Boot Camp: Day 2

Some of you may know from being a Facebook friend or Twitter follower that I started Boot Camp last week. I scored 6 classes for $10 with a Groupon and was really excited to do something different from my normal workout routine. I also wanted to challenge myself and oh, goodness, are these classes a challenge!

I'm working out with Romen from Firm Body Boot Camps. My first session, I had no idea what to expect. We did circuits, working on squats with kettle bells, push-ups, upper back exercises...and something else I can't remember. After about three rounds of this, I nearly threw up. I had to take a break and walk it off. The nice things is, even though Romen was encouraging in that drill sergeant way, he could also tell when I needed to back off or I'd get sick.

Later, after the nausea passed and as I was struggling with the upper back exercises, he asked me how I was doing and I told him I was disappointed. "I've lost more than 50 lbs.," I said. "I should be able to handle this." He told me that two girls in his 5:30 a.m. class, both smaller and fitter than me, were puking their guts out that morning. "So you're doing pretty good," he said.

Before going to Round 2 today, I had a fear that I would feel nauseous again. I hate a 100-calorie English muffin with 1 tbsp. of natural peanut butter about 45 minutes before class. I figured, the longer it digests, the better. And it worked. This class was tough: lots of ab work, calf raises, 10-lbs. ball slams, etc. But I didn't feel nauseous.

The hard part came at the end. We had to put our hands on the ground, kick our legs back, stand up and jump as far as we could. Then repeat across the length of basically a basketball court. I worked and worked at it, and when I looked up, I realized I was behind a lot of my classmates. And fairly far behind at that. I got this immediate flashback to elementary and middle school, hell, and high school, when I was always the last to finish sprints. Always the last at everything, really. (Except for grades...I'm a smarty pants!)

This time, though, instead of letting myself feel too defeated, I just kept going. I finished the exercises and reminded myself that I CAN do anything I put my mind to, even if it takes me longer to do it. So what? Just like when I crossed the finish line after the half marathon. It may have taken me 3 hours, but I finished.

Boot Camp: Day 3. Bring it.