Count your calories to get fit!!

I found a FREE calorie counter...

When you're about to bite into that Bacon sandwich that is dripping with fat aand butter... But tastes oh so good...

You can work out how much it'll cost ya here:
http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/fitness/menuminceur/fmenuminceur2.asp?orig=menu&energ=2000

Women we're supposed to consume up to 2000 calories and men... 2500.

Running update - Wk 4 Day 2

Back on it today...

Ran 3 mins (fooking hard) then Walked 3 mins X 4.

I did it all as per plan... And it was tough... But I felt good at the end of it.

Covered 2.55km.
And spent 26mins on the machine....

I'm a little bit worried that i've only ever covered a distance of 2.5 km
Esp when i'm supposed to be running 5km soon :-/
...And 2.5km leaves me looking like a drowned rat when i've finished.

I hope this plan pans out for me... a little dubious it has to be said.

Running update - wk4 Day 1

Ok...

So i'm now on week 4 of my bupa running programme.
Hoorah!!

I even bought new running shoes on sat AND some proper running socks.
The socks are padded in the right places and they are also ventilated. They are like magic socks.

So I got to the gym this morning and realised that I had not picked up my running plan and didn't know what I was supposed to be doing today...

So i just free styled and figured I'd do the official plan task tomorrow.

So today:

I did: Run 90 secs x walk 90 secs X 4

I took it fairly easy today as I played basketball last night and ran my timed mile on sunday.

Then I hopped off and done shit loads of push ups.
Proper ones. Not girly ones with the knees on the floor...
Honestly, what's the point of that?

Tomorrows running plan is to run 3mins x Walk 3mins X 4 - Holly foccacia.

I Love BASKETBALL

Basketball is the one thing that allows me a true and complete escape from life.

I go there and I play hard for 2 or 3 hours and the only thing I think about - is BASKETBALL!

Me, my game, beating others and working hard!

No worries about bills.

No worries about fellas.
No worries about scabby girlfriends.

No worries about ANYTHING.

It all gets vanquished away.

The great thing about it is you don't realise whilst you are doing it that its reducing your stress and worries without you even knowing it.

I got home tonight - after an impromptu scrimmage - and I feel GREAT.

My sadness and disappointment of yesterday - GONE!

Onwards and upwards...

I Love BASKETBALL and all its uncertified healing properties!!!

I don't care how cool Michael thinks he looks..
He still looks a bit gay to me.

I laughed so hard when he bust this one out.
I was bent over in stitches.

Had to make him strike a pose!

http://www.shootaballnotagun.com

Running update - wk3 Day 2

Well at the end of this week according to my running plan I was supposed to run and time my first mile.

So I did it today.

I wanted to be under 10mins...

However... It HURT!

So I completed my first recorded mile in....

A whopping....

11mins and 10secs!

'AUNTY FLO' visited this week - and my Running update - wk3 Day 1

I was back in the gym today after a whopping SIX day absence.

Reason for this:

1) The weekend got in the way (way too much fun was to be had)
2) My ‘Aunty Flo’ arrived on Monday… And when 'that time of the month' comes around quite frankly, I become a useless specimen. I generally go into hibernation & sleep for 2 days until it passes!

On Tuesday I actually got dressed in my gym clothes, packed up the Ipod and my water bottle.. I got to the front door and Aunty Flo took over and dictated that I go straight back to bed immediately. I didn’t even take my gym clothes off before I was asleep. This also happened on Wednesday too. I did however try…

On weds - half way through my 'forced by aunt flo - back to bed nap', whilst still dressed in my gym clothes... my mummy moo rocks up and rings the doorbell. Forcing me to wake up and open the door… Yep, in my gym clothes whilst half asleep.

She was all perky; I was all frowny (that’s not even a real world lol).

I think I actually made her a coffee with my eyes still closed... And I kept rambling on about 'I was going to the gym... honest' - because it was way past 12pm and I had blatantly been busted - still sleeping lol. Anyway - she offered to buy me lunch. I wanted to say no, but Aunty Flo forced me to say yes and forego the gym.

We ended up going to Maggies café. She wanted to walk – I was having none of this walking malarkey... so I drove – its about a 10 min walk teehee, I’m a bad child I know, I know… But she put up as much resistance to getting in the car as I did to saying ‘No.. err Yeah’ to having lunch in a greasy spoon café instead of going to the gym.

Aww good old Irish Maggies cafe in Lewisham – It’s a LEGENDARY café, it’s been there as long as I can remember … my earliest memories of it are from about age 10 +. I ended up eating a HUGE omelette with chips... I didn't want to do it.. But Aunty Flo made me! It was delicious and contained Ham, cheese and onion… Yumtastic.

We had a good old chat... It was really nice.

I dropped her home - and remembering that she had a garden... and what with the sun being out (it was stonkingly hot day yesterday) - Aunty Flo suggested to me that I go and sunbathe in the garden, read magazines and keep her company (I played no part in this decision whatsoever it was all aunty flo's doing) - I ended up sitting about in pink shorts, big glasses and a vest - ripping out advertorials from magazines - this was all so I didn't feel too bad about doing NO work that day - I kinda felt like I was sort of working.. You know... Research for work blah blah companies to contact… blah blah blah).

I tell you what... She’s a right bossy cow is my aunty flo – I’ve learned there is no arguing with her… If she tells me to eat chips and bacon for breakfast… then I shall… if she orders that instead of the meat I have sensibly marinating in the fridge… that I forget about it and go and buy chicken and chips cos it’s easier – then I shall. If she orders that I eat 2 bars of chocolate straight after, then who I am to argue?

