After months of eagerly awaiting the day yet dreading it at the some time; they're here, they're back. TOM arrived this morning! I haven't had a period since losing them in February 2008 during comp prep. It is quite a relief although I'm hating them already with mild cramping in my abdomen. My theory (I always have a theory) is that I've finally got my eating with moderation under control, I'm far more relaxed, have been resting (as in sleeping) a bit more over the holidays, and generally not stressing about too much which has allowed my body to regulate the hormones once again. As I'm in Sydney I text hubby to tell him the news (he'll be disappointed as we were planning a final night out without the kids tomorrow night upon my return) and he replied with "looks like you're not pregnant then". I replied back with "thank god - unless I've been prega's for a year" (LOL).
Training wise Katie and I headed to the gym this morning for a back and biceps session in which we worked on my technique and form with training biceps in order for me to build mountains rather than pissy hills. This is going to be a major focus over the coming months to keep my shoulders out of it and get my biceps to do all the work! Afterwards a 15 minute run on the tready pulled us up before heading home again for some fabulous pancakes with maple syrup and yoghurt - yum!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
EXCITING NEWS !!
I'm here in Sydney with Katie who met me at the airport yesterday to escort me on the train to her place as I don't know how to catch a train! We caught up on news and talked about our futures before I headed for a little nana nap. Upon rising Katie informed me she had the idea on competing in Brisbane the same day as me (especially since there's no routines in INBA) and I was soooo excited and thrilled. It will be so much more fun for her to be there with the Brissy girls cheering her on, on stage. So, she's ordered her bikini and the wheels are in motion.
Last night I recieved my xmas present from her. We went to see LeGrandCirque which was great then I got a personal tour of the Opera House and her office. (I'll have to post pics later)
This morning we headed to Lavender Bay stairs which was a killer and then walked on to the gym and had a smashing shoulder session with a bit of abs and lower back work before heading to the supermarket to pick up some essentials (chicken, veges, fruit, pepsi and CHOCOLATE). We're feeling friggin' awesome and planning a big walk this arvo around the harbour. Katie cooked me her famous pancakes for post workout/breaky which were bloody fantastic and definately gonna be eaten more when I get home.
Signing off now to settle in and watch "Bigger Stronger Faster".
Last night I recieved my xmas present from her. We went to see LeGrandCirque which was great then I got a personal tour of the Opera House and her office. (I'll have to post pics later)
This morning we headed to Lavender Bay stairs which was a killer and then walked on to the gym and had a smashing shoulder session with a bit of abs and lower back work before heading to the supermarket to pick up some essentials (chicken, veges, fruit, pepsi and CHOCOLATE). We're feeling friggin' awesome and planning a big walk this arvo around the harbour. Katie cooked me her famous pancakes for post workout/breaky which were bloody fantastic and definately gonna be eaten more when I get home.
Signing off now to settle in and watch "Bigger Stronger Faster".
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
DOING THE COMPARISON THING
After training with Liz today I got her to take some photos marking the 19 week out mark. Came home and went through last years photos to do a comparison. My first lot of posing photos were taken on 20 February 2008 at a posing lesson with Jo Rogers. I'm not showing below the belly button as it still has plenty of work to do!
DREAMS COME ALIVE
When you start to feel overwhelmed and uncertain about decisions you've made,
Remember what brought you to this point in your life,
all the sacrifices, tears and occasional pain.
Be assured that with all change, some skepticism will arise, just hold onto your faith, and watch your dreams come alive.
You are where you are now, not by coincidence or luck, but by your determination, and your will to never give up.
Enjoy what you've accomplished, and hold your head up high, relish in the fact that you pressed forward, and pushed your fears aside.
And as I now mobilise my power and will, and get ready to compete - I recognise there is a capacity for excellence - a level of best within me; I've clearly experienced this part of myself in the past. And my determination - and full intent now - is to wholly demonstrate this part of me... Yes -- right from the start!
Monday, January 5, 2009
LOOKIN' GOOD, FEELING F@#KIN' GREAT!!
- Don't you just hate getting woken at 3.30 am by possums fighting on the roof above your bedroom but love getting up then and starting the day?
- Don't you just hate running in the dark when everyone else is sleeping but love the fresh cool air and the peace and serenity and the feel of you breathing and the music in your ears?
