How do you get fit?  Everyone knows the sports retailer Decathlon right?  Regardless of what sport you take part in you can almost certainly find some part of your kit here.

Decathlon have a passion for sport and their main mission is to make sport accessible to as many people as they can and encourage active lifestyles.

Having an active lifestyle myself I often find myself in Decathlon for any number of reasons whether it be for kit for obstacle racing, running, swimming or cycling (there’s loads more on offer too, I am just thinking of things I regularly do myself).

As my fitness journey continues I find I have more active wear at home than I do normal clothes and the workout accessories around the house is growing also, which is a good thing (despite possibly needing an extra room in my house to accommodate this stuff).

What I love about Decathlon is that they have such an extensive range, all so reasonably priced and good quality too.  If it can withstand the obstacles, mud and water I regularly use them on then I am sold!

I have ended up with a training schedule that I follow on a weekly basis that will include varied gym workouts and differs depending on what events I have planned but it generally will include:

• cycling
• running
• obstacle training
• gym sessions

For me having a plan works well as I know what I am doing and when and I find it easier to ensure I have time to get everything done.

I include a lot of photos and videos on my social media with regards to my training and looking a what I do almost all of it is accessible to everyone regardless of whether or not you have access to the same facilities that I do.  What do I mean by this? You can simulate the same sort of training easily elsewhere.  Where there is a will there is a way!

If you are like me I like to just get outside.  I’ve had the benefit of doing some outdoor training that has taught me that you can be really quite creative with your surroundings to get your training in with minimal equipment needed.

Don’t have a bike?  You can use a bike at the gym, most major cities have hire bikes.  Or run, or walk.  It’s amazing how reliant we are on cars and I include myself with that.  I try to cycle commute 2/3 times a week now to ensure I get my training in around my day.  You could also get off your bus or train a stop or two earlier and walk part of the journey or all if you are close enough to do so.

Don’t have access to an obstacle training facility? You can easily simulate a lot of the same training in local parks and woodland – you just need a bit of creativity.  I’ve added videos to my social media where I have worked out with my friend and PT in a forest and used logs instead of weights as an example.  Local parks are also always a great way of practising monkey bars!

Don’t have a gym membership?  Again loads that can be done outside or at home – you don’t need weights or fancy equipment.  At a bootcamp I attended we worked out on a field which had two goal posts and our coach would bring his TRX straps and attach to the goalposts – such an awesome idea and I have done the same myself both outside and at home too.

I haven’t always been active but it is now part of my every day life and I don’t look back.  I have a full time job and family (including a dog) so always on the lookout for ways to incorporate working out into my busy days.  I am an early bird so always prefer an early morning workout and find it sets me up so well for the rest of the day.  The dog will come with me when I run so I can kill two birds with one stone as it were and I get my run in and she gets her exercise too.

My husband trains a lot also and currently is doing so for Ironman Marbella 70.3 and Ironman Italy later in the year and so in order to ensure we still get some time together we can make some of our days together fit around our training – like an active date!

I find even if I can fit in a short workout I feel so much better for it and recently shared a pic with a quote ‘make yourself a priority, at the end of the day you are your longest commitment’  and its so true.

I also like to make it fun – if it is no fun then what’s the point?

The photos I have used in this post demonstrate some of my training and all wearing Decathlon kit which you can find here (and all of which I recommend!):

• Running Jacket
• Leggings
• Leggings
• Headband
• Bottle strap

Just a little sample of #howigetfit with Decathlon.

Is there enough time to fit in everything you want and need to do?  That is a good question!

I train a lot and my husband trains a lot and we have a son (who is almost 20 years old!) and if I had a pound for every time someone commented on where we find the time I would be very rich!  But it is a valid point and really something very important to me.  It can be very easy to fall into routine and where is the fun in that?

I did a write up post my husband completing his first Ironman event last year from my perspective and this is on a similar theme.  You can read the post here but I did open by saying I debated on writing it for a long time, as was the case with this post, as I don’t want to sound like a spoiled brat but this is a consequence of the journey’s we are both on.

