Warts & All xxx 

I’m afraid this blog should come with a health warning. It’s not your typical happy go lucky account of what our pesky twins have been up to, more a reflection and a share to possibly help others. A warts and all account. 

Last Friday night, 25th April, I climbed into bed and turned to my husband and said,

“I am too young to feel this broken”

I bet you thought I was going to say something fruity, he possibly did too, disappointment for both of you, apart from my Dad when he reads this. 

It had been two weeks with my mental health at the bottom of my boots with the fur.

I’d got myself stuck in a very viscous circle. 

I was desperately tired, in constant pain and snappy which then lead to me really hating myself and feeling like a toxic cloud polluting anyone who came into my proximity. 

I wasn’t living life, I certainly wasn’t enjoying it, I was merely existing. 

ENOUGH!

My husband rolled over to get to sleep knowing this was a no action zone and I turned to the notes page of my mobile to write me a list, gots to love a meaningful list. 

I named it Escape Pain. 

Actually, I’m going to be super lazy and cut and paste it here 👇

Escape Pain!

• Continue to lose weight on Keto diet. Get to **St**lbs (totes not ready to share that yet!)
• Drink aloe Vera every morning 
• Have Warrior protein for breakfast
• Cycle 10 minutes every day
• Do exercises twice a week (Tuesday & Thursday)
• Log food every day 

• Get a suitable knee brace (s) – measure properly 
• Use sleep knee cushion so it is in the correct place
• Use cooling knee pad for 20 minutes before bed 

I have arthritis in my knees, bad enough for “them” to want to give me some funky new ones, but that doesn’t fit into mine and the boys game plan yet. 

I was introduced to the Keto diet by a friend at work. I wasn’t willing, in fact I flat down said NO WAY JOSE! He’s actually called Lee, but I’ll continue. 

Now I’m not saying Keto is the way to go for everyone. It suits me well because it is an inflammatory diet and gluten free. So you do which ever diet works for you, even if it’s a crisps and Coke diet (the drink, not the powder) You do you, I’ll do me x

My insides have always hated me. Possibly on account of being born an addict. I was a pretty hardcore baby born to a mum who didn’t get the same help I did (because I was adopted) and never escaped her drink and drug addiction. But if all I’ve got to complain about from that is a bit of constipation, I’m laughing. It certainly didn’t stunt my growth! 5ft11! Some say I’m built like a brick 💩 house and I’m finally proud of that! Anyway, my saviour is pure Aloe Vera juice, a shot every morning gets the plumbing working and the cranberry one tastes bearable. 

Warrior Whey Protein is the yummiest I have found and I enjoy drinking a cold shake for breakfast. Fills me up until lunch. Also helps with muscle function etc and boring stuff. Blah blah blah. 

I can barely walk and when I first do I was told I look like a duck from someone at work, thanks for that. But I can swim and I can cycle and 10 minutes a day is a SMART goal! Specific, measured, achievable, realistic and target driven. Not only does it help with my knees, but towards the weight loss and creating those happy endorphins to aid my mental health. 

There’s a brilliant exercise app from the NHS called Escape Pain with lots of brilliant workouts on it. My aim was to do two of those a week, I haven’t done one yet, but it’s been blooming hot and I’ve been a melted mess! Actually I might do one after I’ve finished writing this and then I can be smug about it! 

I have a Keto app, it’s very good. I find if I write what I eat down as I go along I am less likely to be naughty. It truly works, when I remember to do it! (Have just logged my breakfast….and last nights dinner if I’m being honest, go me!)

Lee keeps telling me I need to get better supports for my knees and at least ones that match (I have one pink and one black). Don’t tell him, but he was right! I did A LOT of research into what would be best for my knees and it was the ones that help take the load of the knee with metal dooberywotsits (technical term darling) on the side. I even measured my knees and everything, I meant business. Well they arrived and they’re brilliant and I should have done it sooner! 

To make me sound even more youthful I am also going to inform you that I’ve been suffering with a pain in my hip and sciatica. I got to thinking that it might be because of the wedge of a pillow I sleep with between my legs and decided to invest in a proper leg cushion and then remembered I already had one equipped with its own cooling pads that I’d just forgotten about. Turns out it did the trick! I mean, I’m not saying I’m now spiritedly, but in less pain for sure. 

What’s the last one on the list? Oh yes, cooling pads before bed! Totes forgot about that! Will start that this evening then! Alexa is on board and reckons she will remind me, nice to not be arguing with her for a change.  

So, all in all, it’s going pretty well and I’ve certainly broken the cycle and on the way to being a lot happier and healthier. 

At the end of the day we are on our own. No one is coming to save us. We have to take things into our own hands and want to be happy and the only person who can do this for us is us. A good list is a fabulous place to start! 

Right off to do these blinking exercises before I change my mind or it gets too hot! 

Life is too short to allow yourself to stay down. 

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes.