Anyway, enough of that drivel. I'm sure you have come here to find out how the Deeva is managing to Dwindle, slowly but surely.
Where do I start?
It is now the beginning of week six. Now I know some of you know me, and you know that I have this tendency to fizzle quite quickly with things. I'm afraid that's generally been the case. I get bored... Well I am glad to say that I have managed to flip that coin and have stuck to my guns so far and I intend to keep it that way. Routine and I have never been best of pals, but if think we're starting to getting along. The biggest thing from the beginning has been to get myself out of the house. I've always been wayyy too comfortable just staying home. Comfortable... A very dangerous place to be in my opinion if you don't push yourself and get out of your comfort zone, your world could stay pretty small. I've decided to start pushing the boundaries! So, coming to Atlantis is the start of it - my wee snowball - that's going grow and grow, as I grow (mentally of course, - physically I intend to do the opposite!!). Besides a couple of missed classes last week, I have been consistently sticking to my routine and enjoying every minute of it! Of course there is more to being healthy than just exercising. Healthy eating habits play a big role as well. This had been a lot more difficult to implement, but again, it is a learning curve, and practice makes perfect. Especially since I'm not a big fan of cooking. (More about the food in a bit).
Now if you bear with me, I'll break this down into the various aspects what I've been doing, and why. I won't waffle on... Promise.
EXERCISE
From the beginning I've been aware that it's generally advised to give your body time to rest in between workouts, and let's face it, my body needs time to recuperate. It doesn't know what's hit it, although I think it's finally getting it! I've set my gym days to 3 times a week with Jemma. Trust me, I neeeeed down time after a good session. So instead of not doing anything on the off days, I still make sure I walk to Atlantis and do some or other activity that involves work, but also relaxation to help the muscles loosen up. Initially I planned to go around midday to the gym, but I've found going earlier 10.00am works much better. It is great! I combine it with whatever I need to get done in town, and once I'm home, I know I'm in for the day and that means I can focus on work, etc.
So here's what I've been up to....
Mondays - Perfect Posture
Initially I was going to try doing BodyBalance, but after the introduction session, I realised that it may be a bit too ambitious. With my size I struggle being on the floor. Gravity is a pain at this size, trust me! Besides that, it can stress my back a lot lying on the floor, so I opted for perfect posture instead. It's a low impact class that focuses on your core, keeping it in the optimal position while doing various exercises to test and improve your posture and the muscles that control it. It's a good workout and I've found it really good to get the week started. Every now and then I find myself tucking in my tailbone and correcting my posture. I just need to start getting into the habit of doing it more often!
Wednesdays - Tai Chi
Now, I've always been fascinated by Tai Chi! The fluidity and grace of the movements are mesmerising. (Um, when watching someone else do it - have you ever seen an elephant move gracefully?!) One day I'll be the gazelle, but until then I'll have to settle for a shrinking Ellie! Anyway... Tai chi is about the flow of energy, of your body and also around you. I realise it's not everyone's cup of tea, but is well worth getting into from a health perspective. It's like meditating while moving and manipulating energy flow. It certainly strengthens your focus. Which I will definitely benefit from! My mind always goes a mile a minute jumping all over the place. I can be pretty scatterbrained, so I am looking forward the seeing the improvement. The thing I find most amazing is when your body starts to warm up and tingle with the activated energy. If you're doing it properly that is! The movements still require strength and core stability, so for the uninitiated it's a good workout.
Fridays - Aqua Aerobics
I just love being in the water!! Aqua Aerobics is perfect because it helps support the joints as your exercising and the moves with the music are so much fun! You get a pretty decent workout too without realising it. The resistance in the water is also more than you think when you're trying to do specific moves. The first time I did it, it was a rather disconcerting feeling to have your 'wobbly bits' bob up and down furiously with the current. But that's what makes it even more comical. One shouldn't take life too seriously, right? I've always loved playing around in the water. Especially diving under water. Lengths seem to drag on forever, though I still do those from time to time as they're good to get the heart rate going. I really enjoy the music and of course the company. Definitely a highlight of my week!
Gym - 3 times a week
Well... What can I say about the gym. I am surprised how much I've taken to it. The workouts are hard, but no matter what happens you feel great afterwards. It's very satisfying coming out if the gym mopping up the sweat. It means you've worked hard and given your best. The weights have been a key part of my workouts. Lifting dumbbells and kettlebells combined. It's definitely the hardest part, but also the easiest to gauge your progress. You can definitely tell the difference when it feels that bit lighter the next time you do it, or you struggle less. The machines on then other hand... I have always enjoyed rowing, so no contest there, but lately, even my most feared apparatus are more fun. The leg press and the cross trainer being close favourites. I used to avoid them like the plague. Ok, I used to avoid most of them, but those I really hated. My stamina is also improving slowly but surely. Jemma has always been there to push me further than I think is possible, and somehow I still manage to do it, which always surprises me. My aim is to improve on the previous stats no matter what. The difference between 1 and 6 is incredible, and I am looking forward to do more and more! I've also been balancing on the Bosu Ball for the first time while lifting weights overhead, which is pretty tricky, but fun at the same time. The picture in my mind is of a clip I saw of Suzie Wolff (local hero) standing on a gym ball which is tough as nails!! The Bosu Ball is like the beginner version of that lol! If you want to see more detail of what I've been doing at each gym session, remember it is all there at your finger tips in the Exercise Log.
FOOD
Eating healthily is a goal I have yet to reach. Although, that said I have come a long long way from the eating habits that have gotten me in this predicament in the first place!! The trouble is I enjoy good food. Long ago, comfort eating was the norm. Through all my mood swings the best way to deal with it was to eat, and of course, that makes you feel even worse, so you wallow, and eat again... Does this vicious circle sound familiar? The good news is that I have been able to banish this habit about 2 years ago. Now it's more a case of eating things that taste yummy because I enjoy it. Portions are no longer a major problem, but it's more what I'm eating than how much. I'm a meat eater through and through, so I enjoy all the trimmings that come with it and the less veg the better. This is all pre-DD (Dwindling Deeva). Stephanie has helped me understand more about how the nutrients are processed in the body and used for energy. This has brought to the fore my love-hate relationship with carbs (see previous blog post). Since starting this process I have been trying to get into the proper habits, and things have changed significantly. It still fluctuates with my moods/external factors though. It is difficult to keep track of things when other aspects of your life start to unravel or at least cause stress. For 2 whole weeks I managed to keep records of everything I ate via the 'Fitness Tracker' App which is really handy. The past 2 weeks have been very stressful though which kind of through that off track. Another month end is coming up which normally causes my stress levels to soar but this time I am determined to weather it like a champ and not let it affect my course! I have managed to sort things out at home, so that everything is back to normal, and I can reintegrate the routine before month end hits. The habit needs to become unshakeable, like my exercise routine currently is. This then will ensure I get all the nutrients I need from healthy eating combined with my top notch supplements. I haven't been taking them for the past week and my goodness what a difference it makes in how I feel! So, no more of that. Routine, routine, routine.... That's the key word. I just have to trust that making the small changes daily will one day culminate in a whopping result. I will get there!
Footnote...
This process has really changed how I see my future. My focus has shifted to my health and fitness. If I can feel this good after a few weeks, imagine what I'll feel like after a few months or a year! Diary of a Dwindling DeeVA is not a flash in the pan. My aim is to keep it going till I reach my goal weight, and then beyond! I have big plans, so stay tuned!
So, that's it for now. I realise it's a very long post, so if you're reading these words, please know that I really appreciate you taking the time to read this... You're awesome, and here's a digital hug from me! x
*This blog has taken a bit more time to write than I thought
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