Zombies.......RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

ok something a bit different for you today. I like most use Nike run or similar apps to help keep you motivated while out running and to generally track how far you have gone. This is great and a useful app with which you get cheers from you friends and can race yourself.
But yesterday I stumbled across something a little different, an app which motivates you in a far from traditional way ...................... by emersing you in a post appocalyptic world where you are running for your life from ZOMBIES!
Now I know some of you out there will be thinking this is a bit silly, however I was curious and thought the idea of running in a game intrigued me.
The basic idea is simple, you start a run and you are lead through an audio story (inbetween your own music playing) through various missions, all the while picking up items to help you along the way. However the way is fraught with dangers and every so often you hear the warning ZOMBIES RUNNNNNN!, the only way to evade the attack is to run faster!!! each attack lasts about a minute, if you are caught you loose some of your collected items.
Now ofcourse these are fake zombies and you wont die or suffer catastrophic injures if caught, however its suprising how the ever louder groans and quickening beeps motivate you to run faster...... (just be careful if you are running in towns)

Now I tried this out for the first time today, not really knowing what to expect so I turned it on picked my music and started my first mission. Immediatly the story begins to unravel in your ears, interspersed with your music. I was merely 5 minutes into my run when the first zombie attack occured and I RANNNNN like I've never run before in a training run with zombies breathing in my ears and warning beeps getting closer motivating me speed up even more before finally I managed to evade them. This aspect is great for me and probably many others as once out on a run I tend to settle into a bit of a plod.... I can go for miles I'm just not very fast so this aspect really will help me improve my sprinting and hopefully my speed overall.
Now I am yet to see how long this will keep me intrigued and todays run was just a short 5k to the gym, and somewhere along the way I accidently locked my screen (this will stop the app) which meant I didnt finish my mission or see any more zombie attacks. I believe there may have been 2 attacks in this mission and the missions I believe are all around 30 minutes long, as you complete a mission it unlocks the next and I'm guessing zombie attacks get more frequent as you progress....

But I guess im going to have to wait to see in my next run, luckily my mission is paused and I can start this up again on my next run which I actually cant wait to go out and do... so I'm guessing for now this app is working for me :-), I think trying it at dusk or in the woods on trail runs could make it even more eery!!! thats if you dare :-)

The price for this app is a little high, it had been on offer but now its reverted to its £5.49, but I think thats money well spent to give a little fun to what can be boring monotonous runs.

so for now.............. RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!

A Week in my training schedule

Hello all,

just a quickie today, just thought id let you all know how things are going. I can honestly say my inner gym bunnie is winning the war over my inner food monkey.
I am slowly regaining the time and the love for the gym and training. Im already into my 5th hour of training this week which feels great.
so from last Thursday heres a little peek into what i get up to :-)

Thursday = 30min swim, 30 minute spin
Friday = Long walk with Puppy (im at work all that day but pup comes with me and we go for a trundle around 5pm)
Saturday 5k Run
Sunday Rest day
Monday = 30 min Cross fit, 1 hr spin, and 30 minutes of weights
Tuesday = 1 hr spin 30 minutes boxing
wednesday = 1 hr tough cross fit training (1  mile run 2 k row x3 no rest)
and tonight it will be 45 minute swim 30 minute bike :-)

I know this isnt for everyone, but just trying to make your routine varied and intresting helps and doing the things you love which for me is spinning/boxing and cross fit (my new friend)

Hope you are all going well out there

keep going, eat well, train hard and reap the rewards.

Cross Fit

hello all, appologies again for the delay between posts life is a bit of a whirlwind at the moment.

However id like to spend a couple of minutes telling you about cross fit a new training system which is booming at the moment.

Crossfit is a great all round work out focusing on functional movements (things you do in real life) and cardio. A PT friend of mine was recently putting up his latest cross fit work out and it got me looking into it.

i found a great free app (crossfit daily) which gives you a new work out every day. Now some of these work outs will be too hard for novices involving pull ups etc however there are plenty we can all do.

i tried my first session out on monday involving 800m run, 50 sit ups and 50 back extensions then repeat 3 times no rest in between.

now with all cross fit the aim is to time how long it takes you to do the rounds with the aim to improve each time you do that work out.

Now when i did this session the first round was fine, the second ok and by the third i was beginning to feel the pinch... but you feel a great achievement after and with most cross fit work outs they wont require you to spend hours in the gym and many you can do at home.

