Hello 2016!

Hi everybody and welcome to the first Berrysmiles blog post for 2016!

I always love the start of a new year as it does feel like a fresh start. Everything that happened in the past 12 months is now fully in the past and you've got a full new 12 months to look forward to. It feels different, even though it is just the start of another normal day. With the build up to the new year and since it's turned 2016 I've been thinking about the year ahead, what I want to achieve and what my plans are and I'm hear today to share them all with you. So here goes...

January to March

I'm very excited for the first three months of the year. Although work is going to be busy, and I have an exam coming up in March, there's some fun stuff happening too. I'm starting a new contemporary dance class this week which I'm really looking forward to. I love contemporary dance and can't wait to meet some new people and learn some new technique. It's also my Dad's and Mum's birthdays in the first 3 months of the year. We're already beginning to plan the celebrations for my Dad's birthday which I'm really looking forward to, and I'm sure we'll end up with something exciting for my Mum's too when we get to it. It's also Valentines day coming up and I'm hoping to do a couple of posts in the lead up with some ideas and inspirations for dates, presents and food. And finally, to finish off the first quarter of the year, I'm heading off to see Shane Filan in concert with my Mum. The tickets were part of my Christmas present and I can't wait to go. His last concert was amazing.

April to June

April starts the countdown to my final CIMA exam. I'll be back at college studying again ready for the final exam in May. It's probably going to be a very quiet few months as I make sure I pass that last exam, but once it's over I get to enjoy myself. The plan is once the exams are over to go to the Harry Potter Studio Tours. Harry Potter has been such an important part of my life for so long I can't wait to go and visit the studios. I'm also hoping to do a series of tips and tricks for exams and assignment writing as I know a lot of readers out there will be going through some really important exams around this time.

July to September

I love this time of year as it's summer and that means it's my birthday! I'll be 25 this year....which is a very scary thought. It's also Omar's birthday a few weeks before mine which means we get double celebrations. But firstly we have to survive July which is when I find out the results to my CIMA case study exam. I'll either be delighted or devastated! Fingers crossed for the first one and then I'm free. I'm also thinking about having a little trip to Leeds in the summer for a dance summer school. I love the idea of a week long intensive learning technique and routines but it's all dependent on cash and being able to get the time off work at the moment. I've also got some ideas planned for some blog posts on life after university and what to expect when starting university.

October to December

This seems so long away now but I'm sure it'll come around quickly. At the moment I have no confirmed plans, I'll be just getting ready for the build up to Christmas. It'll be mine and Omar's 6 year anniversary in November, we didn't get to celebrate our 5th anniversary very much last year as there was so much else going on, so hopefully we'll be able to celebrate this year. And it's also my best friend's birthday in November too, so another celebration to look forward too. If I get myself organised, I'd love to participate in Blogmas this year. I really enjoyed reading everyone else's blogs and have some ideas I'd love to do for this Christmas.

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As I said the other day, 2015 wasn't a good year for me but I have learnt a lot, and I want to carry some of what I learnt forward into 2016. I want to stop putting myself under so much pressure and getting so worked up over everything. 2015 taught me it's ok to admit that things are getting too much, and to ask for help rather than struggling through. I want to make sure that I keep pushing myself to achieve more, but that I don't let people take advantage of my willingness to do more and to help.

In 2016, I want to achieve everything on my 25 things list and I want to enjoy myself. I want to get back into my gym routine and healthy eating that I did so well with last summer and get back feeling confident and comfortable in my body. I want to save some money to be able to afford nice new things for my house, but not restrict myself by missing out on things with my friends and family. I want to read more books, see my films and catch up on all my TV shows.

I want to grow my blog over the next 12 months, build up my following, post more regularly and come up with some new content. I want to be more engaged in social media and start to interact a lot more with my readers. I have some ideas for content already in the pipeline, and I've shared some of them above, but if there's anything you would like me to blog about, please let me know in the comments below.

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So 2016, we've got a lot to do this year. Let's work together and have a good year. Let's make this one of the best years we've had.

Sarah x

25 Things #3 - Take a pole dance class

Credit

Today is the first post in my series of 25 Things Before 25. If you haven't read my list of challenges you can do so here, but this post focuses specifically on number 3 - take a pole dance class.

When people hear the term ‘pole dance’ a lot of people will instantly think of shady strip clubs. But pole dancing is a style of dance that has grown in popularity in recent years and has become more about the fitness, gymnastics and skill involved.

This first time I can remember talking about pole dance was back at college, and my friend suggested we look into going to a class. It was a bit of a joke at the time and we never took it any further than just a quick conversation about it. It wasn’t until I went to uni and got chatting to my friend Hollie that I actually began to realise what was involved, the popularity of pole dancing and how different it the image I had in my head.

Hollie and I met through university and both share a love of dancing. Whilst I’ve tended to stick to the more theatrical styles (ballet/jazz/disco etc) she’s much more adventurous at trying out new styles and joined our university’s pole society. Seeing all her pictures on facebook, hearing her stories and seeing how much fun she has had with pole dancing has made me want to try it for a while.

The only think that stopped me was my self-confidence issues and my fear of failure. Which is silly really when you think about it, and you read the guest post Hollie wrote for me (if you haven’t already, you can read it here) about how pole has helped her gain her confidence.

