Pic of my bootcampers!

I love these girls.  They're all so funny and work really hard.  Two of my favorite qualities in people!  I wouldn't want to get up at 5:40am every morning if it weren't for them.  They're cool.

Here we are warming up with a run:

Tricep Dips:

(Or Turrets Dips as I like to call them)

Mmmmmm  Up/Down Planks:  

Meghan in the green is totally cheating in this pic.  Her ass should be DOWN!

Tara is not cool with me taking her pic: 

Wall Sits:

Ashely is growling at me:

Arrrrhhhhh Planks...

I was too busy sleeping this morning to bother getting up for my workout.  So now, of course, I'm doing it post kid bedtime. The usual time I would be snuggled in the couch with the hubs, watching season 4 of The Wire.  I've also been lazy about my water consumption today and now gulping down my last few cups of water.  

 So, I'm doing planks:

And here's why... The other day after having done planks for a few weeks now I noticed a spark of what COULD be some actual stomach tone.  Like, maybe even the beginning of the first two packs of the 6 pack.  Kinda.  Sorta.  Do you see it??  Of course I darkened the picture to pick up on any shadow of a hint of muscle there.  And I clumsily took the pic to capture the moment (for fear of it going away) with photo booth because I didn't have my phone or camera near by.  Sort of like I do with the kids when they're all playing happily and smiling (for fear of it going away).  

There- do you see it?  Have I mentioned how unbelievably happy I am that I got the tummy tuck????!!  I know I probably sound vain.  I really don't mean to sound like that.  It's just that I have worked really hard for years to get in shape and be toned.  But my stomach has been what felt like a weird tumor on my body- even with my intense workouts.  It didn't match up.  I was wearing size 4s and having this giant skin sack thing draping over them.  It just felt very uncomfortable.  When I look at my "before." , I'm really proud of how far I've come (even if I did choose plastic surgery to help me get there).   I know lots of us mamas have the fluffly skin apron going on- but you gotta cut a sister a break when she's finally got a real stomach again.

Okay, enough about my rock hard abs of steal.  My bootcamp starts in less than a month.  I've been preparing myself for it with interval training.  I'm really weak on the cardio.  Like, I sound like a smoker when I do more than 2 mins of cardio.  Its amazing to me that I used to run 5 miles like it was no biggie. I've been utilizing my treadmill doing things like this: 

1 minute jog

30 jumping lunges

1 minute jog

30 sec sprint

30 squats

1 minute jog

Wash, rinse and repeat 3X

Pretty good for a 30 mins or so interval workout on and off the treadmill.  Makes me not despise hate loathe dislike the treadmill so much.  Tonight I did a strength interval.  It went something like this:

Pike push ups (as many as will allow w/ good form)

30 shitty Jumping Lunges

20 Rows with 15 lbs dumbells in each hand

Repeat 3X

Then:

Biceps-3 sets of 12

Pizza Server extensions-1 set of 20

Tricep Dips- 3 sets of 12

Squats with 10 lb dumbells- 3 sets of 12

Bout' 30 mins

And for fun- here was my play list during my workout:

Arcade Fire- Keep the Car Running

Spotlight- Mute Math

Mushaboom-Feist

Stood Up-A Fine Frenzy

Starlight- Muse

Maps- Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Full Moon-Black Ghosts

The Violet Hour- Sea Wolf

Coffee Run

We finished our bootcamp this week with what I called a "coffee run."  Basically we ran to the local coffee shop and back (my usual 3 miler).  Went well!  Everyone booked it and at the "rest points" we did push ups, planks and wall sits.  Sweat, sweat, sweat.

I failed to mention that while I was out of town last week the  bootcamper ladies got me a gift card to Natural Body Spa!  OH.  MY.  GOD.  I gotta get on that.  Massages are like heaven to me.  The ultimate thing to make me chill and decompress.   So very sweet of them.  :)  The funny thing is- if it weren't for them coming out there every morning a 6am, I wouldn't be either.  LOL  They keep me coming just as much as I keep them coming.  :)

I bought a small Cookies n Creme milkshake from Chick-fil-A today.  Probably about 8pts.  But worth every one.  :)

It was a Bootcamptastic morning.  Complete with suicides.  It's 5:37 pm here and I've been up for 12 hours.  I think I'll go to bed at 8pm!  I'm so tired.  But that mainly was a result of manchild thinking it was an all night breast fest last night.  Not cool.  

I'm enjoying my GF grill!  I did have one years ago.  The old school kind.  Never used it after I had kids (not sure why).  But I'm loving this one!  I grilled a pork loin (premarinated TJ's brand) and grilled some thick slices of tomato.  Delish!  Unfortunately tonight I grilled the Curry Chicken Tenders from TJs and they were way too salty.  Uneatable.  Not sure if I got a botched batch or what.  But they were gross.  I'm going to cook some salmon patties on them tomorrow night for dinner.  Then I have softball!  Oh man- I haven't really thought through having softball late Tuesday nights and then having boot camp the next morning.  Hmmmm...

