Does anyone else set their goals and procrastinate whilst constantly resetting their goals? With some things I am clear, planned, organised and doing. With others (cough….my fitness levels) I am constantly promising to achieve daily goals. My bum seems to want to achieve some sort of growth award…I would rather see it shrink. I am even convinced my boobs are trying their best to catch up. They don’t need to.
Yes its a massive GiF….it basically reflects my perception of my ARSE! So avoiding the big gym pants I need to get some gym pants on. Is this a winter thing, a working from home thing, a weather thing. I guess it doesn’t matter. I know it is a procrastination thing.
I need goals. I probably need a personal trainer. I definitely don’t need chocolate. I don’t need wine, I probably shouldn’t have it (usually the first things PTs say). Do I need a list? Or do I just need to move? Move more. Move with purpose. Move with grace and control.
So to avoid the usual, very unreliable (usually do to consumption of wine), preparation of New Year resolutions I am starting today. More (restart) yoga, more (restart) gym, more work on my pull up bar. Ps….the last one sounds impressive but I am taking it slowly and purposefully so still at the point of ‘hangs’ to build up grip. Grip. Yes I need to get a grip. Not of my bum (or boobs for that matter). Just movement.
Love this version of the video! Currently jumping around the room 🙂
What is it with me and knees? Why when I am in my 40s have I clattered them on two separate occasions – having had no problems like this between being, oooh, about 10 and 42?!
Last time I was slightly tipsy. I fell over and scraped them, clattered them on the ground, made lots of covert whimpering noises and even went to the minor injuries unit a week later due to the fear of having cracked something. See my post here if you really want to know more.
This time I was doing something equally stupid. Not prancing out in the garden. Noooo. This time I was doing handstands. In my flat. In my flat with wooden floors. Obviously without a mat down. Why would I do anything so sensible as take precautions when practicing handstands?
What I can achieve in my head…not in real life!
This was on Thursday. My current knee state is as follows:
Bloody sore;
Uncomfortable (acutely so) in any low lunge, kneeling or on knees position (yoga before you ask);
Bruised;
Bloody sore; and
Probably not cracked.
I am an adult
Yep. I am an adult. To be fair I was doing wild kicking up against the wall handstands because I want to manage a press handstand this year. It’s a goal. A yoga goal although I am convinced this will be handy for a numerous array of other purposes.
I don’t even think I am too old to be doing this type of activity. Your 40s are technically like your 30s. When I was really young I always assumed no one made it past around 35. Now I am in my 40s I think no one makes it past 90 or at least not gracefully. Don’t all 90 year olds dribble a little?
So yeah…handstands. Yep…scraped and clattered knees. Even a few whimpers as I hugged them while rolled into a little ball on my living room rug for a good 10 minutes after. It didn’t take long for my whimpers to turn into giggles. The whole situation is amusingly ridiculous.
Tomorrow I’m going to be practicing handstands again. Without any kind of padding. Slightly mad I know. But why not live a little dangerously, stupidly, and definitely not gracefully.
I love shoes. I have loads of them and still don’t think I spend enough time on this hobby. Trainers (sneakers) – I can take or leave them. They are a necessity for the gym and getting to and from yoga. If I have a quiet weekend doing not a lot they may be the only thing on my feet. Other than that – they don’t really grab my attention. So trainer shopping yesterday was really fun.
Lifestyle, gym or running?
Seriously? Why not start a shopping experience with a lot of deep questions about how much I use my trainers and what for? What if it is a mix of things? Does that mean I need to buy more than one pair?
I get the ‘lifestyle’ choice but can they not just name it for what it is…trainers that look good with jeans and dresses and are crap for going to the gym in. Ok I now see why they name them ‘lifestyle’.
My problem with the ones you buy just for wearing out is that they always have something wrong with them that makes them uncomfortable. You start with really high expectations of how comfy they look until they slap you with a blister. Usually they rub my heels. Defeats the purpose really, I would be better in 5 inch heels.
I just need them for the gym!
And walking to and from my yoga studio. And possibly on a weekend nipping to the shops in my joggies. Maybe I should start liking trainers more. I like men in good trainers if that counts :-).
Having found a shop that sells the bloody things I just looked at the best ones I could find. As in the ones I thought would look the nicest, would not make my 4 1/2 to 5 (uk size) feet look mahooosive, would be ok for the gym, and the odd (a rarity almost) run.
All this meant was that, since I thought my current trainers were the nicest looking trainers I have ever bought, I was looking to see if there was something pretty much the same. No of course there wasn’t. I bought my current ones in a Nike store in Bangkok 2 years ago. Since I have mainly been doing yoga they have lasted the distance. But they are a bit haggart now and I have rejoined a gym to add a bit of a mix again to my fitness so I needed a fresh pair.
Anyway…I found some. I am not overly enamoured with them but they look ok I guess and they are comfy. Thats them at the top. My favourite pair…thats them below. To be honest though even with both of them….they are trainers – I can take or leave them.
