Hello Body Pump, my old friend.

Hi hi bloggies

I think I have worked through the jet lag and am back on ‘normal time’ (let’s hope so anyway).

Today I woke up ready to kick my VitaMix into shape and make a decent GREEN smoothie to get me on way for my first Body Pump class in about 3 months. But I encountered some minor problems. The VitaMix was purchased in the US and the voltage is 120V and I am in a country that requires 220V, so I brought along my own transformer. After not even a minute of processing my ingredients, I started to smell a burning…and then see smoke!!!! NO WAY was my VitaMix going to go down…I pulled out the plug and realised the transformer I bought was too weak in voltage for what I needed (where is a boy when you need one?)

So the hotel staff came to my rescue by providing me with one of these:

It’s a bigger transformer that I have MADE them promise I can keep for my entire stay here, and they have obliged. The VitaMix won’t burn out with this transformer, but it’s performance is not 100% (still better than an ordinary household blender however).

I started the day with a hot water and lemon.

Then one of these babies: (green smoothie on the right) with mandatory ice as I have minimal fridge space.

Check out the miniscule transformer on the left hand side…before I threw it in the trash.

Green cabbage, cucumber, kiwi fruit & organic granny smith apples with a tablespoon of spirulina powder.

There was plenty left over and I didn’t want to got the gym with too full a tum so I packed up the rest for a post workout snack. Along with this:

Organic red apples with lemon juice and bananas with almond butter. How cute is this little container (albeit evil plastic) I bought from the supermarket here to separate your food. The left side folds over on top of the right side….it’s obvious I love novelty items.

My walk to the gym this morning…aaahhh I love the change in season!

When I got to the gym 1/2 an hour early I jumped on the tready for some warming up for 10mins. And wowsers I had energy to burn. I was jogging at a pace I haven’t done in forever and I seriously could have kept going. But I had to get off to grab a spot for my class.

Crazy…there were at least 40 people in my class. It was the biggest Body Pump class I have ever attended (almost as if it were a conference) and even with me arriving 10 minutes early, I had to take a spot right up the front ((

I reckon this was the toughest class I have ever done, but I pushed myself through it, but I did think the last 4 weeks of my weight training would have made a difference but my legs are still shaking. Gotta be good right?

I pushed myself following the class to hit the treadmill again for some more jogging action but I had really lost my mojo, where did it go? Probably left it back in the Body Pump studio. So I stuck to another 50mins at a reeeaaallly slow jog as I didn’t want to flunk out, and I knew I would be glad I did stick it out later in the day.

Had a chat to some of the gym staff who are uber friendly for a bit after my workout, then headed to get my hair done. Such a treat!

On my way to the hairdressers I found a Japanese supermarket!!! Bonus. I bought some kelp and miso paste. I am like a kid in a candy store when I get to visit the WEST. Just goes to show how difficult it is to get some of these items back home. Rest assured peoples, I am stocking up BIG TIME.

As I am a blondie I find it really hard to get my hair the RIGHT colour in the Middle East as blondes are not really the most popular hair colour there, so I thought I’d take advantage of being here to get my hair done…and I LOVE IT. I have been toying with dulling down the ‘blondeness’ for some time but NO hairdresser back home seems to get it, with me getting blonder and blonder after each visit. So here it is! My new, darker colour (well it is not that much darker but slightly). And the maintainance will be much less severe. You probably cannot tell here as it’s quite a dark photo but it gives you an idea.

Anyway with the exercise I’ve done today and how busy I’ve been exploring, I think it’s time to hit the sack (early again). Hopefully tomorrow I will be 100% recovered from this thing called LAG.