Uh Oh - Orange light!

Yesterday's Successes.
Food: ate 95% planned (missed afternoon meal) - had an extra strong coffee with 2 pods and 1 ameretti biscuit! Hence the orange light. Also this week, my breakfasts have been very easy and filling to say the least! A protein pancake made from following: 25gms LSA, 25gms Quinoa, 50gms of oats and cranberry mix, 4 egg whites. Yummmmmm! And easy to eat straight after training on way to work. Just nibble on it as driving. i seem to go with something for a while, then get sick of it and try something different. interesting, I have been looking for Quinoa for sometime in my regular shops, then when i finally find some in another shop, I seem to find it everywhere. So now I have a packet of rolled quinoa, quinoa flakes, split quinoa and whole quinoa. i don't think I am going to run out sometime soon.
BMR: 1786 cals
Food: 1369 cals
Exericise: 1315 cals
Training: 100% planned training done (spinning class), but boincing off walls with the extra strong coffee in afternoon, so went back to gym and did another 20 mins cardio and then did the new body balance launch - whew, new one is a bit challenging. Just waiting for coach to tsk tsk me for doing it! hehehehe. Did my last day of GBC lower body training today, really felt it in the butt when I did the lunge stage - I suspect that was caused by the body balance last night. Very focused on legs, butt and abdominals in this release.
Emotions: All good, very even keel still in place - really enjoying it atm. It feels so great not to be in a bad place, especially when you try and control it but it gets the better of you. Tis the end of the week. Really need to clean the house and yard.
Physical: Still have injury under armpit coming into play throughout the day as I move and do certain things. Tennis elbow not so bad this morning, but did do an icing protocal yesterday and then again today.

So heres to a good weekend, and succeeding in getting green ticks for both days!

Ciao!

Success Tick off!

Yesterday's successes!
Food: Everything was eaten to plan. All measured and logged.
BMR: 1773
Food: 1467
Exercise: 652
Exercise: Upper body - back/shoulder/tri workout
Elliptical Trainer - interval approx 30mins
Emotions: All good, very much in a level place atm. I believe this week is all about karma - certain things have happened and been said that just appears to be 'karma' for me.
Physical: I have a niggling elbow injury and under the armpit injurt - elbow is a 'tennis elbow' which requires icing throughout the day. This will heal, just need to avoid upright rows and heavy forarm work. Under the armpit is totally muscle related and have been second guessing what is actually injured - serratus anterier......traps...........lats........delts........pecs...........??? So I am thinking it is about time I bit the bullet and went to a sports physiotherapist! But I think these injuries are hindered by the fact i am not taking any recovery supps atm either.

I have not taken any supps now for just under a week and half, keeping myself clear of everything until I go to Homeopath on Saturday. I am sure that there will be a series of blood tests done, I will also take my last lot. I only have to wait till Saturday. I will confer with coach afterwards.

Well that is all for today. Talk to you tomorrow.

Ciao!

Only You

Self Motivation Tip: Don't Wait for Someone Else to Motivate You


At the end of the day, only you can motivate you. There is nothing that can be said that will get you off the couch and into the gym, or to push that extra serving of dinner away.

Not succeeding??? Not Believing????

Seeing results is always a motivation to continue! Regardless of what your goals are, the worst thing is when you don't see any results!

I haven't been up to blogging lately, but don't worry I have been lurking. I have been thinking about what coach has written on her blog and there lies a hidden gremlin for me. What this gremlin sees is that 'we' are working very hard at our training, we eat 75-85% (trying to be honest here) clean, follow instructions 95% (also here)of the time and see no real tangible results. Then 'we' read others blogs and posts and see that they are kicking some serious results and the gremlin comes out to play with the brain!!!!!! Heart is heavy, mind is doing a million other things but focusing on what it should be doing, emotions decide that they want to play too. The gremlin seems to have control on a lot of things within this body. Bah to the gremlin! The mirror has become the enemy and you avoid looking in to see the real you! Your mood changes from one minute to the next, taking a strange and horrible shape of despair, you start feeling like your goals are really out of reach! I WANT MY MOJO BACK!

Time to get out of the land of mental funk and reignite my desires!




