Phillips-Fit

Although I haven't been keeping this up to date, I have been busy training! I have progressed to standing on dome shaped wobbly things, looking for all the world like a seal waiting to be thrown fish, I have moved up the weights to 5 kgs and have been forced onto that damn treadmill! I continue to make steady progress and have even managed to lose some weight - in spite of everything. Only a couple of little relapses, only one of which was bad enough to keep me from the gym. I've finished work and am off on holiday, so no more gym till 2007. All things considered, it has been a good experience, even though I have been a bit weary and reluctant at times.

2 more weeks of exercises and 2 more lectures on the merits of losing weight! I have put it on my to do list and probably will get round to it eventually; I have been threatened with treadmills if I don't at least try. On the plus side, I can now put socks on without sitting down, which is great - I even only wobble a little bit on my bad leg, so I'm well chuffed - and I've stopped taking the diclofenac without any bad effects. I still need the tramadol though, but am hoping to cut it down eventually - on bad days I have to take 300mgs but mostly I can get by with just 100mgs in the morning.

Much better today. I have got my BMI into the next level down - drop dead in 2 weeks rather than tomorrow - and knocked 5 seconds off my personal best on the rowing machine. I didn't do so well on the treadmill test and received a lecture on walking between gym appearances - I am still feeling chuffed that I can walk at all, and am unperturbed that I have slipped back a bit. I'm not sure that Ryan agrees though! The new exercises went much better than last time - I had developed very wobbly legs, and discovered muscles I didn't know were there, after my efforts at 'fit ball squats' last Friday.

Went to the gym but struggled. Week 1 on a new cycle with new exercises added in and extra weights - not Russian lady weightlifter level but it did make a difference. I'm still feeling the effects of the flare up earlier in the week, but last time it happened I couldn't walk properly for 2 weeks, this time it was only 4 days. I have definitely gained benefits from all the efforts but sometimes it's difficult to rustle up the enthusiasm. Ryan, as ever, remains positive.

Not a good day. I have been struggling with walking since Sunday and couldn't face exercising today. I did go to the gym and had a long chat about diet and exercise to help with the current problem though.

The last session of this cycle - I can't quite believe that I've done 12 weeks now. Looking back, I've made quite a lot of progress and do feel better than I have done in a very long time. I'm still languishing down in the lower levels of fitness but given that I started out at such a low level, I'm quite happy with it. Sometimes I do wonder if Ryan would rather be training someone capable of faster progress, but as ever, he remains positive and encouraging. He tells terrible jokes though!

Have actually managed to lose a (miniscule) amount of weight which prompted a discussion on my somewhat chaotic diet. Have promised faithfully to do something about it, again! Today was the start of week 4 of the plan so another raise in repetitions and effort. The time on the rower seems to go by a lot quicker now, and so does the time spent on the exercises but I still cannot get off the bike without very wobbly legs. I discovered that Ryan has been putting the levels up, so it's no wonder that it always seems quite an effort. This is apparently a good thing and necessary to move the training forwards.

A much better session, with a new personal best on the rowing machine - I'm not sure what all of the numbers mean so I'm not sure if I should be impressed, but Ryan was pleased.

A good/less good sort of day. Forgot what I was supposed to do for homework and discovered that I hadn't been doing the correct exercise - this is a great shame as I had been doing my version diligently! Small wonder that these muscles that I am supposed to have in the back of my thighs still don't seem to work. However I had slept through the night - for the second night running - and managed to take my skirt off without undoing the zip. Come time to go to the gym I didn't feel terribly enthusiastic but turned out anyway. Even though I did try, I certainly didn't achieve. Whilst pedalling madly on the exercise bike - and not going anywhere - it occured to me that I'd forgotten to take my usual dose of assorted pills.

New personal best on the rowing machine - I'll be able to row the Atlantic at this rate! Managed not to fall off the fit ball in the new exercise, so felt very pleased with myself. I even managed to weigh less than last time, in spite of a girl's night out during the week. I don't always feel like going to the gym, especially after a long week at work, but having a personal trainer means that you have to. I have definitely made progress and have benefitted from the process. Ryan seems to be surviving too.