First Outdoor Booty Camp!

And it was super tough! We're lucky (or unlucky...) enough that the park we're in has a big-ass hill. We ran up it. Several times. Once on all fours. It was BRUTAL! Even worse than running up was running back down. It was really steep and kind of scary. But it's all about getting out of your comfort zone, right??

We also didn't have music during our class, thanks to yours truly. Yep. I stepped on the stereo cable right before class (in my defense, I was walking next to the instructor and the cord was trailing on the ground) and broke it. Oops!

I can tell the next four weeks are going to be tough. :)

In other news, I have to confess: I have not been on-plan the past couple of days. I don't want to make excuses, but I will anyway (hehe). I've been feeling emotional lately and trying to deal with various stressors that all seemed to hit me at the same time. Luckily, I'm going to the cottage tomorrow for some much needed r & r! I plan to rejuvenate (and exercise!) and get back to my cheery, motivated self. I have finished marking my exams, submitted the grades, and tied up all the loose ends (I think!).

I won't be able to make my meeting this weekend either (maybe subconsciously this was contributing to going off-track - knowing I'm not weighing in on Saturday. I would just go to another meeting, but there don't seem to be any where I'll be). This will be the very first meeting I've missed since I joined in November, and I'm sad that my perfect streak has to end!

But I will go BACK on plan. I do NOT want to "lose" the 10% milestone I worked so hard for (will the Weight Watchers police come take my key ring away???), so I will suck it up and stick with the program!

When I got my new 3-month tracker a couple of weeks ago, you may recall that I vowed to be on plan for 10 of those 12 weeks. I can still easily reach that goal!! I was feeling like a failure, but I'm picking myself back up again. Truly, the only reason I'm no longer this girl is because I will never give up, despite the inevitable setbacks:

I will have very limited internet while out of town, so I will be catching up with you all on Sunday when I return! Enjoy the rest of your week & weekend!

Operation: Buff Week 4

I'm halfway through my Operation: Buff challenge! How did I do this week? Well, my goals during this challenge are to have at least one cardio & one strength workout in addition to my two booty camp classes. Here are my workouts from this week:

• Body Flow class (Monday)
• 2 Booty Camp classes (Tuesday & Thursday)
• Body Combat class (Wednesday)
• Booty Camp dvd - Advanced workout (Saturday)

Not too shabby! I've also been getting in lots of greens, through green monster smoothies & salads.

I'm having a pretty boring weekend, full of marking, so I've been having a bit too many snacks... I'm trying my hardest to conserve some weekly points for the rest of the week. I think that I'm going up to the cottage from around Wednesday or Thursday until Sunday... which means I'll miss my Saturday morning meeting (boo!), and perhaps have some trouble staying on plan. I'll also be, most likely, missing Thursday's Booty Camp class, so I will have to ensure I do an extra at-home strength workout.

But I keep reminding myself that I am always in total control of what I eat - so even though I'm not following my usual routine (classes don't start up again for another week), and I will not be in my usual environment, there is NO REASON why I can't rock this week.

Have a great week, everyone!

What's in the Box?

Could it be?!

Yes!!! I reached my Weight Watchers 10% today!

On November 7, 2009, I switched from Weight Watchers online to meetings, with a starting weight of 201.8 pounds. This morning, I weighed in at 181.6! I'm down 20.2 pounds (and 94 pounds in total)!

I have had 3 weeks in a row of staying completely on plan, which is a huge deal for me. I'm not really sure what led to my recent change in mindset: I have been totally motivated, and not succumbing to crazy bouts of emotional eating. I've been focusing on staying relaxed and easing stress. I think all of the exercise of late is definitely helping, too!

Joining Weight Watchers meetings was exactly what I needed (I only wish I had done it sooner). Last summer, I slowly gained back about 10 pounds that I'd lost, and I knew I needed to shake things up. I owe so much to my wonderful leader, Ashley, and the wonderful members at my meeting! Here I am with (the always-fashionable) Ashley this morning:

After the meeting, I went straight to Second Cup to enjoy a latte while getting some of my massive pile of exam marking out of the way.

I got hungry, and decided I needed a snack... I saw a packaged "Breakfast Cookie" that looked reasonably healthy - and only 100 calories! I bought it before I realized something... I had almost been taken in by the oldest trick in the book... the portion size on the nutrition info!

Apparently, each package contained TWO portions, not one. I would have bought it either way (and I did eat it, and enjoy it), but it was a bit irritating. Since when is half of a cookie one portion!? This is why you must be VIGILANT at all times, people! Although I must admit, I almost wish I hadn't noticed, so I would have two more points available to eat. ;)

Now I'm off to do the Booty Camp Fitness DVD... I'm going to attempt the ADVANCED workout. Yikes!

Super Sore!

Man, my body has been EXHAUSTED (in a good way) this week. I've been pretty busy with various things, and I still managed to exercise the past 5 days in a row!

