Days 173-174 (burn baby, burn)

OK, so I was checking to see how hot it's gonna’ be at boot camp today and stumbled across this fun little feature, a calorie burn calculator, at weather.com and had to share.

I classified boot camp as circuit training for 60 minutes and input my weight and the handy dandy calculator said I would probably burn 730.77 calories! Holy Hannah! That's burnin' off a Big Mac and fries baby ... too bad I didn't eat a big mac and fries. Sigh.

Ooh, also, I subscribe to Hungry Girl (luuuve it) and one of last week's e-newsletters included a link to a basal metabolic rate calculator. This awesome feature tells you the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day, which helps you determine how many you need to add in order to stay where you're at/lose a few, etc.

So what's my magic number? 1660.9!!! I would burn more calories than I "strive" (the term is used loosely!!) to consume normally, without factoring in workouts, simply by keeping my big o' butt in bed. Things that make you go hmmm.

Days 170-172 (hell, yes!)

Boot camp on Thursday SUCKED! DS was in my face (literally 2” away at one point) for the bulk of the workout and though I knew he was trying to push me, the last thing I wanted when my sweat was flying left and right and I couldn't breath was some muscle man occupying my personal space.

Not. Good.

But, Friday was better. Waaay better. DS still gave me grief, but he also took measurements and I was so excited by the results.




From May 15-June 20, I have:
*stayed the same in my neck: 13”
*lost 2 inches in my chest: now 38” (hell, yes!)
*stayed the same in my biceps: 13.75”
*stayed the same in my forearms: 10.5”
*lost 1.75 inches in my abs: 35.25” (hell, yes!)
*gained .5 inches in my hips: 43.75" (I’m told this is fine and that it’s because of the 18 gazillion squats that we do)
*lost .75 inches in my thighs: 22.5” (hell, yes!)
*gained 1.25 inches in my calves: 16.25” (this freaked me out a bit, especially since I lost 1.75” last time, but DS said the loss was fat and the gain is muscle … I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt on this one)

And, the absolute highlight of it all? The fam and I went to Old Navy yesterday and I snagged myself a new pair of work pants … in a size 14!!!! (Hmm, guess that means I should retire the size 22 swim suit and snag a new one, lol.)

Bonus? My hot little hubby went down a size, as well. He’s looking so stinkin’ good! The hottest daddy on the playground. ;)

Days 167-169 (weigh day #25 & squat off!)

Well, suck, I didn't hit my goal of 191 this time, but I did reach a number I haven't seen since I was a fetus baking in my mama's belly: 194! It's not a lot from last week, but a 2-pound weight loss is a two-pound weight loss and when I lose, I gain ... self-esteem. YAY!


25 weigh days down, countless more to go!

p.s. I, and my fellow marketing boot campers are now OBSESSED with the plank off, which has now become the squat off (pictured above during a lunch meeting) and the balance off. It's crazy. It's fun. It's works. The next time you're stuck in a lame and/or heated conversation with someone, say "squat off!" ... it could make a world of difference! =)

Days 164-166 (daaaaaamn, gina)

before a workout in the sweltering Texas heat ....

... aaaaand after.


Chris' response? "Holy shit! I have never seen you that red. You're starting to freak me out."

thank you, dear.


p.s. Last Friday I had hoped to weigh in at 195.

Yay, I did it!

Now, just 2 more days until my 25th weigh in ... here's hoping I hit my goal of 191.

Days 162-163 (butt hiccups)

I don’t know if it was the previous night’s workout, the heat or just an over zealous “slug” gland acting up yesterday, but last night’s boot camp was brutal.

I wanted it over with before we were even 5 minutes in.

The words, “just shoot me” were playing over and over again in my head.

It sucked major monkeys!

To add to the overall misery of the evening, DS introduced a fun little exercise that, from an outsider’s viewpoint, would seem like nuthin’! NUTHIN’!! However, I wanted to cry. Hmm, maybe I did a little, there was definitely some sort of liquid rolling down my cheeks.

