Boot camp over, yet the quest continues.

So with the boot camp over, what is a fat boy to do?  Well, it just so happens that we got a flyer in the mail for a two week trial to Urban Active.  Happily, one is like just over a mile away from home.  So Sunday, I sampled the cardio machines, each one with it's own TV.  Today, I tried out my first ever Spinning class, and it was tougher than I had imagined.  I am now, just 35 pounds away from goal.

New cover for the paperback

This is the new cover for the paper back, signed copies available at The Book Loft in German Village

Last boot camp today.

Well the last class with Brittany was bitter sweet.  She again had a completely different work out for us today.  I have discovered new muscles today.  How did I discover them?  They hurt very much, thanks to Brittany.  I have  to give kudos to Brittany and the Body by Todd staff, they know what they are doing.  So if you need a kick start to get you to start working out; I highly recommend them.

Now back to my bitter sweet comment, I use that term as I will miss the class and Brittany's energy.  The sweet part; I started the class at 231 pounds and today's way in, I was 216.  My boot camp maybe be over, but my quest for 180 pounds continues.  My wonderful wife bought me a work out video an hour and half in length which I plan to do a couple times a week.  I also have a two week trial at Urban Active, which I plan to check out on Monday morning.  I also have logged onto a website that helps you track exercise and calories.  The website is http://www.myfitnesspal.com It is free to use and no spam, so if you want to join me in my quest to lose weight log, on and friend me.

Well, I have a full day today so I better get moving.  And as always... The quest continues!

My thoughts on Libya

To let you know a little about me, I am fiscally conservative and feel I am morally liberal.  What angers me most about the Libya situation is one, there is no direct threat to the security of the United States.  I was for the attack on Iraq because, at the time, there was evidence of a threat to our security.  In hind sight, that intelligence was flawed and Saddam was no threat at all.

Where once we debated, and voted on if we should attack another nation.  Today, we spent over 100 million dollars last weekend, lobbing cruise missiles at a country that just a few years ago came to us pledging to give up it's pursuit of WMD and actively acted against Al Qaeda.

The excuse this time is the humanitarian reasons to protect the civilians of Libya.  When we attacked Iraq, many called the sitting president a war criminal, even though Saddam had used nerve gas on the civilians of Iraq and killed thousands.   

We are Americans... if the sitting president during the Iraq war made you want to impeach him.Now the guy you voted for, because he represented change is doing the same thing.  Then all I am asking is for you is to be consistent in your beliefs.  If Iraq is wrong, the Libya is more than wrong, it is a travesty.

My last Tuesday Boot Camp

I did not realize that today was my last Tuesday boot camp.  Has it really been six weeks since I began this journey to 180 pounds?  They must have run another Groupon, because today's class was as large as I have seen.  I also had a new workout partner.  If you remember me talking about the small bald man that used weights lighter than the girls; today's partner, was the exact opposite.

My workout friend, was a large man by any measure. He was at least six feet tall and as wide, proudly saying he weighed in at 420 pounds.  He immediately put me on the defensive, saying he liked heavier weights.  I mentally said, Bring it!  Where I had been working with a 60 lb barbell, he added on another 60.  It does not sound like a lot, but when you're doing multiple sets, intermixed with Calisthenics, like jumping jacks with a 10 lb medicine ball; let just say that 120 lbs feel like 200 lbs. I managed to go weight for weight the big man for the first half of the class.  But when he went up to 200 lbs, I raised the white flag and we agreed he would use the barbell and I would go with the dumbbells so we would not waste time switching back and forth. 

The class was tougher than her normal class, however, not as tough as Brittany's.  Even so, by the end I was spent.  At first, I thought she had read my blog and wanted to show me she was as tough as Brittany.  Then I realized, it was my partner, unknowingly pushing me harder.  Still, with Brittany, there is no need for anyone to push me... just surviving her class without puking is the goal.  

I only have two more boot classes left... both Saturday mornings with aforementioned Brittany.  I am still a long way from my goal and though I may not be going to Body by Todd anymore; the journey will continue. 

Vampires are real: Today's bootcamp

Vampires are real: Today's bootcamp: "The beep, beep sound coming from my alarm intruded upon a dream from my youth. I sat up in bed dreading the thought of the 9:25AM work..."

