PT Mollie’s Virtual Training Group – an update

So just over 8 weeks ago I signed up for PT Mollie’s Virtual Training Group. The Virtual Training Group or VTG as it’s known, brings together a group of women online over an 8 week period to motivate, encourage and keep each other accountable to our goals. Mollie, who is a London based health and wellness coach, leads the group.

My goals for the 8 week period were as follows:

• To run for at least 30 mins 3 times a week
• To do a strength or core work out 3 times a week
• To eat 5 portions of fruit or vegetables 5 times a week
• To use my foam roller for 10 mins twice a week
• To run the Great South Run on 28th October in under 1hr and 55 mins

Each week on a Monday we all reported back to the rest of the group about how we were getting on with our goals. Mollie encourages us to focus on the positives rather than the things we haven’t achieved and sends a response to the group with her personal feedback for everyone.

Each week two of the group were asked to share healthy recipes and motivational quotes with the rest of the group and if we ever needed any extra help or wanted to chat then Mollie set up a Facebook group where we could all interact.

I found the group really motivating, being accountable to Mollie and the rest of the group made me really focus on achieving my goals. I met my exercise targets pretty much every week and although I didn’t always eat my 5 a day having it as a target definitely influenced my food choices for the better. The one goal I maybe slacked on a little was the use of my foam roller – I know it’s good for me but it’s so painful that sometimes I ‘forgot’ to do it.

My big goal was to run the Great South Run in under 1hr and 55 minutes. I came home in 1hr 56 mins and 4 seconds so just outside of my target but I was absolutely delighted with my performance on the day and felt like I had won the race!

I enjoyed the VTG so much that I’ve signed up for the next session which runs for 7 weeks up until Christmas Eve. This time I’ve switched my main focus to weightloss. I’ve done really well to lose 2 dress sizes in the last year or so but my weight and particularly my percentage of body fat is still higher than I’d like it to be. So my goals for this VTG are:

*To lose 10lbs in weight by the end of the 7 weeks

*To run a non stop 10K by the end of the 7 weeks

*To be active for at least 30mins/day 6 days a week

*To listen to my body with regards to food everyday (eat only when hungry, stop when full etc – all of course enabled by my Slimpod)

*To use my foam roller twice a week for 10mins – I have to put this back in or I just won’t do it!!

It’s a slightly smaller group this time but I know that everyone will be just as supportive and encouraging as the last time. I’m looking forward to the next 7 weeks and achieving my goals!

I should also say a massive ‘thank you’ to Mollie for leading the group – it’s totally free and she does a brilliant job of encouraging and motivating us all to do the best we possibly can during the VTG. Thank you Mollie!