Fitness Q&A
After getting a lot of questions regarding exercise, I thought I’d make a resource page that has all the Q&A’s I’m asked that are exercise related. I’ll add to here if there are any unanswered questions.
HOW LONG DID YOU WAIT UNTIL EXERCISING AFTER SURGERY?
I waited 2 months (8 weeks) post op before going into a gym and doing exercise again. I was very fatigued in the first few weeks so I waited until I was strong enough to walk around the house without getting dizzy before even thinking of stepping into a gym.
HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK DID YOU WORKOUT AT THE START?
At the 2 month mark, I booked in with a personal trainer for a 30 minute session once per week. I did that consistently for around 2 months following that so from 2 months to 4 months post op. I had tried a few times doing 2 x 30 minute sessions but it was too much for me during that time period.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU WORKOUT NOW?
From the 4 month mark I changed personal trainers and found one that was more suitable to my needs in a smaller more private gym. We started with the 1 x 30 minute session and then booked in 2 x 30-45 minute sessions with her per week and I’ve have been doing that consistently ever since.
do you think you’re working out enough if you’re only doing 2 workouts per week?
For me, I’ve found better results in doing 2 dedicated 30-45 minute workouts consistently than working out 5 times per week for an hour each day in sporadic periods. I personally have a very busy work schedule and so dedicating these time slots twice per week ensures I’ll always be able to make time. I book them in like appointments or meetings in my calendar.
Would you recommend I only workout twice per week?
Everyone is different. Some people thrive off workouts every day - it’s just not for me and I’ve created a routine and structure that fits my lifestyle. I don’t want to set myself up for failure by giving myself unrealistic expectations that I know I can’t meet so I do what works for me. Nothing is cookie cutter so I’d recommend you do what works for you and if you’re unsure - get a bit of advice from someone who specialises in that field.
DO YOU FOCUS MAINLY ON CARDIO OR STRENGTH EXERCISES?
Honestly, every session is different and that’s what I love about personal trainers. This is their job and if you find the right one, it’s also their passion so not only are they an expertise in the field but they also want to have the best results possible. I’m not a fan of cardio and prefer strength and stability exercises but my personal trainer mixes it up and makes the cardio side of it fun for me.
WHERE DO YOU WORKOUT AND WHO IS YOUR TRAINER?
I work out with Hayley at The Exercise Room in Parnell. She owns the gym and we went to school together so it’s nice having someone you trust and who has known you over the years.
I CAN’T AFFORD A PERSONAL TRAINER, WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMEND I DO?
I would recommend you download the NTC - Nike Training Club app. It’s a free app that has a series of workouts available ranging from body weight, simple equipment exercises, all the way to in gym workouts. You can select workouts that target specific areas and choose from a range of different times from 15 minutes to over an hour depending on how long you have to workout. The app also shows you the moves and does either timed or reps. You can even set up your own program that customised to you and your goals. It’s one of the best resources out there that are FREE and easily accessible to anyone with a phone so I’d 100% recommend starting there.
I LOVE YOUR BODY AND I WANT A SMALL WAIST LIKE YOURS - WHAT EXERCISES DID YOU DO TO TARGET YOUR WAIST?
I get asked this question SO many times and I’m going to be honest with you - if you don’t naturally have this shape underneath excess fat, you’re likely not going to be able to get an hour glass shape naturally. I’ve been told it’s based a lot off of genes - typically I hold more fat in my hips, butt and legs. When I lost weight and excess fat, the result was the my natural shape revealed more.
DO YOU have any fitness goals right now?
Going into 2020, I really want to try more outdoor adventure sports. I love the gym but since meeting my boyfriend Chris, he’s big on the outdoors and that inspires me. He’s loves reaching summits having climbed multiple mountains and taken many scenic hikes around our national parks here in New Zealand. It’s my goal to do more of that - first the summit of Rangitoto Island which is local, followed by the Pinnacles in the Coromandel which Chris has already done and then maybe the Abel Tasman track by the end of 2020.
I have excess skin on my arms and stomach but you don’t? what exercises did you do to help with that?
I definitely have excess skin - I think it’s almost unavoidable to not have excess skin when you go from such a large size to significantly smaller. Everyone’s loose skin is different based off a variety of factors. I feel like my excess skin isn’t as obvious and was really minimised for a few reasons:
#1 - I took collagen and protein throughout my journey and I found my skin in general was significantly better because of that.
#2 - I worked on building muscle alongside burning excess fat. This gives my body more definition meaning that areas like my arms and stomach look more toned, even with the excess skin that I do have.
#3 - I’m a still relatively young, which makes a difference and is a slight advantage in this particularly scenario. The younger your body is, the quicker it can adapt.
I’m plus size and i’m struggling to find comfortable and nice activewear that fits. Do you have any recommendations? what did you wear when first starting your journey?
Plus size activewear is definitely super tricky to find and I really liked the Cotton On Body pieces which have a selection that cater up to an 2XL (size NZ20). I wore these at my heaviest (126kg and was technically a size NZ28) and at that size and they fit me. I know Nike and Adidas also do a plus size range but haven’t tried them out.
What are your favourite activewear brands now?
I absolutely love love love Lorna Jane! For sure my favourite! Above I’ve posted an image of my activewear closet and 90% are Lorna Jane. They bring out a new limited edition collection every month and a lot of their pieces are mix and match. A few other favourites are Aimn’ Oceania, Do You Even, First Base and of course, Cotton On Body.
Did you weight yourself regularly DURING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY and track your exercise?
I tracked my weight for sure. It’s a vital part of the journey however it can become unhealthily obsessive so it was something I was mindful of. I purchased the Fitbit Aria scales which I’d highly recommend. You don’t have to have a Fitbit, just the app and it records your weight automatically using Wifi. You don’t even have to look at the scales, it’ll just track it each time you jump on. I found I weighed myself regularly but didn’t look at it often using this method. That way, I understood my fluctuations a lot better too. As for exercise - I got a Fitbit about a year in and have since tracked my exercise and steps but as I said above, I generally focused on a min of two workouts + keeping my body moving daily.
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