'Be miserable, or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice!' - Wayne Dyer.

What are you training for?
Why do you have these specific goals?
What happens when you reach your goals?
How will you feel each day that you move closer to your goals?
How will you feel when you reach your goal?
What did you do today to work towards your goal?

Nicole Snell says that we all need a kick in the pants now and then. No matter how great we feel one day, we are bound to have a day when we'd like nothing less than to stay in bed. Just remember that those feelings will pass, and by using some re-assurance strategies, you can make sure that your bad day doesn't turn into the week of doom.

Well my gremlin let me down and allowed me to venture to the land of doom for about 2 weeks now. I have had enough. I WANT OUT!

Coach sent me an inspirational you tube clip that really set me about trying to inspire myself again. Now don't get me wrong, I have been training religiously - you know, turning up at the gym, doing what is required of me! Well now it is time to train like I want to train instead of training like I have to train. Now is the time to eat like I want to eat instead of eating like I have to eat. and most of all thinking postively and finding victories in everything I do each day.

So what did I do today to work towards my goal??

My victory today was that I trained hard enough to allow my niggling elbow/underarm injury not to be hurt, hammered it out on cardio for the morning session. Have eaten everything I planned to eat so far today. I have drunken half my water requirement and know that the rest will definately drunk before I get to bed. And the best thing of all.............I have broken out of the mental dumps!

I have also made an appointment to see a Homepath regarding the 'peri-menopause' symptoms I have been suffering for the last 2 years on and off (currently on) I have been to my local GP, and basically was told to ride the storm out!!! You know what, its time not to sit back and go with the flow, I need to make my daily life a little more easier with this issue, so that I can concentrate on what is important to me. Time to stop chiselling away at my committment I made to myself and my coach. It all boils downs down to not believing in yourself enough to commit to make it happen.

Inspiration

Welcome to my world!

Symptoms of peri-menopause
In the lead up to menopause (peri-menopause refers to 1 year before and 1 year after the last period), periods start to do all sorts of things, they may get heavier or lighter, last longer or get shorter in duration, they may start and stop, and they may no longer happen at regular intervals. Usually these changes seem to happen about 2 years before the last period occurs.

As ovulation may still be happening until that 12 months after your last period, it is probably best not to assume that you have had the last period until the 12 months is up. Therefore you may need to ensure that your method of contraception is reliable until the end if you do not wish to get pregnant.

It's important to remember that not everything that happens around the time of menopause is menopause.

Physical Changes During Menopause
In the menstrual cycle there are three main players which are the brain, the ovaries and the uterus.

When the the ovaries go into retirement at menopause, it may take the brain some time to adjust to the fact that the ovaries are not responding in their customary hormonal tango.

The brain is still sending out its hormonal messengers but is not getting the required response from the ovaries. All this time however, the hormones are still stimulating chemical (and therefore physical and emotional) reactions in the womans body and this may be a major factor in all the symptoms and difficulties that some women have in adjusting at this time.

How a woman copes with menopause depends on her genetic heritage (so how did your mum, grandmother, and aunts cope?), physical environment, and emotional and spiritual outlook, attitude and support.

A woman may be coping just fine, but if she experiences crises in other areas (with her partner, job, children, teenagers) of her life, the added stress may compound and increase her menopausal distress. All these outside factors affect the female hormones and therfore affect the menopause experience.

Common Menopausal Experiences

hot flushes / falshes which can be on any part of the body at any time of the day or night at any frequency.
night sweats
restless legs
insomnia
headaches / or migraines that get worse
palpitations
anxiety/ panic attacks
mood swings
irritability
depression (can exacebate normal predisposition to depression)
altered memory or concentration
"Just not Coping" or "Am I going mad Doctor?"
Fatigue
Loss of or reduced or sometimes increased libido/sex drive
vaginal changes (drier or pain during sex)
breast tenderness
bloating and swelling

BUT this is nothing compared to the lives that are being lost down south and up north for that matter. I had a massive cry last night, which actually helped me with a slight depressive state I was in on the weekend. So need the cry. Nothing like realising there are so many more so much worse off that you and your peri-menopausal state. Everytime I take one step forward, I always seem to be three steps back. But will not give up.

