Dinner time!

Possibly not the healthiest dinner in the world, but left over stew and dumplings is just what i needed tonight! Am posting this here after someone made a comment about me updating stuff here... Been a bit lax recently!

2009-11-24

Day 2 of the week, day 2 of going to the gym before work...

Treadmill - 2mins sprint, 1min recovery x 3 - got up to 13km/h again, but actually nearly passed out. Oops.
Upright bike - 3 mins at 75rpm, 3 mins at 85rpm.

Abs:

SB crunch x 12

Side SB x 12 each side

bicycle crunch x 12

side plank 30 seconds each side

bicycle crunch x 12

Bit of a random workout today, but I've had worse!

2009-11-23

Today should have been my dad's birthday... I figured I'd commemorate it by actually getting up out of my pit and going to the gym before work!

After my warm-up I did the upper body section of my new program...

Stability Ball Single Arm Row 6kg x 15 each side
Stability Ball Chest Flye 2x5kg x 15
Step Press Up & Rotate x 15
Tricep Dips x 15 (first set only)
Stability ball tricep extensions 2x4kg x 15 (because the tricep dips were hurting my wrist again)
3 sets

And then for some HIIT...

Treadmill - 2min sprint, 1 min recovery x 3. Got up to 13km/h this time, though did feel a bit dizzy at the end. There is NO aircon in that place at the moment!

I also did Body Balance at lunch time, which was good but painful - as it should be!

Sunday 2009-11-22

I know I'm meant to do a weigh-in etc on a Sunday morning, and haven't for ages... Suffice to say I've put on weight and inches and everything else. What can I say, stress drives me to chocolate, and I've been exceptionally stressed recently.

I went to the gym this morning and tried out part of my new program...

Overhead Squats x 15
Overhead Static Lunges x 15 each leg
Hip Flexor stretches etc

BOSU Squat and Shoulder Press 2x3kg x 15
Single Leg Stability Ball Lunge x 15 each leg
Athletic Step-Backs, 2x3kg x 15 each leg
Ball Pull Over 8kg x 15
3 sets

Treadmill - 2 minutes fast, 1 minute recovery x 3 (got up to 13km/h this time!)

Stability Ball hyper-extended crunch x 15
Side Jacknife x 15
2 sets

I didn't stick exactly to the new program, just did the lower body circuit. I didn't really have time to do the rest as I had to get to work. I like it though, and think I could probably stand to up some of my weights - though I think I'll wait and see how sore I am in the morning!

Am hoping to go again in the morning to do the upper body circuit and some cardio before work.

I won't see my trainer now until February, so am thinking I'll alternate between the new program(s) and my most recent old one, which I enjoyed. And I'll keep doing the HIIT cardio because it's quicker, and hurts so I figure it must be doing me some good. I'll try and get around to doing weight and measurements etc at some point as well, need to get started back on sorting myself out...

Friday 2009-11-20

I had a PT session today. My trainer is pregnant and going on maternity leave, so she's given me an exercise program to last me a couple of months, until she is back...

Warm up:
Overhead squat with weighted bar
Overhead lunges with weighted bar
Leg swings
Hip flexor stretch
Wall hamstring stretch
3x15 second knee push

Circuit 1: Lower Body
BOSU Squat and Shoulder Press, 2x3kg x 15
Single Leg Stability Ball Lunge x 15 each leg
Athletic step-backs x 15 each leg
Ball Pull over 8kg x 15

Cardio
Upright Bike, 6 minutes at speed over 85rpm
Treadmill, 8 minutes building up speed

Circuit 2: Upper Body
Stability Ball Single Arm Row 6kg x 15 each side
Stability Ball Chest Flye 2x5kg x 15
Step Press Up & Rotate x 15
Tricep Dips x 15

Abs
Bicycle crunches x 20
Side Plank 30 seconds each side

We did a quick run-through today, one set of each exercise and no cardio... The idea is that I can split the program and do upper body one day and lower the next, or do just one big workout.
I also have a cardio program to do all together...

Upright Bike: 14 minutes
Warm up - 3 mins at 75rpm then 3 mins at 85rpm
6 mins alternating: 1min 100rpm, 1 min 80rpm
2 mins recovery 70rpm

Treadmill - 1.6km as quickly as possible

Cross Trainer: 12 minutes
Program 3, level 5, speed over 120spm (I think program 3 is an interval one but not checked yet)

Step & Row combo:
Row 500m as quickly as possible
1 minute rest
1 minute step jump-overs (like in the last pogram)
1 minute rest
2 sets

Reclining Bike
Easy ride for 6- minutes


I have a sneaky suspicion this lady may be trying to kill me!
Still, it'll keep me occupied. Am feeling more motivated now...

Monday 2009-11-16

I've not been to the gym much this month... had lots going on and just not been in the mood.
I went back today and did Body Balance, which was nice and relaxing. Hopefully I can get back into it properly soon.

Monday 2009-11-09

I actually managed to get to the gym before work this morning, which was pretty good...

squats x 10
leg swings

MB Step jump-over x 15 (3 raisers)
BOSU alternating row 2x10kg x 12 (cable thingy was being used again)
3 sets

Treadmill 2 minute sprint, 1 minute recovery x 3 - got up to 12.5km/h. Difficult when the aircon unit above you is blowing hot air into your face!

Plate slide & push up x 12
Stability ball alternating flye 2x7kg x 12 (one set only - lat machine in use)
Single leg pull down x12 (20kg first set, then 15kg)

I skipped the rowing because I didn't have time before work.

I did go to Body Balance at lunch though, which was good. Nice and relaxing, but painful at the same time!

Sunday 20091108

I dragged myself to the gym this morning, despite feeling a bit rubbish...

Cross trainer 1-minute sprint intervals, 6 minutes at level 5
Stepper, interval program (3) 8 minutes at level 6

Abs:

Stability ball extension crunch x 12
Side jacknife x 12
Stability ball side raises x 12 each side
3 sets

Saturday 20091107

Body Pump this morning. I've not done it for ages, and felt pretty ropey but I figured I should push myself any way...

Warm up 10kg
Squats 22.5kg
Chest 10kg (and push ups)
Glutes, back & hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 5kg
Biceps 5kg
Lunges 10kg
Shoulders 10kg (and 2x3kg for side raises etc)
Abs 5kg

The instructor had me come out to the front to demonstrate the abs track, which meant I worked a lot harder - I'm normally shaky and sore by the time we get to the abs, and I give up on trying to hold the weight above my head. Not today though!

Friday 20091106

I had a PT appointment today. I've had a pretty horrific week, and I think my trainer could see I wasn't in the mood for a beasting.
After I'd done a warm-up of 7 minutes on the stepper, we did some TRX - first squats, then lunges pulling myself up with the TRX, then adding in a jump at the top and stuff. And then some abs stuff. It wasn't too taxing, but I felt better when I'd finished.

Tuesday 20091103

I was going to the gym this morning, but I didn't get there. I did a home workout instead...

Push up x 12
Negative chin-ups, x4 wide, x4 narrow
Body row x 12
Elbow-knee twist x 12
3 sets

Monday 2009-11-02

So after my hectic (drunk) weekend, I went back to work today. My stomach is playing up, so I've been eating badly. It's a vicious circle - I eat like crap so I feel sick, and then I feel sick and only fancy eating crap food. Which makes me feel worse. Durr.
Any way I dragged myself to Body Balance and felt a lot better afterwards.
I was due to go to Pump after work, but I felt a bit ropey, and with it being so dark in the evenings I don't want to be wandering home at 7pm because the path to where I live is a bit poorly-lit and deserted after a certain time. So I came home and did the Mel B fitness dvd which came from my Love Film subscription the other day. I know what you're thinking - another celebrity fitness dvd filled with marching on the spot and unobtainable skinny physiques. Not so! For one thing she doesn't have a trainer doing the work for her - she does all the instructing herself. And gets hot and sweaty and out of breath and generally works quite hard. You can set up what you want to do from the menu sequence at the beginning - you choose from cardio, legs, stomach and arms I think. I chose warm up, cardio, arms, stomach and cool-down. It was actually really tough and I'm fairly sure my arms and back are going to be sore tomorrow!

Am getting up in the morning to go to the gym before work, as I can't do LBT in the evening.
I think with the evenings being darker I'm going to have to stop planning to do evening classes and only do them on evenings when I can get a lift home or something. I can do mornings and lunchtimes instead, or run or do a dvd in the evenings. That Mel B one is actually pretty good, I might see about getting myself a copy of it!

Friday 30th

Felt really knackered when my alarm went off this morning, but I dragged myself to the gym any way, and did feel better for it.

squats
lunge & floor touch

scoop & lift x 6
elbow-knee twist x 12

MB Step jump-overs x 15
BOSU alternating row 2x8kg x 12 (someone was using the cable thingie)
3 sets

Treadmill - 2 minutes fast, 1 minute off x 3 (highest was 11km/h)

Single leg pull down x 12 (2 sets at 20kg, 1 at 15kg)
Plate slide & push up x 12 (I used a weighted ball rather than plate - harder to control!)
3 sets

300m row at level 8 (times: 1:16 and 1:20)
20 crunches
2 sets (my arms were burning too much for the last set!)

Thursday 29th

Gym before work 2 days in a row - go team!

Treadmill - 2minutes fast, 1 minute rest - total 8 minutes (6 mins running)
Stepper - interval program (3) 8 minutes level 7

No time for abs because I was up late.
Late start at work tomorrow so am hoping to go in and do my program properly...

