FFF Diva Fun Moment: Humorous Email from Operation Boot Camp

A fun story that makes me laugh about personal training! I feel the pain! Below is a story/email from my fellow boot camp leaders. Enjoy!

Best,
FFF Diva MO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bootcampers-

As requested this morning, here is the funny story that was sent to the "newbies". It's long, but worth the read. This week has been great at camp- I know I've been getting my butt kicked by the workouts and I hope you all have as well. Please remember your yoga mats for tomorrow! Next week remember that we will be taking Wednesday the 26th off.

Dear Diary...



For my fortieth birthday this year, my wife (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me.



Although I am still in great shape since playing on my college football team 25 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.



Called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Caroline, who identified herself as a 26-year old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swimwear. My wife seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started!



The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.............





Monday:



Started my day at 6:00am. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Caroline waiting for me.



She is something of a Greek goddess - with blond hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile.



Woo Hoo!



Caroline gave me a tour and showed me the machines... She took my pulse after five minutes on the treadmill. She was alarmed that my pulse was so fast, but I attributed it to standing next to her in her Lycra aerobic outfit. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in, which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today.



Very inspiring. Caroline was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around.



This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!



Tuesday:



I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.



Caroline made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air-then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Caroline's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile.



I feel GREAT!!



It's a whole new life for me.



Wednesday:



The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying on the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals.



Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.



Caroline was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.



My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Caroline put me on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators?



Caroline told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other crap too.



Thursday:



Caroline was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late, it took me that long to tie my shoes.



Caroline took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the men's room. She sent Lars to find me, then, as punishment, put me on the rowing machine - which I sank.



Friday:



I hate Caroline more that any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it.



Caroline wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the *&%#(#&**!!@*@ barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.



The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?



Saturday:



Caroline left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.



Sunday:



I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my wife will choose a gift for me that is fun ----------like a root canal or a vasectomy.

FFF Diva Operation Boot Camp Reflection: Special Christmas Message & Homework from Trainer Ronny

Hey Guys~

I just wanted to thank you all for a GREAT time in Boot Camp this year. All the hard work, sweat, laughs, and yelling that we all went through with all the "great" weather was awesome. I know you guys thought it was all over after that awesome Graduation Party, but WAIT - THERE'S MORE!!

Attached is the 12 Days of Christmas Homework. On day 1, you do 1 round of the exercises prescribed... on day 2, you do 2 rounds, on day 3, 3 rounds... so on and so forth. open the file up and check it out, please let me know if you have any questions on it. It IS in your guys' best interest to DO the homework!! It will be good...

NAME:
12 DAYS OF Holiday Homework
12 ROUNDS/20 SECONDS EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
PUSH-UPS
SQUATS
BURPEES
L SIT-UPS (6 TO 90 DEGREES)
11 ROUNDS/20 SECONDS EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
SQUAT JUMPS
TRICEP DIPS (USING A CHAIR)
V-SIT-UPS
10 ROUNDS/30 SECONDS EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
WIND SPRINTS
REVERSE LUNGES
PLANK
SIT -UPS
9 ROUNDS/1:00 MINUTES EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
JUMPING JACKS
JUMP ROPE
8 ROUNDS/ OUTSIDE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1 LAP AROUND A TRACK or 1/4 mile loop
2 SET STAIRS
7 ROUNDS/ 10 REPS EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
SIDE to SIDE LUNGES
FIRE HYDRANTS
PUSH-UPS
TRICEP DIPS
BICYCLES
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
BURPEES
6 ROUNDS/ 1 MINUTES EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4	5	6
PLANK
ROW BOAT TOUCHES SIDE TO SIDE
5 ROUNDS/ 25 REPS EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4	5
PUSH-UPS
SIT-UPS
LUNGES (25 EACH LEG)
4 ROUNDS/ 2 MINUTES EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3	4
SPRINT 200m WALKING LUNGE BACK
TOE TAPS (CURB KICKES)
3 ROUNDS/ 2 MINUTES EACH EXERCISE	1	2	3
STEP UPS ON HIGH CURB OR STEP
1 MIN MT. JACKS, 1 MIN SQUAT JACKS
FIRE HYDRANT (KICK UP, HEEL FLEXED)
2 ROUNDS/ 25 REPS EACH EXERCISE	1	2
PUSH-UP w/ RIGHT AND LEFT ARM RAISE
Alternating Lunge Jumps
SQUAT
1 ROUND!!/ OUTSIDE	1
SKIPPING 200M
WALKING REVERSE LUNGES 200m (back)
PUSH-UPS ( 20 reps)

