Working on a whole new me

This year, after turning 46, I have decided to really take some control on my life. I'm not getting any younger and I'm aware that I'm not as fit nor as slim as I would like to be.  So rather than slipping complacently into middle age, I have decided to make it my mission to become the me that I want to be. A mum that my kids can be proud of and aspire to be like and a wife who will enjoy an active future with my husband.

My plan is multi-faceted, taking a holistic approach to health, happiness and well being. As my confidence in myself is increasing, these things are taking on a life of their own. I am finding things about me are changing and I'm happy just going along with it. 

Diet

I am a vegetarian. However, I am an over-eating vegetarian who enjoys food a bit too much. This meant lots of cheese, plenty of carbs and big portions of dinner. This year, I've made steps towards a more plant based diet. Many meals are becoming vegan and I'm making alternative dairy free versions of family favourite meals like my vegan Mac & Cheese. I've made switches to almond milk, soya cream and coconut oil. I've also added more nuts, seeds, vegetables and pulses to our meals, and I've cut down on my refined sugar intake. I still make some slightly more indulgent things from time to time and still enjoy the occasional treat, but on a whole, my family's diet has improved.

However, even though the food I was preparing and consuming was all good stuff, my natural propensity to greediness still resulted in eating to excess. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to bump into the lovely Sandra from Thinking Slimmer at this year's Blog On MOSI conference. Having worked with Thinking Slimmer before and becoming one of the original weightloss blogger poster girls for the product, I know that Slimpods work. They retune your mind using cognitive hypnotherapy, altering the way your brain thinks about food, allowing you to make good choices naturally.  Sandra agreed to me trialing the Slimpods again and I've started listening at bedtime. 

I must be very susceptible to the Slimpod's suggestion or maybe a part of my brain has been instantly reawakened, because from the very first day I changed. Like someone had thrown a switch in my brain removing the urge to mindlessly snack through every waking hour or eat beyond fullness. It was incredible and after a week I am 3.5 lbs down simply because my habits have changed. No calorie counting or having to make separate meals, I'm just eating less without even thinking about it. I know that the extra weight will be gone soon, while the foods I eat nourish and fuel my body, rather than fill me up with empty calories.

Exercise

Just by making the decision to take back control, I have found myself feeling more active: dancing around the kitchen while I wait for the kettle to boil, jumping up and lunging just for fun or doing some vigorous housework. I'm just more energised. Although doing structured exercise isn't really my thing (my Scoliosis means I end up putting my back out if I go to the gym or do a class), taking active days out with the family really appeals to me.  We have recently bought season tickets to Trentham Gardens and love going for long walks around the lake. I'd like to take our walking further. Climbing the Wrekin is something I'd like to try to do now Freddy is a bit bigger. Popping on our walking boots and packing our waterproofs, some water and healthy snacks in to a suitable rucksack (I've spotted some good rucksacks available online) I reckon we could scale the 1335 ft high peak!  Our Merlin Annual Passes are also great for going on days out. Alton Towers not only boasts some cool rides and CBeebies Land, it has some lovely walks through the gardens, which are pretty steep in places. You get a good workout and its very pretty.

I like the idea of us keeping fit together as a family. I am not the sort of person who could go solo and take up something like running (I have pondered this prospect over and over again as my sister runs and just completed her latest 10K race) but it's just not for me. Walking in beautiful places however, up hills, around lakes, through gardens or in woodland, whilst having fun with Ian and the kids sounds like a good compromise.

Beauty treatments

I've never really been the glamorous type. My own mother refused to leave the house without a full face of make-up, but I am the complete opposite. I'll happily do the school run with a face like nature intended. I've never really bothered with a full blown skincare cleanse, tone and moisturise routine, and until recently, I hadn't been to a hairdresser for years. My mum religiously dyed her hair for as long as I can remember, touching up her white roots with mascara in between treatments. Unlike her, I've decided to go grey naturally. Whether this is down to pure apathy or whether I think silver highlights look cool is open to debate!

