Week 2 started with my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. We took the decision early on that we would operate as one household through lockdown. My mum who is the most brilliant cook on the planet had spent days grinding spices and cooking up an Indian banquet. There was no way that I was going to miss it, but I was cautious about how much I ate.
I was up and down this week; lockdown was weighting heavily on everyone. By the end of the week my weights programme was starting to get a bit easier and I was starting to see some improvements. I had dreadful trouble with my tight glute and did a lot of stretching.
Generally my entire body felt sore this week.
Day 8:
I woke on day 8 and my previously tight jeans were more comfortable and at breakfast my family said that my face looked thinner. The workout was really hard but I felt fantastic afterwards.
At the end of the first set of barbell squats I didn’t have the strength to lift the bar up and over my head to put it down. I yelled for help and the entire household came running. After that I had to have someone around to take the bar from me at the end of each set or I risked ending up stuck with a bar on my shoulders that I didn’t have the strength to put down..
I later developed a technique of squatting really low with the bar on my shoulders, leaning to one side and sliding the bar down. This is not a move that I”d break out in a full gym in front of a load of body builders – it’s probably the least cool that I’ve ever been (apart from when I wee’d in my shoes on stage when I was 4).
Day 9:
Very very sore after yesterday’s workout. Dinner was left over anniversary curry and my mum made macaroons.
Day 10:
Training was hard but ok. Finally finished the never ending vats of curry. I had to take ibuprofen before bed as I was so sore from training.
Day 11:
Did a long fast walk first thing. I had intended to do an additional hour of cardio in the afternoon but couldn’t face it. I was struggling with lockdown and my mother in law was taken into hospital (non-covid). All in all I felt a bit fed up.
Day 12:
In a significantly better mood. Training was fantastic and I loved it. I felt much stronger. The note against the pulse squats is to Luke. This was the start of my loathing of pulse squats.
As I write this 8 weeks later, I am nostalgically fond of pulse squats and how ‘easy’ they are. After today’s programme I would pay big bucks to go back to the pulse squats of Day 12..
Day 13:
Really long early morning walk. I said goodbye to fishfingers – just about the only processed food that I eat. I do love a Birdseye gluten free fishfinger or six!
Day 14:
Exercised really hard. My weight training was better than last week and it all felt a bit easier. I didn’t eat enough because I trained at the wrong time, missed lunch and then couldn’t eat anything (I find it difficult to eat after training).
Progress photos:
As before, the sizes are different – it has taken a while to try and standardise my photos and I’m still not very good at getting it right. Despite this my hips are clearly a bit smaller just 14 days into the experiment.
