Stay Motivated!

I don't know about you but my biggest problem with fitness is staying motivated. I have no problem going all out for 3 weeks but after a month I get bored and loose my motivation. It seems to be a horrible cycle I've been battling with since high school. The first 3 weeks of the challenge were really easy to stay motivated and get to the gym. Week 4 and beyond I'm struggling with the usual battles. What do you do when life gets in the way? How do I keep myself motivated.

First I always find setting goals helps me get over that hump. Goal #1 - run a 5 miler race in June, Goal #2 rock that bikini this summer. If I can keep those goals in mind I find I'm less likely to slip off course.

Buddying Up is always another outlet that helps me along. That's why a few of our team members have signed up to continue doing our own Bootcamp Challenge together with Marcy when Fiona's is over. 6 AM workouts were a stranger to me before this challenge but now although I don't love it - once I get there I feel so much more energized. And lets face it when else am I'm going to show up to the gym on a Friday if not for bootcamp when I'm held accountable.

So Team Alibi closes in on our last couple days of the Challenge. I still see teammate sightings every night I hit the gym. We all hope to stay as motivated as we can to keep accomplishing our fitness goals. Everyone seems to have made Healthworks a lifestyle and each have their own bragging rights of what they have accomplished.

Hold it Just a Little Longer

Well today was the day of reckoning. The big weigh in / measurement day. 6 AM rain or shine - all of Team Alibi was ready to go.

The big weigh in went well, most of the girls saw some minor weight loss but more importantly all our body fat % and bmi's went down. Muscle weighs more then fat and we've been trying to get as strong as possible.

First on to wall squats, on session #1 we averaged about 1 - 2 minutes. Session #4 no one drops before 5 minutes - SUCCESS! Our quads were BURNING. Utilizing the art of distraction we tried to tell as many stories as possible so we could HOLD IT JUST A LITTLE LONGER. Everyone blew their original times out of the water. I won't give away our highest scores since some teams are still going :) but lets just say they were way longer then we ever could imagined.

Next on to planks - oh boy - a little tricky with our legs feeling like puddy after the squats but everyone is focused on at least doubling or tripling their original times. Session #1 average of about a minute. Session #4 - oh yeah we beat our times again.

Lastly pushup time! Session #1 was a big range from 11 - 55 pushups each. This go around I don't think any one had less then 50 - all the way up to triple digits. GOOOOO TEAM ALIBI!!

As a group we are all feeling stronger, more energetic and more motivated.

Stay tuned as we work off our last week of the Challenge.

Perceived Limits

This is just a quick post to brag about some of the awesome women I've gotten to meet while doing this challenge. I have to say that the personal trainers: Regan, Frances and Tavia have been amazing teachers. I'm a little used to getting through a fitness class and thinking, "well I could have taught that." NOT SO at Healthworks Cambridge, especially with these women. They kicked my butt- got me to worker past my "perceived" limits. I always wanted to live up to the standard THEY were setting. That's part of what teachers are supposed to do-- get you to your own new standards by setting them up as goals to reach that you might not have set for yourself. That's exactly what these three wmen in particular did for me.
NJot to mention that they were just fun people in general. I just wanted to give some props where props were due. I'm glad to have met them and if I can keep in touch with them or take more classes with them in the future? I certainly plan to do so.

This is outside of my wonderful teammates, of course. Who are all amazing inspiring people :)

Bye Bye Burn Baby Burn :(

Well we are coming near the end and last night was the end of my Burn classes. Call me crazy but I LOVE having my butt kicked in that class. I'm a horrible runner - my speed is very slow, my endurance is well pathetic - but this has been the best class to get over some of these running issues and really step it up. Normally I would run on a treadmill at 5 for about a 12 minute pace and stay there for a couple of miles if I could. I've battled knee problems and shin splits for years so running is always unpredictable. But, these Burn classes have made me step completely out my comfort zone to try running at a 10 incline, to sprint over 6 (which ok I know is most people's runs) but it's way out of my comfort zone. The combination of all the hills and speeds has given me a new perspective on how to approach my running from now on. My body may not like it but it can handle it and it feels so great at the end.

I'm also really thankful for all the great exercises I've picked up between the running intervals. Having gone to both bootcamp burn and burn baby burn I've found a lot of great core moves to do on the bosu or ball. I found some great plank exercises to really maximize my time and the intensity.

I have no doubt that if I was able to do these classes a couple times a week I'd be in the best shape of my life. Sadly for now I'll be replacing them with Bosu Challenge classes and other high intensity runs and cardio workouts but I have a feeling later this year I'll be back there for Round 2.

Good bye for now, I'll miss you Burn.

Fiona's Field Trips

Fiona's Challenge has taken Team Alibi on quite a journey for the last three weeks!  Some of us have visited our home base at the Cambridge gym for the very first time, and we've all made the trip to our BURN sessions at the Focus studio across the street from the main gym.  But last week, some of my teammates and I had taken a few more "Fiona's Field Trips".

Fiona's Field Trip #1: Trying a new gym- Back Bay Healthworks!
Teammate, Zahra and I biked over the river in the morning to the Back Bay Healthworks.  I had never been there before starting the Challenge and was excited to see the great number of cardio machines, studios and, really? ... a cute little cafe so you can grab a healthy snack on the go!  What a cool idea.

We attended Fusion Strength in the street level studio.  It was an INTENSE combination of Pilates and Yoga core strengthening work on a mat or foam roller with round hand weights.  Very challenging class, with great instruction from our teach, Eden, who was great at explaining all the moves with a little touch of humor that made holding the moves for another 4... no, just kidding, 8 reps! a little less painful.  :)  I wish I could have stuck around with Zahra for the Breathe class.  I saw her and the rest of the class with their legs up on the mirrored wall getting some serious stretching and meditative breathing in while I was heading out to work.  I'll have to come back for that one!

Fiona's Field Trip #2: JFK Pool Access!
Did you know that as a Healthworks member, we get discount entry at the JFK school pool a block away from the Cambridge gym even if we're not a town resident?  Well now you know!

Julia, Alibi teammate and swimmer extraordinaire, gave me and Jess some pointers at our team optional swim clinic at the pool last week.  They were both beat from hitting BURN at 7 that morning and then getting some laps in that eve (!), but Julia was a real trooper checking out my completely-out-of-synch breaststroke and Jess's rusty freestyle.  Some lap swim, kicking, pulling, and with some clear pointers from Coach Julia, we got a good workout and a nice break from our usual gym routines.  Thanks, Coach Julia!!! :)

I have to say, I'm a little jealous of our Cambridge Challenge rivals, the JFK School Teachers, who are right next to the pool every day. (And yes, that is a bust of JFK with a baseball hat and three leis that overlooks the pool deck!)

Fiona's Field Trip #3: Pilates Reformer Studio (back to Back Bay!)
The BURN sessions in Cambridge are great, but while Fiona Fit is providing the opportunity to try some other brand new things, I wanted to take full advantage of her offer.  So off I was to the Pilates Reformer Studio!

The Spa and Reformer Studio is downstairs, outside and down the hall from the main gym and reception desk in Back Bay.  (Woah, this gym is way bigger than I thought!)  It's an intimate studio with some initially scary looking equipment that was the least bit scary once instructor Kaley explained the basic elements: a footbar, some springs (just below the footbar) that you can add or remove for resistance, the carriage that moves up and down, and the straps that you can use with your hands and feet for core strengthening, flexibility and muscular alignment in a lying, kneeling or seated position... pretty quickly it went from medieval rack to a pretty cool, even elegant machine!

The workout was challenging, but not at all fast paced or too hard to figure out and really focused more on small muscle groups that help with alignment rather than what I was afraid of - trying to move my entire body weight up and down this thing, or something!  The challenge was in getting your muscles to be coordinated and work symmetrically which is harder than it sounds.  I really enjoyed it and want to come back to the Reformer ....after a few refresher Pilates classes, I think.  There's a lot to get out of the Reformer, but I think there might be more for me to gain if I brush up on the basics first.


There is so much to enjoy at the Cambridge Healthworks, and for someone like me with the attention span of a goldfish, I'm pretty grateful that Healthworks and Fiona's Challenge provide even more simulation than a gym with just a great variety of classes.  There is just SO MUCH to try!!!

Hmmmm.... maybe next Field Trip should be to the Massage studio?  Yep, I'm going to work on Field Trip #4!  I'd say, "Stay tuned!" but I'll probably be too relaxed to blog about it.  :)

Goal Jeans

Well, Team Alibi - our time together is more than halfway done, and with all of the dedication and hard work, I think we're bound to see some results! As some of you know, I live far from the gym. I have high hopes of moving closer in the very near future - but in the meantime, I'm up at 4:50am on Friday mornings so I can be out of the house by 5:05 and in the gym in time for our 6am training sessions with Marcy. I'm a pretty good morning person, but I think 4:50 should not be seen by most humans. Did you know that Dunkin Donuts isn't even open yet???? Workout and be coherent without coffee???? COME ON!

I decided I needed a little incentive to make sure I got my butt out of bed and on the road. I have this fabulous pair of jean - they're 7 for all mankind, and I bought them because I got to the marathon finish line. They're worn in all the right places - and at the beginning of the Fiona Challenge, they were just a tad too small. I could button them - but they were too tight and uncomfortable. I'm not a fan. So I hung them upon my door. That way, whenever I wake up and look over to my alarm clock with one eye open, WILLING it to shut off so I can roll over and go back to sleep, my eyes have to scan over the fabulous 7's and I'm motivated to move. Of course, this week, also had a phone call from my buddy - Thanks, Zahra!

Team Alibi, I brought my 7's to the gym on Friday morning. I also brought my old standby gap jeans just in case. But after our session with Marcy, I went and took a shower, went back to my locker, pulled out the 7's and slipped them on. I buttoned them. I wiggled around. I walked to the mirror. I finished getting dressed and ready for work . . . and only then did I reveal to Mina and Zahra that I was wearing my "skinny jeans". I wore them to work all day, and now I don't want to take them off!

Awesome work, Team Alibi! The results are starting to show!

Ahhh, BURN Studio, A Home Away from Home

One of the things I've loved the most about Fiona's Challenge (and I am sure Team Alibi mates will concur!) is the Focus sessions we've all gotten the chance to try. Living closest to the Cambridge gym, I've been a BURN devotee for the most part in terms of Focus sessions.

Even though it's only been a few sessions, since BURN is such a small, structured class, it really feels familiar and you feel like the instructors are putting in as much work and energy as their "teams" of five.

Who knew 50 minutes could be so intense? I always leave these sweaty and feeling accomplished! I definitely now feel motivated and educated enough to build in more interval training and running in my own workouts. And, maybe just maybe, since it FINALLY seems like it could be Spring in MA, BURN will give me that base for running longer distances outdoors in the warm weather!

And finally, here's a random snap of me on a BURN treadmill, right before Sunny's Tuesday class, taken by team-mate Sharon--as I was her "Alibi" for making sure she was at the BURN session before me!

So, it's the final week of the challenge and we have our assessment this Friday!

GO TEAM ALIBI! You know we can win this! :). --Nina V.

Wonderful Weather Workouts

Team Alibi is loving the sudden spring preview. It's so much easier to get out there and stay active when you aren't freezing your butt off! 50+ degrees meant taking my bike out on the Minuteman bike trail this weekend. It was the first time I got out there but I'm in love now. It's a beautiful scenic ride from Alewife Station in Cambridge and goes out through Arlington, Lexington all the way out to Belmont. Take in the sites well getting in a great 22 mile bike ride round trip. As fun as spinning classes are its always nice to soak up some sunshine. There's plenty of roller bladers, runners and walkers out there too so check it out some time!

Although spring seems to be here I'm sure it'll be back to being freezing again so Team Alibi is gearing up for a very busy week at the gym. Everyone is trying to fit in our last Burn classes and get the most out of the remaining time here. I see a lot of spinning, strength training, running, bosuing and burning in our future!

Friday Fitness Frenzy

Well it's Friday and Team Alibi has made it to team training #3. As I look around every team member is here yet again. How has the time flown by so fast?! 6 AM is becoming a routine for the group. Although it may not be easy everyone's ready for Marcy to put us through the works.

Today's workout was a variation of some moves from previous weeks as well as some new moves. Plenty of jumping jacks, burpees with pushups, lots of squat moves and lungees. Of course we had to practice our wall squats and lets just say everyone is kicking their original time's butt. We are ready to blow our scores out of the water next Friday.

After a few weeks we've definitely gotten stronger, more muscles, some weight loss, and some of us just needed that extra hard work to finally make it into those skinny jeans.

Stay tuned to hear about some of our other fitness adventures.

