Week 2 - Saturday --- Stop Sign Hike!

Saturday was my last official day at Fitness Ridge. Woke up at 6:45am and headed over to my test out. Combined with my week 1 weightloss, I lost a total of 12 pounds. I also lost 19.5 inches (waist, hips, chest, thigh, calf and arm). But, the day wasn't over yet....still had to walk Stop Sign!!!
My time on monday was 1:13 and that was an improvement over my time the week before of 1:21. I thought I really pushed it monday and was not sure how I would do today. Just to give you an idea of the hike, it's a pretty straight path (a few curves and hills) about 4.3 miles with a 1,000 ft incline. The first 2.8 miles is relatively flat and the incline increases over the last 1.5 miles. It is such a good calorie burner!! I ended up finishing with a time of 1:15! Two minutes higher than monday but I worked hard all week and felt good with 1:15.
After the hike, I went to stretch class (my last class at Fitness Ridge).
Went to lunch and then headed to Coyote Gulch. This is about 3 miles from the resort and is a really cool place. There's a bookstore/cafe and several little stores that sell local art work. I picked a couple of things up and got myself a caramel macchiato with nonfat milk...it was such a nice treat :)
Went to dinner and graduation. We watched a DVD with video clips and photos from the week and again the resort did a fantastic job! After the DVD, the mic was passed around the room and then there was a little break before Karaoke! I got some pictures and said goodbye to some of my new friends. I will post some pics on monday.
Karaoke was awesome! There was a lot of talent in the room!!
Then I went back to my room to pack. Finished packing and could not fall asleep....I had to be up at 4am to catch my flight and I think I only got about 2 hours sleep!
I am so glad I had the opportunity to go to Fitness Ridge and looking forward to continuing my journey at home.

Week 2 - Friday!!!!

Hiked Slots today. It had some of the nicest views of all the hikes so I'm glad I got a chance to do it before I left.
Friday Schedule:
8am - left for hike
11:15am - stretch class (everyone wants to take this class on friday so as soon as the vans pull in from the hikes everyone runs to the aerobic room to save a mat and put their name tags on it!)
2:30pm - total body toning
3:30pm - cardio disco(this is the funnest class of the week!) Photo on right was taken after the class with Ephraim Salaam, Offensive Tackle with the Houston Texans.
4:30pm - cardio disco (had the choice between pool and cardio disco and figured I would do disco again because it was so much fun)
After dinner I just took it easy and headed to the hot tub. Also, I had a brief meeting with one of the trainers today to talk about my 'plan' for when I get home. I think the key is preparing lunch and dinners at the beginning of the week. There are a lot of great soup recipes in the cookbook I bought so those would be great to make at the beginning of the week and just pack up containers for work. I am thinking about exercising in the morning and night but not sure how realistic that is. There's also those lunch time walks up Beacon Hill and walks to S.Station after work right?

Week 2 - Thursday

Decided to do another off road hike today. It was called Saddle and basically we had to climb up a mountain and then climb down. It was the hardest hike I've done so far. Here are some pics from the hike.
Thursday's schedule
8am - leave for Saddle
11:15am - Gym Class - I thought I would just go into the gym in and use the elliptical for 45 min but instead the trainer had us do lots of cardio intervals. 1st - warm up on elliptical and the do some speed work for 10 minutes. 2nd - we had to run outside, up the stairs of the dormitory then back down, then run more and jumping jacks. 3rd - go back in the gym and do a speed work out on the treadmill. It was hard but the time flew by!
2:30pm - Pool Class
3:30pm - Ball Works
4:30pm - Treading class on the elliptical

Week 2 - Wednesday -- Rain, rain, rain!!

Decided to walk West Canyon today and for the first time made it to the end (3.9 miles one way). There is a slight incline to the end so the walk back felt much better. Here is a pic with a few of us who made it to the end yesterday along with one of the trainers, Sharon. I also had to take a pic of my sneakers since they were covered in mud! I guess I will need to buy another new pair when I get home.

