plum swings! a diary

Plumfoodie said:
Level 2 week 5 core done, with 6kg apart from those blasted coconuts!!! This routine really got me sweating, I must admit. The yellow ribbon wave thing is very like halos, but as my core was already tired by then I could really feel it. Can't believe next week will be week 6, it seems to have flown this time.

That said I do wish core wasn't 3 sets as if it's a hard routine I really dread set 3! All in the mind, I must try to conquer this!
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It really is flying by - week 5 already! The coconuts are a bu&&er. I hate them and they go on forever. The yellow ribbon thing is ok - good for a breather - although my all time breather fave is the passing the bell round the body. I love that even though I am forced to look at Kimberley and Heather! :)

Did you get to the Flying Supermans yet? I could have sworn they were in week4 advanced resistance. Perhaps it was cardio so you wouldn't get them - that would be a shame.
 
Will reply properly when on my laptop but just wanted to say I am going to try swapping my routine this week. I missed resistance again last week as work being hugely pants and the shorter days are wreaking havoc with my M.E. So I'm going to do resistance on Monday (when I'm usually feeling more rested) and core on Thursday (when I've been feeling really poo). Hopefully this will be better and I will be able to carry on like this when back from my holiday. My muscles are noticeably impacted by having missed these sessions and I don't like it!
 
Ohh I can't multi-quote over the turn of the page I don't think! Boo! I will try to have to use my brain instead. Boo!

Sue, your treadmill sounds great and like you've made a really good start. I used to run (waaaay back in the day) and it's best to start at the pace you find comfortable to allow your body to get used to the impacts etc. as otherwise you can get shin splints and sore joints and stuff which can be quite discouraging and enough to put one off entirely. By all means keep a note of how long/what pace you've run so you can measure your progress but focus on feeling like you're slightly challenging yourself and you can't go wrong. :) Those Enell bras are certainly the business aren't they! I had a bit of a giggle at the idea of Mr Sue attempting to airwalk, hehe. :D

By the way there's a really good gentle stretch you can do for the ankles/feet - sit on the floor with one leg stretched in front of you and the other one crossed as if you were sitting cross-legged. First bend the toes/foot back towards the ankle and hold, then press them gently forward so your toe is pointed to stretch the top of the foot and hold, then finally with your hand on the tops of the toes turn them gently so that the bottom of your toes/foot is pointing vaguely skyward to stretch the outside of your ankle, and hold.
 
I'm really pleased, I completed level 2 week 4 resistance today with a total mix of bells (6kg, 10lb, 7.5lb and 5lb all got an airing). Doing resistance on Monday seemed to work ok so I'll try to stick with this when I come back from Cyprus. I guess I could get away with doing it on Thursdays after two long days at work over the summer because I always feel perkier in the summer. :) I think doing Core on Thursday should be achievable though as I always find it easier.

I liked today's routine although I had to take some of the exercises at my own pace. Still no flying Supermans so I think I must have missed them in a cardio routine somewhere. Never mind! I liked the side step and pass although had to slow this right down. My wrists are still not up to doing pushups on the floor so instead of spartan pushups I did more mantlepiece pushups but with a close grip and keeping my elbows in tight to my body, which worked my triceps (which I think was the point of the spartan pushups?). Today was very triceppy and I'm definitely going to feel them tomorrow!!! Today I focussed on squeezing the bell to work my forearms as I can be a bit slack with this and they're starting to look a bit twiggy in comparison to the top of my arms.

I am still struggling with the front plank twists as once I get into the twisted position I have to concentrate on not collapsing before I return to facing forward! I am not finding that level 2 works the sides of the core as well as level 1 and have noticed a little bit of loss of tone at the sides of my waist. I do still replace one-armed swings with standing ab twists and horse-stance side bends when the swings appear but am even finding them more difficult. So I am looking forward to returning to level 1 after my holiday! :)

Last time I went to Cyprus was in May (my mom lives there so I visit twice a year) and I had only been doing KW for a couple of months then. I will definitely feel a lot more confident in my swimming costume this time! Still not quite ready to brave a bikini in public but hopefully next May. :)
 
Well done Plum, you are doing so well considering your ME. Perhaps the Supermans were in Cardio - I can't remember now. You never know they might pop up when you least expect them!

