i went out on the bike last night and it felt really good, the night was calm and cool, though my thighs felt tight after the kettlebell workout the night before. I came across a running track not far from my house which i had completely forgot about. This will be good when i get into running and cycling more to measure the distances i am covering, and also with interval training, where i can sprint for a lap, then jog for a lap.
I have been running my dads car for the last week with a view to buying it. My car is costing money each month in repairs, and mum was looking to sell there car. Its a fiesta and smaller than i am used to so i thought i could try it for a while to see if it fitted. Admittedly it isn't ideal, its only three door, with limited boot space, but i think i will buy it to do us until i can afford something bigger. Kim is looking to go back to the University to work so that will help increase our income. We definitely have to watch the pennies just now!!
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Positive Outlook
things are still hectic, mainly due to the school holidays. It means i can be working 11-12 hour days then trying to fit everything else in. The weekend was great, we went to see Ice Age 3 on Saturday, then Sensations in Dundee had a Wallace and Gromit exhibition on which Aisha loved. Spending time with the family really is the greatest pleasure. Our home life seems to have settled down as we have discovered that the reason Aisha has been wetting herself for the last three years is due to a problem with her bladder. Knowing this has taken a huge strain off of Kim and you can see the difference with her and Aisha, less stress, more fun. That in turn takes some strain from me so a win win situation. We're still not out of the woods, as Aisha's bladder problem is still there, but we can manage it better. Knowledge is power and all that.
Had the kettlebell out last night, and it felt real good, my thighs are tight today. I need to work at it more. in the back of my head i hear the reminder to do thirty minutes exercise per day. On Sunday i cleaned up my bike and plan to head out for a run on it tomorrow. The more variety i put into the exercises the better. Its strange but for all the months i have been at this, and all the failures along the way, this is as positive that i can change things as i have ever felt.
Had the kettlebell out last night, and it felt real good, my thighs are tight today. I need to work at it more. in the back of my head i hear the reminder to do thirty minutes exercise per day. On Sunday i cleaned up my bike and plan to head out for a run on it tomorrow. The more variety i put into the exercises the better. Its strange but for all the months i have been at this, and all the failures along the way, this is as positive that i can change things as i have ever felt.
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Ouch
Well that hurt this morning, i thought my lungs were going to collapse, my legs turned to jelly and my ratio of walking to running was closer to 90/10 than the 50/50 i hoped. Truth is i knew it would be hard, but you never remember just how tough it is going to be. But the air was cool, which helped, and my head felt clear when heading into work which was good, starting work early and refreshed while others headed in looking dazed and half asleep.
I received a call at 8.25am from my mum's carer saying she had rang the bell and phoned and she couldn't get hold of my mum and was getting concerned. I had just about grabbed the car keys to head out when she said she could see someone moving, and mum opened the door. She had slept in!! Panic over. Again. I tell you my nerves aren't up to this. Mum phoned me later apologising, she had slept in, so she is off to get a new alarm clock today. She asked me to get her one but I told her she could manage herself. The trip to Tesco will do her good.
I received a call at 8.25am from my mum's carer saying she had rang the bell and phoned and she couldn't get hold of my mum and was getting concerned. I had just about grabbed the car keys to head out when she said she could see someone moving, and mum opened the door. She had slept in!! Panic over. Again. I tell you my nerves aren't up to this. Mum phoned me later apologising, she had slept in, so she is off to get a new alarm clock today. She asked me to get her one but I told her she could manage herself. The trip to Tesco will do her good.
Monday, 6 July 2009
Dont Panic
The title may be misleading, mum has been doing fine, enjoying being home. Last week she was visited by someone who offered to take her shopping. Mum had never met her before and said she was fine. She then spoke to her carer who also didn't know anything about it, so she spoke to her manager. She seemed concerned so said she would speak to the hospital and if they didn't know anything she would contact the police. That's when panic set in. A thousand thoughts when through my head. I went out to visit her that night after work, to hear the good news. When mum was released from hospital there were two care companies available to look after her. The social worker decided to use just one and didn't contact the other to cancel there services. It was them that sent someone to help mum. Panic over.
Apart from that incident everything has been good. The weather has been great which puts a spring in your step.
The diet is well and truly back on track. Nothing fancy just cutting out the crap. Drinking three litres of water a day is playing havoc on my bladder, considering i had problems with it last year, but i have been promised it gets better. I met a colleague the other day who has lost three stones, another inspiration.
Tomorrow i am going to start running, i know its going to be hard but have visualised myself running without breathing out of my arse. A long journey!!
Apart from that incident everything has been good. The weather has been great which puts a spring in your step.
The diet is well and truly back on track. Nothing fancy just cutting out the crap. Drinking three litres of water a day is playing havoc on my bladder, considering i had problems with it last year, but i have been promised it gets better. I met a colleague the other day who has lost three stones, another inspiration.
Tomorrow i am going to start running, i know its going to be hard but have visualised myself running without breathing out of my arse. A long journey!!
