Made it!

Well I've done it. Yesterday I managed to jog slowly for 30 minutes without stopping! Very pleased with myself. Now I just need to get a bit faster.....

Getting back into it

The last week or so I haven't really felt up to exercise particularly. My cold, whilst not too bad, only allowed me the energy to go to work and do everyday stuff, and I had no energy left for exercise. So today I went out for my first jog in about 10 days. I did the 14 min x 2 jog again, and was very pleased that I completed it fairly easily with no apparent detrimental effect from having 10 days off.

The weather is not looking the best over Easter so I guess that may well be my last jog before the holiday. I was hoping to have reached the goal of jogging 30 minutes in one go by Easter, which hasn't quite happened, but hey, before Christmas I could barely run for 1 minute at a time, so even if I didn't quite reached my goal I have progressed well.

I shall have to try and plan in some kind of exercise over Easter - and not eat too much chocolate! Although that shouldn't be a problem as I normally buy my Easter chocs half price the following week...

Weekend update

On Friday I made sure I went for a jog at work, and I started off the penultimate stage which goes as follows:

5 min warm up walk and stretch
30 mins: (14 min jog + 1 min walk) x 2
5 min cool down walk and stretch

Finally I managed to shake off the lethargy and continual stitches that kept happening earlier in the week. I did well on the above jog and managed to complete it with no problems, so I'm pleased with that.

I then went up to my parents for the weekend, for the purpose of hearing my Mum sing in the Messiah on the Saturday with the amateur choir she belongs to. It was very enjoyable! I also caught up with a friend, who is currently debating whether or not to become a mature student, and if so, whether to go the whole hog and go to university, or whether to do a distance learning course. And then I caught up with my little brother who has just come back from twelve months in Canada.

Anyway, with all that going on, all the travelling, the clocks going forward, and the late nights very little exercise happened. This morning I'm shattered, I feel like I'm getting a cold, and I can't wait to get an early night. My plan is to do a few minutes on the exercise bike if I feel like it today and tomorrow, and then Wednesday to repeat my 14 min x 2 jog again.

Exercise update

The exercise hasn't been as organised this week either as I've been at home. Monday morning I went for a jog, and completed the (13 min jog + 1 mon walk) x 2 again. It went fairly well, the terrain is quite flat around where I live but there isn't much grass to run on, its all concrete, so not so easy from that point of view.

On Tuesday I went on the exercise bike for 45 minutes in the evening. I'm burning about 300 calories in 45 mins at the moment which is not bad. I need a new DVD to watch before I do another bike session though!

Wednesday I didn't do any exercise as we went to visit my grandparents who live about an hour and a half's drive away. By the time we got back I was pretty tired.

Thursday I don't think I did anything in the end, although I did potter round the garden quite a bit.

Yesterday I attempted to go for a jog in the morning, but it didn't work and I got a really bad stitch. I think I tried to go a little too early before my legs had really woken up. So that just turned into a walk in the end which I suppose is better than nothing. We went window shopping in the afternoon so I did a bit more walking then too.

And then today I finally got round to doing my new Davina DVD again. Its really good but I've only done it two or three times since I got it as I've been focusing more on the jogging and exercise bike. Anyway, I expect that will make me ache tomorrow. Never mind, I have Sundays off anyway, although I may well do a bit more in the garden, which would be better than my normal Sunday afternoon snooze...

Exercise update

Things didn't really happen on the exercise front over the weekend. I did try on Saturday. I was going out in the evening and I arranged it so that I would do an exercise DVD prior to having a shower and getting ready to go out. Unfortunately 20 minutes into the DVD the phone rang and I ended up having a 20 minute chat - so by the end of that I had to go and have a shower so I wouldn't be late getting ready.

Sunday is my day off exercise but I did have some extra time yesterdayso I was thinking about exercise, but I never got round to it. My body really hates exercising on a Sunday. We go to church in the morning so that involves having cooked dinner at lunch time but late, and pretty much I just end up wanting to sleep in the afternoons.

Anyway, today I got back on track again and went for a jog. I did the (8 min jog + 1 min walk) x 3 for the third time. Five minutes into the last block of 8 I got a really bad stitch though so I had a quick rest and gave up on the running then and just walked back down to the office. I think I will do this stage one more time before moving on to the next stage. Hopefully on Wednesday.

The beginning of stage 6

Yesterday I completed the next jogging stage:

Stretch and warm up walk 5 mins
Jog/walk: (8 mins jog + 1 min walk) x 3
Stretch and cool down walk 8 mins

And yes, I managed to complete it with no problems. I could hardly believe it! The way my legs just managed to keep going in a way they wouldn't have done just two months ago.

