Day 40 - Monday, Monday

Well I ditched on Sunday because I had a bad stomach - I really hate ditching, especially Sunday because it's not as crowded and it's a good way to start the day.

After last Monday I was feeling very hesitant about going tonight, but since I missed Sunday I couldn't justify ditching - and, once you get on that track it's easy to keep on falling and I am too cheap to pay for something and not go! Forget about the whole missing out on exercising - it's the money!

It was really hot in the gym tonight, but I was glad I went because it was another great workout. It was super crowded too - I guess everyone decided to make a firm attendance commitment on the hottest night of the freakin' year!!!

Someone smelled too - and you know when you can't tell if it's you or not it drives you crazy?? Later on when I took off my gym clothes I smelled them really close, they mostly smelled like laundry detergent. Thank God for small favors!

Day 41 - Circuit

I was supposed to go to work on Friday, but my meeting was cancelled so I got up and went to the 9:30 am class instead. Yikes! Going on Thursday night and then on Friday morning probably wasn't the smartest thing to do...I've been a little sore. But man, Friday mornings circuit workout was really a great way to start the day. AND, there were only six people there when we started and eight when we finished, so there was plenty of room to move around, etc.

Ren the instructor seems to be the most genuinely nice person. I'm going to try to go on Fridays from now on. The only trouble spot is with that little of a class you can't hide! There's no taking a break for a few seconds doing a lesser move when the instructor is helping someone else or moving around the room with their back turned to you. Not that I'm not always giving it my all...he he he. Alright, I never said I was perfect. I'm always sweating like a pig so I am making somewhat of an effort! Do pigs sweat?

Day 42

On my way home tonight I saw one of those tiny little smart cars, aren't they so cute?! They make me giggle.

Tonight I started off in a twilight zone mood, I guess because it was a weird day at work. It was one of the days where no one is there when you leave and you feel strange just leaving when no one knows you are going.

Anyway, I've been a bit self-conscious in class lately. Normally I'm not the type of person who is bothered by that, normally I am a typical Leo. I guess it's because I'm really out of my comfort zone. Tonight was good though, no partnering and a good workout. Except when we did some drills and I got our line mixed up - ugh! And we did the exact same thing the other day but the instructor kept saying 'right, right' and it just got me all befuddled.

Someone said goodbye to me and called me by name when they left class - that snapped my weird day back to normal!

I have been working on clean eating too. I heard that on the radio the other day, this guy was talking about how pizza is the worst food you could eat because it keeps your insulin levels elevated longer than any other food. Who knows if that is bunk or not, but the point of the story is the dj's were asking him what he considered junk food and he said sometimes he would eat tablespoons of peanut butter with a banana -ooooooo- take a walk on the bad side! He said normally he eats pretty 'clean.' So now I've adopted that word. I've been trying to work in more fruits and vegetables and dangitall if I don't feel better! Who knew? Just kidding, but seriously eating right does feel a lot better. And when you poo you feel nice and empty. TMI.

Day 47 Revisited

I just realized I kept putting the instructors name was Jason in my post - that's wrong. His name is Josh. I don't know why I can't get that straight - I guess he looks like a Jason.

Day 44 & Day 43

After feeling really discouraged on day 45, day 44 actually reaffirmed my commitment to fitness. Although the morning after day 45 I felt really good, so I guess there is an upside to everything.

Day 44 was a good, strong workout that made me feel like I did my body some good.

Tonight, Day 43, was less than stellar. It was okay. We did the sticks, which I love, but the routines were just too difficult for me at this juncture and I felt like I didn't get the workout out of it because I was too busy trying to figure out where to put my feet and hands.

Then the partnering experience was uncomfortable for me tonight. Ugh! I finally did end up with a great partner, but getting there was awkward. On my way home I thought about how it is when you want to participate in something and no else you know wants to or logistically can make it happen - so what do you do? Not participate? Maybe when I was younger I would say forget it, but now I'm older and wiser and realize if I waited for someone to join me on every stinkin' thing I was interested in I would never do anything! Ah, such is life...

Day Forty-Five

I had such a good workout yesterday but today just kicked my ass. It was sooooo rigorous and wasn't very enjoyable. Partnering up was difficult tonight, we had to switch four times. I don't even feel like writing about it.

Then afterward the cute 19 year old hard body with her ass hanging out of her shorts said to me, 'wasn't that a great workout (valley girl inflection necessary)' - WHATEVER Bambi!

Day 46! The sticks!!

Yea! Today we finally got to use our sticks! What's weird is I thought everyone loved the sticks as much as I did but the instructor said students could switch over to their boxing gloves and a bunch of people did! That's crazy!! The sticks are so empowering! My favorite is when you have to lower yourself to the ground all the way onto your back while still fighting and then get back up - that'll test your mettle. We only did it once though...bummer...seriously...you think I'm kidding and I'm not - I heart that part!

There was also more running - ugh! Why is everyone in such a hurry? This time I didn't make a mistake and waited until I was in the back of the line AND I told two people to pass me. I didn't walk though, so I'm still ahead of the game.

Pretty good for someone who had three beers last night and felt totally hung over - I guess my spring chicken days are over!

Day 47

In my boot camp we have four different types of classes, bag work, sticks, circuit and strength training. Last time I went through the boot camp I hated, well maybe that's a strong word, strongly disliked strength training. Strength training classes were always the ones I contemplated ditching. I didn't, but it consumed my thoughts on those nights. I finally have figured out it's not the strength training I dislike - it was the teachers!

I believe Jason, our instructor tonight, was actually teaching the last time I went through but there are so many sessions I just never had one of his classes. The two classes with Jason this week have made me look forward to strength training! Yea!

In case anyone from class reads this, I liked the other strength trainers on a personal level, they were really nice, fun people - but it just goes to show you how the right teacher for you can make the difference. Let's see if I'm saying that in 9 more weeks!

I finished week 1!

Well it's the morning...

and I'm still alive!

Day 48 (I'm counting down now)

I've had visions of myself having a heart attack now for a couple of months. I dabble a little in astrology and with the way the planets were aligned with the full moon today I was certain something catastrophic was going to happen, i.e. me having a heart attack. It's not like it's so far-fetched...heart disease runs in my family, my mom's mom had a heart attack when she was 42, my dad's dad had four heart attacks, the first one at 36 - and he was skinny as a rail. My dad had a heart attack at 46 and after a gazillion years of a great diet and exercise he still had to have a quintuple bypass - the doctor said he was the healthiest patient he had ever operated on. So given the fact that I'm 40 and overweight and have a horrible diet it seemed plausible. And maybe all the attention on Tim Russert is weighing on my mind as well.

Tonight in class we had a guest instructor Tammi. Now Tammi was an actual instructor the last time I took the class, Tammi is a muy thai boxing machine. Our warm up was running. Running is my enemy. In fact, I didn't even think it was possible I could run until the last time I took the class. I was surprised at myself after that last class. Anyhoo, I start off on a nice slow jog when I realize everyone else is running behind me (we run in formation). Shit! Shit! Shit! I cannot lead the pack, I am running with the penguins, not the Olympics! And no one will pass me!! So do I slow down even though I am sucking wind - nooooo - I keep going, determined, focused. Finally - it's over. Then we start with kicks, ugh! My heart was pounding, I mean pounding out of my chest - this is it I thought, the big one...then, one of the 20-something guys has to leave the room because he can't hack it! I was thanking God it wasn't me!! I know this is awful, but I thought to myself, thank God it's the young guy having the heart attack and not the old fat lady.

Then Tammi gives us the big speech about taking it easy and raising our hands above our heads if we start feeling funky...

The rest of class and all the way home I just kept thinking I was going to have a heart attack in my sleep. I stopped at RiteAid and found a little tube of Bayer that said "Survival Pack" on it - it was a sign. For good measure I also purchased some St. Joseph's aspirin - in the back of my mind I knew I had seen the commercial.

Please someone call me in the morning to make sure I'm still alive!! And if I'm not, please remove the purple box from my closet before my mom gets here to claim my body and clean out my apartment.

Only 47 days left.

Day 2

Well I made it through day 2 - tonight was strength training. As usual I realize I have no upper body strength. But on the other hand, when I took the class before I couldn't jump rope for five seconds and tonight I did okay for two whole minutes - not great, but waaaay better than a year and a half ago - that's pretty damn good for someone who hasn't done anything since the last time she took the class.

We also did weight and measurements tonight - the only part that was really depressing was my waist measurement - everything else was where I thought it would be. Thank God we did the plank for a minute! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Google it.

Day 1 of ????

I can barely type right now because my arms are killing me!!! I just started Day 1 of my 10 week, 5 day a week, body sculpt boot camp with mkgseattle. I am the oldest one in the class and the biggest! But, I've been here before - I took the class in January of 2007 and I loved it! Oh, it's grueling, and no one wants to be my partner because I'm old and fat, but dammit, I have a right to be there and even though I am the type of person who doesn't like to go it alone, I will give myself the pep talk every day that I'm not there to make friends, I'm there to kick some ass. I can't wait to get to the point where I start feeling stronger. I'm actually the exact same weight I was when I ended the class last time, which I guess it's a good thing I haven't gained any weight. It has redistributed though, I guess that's what happens when you hit 40. At any rate, my goal is simple, I cannot be friends with Lane Bryant any more. I know she's been good to me, she's always there, got my back, but she's NEEDY! She's like one of those mothers that fixes everything with cookies and then guilts you when you want to spend time with some of your other friends instead of tending to dear old mom. I want to be friends with the clothes on Days - they are sassy and sexy!

The funny thing about this time around is the class isn't as big as last time and there are more men. Which means butt-kicking for me when we partner up. Tonight we put on our gloves and worked the bags. I love that part, 30 seconds of jab cross hook cross, 30 seconds of squats, 30 seconds of jab cross hook cross, 30 seconds of push-ups - it's good to be back!