Monica Bodge, now weighing in at...........

Wow, you think I'm going to post that right off the bat?  No, ha!  I guess I'm going to have to eventually, though.


Hey, my name is Monica.  I guess you have to know the story to see the whole journey, so here's a little background for you.

At 18 years old I was (and still) 5'4" tall.  I weighed between 105 and 110 pounds.  I played basketball all the time.  I loved being outdoors, swimming, walking, occasionally running, going down to Philly and racing my Z-28.  I was all over the place, hyper as can be.  I met my husband, Travis, in July 2001.  We were engaged in 6 months.  We waited until October 2003 to get married.  When we got married my weight had gone to 150 pounds.  Why?  I have no idea.  Not caring, not exercising, not playing sports, stressed, working, take any number of reasons.  You think putting on 40 pounds it would have clicked, but it didn't.  I would just buy another size up in pants and go on.

First class, December 6, 2012

So, I did it, excuses and all.  I signed up for the three classes and a pair of gloves for $20.00.  I received an e-mail from the manager telling me a little bit about the program and the schedule.  He listed the names of the instructors, a woman and a man.  He didn't tell me who was teaching what days, though.  So I'm thinking maybe I should go to the man's class first because he's a guy, might have a little more compassion for an overweight girl than a woman would.  You know as well as I do, guys give in too easy to a girl in tears.  Women, however, are like "Just suck it up."

I told the manager, Rob, I would go in on Thursday morning, December 6, 2012, for the first class.  Alright, that's set, now to find a babysitter.  Travis' mom, Tina, said she would watch Tristan for me, okay, good, that's done.

Thursday morning I woke up early to type a couple of jobs that were due by 9 a.m.  I got my cup of coffee and typed for an hour.  I took Ary to school and came back home.  I'm looking around, what do I have to wear and what do you wear to something like this?  It's not like I go out to the store and buy myself clothes.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to go clothes shopping and have to face reality of how heavy you really are?  Ugh, I just avoid that whenever possible.  Digging through my clothes in the house, I found a pair of black pants and then I'll just wear one of Travis' t-shirts.  The sports bra that I have barely fits, wonderful.  I guess they'll be popping out all class.  AHH, Travis' mom's here early, no time to back out now.

Class Number Two

Yes, I had every intention of going to class on Saturday, December 8th.  But as you know, intentions only get you so far.  The class started at 8:30 because they had other things going in the gym that day.  Hmm, me, getting up at 8 on a Saturday..............like I said, intentions.  Not only did it suck waking up early, some of my muscles were sore and tender.  Maybe taking an extra day or two was okay.  I haven't exercised like this for a long time.  Walking on the treadmill and talking does not count.  Do you like my excuses?

So class number two happened on December 11th with Maryann again.  There's other people in the class this time.  Okay, the only thing on my mind was, do not pass out, just make it through the class.  Walk, jog, knees...yes, I do the low impact version of the knees.  I don't want my shin splints acting up, better safe than sorry.  This whole warm up has me out of breath, and now we stretch.  I love stretching!

Class Number Three, last trial class

Am I crazy?  I am actually looking forward to going to class.  Wednesday I didn't feel sluggish.  I was up and moving around more than usual.  This is a good sign.  I was thinking about going to Thursday night's class but going to an Eagles game with my sister-in-law, so Thursday morning it is.

There's three others in the class with me.  I need to keep my slower pace.  My abs and legs are sore.

You know it, "Walk, jog, knees" still low impact with the knees.  This time I'm not the only one.  I guess it doesn't really matter if I'm low impact or not.  I need to keep on the pace that my body will allow, not trying to keep up with others.

Starting the warm up, yep, add arms sore to the list.  It's not a hurt, painful sore.  It's more like I can feel every muscle I moved and toned sore.  This is a good feeling to me.  It's nice to exercise and know exactly what muscles were worked.

Help! I can't wash my hair!

After two days in a row, I need a break.  Between my arms, abs, legs, fingers, toes, LOL, not the fingers and toes but everything else.  I didn't go back for a week.  Now, if I was just going to a regular old gym, like I was before, this would have been the end of it all.  It starts with something, something clicks in your head and you're determined to lose the weight or tone up.  You're going strong for a week, two weeks, maybe get to a month.  Then you get busy or don't feel well, "I'll go tomorrow" and then tomorrow turns into the next day and the next.  Eventually you fizzle out, you just stop going.  

But there is something about punching and kicking a bag that gives me a rush of adrenaline.  I took a break for a week and it's all I could think about.  Call me crazy but I couldn't wait to feel the sweat running down my back.

My muscles are good, I need to get back to class.

The Dreaded Scale

This is the scale, see my face, LOL

One year for my birthday, I asked my mom to buy me a scale for a present.  I hated how much I weighed, so there was no way I was spending money on a scale.  My birthday came and we're standing in my mom's kitchen.  She hands me a gift and I open the scale.  Oh my word, yes, a little embarrassing to open a scale, especially when you're overweight.  But I asked for it and was excited.

The scale motivated me to do a couple exercises at home and lasted for about two months.  Then it got shoved in the closet.  Why in the world do I want to look at a scale all the time if I'm not losing any weight.  

Right before my first class of kickboxing, I got the scale out of the closet.  Let's see how much I weigh, OH, that sucks.  No wonder it was in the closet.  

First Month Weigh-in

Start date is December 6, 2012

Starting weight is 214 pounds

Waist - 48 inches

Hips - 52 inches

Thighs - 26 inches

Arms - 16 inches 

So at this point I've been to about 6 classes.  I missed a whole week due to Christmas and New Year's.  

Here it is, the first weigh in on January 4, 2013.  

204 pounds - 10 pounds lost

Waist - 46  - 2 inches lost

Hips -  50    - 2 inches lost

Thigh - 25   - 1 inch lost

Arm - 14.5  - 1.5 inches lost