My Healthy body and mind update for July – including results

My Healthy body and mind update for July

I am sat on the balcony of our hotel room in Corsica as I write this, its 6:45 am and the sun has just risen above the sea. I am feeling so grateful for this opportunity of a holiday. The boys and I have heading here for a week for a very active holiday, they are doing a few hours of sports and activities every day whilst I get to either relax or do something active myself. I love how even the holidays we get to go on are healthy! Lets ignore the wine on tap every lunch time or dinner time;-) Oh and the cocktails at the beach bar.

How is the personal training going?

I have now had two full months of training with Kane Allardyce at No Bull Fitness. I go every week, normally on a Friday or Saturday. Every session has been very different but with a focus on building up my strength and toning up. I have been hill running, doing bench presses, box jumping, rowing, cycling, crunches, dead lifts, squat lifts. You name it I am doing it. And I ache afterwards for at least 4 days!

Seeing a personal trainer for my fitness is so very different to anything I have experienced before. In the past I have joined gyms, signed up to every different type of class going or I have tried to exercise at home with DVD’s and good old fashioned going out for a run. All have had an impact (particularly going for a run as its free!) but I am really finding the personal training has made a significant difference very quickly. Plus, at home I might give up when things get hard, not with Kane, I go on until I can’t cycle or lift or jump anymore.

Picture Time

Take a look at my pictures from beginning of June compared to mid July. Picture to the left was taken 2nd June, picture to right taken 19th July.

I am fitter and more toned. I am noticing that for example my core class on holiday was doable whilst everyone else was complaining. Carrying Jack around for longer is easer, again helpful on holiday when I carry him a lot. My arms and my bingo wings are reducing in size and my waist is getting smaller. I have noticed that my size 12 new H&M slacks are getting a bit loose, I could definitely fit into a size 10.

I do really struggle with my stomach and my back though. Its a challenge to look at my tummy as I still think that its fat and huge, but then remember the size of my clothes. It’s going to take a long time to realise that I am much thinner, 3 ½ stone thinner. I meet lots of new people in my job who are so surprised when I tell them I was 14 stone. They shake their head in disbelief, “but you are so thin now”. I can’t quite get over it when people say that!

I hope you appreciate the honesty of the pictures. Its tough to look at them, particularly the back pictures. But I can objectively see that my boobs have got smaller, my stomach is starting to reduce and tone up and my side on tummy is smaller. My back looks no different or my arms. Hmmm. Interesting to see how the body changes after just 6 weeks of training. In terms of weight I have lost 4lbs and this is with eating healthily an focusing on eating the right food. Every day I am aiming for 30-40% protein, 30-40% good fat and 30% carbs. Nuts are fab, lean meat is fab, veges are fab. Cakes and sweeties are not great. But I think we all know that right? If you need any advice on any useful back roller apparatus see more here.

Age 40 Health Screening

I had my age 40 health screening last week at my doctors, this is really great service offered for free if you have been offered it do take it up. The blood tests showed that my cholesterol was the right level of 5.4 and my ratio of good to bad cholesterol was 3.4 and is should be at least 4.5. My blood pressure is the equivalent of a 20-year-old and my weight at 67/68 kilos is 24/25 BMI. For my height of 166cm I should have a BMI of between 20 and 25. All this data combines to work out my risk of cardiac arrest and my risk is 0.6%, a really low risk. I am ever so happy with my fitness levels. Particularly given my much higher risk of heart issues given that my parents both had heart attacks and died aged 58 and 63.

Back to my debate of what comes first wealth, body or mind?

I have done a lot of work over the years to sort out my mind, particularly the hypnotherapy where I dealt with my demons (subconscious mind) who used to tell me to eat rubbish when I was sad/happy/bored. Once that was fixed I was able to move onto the healthy body.

I am frustrated that I waited until the onset of turning 40 before I sorted out my healthy mind and body but pleased that I have managed to do it now and beat the demons. For me I needed to sort out my mind before my body. And when it comes to wealth, well that’s an ongoing process of adjustment! I have to admit that now I have the heathier mind and body fixing the wealth feels so much more doable. And despite the 13k on the interest free credit cards I also know that we own a house with lots of equity so financially things are good and balanced.

I will update this post with my measurements on Saturday as I left them at home!!