"I feel much stronger and much more confident even after three weeks!"

Transformation can seem hard, but results can happen fast!

The fitness journey continues with Donna and Amy -  two women who, like so many of us,  have faced tough challenges to their health and huge demands on their time over the last couple of years.

Both of them wanted some help and support in changing their lives and feeling stronger, fitter and healthier.

For 12 weeks, we’re following  their journeys - the highs and lows, the successes and the challenges  - and we  want you to come along  too,  set yourself some goals alongside theirs, so  we can help and support each other along the way.

In this episode:

• Amy explains why keeping a fuel diary has been important.
• Donna talks about embracing core exercises and making concrete plans to keep active.
• Mel & Holly, Her Spirit Co-founders, talk about the encouraging rest and consistency.
• Her Spirit physio Gemma stresses the importance of strength training for runners
• The importance of healthy habit forming when planning a successful reintroduction to exercise.

At Her Spirit we’re here for you.

We want to help you discover your potential, achieve your goals, ignite your fitness, find your community.

Head to herspirit.co.uk and sign up for our Core Membership, get access to our virtual classes, monthly challenges and expert advice. Plus, track your progress in our heath hub and find your very own cheerleading squad who will support you every step of the way.

Use the code HERSPIRITPOD3 and get three months completely FREE.

It’s time for You

Join us at herspirit.co.uk | Instagram | Facebook | Get the Her Spirit App

Transcript

Her Spirit Season 6 Episode 2 - Habit Forming

Louise Minchin:

Hello and welcome to the Her Spirit podcast. I am Louise Minchin. Welcome to a brand new year again and second episode in our brand new format for the Her Spirit podcast. You may well have seen on Instagram we put out a call for two women who wanted some help and support in reaching their fitness goals and changing their lives. And thank you for all your responses. There were so many. And as I said on our last podcast, I was made, they made me very emotional. It was difficult to choose but choose we did. We chose Donna and Amy who are now two weeks into their challenges. Amy wants to get ready to run a 10K in March and she is well on her way. I'm so excited for her and she's there with me now. Hi Amy and Donna wants to tackle her first sprint triathlon, being a bit of a triathlete, of course, I'm so up for Donna doing this. It's gonna change her life. Donna, absolutely wonderful to have them here on the podcast, but also catch up with Mell and Holly from Her Spirit who've been working closely with Donna and Amy and see how they're getting on and help them as well. We are of course following them on their journeys, the highs, the lows, the successes, the challenges. We really hope that you are able to learn something from their journeys and take away things that can help you on your way, set yourself some goals alongside theirs and also help and support each other as well. I mean, I know Donna and Amy because you are on your journey. I'm also on my, I think I'm gonna call it couch to marathon journey as well. And it's super encouraging especially seeing your videos, especially Amy, I have to say this, I cannot believe that you go for runs at so early in the morning when it's icy. You're incredible. Well done.

Amy:

I find it easier to run earlier, so I have to get up and do it cause I run out of time in the day with school runs and work.

Louise Minchin:

That is first takeaway message for anybody who's listening. And I think it's really important to me. I know when I'm good at exercising and actually it is not first thing in the morning,  build it into your day as part of what you do. And actually Amy, I know that you're right, I know if you get it done early then you know that it makes your whole day much easier, doesn't it?

Amy:

Yeah, cause I'll, I'll sort of do the school one and I'll get home and I'll start other jobs and then it gets to sort of like two o'clock and I think, oh, I haven't done anything yet and then I've got to go and pick Jess up from school. So I have a lot more energy in the morning.

Louise Minchin:

Well, I can see you've got more energy. Cause again, just see the, the shininess of your face and the brightness of your eyes. It's absolutely amazing. Donna, when do you, so when do you fit in your exercise and what have you learned over the last two weeks about that?

Donna:

So I think the, the key for me is planning. So I think Mel sent me a planner and I've never done this before so it's, it's on a weekend looking at where I'm working cause I work away quite a bit and actually planning what I'm capable of doing that day when I'm away from home or if I've got other things happening at home. So it planning for me has been key over the last few weeks and it's that commitment then that I'm gonna do it.

