Harley Young goes on a fitness kick with Corporation street gym The Olympus Projects
Following a trip to Las Vegas, a period of illness, and a metal festival in France (they say things come in threes), I ended up a few weeks off track with my training.
I was starting to notice a difference in the amount of strength I had. The bouncy, energetic feeling I’d gained from consistent work-outs and actively being more conscious of what I ate had dwindled and I was worried that, if I had any more time off, the bad habits might start to creep back. So, I found my groove again with the help of AJ and the team at The Olympus Projects.
For reference, I’m 5ft3 and my starting weight was 78kg.
Now the spiel is out of the way, let's get down to business. 💪
This article documents weeks seven to nine of the 12-week course. If you haven’t already, read the other weeks, you can read them below. Check back in two weeks time for another progress update.
Week 7
Easing myself back in, I decided to start with just the two sessions this week. I had a busy schedule of new openings meaning a lot of my evenings and weekends were already accounted for. That and, in all honesty, I was terrified of going back. It’s true what they say; you really do have to keep going with the gym as, when you stop, your body will punish you for it.
I woke up the morning after my Monday evening session feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. Every bone and muscle in my body ached, but I knew that meant it was working.
I went in for my second session, Labours of Atlas, which focuses on a lot of lifting, and instantly noticed that my arms were a lot weaker than they had been when I was training regularly. I lifted the bar with 2.5kg on either side to do an overhead press and turned to jelly. Even lifting the bar alone was exhausting. It was going to take some hard work and determination to get back to where I had been.
Luckily, AJ was on hand to help me improve as quickly as possible, upping my macro target to get more protein into my diet. The more protein, the quicker I’d recover and the faster my muscles would come back.
Week 8
After a couple of days of walking like a cowboy and nursing my aches and pains, I was ready for another week of progression. I arrived bright and early Monday morning, starting as I meant to go on. 15 minutes into the session I noticed my stamina had taken quite a beating from the few weeks off, but I persevered and completed the class, even if I did leave red faced looking like I was about to keel over.
I took a day out as I was seeing Stevie Nicks the Tuesday evening, but came back fighting on the Wednesday and completed not one but two sessions; infrared pilates at The Green Lab at lunch and Labours of Atlas with The Olympus Projects that evening. Lis tried to persuade me to stay for a third session after Labours, but I thought I’d quit while I’m ahead - maybe next time. Besides, the one-day-on, one-day-off technique seemed to be serving me well.
I came back on Friday and, as there’s no classes on a Sunday, decided to make my ‘day on’ the Saturday, joining Lis for one of her intense but incredibly fun Aphrodites Quest (pilates and strength training) sessions. I think I’m a fan of the Saturday sessions as they’re not too early in the morning, but not so late that they eat into your day. It feels like the best way to start your weekend off right, you know?
Week 9
By now, I was really hitting my stride again. My strength and muscle memory was starting to come back to me, those endorphins I’d been missing were being released again and I began to hit a new run of personal bests. Each session, I was able to lift heavier and for more reps. I had more of a ‘can do’ attitude and it wasn’t just helping with my fitness journey but with my career and general life, too. Honestly, I felt great.
However, it was time for me to address the elephant in the room which was that my diet had slipped up and that's why I wasn’t noticing the pounds come off as quickly as before. I noticed myself snacking a lot more, getting those sweet cravings, and giving in to temptation even when I felt full. With just a few weeks left to go off the programme, and around the same amount of time until my Allurion balloon dissolved, I decided it was now or never and started to knuckle down with my high protein, low sugar diet once again.
Next week, I plan on checking in with The Olympus Project’s nutritionist Oliver to get some much needed advice on quick and easy meals to prep around a varied and ever-changing work schedule. But for now, I can give myself a pat on the back for not giving up and getting back on the horse as it were.
Week 9 weigh-in
To date, I have lost and kept off 9.6kg (1.5 stone). Considering the setbacks, I’m incredibly happy with this. I hope that, with perseverance and seriously knuckling down over the next three weeks, I can hit the minus two-stone mark by the end of the 12 weeks.
Interested in reaching your body goals? Enquire at The Olympus Projects.
The Olympus Projects, 109 Corporation St, Manchester M4 4DX
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