After mine i had a good sweat on but then carried on to do 80 leg press, 36 bench press, 36, chest press and 36 row. I felt great.

yesterday i was teaching spin but tonight i have yet another cross fit work out to do, why not try it yourself at home:

3 rounds timed of:

10 burpees

20 squats (with or without weight)

30 sit ups

i will also be doing a 5 k run :-)

so go on, give it a go and see what you think.

ill keep you updated on my sessions.

Things that make me mad

ok so i know i have been on and off the radar for a while now but im still fighting the good fight.

To Summarise, Ive had a few issues with health which has now finally seemed to have come down to a very deficient me in Vitamin D (levels which are barely detectable). This has meant Ive been battling to maintain my fitness due to some of the side affects of low vit D which include muscle and bone pain and tiredness, not to mention the affect on the immune system which has meant it seems like Ive just had one bug after another over the last year. However all that aside im battling on and despite a weight gain over the year of 1 stone im am not to concerned as theres light at the end of the tunnel....... at least i now know im not going mad and there has been a cause to the various symptoms which i just couldnt conect the dots on.

anyway... now that i have filled you in on whats been happening with me on to my main topic which is Things that make me Mad!!!

Now obviously i blog about fitness and health but always try to remain objective and encourage a healthy balance but sometimes you hear people doing or saying things that just make you want to scream:

1. Fad Diets
2. LOW CARB!!!!!
3. Being a slim healthy size yet still saying you need to loose weight!!
4. as long as I count my calories its fine
5. I want to build tone but loose weight

ok so these are just a few of the things which make me mad but they are all very common themes i hear day in day out being discussed by people in the gym

Fad Diets - as I've said and will always say moderate what you consume but do not cut out/replace or overly restrict. if a diet is telling you to cut out one of the main food groups steer clear. we are omnivores for a reason and need every (Natural) food group to help sustain healthy bodies and minds. the worst in my mind is the NO CARB diet..... Carbs are our most important and basic form of energy resource they are not bad as long as you stick to natural unprocessed forms (remember if its white its more than likely processed... nothing but coconut in nature is naturally white)

OK now im all for being aware of what calorie intake you have had in a day..... its obviously a simple equation energy in - energy used = energy stored. But i am not keen on diets which allow you to eat anything as long as you count it..... for example its ok if i have a mcdonalds today as long as i eat nothing else!!! NOOOOO a mcdonalds as a treat if you really want it (and ask yourself if you really do) is fine but please learn not only to be aware of calories but also which foods are healthy choices, and which should be avoided such as highly processed meals/snacks or treats.

Now on to those you here in the gym discussing the fact they cant understand why they arent loosing weight (you look and see a slim toned normal person and wonder what the heck have they got to loose? a butt cheek?)....... ok now when you are carrying excess weight you can slim and tone up at the same time.... however if you have reached the normal to lower levels of your weight range and you are doing a significant amount of muscle building/toning excercises.... well im sorry you are unlikely to loose much weight its known muscle is heavier than fat and you may even put a few pounds on (good pounds) but you will find your shape changes........ GUYS PLEASE STOP OBSESSING ON WEIGHT AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK TO LOOKING AT HOW YOU LOOK OR FEEL....... DO YOUR CLOTHES FEEL LOOSER? YES? THEN GREAT!!!!!! WHO CARES IF THE SCALES SAY YOUVE LOST NOTHING.

At the end of the day people we all make mistakes we all have bits of us we dont like, but please start to be happy with who you are, dont follow trends or new celeb diets or take those models in the magazines to be ideal examples.... just learn to make healthy choices, live energised lives and treat yourself every now and again....... after all we are all meant to be different... imagine how boring life would be if we all looked the same.

Rant over

loving autumn running

ok so maybe its not most peoples idea of fun, and ive gotta admit often I have a full on argument in my head with myself to get that motivation to go out in the cold and run, but once I'm there its really quite peacefull and it feels great to be reclaiming my own time and along with it my own body.

You will all be pleased to know i kept to my word and despite only taking the tiniest 4.5 kilo rucksack with me on holiday to portugal i managed to get in there my trainers and running gear........ oh yeah now your impressed lol... well thats the dedication im putting into myself im determined to shift this bit of weight ive put on this year and get back on track.

