Upping the exercise game

One of my runs last summer - I can't wait for the days be longer again!

I started placement a couple of weeks ago and i'm slowly getting used to those 6am alarms. I decided that this would be the time (the week, not 6am itself!) to up my exercise game. See, I don't know about you, but I find the time I am busiest is the time I can achieve more.

Since November i'd been running approximately twice a week but I wanted to up the exercise to four times a week. So last week i'd planned:

- a home workout
- a fitness class at the gym
- a run
- parkrun

I only managed the first two though because I injured my knee during the Bodyvive class. I have a funny knee anyway but this class turned out not to be the friendliest for my knee. So the rest of the week and weekend I was resting it. But weirdly I missed running. Who even am I?

This week I had planned:

- a swim to ease my knee back in
- a run
- parkrun

I didn't do any of these, instead switching to other options. I went to a Clubbercise class. I rather enjoyed this one and it was more low-impact than Bodyvive, and so putting less stress on my knee. I also managed a 4k run/walk this morning followed by a low-impact HIIT workout. So a bit different from what I had planned but I had to go with what I felt able to do.

I've still been hitting my 10k steps a day, which is maybe why my knee never quite feels right. I'm finding it hard to rest completely though as i'm rather addicted to my fitbit and feel lazy and restless not doing any form of exercise. I guess this is another healthy habit i'm creating!

This coming week i'll try to do a couple of the HIIT sessions, Clubbercise and hopefully a run.

Check back soon to see how the next week goes and do let me know in the comments what exercise you enjoy.

Life lately - Placement, Roxy Ballroom and all the fun of the fair

I've been really busy recently - for me anyway. In May I started my first full-time placement and whilst I am enjoying it, it is tiring. I'm out the house for nearly 12 hours each day as there is quite a bit of travelling and i've discovered a hatred of Yorkshire roads. Not only are they super hilly but the the potholes and grids are destroying my car!

Apart from that it's hard to fit anything else in. I've been struggling to fit in my fitbit steps each day. I make sure I do do them, but it really eats into my time when I get home in the evening. I've started staying on after work and walking around the town for an hour to get them in. The traffic is also a little less by doing this too so it's a win-win. I'm also still trying to keep up with my C25K running that I mentioned here, although I've switched from outside to the gym. It's much easier on the treadmill so I fear I shall struggle when I get back outside. That wasn't the reason though for the change, it was because I needed the gym for other things too. I've been without lights and hot water in my flat for nearly 2 weeks now which is incredibly frustrating. I think i'm a bit of a pushover but i'm determined to change this from now on!

Placement and exercising has basically been my life for the past month, although I have had a few little days/evenings out.

Last Saturday myself and a couple of course mates visited the fun fair in the town park. I've not been to one in years and I can't see myself going again anytime soon. It made me feel so sick!! I was so surprised because i'm mostly fine at theme parks but it was the waltzers that did me in, they spun round so fast! I did really enjoy the dodgems though, they were very fun!

The other week I also went along to the opening of the new Roxy Ballroom in Huddersfield. There is one in Leeds and Liverpool and this was their newest venture. It had a really good vibe going on with great rock music playing. They have table tennis and pool tables for you to play on and I even spied a big game of beer pong going on as I left! Looking at the website, I see they have just opened mini-golf at their Leeds venue. Mini-golf at a bar is something I don't think you'll find anywhere else and can imagine playing that after a drink or two! Sampling some of the food the chicken burgers were delicious and the chips were really unique. You know the crisps McCoy's? They were exactly like them but in chip form, definitely worth a try! It was a very busy but lovely evening and all just around the corner from me!

Have you been to a Roxy Ball Room before? How do you cope when you're so busy with work? I'd love any tips you have with how to fit everything in!

Fitness and Healthy Eating Update

Sat here writing with a glass of fizzy drink and a chocolate bar you'd be mistaken for thinking my fitness and healthy eating journey is non-existant. But that's not true, i'm getting there, slowly.

Last Year

Since being on a mission to complete my 10k steps a day a year ago i've done very well on the whole with that. There was a couple of months end of last year where I gave up but I was going through some unsettlement and wasn't really in the mood to do anything. But on the whole I really enjoy getting my steps in and completing with other fitbitters, it's certainly gets competitive!

Out on a walk

This Week of Mine #5

How are you all this week? I'm busy stressing about my outfit and hair for my brothers wedding next week. Why is it so complicated?! Here is my little round-up of last week:

Tuesday I traveled to Northampton for my interview taking place the next day and stayed with my sister who lives in halls. This has confirmed my decision to get my own place when I go back to uni in September. Even though it will mean getting a job, i've lived in 6 shared houses/flats up to now (not even including uni halls or with my family) and i've had enough of it!

Managed to find these bad boys cheap in Northampton

I only did two workouts this week which were the PopSugar Fitness Dance Party Workout and The CafeMom Studios Workout both about 30 minutes long. Do not be fooled by the word 'Mom' in the title, it was a really tough workout, stamina wise. I really liked this one and will definitely do it again as I could do all the moves and I want to be able to do it without nearly collapsing!

