Some sort of stomach thing....

My massage definately helped my leg and I was feeling pretty good thru Wednesday and then ...Thursday morning came!
I got up just feeling like crap!  I went for breakfast and ordered toast and eggs....the smell almost made me throw up. I ate a piece of dry toast and drank some water...I couldn't stomach anything else. 
One of the guests told me that I was green around the eyes and I believe it becuz I sure felt green.  I decided in all of my wisdom, that I would go on the hike and just tough it out.
(I guess I didn't want to make any excuses and really didn't want to miss out on anything.  You see, at each class or hike, attendance is taken and if you don't show for your assigned workout or hike the staff will track you down...it's to make you accountable but also to make sure that you're ok.  They don't want people missing workouts just becuz they don't feel like going.  They will talk to you about what's going on and not let you just duck out for the sake of being lazy or  uninterested...so I guess with this particular hike and the way I was feeling--I didn't wanna cop out for a sore little tummy ache).
So...at 7:50am everyone meets in the dining room to get the hike assignments for the day and then off you go.
Well...I made it to the dining room...filled up my camelbak with fresh water and headed to the van.  I got in and one of the hiking guides looked at me very strangely and asked me if I was ok...I told him I wasn't feeling great but I'd be ok. It was then that I then realized I'd left my camelbak hanging on the back of a dining room chair, so I told the guide that I'd be right back and I ran in to retrieve it...
oh oh...
...that tiny little run almost left me heaving all over the place so I grabbed my bag and went and told the guide that I wasn't going to join them on the hike. 
The look of relief that swept over his face was unmistakable! 
I then went to my room and called the front desk to inform them of the way I was feeling and that I wouldn't be going on the hike.  They were very understanding and didn't push me to head to the gym or anything.
I laid down with my shoes on and fell asleep. The next time I woke up was when my roommate came back from her hike....about 2.5 hours later.
I ended up taking the rest of the day off and stayed in bed and rested.  One of the coaches recommended "Propel" which a drink filled with electolytes to replenish your system; I did drink it and then my roommate got me another which I also drank...I'm not sure if they made a difference or whether it was just rest that I needed but by dinner time I did feel better. 
My roommate Eve, came back at the end of the day and told me that there was a beautiful sunset.  We walked to the dining room together and enjoyed the delicious lightness of a Woldorf salad served on individual lettuce leafs...it was soooo good...crunchy, satisfying and filling.  Amazing...it will definately be a salad that I make at home!  Though I didn't have much of an appetite I ate the entire dinner and enjoyed it and of course still partook in the chocolate dipped strawberries that were on the menu for dessert. (I would've dragged myself to the dining room just for dessert...sooooooo good!!)
Overall, it was a nice way to end a rather sickly but restful day. It was soon after dinner that I headed to bed and slept like a baby!

The sunset at Fitness Ridge.

 Here is the Waldorf salad.  If you're coming to my house for dinner...don't be surprised if this is what you get.  Doesn't look like very much but believe it or not it was very satisfying.

This is Ginny!!  She is such a sweetheart and works so hard and all that she does. 
Well...on this particular night I think she made that chocolate covered strawberry last at least ten minutes.  She licked and savoured that lovely dark chocolate for as long as she possibly could!

This is just a candid shot of the dining room. There are three long tables where all the guests sit.  All meals are served to you and if you really don't like the menu choice then the servers always have alternative selections that you can have.  It makes it nice becuz you don't need to force yourself to eat something that you really, really don't like....brussel sprouts for example!

So that was Thursday!! What a Day!!

Tuesday at the Ranch...

Phew...made it thru yet another day at BLFR. 
Only a few more to go and then I head home. 
Today was a little bit of a rough day for me as I pulled something in one of my leg muscles.  I did the majority of the day and then towards the end had to head to the ice machine to deal with it.  I just finished having a massage so am feeling better and ready to rest in prep for tomorrow.
The weather has finally turned around and we've had our first full sunny day in a week.  The sun goes down so early tho that having pool as your last class of the day (4:30-5:15)...it can get a little chilly.
I've got a cold and am fighting that...cough and sniffles...just a real pain in the butt.
I guess tonite I'm feeling whiney and homesick. 
Tomorrow will begin again at 0530 so am gonna snuggle down into bed soon.

