Photo: Copyright © Elena Duvernay
Over the past couple of weeks I've been feeling like a triathlete in a transition zone. Let me explain why.
My 8 week programme of workouts came to an end. So it was time for Luke at Luke Bremner Fitness and me to check numbers, take photos and review my progress. I was fearful that things may have drifted a little, especially as five months had past since my last progress check-up. However I shouldn't have worried. Body measurements showed improvements in most areas, and importantly I'd managed to reduce my body fat by another 1%.
So I'm now the leanest that I've been since starting my fitness programme back in April 2014. Certainly if you compare the pictures that Luke took of me when I started, with the one taken two weeks ago - see image below - the transformation is clear to see.
I also took the opportunity of a 'rest week' to pop in and see Jonny Wilson at Bodyworks Edinburgh. It had been sometime since he'd worked his magic on me, and my body felt in need of a deep tissue massage before commencing with my exercise routines.
The following week Mr Bremner presented me with my two new home workouts. As I do these solo, we spent an hour running through the exercises, to ensure that I was familiar with what I had to do. Two days later and I was giving my Thursday workout a whirl for the first time. As often happens, my technique for some exercises wasn't brilliant. However I've developed a system of marking this information down on my workout spreadsheets, so that Luke and I can analyse my progress at a later date. A pre-arranged trip to London meant that unfortunately I've yet to try my new Sunday workout, but it will certainly get an airing this weekend.
I was back in Jamaica Street this week for my regular Tuesday morning session. Luke revealed what exercises he had in store for me for the next 8 weeks. Challenging is the word that springs to mind. Despite my best efforts, I was considerably below-par and not firing on all cylinders as usual. As Luke explained, it was probably due to "…a combination of sub-optimal nutrition and low energy after a busy weekend…".
It had never occurred to me before, that leaving my diet in the hands of others, would have such a significant impact on my performance in the gym. At least I'm now aware of this and know for the future. Certainly within a couple of days of being in control of my nutrition again, I was almost back to form.
So this current transition period is almost at an end for me and I only have one more session at Luke Bremner Fitness left this year. 2015 has certainly been an interesting twelve months. Turning 50 and hitting many of the physical targets, that I originally set myself, have been real achievements.
However I'm not about to sit on my laurels. Despite the interruption of the impending festive period, I'll be doing my home workout routines as usual. I also intend to give some thought to new objectives and incentives for me to aim at during 2016.
As I've written in several seasonal cards this year… "Exciting times a-hoy!"
