Guest Post by Tracy Miranda

The following blog post is an important one. Currently one of our friends and co-workers from AMR is at the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge Malibu. Tracy, was so inspired by our trip and our blog that before we were even home from our trip, she had booked hers.  I have been in touch with her via text message and I can tell you this is just the right place for her to be. She has just started her second week this week and she is kicking butt and learning so much about herself and her future. We are so proud of you, Tracy. Here's a reflection from her first week, in her words.

Tracy is lucky to have two former Biggest Losers joining the Resort this week. Jessica and Ramon are from Season 12!

{My Used To’s}

 by Tracy Miranda

I just finished my first week of a two week stay at the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge in Malibu. It’s been nothing short of amazing. I won’t bore you with a lot of the schedule, food and types of classes etc, because I know anyone reading this has heard already what this is about from Brianne and Cara. They asked me to share my journey with you, so I will aim to do that.

When I arrived a week ago I was unsure of what I was facing, but I knew I wanted my life to be different. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life. I have a wonderful husband, a mom who is my best friend, so many supportive friends and family, and the most amazing son I could ever wish for. I just didn’t love me.

Fast forward to me today, one week later. Believe it or not I am already a different person. I have pushed myself to my limits and beyond. I have persevered through minor injuries and pain and most importantly I’ve realized that I am capable of so much more than I thought I was. I will share some of the highlights of my week.

My first day started out with pouring rain. That did not stop us however from going on a two hour hike. There were lots of people that thought it was miserable, but I had a great time. People thought I was crazy but I used to love playing soccer in the rain when I was growing up. It’s just water right? It was really fun. The day continued with a stretch class, cardio, circuit training and pool class. I really thought I would not be able to move the next morning. However, I woke up and did it all again. The next day we hiked in the canyons of Malibu, and it’s really beautiful. While walking with a hiking guide Alicia she asked me if I hiked at home and I told her that I used to. The hikes are challenging, but it’s so great to be out in the fresh air and such beautiful scenery. The hiking guides are awesome and supportive.

During gym and pool classes it is a mixture of fun and pain. I have met muscles that I haven’t heard from in a long time. As trainer Tonia said, “let me introduce you to your core” (boy did she ever). The trainers are always positive but know how to push you and hold you accountable to yourself without ever being condescending or disrespectful. One of my favorite inspirations came from trainer Katina in a cardio class. They do a lot of interval training here to get your heart rate up, down, then up again. Some of these include sprints at the end. She made me push myself by simply stating “anybody can do anything for one minute!” It’s true. By Saturday I was doing one minute sprints faster than I ever have run on a treadmill simply because she made me believe that I could. It’s just one minute I kept telling myself and repeating her quote.

On Saturday we were fortunate enough to have Jessica and Ramon from Biggest Loser season 12 do our Last Chance Workout. It was brutal and amazing. They are inspiring, happy and remarkable people. They shared a lot of their journey and it was great to hear. They will be working here now so we will get to work out with them this week as well. It is a chance of a lifetime.

One of the best parts of this place is the other guests. I have met some wonderful people who have been such a pleasure to be around. We all understand what each other is going through and it’s nice to hear the good and bad of others journey’s. I came here alone and I will leave here with lifelong friends.

Every guest has the opportunity to weigh in every Sunday. I wasn’t sure about it. I knew I had worked hard but didn’t know if I wanted to do it, even though I was so curious. Whether the number was good or bad, I didn’t want it to affect me. I made the decision to weigh in today but not look at the results. I will get them when I weigh in next weekend and check out. That way I don’t have to think about it this week, but will eventually know what I accomplished.

Lastly, everyone here has had their “a-ha” moment. I have to say mine came pretty early Monday afternoon which actually surprised me. I was talking to one of the trainers and realized that while getting to know some of the other guests and sharing about myself, and during this conversation with the trainer, I sure talked a lot about what I used to do. I used to run, play soccer, hike, swim, bicycle and enjoy almost anything outdoors. It was right then and there that the light bulb went off in my head and I told the trainer, “I’m here to get my used to’s back.” Mark my words, I am doing just that.

Shout Outs:

Brianne and Cara: Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us and inspiring me to be here. Your constant support and cheering me on is really appreciated. Getting texts from you while I was here was so helpful. Thanks for letting me bug you! I am so proud of both of you and hope that I can now join your inspiration team to share this info with our friends and family. Love you both.

Mom: Thanks again for making this a possibility. It really has been a chance of a lifetime and you have allowed me to become a better person. There are not enough words for how much I love you and I won’t ever be able to thank you enough for all you bring to my life.

Jackie: You are such a beautiful person inside and out. Your friendship means the world to me and I’m so blessed to have you in my life. I am so grateful for your unwavering support of me. I know that we will always be friends, and that means the world to me.

Colleen, Jaime, Eva, Mikey, Corrine and Lisa: Thank you for your comments, texts, support and love. I love you all.

Aunt Jill and Nani: Thanks for thinking of me this week and for your love and support. Love you.

Pat, Lisa, Holly and Gina: Thanks for sharing this journey with me here. I’m so grateful to have met you all and it has been so great getting to know you. We have seen each other at our worst and had so many great conversations. I wish you all the best on your journeys and I’m here whenever you need any support.

BLR Trainers, hiking guides and staff: I heard you were amazing before I got here, but I’m not sure that word covers it. Thank you for everything you did for me and for showing me what I’m capable of.

Oscar and Conor (best for last): Thanks for the sacrifices you made to allow me to come here. We have never been apart this long and it’s hard. I miss you so much, but know that I am coming home a better person. I love you both so very, very much and am SO blessed to call you my family.

The Journey Continues

As we finish up our Saturday morning and do laundry and prepare for graduation, we are feeling the emotions of leaving here. The emotions of going home and doing this all on our own.

We didn't have a post yesterday (Friday, December 9) we had an amazing evening filled with inspiration. We were very lucky to be here at the Ridge these last 2 weeks with several former Biggest Loser contestants. Last week we had the opportunity to learn from Jerry & Estella, the at home winners from season 7. And this week, we like to call it "Biggest Loser Fitness Ridge Celebrity Week", we met, spoke to and worked hard with Sione Fa (7), Tara Costa (7), Twins Don & Dan Evans (11), Sarah Nitta (11), Courtney Crozier (11), Arthur Wornum (11) and Bernie Salazar (5). We have had the chance to hear from all of them. We have talked one-on-one with them and we have been challenged by them in our workouts. And when they tell us that if they could do it we could do it...we are really starting to believe in them and in ourselves! Last night we had a long dinner because we heard Sarah, Sione, and Arthur's stories. We saw their rawest moments in photos and heard their story. If you think they are amazing because you have seen them on the show, their lives continue to amaze and their journey never is really over. At the end of the session all the BL Stars stood in front of the dinning hall and allowed the floor to be open for questions. But they also shared some of their most important mantras and beliefs. Here are a few of them:

Eat less. Move more. -Jillian Micheals (as told by Don and Dan)

It only takes a split second to change your mind. - Courtney Crozier

Positive Mental Attitude. - Tara Costa

It's not impossible...I'm possible. - Tara Costa

Get your mind in the right place and your body will follow. - Arthur Wornum

Believe in yourself. Trust the process. Change forever.  - Jerry Hayes

Tough times don't last. Tough people do. - Unknown

We are packing up tonight. Preparing for our return home. Today, Ryan, our mom Charlene, my father-in-law Larry and my two children surprised us to help celebrate our graduation. Sylas was very tired and it was clear he was not happy, Brock was his social self, hugging everyone and even kissing Tara Costa (wish I got a picture of that one). Having them here was such a blessing. A reminder how lucky I am as a mother and wife and for both of us a reminder that our family is 100% supportive. We will keep this blog going as a tool to share our on going journey and to keep in touch with all of the trainers, staff and friends we have made in the last two weeks. Relationships we will cherish forever.

Here are a few collages of the last two weeks. Thank you all for following our journey.

Our Friends.

Our Trainers and Guides.

Hiking Trips.

Day 11: December 8

THURSDAY MADNESS.

I honestly think that Thursday is one of the tougher days. There is no end in sight. The hike seems a little harder and the afternoon classes seem to push you beyond what you think you can do. Thursday is all about the mental game you play with your fitness level.

0600 NO Stretch...we were just too tired

0700 Breakfast: Eggs and Turkey bacon w/ soy cheese sandwich on whole wheat english muffin w/ fruit

0745 Hike Descriptions & Departure

0800 Hike: Cara (Van 3) Point Dume Betty (Van 2) Malibu Springs

1115 Gym w/ Cameron (AWESOME!!!)

1215 Lunch: Sloppy Joe, cauliflower curry soup, mixed greens

1315 There was a lecture, but we had a discussion group w/ Tara (Season 7), Sione (Season 7) Bernie (Season5)

1430 Treading w/ Sione

1530 Ball Works w/ Katina

1630 Total Body H2O w/ Sione

1730 Stuffed chicken w/ wild rice and mixed veggies, dessert Tiramisu

1815 Menu Planning w/ Jessica

We are getting closer to the end of our stay here. It was emotional coming here, emotional being here and emotional to leave here. Tonight we have already had to say some good-byes to some of the trainers that won't be here the rest of the weekend. They are people who have pushed us and motivated us to places we really honestly didn't know existed. We are beyond grateful for the kick in the ass they had given us. And we will remember these last 2 weeks forever. Someday, we will return here, as new people ready for the next step of maintenance or maybe if we fall off and need the reminder of how we feel right now. 

The hiking really is amazing, the scenery and the fresh crisp air is a great start to the day. I am amazed at the energy that can be exerted on a hike and I know that it is something I will do for a long time to come. We also had Treading again today. This is not treading water...treading is a cardio class that takes you fast then allows a recovery. It really is the best kind of cardio out there. Both Betty and I chose to do this class on the treadmill. For 5 mins we went as fast as we could, then recovered for 5 mins...you do this at 4 mins, 3 mins, 2 mins and 1 minute. The recovery period is awesome and I found that we both are recovering much faster than last week. We were not finished at 1 minute, Sione was teaching this class and had us do four 30-second sprints right when we thought we were done. Talk about a kick in the butt. But Sione is an awesome trainer, if you ever have the chance to work with him do it. He works out of the Utah Resort, and is here visiting for the week! Lucky us.