Louise Minchin:

I didn't know that's where we were gonna start this week, but it seems such a good place to start actually, because planning is so important and you've both sort of indicated that as well when you do it in your day and also when you do it in your week because I've never trained for a marathon in the winter before. I mean that sounds ridiculous, but most marathons have seem to have been that I've done it like late in the, in the summer or, and and it's really hard. And actually marathon training, anything that you're doing I've, I've put them in. I've put all those runs in in my diary for the next kind of three weeks or so. And it does help you giving us, give your structure doesn't it? Right. So I know you've both been super active and we're gonna talk over the next 20 minutes or so what you've been up to. You've also thank you both not just being doing the exercise and the sport and all the rest of it. You've been keeping an audio diary as well. Well done. Let's first of all have a little to you Amy.

Amy:

Hello everyone. I am still doing the give me five challenge. I'm currently on week four. It's getting harder but I'm really enjoying it. It's been a bit more difficult this week because of the weather. I'm also doing the couch to kilos challenge, which I'm really loving. I feel much stronger and much more confident even after just three weeks. I have been tired the last couple of weeks so my situation is a bit harder than it has been. But I have made myself stick to the plan and I always feel much better after doing the exercise. It is just that thought of getting up and doing it. I've also found the fuel section of the app really useful. Completing the food reflect diary in the first week was really helpful to see the link between what I eat and how that affects my energy levels but also my mood. I still need to have a bit of a play around with my diet but it's really helpful to get a bit of an idea of where I am.

Louise Minchin:

Amy. Gosh, well I mean well done. You know what you've done here and what's so impressive if you've made a commitment and you're sticking to it, aren't you? So just talk me through those things that have been most beautiful. We talked about couch to kilos and that is on the Her Spirit app and it's about weights, isn't it? How's that been for you? Explain to me a little bit about what you’ve done.

Amy:

Yeah, so the couch to kilos is a bit of like getting back into weight training and strength training. Again, you can do it in your front room, it's half an hour and it's, yeah, it's really good just for basic starting off strength training and I've really loved it.

Louise Minchin:

And will you do it again? Will you, cause you, there's various different levels that you can do. Did you go in at the beginner's level? Where did you go in at?

Amy:

Yeah, so I started on the beginner's one, but I might start on the extra, which is slightly more. So I might start that next week. <laugh>.

Louise Minchin:

And tell us about the running as well because you've been doing the Her Spirit version of, of Couch to 5k, haven't you? How's that been?

Amy:

It's, it's been good actually. I've really enjoyed it. Obviously I think like the rest of the country, we've had a lot of snow and ice over the last week or so, so two of my runs last week were on the treadmill rather than getting out and doing it. But I've still done it. I got out again yesterday and then hopefully tomorrow morning I'll be out again.

Louise Minchin:

And that's a good thing to remember. So for example, I went running again, it's really icy where I am and I'm, I'm,  there are different kind of runs I need to do for marathon training, like an interval run. And I did that on the treadmill and I'm not a treadmill runner, but actually what I found was I had a plan to do it and it made it so much easier. What, how well, how is that for you?

Amy:

Cause I'm not very good pacing myself at keeping the same speed. So yeah, to set the two speeds and do walk at one speed, run at another speed, it's, it does work a lot better, but it's just not quite so as exciting as getting out.

Louise Minchin:

<laugh>. I know what you mean and just what have you found surprising in this on the kind of first two weeks that you've been doing this? What's, what's made you feel good and what's harder?

Amy:

I've actually surprised at how far I've come. So I'm on, I'm just starting week five of the give me five and compared to what I was running in the first week compared to what I can do now is, yeah, it's amazing.

Louise Minchin:

It is amazing how quickly you can make progress, isn't it? And, and tell me about the food as well because I've never done that and I'm, I keep meaning to do it starting to look at, you know you, you can really see a difference can you between what you are eating and how it makes you feel?

Amy:

Yeah, definitely and especially obviously cause I haven't trained for so long, you get sort of set in one diet and then all of a sudden you're so tired cause you're not eating enough, you're not eating the right foods. So actually to log it all and to log your mood as well, it really helps to see yeah, what you should be eating.

