It has all gone a bit wrong!

So, last week I was supposed to update with my weight and measurements, but unfortunately things went a bit wrong!

I was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease in 2010 and I have recently not been feeling too well. I had some blood tests and the results were not what I expected them to be. You can read all about it in my other blog Scrapheap Human: Living with Chronic Kidney Disease but in short, because of my kidneys I am having to be careful how much I push it at the gym.

I am still going, although Friday was the first ever time I missed a session, but I was so exhausted both physically and emotionally. I have an appointment on Monday 29th April at a more specialist clinic so I will discuss what I can and cannot do at the gym. I will also be speaking with the trainers there and hopefully I will still be able to get a real good workout, without doing myself any damage!

I will be updating again soon.

Some shocking comparisons

Yesterday afternoon I had a teeny bit of a WOW! moment. I was uploading some side shot photos and noticed that the one taken in January my belly just looked so soft and floppy with no form or shape whatsoever! Then the one taken in March, my stomach looked smaller, but still, just a wobbly mess. Today I could see the start of something beginning to happen... it made me smile! I am definitely heading in the right direction.

I was so pleased seeing this small change. The first picture 23rd January, middle picture was taken on 7th March, the last picture was taken 29th March... 10 WEEKS! Oh, and 2 days :) 

I do not have many photos of me when I was bigger as I hated having my photo taken, but I have managed to find some that I can compare with new size now.

The first picture was taken in August 2007, as you can see I was not too happy with having my picture taken. The second photo was taken the beginning of March this year, much happier and healthier looking!!

In 2009 I had a breast reduction. When my Mum was 42 she had a breast reduction and during the operation the surgeon found a mass, it turned out to be cancer. My Mum was told she was lucky as the mass was so deep in her breast tissue, she probably would not have until it was too late. The fear of the same thing happening to me was unbearable and since my breasts grew even more after my second son I was so terrified. Luckily was able to get the reduction done! As you can see a MASSIVE difference!!!

This was my wedding day in April 2008 (8 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child)

The first picture was taken New Years Eve 2009 (7 months after my reduction). I was that size right up until about late 2012's when I started off cutting my portion size and began my journey to a healthier, fitter, happier me.

Looking back on these pictures, although I was smiling I was not comfortable with who I was. I tried kidding myself by saying "I am happy with my size, I have had two children, I am no longer a skinny teenager!" For ages I tried to convince myself I liked the way I looked. I did not want to be one of those people who moaned about their size, but did  nothing about it. Now I can see, I was not happy, I was in denial! 

I can now honestly say I am becoming HAPPIER with my body, I am becoming more confident in clothing and I am learning to walk tall! I still have some work to do, but if I am honest, it does not feel like work as I really enjoy it. My husband used to tell me to get a hobby, I think I have now found it!

Proud of myself

Did you all have a nice Easter weekend? How did you do with all that yummy chocolate?

I have to admit, being a huge choc-a-holic I was a bit worried I would over indulge, especially as my children have been completely and utterly spoiled by family and the Easter Bunny!! My house is now filled with enough chocolate to last the year. However, I surprised myself with how controlled I was. I did have chocolate and cakes, but I did not do that thing, you know... have one, then another, then another and so on.

The Easter Bunny hid about 30+ eggs all round the garden! Mmmm look at all that chocolate!!!

I was also pleased with the fact that I went to the gym Friday morning at 6.30am and did a full workout. Then went back on Monday at 10am, if there was ever going to be a time I would lose focus, then Easter weekend would have been it!

As well as my 3 workouts in the gym I have added something a little extra... A My Fitness Pal 30 day squat challenge!

Day 1 - 50 squats Day 2 - 55 squats Day 3- 60 squats Day 4 - Rest Day 5 - 70 squats Day 6 - 75 squats Day 7 - 80 squats Day 8 - Rest Day 9- 100 squats Day 10 - 105 squats

Day 11 - 110 squats Day 12 - Rest Day 13 - 130 squats Day 14 - 135 squats Day 15 - 140 squats Day 16 - Rest Day 17 - 150 squats Day 18 - 155 squats Day 19 - 160 squats Day 20 - Rest

Day 21 - 180 squats Day 22 - 185 squats Day 23 - 190 squats Day 24 - Rest Day 25 - 220 squats Day 26 - 225 squats Day 27 - 230 squats Day 28 - Rest Day 29 - 240 squats Day 30 - 250 squats

So, who fancies joining me?I am on day 3, but it is also my gym night tonight so tomorrow should be interesting!

Just under two weeks until my weight and measurement update... I am not sure how much I will have lost on my waist, but I am hoping to have at LEAST lost 1/2 an inch!

Circuit and Program change!

OMG! I am surprised I am not in complete agony today!

I went to the gym last night for my re-assessment. I got there early and did my warm up and cross trainer. I went downstairs to find "Dan the Man", he is a very hard task master! He was in the middle of doing a circuit with another two ladies, who very kindly let me join in! Oh and one of the other trainers at the gym joined in too! 
Nicknames for them both Dan the Man and the Trainer that Can! AKA Bradley!

• I started off doing 30 seconds of Sumo squats with the kettlebell.

• Then on to the step. Stepping up and off as fast as possible.