I haven't really been commenting on the food, but I need to tell you all about how awesome the last 2 dinners have been. Last night we had salmon fillet with orzo pasta and asparagus. It was so flavorful and seriously delicious. Tonight we had a stuffed chicken breast (stuffed with tomato, onion, pine nuts, a little Parmesan and basil) topped with a little marinara with wild rice and herb steamed veggies, another masterpiece by Chef Rodolfo! I know I haven't talked a lot about food, but that is probably because it is not necessarily why we are here. We are here for the education and the health. And we eat 3 times a day, this blog would be filled with food, and well we need it filled with FITNESS!!!

Tomorrow is FRIDAY. Fun. Fantastic. Friday!!! Amazing how quickly this has all gone. We will of course be attending John's Cardio Disco Jam again and finishing our day with water volleyball with Cameron. Looking forward to getting home too. I miss my boy's and my hubby. And we both miss our family very much. Looking forward to what will come with all of this amazing knowledge we now have.

Day 10: December 7

10 days... there is a workout that has been named 10 minutes of hell...10 days of amazing strength and energy. Today was rough. Both Betty and I were exhausted, it usually happens on Wednesday, but this was complete exhaustion. I hiked with a different group today (Van 3, Betty was in Van 2). Van 3 went harder and faster, but again I loved it. Too funny, it has to be the hardest part of the day, but I enjoy the scenery, the fresh air and the conversations. Something you don't really get in the 3-hour long classes in the afternoons. Don't get me wrong the afternoon classes kick ass, but you are also staring at ass if you choose the elliptical. 

But again today was awesome. It is hard to believe that in just 3 days we will be leaving here. I can't wait to see my boys and Ryan, and they are really pulling me through. Betty is also kicking butt, she is so strong and just need this to prove that the strength has been there all along.

Tonight I am meeting with the Resort Life Coach, Essara, I need some pointers about my overeating habits as well as my feelings of guilt and burden when I leave the kids to go workout, or do anything for that matter. I am meeting with her at 7:15pm, then off to bed. Sorry this is a little short tonight.

I want to thank the people that help me get through every day: Betty, Kelly, Heather, Hayley, Meg, Courtney, Amanda, Keith, John, Tonia, Amanda, Sarah, Tara, Sione, Arthur...and so many more. This experience is personal but the friendships have made this trip so much more worth it than I ever expected. I wish all of you the very best success ever. And I really hope we can have a reunion week!

Day 9: December 6

Each and every day you've got three choices...give up, give in, or 

GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT.

We are in such a different place then we were a week ago. And today we are at PB (personal best, not peanut butter). My goal this week was to run on the treadmill...well today I was sprinting 6.5 mph for 1 whole minute. And Betty ... ran at 4.8 for 1 whole minute. WHO ARE WE? I personally have to thank Courtney Crozier (Season 11) she got on the treadmill next to me and as we were getting instructions for our sprints, she looks at me and says you can do 6.0, I said no way, she said yes you can, it is one minute and you can do it. So I did. She is an awesome motivator. There is a huge aspect here at the Resort that plays such an important role and that is working as a group. In the same class that we did two 1 minute sprints we had half the group behind us cheering us on. The "atta girls" and "you can do this" and "you got this" was so what we needed to really get ourselves through the sprint. This, by the way was after our 2 hour hike!

0600 Stretch w/ Cameron

0700 Breakfast: Peach muffins, I opted for the granola cereal w/ almond milk, Betty had eggs & toast

0745 Hike Descriptions & Departure

0800 Hike: Bark Park about 5 miles

1115 Stretch w/ Tina

1225 Lunch: Quinoa Wraps and Tortilla Soup

1345 Open Gym

1430 Cardio Intervals w/ John

1530 Total Toning w/ Carine and Tonia

1630 H2O Intervals w/ John

1730 Dinner: Shepard's Pie w/ spinach and dessert was a chocolate parfait made w/ greek yogurt

This is hard. Be Strong. There are so many emotions that have started to come through and I think about what I have done in my past that was considered hard and I am taping into those experiences. I think about working for City Year, that was challenging and super rewarding. I think about carrying two children for 9 months, 27 hours of labor with one and an emergency C-section with the other. I think about being a mom and a wife and a daughter and a friend and a sister. All of those things have their challenges, but I got through them. Some were short term, some had pain killers involved, and some will be part of my entire life. But what I am learning here is that the pain of training and the pain of getting stronger really is only temporary. (Thanks, Tonia) I repeat this to myself when I think I just cannot go another step, the tightness in my muscles the pain in all of it is temporary. And you know 1200 calories a day is plenty, if it tastes good, and here it all tastes SO GOOD.

I am using this week to plan my return to reality. I will miss this place. I will miss the trainers, my new friends and the food and the house keeping services (there is nothing better than coming in to a made bed). But most of all I think I will miss the investment in myself. I need to have a plan for my return. I need to have a shopping list complete and I will need my workouts planned for Monday. I think this is my new challenge this week. I know what I need to do with my body this week, I don't know what I will be doing next week.

I look forward to this journey and I am ready to do this for life. And I am so thankful for Betty and all of the people that are supporting us. This will not be easy, we will need all the help and support we can get.

Day 8: Decemeber 5

I hope you live a life you are proud of. If you are not, I hope you have the strength to start all over.

Welcome back, Monday. Today was about remembering where we were a week ago. Struggling to wake up, tightening on hikes, blistering, and tired. Ok maybe I am tired again today but I have to say we are both stronger and recovering faster. Week two "stay over" guests and anyone staying beyond that are expected to fit in an additional 45 minute workout somewhere in their day. Here is our schedule:

0600 Stretch w/ Jake

0700 Breakfast: Turkey sausage, egg and soy cheese sandwich on a whole wheat english muffin w/ mixed fruit

0745 Hike descriptions & departure

0800 Hike: M.A.S.H. Site (Upper Bulldog: Upper meaning ALL uphill)

1115 Stretch w/ Tina

1215 Lunch: Turkey sandwich w/mixed greens (mini dill pickles were added to the salad bar today, AMEN)

1315 Lecture: Eating Out

1345 Open Gym

1430 Core Training w/ Katina

1530 Circuit Training w/ Tonia

1630 H2O Intervals w/ Katina (FREEZING)

1730 Dinner: BOMB.com Teriyaki Chicken breast, brown rice steamed veggie bowl and 2 dark chocolate dipped strawberries 

1820 Open Gym (went for about 40 minutes)

So every Monday we are reevaluated on our hiking group, they want to make sure that we are pushing ourselves and that we are pushed by the group we are in. We were with a large group today, 10 hikers, 4 guides. We went to the M.A.S.H set, yes you can walk through the location they filmed at but that was after we walked up hill for 1 hour. Tina, the hiking guide that pushed me 6 miles last week, had me trotting (jogging) up hill at 3 parts. I LOVE IT!!! LOVE IT!I also am finding that I am recovering so much faster than ever before. 

We are also working out and learning from former Biggest Loser contestants. Tara Costa (7) Arthur Wornum (11) Sarah Nittah (11) Courtney Crozier (11) Sione Fa (7)...they have so much to share with us and are working out right beside us. Sione has also been working as a trainer and instructing our classes. It is a reminder that this works. Know your calorie in take and MOVE YOUR BODY!!!

Looking forward to getting everything we can out of this week. Blogging is important to us, but might be a little bit shorter. Tonight we attempted the challenege of Jacob's Ladder. It is a ladder that moves with your weight and as you climb it moves and can get going faster and faster. The goal is to jump on during cardio intervals, Treading, or during any cardio class and stay on it for 2 minutes or longer. 

One last thing I wanted to make sure I commented on was how lucky Betty and I are with the support network we have at home. When we left home we were handed a wrapped package from our family with clear instructions to open on our first night here. So last week we opened the package to find large envlopes filled with letters, cards, and gifts from our family and closest friends. I must say that this was beyond what we expected. It is clear from those letters and from the amazing support on Facebook and on our blog, that we have people rooting for us, but most importantly we have also motivated and inspired others to get up and get moving. And that is the best response we could get. 

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Lessons Learned

One of the best aspects of being here is that we are not just pushing ourselves physically, we are pushing ourselves mentally. We are learning so much information and we are gaining knowledge to make this possible at home. Physical exercise is a huge part, it must be included in our lives. Our bodies were meant to move and we are learning that it is so important to make the heart rate rise. Intervals are great for that.

There were several Lectures we attended this past week: Budgeting your Calories, Spending Your Calories Wisely, Emotional Eating,  and Intuitive Eating. In all we have learned about choosing the better options about how to calculate calories in versus calories out, but most of all it is all information we need to be successful on this journey, here and beyond.

Some of the most important things that we have learned are things that we hope to pass on to people reading this blog. So here are some basics, if you are interested in more we are happy to share everything we have learned.

The plate method is how to organize your plat when you are eating. This is an awesome way to help to basically change the way you eat.

With Emotional Eating series we learned some of the most important aspects of Emotional Eating is admitting that you are. First you need to express yourself, talk to someone, write, scream, or cry it out express what you are feeling and why. Once you do this you can start to control the eating that comes along with the emotions. You will still have the emotions, but you will find a new way to work through the emotions instead of with food. Because there will always be the chance that you turn to food, you have to replace the bad. Find healthier options for the "trigger" or "avalanche" foods. No matter what you must express yourself and figure out what and why you are eating mindlessly.