Wednesday 28th

Since the clocks went back it's been a little lighter in the mornings, so I forced myself up and out to the gym this morning...

MB Step jump-overs x 15
Ball lunge & single arm row  7.5kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Single leg pull-down x 8 each side 20kg for first set, then 15kg
Plate slide & push up x 12 (full push up for first set, then knees)
3 sets

Scoop & ctunch x 6
Elbow-knee twist x 12
side jacknife x 12
3 sets

I skipped the cardio part of my program today because I thought I'd make Spin class at lunch. As it was I missed Spin because of a meeting at work. So I came home and did a little circuit-type thingy...

Chin-ups negative reps with varying hand positions, count of 5 down x4
Body row x 12
Full push up x 12
Crunch x 12
Crunch with legs to one side x 12 each side
Reverse crunch x 12
3 sets

Am planning to get up in the morning and go to the gym for some cardio before work; I doubt I'll be able to do anything afterwards though as am helping out with some furniture moving at work.

Tuesday 27th

 I was meant to go to LBT tonight, but haven't made it. I spent a large chunk of today visiting the local Air Force base, and knew that if I went to the gym I wouldn't have time to make lunches and dinners for the rest of the week. So I went for a run and did some stuff at home instead...

Short run - to the Steps of Doom and back. 3 times up the steps, as I've not done them in a while, and wanted to be able to move for tomorrow's sessions. Did run most of the way back though, which is unusual for me - I usually give up and walk back!

I did some pull-up work on my door gym thing, a set of 12 full press-ups and some abs...

Elbow-knee twist x 12
Crunches x 12
Reverse crunch x 12
3 sets

To get into the RAF the fitness test requires full sit-ups and full press-ups. I'm monumentally rubbish at both, so I need to practise this. Am going to try and do press-ups every day, and work my way up. Although you only need to do 12 in about 2 minutes or something to pass the fitness test, if I turned up to Officer training only able to do the bare minimum I'd be in for "a real beasting" apparently.

Once I'm getting somewhere with the push-ups, I'll start on the sit-ups. I need to find somewhere in the house to anchor my feet though!

Monday 26th

Day off work today, so I did my best to try and tidy the house up a bit. Ok well I didn't do my best, I half-assed it whilst watching far too much TV. I think I need to get rid of my TV. Any way I went to the gym around lunch time, so that I could do some cardio before the Body Balance class...

Treadmill: 2 minutes run, 1 minute rest x 3 - got up to 12.5km/h and thought I might fall off the back!
Stepper: Interval program (5), 8 minutes at level 7

crunches x 12
Elbow-knee twist x 12
Plank 3 seconds then 10 seconds with each foot off the floor
3 sets

And then I had a few minutes spare before my class started, so I went back to the treamill...

Treadmill: 2 minutes run, 1 minute rest x 3 (cut the last set short as I had to get to my class!)

And then Body Balance, which was difficult but I think I'm starting to get the hang of this new release.

Sunday 25th

Despite spending most of yesterday feeling rough (I came home from work a couple of hours early, despite being paid double time!) I decided to still go to the gym this morning. I'm basically in denial about being a bit poorly. I figure if I just ignore it and carry on going to the gym I can force whatever it is to bugger off from whence it came.

MB Step jump overs x 15 (3 raisers)
Ball lunge & single arm row 6.25kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Treadmill: 2 mins running, 1 minute rest x 3. Managed to get the speed up to 12km/h but I know I should be going faster than that really.

Single leg pull-down x8 each side - 20kg for first set, then 15kg
Plate slide & press up x 12 (half of first set with full push-ups, then knees)
3 sets

I skipped the rowing because I still felt pretty ropey. Am hoping to do some abs stuff this afternoon/evening. Tomorrow as I'm off work I'm going to do some cardio before Balance, and probably swim afterwards too. Might try the treadmill part of this program for a longer time or something..

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Ok, here we go. Second time with all the extra measurements...

Weight 141 lbs (1 pound off!)
Chest 35.5" (1 inch off... think I may have measured this wrongly - I'm not lucky enough for my chest to have shrunk!)
Waist 1 (2"above navel) 31" (same as last week)
Waist 2 (at navel) 32" (same)
Waist 3 (2" below navel) 36" (half an inch on - again, may be dodgy measuring on my part - I hope!)
Hips 36.5 (1 inch off)
Thigh 1 (2" above top of kneecap) 16" (half an inch off)
Thigh 2 (4" above top of kneecap) 17" (1 inch off)
Thigh 3 (6" above top of kneecap) 20.5" (half an inch on)
Calf at widest point 13.5"
Bicep 11"
Forearm 9.5" (half an inch on - think that's all the rowing!)

So all in all... ok. I think I need to be more precise with my measuring, ie not standing in a badly lit room, half asleep and not sure what I'm doing! But I'm happy with this, I've lost a little weight, some of my measurements have gone down. I'll be really impressed if my chest has shrunk! I'd be happier if I could take a little off my waist, that can be my goal for this week.

The food has been a little better this week. Am still eating too much junk, but I've started eating Dorset Cereals muesli-type stuff for breakfast in the mornings, which has stopped me from spending the rest of the morning grazing on junk so that's handy. I'm off work now until Wednesday, ironically when I'm off work my eating is usually a lot worse so my main aim is to eat sensible meals and not pig out on junk whilst sitting on my arse doing nothing for the next couple of days!

Friday 23rd

I had a bit of a hectic day today and wasn't able to get to the gym. I did manage to do Level 1 of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred dvd when I got home though. I've had this dvd for ages but not really done much with it, which is daft but just like me. I suppose I thought once I started lifting heavier weights and doing all sorts of mental stuff at the gym, an exercise dvd wouldn't really work me hard enough. Was I ever wrong! Even just doing Level 1 was tough!
Am going to try and do this at least once a week on days when I don't get to the gym, and see if I can make it to Level 2 soon... Beats sitting on my arse watching bad TV doesn't it!

Thursday 22nd

This morning I actually managed to get up and go to the gym! I caught the bus into town though, which was a little lazy. If I'd managed to get up a little earlier I could have walked the long way in. Oh well, maybe next time!

Program:

Ball step jump-overs x 15 (2 raisers)
Ball lunge & single arm row 6.25kg x 12 each side
3 sets
(my friend at the gym was very impressed I didn't fall over with the stability ball lunges. So was I...)

I skipped the treadmill as I wasn't sure I'd have time before work.

Single leg pull down 15kg x 8each side
Plate side & press up x 12
3 sets

300m row (times: 1:17, 1:18, 1:20 - getting better!)
20 crunches
3 sets

As it happened, I could have fit the treadmill section in before work pretty comfortably. Will have to remember this for next time.
I really enjoy this program, it's really quick but works me hard. Am also pleased to see my rowing has improved so quickly (though it still makes me feel like I need medical attention!). Also I think I can probably stand to increase weight in some places...

Wednesday 21st

Well I missed the gym Monday and Tuesday because of work, so I've tried to make up for it a little today.

Spin at lunch today, and it was a really tough one. My legs felt really shaky when I was done, which was good but also a little weird getting back to work!

This evening I've come home and focussed on my abs. First I did a set of hanging leg raises on my pull-up bar, and then I did this "8 Minute Abs" video on YouTube. Man alive, did it hurt! I might start doing that one more often.

Am holding off on doing the usual upper-body exercises this evening, as I'm planning to actually get to the gym in the morning and do my program, which has a fair bit of upper-body work in it.

I think my diet is getting better, in that I'm making an effort not to just spend all morning eating. I'm slowly (begrudgingly) cutting back on the chocolate, and doing my best with the fizzy drinks. I bought a multi-pack of  Dorset Cereals at the weekend, so I've been eating one of those for breakfast with a yogurt, and it's kept me more full through the morning. Between that and being busy at work I've not been snacking like there's no tomorrow. It got to a point there where I would get to lunch time and not be the least bit hungry because I'd been eating all morning! So it seems to be going better. I certainly feel like my stomach is smaller/less bloated the last couple of days. I'm hoping to have lost either weight or inches this weekend when it comes to the dreaded weigh-in...

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Well I've not done one of these for a while, I think it's safe to say I fell off the bandwagon there for a while! I've been a little scared to weigh or measure myself, because I knew it had gone up. But now it's time to just bite the bullet and get back to it.

I read an article a while back that suggested taking more measurements, so that changes in body shape can be seen, and where you might not lose from your waist, you might lose from above or below that point. So here goes...

Weight 142lb (64.4kg)
Chest 36.5"
Waist 1 (2"above navel) 31"
Waist 2 (at navel) 32"
Waist 3 (2" below navel) 35.5"
Hips 37.5"
Thigh 1 (2" above top of kneecap) 16.5"
Thigh 2 (4" above top of kneecap) 18"
Thigh 3 (6" above top of kneecap) 20"
Calf at widest point 13.5"
Bicep 11"
Forearm 9"

So there we are. I've put weight on, and it's gone to the usual places - waist and hips. Oh, the joys of being a woman! Hopefully this time next week I will have some good news to report!

Dinner time!

These are my meals for the week- 3 x beef and bean chilli, 2 x fajita chicken. Now all i need to do is plan my breakfasts and snacks and i'll be laughing!

Sunday afternoon preparations

So these are my lunches for the week... And bowls of peppers ready to be cooked. Am working some evenings this week so the plan is to have meals ready and waiting for when i come home each evening.

