Me and the Ultimate Loser (UL)

My gym has created its own Biggest Loser program, The Ultimate Loser.  A lot of companies and organizations have taken on something similar.  However, this is not just chalking numbers on a board each week.  They are focusing on the tough love Bob and Jillian give to all of their contestants.   Intense training, some nutrition tips and tricks… and a scale.  Every week for six weeks. 

So, $25 for registration, a tshirt, six last chance workouts (1/wk) and weekly weigh-ins.  For $165 you get all of that plus six additional training sessions (1/wk).  I thought that $165 for 12 training sessions is a huge value.  I mean… who needs new UGGs when I could be working on skinnier calves to shove in my old ones anyway! ;)

Prize?  Weight loss and improved physical condition along with maybe a free month of membership or something, not sure.

My commitment and enthusiasm? Here we goooo.

I weighed in for the first time on Friday, February 5th.  The woman sees the number on the scale and precedes to write one pound less than this number on my sheet.  I didn't correct her?  Jillian... typical.

Week One.

Tuesday February 9th
Group training session with Kelly… KellzBellz (omg am I in for it) was actually pretty OK!  From what I understand, the mean part/tough love comes in tomorrow evening at “last chance workout.”  However, she did push me much farther than my body has been in awhile.

No kettleballs, thank god. But all the squatting and wall sits and core work… hard work just the same!  My muscles were twitching like CRAZY by the end of the workout.  Can only mean pain tomorrow.

Wednesday February 10^th
OMG am I sore!  I was kind of expecting this to happen.  I am walking like a penguin and getting up and down out of chairs does not go without flinching.  After a little research, I’ve discovered there is an actual science and term for the way I feel, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/doms.htm 

Yep.  Delayed alright.  I toyed with the idea of doing the elliptical today for a half hour or so just to keep movement up, but the penguin flippers didn’t march me back to the gym today after all.  Lots of water.  Some carbs… and mental preparation for tomorrow’s LAST CHANCE WORKOUT f-m-l.

Monday February 15^th
Well, despite what you might think after needing 4 days to update my log, I survived last chance workout (LCW).  I actually felt a little better Friday morning after the workout than I did Wednesday and Thursday morning, surprisingly!  However, it only took 32 seconds on the treadmill to realize my leg muscles weren’t quite ready to run yet.  Elliptical for 45 mins instead.

Friday I weighed in.  Flat even from last week, but lets remember I didn't correct the woman at the original weigh in.  So really it means one pound less than the week before.  Regardless... baby steps?  I’m pretty sure on the show contestants are dropping double digits the first three weeks.   Oh well, I wasn’t the most behaved girl the previous weekend!  Superbowl food? Who could resist?!

Here we go week two!

kid cudi <3's lady gaga, too

I have so many ailments today but they are all reminders of good things. Bum knee means I've been running lots. Sore torso means I actually did something in Pilates class yesterday. Exhaustion and the overwhelming urge to eat a sausage egg and cheese means I had a great time last night at the Kid Cudi & Asher Roth concert!

With all this I wonder what today's Cardio Ball class (so hard) will bring. Most likely my resuscitation by paramedics and annoyed fit people that just wanted to take the class. Or even more likely I'll lay like a dead fish on the mat. Either scenario I'll still be reaching deep, haha.

Anyway, last night was pretty kick ass. Gail had an extra ticket and brought me. So here is where we give a big o-m-g shout out to Gail! Whoop! Thanks girl!

Kid Cudi has talent and he spun a Lady Gaga beat. So you've guessed it... I tried to rush the stage and got in another fight. KIDDINGGGG! Haha that would have been fun. Memories.

Asher Roth was good, too. I only know his i love college song which eerily describes being 21 with my girls at 218 Hemenway. I wish we taped it... for sure. Anyway I got to dance like a white girl to hip hop and well I loved every minute of it. ;)

Maybe the dancing is actually why I'm sore and have a bum knee. Totally worth it.

Tonight I have dinner with Sarah & Liz from work and I'm so pumped for cheese, wine and homemade risotto. Just have to get through work. :P

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now hiring a gym buddy

Too sore to move today. Admittedly I am shocked at how my body can run 10 miles with minimal soreness the next day but just an hour of squats, pushups and weight training has me so sore I want to cry! I know that it makes sense physiologically but don't like it just the same.

I had a free training session yesterday because I just moved gyms. I always dread these free appointments as I have little to no tolerance of meatheads showing me how weak I am. I get it. You like protein shakes and hair gel and I like running sneakers and ipods. Oil and water, I tell you.

