Tuesday 28 January 2014

Don't plant a lemon tree and expect oranges..

According to my Dad, who was one of the wisest people I knew, you can't plant a lemon tree and expect to grow oranges.

For years he would listen patiently to me complain about all my first world teenage problems, and that statement was almost always his come back.. 

At the time, I had no clue what he was on about.. I mean, really, no doubt my social life had just been crippled and he was worried about citrus fruit? Wtf? Or whatever we said in the 70's..

I read the very same quote in a book this morning and thoughts of him came flooding back. I thought about his calm, 'fix anything with baling twine' attitude, and I suddenly realised 2 things. One was how much I miss him, and the other was how wise he actually was, and I wished I understood that at the time.

Planting lemons and hoping for oranges is a great metaphor for my life now, I know if I am to get all the benefits from my work, I have to put the right plans into place. 

Select the right seedlings (ideas and goals)
Water and nurture the plants as they strengthen (look after yourself, eat right, drink plenty of water)
Fertilise appropriately. ( eat good healthy foods)
Stake if required ( look for support as needed)
Persevere and trust that this plant will give you fruit.

We all know that planting oranges will, if we are lucky, end up with a small flower, just a tiny bud which will then grow through remarkable odds to be able to produce sweet tasting fruit. 

And nothing tastes sweeter than success, am I right?

So finally Dad, on this day, 28th Jan, the anniversary of the day you married Mum, I get it. I now know what you meant. To be able to reap the rewards,one must first prepare properly. And to understand, that without all of the preparation, hard work, commitment, perseverance and trust, you will not get the results you expect.

I went to the local hardware store today, and I bought an orange tree. Happy Anniversary. 


Sunday 26 January 2014

Same six words

Feel free to message me all you like, with your hints and tips and recipes and requests for advice. I don't mind, I actually am happy to help.

I love spreading the news about how to be healthy and happy, about how to live a productive life. 

This week though, I have received a couple of messages from people looking for me to do it for them. To write down exactly what I eat, when I exercise, what I do differently, and then tell me all kinds of reasons why they cannot do the same.. This is not rocket science. 

Let me tell you just one thing, I cannot make you thin, that's your job. I cannot make you exercise, that's your responsibility. This is your journey, and yours alone. If you want to be thin, healthy and eat well, do what you have to do to get to that goal. Simple.

If you are not prepared to take the step, to walk to road to good health, well no amount of sending  messages to me, asking me to hold your hand, is gonna work.

I will say this one more time.... Listen closely... Shut Your Mouth, Move Your Arse.

Then, and only then, can you message me and look for support.. You must make the effort. Yourself. Either you want to do this, or you don't. 

You choose.

Saturday 25 January 2014

Day Three of Your Personal Challenge

For those of you participating in your own Personal Challenge, well done. Bravo for taking the first step, no matter how small, that first step is going to be the most important step of your new life.

Whether you are riding your stationary bike, walking round the block, or running up Castle Hill with 24kg of extra weight... It's a job well done. It's the first step of making your world a better place to inhabit. Every drop of sweat inches you closer to a better life, a healthier and happier life.

I've had so many messages, these last few days, from people almost apologising because all they had time to do, was a quick short walk. 
No need to apologise, nor beat yourself up about it, because as we all know, life happens. There will be days that our exercise plans may not quite come off.. Don't get upset, or frustrated, just do what you can, as often as you can. Be kind to yourself. Every bit of exercise that you do adds up.. And even if you can only manage 15 minutes today, you are still beating everyone else that's still laying on the lounge. 
Perhaps set a weekly exercise time target rather than a daily one? eg 3.5 hours of exercise time this week. If the world gets busy today, make it up with a longer session tomorrow. 

One way I manage to fit in at least one 45 minute exercise session every day, is to forward plan. 

