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When the opportunity arose to take a complimentary month long bootcamp with Total Results Training, I knew I couldn’t pass it up.

I needed some accountability. I needed someone to show me what I should be doing.

And this came at the perfect time.

I am really out of shape. Like, REALLY. My weight has yo-yo’ed the last five years from very low to very high. Right now, I’m at the higher side of that, but that’s going to change. It has to change.

Monday was really hard. I did terribly, was nauseous because I hadn’t worked out that hard in ages and it was 90whatever degrees out. Tuesday, I was so sore that I could barely walk. Getting in and out of my car was rough and sitting down and getting back up was so painful I didn’t want to move because I knew how much it hurt to do. Wednesday, I woke up on only a few hours of sleep and almost didn’t go to my second class. I hurt and was exhausted, but I dragged myself up and went anyway. Class was better Wednesday. Thursday, I wasn’t as sore and Friday was tough again.

Every day I could feel exactly what muscles I worked out that day and the day before. Even if I was incredibly achy and super tired, I still felt good. I felt good knowing I shut up and actually did something about it. I really have no right to complain about how unhappy I am with my body if I’m not going to do anything change it.

So, I’m doing something about it.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, you can find me sweating it out at the park. Well, at least for the next three weeks. I’m excited about it and looking forward to classes now. I’m ready to get in shape, change my body and feel better about myself.

I even treated myself to a brand new yoga mat for class as a small reward for making it through one full week.

Of course in true Jamie fashion, I had to convince myself not to spend more money on the yoga mat with pretty designs. I’m pretty sure a solid yoga mat will work me out just as well.

(Or it will at least until I find a really, really cute one.)

Ryan, my coach, isn’t yelly and mean like the kind you would assume goes hand in hand with a bootcamp. He’s patient and encouraging but still firm. Not scary in the slightest and doesn’t make me want to cry. Except when he asks us to go over to the big steps.

(Hate the big steps, Ryan. HAAAATE.)

(Probably because I have no balance and almost fall on my face every 3 seconds.)

Total Results Training also offers bootcamps at different days and times at four Chicago parks. There really is a time and a place for everyone so no excuses.

Chicago, come work it out with me!

Here’s the thing, I don’t run unless someone is chasing me.

I basically haven’t ran since I played softball in high school. That’s part of the reason I don’t run. Playing sports screwed my body up and I’m basically broken from the knees down and I have a jacked up shoulder from pitching.

I’m basically 80. I know. SHUT UP.

Well the other day I decided I was going to attempt Couch 2 5K because I hear it’s a good beginner running program. So I got on some old (but super cute) Nike Air Maxes, uploaded a dj mix of my favorite songs to my iPhone and downloaded the C25K iPhone app (because I love any excuse to play with my iPhone, duh) and got myself all psyched up. Then I hit the bike path outside my house and died.

Shin splits and hurty ankles and it was all kinds of awful and I was like, GOODBYE FOREVER.

A couple days after that, I decided I was going to buy new running shoes if I was really going to do this. I went to Fleet Feet to get fitted and the dude measured my feet and watched me jog and all that stuff. He explained that I land on the outsides on my feet then sort of collapse on the insides. He had some fancy word for it that I can’t remember, but from what I got out of it, my feet are kind of flat or I have very low arches. Whatever.

He picked out some shoes to try on and I decided I liked one pair until he was all, “those are only $140″ and then I died.

AGAIN.

So I went with my second choice which were still $95 or some nonsense.

I’m attempting to restart C25K tonight now that my feet are properly outfitted. If you never hear from me after this, I probably died again and my body is probably somewhere along the bike path in South Chicago.

Also, can we just discuss how most running shoes are ugly? I know it’s more about practical and not pretty but dude, if I spend over $100 on shoes I AT LEAST WANT THEM TO BE CUTE.

Not hideous, but definitely not cute. What’s a girl gotta do to get some stylish shoes?

Dear Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo,

There is a demand for cute running shoes (FROM ME), so can you get on that designer running shoe line? People would be all over it. Swear.

Love,

Jamie

P.S. I made a C25K list over at Shoptopia. You should probs check that out!