Im beginning to slowly but surely get my feel for running back, ive recently downloaded a personal running trainer ap which has a 16 week marathon program on it. so i started it this week (i know winter .... hummm maybe not the best timing.... looks like ill be running in the snow) and although i think 16 weeks may be a bit optamistic im going to follow the program and if one week feels a little tough i will just repeat it then move on ....... but you never know i may surprise myself and do it in the 16 weeks.

So roll on a winter of running, of wooly hats and foggy mornings, of crispen air and frosty footprints.... whatever the season may bring im ready.

ooops.................

Ok so as you all know i have battled for many years with my weight but finally triumphed in loosing over 8 stone and becoming a Personal trainer and fitness instructor.

Well now to the oops................

 early this year i was working in my full time job as a venue manager fo nottingham Trent as well as working between 10-20 hrs as a PT and fitness instructor this meant a total average working week of 60-70 hours. This was fine but training myself was getting tough to fit in but i was just about managing..... but then.............

I fell in love i met my current partner in early january and suddenly i needed to fit someone else in to my life.
As with all relationships early on came the dating.... the eating out, the drinking.... the lets have a takeaway night in etc etc................

initially work stayed the same, so what lost out you may ask? well my training schedule did and as a result so did i.

Everyone says with love comes a belly........ :-) initially mine didnt the high work load and running about kept the weight off, but soon i became run down i did not have enough time for everything. not only this but my already hard hit training schedule was dealt more blows and i was just too run down to train as i always have.

what happened you may ask? well i was happy and initially my muscle mass kept my metabolism high so i didnt see too many adverse effects, however with the low training i soon lost muscle mass and with that came the belly....

i am ashamed to say i have put on just over a stone ooooops

so what do i do? well i soon decided my health and happiness were more important than my work or bank balance and even my clients (what kind of role model am i if i put on weight) so This has meant i have now come to the decision to stop Personal training (for the moment) and just teach my tri club and spin classes with effect from the end of this month.

this means i have now regained some me time, yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

i am happy as larry, very much in love but also very ready to banish this belly back to where it came from!!!!

so i appologise everyone for falling of the blogging wagon, but i hope you can see why, and i also hope this shows all of us fall a little now and again but as long as it is recognised and a plan put in motion to stop it in its tracks then we will win

Fat mairi will not get her claws back into me!!!!

watch this space for updates on my progress...

P.S im even taking my running shoes on holiday with me next week :-)

Pole Dancing Mahem

ok so there are many fitness crazes out there, some are worth more than others, i have in my time tried a fair few.....

Zumba this is a great fun work out and good cardio altrernative to aerobics...; however for me who is never the most graceful it wasnt one i chose to continue

Body Bar, i love body bar its brilliant for building strength and tone but some find it a little scary and think they will all come out looking like arny (not the case unless you want to) but i understand for some just as Zumba was for me its not their choice.

Power plate.... ok not my favourite and often used wrong (guys if you just sit or stand on it the fat is not going to magically melt away!!!) but can be good for incorporating into core strength excercises and also helps to relax muscles after a workout

and many many more ...boxercise (LOVE IT), pilates (good for core strength), belly dancing (not personally tried but good for core im told), etc etc etc

However my new found fun and great strength and core work out is.............................................

POLE DANCING..... yes i did say it pole dancing

I love it.. im not yet very good but its a great mix of fun, overall strength building, toning and core... its the whole package... and when your good at it you can make a work out look not only impressive but sexy too!

i have currently had 3 lessons, now ladies i warn you there will be some bruising involved but i am told this eases with time, and you will be initially shocked at how hard it actually is... but it is also a lot of fun once you get over the intimitation of swinging around a pole (somewhat ungracefully at first)

i can now do a fire man swing, a back swing, a chair swing and almost a carosel to chair swing, as well as climb the pole (ISH), hold my own body weight in some slightly graceful positions and im now starting to try some pole sits (sitting half way up the pole only using legs to hang on :-)

its amazing to watch our instructor Kat from Pole kat Fitness nottingham ... there are things she can do that even those so called strong guys in the gym wouldnt have a hope in hell of...... one day i hope to do the same, but meanwhile im crying out to have my own pole so i can train at home and not just have one lesson a week as for me upper body strength has always been my weakness and this will help as well as giving me great tone and killer abs woop woop

so if you have a class near you get out there and give it a whirl...... and if someone is taking photos for you be prepared for pain when they ask you to hang on just as you were about to get off!!!!!

Nottingham triathlon .....so whats next?