This year, I decided, is the year I get over my fear of failing, my lack of confidence and I give pole a go!

Credit

My intention was just to sign up to a beginner’s taster session one of my dance schools runs every few months and give pole a go that way, just to see if I enjoyed it. But in the run up to the start of their next 6 week term of classes the owner opened up a competition to win a place on the next course. I decided to enter on the off chance; I wasn’t really expecting to win. But I did! And I was really excited to get started.

As the start of the course drew nearer, I started to get a bit nervous. Although I know what pole dancing is about, I wasn’t sure what to expect in the class, what to wear, whether I’d be any good at it, or whether I’d enjoy it. I shouldn’t have worried at all.

When I turned up on the night, there were eight other ladies waiting with me to get started. Only 3 of the had taken a pole class before, the rest were all like me; complete beginners, nervous and terrified of what to expect. We sat in the near silence in the changing room before the start of the class, the room filled with tension.

Ellouise, our teacher, was brilliant when she walked into the room. She gave us a little pep talk, told us what was going to happen over the six week course, to relax and not to worry. We were there to have fun after all!

The class started with a little cardio dance warm up which was really simple and fun to do, then we got to meet our new friends for the first time. The poles.

Our starting move was a hold. I’m sure it had a proper name, and I wish I could remember it, but there was so much to remember it’s slipped my mind. Sorry! Anyway, the hold, we leant our chests against the pole, wrapped our hands around the poles and then lifted our legs up. Our thighs and our hands were holding all of our body weight up in the air.

Lifting your feet off the floor on that first attempt is a very scary moment. I was so nervous that I was going to fall that I was gripping on so tight, but I managed to hold myself up there for a little while.

We then progressed from the starting hold into a hold with a slide down to the floor on the end, a spin move down to the floor and then the moves combined with some walking steps. It was at this point that I was beginning to think the pole and I weren’t going to be friends. That pole wasn’t going to be a new dance style for me.

I was so nervous and worried that I was going to fall and hurt myself, that I couldn’t bring myself to loosen my grip and do the slides/spins properly. I struggled a lot. But Ellouise and the rest of the girls were brilliant at encouraging you to keep trying things, and to relax. I kept trying and saw a little improvement, but my grip hold wasn’t going away.

The final move of the night was, I think, called the Carousel (but I could be wrong) and it was by far my favourite move of the night. It involved stepping around the pole, then pivoting on one foot round the pole and going into a back bend.

I loved this move so much. I achieved it without many corrections on the first attempt, and I kept managing to get it right. It really boosted my confidence. Maybe the pole and I could develop a friendship after all?

After a little stretch and a cool down, I left the class on a high and now I’m really looking forward to going back next week to see what Ellouise has in store for us. I know I need to work on loosing my grip, and hopefully I can do that next week.

Overall, I’m pleased I decided to give pole a go, it was definitely a new experience and something I shouldn’t have been worried about trying for all these years. Lets see how the next few weeks go.

Sarah x 

My Beginner's Pointe Experience

Credit to: balleradance

Going en pointe is something a lot of dancers aspire to achieve. It's something I've always wanted to do, but never thought I'd have the chance. I didn't start ballet until I was 19 years old, and even then I wasn't training full time so I thought pointe would only ever be a dream for me. Until this year.

When I signed up to my new dance course in April, they teacher told me they had a beginners pointe workshop coming up in June and I signed up as soon as I could. I was really excited.

I've spent a lot of time reading up on pointe, and watching YouTube videos about how best to prepare for pointe, what to expect at your first pointe shoe fitting and in your first pointe class. The info I read was brilliant at keeping me calm and helping me to understand what to expect throughout the process.

So today, I'd like to share with you my first experience of pointe and some to tips for those who aspire to go en pointe.

Pointe Shoe Fitting

It's important when buying a pair of pointe shoes that you get them properly fitted, don't buy them over the internet. There are so many different brands, designs, style, sizes, widths to consider, you need to get yourself properly fitted so that you don't injure yourself. Find a qualified pointe shoe fitter with a good reputation to make sure the fit you get is right. Your teacher, or other dancers at your school, may be able to recommend one.

I went to Tip Toes Dance Supplies in Morpeth after reading some really good reviews on line, and was in the store for a good forty five minutes trying to find the perfect shoes for me.

My fitter, Heather, was lovely and really supportive throughout it all. She's a pointe dancer herself which was really helpful, she encouraged me to be really vocal with here, and there was no pressure at all for me to buy from her if I didn't think the shoes were right for me. She talked me through all the different options of padding to put inside my shoes, the different types of shoes I could get, how they should fit, what I should or shouldn't be feeling, and the benefits of wearing elastics and ribbons on my shoes.

I went to my pointe shoe fitting wearing clothes similar to what I'd dance in, i.e. a pair of tights. You don't have to turn up in a leotard, but if you wear tights in the studio, wear them to your fitting so you know the shoes will fit you properly.

It also helped when we came to doing some pliées and going onto pointe (while holding onto things) during the fitting. If I'd turned up in jeans, it would have made moving and bending a lot harder and I wouldn't have been able to see how good the shoes actually were.

In the end I opted for some ouch pouches to protect my toes, elastics and ribbons to my shoes and went for a pair of Bloch Serenade pointe shoes. They were the second style shoe I'd tried on but we went through a few different sizes before we found the right pair. They're perfect!

