War Wounds From Boot Camp.

My biceps hurt, my triceps hurt, my lats hurt, my chest muscles hurt, my butt hurts, my knees hurt, my abs hurt and a few other muscles which I don't even know what they are called - but THEY hurt too!! 3 PT sessions in 3 days is PAINFUL - mental note - DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!! Typing this blog is hurting my arms.



Boot Camp War Wounds.



Had Boot Camp PT again and it was heaps of fun. Although, I did get lots of bruises and OUCHIES!! We got tooted a few times from the cars going past which was really funny! BAHAHAHA...!!  Who would do that anyway?? I don't think I could do that to the poor people who were training - how embarrassing!! I tried to wave but I think my butt was sticking up in the air at the time and it was difficult to get my arm up. LOL



Kind of - But pushing the shoulders!!



We did a couple of wrestling type things:

1. One person held you around your middle and pulled you backwards while you had to walk forwards and pull them up a big hill.

2. Someone pushed your shoulders and pushed you down the hill and you had to push them backwards up the hill!!

Was HEAPS of fun!! But I got bruises - war wounds!! :-)

(It was worth the bruises - FUN FUN FUN!!) Hehehehe

Also we did this cool idea with the plank:

Everyone lies down in a line in a plank position with a space between them. The first person jumps over the person next to them and lies down into a plank. When they are down the next person jumps up and over the person next to them etc. Meanwhile everybody is holding the plank position waiting for their turn to jump up. Let me say there were a few "MOVE YOUR BUTT FASTER" type comments!!

                                                          Was different but cool!

A PT's job - A Craig Harper post.

Why we're still Fat.

When it comes to health and fitness, Australia is one of the most educated and well-resourced countries in the world. Curiously, we’re also one of the fattest. 
Teaching Newbie PTs
Yesterday afternoon, I gave a two-hour lecture to some personal training students; something I rarely do these days. As I rode my motorbike to the college, I wondered what might be the single most valuable thing I could share with a group of newbies who were yet to facilitate their first PT session (keeping in mind that I have completed more than 40,000 sessions over the course of my PT career).
No wonder I’m tired.
What to Teach?
I pondered what twenty-eight years of working in (and owning) gyms and coaching people towards their best body had taught me. Why did my business work? Why did I have a good success rate with my clients? What did I do right and what have I learned from my many mistakes? How could I save these students (and their future clients) some time and potential heart-ache? If I could only teach them one thing, what would it be? What key message could be potentially career-making or breaking?
Then the message de jour came to me:
“Getting your clients in shape physically – and keeping them that way – is largely not about their body.”
“But Craig, after all that study on body-types, metabolic processes, muscles, joint actions, energy systems, physiological adaptation, progressive overload, lever lengths and biomechanics, you’re now telling us that’s not the important stuff?”
Well, no, not exactly. All that ‘stuff’ is indeed important. Crucial even. As trainers, you will need to understand the mechanics of physical change from a scientific and physiological perspective. However, knowing how to prescribe exercise, demonstrate a movement, identify a muscle, name a joint action, measure blood pressure and use body-fat calipers doesn’t guarantee that (1) you’ll be a quality fitness professional (2) you’ll be an effective communicator, coach or teacher or (3) your clients will achieve (and maintain) their desired results.
What It’s Not About
As I shared (extensively) in my book Fattitude, getting in shape physically is largely a byproduct of getting in shape emotionally and psychologically. I find it confounding that the medical profession, the fitness industry and the weight-loss industry still spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy focusing on the stuff that doesn’t ultimately determine success or failure. Of course, we need a practical plan (diet, exercise, lifestyle, etc.) BUT… if creating lasting physical transformation was about diets, gyms, education and plans, we’d have zero obesity because we (we, the society) currently have more weight-loss (health, fitness) resources than we’ve ever had before.
Brains Not Biceps
When it comes to maintaining a new dietary regime or exercise program, take a wild guess at how many people last four weeks? Less than half. And how many have the potential to create positive change with their body? All of them. How many will consistently maintain the desired behaviours for one year? I don’t have the research on it but, in my experience, almost none. Why? Because ultimately, lasting physical change (the common goal) has a little to do with our biceps and bum and a lot to do with our brain.
It’s always been my experience, observation and opinion that getting in shape and staying that way (the hard part) is ten percent physical and ninety percent emotional/psychological. If our mind and emotions drive our choices and behaviours (and they do) and our choices and behaviours determine the quality of results we produce, then why do the experts spend most of their time focused purely on the physical? Take a look around – whatever we’re doing, it ain’t working. We’re still fat!
Or, should I say, fatter.
How many new diets do we need to start, weight-loss books do we need to read, gym memberships do we need to waste and how many exercise bikes do we need collecting dust in the garage before we realise that physical transformation works from the inside-out?

