We're here baby and don't you forget it!!!!
I like to think of us as silent killers.
We are going to sneak up on you other teams, and knock you out with our new bodies!
You just wait.
We have been working out, eating right and doing all this even while on vacation.
I even had a little stomach flu to help me with shedding some pounds, so thank goodness for that...even though I didn't feel that way when the bathroom was calling my name!!!
So, don't count us out just because we haven't posted on this blog.
We've been busy busting our butts to look better in 5 weeks!!!!

Watch out....

Val

Some of you may recognize that phrase(with a twist) as being from the famous movie Animal House......but it truly applies to the current bane of my existence, Sgt. Gretta. My body has been twisted, turned, stretched and crunched into positions I never knew existed. The last time I did 20 bicep curls I actually had curls on my head! But I must say that Sarge is whipping her whiny big recruits into shape....come hell or high water! Thanks Sarge!

Well week 3 is over and it was rough!! Michelle and I completed the Shamrock Shuffle on Sunday- it was COLD which I think helped us to run FAST! I beat last year's time by 5 minutes! Woo hoo!
This week I started to feel comfortable and a bit more settled into my routine of eat, cook, workout, sleep, repeat! Oh wait, somewhere between eat and sleep I find time to go to work!

The changes in my body continue although not all are positive. For instance, my arms look great- the muscles are toned but not gigantic- still lady like and very nice- I'm quite impressed with myself. But my boobs have shrunk (this is the not so good part)! Why? Female shrinkage is a reality and it bites. My thighs on the other hand, seem to be going no where! I do notice that they are slightly smaller in circumference- I know this cause my pants are looser, but they look worse than when I started! No joke- they are getting lumpier, cottage cheese comes to mind when I look at them - large curd (I hope no one is eating as they read this!)!! They are just plain ugly! To my thighs I want to say- GET LOST!! To my boobs- COME BACK!!

This has really been a challenge. I am sore all over, but I am loving the results I am getting. I don't know if I should look forward to or regret the next five weeks.

Okay Okay, 3 weeks down 5 to go. I am thoroughly exhausted from the schedule of working out, working my beat, working out again, getting home in time to get the kids off the bus and get them snacks, Then off to do homework and baseball and softball and bell choir and can I go to a friends house to making dinner, to making lunches and preparing the foods I get to eat for the next day, get the kids bathed and showered and off to bed. I fall asleep immediately and wake up to my alarm at 3:40 am just to start over again. Can people live on 4 or 5 hours a sleep a night? The funny thing is... I have more energy than before to do all of this!!!! If I can only get more sleep. Oh yes! (Coach) Justing the trainer is kicking our sorry butts over at Bally! Thanks Justine!!!!! Keep up the good work!!! I can't move my legs! :) This is the best challenge of my life! Maui here we come!! Flo what is your motto? "I can do anything for 8 weeks!!!"

3 weeks down 5 more to go! As Jeanne said we did well in the Shamrock Shuffle on Sunday~ despite the cold weather it was nice to be outside running. I'm getting used to the routine we are in right now I'm usually doing one of the following ~ sleeping, working, working out, cooking, or eating. Speaking of eating it seems that every meal we eat has now become some sort of complicated math problem!! I'm still learning lots of stuff I can take with me even when the challenge is over. Our trainer Allegra rocks! I'm excited to see what the next 5 weeks have to bring.

We're coming up on the halfway point of the Challenge and so, although yesterday was my birthday, I celebrated by sticking a candle in a tablespoon of cream cheese on top of a graham cracker(woo hoo!). I'm saving that deep-dish pizza for May 8th @9:01 A.M! It seems like it was yesterday that Dean was posing for the cameras and Val was showing off her guns( okay, maybe a couple of derringers).

Theresa and I have really enjoyed the quality time spent hitting the treadmill and sweating to the directions of our trainer Gretta. We are definetely looking forward to the last 4 weeks....and as Phil Georgeff used to say...."Here they come spinning out of the turn!"......okay, I'm probably the only geezer that remembers that!

