Didicar Review

We were recently sent a Fiery Flamboyant Red didicar to try out. I was slightly apprehensive at first as we do have the tiniest house and it isn't the smallest of vehicles. However it's given Noah so much fun and happiness since it arrived. Here is a little video of him 'driving' round (and yes Isla is scooting round the living room on her OzBozz! Not ideal...) and when I asked him if he liked his car - he did say yes but my phone stopped filming at that exact moment!

As you can see Noah is driving around using his feet to propel himself but what he hasn't worked out yet is that he could actually put his feet up on the foot rests and just by using the steering wheel the didicar moves. I only realised it myself in the last week and I've had loads of fun driving it around (yes adults can ride on it too!) and the kids have chased round after me (it can pick up quite a speed on our laminate flooring). We took the didicar to the park as well and it works well outside on the pavement. It got quite a few admiring glances and Noah enjoyed having a bigger space to whizz around!

Didicar is a unique self propelled ride on toy for children. Available in a bright collection of colours, didicar is safe and ideal to use indoors or outdoors on any hard, smooth and flat surface. Didicar provides exercise in any setting and promotes physical development as well as balance, co-ordination, spacial and speed awareness. Didicar provides all the above, but above all else it's just plain FUN!!

I can truly say that this is a great buy. It was so easy to assemble - there were no expletives coming from the other half, that's how I know this! It is really sturdy and feels very safe to use. The design is great, really sleek and the materials used feel like they are of excellent quality. No batteries are required so there are no extra costs involved in running the didicar

Take advantage of the offer that didicar has on at the moment, they are currently on sale for £39.95 reduced from £49.95 with half price delivery. 

Check out didicar here: http://www.didicar.co.uk/

We were sent the Didicar for free in order to write this review, all opinions and views expressed here are my own

Race for Life Training

So as I mentioned at the beginning of the week I'm running Race for Life at the end of the month. I decided that this will be my cue to get fit! So on Wednesday after finishing work at lunchtime I put on my exercise kit (it still fits after a 2 year break - good sign!) and stepped outside my front door to have a light jog and see how I got on.

Well I was pretty pleased with what I did actually considering I have done no real exercise in about a year (do a few Zumba classes count?) and I've not exactly been a healthy eater. I just did a 20 minute circuit locally to me that I calculated afterwards was about 1.6 miles. I jogged the whole way, and surprisingly I didn't have my usual mental battle going on of "I can't do this" the entire time. In fact my mind was pretty clear and I enjoyed the whole thing.

Only things I did wrong were to not take water, I know it was only a short jog but I did feel like I needed a slurp and I took the wrong key and ended up being locked out!! Durrr. Luckily my neighbour didn't mind having my sweaty personage on her property for a bit!

So there we have it. I've started training and it feels good. I plan to jog the same route again tomorrow and then next week I have an even better route in mind from my office to Victoria station which will take me past Buckingham Palace! Looking forward to that one! Will keep you posted.

If you would like to sponsor me you can do so here: https://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/sharondonnelly0/

Exercise and Me

I've always had a love/ hate relationship with exercise. As a child I swam a lot, did the odd bit of netball for school but I didn't work my way through the BAGA badges or go to ballet. My exercise was mainly tearing up and down my road on my bike and running around with the other kids in the street. As I got into my teens I didn't really do anything exercise wise (apart from running about after boys!), it was only when I got to university that I started being more body conscious and that was as a result of going out with a Sports Science student who made me feel fat most of the time and wouldn't hold back from commenting on how I could do this and that to improve myself. I went to the gym on and off for years as a result of that relationship.

Eventually I realised that I was throwing my money away, I would join, go a lot for a month or two and then never go again. Instead of going to the gym I started to enter into fitness challenges, like 5k and 10k runs and a swimathon or two. And that kind of thing really is the way to float my fitness boat. I can safely say that my best motivation to get fit in my life was my wedding. I went to a personal trainer and did boxing and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. The confidence it gave me and the way I felt about my appearance was brilliant. I didn't wimp out of my sessions with rubbish excuses and I found I could wear the clothes I wanted to.

Since then I've had two kids and in between having them I used the excuse that I was going to have another child at some point so there would be no point me getting into shape until I'd had baby number 2. Well now I find myself in that position. Child number 2 is on the scene and 6 months later I'm now urging myself to get out and do some exercise! And guess what in the last 3 weeks I have! I have Zumbaa-d!!! Three times!! And I've done 30 lengths at the local pool. I also bought some new running trainers so I have to get out in them and I've also signed up to this years Marie Curie Swimathon.

I intend to blog about my fitness and exercise achievements as and when, it won't necessarily be a weekly thing but I do think that making some commitment to write about it will make me do at least 1 thing a week.

What do I want to gain from exercising? To be honest, it's not really weight loss that I'm after. I'm 5 foot 11 inches and 11 stone 4lb if you really want to know, so well within the normal weight boundaries for my height. Obviously if I'm going to exercise and be healthy I probably will drop a few pounds, but what I really want is to tone up and *feel* fit. I want to get to the point that exercise makes me feel energised, pretty hard when my nights are interrupted by the baby and my daytime's are super busy running around after 2 kids. I want to fit into some jeans that have been in the back of my cupboard for a couple of years now. Favourite ones that I had to wave the white flag to. So there you go. I commit to get fit.

I'd love to know if you're also on a fitness drive and what you're up to, let's spur each other on - tweet me, facebook me. We can all do with encouragement sometimes when it's winter and the TV and comfort food are calling......let's do it together!

Davina for Next Collection!

What's the first New Year's resolution that you can think of?

Yes, it's that old chestnut about getting fit! Except this year I really mean it. Noah is 5 months old now and I've done well at shedding the pounds of baby weight but my aim really is to shed a bit more, get fit and tone up. I'm resolute that I'm done with child bearing and so I really want to get fit so I have the stamina to keep up with my lively children. Just in time for my declaration to work my booty, super fit (and super mum) Davina McCall has collaborated with Next on a shoe and fitness collection!

Davina for Next provides the ultimate workout and post-workout clothing along with a range of innovative everyday shoes featuring F.I.T technology to reduce load-bearing stress on joints and provide additional support.

Whenever I've undertaken a new fitness regime (and there have been many!) I've always been of the opinion that I NEED new kit to work out in. I'm only as good as the trainers/ leggings etc that I'm wearing. And looking at this range from Davina and Next there is so much choice and it would draw many a compliment. Here are my picks from the range, put together they would make a fab workout kit!

Firstly the trainers:

I love the look of these, I like the 'go faster' stripes, you wouldn't see me for dust running in these....

Next up the legs, I'd choose these cuffed joggers, they look comfy and knowing Next clothes as well as I do they'd fit my big womanly bottom!

I love the colour of this cropped bra top and I'd wear it underneath this:

And that completes my dream Davina for Next fitness outfit! As a complete outfit it would look quite retro and 80's I reckon and I've always admired that Olivia Newton John 'Let's get Physical' look, now if only they did headbands and legwarmers too....

My most successful attempts at getting fit have always been when I've had a goal in mind, including running Race For Life and the Marie Curie Swimathon, so I intend to sign up for a challenge (10k or a swim) to take place around March/ April time (nothing too serious, I don't want to punch above my weight) so that I have an event to train for. This is how I motivate myself best. Next are giving some lucky bloggers the chance to review the Davina for Next range and I'd love to be one of them. I'd put the kit through it's paces and share the blood, sweat and tears (and there are always tears!) with my readers!

Davina for Next will be available from selected stores, from the Next directory and online at next.co.uk from next Spring. Check it out and it could help you to keep your New Year's resolutions!