Just a little update

Well, I can truly say that I have never been more exhausted than I have been these past two weeks. The funny thing is, I also have tons of energy. I know it makes no sense but during the day I am good to go, but come 10:00 or so I am absolutely beat!
We finished up our second week of Biggest Loser by doing the Waterfall Trail at the White Tanks. We met at 7:00--what dedication that I was up and out that early on a Saturday, my only day to sleep in! It was actually a good time and by the time I got back home I wasn't tired anymore.
I am really enjoying our work outs each evening. It is seriously hard work, but I feel like I have accomplished something when I am done.
I am signed up to do the Goodyear Heart and Sole 5K on February 21. Our trainer "surprised" us with the news that we were all going to do our first 5K . . . what?!?!? We have begun our training for it and I think I will be able to do it. I may even be able to jog more than I walk (no promises though).
On the work front, we had our 100th Day celebration this past week. That means we are down to 78 days, not that I'm counting :) It has been a very trying year for me and I am trying to find the joy again but it isn't easy.
Finally, can you believe it? The CARDINALS are going to the SUPER BOWL!!!!! Let me tell you, it was very tense over at my brother's house last weekend watching the game. But when the clock ran out--pandemonium. I can just imagine what it will be like next Sunday when the Cardinals WIN!

One week down, 25 to go!

I survived the first week of WV Biggest Loser. I stuck to the meal plan--even when it felt like I couldn't eat another bite. We are doing what Stephanie calls "clean eating", nothing artificial or "bad" for you. What is amazing is that I haven't felt the need to cheat or had any cravings. There must be something to having lots of whole grains and proteins in your system.

As for the workouts, they are tough but I feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish them. Who would have thought that I would be out there running. However, when she tells us to do 70% of our sprint I have trouble . . . I don't have a "sprint" so I have no idea what 70% would be.

Stephanie told us to get rid of our scales and I was happy to do so. I have what you might call an unhealthy obsession with the scale. As in, "How much do I weigh this morning?" , "How about after I pee?", "What about if I don't breathe?". You get the picture. So, I won't know how I'm doing , weight-wise, until our official weigh-in days.

Here's hoping that week 2 is as good as the first!

I am NOT a runner!

About the only part of my body that is not sore today is my fingers! The workout last night was intense . . . at least for my poor, out-of-shape body. We were supposed to warm up and Stephanie (the trainer) told us to "go ahead and jog the second and third laps". What?!?!?! I am not a runner/jogger/really fast walker. But, I did it and I didn't die. Then we went over to the bridge and did three sets of walk/run over the bridge two times, then sets of squats/side walking with bands around our ankles.

Then, we got to pretend to be football players. We did the drills where you zig-zag through cones and then run back to your mat and do 10 push-ups and repeated the whole thing 5 times! If the Cards need any help this Sunday, they know where to find me!

This morning I was a little stiff but by the end of school it was a chore to get up or down into a chair--let's not even go into walking upstairs!

Now, don't think I'm complaining . . . I am so proud of myself that I made it through the whole work out last night. I'm looking forward to seeing what torture Stephanie will put us through tonight.

Biggest Loser - Day 1

All of us in the group met at a gym in Surprise to get our baseline fitness assessment done . . . in other words, "how out-of-shape are you, exactly?". My scores weren't impressive, but it will only lead to huge improvement! I did the mile in 16:24 and even did a run (actually a jog) at the end. We did the wall sit, which is pure torture on your quads, push-ups, sit ups and lunges. This morning I could definitely tell I had used my muscles but it wasn't bad. I am nervous to see what aches tomorrow morning brings since we have our first "official" workout tonight. I may regret the fact that I live on the 2nd story!
I also have a meal plan that I have to follow. Let me say this: there is no fear of being hungry. By yesterday afternoon I did not want to put another thing in my mouth. I was so sick of chewing. But I never did feel sluggish in the late afternoon like I normally do which is a good thing.
This competition is being sponsored by West Valley Magazine and so far they are doing a great job of documenting it. The photographer was there last night taking tons of pictures of us working out. Just what I need . . . me in all my sweaty glory in a magazine. I wouldn't choose to be in a magazine even on my good day, but in work-out clothes, frizzy, sweaty hair, and bright red cheeks---lovely!
I guess that's all for now . . . I need to go make another "mini-meal".

The Biggest Loser

I am going to be the Biggest Loser! OK, not on the TV show, but I am in the West Valley Biggest Loser competition. Weigh-in was today--it's a 6 month committment. We work out with the trainer Monday - Thursday, have AM fitness homework each day, and PM homework Friday - Sunday. Plus, I have a meal plan of what I eat and when. So, come July 11 I hope to be a whole lot smaller. I think that this blog is going to turn into my journal of how I'm doing. There's a warning for all 3 of you who read my blog :-) May not be the most interesting but its another accountability.

Snowballs and Idiots

I never updated about Christmas and now it's so last year! We had several celebrations, most of which were great fun. We celebrated with my mom's family on the 20th. My brother and cousin went up towards Flagstaff and loaded the bed of the truck with snow to bring back for the kids to play in. Here are some pictures of the fun.

Some of the cousins throwing snowballs.

The prettiest of all the younger cousins--and that is not even an aunt's bias showing.

The cute counterpart to the pretty girl.

Everything was going along just great until the evil side of the family decided to act like a jerk. What 60+ year old idiot can even think it is OK to throw a hard, ice-packed snowball at a child, with full force, not once, but twice? On purpose, with no apology at all?

Here is a picture of the result. He is still the cutest of all the boy cousins--again no bias here.