In which I get strong

Thwack.

Ooof.

Thwack.

Ooof.

Thwack.

Ooof.

It was about 6:20 am and I stood perpendicular to a concrete wall, about 10 feet away, repeatedly hurling an 8-lb medicine ball at said wall in the scariest-ever solo game of catch.

The exercise was scary only because my mind was wandering. If I didn't start paying attention, I would soon do what I did just a couple of weeks ago and be rewarded for my inattention with an 8-lb med ball right to the lady business.

I stood sideways across from the wall, behind the blue cone as instructed. I held the ball to my outside hip and rotated through my hips, hucking that med ball at the wall and catching it when it flew back: Ooof. And it flew, landing with a thwack and snapping back toward me like a cannonball.

It was the velocity that surprised me, causing me to think: Wow, I don't remember ever throwing the ball this hard.

And the I realized: Because you couldn't. And then, thankfully, the bell rang and it was time to move on to the bench press.

I've written it before, but it's still true: When you get in shape, the most fun realizations can be the ones you don't expect. Like suddenly being able to run 3 miles or saying good-bye to the plus-size section forever.

I had another such moment yesterday when I pulled out the lawn mower for the first time this season. I enjoy mowing the lawn, but I always hated starting our cruddy push mower. It usually took me several pulls, flooding the engine a couple of times and pulling some muscle in my right arm before I, pissed off, trudged in the house looking for my husband to start 'er up.

One time I had to ask my good friend and neighbor to do it, and she still gives me grief:

"Hey, remember the time I needed to start the -"

"Oh, shut up."

So yesterday I pulled the mower out of storage and let it bake in the sun for an hour or so. I came out, made sure the kids were occupied in the garage, adopted the stance, squeezed the handle, held my core tight, grabbed the pull cord and yanked.

Vvrrooooooom!

One pull, one start. Well, hot damn.

I looked around, hoping any other adult in the neighborhood was outside so I could give them a cocky nod, a la, "No, I am not surprised. And, yes, I am the shit." but, figures, no one was around. Damn.

My first instinct was to hop up and down, hands in the air triumphant, a la Rocky, but I realized if I did, the engine would stop and my celebration would be for naught.

Bootcamp, weight loss, life. The challenges seems big, the mountains to climb, high. But, cliched as it sounds, you take little step after little step, pound after pound, class after class and it all builds up.

Your little wins accumulate and, one day, out of the blue, they become something cool, something big, and you can start the damn mower yourself.

In which it's my 1-year anniversary at bootcamp

Two weeks before I started bootcamp (left), 54 weeks later (right).

A little over a year ago, my friend Deb said, "You should come to bootcamp!"

We were sitting in her kitchen talking about this and that, and the conversation eventually came around to weight loss and exercise. At that point, I had lost around 70 lbs and was in the middle of the Couch to 5K program.

Deb had been going to bootcamp for 2 years and raved about it. "It's hard," she said, "but it's worth it."

I greatly valued her opinion because neither one of us were jocks. Plus, I knew she had a bad back. If she could do it, enjoy it and keep going back for more, maybe I could, too.

I had been watching Biggest Loser and I was intrigued by the bootcamp/trainer idea. I didn't want to get yelled at, but I wanted the results and expertise, and I knew I had to start toning up.

I hated (and still do hate) free weights and I knew I could not self-motivate in the gym to regularly get through a Nautilus circuit. Plus, you know, I didn't know what the hell I was doing.

I really started to think about joining her at bootcamp. I told myself that if I could make classes in my very limited availability, then it was meant to be and I would give it a go. Well, what do you know, I could actually make the classes. Maybe this would work after all.

"The only thing is," Deb cautioned, "you get addicted."

Pffft, as if.

I contacted Paul, the owner and lead trainer (right), about signing up and the rest is, seriously, the very best thing I have ever done for myself.

I distinctly remember walking into my first class. It was Friday, April 1 - fittingly, April Fool's Day - and it was snowing. A lot. So much so I wondered if class was on.

I was super nervous about my first class. I was an overweight world-class gym class hater in high school and here I was, still overweight and paying money to attend what was like an adult gym class. What was I thinking?

I was so tempted to bail due to the weather and my rampaging nerves, but I sucked it up and just kept thinking, OK, Deb does this. She would not set me up for something bad.

So I walked in, made it through class and never stopped coming back.

I have written about bootcamp - a lot - so I won't revisit everything, but feel free to peruse, it's all pretty good stuff, if I do say so myself.

I will say it took me about a month to get over being nervous before every class. But every class I did, I got a little more confident. There was no yelling, just encouragement and quiet form correction, and no other campers were paying attention to me because they were just trying to get through the circuit themselves.

One great thing about bootcamp is there is still so much to learn, so much more at which I can get better, faster and stronger. Just when I think I'm awesome, I'll get some crazy upper body circuit that leaves me so sore that I wince when I put on my bra the next morning. Or intervals, like this morning, when I started sucking wind after the first exercise and didn't stop until after cool down.

Or the humbling times, like two days ago when I was slamming the medicine ball repeatedly in the ground, took my eyes off it and it bounced straight up and hit me in the business. Eight pounds, right to the groin. Thankfully (or not), only Paul and I witnessed it. Too bad he wasn't taping it, we could have made some cash on America's Funniest Home Videos.

