Back to Boot Camp... Part 1

Otherwise known as... Sweating My Hind-Quarters Off, One Camp Class at a Time

A few years ago I was looking to kick start my fitness routine, so I enrolled in My Small Town Adventure Boot Camp.  We met at 5:30 in the morning, did jumping jacks, squats, push-ups, a little running, a little stuff that made me crazy (like wall-sits), and then would stretch for a glorious five minutes (give or take) before concluding at 6:30.  I would jump in my car, race home, shower, breakfast, and head off to work, thrilled that my workout for the day was complete. 

Truth be told, even though it was hard work, boot camp was fun.  I met some nice women, we worked hard, we sweated, we pushed our bodies further than we thought we could go.  It was... great.  And I really did love getting my workout complete before most people were out of bed in the morning.

There was one small problem, though.  My eating habits, while not atrocious, were not conducive to losing weight.  My body tightened up a bit, but I didn't see a major difference in my waistline.

All that has changed. 

I have been, for the most part, eating better, and increasing the amount of activity in my life through salsa lessons and training for Doc Lucky's Lake Swim.  A couple of weeks ago, I found out that My Small Town Adventure Boot Camp was offering a special six-week session, twice a week, just for My School District Employees.  The group I have joined meets on Mondays and Wednesdays.  (On Wednesdays, the torturous yet enjoyable boot camp is followed by a shower and salsa class-- ay caramba!!!)  Two other teachers from my school are in the group, as well as the district nurse assigned to our school. 

Today I showed up with the following:

1.  Nike workout outfit.  I am nothing if not stylish when sweating my brains out. And booty off.
2.  The requisite mat.  I use this to get down and do push-ups, sit ups, planks, and scary leg lifts with a partner.
3.  Five-pound weights.  I think I really need to increase to eight-pounds even though I am afraid of the pain.  And not being able to lift my sore arms when blow drying my hair.  A single girl has priorities.
4.  Workout towel.  I need this to to wipe my sweaty brow.  And sweaty every other part of my face as well.
5.  Bottle of water.  Florida... September... The first rule of exercise is to stay hydrated!

Camp today was hard work, but fun.  Chad, our torturous leader, was especially blithe, taking great pleasure out of making humorous remarks while we huffed and puffed and sweated our way to smaller waistlines.

We hope.

Chad is a little bald dude with biceps almost as big is his trim waistline.  He is nice-looking, but in my head I call him Gollum, from The Lord of the Rings.  (Chad would make a great Gollum in the stage version.  Tiny, muscular, with no hair.)  He's a really good guy, and an excellent trainer, as is apparent by his 1% body fat.  He will forever be-- at least to me-- Gollum, the inflictor of pain and all things funny-- and motivating--  at boot camp. 

I think today I duck-walked, push-upped, sit-upped, bicep-curled, and squatted a little bit of my behind off, among other excess body parts. 

But then again, that's the idea.


Addendum:  Back to Boot Camp... Part 1 is the beginning of a six-part series, chronicling the Single Girl's experiences at My Small Town Boot Camp.  The author hopes the reader will exercise vicariously through her, thus lowering the reader's blood pressure and chances for adult-onset diabetes.