We also learned about the 90/10 Rule. You do not have to give up "treats" you have to plan for them. Make your food intake 90% of your week and each week have a treat that is 10% of your intake. An example is this, if you eat 3 meals a day that equals 21 meals a week, 10% of that would be 1 meal. You still need to focus on portion control, you can't go crazy here, but you can enjoy it! If you go out to eat a meal and really want the cheesecake at the end, eat a healthy portion controlled dinner so you can use the 10% on that dessert. You also should allow yourself to enjoy MAJOR holidays. When you think about it there are only 4 or 5 major holidays in a year. Celebrate those days because you don't celebrate everyday or even every month. And no matter what tomorrow is a new day, you can always go back to the gym and refocus your caloric intake. Don't allow one day or one meal to make you fall back.

Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try.

Day 6: December 3

Hello Saturday. 

0600 Stretch w/ Jake

0700 Breakfast: Mango Smoothie w/ whole wheat english muffin and 1oz strawberry jam

0800 Prep for Activities: Options are Hike, Cardio Blast or Pool

0830 Cardio Blast w/ Cameron

0945 Open Gym

1115 LAST CHANCE WORKOUT w/ Cameron & Katina

1300 Lunch: Tuna Nicose Salad (I had the Boca Burger Option)

1300-1530 Spa Appointments

1630 Graduation for Departing guests

1730 Dinner: Salisbury "Steak", mashed sweet potato, and steamed veggies dessert was banana, pineapple, and strawberry with a dark chocolate drizzle

Today was above all one of the best days we have had here. Saturday's are half days of workouts. They actually want us to rest our bodies in prep for next week and they want us to take advantage of the spa services offered here (full salon, nail salon, facials, massage therapy, chiro, and more). But before we could do any of that we had 2 classes and the famous LAST CHANCE WORKOUT.

Cameron was an awesome trainer today. He set up the Aerobics room with 6 circuit stations, all were working different parts of the body, but it would work our whole body. There were only 6 people working out so it was actually like a private personal training session. We were challenged and pushed. All stations had about a 1 minute workout and then we rotated and had to complete all stations before a break. It was 45 minutes of heart pumping AWESOMNESS! Betty and I then spent another 45 minutes in the gym doing cardio. I was on the treadmill and she rocked out on several machines. A few of us wanted to keep some energy for the LAST CHANCE WORKOUT, but I just felt the urge to jog, so I went 2 miles on the treadmill and really pushed myself to get my legs moving. I felt stronger and that was important to me. 

Cameron and Katina set up the course out on a back field behind the resort (it is also where the fire department set up a landing zone for a helo that landed for a trauma transport, something that also pushed me to use the body I have been given because I can). There were 7 stations and similar to our circuit training in the morning we were using every single muscle in our bodies. Not everyone came, but the group that participated were meant to be there. There was so much camaraderie and support in our small groups of 3 that rotated and worked hard in each station. This was 60 minutes with only 3 small breaks between each set. Talk about intense, but so good. At the end we brought it in for a huddle and we finished on a loud and meaningful "hard work". Super thankful for the people and the trainers all of which pushed it hard today. And so looking forward to some rest.

We went straight to lunch and then at 2:00pm I had a scheduled 50 minute massage. Then it was nap time. At 4:30pm anyone interested could attend "Graduation" which is meant to say farewell to outgoing guests and to celebrate our achievements for the week. We also watch and are give copies of the picture and video of all of our hikes. So sentimental.

This week although a lot of physical hard work has also proved that there is a lot of mental hard work to be had. If your brain tells your legs to keep going they will, but if everything says stop you will not go another step. Katina has a great motto that she hopes everyone can leave with "Be harder on yourself in the gym and easier on yourself in your head". There is so much that I wish I could write down all day long, but I am moving and I don't always have my phone with me. I do have a few photos from today that I am happy to share, but I feel that so far this blog and the photos do not give this place justice. Tomorrow is about rest, although we are going to hit the gym for at least an hour and swim for a while we are sleeping in and looking forward to the Sunday staple OMELET BAR!

Again I want to thank so many people for so much support. This makes our journey so much more meaningful and attainable.

Day 5: December 2

Fun Fantastic Friday

0600 Stretch w/ Jake

0700 Breakfast: 2 silver dollar whole wheat pancakes, scrambled eggs and mixed fruit

0745 Hike Descriptions & Departure

0800 Hike: Backbone Trail at Encinal

1115 Stretch w/ Tina

1235 Lunch: Cesar Salad Pizza and Mushroom Soup (so gooood!!!)

1315 Prep for Next Week: we had a few announcements and we each had to share successes and hopes for next week there will be 29 returners next week

1430 Circuit Training w/ Cameron

1530 Cardio Disco Jam w/ John...Travolta

1630 Liquid Moves aka Pool Volleyball

1545 Dinner: Chicken Tostada and pineapple sorbet

Hooray...almost done with week 1. What an amazing day. The Santa Ana winds slowed down today and made room for beautiful blue skies and the sun to warm us on our hike. I really enjoy the hikes, it is actually something I will carry over from here and hope Ryan and the boys will join me for day trips. You will hear from Betty that she absolutely HATES the hikes. The the Malibu Hills and Canyons are no joke, but the outdoors and being out of the gym makes it so enjoyable. Today, I was pushed on the hike. And LOVED it. Hike guide and our stretching extraordinaire, Tina, took me at my pace ahead of the rest of our group and she wanted me to really push it. The hike was a 6 mile hike we almost made it to the top of the second mountain range but had to turn around to be on time. I hiked almost 6 miles in 2 hours. I have decided this is my success for the week. And Tina is so funny and smart and I really really enjoyed getting to know her.