Or this morning, when I went to do rows with tubing that is secured to the wall. Except instead of going to the secure tubing I went to the wall where it hangs unsecured and just kept ripping tubing after tubing off the rack, wondering how the hell I all of a sudden was as strong as the Hulk. I may be smaller, but still occasionally just as dim.

When I was overweight, I lived in a world of self-imposed can't.

I can't do that because:

I am too fat.

I will look silly.

I will fail.

I will embarrass myself.

Bootcamp has shown me through sweat (no blood or tears) that I can.

The leaps and bounds I have made in my physical development have been exceeded only by my gains in self-confidence and self-esteem.

I could then and I can now. All you've got to do is try. It's a lesson that took me 40 years to learn, and one I want to pass onto my children much, much sooner.

Review: Zaggora Hot Pants

If you've been reading this blog with hopes that one day I would post a photo of myself in my sports bra, well, today is your lucky day, my friend.

That picture is below. But, first, some background. And a nifty picture of me, post-bootcamp. Check out how great my hair looked after that hard circuit. Wow. Go me.

So, last December, Flo bought a Groupon for a pair of Zaggora Hot Pants. I was immediately intrigued because of the name: Hot Pants. How awesome.

I had sudden visions of women roller-discoing down Venice Beach wearing those those shiny, skin-tight '70s pants, tube tops and giant radio headphones with antennas.

Zaggora claims you can lose significant inches around your midsection just by wearing these pants while you workout. Flo said they functioned as a great "sports girdle." Pretty sure she did not test the earlier claim, I know I would have heard about that if she did and it actually worked.

What intrigued me most was the sports girdle concept because I really needed one. When there's repetitive hopping in bootcamp, such as jumping jacks (which there are every class), the significant only-surgery-will-get-rid-of-it flab around my midsection goes flap-a-flap-a-flap. It's embarrassing and uncomfortable. I discovered this sad phenomena last spring and quickly devised a solution.

I started wearing a one-size-too-small tank top under my T-shirt. This MacGyver girdle kept my stomach from slapping against itself during class. However, wearing two shirts to bootcamp is hot and relatively uncomfortable, which is why when the Hot Pants Groupon popped up again this January, I bought a pair.

I've been wearing them - and washing them - by hand, thank you very much - 3x a week since early January and here's what I've found: They are a terrific sports girdle.

When they arrived, I opened the mailer and was immediately overcome by the smell of rubber. As in, a tire. As in, these are rubber pants, people. Or, rubber-like. (The rubber smell goes away after you wash them.)

I tried them on. They were thick and seemed to be made of a wetsuit-type material. I pulled them on and they landed just below my breastbone. Perfect. See the porn-y, pervy bootcamp bathroom shot on the left.

(As an aside, I feel like I need to explain that I don't usually go around taking pictures of myself in bathrooms with my shirt up. Reason I did it is I wanted you to see how high these suckers go - and that's a good thing. Between my industrial-strength Enell bra and the Hot Pants I have, like, an inch of skin showing. Why the bootcamp bathroom? Because the mirror was at the right height and it had perfect lighting) I know I look like some total Twitter perv snapping a pic of his junk. I'm pretty sure no one's gonna get all sexed up over a picture of me in the least-sexiest (but most-effective) bra ever, holding up the least-sexiest breasts ever, atop the the least-sexiest pants ever. I mean, I hope not. Anyway...)

Not-too-tight and not-too-loose, these pants really do the trick for bootcamp. And, much like C+C Music Factory, these pants are gonna make you sweat. Loads.

I'm not an insane sweat-er, but after my first bootcamp class sweat was literally running down my legs and heading into my Vibrams. Eeewww. Not a great sensation. But I guess that's to be expected because if you're running, jumping and hopping around for a half-hour in half-a-wet suit, you will be, let's say, damp.

I'm used to working out in tights, but this is different because those are lightweight and wicking. The Hot Pants are not. When you peel them off (and you are peeling them off), the pants are wet and your bod is wet. Seriously, you will be so excited for a shower. And if you, say, get in a car and drive while wearing them after a class, make sure you're sitting on a beach towel.

Another thing I dislike is at the bottom of the left pant leg it screams: "HOT PANTS" in neon yellow, you can see it in the pervy pic above. The logo's too big, even though I love saying "Hot Pants."

So, in review: These pants will hold you in place comfortably if you need extra support below your breasts and above your groin. They were a good deal with the Groupon, $29 I think. Full-price I think they're north of $70. No way would I pay that I'd stick with the $10 tight tank from Target (say that three times fast).

In which loved ones worry about me

Twice in the last two months I've had Very Serious Talks with loved ones.

Or, rather, one-sided, well-intentioned declarations from them.

In both cases, I hadn't seen either person face-to-face in about 2-3 months.

Both times, the person sidled up to me and quietly said, "Are you still trying to lose weight? You need to stop losing weight!"

To which, in my usual eloquence, I replied, "Huh?"

"You're smaller than the last time I saw you. You should stop losing weight. You look great. You don't need to weigh any less."

To be honest, their sincere concern/worry washed off them in waves and confused me. This was not a statement people have ever had to make to me, so it really caught me unaware, especially since I'm not trying to lose weight.

Well, yeah, there's the 2-3 lbs up and down I bounce, but that's life. Hence, the title of this blog as I will, for the remainder of my life, always be losing a bit here and there.

Anyway, once I caught my bearings I replied: "Honestly, I'm not trying to lose any more weight."

"But you're smaller than the last time I saw you."

