Hoop There It Is

I’ve slowly become obsessed with my hula hoop.

After I first purchased her, she spent a considerable time leaning against the wall in our hallway. Ignored for the most part, I was too shy to actually try her out. Luckily, with the encouragement of a friend who has taken a hooping course and is magnificent at it, we had a group session during one of our lunch breaks at work and a gang came along.

At first I seemed to be the only one just not getting it, but I’m finally there and getting stronger every time.

Last night I spent 35 minutes in our yard hooping by myself. Salt n’ Pepa’s Greatest Hits provided the soundtrack. Sassy seems to be the way to do it, since there’s a lot of hip action involved.

It’s pretty sexy, once you get over what a tit you look. While I was out there I bumped into every single neighbour we have and the reaction was mixed. The older men looked bemused, while the young couple next door to us thought it looked cool.

That’s the biggest thing for me I think, having gone from being completely non-active to being into keeping fit; getting over myself and how I look to others. Literally nobody cares.

Any way, I’m planning on supplementing what I already do with hooping to tone up my middle. This morning I can feel it in my abs and legs and it feels great. I do want to lose weight but almost as important to me is toning up considerably, so I am feeling pretty good and happy at the moment.

I think about how much I have taken on in the last three months and I think it’s very much a credit to the gorgeous women I work with. They’re all fit and healthy and incorporate exercise into their every day, whilst still enjoying cake.

I don’t think I would have found the transition quite as easy or fun if it hadn’t been for them. So thanks for the encouragement and all the love, girls!

 

Vintage Dresses, Hula Hoops and the Local Cemetery

This week, frankly, has been a little bitch. However, amid the crumminess there are always little nuggets of sheer happiness and that’s something that a bad week cannot take away.

I’m celebrating the weekend by staying in with a head cold and mainlining Parks & Recreation, which is so much fun when there’s an apparent heat wave shimmying around outside.

But meh. My week in pictures.

This Dress

There is nothing, but nothing better for the soul than a good dress. In my world the best ones are always floral, usually tiny ditsy print and the kind of thing I never ever envisaged being into as a glittery dog collar wearing twenty year old (true story).

I got this one through an Instagram sale, from a lovely woman called Sian Kisses (she blogs here).

Buying pre-loved items via Instagram is so very modern, isn’t it? Of course you can’t go doing it willy nilly but it’s the new ASOS Marketplace if you ask me. Plus, you can envisage what an item will look like on you since you have an idea what they person you are purchasing it from looks like size wise, if that makes sense? Good for a curvy girl like me, anyway.

These Guys

God. I love them. They make every day fun and fabulous. If they ever leave me for greater careers (which they will), I will be very sad. I might just follow them around for the rest of my days.

This day we found a secret garden or so we thought, but it only contained gardening equipment. And no dead bodies either.

 

Being Active

I pumped my way vigorously through two Zumba sessions, masses of brisk walking and next to no hula hooping, but only because my front room is too small to twirl around in. I did plan to teach myself the basics through Youtube tutorials, but it’s just not possible.

My only option is to move outside. I’m going to con someone into giving me lessons for free when the weather stabilises. Fun and frisky!

White Chocolate Mice, Gifts and Simpsons Lego

Sometimes the only thing that will cure a day is an entire bag of White Chocolate Mice. Mmmmmmmmm.

My super-cute husband bought me this gorgeous pin-up box, to keep all my secrets in. It currently contains, simply, a note that says “My dick”. Funny guy…

And Simpsons Lego, which speaks for itself. Lego is my favourite thing in the world almost, I’m a completely obsessed fully grown woman.

So, that my friends, was my week. I’m so cray!

Now I’m going to go back to bed.

Running, Man

Running has been a mixed bag. I am now coming to terms with the fact that I am not naturally shooting about like a pocket rocket with the wind in my hair, and that every single step has been challenging. More so, that I haven’t fallen in love with it right away.

I am starting very slowly and could probably afford to push myself a little more, if I’m completely honest.

But I’m doing it. I’m doing it regularly and I’m getting a tiny bit better every time.

I am also learning how important stretching is and have been taking Cod Liver Oil tablets because my legs hurt so much when I run. Who even am I?

On the plus side, I am goofily proud of my attempts even if I am currently hopeless. And when I don’t run, I walk. I walk like a bitch and am racking up all those burnt calories.

I have also lost a not too sniffy six pounds in two weeks. I know I wasn’t and am going to try not to measure my achievements in the numbers dropping off, but it’s hard not to. I’m losing weight, feeling better and my legs are toning up. It’s also been great for my relationship, all good right?

My only minor niggle, which goes against what I just typed slightly: my husband is so much better at this than me. He can actually run and even though my sensible self knows I’m achieving things at my own pace, and is also proud that he is making changes he can be proud of, I have to fight against feeling deflated by it.

That’s so me though. I’m the exact opposite of competitive, I’d far rather give up and sit down than compete with anyone, even when I know I’m better. Which in this case I really am not.

So, you know, trucking along.

 

I ♥ Sundays (and Other Things)

Welcome to my Sunday Appreciation Series, or SAS!

