Being a Real Girl: Week One

On pretty much any day as a college athlete, the phrase "I can't wait to be a real girl" or "I can't wait to be normal" is likely heard from at least one person on the team.  Little did we know just how good we had it.  Food was prepared for us at the dining halls.  We could eat as much as we wanted without, not only any worry about the cost, but little to no care about how many calories we ingested.  We were also in the best shape of our entire lives.  Unfortunately, we were too exhausted and overwhelmed to realize

just how good we had it.

Now we're left to figure out not only how to work out on our own, but also how to take in less calories than we are actually burning (previously not an issue).  This is all pretty much handed to us at graduation, or perhaps a little earlier.  In my case, it's being handed to me a year later than it reached every one else and I won't lie to you, I am struggling.

This last week I dedicated myself to learning how a real girl lives and I have to tell you, it's not fun.  Sure, the workouts in college were grueling.  Most nights I was too exhausted to even look at my homework, forget putting a lot of effort into it.  But now, suddenly, I find I'm not only full of nervous, fretful, energy but slowly and surely becoming fuller in the waist as well.

So this is how my week as a "real" girl went:

Monday: Decided to go spinning with my dad.  Always a mistake.  The 58-year old retired pilot is a maniac on the spinning bike.  Not only were his RPM's higher, his resistance was higher than mine.  By the time we finished my dad was breathing hard, while I thought I was going to vomit or pass out and I wasn't sure which order it would happen in.  My face was, no exaggeration, purple.  As I walked the halls of the YMCA after my workout people stopped me to ask if I was okay.  I'm not joking, people.

Both attractive and probably extremely unhealthy to get this red

After I biked 20-point-something miles on the bike (my dad biked over 23 miles) I decided I needed to swim, even if its only purpose was to cool off.  The water has never felt like such heaven.  But after 1000 yards it was see-you-later-I'm-bored-of-you-already-chlorine.

Tuesday: After four years of being a college athlete, I think we walk away with a bit of arrogance.  It doesn't always show in every day things, but it shows when we're faced with any type of competition.  Well, in body pump, a class at my "Y" that prides itself in doing 800 reps in one hour, I decided I didn't need to do puny little weights.  I was a strong girl.  I could do heavy weights.

Yeah, I could do heavy weights and not walk the next morning.  Or the morning after.

Wednesday: Sorry body, couldn't even get myself to do Zumba the next morning because everything on my body hurt.  Decided to take the morning off and swim with my parents Masters swim team that night.  We did maybe 2300 and I bashfully counted it as a workout.  Puny in comparison to our usual 7000 yds a practice in college.

Thursday: Decided to give body pump another chance.  Went a little lighter, but did better this time.


Friday:  This was my fatal mistake.  The arrogance was back.  I had survived another body pump and came out barely sore.  So of course the next day, the arrogance came on in full force for the "Y's" boot camp.  Now, I've been to boot camp before, but always made sure I avoided this one particular teacher's boot camp.  Well, that night was her night.  Only four of us showed up (obviously everyone is afraid of her).  This woman knows no boundaries and feels no sympathy.  I kid you not.  But what's worse is she sneaks up on you.  I left thinking the work out wasn't even very hard.

That weekend I was so sore that I felt sick.  Not joking around sick, but very seriously I've-been-hit-by-a-truck-and-also-have-the-flu kind of sick.

Turns out Saturday night I actually became sick with a type of a stomach bug that was paired with the chills and fever (that's one way of losing weight I suppose).

Time for a mini (or major) rant:  I want to know how I can put in, not only a year of work, but an entire life dedicated to getting strong and in shape and in only three weeks it is completely gone.  What kind of crap is that?  Don't you think there should be a way to put some of that work on reserve and use it for later, instead of losing it in ENTIRETY and starting over completely?  Complete and utter crap if you ask me.

Oh, and another thing.  How do you "real" girls stay skinny?  I need to know your secret.  Because I ate less this week (okay, so I made cupcakes once) and worked out more and it seems to me that there was no change.  If this is the case at 23 what happens at 50?!?

Speaking of eating better I came up with a very delicious, it not entirely healthy lunch.  And it's easy which is a big concern of mine.

First, I spread some homemade pesto (thanks mom) on some multi-grain bread.  Decided to  make a grilled cheese kind of creation.  Decided it needed something more than just pesto and cheese so voila: tomatoes!

There's no art to this, it's just for taste.


Then I cut up some slices of mozzarella to add to the creation.  It took everything in me to NOT put American cheese on this because I love that it gets all gooey and delicious in a grilled cheese.  

Oooh, Ahhh.

Just put it in a pan, like any other grilled cheese and cover it with the lid of a saucepan so that it cooks the cheese better.  And there you go, a some-what healthy snack (even it if is high in calories, they're not the worst calories you could be consuming).

Okay so it's not a photograph worthy of an award but I promise you, you will not regret making this lunch.

So, once I feel better, I will repeat all of what I did last week.  I'm already exhausted thinking about it.

Where are all my teammates making working out, if not bearable, hilarious??  Dear all former teammates, move near me and be real girls with me.

Stay tuned for week two of real girl status.