Bootcamp Repost and UPDATE

REPOST FROM JULY 25th,2011
so i started a 12 week bootcamp on the 4th of july. a week late, so really it's only 11 weeks for me. the first class was miserable. i ran to the bathroom 3 times thinking i was going to lose my cookies (i never did, though). i knew i was out of shape, but really didn't know just how bad off i was until that class. when i decided to do this, all i was thinking was "i just want to lose my ellie-belly". but after that first class, i changed that goal to "get through a class without feeling like i'm going to throw up". i thought i had reached that goal until tonight, but i'm sure there will be those days. i'm definitely improving in endurance, though. now i get excited for the challenge that each class brings. i'm still always last at everything, the MOST out of shape and a lot of times i'm the one holding everyone back, but everyone is always so supportive and encouraging to me, which motivates me to give my all. i often think of one of our family mottos we always are telling the boys "DAHLSTROMS DON'T GIVE UP!" and i won't. what i lack in self motivation i make up for in work ethic. if that makes any sense, anyway.

i'm really awkward still when it comes to meeting new people and trying new things scares the heck outta me, so i'm really really proud of myself for putting myself out there. it's a bit embarrassing that i don't know how to stretch properly, and that i have to copy others b/c i don't know the proper technique of anything really. BUT... i KNOW that i will only be better because of this, in more ways that just the obvious.

i'm being realistic about what the outcome of this session will be for me. it ends in september, right before my birthday. all i want is to NEED to buy new clothes by then.

my lowest weight ever-senior yr of HS- 120ish
when i got married-125
pregnant w/jax-130
9mos w/jax-160
pregnant w/ boomer-145
9mos w/ boomer-180
pregnant w/ellie-191
9mos w/ellie-222
start of bootcamp-175
end of bootcamp goal- i couldn't care less about my weight. i care about how my clothes fit me, and getting rid of this soft, round belly i've got. i should have measured myself to see if i'll have lost inches, but didn't. so i'm just hoping to have some jeans be too loose to look right anymore once i'm done.

UPDATE
right now is week one of our 2week break from bootcamp and i was struggling with how to find time for a workout. so i just bucked up during ellie's first nap and dusted off the treadmill for a run. i was happily surprised to find myself warming up at my old running pace! i used to "run" at a 4.5 for half an hour, that's uncluding my warm-up and cool-down walk. i tried running at a 4.5, and it was just pitiful that i was so out of shape that that used to be a good workout for me. today, i ran for an hour (including short warm up and cool down jogs) and i was comfortable running at a 6! i kept looking down at my speed, calories burned and distance and just grinning. i honestly surprised myself today!

i've been working out on a regular basis for 6 months now (only missing 2 classes-one i was literally kidnapped for), am so proud of myself for how far i've come in that amount of time. i feel great, have more energy for my kids, i'm less stressed, have better self esteem and am coming out of my shell a bit more, socially speaking. i don't know (or care, really) if i have lost weight, but i have lost inches for sure. i will find out soon just how much progress i've made during winter session. i have HAD to buy new workout pants, i was starting to moon everyone during my workouts! and i NEED new jeans for sure. my favorites FALL OFF if i don't wear a belt. so i've accomplished my original goal!! GO ME!! whenever i get down i tell myself, "it took you 7 years to get fat, you can't really expect to have lost it all in 6 months!" i AM improving, i AM losing fat, i CAN reach my goals, i WILL keep on! i'll never have a bikini body again, but i'm already starting to not HATE what i see in the mirror. baby steps, right?!

it would have been REALLY easy for me to quit between sessions. especially when jason decided he wanted to have a go at it. i mean, we don't really have $450 stuffed under the mattress. but we decided we will make our fitness a priority and i feel like that money is an investment into our happiness.

speaking of jason and xfit...he has improved by leaps and bounds since he started 3months ago. i beat him in EVERY one of the categories his first fit test except one. regular pushups. and that was only by 1! now he smokes me in everything. he has lost inches and weight, gained muscle and endurance. all during his 5AM class! he is amazing. and i love that we can share this experience together.

january 16th will mark the 1yr anniversary of my breakup with soda, which is a huge accomplishment for me. i was very much addicted!

all in all i'm so excited for what's to come in the new year. some of my fitness related goals are...

*workout between classes at home with the ball and treadmill
*be able to keep up during field trip runs
*have more fitness related family outings like hikes, trips to the rockwall, swimming...
*do WAY better on my situp fit test
*maybe smoke jason again in at least SOMETHING!

i would love to post a before pic, but i can't seem to find a good bad one. i was really great about deleting any unflattering pics of myself. i regret that now! oh well...