Recently however, I've embraced my girlie side, relishing pampering myself top to toe. From face masks to nail varnish to fake tanned legs to pedicures - I am really enjoying using all my beauty products and feeling good about my self.  It feels good to have a bit of me-time while the kids are at school to do something for myself. Me-time is something I've never really understood until now, but investing a little in myself really is a positive thing. Although I'll never be a total glamour puss, I am enjoying taking a bit more time over myself and my beauty rituals. 

Happiness

I make no secret of the fact that I have previously found the concept of happiness quite elusive. In the past I've struggled with depression, dwelling on some dark parts of my life, able to achieve only a superficial kind of fleeting happiness rather than real contentment. But over the years this has changed dramatically. 

Becoming more mindful and reflective has allowed me to let go of so much of the darkness. I have found peace with a lot of issues that festered inside me, freeing me to live in the present and embrace the joy that surrounds me. The joy that comes from being a wife and mother to the most wonderful people that I have in my life. I strive to be a better person and have learnt that true happiness comes from giving rather than taking.

I am in a good place. That doesn't mean that bad things don't happen, but when they do I'm better positioned to help those around me through them. My mantra these days is that I can't change things that have happened, but I can change the way I deal with them and the effect they have on me. Life truly is so precious, to live it in the dark is such a waste.

Taking responsibility for my health, for my happiness and for my life has made a huge difference to me. Here's hoping I can maintain my momentum and emerge a better person.

We took part in the #GetYourSkillsOn challenge!

This summer, whilst away on our Forest Holidays break in Blackwood Forest, we took part in the Tots 100 #GetYourSkillsOn challenge with Robinson's Fruit Shoot. It provided a really entertaining framework for the activities we planned to do, and provided lots of fun photo and video opportunities, which may otherwise have been missed.

To take part, we had to choose ten challenges from a list of forty, and record the children as they tried  out their new skills.  There were lots of laughs along the way and it was lovely to see the three children joining in and supporting one another in their efforts.

Carrying out the activities against the backdrop of the forest and the beach added a real element of adventure and the children rose to the challenges brilliantly.

Some challenges were a pretty easy such as having to balance something on your head for 15 seconds. Kizzy did a good job walking with a frisbee on her head, keeping a straight back and her chin up.  Not to be outdone, Freddy had a go too, running with it on his head!

At the seaside, the kids wanted to get in the sea to catch a wave, but as we didn't have the kit for a day's surfing, we decided to let the waves catch them instead!  (A little artistic licence in the completion of this challenge!!)  Freddy loved his first ever taste of running in the sea and jumping the waves.  It was such a pleasure watching him and hearing his giggles as he experienced the joy of the seaside with his sisters.  The sun was shining and it was a gorgeous day.  His water confidence increased massively, as he was very timid around it before discovering the fun of the surf.

Den building has been an activity that everyone has enjoyed.  Using the fallen branches from trees and making a wigwam shape around a tree trunk has proven to be a very efficient way of building a natural, outdoor den.  Being in a forest provided the best environment for den building, Gruffalo searching and bear hunting.  Freddy has had a wonderfully imaginative forest adventure and the den building definitely added to his games.

We bought Freddy a frisbee from a shop and introduced him to the fun of the flying disc!  Due to the problem with his eyes, his 3D vision is not as good as it should be and I do worry about the limitations this may give him.  However, after putting the frisbee in his hand, he showed excellent throwing and catching skills and not once did his vision hinder his ability.  He very quickly got the hang of it and learned a fun new skill.

Piggy backs are always fun and it was lovely to see Ella and Kizzy giving each other rides through the forest. When I was a little girl I had a piggy back related injury and broke my nose after falling flat on my face while carrying someone on my back.  Thankfully the girls were much safer and more stable than I was!

Swinging as high as you can is one of the challenges that the children really loved.  Freddy has just learned how to swing on his own and can get himself going and swing really high with confidence.  He has loved the play area here at Blackwood Forest.  But when we found a rope swing in the woods it was too good an opportunity to pass by.  Kizzy had a go and managed to swing really high until she hit a tree and went into a death spiral!  It was very funny watching her spin round and around.  Maybe I should have saved her, but I was too busy laughing.

I was really proud of Kizzy for having a go at climbing trees.  She was a bit nervous, but felt the fear and did it anyway.  Challenging yourself physically is an exhilarating thing to do, and it feels so good when you accomplish what you set out to do.  Kizzy was very brave and managed to negotiate the branches of a tree to get quite high.

  

Other challenges that the children completed were building a sandcastle on Sandown Beach on the Isle of Wight.  It was not the best sand for making castles so they made a raised mound of sand surrounding a deep hole that quickly filled with sun warmed sea water.  (I really liked it as it reminded me of a fantasy land from Westeroes in Game of Thrones for some reason.)  They managed to get some dry sand from further up shore and mix it with the heavy, wet sand to make two turreted towers overlooking their miniature kingdom, using Freddy's new bucket, to complete the grand structure. They didn't last long though, because Freddy was desperate to jump on them!  That is one of the joys of building a sandcastle though.

After the excitement of the Commonwealth Games and in particular the thrilling men's 4 x 100 m relay, the children are all very interested in athletics.  So staging their own 100 m sprint (albeit clad in wellies) gave them a chance to embody their inner Usain Bolt and run like the wind!  Freddy enjoys racing his sisters and giving himself a cheeky headstart.  There were so many long stretches of open forest paths to run down whilst we were on holiday.  The children got plenty of exercise and fresh air in the great outdoors.

On one of our day trips, we watched some street performers in Winchester who were doing a street dance demonstration. Freddy was so intrigued by the popping and locking and the break dance moves that the kids were doing. When we got back, he wanted to try his own street dancing moves based on what he had seen. He was utterly adorable pulling his moves and doing his thing.  As a result of the dancing, we are going to be finding a street dance class for Freddy to attend so he can perfect his B-Boying!  This has been the best part of this challenge, discovering a new skill that Freddy wants to explore further.

              


We have really loved taking part in this challenge, learning new skills and having fun together.  It was a great idea for keeping the kids active and entertained, and I absolutely adored watching them getting stuck in. Here is our video showing how the children got on as they embraced the #GetYourSkillsOn challenges.

              

This is our entry into the Tots 100/Robinson's Fruit Shoot #GetYourSkillsOn challenge.

Dieting Deja-Vu and How I Plan to Get Fit in 2013!

I simply can't bring myself to do it!  There is no way anyone could make me get anywhere near a pair of scales right now.  Christmas has been a time of excess.  Excessive take aways from my favourite Indian restaurant, stacks of indulgent festive treats and Ferrero Rocher for breakfast have taken their toll on my body.  Where there was once a waistline, there is flab.  My thighs have become dimply and are threatening to merge with my cankles to produce a pair of tree trunks that any Oak forest would be proud of.  Getting on the scales will be absolute proof that I have taken the very slippery slope back to Chubbsville.  It is time that I take action.  Denial is seriously not an option.  Just because I became a grandmother over the Christmas holidays, it is not an excuse for me to become a complacently plump old Nana.  In fact since becoming a grandparent to baby Ted I am even more aware of the importance of staying fit and healthy for as long as possible.  I want to be a proper Glamorous Granny, so it's time to once again take action and wage war against the cellulite, flab and wobbly bits!

As with all great ideas, a plan of action is called for!  So here is my 2013 Get Fit, Feel Epic post.

1:  Cut the crap!  The first step is simple.  I just need to stop eating the sweets, crisps, cakes, chocolates and biscuits that have become my staple diet over Christmas.  In January I usually get into a completely bonkers mindset where I decide to binge my way through all the leftover selection boxes, tins of Heroes and packets of biccies.  My reasoning is, once they are gone I can start eating healthy again.  How mad is that!?  As I gorge myself on a 400g of Dairy Milk Whole Nut I feel justification because when it's gone it's gone.  Stuffing it all in one go is for the greater good, I tell myself as I force in the next four squares in one mouthful. I neglect to think about the thousands upon thousands of calories I'm pouring into myself.  I eat enough calories in one sitting to feed a whole family for 24 hours! So, this year to get rid of all the leftovers, I've packed Ian off to work with a hamper of cake, mince pies, chocolate bars and crisps to share with his work colleagues.  They get to share the calories between them and I don't need to become a human dustbin to satisfy my mad desire to rid my house of temptation via my mouth.  Sorted!

