htfu boot camp

Last night was our first Home Made Boot Camp session. I was half looking forward to it, half dreading it.

On the weekend when I was out shopping for a Valentines Day pressie for SVP I found these very cool caps for M & I to wear. They say “htfu”. I got them to remind us that when we really don’t want to do this - we need to shut up and harden the fuck up. :)

We went to a massive area of parklands and set ourselves up near an oval with benches that we could use for the session.

So we started with a Fitness Test. The idea was to get as many of the following done in the time frame to give us a starting point.

ROUND 1: FITNESS TEST

Squats                                                           2 minutes

Push ups                                                       2 minutes

Sit ups                                                            2 minutes

Shuttle run/walk                                        5 minutes

My results were:

Squats                                                           79

Push ups                                                       23

Sit ups                                                            17 

(and apparently the noises I make while trying to do these are wildly amusing…)

Shuttle run/walk                                        475 metres

Not a great result but it definitely gives me something to improve on.

By the time we did this the oval we were using was filling up with rugby players, so we decided to move ourselves one oval over (there are about 5 or 6 ovals). Then we got stuck into session 2

ROUND 2: COMBO CIRCUIT

60 second intervals

15 seconds rest

Repeat circuit TWO TIMES

1.                Alternating lunges

2.                Push ups

3.                Squats

4.                Tricep dips

5.                Step ups

6.                Mountain climbers

7.                Hover/plank

8.                Burpees

This was HARD… I had to modify a few of them so they didn’t put extra pressure on my Achilles, but I did something for every section.

By the time we got through the first circuit, ALL the ovals were filled with Rugby players and we were boxed in. It was time to find another location.  We found a patch of grass away from all the ovals. By then we decided to skip the 2^nd circuit and move on to round 3.

Round 3 was upper body work only.

ROUND 3: UPPER BODY BLITZ

Continuous circuit – no rest periods

12 repetitions of each exercise

1 minute rest then repeat circuit

1.                           Bicep curls

2.                           Lateral raises

3.                           Tricep kick backs

4.                           Overhead press

5.                           Hammer curls

6.                           Front raises

7.                           Dead lifts

8.                           Chest press

9.                           Dumbbell row

10.                     Tricep extensions

Now this hurt. I was only using 1.5 kg weights, but by the end they felt like 10kg. :)

We ended up doing a 50 minute session. I was knackered by the end of it. Of course, I was on my bike and still had a 10km ride to get home… It wasn’t too bad until km 4, when I encountered a head wind from the rain front moving in. By km 8 I was ready to spew. But I didn’t… :)

This morning I am in a world of pain… My Butt and Hamstrings are especially pissed at me. But honestly, I hurt all over. I skipped the bike ride in and got on public transport. Although even walking to the stop was slow and painful…

In saying that I really enjoyed it. M is great to work out with. She is so much fitter than me that it gives me something to strive for. Also she doesn't whinge and complain like I do. LOL I can't guarantee I am as much fun to work out with.

Next week it is my turn to come up with the plan. What I have in mind is quite different to M's session which is good. It will give us some variety. I am getting all my ideas from the Commando and Tiff from TBL. 

I am looking forward to it (assuming I am able to move again my then...) :)

Tonights Exercise

Rode straight to the gym from work tonight. Went well.

I started on the treadmill. Did my power walking intervals. Went a lot better than I expected. Was sweating like a pig and absolutely no pain in my ankle.

Moved on to the Rower - using upper body only. I am weak. Need to work on that.

Then I faced my arch nemesis...

The cross trainer.

Oh Cross Trainer

How do I hate thee

Let me count the ways....

But....

It didn't hurt. I 'felt' my ankle a few times, but it didn't actually hurt. I only did 5 minutes just because I could 'feel' it and I wasn't sure what the after effects would be.

But right now, it feels fine. Can't feel a thing. 

Which means the Nemesis is going to have to become part of my regular routine. Damn it....

Overall, a good workout. Will go again later in the week.

Answering Questions

I had a fairly long comment the other day on this blog from an anonymous poster, that contained lots of questions.  Which I have decided to answer.

Question: why are you vegetarian?

I am a vegetarian quite simply because meat makes me hurl. Literally. As a kid I ate it all the time. When I was 15/16 I was quite sick with Glandular Fever. It changed my hormones and changes my tastes. Slowly red meat started to make me ill to the point where I completely stopped eating it.

Move forward 20 years and welcome to the world of IBS. Yucky yucky IBS. Read a study about IBS and that meats (red and white) can cause the symptoms in about 20% of the population. Decided to give it a go for a month and dropped the white meat.

18 months later and I have never felt better. No more bloated tummy. No more constipation (followed by a week of diarrhea). No more continuous flatulence. I had found my cure.

As for Lite’n’Easy (offered by Anonymous as an alternative to WW) I actually looked at this before WW. However they do not offer a vegetarian menu. So there is no choice – I can’t use it.

Looking at your food diary, you're missing vegetables (need 5 serves) and more wholegrains. Also, protein with every meal.

I completely agree with Anon regarding the veggies and wholegrains. I do not eat enough of either and am working on it. I also need to up my protein. For some reason in the last 6 months or so my consumption of legumes has dropped considerably. And I need to increase it. Thanks for the reminder.

Try and introduce some strength exercises

This is where I struggle as I hate strength work, but I know I have to. My proper gym opens in a week. I will get a program done.

Anon, I am not sure who you are but thank you SO much for taking the time to make such a detailed comment on my blog (for anyone who wants to read it go here).  You have given me some things to think about which is always good, and reminded me of some things I need to do.

No More Excuses

I know a lot of people hate The Biggest Loser, but I find it really motivating. The year that I lost heaps of weight (2008) I was right there with them.  In 2009, I started losing weight again during TBL. In 2010 TBL stopped me from gaining weight.

In 2011 it is going to help me lose again.

I have been getting really frustrated with the restrictions placed on me by being injured. This injury is taking months to heal. I have been off of it since September 2010.

Tomorrow night I am going to go to the gym to find things that don't hurt it. I need to be able to smash my exercise again. I can't run so I need to find alternatives.

If I can't find anything, I'll go back later in the week and try again.

As for the food...

Hmmm....

I'm struggling, aren't I. 

I need to work on that. And I will. But I need to get the exercise thing working. Coz that is what is driving me nuts...

Bike Ride

Went out on the bike this morning. Rode just over 50kms. It was hard but it was a hell of a fun ride. 

My eating has been all over the place since getting back. I have been really hungry and craving crap. I am wondering if it is because I was fed so much processed food while I was away. I am now craving the salt and sugar.

Time to wean myself off and go back to eating clean whole foods as much as possible.

I am also upping the ante on the exercise. I want to be as fit as possible by the time I am allowed to run again so that it is easier.

If anyone has any great vego recipes please send them my way.