Malibu Creek Canyon/ 6-mile hike!

Started out the day with a 6-mile hike in Malibu Creek Canyon.  Not too much canyon hiking in Florida, so this is quite the treat.  Really beautiful this Malibu......  I always pictured Malibu as just beaches, but there are lots of canyons/mountains. We were late returning so missed the Liquid Moves class in the pool, but burned a lot of calories on the hike.  We went to the old Mash TV site, and saw areas where they filmed the original Planet of the Apes.  Picture #1 is the site where the helicopter came over the mountains on the opening of Mash.

Afternoon - kickboxing class taught by Ursula which is a "take no prisoners" lady whose body looks like  Layla Ali; next Mountain class which is a cardio class  in which you start on a low level, but increase speed and/or intensity (or incline if on treadmill) for 7 stages of three minutes each.  For session 8 and 9, you go all out as fast as you can for 4 minutes in each stage, then take it down to end.  Great cardio with lots of sweat.
Last was pool H20 circuit class.  You can't imagine that you can work out so hard in a pool, but you do here.  It is easier on the joints, but it is quite a workout.

Still trying to deal with blister; actually, just a raw circle on the bone below my big toe.  I have posted a pic-- hurry by it if you don't want to look :-)

Received Derek's walking sticks today, and I am really looking forward to using them.  I know they will take a little pressure off my knees, especially downhill.   I think they will also increase my steadiness coming downhill. 

Thanks to all of you for your support...... GO NOLES!!!!

Second Monday

The second Monday was NOTHING like the first one.  Went on an advanced hike today which was tough because it was up, up, up, and then on the return down, down, down which is really hard on the knees.  My closest friend here, Christy, really messed up her knee today on this hike and had to go to the Urgent Care Center.  Dr. says she has a sprained meniscus; hopefully, she will be on the mend relatively quickly.  Both of us could be working in the gym in the morning instead of hiking.

The bad news of the day is I decided to do something a little different with an easily aggravated area on my foot, and I made the whole thing worse.  Now I actually have a huge blister that may prevent me from hiking tomorrow.  I have "doctored" it this evening and, hopefully, resting it overnight will provide a miracle.  I don't want to miss the hike, but I can't afford for it to get even worse.  We will see.......

I haven't described much about the food here.  It really is great.  This morning I had a granola cereal with almonds, almond milk, and bananas.  For lunch we had carrot soup -- I love the soups here--definitely going to have to make them when I get home.  I am just used to lots of crushed crackers in soup, and that is not going to happen.  Also for lunch a wheat tortilla with rice and black beans.  Dinner was a salmon burger with lettuce and tomato -- actually quite tasty, green beans, red bell peppers, and asparagus.  Dessert was a cranberry sorbet (sort of like a popsicle taste).

We can sign up for Wed night trips to Target.  Wanted to go last week, but didn't think I could walk back to the front office -- I had had enough!  This week I have my list ready including hiking sticks and LOTS of blister ampoule bandaids.  Any one headed this way, I would suggest you bring a package or two -- they are pretty expensive here at the Resort.

I have posted some pics from the hike so you can sort of see the incline/decline and filled with rocks.  You really have to be careful because it is very easy to turn your ankle.  As I probably already mentioned, three people in the last few weeks have gone home with broken ankles -- yikes!  I try to watch pretty carefully my foot placement in the really rocky areas-- one wrong move, and I could be done.

Received halloween cards from my adorable granddaughters (assisted by my wonderful daughters), and today received some "just to make you smile" cards from Sydney.  They did make me smile!  I miss them so much.  Thanks girls :-)

I will be back......
Peggy

Sunday - Day of Rest

Hello everyone -- Heavenly Sunday -- Thank you Lord for a day of rest.  How fun to have time to talk on the phone, play on the computer, and just rest.  Lost 7 1/2 pounds this week.  I am just thrilled.  This is the hardest thing I have ever done, but the support of the other people here is phenomenal.  It truly is what gets you through.  We had graduation last night for those leaving, and it was so moving and inspiring.  This is such a chance of a lifetime, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to change my life.  I am posting some pics of the hikes.

Better Day

Today was a much better day.  I am actually not dying this evening.  Everyone says the second week you are like a different person--I am starting to believe it.  I felt much stronger today.  Still aches and pains, but so much better than Monday night.

Had a rocky hike today in Newton Canyon.  It is interesting hiking in shallow gullies with lots of rocks; also, very uphill, and very downhill. You have to be really careful not to turn your ankle.  A girl fell today and broke her ankle in two spots-- she is having surgery tomorrow.  Another reason why I am going at my pace on the hikes--I am going to do my best not to have an injury.

