Never thought I would see the day..........

But I have joined a running club.  Well actually a jogging club.

It was brilliant.  It was down at the community hub at the football stadium and is for absolute beginners like me.  We walked down and jogged along the canal.  The jogging was at a much slower pace than I have been doing my C25K at.  It meant I could do it for longer so next time I am out on my runs I am going to use that pace. It was slow though.  I could probably walk faster ;-).  But it was definitely right for us as I jogged a good few mins longer than every before.

Really pleased with myself.  It cost me £1.  That is all.  Just such a good service that the community hub is offering.  There were only two of us this week but I do hope it becomes more popular.

Down with steps

I got up and duly booked my legs bums and tums.  Got down to the gym, walked in and yet again the teacher is on holiday.  No problem they have cover.  Except it was a step class.  I wish they had told met hat when I booked.

Last time I did a step class I really hurt my poorly knee.  I walked in and walked back out.  Not prepared to do something to my knee which will mean I can't do any of the other classes.

I didn't go home though.  I did 10K on the bike.  Wasn't a wasted journey.

No body combat :(

Gutted.  Rang to book but the teacher is still on holiday and there was no-one to take the class.  I need my punchy kicky............

I went for a run instead.  But I struggled with it.  Not sure why.  Could be the fact it was about 26 degrees.  First time I was unable to finish my run.  I missed out the last two runs on the run/walk schedule.    Disappointed with myself.

Didn't do any exercise yesterday.  I had the kids all day again.

Good weekend.

Not blogged for a few days.  Wednesday I couldn't do anything as I had the kids.  Thursday I managed to fit in one aquacise class and Friday I had the kids all day again.  It's so difficult to fit anything in.

Saturday and Sunday no chance!!  Went to the races all day on saturday and drank LOADS.  I mean loads.  Eating wasn't too bad really.  We did have macdonalds breakfast but my meal out wasn't too bad.  It was absolutely amazing.  We went to a turkish restaurant in Doncaster and I can't even remember what I had but it was STUNNING.  

Must get back to the grind.....

Short and sweet

Managed to do body combat this morning. The teacher was on holiday so we had a relief teacher.  She was only able to do 45 minutes as she had a class elsewhere.  I was so glad.  SO bloody hot in the room!!!

Cycling but not proficient

Well that was fun!

I went to a cycling lesson this evening.  I genuinely didn't even know which way my hat went on!!  Seriously I know NOTHING about bikes.  BUT I would like to be able to go to my Cancer Research UK meetings and my WI meetings on my bike which means I can have 2 pints of lager........  I checked the drink drive laws about bikes and as long as I am not 'drunk' and I am in control of my bike.  BRILLIANT.

So I thought I had better learn how to ride it.  Was good.  I hope to go in future weeks.  I learnt about how to get on and off and also learned that my bike is not set up right for me.  It's too low.  I hope to be able to get out and ride but I am scared of riding on the road.  I guess it's just confidence I need.  And a bike lock...

Bloody hell - How much?

Well I shall start with weigh in shall I? Could have been a LOT worse.  I stayed the same.  I am trying to see this as a victory but I know that the weekend of fun will be evident next weigh in instead..... So still 8lb lost.  About a million to go!

Actually I probably should say how much I have to lose to be in the healthy range of things.  My BMI started this journey at 36.4.  This is the obese category which isn't a surprise.   In order to get to a BMI of 25 (this is classed as the top of the healthy weight band) I needed to lose 73lb. Which equates to 5st 3lb.

Currently my BMI is 35.1 and I now have 65 lb to lose.  This is 4st 9lb. I have shied away somewhat from writing this down or even working it out because it can just seem so insurmountable and be counter productive. I am trying to work in pounds and assuming to just get to the next lowest ten.  As in my next goal would be for my pounds to lose to be in the 50s not the 60s.  Hopefully achievable in the next two weeks of I can stay away from the fish and chips ;-)

The aqua Zumba teacher was ill this week so I did two aqua cise classes back to back.  Very different teachers for each and very different styles.  Good but my skin is very dry now.

Summer holiday

Not been doing much the last few days.  Unfortunately my eldest was ill and off school Wednesday so that put paid to any gym plans I had.  Then they broke up school and I had them both on Thursday so no opportunity to do anything.

Friday I went away for the weekend to the seaside and it was just lovely.  We stayed Friday and Saturday night and got home at 9pm Sunday. 

There was the weirdest thing.  Sat in the bar on Friday night and my quads stayed really aching.  As if they really wanted to get up and do a run or something.  Is this normal?  I had to go into the ladies loos and stretch them off!  Madness.

We had fish and chips twice and also consumed 9 pints of lager in those three days.  Oops.  We were on holiday! We did do am awful lot of walking I guys.  Averaging about 11,000 steps a day.  Soles of my feet hurt! 

So I know it's bad.  I expect weigh in tomorrow to be awful.  But I have had such a lovely time with my family that I really don't care :-)

How to look good naked

Body combat today and it was the new routine.  I took plenty of water cos it's boiling but today was hard.  The new routine is harder anyway but the heat made it worse.  Closest I have been to actually throwing up in the gym class for a long time.  

Awesome though.  Punch and kick all your troubles away.  My knee injury is giving me a bit of gyp and lunging on that side hurts.  Need to rest it between workouts which I definitely don't do.  Was intending on doing some painting and decorating this afternoon but decided against it.  Enough to do with the washing and ironing and I have a poorly child too.

I am noticing muscle definition coming back into my legs.   Could do with some muscle in my mummy tummy...  I am hoping the old adage is true:

'Dieting makes you look good in clothes but exercise makes you look good naked'

Not sure how it's gonna help with all my spare skin since having the kids but I can but try!  Saving my spare change in the tummy tuck pot for when the weight is gone heh heh.

Not all women like pink!

Why is all work out gear for women pink? Doesn't seem very fair.  I went to sports direct for some new running shoes.  I was ages and ages looking over the shoes with growing disappointment. The shoes were all pink, black and pink, pink and purple, yellow and pink.... Just all pink! the sales man could sense my disgust and asked me if he wanted to go and look around the blokes section. I was very grateful and choose some lovely ones. These are red and black and lovely. The men's section had loads more colours to choose from. No pink in sight.

It was the same when I went to look at tops. All pink or pink + another colour. Some women do not like pink! I find it insulting that that was 90% off the workout gear. Minus the black of course. 

Going down......

Loss of 3lb this week :-) that's over half a stone in two weeks so I can't grumble about that.  Especially since I discovered how many calories 7 pints of lager is!  (1365! Bloody hell!)

Must stay on track this week as I am going away for the weekend in the caravan. 

Been to aquacise today.  Both classes.  The first one was supposed to be aqua Zumba but the teacher was on holiday so it was two aquacise classes instead.  They were different classes though with different teachers so I feel I worked out differently.  Good. 

Tired now and I have to find some energy from somewhere to paint some more doors.  Urgh.

Few days off....

Been a bit naughty. 

I haven't done any exercise since my run on Wednesday.  I just haven't had the inclination.

Friday I was stuck ask day again as my car was being serviced.  I was so grumpy that I went out,  drank seven pints of lager,  ate a plateful of buffet food and sang Meatloaf on the karaoke.  Fun night And just what I needed but not great for my health!  My mental health needed it though.

So then yesterday and today I decided to spend the days with my kids.  Saturday morning we went to the cinema,  I was going to go for a run in the afternoon but we had the mother of all thunderstorms right over us.  The lightening was a bit scary!  Then my hubby went out in the evening so I was on child duty.  Today I had a lovely family day with the kids.  Really needed it.

Nutrition wise it could have been better but I didn't go crazy.  Will definitely be over my calorie goal - I haven't added it up yet.  Daren't!  but hopefully not over my daily recommended amount.  Apart from Friday which I think I blitzed in alcohol alone......

Back on it tomorrow.  Weigh day in the morning which is always sobering.  Then aquacise and more glossing. Getting high off the fumes....

Struggling

Gonna be honest am struggling a little.  Been fairly dizzy these past two days so not felt like doing anything.  Couldn't go to the gym or run yesterday because I had people coming to do some work in the garden.  Instead I painted some doors in the kitchen that I have been meaning to get round to. 

My car is in for service today and I have motivational issues. I am wearing my gym kit but I cannot get up off the sofa.  I am shattered.  Didn't sleep much thanks to being dizzy so am thinking about getting a nap in....

I am still under my calories for yesterday and should be today also.  So it's not all gone to pot.

Go me!

I did a run in the afternoon after legs bums and tums.  Go me!  Run 2 of the C25K. It was hard going add it was bloody boiling.  No idea how am gonna progress to week three cos this was bad enough....

Surely I am a size 8 by now....

Todays class was legs,  bums and tums again.  Slightly different routine but same principle.  I used a 4kg weight for bicep work and a 2kg for tricep.  Was about right.  At first I thought the 2kg was too light but after a million tricep exercises it was all burning! 

But that's arms I hear you cry!  Yep. Confuses me too.  They should rename it. There is a lot of lunging and floor work which works the legs and tummy and today we did some bum lifts and squeezes we didn't do last week.  Not much cardio so I am going to try and fit in going out for a run later.

Am I a size 8 yet?  Feels like I have been doing this forever.....

Punching the crap out of stuff

I wrote a blog post and the bloody thing won't publish and won't let me open it to copy and paste.  Grrrrr.

Anyway I love body combat. It's really bloody hard.  But I love it.  go and try it once.  Brilliant stress relief. 

I have an old injury to my knee that is playing up so I need to watch that. 

Oh no!

My last post failed.  Will see if I can republish.

Still grumpy

Yeah I am still grumpy.  think I might know why though. 

Been told to gradually reduce my tablets so have gone from 3 a day to 4 a day. As I have been taking them to prevent the migraines that cause my dizziness, I  didn't think about anything but that.  Concentrating on my dizzy diary etc.  Never considered that propanolol can also be used as a mood stabiliser.  Perhaps it's a side effect. 

Anyway I finished the ironing then laid on the sofa with my book.  James bought Chinese takeaway home for tea. 

Wallowed in the day and need to Wake up tomorrow and cheer the chuff up!

In a funk today

No idea what is up with me but I woke up feeling a bit blergh.  Just fed up and grumpy.  I booked my aqua Zumba class as soon as I woke but I didn't want to go.  I wanted to stay in bed under the duvet till midday. 

Weigh in day though so I duly got out of bed.  I lost 5lb. Bit annoyed.  Was hoping for at least 6lb. I worked damn hard last week, was under my calories every day and didn't eat the ones I gained in exercise.  It's over my unofficial target of 2-3lb per week but not by a massive amount.  So that didn't help the grump.

I went to aqua Zumba and I feel a little bit better but not wads.  Zumba was all jumping about no weight work.  Can't decide about it.  The routines are ok once I get used to them but not sure if I like it.  I will keep it in the list for now so that I continue to keep mixing my exercise classes up. 

I feel like I need a smack on the arse or something to cheer my face up.   Or some chocolate....

What have I turned into?

I used to look at those poor buggers running along the road in the rain at 8AM on a Sunday morning wondering what on earth they were doing.  This morning there I was 8:20pm pounding the pavement.  Idiot.

I am now on week 2 of my couch to 5k. Day one. It was 5 mins warm up followed by 90s run and 120s walk for 20 minutes,  then five mins cool down.  Just that extra 30s run really did feel like a killer.  But I know I can do this as I used to run for 30mins at a time before all the Health issues.  I just need to get back into it. 

Possibility of doing body balance at 6pm tonight. Can't decide if to book myself on it or not as I have my sister and crew coming for tea.  Might be tight for time. Decisions decisions.

No rest for the wicked

Rest day today.  well I say rest but they're isn't any really is there..... Been to Alton Towers today with the kids.  Took them to cebeebies land and they loved it.  Alton Towers is an enormous place though so my actual rest day involved no rest at all and I have walked 12,000 steps today.  Smashed my daily target of 7500 (not including my exercise).

Should do a run first thing tomorrow morning but the balls of my feet hurt so much at the moment I am not sure how that will work out! 

I may need some encouragement to get moving tomorrow about 8am!

Tempted

Resisting the urge to weigh myself this morning.  I know this l isn't all about weight loss it is mainly about fitness and health but part of that is being at a healthy weight.....and I have been so very good since Monday.....