Betty will be adding more tonight as well. I am not sure yet what she will be posting, so there might be a little repetition in our blog post tonight, but hey isn't that what we are doing all day long...repetitions. 

I can tell I am getting stronger. I pushed myself on the hike came back and felt good about my performance in Circuit Training and had so much fun in Cardio Disco Jam. Although Circuit Training is high intensity, I felt that I had a really good handle on my workouts today. I am really proud how strong I pushed it today and to think today was the hardest to get out of bed!

I want to talk more about this "RESORT". The rooms are so comfortable (you will never be in it other than changing and sleep) but everyday the room is cleaned and the bed made. I imagine that most rooms are a complete disaster for the cleaning staff to work around, but they really do a great job. The whole resort is very clean and very pretty. The dinning hall is beautiful and the main building with the store, dinning hall and offices is really nice. All staff here the front desk, hiking guides, trainers and wellness staff are so kind and helpful about EVERYTHING. 

There are so many people here. Like I have shared all week we are creating new friendships and connections with people that we hope to know for our lifetime. This is such an intense program that when you are this emotional the people around you are the ones to push you harder and to help you through the pain and sweat. They keep us laughing and sharing our journey. I am so happy to have these people in my life for accountability and friendship. Kelly, Heather, Meg,Haley and Susan are all such strong women and we are so proud to call you our friends.

I am so thankful for this experience. I am extremely grateful to our followers. This is not easy and your support has been amazing. For anyone thinking about coming here we are happy to talk to you, and send us an email, there is a referral credit that we all can benefit from. I was talking to Tina today as we blasted through the hike, when you think about the cost of being over weight, the cost of a medical condition this is TOTALLY worth the money!

And finally...WE LOVE OUR DUCKS! Congratulations to the Oregon Ducks football Inaugural PAC 12 Champions. We look forward to the Rose Bowl!

Day 4: December 1

Thursday...really. Cameron (at 6am stretch) said welcome to Thursday...I thought, its not Thursday yet...HOLY CRAP it is! WE MADE IT TO THURSDAY and guess what we FINISHED Thursday!!!

Schedule

0600 Stretch w/ Cameron (49er Fan!!)

0700 Breakfast: Turkey bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a whole wheat english muffin w/ mixed fruit

0745 Hike Descriptions and Departure

0800 Hike: Reverse Solstice

1115 Stretch 

1230 Lunch: Pulled turkey club in a half pita with mixed greens and veggie soup

1315 Lecture: Cooking Demo 

1430 Ball Works w/ Katina

1530 Treading w/ Katina

1630 H2O Intervals w/ Katina

1730 Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, butternut squash puree and broccoli, apple cobbler for dessert

What an amazing day today. Just when we think we cannot go further...Ryan(my husband)sends a text messages everyday, today was 

"though you may feel like you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, fear no evil for y'all are the baddest mutha' effers in the valley"

I would love to have everyone reading this blog experience this even if for a day. it will change your life. There are so many emotions and changes happening within and around us right now. There is so much support here, I cannot even begin to express the importance of these people. They know that by today all of our walls are down, that we are 100% vulnerable to a complete break down. I want to thank Katina (like Katrina no R). She is a trainer here and this week we have seen her a lot, she has been training our "purple" group through the afternoon classes. She is energetic and knows her shit...not just the training, but the mental and that is more than half the battle. During one of the harder cardio classes called Treading (high intensity for 5 mins., recovery for 5, high for 4 mins, recovery for 4, high for 3 mins, etc) she played the most meaningful music. High pump impact music during that fast moves, low meaningful and mindful music on the recoveries. As you will read in Betty's post tonight it was emotional. There was music that had meaning in our lives and that pushed us through, reminded us of the people we love and cherish in this life that we want to live better for. Thanks, Katina!

We also had the privilege to hear from Jerry and Estella Hayes, they were the at home winners of $100,000 from Season 7 of Biggest Loser. This week we have hiked with them, swam with them and had meals with them. They are living proof that this works. They are amazing public speakers because they are real, they are not reality stars or too good to share their secrets, they are everyday grandparents, loving and caring and extremely kind. Today, we heard their whole story. I was crying from the start...Biggest Loser saved Jerry's life...and when you see the pain that Estella has when she talks about how hard life would have been without him, you cannot help but make that connection. They have been married for 45 years and now being fit and healthy they make sure to share all they know with as many people as possible. Such inspiration. As Jerry shared with us...

"Believe in yourself. Trust the process. Change forever."

*Just a reminder, Jerry and Estella lost this weight after being on the show only 2 weeks. What they learned stuck. What they learned saved their lives.And they have been in maintenance for 3 years This works.*

EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH THIS VIDEO.

