Nice comments received today and last night

I don't have much to report, so I'll just pass on some comments I've received. Last night, one of the trainers at the gym said: Hey, skinny. That's always nice - and I know she doesn't think I'm weak skinny. She was my first bootcamp instructor...when I couldn't even do one real pushup.

Today, my coworker that only works in our office about once or twice a month showed up and said that I was looking very nice. She asked if I'd lost weight, and I said not much...only 2 pounds...although I've lost BF. She said it looks like I've lost like 12 lbs.

My size 8 pants are now getting baggy on me. Time for new goal clothes.

I'm taking today and tomorrow off from the gym, so that my muscles will be rested for the big race on Thursday. Can anyone elaborate on race basics...like can I use my ipod, should I carry a bottle of water, what should I wear, etc...

I'm so clueless about this stuff...never even watched a race before. I don't want to show up and have people think I'm stupid...like...why is that girl not wearing gloves??? I'm more scared about that stuff than I am about running the 5k :)

Party at K-Gurl's!

Most of you know that Kevin and Beck are coming into town in a few weeks...I believe they'll be here the weekend of December 9th and 10th? There's been talk of going to a Piston's game. I don't know if this will happen, since someone will have to arrange it all and order all the tickets and nobody seems to want to volunteer...blah blah blah.

Anyways, even if the game does happen...I would love to host a party afterwards, but I just don't think that will work out. We probably wouldn't get back to Canton until after midnight. I don't really see the game happening anyways. So...I'm just putting it out there for everyone that we can have a party at my house on Friday or Saturday night. I want to have a full day for recovery :)

I'm posting this here, because I was hoping that some of the rest of you might want to come here and join us. I know it's short notice, but we've talked about this before, and I would soooo love to meet you guys in person (well, most of you...just kidding).

Oh, by the way...we're talking about Michigan here.

Ok. That's that. The official party invite...pending the status of the Pistons game...and also pending what night Kevin and Beck can pull off.

Onto other business...

I had bootcamp tonight, and I was a little dismayed but a little happy when I saw that we'd be with Keith tonight. He normally only does our Thursdays, but Shelly called in or something. He really gave us a run for our money...great workout as always. After class, I was stretching with the newer girl that's been with us for about a month. She said something to the effect that I challenge her. I'm the one she watches and tries to keep up with. That's pretty cool. I always thought she just didn't like me much :)

I've decided to do the Turkey Trot with Rob, Jim, and Melissa on Thursday. Well, I think we're actually doing the Stuffing Strut...the 5k. I didn't realize it was right down the street from where I work. That helps with the first fear of being in unfamiliar surroundings. I know that I just need to do it. Period. It'll be a benchmark for the next one. Of course I'm hoping for sub-30 minutes. Unfortunately, I am a little sore in my right leg, so I think that I'll take it easy for the next two days, so that I'll be nice and ready for the run.

Ok. That's all for tonight. Be sure to let me know if you wanna party with me :)

Fitness

This post will more than likely come off as random ramblings today. I was sitting here reading up on training for a 5k, and then I started thinking about you guys. I know we talk about this a lot, but it is such a special group. I think many of us started out by wanting to watch what we eat and lose some weight. I know that's where I started. Fitness? ick. I'd rather be skinny. After a few short weeks of reading your blogs, I started to feel that itch to get out there and start doing something physical - still with the desire to just lose more weight though. Now, it's a completely different thing. I want to be strong and fit.

Anyways...this all got me thinking about all the people out there that try to lose weight through diet alone. I just feel that they are missing out on soooo much...physically and mentally. Sure, they can get thinner, but they will not see the same change in tone and body shape. They won't feel that sense of accomplishment of seeing progress in their strength and endurance.

I guess all this came about because I had a great run today at the gym. Once again, I feel like an athlete. It's kind of hitting me that I'm fit. FIT. I can hold my own at the gym. I'm taking their most advanced fitness course. I can really run. I can do real pushups. I can see my muscles. In fact, I can actually see my triceps through my clothes...depending on the material. How cool is that?

F.A.T. has everything to do with this though. Looking at some of the people that I personally introduced to F.A.T., I see the changes in their mindset, and I know that it's no coincidence that they are motivated to do more than just lose weight. They are setting fitness goals for themselves and doing what it takes to reach them. Then they inspire me to do more. I'm not going to name names, but there are a few of you here that have played a huge role in changing my life. You've pushed yourselves beyond what I ever thought possible for normal everyday people. I've tried to emulate you the best that I know how, and I'm finding that I can do it too. It's such a strange realization to know that I can do this and even more. I know that I haven't even started to tap my true potential yet.

