last chance workout

If you’re like me and love the Biggest Loser, then you know all about the “Last Chance Workouts.” They are nothing to sneeze about. As Bob says, “it’s my job to put an entire week of workouts into one workout.” Yikes! That just makes the body hurt thinking about it.

Last Chance Workouts

Actually, come to think of it, I would rather have just one majorly insane workout…I think…than the week of last chance workouts that we’re having right now. Wow, our trainers know how to kill us!

 

This is our last week of the bodyFit eXtreme challenge and it’s really hard to believe that 12 weeks have gone by so quickly. We’re all quite sad about the end of the program, but I guess like they do on the BL, we’ve become a big family unit who has supported and pushed each other when we didn’t think we’d make it through. Especially in this past month when we’ve all been beyond beaten down by the program.

 

In the past 12 weeks, here’s what I’ve experienced:

• pants falling off in class around day 8 of the program
• hunger, and an amazing new appreciation for the energy that comes from a carbohydrate
• a new appreciation for protein – in liquid, powder or solid forms
• shin splints like no other
• brutal workouts
• yelling trainers
• frustration when fellow eXtreme participants cheat…and we all get punished for it
• new friendships
• encouragement from new friends, gym owners, church & work friends, and even the same trainers who yell at us
• high energy & high intensity workouts
• 2 new pairs of workout shoes…for a total of about $300 in new shoes
• loose pants, tops & jackets
• energy peaks & valleys
• the ability to actually run a mile without stopping
• a strange desire to go to the gym every night, if for nothing else than to see my friends
• majorly expensive grocery bills
• a new-found love of low sugar chocolate milkshakes!
• physical exhaustion like I’ve never imagined
• laughs…even while having our fannies kicked
• the ability to burn 800+ calories in a single hour workout
• lifestyle changes – I can eat healthy even with my crazy, busy lifestyle!

and most importantly…

• a love of myself, my figure, and my physical health
• a greater appreciation for my husband and his support of me in everything I work to accomplish and overcome (even if it does mean he signs up for a 90 day eXtreme exercise program just to encourage me along!)

 

These past 12 weeks have been life-changing.
And hopefully I’ll survive the last week of “last chance workouts”…

 

I’ve been blessed and privileged to participate in this program that has helped me to find myself again, to find happiness with the way I look and feel…and has introduced me to so many great new friends. Words cannot express my gratitude toward Nancy, Jamie and the rest of the bodyFit instructors who have stepped up their own workouts and really pushed us all to achieve our full potentials.

 

It’s been hard, it’s still hard, but it’s also been fun!
And now I have to go out and buy some new clothes…literally NONE of my pants fit me…shucks!

more awesome raffle items

                                                          

 

Do any of these tickle your fancy??

 

If so, head on over to

and place your bid.

 

But be ware…if you outbid me, I will hunt you down.

And ask you to share.

(Sheesh, did you think I was threatening violence?!?)

waiting

There is never anything easy or comfortable about waiting. I’ll admit it, I’m impatient. It’s a virtue that God forgot to give me, I’m convinced. And that’s the just about the worst virtue to be without in the ministry.

A wise pastor friend reminded me of something that I already knew, but often need to be reminded: “God’s time is not our time…and sometimes God’s time takes a really LONG time.”

So why is waiting to hard? Why does it drive you to the point of wanting to scream sometimes when you’re so incredibly anxious? Why does waiting make you question your motives and/or “call” to do whatever it is that you’re busy waiting for?

My Thursday night Bible study ladies have a running joke about God speaking to us. So often we’re either too busy or too dense to pick up on God’s “speaking” to us, so we frequently tell God to “speak very loudly to me, please God!” Well, I’ve been doing a lot of that lately…and it seems that all I get from God is…Wait. Have patience. Trust me. You are not alone. I am here. Wait. That’s all fine and dandy and all, but it’s much easier to say and hear than do.

So, in order to be obedient to God, I wait. Quite impatiently. Quite uncomfortably. Quite restlessly. And all the while questioning if I’m on the right path.

