What is "this"?

Morning all!! How are we this fine, sunny day?

I am good thanks! I am sat here having my homemade apple and pear squash icelolly before finishing the 3rd and final weekend off the drink before my blow out weekend. Or is it? I realised the other day that actually I don't miss it that much! Actually I'm not sure I miss it at all! I definitely don't miss the hangovers for the feeling rubbish and sluggish for days afterwards.

I think I like feeling like "this" too much, I have worked hard for "this" so why throw it away on a drunken weekend? But what is "this"??? Is it the way I feel emotionally (we all know the booze makes me sad) or it is phyiscally (the way I am starting to look and everything)? I don't know.

But then there is the other side of the coin! Can I go out and have fun and not drink? Can I dance like a nutter and not care? Can I still go to the pub and sit there talking rubbish for hours with my friends? Does the 90:10 theory work? Can you be good 90% time and then having blow outs? More importantly can I??

Soooo many questions and I don't know the answer! I know what my mum says "Everything in moderation" But seriously my mum should know me better than to think i do anything in moderation!!Has anyone out there done the 90:10 thing? has anyone got any advice?

Sorry this is so short and i have been quiet for a few days but the cricket has been great, and the sun out so my bad!!

Love you all! x x x

Getting to know you!

Right, so today I will not rant! I was going to do a WIAW following Becca's lead but as today i have mostly eaten fruit it wouldn't be that interesting so instead I thought today we would do a get to know you session! So I contacted a few friends, and opened it up to twitter and asked them to come up with questions as well as me giving you basic facts about myself!

Name: Claire E. Campbell ( I hate my middle name, my sister was allowed to chose it!)

Nicknames: ClaireBear, Campbell, Boobies (one person gets away with this) or Bella (Dad always used to call me Bella but obviously i have out grown it)

Date of Birth: 21st March 1983 - Yes, this makes me an Aries and I am a typical Aries and proved of it!!

Bit about me: I live at home with my mum, dad and two labs! One chocolate and one yellow, you know when they decided dogs are like their owners well my dogs are very much like me and my sister. Oh yes, I have one sister who is older, married with two stunning boys! Anyway getting back to the dogs, Molly the chocolate one is like my sister, independent, goes with the flow, and will get places in her own time! Tess, the yellow one, well she is me! She is a complete stress head, who doesn't know what she wants, can't sit still, constantly thinks about food and basically is a neurotic mess!

Molly and Tess

Shona, with Puds (George) and Gollum (Baby Harry)

My Sister and Me

Favourite sport: All sports especially Rugby!
Favourite Food: NUTS!!!! Fruit, Curry, Porridge, anything covered in PeriPeri Sauce!
Favourite Drink: White Wine, Cider, Robinsons Summer Fruit and Barley Squash
Worst Food: Meat on the bone! Sorry it freaks me out!
Worst Drink: Green Tea (I drink it but only cause its meant to be good for me!) Tequilla (got drunk on it when I was 16, I can't even smell the stuff now!)
My Hero: My Parents!

My Parents with Harry

FRIENDS QUESTIONS!
When, Where and Why did you decide to start blogging? Basically one morning I woke up with too many thoughts and ideas in my head, and instead of going even more crazy than I am I decided to start a blog to try and talk them through! Then it turned into a diary about my attempts to get fit, then I fell off the fitness wagon for a couple of months so I stopped blogging. Now, well now, my head is slightly more back in the game, if life gives you lemons make lemonade! Or at least attempt to, fail, then try again!!

What kind of Auntie are you?

What is your greatest fear? I got asked this question the other day, I always thought my greatest fear was falling but I think that's a bit of a cop out, if I am honest I guess I have two fears, one letting down the people I love and the other is, falling in love again! What is it they say! Once bitten twice shy!!

What would be your perfect weekend? Perfect weekend is easy, surrounded by my family and friends, throw in a game or two of rugby and the sun!!

If you won the lottery what would be the first thing you would buy? I have no idea, maybe a holiday - oh who am I kidding - I would drink, then buy a Vantage!! Am I allowed to buy people? I would buy myself a rugby team!!! Danny Carter, Johnny, and Butch James would be my first purchases.

Danny Carter - if only he would wear the English Rose!

Dog or Cat person? DOG!!!! I don't trust cats, they are too clever for me!

So thats me!! Well a bit about me!!

 If you have any questions then I will try and answer them!! Get in touch!

x x x Have a great rest of the day! x x x

How to "upset" a ClaireBear in one easy move!