Louise Minchin:

Brilliant. Okay, let's talk to Donna because I know Donna as well. You've, both of you have been super busy. we'll have a little, we'll have a chat with you in a moment, but let's hear what you've been up to first.

Donna:

Hi everybody. I have been working away from home again this week for the last couple of days and that's when I find my health and fitness. I'm really challenged thank you to the community for some top tips. Last week I did take my yoga mat away with me and I managed to do the couch to Kilo this morning in my hotel room. I've just got back and ordinarily now I would just flop and just have my tea and that would be it. But what I've decided to do, because it's quick, it's easy, I'm just gonna log onto the Her Spirit app and I'm gonna do the core hit again.

So I have just got my bike out of the shed and cleaned it down and I've just booked it into the cycle shop so I'm just gonna ride it there now and then hopefully run back and I feel like that's a massive tick box by just taking it and getting it serviced. And I feel like that's gonna help me with my mindset a little bit more that I'm starting to look at the cycle

(Mel Berry): And all the way from Doncaster. Donna, now welcome everybody. I have tried to create lanes full of empathy and love….

Louise Minchin:

Donna. I mean,  you're setting out to do a triathlon and I think you're already doing more than three sports, so you're doing running back from the bike, bike, mending the bike, cycling with the bike, the swimming and also some strength, respect, I mean, huge amount of respect. First of all, how was your bike?

Donna:

So I haven't collected it yet. I've been so busy. I haven't had time to pick it up yet, but I was at the running show at the weekend, so my plan is to try and pick it up probably next Saturday when I'm off work. Yeah,

Louise Minchin:

But is, I mean it's not broken for starters, so this is really, I mean you could ride it down to the bike shop.

Donna:

Absolutely, yeah. And when I was there the man behind the counter, I asked him about taking the wheel off and if he could give me some lessons and he literally took the wheel off in 20 seconds, which really shock me cause I thought there was some technical way and I'd need spanners. And so I feel reassured that that's not that difficult and I will be able to do that.

Louise Minchin:

And also you clearly have a good bike. So tell me what's really interesting talking to you and both of you trying to fit around your different types of busy lives is, that's one of the things that is hard, isn't it, when you're away from home but you're managing to keep up your goals even when you're away.

Donna:

Yeah, yeah. And I, I think it's the app that's really helping me because ordinarily I'd be like, I don't know what to do. Or it just doesn't feel quite the same, just standing and doing some freestyle exercises, but when you're following something or following a class, I just feel it gives you that little bit more commitment and encouragement to do that. So I have done quite a lot of the, I've done the Pilates, the core hit the couch to kilos, so I've been trying to do those type of sessions when I've been away from home. And then when I'm at home I perhaps might do a run or on the Friday evenings I've been to a couple of the freestyle coaching sessions in Nottingham.

Louise Minchin:

Wow, you're so committed. I'm so impressed and I hope that other people, I’m encouraged by you so I hope other people will take away that as well. I, I think what the main messages you've both both given me is, first of all, you look changed by it. Do you feel changed, Donna?

Donna:

I do. I feel as though I've got more energy and I think, I dunno whether it's because I'm, I feel in control. I think that's where it is because I'm planning at the beginning of each week I feel in control and I, and I feel excited that you can fit this into your working week. And it doesn't just have to be a park run once a week and then one other session. You can do something every single day. And I think that's the commitment is to do a little bit of something every single day just to keep active.

Louise Minchin:

Amy, do you feel changed by it?

Amy:

Yeah, definitely. I think like Donna says to do something every day. I, I haven't done that for years so I do feel like I've got a lot more energy.

Louise Minchin:

I asked Amy didn't I, Donna what surprised her? What surprised you?

Donna:

I think one of the surprises is how weak my core is if I'm honest. And I think I've actually woken up up muscles that have probably not been awake for the last 10 years. And I'll be honest, I had a period last week for a few days where I felt sore <laugh>. I just felt like my muscles inside were sore and that were a little bit of a wake up call to me cause I'm thinking they've not been used properly for so long. So that were a little bit of a wake up call I think. And just talking to Mel and Holly and also I had a session with Jess at the running show talking about that,  your core is so important for all the other functions for running, cycling and swimming. So I think that's been a real key learning for me over the last few weeks.

Louise Minchin:

As you say that I'm kind of like pulling in my core <laugh>. I've been to my physio today and we can talk about physios actually <laugh> in a, in a moment. So this week, I know the last couple of weeks you have been spending a lot of time with Holly and Mel, Her Spirit Co-founders. Responsible for all that amazing content there is on the app. They've been offering you advice, getting support Mel, you've been working with Donna. It's a bit like, it's a bit like sort of going to us,  going into school, isn't it? And you're sitting there in front of your teacher Donna, with your mum and dad, I'm your mum and we're gonna hear from your teacher Mel <laugh>. Mel, how's she been doing?

Mel Berry:

She's brilliant. I mean, we met each other two weeks ago and  the most important thing that I've learned about Donna is she now packs her red lipstick wherever she goes because she worries. I'm gonna be around with a video. So Donna, you have styled it out for the last two weeks. <laugh>, forget the consistency, forget the abs, forget the core, forget the physio. You got the best red lippy I've ever seen whilst active <laugh>.

Donna:

Thank you <laugh>

Louise Minchin:

Donna, you'll know, you'll know this because I cause I know, bless you. You read my book, which is called, I'm gonna do a shameless plug here. Dare to try. And that's one thing I say do not pack lipstick in your triathlon bag, but I think I'm gonna let you because  you got it makes you feel good, doesn't it?

Donna:

It's a must. It's a must. Now, when I signed up to the podcast, I didn't think actually people were gonna see me on screen, but I was so wrong. So it's in my kit bag all the time, just in case Mel or Holly push a camera in front of my face.

Louise Minchin:

<laugh>. Oh Mel, what other things would you say about how Donna's doing and what you've noticed that she needs to sort of, I don't know, work on or what might help?

Mel Berry:

I think the things that I've seen in Donna is she's been consistent and and that's really important. We've talked through this podcast already about being active every day and that's a brilliant habit that you've  you've added to, you've been quizzical, you've looked at lots of things so you've focused on, right, well what can I do that's over and above swimming, cycling, and running. And you are really funny with exploring opportunities like going down to the bike shop. So Louise context that day, she cycled down to the bike shop, she ran back and then she came to our, Her Spirit swim session Friday night. So she's done a triathlon already. That's it. Job done. Don't worry about the 12 weeks, she smashed it already.

Louise Minchin:

<laugh>. Okay, over to you Holly. And I know you've not, not been feeling great, so you've got quite a croaky voice but I know that you've been working with Amy. Amy, you can sit there now and you're gonna have to take this feedback. How's it been going?

Holly Woodford:

Hi everyone. Yeah,  it's been a fantastic few weeks with Amy. I've just watched her grow in strength and confidence and I think Lou, you kind of saw that immediately as you came on just at both Donna and Amy, just how much they're just alive and that vibrancy is just kind of coming through. And I think the thing I'm most impressed with Amy, is actually her determination to push herself further. So we obviously set an overall structure of strength training every week and also doing flexibility, either yoga or Pilates for both. Donna and Amy, Amy's then been focusing on give me five and we have a catch up every week and Amy said to me last week, I'd like to push myself a bit more please on my third run can I please see if I can run 5k or walk and run 5k?

