Get Fit and Healthy: Motivation and Perseverance

Despite the weather, summer should be here. For some it may already be here. And with the imminent arrival of summer, comes that ever more important need to sort your body out for the beach (if you're lucky enough to be going away for a beach holiday, that is).

The magazines are filled with the way they think we should be. All tall, bronzed and with the perfect beach hair. The reality is more often than not the total opposite to that. Women start to panic themselves into eating less. Filling themselves up with artificially sweet smelling gloopy liquids that promises them one step closer to that beach body. Again, the reality being that you will only lose weight (the healthy way) by exercising and eating healthier. I say healthier because I myself do not get enough fruit or vegetables in my diet. I am no expert when it comes to weight loss. But what I do know is that I'm only seeing results through hard work and cutting back on the crap in my diet. Incidentally, this weekend a newspaper here had pull-out booklets on a diet called "The bikini panic diet" - how utterly ridiculous and irresponsible to call it that.

It is tough. I'm now exercising for 7 days a week and I'm into week 4 of that. It's starting to become a habit. An amazing habit. Progress! I try to separate out different forms of exercise into different days of the week. It goes something like this...

• Monday - Spin class (cardio), GRIT Strength class (cardio and weights).
• Tuesday - ShockFit TRX suspension class (weights, strength).
• Wednesday - RPM biking class (spin, cardio)
• Thursday - ShockFit bells class (weights).
• Friday - Spin class (cardio)
• Saturday - GRIT cardio class
• Sunday - Spin class (cardio).

Gym for ShockFit - "there is no strength where there is no struggle"

It is tough. It requires focus and perseverance but I do like it, a lot. It wasn't always like that. I'd need no excuse some days just to give up on the Monday classes and then that knocks your week all to pot. Then you'd feel bad and it would all start again. But thankfully I've managed to get right out of that habit and into another more healthier one. My fitness is improving, although I can tell you that since introducing the GRIT classes, i feel like they could move me up a notch. Don't get me wrong, i am by no means an athlete. I'm just a girl who wants to get fitter and leaner and healthier.

I've never been into faddy diets. I was never allowed to when I was younger and I thank my mum for that. She was never into diets either. I tend to hold all my weight on my bum and thighs. I'm blessed with a fairly flat stomach and small chest so i do kinda look out of proportion.

Before January, my routine only consisted of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday spin bike classes. All cardio and no weights at all. I'm not really a fan of the gym - well, not a fan of the body builder types that hang around the weights, so it always put me off. Then I started the ShockFit classes twice per week and the difference in tone of my arms, quads and stomach is great. My bum could really do with a really big tone up though. It's my hardest part to shift any weight or tone up. But I'm determined. Of course the chocolate i eat doesn't help, nor does the juice. But they're my only vice and I have to try to wean myself off them. Well, that's really only an excuse now isn't it.

pic from a few months ago

At the start of June the gym introduced the Les Mills GRIT classes and I've added them into my weekly routine. I really hope they can help shift those last few pounds.

I've never really been a weight watcher, except in my mid 20's when I reached 10 and a half stone. At 5ft 2in, that could almost be considered obese. Probably is, I haven't checked any charts. I lost a bit of weight about 2 years ago through eating less crap and doing exercise. Then by February of 2011 I let it go a bit and put some more back on. For months I hovered around 9st 6lb. Which was better than 10st but still not ideal. Currently I'm sitting at 8st 6lb. Ideally I'd like to get to the lower end of 8stone. So that's my summer challenge to myself. To do just that. 6 pounds to go.

It'll take some real discipline on my behalf. You don't understand how panic starts to set in if i don't have a chocolate Freddo or something in the house to quash my cravings. Argh! But, the motivation is being able to wear the clothes I want to wear. The perseverance will come from my own inner and outer strength and the will to succeed at something that I control. Only I will know whether or not I succeed or fail but I think, this time, I'm going to succeed. I've written it down here after all and that means I HAVE to stick to it. Eek!

Join me. Let's motivate each other. I'll check in on you, if you check in on me.

Remember "there is no strength where there is no struggle", virtual gym buddies!

Angela x
.