Category Archives: Workout

Who the fudge wants to be normal.

Okay so I went to the gym today feeling a bit flat to be honest. I’ve had to go to see a physiotherapist because I’ve got a pain in my knees which has been ongoing for some time and was starting to make me want to give it all up . I have to admit that even though I don’t consider myself a gym bunny  and still don’t consider the gym to be my comfortable domain it was a lovely vibe in there today that was until my coach Pom FinishStrong Tutt, who had colluded with my physiotherapist to conjure a plan who’s evilness could not be surpassed by even Satan himself  informed me that today’s session would mainly be on the Power Mill! …..  For those of you who are not familiar with this piece of gym equipment it was designed by Beelzebub in order to punish the innocent.  it is a perpetual set of stairs, a set of stairs that never ever ever stops it just keeps rolling round and round and round until you’re dissolved by your own sweat I actually thought I was going to puke a lung at one point. When asked by Pom the magnificent how I felt  he seemed almost gleeful at my answer of “I feel sick” for my coach is a very good sadist. However my tale of woe does indeed have a happy ending after doing 30 flights of stairs (which to some may not sound a lot)  I’m managing not to puke a lung Ivan actually sailed through yes I said it sailed through 100 kettle bell swings and I have to say they were easier this time.   My word of the day is growth .  Sometimes the improvements aren’t always ones that you see in the mirror sometimes is a little achievements sometimes a big achievements going from flat to 30 flights and 100 kettle bell swings for me is a big achievement still smiling at the end big aceivment,   Managing to tweet a sneaky sweaty face to picture in the gym without being caught small achievement.

Additionally, and the reason for today’s blog title, on discussing what I’ll be doing in the gym tomorrow Pom  started tagging on little bits and pieces ….extras to what I’ve been doing so far all in the name of growth ….. “it’s Friday tomorrow” I said “most normal people will be out drinking partying and enjoying themselves” to which Pom Tutt  replied “who the fudge (cleaned up for the benefit of the delicate) wants to be normal, I don’t wanna be normal do you wanna be normal ?”  I’ve had a good Ole think about that since he said it and I have to say no I don’t want to be normal I want to be exceptional!! .

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Look at his face …Punisher! But I love to hate him 

Body Pump update..

Last night I blogged about Body Pump and bricking it.

Well I came close to not going, I was tired after a day at work and all I wanted to do was sleep.. Towards the end of the day at work my back and knees were aching and I was on the cusp of the mother of all migraines.

So what did I do…. I work with people all over central England, I have a pal I chat to on messenger so I sent him what I call a virtual distress flair.

My Pal John saved me from myself,  when I said I was thinking about skiving he reminded me that missing tonight I would be moving away from my goals, he said that if I go I will feel better for making the effort and if I didn’t go I would be letting myself down.

Now John has no investment in me he lives hundreds of miles away and we only talk via email or occasionally on the phone, and yet I send up a flare and he gives me the virtual bum kick I need.

So I dragged my sorry ass to class… here is a list of the hurdles I had to jump

  1. It was freezing outside and peeing with freezing rain.
  2. There was no parking space at the gym so I had to park in the overflow.
  3. The door to the studio where that class is held was shut.
  4. The room was packed.
  5. I didn’t know a single person in the room.
  6. I was cramped at the back with the spin bikes and the punch bag
What stopped me from turning tail and running.
  1. The lady who was holding the class put a step and a mat out for me.
  2. The chap in front of me seemed like he was a little nervous too.
  3. The room was darkened with disco lights.
  4. There was a mixed bag of people in the class.
  5. I was there and there was no turning back.

The class was good, I could actually do more than I thought, there were a few things I would change my bench was to low and I kinda needed to set up my area better.  I had no idea what kit I needed so I was bumbling around a bit but I was next to two ladies who seemed to know what was coming next so I just copied them.

I didn’t really engage with anybody though 🙁 and at one point I felt a bit emotional (I know daft)

But I didn’t swear I wasn’t arrested I didn’t die, and nobody was behind me to see my massive ADSA pants.

So ups and downs, and well as pump…

I wont give up just yet but I am more a half hour class girl than a hour class 🙂

Knowledge is power

Keeping it interesting and lots of variety is all well and good but I found that knowledge is Power .  I now know thanks to the training of my coach Pom Tutt  and my imageAnytime Fitness door fob I can walk into any one of approx 3000 gyms in 19 counties and know what workout I need to do, what weights and equipment I need to use and how many reps I should be achieving. Pom teaches progressive training and yeah ok it can get a bit boring because you are doing the same excercises but (and this is with no disrespect to my previous trainers) for the first time ever I walk in to the gym know exactly what I should be doing.  That has got to be better than pratting about for 40 minutes and still ending up on the bike, treadmill or cross trainer. Anytime Fitness gyms have a standard format and the basic equipment seems to be the same across the board, that that even when you are not in your home gym it still has a homely feel. As a big girl the strut of having a plan and feeling comfortable in the gym arena is more important than cake… It’s the difference for me between quitting or carrying on… When you put your faith in a coach like my Pom you have to trust that he knows what he’s doing .. I admit sometimes I questioned him , sometimes I’ve nearly cried because I didn’t think I could do it… He has proved his worth by , always having the answer and treating me like a toddler when I’m about to blub with positive reinforcement and the happy clapping of everything is going to be ok . Continue reading →

