Bootcamp – AGAIN!!!???
Yeah, so last time I wrote a blog about a major change in my life and even I thought it was bit too long. But the good news is this… this blog is significantly shorter than the last one and the second time was even better than the first! Why did I sign up for another course of Bootcamp? I was thinking about all of those changes and I felt like I wasn’t quite trusting myself to go it alone, not just yet anyway. Although I’d made some huge changes, maybe it was pure fluke, a bit of good luck, maybe I didn’t really have what it took? Self-doubt crept in a little, it was to be expected. 6 weeks is only a short span of time compared to a depressing habit that had developed over a longer period of time. I had wanted changes to happen and they did but spurred on by that, I then found I wanted more. My family is a real drive, especially my son Brandon. I want to make sure I’m a good role model for him. I’d seen people react differently to me recently and I liked that – a lot. I was even enjoying other people’s company much more because I was more at ease and less awkward with myself. So what if I went one step further? What could I accomplish?
I started the second Bootcamp with Barry and found I was working hard again but I wasn’t labouring as badly as I had during the first course. Things were easier, the moves were familiar and every time I stepped up a weight, I was grinning on the inside – because it was only a short time ago that I hadn’t been able to imagine that I could lift that weight.
After a few weeks, I noticed the ropes were not taxing my arms as badly as they once had and after a further while, hardly at all and that exercise then became more about cardiovascular activity than actually developing my arms. I had a couple of times when I would burst out laughing or start grinning because it was easy! My health has improved, sleeping is more even, I suffer less frequent headaches and my concentration has heightened too, these are side-effects I can definitely live with.
I love running again and weights are something I really enjoy doing now, I was far too self-conscious before. In addition to regular protein shakes pre-workout, and CLA as well as L-Glutamine post-workout, watching what I eat is more measured, I don’t obsess about it and I don’t count calories but I do ask Myself, ‘Should I?’ if the answer is ‘Nope!’, then I really shouldn’t eat it but sometimes its nice to treat yourself. I know what works for me now and I know what doesn’t. Avoiding convenience foods and making good choices, planning my meals in advance has become more of a good habit that I had developed during the first Bootcamp. If I cheat then I pay it back with an extra cardio session – I owe that to Myself and to Barry, he matched my effort throw for throw. If I don’t pay that less-than-healthy-choice meal or that glass of red back with some exercise, then my last workout was for nothing and when I am working this hard at this level, it’s not funny and it’s not fair to simply write that hard work off.
I take more time over my workouts now, I’m listening to music that I haven’t really been in the mood to listen to, in some cases, I realised that I haven’t been in the right frame of mind for that music for years and that is sad because I REALLY adore my music. I wanted to finish this, do it brilliantly and get the Finisher’s shirt with hard work! No rushing, no cheating, no failing! One more rep, one more weight, one more session.
So… here I am at the end of yet another Bootcamp course having worked really hard over the last eight weeks with Barry and on my own and what do I see? My abs have become more defined which I’m really pleased about, I’ve developed muscle, my arms have shaped up well, my legs have developed and the old injury is thankfully very quiet, to the point that I hardly ever think about it. I have energy, focus and a good mind-set. I’m finally wearing new gym kit that fits me well and I’ve even bleached my hair just because I wanted to. It was funny watching Oliver from a distance trying to work out if it really was me at the far of the gym. I certainly wouldn’t have done anything to draw attention to Myself earlier this year. Not one thing.
If I had to put my finger on one thing that Bootcamp has given me, the answer might surprise you… I would say, (physicality aside because that’s SO obvious) it’s the confidence I now have that Bootcamp has helped me to recover. I thought some of my personality was long gone before I started this journey but it’s all still there and people do notice. I am REALLY happy about all of these changes. I started 2016, depressed, dragging my heels and hating just about everything.
Now I am looking forward to 2017, I’m gonna run all over it and maybe, quite possibly, I could sign up for another Bootcamp again… They do say the third times the charm, right?
