Everything To Live For

I have 12 sleeps until I'll be jetting off to the beauty of Barbados. I booked my flights back in May and I have been holding on to my sanity ever since.

The last 14 months have been a roller-coaster of highs and depressing lows, confusing twists and turns. I feel like I deserve to treat myself to this, kind of like a little celebratory break for surviving.

Last night I started my packing. I've separated the 'holiday' wear from the 'everyday' wear so I could be clear on what I'm still missing.

Because the last 3 weeks have been a bit of a health nightmare, I've put on just under 3 kgs and it all sits on my stomach, the one place I'd worked so hard to trim down. Sods law really but I won't let it ruin my holiday.

I woke up motivated to go to the gym this evening but as usual that dread has set in. I shall go anyway. I just need to get back into the habit of exercise. I know I'll feel better for going, and will sleep like a log tonight.

I've been training for something on and off for the last year, exercise being the substitution for my lost relationship. Sad really, and yet it's probably the best thing I could have done.

It's better than going out and getting pissed, ending up in bed with a random and okay perhaps I don't enjoy it as much I probably would the getting pissed and ending up in bed with a random, but I've learnt a lot about myself in those hours spent at the gym...

• I'm actually a decent runner when I can empty my mind
• I can achieve most things I put my mind too
• I enjoy the short lived sense of achievement
• It's a great way to spend 30-45 minutes on myself

I'm sure I can lose half of that weight gain in 2 weeks if I'm just consistent and watch what I eat (she says as she finishes a mini Terry's Orange bar). So, as I check the clock... 55 minutes left of my work day... I guess I'll see you on the flip side - or the gym's changing room. Got a beach body to regain!

Pass the **** out

So guys, day one didn't go according to plan, but when does anything.

I was away this weekend visiting the ailing grandparents and had packed some running gear but because it was raining heavily both days, I didn't make it out.

Monday, back at work, I had the brainwave that I'd do this 21 day workout thingy I wrote about in my last post. However, because I wasn't expecting to go to the gym when I packed for the weekend, I forgot 2 vital things... my padlock and more importantly, my membership card. They wanted to charge me £20 for guest pass - safe to say, I went home.

Anyway, yesterday (initially day two) I came prepared.

Day One's workout was pretty much interval running for 52 minutes. There are 3 levels to try over the 3 weeks you follow the regime. I can run comfortably at the suggested level 2 speeds already so I decided to start with those. the plan was to then do Day Two afterwards.

I did the run. 5 miles later and I'm seriously sweaty and ready to collapse.

Usually I'd be happy to go home at this point but I drag myself over to the weights area and grab two of the 6kg dumbbells. I push out 4 sets of 15 bench press, alternating with 4 sets of 8 split squats on each leg.

The burn at this point is making me feel a bit sick, but that's only 2 of the suggested 7 exercises in the programme.

Because there are no mats around for push-ups, some of the men at the gym stand in this area barefoot - euw, I continue with the bench press but upping my weight to 8kg and reducing the number of reps to 10 (this must sounds so boring to those of you who are just not interested in this kind of thing - trust me, I used to be one of those people) alternating the heavier sets with dumbbell deadlifts.

I'm supposed to do ab work... that's all I have to say on that.

My quads feel like they are on fire and my hips are really sore. In the shower I stretch; before bed I do a few moves to open up my hip region and then I pass the **** out.

I'm out at gigs for the next two nights and have plans for Friday so am unable to continue with my workout. I should have just started this at the weekend - HINDSIGHT

Snap back to reality, Oh there goes gravity

So Christmas is over, New Year's done and dusted, and my bank account is empty (even after payday). I'm suffering from major sugar withdrawals, having survived on purely biscuits, Quality Street, homemade mince pies and cherry pie, over-indulging on alcohol and fatty meats for the last month.

What do we have to look forward to next? 

Well, I'm back at work and in a way it's nice that it's the beginning of a new year. I'm looking out over the next 12 months and I'm able to plan what I want to achieve in that time. There's a lot of growing to be done, and lots of shrinking too - mainly my waist and jaw lines.

I'm FINALLY ready to tackle this fitness thing once and for all.

My first PT session is booked and I'm monitoring my food intake over the next month. I find that if I have to note down what I'm putting into my body, I choose much better foods... except today when I had cheese for breakfast, oops, but I do have a homemade tuna salad for lunch.

I've not done a bit of exercise in 3 weeks. This will of course all change starting Sunday when I plan to torture myself with a 5k road run even if it's raining - f**k you rain. PLUS my housemate Mel and I decided last night that we're signing up for the British London 10k Run that's happening in July. I want to complete it in under an hour.... Oh yeah!