Slow and steady wins the race …

So this weekend was the weekend I decided I was going to remeasure myself after eight weeks ..  I was feeling really good feeling fitter, clearer skin, shiny hair, cold nose just like a healthy dog really …..until I put the measuring tape around me and to be honest I was  a little bit disappointed by the loss .  I think secretly I was expecting to have dropped masses I felt better so I figured I must be thinner. I prepared myself for that biggest loser moment where you’re jumping up and down all excited and flapping tears away from your eyes instead it was a bit of a  MEH!, moment.  So what did I do in the face of adversity did I going to the kitchen and raid the fridge no ! Did I go in to the kitchen and raid the cupboards no! did I go down the garage and fill my pockets with chocolate and then fill my face with chocolate no !,….  What I did was text my coach Pom …now what a breakthrough that was !! the reason I’m writing this blog right now is because I think it’s important that you know what reply I got my text .

My text to him said “Right Pom I think we need to ramp things up a bit …done my measurements and they aren’t as drastic as I would’ve liked 😟”

Now at this stage I think most trainers would probably be hitting the books looking for more cardio throwing more weights at me telling me I need to do more sessions a week and get me to fill in a food diary.

This is the reason that I like Pom…  The quintessential difference between a personal trainer and a coach the following is a screenshot of the reply I got to my text message.

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Did you notice? 

He wrote we are the tortoise not you are the tortoise …why? Because we are in this together .

Everything is part of the process, what you’ve got to remember when you have disappointments is not to quit is to remember why you started ! and okay I didn’t lose as many inches as I would’ve liked, but I have lost inches and okay they are not off my gargantuan butt but they are off my thunder thighs so every cloud has a silver lining and that hare can run as fast as he likes  but is not going to beat me because forever rest he takes I’m going to keep going and eventually I’m going to reach that finish line look-back smile and say kiss it Big Ears …

That’s science init….

Yesterday in my training session, Pom my coach amazed me with proving that the term building muscle is actually true, we started on lightweights and are gradually working our way up, I managed to amaze Pom with a pen that rubs out !,,, that science init!!!.

Gradually week by week I seem to be getting a little bit stronger, not crawling out of the gym and I’m not spending two days Popping pain killers and ice packing my bits because I’m dying 

So basically the gradual increase is helping me build the muscle meaning that the recovery is much quicker so that I can go back to build in the muscle brilliant 

 I must admit though I do prefer my training sessions with my coach. When I’m on my own I feel a bit lonely I’m like Billy no mates throwing some weights around and get a bit scared staring all the people in the gym in case you think you checking them out ( ans sometimes … I am whoops) 

The Heaviest weight I lifted

Yesterday was a typical Friday at work, the day seemed to drag and what made it worse was that rather than do a lunchtime Gym session I decided I would go in the evening and save the hours at work.

I finished up for the day and went home, my beloved other half who had decided he was going to score some of the Chicken curry I cooked  rang me and asked me to put some white rice on for him.  Through the door he bounds with Samosas, Poppadum’s’,  and peshwari naans  to supplement my lovely healthy dish.

Once again in my imagination I am fly kicking him in the head because not only have I had a slow day, I’m hungry and still have the Gym session to do before I am able to relax.

I made at this moment a huge mistake……. I sat down…. and that is where the major argument started… I mean of course the mental battle with myself on all the reasons I could think of NOT to go.  Here is a short list

  • I don’t feel very well
  • I’m tired
  • I don’t want to go on my own
  • Its going to be busy
  • I don’t really know what I’m doing
  • Its too hard
  • I have other things I want to do
  • Its cold out

Then I thought to myself I could just lie to Pom and tell him I went and at that moment it dawned on me…… Who am I really lying to. Pom cares but it makes no difference to him if I go or not.  This is where a lot of people misunderstand the PT.  With this revelation I went up stairs and put my Gym kit on, got in my car and drove to the Gym and totally owned the place.  I moved kit to meet the needs of my workout I adjusted myself to ensure I was using the right form and I looked in the mirror to check…

IMG-20151016-WA0014Here is my proof.  Also from this you can see that

  • My ill health was in my head
  • I found the energy from somewhere
  • I was perfectly alright on my own
  • There was hardly anybody there
  • I totally knew what I was doing
  • Its as hard as it needs to be
  • I didn’t really have anything else to do
  • I wasn’t cold for long but when I went out I put on my Anytime Fitness hoody.