I am giving blood tomorrow to the Red Cross as I have a rarer type of blood. The beauty of my blood group, we can accept any type blood, but unfortunately only the same blood group can accept mine. My type is 3% of the population. I am also going to get all employees from my company to donate some of their wages next for the Victorian Fire.

Do you know what drives me nuts atm, people who smoke and throw their cigarette butts out the window. What is with that? As a non smoker, I really don't understand, and when I asked someone, they said because it stinks out the car. What the??? Why smoke in the first place. I am not judging anyone who smokes, but could you please keep your butts in the car, instead of throwing it out on the ground. Be more aware of your environment.

I think I had better go now before I upset someone.

Ciao!

Hymn to the Fallen Heroes who fight to save us

Young and aged
volunteer and career,
man and woman
of all races and colors,
you left aching hearts behind


An eternal flame
warms your names
inscribed on cold, lifeless plaques
around this stone cairn
In the hearts you left behind
your memories abide
in undying gratitude

You asked nothing more
You knew the risks,
served without fear
and paid the highest price

You embody a quality
of which many only dream
Your selfesness for others
is now your eternal crown

O fallen comrades,
give us all this quality
that we may more fittingly
prolong your memory

Annonymons
June 1999

In the end it's all about balance

When you want to lose a significant amount of weight, it's easy to fall into all-or-nothing thinking ...

You rationalize:
1. ) You have to follow a super-strict diet to succeed and/or
2.) If you fall off the wagon and eat junk for a day or two, you've blown it altogether.

This train of thought can be very detrimental to your weight loss efforts, but it's all too easy to fall into. So what's a "loser" to do?


Step One: Loosen Up
The first way to avoid all-or-nothing thinking is to shake the idea that you must follow an extremely restrictive diet to lose weight.
The fact is, most people who successfully maintain weight loss don't diet. They make healthy, permanent lifestyle changes, such as cutting back on calories, practicing portion control, and reigning in emotional eating.

Successful "losers" focus on weight management, not just weight loss.



Step Two: Give In... Just a Little
Severely limiting your food intake or completely cutting out your favorite foods sets you up to binge. Temptation becomes much less powerful when you can have just a taste of something "bad" now and again instead of telling yourself it's off limits for good.
This can be daunting at first. But you will become accustomed to satisfying your craving with a smaller amount of your trigger foods and you'll learn "when to say when".


Step Three: Stop Saying the "D Word"
We "go on" and "go off" diets after every holiday season; we say "I start my Monday." only to be off it by the weekend. Nobody says "I start my new way of life Monday." But that's exactly what we need to do. An effective diet isn't just for Christmas, it's for life.
To find a way-of-eating that works for the long haul, be leery of any plan that restricts entire food groups or that relies on one type of food (e.g. soup, pre-prepared entrees) as its mainstay.

We need variety not only for nutritional reasons, but also to satisfy ourselves. Believe me, because I've been there: Go on a diet that requires you to eat foods you don't like -- or completely omits your favorites -- and you will eventually dread every meal




Step Four: Forgive Yourself
So ... you've decided to give Step Two a try and allow yourself your favorite treat, chocolate chip cookies. But you don't stop at a couple ... you eat half the package. Then, for breakfast tomorrow morning ... you polish off the other half.
Have you completely blown your diet again? Does that mean it’s time to give up altogether? Do you think, "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this." and go back to old eating habits?

Not allowing yourself to make mistakes is the worst mistake you can make. Seriously.

Here's some food for thought: All-or-nothing thinking is a way to let yourself off the hook. It's an escape route. ("Oh, now I've screwed up. Glad I don't have to bother anymore".).

There's an old saying that goes, "No matter how far along you are down the wrong path, it's never too late to turn back.". So don't think just because you made bad choices today, you can't start over tomorrow.

It sounds trite, but every day truly is a new beginning. You can't erase last night’s binge, but you can aim for a much healthier today!


Step 5: Celebrate Small Victories
Go ahead: Praise yourself for the small challenges you surmount; you won't give up so easily if you do.

Take it easy on yourself as you're learning how to be a new, improved, healthier you. After all, you're only human... a soon-to-be-much-lighter human!

By Jennifer R. Scott

a little inspiration