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!!!

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 :-)

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.

I love manic tuesdays.... such a Good Day

tuesday is a crazy day, for some reason my insane self thinks its a great idea to train twice in a day.... and no i dont do this to be a crazy fool its just i train every tuesday morning in a shared personal training session with my always 5 mins late gym buddy. and in the evening i do a half hour abs class and a spin session. somewhere inbetween all that i fit in a crazy day at work.

Now it does make for a hard long day, but i love spin on tuesdays with tim (a iron man triathlete with a wicked sense of humour and a great if dated sound track), but also tuesday morning is the best day for PT sessions due to my work commitments.

Now by no means do i recommend or suggest that people should train twice a day every day.... i certainly dont! but its just the way my tuesdays are.... but do you know what i love them.

Even though every tuesday when my alarm goes off at 6am my relluctant body screams no, i drag it up and once up i look forwards to being beasted by toby and the feeling i get of starting a day on a good foot.

Work was absolutly manic today, and i was tired getting to the gym tonight but again the classes and my many gym friends boost me and i love every sweaty minute. Not to mention that a couple of gym buddies and i rounded the day off with a trip to nandos and some healthy chicken dinners :-)

i have also lost another stubbourn kilo this week (first for a while) ............................................. today was indeed a good day!

Never be afraid to sweat!

I notice quite often in the gym that there are those people both big and small who seem to think that just by being in a gym they will loose weight and get fitter... as though gyms have some magic power that works on you as you step in the door to remove all those unwanted pounds. i often see people who come to the gym day in day out but never get a single bead of sweat on them, they play with the machines swapping frequently and never really achieving much, except they keep there fashionalble gym clothes pristeen and makeup smear free. (why you would want to wear makep in the gym i have never understood). But for some reason these people think this will work.

Now i can tell you that this is not true.. it takes a bit of hard work, commitment and yes you've guessed it SWEAT!

Sweat is not something you should be afraid of, noone is looking at you pointing and laughing just because you have a sweat patch appearing under your arm... the likely hood is they have just the same if not bigger. Now unless you are some how biologicaly lucky enough to be some kind of human robot (like a certain pint sized friend of mine), it is inevitable that as soon as you begin to excercise you will sweat. Far from being a bad thing this is a good thing, its the bodys way of keeping you cool when you work out.... to do this it need to burn some fuel ... and guess what that means calories! YES IF YOU ARE SWEATING YOU ARE BURNING CALORIES!

I used to feel the same, when i was bigger i was consumed with the thought everone was watching me, and i was horrified when i began to sweat thinking everyone would be saying it was just becase i was fat. however i pushed through, ignored the thoughts in my head and now several sizes smaller i still sweat.... in fact because i am now able to push harder for longer i probably sweat more. I often look like a drowned rat coming out of a spin class, but now its not a sign of embarasment its a sign that ive had a good work out.... if im honest if im not dripping i dont feel like ive worked hard enough!

so embrase your sweat and dont become one of these gym plonkers who spends money on posh gym clothes never to achieve any kind of result. get on your baggy t and trackys and get a sweat on........ just dont forget to keep your fluids up and drink some water as you go :-)

And the journey begins

Well ive finally done it, ive booked onto the course which i hope will change mine and others lives!

I find it utterly crazy that only 1 year ago i was obese, unfit and if i truly admit it unhappy, but then i met someone who changed my life for the better, someone who showed me i could do it even when i felt every part of me would fall apart (and believe me when it came to just doing a few squats i thought i would collapse)...... my personal trainer toby. Now 1 year on im fit, on the whole healthy except for a few little niggles which come along with training, and a whole heap happier and i want to pass this on.

Yes you guessed it...i am going to become a personal trainer....... i finally booked onto a course today and by the end of july i will be fully qualified (watch out world).

