Fashion

Sort my footwear out

Oh look the first goal from the month and it hasn't gone to plan at all. The footwear area is still an absolute mess and it is now hard to find a pair at all. This really needs to be sorted ASAP though as it is really stressing me out as it is the first area you see when you leave the living room and it just looks a mess. Plus it has meant that finding different footwear for with different outfits has been a bit difficult so I have been sticking to the same pairs as per usual.

Limit the amount of football shirts bought

I actually managed to stick to this one and I am quite surprised that I did as a lot of clubs have brought out shirts I absolutely love. In the end I only bought the new Bradford City home shirt as I am trying to save some money before buying any others as the Manchester United ones in particular are going to be close to £100 each which is absolutely ridiculous.

No Air Force Daily

The second goal I actually managed to complete and I am so glad that I did complete it as I was definitely getting sick of wearing the Air Force daily but kept on picking them as it was convenient for me. They were always there in a morning to quickly grab and put on and the fact they are all white meant they went with any outfit I wore. It has definitely been nice wearing different footwear for a change and I am really hoping I can keep this up. 

Declutter the wardrobe

Oh look another month and another report of the wardrobe not being decluttered yet. I am trying my best and I am slowly getting around to this task but as we have been emptying the wash baskets I have just been overwhelmed with the amount of clothes I actually have. This is looking more like a full day job with the amount of clothing I have but I am determined to get it done ASAP.

Buy new white trainers

There was a bit of reasoning for why this one didn't get done and I am actually pleased that I haven't purchased them as it means I have stuck to my guns. I didn't want to buy more Air Force as I am a bit sick of them these days and wanted something a bit smarter however, with the cost these days I want to make sure I am getting a pair I am going to love and wear rather than wasting money. No pairs jumped out at me specifically in August so the search continues.

Fitness

Lose 4lbs

For the first time in a long time I have actually seen the scales drop however, it wasn't the optimistic amount of 4lb like I hoped for. This was always going to be a challenge as I had a concert and a weeks holiday in August so I am not disappointed that I didn't achieve this as even the 1lb I did end up losing is better than nothing. I will just keep pushing on to try lose 1lb a week from now on.

Buy some new running shoes

I am enjoying saying that I have completed goals as it has been a long time since I have been able to say so much has been done. I had been on the hunt for running shoes for when I finally get into the park runs a bit more frequently and luckily a trip to our local outlet stores led to me finding the perfect pair. I got some gorgeous maroon Nike trail shoes and I can't wait to get wearing them, they were a bargain at £45 too.

Back to daily long walks

Unfortunately I haven't been able to get back on walks being as long as I hoped due to other things taking over, I am doing about an hour a day with the dog however, I would love to push to go a bit further either with or without him. I feel so much better after going on walks so I definitely want to start doing them more often.

3 boxing session throughout the month

We have gone from a goal being completed to one being failed miserably. There have been a fair few reasons why I haven't been boxing but I have to say I am really missing it and can't wait to get back and hit the ground running in September as I know just how much I benefit from these sessions, this time life isn't going to be getting in the way and I will be back to smashing those sessions sooner rather than later.

5 workouts a week

I was definitely very optimistic with this one so in all honesty I never really expected it to happen. I was lucky to have even one workout done each week but that was still an improvement on July so I can't complain really. Maybe one day I will be back to working out 5 times a week but for now I am happy with one or two a week.

Life 

Make progress on the home gym

Well this has been a no go yet again and I am getting a bit frustrated to be honest as I just want the gym space to be able to head into. We have got as far as coming up with a plan for the structure and getting prices for the wood but that is it. I am really doubting that this will get done this year now which I am not too happy with but I guess only time will tell.

Sort the bottom of the stairs

As I mentioned with the sorting the footwear out post unfortunately this one hasn't gone to plan and I am frustrated about this as the whole area looks an absolute mess which brings my mood down. I am determined though that this is going to be sorted out ASAP as I want to be able to find the items I am looking for easily. Getting this area done is now a priority for me as it is going to be a breath of fresh air once it is done.

Sort the bathroom shelves 

I set out with every intention on an evening to get the bathroom shelves cleared out and reorganized then I get home from work and am absolutely drained so once again this hasn't been done. The shelves are an absolute nightmare now though so lets hope that I get them sorted at long last and can see exactly what products I have.