Sunday 18th

Gym this morning, and my first run-through of my new program...
Some self-obsessed idiot was in the weights bay checking himself out in the mirror by the cable thingie the whole time I was there, I didn't fancy my chances of dragging himself away from his reflection for long enough to do the single-leg lunges with pull-backs, so I substituted BOSU rows instead, which I was able to do without interrupting his ego session...

Squats x 10
Lunge & floor touch x 10 each side
Windmills
Half lotus stretch

Scoop & lift x 6
Elbow to knee twist x 12

Ball step jump-overs x 15
BOSU alternating dead rows 2x10kg x 12
3 sets

Treadmill - 2 minute jog, 1 minute rest, 3 sets - I managed to get up to 12km/h, but I know I can do better than that. It's just the getting back onto the treamill after the rest that scares me!

Single leg pull-down 15kg x 12
Plate slide and press-up x 12
3 sets (wrist is still sore but I figured I should give it my best shot and managed 3 sets!)

Row 300m at level 8 (times: 1:16.6, 1:23, 1:26)
20 crunches
3 sets

I feel like I worked really hard, by that final row my forearms were burning and my arms still quite hurt. Hopefully I won't be too stiff tomorrow.

Saturday 17th

I woke up early this morning, but decided not to go to Spin before Pump - I had breakfast instead.

I got to the gym early for Pump and did some cardio before the class started...

Cross trainer 5 minutes at level 5
Stepper 5 minutes at level 6

Pump:
Warm up 10kg
Squats 20kg
Chest 10kg and push ups
Glutes, back and hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 5kg and 5kg for overhead extensions at the end
Biceps 5kg
Lunges 10kg
Shoulders 2x3kg for side raises, then press ups, 10kg for bar work (ouch!)
Abs 5kg

When we finished my friends who'd been in the class went back upstairs to the gym to stretch, so I figured since I was there I'd go too and do some more cardio... and some abs for good measure...

Treadmill 5 minutes @10km/h (increased to 11.5for the last minute)
Stepper interval program 5 minutes at level 6

Stability ball side raises x 12 each side
Side Jacknife x 12
2 sets

And then lots of stretching and chatting to my friends. Am feeling pretty pleased with myself, especially the weight I used for the shoulder track since a man in front of me had the same weight as me and seemed to struggle as much as me. Need to push myself more I think!

Am also looking forward to trying out my program in the gym tomorrow, in a sick sort of way. I know it's going to hurt!

Friday 16th

Because I spent my PT session earlier in the week talking and trying to figure out why I'm so lame with all this at the moment, I had another session this morning so that she could give me my new program.

I got to the gym a little early, as the session was relatively late (8:30) so I did some cardio to warm up...

Cross trainer - 5 minutes level 5 (it's really rickety and felt like it was about to fall apart so no sprint intervals!)
Treadmill - 5 minutes running@ 10km/h
Stepper - 5 minutes level 6

And then the session began...

Squats x 10
Lunge & floor touch x 10
Side lunge then rotating lunge x 10 each side (alternating)
Windmills
Half lotus stretch (ouch!)

"scoop & lift" from Body Balance 46 - involves "scooping" your legs under and up, and then crunching to the count of 4. x 4
Elbow to knee twist - again from Body Balance 46 - toes on the floor, then twist to one knee then the other quickly and back down. x 12
Both moves are difficult to explain, but very good!
That's the warm up done.

MB Step Jump overs x 15 (holding ball out in front with one foot on a step, bend down and touch the ball to the step then jump up and over so that the opposite leg is on the step.)
Ball lunge & single arm row, 6.25kg x 12 each side (this one is tricky and involves a lot of balancing. Left foot on the ball, cable from the bottom of the cable thingie in left hand. As you squat with your right leg your left leg and arm extend. Then come back up, bringing the leg in and pulling the arm back into a row. Lots of wobbling involved.)
I only did one set, as we only had a short session to fit it all in. Normally I would do 3

At this point I am meant to get on the treadmill and do 2 minutes at full speed, then jump off for a minute, repeating 3 times. As we were pressed for time I didn't do it this morning, which I am glad about!

Single Leg pulldown 15kg x 8 each side (on the pulldown machine, standing on one leg in a squat position - make it more difficult by increasing the bend in your leg - another one with a lot of balancing involved!)
Plate slide & press up x 12 (start in plank with arms extended,  lift hand and push a plate from one side to the other, then knees down and press up. This is one rep.
I have a sore wrist at the moment so have been given an alternative if it's too painful to put all my weight on one hand - single arm chest flies on a stability ball.
Lots of core work in this program!

Last set:

Row 300 metres (with the difficulty level at 8) - times were 1:18.7 and 1:20
20 crunches with legs at 90 degrees
three sets
I only did this twice this morning and it was killer, but in the kind of way where you know it's doing you good. I left the gym feeling a lot better about things than I have recently.I'm looking forward to doing this program in full on Sunday.

Thursday 15th

I met a friend at lunchtime today, and we did the old Gym Train routine we used to do every Thursday. Well, part of it any way...

Upright Bike: 1.5km, level 4, 3 mins 30
Shoulder press: 15kg x 20, 50 seconds
Chest press: 20kg x 15, 25 seconds (v impressed with myself for this - thought I'd drop it on my face!)
full sit ups x 15 (didn't time this)
Plank 30 seconds
Treadmill: 500m run in 2 mins 55s - I've gotten faster on this, think it's because I'm less scared of pushing the pace a little faster.

We called it a day after that, since we were both a little out of breath from the treadmill!
When I got home this evening I did a little upper-body work on my door gym thingie, mainly the holding myself up and lowering for a count of 5, with different grips each time. Also a set of body rows. And then some abs...

bicycle crunches x 12
doble heel taps x 12
3 sets

Am feeling a little like I might be coming down with something - my neck feels swollen, and every now and then I'll sneeze or cough completely out of the blue, and it'll really hurt! Am hoping if I keep taking my vitamins, eating lots of fruit and vegetables, and more importantly ignore it, it'll go away! Fingers crossed!

Wednesday 14th

I had a PT session this morning, went in early to warm up first.

Cross trainer 1-minute sprint intervals, 6 minutes level 5
Stepper, 6 minutes level 6

I ended up spending my whole PT session discussing where I'm going wrong with my food and everything, I've put on a bit more weight and I'm not sure why. I seem to have stopped making any sort of progress where that side of things is concerned. She's given me loads of tips and things, and is going to email me a bunch of stuff too. Fingers crossed I can get back into things.

I'm having another session on Friday morning to go through my new program. Am hoping that one will inspire me to kick some arse!

Tuesday 13th

Legs Bums and Tums class after work. Man alive, was it tough! The instructor is pregnant and as she's gotten bigger she's not able to do so much... so she just demonstrates the move and leaves us to it for parts of it... which means she doesn't get so tired out... which means we all get pretty sweaty and knackered!

There was lots of bottom ouchiness, and lots of leg ouchines... and come to think of it a lot of tum ouchiness as well! Felt good though!

Monday 12th

Balance at lunch time, it was a new release and it bloody hurt! I think the fact my arms and sides were still really sore from the weekend didn't help with that!

After work I went back for Pump. My wrist is really sore, I think my ganglion is coming back. I still did the push-ups though because I daren't not do them! Also for the shoulder track I was pulled out to the front to demonstrate to everyone else so I couldn't very well just sit there for that part of it!

Warm-up 10kg
Squats 20kg
Chest 10kg
Glutes, Back & Hamstrings 12.5kg
Lunges 10kg (I LOVE the new lunge track!)
Shoulders 2x1.25kg for side raises etc, 5kg for over head press, and the push-ups
half the abs track because the instructor had to leave early.

All in all a pretty good day. Hopefully am on my way back to some sort of a routine where my workouts are concerned!

This week's lunches...

4 salads, one with salmon for tmrw. The 5th pot is tomorrow's breakfast- apple, pineapple, raspberries, yogurt and linseeds. Yum!

Sunday 11th

I forgot to do the "weekly weigh-in" again this morning, my sister was here and we got up in a bit of a rush. That's 3 weeks in a row I've skipped now. I think the honest reason is that I know I've put on weight, and don't want to have to admit it properly! Any way, next week I will definitely do it. Am debating starting from scratch with it, and recording a lot more measurements so that I can see things changing. I read this article the other day that suggested taking 12 or 13 different measurements 3 times a week. I'm not that obsessive though, and at the moment I'm hard put to remember 6 measurements once a week!

Any way, this morning I went back to the gym...

Cross Trainer, 1-minute sprint intervals, 6 minutes level 5
Stepper, 7 minutes level 7

BOSU  alternating dead row 2x10kg x 12
Alternating press ups x 12
Low to high woodchop with a dumbell, 5kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Overhead weight tap with leg extension (first set both legs, other sets alternating) x 12
30 second plank (10 second both feet, then 10 seconds each leg)
3 sets

Jacknife x 12 (first set straight, other sets side to side)
Stability ball side raises x 12 each side
3 sets

I read yesterday that jacknifes are the best exercise for working the lower abs so am going to try and do more of them!
My upper body is pretty stiff and achey now, I'm going to take that as a good sign! Tomorrow I'm back to almost-normal, ie trying to go to every gym session. That means Balance and Pump tomorrow, cardio and LBT Tuesday, PT and Spin Wednesday... and so on. Fingers crossed I make it!

Lunch!

Beef chilli with mung and kidney beans and vegetables. Mmm!