Also, if you haven't done so already - a little reminisce of the graduation party, I put a video up on my facebook. Check it out... :)

GREAT JOB GREG!!! :P

Hope all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Be Safe, Be Healthy, Be HAPPY

Committed to your health

~Ronny

FFF Diva Advice: We Only Have to Survive 3 More Days, Not a Month

This week we do not have Operation Boot Camp because it is the Turkey Day week. All I have to say is that I have been nervous ALL week because I don't want to gain holiday weight. On Monday I did boot camp HW (various substitute exercises), tackled the jump rope, and cardio on the bicycle. Tuesday I did more boot camp HW, cardio on the elliptical, and jogged on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Who knows what I will do tomorrow, AKA today. I just know that I want to be in my 230s lbs by November 30. This will happen...

Below is some advice from my trainer Ronny...I actually feel it is good sound advice:

Hey guys,

I just wanted to say thank you ALL for another great month at camp. Going into the holidays is a fun awesome thing, but can also be dangerous to our bodies if we don't act right!

Keep in mind - we only have to get through 3 more days- Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years- not 21 days! If we only cheat on those three days, we will still be able to make some progress during our time off, but if we allow EVERY opportunity for work parties, get togethers, social gatherings, to be revolving around crap food- we may be in trouble.

Your Assignment: I know we are out of camp, but I DID want to send leave you guys with a little thing to keep in mind - we only have 3 days to get through. Follow the plan through the other days of this week, and do not allow yourself 6 Thanksgiving Dinners/Lunchs/Breakfast - only ONE. If you happen to be doing 2 Turkey days at separate houses, then eating accordingly with proper portions. Don't fall into the stats and start the uphill scale tip of 12 pounds the week you have off from camp! EAT YOUR VEGGIES!! :)

Thanks again guys... I hope you use some of the tools we've learned in camp to push us through the week!

Ronny Varghese
Director of Operations
Operation Boot Camp - San Jose
1-888-7-FIT NOW (734-8669)
Ronny.Varghese@operationbootcamp.com
OperationBootCamp.com


So to combat the pounds I have decided to run the 10K (6.2 miles) portion of the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot race on Thanksgiving morning. Registration is still being accepted even the day of:
http://svturkeytrot.com/

Anyways time for bed...I have the gym early in the morning!

FFF Diva Miss Mo

FFF Diva Quote of the Day: Words from my Operation Boot Camp Instructor Ronny Varghese

Something for YOU to think about the next 8 weeks during this holiday season...

"Nothing will taste as good as the way being FIT feels"
--Ronny Varghese, Operation Boot Camp Owner/Instructor

Tell your friends. Think about it before you grab that extra serving!

Some words to think about....

Best of luck from your FFF Diva, Miss Mo : )

FFF Diva Motivation: Get Your Mind Right!

Lately in Operation Boot Camp us individual campers have been slacking and making excuses. Although it is NOT all of us who are slacking if one slacks off then it brings down the whole group, you know? Below is a "Come to Jesus Talk" type of email from our OBC staff. Last Monday I didn't go to camp because we had an official day off. Last Tuesday I didn't go to camp because I was still extremely sore from the 1/2 marathon race I ran last Sunday. Whew. Last week was definitely a rough week. I will say that this email was great in helping me set SMART goals for the future. Want to know what I mean? Read on and find out...

Best,

Mo--FFF Diva Indeed 

Hey guys,

This morning was a rude awakening for some of you! I don't know what happened with it, but it made me do some soul searching!! A couple of announcements for today...

First: We will be CHANGING the day off from Monday in week 4 to WEDNESDAY in Week 4, please make a note of it. We WILL HAVE CLASS MONDAY of WEEK 4, but NOT WEDNESDAY.

Secondly, I wanted to talk about getting your MIND RIGHT. When we come to camp, we MUST find a way to get out heads on straight, and get our game faces on. When you are at work, and you are about to go into a meeting with the owner of the company regarding a possible promotion or termination, you don't go in with all the baggage of what's going on at home, who's winning the game, what homework you still have to do, or hoping that your kids are doing good in school. 

NO. 

