The President's Challenge

Remember the President's Physical Fitness Test from elementary school back-in-the-day?   As part of National Employee Health and Fitness day, Team Reesy did the President's Challenge during our Monday group workout.   I remember how I felt about the test back in elementary school.  Boy, I would dread that day.  Today I was excited to give it a shot and see if I could do it! Totally different attitude some twenty-some years later.

It was tough! Crunches, push ups, pull ups and of course: the mile.   That was hardest for me because it took me the longest.  It's hard to see those folks that you started out working out with, but who have less weight to lose than you do, achieving their fitness goals before you do. If we had been actually doing the mile outside instead of indoors on treadmills, my team mates would have literally left me behind, the way my faster classmates did back in school during the President's test.   Even more challenging is the fact that the treadmill hurts my heel so bad that it feels like a nail driving into it with every step.   But I didn't want to give up.   I wanted to finish this challenge.   The last three tenths I decided to run and the only thing I could do to keep me going was saying audibly to myself, "Push, push, push."  I probably sounded like a labor and delivery coach.   I wanted to cry.  Something about working out makes me emotional.    It's hard when you want to be the best and you just physically can't do it yet.

But I completed the challenge!  And from what I can remember, I did better than what I did in elementary school.   I have to remind myself that you don't always have to win....it's staying in the race that counts.

Jenn & Millie Vs. The Crouton Bag

Millie and I were fixing salads for lunch: lettuce, carrots, a smidge of cheese, olives, turkey pepperoni, low fat Italian dressing...and then I pulled out the crouton bag.  Ta da!  Carbs: the forbidden fruit.  

"Look, I just have to have some croutons," I said to Millie. "And there are only 30 calories per serving. I'm eating them!"

"Shoot, girl me too!"  Millie said. 

We both laughed like we were kids getting away with something bad.  Finally!  She struggled to get the bag open while I kept a lookout to see if Marisa was coming around the corner.    She couldn't get it open.   Dang!   I gave it my best shot - to no avail.

"Millie, we're strong!  Seriously...what's wrong with this bag?" I exclaimed. 

We struggled for 5 more minutes before giving up and hunting down scissors.  Those croutons tasted so good...hey, go for a week without carbs and see what levels you're willing to sink to! And I only half-way believe that Marisa cast some sort of carb-blocking spell on us.

Challenge: Pig Pickin'

It was another beautiful weekend!   Mixed into our jammed pack weekend was a fine old Southern tradition: a pig pickin'.    As always, most of our traditions are centered around food, and the pig pickin' is no exception.  It was a challenge, but I've learned how to deal with those now.  I steered away from the mac and cheese and potato casseroles, and towards good ol' home cooked vegetables like butter beans and field peas.    I did have some barbeque, but kept it in moderation.   I avoided the dessert table all together and had some watermelon instead.  And you know what?  My world didn't end.   I focused more on the friends, family, and music going on and less on the food.  We even helped take down tables and chairs afterward, so I got a little cardio and strength training in!

The line was long, but it was worth it!

Me and the hubby

The Warriors

So, the boys decided to respond to our Team Reesy shirts.  We expected nothing less!  Shortly after our t-shirt debut, the guys got organized and decided to call themselves the Warriors.  They even compared themselves to William Wallace in Braveheart.  I told Milly that day, "If they come running out of the locker room one day with blue faces, hollering 'FREEDOM', I'm gonna fall off of whatever machine I'm on."

Below is what happened at yesterday's workout:

Team Reesy, innocently getting a warm up in: Sylvia, Mary, Cadelia and me.

Until this happened: Jeff M, George, Dana, Frank, Jeff and Roy

Jeff is responsible for Roy's "guns".  Mine too!

 

 

Dana and Frank

 

 

 

 

 

Marisa with Double Trouble: Frank and Roy

The Whole Team minus Lakshmi: Sylvia, Jenn, Dana, Milly, George, Frank, Jeff M, Mary, Roy and Cadelia

Then it was time to get to work:

And, at the end of Week One of the Battle of the Sexes, Team Reesy emerged victorious with a cumulative 18 pound loss over the Warriors 6 pound loss.  We GO girls!

YES!

I have been on this plateau for four weeks.  The scale wouldn't move.   I would work harder.  I would eat bad. The scale wouldn't move.  Work hard, slip up on the food.  Work hard, slip up on the food.  The scale remained the same.   I had seriously begun to doubt myself again and wonder how in the world I had managed to lose 72 pounds.  I began to fear failure more so than stairs, sea gulls, and random pyromaniac murderers.  I really started to panic about the situation.

Thank goodness for this Battle of the Sexes. Competition looming made me get my act together and eat exactly as I should. Marisa, who is as competitive as I am, stepped up our workouts and pushed us to new levels.   I've never worked out this hard in my life!

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd,.........I LOST 8 POUNDS THIS WEEK!   YES!  The grand total is now 77.  Just goes to prove to me that you can't get complacent or rest on your laurels.  You have to push hard every day. It pays off! 

My new goal is 10 pounds next week.  Not sure if I can do it, but I'm going to try hard.  Taking an idea from Jay on the Biggest Loser, I'm writing how much weight I want to lose this week on the inside of my wrist:

This Lizard

I'm not a sweet tooth - Doritos and salty snacks are my craving - but I must say that one thing I miss in the unhealthy food category is a Dairy Queen Blizzard.   Last night I saw a commercial for one and it made my mouth water.    When we were kids during summers at the lake, at night we'd take the boat over to Goldston's where there were rides, a huge arcade and a Dairy Queen.  The service was surly but a Butterfinger Blizzard on a hot summer night was a little piece of heaven.

A couple of years ago my husband and I were on our way back from South Carolina and pulled off of I-95 to get gas and lo and behold there was a Dairy Queen.  Of course the line at the counter was twelve deep but I was bound and determined that I was going to get my fix no matter how long I had to stand there. The line slowly crept forward until there was only one woman in front of me.   I had noticed that she was wearing one of those custom made family reunion t-shirts - I had stood behind her in line long enough to memorize her whole family tree - but little did I suspect what was about to happen.

When it was her turn in line she waved her arm rapidly towards a big chartered bus in the parking lot, and the whole busload of people came pouring out to give her their orders.   It is a testament to my love for the Blizzard - and my hard-headedness - that I still stood there in line as each family member placed their order....all with the exception of one woman.   She hemmed and hawed debating what to get while I seethed silently and shifted from foot to foot. 

"A hot dog?  Do you want a hamburger?   How about a Blizzard?" her relative asked patiently.

She shook her head and said, "This lizard don't want no Blizzard!"

I almost screamed, "Well this lizard does so would you order already!"

Eventually it was my turn and I was able to get my treat and get back on the road.    Man, the lengths I would go to for a Blizzard!   Something that would be consumed in minutes, but hang around my hips for the next three years.  I can control myself these days, but man sometimes this lizard really wants a Blizzard!

Signs You Have Had a Good Workout

In honor of Marisa's killer step class today, I offer the following list:

Signs You Have Had a Good Workout

• You stumble into the locker room with hair looking like Nick Nolte's mug shot.
• You have a sudden craving for protein so strong that find yourself saying, in a flat zombie voice, "Steeeeeaaaaak."
• You can literally wring your gym clothes out. 
• You suddenly find yourself dressed and realize you were so zoned out you don't remember. "How did I get in these clothes? 
• You find yourself hyper-aware of food smells.  Me to Florence as we got on the elevator to go back upstairs after Step, "Someone's had french fries on this elevator."
• You attack your lunch like a wolverine over fresh kill.
• Even after attacking your lunch like a wolverine, you are still hungry.
• You feel like you have been on a short trip to the Amazon.
• 2 hours after class your muscles stiffen up and suddenly you have the legs of Godzilla. 
• You feel like you could literally eat your desk...then you begin imagining the desk with A-1 sauce, maybe a little ranch.  You wonder how many calories are in a serving of desk.  Is desk considered a carb?