Week before return to work

It is now a week before I start my phased returns to work, to be honest Southend are being very fair with me, for the first 2 weeks my work pattern will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2 hours a day (between 10-12) with regular visits to occupational health and a increase in my hours over a 8 week period.

I don’t have a post at work as such, before my illness I had seconded into a HR role and made a decision not to go back to my old full time post, this was due to the post being a male environment and also some uncomfortable hetro males around me in my early days of transition.

I think one of the positive things about my illness and absence from work is how I have progressed as a person and also I have better skills to offer, for example my workshops I run, and also I am interested in motivational speaking.

Also it will be nice to get back into a routine and interacting with people as I have been shut away, I am trying to make new friends now, some of it is successful and some not (why add me on msn if you’re going to block me! I can only assume that I am not a nice person to know after a weekend away!

So I am not nervous about starting next week, and I see it as a start of steps that will take me onto another career path away from the council.

As I am not in a post and I am eligible to go into “the talent pool” this is for people under risk at the council and you have an opportunity to apply for jobs within the council, my unison rep argued for me that it would not be fair for me to go straight into the talent pool while I am going through my phased return and this was agreed by all.

So some clerical duties will be arranged for me, and I am back on full pay!

After this the choice is mine, apply for jobs or let the 3 month time scale run down and get a reduntancy offer.

I do have a meeting on Thursday to discuss my duties in more detail and what type of role interests me, I am going to go for it when asked this question! A training officer of equality issues from LGBT to race and also disability awareness, now I have no chance of a role like this but hey “if you ask you don’t get”

My fitness and health routine.

After 14 months of poor health and then starting to get some energy back after I finished chemotherapy I decided I wanted to have a healthier outlook on life on all fronts, lifestyle, exercise and diet.

As I have said in previous blogs about my routine, but since I have stepped it up and I am now really getting the rewards.

I follow a series of exercises and diet advice by Davina McCall (for the overseas readers she is a fab celebratory and fronts the big brother series amongst other television projects)

What she says is to build the exercise into your life and make it as part of your routine as eating and it is best to do the exercises in the morning as sometimes after a hard day’s work the last thing you want to do is a 30 minute workout, so set your alarm clock earlier in the morning!

On her DVD Davina talks about how this also gives you more energy for the day and puts a bounce into your step.

My first thoughts were “no way” as to me exercise in the morning is alien to me.

I started my routine along these lines.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday Davinas “, “cardio” and “core stability” workouts one for each day of the week and these last for 30-35 minutes.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are 15 minute bum, hip, thighs, waist, boobs and upper body workouts and then cycling 5 days a week (I am up to about 20 miles a week now)

Adding to this is a theory of 3 healthy meals a day and I have not got a core base of 10 types of meals, that includes, Grilled chicken, fish, turkey breast, vegetables, potatoes, brown rice, pasta, stir fry, pasta for example and now all my food is freshly cooked, no readymade meals at all in my cupboards or fridge.

And also adding to this is fruit every day, green tea and honey and plenty of water and omega 3 tablets.

I had started to do my exercises in the morning and last week I got to put the theory to the test, as I needed to catch a 8am train to Brentwood for my training workshops, I set my alarm clock for 6am to fit in my exercise, a bath , healthy breakfast and getting ready to go out.

Well it works! I got up at 6am, had chopped orange and grapefruit, then at 6:10 was exercising, after my exercise I have a breakfast of green tea (with honey) banana, apple, and/or yoghurt/toasted wholemeal bread/cereal with skimmed milk(no sugar)

I have so much energy and as Davina says “a bounce in my step”

My figure has come back, I have now got to a b cup bra size and my hips are back!

I have also hardly worn any make up except mascara , eyeliner and bronzer as my skin is looking good due to my diet and exercise, and thankfully I am now drinking moderately,

I am looking to step up my exercise to 5 x 30 minute workouts as I am now totally addicted.

My next blog could be about a date I have been asked out on (Wednesday)