Saturday 10th

Well I'm having a pretty lazy day so far... I got up, wandered to the sofa, and watched a movie from under my duvet. The movie was Fighting, if anyone is interested. It's directed by Dito Montiel, who I think is pretty brilliant. Any way the movie kind of made me want to get up off my ever-widening arse, and do something. I'm feeling really unsociable at the moment, so didn't want to go to the gym. In the end I switched the PC on, and found a bodyweight workout on an email from Turbulence Training. I think it was one from Holly Rigsby, who has a blog called Fit Yummy Mummy. It sounds naff, but there's some good stuff on there. Wow, there are a lot of links in this post!

So this is the workout...

Y squats x 12
Push ups x 10
Prisoner lunges x 10 each side
Mountain climbers (same as sprintees I think) x 30
3 sets

And then some abs (also from Holly Rigsby)
Side plank reach-through x 5 each side
Cross body mountain climber x 16
Weighted side twists with a 4kg weight x 12
3 sets

I need to get my hands on some bigger weights so that I can do more stuff at home in the mornings before work!

I've also been doing some "negative" chin-ups, where you start at the top and lower yourself slowly. I want to increase my upper body strength so I'm doing those with various grips, and also body rows. I try to do something every time I'm home and think about it, as I feel like I had my brother put that bar up in my doorway and I've hardly used it!

Am now listening to a Turbulence Training coaching call, the guy has just mentioned that if you keep a note of what you eat, or take photos, or post it on a blog or whatever, you're x-percentage more likely to succeed with a healthy eating plan.
Every time I see my trainer she hands me a food diary. And every time, I fill in that day, maybe some of the following day... and then I either lose it, or keep telling myself I'll write this down "later" until I'm left trying to remember 3 or 4 days' worth of food and there's no point. I have been posting photos of my food on here - but generally I only post the good stuff, not the chocolate bars or the junk.

Any way today I'm trying out the Eat Stop Eat principal, I think I've mentioned it on here before. The basic idea is that you fast all day and only have your evening meal, and do that however many times a month you feel comfortable. I'm going to try it today and see how I feel. Not too keen on doing too much while I'm not eating, just in case I pass out or something in front of everyone! I did have a bottle of Coke this morning (I know, I know, it's bad bad bad), but so far that's it apart from water. Am going to work for an hour or so in a bit, and will buy some food etc on my way back to cook for tea tonight. The main aim is to eat dinner, then clean my teeth and NOT eat junk all evening! Might even try to fit in another workout this afternoon, if I'm not too delirious from lack of food! Will report back on the whole fasting thing, if anyone has comments/ideas (other than telling me not to do it) feel free to yell!

Wednesday 7th

Another morning where I just couldn't get out of bed in time! Am thinking I'll need to re-think my workout plan if I'm going to keep skipping the morning stuff!

Any way, I went to Spin at lunch. The instructor had noticed my absence from classes this week, so made a point of making it a pretty difficult class. Enjoyed it though.

I'm such an idiot, I know I feel better once I drag myself to the gym and workout, I just don't have the mental strength to get myself out of bed and on my way there! Must. Do. Better.

Tuesday 6th

I was supposed to go for a run this morning, but I slept badly last night and couldn't get out of bed this morning. Plus there was probably a little bit of "eww it's raining and I've not been for a run in ages, it's going to hurt, I don't wanna..." about it.
So any way I got up a little later and did a home workout adapted from GymJunkies...

Started off with a Sun Salutation but my legs are quite stiff and achey from yesterday so it was pretty feeble...

Burpees x 10
Press-up x 12
Burpees x 10
Body Row x 12
2 sets

crunch with pilates ball squeeze x 10 (oblique crunches 10 each side for second set)
weighted side twists 2kg x 10
overhead weight tap with leg extension x 10
3 sets

Then just for good measure I did 12 assisted pull-ups. I'm not getting any better at those though, perhaps I should be doing them more often rather than every now and then when it crosses my mind!

Mmm dinner!

This is what i shall mostly be eating for dinner this week. Am working overtime in the evenings so have made a monster batch of chilli to get me through!

This week's food...

Salads for the rest of the week, chopped onion and veggies ready for a big pot of chilli i'm about to cook. Also a pot of fruit for tomorrow's breakfast, and two smaller pots of berries which i bought reduced so am freezing for smoothies. Back to organised forward-planning mode!

Monday 05 October

Wow. I've had 4 days away from the gym, for various reasons (excuses) and was starting to feel pretty down and rubbish. I had a day off today so I dragged my sorry self in to do my program...

Leg Swings
Lunge & floor touch

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Stability ball plank & toe tap x 12
Stability ball cobra with external rotation 30 seconds x 2
2 sets

Hex bar squats 27.5kg x 8
Squat with side step-up 2x10kg x 12 each side
side jumps over a weight on the floor x 20
2 sets

Stability ball hamstring curls with arms up x 6
hex bar deadlifts 27.5kg x 8
Stability ball back extension with arms extended x 10
2 sets

Alternating dead row 2x10kg x 12
Alternating press ups x 12
Low to high woodchops with dumbell 5kg x 12 each side
2 sets

Overhead weight tap with leg extension 6kg x 12
30 second plank (with one leg lifted for 10 seconds each)
3 sets

Stability ball side raises x 12 each side
Side jacknife x 12
2 sets

I still feel pretty rubbish, not sure if maybe I'm coming down with something. Am going to attempt proper running tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

September - Month-end Round-up

Hmm. Well every month my main aim is to work out more times than there are days in the month.

There are 30 days in September, and I worked out 33 times so that's pretty good.
Having said that, a great deal of those workouts were done in the first half of the month, when I had a week off work and did several extra sessions. The second half of the month I had times when I had 3 or 4 days off in a row which is not good. I need to even that out a bit.

And, as I seem to say at the end of every month (and every week!) my diet has been a bit shocking. The last month or so especially, as I've started eating chocolate and drinking Coke again. Not as much as I was before, but enough that it's not good. I'm also suspicious that this desire to eat crap and lay about under my duvet feeling sorry for myself rather than going to the gym may be down to the contraceptive pill I'm taking.

The shortened version of this story is that I changed my contraceptive pill abut 3 months ago, and since then I've had a couple of rather irritating side effects. When my trainer weighed and measured me in the week I was pretty gutted to find that I'd lost 2% body fat, but still put on weight, and a couple of inches around my waist and hips. I think this may be down to water retention - partially from my diet, and partially from the pill. I also think my diet may be partially down to the pill. Therefore the pill may not be such a great idea. I'm going to give it another month to see if it settles, and if not then it's out.

So for October I will still be on this pill, but I need to be more strict with myself when it comes to eating junk and lazing about. I feel like crap at the moment, really foggy and miserable. I need to try and push past that and go to the gym any way. There are 31 days in October so am aiming for at least 35 workout sessions. And a better diet, of course!

Wednesday 30th

I had a PT session this morning, wasn't sure what she was planning to do with me, so I got there early and did 15 minutes on the cross trainer first.

Then my trainer arrived, and I remembered I was due for a weigh in. Oh dear.

Basically, I've put on 3 pounds since the last time she weighed me, and a couple of inches in the waist/hips region, but my body fat is down 2% to 33% which is good. She thinks the extra weight/inches are partly due to increased muscle, and partly due to water retention caused by a bad diet and a couple of other things. Am currently toying with coming off the pill and all the other junk I'm taking, and just seeing what happens. Would like to think once I stop taking all this crap my body will know how to look after itself and I will lose the water retention etc and therefore weight. Watch this space...

Tuesday 29th

Legs Bums & Tums tonight, and man alive did it ever hurt. It seems to be getting more and more evil as the weeks go on! Not sure what that's about! There was lots of abs work this week as well.

My view on the way home from the gym

How can anyone fail to smile when faced with a view like this! Nothing better than working your muscles to shaking point then walking home surrounded by beautiful scenery!

Monday 28th

Body Balance at lunch time today. Was a bit sore from yesterday but it was ok.
I felt like crap most of the day, and was really knackered in the evening but decided to go to Body Pump any way. It was the new release, I was thinking of doing light weights but figured, since I've had loads of missed sessions and have been generally a bit pants I shouly just suck it up and do it. So I did.

Warm up 10kg
Squats 20kg
Chest 10kg
Glutes, Back & Hamstrings 12.5kg
Lunges 7.5kg
Abs 5kg

ouch ouch ouch! I felt so much better when the class finished though, more awake and alive.

Sunday 27th

Yep, I've really not worked out since Thursday. Like I said before, I've had a crappy week and haven't really been trying.
I think I made up for it this morning though.

Squat & arm raise x 10
Leg swings
Windmills

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Ball plank toe taps x 12
Ball cobra 30 second hold with external rotation
1 set

Hex bar squats 27.5kg x 8
Squat with side step-up and leg raise 2x10kg x 12 each side
Sprintees x 20 (didn't want to risk jumping with the ankle)
3 sets

Stability ball hamstring curls with arms up x 12
Hex bar deadlifts 27.5kg x 8
Stability ball back extension with arms extended x 10
Stability ball roll-out x 12
3 sets

BOSU alternating rows 2x8kg x 12
Alternating press ups x 12
Woodchops with dumbell 1st set with 6kg, then with 5kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Over head weight taps with leg extension 6kg x 12
30 second plank
3 sets

Side jacknife x 12
Stability ball side raises x 12 each side
2 sets

I think I'm supposed to do more than one set of the abs at the beginning of the program but I keep forgetting.
Also I added in a few extra bits to the normal program. I figured I may as well work as hard as I can.