Then it hit me. "Well, I do go to bootcamp. I strength train quite a bit, that's going to make me smaller."

"Oh..." they both said with the realization. It was pretty funny as both conversations were almost identical. "Well, then, good job."

So, a minute ago I was bordering on some mental illness weight-loss condition, but since it's bootcamp (which could also be called a mental illness, LOL) it's fine.

All right then.

In which I get some perspective

It was about 6:20 am today and I was walking across the bootcamp gym, carrying a 35-lb plate weight in each hand like a suitcase.

All I was doing was walking, carrying this extra weight, and as my shoulders started to burn, it hit me:

How the hell did I ever do this before - plus another 55 lbs?

Sure, I didn't have 125 lbs hanging exclusively off my arms but, you get the idea.

I can't remember hauling around a 282 lbs - and that's a very good thing.

The fact I got a little challenging reminder? Even better.

And the fact I could put down (OK, drop) the plates and instantly weigh 158 lbs again? The best.

In which I dangle off a building and other fitness feats

It was 6:30 am Friday and I was gently swaying in mid-air 3 feet off the ground.

My left leg was bent at the knee in an elastic stirrup. My right was hanging straight down. Both elbows were bent up, my arms tucked tight into my sides and my hands were gripping two large rings suspended from the ceiling.

I was trying to execute a ring hold for as long as I could, keeping all 158 lbs of me up while gravity tried to take me down. My arms and, therefore, the rings, were starting to shake from fatigue about 30 seconds in.

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth trying to hold on, but my free leg starting poking around in the air behind me, looking for the safety of the tall plywood box off which we jump to start the exercise. Seeing my struggle, my trainer strolled over and calmly, quietly and seriously said:

"Melissa, don't let go. You're dangling off the edge of a building."

Seriously, how much fun is that? Very.

I find the ring hold/pull-up exercises super hard. I remember the first time I tried one, I think it was back in May. I stepped off the box and immediately plummeted, I couldn't hold myself up, let alone pull myself up. But, Friday, progress: I completed 3 ring pull-ups and held the hold for longer than I've ever been able before.

And that's why I love bootcamp. You get to try things you never thought you could do - and most likely things you never wanted to do. Sure, in the beginning you probably can't do them, but pretty soon it's a random Friday and you're pulling your body weight up and down in midair. Yay.

The past three days have been very fun fitness-wise. Friday I had my Batman-like work on the rings.

Yesterday I went to a demo class at bootcamp: Les Mills Body Combat, definitely the most demanding cardio class I've ever experienced.

The class combined a series of mixed martial arts disciplines, so you're punching, kicking, blocking and jabbing for an hour. It was crazy fun and a great workout.

At one point, the instructor yells, "Street fighter!" and we're pretending to hold someone down with one arm and rhythmically, repeatedly, punch them in the head with the other. Awesome.

I was hauling for the whole thing, evidenced by my heart rate monitor, which told me I burned 450 calories in 53 minutes. And I learned how to seriously tune someone up with my elbows and knees. So, all said, time well spent.

I was psyched that I'm in such shape that I can try out a very advanced cardio class and keep up quite well. And, bonus, I didn't accidentally kick anyone in the head. Or stroke out. Holla! However, I have a serious case of noodle arms today. I went to put on deodorant this morning and made a noise no adult should make.

Today was a long run day, and I had the course simmering in my head all week. Much like The Grinch, I live atop Mount Crumpet, the two best ways to get to my house are via two major, very steep hills. I've driven the roads tens of thousands of times, and any time I saw anyone running up either I thought, "You go, runner."

Then, when I started running I thought, "Hmmmm...."

It took nearly a year of running for me to nut up to give it a whirl, and today was the day. I decided to run down one of the hills (Greenwood, for local folks), loop around and then back up the other major hill (Elmwood), ending at home for 5 miles total. The run went great and the closer I got to the uphill, the more I felt like a Who down in Whoville looking up.

But, I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, took it slow and easy, and pretty soon I was at the top, just a quarter-mile from home. But, crap, Miles 3.5-4.5 were straight up. Click to enlarge the horror:



When I started running I was scared to death of hills. I would choose races via one criterion: Are there any hills? I would check the elevation charts and everything. Did. Not. Like. Them. Hills make running - already hard - even harder. But as annoying as they are, they do make you a better, stronger, more confident runner.

I have a race next Sunday and I believe the course is kinda hilly, but I won't bother to check beforehand. I'm not worried. If I can conquer that one today, I'm set.

Photos: Befores, Durings and Afters

Yesterday I posted one of my favorite pictures ever, and it got me thinking about the photos I usually get at each race.

Then I remembered I did get a photo of myself before my first 5K in March. I traditionally use my regular Before photo when comparing Befores and Afters, so I thought, "Let's contrast with a During photo." (Click to enlarge.)



At the time of the March photo I weighed 212 lbs. It was one week before I started my introductory bootcamp classes and 2 weeks before I started going twice a week.

At this point, I had already lost 70 lbs from when I joined Weight Watchers 6 months earlier. The first thing I think when I look at that photo: "Wow, that doesn't look like someone who already lost 70 lbs."

In the current photo I weigh 158 lbs, so in the seven months of running three times a week and bootcamping twice a week (and Weight Watchers-ing) I've lost 54 lbs. It sure seems like a lot more pound-wise than that comparing the two photos.

And that, my friends, is why strength and interval training is very, very good.

