NotJustAHatStand

I've kinda lost my blogging mojo recently. Real life seems to have gotten in the way slightly, and I've not had much time. The time I have had, I've been, err, having a bit of a fling with Bebo. It just happened, I'm sure you understand. It didn't mean anything.

I am also a little freaked out about the whole anonymity thing. I've not long registered on Bebo and Facebook and I found a referral in my sitemeter that scared me - someone searching for me by name, and coming across this blog. And I'm not sure I like that.

#peers over shoulder#


I had planned to write a good long post tonight, with a topic and proper sentences and everything, but I had the beginnings of a migraine - I managed to head it off with some drugs (legal ones, natch), but they also made me feel a bit queasy and light headed. So the good long post will have to wait till tomorrow. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it gives me more time to think of a topic. And I know you'll be on the edge of your seat till then.

Labels: blogs, Fitness, Life, Wedding

I've made it to the gym the past two mornings. As I said before it's difficult for me being organised at 6am in the morning (it's difficult for me to be anything other than asleep at that time, mind you) and this morning I had a nagging feeling that I'd forgotten to do something. I wash my hair, pack my gym bag with undies, towel, clothes for work, make up etc before I go to bed, so that in the morning all I have to go is stick my joggies and vest on, and go.

However.

I was happily doing my warm up exercises this morning, and I happened to look down during the course of a tricep stretchy thing. It was at this moment, that I realised what I had forgotten to do.

I had forgotten to shave my oxters.

Now, being a brunette and a bit on the peely wally side, I cannot get away with this. I was hardly doing a Julia but oh god I was mortified. I snapped my arms back to my sides, and surreptitiously looked around to see if anyone was within oxter-stubble-viewing-distance. Thankfully they weren't, but I was unable to finish my arm stretches, and I spent most of my time in the weights section casually lounging on the machine, trying to look as if I was just taking a break, until the current passerby had moved on. Sigh.

Anyway, I also went to the dentist today for a preliminary check up before I get my teeth crowned. He said I can go ahead with the crowns, and booked me in for two appointments - the first is an hour and a half long. That's the equivalent of a feature length movie (Benny and Joon is 1 hour 34 minutes!), in the dentist chair. Ack.

Plus, because the tooth that I've had all the trouble with is essentially dead tissue (isn't that a lovely thought?) he's going to have to insert a steel post into the root, to strengthen it. Which means I'm already shitting myself at the prospect of more horrible dental work. And I'll probably set off the metal detectors at the airport.

But, hopefully my new wallies will be worth it. I'll be able to smile again! Woot!

Labels: Fitness, Teeth

Things I have been doing:

1. Planning a good long post, that has a topic and is thought provoking (ish). That is not this post.
2. Freaking out about the hee-uge list of questions our wedding venue expect us to answer.
3. Feeling quite smug about my every-other-day gym attendance, but rather dismayed at how much of my evening it takes up - I have to go to bed at a NORMAL time, and I have to be ORGANISED. These things do not come easily to me.
4. Shopping for gifts - my granny's 80th birthday tomorrow, and a cousin's christening on Sunday. And I'm effing rooked.
5. Realising that it's just over four months until I get married. FOUR. MONTHS. Jesus H. Christ.
6. Writing a To Do list that is actually almost as long as my arm. I do have short arms, but that is still A BIG LIST #whimpers#
7. Randomly capitalising whole words, apparently. This is not a good sign.
8. Planning a bit of an overhaul of the blogroll (lots of new people to be added) and possibly a whole new template. (HA! Like that's gonna happen anytime soon - Ed)

So, in conclusion - busy, tired, and a teeny bit stressed.

P.S. I have been keeping up with everyone's blogs, even if I haven't left many comments.

*Except that they don't show up in my template so I had to do a numbered list instead.

Labels: blogs, Fitness, Wedding

A month and a half after I joined the gym, I have officially begun my fitness regime. I had a session with a(n) (evil) personal trainer yesterday, who figured out a programme for me.

