Four reasons why am I using a personal trainer

Considering the amount of money I spent in 2010 on personal training sessions, and only seeing very poor results, you'd think I would never use a personal trainer again.  $2000 = 5 kilos lost.   My first personal trainer experience was a big FAIL.

But, that was my fault. Not theirs.

Nebulous goal + no changes to eating = FAIL

Here are four reasons why I am using a personal trainer again in 2011

Because I need help.
I have a specific goal, and I am not confident that I have enough will-power to get out of bed and do a meaningful high intensity workout for 45 minutes without someone there waiting for me to turn up.  My excuses are legendary.  And, I don't want to start out with the enthusiasm most projects start out with, only to see them fizzing very soon after.

The PT is there to make me do the workout even when I really, really, really, really couldn't give a damn that I am staving off diabetes, or wanting to fit into my valedictory dress, or when the devil on your shoulder tells you that "you've I've already done heaps, you deserve a break".

Because I have a goal
I have a clearly articulated SPECIFIC goal, that is measurable and time-limited. I want to achieve my goal - and so I will do whatever it takes to help me get there.  And since I know myself pretty well now, I could easily chuck it all in when my depression hits, or if work becomes too tough, or ... well you get the picture.

I have a goal, and I am used to dissappointing myself by not meeting my goals. A personal trainer will be a constant reminder of my goal.

Because I am committed to healhty eating
I finally acknowledge that I ate myself into this size, every bite counted.  I have also seen that just getting fitter does not help me get skinnier - and I am $2000 worse off for that timely piece of self-awareness.  So, no matter how much I want that hot cocoa after dinner, I am committed to changing my eating habits. I am maintaining a food diary. I have committed to paleo eating for four weeks (and likely eight).

Because I am making those changes to diet, I expect my personal training sessions to provide me with weight-loss results.

A plan for life without PT
I can't see the point of my goal - to maintain a healthy BMI for the rest of my life - IF I have to have three (3) personal training sessions each week for the rest of my life to achieve it.

So, I have already put limits on how long I will go to a personal trainer.  This allows me to have control over my goal and my INTENTIONS for exercise - fitness for life.  I am using the personal training to achieve my first 8 week challenge.  There are other ways for the remaining goals to be achieved - PT may or may not be part of the plan.

For example, in my first 5 week challenge (to 12 April) I intend to replace 2 weeks worth (6) of personal training sessions with 10 sessions of hot yoga - steamy sweaty 1 hour yoga sessions.  This will give me a break from PT, will give me some insight into how my body responds to different types of exercise, and will help me determine whether I actually turn up to a group class after promising myself I would. It will also give my hip pocket a break - the hot yoga is local and has a 10 session introductory offer!

Week 2 wrap up

Weigh in day today, and while not brilliant on the scales, I am not one to complain about a downward trend.

Tuesday 1 February 2011 - 89.6kg (home scales)

Why am I blue?  It is all to do with the lovely hormones. At least I now understand why I was completely overwrought angry and emotional for a few days late last week, why I have been craving sugar (chocolate preferred), and why I have been feeling so bloated and uncomfortable despite eating far cleaner than I have for quite a few months. It is THAT time of month.

What makes this quite emotionally traumatic for me, though, is that six weeks ago I was pregnant. But, I lost my daughter. So this is my body telling me it is back in the baby making game if I want to be.  I am not sure if I am.

So, if I am feeling less than enthusiastic about my successes this week - and there have been quite a few successes - so be it.  I am giving myself permission to be as blue as I need to be.

But, for the record my achievements this week

• Getting below 90kilos and losing a total of 2.1 kilos by week 2
• Going to all my personal training sessions
• Running/walking/jogging 4kms in under 30 minutes
• Succumbing to a piece of cake and NOT turning it into a binge session. Twice
• Getting to a low of 89.4kg before the bloat took me back into the 90's.
• Taking Dusty for a long walk this morning when it would have been easier to leave it when my legs felt like jelly after my training session (100 thrusters, 50 burpees)
• choosing healthy options while dining out

Eating out

Last night I went with friends to see the musical Wicked.  It was great. And truly, I loved hearing Australian TV icon Bert Newton sing and dance - to a song that could have been written for him - I am wonderful!

But, I was also eating out for the first time since starting my 8 week challenge.

I was in South Bank, Brisbane, home to a multitude of cafes and restaurants specialising in all the cuisines of the world.

Thai was out - almost all of their meals are smothered in a sauce and most of those sauces have sugar in them - brown sugar, palm sugar, that sort of thing.

Turkish cuisine would have been fine - lots of grilled meat to choose from the menu. But the place was already busy and I was on a timeline - I couldn't afford to have long or delayed service.

So, I settled for Japanese as I am quite a fan of sashimi, and ordered a side of tempura vegetables. Now the purists will know that tempura is a batter, and as such non-paleo.  Also, I can't resist dunking my sashimi in wasabi-flooded soya sauce - the soy is not paleo either.

But, I am still pretty happy with my omega three protein hit last night - as a good choice, and a lovely meal.  But in hindsight, should not have bothered with the tempura.

Week 1 success

Week one of the eight week challenge is over. And I am pretty pleased.

1. I have completed three personal training sessions, which included a personal best for 500m rowing (2.01 minutes). 
2. I walked the dog 12 times (missed two sessions).
3. I completed one session of hill sprints.
4. I have been sugar free for 7 days
5. I completed my food diary each day.
6. I have eaten strictly paleo, with the exception of the hot chocolate debacle. 

And the results of this spartan discipline (sans the hot cocoa)?


1.6 kilos down!!!

• Tuesday 17 January I was 91.7 kilos (home scales)
• Tuesday 25 January I am 90.1 kilos (home scales

Now I am off to training where I should be weighed in too.

The scales at home and at training don't match up, but not too badly from what I can tell.  The first weigh in showed the home scales at 91.7; the PT scales at 91.9.

Hill sprints and a confession

Well today incorporates both sweet success and bitter failure.

I walked Dusty this morning for a good long striding walk and then... wait for it... I did 10 repetitions of hill sprints.  I am pretty chuffed with myself.

I am tired now - bone weary in fact after my first day back at work from time off, and getting our dinner ready (baked lemon and oregano chicken with roast pumpkin and steamed greens).  But the kitchen is cleared now, leftovers for lunches packed, and with a little time left over to write this post.

My failure?  Hot chocolate.  Now it is both very bad and not so bad. I made it on a teaspoon of bitter cocoa powder and a teaspoon of barley malt syrup (a natural fructose-free sweetener) with hot water and a brief pour of (this is the very bad bit)... cream.  I have had this four times during the week.

This is the only anti-paleo food I have eaten.  Is that an excuse? A plea for forgiveness?  Nope.  I did it. I acknolwedge it. I move on. Today ends the hot chocolates.