Post-Christmas review of the fitness programme and the PT and I have agreed some respectable targets.

1. Complete C25k programme by early April – my choice
2. Flexibility / mobility / stretching – daily practice for overall improvement – his choice. We’ve made solid progress but now he really wants me to focus on the daily practice.  Also important if I’m going to complete objective 1 without borking my right knee/hip.
3. Monkey bars at the gym – my choice, I want to swing across those suckers with the ease I used to be able to when I was 14!
4. Fat loss and muscle definition – (yes OK weight loss) – thought long and hard about this as I’ve always said to him strength, fitness, flexibility, suppleness are my top priorities. I want to be able to bend, stretch, run and lift heavy gardening/allotment stuff. And he’s certainly turned floppy bits into solid muscle over the last 2 years – but the muscle is still hidden under a protective layer of not-muscle and I’m finally ready to commit to tackling that.

So this evening post my cardio warm up I was weighed, measured and luckily not found wanting by the lovely PT. We were both a bit surprised to find my arm and leg measurements were the same on both sides (I’d anticipated some difference since my left side is weaker – but I;m starting from a position of being in balance).

After that we went straight into a a cardio-weights workout (light weights higher reps):

* 7kg dumbbells high pulls x 20 reps
* 25kg barbell bent over rows x 20 reps
* 10kg barbell push press x 20 reps
* 6kg medicine ball slams x 15 reps
* press up position plank to failure

All of that was one set – 1 min rest at end of set and 7 sets.  (I always find it slightly frustrating doing the high reps/light weight sessions as I like heavy lifting, but I can’t lift heavy and do quite so many reps at such speed!)

Then  there was a 10 min fast row on the concept rower, finished with lots of side planks and some assisted hamstring stretches.

I tend to come out of gym sessions with an appetite so depressed I don’t want to eat much (in which case I know I’ll eat ALL THE FOOD the next day) or I come out as hungry as a ravening wolf. It was the latter today which is why I ended up spending £20  in Sainsbury’s on food I didn’t really need (but it looked so good) and ended up with a DEEEEELICIOUS dinner of a giant ribeye steak and a veg medley of squash, broccoli, sugar snap peas and asparagus which could be quickly nuked.

My post-gym refuel meal was on my plate 7 minutes after I walked in the door and I pretty much inhaled it.