Exercise balls - feck it!

Kettlebells was an experience last night! I picked the wrong weight to begin with. And by picking I mean it was the only one left because I was so late. So I was trotting around the circuit with a heavier than usual weight and by god did I feel it! So the circuit last night was a little different in that the trainer included exercise balls for us to to do sit ups, the plank and this other thing that looked like we were kneeling down saying our prayers and rolling forward on the ball.

It turns out, should you ever enter a competition that requires balance related skill, do not pick me for your team because you will absolutely loose. I cannot use it. I swear, I am ridiculous.

Firstly, when I sat on it I was instantly afraid the bloody thing was going to pop (that's the warped view of myself kicking in right there). Then doing the sit ups I was so afraid that I was going to roll off the blasted thing that I couldn't commit to the Up bit! On the next round of the circuit we had to do the praying thing. That wasn't too bad. I managed to do it, but didn't look half as long or graceful as my friend did (probably because I am not, in fact, half as long or graceful but that is neither here nor there). On the third way round we had to do this plank thing.

I made a holy show of myself. The group before us (and after us for that matter) didn't seem to have any problem in doing this. I, on the other hand, was an entirely different ball game (hehehe you get it!).

I couldn't do it. I was trying to hold myself up and steady but the ball kept moving on me. I was rolling to left and right and instead of just letting myself topple over I fought it, so I looked even worse. I nearly knocked my friend off her ball and the same with the girl who was in our group. Eventually, after a lot of trying the bloody thing shot out from underneath me, flying across the room drawing attention to my unbalanced self and sent me flying to the ground. I thought my friend was going to get sick laughing at me.

So to all those in the class that could manage that particular gem i say Damn you sporty folk and the exercise balls you rolled in on....

Exercise tip

First kettlebells class complete

I have just come back from my first kettlebells class with Dinny the instructor of Fingal Kettlebells. It was unbelievable! It was hard and sweaty and good fun and I'll be going backing tuesday!

We'll see how I feel tomorrow though....

Happy New Year

2011 ended perfectly!! It was spent with himself and our wonderful nephew (well, really he's himself's nephew I've just claimed him as mine cause he's brilliant!). We had loads of fun babysitting and playing with him. Waking up in 2012 to the words 'Choo Choo' was possibly one of the best starts!

So what does the new year bring? For me its the end of the holiday feasting, or at least it will be from tomorrow. It's back into running and even taking up Kettle Bells!

What's a kettle bell? Have a look below!

Image Courtesy of kettlebellexerciseshq.com



Kind of looks like Mickey Mouse (clearly that's from spending too long watching the Junior Channel with my lovely nephew)! Apparently this thing is going to tone me and help me loose weight. Isn't it exciting!! Now, considering I struggle with my little 1kg weights, I think that this is going to be a hilarious class for me. One that requires strength, coordination and balance... things I possess in abundance you might say. Actually, no, you wouldn't say that at all, but sure feck it we'll give it a bash and see how it goes!!!

New years resolutions? I don't want to say that I've made any, because to be fair, I always break them within a couple of days. But I do plan on continuing with the changes I have made.

1. Continue with WW and reach my goal weight by 31 December 2012
2. Continue with running and fitness
3. Complete the women's mini marathon in June 2012
4. Continue being a non-smoker!

It's not a lot, and I have been doing all of this since October (well, the training for the mini marathon is to begin). Need to trick myself into believing that these are not new years resolutions, as you know from reading my blog I am mildly rebellious and like to self sabotage.

I have big plans and goals and desires for 2012 and they ALL revolve around getting fit and healthy so I can stand on my best friends altar with pride and a skinny ass!!

Here's to 2012 being the year that I achieve my goals, don't self sabotage and have the time of my life planning the biggest day of our lives!

Happy 2012 to you all

xxx

Gonna try out something new...

So I've decided that I am going to try out a new exercise. Kettlebells...

"A kettlebell is a cast iron weight that looks like a bowling ball with a handle. Kettlebell training is both a cardio and a toning workout all in one. Along with a healthy diet you will loose weight and tone up your body. You will also increase flexibility, strengthen core muscles and also burn a massive amount of calories!
Kettlebell training is suitable for everyone from couch potato to elite triathlete. There is no impact on joints and kettlebells come in various weights to suit every individual."

