Lisa - Fat Girl Fit

Your Pilates Physio

There are more and more resources available to enable you to exercise from the comfort of your own home without any need for a gym membership or attending a class. This can also be more time efficient for some. I myself have used some workouts from You Tube previously especially if I am looking for something targeted like a tight back after a long bike ride (this is an area I can often suffer with). So whilst I love attending classes like at my CrossFit box for the support, and for the social aspect also, I find I push myself harder but I am also happy to do what I can at home. At present we are in the middle of having house renovations done and part of this will be our own gym in the garden so there will, in fact, be more home workouts.

What is the major difference between pilates and yoga? Aside from the origin, pilates was created in early 1900s by Joseph Pilates who, as a result of certain diseases through his childhood, had limited mobility and so the thought process behind this was predominantly for rehabilitation to build strength, stamina and flexibility. In yoga there is an infinite number of variations and combinations of poses whereas in pilates have more consistent moves in the traditional practise. Yoga can work your entire body through meditative exercises that typically are held for longer, whereas pilates centres around your core and focuses on control. In short there is no right or wrong as to which one you choose and this should be based around your goals – or do both!

One area I will always admit I fall down on is stretching and I have incorporated yoga into my schedule and so when I had the opportunity to trial a new platform for home pilates workouts I was keen.

yourpilatesphysio

For the past two weeks I have been using a platform called Your Pilates Physio, which has online clinical pilates courses led by Lyndsay. Clinical pilates is slightly different from the usual pilates practise and to quote the website:

‘Clinical Pilates is different from regular Pilates practice as it is led by a qualified physiotherapist, who has a deeper knowledge of the body and its injuries/pathologies, including how this can affect the movement of the body. Clinical Pilates is particularly effective for people with an injuries or pain-related conditions, as exercises are adapted to take this into account and help with pain management and recovery.’

This fits in nicely with my training as I often suffer with a sore lower back after some bike sessions and now I attend CrossFit I need to make sure I am incorporating active recovery in between classes. I am also still in the process of strengthening my left knee and thigh following some injuries last year.

Throughout the videos Lyndsay explains every movement and the reasons behind it giving clear instructions as to how you should be positioned and what to avoid and concentrate on. At the start of each video it will display items you need and for the most part it is a mat and a block and if you don’t have a block you can use a pillow so no need for further expense on additional items. There are also options for both beginner and intermediate so Lyndsay will demonstrate the differences and you can tailor to what suits you as an individual.

There are literally hours and hours of workouts available and they are all grouped so you can focus on whatever your specific need may be for example hypermobility, sports injuries or glute focus.

There is also much more than that available on the website with resources and blog posts by Lyndsay.

My only negative – what I would describe as the plinky planky music, just not for me but that is such a minor thing and doesn’t take away from the actual workouts at all.

There is a free 14 day trial (which is actually extended to 30 days right now) on the website and if you do decide to subscribe you can do so monthly or annually. If you do then use the code ‘fit19’ for a 25% discount.

Category: Product Reviews

Anna’s Legs Review – Don’t Forget Love Your Bottom!

Let’s talk women’s cycling kit. There is a general feeling among some women that there is not a lot out there for us ladies who like to cycle though I would disagree – there is a lot and most brands who sell male cycling kit also sell female cycling kit. Perhaps the misunderstanding comes about because they are not exclusively women only brands.

Anna’s Legs is a premium brand of padded cycling leggings. You will find these to purchase exclusively at Velo Vixen. Why are they called Anna’s Legs? Simple and effective – the lady who designs them in called Anna Glowinski and to quote the brand ‘The focus of the collection is legs, the tools that enable us to pedal our bikes and take us as far or as fast as we want to go. Anna has been designing cycle clothing for nearly a decade and her experience as a cyclist goes into every stitch.’ I have seen them before, I know of the brand, but I do not own a pair myself and there are various reasons for this.

I was sent a pair of the new leggings to review and was keen to do so to give me a first hand view of the product. My 2019 is all about the bike and so this is timely and I have a lot of opportunity to test the kit!