2:  Save Pennies, Lose Pounds.  The frequency with which we grab the take out menus from the kitchen drawer has becoming so regular that the Indian restaurant knows us by name and never forgets that I like a boiled egg on my calorie rich mushroom biryani.  I do love the treat of not having to cook, but when ordering food in becomes such a habit, it loses its appeal.  If I add up the money we have spent buying Paneer Tikka Massala and Tarka Dal over the last few months, we could have bought ourselves a new TV!  I want getting a take-away to become something we do for a special occasion, not an easy option because I've lost my cooking mojo somewhere between the Quality Street overdose and the cheese laden Smörgåsbords that have replaced healthy eating.  Cooking healthy meals from scratch will prove to be my salvation in the battle of the bulge, and the money saved will be greatly received into my bank account!

3:  Meal Plans.  As a vegetarian I always feel envious of dieting carnivores who get to eat steamed fish and grilled chicken.  Such easy options for low calorie meals with lots of options for variety.  For me, a microwaved Quorn fillet day in, day out soon loses its appeal, plus they are so low in calories I begin to starve myself into a malnourished ball of misery.  So I'm going to get inventive with lots of veggie stews, chillis, bologneses, curries and bakes incorporating lentils, pulses and Quorn products alongside fresh vegetables.  As long as I go light on the carb side of the meal I should be able to eat my fill, get all the nutrients I need and not get bored of the food I eat.  Plus I won't have to make something different for the rest of the family.  Variety is after all the spice of life!

4:  The 'E' Word.  This is the one that scares me the most...exercise.  I'm rubbish as exercise.  I've tried the gym, pilates, yoga, holistic toning and the Mu-Tu system.  The one over-riding factor of all these exercise programmes is that I have put my back out doing them all.  I have scoliosis in my spine.  It's not noticeable and as long as I don't do any twisting, jolting or stretching, it is OK and I am pain free. Sadly, these are the exact movements required to exercise!  As soon as I try anything it goes 'ping' and I'm in agony for a few days. So, this year we are going to do more walking together as a family.  This is not too strenuous in the short term and will be enjoyable incorporating it into day's out. The kids can go on for hours so keeping up with them will improve my stamina, fitness levels and burn off some calories.  When Freddy starts school I will be able to walk him there and back.  This was the main reasoning behind choosing this school for him so I will definitely be clocking up my miles come September!

5:  Change my Mindset.  For me, once I commit to something I become very resolute in seeing it through.  That is until the first hurdle comes along to crash through my wall of confidence, leaving me floundering in self-doubt and self-loathing.  So I need to be kind to myself.  If I have a bad day and find myself scouring the kitchen cupboards for those sachets of sugar you pick up in cafes everytime you buy a coffee, just in case you might one day have a sugar emergency, I will not hail myself an utter failure.  Instead I will look at the reasons why the sugar craving killed my resolve, see it as a one off and pick up from where I left off.  This isn't planning for failure, but it is being realistic in advance so that one mishap will not sabotage my efforts.  Losing weight and getting fit is a long haul effort and as long as the good days outnumber the bad, the over all efforts are never in vain.  We can be too hard on ourselves and this is never a good way to succeed and come out feeling good and positive about our achievements.

6:  Buy Clothes That Fit Me.  I struggle terribly with the psychology of clothes shopping.  Even when I'm a size 12 I find it really difficult to buy size 12 clothes.  I always see myself as a size 18 and feel more comfortable buying big stuff even though it is unflattering and clearly doesn't fit properly.  I'm sure psychiatrists will have a field day telling me why I like to hide myself in man's size XL jumpers.  This year, I promise myself that I will get some good fitting clothes that flatter rather than hide the figure.  I want to look good and feel good about myself.  I am at least finally wearing the right size bra.  For years I wore a 38B when it turned out I was actually a 36D which sounds far more buxom!  So by totally revamping my wardrobe, I'm sure I'd feel so much better about myself.  I think it would also be an incentive to keep the weight off if I had nice things to wear once I'm back at my target weight.