Wow this week flew!! I have no idea where the time went!
I had to buy some new clothes this week for work. Some of my clothes were getting too big and it was actually getting a little annoying having to pull them up all day. I'm not complaining!! It's great!! And, I'll take any excuse to shop!
Allegra (our trainer) is a miracle worker!

We are half way there only 4 more weeks to go! Last night my family went out to dinner to celebrate my oldest brother's birthday ( Jeanne's husband). They went to Maggiano's one of our favorite restuarants. Notice I said "they went" ~ Jeanne and I were not invtied! They left us out as a courtesy to us~ so we wouldn't have to watch everyone enjoy their meals. While my family enjoyed their dinner I put in some quality hours at the gym then I decided to register for a half marathon in Chicago in August. I'm excited to see what the next 4 weeks of the challenge will bring!

Working out today I finally got a chance to see our poster for the Challenge.......and heard the phrase"Hey Hey Hey......it's fat Derrick time!" echoing in my ears. It made me work out just a little bit harder.

I just realized that I am beyond the half way point. I keep saying I can do anything for four more weeks. I don't know about you all, but this is really a challenge for me. I always wished that I had a personal trainer. I should have been careful on what I wished for. Having said that, everything is going great. I am looking forward to seeing everyone on May 8th. Good Luck Teams. No matter who gets to Maui, we all have won in this battle on what it takes to be fit.

Yeah, it's the half way mark on this and it's all of the hell that I remember from the 1st fitness challenge.

I'm working out 3-4 times a week. Julia Mix, our trainer, is a tough task master. I know that I've lost some weight because I can feel my suits fitting a little different, but I've got a long way to go.

With my weird schedule, it's tough to eat at the right times and as properly as I should but I'm working on it.

I'll be in my speedo in no time!! Sorry for that visual image.
Dean

Hello All,

Well finally we are getting decent weather. I just got back from a 10 mile bike ride. The wind kicked my butt, but the sunshine and warmer weather was very nice!! It has been really hard to find time to work out these days. 3 weeks 2 days to go...

So it has taken almost 5 weeks for me to realize where my bulges came from in the first place. Ok, it wasn't a total mystery but I was a bit baffled- after all I had been running and working out on a somewhat regular basis. I've always thought I was a pretty cautious eater (not picky - I'll eat just about anything!!) careful not to over indulge but figured a little treat is ok every once in a while. Well I guess the "once in a while" was coming a bit too often- whoops! For instance- just this weekend alone I turned down pizza and dessert 3 times each- normally I probably would have eaten all of that and without a second thought.
Well no more! I've been working my butt off (literally- ha!) for the last 5 weeks and I do not want to go back to where I was when I started! I know everyone says this but I really mean it!!! I'm picking up some great eating habits (yes, habits are starting to form) like avoiding most processed foods (they contain way too much sodium, fat, and other ingredients you can't pronounce and don't need), carbs are ok (yes!!) just pick the whole grains, and eat tons of fruits and vegetables. I can do this!
The right foods are not only shrinking my waste (and the rest of my body) but they are also having a noticeable affect (hmm or effect) on my complexion- and for someone who has always had problem skin that’s a huge BONUS!

With apologies to Dinah Washington, the title should be" What a difference 5 weeks makes!". When we started this Challenge, I took a test on www.realage.com. It tells you, after asking a few health related questions, what your RealAge is and gives you a workable plan to stay young. When I originally took the quiz my RealAge was 2 years older than my current age. I took the test last night and, to my amazement, my RealAge, because of our intense workouts and improved diets, has now improved to 41/2 years YOUNGER than my age! I did a handspring(yeah, right!) and then ate an apple. Three weeks, one day and a Speedo to go!

Only 3 more weeks to go in the challenge! I have learned so much in the past 5 weeks. Jeanne and I are so lucky to have Allegra as our trainer she is awesome!! I've noticed that some of my new habits are starting to wear off on people around me. For example, sometimes at work during the day I lead everyone in stretching! I've noticed that our fridge is filled with fruits and vegetables. And the cabinets have lots of healthy choices ( except for my untouched Easter candy!) I'm pumped for the next 3 weeks!

