Thanks Kait! I went to the gym today and took a 60 minute class. The air is pretty thick, I might go out for a walk or ride once the sun starts to set, but at least I was able to use my gym membership today and get some exercise in early in the day.

I’m pasting this here in case you don’t see it under week 1 But I found these quotes really challenging and motivating to me. I hope you find them hopeful

From my blog while at Fitness Ridge:

BL 2 Winner – Matt Hoover
I don’t think I mentioned before that this week there have been 3 people associated with the show. Matt Hoover – was the season 2 winner. He is here this week and on the blue team and the red team next week with me.
Bernie, the at home winner from season 5 (I think) is here with his fiance.
Then Max, Mike’s brother from the brown team last year is here. I didn’t even realize it was him until someone said something – he has lost so much weight!

Tonight at the end of dinner Matt Hoover spoke to us all. He makes his living now as a public speaker. I wrote down many of the things he said and I will share them:

* You never know what you are capable of – until you start.
* 1 small change can change your life.
* There’s a huge difference between bad luck and bad choices.
* If your current is not good – it’s probably because of the past – you have to take care of your current.
* Find out what you can and cannot fix – what you can’t – you need to let it go
* It’s about working yourself as hard as you can
* When you set a goal – there’s lots of things that go with that goal
* It about the finish – your race – you have to run the race
* Sometimes changes come and you have to take them
* We will believe any lie/truth we tell ourselves
* What you get out of these workouts is up to you
* When you accept the process – you can change
* What are you holding onto that is getting in your way?
* You have to bring the other leg with you
* Sometimes we don’t see what an inspiration we are
* You have to change your thoughts
* When we change ourself – we can change our family legacy
* It’s about going home and doing it!
* We have to stick with it

I thought I would share this. It was really neat to hear about his experiences before, during, after the show and how all of it has changed his life.

Today! What a weekend! Today I became a dual-athiete/bi-athlete/multii-sport athlete – whatever you call it!

I did the Splash N Dash in Silver Spring.. the energy of the group and their support was amazing.

The swim was 300M and then a 5K. I am on my way to a TRI – I just need to work on getting a bike!

today I did 30 minute work out video with the Biggest Loser workout video 2

Kathe Kramer August 9, 2010

All right everyone, grab your tissue box and read on: I wore a bathing suit and swam in the Atlantic Ocean yesterday. This is more remarkable than it sounds because, 1. With my weight issues over the years I have not had a suit on it 25 years!!! However, now that I am at a “healthy and beautiful weight” (~ Rebecca Bitzer, 2009) I decided yesterday was the day. I had no suit, and we were about to leave for the ocean when my sister-in-law told me she had brought an extra. Viola! I swam in ferocious waves, got more than my share of sun, salt water and sand EVERYWHERE and had one of the best days of my life. 2. I am victorious over breast cancer, it has been 16 years. Having had a double mastectomy and the related wonkiness that comes with that I used that as an excuse to never wear a bathing suit again. When I had my reconstruction 14 years ago, the surgeon told me our goal is to get you in a bathing suit with no issues. I thought to myself, yeah, like that’s going to happen. So yesterday was the day, I swam, laughed and soaked up sun and nature’s energy all day and let the ocean wash my cares away. I know my surgeon would be especially pleased to see how beautiful his work has blended with mine and Rebecca’s.

Kathe Kramer August 9, 2010

I got so excited about my day at the beach I forgot to post that I got plenty of exercise keeping up with the waves and walking the boardwalk!

Today is the day I said screw it. It is the last day my brother, his son and his wife are here from Connecticut, I have gotten in my exercise everyday they have been here but not today. On a day I choose not to exercise I also choose to eat less than any other day. Living life to the fullest, in the present, I can let a day go by and not beat myself up.

Brand new day, brand new attitude. Have had house guests who are dear to me now for 6 days, have been feeling a little stretched in too many directions and not in my own direction. To avoid that feeling today I got up at 6 and sneaked while everyone was sleeping. I had a marvelous bike ride for 50 minutes, came home and had a quiet cup of coffee and even got my shower before anyone woke up. We are all going to the Farmer’s Market now, and I am confident I will have another chance to exercise later and that this is going to be a great day. I now know exercise rather than cutting back on my food intake makes Kathe happier!

Kathe,

I am so inspired by you! I loved your story about your bathing suit! You are so inspiring, thank you for sharing your story. To blog, take personal challenges and make time for exquisite self-care is a tall order especially with house guests–you have done well.

As with many of you, I am also learning that the best way to get in my exercise in the summer is to get up before sunrise and go for a walk or hit the gym. Yesterday was a 60 minute walk around the neighborhood at 6 AM and today was a spin class at 5:45 AM.

As Sarah said, it is tough to get moving early in the morning, but it makes the rest of the day seem very productive once exercise is completed!

