Down but not out yet

Hello Fudgey Friends,

Well last week ended up being a bit of a wash out as I have been poorly since Tuesday evening, on the mend now though & nothing for anyone to worry about - you know me I'm made of tough stuff, but this does however mean there isn't much to report for last week, but we did have some special visitors on Tuesday which was the highlight of an otherwise dull week.


RUNNING UPDATE

Monday was my rest day & then planned to run on Tuesday, was even thinking about it on Tuesday afternoon but by Tuesday night there was no chance of that.

Saturday - was my first chance to run & first time I felt OK to attempt it.....inspired by all these crazy folk doing Tough Mudder & the fact that I had missed almost a weeks training I set out to do 5 miles & 5 miles I managed.....just

Sunday - just a quick couple of miles again because I was worried about missing so much of the week.

My 10k events are now 4 & 5 weeks away, I'm not close to running 10k at the moment but I shall persevere. There is no shame in walking & I will take part & I will finish them, run, walk or crawl!

SEVEN CHALLENGE

Has been put on hold for now.

MUMMY & BUG NEWS

Monday - we had our usual swimming lesson & then Bug accompanied me to the chiropractor, then it was home for a quiet afternoon just the 2 of us.

Tuesday - We went to the Bookbug session at the library, Bug absolutely loves these, her favourites are Old MacDonald had a farm & The Wheels on the Bus. In the afternoon we had 2 very special visitors - Aunt Amy & Cousin Margaret. I think a great time was had by all. There was also singing as they brought Buggy a CD with some nursery rhymes - so we all had a wee sing song. Thank you very much to Bertie for the taxi service very very very much appreciated.
Tuesday teatime I suddenly became poorly with stomach ache so it was an early night

Wednesday -  I felt a bit better but still not quite right so Bug & I had a wee trip to the GP and then a quiet day at home. Granny & Grandpa came for coffee.

Thursday was also a stay at home day

Friday - we ventured out shopping with Granny & Grandpa & Buggy had her first whirl in a shopping trolley. She absolutely loved it, even though she was really tired she watched everything & everyone. She zonked out in the car on the way home though!

Saturday - Daddy Fudgey took Buggy to visit Granny & Grandpa in the afternoon which let me get my run in - even though I could have quite happily just slept I'm glad I ran. Thank you Mr Fudgey.

Sunday - was just a quiet day at home.


I've been so good this week at listening to my body & have been resting as much as I can, I've been sleeping when the wee one has which is a first as I know how important it is for me to be fit healthy & well for both our sakes. I wish I could say the next few weeks will be quiet but we have a tremendous amount to pack in, things to do & people to see before Bug starts nursery & I return to work, but we will both make sure we don't over do things.

Take care everyone

Fudgey x

Life is Good

Hello Fudgey Friends,

How is everyone?

Are all the Scottish followers glad that the kiddies are now back to school? I can't believe that is the school summer holidays over all ready.

Life here is good, I've been pretty tired and fed up recently but I know how good I have it. I have wonderful friends & family & an amazing baby girl. I have my health. I have a lovely home. I have a husband who loves me to bits & thinks I'm awesome (though I disagree).
Sometimes I forget these things & get bogged down in every day trials & tribulations and occasionally I forget how blessed I am.
Where did this mushiness come from? I'm not sure! Just feeling reflective, there has been an awful lot going on & I've been rushing around trying to do too much as usual. I think it's partly to do with going back to work in 6 weeks & all the things I need to do before then, but also looking back at the last 9.5 months & seeing just how much we've done & how far we've come. So yes Life is good - challenging at times but good :-)

This week I have managed to fit in 4 runs :-) & my food has been fantastic, though perhaps maybe not eating enough with the running & definitely not drinking enough water but heading in the right direction. A little frustrated that the scales show me staying the same this week....but I feel better & I see changes in my shape so shall carry on as I am doing.

RUNNING UPDATE

Found myself a 10k training plan. It has 4 runs a week, but that's not always going to be realistic for me with the wee one so my aim was to get 3 runs in a week & anything else is a bonus. I am also conscious of not undoing the good work the chiropractor has done or setting myself back with injury by trying to do too much too soon

Monday - Ran 4.1k - treadmill session as dark outside

Wednesday - Ran 3.3k - another treadmill session

Saturday - Ran 6.4k - cold wet & windy morning - a real treat for me as Buggy was at her Grandparents so I was able to run in the morning before collecting her.

Sunday - Ran 3.4k - another treadmill session as it was 9pm before I was ready to run.

So 4 runs & a total distance of 17.2k (10.7 miles) The most I have done post baby. It's not fast but it's running & I'm loving it.

NEW CHALLENGE

After the squats & abs challenges I haven't been doing anything like that at all, however I found a 7 minute workout app on Apps gone free yesterday & thought I'd give it a go. Basically 12 exercises that you do for 30 seconds each with 10 second rest. Of course if you are feeling fit & energetic you can just repeat the 7 minutes for as many circuits as you like. I'm starting with 1 circuit for now though. The exercises are: jumping jacks, wall sit, push ups, sit ups, step ups, squats, tricep dips, plank, high knees running on the spot, lunges, push ups with rotation & side plank.