I don't do the plank twist anymore - not since I broke my little toe earlier in the year. It still isn't quite right and it hurts it to do the twists. The normal one is fine though so I just substitute that instead. I would imagine your Mum will see the difference in you since May. You rock your cozzie!

Thanks for the stretching advice. This seems to have sorted itself with me buying some proper trainers which provide the right stability for me. I have to say I am loving the running so far - just started week 2 this morning and didn't really notice the increase in running time. I think it gets pretty intense around week 4 - can't wait! :) I know I am a bit bad about monitoring my pace and distance etc - but I do respond to little mini-targets. I think that naturally I will slow down as the time for the runs increases. At the moment running at 4.5mph is perfectly manageable for 2 minutes - but doing it for 5 minutes will be a whole new ball-game!

Still nothing ventured and all that. Keep Swinging!
 
Thanks Sue. Think how excited I will be if the supermans ever do suddenly appear! :D

Glad that your shoes have sorted out the soreness you were having, nothing to stop you now! Running is an amazing thing once you get into it, when you're running because you want to and not because some school teacher is making you do 200m sprints or something!
 
Level 2 week 6 core done! That's me done for this round altho I missed out 2 weeks of resistance. Back to level 1 when I return in just over a week!
 
Well done Plum. Now go and relax and have a fab hols. xx
 
For some reason I think I thought that I'd start back up with Ryan yesterday despite my flight arriving at 3:30 a.m. and me getting a grand total of about 4 hours sleep! It didn't work out that way (shock horror) and I'm really busy at work today and tomorrow and still really awfully tired from my trip. So I'm not going to push myself, but I plan to be back to week 1 resistance next Monday! If I manage to do a little workout Thursday or Saturday this will be a bonus but I'm only going to do it if I really feel up to it.
 
Hi Plum - welcome back. Hope you had a good time. Now I'm all for kettlebells and you know my devotion to Ryan - but seriously doing a workout after 4 hours sleep??!! :eek: Madness, woman! :asskick:
 
Cat Lover Sue said:
Hi Plum - welcome back. Hope you had a good time. Now I'm all for kettlebells and you know my devotion to Ryan - but seriously doing a workout after 4 hours sleep??!! :eek: Madness, woman! :asskick:
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Thank you Sue, I really enjoyed myself and after the dismal summer it really did me good to see the sun! Even went swimming (well, randomly bobbing) in the sea and didn't feel self concious in my cossie, so thank you Ryan!

I agree about the madness, LOL, I honestly don't know what I was thinking! :D

How are things with you?
 
Oh, week one resistance, how I missed you! Pretty pleased with today, I managed to use the 7.5kg bell for the first time ever! I needed to use the 6kg for the one-armed shoulder press, and the 7.5lb (in set 1) and 10lb (in set 2) for the punches and flies, but other than that it was the 7.5kg all the way! :D
 
I have decided that as my goal now is centred around getting my body fat % into the range with less risk of health consequences (under 32%) and I am otherwise happy with my weight and size, to set my goal weight back up to 150 lb, increase my calories to maintenance levels, and focus on trying to build muscle and get rid of fat - which the bells can only help with! I guess that officially makes me a maintainer (although one still seeking improvement, lol) which feels pretty strange! If I go up or down a few pounds in this process that will be ok; if I can still fit into my size 12 trousers I'll be happy! :D

I was hoping to have kept more lean mass and to be closer to the body fat goal by now but whilst chatting with a friend came to realise that I need to accept what is realistic for me and my circumstances, which is to keep plugging away - it will happen when it happens!
 