I know you will know that I am a list writer, (if you have read any of my past blogs) and that each morning, over my morning juice, I write a list of things I will achieve for that day. I include home chores, business tasks, meetings, bills to pay, reminders and always includes exercise. Whether it be gym, training session, a run, or an evening bike ride, it's on the list. And each day I get great satisfaction from marking it off. 
This year I have managed to find a notebook that even has a place to record glasses of water consumed.. How cool is that? A training friend of mine has an exercise journal she bought from Officeworks, a small notepad that is designed to record training sessions, it has space for goals, and room to record weights and reps etc, but you could just use an everyday exercise book.. Use the one that's right for you. It doesn't have to cost the earth, it just needs to be suitable for your personal goals.

I savour the time each morning, and think carefully about what my plans are for the day. It allows me to focus on what needs to be done, and gives weight to my overall or long term plans. It gives me a way of dealing with temptation, and with distractions and having plans in place to deal with these should they occur. 
My morning time can be as short as 15 minutes, or as long as an hour. I'm a little spoilt at the moment as I currently run an office from home, but in the past I have been known to voice record or write a list whilst travelling to work. We all have the same amount of time in our days, learning to use that time productively is an art. If I have an early morning meeting, or flight, I often plan my day the night before, preparing for the smooth execution of the day. 

No stress, no last minute panic, no lost car keys or gym shoes. 

Nowadays there are also interactive apps you can use in conjunction with your smartphone technology, to assist with your exercise needs. Nike has a good one, outlining areas of the body and designing exercises to work specific muscles groups. Runkeeper is another good way of tracking your progress, I love it when they send me emails telling me I have set a Personal Best time for distance or time. It's these little things, that offer motivation, enthusiasm, and a way of measuring your success. I need that. 

I've decided to run a 10k fun run in every state of Australia. It's made it to my revised bucket list now, and even though its a long term goal, I try to do something every day that will make me into a runner. I have started running on a treadmill, because it accurately measures distance. I have researched training for beginners in the Internet, I have talked to people who run marathons and gotten insights into what they do, and to get advice on how to start. Yes, my first run is months away, but I'm preparing, both mentally and physically for it already. I'm now even brave enough to run outside in the daylight.. Which till recently I've never been able to do. I was always too embarrassed about being overweight, hot, sweaty, lacking in the graceful fluid motions that runners have. I used to run till a car came down the street, then walk till it passed. Or run at night where no one could see.. And I mean midnight, not just dusk. Looking back that was ridiculous behaviour, but it was my mindset of the time. If you ever drive past me, be gentle, give me a yell or a wave for encouragement, I'm getting there... 

I'm fifty, as far removed physically from the physique of a runner as possible, I've not run competitively since high school but now its seems like something I could achieve if I tried. So, I'm trying. I'm going to be a runner. Who would ever have thought? My plans in place, I'm now ready for action. 

You?




Wednesday 22 January 2014

A lot can happen in 100 days..

Remember yesterday when we spoke about goal setting? setting a specific date? Well, guess what?
Yesterday, when you couldn't think of a goal, or a target or a specific date... I decided to make one for you.

In 100 days ish, it will be the 4th of May. Big deal, you say? Well, aside from the fact that it is a special day for us, being my son "Will's" 19th birthday, it's a great date to have as a target. 

Starting today (or tomorrow, if you're anything like me and want to polish off all the chocolate in the fridge first), I want you to commit to 100 days of health. 

100 days of exercising and eating as close to nature as possible, as often as you can. Even if its 6 days out of 7, and you have a small splurge day, that's going to be 85ish% better than you are now. All positive change is better than none. 

Exercising at least once a day, even if its just a short stroll down the street. Changing your exercise often, from using home equipment for weights eg jam tins, or going to an exercise class, or aqua aerobics, change your methods often. Google how to use household items for fitness, towels to stretch etc. 

I would like you to measure your bust, midriff, waist, hips and thighs, arms too if you wish. If you like you can weigh yourself..  Write it in your diary, because in 100 days time, you will be amazed at the changes in your shape. 

Then I want you to write on an A4 sheet of paper the following words....

