As you may know, I’ve taken up a new “healthy lifestyle”. It’s going pretty well but I’m struggling with some areas, most notably the “trying not to eat sweets” area!
As you may also know, I’m mega broke. I had to leave my nursing degree for health reasons and although I have a new job (working with adults with learning difficulties) I haven’t started yet – they’re waiting for my CRB and references to come back. Also, it’s only on a bank/as and when required basis when I do start. So yes, I’m mega broke and the healthy food is so much more expensive than multipacks of chocolate, crisps, sweets, etc! Not to mention the new equipment I’m going to need…
Here’s what was on my initial list:
- Proper running shoes
- Sports bras
- Heart rate monitors
- Proper exercise clothes
- Ankle support
- Knee support
- Bicycle light
- Bicycle helmet
I had a major struggle in finding running shoes – I have high arches and apparently I quite severely underpronate (which means that I walk on the outer edge of my foot – very painful!). There’s a lot of shoes out there for neutral and overpronators but very few for underpronators, and the ones there are are “neutral-to-underpronator” shoes – not so brilliant if you’re a more severe than slight underpronator! Anyway, I found some Asics trail running shoes for £80 (Gel Trail Lahar Gore-Tex 3, to be precise). Mr R&R got a pair of Adidas Response Trail 18 sunning shoes, too. He paid £75 for them.
I wore them for the first time properly yesterday. We walked over the Trans Pennine Trail near where we live and walked for 7 miles. They’re a lot better than my old Reebok fashion trainers but I’ve got a blister or something on the underside of my right pinky toe! I’m going to power through though and just get used to them!
We also bought heart-rate monitors, just very basic ones to start off with – they’re not too bad but get a bit uncomfortable around the chest after a while!
I have dodgy joints. I’ve started to take Cod Liver Oil capsules but they’ve not really made any difference as of yet. My hips have always caused problems but my mum told me it was “growing pains” as a child – I’ve stopped growing now but the pain in still there! I have weak ankles and my knees are a bit dodgy too sometimes. So this is why I’ve bought a knee strap. I hope it helps, as it’s my knee that causes the most problems when walking (hips are worse whe cycling but I don’t think there’s a hip-strap!)
Mr R&R has quite bad ankles – he broke his ankle a few years ago and then damaged it again around New Years (the doctors weren’t sure if he’d broken it again or not, due to the previous injury) so he needs an ankle strap, especially when walking long distances.
Here’s the bicycle helmet I got – I’ve only used it twice due to my bike seat being so uncomfortable that I just don’t want to go on my bike anymore! I decorated my basket though
At the moment I’m just wearing an old pair of Adidas tracksuit bottoms or some black leggings, with a vest or football t-shirt. When I eventually start work, I’ll get some proper workout clothes! I really want to take up Yoga, too, so I’ll get a Yoga mat and block and some nice clothes, which will make me want to work out more often!
Who knew I’d be so excited about shopping for exercise equipment?!
~R&R
Ribbons and Ropes 