Sneak Peek at my next post...

Back in April I competed in my first fitness competition, Fitness New England at Foxwoods Casino.  The whole process was a lot of fun and was a great way to work towards achieving one of my biggest fitness goals ever!  I was able to transform my body in about three months with the help of Cathy Savage...into looking like this!

Since then, I would not say that I have let myself go....But I have not been as focused as I was during my contest prep.  Because I trained using a natural approach (no steroids or other crap like fat burners that would give me pulmonary hypertension...) it is unrealistic to keep my body looking as it did in the picture above.

Right now, I'm not as ripped as I was in the picture above...and I'm no where near where I was when I began my fitness journey in the picture below... Yikes the transformation was UNREAL!

I am thinking about doing another show as a way to stay on track for the rest of the summer.... There is going to be one in Boston in September...so that just might be the one that I start training for.

How does my training differ when I am getting ready for a competition?

I make sure my diet is spot on and I hit the gym hard (but nothing extreme).  My darling trainer/friend/other mother has drilled it into my head that your results/body are made in the kitchen.  In fact, 80% of your results are from your diet.  So if you are inconsistent and not spot on with your meals...well...you are just not going to get the results you want. 

Stay tuned to my blog for my next post to see how I am going to stay on track when I cant work out with my Savage Sisters at Cathy Savage Fitness in Norwood due to work obligations on the weekends.

Since this is a sneak peak...I'm not going to give it away where I am going... But I will give you a hint... I'm going to work out with these "Catz"

Be Well,

Maureen

Cheap Thrills

Sure living a healthy lifestyle can be expensive.  Between the gym membership, active wear/gear, yoga classes here and there....it all adds up.  But staying fit does not always mean you need to shell out major dough.  Welcome to my first Cheap Thrills feature where I find ways to stay fit without spending a dime.

I was so excited to feature these guys....The November Project....Boston's best kept cheap thrill secret.

Who are these people?  The November Project are a grassroots morning workout tribe that meets up to annihilate the stairs at Harvard Stadium (Cambridge/Wednesdays) and Summit Hill (Brookline/Fridays) while most of Boston is sleeping (630AM).  It costs nothing to work out with them and their workouts are intense.

In my sneak peek earlier this week I clued y'all in to how I am just not that into running.  It is not even a love hate relationship.  But I wanted to work on it...and thought that maybe I could consider liking it more if I did it in a group setting.

Working out with a group of people provides a sort of energy that is contagiously motivating.  I totally dig it.

I met up with the November Project folks on a hot and humid Friday morning in Coolidge Corner at the bottom of Summit Ave where it meets Beacon St.  The group was so friendly and inviting...they actually made me feel less scared with the task at hand:  Up and down Summit Ave five times within 30 minutes.

Sure, sounds like a piece of cake.  Don't be a jerk

Let me map this hill out for you.  The elevation is no joke.

The pretty purple color illustrates that this hill is kind of a big deal.  The gradient ranged from hard (~7%-8%) to nearly impossible (~15-16%).  From the bottom of the hill to the top it is only .4 miles.  Go up and down 5 times...that gets you 4 miles closer to the most glorious high-and-tight-tushy ever.

I chose this experience with an open mind;  As soon as I started I could feel the effectiveness of the hill my ass burning.  The first time up was a bit of a shock to the system.

When I got to the top of the hill, I saw this....and remembered...I know this place!! This is where my husband used to take me on hot summer nights to escape the heat smooch when we were first dating... it is an amazing view of the city.  It was the perfect reward....

After reaching the top of the hill, it was time to journey back to where we started.  Going down the hill was like a tiny gift to my calfs (they were on fiya)....and when I reached the bottom...back up I went!

I stayed close to these guys.  (hey...if a dog can do it...so can I)

I would pass folks from the November Group as I went up and down the hill.  They cheered me on...offered support...which kept me going.

I don't think that I could have done it without them....and I can't believe I am actually saying this...But I can't wait to join them again!  

The workout was intense...fun...and FREE!!

So before you belt out some lame excuse that it is too expensive to stay fit...try working out with the folks from The November Project.  Don't be intimidated by the task at hand....and live your life like a shiny red Lululemon bag:  Do something once a day that scares you.

And if it wasn't your cup of tea....try something else!

Be well,
Maureen