Post Christmas Blues

On my way to the gym today I had a tiny twinge of the post Christmas blues, they soon passed. Once in the gym I realised how much fitness I have lost over the festive period. Yuck! I wasn't super fit in the first place and a combination of little exercise, lots of food and a reasonable amount of alcohol made it a real struggle. My training plan said 5k for today which I managed to do but it took me ages. I felt really flabby too, I could feel my stomach and thighs jiggling when I first started running! Seriously that needs to be prevented from ever happening again. I think once the festive period is over I can get on with my training much more easily.

As I said in a previous post I do have a party to go to on the 8th January but that gives me just over a week off partying after New Years Eve. After that I am hitting the straight and narrow with exercise and eating etc.

My parents are going on holiday for a while soon and I was thinking earlier about what a good opportunity it is for me to eat healthily, I can cook what I want without having to consider other people's likes and dislikes. I imagine I will make some big batches of stuff and freeze them. I always find it hard to think of meals to cook. When I was at uni I used to spend ages trying to plan different healthy meals. Any suggestions welcome. I am really looking forward to getting back into the healthy eating habit.

Back to work in the morning, dare I say that I am quite happy to go back now, I've had a nice break but like to be kept busy. Then I have Friday off as it is New Years Day and we are closed. It would have been my day off anyway as I am working the weekend. I do actually find I sometimes get more admin type work done on weekend shifts as there are usually less interruptions.

Wishing you all a very happy new year, lets hope 2010 will be the best yet

Dad's 60th Birthday Party

L-R Geri (my bro's gf), Me, Dad, Ben (my bro), Mum, My sister Emma in the Front.

It was our Dad's 60th Birthday party today, we went to the races for the day and had a private box for friends and family. It was great fun! I didn't win any money but I still enjoyed the day. My Mum isn't smiling in the photo cos she hates having her picture taken!

It was miserable weather all day today but it didn't matter cos we were inside.

This is our beautiful doggy all tired out after the excitement last weekend on my Dad's actual birthday.

I have one more day off and then it's back to work, those 6 days off have gone very fast indeed!

I am going to have a very chilled out day tomorrow, lie in I think, then run and then potter round the house the rest of the day, maybe do the jigsaw puzzle I got for Christmas.

Christmas and the which training plan to use dilemma

I have had a lovely Christmas, I really enjoyed myself. We had a lovely couple of family days with nice food and lovely presents.

I got some cool running related stuff, a 'my little lunch bag' which I have to say I love! Such a child at heart. My sister got me The Paramedic's Diary book by Stuart Gray which is cool because I have been reading his blog for a while now.

I got a running book too, which has a marathon training plan in it, which leads me to my dilemma, I also have another training plan and then when looking online to see which type is more beneficial found a third plan! So I'm wondering which is better to use, one which goes by distance e.g 6k run or one which goes by timing e.g 1 hour steady run. Can I mix and match? Or does it really matter as long as I am doing some kind of training?

Less than 4 months to go until the marathon. This week is the week I have to start 2 of the training plans if I was using those and the third one is slightly shorter so could be implemented in a couple of weeks with general training beforehand.

This afternoon I am going to a friends house to watch movies, I am really in the mood for something scary, although knowing me I will end up having nightmares.

Tomorrow I am going to pop to the shops to try and find something to wear to my Dad's party which is on Tuesday. Wednesday is my day off and I'm thinking exercise then tidy my room and sort through stuff. Thursday I have work and it is New Years Eve, I have no idea what I am doing to celebrate this year. Friday is a bank holiday and work is closed on this one. No plans so far but I imagine I will have a quiet one at home and probably go for a run. I never really drink that much alcohol these days but over the last week or so have been drinking more often, after New years I am really going to cut back on drinking as it cannot be good for my running due to the effect alcohol has on glycogen stores etc. That said I have a party to go to on the 8th January. I can just have a couple of drinks though. I know when it gets really close to the marathon I will stop drinking alcohol completely.

Now I'm wondering whether I mentioned that I signed up for the Adidas Silverstone Half marathon again in 2010. It is the 'warm up race' for the London Marathon. I'm looking forward to hopefully shaving my time down.

I have to be off and tidy up the house a little bit before heading off to my friend's house.

