Intermediate Yoga

I love YOGA!! There I said it, I can't seem to get enough at the moment.

I started about 8 months ago with one class on a Monday, I then took on an extra class on a Wednesday about five months ago. Both were beginner classes but still tough enough to keep me interested. I have loved seeing how far I can push myself, week by week inching myself a little further into the bends and twists. Filling with joy and calm as my focus and balance poses improve. I have gone from fingertips brushing the floor in a forward bend, to standing on my palms!

I had always been aware of the intermediate class but never imagined I would ever feel confident enough to take the plunge. Until it was suggested to me by my instructor. When the person you look to for guidance gives you the thumbs up, it makes you wonder why you have been so apprehensive all this time. So I went for it, I gave up my Wednesday and joined in with the big kids on a Thursday.

I think I was expecting the class to be full of young bendy types, able to stand on their heads and hold a plank for hours on end, but I was wrong. At least I was pleasantly surprised, there were a variety of people, old and young, bendy and stiff all looking to improve and develop their practice. I know you shouldn't gauge yourself by others, but being the newbie I was pleased not to be the worst in the class, I know that sounds shallow but I only mean it in the respect that I felt I was where I needed to be, and wouldn't be struggling to keep up.

It has also inspired me to practice more at home, maybe not the mediation I find that nigh on impossible with the distractions of home. But definitely a few Sun Salutations and other poses I didn't quite nail in class.

Have you ever held yourself back, and then wondered why when you finally let go?

Bookshop Thai

As part of our New Year goals we made a pact not to order take aways. So at the end of each month if we succeed we can treat ourselves to a night out. So we did it, and Saturday night the Bookshop Thai was our restaurant of choice.

It literally is a Thai restaurant in a bookshop, we love books so being surrounded by them while we ate really was a treat. We were seated in a little nook, quite early evening so it was nice and quiet too.  

I can't remember the names of all the dishes but they were all delicious, we will definitely revisit this little gem.

As you can see I made an attempt to use my camera a bit more, the quality still isn't great and I still have a long way to go, but I'm working on it :o)

Treat Day!

This is me and my man getting a little over excited about our treat day milkshakes.

Part of a pact we have made for 2014 to help get us into shape is to cut out the take aways and to treat ourselves to 1 treat day a week. Thankfully this weeks treat day fell on my besties birthday, so we headed out to the local American Diner, The Pelican for dinner. It's a lovely little restaurant filled with retro furniture, and American themed food, (They do the best breakfast pancakes). We both went for the deluxe burgers made with homemade patties, cheese and bacon. Accompanied with the above milkshakes and a side of rosemary fries, which are amazing. One of our group even wanted another bowl for afters they are that good.

After we had all had our fill, we headed off to the FILO pub (First in Last Out) for birthday drinks and festivities.

So far we are doing very well with our, 1 treat day and look forward all week to the feasts we plan for the Saturday, I know its only been a week but hopefully the promise of super tasty, naughty food at the end of the week will help us suffer through the healthy, vegtastic week days. Not that the healthy food is horrible, just that we both have a fairly sweet tooth and are quite week willed when it comes to a junk food binge.

I did however fail miserably on one of my other goals for this year, to take more pictures. I took our little camera out with us, and left it in my bag the whole night. Even the above was sent to me by a friend. So I really must try harder with this one and get over my hang ups of whipping out my camera in public. 

2014 Already?

I can't believe we are1 week into 2014 already! Time is just whizzing by.

I've got my new diary, and as always I am going to attempt to be more organised this year. I always have the best of intentions. I don't tend to make resolutions just little deals with myself and targets. This year I am more determined than ever when it come to fitness goals. I do not want to be a fat bride, and I am getting married this year!!

Last year I gave up smoking, I stopped in February and haven't touched one since, which is pretty cool I don't usually have that much resolve so I'm quite proud of myself. Especially as my other half is was a smoker. (He is attempting to give up)

This year I would like to give up take aways. We have been quite bad in the past and anytime we can't be bothered to cook we turn to Just Eat, which shamefully wasn't all that rare. So we have made a pact to resit and for each month we manage it we will treat ourselves to a fancy dinner out. 

I also need to focus on my fitness, start taking my half marathon training seriously and keep signing up to organised runs so I can stay focused. Hopefully combined with eating better this will have the desired results when it comes to slimming down.

I would like to set small yoga targets too like nailing a specific pose, working my way up to a headstand by the end of the year. I know that doesn't sound particularly spectacular but I am no where near at the moment so it would be quite an achievement for me.

Sewing is also on my list, it's something I've had an interest in for a couple of years but never really done anything about, so inspired by the Great British Sewing Bee I am going to give it a go this year, first project to be some pyjama bottoms for Adam. I'll let you know how I get on.

Do you make targets and fresh starts at the start of a new year?

I Want....

Recently I have been getting a bit agitated, maybe it's the changing of the seasons, but there have been a lot of things floating around in my head. Stuff I want to do, projects I want to start or finish, goals I want to achieve and things I want to learn or do more of. But because they are just floating around in my head I don't actually seem to do any of them.

So I though I would just write everything down, like a brain dump, just as quickly as I could think of them, in any order, and the above is what happened. (I attempted to put in punctuation afterwards, so it made a bit more sense, but it was still mostly nonsense.) So now I will try and break it all down, make some lists, and make a plan of action to get some stuff done. I am hoping that by doing this I can bring a little more peace to my muddled little brain, and actually start doing the things I want to do, and get to where I want to be.

Do you ever do things like this? Or is it just me....