Today's bootcamp

The beep, beep sound coming from my alarm intruded upon a dream from my youth.  I sat up in bed dreading the thought of the 9:25AM workout.  When you are 52, before you get out of bed you have to make sure everything is working right.  Feeling reasonably comfortable that I could make to the bathroom without falling down, I hobbled to the bathroom to change.  My ankles cracked with every step, and I was sure I would wake the entire household.  Our home was filled this morning with my youngest, studying for finals before Spring Break, and we were keeping my oldest daughter's two dogs while she interviewed with the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine.  

After letting out my two dogs out, along with the two we were babysitting, I was already behind schedule.  It is a  half hour drive just to get to the Body by Todd's facility.  Finally, with the dogs put away I looked for my gator-aid and was crushed when I realized I had none.  The only refreshment I could find to make it through the Boot Camp was a caffeine drink called, Avitae. The label says that it is tasteless. However, to me, it was like drinking mercury.  

The 30 minute drive was helped with my free preview of XM radio.  I jammed to the sounds of Red Rider's Lunatic Fringe and The Chain by Fleetwood Mac. After surviving the drive and Columbus drivers, I Walked into the Studio of Pain, as I have fondly begun to name it.  I was pleased to see the little bald man was not present.  In fact, it was the smallest class yet, and I beamed with pride thinking that the others had been defeated by the workouts.

The Tuesday workouts are no match for what Brittany puts us through.  And sadly I cannot remember the name of our instructor, though like Brittany, she is in fabulous shape.  The one thing I can proudly say, is that I can stay ahead of the rest of the class. While they wait for the instructor to say go, I complete the exercise.  Especially since the little bald man is not here to slow me down.  To learn more about the bald man you will have to go back to earlier post.

I do give props to our Tuesday instructor, as I right before the ab workout. She had us do mountain climbers. A very evil workout and I was spent by the time we worked the abs.

I have to tell you until today, I was somewhat disappointed in my results.  That all changed when I walked into work.  Several people commented that they could see the results and asked me details about the camp.

The quest for 180 pounds continues...

Vampires are real: One month of boot camp in the books.

Vampires are real: One month of boot camp in the books.: "With just two weeks to go, I am nowhere close to reaching my weight goal. It was probably an unrealistic goal, considering the short t..."

One month of boot camp in the books.

With just two weeks to go, I am nowhere close to reaching my weight goal.  It was probably an unrealistic goal, considering the short time frame.  The good news, I can feel some results.  When camp opened, I could barely do a sit up.  Now I am doing accordion crunches, and crunches with my legs in the air, in a v-shape.  I feel stronger and I think I have a bit more energy.

At today's camp, I was pleased to find it was a smaller class. I did not have to share my 8" step of torture.  At every Saturday class, Brittany would do something different.  The pattern continued today as she started us out with simple side steps and leg kicks.  I foolishly flirted with the thought she was going to go easy on us.

When you are doing step aerobics, time seems to come to a stop.  After going through a period of unrelenting sets of accordion crunches, rows with a 15 pound weight and back to the crunches; I thought for sure we were half way home.  I looked at my watch.  It shocked and disappointed me. We had only completed 15 minutes of the hour long class. Next, she instructed us to sit on the floor. One knee brought up to our chest, the other leg straight out.  We then had to lift our big butts off the floor, doing leg lifts with the extended leg.  I swear, that Apollyon himself, gave her the idea for this exercise.

Brittany did say she enjoyed my blog, and she did like my description of her, although I had her 3" taller than she really is.  I pointed out to her that when you're lying in a pool of your own sweat and trying not to puke, the instructor can appear larger than life.

Like I mentioned earlier, I only have two more weeks.  Sadly, I only have one with Brittany.  Next Saturday I will be in Chicago, so my make up class will be with someone else.  This Thursday, at 7:45AM I will be tortured by someone other than Brittany.  Did I say 7:45AM?

When my six weeks are up I hope to find another Groupon deal.  As much as I respect the Body by Todd staff.  The location is not ideal for me.  The Quest for 180 continues...

Vampires are real: The daily dozen

Vampires are real: The daily dozen: "So my wonderful wife bought me a DVD called the daily dozen. Daily workouts that last only 12 minutes. So I think to myself, twe..."

