Lots of people manage to go to the gym without incident. They go, do their exercise, have a swim, maybe sit in the jacuzzi, have a go in the steam room, have a shower, go home.
Sometimes though things happen that make you cringe inside.
I am pretty clumsy. I have had 3 embarrassing incidents at the gym that I am going to share with you, just because they crack me up when I think about them and everyone needs a giggle on hump day.
I suffer from dizziness, sometimes it is worse than usual. (I don't think it is gym related!) After a particularly bad bout of dizziness I was having a training session. I was feeling ok, doing a warm up on the treadmill. Now they ALWAYS tell you to wait for the treadmill to totally stop before you get off it. So what do I do? Press stop, the machine starts to slow down, but rather than waiting, I thought I'd let myself slide to the end and do a little casual jump off the end. Sounded fine in my head. What actually happened was I decked it and fell in a crumpled heap on the floor in front of several people with Jason asking me if I was ok and if I'd passed out! Nope just decked it!
The 2nd incident involved a dumbbell, I must have been doing some manoeuvre lifting them above my head. As I bought the dumbbells back down, I smacked myself in the head! #fail!
Finally my particular favourite was doing a chest press on a swiss ball with a barbell. As I finished the exercise my lack of balance came in to play. I went to roll up and somehow fell off the swiss ball, on the floor with the barbell on top of me (Fortunately it wasn't a very heavy one!) and ended up with carpet burns on my elbows. I thought I'd got away with it, only Jason had seen, he is very polite and didn't laugh (too much)! But no, some old codgers passed comment, apparently it happens to everyone hahaha oh dear.
I hope that gives some of you a little laugh at my expense! ;)
H x
Wednesday, 6 November 2013
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
I LOVE burpees, kind of...
"Ok do some burpees" said Jason, "you what?" I said. 6 months ago, I'd never heard of burpees.
Burpees are an exercise sent from Satan himself.
I am told they are very good for you. For those of you unfamiliar with burpees here is a short youtube clip. (I was going to video myself, obviously being so awesome at burpees and all that but I didn't want you to be jealous of my amazing skills) ;)
Burpees make my thighs hurt, they make me hot and sweaty, they make me nauseous AND I am always slightly concerned I may deck it and smack my face on the floor.
My burpees aren't quite as refined as this. Every now and then Jason insists on showing me how proper burpees are done, just to remind me that at some point we might need to attempt proper ones. But for now I do "girl burpees" which are a bit (ok a lot!) less parallel and close to the floor and have slightly (ok a lot!) less enthusiasm on the way up.
But I do love burpees, honestly I do. Why? Because when I started with Jason way back in April I could only manage 3. 3 burpees. In a circuit of 3 exercises I could do 3 in the first circuit, 2/3 in the 2nd circuit and maybe 1 if I was in a really feisty mood on the last circuit. They are really hard. (even my year 11 pupils are impressed I do them!)
So why do I love them? Because to me, burpees signify progress. On a good day now, I can do 15 in a row without stopping (just about), 3 times over. I'm pretty sure on a really good day, if I really focussed I could do more. This is progress, mentally I don't even think about 10+ burpees now, I just do them. (mostly!) Physically I am fit enough to manage 10+ burpees. I 'COULDN'T" manage more than 3 back in April.
In 6 months I have made a lot of progress, I think. I still have more progress to make and I really need to up the reps and possibly start trying "man burpees" but I'm heading in the right direction!
H x
Burpees are an exercise sent from Satan himself.
I am told they are very good for you. For those of you unfamiliar with burpees here is a short youtube clip. (I was going to video myself, obviously being so awesome at burpees and all that but I didn't want you to be jealous of my amazing skills) ;)
Burpees make my thighs hurt, they make me hot and sweaty, they make me nauseous AND I am always slightly concerned I may deck it and smack my face on the floor.
My burpees aren't quite as refined as this. Every now and then Jason insists on showing me how proper burpees are done, just to remind me that at some point we might need to attempt proper ones. But for now I do "girl burpees" which are a bit (ok a lot!) less parallel and close to the floor and have slightly (ok a lot!) less enthusiasm on the way up.
But I do love burpees, honestly I do. Why? Because when I started with Jason way back in April I could only manage 3. 3 burpees. In a circuit of 3 exercises I could do 3 in the first circuit, 2/3 in the 2nd circuit and maybe 1 if I was in a really feisty mood on the last circuit. They are really hard. (even my year 11 pupils are impressed I do them!)