Pump, Pump It Up

It's Sunday, typically I could find a way out of getting to the gym but lately with the challenge on my mind I'm in a grove so I signed up to try a new class - Body Pump. I had heard a little bit about it but always forgot about it when I thought of classes to sign up for. As I wait in line I run into Mina who is busy doing some leg presses and focusing on strengthening her knee from a recent injury. Since the challenge started I'm always running into teammates at Healthworks.

Once yoga let out all the body pumpers file into Studio 1. Hmm what am I doing? Once I figure out how to set up the bar with the different weight plates we get right into a warm up. The class was full of squats and lunges, not to mention every other muscle group. I usually go to body defined but this takes it to a whole other level. I can't imagine how toned people must be who go to this class on a regular basis. I leave feeling sore already but definitely planning on coming back soon.

The weekends over and we all have busy weeks planned at Healthworks. Excited for Wednesday night - the team is all getting together to check out the Kennedy Pool around the corner to throw some variety in our schedules and get some advice on form.

Stepping it up a Notch

Week 2 is off to a great start, this morning we met with Marcy for our 2nd 6 AM bootcamp session. After a rainy stormy night surprisingly EVERYONE made it in. Jessica and Janine had been battling some colds and felt under the weather this week but they pulled through like rock stars!

We did a quick warm up and then started a cycle of some intense cardio rounds, hello my evil nemesis burpees, then plenty of dumb bell moves. Nothing like sprinting back and forth in the studio in a squat then jumping down into triceps dips. I look straight ahead and Mina's pushing through those triceps dips! Way to challenge yourself ladies!

If we weren't awake before that we most certainly were after that. I made the comment last week to Marcy that we were ready to step it up a notch, oops. Sorry team - Marcy took that to heart and gave us a major butt kicking! So worth it, I'm feeling great, ok maybe my muscles are exhausted but feeling good.

We ended class doing another timed wall squat. Marcy says, "No ones allowed to drop until the clock hits one minute", OK! Everyone did it, everyone beat their times from last week. Great job team!

It's Friday ladies, what more could we want. Some team members are headed to the slopes this weekend others already have signed up for classes and burn sessions this weekend. Some are even coming back tonight for round 2.

Go Team Alibi!

Just Beat It, No One Wants to Be Defeated!

Last night the rain was miserable, it was cold and gloomy . . any other night I probably would have curled up on the couch in my sweat pants and let my Tivo hold me captive. But wait, its only rain, I told my team I'd be there for double spin sessions, I had to get over it. I wasn't going to melt.

So at 5:30 PM I set myself up on that spin bike to prepare for 90 minutes of spinning classes with Tara. She's so high energy, I knew she'd keep me entertained and I wanted the personal challenge.

During the first class there were lots of hills, lots of jumps, particularly difficult was jumping to Michael Jackson's song Beat It. Think about how many times it says Beat It in there - oh yeah the game we played was to jump at every instance of the word. My legs were burning and my mind was turning.

The 90 minutes gave me time to reflect on the challenge and after week one we really were beating our alibis and our bad routines. For the first time this year I found myself at the gym for the sixth day in a row, still working strong and thinking what will I try this weekend? Out of the corner of my eye I saw Julia sprinting on the treadmill outside the studio. She looked like she was in the zone. Hmm, I think I'll go for a run tomorrow!

Our group has set up a private discussion forum so every day I've been hearing about what my team is up to. Sarah shoots me a message about how she tried Burn on Monday then Tuesday morning was there for 6 AM Spin followed by an hour of Body Pump. Amazing! Janine's been hitting up the boxing classes trying to recruit for the next week. Mina and some other girls are setting up a group swim clinic next week to finally check out the Kennedy School pool. Some of the girls have some great experience swimming and want to teach us some techniques. How fun!

Just Beat It, No One Wants To Be Defeated
Showin' How Funky Strong Is Your Fight, It Doesn't Matter Who's Wrong Or Right
Team Alibi is all in for the fight!

Week 1 - we beat you, bring on Week 2. We are ready to push it to the next level. Can't wait to meet with Marcy tomorrow morning!

BURN-ing, BOSU-ing and Buddying Up!

The women of Team Alibi continue to hit the various Healthworks locations in full force. It's taken a bit to figure out reservation systems and share our thoughts to each on the most popular classes and the toughest instructors, but overall, each of us is feeling pretty dedicated to our gym routines for the month of Fiona's Challenge.

In keeping with our Team Alibi name and commitment to making it to the gym, we've set up a BUDDY system on our team, so you gotta show up for that BURN, bosu, strength or Spin session or your buddy will be looking for you...and definitely giving you a ring if you are not there...

This past weekend, my buddy Julia and I (Nina) booked in for a double session--Spin at 9am with Kathryn L. followed by Build & BURN with Regan C. at 10am. Here's us before the class (already a bit sweaty from Spinning!) at the Group Training Studio/Heathworks Cambridge. We also kind of liked that there is acupuncture next door in case our muscles get too sore from our workouts! ;).

The best news of Saturday was the Alibi Buddy system was working! When leaving the gym, Julia and I saw another Alibi duo in line for 10am Spin. When we came back to log our workouts in the all important Blue Binder, team member Mina was hitting a Bosu class with Sean...

Keep watching this space for more Team Alibi news. You know where we are! At the gym, of course...

Alibi BURNS!

Greetings Blogworld!

Well, Jessie, Sarah and I had a great session of Build and BURN last night. These intense 50 minute classes take about 50 minutes (+10 minute stretch) and will really test your physical limits! We had a fantastic time with our instructor: Andrea. The class is fun and intense partly because there are ONLY 5 students per class! Here is the basic format for the Build and Burn session:

10 minute treadmill sprints
10 minute Strength train
10 minute treadmill hills
10 minute circuit strength training
10 minute rolling hill sprints!
10 minute stretch.
This was a great setup because on the treadmill we could each pick speeds and %incline that were our OWN degrees of difficulty. Andrea simply said, "pick a speed you can stay at for X amount of time because "then it's going to get harder!" So needless to say, we Alibi women weren't looking for excuses. We know we want to win the challenge and that takes hard work!

This is our before pic:

Sarah, Jessie, Julia

Oh, I'm sorry, did you think there was going to be an "after" pic too? Absolutely not! Let's just say, we were drenched and beet red! We had a fantastic challenge and are so grateful that Healthworks is providing these classes to the Fiona's Fit Challenge Teams! What a great bonus for our health!

BURNing It Up!

I'm the type of person who really likes my sleep, so starting off my weekend with a 6am training session on Friday made me more than a little nervous - seriously, who gets up at 5:30? On a Friday? To go to the...gym? Well, we did! And believe it or not, after the session was over I was super happy about accomplishing that much that early!

My good feelings from Friday spurred me into an impulsive decision to hit up the 9am BURN Bootcamp class today. While 9am doesn't exactly classify as early, I treasure my weekends and my sleep-in time. To top it off, one of my best friends' birthday was yesterday so we were celebrating last night.

A few months ago I would've complained about having to call it an early night and get up the next morning to go to the gym (many of my friends are still in disbelief that I'd pay money to work out), but I have a confession: I was happy about my early Sunday plans! I was able to decline a second glass of wine, moderate my snacking on delicious goodies that were provided, and I was in bed by midnight. WIN.

I met Sharon at 8:45 this morning and we worked out super hard in bootcamp. After we finished, I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment that I'm still enjoying, hours later! If this is what hard-core working out creates, I think I may become addicted.

Then again, it's still early on in the challenge. I just hope I can keep up the motivation!

Ready, Set, Gooooo and we're off!

Starting with a 5 AM alarm wake up, a little get psyched music on the trek in, Team Alibi gathered from all parts of Cambridge, Brighton, Somerville and even Methuen to meet up at Healthworks Cambridge for our first training session with Marcy. We all did our weigh ins (ugh), BMI tests and had our wall squats (surprisingly difficult), planks and pushups measured. There are definitely some rock stars emerging for different measurements and lots of improvement overall as a team we will make. Practice makes perfect and we are determined to not only beat our times but double or triple them by the end!

Once we finished our testing it was time for the show. Marcy had us doing plenty of weight combo moves, burpees, jumping squats, etc, that got our energy rising and finally so was the sun.



Everyone is ready to rock this challenge and teammates have already booked their burn sessions and have scheduled buddy outings to try new classes.

Stayed tuned to hear about our adventures in exercise and discovery of all that Healthworks has to offer!

welcome!

Welcome to the soon-to-be amazing blog for Team Alibi. We're all looking forward to starting, and hopefully winning, Fiona's Challenge. Check back to stay updated on our progress, look at pictures, and laugh along at our gym mishaps. Thanks for coming!