Temptations around every corner...

2 weeks down, 50 more to go!!! Eih-yeih-yeih... when you put it that way it seems like a daunting task. I suppose that's why people talk about baby steps and focusing on short-term goals rather than the big picture. I have to say that it's still hard to believe that in a year from now there should be way less of me and I'll probably be kicking my own ass wondering why I didn't do this sooner.

Still loving boot camp every morning, and getting up at 5am seems to be getting easier. I find the hardest part of boot camp is the first 5 minutes every morning during the warm-up. It's just so hard to take that first damn step and get going. Also, I know I'm physically behind a lot of people and they're all jogging faster and doing grape vines faster and it's not until that part is over that I start getting comfortable and kicking some ass at the different stations. I've been sweating my bootie off all week and I feel like I'm putting in more and more effort every day, as well as seeing more stamina every day. Thank goodness that it changes up, cause I'd be bored and sleeping in by now if it wasn't interesting ever day.

Easter is in 2 days and Daddy, Shelley and I are going to Meats-R-Us where it's not possible to avoid a glutton fest. For all you vegans and vegetarians - you might want to skip ahead, but for all you carnivores, this is a meat lover's paradise. Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian Steakhouse where the gauchos walk around table to table with giant slabs of meat on skewers. When I say meat, I'm talking beef of every cut, ribs, lamb, pork, chicken and there are different varieties of every animal. Everyone is given a little disk that is red on one side and green the other so the gauchos know if they should come to you. The skewers are more like swords and they will keep bringing you meat no matter how much you want. Do I need to go on...?

The best part of Meats-R-Us, in my opinion, is their salad bar. This isn't typical iceberg mix with some carrots and cucumbers to put on top, this is choc-full of marinated mushrooms, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, yum, yum and more yum. So in an effort to try and not over-due it, I'm sticking to just the "salad bar". Hopefully, the excess calories I consume on Sunday will at least be a little more heart health over eating 5lbs of red meat.

Tomorrow is the MPA PASA Service Project where we will be canoeing the Chattahoochee doing a river cleanup. Should be fun, and will be some good upper body exercise, especially on my day off.

The diet thing is going ok. I'm still not 100% sure about this Zone thing, where I'm supposed to be eating a carb, a protein and a fat at every meal, It just is kinda difficult for me to figure out for some reason. I'll try it out for another week or two, but if it's not working for me, I might need to go back to just eating healthy and tracking my calories and staying w/in my allotted amount each day - we'll see.

Food really is Fuel

For the last 30 or so years, I viewed food as a source of fulfillment, indulgence, comfort, and pleasure. I've been carb free (including dairy, fruit, and some veggies) for the last 3 days, and I have to say, it was a success and it taught me a few lessons along the way.

First of all, food really does fuel the body. There was a definite reduction in my energy level not having carbs to burn during the day. I could feel it both yesterday and today at boot camp and I was overall kinda lethargic the last 3 days.

Secondly, even knowing that it was only for 3 days, all I wanted to eat was a piece of bread, or a banana or yogurt. My brain is fixated on food at times and I need to re-focus, somehow.

Third, I need to undo my last 30 year relationship with food and dare I say, even break-up with food.

It's pretty hard to change habits, and eating has been one of my biggest habits. But I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Studies show that it takes 21 days to form a habit, and I'm more than half way there!!!

Boot camp has been good, I'm getting into the routine and it's getting "easier" although I use the term loosely because that just means that I need to push harder, increase my weights, my reps, and my speed. The hard part is still rolling my bootie out of bed at 5ish in the morning, but I'm hoping that will become part of the "habit" too.

I had a piece of whole wheat toast this morning and boy was it delish!!! Stacy now has me doing some zone diet, and I don't quite understand all of it and have some more questions, but it looks like I'll be "blocking" my food now... Don't worry, I'll keep you posted and let you know how it goes!

The good news is that I'm down 5lbs and a in shrinking in inches already. The best is yet to come!

Lunges, and Push-ups, and Burpies, OH MY!