You come in like Babe Ruth coming to the plate, game face is on, eyes are on the target, ready to knock it out of the park! If you don't, you may lose your job... you can NOT chance thinking about anything else nor giving a half effort into a meeting like that!

If you haven't already guessed, I'm not talking about how to do better at work... I'm talking about something MUCH more important. 

I'm talking about your life.

Not just at boot camp, but at home, while your at work, when you are at a social gathering with your friends. You NEED to have your game face on. If you read my email yesterday, I mentioned that you MODEL the abstract habits in life for your kids and loved ones: discipline, determination, hard work, love, and of course, HEALTH. People around you KNOW you are involved in a boot camp... how will you use the tools that we provide you? Are you showing your family what hard work is all about? Are you flexing your discipline muscle? Are you being that inspiration to people who are THINKING about changing their lives around!? 

I'm asking you guys to put on your game faces, on and OFF the court. Do you understand that EVERYTHING in life effects the way you look and feel? One of the most important things about boot camp is that not only do we try our hardest to kill ya every morning (disclaimer: we do it cuz we care;)) but we want to see you succeed in life OUTSIDE of camp as well. This includes the willingness to do homework, the motivation to do the things you DON'T want to do when not at camp, and setting the example for people around you! We are providing the roadmap to healthy living and the fitness lifestyle, but YOU NEED TO WALK IT!!

There is NO such thing as people taking the magic pill to lose weight and have an incredible workout ethic! Wanna lose weight fast, well I hear gastric bypass is great! anyone ever see someone who's done that??? No thanks. This IS the real magic pill... THIS IS THE ROADMAP. 

How many of you have heard a story about someone losing an incredible amount of weight, getting addicted to the fitness drug, and leading healthy lives living till their like 500 yrs old? Well, maybe not 500, but you know... ALL the biggest loser winners, all the Jarrods from Subway... I have the secret that had made every one of those success stories possible. Each and EVERY single person did this in order to make the change they did. Wanna know what it is?

They made a decision. They were sick n tired of being sick n tired. They got their heads on right. They got on a program and they stuck it out, giving it their ALL every frickin time! They endured the pain, they said NO to the cake, they drove past the drive thrus, they worked hard and they worked SMART. Thats what this is all about... getting your head right and being SMART about your lives. I know we have given you the SMART acronym for your goals, but here's the S.M.A.R.T acronym to get your heads right and stay motivated and on point. 

This is the SMART skill set:

Set a clear, achievable goal - Set a realistic, specific, and measurable goal.  Not "I will eat healthier" but  "I will increase my vegetables, I will have two servings for lunch and two servings for dinner 5 - 7 days/wk"    Monitor your progress - Keep track of what you do (i.e. food log, exercise journal, pedometer, HR monitor)   Arrange your world for success - Create reminders for healthy eating around you.  Have your food log handy, keep trigger foods out of the house, take healthy snacks/meals to work or school.   Recruit a support team - Enlist the help of others.  Let those who want to  see you succeed know what you're trying to achieve.  Consider your family, friends, and colleagues as your potential support team..   Treat yourself - Reward yourself every time you do the eating or exercise behavior you have targeted.  Select a "treat" that is important to you, readily available, and not costly. DO NOT REWARD YOURSELF WITH FOOD!!! "Success is not a destination, it is a journey" Work through the burn n I'll see you at the top... Committed to your success,

The Boot Camp Staff

FFF Diva Reflection: A Letter About Running from My Trainer

Hey Guys,

Yesterday I went out and ran the Rock n Roll marathon along with Lisa, Jill, Rich (Jill's husband) and Maureen and Leilani (her sister). These guys kicked BUTT out there!! Next time you see them, give em a big congrats!

As I was running along, I gone off on a day dream.. I was thinking about how much of a mental game that running and exercising can really be.

Whether or not you are going through a sprint for 2 straight minutes, or you are running for 2 hours (like everyone downtown yesterday) your mind plays a crucial role in determining your success and your satisfaction. As soon as my mind began to drift off in the wrong side of the road (negative and defeating self-talk), I focused harder on my new goal and focused on my breathing rhythm and WENT AFTER IT. I was close, VERY close, on several occasions, of breaking my conviction of getting under a 2 hour race time. Sometimes, yes, your body physically can NOT push beyond certain thresholds... but the mind plays a role in that as well. As you get comfortable being UNCOMFORTABLE (and it takes practice..) you will be able to surprise even yourself.

