Cones, Bells and Bands, Oh My!

We all knew we were in for some trouble tonight when mid-day we got an email telling us to meet at the gym and then we'd be heading to one of the world's largest indoor tracks.  When we met at 180 Fitness, we were told to each get a kettle bell, tension band and mat.  We loaded up the cars and headed up the road.

When we got to the Louis Riel Dome, after our warm up, he had us run around the track.  For those of us who couldn't run, he had us speed walk in the opposite direction, meet up with the group then turn around and head back with them.  I swear Adrian might as well have had 2 heads the way I looked at him when he asked me "why aren't YOU running?!"  I mean, seriously?!  It almost wasn't worth answering but I knew I had to (or I'd be in serious trouble).  I said, "my ankles, feet and knees are hurting.  My RA is not 100% and NEVER will be!!"  I was so frustrated I practically stormed away (what can I say, I'm 29 going on 9 and being defensive is my specialty)!  Even walking the track is a huge success for me and I hate being made to feel like I'm not pushing hard enough.

After the trip around the track, we headed to the bleachers and had to do step-ups on the lower seat or the lower foot rest.  We did 8 sets of about 15-20 each.  That was followed by yet another trip around the track.  It was still just the beginning of our session and we were already cursing Adrian (and no, we aren't particularly silent about it either)!  His goal was 4 trips around the track by the time our hour was over so that we would have completed a full mile.  Those of us walking managed about a half mile.

During my last walk on the track, he brought over two kettle bells and made me carry them.  I explained that they hurt my fingers and he couldn't figure out why.  So again, I had to explain that the RA in my fingers has caused swelling for the past two weeks and has been very painful.  He didn't seem to believe me and asked me to show him (which I did)!  He suggested I use a looser type of grip, which doesn't make it much easier, but he walked next to me to keep an eye and help motivate me.  I made it about half way down or 3/4 of the way down one side when my elbows began to hurt.  So he told me to push it for 10 more seconds and then he took them from me and let me continue walking without them.  That was such a relief!

Adrian explained that he just wants to push me so I can keep losing weight like I have been (right now I'm in 4th place out of 18 of us, having lost 4.83% of my total bodyweight already in just 2 weeks).  I understand that, but I told him I'm not willing to hurt my joints or I won't be able to come back (and that would break my heart).  I was very stubborn tonight and frustrated, so I definitely fought back but he takes it in stride.  He sure knows how to stand his ground but I think he's starting to learn where I draw the line too.

We also had to do some jogging tonight during a "T" exercise he had us do using cones.  It's too hard to explain so just believe me when I say it was not easy, but I did manage to jog that one.  The next set he had us doing were arm exercises with our tension bands and kettle bells.  I really hate kettle bells.  While the others are dicussing purchasing their own, I'm busy plotting ways to rid them from this planet for good!

We finished off the evening by doing some abdominal exercises which he decided would be chosen by playing "spin the bottle" (using a water bottle of course).  Each person it landed on had to pick an ab workout.  I was cracking jokes pretty much the whole time we did the abs because if I didn't, I might have cried.  It was intense and I sure learned to hate more than just Adrian by the time we were done!  At one point during an exercise working our bums, he said everyone leaves his bootcamps with a booty...of course being the person I am, I piped in with "I don't think most of us here have a problem with that to begin with!" 

One of the exercises made us feel like we were sort of in an awkward type of position and the woman next to me was saying how it felt like something we shouldn't be doing in public.  I assured her that we are all going to get to know each other REALLY well by the time this is over!  Even though the end of the session was intense, it felt good to laugh.  I think as a group we are really starting to bond and build some amazing friendships.

Goodnight and God bless!

To the Limit and Beyound

Well, we are now two weeks into the program and tonight's training session was intense.  We arrived at the gym and were immediately told to head to Green's Creek.  I didn't know what that was at first because I didn't know the name.  Instead of being in the gym, we had to go down and up a massive hill.  Put it this way, as a child, it was the ultimate tobogan run (and still is) when it's full of snow.  I hadn't been there since I was very young and now I know why...going back up is brutal!

I knew I could not handle running or jogging it without injuring myself, so I walked it.  Walking down really put pressure on my knees and it hurt quite a lot (they are still hot from the pain and some swelling).  But heading back up felt like being punched in the lungs!  I think I took my inhaler 2 times just on my way back up.  After I made it up to the top, Adrian had us do some weights and then told us to do the hill again.  I explained that it really hurt my kness and for the first time since starting this, I felt like he wasn't really taking my RA into consideration.  I began to feel overwhelmed and the tears began to flow. He told me I had two options, I could do it or give up.  He explained that he didn't think I was that kind of person, the kind to give up.  I'm stubborn but have had issues giving up on things when they get tough my whole life (like never quite giving things my all so if I failed I could say I could have done better).  So the thought of giving up tonight made me feel like a failure because I really didn't think I could do it again.  I don't handle failure very well.

It was really hard, but not only did I do it again that second time, I came most of the way back up the hill backwards like everyone else and then I did it again a third time!!!  Then we went up, down and across walking paths along the top of the hill, stopping for different exercises, took a group photo at a lookout (will post in the next blog) then back to the hill for a forth trip down and back up.  This time Adrian was willing to accept that I (and another woman) had pushed beyond our limits and would not manage another trip down that hill unless he was willing to carry us back up!  So instead, he worked our upper body while the others were on the hill.  He worked our arms until they were ready to fall off and wouldn't let us stop until the last person made it back to the top of the hill.

After our workout we headed back to the gym (180 Fitness) to do our weigh-ins.  After 2 weeks on the program, I have now lost 15 lbs!  I'm quite pleased with myself because after last week's amazing weigh-in, I was aiming to hit that 15-pound mark this week but I wasn't sure I'd quite get there.  That's over a pound per day!!!  Next week we do more measurements which I'm hoping goes really well since I'm really starting to feel a difference in my clothes.  For now I'm off to get some well deserved rest and just hope that tonight's workout doesn't give me nightmares...

Good night and God bless!