Group Workout Numero Uno!!

Workout Length: 1 h 17 mins
Calories Burned: 1203 (45% fat)

(I actually started the watch about 10 minutes late, so it's actually more than that)

I feel FANTASTIC!
That was awesome, and the endorphins have totally kicked in. I feel amazing!

We met with our teams, we met with our trainer. I'm really excited about my team, they seem pretty motivated and most of us have lots of weight to lose. Also, we have one guy who is SUPER high energy. During our work outs he kept pep-talking us... "C'mon! Keep it up! Let's go!" It was really helpful. I felt really enthusiastic and did really well on the work out. Awesome :)

Our first group workout:

Walk to a park, about 10 minutes away.
As a group, we did 3 sets of squats, crunches, push ups, and leg lifts.

Then we split into our teams and did an obstacle course:

Station One: Soccer. We had to line up and kick the ball at the goal, and everyone on the team had to score two goals before we could move on. When done we ran to the back of the line. After that we split in half and played a game against each other. It was really intense, I forgot how much running is involved in soccer! I didn't score a goal, but I did run pretty much non-stop. My heart rate was up the whole time and I was sweating like crazy! One woman on our team pulled a muscle, which is unfortunate.

Station Two: We had to walk briskly around the field three times with a balance ball held up over our heads. This was harder than it sounds... keeping your arms up like that is hard work! One girl actually fell over and hyperventalated, so we took a little break while she gathered herself. It was intense.

Station Three: Tug of war. My team won!

Station Four: We had to do 10 push ups, run across the field, do 10 more push ups, and run back.... three times. I came in second on my team! I am in better shape than I thought. hahah

Station Five: Same sort of deal as four, but different. We take turns running over to a tub full of tennis balls, pick one up and ran back. Our team then had to perform what ever the ball had written on it... "push ups" or "squats" or "crunches" or whatever. It was great.

Then we did the 10 minute walk back to the gym.

I was sweating like crazy but loved every single second of it! My sore ankle didn't give me any trouble, and I've been in such a great mood all night! I'm actually EXCITED for tomorrow. The thought of waking up at 5am almost deterred me from joining, but now I can't wait for morning!

I came home and ate quite a bit. I ate some mixed nuts, a granola bar, a couscous stuffed pepper, some cucumber and some watermelon. I also tried one of the protein drinks I bought this afternoon. It isn't terrible. It's certainly not amazing tasting, but it's bearable. I think I'll have one each morning and each evening... that's 40g of protein of 140 required for the program. I've found a few mock-meats hiding in the back of my freezer that are worth 20-30g of protein per serving. Not shabby! I don't really like eating processed foods, but if I maintain an otherwise whole-food diet, a few mock-meats here and there will be okay.

I'm excited about tomorrow. I'll log my food, my calories burned, etc... and post when I get home :)

T - 45 Minutes!

Oh My Flying Spaghetti Monster.

I just got home from the mall... spent $200 on a new pair of gym shoes and a big-arse container of Vegan protein powder. My trainer better be proud!

I'm posting a blog instead of getting ready.... oops. My first session starts in 40 minutes! My ankle has been really sore and bothering me today, but I can't decide if it's just psychosomatic. It is a bit sore every day, so it could be the same soreness magnified by my apprehension!

I tried to keep hydrated today, and I had a bean burrito for lunch so hopefully I'll survive the first workout without dropping dead.

Wish me luck!

Starting Stats

BODY WEIGHT: 280.5 lbs
BODY FAT: 33.9 %
LBS OF BODY FAT: 95.3 lbs
LEAN MASS: 185.2

Since the goal is to keep 25-30 lbs of body fat, the total body fat I need to lose is 65.3 lbs. Of course I will lose water, and a tiny bit of lean mass. My personal goal weight is 177.5 lbs, the goal weight my trainer has set for me is 170 lbs. Honestly, I'll be happy with anything under 200!