So nottingham triathlon came and went..... considering my lack of time to train this year i did pretty well.... Well that is as long as you forget the fact i got a little lost in the swim!!! yes i know how can you get lost in the swim...

 Well its suprisingly easy in murky lake water when your goggles steam up and amazing how much extra distance you can add im pretty sure i swam an extra 400 meters... so my swim was slow but in total i only came in 2 minutes slower than last year... so had i not decided to swim away with the duckies i would actually have pulled off a faster time than last year which just goes to show that even if you dont feel trained enough its worth giving things a shot!!

so what next?

well i have 2 weeks left of term before things get quieter... than its time for some serious running training!
im hoping to run the london marathon with my partner next year in 2012... so this year running will take presidence over anything else...

Now my partner who had never run a step in her life before is  now trying to embrace the thought of running the marathon ... in fact she was the one who actually suggested running the london marathon ( rather stupidly she chose a family gathering to do this so now the whole family are waiting and expecting her to run so its a done deal!!!!)

After 3 weeks of training she is now running 4k by running for 7 minutes and walking for 3 and repeating this interval.... Now this is not to say we have done this without shedding a few tears, weve had a few dramas over some GIANT blisters (really they were huge!!! lol) and some tantrums running round the lake, but i am so proud of how far she has come in just 3 weeks..... the london marathon proffessonals better watch out we will be right on their heels.....
we will also be raising for cancer research so keep an eye out for a link in the next few months to a just for giving link.
so me the slow runner and my partner the never runner.... will be spending this next year running we will beat the 26 miles and we are going to enjoy every blistering step it takes us to get there..... some come on guys if you have ever thought about doing a marathon..... well just do it there is no time like the present....

watch this space for news on how we get on.

To Eat or not to eat......

OK so i was talking to one of my PT clients the other day and we got to talking about food. Now i am as you know a believer in everything in moderation.... never make yourself feel guilty for having that weekend chocolate, or the sunday fry up... it is these simple pleasures that make food a joy and we should not spend our lives chastising ourselves for having the odd treat.
However there is always a balance... unfortunatly like many of us including me at one stage the need to loose weight and feel good about yourself often sees you making some of the worst mistakes you can in nutrition:

- skipping breakfast
- reducing you calories to such an extent it wouldnt keep a toddler going
- cutting carbs
- eating only protein
- eating only veg
- eating nothing all day (so no one sees you eat) and then binging in the evening
- feeling guilty about having a treat
- taking diet pills
- taking laxetives (i for one have never done this but its crazy what people will try)

now all of these are bad enough on their own, but if you combine them with the fact you are attempting to train... oh my lordy your body will not be thanking you and this is why....

Breakfast.... as my mother always said is the most important meal of the day.... it kick starts your metabolism and gives you the energy to begin your day in a positive way. if you skip this you will ultimatly feel sluggish and more hungry and crave highly processed foods..... (why? because your body knows it can break them down easily and get energy - all beit poor energy- fast)... this is your fast track to reaching for that nasty pasty, or bag of crisps at 11am.

Breakfast should be a good sized portion with foods that have slow energy release like whole grains (porridge/muslea etc) and a portion of fruit either juice or fresh to get you on your way to a minimum of 5 a day.

ok people lets stop obsessing about calories!!!! eat when your hungry, stop when you are full and make good food choices. If you restrict your calories to such an extent that its below 1500 a day and you are also training your body goes into preservation mode and will actually store more calories because it is worried you will starve. instead of using your proper energy pathways and burning fat reserves and sugars you will start breaking down muscle for energy (the weight loss you see is an unhealthy one which could lead to severe health consequences)

As for cutting carbs lets all stop being so ridiculous.... if you completely cut carbs you would be cutting out fruit and veg too... yes they are carbs. im all for reducing bad carbs like white bread and pasta, but carbohydrates are your bodies main energy source and it will struggle without them. yes limit them a little in the evening but they are still part of a healthy balanced diet!!!

eating only protein.... seriously people would you believe anything you see/ hear we are omnivoures for a reason we are not meant to just eat protein we are not carnivourous... and its very dangerous to health... our kidneys help with the breakdown of protein but diets like the atkins can cause excess ketones which not only means bad breath, bad skin and a whole host of other unpleasant things but worst of all you can end up with severe liver and kidney issues SO DONT DO IT!!!!!

