On the downside

I haven't written in a while; the days are pretty much the same. I have been awfully homesick, especially on the weekends when there isn't much to do around here. I've also been battling some injuries, my right knee mostly, which refuses to feel better but doesn't seem bad enough to stay off it for long. Also, I'm losing another toenail...If I had this to do over again, I'd come for two weeks and go home, do the program on my own, and then come for another two weeks, etc. It's quite boring after the first two weeks, especially as people you have come to know leave and are replaced with new people.

I'm leaving a day early, on Saturday instead of Sunday, and hopefully can make the drive in one long day, leaving me Sunday and Monday to unpack, mow the lawn, go grocery shopping, and sort through a month's worth of mail.

Real Progress

Today being Monday, we did the uphill timed hike again. I had been feeling pretty low, I did nothing yesterday and kind of felt guilty that there is a gym less than 50 yards from my room and I never set foot in it. I'm also fairly homesick. Anyway, I was not feeling too optimistic about my timed hike today, but I resolved to do my best and just plod along until it was done. I cut 15 minutes off the time from last Monday's hike! It's still a fight to keep moving on the steep bits, but apparently last week's hard work paid off, and I feel much more optimistic today. Kickboxing also was a real workout, I was gasping for breath a couple of times.

Tomorrow's schedule:

6 Open Gym
7 Breakfast
8 Hike (it's supposed to be 90 degrees tomorrow)
11:15 Pool or Yoga
12:30 Lunch
1:45 Open Gym
2:30 Total Toning
3:30 Cardio Circuit
4:30 Stretch
5:15 Dinner

Made it through the first week

Yes, I have made it throught the first week, and for my energies, I have been given a T-shirt that reads "I Survived...The Fitness Ridge Challenge." Today was a half-day, many people took a trip to Zion National Park and the folks who only are staying a week leave tonight or tomorrow morning. We multi-weekers (better than than "really fat people who need to stay longer" are banding together a little, especially those who are staying at least a month.

My purple toe looks gross, but doesn't hurt, thank goodness, except at the end of a hike and when walking downhill.

Luna was here for a couple of hours today and was fussed over by all the dog lovers and we had a nice time together. After I took her back to the kennel, I stopped at a grocery store and bought some laundry detergent (tomorrow is a rest day and I'll do laundry and swim in the pool), some moisturizer because my skin is starting to resemble tanned leather, and a Starbucks tall latte, which tasted delicious and was compensated for by not having dessert this evening.
I should mention the desserts; some are good, some not so good. Brownies made with applesauce instead of oil and with no egg aren't worth eating, but the dark chocolate-dipped strawberries were excellent. I usually taste the dessert; if it's not worth the calories, I skip it and have some salad instead.

No post tomorrow as it's a rest day for blogs, too.

The first casualty

I brought three pairs of athletic shoes and one pair of well-broken-in hiking boots but I have been alternating between the two older pairs of athletic shoes on the hikes. The newer pair is a little bit stiff yet, so I've been wearing those in the gym on the machines. Unfortunately, the hill I walk up also must be walked down, and I took off my shoe today to find a purple toenail and a blister under and around the nail. It will probably come off, but for now, I have duct tape over the nail and blisters. which will work just fine to protect it from anymore damage.

I felt quite good today, not tired, and much more cheerful than yesterday. In talking with my fellow fitness devotees, I found that Wednesdays tend to be "slump" days; muscle soreness has set in for everyone, and we're all flatulent and peeing every twenty minutes.

I should mention that there are really, really fit people here who came for a hiking vacation (though they are in the minority), other people with 20-30 lbs to lose, more with 50+ pounds to lose, and several who are so morbidly obese that their exercise is closely supervised by the staff. One guy has been here 8 weeks and has lost 60 lbs, wants to stay another 6 weeks and lose another 30. The management has made a pact with us all that if we put our goals in writing and achieve them on or before the date we specify before we leave, we can come back for a free week. That's a pretty good incentive to stick to new habits.

I should also mention that there are rewards for doing the whole program. For the first week, if you go to all the classes, hikes, lectures, and meals, you get a T-shirt. The second week, you get a bag; the third, a jacket, and the fourth, a $65 gift certificate.

