Body Assessment #9: Gráinne
August 19, 2008 by Valerie Waters
Hi Val,
My name is Gráinne. I’m 30 and living in Ireland.
You probably won’t get to mine…but I could really really do with the advice and motivation! I’ve included a few photos of how I looked a few years ago, and then my more up to date ones since I started exercising. Feel like I’ve always been fat and struggling.
I’ve yo-yoed a lot over the years but have been a little more stable over the past year or so. The photo of me in the red dress was my heaviest in recent years. After that I started a different job which was stressful…and lost some weight! Started walking to work around a year and a half ago and then started a bit of yoga which helped a little more. Then last June I started running. Never thought I could, but one day put the speed on the treadmill up to a jog….and realised I could do it! Ran a half marathon last September but injured myself the week after. With what turned out to be a stress fracture of my inferior pubic ramus-part of my pelvis. That meant 5 months off running so I started going to the gym. Was just trying not to lose fitness at the time. Got a bit pudgier over Christmas so introduced weights in January. Until then they had been an intermittent thing! Went for Matt Robert’s PHA workout and definitely think it made a difference. Started running again in March…got a metatarsal fracture! Back to it in late May and am building slowly, trying not to injure myself again. Work out about 6 times a week. Gym is mainly elliptical and stair climber. Think I could probably work much harder but feel like my legs are tired a lot of the time. I thought my arms were getting way too bulky so changed weight training recently and mostly trying to do one-legged/balancing things with legs to hopefully help avoid injury too…and doing some tummy work because that is so flabby.
Diet wise, having done a bit of everything in my time, I’m currently kind of sticking to a South Beach/low GI type diet. Usually 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Plenty of protein, trying to keep sugar intake down. Have a cheat/treat day on Saturday. I like that, because it makes it easier to be good during the week. But lately I find myself slipping and giving into the sweets and chocolates in work a little more. I could really do with some encouragement I think! Ireland is very unlike California really. It’s almost frowned upon by a lot of people to be into exercise. And you’re accused of being very boring or practically eating disordered if you refuse sweets, or don’t want to have the chicken and bacon sandwich on white bread that they provide at meetings 
My goals: I want to be happy when I look in the mirror! I want eating well to be automatic and not to yo-yo anymore. I want to feel fit and healthy. And I want to keep running without getting injured because I really fell in love with it.
I would so appreciate any advice. It was a huge ordeal to take photos of myself and look at them. Sending them is an unbelievably big step! Think my arms are awful, my abs are totally flabby and my legs are enormous. Not sure what to do. Afraid to change exercise without somebody’s advice in case I end up ballooning!
Thank you,
Love the Valslide by the way!
Gráinne
Grainne, good for you on being strong with others that don’t encourage what you are doing. My co-workers still comment on my little protein concoctions that I eat–I could care less. I always remember I’m doing something good and healthy for myself and not to worry about what they think. In the end, you are doing this for you and nobody else..don’t forget that. Good luck on your journey. You sound determined and that will make you successful!
And Val, every time a new assessment starts, I find myself pulling back my shoulders and holding my head higher..too funny (or sad I should say!).
Thanks Val! That’s so helpful. I had totally forgotten to do anything at all with my back
The strength training programme I had been following was a circuit type thing and I really liked that kind of thing because it doesn’t get boring so must start into Red Carpet Ready now. Had just been feeling a bit stuck…and people telling me I had Madonna arms and should give up didn’t help!
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Have been extremely well-behaved with returning to running. Was lucky enough to see a great podiatrist on a recent trip to DC (www.drpribut.com) and followed his “painfully slow return to running” plan which started with walking and then went to 10 min jogs…then 12mins and so on. Running a few times a week now again but am being very very slow to increase mileage, am watching for any early niggles…and not running too “hard”. You’re right though. It’s soooo hard not to jump back in and do the same as before. I’m hoping the patience will pay off. Shoes were the right kind for me but changed to a different brand to see if it will help. So far so good
Bring my lunch to work with me and have gotten used to salad out of Tupperware but you’ve definitely helped strengthen my resolve to stay away from the sweet things. Was having “just a little bit” far too often recently.
Amazing what a little bit of positive reinforcement can do
On that note I’ll head to the gym. Having fun with all the instructors asking about the Valslides….
Thanks again,
Gráinne x
Thanks Linda! The encouragement really helps sometimes. It’s a lot easier just to reach for the crap food sometimes, or just to sit on the couch. Have to keep reminding myself how much better it feels to be active and eating well!
Loving it that we almost have a little discussion group going here now
Gráinne, you describe yourself as “awful” “flabby” and “enormous.” I would like to counter that with “partially (or mostly) blind.” LOL You look great!
I think it’s a really common thing for people to lose weight and not be able to see it. The weight is gone, but your brain is still wearing a sort of mental fat suit. You’re already lean and fit, and SO close to being exactly where you want to be.
Linda, I also do the posture check as soon as a new assessment starts!
Val, you make me ultra conscious of any slouching, hunching or scrunching I might be doing.
Hi Gráinne,
How is program coming along? Are you being good with the food? Is it getting at least a little easier?
Hi Val!
It’s not going too badly. Was messing around with chocolate and stuff planning to eliminate it all….then realised I ended up eating it just for the sake of it then! At the moment it’s not banned and I have the odd square. And don’t crave it as much! Balance of diet in favour of good, healthy food though. Workouts are a mixture of Red Carpet Ready and a few other bits and pieces and are going well. The Valslide reverse lunges are fantastic and think the Valslide side lunges and curtsey squats are actually managing to work all those muscles that the physiotherapist wanted me to target. Hurrah! Those push-ups with a twist and painful push-aways are definitely keeping things interesting too. And the fitness manager in my gym has now bought a set of Valslides
Thanks!
Hi Grainne!
I love hearing about people using their Valslides! I wish everyone knew what a big difference they can make. You will see you butt change!!
Anyway, I am not against a bit of good dark chocolate. Have you seen my video with the chocolate and strawberries? It is way of getting your choc. but also some good stuff and it will fill you up a little more.
It sounds like you are doing great. It make this work long term, it is important to mix things up. Just keep your goal in your minds eye but also write it down somewhere so you have to look at it.