Biggest Loser Resort - Final Day :(

Today was such a jumble of emotions for me.  I woke up nervous about our weigh-out and about our last chance workout, knowing that it would most likely be the hardest one of the week.  I was also really sad to think that it was my last day here with all these incredible people who have truly become my family.

Our weigh out was at 6:45 and Lisa was doing them.  She was so funny, she covered the InBody (scale/body composition scale thingy) so that we couldn't obsess over the number while standing there for 45 seconds while it did its thing lol.  I had decided before I went in there, however, that I wasn't going to worry about the scale #.  I had put on a few lbs before going in for our initial weigh in on Sunday due to travel, eating out, water weight and clothing, so I knew that wouldn't be a good gauge of my true loss this week.  But here are the really cool stats that DO matter :)

My body fat went from 97.7lbs to 90.8lbs.
My Lean body mass (muscle/bone/skin) went from 140lbs to 142lbs (YAY!)
My BMI went from 34.1 to 33.4
My Percentage of Body Fat went from 41.1% to 39%
My arms got bigger, my legs and trunk got smaller
And my Basal Metabolic Rate (The # of calories I burn in a day just existing) went up by 20 cals/day!

Losing 7lbs of body fat in a week is pretty amazing and I'm proud of it.  I could not have worked any harder than I did.  Amy lost 10 lbs of body fat and I'm SO proud of her!  The best part was when she realized she'd moved from "Obese" to "Overweight" and jumped up screaming "I'M OVERWEIGHT!" hahahaha.  Love that girl.

After breakfast was our last chance workout.  We knew it would be 2 hours long and we knew Lisa and Erin were running it.  Lisa is by far the scariest/toughest trainer here and we knew it was going to be hardcore.  They call it last chance for a reason.

We started out in the pool and just swam laps for 30 minutes.  Most people jogged the length of the pool, but Dayna lent me her goggles so I could swim it.  It felt great to be in my element for a while.  David (my new adopted grandpa) has nicknamed me "fish" lol.  30 minutes of continuous lap swimming doesn't sound like much, but I was jello when I got out.  We then had 10 minutes to change into workout clothes.  That in itself was a workout.  Try getting OUT of wet compression gear (which I swam in) and then INTO dry compression gear while your skin is still wet.  The amount of grunting and groaning coming from our lockerroom was just hilarious.

We headed into the cardio room and each had to pick a machine.  Most of us ended up on ellipticals, bikes or treadmills since we were going to be on one machine for the entire class.  We then did the following circuit...FOUR TIMES.

And when two trainers are watching you the entire time...you push hard.  I nearly went flying off my elliptical.
But as hard as that was, nothing could have prepared me for the very last part of our workout.  We went into the big gym and were instructed to get two 10lb dumbells and a mat.  That's it.  I didn't think it would be too bad until I looked over at what we were going to be doing.

Doing this workout on fresh muscles would have been hard.  Doing it after all we've done this week and after what we'd already done this morning...was just hell.  I got through the chest presses and jump squats okay the first time, but as I started to do my first set of chest flys, 10lbs was proving to be way too much weight.  I expected one of the trainers to bring me some 8lb weights.  Nope.  Instead, Lisa came over and got down next to me and talked me through every single rep.  When it started to get hard, she gave me a little help.  But she did NOT let me quit.  Rows and side lunges were okay, but when I saw "shoulder press" I started to cry.  My shoulders are my weakest muscle group and normally I can only do 5-8lbs and only for a few reps.  Imagine alternating 15 shoulder presses and 25 high knees for THREE MINUTES STRAIGHT.  I was pushing as hard as I could and very literally felt like I could not get my muscles to extend my arms.  Poor Erin couldn't even look at me, she said she would have started crying herself lol.  But Lisa was my savior.  She didn't leave my side.  She kept her hands under my elbows and gave me just enough of a nudge each rep to get me through it until I'd done them all.  I made it through the last two groups and we all collapsed to the floor gasping for air.  And then she said "Ready? We're doing it again."  I about died right there.  This time, she shortened each group to 2 minutes, but it wasn't any easier.  Lisa made sure to come to me everytime one of my harder exercises came up and she got me through.  I loved her more in that moment than I'd loved anyone all week it seemed.  I was on my back on the floor, ready to do my chest flys and I was just sobbing.  I begged her, "Please don't let go" as she held onto my wrists.  She said, "I got you.  You can do this.  Let's go."  And she stayed for every rep.  As we pushed through the hardest sets, Katy Perry's "Roar" came on over the speakers and it just fueled my rage and my determination to get through it.  Needless to say I survived, but it was by far the hardest workout of my entire week.  I was so glad when it was over but I was also SO grateful to Lisa for getting me through what seemed, at first, impossible to me.  It was an amazing accomplishment.

