Go to the gym 5 times a week

On Day Two. Unfortunatly woke up at 6.20 but still got to the gym for 7.00am and had an hour to workout. Went on the cross-trainer for 20 mins and then treadmill for 20 mins then went on the bike. Starting to enjoy this, however I feel sooo tired!

this should be easy considering i am sick so i can only walk on the treadmill. it will help me ease into it though and get used to making time in my schedule for the gym. once im healthier i can start running and it will really start to pay off.

Full gym workout with weights, sailing on 4 days.

I kind of thought maybe sailing would be gentler. But with hoisting mainsails (really!), pulling boats into the water, abs workouts when you lean out to level the boat…all this for 4 or 5 hours a day. It’s a really good allover workout.

5 out of 5 – 2 stretchworks, 2 full workouts with weights, 1 ballet. Stretchworks teacher says I can move up a level – first time I have ever been moved up in any physical fitness anything ever – result!

Away this week, have 3 days of sailing scheduled (10 to 5) Reckon 1 day of sailing’s got to count as a gym visit equiv. Plus pilates. And swim tomorrow. There, said it, so better do it.

4 out of 5 times again. Overall, one session behind in 3 weeks. Feel good though. Did my first ever stretchworks class and, oh my, did I feel the benefits. Decided to factor a couple of those in a week.

• swim
• ballet
• stretch class
• aerobic workout

Have an urge to throw myself in to lots of exercise because I’m behind, but I know what will happen is I can then justify days in a row without exercise later. Gently does it, in terms of numbers of visits.

The increased variety helps. I can now do boxing, ballet, stretch, weights etc. I think that’s what I always dreamt of.

Doing a 2 day sailing course next week – have to keep up fitness this week so I can do that. Will actually be on the water for 3 days (have sense of no escape – they said we’ll be on the lake between 10 and 5 days 2 &3.) That will be incentive enough for this week.

I’ve realised I I have a tendency to throw myself in full tilt into things, only to withdraw a few weeks later, gird myself and then repeat the cycle.

• Swim
• ballet
• 2 full circuits with weights.

That’s ok. I’ve also been this morning and decided to break after an hour. So I discovered I have been doing circuits for up to 1.5 hours, and then resenting having to go the next day (duh!) when an hour more often at a gentler pace might be more to my liking.

This is a tortoise rather than hare situation – and I forget. It’s about my ongoing, long-term health. The entries really help – for some reason I feel like I can’t deceive myself on here.

Will manage 3 times in total this week – went away to Lake District for 4 days, with happy hiking dreams (a 3 hour hike = a gym visit for me). Unfortunately, the constant rain meant that they remained dreams.

I have booked a sailing course for next time – the guys in the marina say they go out in most weathers. 7 hours a day working sails and tacking. Figure that would help me next time. Also looked into a number of assault courses that have sprung up in the area. That one may be more exhilerating in thought than in deed :)

Still on course for 50 gym visits by end August. Swim tomorrow, back on track.

This entry’s a bit mixed up with the weight one but

Last week I had a boxing lesson with my trainer, Brian, and we had an extra catch-up session today too.

I skipped with a jump rope for the first time in 25 years last week and Brian suggested I could try it outside next time.

Today we ended up doing the whole boxing session and skipping in the the sunshine. It felt like one of the biggest treats ever. I was quite moved. The gym has a running/cricket/soccer pitch. I boxed out there, skipped, stretched, all on the stopwatch and the sun shone. Something about self-care, Brian is kind, it was for my own health, the sun felt good on my skin (I was also battling with a resentment against an old flat mate which helped my head hooks no end).

If you’d told me 2 years ago, when I was 100lb heavier, that this would have been my idea of a treat, I would have thought you had the wrong person.

Water, sun, exercise. I was so happy.

Been 6 times. I was at home writing all week and went to the gym each day to get out the house as much as anything else. Got a good ache in my bones.

2 x aerobic circuit
2 x full circuit with weights
1 x boxing
1 x ballet

I have a sedantary job, work from home a lot of the time. I chose my flat because it’s near this fabulous gym and exercise helps shape my day as well as me. On a roll, I do a mixture of gym and classes and might do 6 sessions a week, feel great. Once I let it slip, other old habits creep back in. I’ve set myself a goal of going 50 times between last Monday and end of August – average about 5 times a week. So far, on target for week one. Off there now – love this opportunity to declare it publicly, really helps with motivation.