Saturday, August 11, 2007

No Need to Fear the Attack!

On Thursday I did something brave. Something unheard of. Something that no sane person would even consider.

I have previously blogged about doing the "double" (two one-hour fitness classes back to back) and I have even blogged about pulling off the "triple" (three one-hour fitness classes back to back). These doubles and triples consisted of Body Pump, Body Step, RPM, Body Combat, Body Flow, Body Jam, Exercise Ball classes or even 5-7km runs. Never in my life had I even attempted a SINGLE Body Attack class let alone as part of a double.


I was feeling frisky; I was motivated; I was temporarily insane! I was going to do the BODY PUMP -> BODY ATTACK combo... what was I thinking?

I completed the Body Pump class first - as I have learned in the past few months that Body Pump is best done before cardio, because if you try to do it after cardio your body tends to wobble and your knees can give out.

And so began Body Attack... 2 minutes into track one I could already feel the sweat trickling down my back and I was dying for water. To fill you in a little, Body Attack is an extreme sports-based fitness class that pushes your endurance and strength. It is filled with jogging with your knees to your chest, burpies, jumping jacks, squats, pushups, running, and many many sports-related moves. 8 of the 11 tracks are cardio, 2 are strength building and one is a cooldown. This was probably the most insane class I have ever done. And I estimate that it burned over 1000 calories. Combined with the Preliminary Body Pump class I probably burned about 1300-1500 calories on Thursday. Woot!

For my first Body Attack class, I really must say that I DOMINATED! I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't put my hand up at the beginning to identify myself as a newby that no one would have been the wiser :)

Did I love every minute of it: Yes.
Did I hurt the next day: Yes.
Will I be doing it again next week: Yes.
Will I be slipping into my skinny jeans by next month: Fuck Yeah!

UPDATE: I am now 26 days strong without sugar (excluding the creme brulee), and I weighed in at 166lbs on Wednesday. My first target was to hit 160lbs before August 18th and I am still on track to make that goal. Wish me luck!

- Brianne

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Time To Finally Buy New Jeans?

K, after prolonging my posts forever. (Especially if you ask Bree). I have finally come back to blog!!! To date I have lost about
12lbs! And I have started to realize that constantly trying to shrink my jeans and many other things that.... it's just not cutting it. My recent financial situation is keeping me from going out to buy new jeans, but I'm happy to say that I have officially gone down a pant size!!!
And the best part of it, I feel awesome!! I have more energy than I have in years. I got out every morning for a nice rollerblade through the experimental farm (which sounds dangerous, but is actually quite pretty, and I have yet to come out with several extra arms). Like Stevie was saying in her post, I have embraced the workout of dance, although mine is a bit more cheezy! Months ago I bought these dance videos by coreographers who worked on videos from (a once non insane) Britney to Jennifer Lopez (does she still even exist?) They're cheesy and I feel like a 13 year old when I play them.. but hell, they're fun and you wouldn't believe how much of a sweat you work up doing them!
Today I will test out something that has scared me for a while BODY ATTACK!! Brianne and I are going to test out this intense sports training class today at 5:30. Hopefully we'll live through it!!

-Kris

Mid-morning munchies

Ok, so I shouldn't really be blogging at work, but I just had the worst case of the mid morning munchies! My stomach was growling and I couldn't fathom eating my tuna salad before noon so I ventured down to the evil convenience store of temptation. So many flavours of Old Dutch chips waiting patiently for me to devour them... just thinking of windmills makes my mouth water. But instead I marched over to the coffee shop and found (amidst all the delicious pastries) a fruit/yogurt/granola cup! I know there's probably some awful stat on the calories in granola, but it was the principle of the thing.

-jess

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Smarter Decisions

My workouts have gone back to normal after the healing of the tattoo- a lot of running, some weight training, and hot yoga to stretch out the sore muscles. However, another form of exercise emerged Sunday night courtesy of the fine artists, Daft Punk. They played a show at Arrow Hall, and I danced my butt off for a few hours straight, then continued said dancing at The Orbit Room, care of cover band Stifler's Mom (totally amazing - Tavis Stanley of Thornley on lead guitar and vocals; Chris Caddell, formerly of Fefe Dobson, also on lead guitar and vocals; Derrick Brady of Hawksley Workman and Dodge Fiasco on bass guitar and vocals; and Eric Paul presently of Thornley, formerly of Big Sugar, Hawksley Workman, and Alannah Myles, on drums and vocals).