So that's my plan.  Hopefully I won't be treading over this same old ground again this time next year.  Perhaps one day I'll not put on a stone and a half over Christmas by getting back into my bad gluttonous eating habits.  Hopefully this dieting deja-vu will one day be over forever!

Here is a 'Before' shot taken after a particularly heavy family meal (it was good though!!) with my beautiful daughter Megan.  Hopefully by my 44th birthday in April I will be rocking a slimmer body and better fitting clothes!

This is my entry into the Get Fit, Feel Epic competition from Moneysupermarket.com.

Country Kids - Scooting About

Freddy has had a great week!  Nursery has been going brilliantly well and he has been positively running in for his morning session.  When he gets home, he still has enough energy to play. We've had a few mild afternoons this week and Freddy has liked nothing better than dragging his scooter from the back garden, through the house and out into the front drive.  He loves to scoot up on down on the tarmac, taking advantage of the gentle slope to build up some speed.   He does insist on dragging his toes as he whizzes along so his shoes will be worn through in no time!  (And for any observant people looking at this post...yes, his shoes are on the wrong feet in the photos...#mummyfail!)  I hope the mild weather continues so Fred can continue enjoying his outdoor space.

How Many ways Can You Ride On A Scooter??

Me and the MuTu System

Before Christmas, I was chosen as a MuTu Mama, to trial the 12 week online training programme designed just for mums.  Pregnancy and birth take their toll on a woman's body and can lead to physical problems that continue long after your baby is born. The MuTu system is designed for post-natal women (however old your baby now is!)

After having Freddy, my fifth child, I was left with ruptured stomach muscles (Diastasis Recti) which left me with a big gaping hole in my abs!  You could literally push your fingers into my internal organs!!  I tried to do sit-ups to fix it, but with zero strength in my core, I could barely lift my head off the ground.  I was actually making the problem worse while trying to make it better.  I was even told by a personal trainer that I may have to consider surgery to have my stomach stitched together, which sounded really serious.

The MuTu system focuses on post-partum problems such as Diastasis Recti, so I thought I had nothing to lose by giving it a go before resorting to serious medical intervention to fix my gaping stomach muscles.

The MuTu System comprises of five interconnecting elements woven together into a series of workouts, motivational strategies and eating guidelines.  Mutu Core repairs and restores tummies. MuTu Breathe helps us relax and tones the pelvic floor.  MuTu Intensive is a 15 minute workout.  MuTu Posture helps us to stand tall and find our mojo.  MuTu Food encourages us to eat right without any hang ups.  It allows real women to get stronger, fitter, leaner, sexier and more confident in the long term, and fits into our busy lifestyles.

I started the MuTu system with loads of enthusiasm.  Unfortunately, I have an old spinal condition which means that I have restricted mobility in my lower back.  I have tried yoga and pilates in the past, but the spinal rolling motion that many of the moves require, puts something out of alignment which is extremely painful for days.  Consequently, I put my back out doing the first breathing exercises!  Oh dear :(  However, Wendy Powell from MuTu phoned me up.  This system isn't just a virtual subscription to an exercise plan, it is real coaching with a real team of understanding people ready to help you succeed.  We discussed my problem and realised that I couldn't just blindly throw myself into exercising, and that I'd probably need extensive physiotherapy to right my spine (which I'll save for another day, because 99% of the time I am pain free as my body has adapted to cope with it). But we discussed what it was I wanted to achieve with MuTu and how I could achieve it.

