The Sweet Life

Another great job tonight, Horners! I know your bodies are feeling a little abused (we call it LoCo lovin), but keep the water flowing and the limbs limber and you’ll be dancing a jig by the weekend.

Don’t forget that tomorrow is Friend Day so please extend an invitation to your family, neighbors, colleagues, or anyone else that doesn’t go screaming from the room with the mere mention of “boot camp”. I know from experience that the room is usually empty by the time you even get to the “but it is really fun” part. But throw them in the car anyway just so they can see how hard you are working.

As I was attaching the One Small Change document to this email, I couldn’t help but think about all the changes I’ve made these last few months. I can honestly say that I no longer crave my coveted beer. And I’m pretty much over the whole carb thing, though I think I’ll always have a weakness for bakery treats. I’m also pretty much done with processed foods (everything that comes in a box, can, or jar). But much to my surprise, the thing I found most difficult to give up is sugar.

I never thought I had a sweet tooth, but once I started reading ingredients more carefully, I realized that most of my diet was filled with the junk. And a lot of it was the fake stuff, which is even bigger junk. It has taken me a long time to get my head around the science, lies, and marketing of sugar. But I feel a lot more confident about the choices I make and I want to pass on some of the info I put together. I did my best to keep it short and sweet (ha!), but you know me— there’s a two page attachment if you have the time/interest in reading it.

I do want to challenge all of you to think about your One Small Change for this camp. I know the vast majority of you have been in camp so long that you’ve tackled every darn thing on the list, but yall always come up with even better ones to do. So look at your life right now and ask yourself what kind of change you could make that would give you the most satisfaction, peace, pride, or have the greatest effect on your life. It is a new year and a time to make real changes, not hokey resolutions that everyone expects you to break. What is important to you- what change do you really want to see in your life? Once you know what it is, quantify it and make a plan to make it reality. We’ll talk about them on Thursday while you’re dealing with the other challenge at hand: the new Challenge Workout!!!

See you and your buddies tomorrow!

The Poop on Day One

You did it! You survived Day One!

So I’m sure today probably seemed a bit harsh, but even our seasoned vets know that Day One is always the toughest… and that doesn’t matter whether it is your very first day of camp or your 20^th Day One. It is just a matter of getting (back) into a routine and getting your body (re)accustomed to the workouts. Trust me, you’ll be doing Tabatas with your eyes closed by next week.

We’re going to slowly ease into things the next few days. Tomorrow is a group workout that takes us through a LONG list of exercises in rapid (30 second) fire. It is fast and furious. Wednesday will be “Friend Day” where we invite your friends/family to join us for a fun partner workout. They always leave with a new found respect for you! Thursday is our Challenge Workout- enough said! Mwahahahahahahaha.

I’ve gotten lots of emails today about detox tea so let me use our first official email of the new year to talk about poop. Think of your colon/GI tract as the waste management station of your body- it gets rid of all the garbage/toxins. It is a maze that stretches between 30-50 feet. Process that for a second and then you’ll be able to appreciate why it takes 35-55 hours to complete the trip from “head to toe”.

What’s the big deal, you ask? Well, the average person has between, 7-10 pounds of old fecal in their colon— even when they poop every day. And if that isn’t horrifying enough, this accumulated waste on the walls of your colon creates the perfect breeding ground for parasites, yeast, bad bacteria, and viruses. That spells disease for you, my friends. Most American’s detoxification pathways are essentially blocked, allowing toxins to build up. It is estimated that the average Joe is exposed to 123 toxic chemicals each day from food, water, air, stress, and personal care products. Those chemicals are trapped in Joe’s body because they can’t get through the clogged maze.

Anyway, there are many ways to flush your system but I think the simplest approach is to drink detox tea. I started chugging this stuff by the gallon a few months ago. Yes, I literally drink one gallon of herbal, decaffeinated, detox tea every day (plus a gallon of lemon water). I will spare you the details, but let’s just say that after the first few days, it was “evident” that I was the average Joe. I dropped 14 pounds in a week. That is both thrilling and disgusting, isn’t it?