Please feel free to replace upset with a swear word if you would like! Today's entry was up until 3:30pm a brilliant, happy buzzing one, now it is annoyed and upset and actually I am fuming, so I can going to do what I wouldn't normally do! Name and Shame time!!

I was absolutely buzzing this morning as I woke up early I did a 2mile run (not much I know but the first time in ages I have done a road run) and then 350m swim (yes I got in the pool and I swam). Then off to the gym I went, I texted Perv to ask him to set up the GHD situps, which he waited till I got there so that we didn't use the equipment in case someone wanted it! (How thoughtful of him!) Anyway we did 3 rounds of 100m Waiter Walks 12kgs RT arm, 30 GHD situps, 100m Waiter Walks 12kgs LT arm, 30 back extensions! All before 9am imagine my buzz!!!

So todays entry was going to be about what makes me happy and generally a good mood thing! Then I get a message!! The boys are no longer allowed to train me as much as they do as someone at the gym has complained!! Let's get this right actually one of the Personal Trainers clients have complained! Why cause I actually want something for my monthly payment of £73 and not have to fork out another £40 per hour! Or because the boys actually want to do their job and help someone get fit instead of just standing around or having to clean the floor! I am feed up of gyms where people get away with doing exercise incorrectly and hurting themselves and no one giving a monkeys! The guys at my gym should be praised and rewarded for wanting to help people! So from Happy Bear, waving and smiling at everyone we now have this...

So not only do I pay my £73 a month for what exactly if I am not allowed a spotter, or someone to count my reps (you think I'm joking I honestly do lose count after about 5) ok they do more than that but that's cause they are nice guys!!  I also wear my charity top in there with pride, so u would kinda realise I volunteer for a large British charity which is well known for its sporting events and challenges and therefore, if I was a gym I would want to be seen to be supporting someone who if they were fit enough would be doing them every month! (By the way this is one of the goals) You would think this is great PR for a place which a lot of people think is designed for stuck up "tennis mums!" - I have no issues with tennis mums but i am cross and ranting and you all know what I mean by the stereotype! But this is the gym which allows A-List celebs to use it for free when they are in town and I'm not allowed to complain about that! Well you can *!*# right off! Maybe i should of realised that it wasn't a place that really wanted people to get fit and healthy when this is what they have on sale as soon as you walk into the "Brasserie"...

The wonderful Mark and Stu have been pushing the whole #gymfree idea on twitter (have a look it is great) and I was fully behind it until I personally needed a constant kick up the butt and the guys at the gym gave me that! All I can think right now is Mark and Stu I should of listened to you guys!!

So what now?? Well I am off to the gym to see if anyone actually has the guts to say anything to me about it, and to ask for my £50 back which I should of got after my year was up, and basically to show how annoyed I am, and to ask the question all important question!
WHY SHOULD I GIVE YOU MY MONEY?

Everyday is a new day!

Ok ok so I failed on day one! My cardio was a 1.5 mile walk with the dog!! I know I suck, I know I promised I would do cardio everyday no excuses but I suck! So tomorrow must be a major improvement!

But guess what?!? I have one great bit of news! I am still on the booze wagon!! Second weekend completed and that even included dinner out, all day charity cricket match and a pub quiz!! BOOM!!!

The diet wagon, completely broke down on Saturday, with a trip to the cinema. So the "Big Gay Bear" took me out for dinner at Nandos! Badge and I even checked the menu online before hand so I knew what I wanted and everything! Guess which was mine and which was the BGBs?

By the way we went to see Bridesmaids, BGBs choice, I suggested that or Transformers! Anyway so we have Nandos and I am feeling proud of myself so feel I deserve a treat!! OH YES I MESSED UP!! Frozen yoghurt, salted popcorn, Maltersers, and a Chocolate cookie! Oh well I gave myself a cheat day! I should point out the BGB is not "gay" in the sense of his sexual preferences but as in he is normally always happy and to be honest there is never ever going to be anything sexual between us so he might as well prefer men to women.

Sunday was serious fruit day! Quick gym session in the morning then off to the charity pub cricket! Sun was shinning and I had great fun! The team I was supporting was led by Al my wonderful friend! It was Al that did the pub quiz that night and a raffle! I won Pois' - so excited!!

Today, well today was today and diet, and workout were never going to really happen all for one good reason! The boys came over! Puds' aka George is 18 months old and Arry/Gollum aka Harry is 9 weeks old, in all fairness I can't blame them for diet wagon still being wonky but they are the reason today was a right off! Me and my excuses!!Lets be honest was and is because I am lazy I have no one else to blame.

So yet again tomorrow is another start! Well I guess they say everyday is a new beginning for a reason! FINGERS CROSSED!! Now where did I leave my positive attitude????

Not as smart as the average bear!

Well my darlings you all know about yesterdays monumentum fail on my behalf! But, you also know that waking up this morning I had an epiphany! At 28 years old, on a Friday night if the worse thing I did was ate my own body weight in nuts and greek yoghurt oh well!! These things happen and tomorrow is another day! Trust me I could come up with a thousand worse things I could of done and how I could of spent my Friday night (a lot of them a lot more fun as well, and already experienced but hey thats a different entry!)

Anyway, this brilliant new attitude lasted through breakfast! My wonderful porridge, seeds and berries! It stayed through the double expresso and whilst watching the news (which was another wake up) it lasted the drive to the gym, it even lasted walking up the stairs at the gym! And then it happened!! I lost it, I committed the cardinal rule which the wonderful Mark and Stu had drummed into me in the last few months. I got on the scales!! I did my body fat %!

Oh common sense where were you???? I know better than to do something so silly! Especially on my own, after a stupid night (by the way I know one night wouldn't make much difference but in my mind it does!) At this point I feel it is only fair to myself to point out that I am not a stupid girl, I mean I am no Einstein and my spelling is some what orginal sometimes, but I am not thick!! However, there are times when the cast of TOWIE ( if you are reading this in a country where TOWIE has not made it to your lands, think Jersey Shore or some trash MTV reality show) have more common sense than me!

This was one of them! Out comes my phone! I send a couple of SMSs - first to my mum! (she will never understand my whole weight, body issues as she is my mother and obliged to say nice things about me always!  (By the way I should take this moment to apolgise to my Mum - she never does anything wrong and does sooooo much right and I rarely appreciate it until afterwards!!) then comes the ones to the boys at the gym! Badge and Perv!! Well I knew Badge was on his way so only fair to give him a heads up on the crazy woman that was now in the gym!!

Oh and by crazy I mean CRAZY!!! I try and get on with my workout as best I can - but on comes the angry chick rock on my iPhone (by the way, still having issues with it so not that many songs, so imagine them on repeat) and I start singing along! Yes, I was singing loudly in the gym to angry prepubity rock chicks, and yes, I did get looks! No, this did not help my mood! Then bless him, Badge came over and tried to speak to me! Can you guess what happened? Swearing, grumpiness and then TEARS!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!! I CRIED IN THE GYM!!!! OVER NUMBERS MADE UP OF LED LIGHTS! (seriously I dare anyone to tell me they are LED lights) I mean come on people, 28 years old, I have a degree in Mickey Mouse subjects, I am doing a masters in Bull Poo, my parents are sensible sane people, so why am I freaking over these stupid red lights!! Ok, so they didn't say the magic numbers I wanted them to, so they didn't spell out "ClaireBear you are wonderful just the way you are!" But what happens when they do show the magic numbers I have in my head? Will I be happy then? Will that be enough? And if it is then what??

Ahhh, there you go! Sensible ClaireBear has returned showing she is smarter than the average bear! The numbers mean nothing! I have allowed myself today to think about this and make a new plan of action! The nuts are definitely gone!! I can not obviously be trusted with them! So Mummy, get ready to eat a lot of nuts until they are out of the house! (I have decided I can't give them to the dogs, like I did with the Special K and other naughty foods.)

For the record I DO NOT feed my dog chocolate!!

Welcome into my life swimming, running and spinning! Time to mix up the training again! Weights one session, cardio the other! No getting distracted or thinking I can't run because of whatever great excuse I can come up with, or that I can't swim cause the water is cold (its not by the way)!

Oh and on some other notes of interest; Denver, was operated on yesterday and doing well. My wonderful Anna is getting married today so I would like to wish her and Kobus an amazing life together! (They are marrying in Cape Town, thats why I am not there by the way!) Rumour has it as well that tomorrow the sun might make an appearance over the UK, so this is a warning to all. If you see a blinding white light, don't look at it directly! That will be me attempting to catch a tan!!

x x How are you all spending the weekend?? Whatever you are doing, have fun and stay safe!! x x

My Onepiece and Me

I started writing this yesterday with all intent on posting it last night but things took a turn and I was in bed by 9pm clutching my stomach crying. I feel off the wagon and ate my own body weight in NUTS and Greek Yoghurt!!! But that was yesterday and today is a new day so here is what should of been yesterdays post and I will do todays' tonight! (by the way we loving the change to a positive attitude???)