10 no spend days

I managed to do a few no spend days but it definitely wasn't anywhere near the 10 days I had hoped as there always seemed to be something crop up for me to spend on. I am proud of myself for having a few no spend days but I definitely want to improve on the amount I had and see those savings start to creep up.

Start Christmas shopping

I didn't only manage to get started on Christmas shopping, I actually managed to get everything I wanted for my sister which was a bit of a shock as she is usually the hardest to buy for. I got her finished and started on a few other family members so who knows I might actually have all my Christmas shopping done by the end of November like I am hoping for. 

Content

Wish list on Instagram weekly

This one was certainly a fail as I didn't get a single wish list created. I am really hoping to change this around in September though by being a lot more prepared so that on a Sunday afternoon I can just upload the correct story slides and get on with my day. I have plenty of ideas for these wish lists and I am really looking forward to getting around to posting them as it will showcase the direction I am heading in. 

Post on Instagram 20 times

I definitely didn't do this as I didn't get around to batch creating content like I hoped to. Plus the lack of signal on holiday made it difficult to post but it was a nice break and I am now more prepared for the upcoming month. I used the break to re-evaluate the way I want to take my social media accounts so let's hope those ideas I have help me post more from September.

Switch off and enjoy my holiday

Now this one I definitely manged to do and I am so glad I did as I had an absolutely fantastic week filled with loads of fun activities. We went to a theme park twice, the beach, a circus and just having time away from my phone and with my nephew instead was great. I definitely need to learn to switch off a bit more often than I have been doing so lets see if I can start putting that into practice more often. 

Save some money for projects I am working on

I guess I kind of did this but spent it all on one of the items straight away. I needed a printer for one of my projects so as soon as I had enough to go get one I went out and got it rather than hanging around and putting off launching the project. I am now working on adding some more money to the savings for a few of those more expensive items I want to pick up.

Sort the tech bag out

I guess I can say I kind of completed this one as I did empty it and only put back in certain items however, I still need to properly organise it so that I can find things easier and finally stop losing those memory cards which is happening far too often lately.

So there we go that is how August's goals went and it is safe to say it was a bit of a mixed bag. Now though it is time to shift the focus to September which has the potential to be a great month. Check back tomorrow to see what my September goals are.

I am not quite sure where this year is going at all, we seem to blinking and another month has passed us by. August was a bit of a mixture of a month and even though I had days of doing nothing I don't really feel as though I have had the chance to switch off and relax which I think I am definitely in need of at the moment. The month of August has definitely been a good one though and thanks to the things that have taken place I have discovered some new favourites alongside rediscovering old favourites. So here are my overall favourites from August 2023...

Fashion

Lifestyle

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Health & fitness

I am hoping that Septembers new in post will be a lot shorter as I am determined to stick to my budget throughout the month plus I usually spend less money in my birthday month any way so lets hope that trend continues. For now though it is time to get some use out of these purchases so I feel less like I have wasted money, I know I can't wait to head on those Park Runs in those new trainers.

I had an absolutely fantastic holiday with some family members this month however, since I have been back home all I seem to have done is sit in the house looking around at the state it is and noticing just how far we are behind on the jobs we wanted to get done this year, there were a lot of jobs varying in size and basically nothing has happened. It is starting to drag me down a bit too as everywhere I look I am picking out bits that really need changing, in some places wallpaper is now literally hanging off the wall and I am sick of it. There might not be many months left of the year however, I am determined to make the most of the remaining time and get through as many jobs as possible, granted some are going to be harder to do that others but fingers crossed we can get through a good chunk of these jobs to get a bit of a head start so we can start to prioritize those bigger jobs we know are going to need doing further down the line when funds are available. So here are those jobs we are hoping to get done by the end of the year...

The home gym

We are determined that we are going to get the home gym completed by the end of the year and the sooner the better as I really want the space in the house back, there is still equipment dotted all over the place and it is one of the main things that is driving me mad these days. At least we have made some progress so far this year though as the old structure is down but now we need to really get cracking on with getting new structure built, getting the structure decorated and having electrics run to it. Then it is onto the fun part of moving everything in and sorting the layout and overall styling out. I can't wait for this whole thing to be done as it has been a big priority for so long but things just haven't worked in our favour yet. Once this is finally done and out of the way, workouts can resume properly and money will be freed up for other projects. This is definitely going to be the biggest job of the year with the amount still to do. 

The spare room

This room is a bit of a home office for myself alongside being a bit of a dressing room. I am determined to get this room done by the end of the year although it is going to massively depend on the cost of the gym and how long it takes to do overall. I am budgeting a couple of hundred pounds for getting this room done and up to a standard that I am happy with. As this is a home office area for me with some things coming up I want it to look perfect so if it is done by the end of December I will be super happy as it means the projects I am working on will have a great background like I have been imagining for a long time now. The plan for this room is to get it plastered which is going to be a big chunk of money but then also get it painted and styled which we will be doing ourselves to keep costs down. This is a pretty big job in terms of budget however, once we get started on it the room should be complete in no time.

Declutter the shed

Oh look a job we can get done with no money needed if it comes to it however, I would like to get some racking so that once it is decluttered we can get everything sorted and easier to access. At the moment the shed is more or less a death trap when you open the doors everything comes flying out and nothing is easy to get to. This is easily a job that can be done in half a day we just need the weather to be on our side so we can do it without getting soaked in the rain. Once this is done it is going to free up plenty of space elsewhere for us too and we can actually take note of what we have in there.

Organise the loft

The amount of items that have gone missing since going into the loft is a bit ridiculous but the whole space is an absolute mess and a bit like the shed to be honest. There are items we don't really need to keep a hold of up here too a big clear out is required. Once everything is cleared out we are thinking of having designated racking and/or storage boxes so we know exactly where everything is and know that we aren't keeping things for the sake of it. This will make life so much easier especially at Christmas time when we are looking for decorations and who knows we might even set aside a space for any gifts we buy nice and early in the year. I think a label maker might be on the to buy list for this too. 

Declutter the bedroom

This is a job I just keep on putting off but I am determined that by the end of the year this will be fully decluttered and staying that way. At the moment the bedside tables are covered in junk and filled with it too, the drawers and wardrobe are exactly the same and lets not mention the top of the wardrobe as that is a disaster waiting to happen. This space just needs sorting out once and for all ready for us to start again when the bedroom finally gets redecorated but more on that later. At least this is a job that won't cost us any money and can be done in a day no doubt.

Get quotes for the bedroom 

As I just mentioned above the bedroom is on our list of jobs to get redecorated and as we are planning to get the spare room done this year the bedroom is the final room upstairs to be done before we move onto the hallway and downstairs. The bedroom is going to take a bit longer than the spare room and cost more though as we want the built in wardrobe ripping out and redone.  So we are going to need quote for the plastering and a joiner for the wardrobe if we go down that route but we will be looking at budget friendly alternatives for this too. Once we have got the quotes for these bits of work to be done we can go ahead with the rest of the planning and realistically see when we can get on with the works.

Declutter the hallway

So this one is going to be split into two parts, upstairs & downstairs. the upstairs is basically one set back section that is eventually going to be made into a wardrobe. This area has become a dumping ground for rubbish so the plan is to get this cleared out and only put back in what needs to be in there as it is open for everyone to see at the moment. This will be a nice quick and easy job which should take a few hours max but will just tidy up the space. The downstairs though is going to take a bit longer, it is filled with coats, accessories, shoes and workout equipment. I want to go through and really reduce the amount of items in this area so I can access things much easier and not be overwhelmed every time I walk past it. This area will be improved loads when the workout equipment is in the gym but for now a declutter and a bit or organisation will go down a treat. This will no doubt end up getting dragged out over the course of a day as there are a lot of things in this space that need sorting out and I need to stop holding onto things for the sake of it. 

Some of these jobs are definitely quicker than others so the plan is to alternate between a quick job and a time consuming job just to mix things up a bit and so not all our free time is spent doing jobs. Those big money jobs are certainly going to be spread out but the number 1 job is 100% the home gym, the sooner that is done the better as everything else should then just fall into place. Luckily the majority of these jobs will be very low budget or no cost involved at all so there is no need for us not to be cracking on with them when we have a break from doing the gym. By getting these jobs done it will also stop me from heading out shopping which will be a huge benefit as it means rather than spending for the sake of it I can save money to put towards other jobs we want to get done that will cost a lot more money ie. the bedroom, hallway and all of downstairs. Time could be an issue with football being back however, those shopping trips will be sacrificed and evenings after work will be used to make sure we get as much done as possible. I am really looking forward to having a nice decluttered, deep cleaned house with more space once that gym is built as it might make me want to stay in and enjoy the space once more.

Well I had big plans fitness wise for the year but it is safe to say none of that has gone to plan and I am actually back at my starting weight which was definitely not planned. I am determined to change that around though and make the last few months of the year count, that is why I am started an 18 week challenge that will take me up to Christmas day, where I will do my final weigh in of the year. I am really hoping that by doing this 18 week challenge I can get back to where I once was and get to momentum moving in the right direction, the challenge should help me create some great habits for my journey and help me change my mindset back into the mindset I need to achieve my end goal on this fitness journey. If I do manage to stick to this I should be in a great starting point for 2024, with a mindset and habits that are going to make the new year go as I wished 2023 went.

If things go to plan I have the potential to lose over a stone, if I manage to lose 1lb a week that is a massive 18lbs potentially but I know full well things don't go to plan and anything can happen on the scales. I will be happy with 14lb over all but any extra will be a massive bonus. The big focus is going to be nutrition and moving more as I know that the nutrition is a big downfall for me and I haven't been moving & working out as much I should have been doing. Luckily for me during the new season is going to be starting not long into this challenge so I will be able to get moving through football training and matches a lot more often which is going to be a massive help for me. So here is the plan for those habits I am going to do daily for the next 18 weeks...

Stick to my daily calories

I am back to calorie counting and I know this is going to be a huge help for me as I know exactly what I am eating and it will stop me binge eating which I have definitely been doing lately. I won't say the exact number of calories I am aiming for on here as everyone is different and these calories are based on my specific lifestyle. The target each day is certainly realistic though and I am sure it is going to help me make progress throughout the rest of the year.

Spin bike daily

Doing this is definitely going to be easier when the gym is built but I am hoping that I can do 5k everyday on the bike for the next 18 weeks, this will get me moving a whole lot more and will also give me an extra bit of a push. It will also keep my legs moving for the new season and a post match recovery ride sounds perfect. Let's just hope the dog can stay entertained long enough for me to get through the 5k everyday. 

10 minutes of stretching

I have fallen out of this habit and my body is really feeling it especially my lower back and legs. I really want to set aside 10 minutes a day just to stretch and get my body a bit more mobile as I know it will stop the pain whilst also helping me in the long run when the new football season starts up again. No more tight aching legs or aching back, 10 minutes a day is going to be dedicated to getting rid of those. I know I will feel so much better for doing this.

45 minutes of exercise daily

As part of my plan I am aiming for a minimum of 45 minutes of exercise a day, this could be anything from a strength session to a long dog walk. Just dedicating 45 minutes a day will certainly get my body moving a whole lot more and will help me out mentally especially if the days exercise is a long dog walk in the fresh air. This will probably be the most challenging habit but I am looking forward to seeing how well I get on with it.

2 ltrs of water daily

I used to be so good at this one but have fallen off track with it in recent months and slipped back into those fizzy drinks. I am determined to switch those back out though and add plenty more water into my days. I know that this will help those headaches that creep into my days once more and also help clear up my skin which desperately needs to happen.

So as with any challenge there are goals that I am working towards and I am hoping that when I do my finished challenge post that these 3 goals I have set myself will have been hit and that I might have achieved even more than I have set out for myself. So here are the 3 goals I am hoping to achieve...

Lose 1 stone

I know that the weight is never going to be a consistent loss over the next 18 weeks as that is just how my body goes however, I am hoping that in the space of 18 weeks I can drop a stone. This means 14lb off those scales so I can afford for the scale to fluctuate a little. Granted though I believe if I stick to all the habits above I could possibly see a bit more of a loss. 2 lb a week consistently would be 36lb down, which is just over 2 stone I highly doubt this will be the case though so I will be happy with a 1 stone loss but if I do get more than this I will be super happy.

Feel fitter for football

This is a big one for me as my fitness is really letting my performances down at the moment and I know if I got the fitness levels up I could see a huge improvement over the course of the season. I am really hoping that all those daily actions above will help me increase those levels due to the loss of the weight and the increased activity. It is going to be fun to see just how much difference I can make in 18 weeks. 

Have clothes fitting better

At the moment I am 100% in between sizes as larges are a bit too tight still but XL is hanging off me. I am hoping that by Christmas day those large clothes are getting too big for me and that I am on the way to wearing a medium which would be absolutely fantastic. But for now I am more than happy for those larges just to fit better.

It is not just the daily habits I will be trying to stick to over the next 18 weeks, I will also be trying to reduce a few other things in the hopes of them helping me on my journey. One big thing is reducing the amount of takeaways I have weekly, this is just due to me being lazy but I know half hour in the kitchen on an evening is going to help me on my journey and also help me save some money, again something else I need to work on. I will also be planning on meal prepping more often too, with the football season back for both watching and playing I need to cut down on the pies and meals out after games so the plan is to eat before I go or take something with me on car journeys, especially for those trips to watch Man Utd Women, this should help me stay on track that bit more and help me work towards my goals. Alongside sorting out the food I eat I am also going to be cutting out the alcohol again and the only time I am planning on drinking is possibly on my birthday but even that isn't guaranteed yet. When I went alcohol free in the past I noticed a huge difference so I am hoping to see the same again. I am also planning on getting back to football a lot more frequently as training days should be changing making it easier for me to get to weekly and fingers crossed there wont be too many clashing games for watching and playing. The aim is also to go to as many Wednesday night boxing sessions as possible for the rest of the year, I know that getting back into these sessions will do me the world of good.

Of course if all goes to plan I will be rewarding myself as things go along. I already have a plan in place to reward my whole journey at every 7lb lost so I will be keeping up to this and hopefully over the 18 weeks we will see a few of those rewards being achieved. However, I have decided that if at Christmas any of the above goals have been achieved I will be giving myself the chance to head out in the Boxing day sales to buy some new workout clothing to hopefully help keep me in the mindset I have created in these 18 weeks and also help me feel a bit more comfortable as I am hoping my current workout clothing will be a bit too big at this point.

For a change I am actually feeling hopeful and believe that this challenge is going to help me get back on track and actually make some pretty good progress throughout the rest of the year. I am really looking forward to seeing how this goes and lets hope that Christmas weigh in will be a good one.

But for now let's get started...

It isn't long now until my birthday which means we are very quickly approaching me entering my last year of my 20's. As always today's post is going to be my birthday wish list, not necessarily what I am going to ask people for when I get bombarded with the what do you want for your birthday questions but what I am also thinking of treating myself to for a change. This year I have been trying to save ideas for this time of year rather than heading out and purchasing things as soon as the idea comes to mind which should help out with actually getting items I have wanted for a while rather than just suggesting things for the sake of it. 

To be honest looking at this list these are all items that are quite practical for a change and not just spur of the moment like previous. Each item will benefit me in one way or another so here is what made it onto my birthday wish list this year...

Bradford City shirt

If you read the blog yesterday you will have seen that I recently treated myself to the new Bradford City home shirt but I have absolutely fallen in love with the away & third shirt this season too so I will be putting one of these on the birthday wish list. I think I am more tempted for the third shirt as things stand though as it is such a nice design that I can wear easier than the white away one. I think this is the first year in a while where I have loved all 3 shirts they have released.

Manchester United shirt

We have renewed our season ticket for the new WSL season so we will once again be heading off to all the home Manchester United games however, this time we have added the cup option on too meaning we might get to even more games that expected especially if they do well in the FA Cup etc again this time around. This means I definitely need a shirt upgrade to this seasons and that is why the home shirt is going straight on the birthday wish list, I just need to work out who I want on the back of it this time around. 

Running vest 

I did my first run in July and loved it but I soon realised having everything in my pockets wasn't such a good idea. On my Instagram I seem to be getting a lot of targeted ads for running vests and the more I look at them the more I think that picking up one could be a really good idea as it would mean I had space for keys and my phone without them weighing my legs down and I can also have some water in there without having to carry it around with me. The FreeTrain vest is definitely a strong contender for this.

Gymshark set 

It has been a long time since I got anything new from Gymshark and I think a nice little birthday order might be required. I would love to get a new set for my return to boxing or for when I am out running but I haven't quite decided yet which occasion I want it for the most although it does seem to be boxing that seems to be coming to mind more often than the running. A nice fitting t-shirts and some shorts would certainly go down a treat and who knows a set of socks might magically fall into my basket too.

Vans t-shirt

My trusty old Vans t-shirt is now far too baggy for me which is annoying as it was my go to for layering up and even for those more casual fits on warmer days. I have put off buying a new one a size smaller for too long now so the plan is to finally purchase a new one and maybe I can convince Liam to get me a few of these on my birthday shopping trip, if not it will be a nice treat for myself.

New sneakers

My Air Force have officially fallen apart on me so it is definitely time for an upgrade. I just don't know which I want this time around. I am fancying a change from the Air Force and maybe going for something a bit smarter like the Ralph Lauren sneakers I have come across recently but then I also keep getting sucked back into looking at Nike Dunks which are far too expensive. I think I would also love to try a pair Adidas Sambas so I guess we will have to see what I end up treating myself to. 

Converse

There was a time when I fell out of love with Converse however, the love is back for them stronger than ever. I would love to get my hands on a low black pair ready for when the weather changes so these are definitely on my birthday wish list as this way I might stop talking myself out of buying them like I have been doing so far this year. I know that if I did get a pair I would possibly end up living in them throughout autumn.

Perfume

I got a new perfume for the nicer weather not too long ago but it is now to think about those crisp, colder days and I would love a new perfume to reflect that weather when the time comes. I would love a new bottle of Tom Ford Black Orchid as that is one of my all time favourites. Tom Ford might be top of the wish list but any heavier sent would be perfect for the autumnal change and would be a great addition to the start of what I am hoping will become a fantastic fragrance collection that covers all occasions.

Jewellery

I have lost track of how long I have been on the look out for new jewellery for but I am really hoping I can treat myself to a new item as a little birthday gift to myself. I am definitely on the hunt for a nice bracelet to treat myself to as this is an area that my jewellery box is seriously lacking in. Let's hope that the birthday shopping trip will provide me with the chance to treat myself as the different shops might actually have something that catches my eye. 

Spider-Man Lamp

I am really wanting to improve my gaming PC set up ASAP and one item I keep going back to is the Spider-Man lamp I have recently seen. This would really be the perfect addition to the space as it is all going to be a Spider-Man theme that gradually starts to take real shape and become my dream set up that I am happy to use. 

New game

It has been a long time since I got a new PS5 or Xbox game so I think it is about time I added a new one ready to play. EA Sports FC 24 comes out not long after my birthday so I think that this is the game I could treat myself to as a late birthday present. This game is basically FIFA so I know I will love it or I could wait a little bit longer and treat myself to Spider-Man 2 for the PS5 which is a game I really can't wait to get my hands on. 

So there you have it those are the items that have made it onto this years birthday wish list. I am really looking forward to my birthday shopping trip this year as I am really hopeful that I can finally treat myself to some of the items on here. Some of these items I definitely want more than others though so let's just wait and see what I do end up getting for my final birthday in my 20's.

How is July over with already? It really is going to be Christmas before we know it. Honestly though this month seems to have been one of the fastest yet this year and there has been plenty going on, with days out, content being created just to name a few of the things that have kept me busy. It might have been a very busy month but it has been a great month and I have had the chance to discover some new favourite things whilst rediscovering old favourites. So here is what made the cut for this months favourites post...

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Health & fitness

Here we go again with the goals post, it feels like only two minutes ago I was writing my July goals but here we are now sitting down to write about what I am hoping to achieve throughout the month of August. The month will no doubt be a busy one due to the school holidays as I will be making sure to spend plenty of time with my nephew before he starts school in September. I even have a weeks holiday booked which again I am looking forward to as it is a week with family, although Liam & the dog will be staying home and no doubt I will miss them two quite a bit whilst I am away. July really didn't go to plan so I am determined to make the most of August and get through as many jobs as I can to make it a super productive month although the football is back in August so that will be my weekends getting a bit busier once more. Anyway here are the goals I have set myself broken down into specific areas, let's hope we see plenty of goals smashed by the end of the month. 

Fashion

Fashion wise I have a fair few goals I want to get done that are going to make my life so much easier but are also going to make sure I am not repeating myself day after day. I want to put more time and effort into getting ready in August and fingers crossed these goals help me do that...

Sort my footwear out

You will have seen this in my July goals post however, it didn't get completed for various reasons. I am determined to change this in August though and I am planning on setting aside a few evenings after work one week to make sure I get this done. By doing this I will be able to see exactly what footwear I own and what will work best with the outfit I am in that day. This will make getting ready on a morning so much easier as my options won't be hidden and I will know exactly where everything is.