With my busy work schedule, training with SERGEANT GRETTA, and waiting for decent weather, it's been hard to do one of my favorite workouts, working in the garden. Today I was turning the dirt, pulling weeds, and racking leftover leaves (didn't really like the racking of the leaves part). It's a great calorie burner and you end up with a nice yard. I'm also glad to be able to ride my bike on the lakefront without freezing my buns off. This challenge is hard work but I love every minute of it. What I love the most is working out with my husband. Good luck everyone!

I am so glad to see the nice weather. I love to ride my bike through the forest preserve and along the lake front. I am looking forward to getting off the treadmill a couple of times a week.
Good Luck!

When I got home from working out tonight it was so nice out that I decided to go for a nice little run outside. I love the nice weather :) This week sort of went by fast. One of the highlights of my week was shopping for some new clothes on Sunday. I am very excited about my new sizes ( which I'm not even going to talk about ~I'm not giving away any hints!!) Only 2 more weeks to go! Good luck everyone :)

Trying to mix up my workouts to keep it fresh has been a challenge in itself. Yesterday while I was walking my dogs I decided to try and jog instead. I have not run in at least 3 years. I can not believe how good it felt to run again. My doggies were more tired than me. It was a great feeling. Thank You Balley Total Fitness and WGN for this opportunity to be fit again. We are all winners! Good Luck teams!

Only 2 weeks left!!!! I can't believe it!
All I can think of this week is Hawaii!! It's my motivation and ultimate goal. I'm sitting here looking at Hawaiian images of palm trees, Diamond Head and beaches (I have pictures posted all over) as I listen to IZ singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow and I can totally picture myself in my itsy bitsy bikini sitting on the beach sipping a cocktail!
I can't wait to see how everyone looks!!

It's been a while since I submitted a blog, but with 9 days left we're all dialing it in and marching towards that finish line(or scale, if you'd like to put it THAT way!).

I was in San Diego over the weekend and I'd like to give a big shout out to the Bally's in Mission Valley. I worked out there Friday and Saturday and the staff couldn't have been more gracious. Tell 'em you're in a contest and the waters open like Moses was standing next to you! Sunday and Monday the weather was so nice(80's....jealous?)I walked and worked out right along the ocean....then got on the plane yesterday with shorts on and frowned when the captain got on the intercom and declared that the temp was 5 degrees celsius(about 40 in conversion).

This has been a eye-opening experience and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone next week.

Wow another week has gone by! We are in the final stretch now!! I'm so excited to see how everyone looks next week. I've learned a lot of new stuff about diet and exercise from our amazing trainer Allegra :) Even when the contest is over I will be able to use the stuff I have learned. Good Luck everyone! See you next week!

Okay I had the weirdest dream about food last night. Yesterday I was craving peanut butter which is what I have been missing the most in these 7 weeks!!! I wanted crackers and peanut butter really bad but only having a week left I concurred my craving and stuck to my healthy eating. Well this morning when I woke up I remember a dream I had where I just kept eating Ritz crackers with gobs of peanut butter on them! It was so yummy in my dream and I felt so sick and guilty about eating all of it. I did not let anyone know in my dream that I was cheating! It was so funny because I woke up and told my kids about it and was telling them how good those crackers and peanut butter tasted. I did get on the scale this morning to make sure it was just a dream and it was! :) See you all in a week, I can't wait to see how well you all did! We are all winners in what we have learned from our trainers! Thank You Bally Total Fitness and WGN for giving us this great opportunity!!! Lisa (Team Blue)

This is it!!! The last week! I can't believe it!
I want to thank of all of our supporters- especially my husband Bill who has been so helpful and encouraging- you are the BEST, Bill! Allegra, our trainer for keeping us focused and changing our bodies from flab to fab! My mother-in-law for suggesting Michelle and I enter the competition and for all of her supportive posts, WGN and Bally Total Fitness for this amazing opportunity!! Vi, for joining us at the gym- you were the only one brave enough- and to everyone else who posted a comment, or sent along encouraging words- thanks!! It all helps! And it's not over yet, so we need your help and that final boost to get us through the home stretch!!
See you in a week!