Just finally making the step towards becoming a personal trainer is amazing, i couldnt control my happines today and now every minute i spend training or competeing will be getting me one step closer to my goal... helping others to make the positive change that i have, showing them they can, and hopefully giving them the motivation and inspiration they need for that lightbulb to switch on and lead to happier, healthier more balanced lives.

To supplement or not to supplement that is the question!

I have always liked to think that i get most of my daily needs of vitamins etc from my food, however as an ex vege and someone who eats little meat i guess thats unrealistic.

When i sat down and thought about i today, my only real protein source is chicken, fish or dairy products. I try to limit dairy which in turns means my calcium intake cant be great. I do eat loads of veg and fruit as well as some nuts so I'm hoping I'm balanced on most other vits.

Recently ive been having a few issues with my knees, nothing too major but it is limiting my running ability which is not something i need right now when we are leading back into spring and the new triathlon season.

so i thought whats the harm, a few extra vitamins and some cod liver oil isnt going to do me any harm.... well except to my pocket. But it may actually help me heal quicker and hence get more out of my body, i certainly dont want to be an arthritic old lady, so after the gym today i took myself for a stroll round boots pharmacy.

This is where i hit the problem..... can you believe how many types of multi vitamins there are... it took me half an hour of searching just to find one thats not for a pregnant women,50+man or those going through the menopause!

When i finally did find the right section did i want added ginseng or iron, easy to swallow or powder, for the sporting individual or normal and sometimes i thought you were paying more just for the pretty coloured packet! and yes i was comparing the ingrediants list to see if i got anything for the extra money.... in a lot of cases the answer was no.

By now i was beginning to wonder if i was going to be grabbed by the shops security id been loitering so long.

So i decided on general muliti vits from Boots own range (had pretty much everything the more expensive ones did) some cod liver oil to help my knees and over all joints and some chondroitin sulphate also for my knees (p.s scout round for this one i managed to find an own brand tucked away at the back which was less than a quater or the price of all the big names)

so off i rattled to the till, thankfuly due to my careful selections and arduous comparing it wasnt as hard on the pocket as it could have been, and i felt healthier even as i walked out the shop :-)

Winter Hibernation

why is it that as soon as the weather gets cold, all i want to do is grab the carbs. Its almost as though my body is trying to get me to fatten up for a long winter sleep.....

but hey i am not a grizzly bear!

Unfortunaltly this is something we all experiance its natural and normal to find yourself pushing away the salads and grabing the comfort foods. its part of our DNA, its our inner monkey making sure that we survive the harsh winter. Yes i know we now have central heated houses and a well stocked kitchen, but our monkey doesnt know that. :-)

Now there is nothing wrong with eating a few extra carbs in the colder months... our bodies do need more energy to keep warm in the colder months but this is not a green light for our inner monkey to take over and destroy all the work We've done over the year.

The best way to keep my inner monkey from eating me out of house and home is to make sure i have a good hearty breakfast before heading into the cold. something like my favourite porridge and dried fruit is perfect. I also ensure that i always have healthy snacks like fruit, or mixed nuts to hand to ensure my monkey doesnt find an excuse to grab a muffin, or a chocolate bar.

when i come in in the evening, ive normally been to the gym and my monkey is ravenous, particularily in the winter months. all i want is a huge bowl of pasta or tortellini... to ensure i can have the carbs im craving but in a healthy way i get a bag of fresh steamed veg, and add this to a small amount of fresh pasta, add some pesto or chopped tomatoes and you have your comforting easy meal, but its packed with goodness.

