Notes by Nectar

I had my ninth session with Trevor on Sunday morning. Thankfully he didn’t ask me if I’d done any exercise since our last session (because I hadn’t). I did a 5-minute warm-up on the cross-trainer and then we began. He told me he was going to change my 20/20/20 workout slightly and make it a little harder. I began on the treadmill. Instead of doing the full 20 minutes, I did 10 minutes – I alternated walking (5.0 km/h) and jogging (7.0 km/h) each minute. I’d previously been jogging at 7.5 km/h but this time Trevor told me I’d be using a 2% incline throughout the 20 minutes.

After 10 minutes on the treadmill, I did the new abs circuit:

• In and outs x 40 seconds
• Rest x 20 seconds
• Side plank x 20 seconds on each side
• Rest x 20 seconds
• Knee raises x 40 seconds
• Rest x 20 seconds
• Russian twists x 40 seconds
• Rest x 20 seconds
• Rest x 1 minute

I did that circuit twice during our session but would have to do it four times when I do the workout on my own. The hardest exercise for me out of those four is the knee raises. They’re done on a vertical knee raise machine – and I can feel that mostly in my shoulders as I start to sink. After the abs circuit I got on the cross-trainer for 5 minutes and then on the bike for 5 minutes. And then we did some boxing for about 10 minutes:

• Jabs x 10
• Jabs/upper cuts x 10
• Squats/jabs x 10
• Running/jabbing x 10/20/30/40 jabs
• Squats/upper cuts x 10

With the running and jabbing exercise, Trevor and I stood at opposite ends of the gym, I’d run up to him, do 10 jabs and then run back to my side. I’d run back to him again, do 20 jabs and then run back. I did this two more times – doing 30 and 40 jabs after running up to him. It was exhausting.

Once that was over I did some floor exercises – a variety of pelvic raises and some lower back extensions. To finish off I used the adductor machine: three sets of 10-15. I could really feel the burn by the end of the session and told Trevor he might have to carry me home!

When I got home I took some photos of myself in my underwear (again, don’t worry – you’re never going to see them). I compared them to my photos from 4 weeks earlier. I can see a definite change around my waist and hips, especially from the side view. Yay!

I didn’t work out on Monday or Tuesday. I was in the office early on both days and just didn’t have time. I also didn’t feel too sore after Sunday’s session – apart from my obliques – and I thought that was surprising.

I had my tenth session (already!) with Trevor on Wednesday morning. I had to switch days as I was interviewing someone at the Literature Festival for the magazine on Thursday. I did my 5-minute warm-up on the cross-trainer and then did the following circuit:

• Combined squat/press (3-kg weights) x 10/12/14
• Tricep dips x 10/12/14
• Combined lunge/press (3-kg weights) x 10/12/14
• Push-ups x 10/12/14
• Mountain climbers x 10/12/14
• In and outs x 10/12/14
• High knees x 4/3/2 sets of 30 seconds

So, in the first set I did 10 reps of each exercise and four sets of 30 seconds of the high knees with a 10-second rest between each set. In the second set I did 12 reps of each exercise and three sets of 30 seconds of the high knees. In the third and final set I did 14 reps of each exercise and two sets of 30 seconds of the high knees. I was exhausted after all that! I think the high knees were definitely the worst part of that circuit but the combined lunge/press took the most coordination! I had to lunge and press at the same time, with alternating legs. But Trevor did say that my legs looked like they were getting stronger.

Once I’d done that three times, I did a series of dead lifts. Using the fit-bar I did 20 Romanian deadlifts (with knees bent) followed by 20 stiff-legged deadlifts. I did that twice, making that 80 deadlifts in total! By the end of it I could feel it in my hamstrings and back, especially when doing the stiff-legged deadlifts. I really need to get myself to a yoga class at some point…

Just when I thought we were finished Trevor told me he was going to try out a new circuit with me – just for a few minutes. Hurrah!

• Treadmill x 30 seconds (speed 7.0, incline 8%)
• Alternate knee to elbow x 30 seconds
• Treadmill x 30 seconds (speed 6.5, incline 8%)
• Knee raises x 30 seconds (on the vertical knee raise machine)
• Treadmill x 30 seconds (speed 6.5, incline 8%)
• Plank x 30 seconds
• Treadmill x 30 seconds (speed 6.5, incline 6%)
• Reverse crunches x 30 seconds

And I was done. I lay on my mat – I think my body was in shock. I did some stretches and went home.

I didn’t work out again in the week – but my hamstrings ached until my next session with Trevor on Sunday! My weekend was also absolutely packed and I was exhausted for most of it!

Low point of the week? Only making it to the gym twice – and only for my sessions with Trevor. I also ate and drank the entire weekend.

High point of the week? The photos are proof that my body is changing (for the better)!

Weight loss? I managed to stay at or under 75 kg for most of the week – and even hit 71 kg on Friday! I’m not sure how that happened because I was 74 kg on Thursday and Saturday. I put it down to ‘dehydration’.

Read more updates here.