Month-end round up

I think I've done pretty well this month. At the end of June I felt I'd not done enough exercise, my diet was shocking, and I was generally failing.

At the beginning of July I decided not to eat chocolate or drink Coca Cola all month. I've stuck to this. At the beginning it was tough, I had shocking headaches from the withdrawal from Coca Cola (I was drinking loads before!), and was substituting for the chocolate with all sorts of crap. I'm still drinking too many fizzy drinks, but I'm trying to choose the "free" or "zero" options, and have lemonade as much as possible rather than the others. I've taken to drinking a lot of Irn Bru though, which has to stop. I've decided to keep the ban on chocolate and Coca Cola for August as well. Once I've decided I'm not having it, then even when it's put in front of me it doesn't really tempt me. I still have a bowl of foil-wrapped eggs from easter on the side in my living room. I think having the weekly food diaries to hand to my PT has helped - it's made me think twice about what I'm eating and drinking, and also helped me to plan my meals - life is so much easier when you already have the food you need in your fridge!

This month I've worked out 32 times, which I'm pretty pleased about. I took 6 days off, which works out as 1 or 2 days a week, which I guess is acceptable. These were mostly Tuesdays, where I was doing overtime after work and couldn't make it to a Pump class. I think the timetable at the gym has changed now though, so that Pump is on a Monday evening so I should be able to go. This last week has been a slow one, because I knew I had a lot of overtime to get through and didn't want to burn myself out. I ended up working Monday, Tuesday and Friday evenings and am due a long day on 1st August too so need to preserve my energy!

The plan for August is to keep up the momentum. This last week the food diary has been dropped, I don't think my diet has suffered too much (until tonight when I called out for pizza for dinner!) but I'd prefer to be keping track of these things. If I don't write it down I tend to forget I've eaten it, and think I've done well when I've actually been eating junk all day!

August is going to be the month I kick my own ass until it shrinks a bit more!

Thursday 30th

cross trainer 1-min sprint intervals, 8 mins level 5
stepper interval program, 10 mins level 6

stability ball crunch x 12
side jacknife x 12
stability ball side raises x 12
stability ball plank/leg raise x 12
stability ball plank/toe tap x 12
2 sets

Full plank/hand raise x 12

Wednesday 29th

cross trainer 5 minutes level 5
stepper interval program level 6 10 minutes

stability ball full crunch x 12
stability ball side raises x 12
side jacknife x 12
2 sets

stability ball plank leg raise x 12
stability ball plank toe tap x 12
2 sets

full plank/hand lift x 12

Monday 27th

cross trainer 1-min sprint intervals, 8 mins level 5
stepper interval program, 10 mins level 6

stability ball crunch x 12
side jacknife x 12
stability ball side raises x 12
2 sets

stability ball plank/leg raise x 12
stability ball plank/toe tap x 12
2 sets

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Ok...

Weight 139 pounds (63.04kg) - a pound off since last week!
Waist 30.5" (77cm) - same as last week
Hips 36" (91cm) - same as last week
Leg 23" (58cm) - same as last week
Arm 11.5" (29.21cm) - half an inch off from lasy week!

Am reasonably pleased with that. I would have liked to lose more weight, but a pound off is better than a pound on! I think I need to do more work on my abs to lose more off my waist. Also my diet has drastically changed in the last couple of weeks and now I'm starting to see results, hopefully it will continue!

Planning my week...

So this is me organising my week. I'm working most evenings this week so won't have much time to prepare food in the evenings. So I've cooked mince, chicken and sausages for evening meals, made up 4 salads to which i can add protein, and made jelly pots! I am feeling quite pleased with myself right now to be honest! No last minute take aways for me this week!

Saturday 25th

Body Pump this morning. I feel I may have slightly over-done it on the weight training this week, and my legs feel like lumps of lead - so I didn't push myself too hard in this class.

Warm up 7.5kg
Squats 15kg
Chest 7.5kg
Glutes, back & hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 2kg for kickbacks, 5kg for overhead extension
Biceps 5kg
Lunges 7.5kg
Shoulders 2kg for side raises, then 7.5kg for the bar work
Abs 5kg

Actually I think perhaps looking back I only put my weight down on the Squats and Back tracks. Oops. That'll be why my legs don't feel too great!

