Hi

Hi
(this is me)... in 1966-ish

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Group 'B'

I graduated to Group 'B'. A was easier - B has more cardio. Yikes! Can I do more cardio? Evidently I can. Paige, the Program Director, strongly suggested that I can and she was right - but I am tired.
Today I did the Stop Sign hike.... 4.3 miles. I love writing that - still can't believe I can do that! I taped up my blisters SO Good with New skin, 2nd skin, bandaids and duct tape - one blister (out of 4) did not even pop. That is hilarious. I could feel that the blisters were there but they didn't hurt and didn't get worse, in fact they're healing pretty quickly. My new shoes arrived today (my old ones were the reason for the blisters, the backs were worn through and I didn't realize that when I came here)
I wore a knee brace and although it hurt, it wasn't a bad hurt and didn't really slow me down. In fact, I shaved 5 MINUTES off my time from last week's Stop sign hike (of 4.3 miles). Presently, after soaking in Epsom Salts AND icing my knees, I'm pain free. I'm really grateful about this because I was SO worried last night. This morning I prayed when I got up and apparently someone was listening. :-) I know the pain will be back in the morning after my hike but it's not a bad pain and I feel confident that it will go.
Today I:
Hiked from 8 - 10:30 (according to my monitor I burned 980 cals on that walk)
Did Yoga at 11:15
had lunch then lifted weights at 1:45 until 2:30 when I did
Kickboxing (I LOVE hitting stuff it made me feel great)
Then Cardio Circuit..... boy was I tired then but I burned another 800 cals in these 2 classes.
Then dinner at 5:15 and at 6:15 -
Tai Chi! I'd never done it before, it is hard.
Now at 10pm, I'm hitting the sack.
I cannot express how grateful I am for all the support I'm receiving. Thanks so much to everybody. :-)

Monday, March 30, 2009

One week down - Three to go

I was pretty disappointed this morning to see that I've only lost 2 lbs.... then after thinking about it for a while, I realized I've been dieting for 6 weeks already and have had my big moment of first week weight loss. I'm feeling pretty great except for blisters and knee problem - which is improving.
Lots of people have left and new ones have come in. Some nice folks - they look scared. It's ferociously windy here and sand and dust are flying everywhere. I hope it's better tomorrow morning for the hike.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Saturday..... Ahhh. . . . . . . .

There's only one class on Saturday after the long Stop Sign hike. I didn't hike because I'm healing my blisters and knees BUT I did go into the gym and work for an hour and a half. I worked really hard on the eliptical and the bike + I did half the weight machines. Then, when I was ready to leave . . . the instructor came in to do a Circuit Training class. I knew that I couldn't 'run' from machine to machine or do the treadmill at all cause I was wearing flip flops but I did stay in there and stayed on the eliptical the whole time. I sprinted when she said to and stopped when she said, so I got a whole other work out.
After lunch, me and several other ladies sat around the pool and laughed and talked and some of us slept (not me, I don't sleep in public - really). I'm reading an incredible book called 'Little Heathens' about a woman's experience growing up on an Iowa farm during the depression. It's great!
We had pizza for dinner, it was great. As usual, I couldn't eat it all but I did at least experience hunger for the first time in a week today. (I ate an apple)
Tomorrow morning I will find out how much weight I've lost . . . . looking forward to that.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Blisters

Friday 9:10pm
The picture was taken by the guides. I wasn't that high up (yet) but that is the valley I've hiked into every day. Wow, huh?
Dangit, I have terrible blisters - 4 altogether. My right heel is pretty much a blister. :-( I bought some pretty good bandaids and things at Walmart the other night but I didn't get any antibiotic cream. BUT I just remembered that I have a bottle of pure Lavendar oil and it is GREAT for burns and blisters. I just put some on my blisters and I smell great now. I will not walk tomorrow because I can't with such bad blisters. I'll do the gym stuff Saturday & Sunday but I will do the stop sign hike again on Monday. Fingers crossed.

Today was good. Started out with the hike - beautiful. I did the West Canyon hike again. I'm doing it because it's not so hilly which is good for my knees (which are, unfortunately, in a lot of pain right now). The knee that was operated on ain't bad at all - the other one is hurting a lot. I had to walk slow-ish. I managed to walk for 2 hours and burn 700 something calories. I'm starting to see the reality of 'Boot-camp Spa'. I knew it would hurt but I'd hoped it would be just sore muscles. I didn't think of blisters (which, by the way, takes 15 minutes to wrap up all my blisters properly before any walking - what a pain). I did prepare for the knees and have strong anti-inflammatories. I just hope for the best.