The last 2 are a little beyond me just now so I have substituted them for push ups & plank until I get a bit stronger.

The app is called Seven

MUMMY & BUG NEWS

Silly Mummy forgot to keep a note of last weeks activities so shall need to try & recall from memory what we got up to.

Monday - Our usual swimming lesson in the morning & then a quiet afternoon at home. Granny & Grandpa came back from their holidays & visited in the evening & brought us all nice things - Thank you

Tuesday - I had the chiropractor in the morning so Granny & Grandpa watched Bug, it was actually really strange not taking her with me as she has been at my last 5 or 6 appointments. In the afternoon we got together for coffee & cake (no cake for me though) with the antenatal mums & babies. Thank you to Sandra & Owen for hosting

Wednesday - was a quiet day for us, a wee trip to the shops & made a lovely Beef stew & dumplings in the slow cooker.

 Thursday - a busy day, Buggy went to Granny & Grandpa while I went to the chiropractor, home for a quick spot of lunch then to the hairdressers. Granny brought little miss Buggy to the hairdressers at the end of my appointment for her first salon cut & blow dry. She was an absolute star & sat so nicely on my knee. We also made a lovely Roast chicken in the slow cooker.

Friday - West Lothian Birth & After Birth Support group in the morning. followed by lunch & then we both came home & fell asleep. Buggy had an overnight stay with Granny & Grandpa.

Saturday - picked up little Miss and did the Asda shop


Sunday - Buggy had a wee bit of an off day, I think the top 2 teeth are starting to come through so she needed lots of cuddles. In the evening I made her pancakes. I had been trying to buy some but was horrified to find that one of the main ingredients in both the co-op & Asda's pancakes is golden syrup! so I made some .....there aren't many left today.

and that I think is pretty much our week. We are excited to hopefully see my wee sis & wee Margaret this week & Bookbug is on, but we actually have very few plans for a nice change.

Take Care everyone

lots of love
Fudgey x x x

Getting with the programme

Hello Fudgey Friends,

How are you all?

This week I have paid a lot of attention to my diet & have started my 10k training.

We have had another busy week & the next couple of weeks look much the same, so I have decided that I'm having some time out the week beginning 2nd September & booking up nothing at all.

Little Miss Buggy is getting more & more active, she can now get about by rolling from her back to her front & back again. She is desperate to be on the move & very frustrated that she can't quite manage it yet.


RUNNING UPDATE
Well I've made a start on the 10k training but it hasn't quite gone as planned for a number of reasons, but I did manage 3 runs last week.

I managed a 2 mile outdoor session, a 25 minute high intensity treadmill session & a 40 minute outdoor session.

This weeks planned sessions: ..........

 

I need more focus & need to stick more to the plan but it's hard with all our activities, appointments & chiropractor twice a week. I also need to find an alternative to getting my running session in at 9pm when the wee one is asleep - partly because I'm pretty tired by that point of the day but also it is now getting dark so I need to think about staying safe. I have the option of my treadmill which is better than not running at all but I need to / have to get some of my training done outdoors & I actually love running outdoors whatever the weather.

 

The programme this week has 4 running sessions but I'd be happy to fit in 3 of those.

 

 

MUMMY & BUG NEWS

 

 

Monday morning -  a little bit of diary mismanagement meant that I had a chiropractor appointment back to back with our usual Monday morning swim lesson - you'd think after 10 weeks of swimming I'd remember this is a regular Monday session. Anyway all worked out fine - we just jumped on the bus rather than our usual walk up the hill & then we walked back. Bug was pretty chilled after her swim. In the afternoon I tried a new recipe for Pear, Sultana & Lemon muffins



 

 

Tuesday - A super busy day in the Fudgey kitchen, another batch of muffins made & loads of Bug food - fish pie, parsnip, carrot & swede, green beans and pear. We went to the Bookbug session in the library in the morning & had coffee with the antenatal Mums & babies in the afternoon.

 

Wednesday - We had a trip into Edinburgh & met Mandy for coffee & cake - was lovely to catch up properly rather than just a few minutes outside the office. Then we popped into the gym to visit. Edinburgh was pretty chaotic due to the festival so we're definitely not going in next week - mind you we are so booked up we don't have time anyway.

 

Thursday - Chiropractor appointment & shops.

 

Friday - West Lothian Birth & After Birth support group in the morning, followed by lunch & then a trip down to the shops.

 

Saturday & Sunday - just a quiet weekend, mostly spent at home, though time just disappeared so fast, between Bug feeds & routine, shopping, laundry, cooking etc. Ran on both days so should rest today but with chiropractor tomorrow thinking maybe I should squeeze in a quick one, but have loads of other things to get done too.

 

GOAL UPDATE

The below goals were set on 16th June........so 8 weeks in

 

Short Term Goals

 

Running:

• In 4 weeks I want to be able to comfortably run 5k......Done.
• In 10 weeks I want to be able to run 10k.......working on this but don't think it's going to be 2 weeks before I can run 10k, only at 5.5 at the moment but we'll see how the training goes. I am signed up for 2 x 10k events at end September so will be ready by then. 

