After last weekend's four-day food binge, more commonly known as Thanksgiving, I returned back to classes feeling a few pounds heavier. They say that you are what you eat, and after a few too many slices of pumpkin pie I was beginning to worry that without any immediate action I was going to start resembling a pumpkin. As we all know, returning home for Thanksgiving means that you are going to be consuming at least twice the amount of food you would on your student budget at university.
As per usual, I ate myself into unconsciousness three of the four nights I was home. Some people would call this a food coma, a state wherein you have consumed so much food you literally cannot do anything but sit on the couch and watch television. As a result of the three such food comas over the Thanksgiving weekend, my first priority upon returning to school was hitting the gym and ridding my body of the pounds of sugar, butter and stuffing I had consumed over the last four days.
When I returned Monday evening however, the gym was closed so my plans were postponed until the next morning. Tuesday, after a decent workout, I left the gym still feeling bloated and in danger of rolling back down the hill to my apartment. It was then that I decided activity slightly more rigorous and challenging than forty-five minutes on the treadmill and some sit-ups was needed. It was time for Boot Camp.
Boot Camp classes at McGill are offered every Wednesday night in the Aerobics room from 6:00 to 6:55 pm. Part of the Pay-As-You-Go fitness program, the classes are open to all McGill students. Accompanied by a friend, who was also suffering from post-Thanksgiving pumpkin shape syndrome, I arrived right before the class started. The room was packed full of girls all with a wide variety of equipment set up in front of them. After quickly assembling our own stations, that included exercise balls, weights, resistance bands and aerobic steps, the class got started.
We began with a standard warm-up of lunges, punches, and stretches after which things started speeding up. During the basic aerobic routines however it became very clear that the class was overbooked for the evening. Apparently I wasn't the only one hoping to sweat off a little excess turkey. That so many people were there, however, made it difficult to fully execute some of the kicks and cross-body punches for fear of knocking out the brunette beside me.
In spite of the lack of space, the class definitely got me sweating. In fact I was sweating so much I was excessively thankful that no cute boys were there to see me, the sweating pumpkin, kicking, punching and doing obscure abdominal exercises on a giant purple bouncy ball.
Notwithstanding the balanced combination of cardio and muscle toning exercises, which overall provided a reasonable workout, I don't think that Martlet Girl will be returning to Boot Camp anytime soon. I was under the impression from the name of the class that I would be under the supervision of some muscular and intimidating army officer, breathing down my neck demanding that I work harder and faster. This Boot Camp class, however, turned out to be more like an aerobic dance class that incorporated exercises on the ground, on the purple bouncy ball and with weights, under the direction of a fellow student. I cannot deny that it was enjoyable, however, and a great way to satisfy my daily need for exercise and time with a friend, but I believe less chance of injuring myself on a treadmill than in a congested room of girls, large bouncy balls, a variety of weights and limbs flailing left, right and centre.
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