- Today’s workout (remember Friday is a short day):
- Boxing (1 hour)
- Bike Ride (1 ½ hrs, 14 miles)
- Posture exercises (1/2 hour)
- 2-on-1 Training (1 hour)
- Cardio (1 hr)
This morning I was up about 30 minutes earlier than usual, despite going to bed an hour later than I should. Speaking of sleep…I highly recommend it. For YEARS…I seriously mean YEARS…I have not had such a good night’s sleep that I felt great in the morning. Now three nights in row I have slept well and awakened feeling good. Today all of my workouts were with Marco – it’s only Day 10; I hope he’s not getting bored with me! First there was boxing. I did this last week, too. He taught us a couple of new moves, including a right cross. It’s a great way to let out some aggression. And it’s a heckuva workout. I was winded after this but ready for the bike ride next. This time we were going north on the Pacific Coast Bike Path, up past Venice Beach again; this is the same ride that I did last week on the used bike. I was looking forward to this because (1) I had a new bike and bike shorts for my tushy and (2) I was hoping to go further than I did the first time. It was another beautiful day and I had one of my all-time favorite albums playing on my MP3 – “Street Faerie” by Cree Summer. When I walk I like to listen to show tunes (you know…Broadway stuff) but for riding, Cree is perfect for me. I was on my own for this ride as Marco was pushing the other riders ahead of me harder than usual. I’m still at the “go as fast as you can” pace which is usually no more than 10 miles an hour (my speedometer tells me so). And apparently on Fridays, The Venice Beach “marketplace” is more interesting than usual. I cannot wait to go shopping for some unusual crafts and I’m even considering getting my third tattoo; I haven’t decided what it will be yet, but I’m thinking something to do with weight loss (feel free to submit suggestions!). I was getting tired as usual and I stopped for a drink of water when necessary but I felt good and I enjoyed the sights. I keep missing the surfers….they’re either just getting in or just getting out of the water when I pass them.
What I did see again as I did on the very first ride was this very elderly gentleman on the pedestrian path. He was hunched over and his head is downward but he was using a tall walking stick in each hand to move himself along. I love that! He looks like he’s NINETY years old but he’s still doing this exercise. So what does that tell you???? YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. In fact, I think we each have a moral obligation to take care of ourselves so that we don’t become a forced burden on others. OK, I know that sounds judgmental, and obviously there are people who have no choice in the matter, but for those of us who let ourselves get fat and lazy, it’s our own damn fault and we better be prepared to take care of ourselves and not expect anyone else to do it for us. I’ve accepted for years that my weight, my physique, my fitness (or lack of it), and my lack of energy were my own responsibility and there have been consequences as a result. Now, honestly, if I hadn’t sold my shares in my company, thus making it possible for me to “retire” for at least a year and attend this fitness camp, I don’t know if I would be making the lifestyle changes that I’m making. It is 100% likely that if I was still in Bermuda running e-Moo, I’d still be working ridiculous hours, not getting enough sleep, and not eating properly (I’m not a junk food eater, but I was too lazy to prepare enough vegetables in my meals). I don’t know why I couldn’t get motivated to do what I knew was necessary to get fit. I was already a water drinker and I don’t drink or eat foods with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or Splenda (thanks to Amy for giving up Splenda!). Those were small steps, but they were the only ones I had taken. I know that I was so overburdened with stress from eMoo that every ounce of energy was sucked out of me. So I guess the lesson I’ve learned is that there must be a limit to work and it must not be your priority (i.e., work to live, not live to work). I could write a whole new blog about why I worked so many hours but that bores me now, it would sound like a bunch of whining and complaining, and it’s in my past. I wish I wasn’t 43 and just now getting started on this lifestyle change, but I can’t waste time regretting that either. Instead I’m wondering what’s in store for me now. e-Moo was a fluke; certain events had to occur in my life that led to the beginning and then my end with e-Moo which made it possible for me to come to this fitness camp. Now I wonder how these current events will turn out. Actually, I’m not wondering about it at all. Other than having an idea of where I want to travel around Europe and Asia from July through December, and knowing that I have to file my tax returns in July (yes, I’m filing for extensions!) I’m not planning anything past June 30th. For once I’m truly living in the moment!
OK, where was I? Oh yeah, I was inspired to see the elderly gentleman with his walking canes and it was a beautiful day for a bike ride and I went one mile further than I did the last two rides. Back at the gym, as I walked gingerly inside (because despite the padded bike shorts and the extra padded bike seat, it still hurts like hell!), I was very pleased with my ride and hungry for lunch. Surprisingly, while waiting for lunch, about 20 minutes later I felt very refreshed and ready to go for the next workout. Lunch was yummy, as usual…make-your-own-turkey burgers. Normally I don’t like ground turkey but whatever Robert and his staff are doing to season them is working! I still had some time to kill so I worked on my posture exercises. Some of them involve simply standing against a wall, but let me tell you….you can feel the fire rising from your calves, up your thighs, through your butt, and up your back and there’s just so much you can take! I’m supposed to hold the position for two whole minutes but I still can’t stand more than 45 seconds at the very most. I really have to work on this one more. Next workout was 2-on-1 training with Marco and the new kid on the block, Courtney. Courtney’s my new-best-friend because she thought I was only 35….and this is me with my hair up, no makeup, and red-faced and sweaty most of the time! I’m really happy for Courtney that she’s at the camp now when she’s so young (only 20!) so that she can lose any unhealthy habits and develop good ones before it becomes way more difficult to do so and while she still has good metabolism. Mine hasn’t quite kicked in yet, I can tell….but I CAN finally see the inches lost in my face (when we worked out in front of the mirror). We had a great workout with Marco as usual. I was ready for the day to be over but there was still an hour of cardio to do. The cardio for me really isn’t that bad because I keep my heartrate in my fat-burning zone and it doesn’t take much to get me there, and I can watch TV while walking. Before you know it, or in today’s case, after two episodes of “Cash Cab” on Discovery Channel, my hour was up and I was heading home on my bike! Have you ever seen Cash Cab? I love that show. Mom and I watched it every weeknight while I was in Virginia. I swear if I ever get lucky and get into the Cash Cab, I’m going to ask Ben Bailey if he’s married. He cracks me up!! And then I’m gonna take (I mean, WIN) all his money ;-)
It’s time for my final meal of the night (those Vietnamese grilled chicken spring rolls that we had in our ‘cooking class’ yesterday). Even though tomorrow’s a short day it will be tough….2-hour boot camp at the beach and then 2-hour group circuit at the gym (with lunch in between, of course). At my first boot camp last Saturday I struggled and cried. This week I know I’ll likely be the slowest but I’m more ready to do the drills.
I hope your weekend is going well so far! And remember…do something that gives you joy this weekend!
Hugs,
Donna
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