Calling On Patience and Hope

I was initially going to do entire posts on Lagos and all the various shenanigans I got up to while I was out there for about three weeks but for some reason I just can't bring myself too. I wonder if it's the passing of 2013 that makes me just want to leave my memories, good and bad, folded up neatly in my head. I don't know but I do know that as I scroll through my camera roll and recount the great times with family and friends something in me feels like analysing them and putting them in a blog post might somehow adulterate the feeling I get when I think of Christmas 2013 in Lagos.

I'm lying in bed here in London, back to the grey and the gloom that I all but forgot about, with my laptop propped up on my and thighs and thinking. Yes, thinking. Because now that the holidays are over and everyone is getting back to their various realities I'm trying desperately to figure out what that is meant to be for me. You see I had a plan that I would have a full time job that I loved before graduation, then it turned into "by graduation" and eventually morphed into "By January 2014" and so here I am with January 2014 already a week gone and feeling a little underwhelmed by my current situation. There isn't much to say or be said about it really. I'm still searching and waiting for call backs, as tedious as the whole process is, I'm trying to remain patient and hopeful.

Patient for that first 'real' job that I know is coming my way and hopeful that 2014 would bring even more joy and cause for celebration than 2013. Everyday when the feelings of doubt threaten to overwhelm me I will try and remember this quote:

What are you being patient and/or hopeful for this new year?

Reni xx

Insanityyyyyyy!: Dig Deeper!

I decided to work out more! Haha, I'm sure most of us did at the beginning of the year! You see the thing is, for the longest time I used to think I wanted to lose weight but I was never committed enough to any form of diet to really see any results! In fact, I had negative results! The worst! I blame that on the stresses and pressure that a final year student endures. Anyways, so I realised I don’t want to lose weight! Well, only a little bit! But not in the typical sense of the saying, I no longer have the desire to be super skinny, what I DO want is to have one of those super curvaceous but ridiculously toned bodies. So bye bye Kelly Row and hello Kaylin Garcia!

I still love her body!

Kaylin Garcia aka Young Ratchet!

I mean seriously, does this girl have an ounce of fat on her body?? My goodness!  Her body is the truth! Lmao.

I always complain to my bf about how I go to the gym tirelessly and never see results so over Christmas when he told me he has a new 2 month workout plan for me that would change my life (He knows how to get me gingered! lol) I was excited! On the 10^th of January I found out the workout plan was INSANITY! Eeeeek, lol! I should have said no then and there but no, I saw it as a challenge and decided to go for it! Starting that very day!

For those of you who don’t know “Insanity” is a series of workout DVD’s by fitness trainer and expert, Shaun T. And might I say that it is titled quite aptly! I’m halfway through my third week now and it’s ridiculous! But I love it! I can feel myself getting fitter no joke! A little bit about Insanity, it’s a 6 day a week program, 45 minutes or so everyday. Each workout has a warm up and two stretches (1 in the beginning and 1 to cool down) and the rest of the time is spent doing max interval training, basically 3 minutes or so of high intensity work out then 30 seconds to rest and grab water. I’m to shy to put up my height and weight here! Maybe when I do my official weigh in at the end of month 1 I’d do a before and after type thing!

My only qualm, which probably only relates to me is that I’m a bit bored. There are 14 videos in total, but after almost 3 weeks I’ve only covered 6 or so, that’s a lot of repetition! Not like they are getting so much easier or anything but hey… I feel like a change! My favourite thing about it is the Fit Test, which you have to do at the beginning of the plan and then at approximately 2-week intervals. You do a set of exercises for a minute each and try and do as many as you can in that minute. It’s such good motivation because you always want to push and beat your last Fit Test score, that’s what keeps me going every day! I’ve decided to keep pushing through and as Shaun T would say “Dig deeper!”

These are the results from my first two Fit Tests:

Move	Fit Test 1	Fit Test 2
1. Switch Kicks	52	94
2. Power Jacks	31	38
3. Power Knees	45	78
4. Power Jumps	7	17
5. Globe Jumps	5	6
6. Suicide Jumps	9	9
7. Push-Up Jacks	8	14
8. Low Plank Oblique	29	24

Improvement right?!?! I was so chuffed! Also I might add, I can’t do push up jacks! LOL. I just do lady push-ups instead; I’m working my way up. Well that’s it for now! Let me know if I missed out anything or if you want any more details! Also I’m looking for a workout buddy! Comment if you’re interested!