I nearly got stitch after the second jog but managed to keep it at bay. However during the afternoon my legs started to ache/twinge a little, and they still feel the same today, so I think that now I'm getting on to more continous jogging I must make sure to stretch properly at each end, and maybe only go every alternate day and not two days in a row. Will see how it goes.

Must get myself some proper running shoes as well. It seems difficult to find the time. There is a shop very close to work - but either I'm going for a jog at lunch, or else I have my work clothes and shoes on if I'm not, and don't want to be running on a treadmill or whatever they do to analyse your feet in office clothes. I'm not sure what the best way forward is.

Finally....

...I got round to doing some strength training again. Well, 15 minutes worth anyway. I have a few free weights which I use at home. The problem is I do it so rarely that each time I start again I have to use the teeny tiny weights. My aim is to try and do two lots of 15 minutes a week, and at least this week I have made some progress in that direction. I think that's been my aim for the last few months and the weights have not been employed very often at all.

Despite the fact I know that building muscle is great because then you burn more calories at rest, somehow doing weights feels like a lot more effort for not much gain. I suppose it doesn't help that I can only use tiny weights, as the effect of muscle building is reduced.

The other things with weights is that it can be hard to motivate yourself to do at home. Its not one continous movement like say the exercise bike, you have to think about each different exercise and its execution. I only have a couple of DVDs that use weights, generally DVDs are more cardio based. Its the Davina ones that use the weights and even then she focuses on low weights with high reps, rather than building up strength.

Oh well, I know I must try and do it so now that I've given it another go hopefully I can keep going!

Jogging update

All is going well, I have just completed the next jog/walk stage, three repetitions of the following:

Stretch and warm up walk 5 mins
Jog/walk: 6 min jog, 1 min walk, 5 min jog, 1 min walk, 6 min jog, 1 min walk, 5 min jog, 1 min walk
Cool down walk 9 mins (forgot to stretch AGAIN)

This went really well, I didn't have any problems at all. I had slight stitch in the cool down walk the first time I did this. I managed to go a little faster each time - and in fact today my final walk was only 7-8 mins as I had cut that off my time. I don't think I'll extend my route particularly though yet, I'll see how the next stage goes. In the 40 minutes I'm only covering about 4.2k at the moment - and that currently includes 22 minutes of running and the rest walking.

On Wednesday I shall do the first run of the next stage which is as follows:

Stretch and warm up walk 5 mins
Jog/walk: (8 min jog + 1 min walk) x 3
Cool down walk 8 mins, and stretch

That looks quite scary compared to what I did today, but its only an extra two minutes of running, so we'll see how it goes.

And the weekend

On Saturday we had visitors, my uncle and aunt came up for the afternoon. They still hadn't seen our "new" house - which we moved into nearly two years ago, so a long overdue visit! So the exercise I got in there was two hours housework (last minute tidying up and hoovering) in the morning, and an hour and a half stroll in the afternoon, showing them our local area.

It was nice to get out for a walk actually, as I think its been the nicest weekend weatherwise in quite a few weeks.

Anyway, they didn't leave till latish, I was thinking of doing some stretching exercises but too tired in the end so didn't get round to it.

Sunday morning I woke up with conjunctivitis, so that scuppered any plans for the day. I spent most of the day asleep. I didn't feel particularly ill but it's quite a strain on the eyes and head having one hugely swollen eyelid. You forget as well that with only one eye to look through you don't see perspective properly and sometimes have to try twice to pick things up!

Anyway, its on the mend today, but again no exercise done as I was feeling pretty washed out. I have a couple of busy days at work coming up now, so I think the plan will be exercise bike in the evenings and then hopefully will get out jogging again at lunch towards the end of the week.

Jogging update

I have now completed the (5 min jog + 1 min walk) x 4 three times. So I think I will move on to the next stage next week. Today I tried to go a little faster at times, and generally it made me start to develop a stitch. So I slowed back down and tried to breathe more deeply and it just about managed to ward the stitch off until the end of the running stage.

I'm now going to give up on the plan I have as I don't like the way it continues, and just increase my jogging time by 2 minutes after each three sessions, and slowly reduce the number of 1 min walks I take. In theory I could be jogging for 30 minutes at a time in 5 weeks! Kind of hard to believe. But then hey before Christmas I couldn't jog for more than 1 minute at a time.

Nearly a disaster today - I exercise at lunchtime, and I work in an office. Today there were only two of us in, and while I was out the other person went out for lunch, locking internal and external doors as no-one remained. Unfortunately I only take the external door key with me - it was jolly cold sitting in the foyer for 45 minutes!

Stage four

Today I had a go at the next stage on the walk/jog plan. It was quite a jump up from stage three and I wasn't really on top form as I've had a niggly cold over the last few days, but nevertheless I made it, although quite slowly. Forgot to stretch at both ends though - really must try harder with that.

Warm up walk 6 mins
Walk/jog 24 min: (5 mins jog + 1 min walk) x 4
Cool down walk 10 mins

So that includes 20 mins of running - officially half of my 40 minute exercise is now actual running! Well - very slow jogging possibly, but I'm working on it.

I shall try and do that twice more this week and see how we go.

I haven't managed to get any strength exercises in for a while. I had visitors at the weekend and its very hard to get a moment to yourself when you have to entertain people.

A good run

Today's walk/jog plan went well.  I did the 3 mins jog + 1 min walk x 6 again today and it went even better than the first time.  I went slightly faster at the start this time whilst not overdoing it and I finished 2 minutes earlier than previously.  I may have to come up with a slight extension to my route.

However this evening I'm not feeling so good.  I think I may be coming down with a bit of a cold.  It wouldn't surprise me as two others at work have already come down with something within the last week.

I'm planning to run again tomorrow lunchtime but will have to see how I feel.

Soon I shall have to think about getting some proper running shoes.  I didn't buy any straight away in case I didn't get on very well but I think I will probably stick with it.  

Exercise DVD review part 2

I bought the new Davina DVD - Super Body Workout - for Christmas for myself, and I've finally got round to doing the second part of it. So Tuesday night I did the 40 minute Super Sculpt section, a combination of weights exercises and squats, plus a few abs exercises:

8 minute warm up
18 minute weights and squats section with 1 minute cardio intervals
6 minutes abs section
8 minute cool down

I think that equals 40 minutes!

The warm up was fun, the weights and squats section was excellent, quite a few new weights exercises, and as the exercises are combined lower and upper body its double the work and efficiency. However two days later my legs are still quite painful, ooh those inner thighs! Sometimes I found it difficult to concentrate on both my arms and legs at once but I guess that will come with practice. The cardio intervals are good to keep up the heart rate.

Davina seems to be the only person who uses weights on a DVD which is really good (as weights in my opinion are rather dull and a lot of effort on your own) however she does do quick reps, a high number, with a low weight rather than focusing on building up the upper body.

The abs section was fairly straightforward, but I find my neck aches after a couple of minutes and I can't complete all the exercises, again just practice needed. And the cool down was fine - fairly standard.

So I will definitely be doing this section again, a great toning workout but at present I think my legs will only be able to cope with it once a week max!

Solved a problem

Today I tried to add a couple more minutes into my walk/run plan:

7 mins warm up walk and stretch
23 min walk/jog: (2 mins jog + 1 min walk)x3, (3 mins jog + 1 min walk)x2, (2 mins jog + 1 min walk)x2
10 min cool down walk, forgot to stretch

Total 40 mins, 16 mins jogging

Must remember to stretch argh! It just flies out of my head. One day I will regret it!

Today I consciously slowed down and paced myself right from the start, so that I could make it through the three minute sections - and everything went to plan. Then it occurred to me that I had been going quite a bit faster at the beginning last week. That would be why I started to run out of energy towards the end then... So, must try and remember that lesson, even if I feel fine to start with, I have to pace myself and not race otherwise I wont make it to the end!

Exercise Update

I did another run on Thursday, with the 2 minute jog/1 minute walk cycle. I made it through, although it was hard work in the middle. I just slowed down until I was going really quite slowly, but still running, as I think at this stage stamina is more important than speed. I might try to add a couple more minutes of jogging in next week. I'm not sure I'm quite ready for it, but I can always go back again if I don't make it.

The exercise bike is going well - I beat the 300 calorie mark the last two times I've been on it (in 45 minutes). So I'm quite pleased with that. I've been increasing the intensity slowly and I seem to be coping with it. I'm not sure how accurate the calorie counter on the bike is, but I guess its all relative and if I keep beating my own score then at least I'm burning more calories each time.