Here's some pics of today's hike.

Glide is my friend....

Phew...made it thru my second Monday.
Woke up at 0530 this morning only to find it pouring rain! Couldn't believe it.  We ended up doing a trail hike for safety reasons. Was still a good workout.
Tomorrow the regular schedule for hikes will resume.

So...if you're thinking of coming here I just need to talk to you about shoes. 
We work out seven hours a day...two and half of that is hiking.  The last thing you need is blisters or sore feet.
Make sure before you come that you break your shoes in...don't come here thinking that you'll break them in here...BIG mistake! 
Also...invest in a proper pair of shoes from a sports shop. Don't depend on cheap department store shoes. You really want to make sure you have a good fit and the proper shoe for your gait.

I brought two pairs of shoes...well three if you count flip flops for going to the pool...but my main shoes...I have one pair specifically for hiking and one for the gym.  It's always good to have an extra pair in case one gets wet or whatever.

Also get yourself some glide.  This is an anti-chaffing and anti-blister product that you can buy at sport shops.  I love it!!  I plaster my bare feet with Glide and then put my socks on...perfect.  Glide also comes in handy if your undies rub the top of your leg when you walk. Sometimes theres a seam or elastic that rubs but if you plaster the Glide on it will be much better and let you concentrate on your workout as opposed to the rubbing of clothes.

This place is really something and the people that I've met to this point have been truly inspiring.
A lot of people left on Sunday and a new group came in.  Interesting assortment. Many are fit...my new roommate just finished the Las Vegas 1/2 Marathon but is here to work on nutrition and weight control.  Then there are some older folks who certainly had their eyes opened this morning after some of their workouts.  This place has a rule in which no one is to judge another.  Last week for example we had a woman who has battled an eating disorder for many years....she needed to learn about nutrition and proper exercise to gain muscle mass; We also have people who have excessive amounts of weight to lose....one that I've gotten to know a little bit is such a sweetheart and today for the first time in her adult life she walked four miles (this is her second of four weeks here) ...she weeps tears of disbelief and joy every single day becuz she can't believe that she is actually doing this.

Amazing program and amazing poeple.

Here is what a thing of Glide looks like....

Talk later.

A Day of Rest and Reflection....

Sundays at Fitness Ridge are very quiet.  Many people are leaving and new guests will arrive this afternoon.
Breakfast is served until 9am and lunch is a "sack" (bag) lunch....Dinner tonite will be with the new guests and the new week will begin tomorrow.

It's been a week of confusion, fear and stress...but also one full of emotion and triumph.

The thing about this place is the people. I am so fortunate to have connected with some very, very special people that I would otherwise not have had the opportunity to meet. It is amazing what this place does for you. Really what it's all about is learning from each other. 
The Ranch takes care of your food, accomodation and work outs but so much of the rest comes from the other guests. 
This week for me has been a huge learning experience. 
I've always felt that I knew all there was to know about losing weight and all that goes with it...but here you see and learn the truth about yourself....Like one of the instructors (Anne Marie) says...you need to discover your why....
Why did you come here?
That seems like such a simple question...I came to kick it up and lose some weight...maybe get a jumpstart for my new program. But really it's so much more than that....That's why I thought I came here...to give myself a jumpstart on weight loss and exercise but really I came here to rediscover who I am.
After ten years of marriage to a fantasticly generous man, mothering our son fulltime for nine years....I got lost somewhere. Well guess where I was...yup...at Fitness Ridge.
The thing about this place is that it is completely safe. There is no judgement. There is no preconceived notions or expectations--It's just all about me! 
My personality is that of a perfectionist and "all or nothing"...and what happened somewhere along the way is that the all or nothing took over everything in regards to my wellness.   I can't remember whether I put this is my blog yet or not but it was something this week that really resonated with me personally:
Here is the metaphor for the all or nothing:  The all or nothing person will always begin a diet on a Monday and often blow it by Wednesday...often with the mindset of oh well...I'll start again next Monday.  At this point theres no holes barred becuz you gotta eat it all before the following Monday begins and then the cycle repeats.  Sooo....the nutritionist here says:  take the decision to go "off" the diet/binge/cheat (whatever you want to call it) and compare it to breaking a piece of fine china.  There you go...you cheat = a broken china plate on the floor....Now, if you broke that piece of china would you then go to the cabinet and throw the rest of it on the floor to make sure it's broken too? 
Bingo Boppo!!! Bells Ringing!!! Lightbulb Moment!!!
My floor is full of broken china...everywhere. 
This realization for me is huge. Seems so simple but something in me clicked and it all of a sudden made sense.  This was very emotional for me and actually made me have a bit of a melt down.  Once I opened those floodgates I couldn't stop.  The tears just kept coming...especially when you hear other peoples' stories and they're all bawling!! yikes!!
The support and the kinship that you find here is truly amazing. I feel like I'm one of the luckiest girls in the world.
I am missing home tho too.
I have one more week and originally was to return in March.  I have since changed that reservation to return in October 2011 and make it a reunion of sorts with my new friends from Chicago, New York and Baltimore.  We all booked last nite and are returning the week of Oct 16th. 
Here are some pictures from the last couple of days.

