21 February 2013
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart...
As ever, at this time of year, I post my Christmas show video...
10 July 2012
Getting on the mat
Over the last month, I've been dedicating myself to establishing a home yoga practice. It has been a lot easier than expected and I guess that's a result of things I've learnt over the last few years:
- Just start. This is a lesson from trapeze class. Even if you don't feel like doing it and even if in your current state of mind you think you won't want to continue, just take the steps to start. Whether that's walking into a class or rolling out a mat at home, most of the time you will be glad you did and will be transformed by your practice.
- No cheating, do it right! Again, a lesson from trapeze I am now applying to yoga. In an egotistic bid to be excellent at everything, it's easy to fudge correct form in order to look impressive. Over the last year I've made a committment to learn correct technique so that I can improve in the long term. In yoga this means I've rejected my prop snobbery and embraced anything that will help me achieve the correct technique, even if it looks or feels like a step back.
- Plan and be realistic. I have a busy life filled with other people's lives and priorities. I worried about how I'd be able to commit to a daily home practice. However I found a perfect time for it in my day and most days it works really well. On the days where I don't get on my mat, I allow myself to be imperfect. I give myself a clean slate and try harder to not miss a day.
- Be present. I commit myself to the present task and honour the time allocated to it. I don't let the past (transport issues, late arrival, work/home stresses) encroach on this precious time and I stop myself from thinking about the future.
- Be you! Over the years I've worked out how I operate best and what makes me happy. A gorgeous notebook, a detailed plan with every eventuality explored, time spent thinking about what I'm trying to achieve and what success will look like when I'm finished, 'next actions' to focus me on achieveable steps. I enjoy the process because I'm doing it my way.
12 June 2012
Starting a new adventure
I am delighted to say that I have been accepted onto the appleyoga teacher training course 2012/13. This time next year I may be a fully qualified yoga teacher!
The course starts next month but there is lots of preparation before it starts. I now practice yoga every day and I have already started studying my Anatomy textbooks. 'Excited' doesn't even begin to describe how I feel.
And best of all, I now have a beautiful new yoga notebook.
27 March 2012
All out of hoop
My second hoop course this year finished last night. I feel like I'm getting somewhere now. It will be a while before I'm as comfortable on it as the trapeze though. I'm still working out the logistics of the space.
Here's my latest routine which was our end of course exercise - incorporating the stuff we worked on in March:
Here's my latest routine which was our end of course exercise - incorporating the stuff we worked on in March:
28 February 2012
Hoop possibilities
I've just finished my first 6-week course in Hoop and we finished with a little presentation that was lots of fun.
Flying Fantastic 6 week hoop course - The results (1) from Flying Fantastic on Vimeo.
I'm the one on the right.
This was a beginners course in Hoop and while my trapeze background made the physical movements fairly easy, I enjoyed the slow pace which allowed me time to focus on doing things properly and cleanly. I'm always fighting my instincts to be slap-dash so I feel like I've been starting from scratch for the last 12 months: relearning how to do everything with control and elegance. It was great to learn from Clare Midgely and when I wasn't learning moves, I was watching how she taught the classes. I still have a lot to learn.
Next week I start a 4-week course in Hoop with the lovely Rose Donnelly at MAH. This is likely to be faster paced - teaching to MAH students experienced in a range of aerial skills. I'm excited about developing my hoop skills further and hopefully ending up with the basis of a routine I can work on.
This is leaving me feeling very conflicted. I feel like I'm betraying my static trapeze and turning my back on years of tricks and experience. This is stupid, and I know both can co-exist. Hoop for crowd-pleasing, easier-to-rig, more accessible work. Trapeze for pushing myself to put more difficult tricks into routines and choreograph to please myself.
15 February 2012
Injury time
I've been taking hoop classes in addition to my trapeze classes this year and I love getting to know a new piece of apparatus. Perhaps a bit too much.
Last week, before my trapeze class started, I got a hoop out and started to play around during my warmup time. I had done a very quick warmup so that I'd have time. This was big mistake number 1. Mistake number 2 was deciding, after having had only 2-3 hoop classes, to play around and improvise. I stupidly flung my head back and pulled something. It was ok, as long as I only looked down or straight ahead. I spent the rest of my trapeze class tentatively exploring my range of motion and planning my recovery (heatpacks, pain killers, no "bed rest"). I've hurt my neck before so knowing what to do was reassuring.
Did you know how much you use the muscles in your neck? Every time you move around in bed, your neck muscles help your head turn or just get comfy. I didn't really sleep well for the first couple of nights after my injury. Eating in restaurants is difficult. The staff probably thought I was being rude when I didn't turn my head to look at them. Also, it's tricky to speak to a group of people when you can't easily turn to see them.
I don't know how people with chronic pain get by. I knew that if I sensibly dealt with my injury, the effects would be short term. The constant pain was still frustrating and annoying though. I wanted to rest but sitting still is the opposite of what my neck needs.
