Week 4 Reflections

Week 4 has come and gone so fast, and now we only have a little over half of our challenge remaining. Go time!

My body is feeling so much better this week, like I’m finally getting in the rhythm of things. Usually I would have a headache or a stomachache or some other ache, but all around I’m feeling really good.

I did get sore this week after Maia’s core workout...it would even hurt when I laughed! I’m trying to push myself harder and I know I’m getting better results because of that. It’s funny, but afterwards I always think I could have done a better job, which I guess is good to feel like you can always improve.

No matter what the scale or the measuring tape says, I know that I’m looking and feeling better so I’m trying to not concentrate on numbers too much. But I do want to keep on a downward trend, especially now that we have a month left.

I wore some old capris to bootcamp this week they felt like they were going to fall off during some parts...even though they’re stretchy and they stay put normally. I realized you have to be absolutely comfortable in the clothes you’re working out in otherwise it will distract you from giving it your all.

I learned a lot this week about nutrition. My coach Dell gave me a healthy eating cookbook whose recipes I want to try this week, and of course it was great to have the team cookout today and sample the coaches’ recipes.

I definitely need to start cooking bigger batches of food. Since I just cook for myself, I usually just make one portion of whatever I’m going to eat and most of the time that works out. But when I’m running late or don’t have time to cook, it would be helpful to have some leftovers ready to heat and eat.

Since I constantly talk about bootcamp and nutrition, I’ve noticed many of my friends have told me they’re motivated to start being healthier as well. Several have expressed interest in coming to Kazaxé or bootcamp. But talking as we know is different than action, so this week I’m really going to bug people to come with me. They don’t know what they’re missing out on, and I know that as soon as they try it they’ll be hooked just as I was.

For next week I definitely want to work on keeping to my nutrition plan every day, not just during the weekend, and eating smarter. I feel like on the days I’m busy and running around I don’t eat enough, and on the days I’m sitting around more I tend to eat more....which should be the opposite!

I also want to schedule my workouts in my calendar. I previously wrote that my workout time is untouchable, but if I don’t set a specific time to do it I won’t. That’s why the group classes are so great, they’re already set in stone and I just show up. Exercising by myself has always been harder. So this week I’m going to write down exactly what times I’m going to exercise and what I’m going to do so I have to keep that appointment with myself.

27 days down, 33 to go...here’s to successful week 5!

Thought of the Day: On Being Selfish

Increasingly, I’m starting to understand the tremendous power of goals, priorities and commitments. My workout time is now untouchable. There are so many exercises and routines I want to incorporate or try out that I don’t know when I’m going to find time to do them all.

But I guess it’s a good problem to have, finding it difficult to find time to rest rather than finding it difficult to find time to exercise. Even though I’m busy every night of the week and supposedly “missing out” on gatherings with friends or special events...you know what? I don’t feel like I’m missing out at all. Because that time we dedicate to ourselves whether it’s doing bootcamp or going for run or cooking a healthy meal is invaluable.

Like Maia says at the end of every class, “Thank you for taking the time out for YOURSELF today.” Usually, we don’t hear that from our friends, our family or society.

And we definitely don’t hear that it’s OK to be selfish sometimes...when you’re doing it for your own well-being and self-improvement. So don’t feel guilty for missing out.

We’re worth it. We deserve it.

Goals Update

A quick recap on my goals so far:

Snacks. I researched some foods to eat before working out and now I’ve been having Greek yogurt as my snack before class, between 5:00 and 5:30. I know there’s other good snacks out there so I’m going to keep experimenting with new ones.

Form. It is an everlasting battle with form during class, but I am reminding myself of things like holding my core and keeping my knees over my ankles. I have been paying more attention to doing the moves correctly and I’ve also been trying more level 3. I still need work on some plyometric moves!

Yoga. I definitely want yoga to become a part of my routine; I felt great during week 2 when I did it. I’m looking for a reasonably priced early morning yoga class near my house and I'm going to purchase at least a month pass starting in October.

Calories. I’ve been writing down each night what I ate at what times in a journal, and then I input the portions and exercise on my phone using the Lose It! app. I was able to maintain my goal calorie deficit every day except Saturday (my rest and cheat meal day). I do need to get better at writing things down after I eat them, though, so I don't forget anything!

Shoes. I found some that I’m pretty happy with so far! The high ankle definitely helps and they are comfy, so I’m not worrying about them during bootcamp. I’ve also noticed I’ve been able to land better during jumps and I’ve been concentrating on landing more softly--which is great since stomping too hard is how I hurt my ankle in the first place.

Running. I failed at running this weekend! :( I was all set to go to the running clinic that the coaches had set up and then I ran out of gas Saturday night, left my car in Adams Morgan and it too late by the time I got it going again Sunday. But no worries, I am definitely going to knock this goal out this weekend!

Week 3 Updates

I’m going to write a longer post on how my goals are going so far, but for now here are some thoughts from week 3.

Now that we’ve lost some of the initial excitement of the beginning of the challenge, I’ve been really trying to focus on making healthy eating and exercising as part of my routine so that this becomes the norm.

This week presented me with a lot of temptations. I had to attend a couple of events where they had free food, and it is definitely hard turning away delicious food, especially when it’s free. I also had to plan better because I didn’t have time to go home before bootcamp, so I had to bring my clothes and drive straight there. One day I didn’t think I would make it one time which stressed me out...and I am one of those people that is constantly late. But when it’s something I really care about, I feel terrible being late. That shows how important bootcamp and this challenge is to me.

I feel like I’m getting the hang of the exercises and I’m trying to push to do harder levels. It’s still hard because even though I’ve advanced in the past weeks, I still feel weak and tired sometimes. I do love the structure of the workouts, though, because being in a group and seeing Maia and the other coaches on stage, and the other test group members around me fosters solidarity. I know if they’re doing it and pushing hard, I can do it too.

While I’m eating at more regular hours now than before we started, I feel like I need to be eating more sometimes. I could definitely use more protein and portion out what I need to eat for the week. What I might eat every day changes since I usually don’t have a lot of leftovers, so I think that cooking at least my veggies to be ready to go for the week would be very useful.

Goals update and future goals to come!

Week 2 Reflections

The second week of the challenge turned out to be harder in some ways and easier in others.

While my nutrition still needs some work, the good news is that my brain is now automatically prioritizing exercise, so I've become very adamant about missing my scheduled workouts.

I feel like my body is finally getting used to exercising a lot. I don’t feel as sore and my body (and more importantly, my brain) is not complaining as much about pushing itself. Of course, it’s still challenging but I feel more assertive since I know I can do it.

I’m still learning how to deal with all these changes in my routine. The super intense excitement of the first week was gone (though I’m still pumped about the challenge) and the daily monsoons made it more difficult to get everything done. I also had an unusually busy week and weekend so I was running around everywhere and didn’t plan as well as I should have with regards to my meals.

Friends I’ve talked to about our bootcamp group are supportive, but they don’t really understand that I can’t miss a day or that I can’t eat what they’re eating (“One drink won’t hurt, will it?”; “Can’t you have one bite?”). They still invite me out for activities during weekday nights and I have to remind them that I am busy. But I do have one friend who is completely on the same page and I’ve convinced her to come to bootcamp! So hopefully she’ll come by this week.

I definitely need plan ahead more for week 3. I need to be better prepared when I leave the house so I don’t end up skipping one of my 5 meals or running out of time to do the workout I wanted.

For the next week, I want to start keeping track of my calories. I’ve been writing down what I eat and have been good about my portions, but haven’t specifically checked if I’m staying around my target 250 calories per meal and a 500-1,000 calorie deficit each day.

Also, all the bootcampers have inspired me to try more running! I’ve always resisted running for extended periods of time, but I’m going to make a great playlist and do some running this weekend.

My last goal is to buy new shoes...I’ve been using my old basketball sneakers from high school for bootcamp to protect my ankle, but the poor things are not going to hold on very much longer with such intense exercise. And, of course, having shopping as a goal isn’t a bad way to start the week! :)

Mini-Goals for Week 2

Here are three goals I want to focus on in the coming week:


1. Figure out an optimal pre-workout snack and mealtime. Two days last week my stomach felt heavy during bootcamp because I ate too close to class time (even though it had been over two hours...I'm pretty sensitive). But I do need enough energy to last me until around 9:30 or 10:00, when I get home. I drink my shake after class so I'm going to do some research and tinkering around to find a good solution.


2. Focus on my form during class. While I'm still new to some of the exercises, I know how to do most of them but don't do them perfect 100% of the time. Sometimes I also forget to hold my core and then remember when Maia tells us. I'm going to keep thinking, "Form...core...form...core" during class so I gain the maximum benefit out of the workouts.


3. I'm going to do yoga at least two times this week. I went to Maia's morning yoga class for the first time two weeks ago and I loved it. I was sore EVERYWHERE but it felt so good. I'm going to try to make it to Maia's morning classes Tuesday and Thursday, but if something comes up (I usually have a fluid, last-minute sort of schedule) I will borrow my friend's P90X and follow along to the power yoga.

Making these three changes will help me not only this week but also in the weeks to come. I think I may write them down and tape them to my door so I'm reminded of them every day!

Week 1 Reflections

This week has been one of the best weeks I’ve had in a long time, I think mostly because of my change in attitude. While week 1 of the challenge was definitely tough, I felt better and better as I progressed. The endorphin high kept me excited every night, looking forward to the next workout despite the pain.

I hadn’t done such high impact exercise in months and it showed; my body complained every day. I was sore in different areas throughout the week, especially my back and my calves. Wednesday I had to walk sideways down the stairs, crab-like, as it hurt so much.

But even in four days, I’ve noticed a marked difference. I could go a little lower on my pushups on Day 4 than I could on Day 1. I could take fewer breaks. When I looked down at my heart monitor, my beats per minute were usually in the 160s, now they’re in the 170s on level 3.

But the biggest change I’ve noticed is a mental one. I had a very tough time the first day, even with the warm-up and the fit test. At one point I fleetingly questioned, Is this even worth it? Wouldn’t it be easier to stop exercising and just eat whatever I want? But my stronger self chimed in and said, No! It’s WORTH IT. You can do it! Now that weak little voice is gone, and I concentrate on my goals and positive thoughts during the hardest parts. Or I hear Maia and think, Only 30 more seconds! You can make it through this round!

Nutrition-wise, eating regularly has improved my mood and my stress significantly. On Wednesday I was in a long meeting and accidentally skipped lunch, and within an hour I got a headache. I’ve learned that I need to come prepared with food or at least snacks when I’m out!

Case in point: my shakeology arrived on Saturday just in time. I went prepared to a friend’s house that afternoon, with my powder and my bottle. While everyone was drinking beers and eating cookies and chips, I sipped some water and then made my shake when a birthday cake was brought out. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on the treats.

Overall, I think I’ve been pretty successful in sticking to my goals this week. I’ve been eating the foods from the Get Fit list at the times Dell and Maia recommended (except for that one time Wednesday). I ate a lamb burger as a cheat meal, but got it wrapped in lettuce and asked for fruit instead of fries on the side. I’ve been to bootcamp early (no easy feat for a chronically late Latina!) and incorporated other exercises in my routine. And I even wore some shorts this weekend that felt too tight two weeks ago! :)

There’s still a lot of improvements to be made, however, which brings me to my next entry: my mini-goals for the coming week. 

Goals for the Next 60 Days and Beyond

I’m trying to take it one step at a time, but I do have a lot of goals I want to accomplish in the next two months. The three that I originally handed in to Maia were:

1. Fitness: To lose inches overall, but especially in my problem areas of tummy and thighs.

2. Nutrition: To eat healthy meals at regular times. I tend to skip meals and eat at random hours, which is not ideal for my metabolism.

3. Personal: To find a job in which I can practice my passion for writing! I studied journalism and love writing, photography and media, but in my previous job I did none of this. So I quit and now am doing some freelance work while I look for a job in my field.

So those are the main ones I’m focusing on, but I do have other areas I want to work on:

-I want to build my upper body strength so I can do real push-ups. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to do even a single, complete push-up in my life. I want to be able to do them on my feet, not on my knees and I want to be able to go all the way down!

-I want to build my endurance so I can dance at Kazaxé without stopping. I love dancing, but I don’t like how I do have to slow down when I get too tired...and then I start doing “lazy steps” for a while. I want to do all the steps correctly all the way through!

-I want to work out my booty more. My friends have always made fun of me for my small booty, and after living in Brazil I realized you don’t have to be stuck with what you’re born with—Brazilian women actually spend a lot of time working out that particular area (although most already have a genetic advantage!).

-And finally, even though this is going to take much longer than 60 days, I want to be able to work out in a bra top like Azuka, Maia and Mimi. I’m not sure if I actually will, but I would like to feel comfortable doing that in case I do ever feel like it. :)

Photo by the talented Virak Chhang

So, briefly, this is part of my action plan to accomplish my goals:

1. Fitness: Go to bootcamp every day, of course. Do Brazil Butt Lift three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), and incorporate some other exercise on the weekends, like Kazaxé, my Brazilian dance class, or yoga.

2. Nutrition: Eat breakfast! Keep my metabolism up by not skipping meals and eating every 2-3 hours. Drink my shakeology at night after bootcamp.

3. Personal: Be in bed by 11:30PM at the latest and lights off by midnight. Apply to AT LEAST one new job every weekday, even if I’m busy with my other projects. Research and keep up with the news published by the organizations I hope to work for or that I interview with.

After writing it all out, while it does seem like a lot it’s also surprising how DOABLE it all is.  It’s not rocket science; it’s little steps and little changes that will make a big difference if I stick to my action plan and keep my goals in mind. I can do it!

Backstory: Motivation & Inspiration

For the past couple of months, I had been feeling like I was stuck in a rut. I felt like I was falling behind my peers in accomplishing personal and professional success, and that stressed me out. I wasn’t taking good care of myself, and my problem was a lack of direction.

I didn’t really set goals for myself, so I couldn’t be motivated to do all the things I needed to. As Maia said, the biggest change you can make in yourself is a change of MIND. I realized I couldn’t control every factor in my life, but I could control how well I took care of my body.

So in July, I made a bet with my older brother to see who could lose the most pounds and inches over 90 days, starting in August. Since he is bigger than me, we would do a percentage of weight and inches lost. The winner would get a fantastic paid vacation to a tropical location (and bragging rights, of course!). Since I LOVE beaches and would hate spending my own money on a trip for someone else, losing was definitely not an option.

I started exercising (pretty much all cardio) and trying to eat healthier on my own. I lost a little bit of weight but to be honest I didn’t see much progress. I needed to kick it up a notch if I wanted to beat my brother and reach my own fitness goals.

I have been going to Kazaxé for over three years and I had started going to bootcamp earlier this year and loved it, but after I sprained my ankle I disappeared for a while. I would still get all of Maia’s emails and definitely wanted to make it my goal to go back. Since I was stalling in my progress, I told myself come September 1, I would ask Maia for some guidance and advice...

...And then I heard about the 60 Day Challenge and the Bootcamp Test Group. It was like she had read my thoughts...this was exactly what I wanted and what I needed!

Sometimes the universe sends you a sign, and this was one of those opportunities I couldn’t ignore. So here I am, ready for anything :)