Sewing Ribbons and Elastics

I must admit, I'm a complete newbie to sewing. My Mum has always stitched my clothes if they needed it, and sewed my elastics onto my soft ballet shoes in the past. This part of the process I was not looking forward to.

It's really important to make sure the ribbons and elastics are on right so as not to damage your foot. I took to YouTube to watch some videos on how to do it and found there's loads of really good advice out there.  So I came in from work one night, set myself up at the kitchen table with everything I'd need, YouTube video ready and began to sew.

2 and a half hours later I finished.

It's such a fiddly process. You have to measure where on the shoes you need your ribbons to be and mark them. Measure how long you need you ribbons to be to be able to tie them. My ribbons had elastics built into them to protect my tendons so I had to make sure they were in the right place. You then had to cut the ribbons and seal the ends so they don't fray. Then do the same with the elastics. Make sure that your stitches don't stop the elastic string from doing their job.

It took ages, but it actually felt quite relaxing. Something to do and focus on for a few hours. It's definitely a good challenge.

My First Class

I had my first pointe class the other day, and it was just so much fun. It was only an hour long, and we only spent about 20 minutes of that actually in pointe shoes, but it was more than enough.

Pointe is a lot harder than dancing in soft ballet shoes. Your feet and toes are very restricted, you're putting a lot more strain on your ankles, and you have to re-learn pretty much everything you already knew.

I underestimated how hard pointe was going to be. I was sweating and aching by the end of the class.

Our focus of the class was on strength. We started off dancing strength exercises for our feet and ankles in soft ballet shoes, before we switched into our pointe shoes. When we put on our pointes we never left the barre, and the exercises again were focused on strength, breaking in our shoes and getting used to going over our toes.

Whilst I didn't get to do anything fancy en pointe, and it'll be a long time before I'm doing an entire routine en pointe, my first class was great fun and I can't wait to give it another go.

My Top Tips for Pointe

• Find a qualified and reputable pointe shoe fitter
• Be vocal during your fitting
• Don't be afraid to walk away without purchasing anything if the shoes aren't right for you
• Check with your teacher that your shoes are ok before you stitch anything
• Listen to the advice your teacher gives - they know what's best
• Even if you can do 10 pirouettes perfectly in a row, don't expect to be doing them en pointe on day 1 - you need to learn the basics again
• Listen to your teacher and your body - if something hurts, stop. You don't want to injure yourself
• Stitching takes a long time - make sure you're not doing it in a rush and have no distractions
• Build up your strength at home
• Enjoy every moment of it

Sarah x

Disclaimer: I am not a ballet teacher, or a professional dancer, nor do I hold any dance/ballet qualifications. The opinions/views expressed in this post are entirely from my own experiences. Before going en pointe speak to your teacher to make sure you are ready and listen to their advice.

Guest Post: Hollie - Pole dancing and burlesque, a journey in confidence and body image

Hey everyone! Today I have a very special guest post from a friend of mine, Hollie. She's here today to share her story on how pole dancing and burlesque helped her with her confidence and body image. Hope you all enjoy!

Credit to: Faceiro Photography

Think Hermione from Harry Potter or Sandy at the start of Grease and you get the idea of what I was like before pole and burlesque entered my life. I was (and still am to an extent) a nerdy introvert, but now I'm happy enough to strut my stuff on stage and am a lot more outgoing. So how did the transformation start??

I started pole dancing just before entering my final year as an undergraduate at Northumbria University in 2011. This was as a result of agreeing with friends that we wanted to try some form of dance and pole seemed like fun. We all signed up and went along to our first class. I was hooked straight away and have regularly attended lessons ever since, going to different studios as and when I have moved to study. These days I'm a qualified instructor regularly teaching in Nottingham.

What influenced me to start burlesque was my love of the film 'Burlesque' and the performer Dita Von Teese. The film and performer made me interested in the art form so I ended up going to see a show in Newcastle when I was studying for my undergraduate degree. I also went along to a workshop which was interesting, but I was never brave enough to regularly go to classes until last year. I moved to Nottingham in 2013 to study for a PhD and thanks to new friends I ended up doing a pole performance as part of a burlesque showcase for 'The Scarlet Ribbon School Of Burlesque' in 2014. That was the push I needed to start regularly attending burlesque lessons; all thanks to meeting the lovely ladies at the showcase and them making me realise that yes I can do this!

Credit To: Hollie Harvey

Pole and burlesque are lots of fun and strangely addictive. Pole because of the adrenaline factor in learning new moves and burlesque because you can be whoever you want to be and the act of taking items of clothing off onstage is very daring even if it is only gloves that you remove.

Both pole and burlesque have a real sense of community and it is like joining a family rather than just making friends, which is one of the major benefits you gain a support network of strong ladies (and men). Another benefit is fitness, they are a real workout, in pole you are often holding your own weight and in burlesque running through routines really builds stamina. I have dropped 3 dress sizes in 4 years of pole dancing and gained a whole load of muscle as well as flexibility which helps with the dancing in Burlesque.

Pole has helped my confidence as well as body image by making me appreciate what my body is capable of. When I first started pole I was learning new things every week, it still amazes me that one week I can do something I couldn't last week! Gaining that strength and control is so empowering.
Burlesque makes you focus on how you move your body and what looks flattering. You get to see yourself in the best light possible which makes you feel sexy and really feminine which for me was a real confidence boost as well.