Lunch today was incredile.  Probably my favorite lunch of the week.  They were turkey wraps with turkey bacon and avacado and spinach....as well as some roasted red pepper soup.  It was just what I needed after such a kill-ya-dead workout.  I'll miss having all my meals prepared for me!  It's nice to know that what I'm eating is good tasting but also completely healthy...and I didn't have to make it! haha

For the first time all week, we got TIME OFF today.  We had 4 hours between lunch and graduation.  Amy and I got showered and then I went to her room to hang out.  We turned Titanic on the tv and both fell asleep haha.  It was a pretty short nap, but it was so very badly needed.  Then our dear, new friend, Melissa came over and we all just hung out in Amy's bed for an hour.  It's amazing how much more we've learned to appreciate our time while being here.  Every minute counts and every minute we had to just breathe...was a gift.  Melissa is just so incredible and I know the three of us will keep in touch.  Sad to be leaving all these incredible people tomorrow.

4pm was graduation time and amazingly enough I didn't cry.  Probably because I'd sweat out all the liquids I had in me lol.  We got to watch the dvd of our week here and Betty gave us all some "I survived" t-shirts and a few gifts. I'm so glad she was the one to send us off through graduation as she has been the biggest part of our week.  Words can't describe how much I'm going to miss having that daily dose of inspiration that she brings by just being there.

I'm so grateful that we get to keep in touch with the staff here after we leave.  I'll need it.  There is no one like them.  I cannot recommend this experience enough.  We did the formal graduation stuff and then just took lots of pictures together.

David and Linda are my new grandparents.  I've adopted them.  Though Linda says she doesn't do babysitting hahaha.  They are the funniest couple ever.  They worked so hard this week and they are truly an example to me and to anyone who meets them.  They are living proof that it is never too late to do something like this.  I love them to pieces and will miss having their influence and humor around.

Dayna is like my baby sister.  She's 22 and got this trip as an amazing gift from her grandmother.  She will be staying here until Mid-December.  She dropped everything in her life and decided to come make herself a priority.  I CANNOT WAIT to see her progress here.  She is motivated and determined and I know she's going to be completely transformed by the end of her stay.  Love love love this beautiful girl.

There were so many other incredible people here, but I don't have all the pictures yet and there's just too much to write!!  But I love each and every one of them and wish them all the very best as they continue their journeys at home.

After some dinner (and some delicious coconut vanilla creme brulee!!!)...

...a few of the girls and I decided to break out of the "ranch" and go for a drive.  It was nice to just get out for a bit and hang out and laugh.  We found that Itasca, IL really is in the middle of nowhere because there's NOTHING to do! haha.  It was still a good time though and I'm glad we finally had the chance to just talk and get to know each other a bit more before we go.

And now the day is over and it's time to pack up and go home.  I miss my hubby and my babies more than I can say.  It's been very hard to be away from them for an entire week, but I know that I'm heading home a better person, a better wife and a better mother.  I will miss all of the people I met here and the things that they taught me, but most of all I will miss my Amy.

I couldn't have asked for a better friend and partner this week.  "Thank you" just doesn't even come close to covering how I feel.  I owe her so much for all she did this week to keep me going when so much of me just wanted to curl up in bed and check out of the experience completely.  She is the most determined person I know and I am so very proud of all she accomplished this week.  I hope she is too.  I love you girl.  Thank you for experiencing this with me.  I am truly a better person because of you.

As Betty told us all week long...

"Life: Limitless, inevitable, fearless and endless."

I'd like to add...."And full of possibilities."  Thank you Biggest Loser Resort Chicago for the hardest, most exhausting and most unforgettable week of my life.  I will never forget you.