As for treats if you want something nice have it.... plan it into your week for example on a saturday let yourself have that favourite treat, or head out to a restaurant with friends for a guilt free evening.... wouldnt life be boring if we couldnt enjoy the odd something naughty... easter wouldnt be the same without chocolate eggs, or birthdays without a cake.

as for diet pills.... where do you start - BUT REALLY IF THERE WAS A PILL THAT WORKED DO YOU REALLY THINK WE WOULD STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OBESITY?

Laxatives just dont go there do you really want all the issues that come with malnutrition... or spending hours on the loo!!!

so here are my rules for eating healthily:

- EAT BREAKFAST!!!

- Eat 4-5 small meals a day

- downsize your meals as the day goes on

- stop eating when you are full

- drink plenty of water
- If it glows in the dark, we don’t eat it.
- if you cant understand the ingrediants on the packet......leave well alone
- if you go to buy chicken pie and the word chicken isnt on the packet its not going near my body!

- dont chastise yourself for having the odd treat just plan it into your week

- Eat more whole foods, You don’t have to think about high fat when you are eating whole foods. You don’t have to think about toxic waste when you are eating whole, real food. You don’t have to think about preserved, pasteurized, and pummeled when you eat whole foods, which makes your new life a whole lot easier.

Am i Fat?

Somebody asked me the other day if i thought i was fat.... my answer without even thinking came out as yes... I KNOW ridiculous isnt it!

Now dont get me wrong i am happy with my size, i feel fit and healthy and i know i look good (well i hope i do) but i guess this is the one last hurdle i have to face... starting to realize that dispite what i think, or feel, or what the media want me to think I AM NOT FAT.

I think as a prevously seriously obese woman ive never quite lost the feeling that people look at me, or the fear something wont fit, or ill be too heavy for that, or will i fit into that seat? its ridiculous i know... im sure i would be some psycologists wet dream but its hard to shake a lifetime of learned responses and fear.

It doesnt help that as a size 14/16 woman the media percieves me as PLUS SIZE, that there are charts out there such as BMI which still classify me as over weight without taking into account excess skin weight, and lean muscle mass... (please dont think these scales are the be all and end all they are merely a guide).

If size zero was the way we should all be.. why are so little of us there?

I guess its a little unfair that not only do i have to learn to battle with my own warped sense of body image but the societies as well... but i guess writing my blog is one way to help defeat these

 But the real reason im writting this particular page is to let others know we are all the same, we all have that little inner demon and that this.. the last hurdle can be conquered.
It will take time i know that, but as each day goes by i catch myself smiling at my image more than i do cursing it, i feel sexy more often than i do ugly, and i smile more with every day that passes.
 I am gradually training out the immediate learned response that is "I'm FAT" from years of being that way. now I need to realise im a normal healthy sexy woman with a long life to lead..... "I AM beautiful"  both inside and out :-)

MMA boot Camp

Well some of you have heard me talk about Toby before... he is the Personal Trainer i started with and who changed my life so dramatically that i became a PT myself. Well i still see toby... wether its for a booster PT session (we all loose motivation some times) a sports massage for one on my mainy niggles, or just for a chat on how i can progress myself.
Well a few weeks ago Toby started talking about doing a MMA (mixed martial arts) boot camp, 4 weeks 3 group sessions a week (at 6.30am i may add)..... so i thought what the hey, ill sign up... i love training with toby anyway, and the car accident i had last autumn has played havoc with my training so it will be a good boost to get me back on form... not to mention i can pinch a few ideas for my clients :-)

well we started last week.. ive gotta tell you im not a fan of 5.30am wake ups and i will be glad of getting back to a normal sleeping routine but i dragged myself up, got ready, walked the dog and headed to tobogym.

i walked in to see matting, punch bags, ladders and much much more and the huge grin on tobys face told me we were in for a tough session!

Now here i will introduce you to the Sprawl! this is somewhat like a burpee (and we all know how much we love those!!!) but you get your hips low to the ground they are used in MMA to avoid a punch, grab whatever and allow a quick gettup. These were to become my nemesis! now one is no problem ... even 3 or 4 in a row... if only things were that easy! every time Toby shouted and i heard the word SPRAWL my heart sank a little..... but i kept fighting through.. this and shadow boxing, boxing, kicks and whatever else toby had to throw at us.

by the end of the session i was pouring with sweat and laughing hysterically (always a theme in tobys sessions) and looking forwards to the next beasting... or so i thought.

