I Train Like Emma Carstairs For A Year | January 2019

Has anybody else struggled to even start their New Year’s resolutions?

I did for sure. I even posted mine on the blog and then failed to start it until January 17th. 

I have hit some hurdles. The first being that the Krav Maga lessons that I had seen for women only had actually been stopped due to lack of interest. I'm looking for a new class if anyone knows anywhere in the Liverpool area; if not I have one lined up for when I move in August. 

So how has the challenge been since I started?

I took up running again. It's been hard getting up at 5am Monday, Wednesday and Friday but after each run, I'm cold but I am also feeling so light and ready for the day that I understand why so many characters that are athletic take it up as therapy. 

My friend Hannah and I took up the challenge to run a 5k in 9 weeks back in 2018, after hitting a snag where we discovered that Hannah didn't warm up or cool down; we took a month-long break. I want to put the emphasis here, if you go from not doing no exercise to quite high intensity, get a check-up from your doctor and please (PLEASE!) don't leave out the warm up or cool down. You will experience what Hannah did and that is pulling a muscle, which can lead to tearing the muscle - neither are ideal. Hannah didn't pull the muscle, but she was experiencing pain every time her foot hit the pavement and I put a halt on our running. It is vital to prepare your body!

We were using the NHS app for beginners for running. I had some background experience with running as I had attended dance lessons and Paul made us RUN! What the NHS app 'Couch to 5K' is, is a nine-week course to get you from running 10 seconds to 30 minutes in just nine weeks; you can take it as allow or as fast as you want, and you can be coached by the selection of narrators on the app. I chose Sarah Millican for this time as when I'm running my sarcastic commentary is full throttle. 

This is our running schedule;

- Monday, 6:30am: We run 5 kilometres around our nearest high street until 7:30 where if we have time we will go and grab a hot chocolate (the best of the selection I promise.) and if we don't Hannah will go home and shower and get ready for school.

- Wednesday, 6:30: is the same but the run intensifies each time and you are walking less and running more.

- Friday, 6:30: The last run of the week. Although I am enjoying the run, when I know I have a two-day break and I am more excited to sleep in than others care to know. Although the run is the toughest of that week, knowing it is my day off and can go back to bed is great. 

In terms of finding a Krav Maga class, the original one I had decided on stopped the classes on my day off and stopped the women’s only class as they got no interest! 

I'm still on the lookout but if you know of any in Liverpool for around £6-£8 a class email me those details!

Diet - the dreaded thing. 

I'm lucky with Emma as she eats just like any other teenager. Her diet, if she didn't have chef Julien, would consist of Pizza, Burgers, Ice cream and cookies every day until she was sick. 

What I don't so is make pancakes every morning; I have cereal or Weetabix instead. In regard to lunch and dinner I tend to have what I can get for cheap or relatively quickly. I work in a super market and so when I am there my breaks to eat are only 15 minutes, so I tend to grab and a coffee from the fridge and a chocolate bar. I know, so healthy. 

I have been going half and half with my diet. I do know that with my lactose intolerance (it's caused by something in my body - I've not always had it!) it is getting worse over time and so my tolerance of just having the lactose is getting harder to achieve. I am looking for alternatives in my food, and I'm looking at ways I can make my cooking of meals go so much farther! Macaroni and Cheese* anyone?

I've not seen a drastic difference in myself, I know mentally I am a lot more at ease but physically there is no change.

Have you done the challenge with me? If so, how is it going?

Lots of Love,

Jess

Don't forget to subscribe to Make Me Shakespeare so you never miss a post!

Follow my Social!

- Instagram: @makemeshakespeare

- Twitter: @makemejessica

- YouTube: Make Me Shakespeare

- GoodReads: @makemeshakespeare

- Facebook: @makemeshakespeare1616