The Lake

One of my favorite places in the world is White Lake, NC.   I grew up there during my childhood summers with my cousins Jason and Holly.   We have so many wonderful family memories in the water, by the water, and on the water.  Saturday was the first day of this year that I've gotten over to the lake and it was great to visit with everyone, especially Holly and Jason and their children.    It was crazy to watch the little ones play at the water's edge the way we used to when we were kids.

Obviously, a lot has changed!  We build our homes and careers instead of sandcastles now.  We drive cars instead of golf carts.  We have a lot more to worry about these days than whether to spend the afternoon swimming or playing video games at the arcade.

One big change is our outlook on health and wellness.  The three of us have all struggled with our weight at one point or another in our lives.   We look back and laugh at how we used to get up on those summer mornings and wash our powdered donuts down with Tang.  Talk about a sugar rush!  Times have changed and now when we get together a lot of what we talk about is healthy food and work outs.   Holly has just completed a 5K, I'm on my wellness journey, and Jason did a triathalon this weekend!   I think we're a good example for this next generation of our family! Looking forward to a healthy summer at the Lake!

Jenn and Jason

Jenn and Maggie, Holly's daughter

Don't Call It A Comeback

I've been feeling a little weird this week...restless, unsettled, and in general just not right.  Something I couldn't put my finger on was bugging me until the light bulb went off and I realized what was wrong: my muscles felt too good.  Having one or multiple aching muscle groups is now the norm for me and also my badge of honor for a job well done.  It was making me feel strange and anxious that nothing was hurting.   I've done nothing but cardio this week and so naturally, in all my paranoid glory, I automatically started panicking about losing my muscle tone. 

"Something's gonna hurt when I leave this gym today." I declared to Sylvia later when we met up at the gym.  

She was game, God bless her.   We started out with a warm-up on the bike before moving on to a four circuit Tabata blast on the elliptical (http://www.tabataprotocol.com/), then did some free weights and the cable cross machine.  We ended with four more circuits on the elliptical.  

Whew!  Just what I needed!  Thank you Sylvia!  You are an awesome work out partner. You are encouraging but you also do your own thing and work hard. You're calm and cool and you never give in or give up.

As I stretched out on my back on the ball - the "feel free to take me Jesus" pose, I call it - a head-banging, metal version of LL Cool J's "Momma Said Knock You Out" came on over the Pandora radio I was listening to on my phone.   It made me smile.  "Don't call it a comeback!"

In Case of Possible Zombie Attack

I have a hilarious friend who says that his whole motivation for being in the gym is to be physically prepared in case zombies eventually attack Resident Evil style.  He says that all you need to do is be able to run fast, shoot straight, and have the ability to scale a wall in the event you need to get away from them.  The other day I staggered out of the group exercise room to get some water and he asked me if I was prepared.   I told him that on top of my cardio, my trigger finger muscles are ready.   

All kidding aside, it's important to be able to at least be able to give yourself a fighting chance to get away from an approaching assailant, whether that be a mugger, rapist, or an incoming zombie chanting, "Braiiiiiinssssss..." In my former body, I certainly couldn't run away from anything.   I had no muscular strength.  I was virtually defenseless.   Now I can sprint! And if that isn't fast enough, I know I can knock them out with my cross punch.  It's always good to be ever vigilant!

Battle of the Sexes

During the month of May, my Transformation team and our trainers will be waging the Battle of the Sexes.  Jeff is only going to train the guys and Marisa will exclusively train the girls. The winner is going to receive a really nice mystery prize.  It's great motivation for me because even mentioning the word "competition" makes my ears perk up like a doberman.

Laks, Milly, and I started the month off early with a Saturday Zumba class. I haven't done that class for several months because, as hard as I go at it 5 days a week, my trainers have advised me to take the weekends off most of the time. But it's game on now and it was a trip to see, or rather feel, how far I've come since that first Zumba class last October. Back then my muscles would stiffen up and clamp down on me when I tried to move them. I would also  collapse against the wall for dear life between each song. It's a different story now! I have so much more endurance and flexibility!   I almost treat workouts as a cool little experiment to see what new "trick" I can do each week.