No. Must resist.  Monday is my weight day and I really don't want to be obsessed by the scales.

Balls are ouchy...

They really are! Any exercise is instantly made harder by doing it balancing on a ball.  The lunges were an absolute killer. 
Stood against a wall with the ball behind me rolling out up and down.  Ouchy! But I completed it and went home for lunch with wobbly legs. 

I then saw the ironing that was facing me this evening when I got back from the kids jujitsu classes.  Urgh. All of a sudden the urge to go back to the gym took hold!  I rang and booked myself in for Pilates class at 7:15pm!

The class was really really hard and I am not as flexible as I once was! I am now laid on the sofa and can barely move.  The sessions in one day.  I need to run myself a bath but my legs won't listen. 

I am still avoiding the ironing....

Running up that hill

Up at 8 for a run today.  I booked fitball class for later but I figured is probably going to mainly be stomach back and chest work so I went for a run for cardio.

I have new completed week one of my couch to 5k program.  It's only taken two weeks.... But in my defence I have been to the gym for classes instead.  I will try to get back on track with the runs as well over the next week. 

I use an app called c25K pro. It's brilliant.  Basically you listen to your own music 🎶 and a little voice comes on telling you when to run and when to walk . The first week is 5 mins warm up then alternating 60s running and 90s walking then 5 mins cool down . Lasts 30 mins . If anyone is considering starting to run I recommend it . It syncs direct with myfitnesspal as well to show you cals burnt .  Download it, get your trainers on and get outside. Everyone can find 30 mins in their day . Personally I am leaving the ironing and running instead ;-)

I run along a path on my estate up and down . Not quite ready to run on the main pavement yet because I run at 8:30am which is when people are taking their kids to school and the pavements are too busy. The path is not empty though as lots of people walk their dogs down there. Lots of people say hi. I don't feel embarrassed - they don't know that I haven't just run a 10k when I am a hot sweaty mess after four of my one minute runs!

Net calories

I have put all my food and exercise into myfitnesspal and here is the graph it had come up with. 

It's net calories which is basically the amount of calories I consumed minus the exercise calories burnt.  If the graph stayed on the red line I should lose 1.5lb per week. 

It is going better than iv had hoped.  Hoping for some good results on Monday with my fat percentage.  

Kicking old blokes in the stomach

Well today got off to a shaky start.  Around midnight my eldest boy had an asthma attack and we were up for hours.  Just had him settled at 3:30pm then my youngest woke up having a bad dream and needed me in his bed for a cuddle.  I left there at about 4:30am and Xander was up in our bed wheezing and coughing from 6am. There has been no sleep....

He wanted to go to school so he has gone with a note asking the teacher to ring me if any problems. 

Sooooo. I called the gym and booked aquacise before I went back to bed.  So if it's booked I have to go.  When I got there there were two classes one at ten and one at 11. I figured in for a penny and asked if there were spaces on the 11am. There was.  So I stayed and did both classes!  They were different teachers and very different.  First was more cardio and jumping around in the pool.  Music was seventies disco and was awesome.  Second was more muscle work with the floating weights and the music was eighties.  Was good.  Then for the last five minutes of the second class we played a game of volleyball to ' dead ringer for love ' by meatloaf.  Brilliant!  Lots of fun and laughing 😂

I had my new swimming cossie on so my mummy tummy stayed put this time.  My legs however didn't....  The pool is divided into lanes with these floating dividers.  Aqua get 2/3 and lame swimming gets 1/3. I was doing my leg exercises quite close to the divide and we were floating on our front kicking our legs backwards.   I booted a poor bloke in the tummy who was swimming!  I felt so bad!   He was very nice about it but I gave him a huge kick.  Oops!

Aqua is one class where I am not the largest lady.  Not by a long chalk.  There are also quite a few older ladies that do it (although they don't seem to do all the exercises).

I now need to lie on the sofa and sleep.  But it's lunchtime and I am also starving.  By the time I eat it will be almost time to pick the kids up. 

Wobbly legs.....

