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.

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 

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 :-)

The Challenge Begins

Last year i conquered my first half marathon, now i loved it, (not at the time - i cried towards the end) BUT FINISHING WAS AMAZING.
now i did a none too shabby 2 hrs 33 mins, and for someone who was many stone heavier and hadnt run at all till 6 months earlier this wasnt bad.
well as some of you already know im doing the same half marathon again... hopefully a bit faster and with less tears :-)
Luckily for me i have been invited by Shape up Notts (see link at side) to be part of their marathon team, not only will they pay for it but i also get a load of free new balance running kit too woop woop. I am running with them as they found my story inspiring and hope that it will continue to inspire others just as i do.

so i got home from work and there was a parcel note for me ( i love getting parcels its so exciting)... off i went to collect and excitedly rushed home to try it all on.

i love it all matching capri's, t-shirt, running jacket and Trainers, and couldnt wait to use it... even the trainers match a lovely pair with pink trim. I have yet to run in them but as i have now had the go ahead from my physio today to start running again next week i am raring to go!

Look out robin hood half... here i come!

working hard... snacking well

we all know that when your having a hard day at work a quick sugar fix from a sweet hot drink or biscuit or even a muffin can be hard to resist. and i for one have many a time relented and given in to the temptation. I often work long unsociable hours unexpectedly which means i fnd myself still at my desk past tea time with a mars bar calling my name.

 Now dont get me wrong, i have learnt my lessons from the past and i certainly dont chow down on chocolate or cakes every day (albeit fat mairi happily would). infact i more often reach for the fruit bowel that sits on my desk, and ofcourse its fine to have a treat now and again.... its all about the balance!

But i have found the soulution... or at least something to help me make a better choice. Its called graze.com... an amazing company who produce healthy snack boxes for a very low price which you can have delivered through your door or even to our office. its full of great things like nuts, seeds, dried and fresh fruit and even a bit of chocolate... yes you heard me right chocolate but in small healthy amounts........ i love it. they are pre portioned and in perfect snacking portions with the rght balance of yum versus healthy.

 i get one a week and put the four treats by my desk for those munchy moments... my latest favourite being cherry infused raisins they are gorgeous!

not only that but these graze boxes help you graze healthily avoiding those sugar highs and lows which lead to unhealthy choices.

check out the web link at the side of my page to get yourself a free box with no commitment but a great step forward to making healthy yet convienient and yummy choices!

so go on treat yourself to something a bit healthy but nice :-)

Reasons not to go shopping when hungry....... naughty things jump into ur basket

its never a great idea to go food shopping when your hungry... but a long and hectic week has meant that tonight was the first chance i have had to go food shopping. And as you all know from my manic tuesdays blog i train both morning and evening on this day which made for a very hungry me come food shopping time at 8pm.

But in my defense these items of naugtiness really did jump into my basket and despite all my efforts to throw them out they just kept jumping back in :-)

what are these said items you say?

well i have attached said photographic evidence ...

Ok i know pizza isnt really good but its not something i have often and this is a small vege pizza so its practically calorie free :-) and hey ive worked hard in the gym so i can still enjoy the things i like once in a while.

As for the ice creams well we all deserve the odd treat, and its not like im going to eat them all in one go or even one week (in the old days fat mairi would have polished them off in one sitting), it will be one icecream a week probably at the weekend where i allow myself the odd treat.

and lets also take a look at the rest of my shop... this will put in perspective the changes i have made to my life.... its fine to have the odd treat if the rest of your shop looks like this :-)

Remember its all about balance...... chocolate should never be a sin and training should never be a chore.

Change of plan

I had finishes another long day at work and i was heading for the gym when i decided on a change of plan. I headed home........ and no i didnt stop there..... i picked up my four legged running buddy and headed for a near by lake for a sunset run. Im so glad i did it was gorgeous, with my ipod on and new running jacket donned i thoroughly enjoyed the change of scenery.

It wasnt the fastest 5k ive ever done but im still carrying a nagging IT band injury, but it was such a breath of fresh air.... its been so long since the weather and sunlight has allowed for this sort of thing and now im feeling positive about the year to come. every day will get warmer and longer and i will be able to get out in the great outdoors more often.... who needs a gym when you have this on your doorstep.... ok no i wont be giving up my treasured gym membership but i will be spending more of my time outside, and only heading to the gym for classes and strength training. No treadmill beats pounding the pavement.

Hurrah for changes of plan, and my four legged running buddy!

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.

the joy of small success's

The weekend always seems to by so quickly. I missed body bar this weekend as i had a night out with friends on friday which meant the likely hood of being in the gym less than 5 hours after i came home was doubtful. But hey i made up for it today and dragged myself off to circuit - its all about the balance.

It was in cicuit today that i realised i can now do full press ups! ......yes i can only just about manage 10 before buckling to my knees and opting for the girly ones but its a success none the less.

I have found that since loosing the weight Ihave now hit a plateu, i think im about 1.5 stone off my ideal weight but dispite my best efforts my body seems to like where it is. but hey im happy with that im a size 14 fit and healthy.... but it can get harder to realise why you do it, its much easier in the days where the scales moved down every week. but ive gotta be happy in the small success's, if my weight doesnt go up, thats a small success, and when i discover i can now do a full press up when this time last year i would have laughed out loud at the suggestion of even trying!.... yet another small success!

horrah for that feeling you get when something that seemed impossible now becomes possible... one day I'm determined to conquer a chin up, maybe even the one armed press up :-).

Ive also made more moves in the direction of completing a personal training course.... i have choosen the course, venue and dates.... now all i need to to is raise the money. I cant wait to help others to do this, and do this is a balanced way.... lets not obsess about the calories but take pride in the small success's

Sunday the day of rest

This week has been so incredily hectic that ive only managed 3 trips to the gym and a total of about 6 hours, so i had planned on heading out for a run today especially as i just bought some new running trainers. however i woke up this morning to find the world had been blanketed in snow..... and no im not hard core enough to run in that... so plan B it was.

i phoned up a friend who has some dogs and suggested that we took them and my little mutt out to play in the snow. This not only meant i got some excersise in the form of a good long walk, but also i get to spend the afternoon with another of my passions.... my DSLR camera and wildlife photography.

Some times its just as important to have some chill out time... and do you know what else i am eating some mini eggs as we speak :-) sunday is indeed the day of rest :-)

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.