First of all they arrived and the leggings come in a little bag, which was cute. Especially the note on it saying not to forget your bottom! Aside from a good saddle I don’t think I would ever cycle again without padded bottoms of some sort – comfort is key here and a good pair of padded shorts/leggings/bibs are a must! There is nothing worse than a sore under carriage (sorry there is no nicer way to say that). Inside the bag is also a long tag with lots of hints and tips how to look after your legs as well as describing the product design. I particularly like the ‘take your knickers off’ note and I remember when I first started and was told this I wasn’t sure if someone was winding me up – no underwear? Definitely no underwear! This can cause chaffing and also will defeat the use of chamois cream (a cream used to stop friction between skin and clothing).

Then came to looking at the leggings and I will admit I held them up and my first thought was that I was unsure if they were going to fit – they looked quite small. I am a size 14 and that is what these are though do note that on the website you will want to check the sizing guide as the purchase is made with the options for S/M/L/XL. The design of the leggings is a high waist, and at first the shape looked a bit odd holding it up, however, I say odd as they are just shaped very differently at the waist/top of the leggings than any of the other shorts/tights that I have. However, I needed have worried as they were perfect! Sturdy material – being a woman any pair of bottoms has the obligatory squat test just to check and these passed easily. Washing instructions printed directly on the material so no need for an annoying flappy tag. Pocket on the back to fit a key/card. Reflective logo and tabs on the ankle too.

Added perk maybe was the ever elusive thigh gap lots of woman seek (not me but it does seem to be a thing). Perhaps just for me but the design and pad positioning gave an automatic thigh gap.

So the first test was on the turbo trainer, which is a bit harsh as the lack of natural movement on a static bike trainer can result in being sore despite the best of kit (for me anyway). I needn’t have worried as they were super comfortable so I was impressed before I even got them out on the road!

The next test was out on the road. Given the choice I am an outdoors girl and will always opt for being outside on my bike rather than inside. Again really comfortable, the waistband didn’t move around and they were warm too – well as warm as any kit when its only 1 or 2 degrees outside! I was a little gutted that I got the ever present oily chain ring mark on my pretty leggings! I realise not everyone gets this but I do (a lot). Also I am 5 foot 6 and there was some gathering behind the knee – not a big deal at all, however, for anyone shorter I would assume the standard length, which these are, may possibly be too long in the leg? They also washed up fab.

So why hadn’t I tried these before? For me I have always used either bib shorts or bib tights, depending on the weather. This is personal preference but I find them more comfortable and don’t want the muffin top or be worrying about moving my kit around whilst cycling – I just want to get on with the actual cycling itself! These didn’t move around though and didn’t roll over at the waist either (there is a silicone grip on the back of the high waist to keep in place – similar to what you may have seen at the bottom hem of jerseys). I also felt that given my preference was for bibs (which generally cost more) that the price was on the high side, however, they are marketed as a premium brand.

Now lets talk price. The leggings I tested are the new Forest Print Padded Tights and they are priced at £99. I have paid, in the past, as little as £15 for bottoms and as much as £145 and I am sure you can find lower and higher if you looked. I am a member of a cycling club and take part in a number of club rides and sportives, which means my riding distances could range from 10 miles on the turbo to almost 200 miles at an event so for me comfort is key and whilst I am far from having an endless budget if it is fit for my purpose it is worth the investment. I also like to speak to others for opinions before spending out a lot on kit – the £145 bib shorts I mentioned earlier were no more comfortable than the £15 and that is extremely frustrating! To date I must say the bib shorts/tights from my cycling club are by far the most comfortable and would always be my go to as a first choice and they are £70.99 for the shorts or £137 for the tights and in my opinion worth every penny.

I spoke to a number of women I know who cycle recently for their opinion to try and gain a general overview to gauge what they look for when purchasing cycling kit. My intention was to try and find out what their preference is regarding shorts/leggings/bibs, the main priority when purchasing kit ie comfort/appearance and also what they felt a reasonable price to pay would be? The majority seemed to opt for bibs, comfort is the main priority with appearance being quite important also and the prices they would be willing to pay ranged from £30 to £100 though the average was around the £50/£60 mark.

Kit will always be a contentious issue and can be very expensive if you let it or can afford it. When I first started cycling my kit mainly consisted of what I would ‘borrow’ from my husband that he didn’t use too often.

Now I have had the chance to try a pair of Anna’s Legs I am impressed and I would buy them, though I think if I am honest it would take some to get me to convert completely from bibs though the ease for rest stops is quite the bonus without bibs. I am currently eyeing up the reflective glowing hearts as these would be great for my winter training and add to being safe and seen. They also have a couple of three quarter length bottoms in the sale right now in certain sizes if you want to grab a bargain before the summer months come!

I was gifted the cycling leggings, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Cycling

Training for an endurance cycling event

I have been cycling now for 3 years and it all started when my husband decided he would sign me up for a 100 mile sportive, because that is as good a place as any to start right?

My longest ride to date was the Vatternrundan 300km ride in Sweden that I completed in 2017 with two amazing friends, Laura and James (you can read about it here). I loved it and I am going back this year to do it again. But why stop there? I have also signed up for the Ladies 100km ride and half Vattern 150km ride in the same week so my training between now and then needs to be focused and have the appropriate structure to it to ensure I can complete these events with no issues.

Where do you start? Everyone’s approach to training is different so I will discuss here where I will be starting and what my plan is.

I had some time off over Christmas and took advantage by getting in extra bike miles but by doing 225 miles over the 8 days I was left with very tired legs and more than a bit disappointed with my performance. Moral of the story = train smart and don’t be like Lisa!

I then took the advice of my husband and stayed off the bike for a few days before completing an FTP test. What is an FTP test? I did a blog post previously which you can read here and yes feel free to laugh as you will read correctly I fell off my turbo – that’s right I basically fell off a stationary bike! Basically it is a functional threshold power test (otherwise known as FTP) is used by many in cycling training terms and is basically the maximum power you can sustain for a given period. When developing a plan it will use this figure as a base for things such as intervals and to measure improvements. It is used by many of the professional cyclists, which I am not, but is great for use on Zwift, which I use on my turbo trainer so is a necessary evil. I think FTP should stand for Feel The Pain – it hurts.

With the FTP complete I can now build on my base fitness. My training plan will include:

Interval sessions – a workout including short efforts to build power and fitness, these may be set on the turbo based on power or on the road based on cadence/speed
Threshold sessions – these are uncomfortable, basically riding max out and where ‘drop rides’ come into place – you do a route as fast as possible and if you can’t keep up you get dropped. Sounds harsh but everyone rides at a different pace and you are only in competition with yourself. Time trial riding will come into play here too.
Long ride sessions – these are done at a steady pace that I can comfortably maintain and the aim is to develop base fitness, stamina and endurance
Recovery sessions – muscles need to repair and whilst this should be the easiest ride in the plan doesn’t take away the value because it still ensure fitness progresses
Cadence – anyone who knows both myself and my husband will read this and laugh as he is known to shout ‘cadence’ at me during rides – I tend to push a bigger gear but I know that wiser gear choices will leave me with fresher legs and so I worked on this last year and will continue to do the same this year too.
Fuelling – I use Torq products whilst on the bike but fuelling can change for shorter and longer rides and so it is important to train with the products you will use in events when you are training also – never try something new on race day!
Strength training – I saw a huge improvement in my bike fitness last year, thanks to my good friend Emma who is an awesome PT, as I incorporated strength and conditioning in my plan and so will absolutely be doing the same again – strong core always helps on the bike especially over longer periods! Some people disagree and you need to do what works for you but bear in mind if you complete exercises that target the muscles used when cycling such as quads, hamstrings, glutes, calf’s, hip flexors, and in turn the muscles around these areas, you are also working on improving fatigue when using these on the bike.
Be consistent – as with most things consistency is key!

