One thing I've noticed about London is that it's about as easy to stay fit and healthy as it is to find a parking space. The situation of having fast, convenient public transport from anywhere to everywhere mean that few people consider walking places. This same mass transportation system, combined with the lack of parking spaces, congestion charging and traffic mean that no-one drives anywhere - and consequently everyone drinks far more regularly than in out the country. Lunchtime drinks, after work drinks, let's go somewhere different and go to the pub - it all adds up. Plus, the temptation in this hard working, hard drinking environment to eat convenience foods which are none too healthy. And I haven't even mentioned the pollution.
All of this has led me to gain weight at an alarming rate since arriving in London, and despite trying to keep up a reasonable diet (lots of fruit) I feel under a general malaise. I quit smoking properly a couple weeks back - so far so good, in spite of the temptation when drunk - but this doesn't seem to have much effect.
So my latest plan is to get properly fit. I did become reasonably fit last year when I lost all my weight originally, but this kinda slipped over Christmas and never returned. So I'm aiming to run twice a week (with a view to entering some 10k races in the summer) and possibly swim once or twice a week too. The gym doesn't tempt me though - I hate those places.
So there we go. I don't plan on turning Living the dream into some sort of boring fitness related blog, but I'm sure I'll mention this again if only to update you on my progress. For reference, I've done a couple of 10k runs so far, with pitiful results - not much short of an hour, although it turns out the route was more like 11.5k according to multimap.
In other news, a quick phone call home confirms that Morrisons will clean a tie for 75p - not quite the 50p bargain claimed, but some way short of the £1.80 it was compared to. More on that story later. Also, I went to see Ambrose's band, Action and Action, last night - excellent, as were the band they ultimately supported, the Grabass Charlestons from Gainesville, FL. High Wycombe doesn't know how lucky it is to have such a great music scene.
2 comments:
Good luck with your new fitness scheme. I must say that I'm the opposite of you as far as fitness preferences go - I find running really boring and I actually enjoy the gym.
Good going on not smoking as well. I haven't had a smoke in ages and ages. It really does get easier after a while. I really odn't miss it. Of course my impetus to put the habit aside was that I would still be a single man otherwise. So it goes.
Hallo I absolutely adore your site. You have beautiful graphics I have ever seen.
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