Tag Archives: fitness

An average day; resisting (or not) the leftover Christmas choccies & getting enough sleep

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Today went like this: A 5.15 am alarm call; another busy, long work day and neverending ‘to do’ list. Just normal life really!

Gym gear in car but no chance to use it today and I might have to wait until Saturday to do something formallly exercise-wise. So it’s damage limitation, then today.

Eaten a few chocs left over from Christmas but resisted a glass of wine. And I’m off to bed soon to try to get at least 7 hours of sleep. That doesn’t sound much of a health tip, does it? But our bodies (and minds) work much better when we get enough sleep and it can slow weight loss if you don’t get enough.

So good night, all … see you again soon!

Oops, is it wrong to take my vitamins with a glass of wine?

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Yes, yes, I know the answer to that!  I do normally take my supplements (not too many, just enough) with water. But tonight I decided to have a large glass of wine while I wrote my blog – and realised I hadn’t taken my vitamins!

So dear friends, the initial enthusiasm has worn off. It didn’t take long, did it? 5 days to be precise.  But I am persisting anyway. I absolutelty did not want to get out of bed this morning for my swim. But I did it anyway. And predictably, I enjoyed it. As I was swimming, pre-work, I thought this: Our bodies are not pre-disposed for sitting on our (increasing sizeable – and not in a good way) bottoms and looking at a computer or sitting in a car. We’ve made them behave like that. What do we get in return? RSI? Shoulder and back ache? Our bodies are designed to be moving – for hunting and foraging.  So swimming (albeit not very fast) this morning – with a only a few people in the pool – just felt right. In my mind and in my body  – in an almost primordial way. Like it was just ‘so’ and like it should be since time began until forever. Well, it felt that way until someone cut into my swimming lane! 

It’s the thought of the exercise that always worse than doing it (unless perhaps I had to do a 6am spin class – then that would be pretty tough!) so now I just need to do it. Get that habit formed so it’s second nature.

A tip from my friend Jooles – and now my fitness/health buddy – to finish on today. She says  “A useful nugget to add… Paul McKenna said yesterday that they have discovered that a thin person walks 500 more steps a day than a large person. So increase your steps by: Parking further away in the car park so you have further to walk, taking the stairs etc.”

Great advice. We can all do that, can’t we?

PS Loving the tips, keep them coming!

Laugh, feel better, get a fitness buddy, just keep going …

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Laugh, feel better, get a fitness buddy, just keep going ...

I had to smile today. And yesterday. In fact, every day. In truth I am a bit of a giggler – but today at work was a little challenging and I could have done with padded, sound-proofed room in which to bash my fists on the wall and have a good scream. But just the action of telling someone else that’s what I needed was enough to make us both laugh and release the tension. Well, it’s that time of year. Financial Year Start. Time of new projects and resolutions. Well, I’m not making any resolutions as that’s a recipe for disaster for me. I’ll make some habit changes though.

Well-known diet/fitness advice often says that one of the keys to successful diets/fitness plans is to find a buddy so you can help each other with your new habits. Well, dear readers, I’ve decided that YOU are my fitness buddies! I’m going to check in with you from time, to see how you are doing, say how I am doing and also pass on any of your advice.

First off, this is from my old Schoolmate, Graham – who says “I will give you three tips, Andrea.

1. That first time is the most important. The first swim, run, trip to gym. No matter how long the journey you have to take the first step.
2. The only target you should set yourself is to do a bit better… each time. But ignore the first 2 or 3 attempts – initial enthusiasm is the main killer of all keep fit attempts.
3. Most important. A missed swim, run whatever is not a failure. Nor is 2 missed swims. A failure is no more swims. Have a timetable. I go Wednesday and Friday before work. It changes all the time depending on circumstances”

Thanks, Graham for your sound advice. I suppose I had better add those swims to my calendar!

That is all for today, but if you have any tips to share, please do add a comment here on the blog.

Not a good day but not a bad one, either

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I managed to get a swim in last night, so that’s pleasing! Now I know that 2 x 30 minutes swimming sessions will not counteract 5 (or even, ahem, 12) months of ‘bad’ behaviour but it’s a start. I’m already more conscious of what I’m eating and doing (or not).

Today I had a 12-hour workday and was pretty busy all day. No chance, then, of a swim today. My small personal win today was have a cup of tea not a large glass of wine when I got home. It’s a small start. But a start nevertheless.

They say it takes 3 weeks to form a habit and 3 days to break one.  Got a while to go, then!

Changing… me… one step at a time

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This morning I had a mini revelation.

I woke up, after a rare 8 hours sleep, and decided to go swimming. Now this in itself is not amazing, clearly, but it IS amazing as I have not done any discernable exercise for 5 months since I was on holiday.

What prompted the change? Maybe it was getting on the scales after the 12 days of Christmas holiday eating. Maybe it was struggling to walk six flights of stairs on Thursday. Maybe it’s because my (largest sized) skirt just doesn’t want to zip up. Maybe it was drinking half my body weight in a good French Burgandy yesterday in London town in the aftermath (and relief) of delivering some key projects – and feeling like I should – and might, just might (and be able to) devote some time to myself. Maybe it was realising that I will be in a hot climate (and not able to cover up in jackets and so on) in just over 16 weeks. Well whatever it was, it kicked in this morning and I am very thankful for it.

So where to go swimming?  I’d given notice on my gym membership (not used it for some time!) but I thought I’d just check when it expired. Turned out to expire on Feb 1 – so to the gym I went, while the rest of the house slept. First ten minutes was challenging while my body tried to adjust to what my brain was telling it, but then I got into the swing of it again and my brain switched off and my body took over. Bliss.

So then I thought – in the lovely, cool, clear water of the pool – that changing (your habits/your routine) can be tricky thing and so I’m just going to take it one step at a time and try to make a small change every day to achieve what I want. So I thought I’d write about change – and to start with – changing me – one step at a time. Wish me luck, I’ve a feeling I’m going to need it.