Review of 2009 in Survey Form

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Ran a half marathon, drove in snowy conditions, graduated from university

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
If I remember rightly they were aims and were run a half marathon and graduate from university both of which I completed.
Next year my aims are to cut down on swearing and run the London Marathon

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My friend Naomi had a baby girl

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully no

5. What countries did you visit?
Wales. (and England where I live)

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Relaxation

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
14th May, the day I finished university

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Running a half marathon, getting my job, finishing uni

9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't exercise very much for a few months after the half marathon

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes my mystery illness!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought hardly anything! Perhaps the hire of my robes for graduation, I felt so special wearing them :-)

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Friends and weird as it is my doctor for being so nice about my throat and very helpful as I have found doctors in the past to be dismissive about health problems.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Probably someone at some point but right now I'm so happy I couldn't care less!

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting into the London Marathon for next year, my birthday party, the half marathon and right now Christmas

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
The sunscreen song, we used to listen to it when we were doing our uni work to motivate us.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, I've been so much happier this year, I am a much more chilled out person
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner I think
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, yay for a job!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Going out and having fun (this is a repeat of last year, note to self get a life!!!)

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At home with my family :-)

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
No

23. How many one-night stands?
None

24. What was your favourite TV programme?
I watched hardly any TV, although I watched quite a lot of family guy as its on when I get in from work

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't do hate, it's not worth it, and right now I can't think of anyone who's peed me off!

26. What was the best book you read?
The other hand I think it's called, I can't remember who it's by either!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
La Roux

28. What did you want and get?
My first ever medal! (and 2nd)

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Die Hard 4!

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 21 and I took a 3 hour biochemistry and clinical nutrition exam! Then all my course mates came round to our flat after the exam for lunch and drinkies before we had a quiet rest of the day due to still having exams left.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Chilling out a bit more and socialising more when I was at uni.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Comfy and nice

34. What kept you sane?
My lovely friends and family

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
none

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
none

37. Who did you miss?
Friends

38. Who was the best new person you met?
There is one person in particular who I get on really well with but no names mentioned cos wouldn't want to embarass them

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Don't worry be happy, Live and learn

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Life is a rollercoaster just gotta ride it!

I have one more shift at work and then I will be finished for Christmas, yippee. I have lots to get done at work tomorrow but I am so excited about Christmas so will be in a very good mood :-)

After work I will come home and then we do family stuff Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and Boxing Day are usually spent with the family too, I can't wait.

Have a fab one all xxx

Update

I haven't updated in a little while, I have been rather busy and finding the time to turn my computer on and update just hasn't happened.

Healthy You Challenge Update

The challenge is going ok, I haven't been able to exercise much over the last couple of weeks, I have had a lot of occasions when there has been lots of nice foods etc, I have enjoyed the foods but also made compromises to balance it out. A success I feel.

Dad's 60th Birthday

It was my Dad's 60th Birthday on Sunday so we had a lovely family day at home with a nice lunch and then played games and watched dvds. The majority of us also had a snooze after lunch! He is having a party in a weeks time with wider family and friends, I am looking forward to it even though I haven't got anything to wear yet!

Snow

So you know how I said we never get snow? Well we had some last week that settled and then melted and we have it again now. It started snowing yesterday afternoon about an hour before I was due to start work. It stopped just after I got home from work. It settled. I was starting work late afternoon yesterday so while most people were travelling home in it I was going to work which inevitably meant I would have to go home in the poor conditions late at night. I have never driven in snow before, whenever we have had snow before I have been able to walk or cycle. My Dad offered to drive me to work but I felt I would have to bite the bullet and drive myself, I figured at some point in my life I would have to drive in snow. It was fine, everyone was driving slowly and carefully. On the way back the conditions were worse but I made it home without skidding or anything. At one point I was coming up to a junction to turn left and tried to follow the curve as you're supposed to but car decided to go straight, think it probably couldn't grip the road properly. All was fine in the end. In our country everyone makes a big fuss when it snows and places close down etc etc, people always comment how in such and such a country they have loads of snow and no problems. I think the reason we have so many problems is because it is so rare to have snow over here so people aren't used to it.

Giving Blood

I gave blood last Monday, my iron levels were fine :-) the next session I am going to is 26th April, the day after the London Marathon!!! Not sure whether that is a good idea or not. Over here you are advised to wait 16 weeks between donations as it takes 12-16 weeks for your iron levels to return to normal levels after a donation. 16 weeks would be before the marathon but the next session in my town after 16 weeks is the 26th April. We shall see, I may not be able to walk that day!

Other

I still need to finish my Christmas shopping, I need to go into town later on before work to get some prizes for a Christmas raffle we have organised for our customers at work. I also need to get some bits as my friend is coming over for lunch tomorrow and hopefully finish my present buying at the same time I'm in town. This is cutting it a bit fine, I realise I vowed to get my shopping done early this year due to working full time. That didn't happen!

Have a very Merry Christmas all and a happy new year :-)

50 Posts Later

So this is my 50th post on this blog.