I know I could reach my current weight without bootcamp, but I'm convinced it would have taken much longer. And when I got to this weight, my body would not look like it does now. Running would have taken care of my legs, but that's moot because I doubt I would have been able to continue running: My core and legs were not strong enough to sustain it without pain.

In that first 5K I wrote about suffering from what I thought was major hip pain when running outside, but I think it was more of a glute thing. Bottom line: My core and legs were not sufficiently strong enough to allow me to run pain-free.

Gradually, safely, strengthening them through bootcamp allowed me to run faster, further and better - pain-free. I would have been forced to bail on running long before now without bootcamp. It was just too painful to run outside.

Now bootcamp may not be your thing and that's perfectly fine. You may not be interested in running and that's fine, too (and probably very smart when you get down to it). However, there are many other ways to get in your cardio and strength train so you can firm up and build lean muscle that will slim you down in ways you never imagined.

Many of us eschew strength training because it's hard. I always say, "If bootcamp were a DVD, I'd fast-forward through 75% of it." It was true when I started and it's true now.

It's challenging, and I am inherently lazy and I cannot self-motivate to push myself to do what I need to do when it comes to strength training. I can get myself out of bed, in the dark and on the road to run three times a week, no problem. But getting myself - with no one watching - to pick up some free weights or drop a dozen squats? Not me.

That's why I turn to a professional twice a week. Someone who lays out a challenging circuit, ensures I have proper form and keeps me honest, so I don't, say, hook my feet under a spin bike for extra leverage during full sit-ups. Um, theoretically, that is.

Anyway, do something you like and more importantly something that challenges you when it comes to cardio and strength training. Don't forget about strength training, it's hard but it is worth it. Believe me.

And, I didn't live in the gym, either. Bootcamp is 45 minutes tops (including warm-up and cool-down) twice a week. My runs are, depending on distance, 30 minutes to an hour, three times a week. Five hours a week. That's doable.

This is embarrassing to admit, but I held off on strength training for longer than I should have because I was worried that in building muscle, my weight loss would slow. It obviously did not.

And, just for fun, I tossed in my regular Before photo below for the panoramic perspective. If you want a better look, click to enlarge.

Not to belabor the "Oh my God I Love That Photo" theme I've got going on, but one more thought: I think what I love the most is I look strong and fit. Not "skinny" or "thin." I always thought I wanted to be thin and/or skinny. I was wrong. I wanted to look exactly like I do now: healthy.

In which it's Hell Week and I was not notified

Monday was testing day at bootcamp and today was an all-body-weight-bearing circuit, that is: No equipment.

Planks, T rotations, push-up hops, Burpee hops and all other various and sundry fun activities that had me challenged to the max.

Or, as the trainer wrote on Facebook: "Today's workout has core, core, abs, core, abs, upper body, core, upper body, core and a little more core!"

Not what my shoulders - still sore from Monday - needed.

I would not have ended his sentence with an exclamation point, as to me that signifies, "Yay! Fun!" I would have went with a foreboding ellipse...

See, I get a little cocky and next class, blam: reality check.

And this is why bootcamp is good, it keeps you honest. And sore. And strong.

In which I kick ass

So high off I love Bootcamp juju I attended a class last night making up for one I missed a couple of weeks ago.

Just before I left the car and headed into the gym, I checked my phone and saw a text from my friend and fellow bootcamper, Deb: "FYI testing tonight."

Oh, crap, a timed testing circuit.

Testing is hard, and for me harkens back to the evil Presidential Physical Fitness test, which I could never pass.

With last night's circuit we had 30 minutes to complete the following:

100 medicine ball chest passes
100 squat jumps
100 tubing rows
100 military presses
100 crunches
50 push-ups
50 side leg drops
10 laps of the gym

We can do them in any order, in any amount and jump around so you alternate upper and lower body, but you eventually have to do them all in order to finish. The whole point being you get a little faster every time you're tested, about every 6-8 weeks.

The one thing I was super concerned about was the push-ups as I am decidedly not awesome at them.

Luckily, we could do modified push-ups (from the knees), but 50 would still be challenging because they had to be real push-ups: no head-bobbing, no groin-dipping - back flat up and down shoulders to elbows. If you get caught cheating with poor form your last 2 push-ups don't count. Ack.

I knew I had to get them out of the way relatively quickly before the military presses turned my arms into Ramen noodles, which they do when I have to do 100 presses in a short period of time.

I started chipping away at the exercises, knocking off 25 at a time, alternating between upper and lower body exercises so I didn't fatigue either area early and make it hard to finish. When it came to the push-ups, I'd do 10 then switch to something lower body. I can't do more than 10 in a row without wiping out.

I felt really good and our trainer kept our tallies, letting us know how much we had left to close out each exercise and finish the circuit.

Once the push-ups were over, I felt home free and concentrated on knocking off the rest. All I wanted to do was finish under 30 minutes and I did. I finished in 20:07. 20:07! Holy crap! That time is insane - insane - for me.

I still can't believe I finished so quickly, but then I definitely know I did have testing because, literally, my arms are crazy weak right now and my quads are a little cranky.

But I finished with my best time yet.

In which I am an award-winning bootcamper

So Saturday morning I write a post about how much I enjoy bootcamp.

Then, I take off for the annual bootcamp party...and was awarded with the Most Improved Bootcamper award.

Holy crap.

That's one of the coolest, most unexpected things ever. I feel like the Old Man in A Christmas Story: "It's a major award!"