Post by Craig Harper (see link on right).

Think I am getting soft.

Perhaps I am getting softer as time goes on but PT has been HARD lately!! My usual PT has been on holidays and so I have been trained by a couple of others. I do not think I have ever dripped sweat like I dripped yesterday!! I could see it raining off me!! I thought to myself about half-way through - I am going to have to drink about 5 litres of water today to re-hydrate myself!! I almost had the safety issue of me possibly slipping over in the puddle of sweat under my feet!! LOL. It was great - and I am pleased to say not one whinge or moan passed my lips (take that Kyle Sandilands: aka whinger boy).

Today I almost CRIED!! I did - how embarrassing!! I got over it pretty quick but it HURT so much! We had already done 40 squats with a 20kg bar on my back; and now we were doing jump squats but holding the squat position for 5 seconds, then jumping up... then holding the squat for 5sec, then jumping up... etc for 1 min. By the last one I seriously almost cried - tears came to my eyes and I could feel my face scrunch up. I think I managed to cover it up pretty quickly but OUCH!! I want to cry now just thinking about it! On a more positive note I did do chin ups with her holding onto my legs which was pretty cool... My ultimate goal is to do unassisted ones - so to do them like that on the bar was COOL (even though she was probably pushing me butt up there!!)

A few other things we did were:

On a bench while holding weights: 10 knee repeaters / 10 step ups / 10 toe taps (like a knee repeater, but just tap your foot on the bench instead of raising your knee). Do all this on one leg - then do the other leg.

Skipping 1 min.

10 knee highs running and 2 push-ups (toes) - 10 times.

*Then do it all again!!*

Something about doing intense cardio followed by something slow and steady (ie. push-ups, plank, sit ups), for a little amount of time each, repeated over and over, is really hard!! It sounds easy but it is SO not!! Like on that you tube clip in an earlier the post the commando got them to run then leopard crawl. HARD.



Bench-squat-swap-sides-squat-thingies.



Then there was the step running (20), then step jumping (20), followed by shuffle tapping the step (20). TIMES TWO!! We also did burpees with a jump up on the step; lots of mountain climbers; some stair runs with jump squats at the top and some bench-squat-swap-sides-squat thingies holding weights.

Something else which was actually quite hard to do was push-ups on the toes but walk across the room on your hands and feet (one step with both hands and feet between each one). I can feel my chest muscles tonight and I only did them this morning - that does not look good for tomorrow's pain!! LOL

WAY TO SOFT!!          SUCK IT UP!!

Little anxious about maintenance.

I only have 4-5kg to go till I get to my goal weight and I think I am feeling a little freaked out!! I am so scared that I won't be able to stay there. I have NEVER been able to maintain a weight - my weight has always either gone up or down. This is the most weight I have ever lost and the longest amount of time I have ever kept up the great habits of exercise and healthy eating. I am planning on doing my cert 4 in fitness next year - so the plan is obviously to keep it off!! Can't have a fat, unfit PT now, can we!! But still, a part of me is freaking out that I won't be able to keep up the good habits and the weight will come back!! The problem is I know SO many people that have lost lots of weight and then put it all back on; and I really don't want to be one of those people!! I don't think I will be but that doesn't stop me from being scared about it!!



Hmmm... Maybe you
can - but it's can't be a
great eg!