I am having a productive day today, I have my washing in and I am popping into work for a bit later on to go through some things that I need to learn how to do. Then this evening we are going to make the mince pies ready for Christmas. I don't actually like mince pies but I love making them. I think it's because I love baking and I love Christmas and making mince pies means it's near to Christmas. We will freeze them until nearer the time.

I went to the gym yesterday after work wearing my new sports bra, my £18 new sports bra, I got on the treadmill to have a good run only to discover that the sports bra which stated on the packet for running was in fact crap! So annoying, I tried it on in the shop and it fitted well and seemed supportive. I will have to keep it as I have worn it now. I will just have to wear a normal bra underneath in future. I had a really good session on the cross trainer instead, on a higher level than usual and I went faster. It was great for getting some aggression out after a stressful day. My eating however hasn't been great lately, I am trying to rein it in.

It is getting close to eating season now, Friday night I am going to my work Christmas meal, then I have a week or so before it really gets into eating lots. My sister's birthday is on Christmas day so she usually celebrates on a different day which is this Sunday this year, so another eating occasion. After that I have a few days of normal eating before it starts getting to people coming over to visit then my Dad's birthday, Christmas and pretty much a couple of weeks of just eating! I'm hoping to do lots of exercise so I don't put on loads of weight. Myself and a friend were wondering the other day how much weight you could put on in a month if you really tried to have loads of calories.

I am going to try and eat well the next few days then enjoy the meal Friday then eat well again as much as I can. I want to enjoy Christmas and the food. So I just have to get the balance right between enjoyment and putting on a million pounds in weight!

Brrr

It's my day off and I'm sat at home getting a few bits done online. I'm pretty chilly.

I've made an appointment to give blood on Monday, hopefully this time my haemoglobin levels will be high enough to donate. I finished my iron tablets last Monday so I think it's unlikely my levels will be low. I'm going to have to rush straight to work after I've donated as they are only doing an afternoon session this time and the earliest appointment left was 55mins before I was due to start work. They usually say to allow an hour to go through the whole process but I have found it to take only 30mins in the past and I know they have now changed the process slightly to make it quicker. Some Mondays I start at 4 and some at 3.30, unfortunately next Monday is a 3.30 day so I have asked that I can come in at 4 and make up the half an hour this week. So this way I have an hour and 25mins after my appointment starts to get done and get to work. I imagine I won't need all that time but it's better than constantly looking at my watch thinking I've got to be at work for 3.30.

Tomorrow I am working the early and then am going straight to the gym. I will also be walking to work as my car is away getting fixed this week.

This afternoon I am going to a garden centre near where I live that also has lots of Christmassy things this time of year, then tonight one of my friends who I haven't seen for a while is coming over. I am trying to make the most of working earlies/days off this week. I have today off as time in lieu due to working extra last week. I got to choose which day I had off so went for today as it was a late shift.

The weather here is a bit dreary, think it's predicted to be a rainy Christmas. I always hope for snow over Christmas, I LOVE snow! I find it so magical and it hardly ever snows and settles here so snow is a bit of an event. I think it only ever snows and settles about once a year. I remember it once snowing on Christmas day but it was only a light flutter that did not settle. As the song goes 'I'm dreaming of a white Christmas' Yes please. Although icy conditions aren't great when you're training for a marathon. It can snow on a day when I've just been for a running and am having a rest day the next and then melt away overnight after the rest day so it's clear for me the next training day. Great, now I just need it to actually happen like that.

I'm off to have some lunch now, will try and have some red meat and have plenty the rest of the week so I can build up my iron stores ready for Monday. I'll be so cross if my haemoglobin levels are still low although I think that's very unlikely. After Monday my next session to give blood will be rather close to the marathon, it takes 12-16 weeks for your iron levels to recover after giving blood so I may well wait until after the marathon to donate again.

Have a good week all.

Updatey Watey

My blog has been slightly neglected of late, sorry blog!

I worked the early today and then headed to the gym with a work friend straight afterwards. I then came home and had an Innocent Veg pot for my dinner. It was delicious and contained 3 of my 5 a day. It was also on special offer so cheaper!

I am still not doing amazingly with healthy eating but getting there. Haven't weighed this week, I've been sort of feeling meh! Feeling much better now though.

I'm finding life sort of gets in the way of good intentions sometimes. Working shifts makes it hard for me to fit in exercise, I have been doing quite well with it lately though and am determined to keep it up. The weight should soon be falling off me.

Haven't really got much other news, just been working mainly. I am going out on Saturday night and I can't wait, I have had such a lack of social life lately.

Have a great week all.