A Week at PFC Fitness Camp: Day 5 with Maxine

Written By Maxine Tatlonghari • 4 min read

My last workout day of my fitness vacay! It has been hard, humbling AND fun, educational and really eye opening.

6:30 a.m. The dreaded Double Peaks Hike: One thing I have always known is that I’m not the fastest car in the lot. It always made me dislike running, hiking etc. because I always feel like people have to wait for me. However, one thing I have learned about myself here at camp is that I may not be the fastest – but I am consistent.

I’m like the turtle, and I will just keep going until I get there. I also have a “2nd gear” that kicks in midway. I think that may mean that I have more stamina than I thought. At any rate, this was a killer hike, all uphill, but it is blessedly short. People completed it anywhere between 21 minutes and 55 minutes. I came in at 42 minutes!

8:30 a.m. Breakfast: Egg and veggie scramble, a corn tortilla and guacamole. This was such a treat!

10:00 a.m. Flex Friday: The theory behind this class is that you work with Wendy, the Fitness Director, and create a strength training program based on the principles of Push, Pull, Legs and Core.

12:00 p.m. Lunch: There was a great “ceremony” called Kumbaya, where we all receive our camp nick names, and a certificate of completion. I was named “Take it to the Max – ine” 🙂 Also, a Queen or King for the Week is crowned (yes, there is a crown). Last week, it went to Carole, a 60 year plus young powerhouse of a woman who is such a cheerleader and leads by example.
She told the story of how a camper inspired her last week when he was throwing up going up the Double Peaks Hike due to exertion and dehydration. When she stopped to help him, he simply said, “Next week we’ll be better.” That camper was Leo – and it was soooo touching when Carole passed her torch on to him.

12:45 p.m. Healthy Grocery Shopping Tour: Six of us piled up in a mini van, and Jessica took us to Sprouts. She explained that they have a philosophy of sourcing healthier options (i.e. no high fructose corn syrup, No MSG, etc.) which makes the whole process easier. These were my top 5 favorite items from the tour that I would like to incorporate into my life:

• Orgain – I mentioned it before but this Organic protein powder is really yummy.
• Alive! Vitamins – This comes in a liquid form and I hate swallowing pills so the option to throw it in your morning shake is super appealing to me.
• Jorrow Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils to cook with in large part due to its high smoke point but I don’t always love everything tasting like coconut. This option is flavorless.
• Arctic Zero Ice Cream – Since my normal fave contains over 600 calories for a small container and this one contains 150, I am definitely open to trying this frozen treat.
• La Tortilla Low Carb tortillas – They taste almost the same to me, so what’s the point of the extra carbs?

2:45 p.m. Energy Snack: We had a protein bar. Jessica isn’t necessarily a fan of these if “real food” is available, but they will do in a pinch and she recommends we limit them to one a week due to an often high sugar content. She told us to try and keep our added sugars under 7 grams per bar. I tried the Jalapeno flavor, and I like this combo of salty, sweet and hot.

3:15 p.m. Tabata: My last PFC Workout! This class was led by Wendy and Kandice. Here is a video of them showing us how to do Star Jacks. Don’t worry! They always show modifications, so I opted for half jacks. The theory in this class was 4 circuits, 3 times through. You do 20 seconds at the highest intensity you can muster, and then 10 seconds to transition to your next exercise. It’s intense but only lasts 20 minutes or so. This training reminds me of Boot Camp, so I liked it.

4:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. WEIGHT LOSS SPA TIME: As PFC campers, we receive a free pass to enjoy the pool and Roman showers, jacuzzis and saunas. I was finally able to book a massage and was set up for 7:00 p.m., deep tissue with Kristen. It was amazing. I usually tell people I like my pressure Medium +. I want it to be relaxing but also therapeutic. Getting the lactic acid out of your muscles and just taking your stress levels down is as important to overall health as diet and exercise.

Fit Tip of the Day: Shop Smart! Jessica had so many great tips and easy hacks when you are time crunched and I felt a little more empowered in the Nutrition Area. I don’t cook, so this aspect can be overwhelming to me. I wish Jessica was here to hold my hand.