So we had a good chat about what her goals might be for that run and it was amazing on the Saturday morning when we got the video in the podcast WhatsApp group that, that Amy had sort of gone and smashed this 5k. So she'd gone well beyond really what you would do with that week and give me five, which was great because obviously as we know she's actually running a 10 k not a 5k in six in just under six weeks now. So I think that's brilliant. I think anyone that wants to try and start to push themselves and test their limits, I think that's a fantastic characteristic and mindset. So it was brilliant to meet Amy in person at the running show this weekend at Birmingham Any Sea and meet Amy's husband, Dan and Jessica as well and to see Amy just kind of like,  in the flesh, kind of really kind of glowing excited about the kind of the journey because she's done so well over the last three or four weeks. She kind of started over Christmas when she first joined the podcast. We've actually giving her two days rest next week because I think,  as Amy started to say,  having gone from really no activity to being active every day, that is quite a lot of load on your body. So we just need to, to work with Amy to make sure what we don't do is in the excitement in the early stages push too much. So just getting the balance right and, and Amy said to me, I'd really love some help with the fuel. I can now start to feel how important that is. So I think Amy, if I'm right, you've got a, a session but with Jesse, our fuel coach this Friday.

Amy:

Yes. Yeah, Friday morning. So hopefully, yeah, I'll get some tips.

Louise Minchin:

Amy also being a bit of a,  sometimes I don't take those rest days, will you take them because I'm in my little bit of advice, but as an older person is, those rest days are really important.

Amy:

Yeah, definitely. I did I had an extra rest day at the weekend, so I was up in Birmingham so we were traveling Saturday, Sunday, so I didn't do much over the weekends and I do feel better for it, but it's, it's just that feeling guilty of not doing something mm-hmm.

Louise Minchin:

<affirmative>. But they are, I mean,  and we'll come to this later in the podcast, but I just know,  and Holly and Mel will tell you and I other people,  rest days and, and I get,  people get, my coaches get cross with me because I think a rest day is,  when when I go to London on the train and do some work and I'm not doing any exercise, not really a rest day. So,  they are worth thinking about. Right. I know that both of you have also seen the Her Spirit physio Gemma this week, she’s got a message for you.

Gemma Richards:

Hey Amy and Donna Gemma, Her Spirit physio here and clinical director of Total Performance Physio Clinics. It was great to see you both at the National Running Show this weekend. I hope the advice we gave you will help you on your incredible journey this year. My one habit for January is to find time for two strength sessions per week to help me build some stability and robustness that I'm gonna need for the swim, bike and run training that I have ahead for my own personal challenge in August this year. So good luck with everything.

Louise Minchin:

That's lovely. So tell me what Amy, you, you sort of gave a little bit of an indication early on you, have you noticed aches and pains? How have you been?

Amy:

Yeah, so I get my ankles were a bit sore when I first start running and then I've actually found it in my hips sort of at the end of a run that I've been quite sore. But yeah, after seeing Gemma on Saturday she was quite happy that it was just my muscles working. She's given me some extra exercises to do so hopefully it'll strengthen yeah my joints, my muscles a bit.

Holly Woodford:

Just picking up on that because I think it's really important particularly if you are starting your activity journey to start building up your body to be able to, to do more. So Amy's obviously wants to do 40 different challenges in her 40th year and the 10 K run is the first and what we're trying to do is obviously build a really strong base for Amy that she can really use that as a platform to kind of go forward. So that's why we really focus on strength and for all of you runners out there and we spoke to thousands of runners at the running show this weekend. I can't remember very many saying they do strength training but often get injured. So watch out everybody for our 15 minute strength for run running, which is gonna come out towards the end of February. Just 15 minute sessions over four weeks to just get that focus on running. So hopefully we're gonna ha stop,  both Amy and Donna and everybody else kind of get injuries through running.

Louise Minchin:

Yeah, and it's so interesting coming back to running after having had an operation and I have be,  I go to my physio et cetera, but I know I can see the difference that I'm making to my legs and then you, you can feel the difference as well. Donna, have you found particular aches and pains and how are you dealing with them?

Donna:

I have and I had a really great session with Gemma at the running show. She were fantastic and just, I just learned so much from her and one of the things that we did establish was a couple of the squats and a couple of the exercises that I'm doing in couch to kilos. I'm perhaps not positioning myself right or standing right. So she gave me a few top tips about that and I'm probably, I was rushing things I would probably say, but I, I am that type of personality. So it were more about slow down focus on your technique and get the technique right and then you won't perhaps get these aches and pains as much so that were fantastic that she could support me with that and, and spot it as well.

