For years I worked out alone or with my husband. My husband is a great partner, but finding the time to go sometimes became tricky. Besides, when you husband tells you to “keep you shoulders back” and you already think you do you are a lot more likely to tell them to back off! This is why when Chad was a trainer everyone had a saying, “never train your spouse.”

When I work out alone I go easy, I quit early, I won’t do that last set, I’ll skip out on doing core…I’m horrible. I’m not saying I do that everytime, but I certainly am not nearly as excited to be in there.

I’d say that I started working out consistently in November of 2010. I worked out alone or with Chad. I was getting bored….fast and with the holidays approaching, I was scared I would quit! (Isn’t it strange that I would be afraid of such a thing? You’d think being aware would make it a nonissue? Anyway…). My friend Meagan had just moved to my town. We’d always talked about working out but she lived a little bit further away and it never happened. We were excited to start hitting the gym together. Let me tell you, I had no idea what I was in for. Since working out with my partner I have seen HUGE changes. I attribute SO much of my success to her!

Reasons why having a gym partner has benefitted me:

1) My gym partner and I have a designated time that we meet everyday (except Wednesday and Sunday). Having this scheduled we make appointments around this time…you’d never schedule something when you knew you had a dr appointment at the same time, why do you do it at the gym? Also, knowing that we have this time, I can prepare mentally everyday…rather than wondering, “when am i going to get to the gym today?” Trust me, that never happens. ((It also helps that her kids are older than my kids so she’s like 100times more flexible than I am!))

2) Meagan is competitive. When I say that I mean, if I accidentally do too many reps, she’s going to do too many reps too. If I can lift XX lbs, she’s gonna lift XX lbs. This is great for me because I’m NOT competitive, but sometimes when she gets in that mode, I just want to beat her. It’s that constant competition that push us to do more.

3) Motivator. When I feel like I just can’t do something (ahem, jumprope) she’s over there telling me I can, trying to get me to do as much as I can. Also, I’m never going to skip that last set, skip on core, etc when someone is there is pushing me.

4) Friendship. It’s been great for our friendship and that helps in the gym. I know the gym isn’t a place to be social, but occasionally, that get you through a rough set and that’s ok. Also, It allows us to pick at each other in a motivating way that only friends can do.

5) Sounding board. So many of our conversations at the gym are regarding food and lifting…by talking out what you are eating and doing you get in that mindset for the rest of the day. You also know that you aren’t alone so that when you are missing some fun meal at, lets say, MOPS, you know that its because you have someone you have to be accountable to!

What you should look for in someone:

1) Same goals. What does your end result look like? Do you just want to loose some weight? Are you wanting to be muscular? Are you trying to build endurance? If you want to be muscular (resistance training) but your partner is wanting to build more cardiovascular endurance, well you won’t be wanting to focus on the same exercises. I want to have a lean and fit physique. I wan tto be in cardiovascular healthy, but its the lowest thing on my list.

2) Availability. You need to be able to work out at the same time consistently. If you are a morning person, I wouldn’t be finding a workout partner that prefers to workout at night. If you both have small children, you need to find a common time where all kids are happy and the gym childcare is open. Before deciding to work together get a set schedule. Sure things come up, be flexible, but keep a schedule.

3) Stronger in areas you have weaknesses. I haven’t found my partners weaknesses, but I know she fills mine. Her athletic background pushes me because I have never had one. If you told me to run sprints between sets I’d laugh and say I didn’t have to. Because, really, you don’t HAVE to…you just won’t be seeing as great results.

4) I had another thing but can’t remember it. Boo.

Watch the arm in these pictures. This is where you can see what the difference in just weight loss and heavy lifting weight loss.

November 2009

I was thrilled with how I looked in picture one, it wasn’t until I saw picture two that i realized I was still a bit heavy.

About a year later August 2010

I had massive weight loss from Feb-June of 2010. Not sure what kicked in, but I was never hungry. BUT, it was skinny-fat, just look at my arm, no definition.

April 2011:

Hello results. Eating ‘better’ and very heavy lifting and finally muscle tone. I’m actually close to the exact same weight but look at the difference training can make!! I hardly ever do cardio focusing 95% of my gym time on lifting heavy weights.

I have to give massive props to Dan Sprinkle at Integrated Health and Fitness in Southlake for continuously providing me with support, workouts, and nutrition guidance. I’ve been under Dan’s guidance for many years unofficially as he was the one who got my husband into training, etc. He’s told me for years what to do and for years I only got half the results I was looking for because I only put in half the effort. In the last four months he’s provided me with a series of workouts designed to transform the physique…success. Dan knows what it takes for results and has successfully guided many people to their transformation. He also coaches a great deal of competitors (body building, figure, etc). If you are needing to get started, wanting to take it to the next level, or simply just wanting a good trainer, Dan is the man (wow, that’s cliche!).

((Now, notice I have no pictures of progression on my bottom half. Because, we all have trouble areas. I am much smaller than I have ever been on the bottom, but still have a fair share of fat to lose. This is why I’m starting to eat cleaner…I was to see how far I can go.))

When I started out three weeks ago I was signed up to attend 10 sessions. Because of my detour, I missed out on the rest of week one. Then, when I got started back up, I missed because EP was gone. Then this week I missed one session because Starlet had kept me up overnight. So, I made 5.5 of ten.

That first day, I thought I was going to die. Like, seriously, thought I may pass out right then and there. But, after completing this week I was blowing and going. I ran a mile with ease. I could jump without being scared (okay, maybe I’m still a wee bit nervous). My core feels tighter. My muscles feel good. I ran hills in the dark backwards. Learned about snot rockets. Peed in the grass. Worked out in 30* temps at 5:30 am. But most importantly I feel AWESOME and, an added bonus, the scale dropped 2.5 lbs. Overall, I am SUPER satisfied with this course.

The instructor, Anna, is a delight. She doesn’t let you quit, she pushes just right and she’s ALL about positive reenforcement. Okay, have to admit, all the positive talking wasn’t my favorite thing at first, but today when I was running and cheering on my group of girls, I totally understood. Anna’s influence had rubbed off, we were working as a team because of the environment created around us.

So, locals (and i can see you), go check out this site and think about it.   WWW.DFWBOOTCAMP.COM

Excuses? Here are my answers…

Yes, getting up at 5 to be there on time is hard. I have to say, though, I feel energized all morning because I’m up, have worked out, and dressed all before the kids wake up (also yielding to a pretty good morning quiet time!).

Yes, it’s cold. I promise you, once you get moving you don’t even remember that its cold. I honestly feel like my body is working harder in the cold because I’m working and trying to keep warm. (By the way, when its ridiculously cold or rainy, there is an indoor facility that is used.)

Yes, it’s hard, but nothing a beginner couldn’t handle. There are people of all skill level there. Some have never worked out, some are trying to get back into the swing of things, other are fitness freaks! Everyone works at their own pace. And no one is ever left behind!

{Thank you Kelly for telling me about them! }

Started out with a good warm up with soccer balls.  Part of this included throwing a ball against a wall and catching it.  Yeah, I really know why I wasn’t in sports. I couldn’t catch my own ball for anything.  I tried blaming it on my gloves, but after I took them off I still couldn’t catch the darn thing!

Next we headed to picnic tables for step-ups.  Ugh. Step-ups.  I had visions of training at Larry North all over again!  (Ahem ,yeah, that was 4.5 years ago – so what!) So lots of step-ups in different variations….after counting the sets and all we did I think we did about 100.  Also some tricep and core work in there.

During this, my stomach pain returned….I guess I need to flashback a bit.  A reason I did post anything last night was that sometime during the morning yesterday (Monday) I started having major abdominal pain.  I kept checking the calendar, period? ovulating?  nothing.  Very similar to the pain I was experiencing in North Carolina in October.  When I had the pain there it lasted about two weeks I kept saying that I’d go to the dr but never did.

Yall, I can handle my pain.  For pete sake, I had an unmedicated birth! But I had this too long!  I had to lay on the floor to take care of the kids yesterday…that doesn’t fly!  I hate taking medication, but I would do anything to make this pain stop.  But stopping pain isn’t the answer, what is causing the pain is what I want to know.

Okay, back to this morning, I hadn’t had the pain when I woke up and it had gradually started during the step-ups…but I wasn’t going to wuss out.  As I said before, I pushed that baby out in under three hours without drugs, I can push through this workout.  But, I realized once the next activity was about to start, I needed to stop.  Ugh.  Such a pride thing.  I wanted to prove I could do this but my body HURT! So, after thirty minutes I bolted.

I came home, woke EP up, he laid hands on me and we prayed…it was time for answers.  We discussed which Dr. to call: GYN – since it was pelvic; Family – since it could be anything; ER – since we all know thats where they send you when they can’t determine anything else??  I made an appointment with my family Dr at 11:30 and then headed to my moms, stopping at the bank first. While at the bank drive through, I couldn’t take anymore. Crying, I called EP and said lets go to the ER.

I never understand when people immediately run to the ER. We have never been like that in my family. We always wait for our usual Dr and see him….but now I get it, sometime you just need to be seen.

First, I’m tested for kidney stones, negative.  Then, they check vitals and tell me I’m dehydrated.  Uh, really?  If you know me at all, you know I’m never far from a water bottle. But, I admit, i had sticky mouth and everything, so I didn’t fight it.  Bam, IV.

Saw the Dr  He did a lot of feeling around.  ”Knocking” on my body.  Nothing.  He says I need a CAT Scan.  Now, I’m just going to be very honest here and say that is the last thing I wanted to do.  I have an HSA (Health Saving Account) / High Deductible account because we are so healthy…but this is where it bites you.  (I’m going to blog on a financial revelation regarding this next).

CAT Scan reveals 3 stones in my left kidney (all pain is left side) but the dr says stones IN the kidney aren’t the painful part, its when they move down.  Then he says that my left ovary was significantly smaller than the right and surrounded by some fluid, so a possible rupture of an ovarian cyst.  I’ve had cysts before, very likely.  The cyst totally bore witness with EP…as we discussed it the general consensus was it probably grew in NC and ruptured due to the sudden impact of the new workout.  I was sent home with a RX for vicodin and told the stones may or may not cause me pain in the future.

Honestly, I’m glad I went and even though I realllllllly didn’t want a scan, I’m happy to know that all of my organs are working perfectly and in order. There is a peace in that right?  I’m happy that, even though I hate drugs, there is something to help me through this pain while it lasts.   So I guess I’ll chill out the next few days…. sigh.

Last night I slept in my workout clothes, yup my husband laughed too.  I figured it would be best not to have to get dressed on one of the coldest morning this fall.  I woke up all night long thinking I should get up.  1:45; 3:20; 4:45….seriously, don’t you hate that?

I get there this morning, we do a brief warm-up and then the leader says, “Okay gals, lets head to the track!”  Uh, the track? Really?  Didn’t I explain my current fear of running/jumping?  The goal she says is to maintain a pace two laps.  But somehow, I probably wasn’t listening, after the second lap she says we are doing a mile.  A MILE??  I haven’t run period since I crossed the finish line at the White Rock Half almost exactly 2 years ago.

I survived the run and actually impressed myself.  Go me.  Then we do some band work….shoulders (ugh – i just did shoulders, chest and tris Saturday).  Then she says “pony up.” I’m looking around like, “Huh?”  And a gal puts a band around her waist and says, “Hold on.”  This almost killed me.  After running a mile now I’m holding back another person running and then I have to run while that person holds me.  Thought I was going to die right there.  Repeat the bands and running three times.  Seriously, yall, at the end of the third I thought I was going to puke.  FOR REAL!

I’m still trying to collect myself and its off to walking lunges with weights…this lady doesn’t want me to survive, I’m sure of it. Following the walking lunges we work on core (praise the LORD most of it was lying down!).  Stretch and DONE!

I’m not lying when I say if I hadn’t already paid I may not be going back!  I.am.beat! Just kidding, I would go back.  I said yesterday that I hadn’t been going all out…today I went all out and it felt great. I miss that feeling (okay, not the almost puke feeling but EP would totally say its a good thing). I have ten more sessions until they have a holiday break.

The cool thing was, I came home and got all showered and dressed before the kids were even up.  BAH!  What an awesome feeling!!   I have the whole day ahead of me and working out isn’t staring me in the face.  Nice!

Off to track my food (I may try to figure out how to post that on this new blog like I had on a previous, but not sure how I want that….), wrap presents, clean the house, finish the laundry….the sky is the limit today folks!

So, why am I anxious?  I think we all know when we haven’t been going all out, right? I’ve been hitting the gym, working up a sweat, for three weeks now (ever since Starlet was able to go).  I wake up feeling sore and such, but I know I haven’t been going as far as I can.  I know that this boot camp, even if its “easy,” is going to be hard for me after my 1 year break from working out.  I’m fearing running and jumping the most. Any woman who has given birth totally understands this fear.  I plan to go prepared.  :P

I have run a half marathon and don’t remember feeling this anxious (well, until I hit the start line).  Anyway, I plan to update on how its going, but for now I wanted to journal my anxiety of such a small thing.