One month of abstinence and fitness - anyone care to join me?

[ClaudiaSchiffer]

I need to get fitter, stop drinking alcohol, stop eating so much chocolate and other junk. Generally have a good healthy month in order to add zip and zing to my life. I also want to be more creative and less consumed by drudgery.

So . . . during July I am going to do the following . . .

1. No alcohol

1. No chocolate/junk food

1. Exercise at least 3 times a week - for me it will be a 0 - 5k running program.

1. Pick up my paint brushes and be creative

1. Listen to more music and DANCE

1. Say YES to opportunities

1. Less time on the computer

1. Read more books

1. Meditate

10. Eat and drink healthily

11. Be conscious of spending money - no quick trips to the newsagents for crappy mags and sweeties

Right. I can't think of any more but would you care to join me?

I want to start properly on July 1st but today I am going for a run and last night I went to a cabaret show which has inspired me to be less conventional and screamingly middle aged and dull.

Perhaps we could encourage each other to to Random Acts of Kindness or get tattoos or learn magic tricks or something.

But lets not loose site of our goals ladies.

We'll have to have a virtual group huddle and a punching of air and maybe some high fives.

Claudia, I love him too, and I couldn't just tip it down the sink, now, could I?

Have brought in chicken and corn soup for lunch (bought, but I need no resolution to cook more. Am cooking fanatic). Also broke it to husband that there would be no delicious chocolate puddings, crumbles or sticky pecan tarts made for him this week. He was unflatteringly insouciant about this. Ingrate.

V happy about group huddle concept. Was NO degrees celsius outside when left for work this morning. Was in husband's car just long enough to see this alarming fact, and then he deposited me at bus stop. In NO degrees. While he and daughter ("buh-bye! buh-bye! mummy! mummydaddymummymedaddy buh-bye!") waved me off all warm and cosy looking.

OK, I have had semi-success today:

I did go for a run - did about 3 miles
I did only have two packs of crisps

However, I also had 2 glasses of wine. Gah! Is definitely my downfall. But tomorrow is Friday so I am allowed wine then anyway .

Air punches all round! We can do it ladies!

Have to go to bed now before I drink more wine!

Oh Cripes, husband talking about getting a goat. DD wants a rabbit. We already have a dog.

I'm not 100% keen on animals.

Anyhoo, how's everyone going? I have been a paragon of virtue today, no sweeties, no junk, no booze no fun.

Why do I feel more bleary after not drinking than I do usually? Am going to have a hot water and lemon (polishes halo).

Might add going to bed earlier to my list.

Have decided to put £1 in a jar for every day I stick to my list to buy myself wine and chocolate running shoes at the end of the month!

CS - why does he want a goat?

Doh - must preview!

Meant to read wine and chocolate

I'd love a goat. get one! go on! (But, why DOES he want one??)

Did quite well on everything except wine. Howdoo - it's my downfall too. And I am also allowed a bit today as i am going out. I'll try and keep the intake modest.

And I shall go swimming shortly. probably.

Hi flapping, give it a couple of days booze free and you will be leaping out of bed with a clear head.

DH has wanted a goat for years. God alone knows why. I'm trying to see it as a charming idiosyncrasy, but really I think I see it as a lot of expense and work for me. Also I see a lot of goat crap in the garden. Not so brilliant in a hot Aussie summer. But maybe I should embrace by new fangled list a bit better and just say YES.

I think your $1 a day for every day you stick to the list is ACE. I'm gonna do it too. I can already put in $3 or is it $4?

Also I am thinking animal sh*t attracts flies right? Also not great in the summer months. hmmmmm

I do quite like the miniture ones, they are quite cute (in an odd goaty type of way)lookee here and give me your judgement.

SO cute!! Am saving for one of those instead now!

Even if we all slip a bit some days it's good to be making changes and shaking things up a little. I do feel in a rut in some ways - I find I just listen to my old cd's, I've not discovered any new bands I like in ages...might add that to my list too.

Day two in the CainInThePunt house and things are going ok but not fabulously.

Not a drop of alcohol or any unacceptable snacks/crap has been consumed but signs of strain are starting to show.
A twitch has developed in Cain's right eyelid giving the impression of a lecherous winker (I said winker!)to colleagues and passing strangers.

Very little excercise has been taken unless you count the jog up to A&E this morning from work because of course, on the occasion that DS falls off his bike and is taken to the hospital by the school, the Cainmobile is in the garage for an MOT. DS is ok btw, just a large egg on his head and a badly split lip. Fortunately his helmet took the force of the dunt so there is no lasting damage. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR HELMETS!

Cain has been working the last two nights so has not succeeded in getting to bed before midnight. Tonight however, there is a distinct possibility she will be comatose by 9.

Oh flipping heck how could you NOT get one of those goats?!

Poo does, as you say, attract flies, but it's awfully good for the garden

Actually, goats are quite high maintenance: I used to work for an animal charity that had rescue goats, and visitors were always feeding them sandwiches and mints because everyone thinks goats eat everything. That fact is true, they do - but most of it makes them sick as dogs afterwards, so they are always under the weather or even at the vets costing you serious money. Give it a bit of thought first, because you may have to spend a lot of time goat-proofing everything.

I am off to make a healthy lunch while dancing around the kitchen to music - that's multitasking, as I can meet two of my list objectives in one go!

Those goats are very cute however, they are kids and will not remain that cute and fluffy for very long.
I do like goats, they are such fun characters.

If you have any rhodedendrons in your garden rip them up as it kills goats.

How big is your garden, Claudia? I have wanted a goat for yonks, but my husband is putting up all sorts of unreasonable arguments like "it'll eat all your plants".

Well done everyone!

I have had no alcohol, practised the piano a bit and made a new dish last night (the latter was only though because having people over for dinner next week and I need to try and find something nice to feed them with.)

I enjoyed making it but it wasn't right, so still looking < Don't panic Captain Mainwaring! >

I have had home made soup for lunch plus roll and butter < polishes halo >

Slept like a corpse last night. I always feel so much better if I don't drink at all.

Me too. So it beats me why I keep on drinking...

We seem to have had a thread goat invasion!

For the avoidance of doubt, I am NOT getting a goat, considering getting a goat, or going anywhere near a goat.

Baby is asleep, I should be writing now. Off I go.

PS: Love the £1 in the jar idea too

I used to do that when I was trying to finish a writing project

Balloon Slayer, I LOVE "Don't panic Captain Mainwaring!" - I say it a lot in our house, which no one understands as 1. we are in the US and 2. they are not as old as me...

Cannot understand the appeal of a goat at all. If DH came home and said he wanted a goat, I would not be happy. Swimming pool, yes. Goat, no.

Do Friday nights count with the stupid selfimposed no alcohol rule?

am obviously very weak

Hello Ladies, I know I'm a little late here, it being almost July 3rd but can I join in, please? I need a little lot of group motivation here.

OK, I had my BEAUTIFUL and final DC (that's 3 in total) this winter and I would like to shake off a couple of kilos (shake off makes it sound easy, right? ) before August 8th which is the date of our christening. Now I have to be realistic here though: breastfeeding always makes me hold on to my final 4 or 5 kgs. Also my DD has been waking up several times a night and it has been terribly hot here in France where we live so I tend to reach out for chocolate/sweets/lemonade to get me through the major minor fustrations which constitute a SAHM's everyday life. Otherwise I must say we tend to eat pretty healthily and alcohol is very limited due to breastfeeding.

So, if I may join you my list would be:

1. Cut out ALL sweets, chocolate, crisps, and butter.

1. Try to get up fairly early every morning. The trouble with broken nights is that I tend to oversleep in the morning and then most of the morning is wasted.

1. Getting up earlier will give me more time to do all the embroidery and knitting I so need to stay sane.

1. Write an hour a day. I have an article I need to write up, and, if all goes well, I should be doing my final year of Phd next year.

1. I have been walking most days around 30 mins to an hour. Now the local outside swimming pool is open I would like to get back to swimming minimum once a week.

Does that sound realistic? I think it's the sugar, etc. that I will have the most difficulty cutting out. I generally allow myself one coffee a day and I will carry this on because I love my coffee.

ps I saw a goat today: very sweet it was too!

Claudia, I'd give my right arm for a goat.

I didn't manage the walk, but I have done an insane amount of housework, baked two focaccia and homemade pizza and a load of laundry.

Gooooooood Moring Campers

DAY 3

Good progress people, well done.

Cain your poor ds, how terrible for him (and you). Is he ok now or suffering with a horrendous headache?

Cake what are you writing? Are you an author or doing edukashun stuff?

Re goats, we have no rhodos and a reasonably large back garden, which is perfect for a goat as it is very steep, stony and covered in weeds, we are trying to keep part of it as garden (and have fenced that bit off) and keep part of it fairly native.