Thread 33 - Lovely Jubbly Jubilee Break, then back to Exams

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting. It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, please don't within this thread. Please also be sensitive when responding to threads about grades.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue.

Our DS/DD may go down various paths (such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will most likely find us within the Further Ed board. Possibly a move to Parent of Adult Children Board in future?
previous thread

Once FM is over today DS will be over the halfway mark.

Crazycrofter can I ask how long did it take to get your mortgage offer through? Meeting is now Friday as we couldn’t do when they could until then. They have changed broker and told him they are holding onto the sale by the skin of their teeth and he wouldn’t put his wife, DC and us through it if he wasn’t confident he can get mortgage second time around. Let’s see, I hope they can but we need to be convinced when we meet him.

Walking is great Seeline, though I know what you mean about the boredom. Areas have developed walking groups (like ParkRuns) but all dependent on what you have around you, but these are great for company with those in similar position.

I can vouch for the cross trainer being less impact on troublesome knees, it's the only cardio type activity I can get DD to do outside water that doesn't hurt her, and yes, extra weight gain does load them more. I also have a husband with 2 knee (same knee) cruciate ligament re-builds so exercise and strengthening surrounding ligaments around the knee/s is key. On that note, using simple bands for 10 mins a day leg exercises to slowly add some resistance could be a start? Doing any HiiT type quick bursts are surprisingly effective at building strength (and burning calories without killing yourself). And you don't have to leave your bedroom.

I am what I call a fat skinny bird. Look okish with slow moderate weight gain over the years, but inside circa 45% body fat, years of statins have been needed, on top of keeping in pre-diabetic mode and attempting to keep blood pressure lower, whilst failing to give up completely the ciggies. Such a fine example to the young :( But I treadmill run 30 mins and do 10 mins of any other stuff x 4 and this just about keeps all but high cholesterol at arms length without further drugs.

Ageing is such a dull slog isn't it? But friendships even harder to build at this stage, but not impossible. I haven't been so great at that.

This is an interesting point. It was the cancellation of GCSEs and being stuck at home in a lockdown that made DS start researching and writing about what became his EPQ. He hadn't signed up for it so it was purely his own interest and my suggestion that he apply to do the EPQ because he had written so much (it was 20,000 words in the end so took some serious editing for EPQ purposes!).

On the other hand, he found Biology very hard to do sitting at home on his own, it really set him back in the subject, he just couldn't motivate himself and found class attendance much better.

DS has finished all his Eng. Lit now - hoorah! He says the extract was terrible, very dull and not enough to write a really good essay on but the multiple texts gothic question was great. Fingers crossed he did enough on the second bit to balance out any shortcomings on the first.

DS has only 3 exams left, the end is creeping closer.

@volterra, our broker told us it could take up to 3 weeks but our offer came in quicker than that - I think it was between 1 and 2 weeks. Fingers crossed for you!

Oh really CrazyCrofter? That’s quick! That isn’t from the very start of application is it ?

Those people wanting to lose weight and get fit, I can absolutely vouch for Joe Wicks free workouts on YouTube.
DH and I started doing them during lockdown and were amazed at the results. (Sadly undone now, because we got complacent and I started eating a lot of the cakes I bake).
I had a knee injury at the beginning of March which is still niggly but he’s just filmed a new set of workouts for total beginners to start their fitness journey, so worth looking at.

crazy, DS had biology 2 this morning - AQA combined higher. He seems a bit flat about it; apparently, there was a question about classification of polar bears he couldn’t answer.

I use Lucy Wyndham-Reed workouts at home, lots of really short ones, mainly low impact or easy to modify (I am significantly overweight, don't have any joint problems but pelvic floor has seen better days). Also do yoga at home but I hate doing any of it when other people are around, I either do it as soon as I get up (I'm nearly always first) or on my day off. Then I started going to aqua-fir a few months ago and also started going to the gym, I have a personal trainer once a week which helps. I still don't do enough overall but am heading in the right direction.

@Volterra yes, from making the application. This was Nationwide so I don’t know if that timeframe relates just to them?

@Alsoplayspiccolo ds has ignored my text asking how it went but has texted dh to say it was easy. However, bear in mind that my ds seems to have committed all the 2019 grade boundaries to memory and knows it’s only 50% for a 7, so ‘easy’ to him can mean he got wrong/left out 40-50%, but he’s confident about the rest. He would probably put the polar bear question to one side as part of that 40-50% and not worry about it!

I need to lose weight and get fit but it feels like too much to concentrate on, what with exams and moving house, so it’s on my autumn ‘to do’ list 😂

I am also very overweight, would love to lose a few stone before DS1's graduation so I can stop avoiding being in any photos! Maybe there are enough of us one here to have a motivational weight loss plan - another area where we can support eachother.

That made me chuckle, crazy! I’m sure he drives you mad at times, but I love your DS’s outlook on exams and life! They do say that it’s a smart way of working - why work harder than you need to?
I always tell people that DS doesn’t break a sweat about anything; he’s known for being relaxed, so much do that he’s been called “ the chilled-back kid”. 🤣

Ohhh if we are doing weight loss/get fit can I join? Need to lose a stone. I already go to the gym but then reward myself with a snickers bar! Weight gain around the middle and increased breast size is driving me nuts!

I tried Chloe Ting during lock down but struggled to keep up…

I would also love to join you in a weight loss/getting fit programme. I've gone from being very sporty as a youngster to a complete menopausal couch potato.
I've just tested positive for Covid for the first time as well which isn't helping.
I hope ds doesn't pick It up before his last exam on Monday.

@Alsoplayspiccolo I am sure it is a bit of a boy thing. My two were always delighted to get 130 or 131 in a music exam as any higher meant they had wasted effort!

Bad luck Cantonet, what a drag.
I'm another signing up for the diet and fitness club! Currently fasting a bit and trying to walk everyday. I'm going to take my bike in for a service this afternoon, I like pootling around on it, end up exercising without really noticing.

I need to lose a lot of weight too and am up for a motivational thread. I lost loads and got really fit to my amazement a few years ago but has gone horribly wrong with surgery and injury. I was waiting till autumn as felt like too much but am having physio as can’t walk properly at the moment so have started. It’s going to take a long time..

CrazyCrofter that is much quicker than I thought it would be and gives me hope, thanks 😊

My weight has also been creeping up - think it hit a peak in June 2020 and I then managed to be really strict and over the next few months i calorie counted and started exercising (running and a lot of walking and Chloe Ting workouts) but it’s all fallen apart a bit with eating now. Still running and walking but tummy very much there and breasts have a life of their own.

HRT helps a lot with my general well being but not sure whether it contributes to weight gain (haven’t weighed myself in ages as I don’t want to see how much it is!)

Further maths was horrific apparently. At least they all felt the same 🥺

This thread cracks me up "breasts have a life of their own" and "pelvic floor has seen better days" 😂

It has also made me get off my arse and take the bike in, so that's good.

I have got something weird going on with my throat at the moment, hopefully reflux but having an endoscopy next week to rule out anything worse. Anyway it means that I need to stop eating super early, or I really suffer at night. The symptoms are so unpleasant that it's a good incentive to avoid any eating after about 4pm.

Wheresthebeach, Chloe Tong is a machine! I can barely keep up with her beginner workouts!

Ting

I would definitely be up for doing a weight loss & fitness kick together but not until October. I've got to be in the right mind set and I'm not at the moment and also I want to have fun this summer. Will be much easier once DD gone off to uni - and it will give me something else to focus on. There will be spreadsheets involved I'm sure :-)

Sorry to hear Further Maths wasn't nice and that you've got covid @Cantonet hope you don't feel too poorly.

Good luck with your throat @singingstones . I had a reflux problem a few years ago and had to take some tablets to heal the throat. Worked really well but hasn't solved the reflux issue - probably need to go back to the docs to get it looked.

I did fairly well in Lockdown 1 and inspired my DS and DH to take up running after completing the C25K. They're still going strong.....me not so much 🤔😣

Yes to wayward breasts, disappearing pelvic floor, expanding stomach and strange throat/reflux with endoscopy inspections....I really hit all the jackpots!

Constantly planning to drink less wine/more water; eat better/fast or time limit eating; sort out my sleep ; go running/do weights/yoga etc....but invariably due to menopausal lacklustre opt out of actually doing anything productive. 😕😟

If anyone has the answer on how to sort sleep out please do share 😀
Good luck with the endoscopy Singingstones