Evil Personal Trainer asked me what my goals were. I told him I wanted to get rid of my bingo wings before the wedding (he sniggered). Then he devised a punishing* schedule of cardio work, and resistance training, including lots of fitnessy type terms like chest presses and iso-ab work, none of which mean anything to me. But he also gave me an Idiot's Guide to the Gym, on which he drew little stick men to remind me how to do each exercise. He clearly had my number because this was before I told him about falling off the cross trainer. I wished I'd kept my mouth shut about that though as, instead of laughing like everyone else I've told, he just looked at me a bit strangely and said that none of his clients had ever done that before... Maybe he thought I wasn't taking things seriously enough. Or maybe he was concerned about leaving me unsupervised in the presence of dangerous equipment. Oh well.

*Well alright, it's probably quite tame. It is about 4 years since I got off my arse to do any exercise beyond walking to the kitchen.

He then showed me how to do each exercise, and made me practise it so he could tell me what I was doing wrong (turns out I wasn't clenching my buttocks with enough zeal). One of the exercises he had me doing involved lying on my back with my legs in the air, bringing them in to my chest, then raising them again. It was, if you'll excuse my language, really fucking hard! I was terrified I was going to let out a little trouser trump with all the exertion. Thankfully I managed not to disgrace myself.

That was yesterday, and then this morning I got up with the Boy at 6am (!), got to the gym for it opening at 6.30, and was warming up by 6.35. I did my programme (and was grateful for EPT's little stick men), then got myself ready for work and was at my desk 15 minutes earlier than usual, starving and in pain, but happy. It's 3pm, I can now type without wincing, and I feel good for getting my toosh in gear and doing some exercise. I'm aiming for at least two visits a week, ideally three.

This means I can go home tonight and eat chocolate with a clear conscience - I burned nearly a whole Crunchie on the cross trainer alone.

Labels: Fitness

I finally made it to the gym tonight. You may give me a round of applause now.

#applause#

Thanks, you're so kind.

I may need a hoist to get me out of bed in the morning. My arm muscles are already protesting, loudly, whenever I lift my arm above shoulder level.

I only went for a swim tonight, but once I have a session with a Really Fit Instructor who will show me how to use the machines I'll be doing a workout and a swim. I've made a fool of myself in the past by falling off a cross trainer (an experience I am not keen to repeat) so I'm going to wait for them to show me how to use these new fangled contraptions before clambering onto one of them in public.*

But I enjoyed the exercise - I swam 20 lengths of the pool, and came out feeling energised and proud of myself for actually getting off my arse and doing something.** I did start to get a bit sick of being splashed full in the face from the freak of nature in the lane next to me though. I was in the slow lane, doing my breast stroke/doggy paddle hybrid ©, and this dude in the fast lane next door kept splashing me right in the face. I'm sure he did it on purpose. And he was like the effing Duracell Bunny, he just kept going on and on, so I couldn't even time it so that I didn't have to pass him. It wouldn't have been a problem (I do realise that I was in a swimming pool, and it's therefore ok to get wet), but I had forgotten to take my make up off before I went in and had been trying not to get my eyes wet so that my mascara wouldn't run. But it did of course, courtesy of Duracell Swimmer, and I came out looking like Alice Cooper in a tankini.

Other than that it was a success. It's going to hurt in the morning though.

*Not that falling off the cross trainer was a result of inadequate training, just inadequate co-ordination on my behalf. So being shown how to use the machines won't stop me falling off, but at least I'll know where the emergency stop is this time.

**We also walked home but this was the Boy's idea - I was all for getting the bus and complained bitterly about being tired, cold, hungry and needing to pee during the 20 minute walk home. Fiance has learned to just tune it out I think.

Labels: Fitness

Email exchange between Fiance and I this afternoon:

Fiance: You wanna go to the gym tonight?

Teeny: Ok. I'm really motivated to get fit this time. I'm determined to get in shape and I think now's a good time to join the gym - while we have a goal to work towards. We can have a workout and go for a swim afterwards? Then come home and cook a healthy, balanced meal.

F: Sounds good to me. You're right, we should strike while the iron's hot - there's no time like the present. My body WILL be a temple once again.

T: Plan.

Conversation between Fiance and I this evening, upon arriving home from work:

F: How about we go to the gym another night?

T: Ok.

F: Fancy a takeaway?

T: You betcha!

He's a terribly bad influence on me.

Labels: Fitness