Friday 24th

Did part of my program this morning. After the pounding my legs took on Wednesday and Thursday I skipped the leg work in the program!

reverse BOSU squats x 20

incline chest press 6+6kg x 12
Split stance low row 10kg x 12 for 2 sets then 7.5kg x 12 for 2 sets
4 sets

Stability ball extension crunch x 12
side jacknife x 12
stability ball side raises x 12 (eah side)
3 sets

cross trainer 1 minute sprint intervals, 6 mins level 5
stepper interval program level 7, 5 mins

... and then Spin at lunch! Poor legs!

Thursday 23rd

PT session this morning. No TRX, instead it was lunge intervals. Legs are all sorts of broken now...

cross trainer 1 min sprint intervals, 8 mins level 5
stepper interval program, 5 mins level 7
reclining bike 6 mins level 5, 4 mins level 3

leg swings
prisoner squats
step-back lunge/floor touch
side lunge/floor touch
windmills

Russian twist with 3kg ball
lunge & twist with 3kg ball
3 sets

wall angel

lunge & throw, lunge & catch with 3kg ball
lunge jumps with 3kg ball wood chop
3 sets

full press up on upturned BOSU x 6
crunches with legs raised x 12
3 sets

Full plank (on hands rather than elbows), lifting alternate hands. Owch!

Wednesday 22nd

Gym before work, decided to do part of my program again (I don't have time before a normal work day to fit in the whole thing).

Reverse BOSU squats x 20
Front/side lunges x 10 each side
Stork Stance x 10 each side

Reverse BOSU squats 8+8kg x 12
BOSU lunges 8+8kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Box jumps, 3 risers x 12
Single leg deadlifts, 14kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Reverse crunch x 12
Straight-leg heel taps x 12 (no rest between exercises)
2 sets


And then also Spin at lunch.

Am seeing my trainer tomorrow morning, we're using the TRX, I am actually really looking forward to it!

Monday 20th

Gym before work this morning:

cross trainer 1 minute sprint intervals - 8 mins level 5
stepper interval program level 6 5 minutes
upright bike level 5 1.5k 3:20

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

And then Body Balance at lunch. Second time with the new release, and man does it ever kill!

Sunday 19th

Gym this morning, did my program again...

Reverse BOSU squats x 20
Front to side lunges x 12 (each leg)
Stork stance

Reverse BOSU squats 8+8kg x 12
BOSU lunges, 8+8kg x 12 (each leg)
4 sets

Box jumps (3 raisers) x 12
Single leg deadlifts, 14kg x 12 (each leg)
4 sets

Incline chest press 6+6kg x 12
Split stance low row 2 sets at 10kg x 12, 2 sets at 7.5kg x 12
4 sets

Reverse crunch x 12
Straight leg heel taps x 12 (no rest between exercises)
4 sets

I attempted the rowing I'm meant to do after the first super-set, but my body was having none of it. It was really hot in the gym today and I felt really shaky and sweaty. Not sure if that's tiredness from all the extra work I've done this week, or something else. Am hoping it's just a work thing! the fact I measured myself before leaving the house - and had lost a couple of inches - really spurred me on to complete my sets even when I felt really rough. I'm inspired to lose more next week!

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

Second weigh-in, here it goes...

Weight - 140lb (63.5kg) - same as last week
Waist - 30.5" (77cm) - 1 inch off from last week!
Hips - 36" (91cm) - 1 inch off from last week!
Right leg - 23" (58cm) - same as last week
Right arm - 12" (30cm) - half an inch off last week!

I'm disappointed in the lack of weight loss, but the inch loss is good! I've been to the gym less this week than last week, but I think I've been working harder. Also I've been more active in the times I've not been at the gym - 3 evenings and 1 whole day of overtime at work, lifting PCs, moving desks and generally running around.
My food has been better this week too I think, less slip-ups. My PT called me on Monday and gave me some useful tips for snacks (the main place I was falling down) and I've been trying to use those where I can. I've still been eating things I shouldn't (sausage rolls, crisps etc), and my fizzy drink consumption is still too high, but I do feel I'm getting better with it.

So the plan is to really push it this week and see if I can actually lose some weight next Sunday!

I'm seeing my PT on Thursday morning I think, and I think this week is 6 weeks since the first time she weighed and measured me, so am interested to see what results we get there. Will report back here!

