Women's Boot Camp Fitness, Colorado Springs' Top Women Only Boot Camp Fitness Program
Check out the new site
Posted by Pam
My Boot Camp Diary can now be found at http://womensbootcampfitness.com/diary/. The Boot Camp Web site is http://womensbootcampfitness.com. There you can read success stories, learn about nutrition and meal plans, find all the latest classes and even sign up for Boot Camp. And make sure you check out the Boot Camp blog for tips, recipes and notes from Joe.
Finishing strong
Posted by Pam
The end of another year is upon us. And I’m sure I don’t have to remind you it’s also the end of a decade. I’ve seen enough best of the decade lists to last me another 10 years. But with these ends in mind, are you thinking of what you’ve accomplished this year (or even this decade)? Are you healthy? Are you happy? Are you fit and energized?
My Boot Camp adventure started back in May and will continue on into the new year — with no end in site (and that’s a good thing). We campers are working hard to end the year on a high note. This morning’s workout was no exception. It may be a smaller group during this hectic holiday season, but we work just as hard as ever. And Joe works hard to stay creative.
This morning, one of my fellow campers said she wondered last week if Joe was mad at her for missing Boot Camp. There’s accountability for you. Someone else pointed out that not many personal trainers will call or text you over the weekend or during holidays to make sure you’re taking care of yourself like Joe does.
This time of year, you’re going to see a lot of ads for gyms and diet aids and exercise equipment. It’s certainly tempting to believe the hype of some of these products. (Make sure you read the fine print. Most of them say, “Results not typical.”) And maybe they would work for you. But each person needs to figure out what works for her, what she can maintain. Some of us aren’t good at working out alone or going to a gym. And many diet plans are so restrictive as to make it impossible to follow for the rest of our lives.
That’s why Boot Camp works for me. I work out with people I like, with personalized attention. It challenges me. It keeps me motivated, and I look forward to going. With just a few workouts left until the end of the year, I want to make sure I finish strong, so I can start the new year — the new decade — feeling good.
Make time for you
Posted by Pam
This time of year can get crazy busy and sometimes way too stressful. Make sure you take time out to exercise. It helps reduce stress and it’s something you do just for yourself. I didn’t get around to writing about the boxing workout I did Saturday, but it was a lot of fun and prepared me for the onslaught of goodies at the TWO holiday parties I attended later that day.
Today, I went to another boxing workout with some of my fellow Boot Campers. We’re trying to squeeze in just a few more squats and kicks and punches before we take a little break for the holiday Friday. With everything we do to prepare for the big day, whether it’s getting ready for a trip, cooking, decorating, shopping or braving the winter weather (hello, snow!), we might forget to take a few minutes to do something good for ourselves.
Personally, this time of year can get a bit depressing — what with such few hours of daylight — and exercise really helps combat that. So, wrap your presents, write your cards, plan your menus, but also take time to workout. Then, relax and enjoy your favorite holiday special.
Healthy Holidays!
It may be frustrating at times
Posted by Pam
It’s really frustrating when you’ve been working really hard and you feel like you’re not making any progress. I know I have more energy and I’m more toned, but that number on the scale won’t budge — if anything it’s crept up a pound or so. Talk about frustrating.
I can tell myself my age is a factor, and as women age, it becomes harder for us to lose weight than when we were in our 20s. I can tell myself my thyroid disease is a factor, and even when it’s in the “normal” range, it can wreak havoc on my metabolism. I can tell myself I just need to cut back a little more and work a little harder, but I feel like I’m working really hard now to just maintain.
The most important thing I tell myself is to not give up. Yes, it’s hard. And yes, it’s frustrating at times. But I do feel better, thanks to my Boot Camp workouts. I have more energy. I’m in a better mood. I have more stamina to do the things I like to do or even have to do to get through the day.
I may be just maintaining. But it’s better than the alternative.
Holiday prep
Posted by Pam
The holiday season is in full swing. Are you prepared? I’m not just talking about decorations and shopping. Are you fully prepared to face the onslaught of sugar cookies and pumpkin bread and peppermint bark? Are you ready for the egg nog and rum punch and champagne toasts? When you overeat not only do you take in way too many calories, but your body goes into fat storage mode.
Eating too much and too often will:
- zap your energy
- disrupt your concentration and focus
- impair your immune system
- elicit mood swings
- accelerate the aging process
- increase cravings
- contribute to the Dreaded Holiday Weight Gain
Keeping up with your workouts will help — remember, we don’t want to undo our hard work. Stay active. It also helps combat stress you might be feeling over visiting in-laws and mall parking lots. As tempting as it is this time of year to stay in my nice warm bed and just skip workouts, I know Boot Camp has been a great way for me to get in — and stay in — shape. I feel a lot more energetic on the days I go than on the days I sleep in.
You can enjoy this season and the best foods it has to offer without sacrificing your waistline. The following Holiday Calorie Control Strategies will help you practice smart indulging so you can avoid weight gain this holiday season — and those in coming years.