Five days after the trapeze class, I had my next hoop class and I felt that I'd gained enough range of movement to be able to go. They have a great led warmup at Flying Fantastic so I knew I'd be properly warmed up for the class. (I must remember to do that same warmup for trapeze class!) I made sure that the class co-ordinator and class teacher knew about my injury. For each move we did on the hoop, I evaluated whether I should do it or sit it out. Everything was being clearly explained and demonstrated so I was confident with what I was safe to do. I ended up with 2 new hoop moves and had great fun in the class.
Lessons learned:
Last week, before my trapeze class started, I got a hoop out and started to play around during my warmup time. I had done a very quick warmup so that I'd have time. This was big mistake number 1. Mistake number 2 was deciding, after having had only 2-3 hoop classes, to play around and improvise. I stupidly flung my head back and pulled something. It was ok, as long as I only looked down or straight ahead. I spent the rest of my trapeze class tentatively exploring my range of motion and planning my recovery (heatpacks, pain killers, no "bed rest"). I've hurt my neck before so knowing what to do was reassuring.
Did you know how much you use the muscles in your neck? Every time you move around in bed, your neck muscles help your head turn or just get comfy. I didn't really sleep well for the first couple of nights after my injury. Eating in restaurants is difficult. The staff probably thought I was being rude when I didn't turn my head to look at them. Also, it's tricky to speak to a group of people when you can't easily turn to see them.
I don't know how people with chronic pain get by. I knew that if I sensibly dealt with my injury, the effects would be short term. The constant pain was still frustrating and annoying though. I wanted to rest but sitting still is the opposite of what my neck needs.
Five days after the trapeze class, I had my next hoop class and I felt that I'd gained enough range of movement to be able to go. They have a great led warmup at Flying Fantastic so I knew I'd be properly warmed up for the class. (I must remember to do that same warmup for trapeze class!) I made sure that the class co-ordinator and class teacher knew about my injury. For each move we did on the hoop, I evaluated whether I should do it or sit it out. Everything was being clearly explained and demonstrated so I was confident with what I was safe to do. I ended up with 2 new hoop moves and had great fun in the class.
Lessons learned:
- Always do a proper warmup before touching the kit
- Don't play or experiment until you really know what you're doing and can be safe.
- I don't like having a sore neck. I'm crossing 'neck hang' off my wishlist.
Big loser
About this time last year, I blogged about making a firm decision to be healthier. I had started working out at home and I had weight loss goals set. I'm pleased and proud to look back on those posts now. I achieved my goals and I've gained so much more than just a smaller waist line.
How I did it
The biggest step was deciding that I was no longer happy being slightly over a healthy BMI. I wanted to be awesome: a healthy active role model for my kids. I had specific goals in my trapeze work and any excess weight would stop me progressing.
I started looking at my food choices. My breakfast has always been a necessity for me but I must have been having about 100g of cereal instead of a 30g serving. I had been eating pizza baguettes or cheesy paninis for lunch out of convenience. Lots of restaurant meals in the evenings weren't going to help. I started making adjustments and thinking more about my choices.
All of this would have helped a bit but I wouldn't have made the progress I did without My Fitness Pal - a free website that helps you log all your food and exercise and gives you information on how many calories you should have each day to achieve your goals. I started logging my food out of a geeky curiosity. I like numbers. I was shocked to find out how many calories I was consuming each day. After a few days of logging, I started to make changes. Weighing my morning cereal to stop my greedy tendancies. Seeking out delicious lunch alternatives with low calorie counts.
Once I was logging my food steadily, I started noticing progress when I found my perfect lunch solution. Innocent veg pots . They were on offer in Tescos and the tastiest looking one was only 217 kcal! A hot yummy meal, with enough calories left for bready/cakey/fruity treats. Perfect! They became my default lunch choice.
I got used to my daily calorie limit - to the point that I found it difficult to eat more food on days when I've got a class. I've started to plan ahead now and have a bigger lunch on those days. When I reached my goal weight, I increased my daily calorie limit to 'maintenance levels' and that was difficult to adjust to.
Then Christmas came along and I ate what I wanted - but I didn't want to binge on chocolates and eat massive portions of food. I had reasonable amounts of what I like and moved on. More chocolate that I'd normally have though, so in January I switched back to 'weight loss' calorie limits for a couple of weeks. After having all those lovely snacks and treats, it was hard to go back to my healthy measured choices but it was the perfect way to deal with a week of indulgence.
Why it was worth it
I've dropped two dress sizes and I love my new shape. This is the size I always thought I was in my head before I faced facts.
I can do pullups now. I have 16kg less of me to lift up. Pullups are cool.
I'm more confident on the trapeze. Being able to lift your own body weight means being able to get yourself out of most trapeze predicaments you may find yourself in. I'm determined to learn things I've struggled with in the past and I have a whole load of new material I can work into future routines now. I want to keep progressing and I've learned to believe in myself and not be scared to be rubbish at doing something because I'm learning or relearning how to do it properly. A humiliating tiny correct movement is better than an impressive big wrong one.
