Introducing Joan...

I mentioned last time that i'd just bought myself a dutch bike, well I thought i'd formally introduce her to you, so here she is, my beautiful Joan...

She's a Viking Westwood and was named by my friend Kristen, I think she suits it very well!

From Couch Potato to Lean Mean Exercising Machine!

For the longest time i've been super lazy, probably since secondary school when it wasn't 'cool' to ride bikes all weekend anymore and I started to hear the call of the high street. Now don't get me wrong, I used to walk about three miles everyday but this was more due to the fact that I don't drive and am too much of a tightwad to pay £1.50 for the bus to town when I can walk it, and maybe more importantly, remember when the same bus used to charge 42p! But I am a bit of a slob, I like pyjama days and sitting on my bum all day watching The Big Bang Theory with a constant stream of crappy foods to keep me amused, apart from the almost daily walks to town and back I was a complete exercise phobe.

However, that's all (almost) changed. Two months ago I moved to Dorset, and i'm now living with family until my job starts in September and I can finally rent my own place.

My sister asked me when I moved here if I wanted to go swimming with her, I don't think i've ever properly swam since primary school swimming lessons but I said yes, it would give me something to look forward to every week as until I start work i've got a LOT of free time on my hands and not a lot to fill it. So off I went to the pool, and in 45 minutes i'd swam EIGHT lengths! I had to rest between each length, got cramp in my foot and felt like i'd gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson the next day.

But I didn't give up, every week I swim more and more lengths, the rests got shorter and I can now swim six lengths without stopping and most importantly, i'm pain free the next day which is a big achievement for me.

Anyway, the swimming seems to have set off some kind of exercise bomb inside my brain, not only do we swim once a week but we also got an amazing deal through Groupon for 10 gym day passes for £16 (Usually £15 each!) we've been doing half an hour in the gym, Body Combat and Aqua Aerobics every Monday, I also plan on getting a gym membership when I start work, and i've bought dumbbells and a bike! She's a beautiful cream dutch bike, currently in my sisters shed, waiting for the rain to stop so that I can go over and fetch her.

But most importantly I now look forward to exercise, it makes me feel better and although it's early days and i'm not yet seeing any changes to my body I can feel them, my resistance is slowly building up and it's only going to get better. I would recommend to anyone to try to exercise more, as once I got over the initial hump, it's the best thing i've ever done!