 "It is the 4th May 2014,and  I am standing in front of my mirror, proud of the positive changes I have created in my body. Excited and happy at the way my skin glows, my hair shines. And at how fabulous I look in my new clothes. I am now -- kg, healthy, fit and toned. I am strong, and fit, healthy and happy. Thank you body for making the change to be healthy. I feel fantastic"

Stick this paper somewhere you will see it often. Every time you walk by it, I want you to read it out loud. ( have one on the bathroom mirror, and one on the fridge if you wish.. Have as many as you like, but you must say out loud when you read it.) visualise yourself as the new you, sleek and slim and healthy. See that smile? You've come a long way. You deserve to be happy about it. Think about how you will feel at the end of 100 days, feel the warm glow of pride, the increase in self confidence. Try and hold that feeling for as long as you can each time.

You have your goal, now get out there and do what you have to, to achieve it.

So there you have it. Its really that simple. 

100 days to make a difference in your whole life. 

In 100 days you will be sleeping better, breathing easier, laughing more, and feeling absolutely fantastic. You'll be so proud of yourself for your achievement, you'll be cross you didn't start earlier. It is that easy. 

100 days.

Relax, girl, you got this. 

May the 4th be with you!

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Back to basics.

A long time ago, a wise man said to me.. What are your non-negotiables? 
After obviously seeing the blank look on my face, he continued.. What are the things that you must do to reach your goal? Eg if your goal is to walk Everest, you would need to have done some training, bought some equipment in preparation for it, booked flights, etc.

My goal at the time was to be a size 12, to buy clothes in a normal sized clothing store, and to be seen as someone worth taking on a date... So I remember thinking, okay, well I'd need a great pair of stilettos. But I think he was looking for something a little more health related. :)

After a little more thought, my list was as follows:

drink more water
Move more
Prepare for the week in advance.

That was it. And so I began. And here I am now, a couple of years down the track, telling the tale of success, at that time seemed unobtainable. 

What has got me thinking about all of this is, I have just been in contact with a gorgeous young lady, with a pretty face, a kind heart and a lot of weight to loose. I mean a real lot. I wanna help this person, she has been an acquaintance of mine for many many years, and is too valuable a person to see fall by the wayside. She has a beautiful family and works hard for her lifestyle.

Together, you and me and this gorgeous lady, we are gonna do this. We are gonna all get fit, get healthy and get happy. Leave our emotional baggage behind, starting today. Forgive those we need to, forget those we need to, and move forward with the rest of our lives. Starting now.

Loosing weight is easy, once you get your head into the game.. It's not your body that betrays you, it's your head. So, get that thinking right, and the rest is easy. Allow me to outline quickly, what we have been through before on this blog, for my friend who hasn't read all of it yet..

Step one. 
SMART goal.. Written down. In positive terms. Do not write I want to loose 10kg, write "I am now 65 kg and feeling fabulous" (or what ever your current weight is minus what you want to loose.) 
I am happy if you do in small increments, eg 20 kg at a time, rather than scare yourself and say 80 kgs straight up!
Write when this will occur.. One month, end of year whatever, but it must have a date.
Make sure the goal is achievable, please don't set yourself up for failure straight up with a goal that cannot possibly be attained. Make sure the goal is realistic.
Make sure your goal is timely, or tangible which ever you prefer.. Ensure you have given yourself enough time to reach the goal.. Or as I prefer,T for tangible.. When I can see or feel the results occurring is when I get excited.

As an example- you could write... At the eve of Jims wedding on August 6th 2014, I am 65kg of healthy, fit muscle. I can see myself glowing with vitality and good health. I am surrounded by my family, who are all healthy and happy. All my exercise and healthy eating is paying off, I am feeling and looking fantastic in my new size 12 dress.

Step two:  okay goals are set - now how do you get there. Think about how you will move more, eat better, sleep better, eliminate stress in your world. I have a theory ( yep, another one) that weight collected over the years could easily be attributed to emotional baggage, which may or may not be yours. Have a good long think, about any resentments you are harbouring, and old relationships that still annoy you, and let them go. If it doesn't have a place in your current life, leave it behind. Visualise unpacking the weight on your hips into a suitcase and walking away. Pack those old hurts, personal heartbreaks into a box, shut it, tape it up and put it in the mailbox. Attach it to a balloon and visualise it floating away. Just Let it go. 
Not only will you feel better you may also feel a lot lighter as well, figuratively speaking.

