Day 19 - Friday, December 31, 2010

Here's the menu from yesterday:

It's the last day of the year...and as we were reminded numerous times today...we have been living our new year's resolution all week...or 3 weeks in my case!

As it is Friday, it was yet another chance for ZUMBA!  I decided to give it another go...because if I didn't it meant another hour of cardio intervals!  It went a little better this week, but I confess that I was lost once she played the "I Played Chicken with a Train" song!!  Who knew?  There also seemed to be a latin version of the macarena dance in there as well.

I won't be up to celebrate New Year's here...gotta hike in the a.m.  Trying to decide which hike to do in the morning.  One is on pavement & I have done it 3 times already...so that is out.  Another is the infamous "stop sign" which I did earlier this week (1000 foot incline, it's very tough at the end).  The other sounded interesting as there are some rocks involved...guess I need to ask around about that one.  One person's definition of tough is very different from another person's version.

My family gave me a gift certificate to get a massage, so I had my first one tonight!  It was WONDERFUL!  I now understand why everyone raves about them!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Mitzi

Day 16 - Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Another good day here at the resort!  It is past my bedtime, but here's a quick update of my day:

Calories burned (so far):  4431
Calories consumed:  1285
Steps taken (so far):  24,997
  **turns out my bodymedia thingy doesn't record steps if I am riding the bike!**

Here's the menu for the day:

Here was my schedule:

6:00 open gym - cardio workout on my own
7:00 breakfast
8:00 Hike  (found our 1st geocache in Utah today)
11:15 Free Weights Workshop
12:15 lunch
1:30 Rode bikes around local neighborhood!
2:30 Cardio Intervals (8 increases & then some sprints...basically sweat & try to breath!!)
3:30 Cardio Intervals (yes, a 2nd time...I wimped out on going to the pool...)
4:30 Total Toning (= hand weights + weighted bar + every imaginable way for us to work muscles all over our body)
5:30 Dinner
6:15 Discussion group

Gotta go get some sleep so I am ready to go again tomorrow!!

Mitzi

Here are some photos from my hike today:
In the middle on the far right, you will see a tiny green speck...that is one of the hiking guides with other guests that were behind us.  It may not look like it from here, but from where we are standing, it was a steep climb up out of the "bowl".

 Now the green speck of a hiking guide is in the lower middle part of the photo:

 The green speck & 2 navy ones are very difficult to see now in the center...so just admire the view!

 This rock formation is referred to as Whale's mouth...

 Look at all the different types of geography...amazing!

 This is probably one of my favorite photos...but it seems like the middle layer of green was greener and the lower layer of red rock was redder when I took the photo!

Day 15 - Monday, December 27, 2010

Today was challenging, but very productive!  My energy level was high and I was a very active participant.  One of the trainers saw the "fire" in my eyes & said, "this is going to be your week!"  If the rest of the week goes as well as today, then I would wholeheartedly agree!!

Here are some photos from my hike today:

 This one was actually taken in front of the resort.

 This is the house across the street from the resort...what a view from their yard!

Here's my schedule for the day:

6:00 open gym (walked on the treadmill)
7:00 breakfast
8:00 hike (around Ivins)
11:15 Mountain (challenging cardio w/13 increases along the way!)
12:15 Lunch
1:15 Kickball at a local park!!
2:30 Circuit Training (alternate between the cardio & circuit machines)
3:30 Core Training
4:30 Circuit Training (chose to repeat the class rather than get in the pool)

Here's the menu for the day:

Although I don't have the final numbers for the day...as of 6:45 pm, here is how it stands:

Steps (so far):  32,834
Calories Burned (so far):  5067!!
Calories Eaten:  1325
Calorie Deficit:  3742
Since it takes 3500 calories to burn one pound...I should have lost a pound just from today's workout!!

I am tired, but not as worn out as my first Monday here.  I feel like some of the pieces are starting to click inside my brain...thus it is a REALLY good thing that I am here for 4 weeks, rather than just one!!