I want to thank everyone following this blog and this journey. If you can make this commitment, do it. You are worth it. We all are worth it. 

Day 3: Wednesday, November 30

HUMP DAY

0600 Stretch w/ Cameron

0700 Breakfast: Hot Muesli w/ fruit

0745 Hike Descriptions & Departure

0800 Hike: Point Dume about 4 miles in sand and on stairs and switch backs

1115 Stretch w/ Cameron

1215 Lunch: Beet Soup and Turkey Meatloaf w/ veggies

1315 Lecture: Emotional Eating

1430 Kickboxing w/ Carla

1530 Mountain w/ John

1630 H2O Intervals

1730 Dinner: Chicken "tostada" Salad and Mango Sorbet

1815 Lecture: Intuitive Eating

FANTASTIC DAY! We all woke up with dread, pain and uncertainty if we could make it through today. And it was important that we realize that today was 100% mental. Yes, we had a lot of pushing to do, but if our body was screaming no and stop we had to focus on the head and listen to the YES YOU CAN! (thanks Kasey, for your message this morning.) 

Point Dume was an awesome hike, think Daryl Hannah in 10, or the last Mercedes commercial you saw and you will know where we were. We started out walking the sand on the beach, then moved to asphalt, we then hit stairs on a switch back and they were also mostly sand. But the view and the people and the hike guides got us through it. 

Today, we had two lectures about Emotional Eating and Intuitive eating. Brianne will be sharing more on this in her additional post tonight. But what I need to say about this is something that I just thought was something I could control, something that was wrong with me because "I LOVE FOOD", but today I learned that I am actually classified as an eating disorder...My Name is Cara, and I am an OVEREATER. There are a lot of things that I need to learn. Portion control is a minor part of that, but I need to figure out why I eat until I am sick and uncomfortable. And I should be able to figure that out here.

We had a new class that neither Betty nor I had ever participated in and that was Kickboxing...hello Kickboxing, we are 2 sisters that would like to kick ass everyday and we can do that with gloves and bags and Carla is an awesome trainer!We also had an class called MOUNTAIN, and it is just that you pick a mountain and climb. John was our trainer on this. Each person picks the cardio machine they think will push them the hardest and for the next 45 minutes you increase incline or resistance every 3 minutes twelve times. By the time I finished I was at a gear 13 and pushing the stationary bike at 22 mph. and held that for 3 minutes!!! It is a shock, yes, but I knew I had it in me all along. Betty was on the NuStep a very cool elliptical like machine, she showed it who's boss!

In the end today was AWESOME. It really is about COMMITMENT not only to these 2 weeks, but beyond. The key to remember is that this is for a lifetime, not just the weeks that we are here.  

OOOHHHHH I almost forgot...yesterday I had acupuncture for the first time and tonight I met with the chiropractor. Both were awesome and were to help alleviate my neck and shoulder pain from working in front of computers for the last 6 years....I feel like a new woman tonight. I had my back and NECK cracked, I actually was afraid to move, I thought I was done for, but the neck pain is GONE!!! AMEN to that!

I am still having photo issues. I promise there will be more as of tomorrow, thanks to my new friend Heather teaching me about PhotoStream. But for now, off to bed.

Day 2: November 29

{DAY 2: Gratitude and Commitment}

0600 Stretch (optional, but we don't miss it)

0700 Breakfast: banana muffins (2) with mixed fruit

0745 Hike Descriptions and Departure: Leo Carrillo Beach Hike

1115 Stretch

1225 Lunch: Turkey Sandwich and Parsnip Soup

1300 Calorie Challenge

1330 Lecture: Cooking Demo 

1430 Total Toning w/ John and Carla

1530 Cardio Interval w/ Carla

1630 H2O Intervals w/ John

1730 Dinner: Veggie Lasagna and Mixed veggies and Key Lime Pie 

1815 Lecture: Spending Your Calories Wisely Part 2 w/ Jessica

Well, we conquered day 2. CHEERS!!! HOORAY!!! This is only day 2, calm down, we have a lot more work.  It is funny how all of a sudden we aren't traveling between buildings as quickly as we were yesterday. We are sweating more and that's a great thing! We are becoming more engaged with other guests and trainers, the thing we decided is so important not only from the other guests but also from the staff is to hear their stories. The why, how and their successes. It gives us hope, it helps us through the rough patches knowing that even if they are here because they are passionate about health, they are here because it is a way of life that we too can have.

Tonight, I met a woman from Switzerland, she is a mechanical engineer and she is here because it was time for her to take a break for herself.  I can relate, I am here because I need to invest 100% of my time on me. I need to take this break from reality to think about where I want to be and how I want to feel, because prior to coming here I was not happy with who I was. Today, in the Total Toning class in which it is clear that Trainer John could give Jillian Micheal's a run for her money, I loved it! I stood there with weights and Bosu balls and medicine balls and thought why isn't this a regular part of my life? Sure, Carla and John had a great circuit using all of the equipment, but the real challenge came at the end when Jilli...I mean John had us hold dumbbells at a 90 degree angle while holding a squat for a long time and then added several challenges...to the point that you actually wish you had taken that pee break because you might shit your pants!