List what gym classes you are going to take, find an accountability partner if you need, make a timetable up, have a gym bag packed etc etc. 
Nows the time to really think about what you eat- and be really honest. Think about what you are going to eliminate from your pantry to help you achieve this goal.
Spend Sunday nights writing your food plan or ideas for the week, cook ahead if you are time poor. Do the shopping when you are not in a rush, stressed or hungry. Write an exercise plan for the week. Get the money ready in a wallet in your gym bag. Be organised. Prepare for success.

Step three: stop weighing yourself. In the days when I ate bread, I could gain up to 3 kgs overnight, just eating two slices of bread. I used to get so down on myself, get sad, eat chocolate. I now weigh prob once a month, just to see how I'm travelling, but really the best sign is your clothes. Pick an outfit that is just a little snug, and keep it for trying on once a week or fortnight. That gives you much more satisfaction that those bloody things laying on the bathroom floor that really only measure your relationship with gravity, on any given day. 

Step four: minimise all carbohydrates, eliminate as much processed food and preservatives as you can. DO NOT drink diet Coke etc. it's poison. It is assisting you in keeping you overweight. It's crap. You wouldn't drink Roundup, so don't drink Diet Softdrink. Eat as much fresh foods as you can. Google paleo recipes. Our family has never eaten so well as we do now. I never feel like I am missing out on anything. Now, when I buy our meat for dinner, I buy what's on special, go home and google a recipe that matches. Eg paleo recipe with chicken thighs. It's so simple. You have no excuses to eat boring food every again. It's so much fun!

Step five: Exercise . A lot. Mix it up. Trick your body everyday, never let it get complacent. 
I know someone who has walked around "Jenny Craig Straight" for 20 years at 5 am but still struggles with her weight. Why? Because her body is used to it, it's just part and parcel of her everyday existence, and the body allows for it. She would loose so much weight if she spent that same time doing different exercise, but she is comfortable in that mindset, and won't change. Her loss, or not, as it happens. 
Doing cardio is great for fitness, but not real good for weight loss. If you want to loose weight and make a positive change in your body quickly, join a gym and get into weight resistance training. Google easy exercise to start, or get a PT in the gym to show you what to do to begin with. Increase intensity as you get fitter. There is a lady in my gym class that has a tshirt that says " running in a treadmill will get you nowhere" which is true on more than one level.

Step Six: eliminate the temptations in your world. This one is a little tricky and may take a lot of work. Not buying the wrong food at the shops is easy, it's changing your lifestyle that's hard. Does your social life resolve around alcohol and too much of the wrong food? Do you have friends that are happy with the way you are, and would probably be annoyed ( read jealous) if you made positive change? 
I learned the hard way, that some people like you to be overweight and unhappy, not very self confident. And they will go to extraordinary lengths to keep you like that.. Sabotage sound familiar to anyone? 
You really need to move these people out of your social sphere. There is a saying that goes, "you are the average of the 5 people you most hang around". Hmm food for thought right there.. Are the 5 people you most hang around, a positive influence on you, supportive, helpful? 
It was about this time, that I started realising I had a sabotager in my midst, someone who benefitted by having me large, unattractive, unhappy, reliant. It was also around this time I started reading every self help book I could lay my hands on. Louise Hay, "you can heal your life" is a ripper. 
Make friends with people in your gym class, the lady you see each morning on your walk, the lady over the road who like gardening like you. Anyone who has that 'we can do it" attitude. Change your Friday night drinks from the pub to a game of squash. Make a night indoor cricket team. You get the idea. 


So, These are the basics of starting a weight loss plan of attack. A fitness goal. A plan to live as long and as productive life as you can. Write your list of non negotiables. What are you going to do each and every day to make positive change in your world? Then just do it. 

Think about all of the things that you can do when you achieve this. How good you will feel, how happy and healthy you will be. How proud your kids will be of your achievements. 

Then think of the things that you won't be ale to do in the future, if you don't start now. 

Change your thoughts and you can change the world. Trust me. 







Sunday 19 January 2014

I'm not different.

Happy Sunday!

I have a lot of people tell me how lucky I am to have lost weight. How good I am for being able to eat only healthy food. WTF?

I am no different to everyone else. I struggle to say no to chocolate slice, or pudding, or cake or anything that resembles cocoa - and I do not always say no... Unfortunately.

At Xmas holiday time, I spent a great couple of weeks with Hugo's family. We laughed lots and ate lots,  sitting around the camp site, chilling out and enjoying the company of like minded people. Good people, fun times. But the food, it was plentiful. And not always what I should have eaten. On more than one occasion, I caved. I tried, but I caved. I'm now paying the price for that.

Prior to Xmas, I had not had any allergic type reactions from food for weeks, not hot flushes, no bloating, no stomach pains. But... Since then. WOW!

My hot flushes have been back with a vengeance. The days I eat totally clean, they are minimal, but if I even think about straying off the clean eating path, I become a furnace. The sweat pours from me like I'm running a marathon! 

As horrible as it sounds, I have learned a lot about the workings of the human body. To filter out all the crap we eat, our liver gets a workout. Our liver is one of the biggest organs in our bodies and so when it's over worked, it gets hot..therefore The rest of our body also heats up, and produces sweat to cool down. Toxins will also be discarded in sweat. It appears I have a few to be discarded..

Hot flushes are bloody awful - but I have worked out, to be rid of them, I need to eat clean. I need to exercise daily, drink lots of water and sweat a lot. It's simple really.

I'm not lucky, I'm not special, I have no more hours in my day nor more willpower than you...  I just know that If you want to reach the goal, you have to do what's necessary to attain it.

Are you ready to do what's necessary to reach your goal?


Monday 13 January 2014

Survived Day one at gym

Following on from yesterday's post about  doing something you love every day.. Today was Day One for Gym Class in 2014. Yee haaaaa! 

Yep- we kicked it off at 9 am with a Bootcamp. I even convinced 3 others in the family to come..'come to Bootcamp, she said, it'll be fun, she said' as we sweated and sweltered in the un-airconditioned tin shed, we call a basketball court! 😄

I loved it. The rest of my troupe? Hmm, well I'm not too sure. Hugo gets cranky when he's dehydrated and let's just say there was more than one occasion in today's session when I handed him the water bottle!

I came home chattering away on a high, excited and pumped up that classes had restarted for the year.. But just because I love the gym and pushing myself to the limit, doesn't mean it's for everyone.

Hugo is a great support to me, he always comes to gym if I ask, but today it was clear he doesn't enjoy it. I'm not gonna ask him anymore. It's not fair.

Just because I love it, and it makes me feel energised,doesn't mean gym has the same effect on everyone. The hard courts hurt his knees from years of accumulated footy injuries, but he perseveres. But, he is my support team, I can't kill him! I gotta take care of this bloke. 'Smash it' class exhausted him, but today's class annoyed him. First class back after an extended break - it was hot, and it was damn hard work. 

So find the exercise that's right for you, don't just follow the crowd. Find an exercise you want to do, that way, you are likely to continue to attend.

Don't just walk the same block every night though, mix it up. Keep your body guessing. Make it fun. Run a little, walk a little, skip a little. Laugh a lot. Kick a footy in the park. Roller Derby.

 Whatever makes you happy.

 Just move. Often. 

On a side note - one of the sand bags that we had to lift today was 25 kilos. We had to sling across our shoulders and run the length of the building and back. It was bloody hard. Hot, heavy  and uncomfortable. 
When I had completed my run I realised that I had, for years, walked around with almost three times that weight 24/7. 

