**Claire**

Hello all, I thought I'd start posting in here as I've just started training at the gym. I used to go trampolining 3 times a week and I used to compete at grade 4 which was quite good for someone who only started trampolining at the age of 26 lol!!

It all went pearshaped when I got injured and I lost my confidence on the trampoline so I stopped going and I haven't really exercised for over a year

I joined bannatynes last week and I had a fitness test which didn't go too badly. My body fat was only 21% and my overall fitness was quite good for someone who's a smoker too

I've been off this week so I've been there every day and I'm really starting to notice a difference. I've been given a programme of cardio and weights which seems to be working quite nicely. I spend 30 mins on the treadmill at an incline of 8 and a speed of 6.5 which is an absolute killer, my arse and legs are totally pumped up by the time I've finished lol. Then onto the bike where I do an interval programme for 15 mins at level 8. The burning feeling in my legs from that is just torture but I just keep thinking of how toned I'll be in a few months time. The weights aren't too bad and I only do them every other day.

One of the reasons for me starting to get my fitness back is that I've entered Formula Woman again this year. I got through to the final 100 last year but I had to pull out as one of the races would have been on my wedding day so I couldn't go any further with it. One of the tests at the elimination day was the bleeper fitness test. At the time I only got to level 6.1 which is really average. I told my fitness instructor about entering the competition and he asked me to go in today to do another bleeper test to see what my level of fitness is now. So I went in thismorning and I managed to get up to level 9. I was nearly sick after doing it but it's been worth it as I know that I'm getting better.

I'm going to ask Scott to take some photos of me now so that I can see the difference that going to the gym is making. I'm going to try and stop smoking as I know that overall that is what will affect my fitness most, I've just got to find the will power from somewhere.

I'll have to keep updating this thread with my progress, that way I've got another reason to keep it up!! I am the most impatient person in the world and if I don't see results straight away I know that I'll get disheartened. You'll all have to give me a kick up the bum if I fall of the wagon

Andy_R

iTrader: (3)

Formula Woman nice aim and a great way of motivating yourself on days you may be feeling a little disheartened

I joined a bannatynes gym recently, what a great environment to work out in, class.
Up until a few months back I was a 20-30 a day smoker, got to say that focusing on health & fitness made quiting relativly easy.

Enjoy your training & good luck with quiting smoking, look forward to reading how you progerss.

**Claire**

Thanks Andy. Was it you that was doing passenger rides at Croft Last year?? I was hoofing my Pug around all day and it was great

Formula Woman is one of the main reasons why I've decided to get fit. I'm so competitive that I want to give myself the best chance of getting through to the final 100 again and then into the final 16.

I was at Croft at another track day last year and one of the instructors was Phillip House who races in the Clio Cup. He went out with me in my Pug and was really impressed with my driving ability. He said that he had worked with some of the women in the final stages of the Formula Woman and (not wanting to blow my own trumpet) they weren't as good as me

I've got a long way to go though. Another part of the competition is to try and gain sponsorship. The race series itself costs about Ł20-30k and you have to pay for any damages to your car whether it's caused by you or not. I'll be contacting as many companies as possible to try and get some on board but I'm not too hopeful as I can't imagine who is going to want to give some bird Ł20k to hoon around a track on a sunday afternoon

Sukhy RS

I got around 10.6 in the bleep test around 6 months ago at school and i thought that was really good + it was indoor aswell so imagine the heat

I hope you do well Claire

**Claire**

Thanks

10.6 you must be megga fit. Aparently from doing the bleep test the other day I could have made it into the fire brigade lol!!

Sukhy RS

I can be in the fire brigade then aswell

Nick.

10.6 is that all.

I went all the way to 16! IIRC

Andy_R

iTrader: (3)

Claire Yeah that was me last year at Croft, I was in my element taking passenger around, I loved it, so much fun hopefully the passengers felt the same

Excellent feedback from the instructor dude, that added to your confidence in your own ability has to stand you in good stead.
When you then add your improved physical strength/endurance & mental awareness that comes with training. The net result should be success. Best of Luck

ESCYSCOTT

iTrader: (1)

aye she's well into it and very determined to get herself fit. I'm not complaining cause she's fit as anyway so she'll just be omproving on what is already a very nice figure

Although she is a bit stiff today after yesterday, lol.

b_kennedy

Best of luck Claire. The fire brigade one is a piece of piss

**Claire**

Well, it's been a while so I thought I'd give you all an update.

I've been going to the gym for 2 months now and it's going really well. I started running 3 miles every other time I go to try and build up my stamina. The first time I tried to run 3 miles it took me 30 mins and now I've got it down to 23mins which is great.

I've also stopped smoking. It's over 2 weeks now since I had a cigarette and I have to admit it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I still get cravings for a cigarette when I'm having a beer but apart from that I'm not really fussed.

There's just one thing thats confusing me. I've been exercising more and eating healthily but I haven't lost any weight at all. I'm still 9 stone 7lbs. Surely that can't be right. I know that muscle weighs heavier than fat but surely I should have lost some weight?? Yes I have noticed a difference in my figure and I feel that I'm more toned but it's really starting to get to me that I'm not losing any weight. Ideally I'd like to lose the 7lbs so I could get down to 9 stone but no matter what I do I can't seem to lose weight.

I go to the gym about 3 - 4 times a week and I really do slog my guts out when I'm there.

Does anyone have any suggestions what I should be doing to lose weight??

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

Good luck claire!

Kieron

I have a suggestion Claire. You should stop replying on the scales and trust the mirror more.

Muscle weighs a hell of a lot more than fat so it wouldn't have surprised me if you had been gaining weight whilst all the while toning up and looking/feeling better.

**Claire**

Cheers Kieron, I know your right but you know what us women are like. It's all about the scales at the end of the day. My clothes are much looser than they were so I know it's definitely working. I should have taken photos so I could physically see the difference of before and after. Never mind though

**Claire**

Well I thought I'd do an update.

I did another fitness test and I managed to get up to level 11.2. That's an improvement of about 24 levels according to the fitness coach. I was well chuffed

And I've lost weight too so I'm now 9st 3lbs...... Woooohooo!! result

It makes such a difference when you can see the benefits of all the hard work you put in. I'm actually really enjoying going to the gym to be honest now that I'm starting to see my hard work paying off.

I've got my assessment day for Formula Woman on the 30th at Oulton Park so lets just hope that all of this is worth it