Two photos a year apart…
Believe it or not, I have NOT lost weight. I weigh as much today as I did a year ago, but I’m just taking up less space in the world!
What I can say:
- I feel a lot fitter.
- My clothes are beginning to feel slightly looser.
- I am a lot stronger and have a lot more energy and stamina than I did a year ago.
There are a number of things I’ve discovered over the last year.
- To get fit, you have to exercise hard to get your heart rate up. Walking is great, but walking up a steep hill is better.
- I can’t say that there was one exercise that worked better than another. A whole variety seems to be the trick, so I’ve run (and messed my knees up), set the treadmill to serious hills, done a lot of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training eg. The Grid, Twenty-Four, Functional Fitness), Cycled (which is a crazy calorie burner), have swum, done circuit training, pushed weights, worked the machines, taken abs classes and now I’ve started Pilates. Through it all, I’ve found muscles and ligaments I didn’t know existed.
- Exercising three times a week is not enough. I took it to 5 or 6 hours a week in 2018. This year I’ve increased it to 7 or 8 hours a week.
- This is a marathon and not a sprint, so start slowly and lightly and build up.
- The increments of change are very small. It doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, I think it was an entire 12 months before I really felt serious changes. The number one change is the amount of stamina I have. I can do a lot more. I can try all the classes and at least do most of the exercises. I am still careful to substitute out the knee-jarring ones. I know my limitations and I try not to overdo it.
All that energy must be put to good use…
John 6:27
Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given Me the seal of His approval.
Amidst it all, I strive to be eternally minded.
I’ve done six hours of work today and think I may possibly take the rest of the evening off and read my book.
These are the days!
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂
Gym:
- 33 minutes on the treadmill.
- 24 minutes – Twenty-Four class
- 18 minutes on the Bike
- 5 minutes on the stepping machine.
- 12 minutes on various machines.
Braces:
Day 69