One foot in front of the other...

Time to set a goal... Now, I know some people have weddings... communions... jeans to get back into ...  and all sorts of goals but try one of these... 5k... with your pals for a good cause! Over 40K women do the Dublin Mini Marathon every year, for all kinds of charities and it's great craic! 

Pick one that's closest to your heart... sign up... if you're worried about doing it on your own don't be... I'll be lurking at a few of them and honestly I need a good training buddy! You'll be surrounded by fellow walkers who are up for fun and getting fitter more than beating Sonia O'Sullivans time! Remember, it's not the Olympics, so don't fret about it and most of us can walk 5k but challenge yourself... Maybe set a small goal for yourself... 'I'm going to walk this under 60 mins... 2 hours..' whatever and go for it... you'll feel so good after I promise!

I'm never going to be a runner... unless I'm on fire and running towards a half naked fireman holding a calorie free G&T, it ain't happening... my pals from bootcamp will vouch for this... I whinge the entire time about running but I know plenty of people who are addicted to it! But I'll be walking in a good few of these this year because I need something to focus on so I keep getting out for my walks so I don't need paramedics at the end of any of them! 

It's just one foot in front of the other... and get competitive with your pals... you'll encourage each other... who ever clocks up the most miles on their pedometer doesn't pay for the cocktails at the end of it... there is cocktails right?!?! re-hydration and all...  

Put on your trainers... open the front door and walk out... keep going for 10 mins... turn around... you have to come home! There's a 20min walk! DONE! If its raining bring a brolly... look at the country we live in... it rains all the time, it really shouldn't be a surprise! C'mon you get a medal!!! 

Anyone wants to stomp the tarmac I'll be at some of them! I'm not fast, I'll chat the entire way around but if someone feels they can't do it for what ever reason... just shout out, I bet someone reading this will want a walking buddy too! I'm overweight, slow and probably gonna be the last to cross the line but at least I'll do it! AND with a smile on my face!  

A charity close to my heart, Pieta House Darkness into Light Walk is on Saturday the 9th of May a fantastic cause to raise awareness of suicide and depression in Ireland... it's all about hope... http://dil.pieta.ie 

A charity close to my boobs... The Great Pink Run is provisionally set for Saturday 29th of August and its brilliant! I stomped it out at my own pace plus you get to wear pink! There are some particularly fetching men in tutus running this! 

http://www.greatpinkrun.ie 

ALSO check out http://www.pinkribbonwalk.ie for local walks around the country... 

Run or Dye I mean seriously... channel your inner hippy... wear white and have a blast, in full blow colour! Registration is open for Galway on 12th of September! Dublin date to be announced! Mr Q are you reading this?!?! http://www.runordye.co.uk

Others to check out... 

The Great Limerick Run which has a 6 mile course... http://www.greatlimerickrun.com

The Pink Ribbon Walks http://www.pinkribbonwalk.ie  around the country... 

And of course the Dublin Mini Marathon! http://www.vhiwomensminimarathon.ie

If you know of any more, please comment below and we'll all get moving! 

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Yes... Yes you should!

Just a little graph to clear up the 'Should I work out today?' queries!

Go out and kick ass!

Happy Monday x

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Tomorrow... tomorrow... I love ya...

You totally sang that.... 

Tomorrow is a wonderful place isn't it... housework will be done... filing will be done... diets start.... junk food ends.. it's only a fabulous day... but if you put off starting to exercise until the time is right, you'll never reach your fitness goals... There is NEVER a right time... EVER!

Q. When is the best time to start exercising?

Monday morning?
New Year's Day?
The beginning of the month?
After your holidays?
When you can afford a gym membership?

All tried and tested excuses... you heard me...

A. The best time to start exercising is NOW.
If you keep waiting for the perfect time to start working out, or for the ideal time to change our eating habits, we risk procrastinating and waiting for a time that may never come.

We're all busy... and there's never be a perfect time to start...

If you want to achieve your goals... start now... 

because NOW is always the best time to make YOU a priority.

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Try walking in my shoes... Weigh In 4

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
in any direction you choose.

You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
You're the one who will
decide where you go.

Dr. Seuss

This week one of my favourite subjects... SHOES!!! Ahhh many nights have been spent drooling and perving online ... shopping baskets have been full only to cancel and delete because the Credit Union manager lives a few doors down and I can't risk him spotting the postman! 

Shoes make us feel good... cause our feet don't gain weight... or bloat... or get PMT'd... they remain consistent... like our earlobes! We can buy them KNOWING they will fit... and we'll feel good about ourselves... as the saying goes... Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she will conquer the world... 

