Pole Workshop...Bruises and Big Spins.

So tonight I attended my first ever pole workshop, with the fabulous and famous Leigh-Ann Reily, from Los Angeles, USA.

I was pretty nervous to be honest, but I really want to advance at pole dancing, and I'm at a stage where the perfection of technique is what I need in order to keep progressing into bigger and stronger moves. It meant I missed my usual pole class (boo) but was totally worth the time and money.

The first workshop was big spins. I love spinning, it's my favourite thing to do and what I feel pole dancing is all about. A lot of people prefer the high level tricks and flicks, and I agree they look fabulous, but tricks alone do not a good routine make. I've been in the audience watching a trick heavy performance, and although I appreciate how hard it is, I do find myself thinking "ok you're strong...but what else can you do". The spin workshop was amazing and I learned a lot about body positioning and the science behind the spin, because if you don't push off right you're destined to a poor spin! I could feel an almost immediate improvement in my spins, and I can't wait to get back to class and use the technique in every spin I can think of!

My second workshop was problem tricks, and I will admit this is where I stumbled a bit more. At this stage every trick is a problem haha because I'm developing the strength I need in order to pull them off. But despite everyone else in the class being more advanced than me I took LOADS away, stuff I can use to improve tricks now and that I will defo keep in mind for when I am trying the tougher moves. Again, biology and science was at the forefront, if your body isn't in the right shape you cannot nail the move. It's about engaging every muscle and forcing your body into the shape it needs to be in so that you use the least amount of energy possible allowing you to hold for longer and maintain your stamina through-out a routine.

The whole experience was amazing. Leigh-Ann was so lovely - I couldn't stop staring at her body, she was so hot it hurts! Her tummy was amazing!! She was modest in her moves though, she knew she was good at what she does, but her desire is to help others reach their goals. All the girls in the class were lovely, and I made some new pole friends which was great. I'm really looking forward to attending more workshops in the future, and have now started a wee pole notebook that I will take with me through-out my pole journey.

Of course none of this would be happening if it wasn't for my amazing instructor Claire, who runs PB Dance and Fitness. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be here writing this blog, with my right wrist shredded, feeling on top of the world. I Heart Pole Blog biggin up the PB girls will be coming soon!

This weeks result...its a loss!

Well yesterday was my first weigh in after getting my act together and really pushing through on the diet and exercise front. I'm not following a plan or anything, I've tried and failed too many times at those I just decided to use my knowledge and be as physically healthy as I could and see what happened.

I have had either eggs or oats from breakfast, fruit and yogurt for snacks, pasta for lunch and no-carb (or as close as I can get) dinners. I exercised hard, even tried lifting weights (my arms are still killing me four days after).

And the result....A LOSS! A Huge Loss!! 2 pounds and 10 ounces!!

Turns out the point numbers on my scales are ounces, I never realised. HaHa!

I am so proud of myself, its made the effort, the planning, the pain, the TEARS, worth it. If I can keep up this progress I will be more than happy! I'm keeping a positive mantra: Pain is Gain, Go Hard or Go Home, and that working for today means a better body tomorrow. I've filled my istagram, facebook and twitter feeds full of positive messages and photos, recipes and ideas for change. I've even been looking at fantasy ballgowns, which if I ever make it to a size 10 I'm buying, just because I can!!

Next week's goal - 2 pounds and 6 ounces - which would take me up to a total 5 pounds in 2 weeks!

Come On!!!!

Weights and Cheat Days

I have had a super amazing week. I've been so good this week, real fruit smoothies, no carb dinners and lots and lots of exercise. I've done spin, I've done badminton, I've done pole and this week I tried a new thing: WEIGHTS!

As I said before manfriend has been very focused on weights, and has learned a lot through magazines and online articles. His body really changed as a result, and I'd been thinking about trying it out for a while. Plus I'd been promising myself that I'd give manfriend a chance, as he's always been supportive of me and trying to help me get fitter. I've maybe not always been the most.......appreciative student!

Also every women' fitness magazine I buy is recommending weight lifting for girls. It's apparently one of the quickest ways to change your body shape and burn calories.

So this weekend I said to manfriend, lets lift weights...show me how.

We did arm weights - threw a 5kg medicine ball for 10 mins back and forth to work the forearms, that was fine and I actually found myself thinking "this isn't so bad!". Then we started doing pyramid training on the biceps and triceps. For those of you who don't know what pyramid training is you start with a small weight and do 20 reps, then move onto a medium weight and do 12 reps, then a heavy weight and 6 reps, then 12 reps of the medium and finally 20 reps of the smallest weight again. Minimum recovery time to produce maximum tissue growth in the muscles. Its a body building technique, but produces amazing toning in the areas that you choose to work. Thing is that by the medium weight on the way up your arm starts to get sore, on the heaviest weight the pain is ripping through you, and on the way back down you feel like your lifting the heaviest weight every single time.

Oh My Gawd!!!!!!!!!

I physically cried, wept, the whole way through. Every self doubt went through my mind, every negative feeling, but manfriend was amazing - he was supportive, he was motivating, and he pushed me through and I managed it. Every single lift. My arms are aching but it was totally worth it (ssshhh don't tell manfriend that I actually am glad I done it...he still feels bad for making me cry!).

My arms are killing me today...but I have had a great weekend. I went out with beautiful friends on Saturday, I had three drinks, lots of water and danced for aggges! Then today we took tiny human to the ski slopes for her birthday. I decided to have a cheat day, we had burger king, birthday cake, and Chinese noodles. mmmmm....

I may be struggling to fully straighten my left arm, but at least I don't have to do it again until next Saturday!!!

Little victories

So yes, I know it is only Tuesday, but one thing we are not good at is celebrating the little victories in life. So I thought I would share how well I am doing 2 days in.

