Tired

OMG I am sooo tired. I just cant catch up on my sleep, and I wake up feeling worse than I did when I went to sleep. Last night it tried to storm, and it was so windy that I kept waking up hearing stuff falling on the roof. This morning I am overcome with guilt, because I was too exhausted to get up and go to gym. I cant wait for this holiday, although it probably wont be much of a rest! 25 days to go!

Training is going well, eats are going well too - although I struggled last night to keep it clean. Sugar was calling me, but I managed to ignore it. Blah. I'm staying strong, and beginning to feel a lot leaner. I think my arms are showing much more definition, although the scales and measurements arent moving all that dramatically.

On Sunday morning when I was doing my weekly groceries, I got to the register and had one of those "hmmm" moments. The young guy at the register picks up my bag of snow peas... looks at me quizzically and asks "are these beans?"

"no, snow peas"....

He then picks up my cucumber and says "this is a cucumber, yeah?"

"yes" I said, thinking; does this boy not eat vegetables? He then picked up my leek - and all he had to do was hesitate and look at me, so I jumped right in saying "its a leek".

"A leek?... how do you spell that?"

hmmmmmmm. Maybe it was his first day? It really makes me wonder how anyone could get to the age of 17 and NOT know what all this stuff is!!! OK I'll grant him that a leek probably isn't your everyday vegetable, but the rest???

Tuesday I went to the eye specialist to find out about Implantable Contact Lenses (as i was unsuitable for Lasik) - and I'm now booked in to have it done - the 15th of March next year (the Ides of March, my dad tells me... is that a bad omen?) - my right eye gets done first, then a few weeks later the left gets done. Exciting and frightening all at the same time!!

Have a great Thursday!

My fabulous week

I'm baaa-aaack! What a busy week I've had! Tuesday morning I was up at 4am and then off to the airport to catch my flight to Rockhampton - what a long day that was. Spent my day training new staff members, then found myself a gym and joined up for a 5 visit pass. I had been to this gym before, but I'd never explored it before. Its an old building (think it might have been a bank once) and its HUGE. I've never seen such a huge gym. They have an enormous aerobic room (which had supporting columns up through the middle lol! - not good if you forget they're there) a normal weights room, then a pretty big womens weights area (and no baby-weights either, very pleased to see) and a special cardio area. What I didn't realise that this place had another level underneath, containing a 25m pool, RPM bike area, boxing gym, squash courts and a "Powerlifting" weights area!! Almost made me want to move to Rocky!

Despite all this, there is little or no airconditioning, and it gets pretty hot up there. I did a Body Step class on Wednesday afternoon and I was dying afterwards - so hot! Aaaaaaannnyway, I kicked butt while I was away! I visited the gym 5 times in 3 days, on Wednesday I burned 819 calories all up (very pleased with myself I was!) - and by Thursday afternoon I had already reached my weekly goal of 2400 cals burned, 8 hours of exercise. I was also shattered and exhausted! Probably did too much too quickly, but I felt so motivated.

Food was brilliant - I kept logging my calories to keep track, and it really helped. My only blunder was a breakfast omlette one morning... made with whole eggs, and it had bacon and cheese, and came with white bread and butter. I ate it. It happens. But all in all, I survived pretty well!

Some other exciting news... my work got a corporate box organised for the Robbie Williams concert in two weeks. They announced last week that there were 7 tickets to give away, and that they were going to draw names out of a hat.... yep you guessed it... I'M GOING TO ROBBIE WILLIAMS!!!!!! Woohoo! So exciting! And in a corporate box too!!!! Its on Thursday 14th December.

And to cap off a brilliant week, yesterday we went to have a look at an Nissan Xtrail, and ended up driving home with it! Its exciting, and I love it, but I will miss my V8. I used to love driving it because it had a lovely V8 rumble and I felt a bit tough! The Xtrail will be a lot cheaper to run though, its a 2003 model, white, automatic, tinted windows... my new baby!

Just when everything is going well...

... you get sent away for work again. I've been working so hard on establishing my new fitness routine, gym every morning and walking the dogs in the afternoon, and now I have to go to Rockhampton tomorrow for the rest of the week. grrrrrr. The bonus is that I will have a car, so at least I can go to gym up there.

Travelling for work has always been the biggest problem for me, I find it hard in terms of nutrition. Its a challenge to eat clean when you're dining on restaraunt food all the time, and sometimes the places I stay at dont understand what you mean when you say "No dressing, and I dont want the potato" - they look at you like you're from another planet or something. There is usually no option to cook for yourself either. I generally take my own food for meals 2 and 4, so thats no problem. Its breakfast and dinner that have "undone" me in the past! But I WILL be saying no to the breakfast buffet, and WILL say no to carbs at dinner... send me your positive thoughts!!!!

