Healthy on Holudays

I know it can be hard to 'be good' on Holidays, especially when  when it comes to food choices. 

So, I'm in Ireland, land of beef pies and mashed potato, and I'll be honest, I've been worried about how I was going to manage to eat well. 

I don't know why I worried. We have had amazing food and a range of choices at each meal, I'm feeling way more confident today. 

Yesterday started with a really long walk into town, coffee then the walk home. A slice of home baked bread went down a treat. I usually have gluten related issues after eating bread, but one slice of this bread, made with minimal preservatives apparently was fine. And tasty! 

Lunch was the best tasting Tomato Soup I have ever eaten! Randomly came across a lunch spot in the town of Navan, after hearing the chefs singing whilst We walked thru the lane. No food is better than one cooked by a happy chef! 

Dinner last night was at a Lebanese bistro and  was divine. Lebanese lamp chops cooked with spices and herbs, along with carrot mash. Yum! 

Hugo and I walked for hours yesterday, we climbed spiral stair cases, and run up hills, I don't think we have anything to worry about with our exercise levels! 

Off to work today, I'm excited! 

OMG I'm going stir crazy!

19 hours straight on a plane is enough to do anyone's head in, but particularly for someone like me who is not used to sitting down for long periods of time. I'm starting to get bored, and fidgety, and I'm starting to enjoy annoying Hugo, purely for my own entertainment. 

I had prepared books, a notepad, and a list of things to do whilst on the plane, but I had almost polished all of those off, during the 6 hour delay on the Tarmac in Brisbane. I currently need a stretch, a big glass of water, some fresh air. I'm counting my blessings that the people that are also inhabiting this small space, don't smell bad, are quite personable, and are not totally impatient pricks like some others,a few rows back. 

By the time we get off this plane, we will have been sitting for 20 hours... With still another 7 hour flight to go! But, no point complaining, I'm very lucky to be here to experience it. No doubt Emirates will meet us in the gate Lounge and give us rescheduled information for the connection that we have already missed. So, I have nothing to worry about except time itself, and how best to use it without Hugo stabbing me with a plastic fork.

The extra hours have given me plenty of opportunity to think. About food choices and the effects on the body, lack of exercise and the effect that has on the body also.. I've watched parents fill their kids with lollies, then growl when they cannot sit still. I've watched people eat their food so quickly, I'm sure they didn't taste it.. And I've noticed these are also the same people looking for more food from the hostess an hour later. I have also wondered why a caterer would feed 680 people confined to a very small space, baked beans for breakfast. 

I've also thought about adults using the oxygen mask first, before fitting their children's. Everyone enroute accepts that as a given. We listen to the steward and read the emergency card in the seat pocket in front of us. It Makes sense, of course you cannot help your children if you don't first fit your mask. You are of no value to anyone, least of all your children, if you fall ill in an emergency situation. 

Agree?

Then why is it that most mothers, will dedicate their time, their energy, their oxygen, their life force, to assisting everyone else surrounding them, putting themselves last all the time?

Does that sound familiar? Are you one of these people who thinks scheduling time to maximise your health and well being, is selfish? 

Do you ever stop to think that your children would prefer to have you healthy, happy and around for a long time? That your husband would prefer you were fit enough to spend your retirement travelling and enjoying yourselves?

Do you think its time to change? To spend an hour a day in the pursuit of health and happiness. One hour. That's not much time. People tell me they are unable to find time to exercise, or shop for healthy food, yet they can fill me in on what's happening on the latest TV series? Prioritise your time and think long term. Are your current habits going to sustain you into your 80's? 

If you cannot find time in your current waking hours, get up an hour earlier. The weather is perfect for early morning walks, the gyms are open 24 hours these days. There are no excuses. 