So, I did some thinking...

How did I get so big in the first place?

- Not thinking about what I was eating. Obviously eating too much.

- Not doing any exercise.

And how am I planning on never going back there?

- Keeping up the exercise at least 3 times a week when maintenance comes. Keep running outside!! (It's been SO hard to build up - and I reckon it wouldn't take much time to loose it again!!)

- Study and become a PT (Can't have a fat, unfit PT - I need to be a good example. I can't help others achieve something if I can't maintain it!! This is a good motivation.)

- Always keeping an eye on the calories I eat, and checking my weight regularly (and jumping on top of it if it creeps up).

Speaking of it creeping up, I put on 400g this week - the first week in 8 months that I have actually put on weight!! I am sitting here telling myself - it's because I am under 70kg now (because that must make a difference!!) OR - it's because it's THAT time of the month (even though it has not caused this before LOL)... When in actual fact, I was just not organised enough!! I didn't plan what I was going to do with the couple of parties I had on Grand Final Day, and I am getting slack with counting the calories. I think part of the problem is now I am not so big, I worry people will think I am too obsessed if I take my own food and refuse dessert. People seemed to be more accepting of me doing that when I was bigger - now I find I get a lot more funny looks!! However - that is NO EXCUSE!! I can't control what they think - but I can control what I do. So, next time - MORE PLANNING and MORE REFUSING and MORE CALORIE AWARENESS!! Those little fat call suckers are not finding their way back to me!! I will kill them all!!! MMMWWWAAAHHAHAHAHAHA.

Commando Training

BAHAHAHAHA.... Love it!! Poor guy!!
I was sitting in my chair bouncing up and down watching this going "I want a turn, let me try!!" It would certainly be an experience being trained by the Commando... LOL
It really would have been better if he sucked it up and just vomitted - might not have looked so pathetic then!!

On track and HONEST!!

Someone recently asked me the question :What was your motivation to start in the first place & what were some of the key things that kept you on track & honest??

The motivation to start I would have to say was purely vain. I saw pictures of myself and had a heart attack!! I was HUGE!! I would like to say it was for health reasons etc... but nope - it was mainly the photo's which had me heading down the weight-loss road!! Hahaha...

Of course, there were other things like - feeling really low because I was so big; not being able to walk up stairs properly etc...

In terms of the things which kept me on track and honest.... I have written a post on 'motivation' which kind of overlaps with this topic (so take a look at that one too). But I would have to say the short answer to this question is "other like minded people". The main difference I can pinpoint between this year and the other times I have tried to loose weight is support from people. My husband has been really supportive with minding the kids so I can go to the gym - he has even been referred to as a gym widow. LOL.



Trav (my husband) and Ethan, Zac and Kaleb
(my 3 boys!!)

 My friends have been great listening to me and encouraging me - some even coming on walks or coming swimming with me. (A great opportunity to catch up with someone doing something not revolving around a coffee shop!!)

BUT I have to say the key people who have kept me on track and honest have been those I have met along the way. . both at the gym and also through the "Biggest Looser club" online and now the "12 week body transformation". Mostly this is because they are on the same journey as me - have the same eating/exercising issues as me - and need just as much support as me to get to where they want to be!!

 

Anne and I joke about 'confessing' to each other when we eat things we shouldn't have or feel disappointed in ourselves after a training session. This is fantastic because we are both after the same thing - leaner, fitter, lighter, stronger etc.... and because of this we can say to each other - "well, it's a new day today: work hard, do your best, forget about it - but don't do it again!!"

It's the same with the online forums. I have and am developing some good friendships through these things!! They are great!! Again, it's a bunch of people all after the same thing - many of whom have been where you are and understand how hard it is!! All have had different experiences and are happy to share their words of wisdom to get you through whatever issue you are having..

For example: I got this off the 12WBT wall on facebook - It's great!! LOVE IT!!

I have also cut and pasted a few replies to a post where someone was wondering what was wrong with them - all their motivation had gone out the window.

