Fit for 30

Oh, hello there! Now, where was I? Oh yes, sodding injured knee putting me out for 4 weeks, that's where. And you know the hardest part of training is to start training, so yeah, this week has been tough with a capital T!

I got pretty down about being injured, and worried it was going to be a long-term or recurring thing. I tried every week to see how it was coming along, but at the slightest twinge I backed off for fear of doing worse damage. The first week I did a trial run and boy, that mofo ached, pained and even burned for ages afterwards. I was suitable discouraged from trying any heroic leaping back into the programme.

This week has been really challenging, first of all to fit training back into my routine. It took a little while to get over it mentally and actually enjoy the free time I had back, and now it's proving similarly hard to get back into it. But I have completed two sessions this week, currently on a rest day (although I have had a 5 mile, super-brisk walk) as my darling baby kept me up last night and, to be honest, I hurt like buggery.

So here's what I'm hoping to do over the coming weeks in my new Fit for 30 plan.

In 68 days, I turn 30. How fit can you get in 68 days? Really, all I really want to achieve with this plan is to successfully incorporate exercise into my life - enough to catch the bug, to want to stay committed, and to see some good results.

The TAM Bootcamp was supposed to be a kick-start to the programme but it seems that, combined with the loss of endurance being off for 4 weeks right at the start brings, I've also lost most of the definition I sculpted on Bootcamp, and I've not even had the courage to weigh myself yet! But I'm not dwelling on that. I've just got to take these 9 weeks and get all I can out of them.

I'm planning 10 workout rotations of TAM, including the Mat DVD, Post-pregnancy DVD and webisodes, along with my own picks of available YouTube clips and magazine snippets. Now, the DVDs are an hour long, and the webisodes etc. much shorter, so I'm going to alternate one 10-day round of 1hr-long DVDs with a rotation of shorter 30 minute routines just to mix it up a bit. My aim is to do TAM 4-6 times a week, but to prioritise getting the cardio in to make sure dat fat is burning!

The cardio will, of course, be Turbo Fire. I've only managed 2 sessions so far this week, so will just follow on up the programme regardless of their Mon, Tues schedule.

That's all for now. I'll check back in a few days.

Bootcamp Up to Day 24. I found another muscle!

Well, as mentioned in my last post, I have been doing Turbo Fire barefoot and had an inevitable overstraining, lack of cushioning incident on Thursday (Day 22). I pushed though it on Friday but really shouldn't have and consequently had to take the weekend off. I've started TAM again today but haven't managed cardio. My training shoes should be here on the 27th, but I'm going to do a less vigourous attempt tomorrow. Sad face.

On the flip side, I'm totally rocking Sequence three! I thought about quitting as the moves just didn't seem natural, or to be working anything, but after some friendly advice on the FB page, I decided to give it one last try. I read thought all the instructions again and really performed the form slowly, searching for the spot each move is supposed to work. And I actually doubled the reps when I found it. I thought this would be really hard, but I've obviously gained a lot of strength over these few weeks. So I started at 40 reps and am already up to 60 on some of the moves. I'd actually like to go above this but apparently it's not recommended, plus it takes me almost two frickin' hours - longer with baby breaks! Friday I worked out on and off from 8am to 4pm. Not cool.

I've also got some gym mats coming to protect my carpet and so that I can wear my shoes (they catch on the carpet). So hopefully, I'll be a little more protected from injury. Hell, I may even go wild and get a knee support.

More good news... I totally have defined upper obliques when I flex! Yeah, I'm still covered in fat, but a flex and lean to the side reveals my top abs and diagonal oblique. Love it! Who knew that a mere 23 days of extremely inconsistent exercise and a pretty awful diet could produce such results?!

But I keep looking over at my TF discs, singing the theme tune, and pouting a sad pout. I miss it terribly and really wanted to keep consistent with it, but I guess I need to take the time to heal. I dreamt I could do a full plyometric jump last night, it's that bad! I am totally hooked on both TAM and TF, and working out and keeping healthy in general! It all gets better every day. La la laaaa...

Bootcamp End of Sequence 2 Results

Weight: 144 (-0.2lb) Total lost: 1.8lb

Chest: 35 (-0.5") Total lost: 2.5"

Waist: 30 (-0") Total lost: 1"

Navel: 34 (-2") Total lost: 4"

Muffin Top: 38.5 (-0.5") Total lost: 1.5"

Hip: 39 (-0.5") Total lost: 2"

Hip Pocket: 24 (-0.25") Total lost: 2"

Thigh: 22.5 (-0.25") Total lost: 1"

Arm: 10 (-0") Total lost: 1"

Calf: 13.75 (-0") Total lost: 0.25"

TOTAL WEIGHT: 1.8lb

TOTAL INCHES: 15 1/4 inches

Here are the results of Sequence 2 and the overall totals. I'm definitely happy, but know I could have done a lot more, life permitting. I'm amazed that I've lost 4" from the belly. I'm now down one dress size and two bra cups from my pre-pregnancy size, which is fab.

Now let's get serious. I really hadn't been eating very well, and that's obviously hampered results. 1.8lbs?! That really is shocking. Even with muscle building, I would have thought I'd seen more loss. Anyway, I've been eating clean all this week and drinking lots of water, which is doing wonders for my energy.