Well, measurements day was Saturday, and I'm quite pleased with the results. Although the scales aren't moving a whole lot, the cm's and mm's are coming off. After 10 weeks I have lost a total of 9cm all over, and 9mm in skinfolds. Technically I have only 2 weeks to go, but I have decided to continue my challenge until just before the trip. I realise that I wasted the first 6 weeks by not focussing properly, and its only been in the last 2 weeks that I have been really determined. Having this deadline of the trip dangling in front of me has been the best motivator ever!

Paid for the balance of the trip on Saturday, and then went outside and got myself a little sun. I've decided that I refuse to go to England and be whiter than the locals. So I'm dedicating half an hour each Saturday and Sunday on getting a little suntan. I dont need to look like a 'bronzed Aussie', but I dont want to be white as a ghost either!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Spiders

We're not in the bush, but we're in an area that is close to bushland, and bigger blocks.  And that means more "wildlife".  And that means huges spiders.  The other night I was watching TV and I saw something out of the corner of my eye..... I shrieked "HUNTSMAN HUNTSMAN HUNTSMAN!!!!"  Oooh it makes my skin crawl just thinking about it.  Huntsman are especially bad because they are big and hairy and they bloody jump at you... So poor BF had to get up and get the spray and chase thing thing around the lounge room, while I hid in the kitchen (I actually got into the pantry and shut the door... sad arent I?)

Then a few days later I was about to leave for work and I went looking for the cat (just to make sure he wasn't locked in the bathroom or anything) and he was sitting in the garage.  Just sitting - looking at the bar-fridge.  I asked him what was wrong, and he "meowed" and walked up to the fridge door (we have a strange relationship, me and the cat - he's a talkative Siamese, so we 'chat' quite a bit).  So I bumped the fridge and a mid-sized huntsman ran out from underneath.  So the cat chased it around and batted it like a ball for a bit with me yelling "GET IT CONNOR - GET IT!".  Not sure if he got it - I had to leave before the game was finished.   I hope he did, otherwise there's another spider loose in the house.

I've been using Fitday again since last Thursday, and managing to keep my calories in check.  I have realised that I was grossly undercalculating how much I was actually eating - it is so easy to consume more calories than you think you are.  Anyway, now its under control, and I feel a lot more focussed.  Actually seeing some changes on the scale, so thats a plus.  For me, using Fitday is a really good idea, it makes me rethink everything I'm about to eat...

Woke up at 3 o'clock this morning - and spent the next 2 hours dozing, then waking up - for some reason I kept thinking I'd overslept.  When I actually got up, the first thing I thought was "Oh well, at least today is Friday.... hang on.... its only Thursday - groan"  Did Body Attack again this morning, got through 400 calories.  Felt like I got through it a lot easier than last week too - yay!  I love the high-kicking track - reminds me of my jazz ballet days when we used to do the Can-Can.  Then I'm taking the dogs for another powerwalk this afternoon, and then Step tomorrow morning.   Just call me Cardio-Queen!

Its Monday again...

I had a fabulous weekend. Saturday I was up early to take the dogs for a long walk before the hydro-bath man came to bath them Then I headed up to the shops and had myself a mini shopping spree! I bought three new tops for work, a pair of trousers, a new hair clip, three gym tops, two sports bras and (this is my favourite one) a "gift pack" of mini-perfumes - Christian Dior - Jadore, Addict, Pure Poison, Miss Dior Cherie and Dolce Vita - all for me!!!! I love those little mini perfumes, they're just the perfect size for your handbag, and you get to try some that you wouldn't normally try. So now I'm all set for fragrance for the trip!

42 days to go, by the way... just in case you thought I'd forgotten my countdown.

Saturday afternoon I was meant to be going to the fitness expo with Andj, but unfortunately she fell sick so she had to ring and cancel. Hope you're feeling a bit better now Andj!

On Saturday night my boyfriend and I had a fantastic evening - first having dinner (and cocktails!) and then going to the movies. We saw Jackass Number Two, and I have to say that despite the bad reviews it got, it was absolutely hilarious. I have to admit that I had never dry-retched in a cinema before, but I have now!! Ewww it was so gross in some parts, but pretty funny - the whole cinema was in stitches the whole way through. Nothing wrong with a little (or a lot of) toilet humour to cap off an evening!

Sunday was the usual groceries, washing clothes, chopping dog food... but I am so proud of myself to say that I ate 100% to plan on the weekend. I had a free meal on Saturday night but I didn't go overboard, I stopped when I felt satisfied, no munchies in the movies, 2.5 litres of water each day, felt GREAT!!!

And... I worked out that I burned over 2400 calories last week, and did over 8.5 hours of exercise - woohoo! Now its my goal to better that this week. Next weekend is another measurements day, got to see some changes!

100 walking lunges...

I dont like the scales. They're moving in the wrong direction lately. I cant claim to have been eating totally clean, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. This week I have been spot on though, and the goal is to still go to gym 5 mornings per week - but also to walk the dogs a minimum of 3 afternoons each workday. Then another longer dog walk on Saturday. So far so good!