The daily dozen

So my wonderful wife bought me a DVD called the daily dozen.  Daily workouts that last only 12 minutes.  So I think to myself, twelve minutes that should be easy.  Let me tell you, they are the longest twelve minutes ever.  The quest for 180 pounds continues.

Tuesday bootcamp

I loved boot camp today!  OK, part of me loving it was that I did not have to share the workout space with Mr. Needy.  My workout felt exhausting like the first one, where again I worked alone.  I felt stronger today. I used heavier weights and without having to wait to do the next exercise.  So I had a solid hour of work, to melt off the pounds.

The most interesting thing about the workouts is that, even though the Tuesday is always using free weights throughout and the Saturday is always aerobic based. Every workout is different.

My wonderful wife, ordered me a daily workout video that is only 12 minutes long.  Let me tell you, they are the longest 12 minutes you will ever do.

Anyway, once my six weeks are up. I plan to continue my weight loss plan so should I ever be on TV again. I will not look like the Goodyear Blimp.  My super cool smart phone as a running app that shows how far I run and how many calories burned.  So, like I said.  It's 180 lbs or bust!

The first royalty check for my book.

When I opened the mail today I was pleasantly surprised to find my first royalty check from the sales of my book for the Amazon Kindle.  Yesterday I had my first wire transfer of royalties from Barnes and Noble.  Who knows, maybe this thing will really take off?  If you would like to buy my book, the link is http://offthebookshelf.com/authors/444-g-a-colin#281

End of week three

The room that we work out in is called the QVR room.  The meaning, is Quick Visible Results.  It is maybe a 20x20 room, no window, and only one door that is always closed. The class is always at least 20 people, may be more.  I have no proof of this, but I swear they have the thermostat set at 90 degrees.

Let me tell you about our Saturday instructor; or should I say drill Sargent.  Her name is Brittany and she's about 5'6" has blond hair pulled into a tight pony tail that reaches the small of her back.  Her attire today was an army ball cap, green t-shirt and fatigue pants. She came in today with a big smile, but I knew what was coming, and I still was not ready for the onslaught of torture.

She started us off with a mild set of half jumping jacks and then relentlessly; she pushed us harder and harder for 20 minutes.  Last nights wine, began to pour out of me in buckets; as we switched back and forth from stepping on 8" step to down on the floor doing inverted crunches. A brief respite came when she told us to grab a twenty pound weight, gulping my Gator-aid and trying to pull air into my lungs; I grabbed the weight before returning to the black 8" high step of torture. Another 20 minutes using the weight to inflict pain on various parts of my anatomy.  Thinking I would have another break to return the weights to the racks were dashed when we went into 10 minutes of ab work.

Finally, the command to stretch came.  Gasping for breath and my workout outfit drenched with sweat, Brittany opened the door behind us, and air came into the room for the first time.  Let me tell you, Brittany may have an evil streak, but she is great.  When I weighed in today, I was down another 3 lbs.  So far, I have lost 11 lbs.  Three weeks to go and still a long way from my goal.

Today's bootcamp

The Tuesday class is primarily free weights mixed in with crunches, squat jumps and leg lifts.  Today I felt I was ahead of the class. I found myself doing exercises while the rest of the class fumbled with changing the weights.  Speaking of the rest of the class, and I hate to complain.  However, there is only one other guy in the class and for some reason, the instructor always makes me partner with him.

Now don't get me wrong, he seems like a nice guy, and maybe he has some physical limitation I don't know about. Nevertheless, I had to help him with his bench press and tell him how to hold the weights.  He constantly needed the instructor to show him examples, of how she wanted us to work out.  He is a little guy, maybe 5' 7" at best, bald and very thin.  Still I am tempted to ask the instructor if I could work out with one of the gals.  Several of them looked like they were using the same weights as me or at least closer.

Saturday's class will be back to aerobics with a 6" step.  I am hoping I will feel stronger than I did last week.  Saturday will also mark the end of the 3rd week, half way through the camp.  I am hoping for a similar weigh in results, as my hope is to shed 30 lbs by the end of the  camp.  I will be pretty disappointed if I don't lose at least 20 pounds.  Should I not reach my goal. It will be another boot camp.  It's 180 pounds or bust!