I wait. It’s not easy. It’s quite painful. And it’s downright ugly at times too. But I am faithful and desire to be obedient to God. I want to clearly discern God’s Will for me and not Katie’s will for me. I will fight God on having to wait, but I will trust that God does really actually know much better than I know.

And I will trust in God, because I have not been led thus far to be left alone. I am not alone. God is with me. And God is asking me to wait.

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV, daily verse for 10.12.09

 

yep…

…this girl just slid into a pair of pants that have been sitting in the back of her closet for about 2 years!

…they are two sizes smaller than the size pants I was wearing when I started the bodyFit eXtreme challenge a mere 67 days ago!

…I’m feeling pretty sexy today!

sixty days

At sixty days, here we are:

Mason
Pounds Lost: 9
Inches Lost: 10.3

Katie
Pounds Lost: 6
Inches Lost: 11.1

 

Both
lifting heavier weights than we thought we could
dropping clothing (dress) sizes
eating healthier
looking skinnier
feeling better
more energy
actually looking forward to exercise
running a mile completely without stopping (KT)
running a mile with great ease (MT)

 

We enter Phase 3 of the  bodyFIT eXtreme challenge, and we’re both ready for it. We got our new menus and we’ll be doing some grocery shopping on Sunday night. We’re both pleased with our progress, and ready to see what Nancy & Jamie have in store for us in Phase 3.

PHASE 3…BRING IT ON!

personal accomplishments

Most of you know that I’m participating in the bodyFIT eXtreme challenge. It’s three months of exercise 6 days a week and meal plans based on our metabolic type. In the first 30 days I had only lost 4.5 pounds, but I had begun to completely transform the shape of my body. (And to be quite honest, 4.5 pounds is a HUGE amount of weight for me to have lost. Afterall, I’m the one in the program that they didn’t think it would work for since my metabolism is regulated by a pill…thanks Synthroid!)

As I mentioned, we are exercising in classes 6 days a week. Mason and I actually only make 5 days a week and do a DVD of a class for the 6th day since we’re in classes in Charlotte every week for the 6th day of the program. Well, yesterday was my first time missing a class for work and to be honest, it put me in a bit of a funk. On my way home from work last night, at around 8:25, I stopped by the gym to pick up my hubby (despite having driven separate cars) and to say hey to my friends…I really missed them! Although I was exhausted, I knew that I had to go home and do some cardio and I was not looking forward to it. I was secretly hoping that a dose of my friends post-workout would give me the energy needed to go and jog around the neighborhood when I got home.

Now for those of you that know me well, you’re still chuckling at the last sentence. I know, I know…me, run, jog…anything that requires more effort than a fast walk?!? You can stop laughing now…because it happened! I actually went home at 9:00 at night after a day on my feet being extroverted at the career fair and then teaching resume writing to my sorority…I took a RUN around the neighborhood!

We have a route mapped out from our mailbox back around to our mailbox that is exactly 1 mile. You have to run on certain sides of the road and cross at the right points, but it’s exactly 1 mile and it’s what Mason uses when he runs. I knew going into this that I’ve never run a full mile without stopping, but that if I could just do at least 1/2 of it, I’d be super happy. So I tied my shoes, wrapped my shin-splinted leg, gathered my coach (Mason) and turned on the iPod…