It was then,  I had my WOW moment... It hit me then what extra pressure I was placing on my body back then. On my heart, and muscles and bones. And I once again gave thanks to the people who've helped me get to here. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm determined to build a better me. I've long given up comparing myself to others, I just want to be the best version of me, that I can be. Wish me luck. 

Sunday 12 January 2014

And so 2014 begins

I guess you were all expecting a positive New Years quote on Jan 01st, or at least in the first week or so.. 
Hmm, sorry about that - I figured most people would fall into the categories of New Years Resolutioners, those feeling guilty about their overindulgences at Xmas, or those already bombarded by the 'guilt spreaders and fun squashers'.

Either way, you didn't need me telling you to SYM MYA in the last fortnight, as I'm sure you were harder on yourself than I would have been..

Life happens. Remember? Be gentle with yourself. Make plans, but be open to alternatives.

Now, I'm not necessarily a New Years Resolution maker, I prefer to make goals at all times throughout the year, as you all know. But, this New Years Eve found me amongst new friends, away from home and familiar surroundings, enjoying a soda water or two whilst watching the fire works. People all enquiring about New Years resolutions, and sharing their goals for this year. 

I got around to thinking about my Grand Plan for 2014. Earlier in the day, I had checked my 2013 list - kind of  a small tradition for me each New Years Eve, and there I discovered one thing I hadn't managed to tick off the list. A small thing, which I had forgotten about, and because I didn't have these goals up anywhere obvious as I usually do, I had overlooked it. 

Now, on a large scale, its no big deal, but for a person like me who is Borderline OCD, it has really pissed me off. If I took the time to check my list, this task could have been completed at any stage during the last few weeks of the year. It was as simple as cleaning out a particular cupboard,  but I took my eyes off the goal. And as a result, I had an entry on 2014 slate that didn't need to be there. Needless to say it was one if the first things I completed when I arrived back in Qld. I feel much better already, oddly enough. Unfinished business is now taken care of, phew.

I'm sure you know that I am a huge believer in writing a list- of things to do, of places to visit, exercise classes to attend, people to see, and books to read. And usually, when I concentrate, I achieve all of them. 

Someone said something to me at New Years, that has made me think.  My 2014 list is gonna be different. 

Di is a vivacious, fit, healthy lady in her 60's who recently lost a brother in law. We were talking about my dream of walking the Way of St James, across Spain, and she said "I'd love to do that, I might only have 20 years left and I can only hope they are good years, so I'm making the most of it!" 

What surprised me was she wasn't bitter, or morbid about it. Di said this with such conviction, like an all knowing truth. She has faced the fact. Life is way too damn short to be sitting inside watching the cricket on TV.

So, in light of Di's revelation, This year I'm adding things that scare me. Things that make me feel uncomfortable. Things I've been meaning to do for years. Like ghost tours, and 50k push bike rides. 

It's time I stepped out of the safety cocoon and into the moment. 2014 will be a year of saying yes to opportunity, of jumping at chances and to making the most of the time I have been allotted.

This year I will do something I enjoy every day. Every single day. Like reading, or running, or watching a movie that makes me think differently, or writing this blog sitting by the river rather than in the office. 

So far I've managed a Ghost tour of a psychiatric asylum at night, a 46 kilometre push bike ride through the winery district of northern Victoria, visited my hometown, and my Dad's grave, hugged some very special people, watched a great movie, and had a dinner date with a friend I've not seen in 33 years. At this very moment, I'm sitting by the river, in the shade, blogging and fishing for barramundi. 2014 is off to a great start. 

Tomorrow, gym classes start again. New Year, new timetable, new challenges. Bring it on. I'm ready. I've missed it during the break. 

Unbelievably, a fortnight has already gone from the time we are given in 2014, leaving just 25 left to achieve any set  goals. Write your plan of action and keep your eyes on the prize. 

What are you waiting for? The time is right now. For booking a trip, for catching a fish, for reading that book, for getting fit and feeling great. 

You have 25 fortnights and your time starts now...

 Oh and I've just caught a barramundi!!!!