I will master the art of squats and if my PT has anything to do with it, my new best friends will be kettle-bells. Fine with me if he gets me looking Hollywood sexy in time for my trip to LA in September.

So LOOK OUT 2014 because it's forecast to be a fighting fit, fun and fantastical year!

Getting stuck in

It's that time of year when pretty much ALL motivation for fitness, bar making sure you can fit into that LBD, goes flat - as flat as you wished your stomach would be but isn't because… it's that time of year!

I feel horrible but it's as if I cannot stop. The intention is there, I want to be fitter, trimmer, stronger, but I just keep on giving into the laziness.

I've touched on this a few times over the last 3 months, it's a reoccurring theme for me but I'd really love to know:

How do you keep the motivation to exercise? 

It's never too late to make a start but I do feel it's pointless in December. However, I'm not going to let THAT let me off the hook so I WILL go to the gym this evening. I WILL run 5k, I WILL use the ab machine and then I'll go home, eat eggs, epilate my legs and go to bed early again.

I've ripped the following of off Fitwatch in the hope that:
a) I'll remember I wrote this and make use of the tips
b) You find this interesting and can make use of the tips

So here goes…

1) Find A Role Model  
Who has that “perfect” body that you would love to have?

Many women tape up pictures of someone they aspire to be like, as it's a great way to keep your goals fresh in your mind, and to remind you what you’re striving towards.

Make sure that you choose someone deserving of your admiration – not someone who has an impossible to achieve image.

2) Set Small Goals
If you have set the bar too high by setting goals that are too tough to reach, you’re setting yourself up to be disappointed.

Just set smaller, easy to achieve goals and work your way towards the bigger goals. Start with something simple like, “I will work out three times this week.”

3) Reward Yourself 
Setting goals is a great way to get yourself going in an exercise program, but if you have a hard time keeping yourself going, don’t be afraid to offer yourself rewards for any small achievements.

Just remember that if you’re working out to lose weight, don’t reward yourself with food!

4) Get A Buddy 
Having someone to work out with makes it much more fun, and will keep you more motivated to exercise. Having a buddy makes it much harder for you to skip your workout, because they will be there to hold you accountable.

If you can’t find a buddy to work out with, hire a personal trainer to give you that extra push.

5) Make It Fun 
Exercise doesn’t have to be boring or repetitive. If you don’t like your exercise routine, change it and make it more exciting.

If your exercise routine is fun, you will end up looking forward to exercise, instead of dreading it.

6) Mix It Up 
Anything you do over and over every day is going to get boring, no matter how motivated you are to succeed. Find several different exercises you enjoy, and alternate.

Whenever you find yourself getting bored with a workout, replace it with something else you enjoy, and go back to it again when you’re ready.

7) Don’t Take It Too Seriously
If you start treating exercise like hard work, that’s exactly what it will become. Don’t let yourself get a bad attitude towards exercising, or you will be more likely to give up.

Staying motivated isn’t hard if you approach your exercise program with an open mind. Be flexible and let yourself have fun.

I go to a GYMBOX gym franchise and it's full of people who already look like they workout every day, eat uber healthily (tofu, sushi and whatnot) and never drink. I'd love to get involved in a class but I'm worried that I'll look like a fool as I've never done it before. Everyone else look like professionals!

So… how does one get over ones self? To be continued…

Yoga, Pilates, Abs Blast = Perfect body in 22 weeks

Ok, so now I am completely up-to-date. And today I'm not feeling well :( Woe is me.

I'm trying my best to get fit after watching Kareen and Monique batter the gym over the last few weeks and what with my new journey downhill into old age (to all those I know over 25, I'm only joking... :/ ) I thought it's about time I dust off my gym pass and attend myself.

Even though I was scheduled to go to Pilates with Kareen, she cancelled last minute, but considering her unrelenting attendance in the past couple of weeks I don't blame her. Suddenly I found myself starting to list reasons not to go myself. I'm notorious for being lazy when it comes to exercise, I need people to bully me into going because I'm useless at motivating myself.

BUT I have a goal to reach and only 22 weeks to meet it, so it was a hard decision between alcoholic beverage and Ferrer Rocher or stretches, meditation and a walk in the cold... I took the latter.

In the end the woman taking the class didn't turn up so Kriss and I went back to mine to "do some DIY exercise". A couple of glasses of wine, a few handstands, and Ben's Steak dish, later we were all talking about sex (of course).

This morning, though, I woke up with a severe sore throat and sharp pains shooting through my stomach. I didn't want to brush my hair, let alone travel to work on the packed underground.

And why is it that women look so bloody unfriendly in the morning? I mean for goodness sake!! We all make a face like someone has slapped us with a wet fish. Have yourself an orgasm ladies before you go to sleep, naturally brought on or mechanical. It always makes me smile the next day.