That's about it for now...need to head back to my room & get ready for bed...it's been a loooong day!

Mitzi

2 Weeks Down, 2 Weeks to Go...

I am at the halfway point in my journey here at Fitness Ridge in Utah. I'm looking forward to the next 2 weeks and all the calories that will be burned here!

Christmas Eve turned out to be different than all of us thought it would be!  My parents ended up driving back early to beat the snow storm that was headed across the country.  Friday afternoon, my husband found out that their early morning flight to FL was cancelled...so he gave my daughters 10 minutes to finish packing & then they left for the airport!  They arrived in time to make the 5:45 flight & arrived safely later on that night.

At dinner time, I was invited to go to a Christmas Eve service at the St. George Tabernacle Church.  It was a really nice program with a sing along, some beautiful soloists & a nice Christmas message.  It was the first time I had ever attended a Morman service.  Afterwards, we drove by the Temple (see photo below) in town & then a quick trip to Walgreen's before heading back to Fitness Ridge.

Christmas morning we got up and went for a 2 hour hike.  It was really nice & I FINALLY felt strong again!  I can honestly say I have never taken a hike on Christmas morning before!!

Here's the menu from Christmas Day:

The egg nog milkshake was actually quite good!

Here's today's menu:

Mitzi

I'm behind again in my postings!!

My goal for the weekend is to catch up on my postings.  This has been a rough week for me as I got the stomach flu Monday afternoon.  I missed Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday & I was really going stir crazy by Tuesday night!!  I started to look for patterns in the ceiling plaster...yes, it was that bad!  Wednesday, I was ready to go hit the gym again...but after 3 hours I hit a wall & could hardly make through lunch...so I went back to my room for the rest of the day.  This morning I got up & I was completely confused...do I take it easy?  do I keep going??  I felt overwhelmed & didn't know what to do.  I spoke with one of the trainers & she suggested that I set a goal of working out for 2 hours today.  I ended up working out for 3 hours and am feeling completely spent again!  She said I should set the same goal for tomorrow.

It's such a strange thing...actually resting after you have been sick & taking it easy for a couple of days.  The problem is...I didn't come all this way & spend all this money to learn how to take it easy!!  The other strange thing that has been happening is that there have been times this week when the thought of eating anything turns my stomach!  Not sure if that indicates that I am not completely better or if it means that I might be sensitive to soy (one of the trainer's suggestions) or something else...not sure.

I feel like I am living in an alternative universe.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I don't even know of any churches around that have a Christmas Eve service!  It's hard to believe all the hustle & bustle that is taking place in the rest of the world preparing for Christmas!  Here, it's all about the workouts, the food & getting ready for the next day.  I know it will be sad tomorrow night when I won't be able to see one of my children perform during the Christmas Eve service.  Today, my family is making a gingerbread house & they asked me for the recipe.

Here's a photo of Christmas decorations in Ivins, UT:

I know why I am here and I have known for several months is was going to be a lonely Christmas, but the reality is starting to set in!  It seems like it would make it easier if I could remind myself how many calories I have burned this week & how much stronger I am than last week...but with the flu bug, that has dampened things a bit.  Still burning more than I am consuming...which is good, but it's just not going as fast as I would like!

Over the weekend, I chose not to weigh in.  They recommend that we only weigh in at the beginning & the end of our stay.  I spoke with 2 different women who were here last week & they had 2 very different experiences with the scale.  One lost 11 pounds (HAD to be some clothing differences!!) and the other lost 2.  I decided that since I have a tendency to get wrapped up in the numbers, that maybe I should just wait.  I calculated from my bodymedia fit that I should have lost around 5 pounds, but who knows if my body would have cooperated with what it was SUPPOSED to do!!  It hasn't this week, that is for sure!

I know I am making progress in a positive direction...just wanting to go FASTER!!

