One Woman's Journey To Fitness - NEW POST 7/9

[serendipity]

Summary:

My name is Katherine (Kat for short) and I am a couch potato. For years of my life each day after work I have gone out to dinner (what’s a stove?), come home, made myself a martini, and watched countless hours of reality TV, sex and the city marathons, or (a more recent addiction) 90210. For a long while I was happy with this existence, but around one year ago I started gaining weight. 12 pounds in one year to be precise. This extra weight has taken me from a “normal” BMI, to slightly “overweight”. What once used to be cute mini skirt and halter outfits really aren’t that cute anymore. The leggings I’d pair with killer stiletto heels now make my legs look like stuffed sausages. Don’t even mention the word bikini in front of me unless you want to be subject to a crazy, growling, snarling woman.

In addition to my newfound portliness, I’m also becoming more akin to my own mortality. Perhaps alcohol each night needs to be put where it belongs – back in college. Let’s face it. I’m not 21 anymore. The good news is, I’m not old either, and it’s not too late to turn this all around. As Barak O’bama campaigned “the time for change is NOW!”.

Goal: Exercise at least four times per week. Cook at least five times per week. Limit drinking to two days per week and only have two drinks per outing.

Week 1:

Saturday: After research and deliberation Saturday morning I joined a local woman’s gym. The gym is small, but well equipped. Most importantly it offers several evening and weekend classes which I am interested in. For me, running on a tread mill is about as exciting as shooting myself in the foot. In fact, I would seriously consider shooting myself in the foot if it meant I could avoid running on a treadmill for the rest of my life and stay thin and fit. Classes on the other hand seem more fun, and something I can motivate myself for.

After joining the gym, I decided to take their Saturday morning Zumba class. I’ve seen the infomercials and any workout that claims to be a “party” is (though slightly suspicious) somewhat appealing to me. Of course, “somewhat appealing” being the key phrase, as I agree with Jennifer Aniston that “exercise is a cruel and unusual form of torture”.

Once the class started it included a combination of high energy/impact songs, and slower routines to catch your breath. The dances applied included combinations of Latin ballroom (meringue, salsa, cha cha) and reggae/hip hop. I was surprised to find that during my first day of exercise, I actually enjoyed myself. Sure, I was about ten steps behind the instructors and looked as graceful as a hippo in roller skates but, honestly who the hell cares? I survived day 1!

Aftermath: Unbelievably, I wasn’t that sore after the class….that is, until Sunday.
Weight: 144.5
Cook Dinner? No. Come on, it was Saturday!
Alcoholic Units: 2

Sunday:
Sunday morning my husband and I decided to go to Bushkill Falls in PA. We took the drive out, and took a small, short hike to the falls. It was beautiful, and a great exercise for a day off from the gym. No sarcastic comments here.

Aftermath: None
Weight: 143.5
Cook Dinner: Check
Alcoholic Units: 0

Monday: Monday evening after work , I took a kickboxing class. I was a little nervous for this. I’d never tried kickboxing. The claims that it burned 500 calories in a session secretly frightened me. Something that effective doesn’t come easy. The instructor looked tough – Jillian Michaels tough. Can I really do this, I thought to myself? Am I ready? The music started up and Ms. Jilianator started screaming: Punch, JUMP, Side Kick, Jump, High Kick, JUMP:: HIGHER! She yelled. Oh boy! The fun begins! I remember looking at the clock thinking, this has to be over right? 55 minutes later the class ended. During my sentence I endured: punching and kicking sequences (punch, side kick, punch, high kick, punch, punch, side kick, punch, punch side kick JUMP, punch, side kick, high kick JUMP), jumping routines, lunges/squats, pushups, sit-ups, running in place and sprints. Did I mention jumping routines?
Aftermath: I left the gym drenched. The next day I woke unable to move. But after it all, you know what? I felt pretty damn good.
Weight: 145.5
Alcoholic Units: 0

[serendipity]

Tuesday: Tuesday, I receive a call notifying me that the gym I have signed up for is cancelling all of the classes I am interested in taking, as a result of their main instructor being pregnant. They apologize, and agree to give me a refund. Lesson learned: Small gyms may not be the best fit for a person interested in an abundance of classes. I do a search of gyms in the area and find out the LA Fitness is running an online special that seems reasonable. I wonder to myself, am I really a big gym kind of person? Tomorrow, we’ll find out!