Me and My monkey have found our balance :-)

Beating The Monday Blues

why is it that Mondays are so hard?... getting back into a frame of mind for work... realising the weekend is so far away... all this makes monday a hard day for exercise... you say "theres always tomorrow" or "as long as i still go my 4 times this week its ok if i skip today" but if monday slides by its all too easy for the rest of the week to go the same way and before you know it you havent been to the gym the whole week... this is why routine is so useful... i have a schedule a weekly plan of what i do and when i do it, so when i rise on monday morning the gym bag is packed and ready for a trip to the gym after work... Mondays is Abs class and Jez's crazy aerobics. now im not normally one for aerobics my coordination makes me feel like a baby elephant on ice, but Jez's aerobics its like nothing ive ever done before, i used to watch the class through the window and think god i could not do that... the pace is so fast and energetic... not to mention the many Burpees and press ups... but you know what i tried it and i love it, its now my 4th week doing Jez's class and i love the way he pushes us, and the fact i come out soaked. Its truly an awesome class and the best way to set up my week. i may feel like ive been beasted by a sergent major, but the sense of achievement i feel when ive survived the 65 minutes is all i need to keep me going. roll on the rest of the week, im ready for anything it may throw at me!

sunday... a battle between my duvet and the outside world

It's sunday again.... the weekend always seems to take forever to come and just when it does its gone again.i wake up and think i need to do something productive today... but inside me fat mairi wants to laze about in bed, or on the sofa. Now yes ive been to the gym 5 times this week already, but i did eat a pizza (low fat vege pizza) last nite and some ben and jerrys (frozen yogurt) so with that thought its up, out of bed joggers on and preparations for a run begin.here i will tell you of the joy that i have discovered which is porridge and dried dates... ummm nothing so lovely on a cold winters day as a bowl full of porridge to warm you from the inside out.... add the dates to this and it becomes a little bowl of heaven.Having filled up my camel pack with water and made sure my ipod is charged, i don my gloves, hoodie, hat and trainers and walk out the door... almost immediatly i want to go back in as the sheer cold of the day hits me. But i lock the door and walk down the street and at the bottom of the rd i begin my run.initially i think ill never warm up but soon im enjoying the sunshine and the music in my ears. what better way to spend your sunday morning? 6 miles later im on the home stretch, who would have thought just 1 year ago i was over 5 stone heavier and the thought of running to the bottom of the road would be my worst nightmare!... now i run for fun!what a change? and its one i mean to keep...... but hey just because i pick up my trainers, doesnt mean i dont pick up chocolate everynow and again... after all chocolate and running are good for the soul and i intend to keep the right balance with both.

