Exercise

It feels so so good after you've done it.
So why is it so hard to do it???

Could Do Better

I went for my monthly fitness test last week and I was mildly disgruntled to see that while my fitness has improved, it hasn't really improved that much. Which is not what my cardiac arrest-like symptoms tell me when I go to the gym. But I also accept that while I am now factoring exercise in my life, I'm still not putting in as much effort as I could be (it's so hard!!) But the good news is I now have a very clear goal to get to the "Below Average" section of the fitness chart. As opposed to my normal home on that chart which is "Poor". With a few more Step classes in the mix I reckon I can do it!

Exercise is Fun!

Repeat until you believe it!

Actually believe it or not I am actually enjoying my sessions with the trainer. She makes me huff and puff like a steam train but that's not a bad thing I guess. Especially since it's the only way I'm actually going to get anywhere near the "Good" Fitness level. It's interesting that the thing I'm most struggling with in my strength training is the cardio aspect of it. It's not the aching legs or the sore arms that are letting me down (much!) but the breathlessness of having to squat and do shoulder presses at the same time. Oh that's the other thing I've discovered! I'm a real unco. Watching me multi-task in order to squat/shoulder press or lunge/arm pull back thingy must be hilarious. Oh well...I CAN do it (as I keep telling myself) and that's the main thing!

Be Aggressive! B-E Aggressive!!

If you are reading the title of this post and have a yearning to step from side to side and clap rhythmically - then Bring It On Funk Soul Sisters! You know exactly what we're talking about!!

I've been playing round with Goals 1,3 & 4 for a month and really getting nowhere. In fact, with Goal 3 I've actually progressed in the wrong direction. Time to do something about it and step up my efforts. So I've started a 12 week programme that my gym offers called Body Revolution. I have an eating plan to follow and I'll have two personal training sessions a week. Plus I'll have to do a whole lot of extra cardio the rest of the time. By the end of the 12 weeks I want to reduce my fat percentage by 5% and I want to be of "average" fitness. Hopefully not too much to ask if I put the work in.

It's going to mean some major lifestyle changes including:
* Going to bed a lot earlier
* Waking up at 6am and exercising in the morning
* Having breakfast
* Having a proper dinner
* Choosing low fat
* Planning and organising my food in advance

Phew! I'm not freaking out. Honest I'm not!! I really want to see some results so I'm going to think like an athlete and pursue this for all it's worth. Be Aggressive! B-E Aggressive is my new motto (and I think Shiny's too but for completely different reasons) so bring it on!!

The Only Way is Up

Have my fitness at the level of "good": How committed am I making an appointment for a fitness test at the gym on New Year's Day?! The idea is to shock myself into action as well as set the tone for the year. I'm going to have a fitness test of the first of every month this year and watch my fitness soar. So I guess you're wondering about the result of my January fitness test? Poor. Luckily it wasn't Very Poor. Okay so there is no Very Poor - Poor is the lowest you can get but I'm not looking at this as failure...it's a starting point. I felt suitably shocked to trot over to the cardio area afterwards and cycle away (at 80% of my maximum heart rate of course) for 30 mins so this could be the start of a whole new me. But don't worry, I'll still be the same person on the inside.