So why do I love them? Because to me, burpees signify progress. On a good day now, I can do 15 in a row without stopping (just about), 3 times over. I'm pretty sure on a really good day, if I really focussed I could do more. This is progress, mentally I don't even think about 10+ burpees now, I just do them. (mostly!) Physically I am fit enough to manage 10+ burpees. I 'COULDN'T" manage more than 3 back in April.
In 6 months I have made a lot of progress, I think. I still have more progress to make and I really need to up the reps and possibly start trying "man burpees" but I'm heading in the right direction!
H x
Monday, 4 November 2013
Once a fat girl, always a fat girl?
Today I've found myself referring to myself as a fat girl.
My journey so far has consisted of a lot of physical changes but a shed load of mental changes too.
Trying to convince my brain I can do xyz etc. but just as I'm not "there" physically, neither am I mentally.
I still feel massively overweight, self conscious, awkward etc
I know I've lost a lot of weight. I know I am fitter than I've ever been, I know I'm to toning up but I still feel and act like a fat girl.
I wonder how long it takes to change your own view of yourself? Or will I always feel like a fat girl, ready to slip back to bad habits at any moment?
I hope not.
H x
Sunday, 3 November 2013
"Listen to your body" yeah but when is it telling the truth?
One of the hardest things I find about exercise is knowing when to listen to my body and when to ignore its protestations.
Fortunately since starting all this exercise and healthy eating I've not been ill (touch nearest wooden object). So I've not had to make the "am I too ill to go" decision. But I have had a few days where I feel a bit ropey and dizzy, mainly due to tiredness. This usually results in me dragging myself to the gym, feeling dizzy and putting in a rubbish session. I then feel angry and fed up.
Everyone says "listen to your body" but the bit I struggle with is do I need to genuinely take note of what it is telling me and rest up a bit OR is it my inner fat girl trying to make excuses?
Today is one of those days. Friday night Imogen's eczema flared up. This resulted in a 9.30pm dash to out of hours to get more steroid cream and antihistamine. By the time we got back and got her settled and ate dinner it was 10.30pm
Yesterday we were up early to go to Guildford to scatter my Grandad's ashes. A 400 mile round trip. By the time we got back, settled Immie and I had a few loose ends to tie up for work it was about 12.30am when I crawled in to bed.
This morning Imogen woke me at 6.45am (not too bad by kid standards) but I'm sat here feeling dizzy, exhausted and a bit ropey. I feel if I go to the gym I will be so exhausted I wont even get through 1 circuit.
But here is the problem. Is it my inner fat girl tricking me? Should I drag myself and go anyway? Should I go but just swim? (might be good for the stress levels?) Do I sack it off today? I honestly don't know. Mentally I really want to go. For me it is all about momentum, I need to keep up my momentum, the minute I miss a day here and there (remember I didn't go yesterday) is when I start to slip and everything gets 1 billion % harder.
It is exactly the same when going through the circuits. Sometimes you will do an exercise that hurts or makes you feel like you're going to vomit. (In the past the list has included stepups with a medicine ball, using a powerbag and the dreaded burpees. Currently dumbbell thrusters make me feel like arse!) A lot of the time you need to push through, no pain no gain (apparently!) but when is a pain a problem? When do you need to rest or adapt your circuit? When is it just my inner fat girl being a wuss?
So do I go today? I don't know. Maybe I'll see how I feel about 4pm today.
H x
Fortunately since starting all this exercise and healthy eating I've not been ill (touch nearest wooden object). So I've not had to make the "am I too ill to go" decision. But I have had a few days where I feel a bit ropey and dizzy, mainly due to tiredness. This usually results in me dragging myself to the gym, feeling dizzy and putting in a rubbish session. I then feel angry and fed up.
Everyone says "listen to your body" but the bit I struggle with is do I need to genuinely take note of what it is telling me and rest up a bit OR is it my inner fat girl trying to make excuses?
Today is one of those days. Friday night Imogen's eczema flared up. This resulted in a 9.30pm dash to out of hours to get more steroid cream and antihistamine. By the time we got back and got her settled and ate dinner it was 10.30pm
Yesterday we were up early to go to Guildford to scatter my Grandad's ashes. A 400 mile round trip. By the time we got back, settled Immie and I had a few loose ends to tie up for work it was about 12.30am when I crawled in to bed.