I can't actually remember too much about last weeks Vampire Diaries, however I do remember it being awesome and happy that they can go into Mystic Falls again now. Even if it was at the expense of evil Kai absorbing all the magic!

The F1 was a bit of a shocker this week what with Vettel and Ferrari ending the Mercedes dominance. You could see the relief in everyone's faces and words. Though I do wonder how they all coped with the four year RedBull dominance?! I do wish my condolences this week to the spectator that lost their life at the VLN Endurance Championship in Nurburgring, Germany and wish those injured a speedy recovery.

I wore this for the first time this week, it's really comfortable, awesome for obvious reasons and I just love it!

Maybe I will turn this into a regular spot on this post but I have another example like last week as to how you change with age. We had to get a new fridge/freezer on Saturday night so off we popped to Currys (Saturday night at Currys isn't even the sad part!). Walking through the huge store I saw a particular section and exclaimed 'OOO Hoovers!' in a genuinely excited voice. Dear oh dear!

Lastly from this week I have to mention how much I have appreciated King Richard III's reburial and the events of the week. I found it hugely fascinating and very surreal at many times. I will definitely be paying a visit this year to Leicester Cathedral. Did you watch this?

I am off these two weeks as it is the Easter holidays at work and I will be mostly trying to sort everything out for the wedding. I've got the dress and fascinator, but I need to get a jacket, shoes and bag. I don't know what to match to what though or how to have my hair or make-up! I'm sure it will all come together soon.

 But i'd love to know what you got up to last week and your plans this week? Let me know in the comments. 

I've linked my other weekly updates below if i've not bored you by now and you fancy a peek.

This Week of Mine #4

This Week of Mine #3

This Week of Mine #2

This Week of Mine #1

This week of mine #4

Last weekend started with watching Legally Blonde on Friday night after work. It was an amateur production but I really enjoyed it, I shall have to pay a visit to the West-End version if it is still running? The weekend and Mothers Day was spent with the family. My brother, sister and Nana came up and we paid a visit to our favourite Trentham.

Sunday was also the start of the F1 season. Hasn't it come round quick? It was crazy how few cars started and finished the race, in the end everyone apart from JB got points. Who'da thought that?! It was rather funny how upbeat JB was and that his only aim at the start of the race was to finish it! There has been a lot of hoo-ha in F1, both before the start of the season and in the past few days. Poor Giedo van der Garde was the casualty of the Sauber debacle and now the Mercedes dominance has sparked talk of equalising the field. Are we really going to punish a team for doing well??

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button's garages at Silverstone 2012

Friday the eclipse happened.. It didn't go as dark as I thought it would and I could only tell it was happening when I borrowed some glasses. From just glancing at the sun you couldn't tell at all, but behind the glasses showed a completely different story!

Apart from the eclipse, the week itself has been rather quiet apart from work. I have been trying to introduce some exercise into my life though. Since changing jobs I have put on weight. I previously had to stand up all day and worked shifts - these were both great ways to lose weight or at least not put any on, without having to do anything. I'm looking to lose the few pounds (read stone) i've gained since I left,

There are so many workouts on YouTube and I checked out the PopSugar Fitness videos after a recommendation on Twitter. Yoga has always intrigued me due to its apparent calming properties so this I also looked at. This week I did:

• A 25 minute workout
• A 30 minutes workout  (these two were a mixture of PopSugar videos)
• A couple of very short introductory yoga videos
• A 30 minute swim.

My attic bedroom is not suited to the majority of exercises, as I found out in the first workout. So i've got to plan when the house is empty so I can use the lounge. Yoga was very difficult, I have no flexibility, no balance and no co-ordination. It will take a lot of practice!

I nearly forgot to mention I had HD Brows done on Friday. They were a little bit of shock to begin with but I like them now. I'm going to do a post on these as I know from experience when people are researching having them done, before and after pictures are great to see.

This weekend i've had a day-trip out on Saturday and a quiet day Sunday studying/mooching around/enjoying the start of spring.

The day-trip was a visit to a local animal centre for my friends 28th birthday. This is what you do when you get old folks! See my tweet:

10 years ago I'd be waiting for a friend to upload FB photos of a night out, now I'm waiting for photos from visiting a farm. #gettingold
— Amy (@amynmore) March 21, 2015

The highlights were the cute rabbits and the meercats!

We then got to feed the lambs. There were about 40 of us all sat on bales of hay wearing cloaks that made us look like we were about to go into theatre. We fed the lambs milk and gave them cuddles, some were only a few days old and some were a lot bigger!

Check out those roots! ;)

I will be watching the start of Richard III's reburial tonight. It's on Channel 4 until 8pm if you want to watch. I think it is amazing we are able to see a king from over 500 years years ago being reburied! The actual reburial is on Thursday and is live on TV.

Plans for this week

• I have another interview to attend, this time in Northampton
• Carrying on with the exercise and trying to 'get' yoga (she says whilst scoffing a big bag of minstrels)

How has your week been? Is anyone else trying to do some exercise, if so what are you doing and any tips to help me?