...... January being binge free. In fact being binge free since 22 December :-)
I know the day isnt over but I've had a lovely satisfying lunch and I have no desire to stuff myself mindlessly with crap between now and dinner time. To say I feel fantastic is an understatement.
In all honesty it hasnt been difficult at all. Late last year I decided that I wouldnt do it (binge) again. Then there were a whole lot of thought processes, beliefs and actions that had to change but so far, so good. Its a bit early to go into these in detail but some further success under my belt may just get me writing more about it.
Physically the key difference has been a commitment to a different diet whilst at work and also on weekends. During the week my lunch is now a Bakers Delight cape seed roll, about 80 or so grams of some protein and a large salad with fat free dressing (yes I'm lazy and use the bottled stuff) and a piece or two of seasonal fruit. This is so satisfying that I easily last until dinner time on it. On weekends lunch is a bit hit and miss to balance out having a drink at 5pm with some nibbly snack foods (not too much and not too junky). Easily achieved when breakfast is late due to training later.
The lunch time carbs (bread and fruit) really agree with me both physically (my system is rejoicing) and mentally becasue I've eaten food I love so I'm not searching out the crap to fill the gap. Over the weeeknd I was contemplating doing low carb this week as I have an easy training week. But all morning I was feeling disappointed about having just chicken and salad for lunch and I decided to stick with whats working for me right now. Basically, if its not broke, dont fix it.
The scales showed a .6 loss and I'm happy with that. No tweaking required at this stage.
:-) M
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
THE ICE SKATING QUEEN
After a busy morning of running around getting uniforms sorted, dropping off dry cleaning, buying food for dinner and more, it was time to have some fun in the afternoon. So we went and had a nice lunch at Cafe Luna Rosso and can I just say, they made the BEST Lebanese risotto with chicken breast and chick peas. We followed this up with ice skating at Thebarton Ice Arena.
This was our third time and although scary, it was time today to let go of the support frame. Well voila, after a few tentative laps staying close to the edge, I gained my confidence and skated reasonably well. Its amazing what you can do when you just push past your boundaries and limiting beliefs.
I also ran an hour this morning but sadly the pattern has been that Friday runs are far from my best. Oh well, they cant all be great. The main thing is its done and dusted and I have one lo9ng run (1 hour + 30 mins) before a week of light training next week.
It'll be a scorcher here (WOOHOOOOO!!!) so this little duck will be happy happy!!!
:-) M
Thursday, January 27, 2011
LOVING RUNNING - NOT SO THE WEIGHTS
Too busy to blog the last couple of days but admit they have been great and I still feel really good.
Yesterday was the dreaded sprint training and a particularly hard format - long sprint intervals (4 minutes!!) and distance goals as well. Not my favourite session by any stretch but once I'm into the swing of it, I've been giving it my best shot. You cant ask more especially when running at 80% effort for 30 secs is TOTALLY different to running at 80% effort for 4 minutes. When I remind myself of this, I know that I'm training correctly.
Yesterday I also had enough spare time in the afternoon to do my upper body training for chest / shoulders / bis ...... but I just couldnt be arsed. Thats a bit pathetic I know but I'm one of those people that if its not done first thing in the morning, it doesnt get done. So today - even though I'm on holidays for these 2 days - I hauled my arse out of bed at 5.50 and did that session. Didnt enjoy it, but its done.
Yeah I'm struggling with weight training now. I want a lean and toned upper body (not interested in "building size" anymore) but am finding the straight sets weight training extremely boring. So much so that I cant even get off my arse to research more interesting formats / programs etc. I guess when I hit the wall in a few weeks and scream "I cant do this anymore" then it'll be time to find that alternative.
So I'm eating well and keeping my food well balanced with small treats only and making sure I dont skimp on veges and fruit. I'm watching that I dont overdo the carbs and trying to keep fat under control so hopefully this week will see the MM move in the right direction. This Sunday's run is 1 hour and 30 so that should help with the numbers.
:-) M
Yesterday was the dreaded sprint training and a particularly hard format - long sprint intervals (4 minutes!!) and distance goals as well. Not my favourite session by any stretch but once I'm into the swing of it, I've been giving it my best shot. You cant ask more especially when running at 80% effort for 30 secs is TOTALLY different to running at 80% effort for 4 minutes. When I remind myself of this, I know that I'm training correctly.
