Niki G's #1 Fan!!

#1 FAN

I don't know what it is about Niki G's boot camp, but I sure do love it. I was talking with a friend at boot camp yesterday and apparently a trainer at the YMCA called it a cult, ha! Well I am so glad to be part of it because it is the best workout ever! I love it and if you know me you know that I have never been one to workout and stick with it. I am finishing up my 7th week strait of working out which impressed me! This morning, I decided to go to the 5:15am class and I really think I have a lot more energy in the morning. It may be because it is a lot cooler, but I could really tell a difference today. The 5:15 class girls are a lot more advanced than the afternoon classes but Whitney still individualizes each workout to your own fitness level. Today we did lots of push-ups which I am still struggling with. Any advice on how to work my way up to improving my upper body strength. They are easier, but I am still not where I need/want to be. Too bad my arm strength does not match my legs...eww that would not be good though...bad thought, ha! I look forward to hearing my alarm tomorrow before the rooster crow's so I can go to my happy hour!!!

Changes!

Over the past few days I have noticed more changes! Saturday while I was getting ready to go out with friends, I noticed I did not have the fat on my calves anymore that I used to. I even ran to tell Mandi because I was so excited and shocked! Also, on the way to work this morning I noticed that my stomach has shrunk. The seat belt does not even look like it is on the same belly :)

Tuesday was supper club with the girls so I knew I needed to make arrangements to work out earlier. Well I had in my mind to just work out in the morning . Little did I know I had a fasting doctors appointment that morning. I went in early so I could get off for the 4:30 boot camp class. I realized when I got there it was boot camp on the barre not "boot camp". Of course, I stayed and was actually exicted to try out the barre! I thought it would be a walk in the park compared to boot camp. NO!!! It was really difficult for me. During the class I noticed my legs were really shaky and I was really weak. I didn't eat a huge lunch but I did eat a protein bar before class so I was really puzzled. It finally came to me that I did have blood drawn that morning and I guess that is why I was so weak. Needless to say I am going to give the class another shot. It was a work out! At the beginning of the class I noticed she handed everyone 3LB weights which surprised me. Now I know why!! I felt like a Rockette we did so many cancan's while holding the 3 LB weight out in front of us. I am going to attempt to explain this other exercise that was very difficult and made me super sore! We sat down on our bended knees and swayed back and forth with the upper part of my body. So overall, I did not love boot camp on the barre, but I do plan to give it another chance!

Canoeing the Harpeth

Saturday morning bright and early I went canoeing with some friends and had a great time! I have not been canoeing in years (maybe since the 4-H days). Mandi and I were in one canoe and luckily she had been canoeing before. It still was not easy keeping the canoe straight, we kept going sideways... Maybe we had a faulty canoe. :) I think we made a pretty good team once we got the hang of it. Notice in the picture above, we used our life jackets to connect our canoe with Lincoln and Megan for some of the trip... I really thought I would be sore from paddling but I was not sore at all!!! I could tell my boot camp had paid off! Hopefully we can go again before the summer is over.

Boot camp in the rain, what a lovely way to start my Friday!

This morning I kept hitting the alarm and really didn't want to wake up to go to boot camp. I remembered how good I would feel afterwards so I got up and ran out the door. Then on the way there I almost wrecked because this truck with a bunch of lawn care workers was broken down and they were all pushing this truck and trailer down a one lane road. I probably should of stopped to help but was in a hurry for boot camp. Luckily I was not driving fast..If Lindsey was with me she would of said, "Kayla, are you trying to kill me." That is always the joke when we are on the Culbertson road. If you know me you know I kinda drive fast on back roads..what can I say I am from the country and I am used to crooked roads. After, I finally made it to boot camp I missed the warm up portion and headed straight outside to power walk with my 10LB kettle ball. Guess what Whitney said? You guessed it!! She said Kayla will be glad to know we are headed back to the S-T-A-I-R-S!!!!! I seriously was thinking I really should of stayed at home. I didn't know if I could do those stairs again!!! I kept my head high and ran on. I should mention at this point it was a steady sprinkle!! When I got the parking lot where the stairs were I began doing my squats because that is what Whitney had instructed me to do yesterday and by the time I made it to the stairs the rest of the group had made it to the parking lot and I hear Whitney yelling for me to come back. So I went back and did more squats while pressing my kettle ball above my head. I was supposed to do 15 on each arm and count myself. Well, in the midst Whitney asks me what number I was on and I seriously had no idea I was trying to focus on my move. Needless to say she said switch. ..Once we made it to the stairs I started off doing the stairs and Whitney told me to come back to her and she showed me different moves to do instead of the stairs. I guess she could see in my eyes it was killing my knee. Well, the first move was not too bad. No easy but not a killer. So I was swinging the kettle ball between my legs and then back up over my head in reps of 20. . Below is a picture of me killing the move, not really but will be one day!!!

The next move was the killer move to me!! I had to squat with 10LB kettle balls in both hands and alternate by pulling them up. If you think this sound easy you should go try it out. I rotated both of these moves several times. During the move my eyes started burning from the sweat and I do not sweat very easily . I actually wish I did sweat more!!! I forgot to mention yesterday I was proud I ad sweat marks on my shirt..O the things you will be proud of in boot camp. I even showed Mandi when I got home... :) Prior to running back to the studio in the rain, we sat on the wall..which is painful to me too!! I really wish I had a picture of what I looked like when I made it back. I was soaking wet!! My shirt was stretched out of shape hanging off of one shoulder. I acutally ran back most of the way to the studio to get out of the rain...I wonder if boot camp will get easier. Actually, I don't need it to get easier if I want to see results...NO PAYNE NO GAIN, RIGHT!!!

