20 Week Challenge: WEEK ONE

So this will be a quick blog this time around, as I find myself at the end of a VERY long week with a few dramas etc., and now I’m preparing to head away for the weekend to do something I said I wasn’t going to do this week … man I suck at giving up bowls!  Still this could be a one off … as I’m more focussed on this whole gym/fitness/food thing for the coming year … and in particular THE 20 WEEK CHALLENGE!

So this week I excitedly (yeah right … another Tui ad) set off for my session with my PT (am actually starting to feel pretty cool with this term – it’s becoming more than an act!).  Had a slight dilemma because my bright blue top, the one that matches my SBW boxing gloves, seems to have stretched and is now hindering my efforts at all sorts of unladylike things.  So, today I’m wearing my very TIGHT fitting top – one of those ones that I think REAL gym people wear – but it’s okay I tell myself, I’ll be fine. 

My new look ...

It’s been a few days since I’ve written a few words about my mid-life crisis … oops I mean … actually I haven’t got a clue WHAT to call these random acts of madness that I’m currently on.  What I do KNOW is that it’s making a HUGE difference to my life in how I feel and how I COPE with life, including my relationships with others and with FOOD!  I’m getting up at stupidly ridiculous times of the day to EXERCISE (sometimes I go completely overboard on this) and yet I still have ENERGY for the day!

I left Lark in the Park the other day feeling a bit GRUMPY … I miss the park!  However, there I was back at the gym, in a circle with about 15 other people trotting between different activities … well it was more like sprinting between activities because the PT (personal trainer for those not quite up with the slang) hasn’t got his TIMER set properly … then he finds it’s amusing to leave us doing DOUBLE UP rounds on some activities – I’m blessed so much that mine is STEP UPS, my favourite NOT.  The other activity that I find odd is when you’re lying on the GROUND doing some sort of movement that resembles the DEAD ANT game I used to play when I was FIVE.  About now, Roger the PT (I have come up with other meanings about now for PT, but can’t print them) suggests a CAMERA might be good … he laughs when I say NOT FUNNY … but I’m serious … IT’S NOT FUNNY.

Circus??

Gym day today, so after I’d done what felt like a day’s work already, I arrived at Snap Fitness all psyched up to meet with my Personal Trainer (yep, I’m still feeling pretty cool about this and one day hopefully I’ll look cool too). As I waited for the door to click to let me in, I suddenly realised that the top I was wearing was, although very sporty (and it shows my tattoo very well) and even though I feel a lot slimmer in it that I actually am … was just a little too fitting for the gym (at the moment), there was no way it was going to cover ANYTHING once I got going … so rush back to the car to get a different t-shirt … BUT it’s okay … cause this one MATCHES the boxing gloves that I’m coming to LOVE.

 

The trainer seemed excited to see me, I guess EVERYONE needs a bit of comedy in their lives and I guess it’s my calling to provide it at the moment.  Started off with the boxing thing, all bar the fact that it hurts my arms to reach up when he moves the targets higher … and I think it’s SERIOUSLY mean of him to do that, I did okay at this.  The WHOLE bringing my knees up to reach the target really isn’t so flash either, all the bits that I’m trying to hide wobble (and seriously about now the sports bra isn’t doing such a great job either) … however, looking at the bigger picture (ie that I make a bigger fool of myself in other activities) I’m doing okay at this .. even getting faster … MAYBE.

 

Active Rest at the Gym ... YEAH RIGHT!!

Back to the Gym this morning, with a little more focus than what I’ve had over the last three weeks.  Have been at block courses for the last three weeks and was feeling pretty exhausted by the end of last week … I did realise though, if everyone else could just keep THEIR lives under control and follow MY instructions and just simply work around ME … my life would be a lot more SIMPLE!!

I was feeling pretty confident about actually walking into the Gym today … that’s a plus for me; I’ve learnt to wait for the DOOR to click before trying to OPEN it!  Did have this sudden panic that damn, I didn’t have time to shave my legs … now women will know that there are times when these things are IMPORTANT … this for me is one of those times.  Also realised that I needed to take a pill for my HEADACHE (yes, I still went to the gym despite this) so as I walked through the door I swallowed a couple of neurofen … then panicked and thought OMG (remember, that’s goodness for those worried about my faith) they probably think I’m on steroids … because I’m SURE that’s the image I portray!

And so I return ...

Tried to get back into some sort of routine today after being on my course in HAMILTON an d the at MASSEY for the first three days of this week.  Why I thought heading to the GYM would be a good part of my routine at 8:30 in the morning I’ll NEVER know!  I’m at that point with this whole GYM thing that although I really WANT to succeed at this and achieve my goals … I’m wondering if I CAN?! 

It’s been nearly TWO weeks since I was last there and as I suspected Mr Personal Trainer wasn’t going to forget the weigh in … he must have known I was fragile because instead of setting the scales up in the MIDDLE of the gym (for all to see), they were hidden away in another room … I did suggest that we could probably just leave this out … but at some stage in one of my I CAN DO ANYTHING modes, I wrote I wanted to be accountable … dumb, I think I must have got it confused with one of my business studies lectures (from about 20 years ago). 

Just Breathe ...

Realised as I was getting ready to swipe my access card to get into the gym (I’m pretty CLEVER doing this now, I have the right bra, I remembered to shave under my arms and I even use a bag - am feeling quite “cool” now) that I have a HUGE day ahead and yet here I am about to pretend I’m full of confidence and have some idea of what I’m doing … which we all know I’m NOT.  Just a note though, not only can I now actually get in the door of the gym without making a scene – I now remember, when I’m filling up my water bottle, to turn the little tap thing and actually put the bottle under the tap BEFORE I turn it on.  Luckily today my personal trainer (wow, coolness personified) filled it for me (see I have him well trained hehehe).

Am a little ANXIOUS about today for a couple of reasons.  FIRSTLY … I can’t actually lift my arms, seriously I tried on several items yesterday in the clothing sales, and could barely LIFT my arms to get them in the sleeve (which is ok, cause actually everything looked awful!).  SECONDLY, I have a feeling that I might have had to weigh in … SOOO looking forward to that – I wonder if we should build a little podium (although not too high as I wouldn’t be able to get up) just to complete the “lets place the scales in the middle of the gym” and weight you episode.

Early morning gym ...

8:30am … my FIRST day of retirement and I’m back at the gym!  Weird, I think in the nearly four years I’ve been at Massey I’m lucky if I made it to work on time for more than five days, yet here I am sitting in the CAR plucking up courage to walk in the gym. 

My first success story is I’ve LEARNT to wait for the door to click after I’ve swiped my card instead of getting STRESSED because I’m trying to open the door and it just doesn’t open.  So feeling like I’ve accomplished great things I head through the door.  It seems there’s been something of a MIRACLE since my last visit, I appear to have frightened off all the 17 year old rugby players and there’s like me, my personal trainer (hehehe sorry can’t believe I’m cool enough to have one of these) and about two other people.  One chaps turns out to be REALLY nice cause he gave me the thumbs up when he noticed I was obviously dying during part of it (personal trainer didn’t notice this … had to keep going on those step up things).