Another way that both pole and burlesque helped with my body image was realizing that we come in all shapes and sizes, and guess what...they all deserve to be celebrated!! In burlesque this is particularly highlighted as it really celebrates the female form. Everyone has something they don't like about themselves but what is more important is that everyone has something they do like. I think that unless you do a form of dance you can miss out on developing a real appreciation of what real women look like. The image in society a lot is based on magazines; this is something that is really difficult to explain.

Credit to: Vapour Trail Photography

Both pole and burlesque have helped improve my confidence so much because they encouraged me to be more outgoing and stop being as shy as I was. Performing added a whole other level of confidence. Having the courage to get up on stage and overcome those nerves made me realize I can do more than I thought possible. It has been so long since I did my first pole performance now I can't remember exactly what that was like, but I do know that I am still petrified every time before the music starts. Competing was again different as it brings another level of pressure with being judged and marked on what you do.

The first pole competition I did was in March 2014 and I was entered in the advanced category (no pressure there then!) this made me focus and actually improved my confidence as it made me realise how far I had come and what I was capable of. My first burlesque performance was in December 2014; again the nerves were really bad but the adrenaline and sudden confidence as I became someone else for those few minutes was the most amazing thing.

Since becoming a pole dance instructor in October last year my confidence has soared. One of my biggest fears as an introvert is standing up in front of a crowd and talking so leading a class for the first time was petrifying but I did it and now I'm totally in control (I'd like to think) and confident up there these days.

So that is my story and ongoing journey to improved self-confidence and body image :)

Many thanks to all the pole and aerial studios I have trained in based in Newcastle, Durham and Nottingham (there are far too many to mention)

A massive thank you to 'The Scarlet Ribbon School Of Burlesque'

xxxxxx

My Summer Plans

Today I sat my last management level case study exam and, all being well and I pass it, that means I get the summer off exams and college! I can't remember the last time I had this long off studying. But a summer off means I get to make summer plans. Here's what I hope to do:

Pointe

As a dancer it's always been a dream of mine to go on pointe, to own a pair of those beautiful shoes. This year I get the chance. I'm booked onto my first ever pointe class, and now just need to arrange my pointe shoe fitting. I'm so excited.

France

This year I get a proper holiday. Two weeks relaxing by the Pool in France. I haven't been abroad since 2007, and after the busyness that has been the last few years a fortnight doing very little is exactly what I need. We've booked two beautiful cottages, one right near the beach, another further in land and I can't wait to get away from home for a while.

Birthday Celebrations

The summer is always a good time of year for me as it's my birthday! This year it's even better because it's the Sunday of bank holiday weekend, meaning I get a long weekend off work. No concrete plans yet, but I foresee plenty of meals out, cocktails and quality time with loved ones. Exciting!

Boulevard

Boulevard is a burlesque show in Newcastle that I've been longing to go to for a few years now. When debating where to go for our last work's night, one of the girls and I suggested here but then decided that we'd save this for a girls only summer night out. Drinks, dancing and laughter is sure to be fun.

Reading

I started the year with a list of books I wanted to read. I think I've managed to read only one. I'm very disappointed in myself, but college unfortunately took over my life. I want to fall back in love with my Kindle and start to make a dint in my reading list.

TV/Film

Again, my TV shows have been neglected whilst I've been at college. I can't wait to continue working  my way through Pretty Little Liars, and getting up to speed on Vikings. There's also a few good films out this summer I can't wait to see, and my Now TV box that's feeling very unloved.

Health and Fitness

With a summer of no college, I have no excuses not to focus my attention on getting fit and healthy. I can get back to the gym, get back on track with loosing my winter weight and improve my flexibility and strength a lot more.

Blogging

I have a list of blog posts that I keep adding to quicker than I write them, and a new camera that's dying to be used for some new photos. I'm going to do as much as I can over the summer, and plan ahead for the rest of the year.

So far I have only a few definite plans, but I'm sure there'll be a lot more adventures with my friends and family to come. Here's to a brilliant summer! (And fingers crossed I passed my exam so I can enjoy it all)

Sarah x

January in Pictures

1. Back to College!

I've now started my sixth CIMA module and have my exam in 22 days. Very scary thought!

2. Late Christmas Presents from Omar

Although he'd already got me a Christmas, Omar decided to surprise me with a lovely pair of silver heart stud earrings. A lovely gift from a lovely boyfriend.

3. Finished Book 1 of my 2015 Reading Challenge

I finished My Side of Life, by Shane Filan. The first book of my 2015 challenge. Check out my review here

4. Used my cute little egg cup and spoon for the first time

Chris bought me these egg cups as a house warming gift ages ago, and I finally got round to making soft boiled eggs. The cups and spoons are so cute.

5. Back to the Gym and Dance

It's time to get fit and healthy. I've gone back to the gym, I'm watching what I eat and so far I've lost just under 5 lbs. Good start to the year.

Sarah x

Song Sunday - A Drop in the Ocean

A Drop in the Ocean

by Ron Pope

This song is without a doubt one of my favourite songs of all time. I first heard it on an episode of Vampire Diaries and had to download it. I love the emotion behind the song, I love Ron Pope's voice and I just love the song. When I finally get enough time in a studio on my own I have choreography in my head that I just can't wait to try out against this song.

