August 11-DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS PIECE IS DONE!!!!!

Finished it!!!!

Went rogue today, didn't go in Vans drove with Mindy and Regina to beach and hiked there. beautiful relaxing time! Had a great talk with Mindy while walking, found sand dollars, talked to the surfers and others from BLR that we passed here and there.

When we got back to the resort , we were informed that instead of a last chance workout (too hot) we would be participating in a mini triathlon-biking, swimming and a run. That was fun and now its all over. There is nothing else to do here, except get a massage, graduation, dinner and hanging out with everyone pool side later in the evening.

Tomorrow I have weigh in and measurements (not worried about the actual weight number any more. I know how good I feel, the weight will come of in time) at 8 am followed by breakfast. Our driver is scheduled to pick us up at 10 am to take us to the airport. YEAH!!!!!!!!!

This will also conclude my blog. I  have alot of additional videos and pictures to show you if you are interested. For example every week we receive a DVD of our work out time during that week, with pictures and video, and I took alot of video footage during the hike.

What a journey!!! I am almost overwhelmed now that its complete.

Thanks to every single one of you for your support through these past 3 weeks. It meant alot to know you were thinking of me and cheering me on. You don't know how important everyone of your messages were to me. When I was having a rough day (and believe me there were a few)  I would get on my computer and find these messages, and they helped me through. You realize here you are not as tough as you think you are. I am looking forward to seeing everyone soon.

T-1 August 10 Day 19

This am couldn't go to stretch class at 6 am, since I had my RMR scheduled for that day. The test has to be administrated first thing in the am and at full rest. It took about 20 minutes and gave you the calories your body burns at rest. I was surprised as I always thought my body has a slow metabolism and my RMR is low. The test showed the opposite. Mimi who was conducting the test knows of my weight loss in week one and was surprised to see the metabolic rate being so high as well. She believes that the low number came from fat converting to muscle. She said its not because I hadn't done enough, as she saw me give a 100% in every class. So lets hope my % body fat change shows that conversion during final measurements on Sunday. Mimi then calculated the daily intake I should stick with and the exercises I should accomplish during the week. It shows that I can be at my goal weight in 32 weeks, or if I add a few extra exercises I can reach it in 26 weeks.

Great hike today, it was steep uphill in brutal sun for 35 minutes, but then followed by a nice downhill walk, and a final up and down walk at the beach.

Lunch was great as well. We had bbq chicken pizza, excellent! Sione gave a talk during lunch today. he is a great speaker and was very motivational.

The classes this afternoon were nice, one hard one, one two fun ones, cardio disco jam followed by pool volleyball. Nice way to round out the day.

At 6 pm Regina, Mindy , and another lady, and I are headed to town to a massage place (90 min for $65). They have been going there for weeks. TOMORROW LAST DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

T-2 Aug 9- Day 18

And what does that mean to a BLR participant. One more strenuous hike (tomorrow morning), one easier hike (Saturday morning), 3 hard classes and 2 easy ones (tomorrow the last pool class is pool volleyball) tomorrow, and a 90 min last chance work out Saturday, and then I am heading out of here.

Was a strange day here. Hikes are getting really hard due to the heat wave we are experiencing-some valley temps recorded to day at 108. One lady that started the same week I did passed out at beach work out today-just suddenly collapsed- and had to be taken to the hospital. it may have been something else, but there was talk that it was dehydration as well. We sweat so much at the camp that its hard to get all your electrolytes back, or even drink the amount you need. A 100 fl oz is not enough here during this heat wave. What happened to my nice cool temps the first week?

I already posted my Sione pic. It has been nice having him here. I got to talk to him briefly this am when we took the picture, but then had two more opportunities to ask questions, when we were walking together to another class. I asked him specifically about the ranch and how different it looked to me. he said even when they are filming it is not as glamorous as we see it. We talked about how he got picked for the show , what his strategies were when there, and then what strategies he implemented when coming home.

Classes were slim pickings today. Normally there are 18 people in our color group, and today we only had 8 people in the first class after lunch. Everyone was not feeling well, most attributed to heat. Everyone was resting after class-I guess I didn't get the memo!

Tonight after dinner it was the first time in a week that all of us felt like staying up and socializing. Bob even sprang for a round of drinks (delicious Perrier with lemon). Temps had cooled and it was nice sitting outside (the first week at that time you needed a Jacket) and revisiting the funny events of the day. Every hiking group has stories.

Its almost 8:30-way past my bedtime!!!!

Aug 8 Day 17 Day

This morning I felt better, no stomach issues and felt rested. You wake up so many times during the night because you drink so much water here. I have tried to reduce the bathroom trips to 2 from 4. Dehydration here happens quickly because you underestimate how much you really sweat all day.