Keep up the great work everyone!

Kathe – you are amazing! I am so happy for you! Thank you for sharing your story about the bathing suit! That is simply awesome!

This morning I did boot camp and yesterday morning to for an hour. I like that this week I am going to the 6:30 class and although it is hard to get there by 6:30 – I feel more productive in the remainder of my day afterwards.

I was at the beach on Sunday with Kathe, and it was a terrific day! The waves were HUGE, and she got in quite a bit further than I did! It was a good active day, in the sand and water and walking on the boardwalk. Hooray for summer!

I didn’t get to do anything yesterday (Monday), and today has been quite busy/productive, but I haven’t had a chance to do anything very active. I might get a walk in before bed… hopefully!

yesterday i did about 10 minutes of pool activity

ok, I must admit it, my choices this afternoon were take a nap or go to the gym. WAAAAY too hot for anything else. So I went to the gym with my daughter-in-law in tow which made it more palatable. I hope I get over the Anti-Gym thing soon as I am paying regardless… I rode the bike and had a gabby sour neighbor on the bike next to me. She informed me, for women the calories burned that shows up on the screen needs to be cut in half for women, that they are calibrated for men. Is that TRUE? No matter I told her, I ride for a half an hour or 40 minutes depending on my energy and do not give a dang about calories. (half true) I was afraid if I went into the whole RB thing about riding to honor my body she might hit me, and she did have a cast on her arm… When she started complaining about our tax dollars at work in Afghanistan I knew I had those ear buds for something.
;~). Someone has been missing from here I have noticed, Oh, Daughter, what’s up? PS. Why is week 2 not coming up first on this site? Perhaps my daughter is lost looking for week two?

Monday and Tuesday I did boot camp

Tuesday night – I was dancing during the black eyed peas concert – does that count?

I walked the dog with my neighbors and their dog yesterday.

Kathie – you are funny!

first, Sarah, does dancing count?? Hellll-ooo??? You GO girl!! And also , I LOVE to laugh. I have three brothers and no sisters, so to survive, I had to have a sense of humor. Also, they were thin, I was not, there was nothing funny about that!!
For today, i walked this morning but not too far, hot and humid and had a mission. I had a much needed visit with Rebecca today, and she turned me right around. I kid you not, before I went to see her, i was sobbing in the bath tub. I was miserable, and suddenly became fat, glutenous and all things bad all in my own head. It was something to do with having been around SO MUCH FOOD for a long weekend, I mean it, I felt like I inflated by osmosis. By the time I left R. I felt 50 pounds lighter in a zillion different ways and she encouraged me to hit the gym on the way home. I had brought my workout clothes in case some magic occurred and it did! So I rode the bike at the gym for 35 minutes and did some lower body machines and felt like a different person. I can only say, all the food I served and watched being consumed while I had company was revolving around in my head like a conveyor belt of food. Rebecca has broad shoulders and let me vent, validated and encouraged what I was saying and and now i am me again. PFEW.

Tonight I did just under 3 miles and then I went to swim practice with TEAM FIGHT. We had a great practice – lots of drills and laps! Burned just under 1,000 calories between both…

Kathie – where do you live? you might like to get involved with this team

Kathie – you truly are amazing!!!

I too grew up with 3 brothers, no sisters – but I tired out all quiet… now the funny goofy Sarah is starting to appear

Thanks so much for your post Kathe. Your kind words made my day!!

Sarah, it seems we have a lot in common. :~) I live in Annapolis. I am amazed at the variety of exercise options you have available to you! And it sounds like you are having so much fun with it all, truly, you are an inspiration.
I will be back with some exercise to report, in the meantime, everyone have a GOOD Friday, the 13th!

Having website/blog issues–the blog has taken over the home page, so just in case this blog disappears, I am sending my apologies ahead of time!

On Wednesday I got to go to the gym with Kathe. It was definitely a treat for me, especially because I had no motivation to do anything active otherwise… I did the elliptical (sp?) for 27 minutes (it took about 12 min for me to get the rhythm of it…), and it said I covered 2.2 miles which was nice to see since i haven’t kept track of mileage yet! Yesterday, I spent the whole day cleaning my mom’s house– didn’t really raise my heart rate, but did work my arms for hours with some wood furniture polishing Today I finally got another run in– 11 minutes, with 10 minutes of walking to warm up and cool down.

Kathe – you’re an inspiration. I like the perspective you and Rebecca have on “honoring your body” – I missed boot camp Wed and Thursday – thursday I didn’t exercise beyond walking the dog and I could totally notice the difference!

