Fitness update three weeks since I joined the gym, getting up early

body confidence, confidence, Fitness, weight loss

So I thought if you are not too bored of this newbieish gym goer then you may like to read this.

I am actually on my fourth week now and I am loving it. I am loving the feeling of improving my body. Every time I go I push myself and improve. The results are immediate in so far as the next time I go I can do it. When people say that fitness is all in your head they mean it. Because every time I think I can’t do it, the next visit I can!

I recently watch Jamie Genevieve fitness vlog and she said this gem of wisdom

” No one ever regrets going to the gym”

And she is right. I feel good when I leave the gym. I have energy that lasts me till about 3.30 and then I flag a little. My body looks better.

I feel better!

I still have work to do and a few more patches of skin to tone but I am happy about my body. I just need to keep it up.

Early mornings

I love my bed so much, so getting up early, like 5.45am is pretty god damn early.

I look like crap but yesterday even the sun wanted to go back to bed!!

But I have found that I need a gym buddy! I miss Jon laughing at me and introducing me to new exercises and machines. I asked Gav if he would join again but he doesn’t fancy it!

So I aim to go 3-4 times a week and so far I have done it! But I have to go early. Yesterday I came home and had a quick run around the park with Frank and he loved it!

I have to get up

I have to go

But when I get there I love it and it’s worth it. Most of the time I say I am definitely going the next morning. Then that morning I decide whether or not to hit the snooze button.

So this is my little update for my gym fitness. I hate getting up early but the benifits are paying of. I need the motivation of the gym and the support of my gym buddies. I have also started running back from the gym. Not a massive distance but I will lengthen it each week.

There is a park run on Saturday and I should really see if I can do it.

But we will see!

Gym nightmare: my forgetfulness is becoming an issue!

Fitness, weight loss

So this week I have been pretty crap! Went to the gym on Monday did a good workout mixing everything up and then I left my trainers at the gym.

I am generally forgetful but they are bright pink and I normally check my locker!

Not good

So I didn’t go to the gym Tuesday or Wednesday and realised that I needed a gym buddy. Someone to motivate me to go, to challenge me to push myself.

And just to turn up at the bloody gym.

So I set my alarm for 5.30 and went to the gym.

5.30 is an ungodly hour.

It was still twilighty, that’s how early it was and I had to dig out my old Adidas trainers so I could work out.

My face was like thunder when I hit the gym. But I turned up worked out and my body is a lot less sore this time.

We tried a few different machines!

this was I found a little scary as I challenged myself with the weights. Jon is taking them off for me! I don’t think I got heavier then 60k but next time I will.

It was a challenge.

I have forgotten my towel a few times.

My day clothes

But loosing my trainers really annoyed me.

My forgetfulness is pissing me off but I have so many things on my mind it’s not going to change any time soon!

Feeling a little overwhelmed, does every bride go through this?

Advice

I am not ashamed to admit I had a little cry at work last week. Time is ticking by and there is still a lot of things to organise.

It is easy to say that I am feeling a little overwhelmed and stress is the cause. A proper first world problem but still a problem.

Does every bride and groom go through this?

I am guessing it’s a yes, unless everything is being dealt with by a wedding planner then anyone in the same situation as us will be.

Because our site is a field we have to organise everything, everything! It’s not hard it just means we have to be organised and I feel like it’s all on my shoulders but it’s not.

Gav is doing his fair share! I am on top of the majority of my DIY makes and the majority of them look great. But the amount of little jobs that I can’t really hand out.

Still so much to do

All the little jobs are adding up now and I have had a lot of friends reach out and ask me what they can do to help.

I have taken them up on it.

I said at the beginning that when people offer help it really is because they want to help and be a part of it.

I called my dad. Mainly because I miss him and to ask when he is arriving. I told him I was stressed. His first words were

“Why are you stressed?

What can I do to help?”

I love my dad. He just said the exact right thing. I had been talking to my sister in law about a few things. Asked my mum to bring over the cheese ( she lives in France!!!) and am chatting to my sister a lot.

Alexa rallied them all up and had a chat with them. Then we all pulled our socks up and got on with it. I am very proud to be a PAYET! We are all awesome.

Family help

I have support in all sides. Gavs family is here when ever I need them and We have already involved them at every stage. Papa smurf my father in law has actually made me a fair few props and they have come out so well that I may ask him to make a few more!

Stress

I don’t want to be stressed on our wedding day! I just want to enjoy it. I have been looking forward to this moment my whole adult life and some of my childhood too ( thank you Disney).

I just wish my family were a bit closer than the other side of the equator!!

because I organise events as part of my job I did think it would be a lot easier. It isn’t really difficult there is just a lot to manage. But we have 4 weeks now.