The hike was really pretty today, they are taking us on hikes that have some shade because of the heat wave we are having (it reached 104, and even though its not so humid it feels pretty hot). On the 2.5 hour hike I finished my 2.5 liter camel back and 2 more extra bottles I had packed. We had beautiful views of the ocean as always:

Last night at 2:30 we had our second earthquake since I have been here. I did not feel either one because they were during the night. Last nights quake hit 4.5 on the Richter scale. Another reason its time to go home.

The rest of the day was uneventful, Jake taught kickboxing, and I loved it. He really gets the best out of you and suddenly the class is over. John was teaching mountain next and there was no way out, you had to work hard. He knows what you are capable of and pushes you past that limit. My least favorite instructor taught pool, but being the last class we got it behind us. Regina really killed her knees during beach work out today and has to ice to be able to go again tomorrow.

At noon did get my VO2 measurement done today. Basically you get on a treadmill with a mask on your face (not fun if you are claustrophobic) and they take you up to your max. The max is not the ultimate you can do, because having the mask on slows you down a tad. Anyway the data basically gives you your lung capacity. With that you can get your target work out zones. If you work with a heart rate monitor you can keep in these zones so you know you are getting the best out of your work out.I have pretty good lung capacity which I was surprised by. My recovery was from a 170 heartbeat in 2 minutes  to 122, that's pretty good. With this data my fitness level was classified into the low end of good, so clearly lot more work to do, but a good start.

Oh and I forgot my last thing tonight was another wonderful massage by Jonathan-he is a miracle worker. I feel so good and going straight to bed. its 7:15 I think I am breaking a record.

August 7 Day 16

So today did not start well. Stated getting nauseated during stretch class and then at breakfast my lower stomach started acting up. At first I thought I would have to skip the hike, but then found out that I had to go to beach work out. There are several bathrooms along the beach so I knew I was safe if it hit me from either end.

 I was happy to find out that beach work out was not Tania but Mimi leading it. Nevertheless it was another tough one. After hiking in deep sand for 30 minutes the insanity began. At this point my stomach was feeling better-i guess I was feeling alot of other pain, making the stomach stuff subside. I got challenged by one of the hiking guides (they come along with the trainers to hike us 30 min at the beginning and 30 min at the end) to run hard at the suicide station, and I am proud to say I beat her. Then Steven the other hiking guide approached me, and challenged me on my next station, the sand push up and clap the hand of your partner-he was my partner. I was able to hang in with 15, but then he had me.

When I got back to my room I was very nauseated again-almost sounds like its the room- so I decide to take the next class as a pool class. Of course my calculation got screwed up when Tania showed up-no rest for the weary.

After lunch it was a medium intensity walk for me on the treadmill, as I was really struggling with even going to open gym. This was followed by the dreaded 'total toning" (only dreaded when John teaches as he is into squats). We got through it and at the end of the class we had a "plank off". I won the challenge, not sure it was due to strength or German stubbornness, after holding plank for 6 min plus.

The it was off to pool followed by cardio intervals. i chose the treadmill class in the interval class and had one of my team mates next to me. So in this class you go up a level every 30 sec up to level 8. After the highest intensity is reached, it goes back down in 30 sec intervals. I walked at a medium speed nothing to note down here, but increased at the last few levels. We were then asked to go at the highest speed we can for 1 min with an immediate recovery. i knew I could go pretty high so raised it to 8.0 hoping I could sustain it for a minute. The lady next to me went to 7.0 and when she saw my 8 her words were 'oh yeah' and she increased to 8, so what do you think I did? of course I said the same and increased mine I got all the way up to 10 and she made it to 9.7, with the whole class laughing and cheering us on. I only lasted 45 sec, she made the entire minute. I am not sure what brought on this entire day of challenges, but again I am as tired as I was in week one.

The best part of the day however was Regina and her determination to not quit! She came back from the hike with hurting knees and iced them over lunch time. She was really in pain I could see it on her face, however when it came time to do our three afternoon classes she came and finished all three. What a feat, mind over matter. Really encouraging to witness.

Aug 6-Day 15

Monday morning -FINAL WEEK!

Went to our 6 am stretch, happy to have Jake back. Last night alot of new people came but not as much as  in the first week. I knew what they were going through on a Monday morning- Anxiety about what is to come.

The hike was good, great views and ups and down, not an entire 45 min up like last week-I don't like that at all. My GPS tracker register 7.86 miles total. Every Monday is assessment time which means you are grouped with new people. Tomorrow they will post who is in what van number.