In case I don't get a chance to post again before tomorrow/Saturday, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!  Don't forget the REASON for the SEASON!  If you see my family at church tomorrow night, give them a hug from me!!

Love,
Mitzi

Here's some menus from days I missed:

Day 5 - Friday 12/17/10

Here is the summary for the day:

6:00 Yogalates
7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Hike (Stop Sign)
11:15 Stretch
12:15 Lunch
1:15 Prep for next week
2:30 Circuit Training
3:30 Zumba
4:30 H2O Basketball
5:45 Dinner

Here's the menu for the day:

Calories Burned:  4080
Calories Consumed:  1320
Steps:  22,942

Today we climbed the infamous "stop sign" hike.  The hike is 4.3 miles (I think), but during the hike there is a 1000 increase in altitude!  It's pretty tough, especially the last mile!  My walking buddy was 19 years old; he kept me walking at a good pace, even though there was LOTS of huffing & puffing at the end!
I had high hopes for Zumba...but I ended up feeling like I was as disoriented as being in a nightclub with the loud music & the strobe light!

Here are some sights along the way of the stop sign hike:

 My 19-year old hiking buddy at the end!

Day 4 - Thursday, 12/16/10

Here is a summary of the day:

6:00 Yogalates
7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Hike (Overlook by Stop Sign)
11:15 Gym Class (cardio)
12:25 Lunch
1:15 Lecture:  Cooking Demo
2:30 Total Body H2O
3:30 Ball Works
4:30 Treading (yet another challenging cardio class!)
5:30 Dinner
6:15 Lecture:  Increasing Your Income

Here's the menu for the day:

Calories Burned:  4260
Calories Consumed:  1234
Steps:  19, 453

Thursday was an emotional day for me.  At the end of the day, I spoke to one of the trainers & a woman that has been here for a few weeks & it really helped me out!

Here are some photos taken from the hike today.  The hike was along an overlook that shows the road leading to the "infamous" stop sign hike (you'll hear about that tomorrow):

 It was really interesting how on one side of the road there were the red rocks & red sand; on the other side of the road was tan rocks & light brown sand.

Day 3 - Wednesday 12/15/10

Here is a summary of the day:

6:00 Yogalates
7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Hike (Anasazi Trail)
11:15 Circuit
12:35 Lunch
1:15 Lecture:  Emotional Eating
2:30 Kickboxing
3:30 Mountain (really challenging cardio!)
4:30 H2O Circuit
5:45 Dinner
6:15 Lecture:  Intuitive Eating

Here's the menu for the day:

Calories Burned:  5264
Calories Consumed:  1161
Steps:  32,108

Wednesday was the most physically demanding day!

Here are some photos from our hike to Anasazi Trail.  On the rocks you will see the petroglyphs (rock engravings) made by the Anasazi Indians:

Day 2 - Tuesday, 12/14/10

Here is a summary of the second day:

6:00 Stretch
7:00 Breakfast
8:00 Hike (Johnson's Arch & Scout Cave)
11:15 Stretch
12:15 Lunch
1:00 Calorie Challenge
1:30 Lecture:  Cooking Demo
2:30 Total Toning
3:30 Deep Water Suspension
4:30 Cardio Intervals
5:30 Dinner
6:15 Lecture:  Spending Your Calories Wisely II

Calories Burned:  4382
Calories Consumed:  1214
Steps:  22,493

Another exhausting day...

Here are some photos from my hike today:

 Below is Johnson's Arch:

 Those wacky pioneers...look at the graffiti! This is how the park got it's name!!  (Snow Canyon State Park)

 This is called resurrection moss.  Usually it is black, but it turns this beautiful green with a bit of moisture.

 This is a home built right next to the park.  From far away, it really blends in well with the surroundings.

 In the middle of the photo are 2 small (from this perspective) openings.  This is called Scout Cave.

 Here are some lava fields close to Johnson's Arch