Sarah x

September Monthly Round Up

Wow! I can't believe how long it is since I did a monthly round up (July was my last) and how lazy I've been since I got back from holiday with no weekly weigh in posts. I'm rubbish. I apologise.

Goal Number 1 - Complete Managerial Level of my CIMA Qualification

Since I completed the operational level in July, this is a new updated goal. Managerial level is level 2 of the qualification and today I've just finished the tuition courses for the two modules I'm sitting in November. I think I've pushed myself a bit far, opting to do two at once but I think it's going well. I have two mock exams to do this week which should give me an indication of how I'm getting on, and then it's just revision revision revision until exam day. Fingers crossed!

Goal Number 2 - Move into my Own Home

I can't wait for this goal to be gone, and hopefully by the end of October it will be. I got a phone call on Thursday to say it was 98% complete and should be 100% complete by the end of next week, so there's no reason I won't be in by the end of October....I'll believe it when I get there though. I have been inside and seen it so I know progress is being made but it's taking far too long for my liking.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a Stone in Weight

I don't even know where I currently stand on this. I haven't been on the scales in a good few weeks. I won't be surprised to see a gain, I've been lazy and I know I have. I can't remember the last time I was at the gym, and my diet has been all over the place. But from this week I'm going back to the gym, I'm going to be good and I'm going to get my dancers body back. I've joined the professional dance class permanently now so if I want the chance of performing in public from it I need to get my fitness up, so no more excuses.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

I'm getting there. Slowly and surely. I've been doing lots of stretching at dance to help, my leg hold is getting better and I'm managing to lift my leg into the hip flexor stretch (picture before for reference), something that I've always struggled with. I can definitely feel the stretch getting deeper and hopefully I will get this by the end of the year. It's on my bucket list so I better.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

Although my cooking hasn't been tested out much recently, my mind is spinning with food ideas I can't wait to try. I have a long list of recipes ready for when I get into the flat, and I'm getting more adventurous with my food choices so hopefully my food vocabulary will expand. I'm also getting bored of eating the same things all the time, which is very unusual for me so hopefully I'll be motivated to start experimenting as soon as I get my keys.

Plan for October

For many people October is stoptober, a chance to either give up smoking or drinking for an month to improve your health. I don't smoke, and I very rarely drink, so my stoptober is to stop making excuses. I'm notorious for making them. Whether it by why I didn't go to the gym, why I ate that piece of chocolate cake, why I haven't done any revision, I make them a lot. But I'm going to stop. No more excuses. That's the plan.

Sarah x

Weigh in - 22nd July

It's safe to say, I'm really struggling to move today. I went to visit my new job last week and was rather impressed so I joined. It's not very big but every time I've been since it's been very quiet, which is definitely a selling point for me. I haven't signed up for any classes yet, but I do plan to. For now I'm just working on getting back into a gym routine. In less than a week I've managed 3 gym sessions and a dance class. So I think I'm doing rather well.

I went to my first professional dance class last night and it was so much fun but I really am suffering today. I don't know how I've managed it but I seem to have pulled something in my back. Not ideal but it does seem to be easing. It was remarkably good after my gym session tonight which I was very surprised at, I'll probably regret the decision to go and workout though if I'm struggling even more in the morning. But overall it was a good session and has given me a lot to of areas improve on.

I don't think the gym is the reason behind this but, the extra weight I gained last week I've lost. To loose it so easily I'm pretty sure it was just water weight, but I'm not going to complain if it means I've got back to my maintain level. I've just got to keep going and hopefully my routine will fall back into place soon.

All in all a relatively good week.

Weigh In - 15th July

The last week has been pretty rubbish if I'm honest. Getting my exam results was definitely a highlight, and going out celebrating on Friday night was fun, but Saturday and Sunday were just days I'd quite like to forget very quickly.

Despite my rubbish few days, I'm proud of myself for not cheering myself up with food. If anything, I went the opposite way and just didn't eat enough. But anyway, today was weigh in day (because I forgot yesterday again...I'll get better at remembering I promise), and it wasn't good. For the first time in a while the range I'd set myself as being an acceptable maintaining limit was exceeded.

I'm really annoyed that I've gone over, but the only thing I can blame is my laziness by not going to the gym. So it's time to snap out of that mentality and get myself back there.

If only my possible new gym would answer their emails about membership and that would be sorted.

If they don't respond tomorrow I'll just have to continue at my current gym until I get sorted. But I really do need to get back to do something.

Last night was supposed to be my last night at dancing until September, but a great opportunity came up and I was invited to join the professional group for a conditioning/strengthening/flexibility class during the holidays. I'm so excited. My teacher said we'd go over some of the professional routines they've done for their exhibitions/conferences/parties etc so hopefully I might be able to prove I can keep up and be asked to join permanently.

But to do that, I really do need to make the effort to get back in shape, so it's definitely gym time.

No more excuses.

Weigh in - 8th July

I haven't got much to say in these weigh in weeks at the moment. I'm still on track to keep maintaining for the next few weeks until I get into my flat. So I'm rather pleased, especially since I've been slacking on the gym. A combination of long work hours and a bad back has made it pretty hard to get to the gym.

I've made the decision to switch gyms, my current one is very basic, not very welcoming and doesn't feel motivating at all, and have spent time researching different ones in my new area. I've made the decision to join one that's a short drive away, but has a wide range of classes on offer, more variety of machines and equipment to use, and is still reasonably priced. I'm going to try and book an induction this week if I can, if not I might wait until I move and get settled to make the switch.

I'm so achy off dancing yesterday. My lovely teacher decided we needed to do a lot of stretching so had us doing all sorts, and now I'm very stiff and achy. Only downside to the whole day was my knee beginning to pull and hurt again because I'd forgotten my knee pads. Note to self: be better organised.

I'm hoping the combination of my back hurting and my knee pulling isn't a sign of what my old age is going to be like.

Weigh in - 1st July & June Monthly Round Up

Happy 1st July everyone!

I seem to have gotten into the habit of being so unmotivated by Monday mornings that I forget to get on the scales, and it's normally when I get to work that I realise I've missed my weigh in. So here's to another weigh in Tuesday, and another maintaining week.

I'm actually really surprised I didn't put on this week. My diet hasn't been very good over the last week and with quarter end close at work meaning I had to work till 7pm every night, I didn't manage to get to the gym. The only saviour I had was my dance class and then dance show on Sunday.

My show went really well. We were second on stage so there wasn't much time for nerves, and I didn't mess anything up. It was such a great feeling to be back on stage, I didn't realise how much I'd missed performing until I did it again. I want to try and get back into performing more regularly again, maybe join a dance group for parties/conferences etc? Need to completely sort myself out though to be able to do that so once I get into the flat I need to have a big reorganisation of everything and sort myself out so I could maybe try and do more.

Goal Number 1 - Complete the Operational Level of my CIMA Qualification

Only 9 more days and I will finally know the answer to whether I have achieved this or not. I'll be over the moon if I have, and absolutely devastated if I hadn't. Fingers crossed!

Goal Number 2 - Move into my own Home

After the momentary excitement of a possible June move in date, I'm now back to waiting and waiting and waiting. The plan is July to move in but I'm yet to get that in writing. The novelty of buying a flat sure runs out after 7 months of waiting.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a stone in weight

Still ongoing, but as I'm not putting weight on I'll say we're making good progress. As I've said before, as soon as I get into the flat and I can control all my food, do more outdoor running and get to the gym more.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

So I haven't got my splits, but I have managed to get my leg hold! I'm really proud that I've managed this, and I'm getting closer and closer to my splits. I just need to work on getting my legs straighter and hopefully both my splits and leg hold will be so much better.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

I've made my own tea a few times this month as my parents have been out with other people. My most exciting dinner was piri piri chicken kebabs with potato salad which was lovely, although the potatoes were slightly under cooked. I made enough to get me through lunch at work the next day too.

Plan for July

Plan for July is to get into my house, pass my exam, and sort myself out. Look into changing gyms, plan my meals and exercise routine, and get back to a normal sleeping pattern. I miss setting my alarm for 7am. 5:50am is farr too early to be getting up for work.

Weigh In - 9th June & 100 Happy Days...Day 94

Despite this week being another maintaining week, I actually had a great NSV today. Went to get change into my dance stuff for class tonight (which was such a great class) I found that my leggings where extremely comfortable today, my leotard didn't feel like it was confining me in places, and my tshirt hung nicely. I looked in the mirror at one point and thought, wow you have lost weight. The scales just didn't agree however.

Last week I got back to the gym and changed up my routine a little to do some interval training. I've read a lot about interval training in the past, and my boyfriend has tried to convince me to do some before but I've never considered doing it myself. Last week was my first try and I loved it. The time passed a lot quickly because I was only ever focusing on doing something for 2 minutes maximum.

I alternated between a leisurely walk to get my heart rate normal again, 1 minute sprints or 1 minute walking on a really high incline. I don't tend to do much incline work so I really struggled with this, I could feel my knee pulling slightly, but the whole workout was so much harder and more enjoyable than what I had been doing. I was still feeling the after-workout feeling when I got to bed that night too much was a great feeling. My best advice though if you're doing this on a treadmill is to not turn the speed up too high on your sprints, there's a chance you may fall off (I nearly did!).

I took a week out of logging my food last week as it was becoming more of a chore than something I enjoyed, I'm going to start back today and get back into the habit. I didn't go crazy on what I ate on my week off, I was pretty good, I just didn't want to write it down.

I've also started using an app called Water Balance which works out how much water you should drink on a daily basis and lets you log it. I used to think I was pretty good at meeting my limit but since I've started logging I've realised I'm not. According to the app I should be drinking 2.4litres a day...I'm lucky if I get half of that. I definitely need to cut back on the Diet Coke and Milk (I love milk so this will be hard) and get more water in my diet.

So, although the scale didn't show a loss I think this week's been pretty good. Here's to another good one.

100 Happy Days...Day 94

Presents from my Mum. My favourite moisturiser ran out the other week and when I went to get a replacement I was told that No7 had discontinued it. I was absolutely gutted and until I find something I really like I've been borrowing my Mum's. But to my amazement, she came home from work today with a bottle from the Boots near where she works. They didn't know anything about the product being discontinued and had some left in stock. So happy and can't wait to put this on in the morning. Thank you Mum!

May Monthly Round Up, 3rd May Weigh In & 100 Happy Days...Day 91

I can't believe how quick this year is going, it's already June! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?

I'll apologies now that this is going to be a bit of a long one, I missed my weigh in yesterday and I'm a little late on the round up so thought it'd be better to combine them together. So, here goes...

Goal Number 1 - Complete the Operational Level of my CIMA Qualification

I finished my exam! Yey! I can now have a normal life back. I just have the long wait until result day. So for now, I'm not marking this off as complete until it's passed, but fingers crossed that will be soon.

Goal Number 2 - Move into my own Home

The wait for my flat is now starting to get boring. I understand how pregnant woman feel when they're fed up and just want it to be the day you've spent so long waiting for. I still don't have a roof on my flat, the move in date has been pushed back to July (no exact date as of yet), and I'm getting a bit tired of constantly being asked questions about it. Plus, fridge/freezer shopping is not a fun shopping trip. I'm hoping not much longer now.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a stone in weight

Ok so here goes my weigh in. I gained a little this week, but as I've proved the last few I can loose it again. I'm back at dancing and the gym, when I stop being an idiot and forgetting things I need to go, like my sports bra or my trainers. I need to be better organised and pack my back the night before not on a morning when I'm rushing around crazy. After not being to the gym in a while I was surprised that I hadn't lost my running ability as much as I had previously. This slow build up I've been doing must be working.

I've been doing ab exercises maybe once a week around revision and although my ab appearance probably doesn't look as it did after my challenge, I've still got quite a lot of the strength. I'm just going to keep going, up the amount of exercises I'm doing each week and hopefully get back into a weight loss streak.

I'm going to a Christening in July and plan on wearing something I already own to save money. I have a few things in mind for what I'd like to wear, but I'm not sure they'll be a good fit. I'll try them on at the weekend and make a decision, they might motivate me a bit more to make sure I look good in them.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

I'm still working on this and found some new stretch advice to follow. This was a Pinterest post I found that has been a great help.

I also found this which I'm quite enjoying too. These stretches feel really good.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

I've not made anything really fancy this month. My most adventurous cooking attempt was to take some chicken breasts and coat them in a Maggie's So Juicy Mixed Herbs spices (rather than cooking them in the bag in the oven) to be cooked on the barbecue. They were very tasty.

Plan for June

June's plan is to get back into a gym routine. I've been very lazy the last month and that's not good. I'm going to go for 2 gym workouts a week and then dancing as extra. The only downfall I see is it being quarter end at work and that cutting into gym time for the last week of the month. I'll just have to be extra good when I can't get to the gym.

My dance show is soon so if I can improve my core strength and flexibility a bit by then that would be great too.

And to round us off, a bit of 100 Happy Days - Day 91

Pinterest posts making you smile. So I just set up my Pinterest account, go check it out if you get time, and this post popped up on my feed today and it made me smile. A Lhasa Apso as an Ewok. It reminded me so much of my Gemma that I had to smile. How cute.

Weigh In - 26th May and my Moment of Realisation

Another 1 lb gone this week! No idea how or what I did differently this week to the last few but I'm very very pleased.

This week is a new week, I'm done studying for a while now so it's back to focusing on the gym and stretching. I have two new stretching programs to follow for helping me get my splits, and improving my back flexibility, but I'm going to blog about them another day.

Today is more about a change in attitude and my moment of realisation.

Last week I faced the dilemma of having to decide what to wear to dance class. Normally I opt for just my leotard, leggings and a baggy-ish T-shirt as a cover up. It's a contemporary class so we don't have a strict uniform which suits me fine as I can wear what I'm comfortable to wear. The problem last week was the really high temperatures which would have meant I'd have been melting in my usual attire. So what to wear?

I'd spent the day revising in just a pair of shorts and a t-shirt cause it was so warm. Despite feeling comfortable to do that I didn't have the confidence to go to dancing in my shorts. So I changed into a pair of leggings and a top that I normally run in, made from a material designed to keep you cool. It was a sensible option, I did feel cool but a comment at dancing made me realise how stupid I was.

One of the younger girls (she's 14) turned up to class in a pair of shorts but with ballet tights on underneath because she didn't feel comfortable wearing shorts without them. To which one of the older girls (aged 18) replied "you're just coming to dance, you shouldn't care about what you look like, you're going to be a mess by the end anyway"...and I thought to myself, you know what, she's right.

Who'd have cared if I'd turned up at class in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt? Yes I wouldn't have been the slimmest there or the girl with the best pair of legs. But, I'd have been cool and I'd have been able to dance, and that was all that mattered. And that was why we were all there at the end of the day, to dance.

So that was my moment of realisation that my self-confidence had reached such a level that I would rather change into something I was likely to be less-cooler in out of fear of what other people would think of me in something that showed off a bit more flesh. How stupid is that?

Very, is the answer.

Now I'm not saying that since this point my self-confidence is at a level where I'd happily walk out of the house in a bikini and not care what anyone else thought, because I know that's just not going to happen. But I'm definitely not going to let fear of what other people think hold me back from getting to where I want to be in life.

So this week, when I go to the gym I'm not going to think about how I look or what other people think when they see me. I'm going to go and push myself to the absolute limits because otherwise, what's the point in going?

I am going get the body I want, it may take time and I may look amazing while I do it, but I'm doing it and that's what matters.