So I made a big list.

A super list

And already I have crossed things off!

The importance of a canapé: food issues

Advice, food, Wedding

So having been a wedding guest a few hundred times, kidding, I know how important it is to feed your guests! A happy guest is a happy wedding.

Pretty sure the number one complaint from your wedding guests are that they are hungry, cold or thirsty! They are basic things that should always be covered. Everything else is just about timing.

For us

We are getting married outside whether is rains or not! So when it comes to our guests they will wrap up accordingly. When it comes to our bridal party we need to look after them!

The weather we don’t have any control over but drink and food we do! Weddings in the UK are usually at lunch time which means that you may have a big breakfast but from then to the wedding breakfast is normally a good 5 hours. I have been know to put a few snacks in my hand bag.

Now I have had amazing canapés ( friggin steak which melted in the mouth) quails eggs dipped in Bloody Mary salt! I still dream about those canapés and I have had weird ones, as well as no canapés.

When you are hungry and waiting it is so important to feed your guests and keep them happy. Like a nice glass of pimms and a cold beer! Lovely!

Because we are hiring a food truck we don’t really have the option for canapés so we still need to feed our guests without filling them up.

Cold food is going to be the easiest choice but deciding on that has been tricky.

I refuse not to serve canapés and Gav agrees. I hate it when you sit down and they is a tiny bit delicious warm roll and you devour it before your starter comes.

Speeches drag if you don’t have happy guests.

Getting the right balance is hard! You want them with a drink in their hand but not drunk! You want them to have rated something but not full.

You want happy guests who can focus on enjoying the day without complaining that they are hungry or tired or dying for drink!

Don’t get stuck in a fitness rut: Gym tips I still need to listen to!

Advice, body confidence, Fitness, Uncategorised, weight loss

I used to go to the gym 3 times a week which looking back wasn’t great but something is definitely better than nothing!

But I was stuck in a rut!

When they ask to introduce you say yes!

I never went upstairs and I never really explored the machines when I should have. Gyms always ask you if you want a walk through and actually you should take them up on that offer!

I should have walked round and learned about all the machines.

I also should have walked round and understood that I need more than a few exercises to see results!

Don’t get stuck in a rut

This is what Jon taught me. He said when you come to the gym there will always be a certain amount of people who are there all the time but you never see a difference in them.

This is because they don’t change up their routine enough. They get stuck in a fitness rut of comfortable exercise and can’t get out of it.

Now there is no harm in this. Maintaining your weight and fitness is important but unless they change up there routines and add different elements to it there body it going to stay the same.

I am a hundred percent guilty of this. I am definitely a creature of habit. I like the running, rowing and bikes. I may through in a different machine if I am feeling brave like the CrossFit or step machine but most of the time that it’s.

Plus I run home.

So my muscles are doing the same thing all the time which means although they are getting stronger and I mean a bit more toned I haven’t seen that much difference.

I didn’t want muscled arms so I stayed away from weights.

Now I want to introduce them into my routine. On Monday I did bicep curls and upped my weights each time. This will help work on my arms and bingo wings which I do need.

You need to do a bit of everything if you want to see improvements.

I am still working on a fitness plan that I can follow without being a slave to it!

Preparation is key

Pack your bag the night before! If I don’t do this I waste 5-10 minutes every morning when I could be at the gym. I have forgotten my locker key, towel (twice) shoes, you name it.

My skincare and shower bag now live permanently in my bag so I have to get them out on weekends.

When it’s hot it’s easy as I can just pack a dress! But as it’s a little cooler this week I have to focus on outfits.

If you are showering at home the. This doesn’t apply to you but I go straight to the gym then to work! Preparation is key to this and here is where I really need to listen to my own advice. I need to plan my outfits and check I have my towel with me!

Gym tips

I can’t give you any real fitness advice because I am just starting out and it would be wrong to do so! So if someone talks about your fitness at the gym listen to them. Ask for advice book a PT everyso often.

Keep it fresh!

Also you don’t want it to become boring! You need to challenge yourself! Up your game each time. But mostly you need to do this for the right reasons. You need to do this for you, not to get in your wedding dress, not to look Instagram ready.

Do it for you

I am doing it for me. The goal was my wedding but I want this to continue for my body to be a healthy happy place.

Madrid the food and the City and the drinking girlsu

food, Travel

So day 1 was awesome. Day two I woke up fine, dreaming of a breakfast of dreams. So I hopped in the shower and got ready.

We hopped in a cab and headed to our breakfast place which was truely amazing. Only it was there that the hang over hit me. I was doing well until this point. I ordered my coffee and a fresh juice and then my food arrived.