This week, whilst I am wandering about the Emerald Isle in search of free wifi, I want you to stop and think, what would happen if you were too sick to care for your family? Who would have the kids, who would do the shopping, the washing, the cooking, the cleaning? And then ask yourself if you are happy about that situation. Ask yourself if you are looking after yourself and your family, in the smartest possible way? Ask yourself if you watch more TV than exercise? Ask yourself where you can add in an hour of health focus, whether that be exercise, de cluttering your mind, buying healthy food, or taking time out for a long bath by candlelight. 

Stop making excuses, and start making a difference. 

Wellness Coaching ... Why?

I've had many queries about Wellness Coaching recently, and why it's working.

Wellness coaching is about making changes, tweaking your lifestyle in how you eat, exercise, and how you think. 

Self belief makes a massive difference to how you think, feel and behave. Wellness coaching gives you the power to make the changes required for maximum health. 

There's no pills, potions or shakes, it's not willpower. It's self empowerment. You can do this, you are in charge of your body. You know what you need to do to make your body operate at peak performance, wellness coaching works through the reasons why you don't! 

Little things can make a huge difference, even a 1% change a day will make an amazing difference long term. Wellness coaching will help re-ignite your passion and zest for life.

Sessions usually last an hour and are tailored for you specifically. This is not a one in, all in approach, together we will get to the bottom of why you are overweight, and create strategies in conquering them. 

It sounds like a simple process, because it is. Don't delay it any longer. Make an appointment and make a difference. 

Holidays don't have to mean weight gain.

Holidays... Usually symbolistic of over indulgence and a break from the old exercise routines. But it does not have to be that way. With a little forward planning and a tiny bit of organisation, your holiday does not have to mean the end of all your hard work.

Plan to take healthy snacks on the flight, to alleviate the mid flight munchies. Drink lots of water during the flight and avoid alcohol.

Once at your destination, walk a lot. So many hidden gems can be found just when out walking. That incredible sunset, the cliff face that can't be seen from the road, the animals in the paddocks, the hidden shops and cafés down the arcades and hidden from the high street. These are the things that make your holiday unique. Special. Unforgettable. Yours.

In your hotel room, you can do tricep dips on the chairs or the edge of the table, you could swim in the hotel pool,  do push-ups, run up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Carry your own shopping. Run along the beach. Pack resistance bands in your bag, they are really light and are so versatile.

Eat mindfully. Try the locally cooked foods, freshly made salads, fruit, veges. Stay away from the Macca's, the KFC's, the Hungry Hippo's etc, and eat locally grown foods. Taste the local delicacies, sample the cuisine and savour the flavours. Don't miss out on anything, but make sure what you are eating is freshly prepared.

Hugo and I are off to Ireland and the UK for a month. 30 days of English and Irish breakfasts, of Guinness and Pear Cider.
My plan, which I am hoping will work, is to eat a protein based breakfast, no doubt much later than we eat here, and a sensible sized dinner. Lunch, if I'm hungry will be very light, probably a piece of fruit.

I've also factored in exercise every day. Walking, hill climbing, zip lining, bike riding. Yes, we are doing a road trip of Ireland, but that doesn't mean that we have to be stuck in the car all day long. Ireland is a gorgeous country and the opportunity for exercise based sight seeing is vast. No, I'm not keen in lining up for three hours to see the Book of Kells, but I would love to do the Ghost Walk for the same amount of time that evening, thanks.

Holidays are all about you. About your attitude and how you treat yourself. How you relax and enjoy your down time. Me? I choose to exercise on my holidays, because I've worked way too damn hard to throw away all my great work.

So, as the school holidays approach, and I see Facebook status' counting down to cruises, trips to NZ, and Fiji, take the time to prepare. Make this holiday an active one, a healthy one, and live long enough to enjoy many many more.

I'm going to spend my time, trying to figure out if this photo is really telling me the truth... :) wish me luck.

Attitude

What if our weight issues are directly related to our attitude towards ourselves?

What if the extra fat we carry around is actually just stored emotions?

What if they only thing we had to do to be thin and fit and healthy, was to be kind to ourselves? Honour, nourish and encourage ourselves like we would a small child?