Back to the proper workouts tomorrow, with Balance at lunch and Pump in the evening.

With regard to the weekly weigh-in, I was in a rush to get to the gym when I got up this morning, and didn't realise until I was half way to town that I'd forgotten to do it. I was thinking I might do it tomorrow instead or something but I think I'll just give myself a week off, since I've had a shocking week both food and exercise wise. I'll check back in next week and keep my fingers crossed for a good result!

My house is being invaded by spiders. Good job the vacuum cleaner works or i might have to move out!

Thursday 24th

I dragged myself to the gym this morning, but wasn't really in the mood. Still, I figured I'd give it a go...

Cross trainer 5 minutes level 5
Treadmill 5 minutes@9km/h - this is the first time I've run in a few weeks, my ankle seemed to hold out ok though so am happy!

Stability ball toe taps x 12
Stability ball full crunch x 12
Side jacknife x 12
Stability ball side raises x 12

2 sets

I was planning to do Pilates and Balance in the evening, but didn't make it to either. I've had a pretty crappy week to be honest, shocking diet and really not in the mood for training either.

Tuesday 22nd

I set my alarm as normal this morning. My entire week off I would wake up with all the good intentions in the world, and then end up not getting out of the house for hours. So today I got up early and went straight to the gym...

Cross trainer - 1-minute sprint intervals 8 minutes level 5
Stepper - 7 minutes level 7

Stability ball plank toe taps x 12
Stability ball full crunch x 12
Side jacknife x 12
Stability ball side raises x 12
2 sets

Overhead weight taps with alternating leg extensions, 6kg x 12
Plank for 30 seconds
2 sets

When I was finished I went and spent a few minutes in the steam room, then did some lengths of the pool (16 but it's a tiny pool) before relaxing in the spa pool for about 10 minutes.

I'm just struggling my way through FitDay.com to put my food on there - the only problem is it's all in American. May take some time...

Mmmmmm breakfast!

I LOVE days when i have time to have a proper cooked breakfast at home! Grilled sausages, poached eggs and Heinz beans. Is there anything better?!

Bring pro-active about the poor diet situation

On the advice of Craig Balantyne of Turbulence Training, I've set myself up a FitDay account here.
I've made it public, and intend to do my level best to record as much information as possible on here in the hope that it will make me sort my shit out.

I had an account with Weight Loss Resources before, and it was really good - but there's a subscription fee. Seeing just how much of my daily calorie allowance was taken up by Coke and chocolate seemed to be the only thing that made me realise it was a bad idea. I've not looked too closely at FitDay yet, but I'm hoping it will be the same sort of situation, and give me a bit of a kick start with my diet.

If anyone else has a FitDay account and wants to post a link to it here please feel free. I can't resist a good old nose into what other people are up to!

Monday 21st

I've a day off today, so I went to the gym a little later than normal. I had an appointment this afternoon though, and really didn't want to be hobbling about looking like I'm some sort of wuss - so I didn't want to go all out at the gym.

I've not been to the gym since Wednesday, for no other reason than that I just got a bit lazy. I had a feeling this was going to hurt...

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Ball plank toe touches x 12
Ball cobra 30 second hold with external rotation x 3

Hex bar squats 27.5kg x 8
Squat & side step-up with leg raise 2x10kg x 12 each leg (I cheated on this and only used 3 raisers instead of 4)
Sprintees x 20 (ankle is still gammy)
2 sets

Stability ball hamstring curls with arms extended x 12 (I managed about 80% with arms up I think)
Hex bar deadlifts 27.5kg x 8
Stability ball back extensions with arms extended x 12
2 sets

Alternating dead rows standing on BOSU 2x6kg x 12 (there was someone using the thing I need for body rows)
Step Opp press ups x 12
Low-to-high woodchops 6kg x 12 each side (used a dumbell as someone was using the cable thingie)
2 sets


Overhead weight tap with alternating leg extensions 7kg x 12
Plank 30 seconds
2 sets


I wanted to swim afterwards, but I keep leaving my costume at home. So I just finished up with some stretching. I've a feeling this will hurt tomorrow!
Also having spoken to a friend, I think in future when I don't have much time I should probably do more sets of the same exercises, and just miss out one or two of the tri-sets and leave them for another day. I might start to split my program into the two sets of legs on one day and upper body/abs on another - that way I can fit it in before work on most mornings, and on the days I have more time I can do more sets.


Any way. I was meant to go to Body Pump this evening but I'm really not up for it after running about all day and not really eating properly. So I thought I'd have a scout around on Gym Junkies and find a little workout I could do at home. Most of the workouts on that site are only a few minutes long - but absolutely killer. In the end I sort of bodged together a couple of bits and came up with the following...


Baby Burpees  for 30 seconds
Body rows x 12
Baby Burpees  for 30 seconds
Crunches with a pilates ball between knees x 12
Baby Burpees  for 30 seconds
Assisted chin-ups x 6

I did 2 sets of this, and I really felt it! Baby burpees look easy, hell, they are easy - until you try to do more than about 4 in a row. I was managing about 10-11 per set, though towards the end I was getting a little tired and it went down to 9.
I finished off with some of the stretches from Body Balance in a vague attempt to avoid a lot of stiffness and pain in the morning. I've a feeling my upper body will hurt from this morning's workout as well as what I've just done.
This afternoon's little workout only took about 10 minutes, possibly less. I might try and do it, or different versions of it, in the evenings after work. I'm sure it counts as intervals and therefore fat burning. Might try and stick more to the workouts from the website in future though, as I don't know if mine was very clever!

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Ok so I do this every week, and every week I say my diet has been shite and I need to improve it and blah blah. Well this week my diet has been nothing short of exceptional. I've been eating chocolate, drinking Coke, I had a McDonalds for breakfast one day, pizza for dinner and then breakfast the following morning, croissants, danish pastries... a proper fatty, sugary nightmare.

I've also not been to the gym since Wednesday. I've been really knackered (probably due to the diet), and working in the evenings so just basically chickened out of any sort of exercise other than walking to and from work.

Weight: 139 pounds (63kg)
Waist: 29.5" (75cm) - up by half an inch
Hips: 35.5" (90cm)
Leg: 22" (56cm)
Arm: 11" (27.9cm)
Calf: 13.5" (34cm)


So the only thing that's changed is that my waist has increased by half an inch. That's probably down to all the bread I've been eating.
I've a feeling this week's debauchery may catch up with me on next Sunday's weigh-in. I can only hope that by busting my ass this week I can offset some of the damage.


I really need to get back into doing weekly food diaries and giving them to my trainer, that's the only way I can keep track of what I'm eating, and figure out what's going wrong here.


Am also thinking I might start listening to that Paul McKenna CD, since a lot of the time I'm eating crap when I'm not even hungry. I'm an idiot, I know.

Wednesday 16th

PT session this morning. I arrived a little early and did some cardio, but not enough that it's worth recording.

My trainer was in her usual bubbly mood, and we did a run-through of my program. You know, the horrible one with the hex bar and the pain. Apparently because I've been doing it for 2 weeks it's time the weights and some of the reps went up. Yeah.

Warm-up:
Squat & arm raise
Leg Swings
Windmills
Lunge & floor touch

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Ball plank toe touch x 12
Ball cobra 30 second hold with external rotation

Hex bar squats 27.5kg x 6
Side squat/step-up with leg raise 2x10kg x 12 each side
Sprintees x 20 (can't do ball jumps as I have a gammy ankle)
2 sets

Ball hamstring curls with arms up x 12
Hex bar deadlifts 27.5kg x 6
Stability ball back extension x 20 (now with arms extended)
2 sets

We didn't have time to run through the rest of the program, but she did show me some alternatives to do if the equipemnt I need is in use so that's handy.

I went back at lunch and did spin, which was painful but bloody good fun actually. Left with a big smile on my face!

Poorly foot!

This is my poorly foot after running today. Big Deep Freeze patch! Am spending the evening with my feet up on the sofa...

Tuesday 15th

I had a later start at work this morning so I decided to go for a run - but from the gym, so that I could walk there first and warm my legs up a bit.

Having looked at the route on Map My Run, I only did 4.26km, but it bloody hurt after Pump last night! I really don't think I'm cut out for running at all. It took me about half an hour.
When I got back to the gym I still had some time over, so I did some cardio on the machines...

Stepper - interval program, 10 minutes level 6
Cross trainer - 1-minute sprint intervals, 6 minutes level 5

Then this evening I went back to the gym to do Legs Bums and Tums, which actually hurt so much I was almost sick! Seriously. There was way more leg work than abs, though the abs stuff at the end was pretty hardcore.

I have a PT session tomorrow, I've a nasty feeling it's been 6 weeks since my last weigh-in, and she's going to measure me and find that I've made no progress at all. Fingers crossed for some sort of major weight loss over night!

Monday 14th

Today was my first day back at work after my week off, so I allowed myself a bit of a lie-in. I think it really helped as I actually woke up before my alarm, and felt pretty good.

I did Body Balance at lunch, felt pretty good. I found the shoulder stretch in track 5 really tough, but the rest seemed pretty ok. Now that I've been doing it twice a week for a month or so, I'm really noticing a difference in my flexibility, especially my hamstrings. Until recently I'd never been able to reach my toes when stretching before but I'm getting better and better at it!