Many of you experience this through your workouts. At the end of the day, if someone were tallying the amount of pushups, squats, situps, jumps, and distance of running that you did, I'm sure most of you would not think that you'd be able to do it. Hell, 13.1 miles STILL seems like a daunting task to me even now... and I've ran it twice!

Point being is this... embrace the uncomfortableness. Once you learn how to break the threshold of not having to stop, you will feel the massive endorphin rush you get from being able to discipline yourself to "just keep going". This is inherent to the way we live our lives... as we make the conviction to do something and we don't do it, we slowly start creating a self-limiting belief that becomes ingrained in our psyche. However, if we replace the self-limiting beliefs with empowering self-talk and encouragement, we can use those mental 'tricks' to get us to break through the thresholds that hold us down. Then, we surprise ourselves. The "I CAN do it" talk starts to surface... the empowerment and positive self talk starts to take over. And the other thing is your discipline... as you work towards a goal... ANY goal - you flex that discipline "muscle", which will grow and develop just like muscles do, but its in the head. So commonly, when you begin to get in shape, and start to create the reality of "being in the best shape of my life" - there's a massive ripple effect that will transform every facet of your life. People may not even know who this "new, sexy young YOU" is that begins to surface!

That should be our end game.

Not only the best shape of our lives... but have an overall better quality of life. The have the belief that you CAN have and DESERVE more, and more importantly, you have the conviction, the work ethic, and the mental discipline necessary to make dreams a reality. This is not something that you can ever TEACH your kids, peers, or clients, but rather, it is something you model for them. You can SHOW them that even though the going is getting tough, as life does for all of us, we power through it and get to our goals. I wish everyone could have the endorphin kick that I have right now.. I set myself a goal of under 2 hrs, I got to it, and now, I feel like I can take on the world! I'm actively looking for the next challenging thing to do, whether it be workouts or just work, that is something I may drag my feet about, but I will get it done...

SET S.M.A.R.T goals for yourself. Have the conviction to get to it. We are all here to help, and help each other when you see a peer going through the struggles you went through last week or last year. Together, we all do better as a team. For those of you who ran the half marathon, and for those of you who did homework that I HOPE kicked your butt this weekend, here's a good article on recovery and pain...

Enjoy;) I'll see you all tomorrow bright n early!

ROCK ON!!!

7 Tips on Dealing with Exercise-Induced Pain
By Steve Edwards

I often get complaints from clients about being sore. Statements like "I thought exercise was going to make me feel good, but now I feel worse than ever" are somewhat common with people who are new to exercising. And there's not too much for me to tell them. The fact is that if we have any desire on changing our body for the better, we are going to spend some time being sore. It's inevitable. Fact of life: there is some pain associated with the ultimate pleasure of being fit.

But that doesn't mean you have to take it sitting down! If you anticipate, plan, and take the proper steps, you can minimize your soreness.

Whenever you do something physical that you're not used to, you get sore. What this means is that most of you reading this are going to get sore—maybe really, really sore—along your road to fitness.

But I can help, because I've been through every level of soreness possible, from the "ahhh, I'm starting a new program" feeling to "@#&!, I can't walk" misery. Here are seven ways to mimic the former statement, and avoid the latter.

