I have news and a treat this week!
The news is that after losing a weigh in last week to The Snowpocalypse, my trainer took my weight on Thursday and I came in six pounds down! Woot! That's a total of 14 pounds for the last 4 weeks, and I have to say that it certainly helps me keep going.
I'm dreading the week the scale stops moving, because everyone plateaus and I'm no exception. I'm hungry, I'm craving bread (I love bread), and the Lenten Season doesn't leave me a lot of options on my Fridays since non-natural carbs and breads are out of the question. It hasn't been an easy four weeks, but I'm aware it could have been a LOT harder - and because anticipatory grief is such a part of the military spouse life I tend to apply my worries ahead. I'm already depressed about the weight loss slowing down and it hasn't yet!
On the other hand - may I just say again how much I LOVE boxing and kickboxing workouts? Hitting things feels good; I have a lot of pent up rage apparently (and who doesn't during a deployment?), and when I'm smacking on the heavy bag eight ways from Sunday I don't even notice how hard I'm working because I get so lost in taking shots at my "opponent". This deployment has moved a lot faster for me than the previous ones, and I think that the ability to smack my frustrations out has been a big part of that.
The instructors at my gym are tremendous - talented and helpful (and Riddick Bowe just joined the instructor staff at the gym!) and amazingly supportive. They're also quick to jump up to do what they can to support military spouses - and this week's treat is a direct result of that.
Jennifer Salinas is a professional female boxer and a trainer I've worked with. She's awesome - and she volunteered to put together a quick video for any military spouses that are interested in a boxing workout but might not have access to a boxing gym. Because I'm working on a military family budget - we filmed the workout with my Flip camera, and some of the filming was done by my nine year old daughter. So please excuse the amateur camera work and bad transitions!
In the ten minutes of video, Jennifer shows you how to design your own boxing workout. Most gyms have a heavy bag and loaner gloves you can borrow. With a pair of wraps (about 5$ at a sporting goods store), you have everything you need to get started. And don't stint on the wraps! They protect your knuckles and wrists and are absolutely necessary. You can find instructions on how to wrap your hands here.
A boxing workout burns between 800 - 1000 calories an hour and works your entire body. One punch at a heavy bag works your arm muscles (150 pounds of resistance at the bag, plus the fatigue from holding up gloves for an hour at a time), your obliques, your quads, your glutes, and your abs. That's just one punch!
Plus it feels good. Very good.
And before we get to the video, may I just say that the shirt I'm wearing was too tight for me to put on when I started the boxing/kickboxing workouts last November? Woot! It WORKS!
Oh, and also? Check out Jennifer's arms! I want arms like that!
Boxing with Jennifer Salinas from Spouse BUZZ on Vimeo.
Four weeks and fourteen pounds down! Six weeks left to go!
follow my progress on Twitter @afwiferuthie
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