After work I went back to the gym for Body Pump. I think the trainer is more than a little bored of the latest release, as she's started doing "pick n mix" classes where she basically just chooses random tracks from previous releases. I think this evening was mainly 53, and it bloody hurt!

Warm up 7.5kg
Squats 22.5kg
Chest 10kg
Glutes, back & hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 3kg for kickbacks, 5kg for French presses at the end (we did 70 for this track)
Biceps 5kg
Lunges 7.5kg

Unfortunately we ran out of time to do shoulders or abs. The instructor is pregnant and has to leave early for ante natal classes at the moment, plus I think we probably started a little late and what have you. I'm not too bothered about skipping those tracks, as I did abs in Balance at lunch, and my shoulders were feeling pretty bad during the earlier tracks. I'm hoping I've not done any serious damage, but the pain wasn't like normal muscle pain. Possibly from something I did yesterday!

Tomorrow I have a late start at work again so am hoping to get up early and go for a run. Then LBT in the evening. Bring it on!

Diet is still a little shocking, I really need to work on that...

This week's food

Am back to work tomorrow so have been in the kitchen making packed lunches, as well as breakfast for tomorrow morning. The two bowls at the front are onion and vegetables ready to be cooked with some mince and other things to be tonight's dinner and hopefully 2 dinners in the week as between late gym classes and overtime i won't be home in time to cook much this week!

Sunday 13th

I go tup early this morning and dragged myself to the gym to avoid the crowds... except I got there to find 3 grunting men in the weights area. Plan backfired. I carried on with the program any way...

Squat & arm raise x 10
Leg swings
Windmills

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Ball plank toe touch x 12
Ball cobra 30 second hold with external rotation x 3

Hex bar squat 25kg x 6
Squat & side step-up with leg raise 2x8kg x 12 each side (3 raisers under step)
Ball side jumps x 20
3 sets

Stability ball hamstring curls (arms raised) x12 - I ended up doing half arms raised and half normal. Ouch!
Hex bar deadlifts 25kg x 6
Stability ball back extension x 12
3 sets

Body row x6
Step Opp press ups (one hand on 2 step raisers, alternating hands) x 12
Low-to-high wood chops6.25kg x 12 each side
2 sets (because someone was using some of the equipment when I came to do my third set... and I ached like a mofo!)

Overhead weigt tap with leg extension x 12 with 5kg
Plank 30-second hold
3sets

This is only my second run-through with the program, it's a little easier... well more familiar any way. I don't like the upper body exercises, as by the time I've finished the lower body stuff and put the hex bar away I feel like I'm about to pass out. The wood-chop thing is really tough and I think I've slightly damaged my shoulder, which is a bit annoying. Am going to see if I can manage to do this again one morning in the week... Fingers crossed...

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Weight: 139 pounds (63kg)
Waist: 29" (73.6cm)
Hips: 35.5" (90cm)
Leg: 22" (56cm)
Arm: 11" (27.9cm)
Calf: 13.5" (34cm)

So basically, no change at all. I'm pretty gutted to be honest. Then again, thinking about the amount of crap  I put away yesterday, I suppose I should be glad none of it went up! I also ate some chocolate this week, which was not a clever idea. I think the problem with taking a week off work and not making proper plans, is that I was just bored and spent a large amount of time watching TV and picking at food one should not pick at!  Perhaps going back to work will cause something to change. I certainly hope so, as I'm a little fed up!

Friday 11th

Today was the last day of my week off. I do feel like I've worked hard, but if I'm honest I've not done that much more than I would normally do in a week. The only difference is that I've probably made it to more classes, rather than just working out on my own.

I did Body Pump this morning. It was with an instructor I don't normally see, as she only does the daytime classes. I find her difficult to follow, probably because 99% of all Pump classes I've ever done have been with the same instructor - so you get used to their ways of saying things. Every instructor seems to say and do things differently, so if you're not used to the way someone works, it can get a little confusing. Add to that the fact we did a really old release of Pump (Body Pump 45 from about 6 years ago!) so nobody was familiar with what was going on. I was right at the back, and the 4 or 5 women I could have hoped to copy clearly had NO idea at all what they were supposed to be doing! Ah well, it was fun, and we did some different things.

Warm up 7.5kg
Squats 22.5kg - most I've ever had in Pump!
Chest - 2x3 dumbells for flys at the beginning, then 10kg bar
Glutes, back & hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 5kg and then a 5kg plate for French Press
Biceps 5kg (included some bicep rows)
Lunges 7.5kg (with some evil calf raises on the steps to begin with)
Shoulders press-ups, then 2x3kg for side deltoid raises and side raises, then 7.5kg for upright rows and presses)
Abs - well by this point nobody had a clue what the instructor was on about, her mic went and we were all flailing about on the floor doing our own thing. Not sure I can really count that as having worked my abs to be honest!

Am thinking I might take a day off the exercise tomorrow, and then hit the gym on Sunday.
I've wimped out of doing my program as much as I had planned - mainly because the hex bar scares me. It's getting it out and putting it away that scares me more than the actual exercises. That and the pain I'll be in afterwads!

Thursday 10th

What a day!
Got up this morning and went for a run. My ankle is a little sore from running the other day - I think I may have damaged it a bit running on uneven ground. So I chickened out of doing a proper run, and instead opted for the "easier option" of interval training on the Steps Of Doom! I managed to run up them 4 times, all the while being watched by a gaggle of mothers who seemed to have congregated at the bottom to have a gossip about god-knows-what. I got a few funny looks on my last trip down the steps when I had to go past them to get home!

In the evening I thought I'd try a pilates class at the gym. It runs directly before the Body Balance class, so I always end up waiting outside the Studio for it to finish, wondering what it's like. So today I did Pilates for an hour, and then Body Balance too. Woop Woop.

Pilates was actually really good, I was so busy concentrating on my postures and breathing and everything else I didn't notice that the hour was nearly up, or that I was working my muscles quite hard. It complemented Body Balance quite nicely as well, and the result was a happy and bouncy bubbles all the way home! I'm going to see if I can fit Pilates into my schedule on a regular basis from now on, I love it!

Wednesday 9th

I had a late start this morning, as I wanted to do the lunchtime spin class at the gym. I still got there early for the class though, so I did some cardio beforehand...

Rowing - 500 metres in 2.13 minutes.
Cross trainer - 5 minutes at level 5

30 minute spin class

Swimming - 24 lengths
I also spent a few minutes in the steam room, and sat in the spa pool for a while before getting changed as well.

I came back to the gym in the evening to do Body Pump. Since I managed most of the tracks with no problems on Monday, I decided I could stand to put my weights up a bit in some places... Plus the class was over-booked so I could only use one bar, and couldn't be bothered to keep changing my weights around!

warm-up 7.5kg
Squats 20kg (!)
Chest 10kg
Glutes, back & hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 5kg plus tricep dips
Biceps 5kg
Lunges 7.5kg
Abs 5kg plate

Weirdly, I put my squats weight up higher than I've ever managed before - and managed the whole track without having to stop or skip any reps. I might put it up again when I go to Friday's class!

All in all a pretty good day - though I did spend a bit too much time sitting about on the sofa, and my lunch was pretty bad. Still need to work on the old diet!

Tuesday 8th

Had real issues motivating myself this morning, in the end I didn't get out of the house until 1pm. I went for a run, about 5k. It took me about 35-40 minutes because it was really hot and... well I'm just lazy and out of practise with the running! That was the first proper run I'd been on since probably about June.

In the evening I went to the gym to do Legs Bums and Tums. I was early, so before heading down to the studio I did:

Stepper, interval program 10 minutes level 6

The usual instructor was off last week, and I was disappointed in the class - it was more like aerobics and not very challenging. When this week's class began I thought the same... for the first 2 minutes! Then my legs started to wail in pain! The usual instructor was back and it bloody hurt! She teaches Body Balance too, and seems to have incorporated some of those moves into this class. Such as standing on one leg, on a step, with your arms in the air, bending over forwards, bending the standing leg... and then doing a series of one-legged squats to tap the lifted toe onto the floor. The whole class hurt, I've a feeling I'll know about it in the morning!

Believe it or not, that's a good thing!

Monday 7th

Well today was my first day off... and I was pretty sore from doing my program yesterday!
My little sis came over in the morning and we watched bad TV before heading to the gym. She's not used my gym before, so we pottered about a bit, did some cardio and then some of the weights machines, before heading down to the studio for Body Balance. Unsurprisingly, it hurt more than usual today, especially the Standing Strength!

After Balance we went in the steam room for a while, then swam, I think we managed about 14 lengths (some using the noodles instead of kicking our legs), and then headed for the spa pool or whatever it's called.

In the evening I was planning to go back to the gym for Body Pump, but I was feeling pretty knackered. I'd almost decided not to go, but then I thought, well you took a week off intending to spend it at the gym, you'd better get there. So I went. It was only a 45 minute class as the instructor had to be somewhere afterwards. It was hard though! I put my weights up for the squats, but oddly I think I could handle putting them up further next time!

Warm up 7.5kg
Squats 17.5kg
Chest 7.5kg (and press ups! Ouch!)
Glutes, Back & Hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 5kg (and tricep dips - ouch again!)
Shoulders 2x3kg, then 7.5kg on the bar afterwards
Abs 5kg

Depending on how much I ache tomorrow I'm not sure if I'll do my program - it's killer! Am planning to do Pump again on Wednesday evening though!

Sunday 6th

Oh good grief, I think I may be broken.