And so all my excuses not to go were shot out of the water, one by one.

It transpired that the heaviest weight I lifted that evening was lifting my ample ass off the sofa… and I am very glad I did!

Get help or go it alone.

In my experience you have two sorts of exercisers, you have those who need help or those who can go it alone.

Those who need help may not always need help as with the right guidance you can eventually become one of those people who can go it alone.

I often see people running, riding bikes and walking in exercise gear and I envy their commitment.

I am very much a need help person, I have tried the go it alone and frankly each time I buy all the required gear and become a well kitted out failure (you’ve heard the phrase all the gear and no idea).

I get bored and distracted and then I think up wild and wonderful excuses as to why I don’t need to exercise.

When I started at Anytime Fitness Telford over a year ago people kept saying to me that I will become addicted….. erm I am still waiting …

I agonised over the cost of hiring a personal trainer as its not a cheap affair but when I weighed it up (forgive the pun) here is what I came up with.

Ladies and Gents trying to lose weight sometimes use “fat” clubs.  Now don’t get me wrong these work for some people but clapping people for losing weight when you don’t really know them or for that matter really care and paying around £6-8 a week for the privilege was one of my money saving ticks. 

Then putting a minimum wage  rate on the time I spent flouncing around the gym doing basically piss all. soon meant that having someone structure my time and watch my diet and to correct me when I am going wrong seemed like a fair investment in me.

The advice I would share is interview your trainer, its important if you are investing that you get the right one. 

  • Don’t be afraid to ask for a free trial session, make sure you are getting what you need.  
  • Be totally honest with them about what you want. 
  • If you are very overweight ensure they have experience of dealing with your training, and have the ability to create a personalised plan.

The most important factor to remember is though is that they are not there to do it for you.  If you are not prepared to put the effort in… do not waste your money.  You are going to laugh and cry, be ecstatically happy and really angry  with this person, they are going to see you at your most vulnerable you have to feel you can trust them.

With this in mind I have a trainer now I had spoken to a few all lovely and knowledgeable (and frankly not been hit by the ugly stick either) but the trainer I chose just struck a cord, got into my head and rummaged around pushing all the right buttons and so I signed on with Pom Tutt , branded as “Finishstrong“.

Pom has been about since I joined the gym I have been watching him (yeah I know I sound like a stalker) but wasn’t sure if he was taking on new clients and I had got in into my head that I wanted a female trainer.

Ok so I think this post is quite long enough… I will talk more about the adventures of Pom and Lou I am sure, I haven’t cried in front of him yet and I haven’t made him cry so, so far so good.

 

Working on full instead of empty

I was at the gym today, and  I wanted to share with you a bit about what I have learnt about my body and nutrition.

I would never embark on a long drive before checking my vehicle , so fuel, fluids and tyre safety.

So I used to go to the gym having eaten nothing and wonder why I really struggled.

Today having eaten oats for brekkie and a nuts snack and although a left over disaster enough lunch to fuel my 6pm Gym workout with trainer Pom. I was able to give it my all instead of feeling that awful wall of fatigue.

Moral of the story is ….. eat well, and train smart.

Forget less is more and no pain no gain as frankly one of these can injure you and the other will make you fat!

Amazing 12 plus size version going solo

"Session on my own done"
 
First work out Session doing amazing 12 on my own done — at Anytime Fitness
Here is a run down if my session
I was there about an hour I managed to do all of the Sets and exercises.
 
Bench press… I think I did ok on the weight was right for amount of reps if I go any heavier training on my own I will either need someone to spot me or use the rack… I couldn’t get up off the bench after either so had to roll off like a bloody hippo…. ( gym hottie I am nottie plus my bloody T shirt kept riding up so as the only woman in the gym on a Friday night I wasn’t really representing )
Lat pull down was busy so I went onto the trx and chest press
Used the 4kg dumbbells weight was fine had to use the step thingy because the incline bench was being used , plus if I’m honest I would not feel comfortable moving the incline bench when I am there on my own …. However the step thingy even on the lower setting seemed bit too upright so I think my form suffered as a consequence
Trx was fine I used my water bottle as a marker to where my feet should go
Lat pull down …. Couldn’t get the straight bar so used another bar but think I may have had my hands round the wrong way… And my breathing was all over the place until I remembered on the last two sets …. Also again couldn’t move the higher Bench so used the step thingy again which seemed a little low… Sitting in front of a mirror working out is a humbling experience …. There was some bright red sweaty fat bird looking back at me ….