The brand I prefer is Triple Tea Leaf and they have two detox teas that I like and I’m attaching photo so you know what to look for. Their regular detox tea (in the gold box) is gentle enough to drink several bags a day. I also do the cheesy-sounding Super Slimming tea (red box) every night. If you’re interested in trying this stuff, I would suggest that you start out slowly and test the waters. You can find them in the grocery stores either in the tea section or in the organic food aisle.

Well, on that note, it is time for me to eat dinner. Lovely!

Keep drinking your water and stretch as much as you can before going to bed. I’ll see you superstars tomorrow!

Day One is Done!

Welcome/welcome back! Admit it, it feels good to get the body moving again, doesn’t it? And everyone did a great job with the circuits and the initial testing numbers today. Just wait until you see how you blow those numbers away— in a matter of days!

I’ve put an outline together for this entire camp so I’ll be able to give you a weekly update of what is scheduled for the week. Yall have absolute freedom in choosing which days/times/locations you want to attend. Jump around as much as you want- whatever is best with your schedule. We will be doing the pushup/situp training on Mondays, along with a circuit workout to get the rest of the body. Thursdays will also include the pushup/situp training, however it has been incorporated into a bigger Challenge Workout that we will do each week. You will track your progress and see for yourself just how much stronger you are getting. Wednesdays will continue to be our biggest cardio day of the week, and Tuesday is a wildcard- it will vary week to week.

I’m attaching the pushup/situp training schedule and you will note that this is a 3x week commitment and I really want each of you to promise me you’ll do your homework on Saturdays. If you have a kid over 7, have them do it with you. Put them in Level 1 and/or adjust the reps for their age and fitness level. They will hold you accountable and you can turn this homework into fun family time. Alright, so you’re not buying that, but still promise me that you’ll do your homework, okay? And naturally, if you miss one of our Mondays or Thursdays, then you need to do your reps at home so you can stay with us. No camper left behind!

We will continue to do evaluations tomorrow so come early or plan on staying a little late. Most of you know how much I despise using scales as the litmus test for success. Especially when they’ve been so unkind to us these last two weeks! Just remember that the scale’s accuracy is dependent on your hydration level. You can be stick thin but if your hydration level stinks, the scales cannot get a good reading and your body fat, muscle mass, bone density, age, etc will all be in the toilet. So while we all know that drinking water is important to lose weight, it is also important if you want to quantify it on our scales (see attached summary of how these body comp scales work).

I want yall to think long and hard about your One Small Change for this camp. We have eight weeks so perhaps you want to try a tiered change this time? Like for our sugarholics in the 8am class, perhaps cut back to one dessert a day for the first four weeks of camp and then limit it to one dessert a week for the last half of camp. Each of you know what bad habit haunts you and sabotages you- figure out a way to control it this camp. Gang, yall know that if I can stop drinking beer (during football season- while my Tigers are #5 in the country!) then ANYTHING is possible. You’ve got to really want it though. Otherwise you’ll justify the cheats and it will all become meaningless within a week. Just think about how much more satisfying it will be at the end of this camp when you’ve not only done 100 pushups, 200 situps, and reached a dozen other remarkable milestones, but you’ve actually nailed your biggest nemesis and downfall. That is pure pride, pure joy. Nothing tastes as good as that feeling. And that feeling is even more addictive than any ice cream, pizza, drive thru, beer, or unplugged alarm clock could ever be.  

Buckle your seats, mighty campers. It’s going to be one hell of a ride!

Storybook Ending

Congratulations to our Biggest Losers: Caitlin (our first triple winner), Denise, and Betty! And congratulations to everyone for making it through (another) four weeks of torture. It does a body good!

I’m not going to go on and on and on and on about how proud I am of yall. Even though I really am. What I really want is for each of you to appreciate what you’ve accomplished since you started camp- whether than was four weeks or fourteen camps ago.