Ok so it's actually not that bad, but I have a feeling I'll feel this in the morning! I did my first run through of my new program today, and I have to say my trainer wasn't joking when she wrote "maximum effort" on the top of the sheet!

Suqat & arm raise x 10
Leg swings
Windmills
Ball balance & hand lifts (this is not part of my program but I want to keep at it)

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Ball plank toe touch x 12
Ball cobra 30 second hold with external rotation x 3
1 set (looking at it, I think I was meant to do 3 sets of this. Oops!)

Hex bar squat 25kg x 6
Squat & side step-up with leg raise 2x8kg x 12 each side (3 raisers under step)
Ball side jumps x 20
3 sets

Stability ball hamstring curls (arms raised) x 12
Hex bar deadlifts 25kg x 12 (just re-read the sheet and I was only meant to do 6, oops)
Stability ball back extension x 12
3 sets

Body row x6
Step Opp press ups (one hand on 2 step raisers, alternating hands) x 12
Low-to-high wood chops6.25kg x 12 each side
2 sets (because my body was shaking all over and I wasn't sure I'd make a third!)

Overhead weigt tap with leg extension x 12 with 5kg
Plank 30-second hold
2 sets

So the moral of the story is, read the sheet carefully before breaking yourself on the exercises! The plan for next time is to do the whole thing, exactly as stated on the sheet. And try not to cry. I'm really impressed with myself I managed to put the hex bar away when I'd finished with it though, there were a couple of blokes in the weights area and I really didn't want to ask them for help dragging a 20kilo bar across the room!

Am going to try and do some yoga/stretching this afternoon, so that I hopefully won't be too sore tomorrow!

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Weight: 139 pounds (63kg)
Waist: 29" (73.6cm)
Hips: 35.5" (90cm)
Leg: 22" (56cm)
Arm: 11" (27.9cm)
Calf: 13.5" (34cm) - half an inch off

So basically no change since last week.
In a way that's good, as I've eaten an awful lot of junk this week (especially in the last couple of days).
In another way it's shite. Why bother doing all the gym work if you can't keep your diet in check?! You can't out-train a bad diet, and I'm walking proof of that!

I'm off work this week so am planning to do more at the gym, and eat healthily. Not being sat at my desk bored all day should help with this!

On the plus side, I am getting more definition in my upper body, especially my shoulders, and am pleased with that.

Thursday 3rd

Was sore across my shoulders this morning after yesterday's session. Am actually surprised not to be more sore if I'm honest!

So I went back to the gym to do a little cardio before work...

Cross trainer 5 minutes level 5
Stepper interval program - 7 minutes - 3 at level 6, 3 at level 7 after my trainer sneaked up behind me and increased the effort level on the machine!
Treadmill interval program - 5 minutes at level 7-8

Stability ball crunches x 12
Stability ball plank toe taps x 12
3 sets

In the evening I went back to the gym for Body Balance, which was a nice end to the day!

Wednesday 2nd

I had a PT session this morning, I wasn't sure if it would happen tho, as I knew she had been ill the last few days. So I got in early and figured I'd do some cardio until she got there, and then if she didn't get there at least I'd had a bit of a workout.

Cross Trainer 1-minute sprint intervals, 8 minutes at level 5
Stepper, interval program, 10 minutes level 6

Then my trainer turned up, and so began the pain...

It was time for a new program, as I'd been doing the old one for a while. I notived on the sheet it said "MAXIMUM EFFORT" at the top, and knew it would be a tough session!

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Ball plank toe taps x 12
Ball cobra 30 second holds with external rotation x 3

Hex bar squats: 25kg x 6 (OMG OUCH!)
Squat/side step-up with leg raise 2x8kg x 12 each leg
Ball side jumps (jumping sideways over a ball) x 20
2 sets

Ball hamstring curls with arms extended upwards x 12
Hex bar deadlifts 25kg x 6
Back extension x 20
1 set

Body row x 6
Low-to-high woodchop, 7.5kg x 6 each side
1 set

I'm meant to do 4 sets of each, but we had to cut it down as I only see her for 30 minutes. I also have another exercise to do in the last tri-set, and some abs to finish with.

Am looking forward to getting stuck into this program, the only thing that worries me is the hex bar, as it weighs 20kg without any weights on it, so getting it out and putting it away will be as much of a challenge as the exercises!

Tuesday 1st September

Start as you mean to go on. In pain and hobbling.

Gym before work this morning, and I thought, well, why not just go ahead and do my program again! Honestly, I've been doing this one to death.

Overhead squats x 10
Overhead lunges x 10 (each side)
Overhead side lunges x 10 (each side)
Windmills
Ball balance with intermitent hand lifting (when I was feeling brave)
Marching Plank


Single leg bench squat 2x10kg x 12 (each side)
Sprint touch back 2x5kg x 20 (each side)
3 sets

Lunge & floor touch with scaption 2x4kg x 12 (each side)
Wall squat shoulder press 2x4kg x 12
3 sets

Reverse BOSU press up x 6
Alternating dead row 2x8kg x 20
3 sets

Plank step ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball crunch with arms up x 12
4 sets

I increased my weights for the Bulgarian squats and sprint touch-backs, but by the time I got to the reverse BOSU press-ups I was flagging, so I halved the sets.
I did an extra set of abs as well, as I had time to spare. I was still half an hour early for work as well!!

After work I finally managed to book in for Legs Bums & Tums. I've not done the class for ages, and the usual instructor wasn't there. In the first five minutes I was actually tempted to sneak out the door as it seemed a bit of a waste of time, but then we started doing squats with leg lifts and all sorts of painful stuff. I think I'll feel it tomorrow!

Am meant to see my PT in the morning, but she's been ill so I don't know if I will. I'll go to the gym any way as I need to keep the momentum. Am toying with the idea of Body Pump after work as well.

This week's lunches

This is my planning for the week- four salads with protein to be added later, fruit for tmrw's breakfast, and cheese... Well if it's already grated in the fridge it just makes things easier doesn't it!

Month-end round-up

I've not done as well as I hoped this month. I've managed to stick to the no chocolate, no Coke rule, and have also given up Irn Bru - but my diet has still been pretty shocking, and I've not worked out as many times as I would have liked.

In August I worked out 25 times and had 10 days off. I think a lot of the days off were due to the overtime I've been doing starting to catch up with me. This month was the worst for extra hours - I did more than in May and June combined. From now on it should hopefully ease off a little, and I should be able to get to the gym more, and not feel so knackered.

Since I was out celebrating a friend's birthday last night, I pretty much wrote off this weekend as being full of bad food and generally a bit messy. I've allowed myself to drink a can of Coke and possibly eat some chocolate, for today only. Tomorrow the ban on Coke and chocolate continues.

In September I need to workout more than in August, start training properly for the Great South, and get my diet back on track.

Sunday 30th

Despite having done Body Pump yesterday, and aching a little this morning, I decided it would be a good idea to go to the gym this morning and do my program...

Overhead squats x 10
Overhead lunges x 10 (each side)
Overhead side lunges x 10 (each side)
Windmills
Ball balance with intermitent hand lifting (when I was feeling brave)


Single leg bench squat 2x9kg x 12 (each side)
Sprint touch back 2x4kg x 20 (each side)
3 sets

Lunge & floor touch with scaption 2x4kg x 12 (each side)
Wall squat shoulder press 2x4kg x 12
3 sets

Reverse BOSU press up x 12
Alternating dead row 2x8kg x 20
3 sets

Plank step ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball crunch with arms up x 12
3 sets

I put my weights up for the squats... only by 1 kilo though! It felt ok so I might go up to 10 next time! I also think I should probably go up on the dead rows and maybe the sprint touch-backs too. No pain no gain, as they say!

Am out for a friend's birthday tonight, not planning to get too drunk but since I drink so rarely these days I'm prepared for the fact it might mean writing off tomorrow in terms of exercise. Still, I'll try and do something if I can.

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Weight: 139 pounds (63kg) - a pound on!
Waist: 29" (73.6cm) - half an inch off
Hips: 35.5" (90cm) - half an inch off
Leg: 22" (56cm) - no change
Arm: 11" (27.9cm) - half an inch off
Calf: 14" (36cm) - no change

How the hell does that work, I've put on weight but still lost inches?! Bloody weird. My diet has been shocking the last few days though, far too much sugar. I'm going to give myself this long weekend to go mental and hopefully get it all out of my system, and then back on the straight and narrow on Tuesday.

I've done more weight sessions this week and hardly any cardio, so the weight increase could be down to my muscles getting more dense and thus weighing more. Who knows with these things though! I'll just keep my fingers crossed for it to go back down next week!

I have next week off work, am hoping to do some sort of "boot camp" type thing on myself, and basically train a lot until I fall over. I've been looking over the timetable for classes at the gym, and might see if I can do a different class every day, as well as my normal gym workouts, and maybe even some swimming if the pool's not too crowded. Fingers crossed. Any way I still have to get through this week first, and hopefully lose weight.

Saturday 29th

Body Pump this morning...

Warm up 7.5kg
Squats 15kg
Chest 7.5kg
Glutes, Back & Hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 3kg for kick-backs, 5kg for overhead extensions
Biceps 5kg
Lunges 7.5kg
Abs 5kg

Bit of a wussy session, I could have used heavier weights for some, especially the squats, but I've not done Pump for a few weeks so I thought I'd give myself a rest.
Might do some more yoga and stretching later...

Thursday 27th

Ok so I just wrote an entire entry and it disappeared on me. Nice.