Anywhoo, the exercise is simply a pulsing squat done with your feet together for, um, an hour and then feet apart for another hour. Rinse and repeat.

“Pulse! Your butts should look like they have hiccups!” DS hollered.

Oh, they were all hiccupping all right.

My thighs are like cement this AM—thick blocks of cement that do not break, do not bend … not even when I need to pee. This would be a great day to be a guy.

Day 161 (weigh day #24)

Well, poo. I didn’t make it to boot camp yesterday. I’ve been battling a bug or a touch of the flu or a 3-day hangover … who knows, but whatever it is/was has had me pretty much incapacitated since Sunday.

I was hoping to push through it and make it to the sweat session, but I tanked during a marketing meeting and went home — crashing for more than four uninterrupted hours.

Still a bit queasy today (no, mom, I’m not knocked up), but waaay better than yesterday. I hope to squeeze in a workout this afternoon in preparation for what I can only assume will be a killer boot camp tomorrow.

Over the weekend, the fam and I spent quality time in A-town, indulging in the sweet treats at my lil sis’ baby shower and waaaay too many cocktails with the girls afterwards. I thought I was doing pretty well by sticking to my tried and true signature drink — Crown & Diet Coke — but I just yahoo’ed the calorie content and yowzer! A whopping 97 calories in one shot. OK, it’s not a terrible choice if you have one … but whoever stops at just one (or 3 or, um, 6 with a sangria swirl on the side?).

Anywhoo, despite my liquid libations and ice cream indulgences, I still managed to drop some poundage this AM — this the 24th (holy mother!!) weigh day. Currently, my weight is 196, down 3 pounds from last week’s disastrous scale-a-thon.

By the end of the week I feel certain I will be back to 195 (which I hit 2 weeks ago) and my goal is to be at 191 by next Wednesday. Hey, it’ll be the big 25, gotta’ set a great goal in honor of this monumental moment (I’ve NEVER stayed with any diet mission this long in my life!!!).

Now, if I can just stay away from that damn whiskey. Crap, girl’s night again this Friday. Hmm, maybe I’ll skip dinner and opt for a liquids-only diet. =)

p.s. So excited about the pic above! My collar bones have yet to make an appearance, but yay (!) you can see the bones in neck ... major progress! Who-hoo! Bummer I have such adorable friends though, if I were sitting next to oh, I don't know, Roseanne Barr instead of too-cute Keri, I'd look smokin'! HA!

p.s.s. The hubby just sent the updated "Falk's Fatwackers" spreadhseet, which calculates our percentage of weight loss to date. Drum roll, please ....
Since January, the launch of my mommy mission, I have lost 14% of my body weight and ... weight for it, weight for it, 25% since my highest weight (which was 260 during my infertile myrtle days). Who-hoo!

AAAAANNNDD, if that wasn't crazy enough, that hot hubby of mine, since April 2nd, has lost an amazing 12% ... 12% in only 2 months!!! He freakin' rocks!

Days 156-160 (no knees!)

Last Thursday’s boot camp was brutal. Since the bulk of my company was at a tradeshow last week, only four recruits could attend (all marketing folks) — meaning extra attention was paid to all by DS.

CRAP!

And what did DS choose to focus on? Running our asses into the ground! Literally, I think my left butt cheek is buried somewhere near a tree that I kept playing chicken with (who sets up suicide cones mere centimeters from a freakin’ tree anyway???!!).

The running (and the running and the running) and the jumping and the pushing all led to the pukage of one member (yay! another one bites the dust and it ain’t me, who-hoo!).


Despite my rampant complaining above, I must admit, pre the-runneth-my-rear-into-the-ground workout, the 3 amigos and I thought it would be a great idea to have a plank off! (You know, that killer core-strengthening exercise that works, like, EVERYTHING.)

When boot camp started, I could only hold the plank position for about 30 seconds … on my knees. But, last Thursday, holy mother, the clouds parted, the wind calmed and I held that bad boy for 1 minute and 56 seconds … and look ma, no knees!!!!!