Consequently, my personal goal was to repair the Diastasis Recti which was my biggest concern.  Adapting certain positions and being aware of my weakness, enabled me to embark on exercises to strengthen and repair my core.  I have to say that I was amazed to see my stomach muscles coming back together!  The gap was narrowed and the strength was returning. After two years of being split open, they  became firmer and the damage was being repaired on the MuTu system.  I lost 2" off my waist measurement within 2 weeks simply by having them close together.  MuTu had done what I was told could only be repaired by surgery.  My stomach muscles now feel normal again.  I am so grateful!

With my goal achieved, I have to confess that I didn't push myself further into the programme.  But I've taken bits on board and will continue with those.  I have my downloaded programme and the online videos, so it's still all available to me.  For the information and exercises on fixing my tummy muscles alone, this has been invaluable and I can't recommend the programme enough for that element of the MuTu System.  Wendy Powell really knows her stuff!

The MuTu System costs just £57 for the 12 week programme.  That is less than a fiver a week (cheaper than a Latte and a Muffin at Starbucks!!), for a programme that could literally change your life!  This is what you'll get:

• Crystal clear step by step, WEEK BY WEEK GUIDE clarifies and summarises each week’s workouts and objectives alongside your weekly videos

• ‘How To’ REFERENCE GUIDE gives you the ‘Need to Know’ as well as the ‘Like to Know’to suit every personality. Dip in and take what you need, when you need it

• Clear instructions on how to diagnose and progress core  strength & diastasis recti , with clear phases of exercises to move through

• 12 multi-tasking workout VIDEOS that fit in with a busy mum’s life. These routines are for real mums, with real lives!

• 2 Yoga AUDIOS guiding you through specific yoga techniques that will directly improve pelvic floor control & posture &  AS WELL AS help you cope with stress & fatigue!

• The exercises you must know & how to do them correctly & effectively, as well as the exercises you must avoid which will actually make your tummy look worse!

• Nutritional secrets to lose fat, combat bloating & avoid excess abdominal fat storage. What to buy (there’s even a shopping list!), how to prepare it, snack ideas, superfoods & the foods that will kickstart your metabolism.

• BONUS personal measurements log to print – plots your weight, measurements and other criteria, whilst keeping your goals front of mind

• BONUS progress journal monitors your exercise and nutritional progress and achievements

Mumentum...The Exercise Begins

I've been doing well with the weight loss, inspired (or terrified!) by the photoshoot for The Sun last week. The good eating continues to be easy (I love my Slimpod!!  I just don't spend all day craving food anymore...it has really liberated me.)  My story is up on the Thinking Slimmer website this week.  I only have to look at my 'fat pic' to know it is all worth the effort!

Exercise has been a real nemesis to me however.  Over the years I have struggled to find an exercise regime that didn't cripple me.  I have a spinal defect that just does not like exercise...even yoga and pilates caused me problems.  After one Pilates session I couldn't walk for three days!  So the exercise dwindled.  Running about with the kids and family walks have been my only exercise.  I've tried crunches to get my tummy flat, but struggled to lift my head off the floor (much to the amusement of the kids!)  I have zero strength in my stomach muscles...they are so weak after giving birth to Freddy it is laughable.  The two halves of my muscle did not knit back together like they are meant to, and despite mentioning it to my doctor at my six week check, no further investigations were done and I've learnt to ignore the fact that you can poke your fingers into my intestines through my tummy!  Having confirmation of my blown stomach muscles from fitness expert Nicki Waterman who interviewed me for the article in The Sun, was the incentive I needed to start working on my abs, before surgery becomes the only option to fix my core muscles.

She told me that doing a Plank was the best way to knit the two sides of my wayward muscles together.  From that night I've Planked several times a day!  At first I could barely hold my position for 10 seconds, but I'm now lasting just short of a full minute.  It is amazing to see a difference already.  I might not be doing it absolutely perfectly with my bum sticking in the air rather than having a perfectly aligned body, but the tone of my belly has improved noticeably so it's doing some good!  Fingers crossed this will help pull everything together and tone up my tum.

Here is an instructional video in case you want to have a go at flattening your tummy too.

Good luck to all you other Mumentum ladies!  Together we can do it!