I'm more confident off the trapeze. Women who are dancers tend to look amazing. They look after themselves and their appearance. I need to do this more.
I'm happy and pleased that I was able to set goals and find a workable plan for reaching them. "Healthy eating and exercise" can seem so vague when you try to implement it. I'm really happy that I found something that worked for me and I stuck at it enough for it to deliver the results I wanted. It's a fuzzy warm sense of achievement.
Weight loss recommendations
I'd recommend that anyone who is struggling with weight loss logs their food and exercise for a week. For me, it was the eye-opener that made all the difference. Even if you don't want to continue logging, it will give you a realistic view of how many calories you are consuming and you may find meals you can adjust, snacks you can change or cut out.
Don't go on a diet. Become healthier. This should be a lifestyle change, not a fad or phase.
Don't try to go too fast. 1-2 pounds of weight loss a week is good steady sustainable progress.
It's easier to lose weight if you exercise because you are "winning" more calories you can eat that day. Try to find opportunities to be a bit more active. I stopped using the lifts at work.
Be kind to yourself. A day or week of cakes, chocolate or whatever your vice is will just be that: a day, a week. Not ideal, but not the end to your weight loss plans. Let yourself screw up from time to time, then get back to your healthy new you.
How I did it
The biggest step was deciding that I was no longer happy being slightly over a healthy BMI. I wanted to be awesome: a healthy active role model for my kids. I had specific goals in my trapeze work and any excess weight would stop me progressing.
I started looking at my food choices. My breakfast has always been a necessity for me but I must have been having about 100g of cereal instead of a 30g serving. I had been eating pizza baguettes or cheesy paninis for lunch out of convenience. Lots of restaurant meals in the evenings weren't going to help. I started making adjustments and thinking more about my choices.
All of this would have helped a bit but I wouldn't have made the progress I did without My Fitness Pal - a free website that helps you log all your food and exercise and gives you information on how many calories you should have each day to achieve your goals. I started logging my food out of a geeky curiosity. I like numbers. I was shocked to find out how many calories I was consuming each day. After a few days of logging, I started to make changes. Weighing my morning cereal to stop my greedy tendancies. Seeking out delicious lunch alternatives with low calorie counts.
Once I was logging my food steadily, I started noticing progress when I found my perfect lunch solution. Innocent veg pots . They were on offer in Tescos and the tastiest looking one was only 217 kcal! A hot yummy meal, with enough calories left for bready/cakey/fruity treats. Perfect! They became my default lunch choice.
I got used to my daily calorie limit - to the point that I found it difficult to eat more food on days when I've got a class. I've started to plan ahead now and have a bigger lunch on those days. When I reached my goal weight, I increased my daily calorie limit to 'maintenance levels' and that was difficult to adjust to.
Then Christmas came along and I ate what I wanted - but I didn't want to binge on chocolates and eat massive portions of food. I had reasonable amounts of what I like and moved on. More chocolate that I'd normally have though, so in January I switched back to 'weight loss' calorie limits for a couple of weeks. After having all those lovely snacks and treats, it was hard to go back to my healthy measured choices but it was the perfect way to deal with a week of indulgence.
Why it was worth it
I've dropped two dress sizes and I love my new shape. This is the size I always thought I was in my head before I faced facts.
I can do pullups now. I have 16kg less of me to lift up. Pullups are cool.
I'm more confident on the trapeze. Being able to lift your own body weight means being able to get yourself out of most trapeze predicaments you may find yourself in. I'm determined to learn things I've struggled with in the past and I have a whole load of new material I can work into future routines now. I want to keep progressing and I've learned to believe in myself and not be scared to be rubbish at doing something because I'm learning or relearning how to do it properly. A humiliating tiny correct movement is better than an impressive big wrong one.
I'm more confident off the trapeze. Women who are dancers tend to look amazing. They look after themselves and their appearance. I need to do this more.
I'm happy and pleased that I was able to set goals and find a workable plan for reaching them. "Healthy eating and exercise" can seem so vague when you try to implement it. I'm really happy that I found something that worked for me and I stuck at it enough for it to deliver the results I wanted. It's a fuzzy warm sense of achievement.
Weight loss recommendations
I'd recommend that anyone who is struggling with weight loss logs their food and exercise for a week. For me, it was the eye-opener that made all the difference. Even if you don't want to continue logging, it will give you a realistic view of how many calories you are consuming and you may find meals you can adjust, snacks you can change or cut out.
Don't go on a diet. Become healthier. This should be a lifestyle change, not a fad or phase.
Don't try to go too fast. 1-2 pounds of weight loss a week is good steady sustainable progress.
It's easier to lose weight if you exercise because you are "winning" more calories you can eat that day. Try to find opportunities to be a bit more active. I stopped using the lifts at work.
Be kind to yourself. A day or week of cakes, chocolate or whatever your vice is will just be that: a day, a week. Not ideal, but not the end to your weight loss plans. Let yourself screw up from time to time, then get back to your healthy new you.
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