Federal Cafe

Hangover

Whenever I am hungover I feel like avocados and smoked salmon are my best friends. I normally ask for the hollandaise on the side but I didn’t.

I wish I did.

They had added garlic in it which didn’t settle well with me. I wasnt sick but I felt horrible and just needed to be quiet. But my friends were worried so they asked a lot of questions and I withdrew into my hangover dreaming of my bed!

I just wanted to be alone.

Segways

This is were Becky informed me we were on Segways for the next section of the day! I couldn’t think of anything worse. Little did I know this would clear my hangover right up!

So we walked over to the Segway area the temperature had cooled to a 30 degree heat so although it was super hot still it had nothing on yesterday.

We all got water and hydrated but I wasn’t thirsty I was just tired. I sat in a slightly shady street with my wedding attire on and slowly died by the side.

Our instructor was brilliant he was super funny and patient. He had to be, we were awful! Becky went first and was so scared she screamed the street down and I could stop laughing. We all laughed at Becky as she awkwardly used the Segway. Tears streamed down my face of pure joy and I forgot my hangover and cane alive again!

It turned out none of us were much good. Two were okay and the rest of us hated it and swore we would never get on one again. He gave us ten minutes to feel it out for ourselves and one by one we dutifully got back on.

City tour

Whizzing around Madrid on the Segways were amazing. It was a great way to see the city and it was so safe. Madrid laws state that cars must wait for the Segways so we were allowed in the road not on the pavements.

It was so much fun, the driving helped cleared all our

Then we went do the market place! Yes it’s touristy but the bustle of all the food stalls and all the choice wow I loved it!

I bought an octopus skewer which was so tasty and massive!

Then we went to the main square for beer and ice cream. The bar where really sweet although they didn’t know what a shandy was but they looked after us.

Nap time

I was still exhausted. A few of the group had already left and now it was my time to put my head down and catch up on sleep.

So I went back to the hotel and caught up on some sleep. When I woke up we headed back upstairs to the roof top bar!

I needed the pool! Everyone ended up coming up for a glass of cold wine, gin and a dip in the plunge poool again.

Today was 34 degrees so it was still super hot! Then we all headed downstairs to get ready again. Becky had planned everything so well. Even down time was accounted for! We had a great day and it was about to be followed by an amazing meal!

Barata

jiminy cricket batman that starter was heaven on a plate. The mozzarella was soft and creamy the pesto was injected by me served with bread oh my word. I would actually fly back to Madrid for this meal right now.

The fish and pudding were also great but starter was out of this world.

The sangria was flowing the laughter was constant and the games were fun.

It was such a great night but we had an early flight and we were all aware of it! So we finished the hen how we started!

On the rooftop drinking gin!

Survival of the fittest, well just give me time and more training!

body confidence, Fitness, Uncategorised, weight loss

I did it! Jon survived my whining for 5 days straight. I literally upped my game so much. My weights got heavier on all fronts.

I ache all over.

I can sleep so I am not too worried.

I am taking the weekend off and starting again next week. I aim to do a minimum of three visits this week but I hope I fit in more.

Fluidity is key

I am going to miss having instruction from someone who knows what they are doing and give me advise and just tell me what to do. Yes, I know I can pay someone £40 a n to do this but I cant afford it. Instead I am going to try and write out a plan of machines and exercise reps that I can do. This won’t be a rigid plan just an idea of say 6 ideas I can do per session.

I have learned so much about muscles and strength training. My bingo wings are still there but I can feel them tightening. I need to work on my diet a bit more and keep up with all the ab exercises and arm training.

I also need to get back to my running and training for the half marathon.

Now I have ventured upstairs in the gym I can use the machine that have gradient training and work on my rhythm, breathing and stamina. I also need to start running home from work. Now that its cooler I don’t have an excuse.

Perhaps now that I am more focused on my health and fitness, I will actually start to see results.

With running the main thing I noticed was just how my fitness improved. I have less energy in the evenings ( I am a lazy toad after all) but by training in the morning I have been fine. Work has been full on this week so I really haven’t stopped.

I am working Saturday but I am just doing wedding planning on Sunday.

The strange thing is I am looking forward to my gym session on Monday I just hope I am confident enough to tackle the weights by myself. I wont be able to do any of the barbells as I do need someone to spot me but I can definitely can do the bicep curls and other bits.

5 days of fitness

Next week I will just try to go as much as I can and focus a bit more on my diet!

I can do this

I can get nice and healthy for me, for my body and be proud of myself on my wedding day.

But more importantly, if I ever end up in a horror movie I can do a pull up to get away from the baddie!

Thank you for joining me on this challenge. As you can tell even though I am tired, my body is sore I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Jon! You are a super star.