The other saying.. never judge someone before you've walked a mile in their shoes... SO true... you don't know what's going on in peoples lives... the struggles they have... losing weight can be a real struggle for someone and a doddle for someone else... 

Instead of being all judgey... OH it's easy for him... She's down EVERY week... maybe ask what they did differently... 

A lady in my class got to goal this week... she's been losing the SAME 1lb since CHRISTMAS! This week she couldn't stay for the meeting but she was at the gate BEAMING when I arrived and I just knew she'd done it! I gave her the biggest hug! "we're celebrating next week 'cause I can't stay' he said .. and every single person who came in was thrilled for her... she was the hot topic in the queue for the scales...  we've been giving advice and wondering 'what if's' and 'maybe try that' for weeks and all she did this week was change her exercise routine... she's a walker... but instead of going the same route as usual... she got in the car and drove to a new spot and walked there... the hills were a little bit different... the pace was different ... it was a little bit longer but her body noticed the change and she lost that one feckin' pound! It can be as simple as trying something a little bit different... and out bodies get used to eating the same thing... and exercising the same way... try something a little different this week... if you live on porridge.. have weetabix for the week... drink green tea instead of normal tea at your tea break... have a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner... sometimes something very small can make the difference...  

It was like an ICA meeting outside in the car park... and everyone was delighted for her... because we all know the struggle... and it meant so much to her... 

So time to change your shoes ... be they fancy or practical... get em on ya! 

I'll start with the most common one.. your runners, trainers, sneakers... run, jog, walk, stroll... put em on... leave the house for 10mins, out the front door and you'll have to come back... 20 min walk DONE! Simples...

In case you dissolve in the rain or are a vampire... get your DANCING shoes on... now if you want to go all riverdance.. I'd recommend it... I went to a ceili last year and the sweat was dripping off me by the end of it and such great craic! 

But what about Salsa, Zumba, Bokwa, Hip Hop ... there's loads of classes out there to suit your tastes and have a boogie with like minded boppers!

By the way there's nothing stopping you from putting on these bad boys and turning up the volume and bopping around your kitchen for a few tunes! 

 No money till pay day... get yourself done to the bowling alley and burn off some calories... from laughing if nothing else! 

You might not have a boat but everyone lives near a park or by the seaside to stick on a pair of walking shoes and just enjoy the breeze... 

catch up with the gossip or just give the dog a treat!

Go for a HIKE! Be at one with nature... you can flake out on the couch when you get back but I guarantee you'll feel SO much better than if you never left the house ...

No laughing... I've seen these down in my local pool and it helps build muscles in your legs I'm told! But still they're 'shoes' and maybe snorkeling or diving is something you've wanted to get into... why not join a club over the summer? Or hire some gear when you go on your holidays... its all exercise... plus you get to see fishes AND maybe treasure!  

I only WISH I was cool enough to wear these... and have balance... and you don't need a Roller-rink... out on the footpath.. down the park... your abs will be killing you after one go just from trying not to fall!   

AND Roller Derby is becoming a big thing at the moment... its fun... fantastic exercise and plus you get all that aggression out!

OK so you will need a rink for ice skating but over the winter months you can get your skate on... if you're a bit wobbly go at the quiet times till you get some confidence and trust me you will not be the only person falling down! 

 Maybe a ski lesson or two... think Cadburys Milk tray man! 

For those who like to spin about... inside or out!

Soccer, tag rugby, rugby, GAA, football, basketball ... whatever you love doing... 

stick on your special shoes and do it! 

No one knows what struggles people are going through every day... Sometimes we just assume that everyone is doing much better than us, life is a breeze for them and we're the only ones struggling, that's not true... as Depeche Mode sang... "try walking in my shoes" ...  

Shoe logic... This also applies to gin! *coughs*

Nearly half way through the challenge and the loss to date is 5st 8.5lbs!!!! 

78.5lbs in total!!! Dear god you lot are only FAB!!!

Chart below... if I've missed you.. just shout you know where to find me! 

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Monday motivation

Ever feel like everyone's staring at you .. breathless just walking in a straight line... well it won't always be like that... once you don't give up! 

For all the negative comments that I have put up with being 'big' ... no one has ever slagged me off for exercising... last year I did the 'Pink Run' in Dublin...  and when lots of runners who were doing their second lap (its a 5k circuit so you had to go round twice...) and whilst the walkers were still stomping around on our first... they still cheered people on... and I was amazed! "well done" .. 'you can do it'... all smiles and fist pumps ... and it meant the world...  