I'm not inflicting all of this upon myself just to look good. I want to be healthy, live longer, and set a good example of healthy living for my daughter. That means cleaning up my eating habits and taking control of my overeating and sweet tooth. Doing Tracy's diet 100% wasn't for me, because 700-1200 calories is no way enough when you're working out this hard. I want to make life-long changes and to find a better way of fuelling my body. And I hope that by doing this, I'll increase my weight loss and fitness.

Turbo Fire is proving to be so much fun. I took a week to acclimatise and started the programme proper on Monday. I really noticed how much I'd improved doing the classes for the second time, taking 0 breaks instead of 4! Hopefully now I'm eating healthy and doing more adequate and challenging cardio, more of this stubborn fat will melt away. That my waist has only budged an inch is really bugging me. I WILL be a 28" waist! But to achieve this, I seriously need some new trainers. My feet grew during pregnancy so I've been doing it barefoot, which is a bit of a killer on my ankles and knees.

Sequence 3 isn't as interesting as 2, I'm actually finding the moves really clunky, I don't feel I'm working anything, and it is so, so dull. I'm giving it one more day before freestyling for the last run with moves that are challenging from the previous sequences. Watch this space...

Bootcamp Day 14.-17. Turbo TAM

Things have gone a little off track. I've had to take several days off (or some days I've only managed to fit in either MS or Cardio, so I'm not actually counting it as a BC day) due to exhaustion from night wakings. And she used to sleep so well :(

Nevertheless, she slept wonderfully last night and I got up at 5am and rocked on with my Day 17 workout. I've managed only 30 reps on days 14-16, as I've had breaks in between the days and I feel that's hindered my progression, strength-wise. But today I managed 35 reps of everything except that darn downward dog push up thing. I squeezed only 30 of those still.

As for cardio, I've been following the Turbo Fire programme since Day 15 and, honest to God, I have never worked so hard in my life! How that woman manages to still breathe, let alone talk through those moves is beyond me. I am beet-red by the end of it and practically wheezing. I admit, I've cussed at the TV more than once. But I LOVE it! I really like the fact that I can do a 15 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) session and burn more calories than a regular 45 minute session! And it sets your metabolism up to burn more fat for hours afterwards too. Now that is totally nap-time-friendly.

Food is going well at the moment, but there have been some terribly naughty moments. I'm talking chocolate cheesecake-type moments. But there have been very good days too. I'm using recipes from the veggie meal plan most days, sometimes with a little added carbs at lunch and protein at night. As I've said before, I'm trying my best not to get too obsessed with the food plan, because it does me no good, and I honestly think that I've craved and caved with all this bad stuff because, in my mind, I'm on a 'diet'. Sucks.

Anyway, something's going right, because I'm back into a UK12 and have gone down a bra cup already. There's a little muffin top going on, but it's all motivation to keep this thing up. I'm still all jelly in the middle, and am ready to see that gone now.

So, I have my fingers and toes crossed for a good night tonight so I can workout tomorrow. I really really really really do NOT want to have to take any more days off as I'm already looking at a 21 June end, and my results are obviously being compromised. I guess that means that, if I do have a bad night, I'm just going to have to suck it up and bring it anyway.

Bootcamp Day 13. Quick catch up

Worry not, I've just had a few mad days and not abandoned Bootcamp!

I've had to take another day off with the cub waking several times during the night - it's a real killer. I'm currently on Day 13 and absolutely loving Sequence 2. I'm up to 30 reps on everything, there's no moves I'm finding particularly difficult, which is really nice to see that I've progressed.

I'm still doing 30 mins of Tae Bo for my cardio and..... TURBO FIRE IS IN THE MAIL!! I am super, super excited about starting HIIT training. I love it as I can go crazy for just a minute or two and take a rest, for a total of 15-20 mins and get the same results as a long, high intensity workout. I WILL be learning DC08 as soon as I've finished with 'camp to add to the mix.

From tomorrow, I will be adding in some more elements to try and improve my results, namely drinking more water... a LOT more, cutting down on sugar, and I'll soon be adding in a shake. I'm not sure whether it will be an additional protein shake, or a meal replacement, but that will be instated in a week or so.

I'm actually going to measure my body fat/water/muscle mass etc. in the morning. I have an intelligent scale and, for some reason, never thought of recording it all at the beginning - what a shame!

Night night x

Bootcamp Day 12. AM

When Tracy says that you'll feel awful after days 1, 11 and 21, she really does mean it, doesn't she?! Oh my, I am aching in muscles I never knew existed and feel really quite ill. It doesn't help that the cubster woke several times last night and I'm shattered too.

I hope I can muster up the energy for a workout today...

Bootcamp Day 11. - Whoop Whoop!

Mat: 20 reps

Cardio: zilch

I am really enjoying this next sequence. The exercises don't actually feel as difficult as starting sequence one did - that must mean I'm getting stronger, YAY! When doing them today I felt really good and, although I haven't got perfect form just yet, I'm feeling super positive about it.

What I'm not feeling positive about is the darn cardio. Again, I couldn't fit it in, and I know I shouldn't beat myself up about it, but it is actually really really important for me as I have such a high bf%.

Ho hum... tomorrow is another day.