Sergeant Tony's Blog

This really sucks. But here’s the news.

When you stop exercising, things go back to the way they were. When you quit, you gain weight and lose your fitness, especially your aerobic stamina. Muscular strength goes quickly too. It’s a cruel joke. As Donald Wildman, the 75 year old athlete and adventurer has said, “When you quit moving, it’s over.”

Maybe you’ve heard it said that “you’re only as fit as your last workout.” And if your last workout was last week, your body is … making adjustments … degenerating.

The I.T. people at your company would say that your body is “eliminating redundancies.” Your body adapts to your level of activity.

Your body will adapt to the level of work imposed upon it by an act of your own will. It will eliminate muscle it doesn’t need, aerobic capacity that is unnecessary, and all of the associated subsystems.

If you’re training for a triathlon, for example, your body increases it’s level of fitness to meet that challenge. If you quit your triathlon training and become more sedentary and start living an inactive lifestyle, your body will seek for the level of homeostasis that matches your level of activity. Homeostasis is the tendency toward a stable equilibrium.

The same thing applies to Boot Campers. You’ve got to use it, or lose it.

How long does it take to lose it? How long since your last workout will you become a complete sluggo?

That depends on several factors including age, gender, and the level of fitness attained prior to going on an exercise hiatus to Turdeville.

But it happens quickly. Quicker for some than others. Within a month or two of inactivity, the average person’s previous level of fitness is practically lost.

In one recent study, participants — all of whom were new to exercise — began a two month fitness program under the direction of clinical staff and exercise physiologists. The participants’ fitness levels were checked and measured prior to the program’s launch and then measured all along the way. When the program ended each participant was measured, and all of them returned to their previous sedentary lifestyle as part of the experiment.

After 2 months of inactivity they were tested and measured again. In 2 months time they had lost all of their fitness gains and had returned to their pre-fitness program level.

It’s a cruel joke.

But it’s not my joke. The same rules apply to me too.

Once upon a time, I had a 4 month period of inactivity in my own life. It’s true. I was in grad school taking 18 hours, working 30 to 35 hours a week, and had a new baby in the house. I had a mortgage, car payments, bills to pay, and enormous obligations on my time and energy. I slept, when I slept, about 3 to 4 hours a night. I had no time and no energy to exercise. By the time the Christmas break arrived four months later, I’d gained almost 20 pounds, my clothes didn’t fit, I was stressed out, and I got winded just walking across campus.

I was pretty bummed. Depressed. Humiliated.

During that break I took a long look at myself and my lack of fitness. I knew I had to get my life and priorities back in line. So I had a “come to Jesus meeting” with myself and made a renewed commitment to a healthy and fit lifestyle. But getting back to it wasn’t easy. It was tough. Really tough.

It’s always tough to work your way back. But what are the alternatives? Continual degeneration of every system and subsystem in your body. Inactivity leads to more inactivity. Weight gain leads to more weight gain. Frailty leads to more frailty. It’s not pretty.

To compound the need for taking charge, is the connection of your mind, will, spirit, and emotions to your physical activities, physical appearance, and physical well being. That connection is strong and can NOT be overstated.

Some of you reading this today have fallen off the fitness wagon and need a kick in the butt to get going. You’ve allowed one thing or another to get you sidetracked. Consider this your KICK IN THE BUTT!!

Some of you will return to Boot Camp because it works. So c’mon! Others of you aren’t the type for USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP. That’s OK, not everyone is. And to be quite honest, I never intended for our little “exercise cult” to be for everyone. That’s part of the mystique, isn’t it? Doing something that others won’t do, or can’t do, gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment, doesn’t it?

Recently a newbie asked, “Tony, what days should I work out?”

In my typical understanding and sensitive way, I said, “Only on the days that you breathe.”

See you on the Quarterdeck!

——————————————————-

HOLIDAY CHALLENGE!

Our annual Holiday Challenge begins on Monday, November 24th. This is a weight loss challenge for EVERYONE! (Except CTF members!)

Here’s how it works. (This is an optional program and NOT mandatory!)

Participants pay $50 to enter the challenge. On Monday, the 24th, Tuesday the 25th, or Wednesday morning the 26th participants will pay their entry fee and then step on my scales. I will write down your weight. (All confidential)

On Monday, January 5th (the day we return from our Christmas Break) I will weigh you again. If you have maintained your pre-Thanksgiving weight, you get a FREE MONTH OF BOOT CAMP!

If you’ve LOST 5 pounds or more over the holidays, you get an additional SECOND FREE MONTH!

The person who loses the most weight over the holidays will get an additional THIRD FREE MONTH OF BOOT CAMP!! (All awards are non-transferable and redeemable beginning in March 09.

This is an AWESOME Challenge! Every year the average American gains 8 to 10 pounds during the holidays. But Challengers don’t!!

———————————————-

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE …

Here are the FIVE BENEFITS OF OF COLD WEATHER WORKOUTS
1. Strengthens the immune system.
2. Naturally increases the body’s production of saratonin, a natural calming chemical in your body.
3. Increased calorie burn!
4. Runny noses keep the cooties from taking up residence and making you sick.
5. Bragging rights! You get to tell your sissy “indoor” friends how tough YOU are!

———————————————–

HELP WANTED

Well, not exactly.

But do you know of someone who could be another Sergeant Tony?

I’m looking to expand the empire beyond Memphis. Les Bonnett has successfully launched USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — Collierville! I’d especially like to move into north Mississippi or northern Shelby County. Like Hernando or Millington!

Here’s a little of what I’m looking for in a prospective “Sergeant Tony.”
* Former military, preferably a Marine.
* College degree, or working toward it.
* Exercise certification, military or civilian, or working toward it.
* Personally interested and involved in a lifestyle of fitness and athletics.
* Good communication skills, written and oral. (I answer about 40 emails a day, write a newsletter, and answer more than a half dozen or so daily Boot Camp related phone calls)
* Outgoing personality with a GREAT sense of humor!
* Genuinely likes people, hiding behind a sadistic facade.
* Humble, modest, caring, and sensitive (ok, ok, whatever)

You get the idea.

If you know of someone who would be a good fit, please forward this on to them and direct them to the website:www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

————————————————————

USMC FITNESS BOOT CAMP CLASSES

At Christ Methodist
0530 Monday through Friday
0645 M-W-F
0830 M-W-F
5:45 PM: M-Tu-W-Th, (5:30 PM on Friday). M-W-F are weight days, Tu/Thu are cardio days.

THE TUESDAY EVENING CLASS MEETS AT ST. MARY’S TRACK.

At Evergreen Presbyterian
0530 Monday through Friday

—————————————————–

ST. JUDE HALF MARATHON TRAINING ON SATURDAY!

1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles) Training for the December 6, 2008 St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon continues this Saturday at 0800 at Shelby Farms! Meet in front of the Visitor’s Center! We’ll be going 1 hr 30 minutes.

————————————————

FACEBOOK

Find me on Facebook and make me your friend! (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=629618416)

I’ll make you mine! Then join the USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP Group!

While you’re on Facebook, you might see an ad for USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP pop up. Do NOT click on it! Facebook charges me for every time someone clicks on it. The ad is NOT for you knuckleheads!

————————————————

“The Few, the Proud, the BOOT CAMPERS!”
~ Sgt. Tony, 51 year old athlete and adventurer

To your continued good health and fitness!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main