I have high expectations. Namely I expect to just look at the ball type thing and be down 2 dress sizes!!

I have spoken with people that have partaken in this particular form of exercise and they say its hard going but good work. The lovely man I contacted for more information has promised me that I will be sore.

Myself and my friend will be heading to the class tonight. Here's hoping two of these classes this week will give me licence to eat a selection box all to myself!!!

Exercise Junkie?

Is it a possibility that I am becoming an exercise junkie? I think so. Mainly because I got up at 5.45am this morning for a date with Davina, and as tired and all as I am, I will be heading out for a run when I get home from work. That to me spells out addiction to exercise.

(Please ignore the fact that it is the first time in 29 years that I have gotten up at 5.45am to work out. Please also ignore the distinct lack of a developed habit! In my mind I need only do it once for it to become a habit.)

Either way I just want to boast about the fact that while y'all we're snoozing your heads off I was bouncing around my sitting room, flinging weights about willie-nilley and huffing & puffing my way through squats, sit ups and leg pulses. I hope that you can sense, from the tone of my writing, the glow from my healthy halo! And while you might say to me that self praise is no praise at all, I would argue that if I don't tell people about my early morning workout(s) then how will they know to praise me?

Never mind only girl in the world, try unfitest girl in the world!

To make up for not working out last night, I decided that I would do two of Davina's 30 min workouts, back to back. I have just spent the last hour and a bit bouncing around my sitting room (in the worlds most unsupportive bra I would like to add- ill have to sort that out at the weekend) huffing and puffing and now I'm zonked!

I had great ambitions to do the full three in a row, but by the time I reached the end of the boxercise I could literally not stand! My legs were like jelly! Literally! I couldn't get off the floor!

Once I regained my breath I tried walking up the stairs. It took me forever!

Then trying to lift my pins up to get into the shower.... Well, suffice to say it took a lot of time and patients!

Better see the required results on Monday otherwise I think my calves, thighs and glutes will leave me for ever!!!

Who knew exercise is like chocolate?

It's funny really. I'm 29 and, well I'll be honest, up until now my exercise regime - and I use the term rather loosely, has been the odd walk here and there, a guilt filled and stressfully occasional gym membership and a profession to really enjoy doing it when I get to it, but it's just getting to it is the problem!

This week, being week four of the new me, I've realised something. Exercise gives me that same happy feeling as a square (or six) of my favourite chocolate. And the great thing about it is that unlike chocolate, I can do as much exercise as I want and I wont be drown in a river of guilt! Although, I can't imagine that I Will ever be guilty of over exercising!

I also noticed something curious! I haven't had the best week this week. In fact, some might say that I have been like a bag of cats! Obviously those brave few who have voiced this fact have not loved to tell the tale! I've been up and down on that roller coaster ride called emotions all week. I didn't do any exercise on Tuesday night and it made me feel worse!

On Wednesday evening I had no more interest in squating and lunging and feckin planking than I had in learning to do a hoe down. When I came in from work Drill Sarge Mc was waiting. I'd had my night off the night before and wasn't having two on the trot. So he took me through my paces.

I'll be frank. I wanted to tell him to feck off and mind his business I am a grown woman that does not need to be told what to do. Then I got defiant in my stubborn, emotional little head and decided that he was waiting for me to quit, the way I always do. I'll show him, says i! And I did. I went through the paces and i worked my butt off, Abd guess what...

By the time I was warmed down and eating my dinner I was in great form. I was relaxed and happy and delighted with myself.

So apparently all this talk of exercise being good for fighting your moods ad depression and stuff isn't a ploy to trick you into working out!

My biggest concern is, what of exercise becomes my new chocolate?

UhOh... What was I thinking!

Do not know what I was thinking. I have had a MENTAL weekend. Cocktails on Friday and beers on Saturday. Haven't cooked myself a dinner since Thursday evening.

Out on Friday night with my lovely college ladies! We went for Tapas.

Tapas are a peculiar experience. They are nice, but a bit on the disappointing side. Its hard to describe. All this food comes at once, little tasters. And your eating away at it, and you feel full. But it's almost anti-climatic. There's no 'main course'. Now don't get me wrong, it was all lovely but it kind of left me wanting more.