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
This blog
Why did I start this blog. Well yes I wanted to change my life as I wasn't happy with the direction it was going in. Am i completely happy? No i wouldn't say I am, but then I wouldn't say anyone is. This journey so far has had its ups and downs, i have had things thrown at me I didn't expect, and have had to change my route on more than one occasion. But I will keep on this road for now. My knowledge has increased, I have learned new skills and at the very least feel better equipped to make change in my life.
So why did i start the blog. Well i had been thinking things over for a while, about where my life was going, especially if it stayed the same, and I didn't want that, i still don't. So after reading a friends blog i got inspiration. I still do. But the reason for my blog wasn't to communicate with friends, or to make new cyber friends. It was purely to get my thoughts down and recorded. For me to track my journey. Not for anyone else. I haven't told anyone(except my wife) about this blog. Others have found it which is good, but the primary reason was so i could put down my thoughts, my feelings, my ideas somewhere. And I have lost track of that.
The one lesson i have learnt over the last 6 months, is that nothing comes easy, you have to work at it, but if you do the rewards are there. Sitting on your arse watching the world go by shouldn't be an option to consider. And for me it isn't.
So why did i start the blog. Well i had been thinking things over for a while, about where my life was going, especially if it stayed the same, and I didn't want that, i still don't. So after reading a friends blog i got inspiration. I still do. But the reason for my blog wasn't to communicate with friends, or to make new cyber friends. It was purely to get my thoughts down and recorded. For me to track my journey. Not for anyone else. I haven't told anyone(except my wife) about this blog. Others have found it which is good, but the primary reason was so i could put down my thoughts, my feelings, my ideas somewhere. And I have lost track of that.
The one lesson i have learnt over the last 6 months, is that nothing comes easy, you have to work at it, but if you do the rewards are there. Sitting on your arse watching the world go by shouldn't be an option to consider. And for me it isn't.
its been a while
i haven't posted anything for over two weeks, time being the main reason. Work has been extremely busy. We have been controlling logistics movements for a new project in the Dutch sector. This has used up a lot of my time and the hours have been long. Its been a bit of a juggling act getting the balance right but I am coping so far!!
Mum has been released from hospital. She has a carer visits four times a day and a nurse goes in twice a day to keep an eye on her diabetes. I have to say she is happy to be home and that is a good thing. she also seems to be making an effort to keep active, heading out each day to the shops, buying plants for the garden. But its only been a week and she is already speaking of getting rid of her carer, which would be a bad move.
She is not 100% right and never will be. She was wanting help looking for a sheet last week and spoke to me as if it was my house and she was a visitor, not the other way round. She started smoking again after stopping for the 12 weeks she was in hospital. Its something i new she would do, there had been signs, but no less annoying. All that good work gone to waste. Ironically we cleared out my dads wardrobe at the weekend, and while emptying the pockets of some jackets i came across a packet of cigars with the big bold sign. SMOKING KILLS, and it made me think of my parents life long habit and if it had all been worthwhile!!
I try to get out to see her two or three times a week, and phone her twice a day. As one of her carers, that is the level of help i can give. I also take care of her finances. All my help is going on empowering her rather than assisting her. When she asks me to do something, if i feel she can do it herself i refuse, and help her achieve it herself. This should, in the long run, be of more benefit to her. I find it frustrating to deal with sometimes. Take today for example. She wasn't at home when i thought she would be, so i panicked a bit. When i did get hold of her i could tell she was smoking which annoyed me. Then we talked about her carer visiting and she said she wanted to reduce the amount of visits. she's only been home a week but she thinks she can look after herself without any problems, whereas i disagree. i want her to be happy in her home but also safe. Without a carer i don't think she will be. She gets confused easily, and having a carer available is a great resource for her, lets hope she See's things the same way as I do.
I have stopped fasting. Primarily because i wasn't convinced it was working, but also because i received a great email from a very good friend of mine. He has managed to lose 13kg by making small changes. he didn't over analyse things, he stuck to some basic rules and it worked. And its still working. And i am very proud of him. His rules were
1. exercise 30 minutes a day
2. drink at least 2.5 litre of water a day
3. cut out the snacks
4. replace an evening meal with cereal a couple of days a week
He has admitted its been tough to get to where he is and sometimes has to drag himself to where he wants to be but that's understandable. And where he is going is where i want to be. Less focus and thought, more action!!
I need to get my kettle bell used more, at the moment i am working it once a week and it isn't enough. My main source of exercise at the moment is gardening, having to do both my own and my mums. Not my idea of fun!!
Mum has been released from hospital. She has a carer visits four times a day and a nurse goes in twice a day to keep an eye on her diabetes. I have to say she is happy to be home and that is a good thing. she also seems to be making an effort to keep active, heading out each day to the shops, buying plants for the garden. But its only been a week and she is already speaking of getting rid of her carer, which would be a bad move.
