What I love About Going Out

It all depends on the weather, if I need to get anything, what route to take. I love to walk and felt good in completing the Parkrun, walking 5KM, last week for the second one, as I have been continuing but walking the first lap and then finishing. It was a hard but its not going to be unless I challenge myself. 

Rosebery Park Epsom. One of the places I like to walk 

I remember doing my first run outdoors along the south coast and felt like my heart was going to full out of my chest, 

What I love is the quietness. There are some wooded routes in Epsom and in Wimbledon. 

Getting away from the busyness of traffic and listening to the birds and love walking passed a pond.

When walking to my sons school there are stables and so see horses and there are some little shops on route too. 

You can see the trains going passed. 

Getting the train can be good too, but not all the time as you not able to use Oyster card if you travel outside London, depending how far you want to travel and so can be expensive so if it is once a week fine, but not everyday. 

The joy of walking is that it costs you nothing. 

Taking trips into London I do like the bus and listening to music. It can be a lot better than the train and can be cheaper. To walk I will get off before my actual stop and after doing the parkrun, to remember to cool down as doing long walks and then sitting down you can become stiff. When my mum worked in London would travel to Vauxhall and walk part of the way and love walking by the river and seeing the sights in London. 

I am Londoner. I lived in London as a child and I still get a buzz when I see big ben and Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and St Paul's Cathedral. 

Going out for the evening I would walk part of the way and see London buzzing with those who work in London, going for a drink and at one time I was one of them. It can be expensive doing this every week and I would take it for granted money and remember I still got to get home. 

I like going to sporting events. My son loves his sport and is such good fun. It can be such a great day after a working week to do things at the weekends, that you didn't do in the week and again not all of the time as I would each week go and watch the London Broncos. I would walk then when I lived in East Sheen to Twickenham, where they played at one time and moved. 

When we visited friends in the Southcoast, in Bognor Regis, staying in a caravan park or hotel and walk. 

I remember working in Butlins and lived in Bognor Regis for a while, would walk along by the sea and have a drink in one of the pubs along the coast. 

Last year we went to Eastbourne for the day and it was so nice. 

There are many places to go and see and have fun. When my in-laws were alive, my husband's mum and dad, would walk to the Quay in Southampton and see the cruise ships. 

We even went on a cruise from there. It was a Iberia Cruise and was around the time when Prince William and Princess Kate got married. 

It was nice to meet other passengers and would share a table but we preferred the buffet type of restaurant and the food was nice. It is good to let your hair down and be somewhere different. I like visiting new places and planning to visit the English Coast this year again and have a caravan holiday.

So what do you love about Going out? Please share by using the comment box below. 

Have a good Easter Holiday and more blogs coming soon and you can subscribe. There is no cost and so, if you'd like to be notified of when I post on this site then if you subscribe you will. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

 

Let Your Legs do the talking

Normally on a Wednesday I usually walk to my sons school but his dad finished early so he drove and to pick him up instead. So to walk I used the treadmill and just let me feet walk. When walking I don't think about it and don't wear ear phones because of crossing roads but I do when I am on the treadmill. I will often listen to a podcast, a video on Youtube or listen to music and just adjust the speed as I walk and hide the time and say I only do 10 minutes but ended up doing 20. 

Steps count from last Saturday doing Parkrun. 

https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

When it comes to working out with my dumbells I slowly lift and again vision what I am going to do but pick my weights and start and not rush and but take each movement in, listening to my body. I like being active and walk everyday. So going to do another walk on the treadmill to prepare for when I do Parkrun Thursday and Friday.

I do this now on Saturday mornings. It is challenging but I really enjoy it. 

I look forward to it when weather gets warmer. It is good because last week I chatted to one of the Volunteer workers who helps guide us as we do the parkrun and you can run, but to build up the strength in my legs to eventually run I am going to walk it and enjoy it. 

I like to have a coffee as a walk and just enjoy what is around me. I try to walk 6,000 steps a day when I walk outside and there are some really good apps you can use for counting your steps. I use the APP that was already on my phone called Fitness and it measures it by rings and you can set targets. I set it to work off 110 calories a day and the other is StepsApp and that is the one I use to set 6,000 steps for the day and then gives you an overall count at the end of each week. 

There are walking workouts you can do. I have a few workout DVD's that I bought a long time ago that are really good. I just need to buy a new DVD player to use them, but there are some on Youtube too. 

So just allow your feet to do the work and go at your own pace. Make each step count and remember to do some stretching and cool down.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Working out in the Autumn and Winter

Yes it has turned cold now since for a while it has been mild and its like someone has pressed a switch. 

If it is possible workout later than usual or if you go out early morning when it is dark and icy or late at night you are wear visual clothing and wrap up still. 

Ashtead one place I love walking and route I take each week

Invest in good footwear if it is icy and you can get blades for trainers if you do running and I have hiking boots and a good pair of everyday training and have a different pair for walking on the treadmill. 

Use Youtube as there are a lot of workouts on there and it is free. 

I invest in good woolly clothes like jumpers, fleeced leggins and tights and thick socks. Check out hiking shops and charity shops as they have pairs and a good investment and I have invested in a pair of wellington boots. 

Investing good comfortable clothing doesn't mean blowing your budget, but on what will suit you and if they suit your needs and how much you want to get out of them. Check out my blog site: https://www.carriesversatilefashion.com  I go to Charity shops, hiking shops and Amazon. There was a time where I would use Sports Direct but they seemed to quite expensive and not much choice. 

Make sure you eat and drink, as when I went out in the morning would struggle to run and need food so would eat, like toast, porridge or cereal bar. Check sugar content. I found it hard to do any workout on an empty stomach and feeling thirsty, so would have a small cup of tea or some water, but not too much to avoid a stitch. 

I would try not to drink too much because being cold it always makes me needing the toilet more which would affect me running or walking so make sure I went to the toilet and can encourage you so if you are doing long distant, find out if there toilets anywhere and pre-planning can help and make you take your belongings like keys, phone and a bit of money. 

Yesterday when I did my walk to pick up my son from school as he has a after school club was cold but helped boost me on and it had warmed up, but by the time we were picked up to go back was cold again and that first strides battling with my walk and sit down, but carried on and the cold often be a good boost to warm your body up and so that inner critic still voices but have learned from continuing to walk or run, to ignore and push on. 

Keep yourself safe and lets encourage each other and still workout when it is cold and make sure you stay, if you can in a lit up area.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X  

Walking With my son even when its not always blissful

I love my son to bits and today we went for a walk because he wouldn't leave his dad alone, who was doing his training with his weights and I was a bit doubtful in case getting him home is tough like on Friday when my son kicked off because we didn't go the way he wanted. 

In playground near home we use and from when I walk around it whilst my son rode on his bike

We often go on walks and it not always bad and going to be doing a new Walking event called the Winter Walk, in London in January and so glad to be back doing fundraising events. It has been a long time.

It is so good to get out in the fresh air and if its just spitting or grizzly we still go out and walk. We live where there are a lot of places to walk and often Henry has gone on his Scooter whilst I walk and built up my speed to keep up. 

My dad was always walking as he would work up into the center of London and so I feel it is in my blood and I just find it so good to do. I plan my walks and I do some on a treadmill to help strengthen my legs and once I get to a good pace where I still feel comfortable and can still walk, it helps me to walk longer distances and would like me and my son to do a charity walk together but work on short walks to do before doing longer ones. 

He, my son has wanted to walk from London Waterloo to Epsom, because he loves trains and wants to pass the stations, but I am not sure if he knows how far it is but don't want say no because I want him to be active and continue to do walks together and so we have been building up to do that. He has said anything since last week, but if he wants to give it a try then we will. I just hope it won't take a year. He likes to pretend he is a train whilst walking and we have got lost or not sure of the way to be able to do that, so will take some planning but as said, if he wants to do long distant walks like that then I not going to destroy his enthusiasm. 

The weekends is usually when we walk and it is good to break up the day. Sundays' are off because my son goes to rugby and a football club, along with me who does a radio show on Epsom Hospital Radio 4 to 6pm and so we walk on Saturdays and when we were using the playground near where I live in Wimbledon I walk around, whilst my son rode his bike. 

So if you want to spend time outdoors and your kids are driving you mad indoors, walking can be just what you need.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Exercise on the go if you struggle with fitting into your plans

 Yes so if you think you have no time to exercise then guess what, I bet you do. I exercise a lot on the go, like doing running on the spot whilst waiting for the kettle to boil and when I am watching to see when my son comes back home from school, raise my heals so I am standing on tippy toes and help tone the back of my legs. 

I will when cooking do leg raises and doing housework, do some lungs or squats and I used to when my son was first born whilst I was waiting for his milk to cool down, in the morning, pick up my dumbells and do some training toning the arms. 

Dancing whilst doing the vacuuming with your headphones on and walking the dog. I often see parents when waiting for my sons taxi to arrive see parents taking their dogs and cycling and when my son has a after school club I will walk to his school. It takes an hour and a half but nice walk, and when I worked for at weekends for a company in Chessington I would walk there and back. 

This morning as I continue to write this blog did a ten min walk on the treadmill as I had time to kill, with my son dressed and ready for school and walking up and down the stairs and my next door neighbour walks around the block every morning as she works from home, and I have to move as I find I get more tired from sitting down for too long. 

Looking around the shops and walking with a coffee from a store or made from home, and through a local park. When I want to go to the shops in Colliers Wood, in London will walk via Wandle River and back. One of my sons favourite things to do and places to walk. It is good to be with nature and tomorrow going to do some writing in a coffee shop but also walk around the Garden Centre in Morden Hall. 

You can also do a workout seated. I use it to stretch and expand my muscles and love doing a floor workout and will be something I'd invest in is an exercise mat. I love mine and working on my muscles lying down, and do a mixture of yoga and Pilates. 

So you can still exercise without having to replan your plans to exercise, not changing your schedule but on the go.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Building My Steps

It has been so good to get outdoors and walk. I like to take my time and take in what is around me and going to different places. Today we (mum and step dad) took my son and I to the RAF museum, which was completely free.

A picture I took inside the RAF Museum 

If your kids love planes and helicopters then this is a place to go. I had never heard of it, until today and can get there via Thames Link trains and then hop on the bus, 302 and there is a cafe and playground, along with a Red Arrows 4D experience and simulator of being on an RAF plane.

It was so good to see, and love going somewhere different. 

By going to museums you'd be surprised in how many steps you do and that is the great thing with walking you can work it around your lifestyle, even if it is 10 minutes. One of my neighbours in Epsom in the morning goes for a walk around the block as she walks from home and today I popped to the shop, it was short, but good to get out whilst I have the time to myself and at my own pace.

On Friday I took my son to a park for him to ride his bike, then went on a bus ride and got train and then did some walking along a local river to pick up some shopping and even that can build up your steps and I really enjoy it. 

I know there are other exercises you can do outside, but with walking you can do it anyway you like, and it costs nothing. It doesn't have to be long walks and so I set my self to walk 6000 a day. Now I don't always do this a day its just what I aim for and a rough target. I know I can do this in a day and use the time with my son to walk. 

Walking is great to do with your kids or when they are on a scooter or bike trying to keep up, making sure that it is a safe area to walk and often walk by the river and take in what is around us.

The summer is good for walking and good to walk and not need a coat or a jumper and just stay hydrated to continue to walk on pavements and paths, exploring new places and old, and just enjoy the outdoors and discovering new things. Like the RAF museum and taking it in all of the good things in our world. Times have been tough, but for me walking is my favourite and love seeing how many steps I can do each day. 

There are charity walks you can do. I did the Moon walk for breast cancer and The London Bridges walk for the Garden House Hospice and there are many that you can do.

I hope this gives you the motivation to walk and if you know of some good walks then please let me know. There is a comment box below. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Having fun 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