Lisa - Fat Girl Fit

Training, Valentines Day and Diet

I have been busy over the past week (and now need a nap)!

My training last week consisted of the following:

a cycling masterclass with team GB Olympian Dani King then took full use of the fancy gym and took part in a circuit class and then a swim
a very early morning training session with my hubby and PT (and friend) Emma
spin class
spin circuits class
running the long way round to my mums (usually 2 miles but the long way round is 7 miles)
4.5 muddy hilly trail run with the dog and my friend Laura

My main concentration is training for my half marathon at the moment, which includes short runs, long runs, hill training, faster runs and slower runs. But I am aware I also need to work on my core which I will feel the benefits of when running and cycling so I include the row machine and the cross training when I can. Having an amazing personal trainer (Emma) is so much of a help to guide me in the right direction.

Usually I complain a bit in spin circuits as a lot of the ab work I am not amazing at. Engage my abs Emma says. What abs? is my usual response. I have no abs! But I am getting there. By getting there I mean with the exercises – the abs are, I am afraid, a long way off and still covered in a good layer of meat and gravy. But I am doing it!

On Friday my husband and I went to the bike show at Excel and I had a lovely experience! I was looking at the Fat Lad At The Back stand when one of the lovely ladies who work there came over to tell me she knew me. At first I was a little confused as I didn’t recognise her immediately but then she said she knew me from my blog and once she said her name I remembered her from my Instagram account. It was a little surreal but not the first time I have been recognised – it is lovely but still an odd feeling that people are reading me going on and on about how I am slower than a herd of turtles wading through peanut butter etc etc. These ladies are super nice and I am chuffed with my new cycling jersey! Their clothing is so nice and caters for sizes larger than most cycle clothing companies and also women with boobs. I was going to try and tart that up a bit with some nice wording but it is what it is – some of us have boobs (big ones at that) and lycra is not your friend when you are cycling up a steep hill, zipped to within an inch of your life in a jersey that is making your boobs sit under your chin and cut off your windpipe!

Trying to fit the running in around other training can be hard but where there’s a will there’s a way. At the weekend I ran the long way round to my mums to get a 7 miler in before I headed off to watch my niece/goddaughter smash her netball match 35 to 2. I did this whilst still in my sweaty running gear (yep I know classy hey?) and also sporting my Dry Robe. Everyone mocked the Dry Robe wondering what it was but who was warm? Oh yes I was mwahahahaha!

On Sunday (Valentines Day) I didn’t know what to do whether to run or hit the gym or swim and then spoke with my friend Laura and we decided that seeing as our other halves were out cycling we would hit a local park in our trail shoes and go for an easy run in the mud with the dog and that we did. 4.5 miles up and down hills in the wood through the park. I am not entirely sure who had more fun us or the dog?

The downside of all the exercise is that I want to eat. After all the workouts. I seem to get home and I could eat literally all the food. If I were left alone I reckon I could consume the majority of the fridge. That switch people have to say they are full? Not me! I can just keep going. I joked to my husband yesterday that it was a good job he was at home or I may have eaten everything! He could well have got home and the furniture could be missing – I may have eaten that. Can you imagine reading the headlines – lady on a fitness and weight loss mission caught gnawing on the leg of her dining room table? That would be me. My husband might ask me where the sofa is and if after one of my long runs – my response might be that I ate it. I would leave the other sofa though – I am not totally selfish.

This last week has not been amazing for me. I’ve been asked by a few how come I’ve not been updating my weight loss plaque and the answer is that it has not changed! My weight loss plateau is sticking around, despite all the exercise and being good with my food, and it is taking it’s toll on my positivity or lack thereof. So come Thursday I thought I would look back a year and see if I could tell the difference and I could. There was never a doubt that I would not continue on this journey but a plateau that lasts for two months (yes two months!) is a stubborn b*tch and makes it hard so seeing in a picture made it a little better. (Excuse the miserable face but it had put me in a somewhat tetchy mood.)

Anyway…….now to run!

Category: Cycling, Events, Fitness

Human Race Sportive Series Launch with Dani King

Human Race holds a portfolio of events including running, cycling, duathlon, triathlon and open water swimming.

As 2016 begins Human Race are launching their sportive series and as part of the launch they hosted a taster of the biggest and best rides they offer by way of a sportive-style masterclass. The masterclass was held at Nuffield Gym in the city of London. The session was led by one of their excellent instructors, Martin, and included some of the hills from rides in the series including Box Hill, Kingsettle Hill and Devil’s Elbow.