Mason promised to stay at my pace with me and encourage me along the way. We started out at a really good pace and before I knew it, he was saying crazy things like, “Way to go Babe! You just ran 1/4 mile!” And I was feeling crazy feelings like…wow, I’m not tired yet! So we turned the corner and headed up the hill. At the top of the hill was 1/2 mile, and I was starting to feel my legs a bit…and the breathing was harder. We pushed through, my coach encouraging me to slow down at the top of the hill but I didn’t listen. I was afraid that if I slowed down, I would stop altogether. We rounded corner #3 (I sound like I’m at a NASCAR race here…) and my coach made me “coast” down the hill into turn #4 so that I could rest a bit. At about turn #4 I started to hurt…badly. But at that point I was also listening to a good song and I had an excellent coach pushing me and I knew that the house was really just around turns #5 and #6 and I wanted to do this thing! At 1/2 way between turns #4 and #5 I started to fall apart…and my coach just kept pushing me…and it HURT! It was then that I as politely as possible through gasps of air told my coach to “SHUT UP PLEASE!” He did so immediately and then about 20 seconds later responded equally as well to my request, “Okay, TALK PLEASE!” (Yeah, I’m slightly schizophrenic when it comes to what I want to hear while I’m in agony.) Right about turn #5 I was literally about to give up physically, but mentally still wanted to be in this game. Every bit of my body hurt, but I was NOT giving up…I am stubborn and I wanted to finish that mile! My coach kept encouraging me, even offering his hand for support (which I snuffed off, I ain’t no sissy needing help afterall) and we made it to turn #6. I was talking to God very loudly just asking God to get me home and there it was…the mailbox! I’ve never been so happy to see that piece of metal with an overgrown bunch of Yellow Jasmine in my life. I was almost there and before I knew it…I was done! I had just completed a full mile run without stopping once, in under 10 minutes time!

I hurt with every fiber of my being and my chest was burning from breathing in the cold air, but I had just finished and boy was I proud. I wanted to stop. I wanted to curl up into a ball. I wanted to cry, but I also wanted to march straight down to my trainer’s house (yep, we’re “lucky” enough to live in the same neighborhood as Jamie) and knock on his door and brag about what I had just accomplished.

Just 60 short days ago I would never have thought I could have even completed a mile run without stopping. And here I did it…in under 10 minutes, too! And I’ve never been prouder of myself…I pushed through and met my goal and did better than I thought I would!!!

I’m still feeling a bit of soreness in my abs today because you apparently use them while you’re running…who knew? But overall, I’m grinning from ear to ear, and I’m secretly looking forward to my next mile run with hubby. Just don’t tell HIM that…

 

And to keep everyone updated on the progress…here’s a picture from the cruise, right around Day 35 on the program. Enjoy!

  

awesome local raffle – awesome cause!

 

When you have a few minutes, mosey on over to the blog above and register to win some awesome giveaway/raffle prizes. Each entry makes you one step closer to winning some fabulous prizes, and also makes Leigh & Gray one step closer to brining home (adopting) their sweet baby girl, MG.

  

Be especially sure to check out “The Local”, or option #6 for Week 2. This great prize includes some gift certificates to three Columbia establishments:

$25.00 @ Unforgettable Fine Jewelry
5 Day Pass @ bodyFIT of Columbia
$100.00 to Mangia! Mangia!

 

 

 

A huge personal thank you to Nancy @ bodyFIT of Columbiafor donating the 5-day pass and a bodyFIT logo workout shirt as well. The winner of this prize will be truly blessed! bodyFIT is only the best gym in all of Columbia…not that I’m biased or anything…

Entries are $5.00 each, get 6 for $25.00!

 

Stop by, help the Ladds bring home MG, and win some fabulous prizes!

 

 

kimbo stole my thunder

…actually, she probably said it much better than I could…

When you get a minute, please check out Kimbo’s blog about the bodyFIT eXtreme challenge and see what she has to say about our 30-day mark.  Everything she has said in this post is exactly what I think and feel. We truly are a family and we are truly grateful for all of the hard work that each of our mentors and leaders have invested in us.

So, I second her emotion with a

HUGE THANK YOU!

to Jamie, Nancy, Stephanie, Renee, Tamela, Aimee, Kara, Kelly and Suzanne…and my mentor Sam who has mentored me from afar. And to anyone else I’ve left out, thank you! You will probably never know…becasue words can’t adequately describe…just how grateful we are to each and every one of you.

And thank you to Kimbo for keeping us all  laughing, both in class and online! You’re great, and I’m so glad to be getting to know you!

 

On a more serious note…30 days means a weigh-in and photo shoot. Since we’ll be gone on Saturday, Mason and I will be having our shoot tonight at 5:30. We’ve noticed progress, but it’s now all up to the scales…yikes!
Wish us luck…

 

August 5, 2009
“Day 3″
Day -3 for the Todds

 

August 15, 2009
Day 14
Day 6 for the Todds

true that

Does anyone else remember that phrase? Anyway…

My friend Leslie, who always has fantastic stuff on her blog, posted this and I just had to share. I dare you to tell me that you can read through the list and a) not laugh, or b) say you’ve never done/thought about what’s listed below.

