Monthly Archives: January 2014

My Week

January 25, 2014My ProgressMy progress, Weight Lossadmin

My Week in numbers:

2 1/2 lb off

4 runs (including 1 parkrun)

1 bodypump class

1 aqua aerobics class

1 metafit class

My week in words:

This was the first week where I made a deliberate decision not to attend an exercise class. I was really tired on Tuesday night, as the past week and a half I had been working full time and had been fitting classes in in the evening. So I didn’t go to body conditioning and quite honestly felt so much better for it. I enjoyed the classes I went to and do realise that I may have to reduce my classes as my marathon training increases.

But overall I felt good. The running is going well, with more interval work making it challenging. I had a lovely meal out on Saturday but apart from that kept on track and was delighted by the weight loss. And I have had a few nice comments which is always welcome!!

All the best,

Woody

My Week

January 19, 2014My ProgressMy progressadmin

My Week in numbers:

3 lbs off

4 runs (including 1 parkrun)

1 bodypump class

1 aqua aerobics class

1 body conditioning class

1 metafit class

My week in words:

I am delighted by my weight loss this week as it takes me to lower than my pre-Christmas weight. It also means that I am back on the wagon despite my routine being completely changed. I am pleased that this feels like normal, and the Christmas binge felt temporary. I know the longer this continues the more likely it will be a natural part of my life.

all the best,

Woody

A Change in Routine

January 14, 2014fitnessExercise classes, fitnessadmin

One of the best things about having my exercise routine is the routine itself. I love thinking Monday-pump, Tuesday-Run, Wednesday-Conditioning and Zumba etc. It’s become second nature and I really enjoy it (yes really, I know, enjoying the gym, who’d have thunk it!). It’s a ritual, a way of life, but I face a threat to this happy situation as my routine may be changed for several weeks.

My first thought when I realised that my routine was changing was: I can’t get to the gym! And that has probably helped me, in that I didn’t see the break of routine as a chance to have a holiday from the exercise. The odd missed class or run happens, I do know that, but a whole two weeks of losing my beloved routine was too much to bear.

So what did I do?

1) My first thought was what can I salvage? What part of my routine can survive? My runs are safe as they are early morning, and metafit was the one class I could make. So I knew I could do these.

2) Then I looked at the gym list. What alternatives could I do? Are there the same classes at different times or even different classes to try?

3) Re-jigging my work/life/family balance. I am lucky, really lucky. I have an incredible supportive husband who always supports whatever zany, madcap idea I have. After checking the class timetable I worked out that I could do several classes if my husband did even more taxi-ing around. He agreed.

4) I decided to keep to the classes I know. It could have been an opportunity to try new classes, but I enjoy those classes and am hoping this is a short term thing, and I can go back to ‘my normality’ soon. I also feel that I will be more likely to keep this routine up.

So it will be interesting to see how I maintain this routine. I am hopeful I can keep it up, mainly because I enjoy it so much. And that I believe is the key…

All the best,

Woody

My week

January 11, 2014My ProgressMy progress, Weight Lossadmin

My week in numbers:

Weight: 4lb off (1 more then all of the Christmas weight will be gone!)

3 runs (including 1 parkrun)

1 bodypump class

1 body conditioning class

1 zumba class

1 aqua aerobics

1 metafit class

My week in words:

I am so pleased for so many reasons. I have got back into the swing of healthy eating and exercising happily. I managed to do all five classes and the running has been going well. I was chuffed to learn that I had put on 5lbs over Christmas (I thought it would be double that) but I had lost 4lbs this week. It’s been a great start to the year and I hope it can continue.

All the best,

Woody

My past two Christmas weeks

January 4, 2014My Progressadmin

My weeks in numbers:

Weight: don’t know (blind weigh in)

8 runs (including 4 parkruns)

2 body pump classes

2 aqua aerobic classes

1 metafit class.

My week in words:

So how were my weeks? On the food front, I ate, a lot. I didn’t get back on the wagon quick enough, to be honest, but I did enjoy myself and don’t have that many regrets. But I am back on the wagon in earnest now. I decided to do a blind weigh in as I wanted to be back in the rhythm before I found out what damage I did.

But I am pleased with the fact I kept up with my exercise routine. In fact I missed taking part in some of my classes although the extra parkruns did make up for it. Certainly without the regular exercise I would have felt a lot worse heading into the new year. But it’s new year and the clock is ticking towards London.

All the best,

Woody

New Year Resolutions!

January 1, 2014MotivationHappy New Yearadmin

First of all, Happy New Year! 2013 was exciting in so many ways for The Wooden Spoon, i.e. we launched! But I am hoping 2014 will be even better with me finally running a marathon and improving my general health and fitness. So I wish you all a year packed with healthy eating, fabulous fitness and rare trips off the wagon!

It really is that time of year where New Year resolutions get made and even if formal resolutions are stated we are all encouraged to be healthier, stop smoking, drinking or sort out finances. How many adverts have you seen already for slimming clubs or smoking cessation devices?

It probably surprises few people but whilst many start their new year off with good intentions and considerable enthusiasm most resolutions fail shortly after. Experts feel that the reason for the failure of these resolutions is that most people do not back their resolution with proper planning.

So how can we avoid falling into that trap? Our resolutions need to be SMART.

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time-Related

Specific – target a specific area for improvement, not a general one. I.e. I want to get fitter is pretty general. I want to be able to swim 10 lengths continuously or finish a parkrun is specific.

Measurable – measuring towards a goal helps to see if you are on progress. Seeing yourself lose weight, seeing the numbers go down or tracking your runs will all fit into this.

Attainable– One of my NYR or goals is to run the marathon. That is attainable if I put the training in. But it’s not realistic, and certainly unobtainable for me to aim to run it sub 4 hours. Well, this year, lol! Make sure your NYR or goals are realistic and attainable.

Relevant-Is your NYR relevant to you? If it’s not why are you doing it, and will you see it through?

Time-related – by adding a time frame, it can help focus you. I.e. how many people have said they have lost weight for a wedding or aimed to give up smoking before a grandchild arrives? And done it! Having that date in mind can be a great motivator. And by not being specific about a time frame things can just drift.

So onto my NYR and they are:

Complete the London Marathon. I am not giving myself a time goal, as it’s my first, completion is my goal.
Get to my target weight by October 2014. I really want to achieve this and think that October is realistic.
Go sub 30 mins at parkrun. This is a tough one. I have a PB over 35 mins and I will be marathon training for the first four months of the year and then no doubt recovering afterwards! And I am not a quick runner. But I would love to achieve this and it will give my running focus post London.

So my NYR are SMART rather than just being airy fairy like my usual ones of lose weight and get fitter. I have targets and I have plans in place to achieve them. I am hoping that I will be writing this time next year of my success and setting further SMART ones for 2015!

I wish you all a happy, safe and prosperous 2014

All the best,

Woody