Continued Success & Introspection

The view to the valley from Bell Canyon Waterfall

We've been home 2 1/2 weeks now. Cherie and I have been friends for almost a dozen years. Last week, we met to work out with a friend and then eat a quick lunch. Our friend wanted to hear all about our experience at PFC and I learned a few new things listening to her tell another friend.

Like most of us, Cherie went because she wanted to lose a lot of weight fast. She had a little bit of anxiety about losing the definition of herself. Every morning she woke up in the role of wife and mother to 7 kids. She thought if she was sequestered somewhere without that role, who is she? Before the camp, she had also in her mind labeled all of us regular exercisers (including me) as "selfish". Now since she is my closest friend, she had never told me she thought that. But also, because we are friends, I wasn't offended either. I thought it was funny. She also had convinced herself that somehow her life wouldn't be as fun or enjoyable is she didn't have sugar to eat.

At lunch, she explained to us her "aha moments" at PFC. In the process of not having sugar at all for 28 days, she realized her life was still incredibly enjoyable. I've said this before, but we really did laugh a lot through the whole process. We all laughed together at ourselves, each other, Chris and Wayne.....without sugar! She also realized that she is so much more than wife and mother and it is ridiculous to define yourself in such a small faceted mind set. Plus my favorite: that regular exercisers are NOT SELFISH but rather taking care of themselves.

Cherie has lost 5 more pounds working with David, her coach for the 12 weeks following PFC. She works out an hour a day and eats small meals every 3 hours and even enjoys a sugar free skinny cow ice cream bar as one of her snacks. Her resting heart rate is under 50! Go Cherie!

Lucky Number 7!

The PFC Welcome Basket!

Hi readers, since I am lucky enough to have PFC so close to home, I get to come back every so often and continue blogging. Today I came over and went on a morning hike with the whole new group up Bell Canyon trail. They've got a larger group than we had for the month and most of them are staying at least a month. I was really impressed with how strong and motivated everyone is. About half of the group has been there a week already. This morning was also weigh in. Phil had a huge loss with 8% body fat gone! I could tell right away this guy is an athlete. He reminded me a little of the winner from Biggest Loser last season, Danny. I have read about the theory of "body memory". Phil definitely has body memory. It's surprising to see each member who was an ex-athlete retain and regain their strength very quickly.

Rachel has been here a week as well. She lost 7.5 pounds. I don't know what it is about lucky number 7 but it has popped up with every weigh in for the last 5 weeks. Someone has dropped either 7 pounds, 7 inches or 7% body fat with each and every weigh in. I wonder how long that will go on?? Rachel also came here having already dropped 30 pounds on her own. She is incredibly motivated and has an infectious attitude & smile. I think she's going to do great!

I'll check in with the rest of the group with more photos coming soon.

~Kristin

Egg White Crepes

I am not an egg fan so when Chef Dave made these crepes at camp, I was super excited to get my eggs in a non egg way:

Ingredients:

4 egg Whites

4 Tbsp Oat Bran

1/3 cup Berries

2 Tbsp Sugar-free Syrup

Salt to taste

Put the Oat Bran in a food processor and pulse very fine. Combine the EGG WHITES, OAT BRAN and SALT in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Pre-heat a small non-stick skillet on medium.

Process 1/2 of the BERRIES with the SYRUP into a puree. Combine the PUREE with rest of the BERRIES in a small sauce pan and heat to desired temperature.

The non-stick skillet should be hot. Spray PAM on the skillet, if it smokes wipe it with a paper towel and spray it again. Pour 1/4 cup of the EGG MIXTURE into the skillet and swirl it around, you want it to coat the bottom of the skillet. Wait for edges of the EGG to start to curl, then work around the crepe with silicon spatula and turn it. Count to 5 and move it to a hot plate. Cover with aluminum foil.

After all of the crepes are finished, it is time to assemble. Evenly divide the SYRUP and make a little fancy burrito. Leave a little to pour over the crepe.

Don't get discouraged if the first one gets ruined. In fact, the first one usually goes in the garbage. You don't want the crepe to brown at all. Crepes should be egg colored. Adjust the heat if they brown. After each crepe, wipe the pan with a paper towel and spray on more PAM.

From the kitchen of: David Ives (Premier Fitness Chef)

I Can't Believe It's been 4 weeks!

The graduates & Chris above the airplanes (really!)