Tuesday afternoon after the dog walk I wanted to do more - so I did 100 walking lunges (without a break) around the garage. After about 70 my legs were screaming, and on the final 20 my hamstrings were cramping like crazy. Finished that, caught my breath, and then did 60 pop squats (2 sets of 30), then I had to lay down! Got the heart rate soaring, and I felt GREAT! Think I am going to do that a couple of afternoons a week, that should get my butt into shape. My legs are sore now though.

A funny thing happened at the gym on the other morning. I was doing my usual shoulder workout, and a guy moved to the bench beside me to do some dumbell chest presses. He sort of acted all cocky and confident - I just got on with my workout. Anyway I was between sets, and this guy picks up his weights, leans back to lie on the bench, and as he did.... HE.... FARTED. OMG I was horrified! I didn't know which way to look, I bit my lip and tried not to laugh!!!! He carried on with his set, but he dropped the weights early and got out of there quick-smart!! heheheh

This morning I did an Attack class, my gym is trialling it at the 5.45am timeslot for a month. The whole class was red-faced by about halfway through - my god I forgot what an awesome workout they are! After the "running around" track I thought my ankle was going to break, it hurt so much, and made it a bit hard to finish the class. So I loved it, but jeez its a lot harder on your body than I remembered (either that or I'm getting old!)

This week I received the most lovely surprise in the post. My mentoree and new friend Alicia E sent me the most beautiful thank-you card, and a voucher. I was completely touched - what a wonderful way to start the day! Could not wipe the smile off my face! Hopefully very soon we will be able to meet for a coffee and a chat!

The week is nearly over - where did it go?!

I'll have her body, thanks

Kristia Knowles... motiviation to go for a jog! I love this bikini too.

51 Days til our trip!

A few more days to go than Shar though!

I had an eventful night on Thursday night in bed (no its not what you're thinking - get your minds out of the gutter! hehehe). Got woken up by BF sitting bolt upright and turning on his bedside lamp... "Whats wrong?" I asked. He sat there staring up at the ceiling, looking from corner to corner over our heads... saying nothing. So I asked him again. He said "oh... nothing - must have been dreaming" and turned the light off and went back to sleep.

Took me ages to get to sleep after this. Then sometime early this morning I was woken again by him trying to take my pillow from me!! So I sat up and said "Babe, thats my pillow" - and he looked at me and asked "Where's MY pillow gone?" hehehe I was starting to giggle by now. Anyway, he sort of shrugs as if to say "oh well", and lays back down on his now pillow-less side of the bed. I thought - I cant let him sleep without a pillow... so I climbed all over him to find that his pillow had been thrown onto the floor a couple of metres from the bed. Gave it back to him, and tried to get back to sleep.

Then around 3am I woke with a screaming headache, I must have been dreaming something bad because I was clenching my teeth so tight- my whole face was hurting! Then all too soon the alarm went off at 5 and I got up to go to gym.

Well i asked BF what was going on in his sleep - and apparently he'd been dreaming about a huge spider running accross the ceiling of the bedroom, which is why he turned the light on and stared at the ceiling (I'm so glad he kept that to himself at the time... **shudder**) Also he'd had a dream about being in a car accident - wonder if that's how the pillow ended up on the other side of the room?

Didn't do step on Friday because of extreme tiredness - I would be just as likely to trip over the step rather than put my foot on it. So just got on the cross trainer and treadmill for some steady state cardio. The woman on the treadmill beside me turned out to be my accross-the-road neighbour!

Got up this morning to take the dogs for a walk to find it teeming with rain! It must be Jodie bringing the rain with her! As nice as it is to have rain (we're on level 4 water restriction now) - it does put a stop to things on the weekend. If the rain stops, I will take the pooches out.

Off to go shopping soon for a digital video camera for our trip!! Have a fantastic weekend!

Wednesday - Week 7

Had a mishap in the gym today!  I got on the abdominal reverse curl bench this morning, not even looking at the setting it was on... should have though.  The pin wasn't in properly, and the thing waited until I was fully lying on my back before it popped out and had me crashing down to the level position!!!!!  It made an awful noise, and I leapt off it pretty quick!  Turned around to find the whole gym room staring at me!  How embarrassing!  Took me a few minutes for my heart rate to return to normal after that!  LOL!

Anyway, not a lot to report today. I've been very low in energy the last few days, mostly due to lack of sleep again.   I feel like my get-up-and-go got-up-and-went!

We've had the bobcat in at our place in the last few days... BYE BYE VEGIE GARDEN :(  Our front and back "wilderness" has been removed, and we're now living in a dust pit.  Hopefully we can get a driveway laid soon - our cars are filthy, my shoes are filthy - dust just gets everywhere!  We've still got heaps of big gum trees, in fact, there is still more plant life on our block than in our last place.  We're just trying to tame it a little.  The new vegie garden might have to wait a little while though.

Got this by email today and I thought it was cute:

Dear Dogs and Cats,
The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food.
Please note: Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by Formula1 and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king size bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years; canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.

The proper order is: Kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

Hope everyone is having a good week!

"It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength."