This lockdown is hard

How does that song go? “January, sick and tired, you've been hanging on me”...

Many of us are glad to see the back of January - the month that drags on and on and on. Sadly though it’s not just January that’s dragging. I often struggle with the lack of sun during the first couple of months of the year, but our lives have been in limbo for 10 months and I have to admit that I’m starting to find it hard.

2020 chewed us up and spat us out. Rather than landing in a soft cosy comforting new year, we seem to have ended up in a deeper pile of horse poo! Of course, it was never going to be immediately better just because Big Ben struck midnight - but come on, it could have been a little kinder.

This just about it sums up!

At the start of 2020, I felt the fittest I’d felt in years. I had lost almost 2 stone over the previous 5 months, was seeing a PT twice a week, started a couch to 5k training plan in January and even went wall ‘rock’ climbing.

Just before the madness hit the UK, I visited the beautiful Lake District with Shannon, Chris and his parents. We had an amazing few days with no idea what was about to happen only a couple of weeks later! I treasure those memories and the carefree way we enjoyed ourselves and hugged each other.

Who remembers flying?

Lake Grasmere

Kelly and I managed pretty well during the full lockdown in April and into the summer as our restrictions eased. The weather was fabulous and I went for a good few walks. I enjoy walking and photography, so as I was out and about taking photos of the spring flowers bursting into bloom, I was able to keep relatively fit for those first few months. I even did a few of Joe Wicks’ workouts and signed up to Davina McCall’s ‘Own Your Goals’.

Jersey’s Covid restrictions have been a lot easier compared to other places, but as the year went by and our normal way of life didn’t return, I seemed to lose my enjoyment of walking and photography. The extra time at home resulted in more cooking and baking, and my lack of discipline started to creep in. Controllable at first, but as autumn and winter arrived, sadly it has spiralled out of control.

So at the start of 2021, I’ve put that 2 stone back on, my fitness is non-existent and I feel pretty crap about myself.

I need to find my mojo again, but with Jersey being in soft lockdown until at least March and unable to visit my parents, family and friends probably until April/May, it’s going to be hard. Living like this and being stuck indoors again is dreadful, especially for those with limited space and parents who are juggling work with home-schooling.

As I’ve mentioned before, I love a hug and I’m a sociable person, so my energy is boosted from being around others. Of course, that’s been stripped away from us so I’m just going to have to give myself a good talking to and get back on it!

Although we can't be together, strangely it's togetherness and acting as one that will get us through. So I need to remember how very fortunate I am and focus on the positives, not the negatives. Small steps, happy thoughts and a dose of laughter each day, and I’ll be feeling a lot perkier in a few weeks, by which time, hopefully, the sun will be back to say hello.

It’s strange but as I write this, I feel a little more upbeat - writing helps me expel and process my thoughts. I need to put on my big girl pants - yup, I have several sizes in my wardrobe from size 12 to 16! So the size 16 it is, with the aim of getting back into the size 12 later this year.

Thank you for listening.