On Getting Fit On A Budget

Ever since having my second child I have said I wanted to lose weight and get fitter. He is almost 7 and I have done nothing about it. I have never had strong will power and I don't like sport. This causes an even bigger problem when my favourite foods are chocolate and sweets.

So how could I get fit?
"Go jogging" someone bravely told me. I can't even run for the bus without being out of breath and a wreck until I reach my destination.
"Try a fitness DVD" came another helpful suggestion. My shelves are now overflowing with DVD's that I tried once or twice, some even lasted a whole week before that were relegated to the shelf. Now they just give the dust mites some exercise.
"Come to Zumba with me" another helpful friend suggested. An hour of intense dance and fitness in front of people who know what they are doing and can run for a bus could be the most demotivating thing I could do.
"Get a personal trainer" said a Mum at the boys' swimming class. She happens to be a personal trainer so no ulterior motive there then. Humouring her I asked how much it would cost me. Having paid the non-member rates for the sports club, it would cost me £9 each time I went to the gym there - plus the £35 initial consultation fee with her, then £35 per hour session with her (at least once a week, if not more of course) and then a review session every so often. By now my eye's are seeing £ signs as, I assume, are hers. Where exactly does this money come from to line someone else's pockets for them to watch me sweat and make a fool of myself with weights and a rowing machine?
"Come to weightwatchers with me?" Hmmm. Sounds good until you pay a registration fee, weekly attendance fee at the sessions - and what do you get for this? Someone who can weigh you on the scales and humiliate you in front of everyone else when you have a bad week, a diet sheet and lots of highly motivated people giving you "encouragement". If I wanted humiliation I could go jogging for free.

My bike has been sitting in the garage for nearly 20 years. I got it out last weekend. The tyre's needed pumping up. The tyre's that still have the original manufaturers moulding marks on them because it has been used so much. I even sat on it and rode it round the garden. Is it still functional? How numb does my bum get whilst on it? It seemed ok. Then I thought about where I could ride it. On the roads? Probably not as I wobble too much and have no confidence. On the pavements? Not supposed to do this apparently. Then I thought about the road I live on and the hill that I would have to ride up to get anywhere. Not a pleasant thought. The bike is back in the garage again.

I don't work and so have no income to allocate to such pastimes. All my hobbies involve voluntary work or study. None pay money or provide exercise in anyway. So how can you get fit without spending a fortune on gym fees, weightloss programmes, personal trainers or sports club costs?


I managed to lose weight once before. It was about 13 years ago. I had just started a new job. I was out to impress someone and decided to do a sponsored slim in aid of Cancer Research. I did lose over a stone in a few months. Maybe I need some form of incentive to overcome the psychological and physical barriers in my way. I watched some of the London Marathon last weekend. 35,000 people all running 26 miles. I am in awe of all of them. The dedication to their training, the will power and motivation they must have astound me.


SLEEPY

 

On snow and its influence on men...

Why does snow turn grown men into 8 year old boys? What is so great about cold, wet, white stuff? I guess when I was younger I enjoyed making snowmen and throwing snowballs, but I can't quite remember when. I now prefer to watch my husband and two sons getting cold and wet and creating strange sculptures out of snow. I hold the camera and wait for those "You've been framed" moments.

Last year my husband was pulling the boys on the sledge down a local hill. We spent ages there. I was cold, bored and taken as many photos as I possibly could of the snow covered trees and landscape. We agreed one last go for each of them and I put the camera away ready to go. Typically, hubby slips onto his behind and slides down the hill behind the sledge and covers himself in mud. The boys fall about laughing and he has to strip layers off before getting in the car to go home. Did I catch it on film? No. I was gutted.

Today, the snowman was built in the front garden, paraded off for all to see. Was this your standard snowman? No. The first attempt grew to above the boys heads. Daddy continued to build. I was summoned to get the step ladder from the garage so that more snow could be added. As the snowman reached the giddy heights of 6 feet it was becoming unstable. Daddy stands on the step ladder to put the head on top. He leans forward and throws the snow on top like a potter throws his clay. Only it wasn't just the snow that went. He follows and lands right on top of the snowman, squashing it to half height and leaving Daddy laying across it's top.
Did I have the camera ready for this one? No. I'd been filming what had been happening during the past half hour and missed the one crucial moment that would surely have won £250.
Did they give up? Of course not. Apparently there is "No such word as can't".

The second attempt saw them use the fallen top half to make the base sturdier to increase the height further. The snowman grew and grew and grew. It reached nearly 9 feet tall with carrot nose and pine cone mouth and eyes. We took the mandatory photos ready to take to school and just as we finish the snowman breaks in half. Its a tragedy but the boys have achieved what they set out to do - the biggest snowman in the road. Both boys are satisfied and want to move onto sledging.

Unfortunately Daddy is not satisfied. The snowman is not standing and the task in hand is not complete. He insists on rebuilding for a third time before sledging. The novelty has worn off for the boys and their input into snowman 3 is minimal. Finally Daddy is satisfied with a 6 foot sturdy snowman that has a chance of lasting until morning.

Who is the child here? The 6 year old, 9 year old or 39 year old? Will he ever grow up? I guess if he hasn't by now he never will.

DOPEY



Biggest Snowman in Welling