During the class Dani King MBE, an ambassador for Human Race and Olympic Champion, was on hand offering tips and training advice. Dani is a track and road cyclist with gold medals earned for team pursuit in the 2012 Olympics, team pursuits for 2011, 2012 and 2013 World Championships and also team pursuits for 2011 and 2013 European Championships. In addition to these Dani also earned silver and bronze for other track cycling events and is a member of Team Wiggle High5.

It was an honour to have the opportunity to speak to a professional cyclist, with such an impressive career for some much appreciated advice.

We discussed my riding position on the bike, she noticed that I point my toes as I cycle – a very bad habit I have picked up from many spin classes that I have transferred to my road cycling and something I am trying to make a conscious effort to improve on. We also discussed my toughest goal for the year being a 24 hour endurance ride from Newcastle to London and she gave me some hints and tip regarding hydration and fuelling.

I also got to catch up once again with the lovely Elle from Keep it SimpElle, a fellow blogger who I follow as she took part in this class also.

I spent the rest of the day at the gym (would have been rude not to given as it is quite simply amazing) and took full advantage of the facilities on offer!

So if you are looking to sign up for events for this year take a look at those on offer at Human Race and get yourself involved – you won’t be disappointed!

Category: Cycling, Events, Running

QEOP 10k and Essex Equalizer

I started off my weekend with a little 3.5 mile run with my friend Adam on Friday night. I really do prefer running with other people than on my own it makes it so much more enjoyable – did I just use the word enjoyable to describe running? Shocking!

Saturday morning my alarm sounded and I got ready to head to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for a 10km run with my friend Priya. This is, as I have mentioned before, my nemesis run. It is often referred to as fast and flat. I find that runners often have a difference in opinion of what constitutes flat. It is the same as cycling. Until you have run or cycled a route what can appear to be flat can be deceiving! I find this run tough hence why I refer to it as my nemesis run. Don’t get me wrong it is organised brilliantly by The Race Organiser and the marshalls are great, photographers on course, goody bag and medal for such a reasonable price but the course itself I always find tough. It’s laps and each lap seems much longer, to me, than it actually is. Priya agreed. We decided we would take this run slow and steady and that we did.

After we finished and headed back to the car a very nice man stopped us to tell us that he had been pacing himself by us the whole way round and that although he couldn’t catch us by sticking with us he managed a PB for the course and distance by over 6 minutes! That was amazing!

It’s funny I always check my race photos and always hate them! The link to the photo page was added and the cover photo had me in the background looking like I was mid stroke face – pretty much sums up how most of my event photos turn out!

My alarm went off even earlier on Sunday (one day I will get a lay in) and after I picked up Helen and Laura we headed to Colchester to take part in the UK Cycling Events Essex Equalizer event, a cycling sportive heading out from Colchester stadium. We rode with the lovely Lucy from Paddle Pedal Pace also (Lucy’s husband also rode this ride but is super speedy so he headed off solo and smashed it may I add). Helen and I had completed a similar ride heading out from here last year, organised by the same company, with Lucy so had an idea as to what we should expect.

It was tough! Cold and windy. Very windy. Very very windy! The sort of wind where you brace the hoods and wonder at what point you may come off from the sidewind that seems to hate you!

The wind was ridiculous and in some places it felt like a battle and like we were barely moving!

There were a lot of hills too, nothing that would have you getting off the bike but just a lot of up and downs in quick succession – what goes up must come down and although I love a descent they were somewhat overshadowed by the fact that I learned pretty quickly on this ride that every time we went down a hill there was going to be a bigger ascent.

Lucy, despite what she thinks, is good on hills! Really consistent and attacks them head on. Laura is a beast! She is such a strong cyclist and scared the life out of me when she came up behind me screaming go go go mid hill! She made me try and attack every hill as best I could. BUT I am not the best at hills! I gave it a good shot though. More for fear she would come up behind me again and start shouting at me. And by shouting I mean she was helping and Helen described it as gentle encouragement – hmmmmm what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and all that though after a lot of these hills I did wonder if they would kill me.

This was Helens first bike ride since an operation on her hip and she did amazing! Was lovely to have her back on the bike and be able to ride with her again. Could ride with these ladies anytime!

As the wind was so strong and we would not be getting any personal bests on this ride we decided we would use it for quality rather than quantity and took the chance to ride as a group taking turns every 6 minutes on the front and sticking together. Laura, Helen and I will be taking on a 24 hour endurance ride in August from Newcastle to London, which is 311 miles in total (gulp). We will be riding a lot together over the coming months and so this was a great start.