I've found one of the most valuable things for me is developing a routine.  So that it doesn't matter if you could be bothered or feel motivated.  Who is motivated to do laundry or even gives thought to brushing our teeth etc.  we do these things because they have to be done but also because they are routine.

If you have a routine and you just do your exercise routine, whether you want to or not, over time you will build a habit and you will find the swings away from motivation fewer and farther between and less intense and thus easier to overcome.  But you have to do the hard yards initially in order for it to get easier in the long term.

Plan your week ahead and schedule in every workout. Plan every meal.
If you are prepared for the week ahead it will be a successful one.
Don’t ‘wait’ for your mindset to come. Just get out there and exercise. Stick to your 1200 cals. You can do this. Take action and the mindset will follow in due course.

How good are these replies!! Great advice and hopefully they in themselves provided the person with enough 'motivation' to get up and keep pressing on!!

So - the answer to the question: "What has kept me on track and honest?" Other than things like the scales (which will let me know pretty quickly if I eat too much) - the main answer I think is lots of support from LIKE - MINDED PEOPLE!!

Funny gym stories.

There are many things which happen to me at the gym which I think are funny - how can there NOT be given my co-ordination and balance issues!! I was jumping away in the 'fat burner' class (which I think is a combination of high impact aerobics and body attack), and I hear the instructor repeating 'left leg first, left leg'; and I think to myself "would the person just listen already"!! Only to realise a few seconds and 'left legs' later that she is talking to ME!! WHOOPS!! Hehehe.... Looking around I see a few people grinning at me - Good! Always happy to provide the entertainment I am!!

Another week during our time training each other Anne and I were doing a one leg squat. We were having a few problems balancing - and the wall is not easy to hold onto!! So we went to the banister around the edge of the 2nd story in the gym... Both of us grabbed hold of the rail and lowered into a squat position - where we both got a quick shock when the banister tipped with us!!! Whoops!! Aside from the fact that we both nearly fell over -- (how embarrassing), we almost renovated the gym!! (And I really don't think it would have been an appreciated renovation!!) Needless to say we thought the wall was not such a bad choice after all and lucky for us IT held together!! LOL. (And for anyone that is actually worried about the safety of this, the part of the rail where this was has windows behind it - there is no drop to the next floor).



I'll take a few of THESE seat covers!!!



One evening I was on the bike peddling away trying to get some sort of inspiration from the music on my ipod. Finally I get it all set up, put the ipod down and start to get into it, when my foot caught on the earphone cord. It pulled the ipod off the bike - fell and hit my foot (which was turning with the pedal) - which kicked the ipod out of the little headphone hole and over the banister of the top floor(which was at least 0.5m away)!! I could not have done it like that even if I had tried!! My ipod fell from upstairs to the ground floor (where people were having coffee) and landed on a chair!! Right next to a lady who was reading the paper!! WHOOPS!! Phew - glad it didn't fall half a meter to the left - the lady would have gotten an ipod in the head!! And I am happy to say the ipod still works FINE!! YAY!

No - this is NOT me!! LOL
I have a few more fat rolls...

Then of course there is the issue of the bra straps. Who invented them to be crossed over?? Must have been a guy  I reckon!! When I was shopping for this particular type on one I asked the shop lady how on earth you were supposed to get it on - and her answer was, "You kind of get into it like it is a bit of a strait jacket.." And she was NOT wrong!! Are you serious?!?!?!  They are great when they are on - brilliant! But, trying to get them on is a nightmare! The first few times I called my husband in to do the swapping over of the straps - but I realised I couldn't get it off without his help either (which is just ridiculous to be stuck in sweaty gym bra till he gets home)... so I decided I needed to master the art myself. I set myself up in front of the mirror and started with all the back bits unhooked and tried to pull the straps over to the opposite shoulder bit. PING! The strap metal bit broke in half and flew off and hit the mirror! What the?? Thank goodness they give you spare straps!! (I was wondering why that was...) FINALLY, days later and many attempts trying in the mirror - I think I have mastered the art of the crossing over of the bra straps! PHEW!! They should sell those bras with a warning label!!