Tuesday morning came... and along with it the dreaded DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).... my body had not felt this way in a long time my glutes were screaming, my deltoids burning, and my ABs... well you get the picture.

However after the next two sessions of the first week i was no longer having to roll myself out of bed and dispite the early mornings i was feeling pretty sprightly.

now half way through week 2 and dispite still being tough and having the fun of sprawls and turkish getups to deal with my muscles have adapted... and by the end of the four weeks of i hope to have regaioned much of the tone and fitness i had lost due to the accident.

so if you have an opportunity to get involved in MMA, you dont have to be a fighter... its a great all round work out and brilliant fun.... roll on the next session with tobogym.

Shake away baby!

Well a few weeks ago i disscussed protein shakes, their pros their cons and the fact that i would not normally endorse their use certainly not as a means to loose weight! i will always say that the best way to stay trim and healthy is to ensure that you get plenty of fresh fruit veg and grains and try to steer away from anything too processed or white (unless its coconut).
However a few weeks ago i found myself wth a couple of extra pounds on from the christmas festivities... not only this but dispite the regular excercise i was doing ... these particular couple of pounds were of the stubbourn sort and refused to move.....why you ask? well as i said before 5 out of 7 days a week i do not get home before 8.30pm (earliest), im often on the run from one job to the next which means i miss the normal tea time and get home at 9/10pm feeling ravinous.... this led to the inner Fat me craving carbs/pasta/bread/cheese etc etc.... all the bulk foods to try to fill me up.. and this really is not good eating for that time of night.
So dispite my concerns i decided that pure protein shakes may be able to give me that early evening fuel and stave off the hungry mairi in the evening .........

so how is it going you may ask...... well actually it is helping, ive shed those stubourn pounds, i feel i have more energy teaching my classes in the evening, and im not ravenous when i get home so all in all things are going quite well. The only problem i have found is if i have a shake (just with water) too close to a very heavy cardio session it can make me feel a little unwell but other than that its ok.

Im still on the NRG shake my friend gave me, and trying to have a look at other shakes more specific to women and when i move on to my next batch i will let you know what i choose.

Again Protein shakes are not a meal replacement and should not be used as such, but they are handy for giving you easy fuel whilst on the hop....... Plus add some fruit and youve got a great replenishing smoothie.

wheelie wheelie fun....

just a short one today.... but again following along the lines that you dont have to go to the gym to get some excercise.

Last year for xmas i bought my best mate shaun a segway rally day for two.... i thought it was a good idea at the time :-)

so off we headed to staffordshire, where we met Dan and DanO.... who begain to run us through segway.... and got us to sign our lives away so that if we damage the machines or ourselves we are liable!

Next we were kitted out in an exoskeleton...... at least we were well protected, and handed helmets... everyone else gets handed a nice black normal helmet... what do i get???? a bright pink on which was slightly too small so sat right on the top of my head... DanO said it was fine though as long as it took away the impact ..Great i thought... i look like an idiot but im protected from brain damage.

once kitted head to toe we were then taken through the basics of how to get on and off a segway by Dan and DanO.... simple you would think but actually far more challenging then first thought.... essentially segways work by feeling where you put your weight... in your toes and you go forward, in your heels and you head backwards, i slight pressure on the handle bars to go left right and pirouet!

so on we get and after a slightly wobbly start we very quickly (and suprisingly for me as lack balance or coordination skills) got used to the movement and soon we headed off to the woods to have a ralley round...this is where shaun decided he was going to massacre a few cones despite Dan and DanO's warnings that we were to avoid them as they signelled hazards....  shauns killing spree held no bounds.... through fits of giggles me and shaun are soon razzing up and down and thoroughly enjoying ourselfs.... it was all over far too quickly we were out for an hour and you could feel it a little in your legs but it was great fun.

so far so good 2011.... keeping active and fit is not all about pounding the treadmill or the tarmac but just as much about getting out off the sofa and having fun xxx

The hobbie i love turn job i love!

Some times i think im the luckiest person alive, despite the long hours i work there are those few hours a week i spend teaching or traning others that are just moments of true joy.

wether its spin, box fit, circuit, inductions or personal training... i am in my element. I now have my first few clients and god i love training them.