Friday 17th

Gym before work:

Reverse BOSU squats x 20
Stork stance

Reverse BOSU squats, 8+8kg x 12
BOSU lunges, 8+8kg x 12
3 sets

Single leg deadlifts 14kg x 12 (each leg)
Box jumps (3 risers) x 12
3 sets

Incline chest press 6+6kg x 12
Split stance low row 10kg x 12 for 2 sets, then 7.5kg for 2 sets
4 sets

Reverse crunch x 12
Straight leg heel taps x 12 (no rest between exercises)
4 sets

more balancing on the swiss ball

Thursday 16th

Gym before work:

cross trainer 1 minute sprint intervals - 6 mins
stepper interval program 5 mins level 6
upright bike 1.5k level 5, 3:20 (this is from the Gym Train program, I do parts of it sometimes to see if I can beat my times. Didn't manage it this time tho!)

Wednesday 15th

Gym before work:

reverse BOSU squats x 20
stork stance

incline chest press x 12 (4+4kg for 2 sets then 6+6kg for 1)
split stance low row x 12, 7.5kg
3 sets

criss-cross abs x 4 sets of 12

rowing machine 1000 meters, 4:51.4 (took a tenth of a second off my time there)

reverse crunch x 12
straight leg heel taps x 12
2 sets

Spin at lunch

Monday 13th

I went to the gym before work this morning, feeling very pleased with myself. I also managed to do quite a bit of balancing, before 7am, and there were no casualties!
Plus a lady I see there in the mornings came past me to put her weights away and said "you're so skinny, you've lost lots of weight the last few months. I saw you from behind on a machine the other day and didn't realise it was you!" So that pretty much made my year.

Warm up:
Reverse BOSU squats x 20 (no weight)
Stability ball balancing for a few minutes.

Reverse BOSU squats, 8kg x 2, x 12
BOSU lunges, 8kg x 2, x 12 (each side)
3 sets of this

Box jumps (3 risers) x 12
Single leg dead lifts, 12kg, x 12 (each side)
3 sets of this

This is as much of my program as I managed this morning, before having to rush off and get ready for work. Time was not helped by stopping to chat to people, or having to be at work 15 minutes early in order to take a longer lunch for Body Balance.

Did Body Balance at lunch time, my first time with the new release (45 I think) and it was really difficult. My hips felt like they were actually burning, and there was a nasty thing called Frog Pose at the end which nearly made me cry. May need to speak to the instructor about that, as I may have been doing it wrong!

This afternoon I had a call from my trainer: "I've called to give you a bollocking about your food diary!" She was only joking, it wasn't too bad and it was all stuff we'd discussed. I need to try and get some more variety in my breakfasts (been having fruit smoothies every day), and I need to work on my snacks (apparently a bag of crisps and a sausage roll is not a good mid-morning snack!) So it's on with the thinking cap!

Sunday 12th

Was going to do a long run this morning... but I'm lazy and so not into the whole hour-long workout thing. So I did the Steps of Doom instead. See how in the photo they seem to be never-ending? When you're running up them, they feel that way too.

Last time I did the Steps I think I managed 4 times. So in order to push myself, I ran up them 5 times today. So that's get to the top, lean over the railing until the sicky feeling fades a little, walk down, and start again. On the last rep I nearly didn't make it to the top, my legs just wouldn't move. And walking back down that last time wasn't much fun either. And then my legs were shaking so much, the shor tip back home was fairly interesting too.

But man alive, I did the Steps of Doom 5 times in a row, without being sick or passing out!

The I came home and did some abs:

Reverse crunch x 12
straight-leg heel taps x 12
no rest between exercises, but a short rest between sets.
2 sets

Sunday - weekly weigh-in

So here it is, the first weekly weigh-in.

Weight - 140lb (63.5kg)
Waist - 31.5" (80cm)
Hips - 37" (94cm)
Right Leg - 23" (58cm)
Right arm - 12.5" (32cm)

My weight has been the same for the last couple of weeks, am hoping any day now my body will notice all the exercise and vegetable-eating I've been doing, and I'll suddenly drop a few pounds. My waist tends to hover around that figure as well... or it did. Obviously now I am on a major belly-shrinking mission, so it will be much lower, very soon.

Wow, it's quite depressing to actually write this sort of thing down. Thing is, I went a long time without checking my weight or measurements, and when I did start weighing myself I didn't think I'd put any weight on - until I looked at an old workout book from 2008 and realised that in the course of that year I put on a stone. Whilst still going to the gym and everything. I've lost half a stone so far this year, the rest is proving to be a little more tricky. But it'll be gone soon enough!

My legs hurt already!

Exciting news kids, I've just (finally!) figured out how to post to this blog from my mobile - including pictures, it would seem!
I will try this out the next time I remember (and have something relevant to this blog to post about)!

Ooh I feel all technological now.

In other news, I'm thinking I should probably have a proper weekly weigh in, measurements etc. At the moment I'm just sort of coasting along. My best friend has just gone to India travelling for 6 weeks, I want to have lost noticeable weight by the time she gets back so it's time to start taking this seriously.

This also means planning, which I am notoriously bad at. This week I have overtime on Tuesday night, Thursday night and all day Saturday. This means I'll miss both Pump classes, and the Studio Launch they're doing at my gym (on Thursday night and Saturday morning! How bad is that timing!) So I need to plan how I will fit my workouts and food around that...

Monday - program before work, Body Balance at lunch. Possibly a run after work.
Tuesday - rest day
Wednesday - program before work, Spin at lunch (am thinking I'll need to split my program over 2 days in order to fit it in before work)
Thursday - cardio before work, may also fit in Gym Train at lunch again
Friday - whole program before work - I start later on a Friday
Saturday - depending on when the overtime finishes, a brief cardio/weights session afterwards.

I need to put running back into my weekly workouts, it's time to start training properly for the Great South Run in October. Argh, where to fit it all in!
Over the next few months I think I'm likely to have 2 weeks a month where I'm doing these extra hours 2 nights in the week and at least 1 day at the weekend. Food is always a problem then, because I don't get home until fairly late, so I don't have time to have dinner or prepare a breakfast/lunch for the next day. Hmmm... Need to give this some thought...

Saturday 11th

This post should be subtitled "OMFG I'm going to ache tomorrow!"

I did Body Pump this morning, the new release (70) again. Decided to put my weight up for the squats, since I don't think the squats track is too bad this time around. When it came to the back track, the instructor looked at my bar and said "come on, you can do better than that! Swap that 1 for a 2!" and I did, despite the fact last time I did the back track I had neither a 1 nor a 2 on my bar. Ouchies. I also went up on the triceps, and used the same heavy weight as last time for shoulders, despite almost dying in Tuesday's class!

Warmup 7.5kg
Squats 17.5kg
Chest 7.5kg
Glutes, back & hamstrings 12.5kg
Triceps 3kg for kickbacks, 5kg for the overhead extensions at the end
Biceps 5kg (wimped out on going up)
Lunges 7.5kg (again, wimped out but that lunge track makes me feel sick!)
Shoulders 2 x 3kg for the raises at the beginning, 7.5kg for the upright rows etc
Abs 5kg

My shoulders already ache.
To be honest, if I finish a Body Pump class and don't ache the next day, I'm a little disappointed in myself. For the back track the worst part was my forearms from holding the weight, so it wasn't too bad.
Unfortunately I now have to miss the next 2 Pump classes because of work, but I'm going to try and keep up my higher weights, and maybe even go up for the chest, biceps and shoulders!

Friday 10th

Was debating going to the gym before work this morning... but ultimately decided against it after yesterday's triple workout ouchiness.

I did spin at lunch though, which was fun but sweaty. It felt a lot harder than usual. Yowch!

Thursday 9th

I've had a really productive day, exercise-wise. My eating has been... well, it was good until I got home and remembered I had strawberry & cream cookies in the cupboard!

Any way, I've been to the gym twice today, and also did a little workout this evening (to make up for some of the cookie scandal)

I had a PT session this morning, but couldn't remember whether it was at 7 or 7:30. I didn't want to be late, so I got to the gym for 6:45. Then I remembered the session was at 7:30. I had time to kill, so I headed for the cardio machines...

cross trainer 5 mins level 5
reclining bike 5 mins level 5
stepper 5 mins on interval program, level 6
treadmill 5 mins on gradient interval program, level 7
cross trainer 6 mins of 1-minute intervals

When it came to my PT session, I had to admit that my balancing has left a lot to be desired... and I've mainly just chickened out of that side of my program! Cue a lesson in balance from the girl who can stand on a stability ball and dance!

reverse BOSU squats x 20 (this is where the BOSU is upside down. Half the battle is getting on the damn thing!)
front-side lunges x 10 each leg
stability ball balancing - I managed it in the end, a few times, on my own, nowhere near the wall. Need more practise tho!
stork stance

Then we ran through various parts of my program, putting my weights up as we went...