The main reason for the above? I don’t want to just get in the miles which some may call ‘junk miles’ without some structure. The definition for ‘junk miles’ from British Cycling is ‘cycling that has little or no training benefit and only serve to build fatigue’ and they have a great post about this that can be found here. I know what has worked for me and trust the process to do the same again.

The Vatternrundan have resources on their website and suggest that you have covered 1,000km in training for the ride itself. I have set myself a big goal of hitting 5,000 miles in 2019 so should be well over their suggestion by the time of the event. I know 5,000 miles is a lot and will be a tall order so wish me luck!

The Vatternrundan itself has a lot of participants and should you be able to join a peloton (and I say should as we found a lot of groups did not like this or allow you to) experience of group riding is a must, which just gives me the excuse to ride as much as possible with the fellow clubmates at Romford CC more!

Category: Cycling

Women’s Cycling

I attended a talk last week at Look Mum No Hands that was titled ‘Mind The Cycling Gender Gap’. This was the launch of the second zine from Tiffany Lam, a feminist passionate about inclusive cycling, that includes stories from women relating to cycling and empowerment. There was also a panel of ladies including a feminist activist, founder of cycle workshop Bike Freedom, and lady who has a keen interest in mobility and health and well being.

If you have never been to Look Mum No Hands then I would suggest checking them out – they are a popular cafe in London especially with cyclists but they host regular events also.

Whilst the talk was very insightful and it was good to hear the individual stories from people I found myself having different opinions to the others and if I am honest I left feeling a little sad. Why? Maybe I am lucky with those I surround myself with that I have not had the same negative experiences that others have had but also because a lot of the questions that were being posed could be answered easily with some simple research and there are resources available out there that are clearly unknown.

I also think there is a gender gap in a lot more than just cycling but will stick to the topic at hand! It led me to think more about women’s cycling, specifically what barriers there are that women experience? What would stop a female from starting cycling? Is the answer to segregate the two sexes or does that not simply compound the issue?

Since the talk I have taken the time to speak to a number of female cyclists in person and online to find out their thoughts on this subject and try and understand a little more about what some potential reasons could be for the lower number of female cyclists on the road.

Fear and safety when out and about on the bike is one reason that I heard consistently more than anything else as a reason not to cycle. However, whilst this can be true, sometimes it is the perception more than reality and how can we change that? I admit when I first started this was my main concern but with experience comes confidence and of course some common sense with certain roads avoided for safety. I live in an area where after ten minutes of cycling I am on country roads, which are quieter. I am also lucky that I am not too far from two closed cycle tracks in Redbridge and the Velopark and these are great to start without the fear of traffic and other road users. The answer suggested at the talk was that the government need to make changes to the roads but is that realistic? It is important to remember that significant changes to infrastructure come at a huge cost, using the cycle paths pre-Olympics at Epping Forest as an example where the cost was £839k according to TFL just to implement, which is actually an insignificant figure in the grand scheme of the highways spend and more importantly paths such as these, while worthwhile, do not cater for road cyclists so is not an answer to the initial problem raised but a step in the right direction. When I refer to road users I am doing so intentionally as the responsibility for safety should be shared equally whether that be by car or bike users or pedestrians.

Cycling clubs can also be a deterrent but again, in my experience, this can be perception rather than reality. I am not saying all clubs are the same but speaking from personal experience I am a member of Romford Cycle Club and Havering Tri and both are super inclusive and gender does not even come into it. We are all equal and we are all undertaking the same activity. For me this is key and again this is just my personal opinion but I want to ride my bike and there is no necessity for me to do so with just females. I appreciate the position that some ladies may feel less pressure being surrounded by women only and a great example of this is the Breeze programme. ‘HSBC UK Breeze offers fun, free bike rides for women of all abilities across the UK’. Though in speaking to some ride leaders from Breeze most feel this is viewed as a platform people use to then transition into club riding. It is important to remember that different cycling clubs have different purposes and you need to find one that will suit your needs and goals – some want to race, some to explore, some to get from a to b and no reason is right or wrong but a club opens up your accessibility to like minded people. Just because one doesn’t should not make them a bad club but instead simply not aligned to your needs. You can search on the British Cycling website to find local clubs to you here.

