Friday 18 September 2015

3rd Blogiversary



The photos says it all, but yes my blog is 3 years old today (how did that happen)

I want to thank all of my readers for sticking with me and I yo-yo my wayto being comfortable in my own skin.. Also a BIG thanks to all you lovely people on instagram & twitter for all your help and motivation this past year


Blogiversary




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Friday 4 September 2015

BACK ON THE SPINNING BIKE......10 class gym pass




I bought a 10 class gym pass in an attempt to kick my ass back into fitness, get me out in the evening, get a hobby and help with the weight loss.
I got a great deal on Groupon, 10 classes for €19, and I purposely picked a place I’d never heard of/ been too before (fresh start and all that jazz!)

I decided that I would keep tabs bout my experience after each class,(incase I forget/ blank it out by the end)

The plan being to go to 2 classes per week to get my metabolism, motivation and fitness all working again and also to get into the next stone bracket (I’ve been sitting  more or less in the same spot for over 10 months now)

WEEK 1
First class this year (it’s the 8th July) Wednesday Night, Circuits @6pm….
Just about kept up doing the warm up!! Jumping jacks are tough! We were then talked through the 7 different stations that we would visit for 1 minute at a time. After the 3rd station I could see why the others had decided to bring their water bottles along with them!!! Managed all 7 stations, got back to my water, but was ready to be done at that stage!! I got 3 stations into the next round (45 seconds per station) with my legs burning and couldn’t catch my breath.. started to feel faint and dizzy.. next station was Burpees and it was the one that “broke” me.. I felt like I was going to vomit, I had to apologies to the trainer, who told me to take a drink and go at my own pace…. I tried this for the next 2 stations, but I knew I couldn’t carry on…. I was mortified admitting defeat but it was probably better to leave than to collapse in front of all my brand new gym friends / vomit on said new gym friends!!! I sat in my car for 15 min before I felt well enough to drive home!!  Not surprised that I no longer have any kind of fitness level, but its been years since I felt like that doing exercise!!! Went home feeling hopeless!!

Thursday Night – Spinning @7pm……..
Silly me booking 2 classes for 2 nights in a row! I was very tempted to cancel it, but decided I’d go and try, at worst I’d leave again if I didn’t feel up to it. I got chatting to the girl at reception and told her what had happened last night; She called over the trainer that was taking the spinning class I was about to attend and he had a chat with me, it was a real boost, he told me to take my time… I went into Spinning not knowing what to expect, yes it was tough and I sweated buckets, but it reignited something in me, I’d forgotten how much I used to enjoy going to spinning classes.. the class was tough but in a really good kind of way, I know I’ll enjoy it more when my fitness improves.. I think for the time being I’ll stick to 2 spinning classes a week.. but spaced out to avoid the all over body ache I suffered this week.


WEEK 2 – Monday Night – Spinning @7pm
Wasn’t sure what to expect tonight! I was late arriving and was on a bike up the front!! Eeek.. trainer Siobhan was really good.. 3 songs in and we were all working our asses off and sweating buckets!! I had a fringe of sweat hitting off my forehead (I don’t actually have a fringe, so that a bit mad!)
I wore the wrong tracksuit pants (had no strings to pull) So I spent the hour trying to pull up my pants every time everyone else was drinking water!!! It was a really good/tough hour on the bike… and I left feeling like I’d actually done something J


 Thursday Night – Spinning @7pm……..
Fab class, I just put the head down and got on with it.. found that 45mins flew, music was good.. the squats before cool down were a killer tho!!

WEEK 3 – Monday Night – Spinning @7pm
Siobhan took this class and there’s no other way to describe the hour other than a slooooow burn, the sweat was everywhere by the end, it didn’t help that it was 21 degrees outside…. Really enjoyed the class and the other of “me time” I could defo get used to it

Wednesday Night – Spinning @7pm
I found the class tough, I was tired going in, which didn’t help, but I stuck with it and was delighted I had gone afterwards.. Last class before my time off, so I skipped outta there J

WEEK 4 – Took a break from work / training and eating well!!




WEEK 5 - Thursday Night – Spinning @7pm Back to work on Tuesday after a 10 day break, so it was time to get back to exercise… I’m not gonna lie, it was tough, I gave it my all but still could not keep up or get going! It was like it was my first class ever all over again!! I left feeling dizzy & pukey!! That means I tried tho doesn’t it!!! Dreading next Monday already!! I. CAN. DO. THIS….


WEEK 6 - Monday Night – Spinning @7pm, Is it weird that I feel less motivated when the trainer isn’t on a bike with us? I know they’re still calling out the instructions, but I like when they’re doing it too, it allows me to match their pace and have my hands in the right place but it also makes me feel like they know exactly how we’re all feeling too (could just be me being weird) But anyway! Our instructor was not on a bike and it was a full house, it was also 30 degrees according to my car temp!! I found the class really Intense, could have been the heat, could have been that every song we were expected to “give it our all” it could have been that 2 turns on my bike and I was climbing a very steep hill.. the fact that I’m really unfit may have crossed my mind too. I struggled through the class.. It was like spinning in a sauna so it was extra sweaty and gross. .It was a relief to be done after 45mins…. I’m on the waiting list for Wednesday, so not sure if I’ll get a second spin in this week…….

Wednesday Night  – Had to cancel my space on the waiting list, I seem to have hurt my back after Mondays class L


 WEEK 7 - Monday Night – Spinning @7pm -  Really enjoyed spinning tonight, I was in a good mood, the music was great, and I was able to keep up with the push up’s (bonus) I wouldn’t go as far as to say the class was easy, but I felt like I was able for it and I didn’t clock watch for the 45 minutes, I just got on with it.. over all an enjoyable work out

WEEK 8 - Monday Night – Spinning @7pm – Cancelled – bad cough, sent home for work today to recover!


WEEK 9 - Monday Night – Spinning @7pm Almost back to a healthy me so decided to chance spinning…. Since it was my last “free one” Siobhan was leading the way, it was a really good/ tough class…. I went through all the emotions tonight from coughing fits/ sneezing / tissue hunting/ sweating/ laughing / singing / adjusting my trousers / dropping my bottle / not keeping up with jumps / crazy random thoughts (why do I do this? / Do I really enjoy this? Really??….) So over all a fab work out and hours escape from being me J


This post is not sponsored. I was not asked to review anything or write this post, I’m glad I kept tabs as I went tho because I definitely would not have remembered all of these classes individually.
Isn’t it amazing how your own frame of mind affects how your training goes!! I know that’s not rocket science, but it really clicked for me while writing this…



I have not given up on exercise since doing this. I have classes booked for next week and I plan to buy a new 10 class pass when I get paid at the end of the month.  

For anyone that is in Cork, I would highly recommend the Cork Studio Fitness.   They have been friendly, welcoming and very helpful so far

I’m really happy to have found my happy place again…. Even if it turns out that its on a spinning bike… haha



You can find me on the following:


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***Photos from Google Images***