 "Its 6am, the alarm went off 15mins ago and already I feel like today is going to be a better day! I've decided to write today's blog on the move cause, if I'm happy I think its important to capture other sides of my life apart from the guy so you call get to know the real me!

So why is today already better: well... I wasn't grumpy when I went to sleep, so I wasn't grumpy when I woke up! Simple maths! Last night I worked out my eating plan, times, snacks, cutting out dairy but introducing more eggs, and limiting my beloved fruit, and then I SLEPT! Oh yes I slept - only waking to use the bathroom once!!! YEAH!

Then I woke up this morning with the alarm and this: who could be grumpy!

Breakie was Spelt porridge and Raspberries!! (One portion not my normal 3 with my porridge - step in the right direction) washed down with my apple juice, supplements and of course peppermint tea and apple cyder vinegar! I love my porridge so another reason to smile!

Then on with my beloved OnePiece. Since buying it has literally been on my body at least once a day except when it was in the wash! Who else goes to the gym looking this sexy???!!!

Then off to the gym, waitrose shop, go home and then it happened! The news about my gorgeous friend Denver! Unfortunately Denver was attacked by a shark whilst surfing in South Africa. He is doing ok and will be fine by all accounts. Prays and love to him, his beautiful new wife and all his friends and family! Tye texted me late in the evening to let me know that Denver was out of surgery where they operated on his shoulder, stomach and leg.

This is when the nuts came out! I didn't fancy lunch and was running late to go and see my sister and my wonderful nephews so i grabbed a bag of nuts! Oh I should know better!! Nuts are my pringles!! Once you pop you just can't stop!

Anyway I spent the afternoon with the boys, and decided I needed to get home when both nappies needing changing! Driving home I discovered another bag of nuts in my car - there are no longer nuts in my car! Whilst driving I got the worst headache ever, i just wanted my bed, but knowing the fact I had consumed all the nuts in the world I felt I needed to go to the gym! After 10 mins of arguing with myself I got to the cross roads, left to the gym, right to go home. I went left! Not cause going to the gym was the right thing to do but because the road was so busy i would of sat there for ages to go right!

30 half heart mins on the spin bike and I felt I had made my token effort! So home for dinner! Egg White Omelet with mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes and a salad! YUMMY!!!! Then I discovered the Greek Yoghurt! This is where I take after my mother aka The War Baby! I can not waste food - so with this in mind and the fact I want to cut dairy out of my diet I did what any sane person would do! I DEVOURED IT!!! I added as much fruit as I could fit in my bowl (It was a large bowl) and I ate it all! But it didn't stop there! I ADDED NUTSSSSS!!!!!

9pm and I am in bed clutching my stomach crying!!! Asking WHY??? Well here is why; I have no self control! Tomorrow will be an interesting day!!! "

OH AND TODAY IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING!! STAY TUNED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS!!!

Only one type of bear today!

I only have one pic to describe today! I promise I will be back tomorrow with a thrilling entry!!

Are eggs dairy?

I promise this will not be a long entry!!

This mornings workout is best described by video but alas I can't upload them so you will have to do with pics!! Can someone tell me how to add videos that would be great!



I was also going to be good today and do a WIAW, but unfortunately a) I don't eat I engulf food (why I am on a diet) b) I forgot to take a photo of my lunch! The reason for today's title is that I have been informed I should strip my diet to achieve my goal! I have taken this to mean getting rid of dairy! This means getting rid of my beloved Greek Yoghurt - ok ok ok I have it for pudding tonight after the hugest turkey salad you have ever seen, but I will give it up I promise. My problem is I don't like throwing away food, so I must wait for it to be finished before I can remove it from my diet!

Anyway this whole diet stripping, and the removing of dairy, led to the question "Are eggs dairy?" Well, it seems they aren't in the biological meaning but some people classify them as in regards to nutrition. What do you think? I must admit I don't have them often but lunch today was scrambled eggs with chilli and it was yum!! I also every so often reform my love affair with egg white omelets so I could do with some advice on this subject! What do you all think?

Good news to finish tonight entry! BADGE IS BACK!!! And bless him, I think he has read the blog cause he tried tonight to be the bad cop!! Sweetie, It was a very good attempt but can we have friendly Badge back who isn't mean!!!!

Ok, that's enough for tonight! After sleeping terribly last night I am off for a bath and then an early night!

SWEET DREAMS ALL!!!

Today was a learning day!

So where do we start today????

Oh I know! I WENT SWIMMING!!!! 6:30 this morning I was in the pool! Ok not for long as it was cold but I went! Did some of it the wetsuit just to get over the coldness, (yes I know 30 degrees isn't cold but it is coming from my bed) and then I discovered the most amazing fact - wetsuits are easier to take off in water!

