My Hero

Definition of "Hero" - a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. (www.dictionary.com)

Well then Philip Mills does fit the definition of a hero to me.
As a founder and Chief Executive of Les Mills International, Phillip Mills is a pioneer and “thought leader” in the global fitness industry and “revolutionized” the modern group-exercise experience. He is also an author and a public advocate for the environment and sustainability in business.

Phillip Mills competed at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in the 110m hurdles, and four years later in both 110m and 400m hurdles. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) on a track and field scholarship, and graduated with a degree in philosophy in 1978.

Inspired by the birth of the aerobics industry he witnessed while studying at UCLA, Phillip Mills developed his own exercise-to-music system that grew to include the nine proprietary group fitness programs – BODYATTACK™, BODYBALANCE™/BODYFLOW®, BODYCOMBAT™, BODYJAM™, BODYPUMP™, BODYSTEP™, BODYVIVE™, RPM™ and SH’BAM™ – that are offered in more than 13,000 fitness clubs in 75 countries through Les Mills International. "copied from wikipedia"

So obviously he is pretty much an outstanding guy. But what I truly love about him is that he gave me fitness,  an commitment to something other than chocolate. He made me a happier person by allowing me to put all my focus and energy into something other than pathetic people's opinions of me.
Now let me go into a tiny bit of detail on WHAT he saved me with, and what has become my pride and joy. (all information from http://www.lesmills.com/global/home/les-mills.aspx)

BODYPUMP™ is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast! Like all the LES MILLS™ programs, a new BODYPUMP™ class is released every three months with new music and choreography.

Alannah's Opinion: Hehehehehehe weights <3 I do love thee. Nobody told me to start of with the lightest weight for my first class, so what did I do? Start with the weights people who have been coming for about 2 months used. SORE! couldn't walk up the stairs for a week. Now addicted to the idea of nice muscle (not this scary muscle..), I love the class. Wouldn't mind teaching it.

BODYCOMBAT™ is the empowering cardio workout where you are totally unleashed. This fiercely energetic program is inspired by martial arts and draws from a wide array of disciplines such as karate, boxing, taekwondo, tai chi and muay thai. Supported by driving music and powerful role model instructors, you strike, punch, kick and kata your way through calories to superior cardio fitness.

Alannah's Opinion: Heaven.. flippin' heaven! I love, love, love, LOVE, this class. Honestly I do. Hard work, but worth it. I am the most happiest when I have just done combat.

BODYATTACK™ is the sports-inspired cardio workout for building strength and stamina. This high-energy interval training class combines athletic aerobic movements with strength and stabilization exercises. Dynamic instructors and powerful music motivate everyone towards their fitness goals - from the weekend athlete to the hard-core competitor!

Alannah's Opinion: OMG! When I first started this I swore never to go back again. It is hard... so bloomin' hard. But then I began wanting to go back because it was so hard. Due to that I have became more fit and able to burst with energy.

BODYJAM™ is the cardio workout where you are free to enjoy the sensation of dance. An addictive fusion of the latest dance styles and hottest new sounds puts the emphasis as much on having fun as on breaking a sweat. Funky instructors teach you to move with attitude through this 55-minute class. So grab a friend, get front and center, and get high on the feeling of dance.

Alannah's Opinion: I am not exactly the most elegant on my feet, but I do try, and I am getting better. It is just a bit of fun at the end of the day. If you can't laugh at yourself then what is the point?

RPM™ (Spinning) is the indoor cycling workout where you ride to the rhythm of powerful music. Take on the terrain with your inspiring team coach who leads the pack through hills, flats, mountain peaks, time trials, and interval training. Discover your athlete within – sweat and burn to reach your endorphin high.
Alannah's opinion:  This is torture on a bike!  Good though because I like watching my sweat just drip off me. Not so good because I just want to move and jump about.

I KNOW!  Majority of the people who read this will think I am a saddo who really need to get a life or something. But sorry... If getting a life means I have to give up going to my workout classes, then I'd rather not. Becoming a healthier and happier person is nothing to be ashamed of. I am all for embracing it. I just do not want to be any typical teenager who tends to destroy their liver on a regular occurance, and say they want to lose weight but do not actually do anything about it.
I am happy being around adults that actually know when to make a big deal out of something. They also are better people to talk to because they are nicer. I have met amazing people through going to Les Mills workout classes, and it is an experience which I would never have changed.
Hopefully someday I will be the one teaching the classes, rather than partaking in them. I will one day be somebodies "hero".

Ignorance Is My Worst Enemy...

COMPASSION, AFFECTION, KINDNESS, WARMTH

I see these as the most fundamental emotions for a society to function (notice love is missed out?  deal with it!)

I have never managed to conform to societies ideas of the ideal norm or ideal "beauty". When I lived in England I managed to change myself into a "goth" (characterized by black clothes and heavy make-up, often creating a ghostly appearance). This caused a few problems for me, as well as being Scottish which many of the English students did not appreciate... (racist gits ¬.¬). Therefore ever since the age of 12 I have been treated like an outcast because I join such an odd and "scary" sub-culture of society.

