Sunday, January 26, 2014

Running for my life...

I have been doing the "Couch to 5K" program. Not religiously, but I downloaded the app for my phone and have been running, on average, twice a week. Three times would be better, but my health hasn't really allowed for that. So here's the progress report:

When I started, I could not even run for a full minute. I was running about 45 seconds and panting/jogging until that stupid computer voice told me to walk. As of last week, I can now run for five minutes straight. Don't get me wrong, I am panting and gasping after that five minutes. But the point is, I can do it. I can now run a mile faster than I could when I was 16. It feels great!

Runner's high has yet to happen. I never get this massive endorphin rush while sweating my guts out and panting like a dog. But I do get restless some days, and genuinely want to go for a run. My legs start to tingle, and nothing else will do. And I could totally get addicted to the feeling of finishing a run. It is the only time I really push myself, and that sense of accomplishment is incredible!

I'm not really losing weight with it--probably have to be more consistent for that to happen. But my overall fitness has definitely improved. I'm glad I decided to take it up.

Church was good today. I taught Relief Society and youth Sunday School, and played the piano for R.S. and Sacrament meeting. The closing hymn was a bit dodgy, since I'd never heard it before (though I did practice it) and spent the first eight measures trying with all my might to play it faster than the chorister wanted everyone to sing it. But I've been playing in church for so long that it isn't even embarrassing any more when I mess up. Not worth blushing about--just an eye rolling moment.

Today is Martin's last day off work. He's been off all week, and goes back in tomorrow. It's been so lovely to have him home with me. I adore spending time with my husband! Yesterday, we went out and had a "normal" family Saturday--the kind we never have because he is always at work. We went to Ikea, had lunch, did a bit of shopping, then drove down to Penistone, just north of Sheffield, to see my friend Noelle and her brand new baby. He's gorgeous, and she's doing well. I got to cuddle five day old Stevie for nearly an hour. But guess what? I still don't want another baby. And now that I'm 35, it's official. We are DONE having children. Sorry to my parents if they wanted more grandchildren from me. It's not going to happen.

Anyway, I should probably go and help my husband with dinner prep. Bless him, he's cooked a few meals this week and I'm feeling like a bit of a slacker. Plus, I get to check him out and slap his bum when I need him to move if we cook together. Sometimes having a tiny kitchen is great!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Happy birthday to me...

Turning 35 ended up being pretty painless. I woke up to breakfast in bed courtesy of the kids. Dylan was incredibly proud of the fact that he made my toast himself. Then I played badminton with my husband, did the grocery shopping, had my hair cut, went for sauna with my friend Ali, had dinner with the Gilbert family, and spent a quiet evening with my hubby. Barely even time to lament the passing of my youth.

Thirty five years old. Ouch! Half way to seventy. Round up to forty. Edith told me that I am really getting "quite old." Special.

When we moved to England, I was only 26. Just a spring chicken, really. Now I'm ancient, like the crypt keeper. But I have a wonderful husband, two beautiful children, and a great life. So I'm getting old? So what? Being 35 hasn't changed anything. Well, except for the fact that I have now decided to ditch the grey hair. I am going to dye it tomorrow.

In other news, we have had to cut Dylan off the junk food. We went to Nottingham to visit some friends, and they had nibbles out on the table. Dylan ate so much food that he made himself sick. And in typical Dylan fashion, he did it in his bed. The kid is incapable of getting up and being sick in the toilet. Which of course means a midnight shower and bedding change. It was the second time in less than six weeks. So now he is only allowed to eat the food which we give him, until he can learn to stop eating when he is full. I feel like such a mean parent, but it seems necessary. I seem to recall that Velecia's boys used to do the same?

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Thoughtless...

That's me. Literally without thought. I've had this browser window open for a good five minutes, just waiting for inspiration to hit. It didn't, so instead, I will waffle on for a bit and pretend to be really deep.

Martin has encouraged me to do this new diet. Not in a horrible, sexist pig sort of way. He just read about it, and thought it sounded perfect for me. It's a variation of the 5-2 diet. This is the every other day diet, where you eat as you like one day and then fast (500 calories fast) the next. So I decided I'd get on board, and had my first fasting day yesterday. So today I ate as I pleased, and my body was not happy about it at all! I think I'll have to be more careful about my non-fasting days from here on out. But it certainly DOES seem like the perfect diet for me. It's not hard to say no to foods that are bad for you if you know you can have them the next day. It's not too hard to count up to 500 calories. It's easy to remember which day you're on. All in all, I like it. Except for that whole hunger thing. We'll see how it goes.

The running is certainly going well. Had a few weeks off over Christmas, but I'm back in the game now and pleased with my progress. When I started, I could barely manage to run for a single minute. But on Tuesday, I ran two seperate five minute stretches. Properly running, too. Not just jogging to keep up appearances. What a difference!

The kids are doing great. Excelling at school, as I have come to expect. Dylan is starting to have loads of friends now, which is brilliant. He's having a friend over tomorrow night to watch a movie with us. He is trading Match Attax cards with his friends at school. He is always talking about the games he plays with his friends during play time. Who would have thought at the beginning of his school career that he would get to this point?

Edith is really coming into herself. She is horribly bossy and demanding, but she is so charming about it that everyone still loves her. She's cheeky and giggly, and her hair is finally long enough to pull up in proper pigtails. She is my comedian, and my little angel.

As for Martin, well...the other morning, we went to the gym together. He did kettlebells, and I went into the health suite. I was doing leg press, and looked over to see a cute guy bent over getting a drink. Had a little ooh la la moment, then realized that I was perving over my own husband. Awkward. But pretty awesome, too. I sure do love that man!

Turning 35 next week, and I'm sure I'll have a few choice words to say about that when the time comes. Watch this space.