	Embrace the pain. This idea is going to be foreign to many of you but eventually you're going to learn that a little soreness means you've embarked on something that is good for you. The first time, however, you're going to have to show a little faith. Whenever I switch up my training, I go through an initial period of soreness (like today). While it's always bothersome, say, when it hurts to take off my shoes, I know that it's only temporary and that it's an important step along the road to my goal. So I embrace it. Sure, it hurts. But it hurts in a good way. A great way even. I love the beginning of a new training cycle because I know that once I work through the pain I'm going to be fitter than before. In fact, when I haven't had a period of soreness in a while, I start to feel like a slacker.
	Anticipate. Remember that I said I knew I was going to get sore? You are too! So don't go full out on your first day. It's normal to get excited on day 1. You've got a new package in the mail and visions of you walking down the beach turning heads are probably dancing in your head. This is great, but keep your wits about you. You're not going to get that way tomorrow or the next day. Hammering through your first workout could end up delaying your program two weeks while you recover from your exuberance. You'll get sore anyway. Next day, push a bit harder. Next day, a bit harder still.
	Eat well. The more you exercise, the better you need to eat. Junk won't fuel your muscles properly. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight because you are eating less than you need to sustain your body. So what you eat becomes vital. The better you eat, the less sore you'll become. Try to exercise on an empty stomach and then eat a small snack about an hour after finishing your workout. This will greatly help the recovery process and reduce soreness.
	Stretch. After you work out. The more time you can spend doing extra stretching at the end of your workout the better you'll recover. Don't stretch your muscles when cold, as you'll risk injuring them further. An extra 10 minutes after you work out, however, can do wonders. Also, easy movements and stretches both at night before bed and first thing in the morning helps your blood circulate better and will also improve your recovery time.
	Massage. You don't have to go to a masseuse; self-massage is a great tool to aid recovery. The only time you don't want to massage your muscles is right after you work out because you will interfere with the natural recovery process. But at any other time, just five minutes of self-massage can do wonders. Foam rolling is an awesome tool to help in this process.
	Ice. More on the circulation theme—nothing moves blood around like ice. If you've ever watched a locker interview after a sporting event, you probably noticed that a lot of the athletes were icing parts of their body. That's because it's one of the greatest recovery aids we have. Almost all injuries heal more quickly if we apply ice. And soreness is "microtrauma," or slight tears in your muscle tissue. These are necessary in order to get stronger, and they will heal faster if you ice them. You can ice any sore body part up to 20 minutes at a time, a few times throughout the day (if you can stand it). Smaller body parts - like joints and fingers don't need to be iced as long, maybe 10 minutes at a time.
	Work out. Often the last thing you feel like doing when you're sore but it gets back to the circulation thing. Working out promotes circulation. Sitting around while you're sore is worse than working out, even though you probably feel like exercise is the last thing you should do. What you should do is not work out too hard. It's a good excuse to be slightly lazy, since you are doing what's called a "recovery workout," which is aimed at not breaking down too much muscle tissue. However, if your legs are sore, you don't have to go easy on your upper body, and vice versa. Have a great day everyone!!

Ronny Varghese
Director of Operations
Operation Boot Camp - San Jose
1-888-7-FIT NOW (734-8669)
Ronny.Varghese@operationbootcamp.com
OperationBootCamp.com

Operation Boot Camp: The Veteran Challenge

As a veteran boot camper I needed to post this email from my trainer as a reminder NOT to be slacking off during camp. I need to push and challenge myself. UGH. It all starts again at 5:30am tomorrow...

Operation Boot Camp: The Veteran Challenge

Greetings, Veterans!

We have new veterans amongst our ranks... and as veterans, we need to be challenged EVEN MORE.

I bet you thought you were not going to get any e-mails, oh were you wrong!

We, the Hellyer Park Instructors, challenge you, the veteran campers, to:

Run faster

Jump Higher

Squat Lower

Sing Louder

Push Your Limits

Show us What you are Made of

Share Your Knowledge

Learn Something New

Ask us for What YOU need.

We are excited to have you back for another camp. We love to watch your progress!

See you on your best behavior!

The Boot Camp Staff

I am at a PLATEAU and I don't know how to move away from it

Weight at the beginning of May 2009: 265 lbs.

Weight today: 269 lbs.

What happened?

Reasons: partying, not focusing, eating my emotions, family drama, being tired, etc.

The second month of morning cardio boot camp has started and I have already missed 5 sessions. That is the equivalency to a week! Two of the days I missed were because I stayed up late for nonsense reasons, while the other three days I missed were because of family related reasons. Regardless I am at a standstill. I need to get enough hours of sleep, eat well, and exercise. This week so far I have been eating well, but then again it's only Wednesday.

I am at a PLATEAU and I don't know how to move away from it. WRONG response Maureen. Let's try this again. I am at a PLATEAU and I KNOW how to move away from it, but I choose to make excuses and not succeed.

Some tips and suggestions my trainer sent to me to help with the PLATEAU issue:

Tips and suggestions that may help you move off your “plateau.”

1) Try to stay away from all refined and artificial sugars—even drinks that are sweetened. Try this for a couple of weeks and see if you notice anything. Really pay attention to things that you may not think have sugar in them but really do (e.g., jellies, jams, teas, coffee drinks, pre-packaged oatmeal, cereal, protein bars, etc.).

2) Always try to drink 8 ounces of water before you eat. This will help you with portion control and you will not want to eat as much.

