Category Archives: Fitness

Gym episode 08/03: The opposite of the drop set is the pyramid! Eegad!

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It was with glee that I packed my gym bag Monday after getting the go ahead from my physiotherapist, Garvin Taylor from Grenada Physiotherapy and Pain Relief Centre.

Four p.m. was the gym time as my trainer Damion Daniel had to train at 5. Did my 10 minute warm up on the bicycle.

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My thigh was still a bit sore and I also had to pay attention to my back. But I managed to finish.

I can’t recall the first part of the session. Must have been upper body. The sprints outside consisted of one called “suicide” where you ran to a near marker, then back to the start then to a farther marker and back to the start etc. etc. It was for a very short time but I was breathless when I was done!

To finish up was pyramid exercises on the lrg extension and leg curl machines. I didn’t think too much of what a pyramid looks like and how that is related to gym exercises. I soon found out.
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My 4 day lay off

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I looked on with envy last Friday as Bambi took my colleagues through a Zumba class. :|😭😭 But it served me right…..don’t?

On Saturday, I enjoyed being able to sleep in a little bit later, since I didn’t have to rush to the 9 a.m. Pilates class. When I finally got out of the house, I headed straight to a fundraising fair which was featuring food from various countries……with an empty stomach. Why? Continue reading →

Gym episode 03/03: Grounded!

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Isn’t that what happens when you misbehave? You’re grounded? Pleasure activities are taken away from you? Here’s the story of Thursday and how it turned out.

Yet another late night Wednesday, this time because I had work deadlines to meet. In this job, the concept of ‘homework’ is real. So I went to bed upset….and got up in the same mood. In my mind, I steupsed all the way on the drive to the gym. But sometimes along the way, positive thoughts crept in. ‘Miss Foot, what you complaining for? You have a job. You can get around with ease. You have a great Trainer. You know how many people got up this morning, wondering how they’re going to make it?” Ok mind. Be quiet!

Aye. Arrived late, so did 5 mins warm up. Upper body work today with some new exercises. Yay! I like that Damion mixes things up. Mi get bored very easily. 😐

In between the weights, he took me into the exercise room. The task? Run up and down the length of the room 5 times while he timed me. The first time was 45 seconds. The second was 43. After both times I was out of breath! Happily too. Heart working. Fat loss happening. And most importantly, I did not crash into the mirrors!

Completed the weight training then quite unusually, we had a long chat. His discipline is incredibly inspiring. Between now and his first show next month, I will be able to witness first hand, how he trains and how he eats. We spent a lot of time talking about the latter. I was again urged to read labels and had to send this to him for vetting. It passed the test.

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Thursday afternoon is where things took a turn for the worse. Continue reading →

Gym episode 02/03: We’re going non-stop

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The second half of the challenge will be more vigorous….if my body allows. I am going to give it a serious talking to! Doh let mi dung! We haffi go non-stop.

Wednesday morning started later than planned because Tuesday night had pain fuh so! And it wasn’t pain from Monday’s cardio class at work with Bambi. My upper body throbbed. Couldn’t find a comfortable position.

Last week when I had steelcut oats before the session, I felt very lethargic so this morning I decided to have 1 tin of sardines… yes….straight outta di tin with nutten on it :o. Had half a carambola and coffee with it.

The Trainer was waiting for me when I got there. Did my 10 minutes warm up on the elliptical, increasing the level every 30 seconds or 1 minute. It felt easier today.

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Gym episode 29/02: I AM the Biggest Loser!

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Monday was the 20-day weigh in. The half way mark. How had I done? By the way my clothes were fitting, I knew I had lost some weight. Remember the Trainer’s advice when we first started?

He: How much you weigh?
Me: 225
He: Ok. You going to stay away from the scale for awhile.
Me: Ok

I was accustomed to weighing once per week! Hmmmmm…..I hear my Physiotherapist saying “I told you so” as he had often told me not to weigh so often.

It was time. I gladly stepped on the scale. This was the reading.

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I quickly did the calculation. 9 pounds !!!!!

I LOST 9 POUNDS IN 20 DAYS!!! Holy moly!

What changes did I make?
1. Hired an awesome, inspiring trainer
2. Followed his instructions! These included no carb in the evening, no late night noshing, use protein powder to help curb cravings, not much rest between sets, use my mind to tell myself that I can lift more weights….do more reps.
3. Hired an awesome, inspiring trainer!

Here is what I did for exercise for January and February.

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G = gym (includes Saturday Pilates)
H = exercised at home
S = swimming
W = walking
E = exercised at work (45 mins cardio)

Damion and I were talking about goals for the next 20 days and I said “I am prepared to do as much as my physical body will allow me to do…guaranteed.”

Looking forward to discovering what my machine aka body can do.

Hoorayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Gym episode 28/02: Happy Sunday

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Well after two workouts Friday plus party in the night, you really didn’t expect me to be in the gym on Saturday, did you?? No sah! Besides, it was a good way to get back to a Sunday workout. I had told the Trainer I would do cardio, tai chi and yoga, but when I got to the gym the room was in use.

When I got to the gym the Trainer was also there. Pleasant surprise. On Saturday I had written on Facebook that I was hoping he was not going to be at the gym and I could have wormed my way out of the treadmill. Sadly, that was not to be. He was doing his own workout with some heavy heavy heavy weights. He passed me warming up on the elliptical and said “work harder”. I told him he wasn’t allowed to speak with me because we did not have a session. He ignored me when later, after I had finished the elliptical, he asked what I was going to do next. Upper body, sir.

He: You did the treadmill already? Me: No….I’ll do it after. He then firmly said “no, do it now.” Ok champion body builder. I hauled my butt upstairs meekly. Did 15 minutes, some at 15% and some at 10%.

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Gym Episode 26/02: TGIF

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Friday was another day when I would be exercising twice. That did not phase Damion and the intensity was just as it always was.

I ate Steel Cut Oats prior to the work out. I am going to vary what I eat to see what gives me most energy.   Recent studies suggest that protein and good fats fuel you better.

After the usual warm up, we did a full body workout. Instead of doing the sprints on the bike like I am accustomed to, Damion took me out to the car park. I had to sprint up and down while he timed me. I improved!

The lunges and squats are still a problem. My balance is off and so I feel like I am going to topple over.

That’s why me and the treadmill are NOT friends. Didn’t matter because the Trainer was not leaving it out. Upstairs we went, and I tried. I really tried, but 15% incline at between 3 and 3.5 mph is quite challenging.

I ended my workout on the elliptical.

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Gym episode 24/02: You’re here for a special purpose

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I WAS at the gym for a special purpose but that’s not what this post is about :).

No Trainer today so I was on my own. Tuesday he had put me on the treadmill at 15% incline and 3.0 mph. Killer! He told me to do it again on Wednesday and that he would know if I didn’t do it when he was with me the next time. That sounded like a warning. 😕

Did 5 minutes on the bike to make sure muscles were warm. Then I headed upstairs. I steeled my mind and said “let’s do it”. On Tuesday he had stood beside me for the duration so I pretended he was there on Wednesday. Can’t say that it worked since I held on to the handle a few times and lowered the speed at intervals. See the results below.

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Next it was an hour of yoga….just what I needed after that treadmill workout. It was the first time with that teacher, who was a thin whisp of a girl. Naturally, she effortlessly moved from pose to pose. Meanwhile I could hear myself grunting. Ooof. 😂😁

The best part of the yoga class is the end, when you are encouraged to choose whatever pose your body felt like geting into. Yeah….freestyle yoga. This was mine…👍

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The teacher said some inspirational words as we were winding down, including a version of the title of this blog post. She encouraged us to continue the yoga practice by giving love, saying kind words etc. A great way to start my Wednesday.

Looking forward to a day off on Thursday, then back wih Damion Daniel on Friday morning. Excited to see what my body can become, if I just keep pushing in the gym and eating clean.

Gym Episode 22/02: “Every rep counts”

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I went through Monday’s lunchtime gym session with Damion Daniel thinking “be careful what you wish for Ms Yamfoot” :?. I’d told him on the weekend that I wanted to do more exercises for the butt. That meant squats and lunges were included.

My knees are getting accustomed to these exercises and I’ve actually not been bothered by them so much, since stepping up my quantity of exercise.

I had to abandon the 10lb dumbells the Trainer had given me to use while doing the lunges. A few times too, I was about to topple over. Ever watchful, he was there to ensure that didn’t happen. Mek mi tell yuh……my thighs certainly felt the burn!

The key to maximizing that move is to keep upright and also get your knee touching the floor when you go down, and drive up using your glutes. I’d watched him last week executing those in perfect form so I knew what it looked like. Heart was willing but thighs and butt were weak. I kept reminding him that I had to go back to work, when I tried to pause during a set. “Every rep counts,” he said, followed by some encouragement. 

To finish up, did 10 minutes of the elliptical. It gets easier each day.

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Gym episode 19/02

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Friday was not a gym day because we had an instructor come into the office and do a high energy class with us. He’s like the energiser bunny! Later that evening, I stopped by the gym and he was teaching a zumba class!

My exercise pants kept falling down as I jumped. Hmmmmm……could it be that I’m a few pounds lighter????

As I continue on this journey, one thing I realise I have to work on is my perception of what I look like. It somehow has been ingrained in my head that I am obese. Well, actually, the BMI chart does say that. However, when I ask people, they don’t see me as fat.

So deep seated is the perception that as I passed a mirror at the gym that evening, three words came to mind in a nano second…. Continue reading →