Don’t be put off by the MAMIL! I heard this word over and over again and I loathe it! For those unaware MAMIL stands for middle aged man in lycra and for a lot of people this image of cycling is off putting. BUT what is wrong with the middle aged man in lycra? Why does he have such a negative reaction when people refer to him? What says he is not supportive? Why the negativity because he chooses to cycle in lycra? It is also something not just off putting to females but males in the same demographic too. I didn’t want to wear the whole cycling get up when I first started as I felt stupid if I am being completely honest and yet now it is all I wear when I cycle. It is comfortable and it serves a purpose. There is nothing saying you have to dress like this though – it depends what sort of cyclist you want to be.

This Girl Can is a campaign ‘funded by The National Lottery, believes that there’s no right way to get active – if it gets your heart rate up it counts. And we want more women to find what’s right for them’. They cover cycling on their website and provide some useful resources for those wanting to know more. Remember everyone starts somewhere!

Specialized UK also have a number of female ambassadors who host a range of rides across the UK (both road and MTB). They are run by the appointed female ambassadors and are female only led rides, all free departing from a nominated store. Details can be found here, where you can sign up and it also provides all information about pace and requirements. The ambassadors are super helpful and more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Again this gives the opportunity to ride with like minded individuals and widen your network of those you can regularly ride with. I have been on one of these rides and even completed a 100 mile sportive with the same ladies who met through the Chelmsford led rides.

British Cycling one in a million is a new campaign that is looking ‘to encourage more women to feel safe and confident in the saddle and inspired to ride’. Do you cycle? Why not take part? More details can be found here. According to British Cycling 723,000 more women have been influenced to cycle since 2013 as part of their four year #WeRide women’s strategy which has a target to get one million more women cycling by 2020. The aim of this strategy revealed extensive changes that have been put in place across all levels to begin to counteract the legacy of a 50-year gender gap.

So come on ladies (and gents) lets get on those bikes!

Category: Fitness

Round up of 2018

At the end of the previous two years I have looked back and seen just what I have been up to and at the end of last year I finished with a knee injury so my start to this year was not ideal. At the beginning of August this year I was knocked off my bike and it meant that I needed medical treatment for that and I lost a couple of months on the bike and it is surprising how quickly that bike and run fitness goes (not that my run fitness has ever been spectacular but I still do it though I had really made improvements on the bike and was so pleased with my progress so would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed)! So I finish the year not quite where I want to be BUT with lots of bike plans for next year and a new bike for it too!

I have learned that as frustrating as injuries are that they happen to most of us and its how you deal with it that really matters so I pull up my big girl knickers and get on with it. Being part of cycle, run and triathlon clubs I am surrounded by amazingly inspirational people, however, no one is exempt from injuries. A couple of people specifically to note include my gorgeous friend Liv who was knocked off her bike during Ironman Staffordshire 70.3 and had a lengthy recovery in and out of hospital after suffering a host of injuries including a broken jaw but still went on to complete Ironman Italy! Also my husband who has an ongoing issue with his leg that also sees him hospitalised but each time he picks himself back up and carries on and also completed Ironman Italy. They both stuck a big middle finger up to their injuries and completely took on their challenging comebacks and proved how tough they really are.

So I learned that when injured you just have to adjust your plan and often the comeback is sweeter.

Despite the setback I am still able to look back and see what I completed including:

Winter Run 10k, always a favourite to start the year off
Spartan Sprint, Super and Beast earning me my second Trifecta and another year as a Spartan Ambassador
Tough Mudder 5k, Half and Full as part of Mudder Woman
Another training camp with Havering Tri at Club La Santa
Thorpe Park half marathon, The Big Half marathon
Outlaw Nottingham 70.3 triathlon completing the bike leg as a relay team with two amazing ladies
London to Southend bike ride and being first female to finish!
Spitfire Scramble 24 hour relay run with the awesome ladies that are Team Scrambled Legs
I Move London Relay completing two stages and being part of the social media team around this as the inspirational Danny Bent set out and achieved breaking a Guinness Record with 30 days on continuous running!
The Elements OCR and I love this event, so much fun
Essex 100 mile bike ride for Action Medical Research with one of my best friends, Laura, who is a Specialized ambassador with the ladies she has been riding with this year
Colour Run and Run or Dye
Rough Runner
Nuclear Blast and Blackout
Commando Series
Beachy Head Marathon, which was one of the hardest things I have ever done!