The veggie soup....had brussel sprouts!!! I ate around them.  The soups here are fantastic and are all around 50 calories/cup.  Fantastic to make and freeze!  That's my plan.

I didn't want the salmon burger so had the garden burger instead.  It was really tastey and satisfying.

Amanda from the Biggest Loser show and Long Island Richie.

Last nites dinner...chicken served over brown rice with steamed veggies and a light teriaki sauce. Yummy.

Now these two....this is Denise (l) and Debbie(r).  They are my friends for life.  Debbie of course was my hiking partner for the week...Denise is her twin sister tho they are actually are part of triplets...the third sister wasn't here. These two crack me up.  We had so much fun and we really connected on a level past mere acquaintance...in fact I better warn my hubby to get the guest room ready cuz I think Chicago will be coming soon!

Now this is Richard (aka Long Island Richie) and his sister JoAnne.  These are two of the most lovely people I think I've ever met in my life.  The love between these two and the strong family value that they share is amazing.  JoAnne told me that Richie paid to bring her to Fitness Ridge...so I say to Richie...You are one great brother to do that and his reaction is that he has the greatest sister in the world.  Last nite they made me cry (tho really I am to be in charge of my own emotions and it is me who couldn't hold back the tears) when they shared about their caring for two elderly parents until their death.  JoAnne renovated her house to move her parents in and Richie basically moved in as well to care for them.  Even now it chokes me up because they are such big hearts.  They've come to Fitness Ridge to regain their health.  It was their parents wish that they begin to care for themselves. 

Richie has been running--yes running--on the treadmill and is such a source of inspiration. I feel so fortunate to know them.

Lounging by the pool on a Sunday.

Alrighty then...This is us outside the front of Fitness Ridge. We will be returning on Oct 16th and take this same picture for the sake of comparison. So left to right:

me (blue shirt); the Melissa from New York (another true source of inspiration as she continues to put one foot in front of the other and not give up.); Chicago Debbie; Denise -Chicago; Long Island Richie and sister JoAnne...then Charlene from Alberta, Canada;and sitting ...that is Lori from Baltimore.

What a great group of people! 

...Sounds like a labour and delivery room....

So said the stretch instructor!! 
Today our group did the infamous "Stop Sign" hike. 
This is a tough hike. It is about 4 miles with the first 2 being pretty gentle and then the last two miles are straight up...literally.  It is a mental game of --can I? or can't I?
I did it. Very good challenge.
Afterwards we had a stretch class and there was lots of moaning and groaning going on.

Becuz it was Friday we also had Zumba class which was really fun...talk about a good work out. And, in the pool today we had a game of basketball....what a hoot! 

It's been a long week but it went very fast.
Tomorrow is only half a day and then Sunday off.
I'm at the point now where my body needs some rest so am looking forward to it.

So good nite for now.

Treading on Thursdays....

Have you heard of treading?

If you haven't, here's the way it works....
Get on a cardio machine (treadmill, bike, elliptical...) warm up at a slow pace for 5 mins or so....then go hard as you can for five minutes...the goal is to be huffing and puffing ...then slow down and walk for 5 mins...then go again for four minutes..as fast as you can....phew...slow down for 4...then do 3,2 and 1....and then if you're lucky enough to be at the Ranch the trainer will probably find it within herself to push you to do another minute or two. Wow...sweat was flying!!!