Did I mention that there is a sauna, a steam room, and a hot tub? I love the hot tub.

Tomorrow's schedule:

6 Open Gym or Core training
7 Breakfast
8 Hike
10:30 Stretch class
11:15 Yoga or Pool aerobics
12:15 Lunch
1:15 lecture-Emotional Eating
1:45 Open Gym
2:30 Body Sculpt, Circuit Training, or Pool Workout
3:30 Living drum or Circuit Training
5:00 Dinner

Not so much

Okay, ibuprofen didn't exactly save the day today; the wind blew last night so loudly, and for so long, that I couldn't get any sleep, so this morning I didn't go to the gym. I did the hardest walk, though, felt like vomiting half-way up, but plodded on to the top (it's all uphill.) The wind brought in a cold front, so today's high was supposed to be 48; at the top of the hill at 10 a.m. it was snowing and my legs felt like two pieces of wood. I couldn't get warm at all, and stiffened up in the van coming back from the hike. I skipped pool aerobics because it was so cold, and went in the gym and used the treadmill instead. I went to see Luna at lunchtime today and that made me feel better.

I am moving up to "B" level next Monday which means more exercise and fewer lectures. The lectures have generally been good, about basic nutrition and such. The most valuable asked us to calculate how many calories we need to deduct from our diets, either through calorie counting or exercise, to lose the weight we would like; mine is a daunting 245,000. I will have a good head start when I leave here, though, I figure I'll be down about 90,000 if I keep walking up the hill each day and go to all the classes. I don't feel any stronger yet but I feel much more relaxed.

Tomorrow's schedule:
6 Open Gym
7 Breakfast
8 Hike
10:30 Stretch class
11:15 Pool or Yogalates (Yogalates for me, it's still supposed to be cold)
12:15 Lunch
1:15 Cooking Demo
1:45 Open Gym
2:30 Treading (this is really aerobic/anaerobic intervals)
3:30 Pool and stretch (if it's too cold, may do kickboxing)
5:00 Dinner
6:15 Lecture: Intuitive Eating

Ibuprofen saves the day!

I woke up this morning at 5 and didn't feel too bad. This morning's hike was easier than yesterday's but the circuit training kicked butt. I haven't mentioned the food much, which is plentiful, filling and tasty, but with 20-30 gms of fiber a day, plus lots of liquid, the bathrooms are usually occupied by someone at all times. Plus there is a gas problem; all that fiber in a body unused to it means bubbles in the pool and tolerance on everybody's roommate's part. Hopefully, I'll get used to it soon. I have been so busy I have not had time to visit Luna but this Saturday I will have 3 hours between 2 and 5 when I can get to see her and play with her. The kennel is only about 4 miles away but the speed limit on the way is 25 mph, so I need at least 45 minutes which I haven't had yet.

I took more ibuprofen tonight (good thing I brought the Costco bottle) and aside from shin splints from the downhills yesterday and today I feel good. Each day feels really long but goes by very fast, if you know what I mean.

Tomorrow's schedule:
6 Open Gym or Yogalates
7 Breakfast
8 Hike
10:30 Stretch class
11:15 Pool aerobics or Core Strength
12:15 Lunch
1:15 Lecture-Breaking Barriers
1:45 Open Gym
2:30 Cardio Circuit
3:30 Anatomy Workshop
5:00 Dinner
6:15 Increasing your caloric income

Too tired to write much

After this morning's hike, which was 2 hours and fifteen minutes long, all I wanted was a nap, but I still had 3 more classes and 3 more lectures to attend...It's 7:30 pm and i can hardly keep my eyes open. One of the other women who has been here 2 weeks said to take ibuprofen tonight before I go to sleep, otherwise my aches and pains will wake me up tonight. I took Yogalates this morning and I apparently have no abdominal muscles; other people were lying on their backs holding their legs straight up in the air--me, I had to hold them up with both arms!

Tomorrow's Schedule:
6--Open Gym
7--Breakfast
8--Hike
10:30 Stretch class
11:15 Pool aerobics or Yoga
12:15 Lunch
1:15 Cooking Demonstration
1:45 Open Gym
2:30 Cardio Circuit
3:30 Pool Aerobics
5:30 Dinner
6:15 Lecture: Spending your Calories Wisely II