Weight: 144.5
Alcoholic Units: 2
Cook: Nope! Though I did have a salad with grilled chicken and dressing on the side at dinner.

Wednesday: My husband agrees to take the tour of LA Fitness with me. After work, we’re on our way. As we pull into the parking lot I notice it’s practically full. I’ve never seen so many people eager to suffer. Upon entering the gym I am greeted by an alarmingly large number of stick thin women, and buffed out guys. So this is where the big boys play, I think to myself. During a tour of the facility we are brought around a sea of cardio and strengthening machines, an Olympic size swimming pool, a basketball court, volleyball court, racquetball court, spinning room, class cardio room, yoga area and sauna. Jesus…I feel like I’ve been dropped in the center of LA. All that’s needed is a juice bar, and you’d swear I’d be in an episode of 90210. Upon completion of our tour, I gear myself up for yet another kickboxing class. As I enter the room where the class is being taught, I notice there are already a few dozen women stretching or jogging in place. Most of them are very thin. A few of them even have etched abs. Yet, I’ve made it through a kickboxing class before, and think it couldn’t possibly be more difficult, could it? WRONG.

A young woman enters the classroom with a headset/microphone attached to her head and starts playing Benny Benassi “Satisfaction”. She instructs everyone to get a platform for stepping and bam! The class starts! Run, step, kick, jump. FASTER! Run, step, punch, jump, Step, jump, FASTER! Squat, Jump, Run, High Kick, Side Kick, Jump! Over and over again for an hour. No stopping. No water breaks. Nothing. This trainer made the Jillianator look like a Care Bear. Without exaggeration, this was the hardest cardio session of my life. Every time I thought about stopping, Il Duce was in my face “FASTER! HARDER! WHY ARE YOU HERE?”. Sure, I wanted to crawl into a ball on the floor and softly wimper and cry to myself. But, I didn’t. I made it, and I even have an appointment with El Duce next Wednesday.

Weight: 145.5
Alcoholic Units: 0
Cook: Check

Thursday: Motivated by my killer workout from the night before, I decide to take a class called “Boot Camp” tonight. I meet a timid girl named Amber outside of the class. She looks as nervous as I feel. We’re joking around with each other, when a trainer with platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes pulls up and says “Hi! Ready for some fun? F-U-N fun!”. Amber and I look at each other wide eyed, and follow Barbie into the cardio room. She plugs her iPod into the speaker system, and immediately I am transported back to a different time where cheerleaders rule the world, and “hey Mickey you’re so fine” is chanted by girls hanging out of their boyfriend’s Pontiac Trans Ams. The exercises chosen were an appropriate choice for our time travel adventure: push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, running and skipping (yes, skipping) in circles. By the end of the class I was honestly surprised we weren’t holding hands playing “Red Roses”. She did use some weights for our arms which we rocked to the beat, and applied some ab exercises that were challenging. Was it a workout like the one from Il Duce? No, not even close. Did it get my heart rate up and muscles working? Yes.

Weight: 143.5
Alcoholic Units: 0
Cook: Check

[serendipity]

Friday:

Friday is my sister in law's graduation. I do not have time for the gym, and end up eating a sandwich for dinner (so much for low carbs). I do however manage to avoid alcohol and sweets.

Weight: 145
Alcoholic Units: 0
Cook: No

Saturday:

Saturday morning I surprise myself by actually waking up to the alarm, and going to the gym. This morning's adventure is another boot camp class, though taught by another trainer. She is lean and mean, as are most of the other women in the class. The class consists of running around the gym, squats, lunges, push ups, jumping jacks, and ab exercises. I leave the gym drained, which I am grateful for.

Weight: 145
Alcoholic Units: 3
Cook: No

Sunday - The Challenge

Sunday is my sister in law's graudation party. There will be food. So much food in fact, that it would make fat camps across America rejoice. My father in law is a chef, and when it comes to entertaining, there is no limit to what he will do. Being proactive I wake up early to take a spinning class. I've taken spinning classes in the past, and have never been too fond of them, but the class selection is limited on Sundays, and I know if I go to the tred mill instead I'll only last 20 minutes, whereas in the class I'll get 60 minutes of cardio. Per my suspicion, I end up hating the class. Am I the only one who is legitimately in pain sitting on those bikes? :confused3. I just don't get it.

After the class and a much needed shower, we head over to the party. As anticipated there is dish after dish served - there is Ziti, lasagna, wings, brisket, eggplant parm, shrimp, chips, candy, cake, meatballs, beer, sangria...the list goes on forever.

Four hours later we roll ourselves out of the house. I escape having had one plate of food, half a sangria and a desert serving. All in all probably 800 calories in damage. The next day I wake up the heaviest I've been in ten years at 146. This is extremely discouraging. I realize I had a day of cheating, but to see no results with such extreme changes is upsetting regardless. I end the week 1 and a half pounds heavier than when I started.

Weight: 145.5
Cook: No
Alcoholic Units: 1/2

[momof2minnies]

Hi Kat you are doing great do not get discouraged.The weight gain one sees at the beginning of working out has to do with water retention the muscles have when they are first broken down and start to repair themselves.Got this from Jillian Michaels.

You may also have some water retention from the types of food you ate at the party.Keep it up and I bet next week you will see a more dramatic drop.

Reading your journal is pretty entertaining- you have a way of writing that keeps the reader hooked to see what you did next- funny I mean.

Linda

[serendipity]

Hi Kat you are doing great do not get discouraged.The weight gain one sees at the beginning of working out has to do with water retention the muscles have when they are first broken down and start to repair themselves.Got this from Jillian Michaels.

You may also have some water retention from the types of food you ate at the party.Keep it up and I bet next week you will see a more dramatic drop.

Reading your journal is pretty entertaining- you have a way of writing that keeps the reader hooked to see what you did next- funny I mean.

Linda

Thank you Linda. I really appreciate the positive feedback, and the point you made about water retention is encouraging.

[serendipity]

Week 2:

Monday:

Monday, I end up working from home, so have the ability to take an earlier class than on most work days. Based upon the high intensity workout I received in my last kickboxing class, I decide to take the class again, with a sense of dread of the upcoming torture I will be subjected to. Once I enter the class I am surprised to find a different instructor who bears a striking resemblance to Harriet Winslow from Family matters. Ms. Winslow is wearing a 90’s style thong leotard, with black leggings and a head band. Well this should be interesting, I think to myself. “Whomp There It Is” begins pounding through the stereo system, and just like that we’re off to LA of the early 90’s. During our cardio jam, we do the Beyonce butt shake (who said white girls can’t shake it), we do the tootsie roll, the dip, hell we even do the lassoing cowboy. Every so often there’s a kick, but mostly it’s pure shakin’ it. There’s even an older man in the back of the class who periodically yells out “shake it girl! Yeaaaahhhhh!”. When Ms. Winslow tells everyone to “slap the pony”, I do it. Why? I’m too damn tired to object to my public humiliation.

After my cameo as a hip hop dancer, I feel pretty good, so surprise myself by hitting the tread mill. I do intervals (one minute at speed 6, one at speed 4, one at speed 6, one at speed 4, etc) until I hit a mile. For the first time in a few years I finish a mile in under 12 minutes. Am I the next Michael Johnson? No. But for me, I’m doing pretty damn good.

Weight: 146
Cook: Yes
Alcoholic Units: 0

[momof2minnies]

OMG Kat I am dying here- I can picture Harriet Winslow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are hilarious!

All kidding aside you are doing great

Linda

[serendipity]

OMG Kat I am dying here- I can picture Harriet Winslow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are hilarious!

All kidding aside you are doing great

Linda

Thanks Linda! She was certainly a character.

I don't have time to post today (work always gets in the way of the fun stuff), but I will put another install tomorrow. Tonight's guilty pleasure - dinner and Eclipse! I can't pass melodramatic vampire goodness up (much to my husband's chagrin).

[serendipity]

Tuesday:

Tuesday evening after work I find myself eager to go to the gym. Why, you may ask. Tonight is my easy night. I’m taking Latin Heat, which sounds like a pleasant meringue and cha cha class where I can get a little burn in, but not kill myself. I’m looking forward to this night “off”. I’m a bit burnt out, and this should loosen me up – rejuvenate me even.