Aside from that, myself and my arch nemeses 'Vino' had a meeting in the restaurant. I had two glasses and drowned the effects by drinking about a litre of water. Then I was on to the cocktails. Mojito and Strawberry Daiquiris. I love SD's... Mojito, on the other hand, I just don't understand it. They are lovely and refreshing, once you scoop all the foliage from them and actually get to the alcohol. I spent so much time scooping the mint out I was beginning to think I was gardening and not clubbing! I decided to go back to the SD's, far less effort!

How I woke up on Saturday morning feeling as bright as I felt, I shall never know. I got up and I made Roast Butternut Squash soup, had a lovely breakfast and I didn't cancel my date with Davina McCall. Headed on up to my gym (aka my bedroom) and worked my little ass off! I was thinking that between all the dancing around I did the night before and the work out, I was golden for working off the cocktails. Sure on Friday night, in my less than sober state, I decided that it would be best to leave my high heels on while dancing, despite my feet throbbing so much that I actually think my heart beat could have been found in them. My reasoning? Working out my thighs, calves and bum of course!

Things were going very well yesterday. I chose wisely in the restaurant. I came home and got ready to go out. I decided I was drinking Korona and I stuck with it. Fun and laughs were had by all.

Then we left the pub, and I was assaulted.... by the smell of vinegar.

Oh yes. I did. I went to the chipper. I bought chips and a battered sausage. I drown them in so much vinegar I think I began wearing it as a perfume! I ate my battered sausage. I loved every bite of that greasy battered meat. I started on the chips. The vinegar sodden, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside chips. Delicious. But! I didn't eat them all. Instead I ate about half and threw the rest in the bin. That's progress!

Why progress? Well let me outline;

1. Three weeks ago if I ordered a chipper, I would have ordered garlic dip
2. I would have ordered a 1/4 pounder and cheese
3. I would have eaten it all.

I think that's good, right? Or am I just fooling myself?

Regardless, I've to go now and extend my appointment with Davina to an hour long, perhaps an hour and half! What was I thinking?!!!

Clearly loosing the run of myself

Determination seems to be winning the battle between my thighs and its cronies. There is a lot less complaining out of them the more I move.

I have a big week of eating out. I was out for a lovely meal with my wonderful friend. It definitely lived up to my expectations (both the company and the meal). Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am heading out for a 'good luck with the baby' lunch this afternoon. Have been pouring over the venues menu trying to choose something that's suitable. I have chosen Smoked Salmon.

I have Graduation Tapas and Cocktails with the ladies from college tonight to celebrate successfully making our way through a gruelling (in my eyes) diploma in legal studies.

Finally, I have a Brides dinner and drinks tomorrow night with one of my besties.

All in all, its a lot of eating out. The reason I am loosing the run of myself is not on account of all the eating out. Its on account of knowing I'm going to eat out, and actually exercising! Even if I am tired. I think I'm becoming one of those people. You know. The people that actually enjoy exercise.

This is a very big shock to me. Exercise has always been something I have scoffed at. I have always counted as the walk to the car and back. Weight training is the lifting of a glass of vino from the table to my mouth and refilling it. Aerobic exercise was hoovering (and I usually get himself to do that!). I mean, this week I've been running twice, walking once and did a half hour of boxercise last night.

Thankfully my body seems to be slowly coming around to the idea of this extra movement and is not protesting as loudly. Here's hoping that I can maintain this level for the rest of the weekend so I can really enjoy myself! Have to keep remembering, 4 days till weigh in...

Working-out for my Grub

I am meeting a very good friend for dinner tonight. I haven't had an opportunity to sit with down and enjoy a meal and catch up with her for nearly five months, so some might say it is well and truly overdue! We always have such a giggle when we're together so I am really looking forward to it.

 

Just how much I am really looking forward to our catch up was on my mind yesterday morning. I decided that I would go for an hours walk yesterday evening after work and then I can pick whatever I like and not have to worry about the points (within reason of course). My thighs had finally stopped protesting and started to move normally again. I am thinking this is down to the fact that I gave them a night off on Monday and lulled them into a false sense of security. Yesterday morning while making my decision, I could feel them groaning! But, on the way home when rain sploshed down on to the window of the car, I could hear the rejoicing! "There's not a hope of her taking us out in this weather!" Their delighted squeals were silenced by my new found determination "I pity the foolish thighs who fear rain. Tonight I am going to introduce you to my friend pain!" (For reasons unknown my determination seems to have taken on some form of an extra Cheesy Mr T).