Congratulations Plum and well done! You are a kettlebell veteran and it had paid off. Keep it up :)
 
Week 1 core done with the 7.5kg. That extra 1.5kg is sure noticeable! I had to do only 4 half get ups on each side in set 3 instead of my usual 5, and by the end my hands were tired too from having to keep the extra weight from falling on my face!

Today I'm starting to take glutamine and creatine in small amounts; both are meant to be helpful for M.E. and I'm hoping they will help me tone my muscles more too. It may be over a month before any effect is noticeable so I'll give them until Christmas (unless my system doesn't tolerate them of course).
 
Hi Plum - apologies been a bit awol on here recently so only just caught up with your progress. Congratulations on the Maintenance badge - pretty ain't it! :D I think its a sign of good mental health and positive attitude to know when you are happy where you are with your weight etc. Your reasoning all sounds good to me and the fact that you remain focus on your body fat goal is great. Always good to keep one eye on the ball.

Its surprising how a little extra weight on the balls can keep you challenged. Again its another reason why I like kettlebells so much.

I'm taking a wee break from Cardio and Resistance starting this week. I'm on week 6 of the C25K programme and needing to focus on keep my leg strength up for that. The runs are mostly non-stop now for at least 20 minutes and I do feel it in my legs and hips, so I don't want to overdo things. But I am still continuing with a Core session once a week just to keep things ticking over. Never fear I haven't deserted my Ryan!

Talking of desserts! (ha ha - see what I did there), it's our annual shopping trip to Glasgow this Friday/Saturday. Already drooling over the TGI Fridays menu. So looking forward to a mahoosive dinner and pud and cocktail (or three)! Good job I'm doing all this exercise, eh!! The maintenance side of things is still going ok. I have my 4lb buffer under my goal weight in place so this should be enough to counteract the damage about to be done!

Catch ya later xxx
 
Week 2 resistance done with the 7.5kg and 10lb for some of the shoulder presses! A day late so I had to do it after work, which I normally try to avoid. On Saturday I did a beginner body weight exercise workout which included many lunges and squats (and on Sunday a loong - for me - walk) and until today I was still too sore for the bells! My backside felt like I would never be able to move again, haha.

Cat Lover Sue said:
Hi Plum - apologies been a bit awol on here recently so only just caught up with your progress. Congratulations on the Maintenance badge - pretty ain't it! :D I think its a sign of good mental health and positive attitude to know when you are happy where you are with your weight etc. Your reasoning all sounds good to me and the fact that you remain focus on your body fat goal is great. Always good to keep one eye on the ball.

Its surprising how a little extra weight on the balls can keep you challenged. Again its another reason why I like kettlebells so much.

I'm taking a wee break from Cardio and Resistance starting this week. I'm on week 6 of the C25K programme and needing to focus on keep my leg strength up for that. The runs are mostly non-stop now for at least 20 minutes and I do feel it in my legs and hips, so I don't want to overdo things. But I am still continuing with a Core session once a week just to keep things ticking over. Never fear I haven't deserted my Ryan!

Talking of desserts! (ha ha - see what I did there), it's our annual shopping trip to Glasgow this Friday/Saturday. Already drooling over the TGI Fridays menu. So looking forward to a mahoosive dinner and pud and cocktail (or three)! Good job I'm doing all this exercise, eh!! The maintenance side of things is still going ok. I have my 4lb buffer under my goal weight in place so this should be enough to counteract the damage about to be done!

Catch ya later xxx
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Thank you Sue! And good for you sticking with the C25K and focussing on it. I think completing it is a really good goal and you're being entirely sensible by targeting your efforts appropriately. Core will still help a lot and the others will be there when you want them again! :) do you have a 5k race or anything in mind for when you reach the end of the training programme? I'm really impressed that your maintenance is going so well as it can be notoriously tricky.

Have fun in Glasgow, it does us good to let the hair down from time to time I think! :D x
 
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