She is not 100% right and never will be. She was wanting help looking for a sheet last week and spoke to me as if it was my house and she was a visitor, not the other way round. She started smoking again after stopping for the 12 weeks she was in hospital. Its something i new she would do, there had been signs, but no less annoying. All that good work gone to waste. Ironically we cleared out my dads wardrobe at the weekend, and while emptying the pockets of some jackets i came across a packet of cigars with the big bold sign. SMOKING KILLS, and it made me think of my parents life long habit and if it had all been worthwhile!!
I try to get out to see her two or three times a week, and phone her twice a day. As one of her carers, that is the level of help i can give. I also take care of her finances. All my help is going on empowering her rather than assisting her. When she asks me to do something, if i feel she can do it herself i refuse, and help her achieve it herself. This should, in the long run, be of more benefit to her. I find it frustrating to deal with sometimes. Take today for example. She wasn't at home when i thought she would be, so i panicked a bit. When i did get hold of her i could tell she was smoking which annoyed me. Then we talked about her carer visiting and she said she wanted to reduce the amount of visits. she's only been home a week but she thinks she can look after herself without any problems, whereas i disagree. i want her to be happy in her home but also safe. Without a carer i don't think she will be. She gets confused easily, and having a carer available is a great resource for her, lets hope she See's things the same way as I do.
I have stopped fasting. Primarily because i wasn't convinced it was working, but also because i received a great email from a very good friend of mine. He has managed to lose 13kg by making small changes. he didn't over analyse things, he stuck to some basic rules and it worked. And its still working. And i am very proud of him. His rules were
1. exercise 30 minutes a day
2. drink at least 2.5 litre of water a day
3. cut out the snacks
4. replace an evening meal with cereal a couple of days a week
He has admitted its been tough to get to where he is and sometimes has to drag himself to where he wants to be but that's understandable. And where he is going is where i want to be. Less focus and thought, more action!!
I need to get my kettle bell used more, at the moment i am working it once a week and it isn't enough. My main source of exercise at the moment is gardening, having to do both my own and my mums. Not my idea of fun!!
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Focus
I need to keep my focus. I think i have tried too much and achieved too little. The whole concept for this blog was too change my life and to track it through writing about it. The writing helps, it keeps things fresh in your mind and it makes you think deeper about the events in your life. But my life has changed so much since the initial idea.
I still want to achieve all the goals i initially set myself, but need to change they way i accomplish it. To completely change my life all at the same time was a step too far. Smaller steps are required.
The first thing I need to change is my weight. This is directly linked to getting fitter, so two changes for the price of one. These are what i need to focus on. To achieve this I am using various tools. I log my food intake through the LiveStrong website. This is great as it shows my intake of calories, fat, carbohydrates etc. It really keeps you on track and makes you think about what you are eating. over time my diet will improve as more data from my intake becomes available. I also have a good understanding of kettlebells, a workout that is perfectly suited for me. I know i can be doing more with this but wont beat myself up too much about it. Finally I have NLP. Now this is one area i have let slip and need to change. NLP will give me the skills to accomplish my goals, but after initially reading up on it i have stopped, and my understanding of it at this stage is no where near what it could be. A better understanding of NLP will help me accomplish my goals.
I have been reading various publications and websites and though still a novice have taken on board small things that are helping me. For example i recently bought Richard Bandlers new book. In it one thing sprang out at me. It said always live in the moment, not the past not the future but the present. This has been a great titbit. I use it a lot as i have been guilty of dwelling on the past, while continually planning and thinking of the future. Not enough time was spent living the moment. This means i can concentrate better while spending time with it Aisha, rather than playing with her while thinking what i have to do that night, or the next day. It means she gets my full attention when i am with her, which is the very least she deserves.
I still want to achieve all the goals i initially set myself, but need to change they way i accomplish it. To completely change my life all at the same time was a step too far. Smaller steps are required.
The first thing I need to change is my weight. This is directly linked to getting fitter, so two changes for the price of one. These are what i need to focus on. To achieve this I am using various tools. I log my food intake through the LiveStrong website. This is great as it shows my intake of calories, fat, carbohydrates etc. It really keeps you on track and makes you think about what you are eating. over time my diet will improve as more data from my intake becomes available. I also have a good understanding of kettlebells, a workout that is perfectly suited for me. I know i can be doing more with this but wont beat myself up too much about it. Finally I have NLP. Now this is one area i have let slip and need to change. NLP will give me the skills to accomplish my goals, but after initially reading up on it i have stopped, and my understanding of it at this stage is no where near what it could be. A better understanding of NLP will help me accomplish my goals.
I have been reading various publications and websites and though still a novice have taken on board small things that are helping me. For example i recently bought Richard Bandlers new book. In it one thing sprang out at me. It said always live in the moment, not the past not the future but the present. This has been a great titbit. I use it a lot as i have been guilty of dwelling on the past, while continually planning and thinking of the future. Not enough time was spent living the moment. This means i can concentrate better while spending time with it Aisha, rather than playing with her while thinking what i have to do that night, or the next day. It means she gets my full attention when i am with her, which is the very least she deserves.
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