Vegan Pledge Day 1

Well day one is almost over for the vegan pledge and I must say I have rather enjoyed it! My food makes me fuller quicker and I know that I am consuming things with no animal content, just makes me feel good about myself! I do have an issue though things that 'may contain traces of egg/milk', I just don't know what to do about them. I have read about the tiny amounts left behind, even after cleaning and I am not sure what to think about it. 

Anyway here's what I have had today:

Breakfast:
Porridge with half water/soy milk and dried fruit topping with a little agave nectar.

Snack:
Wot No Dairy? yogurt, looks odd but tastes nice!
Carrot

Lunch:
Rye bread (may take a little getting used to) with vegan garlic and herd spread 'cheese' (also make take a while) with some chopped veg.
Apple
Square of vegan milk chocolate (was O.K.)

Snack:
Pecan pie Nakd bar

Dinner:
Portobello mushroom burger with vegan bacon and vegan cheese slice with BBQ sauce (AMAZINGGGGG)
Homemade chips
Alpro soya chocolate dessert (Yummmy)

There may be a snack before bed, not sure what it will be yet though. Looking forward to day 2!

In other news:
Left the big fancy gym, going back to the small one I used to go to. More friendly.
Lacking on the exercise a little, sticking with a few workout DVDs but I need to get up and running again!

Feeling run down

I think it's due to not eating good meals for the past week, I have been feeling tired and unmotivated. I havn't done any exersize in a week, which may have something to do with it. Booked myself into a Spining class tomorrow after uni, just to give me the motivation to do more and get back into training for the 5k in November and another half marathon in Feb.

I have decided to start the Vegan 30 day pledge starting from the 15th, so I will be doing regular updats on how I am feeling and how I am finding the vegan lifestyle.

Lost 4lb on the first week of my fit for Christmas plan, (planning to get to 8st 12lb by 21st Dec) so I earned myself The Hunger Games dvd, it was very good, missed out a fair amount from the book but it was still enjoyable. Been eating too much this last week, or at least too much bad food.

Hopefully things will pick up, right now I'm too tired to think of anything to type.

I'll be back, a happier, healthy me soon.

Yoga and Aquafit

So after the half marathon on the 16th and the three peaks last weekend I thought I would try some light exercise for a change, Yoga and Aquafit.

Yoga

Yoga was very nice, felt very good to stretch and luckily I didn't feel too bad after a bottle of wine and too much food the night before. I didn't feel like breakfast so I chucked a 9bar in my bag and had a cup of green tea before I set off. The class was fairly small, around 6 or 7 people of all abilities, the instructor was also very friendly and brought a nice atmosphere to the group, 9am on a Wednesday morning. We started out with a few basic floor stretches and breathing exercises, and sun salutations before getting into the main workout and this week was focused on the shoulders. I was very nice to have a good stretch after all the running and walking. Some of the postures we did included the Locust, Warrior and Child’s pose (those are the ones I can remember the name of anyway). The session ended with a brief cool down and a few minuets of relaxation. It really was a lovely way to start the day and if I have more Wednesday mornings free I will defiantly be going back!

Next was Aquafit on this cloudy Friday morning.
Something I have wanted to do for ages but never had the courage to go alone.

I almost didn't go this morning, my tummy hurt and I was having a few 'I don't want to get changed in front of other people' moments. Anyway I had a whine to the boyfriend and he said 'Well what else are you going to do? You have to do something else instead' Bah! I was hoping he would let me off but he is now trying to help me lose weight rather than offer me hundreds of biscuits during the day. So anyway I did go in the end, just tried to ignore what was going on in my head and I told myself I would regret it if I didn't go. So on my bike for the 15min ride to the gym. At first there was only myself and another lady waiting for the class, another lady joined during the class so three in total, well, there was plenty of space to move around! At first I felt a bit of a boob jumping about in the pool with these special webbed gloves on that cause more resistance for the arms, mind you they worked! Can't remember the name of them but if I find out, I'll let you know. Halfway into the class we were given long foam tubes to use for some of the moves. All in all it was effective, I felt it working my arms, abs and legs, much more than I thought it would! I really enjoyed my first Aquafit experience and I don't think it will be my last!

I would recommend both these workouts for help with running or if you need lower impact exercises due to injury or joint pain.

Weight wise, I think I am getting back to normal slowly. I weighed myself last night ad I was 136.6lb. I usually weigh in the mornings but I was curious, I haven’t been counting calories, just more aware of what I am eating. I was planning to go to slimming world this Tuesday but I have already made an appointment to give blood, so it will have to wait until next week.

Getting into gear

Booked some clases at the gym this week, I have Yoga tomorrow and Aquafit on Friday morning. Looking forward to both of those, booking into classes also gives me the extra motivation to get out the house and to the gym! :)

Healthy eating is on my mind, and I am slowing getting back to it. But, here I am glass of white wine in hand after also have one and a hald muffins today. Bah. Eating healthier is soo much harder when I have time off, mainly because I don't have anything to do and it is all I can think about, food that is, even when looking at healthy eating options it makes me hungry. Darn. Something I'll have to tackle.

Re-joining Slimming world has crossed my mind, not sure if I could just follow the plan without the added pressure of the weigh-in. That's another £4.95 a week though, not sure if I can afford that at the mo with all the things I should be saving for like the holiday in March and the wedding in a few years time. Eeeek, so grown up!

I am also trying to get my head down this year for uni, with it being my final degree year I really need to push hard if I want a good grade. I am already going over my failed essay from second year and trying to improve it. It is not my favourite module but I know it will be a useful one.

Havn't weighed myself in a while, no doubt I will have put on a little, (136lb I think). It will come down again, I know it will! :D

Sorry that the posts have been a little all over the place! They will get better soon!

2012 is turning out to be an eventful year!

Great North Run completed in 2hours 23mins! I am soo pleased with that, even more so that at times it was so difficult to pass people that I had to drop the pace for a while so I know I have it in me to do better. My next half marathon is on the 17th Feb in Brighton again, a nice flat, less populated route so I am aiming for around 2hours 10mins. Scary, but I know I can do it!

After a week without exercise me and the other half went and did the Yorkshire 3 peaks challenge, a walk of 3 700m mountains in under 12 hours. Despite the huge bogs and sore feet we managed it in 11 hours 50 mins, so chuffed with that and proud of Nick for doing the whole thing :) I'll pop some pics in below.

Weight has crept up a bit since the GNR but that doesn't really bother me, now I can get back to normal healthy eating and start running again slowly. I also plan to get to the gym this week since I have a week off, maybe even a class or two, but nothing too strenuous.

I have signed up for the Gunpowder Plod on the 5th November. A 5k race and firework show in York. It has been a while since I have done a 5k race so some speed work is needed to get to my aim of 30min or under.

Everything  is done for my second year in Nursing. Eeeek! Third year begins soon and I become one of those people I looked up to when I first started Nursing, how scary is that?!

Tent was covered in ice!

Half way up the first peak, Pen-y-ghent

Boggy boots!

Half way point, going towards Whernside, the second peak.

Half way up Ingleborough, the final peak!

Only one mile to go! 23 miles done!

Lovely sunset looking towards Pen-y-ghent

Pushing through the barrier

Once again it has been AGES since my last post, and I apologise for that. So much has happened since the last post! This is where I am now:

• Holiday booked for 23rd March 2013 to Tenerife!
• Great North run is 4 days away, my longest run was 8 miles.
• I am weighed in at 135lb this morning = 9st 8lb a little more then before but I have gained muscle and I am back to working that off.
• Size 10 tops fit me!
• I would say my thighs are looking pretty good these days ;) 

So, holiday, meaning bikini body in 6 months. More then do-able I think. My ideal aim is still 8st 10lb-9st so plenty of time to get there and practise maintenance.

Food wise I seem to be struggling, I joined MFP over a month ago and my daily goal with no exercise is around 1400, low compared to what I am used to but it encourages you to eat back your exercise calories and I have no complaint with that!
I do still struggle with the difference with boredom and hungry when it comes to eating but I guess that just takes practise.

Day off from placement today and I feel so much better, it is amazing what an extra hour in bed can do for you!

I seem to have developed a pain in my left leg/groin area. I have an appointment with the nurse today and hopefully they can give me some advice, no doubt it will include don't run the half marathon, but I can't not do that. I NEED to run the whole thing or at least try my best to!

Rest over.

I have had a bit of a break with recording my eating, and it has resulted in gaining a few pounds. Todays I started using Myfittnesspal, a free service that allows you to track your calories and workout whilst getting support from other members.

5 mile run on Monday in just under an hour, so I am getting quicker, now I just need to up the distance. Got a heart rate monitor today, apparently I burned 380 doing Jillian Michaels ripped in 30 week one. Not bad if I do say so myself! Hopefully this will help in my training :)