Boxing for Buhinga: The Fight Club Diaries, Week 7

It's official, I have passed the point of no return, I have purchased a mouthguard. Boyfriend looks horrified at my attempt to mould it, which involves hot water, melty rubber in your mouth and drooling. I know, you're jealous aren't you?

I'm still on the hunt for an opponent for the night of the 24th of October. Details here if you're interested

Boxing For Buhinga: The Fight Club Diaries. Week 7

It's official, I have passed the point of no return, I have purchased a mouthguard. Boyfriend looks horrified at my attempt to mould it, which involves hot water, melty rubber in your mouth and drooling. I know, you're jealous aren't you?

The trustees are in Uganda this week visiting Buhinga School. This means we're down to a group of about 6 for Tuesday's session. I don't wear my mouthguard due to the possibility of slobbering/choking/looking like bugs bunny in front of near-strangers, but I wish I had when I get punched on the jaw for the first time. The boys seem to think this is a rite of passage and is the first in many minor injuries...oh yay

On a side note I now have THREE Sports Direct mugs. What are you supposed to do with them exactly? Anyone? Being in online retail makes me ponder for an longer-than-necessary amount of time whether they are really worth it/do they result in higher delivery costs?/ Does anyone actually like them? Anyway I digress.....

On the advice of Katie, the Merciless and our trainer I wear my mouthguard in the gym on Wednesday- in an attempt to get used it to it. Of course where normally there will be two or three people in there at lunchtime every man and his dog is there today to observe my drooling, I hide in the corner on the rowing machine and attempt to look nonchalant, like ELITE ATHLETE - but fellow gym-goers sideways glances suggest I was projecting more the impression that I am some kind of OCD lunatic bizarrely protecting myself from possible malfunctions with the rowing machine. It could happen right?

On Thursday night I go to a networking event organised by my friend Leon Bailey-Green. It's great to catch up with people and meet some new faces from the world of online retail and at the end of the night I've drunk about three glasses of red wine, had a few gin and tonics and about two canapes (I think I might have also sworn that at the end of my weightloss journey I would fit into Leon's very tight leather trousers....on reflection this may be a challenge too far). Nothing untoward for a normal Thursday night really- but the next day I feel like death. Like literally like I am dying. No hangover I have had can compare to this one (no not even the time I couldn't look at my laptop screen because it hurt my eyes and my boss had to send me home for which I felt guilty and grateful in equal measures for approximately the rest of my natural life). I can't even face water, and by lunchtime I decide I can't possibly go on with the working day in my current state so I have to pop home for a little nap and a shower (luckily I only live around the corner from work). Of course it's me so on the walk home I run into my friend Suze...there is only one word for this and it's BUSTED!

I'm at another friend's for dinner on Friday night but I stick to the water in attempt to re-hydrate myself ...well that and I don't dare touch the vino.

I literally have to drag my sorry ass to the gym at 8am on Saturday morning (I can't even drum up an evil glare for the yoga ladies) - motivational inner voice repeating 'just get through it Hels, just get through it, it's only an hour'all the way there...but of course Merciless one has some other ideas. We spend a good 45 minutes doing pad work and miraculously I feel fantastic afterwards. Simon thinks my progress is good, I'm improving every week and my hangover has finally gone. Yay!

On Sunday afternoon I go for lunch in the pub with Suze (she of the BUSTED! incident), I attempt to have a beer and can't finish even half of it as I can feel it going straight to my head. I'm now convinced my metabolism has changed because this is definitely not what usually happens. I just give up and consider the rest of the year a dry one. This is not what I signed up for!

About Boxing for Buhinga & Universal Chance

The Boxing for Buhinga event will be held on the 24th of November at the Grange St Pauls hotel in London. For tickets and enquiries go to http://universalchance.org/tickets/. You can read profiles of all the fighters at http://universalchance.org.

Universal Chance is a charitable trust set up by a group of friends who share a common desire to use the skills that we have developed through our careers to do what we can to help communities that have not been granted the same chances that we have whilst inspiring others to do the same.

We are dedicated to implementing tangible projects that will help less privileged communities and individuals reach their potential . This could be anything from improving education facilities to providing medical facilities or giving access to clean water. To find out more check out our site http://universalchance.org/ or follow us on twitter at @universalchance.

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