Oh yes, 2013 then. Looking forward, not back.

Photo credit - Joseph Hart

I am not big on New Year's resolutions so there will be none of that from me. I have goals I've set myself which I've already started on a while back. I set them when I'm ready to and I don't need the start of the year to do that for me. (In any case, having a birthday on the 6th precludes starting a strict diet on the 2nd!)

Things are in the pipeline and 2013 looks like it could be good. Equally, it could turn out not quite so great. At the moment, I have to stay positive, be optimistic and do what is within my control to ensure that the good  things happen rather than the bad. It's all a bit cryptic right now but hopefully, I will be able to let you know what I'm rambling on about fairly soon.

A New Year gives you the chance to look back and look forward. 2012 was a pretty good year and we had some amazing experiences. Now is the time to look forward to 2013 and make the year as good as the last one.

I've said it before but Happy New Year all.

Meal Planning Monday - the first 2013 edition!

So, that was 2012, that was. Today is the last day and 2013 starts tomorrow. Really, this is my first meal plan of the year, especially as I'm not planning to cook tonight so the 2012 kitchen is well and truly closed. The children and I are planning to have a Chinese tonight - hubby will be at work until midnight so won't be partaking. I'm leaving New Year's Day open as well as I'm not really sure what we're doing - we still have family to deliver presents to, so we might be out.

This week is different for a number of reasons. Firstly, a friend who used to live across the road and now lives in Cambodia is coming to stay for a few days. The children are still off school, and husband's shifts are longer than usual. Finally *whispers* it's my birthday on Sunday and we're probably going to go out for lunch then. More normal service WILL be resumed next week. I hope.

Here is the plan, such as it is, for the week.

Monday - Chinese
Tuesday - keeping free
Wednesday - Chilli Marrakech
Thursday - Sausages with cauliflower cheese mash
Friday - Chicken satay with rice (I think!)
Saturday - Crispy cheddar pies
Sunday - I am so not cooking today!

That is us. How is 2013 starting in meals for you? Do tell. And then pop by Mrs M's to check out some other meal plans.

Happy New Year!

My tips for starting a New Year fitness regime

Photo credit - dariuszman

So, it's 3rd January and lots of people made New Year's resolutions to get fitter, lose weight, be more healthy, yada yada. Obviously, these normally involve starting a new fitness regime. I've started many in my time, and not just in early January, so I thought I'd pass on some tips. Obviously, you can choose to ignore them and it's a long list, but you will have a better chance of keeping it going for longer and seriously improving your fitness if you follow as many as you can. Feel free to add your own tips in the comments at the bottom of this post. Please remember I am not a qualified fitness instructor, this is just what I have learned over the years of being a punter. Some of these are learned from hard experience, some I've learnt from others.