This morning Imogen woke me at 6.45am (not too bad by kid standards) but I'm sat here feeling dizzy, exhausted and a bit ropey. I feel if I go to the gym I will be so exhausted I wont even get through 1 circuit.
But here is the problem. Is it my inner fat girl tricking me? Should I drag myself and go anyway? Should I go but just swim? (might be good for the stress levels?) Do I sack it off today? I honestly don't know. Mentally I really want to go. For me it is all about momentum, I need to keep up my momentum, the minute I miss a day here and there (remember I didn't go yesterday) is when I start to slip and everything gets 1 billion % harder.
It is exactly the same when going through the circuits. Sometimes you will do an exercise that hurts or makes you feel like you're going to vomit. (In the past the list has included stepups with a medicine ball, using a powerbag and the dreaded burpees. Currently dumbbell thrusters make me feel like arse!) A lot of the time you need to push through, no pain no gain (apparently!) but when is a pain a problem? When do you need to rest or adapt your circuit? When is it just my inner fat girl being a wuss?
So do I go today? I don't know. Maybe I'll see how I feel about 4pm today.
H x
Friday, 1 November 2013
You're never too old, fat, old and fat...
A lot of people have said to me "ooh you're an inspiration, I wish I had your motivation!". Which is a lovely thing to say and very flattering (although when I'm sweating, swearing and grimacing I feel far from inspirational)
The gym can "seem" like the MOST intimidating place on earth. Big shiny machines, weird sounds (a combination of the machines clinking and people like me moaning and groaning) and you'd think lots of skinny minny girls and big muscly blokes (there are some) Lots of people there for the look of being there, although how hard they're working is for them and their conscience to know.
This week I had a really good look round at my fellow gym buddies and I've noticed there are people of all different shapes and sizes, different ages too. I've seen skinny minny girls doing unbelievable things with their legs (how do they even bend to that position?). I've seen ordinary women lifting heavy weights. I've seen the most overweight people ever having a bash on the TRX. I've seen OAPs having a training session with a personal trainer, clearly keeping fit but enjoying the conversation and the social contact. I've seen teenagers getting puffed out on the rowers. I've seen couples exercising together, spurring each other on.
But the one thing I've come to realise is nobody looks at you. Well that's not true. What I mean is people are rarely judging. They might be looking to see what you are doing, comparing what you are doing to what they are doing but they're very rarely judging. Most people are so focussed on their own workout they probably haven't even noticed you (except when you're using the kettlebells they want!)
You very rarely get the odd comment from a smart Alec but I am safe in the knowledge I'm on my path and doing my thing, if I'm sweating and red faced that's a good thing, so screw them!
I guess my point is. Don't be concerned over what others might say or think, and don't wait to be inspired by others. You need to be your own inspiration. Set your own goals, push your own boundaries and forget other people are there. You're never too fat, old, young, thin, fit or unfit to inspire yourself.
H x
I don't get it...
I really don't get it.
Some days you go to the gym and you know you're going to smash it.
Other days you go and you know it won't go well. Maybe your too tired/stressed/hormonal whatever but you go and drag yourself through.
And those two scenarios make sense.
But the third scenario doesn't make sense. You look forward to going all day, you feel in the right frame of mind to smash it. Then you start your warm up and everything feels wrong. Even the warm up has you puffing. You start the circuits and every thing hurts. Mentally you hit the floor. No matter what you do you can't get in to it. You try and try to drag yourself through but it just doesn't happen. Sometimes you don't even make it through your full set.
I get struggling if you've gone in with the wrong frame of mind. I don't get how you can go from feeling totally up for it to struggling?
Today has been one of those days. Gutted. I really felt id smash it today. And I know all the "don't beat yourself up, tomorrow is another day" but this is becoming a frequent problem. Feel like I've lost my gym mojo.
Rubbish :(
H x
I'm not too old for TopShop right??
So far I've talked a lot about the "journey" I'm on. The things I'm doing, what I've found hard and what I love. But today is all about the positives, the benefits and the things that have changed for the better.
Shoes:
My shoes now fit better. Before I was having to buy size 7 and quite often wide fit just to accommodate my puffy fat feet. Now I am buying size 6&1/2 and normal width. I also have bought my first pair of knee high boots in about 7 years! They actually do up round my calfs! I have missed knee high boots. I am also wearing heels again. I never realised but I'd stopped wearing heels. The reason being I was so overweight it was putting too much pressure on my feet. Less weight = less pressure = back wearing heels.