But, to me, this is much better than a leg lamp.

In which I've been bootcamping for 6 months

It was about 6:20 am yesterday and I was standing in front of a plywood box, maybe 2 feet high.

I was poised in a half-crouch, half- squat, elbows back, hands at my sides, head up, trying to catch my breath and waiting to hear a boxing bell.

Ding!

"And go!" said the trainer.

I quickly thrust my arms forward and up for momentum, pushing through my legs to leap up on the box, both feet landing - softly - at the same time in the same crouch-squat position I just left.

Rewarded with a soft cat-burglar-like thud, I carefully stepped back down, one foot at a time, and reset to jump again. Whoosh! Land. Reset. Repeat.

(Full disclosure: I'm pretty sure I don't actually Whoosh! when I jump, but I like to think I do. I'm also convinced half the exercises in bootcamp are designed to turn us into cat-burglars. Strong, fit, flexible criminals.)

Anyway, that's a box jump, and when I started bootcamp 6 months ago I did not like them. At all.

I was anxious. I didn't like to jump. I weighed over 200 lbs. A) Jumping was not easy. B) What if I landed weird or caught the edge of the box and fell or looked stupid? And, let me tell you, "Don't look stupid" was my cardinal rule when I began and, actually, still is now that I think of it.

When I had to learn how to box jump in the spring, well, first I picked the shortest box possible. And when I landed, it sounded like a piano dropped from a rooftop. No soft thud, think big bang.

But, gradually, my confidence built and I learned to land better, softer, absorbing the impact, perfecting my form. Then I started choosing a taller box. Then a heavier medicine ball, stronger tubing, tougher weights. I sprinted faster, shuffled between cones smoother and eventually made it through warmups without stopping, banging out jumping jacks like I was on Paris Island.

And that's pretty much the story of bootcamp: Gradual development every class until you're doing things you never thought you could - or wanted to - do.

I've always joked that if bootcamp were a DVD, I would fast-forward through 75% of the circuit. The majority of it was outside my comfort zone, way outside my comfort zone.

There's a quote, something to the effect of, "True change doesn't begin until you leave your comfort zone" and I've found that to be very, very true.

I stepped outside my comfort zone into bootcamp and I've been greatly rewarded.

Bootcamp, Day 1 I wrote: "I can only imagine where I'll be in 6 months. I will have Batman-like strength and fitness."

Day 2: "And I should be able to dead lift a Kia by fall."

I'm not a superhero and I can't quite hoist a compact car, but I tell you, I am in the best shape of my life. I am stronger and learner. I have much-improved endurance and balance. I know if you throw a medicine ball really hard, you should catch it or else you get hit in the head. And I know how to get down with a physio ball, but, um, you really shouldn't follow my lead on that one.

I've written a lot about bootcamp, so I won't rehash everything here (feel free to go read, though).

But, I want to encourage you to do two things:

1. Consider strength training.

Whether it's bootcamp or free weights or whatever you like, do it. You will firm up like nobody's business. It really isn't all about the scale and building lean muscle will only help - not hinder - your weight loss efforts.

2. Try something outside your comfort zone.

Whatever it is - a new hobby, exercise class, whatever - just try.

One of the reasons I was so anxious about bootcamp is I would be in a class with other people. I was worried I'd look foolish or be the subject of derision.

But I quickly learned something: No one in class is paying attention to you. It's 6 am, no one's quite awake yet and no one pays money and comes out in the cold, dark predawn to watch me push a weighted sled across a gym.

Curious, I checked my weight records for my 6 months in bootcamp. When I started I weighed 207 lbs. I now weigh 163. Fourty-four lbs (and 4 sizes) in 6 months - and that's after I already lost 70+ lbs.

My friend Deb got me interested in bootcamp. She raved about it and told me the only problem I'd have was I would love it and get addicted to it.

I didn't believe her.

Think I owe her something...

In which I am done sitting shiva

Thank you Jesus, I went to bootcamp this morning and got a good sweat on.

My ankle was strong, my Achilles was loose and I was so happy to be there, even when I rolled ass over tea kettle off the physio ball and even again when I looked like I was trying to impregnate it.

Hey, that thing is tricky.

My trainer surmised the Achilles tightened up because I iced and rested it all weekend. Yes, that was the right course of action, but I also should have stretched it to loosen it up. Ah ha, that makes sense. And that's why he's the trainer and I'm off in the corner humping the physio ball...

So, all good stuff this morning. Tomorrow I think I will try a short, easy run on the treadmill at the gym. It will be an entire week since I've run, I want to give it a go. An easy, light go. If anything doesn't feel right, I'll make for the stationary bike.

I am over it. Let's get back to bad-ass health and fitness business, shall we?

In which I almost skip bootcamp

In my 5 months of bootcamping, I've never skipped a class, but I came pretty close this morning.

Yesterday I had to run in the evening instead of the morning because of my weigh-in, and by the time my husband got home and settled, I couldn't set out until after 7 pm. It was dark and raining by then, so it was a treadmill run at the gym. I ran from 7:30-8:45, not returning home until after 9 pm.

This was a problem because I usually go to bed by 10-10:30 pm. But I was ramped up from my run, so I didn't get to bed until after 11 pm, which made today's 5 am alarm quite sucky.

I apparently hit Alarm Off instead of Snooze and didn't wake up until 5:25 am. I have to leave for bootcamp by 5:45 am at the very latest, so I had a quick decision to make: Skip or go.