Mel Berry:

One of the things that I picked up from, from Gemma, cause I work with her very closely for London Marathon as part of Lakes London. So she's given four exercises. Lou, when I say the exercise, say yes or no, calf raises, do you do them?

Louise Minchin:

Do you know I've done some today,

Mel Berry:

Congratulations. Core <laugh>, whether or not it's dead bugs or side planks. Have you done any of those in the last 24 hours?

Louise Minchin:

I'm gonna sound like I'm an angel here. Yes. Actually I didn't do dead bugs or side planks. I didn't do them specifically, so it's a no.

Mel Berry:

Okay. Squats, singles or doubles? done any of those recently?

Louise Minchin:

No, I'm going tomorrow. <laugh>

Mel Berry:

And the good old like glute bridges where you lift your bottom off the ground to work your glutes on your hamstrings are very, very important muscle. Have you done any of those?

Louise Minchin:

Yes, because I, I'm in a full on physio program at the moment and because I was seeing my physio today,  I just get that guilt thing. I'm like, like you probably Donna and Amy. I'm like, I must do these. But yeah, my biggest one that she keeps making me do are all, it's all about the glutes, it's all about the, the hip raises and yeah, I was doing those today so I'm, I kind of feel like I'm letting the side down because I've actually done what I'm meant to do. But that's the point, isn't it?  I'm trying to run a marathon in, I think it's 13 weeks and  before Christmas I couldn't run 1K so at the moment I'm only at 10 k,  all of our journeys, Amy, yours and Donna, yours,  we're all in our own kind of like big journey and actually strength is important.  I'm, I'm getting really passionate about it because I just know that that's the only thing that's gonna get me through this marathon is my head strength. And probably,  more than anything is gonna be really being physically strong and I mean by core strength and all the rest of it. Should I stop now Mel?

Mel Berry:

No, but I'm really interested because if I’d asked that question 12 to 16 months ago…

Louise Minchin:

I wouldn't have said the same. Brilliant. No, I wouldn't have said the same. And that's why I'm doing this podcast and that's why we all kind of, it's like a sort of circle of, of hopefully all helping each other, isn't it? But I wouldn't have said that and I think particularly as a probably post-menopausal woman age 54, it is more important because I want to do this for the rest of my life. I don't want to have to give up running when I'm 55, I wanna do it for the rest of my life. So I think that's why I've come really late to strength and conditioning. But I'm in Donna’s in Amy's in.

Donna:

Yes definitely.

Louise Minchin:

Anyway, right, so so many exciting things and I'm, I'm really excited for you and I can see the, the joy that it's bringing to you. One of the things you mentioned that you've all been to the National Running Show, I'm sorry I wasn't there. One of the things we know as part of the Her Spirit community is talking, these kind of conversations really shift the dial for all of us. We face similar issues, whether it's a 10 K you're trying to do, it's a 5k, it's a sprint, triathlon, whatever it is. We share knowledge, we, we support each other and we actually went out to the community, didn't we this week and asked about an issue we all faced. What is, I love this question. What is the one habit you form that you're proud of and this is what you all had to say.

Her Spirit Community:

Mine is doing some exercise for at least 30 minutes and being active every day. 

Mine is saying no to stop people pleasing mine is to say yes to things that I really wanna do. 

One habit that I've taken up in January is to be active every day. 

Mine is to plan. So I do strength training twice a week and also put my alarm in the kitchen so I have to get out for bed to do it, go and do it. 

Mine is to just not worry about the small stuff at work. 

Move every day in January.

To come off social media to spend time on with me. 

The one habit I'm really proud of this January is that every day I'm doing some exercise with at least one person.

Louise Minchin:

Right I'm gonna pick up two things there. First of all, putting the alarm somewhere where you have to go and get it. Absolutely brilliant and I love what that lady said about getting time off social media to spend time with myself. I think that's an absolutely brilliant thing. Anything Donna that you particularly are,  something you that you pass on to other people that you're particularly pleased that you do and has made a difference?