All in all I'm really enjoying fitness again.  I'm slowly getting back to par.  But I have goals to get way past where I was last year before I found out I was pregnant.  I want to run more.  I'm hoping to get into a race here soon.  Maybe a half marathon in the next year.  :)

Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:

Mocha (Starbucks- non fat, no whip-double tall)

2 eggs scrambled with TJ's lite shredded cheddar

2 slices Ezekiel toast with Smart Balance butter and reduced sugar black berry jam

Snack:

Coffee 

almonds

Lunch:

Left over whole grain pilaf with red and yellow pepper

Half sweet potato

Snack:

greek yogurt with honey

almonds

Snack:

hardboiled egg

banana chips 

Dinner:

Salad with 1/4 diced avacado and Cilantro Lime Dressing

Two bites of Curry chicken tender (blech)

BED!!!!

Pushing yourself and enjoying the rewards

So, I decided (somewhat spontaneously) that I would reward myself for doing this bootcamp.  It's not really the fact that I'm getting up to workout- but more that I'm getting up to workout when I probably have every excuse in the book not to.  And instead of making excuses left and right, I'm just doing it.  And that is 90% of the battle with this weight loss stuff.  It's such a mental game.  And the beauty of waking up early to get your workout in is that you're done for the day!  Excuses do not have an opportunity to creep in.  It is the first thing you do.  Now, whether you get the most out of your workout is up to you.  But if my arse is getting out of bed at 5:30am every morning, then I'm going to push myself and make it worth it.   

So then what was my reward??  A massage!  And not only did I get to enjoy a massage, but I think God threw in an extra treat and my massage therapist happened to be a guy who works with athletes and does these intense stretches to help increase flexibility and strength.  It was amazing.  Sort of hurt at some points, but felt great.  I was so tight when I went in and now I'm loosey goosey.  

Some thoughts on staying OP....

I hadn't realized how much stress I carried with me throughout the day just thinking about staying OP.  Instead of just doing it, I'd think about it and feel overwhelmed.  And then I'd just give up before I even tried.  Not productive.  Frankly, it came down to shitting or getting off the pot!  Because it's not worth thinking about it if I couldn't follow through.  And following through got easier and easier the more of a habit it became.  Making it a habit was the initial challenge.   Every day, at every meal I have to choose.  And it can never be about one week or one month or "I have to lose weight by this date" kinda thing.  It has to be hourly.  It has to be broken up into small, bite size pieces or else you'll just choke on the whole thing.  

100% honesty is the other kicker.  I confess that there are days I've come on here saying I've been doing good and staying OP.  When, in reality, I've been upping my portions and sort of half assed tracked my points.  And the funny thing is:  I'm not fooling anyone but myself.  And by not coming clean with myself, I'm not giving myself the opportunity to get back on the horse.  Because I'm trying to convince myself that I was good and I don't know why I'm not losing?When it's all just bull shit.  If I'd stay OP, I'd lose.  End of story.

  Can you relate?

Day 1 of Boot Camp

Phew!  I was worried I wasn't making it hard enough.  But I did!  It's interesting how hard you push yourself when you're the one leading something.  It was great.  Some gals from our church came out and we kicked butt for a solid hour.  

Here's what we did:

Warm up: run around block (1/2 mile)

Sprints down a hill and up the other side- three times

Lunges around perimeter of tennis courts (10 push ups in each corner)

Toe taps for 3 mins (with squats in the 30 second break in between) (OWWWWWW!)

Tricep dips

Biceps, lateral, shoulders with bands

Circuit with agility ladder, crabby walks, and inch worm (no, not the break dancing move), then ANOTHER sprint down, up, down up hill

Abs (crunches and planks)

It was a big challenge my hair was completely soaked in sweat.  SOAKED.  I was dripping.  But I loved it!  I can't wait for tomorrow morning!  I think it's going to be the "thing" I've needed to get my fitness back on track.  Consistent, close and time is right.  

:)  

I'll take some pics tomorrow of the girls working hard and post them.

Boot Camp

So you all know how much I love my Heat classes.  It's a Boot Camp style class that challenges you and makes you hurt a lot.  But then once you finish, you feel so good.  And then if you keep going, you eventually get addicted.  My problem with getting to those classes are the times and childcare.  It just felt like I had to really work my day around it to make it work.  

So then I considered Operation Boot Camp.  But at $350 a month, I could own another Odyssey. Plus, I'd have to get up early AND drive somewhere.  Just not practical for my life at this moment.

So, I had an epiphany.  Why don't I just start a Boot Camp?  I know plenty of ladies that would be up for it and I've been going to the Heat classes for two years.  I know how to put the exercises together and Lord knows I'm bossy.    So, that's what I did!   My friend Karyn said she'd help and we started a Boot Camp for the ladies from our church.  And the best part is that it's going to meet in a park in my neighborhood!  Granted, it's at the butt crack of dawn, but I think that's the best time to get it in anyway.  I can walk to it and be back in time for man child to hook back on the boob.  :)

So, that's my new fitness plan.  Monday through Friday!  I'm hoping this will help me break the 160's.  And there's just something about boot camp style stuff that makes me feel young again.  Reminds me of being an athlete and challenging myself.