Refresh and reflect...

Happy belated new year! I know this probably should have been written before the new year, but with revision, holiday season and training time was limited but also there are no rules! 


Last year was good personal life wise but professionally not so much! From August onwards I changed all the things that were making me miserable - I started my online course (exam next week ah!) I started crossfit and I looked for new jobs and eventually got a new job with better pay, no stress and actually something that is perfectly suited to me! 

I want to make 2016 and selfish year, I spent the last two years trying to please other people be it relationships, friendships or work, now I want to focus on me and what I want to do! 
Obviously not by becoming a recluse and shutting everyone out but me, that really would be selfish! But focus on what I am doing and not worry about other peoples opinions or what they think! 

So 2016 looks like this - good holidays with family and my boyfriend, exams, crossfit qualifiers and competitions! It's all very exciting and I have a good feeling about this year! 

I am still not back at work yet, which is great for the studying because I have alot of free time! You would think having a month off would be awesome but in reality it kinda sucks because everyone else is at work!! 

Apart from working on myself, I haven't really made any new years resolutions this year - more like promises to myself, have fun, enjoy yourself, less stress, work hard to achieve your goals and look after yourself! 

I think these should be goals for everyone this year! We can always improve areas of our life but sometimes things fall into place without even thinking about it! 

To end on a high here are my 5 peaks from last year!

My new job - I love my new job and I am so happy I took a chance and went for it

Moving in with the boyfriend - the whole things falling into place without you realising really applied to this one! Us moving in together happened naturally in that I was cat and house sitting for 1 week whilst he was away and then I never left! 

Our first holiday together - We had to change our holiday due to the tragic events in Tunisia last year, and it looked like we were not going to be able to go! Thankfully we managed to reorganise for 2016 and still went away to stay at his parents place in Tenerife for 10 days it was glorious! 

My brother getting into the army - this had been his dream since he was 16 and he finally achieved it! it has been a long process but as of March 2016 he will begin his training - I could not be prouder of him and I am so excited for him to be living his dream!!

Starting crossfit - Crossfit has changed my life. Honestly it made me fall in love with my body and what I am capable of. The gym changed my body but crossfit made me love it - I am constantly amazed that when I really push myself the things I can do or lift. How can you not be proud? 
I am excited to compete this year, and would love to be saying this time next year that I will be registering for the open.... goals!

So here is to 2016! 7 days in and your doing ok! 

Stress - how to deal with it your own way and in your own time

Stress is a killer - alot of people say 'oh I am so stressed' and 'this is SO stressful' but actual stress is consuming, negative and takes alot away from you and you don't even realise what it is doing to you. 

Lately work has got to me, big time. My job is pretty stressful anyway, it is demanding, hard work and sometimes not very appealing - a negative outlook I know, which I am changing! 

Anyway this went really wrong at work about 5 weeks ago and it has been weighing down on me ever since. 

The only thing was I didn't realise how much it had got to me, until last week I got the good news I had been waiting for and it was all over and the nightmare had finished.

I suddenly felt happy again, almost like I could breath and this cloud had gone away from over me. 

I didn't even realise how much it had effect me until it had gone. I will be honest I have slept soundly for the first time this weekend, and for a long time - 12 hrs on Friday night! I never sleep that soundly because something is always bothering me, I always find something to stress about, and after this at work I have found that actually nothing is worth stressing over that much, to make your self sick and have so much anxiety you don't even want to go in! Nothing is worth that. 

It is a running joke in my family that I will always find something to worry about, so I am changing this. 

I am working really hard to be at peace with everything in my life and have a more go with the flow attitude and we will worry about that if it ever happens, rather than saying when it happens, and little my little I have stopped stressing about the little things - my last goal is to fully stop stressing about my body and I am getting there but this is the biggest hurdle! 

So how to stop stressing - over the small and the big things in life. 

1. Exercise - I know, obvious coming from a fitness blog right? But treat exercise like your therapy session, put your head phones in your ear and focus on nothing but achieving the best you can. By taking on this attitude the gym becomes fun, something you look forward to and also you feel amazing afterwards
2. Have a drink and enjoy it. I am not a big drinker, in fact I probably only drink about 5 times a year if that! But I find that sometimes that a nice glass of white wine is the perfect way to relax and unwind, and yes get a little buzzed or even drunk! Sure you wake up the next morning feeling hungover maybe, or a little tired, but did you have fun the night before? Then that is all that matters
3. Treat yourself! Go shopping, pamper yourself, relax! Easter weekend I spent Good Friday having a selfish day - I went to the gym, did some chores than relaxed for the rest of the day, I watched trashy tv, did my nails and dyed my hair, and it was bliss! Sometimes you need days like this to spend with yourself and get in a good frame of mind.
4. Spend time with family and good friends - the positive kind, I love talking things out with my mum, she is my best friend and my go to person for any advice. Once I speak to her I feel 100 times better, equally spending time with my parents, extended family, boyfriend and friends I feel better, sometimes I don't even want to talk about the problem in hand I want to talk about them or anything else, the distraction always works
5. Don't be scared to admit you are not coping or want to change - this was the biggest thing for me. I told my parents I wasn't happy doing what I was doing and that I wanted to change my life for the better - I want to be a business owner and open my own gym with my partner, and once I explained everything to them and the plan I had, I had their full support, I was scared they would be disappointed in me because I hadn't achieved what I wanted to and that I wanted to retrain - then I realised it was me who was disappointed and afraid - once I had embraced this feeling I knew all would be ok and that change is good and scary but if it gets me to where I want to be, then the fear is worth it. 

Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything. 

Follow my personal journey on Instagram - Rhiannonangharad22

Workout Wednesday - Shake it up!

The Taylor Swift song is in my head and inspired this post - shake up that workout!! 

Routine is fun, but sometimes it becomes just that - routine. It is recommended that you change your workout every 8 weeks or so to keep your body from getting used to it and also so you don't get bored.

But what if you like your routine and don't want to change it? Then change up the days you do the routine! 

My routine since January was going like this:

Sunday - Legs

Monday - Upper body

Tuesday - Spin class

Wednesday - Upper body 

Thursday - HIIT 

Friday - Cardio 

Saturday - Cardio 

All with a stretch and abs included. It was ok but I'm not going to lie it was getting a bit boring and I wasnt really seeing results.

Now I have switched up the routine to more weights and less cardio and am seeing results but some days I still get a bit 'over' the routine feel.

So I have kept the exercises I like and just changed the days, and it makes it far more interesting and also I am not a slave to my routine, and enjoy my workouts far more! 

Though training legs on a weekday proves tricking to walk at work by the end of the day, but sacrifices must be made!

Now due to joining a new gym that opens earlier I do have a bit more time to add in more weight training, and add in some HIIT cardio at the end. 

As I am training for a 10 miles run I have my long distance cardio, so sprint are always on the menu, which to be honest I far prefer to endurance again far more interesting!! 

Sometimes you have to go by feeling - how much energy you have, if you prefer to train something else that isn't planned for that day, so then you are doing something you enjoy, rather than feeling like you have to! 

So if you feeling a bit bored of the gym then shake up what your doing on the daily routine and see how that works for you! 

Drink up!

Wait one second I know it's almost Friday but I am not talking about that drink!
Thirsty Thursdays are now dedicated to all the lovely water we should drink!
I drink around 4 litres a day, using a 2 litre bottle to monitor my intake.
Week days are easy I have that bottle sat on my desk and drink it religiously, weekends used to be harder but now I've started drinking out of a bottle or pint glass to make sure I keep up the water intake!!
If I dont I get a headache, cranky and all round sleepy, if this starts to happen I know I need to up the water intake!
Water doesn't kust hydrate the body, it keeps your fresh and alert along with keeping your skin hydrated and fresh!
If you are not a fan of plain water, try adding lemon or cucumber to make it fresh and add some flavour without the artificial sugar.
I also love a good cup of herbal tea, a huge cup, but sometimes I like to have hot water and lemon to refresh and kick start my day, and also to warm me up!

                                    

Happy Monday

After a tough 3 weeks and spending most of yesterday in tears, I finally got the news I was waiting for, and now after much encouragement from my parents and boyfriend this is the way I will be living my life from now on.

No more panics, no more worries, no more stress! 

Take each day as it comes and be happy, and try not to worry about small things like ok for example, telling my boyfriend I love him, I have never done that before and after it slipping out from him a few weeks back, and my awkward reply, it slipped out from me this week. 

So we put it out there without actually saying it to each other LOL! Such dorks, but its out there, and soon it will be directly said. I hope! 

ANYWAY! 

Happy monday people, here is too a good week and a Positive Mental Attitude!