Donna:

I think listening to the podcasts over the last few weeks, I've listened to lots and lots of the different podcasts on Her Spirit when I'm driving and that just really motivates you and it inspires you and, and I've learned so much while I'm just totally along in the car and it's time that I probably won't have to do that at home.

Louise Minchin:

Okay. That's really, thank you by the way, <laugh>, you don't have to say that, but thank you for listening to the podcast. There are some really brilliant ones out there. Amy, what about you?

Amy:

I think the, the app in general is really helpful with the community and like the chat that goes on that if you're sort of having a bit of a bad day or you have got question, you can literally put it on the app and somebody answers it and they're all really supportive, really friendly, obviously not meeting any of these people, but you sort of get to know people just through the community on the app. Yeah.

Louise Minchin:

I think my, my, my top tip that I would pass on apart from that strength and conditioning is absolutely probably the key to everything ever is that do it while you're watching telly. So that's what I do. I sit on the floor while I'm watching, tonight will be Silent Witness, might be Happy Valley, it might be Love Island. So I sit on the floor and that's when I do those, hip thrusts and I do everything. I don't do the squats obviously. Just sit on the floor and do some of those exercises and then I bet I never timed them and I bet I do more than I think I do and I think that's probably what's making the difference. Everybody who's listening to the podcast, thank you so much for your amazing support Donna and Amy.

I know you appreciate it. I'll come to you in a second about that. But we're gonna be following your journey over the next few months and all already, what's really wonderful is I can see a change in you and I know there'll be tough times I'm sure along the journey if you share those with us as well,  that's much appreciated because  there are days there might not be yet Amy, but there are certainly days when I do not wanna go for a run or I genuinely feel too tired. There are the days when they, you can turn it around but  there are hard times sometimes aren't there. So any, anything, yeah Donna, in the next couple of weeks, what have you got coming up?

Donna:

So just, just planning my week out. I'm hoping to go to some more of the freestyle coaching and next step is actually getting on my bike, get picking the bike up. I'm planning some and Mel said focus on your core and your strength in January and then we're gonna start picking it up and ramping it up on the bike. So I'm looking forward to that stage cause that will be completely new for me and something that I've not really done before.

Louise Minchin:

Oh, you'll be, you'll have such fun every time you say core Donna. I, I breathe in and <laugh> tense my talk core so well done. You're changing me. Amy, what about you? What have you got coming up?

Amy:

So a bit more strength training carrying on with the give me five and then I'm also going to attempt my first park run in a couple of week. So that’s exciting to actually do a bit of race cause I've never, I don't really run with other people. I run by myself so it'll be good. 

Louise Minchin:

Oh wow. Right. Okay, I'm gonna try and put a park run in my diary. You're, you're getting to me now cause I, it's about time. I haven't done one for years, so it's about time. It's been a real pleasure. Thank you so much. The pair of you for taking part in this huge challenge, all those things that Donna and Amy have mentioned, Holly and Mel, they're on the app, aren't they? What what I love about the app is you can start any of these programs, you can start couch to kilos, which is all about strength and conditioning at any point you want to start can't you Mel?

Mel Berry:

Yeah, correct. And it's got different levels as Amy talked about. So find the level that's right for you and, and find the time that's right for you. And one of the exciting things that I know that you love Lou, coming in February is feet first February. So we're gonna get walking together in and and get moving. So come and join us for that one as well.

Louise Minchin:

Thank you very much indeed, Donna and Amy, a massive good luck on your continued journey. I love your Instagram posts and I will be following them along the way. Thank you very much everybody for listening, for all your messages that you've given to Donna and Amy over the next last few weeks and over the next few months if you want to follow them, they will be posting all about their progress, their challenges, their successes regularly on Instagram at HerSpiritUK. Please go and say hello. Give them advice, give them encouragement. They can probably answer some of your questions now as well about strengthening conditioning and maybe cycling soon. Donna, who knows, if you want to challenge yourself for 2023, you can find regular updates and reminders of all the challenges we've got going on and get advice and encouragement herspirit.co.uk, on the Her Spirit app. And let's crack on with feet first February. That will be next. It's such a pleasure. Take care everyone, and I'll see you in a couple of weeks.