I could hear it pouring outside and see it was pitch black out. You could just sleep in, I thought. You deserve a rest day - you do have to run 6 miles tomorrow, why not take a day off? Or, if you must, you could work out later at home, do a DVD. It won't be a crime.

I closed my eyes and hoped that sleep would pull me back under, relieving me of the decision. By the time I wake up it will be too late to go and the decision made for me.

I closed my eyes and the next time I opened them it was...5:30 am. Frig, I'm going...I'm going.

I dressed quickly, grabbed a water and a Luna bar and headed for the garage.

I walked into the gym and there was no equipment set up, the space completely bare. This is Bad News (capital B and N) when it comes to bootcamp. It means either it's Testing (insane and not what I wanted in my current state) or it was an all-body-weight circuit.

Body-weight exercises are my least favorite because, well, they're hard. And today was upper-body/core focused - not my strongest area. We're talking planks, push ups, Mountain Climbers, crunches, etc., basically everything I would fast-forward through if it were a fitness DVD.

However, despite all my bitching, I am really happy I went. The exercises I least want to do are always the ones I need to do most. Plus, it turns out it was the last Wednesday class for one of my trainers, so I'm glad she got to put me through the wringer one more time.

Ninety more minutes of sleep would not have delivered the satisfaction I found after finishing class. Glad I made the right choice.

Food Of The Day: Shrimp and Potatoes

Good Lord, this shrimp is amazing.

And, to push it through the stratosphere, I paired it with Crash Hot Potatoes, which I haven't made in so long, I had to check how to make them. But it was worth it. I also had about 2 cups of roasted green beans, which I ate while the potatoes and shrimp was cooking. I was hungry.

The Gorton's shrimp is new, and so far in my area I've found it at WalMart ($5.97 per bag) and Shaws ($8.49). Flo report Stop & Shop also carries it ($7.50).

I was out, so it was off to The Wal Mart of Ill Repute, next door in Worcester. Seriously, if Mos Eisley had a Wal Mart, this would be the one. Every time I go in there, all I can hear in my head is "Cantina Band" from Star Wars.

But, I found a trick to make it bearable. It's open 24 hours and I pass it on my way to and from bootcamp. I swung by on the way back this morning, and at 7 am, this store isn't too horrific.

Bootcamp was good this morning. Pretty challenging circuit, every station seemed to have something I dreaded when the trainer took us through the walk-through after warm-up. But I happily surprised myself at several rotations. Every class is completely different, which I love, and there's over a hundred exercises we use, so sometimes it's weeks before a specific exercise makes it back into class.

So some of the exercises I was concerned about this morning I actually was pretty good at. It had been a while since I did them and, guess what, I was better this time. I love that, it's so encouraging because it means I am gradually getting stronger and more flexible.

Food Of The Day: Grilled Chicken

Even before I rejoined WW, marinated grilled chicken was one of my favorites.

Just marinate the chicken in Ken's Light Italian dressing and voila. Paired it, again, with grilled veg (eggplant, red pepper, onion and summer squash). I wanted to get some local corn, but I didn't have time today to try and find a stand. Maybe this weekend.

Had a great bootcamp class this morning. When we walked in the trainer said it was going to be "heavy cardio." That should have immediately set off warning bells as I think they're all pretty heavy on the cardio, but this was cardio on steroids: shuttle runs, shuffle runs, sprints, the rowing machine, spin bikes, rope waves, jumping jacks, butt kickers and more.

I forgot to wear my heart rate monitor, and I wish I did, I can only imagine the calorie burn on this one. Usually I burn 325-350 calories in 45 minutes. This one would have been off the charts.

I started wearing my Virbams to class and I love the traction they give me on the astroturf-covered floor. They're super for exercises like shuttle runs and sprints, where you're pivoting quickly.

I got a great night's sleep the night before class and that helped a lot. I felt very fresh and energetic, which was a huge boost for tackling a very challenging lineup like today.

I had great speed on the shuttle runs, I exceeded the distance goal for the rowing machine and I had good height and great form on the squat jumps. I even landed "soft", which takes a lot of work for me. I love feeling these little improvements, they're very rewarding. Oh, and I cranked out a set of modified push-ups.

That all said, Fridays are some of my favorites days of the week. Friday 7 am means another week of bootcamp is in the books, I have extra Points to eat thanks to class that morning and I don't have to work out on Saturday, which means I can finally sleep in.

In which you can lose weight quickly after 40

When I rejoined Weight Watchers last fall, I had one big concern:

Will I be able to lose weight as quickly as I had before?

From April 2002 to September 2003, I lost 124 lbs on Weight Watchers. I started at age 31.5 and reached Lifetime on my 33rd birthday. I was married and had a full-time job, no children yet, aka, I had money and time. And I was 100% focused on following the program and exercise.

If it took me 1.5 years eight years ago, how long would it take me now, at age 40?

After having 3 children in 4.5 years, would my body even remember how to lose weight?

Could I jump start my metabolism?

Is it going to take forever?

And these questions were all outside of all the kid-, time-, energy-related concerns.

My friend Becca, a fellow Lifetimer returning to Goal weight, posted her progress vs. her progress of several years ago. It got me thinking of doing the same thing, especially since I had all my old weigh-in booklets and info.

I finally got around to it and the results are very interesting.

I'm losing weight faster at 40 than I did at 31/32.

