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 8^th 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 3^rd 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

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***Photos from Google Images***

Cork Mini Marathon 2014 & Weigh In

I mentioned last month that I had registered to do the Cork Mini Marathon 2014 on Sunday 28th September 2014.... This was something that I had planned to do since the New Year, although to be honest, I had hoped that I would be running it! But running doesn't seem to be working out for me at the moment! 

So I decided that I would still do it, but I would walk it...

Start Line

Start Line looking ahead

Start Line still but it went waaaaay back

I turned up to the start line on Sunday along with 10,500 other ladies, all ready to go. It seemed that the majority were in groups and walking/ running for charities. I felt a little lost in the big crowd if I'm honest.
At 1pm, we were off, they let both runners and walkers off together and so the first 10/15 mins were mayhem!! We started off at a crawl with everyone bumping off each other, trying to get around each other and runners trying to get through the groups of walkers so they could get going!!
When we hit the 1 mile mark around the Marina, the crowd was a little more sparse and I felt that I had a little more breathing room and space in general. I put on my iPod and just pretended that I was out for my normal walk and not Vicki- no - mates!!
The temperature was rising also as the race got goings, so when it rained, it was a little bit of a relief. Everyone was in high spirits anyway, so a rain shower wasn't going to change that.

When we turned off the Marina and onto the Blackrock road (which is longer & hillier when walking rather than driving) it was lovely to see all the residents out cheering on all the walkers, local shops had set up tables with water, so they could be grabbed along the way. it was very warm, so a lot of people were stopping for a quick sup.  I didn't, I was afraid that if I stopped I wouldn't "start" again (yip like a battered old car!!)

Its fair to say that I haven't been making exercise a priority and I felt it on this walk!!
The relief I felt when I passed the 3 mile mark :) Only 1 more mile to go I told myself, I could do this!!  I was feeling the affects of walking in the heat with no training and no water in me at this stage! I was also very aware that I was completely on my own! But I kept going, I was determined to finish.  The final half mile was on a fairly straight road, so once I caught site of the end, I was happy.. people say that once they see the finish line, they get a new spurt of energy and run to finish.
This did not happen me!! I just about managed to take my phone out to take a photo of the finish line!! (my fingers felt like they'd turned in to sausages!!)

Seeing the finish line was such a relief

I was so relieved to finish!! you wouldn't have thought it had you seen me tho!! I was fit to cry with the relief, not smile and laugh!! My time was taken, I handed in my number, got my medal and grabbed a bottle of water!!

I bumped into my work friend Jen, she had run the 4 miles in 44 mins (Go Jen)
Below is a photo of us taken with our medals

Me & Jen

I wasn't feeling great from the heat to be honest and right after that photo was taken, I was sick.. on the grass.. in front of EVERYONE!! I was more embarrassed than anything else, but I couldn't stop!
I went to sit on the wall and a lovely lady from St Johns Ambulance came over to check on me and told me to sip my water. I think I over heated (like an old car) and was dehydrated from the heat of the day; that's why I was sick!

So with all the drama I never took a pic of me with my medal!! oops!! so this was taken later when I got home...

I did it

So yes, I did complete this years mini marathon but it wasn't the best of times for me!!

In good news, I was down 3 lbs this week.. so I'll take that :)

I hope you've had a good week


Weight lost to date: 6lbs
Onwards and Downwards, the Slimming World way :)

A good week is never wasted...

A good week is never wasted... This is the mantra thats been going through my head since I weighed in on Thursday evening. I felt like I'd had a pretty good week and was hoping for a 2/3lbs loss, instead I was up 1 lb. I nearly had a strop on the scales I'm afraid to admit!!! 

So I had to have a think as to what happened me this week..

I came up with 2 possibilities.... one involves me over eating & the other involves... exercise

Last Saturday, it was date night, we went out for Chinese and too the cinema, (lovely says you) and it was BUT they put prawn crackers on the table and I had some (5 = 1.5 syns) I had a starter when I hadn't intended too, 2 BBQ ribs (16 syns) 
Had my usual beef in Black bean sauce with boiled rice (5 syns) BUT I also had "a taste" of himselves chicken balls (4 syns) So my planned dinner was 5 syns. my actual dinner was 26.5.. there's a BIG difference there..
We then went to the cinema and decided to share a tub of ice cream since we hadn't had dessert at dinner! we shared a Ben & Jerry Karamel Sutra, which I didn't syn until the following day..
55 SYNS for the full tub!! thankfully I shared, but still 26 syns for Ice cream!!! eeeek
So on Saturday I ate 70 syns... yes 70!

Ben & Jerry Karamel Sutra syns

Sunday to Thursday I made sure that I was under 15 syns every day and I also manged to get in 3 lunch time walks. I felt the better for it, I had put my bad day behind me and I was feeling very positive about facing the scales. The reason I'm throwing this in here as a possible reason for a gain on the scales is that with SW exercise can take a few weeks to show along the food optimizing on the scales, I've heard other ladies in group complain about this when they have a gain on a week where the only thing they change is adding some body magic.. 
Now I know this is a long shot with me, especially after my over consumption on Saturday.. but its still a slight possibility... 

Unfortunately the scales didn't go my way this week, but I'm not going to let the last week of good eating and habits go to waste, I'm certain that if I put another good week in, the scales will start to move the right way.. I'm aiming for a loss of 4lbs 


Weight lost to date: 3lbs
Onwards and Downwards, the Slimming World way :)