Confidence Course at Parris Island

Found this while looking for some motivation. A tour group is guided through the confidence course on Parris Island this past July. Video clips #7 - #11 feature the different obstacles, though I think the camera man misses out on the Arm Walker course.

Parris Island Confidence Course

Interesting Links

Google Alerts can reap in some interesting finds.

Health/Fitness

The Chocolate Milk Diet from Women’s Health Magazine.  It's worth a read at least. 

Peak Performance Online. Lots of good info on athletic training. 

Brilliant Athlete, another athletic fitness site. 

Military

Women Marines at Wordpress 

AMC Sundance Blog entry on “Hell and Back Again” a documentary on a Marine’s time in Afghanistan.

Women in Uniform at Tumblr  Collection of photos in military uniform from around the world. 

Twitter

I succumbed to the pressures of Twitter. Ew.

http://twitter.com/janewarrior

In case you just can't get enough of memememememe here on Blogger. I have no idea what I'll post there. Probably how much I hate teenagers standing around at the gym flirting with each and pretending to do crunches and lift weights.

Failure is not an option

Running is not everyone’s favorite; in fact it takes a particular mindset to do the simple motion of putting one foot in front of the other and doing it really really fast. It wasn’t that long ago, about a year and half, I couldn’t run a couple of yards. I could skate for miles and miles and miles, but running wasn’t something I could do. If I were to get mugged, I hope it would happen if I was on a pair of roller skates.

Starting out running is kind of funny, especially if you never ran before or it has been years since your last jog. I played soccer in high school, but that was fun! Soccer isn’t just about running, it’s about getting the ball away from the other team and scoring points! That’s fun! Running, by itself? Not so fun. So why would someone like me start running? And why the hell would someone like me run in the rain or in 20 something degree weather?

I want to be a Marine. That’s why I run, why I work out, and why I keep going. There was a turning point late last year for me as I sat on the gym locker room floor feeling somewhat sorry for myself. My weight hadn’t budged and I was working out really hard. I thought, “Come hell or high water, I will do what it takes to be a Marine. Through discipline and dedication I will get to and through boot camp. Quitting is not even in the books. Neither is failure.”

I’m so close.

2011 is the year. 

I wrote it before, I'll write it again. I should have done this years ago!

She made it, but she's dead.

I have a friend who has managed to drop weight fast. I mean fast. She has admitted to using weight loss supplements between her strict eating and running regime. She calls the supplements thermogencis which is really just a fancy word for diet pills.  I’ll be honest, I’m jealous she has dropped nearly thirty pounds in nearly three months. Oh I am. Her diet is stricter than I probably ever could achieve…no…I can match her, but I would not press for it. And I admire her dedication to running.  My problem lies in her use of “thermogenics”.

Losing weight sucks, so I wouldn’t recommend getting fat in the first place. Lesson learned. Some people lose weight fast and some lose it slow, naturally. The safe way to lose fat is one to two pounds a week, anymore and you’re risking the health of your metabolism and/or gaining the weight back. You see this a lot in chronic dieters; they go on strict diets, lose weight, and then gain the weight back and then some.  People use “thermogenics” in hopes to speed up weight loss. Some use them hoping to lose fat on the pills alone without changes in diet or activity. I guess no one told them that good things don’t come on silver platters. You actually have to put effort into losing fat.

The major problem with “thermogenics” is the damage it does to the body, particularly with the heart and liver. Nowadays ephedra is absent from the drugs, but it doesn’t make the pills any safer. So what could happen if you took diet pills? A few things; you could gain weight back once you stop, you could not lose any weight at all, your heart and/or liver could fail, or you might be okay. Why would anyone want to take the risk when the odds are stacked up against them? To even see any benefit from the pills you would have to be extremely strict with your diet and exercise, but even then you are putting your body through the stress mill and the pills most likely won't work. 

Bottom line is, your health is more important than getting into the weight and height standard quickly. You are of no use to yourself if you are thin and dead. So ladies and gents, knock that shit off. 

Some resources:

Three Fat Chicks

LiveStrong (pretty much the same from Three Fat Chicks, but with a little more info)

Med Health Insurance

There's more out there, it's up to you to be the smart consumer. 

Motivation and Workout of The Month

Comfort is an illusion. A false security bred from familiar things and familiar ways. It narrows the mind, weakens the body and robs the soul of spirit and determination. Comfort is neither welcomed nor tolerated here. It is a difficult thing to leave behind, but it is the enemy and will be cast aside.




Making up for December's Workout of the Month...


Warm up
1 minute of jumping jacks
30 seconds rest
20 pushups
30 seconds rest
Repeat 5 time


Power Set
Goblet Squats 3x20 
Planks 3Xmax effort


Power Set
Lat Pulldowns 3x15
Lunges 3x15


Power Set
Shoulder Press 3x15 (can be done with machine or dumbbells) 
Sit-ups 3x20  






On a personal note, I went up in weight and I expected that. I had a shitty workout week. I only ran 14 miles and I could've done better eating wise. I can't beat myself up for it I can only look ahead and do better!
And on a happier note I could be leaving for Parris Island this summer!
Okay maybe that's not so happy, I was really aiming for a winter month.
As in winter of 2010. 
Actually, if I have to have one regret in my life it would have to be I should have enlisted years ago!

Oh hey I have a blog!

Aiyee.

Sorry for the delay, the best of doing almost nothing got the best of me. And doing nothing I mean overdoing it on the running and catching up on some quality book reading. I'm halfway through Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. I love it and I highly recommend it.

Also you are probably wondering where I am stat wise.
I am now at a lovely 165, though I do fluctuate between 163 to 170. I did gain a few pounds over Finals and Festivus (go figure). Everything else has pretty much stayed the same. So I can't complain!

This month is the month to crack the whip. I'll have to upload photos of my workout plan and post a double "Workout of The Month" since poor December never got to see one.

Hope everyone had a good holiday season!