Watching Florida State, so I am going to close.  At least I get to see part of the fourth quarter.  We are ahead, but barely....Defense just completed an unbelievable goal line stand.  I promise I will post pics this weekend -- need to go watch the end of the game.  Game now tied.

Go Noles!   (I am trying to think of a name to name my body and show respect for what it is doing--any suggestions?)  LOL

Half-way through Week 1

This has been a tough day.  Yesterday was better, but by the time I had a massage last night after dinner and class, I fell into bed and was asleep in minutes. 

This is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done. It is just nonstop from 6AM until 7PM.  About 12 minutes between classes, and while I really like the trainers here, they have people who take attendance, and they are exercise nazis.   My body has just had it, but I keep trying to remind it to keep your eye on the prize.  I am certainly grateful that I had Mareese Miles (personal trainer) as a precursor for this trip.  This place is like Mareese on steroids.

If I can just make it to the weekend, everyone assures me that the second week is easier.  My favorite person is a beautiful young woman from Malibu who is British.  Her name is Ann, and she has two beautiful daughters who look just like her.  She is so patient and encouraging on the hikes.  I have had the pleasure of hiking with my facebook friend Ruth.  We have so much in common, and I really enjoy her company.  She is a wonderful person, and I will truly miss her when she goes home on Sunday.  Another treat is a young lady named Christy who I was facebooking with as well.  She is from Boston, and she is an absolute hoot.   A couple of other fb friends Doreen and Pam super nice people. Nice folks, and we are all in this together. That is seriously what gets you through.

Went on a 2 hour 45 minute hike today that was through the Reagan Ranch area.  The scenery was magnificant, but it was a lot of uphill, and then pretty dramatically downhill which is tough on your feet.  The hiking path was a narrow gully trail with lots of rocks.  I will post some pictures when I get time -- probably not until Saturday.   Awe Saturday afternoon and Sunday -- rest days -- please hurry weekend.

I will be back........:-)

Monday over.....

Every inch of my body is aching.  I am not that mentally exhausted, but my poor body is shot.  I don't know how in the world I am going to do this again tomorrow.

The day started with a stretch class at 6AM.  Really, really liked it.  The trainer had low lights (because it was still dark), awesome music, and it was wonderful.  Then, went on the hike (my great fear met head on), and the scenery was unbelievable.  Malibu is some beautiful place.  We hiked in the mountains, but I am not sure exactly where.  I will give it a name tomorrow.  I didn't take my camera because I was so nervous about just making it through the hike.  Other people took lots of pictures so hopefully I can get some of those to post.  Several deer along the hike and a beautiful hawk just sitting in a tree.

Food today was great.  Breakfast was an English muffin with turkey bacon and egg whites scrambled.  Lunch -- a talapia taco, and a wonderful soup.  I will have to look back at the the type of soup, but I loved it.  Dinner was chicken with wanasabi potatoes (tasted just like mashed potatoes) and asparagus.  Desert was a pineapple sorbet loaded with shredded pineapple (loved it -- only 31 calories for the sorbet).

After the hike, we had water aerobics with weights that kicked my butt.  The pool is heated which was great because it had been raining, and it is cold at night, but I never thought the pool classes could be so tough.  Next was an hour of interval circuit training (cardio for 2 minutes, weight machines for 2 minutes -- back and forth for about 46 minutes-- not too bad.  BUT, what was coming next was hell-- it is a pump/step class.  It was absolutely nonstop for 46 minutes of step class with weights -- no rests at all!  That did me in, but no, there was still one more class to go-- another water class.  Thank God my last class was in the water, but we got our butts kicked in that one too.  I am sure I didn't do as well in that one because I had just had it.

I have a heating pad on my back, heat packs on my knees, and I am moving the heating pad around to other areas............

They have been having major trouble with the Internet here so hopefully they will have that fixed soon.

Will be back tomorrow...... hopefully LOL
Peggy

Arrived!

I have arrived at Biggest Loser Fitness Ranch in Malibu, CA.  This afternoon was weigh-in, measurements, body fat (that was ugly), and life-coach discussion.  They certainly know how to pick employees because these people are nice beyond belief.  Several are former fitness ranch visitors themselves, and they have lost between 60-100 pounds, and kept it off at least three years.

Had dinner and orientation.  Dinner was a waldorf salad wrap -- absolutely delicious.  I will pass on that receipe when I get it.  Dinner's are approx 500 calories (never over, but perhaps less), so this was a lot of food for 500 calories.   Breakfast 300 calories, Lunch 400, and Dinner 500.

Heaven help me, tomorrow at 6AM it starts.  We will see if I can post tomorrow night; if not, don't worry, I just didn't have it in me.

Here it goes......