CHEST: 44.75"
WAIST: 47"
HIPS: 57"
ARMS: 17.75"
LEGS: 33"
CALVES: 18.75"

Goodbye Beer

Okay so... I've officially signed my flab away.

I spent the greater part of the day pining over the fact that:

a) I won't be able to drink alcohol during warm summer months;

b) I have to drag my sorry arse out of bed at 5 am 3x per week;

c) No more extravagant veggie feasts that I've been cooking and enjoying lately!

I pull up to the gym. I walk in and meet the manager. We sit down in her office, where all the walls are plastered with photographs of competitive bodybuilders complete with spray tans and zillion-pack abs. I feel like I'm possibly the most gelatinous person to ever set foot in that office.

For the sake of full disclosure, I must admit I am typing this blog while eating a bowl of butterscotch swirl soy ice-cream.

We talked about my diet, and she was very vocally against vegetarianism (but also uneducated about the subject so it's not any realistic vote against it). She kept saying "WHY?" "But, Whyyyyy?" haha. She asked if I was one of those 'cute little lambs' kind of people. I said "Uhh... If you mean do I do it for ethical reasons, then yes, I am one of those cute little lamb people."

Hehehe. Whatever, I don't mind that she was ignorant about the subject. She's just concerned I won't meet the protein requirements for such an intense program, but I will. It's not hard to consume enough protein as a vegetarian, even when working out. A 1/2 block of tofu has 26 grams of protein. 1/4 cup of seitan has 22 grams. I veggie burger has 15 grams. It won't be hard.

We did a weigh, measure, and body fat analysis. We talked about my expectations, which apparently were quite low. I said I'd be happy losing 30 lbs in 12 weeks... her reply was "Pfffft! You'll lose at LEAST 30. I'd say 50 or 60 - Eaaaasy."

WHAT? REALLY?

I actually have a lot less weight to lose than I initially thought. She figures I'd be fit at around 170 lbs, which I agree with. (I'm kinda tall, and my frame isn't small). Apparently I only have abut 65 lbs of actual fat to lose, the rest is either lean mass or water. Awesome.

I will make another post with the actual statistics in it, and then update the progress from there.

Tomorrow is our first day. We meet at 5:00 pm. I'm supposed to show up in something semi-unflattering for "before" photos. I meet my team members, my trainer, go over the meal plan, and do our first work out! I'm scared, since her encouragement for the workout was "hopefully you don't puke!"

Yeah. Hopefully...

Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid!

Ahhhhhh! Ack!
I'm SO excited. EEE!

Okay, This was entirely spur of the moment, but I'm doing it and I'm SO excited!

I was out for my evening walk and I saw a poster for "Biggest Loser Nanaimo." I freaked and whipped out my cell phone and called the gym, only to find out that the registration date had already passed.

I ended up pleading with the manager and he said that it starts SUNDAY... so if I can fill out all the paperwork and initial weigh-in stuff before Sunday, I'm allowed in!!

I practically ran home and figured out my funds and schedule, and it totally works. I will have to be a bit frugal this summer, butttt I figure it's worth it. Plus I won't have time to spend my money, I'll be working out too much! haha

The Program:

There are 40 participants. We're broken into teams, with trainers, just like on the show. We have team training sessions 3x per week, and then 2x per week we are with an assigned partner. Each Sunday we meet at the gym and do an official WI!!

There is a diet plan laid out (I told her I'm vegetarian-nearing-vegan and she said we'll work with that) and our personal trainers will be monitoring our food logs, etc.

It's pretty expensive but I'm really excited about it. I checked the website and it's actually "Biggest Loser" brand name, not just a knock off... I assume the gym and trainers had to actually learn the BL program to be able to use it's name.

Aaaackkkk

The prize (which really, I'm just doing it for the weight loss, the prize would be sweet though) is a 1 year membership at the gym, 1 year of weekly personal trainer sessions, and a cash prize.

I. Can't. Wait.
:D