I miss the gym

 Those are words I never thought I'd say.

I generally found going to the gym boring. But I needed to do something.

So round about September last year, roughly when I decided to take retirement, I started going to the gym more often.  I couldn't go on a regular basis due to work commitments, so found it difficult to get into a routine.

I paid for PT sessions, and was making good progress, but, again, due to work, I really wasn't doing the extra work. Having a PT meant that the sessions were mixed up, but I still progressed, without it getting boring. I went from just about being able to pick up a 5kg dumbell to doing 'proper' weights.

But my cardio was still rubbish, I got breathless really easily.

Then lockdown happened.  My PT sent some plans, and I tried to stick to them, honest I did.  But it was summer, and I walked miles. I even got my bike out, but didn't have the confidence on the roads.  

I tried C25K again, but again, got so breathless that even Jeffing it was difficult.

Then, hallelujah, the gyms re-opened.  This time, I wasn't travelling all over the country so I got into a 'proper' routine.  PT session on a Wednesday,  Zumba on Friday, , Aqua Sunday, Gym on Monday (or random other days).

I definitely started to feel fitter, although wasn't losing any weight. Really bizarre. 

Then we went into Tier3 and I was so angry. It felt like the only thing that got me out of the house was gone.  Fortunately it only lasted 10 days, but here we go again!

I've tried online classes, but they don't work for me. I'm not accountable.  I can skip bits if it gets hard.

So it's back to walking again. And doing an online strength session with a PT.

I've set myself some challenges, using the kit I've got at home

(and no, I don't normally work out in flip flops!)

This whole 'food poverty' thing

I've found that recently my tendency to go off into political rants has been exacerbated by politicians. No surprise there then.

But one of the things that's making my blood boil, is food poverty. Not that it exists, although that in itself is bad enough. The thing that's making me cross is the middle class attitude to it. And the idea of penalising children for the acts of the parents.

I've lost count of the number of posts about 'if they didn't spend the money on drugs/booze/whatever' then they'd have money for food. Or 'grow your own veg, it's cheap'. Safe in their suburban semi's do people really know what it's like.

There's also the assumption that you've got access to a fully equipped kitchen, which isn't the case if you're in a bedsit, or worse, living in a hostel with only a kettle and no fridge.

I've never been really poor as I've been fortunate enough to have had a job in times of recession, and family who could help. But it's occasionally been a close thing. 

I bought my first flat in 1985, going to the limit of what I could afford on my mortgage, just as interest rates went through the roof. I can't remember the exact figures, but I think it was around 13%.  So I found myself with money to pay bills and very little else. I had a Baby Belling oven/hob thing - most of my former colleagues will remember these as being standard in most Housing offices - not a proper oven, and only 2 rings.

I walked to work every day, about 2.5 miles, to save the bus fare.

Went to Mum's for tea on Sunday, usually a roast, and she generally gave me the carcass from the chicken and some veg.  I then had food for most of the week, supplemented with lentils and rice.

It drains you.  Really drains you. I didn't have the energy to be creative, I just stuck to what was familiar. 

But again, I was lucky. I was single, and only had to think about myself. If it had been 3 years later, I'd have had a small baby to think about too.

I'm a big fan of A girl called Jack who writes about how sometimes its easier to use tinned veg, and tinned meat. It lasts longer. 

Much as I like Nigella, sometimes the ingredients are hard to come by.  Or specialist. 

No extra spending in November

 Hey Ho! Here we go again!

At the beginning of the last lockdown, I tried really hard to support friends in the craft industry. If I just spent a tenner with them, it was a help.

This time, I've got more than enough fabric and craft supplies to last me, so I'm going to try and focus on food spending.  Which can get way out of hand!

The basics. I rarely go to supermarkets; I didn't like shopping before all this, now I avoid it wherever possible - helped greatly with lots of delivery services.

I have a regular fortnightly veg/fruit delivery from  Riverford, which supplements the stuff in the fridge/cupboard, and ends up as soup.

Every 4th week, I add meat to this order. I get mince (450g) , chicken breasts and a joint. The mince gets made into about 8 chilli/spag bol type meals, and I get about 4 meals out of the joint, so that basically keeps me going for ages as I don't eat meat at every meal.

I top this up with milk, and the rest is store cupboard stuff, which occasionally gets updated with a Tesco order.

And I get treats from either LIDS Liverpool or Delifonseca who also do a great basics box, with eggs, milk etc.

I also walk to my local shops, or to the grocers in Aigburth Vale Bread Shop Bakery

What's in the freezer?

Quite a bit of chicken

Salmon - from the fish van at the market £5 for a side.

Some frozen mince things.

Soup

Bread

generic 'white fish' - rescued from my son's freezer, as his girlfriend bought it and she isn't living there now.

Prawns, both fresh and cooked.

Frozen veg and frozen fruit.

And that's without actually looking! I'll work it out.

So how's it gone so far?

Not bad - mainly because I've got store cupboard staples. I'd get really bored with rice and lentils, but I wouldn't actually starve!

 Riverford order arrived on the 4th  - it had in it a spaghetti squash, which I've no idea what to do with, so it will probably just get roasted and chucked into soup, along with the carrots and some random veg.

The market is now closed, but there were a few vans there on Friday, so I spent £3 on salad/veg and a couple of quid in the bread shop.

Friday night, I gave in and had fish'n'chips but hey ho! Who cares?

Made bread on Sunday - not sure what went wrong, but it was solid as a rock. Used the breadmaker, so it's hard to judge. I've checked the yeast, and it's definitely active, so I'm stumped.

Spending so far £12.50

I need to get dried fruit to make Christmas cakes, and I won't buy 'economy' versions of that, you definitely get what you pay for!

I've taken a curry out of the freezer, so that's tea for the next two nights, and I'll either make flatbread, or use some rice.