Now this will sound totally geeky but we have a board at home that notes both my mine and my husbands training schedule on a weekly basis and the reason for this is so we can make sure we have time for each other and family time.

It is so easy to say you don’t have time, or something I find myself saying a lot is that there is not enough time in the week.  But there is.  We make time for what we love and those around you will do the same and that shows you just what your worth is to them and vice versa.  You will always have some free time and if it is of value you/they will free your time because it is not about having time, it is about making time.

I know this all sounds terribly cliche but as busy as we all are we are never too busy, it’s all about priorities.  Don’t get me wrong most of us live by the old ‘train hard and race easy’ logic so we live lifestyles where we expect our races to hurt but our training prepares us to be able to tolerate that and as such can be all consuming.  It’s about balance.

I recently found myself overwhelmed with the training that both myself and my husband are doing and realised our Friday date night (yes I hate that term too) and Sunday afternoon family time has turned into our ‘we have trained hard all week and now just want to go to bed early’ and it is important to change that and there are ways.  We are training for different things and are at different abilities but there are still workouts we can do together and so where we can we will.  Our son is now in the gym 5 to 6 times per week and so I am totally including him in this also. It’s important so we find a way.

When you voice this you realise most people in a similar situation, at some point, probably have the same feelings.  When I wrote my post about being an Ironwife I was surprised at how many people commented and could totally relate.  If you are training you have a constant guilt that you are not present enough and when you are you are inevitably tired/exhausted/just want a nap.  There will be times when you hate that event/sport that is all time consuming for your significant other and that is not uncommon either.  It’s important to remember it’s not personal.

We discuss our events with each other and whilst we do not ask permission from each other we try and balance what we both want to do and achieve to ensure we can be there to support each other as that is important to us.

So is there enough time?  Yes, in my opinion there is if you want it.  The journey is yours to experience together and on race day, after all the training, the feeling of pride makes it all worth it……..until the next bout of training for the next event that is.

Firstly I apologise for not bringing back sun with me from my training camp last week.  I was in Lanzarote at Club La Santa with Havering Tri and the weather could not have been more different to what we were faced with as we landed at London Gatwick – that was a shock to the system!

I went on the same training camp last year and signed up again for this year.  It was an intense week but also very beneficial, with an awesome group of people so I was excited though also not feeling 100% going into it.  I had thought about pulling out as I wondered whether having a knee injury and plantar fasciitis was not the best way to train in Lanzarote especially given that you are pretty much mostly going up hill wherever and whatever you do.  That and the fact that since my injuries my confidence in all areas is pretty much at an all time low.  However, I was persuaded otherwise by clubmates and decided if my knee and foot had other ideas there were a million other options to fill my days.

I kept my runs to short loops around the lagoon of just over 2 miles and at an easy pace and my foot felt ok.  My knee on the other hand did not feel right on every hill and I was more than a little nervous about making it worse so between that and the fact that my chain kept coming off my bike I ended up adapting the training plan anyway.  I missed a club ride but managed to complete that ride the following day so didn’t miss out and it meant that I got the chance to have some much needed time with the husband which even included a stop at a vineyard for lunch and saw the opportunity for some photo taking.  We are both always so busy and with him being a cycling coach he is helping others so I was quite pleased to be selfish and have a day with him just helping me.

If you have never been to Lanzarote then when people say it’s windy you may think oh ok a bit of wind, but the wind on the island can be savage and more than a little scary especially if it is a crosswind.  I had an accident on my bike from wind a year and a half ago and ended up in an ambulance so wind is something I am far from comfortable cycling in but there is very little escape from it in Lanzarote.

I knew before going to Club La Santa that some of the ladies I follow on social media from CrossFit were there training and so was pretty excited to bump into Sara Sigmundsdottir and even more excited when the resort put on a mini triathlon and Samantha Briggs beat my husband.  The final stretch of the run leg is around the running track and I was honestly confused who to cheer on out of my husband and Briggs.  She was very funny and joked with my husband as he crossed the line.  These ladies were at the resort with Emma McQuaid and the effort and dedication put into their training for their sport is something i am left in awe of!

I was sad to see the week end but got some great training in and big thanks to Kate Percy’s Go Bites that fuelled me through the week and Optimum Nutrition for their whey protein powder that I used post workouts.  It was good to share some of the Go Bites with my club mates as an alternative to gels – after a week of training even those who swear by gels were craving savoury!

Club La Santa I will see you again next year!

I have never had a broken bone (probably shouldn’t tempt fate by saying that) or suffered any proper injury until last year.  Towards the end of last year, at the end of September, I suffered a knee injury whilst cycling.  I should note that it was not because of the cycling in any way just bad timing that it happened whilst on the bike.

Just a few miles into a 100 mile bike ride something went in my knee, and after being taken off by an event ambulance I was told they suspected a tear in my medial collateral ligament and that they thought I had displaced my kneecap.  All I knew was that it was painful and I am not ashamed to say I cried – on the side of the road as other participants cycled past and I did not care!

My husband has private health care, that I also benefit from, and so within a fortnight I got myself an appointment to get to the bottom of it and find out what was actually going on with my left knee.  I was booked in for an MRI and the results showed that luckily there was no tear therefore no surgery was needed – this was good news!  That didn’t mean it was all good news.  The MRI showed damage that the consultant said was as a result of a trauma – it was told to me in a way that I actually felt bad that I had traumatised my own knee, the poor knee.  I was given a letter with my results and I won’t pretend I understood anything that I was being told (the medical terms sounded like a foreign language and I actually asked what it meant in English).  The long and short of it was that by the kneecap displacing I had caused significant damage to the medial collateral ligament (one of the ligaments that assist with stability), there was damage to the articular cartilage of the patella, there were cysts present and damage to the overlying cortex.  But as I said the good news was no fracture or actual tear.

I had already had time to RICE (rest, ice, compress and elevate) so now this meant I was given the all clear to continue training if I was sensible about it.  Cycling was allowed as it was low impact.  Running was allowed following a structured run/walk plan over a period of 14 weeks.  Swimming was allowed but not breast stroke because of the movement in the knee as it could aggravate it.  And most importantly if anything hurt I was to stop.

I had several physio sessions (it’s so good but my god so painful sometimes) and had a cortisone injection (again cried like a baby and spoiler alert it hurts like a bitch).  I was given ‘homework’ by way of different exercises with the intention of building up the movement, strength and circulation in the muscles on the inside of my knee to help re-align everything.  It was explained to me that an MCL injury can make a difference to the stability of the knee for a long time and so the recovery and rehab phase was important to be done properly to ensure the ligaments returned to their original elasticity.  I was told this would be a minimum of six to eight weeks.  Say what?

I was shown how to tape the knee which resulted in the tape acting as a brace and giving some much needed support during the recovery process and yes I did order some pink tape (of course).  You may also notice that post exercise I smell of joint ace gel – only yesterday I met a friend who asked if I had put joint ace on as she could smell it – its my new scent (I don’t think it will catch on!).

I was determined not to let this get to me and so started to look into what I could do until I was back to normal.  The obvious was to focus on other parts to train and so there was a lot done at home, upper body stuff in the gym, lots of core work and a change in my training plan.  I did have to pull out of a couple of events, which was hard but absolutely the right thing to do.

So what I have learnt in dealing with an injury (purely from my experience so far) would be:

1. Don’t self diagnose!  If you are not a doctor, don’t try to be one.  And certainly don’t google and try and work out what is wrong as it will not help in the slightest.  Obviously if a minor injury I am sure common sense can prevail but if you need to get medical advice to find out if you are hurt or have an actual injury and take on board their instructions for rehabilitation as it will benefit in the long run.  Huge difference between being sore and being in pain.
2. It takes time – the recovery is a process and takes patience, often where your expectations may end up being very different from reality (mine were – I am an impatient cow).  If you know the cause then easier to not repeat in future.
3. It hurts – don’t think you can exercise your way out of an injury as you will more than likely only make it worse.  Physio can play a huge part, if needed, though is not always pleasant but a necessary evil!  I found I have done more stretching and yoga that I should do more regularly anyway.
4. It’s frustrating – the road to recovery is long but it is worth it to avoid future set backs.  It can be hard seeing people around you training and doing events you would like to do, but switch sides and be the supporter (it’s actually a lot of fun).
5. Adapt – as I found I could do some of the training I did before but amended in a different way like following a run/walk plan and actually I am not hating running now whereas before I had a real love/hate relationship as I struggled through most runs so there is a silver lining.  Be creative!
6. Rest is also a huge part of the recovery process and without it can make healing much longer.
7. Stay positive! It is so easy to feel defeated and I found I had a massive confidence knock after my injury, which can be normal and will need to be worked through.  Set small goals – I booked a future event that is timed for the end of my rehab run plan so I had some forward focus.

It is now four months on and my knee is still not 100%.  I had no idea it would take this long but it is what it is.  Certain exercises really cause issues such as lunges are an absolute no no for me but that’s ok as I never much liked them anyway.  But there is always an alternative, especially if you are in a gym or class or situation with a qualified trainer as there will be an adaptation you should be advised to follow just be sure to let them know of your injury at the outset.

Trust the process.  It is difficult but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Last night I went to a screening of a documentary called Embrace, about body image and confidence, in conjunction with This Girl Can and Active Life as they launch their new #shesready campaign which is aimed at getting women involved in volunteering and training in physical activities.  This Girl Can is a campaign that celebrates active women who are doing their thing no matter how well they do it, how they look or even how red their face gets.  I would like to caveat that this is not a subject just for females, it effects men too.  Body demons can take hold of any of us and all too easily too if we let them, I know I have fallen foul to this and sometimes still do, which is a sad, but honest, reality.

The name of my blog is Fat Girl Fit and I am on a journey to get fit and lose weight so naturally the issue around body confidence is something that I can relate to personally though I I think the majority of people can if they are honest.

We live in a society that almost tells us how we should look, the ideal body shape and size, faddy diets to get them and worse.  It is something that for many strikes a chord and can all too often quickly spiral for some and not always in a positive way.  We all automatically assume that this is referring to overweight people but that is also not the case, it can have a huge impact also on those who are underweight and many other physical attributes too.

There are two quotes that you may have previously heard that hit the nail on the head in my opinion:

J K Rowling said ‘Is fat really the worst thing a human being can be?  Is fat worse than vindictive, jealous, shallow, vain, boring, evil, or cruel? Not to me.’

Demi Lovato said ‘I’m not going to sacrifice my mental health to have the perfect body.’

You will have probably also heard this or something similar ‘You are not fat.  You have fat.  You also have fingernails, but you are not fingernails.’

And the above quotes are so true!  More importantly I don’t want to brush over the topic of mental health and the link with this topic and associated consequences are extremely important and we should all take time for self love.  It’s been refreshing to see so much over recent months on social media to increase awareness around mental health and I hope it continues.  If you are nodding your head in agreement right now then virtual high five to you!

Why not try this – whenever you criticise yourself instead think of something you love about yourself.  It is perfectly acceptable to love yourself, it’s not selfish.  Take care of yourself and make your happiness a priority.  Your attitude determines your direction so why not be body positive and it will create more positivity that your body will react to.

So I would like to take a moment to celebrate women and men of all body shapes and sizes.  Hands up to those who are trying to love themselves in a world that is constantly telling them that maybe they shouldn’t be.  And more to the point why are we trying to be perfect?  Who is perfect?  No one and that is ok – embrace the imperfections as they are what makes you you!  Why not focus on what your body can do rather than just physical appearances for instance I have stretch marks (like I’ve been attacked by a lion) all over my stomach but I have a son and will take those stretch marks for that in a heartbeat – I carried another human being and that is pretty amazing.

Also think about those around you and what impression this leaves with them.  Young children who will take note about whether it is good or bad to be short or tall, smaller or bigger, what colour eyes or hair you have.  Remind them that it is all ok and that there are many parts of us all, that you cannot see, that make us beautiful.  Speak to their hearts and give them that confidence too!