 

When I got home, myself and H2B headed off for our little trot. He left me eating his dust as he took off for a "jog" - looked more like a sprint to me but what do I know. I decided, much to the protesting of my thighs, that I would do the Couch to 5K training. This is five minutes of walking to warm up and alternating between 1.3 minutes of running and walking for twenty minutes, then five minutes of cooling down.

 

I don't run. For many reasons, one of which being that as a child I was told that I run like Sonia O'Sullivan. Me being the innocent and not at all unkindly minded assumed that meant that I was really fast. I was later informed that she looks really funny when she runs, and that I, infact, looked like her when she ran, I wasn't as fast as her. Anyway, I took off at my little pace and I completed the training. On the return to the car, emboldened by my achievement, I did another bout of running and walking. By the time I crawled into the car I was feeling very impressed with myself. my "Determination" was doing an "I told you so" dance in the face of my thighs (who had now dragged my glutes (new favourite word), calves and stomach into our falling out).

 

I make it sound like it was no problem for me to complete this 50 minutes of fast movement. Please do not misunderstand me. By the time I reached the car my face was redder than a tomato, I was lightheaded from the amount of oxygen and the speed at which it was reaching my brain and I was drowned in sweat, like I had just decided to dip myself in to the sea.

 

H2B took me home and the drill sergeant that he is made me do about ten minutes more of stretching and sitting up. I swear I thought I'd never get off the floor again. But I did. And I felt wonderful after it. Kind of wonderful you feel for those split seconds after you eat a bar of chocolate (after it leaves your mouth and before you have an attack of the guilt's)

 

So I definitely earned my dinner tonight! And I look forward to enjoying it guilt free. I have once again lulled the thighs and its new cronies into thinking they have a night off, but "Determination" is sneaking up on them and making them do Davina McCall's work out after dinner! sssh don't tell them!

After 29 years together, my thighs have decided they want to leave me....

It's Saturday morning at 11.15am.  My thighs have fallen out with me. They say I've changed. They say that my attitude has become unbearable. They can no longer take it. They want to leave me for a lazier less motivated woman. I told them to go, I want a skinnier model any way! This is how it all began...

It all started with a walk on Wednesday for about 30 mins with himself (aka H2B - Hubby 2 Be). He took off on a little jog while I walked at a smart pace. And then I decided, sure I'll give this jogging (pronounced with a soft J H2B tells me so it sounds like Yogging!!) a go. Anywho, the lungs weren't long about protesting, and then the thighs had their say and that was the end of that.

So when we got home I asked H2B if he would teach me and coach me in the ways of 'excercise'.. Nothing to strenuous mind, just a few sit ups and the likes (something to battle the bingo wings). When I came home last night Drill Sarge McCarthy was ready and waiting to make me sit up and press up and lunge and basically use muscles that, to be quite frank, I really didn't know I had! That was the second straw as far as the thighs were concerned...

I received an email from one of my best friends wondering if I was around for an early morning walk this morning and a catch up. Sure, I said. Sounds great I said. Pick me up at 8am, I said. Within two mins of the 'walk' I realised what I forgot about my best friend. For every step she takes, I take three. So while she's out for a nice relaxing stroll, I'm walking at full pelt, sweating like a donkey in a sauna and struggling to catch me breath! Sure she hasn't even broken a sweat at this point and is full of chat. Our walks are the only time that she can get a word in edge ways with me because I'm too out of breath to speak!!! (and during our chat she informs me she's going to the bloody gym after the walk while all I was fit for was my bed!!)

Nevertheless, it was a lovely walk, and I felt fantastic after it, full of beans (and sweat). That was straw three for the thighs....

The final straw came when I decided that I would continue on my exercise buzz and throw on Davina McCall's 30 minute workout and give it a bash. I've never lunged and squatted as much in my life!!! Once I completed the 30 minute workout and fell to the floor, my thighs informed me of their decision...

I'm afraid to tell them that H2B is coming back at some point today to put me through my paces again!

I can practically feel myself deflating as i type!