BOSU lunges x 12 each leg (8kg x 2)
single leg deadlifts x 12 each leg (14kg) (some idiot was using the 12kg dumbells, I could have killed him!)
split stance low row x 12 each arm (10kg)

I went back to the gym at lunch with a couple of buddies to do Gym Train. This is a circuit the trainer set up for us with the idea we time ourselves to do each exercise, improve over time, and compete against each other after 6 weeks to see who could complete the entire circuit in the shortest time. The 6 weeks finished a long time ago, but whenever we're free we'll try and get back into the gym to give it a go. I used to call it the Monster Class Of Doom. There's a reason for that...

treadmill - 500m in 3.06 mins
upright bike - 1.5km in 3.16 mins
shoulder press - 15 x 8kg
rowing - 500m in 2.26 mins
full sit-ups x 20
step-ups - 2 x 6kg, 5 steps x 20
bench jumps - 3 steps, x 20

Then, as mentioned before, I came home and found some cookies. I've been watching the Turbulence Training semiar on the website, and felt a bit more motivated after some of that, so I had a look on Gym Junkies to find some exercises I could do at home. I ended up finding the Man Maker so I thought I'd give that a go. I only did girlie press-ups cos, well, I'm a girl. And I used piddly 2kg weights, not the 20 pounders Vic recommends in the video - mainly because that's all I had.

The idea is that you do as many as you can in 8 minutes. So I set a timer. After 10 I thought I might pass out. Checked the time, only 3 minutes in. So on I ploughed. I managed 27, which I think is a good first attempt. Might try and keep track of these from time to time, see if I can get any better. Then I did some abs:

weighted side twists x 12 (2kg)
reverse crunch x 12
double heel tap (legs straight) x 12
vertical lifts x 12 (2kg)

3 sets - each set with no rest between exercises.

Wednesday 8th

Today I did lunch time Spin. It seemed a lot more hardcore than normal, really tiring! My hamstrings are still aching from Monday and Tuesday too so it was a bit tricky!

Am now watching a Turbulence Training seminar which is very interesting.

The eating is getting better; I'm still substituting other fizzy drinks for Coke, but that's easing off. And I'm still craving sweet things but getting better at ignoring it. It's easier at home in the evenings because I can clean my teeth and then find something different to do! At work I just have to sit at my desk and ride it out... perhaps I should start taking toothpaste and a toothbrush to work!

Tuesday 7th

Body Pump today. I had a day off work, so went in a little early to do some cardio.

Cross Trainer: level 5. 4 mins warm up, then 6 minutes of 1-minute intervals.
Stepper - 5 minutes @ level 6, 30 seconds @ level 8

Then on for Pump...

Warm up - 7.5kg
Squats - 15kg
Chest - 7.5kg
Glutes, back & hamstrings - 10kg (went down on this as hamstrings are killing from yesterday's deadlifts)
Triceps - 2.5kg for kickbacks, 5kg for overhead extensions. Also pressups. Ouch.
Biceps - 5kg
Lunges - 7.5kg
Shoulders - 7.5kg (and 2 x 3kg weights for the lateral raises etc at the beginning)
Abs - 5kg

Ouchy ouchy ouch. Am loving the new release (70) but man alive does it ever hurt! The "time under tension" thing for the chest track makes me feel physically sick, and the lunges are the most evil we've had in ages!
Next class is Saturday, gona see if I can dare to put my weights up for squats!

Monday 6th

I planned to get up early... but I failed. Managed to get to the gym for 9 though, and did an almost-complete run through of my new program...

dumbell squats - 2 x 6kg x 12 (I'm meant to be doing these on an upturned BOSU, but couldn't balance this morning!)
BOSU Lunge - 2 x 6kg x 12
3 sets

1000 meter row - 4 mins 51.5 seconds

Box Jumps x 12 (3 raisers)
Single leg deadlifts 10kg x 12 (each side)
3 sets

Stability ball push-ups x 12 (these are meant to be incline dumbell presses but there was a scary man in the weight bay and between him and some idiot who didn't seem to be lifting many weights, they were using all the benches and I didn't want to engage any of them in conversation)
Lat pull-downs 20kg x 12
Single arm low row 6.25kg x 12 (each side)
3 sets (1 set of lat pull-downs, then switched to single arm low rows)

Reverse crunch x 12
straight leg heel taps x 12
2 sets with no rests in between each

Ouchies, that hurt quite a bit!

