Wednesday, 27 January 2010
23/1 Claire - It's definitely gone down
Following my intensive web research on body fat percentage I have agreed with Nathan that I will get tested on every other Tuesday, at 7am before drinking loads and before exercise. Turns out it's gone down to 24.8% from the original reading of 26.7%... let's ignore the 27.3% middle reading :o)
Friday, 22 January 2010
21/1 Claire - Milo's first family gathering
Seriously, could this little fella by ANY more cute? This is our first cuddle...
Have decided that in baby sitting duty Milo and I will hang out doing the things we will, I am sure, have in common:
Have decided that in baby sitting duty Milo and I will hang out doing the things we will, I am sure, have in common:
- Sitting on the couch in our PJs
- Eating my favourite snacks (space raiders and magic stars, both child friendly/made for kids)
- Watching Pixar
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
16/01 Claire - Rob's Birthday
In addition to 10 pin bowling (111 high score from me, a best ever score) Rob also arranged for the grown ups to go out on the evening for drinks. Very upset that Rachael was so ill with tonsilitis that she couldn't make any of the outings :o(
The evening was spent at the Cumberland Arms where there is real ale, a coal fire and, it seems, fake fur to play with...
It started to go wrong here but by the time Eldred ordered tequila slammers I knew I was a gonner :o(
The evening was spent at the Cumberland Arms where there is real ale, a coal fire and, it seems, fake fur to play with...
It started to go wrong here but by the time Eldred ordered tequila slammers I knew I was a gonner :o(
Sunday, 17 January 2010
16/1 Claire - Bowllng
Even my best ever bowling score couldn't take away the shame of again having to wear velcro bowling shoes...
Friday, 15 January 2010
12/01 Claire - OMG it's gone up
So I have been to the gym 16 times in December (one week of that month I was out of the country so this is a good effort) and had a relatively restrained Christmas. I can see the difference and can feel the difference yet I stood on those scales and watched in horror the % body fat read higher than when I first started. Then followed a small hissy, some calming and soothing words of encouragement from Nathan and an acusation from me that the scales were wrong!
Granted it hasn't gone up by much but I KNOW I am fitter and leaner so I just couldn't believe it. Bring on t'interweb....
Turns out there are a few things that you should consider when using these scales such as not comparing yourself to others and use them as a measure of your own progress only. More importantly I didn't follow these recommendations
Make sure you always drink the same amount of water one hour before you test yourself.
Measure yourself at the same time of day for each test.
Don't test yourself after exercising. When you exercise you sweat and when you sweat you lose water. This affects your hydration levels and hence... the results.
Your skin temperature affects the electrical current used by the scales (and surely exercise affects this?)
This has gotta be it, right?
Granted it hasn't gone up by much but I KNOW I am fitter and leaner so I just couldn't believe it. Bring on t'interweb....
Turns out there are a few things that you should consider when using these scales such as not comparing yourself to others and use them as a measure of your own progress only. More importantly I didn't follow these recommendations
Make sure you always drink the same amount of water one hour before you test yourself.
Measure yourself at the same time of day for each test.
Don't test yourself after exercising. When you exercise you sweat and when you sweat you lose water. This affects your hydration levels and hence... the results.
Your skin temperature affects the electrical current used by the scales (and surely exercise affects this?)
This has gotta be it, right?
Sunday, 10 January 2010
10//1 Claire - If you're gonna walk...
… do it properly.
Being snowed in means that you can’t really get out to the gym. And to be honest, although I wouldn’t stop the gym, I haven’t really taken advantage of the lovely snow in the surrounding forest and hills. So being wrapped up like I was about to hit the piste we head off this morning with hot chocolate, fruitcake and brandy (in case of emergencies). For most of the walk I was still knee deep in snow although the temperature has risen and some of the icicles were starting to melt. There is more snow forecast this evening so I’ll see how we get on in the morning.
(no there was no emergency but the brandy was still drunk, precautionary you understand)
Being snowed in means that you can’t really get out to the gym. And to be honest, although I wouldn’t stop the gym, I haven’t really taken advantage of the lovely snow in the surrounding forest and hills. So being wrapped up like I was about to hit the piste we head off this morning with hot chocolate, fruitcake and brandy (in case of emergencies). For most of the walk I was still knee deep in snow although the temperature has risen and some of the icicles were starting to melt. There is more snow forecast this evening so I’ll see how we get on in the morning.