We were also spotted in our Romford CC kit. Our kit is bright yellow and pink and love it or hate it, because it is a bit like marmite I admit though I do love it, it gets us noticed as it did yesterday when we were tweeted by the lovely photographers from the event, Sportive Photo.

Quality riding, great training, loads of laughs and a medal too – what more can you ask for?!

Category: Events, Running

The Winter Run

Yesterday I took part in the Winter Run. The Winter Run is a 10k event through London organised by Human Race. The Winter Run series takes part in Liverpool, London and Manchester.

I travelled up to London to meet the lovely ladies from The Earned Agency in my new running leggings that by chance matched my trainers and my nail varnish – bright coral so you wouldn’t miss me!

I had a cheeky protein ball from Fresh Fitness Food that were so tasty I will absolutely be getting more for future runs and bike rides.

Before I started I had some face painting done so was set and ready to run heading to the start line just as the rain started (of course). Despite this (and the fact that I go bright red and sweat almost instantly) the face paint was fully in tact at the end of the run amazingly!

I took part in this run last year with my husband but yesterday I was taking it on solo and hoping to see some improvement. My time last year was 1 hour 6 minutes and this year I got 1 hour 1 minute event time. However! Somehow I managed to go off course at one point (following a large group of runners I thought was on the run, whilst fiddling with my ipod, who were actually just out on their own run but quickly realised and rectified) and so actually completed a slightly longer course of 6.5miles and was pleasantly surprised that my Strava notified me that I managed pb’s for my 5k (28 mins 44 seconds) and also my 10k (58 mins 42 seconds). Now I have been chasing a sub hour 10k for a long time. I have done it once before on a run with my dog but not at an actual event so was absolutely chuffed by this.

Anyway enough about me back to the event. The run takes place on closed roads through London, which can be somewhat surreal especially as I ran almost past my work that is usually hustle and bustle. Along the route the support from the event organisers is great. There are bears, penguins and snowmen. There are people cheering you on as part of the event crew and snow stations where snow is blown out to you as you run past.

You finish to receive a really lovely medal followed closed by a bear hug – you can’t say no to a bear hug!

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I will be back next year also for this – a great run with a great atmosphere and organised brilliantly! And all for a great cause – Cancer Research. I saw many people on route from my running club Havering ’90 Joggers, work colleagues, friends and a number of people from the Nuclear Races family so it’s safe to say this run was a hit all round!

When I got home I realised that following today’s run I had run a total of 99km for January so I did what any insane person would do and put my trainers back on and ran around the block (in my jeans) with my dog, to make my total 100km for January (yes I am that sad).

And so the Winter Run saw my finish January with a smile on my painted face, pb’s for both 5k and 10k and a total running distance for January of 100km and what a better way to get to that point!

Category: Running

I ran 10 miles!

At the weekend I ran 10 miles! In one session! Me! I did that!

I am training for a half marathon in March and so I need to up my distance and have been trying to make sure my runs are either over 5k or over 10k so I am not stuck on those distances.

I’ve said it a million times before but I don’t find running easy and if I am honest it is a means to an end for me to lose weight and get fit.

I seem to always have the same average pace of 9-9.5 minute miles so I’ve been listening to advice from people to slow it down in order to up the distance and so I’ve now had a few 7 and 8 mile runs where I slow to 10 to 10.5 minute miles and it feels so much more comfortable. I can hold a conversation and I don’t totally sound like a panting dog (as a dear friend of mine said on a recent run – thanks for that, you know who you are).

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So last week my husband and I decided that on Saturday I would run 10 miles and even just speaking about it was making me feel nervous. It wasn’t an event, just me and him out on the streets (not like a two man gang or anything like I made that just sound). There would be no water stations or toilets if I needed them. I tend to mouth breathe when I run so a water stop would have been nice and I have the bladder of a 90 year old so a toilet stop would have been good too. But actually I managed without either, which is good as usually the need to pee intensifies by a million after a run starts.

My husband acted as my pacer and although I wore my Garmin watch I didn’t look at it – I wasn’t allowed. I’m better not knowing the distance. For example he told me at one point ‘look we’re already 2.25 miles in and you wouldn’t guess it’ as it was feeling comfortable, but I would rather not know because instead of thinking yes almost a quarter done already I think oh sh*t I have to do that three more times!

I speed up when I see people or we are on a busy street. Not intentionally but noticed with trying to maintain a steady pace this is something I did over and over. Every time I sped up he would put his arm out to slow me slightly. I still feel like when I run people are probably looking thinking ah bless her, overweight and bright red giving it a go.