I also know what you mean about the difference meeting with Rebecca (Bobbi for me) makes… I think my last visit was the first time I didn’t cry – and I’ve been coming since March. I tell her – out of all the people I see – she is my favorite

On to the exercise – today I went to boot camp. I was “threatened”/motivated? via text that if I wasn’t on time – before 6:30 – I woudln’t get to box…since I missed Wed – which is when we box, I asked to box another day this week…. I just made it “on time” and we did circuit rotations after warming up (which is the “worst part”), football drills and I am starting to catch more of the balls and be able to jump the higher hurdle things, and boxed – I did 6 rounds in a row!!!! We usually do 3 but since I was paired w/ the instructor -I didn’t have to switch places.

I feel more productive/have a better day when I go to the earlier boot camp class but it is hard to get up and moving and be there b 6:30….

I also got in a walk around the neighborhood (20 min) this evening.

Today turned out to be a fantastic day – in the 70s is the way I like it!

I was walking my dog, Buster, and ran into a neighbor – we ended up walking for almost an hour!

I was happy that the dog was able to be out that long cause he needs his exercise too!

Tomorrow I am comtemplating (spelling?) walk/jogging Centennial Lake. I mean my plan is to go but I’d like to go around it multiple times. Last time I was there, I went around twice which is 4.8 miles. Tomorrow I would like to try for 3 times and I can’t believe I am admitting this on here (and I also did so on Facebook) cause I don’t know whether or not I can make it 3 times which would be 7.2 miles.

I am training for the Baltimore Half-marathon (my trainer made me sign up for that and the Marine Corps 10K). My aunt and friend are also doing it and I signed up to train/support TEAM Fight – for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

So – I need to be getting more miles in. I did 6 1/2 miles in early April at Fitness Ridge and 7 miles one one of the hikes in June at Fitness Ridge – but haven’t gotten near that number since….

Yesterday I was especially glad got to get on my bike for an hour in the morning. Later that day I had a nice evening walk with my daughter and her fiance in Philadelphia. There was plenty of stuck in car time and dinner out, so the morning exercise helped in many ways!

Today again I got some good walking in, I was visiting the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia and it is not called chestnut HILL for nothing! What a great place to live!! Everything from pedicures to the Farmer’s Market is walking distance from their house, again I was glad to be out as much as we were today, had that car ride home.

This morning I met my aunt at Centennial and did one lap around with her – which was 2.6 miles, she had done a lap around the lake already. And then I did 2 more laps by myself!!

It goes to show you( definitely applies to me) that the negative voice is our worst enemy – it has held me back for so long.

I wanted to do 3 laps. I set my goal – it was difficult to start the 3rd lap – someone at the lake said something to me – and I was like I’m debating a 3rd time around and he encouraged me to do so.

Today I did the most mileage I’ve done so far – 8 miles!!

and then Kathe – I got my dancing on at my friend’s wedding

WOW Sarah! 8 miles, how awesome to end this challenge with such a victory. You had more than your friends wedding to dance and celebrate for, don’t you love the secret joy we get to carry around knowing we have beat or even make our goals and took exquisite self care? I picture it like inner champagne, just bubbling away. Dance on!!

Wow. I am so pleased with how well each of you have done. It has been a joy to see you all come up with excellent ways to give your body some physical activity during AUGUST! We did not have official prizes for this competition; however, Kait did come up with some “awards” for each of you. Here is what she came up with:
Sarah Costello- Our most experienced challenger
Kathe Kramer- Our most inspiring challenger
Melissa Kramer- Our most unique challenger
Eliz Kramer- Our newest challenger
Paul Evans- Our most dedicated challenger
I am posting this because Kait is on vacation before her internship starts at the University of Maryland. She will still be with us very part-time, but we are lucky to have her while she will be working lots of long hours during her internship.
I am so pleased with how well you have all have challenged yourselves and please let me know if you are interested in continuing this challenge or doing another challenge in the future.

This has been a fabulous challenge for me. Less rigorous than the expectations I had last March, but better in other ways. Thank you all at RB and Associates for welcoming my lovely daughter in law, Elizabeth into the challenge. Proof you inspire. I feel I have made a new cyber-friend in Sarah, and as always, take comfort in, and push myself a little further in all ways because I am part of the RB&A family. You not only change weighs, you change lives.

Well said Kathe! a great challenge!

I’d love to do another challenge in the future or continue this one.

well I know the week is over and I did not get as much exercise i would have like but I was enjoying the California weather high of 75 and no humidity with a slight breeze and felt like fall and I forgot my sweater.

however my NSV = Non Scale victory was the airplane seat belt fit and on the way back I noticed the tray table went all the way down. how cool is that. I’m a little excited now about my next weigh in this Tuesday night. We’ll see how well i really did.

Paul – that is awesome! It is great feeling when you don’t need an extender or you don’t have to work to get the seatbelt to fit! that is an awesome victory!

I think I have yet to experience the tray table going all the way down – perhaps the next time I fly??? I need to fly somewhere now