Wednesday schedule:

7:30am - breakfast

8am - left for hike

11:15am - circuit training

12:30pm - lunch

1:30pm - open gym

2:30pm - Mountain (this is the class we start off at a low intensity and then increase it by one every 3 minutes 13 times)

3:30pm - pool was canceled due to the rain -- so it was substituted with circuit training

4:30pm - kickboxing

5:30pm - Dinner

7:15pm - trip to Target! I went for the ride and picked up a few things --- Vitamin C packets and gum. It was nice to chat with some of the new guests who arrived this week.

Just relaxed when I got home:)

Can't believe I only have 2 more days here!!! This week seems to be going by a lot quicker than last week and I definitely feel stronger. On Thursday, I have a menu planning lecture so that should give me some ideas for when I get home.

Thanks again for all the posts! I look forward to sharing some of the recipes with you all:)

Week 2 - Tuesday

Woke up with a cold but took some cold medicine. Felt fine physically so it wasn't too big of a deal. Decided to walk the Chuckwalla trail again. I liked it when I hiked it last tuesday (Rocky pose!) so I did it again. Lots of nice views! Here is a photo taken during the hike.

Tuesday schedule:
7:30am - breakfast
8am - left for hike
11:15am - free weight workshop
12:30pm - lunch
1:30pm - Lecture - emotional mastery
2:30pm - Pool
3:30pm - Cardio Intervals
4:30pm - Total Toning
5:30pm - Dinner

It was another early night for me. I watched some of Biggest Loser which comes on at 7pm here and fell asleep half way through (took a night time medicine). Got the recap at breakfast though.

The menu may look a little blurry but the dinner for the day was Ostrich Stew...actually wasn't too bad but I don't think I will be making that one at home. We had chocolate covered strawberries for dinner though and those are the best!

Week 2 - Monday

After a days rest on Sunday we started off Monday morning with the Stop Sign hike. It is amazing what a days rest can do! I ended up finishing the hike 8 minutes faster than last Monday!! Here is a pic I took on the walk down from Stop Sign. There are vans stationed along the way down and we're then driven back to fitness ridge.

Here's the rest of the schedule for Monday:
7:15am - breakfast
8am - leave for hike
11:15am - stretch class
12p - lunch
1:15pm - Open Gym (guests staying 2 weeks or longer need to take an extra 6am, mid afternoon - Open Gym, or 6:15p class. I would rather sleep in so I opt for the mid afternoon.
2:30pm - Step n pump
3:30pm - Pool
4:30pm - Circuit Training
5:30pm - Dinner

I caught up on some rest after dinner and watched most of the bachelor. Unfortunately, I came down with a cold but was still able to attend all the tuesday classes.

Access Hollywood Update - will air on 2/9/2010!!

Hey everyone, I found out lastnight that the biggest loser segment will not air until 2/9/2010.

Week 2 - Sunday Funday!

Sunday was a day to relax and take it easy! Woke up at 7am and went to breakfast and then returned to my room to go back to bed. I ended up falling asleep and then changed rooms.
Went to lunch and then steam room, sauna and hot tub. We had the option of exercising but I decided to just rest. On monday, we do the stop sign hike again and I wanted to be well rested.
For sunday dinner, we had baked penne. It was so good and another dish I will make at home. Dessert was chocolate mint pie with grapenuts.

Day 7 - Saturday!

Saturday is a half day of workouts!
Everyone returns to the stop sign hike and we are all timed. The goal is to beat our time from Monday's hike. Due to the weather (5-10 inches of snow in the mountains) we were given the option to stay in the gym, hike west canyon or hike stop sign. But, since stop sign is on a high elevation we were told to be careful as there was some snow on the top and it may be icey.
I wanted to do stop sign so I went along with another big group. After about the 2 mile point, people started to turn around. Someone slipped on the ice so the guides thought it was best for all of us to turn around. So, I turned around and walked back to the beginning of the west canyon trail. Walked for a little while and then turned around and headed back to the vans.
11:15am - stretch class
12pm - lunch
1p - 3p - nap:)
5:30 - dinner
6p - Graduation festivities - we watched a DVD the resort put together with photos and videos from the week. They did a great job!
7pm - left for the movies to see Leap Year. It was great to get out and wear some real clothes. Luckily I brought a pair of jeans!
My roommate left right after graduation (took the red eye to NY) so I had the room to myself.
Attached is the menu for saturday and saturday's dinner. Tomales were so good! Definitely going to try to make them when I get home!