Yesterday I also had enough spare time in the afternoon to do my upper body training for chest / shoulders / bis ...... but I just couldnt be arsed. Thats a bit pathetic I know but I'm one of those people that if its not done first thing in the morning, it doesnt get done. So today - even though I'm on holidays for these 2 days - I hauled my arse out of bed at 5.50 and did that session. Didnt enjoy it, but its done.
Yeah I'm struggling with weight training now. I want a lean and toned upper body (not interested in "building size" anymore) but am finding the straight sets weight training extremely boring. So much so that I cant even get off my arse to research more interesting formats / programs etc. I guess when I hit the wall in a few weeks and scream "I cant do this anymore" then it'll be time to find that alternative.
So I'm eating well and keeping my food well balanced with small treats only and making sure I dont skimp on veges and fruit. I'm watching that I dont overdo the carbs and trying to keep fat under control so hopefully this week will see the MM move in the right direction. This Sunday's run is 1 hour and 30 so that should help with the numbers.
:-) M
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
FEELING GOOD AND THE TAROT READING
I felt incredibly good today and I want to share the little things that contributed to this.
I have a really nice black dress that I bought a year ago when I was nopticeably slimmer than I am now. Two weeks ago I tried on that dress, not expecting it to fit (its a size 10) and I was right. The side zip wouldnt do up and it looked hideous over my thighs.
Today I gave it another go and it fitted, albeit snugly so I wore it today and I felt really good in it. The hem sits just above my knees and I have painted fake tan onto my normally lily white legs. If there's one thing to make legs look better - and make the owner feel a LOT better - its brown legs. Ladies I can truly recommend it. When my legs are brown I swear I feel 5 kilos lighter LOL.
Running 50 minutes this morning put me in a good mood. Even though I had to delay breakfast in order to have some fasting bloods done, I didnt feel like I'd collapse from hunger but instead I treated myself to breakfast out at a nice restaurant before going in to work a little later than usual.
Add to this a productive day and the future looking up for a particularly difficult project and my spirits were lifting by the minute.
Then walking through Rundle Mall on my way back to work from a meeting, I stopped and had a Tarot reading. The reader was amazing doing 99% of the reading with her eyes closed but "looking at me" if that makes sense. She'd look at the card and then translate its meaning to me. I loved it. I dont remember the specific cards but some of the things she said were (sorry this is a bit disjointed) that my self esteem was on the increase; that I was making decisions for myself and not being guided by others or external circumstances; that my hard work would be rewarded and this was repeated in a number of ways like "reaping the rewards" and variations on that. The overall gist of her reading seemed to be that I was coming into a positive, productive and rewarding phase of my life and that I was taking control.
You know what, whether you believe in Tarot or not I have chosen to believe her reading to be true because deep down I feel all those things already. And I know unequivocably "whether you believe you are or you believe you're not, you're right."
:-)
PS Oh and the number on the scales SO doesnt matter.
I have a really nice black dress that I bought a year ago when I was nopticeably slimmer than I am now. Two weeks ago I tried on that dress, not expecting it to fit (its a size 10) and I was right. The side zip wouldnt do up and it looked hideous over my thighs.
Today I gave it another go and it fitted, albeit snugly so I wore it today and I felt really good in it. The hem sits just above my knees and I have painted fake tan onto my normally lily white legs. If there's one thing to make legs look better - and make the owner feel a LOT better - its brown legs. Ladies I can truly recommend it. When my legs are brown I swear I feel 5 kilos lighter LOL.
Running 50 minutes this morning put me in a good mood. Even though I had to delay breakfast in order to have some fasting bloods done, I didnt feel like I'd collapse from hunger but instead I treated myself to breakfast out at a nice restaurant before going in to work a little later than usual.
Add to this a productive day and the future looking up for a particularly difficult project and my spirits were lifting by the minute.
Then walking through Rundle Mall on my way back to work from a meeting, I stopped and had a Tarot reading. The reader was amazing doing 99% of the reading with her eyes closed but "looking at me" if that makes sense. She'd look at the card and then translate its meaning to me. I loved it. I dont remember the specific cards but some of the things she said were (sorry this is a bit disjointed) that my self esteem was on the increase; that I was making decisions for myself and not being guided by others or external circumstances; that my hard work would be rewarded and this was repeated in a number of ways like "reaping the rewards" and variations on that. The overall gist of her reading seemed to be that I was coming into a positive, productive and rewarding phase of my life and that I was taking control.