Enjoy!

35 True Statements

1. There is a great need for sarcasm font.

2. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.

3. Bad decisions make good stories.

4. How in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
            (If you need to know, click here! fold a fitted sheet)

5. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

6. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

7. The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase “Regards” again

8. A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

9. Was learning cursive really necessary?

10. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

11.Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

12. Whenever someone says “I’m not book smart, but I’m street smart”, all I hear is “I’m not real smart, but I’m imaginary smart”.

13. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

14.Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using ‘as in’ examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss’s last name to an attorney and said “Yes that’s G as in…(10 second lapse)..ummm…Goonies”

15. What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

16. While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it…thanks Mario Kart.

17.MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

18. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

19. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

20.Whenever I’m Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don’t mind if I do!

21. If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

22. Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? I know my name, I know where I’m from, this shouldn’t be a problem….

23. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you’ve made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

24. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don’t want to have to restart my collection.

25. There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

26. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

27. “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this ever.

28. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

29.I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it’s on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

30. Why is a school zone 15 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles…

31. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists. Except when I’m a cyclist.

32. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

33. It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

34. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

35. Changing the clock in my son’s room so he thinks that 8 o’clock is really 7 is the most genius thing that I have accomplished in my adult life.

my goals

We’ve just started Week 3 of the bodyFIT eXtreme challenge and I must say that I’m actually having fun…and I’m beyond excited about and impressed with the results I’ve seen so far!

I’m enjoying it so much that I actually find it hard to go attend a “normal” bodyFIT class now. Don’t get me wrong, they are still THE BEST workout in Columbia all of South Carolina, but there is something actually FUN about the eXtreme challenge classes. We all show up early to work out, we talk and share our stories of our day. We see each other every night, so when we leave for the night we can safely say to one another, “see you tomorrow” and know that we’ll see them tomorrow. Everyone laughs, the instructors call on us by name, and the other bodyFIT instructors walk around and encourage us in our form and for our efforts. It’s a great environment…it’s exactly what I needed to kick myself back into shape…and I’m beyond blessed that God presented me this opportunity and that Nancy, Jamie & the rest of the producers picked me for the experience!

I’ve personally seen some changes, but you never really know if others do or not…and sometimes it’s not exactly polite to come up to someone and say that they’ve lost weight, unless you know for certain that they’re doing something to try and lose weight. It’s almost like saying, “you look good now…but you were fat before.” Ya know??

On Sunday, my first Sunday at church since starting the challenge, I got quite a few compliments from people and it made me smile. Then, last night, Matthew told me that I look really good – totally unprovoked and unpaid, too! Mason and I both had an instructor tell us that she’s totally impressed with us and our progress – especially with the strength we’ve gained in such a short period of time. It’s very flattering to have others notice your changes and hard work, becasue believe me…this may be happening quickly because it’s a complete lifestyle overhaul, but there ain’t NOTHING easy about it…it’s hard stuff, man! Especially when I’m always craving sweets…cheesecake, chocolate, cupcakes…

Well, since I’m starting to notice some changes, and since I’m already down a few (6!) pounds on the scale, I guess its’ time to really be focusing on my goals. I’ve had a few personal goals for getting back into shape, but they always just kept being pushed back due to my lazy butt not doing anything toward making them happen. Now that things are happening, I wanted to share my goals with the world to help me work toward reaching them.

  

Short Term:

in time for

…yep, that’s Labor Day weekend…

 

 

Not-as-Short Term:

  …an original, made just for me, dress from…

…in time for the Lynn/Smith wedding in November…

 

And

…for Christmas…

 

Long(er) Term:

…with the hubby…

 

Long(est) Term:

…to look this good when my time comes…

 

 

So there you have it. My goals. And if this program stays true to what it says, I just might make each one of my goals…sooner rather than later…well, with the exception of the last one.  

 

Have to wait a bit more on that one…