As I enter the class I notice most of the woman have boxes set up for stepping. Hm…that’s odd I think to myself. I look to the front of the class and notice the instructor is the same woman who killed me in spinning on Saturday. She is an elder woman who resembles Blythe Danner (Gwenyth Paltrow’s mother, or more popularly known as the mother from “Meet the Parents”). However, don’t let her age deceive you. This woman is in better shape than I’ve ever been in. Well, she must be taking it easy tonight too I think. I’m told to get a stepping box. As I figure most of the class will be easy dance moves I decide to challenge myself by doubling the height of the box. The instructor looks at me raising an eyebrow. So she’s questioning my endurance...we’ll see about that. I look her straight in the eye and smile. I’m confident. A bit cocky even. How hard could the cha cha be? That’s when she says “Welcome to Advanced Step Class, tonight’s Latin Heat has been cancelled, now let’s get started”. An hour of knee repeaters, A steps, lunging to the box, and jumping jacks later I leave the class. I managed to survive the double height, though barely, and I almost throw up in the middle of the class.

I decide tomorrow’s an off day, and call it a night.

Weight: 145
Cook: Check
Alcoholic Units: 0

Wednesday:

Wednesday night is my day off. I bask in it. We go out for dinner (sashimi), I even order a martini and spiked coffee. Sure, it’s a Wednesday, but tonight is special. Tonight is the night I drag my husband to see the latest Cullen flick. Me, my husband, and 500 teenage girls storm the theatre. I feel sorry for the man checking tickets. I can imagine what the frenzied group of females must look like to him. Probably a very similar experience to that of being one of the people monitoring the rope during the opening ceremony at Disneyworld. When the movie plays I laugh, I cry. My husband cries too, though for different reasons. I remind him of the Star Wars opening night midnight showing he dragged me to, and he shuts up. I leave the theatre on my A game, and am ready to hit the gym tomorrow.

Weight: 145
Cook: Check
Alcoholic Units: 3 (time to switch to wine – a martini counts as a double).

[redlight]

Hi Kat! I'm enjoying your journal. It reminds me of Bridget Jones.

[momof2minnies]

Great job on the class- that is a bummer they don't post it when a class was cancelled- but you pulled it out.

Was Blythe Danner looking at you funny after you mastered that huge step???

Linda

[serendipity]

Hi Kat! I'm enjoying your journal. It reminds me of Bridget Jones.

Thank you! :goodvibes

[serendipity]

Great job on the class- that is a bummer they don't post it when a class was cancelled- but you pulled it out.

Was Blythe Danner looking at you funny after you mastered that huge step???

Linda

Thanks Linda! It is a bummer and happens quite frequently, but it does challenge me to do things I wouldn't normally sign up for.

Ms. Danner did certainly seem surprised, which I took as motivation :cutie:

[serendipity]

Thursday:

Thursday night I opt to take a spinning class, as my only other options are Belly Dancing and Yoga. I’m looking for heavy cardio, so neither of these options work well for me. I end up hitting a huge amount of traffic coming home from work, and have just enough time to throw on a gym outfit, fill up a water bottle and run out the door. I’m a little frenzied when I get to the class, but end up making it in time. I properly adjust my bike, and find it’s not nearly as painful when it is configured properly. Today’s instructor is the thinnest person I’ve seen outside of Kate Moss, and I’m honestly surprised she has enough energy to stand, let alone teach a spinning class. Ms. Moss is all about the 70’s and I am taken from one classic rock song to the next. I find out she’s tougher than she looks when she instructs the class to start doing pushups while bicycling on a heavy incline. Had someone told me this was possible I probably would have laughed in their face, however, I can assure you, this is within the realm of possibility if you are a masochist. 60 minutes later I wobble off my bike and make my way home. I’m starting to realize I’ve really created a pattern that I’m sticking with. Smiling I draw a hot bath, and bask in pride.

Weight: 144
Cook: Check
Alcoholic Units: 0

Fourth of July Weekend Challenge:

Two barbeques, and a festival. A night spent at my parents who are junk food junkies and where martinis are an hourly affair :headache:

1. Do not eat like a cow
2. Exercise Friday, Saturday and Monday :yay:
3. Do not eat like a cow
4. Do not drink alcohol like a college student
5. Do not eat like a cow

Did I mention do not eat like a cow? How do people survive these holiday weekends?!?

[goldcupmom]

Kat, I LOVE your posts! Always brings a smile to my face! I can SO relate to some of them!!

Have a great weekend and don't eat like a cow!

[toystoryduo]

Welcome to WISH, Kat! :welcome:

I love your posts!:goodvibes You are off to a great start with your workouts!:cheer2:

Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!:wizard:

[SKWDW]

You make me laugh Kat! I can also relate to many of your posts. Now I've subbed to your journey.

Enjoy your 4th of July weekend, but remember to NOT eat like a cow!

[momof2minnies]

Kat,Have a great weekend !!!

I am a spinner (?) as well and have done many 1.5 hr nutso classes with my butt dragging after me but cannot figure out the push ups? How?

Have a good one,
Linda

[serendipity]

Thanks Julie! It makes it a bit more fun to be able to complain to an audience. :thumbsup2

[serendipity]

Welcome to WISH, Kat! :welcome:

I love your posts!:goodvibes You are off to a great start with your workouts!:cheer2:

Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!:wizard:

Thank you for joining! Happy 4th! :rainbow:

[serendipity]

You make me laugh Kat! I can also relate to many of your posts. Now I've subbed to your journey.

Enjoy your 4th of July weekend, but remember to NOT eat like a cow!

Thank you for joining! It won't be easy! Happy 4th!

[serendipity]

Kat,Have a great weekend !!!

I am a spinner (?) as well and have done many 1.5 hr nutso classes with my butt dragging after me but cannot figure out the push ups? How?

Have a good one,
Linda

Hi Linda,

Happy 4th! As for the push ups imagine spinning while standing with your hands at the most elevated part of the handles and pushing yourself up and down against them. Not fun, I can assure you!

[VernRDH]

Kat, I am loving :love: your journal!! I totally get you on the eating like a cow. We are hosting tomorrow for a cookout, which means I over cook and over eat, possibly over drink too.

Keep up the good work!

[serendipity]

Kat, I am loving :love: your journal!! I totally get you on the eating like a cow. We are hosting tomorrow for a cookout, which means I over cook and over eat, possibly over drink too.

Keep up the good work!

Thank you so much! BBQ's are so tough - I failed mine this weekend! :rolleyes1

[serendipity]

Friday:

Friday I take a body works class with Ms. Danner. The class focuses on strength training with light weights going through various exercises (lunges, bicep curls, squats, etc). The class is pretty uneventful, and I don’t break much of a sweat so end up running a mile on the treadmill after the class. I clock in at 10:50, which is far from great but better than my last time so I leave pleased with myself.

Weight: 144
Cook: No

Saturday:

Saturday morning I wake up early to take a step class. Upon entering the room I notice there are about 50 boxes set up in a large circle with Ms. Danner in the middle. I am told to select a box, but that the box being used will not be a base as we will be going around in circles as choreographed by the instructor. This seems complicated, and the class is packed so there aren’t any spaces between the woman in case you go the wrong way. The class begins “knee repeater right, knee repeater left, over the box two right, over the box two left” all the while going around the large circle which reminds me of the hokey pokey. As one may imagine this results in woman bumping into each other, and at times even knocking each other over. However, because of my sadistic nature I find this somewhat entertaining, and actually enjoy the workout.

Saturday night I go to a barbeque at my brother’s house. This is a serious challenge as the member’s of his family are serious drinkers and eaters. I manage not to overdo it with eating, but drink way too much and wake up on Sunday with a hangover. I’m angry with myself, but resolve to learn from this, and move on.

Weight: 144
Cook: No, but eat home cooked meal

Sunday:

Sunday is yet another barbeque at my in laws, and another challenge with my FIL chef. I resolve to get cardio by swimming in their pool, but end up laying on a float watching clouds. So much for dedication. Burgers, pork loin, potatoes, corn, shrimp, mussels and cheesecake (a piece split with the DH) are all ingested before we make our way home.. Needless to say, two weeks in a row I have failed the in law food test. Sigh.

Weight: Unknown
Cook: No, but eat home cooked meal

Monday:

Monday I watch a Cake Boss marathon, and manage not to eat any cake (a small miracle as I used to work in Hoboken so know just how great those cakes are!). I even go to the gym and do intervals (4.2 for two minutes, 6 for two minutes, etc) for three miles. I hate running, but there aren’t any classes being offered so I suck it up, and like a Nike campaign “just do it”. A few trainers look concerned for my well being as my face turns from white, to pink to tomato red, but I keep going. I may not look glamorous, but I’m not giving up either. After my torture sentence is over I use a couple of machines in the gym, designed for legs, gluts and belly (problem area, problem area, problem area!) and head home. We end up going out to dinner but stay relatively healthy with hummus and salads.