Day 6 - Friday...Last full day of the week!

Friday was my last full day of workouts!
7am - Breakfast
8am - Leave for Hike
8:15am - Hiked West Canyon again. Made it a little further than I did on Wednesday. In the photo below I am with two friends I met on the first day here. Geri is from NJ and Cathy is from Denver.
11:15am - Stretch class (45 min of stretching which feels great after long morning of hiking)
12pm - Lunch
2:30pm - Total Body Toning
3:30pm - Cardio Disco -- this was one of my favorite classes of the week -- the 45 minutes flew by and now I have some new disco moves! LOL!
4:30pm - Pool
5:30pm - Dinner
After dinner I threw in another load of laundry and hung out in the hot tub for a while.

Day 4 & Day 5

Wednesday
7am - breakfast (oatmeal with fruit slices)
7:45 - descriptions of morning hikes
8am - left for hike on west canyon. This was a pretty flat hike along gravel and is offered to everyone on Wednesdays. The views were amazing! Basically, we had to walk as far along the path As we could get for about an hour and then turnaround and walk back. I ended up walking about 7 miles.
11:15a - core workshop - learned alot of techniques to improve posture.
12p - lunch - pumpkin soup and mediterranean pizza ( had lots of good stuff on it - the recipe is in the chef's cookbook which I have already purchased)
1:15p - Lecture - breaking barriors
2:30p - mountain class - You choose a cardio machine at a low incline and then increase intensity every 3 minutes until you reach 13.
3:30p - pool
4:30p - step and pump - step aerobics and hand weghts
5:30p - dinner - salmon over orzo w/ fruit for desert
6:30p - lecture - intuitive eating
7:30p - left for target! Woo hoo!
Thursday
5:30a - laundry
7a - breakfast (whole wheat english muffin with egg beaters and bacon.
8a - left for hike (Fern Gulley). Out of all of the hikes that I've done so far this was the most intense. Had to climb up and down rocks and through sand. I also finished 2 liters of water!
11:15a - circuit training (weights and cardio)
12p - lunch
12:30p - Access Hollywood was here filming! Seth from season 2 and Erik from season 3 are here this week so Access Hollywood came and interviewed them. They also did Some filming in the gym. You'll have to check out Access Hollywood next Tuesday - I believe it will air then!
1:15p - cooking demo from the chef
1:45 - 2:30p - Access Hollywood did more filming - be sure to tune in next week!
2:30p - lifted weights
3:30p - ball class - kicked my butt!!! Never realized how many exercises could be done with the ball!
4:30p - treading class - cardio workout. Start with 5 min warmup - then 5 min as fast as possible - then 5 min to recover. Repeat at 4 min, 3 min, 2 min the 1 min. I was drenched after this class!
5:30p - dinner :)
The lecture tonight was for departing guests only so I had a some free time.
Good time to call home and check in with you all!
Thanks again for the posts!

Thursday's Menu and Dinner...Yum!

Photo from Fern Gully Hike

Day 3 - 1/2 way through Chuckwalla hike!

Day 3 - 2 sessions in the pool!

Thanks for all the posts! They tell us that Tuesdays are the hardest days of the week so it nice to finish the day and read all of your posts!!

Tuesday was a full schedule so I didn't get a chance to post. The last lecture of the day finished about 7p and then Biggest Loser started so I went back to the room to watch.

6am - Hardcore - this was an optional class and I decided to take it. It was 45 min of ab work. So, I'm definitely feeling it today.
7am - Breakfast - Peach muffin w/ fruit
8am - Left for hike - I decided to go with the Intermediate hike. The views were beautiful. I took some pics but I'm still working on uploading them on here. The hike was about 6.5 miles
11:15 - Had the choice between Pool / Free weight workshop. I choose Pool. It was great to stretch in the pool after the hike.
12:15 - Lunch - Tomato soup and Quinoa lettuce wraps. The lettuce wraps were surprisingly good. Can't wait to try making them when I get home.
1:15 - Cooking Demo by the Fitness Ridge Chef. He gave us a little of his background and then showed us all of the products he uses to cook.
2:15 - Pool again
3:15 - Cardio Circuit
4:15 - Total Body Toning

Time to go to my next lecture!

