It was bound to happen sooner or later.
When I took my progress photos this morning it was apparent that for the first time since I started I haven’t made any progress this week.
I’m not a fan of excuses. Excuses are the reason why I was so fat for 18 years. And that’s what I was – fat. Not curvy, not a little bit overweight but actually medically obese.
However, in my defence during the last week I have been on holiday, spent two whole nights staying up with a sick child, and been ill myself. That said I didn’t go on a holiday bender, not a single chip passed my lips and I didn’t eat any crisps.
Whilst I was ill I didn’t train at all but on Wednesday (the day before yesterday) I felt better and I trained with Luke. He helped me ease back into it.
I really don’t know why I expected to see any change at all this week – I suppose that I’m just used to it. Although I must say that I was more than a little disappointed.
At various points this morning, I reflected on the fact that I’d let myself down. By lunchtime I was in a bit of a grump but with a growing sense that my destiny was in my own hands.
As I was reflecting on all of this, my phone pinged and a text from Luke popped up with today’s programme. It looked hard.
The programme was 20 of each of the following:
- squats with 5kg ball;
- deadlift to overhead press with 5kg ball;
- deadlifts with 15kg bag;
- press ups;
- shoulder press, and
- 60 second bike sprint.
- No rest between exercises but 2 minutes between each round.
Luke then said “how many rounds do you think?” I replied with “5…possibly 6 at a push”. Luke said “I was thinking 5”.
Just as I was thinking ‘I’ll get that done before dinner because I don’t feel like doing all that work now’, I received a text from Lovely Girl #2 which read “Do you wanna hang out before dinner? xx”.
Quick as a flash I was out of my seat and putting my kit on. If I got my workout done at lunchtime I’d be free to spend time with my little girl who is going to be 17 next week.
In the press up section of the first round I had a pounding headache and I didn’t know whether I’d be able to carry on. I have learnt to set myself mini targets such as ‘getting my kit on’ or ‘just doing 10 minutes’. This time it was ‘just get to the end of the next song’.
Over the weeks I have been refining my ‘Mum gym 2020’ playlist. Curating this bad boy is my favourite task while sitting on the exercise bike. It comprises 15 hours and 49 minutes of some of the finest (and most dubious) tunes on the planet. My sweet tracks range from Las Ketchup to Linkin Park.
Today, the Spotify Gods smiled on me and just as I thought ‘I might have to stop’ Billy Ocean started telling me that ‘Red light spells danger’ and, I as I love that song so much, I kept going.
Billy O was followed by Loverboy ‘Working for the Weekend’; J Lo ‘On the Floor; Usher ‘Scream’; ‘Come on Eileen’ and as the awesome hits kept coming I kept going and felt better and better.
By the end of round 5 I was dripping with sweat and was on the horns of a dilemma about whether to do a final round.
Spotify made the decision for me as it segued into Pat Benetar’s ‘All fired up’. It should be illegal to end a workout while that track is playing, so I launched myself into round 6.
Bearing in mind that the majority of my 15 hour playlist comprises 90s dance music, Fall Out Boy, Nickleback and David Guetta, today’s random selection seemed to have a theme. It was exactly what I needed.
By the end of my workout I felt amazing and realised just how much I had missed it.
Week 18 (10st 6) to Week 19 (10st 6):
This is one week of too little sleep, being ill, being on holiday and not training. My ‘weight’ stayed the same but the camera never lies.
Thank god I didn’t have a holiday blow out!
I’m not about to put up with this feeling again. I’ve worked too hard to let it slip.