A personal training & food journal. Read about our weight loss progress at Train With Ron in Chicago, our nutritional habits and the life changes we're making to get in shape and stay healthy!
April 25th
April 25th 2010 TWR Charity Stair Run - Dan and Monika in the rain - soggy.
Ahh! A beautiful Chicago morning. Just around 55 degrees and a chance of rain throughout the day. 
The TWR Charity Stair Run began at 10 am and we had hoped the rain would not reach us until noon. Crossing our fingers but bringing our hats. Train with Ron organized the Charity Stair Run to help raise money in the fight against childhood obesity. A problem that greatly effects the children in this country.
Dan and I had a late night last night because of his show, which he’ll tell you about, lets just say he rocked Wauconda! And because of that we got very little sleep. Basically there were plenty of excuses I could have used to not go to the event. 7 months ago, I would have. But, I was excited to go and once I gulped down a double espresso (i don’t usually do that) my body caught up with my mind.
We reach the track … still no rain … we’re very hopeful.
Train With Ron had a good turnout despite the possibility of rain and some of us, me included, changed into the event t-shirt (so comfy!) and started on the warm up. A light jog around the track and a couple of laughs got us going.
Slowly we sprinkled onto the bleachers in small groups just as it began to drizzle, and we began to zig-zag up and down the stairs in between the bleachers. I may get this wrong by a couple of numbers but I would say each side had about 10 flights of stairs. Right around there, anyway. One lap consisted of both sides. Some of us ran, some walked and some mixed it up. It went on to rain harder and pretty much stayed consistent throughout my first lap. It felt good though, running in the rain. It kept me cool. The first lap took me about 15 minutes then I took a short break and went around again. That’s about all I had in me so after we chatted with some friends we left for …. Breakfast!!!! Feels good to have breakfast after a great workout. Hmm, maybe that’s why I like the morning workouts better. Something to think about … just not for too long.
Tomorrow I begin my 2 months of Unlimited Training and start going 5 times a week. I’ll post a new picture of myself tomorrow to show my progress and note my weight and body fat. In the picture on the right I look like a wet cat so I’m not using that as my official ‘Begin to Kick Some Serious Butt Spring and part of Summer Training’ picture. Let’s see how much I can chisel off over the next two months and get closer to my goal. As of today I am 172lbs with 31.8% body fat. After the next two months I would like to be at at least 155lbs and get my body fat into the high to mid twenties. I know I can do that!
April 21stThis week I’m back to the gym four mornings and next week I’m adding a fifth day. I’m ready for it. It’ll be tons of hard work but I feel that I will be able to push myself hard 5 times a week. Summer is making it’s way around the bend and I’d like to reach my goal before it’s over. What is my ultimate goal you ask? Or maybe you didn’t but I’ll tell you anyway. I don’t really have a hard number in mind or a certain body % or any of that. I have a range I would like to land in between. Since I was a pre-teen I have never been super skinny and it is not a goal of mine now. I do want to look great in a bikini etc …. but we’ll leave that for a couple of months down the road. Right now the ultimate goal is of course to be healthy so that means low body fat. I still have a ways to go on that, probably just a bit over 10% I should lose there. Weight wise, I want to loose another 30 – 40 pounds. Once I accomplish that I should be at around 135 – 140lbs with a body fat around 22-26%. Now, with the training I’m doing I’m also gaining a lot of muscle and muscle weighs more than fat so that messes with the numbers a bit especially if you’re just watching it to go down (like me). Make sure that if you want an accurate measurement and you do not know how to properly do it, you get a personal trainer that knows how to do it for you. The personal trainers at TWR know how to do this and educate you in this as well. It’s vital info to your workout.
Train With Ron Charity Stair Run - April 25th
A little sore still this week from just getting back into it after vacation. The guys are easing us back into the routine and we’re also going to the TWR Charity Stair Run this week end. It’s to help TWR raise money in the fight against childhood obesity! (All proceeds go to Chicago Run, a local, non-profit organization that facilitates running programs for youth in Chicago.) TWR holds many charity events each year, and Dan and I finally get to be apart of one. We missed the previous one in October so we’re really looking forward to this one. I’m not a big fan of stairs as you may have learned from previous posts but I am a fan of children getting in shape. So I will walk and run stairs for the little ones. I think kids should get more exercise in school and also better nutrition. Exercise should be mandatory and so should team play. It’s so important for being fit but kids can benefit so much from team play and competition.
Stairs – Here I come!
April 17thFeeling pretty sore after my first week back. Just worked out 3 times this week and my muscles are sore! It feels good though because I know I am getting back into the routine. I know that the 2nd part of my weight loss journey has begun and I am on my way to getting back in shape. To reach my goal and enter maintenance phase. So I’ll take the soreness this week and do a lot of stretching and walking with Brady. The weather is really beautiful in Chicago now so more outside time.
It was also great seeing my friends this week and supporting each other through the workouts. It makes all the difference! I love it that they are such a positive group of people that have the same goal in mind, workout hard. We chat and laugh, of course, but our main goal is to workout as hard as we can and help each other achieve that and offer support. Ron, DB and Matt top that off with guidance, motivation and regimen. Boy did I miss them! In my last post I talked about the activities we did in Hawaii and I really didn’t think that we were being too lazy or anything but it just goes to show you, after getting back to TWR, what a real workout is. Nothing compares.