O, by the way... the broken down truck passed by me on the way home, so I didn't feel as bad anymore. :)

O! How I love the stairs.....

Yesterday I waited until the last minute to sign up for class. At Niki G's boot camp you schedule the classes you plan on attending prior to the class and cancel should you not be able to attend. Well, for some reason I forgot to sign up until the day of class. I click register and the class was full!!! I was like really this cannot be true!! I really need to go to boot camp especially today because I had only went once this week and it was Thursday...So I was put on a waiting list. I was hoping to make it to the boot camp on the barre at 4:30 but ended up I couldn't because I was stuck at the eye doctor. Luckily, I checked my phone and had an email from Niki G and someone had canceled and now i can go!!! It's really the small things in life that really makes your day!! I was so happy well until I got there and found out we were headed to the stairs!!! On top of the stairs it was so humid from the rain!!! One of the boot campers said Whitney was trying to make us pass out, ha! It was that hot!! Well needless to say we all survived! I sure am feeling the soreness today from the stairs!! I really wish I had stayed for yoga last night! I hope I remember that next week. Yesterday I did really well on tracking my food. I even had 3 points left. This week for dinner, I have been eating white roughy with green beans and brown rice and it is tasty!

Weigh In Wednesday

Today I woke up and really had in my mind not to go to my weight watcher's meeting. My coworker emailed me this morning and asked if I was going to the meeting which really helps to keep me accountable. Needless to say I did go and I am very happy that I went. I surprisingly lost 2 LBS over a holiday weekend. I was very impressed because I cheated more than I should of this weekend. I did choose to wake up and go for a walk with my dad and Melonee to get some cardio in. My mom made my favorite ice cream pie and she cut me a huge piece . I decided to share with Melonee and she loved it!! I think she ate just as much of the pie as I did if not more :) I was more conscious than normal about not over eating which is so easy for me to do while at mom and dads. Also, I did not drink a coke which I normally do... This week I am really going to attempt to track my food. i do not have an excuse not to. I have a great app on my phone its just a matter of using it. I also went to boot camp tonight and again I did not want to go...What has gotten into me. I really think its because I have not went since Friday. Yes you caught me, I did not go yesterday. Honestly, I was so tired but regretted not going today. Today we did arms and core. Today I could tell that it was easier to hold myself up in plank position and a little easier to do the boat position. I always feel so much better after leaving boot camp. It is nice having an accountability partner to work out with and this weekend my workout buddy is on vacation... I did find out very good news today!! Lindsey is coming back to boot camp next month which is super exciting .. She is such a motivator and a joy to workout with. I will for sure be there tomorrow and will track everything I eat....You know how the saying goes. Bite it..write it...snack it ..track it...nibble it ...scribble it...or something like that...

Keep! Keep! Keep it UP!!!

That's right! Last night I did my normal boot camp class and decided to stay for yoga. I have never done yoga before. It was definitely a different type of workout experience for me. I had no idea you take your shoes off, ha! If you could of seen me, I am sure it would have been quite the show. Yoga is not a piece of cake. I hope to improve on breathing correctly during bootcamp and yoga. Breathing is so important I have learned. Whitney told us yesterday she lost 2 inches around her waist quickly from doing yoga. Check out the picture below. This is very similar to one of the positions (a lot harder than it looks) . Except we were not allowed to let our right hip touch the floor . Luckily, Whitney grabbed me a rope for me to tie to my foot so I could use the strap to pull my rear leg closer to my back.




This morning I could tell that I was exhausted from the night before workouts. When I work out at night it is so hard for me to go to sleep. Any suggestions and I never want to eat when I get finished working out. I know I need to.

Last night I prepared my smoothie in the blender except the milk. I did peaches, 1 TBS of peanut butter, and vanilla protein with almond milk. It was pretty tasty. I was only able to drink 1/2 of it prior to my workout. This morning I could tell I did not have as much energy. I am trying to determine if I have more energy working out in the morning or at night. I still do not know. I actually have not dreaded working out at night like I thought I would.

This morning I had a really bad feeling we were going to do stairs when Whitney gave us our route. O yes she said go to Porter House and take a left. Well that means we are headed to the parking garage with the STAIRS. We did stairs, stairs, and more stairs! I seriously didn't think I was going to make it. It is like a sauna in the stairwell which makes it even more difficult! Needless to say, I made it! I am definitely sore. NO PAYNE NO GAIN! Right!

On a side note, I was shaving last night and my legs do not even look like mine. I just noticed it last night. My knee is so much more defined! O and last night Whitney told us where she measured me because I was a little unsure and I remeasured when I got home. And the tape measure is correct. I have lost 8 inches around my waist line. I just still cannot believe the tape measure!!! It is such a good feeling!!!

With the holiday weekend here! I hope to get in some cardio. I will not be back at boot camp until Tuesday! I guess it is a good thing I worked out 3 times between last night and this morning. :)

Happy 4th everyone!