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R0040279
February
2009
Hi all - hope you are all doing well...............yes, it has been a
long time!
In Septmeber I was lucky enough to go to Barbados for a fortnight with
Mike. The island is stunning and the food is awesome - too awesome. I
spent the two weeks lying by the pool, reading ( I managed to get through
15 books!) eating - and occasionally taking a dip in the pool to cool
down a little.
When I came back home, I had put on several pounds - and although I was
still going to the gym on a regular basis, I continued to eat to much..........Before
I knew where I was, it was almost Christmas and I had put on a few more..............
Looking for an outfit this year was not nearly as much fun as looking
for one last year :-(
Anyway - In January, I decided ( along with Kenny's support) to hop back
on the wagon that I had fallen spectacularly off!!
We decided that as an added incentive, we would have a weigh in every
week - instead of every month or two.I was sure this would make a difference
to me and my psyche...........
The first week went well and I managed my nutrition with no problems -
until I stood on the scales at the end of the week - I had lost a miserly
200g- thats right - not even 1/2 lb!
I was not too worried though - and continued with my healthy eating regime
- convinced that it would show on the scales at the end of the next week.........Ha!
I was not at all nervous and stepped on the scales full of confidence..............only
to have lost..............ANOTHER 200g!! AAAArrrrrghhhhhh!!!!
I could not believe it. But it was true. Kenny tried to console me - but
I was spitting feathers inside. I had been so good and watched everything
that I ate all week and I exercised like a demon............honestly -
it was back to the good old days with Kenny thrashing me and sending me
out of the gym with a purple, sweaty face and exhausted (but deliriously
happy) body.
I decided that i would write down every morsel that passed my lips that
week and see if Kenny could see where I was going wrong....................
even though I had a trip to Pizza Hut and a tube of smarties on Friday
night.............and in spite of the fact that I was retaining fluid
due to hormonal changes in my body (which can often put 5lbs on).............I
lost almost 1kg - yup 2lb!! How crazy is that? Anyway I am not complaining
- I will take 2lb anytime.
I have been on top of my nutrition again this week and am expecting another
good weight loss ............
As well as losing weight though, i am toning up all over.........I have
had a few new compliments recently and it feels good.
To give me somehting to aim for, I have decided to take part in a charity
Zip Slide at the end of March. This is a 1000ft long wire stretched across
the river Clyde at approx 130ft high!!!!! I do not have very good upper
body strength - so I think we will be working on that over the next few
weeks.
Hopefully pictures will be available after the event.............I am
hoping my eyes are open and my bladder does not let me down on the way!!!1
I am back at the gym in the morning for another beasting from Kenny -
and another weigh in. I will check in with you all after that.
TTFN
Donna
Saturday
18th October 2008
Well........... it's the morning after the night before...and all is well
(at least I am - not so sure about Kenny though!) There was a members
only night at the gym last night, and we did not leave the gym until gone
1am :-) I was completely sober as I am a teetotaller, however Kenny was
slightly worse for wear. I figured that this would mean that I had an
easy session ahead of me.................how stupid am I????
Once Kenny arrived at the gym, I sympathised with how he was feeling (Ha
Ha!) and Kenny laughed back with - "Let's warm up on the cross trainer
for 10 minutes" While I was warming up, Kenny was obviously thinking
up an evil plot to make me laugh on the other side of my face.
We moved on to the rowing machines for what I thought would be 2 x 500m,
but I was gifted with an extra 500m this morning (whooppee!!!) That was
little bit unexpected, however I did manage it.........but only just.
By this point I was very tired ( I might not drink alcohol, but lack of
sleep is a killer for me) Kenny then set up a wicked circuit for me to
work on just about every muscle in my body - and he even included the
dreaded step ups (with weights!!) I almost fell on to the mats after three
of these circuits. While I thought this would be a wee rest for me, Kenny
decided to welcome back an old friend...........Jack Knives - aaarrrghhhh!!!
As he was feeling particularly cruel, he only brought Jack back AFTER
my normal abs routine - can you believe he would do that????
It has been sooooooo long since I attempted a jack knife (due to my sciatica)
that my upper abs almost instantly started objecting to such torture.
I managed to complete one set (in two parts) and then my second set was
completed in three parts. My third set was so excruciatingly painful,
that I only did 9 and a half instead of 10. i just could not muster the
energy to finish the last one. How pathetic am I?
By now, Kenny was feeling so much better and ready for the rest of his
clients. As for me, I was feeling just like he looked when I welcomed
him into the gym an hour previously!!
I am so determined to master those jack knives again that I will be practicing
every night at home until I see Kenny again next week.
( at least I will try to)
Hope you are all well.
TTFN,
Donna
Sunday
12th October
Hello everyone
Well, I did have a session with Kenny last Monday - 6th October. I had
not set foot inside a gym for 4 weeks at that point mind you - so you
can imagine how I felt once Kenny started on me!!!
I had been away for two weeks - drinking Pina Coladas like they were going
out of fashion and while I did visit the pool almost every day - sometimes
it was just to cool down a little bit .....not to exercise...........and
sometimes I swam up to 80 lengths in a day ( although not all at the same
time!!!)
When I came back, Kenny was on his holidays and last Monday was the first
time we could get together.
It was not as tortuous as I had imagined though - and I did not suffer
the following day (now that was amazing)
I could not see Kenny on the Saturday as Mike (my beloved hubby) had asked
if he could use that timeslot since he was on a course down south this
week and could not manage his usual time. I agreed to a 10am appointment
on Sunday though (even though it was my birthday) Yup I am no officially
in my forties.last year I could say I was 40 - which sounds ok - but now,
I am officially "in my 40's" Aaarrgggghhh!!!
For a long time now, Kenny has warmed me up with 5 minutes on the cross
trainer...........so today was no different as he led me to the machine
and said "ok - lets warm up" As we were getting to 2 minutes,
he said "ok - let's go up a level" "What???????? - that's
not what we normally do" "Oh" he said " We are just
going to do a 10 minute pyramid on the cross trainer this morning"
That is when I knew that he meant business!!
We did the 10 minutes - and I knew that I was out of condition. It's not
so long ago that I was doing 2 x 25 minute sessions on this thing - but
those 10 minutes definitely took their toll ........Once that was done,
we moved on to the rowing machines - another piece of equipment that I
love - and for the first time in ages, Kenny said that we would be doing
3 x 500m - at a generous pace of 2m30s.
That might sound ok, but when you have not done that for a looooooooooonnnng
time, then it does get difficult towards the end. I did manage it but
only just. My cardio fitness is so bad - but I know that it will come
back - it's just a matter of getting back into a routine!
Following on from there, we moved into a circuit of weights (YIPPEE!!!)
My arms were ready to drop off once we were done and my legs were screaming
at me to stop as soon as Kenny mentioned step-ups...... My thighs have
not had such a good workout in weeks - and I knew I would be struggling
to walk up the stairs to the shower when I got home. ( I was right!)
We finished with some abs / core work which I always enjoy - but by the
end of that I looked like a beetroot.............I had a better colour
on my face than I had after two weeks in the Caribbean sunshine!! It felt
great though and I am planning to make a few extra visits to the gym this
week to work on my cardio fitness before Kenny gets his hands on me again
on Saturday ( and that is at 9am - after a late night out on Friday) Why
do I do this to myself????
I will let you all know how I get on.
Donna
6th September
2008
Hi
guys.................... I know that it has been a while and I am sorry.
My life has been pretty chaotic over the last few months and this blog
was low on my list of priorities. I know that sounds quite selfish,
but that's the way my life has been!!
I have still been seeing Kenny once a week, and working out hard, however
the rest of my life has been affecting my success. It seems that every
time I get back in the saddle, something comes along and knocks me off.
To start with, my sciatica problem has never quite gone away and is
constantly niggling. Because of this, kenny has been restricted in what
I am able (or willing) to do. It has knocked out the treadmill, bike,
and rowing machine. I am risking being back in excruciating pain if
I attempt any impact exercise. This has made Kenny's job harder than
it should have been. However, Kenny can always find a way to make me
work up a sweat!!!
Usually in the form of my new favourite piece of equipment - yup - the
cross trainer!! Who would have believed it? The one machine that I used
to avoid like the plague and whinge about every time he made me get
on it for more than a few minutes has become my best friend. I don't
know why I hated it so much.................
Anyway as I said - every time I get back on the saddle, something comes
along to knock me off.
My husband and two children were spending three weeks in Australia at
the beginning of July - BLISS! or so i thought. I booked a week off
work in the middle of that time so that I could concentrate on myself
and my training. I decided that this would be my new start! HA HA HA
HA!!!!
No sooner had Mike flown away, than his dad (who is widowed) was taken
into hospital. I spent the next three weeks racing up and down to the
hospital. I often had to be there three times a day! It was exhausting.
Not only that, but while he was in the hospital, I spent days cleaning
his little flat from top to bottom. I wont go into details here,but
it was hard labour!! I also had to wash, dry and iron his clothes every
day! He only had one pair of PJ's so I bought him another two pairs,
but I ended up still having to collect them every morning and bring
them back in every afternoon!! It was so exhausting, the only time I
managed to get to the gym was for my weekly session with Kenny! And
my nutrition was apalling. I was eating all of the wrong things at all
of the wrong times. I knew this but still could not stop...........
I was feeling sorry for myself...........
Once Mike came home, he took some of the weight off my shoulders, and
I fell ill with a terrible upset stomach. This lasted for a few days
and put paid to any gym sessions that I had planned. But that was July
taken care of - and no progress for me. You know what they say - The
best laid plans.....etc etc!!
Come August, I decided to start again. However, as soon as that plan
was put in place -along came illness to knock it out again. I contracted
a kidney infection and had serious pains in my lower abdomen and back.
Not to worry - a course of antibiotics soon took care of that - but
it meant that I was unable to enjoy my gym for a few days and I had
to miss a session with Kenny.