3) Try to only have veggies and protein at dinner (e.g., no rice, potatoes, cous cous, bread, etc. with dinner). Just protein and veggies!.

4) Only eat natural snacks. Make sure you are getting 5 fruits and veggies per day. Apples, green vegetables, salads, raisins, tomato sauces, carrot sticks, etc. Natural fiber and naturally occurring vitamins keep the GI tract healthy and functioning properly.

5) Continue to drink water throughout the day. This will not only help with your energy level, but also with your circulation, digestion and immune responses!

6) Cut down on the caffeine. This is a false stimulant that actually ends up making you hungrier!

7) Try to be consistent with 5 meals a day at approximately the same times (i.e., 2.5 to 3 hours apart). This will help your body get into a rhythm and make it easier to metabolize food and efficiently produce energy.

8) On homework days, do cardio instead of push-ups or sit-ups. Walk, run, ride a bike, swim, etc. This will help boost your fat-burning potential.

9) Buy a set of hand weights at a sporting goods store and use them when doing the homework. Adding muscle to your body helps to burn more calories.

10) Try not to eat the same things every day. you need a variety of food for nutrients but it also helps to curb boredom with the same thing all the time. Plus your body gets used to the same things and sometimes needs something different to boost your metabolism and break down of the new foods.

11) Use Tupperware and/or small snack baggies to portion your food and always use the 20-minute rule. If you are full all the time, you may be eating more than your body needs. You should be a little hungry before you eat each meal.

12) Make a large container of trail mix at the beginning of the week and portion it out each day with a 1/4 cup container.

13) There are some great bran muffin mixes and recipes out there that you can make mini muffins and add walnuts or pecans and you have quick snack on the go with fiber, protein and little sweetness.

14) In order to really succeed, you have to plan. Cook things ahead of time, pack your snacks, always think ahead.

15) Try to be conscious for a week of how many calories you consume. A woman should eat between 1,500 and 1,800 calories per day and a man between 1800 and 2200 calories per day.

Eating healthy is hard, but once you get used to planning and preparing, you will not even think about it anymore; it will be a way of life!

My hellish alternative to traditional cardio: outdoor morning cardio boot camp!

I have always HATED traditional forms of gym cardio. From the stair climber to the treadmill or the rowing machine to the elliptical--it's been bad blood between me and the machines. Although I strive to accomplish at least one hour 5 times a week of traditional cardio, what really gets my blood pumped and calories burned is alternative forms of cardio. I am a gym member at both 24 Hour Fitness and Gold's Gym (maybe one day I will explain as to why this is).

At 24 Hour Fitness I like to take Zumba dance classes or Turbo Kick Boxing Classes. One of the other classes I take that is usually over looked is Aqua Moves. I know...usually the first reaction is: "What the old people class?" or "Water class for expectant mothers? WHY? Are you expecting?" My response: "UGH. NO FILIPINO FAMILY! 1) I am not pregnant, I am just fat. 2) The water cardio is better for my poor knees." My family's response: "Oh thank God, for a second there we thought we were going to have a heart attack because you were preggers. Thank god you are just fat!" (*Note: Soon I will devote a series of blog entries strictly on what it was like growing up a fat Filipino-American girl. I am sure it will help you understand my deep struggle and challenges to my commitment to health. Mind you not every Filipino family is mean. My family, not all of them, were just "highly critical.")

Lately I have been participating in an outdoor morning cardio boot camp called OPERATION BOOT CAMP. We meet Monday through Friday at Hellyer Park in San Jose. We have boot camp from 6:00-7:00am, however we meet at 5:45am so my trainer Ronny and his boot camp staff can review/edit/comment on our food and exercise logs. It's been really helpful to participate in boot camp because there is a sense of support and commeraderie in a group setting, especially when it comes to exercise.

My favorite boot camp memory:
I accpmplished an activity called "THE PYRAMID." The Pyramid consisted of 110 reps each of squats, push-ups, sit-ups, dips, leg-raisers, etc. with running in between. I remember I was so hot in my sweats that when I took off my hoodie hot steam was escaping from my body. UGH. It was totally intense like the circus.

I think the best part about boot camp other than the professional guidance from staff and support from other participants is the fact that we always meet no matter what RAIN or SHINE. Some days I am super stoked to meet while other days I wished I slept in. Totally FML status.

