Lessons from Nike: Just Do It!

Hey everyone! 

Such an amazing week this week!! For those of you connected to me or SMC Fitness on Facebook, you will know that this blog passed the 2000 views this week. I am over the moon :) Thank you! 

I was as high as a kite when I wrote my last post - not on drugs, before ye start spreading rumours that I'm a crack head or, worse, reporting me to the guards! I was so proud of myself after lifting such heavy weights, more or less keeping up with Shauna at training, and also because my eating was going so well. 

I woke up yesterday and I felt pretty stiff. My upper arms, tummy and outer thighs were the main areas affected. It was a good stiffness however - I get such a kick out of being in pain after exercise as it feels as if I have done something. Shauna was feeling the same kind of pain, and she told me she had gone out for a brisk walk to ease the stiffness a bit (refer to second blog post: A Remedy for Ouchiness). I did the same, and I felt elated when I got back.  I thought I had overcome the stiffness surprisingly quickly. 

That was until this morning. I woke up at 9am with every intention of getting my ass to Metafit. But I couldn't move. I felt like I had been hit by a rockbands doubledecker tour bus (containing singers, luggage, amps, a drumkit  - the works). 

I am not partial to swearing too often - I save it for extreme circumstances. However, all I could muster was 'F*** You DOMS.' For all of you who do not know what DOMS is, I have covered it in some previous posts. I had a run in with it after my first challenge. DOMS refers to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and is simply that pain that nearly everyone experiences after intense or unfamiliar exercise, often peaking as long as a day or two later. I have read a couple of articles on it and it has been aptly referred to as 'natures little tax on exercise.' 

Anyways, as well as waking up today feeling like crap, I was also greeted with a text from bloody Shauna which she sent at 08.03:

'Morning...don't forget your comp is today, yeahhhhhhhhh :) :) xx

Needless to say, she also got a 'F*** You Shauna.'

At 6.30pm, i began to feel human again, and decided to do the challenge. It was so difficult to find the motivation to inflict such pain on myself on my own. Think about placing your hand on a carpenters workbench, getting a hammer, and trying to talk yourself into hammering your hand. That is how it felt. 

 This was the first time I would be attempting the challenge without Shauna. I set up my room with a blanket box (those super sophisticated ones that Supervalu gave away centuries ago with about 500 stamps and £19.99) for my tricep dips and half mountain climbers; a semi-solid sofa cushion for my get-ups, and my yoga mat for my toe touches and ab crunches. I warmed up to Moves Like Jagger, with a funky warm-up routine drilled into us by Rowena and Paula from my Irish Dance Class, Fitness Fusion. 

I set my timer and off I went. There was no one around to time which was unfortunate, but I followed a pattern of the exercises so I was sure not to miss any. I thought it would be really hard to keep going on my own without Shauna throwing me daggers, but somehow I managed to push through and keep going. I think I was extra motivated as I skipped my challenge last week and still feel bad about it. Saying that, I felt much stronger than I have done in previous weeks. Usually my stomach and legs are burning my the end of the challenge. However, whatever about my legs, my tummy muscles are definitely strengthening. I only felt like throwing up for five minutes after the challenge, rather than fifteen. 

I don't have any mirror in my room. That is one thing that I find very useful at Shauna's studio in Galway - I can keep an eye on my back lunge and squatting techniques. Therefore, I can not guarantee my lunges were as good as they should be, but they felt good! 

I finished my last toe touch and lept for my stopwatch.....

......11.06!!!! Not has big an improvement as other weeks, but I didn't expect to keep improving at the rate I was. I am pretty happy with that. 


Shauna is DEFINITELY timing me this week, so we will see how accurate my time was. 

Here's a picture of my red face to prove I did it :) 

Now to face the weekend, a full fridge and tonnes of temptation. The box of roses is still looking at me from beside the Saorview box, but it has not bothered me this week. Just goes to show that your mood really has a big part to play in your eating habits. I am SUPER HAPPY this week, and I see it's knock-on effects in my eating and training. 

Moral of the story.....

That is all for now....wish me luck for the weekend! 

Siob xx