We made it, the longest month of the year is finally over. Although I am relieved, I also really can’t complain too much about the month I’ve had, it’s actually been quite fun and there’s been lots to celebrate. Here’s how I spent January 2020..

On New Year’s Day (how long ago does that feel?!) we went up to Kieran’s mums caravan for a few day’s. Taking the 2nd and 3rd off work was the best decision ever. We enjoyed fresh air, walks, relaxing and without meaning to we ended up getting to Monday 6th without touching a drop of alcohol.

I weighed myself on that first Monday morning back to work and knew it was coming but I got quite a shock. I’m not one to care about my weight I definitely don’t obsess over it but I felt crap after Christmas and knew I’d put a lot on. I still don’t care what I weigh but I wanted to feel better in my clothes. I’m only 5ft2 and with all this extra weight I basically looked but more importantly felt like a bollard. So that was it, motivation to sort myself out.

Reluctantly I signed myself up for dry January, and put myself back on the 5.2 diet. Just to be clear this diet really works for me, it’s not for everyone and it’s a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix but nevertheless I know what I’m doing with it so threw myself into it fully combined with no alcohol. I’m not going to go into details here that’s for a separate post but I basically spent the first two weeks of January being very healthy, staying in, and doing a lot of life admin ahead of a busy year.

First up was thinking about holidays. Like everyone in January I love booking something to look forward to. I don’t like planning the full year, but even just one thing in advance makes me feel like getting up for work is worth it. We decided on and booked where we are going for Kieran’s 30th later in the year. It prompted me to write this blog post on everywhere you can fly to direct from Newcastle this year. 

Speaking of which, I also spent a lot of time researching places in Newcastle where you can reserve a private space for drinks or celebrations, both for his birthday and also my cousins Newcastle leg of the hen do. I found this very weird, places either charge huge amounts, or next to nothing. Anyway we got sorted for both and booked up – lots to celebrate this summer. 

Those first couple of weekends were the hardest for dry January. I thought I’d want a drink on a Friday night, but Sundays were the hardest by far. We went to Tynemouth for a walk and I just wanted to finish it off in the pub, and the same the following week along the quayside. Beautiful cold but sunny weather I wanted a Broad Chare Sunday roast and an Aspalls.

Despite all this January just felt like a very long boring, bland road, so me being me also decided we needed something to look forward to at the end of the month. Firstly we booked two restaurant weeks, Cote and Muddler. The food was amazing, and this is why I love the 5.2 diet – you don’t have to cut out everything fun. We swapped Sunday dinners for sushi.

Secondly, I spent three days researching spa deals. I put them all into two blog posts – winter spa deals in the north east and winter spa deals in the Lake District and North Yorkshire. We booked Armathwaite Hotel & Spa for last weekend.

I am so glad we did this, it was lovely to escape for the weekend, make the most of the spa for a whole day, have a steak dinner made for us and a lie in. I think this needs to be an annual tradition. I will share more on Armathwaite itself this coming week. 

While we were over there, we got the news that my sister and Martin got engaged! They were also at a spa in the Lake District, so that was really exciting. When we got back last Sunday we went with our family and Martins to All Bar One for some drinks and tapas. I will admit around the news of the engagement and as we were away for the weekend I did put dry January on hold to celebrate. I think that’s allowed! Congratulations to them again, can’t wait for the planning to begin.

In the last week of January I shared the changes I’m making for this year. I always do this towards the end of the month rather than the start as it takes me a while to figure out what I’m committing to. Aside from the odd exception I usually do stick to things like this, and with a busy year with lots of celebrations coming up I’m determined to more than ever.

I am so chuffed to have stuck to my diet and dry January (aside from the engagement exception), and even more so to find that in total I’ve lost 12lbs. I still have a long way to go for my goal but at least I’m on the right track.

One more thing…January finished with the arrival of our 8 week old pug puppy Arthur. We picked him up earlier this week and he is literally incredible. Obviously, the social media manager in me has created him his own Instagram account, seen as there will be pug puppy spam and a lot of it. Give him a follow!

Overall a pretty successful January 2020 and start to the year, but God I can’t bloody wait for a proper night out, starting with Ghetto golf next week. Have a great February!