changing life for the better 2009-2010

My story

i spent most of my teen and young adult years obese topping the scales at 21 stone and a size 26 at just 19 years old.... i was miserable. When i went to university i had a horrid first year... can you believe that i was teased at university for my size... this only made matters worse as i would comfort eat, even sneeking down in the night to the communal kitchen late at night to make sandwiches packed with peanut butter. luckily my second year at university i made some great friends and life began to get better, this meant that during my last year at university i manage to loose some weight by changing my diet i managed to loose about 3 stone. after universiy i went on a ski season which saw me drop to 13.5 stone and a size 14... i was ecstatic... i couldnt believe after so many years of being unhappy with my body i had finally done it i was 24 i managed to hold this weight for a couple of years but then due to changes in jobs and a bad break up the weight crept up little by little until christmas 2008 when i was weighing in at just over 18stone...... i decided enough was enough and i needed to get back on track and into the gym as i did not want to end up back at 21 stone i couldnt bear the thought of going back to that.... its amazing how weight can affect your confidence and general enjoyment of life... i was miserable and i knew it had to be changed. i began by joining Hoofers gym and joined their PGS (personal Group System) this was were a few times a week you could book in and train with a personal trainer with a small group of people, most of the time it was just me or 1 or 2 others. i did this 3 times a week and also came in on my own when i could. During this start up period i trained with various staff at hoofers who have all been amazing in supporting me through this, but i struck a particular bond with Toby Liddiard who gave me the confidence and strength to really work at it.... even when i was down and out Toby could pick me up and get me working. when i first joined the gym the one thing i said i wouldnt do was go on the treadmill the thought of people watching me bounce around like a sweaty blob was not something i could bear plus ive never run in my life id even get out of it in school pe classes. but slowly and surely my confidene grew with the help of toby and eventually i got onto the treadmill... initially i was just walking, then walking uphill, gradually i began to pick up my speed until eventually i was adding in little runs, id walk for 2 mins run for 2 mins and gradually i built up the time i was running for and the speed. i have built up my running by interval training, i have also done ab work outs, spin sessions, circuit training, resistance training and much more, i have recently also joined a triathlon club who i train with each thursday. whilst out on a gym night out with my trainers and friends they suggested the TRent family 5K... i thought why not ill give it a go and then there i was waiting at the start line of my first ever run! when i completed this in 33 mins without stopping i couldnt believe it the feeling was amazing i wanted more so i then set my sights on the anthony noland bone marrow 10k which i completed in april in 1 hr 7 mins no record but again i ran the whole way. soon i had my sights set even higher the Nottingham triathlon a 750m open water swim, 20k bike and 5k run... i was a good swimmer but i didnt have a bike and well we know im not the best runner but i thought what the hell. by this time in april i had managed to shed 2 stone and i was still loosing. i have always wanted to have a go at a triathlon but never thought i would be able to... mainly because of my fitness levels and the fact i couldnt run.... however it was time to change and the triathlon gave me something to aim for. so i began to train specifically for the triathlon, i got myself a rd bike and joined a triathlon club. over the next few months i shed another 2 stone and before i knew it the triathlon was here.... all i remember is being stood in my wet suit by the edge of the lake full of nerves and wondering if this was such a good idea.... next thing i was in the water treading water whilst waiting for the horn to blow... then we were off.... it was manic white water arms and legs all around me.... it was all i could do not to panic and just concentrate on doing one stroke after another.... before i knew it i was up and running out the lake to the first transition... i tore of my wet suit, slapped on my bike helmet and shoes and grabbed my bike ... as i ran out of transition with my bike my heart was pounding with all the adrenaline i jumped on and began to ride and began to settle onto a groove and slow down my heart a bit... it was 20 very hard kilometers but again before i knew what had happened i was dropping my bike and helmet and heading out for the 5k run.... my legs were screaming they felt like they didnt belong to me but i pushed on through.... as i ran i just kept thinking one foot infront of the other.... the finish line was a welcome sight and i even managed a last minute sprint over the line! it was amazing. i finished in 1hr 55, certainly not an olympic time but for a girl who only 8 months ago had never run a step in her life it was a huge achievement! Since the triathlon in august i have also completed my first half marathon 13.1 miles(the robin hood half) on sept 13th 2009 in 2hrs 33 mins. the trathlon season is now ending but i have my sights on a couple of duathlons (running and biking) and i hope to aim for the 70.3 iron man next year. the key to my success has been keeping a varied programme, and finding a trainer who could inspire me. i train a lot 5 days a week between 7-12 hours a week however this is because i enjoy it so much and i have built this up gradually over the past 8 months. i now weigh just under 14stone and a small size 16 im happy, im fit and ive found a new passion for triathlons... i hope to loose some more but its more about toning up for me now as im 5'9". i believe loosing weight has more than just an affect on you looks, its great for your health and mental well being too. it truely changes your life, i am a far more positive and happy person now, i enjoy life and im not constantly worrying about what people think of me. loosing the weight for me has given me a new goal in life, i have been so inspired by my trainer that i am now looking to train as a personal trainer myself, i cant think of anything better to do with my life than make people feel the way i do now. i want to work with those that are too afraid to come to the gym, or dont believe it will work and show them where i have come from and that with a little hard work it is possible. the great thing is its only hard to start with... after that it becomes a way of life thats enjoyable and beneficial. i hope to raise the money to do my course for personal training by next year, and im also thinking about looking for sponsership to help me do it. my life has now changed for the better.... i cant thank Toby and everyone who has supported me enough. Now its my turn to do the sam for others.