From Clogger to Jogger

A weird thing has happened to me.

A thing that feels new and exciting.

A thing that I can feel doing me good from the tips of my toes to the inner workings of my being.

It helps me breathe deeper.

See more clearly.

It helps me pause.

At the very end of last year I had started to come out of a blinding fog and was ready.

I was ready to start thinking about making some changes for myself that had been murmuring.

I needed to start giving back to ME.

I made some goals for myself.

Not in a new years resolution kind of way....that never works for me.

I don't like the idea that we kind of wait until a new year comes to reassess things we aren't happy with.

The thing I wanted to give myself the very most was good health.

That was my primary goal.

I am surrounded by people who I love and who love me.

I want to be around.

I want to be able to enjoy it heartily.

That to me is the greatest gift I can give myself.

So.....I set about learning how to jog.

I have watched people jogging forever.

I LOVE watching them.

I LOVE all the different styles.

All the different shapes.

All the different outfits.

So many ways.......

I looked and wished.

And wished a bit harder.

Wished that one day that could be me too.

Then I just decided to get going.

I used an app.

Who knew that a device that sometimes we see as being the very thing that stops us doing exercise could be the very tool that helped me get there?

Over 8 weeks I practised, running a little, walking a little until the running took over the walking.

Every day I would make time for myself - it took 40 minutes of my day- and I would swap my clogs for my jogs.

And then I would hop on my treadmill and just go.

It felt hard.

Really, really hard.

But then something magic happened and my legs just kept going.

I listened to awesome people sharing awesome stuff here and here.

I got to think.

Alone.

Unhurried.

for FOURTY minutes.........

every.

single.

day.

And then this week I graduated.

From Clogger to Jogger.

I am heading towards my goal of feeling healthy.

I have some way to go yet but my mind is set & I know I will get there.

So there you have it............

The tale of How I Turned from Clogger to Jogger in eight weeks.

GOURMET GIRLFRIEND'S ZUCCHINI, CARROT & HALOUMI FRITTERS with Chipotle Yoghurt:
The other new thing I do for myself every day is to make myself a really lovely brekky.
I am up early and I like to give myself that time.
If you are on Instagram you can find me at gourmetgirlfriend and you can find all of my brekkies at the hashtag #ggbreakfast
I LOVE fritters.
This was todays brekky.
SO good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Go to it!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
(this makes about 10 fritters)

• 1 zucchini
• 1 carrot
• 200g Haloumi
• 1 spring onion
• 2 tablespoons baby capers
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup SR flour
• S & P
• 3 chipotle chillies (i buy the ones in adobe sauce in a can from Casa Iberica) 
• 3 tablespoons low fat Greek yoghurt

METHOD:
Grate the zucchini, carrot and haloumi into a large bowl.
Crack the eggs and add the flour.
Chop the spring onion finely and add.
Add S & P and mix through ingredients well.

Add a small amount of oil to a non stick fry pan at medium heat.

Grab a handful of the mix and drop carefully into the pan.  Flatten a little.

Fry gently till  brown - about 5 minutes.

Flip and cook other side till brown.

Serve with Chipotle Yoghurt (simply chop the chipotle chillies and add to yoghurt).

Oh Howe....... I never tire of your voice. Never ever.