At one point, I wasn't sure I could catch a breath.... those 3 minutes were hell.
Okay, not quite after 3 minutes... 9, maybe 10 minutes and I'd broken into a run. Yes, me, running I know! It's been known to happen. Anyway, Gareth had to dangle a naked crunchie (no, that's NOT a euphemism) a few inches from my face but I did it! And the best bit? The machine didn't break. Bonus.
So today was the fitness test and I was (again) dreading it and (again) nervous. I've been swimming in my lunch breaks for over a year now building up from 30 minutes at a leisurely pace to making sure I do 64 laps (1 mile - woohoo!) in an hour. But this obviously hasn't been enough.
Gareth started the treadmill and I happily walked fast (almost out of breath) for 4 minutes and then he stopped it. Great I thought - passed with no problems. Nope that was just the warm up. Dammit. 12 minutes of 'run if you can' followed.. yeah, run if I can. Does this body look like it runs at any time?!!*
I ran for about 2 minutes out of the 12 - Pathetic. Next up, some exercises: a 'plank' where you have to hold yourself up from the floor by your forearms and tiptoes, some push-ups and some squats. Gareth is going to write a post about how I did and where I fit into the national average soon over on the 'Fitness Tests and Results' page (coming soon). Today's exercises were to see where my fitness lies (rock bottom) and to record my starting point.
Overall, the experience was fine and Gareth was very encouraging all the time. Luckily I didn't do anything embarrassing (I think). Unlike the time on a skiing holiday in Andorra....
We'd just finished our beers, sitting in the sun outside a bar up the mountain after a long mornings skiing. We decided to set off again. Everyone stood up to leave.. I stood up to leave. The plastic garden chair that I was sitting in, stood up with me. Attached by the plastic arms to my hips. Oh how we laughed. (Honestly, I don't need therapy, I'm fine about it).
So the conclusion of today is although my fitness is pathetic, at least I didn't embarrass myself in any other ways.
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On the diet side of things, today has been a good day! :-)
Breakfast was oats with FULL FAT greek yoghurt and raisins (Gareth says Full Fat is allowed, I'm not asking twice).
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Snack was a banana - no, I'm not showing you a picture of a banana.
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Lunch was this salad. Three different leaves, tomato, cucumber, orange pepper, red pepper, spring onion, feta cheese and lastly some 'sprinkle' which is a nut mix of pumpkin seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds, pine nuts. I added a bit of french vinaigrette. Followed by greek yoghurt with raisins.
Dinner was Tuna with veggies and sweet potato (Maybe doesn't look too appetising but it tasted great) followed by strawberries and grapes.
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Dinner was Tuna with veggies and sweet potato (Maybe doesn't look too appetising but it tasted great) followed by strawberries and grapes.
My tasks for this week are:
1. Find out about the Paleo diet (this is what I will be following for the next 12 months)
2. Have a Paleo breakfast every day
3. Do the exercises I learnt today (plank, push-ups, squat)
So if you know any good Paleo recipes or tips, please let me know either by email or in the comments below.
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Did I get to eat the crunchie? Your guesses in comments below!
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*Husband says there's never a need for multiple exclamation marks. I love multiple exclamation marks so there's going to be a lot of those on this blog. Get used to it. Husband thinks I should be sent to the place where punctuation goes to die. WHATEVER!!!!!!!!!
There is no excuse for multiple punctuation marks.
ReplyDeleteNo
Excuse
At
All.
X
I'm a grammar nazi and still use multiple punctuation marks.
ReplyDeleteLoving the blog Claire!!!!!!
I reckon you didn't eat the crunchie.(*)
ReplyDelete(*) But perhaps you gave it a good licking, then put the rest into your Human Garbage Disposal Unit (HGDU) known as C.O.L.I.N.
- Consumes
- Organic
- Leftovers
- If
- Needed!!!!!!! (**)
(**) Extra excalmations just for Colin!!!!!! ;o)
Fantastic start! Super healthy food choices, and I love the pictures ... that's gotta help you stick to it, you can't put up a pic of a high carb fatty meal now can you!!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteKeep going, the food looks delicious. Might do a 'Day After' study (and no that's not a picture of your poo) but mirror what you have the day after you have it. Sounds like a lot of work tho.
ReplyDeleteHa ha - love the Andorra story. Think about it tho. How handy when you need a sit down - just keep it wedged on and whoomp you've got a seat.
Agree with Hubby about the exclamation marks. Punctuation has a purpose and is not decoration. :-)
This might be of use to you:
ReplyDeletehttp://paleobreakfasts.com/
Claire, this is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteIts great that you're sharing your journey with us. I look forward to seeing how it goes (marvellously of course!).
Seeing what you're eating is really useful too. Its good to see how other people do it. The full fat thing is interesting. I also was told that full fat is okay, I guess its because its better for your generally as your body knows what to do with normal fats(? this may be total fiction, anyone know the answer?).
The food looks delicious, especially the salad. The thing that I always find hard is making time to make healthy food in the evenings, so it'll be great to hear more about how you are organising your grocery shopping and cooking. I've always found that to be a total nightmare.
Planks are terrifying. I can't do them. Let me know how that goes, maybe you can teach me how afterwards.
I have a friend who has been losing weight recently (using hypnotherapy of a gastric band), and who is an amazing inspiration. I think that you guys should get in touch over facebook... I can arrange if you'd like? She lives halfway between Soton and Portsmouth. Its all about the support network!
I think multiple exclamation marks are a defo yes!!!
The Andorra story is great! There are real moments I think that make us review, and think about stuff like fitness, etc. They're mortifying when they happen, but so important in the long term. Laughing about them is the absolute best way to use them to our advantage!
Can't wait to hear more as you do this challenge. --> are you seeing it as having an end date, or does Gareth think its better to just continue until you get to the end?
Would love to hear more about the Paleo diet. As an Archaoelogist, I am imagining Paleolithic diet, which wouldn't be as tasty as the delicious looking meals you've put up here!
Go Claire!
Two other things occurred to me:
ReplyDelete1. I forgot to say about the progress photos. I think its a great idea. It'll be really motivational for you to be able to go back and look at them. When we see ourselves everyday its impossible to see gradual change. This will give you an amazing record of what you've achieved.
2. I use this great app to keep track of my calorie intake, but also other things, like how much water I've drunk, what exercise I've done, etc. Its the most comprehensive one I've found (and I've tried loads). It has a website too, so you don't have to just use it as an app on your phone. I'm not going to advertise it here, because that's not what your blog is about, but I'll email you the link to it now.
N xxx