Lifting with Caroline Girvan- keeping it real and having a laugh along the way!

[BigButtons]

New thread!

@Gobacktotheworldmy daily breakfast is Skyr plus a spoon of protein powder, blueberries and pumpkin seeds. It’s a real feat of gastronomy producing it every morning 😂

I’ve been away a week, didn’t do a workout while away because I was, y’know, on holiday. Lots of walking though. Got back and decided I can’t actually face finishing PE for the second time, so decided to redo epic two as it was having a lot of love earlier in this thread! Assumed day one would be leg day as it usually is, dug out my 10kg weights, and then realised it was body weight. But what a fun workout! No repeat, and very clever with the 20 min hiit and then 20 min slower cardio.

I didn’t even start iron pro, looked at day one and said, nah. I wish she would go back to her YouTube ‘roots’, as it were. I need the cardio but hate running!

That yoghurt thing is hilarious. I have it every morning with my granola. Had no idea I was so on trend!

@Minesril for shame- going on holiday and not taking weights with you . Even worse that you aren’t even beating yourself up about it- in unbelievable 😂
epic 2 is the only one I haven’t done- I think it was the length of them that has put me off tbh.
i wish I liked yogurt- I have tried - but I am not a sweet/ pudding person.

Reckon that's why you were excluded from the Facebook group, Sam. They were intimidated by all your Michelin stars.

Hang your head for shame on your holiday, @Minesril . You could have at least logged into the app and reassured us that the workout looked spicy, even if you weren't going to do the damn thing 🍑🌶🍑🌶🍑🌶🍑🌶🍑🌶🍑🍑🌶🌶🍑🍑🌶🌶. I will do that cardio you mentioned instead of tempo Day 5- clapping push ups are an emphatic no from me.😬

I wish I wasn’t a sweet person. We are a dessert every day household. Apple and blackberry crumble in the oven right now and we demolished a pack of fancy biscuits from the farm shop earlier. Although I don’t drink anymore and I swear my sweet tooth escalated massively when I gave up my near daily wine habit.

@Fibrous yeah- I like my wine must be said. I am no saint-I also have sugar in my tea, but I have never been a desert person really even as a child. Cheese and crisps on the other hand……..

I also love cheese and crisps! I’m just greedy. I often thank my lucky stars I got into running before I turned into a barrel.

Salt n vinegar crisps and a bit of brie...

Back in France and my dinner was a packet of salt n vinegar hula hoops I picked up before getting on the ferry, some Camembert, Comté and a glass of red. I don’t drink in the week and thanks to the menopause can’t manage more than 2 glasses of wine because my sleep is too badly impacted if I have anymore. But there is no sense in cheese without wine for me.

Is anyone else mildly perturbed by the Facebook woman who posts long videos of herself exercising while her toddler(s) hang around? Today the little mite was kind of leaning on and rolling one of her dumbbells forwards on the ground in the background, clutching the ends. It would be so easy for little fingers to get crushed under that thing if it lurched forwards.🙈 I only know because my kids have always managed to find new and exciting ways of maiming themselves!

Enjoyed tempo week last week! Today went back to cgx full body split day 3 of 3 prompted by Caroline mentioning the series in her weekly epistle. Such a classic! Got a good workout as always though I didn't have my barbell so had to make the following adjustments:

• hip thrusts: experimented with unilateral weighted ones first round, then banded bodyweight with raised feet the second, then just piled up the dumbbells for banded 34.5kg third round. The third round felt the most effective.
• instead of RDL, I did Heather Robertson-style hamstring curls with a 10kg dumbbell and 2 x 5lb ankle weights.
• not having a heavy dumbbell for controlled back rows, I used a 10kg + a 2.2kg wrist weight and did faster reps/ AMRAP which was really difficult by the end.

Despite not having the barbell for the past month or so, I have see some minor "gains" -- especially an improvement in my push ups simply through increased practice (often using that short cgx upper body one where it's just three movements- 20 mins). There were push ups and hammer curls in the finisher today, and I actually found the push ups segments the easier bit for the first time.

Are the Kearneys meant to be married? As neither wear rings I don't think. I actually find silly boy quite repulsive (am I allowed to say that) especially when he's hitching his shorts up high and flexing everything 😫

I would vote that you are definitely allowed to say you find that repulsive, in fact I'd go so far as to say you speak for all of us.

Yep, vomitous

Thank goodness not just me 🤢 And she with her girning is only marginally better!

Hes for sure someone who looks better clothed.

Goback if its the lady im thinking of then yes.
I have always thought it was really wierd that she posts full workouts of herself onto the group...i mean why? Does anyone actually watch the full thing? Why does she think anyone cares?
Kids always in the background or sometimes literally hanging off neck!

@BB49 repulsive is being kind- Their posts fascinate me- every single reply they write starts with either aw (her) or awww( him) and then ‘thanks’.
well done on all the improv @Gobacktotheworld
I am not doing any weights atm- full into getting ready for our bonfire tomorrow- I am in Lewes btw if anyone has ever heard of the celebrations the town has. I am running the barrels.

Right, that's her, Tess. Poor cow, maybe the father of the kids (if on the scene) doesn't bother to take them sometimes so she can work out in peace. The 45m videos are so odd, though.

Is that the flaming barrels of tar, BigButtons? Good luck and be careful!

@BigButtons I'm in Manchester but my sister lives near you. I'm definitely up for going to that next year, it looks amazing.

@Fibrous if is mad bonkers. We work for it all year round .
@Gobacktotheworld yes the flaming tar barrels that collect all the dropped torches- least I stay warm all night! No rain due so that’s a huge relief. Our final Badge Night tonight where lots of noise will happen!

I'd love to see it just once in my life!

Today I did an oldie but a goodie for some intentional cardio jillian Michaels's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (55mins including warm up and cooldown). Loved it, and was having flashbacks to using these videos when the kids were little; counting the curtain rail hooks to get through the high knees section which used to be really challenging! Amazing lot of core work incorporated. Jillian is the best for core, and I still love this workout! Her breathing cues and motivational patter work well for me. It's online at vk.com if you Google it through Google video search if anyone wants to check it out (my DVD is in a packing box in a warehouse somewhere so used this).

@BigButtonshope all goes well tonight, the weather is good, almost too warm for bonfire night! @Gobacktotheworldive never done any Jillian, I was just into running when she was at her height of popularity. Will try her for core.
Today did my favourite back and biceps from PE and my favourite add on upper body 20 min workout on the App. If’s great, hits all upper body part and gets the heart rate up too

Interesting article on how we need to be mindful of our age when we exercise https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/nov/03/exercise-tips-fitness-routines-by-age. www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/nov/03/exercise-tips-fitness-routines-by-age]].]]

Having recently done a Jillian session myself after many years, I noticed how much less energy I had to push myself compared to when I first started her routines (I was in my early 40s then). It’s not even a question of being out of practice, I don’t think. I’ve always been fairly active and in better shape than most of my contemporaries (and a few younger ones too) but I guess I need to recognise that now in my late 50s I’m not going to have the oomph of even a few years ago. I also get tired sooner and if I skip just a couple of weeks of weights I need to start lower again or I get terrible DOMS. I guess the message there is that I need to do CG every day to keep it up! Maybe when I’m retired, not enough free time at the mo.

It went well- yes it was really bloody warm- especially running this lot up and down hills for hours!

My barrels and us being a bit tired on the pavement!