Fitness routine, an update

I thought I'd give a little update on my fitness routine lately. This weekend has I've been out the game so to speak. I got my first cold of this year and i think it was my body's way of telling me to slow as since about February i have been exercising at least 5 days per week. Phew. I couldn't have imagined doing that a few years back. So with me having a cold for a few days I haven't been to the gym since Wednesday nights spin class.

Other than that I had a blip the weekend i went to Alton Towers. Well, the week after to be exact. I just didn't feel like exercising so i cut it down and got back into my stride. And you know what, that's ok. If your heart's not in it then you won't enjoy it.

After I posted a few months ago about my routine which was every day of the week, i have made a few adjustments that have really just happened organically. I've cut out the Thursday night shock-fit (weights class) and only go to the sunday morning spin class every other week. I needed a little lie in every now and then. The Thursday night class is one I want to get back to because I love the weights and the changes that you see in your body from doing them. But here's what happened...

I'd been going to Tuesday and Thursday night shock fit classes since about Feb/March time. That's months! They used to be at 7pm and there was usually me, my cousin and a few other regulars on a Thursday, and me and maybe one other woman on a Tuesday. Those classes were cancelled in July due to low attendance, so I switched to the busier 6pm classes. Now, those are fine but the first week 12 people turned up and it was a very tight squeeze to say the least (since they're held in the smaller gym inside Forthbank stadium).

Anyway, about a month ago i turn up to the Thursday class. There's 4 of us there, including a few regulars to other classes. We were doing a new circuit so the instructor showed us each of the moves and we were soon on our way.

I was paired with a woman. (I'd rather have worked my way around on my own). Every now and again she would comment like this "you're not doing that right"... "i think you need to move forward a bit"... and so on. It really really put me off. I ignored her as best I could, not responding at all. What I really wanted to say was "please, you're doing it al wrong but i won't comment on your technique. And anyway if I were doing it wrong I'm sure the instructor would have told me since there's only 4 of us in the class". That's what I was saying in my head. I never said it out loud of course. Typical me, but i;m sure my lack of facial expressions told her what I might be thinking.

It's such a shame because when it was my usual group at those classes, we had a good rapport. But most importantly we encouraged each other and had a laugh. This other group really seem to be too serious and actually truth be told, their techniques are way off. I mean we're not talking athletes here who are training for anything but still. I'm surprised one of them hasn't put their back out.

So, I'll try to get over that and hope she stops going to that class because it really did put me off.

Other than that, I am still going to spin bike classes as well as GRIT strength and GRIT cardio classes. I do love the feeling you get afterwards having completed the high intensive training. Although my pink sweaty face may tell a different story!

What are you doing to keep fit?

Angela x

Get Fit and Healthy: Motivation and Perseverance

Despite the weather, summer should be here. For some it may already be here. And with the imminent arrival of summer, comes that ever more important need to sort your body out for the beach (if you're lucky enough to be going away for a beach holiday, that is).

The magazines are filled with the way they think we should be. All tall, bronzed and with the perfect beach hair. The reality is more often than not the total opposite to that. Women start to panic themselves into eating less. Filling themselves up with artificially sweet smelling gloopy liquids that promises them one step closer to that beach body. Again, the reality being that you will only lose weight (the healthy way) by exercising and eating healthier. I say healthier because I myself do not get enough fruit or vegetables in my diet. I am no expert when it comes to weight loss. But what I do know is that I'm only seeing results through hard work and cutting back on the crap in my diet. Incidentally, this weekend a newspaper here had pull-out booklets on a diet called "The bikini panic diet" - how utterly ridiculous and irresponsible to call it that.

It is tough. I'm now exercising for 7 days a week and I'm into week 4 of that. It's starting to become a habit. An amazing habit. Progress! I try to separate out different forms of exercise into different days of the week. It goes something like this...

• Monday - Spin class (cardio), GRIT Strength class (cardio and weights).
• Tuesday - ShockFit TRX suspension class (weights, strength).
• Wednesday - RPM biking class (spin, cardio)
• Thursday - ShockFit bells class (weights).
• Friday - Spin class (cardio)
• Saturday - GRIT cardio class
• Sunday - Spin class (cardio).

