My 20-year high school class reunion is in two weeks. This is enough to strike fear into even the most confident of people. For me, it meant that I was feeling even more pressure to get back to FAB (Fit After Baby). I’ve done the dieting. I’ve done the running….. Now, I’m doing the boot camp!
Right after Lydia was born, (She just celebrated her first birthday, by the way!) I bought a Groupon for a month-long boot camp class with Sooner Adventure Boot Camp. It was a really great deal, and having just had a baby, I was totally motivated to do it. Then, life happened, and I wasn’t able to use my deal until this month.
My initial goal was to get through the boot camp and lose this last ten pounds before my reunion. Doesn’t it always come down to that? The last ten pounds!! But, I have to say that so much more has happened in this past month than I’d bargained for. First of all, the classes that I’m able to attend because of my husband’s work schedule are at 0530. That’s military time for “Holy crap! It’s five thirty in the morning!” But, I’m actually not minding getting up this early. The classes are SO GOOD that I don’t even care that I’m getting up at the crack of dawn! Can you believe that? These extra couple of hours in my day allow me to get so much done!
The workouts are tough. We do a lot of running, jumping, many, many push-ups and sit-ups. We also do a lot of kickboxing workouts. It’s always something different. I huff and I puff and I SWEAT! Our instructor is Candelon Jones, who had a baby around the same time that I did last year. (She’s super crazy FAB after having her baby less than a year ago, BTW!) She’s amazing! Just to give you an example of how tough these workouts are…. It’s 6:58 am right now and I just returned to my house from boot camp. As I type this blog, I am thinking about how hard it is to hold my arms up to the counter where my computer is to type this. And you know what… it feels AWESOME! I’ve tried many different fitness classes in the past, and I have to say that this boot camp ranks at the top.
Taking these classes this month has really changed something for me. I know that in the past months, I’ve been very focused on, and very hard on myself for, what the scale says. But, since I’ve been doing these workouts with Candelon and the other boot campers, I really feel like my focus has shifted to my body. I know that may sound weird, because I’ve been talking for months about things I’ve been doing for my body. But, it’s something different now and I don’t know how else to describe it.
I feel like I’m back in my body again. I’m feeling my muscles. I’m feeling myself get stronger. I’m getting faster. I’m getting leaner. I have more energy. (TMI ALERT) .…. I feel sexier, which my husband has certainly appreciated lately. I’m feeling less inclined to step on the scale and even less inclined to beat myself up about it.
What it comes down to is this: I am more than a number on my scale. Way more. I don’t know why it’s taken so long for me to figure that out.