Hillary, who’s been with me in the boot camp trenches from day 1, held it for a minute 45 (go Hilbur!!!) and the boys, Gage and Khris, who are fairly recent recruits, both petered out at 1 minute, 5 seconds. SWEET!

Hillary and I were so excited by our progress that we were jumping around like we had ants in our pants (hmm, a plank in the grassy field of a park, we probably DID have ants in our pants). And, when we shared the news of our triumph with DS, there seemed to be, dare I say, a smile of pride that crept across his fitness-obsessed little face (too bad that pride seemed to fade when I walked the last leg of the last suicide. Oops.)

Anywhoo, gearing up for a re-plank off (my goal is 2:15) and the second session of boot camp, which starts this afternoon. DS, I hope to make you proud (just please don’t make me puke).

p.s. The pics above are of a weary Gage who showered the lawn with his lunch ... way to take one for the team!)

Days 154-155 ( Weigh Day #22 & swoosh)

Yesterday's weigh-in was dismal. As in fingertips touching the 200s dismal. I weighed in at 199 (holy shit balls!), 4 pounds more than last Thursday.

I knew it was gonna' be bad. I shouldn't have been surprised. Hell, maybe I wasn't. Who knows. Today I tried again and was back down to 197, so kuddos to me on that small (repeat) victory. (The yo-yo and I are becoming very close friends).

Today is a new day and I've decided that it’s time for a mantra trifecta. I started with “I will release the thin within!” Then I added, “Food is fuel, not entertainment.” And now, brand a swoosh on my butt, it’s time to go full-force Nike … as in “Just Do It!”

I’ve grown tired of this whole diet/workout business and I’ve (finally) realized (or realized AGAIN) that I’ve got to get out of my head and just do it.

Stop thinking about it. Worrying about it. Stressing about it. Just freakin’ do it. On autopilot. No emotions.

Tuesday’s boot camp went well. Someone finally tossed their cookies!! (sweet! DS must be so proud). And I’ve got T-minus 75 minutes until the next session starts. I’m going to do my best to do my best and see how well that goes.

Running. Jumping. Groaning in agony. I’m just going to do it and hope I can push past this mental plateau I’ve slung my lazy carcass across.

Swoosh.

Day 153 (ack!)

I’m just gonna’ be reeeeeally honest here. Like downright painful honest. Last week after boot camp, I was “it was freakin’ awesome” every five seconds (click here for back story). I was all optimistic and hearts and flowers and warm fuzzies about my renewed zest for my mama mission. I was riding some kind of crazy endorphin high.

Aaaaaaaaaand

then I crashed.

Hard.

Fajitas and chips and salsa hard. Pizookie and candy bars hard. Pizza and sausage sandwiches hard. No worky outie in 5 days hard.

I don’t know what’s happened, but I have become dependent on DS and boot camp to supply my motivation. I can no longer generate it myself. On the days that boot camp doesn’t happen, I literally can NOT force myself to workout, or to even eat well.

I have every reason to still be going strong. Chris is kicking ass. It’s hot as Hades outside, so who wants to get all bloated on food and then sweat walking from the buffet to the car? Coop is constantly on the move and I always swore I’d be the mom who could keep up. We have a family vacay coming up and I don’t want to be “that” mom who sits in the shade while everyone else is out living it up.

Sigh.

My desire to continue to lose weight and work hard is still there, but that desire is often trumped by some scrumptious-looking morsel of yumminess that would literally kill me if I opted not to stuff it into my mouth at that very moment.

I feel all lethargic and yucked out on crap food today. Thank goodness I have boot camp tonight. In 98 degree weather (which, according to weather.com feels like 100). I hope I can find that high again and ride the wave for a few more days.

p.s. The boot camp gals and I did just receive a workout routine from DS to do during the off days. Hopefully that'll be the jolt I need to get it in gear. But I wouldn't bet on it.

Days 149-152 (’nuff said)

cheater, cheater pizookie eater.