The Boston HeraldGreat in 08'
RICK's Progress Report Card  
 FEB 1 MAR 1 APR 1 MAY 1 FINAL
weight (lbs)
231.6
223.8

212.4

204

body fat %
36
35.2

32.3

32.4

bmi
40.4
38.4

36.4

35

waist circumference
(inches)
49
49

46

44.25


Photo by Nancy Lane for the Boston Herald
"My goal is to lose 50 pounds and be able to enjoy more activities with my family."

Why did you apply to be in Great in 08'?
"To improve my health and to make positive, permanent changes to my life"

What is your food weakness?
"Snacking between meals."

Favorite meal?
"Veal or Eggplant Parmesan"

Hobbies?
"Flea markets, building furniture, karaoke at Fantasy Island in Salem and watching football."

Ultimate Bootcamp

RICK ALEX
age: 49
start weight: 233 lbs
height: 5' 3.5 "
cholesterol: 184 mg/dL
blood pressure: 122/86
hometown: Swampscot, MA
occupation: Finance Manager
rick's Blog  

Healthy Eating

Fitness

Refrigertor Makeover

Healthy Cooking Class

Yoga and Relaxation

Style Makeover

Introduction - January 17th, 2008

"Wow! I was pretty nervous going to our first group meeting at the Prudential Shaw’s. I had no idea what to expect. The public aspect of the program can be very intimidating, but I guess that’s the tradeoff for getting access to the team of resources we’ll be working with. It was great meeting Jennifer, Leanne, Rachel and the rest of the folks there. Everyone was so friendly and down-to-earth that they made me feel confident we could work as a team and even help each other along the way. I left there a lot more excited and a lot less nervous, and I can’t wait for the next meeting."

Healthy Eating - April 15, 2008

We had a brief discussion on nutrition after today's workout. It's clear we are all having our ups and downs as we try to stay on the healthy track. It's good to hear that I'm not the only one struggling with some of these issues, and it helps to understand the pitfalls others have hit do I can watch out for those, too. I'm starting to see how important the group dynamic is. We learn from each other and draw on each other for strength. I'm lucky to be part of this amazing group.

Healthy Eating - February 29th, 2008

We all met at the Prudential Shaw’s and toured the store. As we hit each department Jennifer would point our some examples of good food choices and bad food choices, explaining the reasons for each. Leanne and Rachel also had lots of input about things they liked or disliked. It seems every time we meet as a group, I learn more about eating healthier. The challenge is to keep finding new things to try, and the team has been an incredible help in doing that.

Healthy Eating - January 25th, 2008

"My meeting with Jennifer to discuss my diet was very enlightening. Jennifer made it clear she wasn’t out to starve us, but to help us make better, healthier decisions about food.
She helped me set some realistic daily, weekly and overall goals. She made some wonderful suggestions on how to keep foods I like in my diet.
I left the meeting very confident I can stay with the program and work toward my weight and health goals."

Fitness - April 15, 2008

Another great workout with Jennifer at the helm. This one was really tough on my legs. They felt like lead from about half-way into the workout. As is usually the case, though, I felt really good after the workout. Leanne and Rachel are awesome. They have accomplished so much and they inspire me to try and keep up.

Fitness - April 10, 2008

It was rough getting back with Peter after missing two workouts. I had tried to work out on my own, but I just can't push myself as hard as Peter can. He warned us this workout would be a tough one, and it was. We did some new and different exercises and lot of running. My lack of coordination really showed today. I'm sore all over.

Fitness - April 1, 2008

It was great having the whole team together. Even peter and Jennifer were both there today and Lauren from the Herald came, too. Did a lot of running today and my shins held up pretty well.  I was exhausted by the end, though.  We also had the weigh-in for April today. I did better than I expected so it eased the pain a little from the workout.

Fitness - March 27, 2008

Peter was back and it was like we didn't miss a beat. He pushed us with the resistance straps until we couldn't do any more. He had us doing all sorts of different things, including some new abdominal exercises I had a lot of trouble with. He sure knows how to work every part of your body. (The shins are killing me today).

