Rants and Raves #6

First ranting and raving post for 2015. So we’re supposed to get snow…? Or a massive storm? So far it’s rather peaceful and quiet this morning. Wouldn’t a snow day just be lovely? Unlikely though. Anyway, here are latest my rants and raves!

Rave: New boots! OK I got these before Christmas, but in the sale from Dorothy Perkins for £20 I think. I’m not a high heel wearer but I enjoy a modest ‘wedged’ heel rather than a pointy one (if that makes sense…).IMG_8833

They’re sort of burgundy rather than the brown colour they appear in the photo. I normally go for black so it’s nice to have a change. They’re very comfy and very useful for the current rainy conditions we’re being blessed with in the UK. Though I do take them off at work now I have my standing desk otherwise it can be a bit hard on my calves…

Rant and rave: A nice segue to my standing desk.

Standing deskI won’t lie, it is hard to stand the majority of the day. I’m very much ready to sit down for lunch midway through the day. However the difference I feel when I walk somewhere after I’ve been standing compared to after I’ve been sat having my lunch is incredible. My legs are all stiff when I’ve been sat for an hour whereas my legs feel great after standing instead.

My boss asked how it was going and what my motivations behind it were. I told him how I felt more alert later in the day, my back ache had disappeared and my posture was improving. It shocked me that he seemed genuinely surprised that standing would be better for you than sitting and the health benefits involved.

Rant: Speaking of people being ignorant to health matters and fitness, sometimes I feel like shouting at people. OK not shouting, I’m not a shouty type of person. But I have serious face-palm moments when I hear and see some of the bewildering things people do or say on their journey towards health. A serial dieter at work asked “is tinned tuna fattening?”. I felt myself die a little inside. There are so many things wrong with this sentence. And then there’s the lady going on a liquid diet for a set number of weeks to drop pounds quickly. Or watching the TV programme Fast Food Baby and seeing parents giving their toddler takeaways every single day and walking past the produce section of the supermarket saying “we don’t need any of that!”.

I read a lot of blogs, magazines, books and surround myself with a lot of similar people so health and fitness aren’t vague concepts to me, but I know that for some of the population today they are. I’m trying not to sound smug or like an annoying know-it-all because I know I’m not (hello, I’m the girl who’s always injured from running). But it makes me sad when people just don’t seem to have a clue and will always try the quick fixes to achieve what realistically takes a long-time to sort out. Lifestyle changes not dieting. You could say “well it’s easy for you to say” but I work hard in the gym, try not go crazy with my cake obsession and try to eat healthily most of the time – being healthy is not easy and perhaps there’s the issue.

Rave: My parents installed two web cams for their kitchen and utility room so they could check up on their dogs via an iPhone app throughout the day.

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Surprise surprise when he checked midway through the day the three dogs were fast asleep all snuggled together. I think this is brilliant and very cute. A great way to check in on your house and see what your furry friends are up to. I’m pretty sure the same would be for Alfie as he sleeps like 16 hours a day! But I would love to nosey in on what he’s up to in a day.

Rant: More of a half-hearted rant really. This is Ben’s idea of porridge:

IMG_8975 Not only does he submerge it in golden syrup but there are also a few teaspoons of white sugar in there as well. Oh his poor teeth… Thankfully he only has this or toast at the weekend as he never has breakfast in the week (*sighs*). I think I would self-combust on the way to work if I didn’t have breakfast.

Rave: If you read this blog regularly you’re probably aware that I adore BBQ sauce. BBQ ribs are probably one of my favourite foods (and why I’m so happy we’re going to Dallas as apparently they’re good there…). My latest easy meal (that Ben also enjoys) is oven-baked BBQ chicken thighs and drumsticks. I remove the skin (weirdly I’m only a fan of chicken skin in restaurants as they just do it so much nicer? More crispy and flavoursome) and coat it in BBQ sauce (sneakily add some kale) and oven bake it for 40 minutes or so. With it I have a roasted sweet potato whereas Ben has onion rings.

IMG_8844 OK let’s ignore the fact that the main ingredient in BBQ sauce is sugar and you could say ‘pot calling kettle black’ and all that jazz with my previous rant about Ben’s golden syrup…but it just tastes SO GOOD. And there’s healthy stuff there with the kale and protein. Shhh.

Rant: At Christmas one of the presents both Ben and I got were selfie sticks. Funnily enough both Ben’s mum and my parents got us selfie sticks. So we’re now the proud owners of four selfie sticks. No one is that self-obsessed right?! As we got the selfie sticks as our table present (anyone else do that?) I tried to get it working so we could have a quick selfie before we ate.

IMG_8878 Can you see how happy Ben is about this?

And that would be a fail. It has a little remote control to take the photo but it was just very fiddly and difficult to work out how to use.

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I did think that our attempts were somewhat amusing, and trying to take a photo in front of a large window is never a good idea. Needless to say we haven’t attempted to try again. I am taking them with us on holiday though. Just probably not on any roller coasters… Hopefully this will turn into a rave at some point!

Rave: Nice people at the gym. I was at the gym the other morning going through one of my strength routines, just in the zone you know, and there was an older lady who was doing her own routine behind me. As I finished up and was doing some stretches she came over to me and said “Can I just say that you have such an amazing core!” Granted it was a bit of a weird compliment but it literally made my day. She told me she had been watching me do my thing and was impressed at how strong my core was. She asked my age and said she was almost 60 herself. I said to her that I hoped to be like her when I’m 60 because she was rocking out some tough moves herself! I think we both made the other feel pretty damn good that morning.

She told me she was a runner too and only a few years ago the doctor had told her after she had an accident she’d never run again – well, she said to him, she didn’t run beforehand but she was damn well going to now! She told me her 10k PB was 58 minutes – how amazing is that! Bless her heart she said mine must be 40 minutes. I loved her for that and did laugh quite a lot. Not quite I said haha!

What are your rants and raves this week?

Do you enjoy taking selfies?

BBQ sauce or ketchup? Ketchup is a mere pretender in my eyes 😉 but it will do if nothing else is available. Chips (fries) without a little sauce is a heinous sin!

22 Replies to “Rants and Raves #6”

  1. I used to work at a standing desk and loved it! Now, I sit and have to get up quite often to walk around so my legs don’t feel trashed at the end of the day.
    I love BBQ too!! So so good!! That was really awesome of the woman at the gym to compliment you. So many people don’t build other people up, when we should! Acknowledging someone else and their strengths is a great motivator!!
    Staci @ Hoosier Running Mom recently posted…My FiveMy Profile

  2. You are doing so well with the standing desk! It’s good to hear that you are feeling the benefits from it too.

    Is tun fattening? Oh god, I would have had a serious face palm moment too. Even if it did have a high amount of fat in it, I wish people would understand that it is not a single food that is “evil” it is about habits.
    Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on How To Motivate Yourself To Get Up Early For A Workout by DanniiMy Profile

  3. Rant: We have all the snow that you’re missing. Can I send you some, please?

    Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system. Infernal snow.

    I agree about health myths, particularly those perpetuated by the media. Tinned tuna fattening? Jesus, it’s the staple of cutting bodybuilders. It’s pure protein, and just about the least fattening food out there after vegetables…and I’m saying this as a vegan. I don’t know if you saw that ‘What’s the Right Diet For You?’ Horizon special, but it just about made my head explode. Now the general public is all going to think they only have one of three specific reasons behind their weight gain, when I think 99.9% of people have very varied and nuanced reasons for struggling with their weight. I could see elements of myself in all three ‘types,’ for example. And then they put people on the 5:2 diet, at which point I turned the TV off lest I throw it out of the window. Plus, all of the nutritionists looked like poster girls for anorexia…it’s such a double standard in the respect that they are no ‘better’ than the overweight participants. Neither have a healthy approach to food. It really annoys me that anyone remotely overweight is stigmatized as ‘unhealthy’ while grossly underweight individuals are venerated as role models for eating correctly.

    Sorry – I have lots of rants! As per usual…it is nice when there are lovely and positive, supportive people at the gym though. I have met quite a few myself, and they more than balance out all of the nosy busybodies you also get.

    No selfies for me – I hate looking at pictures of myself! I just use the running ones as a measure of progress when it comes to weight and form (or lack of it) – I can’t imagine taking a selfie unless I really needed one for a profile pic/avatar or something.
    Jess recently posted…Fair Weather Runners?My Profile

    1. Ah yes I’m sorry about all your snow and ice 🙁 The odd snow day is fun but real life starts to suck after the novelty has worn off. For us down South we’re just not as used to it!
      Oh I think I read that diet thing on the BBC News – there were “three types”: cravers, emotional eaters and feasters or something similar (I saw myself as a feaster if I had to colour code myself). But yes putting people into such categorical boxes and then prescribing them the closest diet seems stupid. Yes address the issues behind why they’re overweight but don’t just give them a stupid diet. My dad (who said he was a “craver”) now thinks he needs to go on the fasting diet. Oh my lord. Let’s educate people properly!!
      I think I had unfairly judged the people at my gym so was genuinely shocked by such a nice comment. I usually don’t speak to people at all or try and avoid it as I just want to get on and get out but it was a nice change.

  4. Love the boots. 🙂 I’m not a heel person either and much prefer wedges when it comes to footwear.
    I did laugh that you got FOUR selfie sticks for Christmas! That should make a great photo in itself! I’m not a massive fan of photos of me although I’m much more comfortable than I was with pictures since I started blogging.
    What a lovely (although slightly odd!) compliment from the lady at your gym. The other week someone asked me from the other side of the road how far I was running and the furthest I had run before. They asked the right question, as I could reply that I’d run a 70 mile race last year, to which they replied that I was incredibly dedicated to be out running over Christmas and to have achieved a distance of that length. Made me feel good. 🙂
    Mary recently posted…Clean no more!My Profile

    1. We just need four iPhones…hmmm this might be possible with the parent’s phones. I have ideas forming haha…
      Oh wow yeah definitely the question to ask you! Did you say it all casually like it was just a regular run!? Hehe. My neighbours (so nosey) always ask me how far I’m running and they both look so bewildered by it, even if it’s just 3 or 4 miles. Usually followed by “golly, where does that take you?”

  5. I stand or move about all day for work, and your body does adjust to it, it takes a little while and I notice it the first few days I go back after a holiday but then I just get used to it. The misinformation about nutrition out there is alarming, it’s all about education, and I think the media and diet industry are hugely to blame for so many misconceptions. I just shake my head when someone eats some sort of chemical shit storm low fat product, but they are frightened of eating an avocado or some nuts!
    Lauren (@poweredbypb) recently posted…Cashew Cacao Orange Energy BitesMy Profile

    1. The media are to blame hugely for the proliferation of the diet concepts. The quick and easy rather than the (albeit boring) long-term solutions. It sells far better if something is quick.
      Yes I completely agree about the low fat stuff. My mum is a big fan of this and those Weight Watcher microwave meals. I despair!!

  6. Oh my word I have had rants like this too. ON Tuesday at work someone asked why I had to leave right after the meeting, and I said I was going running at half 6. The reply was “what, even in the rain?”- words failed me as all the sarcastic replies bubbled up and I had to remember that this was my friend asking me!
    I am not a fan of the couple selfie- I do sometimes take a picture of myself for something (eg I got a cool fox hat for Christmas so I took a pic of me wearing it) but that is about it really. I saw someone over Christmas get a selfie stick and then use it to take photos of other people….. don’t think they quite had the right idea although if you called it a short a*** stick then I could use one to take pictures of things that I can’t see because of tall people stood in front of me.
    Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…Jantastic 2015 Week 1- Feeling optimisticMy Profile

    1. Haha runners run in ANYTHING. And usually in shorts lol.
      That’s a fantastic use for a selfie stick!! Like a little spy camera 😉 Yes I think the selfie stick really takes it one step further in this weird world. They are fun though but I wouldn’t take them to serious places!!

  7. Ha! Those selfie sticks are all over the place, can’t believe that you got 4 of them! I am prone to the odd selfie now and then, but find them difficult sometimes to get the right angle etc.

    Love your new ankle boots and what a bargain price. I think looking in clothes stores rather than going to a traditional shoe shop offers far more variety and choice, plus the reductions in the sale seem to be better.
    Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes recently posted…Tried and Tested in DecemberMy Profile

  8. I’ve just ordered a selfie stick lol 😉 I am with you on the rant about the general publics awareness of healthy food, it saddens me so much, one of the reasons I love doing community projects. People are amazed when I explain things to them! A rave from me is finding loads of clothes for Fin stuffed in a drawer, pressies from when he was born which he was too small to fit into back then. A rant would be that half the clothes are now too small!

    1. I really admire you with your community projects. It was one of the things that the programme Fast Food Baby showed – a community of mums all led by one woman helping each other cook and give each other tips and ideas.
      Gosh kids go through clothes quickly don’t they!?

  9. I love those boots! Dotty P’s is great for shoes.

    Rant: It’s bloody freezing! I walk home from work and then am too cold to walk over to the gym – and I don’t drive 🙁

    Rave: I got free tickets to see Spamalot yesterday. It’s SO funny, I was crying with laughter at one point. Have you seen it?

    I’d love to have a standing desk at work, I feel so lethargic towards the end of the day.

    xx

    1. I’ve never heard of Spamalot but will Google it – sounds good!
      Don’t get me wrong, I am still tired at the end of the day but more mentally than physically. And yes less lethargic. It’s a good kind of tiredness I now feel.
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…Rants and Raves #7My Profile

  10. So many things I want to shout “yes!” about here Anna! Firstly, yes to the dog watching iPhone thingy, such a great idea. Selfie sticks are the hottest thing of 2015 apparently so you and Ben are set 😉 and huge yes on feeling shocked by the lack of knowledge about health. It makes me really sad.
    Claire @ Flake and Cake recently posted…Day in the LifeMy Profile

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