Day 3 - Sunday 11th May

I woke up after an uncomfortable and warm night at around 5.30am, but was still startled when the whistle blew ten minutes later. My back was aching, and when I stood up my thighs were very sore. My roomies and I went down to get our orange juice as we were due to do exercises at six. The orange juice was a big disappointment; not even half of a disposable plastic cup, so it lasted not long at all. The rumour going round was that we had a 6 mile walk after breakfast which worried me.

We traipsed round to the exercise barn where we did our first Stretch & Move of the week. We walked around the barn to warm up, then did lots of different stretches. And then, we had to do circuits - 11 posts, each for 1 minute and round a second time. I was absolutely knackered! :'( And still almost an hour to wait for breakfast! One shower room split 3 ways is a bit of a logistical nightmare when all three of you are hot and sweaty!

Going down to breakfast the days' itinerary had been written up. It wasn't a 6 mile walk that day. No. Seven miles! I didn't know where I'd find the energy for it, but I knew I needed to complete it and really, really try.

Each day the meals were written up, and a cooked breakfast was up for today. Mass hysteria almost broke out. There was even normal tea and coffee this morning... if you could stomach it black with no milk. I decided I wouldn't bother with it like that. Breakfast was unsurprisingly teeny. We had unrecognisable mushrooms, home made baked beans, watery scrambled egg and a slice (if you could call it that) of home made turmeric bread. It did actually taste pretty good. Bizarrely it kept me full until lunch.

Our first seven mile walk came as something of a shock. By this time we had been split into two groups based on fitness from yesterdays run. I was glad I made it into the fast group as we set off 30 minutes later, but we did have to do a cardio workout in the interim.

Immediately after we left there was a really steep hill, I was able to power up and overtake a few people on. Then it went back down, through a village and up another hill into the countryside. The whole walk was on roads, mostly little country lanes. I had my first run in with stinging nettles as I brushed too close to the hedgerow. I jogged off and on, but maintained a fast walk. I'd really wanted to stop to take photos but had to keep my pace: the harder we work the more likely to lose weight.

My feet were starting to burn from pounding the pavement, so I tried to ignore the pain, kept sipping from my water bottle and put my MP3 player on. Slowly I started overtaking people from the first group. One lady had stopped altogether. She was a good few stone heavier and I think the 3 miles she had walked was a lot further than she had expected to get. The strangest thing was watching our trainers as they cycled back and forth along the way, to make sure we were all ok. A dedicated pair for sure!

This walk took me 2 hours and 25 minutes. I was absolutely shattered, but proud that I ad managed to complete it in a reasonable time. The times expected were 3 - 4 hours depending on fitness so it meant I got a spare hour to relax by the time we got to our rooms. I lay down, meaning to write my diary and fell asleep.

Now, do bear in mind that this is now my second full day away from home, with no coffee and no chocolate, and no hope of comfort eating either! Herbal teas have become my friend. After the walk, but before lunch we had a session using free weights and a gym ball to work on our arms and tummys. Thirty three hot, tired and hungry women in one room. I'm surprised tempers didn't fly!

Lunch was a portion of Spanish tortilla the size of a pack of playing cards, on a bed of lettuce and spinach, with a mug of spicy tomato soup. All our food is made in the kitchen here at Fitfarms by the chef Mikael, and 33 was the largest group at one time so far. I'm not too sure how he kept his sanity! The food is sourced locally which is pretty good too.

In the afternoon we had a Managing Change workshop, which to be honest was a load of bunkum. The lady running it asked us to list in pairs why we wanted to lose weight, then share them with the group, then list reasons we eat badly/don't exercise, and again share with the group. I suppose it got us thinking but she didn't impart much useful information. The one useful thing she did recommend we do 'in our own time' was to look at what triggers us to eat unhealthily, and what we could do to minimise the occurence of these triggers. It really made me have a good think though:
My triggers:
The obvious ones: boredom, pms, tiredness, poor planning, difficult customers, need I continue?

But then there are the things you don't consciously do... for example whenever I socialise with one particular group of friends I will get through a bottle of wine or two, really quickly, just so I can avoid speaking to one person.
Visiting my mother in law/sunday lunch - I always eat til the table is clear and alway have a slice or three of dessert.
Going out for meals - always ordering too much and feeling obliged to finish/have dessrt.

Overall, a fair bit to think about for me personally but not the guidance I expected to receive. After the workshop was a Tai-Chi session, which I knew I would hate. We trooped out onto another lawn to be met by a man that looked like an orangutang. To me at least! He has years of experience at TC and apparently never gets ill/aches, but he just looked like the kinda bloke who drinks too much beer and doesn't cut his toenails.

We had to do silly moves in the grass - I'm sure this is a good way to relax if you can believe in the principals, but to me it's as bad as religion. I tried to stay focused, for the benefit of everyone else who seemed to be gaining from it, but was forced to run away (for a call of nature) half way through. I wasn't going to come back, so to ensure I did, I left my shoes and socks behind. The agony of running barefoot over a gravel drive was worth getting away even for a few minutes. When I went back we had to guide a partner by the hand with their eyes closed, and use your chi senses to make sure they didnt crash into anyone. Apparently you can increase your spatial awareness and become 'more attuned with your inner spirit' this way. Codswallop really. Then he announced he would be back on Thursday to do Yoga. I decided then and there to skip that session!

On discussion after the Tai Chi, more people seemed to feel it was pointless, silly, or downright stupid than appeared to have enjoyed it. But we were out in the sunshine with no crazy walking to do so I shouldn't complain too much.

Dinner was quite nice. We had beef casserole (minus dumplings and potatoes!) but I was hungry anyway. We had dessert with this meal - allegedly yogurt - but very gloopy, with a sprinkle of cinnamon and honey on top. I emptied both dishes clean!

After dinner we went to a Hoo-Down which was a dappy annoying woman doing line dancing with us, and in an attempt to be funny she kept saying 'if you hurt tomorrow it isn't me'. I tried for 10 minutes but got really frustrated. I really hate sessions where one person leads and you build up a routine, I'd already done aerobics this week dammit! As I got frustrated my tears built up and overflowed so I dashed to the loo. Then I decided I was gonna cut class altogther. I sat out by the lake and blubbed my eyes out. By this point, being so far from everything familiar, denied of privacy, chocolate, coffee and alcohol I just wanted to go home.

Then a lovely lady came out, and took me for a walk. She'd seen me crying and come to find me. She said she'd had a similar 'moment' earlier that day, but it would pass and that I should just chill for a while. So I did. I mean I had paid £800 to be there and yet I would NEVER pay to go line dancing (unless of course I was drunk).

I rang hubby in tears and let him remind me why I had come and that there were only 4 days left, before going back to my room, where I lay down and promptly fell asleep! Woke up when my roomies came up to find me an hour later (I'd managed to miss the next session too) to tell me about the Exercise Workshop. I was tempted to hide in my room (embarrasment and worry about peoples opinion of me) but decided as it was not exercise that I'd chance it.

I went to bed at 9.32pm - early even by my standards! Please remember that even under extreme stress I did not eat the Kipling Lemon slices I had forgotten to eat on the journey down. They stayed intact until I got home.

More later, sore bum and stomach rumbling.

:wave: