Laid up

I'm currently under house arrest!
Ok, so that's not quite true, but I have had to stop my Janathon efforts and blogging due to surgery on my leg on 16th Jan. I have managed to do some very slow and painful miles since, and as a result I am 26.4 mile into my virtual route. I'm afraid it's about 14 miles short of where I wanted to be, but once the leg is fixed I can ramp the mileage up a bit.

Good news on the weight loss front though. Since I shifted my focus from weight loss to healthy adaptations of recipes, the weight has come off slowly and steadily.

I had been having spinach and cheese omelette's for my breakfast recently, and although they taste great, I wanted something different. As I have a lot of time on my hands being off work post-op, I have been busy in the kitchen trying a bunch of different recipes. Yesterday afternoon I made granola to be used as a topping rather than a cereal. This morning I had fresh fruit with natural yogurt and granola. It was delicious, and far less sweet than the shop bought granola (and less expensive too). I have been looking on some US sites where devotees to clean eating have an array of jars in their fridge with very suspicious looking contents. They claim to taste better than shop bought stuff, and I have no doubt they do....it's just I'd have to eat it with dark glasses on! Some things look like they should be in a lab not a fridge!

Todays efforts will be on the elliptical traininer as it's still slushy under foot, and I really could do with keeping upright to aid post op recovery!

Slow poke day

It's been a laborious slow old day...one that just seems to have gone on forever, and has been like wading through treacle. I was glad to get home to pick up the pace a little.
Tonights Janathon effort was a speedy 2 miles, taking me to 18 miles from home since 1st Jan. I'm quite pleased with my resolve, at it seemed to have wained somewhat in the past 6 months, but like with the decision to stop smoking, this seems to have stuck! Long may it continue.

I'm off to make some hummous for work tomorrow, as I don't like the stuff you can but from the supermarket. Infact since I stopped smoking, a lot of things taste different now. I was quite happy to buy things like hummous, flapjacks, peanut butter, crisps, smoothies etc (there's your weight problem right there!) but I'd rather make my own now.....it all tastes a little 'plasticky'. I know that the 'to buy organic or not' debate rages on, but I do like organic if possible....and in the summer, nothing beats home grown.

When I was running regularly, my recovery drink was organic milk and a banana. At the moment I bearly break a sweat, so I've no need for anything fancy. Just a wipe over with a damp cloth and a nice cup of tea!

8th jan

Early mornings didn't last long....sooooo tired this morning. I felt completely wiped out and not able to focus never mind excercise!

Managed 2.5 miles when I got home.

Knackered now! Off to bed.

Early morning jiggle

I have been known to shirk the odd session when I come in from work, due to a bad case of CBA's.
Because of this, I got up at 05.45 and listened to some choons from 1988....whilst walking my janathon effort. It was over before my body had a chance to question what was going on! I was janathoned, showered, breakfasted and ready to go by 07.30am.
I'll be repeating this during the week as it gives me more time in the evening.

I was listening to The Communards this morning to pass the time. It made me feel a little melancholy in that I was a young student having the time of my life with my best friend when some of the songs were released. I went to see the Communards three times on one tour at the UEA dancing all night..........great times, great memories. It made me feel rather ancient and creaky!

Same time tomorrow morning though!

Foggy Mimble

Very foggy this morning.....did a brisk 3.5 mile walk with the dog. We're now 12 miles into our journey, and would be level with Herne Bay.
Wikipedia states:

Herne Bay is a seaside town in Kent, South East England, with a population of 35,188. On the south coast of the Thames Estuary, it is 7 miles (11 km) north of Canterbury and 1 mile (2 km) east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government district. Herne Bay's seafront is home to the world's first freestanding purpose-built clock tower, built in 1837; until 1978, the town had the second-longest pier in the United Kingdom.

(Pic Sorce from Google, not my own)

So there we are, our first virtual town passed!

In other news, a 2lb weight loss makes this week quite sucessful all round x

My dogs are barking!

Apparently that's slang for 'my feet hurt'.

Well F-I-L is home after a short spell in hospital. He now has to take things a little easier for a while.

No janathon effort for 2 days whilst we were trailing the countryside. The good news is that I managed to get out for a 4 mile walk with hubby and the dog this afternoon, and now 'my dogs are barking'! I think that's the longest I've walked/run/been upright for in a while.
I'm managing well with my eating plan trying to trick my metabolism by varying my calorie intake every day. I mentioned this to my friend, and she thought tricking my metabolism meant asking the nice lady for a grilled chicken wrap, and then pushing a written note towards her saying

"Shhhhhhhhhh....I can't sat this out loud or my metabolism will hear, but I'd like two sausage rolls and a bacon buttyinstead of the wrap please".

If only!

So we're 8.6 miles into our journey towards the Hebrides, with 731.4 miles to go!

Poorly dad

Unfortunately my father in law has been taken to hospital with a suspected MI. We're going after I finish work. No Janathon, but will double effort tomorrow.
Play nicely whilst I'm gone x

Rushing......

I have done nothing but chase my own tail today......rush, rush rush! I started with a berry smoothie as I swung out of the door for an early visit, and then proceeded to zigzag across the south east coast from one victim to the next. Lunch was a very rushed leftovers from last night in my most excellent thermos food flask. I then had a pile of paperwork to do when I eventually got home, which I did whilst slurping tea.

At last.....onto the elliptical trainer (still feel a leeedle bit too self conscious to wobble outside yet, plus the fact cardiovascularly I'm rather crap!). I did a rather poor 2 miles but my quads were kicking up as it's the first time I've asked them to do any work in about a year!!

Still, I'm another 2 miles closer to the Hebrides, only another 735.5 to go!

Until tomorrow x

Scotland here I come

Well I did say it was going to be slow, and I kept my NY promise.
2.61 miles of walking with the dog in the Janathon bag.
Whilst in the shower this morning, I thought about setting myself a challenge. I seem to do fairly well at challenges as long as they don't involve restricting food!!!
In 2006 I ran/walked the Great South Run after declaring I would become a runner, shortly before falling off my stool after too many Gin and Tonics! The following year I ran/walked a half marathon for Hearing Dogs for Deaf people. I found the experience very rewarding and was in fairly good shape fitness wise (although the muffin top was still evident!). Last year I challenged myself to getting over 80% in my final three assignments....mission accomplished.

The thought of resolutions puts me right off the New Year. 'I resolve not to eat chocolate any more' lasts until tea time on the 1st January. Many other impossible resolutions are dashed before the end of the first week! This year will be different. This year I aim to be a bit kinder to myself (I really am my own worst critic) therefore my challenge is simple.

I AM GOING TO WALK/RUN TO THE OUTER HEBRIDES IN 2013!

Not all in one go you understand, but in bite sized pieces. I will be logging it on a virtual map.
Today I left home and reached the end of the dual carriage way, right next to McDonalds. Only another 737.4 miles to go! In reality I walked along the seafront with the other half and dawg in a bracing wind, but you get the idea.

So, by the end of Janathon I hope to be nearing London.

Over and out!