Notes:

While I haven’t been losing pounds, I have been measuring myself and have noticed small decreases around my stomach, thighs and calves. My pants feel a bit looser and I feel better overall. However, it’s frustrating not to see any pounds lost on the scale. I’m trying to get to my healthy BMI – 141 or less!
I’m going on vacation to the Canadian rockies on July 16th for ten days and this is beginning to scare the bejeezus out of me. What if I don’t find will power to be good during the trip, or dedicate myself to the gym when I get home?

[redlight]

If you are seeing changes to your body, that means you are losing fat and gaining muscle. Keep it up!

[momof2minnies]

Kat you must be doing something right if you are seeing measurable changes.I too get so concerned when I go on vaca during a weight loss period because I cannot do it.Was doing well then went to WDW in the beg. of June and now all messed up.

Hope you are able to maintain what you have done.

Have a good one,
Linda

[toystoryduo]

That's great that you are losing inches and that your clothes are fitting better!:thumbsup2 That means that progress is being made!!! :cheer2: Keep up the good work and you'll see a loss on the scale soon!:cheer2:

Have a nice evening!!!:goodvibes

[momof2minnies]

Oh no Kat where are you??? Missing your posts!

Linda

[serendipity]

Tuesday:

Tuesday night is Latin Heat and I am pumped. The class was cancelled last week, and I’ve been looking forward to strutting my moves for two weeks now. A 30 something instructor is at the front of the room wearing Daisy Dukes, a teeny tank top (which shows off her navel ring), and makeup and hairspray so perfectly in place she would fit in dancing in a nightclub. She reminds me of a 90’s style Britney Spears. Christina Aguilera’s “Dirty” begins blasting on the stereo system and we are told to (appropriately) “do the Britney” (arms across hands touching shoulders, arms touching shoulders regular, arms up, arms down but FAST). This is followed by some kind of sexy strut, the Beyonce shake, some serious hip turns, a lassoing cowboy, and 80’s style disco moves. All the while Britney is yelling “Woooo! Shake it girls!”. Men walking by the gym do double takes. I can only imagine what my husband is thinking on a tread mill thirty yards away. We’re told to wag our finger and hips while chanting “no you didn’t”. Britney gets really excited after this and starts shaking her hip while pumping her first asking us to repeat the motions “yes you did!”. Once our pop routine is over we move to cardio kickboxing for some serious sweating, and then move on to fast paced meringue with glut lifts. At the end of the class we run around the gym while she yells as enthusiastically as a pop woman gone wild can. Upon exiting the class I think Britney. I haven’t had this much fun working out……..ever.

Notes:
Why was it 103 degrees in NJ today? And I thought Disney was hot!

Weight: 145.5
Cook: Yes

Wednesday:

Wednesday night we go out to dinner, relax and watch a Lost marathon at home. Life is good!

Weight: 145
Cook: No

[serendipity]

If you are seeing changes to your body, that means you are losing fat and gaining muscle. Keep it up!

Thanks redlight! I hope you are right!

[serendipity]

Kat you must be doing something right if you are seeing measurable changes.I too get so concerned when I go on vaca during a weight loss period because I cannot do it.Was doing well then went to WDW in the beg. of June and now all messed up.

Hope you are able to maintain what you have done.

Have a good one,
Linda

Vacations are so tough. I have a history of gaining five pounds during every trip and screwing up the next two weeks that I am home as well. I'll need some serious focus here!!!

[serendipity]

That's great that you are losing inches and that your clothes are fitting better!:thumbsup2 That means that progress is being made!!! :cheer2: Keep up the good work and you'll see a loss on the scale soon!:cheer2:

Have a nice evening!!!:goodvibes

Thank you! I hope so! It's frustrating not to see any weight loss in pounds!

[serendipity]

Oh no Kat where are you??? Missing your posts!

Linda

Work has been hectic as of late! All prep for the week I'm going to miss. Going to your post now to see how the puppy is doing!

[goldcupmom]

I hear you on the no weight loss, but clothes better. Same here & terribly frustrating.

Also on the vacation gain. I have trouble the first couple weeks after, too, getting back in the groove.

Hope you have a great weekend! Know you are not alone on this journey. Stay cool!

[redlight]

No one knows how much you weigh unless you tell them, but they can see the fat dropping off your body. Keep it up!

