One habit to another

Last night I watched a program on BBC3 (my favourite channel for trashy TV) about people and drugs. This wasn't about heroin addicts or Class A users, it referred to people who liked legal highs and even those on diet pills or sexual medication they can't stop taking. It was pretty interesting.

As you can guess it focussed really on addiction.

Today I went to spinning, this was only my second class and this time I went it alone, since my man is working.

Since braving horse riding and spinning - two things I've shied away from for a long time - I have started to wonder what else I could try.

I've found myself continuously returning to my gym's class timetable, looking up all the options of things I might like and the timings.

My boyfriend actually said to me today "One word. Addiction."

Have I gone from the habit of sitting in, pigging out and letting my diet slip to instead obsessing over what I eat and how to burn off that fat and any excess calories? Simply shifting from one habit to another?

Of course if this is the case I don't mind too much since the path I'm on is now a healthier one.

I do wonder if this is why I don't stay committed to healthy eating and exercise for a considerable amount of time though. I get obsessive over it and push it too far.

Today I realised the way my boyfriend's shifts work he will be off Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. What did I do? Look up what classes we could go to together when I finish work on Monday and Tuesday next week that's what.

I'm going for a girl's night out Saturday, which I'm really looking forward to - I love a good goss and a boogie! However because it's going to involve alcohol I told the stables last week I won't be riding this Sunday.

The result? I can't stop thinking about the fact I'm not going to get to go horse riding. I've been torn between considering phoning up and going riding still on Sunday, to looking if there are any classes we can go to in the morning instead.

I've also tried to be realistic that I may be hungover (although I am going to really try not to get carried away and drink too much), so am also toying with the idea of an afternoon run instead.

Really it'll all depend on how achey I am post-spinning after tonight's class.

I've done my workout DVD Monday and Tuesday this week. I had a rest day on Wednesday and of course spinning tonight. I've not decided what exercise I'm going to do tomorrow (there aren't any classes though the time I finish work). Saturday I hope to go spinning with my man (with a different instructor unfortunately) and then we shall see what happens Sunday.

As for next week, I've already lined up Body Combat for Monday night - since my boyfriend said he'd like to try this and isn't too sure about testing out Zumba just yet.

After learning my friend at work has already lost three pounds in just two days on her 'fad' diet though I'm really hoping for good results on Monday' weigh-in. I feel I've really put the effort in. We shall see

Still one thing's for sure I'll definitely be making sure I have a good jump around to my DVD as much as possible, after getting this ridiculous note from the neighbours in the flat below...

Becoming a beauty addict?

I never thought I would say this, but I think I am getting a bit of an addiction for beauty treatments. Now those who know me will argue there’s no way I’m a tomboy, but I’m not an overly girly girl who is prepared to spend countless hours on my appearance either. Put it this way, if I can have a bit longer in bed in the morning versus getting up and properly blow drying and straightening my hair, then the bed wins it every time.

As a recent treat for my birthday I went to a local business called Sole Sensation – the USP for this place is that they offer the increasingly popular ‘fish pedicures’. Not long after they opened I poked my head round the door to have a nose, but chickened out and didn’t go through with trying it. Now – pardon the pun – I’m hooked. For £15 for 25 minutes you can have your feet ‘nibbled’ by these special fish who get rid of the dead skin and leave your tootsies baby-bum-soft. Lovely.

I admit when I first put my feet in the water I shrieked a bit, I couldn’t bring myself to look in the tank and I did freak out a bit. However, once you get used to the sensation it is such a relaxing process. Due to a special multi-treatment deal they were offering, my boyfriend had booked me in for a manicure as well (minus fish I should add). This place is so popular that they were a bit booked up so my appointment was this Saturday (a couple of weeks after my birthday).

From when I was young the only pampering I did was to religiously use a Blue Corn facemask from Body Shop and relax in a bubble bath, or if not I tried to follow a cleanse-tone-moisturise routine. That was it. Then I got introduced to my boyfriend’s mates and their girlfriends/wives who it has to be said always look fab and are more interested in their appearance than me. They are the ones who got me into spas – hence my numerous visits to various Essex/Kent spas and then a friend got me a voucher for a local beauty place. As I visited more of these places I sampled pedicures, back neck and shoulder massages, facials, head massages and body scrubs.

The thing I find with beauty treatments is that the more you have the more you want to try. I did try out fake nails a few years back, but after leaving my natural nails as thin as paper I was not impressed and so far have never gone back to that. Apart from that I have thoroughly enjoyed my visits, I find they relax me and leave me feeling great. So this Saturday I went for a luxury manicure (for only £5 more than the standard manicure you get a hand massage, hand mask/wrap and you leave with super soft skin).

Even whilst I was having the treatment I was planning another visit and what I could have next time. In fact I purposely arrived early to my appointment so I could fit in another visit with my fishy friends! Needless to say I am now a fan of the manicure – my first one – in fact I have spent the last few days admiring my super shiny painted nails and stroking my super soft skin.

On visiting my Auntie recently I arrived to find the hairdresser there – who happens to be my hair stylist too. My Aunt religiously has her hair washed, blow dried and styled every single week. I haven’t had my hair done for quite a while, partly because I am trying to grow my hair out and also since I haven’t got cash to chuck around. However, I have since found myself lusting over a hair cut/dye and have been wondering when I could get one booked in.

Although, when young I used to be petrified of getting my hair done, as a child I would shout ‘Force me!’ when my Aunt/Mum tried to trim my locks and I had my hair ‘highlighted’ when I was at Uni with a petrified expression on my face throughout the whole time in the salon. Not now, I love my hair being touched, cut, straightened and styled – you just feel so much better once you’ve had your hair done.

So although I’m not off to join The Only Way Is Essex crew just yet and get tanned up and vajazzled, I can’t promise how long it’s going to be before my next manicure, pedicure, hairstyle or massage hit. Well, after all I only need to have one more treatment at Sole Sensation and get my next treatment for free! Beauty bargain hunter? Health spa hag? Massage maniac? Guilty as charged.

Dying to have fun

So, another weekend, another bout of bad news it seems. The hacking scandal caused all sorts of controversy, outrage and major changes within the media, but this weekend brought about something a lot different. Death.

Both stories are worlds apart. Or are they? One where a talented young musician was found dead, where most people suspect the death was caused by long-term, self-inflicted actions of horrendous levels of drug and alcohol consumption. The other where the lives of 85+ people (although some reports now state it was less) were taken in an allegedly planned attack by one man in Norway and Oslo.

It seems to me that recently just as everything seems to somewhat calm down in the world (well as much as it ever could) then a major incident occurs to shake us all up again.

As you know from my recent shopping blog, I had a sixties themed party to go to this weekend. Which I did indeed attend and had a great night. However, after using the skills of my lovely Mum to help me create a super puffed up beehive I felt a little inappropriate I must admit. Why? Well I’d been all wrapped up in looking just right and then my boyfriend called me to ask if I’d seen the news? Amy Winehouse had been found dead. Thankfully I’d arranged a lift to said party, else I hate to think what would have happened if I’d stepped on the bus or walked there looking as I did!

I’ve had a mixture of thoughts on hearing the news of Amy’s death, a lot of people as I expected have argued it was inevitable the way she was punishing her body and what else would you expect. Others have complained about all the tributes to her ‘great music’, feeling that she was okay but only released two albums, one that was well-known and one maybe not so much. However, regardless to me it doesn’t make her death any less shocking and for her family although they have seen her torment herself and damager her body on and off for years, the fact she’s now gone and didn’t manage to help herself is so sad.

Of course, this also leads us to consider other young stars who died so young, I was shocked to find out that Amy Winehouse was younger than me for a start and it does give you a bit of a reality check. Some have said Amy has now joined the ‘27 club’, a rather depressing observation but a number of stars have died at the age of 27, many of which from over-indulging in these damaging drugs and lifestyles. Just some names are Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Jim Hendrix.

So can it be argued the young woman brought it on herself? Should we not feel too much sympathy for her actions? I’m not really someone who surrounds themselves with drugs or condones it, however I am aware that addiction is a hard struggle and a tough battle to face and ultimately not everyone wins it. So although Amy possibly may have contributed to her death by drug abuse, is she still a victim? A victim of addiction?

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor…

I had some interesting conversations this weekend regarding alcohol consumption. Surprisingly some family members found it funny and congratulated me on my recent drunken behaviour on my work leaving do. Saying well done for taking after them and their drunken ways. Others weren’t quite so complimentary and tutted at my behaviour, warning me the sorts of dangers you could get in whilst being in such a state. Some friends/colleagues argued that it was a leaving do and you’re expected to get ‘hammered’ after such a long time working somewhere.

One question that did crop up as the result of this comical chatter was how can you tell how much is too much? Is there an age you should stop drunken antics, or in fact whatever your age should consuming too much alcohol be something that is always avoided and is looked down on?

I’m not saying getting drunk should become a new entry in the Olympics, or that it’s big or clever to get in such a state, but is it just another way to let off steam and relax (in moderation)? How do you know if you’ve got a real problem? How fine is the line between being the good time girl and finding yourself reliant on having a drink every day?

Is getting inebriated, having to be coaxed out of a toilet for near on 90 minutes and finding it nigh on impossible to walk something to be completely and utterly ashamed of, or just a part of being young? Or even, somewhere in between?

Finding yourself reunited with the many liquids you worked your way through during the evening, absolutely disgusting or inevitable? And if only happening on the odd occasion, perfectly acceptable?

I admit I often struggle with whether at 28, near on 29, I’m getting too old to be going out on nights out and getting myself in a drunken stupor – not on purpose, I’m not one of these people that heads out and has a plan to get off my face or anything. However, should I by now know when I’m teetering on that edge of having too much and know to stop myself?

Is the fact I like to have a good night out now and again, which can often lead to me being drunk, a bad thing? Or is this my alternative to what other people do to let loose – I drink alcohol, rather than take drugs, I like a nice cold glass of wine, rather than inhale numerous amounts of cigarettes. It was argued in our talk that really alcohol is a drug and some of the responses people at the table gave to a handful of the questions indicated perhaps they were slightly addicted in a way to drinking.

Although some of us don’t wake up craving a cocktail or dying for a double vodka, is the fact whenever we go for a night out we end up drunk a sign we are actually dangerously closer to an alcohol problem than we think?

We’ve all seen over the years how reports and articles have come out suggesting women are getting worse than men at binge drinking and that in some way females filling their throats with booze is actually a way to compete with men. I have to say the latter I completely disagree with and trying to be equal to men is more about trying to get the same salary for the same career position, rather than if you can drink your best bloke buddy under the table!

In fact as one of the group who encourage our friends/colleagues to down yet another shot or wolf down another wine, are we as much at fault? Do we have a responsibility to then take care of that individual if we get them in that state or is it their fault for getting like that?

I plan to start my healthy eating and exercise plan yet again this week so I can say I’m pretty safe on being near enough average on the alcohol consumption front for now. Whether it’s something myself or friends of mine, or even family members, need to consider and truly assess in the future remains to be seen.