Would you have to change your current self talk to lose weight? Would you need to be gentler on yourself? Why is it that the only person that you can rely on 100% for the whole of your life is often the most crtitical? Why do you do that to yourself?

What would it feel like to be your own personal cheerleader? To focus on the positive things about you rather than the negative? To lie in bed every night and give yourself credit for three things that you achieved for the day? 

I want you to try it for a week, be gentle, be kind and be supportive to yourself. Thank those thighs for giving you the strength to walk to the coffee machine. Thank that glute muscle for the support holding up your knickers, your tuck shop lady arms for letting you cuddle your children or your wrinkles for growing from years of laughter. 

Appreciate what you are. Adore what you are. Love what you are. 

Humans are funny creatures, and for some reason we will place value in things that others do as well. Think for example, A sought after restaurant that is always booked out, glistening diamonds, name brand clothing. And we will pay more for this perceived value. We think a Mercedes is better than a Commodore. Because it's dearer and more sought after, more valued.

Who values you if you aren't prepared to value yourself? 

Your lesson for today is, stop bullshitting yourself, stop wallowing and moaning about negativity; and start looking at yourself through your kids eyes. Start being the person they think you are, beautiful, competent, compassionate, loving. Think of all of the qualities you wish to portray as a mother, a sister, an aunt, and do that. Fake it till you make it, if need be. 

Thin and healthy, successful and wealthy, happy, loved, kind. What else would you add to your list?

Apologies...I'm human.

I get busy. 

I lose track of time.

I spend my day being distracted by other things.

I have visitors, and a wedding and another wedding tomorrow and I am planning an overseas trip..

 I'm delivering workshops and I'm coaching others to take responsibility, to lose weight and to get healthy.

So, sometimes I miss the opportunity to blog.. I wish I didn't, because it's my release, but sometimes life gets in the way. I guess I can get bent out of shape about it, or I can go with the flow for a week or two.

The weddings will be over soon, my house will be empty soon, and my trip will come and go even if I haven't had a chance to plan every minute of it before I leave.. 

That's life. 

The best made plans often go astray, but so long as you keep your eye on the main objective, you'll be okay. There is only a certain amount of hours in the day, and you can only do what you can do in that given time.

 But have you ever stopped to think how you do spend your time? How many hours watching TV, on the net, on Facebook, reading a book? Are you also one of those people who can never find the time to exercise because they are too busy?

This week, I would like you to write down what you do with your "down time", the time between working and cooking, cleaning etc..  Then ask yourself if you really are too busy for exercise. Or is there time that you could spend more wisely? 

It's your life and you can choose what you do with it, but don't wish your time away, whilst watching TV and complaining about being unwell. 

Your life. Your choice. Your responsibility.

6 days to Go!

Where has this last month gone? 

It's disappeared in a flurry of gym visits, dress fittings, hair dressing appointments and trips to Brisbane. 

It's almost here.The Wedding. Oh my bloody god. 

I've spent the last 34 days at the gym, lifting weights, running, rowing and riding. But I'm still the same person externally....

I've spent the last 34 days worrying about how I'll fit in my dress, whether my speech will sound okay, whether all the family will turn up.... But the wedding will go on regardless. There will be love and laughter, friends and family. Together in one place to enjoy the union of two beautiful people, to wish them well and celebrate their decision to spend the rest of their lives together. 

It'll be fun, the weather will be perfect, the venue will be amazing, everyone will be smiling, my mascara will have run all down my cheeks, the twins will be sneaking alcohol shots thinking I'm not looking,  And my arms will finally fit into the perfect dress. 

In 5 years time, I'm hoping I will look back at the photos and marvel at how much further I will have come. The wedding photos will be a vision of just one moment in time, another point in my journey to wellness. I may not be my "perfect" size yet, but I couldn't be prouder of the effort I've put in to get to this point.

As they say, I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday.. And, after much soul searching, I am now okay with that. I may look very similiar to what I did a month ago, but I can assure you, I am far from being the same person.