See for yourself, the blue line is my 2002-2003 losses (the chart says 2004, but that is a typo), the red is my current progress (2010-today), both through 44 weeks.



So, what's different now?

1. Points Plus. If you notice, the two lines really start to widen around Week 10. The Points+ program rolled out on Week 13 and I switched over after Week 15. Up until then I was eating very carb-heavy. I just wanted to stay within my Points, I didn't care about the mix of carb vs. protein, etc. When I felt comfortable with the idea of moving to Points+ three weeks later, it got me to eat more protein, fruits and veg as snacks and fewer carbs in general.

I know 2002-2003 I ate a very carb-heavy diet, at least moreso than now. So I believe the lean protein/F&V focus on Points+ really has made my metabolism more efficient and promotes more fat burning and muscle building through better-balanced eating.

2. Bootcamp. In 2002-2003 I did little strength training. I hated traditional free-weight workouts (still do) and could not motivate myself to get it done (still can't). So from April 2002 on my main exercises were walking, running (starting February 2003) and water aerobics (spring 2003). All great workouts, but all cardio - not big muscle-builders like interval training at bootcamp.

Because bootcamp is different every class, my body doesn't fall into that rut of doing the same-old, same-old. Just like eating the same things over and over (easy for me to do), I think the same exercise over and over is a case of diminishing returns. You have to shake it up. I'm shaking it up with bootcamp (I started in April) and it's paying off.

Other interesting observations:

My losing pattern is still the same. My small-loss, small-loss, big-loss pattern is very similar to that of 2002-2003. Once a month I would drop 3 or 4 lbs in one week, still do that today.

I had a long plateau in the 180s. Funny, I don't remember this at all. But according to the stats, I was stuck in the 180s for 13(!) weeks. I didn't have any major fall-off-the-wagon phases in 2002-2003, so I can't remember why the hell that was such a torturous period.

And here I was recently griping about spending 1 month in the 180s. Yikes.

You always hear that it's harder to lose weight the older you get. But this goes to show you with consistent dedication, balanced eating and exercise you can do it at any age!

In which it's been 3 months at bootcamp

It's 6:22 am on a Friday and my face is about 6 inches from the bright green Astroturf as I'm desperately waiting for a bell to ring.

Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!

"10 seconds!" sounds the trainer.

Thank God.

I'm in a push-up hold, trying to hold myself in the bottom part of a push-up without collapsing onto the floor.

My arms are wobbly from fatigue and whatever sweat isn't dripping onto the floor is running in my eyes. It's 72 degrees outside with 92% humidity, and it feels about the same inside the gym, which is actually a converted warehouse.

I want to hold the position for the last 10 seconds. I've broken it twice in the past minute, but I just want to hold it for this last push.

DING!

"Switch!" yells the trainer.

I drop to the floor, relieved that is over. I have 17 seconds to "rest" until I have to push a weighted sled the length of the gym and back for 1 minute.

Welcome to bootcamp.

It's hard to believe I've been going to bootcamp for 3 months. It feels like I just started, yet also that I've been going forever, if that makes sense.

In my experience, bootcamp is not like what you see on TV. When someone asks what I do for exercise and I reply, "Bootcamp," it's usually met with a weary "Ooohhhhhh...." as if I said, "Swimming with sharks."

I think bootcamp gets a bad rap because what you see on TV are trainers yelling and screaming at the participants. It's all very dramatic and makes for good TV, but it's not what I see. And it's rather silly.

My trainers are more like coaches. They don't need to yell to motivate us as everyone in my classes are adults paying good money to work their assess off 6 am. If you're there, you're plenty motivated. You don't need someone yelling at you to "PUSH IT! ARRRRRRGH! BLARRRRRRRRRGH!"

Our trainers are encouraging and knowledgable, and they don't need to resort to theatrics to get you to do a lunge the right way.

I checked my weight loss records and three days before I started bootcamp I weighed 207 lbs. Last week, three months later, I was at 183. But it's not so much about the numbers, although I like them very much.

When I stated bootcamp I was just fitting into size 16 pants. Now, 14s are getting loose and 12s are in the near future. I feel more fit. I feel like I've firmed and toned up quite well over a short period of time - benefits I would not have gained with jut cardio.

All the strength training has also greatly strengthened by glutes, hamstrings and quads, making me a pain-free, better runner. No more agonizingly sore glutes. No more limping, stiffness or Ben Gay patches.

Although, I still get sore from bootcamp. It's always funny waking up the day after, rolling out of bed, seeing what's sore. Oh, so that's the area the exercise was targeting. Ah ha.

The biggest surprise benefit I've received from bootcamp is self-confidence. After pretty much a lifetime of obesity, my self-confidence when it came to anything physical was nill. Now I feel myself challenging myself more. My attitude is more, "I'll give it a shot" rather than "No way I can do that."

Some things I'm good at, some I'm still at Square 1. But I can feel incremental improvements every time, which is pretty encouraging. The 6 lb medicine balls are now too light. I can hold a plank longer than ever. I can box jump to the medium-height box, something that scared the crap out of me for the first few weeks. I can run the hurdles faster without worrying about breaking an ankle.

Yet I still can't do a full push-up. And I continue to hate any exercise that ends in "jump" or "hop." But at least I'll try my best.

Overall, it's been a remarkable endeavor, the most effective workout I've ever encountered. I can't wait to see where I'll be at 6 months in - I'm looking at you push-up.

