Plans for 2016

My 2016 definitely didn’t start how I wanted it to – I welcomed the New Year with a long lost childhood friend - tonsillitis accompanied by a course of antibiotics. This meant that my New Year’s Eve was spent on the sofa and in a onesie watching the London fireworks. After this small setback I’m now recovering and today I attempted my first workout of the year. Although a 20 minute yoga routine is hardly a tough workout I felt it was a good start after a week in bed and a Christmas of barely being able to eat (this has an upside though – I didn’t put on any weight unlike last year).

It’s only the 4^th of January but I already have some plans for later this year. On the 24^th of April I will be taking part in the ABP Southampton 10k run – a distance I haven’t yet managed to run. This is also a great opportunity for me to fundraise for a charity. The charity I have chosen is Southampton Hospital Charity, but specifically the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Various reasons affected this choice however the main one was the fact that I was born at 32 weeks gestation myself and if it wasn’t for a unit like this one I most definitely wouldn’t be where I am now.

If this run is a success I am hoping to continue training and take part in the Great South Run in October. This run would be another step up for me since it’s 10 miles and not 10k, however this is still a long way away and I’m sure I’ll think of a million excuses why I shouldn’t do it.

Continuing to eat a healthier diet and learning more about nutrition is another one of my plans for this year. A ‘healthy diet’ is often subjective with contradicting information being handed to us left and right. What I consider healthy may be what someone else might imagine the worst thing you could eat and vice versa. I think that nutrition is something that keeps evolving and all we can do is try our best based on what we know. So, what do I know about my diet? Something I knew for years was that I was never a big fan of meat but I kept eating it anyway. Last year I had the revelation that I don’t have to force myself to eat something I don’t really like and I can get the protein I need from other sources. Since July 2015 my intake of meat has significantly decreased – I haven’t eaten meat more than 10 times since and I like it that way. I wouldn’t go as far as calling myself a vegetarian since I do occasionally eat meat – usually when it has been cooked for me or when I’m visiting someone and don’t want to be awkward. I definitely enjoy eating vegetables more and am keen to try new things which is why I preordered Deliciously Ella’s new book and I’m so excited for it to arrive! In 2016 I would therefore like to keep exploring new recipes and eating what I like rather than what other people tell me I should.

So I guess that’s it in terms of fitnessy type plans but I have many other exciting things planned too, like a short holiday in March which will let me get away from the almost constant rain (that’s the plan anyway but knowing my luck the 5 days that I’m there are going to be the only 5 days of rain that month).

I have also started planning things for 2017 (early, I know) and these things will require a LOT of organisation, good time management and working every hour I possibly can if I want it to happen. A work-life balance will therefore be key but I have a rather positive feeling about 2016 ;)