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You take my breath away

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I’m no quitter!

Normally I’d see quitting as a personal failure but when it comes to smoking, I can stand tall and proclaim I am indeed a quitter. Everyone has their reason to quit – whether that’s financial, health related or something else – and reminding yourself of that reason is the main driver to helping you succeed.

The parting of, quite frankly, extortionate amounts of money was a factor for me, but it wasn’t my main reason for wanting to kick the habit. It was more the lack of control I felt. I’d naively convinced myself I wasn’t actually addicted and was only smoking out of choice. But as I realised I didn’t really have the control I thought I did, my enjoyment of smoking started to seriously deteriorate.

Having tried to quit on numerous occasions, the journey to being smoke free is probably one of the most difficult I’ve been on. While equally being one of the most rewarding.

Pack it in!

I put out my cigarette on a crisp new year’s morning and decided it would be my last. It was time. As I said goodbye to my trusted Marlboro lights, I gained a new companion – an electronic vape, complete with tobacco flavoured liquid. While it wasn’t quite the same as my long-term friend, it did help keep the cravings at bay.

Unbeknown to me though, a nationwide lockdown was on the horizon and I was very soon stuck inside and furloughed. If there was ever a time to give in to my cravings, here it was. My wife was still smoking, and I knew there was a pack somewhere in one of the draws. Fortunately, but rather frustratingly for me on the day my craving for a cigarette hit hardest, she’d taken them to work. Had she not, my journey would’ve come to an abrupt end and I’d likely be outside puffing away instead of writing this.

Today is the day

I slowly transitioned to nicotine free liquid and was vaping progressively less, until one day I just didn’t feel the need to pick it up. I was there. I’d reached the light at the end of a tunnel I never thought I’d get out of.

I’m now no longer at the mercy of nicotine cravings and I don’t (to my knowledge anyway) walk around with a distinct aroma attached to me.

So, whether you’re embarking on a solo journey or need some support, there’s never been a better time to start than now.

January 1 2020, around 9am was my last cigarette. And I very much intend to keep it that way!

Today I get to workout

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Today I have to get to workout

There’s no better time than New Year when it comes to making changes and self-improvement, right?

After the excesses of Christmas, many of us look to exercise to kick start a new health-conscious regime. And while the gym can be a great form of self-care, for some the idea of actually going can be quite daunting.

I see a lot of negativity on social media when it comes to the gym – people being made to feel unwelcome or concerned they’ll go viral if they do an exercise wrong. As someone who regularly goes to the gym (dare I say even enjoys it!) I understand the worry, but it’s worth bearing in mind this in no way reflects the gym community as a whole. Most of us are really supportive and encouraging!

So, if you’re about to embark on a ‘New Year, New Me’ resolution over the next few months, here are a few of my personal tips to help you navigate the gym.

Find your feet

Whether it’s day one or day 100, take a few minutes to familiarise yourself with your surroundings. Think of it like your first day in a new office, but instead of finding the coffee machine you’ll want to know where the water fountain or kettlebells are. By scoping it out, you’ll know exactly where to go for your next exercise.

Work out a plan 

Whatever your goals, a plan is vital. It’s why you’re going to the gym today. Some plans might be simple, but others (a Push, Pull, Legs split for example), need a bit more research and you might not know where to start. If you’re looking for something free, why not try an app like MyFitnessPal. It won’t create your workout but does give you a range of exercises to choose from so you can build your own and you can even save it in the app. For something more bespoke a personal trainer can create a plan for you, but this likely comes at a cost.

So whether you‘ve written it in your notepad, saved it on your phone, have it memorised or your trainer does, what’s the plan?

 

If you don’t know, ask 

Now you’ve got a plan, you’re ready to go. But just as you’re about to start your next exercise, you can’t remember the difference between Romanian and sumo deadlifts. No problem, just ask for help. If you don’t fancy asking someone or there’s no one around, just ask your phone. YouTube can be your best friend when it comes to exercise and is a useful tool for improving your technique. Remember, asking for help in any form isn’t a weakness.

 

Don’t sweat it

While we’re on the subject of phones, you can’t go far without seeing someone recording on theirs and the gym is no exception. But remember, most people are in the gym for the same reason you are – to workout. While there’s no guarantee you won’t end up in the background of someone’s video, my best advice is don’t sweat it and keep doing you!

