I Survived my First Day of Boot Camp!!

One week since my last post and I've missed telling you all everything. I'm working double the amount of hours I usually work at the bookstore because I need to make more money and until I get serious making writing my career, that's where I'll stay. It could be worse. I love the books, my coworkers and customers. What book lover wouldn't love talking books all day?

But I digress-the real reason for today's post is.....drum roll please.....

Today I started the Boot Camp at Cynergy Coaching!!!!!!!!!!!

Before I went to bed last night I did some exercises I saw on the videos Cynergy has on their website. Could only do a couple. Dear God, I need your help. I prayed, please Dear God, don't let me be the fattest, oldest or most out of shape there.



When I got up this morning, I felt excited and nervous, made myself eat two pieces of whole grain toast with natural peanut butter because the trainer said to eat because my body will need the fuel for the workout. Showered, dressed and ready to go. As I drove there, I prayed some more, please God keep me safe as I work out today. Fleeting thoughts of turning around flashed in my head.



When I pulled into the parking lot of the industrial park where the gym is located in a garage bay and saw the door open, I took a deep breath, got out of the car and walked into the gym. I looked around for people my age, my size. A couple. But they were in a different class before mine. I saw the trainer who was busy leading the class that would end before Boot Camp. I realized I must be the first person there for boot camp. A young girl my oldest daughter's age showed up. She looked like an athlete. I asked her if she had done the boot camp before and she said she did in August but took a month off. She said it was a great workout. Two more 20-somethings showed up. Oh God. They knew each other because they both did September's boot camp. Two more women closer to my age but pounds and pounds and pounds away from my size came next and I found out they also did the August boot camp. One is a runner in fabulous shape and the other woman is doing the boot camps to stay in shape. Two more women were expected when finally one made her way to the gym. She is the owner of a holistic center and is a yoga teacher. She is close to my age but she has less weight and much more flexibility. At 9 a.m. we started and that other woman never showed up.



On a white board at Cynergy this quote (as well as I can remember it) was posted, "If you don't have the commitment to yourself to work hard, then leave. It will save you the embarrassment of quitting later." UGH. I thought to myself "Should I leave?" Damn it! NO! I have the commitment. I want to get in shape and this is the place. Out of 7 women I was the only one never to have taken the boot camp, the only one over-200 and the only one completely and indescribably out-of-shape. I'm there and I'm going to do it...work my hardest and to the best of my abilities as they are today.



We started by warming up doing giant knee lift marches across the parking lot which led into kick backs to our butt the way back, on to skipping which I hadn't done since, what?, 1972, then side sweeps back and forth like football players train, and ended with a short run back. Just like in junior high, I was the last one back. But now I don't care about what others are doing, I'm competing against myself, like my friend, Michelle B. reminded me.



Since it was the first day we did some training tests to see how many we could do, such as push-ups (not the modified ones the full plank ones--did 11), sit-ups (15), burpees (bend, jump feet back and then front and jump up--hard only did 6). A half-mile run was next, which I ran down the slope but walked back. Last one back is out of shape--oops--that's me. However, the women were cheering me on and I felt good. Cyndi, the trainer, commented that at least I was still smiling. I can't remember the last time I ran so I consider the run successful. As the sun beat down on us, we did more exercises with names like spiderman, mountain climbing, dive bombers, squat thrusts and push-up twists. Cyndi said only 5 people threw up at the early morning boot camps. But that was because they didn't eat breakfast. Thank God I did because I could see how your stomach could turn.

However, my hair was totally soaked with sweat..really need some sweat bands; when my hair gets like that you can see my scalp because my hair is so damn thin. My face was beet red too. Luckily I warned Cyndi of that but she did ask if I was okay. And I was fine. I'm fair-skinned and Irish with a tad of rosacea. Combined makes a lovely shade of red...or magenta.



Finally...Time for cool down...YAY!! we did a short walk and I actually got to chat with some of the women. Stretching came next which felt glorious. I survived the first day of BOOT CAMP!



I was so excited I didn't want to go home. I wanted to tell someone about my day so I called my friend Michelle and stopped by. I was still so pumped I am sure I told her everything a mile a minute but sharing this experience with her made me believe that I did it and I can continue to do it!! Even if it will be hard to drag myself out of bed tomorrow morning. Ugh. Grunt, Crack. Snap. Pop (Sounds of my body waking up.)

Went home, had a protein smoothie to help muscle recovery, watched the View and wrote this blog. Working tonight but I can tell that I will sleep so well tonight. I am physically and mentally exhausted!!


Gut Instinct: Even when you want to quit, keep going, it will be worth it.