Limit the amount of football shirts bought

This time of year is always difficult for me when it comes to saving money as the new football season means new shirts to purchase. I am trying to really reign in this year just how many I buy so that I can build up the savings accounts as I wish. I am hoping to pick up 1 more shirt in August but then ask for others as birthday or Christmas gifts so I don't go overboard because it is safe to say shirts aren't cheap these days and one or two start to add up especially when you want the women's names on the back so people know it is the women's team you are supporting.

No Air Force Daily

This goal is definitely going to be a lot easier if I get the sort out my footwear goal ticked off as I will have those options easily accessible rather than having to search for them daily. I am so lazy in a morning at the moment and end up just reaching for my Air Force every single day however, they are now really beat up and don't look good at all so the plan is to save these for dog walks and actually start mixing up the footwear I wear to go better with the outfits I plan to wear daily. This will just help my outfits look more thought out and will hopefully help me get more wear out of those other pairs that are sat gathering dust. 

Declutter the wardrobe

Oh look this goal is back once again, I honestly think this goal has been around every month this year so far and it is safe to say I am 100% determined that this is going to be off the list by the end of August. I just need to set aside a day to get through this and have it decluttered once and for all. I have clothes that no longer fit my style and others that now hang off me which makes getting ready an absolute nightmare. Once this is done it will be like a weight has been lifted so let's get a Saturday or Sunday sorted out to dedicate the day to getting this done.

Buy new white trainers

As I said earlier my Air Force are now looking a bit too beaten up so it is time to buy a new pair however, I am not buying Air Force this time. They are just becoming a bit to expensive and I am wanting a bit of a smarter silhouette to go with the style I am aiming for. I don't want to rush into making a decision on the pair I buy though as I want to make sure I am getting a pair that will suit the style well whilst also last a long time even if I wear them a lot. Price is going to be a factor too as I don't want to pay more than £80 for a pair if I can help it.

Fitness

July was a bit of a rough month in the fitness side of my life and things really didn't go to plan however, the month taught me plenty of lessons and I am now ready to get back into my fitness journey with my head screwed on and a little bit more of a plan in mind with what to aim for. I might have a busy August coming up but I know what I need to do to get back on track and here are my goals for the month...

Lose 4lbs

I would honestly love to report back at the end of the month saying I have absolutely smashed this goal but to me 4lbs is definitely realistic for the month I have approaching. I have a concert and a holiday in this month so things might get a bit hectic. I am going to be sure to give it my all though and 4lbs is a very good target for the month ahead. 

Buy some new running shoes

In July I did my first Parkrun and absolutely loved it so I am hoping to get a few more done over the course of the year. The run I did was a wet one though and my footwear really wasn't suitable for the ground underneath. I am on the hunt for a pair of trail shoes to help me with these runs and any other runs on uneven ground I have coming up in the future. These will be essential for helping me on my running journey and helping prevent injury in the short & long term.

Back to daily long walks

Mentally I have been all over the place in all honesty so I am determined that in August I am getting back to getting outdoors and into the fresh air a lot more. I always feel fantastic when I do this so I need to get back into the habit of going out walking a further distance and just moving more. This will help so much mentally as well as with my weight loss journey so fingers crossed that I can get out much more and just get those steps up.

3 boxing session throughout the month

I haven't been to boxing for a while now and to be honest I am really missing it as that hour a week is my escpae from the phone and real world and I can just put a shift in and feel fantastic after the session. I know that these sessions really help me with my weight loss journey too so 3 sessions throughout the month should really help me work towards that 4lb loss goal.

5 workouts a week

Like I said earlier in the post July really wasn't my month in terms of my fitness journey and some weeks I weren't working out at all so I am determined that August is going to be the complete opposite and I am determined to get 5 workouts done each week to really help me along with my goals. I want to mix these workouts up too so it is likely to be one football, one boxing, one run and two weights sessions. But I guess we will see how it goes with this one to see if it goes to plan or not, I am really hoping this one goes to plan and I can push towards that 4lb loss with these workouts.

Life 

So we have done the fashion and fitness goals so now it is onto the life goals, this is a mix of financial goals and things I am aiming to get done in life in general or home wise. In terms of the house there are a few things I really want to get done this month but I also want to make sure I am putting money into savings which is something I haven't managed to do for a while now. So here are those life goals I am setting myself for August...

Make progress on the home gym

I was hoping that by now we would have made a fair bit of progress on the home gym by now however, we haven't even got started in the grand scheme of things which is pretty annoying but again the weather has played a big factor in this. I am really hoping that by the end of August I can happily report that the base has been done and we will have made a start on building the structure. If we can fully have the structure in place by the end of the month that would be perfect however, even just to have started on this will be a lot of progress. Who knows it might be complete by the end of the year.

Sort the bottom of the stairs

Oh look another goal from July that has ended up on my August goals list too. The bottom of the stairs is an absolute nightmare and it is so hard to find anything so just lie with sorting the footwear out I am planning on setting aside a few evenings one week to get this done. Once this area is sorted it will be a lot less of a death trap and we will actually be able to find things a whole lot easier than we currently can. This will definitely make life a whole lot easier.

Sort the bathroom shelves 

This is another goal that seems to have been around forever but I am 100% sure that this month is going to be the month those bathroom shelves finally get cleared and any old out of date products are gone once and for all. The shelves are a nightmare at the moment and things are hard to find so let's hope this gets done and I can finally stop wasting money on products I already have plenty of. Again getting this done at long last will help so much in the long run.

10 no spend days

I am sick of not having any money left at the end of each month and I am determined to change that this time around by putting steps in place to ensure I am not spending money for the sake of it. I am hoping that throughout August I can have 10 no spend days where I don't give in to temptation and actually save money rather than wasting it. I would love to be able to do a full no spend month in the future but for now this is a starting point and will hopefully help me develop a healthier money mindset.

Start Christmas shopping

Some people might believe it is a bit too early to be starting the Christmas shopping but honestly this year I want a much slower paced festive period which doesn't involve rushing around trying to finish the shopping off last minute. By starting now I should have more money available too by the time the festive period rolls around meaning I can go out if I want to without worrying about the pennies. The budget is in place for the gifts, ideas have been made note of and I am so ready to get a chunk of this shopping done and get ahead of myself this year.

Content

I have seriously been slacking with the blog and social media content across all my sites for a variety of reasons however, I am really hoping that August is a month where I can turn things around and make some very good progress on all fronts for a change. So here are the goals I have set myself to help me do this...

Wish list on Instagram weekly

There was a time when I was getting these up weekly on the Instagram account but then life got busier and I stopped doing them. I am really hoping to get back into the routine of doing these for the rest of the year though and I know that if I plan ahead I will have no issues in getting the out there every Sunday like I originally did. Hopefully the goal of doing this every Sunday in August will help me continue this throughout the rest of the year too. Now it is time to work out which ideas to post this month.

Post on Instagram 20 times

Instagram is something I have been seriously slacking with recently and I really want to get posting on my main feed a whole lot more so I am setting myself a challenge to post 20 times across the month of August. I am wanting this to be a mixture of photos, carousels and reels, just to mix things up a little bit and keep things more fun to create. I have plenty of ideas to work with so fingers crossed it all goes to plan and I see a bit of growth on the platform too which is something that hasn't happened in a long time.

Switch off and enjoy my holiday

I go away in the middle of the month and I can't wait as it is going to be a much needed break. I know I am aiming to post on Instagram daily etc but at the same time I am wanting to switch off so content will be being scheduled so I can enjoy my time away without content being at the front of my mind. This holiday is definitely coming at the right time and if all goes to plan I am looking forward to coming back super refreshed and hit the ground running. There is also a lack of signal where we are heading too which should help with this one.

Save some money for projects I am working on

I have a few things I am currently working on however, unfortunately as with everything these days the costs of the items I want for these projects has increased which means I will be waiting around a little bit longer to make the purchases. I am determined that in August though I will make a start on saving up for some of these projects so fingers crossed it all goes to plan and a start is made. 

Sort the tech bag out

I am so sick of losing items left right and centre. I have lost track of how many memory cards and charging leads I have lost lately but that is going to change this month as I am going to make sure that I have a few hours where I can find all the items I need and get them all organised into my little tech bag. This will just make creating content a whole lot easier and also ensure I know exactly where everything is for a change. This will also mean my office looks a little bit tidier too which I can't wait for. 

Let's hope that August is a much better month than July was and we suddenly stat to see progress in all areas of my life which is much needed. I have a good feeling about August and think it could be the start of a bit of a change for me so let's hope it all goes to plan and by the end of the month I am reporting that nearly all these are complete. 

Now bring on August and whatever it has to offer...