Gail Emms' Blog by Gail_Emms

Hello! I would like to say it has been another crazy week in the world of me, but it has actually been very quiet!! It is weird, because when I am really busy and rushing all over the place, I long for a bit of peace and quiet and nothingness. But when I have it, I get really bored! I have decided to go on a bit of a health kick before Xmas though. My friend Natalie has lost 5 lbs recently and we are always joking with her that she could never lose the weight as she loves her food and rose wine, but she has gone and done it. It has prompted me to start thinking about losing a bit of weight, so when it comes to Xmas, I can indulge without feeling too guilty.

I weigh 10 and a half stone and I'm 5ft 3 and a half, although a lot is muscle, but I could do with being about 10 stone to be honest. Then I can have a few treats at Xmas! I love all the Xmas cheeses and mince pies and Xmas pudding, and all the wine, so I am in trouble really! I decided this week, as the whole family is descending on me, to pick up a few bits and pieces to try and cover the costs. I thought to myself, I will try and pick as healthily as possible, but how the blooming heck are you supposed to do that?! There are nuts, chocolate biscuits, chocolates, canapés, alcohol, and that is just the start! It is crazy to think that I am buying all this fatty food and really, I don't want to eat any of it. I am just going to be eating it for the sake of eating it and because it is there in front of me. Hence the need to lose a bit of weight before we get to December 24th!

The trouble is, all the Xmas party dates are now entering the diary so I may have to do some tactical driving so I don't drink and then save on the calories. To lose 1lb a week, you need to have a 500 calorie deficit a day and as wine is packed with empty calories, that means I am going to have to stay away for a while. Damn! Now to news on the sausage finger - well it is not really a sausage anymore, but is still blooming painful! I can type better though and it isn't as annoying as it was, and there was no netball this week, so I couldn't damage it any further!

However, I played hockey for the first time in a while and it is aching a bit after that. I played at Harpenden Hockey club with the first team as I was helping them out in half term, because it seems most of the team are away which was why I was called up to play! I played about 3 weeks ago for them, again to help out and scored a goal! Problem is, that I think they are expecting me to score again and let's just say, my shooting skills were a bit erratic at practice! Last year, when I went to the training sessions more, it was really frustrating to me that I was the fittest out of the girls and I had just had a baby. This year, the girls have a new coach, Jane, and she has really worked on the fitness element. Now, when I am training with them, they are so much fitter and stronger and they are top of the league as a result. I can still beat them all at sprints and shuttle runs though....! I've still got it, it's just a bit more hidden!!

Happily the sausage finger didn't cause me to miss out on my golf last week, thank goodness, though on every bad shot I was quick to blame the finger!! Ha ha! I turned up at the Belfry nice and early and had a big breakfast bap with lots of tea and then the nerves really set in. I began to realise that I had only played 3 rounds of golf all year and I really wasn't ready to play a very good course. I set off with Keith and Ade and my first drive ended up being about 20m! Not the best start! And the greens? For me, it was like putting on ice, they were so fast!! I did get better, well okay I got better and then worse and then better and finished 9 holes in an okay score, only losing 2 balls. Keith (my boss at Amer Sports) is a very good player and myself and Ade were a bit erratic, so he dumped us and in stepped Peter. He was on our wavelength of "if you don't lose the ball, it's a good hole" and cue the comedy golf!

Pete hit a shot onto a tree and it went backwards, I played one hole going from bunker to bunker to bunker to bunker and Ade did his best to lose every ball he owned (about 20) trying to get over the water, wherever it was, pond, ditch and lake! I think I gave up scoring and in the end, I was losing the will to live, let alone golf. But then, on the 18th, I was magical! I had obviously saved my best for last and I hit a par! I couldn't believe it! Nor could Peter or Ade to be honest but I drove home reliving the last hole and conveniently forgetting the other 17! It's amazing how golf does that to you?! I cannot wait to play again and thank you to The Belfry for allowing me to play and only losing 5 balls and getting to know my sand wedge better.

And finally, I have launched a new PlayBadminton portal that enables you to find a badminton court in your area. So if you fancy having a game, this is a quick, easy and simple tool to use, so you can go and have a hit. I am all for making people's lives easier when it comes to sport and keeping healthy, as I know how hard it is to fit in exercise without committing to a club. And the legend Pete Stokes is an ambassador.... don't know who Pete Stokes is?! Type his name into YouTube and be astounded by his trick shots. There isn't much he can't do with a racket and a shuttlecock....! You have been warned! See you next week!