- Don't you just hate when your muscle are so fatigued that you simply can't push out another rep but love the satisfaction of knowing you've trained hard and torn your muscle fibres?
- Don't you just hate training alone but love when you train with a partner who pushes and encourages you and laughs at/with you?
- Don't you just hate the drive home from the gym but love knowing your oats and powder are waiting for you?
- Don't you just hate having nothing to do but love that the day is yours to spend how you please?
- Don't you just hate being tired but love being able to have a daytime nap?
- Don't you just hate not having your children around but love the break and no responsibility for a while?
- Don't you just hate that your husband has gone back to work but love that you are still on holidays?
- Don't you just love your life? I do!!
- Don't you just hate running in the dark when everyone else is sleeping but love the fresh cool air and the peace and serenity and the feel of you breathing and the music in your ears?
- Don't you just hate when your muscle are so fatigued that you simply can't push out another rep but love the satisfaction of knowing you've trained hard and torn your muscle fibres?
- Don't you just hate training alone but love when you train with a partner who pushes and encourages you and laughs at/with you?
- Don't you just hate the drive home from the gym but love knowing your oats and powder are waiting for you?
- Don't you just hate having nothing to do but love that the day is yours to spend how you please?
- Don't you just hate being tired but love being able to have a daytime nap?
- Don't you just hate not having your children around but love the break and no responsibility for a while?
- Don't you just hate that your husband has gone back to work but love that you are still on holidays?
- Don't you just love your life? I do!!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
10 HABITS OF FIT PEOPLE
Do you ever wonder what fit people do differently from those with excess fat? If you think they were born with the special gene to release fat, and you were born with unfavourable ones which promote the storage of fat, think again.
While genetics does play some role in where fat you store fat, recent studies show you have the ability to overcome genes and express the positive side of a gene. At any given time, a fat cell can swell or shrink, depending more on your lifestyle (eating and physical activity) than your genes.
If you had the chance to spend 24 hours with a fit person, you would observe several key things that they do differently than the average sedentary one. Read on to understand -- and ultimately incorporate -- decisions fit people make regarding exercise, eating and recovery in order to live in a lean, healthy, strong and fit body.
1. Sleep well and wake up naturally. Many fit people arise without an alarm clock feeling energised, rested and hungry. They have set fitness goals and a plan to achieve them. People who are fit fall asleep easier, have more quality sleep and require less sleep than someone who is unfit. Lack of sleep is strongly associated with obesity. Sleeping helps the body repair, rebuild and recover.
2. Get prepared. Fit people pack their gym bags the night before, have clothes laid out for exercise, toiletries packed for a shower, clothes for work and an appointment in their planner for physical activity. They regard their workout appointments as highly as any other business or social commitment.
3. Exercise in the morning. Morning exercisers have the highest compliance rates and are more likely to stick to their program. As the day passes, they have a feeling of accomplishment and pride which is reflected in their food choices, behaviour and stress management. Morning exercise is the best way to start your day and ultimately influence many other positive decisions throughout your day.
4. Plan meals. People who are fit and lean have set eating times, plan their meals around their workouts and know what they are going to eat and when. Initially it takes a little work to figure out healthy meals and snacks, but they do not leave eating to chance. Finding yourself headed to the buffet or driving through for fast food in a famished state is a formula for disaster.
5. Rebound from setbacks Fit people do not let one missed workout turn into two or three. They get right back to their next workout and use the added rest to work even harder. They also don’t let one slice of pizza or cake derail their efforts. They move on to the next healthy meal knowing they exercise, sleep and eat well so they can have the occasional indulgence or missed workout without it effecting them negatively.
6. Make lasting lifestyle and behavioural changes. Fit people have become fit over time, not over night. They empower themselves with information about fitness and eating, and adopt one new healthy habit at a time until it's no longer something they work on, but instead something that is part of their daily routine.
7. Separate the psychology of success from self-help snake oil. People who are fit do not fall prey to the quick magical “solutions” to health and wellness. They know living longer, stronger, leaner years is a lifelong process, and they reap the benefits daily. They know if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
8. Lose weight and keep it off. Fit people know dieting alone is not enough to achieve long-term fat loss. Exercise plays a large part in keeping kilos off. With regular exercise, they are likely to keep the weight off for life.
9. Use positive self talk. People who are fit use positive self-talk. They don’t beat themselves up with negative sayings such as “I am fat,” or “I am lazy.” Instead, they say “I am strong,” “I am powerful,” “I nourish my body” and “I am thankful to be moving my body.”
10. Set and accomplish goals. Fit people have a realistic goal in mind when they train. For some, it's being a certain size or having a particular waste measurement. For others, it's competing in an event or fund raiser that is near to their heart, like walking for breast cancer or cycling for leukemia. When one goal is accomplished, another is set and there is a deliberate plan to achieve the result.
If you want to live in a lean, fit, strong, unstoppable body, you should choose one of the 10 components listed above and decide to tackle it. Once you have tackled one, move on to the next. Over time, the more of these habits you incorporate, the more living in a fit body will become an everyday reality, and you'll love the reflection that stares back at you in the mirror.
While genetics does play some role in where fat you store fat, recent studies show you have the ability to overcome genes and express the positive side of a gene. At any given time, a fat cell can swell or shrink, depending more on your lifestyle (eating and physical activity) than your genes.
If you had the chance to spend 24 hours with a fit person, you would observe several key things that they do differently than the average sedentary one. Read on to understand -- and ultimately incorporate -- decisions fit people make regarding exercise, eating and recovery in order to live in a lean, healthy, strong and fit body.
1. Sleep well and wake up naturally. Many fit people arise without an alarm clock feeling energised, rested and hungry. They have set fitness goals and a plan to achieve them. People who are fit fall asleep easier, have more quality sleep and require less sleep than someone who is unfit. Lack of sleep is strongly associated with obesity. Sleeping helps the body repair, rebuild and recover.
2. Get prepared. Fit people pack their gym bags the night before, have clothes laid out for exercise, toiletries packed for a shower, clothes for work and an appointment in their planner for physical activity. They regard their workout appointments as highly as any other business or social commitment.
3. Exercise in the morning. Morning exercisers have the highest compliance rates and are more likely to stick to their program. As the day passes, they have a feeling of accomplishment and pride which is reflected in their food choices, behaviour and stress management. Morning exercise is the best way to start your day and ultimately influence many other positive decisions throughout your day.
4. Plan meals. People who are fit and lean have set eating times, plan their meals around their workouts and know what they are going to eat and when. Initially it takes a little work to figure out healthy meals and snacks, but they do not leave eating to chance. Finding yourself headed to the buffet or driving through for fast food in a famished state is a formula for disaster.
5. Rebound from setbacks Fit people do not let one missed workout turn into two or three. They get right back to their next workout and use the added rest to work even harder. They also don’t let one slice of pizza or cake derail their efforts. They move on to the next healthy meal knowing they exercise, sleep and eat well so they can have the occasional indulgence or missed workout without it effecting them negatively.
6. Make lasting lifestyle and behavioural changes. Fit people have become fit over time, not over night. They empower themselves with information about fitness and eating, and adopt one new healthy habit at a time until it's no longer something they work on, but instead something that is part of their daily routine.
7. Separate the psychology of success from self-help snake oil. People who are fit do not fall prey to the quick magical “solutions” to health and wellness. They know living longer, stronger, leaner years is a lifelong process, and they reap the benefits daily. They know if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
8. Lose weight and keep it off. Fit people know dieting alone is not enough to achieve long-term fat loss. Exercise plays a large part in keeping kilos off. With regular exercise, they are likely to keep the weight off for life.
9. Use positive self talk. People who are fit use positive self-talk. They don’t beat themselves up with negative sayings such as “I am fat,” or “I am lazy.” Instead, they say “I am strong,” “I am powerful,” “I nourish my body” and “I am thankful to be moving my body.”
10. Set and accomplish goals. Fit people have a realistic goal in mind when they train. For some, it's being a certain size or having a particular waste measurement. For others, it's competing in an event or fund raiser that is near to their heart, like walking for breast cancer or cycling for leukemia. When one goal is accomplished, another is set and there is a deliberate plan to achieve the result.
If you want to live in a lean, fit, strong, unstoppable body, you should choose one of the 10 components listed above and decide to tackle it. Once you have tackled one, move on to the next. Over time, the more of these habits you incorporate, the more living in a fit body will become an everyday reality, and you'll love the reflection that stares back at you in the mirror.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
LIFE GETS CRAZY!
Quick rundown of events:
29 Dec - in-laws go home (boo hoo my housekeeper/nanny is gone)
30 Dec - Sofie's 9th birthday (I swore it was her 10th even buying a 10th birthday card and writing happy 10th birthday). We go to Currumbin beach for the day and celebrate with her choice of a chinese dinner and baskin robbins ice-cream cake (yum!)
31 Dec - put kids on the plane to home town (hubby and I now kid free for 11 days). Have an awesome New Years Eve party and celebrate with fine wine, good food and fantastic friendships.
1 Jan - spend most of the day recovering from a hangover and tiredness but so worth it!
2 Jan - spend all day preparing last years tax for Accountant. Hubby and I go to Marco Polo restaurant at the casino for dinner and afterwards try our hand at BlackJack (we lost!)
3 Jan (today) - going wedding/bridesmaid shopping with Nicole
4 Jan (tomorrow) - spend the day writing new programs/recommendations for clients in preparation for returning to work on the 12th
5 Jan (Monday) - Hubby and I going to Rainforest Massage for a 1 hr massage, 1 hr facial and 50 minutes in the spa with champagne and chocolates.
6 Jan (Tuesday) - nothing planned yet
7 Jan (Wednesday) - I hop on plane and head to spend a few days with Katie in Sydney where she is taking me to Le Grand Cirque Aerial Dreams and afterparty.
10th (Saturday) - I hop on plane to come back home and spend one last night with Hubby without children
11th (Sunday) - Sofie and Jayden arrive home with big brother Jason who is then staying for 2 weeks.
12th (Monday) - I go back to work and start Phase 1 of Competition Preparation
Overall I've had a fantastic holiday and festive season enjoying a few more indulgences than usual resulting in feeling a little soft and squiggy but enjoyed being a little looser and celebrating life living each day as if I were to die tomorrow. There's been some doubts and testing times along the way having to take a step back and assess my direction a few days ago but I'm happy to say that I've managed much better than last year when indulging a bit more pulling it straight back into line the following day rather than continuing on which is what I've done in the past. I've trained everyday, except for Xmas Day and New Years Day. My muscles are growing, my mind in growing. My enthusiasm for 2009 is growing. Belated Happy New Year everyone!
29 Dec - in-laws go home (boo hoo my housekeeper/nanny is gone)
30 Dec - Sofie's 9th birthday (I swore it was her 10th even buying a 10th birthday card and writing happy 10th birthday). We go to Currumbin beach for the day and celebrate with her choice of a chinese dinner and baskin robbins ice-cream cake (yum!)
31 Dec - put kids on the plane to home town (hubby and I now kid free for 11 days). Have an awesome New Years Eve party and celebrate with fine wine, good food and fantastic friendships.
1 Jan - spend most of the day recovering from a hangover and tiredness but so worth it!
2 Jan - spend all day preparing last years tax for Accountant. Hubby and I go to Marco Polo restaurant at the casino for dinner and afterwards try our hand at BlackJack (we lost!)
3 Jan (today) - going wedding/bridesmaid shopping with Nicole
4 Jan (tomorrow) - spend the day writing new programs/recommendations for clients in preparation for returning to work on the 12th
5 Jan (Monday) - Hubby and I going to Rainforest Massage for a 1 hr massage, 1 hr facial and 50 minutes in the spa with champagne and chocolates.
6 Jan (Tuesday) - nothing planned yet
7 Jan (Wednesday) - I hop on plane and head to spend a few days with Katie in Sydney where she is taking me to Le Grand Cirque Aerial Dreams and afterparty.
10th (Saturday) - I hop on plane to come back home and spend one last night with Hubby without children
11th (Sunday) - Sofie and Jayden arrive home with big brother Jason who is then staying for 2 weeks.
12th (Monday) - I go back to work and start Phase 1 of Competition Preparation
Overall I've had a fantastic holiday and festive season enjoying a few more indulgences than usual resulting in feeling a little soft and squiggy but enjoyed being a little looser and celebrating life living each day as if I were to die tomorrow. There's been some doubts and testing times along the way having to take a step back and assess my direction a few days ago but I'm happy to say that I've managed much better than last year when indulging a bit more pulling it straight back into line the following day rather than continuing on which is what I've done in the past. I've trained everyday, except for Xmas Day and New Years Day. My muscles are growing, my mind in growing. My enthusiasm for 2009 is growing. Belated Happy New Year everyone!
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