Sunday 5th

No exercise as such today - though I did do the first part of the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Stage 1 workout - the strength part. I found it on YouTube but the cardio was missing and I got distracted by other things so I didn't get round to finding it.

I also spent a ridiculous amount of time bouncing on my knees on a trampoline this afternoon, entertaining my niece who is too small to make it bounce herself so likes to lay on her back while someone else bounces it for her!

I've discovered the joy of YouTube as a motivator and fitness aid. This lady is especially motivating, she lost a shedload of weight and posted weekly videos to chart her progress, with extra ones about what exercise she does, what she eats etc. I've also been looking at Turbulence Training a lot too recently, as well as my old faithful, Vic Magary's Gym Junkies website.

Last month (June) was the first month in a long time that I've not hit the goal I set in terms of how much exercise I would do. My diet was pretty shocking too. This month I really need to get back to it, eat better and exercise more. Am off work tomorrow so am planning to spend a good portion of time in the gym, maybe go for a run as well. Tuesday is Body Pump, Wednesday Spin, Thursday I have a PT session and may run too, Friday is Spin, which I may skip in favour of doing my program, so that I can do both Spin and Body Pump on Saturday. Am a little anxious about doing my program to be honest, since I fell off a gym ball earlier in the week - but I figure the only way I'll get better at that is to keep trying and hopefully fall on my ass less!

Saturday 4th

Today I did Body Pump 70 for the first time. The instructor sent me a message when I missed Tuesday's class, saying "you missed kick ass new Pump!" I thought she was just joking... but no, Body Pum p70 really did kick my ass.
Apparently the whole theme is "time under tension" - idea being the longer your muscle is under tension, the more it's working. Cue many half-reps, and a chest track where we actually didn't straighten our arms at all! The lunges track is just plain evil too. We missed out the shoulders because we were running short on time after talking through technique for the other tracks.

Warm-up 7.5 kg
Squats 15 kg
Chest 7.5kg (went down on my weight - am so glad!)
Glutes, back & hamstrings 12.5 kg
Triceps 2.5kg for kick-backs, 5kg for overhead extensions. Plus a whole heap of tricep push-ups!
Biceps 5kg (could really have gone higher for this but was feeling delicate!)
Lunges 7.5kg
Abs 5kg

Friday 3rd

Was hoping to get up and go to the gym before work, but as it happened I was absolutely knackered so I only went at lunch.
Lunch time Spin was good, but tiring. Seemed harder than usual - there didn't seem to be any breaks between songs, it was a mix cd or something so they just ran into each other and the instructor would just sit up and go "right get a drink if you need one..." and then carry on. It was great fun though!

Thursday 2nd

Got up early and went for a run. It was ridiculously warm, even at 6am, but I soldiered on!
Ran to the steps, up them 4 times, and then around the path at the top and back home.
Not including the extra trips up and down the steps, it was around about 4km.

Sore legs!

Wednesday 1st July

Well July is here, and I'm still a bit too chubby for my liking. Have decided to make July Mental Month and just go all out on the diet/exercise thing.
Failed a little today with the food, but as of tomorrow I'm off the chocolate and the Coke. Horror, I know. I would strongly recommend nobody speak to me for at least a week as I'm bound to have a bad case of the DTs.

Any way. What did I get up to today...

Before work - quick session.
Cross trainer - 6 minutes of 1-minute sprint intervals (I got there late, should have done more)

stability ball crunches x 12
side jacknife x 12
- 3 sets of these.

Then I attempted to do the stability ball balancing-on-my-knees thing that's part of my program. Ended up rolling off the ball onto my ass in the middle of the gym floor, so decided to call it a day.

At lunch I did a spin class. I'm fairly sure the trainer, who is currently pregnant and panicking about getting fat, was having a fat day. This means she wants to work twice as hard. Ouch. It was quite reassuring for us oldies though, that there ere 3 work-experience boys in the class who were unable to keep up. As the trainer said, "not just a girlie class!"

Am debating an early-morning run tomorrow, to avoid the heat.