Had a cooking demo today....very cool. I've purchased the cookbooks which give all the recipes of everything we've been eating. Tonite we had turkey and rice stuffed peppers....oh it was yummy.

This week has actually gone very quickly. The schedule is very tight and keeps you focused just on what you're doing or what comes next. There isn't a lot of free time and by the time you're done your last lecture...you're done!!

Tonight I had a lecture for guests that were staying more than one week. The trainer who gave the lecture, Sharon, told us that we needed to have four things in order to succeed, namely:

• a partner. This could be a friend or it could be a trainer. But you need a partner just to keep it all going.
• you need accountability.  Self explanatory I think.
• you need support. I'm really lucky on this point becuz I have a very supportive husband and son...and friends and family who will listen to me whine and complain but also call it as they see it.
• a plan....don't try to whing it...plan it.

So I need to start thinking about these things this week becuz it is my goal to be healthy and live a fuller life with my family.

Today was a hard day. We did a hike called Camel Back and once again it didn't disappoint.  The terrain and views are spectacular.
There is no giving up here at the Ranch...it is about moving forward and embracing a 'new you'. It's not easy to break old habits and mindsets but I'm sure gonna give it one helluva try.

The one really nice thing about this place is that no one really cares where you come from, what you look like or what you can/cant' do.  There are people here that have a lot of weight to do. Some guests have been here for eight weeks or more...fighting their demons and building a new life.
It really is amazing to see people change even just after a few days.  I'm blessed with being able to stay for two weeks and even know that I'll be back in March. Many come for one week and pray that they've absorbed enough of the information to continue at home.  While here at the Ranch we have daily access to an Nutritionist...she even took one guest to the grocery store the other day to show her how to read labels properly. There is also a Life Coach (Jen...) who herself once weighed 220 pounds and she lost it all at Fitness Ridge and then came to work for them. She is amazing. She recommends that we should always keep our "melt down" foods hidden in the closet....her's is the 100 calories bags of microwave popcorn....anyways...in the closet it is not in everyday plain view but is accessible so if you do have a melt down that you don't need to go out and seek food.  See...you gotta plan everything.

----

This is a picture of the campus...the rooms. There are two buildings, each two floors. The rooms have paper thin walls and are rather bland.

They are adding new rooms to the Ranch.

 These are the Biggest Loser vans that transport you from the Ranch to the hikes. Some are just a couple of minutes away...the Camel Back was about 25 mins away and is apparently the furthest.

Our hike began in snow....

The rock formations are spectacular.

There is the camel humps (above...) that's where we're headed. this is an intermediate hike.

Me and Chicago Debbie.

This is taken almost at the top...there is a huge vortex in front of this...not sure whether you  can see it or not...I am the second shadow from the left.

The top....well you could climb up those rocks but this was good for me!

some of the group climbed up.

The menu for the day. Yucky Museli...I opted for eggs and toast.

Turkey sandwich....yummy.

--------------

Quite a day!!

Anyways, it's been a long day.  I'll tag a couple pix onto this  post and call it a day.

Was I hit by a truck...????

Today was day three of being at the Ranch and this morning I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. 
My muscles and joints are fine but the fatique today was overwhelming.  I had to dig really, really deep to give my best.
The Ranch trainers are truly awesome.  I had two of the hardest classes today...Kickboxing and Mountain.  The first is self explanatory.  At the end of that class I was literally dripping in sweat.
and "Mountain" means being on a cardio machine and increasing the resistance (Iwas on a bike) twelve times ...like your climbing a mountain....each level was held for three minutes with no decrease in speed...then the last level had to be held for five mins. Wow....my legs were rubber and the trainers walked and motivated everyone to dig deep and don't quit. Just don't quit!!!
After each dinner for the first week you have a lecture....so you work out for seven hours and then have these lectures....right now I can barely hold my eyes open. So I shall say goodnite and I'll be back tomorrow!
Here's the pic of todays menu. I kept forgetting to take my camera to the dining room....

here are some pix of the hike. This was Third Ravine hike.  It has a cave at the end and is truly spectatular.

Food today: the french toast was awful! I sent it back and requested plain toast...much better. 
The beet soup was great and was the salad we had for dinner.  They certainly don't let you starve!!

So...a big pat on the back for me!! I did it!! Bring on Thursday.