.  For some reason I felt lethargic and almost turned off the alarm clock and went back to sleep.  However, the instructors voices rang loud and clear, "don't quit now - you can do this - yes you can".  Felt great to go even though my energy level was low.

Beginning to plan for life after Boot Camp and have some good ideas of what I'm going to do.  I will definitely sign up for another Boot Camp.  Probably this fall and I'm expecting some of you to bite the bullet and join me for this awesome experience.

Below is a recipe for the fabulous smoothies they made us last Friday. Worth the effort and VERY healthy!!!

1 tablespoon almond butter

2 teaspoons organic raw honey or maple syrup

1 ounce soy protein powder (plain or vanilla)

1 pinch of nutmeg

1pinch of cardamom

1 Cup almond milk (plain or vanilla)

1 medium banana

we  also added frozen strawberries!

Boot Camp mid-week update

I'm writing in pink because Sunday is Race for The Cure AND Mother's Day!  What a great gift I have given myself this year.  Here is what I know:

I am stronger than I thought ~ I can keep up ~ I need not be intimated ~ Not all people who look like they are "in shape" are actually physically fit ~ Getting up at 5:15 is not so bad when the results are energy, accomplishment and hopefully a physical change in the end ~ I love WW smoothies with skim milk and a cut-up banana ~ I miss watching Nightline, TLC shows and Criminal Minds late at night! 

On Tuesday my second workout was a CP2 (corepower 2 hot) class @ 5:30 pm.  I went in with the attitude to do what I could and get a lot of stretching and breathing in - mission accomplished!  My body felt much better Tues night and Wed morning.  Not quite as achy feeling.  I wish I could get to a yoga class every night but life does get in the way sometimes.

Wed morning about 1/3 of the class didn't show up.  The instructors warned us about this mid-week let down, when it is difficult to get out of bed and motivation wanes.  My little group had 3 out of 4 and we are all very proud of ourselves and vowed to not miss any classes!  Easy to say on day 3! 

It is now Thurs morning and today was challenging for me.  Surprising parts of my body hurt - for instance my feet and my hands (probably from holding weights).  The instructors are telling me to go up on my weights and I look at them like they are out of their mind.  We rocked to 80's music today - most of us singing our way through the workout....VERY FUN!

My goal is to get to a hot yoga class today and then dinner tonight with friends.  It is the first meal out since Sunday night, which most of you know is extremely unusual for me.  I am starting to think ahead to what I want to do after this is over.  What routine will I be able to maintain?  This definitely has amped up my workout capability so now where do I go, what do I do to continue the high intensity?  Any ideas? 

Day ONE

Made it! 
Although I must say that the President continuing to delay his announcement put a kink in my goal of being asleep by 10:00 P.M. last night.   However, it was definitely worth staying awake to hear the great news.

Day One was inspiring, motivating and no where near as intimadating as I anticipated.

I came home and made myself a WW smoothie with skim milk and a banana - loved it and will be making that a daily routine.

Attached are the documents I promised.  Not sure what my second work out will be today - I know myself so I will not attempt a hard core workout - maybe just a walk or bike ride.  My goal is to take a CP1 class at least twice this week.

Thanks for all your encouraging words!

Boot Camp Orientation

I am a breast cancer survivor so I figure if I can survive that I should be able to survive boot camp......YET.....I was 32 years old then and now I'm....NOT.  Orientation took care of the butterflies.  There are 30 of us, 10 men, 8 alum who have done at least one boot camp previously, the rest of us newbies.  Almost everyone is nervous about getting up early so I'm not alone with that.  They claim we create a great community that will cheer each other on - I met Amy tonight and I think we will be good for each other.

Having promised to share my journey with you, tomorrow I will attach my personal contract that we signed tonight.  Off to drink some water and get to bed early!  Boot Camp Day 1 starts tomorrow!

Boot Camp here I come

Having never done this before and not sure anyone really cares about what I do or what I think, I decided, nonetheless to give it a shot.  I am about to embark on something that makes me nervous and I think that if I can share with others what I am doing/going through that it will somehow make it easier (or more fun?).  On Sunday night I will attend orientation for a two week "boot camp" that I will participate in at my yoga studio. Core Power Yoga Minnetonka.  This is NOT yoga for two weeks it is Jillian Michaels type exercise - daily at 6:00 am.  I can hear those of you who know me laughing, because you know what an early morning person I am NOT.  To prepare for the next two weeks I have been trying to eat lots of fruit and veggies and drink tons of water....why is it then that I feel like I'm getting sick?  A bit of detox going on?

So there you have it!  Maybe my two weeks will be incentive for some of you to do something outside your norm, especially something just for YOU!!!

Wish me luck!