I am finally on the way to making a difference in other peoples lifes! and when you see that smile on someones face (generally a very sweaty one) you know you are doing the right thing.

here are a few of things which make me smile:

- Putting on my Personal Trainer T
- setting up a circuit
- Putting on my Boxing mits
- that first punch a client throws into my boxing mit, with no hesitation.
- the first time a client conquers a difficult excercise
- seeing smiley sweaty faces
- seeing someone achieve something they thought they couldnt do
- seeing a full spin class put every last ounce they have into the last 30 seconds of the class...

- making a client laugh in their work out

- when the little boy im training scores his first goal

- the appreciative thank you you get at the end of every class, especially when i feel like i should be thanking them because i enjoyed it just as much!

I've gotta admit although its not full time yet... i have one of the best..... actually no THE BEST job in the world.

One little knock or three wont keep me down!

Well what a couple of months its has been, i have either been the unluckiest person in the world or jst horrificly accident prone!

Having run the half marathon at the beginning of september, i decided to run the sprint triathlon that i missed out on last year due to ITB issues.... i was feeling good i had a few muscle aches after the marathon but nothing too bad, so i thought what the hey lets do it :-) last of the season and i couldnt resist, however as it got closer to race day i noticed a nagging pain in my right shin..... a little research told me it was shin splints but i wasnt too worried and determined to race... as always.

Race day came and before i knew it i was in the pool, i had a good swim (even though i accidently swam an extra few lengths! wally) headed out onto the bike... very hilly, very wet, but none the less i got a good time. heading in on the last leg of the bike i was on for 1 hr 20 finish which was brill....... then i steped of the bike.... oh lordy the pain that shot through my right shin was incredible! but gritting my teeth i was determined to finish and i headed out convincing myself that the short 5 k run was do able.... i couldnt have been more, after much hobbling and many tears i finally pulled out less than 1.5 k from home i was devastated but for once in my life i knew i had to stop. some times you cant just bully on through! take heed as this little hiccup saw me on crutches with a severly inflammed anterior tibialus for 2 weeks!
but i wasnt too hindered, it was the end of the season and due t the fact i was now ridiculously busy with work i wouldnt have trained much anyway... it was about time i had a rest even if it was mildly enforced.....

soon however i was off the crutches and beginning to feel better, and mostly looking forwards to training again..... but low and behold strike 2 was just around the corner.... driviing to work in very heavy rain a driver infront of me had to slam their brakes on due to an idiot infront, unfortunatly when i slammed mine on i skidded into the car infront wrote of my car, tore ligaments in my finger and gained my first and boy i hope my last case of whip lash................training was going to have to wait, after a week of barely being able to roll out of bed i was back at work but struggling with severe back and shoulder pain.

my friends mocked me... and stated i deserve the title of A&E to whihc they have me registered in their phone :-)

well im now 5 weeeks post accident, the shoulder is getting there, work is calming down, i have my first real PT client (more bout that in my next post) and im back to training...... and here in lies strike 3...

sunday i finally headed out to join the boys from the gym for a bike ride, some new to triathlon, some iron man pros... now i just hoped i could keep up, and that my shoulder would not play up too much.
We headed out early sunday morning and the early signs were good, i was enjoying the ride and holding my own........ that is until i hit the first half decent hill... gained a puncture and had to be rescued by the boys (and yes they did moch me\) soon we were back on the rd, but not for long and i mean 3 pedals later my chain slipped..got caught and again i had to be rescued by the boys. however the chain was freed, but then came the clunk every 4th pedal, my chain was warped and slipping off the gears which meant i soon had to split from the boys and head home.

so now along with the mahusive amount of moching the boys have done since the ride, my poorly bike is in the shop to be fixed.

but you know what despite the rubbish and somewhat troublesome few weeks i wont let this get me down, im back training, gradually building strength, and loosing the couple of pounds i gained while not training (yes i know not great but 5 weeks off training with such injuries a gain of a few pounds is to be expected... and do you know what who cares they will soon be banished) and ready to rock out a winter season of strength and endurance training along with some techinque practise (all the more important whilst recovering from injury)

so i guess the lesson oday is, no matter what life throws at you, or in what frequency or severity.... im still here, im alive and im getting back on that bike this weekend to whip the boys A**** :-)

You Can

Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'.


The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.

If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run

Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?

 
What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the days gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate
 
If God invented marathons to keep people from doing anything more stupid, the triathlon must have taken Him completely by surprise

 
 
My therapist is the pavement. My drug is endorphins. My foe is the next hill. I am a runner.

