Do you mind getting dirty?

Obviously this isn't me. Look at that flat stomach. Just for starters... But I did feel like doing this after running. Yes he made me run. Again. TWICE.

Whilst running, Gareth asked 'Do you mind getting dirty?'

I would like to say I didn't burst out laughing but I'm me. Brought up on a solid diet of 'Benny Hill' and 'Allo, Allo' so innuendo just makes me laugh. Not that he was insinuating anything! He meant getting muddy doing the exercises. I was FILTHY by the end of it.

Words from todays workout: Dirty, Filthy, Bottom.

In Gareth's work, he found that he was saying 'bottom' a lot. I said he probably had the best job in the world if he says bottom all day... he agreed. But he has decided to change his ways. Instead of telling people to 'start by sitting down pushing your bottom out', he's trying.. 'push your hips out', 'push your hips back'. So if you work out with Gareth, now you know the secret code. He actually means your bottom.

Anyway, apart from getting covered in mud - IT WAS GREAT!!!!!!! (extra exclamation marks for husband - you're welcome).

I was nervous to start with as I really didn't know what to expect having never done anything like this before and terrified that I wouldn't manage it or that I would be exhausted too quickly but it was actually great fun (wow that was a long sentence).

Everyone should have a personal trainer. Provided by the government.  Like the Germans who get a two week spa break every year provided on their health insurance, we should all get a Gareth. Think about it, it makes perfect sense. It would actually save them money on the NHS and sick days. We'd do amazingly well at the Olympics and the country would be known for having the most incredibly fit and good looking people.

[The current title holder of that particular award is Sweden in my opinion. Purely because Alex Skarsgaard is Swedish. (husband - not everyone likes Alex. Claire- Then everyone else has no taste)].

I'll let you go and see the pic of Alex...... Have you recovered?   Back with me?  Right, we walked fast to warm up and then ran for a bit. I'm going to say we ran for at least 20 minutes.. and that's what will stand as the truth until Gareth posts here.

After running, we found a secluded part of the common to get filthy dirty, do the exercises. It was fairly secluded apart from a white van load of workmen... great. I think they really enjoyed watching me do a plank (bum, sorry, bottom in the air). If they're there next week, I'm going to start charging.

By the time we'd finished doing planks, side planks and push-ups, I was very muddy. My forearms, hands, knees and bottom were covered in mud. But I didn't care! I genuinely enjoyed it. It is much more exhilerating to get out in the fresh air to do this rather than a gym. Will I still say that when it is pooring with rain? hmmm.

And then onto the best bit.. BOXING. I imagined someone who's really annoyed me recently and went for it. Photographic evidence below. (just out of shot = white van men. boo).

Hopefully I did all of it right. I'm sure I didn't look pretty afterwards.  I didn't make beetroot jealous at least (the colour of my face..).  About an hour later, a friend even said 'You're glowing'.  So there you have it, exercise makes you glow and you'll get down and dirty on the common in the process - bargain.

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I returned to work and went to have a very quick shower. I found the unisex shower room and got undressed. Only once fully undressed, did I notice this:

NO SHOWERHEAD....!! There are hot and cold taps, the slidy thingy, there's even a shower curtain but no bloody SHOWERHEAD.  I was standing there stinky and sweaty with no time to go anywhere else. It didn't occur to me to check there was a shower head before getting undressed. Argh.

Shortly after that delightful realisation, a pipe in the bathroom started to leak...(I had barely touched it) so then it was a race against the water to get dressed again, pick up all my stuff from the bathroom floor before the water reached me and my belongings.

I WON! just. That water was fast. But I need to apologise to colleagues for the stinky person in the office this afternoon. Yeah, that was me. Soz.

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Food-wise, everything is still going very well. I said no to this at 11am today (11:08 to be precise, not that I was gutted or anything).



and yes to this after my workout:

Sweet Chilli Chicken salad - yum!

The tricky time starts now though - the weekend. It's always the worst time of the week for me. Friday through to Sunday is HOLIDAY TIME in my mind. Alcohol, meals out, popcorn at the cinema etc etc. Huh, maybe I should have mentioned that to Gareth today....

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A few friends have told me that they are already looking at their diet and fitness after reading this (very young) blog and I am pleased but astounded that I could be an inspiration to anyone! At the end of our session today, I mentioned this to Gareth and in a very non cheesy, genuine way, he said "You can be anything you want to be"... I bagsy being Jennifer Aniston.

I guess the question is 'What do I want and why am I doing this?' The main answer is 'to lose 140 pounds' but there's more to it than that. A demain, mes amis.