6) Lose weight - attempt to be under 11 stone

I was always the skinny one in my family. Growing up, I was a total stringbean, not a bit of fat on me.

I remember when we used to have our 'fat testing' at England netball (ok sum of skinfolds but we called it fat testing). People would look at my number first and go 'what the ...' and then go 'oh its Judith'. I was kept being told to bulk up, but I just couldn't. It just wasn't me. I couldn't do it. I ate, but I exercised. A lot. But I was just skinny.

If only I'd known that knackering up your knees and having children would have been the answer to all my prayers - bulky? Somewhat! Hard to lose? Hell yeah!

I don't actually know how much I weighed before I gave birth but I had got big very quickly with my second child. At the end, they told me my bump wasn't growing so all happened quickly to get her out! Putting yourself on the scales was not the first thing on my mind. I also never weighed myself when pregnant first time round so I decided not to do the same. Big mistake as I'd at least have more of a gauge.

But I was big - pretty huge and had a lot of extra weight to lose. And breastfeeding was only shifting so much, even with a gorgeous girl who took to feeding like a duck to water. But there was a real tum, fat legs, eurgh it wasn't nice.

Day one - babies are helpful for covering large tums!

I was sensible this time and held off doing sit ups or anything strenuous until the six week check in late August (and then took my son swimming the next day!) But when September came around I decided to take action. Enough was enough. 

Ok, I'm smaller than a tractor at least....

On the 1st September I went for my first run - well I ran the first 10 mins which equated to a mile. Then I allowed myself to die a little. Well walk. It was 3.30pm and we had an impossibly hot summer. Nothing like pushing yourself. And I weighed myself. 13 stone, 5lb. We have some work to do....

At the same time, my sisters and I decided to sign ourselves up for a Race for Life. A Twilight one in October (don't do it, it's pitchblack and is likely to make you badly sprain your ankle like me). I decided to give up booze (cos pregnancy wasn't enough) and chocolate after we had a family party for Freya on 8th September until after the race. Mmm.

Well I did it, and I did the race. I wasn't that quick - about 36 mins but I got round, without stopping (well if you don't include the episode of me falling off the pavement in the pitch black within the first kilometre) which was more than a lot of the 'runners' were doing (sorry but if you have to walk every couple of hundred metres you are not a runner)

Even with broken knees I've persisted. And on some days I've near starved myself. But I wanted to lose the weight. I got into a bit of a routine - but Freya down for her morning sleep, do 300 situps. Yeah, that's the sort of me time I go for...

And where am I now? Well days before the big 40 I weighed in at 11 stone 12lb. Not the 'under 11 stone' but remember it was an 'attempt to be' and I did. I have. But I want to keep this weight off and will keep working on it. I'm not completely happy yet, maybe another half a stone. But I am much happier with where I am now - I can at least get into my skinny jeans - that can't be bad! 

Me now - still a bit to go, but a lot lost too! 

So another I think ticked off the list. If I can get to two stone lost then I'll be very happy indeed. So watch this space!

13) Get up to 400 followers on Twitter

I can't quite remember how I even started on Twitter. Or why. But I did. It was probably some desperate way of learning on the job - decided we were going to have a Twitter account for something at work and thought the best way to learn was to have an account myself.

It's been a few years and I've not followed that many and oh, not that many had followed me. I'd been stuck in the early 100 mark for quite a while. And I thought, you know, to be taken seriously you need more followers than that.

So to the task. Lets go for 400. Well it's 40 x 10 (that is right isn't it, I haven't lost the ability to calculate in my ageing years?) and I thought that would be a good enough challenge.

And it was tough. I was helped by a number of people - firstly my husband @ben_ineson and my sister @sarahlady getting a few helpers along the way. My brother @robobmann came to the party but towards the end they all stepped up considerably and were practically begging people to follow me. Well what else is family for.

But then the people they begged helped too. @juliaontour was tempting people to follow me and help hit the 200 mark by offering a couple of sweet treat parcels. Seeing the food that she posts pictures of on twitter, frankly I'd have followed myself (I think there would have been a stewards inquiry though) to get the parcels! @ianbrice has tweeted and retweeted too and I think his mum may well be a follower too. Late on @corporatebaby got in the game and she was marvellous with her efforts.

A couple of weeks out from the big day we were still only at the half way point. I was nervous and thought there was no chance of making it. But with a few begging tweets myself and personally hounding people, you know what? We did it with a day to spare!!!

Yes!!! Made it to 400! 

So, another off the list and there are still that many followers. No, I lie I have 413! Heck I'm almost in the Lady Gaga league (well ok, I may have to do a little more yet!)

I am 40!

Yep, the 40th birthday has come and passed.

So did I complete the whole list? Do you want to know now, or shall I keep updating on the whole of the things I did do. Oh no, that makes it sound as if I didn't accomplish them all.

It's a challenge, and sometimes you complete challenges, sometimes you don't, sometimes you work your backside off and still fall a little short. I reckon I'm in the latter. I've given it a darn good go.

And while I won't spoil the surprise tonight (as it's still my birthday week and frankly I deserve to still be treated as a princess and no scorn) I will reveal all next week and my 40 vow. You see, surely that's worth keeping reading for!

But, and I better put this in now, turning 40 hasn't been so bad. In the main, I've been treated fabulously, lots of amazing presents, experiences and I've had a lot of champagne in preparation for and in celebration of. Can't all be bad. But, I've decided that while I may not be ready to create a 50 before 50 list yet (might be a little premature), I am looking at taking this decade by the short and curlies and embracing and loving life. There will be changes ahead and lots of new experiences. I'm not doing the same old things because I've done them always, I'm looking at what new things there are to do that I've never done before. Because, well if you don't, will you live to regret it? No point waiting to find out - get on with it!

Well I'm older now - I may even be a bit wiser!!!

15) Watch five live sports you've never seen

Water polo

No one is sure of the exact origins of the game of water polo but one things for sure, teams probably kept things simple when they first started playing. There certainly wasn't the M25 to screw up your travel arrangements and make the opposition late.

My final game to watch (you're thinking this is the fourth you've written, how can it be the final one - it is, I haven't actually written the first one yet, sorry!) takes me to Watford to watch the men's waterpolo team.

It looked however that my first ever game was going to end in dramatic non starting fashion as the opposition only had four, then five and eventually six players. But that was still one too short.So one of the spectators donned a pair of Speedos. As you do. Well it meant they could start.

I've only seen people half mucking around in the pool before so to see an actual game being played was almost a treat. Considering I had been to ice hockey the night before it was practically tropical sat up in the stands by a swimming pool! It's seven a side with six players padding around in the pool and a goalie at each end. Players wear coloured caps with numbers on them with goalies wearing red ones. Well goalies are special of course.

And so the action started. I had no one to explain the rules but I kind of worked on them myself. There seems, like basketball, a certain period of time on each offence so the attacking team need to take a shot within 30 secs (I think!). After a goal is scored or goalie saves (or there is some infringement I couldn't understand) then the players all swim off to the other end of the pool. And that bit I loved. The sound of that rhythmic swimming across the pool was lovely. It was almost hypnotic. Then they'd start after each other again.

The ball would be passed around the team - trying to find someone in an open position to be able to take a shot. It looked, like in defence you could pretty much do anything, really get stuck in and if you get the ball out of their hands, so be it. When you've played a non contact sport all your life, then it comes as a bit of a shock! And we aren't hands off but er this was much, much closer.

And they did swing the ball around, and took some great shots, really tactically opening up the space. And Watford commanded from the start but then Beckenham started to come back into it. Well they needed some time to warm up. But Watford were starting to turn around their fortunes and were looking to get another win under their belts. And they didn't disappoint, taking out the game 13-10.

It was good, easy to watch but actually something I'd love to have a go at myself. With my knees it looks like something that might be easier to play and a heck of a lot of fun. I can certainly do the ball throwing bit ok I guess!

In the thick of the action!

18) Eat 10 foods I've never eaten before

I have always been a bit of a fusspot about food. Picky, picky, picky.

As a young child I didn't eat butter or cream, would never fight for the cream at the top of the bottle and would pour it back into a glass and stick it into the fridge. On rare occasions we had croissants I'd hide upstairs as the smell of the butter would make my stomach turn.

I didn't really 'do' fish. Then lucky me, I got selected to go to a Guiding Jamboree overseas. In Finland. Mmmm. On the plane they gave us tuna. I realised I'd have to embrace it (still refused roll mops though - come on)

So there are quite a few things I haven't eaten. And plenty I've tried to avoid. If it's too hot, too fishy, too weird I won't have it. My husband however will wade in. In fact he got me to eat olives. I know, 31 and didn't really eat them, now try and stop me.

So the boy from Yorkshire broadened my taste horizons but even he had to admit defeat in some aspects - so the challenge. And the results:

1) Welsh Cake
No really. I know they're not very mysterious and it wasn't something I was actively avoiding but I hadn't ever eaten or purchased. Then my best mate with a touch of Welshness brought lunch with her when visiting me and my babes. So wade in. Currants, sugar yep it was fine.

2) Sharon fruit
One of my other challenges is to complete the book 'This Book will Change your Life' and on one of the days it asks you to try a new fruit. I love fruit so I've tried many but saw the wee Sharon and went for it. To be honest, don't bother. It was fiddly and didn't really taste of much so we won't be meeting again.

3) Cockles
I'm really not a seafood person so it took me a long while to even eat prawns (see Finland trip!) so funnily enough I am not going to be the first person getting fishy stuff at the seafront. So even picking up the jar of cockles in the supermarket was a fairly big step.
But, they were ok. I had more than one, but less than four. And gave the jar away. I won't fear them but we won't be friends.

4) Mussels
Why? I mean honestly. My friend cooked them in the seafood Jambalaya (another new food but I've not included) and it was all lovely bar these. I put them in my first serving but they did not return. Might as well have chewy seawater in your mouth. Yuck Yuck as my son would say.

5) Red Thai Curry
I'm a bit of a play it safe with curries or Thai food. Mind you, half of this is down to the fact that I love Chicken Satay and Pad Thai Noodles so I tend to stick to what I love. I've had Green Thai so one time I thought no, lets give it a go. Well it was delicious. A little hotter than my normal fayre but really good.

6) Crickets
Yes how amazing I got to 39 years and never had a cricket. I mean they're such standard food. Exactly. My 'best' friend motivated by the challenge decided to buy these and the food below. Well I hadn't eaten them before and I don't choose to again. Why? Well I think the wispy antennae bit was the worst, felt like stuck in my throat. But they taste of nothing. And that's why I made them eat them too.

What a shocker - I don't fancy eating a cricket

7) Mealworms

Again, managed 39 years without them. She brought two different flavours as if that would make any difference. To be honest - they were fine. They probably needed the flavouring, they don't really taste of much. So you know, if you get offered one, dive in...

Bye Bye mealworm

8) Beef Biltong

You know you see these things hanging up in the supermarket and you think, I wonder what they taste like. Well I had never eaten this or jerky. And I still wish I hadn't. Utterly vile. I mean, ok, dried meat in a bag is potentially not so nice an idea but biltong tastes awful. My husband agreed. I can't believe people eat these for fun. I can only assume in South Africa they keep the good stuff and send us the leftover rubbish. This is all I can think. We didn't even finish it. I hate wasting food but frankly, this isn't food.

9) Chocolate Philadelphia

I like chocolate, I like cream cheese, but when I first saw this advertised I thought no, it can't be done, it shouldn't be done. It's like those Marmite chewy bars all over again (a form of food torture). So I avoided it. I also thought it was a heart attack in a pot.

Then I saw the 'dunkers' pots. Little biscuits with the choccy cheese. Ok, you've won me over, I'll give it a go. Well I'm pretty glad I did. Pretty yummy. But I reckon we may have to avoid each other if the weight loss is going to continue!

10) Reece's Peanut Cups cereal

I hadn't had these until we went to Chicago in 2010. Now my husband is addicted and regularly gets sent care packages. So to is my sister. She just doesn't get the care packages. But her loving older sister bought her this treat - they now come in cereal form. They weren't cheap so told her to treasure every bite - which she did. But she let me have some. Man, they were nice. Can't have too many - it's chocolatey and peanuty all in one! 

Rachel taking good care of her cereal

So there you go - 10 new foods, some lovely, some we will do our damndest to never meet again!

35) Take in five cultural experiences

Recording of a radio comedy

I can't say this is the first time I've been involved in radio. Heck, it's not my first recording even for Radio 4. That honour goes back to the recording of the morning prayers/sing song which was recorded from the chapel of Alton Convent back in the 80s. No really. And yes we sang.

I also worked in local radio on work experience - the flying eye. Well ok, I did traffic and travel. I can still be relied to say on quite confidently 'at the moment there are no problems on local buses or on South West Trains' - well it was quite a while ago, trains seemed to run better then....

And I chose a life of PR, so I've either undertaken radio interviews or thrust others under the spotlight/microphone. So it's not a new phenomenon to be in a radio studio.

A radio theatre though? Yep, that's new. And a comedy? Yep, new too.

Thanks to the BBC Audiences, I got to get tickets to see/hear the recording of the new Stephen K Amos Life: An Idiot's Guide. Well it was a close thing. Despite my sister getting there in good time, they had a real jobsworth at the door who wouldn't accept it and put me on the standby. We did get in. Just. Standing room only.

Anyway, we went along to see what it was all about. Lots of audience participation and ask you to fill out q couple of questions on the topic so they can pounce on you to make the show. Well again if you get there in time. This one was on break ups - not great for Sarah who had just broken up with her ex, but I told her she may well find out that others were worse off. They were.

I mean at least her ex didn't join the army to get away from her (Yep, he said the frontline was easier - ouch) or said you'd gone to Africa. But then you could be the nauseating people who'd been together for 40 years. But then they live on the Isle of Wight so heck, what's worse?

Stephen talks/tortures the audience and then brings on a couple of stand ups to also talk about the subject - young up and coming artistes to get a bit of a break. I'm sorry I can't remember their names but they were good - check when it's on air ok? Well he would, but sometimes we were a little unresponsive, like it was a police interview (I guess of course). I think it's mainly as a lot of people came with their better/worse halves so could see people thinking 'should I laugh at this, how will you feel, etc etc' but there were some great stories and some really funny stuff.

Would definitely recommend signing up to their mailing list to be in the audience. You need to be there in good time as work on a first come first served basis but its certainly worth it for a night of comedy. Apparently it won't be on air until May so I'll have to remind myself to tune in!

39) Get my watch fixed

This may seem a little mad or a bit of a cop out. It's not honestly!

Well if you think it is then I'm sorry, hopefully will make sense.

When I went travelling to Australia in 2001 I had a fab Casio Baby G watch. I needed something practical and waterproof for all the excursions and mad things I'd be doing. My younger sister kind of sent it my way but mainly as she's a watch fiend, owed me money and that was her repayment. Didn't matter, I was happy.

I wore it all over Oz, but one night at a netball game it parted company with me. Yes, you have to take jewellery off but it left the bag I had left it in. Gutted.

For a time I made do with an £8 Winnie the Pooh watch - hey it had clouds that lit up. My goddaughter loved it! But that eventually conked out too.

Fast forward a few years. In 2006, my boyfriend (now husband) and I had a weekend away in London. It was a few weeks before my birthday and somehow we ended up in the Casio shop as he needed something for his watch. But it wasn't. It was to buy me a replacement Baby G.

Soooo happy and I've lovingly worn it. So much it needed a new strap as the other discoloured. And one year he got it reset when it went all funny. Then the battery died. About two years ago.

I've missed it. Timing how long it took me to swim lengths, when I started running how long it took me. Just to have a practical watch than to wear my more expensive, smart one every day.

It was only a battery. And it's fixed, and it's proudly back on my arm and been timing going on runs! How did I leave it so long? Matters not. We're together again!

15) Watch five live sports you've never seen

Ice hockey

A temporary ice rink in the food court of Milton Keynes. That's where this 40 before 40 sees me on a Saturday night. No, I am working on one of the list - there really is a live sport going on here!

To the ice kings and queens of Milton Keynes it will be common knowledge that the main ice rink is being refurbished/rebuilt/remodelled. It's closed anyway. The main ice hockey team have been sent to Coventry (include your own pun) but the MK Thunder, participants in National Ice Hockey League South have stayed true to the city.

But without a main ice rink they've adapted a disused supermarket, stuck in a rink, some fold away seats, portaloos and set up shop. Well if it's good enough for two participants of Dancing on Ice to practice on (sorry I realise I've set that as a benchmark for greatness) well they've made a home.

It's not exactly a fortress though. Sadly the MK team sit bottom of the league so it was going to be a struggle to get amongst the points. More so if you're playing the league leaders. Still, I got myself a hot chocolate (which was lovely, well recommended!) and settled in.

Players were warming up when I got there, then went off for a final team talk and back on the ice. Teams were announced and players skate in to the middle and stand in a line. Then we were asked to stand. For the national anthem. In my sport we save that for internationals only. But no, it was played (no singing though).

They're warming up - more than the supporters!

Then to action. The Chelmsford visitors seemed quite brutal but I wouldn't say they completely owned the ice to start with and the Thunder gave a good fight. But it seemed that they threatened the attacking goal a little less than their opposition. I followed as best I could, there were ref signals in the programme but as far as I could make out, it was a bit of no holds barred. I heard someone say in the second period 'it was a head check' but that's about as much as I could work out was a no no. Bashing, blocking, flooring, scooping the puck out from underneath people  was all ok, it was just like a hockey match in an all girls school - brutal! But then the away side started to chip away and get a breakthrough. Think about 4-0 up after the first 20 mins.

Then a 15 min break, so I thought, half time? No, quick check with my hubby holding the fort back home and it was third time. Sorry? Yes it's played in thirds. Thirds? 60 mins split into three. I haven't worked it out yet as to why but apparently so.

During the break the ice machine comes out. Now, that's a beast. I should have had that as a 40 challenge - drive an ice sweeper beast. But it killed a bit of time when you're sat alone!

The ice sweeper beast!

So onto the second period/third. Chelmsford got more confident and seemed to work a bit more magic, increasing their lead to 8-0 by the end of that time. I decided I had seen enough and I was cold and knew I also had another sport to watch the next day. Needless to say am a bit disappointed to find out that the Thunder did score in the last third! Typical really!

In the thick of it!

From what my little knowledge of ice hockey provided there was some talent on the MK side. While I always have a bias to goalies, Denis Bell for Thunder is really very good and if he wasn't in their goal then they would be a lot worse off. And I'm not alone in these thoughts as he has been picked for junior international honours. Lets hope he continues to improve. They didn't give up and they also defended their goalie when he got picked on a bit. Ok a little bit of a fight. Excellent....

Would I go again? It's not really my cup of tea, mainly as I'd need a few to keep warm enough to watch. But fair play to those in Milton Keynes for creating their own haven and making an ice rink accessible for the community and keeping the spirit alive. If it inspires more young people to try the sport then that's great. I'm just horrendous on the ice!

38) Have a day of J ness

I know, it sounds mad doesn't it. But it was an idea of my friend's - make a day all about me - but also all about the J. The letter J.

And so we did. It seemed appropriate that while I was on my weekend away with the girls so we decided that the Saturday should be all about J related food, drinks, games - you name it.

Preparation in advance was key - lots of J purchases made - not sure as many Jelly Babies, Jamaican ginger cakes, jam tarts, Jammie Dodgers, Japanese rice crackers the works. Trust me, if it was something that began with a J we totally embraced it. In fact my bessie mate Tash was busy in the off licence on Fri pm buying things like Joe's cocktails and Jacob's Creek cos you know they begin with the J.

My sister however chanced it with a bottle of Jinro. No, we didn't know either but figured Waitrose couldn't be poisoning us. It was a type of Sake. Rachel happily carried it around Center Parcs for the day but excelled herself by decanting it into an empty Evian bottle for the Just Jhoom dance class. Looks like water, not quite the same refreshment....

You never know when you'll need Jinro...

As you've seen from my blog on the new sport we 'partook' in Just Jhoom well what other physical activity from the list could we pick (and aqua jetting was sold out) and then headed back to the gaf!

After being told I HAD to have a bath - mainly so I could get out of the way while they decorated the place - my mate Ellie cracked on with the evening food - Jambalaya and Jalfrezi both dishes I hadn't had before either! And then on with the fabulous costumes! Yes I was joined for the evening by Jesus, Judas Iscariot (we tried to keep them from kissing each other) Jack Sparrow and a Jester. Me? I was a jockey. Well I'm 6ft tall, what else was I going to be!?!?

We played Scattergories making answers with the letter J (then realised this was fairly hard!) but drank much, ate much, and frankly had a brilliant time! Thanks ladies so much for embracing it - it's a pretty mad letter but we did good!

A Jester rocking out the drinks and her Just Jhoom moves!

J selfies with the crew!

Horsing around as a jockey!

10) Win the lottery, preferably big but a small win will do

I admit I'm not an avid player of the lottery - every now and then I remember to go and get a ticket and in the old days I may have won a tenner once.

I did have five numbers come up once, and it was on a day when I toyed with getting a lottery ticket when I popped to the corner shop and didn't. Then five numbers came up. I thought I'd blown the chance of a considerable amount of money and sulked most of the weekend. My now husband told me on the Monday that I missed out on about £1,600. Nice but not life changing. I got over it a bit more easily.

So in the last few months I've been dabbling with lotto and euromillions and to no avail. A couple of numbers here and there but nothing to really write home about and not enough numbers to make a difference. So I switched to scratchcards. Sometimes doing both. I was probably starting to get talked about as having a scratch card addiction. That poor Mum with the red buggy, always getting herself a card.

But no more, no, today I struck lucky. Bought two £1 scratchcards and only a double strike. Like buses, wait ages for a win then two come at once. Not exactly enough to retire on - a mere £4 across both wins - but it is a win and one that I only had so much control over without going bankrupt! Think my husband was getting a little nervous about the amount of scratchcards in the bin!

The winning Tickets!!