• TRX 45° row

• Bunny hops over a bench

• Deep lunges with a ball lift

• Kettlebell lunge rows.

We were all hot and sweaty after that.

Then Dan told us to clear a space... We did fast squats (not coming up completely) for 30 seconds, single leg lunges, 30 seconds each leg, then 45 seconds of jumping squats... We ALL fell on the floor after that!!

This is the place where the crazy loon Dan kills us all! We are just as crazy though, we LOVE IT!

My program has also changed (sort of)

So, I will carry on with with the 10 minute bike warm up, then do the cross trainer for 6 minutes. Then, instead of doing weights first and then on to TRX. I will be alternating them. So will be something like this:

30kg Barbell squats

TRX chest press

30kg dead-lift

TRX 45° row

30kg straight leg dead-lift

TRX crunches

I will then do some ab work and mix it up each time I go.

Monday- New program

Tuesday- At home ab workout with dumbbells

Wednesday- Circuit

Thursday- At home ab workout with dumbbells

Fridays- New program

Saturday- Rest day

Sunday- Rest day

Quick Update

I am now in to my 2nd week and have managed to add in a Friday at the gym, so will definitely be doing 3 days a week!

I will even be going at 6.30am on Good Friday AND Easter Monday! How is that for dedication?

I have also bought myself some rather fetching workout gloves...

...As you can see I am yet to wear them, but I definitely need them as I am starting to get callouses on my hands already!

The first two times I did my new program I ached! And when I say I ached, I mean.. I ACHED!!! But after Fridays workout I felt OK. Then on Monday I came out in a stinking cold, and still managed to go, but again, felt OK today. I can definitely "feel it" when I am working out and immediately afterwards, but at least I am no longer dieing for the whole of the next day.

Here is a photo I took today, I have not actually lost any weight, but I do feel slightly smaller already... perhaps it is just me and in my head but anyway, here it is. I will let you decide if you think it is smaller than my previous one. (4x sessions of my new program)

I am having a re-assessment tomorrow night with one of the personal trainers, so hopefully I might be given a few tweaks or additions to my program. If so I will update them.

If I do not update before, then have a lovely Easter weekend!!!

The start!

So, where to begin?

Well as you already know, I am Mrs Reed and if you hadn't guessed, I am married to Mr Reed! We have two children Master CM Reed and Master CT Reed, both boys and both very much live wires!

I have recently started going to the gym and trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Most recently I started lifting weights. I loved it! I have been logging my calories for a while to try and lose some weight. In July 2012 I was 143lb (10st 3lbs) standing at a measly 5ft2" (just) and I looked really dumpy. I started by cutting down my portion sizes, then lost interest in logging, however, my portion sizes remained small.

In January 2013, just after the New Year, I stepped back on the scales. To my surprise I was 133lbs (9st 5lbs) I had managed to lose 10lbs in 5 months without really really trying. That gave me the kick up the rear I needed.

I went back to logging my calories and with my new found motivation, joined the gym! In about 2 months I dropped another 11lbs making me 122lbs (8st 10lbs) and back into my size 10's. However, all is not good. I have lost the weight through, healthy eating and exercise, mainly Cardio, but I now I am WOBBLY!!!

So, although I might look OK when I am dressed, undressed, well that is a different story. After having two children my stomach has an uncanny resemblance to jelly! If I tense really hard I can feel I am beginning to build muscle, it is just covered with a layer of horrific "wibbly wobbly-ness" and yes, that is the medical term for it, well a Mrs Reed's, medical term!

After much research and talking with various fitness buffs I have been advised to "lift weights" Are you kidding me? Lift weights? Like a man? surely not!!! I am ashamed to admit it, I thought if I lifted  weights I would look like Arnie! But after much more research and seeing some amazing results I have decided to give it a go. Plus I hate doing Cardio workouts so maybe this lifting lark will be for me!

So here starts my journey to get my pre-baby abs back!

As you can see, these are picture taken in January at 133lbs and in March at 122lbs. I started my program of lifts last night, Monday 18th March! (today I ache)

My new program is as follows:

Warm up - Bike 10 minutes

Weights - (Barbell @ 20kg plus 5kg either side, total 30kg)

BB squats 4 sets, 6 reps

Deadlift 4 sets, 6 reps

Stiff leg Deadlift  4 sets, 6 reps

TRX

Chest press 3 sets 10 reps

45° row 3 sets 10 reps

Jackknife 3 sets 10 reps

Mountain climbers 3 sets 10 reps

Jackknife twists 3 set 10 reps

CARDIO & COOL DOWN

Elliptical cross trainer 8 minutes (1 minute level 5, 30 seconds level 10)

Treadmill 10 minutes

My weekly workout schedule will be:

Monday - Gym

Tuesday - Rest day

Wednesday - Gym

Thursday - Rest day

Friday - At home workout

Saturday - At home workout or Gym

Sunday - Rest day

Oh I forgot to mention, I am going on my first abroad holiday for 14 years in just 89 days... and counting! So let's see how I do over the next 12 weeks!

Starting measurements:

Arms 10.5" (27cm)

Bust 35" (89cm)

Waist 28" (71cm)

Hips 36" (92cm)

Thigh 21" (53.5cm)

Next measurement update 4 weeks: Tuesday 16th April