I haven't quite got round to doing much in the way of toning, strength or flexibility exercises in the evenings. We're very busy at work during January, so hopefully when February rolls round I may feel a little more like it. Maybe I should try and start slowly, just doing 10 minutes at a time or something. If I've already been for a jog or on the bike I feel like I've done enough for the day, but I really need to do a bit of strength work as well. I think I need to try and strengthen my stomach a little - maybe it will make me less likely to get a stitch when running.

Tried a new route

Today I tried a new route for my run, I want to try and have only a 10 minute cool down walk instead of 15 minutes. Well, the route I tried didn't work. It was one I had walked many times before, but I hadn't realised how many small inclines and hills it involved! They are really not as obvious when you are just walking. Plus the route had a lot less grass on it, and running on pavement is a bit harder on the knees.

So, anyway, I was doing the same plan again with 2 mins jog plus 1 min walk x 7 with a little walk either end. I again lacked in energy in the first half but I think it could well have been due to those unexpected hills. I started getting into it towards the end again. I'm still going to have to stick at this stage for another couple of runs at least though.

The route I did had only a 5 minute walk at the end - not quite enough. I think I shall go back to my original route and modify the middle section a little. The problem is it takes 10 minutes to get to the nice flat grass bit whichever way you go and I've been trying to avoid jogging back down the main high street where everyone can see - I think I just have to get over that!

And as for stretching in public - oh I feel very silly doing that! I think I shall just move on to doing it in my office before I go out and when I get back, not ideal, but its very hard to stop in the street and stretch.

I didn't have a great weekend, very tired and headachy all the time. Its our busy period at work at the moment, and its all getting a bit much. Still I had a good nights sleep last night, I think I'm surfacing again, as today I felt some energy returning.

Running not so good

My last two running sessions have been deteriorating. Yesterday I did the same plan as Tuesday, with the run/walk programme consisting of 2 min jog followed by 1 min walk x 7. I JUST made it to the end.

Today I did the same thing, but first I got a bad stitch, and then my energy just gave out in the 6th jog. So I gave up the running and just took a brisk walk back to the office.

I think I'll have to try again with that stage next week and see how it goes. I have been quite tired and busy this week so I don't expect that helped on a Friday.

Tomorrow I'll either have a go on the exercise bike or have a go at the second half of my Davina DVD. I have to go into work in the afternoon so I'll see what I feel like when I get home. Hopefully I will be feeling a little more awake tomorrow after an evening of relaxing.

Made it to stage two!

Running went well today:

9 min warm up walk and stretch
21 mins - 7 x (2 mins jog + 1 min walk)
15 min cool down walk and stretch

I had a couple of extra minutes in there somewhere as I hit a hill and couldn't run up it. But overall it went quite well. I think yet again I have hit another limit so I will need to do that programme at least a couple more times before going on to the next step. I found it quite hard work today, but I just about managed to keep going till the end. 14 minutes running! Not bad.

Nearly on to the next stage

Today's run went really well. It just goes to show you can never tell one day how you will be feeling the next day. And it was fantastic weather - very cold, still not above freezing at lunchtime, but the large grassy area I walk/run on was covered in frost, with that pale blue winter sky and a low sun - beautiful.

Today I did:
10 min warm up walk, quick stretch
19 mins - (1 min 30 secs run + 1 min walk) x 4, with (2 min run + 1 min walk) x 3 in the middle
15 min cool down walk and stretch

So the same amount of running (12 mins) as last time, but with fewer breaks. Feel very pleased with myself. I suppose running for 2 minutes without stopping isn't terribly impressive, but its something I don't think I've ever done in my life before today!

Wish it was Friday already

This week seems to have gone on forever - and its only Thursday. That's what you get I suppose after having an easy couple of weeks over Christmas and then back to the grind at the beginning of January.

Had a good exercise bike session yesterday:

4.5 mins warm up - level 3
36 mins - (4 mins level 4 then 30 secs level 3) x 8
4.5 mins cool down - level 3

Calories burned 291.

We have bought as our Christmas present to ourselves a small telly to go on the wall above the exercise bike. Previously we had been watching DVD's by setting up a laptop on top of the fish tank! The telly is much better -Choc Chip spent yesterday morning setting it up.

Feeling a bit tired today, went for a walk/jog at lunch but didn't quite have enough energy.

10 min warm up walk, quick stretch
20 mins - (1 min 30 secs jog + 1 min walk) x 8
15 min cool down walk and stretch

The lower part of my legs was aching a bit today, and I had to give up on my second jog as it goes up a slight slope (unavoidable) and couldn't make it up. I did get into the swing of it and made it to the end. Have a slight headache now. Don't know if I'll have the energy for a run tomorrow, will see how it goes.