    Then came the years were I moved back to Scotland .. (oh great...). I continued on with my goth stage, but as I developed my own ideas and grew as a person, I began to change into something a little less emotionally stable - "emo"- (a type of music combining traditional hard rock with personal and emotional lyrics). Some ignorant people would say "emos" are attention seeking. Do not get me wrong many are, but I did have my own emotional problems going on at the time, which made me convert to something like this sub-culture group.

   Now there is me, hard to describe, happy with life, sometimes hard-working, HIGHLY opinionated, and an extreme worrier (honestly if there was an award for worrying I would win =D  or at least get a silver medal... anyone have one?). But apparently this "me" is not socially acceptable either. I find it hard to understand what is socially acceptable. Our society was sapposed to be all for freedom of speak and variety in terms of people's appearances. ALSO I thought maybe, just maybe, going onto higher education and turning 19 would make people more acceptable and more aware of other people's existance, but apparently not.

   What do I think people my age see as the social norm?  Be Stuck Up. Be Fake. Be Pompuss. Be Self Obsorb. Be Skinny. Be "Beautiful". Be A Waster Every Weekend. HAVE NO FUTURE APART FROM IN TERMS OF BEING A SLAG!
   I really wish someone would write a book on what is the social norm, and the correct ssub-culture to conform to, because I seem to always get it wrong.

What am I getting wrong?  I have every one of those emotions for a society to function with at the top of the page. People who do have these feelings are my best friends. You can never meet anyone more nice than with others who have the same warmth for people as you do. Someone who shows compassion for your feelings. Someone who shows affection when you need it. Finally just someone so kind, you can run to whenever you need a good cry. THANKFULLY I have some of these people in my life... Sadly they are all mostly adults, which shows hope for the future. Maybe these social norms which I am witnessing so frequently are just these teenage angst stages (WTF?!?  they are 19 now.. GROW UP!). OR maybe they did not get the same teachings as I got, and the same upbringing as me. I had a hard time growing up, but I would not change it for the world. The experiences we go through make us who we are today.

I AM HAPPY TO NOT CONVERT TO THE "SOCIAL NORM!"

This sounded more interesting and indepth when I was thinking about it in the shower =P

Oh well.. Peace out
x <3 

3 DAYS AND COUNTING!

I AM ALMOST 19!!*

Where has my year gone?  Surprisingly I am not one of these typical teenagers who get "smashed" every weekend and make out with some randomers (mainly because I am happy with a loving boyfriend). I am a Atypical teenager who tends to work every weekend, goes to see her boyfriend, attends workout classes and attempts to relax (Andrew would say this never happens). I suspect I spent 89% of my time worrying over minor things as a teenager does, and the other 11% was spent wondering why the sky is blue or why the sea is so pretty when the sun is out - Random I know-.

   I do not know what I want out of the next year as a nineteen year old, but what I do know is that it better be spent in Stirling, or a few heads will be rolling!

LISTING TIME...

Goals To Reach Between 6th March 2011 - 5th March 2012:

1. Get into University with an achievable conditional : ).  If not then go back to college for the HND course in Social Science and a part time course in HNC Sports, Leisure and Exercise.
2. Worry less. These frown lines have gotten worse, and it is not very attractive to be seen with wrinkles on your fourhead.
3. Drop another jean size. Think it is achievable, but will take a lot of will power.
4. SAVE money !  Completely hard for me to do, because I am a person which sees money as something to be spent straight away.

Jesus... these are lame goals. Basically I actually do not know what I want. Planning my life out in one year is not really my thing. But planning my distant future is. I plan, I organise, but do we truly know what is round the corner. You could be going in the right direction in completely a goal, but then a major setback occurs. What do you do? Tackle it, take a different route, even if it means the goal will take a little longer to achieve. It will be more worthwhile in the long run.  One goal which I do have, which will take about 5 - 6 years to achieve because of this setback (Cuts in education can suck my bad juices... ¬¬) to become a Body Combat instructor (or more recently) Body Pump.
   It is really good, my organisation and planning made me think hard on how I would achieve this. Basically I will go to University to do my History and Sociology degree. However when I complete that course, I will go onto studying Fitness, Leisure and Exercise in the Adam Smith. This will give me my qualification to the "Exercise To Music" degree I so desperately need! Then I need to SAVE quite a few hundred pounds to go on the course, which my friend Gwen has just completed allowing her to be a qualified Combat instructor.

Life is complicated to me, and why things happen, I do not understand. One thing I do understand is that, with persistance and dedication, if I stay focused I can achieve the goals out of life...


Back to my Birthday...
Plans?  Yes :D
A Cailedh with Andrew and his family on the 5th of March.
Home on the 6th of March (my birthday).
Meal with my family and Andrew.
Then a few drinks with friends.


Life is so much easier with Andrew around :$

Bye Bubs <3