(no there was no emergency but the brandy was still drunk, precautionary you understand)
Friday, 8 January 2010
8/1 Claire - Snow watch
I have just been towed home again. I was going great guns in 3rd up the 1mile hill toward our village when I came around the corner to find an abandoned car in my way, had to stop, lost momentum and that was that. Tractor towed me home about an hour later but look at the state of the garden.... it's getting deeper!
Thursday, 7 January 2010
7/1 Claire - But it can be beautiful
Snow is wonderful if you don't have to drive in it! This is the view from the top of Silton forest as you walk 10mins from my front door.
It was too good to resist.... let's call it a late lunch break!
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
6/1 Claire - How much snow?
I did try to get out this morning to go to the gym before work, the plough had been through the village and the roads out of the village to the A19 had been clear last night.... I got to within12 feet of the top of the steep bank where the slip road meets the A19 and the car wheels started to spin, I had to reverse back down the hill blind to try a second time with a bit more speed and a higher gear but managed to get the car stuck in some deep snow on the verge. It's well and truly stuck and can't be pushed out. Since it was dark a friendly farmer gave me a lift back home and a local farmer guy has said he'll come around later this morning to see if he can help pull me out with the tractor.
Anyhow, I am not in the office! I should have stayed in bed :o(
Anyhow, I am not in the office! I should have stayed in bed :o(
31/12 Claire – Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to Jackie
Once the excitement of visiting Lel in hospital has died down (not Milo he’s in intensive care) I rushed home to pick up stuff for the evenings entertainment.
Non of this spending half a day getting ready to go out. Make-up on in the car (I may have looked a little like a drag queen by the time I had finshed but it was dark light so hoping I got away with it) dress on at the Moxon’s whilst the taxi waited outside. Done.
31/12 Claire - I am in love with a new man
A new little man…. Please give a warm welcome to Milo Errol Parks
He arrived over 7 weeks early and at only 4.5lbs but he is doing well and Lel & Errol are bursting with pride :o)
20/12 Claire – Feel the burn baby
I am doing quite well at the gym but to keep up the motivation I have signed up for 12 personal trainer sessions. These are different to the freebie ones what you get as part of the membership where they give you a routine to go off and complete yourself, these are pure one on one training. So if you recall Nathan who scoffed at my goal of wanting to be able to eat what I wanted without putting on weight… I am with him.
To be honest I do like him, he’s good crack and he gets what I want to get out of gym. I was always only interested in running to keep weight off but since I’ve been doing different stuff in the gym I’ve noticed a difference in muscle definition. Now wouldn’t it be good to get a really athletic physique? Hmmm.
So first session you get weighed, measured and BMI calculated and Nathan has decided that I need to not lose weight but reduce my fat % by 6% which will show a noticeable difference... I am 26% fat! 26!
I think he’s won me over a little as to work all this out he asked my age and was visibly surprised by my response of 35 years and said “really??” I needed this after before mentioned Leeds incident.
Anyhoo, once we start I might have also mentioned that I would like to add another goal to my training plan… “Could we also work on me getting the arse of a 20year old?”
He responds with “[chuckle] you may need to book some more sessions…”
Damage done ;o)
To be honest I do like him, he’s good crack and he gets what I want to get out of gym. I was always only interested in running to keep weight off but since I’ve been doing different stuff in the gym I’ve noticed a difference in muscle definition. Now wouldn’t it be good to get a really athletic physique? Hmmm.
So first session you get weighed, measured and BMI calculated and Nathan has decided that I need to not lose weight but reduce my fat % by 6% which will show a noticeable difference... I am 26% fat! 26!
I think he’s won me over a little as to work all this out he asked my age and was visibly surprised by my response of 35 years and said “really??” I needed this after before mentioned Leeds incident.
Anyhoo, once we start I might have also mentioned that I would like to add another goal to my training plan… “Could we also work on me getting the arse of a 20year old?”