Tip #1 ~ Have a Plan
Food is going to be everywhere. Even if it’s not right in front of your face, you sure can smell it. Maybe you’re the one preparing, mixing, baking or cooking the food or maybe you’re in charge of serving it. Trying to just stay away from it is pretty unrealistic. When you tell yourself you can’t have something, it makes you want it even more. Allow yourself to have some of what you like but only take half the amount you normally would. This automatically cuts your calories, sugar and fat in half!
Tip #2 ~ Eat!
Don’t starve yourself prior to the holiday event. You’ll slow your metabolism down to a fat storing rate and you’ll arrive at the party ravenous, guaranteeing overindulgence. Instead, start each day with a supportive breakfast – particularly something high in protein, fiber and high quality (whole grain) carbohydrates. Also be sure to eat something light before you go to the get together. Choosing a healthy high protein snack before you leave will help you feel full longer. You’ll be less likely to eat too much which will help reduce your overall calorie consumption.
Tip #3 ~ Limit the alcohol!
Did you know the average alcoholic drink contains 200 calories per glass while an 8-ounce cup of eggnog with rum contains a whopping 450 calories? Not only does alcohol pack a lot of empty calories, but it shuts down your body’s ability to burn fat. This becomes a double or even triple whammy if you are already overeating your favorite holiday meals and sweet desserts. Plus over-consumption lowers inhibitions and self-control — not a good combination when you’re near the holiday buffet table!
Make it a goal this holiday season to limit your intake of alcohol and you’ll see quite a difference in your ability to stay on track and avoid holiday weight gain. Some suggested non-alcoholic alternatives include club soda with lime, tomato juice and diet soda.
Really can’t resist a nip? Try this lower-calorie drink that punches up the nutritional value by adding antioxidant rich pomegranate juice.
Pomegranate Champagne Punch
**For a nonalcoholic version, combine 2 1/2 cups seltzer and 2 cups pomegranate juice.**
6 servings, 3/4 cup each (note the serving size here!)
Ingredients
Preparation
Nutrition Per serving: 128 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 5 mg sodium; 72 mg potassium.
Let the good times roll
Posted by Pam
I don’t know if I should even count today as a workout. It was so much fun. Although, I bet if you ask me tomorrow, I will be feeling it. And it was by no means easy. But the kickboxing circuit we did today was a ton of fun — punching and kicking the dummy, kicking the bag, punching the heavy bag. We did some flutter kicks, though, so I guess it wasn’t all fun. And my fellow Boxing Boot Campers may not agree with me, but they seemed to be having a good time too. There was plenty of laughter mixed in with our punches and kicks. I think with all the holiday parties coming up next week, we wanted to get a head start on combating any extra calories. Then again, maybe it will be easier to resist the temptation of cocktail weinies and egg nog, because we won’t want to undo all our hard work
Check back here over the next few days for tips to avoiding weight gain during the holiday party season, as well as some healthy holiday recipes. You can be good to yourself without eating every sweet in sight. And you can have fun without overindulging.
Fighting the good fight
Posted by Pam
Here we are at the end of another week, and I post another Boot Camp Diary entry. I can’t believe I’m just 11 workouts from 100 days of Boot Camp. It’s incredible how quickly that time has gone by. It’s also incredible that although I feel stronger and leaner, the workouts can still be so hard. That’s part of why it’s so great to workout this way. I have probably spent years of my life on stair climbers and treadmills and saw very little results. It’s hard for me to push myself on those machines. I may be easily amused but on the flip side, I’m also easily bored. How many times a week can I climb stairs and stare at a television (especially a TV with no sound!)?
After I these months, I can still say Boot Camp is the perfect place for me to get in shape. It’s challenging. It’s new every time. It’s filled with fun and funny people. I look forward to each and every workout. Sure, I may whine about burpees and flutter kicks (actually, I probably whine about a lot of the exercises) but I know they’re good for me. I also know I wouldn’t do those exercises on my own or at the gym. Some of us need that push. Some of us need a little competition — if Camper J can do it, I can do it!
Those of you who come to Boot Camp — whether you’ve been going for days, months or years — know what I’m talking about. It’s so much work, so much fun and so rewarding, we just keep doing it week after week. It’s kind of like a drug. But not like a weight-loss drug, because this actually works.
Just getting there is sometimes the hardest part
Posted by Pam
Nice weather we’re having this week, isn’t it? Waking up to snow Monday, I decided to forgo Boot Camp and work out at home. (I really did work out, too. And the battery on my MP3 player died five minutes before the end of my routine. You don’t have to worry about Joe’s battery running out before the end of class!)
This morning wasn’t really much better — bitter cold temperatures and snow-packed roads — but I strapped on my boots, bundled up and braved the weather to get to Boot Camp.
Getting there is sometimes the hardest part of a workout, but it’s not the only part. The workout itself has to be hard, too. You pushed yourself to get there, now push a little more and make that drive worthwhile. Exercise is a great way to melt away the pre-holiday stress — not to mention the pre-holiday cookies, cocktails and other goodies. You can’t hide behind that bulky, ugly festive Christmas sweater all winter.