We were Queens of the World after our "graduation challenge" hike! Look at that view! Spectacular!... but- the- most- killer hike! My quads have never ever been this sore and probably never will be again (hopefully). But we all made it! Not one of us could have made this hike 4 weeks ago. Sorry, but WE ROCK!

My final stats:

8 lbs lost

2 inches each off chest, waist & hips

1.25 inches off thighs

1 inch off arms

The BEST of all Body Fat lost 7%!!

I went from 32% to 25%!! This made me very happy!

Cherie lost 18 inches total, Lisa lost 7 inches just off her waist, Jackie 4 inches off her thigh and the biggest LOSER was Adam with a whopping 17.5 pounds lost in one week. Awesome for him! But I will have little tiny pity party that women have a much harder time than guys do losing weight. He's only begun, he's got 3 more weeks.

We finished the day with another perfect Saturday. We hiked a trail that goes up to Lake Blanch in Big Cottonwood canyon. Jackie was already gone so I had no one to chase up the mountain. I plugged in my ipod and took off, realizing I didn't need someone to chase. I felt amazing, strong and unstoppable. Then we ate our final delicious lunch and headed over to our much deserved massage. LOVE LOVE LOVE the massage!

Now we are home to the real world. I'm going to have serious Chef Dave withdrawal. We have 12 more weeks of menu's & workouts to implement on our own and a coach to keep tabs on us. Marching onward until we reach the easier(?), elusive maintenance plan. It's kind of overwhelming to take in.

Premier Fitness Camp was worth every bead of sweat, tear, bruise, sore muscle, pack of ice and painful moment. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

~Kristin

Bodybugg-itis, @#$% Weight Vests & Nap Time

After doing water aerobics and swimming laps the other day, we got to sit in the hot tub. A lady sitting in there with us asked "what's wrong with your arms? why do you all have those lines?" Well, that would be due to a lot of hiking in the sun and dutifully wearing our bodybuggs. It's an exclusive disease to PFC....BODYBUGG-ITIS

I thought I hated the 20 lb ball the most but that's because I hadn't worn the 20 lb weight vest on a hike yet. Wayne decided today was the day. I swore a little at him, and he just laughed at me like he always does. What choice did I have? I had to go a lot slower and it took me out of my zen hiking state. But it proved to me once again how glad I am to not be carrying around 20+pounds of fat anymore and how good it will feel to get rid of whatever fat is going to be left. I only have 1.5 more days - so the adventure will continue at home.

Today was the last day working out with our weight training trainers. This was a special upper body workout designed by Trevor. I wish I knew how they come up with this stuff. They must do some basic training in prisoner interrogation torture methods because I would have given up all my secrets. But really, I will miss Trevor & Mindy.

Cherie finding rest on any surface available to her. Our needs for comfort have diminished dramatically!
We're still tired up to nearly the end of our 4 weeks. Tomorrow they have a "special graduation challenge" planned for us...Chris tells us with a joker like smile.....so I have reason to be scared.
Stay tuned

A quick power nap for Adam.

~Kristin

Just When I think I've Maxed Out on Soreness....

Our established dinner table places..Jackie leads the PFC family in everything.

We were eating blueberry protein pancakes - oh my goodness do you need that recipe! I'll work on it.

I foolishly thought after the first 2 weeks or maybe 3 weeks, I had reached the peak of my soreness levels. I should have known better. Chris decided to throw the stadium stair workout at us again Sunday morning. This time we ran 100 sets of stairs...yes, I said ONE HUNDRED sets of stairs. We went and we conquered. I felt about the same after 100 as I did after 40 the first time around. I have definitely built endurance. After lunch, we hiked through brush straight up a hill to get onto my favorite trail, the Bonneville Shoreline. Jackie and I ran 90% of it...there are some rocky areas and wicked steep parts. We were done faster than everyone else so we walked home too. I'm guessing it was 4 miles. This is considered the easy day, by the way. Monday morning I could feel my butt and hamstrings had taken a serious beating. Today we lunged up some hills and then lunged across the field a few times and then squatted and then lunged and lunged some more. I better be building some serious ripped legs!! Ouchy wahwah!

Adam, the new guy, is making Wayne & Chris very proud indeed. He has vomited every day at least once. I keep trying to tell them that the women here have all come very close but know we will not get another snack if it comes up! And guess what...Adam does not have to do Zumba! He gets to play basketball instead. He is SO missing out!

~Kristin