Second 6-week Session with Yardie Fitness

Seventh Week:
This week was pretty hard. I’m not sure if the trainers pushed us more because we’re “vets” now, or if I simply pushed myself more. New people joined the group, and one girl ended up dropping out after the second day. I don’t think the boot camp routine was her thing, and I can respect that---some people do well with groups and group accountability, and others prefer to work alone or one-on-one with a trainer. The remaining new people are pleasant and keeping up pretty well. Anyway, the workouts seem more intense, but my body had been responding well. I lost 2 lbs this week, and I like the changes in my body--particularly midsection, shoulders, and legs.


Eighth Week:
It’s hard to believe time is passing so quickly! Fall is truly here, and night falls before we finish our workout. There are several other boot camps in the park…I guess boot camps are big business and people want to get it together/keep it together. The biggest change I notice about myself is increased self-control when it comes to eating. I have a pretty good handle on planning my meals for the week; I shop and cook on Sundays and Wednesdays. I like flavorful food, so I’m always on the look-out for good sauces and marinades that are low in sodium. I’m also trying to use fresh herbs more.
If I have to eat out, it’s usually on Friday with my coworkers. I'm very mindful about menu selections and how my food is prepared. I used to eat pasta, pizza, burgers, and ribs. Now I choose fish, chicken, and salads. I usually find that many salad entrees are lacking in the creativity department. Plain iceberg lettuce with a few tomatoes and some shredded cheese doesn't excite my taste buds. I’ve found some good salads, as well as other entrees, at 'Season’s 52'. I’m not new to that restaurant, but I never really tried new things. I'm branching out and even incorporating beans into selections.

I weighed in this week, and I’m following the pattern from the last session; lose 2+ lbs the first week, and only 1 lbs a week thereafter. I lost a little over 1 lb. this week. Disappointed, but happy that I haven’t gained any weight. The biggest difference between this session and the last session is the lack of hills. We ran hills ALOT last session, and though I HATED them, they really helped with toning and cardio. Dare I say I even miss the moutain climbers and BURPEES.


Ninth Week:
Body is looking great! I’ve been shopping and bought smaller sizes and even show a little skin. Being overweight makes you wanna hide your body--well, at least for me. During the summer, I really wanted to see dramatic changes in my body as far as toning, but sadly, I don’t think I would have achieved it alone. I just didn’t have the motivation to work out more than two times a week, and I definitely lacked the drive to push past my comfort level during workouts. Had I done this alone, I believe I would still have my muffin-top (ladies, you know what I mean), and I would be contemplating whether I would let it all go during the holidays while I pigged out. That’s my thing—pig out after Halloween and during the holidays, and then promise myself that I will work it off as soon as it gets warm outside. What a trap! We all know how hard it is to get that weight off.

With Yardie, I've been on a schedule---it feels weird to work out less than four times a week. I also know that I have to push my body past a certain point in order to burn calories. During boot camp, I’m doing a lot better with my running---I’m able to run most distances without stopping. My ab work is also pretty good. Helps that I don't have the extra padding around my core. I've also added more cardio during the week by running in the morning before work. It REALLY helps to have a partner---thank God for my running partner. My boot camp buddy, Kesha, sends me a text the night before, asking if I want to do a 6:30am run, and it’s on from there. I love to sleep, so it helps that she texts me again in the morning to say she’s on the way. Arggh, I can’t let her run in the dark alone, so I drag myself out the bed. By the time we finish our workout at 7:30am, I feel refreshed and happy that I got that part out of the way. A feeling of accomplishment follows me for the rest of the day at work.



Tenth Week:
Whoa. We have two weeks left in the program. I missed a few sessions this week because I went out of town, but I'm usually consistent with my participation. I look at it as a THANK YOU to Yardie for choosing me as a participant for the twelve weeks. So, I tried to watch what I ate while I was away, but it was hard. Cravings are driving me crazy---I get chocolate attacks almost daily! I've been breaking off a small piece from a chocolate bar every day for the past couple of days. Eating it sparingly and trying to savor it. Another bootcamper introduced me to the new Jello Mousse cups...they're about 60 calories each and low in fat. Life-savers, but it's hard to eat just one! My appetite is ramping up, and I find that I'm hungry when I go to bed. The hunger feels like a furnance that needs more wood!

On the bright side, I knew I needed to stay active while I was gone, so I laced up my sneakers and was "that girl" running down the streets of downtown Miami. It was a great feeling! Why envision something if you never get to live it out. I really like running, and prefer doing that over all the exercises in boot camp. I can't believe I just said that.

So I returned to boot camp today, and didn't struggle like I thought I would. Daylight Savings time is here and it's dark when we start...sucks. It's cold too. Double-suck. Working out= work. By the time it was over, I realized the THOUGHT of working out is bigger than actually DOING it. It wasn't so bad. I do hate the fact that my trainers know my name VERY well, and they call it out at least six times during the work-out. Argh!!! It's a blessing and a curse. They know your weaknesses, and they know when you slack. It's worse when you have more than one pair of eyes watching and monitoring.

I didn't have time to grocery shop or cook on the day I returned to town, so I had to resort to eating fast food. Yeah. (I had a craving too!) So I got a quesadilla from Willey's, and tried to ask for very little cheese, along with chicken without the seasoning. I even added some rice and beans. That particular entry on my food log got circled in red with the words, "OFF THE CHAIN" written next to it. Tammy, I heart you!!! LOL!

Biggest concern as the program winds down for me: I'm afraid to lose my results! I won't be back with Yardie until springtime, so I have a dilemma. I prefer to workout outside, but hate cold weather. I have an intense aversion to gyms and the sleezy men who hinder your progress on the treadmill. What to do, what to do? It's soo much easier to work out with a partner--for me. Me and Kesha and discussed kick-boxing. I've also toyed with the idea of pilates and yoga. I'm wondering if I can be disciplined to workout to dvds inside my home. Decisions, decisions. One thing is for sure...I'm going to miss Yardie this winter.
---raschelle