Wedding & Engagement Rings:
When I was about 7 - 8 months pregnant with Imogen I had to take off my wedding and engagement rings as they had become too tight. I assumed that once I'd had the baby they'd slip right back on. WRONG! As my weight ballooned there was no way they were going to fit. So about 38 months after I had Imogen (3 months after I started the personal training) they finally fitted again!
No joint pain:
At my heaviest my joints were starting to give me a lot of pain. Primarily my right hip and my knees. "You need to lose weight" said my doctor, "yeah yeah, easier said than done" I replied. I'd assumed that I was heading for a hip replacement, mother and grandmother have both had them, but at 32 I thought I was possibly a little young!!!! Turns out losing the weight = pain gone. So probably have a few years left in me yet before I need a hip replacement! The only pain I get now is muscle pain when I have been trying something new at the gym, but that is a good pain.
Shopping in different shops:
For the past 5 years or so I had been shopping in Evans. Only Evans. Nothing wrong with Evans, they do some lovely clothes for larger women BUT they aren't super trendy and being limited to one shop is not ideal. Today I bought a dress, not just any old dress but a Topshop dress. I haven't shopped in Topshop in over a decade. Not only did I go in on my own (intimidating!), I picked something, I paid for it and then when I tried it on at home it fitted AND looked pretty good! You have no idea how unbelievable this feels. I can shop in skinny minny shops! (we'll gloss over the fact I was the oldest person in the shop and dismissed half the clothes as being too weird!)
Walking to the corner shop:
I hadn't realised I was avoiding going to the corner shop. I would always make an excuse to drive to Tesco to avoid walking to the shop (literally a 5 minute walk!) Now I can walk to the corner shop without thinking about it AND without getting out of breath.
Climbing the stairs at school:
The school where I work is MASSIVE! Some blocks are 4 storeys high. I can now walk up all 4 flights without getting out of breath (just about!) and without my thighs feeling like they are going to explode.
Compliments:
I have NEVER had as many compliments about how I look in my life. Loads of people compliment me on my weight loss. Friends, family, colleagues and pupils. I have had colleagues who I don't really know very well approach me and say how well I am looking. People ask me about what I am doing, they are surprised and interested. I love it (although I am getting a massive head!)
Soft Play:
Last year I took Immie to a soft play centre in Sheffield. Soft play, for those of you without small children, is like Pat Sharps Fun House (off of the 80s, if you are too young to remember this, youTube it!) Soft play for the overweight parent is like hell on earth. It makes you hot, sweaty and you get stuck in things. (I nearly got stuck in between 2 rollers!) Since I have lost weight I am able to get round soft play without sweating (too much) and without getting stuck on things. It is still hell on earth but that is because of other people's children, not because I am a fatty!
Muscles:
I've never had muscles before, well I have (other wise I'd be a jelly fish or something!) but I've never had defined muscles. My arms and legs are now beginning to look toned and I love it! I sit in my car at traffic lights, tensing my arms just to check the muscles are still there. I lay in the bath raising my leg to check those muscles out. (yes I know that makes me sound ridiculous!) I love it though. It is a sign that I'm heading the right way. Don't get me wrong I don't want to be some female incredible hulk type but I do enjoy working on building up my strength (as an aside I nearly crushed the Occupational Health worker's hand today when he was testing my strength LOL). Now if I could get my stomach and abs to catch up I'd be a happy lady!
Rolls at the hairdressers:
Yesterday I went for my hair cutting. I went mad and had it all chopped off and dyed. It looks fab, I love it! (Thanks Auntie Mary!) But one of the best things was being able to sit facing a mirror for 2 & 1/2 hours without having to stare at double, triple even quadruple chins!
Asthma:
Whilst I was on maternity leave I was struggling with breathing and a persistent cough. The nurse at my doctors surgery diagnosed asthma, exacerbated by cold weather. Except it turns out losing weight, getting fitter and healthier I haven't used my inhaler for months! In fact I haven't been ill in ages (watch me get a cold now!) I am pretty sure I am not asthmatic and that it was all weight and health related, we'll have to wait for the cold weather to really see but either way health wise I feel a billion times better!
So lots of positives! Roll on shifting this last bit of weight, toning up some more and more importantly getting even more fit and healthy!
H xx
Shoes:
My shoes now fit better. Before I was having to buy size 7 and quite often wide fit just to accommodate my puffy fat feet. Now I am buying size 6&1/2 and normal width. I also have bought my first pair of knee high boots in about 7 years! They actually do up round my calfs! I have missed knee high boots. I am also wearing heels again. I never realised but I'd stopped wearing heels. The reason being I was so overweight it was putting too much pressure on my feet. Less weight = less pressure = back wearing heels.