Day 2 - Stop Sign Hike!!

Monday - made it through the first day and I am so relieved!! Below is the schedule I followed.

6-7am - Intro to Circuit Training
7:15 - Breakfast (jelly, banana, strawberries and peanut butter on a toasted flat roll)
8am - Left for hike!
8:15am - Hike was called 'Stop Sign'. Everyone is required to do this hike on monday and saturday and we are timed both days. Did I mention it was raining? I was so happy I bought a rain jacket at REI the day before I left. They say it never rains here but it drizzled all day long! My time for the hike was 1:21 and my goal is to beat that time on saturday. We have the option to do this hike everyday but there are other off road hikes that I want to try out.
11am - Stretch Class (felt awesome after taking the hike)
12:15 - Lunch (Tortilla soup (delicious!!), Turkey sandwich and small salad)
1pm - Lecture (Budget) - This was very interesting. Basically explained how much exercise you need to do to burn calories. Kind of like balancing a checkbook.
2:30 - Kickboxing (it was awesome!)
3:30 - Water Aerobics (harder than I expected)
4:30 - Circuit Training (this was the hardest class of the day - maybe because it was the last one?) Basically, we had to spend 2 minutes on a cardio machine and then switch to a strength training machine for 2 minutes.
5:30 - Dinner (Chicken Polenta and Dessert Parfait - both delicious)

So, now I'm ready to call it a day. Hoping to be in bed by 8p :)

Day 1 - lots of flying / checking in/ dinner/ orientation

After 7 hrs of flying, made it to fitness ridge by 1pm!!

Checked in and met my roommate. She's from Jersey and has been very helpful with questions. Rooms are pretty standard and have everything we need.

Dinner was a salad with lettuce, tom, cucumber, feta, avacado, ham and balsamic. Dessert was chocolate pudding over grapenuts. Plenty of water for drinks (no dairy or soda). There's also a station with different types of teas (decaf).

After dinner, we had orientation and just went around the room saying our names and where we're from (I'm the only one from the bay state but there are a good amount of New Yorkers. It's unbelievable how the staff here know all of our names already. After we went around the room, one of the staff went around the room and repeated our names. She them gave us a rundown of our schedule tomorrow.

I'm pooped now and looking forward to a good night sleep! Have a gym workout at 6am :) followed by 4.5 mile hike!

Caffeine Free...three weeks and counting!

Today marks the 3 week anniversary of being caffeine free. Really miss my morning coffee but have started drinking some different kinds of herbal tea instead. The resort is a caffeine free zone! Wondering if I will go back to caffeine when I get back from Utah...hmmm?

One week to go!

I'm starting this blog as I have one week to go before I leave for a two week trip to the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge and Ivins, Utah. I'm really looking forward to the trip and have a feeling I won't be sleeping too well a week from tonight!! My flight on Sunday leaves at 6am.

I have been doing a lot of research about the resort (what to bring, what to expect, etc.) and have noticed a lot of other people who have stayed at the Resort have started blogs about their experience. So, here I am starting my own blog!

Yesterday, I picked up my new Camelbak from REI. This was on the suggested packing list. Every morning after breakfast, I will be going on a 1 - 2 hour hike (not exactly sure of the distance yet). From what I hear, some of the hikes involve climbing rocks so it was suggested to invest in the camelbak to keep hands free. I will be sure to update this blog after my first day!

Today, I went to Wrentham outlets and picked up some long T-Shirts and mittens for the hikes. I also stopped at Target for some other last minute suggested packing items.

Plan to hit the gym before tomorrow's Pats game! Go Pats!!

2 Weeks to go!

Two weeks from today I will be on my way to Ivins, Utah checking into the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge!