On my way home.......

Drumroll please........this morning I was weighed and measured and this stuff really works.  Lost 10.3 lbs,  4 inches on my waist and just under 3 on my hips.  I lost 1% body fat and my BMI fell from 31.6 to 30.  Yippee!  Now to bring this all to real life and make it continue to work.

I truly loved the experience - well maybe not the over 100 degree heat and the record rainfall but it was overall a great experience!

Day 14 - Saturday

Started the day with a beach hike at Point Dume in Malibu.  Although it was in the 60s where the Ranch is, it was near 80 at the beach.  We hiked down a long stretch of beach and then up to the bluff just above the beach.  It was there I ran right into Martin Sheen and his wife.  He was so friendly.  After the hike, I had one last pool class and then lunch - squash soup and a turkey sandwich.   


In the afternoon, me and four of my new friends went to the Mall.  I ended up in my favorite store - Nordies - where I ended up trying on pants.  I was happy to discover that the 14s were too big.  


Graduation was great - they made a DVD of our time here which is a nice momento.  I met so many great people here.


Tomorrow I have my final fitness summary where they weigh and measure me at 7:25 a.m. and then I am on my way........Can't wait to get home......

Days 12 & 13 - Thursday & Friday

Two great days - really working hard.  Back to beautiful weather so Thursday I hiked the beach and today I hiked on a bluff above the ocean.  Afternoon class today was a latin dance class - burned tons of calories.  Mushroom soup for lunch today ... delicious.   Had a VO2 test and they calculated my RMR (resting metabolic rate).   So now I know the math/science behind losing more once I return to the real world.  Tomorrow's a morning hike and class and then I am free until graduation Sat night.  Weighing/measuring out on Sunday a.m.

Part 2 - Day 11

This seemed like a long day especially since we didn't have a hike.  The morning flies when we hike.  I even got in the pool for a cardio class - in the drizzle.  Afterwards I couldn't get to the hot tub fast enough to bring up the body temp.  Kickboxing was especially excruciating.  Beet soup and green pizza for lunch.   Needless to say I skipped the soup and had a side salad instead.  And although green pizza sounds ominous it's really only pizza topped with broccoli and lettuce.  Dinner was a cafe salad - tortilla lined bowl filled with beans, rice, tomato, onion, lettuce and chicken - and mango sorbet.  Heading for a massage tonight - I deserve it!

Until tomorrow......and hopefully back to nice weather.

Day 11

It's 1:40 and I have already burned 1368 calories.  Woke up to pouring rain this a.m.  Could barely hear the instructor in 6 a.m. stretch because of the sound of the rain beating on the roof.  

Tuesday - Day 10

Tuesday was another bad weather day - high was maybe 65.  Did a 5 mile hike this a.m. through Malibu Creek State Park which used to be a part of the Reagan and Paramount ranches.  We saw the site of the Planet of the Apes movie.  Our guide was very "one with nature" eating certain plants pointing out others, playing a handmade wooden flute.  It was surreal.  After that I had a pool class - outdoors.  The pool is heated but it's still rough to get in and out in the cold/raw air.  Lunch was parsnip soup which I ate - can you believe it.  It wasn't bad and the hot soup felt good.  The main course was a tuna nicoise salad - I got a PB&J.  Lunch was followed by 3 additional courses - cardio intervals, total toning (a killer burn) and H2O intervals.  The hot tub felt fabulous after the pool - instructor let us stretch in there.  Dinner was delish - vegan lasagne, broccoli, salad and chocolate covered strawberries - sticking hard to our daily spend of 1200 calories.  


I wore my watch and strap for the entire day - burned over 2400 calories so I am up 1200 on the day and that's without figuring in my resting calories burned.  


Tomorrow is hump day - working hard but missing Wally and home!  Soon enough......

Day 8 - Monday

I woke up to a rainy day which is quite unusual here.  The temperature also dropped considerably from last week - down in the 70s.  No official hikes today - rumors said that the resort didn't get their permits.  The resort said it was due to the rain - not sure if it would get heavier.  Anyway, after my toast with almond butter and jelly, I took the short hike they offered around the property which is on the order of "Southfork" on Dallas, 100s of acres.  PS - as I waited for the hike, a big black BMW pulled up and out came Jillian Michaels.  She is an incredibly tiny woman.  


After the hike, I took an intense class whose name I do not know how to spell.  The class combines martial arts, yoga, stretching - it was mind and body work - a lot of crying going on.  Then stretch, and lunch - carrot soup (delicious) and a rice and bean burrito (also not bad).  


The afternoon was filled with 3 classes.  The first was Step and Pump (renamed by former guests Step and Puke).  Got through....then pool class.  The water was so warm that steam was coming off the water.  The air was very cool but once you got going, you were warm until I got out of course.  Last class was a cardio circuit and I killed it!  


Dinner was a salmon burger so I went for a substitute.  They made me some scrambled eggs.


It's been so cold and damp today - I just grabbed a hot shower and got under the covers.  Early bed tonight.  Until tomorrow......

Days 7/8 - The Weekend

Sat:  Did a morning hike and some cardio, had the afternoon off.  Mostly relaxed around here.  

Sun:  Breakfast at 7 a.m. then off with some friends - did a little shopping after which we went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in LA where we promptly got a tour bus which took us to see the homes of the stars.  I saw so much I don't even remember - the 150M Spelling mansion, the house where Michael Jackson died, the Johnny Weismuller estate, Tom Cruise's house, Robert Redford's place and many more.  Went to Bel Air, Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, the Hollywood sign.  Saw all the "Pretty Woman" landmarks.  It was loads of fun and a great day to be out and about.  Raced back here just in time for dinner and all the newbies who had arrived.  

So what did we do for food on Sun?  The resort packed us a sack lunch complete with cold soup and chicken salad.  It wasn't half bad.  

Back to the grind....

Day 6

Not much to report...hike was very trying but I did it - even ran part of it; burned almost 900 calories.  French toast for b'fast.  Chicken stew for lunch - YUM!  Finished the day with Disco Cardio Jam with my two left feet.  After dinner (meatball sandwiches), I took a short road trip with my new pals from Wisconsin and one from Boston.  Went to the local Costco to stock up on Propel water.  Really helps keep you hydrated and full of electrolytes AND it tastes like grape.....I thought it would be hard to be in the real world and not want a soda or a piece of candy.  But I am working so hard, it wasn't an issue.

Big news at the resort....the Biggest Loser Season 11 (starting Jan '11) are here.  They are staying here and working out with trainers (not Bob & Jillian) to get ready for the season which begins filming in a few weeks.  I am sizing them up to see who I'll root for.

Tomorrow we've got choices....hike in the a.m. or 2-1/2 hours of cardio blast.  I have opted for the hike.  After that we're free.  I'll post again Sunday for the weekend.

Love to all.