I’m thinking of doing the unlimited workout package for the next 2 months. TWR is running a special and it’s a great deal. I think I could do a lot of good with that and just pound it out hard for the next 2 months. I was thinking about doing just the 4 times a week like I did before we left for vacation but a couple of my friends are doing the unlimited and getting some awesome results. I am all about seeing results. Dan and I talked about doing it but haven’t decided yet, he’ll read this and find out, I have decided. As with my other decisions, somehow they all occur while I’m writing this blog. Maybe because I feel more accountable or I just get in the mood while writing this? I don’t know but it helps me and that’s the most important.
Can’t wait for summer! More updates to come ….
April 11thAloha! We are back from vacation and trying to slowly get back into the norm. We had all day today to sort through our treasures that we brought back and start sharing some photos with friends and family. We had a truly amazing time. We also learned that by choosing to stay on the North Shore we experience a much more natural Oahu, rather than the hotel lined beaches of Waikiki. We learned a lot from the locals and had a spiritually rewarding experience.
Dan & Monika Kayaking at Turtle Bay in Oahu
Dan and I also enjoyed a lot of activities at the resort and on the island. We knew that none would match a Train With Ron workout but we wanted to make sure that we stayed active. We hiked, kayaked, golfed and went horseback riding. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of relaxing was mixed in as well. On the right you’ll see Dan and I kayaking in the cove at Turtle Bay (no sharks, only turtles were spotted). Behind us you can see one of the many rainbows we saw everyday that we were there. Our arms were in good shape from our working out so kayaking for a couple of hours was a breeze. It wasn’t too intense because it was a tour and it was in a shallow cove, but the difference was noticeable from the last time I kayaked. We did tons of hiking and sight seeing and our last night we went horseback riding. That was a new activity for me. I was 13 the last time I was on horseback and I was led around by someone so this was a first for me. I’ll let Dan describe his golfing experience, I only rode with him on his last round.
Monika at Turtle Bay
Eating well and healthfully at the resort wasn’t too much of a challenge and we did allow ourselves a little bit of luxury. A couple of times we enjoyed dessert and Dan found coconut macaroons to be a very delicious treat. It has always been one of my favorites. We also ate tons of local fruits and fish. The resort offered a buffet breakfast as one of it’s eatery options and Dan and I had that most mornings. It allowed us to fill our plates with fruit mainly and also have a little bit of scrambled or boiled eggs, waffles and sausages. Lunches were light most days because were were always out and about and it was pretty warm so the hunger factor went down. We just had to make sure we drank enough liquids. Evenings were the most indulgent I think. Only because most days we were busy with activities so by the time we got back to our cottage we were very hungry and ordered room service. We went to a Luau one of the nights and went out to eat a couple of nights. All in all I believe we did pretty well.
I neither gained nor lost any weight or body fat which is great because I kind of resolved myself to gaining maybe a pound or two on this vacation. Now I’ll head back into the gym tomorrow morning and start phase 2 of my weight loss journey with my personal trainers. I’m really looking forward to it. I missed the workouts and the guys and it will be great to get back in there and workout again.
April 1st
Well, the time is here and in about 24 hours from now we will be in Hawaii. I am so excited! It’s been a busy day-before and a turned-upside-down week before, for me.
So what is the last thing you would want before leaving for a 9 day tropical vacation? To get sick, right? Well guess what? Saturday I started coming down with a cold. Then I screamed and cursed it for an hour. Until Tuesday night I was still convinced that it would pass and that it was nothing. I was under the impression that if I told myself I wasn’t sick, then I wouldn’t be. Apparently the cold had other ideas. I awoke Wednesday morning and felt like I was hit with a sledgehammer. I had to skip the gym that morning (I hated to do it! But had to.) I spent the entire day resting, drinking fluids and trying to mentally will myself out of this cold. Luckily, with the help of some rest and medication, I was feeling better this morning. And I hit the gym first thing. Well, 7am. That’s as ‘first thing in the morning’ as I’m going to get.
Had a great workout with Matt. I let him know that I was feeling under the weather but to go ahead with the normal program and I’ll slow it down if I need to. The last couple of times that I worked out with Matt he had me do part of my workout with a tension belt around my thighs. It’s basically a wide rubber band strapped around both of my thighs so that as I walk it works out my upper legs and butt. You can vary the tension level based on your fitness level. I quite liked it actually. Some of the exercises I did with it on were to walk, in a squatted position, sideways up and down the 40 yard strip, in between, every few yards, pump some iron , curls, presses, push up curls (push up position but one hand is lifting a weight) and squat presses. All while wearing the belt. The belt really works your upper legs and butt. I think I pushed myself pretty good and had a great workout.
I stepped on the scale last night and I’m down another pound since Sunday. I was hoping that if anything, this cold would help me loose a couple of extra pounds. Wishful thinking, right? But I am really happy about where I am at and like I said looking forward to part 2 once we return. Matt told me that it’s not just about the weight I loose but also the muscle I gain. He’s right, I feel much more toned after this month than the 5lbs lost would have you believe. That’s part of the reason I don’t like those numbers. I mean 177? … I do not feel 177! I’ve weighed less and felt less toned than I do now.
But now I’m off to pack and take Brady to the doggie hotel. It’s going to be tough leaving her for 10 days.
ALOHA!
PS. I have given up on trying to beat the Shaun White Snowboarding Wii game before we leave. I unlocked Shaun last week and have been killing, just KILLING the scores. Dominating! And then I got sick and the 9 Respect levels I have left will have to wait until I get back. There are 54 total respect levels and the 9 I have left are pretty tough.