He responds with “[chuckle] you may need to book some more sessions…”
Damage done ;o)
25/12 Claire - A new toy
I publicly rescind all recent negative comments about Mac intuitiveness, it doesn’t matter it’s a thing of beauty :o)
18/12 Claire – Love the new hair darrrrhling
I have just been advised by a very camp but very funny man in Leeds that my new hair (he hasn’t seen me since last Christmas) is “fabulous, really fabulous… it takes 10 years off you. You look about 32, 35ish”
WTF! I am not sure how to get across in written word how appalled I am :o(
WTF! I am not sure how to get across in written word how appalled I am :o(
18/12 Claire – Party season begins
This weekend it’s Thursday in Leeds, Friday in Sheffield, Saturday in Newcastle and Sunday in the Lakes.
Finished work on Friday with a Team Christmas lunch in Yarm….
Finished work on Friday with a Team Christmas lunch in Yarm….
11/12 Claire – More Diving
Our dive master today was ace. George. I would have dived every day with him; he was really easy going and friendly. I like the Angel and Clown fish, I recognise them from Finding Nemo
10/12 Claire – Can’t speak, too relaxed
Sunbed, ipod, book… turn over, rum and coke, turn over again… lunch, wine, turnover again… massage in spa
9/12 Claire – Stiiing raaay…. sting ray!
Diving in Egypt is way different to the Cook Islands. They take you out on massive boats with two decks, the top deck having padding sunbathing areas. Off season this is quite cool as there are only 6-8 people diving as you have loads of room to relax and chill out.
They take you out to a dive site, you get your equipment set up, they brief you and off you go for your first dive. After an hour or when your air runs out you get back on the boat, change over tank for the afternoon, go sunbathing and read your book, the crew cook lunch, a bit more sunbathing before the boat then takes you off to dive site number two.
The best fish we saw today were the two spotted sting rays but unfortunately this was the dive we didn’t have the camera but honest they were there. Here’s one from another dive later in the week.
They take you out to a dive site, you get your equipment set up, they brief you and off you go for your first dive. After an hour or when your air runs out you get back on the boat, change over tank for the afternoon, go sunbathing and read your book, the crew cook lunch, a bit more sunbathing before the boat then takes you off to dive site number two.
The best fish we saw today were the two spotted sting rays but unfortunately this was the dive we didn’t have the camera but honest they were there. Here’s one from another dive later in the week.
8/12 Claire – Cairo
Nice, 25 degrees in Sharm El Sheik and had a lovely relaxing day sunbathing yesterday. Today however I fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting the Pyramids and the Sphinx :o)
We flew from Sharm to Cairo at an ungodly hour, jumped on a minibus, picked up our Egyptologist (how do you become one of those?) and off we went. I went right insight one of the pyramids into one of the inner chambers. It’s basically a stone room once you get in there but it’s really cool to be able to say that you’ve been inside one of the pyramids. Sorry am I sounding a little on the geeky side?
There are guys riding camels just waiting to rip you off for a £50 camel ride. I would have paid that I tell you but we were told that we weren’t insured and so weren’t allowed. These guys even charge you for a photo so you had to avoid eye contact and pretend they weren’t there.
The Sphinx was really impressive too. It’s fantastic to just stand there and look at it.
Lunch on the Nile sounds quite swanky so I should leave it there. Lunch in TGI Fridays looking over the dirtiest, mankiest part of the Nile I can imagine less so.
Then off to the Cairo museum, it’s massive and FULL of stuff that has been recovered but the Tutankhamen death mask was really awesome. I know, I know I am a proper geek but I loved it. What a great day.
We flew from Sharm to Cairo at an ungodly hour, jumped on a minibus, picked up our Egyptologist (how do you become one of those?) and off we went. I went right insight one of the pyramids into one of the inner chambers. It’s basically a stone room once you get in there but it’s really cool to be able to say that you’ve been inside one of the pyramids. Sorry am I sounding a little on the geeky side?
There are guys riding camels just waiting to rip you off for a £50 camel ride. I would have paid that I tell you but we were told that we weren’t insured and so weren’t allowed. These guys even charge you for a photo so you had to avoid eye contact and pretend they weren’t there.
The Sphinx was really impressive too. It’s fantastic to just stand there and look at it.
Lunch on the Nile sounds quite swanky so I should leave it there. Lunch in TGI Fridays looking over the dirtiest, mankiest part of the Nile I can imagine less so.
Then off to the Cairo museum, it’s massive and FULL of stuff that has been recovered but the Tutankhamen death mask was really awesome. I know, I know I am a proper geek but I loved it. What a great day.
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