Well, I did it!

Made it through my first full week of bootcamp and I feel good. But I'm also looking forward to a couple of days off to let my body recover a little. When you go from zero exercise to full on, it can be pretty taxing on your body, but in a good way and towards a great goal.

I'm super dooper committed right now with both fitness and food, but history has a way of repeating itself and I fear that it will again, and in 2 months I'll be over this and go back to my old ways. Between Stacy, Michelle and Eric at Fit Body BootCamp I think I may have the accountability, the push and the motivation to keep going.

Stacy has me doing a 3 day, no carb diet starting tomorrow... she provided a list of approved foods and told me not to sway from the list. I have no issues of doing this, I mean, come-on, it's for 3 days. Hopefully there will be some good results from this, we'll do either measurements or check in with my weight and see some progress and results. After this 3 day no carb thing she said we'll start introducing different carbs back into my diet like fruit (and that is one thing that I'll miss over the next 3 days) and dairy, etc. and figure out where on my body I store some of these sugars. She also said that it will help with getting adjusted to my new meds.

Great workout this am. Eric kept us moving and when I compare last Friday to today, I already feel a world of difference and can already feel results, and that's after beating my body up for the last 4 days.

My goal now is to try and get some of my friends to join so I have even more support around me. Lord, if I can do it, anyone can do it.

One more day of hell week!!!

It's been 4 straight days of waking up at 5ish to get over to boot camp by 6am (ok, well that's a lie, I slept in yesterday and went to the 9:15 class, but in my defense, I didn't get home from school until almost 10pm, so I needed the little extra R&R). Stacy is kicking my booty and I already feel some results of my hard work. The great thing is that I'm not bored yet and in fact, I almost look forward to what new thing we might be doing each morning (but don't tell Stacy that, I want her to think I'm feeling tortured).

Went to the doctor yesterday for the annual check-up and all is well for the most part, I've actually lost 3 lbs already since last Friday, although I'm not counting it as a weigh-in. Dr. also put me on a med that should help with a bunch of things, but the exciting "side effect" of this med is that it helps to reduce weight and belly fat in particular. The downside is that the other "side effect" is that it may tear up my stomach and a whole other realm of stomach issues until my system get's used to it - maybe that's why people lose weight.

I'm still going strong and hopefully I won't get bored and give up.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

I'm BACK!!!! Ok, so I know I've slacked off for the past.... errrr, well, it's been a long time.

So, the good... I'm getting back on the horse. I've found a 5 day a week bootcamp at (eeek) 6am Monday - Friday. I started today and Stacy (the trainer) kicked my butt, but she's so awesome, super genuine and I honestly feel that she has my best interest in mind. She reviews a daily food journal that I'm expected to keep, she will text me if I don't show up and she'll sit down with me to manage my goals. It's like having a personal trainer 5 days a week, without having to pay for one-on-one training.

The bad... well, ya'll know that bad, I've been so slack-ass and it shows.

The ugly... and this truly is ugly. I've gained all of my previous weight loss back and even a couple of extra pounds. But I've got a renewed energy, I'm crazy excited and ready to go.

I started my first day of Bootcamp today. It's a 45 minute circuit training regime that's 5 days a week. We took my weight, did my measurements, and set some longterm and short term goals. I get the weekend off and then go balls to the wall starting Monday and get into it. Stacy also provided an online link where I am expected to keep a food journal that she'll review on a regular basis, and will discuss nutrition and where/how to make modifications to see maximum results.

As I said, Stacy totally holds me accountable and will text, email and call when needed. If there is a day where I don't show up, she'll message me to make sure I'm exercising on my own. Also, and this is totally cool, if I stick it out for a year, she'll take me shopping and buy me a pair of skinny jeans!!! How rad is that?

There was another gal, my age and even close to my build, who started her first day today as well, so I wasn't all alone. Misery does love company, that's for sure.

I'm going to reset my progress chart since I'm essentially starting from ground zero again, but I'm hoping you all will come back to me, and provide me with the encouragement and support I really do need.