Aside from me, I am happy to say that Betty is doing really well. I am so proud of her. Not only is she really pushing herself, she is hiking, she hates hiking, but has completed 2 so far. She also met with the Life Coach, Essara. Tonight, there will be an additional posting by Betty (aka Brianne) as homework. Being here is about the whole self. The health, fitness, relaxation and WELLNESS. I also had my first acupuncture session tonight. Working as a dispatcher in front of computers for 12 hour shifts has taken a huge toll on my shoulders and neck. I have wanted to try acupuncture for a while and thought why not try it here. Taking care of ourselves, that is why we are here. 

We are so lucky to have several past Biggest Loser contestants joining us over the next 2 weeks. This week we have Jerry and Estella from Season 7. They are an older couple, but so smart and fit and just kind people. They were where we are, they have made changes and they support everyone. Today, we had a great opportunity to talk about the future. To think about and say to others what we think needs to happen in 2 weeks. This is day 2 of intense focused hard work...what will we be doing on day 2 of our return? It is a question that we are visualizing and thinking about all of the time. We have resources here, trainers, staff, other guests who we can say are now our friends. Here are some pictures from the amazing hike today...

Yes, we can still smile!

Day 1: November 28

"Anything in life worthwhile is not easy."

-John, Lead Trainer BLR Malibu

Today, began with our alarm clocks going off at 0530.  We had a full schedule ahead. Stretching/Yoga 0600-0630. "Know Your Gym" info session 0630-0700. Breakfast: A half whole grain cinnamon waffle with a blueberry sauce and mixed fruit. 0745-1100 Hike departure, travel and hiking about 3.5 miles (Malibu Creek Trail located about a half mile from the actual filming location of Biggest Loser). 1115-1200 Stretching/Pilates. 1235 Lunch: Carrot Soup, Bean and Rice burrito on whole wheat tortilla with a mixed greens salad. 1:15pm-2:00pm Lecture: Budgeting Calories In and Calories Out. 2:15pm Circuit Class Prep 2:30pm-3:20 Circuit Training...HOLD UP wait a minute, we need to talk about this.

Circuit training is just that, moving throughout the gym alternating cardio and strength training. The Lead Trainer handles the time, it is 2 minutes of cardio as hard as you can go (yes jogging/running because you can) followed by 45 seconds of strength training on machines or free weights, followed by a 30 second rest period and 45 more seconds on the same machine. Continue again and again and again. Circuit Training, especially with Tonia, no joke might have been the hardest work out we have ever had. She starts to count down at 30 second left in the cardio interval and yells that you need to push harder. Pushing harder can be on incline or on speed. What do you think is easier? NEITHER, that's right. And just when we thought it was over because we were in "recovery" she had us go another 90 seconds as hard as we could and if you didn't go hard then you were leaving this class not giving it your all and you would be finishing the day not giving it your all. Longest 90 seconds of my life. Thank you Tonia!

3:30pm-4:30pm Core Training probably just as hard as Circuit Training but focusing on your core which includes pretty much your ENTIRE trunk (ass to shoulders and hips to chest) what a work out...and Betty BARFED. She felt so much better after that. Quick change for the 4:30pm-5:30pm H20 Intervals, pool water was a nice warm bath water temp, the sun was setting and we are floating. NOT SO MUCH...never underestimate a water workout. 5:45 Dinner: Salmon Burger on a sandwich thin (mustard because it can help with cramping)Betty had the dinner alternative of a BOCA Burger, grilled squash, salad bar with counted 1oz salad dressing, and a cranberry granita for dessert.  6:15pm-7:00pm Lecture: Spending Calories Wisely Part 1. 

We are meeting more people. We are getting to know the trainers and we are busting our asses. According to folks who have been here a few weeks, Wednesday morning we will feel like we were in a car accident. There is some intimidation when it comes to what we can do, but we are pushing each other and we are pushing our bodies hard. 

I am having some issues loading my pictures. Sorry, I will work on it. But it is BED TIME!

A little note from B...though, Cara is the blogger, I proofread and add where I think is appropriate. I must say Cara's blog does today no justice. I have never been pushed mentally or physically like this in my entire life. There are no words to describe how life changing this has been and it's only day 1. I told Cara today and now I tell all of you...IF I ever go back to an unhealthy lifestyle....SHOOT ME DIRECTLY BETWEEN MY EYES WITH A LARGE GUN. There is no pain in eating healthy, but the pain felt today has changed my entire outlook on the rest of my life. Worth every cent, second of time, and ounce of sweat and vomit, but HOLY CRAP...I surrender. No more.

A shout out to:

The BL Resort staff. So awesome. Love love Tonia! She makes me feel like I am on the Biggest Loser show. She is hardcore and badass. 

Kelly (Ryan) McCrary...THANK YOU. Your words have helped me more than I can express here. A true inspiration you are to me and I effin love you.

Tomorrow is a new day. Day 2. It's go time, unless I cut my feet off.