After the hike, I iced my knee for 10 minutes then did a Yoga class. It amazes me how much Yoga relieves all pain. Then we had lunch, a talk on Emotional Eating (which I have never done in my life - I don't know why they even brought it up), then we did a Cardio circuit class. I was dreading it (mostly because I didn't want to put my tennis shoes back on over my blisters) BUT it was pretty neat. You start out on a numbered machine - I chose the bike. You do that for 2 minutes real hard, then run to the weight machine with the next number on it. You life weights for 2 minutes, then run back to the next machine (happened to be a treadmill), then weights, then cardio.... etc.... until you've done about 1/2 of the weight machines and all of the cardio machines twice. It was fun. The music was good. The teacher, Sharon is a lot of fun. She jokes around and runs over to you and increases your speed on your machine. (and there's nothing you can do about it)
After this I swam a tiny bit, then got in the hot tub. Then dinner.
I soaked in Epsom salts a little while ago. I hope it relieves my knee pain and the lavendar heals my blisters because I have never wanted to exercise so badly in all my life!


The food continues to be good (though you can imagine what 30 grams of fiber a day is doing to me). The deserts aren't so great and I'm not wild about the breakfasts... but I'll survive.

I did not get a tee shirt because I missed 2 classes on Wednesday (when I died) but I don't care, I'll get one next week.


It is really breathtakingly beautiful here. There are literally tumbleweeds flying around everywhere. That's so fabulous, I'd never seen that before. When I was pregnant with Kevin I called him tumbleweed because he moved around so much. After seeing them in their natural environment, I know I was right.


But I'm rambling. . . . . . good night.

Friday, March 27, 2009

5-4-3-2-1

Thursday 9:20pm
I learned something new today. Something I didn't know was missing in my life but now that I know about it - I vow to do it once per week..... Interval Training. It's a killer. You get on the torture machine of your choice (I chose the eliptical). The Instructor (Michelle today) stands there with a stop watch. After you're warmed up you exericse as hard as you can for 5 minutes, then when you think you're dead (and didn't make it into heaven), you slow down and work at a resting pace (enough to keep the machine from going into PAUSE) for 5 minutes. Then Michelle yells okay - GO! then for 4 minutes you pedal,step,cycyle or whatever you chose for 4 minutes as hard as you can... then 4 minutes resting work...then just as before you do 3, then 2 then 1... then 30 seconds. Before you know it you are sweaty and have worked about 40 minutes including warm-up and cool-down. I burned 400 calories in that 40 minutes (according to my Polar Heart monitor watch AND the machine)It was really hard and I'm delighted that I could do it. I worked very hard (hence the 400 cals BUT I worked hardest in the last 30 sec... cause I knew it would end)
Yesterday I believe was my 'meltdown day'. I became so exhausted after the hike that I couldn't concentrate or keep myself warm. I skipped 2 classes and slept. Thank God. Now, the next day, I feel great.
Today I:
got up at 6:20 after sleeping 7 and 1/2 hours. (yay!)
8:00am - hiked the West Canyon Hike. Beautiful, not as hard as the stop sign hike but my knees are both acting up. I hiked for 2 hours up and down hills in the most beautiful terrain that God could've thought up. (There will be pictures but I'm trying to get strong before I lug around my heavy camera) OH.... the hiking guides (of which there are MANY) take pictures of us all day while we're not looking. Apparently on Friday night they give each person a DVD of pictures of themselves and the scenery we're in. I know I will probably look like crap in the pictures... but I will have earned it.
10:30am - Yoga. (damn that downward dog pose) It was hard but I think it likes me!(I miss Zoe a lot)
12:00 - lunch, it was yummy as usual, it always is.
1:15 - Cooking demo from the Chef.
2:30 - Interval Training (which I may have mentioned was hard)
3:45 - swimming, then hot tub, then shower
5:00 - Dinner. Salmon pattie burgers & corn on the cob.
6:15 - talk on 'Intuitive eating' by the nutritionist. it was interesting and smart.
7:00 - AMERICAN IDOL.
Tomorrow I look forward to another new hike. It's cool and very windy but that beats hot weather for me anyday. Good night.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Tired beyond belief

6:02 am Wednesday
Uh... well, I did the stop sign hike again and it was much harder Tuesday than Monday but I don't feel any sense of failure because last week, back home, I wasn't walking 4.3 miles. :-) Wow. I walked 4.3 miles again.... can I really do that? uh...yeah.
I started the day out a 6am in the gym, then breakfast, then the hike, Then we had yoga again which I needed, lunch, a cooking demo by the Chef. (the food, I kid you not, is delicious here - we had the BEST chili yesterday then chocolate covered strawberries for desert after dinner... and it was real chocolate too). Then we had a cardio circuit class which was so hard I did not like it at all. Really hard. We had 4 cardio stations set up in a room (steps, kickboxing, spin-cycling and the exercise ball). The teacher timed us and we'd work on one of the stations for 4 minutes.... real hard. Then we'd work harder the last minute and when the clock went off we'd run like happy fools to the next station to do it all again. I chose the step first.... I don't like the step. She said she had a surprise for us at the end of class. (I hate teacher surprises) It was a jog around the pool. I was very happy to see that I can run. My knee is really holding up well. :-)
Then we had a pool class. It was cool outside (50 maybe) but the pool's heated. I loved the water but I think the exhaustion of the day was just making my cough worse cause I kept having to stop. I also can't lift my right shoulder because I slept wrong on the plane and it's hurt since...... so after dinner, I had a massage with a woman (Sheila) who really knows what to do with stressed out bodies.
I slept from 10 - 4:30 and got up at 5:45. I'll be heading down to breakfast at 7 but am feeling upbeat right now.
Yesterday on the hike - it was strange that it was so much more difficult than the day before. I insisted on reaching the top though... even though I stopped several times and was a quivering bowl of self pity after about an hour. (thank God I was alone). Then when I reached some of the most difficult part, .6 miles before the finish but still uphill, I ran into a nice young man from the spa who I've become friends with. He's just out of grad school and is here for 3 months to lose weight, get fit and create a better life for himself. He was also exhausted and didn't want to go on. The van pulled up to see if we wanted to go back. He decided to walk with me to the top and I was so happy that I inspired him to keep going. (I don't usually inspire people to keep exercising - I usually inspire them to drink more coffee and stuff like that). Everyone here (except for the lady with the red hair) is inspiring for each other and it's a very caring, positive atmosphere. I felt so good being someone's inspiration. He told me he wouldn't have continued if it hadn't been for me. dah dah dah dada dah da da dah dah.. (the theme from Rocky) Cool.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Duct tape - not just for rednecks

4:57am
Guess what protects your feet from blisters. . . . Yep, good ol duct tape. I don't have blisters yet but have potential blisters so they gave me a little bit of duct tape wrapped around a pencil to use as needed. You just tear off a little and put it directly on the blister. The socks then rub the duct tape but not your skin.....

This bootcamp experience is just what I needed - though I was not happy about being here while hiking yesterday morning in a COLD, windy area. It was hard and Man was I totally exhausted. Partly from jetlag though. I've slept 7 and a half hours last night so I'll be better today. The hike was in Snow Canyon National Park and it's referred to as the 'stop sign hike'. They photographed me at the top and I could not help but kiss the stop sign when I arrived. I'm impressed that I did it cause you KNOW I wanted to turn around. My Polar heart monitor said that I burned 1068 calories just on that hike.....wow. That's a nice little boost. The last mile of it was all uphill. Before that stretch, it had been up and down not just up. It really was my limit but I think it was extra hard because of my chest infection. But the infection is getting better and better. The scenery is indescribable. (I'll have pics later)


I'm very happy I'm here and so far so good. Yesterday after that 4.3 mile stop sign hike, I also did a Yoga class and a kickboxing class. My body is hurting somewhat 'normally'. My knee is feeling great. so happy about that!

They are actually taking pictures of us and will give us a CD at the end of the week with our pics set to music. That's nice.


The food is very good and I cannot even eat all that they give us. It's 1200 calories per day, non dairy and no cafeine. I did bring some Marks & Spencer's tea bags and had 1/4 cup of tea in my room yesteday... not so good without milk. I have no giult about this, I don't plan on giving up coffee/cafeine altogether. After a few days I will most likely not have any more cafeine at all. I want to see if there's a difference. So far, still not hungry.
Yesterday we did a couple of workshops about budgeting calories, learning how to calculate input X output, minus this and that to let us know how much we burn and how fast and all that... It was interesting though it kinda resembled a math class at first.
Today my schedule says I will:
6am - Open gym (I'll lift weights and do the eliptical probably) the list says optional but we know it ain't.
7am - breakfast
8am hike - I'll probably do the stop sign again.

10:30 am - Stretch

11:15am - Pool or Yoga

12:15 - Lunch

1:15 - Cooking demo. The chef is from Wolfgang Puck's - it shows.

1:45 - Open Gym

2:30 - Cardio Circuit (yesterday I accidently did the kickboxing instead of this)

3:30 - Pool

5:00 - Dinner

6:15 - Workshop: Spending your calories Wisely Part 2.

7pm - slither back to my room, take a bath and watch Dr. Phil at 8 :-) then answer e-mails, read, then to sleep by 9:30 latest.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Boot Camp Spa - Day One


4:17am - Utah
Hello Fitness Ridge! (picture is the view from my window)
After a pleasantly bumpy but beautiful flight, I landed in a beautiful area that is surrounded with majestic red mountains. Wow! The landing was a surprise because we flew into what seemed like an alley created by beautiful ridges - Green on one side, brownish- red on the other. It was a small plane with propellers..... I like bumpy rides.

I met my first friend, Sue, as we waited by the curb for the van to collect us. It's a brisk and cool 40-50 something degrees. Nice. The high for most of this week will be 50 something. I can live with that.

After a weigh-in and measurement session, we met (one-on-one) with a very tall lady, an exercise person (tech name, I forget at 4 am) We discussed what kind of exercise I usually do (I walk Zoe up a steep hill regularly and do Pilates 1 -X per week) and then she assigned me to a group. I'm in Sue's group. She's from Chicago and she laughs at all my jokes. We will get along great! Each person gets a schedule of what they're supposed to do. I looked at it and I will literally be exercising all day. If I keep to the schedule they've given me, I'll get a tee shirt at the end of the week (I want that tee shirt) If I don't keep to the schedule, Danae says they will 'KNOW it' (just like Santa knows when you're bad) and will find you.

Then we went to dinner. Wow! It was fabulous! It started w/ us getting our own salad. Then they gave us a huge bowl of whole wheat pasta with fresh vegetables, turkey (ground) and many interesting spices. I couldn't eat it all and now at 4 am, I'm still not hungry. Afterwards we had a little serving of chocolate pudding made with soy milk (I guess) and graham cracker crumbs. It was okay but not really my cup of tea. We then remained seated while every single diner (about 55) stood up, said where they're from and what brought them there.

"My name is Becky. I'm originally from SC but have lived in Asia for many years. I'm here for a month. I want to kick-start weight loss for myself and also I'd like to see exactly what I'm capable of where exercise is concerned. I'd like to learn more about what I should be doing, and I thought I could learn all that here."

What I didn't tell them - my father passed away last July and in his will, he left money for me and my 3 sisters. After debating on how I should use it in a way that would honor him and his gift, I decided that working on improving my life by learning to care for myself better - which would impact my next 50 years (I'm 48.8)...... would make him happy. He wanted me to be happy - that I know. I had a daddy moment at the airport when I was at the baggage carousel. I've never cried at the baggage carousel before... and I managed to escape tears then, but I'm certainly having a daddy moment now.
I also didn't tell them that I have been working hard at losing weight for a couple of months and have gotten to a place psychologically where I'm ready to not be fat anymore. I, for the first time in my life, I don't feel like going into the intricate details of the misery that extra weight brings..... I just want to get rid of it. I've been through a lot of sad times in the past year (08 sucked) and it has made me learn so much while experiencing one epiphany after another. I'm so intent on losing weight and feel so different from the past. The funniest thing is that in my mind, I'm not seeing myself as fat anymore. That is new and a major deal I think. The other funny thing is that I walk around now, not feeling fat, or ashamed... then I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror or a reflection and I'm startled to find that "Damn! I'm still fat"....
Soon my vision in my mind is what will be reflected in windows, mirrors and my shadow on the street. :-)

After dinner and orientation (by Danae, who after hearing us speak, went around the room and named EACH PERSON THERE OFF THE TOP OF HER HEAD!) I hope she got that brain power from eating the food here. Then Sue and I went to the FR shop and bought a Polar heart rate monitor so we really will work hard and efficiently, + blister-proof socks and I also bought a 'camel back' backpack which holds 1.5 litres of water. That'll see me through the daily hikes here, I'm sure.

Today (in 45 minutes) I will do this:
6am - Intro to Circuit
7am -breakfast
8am - hike
10:30am - stretch
11:15am - Pool or Yogalates
12:15 - lunch
1:15 Budget lecture (budgeting calories)
1:45 - open gym
2:30 - Circuit training
3:30 - Budget workshop
5:00 - Dinner
6:15 - Tai chi or lecture 'Spending your choices wisely'
7:00 - multiple choice: commit suicide, homicide, wonder what the hell I came here for, take a hot bath and sleep with or without the aid of sleeping pills.

I'm a little run down because I developed chest infection right before leaving HK but I'm taking antibiotics and have some things to aid me. . . . . I have lots of support from friends all over and family... and my husband back home in Hong Kong.
We'll see.
:-)