The scales and the tape can only tell part of the story. Your clothes might provide another chapter. The comments and high fives you get from your kids, spouse, friends, and colleagues are a pretty sweet read, for sure. But the plot to this storyline is how you feel about yourself. The story book ending we all want is to feel good in our skin.

I loved hearing yall talk at Happy Hour last night. Some of you were a little down because the scales were not kind to you. But you realize that you’re not doing this to impress a scale. And you’re probably not even doing this to impress anyone else (though that is always a nice secondary motivation!). You’re getting your butt whooped and making all sorts of changes in your life because you want to feel better about you. The very fact that you signed up for camp, showed up for camp, and did camp should make you feel good.

The fact that you are faster, stronger, more coordinated, and more confident has GOT to make you feel good about yourself. Most of you kicked butt on your one small changes, too (minus a buck or two!). Many of you did exercises and/or used bigger weights and/or did more reps than you ever thought possible. And all of you are admired and respected by each of your fellow campers (and me). If all that doesn’t swell your heart and head with self-worth, pride, and a sense of accomplishment, then I don’t know what to say!

What also gave me goose bumps last night was hearing how excited folks are about the journey that still lies ahead. Face it, we never really get to that point where we’re completely happy with our body- and even if we come to a happy place of contentment, we still have to work our butts off to stay there. I loved hearing yall talk so enthusiastically about what you still WANT to do, as compared to “Yeah, but I still have to do so-and-so.” That positive energy and anticipation is why you have already succeeded- and will continue to do so.

I know yall have better things to do on your Saturdays than read yet another novel from me. But I want each and every one of you to be proud of yourself. You work 75% harder than any of your gym friends and 100% harder than your “Oh, I walk three miles a day” friends. So yeah, be a little petty and at least appreciate that!

On Monday, I’ll send yall some info on next camp and some suggestions to do over break. In the meantime, raise your glasses and celebrate YOU!

The Easy Button

Holy butt cheeks, Batman! Your tears of pain during those last five minutes of butt work today were priceless. I loved watching yall lie there in your own filth as you rubbed your buttocks and whimpered, “No, I really think you broke it!” Just keep squeezing the Charmin, my friends. And throw in some pigeon and 4:00s, too!!!

So here we are at the start of Week 3. How do you feel (other than the gigantic pain in your ass right now)? Are you proud of yourself for sticking with it? Are you excited that you’ve remained faithful to your one small change? Are you starting to feel a little less jiggly around the middle and seeing muscles pop on your arms and legs? Doesn’t it feel awesome?

Momentum is a powerful tool and whenever we find it, we need to grab it by its horns and maximize the ride. If you’re feeling all pumped and are looking forward to next week’s post-evaluations, congratulations! You have indeed discovered that the most important change we can make is the one in our heads. It is all about a positive attitude and putting the past behind us. No matter how far you still may have to go in your fitness journey, you are well on your way and you’ve got momentum carrying you during the tough times.

If you’re not feeling so energized, and/or you feel like you’ve slipped a bit or if you’ve been in camp a while and you feel like you’re in a rut, you gotta change the formula a bit. Even if you’re working your smokin’ hot tight butt off at camp, you may not be feeling/seeing the results because of some poor eating habits. How many times have you stared at yourself in the mirror and promised yourself, “This is the day. The cheating stops today. No more binging. No more fast food. No more sugar until I can fit into these pants.”

Great intentions, but most of us get tripped up along the way. We stumble over office birthday cake, happy hour at Mi Tierra, or some ice cream after our significant he/she pisses us off. Bumps in the road like that are fine. They are expected.

But just like everything else in life, your long-term success, and resulting happiness, lies within your reaction to the poor Ben & Jerry’s BOGO decision. Do you beat yourself up, accept failure, and go to your big event/reunion feeling disappointed in yourself and a bit resentful of everyone else? Or do you work extra hard at camp and during your off-time to compensate for the ice cream and Doritos, realizing that nothing tastes as good as the taste of sweet victory.