You know what, whether you believe in Tarot or not I have chosen to believe her reading to be true because deep down I feel all those things already. And I know unequivocably "whether you believe you are or you believe you're not, you're right."
:-)
PS Oh and the number on the scales SO doesnt matter.
Monday, January 24, 2011
A CHANGE IN HEADSET
Well my groove may have gone but after a revised weigh in this morning (making it exactly 7 days since the last one) the MM decided to register a "no loss - but no gain". Whilst still not happy happy, I feel better about that than the numbers heading in the wrong bl**dy direction.
But in all honesty I've had my momentary little hissy fit and now I'm over it. I've eaten well most of the time, I've done all my running training and most of my weight training (studio is under renovations - already!!) so I've done ok. Yeah I could have skipped the Thai dinner with wine on Thursday night but it was a nice night out for just Peter and I so I have no regrets. I am still binge free - or rather I'm still maintaining my healthy relationship with all foods and that is what really matters in the long run. The Metal Monster will come to the party, I know. And if need be, there is room to tweak both diet and training as neither is all hard core.
The best thing from all this is knowing deep down how my headset has changed. Previously this result on the scales would have me commiserating with a party in my mouth. Yeah I'd be into all sorts of junk food because 1) well whats the point of eating healthy because I'm not losing weight anyway and 2) I deserve the treat foods because I need to feel better. Even writing that, I'm rolling my eyes and shaking my head at the logic I used to justify some of those previous choices.
But today life is calm and normal and it feels SO good to be able to write that. I've just come home from my Monday Zumba class which is a light but fun workout. Tomorrow morning I will run for 50 minutes. There is no knawing desire to stuff myself with sweets or something junky. There is no build up of frustration and tension that I'd normally solve with food.
So here's to another great week. It wont be perfect but guaranteed it'll be balanced, healthy and sensible.
:-) M
But in all honesty I've had my momentary little hissy fit and now I'm over it. I've eaten well most of the time, I've done all my running training and most of my weight training (studio is under renovations - already!!) so I've done ok. Yeah I could have skipped the Thai dinner with wine on Thursday night but it was a nice night out for just Peter and I so I have no regrets. I am still binge free - or rather I'm still maintaining my healthy relationship with all foods and that is what really matters in the long run. The Metal Monster will come to the party, I know. And if need be, there is room to tweak both diet and training as neither is all hard core.
The best thing from all this is knowing deep down how my headset has changed. Previously this result on the scales would have me commiserating with a party in my mouth. Yeah I'd be into all sorts of junk food because 1) well whats the point of eating healthy because I'm not losing weight anyway and 2) I deserve the treat foods because I need to feel better. Even writing that, I'm rolling my eyes and shaking my head at the logic I used to justify some of those previous choices.
But today life is calm and normal and it feels SO good to be able to write that. I've just come home from my Monday Zumba class which is a light but fun workout. Tomorrow morning I will run for 50 minutes. There is no knawing desire to stuff myself with sweets or something junky. There is no build up of frustration and tension that I'd normally solve with food.
So here's to another great week. It wont be perfect but guaranteed it'll be balanced, healthy and sensible.
:-) M
Sunday, January 23, 2011
THE GROOVE COMES. THE GROOVE GOES.
Oh sad but true. I knew last week wouldnt last.
Friday's run was ok but not great. Today I decided to do a route that Peter had suggested, quite different to the way I normally go. I was a bit skeptical as it was downhill first which is never my preference. So off I went and I'm now running with a "Keeper" (Runkeeper app on the iPhone).
Ooooh I'm not sure that I like being told every 5 minutes just how poorly I'm running LOL. Especially when I did the (slightly) uphill haul home and my pace slowed pathetically. My overall distance (which doesnt matter in my training program) was woeful and it left me a little dejected.
Oh and to top off my "woe is me day" the bloody Metal Monster decided to head the wrong f*cken way. NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT!!! I know its one reading on one day but geez ... give me a break. At least stay the same if you dont think I deserve a loss.
So on that note I'll sign off and regroup for what I hope is a better week this week.
M
Friday's run was ok but not great. Today I decided to do a route that Peter had suggested, quite different to the way I normally go. I was a bit skeptical as it was downhill first which is never my preference. So off I went and I'm now running with a "Keeper" (Runkeeper app on the iPhone).
Ooooh I'm not sure that I like being told every 5 minutes just how poorly I'm running LOL. Especially when I did the (slightly) uphill haul home and my pace slowed pathetically. My overall distance (which doesnt matter in my training program) was woeful and it left me a little dejected.
Oh and to top off my "woe is me day" the bloody Metal Monster decided to head the wrong f*cken way. NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT!!! I know its one reading on one day but geez ... give me a break. At least stay the same if you dont think I deserve a loss.
So on that note I'll sign off and regroup for what I hope is a better week this week.
M
Friday, January 21, 2011
BA 101
Hi, my name is Magda and I'm a binge-aholic. Its been one month since I've binged (woohoo!!).
I'm also proud to say that like other normal people I over ate at Christmas and I'm ok with it.
Now shooting for a binge-free January.
M
I'm also proud to say that like other normal people I over ate at Christmas and I'm ok with it.
Now shooting for a binge-free January.
M
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
LOVIN MY "RUNNING GROOVE"
I seem to have found an amazing "running groove" lately. Today was sprint training which is admittedly the LEAST favourite of my training sessions. I mean, done properly, sprints HURT so I inevitably back off a bit in a feeble attempt at self preservation.
But not today - 8 x 80 metres with a really good effort and then off to the one (sort of) hill in my mainly flat suburb. 10 x 30 second hill sprints with a jog back recovery. And I nailed them today with a really good consistent effort. A light jog home with the whole session taking only 45 minutes and I was ready to slay dragons. Oh and I did all this on a lower carb dinner too (luck of the draw as to what was on the menu after inspecting freezer stocks).
Its times like these I want to take these conditions and feelings and just bottle them up so I never lose them. The left leg is a bit dicky post training but tomorrow is a rest day so hopefully by Friday I'm all set for another kick arse run.
Oh and the other benefit is that at times like these I truly believe that with this being the status quo I can absolutely nail another HM AND smash my previous time. Now thats another feeling to be bottled.
M
But not today - 8 x 80 metres with a really good effort and then off to the one (sort of) hill in my mainly flat suburb. 10 x 30 second hill sprints with a jog back recovery. And I nailed them today with a really good consistent effort. A light jog home with the whole session taking only 45 minutes and I was ready to slay dragons. Oh and I did all this on a lower carb dinner too (luck of the draw as to what was on the menu after inspecting freezer stocks).
Its times like these I want to take these conditions and feelings and just bottle them up so I never lose them. The left leg is a bit dicky post training but tomorrow is a rest day so hopefully by Friday I'm all set for another kick arse run.
Oh and the other benefit is that at times like these I truly believe that with this being the status quo I can absolutely nail another HM AND smash my previous time. Now thats another feeling to be bottled.
M
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
WEEK ONE RESULT - HAPPY WITH IT
I'm pleased to report a good first week back on (mainly) lean and clean eating and regular training. The scale dropped 2.6 much of which was bloat gone in the first couple of days. Its nice to see the numbers make a decent move in the right direction though.
I did two upper body weights sessions as planned and had a rest day also to plan. The DOMS was mildly crippling after a long time away from the iron. Its settling down nicely now.
Upon my return home, my first run was painfully slow but I managed the 1 hour and 20 minutes. With the extra weight I didnt want to push hard and stress my joints too much. I think my body actaully thanked me for it. However after my weekly sprint training my left leg decided to play up making the start of my runs painful until I massaged it and it eased up as I warmed up.
Sunday's run was quite awesome. It was an hour and 20 again but after my left leg came good I felt good and picked up to a faster than normal pace. I dont measure distance but I know I covered way more distance than the week before. Love the runners high that I get after those amazing long runs.
So week two is well under way and hoping to nail another good one. Already today's run of 50 minutes was fantastic with no leg pain and the faster pace feeling good. Fingers crossed that the stars and planets stay aligned.
I did two upper body weights sessions as planned and had a rest day also to plan. The DOMS was mildly crippling after a long time away from the iron. Its settling down nicely now.
Upon my return home, my first run was painfully slow but I managed the 1 hour and 20 minutes. With the extra weight I didnt want to push hard and stress my joints too much. I think my body actaully thanked me for it. However after my weekly sprint training my left leg decided to play up making the start of my runs painful until I massaged it and it eased up as I warmed up.
Sunday's run was quite awesome. It was an hour and 20 again but after my left leg came good I felt good and picked up to a faster than normal pace. I dont measure distance but I know I covered way more distance than the week before. Love the runners high that I get after those amazing long runs.