A couple of times each month we have free community days or "bring a friend" days at boot camp. If you live in the San Jose area and are interested in participating feel free to contact me or contact my trainer Ronny for more information.

Now it is time for me to head off into my MBA Statistics course until 10pm tonight in Marin. Which will be followed with a 1 1/2 hour drive back home to South San Jose where I shall sleep until I wake up at 5:30am for OPERATION BOOT CAMP. Ah the joys of working full-time, going to graduate school, and living at home. I am certainly "living the dream."

For information about gym training with Ronny Varghese:
http://paradigmfitnesstraining.com/

For information about Operation Boot Camp:
http://www.operationbootcamp.com/

The worst thing ever: My gym trainer and I are on a "break"

Current weight: 265 lbs. as of May 2009, Size 18
Lowest weight: 224 lbs. in November 2008, Size 16/18
Starting weight: 320 lbs. in May 2007, Size 28

WHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAT HAPPENED?!

I gained 41 lbs. That's what happened. Allow me to provide some context.

I graduated from college in May 2007 and since then got a gym membership, hired a trainer, participated in his 6am cardio boot camp, and as a result lost 96 lbs. So what happened? I am what you call a "weight-fluctuator." In November '08 I reached my lowest weight in my adult years. From November until today I have fluctuated up and down 41 lbs. It's so frustrating to know that if I don't reverse this I could gain all my lost weight back AND then some.

During the last 6 months my trainer Ronny and I have been having "problems." He is an amazing trainer, don't get me wrong. It's me, not him. (Wow, why does this sound like a set-up for a bad relationship break-up?! Haha.) Ronny has been so supportive during these almost 2 years we have been together as trainer and client.

While training with Ronny 5 days a week including his morning boot camps, I commuted from where I live in South San Jose, to my full-time job in San Mateo, and graduate school in Marin County. I was in my car at least 2 hours a day and going up and down the Bay Area at least 3 days a week. Finally it took the decline in the health of my grandparents for me to realize that I was overextending myself. I was going to graduate this Spring but took a leave of absence instead, because I was drowning. While stressing over school projects, work related activities/events, and being with my grandfather in the hospital during his 4 hospitalizations in a 2 month period AND getting through memory clinics for my grandmother's early on-set Dementia, I am surprised I didn't crack sooner. Anyways, maybe that could have been the contributing factor of my 41 lb. weight gain: EXCUSES.

Didn't expect that response did you?

EXCUSES. I learned especially in the last 3 months that no matter what happens LIFE is ALWAYS happening. Before I always placed my health as a top priority and when things got more heavy I pushed that priority to the bottom of my list.

Where does this leave me and Ronny? We are on a break at least for the next two weeks from training. Both of us lost the motivation and spark we once had. Training was no longer exciting but became a chore. Which is sad because at my height I had the ability to leg press 500 lbs. which I have to thank my trainer for challenging me.

My Game Plan:
Since my "break" with Ronny he has been starting some noticible differences in my attitude and my (dare I say) tardiness. I got a new pair of running shoes. I have been sighted at both 24 Hour Fitness and Gold's Gym at home. I commit to running 1 mile every other day. I sleep in my gym clothes so I can get up for morning cardio at the crack of dawn regardless of the time I fell asleep the night before. Don't get too excited. This has only been happening since last Thursday, however I am feeling good. I was so freaked out I bought health prevention magazines and have been watching old episodes of "The Biggest Loser" to re-inspire me again. I even added a "Lose It!" electronic weight loss/exercise journal application for my iPhone. I know it sounds like a lot, but the true test is to see how long I can maintain this postive attitude.

Today I had morning cardio boot camp and showed up on time! It was so rewarding to know that I did make it and got a fantastic workout in the process. I hope this proves to Ronny I am in this for the long haul. I miss the training challenges already.

At this point I can only move forward. I will try to eat as healthy as possible and drink less. WAY LESS. I will follow the "2 F's and 2 D's rule":

NO FAST FOOD (if you do, only the "healthy menu")
NO FRIED FOOD (at all, which is difficult for a Filipino)
NO DRINKS (this includes alcohol, Jamba Juice, and Starbucks)
NO DESSERT (no explanation needed)

However, if for some reason I do slip and eat/drink one of the above I should always realize that it's okay as long as it is in moderation.

MODERATION. I think this word will be my compromise.