I made a fresh start a week later - and guess what!! I only managed
one session and my infection was back . I had to get another stronger
course of antibiotics - but again, my gym sessions were not as effective
as they could have been due to the pain.
Are you feeling sorry for me yet?? Dont worry if you are not, I was
feeling sorry enough for myself. When I went back to the doctor to get
the results of some tests, he told me that i had been diagnosed - with
e-coli!!! Can you believe it? No wonder I had been miserable and in
pain!! This diagnosis explained the upset tummy and the two kidney infections!!
At this point, Kenny advised me that I would soon be having my 100th
session. Not sure about you, but it feels like i have been working out
for so long that my 100th session must have passed already. I remember
when I first started this getting fit thing. If anyone had told me I
would still be here after 100 sessions, i would have laughed. I dont
remember ever sticking anything out for so long before. Maybe the reason
for sticking with it this time is because of Kenny and his belief that
I can do it. As I have said many times - he has believed in me more
than I have ever believed in myself - and i will never be able to thank
him for that.
Now we are in September................................
My 100th session was today - and it should have been a time of great
celebration, but it did not work out like that. I know that over the
last couple of months when my attention to my nutrition has been appalling,
I have put on weight. I have not stepped on the scales, but I dont need
to do that to know that my clothes are not fitting as well as they have
been. I estimate that I have put on maybe 4 or 5 kg!! I know that is
disappointing, but it is not enough to make m give up. I will not put
on any more. My head is now in the right place again - I have a defined
medical reason for my illnesses and I am recovering nicely from that.
My sciatica is never going to go away so I am also learning to live
with that - and work my exercise around it - with help from kenny of
course!
Kenny gave me a beautiful card and a lovely gift to remind me of my
100th session as he is proud of me. I want to make him even more proud
of me and I can do this by being good to myself and my body by paying
attention to what I eat.
So here I am. Ready and willing. However September will hold a few challenges........................
first of all, I am going on holiday for a fortnight. I am hoping for
14 days of sun and relaxation - although Mike has told me that i will
be in gym at the hotel on a regular basis as he wont be going by himself.
And he plans to throw me in the pool for a few lengths every day - maybe
even twice a day....But you all know what holidays are like.................
good food....lazy-itis etc.
When I come back from my holiday, Kenny is away for a week.........
So after my session this Saturday, my next session with Kenny will be
on Sunday 5th October.....
YUP - October..... can you believe it??
Hopefully, my holiday will be good for me and I will be able to relax
while also working out and eating good food.
I am reluctant to say this, but my plans are to make a huge effort between
now and the New Year and to have another New Year photo to be proud
of. (If this works out it will be the only plan all year that has worked
out)
I am sorry if this blog has been a little bit self indulgent, but people
have been asking me what i have been doing and I felt it was time you
all had an update!! It is probably not what you were hoping to hear,
but it is the truth. The good thing is that i am still here and I am
still trying (some would say very trying) I am only human after all
and I am not as perfect as I might have thought I was.
The important thing for me is that I am back in the right frame of mind
and determined to succeed again. I know this is a lifelong battle,but
with good friends, a supportive family and a personal trainer who is
always forgiving and encouraging, I can't fail.................can I???
Speak to you all again in October when I plan to have some better news
to report.
Monday 7th July
Hi guys - hope you are all well and enjoying the summer holidays. This update should really have been written on Saturday however I was out on Friday night until the wee small hours of Saturday morning and had to change the time and day of my session with Kenny. I am off work this whole week and plan to have a few sessions in the gym though............... ( the best laid plans etc...)
I have had almost two weeks off the gym as i was suffering from a terrible bug that floored me. I had the shakes; a fever; stomach pains and aching bones - EVERY bone. I thought I was in for a bout of the flu........... Thankfully, that was not the case, but I slept most of the following few days and could not drag my bug ar*e to the gym for love nor money.
Because I am out of routine, I went to the gym yesterday to break myslf in gently before Kenny got his hands on me today.
I managed to survive 2 x 20 minute sessions on the cross trainer with some stretches in between. This was all I could manage and I was quite proud of myself.
This morning, Kenny was too happy for my liking - I had no idea what he had in store for me but I was looking forward to it. He did not disappoint....... we started off on the cross trainer (surprised? - I wasn't) Only 5 minutes to warm me up and then i was led over to the free weights. We worked on my arms and upper body - as Kenny pointed out my bingo wings! That made me feel good - lets face it, what else do women like to be reminded of on a Monday morning???
Once we were finished on the weights we did some press ups and some stretches on the mat before we did it all again - starting with the cross trainer. I am not quite back to the weights that I had been doing a couple of months ago, but I am getting there.
After a third round, Kenny felt it was appropriate to finish off with a 5 minute session on the cross trainer to cool down..............I guess I wasn't quite the right shade of purple for him at that point so another torture session on the cross trainer was essential!!It felt great to be back in the gym and I am looking forward to having a few extra sessions this week.
I am back with Kenny on Saturday morning and will report back to you then..
D
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