Like always right after the hike you have the choice of pool, stretching, a lecture or a cardio class. I chose the cardio class to get more burn. The hike wiped me out but not as bad as last week. There were only three people in that class, since we have 51 people total at the ranch this week that means 48 people were smarter than I. But then again I am not here to slack. John who is a tough trainer, made sure he will maintain that reputation. With only three he was able to spend 'quality' time with each of us. We were doing mountain, which means every minute you increase your level up to six (on whatever machine you are on), then 1 minute recovery. We "climbed" 4 mountains and level 6 for me was 6, 7, 8 and then a 8.5 mile sprint. I couldn't make the 9.0 for an entire minute so I backed it down to 8.5. I was ready to find a bucket right after. But good news , now that fuelband is working again, hit 5501 fuelpoints by 10:30-1501 over my normal 4000 goal, and that by 11:30 am.

After lunch it is either open gym or they teach a speciality class-today John offered a spin class. Good class lots of sprints and more mountains. Then only the normal 3 afternoon classes remained-ours today pool, circuit training and core class.

Now dinner and night night (I know it should be easier, but each week the trainers push you harder, and I am almost as exhausted as in week one-just not as sore).

Aug 5-Day 14

In my post last night I mentioned that our friend Mindy was taking us  to the "real Biggest Loser Ranch" I was too tired last night to post the pics. We really partied it up when we hit CVS right afterwards:

This is the alley of trees you always see the contestants walk.

The GYM

There has been so much drama on those stairs I was rein acting.

The house and the pool. Everything looks alot smaller than on the show. Right now everything is overgrown with weeds and old looking. I guess they clean it up when it comes time for the new season.

AND THEN CAME SUNDAY-Full day of rest!

What a great day. We got to sleep in, then a beautiful omelet bar, butter and jelly and toast. That's the way to start a morning....and nothing hurts!!!!
After breakfast we had to say goodbye to Jessica and a few others that were leaving. Then at 10 am our driver picked us up for our sightseeing tour. We hit so many spots it was great. We really got driven ins style (Mercedes limo).

We drove PCH first from Malibu to Santa Monica. We decided to skip walking on the Santa Monica Pier since it was so busy, however decided to walk some along Venice beach.  The driver dropped us at the beginning and told us to call him whenever we were done and he would pick us up wherever we ended up. Now I am sure I have not seen it all, but there were alot of crazies out there...wow!

We were also able to drive through humbly hills neighborhood,  hit sunset blvd, rodeo drive (again we walked and he picked us up), the Hollywood sign, walked around the greystone mansion park, and the "walk of fame". A great day and very relaxing. The driver took care of us.

Cher's house:

 Laura you can barely see, but a lady on the right colored elliptigo!

 UCLA

 I wondered why he was taking us to a cemetery, but he wanted to show us Marylin Monroe's grave. There were tons of people there including TV cameras, because it was her birthday and 50 years since her death. The grave side next to her is still open, its designated for Hugh Hefner (apparently she was his first cover).

 We just left the cemetery where we also saw Farah Faucets grave. The building in front with the green roof (may not be visible on pic) is were she lived at the top in the penthouse.

 Aaron Spelling' mansion, now occupied by two 21 year old ( the kids of a formula 1 racer who bought the mansion from Spelling's wife after she died)-87 bedrooms (a special room just for gift wrapping) crazy!

 The back entrance to the playboy mansion.

Beverly Hills hotel

 Getting out at Rodeo drive-walked around but no shopping....

 Our ride

 Greystone mansion-many movies have been filmed here-the park is open for weddings and has a great setting and a beautiful view. Our driver in this pick he is showing us around and I am sure burning up in his suit. I asked him were he was from since he had a strong accent-Hamburg Germany, been in LA for 10 years.

 House of Blues

 Chateau Marmont

The Laugh Stop were Kramer had his rant-this is also were he performed for the last time.

 Apparently pink's hot dogs is a tourist attraction, when you come to LA you have to eat a hot dogs at Pinks. Our driver told us that there are always at least 150 people in line at all times and that the hot dog is really not that good.

 Regina on the walk of fame

 Grauman Chinese Theater, which is opposite the Kodak Theater ( were the Oscars are held, in fact that Theater was build specifically  to host the Oscars), star hand prints and footprints.

 Mom for you at Grauman's

 Laura a star for you Lol from the walk of fame.

 This is were the Jimmy Kimmel show is filmed

 Some more walk of fame pics

 Overview point -wonderful view

 Walking up the stairs and turning the corner to see the Hollywood sign!

And that concluded the tour. It was really nice to get out, to do it in style and be relaxed. We did not stop at the Ivy to see celebs, because we carried our lunch from the ranch. We are staying strong.

 Now off to dinner and then early bedtime to start the new week. Tonight will be orientation for the new guests-a few less than last week thank goodness so the classes won't be as crowded.