Bootcamp Week 5 Wrap-up: And 1

I usually post the wrap-up on Fridays, but this week it was delayed a few days because I added a third class...temporarily.

I'm going to miss a few Wed/Fri classes this month, so I decided to try and make them up ahead of time. My schedule's pretty tight, but I was able to add a 7:30 pm Monday class.

This seemed like a really good idea at 7 am last Friday. But by 6 pm Monday, after a full day of mothering and associated duties, I wasn't as excited.

I was unsure of how I'd like pm bootcamp. Yes, 6 am bootcamp is early, but at least it's done and over with by 7 am. Today, all day, You have bootcamp tonight...You have bootcamp tonight...You have bootcamp tonight was coursing through my head.

I'm not a fan of having a workout looming over me as this giant To-do all day. Also, switching my workout to the evening meant no metabolism-boosting blast-off to the day. On the other hand, that also meant no 5 am alarm, which was nice.

And there were the eating/scheduling logistics. By the time I had to eat dinner (wanting to avoid class on a full stomach), I was still kinda full from lunch.

Anyway, I went. I'm used to being in the first class of the day, so to come in and watch the tail end of another class, people going through the workout headed my way in a few minutes, was interesting.

But class tonight was good. One of the intervals was one of my favorite exercises - the bag chop, aka, beating the heavy bag with a bat. This week also featured some of my least favorite, such as the jump lunge. I don't like to jump and I don't like to lunge (think knees), so the jump lunge is the worst of both worlds. Then tonight we had the push-up walk, which was really difficult. But, I figure, next time I'll be a little bit better at it.

Overall, it was a good week of classes. I realized tonight that when I run, I'm still slow, but my right-hip is pain-free. It must be due to all the strength training and muscle-building at bootcamp.

Bootcamp Week 4 Wrap-up: Major Mental Milestone

I almost puked at bootcamp yesterday.

That would have been a decidedly different milestone, for sure.

Yesterday was circuit testing day, my first.

Several weeks ago I had heard they do this from time to time and I tried to forget about it. It brought back too many bad memories of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test, at which I was a spectacular and consistent failure.

So when I walked into the gym yesterday and saw the following lineup on the whiteboard, my stomach dropped:

100 medicine ball tosses
100 side to side jumps
100 squat jumps
100 crunches
100 Mountain climbers
100 rows
100 military presses
100 straight leg lifts, etc.

I think there were a few more and I blocked them out.

The trainer announced it was testing day. We had the entire class (50 minutes) to complete the lineup, but the object was to race against the clock and do it as quickly as we could. The trainers keep track of our results and we can compare against future testing days to see our progress.

My first thought: I'll never finish. Seriously, 100? Of each?

I had an immediate vision of it being 2 p.m. and I'm still there grinding out squat jumps.

After warmups, the clock started and we were off. I did my 100 medicine ball tosses, then decided it was stupid to do all 100 of everything in a row. So I began alternating between exercises doing, say, 40 squat jumps, then moving on to 50 military presses. I bounced from exercise to exercise, chipping away as best I could while our trainer kept tallies and informed us what we had left.

Amazingly, I was down to about 40 Mountain climbers and 40 military presses when I started feeling nauseous. Not sure if I drank too much water or too little, or was pushing too hard, but I did not feel well. It wasn't 911-puking level, but I was in the neighborhood.

But, with so little left, I was not DNFing it.

I ground out the final reps, gave the trainer a head's-up and saw my time: 35:11. 35:11! I finished.

That's been the most surprising byproduct of bootcamp: Confidence.

I expected great fat burning and muscle-building, but I never anticipated how the classes would boost my confidence.

It seems as if I go into most fitness adventures with the predisposition that I will fail. It's not on purpose, but rather the cumulation of a lifetime's worth of attitudes on this subject.

But lately, since running and bootcamp, I've been really challenging myself and, in turn, surprising myself, too.

It's turned a world of I can't and I won't into I'll try and I will.

Bootcamp Week 3 Wrap-up

It was another fun week of the continued beating of inanimate objects.

Today's pummeling was even better than last week's.

This morning the heavy bag was laying flat on the ground covered by a layer of Astroturf. When it was your turn at that interval, you grabbed an aluminum baseball bat, raised it over your head and, basically, rhythmically wailed on it for a full minute.

It was full-on awesome and reminded me of a scene from either Goodfellas or Casino, can't remember which. And you got to repeat the interval later.

After I got over my mob-movie flashback (the bag really did look like a body), I imagined that the heavy bag was all the weight I had lost and have yet to lose (25 lbs). Again, therapeutic.

Hard to believe I've only been taking these classes for a month (counting the intro classes). Each class I feel a little stronger, faster and more flexible. I can get through warmups quicker, but they still kick my butt (pretty sure that will always be the case).

I can lift heavier weights. In fact, this morning on my first medicine ball interval I automatically grabbed the lightest, 6 lbs. Halfway through I realized, I need the 8 lbs, this is too light. So next time around that's what I used.

But the most stunning realization came at the end of the cool down this morning. While stretching on the floor I noticed a woman had walked in, I assume she had a session with one of the trainers.

The woman was obese, a good size 24/26, exactly what I used to be not long ago.

It was Old Me on one side of the gym and New Me on the other.

I hope that doesn't come off sounding arrogant because I don't meant it to be, at all. Rather, I took it as a reminder: Don't forget.

And, as Han Solo famously said: Great, kid. Don't get cocky.