This is great

On the right hand side are the things that people, lovely, thoughtful, kind, well meaning people ALWAYS, say to me.  I try not to get upset.  But when you have heard them all a hundred times or more it starts to get depressing.  

This Instagram post made my remember that, whatever people say, what they really mean is 'I love you', 'I care', 'I don't really know what to say to make it all better'.  TBH you don't need to make it better, just be there.

Happy Blogiversary

It has been a year since I started this blog.  Looking back I can't believe how much my life has changed and how happy I am.  

I have got a new job, which isn't without it's challenges, that I absolutely love.  I have most definitely got my teaching mojo back.  

After becoming more conscious about my overall health, I have begun to take matters into my own hands.  I go to fitness classes, hike and swim every week.  I have upped my fruit, vegetable and calcium intake and lowered my fat, sugar and alcohol (I am pretty much tee total now). I am healthier than I have ever been.

Fertility wise, I don't feel any closer to the goal.  I recovered from my op quickly and have to be honest I had extremely high (slightly unrealistic) expectations.  My cycles were 60- 90 days long, when this all began, are now 22-28 days long and while this is fantastic, I'm still not 100% sure I actually ovulate.  Which is the whole point surely?  I have a few appointments coming up which will hoepefully clear everything up, fingers crossed.

I have become more conscious of making sure that the time GO and I spend time together is worthwhile.  We have been on so many day trips, and weekends away.  We have coming with nature, been out for amazing meals and made the most of our National Trust membership.

What a year I have had, it has been full of highs and has been lacking in lows, which after the past few years is a great improvement.  Let's see what the next year on the blog brings.

Time to get fit, and I mean it this time

I have recently come to the conclusion that I am a slow burn when it comes to new ideas. Although I jump on the bandwagon with new things, especially at work, quite quickly, I often then slowly realise that I don't like it and try to get off.   This has been my approach to fitness in recent years. 

I try something decided I love it, invest in all of the equipment/membership and then by the third session fall out of love, or get bored, and I find I am stuck with it.  I either let it go to waste or would just try to ignore it.   Gym membership.....

Which is why I have put off writing this post.

A case in point, was my decision to walk 1000 miles this year.  I bought the boots, a new coat, poles and lots of books (even though you can get the information for free on the internet).   By March I realised that I was never going to make it to 1000 miles, just making it 10 100 miles would be an achievement enough, I wasn't doing enough during the week to add to my mileage.  I should just give up and not bother!

While I would normally have stopped altogether and chalked it up to experience. Something in me didn't want to stop, I know 1000 miles this year is not going to happen, how long would it take me to walk 1000 miles I wonder? I found an app that has helped my keep count.  While I am not out every weekend, I am out, often, and my walks are getting longer.

Now I was out and moving at the weekends, keeping me busy while G.O was at work. What about the rest of the week? As a supply teacher I am now getting home for 4/4.30 pm almost every night (except for staff meetings).  Whereas  I used to come home at 6/7 pm, and would eat, shower, sleep, then go back to work.  I was now finding myself with 6 or 7 hours to kill before I went to bed.  What to do?  

What ever I decided to it would improve my PCOS fight, it couldn't  hurt to lose a few pounds, get fit and hopefully have a bit of fun.

I began with a Zumba class on a Monday, 6.30-7.30 pm, I used to hate going at that time because, I could never make it.  It was fun, intense and hard work to begin with, the class was rammed every week.  £5.00 per person and there were about 50 people, is a very happy instructor.  Each week I pushed myself a little bit more, the day after I would feel the pain, I loved it.

Shortly after I began to look around for another aerobics class to fill in my time.  I found one at a local primary school, I went along but it was too intense and the instructor was very severe.  I didn't want to lose my motivation so I looked elsewhere.  At school I mentioned my lack of classes and in particular yoga classes (except use and stress relief in one go, bonus!), as I was pointed in the direction of Tara Yoga.  

It is a one hour hatha yoga drop in class, and fits the bill for me.  It's relaxing and not too strenuous. Rather than doing moves that flow into each other, you hold poses for a long time.  Giving your body a chance to really stretch.

To supplement my zumba and yoga sessions I also swim during the week.  For the first time in my life I feel healthier, toned and I believe I am getting fitter each week.  I have definitely started to move more and eat less and it is having an impact.  I should have done this years ago...