The choice is yours. And remember, if you don’t like the path you’re on and the current consequences of your Publix and Mellow Mushroom decisions, you can change it at any time. I hit my reset button three weeks ago and it feels great. I still don’t like the body I see in the mirror, but I celebrate every rep and broccoli floret knowing that they are putting me one step closer to my old (and happy/fit) self.

Let me know if any of you need help with your reset button. We’ll turn it into an Easy Button in no time!

See yall tomorrow for LoCo Baseball. Batter up!

Walk the Plank

Who knew sharing butt sweat could be so fun, huh? It just doesn’t get more intimate than that… I wonder if you will still respect your partner in the morning?!

Great job with all those arms and abs exercises today. They never seemed to quit coming, huh? I loved the way yall worked together, not just with your partner, but as a larger group. The camaraderie and support make all the difference, especially on those days where you just want to quit. Hearing that quiet voice next to you saying, “Come on, you can do it!” has propelled many campers around the bend to finish the lap. Or to hold their plank pose for another 8 seconds even though their arms are registering a 5.9 on the Richter Scale. Teamwork at its best!

If our newbies are looking around thinking that any of the other campers find this easy, take solace in the fact that everyone of them cussed me under their breath (the 8ers use a megaphone!) when they first started. Seriously, they were falling, crying, shaking, puking, and collapsing during their first camp or two. But hopefully you’re already seeing for yourself just how quickly your bodies adapt to the challenges we place on them.

We tell you that it gets easier, and it does. But there’s really no such thing as an easy workout at LoCo. As your confidence and strength increases, you’ll find that you are able to do more reps, or go faster, or improve your form, or modify to the next degree of difficulty- making it just as hard as your first day at camp. And I promise you that this evolutions happens pretty darn fast. A lot faster than it takes to get back in those skinny jeans.

In just the last week, I can see a difference in all of you- newbies and veterans alike. Some of you pleaded with me today saying, “I can’t do that, remember? Give me something else.” And I shot back with a stink eye and barked, “Just try it.” And voila, you were doing it! You’ll see the changes for yourself on Thursday when we do the Challenge Workout again. Assuming I don’t kill you tomorrow…

Yup, it is Wicked Wednesday! We’re going to a speed station drill that will have your heart racing and your legs wobbling. But don’t worry, the putt putt course is coming back out so your legs will get at least a short break as you “walk the plank”. Mwahahahahahahahah.

See you superstars tomorrow. I’m mighty proud of yall.

The Truth Behind “Popeye” Weights

Yall have heard me harp on and on about switching to bigger weights. I know it is a tough jump, both mentally and physically. But sticking with your same light weights, even with the higher repetitions you’re able to do, won’t give you the body that I’m sure most of you crave.

To get toned, you need larger muscles and less fat. And challenging your body through heavier lifting is a big part of this equation. Studies show that lifting 85 percent of your maximum ability for eight reps burns about twice as many calories in the two hours post-workout compared with 15 reps at 45 percent max. That’s HUGE!

Now that’s not to say that we need to give up our lighter weights—they do a better job at improving muscular endurance. We need to be doing both. When our workout formats allow, and I always try to tell you in advance, bring out the big boys once and do 8-10 reps instead of the 12 to 15 reps everyone else is doing with smaller weights. Or if you think you’ll be in camp a while, consider alternating 4-week camps with big guns/small reps for a month and then light weights/high reps the next session. Remember, muscles respond to resistance, so if it’s too light, you won’t get the results your seeking. This is one of the reasons I’m always asking yall if you are sore. If you’re not feeling the LoCo loving the next day or two, it is time to trade in your chicken bones (3s and 5s) for some meaty turkey legs (8s, 10s, 12s…)!

And for those of you wanting to lose weight, remember that muscle is more metabolically active than fat. This means that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn just snoozing in the Lazyboy. In fact, strength training can boost your resting metabolic rate by as much as 7%. That can add up to a few extra beers you can enjoy every week… or you can enjoy watching the scales drop another pound or two.

Makes me want to grab the Popeye weights right now! Care to join me?