Gym for ShockFit - "there is no strength where there is no struggle"

It is tough. It requires focus and perseverance but I do like it, a lot. It wasn't always like that. I'd need no excuse some days just to give up on the Monday classes and then that knocks your week all to pot. Then you'd feel bad and it would all start again. But thankfully I've managed to get right out of that habit and into another more healthier one. My fitness is improving, although I can tell you that since introducing the GRIT classes, i feel like they could move me up a notch. Don't get me wrong, i am by no means an athlete. I'm just a girl who wants to get fitter and leaner and healthier.

I've never been into faddy diets. I was never allowed to when I was younger and I thank my mum for that. She was never into diets either. I tend to hold all my weight on my bum and thighs. I'm blessed with a fairly flat stomach and small chest so i do kinda look out of proportion.

Before January, my routine only consisted of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday spin bike classes. All cardio and no weights at all. I'm not really a fan of the gym - well, not a fan of the body builder types that hang around the weights, so it always put me off. Then I started the ShockFit classes twice per week and the difference in tone of my arms, quads and stomach is great. My bum could really do with a really big tone up though. It's my hardest part to shift any weight or tone up. But I'm determined. Of course the chocolate i eat doesn't help, nor does the juice. But they're my only vice and I have to try to wean myself off them. Well, that's really only an excuse now isn't it.

pic from a few months ago

At the start of June the gym introduced the Les Mills GRIT classes and I've added them into my weekly routine. I really hope they can help shift those last few pounds.

I've never really been a weight watcher, except in my mid 20's when I reached 10 and a half stone. At 5ft 2in, that could almost be considered obese. Probably is, I haven't checked any charts. I lost a bit of weight about 2 years ago through eating less crap and doing exercise. Then by February of 2011 I let it go a bit and put some more back on. For months I hovered around 9st 6lb. Which was better than 10st but still not ideal. Currently I'm sitting at 8st 6lb. Ideally I'd like to get to the lower end of 8stone. So that's my summer challenge to myself. To do just that. 6 pounds to go.

It'll take some real discipline on my behalf. You don't understand how panic starts to set in if i don't have a chocolate Freddo or something in the house to quash my cravings. Argh! But, the motivation is being able to wear the clothes I want to wear. The perseverance will come from my own inner and outer strength and the will to succeed at something that I control. Only I will know whether or not I succeed or fail but I think, this time, I'm going to succeed. I've written it down here after all and that means I HAVE to stick to it. Eek!

Join me. Let's motivate each other. I'll check in on you, if you check in on me.

Remember "there is no strength where there is no struggle", virtual gym buddies!

Angela x
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Fitness Friday #1 - Strength and Grit

For the past 2-3 months I've been incorporating ShockFit into my weekly fitness routine, along with my usual 4 spin bike classes. If you missed the previous post on the explanation of what ShockFit is, it's basically a set of different classes that are of the short, sharp, intense nature. There are different classes focusing on different parts, so for example, there are kettle bells classes, TRX suspension classes, core classes and a general ShockFit class incorporating all of the above. My favourite is the kettle bells.

Since starting these classes in February I've really noticed a difference in my body from the few months that I've been attending. My weight hasn't really dropped a huge amount but i can get into smaller clothes - result! My arms are more toned and sculpted. My quads are fierce and I'm getting that nice muscle definition on the front of my thighs. My bum could be a little tighter admittedly and my tummy has always been relatively flat so it doesn't take much to keep that in check. I'm pleased with these results so far.

In a few weeks time the ShockFit classes will be added to the main timetable at The Peak meaning that you can have them as an add on to your main membership. Nice one. Although edging towards £60 per month!!

As well as the ShockFit, there'll be Les Mills Grit series classes too. Cardio and Strength. I've signed up for a Grit strength taster class to find out what it's all about. But in general i think they're almost the same format as the ShockFit classes. I'm excited to try them out and then get into it proper good. Upper body strength has always been my weakness. Not any more!

Angela x

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