Fitness - March 25, 2008

Jennifer did a great job as usual filling in for Peter. There was no let-up as she kept us moving from start to finish.  Running uphill backwards is a killer.  I can definitely feel progress, as the workouts are becoming more intense.

Fitness - March 20, 2008

Today's workout was really intense. We missed Leanne but we worked our tails off. We did some new exercises along with running and dogsleds. I think having a reporter and photographer there from the Herald brought out the best in us. I was REALLY, REALLY sore after this one.

Fitness - March 18, 2008

It was great having Leanne back with us today. It's so much better when the whole team is together. Peter couldn't make it, but Jennifer kept us moving and motivated. She really mixed things up well, from running to tricep dips and all kinds of other exercises. Great job!

Fitness - March 6th, 2008

It seemed cold out at the start of this workout, but by 30 seconds in, I wasn’t cold anymore. We did a full loop around Boston Common for our warm-up (some running, some walking). We did some different exercises, but worked our legs quite a bit and my shins were killing me again. We did workout a little by ourselves after Peter left, and Rachel and Leanne both looked comfortable in the taskmaster role. I guess this is a good start to learning how to motivate ourselves when we no longer have a trainer to lean on.

Fitness - February 28th, 2008

This time Jennifer couldn’t make the workout, but Peter kept us running. It’s great to see that we’re making progress. We all can run better and further than a few weeks ago. Again, the running and the exercises we did today really aggravated my shins. I was in lots of pain by the end of the workout. I hope I can get them healed by next week’s workouts.

Work Out - February 26th, 2008

Peter wasn’t able to attend this workout, but Jennifer did an admirable job filling in as our motivator. We did lots of running and leg exercises. My legs felt like lead and my shins were paining me. I had trouble making it up the stairs when I got back to work.

Fitness - February 12th, 2008

Group workout/Boston Common 2/12/08- We had another great workout with Peter today. He really is creative so we were doing different exercises than in previous workouts, and working different muscles. I did a little better with the running and jogging today than last time. I think the walking I’m doing for cardio is really helping me. Rachel and Leanne were both great today. Jennifer and Ryan, too. Everyone is so supportive it helps a lot. I’m feeling so much better physically and also feeling better about myself. Even though the workouts are tough, I’m starting to really look forward to them (scary).

Fitness - January 31st, 2008

"Our first group workout with Peter was a lot tougher than I expected.
Silly me. I thought we would ease into the program.
NOT!!
I ran out of wind and ran out of energy. I felt like I couldn’t go any further.
I really felt how out of shape I am.
Strangely enough, at the same time, I felt a sense of accomplishment and could tell that Peter was going to make sure he pushed us enough to get the maximum benefit of the program.
I know I have to give my best effort if I want to meet my goals."

Fridge Makeover - February 11th, 2008

The 'fridge makeover' was fun. Jennifer came to the house with photographer and videographer. I think she was surprised that we had done a lot of healthy shopping. I thought I had done pretty well, but Jennifer showed me that there’s always more to learn. Some of the items she brought looked great. I tried the All-Bran crackers and they were amazing. My wife Amelia participated and we both learned about some new foods and new label tips. This was another positive step in the direction of meeting my program goals.
Thanks!

Healthy Cooking Class - March 5th, 2008

The healthy cooking class today at Rialto restaurant was incredible. Unfortunately, Rachel wasn’t able to make it and we missed her. Chef Jody Adams gave us recipes for three variations of stuffed eggplant. Leanne, Jennifer and I each got to prepare one of the recipes under Jody’s supervision. Everyone at the restaurant was so friendly and helpful. Jody was patient with us as we stumbled through our recipes. At the end we got to taste each dish and even got to try some recommended wine pairings. I liked Leanne’s version with pasta and pesto the best. It was an awesome experience!

Yoga - April 10, 2008

Yoga & Relaxation Class 4/10/2008 - I was very nervous about the Yoga class with Marcia. I knew NOTHING about Yoga before the class. Marcia was great. She took the time to explain everything before we tried it.  She also let us know that there are levels of Yoga for everyone, from the fit to the unfit and every level in between. I was surprised at how much of a challenge it could be. I was sore after the class. I'd definitely like to try it again.

Style Makeover blog coming in May!