Back from a brilliant skiing short break, which followed a fabulous Hogmanay (NYE for the non-sottish folk), which followed a busy work period, which followed the usual Christmas nights out and it is finally time to relax. With the rest of the week off from work (yep sorry if you are back but I am going to enjoy this!) my plans are – nothing!! Well not nothing but here is my list of relaxing nothingness.
Piano
Still feeling like a beginner again I took suggestions on what to play. A neighbour said she loved Beethovens Sonata no 14 in C sharp minor. So I now own a copy of the sheet music and I think she overestimated my talent. It is literally one of the most beautiful, haunting and damn difficult piece of music I have seen. Would twinkle twinkle not have done?! So I am about 12 bars in and I think this one may take me all year (positive thinking there) to fumble over. Luckily the first 12 bars are my favourite.
Reading
Airports always give me an excuse to buy a book. Like an actual book rather than my usual kindle ones. I bought Dust. I love the Philip Pullman books and waited till my holiday to buy the latest one. I lumbered it on the plane (it is massive), read about 3 chapters on holiday whilst trying to soak my ski legs in the bath each night and then I lumbered it home. I am currently savouring this book whilst having a long lie in the mornings. Bliss!
Yoga
Yin has been the choice class for me but I am back to a full body conditioning class tomorrow. I might just be ready for it as long as there isn’t too much leg thingies. There is bound to be. I’m sure it will be fine as long as I can just get to shavasana.
Gym
I wouldn’t class this as the most relaxing thing but I figure my legs should not be as sore next year when skiing. So back on it – joined the local one with the pool. I have always had a gym membership but gave it up a year ago when work was far too busy and I figured yoga 4 times a week was enough. At the time I had good intentions of using my work one but I just don’t think I can combine the gym with work. I’d rather just get home. So first session today and as I have yoga again tomorrow I may just go for a swim. That still counts as relaxation.
Being fed
I may have mentioned my lack of skills in the kitchen once or twice. So I am thankful for brilliant neighbours who actually like cooking. I had a parcel delivered by the piano loving neighbour which contained a feast of Dahl and sides. So I was fed yesterday and today. The coffee shop can feed me tomorrow. It technically is part of my new year resolution not to use the cooker but I have managed to get to now without even using my kitchen. Bonus!
Reality
Piano, reading, yoga, gym and being fed compiles my only aims for this week. It won’t last though. By Sunday I will have the anticipation of work. Hopefully by Sunday I will need it.
Then back to the madness, the rush, the attempt at balance in life….always the fun.
For anyone who fancies having a listen to someone who can actually play that bloody Sonata…here you go.
Why do it to ourselves? Why not? There is something kind of wonderful about thinking of all the things we want to do, to achieve. There is also something kind of awful about listing them and then feeling the pressure of near inevitable failure. At least all of these are feelings. Feelings are a great way of knowing you are still alive, that you are human.
Past attempts
I have had some great ones over the years and I might just add them back into this year.
Buy four bottles of champagne per month and consume one of them whilst having a bath.
Maybe you shouldn’t listen to this one for health and safety reasons. I was younger at the time and it felt decadent. I achieved it for a whole year. Moet was my tipple at that point. I think my champagne tastes have increased in cost. Thank god for the Prosecco being reasonably priced and a preference for a good red.
Don’t use the cooker until at least March
Maybe you shouldn’t listen to this one for nutritional purposes. No it wasn’t the same year as the champagne.
I tend to get to mid way through February as I have a tiny kitchen that I am not sure has much purpose. Apparently others think so too. I got Christmas text from the chancer. It was rambling – how he saw me and knew I was the one for him, how he knows I have to live my life and not be too tied down and blah blah blah. No mention of the fact that I told him I wasn’t interested and, given the fact he never turns up, this was unlikely to change. I was already snorting with laughter when the second text came in rapid succession. It read “your kitchen has always bothered me tho”. That had me rolling around. Mainly because it, and he, has never bothered me.
There have always been the gym ones, the healthy ones, the weight ones, the muscle ones.
A new list for the new year
Possibly. If I must. Here it is with the caveat that it is open to failure, success and adaptation.
Buy a new dress every month. Don’t buy new heels every month (I have enough of them).
Try not to use the cooker until at least March.
Always have painted toe nails (colour can vary).
Do a proper handstand. Not a kick up one…a graceful (this will change) lift up yoga one using my core.
Work on my core.
Stop finding chancers highly amusing.
Build a little bit of muscle. Nice muscles, yoga ish type muscles.
Lose any jiggly bits to show the muscle (I’ve never been skinny but I should avoid being overly curvy).
Hope that with another year my boobs stay fabulous and don’t drop to my knees.
Do a lot of chest presses on a raised bench to avoid the above.
Have fun and laugh every day even if things are sometimes rubbish.
That was longer than I though it would be. This is the problem with lists. Apart from the fact I don’t like them they can go on for ever! I also seem to have fitness back in there. My list looks a little superficial. Possibly. I don’t mind though. I think the important things in life shouldn’t necessarily be the ones we make up for our New Years resolutions.
Disclaimer – I don’t promise to achieve any of the above….but I might have a little fun whilst trying. What are yours?
My Forty Something Life 