Dieting, toning and fitness musings

It is a shame that I have taken so long to write my next blog post. Can't even blame anything in particular just maybe lack of inspiration. I often wonder if what I say would really interest other people but then maybe others will be in the same situation and could draw some benefit from what I post.

Well, like many out there, I have been critically looking at my appearance, or shall I say, lack of body tone! I am not getting any younger and they say the longer you put it off the harder it gets to get back into shape. I have an incentive to get more toned and lose some (hard to lose!) weight. We are off on holiday soon to a place where it is summer. Needless to say that a swimming suit will be used as pools will be frequented, so to avoid any serious embarrassments, I really need to lose some pounds and tone up.

I have increasingly been looking at diet supplements and reading (raving) reviews. It is a confusing market! There are so many providers and each provider, sells a truck load full of products which all seem to be doing the same. Reviews seem to be only from men (are there really no women like me that have tried these before??) and they all seem to be body builders. Surely these products are more than just for serious body builders? If it can help me shed 7 pounds then that will be good. Diet supplement products are really expensive so not only do you not know which to take, which to combine but you risk spending money on a product that will ultimately not be working for you. I wish they can make it simpler to understand. I need to know that they actually work. I don't want to spend all that money or something that will not deliver. Similarly I will happily spend the money if it DOES work - I have a deadline so all help is needed!

I have been in touch with a well known company to see if they can help me understand these products better, so we will see how quickly they respond. So watch this space!

On the exercise front I have been increasing my activity to the level that I am aching in places which I have forgotten about. The muscles for instance attaching your arm to your body? You know those short ones left of your left shoulder? And right of your right shoulder? I did some chest crunches in the gym earlier this week which reminded me that I have muscles there.

I have gym membership but I guess like everyone else who has a busy life, I struggle to find time to go. I run sometimes between my village and another, but as it is a public road it is often a frightening experience when cars pass close. Cycling has been reduced to time on my turbo trainer (yes, I actually do use mine!) which has been set up permanently in my back room. I found that as it is now permanently (well semi-permanently until better outdoor cycling weather arrives) set up, I have less excuses not to use it. To make it exciting I have signed up to a website called Turbo Training see http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/  to use some of their plans and design my own. A cheap £12 to join for a year makes it very attractive. I also bought a Tacx video to which you can cycle the Cape Argus Tour. See http://www.tacx.com/en/products/films/cycle-tours/the-argus-tour-2010

I set up the bike and position the laptop on top of the TV which will then play either the turbo training session or the Cape Argus Video. I noticed that there is a short video of this Tacx video on You Tube. Here is the link: http://youtu.be/5j0WfJvKJFY

The Cape Argus is undoubtedly the most scenic of all Cycle Tours. An unforgettable experience and well worth doing.

I have 45 days left to lose my flab. Pulling out all stops will have to happen.