So week two is well under way and hoping to nail another good one. Already today's run of 50 minutes was fantastic with no leg pain and the faster pace feeling good. Fingers crossed that the stars and planets stay aligned.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
AND SOME TRAINING HAS BEEN HAPPENING
We continue to watch all the Queensland flood information on the news and read about it in the papers. Words cannot describe ......
......... but life must go on for them and us so training has been happening as required. I'm having a bit of trouble with my left leg lately just being very sore at the start of a run to the point where I'm limping badly :-( Although I've wanted to turn around and go home admitting defeat and that I cant train, another voice inside me says "take it easy, massage it out and see how you go" and this has worked so far. Today I nailed a great 1 hour and 20 minute run (yes run!!) as once my leg warmed up and settled down I felt good. I certainly covered more distance than last week when I did the same time but a lot slower.
This week has also seen me complete two upper body weights sessions. On Monday I did back and triceps and was rewarded with a nice case of DOMS the following day. Yesterday I did chest, shoulders and bis and the DOMS today was lethal. SO SORE!!!! It even hurt when I ran LOL. And yes my weights are pissy and I'm as weak as but planning to improve that over the coming weeks.
Well I'm keeping it short and sweet tonight as I'm quite tired and want to get off to bed early. Its been a great weekend but the later night last night has wiped me out a bit.
Good night all
M
......... but life must go on for them and us so training has been happening as required. I'm having a bit of trouble with my left leg lately just being very sore at the start of a run to the point where I'm limping badly :-( Although I've wanted to turn around and go home admitting defeat and that I cant train, another voice inside me says "take it easy, massage it out and see how you go" and this has worked so far. Today I nailed a great 1 hour and 20 minute run (yes run!!) as once my leg warmed up and settled down I felt good. I certainly covered more distance than last week when I did the same time but a lot slower.
This week has also seen me complete two upper body weights sessions. On Monday I did back and triceps and was rewarded with a nice case of DOMS the following day. Yesterday I did chest, shoulders and bis and the DOMS today was lethal. SO SORE!!!! It even hurt when I ran LOL. And yes my weights are pissy and I'm as weak as but planning to improve that over the coming weeks.
Well I'm keeping it short and sweet tonight as I'm quite tired and want to get off to bed early. Its been a great weekend but the later night last night has wiped me out a bit.
Good night all
M
Friday, January 14, 2011
OMG IT DIDNT REGISTER ......
Further to my post last night I have learnt something quite distrurbing tonight.
During the week Peter and I dont engage in the type of heart to heart conversations that we have on Friday nights over a shared dinner and a bottle of wine. Of course the Queensland floods are just about all we've talked about this week but how could he keep this to himself until tonight.
We travelled to Queensland by car just days before Christmas and this time went through Toowoomba to get to the Sunshine Coast the back way. (This I already knew). Hearing of the devastation in Toowoomba was shocking to say the least.
What I didnt realise is that we then got a bit lost and ended up going through the Lockyer Valley if not through then certainly very near to what is now being called "Ground Zero." There is a bridge that keeps being shown on the news in the LV scenes and Peter has been haunted by the image saying that we approached that bridge but decided not to go under it (despite the GPS telling us to go that way in an effort to get us back on track.) The road under the bridge already had water over it and we didnt feel comfortable crossing it.
Tonight we scoured the Google maps to identify where we were and we 're pretty sure that we were in the area that was devastated just two weeks later. Only tonight did Peter tell me how he has fretted over this all week on top of having our son still in Queensland throughout this tragedy. He hasnt slept well and hasnt been able to concentrate on work and is eagerly awaiting the return of our son early next week. Sometimes you can only feel totally safe and relaxed when the care of those who matter the most to you is within your control.
I know there is no point in worrying about "what if" but its a sobering and eerie thought to have in your mind. All the more reason to be thankful for our good fortune.
M
During the week Peter and I dont engage in the type of heart to heart conversations that we have on Friday nights over a shared dinner and a bottle of wine. Of course the Queensland floods are just about all we've talked about this week but how could he keep this to himself until tonight.
We travelled to Queensland by car just days before Christmas and this time went through Toowoomba to get to the Sunshine Coast the back way. (This I already knew). Hearing of the devastation in Toowoomba was shocking to say the least.
What I didnt realise is that we then got a bit lost and ended up going through the Lockyer Valley if not through then certainly very near to what is now being called "Ground Zero." There is a bridge that keeps being shown on the news in the LV scenes and Peter has been haunted by the image saying that we approached that bridge but decided not to go under it (despite the GPS telling us to go that way in an effort to get us back on track.) The road under the bridge already had water over it and we didnt feel comfortable crossing it.
Tonight we scoured the Google maps to identify where we were and we 're pretty sure that we were in the area that was devastated just two weeks later. Only tonight did Peter tell me how he has fretted over this all week on top of having our son still in Queensland throughout this tragedy. He hasnt slept well and hasnt been able to concentrate on work and is eagerly awaiting the return of our son early next week. Sometimes you can only feel totally safe and relaxed when the care of those who matter the most to you is within your control.
I know there is no point in worrying about "what if" but its a sobering and eerie thought to have in your mind. All the more reason to be thankful for our good fortune.
M
Thursday, January 13, 2011
BEING GRATEFUL
I have been shocked and saddened beyond words by the devastation of the Quensland floods. Trying to fathom the impact on people who've lost loved ones, lost homes, possessions or who have barely survived has left me in tears many times. I have felt really down and depressed but I follow the news both via the internet and TV as much as possible. Not knowing is worse than being informed but feeling sad.
The disaster has been a reality check for me even though I'm 2000+ kms away. I lived in Brisbane for 2 years not that long ago and my in-laws now live on the Sunshine Coast after living for 10 years in Brisbane. It has a special place in my heart and my heart goes out to all my Blogger and FaceBook friends there.
This is no time to be stressing over our extra Christmas kilos.
This is no time to be analysing why we havent succeeded in all of our attempts to lose or manage our weight. Nor to be agonising over our perceived inablility to manage our "eating issues."
For me, its just not right to be blogging about those trivial things now.
Instead I give thanks for ALL I have - my own bed to sleep in with my husband beside me. My son to hug when he returns from his extended holiday on the Sunshine Coast (yes it has been harrowing to have him there and us here in the midst of this tragic disaster). My pantry is full and our supermarket shelves are full of stocks. I can go to work in the CBD and maintain normality in my life (never thought that it'd be so precious LOL).
For all of this I am truly grateful and my heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all Queenslanders.
M
The disaster has been a reality check for me even though I'm 2000+ kms away. I lived in Brisbane for 2 years not that long ago and my in-laws now live on the Sunshine Coast after living for 10 years in Brisbane. It has a special place in my heart and my heart goes out to all my Blogger and FaceBook friends there.
This is no time to be stressing over our extra Christmas kilos.
This is no time to be analysing why we havent succeeded in all of our attempts to lose or manage our weight. Nor to be agonising over our perceived inablility to manage our "eating issues."
For me, its just not right to be blogging about those trivial things now.
Instead I give thanks for ALL I have - my own bed to sleep in with my husband beside me. My son to hug when he returns from his extended holiday on the Sunshine Coast (yes it has been harrowing to have him there and us here in the midst of this tragic disaster). My pantry is full and our supermarket shelves are full of stocks. I can go to work in the CBD and maintain normality in my life (never thought that it'd be so precious LOL).
For all of this I am truly grateful and my heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all Queenslanders.
M
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
INNER CALM, BALANCE AND FORGING AHEAD
2 posts ago I mentioned that this year I'd be seeking inner calm and balance. Here's what each means to me.
Inner calm is peace, gratitude, patience, strength and confidence. Its about making good choices and honouring your body both physically and emotionally. As an example of what inner calm isnt, its those feelings that accompany a binge. When that force within you just screams for more and more food and all reasoning goes out the window. Its a horrible feeling that I hate with a passion and am working on banishing from my life once and for all.
Inner calm is about being thankful for all the good in my life and truly believing that the glass is half full. Its about taking a deep breath and taking the time to talk problems through rather than just reacting with an impulsive yell (yep guilty of many of those). Its having the strength to commit to my goals and my values and not be tempted by the easy short term option. Its about confidence and believing that I will achieve the things that are important to me.
Balance for me is otherwise known as living in the grey. Perfection will never be achieved and whilst its ok to aim high I believe that it must be done with a healthy dose of reality as well. I'm talking about those of us living every day lives and not those that are working at elite athlete levels. Total slothdom and gluttony (yep I've been there too for many short periods) is depressing in the long term. And honestly, who doesnt get sick of it after a while?
Balance is about eating well most of the time but being smart about incorporating treats into your normal diet to keep you happy and sane. Its about finding a level of training that doesnt leave you feeling like a wrung out rag after a reasonable recovery time but working you hard enough that its not just a token effort. Again, there is a grey area in there and thats where I want to be.
Its balancing work, family, friends and personal time. On the few occassions that I had no choice but to be a short term work-a-holic I could feel my health suffer immediately. Later nights, less sleep, less time to prepare healthy meals, seeking comfort food when under stress or pressure all added up to being right out of balance.
After yesterday's long overdue upper body training session, I welcomed back my trusty old friend DOMS today. Its been several months since we were last acquainted and it feels odd to have new pains other than in my legs and glutes LOL. I trained back and triceps for just half an hour and my muscles have woken up. Chest, shoulders and biceps are due on Saturday.
Add to that a walk home from work (45 minutes) and an awesome Zumba class and I was on fire yesterday. I just have to be careful to not go crazy as my legs were still sore on this morning's training run. So I better take my own advice and work on the "balance" and the rest will sort itself out.
Cheers all
M
Inner calm is peace, gratitude, patience, strength and confidence. Its about making good choices and honouring your body both physically and emotionally. As an example of what inner calm isnt, its those feelings that accompany a binge. When that force within you just screams for more and more food and all reasoning goes out the window. Its a horrible feeling that I hate with a passion and am working on banishing from my life once and for all.
Inner calm is about being thankful for all the good in my life and truly believing that the glass is half full. Its about taking a deep breath and taking the time to talk problems through rather than just reacting with an impulsive yell (yep guilty of many of those). Its having the strength to commit to my goals and my values and not be tempted by the easy short term option. Its about confidence and believing that I will achieve the things that are important to me.
Balance for me is otherwise known as living in the grey. Perfection will never be achieved and whilst its ok to aim high I believe that it must be done with a healthy dose of reality as well. I'm talking about those of us living every day lives and not those that are working at elite athlete levels. Total slothdom and gluttony (yep I've been there too for many short periods) is depressing in the long term. And honestly, who doesnt get sick of it after a while?
Balance is about eating well most of the time but being smart about incorporating treats into your normal diet to keep you happy and sane. Its about finding a level of training that doesnt leave you feeling like a wrung out rag after a reasonable recovery time but working you hard enough that its not just a token effort. Again, there is a grey area in there and thats where I want to be.
Its balancing work, family, friends and personal time. On the few occassions that I had no choice but to be a short term work-a-holic I could feel my health suffer immediately. Later nights, less sleep, less time to prepare healthy meals, seeking comfort food when under stress or pressure all added up to being right out of balance.
After yesterday's long overdue upper body training session, I welcomed back my trusty old friend DOMS today. Its been several months since we were last acquainted and it feels odd to have new pains other than in my legs and glutes LOL. I trained back and triceps for just half an hour and my muscles have woken up. Chest, shoulders and biceps are due on Saturday.
Add to that a walk home from work (45 minutes) and an awesome Zumba class and I was on fire yesterday. I just have to be careful to not go crazy as my legs were still sore on this morning's training run. So I better take my own advice and work on the "balance" and the rest will sort itself out.
Cheers all
M
Monday, January 10, 2011
LAST POST REWIND AND TAKE 2
Well its been a little while since my last post but on the journey home from our Queensland holiday (paddling our canoe LOL) I thought some more about what I really want this year and I decided that my last post was a bit wishy washy and hadnt set the bar high enough. I was itching to do MORE.
One of the reasons I love blogging is reading about other people's lives and philosophies. And I have taken a leaf from the following inspirational bloggers:
Pip has posted one of her annual goals has been to keep her weight under a certain level for a few years now. She may have ups and downs during the year but as long as her weight doesnt go above X she's making progress in her weight management. I like this idea and this approach so after I had a (totally expected) reading of 70.4kgs yesterday morning due to a decent dose of holiday bloat, I made my own resolution to keep my weight under 70kgs for the rest of this year. I've already had a good drop overnight (again, totally expected) and am progressing towards my goal of running the HM at 62kgs or under.
Kek posted this gem some time ago and whilst I dont follow her approach to the letter (we are all individulas and different things work for different people) the overall philosophy has me cheering "YEAH!!." Every now and then I'm almost roped in by some snazzy ad promising excellent results if I do so and so's fat loss plan, 12 week challenge (no disrespect to those who provide this service as I do believe that it works extremely well for some people) or other out of this world program. Its just not for me right now.
Yep there is some nutritional tightening required for me to get leaner but it all has to be sensible and maintainable over the longer term. And I must stay sane and happy while working on this goal.
So a couple of short term goals have snuck in:
1. By the end of February I'm shooting for sub 65kgs.
2. I have a list of "the non negotiable 9" things I want to achieve in January - mostly not fitness related.
And the best - saved til last - I weight trained upper body today for the first time in almost a year ...
3. Complete 2 upper body training sessions each week - fitting around my running training of 4 x / week.
Oh and I bit the bullet and walked home from work today and then did a Zumba class after dinner. So a note to my extra holiday kilos: "F*UCK OFF!!."
:-) Magda
One of the reasons I love blogging is reading about other people's lives and philosophies. And I have taken a leaf from the following inspirational bloggers:
Pip has posted one of her annual goals has been to keep her weight under a certain level for a few years now. She may have ups and downs during the year but as long as her weight doesnt go above X she's making progress in her weight management. I like this idea and this approach so after I had a (totally expected) reading of 70.4kgs yesterday morning due to a decent dose of holiday bloat, I made my own resolution to keep my weight under 70kgs for the rest of this year. I've already had a good drop overnight (again, totally expected) and am progressing towards my goal of running the HM at 62kgs or under.
Kek posted this gem some time ago and whilst I dont follow her approach to the letter (we are all individulas and different things work for different people) the overall philosophy has me cheering "YEAH!!." Every now and then I'm almost roped in by some snazzy ad promising excellent results if I do so and so's fat loss plan, 12 week challenge (no disrespect to those who provide this service as I do believe that it works extremely well for some people) or other out of this world program. Its just not for me right now.
Yep there is some nutritional tightening required for me to get leaner but it all has to be sensible and maintainable over the longer term. And I must stay sane and happy while working on this goal.
So a couple of short term goals have snuck in:
1. By the end of February I'm shooting for sub 65kgs.
2. I have a list of "the non negotiable 9" things I want to achieve in January - mostly not fitness related.
And the best - saved til last - I weight trained upper body today for the first time in almost a year ...
3. Complete 2 upper body training sessions each week - fitting around my running training of 4 x / week.
Oh and I bit the bullet and walked home from work today and then did a Zumba class after dinner. So a note to my extra holiday kilos: "F*UCK OFF!!."
:-) Magda
Sunday, January 2, 2011
IN 2011 I WANT .....
To be well enough and fit enough to run another Greenbelt Half Marathon on the 1st of May. To achieve this I'll need to manage my injury carefully and never lose my belief that I can do it. This major goal has a number of sub goals and it'll be the nailing of those that will ultimately lead to success on the big goal.
To continue to improve my mastery of my thoughts, emotions and habits. In the last 18 months I've come a long way but I know there is more to learn and more to improve. I'm reading a particularly good book on this subject and it's giving me some really good insights. A little action each day will add up to significant change. I'm sitting on the fence about engaging my previous SP again if I feel I'm doing ok on my own.
To do well in the management training course that work is sending me on. Yes I have a year of study ahead of me (shaking in my boots for sure)and I hope that it gives me more professional confidence. I'm not necessarily ambitious for a higher position but I would like to feel that I had it in me to do a really good job in my current position.
What I want every year and that is the love of my family and to love them back with patience and caring. This will always be the most important thing for me. Family is number ONE.
Finally and back on a personal level there are two words that define what I seek in life: inner calm and balance (ok so that was three) and I'll expand on those in my next post.
Happy new year to all my readers.
Magda
To continue to improve my mastery of my thoughts, emotions and habits. In the last 18 months I've come a long way but I know there is more to learn and more to improve. I'm reading a particularly good book on this subject and it's giving me some really good insights. A little action each day will add up to significant change. I'm sitting on the fence about engaging my previous SP again if I feel I'm doing ok on my own.
To do well in the management training course that work is sending me on. Yes I have a year of study ahead of me (shaking in my boots for sure)and I hope that it gives me more professional confidence. I'm not necessarily ambitious for a higher position but I would like to feel that I had it in me to do a really good job in my current position.
What I want every year and that is the love of my family and to love them back with patience and caring. This will always be the most important thing for me. Family is number ONE.
Finally and back on a personal level there are two words that define what I seek in life: inner calm and balance (ok so that was three) and I'll expand on those in my next post.
Happy new year to all my readers.
Magda
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