[momof2minnies]

Kat I don't think I could do a class like that- I have 0 rhythm (that doesn't look right) and would get so frustrated.I always stayed away from those mambo, cha-cha type classes too- no Dancing With the Stars for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is great that your husband goes too, my husband(former hockey player) won't go for a walk even- he has run here on the treadmill and done wts but that is it.I think it would be fun to work out together.

Have a great weekend,
Linda

[serendipity]

Redlight - thanks so much for the positive comments! It helps to have a team on your side

Linda- Is there any kind of exercise your husband enjoys aside from hockey? Ice skating is probably great exercise.....My husband is actually a distant cousin of Wayne Gretzky, not that we've ever met him! :laughing:

[serendipity]

Thursday:

Thursday night is HOT. I imagine it has to be cool in the gym, and head on over with the DH. I'm taking spinning with Ms. Moss tonight, and I'm surprised to see the class is full. The classroom is hot enough that even the instructor is complaining and warning the class not to overdo it. I end up surviving even though four other people walk out. Other than the absolute misery I find in spinning there's not much to report. Hippie music :hippie:, spinning push ups (why god?), and enough sweat to fill a swimming pool.

This summer has been crazy for the Northeast, with this week being the worst. This past winter as well had been a nightmare for us with more snow than I remember in a long time. I am already looking for fall, and hope it will be the type of fall that doesn't go straight from 90+ temps to snow.

Weight: 144.5
Cook: Check

Friday

Friday my husband and I stay home and cook tuna steaks and I actually convince him to look at the Dis with me. I'm buttering him up to take a Disney vacation this holiday season because of free dining and Harry Potter. BUT, if I do take the trip I won't be able to take any time off at Christmas this year. Disney/Christmas....tough but good decision!

Weight: 144
Cook: Check

Saturday

It's a monsoon outside and yet I'm about 15 minutes from getting ready to go to the gym. My dedication is going up, and the pounds seem to be going down. However, talk to me again on Monday and I'm sure I'll be right back where I started :headache: I have no weekend willpower!

Weight: 143.5
Cook: Probably not!

[momof2minnies]

Kat,
I lack the weekend willpower myself- more for eating out than anything.It seems even if you get a salad out there is so much sodium ,you retain, the scale shows that and then I get bummed.When I am running and spinning the sodium doesn't create quite a problem because it gets left on the floor-HA!HA!

As far as my DH goes the answer is really no.Hockey was years ago.We have inline skates but being a goalie he has horrible knees and that is a huge factor.Only he can decide he should do something I guess.

Have a good one and stay cool,
Linda

[toystoryduo]

A possible Disney vacation is in the works?!?!?! Woohoo!!:woohoo: I love going to Disney during the holidays. We'll be down there for our annual trip the second week of December. It's a great time to go to WDW!!!:santa:

I hear you about this heat!:scared: We had a two day respite from the heat and humidity after a front went through and it was so nice. Now we're back to the upper 80s/low 90s and the humidity is through the roof. :eek:

Hope you're having a nice weekend!:hug:

[serendipity]

Thanks ladies. Weekends are tough and with this heat it's even harder to find motivation to go to the gym instead of just staying indoors and eating ice cream!

As for Disney - I hope it pans out. We went once in November and LOVED it.

[momof2minnies]

Ice cream is always a treat in this heat and humidity- which by the way needs to leave!

We were in Disney last Nov. for Tgiving then boarded the Magic through Dec.5th.It was awesome.A great time to be there-everyone wants to do it again this year but we have one in college at that time this year and it wouldn't be the same without her.

The decorations are really pretty.

Have a good one,
Linda

[serendipity]

So I've been lazy. Monday and Tuesday I was sick and didn't make it to the gym. Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment and tonight I have to drop the puppy (Scooby) with family as we're leaving for vacation tomorrow. We will be gone for 10 nights starting in Calgary, then off to Canmore, Jasper, and Banff. As we'll be hiking quite a bit on this trip I'm hoping the pounds won't creep up like they would on the islands (is there anything better than doing nothing all day but drinking pina coladas and flipping sides every othr hour)?

Hope you all have a fantastic week and a half and when I come back I'll need serious motivation to start back up!

Weight Pre Trip: 143.5

After Trip: Do I even want to look?

[momof2minnies]

Have fun Kat!!!!

Linda

[toystoryduo]

Have a wonderful vacation, Kat!!!! :wizard:

[bkool2323]

What happened here? Everybody fall off the wagon?