Wedding & Engagement Rings:
When I was about 7 - 8 months pregnant with Imogen I had to take off my wedding and engagement rings as they had become too tight. I assumed that once I'd had the baby they'd slip right back on. WRONG! As my weight ballooned there was no way they were going to fit. So about 38 months after I had Imogen (3 months after I started the personal training) they finally fitted again!
No joint pain:
At my heaviest my joints were starting to give me a lot of pain. Primarily my right hip and my knees. "You need to lose weight" said my doctor, "yeah yeah, easier said than done" I replied. I'd assumed that I was heading for a hip replacement, mother and grandmother have both had them, but at 32 I thought I was possibly a little young!!!! Turns out losing the weight = pain gone. So probably have a few years left in me yet before I need a hip replacement! The only pain I get now is muscle pain when I have been trying something new at the gym, but that is a good pain.
Shopping in different shops:
For the past 5 years or so I had been shopping in Evans. Only Evans. Nothing wrong with Evans, they do some lovely clothes for larger women BUT they aren't super trendy and being limited to one shop is not ideal. Today I bought a dress, not just any old dress but a Topshop dress. I haven't shopped in Topshop in over a decade. Not only did I go in on my own (intimidating!), I picked something, I paid for it and then when I tried it on at home it fitted AND looked pretty good! You have no idea how unbelievable this feels. I can shop in skinny minny shops! (we'll gloss over the fact I was the oldest person in the shop and dismissed half the clothes as being too weird!)
Walking to the corner shop:
I hadn't realised I was avoiding going to the corner shop. I would always make an excuse to drive to Tesco to avoid walking to the shop (literally a 5 minute walk!) Now I can walk to the corner shop without thinking about it AND without getting out of breath.
Climbing the stairs at school:
The school where I work is MASSIVE! Some blocks are 4 storeys high. I can now walk up all 4 flights without getting out of breath (just about!) and without my thighs feeling like they are going to explode.
Compliments:
I have NEVER had as many compliments about how I look in my life. Loads of people compliment me on my weight loss. Friends, family, colleagues and pupils. I have had colleagues who I don't really know very well approach me and say how well I am looking. People ask me about what I am doing, they are surprised and interested. I love it (although I am getting a massive head!)
Soft Play:
Last year I took Immie to a soft play centre in Sheffield. Soft play, for those of you without small children, is like Pat Sharps Fun House (off of the 80s, if you are too young to remember this, youTube it!) Soft play for the overweight parent is like hell on earth. It makes you hot, sweaty and you get stuck in things. (I nearly got stuck in between 2 rollers!) Since I have lost weight I am able to get round soft play without sweating (too much) and without getting stuck on things. It is still hell on earth but that is because of other people's children, not because I am a fatty!
Muscles:
I've never had muscles before, well I have (other wise I'd be a jelly fish or something!) but I've never had defined muscles. My arms and legs are now beginning to look toned and I love it! I sit in my car at traffic lights, tensing my arms just to check the muscles are still there. I lay in the bath raising my leg to check those muscles out. (yes I know that makes me sound ridiculous!) I love it though. It is a sign that I'm heading the right way. Don't get me wrong I don't want to be some female incredible hulk type but I do enjoy working on building up my strength (as an aside I nearly crushed the Occupational Health worker's hand today when he was testing my strength LOL). Now if I could get my stomach and abs to catch up I'd be a happy lady!
Rolls at the hairdressers:
Yesterday I went for my hair cutting. I went mad and had it all chopped off and dyed. It looks fab, I love it! (Thanks Auntie Mary!) But one of the best things was being able to sit facing a mirror for 2 & 1/2 hours without having to stare at double, triple even quadruple chins!
Asthma:
Whilst I was on maternity leave I was struggling with breathing and a persistent cough. The nurse at my doctors surgery diagnosed asthma, exacerbated by cold weather. Except it turns out losing weight, getting fitter and healthier I haven't used my inhaler for months! In fact I haven't been ill in ages (watch me get a cold now!) I am pretty sure I am not asthmatic and that it was all weight and health related, we'll have to wait for the cold weather to really see but either way health wise I feel a billion times better!
So lots of positives! Roll on shifting this last bit of weight, toning up some more and more importantly getting even more fit and healthy!
H xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)