Though the title would suggest an ode to the Day of Rest (hence the addition of ‘and other things’), this is a series of stuff I am currently digging. I love these types of posts from other bloggers and was inspired by Audrey Kitching‘s 20 Things I Love Saturday series.

And while I do love Sundays and have a minor issue with people who don’t appreciate them for what they are (a day off FFS!), not all these things are appreciated on a Sunday.

You with me? Cool.

And so to a few of my  favouritest things…

My Mad Fat Diary

This amazing comedy drama ended recently and I am already missing it. Based on the true life diary of writer, Rae Earl, it’s the most accurate coming of age tale I have ever seen. Overweight and troubled Rae gets to grips with making new friends, college, family life, self-esteem and first love to the back drop of the best 90’s soundtrack ever.

Since Rae and I grew up in basically the same era, I feel like this could have been my teen life being broadcast. And although my adolescence wasn’t quite as dramatic, I can certainly identify with Rae’s feelings of inadequacy and perpetual awkwardness.

Rae is played by the incredible Sharon Rooney who makes me feel things I thought I had left behind a long time ago (or rather I wish I had). MMFD has everything going for it, makes me laugh and cry in equal measure and features lovely Fit Finn. What more do you need, eh?

This Hair (Above)

OMFG. Just look at it! Pretty pastel up dos from the Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2014 shows. I want them all for myself.

Jameela Jamil

Not only is Jameela a total fox, she has also impressed me lately, first with her blog (especially this post) and then in this interview she gave to The Guardian about female empowerment and the reaction she got on Twitter for daring to criticise Miley Cyrus.

New hero.

Running

I am the worst runner right now. Terrible. Embarrassing.

Yet, I feel like a flipping GODDESS for doing it anyway. Sometimes I run for 45 seconds, sometimes 30, sometimes even less. My shins hurt. But so fucking what? It’s still my arse running and my flabby bits flapping in the wind.

I think I’m becoming addicted to the buzz I get after I’ve been out, whether it’s been a short run or a long walk. The times they are a change-ing…

Game of Thrones Season Four

Winter is coming… and the rest! I cannot wait.

A weekend of recapping Season Three has proven that I’m terrible with names and remembering plot lines. But boy do I love this show more than any other show that has ever been before it. Even The Sopranos.

~

So that’s if for my first SAS post.

 

 

 

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

This isn’t a fitness blog by any stretch but I had to log my first run here, didn’t I? Since I’ve been flapping on about it for a while.

I went running this evening, starting off by doing half a mile of just walking. Once round the park I thought fuck it, why not just run a bit? So I did.

I can’t even run continually for 45 seconds. I was planning to walk for two minutes, run for one – that’s the method I’ve been ‘studying’.

45 seconds!

That seems pretty poor, I think. However, I haven’t run for at least fifteen years and I am carrying a lot of junk in my trunk (only too apparent when I am running and my arse is bouncing up and down behind me).

I know that sooner or later all the things I have been trying to change will come together to make running easier, or so I have to believe. A couple of my more active friends have assured me that they were exactly the same when they started.

As it is, I have to say that although I currently suck arse as a runner, I wanted to test myself in terms of running in public and whether I would actually be able to do it.

(I know that we all know that nobody cares and nobody bats an eyelid at joggers, but when you don’t feel all that great about yourself, you still think people with point and laugh).

I did it though and nobody cared.

Which is an epic win as far as I’m concerned. YEY ME!

 

 

Walk This Way

These last few days I haven’t been doing much, except taking myself off on as many walks as possible. I haven’t even start running properly yet and I feel like the walks are making a difference already. Luckily for me, I am surrounded by lovely people who are only too happy to encourage and even join me!

My early morning walks with Mr Bee have been beautiful actually. Although I am annoyingly chatty (to motivate myself) and he likes to be quiet, we haven’t pissed one another off yet and it’s very nice to have half an hour where it is just us.

Life can be only too distracting and quality time is almost always buzzing with outside forces, so to focus can only be a good thing.

So, I’m on Day 3 of The New Me and I can say it is going very well. It might be a bit premature to believe that things have changed that much, but my core already feels stronger and I swear I’m holding myself up straighter.

Watch this space!

 

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

So, influenced by the babes I work with, I have decided to take up running, as a means to get fit but also to change things up. Mentally, physically and spiritually.

Yeah.

I’ve never really run before, barely even for the bus and my favourite thing to say is: “I’ll never run, unless someone is chasing me”.

I don’t know if my decision to do this is absolutely crazy or not, but I’ve spoken to a few people about it (because I have to talk about things a lot before I actually do them) and it seems that quite a few of my friends are secret runners.

I have always fancied the idea of it myself, and the image of me running into the middle distance with my ponytail flapping, M.I.A coaxing me on is a gorgeous one. I like it.

Perhaps running will become my thing. Perhaps all my worries will melt away once I start.

Perhaps I will hate every minute of it and want to give up. I don’t want to though, I need an outlet and a place to think.

I need a place to practice my singing.

With that in mind, I’ve been taking care of the most important thing of all; The Running Playlist. Have no fear I shall be sharing more on this series as I continue my running journey.

Are you wondering why I’m not out running yet; choosing to just talk about it for now? I’m waiting for my good pair of trainers to arrive!

Do you run? Do you have any beginners tips for me? I am an open book!