Last night I genuinely had to take an ibuprofen tablet 💊 my arms were killing me that much ! So out of practice ..... Anyway I slept well and woke up feeling alright at 7:15am so duly booked the 9:30 class.  I then feel back to sleep and woke up at 9am in a blind panic ! Luckily I had got my gym kit out the night before (if you fail to prepare then prepare to fail) so was out the door for quarter past and made it in time .

Today's class was legs, bums and tums.  I was OK during the warm up but the first five lunges were like someone stabbing tiny hot knives into my thighs.  I didn't get out of breath at all but the muscle 💪 work was tremendous.  I picked up 1.5kg weights which were about right for the tricep work but bit light for anything else.  Might get 2 or 2.5 if I do it again. Or both maybe.  A few other ladies had two sets and I did wonder why. 

I was still the largest lady in there. Even the old dears in there were skinnier than me.  Must persevere though . Rome wasn't built in a day .

Beetroot baby...

Well.  If Arthur is a tomato I am a beetroot. 

Got up this morning with the kids just after seven and something possessed me to book in for body combat at 9:30am. By 9am I was regretting my decision add I was terrified.  I am so very unfit what was I thinking!  Anyway I got in the car and figured I can always chicken out and go on the bike instead when I get there.  I cannot tell you how many times I nearly did.  Walking in,  walking up the stairs, when the instructor came over to ask if I had done it before etc.... Then when the blokes and the skinny minnies walked in I was almost high tailing it out of the door!

I told myself I would just stay for half of it and leave if I couldn't cope.  No shame in that.  The instructor said just do what you can and test of you need to.  Thought that was nice get out of jail free card.  After first 15 mins I thought I was going to die.  Everyone else was smiley and normal but in the mirror I looked like a blob with a purple pin head.  Was awful. I hate those mirrors with a firey passion.

BUT I stayed.  I did the whole class.  I did the basic moves but I did everything.  I now feel like someone has put me through a mangle.  Everything hurts.  And worst of it is I know it's gonna be worse tomorrow.... Urgh.

And do you know what?  I loved it.  I bloody love body combat.  Punching kicking is great stress relief.  When instructor is shouting 'imagine you punching him in the ribs ' I proper was!  No-one in particular but I was kicking the shit out of someone.  With no possibility they will punch me back.  👊 . Best kind of fight .

Tomorrow the class is legs bums and tums.  I don't know if I will be able to walk to go or if my body will seize up but so far as hoping to.

Tucking it all in......

This morning I went to Aquacise. I haven't done it for ages. I wore my tankini and spent 90% of the time popping my pasty white mummy tummy back into my bikini bottoms.......It kept wobbling out it was making me laugh! I definitely need a swimsuit. The music was all kinds of awesome. Medley of motown hits. I sang my little heart out the whole way through the class. LOVED it. I even had a cheeky 15 mins in the steam room afterwards which was nice.

Had a good day food wise till teatime when I was just too tired from all the cleaning/washing to cook and James went to get us some chinese takeout. Oh well. Babysteps eh? Possibly going to body combat tomorrow. Although it might kill me....

No more day one.

Well it's been a while since I posted here but I have been inspired by a friend. And I am now the heaviest and most unfit I have ever been. Not good. BUT I am doing something about it. I have decided to take some leave owed to me at work (it's unpaid but we can't have everything...). I am hoping to use the next 2 months to start my fitness journey. Now I need to be clear - this isn't really about drastic weight loss (although I won't cry if that is a happy side effect). This is soley about getting fit and healthy.

Since I last posted I have been suffering with migraine varient vertigo. It's been going on now for over a year but I have only had a firm diagnosis for the last 6 months. It is linked to my hormones so I have had the Mirena coil fitted 3 months ago to regulate my hormones. The best thing I can do to help this along is to become fitter and heathier like I used to be. So the plan is to take lots of exercise and give it a good go. I do need to make my eating healthier but summer and BBQ's make that more impossible for me...

So far I have been on two runs and had a tentative ride on my bike. I have been following the C25K (couch to 5K) app on my phone. 2 runs down and they have about KILLED me. The first week is walk 90s and run 60s eight times. The first run I thought I was going to die. Second slightly better but still looked like a pickled beetroot. I had a go at bike riding and i hope to go for a ride soon.

So wish me luck!!