In addition to the above I have taken a different approach to my planning and trying to train smarter for better results.

I tried my hand a time trialling on the bike too though I am yet to do a solo TT and instead opted for a 2-up but intend to do more next year and brave the solo effort!

I also joined a CrossFit gym! I have wanted to for so long and was so nervous but it was all worrying for nothing and the lovelies at Iron Phoenix CrossFit have been brilliant!

I have changed the strapline to my blog as I have learned through this process it is not about weight loss it is more important for me to be healthier and happier. It now reads ‘Be Fearlessly Unapologetically You’ and that is me!

I already have the following events planned for 2019 and its all about the bike!

Tour de Broads – 100 mile bike ride
Ride for Helen – 100 mile bike ride
Tjejvattern – 62 mile bike ride
Halvvattern – 93 mile bike ride
Vatternrundan – 186.4 mile bike ride
Ironman Jonkoping 70.3 – bike leg of the relay (56 miles)
London to Southend – 52 mile bike ride
Prudential Ride London – 46 mile bike ride

There will be a lot more bike added to the above so if you know of any good events or fancy a ride let me know!

Category: Product Reviews

Craft Sportswear

Craft is a brand that I am familiar with, however, more from the European events I have attended and not so much in the UK. This is a shame as the kit I have had has been great and affordable! Anyone who is into any form of exercise will know that kit and equipment come at a price and even buying the essentials can quickly add up.

I recently reviewed the new Craft Fuseknit Jersey, that you can read here, which came just at the right time as the weather started cooling and I am certain will be one of my most used items through the winter months.

I am signed up for a number of events in 2019 and so I am aiming to ensure my training continues through the winter and good kit will be a massive benefit.

When my husband and some friends completed Ironman Dubai 70.3 instead of a finishing tshirt they were given a gillet (slightly odd for a country with such high temperatures but great for them) and it is an item that is handy especially over the winter when trying to get layering right.

Given the opportunity to try out the Craft Urban Run Body Warmer it was an easy yes. The body warmer is pretty much the same as a gillet, and I didn’t even have to complete a half ironman to get one ha ha.

So the body warmer is again another Craft item that at first glance looked great though it was the same size as the jersey but more snug around the chest area when trying on for the first time so I was unsure how I would get on with it (and yes, I am quite large chested). As the large is the biggest size in this item for women I tried again and decided to give it a go and see how I got on. It fit and I could zip it up but not being the best runner I was slightly concerned that being tighter across the chest would not help with the breathing aspect of running and well breathing is pretty crucial in life!

Off I set with the dog for my first run in it and like the jersey I decided I may as well test it in weather that it claims to have benefits in. The label stated it was quick dry, water repellent and wind protective. I was setting out in the cold with rain coming down and bitter cold winds – lets see how good this item really is.

It was great!

I came back with a drowned rat of a dog from the weather and sopping wet hair but with the jersey and body warmer I wasn’t cold at all. Don’t get me wrong I had been for a run so will always work up a sweat but it was that sort of weather where I procrastinated going in the first place then figured right Craft kit lets see what you’re made of (don’t worry I wasn’t actually debating with the items of clothing).

The gillet had beads of rain all over it that literally just wiped off and was dry to the touch straight away. The jersey was pretty much the same. The body warmer fit really nice, was super comfortable and actually very flattering.

I have since run in it twice and walked the dog in it too. When I layer up I always worry I will actually end up too hot but this is really lightweight and was just right.