My lunch hours aren't for eating, my Saturday mornings aren't for sleeping, and my holidays aren't for taking it easy. I am a runner

Mairis army

Well it's been one heck of a week. I have taken part in more aerobics classes then I ever would have thought humanely possible in a week!

I have side stepped,grapevined and leg curled my way to a very sweaty victory.

Now I have never been the most comfortable aerobics participant often feeling more like a baby elephant on ice than anything else. But through sheer determination, sweat and tears not to mention a few hours in London fields park prancing around like a looney..... I have made it through.

Today was assessment day and along with a banana a few of what looked like the cast from frame, and myself dressed as an army sergeant we pranced our way through aerobic hell and came out the other side qualified!

Oh yeah me and my barmy army can dance and no we will bring forth our aerobic prowess to the world 

Legs and abs of steel

well im now 1.5 weeks through my PT course and its going great. i have passed my first assesments with flying colours and have been told by my trainer that i have a flair for the job and great personality she thinks i will make a great PT.
Its so good to feel like im making the right choice im loving every day from theory in the classroom to bench pressing with the guys.
we also did some fitness testing today... a bit like a body MOT... and i have got the all clear. not only is my BP is normal, my lung capacity well over average, and my resting heart rate is low (but not scary theres an issue low just my body is chilaxing low).
We also did a fitness step test in which i scored higher than the girls and up there with the boys, as well as a sit up test where i also beat the girls and to the boys shock beat most of them too tehehehe.
We also tried out our max strength today. this is basically how much can you pull, push, lift etc in one repitition... i.e its as heavy as you can go you will be able to do one but no more. I (again to the boys suprise) leg pressed 185 kilos more than double my weight, and chest pressed 55 kilos.
All of the above just goes to show that you dont have to look ultra skinny or fit to actually be fit. im a good size 14-16 and i am right up there with the best in my class. i think i earned a little respect today from those in my class and gave myself a pretty good boost of confidence too.
Roll on tomorrow. i cant wait to get out there and start helping others.

London Baby!

well im finally here... down in london after a small train trip... on which sheamus helped me with some anatomy revision....and getting nervous about starting my course tomorrow!

However im also so excited about the things i will learn and the people im going to meet... maybe they are all just as insane as me! I cant believe its actually here and that i am actually just about to start my personal trainer course.... again who would have thought that someone like fat mairi could turn away from the cakes and head into the fast lane :-P

ive also just been out on a 3 mile run with my little brother (who is kindly putting me up fo the duration of the course) heading out along the canal and through victoria park... it was pretty nice and my knee seems to have held up, but is nagging a little so i will stick with this distance for a while till it stops complaining.

hopefully if i can get up to around 4 miles in the next week or so, i will actually be able to run along the canal to the course each morning as its only about 3.5 miles and means i will miss the rush hour madness which i am not looking forwards to at all!

but hey ho.. here we go. im off to spend the day in the park for a parks festival to relax before the madness begins... look out world here i come.

Where has my sunshine gone?

we all have bad days and good ones...... i must admit im having a bit of a rough time at the moment! i know crazy huh and we all thought i was invinsible lol....
i think i will always have to battle my evil little inner monkey, and the last few months being unable to run have not helped. i still train 4-5 times a week, but ive missed my running. Ive noticed the naughty snacks creeping back in... i can see it hapening but sometimes its just to hard to resist and you think theres always tomorrow!... well there is always tomorrow but if i want to see lots of them i need to rein my evil little monkey in.
the good news is im now running again... well jogging and only a few minutes at a time while i build up my leg strength, but its given me the light at the end of the tunnel. ive gotta admit work has been tough recently and im now hitting one of the hardest weeks of the year where my training routine will thoroughly be upset and the food on the run more of a frequent occurance. however ive stocked up m fridge at work with fruit and i intend to have a good long session in the gym tomorrow (possibly the only chance i will get this week).
i guess what im tryng to say today is we all have hard weeks, but when you have been overweight like me, its so important not to let them get the better of you.. as its a slippery slope which is easily fallen on. so take stock, dont feel guilty, and prepare the best you can for whats to come. i may not train much this week, but i will be running round like a looney at work and as long as i try to make the best food choices i can this week, i can make up some gym time next week. and i know my sunshine will return...... i may have had a hard few weeks and made a few bad choices but im aware of them enough now to stop it becoming a snowball effect. I even bought myself a new animal top this week a SIZE 14 woohoo.... i love it and its perfect for summer, fat mairi will not win because the new more balanced mairi is now in da house :-)