And I am inspired...

At work yesterday I interviewed a woman who is hula hooping her way up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the charity I work for (World Cancer Research Fund) because she has two close friends battling cancer.
She is taking the Lemosho Route, known as the second timers route because it's the longest of the outfield routes, the climb will take eight days, sometimes climbing for six hours at a time and up to approx 12,000 feet every day. Some people suffer terrible sickness and nausea. And this woman, who admits she is 'athletically disinclined', plans to not only climb the mountain but also hula hoop at particular points all the way up and then hula hoop at the summit, despite probably being tired, dirty and in agonizing pain!
I talk to a lot of fundraisers in my job and don't get me wrong, I always enjoy hearing about the amazing things they are doing for us, it always puts a smile on my face.
But talking to this girl made me feel particularly invincable, like anything is possible.
Her positivity was amazing, I just loved her chipper personality, her 'I can do anything' point of view. Doing something this amazing because it would make her two friends smile. And she is taking Hula Hooping classes in North London! (http://www.ilovehulahooping.com/) I am so going!
But anyway, back to the amazing fundraiser, Julianne McGregor who is 28. She plans to raise £3,350 for WCRF and will climb the mountain this September.
"Like most people, I have close friends and family in my life who are fighting, or have fought, cancer." she said, "They come from all walks of life but the one thing they have in common is an overwhelming positivity in the face of trials and a fantastic sense of humour. At the risk of sounding cheesy, they inspire me every day and brighten the lives of those around them, so I thought it was high time I returned the favour."
She has a youtube channel too, www.youtube.com/hulajules, and will be making videos of her progress as she trains and when she does climb the mountain and you can sponsor her at www.wcrf-uk.org/sponsor.
She's inspired me so much I think I might take up a challenge of my own... any ideas anyone?

So, it's 2010 and I have a New Years resolution or two...

1) Pay off my overdraft (currently only £526 overdrawn so I have high hopes for this one! And yes, I had this one last year, but at the beginning of last year my overdraft was nearer to the £3,000 mark so I feel I have done rather well.) 
2) Improve my finances generally and change the way I spend money.
3) Improve my punctuation.
4) Get back to a more healthier way of living.
5) Start being a bit more crafty, making my own clothes, making jam and chutney, etc (I bet you lot are well excited about your birthday presents now aren't you?!)
6) Get better at this web design thing.

And there are some others, generally about being a more dignified lady (especially at parties) and some other stuff about handling the menfolk better. But that's all a bit too personal to go into here.

So, what are everyone else's New Years resolutions?

Before Christmas, how things in my life are progressing...

Overdraft total = £914. Not bad but nowhere near target. But aside from a little indiscretion in Primark last weekend I really have been very good. New target is by end of March at the very latest.
Health = I have been suffering from a cold for a week (a whole week! Unheard of in my land), I have eaten my entire weight in Quality Street (in fact, I reckon I look like a Quality Street right now) and I have done sod all exercise for a fortnight. I am going to become fat and spotty and horrendous.
Crafty/web design progress = I have made nothing and I have learnt nothing new about how to web design.
Improving punctutuation = Errrrrrm...
Lovelife = I refuse to answer this.
Job = Actually going quite well! However, just one hour and 39 minutes and then I won't have to worry about that for a whole week and a half. WOO HOO!

Cutting down...

Check out this web page from NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Hangover/Pages/Introduction.aspx
I took part in this little test about alcohol consumption and erm, I'm terrified by the results. Apparently "drinking at this level could lead to you developing health and relationship problems."
WHAT?! So I'm on a one way street to liver disease and being alone forever?! 
I don't even think I drink that much, yeah I go out, I'm a young person, but I don't have a drink problem, I drink just as much as everyone else around me, and I only drink socially, I don't need a bottle of wine on a night in while sitting in front of the telly on my own. So, with that in mind I actually drink probably a lot less than some people. So I'm ok, right? 
Well apparently not.
Anyway, I'm now shit scared and I'm going to cut down. This also helps me towards my healthier lifestyle resolution.
This is not an easy task in the festive season but the NHS have kindly given me five tips:
1) Work out a daily limit and stick to it. Wow, this is like AA. Hmmm, shall we say 1 maximum during the week and then three maximum on a Friday or a Saturday?
2) Do more activities that don't involve drinking. Like Hula Hooping? Or maybe I should take Flamenco dancing classes, I quite fancy that.
3) Eat before and while you are drinking
4) Don't let anyone 'top up' your drinks
5) Tell your friends you're cutting down - Friends! I'm cutting down.

Hula hooping across my bedroom.

Hula hoops are fun right? Hula hoops can't cause you any pain. They are just something you played with in the playground at school. Nothing hardcore about a hula hoop.
Well, that would be a very wrong assumption. Hula hoops cause PAIN.
Last night I put on some dance music, some Justice, some Prodigy and some pop too, Girls Aloud is somewhat fun to hula hoop too! I grabbed my new freebie hula hoop and I hula-ed. For an hour. And I can honestly say it was the most hardcore workout I have done in ages. My back, thighs and even my arms are literally killing me today. And my stomach was killing me last night. This is good. When hula-ing in a little crop top last night I could see just how imperfect my stomach was. With a bit more hula-ing,  I am so banishing the belly wobbles. And, according to some nutrition and fitness experts I know, I probably burned about 550 calories, that's nearly five milky way bars!
Ok admittedly I wasn't constantly hula-ing. My abs aren't that amazing. Initially the hula spent more time on the floor than it did twirling around my waist. And there were a fair few times everything went a bit tits up and the hoop smacked me in the face (see, hula hoops cause pain). There was also a bit of a space constraint issue - my room is large but it's not that large. I very nearly sent two glasses of water and a bedside lamp flying.
However, as the hour went on I got better, lots better. I went from barely doing one turn of the hoop to being able to walk/sort of jig around my room keeping the hoop up. Oh my daydreams now, I want to be like Yulia Pikhtina from La Clique who can hula 50 hoops at once, who can hula two hoops on each arm and who I must say is a very firm and pert bottomed lady.

Hula hooping: the future of my fitness regime!

The Salmon Bake went well...

so here's the recipe!

Preparation and cooking time:
40 minutes
Per serving:
Calories: 468kcal
Fat: 10.5g
Salt: 1.6g
5 A DAY: 2

Ingredients

(serves 2)

150g/5½oz macaroni or other similar pasta 180g/6oz can salmon 1 teaspoon mixed herbs (or a handful of fresh basil) 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes Freshly milled black pepper 30g/1oz low-fat cheddar, grated 50g/2oz wholemeal breadcrumbs 25g/1oz pine nuts (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas mark 5.
2. Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the instructions on the packet.
3. Tip the drained salmon into a mixing bowl, break up with a fork, checking for and removing any large bones.
4. Add the mixed herbs (or shredded basil) to the salmon, then add the chopped tomatoes.
5. Drain the pasta and combine with the salmon mixture. Season well with black pepper and place in an ovenproof dish.
6. Sprinkle the cheese, breadcrumbs and pine nuts (if using) over the top. Place in the oven to colour the top and heat through for around 15 to 20 minutes.

Top Tip

While the tomatoes in this recipe do count as two portions of your 5 A DAY, it is worth remembering that consuming a variety of vegetables and fruits is important.

Visit www.wcrf-uk.org/recipes for lots more :) 

On day five, five ways in which I have started to get my life together...

1) I got paid yesterday and put a whole hunk of cash into my overdraft. I am now only £749.52 overdrawn. Not so bad!
2) I have got my mits on a hula hoop (for free) and tonight plan to hula hoop my stomach into oblivion.
3) This morning I did half an hour of yoga instead of being a lazy arse in bed.
4) I actually bothered to shave my legs
5) This lunchtime, I got all my food for the week and spent a tiny weeny £9.33. Tonight I shall make a recipe from the World Cancer Research Fund's budget bites cook book: Salmon pasta bake, which should last me four meals. If it's good, I'll post the recipe tomorrow.