How did you find Forever Strong?
Sheer Luck! (or bad luck!!) ha-ha! depending on how you look at things. I was just surfing the net trying to find a gym or personal training close to home. I'd put on a few kilos through leading a very sedentary lifestyle and needed outside help to get fitter. The fact that I could walk to and from the studio, thus adding to extra incidental exercise, was a bonus. I chose a personal trainer over a gym because I needed someone to take control and motivate me because really, I'm the sort of person who would prefer to stuff my face while reading a good book instead of being "tortured"!
But you've stuck at it?
Yes, I'm still asking myself why I keep coming back for more! Must be the charming, friendly, sympathetic trainers ...hmmmmmm!!! But seriously, when I first started just over a year ago, I literally had to crawl on my hands and knees back up that blasted Andrew Street hill to get home. I'm sure it took me at least 5 minutes just to make it back to the top, upon which I felt like I was about to have a massive coronary. I was completely devoid of any fitness whatsoever. It started to become easier and quicker to walk up that hill and my clothes were starting to fit again so I knew something good was happening. I don't attempt to kill myself when I workout outside my 2 days of personal training….I just do 30 mins of some interval training on my treadmill, followed by leg, abs and upper body exercises at least 3 other days a week. I watch TV whilst I workout so it helps distract me.
So has it all been worth it?
It's such a good feeling being able to fit into clothes that were once a little too snug, my jeans keep falling off me and I have to buy belts to keep them up – who hoo!! Fortunately, I don't have to buy new clothes, I just look better in my old ones. Plus I feel a bit chuffed being able to walk up 5 flights of stairs at work (painful) but you feel good at the end, whereas I don't think I would have contemplated it last year. So fitness levels have definitely improved although I will never be a marathon runner!!
I need to take it up a notch in 2011 as there is still some more flab and kilos to be lost. I'm going to have to be stricter with my diet (which is going to be my toughest challenge) as I'm a total, nut case of a foodie!!
I've been known to plan holidays around food…i.e. I make reservations at restaurants that interest me before the trip and the itinerary will always include visiting some well known food establishment, patisserie etc. I need to make a quick trip to Sydney again to check out Black Star Patisserie which apparently has even better macaroons than Adriano Zumbo (you know, the 'evil' patisserie from Masterchef). Meanwhile, his macaroons are the best I've ever had to date, so I'll be the judge of whether Black Star is better. Mmmmmmm…..can't wait!!
I'd like to thank Megs and Sharron for putting up with my "colourful" language whilst being put through my paces. I just can't help myself. They must have been proper little Nazis in a former life…the nasty things they do to us!! But you do see the results if you just persevere and put down that 5th Tim Tam!!!
I think the fitness journey that people like you and me are on, can be summed up in the words of Truman Capote: "Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavour".
We might be slightly tubby one day and feel pretty crappy, but how good does it feel when, like me, you're able to fit into your favourite clothes again and start to feel like you've really achieved something?