I've been super good today again, and I am achieving my mini goals I set myself this week. The only down side is the rising costs in toilet paper from drinking all that water. My head has been sore today but I am attributing that to caffeine and refined sugar withdrawl and hoping it will pass soon enough. I've only drank water and milk in the last two days, I've made my lunches, ate breakfast and exercised. Spin fit today was great, felt so good when me and gym bunny buddy came out that we booked straight back in for next week. We're going for a wee game of badminton on Thursday evening (hopefully) so it'll be a welcome reprive from the classes.

I'm still aiming for my 2lbs off this week. It's tiny humans birthday on Saturday, not sure what is happening yet but I'll do my best to eat clean. I'm abstaining from alcohol this weekend too, and probably the next.

I've also given some thought to training with the manfriend. He is so motivated at times, and really should be a personal trainer. The main problem is though that because of our relationship I feel that I can say things to him I wouldn't say to a PT. I'd probably push harder with a PT, do everything they say, but I find myself questioning my manfriend, becoming annoyed because he pushes me too hard, makes me feel small. I really shouldn't do this, it isn't fair and at the end of the day he has done much better than I have.

We will be terribly busy this weekend, but I think I will take my gym kit up

and see if we can get away for 30mins to an hour. Manfriend lifts a lot of weights, and every womens fitness magazine I read tells me that women should lift, that it's amazing for their bodies. So I think I'm going to give that a try this weekend, if the manfriend will have me.

Anyways, nothing else really to report, it's all good news for a change this week so far. I'm getting to a point I'm probably boring my facebook friends a lot from weight loss/ food based posts so I've kinda moved over to Instagram for daily updates and will try keep facebook for more out of the ordinary posts. If you want to follow my Instagram page my user name is crazechickadee. I couldn't set up a link for some reason (soz!)

Hope everyone if feeling the zone like I am so far.

Food Glorious Food...and cider....and sunshine

Many people say that the summer invigorates them to exercise more...unfortunatly for me I find myself invited to endless weekends, BBQs, and days out to the beer gardens. And my summer drink of choice is Cider, Strawberry and Pear cider to be exact.

So despite having lost 2.8lbs without really trying over a couple of weeks, I managed to put 2.2 back on post weekend with the inlaws. I had a great time, lots of cider and cocktails, beautiful food and great company. It was nice to chill out and get pampered for a while.

But alas, today is Monday and in the usual Monday fashion the diet starts today. I've been really good so far, had a raw berry bar and a smoothie for breakfast, I've drank 750ml of water so far and it's only lunchtime, and I had a reduced fat tuna sandwhich for lunch (never organised on a Monday!).

My gym bunny buddy is well up for an energetic week, she facebooked me Sunday to inform me we're going hard it in! She's my personal trainer! So it looks like spinning on Tuesday, Pole on Wednesday and either a game of badminton or 20/20/20 Thursday. Oft!

Tonights plan - major housework needed, and then I'll cook up my pasta dishes for lunchtime this week and have a nosey in the freezer for dinners.

Target for this week - 2lbs off.
Mini goals - drink 1.5ltrs water daily, eat more fruit, complex carb free dinners.

oh dear...little motivation = fat belly and no blogging

Ok, Ok, I admit it - I'm a terrible blogger. Truth be told my motivation has been so low these past few weeks I've pretty much been too unmotivated to even wash a dish never mind blog. On top of that I've still been smoking, which has crushed my confidence (and ego) again.

In better news I have been offered a new job closer to where I lived, and where I plan to move back to. This move will be permanent for me, so I am thinking about getting a gym membership, especially as the winter months roll in. However, as a result of this amazing exciting news I've also spent most of my free time packing and moving unnecessary household items, which has resulted in me collapsing in bed at the end of the day and getting up to do it all over again.

Anyways excuses aside I have started to make some movements towards getting back into the swing of things. I went to spin fit last Thursday, first time since before my tooth operation (had wisdom teeth removed so missed a week of exercise which somehow has rolled into 4 weeks...oops). It was horrific, I was terrible, total sweat fest, but I'm glad I went.

I planned to do some weights this weekend with my manfriend but life took over. Friday night we were too tired and hot after sitting out in the sun, Saturday was spent helping my mum with some gardening and then a gentle ramble around Finlaystone Park with tiny human, and Sunday manfriend was bowling so I was stuck with tiny human and we pretty much ate and watched films plus had a little run around in the park. Nothing strenuous and my fitness instructor let me down ;)

This week I am going to try and make amends, hopefully if my gym bunny buddy can book us in we've got two classes lined up this week, plus my pole classes are being replaced by four weeks of pole workshops (tres excited and also a tiny bit afraid) I have a feeling I'm going to be hurting after that!

I also hit the local supermarket today at the perfect time for discounted meat, got very lean mince, fish and turkey breasts all reduced. I have a kinda half day tomorrow (working from home) so once the carpet fitters are finished I'm going to prep some food. Money is kinda tight this month (because of the same carpet fitters and an impromptu trip to the in-laws this weekend) so I'm going to really have to watch the pennies.

Also my brother and I have a pact to stop smoking together tomorrow - he's a kid on smoker (social smoker) but we've agreed to stop together. Forfeits if we cheat:
1. First offence - the other person names three things they know you like and you can't have them for a week.
2. Second offence - you are a personal slave for 2 weeks to the other person.
3. Third and final offence - you get told on to mum and dad! ECK! No, kidding, a double hit of both the above for 2 months.

For all cheat cigarettes ~£1 has to be donated to a charity of the other persons choice.

And we HAVE to be totally, 100% honest with each other, no punishments, bad feelings, or guilt trips - just an acceptance that your sibling has let you down, a gentle shake of the head

"I'm not angry...I'm just disappointed", and let the forfeit begin.