I was extremely stiff all day today... it was hard to say how much was from Tuesday's Booty Camp class, and how much was from yesterday's Body Combat class. It was a perfect storm of muscle aches! But I had to suck it up and go to my Booty Camp class again tonight - it was time for measurements!

I was pretty pleased with my 4-week results. Apparently I lost 2.5 inches around my waist (although I was wearing an extra layer last time I was measured, and maybe I was sucking it in this time or something), and 5 pounds! I don't take most of the measurements too seriously (I often question their accuracy), but I'm definitely calling this a success.

As I mentioned yesterday, I had a very early wake-up today (5:10 am). I had a hot bath last night to try and relax, but I still could not fall asleep when I wanted to. I think I was anxious about getting up so early - do you know the feeling? Panic that you won't get enough sleep or that you'll sleep through your alarm?

I did manage to get out of bed this morning though! My exam went very smoothly, and I promptly came home and slept for a couple of hours. Now I just have a huge pile of marking to look forward to! :)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Saturday's weigh-in! COME ON, 10%!!!!!

Fight Back

Tomorrow morning at 8 am (meaning a 5 am wake-up time for yours truly), I have around 50 students writing an exam. Out of the goodness of my heart, I held some drop-in office hours this afternoon. Because I am incredibly kind, I bought lots of chocolates this morning for my poor, hardworking students (I envisioned a fun group-study-session-type-thing).

I think you know where this is going.

Two students showed up! Two! Leaving Katie alone with lots of chocolate for the better part of two hours. (Chocolate that went really well with the large coffee I was nursing).

Figuring it can't be that many points and I would make up for it with a tiny dinner, I ate some. I tracked it. I thought about how well I've been doing recently, and how this could be my third week in a row staying within my points.

I thought about how close I am to reaching my Weight Watchers 10% (1.2 pounds away) and how close I am to reaching 100 pounds lost (7 pounds away). I didn't want to go over my points for the week just because of some stupid chocolates. Instead of giving up on a great week, I decided to fight back and earn some activity points!

I quickly looked up class schedules at my new gym and spotted Body Combat at 6:45. I was not planning on working out tonight (did you hear I have a 5 am wake-up tomorrow?), but I rushed home after work, polished off my shiny new gym membership, and was on my way.

Body Combat was GREAT and my energy is still through the roof! I'm feeling SO PROUD that I combatted (get it?) my unplanned chocolates (and my unplanned latte and nature square from Second Cup this morning...) with an unplanned workout! And not just any workout - a new class that took me out of my comfort zone! AND I was right up in the front row, messing up the combos for all to see. :)

I'm off to try and unwind before bed! And hopefully wash my only good pair of workout pants so they can dry by Booty Camp tomorrow night...

Toodles!

Operation: Buff Week 3

It's hard to believe that 3 weeks of Booty Camp have already gone by! I've been sticking to Operation: Buff really well, in my opinion! :)

How did I do this week?

Well, my goals are to have 2 workouts in addition to my 2 booty camp classes, as well as have some greens every day. This week, I had a smoothie or salad every day except today (I'll make up for it tomorrow, I swear)! Here are my workouts from the past week:

• 15 minute run + 15 minute speedwalk on an incline (Monday)
• 2 Booty Camp sessions (Tuesday & Thursday)
• Zumba class (Wednesday)
• 60-minute At-Home Booty Camp-style workout with a friend (today, described below)

I think I'm really kicking some ass with my activity! I would call this week a TOTAL success.

Today, I visited the friend that takes Booty Camp with me. We had planned to do the DVD together, but then she had the brilliant idea to design our OWN Booty Camp-style workout. It was great (and intense)!

We did a few minutes each of squats, lunges, upper body (with MANY tricep dips), butt, abs, and various cardio bits thrown in. We timed things a la Booty Camp as well. Coming up with it ourselves, and doing it together, was much more fun than doing the DVD on our own.

After our intense workout, she made a batch of cornbread and we finished the whole thing ourselves... but I'm sure it all balanced out. ;)

This week, I have plans for lots more fun activity, including some new classes at my new gym! I'll keep you all posted!

Weigh-In

I was down 2.2 this morning! 183 pounds - a new low! :)

This means:

• I am officially in the LOW 180's
• I am only 1.2 pounds away from my 10% key ring!!

But EVEN BETTER than having a good number on the scale is the fact that I have had an amazing 2 weeks in a row on plan.

Not just tracking while still going over points.

Not just being super-careful for the last few days of the week to salvage a few days of eating too much.

But TRACKING and STAYING WITHIN MY POINTS for two weeks in a row! And I feel like I'm really in a groove. My willpower is on fire! Honestly, I was really wavering for a couple of months there. I'm worried about jinxing it by telling you, but I feel really good about my ability to stick with this lifestyle right now. I feel like I'm actually listening to my hunger signals - and guess what - I'm not always hungry! Who knew?!

I am determined. I will stay on track and reach my 10%, and then reach 100 pounds lost (7 pounds away!), and then reach my Weight Watchers goal weight. Watch out!