This week's experiment....Boot Camp! Milly and I were definitely out of our comfort zone but it was a great challenge and we made it!  I don't know what the boys are up to, but I know the ladies are bringing it!

Lord of the Pants

One Christmas the gift giving theme on one side of my family was pajama pants.   Mine were blue with fluffy white sheep on them, so when I tried them on and modeled them for the family, I did a little jig I called the "sheep dance."  This started a trend in that everyone who got a pair of pjs had to create an interpretive dance for the family based on the theme of their pants.  It was awesome. We said we needed to take our show on the road and call it "Lord of the Pants". We're all silly, but we have a good time together.

Last night I stood in front of my closet, contemplating what I was going to wear to work. Back towards the very end of my closet I spied a glimpse of bubble gum pink- my favorite capri pants from several years ago when I lost weight with Weight Watchers!  I'd forgotten about them!  See, for several years after I gained the Weight Watchers pounds back, I tried over and over to get back into those pants, even though at the time I hadn't done anything to warrant weight loss.  Then I just stopped attempting to wear them and hung them up in the back of the closet in defeat.  Then I gave up altogether.

Holding the pink pants in my hand, I asked myself if I had the guts to try them on.  What if they still didn't fit after all of this blood, sweat and tears?  I think I'd want to fling myself into the nearest ditch.

Curiosity won out over fear, and lo and behold - they fit! I did a happy dance around the bedroom in them. The jack russells even got into the frenzy.   Next I rushed over to the closet and started plundering, finding all of my capris in pretty spring colors and patterns....from a time when I felt confident not just to hide in black pants. They fit too! A victorious impromptu fashion show for my husband and the terriers was then necessary.    They probably all think I'm crazy but who cares?  I'm Lord of the Pants!
 

Snakes!

Yesterday the usual crew was changing clothes in the locker room when someone said, "I heard there were snakes down here...like someone saw them under the treadmills." Snakes!  Seriously, snakes?!  My heart stopped for a moment and my jaw literally dropped.   I hate snakes and fear them almost as much as I do the stairs.   Like working out isn't a challenge enough, now you have to throw reptiles into the mix?   The rumor was quickly squashed though. Turns out that it was a rumor and there weren't any snakes at all. I've spent a zillion hours down in the gym and haven't ever seen the first slither, so I calmed down went on to my next fear inducing event, pull ups.

You know, as heinous as snakes are, there could be some uses for them in a workout:

• Want to get more speed on the treadmill?  Have a snake chase you.
•  Use them as resistance bands.
• Jump rope with them.
• A snake pit obstacle course a la Indiana Jones to increase balance.
• Have your trainer throw them at you....if you can dodge a snake you can dodge a ball.
• Set them under your step at step class...that will motivate you up those risers.

In all seriousness, if my trainers are reading this...please don't get any ideas.  : )

Pre-Summer Buzz

It was a beautiful Easter weekend on the coast of North Carolina!  Our family gathered together to open up our beach house at Topsail Island, and to do the big Spring Clean. It was also our first time driving our new car to the beach, and what a thrill it was to put the top down!  

After a long day of cleaning, we decided to join my dad and his fiance for dinner.  I had a glass of chardonnay before we left for the restaurant and I must say it hit me quick (guess having 72 pounds off will lower your tolerance).  As we cruised along the beach road (the husband was driving) with the top down, the ocean over my shoulder, some great tunes bumping out of the speakers, and a slight buzz from the wine, I realized how amazingly free I felt. I closed my eyes and felt the wind on my face and thought, it doesn't get much better than this.

See, I love summer, but for the past few years I have dreaded it.    I have been a person who didn't feel healthy enough to be active on the beach, who sat on the sidelines while everyone else was riding jet skis, who didn't have the stamina to walk a couple of blocks down to the water at the lake, who hid inside and looked out at the life she desperately wished she had back...but no longer.   I didn't start out in life that way and I sure as heck am not going to end my life over it either.    I can't wait for this summer!  I am going to be back to the active me who has the ability to enjoy anything she wants! Pass the SPF.