Dear Diary ... Saturday, December 8
Seven days until scales ... am nervous.
Fear drove me to spend morning at gym, where I had pleasure of Mandy Kennedy's company in back row.
Concluded during wonderful stretch class Mandy and I should be kept separate during classes. We get giggles which is not appropriate given zen-like state of other stretchers. Am grateful managed to control giggles before they turned into snorts.
Sunday, December 9
Sent Margo Berryman text this morning informing her I missed her face and hoped to have a Pump date.
Margo did not disappoint and, despite glorious day, we spent an hour doing all manner of exercises, which seem not to be getting any easier.
Possibly this was because Pump was 19th class in seven days ... Actually, was 20th, but am not counting special RPM class beautiful Ruth took for us on Wednesday.
Before you ask, Diary, yes, possibly have lost several marbles.
Monday, December 10
This morning had last official training session with Haylee.
It made me sad ... to start with anyway. After an hour on circuit, sadness replaced by relief. At one point during press-ups water started pooling on mat beneath face.
Haylee employed distraction technique ... she started talking about puddings!
When it got to round two, arms were shaking - by the end of it, entire body had followed suit.
Haylee turned down resistance on RPM bike tiny fraction because legs couldn't go any faster ...
just to make sure she got cheesecake brownie on Wednesday.
This afternoon the 19 classes caught up with me. Was shattered. By 1pm, was eyeing up couch in office wondering if anyone would notice if I used it for nana nap. By 3.30pm catatonia had set in.
Tuesday, December 11
Woke up in same position went to sleep in, Diary ...sign of blissful slumber indeed.
Felt MUCH better today. So good I decided to torture myself in different fashion.
I baked.
Smell of chocolate filled house for several hours as I put domestic goddess pants on and prepared delicious treats for Haylee and Lakes Leisure staff.
Was my way of saying ''thank you for putting up with me''.
Major issue with domestic goddessness is things created were not allowed to pass lips ... OK, maybe ONE (or two) items fell into mouth (promise, it was accident, Diary).
Wednesday, December 12
Fitness test, round three.
Was worried would not be able to surpass six-week results - particularly with push-ups.
At halfway mark managed to do 20 full ones ... have only managed to better than that once since then.
Haylee was her effervescent self and was excited - suspect mostly because of large bag containing treats I brought with me.
Fitness test began with treadmill - which now reports I am ''above average''. Vast improvement on 12 weeks ago when the first word was ''below''.
Also managed to take 14 seconds off my 500m rowing effort - took just under two minutes to do it ... and double that to recover.
The Pump classes clearly paid off, with vast improvements in squatting, lunging and tricep dipping, but the two am most proud of were sit-ups and push-ups.
Today busted out 40 of the former before Haylee told me I could stop ... find it remarkable on September 24 could only manage one and even that was a struggle.
But best of all, Diary, managed 30 full press-ups - on my toes and everything.
Haylee said this officially meant I was better than her at pushing up - she told me not to tell you, Diary, but I tell you everything.
Thursday, December 13
This evening tried something have NEVER contemplated before ... paddle boarding.
Aim of this activity is to stand up on large board and paddle about.
Was very nervous - have atrocious balance on anything not technically classified as solid ground and also am petrified of fish ... stop laughing, Diary.
Instructor Paul deserves medal for his patience ... which am sure I tested several times.
There is always one, Diary - and for some reason it seems to always be me. After watching other ladies stand up with ease and gracefully cruise around Frankton Bay, decided to give it a nudge.
Took several (very) shaky attempts before I was upright ... and then, in blink of an eye, was in water.
Got back on the board, managed to stand up and was going quite well before legs got wobbles and I plopped off again.
Had only JUST semi-dried out and was (sort of) getting hang of it, when Paul made me turn board around ... started turning and then realised what was coming. Very bad word flew from mouth at volume before quickly being fully submerged in Lake Wakatipu.
At least water was warm.
Am proud to report all other Blue Team members were far more successful than I ... think some of them should investigate competitive paddle boarding.
Friday, December 14
The penultimate day has arrived. This morning at gym could not escape feeling was on Biggest Loser and this was ''last chance workout''.
RPM instructor Andi knew it too and did excellent impersonation of Gillian.
Did not anticipate level of nervousness ahead of scales visit tomorrow - am scared of being disappointed in myself, despite multiple achievements over the past few weeks, most of which are things have never before believed possible (like 31 push-ups ... and paddle boarding).
In effort to get rid of most stubborn fat cells, met Blue Teamers for ''yog/walk'' around Lake Hayes this evening.
If you had told me in September by end of Revive would be able to yog large part of 8km track, would have found this hilarious - and unbelievable.
Eighty-one sleeps down - one to go.
Before bed said a few quiet words to God of Weight Loss ... wish me luck, Diary. See Wednesday's Queenstown Times for the final Dear Diary, photos and results from Alpine Health & Fitness' Revive programme.