1. Get proper medical advice if you have a condition or an injury that might mean that exercise could be harmful. Do this before you start if this applies to you.
2. Choose activities that you think you will enjoy. There is no point in doing something that you hate, because you will fall at the first hurdle. You can run, take up a new sport, join a gym, go to classes, or workout at home. If you're not sure what you want to do or will like, try a few things out but give each option a good few weeks. No-one is ever good as soon as they start. 
3. If you join a gym, try to get a trial period before signing your life away or pay as you go for a while. Check any contract very carefully as some gyms charge large cancellation penalties. Don't be swayed by fancy facilities at a private gym - council run leisure centres are often cheaper and the staff are normally well trained. They also allow you to pay as you go although memberships will work out cheaper. Don't think that paying lots of money will guilt you into going. That's how fitness clubs make their profits - all the people that pay hundreds of pounds a year who go twice. In total.
4. Get the right equipment. Some people find they are more motivated by buying new fitness gear. You don't need to, but if it works for you and you have the money, do it. There is, however, one piece of equipment where no reasonable expense must be spared - running shoes. Please don't think you can get by starting to run with any old trainers. A trip to any of the sports chains (Yes, you JJB, JD Sports and the like) will not cut it either. Go to a proper shop for runners where they can analyse your gait and help work out the best type of shoes for how you run. If you don't, you risk developing shin splints, which will seriously hamper your progress. Invest in good shoes and the risks are greatly reduced. Definitely worth the money. 
5. Put your workouts or runs or classes in your diary like any other appointment. It takes about 3 weeks to create new habits, so making time for your workout may be an effort at first. So many good intentions fail because people don't make the time. You only need about 3-4 hours week to get started. Putting the time aside to do your workout will help you see yourself as a regular exerciser until it becomes second nature. Home workouts are particularly prone to other distractions. I got round this by doing EA Sports Active's 30 day challenge which recorded what you have done and when so you had to do the workouts. 
6. Consider having a fitness buddy. It works for some - it will help motivate you each other when the going is tough and you're answerable to them if you want to bunk off. Or you could spend your whole time trying to get them to go. Your call. 
7. Start out gently and build up gradually. I cannot stress this enough because it will help prevent injuries and stop you getting demotivated. To get fitter, you need to challenge yourself, but not to the point of pushing yourself too hard. If doesn't matter if your first few workouts feel easy; just make a mental note to run a bit faster, work a bit harder or whatever it is next time. The first few workouts - if not the first few weeks - are for you to find your level. And remember it's your level, not anyone else's. If you really can't keep up, don't try. 
8. Set goals realistically. Particularly true of running, I think - there are plenty of running programmes around which you can follow. Stick to them, don't try to do them at twice the pace. You won't become fit overnight, it will take time to see results. And see point 7!
9. Make sure you get enough rest. When do you think you actually get fitter? Is it whilst you are exercising? It isn't! When you exercise, your body is under stress. When you rest, the body repairs itself and if you've been challenging it with exercise, it adapts to the challenge and you become fitter or stronger at rest. When you're starting out, it's a good idea to rest every other day if you can, but if your schedule doesn't allow it, working out for a couple of days then taking a rest will do. Overtraining gives no time for recovery and can turn niggles into injuries. 
10. Have contingency plans. This particularly applies to outdoor pursuits, like running, which can become dangerous in winter weather, but it could something as simple as your class being cancelled. Have a back up plan so that you can at least have a workout when this happens, especially if the activity is going to be laid off for more than a couple of days. I go back to EA Sports Active on the Wii when a class is unexpectedly cancelled.
11. Listen to what your body is telling you, particularly if you get ill. You will get ill or injured at some point. How you manage it is important to the speed of your recovery. If you get a cold, you can probably still exercise if your symptoms are above your neck and the rest feels fine, but if they are below the neck, it is best to wait until you get better. You can make yourself very ill if you exercise when ill so admit defeat and concentrate on getting better. Same goes for exercising with an injury - rest if necessary and if it's more serious than you first thought, get proper medical advice. Better to miss 1 or 2 workouts to get better than have to miss 12.
12. If you are exercising with the aim of losing weight, try to measure as well as weigh yourself. Keep a record of the measurements and measure regularly but only about every 2-3 weeks. This is because you may find that you lose fat but it not show on the scale. Muscle is denser than fat so it looks slimmer - and believe me, it's a good thing to have more muscle. 
13. Don't expect to lose weight by exercise alone. As I was once told, "you can never outrun your mouth". Watch what you are eating. Some people start to eat more after they have exercised when in truth, particularly at the start, they may not have burned that many calories. My pet hate is someone coming off a cardio machine at the gym saying they've earned themselves a chocolate bar (the calorie count on those things is often way out). You may find may appetite is increased but try not to overdo it. And DRINK! Keeping hydrated may take away the hunger pangs. Honestly. On the flip side, don't starve yourself - exercise needs fuel. 
14. When starting out, or starting back even after a shortish break, you are likely to get achey in your muscles the day after. The technical term for this is DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and it will pass after 2-3 days. Your body will get better at reacting to the exercise over time but the first few can really hurt. Warm baths or a sauna can help, and if it's really bad, so can painkillers. 
15. Always do a warm up before each workout with some gentle exercise and do a cool down afterwards. Learn how to do a few basic stretches but don't overstretch.
16. Finally, don't expect there to be an exercise that will spot reduce fat from one problem area. It's just not going to happen. 

Finally, let me end by giving you some links to some useful sites or posts: 

jagsfitnessblog.com - written by my friend Jo about her own weight loss and fitness journey. She has written some useful posts on Frequently Asked Questions and Diet and Fitness Myths which are well worth a read.

stumptuous.com - lots of useful advice for all, with a particular slant towards women using weights. 

ExRx.net - a huge free resource with calculators and exercise directories, featuring videos of how to perform each one. 

My wish for 2011

Photo credit foobean01

I've not blogged at all this week. I kind of gave myself some time off and told myself I would only blog if I really wanted to. I haven't wanted, partly because I have not been well and not felt like it. Thankfully, I'm better now and have time to do my end-of-year post.

Everyone that has been blogging has been doing so about plans or resolutions for the new year. I am not going to do that. Technically, I'm still working on my 2010 resolution - which was to regain my pre-pregnancy size and whilst I am not there yet, I am a hello of a lot closer than I was a year ago. I am doing the same things as before, and as a resolution feels like a change, it feels odd to set one. I'll just carry this one over.

Instead, I've given some thought to my wish for 2011. What I want most in the world. I asked the good folk of Twitter what their wishes were and got a range of responses from holidays abroad to football teams winning trophies. Some were prosaic, others were more intangible and incredibly kind-hearted. Cures for cancer, good health and good fortune to those in need.

It made me think. The end of the year in our family has been one marked by ill health or ill fortune to relatives. My father-in-law is still in hospital in a high dependency unit, two weeks after keyhole surgery turned into major surgery to remove a bowel tumour. We're confident he'll be OK but obviously, it's a worrying time and the children have missed seeing him over Christmas. Others in the extended family have health problems and our thoughts are also with them. My sister, who got married in November, was made redundant in the middle of December. Great timing.

With these things in mind, I've decided on my wish for 2011. I wish for peace, happiness, health and wealth (material and spiritual) for those I love and those that they love.

And with that, I wish you a Happy New Year. See you next year.