So swim done, I have my peppermint tea with apple cyder vinegar (yes we are back on that) and my black coffee (treat) and head off to the gym. I walk up the stairs and I am met by a smiling Perv. Now I am worried! Out comes the sledgehammer!! OK, so it was only 7lbs but 50 swings each side was actually hard work! I of course have to been shown how they should be done!

Then came the GHD situps, only 45 today but we lifted the height to try and make it harder. Then i did some seated rows on the balls, mainly cause i like bouncing (I am 5 years old really!) All finished with something I think he called the Big Bear, I will double check and make sure I remember it all before I tell you about it, also I want to practise it a bit so I can add photos! It was during this I got told off for my very bad lazy form on my deadlifts. This resulted in me having a deadlift lesson and getting a new PB!! OH YES BABY! I can now deadlift my bodyweight, for those of you who already do this hats off to you, and I know in theory everyone should be able to deadlift, and squat your own weight but this was a milestone for me. (By the way, I can not squat my own weight although according to Perv we are going to work on it!)

By the way Badge is still down and out with man-flu, and I must admit I miss him! But don't tell him that!!!

There are several reasons why I miss him, I guess I should maybe explain our relationship a bit better to you first. By day, or evening depending on his shift, Badge is my trainer, at this point we have a love hate relationship. He works me hard most of the time, but we are so alike, we both get so easily distracted. For example, we can be in the middle of a circuit and i ask a question like "where am I meant to be feeling this?" he will tell me and ask if i am or not, either way he will show me a different exercise which will target the same area, out goes the circuit and we start trying to find new exercises. Also he is a sucker for the puppy eyes, if i am tired or don't want to do anything he kinda lets me get away with it! NOT LIKE PERV!!

Another reason I am missing him is because of the soft side of Badge; I think comes from the fact we are also friends, ok ok I'll be honest I have a major soft spot for him, its fine he knows about it. So 3 days of not seeing him is a long time. We talk loads, he knows what I am like with my eating and how i feel if i don't train hard enough, which I guess helps when he trains me, but he also knows why I feel the way I do, which I think sometimes why he lets me get away with things. He understands or at least knows about my obsession with Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, and most importantly Percy Montgomery. This means he does allow me to rename exercises after them all! I know I know I am strange!

I also miss him because Perv is missing him!! Oh my!! Now for me I love it when they are both on shift together and when they are on different shifts. Separate shifts means I get two personal sessions a day and someone to talk to, when they work together I get a beasting and a half. Think Good Cop, Bad Cop!! Perv though is only truely happy at work under two circumstances: 1. the gym is full of hot girls (he is very much in love with his girlfriend, but he appreciates the female form from a distance) 2. When he is working with Badge! Actually everyone in the gym likes working with him. So Badge for the sake of Perv's happiness please come back soon!!

Following this I have spent most of the day in bed. In fairness I slept badly last night, no idea why. So after my mid morning sleep which actually I discover is a useful way of putting lunch back to a normal time, I decided I really should do some work on my masters, I am doing my masters in Media and Communications for those of you who don't know what I am doing, so I sit down and open my folder, and I start laughing!! Not just a giggle but full blown laughter! The title of the module "Professional Practices" - for those of you who do not live in the UK, let me explain we are having serious issues with a certain newspaper hacking mobile phones and bribing the police and everything at the moment, so the idea that there are professional practices is kinda funny! Or at least with the absense of wine in my life it is to me!

NOT ANYMORE YOU AREN'T!! HA HA HA HA

As I have wasted most of the day doing nothing, I think I need an action plan for tonight; so cardio session! Might try a run? not sure how the ankles are going to be so possibly intervals, or rowing or maybe Tabatha?? What do you think? Followed by pilates, and then a night infront of the TV with my mum! Does that sound like a plan??

Oh I just realised I haven't explained the title of todays update; well today I learnt several things which I feel I should share with you, some I have explained, some I can't!

1. A wetsuit is easier to take off in water
2. Most people should be able to deadlift and squat their own weight
3. Sledgehammers are good fun
4. The British Media at some stage in their history did have professional practises and standards.
5. I miss Badge
6. My tattoo is "insightful for a girl!" - more to come on this I feel.
7. I use to may !s

And finally and I believe the most important thing I learnt today came from my mum, after 28 years she told me and I am grateful I should tell you for this important fact from her.

"You are your fathers daughter!"

(Sorry but I needed to add this pic somewhere)