I must admit although it was much more comfortable and manageable than maintaining that slightly quicker pace I still couldn’t get my head around the slowing down bit – at times it felt harder to be going slower than was natural but I know I would have probably blown out if I had tried to do the whole thing at my normal pace.

I managed the first 12k without needing a walking break and so that is also the first time I have conquered a 10k without having to stop for a short walk or breather. Towards the home straight I had a couple of times where I needed to catch my breath but only for a matter of seconds.

I finished 10 miles in 1 hour and 45 minutes giving me an average of 10.32 minute miles and that included a couple of walks but for a total of 1 minute only over the whole thing. If anyone needs a pacer I may rent out my husband – he’s really very good at it!

Although on the event day I will have to do an additional 3.1 miles on top of that I am so pleased I actually completed 10 miles, managed the pace I set out to do and wasn’t a complete miserable whiny b*tch.

Now I won’t lie about 1k from home I had a little wobble and a teeny weeny cry (almost). I am not even sure why I think it was just as we were almost done (which is always nice) and I was going to finish it. I also got home and was starving! It hit me almost instantly – the need for food!

rungry

And i didn’t have an ‘I will wet myself moment’! It comes to something when at 35 you are feeling pretty epic that you completed a long run and didn’t wet yourself!

I didn’t lose any weight this week – I can’t lie I am getting a tad bit fed up with this weight loss plateau. I lost the 2lb I put on over christmas but this plateau is a stubborn old cow! Though I will remember that even if I cannot see the numbers on the scales changing that I will not get discouraged as I can see the results elsewhere!

Category: OCR

Nuclear Races …with my son!

I took part, with the amazing team Scrambled Legs, in Nuclear Fallout in November and received an email shortly after to sign up for a free taster session, bringing along someone who had not been before. I signed myself up straight away and for those who have been to Nuclear before or taken part in a Nuclear Races event will know why I didn’t even need a second thought!

So I have a 17 year old son, Jack. Jack has taken part in a Spartan sprint with my husband/his dad before but had not been to Nuclear so I asked if he would like to be my newbie for the session. In typical 17 year old fashion he said yeah ok, completely emotionless.

On Saturday we headed to Brentwood for the taster session.

The taster sessions at Nuclear are brilliant for people who might want to get involved in obstacle runs but are not sure of what that entails. They are £17 per person, cover approximately 5-7k (depending on what part of the course the group you are in is assigned) and the session lasts for approximately 90 minutes.

What I love most about Nuclear is that they own the land so this obstacle run is not put up to be taken down again but instead is full of natural obstacles, using the forests, fields, lakes on the land, as well as man made obstacles.

Now I won’t lie I was hoping that it was a signed 5-7k and we would be let loose. I didn’t really want to be taken around my a marshall, which was the case, BUT I am so pleased we were and that I was wrong, as this is not a mini event it is an introduction to what you should expect from a Nuclear obstacle event.

Everyone who was there for the taster session was divided into groups and my son and I were in the black group, led by some of the Nuclear family – Manners and Dita and also Craig. And how invaluable these guys were!! We set off and every obstacle we came to they explained techniques and how to get over/across/through them. Having taken part in Fallout and knowing what obstacles I wasn’t able to get over/past before it was great that during the taster session I was able (with a lot of help) to complete the Ridge of Revenge, the 5.5 vertical wooden wall Vertigo and landed without falling in the water on the No Snivelling Swing.

We were also able to have a go on 3 obstacles that were not part of Fallout and were just for the Champs course, the Cliff Hanger, Dragons Back and the Sternum Checker.

I attempted all and was successful (even if with help) on all apart from the Berlin Wall – I think my tits are too big to get close enough to the wall and I fell off as I did before but I tried! I wasn’t brave enough to have a go on one of the champs obstacles, Dragons Back, where you climb up a chain link fence to a landing and jump across to the next and repeat but my son, Jack, did and I must say he does not get his upper body strength from me! I have a lot to learn in that area and my upper body strength is similar to that of a baby bird (without wings) whereas he could swing across monkey bars with ease!

At the end of the session we were all asked if we wanted to have a go on the Death Slide obstacle. Jack looked at me questioning an obstacle that was called Death Slide but I told him to put his hand up and off we ran with our group to the obstacle. This was possibly my favourite part of Fallout – the part the death slide is in completely was the best!