So all in all, I probably danced my tush off for 7 hours on Sunday night, sweating it up on the multiple dance floors. According to a calorie calculator, I burned 3,616 calories during said dancing. Combined with a 14K run that morning, I burned the fat right up.

So don't forget about a crazy night of dancing every so often to mix it up! My alcohol consumption that night was no match for the calorie burnage.

I also can't stop watching this girl for motivation:



My skinny jeans becoming my comfy loose jeans, it's time to buy a new pair! (Although to the rest of my skinny jeans crew, anyone else noticing that the smaller everything else gets, the bigger the boobs? Am I a freak of nature here?)

Until next time! Over and out.

-Stevie

Marathon Training Fun Facts

When I talked to marathon runners about training, they often told me to expect chafing. I heard stories of chafing under the arms and from the men, the horrors of nipple chafing (which I experienced the day I forgot my running bra). But not a single person told me I may get chafing on my tender bits, nor did they tell me that the chafing would only become apparent when I got in the shower and the water dissolved the salty sweat which ran into the wound and ignited a pain unlike any I had ever experienced. I wonder what will be chafed after 26K...it can't get any worse!



-Al

Monday, August 6, 2007

Worth Every Calorie?

Last night I went to the wedding of two of my co-workers. It was beautiful. But I'm not here to talk about their wedding. I'm here to discuss the deliciousness of the food at their wedding.

The first course was a mushroom and lobster bisque with truffle. Most of you are well aware of my epic battle against mushrooms. However, the bisque was amayonaising and YES! I ate every drop!

The second course was a field greens salad with spinach and other leafy greens, with a touch of goat cheese and a sprinkle of pecans, and a pomegranate dressing. This almost made me touch cloth.

The main course was beef tenderloin, with a side of scalloped potatoes and baby asparagus. The meat melted in my mouth, literally.

This brings us to dessert. Now, as most of you are well aware, I have been off sugar for 3 weeks now. In fact, I had a huge dilemma before the wedding trying to decide between wine or cake. When I found out that there was no cake I thought it would be an easy choice. However, the traditional wedding cake had been replaced with: Chocolate Lavender Creme Brulee.

Well ladies and gentlemen, the choice was made. Was there any way in hell that I could pass up this 500 calorie, 40 grams of fat small little pot of chocolate deliciousness? I think not. After eating the entire pot of brulee, I realized that it was so rich and sweet that it sort of made me sick. I am really enjoying not eating sugar, and I think that this one little treat I gave myself sort of renewed my faith in my process.

Well ladies and gentlemen, that is my story. Now if you'll please excuse me I must get to the gym immediately to punish myself for my indulgence.

- Brianne

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Holding on!

So this is me, my tattoo and my skinny jeans. Please note that I am holding up my skinny jeans, which are a 27! Success!!

Also, while it heals, I've been rollerblading instead of running. The smooth, fluid motions make sure not to affect the scabs that are now healing up quite nicely and I bring a little towel to sweat-wipe every so often to ensure I don't get it soaked. It's worked so far! It also looks like it will be healed up enough to do my 14K this Saturday. We went from 16K to 14K as a beautiful treat this weekend!

In other news, I have filled in my registration forms and submitted for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, and my flights been booked for weeks. Washington, here I come!

-Stevie

Crushed!

I received this email in my inbox overnight:

Dear Brianne,

Thanks for your interest in our show. Unfortunately, our casting is limited to the Vancouver
area since that is where our hosts, crew, and production facilities are located.

Cheers,

Missy McIntosh
Production Co-ordinator
Last 10lbs Boot Camp


Perhaps I can fly to Vancouver and live in a hotel for 4 weeks while I go to Boot Camp? I wonder if I could get that much time off work?

- Brianne