Hate To Exercise

One from July 30th, 2021

So after the initial 3 HIIT sessions in June, I did 3 more.

Actually, what’s happened over the last few weeks, is that my exercising companions have taken up the HIIT sessions again – for various reasons. They are not committed to doing the sessions regularly to help with other health challenges that have cropped up in their lives. I guess everyone is discovering the benefits of exercise. Even me LOL.

Having someone else to exercise with has spurred me on – I’m definitely a group activity kinda person when it comes to exercising. Almost immediately, my attitude changed, and even though one day the girls couldn’t join me, I ended up doing the session on my own.

Unlike this time last year – and it’s literally 13 months ago we started the HIITs the first time round – this time we are pacing ourselves by starting only 3 times a week. When we first started it was 7 days a week for the first month. That was tough.

In my case, it’s a proof that Peer Power works. I have a motivator that gets me out of bed in the morning and because I keep preaching to the girls how beneficial the exercise is, and we shouldn’t just give up at the first obstacle – it means I have no excuses myself to use for not doing it.

So we are now back on week 3 of the re-started HIIT sessions; recalling how I have struggled a tad to lose those 3lb I gained on my recent holidays – well, there’s a surprise, 7 HIIT sessions in, and I lost the 3lb. If that’s not a motivator to keep going, then I don’t know what is.

I have also found that even though I haven’t exercised in this format for so long – the muscle memory is there. I’m not experiencing anywhere near the level of pain and discomfort from the pulling, pushing, weight lifting and cardio as I did in 2020. That’s despite the fact that I keep pushing my re-started limits.

I think my biggest challenge this time round will not be exercise itself, but keeping my compatriots organised, motivated and engaged to keep going, to keep me company. Keeping them away from finding excuses not to do it. It’s only 25 minutes out of our daily lives, and the benefits are – I want to say, almost unfathomable. It’s the only way for me. Keep your fingers crossed for us. I still have my next weight goal to reach.

21 June 2021

I did a HIIT session today. In fact I’ve done 3 HIIT sessions last week, and today is the first one of supposedly 3 scheduled sessions this week, and what I’d like to get back into weekly. Need to shed 1.5lb of fat gained at the lakes – what with all them desserts and 4 course dinners. Oooops

Am I starting to exercise regularly again? Eh – maybe not. Let’s just leave it at that. It might just be a temporary blip.

Truth is I haven’t really exercised over the last 5 months – yes, 5 months. OK maybe that’s not entirely true – I did quite a bit of walking earlier in the year, there was an odd HIIT session early on, and there were definitely quite a few ‘dance-offs’ in the living room. But that was it – nowhere near the regular exercising sessions from this time last year. One of the reasons behind this – was that I moved house recently so my energy has been consumed with moving, painting and decorating, and that stuff. I’ve managed to keep nearly all the weight off that I’ve lost last year – not without hard-work I might add. Plenty of sensible eating was required.

In the last 3 weeks I’ve gained 4lb, but that’s only because I’ve been away, staying in a hotel and pigging out on 4 course meals each evening for a week. So 4lb – I’ll take it.

Thus, here I am. Still slimmer than I have been for a long time, more organised with my food choices, and 4 HIIT session in.

Let’s see what happens next week….

Peer Power – Not Peer Pressure

Exercise??? Me?? Really??