The body warmer is £65, which is a lot cheaper than most leading brands when I was looking for running gillets.

I was gifted the jersey and gillet, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Cycling

Winter Bike Training On & Off the Bike!

With my 2019 being largely focused around events on two wheels I am keen to make sure my winter training contributes to giving me a good base for the beginning of the season and that is not just about training on the bike.

Pre injury this year I had worked hard on the bike and the results showed in some of my events. To compare to the previous year I could easily see the changes I had made that I felt contributed to this. They were as follows:

I introduced more structure to my cycling. My husband is a qualified cycle coach and so he set me sessions to complete that made sure I was getting in a range of riding including recovery, tempo/at pace, intervals and working on my cadence. Cadence is the number of revolutions per minute and at first I found the cycling to cadence really tough – I generally push a big gear and I know this is not efficient but working to different cadence sometimes felt like I was spinning like crazy. It became a bit of a joke in our cycling club as you would randomly hear my husband shout ‘Lisa, cadence!’. The main point is that I was not cycling simply for cycling and what some would call ‘junk miles’.
I gave strength and conditioning training a priority. My best friend is a qualified PT and she set me sessions and trained with me knowing the goals I had in mind including a lot of core work. Before I took part in my first triathlon relay a fellow tri club member predicted I would get sub 3 hours for the 56 miles, which I thought was out of reach and he said to trust the strength training I have done. I finished chuffed to bits in 2:56!
I made sure I stretched! I am useless when it comes to stretching before and after exercising and really have to build this in to my training to make sure it is not missed. Post injury I needed some massage therapy and was recommended someone who is amazing though a sports massage is not the luxurious treat you may think – it hurts but it so worth it afterwards and just highlighted to me the need to stretch the muscles properly.

From the above I have learned what to make sure I focus on over the coming months including the following:

Core workouts – a strong core is essential when cycling. A weak core can lead to poor performance (a lot of movement side to side/rocking) and even injury as a consequence. Gripping the handlebars (something I am guilty of) is a sign of a weak core also and can contribute to back pain and also neck pain. When cycling your power should come from your legs and this can be lost if you are moving too much from side to side. There are many movements to help strengthen your core, you don’t need a gym and it doesn’t take too long either. Why is this important? The core is what is keeping the body stable whilst cycling and is put under a lot of pressure when in the saddle. When I first started cycling I would suffer from back pain and this can often be a result of a weak core so I knew I had work to do. Some exercises that would help your core could include mountain climbers, Russian twists, leg raises, plank, abdominal crunches, scissor kicks, boat pose and bridges.

Strength training – my workouts tends to include both core and strength exercises and focus on specific muscle groups. For cyclists a focus on the muscle groups used when on the bike is beneficial. Some exercises that would help could include squats, reverse lunges, deadlifts, push ups, shoulder press, renegade rows, kettlebell swings and burpees (I know no one loves a burpee sorry).

Yoga/Pilates – cycling can lead to tightness in certain areas of the body especially the lower back, neck, hips and pelvis. A strong core will help reduce this especially if your spine is lengthened and low abdomen engaged, both of which will support your core. Some poses that would help with this and in turn maximise your potential on the bike could include cat/cow pose, downward facing dog, bridge, camel, chair pose into forward bend, sacrum stretch, hamstring stretch, quad/hip flexor stretch, child pose, reclining bound angle pose and not forgetting legs up the wall.

I will be trying to get out as much as possible as I much prefer getting outside whenever possible though sometimes excessive rain, ice, snow and similar weather conditions can make cycling dangerous so will also need to incorporate some targeted training on the turbo (a necessary evil).

As they say winter miles equal summer smiles so here we go!

Category: Events

Gilbert Netball

This post is actually more of a guest post from my sister, who lives and breathes netball, along with my niece. Every week sees training sessions and games for them as well as umpiring and coaching. It is full on and way more competitive (when she is involved) than you might think. If you watch a good game of netball it can almost be like the rules are being broken – you can’t move with the ball but it is so fast paced that it looks as if that is being done continuously (though it isn’t).

The basic rules of netball are:

a netball team consists of seven players, each of whom have their own position and can only move in certain areas of the court
the goal shooter and the goal attack are the only two positions that are able to score and this can only be done from inside the goal semi-circle
a netball match consists of four quarters that are 15 minutes each
netball players are not allowed to run when they are in possession of the ball (if they do this is called footwork).

My sister plays for Essex Open Netball Club, as does my niece. My sister also coaches some of the teams and the club is known to have tough teams to beat.

When Gilbert Netball offered some tickets to a match I knew she would be much better placed than I to attend. She also had the opportunity to test and review some of their new kit.

Gilbert Netball dates back 160 years in sport initially in rugby and then moving into netball. You may recognise the name from the kit and balls seen used by the England team who won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year. This is not just a sport played in school and I was interested to read that adult participation was up 16.4% according to Sport England.

The game was last Friday and it was England v Uganda at the Copper Box in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The evening started with the opportunity hear some of the players be interviewed discussing the sport they love. The ladies won the match England 65 – Uganda 53 and they ended up winning the series also.

My sister even managed to meet some of the players and added some posts on her Essex Open netball social media channels. Interestingly enough one of the players, Olivia Tchine, plays for the same team as my sister and is one of the players on the England Futures Programme, the purpose of which is ‘To maximise players’ preparation & conditioning, developing them towards the Roses camp based programme, through exposure to high level training & international match play experience at identified opportunities.’

Olivia is not the only girl from Essex Open to move further into competitive sport for England with another former player, Christine Ohuruogu, going on to compete in the London Youth Games for both netball and athletics and then as part of Team GB in track and field and earning Olympic, World and Commonwealth champion status.

It didn’t take long for an opportunity to present itself to test the kit out with training on Sunday and a very good review of the kit. Extremely comfortable, breathable and very importantly leggings that are both squat proof and do not fall down – all the ladies out there will know how important this is when choosing sports kit! If you want to check it out yourself you can do so here.

The game tickets and kit were gifted, but all opinions are our own.

Category: Fitness

Be Fearlessly Unapologetically You!

I recently found out that I had made the shortlist for nominations for the Sport & Fitness category of the UK Blog Awards. It spurred me on to think about the blog – why I started it and where I am now.

So I started the blog after embarking on a fitness and weight loss journey. In a bid to hide the fact that I was overweight and terribly unfit I would attempt to use humour to hide the fact that most of the time I was terrified of whatever it was I was doing and also hence the name of the blog. Some friends said I should write a blog and that is basically how it all began.

It is a personal blog and I am clear that I am not qualified in any way in fitness or nutrition but what I share is based on my experience and if I do give advice it is following what I have received from those who are qualified so I can make sure I am not sharing anything that is not misleading or with no understanding.

I would update a blog post every Monday and include a weigh in picture of a little board I have to show progress. Then I hit a plateau and this changed – no more weigh in board pics. This is not a negative as it actually taught me a valuable lesson as it meant I was putting less pressure on myself.

My blog is not necessarily the norm. It is not about the facts and detailing the specifics of a piece of tech. I like to add a bit of my personality to it and there is humour and sometimes some swearing. It is not intended to be offensive but it is me. I am trying to keep it authentic otherwise what is the point? I am who I am. I will not try and be someone or something else through this blog. This blog is not intended to gain approval.

I intend to be my own kind of strong, my own kind of fabulous and my own kind of beautiful. I am not in competition with anyone else. I will run my own race (or more than likely jog a bit and walk a bit). I fully intend to continue to embrace the glorious mess that I am.

There is a saying from JK Rowling asking is fat really the worst thing you can be? And many more about how the number on a scale does not define you. By focusing on weight was I sending the complete wrong message to anyone reading my posts? More than that I realised that the journey I was on getting fitter was about my health and that was my goal – to be healthy and happy.

And so with that you will see the change in wording of my blog strap line. It no longer says ‘An ordinary girl on a mission to get fit and lose weight’. Morale of the story – be fearlessly unapologetically you!