So today... walk outside your door... keep going for 10 mins... and then you HAVE to walk home.. 20 mins DONE... then tomorrow... do it again.. in a week you'll surprise yourself... you've walk little further... a little faster and maybe you'll try 15 mins... PLUS you'll feel a WHOLE lot better about yourself... No excuses unless you're made of sugar and will dissolve!

Week 2 chart below... 37lbs lost in total so far! Rocking it kids!

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Move More... WEEK 2

Exercising is so difficult 

when you have to 

& so easy when you want to...

That's it really... put one foot in front of the other... and do it more often... 

If you're starting at the very beginning... then just leave the house.. walk for 10 mins and  turn around and come back... there's your 20 mins! Now do it every day and just watch how you go a little further... feel less breathless... and feel like upping it to 15 mins each way... trust me before you know it.. you'll be filling an hour and feeling so good... 
No one knows your body better than you.. so no super heroes... if you've got a so knee, bad back, asthma... you are in control.. but don't use those as excuses to not go at all!

Drag a pal with you.. nothing like a good gossip as you pound around the park and you suddenly realised you've done three laps! 

Keep challenging yourself.. if you can walk a mile .... then aim for 2! If you can run 5k.. then sign up for a 10k and do it! 

I swim 4 times a week... the days I plod along.. are the days I don't feel as good as I know I should.. the days I really go for it.. my arms hurt, my legs hurt... I look like a human beetroot getting out of the pool and I then have to sprint to the changing rooms (the Leinster Rugby team train in my pool! EEK!) but I feel amazing... 

Try something different.. just once.. it might not be for you.. but if you don't  try you'll never know... grab one of the kids bikes and off to the end of the street... anyone spots you just say you're fixing a puncture.. they'll be dead impressed by that alone!

The one thing I know for sure about exercise is .. if you love doing it.. then you'll stick with it.. I wouldn't run unless I was being chased by zombies and then, knowing me..  I'd probably chat and try to negotiate with em...  it ain't my thing... but I have friends who love it and run all over the shop... and really get a kick out of it... that happens to me in the pool counting and timing lengths... its all relative.. but if you enjoy it.. then go for it.. kickboxing, running, hockey, swimming, running, jogging, hiking, squash, tennis, cycling, aqua fit, aerobics, gym workouts, yoga, pilates... there really is something for everyone... so no excuses... and if you're going to play the ' I can't afford it' card.. the majority of these are free... walking is just one foot in front of the other... step aerobics only needs a step.. we've all got one at home... 

Ask Santa for some work out DVDs... when you get the place to yourself .. go all Jane Fonda or 'Fame' depending on your vintage! Hell even turning on some tunes in the house and dancing for 10 mins will get your heart rate up... a few 80s tunes people, the house will be rocking!!! 

If I'm preaching to the converted... then up your game, improve your technique, wear a pedometer and challenge yourself to a higher total every week, set yourself a monthly target and OVERACHIEVE! Just looking at your total steps and trying to reach a certain number of steps per day can be very motivating. 

The key is to just do SOMETHING. Get up and move daily. And it's a good idea to pick something you enjoy (or have the potential to enjoy once your body gets in shape). 

If you want to be by yourself, check out sites like Done Deal for a second hand treadmill or elliptical. 

If you've got fluffy people you have NO excuse! Walking is their socializing! Don't deny them! 

And I bet there's a few hubbys and boyfriends who could do with a good walk... bargain with them... they can watch footie and you can watch the bake off but 2 evenings a week we stalk the neighbourhood for an hour! 

Take the stairs instead of the lift... (sick of hearing that one yet?)

Park the furthest you can from the shops... (or this?)

A girl in my WW class brings each piece of laundry up the stairs.. ONE PIECE AT A TIME! She has amazing legs from it! Another does step ups during the ads on her fav soaps! 

If you are downstairs, use your upstairs loo, and vice versa.

Wash the car... don't rinse it .. sponges out.. music on.. get scrubbing..

Play with your kids... don't direct them with a cup of tea in your hand.. hide, chase and roly poly with em...

Housework... Vacuuming, dusting, mopping the floors, squats at the washing machine... put the music on and go for it..

It all adds up! This week... try something new... Lunge to the kettle and do squats whilst you're on the phone... 

Revised chart below, look at all those losses... skinny minnies!! I hope I've got everyone, shout if I've missed you... add weight losses for week two below... next week there's no chart, I'm off gallivanting but a post will go up thanks to the magic of schedules so leave your weight losses there and I'll get to them!!!

Doing fantastic everyone... 18.5lbs for the first weigh in... and two gold stars for biggest losers this week @nikkiblueeyes and @misty, both losing 3.5lbs! Santa will be very impressed!

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