Thursday 5 July 2012

Overcoming Obstacles

Tonight was our weekly weigh-in and bi-weekly measurements.  They haven't given us the total inches yet but I took a quick look and I'll post the number in my next blog once I know what it is.  I'm disappointed that in some areas I didn't lose anything and some areas very little.  But in a couple of areas I did really well which is great because it makes up for the others.  It's a let-down after the huge numbers I pulled out the last time but there is no way I could continue to lose them as quickly as I did at first.

My biggest disappointment tonight was the weigh-in.  I only lost 0.4 lbs this week.  Yes, I should be pleased that at least it went down (and I am).  Some of the other members pointed out to me that most people hit a wall last week during their third week.  This is only my third week so now it was my turn to hit that wall.  The good news is that most of them pulled good numbers this week so I have high hopes for next week!

Our workout was intense as always but the best part was the seminar afterwards.  We got GREAT information about what to do the day before and the day after an event where we may indulge a bit.  They gave great tips on how to speed up our motabolism that day before and after to compensate for a small (or big) slip.  This is a key element for me seeing as Canada Day just passed and in less than 2 weeks it will be my 30th (OUCH!) birthday.  I may not even indulge on my birthday because we are due for our next measurements and a weigh-in that day.  But at least I can have a plan of action for that following weekend when I DO plan to celebrate (specially since that weekend will also be the beginning of my summer holidays)!

One last make-up session tomorrow night and then I should be back on a somewhat normal schedule with my regular Tuesdays and Thursdays (unless we start to get together more during our free evenings).  I don't do well exercising alone and while I will be off for a month (July 21-August 23) I will be available to do day time workouts, so it's time to start planning those...

Goodnight and God Bless.

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Did I Really Do That?

The plan for today was for a small group of Biggest Losers to head to the hill from Hell (Green's Creek).  I seriously started rethinking the idea because today ended up being really sunny, hot and extremely humid.  With the humidex, it reached about 40'C (104'f) today.  I decided that I would push myself to head to the hill anyway with my mother as my support, even if no one else showed up.  When I got there, a few ladies were already getting warmed up (in more than one way) and ready to tackle that hill.  I have trouble with my asthma in high humidity and react quickly to the sun due to my medications so I was really dreading it.  I decided that even if I squeezed in one trip down and up that hill, I would have done well considering the circumstances.

Well, thanks to the amazing support of the 4 Biggest Loser ladies who joined me (as well as my mother and the husband of one of the ladies), we worked out for over an hour and a half.  Not only did I do that hill more than once, I managed to complete it FOUR times this time.  That is one time more than the last time and in extreme heat!  We did that hill 4 times, kettle bells in between the trips, 2 trips through the back hiking trails (which are not flat), followed by an ab workout before our cool down.

I am SO glad I went tonight.  If it wasn't for the fact that I had witnesses and my joints are screaming at me, even I wouldn't believe that I did it!  I've had to ice fingers, knees and ankles just since I got home but I'm proud of myself.  After finishing the hill and on our way back from our second (and longest) trip through the hiking trails, we arrived back to our stuff and found Adrian's truck parked right beside it.  Adrian was there just to bring us water!  His timing was perfect because we were just finishing our cardio and our water was hot from the heat (to the point that it was no longer quenching my thirst and tasted aweful).  I don't think it's even possible to ask for a more caring trainer who takes the time out to make sure we are keeping hydrated, on a night when we aren't even training with him. 

Most nights I want to curse Adrian and really hate him (which he takes as a compliment)!  However, tonight I simply want to thank him for both his kind actions and for everything he has done for me up to now.  I would never have conquered that hill even once without his persistence and support.  I will likely be kicking myself and saying "I take it back!" on Friday when I train with him again, but for now I just want to say "thank you Adrian".

Goodnight and God bless.

Tuesday 3 July 2012

Learning to Get Back Up

This Sunday was Canada Day (our national day of independence on July 1st).  I slipped a bit on my meal plan and felt kind of guilty, but at the same time I enjoyed allowing myself a bit of a treat to celebrate.  We were downtown all day and there is not a lot to fit the meal plan when you are out and about all day.  The temptations were just too overwhelming to resist and if I had not let myself enjoy anything while everyone else was indulging in front of me, I would have been completely miserable all day.  Normally a slip like that would have made me feel like I failed and I would have given up all together, but I'm learning that I am strong enough now to get right back up on that wagon.

Although I treated myself to a delicious snack, I deserved it because I managed to walk around downtown for long distances and long periods of time for the first time in years.  I overdid it though, to the point that I was extremely sore and my RA wiped me out the next day.  Yesterday the fatigue hit me like a Mack truck and I ended up sleeping straight through to dinner time (I was maybe up for an hour mid-day).  But I'm so proud of how far I walked which allowed me to enjoy the festivities in several locations throughout the day.  That is something I haven't done in at least 3 years.  I'm still learning how far I can push myself but I am impressed that it only wiped me out for one day.  Normally that would have put me in bed for days or weeks.  One day I can definitely handle and it was so worth it to say I did it! 

Our weigh-in and measurements have been delayed until Thursday this week instead of tonight.  I'm very glad about that because I got right back on the meal plan perfectly today and I feel much better both mentally and physically.  By following this program, it's been almost like an elimination diet for me so I am finally learning different foods that upset my stomach.  It was too hard to pinpoint the foods before, but it's so easy now.  That is one aspect I really wasn't expecting on this program.  Even though down the road I will allow myself a treat here and there, my body sure won't let me do it often ever again.  I think because of my slip this weekend, I don't feel like I've lost much this week but I guess we'll know for sure on Thursday.

We had a training session with my other trainer tonight (I have Chantal on Saturdays for semi-private sessions with a few other women).  She is a lot of fun and high energy all of the time.  She gives us a really good workout but has fun doing it and I hesitate to say I look forward to training with her again on Thursday!

I'm not sure what has possessed me, but I have decided to take up a few other team members on their offer for us all to get together tomorrow at Green's Creek.  In case you forget what that is, that is the horrendous hill from last Tuesday!  I have decided to make up for the fact that I slipped a bit this weekend so I need an extra workout before weigh-in on Thursday.  We will not have a trainer with us so we will simply be pushing each other and working together to get in some good exercise.  My goal before I leave that hill is to get in 3 trips down and up the hill again and this time I won't have Adrian to push me, so I will have to push myself (no matter how long it takes).  I'd be more than happy to have other friends join me there too; I will be there at 5:30pm!

On top of the training tonight and tomorrow, we also have our regular training on Thursday from 6-7, weigh-in and measurements from 7-8, then a food preparation course from 8-9 (3 hours at 180' on Thursday night)!  I have a make-up session on Friday night with Adrian and then I will top it all off with a session with Chantal on Saturday morning.  By Sunday, I will be so glad we got a new mattress (it arrives Friday) and it will be practically impossible to pry me out of it until Monday...

Goodnight and God bless.