 

Pump up the jam

Pump it up, while your feet are stompin’… Okay, that’s quite enough of that, but the point stands. Having a great playlist can motivate you to get your workout started, make it more enjoyable and might even be the difference between achieving a new personal best or falling just short. My playlist is a combination of heavy rock, dance, hip-hop and even some Greatest Showman for when the moment’s right (the moment is always right!).

Music not your thing? Why not try a podcast or audio book instead? Anything which gets you in the zone to help reach your goals.

 

The gym is a great place for you mind and body, it’s a place to focus on you. So next time you’re struggling for motivation remember, a workout isn’t always about building muscle or health, it’s also therapy. Go get yours.

 

How walking 1,000 miles can change your life

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As I sat on top of Pen Y Fan and poured myself a tea from my flask, I took in the Welsh countryside spread out around me and thought to myself ‘I can’t remember a time when I felt so free.’

This feeling of freedom isn’t something that comes easily to me. Having lived with OCD and Generalised Anxiety Disorder the whole of my adult life, my brain and body are used to living in a tightly controlled state of being. My anxiety was made even worse during the Covid-19 pandemic and I’m not surprised to find that according to Mind, 65% of adults with mental health problems have said it’s got worse since the first national lockdown.

Before the pandemic, I’d learned to live with my mental health condition fairly well and although it still affected me, it didn’t stop me living my life. But once the first lockdown hit and we were being told we had to stay inside, things started to go downhill. OCD makes me feel incredibly out of control and living through an unprecedented situation where no one had any form of control was terrifying. I tried desperately to keep control of as many things as I could and saw it as my ‘duty’ to keep me and my husband safe from the germs and contamination all around us.

I washed and sanitised my hands constantly, scrubbed every surface with bleach and washed and Dettol-wiped everything that came into the house. I couldn’t hug or be near anyone which meant even going for a walk became impossible as I struggled to find routes where I could guarantee I wouldn’t see people. Life became closed in and I became increasingly more anxious and withdrawn.

Fast forward to the end of 2021 and a world ever so slowly returning to some form of normality. Throughout 2020 and 2021 I’d started taking medication and gone to therapy sessions to help me cope with the way I was feeling and as a result, I’d started to take my first tentative steps back into ‘normal life’. It was at this time I came across Country Walking Magazine’s walk 1,000 miles challenge and decided 2022 was the year I’d walk 1,000 miles.

Walking those 1,000 miles has been emotional, exhilarating and life changing. It’s taught me a few things along the way too:

  • Blisters are my new best friend (well they’re not but I’ve had to learn to live with them!).
  • Walking 36 miles in a day will break you. Back in May I walked from Corfe Castle to Weymouth along the Jurassic coast and whilst it was incredibly rewarding, it took me 15 hours and afterwards I couldn’t move for the next 2 days!
  • Rest days are just as important as walking days.
  • The UK is stunningly beautiful and there are so many amazing places to discover.
  • Getting lost is ridiculously easy but it does add on a few extra miles.
  • Life is for living.
  • OCD and anxiety no longer rule my life.

I have a new joy for life I never thought possible – I look forward to getting outside and feel like I’ve got my independence and my life back. While I might not walk 1,000 miles in 2023, walking has become a key part of my daily routine and is something I’ll always prioritise for my mental health.

‘Walking: the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise.’ – Carrie Latet

4me blog 2021 Olympics

Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together

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It might be a year later than billed but the Olympics certainly delivered when we needed it to.

With around 11,000 athletes across 206 countries, competing in 339 different events from 41 sports (including 5 new additions), the Olympics really has something for everyone and Great Britain has become accustomed to Olympic success.

Beijing 2008, 51 medals – 19 gold. London 2012, 65 medals – 29 gold. Rio 2016, 67 medals – 27 gold.

This time around UK Sport set a target of 45 – 70 medals and Team GB did not disappoint.

While they’ve consistently delivered at the Olympics, there’s so much more to many stories than just the medal at the end – we’ve highlighted a handful which captured our attention this Olympic summer.

#teamgreatknitting
Tom Daley – Thrust into the spotlight in 2008 in Beijing when he was 14, he’d yet to win gold. Now 27, Tokyo would be his fourth attempt. His dive won gold, his knitting won the internet. Tom learned to knit before the Olympics to help him stay calm – it seemed to work as, with the gold and bronze medals he picked up in Tokyo, he became the first Team GB diver to win four Olympic medals. He’s certainly the first to knit a cardigan while waiting for his next event.

BMX girls have a lot of fun
Beth Shriever – 2017, drops out of the British Cycling programme due to no funding for women’s BMX. 2021, Olympic BMX champion. With no funding from UK Sport, Beth worked as a teaching assistant and used crowdfunding to help get her to the Olympics. She returned to the cycling programme in 2019. She returned home from Tokyo in 2021 with Team GB’s first Olympic gold medal for BMX.

Worth her weight in silver
Emily Campbell – There was a little wobble of the knees, a steadying smile and then a beep. Britain had its first ever female Olympic weightlifting medallist as Emily won the silver medal. Only five years ago Emily hadn’t done any weightlifting and was working full-time with children with special educational needs. With no funding, she worked and received help from her community. Fast forward to 2021 and we have our first female Olympic weightlifting medal.

The Sky’s the limit
Sky Brown – At 13, the youngest professional skateboarder in the world. Sky had to overcome two huge obstacles to even make it to the Olympics, a life-threatening crash and her reluctant parents. In spring 2020, Sky suffered fractures to her skull and broke both her left wrist and hand after falling from a skate ramp. Just one year later and, after failing her first two runs, Sky landed the kickflip indy on her final attempt. As with the first two runs she slid down the bowl on her hands and knees, but this time she slid with joy. Had the Olympics taken place as planned in 2020, Sky likely wouldn’t have made it. 2021 she’s Team GB’s youngest ever Olympic medal winner.

Overall Team GB brought home an impressive haul of 65 medals from Tokyo, with 22 golds, 21 silvers and 22 bronze medals.

Of course we cheer all our athletes on for the win, but for some even the taking part is an achievement which shouldn’t go unnoticed.

As the closing ceremony ends and Tokyo passes the Olympic baton to Paris – we wait to see what 2024 has in store for Team GB, not just in terms of medals but also the story behind it.

Over to you Paralympics – in the words of Jonny Brownlee – “Olympics? Completed it.”

Swimming into the open

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If there’s anything the pandemic has taught us, it’s to look for alternative ways to keep fit and look after our mental health. Open water swimming has done just that for me! It’s been a favourite pastime of triathletes and others in the know for many years now and there are loads of lakes geared up to cater for the increased interest in getting out into the water.

I’m a big fan of it, but why should you consider open water swimming?

Physical Benefits

  1. Natural high – our brains release endorphins to reduce any discomfort from the cold water, which in turn generates a natural high!
  2. Improved immune system – open water swimming can induce the body to produce more white blood cells and anti-oxidants leading to a more robust immune system
  3. Increases Metabolism and improves circulation – our bodies burn more calories in an effort to keep warm in cold water thereby improving our metabolism. And the cold also forces the heart to pump harder to circulate blood around the body to raise our body temperature.
  4. Improves sleep – swimming’s an excellent form of exercise. It uses most of your muscles, giving you a full body workout, which means your body should be tired by bedtime and lead to a deeper sleep.
  5. Improves your posture – swimming strengthens your back and shoulders thereby improving your posture.
  6. Increases your fitness level – repetitive strokes and the water resistance naturally improves your fitness and muscle strength over time. Water also allows you to get a full workout with low impact on your joints.
  7. Reduces risk of chronic illness – swimming will reduce your chances of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or a stroke. Regular swims at least once a week are known to bring down blood pressure, cholesterol levels, reduce fat disposition and inhibit blood clotting!

Mental Health Benefits

  1. Sense of achievement – certainly the first time you set foot in the water you’ll feel slightly crazy for agreeing to try it. But by the time you re-emerge after your swim, you can look back at the lake and see how far you have swum and gain a great sense of achievement.
  2. Stress-busting – escaping the daily grind to a peaceful lake, away from computers, screens, people and traffic, allows you to take a complete break from a hectic schedule. Swimming is a peaceful and relaxing form of exercise.
  3. Boosts happiness – the natural high, improved health and physical fitness and exposure to nature can help your happiness levels.
  4. Meet new people – the high people get from swimming in lakes and rivers has a noticeable knock on effect in making people more open and friendly. You’ll notice people you encounter at open water swimming locations are quicker to chat to strangers and share their experiences.

If you’re bitten by the bug, you can join one of the many groups who swim together.

What Do You Need?
To start open water swimming, you need to be able to swim a minimum distance unaided, usually around 400 metres. Remember, there are no sides of a swimming pool to hold on to, so you need to be a relatively confident swimmer. If you’ve not swum in a while, go to your local pool to increase your fitness before trying your first open water swim.

Most open water venues will need you to undertake an induction session to prove you can swim before you’re set free in the lake. The lakes are normally set up with a clearly defined loop marked by buoys. At the larger venues, there may be more than one loop giving you the option to complete different distances depending on your competence and ability.

An organised open water swimming venue will stipulate that swimmers need to wear a wet suit to get in the water, a brightly coloured swimming hat and/or a tow float so that the safety kayakers or life guards do not lose sight of you. During the summer, the temperature of the water will increase and swimmers can switch to wearing just a swimming costume or trunks.

Different venues have different minimum ages, with some places allowing children as young as 7 who have the ability and are accompanied by an adult to swim.

Where To Do It?
A google search will pull up the options local to you, but here are some links to help you get started:

Please note that there may be venues in your local area which are not listed, so try a targeted search to get a full list of locations close to you.

…and if swimming in your local lake with safety kayakers becomes far too tame for you, there is the option to crank it up a notch and embrace wild swimming.

Push it! 6 ways to get your fitness fix in winter

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Brrrrr…. It’s cold out there! Winter is firmly here and the sunshine and warm weather feels like a distant memory. My motivation to keep running, just like the birds, goes south in winter and I find getting out of bed in the morning challenging enough, let alone doing any exercise!

If you’re like me, and struggling to get enough exercise through the winter months, why not stick on a good playlist and give one of these indoor alternatives a go?

Pump up the jam

Warm up with a workout at home! Many popular fitness classes have an at-home alternative, such as Les Mills on demand, Barrecore and FIIT. For a free fix, why not check out fitness blender? Run by a husband and wife team who are both personal trainers, there’s over 500 free workout videos to try, from HIIT to Yoga.

With a little help from my friends

Why not arrange a get together with your friends and get active together? If you usually head out to the park for a kick about, maybe change it up for a game of basketball or a badminton match.

If you’re more of a solo exercise enthusiast you could switch your road bike for an indoor one and give a spin class a go. Or, if you’re feeling really adventurous, why not try indoor climbing so you can get an adrenaline rush as well as that all important endorphin hit!

Cold as ice

The winter months are a perfect time to perfect your skiing or ice-skating skills. Ice skating can burn as much as 600 calories an hour and it’s a great social activity too! If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at winter sports, now is as good a time as any to book in those lessons you’ve been meaning to do.

Don’t have the time or the budget for ski lessons? Head to the gym and recreate your own ski inspired workout using machines such as the skiErg for a low impact, high intensity full body workout.

Nightswimming

Jumping in the pool might be the last thing you feel like doing in the winter, but studies have shown that cold water swimming increases your tolerance to the cold, boosts your immunity, enhances your blood circulation and can relieve aches and pains. Just make sure you’re well prepared and take lots of warm clothes to wrap up in after. The Outdoor Swimming Society has some great tips on staying safe if you’re new to cold water swimming.

Not quite ready to try out your local outdoor pool? Head inside instead! Swimming, whether it’s cold water or in a heated pool is a great workout as it exercises every muscle in your body and is low impact, so there’s no extra pressure on your joints.

Boogie nights

For an alternative fitness fix, why not give rebound training a go? A study completed by NASA showed that rebound training on a mini trampoline was 68% more effective than jogging and required less effort – win, win!

This low impact, high-energy workout is a great way to bust stress, strengthen your bones and muscles, all while jumping around to your favourite songs. Not sure where to start? Boogie Bounce has classes up and down the country and welcomes people of all ages.

Perfect day

If it’s not icy, get outside anyway! Exercising outdoors gives your body exposure to natural light which can help keep the winter blues away and top up your vitamin D levels.

Remember, if you’re exercising outdoors, it’s important you’re well prepared and dressed appropriately for the weather. Think of a few light, sweat wicking layers that you can easily remove if you become hot and don’t forget your hat!

If you’re really struggling to get outside in the winter, think about setting yourself a goal – maybe you want to train for a race in the spring? Or maybe treat yourself to a reward after your outdoor workouts, like a nice warm bath or book yourself in for a recovery massage.

Whilst finding the motivation to exercise in the winter months can be hard, having alternatives can be the key to keeping yourself going in the darkest months of the year.

What are you going to try out this winter? Let us know in the comments below!