100 Happy Days...Day 85

Thoughtful presents from family - My Auntie was very kind to give me a huge box cleaning products she'd been buying and saving for me ready for my move in date. It was just little things like sponges, bathroom cleaner, kitchen cleaner etc but it was such a thoughtful gift for her to give. Thank you very much, and Happy Birthday Uncle Ted!

Weigh in - 28th April

I am very pleased to announce, another 1.2 lbs loss this week. I'm now pretty much back where I started at the beginning of the month, but I'm not going to complain because that extra weight I ate from feeling sorry for myself is now gone and I'm looking to the future and not backwards.

I was back at dancing last week, training hard for our performance. It's amazing how much progress the ab challenge has helped me make at class. Our core ab exercises are a lot easier now than they were in January and it's definitely helping with my technique. I've still got a long way to go though, but thankfully I'm feeling quite motivated.

After coming up with 101 reasons why not to go to the gym on Thursday, I talked myself into going and managed a 20 min cardio workout and some leg presses. My head wasn't in it so I didn't fully achieve what I should have done but an 8 min run non-stop was good. I'm getting closer to that 10 min run, it's just taking longer than I'd hoped for. (I'm still not falling in love with running).

I'm now in the 4 week lead up to my exam which means there's going to be less working out for the next few weeks and more studying. I'm still going to aim to dance once a week, and one gym session but work has to take priority for a while. My weakness is going to be snacking. I like to eat whilst I study and I normally just grab chocolate/biscuits/cakes etc, but I'm going to keep my goal in my mind throughout and opt for the fruit option as best I can. I'm determined this study session wont put weight on my, if I have to I'll maintain but I'm still going for a loss.

I now have only 2 more days to go on my 30 day challenges. I'll take the last progress pictures on Thursday morning and when I do my monthly round up we'll all be able to judge if there's a difference in the photographs.

Happy Monday everyone!

100 Happy Days...Day 63

Having a lightbulb moment. In preparation for my exam I've been studying today and finally had that 'ding' moment when calculating NPVs on projects, including tax & interest rates. The concept behind it is all finally making sense, and I'm actually kind of excited to do some more. Yes I know it's not the most exciting topic but as an accountant, I'm allowed to get excited over such things.

100 Happy Days...Day 58

Day 58 - Seeing progress

So today I was back at dance after a few weeks off and I'm very pleased to say that my 30 day challenge has majorly helped me at class today. We do lots of core exercises and normally I struggle through them, but today I managed to complete the exercises with only a little bit of wobbling throughout. So pleased with how much progress I've made with this challenge so far. 1 more week to go!

100 Happy Days...Day 51

Day 51 - Dance inspiration

As it's the Easter holidays there was no dancing tonight, so I'm getting my weekly dance fix through videos on Youtube. Stumbled across this video which has provided some inspiration for a routine of my own.

Weigh in - 17th March

After my weekend of celebrating and drinking I'm not surprised the scales didn't drop again this morning...but at least they aren't going up!

Last week was good up until I started the birthday celebrations. I did my little gym routine on Monday and Tuesday, and then dancing again on Wednesday. I'd planned on a third gym session on Thursday but that never came about.

Dancing on Wednesday was great fun, as always. I much prefer being in the studio to being in the gym but unfortunately that isn't an option. As I said the other day, I found out I was going to be in a dance show at the end of June which has motivated me more to work a bit harder and stretch more.

I've been good today and declined an offer to go out for food tonight and went to the gym instead. And before bed I will be doing some stretches with my theraband. I'm determined this week is going to be a very good week. Gym again tomorrow night, dancing on Wednesday, gym Thursday and then on Friday I will resist ordering takeaway with my boyfriend and will make us something nice and healthy instead. I might even be very dedicated and go to the gym on Sunday after college...let's see how I get on.

On my run today I managed to get up to 6 mins non-stop, another little step forward towards my 10 min target. I still don't particularly enjoy running but it was nice to know that is probably the longest I've run in one period for a very long time. If only I could control my breathing better and then maybe I'd find the run a bit easier.

I don't quite know why but I really struggle with breathing when I'm running. I do my best to try and control how I breath and when but that seems to make it worse...the more I think about it the worse it gets. I also struggle with breathing when I'm stretching...to the point my boyfriend and dance teacher have both had to shout at me and remind me to breath because I just seem to forget. Strange, I know, but it happens. So if anyone has any tips on breathing whilst exercising please let me know, I'd really appreciate it.

Anyway, theraband time!

100 Happy Days - Day 21 - My doggy

My little doggy is almost 17 years old and may be really struggling at times, but she can still have her half hours of madness and make me smile. After a mad little dash around the house tonight she cuddled up next to my seat wanting an ear scratch and a belly rub...such a therapeutic thing for both me and her. Love you Gemma.

100 Happy Days....Day 9

Day 9 - Dancing

I love dancing. I've dance since I was little learning; tap, disco, cheerleading and musical theatre until I was fourteen. I had to stop for family reasons in my early teens but really missed the sense of freedom and enjoyment I get through it all. Starting back at uni gave me the chance to get back into dancing and I've now been learning ballet, jazz and contemporary for almost 3 years. My ballet/jazz class got cancelled so I'm now focusing on contemporary and hope to be in a show later in the year. I can't wait. I'm hoping I get to try out some new dance styles later this year. Pole, aerial and hip-hop are definitely high on my list.