I am actually truly gutted that I cannot make the next Nuclear event in May but I will be back for both the September and November events and if you are thinking about it I would urge you to sign up as you will not be disappointed. Want to check it out beforehand? Have a look on the website and sign yourself up for the next taster session.

You get wet, you get muddy and you have fun the process – what is there to think about?! I know 3 people who want to book a taster session and I am going to tag along just so I can get to do it all over again…and again…and again!

Category: Fitness

My goals for 2016

In 2014 I did a couple of 5k runs and got a bike. In 2015 I trained for various events, both cycling and running. In 2016 I am setting myself goals, big goals for me.

On 1st January I had a blank page of a 365 page book and I intend to write a good one! I don’t want my goals to just be a January 1st kind of thing and will set them weekly and monthly if necessary so that I am always moving forward and always trying to progress.

I saw a quote online that said ‘It’s hard to get fit, but it’s harder to look at the mirror and dislike what you see’. I am still on my journey and I am hoping that by the end of 2016 that quote won’t apply to me. I have said before I may not be the best or the quickest but I try my hardest!

So my 2016 Goals are:

Running

Complete 25 Park Runs – this may not sound like a lot but I am signed up to a lot of events and some of those on Park Run days.
Work on my pace when running and take time to complete slower recovery runs – my runs are always at the same pace and I am trying to go slower to increase my distance and then can work on speed if I want.
Take part in a team effort of the 24 hour Spitfire Scramble run – a 24 hour run completing a 10k loop (just under) in turns over the 24 hour period with an amazing group of ladies.
Achieve a sub hour 10k – I have done it once but when out running with the dog and as I have to stop to let her on and off the lead and pick up after her (thought that was the nicest way of putting that) it would be nice to achieve this at an actual event.
Achieve a sub 27 minute 5k.
Complete my first half marathon.

Cycling

Complete my first duathlon.
Complete a 100 mile ride in sub 5 and a half hours.
Complete Newcastle to London bike ride in 24 hours – 311 miles with two lovely ladies and a lot of chamois cream!
Increase my Functional Threshold Power (FTP) to 200.

OCRs

Complete my first Spartan obstacle race.
Get back to Nuclear Races for their obstacle races (which are awesome).
Improve my upper body strength and be able to do more than just 2 monkey bars!

Targets

Not be so scared of the weights section of the gym and use it to tone up as I lose more weight.
Lose my final 28lbs – actually 30lbs as I put on 2lbs over christmas I just found out with my first weigh in (happy new year).
Enjoy the events I sign up for and celebrate finishing rather than always being hung up on finishing times.
Be proud of myself and what I have achieved.
Learn how my technical gadgets work so I don’t have to keep bugging the hubby.

Here’s to a year of better habits, positive thinking, clean eating and most of all loving myself! This Girl Can!

Category: Fitness

A round up of 2015

2015 was pretty much my first full year of training and it’s been busy. I always say it but if someone had asked me a year or two back if I would be one of those people that plan my life around events and running and cycling I would have probably choked on the cake I was eating. But I have!

I have managed to cycle 2,010 miles and run 400 miles and I have the many medals to prove it (I will admit now I am somewhat of a medal whore).

I was also introduced to obstacle running events and LOVE them!

I took part in 30 events; 18 running events, 9 cycling events and 3 OCRs. In addition to that I attended 60 spin classes and other gym sessions, cross fit sessions and swim sessions. Not forgetting a month long Ignite programme by the awesome Julia Buckley.

I’ve also had 3 holidays and was one of those crazy people that took running gear and ran on every one.

Although over the past couple of months I’ve lost almost no weight I have also no put it on so finish the year with a total loss of 55.5lbs – just part way through this journey.

Was trying to think of the highlights of the year and there are too many!

Obstacle runs as you know I was no that impressed with the Bear Grylls survivor run so would have to be either Commando Series or Nuclear Fallout – both amazing but very different. The Commando Series was a media event I was invited to and had an amazing time completing the course led by marines in the beautiful setting of Hever Castle. Nuclear races I have raved about since doing it and am even sad that next year I will be in New York when the first event takes place so I can’t do it. Yep you read that right I am said I am in New York and cannot run through mud and water! It’s ok though as I am going back there in just over a week with my crazy training buddy Laura to get my fix. If you have not yet been I can’t recommend it enough – seriously get involved!

Running events I think would either have to be the workshop I took part in with the amazing Julie Creffield from The Fat Girl’s Guide to Running which was 9 miles in Hyde Park giving tips on pacing and running as a group plus I got to meet and chat with Julie and all the amazing ladies there. When I first started running I was scared to go outside and run in public where actual people could see me jiggling about everywhere but anyone can run and Julie helps ladies see just that and encourages them so much. Or the Westminster Mile where the time for the This Girl Can wave changed and I didn’t get the email so got put in the next wave……..with Olympic athletes past and present! I felt ridiculous though managed an 8.34 minute mile which is my quickest ever! Hubby took a pic of me on the big screen – the whole thing was pretty surreal and again the year before I would have said no way but was there so figured why not!

Cycling events I’m not sure I can pick! I love the annual London to Southend ride my cycling club, Romford CC, take part in. I also loved the Tour de Tendring event that I completed with my hubby and was my first where I could compare over the previous year to see improvement and I did see just that as I was 4th lady overall and knocked off almost 40 minutes compared to the previous year! I can’t miss out the Prudential Ride London event, which is amazing especially to ride with friends on closed roads and we had a ball! Or meeting Dan Patten from Team Wiggins on a Yellow Jersey ride. Lastly I need to mention a ride which really left an impact on me and that was Newcastle to London completed by my amazing friend Helen. I rode stages 2 and 3 with her (almost 100 miles) and was part of her support crew as she completed 311 miles in 24 hours – fantastic!

I have made many friends who I can call on to ask advice or train with.

I am also hugely grateful to everyone who reads my blog and shares this journey with me.

Feeling pretty gushy right now writing this.

I have so much planned for 2016 but will save that for another post…..watch this space…….

In the meantime Happy New Year!

Category: Events, Fitness, Product Reviews, Running

Julia Buckley’s Ignite Programme and the Southend Rudolph 5 mile run

So as you know I had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a four week pilot for a new programme by Julia Buckley, called Ignite.

Ignite is a high impact 30 minute a day, 6 days a week exercise programme and has become my routine over the past month. One of my goals was to complete the workout early in the morning to start off my day right and not leave any excuse why I cannot do it in the evening so 5.30am has become my normal alarm time (yawn). Surprisingly I didn’t miss a single workout over the whole month – don’t get me wrong I wake up like everyone else sometimes thinking meh but I got up and did it and feel so much better for it!

There are many benefits of working out like this such as:

quick but effective workout
burning more calories and fat
improves endurance and aerobic capacity
no equipment is necessary so this can be done at home, outside or in the gym (pretty much wherever you want – within reason, I mean you may look slightly odd breaking out into a workout on a packed train say)
helps with metabolism
super efficient

I won’t lie before this programme I had never done this sort of training and I did rather stupidly think that 30 minutes a day was a winner for me as it would be quick and easy. Ha ha easy it was not! Good job I set my alarm for 5.30am as I was (as usual) a sweaty tomato after every single workout so needed time to wash my hair and full on shower before I headed to work (and let my face return to normal non-red sweaty tomato colour).

I also loved the fact that every workout was different, which I was really impressed with. I am sure if I had to put it together there would be doubling up all over the place but Julia cleverly designs all the exercises around the theme of the workout. They covered:

full body
lower body
arms
core
cardio
toning

Now there is a clear difference between Julia’s level of fitness and mine, for one Julia can talk during the workout, which I most definitely can not. However, the beauty of this is that there are alternatives to do if you want to make it easier or harder.

Julia has an online gym and so you would log on and exercise alongside the video. In addition to this you can talk to other people who subscribe to the online gym so the support from Julia and the members is amazing.

If I am honest I am going to miss the workouts – even the 5.30am alarm calls!

I can’t recommend Julia and her programmes enough and I noticed the improvement yesterday when I took part in a 5 mile Rudolph run. Now I don’t particularly like running but I do it (means to an end as I like to eat and drink). The run yesterday was 5 miles and it was along the seafront in the cold, wind and rain. On pretty much every run my first mile will be quicker than I can maintain and at some point I might use some excuse like adjusting a strap or something in order to stop and take a breather. BUT I didn’t need to do that today I ran and I checked my pace and when it felt hard I slowed ever so slightly until I could pick up the pace again. I won’t know if it is a PB as I have never completed a 5 mile distance run before to compare it to but I was far less grumpy than usual and I ran with my husband and he was impressed with my improvement and I know many people on Julia’s plans notice an improvement in other disciplines such as running.

So if you are thinking of switching things up a bit, can’t get to a gym, don’t want to go to a gym, want help and advice and a tailored workout you should check it out – it works!

The plan will be available to download in ebook form in the new year so I will add a link when it is.