Having fub getting fit outdoors like walking and having a coffee

Hello and welcome! It has been a while since I have shared a post on this blog site. I like to exercise and the one thing I love, is to have a cup of coffee when I am doing my other favorite thing, walking or getting a pastry and sitting by the river and now the weather is changing going to use it to do lots of walks with a coffee in my hand, and then have a picnic and do some writing. 

Picture of Wandle River where my son and I love to walk 

I love the parks in London and in Epsom and would like to discover more and if you know of some good walks then please leave a comment below. 

It is nice to explore and my son wants to walk to different places, because he loves trains and wants to walk to each of the stations that go to places like to Epsom and Dorking, which I have no idea of how to get to on foot, so said we'd go there by train and walk around once we're are there. If we do then I will vlog. Check out my Youtube channel, where I post vlogs: (77) Typical London Gal Carrie Holmes - YouTube

I have been planning some walks to explore London, of places love, like the Southbank and see people jogging along there and I used to do that too and then go and meet my mum for lunch.

On Tuesday we are going to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, which is free and if it is a nice day, plan to walk through Hyde Park, and there are many walks you can do in London, my mum has a stack of cards of different walks you can do, and there is a group called the Ramblers who do different walks around the UK.

Or if you are a confident cyclist then this is also good exercise but I often see people on them jumping lights and not wearing visual clothes, which can put them and others on the road in danger.

Then there are clubs and many people now who do fitness classes outdoors and when Henry my son was a baby and toddler, I did Buggyfit and good to get outdoors, or have a playdate if you have children which includes walking with a coffee especially if you find getting exercise on your own with children, to be difficult. It is nice to spend time with other mums and dads. 

There are walking fundraising events. I have done the Moonwalk, raising money for breath cancer, and Race for Life and Thames Path challenge and got to have a coffee on route, as we did 23 kilometres. We meaning my mum and me. 

I did a walk for the Garden House Hospice, doing the London Bridges walk, and great way to see the sites and was a lot of fun, and was got picked up by a mini bus. 

I hope you find this blog helpful and fit in coffee and walk could be a a good way to meet up with friends or family, and exercise should be fun, not a chore or something you feel you got to do, rather than what you want to do. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

 

 

Find your own time to workout

The idea of this blog came about when watching a Influencer called Victoria on Youtube and whilst watching I went on the treadmill and is Tuesday afternoon. I like morning walks outdoors too, but I also like using the treadmill, but once I have had lunch and finished on the computer for the day. 

For my own experience, it is what works for you that makes your life easy and doesn't have to be a hard struggle in fitting exercise into your life.

I used to do a Sunday run after I'd been out in the morning having a coffee and something that I enjoyed and is something I would love to do again, but need to focus on my walking and build the strength in my legs again by walking so I can eventually get back into running.

I enjoy building my steps and do a Sunday morning walk by a local river and just being with nature feels so therapeutic, and not sure if we can do this now, because my son has joined a rugby club which I am happy about, so going to fit it in to do on a Saturday morning or afternoon when my son finishes his swimming lesson. 

Some like to go for an evening exercise class or run, and I have done that too.

Because of lifestyle changes I now take on what I call the "Flexibility mode" so schedule it so me and my son can exercise together, do my indoor workouts in the week in Epsom as I have more space and it takes the pressure away and doesn't become a chore. 

Going shopping can help with walking and why I spread my errands like shopping each week like buying food to walk and get outdoors. Your time is your own. 

I even when my son was a baby and would waiting for the kettle to make my sons milk, I would do a workout with some dumbells and now we play sports, to exercise and going to be going swimming again to get fit and really looking forward to it and then going to see if can workout in the gym on Friday. 

I know a lot of people like working out in the morning, and I have nothing against that, my husband does his in the mornings, and I used to, but now I workout once I have woken up and concentrate on one thing at a time, and once I have a free moment will do a workout or like I say do some exercise with my son, and love that routine.

Its all about getting fit and getting active and enjoying it.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Getting fit for 2024

So Christmas day tomorrow and then it is another year over, and so it is time to set our goals.

I set my goals into three categories, Home, Work and Play, and was putting my fitness in Play but going to go into Home. Getting fit for the first time, is to start slow and then work your way up. Or if you already exercise, then it is progressing to the next level, which tests the body but not to over do it. 

Then it is choosing your workouts and location. I miss going to the gym, and so have a local pay as I go gyms, and so going to do once a week go, as the gym also has a swimming pool, and so will be taking Henry there too,  I will still be working out at home and walking, to continue to build my steps and then eventually return to running.

This year I did too much too early, instead of spreading it out, and caused me to stall, and the top of my right leg hurt and felt sprained, and so going to walk and build up my fitness, and just progress, by listening to my body.

Be realistic when it comes to your goals. What results do you want to see? And what results do you want?

It is important to be specific, so I want to exercise because I want to lose a stone, and so will workout every morning, before my kids wake up. I enjoy short workouts, and in the afternoon lunch and using my husbands treadmill, and walking around the local park, and love my Sunday morning walks with my son. I love walking by the river. So your goal could be, to jog along the river between Putney to Hammersmith bridge. Just an example, and I have done this and makes me feel a peace when walking or running along the river. 

Tomorrow, on Christmas day, I will be going for walk, and I like to do this each year, and so set this as a goal, to start my fitness journey on Christmas day and work up an appetite, and many people workout to prepare for Christmas, as we tend to eat a lot.

Go through them as you go through the year, and journal or log it in a notepad of your progression and building your fitness. Go through the year to plan your fitness, and mark of days where you won't be able to workout. Such as a family event or your travelling, and like me, a parent, school events going on, that it will be hard to fit in some exercise.

I create a Pinterest board each year: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/sports-and-fitness-coaching/

So, lets work together and if you'd like to share on setting fitness goals, you can leave a comment below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Exercising in your slippers

So this week I had some bad luck, and on Thursday stayed in drafting blogs, including this one and and watching Adele in concert, on YouTube and even though I didn't feel like it, got up before my son returned from school, and did some. 

It really helps me wake up, as I can get after lunch fatigued, and I enjoy going for a walk in the morning when we don't have stormy weather, and do an afternoon workout, indoors.

I had no fitness gear on, I had a t-shirt, hoody, leggings, woolly socks and a pair of white slippers I forgot I had doing a declutter and if you wanted to know what exercise I did, did Bicep curls, Triceps, lap downs, leg raises, side crunches and squats. 

Its just getting up and doing something, no matter how long. For me it is just toning, taking my time with each exercise and boosting my energy. 

So, get your slippers on and lets workout together. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie x 

Love building my steps and short workouts

It has been so nice to go out building my steps and doing short workouts because it has taken the pressure off and I know I will do it and puts me a good mood and good amount of energy, and I am lucky in that, in Epsom where I am in the week, has a treadmill if like today, it is cold outside, and gonna increase my workout and do 15minutes. I will be still be walking outside but wasn't prepared enough to walk outside so going to make sure I am tomorrow. 

One of the places I love to walk in London the River Wandle 

Since starting this blog I did do my 15 minutes and at first I thought no, but once I was in a good stride carried on and next I want to get back into running again once my walking speed improves and gradually build up to run again. 

Exercise for me is good for the soul and when it comes to short workouts it really has helped me in making sure I do a mixture of do floor workouts and then with weights, and feel each movement rather then rush. 

When waiting for my son to come home from school and keep my eye out to wait for his taxi, I will do some leg exercises and I like doing leg raises, side crunches, circle my arms and with dumbells work on my biceps, triceps and pull downs and I gradually go into each movement and again take my time to really feel each move and do between 6, 12 and 24 reputations of each.

When I first started exercise on a regular basis, it would be "Lets get it over and done with" but I found doing a bit through the day can help, and would do this a lot to help me take my time. I would use Workout DVDS, but don't have a DVD player so not able to use them now, but learning from this I do a really lovely short workout and feels so good and helps keep my momentum going. 

I watched this video to day by Steph Pase talking about how she got into exercise and says not to make it complicated, but as simple as possible, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psXqsEOZ--E

I know a lot of people workout in continuously each morning but for me I have to change it up, and so when walking outdoors I like to do this in the mornings, when walking on the treadmill and doing my short workouts I like to do this in the afternoon after I have had some lunch. 

It what works for you, and one thing that Steph Pase said was, if you don't like doing running or cardio, then don'[t do it. Its your body and everyone has their on preference, so never feel because others like to workout in the mornings, doesn't mean you have to do the same, just do it when it suits you and work into your life and do a bit each day, still counts.

So lets work together and its about enjoyment and when it becomes like a chore it can be hard to stick to staying fit. 

If you like reading, I have book out called Mum&Me it is comedy and when I would go to the gym, would see people on bikes reading, and you can do just that.Here is the link to it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mum-Me-Gucci-Tits-Virtue-ebook/dp/B0BGSS7H9K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LZILECROBKFM&keywords=mum+%26+me+carrie+holmes&qid=1697478967&sprefix=mum%26me+carrie+holmes%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Where I am at with my fitness

Sorry it has been a while since writing this blog site. I have been super active and been focusing on spending time with my son and doing my Life coaching programme check this blog I created; https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com 

Image of Youtube video linked below. We were walking through Morden Hall Park in London

I started running again, but had a few injuries so stopped, but been walking a lot more, along with some home workouts to gain strength in my legs as I think with running it caused a bit of a strain and then had injury on one side near by ribs and so had to take it easy. 

However I have been enjoying my walks and building my steps with home workouts. 

Enjoyment is important, because if not, you won't get the benefits from it and are likely to give up.

I like to do short workouts to work my legs and I will use my dumbbells again, but because of side hurting, and think I strained my side using to heavy weights, been a bit dubious in using them again, so going to pick this up next week. 

It has been super hot and it has been hard to walk far when it is boiling hot, but I do feel so good once I have done a walk and need to invest in thin size rucksack as would be easier to walk far, rather than my tote bag, so going to find one and also want to have more nice fitness clothing to wear for my walking. 

Investing in good comfortable clothing for walking is important as want to avoid chaffing and blisters. 

My son and I go for morning walks where we stay in Wimbledon, at the weekends, and walk along the River Wandle or through our local gardens, and be with nature. I have filmed a lot in my week in a life videos of places we like to walk and discovered new places to visit, and really would like to explore some more, and just go where my legs take me. Check out my most recent week in a life video: https://youtu.be/UZlq8tbCtgY

There are so many places I'd like to walk, like taking Henry to the South coast, and see friends whilst we do that, and so I have booked a trip to Bognor Regis so we can do that, and do more as the School Summer holidays draw nearer, and have more nice weather at the weekends. 

You find that there are others doing the same. It can be a good community and really am itching to get back in doing fundraising events again and so going to keep building so I am fit enough and then get back running again, but slowly this time. 

So have a good weekend. It is Friday the 16th June 2023, and I will be posting more.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Getting fit during half term

So not long since coming back from my walk being Tuesday the 14th February 2023, and Happy Valentines day, and feels so good and I love walking it really is nice and spending time with nature and seeing other parents and families walking too, makes me look forward to getting and measuring my steps and it just helps with my energy each day and the same with my son who came with me too. We weekly go for walks, when he spends the weekends with me and now he is half term, getting more walking done, and love fitting it in whilst I complete errands for the week. 

Southbank London 

Half term is a great time for the whole family to get exercise and I just find it so peaceful. I love doing trials and then getting a coffee or on the way to get hydrated and beats riding on a bus or train all of the time, or going out for the day to do a walk, and going to take my son to the English seaside and do more walking. 

It really is a good source of medicine and yesterday we went to another walking spot in London, The Southbank and took the Thames Link train to Blackfriars and walked to London Waterloo. I love being near water, it makes me feel so fresh and new. 

Half term is good to take your bikes out and if you don't want to go to get a coffee bring one out with you in a flask. and I am going to do this for more walks and for my son some water and take a packed lunch rather than going to a cafe or coffee shop all of the time. 

If you worry about needing the toilet then check before you walk what is near by and make sure even if they protest, make sure your children go to the toilet before they leave to walk and explore, and you can get portable potty's which I used for my son just in case, and was a great find and useful piece of equipment to avoid accidents.

Why not have all your kids do some dancing together and put on those tunes and create a playlist on Youtube of the songs you love, and if your child is at a holiday club, like my son is doing for the rest of the week, I am going to  use this time to do a run, tidy my bedroom which is good exercise and doing a indoor workout too. 

If they aren't have them all do a home workout too and have them help with chores great for burning calories and being active. Its about moving the body and great task for bonding and growing the relationship you have with your family and have them collect leafs as they can use them for arts and crafts and create scrapbooks of photos of your family going outdoors and at home to use fitness to build good memories and something they can do when they have children of their own, and it is good to do this whilst they are young as research has shown that if you have kids exercising whilst young they will stick to it and helps burn off the energy they have. My has so much energy and exercise helps me catch up and he sleeps so well when we do.  

So if you worrying about not getting exercise during half term it is possible and if they do sleep in exercise before they wake up, or when it is their nap time, depending on how old your children are. So we can get through it, without anyone getting hurt and avoid those tantrums. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X