Here's to a great finish to 2007...let's keep pushing forward!

Hello

I figured I'd post a quick blog before the weekend. My eating has been good...moderate still. Weekdays are so easy really (food-wise). We all know how weekends are much more challenging. I'm hoping for a weekend of moderation.

I weighed myself yesterday and today, and it appears that I'm back under 135. I haven't posted these numbers consistently since September, so it's exciting to see them again. I'm not obsessed with it though.

I consider this to be my daily blog here, but I do post updates every couple of months on my other blog (on one of my myspace profiles). Anyways, I was reading my last post on my myspace blog last night and saw that I'd already exceeded my last goals that I set for myself in September...the ones that I wanted to reach by the end of bootcamp. This is exciting, because I still have another month left. The only goal I haven't reached is the size 6 one. I really don't care about that one so much anymore though. It'll be nice, but I'm not stressing about it. I feel that I'll end up in a 6 someday, but there's no rush. I just wanna look firm in whatever size I am.

Judgement Day

Sooooo...all my hard work seems to have paid off! Here are the numbers:

(Oct 15th / Nov 12th)
5 minute HR test score: 36/43
12 minute run: 1.18 miles (avg 5.9 mph) / 1.34 miles (avg 6.7 mph)
Flexibility test: 15.9/16
Situps: 41/41
Pushups: 15 plank, 20 modified / 31 plank, 19 modified
Agility test: 28 seconds/28 seconds

One more stat...the BIG one...body fat percentage:

If you remember...at my last assessment, I was at 21.3% body fat. This time, I wanted to see something in the 20% range...and I thought that maybe just maybe I'd see under 20%. Well...today I came in at 18.5%!!! I went down just under 3%. How f'ing cool is that. No wonder I've been seeing all this new definition. I don't think I've mentioned the muscles that I'm starting to see on my back.

Needless to say, I'm blown away with my results. Seems that my strategy of eating in moderation and working hard at the gym has worked for me. 4 weeks. By the way, she measured me twice to make sure that the numbers were right. Oh yeah...I also lost 2 pounds since my last assessment. That obviously doesn't seem like a lot, but I wasn't working toward weight loss anyways.

So there...that's it. I have 5 more weeks of bootcamp left. It would be way cool to see something in the 17% bf range.

Oh, one last thing. 18.5% bf puts me in the EXCELLENT category for my age. There was a time where I didn't think it would ever be possible for me to be in any kind of decent shape ever again in my life. I'm so beyond serious when I say that if I can turn myself around like this, anybody can. Go get em, FAT!

*edit*

I forgot to mention that I went to the gym twice today. I ran 4 miles this morning. Unfortunately, it seems that I developed a couple of blisters on my feet when I went bowling yesterday. So, I went to the store and got a couple of blister bandages today, and I was able to run pain-free tonight.

Houseguests

Hi, guys. I'm still doing ok, but I do have guests in for the weekend. This led to a midnight run to the grocery store and then frozen pizza last night. I also had a few pieces of halloween candy today. boooo. The good news is that I only had a few pieces, and then I felt ick...so I stopped.

Today is going about the same...less than stellar choices, but I haven't been binging...which is a good thing.

We'll see how tomorrow goes. 2 more days till assessment. Hopefully I'll get to the gym tomorrow or Monday morning even. It might be a little difficult with company here though.

I Survived

So...last bootcamp session before assessment time. Tonight was with Keith the Trainer, and I honestly think I've adjusted to his workouts. They still really hurt, but I'm better at them. Yay!

In the past four weeks, I've only missed one bootcamp session, and I've gone in 1 extra day a week. Even if my results aren't what I'd like to see, I'm still proud that I was pretty faithful to my goals.

My eating has been moderate. I'm not trying to diet per se, but I haven't really had any out of control days that I can remember. Not bad for a four week period.

Update on my size 8 pants. I know last week they were looking much better, but today they were actually on the loose side. Not sloppy loose...just looser...lots of give in the legs. This is pretty consistent with what I've been seeing in my other clothes too. I should measure them tomorrow morning.

The weekend is almost here, and I just need to hold tight 4 more days until my assessment. Assessments are good.