Besides Monday (her day of arrival - I managed to cram in 1.5hrs of playing basketball & a day at the office) – ½ of this week has pretty much been a write off in terms of exercise and doing any real work - ALL because of my Aunty Flo visiting.

Men will never understand this problem... It's actually like your body has been taken over by some outside being... And your normal life is put on hold. There's no if's or buts about it or rationalising it. Some months I try and fight it... But this month.. and with the hot weather to boot... No chance!

And weirder than that.. only some women have this happen to them.

I’m pleased to say that today she has left (yay) – my tummy can return to its normal shape and size, my hormones are back in ‘sensible and controllable’ mode – et moi… Back in the gym!

Happy days.

The Running Update:

Well… It’s pretty poor if I’m honest:

Run 1min & Walk 1min x 5
In actual fact… It should’ve been x 10 – however my shins were killing me by the time I got to the 10 min mark… So I spent 15 mins in total on the runner and covered only 1.6 km. Poor show, I know!

I need to purchase new runners… end of!

By the end of this week I have to run and time my 1st recorded mile!
(according to my bupa running plan)

I cycled for 15.
Done 10 mins of weights (arms are feeling Goooood)
Done 10 mins of Sit ups and Push ups.

But again the Ipod died on me (i'm not impressed – me needs to visit the Ipod store, my baby is having some sort of mid life crisis – full battery but keeps turning itself off.. Not good).

So I had kiss fm blasted out of the gym’s stereo but as I appeared to have turned up during ‘The gyms granny hour’ - 2 old dears kept turning it down because they said ‘it was too loud’… I wouldn’t dare argue with either of the 2 old Jamaican granny’s (I have one of my own... I know better than that) so I had to concede.

Without my music to spurn me on I lasted 50 mins in the gym today.
Better than nothing I suppose.

Running update - wk2 Day 2

I think that maybe I should not have ran today – and actually had a day off (as per training plan advises).

I think I have over ran my legs a bit this week.... As today, my knee hurt, my calves were super tight and I had tingling in both my feet after about 20 mins!

So I cut it a bit short.

Instead of doing the planned: Run 2mins &Walk 2-4 mins X 5

I did: Run 2mins & Walk 2-4 mins X 3

With warm up and warm down I was on Machine for 23 mins and covered 2.6km.
With the ipod dying half way through - there was no motivation to go on whatsoever.

I wont be visiting the gym (during the day tomorrow) as I have 2 hours of basketball tomorrow evening…

The running shall continue….

That 10K run is my new target and I have it locked firmly in sight!

Running update - wk2 bupa plan

Today was pretty tough in the gym for me.

I put this down to:
1) Not having a proper run on the treadmill for 3 whole days
2) Playing basketball on monday night (heavy legs)
3) The packet of crisps I ate in my car right before entering the gym

I'm a genius... I know it.

Anywhoo...

Here's my update so y'all know i'm not slacking (too much).

Treadmill for 3.33km
Which was a mash up of (Run x 1min & walk 1 min X 10 times)

With a warm up and warm down I was actually on the treadmill for 32mins.

That's a whopping time on the treadmill FOR ME!

I am aware however that running just over 3k in 30 mins is pretty poo - but you know what...
I'm a beginner... And thats the nearest i've got to getting close to 5k at any one time!
And this WILL get better if i just follow the plan.

She says optimistically!!

Anyways, them be the numbers.

My mate Louise told me the other day, that on her warm up before her run home...
She had a cigarette as part of her warm up as she was gagging for one.

Update over.

Running update - wk 1

I'm hoping this running enthusiam is going to last.
I ran last night AND this morning!!!!!!!

3 times this week and i hope to get a run in over the weekend!

Today - I actually saw a dawn!

I was in the gym at 8am - I ran the following:

Ran fast 1 x min, walked 1 x min, x 6.

It was actually quite hard going with only a minute gap in between but i did it..
Actually pushed myself.

I'll have to work on that.

Was on machine for about 20 mins (with warm up and warm down).

My Running update

After my gallant start on Monday I was hoping to run on Weds...
This never happened... Just .. Cos'.

So I went in the gym again today (as basketball was cancelled tonight)...
and I plan to go in again tomorrow morn for a run as well.

*Day 2 of my Bupa Training program*
I did 2.75km on the treadmill - was on the machine for about 27/28 mins
(thats a personal record for me - never been on a contraption for so long before :-)

I Ran 1m Walk 2m X 7
I'm just easing myself in...

(wk 1 of bupa plan )

I'm Running a 1/2 marathon

Upon returning from my little weekend road trip to Wales..
I've decided to do a half marathon by the end of this year.

In a few months I will run a 5k Marathon in Cardiff with my friend Louise.
Progressing onto a 12k Run in Oct/Nov time.

My hope is to run the 5k in under 40 mins and without stopping.

Which may seem simple to some.
However, I have no runners physique.

I'm quite big boned, so am naturally heavy, I also have quite a muscly body.. And muscle is way heavier than fat!

My fitness levels i'd say are fairly high as i play basketball atleast twice aweek.
However, being asthmatic and being big built - I am no long distance runner and struggle at the moment to hit 2k without stopping....

I can stay on a basketball court running about for 2hrs - but its all about interval running... Starting and Stopping.
So this really is a huge challenge for me!

The bupa site has a great running training programme which I am now following strictly.
I'm hoping this will break me into running a longer distance without stopping.

I'm going to use this blog to record my running progress from day to day.
Hopefully I will be shamed into making sure I do it and progress.

* Starting today - I did 2.75km on the treadmill (wk 1 of bupa plan - Run 1m Walk 2m X 6)
* Cycled 7km on the bike in 10 mins.
* 10 mins of stretching and stomach sit ups

Bupa training:
http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/healthy_living/lifestyle/exercise/running/beginner/programme.html