I’ve been to the gym a few times this week and done my exercise plan and swimming.

I tried instead of just the gym – going out and running outside. That was totally different to on a treadmill – it was a lot harder breathing wise but was more enjoyable at the same time with the change of scenery.

I’ve got a set of DVDs that are dance aerobic based ones that are meant to help your body core – to stregthen and tone. I tried the begginer version that was meant to be easy and I was quickly tired out – I think its becoming easier but still hard.

It is something I’m going to try a few times a week and then every day. The documentation that comes with it all suggests a big change within 8 weeks. I’m thinking that its going to take a month to learn the basics and get into it – a kind of warming up to be able to do the 8 week plan.

I’m going to try and do a weekly update more so that I can see IF there is any change, and once a month check IF I change weight/waist size etc.

I’ve a variety of fitness DVDs all around Dance of some sort – I’m using them as a guidance to try and get more flexable and increase my cardio, breathing and general motivations.

One series is called “Core Rhythms” which is a mixture of different dance techniques to get you moving and try different movements many of which seem to be aimed at the abs. Another one is a dance one called Push it up or something like that – its quite energetic but the main one i’ll be trying is the series.

I’ve tried the kick start and some of the short sessions but so far I can’t keep up as things change too often without enough explanation. I can pick it up if I rewind and look again but first time through its quite hard and looks to be getting faster and more intense if you keep with it.

Good things are the help and options to view the moves from different angles, so I think it will help – if nothing else it should help cardio and me work out how the connection from the brain to the action actually happens.

All in all I think it will be a hard few months still to go, but IF it actually works then excellent.

I’ve not really been one for cycling for a long time, I had a bike while growing up and stopped going on it in the early 1990′s – I used to go on bike rides with friends and family but we all got into computer stuff and exercise/bikes fell into the background.

A friend gave me the bike as they had won one in a competition but theirs was already better and didn’t need a second so said have it if I can use it.

About a week or so ago, while the weather was gorgeous, and warm I decided to go out on the bike. I wondered how I would manage it. I’d been out once a few weeks before and rode all over the place trying to get my balance and remember how to ride it… I did forget for a while but it came back quickly.

I didn’t go far from home, I took the cycle paths and went to a park and came back – it was a mixture of roads and mainly cycle paths. You can view the round by looking at my Overview Map if interested.

It was a good start, althou the next day I ached a lot and in reality I only did about 3.8 miles round trip which does’t sound like a lot.

I am working through a 13 week challenge that started on the 2nd of June 2009 and should end around the start of September – so throughout the summer while its bright and nice – predicted to be an excellent summer for a change.

The challenge will include a change in diet and doing a variety of mixed exercises including:

• Dance – Salsa
• Gym
• Swimming
• DVD Aerobic exercise
• Running
• Trampoling
• Cycling

I have read/seen loads of adverts that say within 8 weeks you can go from that to this – I don’t really believe that without changing your attitude and trying hard that it is possible.

Many times people have said to me that I don’t need to loose weight, and wonder “how” i keep it off but I don’t – I just hide it well so far but don’t want to hide it – I don’t want it there to be able to be hid.

I have started my challenge by drawing up a plan on PC, and printing it off and putting up on a wall I see often – Its a lot harder to quit when you have a target plus its good to see progress you can check off as you go along.

I have a whole list of measurements of when I started somewhere and wonder just if any will change or if I will have just changed life for no reason except to realise I’m getting older and joining the rest of the world in accepting that people change – I don’t want that but as with most things – it is a choice.

I’ve been thinking and not acting for too long and realise that IF I want to be fitter, look better and feel better and more alive I NEED to change and activly change in many ways – A change of diet (what I eat) aswell as increased exercise and fitness.

In 2000, I was:
10st ish, 28 inch waist, slim build, 6 foot 1 inch.
BMI: 18.5

In June 2009 I am:
12st 7, 36 to 38 inch waist, build – podgy, 6 foot 1 inch
BMI: 23

The ideal BMI is 22 apparently, so I’ve changed a LOT within 9 years. Now life is a lot different – I don’t have classes to get to – I drive to work and sit in an office a lot of the day – no longer active and think I eat more now that I did then.

So its Time for change…

As said before, I’ve been going to the gym to help with this but thats not all I am doing – that is the start to get me going.

I’ve realised that I’ve had more energy since doing more exercise – I gave a little time up and now seem to have more time as I’m less tired so the theory is that if I do more again, I’ll be fine for time as I’m more awake to get through the other stuff.

I’m trying the exercise DVD’s, mixed with the Gym & swim, Running etc to hopefully trim myself down, and get a more toned body and remove any podgyness thats appeared over time.

I don’t really eat too well these days, and realised more with the lack of energy I have in things.

I used to eat a lot of sweeties/candy and have quite balanced meals when I look back as I grew up and I’ve always had a sweet tooth as many friends will tell you.

I tried cutting down but seem to end up hungry and have been eating things that are really not that great for me.

I’m trying to re-balance my diet and get back to eating healthy but now I’m just making food for me. While I have friends over or out with them I seem to have a more balanced approach as the variety works out cheaper split than just on own.

I’m not sure if its just a cash point of view but a lot of the time it feels as thou there is little point cooking such variety for just one person althou that person is me. I’ve started to make meals that can be frozen and re-heated so that its like cooking for others to split the costing.

Whatever I’ve done to change my diet and “cut down” on the bad/junk things I eat hasn’t worked as now I’ve put on weight and am either hungry or have a lacking of energy. So what now?