Let it snow!

Posted by Pam

The snow started falling early this morning, but the worst of it held off until after Boot Camp. Now, it can do whatever it likes. I'm in for the day -- maybe the weekend. I have a stack of healthy cookbooks I want to check out. And I'm reading a good -- but possibly (probably?) controversial -- book, called "The Whole Soy Story." It's filled with interesting information and history about the soy bean. OK, it may not sound all that interesting, but there's an entire chapter on soy and the thyroid. And you all know my interest in thyroid health. (I'll tell you more when I get to that chapter.)

In other news on the thyroid front, Dr. Oz was on Good Morning America recently spreading some actual helpful information (apparently for a change) about thyroid disease and treatment. You can watch the segment here. Or read Mary Shomon's take here.

While I still struggle -- and imagine I always will -- with symptoms, working out helps tremendously, as does watching what I eat and knowing I'm not alone. The more I learn and the more I talk about hypothyroidism and other thyroid diseases, the more people I discover who suffer silently.

I obviously am not the kind of person to suffer silently. And I don't want other people to either. Feel free to share your stories here. Or stop me after Boot Camp to commiserate. Or follow us on Facebook and share your story there.

Whether you share your struggles with thyroid disease or your weight loss success, your battle against the bulge or your favorite recipe, we want to hear from you. We're in this together.

Workouts and recovery

Posted by Pam

By now I'm supposed to be fully adjusted to the time change -- supposed to be. But it's still hard getting up to work out in the dark. How do you ladies do it at 5:15 and 6 a.m.? I guess it shows your -- and my -- dedication to getting and/or staying fit and healthy.

As much as I love sleeping in, I love working out in the mornings more. It's such a great way to start the day. And no matter what happens the rest of the day, I know I've done one thing that was just for me and was good for me.

We had a pretty big group at the 7 a.m. Boot Camp this morning, including a newbie whose first day was Monday. Coming back for a second day can be really hard, so it was good to see her. We had a good workout with lots of cardio and core. Part way through I got a headache but I pushed on through, making sure to drink plenty of water during the workout and when I got home. I also had a smoothie with protein powder when I got home to help with recovery. It helped get rid of the headache, too.

What is your post-workout recovery strategy? Do you consume more protein? Electrolytes? Caffeine? Tylenol?

I want my hour back

Posted by Pam

By now, I'm sure you've got all the clocks in your house set to Daylight Saving Time (spring forward, as they say). If you're like me, though, your internal clock still hasn't reset. It was really hard to get up in the dark this morning. But I managed. And made it to Boot Camp on time -- if not quite awake still.

Experts tell us that it takes about one day to adjust for each hour of time change, adding that there is significant individual variation. It may not effect you at all, but I think it takes me about a week to get back to normal. And with yesterday being so gloomy, there was no sunshine to make me feel better about the change.

Getting up and going to Boot Camp seemed to really help me get my internal clock closer to the time my watch says. Exercise is a proven way to help you sleep better. And getting a good night's sleep should help you adjust to the time change.

The good news about Daylight Saving Time -- for me anyway -- is it's one day closer to spring and one day closer to outdoor workouts.

I'm kind of impressed, if I do say so myself

Posted by Pam

At the risk of sounding like an egomaniac, I have to tell you what I have done over the past day and a half. Yesterday morning, I went to Boot Camp and did a typical butt-kicking workout. Then, the Significant Other and I packed up our gear and headed to Copper Mountain for an afternoon of skiing. I even hit some blue runs. Which is rare for me. Today, I rolled out of bed and went to a boxing workout, punching and kicking intermixed with ab work, squats and some Spiderman push ups.

This is a Spiderman push up, in case you forgot.

They're tough. But, to quote my 14-year-old nephew, I'm a beast.

I have Boot Camp to thank for my superhuman powers -- or, you know, the extra energy and ability to do the things I want to do like skiing, boxing, biking or just getting through a busy day.

More new exercises

Posted by Pam

Joe tried out some more new exercises on us this morning, keeping us inspired and working hard. We were treated to some cardio kickboxing moves -- which are great fun -- in addition to some of the old stand by exercises.

Just last week, I was feeling a bit discouraged with myself. Whether it was due to the gloomy skies or just the everyday ups and downs of my life, I knew I needed to get motivated. I kept a food journal for a week and was really surprised to find out I may actually be getting too few calories -- and was definitely lacking in fiber and protein. (No, unfortunately, that doesn't give me permission to start chowing on Girl Scout cookies and potato chips.) If you've never kept a food journal, try it out. It's a real eye opener.

The other great thing that happened was Joe attended a fitness conference and came to Boot Camp with new moves and maybe a little bit of a new attitude himself. It could be he is finally over the cold that has plagued so many people recently. Either way, I'm feeling much more encouraged, more motivated and more inspired. Each day at Boot Camp, I work as hard as I can. If I can motivate someone else to work hard, that makes me feel good.

I'm also learning to take a compliment when it comes my way. I hope you are, too. I know you work hard to look that good.