I know that I need to be doing things other than running but the gym is infested with protein obsessed meatheads. I also feel 100% stupid doing exercises like he had me doing yesterday. Oh well maybe I just have to suck it up.

I think now I need a gym buddy on top of my running buddies. Here's the deal:

Qualifications:

- Normal amount of enthusiasm (all those with the work-out sunshine and lollypops approach will not be considered)

- Serious distrust of protein powders

- Low-maintenance (please don't insist upon matching your outfits or wearing makeup at the gym)

- No desire to forgo shirts and prance around the gym in just a sports bra

- Don't be too "earthy", must believe in deodorant and shaving

- be slightly (key word here is slightly) more in shape than me so you can show me how to do stuff

- Understand that 30% of the time I will hate your guts

Key responsibilities of the job:

- Making me laugh

- Keeping me in a routine

- Deterring approaching meatheads

- Going out for wine and beer after some works outs

- Calling paramedics if necessary

If you feel you fit the requirements above please send your resume and cover letter to me.

Happy Friday Everyone!  I'll leave you with my favorite You-Tube video of all times. If you closely resemble any of the characters, for the love of god do not apply to be my gym buddy. ;)

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she's a hot mess

I've decided that I truly "heart" facebook.  I've been able to reconnect with some really old friends who I still think about all the time but lost touch with.  Facebook has been an enabler and even if it's just a simple wall post, there is something warm and fuzzy about reconnecting.  What do you think?

That being said, I have officially deemed myspace creepy.  As Sarah R will appreciate, only trashy, mullet haired, tatted up girls have myspace profiles, haha!  No offense, but seriously... MySpace not so much!  I will give it a B+ for music reasons, but even then... iTunes Genius feature wins the way to get new music to my ears.  

On to the FUN part of this blog post - though maybe only applicable to my female readers (98%?).  If the contents of your purse (on a regular day) spilled out in front of a stranger - what story would they tell?  Here is mine:

• Small wristlet - a bag inside of a bag - she is 100% woman
  
• Hand lotion, chapstick and hydrocortisone cream - clearly she has some dry skin issues
  
• Umbrella - what a practical and prepared girl
  
• 50 business cards - she's VIP (uhm but seriously what do i do with all of them if not put them in those bins for free lunches?)
  
• PAPERWORK - this girl is a hot mess
  
• Glasses & Sunglasses in their cases - this girl may not be a hot mess afterall
  
• Approx $6 in change - scratch that, she IS a hot mess
  

Anyone else care to play my little game?

If the contents of my gym bag spilled... well the smell would keep anyone from guessing haha.  

I thought of a good ecommerce store name for selling sportswear (the real sporstwear stuff you get sweaty in - not the weird clothes that have sholder pads in them at TJMaxx)... it would be called "DirtyGymBag.com"  What do you think?

TGIF!  Out on the town hard this weekend with the winter birthday girls :D

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out of shape but i have a beautiful ring

It's official :) Christian and I are engaged! I haven't blogged (or ran more than a mile) in almost two weeks. I've been lost in la la land with my fiance. Christian got here late on Friday the 17th and that's the last time my legs were in a running motion for more than 10 minutes.

I am out of shape and totally enamored with my beautiful engagement ring. A girl gets at least 10 days to gloat, right?

But I'm really perturbed by how fast I just got out of shape. According to some article I found on Google this is what happens after two weeks:

At zero workouts for two weeks, you will see a moderate decrease in your aerobic fitness (more if you are a new exerciser, less if you are more experienced). You will notice less loss in your (anaerobic) strength fitness. But you’ll regain what you’ve lost in two to four weeks after you get active again; much faster than if you were starting from scratch.

I'm so excited to spend the next TWO TO FOUR WEEKS getting back to where I was at mile 6 before Christian got here. I'm determined to prove these people wrong. However, last night's experience at the gym would definitely indicate that they are correct. I called it quits on the treadmill after only 15 minutes but I reckon most of it was a mental problem I was having.

The other thing that is really making me mad is that BSC at S. Station just signed up way too many people. WAY TOO MANY!!! I had to wait forever for a treadmill and when I left there was a 6 person line for the treadmills. Totally inexcusable and really discouraging. This girl needs all the green lights you can give her.

Buttt there is still this beautiful ring to look at and a beautiful wedding to plan with a beautiful (ok, handsome) man! So... life is good. :) Derek did a photoshoot for us on monday, that is where the pic is from. His pictures turned out so nice!!! I've also started on our wedding website, check it out.

GO Phils!

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