Gym before work this morning, did my program again - third time in a week! I must be mental...

Overhead squats x 10
Overhead lunges x 10 (each side)
Overhead side lunges x 10 (each side)
Windmills
Ball balance with intermitent hand lifting (when I was feeling brave)


Single leg bench squat 2x8kg x 12 (each side)
Sprint touch back 2x4kg x 20 (each side)
3 sets

Lunge & floor touch with scaption 2x4kg x 12 (each side)
Wall squat shoulder press 2x4kg x 12
3 sets

Press up x 10 (BOSU was in use)
Alternating dead row 2x8kg x 20
3 sets

Plank step ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball crunch with arms up x 12
3 sets

Though I hate to say it, I do think I could stand to increase my weights on most of those exercises now. The only one that really killed was the shoulder press, and I think that's more to do with the scaption lunges in between sets! Perhaps I'll try it next time.

This evening I went back and did Body Balance, it really hurt. There's a pose called frog pose that literally makes me want to cry, and another where you put your legs out in front of you and reach for your toes and every time it makes me feel sick! Oh well, practise makes perfect I'm sure I'll get better. It's bank holiday on Monday so there's no lunch time class, I'll have to try and do some on my own!

Wednesday 26th

Gym before work again today - third day in a row! Go me!

Cross Trainer: 1-minute sprint intervals, 8 minutes at level 5
Stepper: interval program, 10 minutes at level 6

Stability ball crunches with arms up x 12
Stability ball plank/toe tap x 12
3 sets

I was expecting to be sore after yesterday, but I wasn't. My legs felt pretty heavy though, and the cross trainer was really tough this morning!
I've been relying on this cardio workout for a while now, I need to change it up a bit. I should probably vary my ab workouts a bit more as well, but it's hard to engage the imagination before 7am!

I did some yoga when I got home this evening, but not really enough that you could count it as an exercise session. I just went through some of the moves from Body Balance, trying to improve my flexibility a bit. Am looking forward to the class tomorrow evening!

Am concerned as my weight seems to have gone up a bit. I only record my weight on Sundays, but most mornings I have a little hop on the scales and have a look. The last few mornings it's been higher than I would like. I know I've had a bad couple of weeks, I'll be really annoyed if it's waited until now to catch up with me!

Tuesday 25th

I didn't start work til 9 this morning, so I decided to go to the gym and do my program first thing.

Overhead squats x 10
Overhead lunges x 10 (each side)
Overhead side lunges x 10 (each side)
Windmills
Ball balance with intermitent hand lifting (when I was feeling brave)
Plank march x 20

Single leg bench squat 2x8kg x 12 (each side)
Sprint touch back 2x4kg x 20 (each side)
3 sets

Lunge & floor touch with scaption 2x4kg x 12 (each side)
Wall squat shoulder press 2x4kg x 12
3 sets

Reverse BOSU press up x 12
Alternating dead row 2x8kg x 20
3 sets

Plank step ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball crunch with arms up x 12
3 sets


All this took me much less time than it had on Sunday, so with the spare time I had left I did a little cardio...

Stepper - Interval program, 10 minutes level 6

This evening I was hoping to do the Legs Bums and Tums class at the gym, but it was fully booked when I called up to book in at 9am! I decided to give myself a bit of a night off, and came home instead. I've done a little yoga this evening but nothing major so I won't really count it as exercise.

Monday 24th

I knew in advance (for once) that I wouldn't be able to make Body Pump tonight, so I got up early and went to the gym before work instead.

Cross Trainer - 1-minute sprint intervals, 10 minutes level 5
Stepper - Interval program, 7 minutes level 7

Stability ball crunches with arms up x 12
2 sets

Stability ball side raises x 12 each side
1 set (ran out of time!)

I also went back to the gym at lunch for Body Balance. We did a track today we've not done for a while - to do with stretching out the backs of the legs. Man alive, did it ever hurt! I was rubbish at it, when the instructor was telling us to sit on the floor and bend forward to reach our toes I was reaching forwards and managing to touch the air about a foot above my toes! Must work on my flexibility!

This week's food

I seem to have gotten into the habit of posting pictures of my food so i figured i may as well continue! These will be my lunches for the coming week. The suspicious pink stuff is my breakfast for tmrw... Which I've just remembered i did not put spinach into! Oops!

Sunday 23rd

I woke up early this morning, and for a while I toyed with the idea of going back to sleep... Then I slapped myself about the face, got up, and went to the gym.

Overhead Squats x 10
Overhead lunges x 10 (each side)
Overhead side lunges x 10 (each side)
Windmills x 10
hip flexor wall stretch
Ball balance (with attempts to lift hands)

Single leg bench squat 2x8kg x 12 (each side)
Sprint touch back 2x4kg x 20 (each side)
3 sets

Lunge & floor touch with scaption 2x4kg x 12 (each side)
Wall squat shoulder press 2x4kg x 12
3 sets

Reverse BOSU press up x 12
Alternating dead row 2x8kg x 12
3 sets

Plank step-ups x 12 (6 each side)
Ball crunches with arms up x 12
3 sets

Ouch, that's gona hurt tomorrow!

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Weight: 138 pounds (62.5kg) - no change
Waist: 29.5" (75cm) - no change
Hips: 36" (91cm) - no change
Leg: 22" (56cm) - no change
Arm: 11.5" (29cm) - no change
Calf: 14" (36cm)

I've started measuring my calf muscles, I'm ridiculously paranoid about them being massive or something! Am sure they've been quietly growing!

Am dissappointed I've not managed any loss at all this week, but I suppose that's better than a gain! Also I've not been able to get to the gym as much as I'd like, and if I'm honest I've probably slacked off a bit too. I don't know why but my mind is just not in a very healthy place at the moment. It's in a sweet shop gorging itself on E numbers! Every week I do this weekly update thing, and say "it all changes this week, back on the straight and narrow..." and my will power lasts about half an hour before I'm dreaming of cakes and donuts!

On the plus side, I do think I'm getting more definition in my upper body. My shoulders definitely.

Am really going to try hard this week, I'm back to updating my food diaries properly, so hopefully that will help. The ear bashing I'll receive from my trainer if I've eaten too much junk will certainly help!

Breakfast!

I'm getting better with the food. Managed to get up in time to have breakfast at home today!

Thursday 20th

I thought my PT session was at 7 this morning. So I got to the gym at about 6:40am. The showers were still working on and off (the "off" meaning sudden scalding hot water), and I got into a long complaining session in the changing rooms (we're all so pissed off with nothing working in that place!) so I didn't get up to the gym until about 6:55. I got onto the cross trainer, thinking my PT would be here any minute... turned out I was wrong and my appointment was at 7:30. So I did a lot of mucking about, and then a PT session...

Cross trainer 1-minute sprint intervals, 8 minutes at level 5
Stepper 7 minutes at level 6
Reclining bike, 10 minutes at level 4

Overhead squats x 10
overhead lunges x 10 (each side)
overhead side lunges x 10 (each side)
Windmills
Hip flexor wall stretch
Ball balance superman - I can just about lift one hand for a couple of seconds on this one now!
Plank march x 20

Single leg bench squat. 2x8kg x 12 each side (weights up from last time)
Sprint touch back 2x4kg x 20 each side (weights up from last time)

Lunge & floor touch 2x4kg x 12 each side - amended from last time so that now I hold the weight above my head and bring it down in a scaption to touch the floor as I lunge. Ouch! weights up from last time - double ouch!)
Wall squat shoulder press 2x4kg x 12 (weights up from last time)

Reverse BOSU press up x 12
Alternating dead row 2x8kg x 12 (weights up from last time)

Plank step ups x 12
Ball crunches x 12 (arms above head for difficulty)

I only did one set of each (thank god!) as we only had half an hour.

In the evening I went back for an hour Body Balance session. I love the class, but it's on fairly late for me and the last couple of times I've done it I've been at work from 8.30am to 7pm in between, so I just stand at the back like a zombie and make loads of rookie mistakes. Hopefully this will improve!

My dinner looks like cat sick!

I confess, i can't cook for the proverbial toffee. This is why my diet suffers- because i can only cook things that come in a can or a jar with detailed instructions!

Wednesday 19th

Since there was still question over whether the showers at the gym would be working, I decided not to take my chances, and went for a run from home instead.
I did the Steps Of DOOOOOOOOM up the road. I only ran up them 3 times though, as I thought I as going to die. I think I need to get back into practise with the running really, or I stand no chance with the Great South in October!
I think I was out for about half an hour, I ran to the steps but on the way back my legs were a little jellified, so I walked! Man alive, I really am out of practise!

My food has been a little better today... though I did have crisps and a cinnamon danish. Curse those danish pastries, they get me every day!

I've just watched this video on You Tube that I found quite inspiring though. This woman lost shedloads of weight, and tracked her progress through You Tube videos, now she does updates about maintaining her weight, what exercise she does and stuff. Any way so yeah, I figured if she can do it then there's no reason I can't. I just need to be more strict with myself about what I eat. So this evening the plan is to cook a healthy dinner, then sort out something healthy to have as a snack tomorrow so that I don't end up buying crisps or other goodies!

Am not particularly optimistic about the weigh-in on Sunday, as I know I've been pretty bad with my food and have ended up skipping some exercise sessions - some through my own fault and others through situations beyond my control! Still, fingers crossed! I've a PT session in the morning so she's bound to put me through my paces. Then overtime tomorrow evening, and then Body Balance afterwards. I do love Body Balance!