The fitness regime has begun!

So after spending the first part of this year as a coach potato, I have finally started my fitness regime  and I have to say I'm feeling good!

So I casually set off for a couple of runs two weeks ago to get the whole fitness thing kick started and  all went well, then to my amazement I discover on the Nike plus running app (which I have been using on and off for over a year and never noticed this before) there is a 'coach' section where you can set yourself a goal, such as running a further distance or running a quicker time, and this then sets you a fitness plan over 8 weeks.... well you can imagine how excited I got this meant that I was giving myself a goal to aim for (other than getting generally fit) which always helps to push you on when bothering to do any fitness (if you are anything like me and it takes a while to get going!). This is all going well and I have to say it has definitely pushed me to do more than I would have otherwise.

Onwards and upwards! As part of this training programme it gives you the option of doing days of activities other than running e.g. swimming, yoga, so I thought this is a great opportunity to get in some yoga, then on Sunday feeling like doing something a little bit different I went on to YouTube to find myself a dance work out (to spice things up!), we low and behold I only went and found a twerking dance workout (drawn to it like a moth to a flame) I thought to myself I can definitely give this a go.... one of the best workouts (in terms of dripping in sweat) that I have done in a long time! Very proud of myself that I know now a dance routine as well!

Anyway onto the lighter (and easier things of life) I have been glued to the Great British Sewing Bee while it has been on TV and I have rediscovered my love for all things fabric, patterned and creative. In a few weeks time I am going to visit my mum and we are going to have our first official mini sewing bee (if you read my earlier blog you will know what I am talking about). I am so excited I genuinely can't wait!

I will keep you with my progress on all things, running and sewing!

xoxo E

I have an idea!!!

Happy (very belated) New Years!! 

So I know again it has been a while since I last posted anything, but like many others out there I have a few New Years resolutions which I wanted to stick to. By no means are they anything to get excited by, they are merely things which I have been meaning to do for a long time which I have decided I am going to accomplish / sort out this year!


First Resolution - Geek Glasses!

I have always been in love with the geek glasses look, it has taken me a long time to decided which ones to get which style, shape, colour etc. I was particularly fussy in selecting some I liked then I needed to get an update prescription as I was getting them from an online store, rather than a bog standard opticians! Because of all the faffing I made it a new years resolution to get on with it and order some and stop debating so much, so finally here they are......

I am so pleased with them and I am glad that I have finally got that out the way!



Second resolution - Learning to sew! 

I know I don't have many posts but in case you hadn't picked up on it I am a massive lover of fashion, beauty, and all things lovely in the world. Growing up my mum was a complete wizard on the sewing machine. When I was tiny she made me summer dresses, tops, skirts, the works, outfits for fancy dress days at school and finally my prom dress. But as I got older it turned less frequent (much to her relief!). I started buying my own clothes, and as much fun as that is, I think that there is still something very therapeutic about sewing, and the sense of accomplishment when you have made something yourself from scratch. Of course I am saying this like I can sew!

Anyway I have always wanted to learn but have never gotten around to it, never really looked in to getting myself all set up with a machine and everything. Finally at Christmas while out shopping with my Mum she hit me with the idea that she would get me a sewing machine for Christmas. Of course I instantly fell in love with the idea. Now Christmas has come and gone (very quickly) and I am over the moon that I finally have all the kit, and being the amazing woman that she is, my sewing machine wasn't my only present that I was going to get!

 I am not sure how many of you; have seen / are watching / are in LOVE with the Great British Sewing Bee which is on TV at the moment, but I loved it as soon as the programme was first aired. Mum came up with the brilliant idea that as well as getting my sewing machine for Christmas, she was going to run 'sewing bees' for me!! You can imagine my excitement!

I have done a small project in the mean time to get me used to the machine and what an earth I was looking at! Now I don't have anything to show in terms of projects yet but this is where a new idea came to me! Now I know that there is only a small audience who read my posts (most probably by accident) but nether-the-less I am going to run an idea past you. I was thinking as blog content on a regular basis, I will post the pattern which I am following and my progress with pictures so you can see how I am getting along!

If that goes well (and I really am getting carried away with myself now!) possibly just possibly I will start a YouTube channel with videos of that patterns which I am making so that people can see my progress, and hopefully (if ever) when I am good enough, people can follow along. It will be like a sewing bee but on an extremely miniature scale! (By the way if you are still reading by this point this is aimed at you people! - So I am hoping this will be something of interest!)


Third Resolution - Getting Fit! 

Right, so I know that this must be the most popular resolution of all, but I am doing it in a slightly different way to what you may at first be thinking.... put it like this, I haven't actually done any exercise this year so far!

What!?! You must be thinking this will never work! - There's a bit of a difference to my idea of it! No it does not mean that I am going to maintain my couch potato behaviour, I am merely waiting to get started! I live on the coast, in an exceptionally beautiful part of England, I am therefore never going to spend money on joining a gym I am going to go running along the coast instead, (in all honesty why would you run on a treadmill staring at a wall in a room full of people that you are self concious in front of!?!)

The reason I am yet to do any exercise is due to daylight hours! Due to the hours that I work, I am waiting for it to be just light enough before I go or when I get back. Which in January when I set myself this target I looked up the sunrise and sunset times to work out when this would be possible, and this was to be the middle of March! So this is fast approaching! Do I feel ready!? Absolutely not, but last year I took part in a (short if you are a runner, long if you are a coach potato) 5k run for charity. I set a time which was a personal best, but this year I want to beat that time (see sounding like a runner now). Also its bikini season soon as I live by the beach so it's a bit of a necessary to make the most of it, other wise why am I living in such an expensive area!!!

Anyway I am not setting myself anything too ambitious I am just going to get in better shape, and aim to beat my previous run time. I just want to make sure that I am exercising 3 times a week to stay healthy.


So given all of the above I will keep you posted on my progress!
As far as geek glasses go I have that one covered off now! So we can put a tick next to that one on the list. With the sewing resolution, hopefully this will be the beginning of something amazing, and if (in fantasy land) I end up in a years time having a YouTube channel with subscribers and some genuine interest, I'll be able to look back on this and know that this is the moment that it all began, if not well we can look back and laugh at how the idea crashed and burned and laugh at my failed attempt! Either way its win win! The one which may not be so win win is the fitness, but I'll give it a good shot!

I hope you all had a magical Christmas and a lovely New Year.

Happy 2014!

xoxo E