Diet:

I need to get my diet back on track, I was doing really well, but increased activity = increased appetite & I haven't made the right choices in the last week. I'm reassured though as I know exactly where mistakes have been made & how to address them. The aim is to lose a stone over the next 14 weeks -  a pound a week should be easily achievable if I keep focused. So I weighed & measured on 1st July & not again till 1st August.....didn't work for me, my measurements stayed the same & I gained a pound. The hot weather really didn't help me either as I took a 2 week running break & spent a lot of time at home rather than our usual out & about & I just ate. I also need to be conscious of all these coffee & lunch dates & how many calories are in a seemingly small piece of cake. So I have started again with logging all my food & weighing weekly. I lost 2lbs when I weighed this morning. Just need to keep up the good work. So 8 weeks in I am down 1 pound from where I started but I am totally focused now & am completely with the programme.

 

Well that is all our news from last week. Have a great week everyone

 

lots of love Fudgey xx

 

 

 

 

Buggy Boo is 7 months old today :-)

Hello Fudgey Friends

How are you all? We are good though I seem to have been incredibly tired this last week. I have been back on track with my healthy eating though & have ran a couple of times.

Our baby girl is 7 months old today - I can't believe how fast she is growing up. We had our 6 month health visitor check up & she is now 14lb 8oz. She was in great form too, giggling & chatting & absolutely demolished her breakfast showing how clever she is.

The last 24 hours have seen her master rolling on her front & I think today she is really getting the hang of getting back as well. I can see she is desperate to be mobile.......



RUNNING UPDATE

After 2 weeks of no running & 4 chiropractor adjustments & signing up for 2 x 10k events I knew I had to get back out there.

I ran on Monday & OMG it was explosive. My posture was brilliant, my stride really balanced & my pace unbelievable - unfortunately the lungs couldn't keep up quite as much but it was an amazing 25 minute session. I think it was a combination of the rest, the abs exercises I've been doing, the chiropractor's work & lots of built up mini stresses & aggression that running is my outlet for!

For a number of reasons I didn't get to run again till Saturday evening, I missed the torrential downpour :-( I love running in the rain. Again I was amazed by my pace it was better than my race pace from the 5k almost 3 weeks ago so I am definitely getting fitter again. I realised after about 10 minutes I had left home without my phone  - I am so forgetful these days, so I ran hard for 20 minutes in total before coming home.

I have now found myself a 10k training plan & I will be starting tomorrow Tuesday 6th August......


30 DAY SQUAT CHALLENGE & 30 DAY AB CHALLENGE

Woo Hoo I completed these both.

The squats I was doing for the second time & I also added in bicep curls.

The abs were definitely challenging - I thought I was out at day 19 when I couldn't hold the plank, but somehow I managed it. I changed the leg extensions for reverse curls as these were easier on my back but still did the same number.

In fact maybe this might explain my tiredness. I have been working pretty hard on my fitness & these challenges.

I have rested since completing these on Tuesday but am thinking of starting a new challenge - just not sure what. maybe a combination of squats, sit ups & plank - maybe a static number every day till the end of the month. Any suggestions welcome.

MUMMY & BUG NEWS

 

Monday morning - our usual swimming lesson in the morning, but no afternoon with Granny & Grandpa so Bug came to my chiropractor appointment with me in the afternoon. It was a very interesting session as my Chiropractor's mentor was also there & he gave me a lot of good info & food for thought. He also explained about using less energy to do simple things like getting out of a chair once the body is in correct alignment & I am seeing that already, the running on Monday night was also testament to that. After the chiro we baked cherry & sultana scones.

 

Tuesday - We stayed home all day as it was our turn to host the antenatal group. Bug was very grumpy all day - sore teeth :-( We made a chocolate pear flan in the morning for our guests. It was Buggy & the boys - Aaron, Jake & Owen - they were all fascinated by her hair & were trying to pull it! It was lovely to see everyone & we are looking forward to going to the twinnies house next week & meeting Oliver for the first time :-)

 

Wednesday - Health visitor home visit in the morning. Gold star for Buggy she is doing great.

Thursday - Chiropractor appointment & again took my trusty sidekick with me. In the afternoon we baked Fat Rascals for our friend Gary. Another success from the Fudgey Kitchen

 Friday - West Lothian Birth & After Birth support group in the morning - we love our Friday morning group & then we went for lunch with Elaine & Max, Moira & Alexander, Sharon & Finn & Hannah & Dougall - yes Buggy & the boys again! In fact we haven't had another girl at group for a few weeks. 

 Saturday - we weren't out of the house at all.

 

Sunday - had a disastrous day with Bug & her feeds - she didn't like her first taste of egg, but we shall try again another day, she has been brilliant with everything else so it was inevitable that we'd find something she wasn't keen on. In the afternoon we had a wee stroll with the pram but all in all it was another quiet weekend in the Fudgey household.

 

Hope that next week I am telling you that I've managed to stick to week 1 of my 10k training & give you an update on my goals

 

Take care all

lots of love
Fudgey xxx