MONDAY ROUND-UP

This morning’s cardio session should have been sprint runs. I could barely walk but set out nevertheless. I walked slowly to start and then picked up the pace a little. I was slowly warming up but still in a lot of pain. I tried to pick the pace up to an easy jog but the impact was excruciating on my glutes so I walked a little more and then headed home and finished the session on my exercise bike.

I had difficulty putting pantyhose on this morning and taking my BS to school and using the stairs there was another experience in sheer pain. Its going to be a long few days while this killer DOMS settles down.

Food is good and back on track after Saturday’s planned treat. At the WNBF seminar yesterday comp preps were discussed. It amazes me as to how many different ways there are to prepare for a comp. What to eat, when to start, how much cardio and what type and when to do it and how often. I came away a little bit dazed and doubting whether what I’m planning will be effective. There were some competitors there who, in my opinion don’t have a lot of weight to lose, yet they are dieting already. And their diets are so strict that it made me sad to think about going so strict at this point out.

But I’ve decided to stick with my plan for April and if I’m not happy with my progress then I’ll up the ante.

Dad goes back into hospital tomorrow to have his angioplasty (he had the dates all mixed up) so all fingers are crossed that everything goes ok and he’s out the next day and recuperating safely at home.

Cheers

Magda

THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER REVIEW - WELCOMING KILLER LEG DOMS AND THE DAY THAT WENT NOTHING LIKE PLANNED

OK first up the anniversary dinner was superb.

Calories consumed: WAY too many
Enjoyment derived: very high
Guilt suffered: NONE!!

A big pat on the back to myself for:

1. Not treating Saturday as a "oh I'm eating off plan tonight so I might as well start now (first thing in the morning)" day and
2. Getting straight back into lean and clean eating on Sunday.

These are both big achievements for me :-)

Now for the funny bit. I woke up around 4.30am feeling (understandably) somewhat less than 100% in the tummy. This however I could deal with. What was absolutley killing me though was the DOMS which had already taken over my lower body. My glutes were screaming, my quads were sore and EVERYTHNG from the waist down hurt when I moved. Holey moley, it wasnt even 24 hours since I'd trained. Needless to say I've spent the day dreading all forms of movement, especially getting into and out of the car and using a toilet seat. I'm in agony LOL.

Lastly, today has been all topsy turvy with my BIL due to come over to help WH with some jobs around the house. This he did but I didnt realise SIL would come too and I hadnt planned for it. It really through me out with stuff I was going to do today especially as they ended up staying for dinner. I had to attend a seminar that the WNBF ran today (I had committed to it previously) so that took me out for some time and although I felt a bit bad about it I wasnt going to miss the seminar. The only real ill effect from all this though was that I missed my afternoon snack and had too big a gap between lunch and dinner. I can live with that.

Well I have a little more prep to do before I hit the sack tonight so I wil bid farewell and catch up with everybody's blogs tomorrow as this is my one and only venture onto the computer today..... AMAZING LOL!!

Cheers all

Magda

A TRAINING DATE WITH MY LEGS

Yes poor old legs (and all weight training in fact) have been sadly neglected for 2 weeks due to holidays amd then having a cold. The little I did while on holidays would have made virtually no difference other than to remind me that yes my legs are strong and capable of a decent load.

So this morning the new training program came out and I was back in my beloved exercise room doing what I (sort of) love visualising the end result. So here's how it went.

Exercise 1: narrow (traditional) squats with barbell - not too hard
Exercise 2: wide squats with barbell - same as above. Note to self "increase weights at the next session".
Exercise 3: lunges with DBS - OMG!!! I didnt go heavy on the weights as I havent lunged since last year BUT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. I had trouble balancing and my legs were wobbling andf shaking. Each set was really hard and my legs were screaming at me "Dont do this to us. We dont like it". Did I listen? No I pressed on albeit it almost in tears LOL

After that, nothing was as hard as the lunges and I just got on with it and did it, looking forward to the exercise bike ride (low - moderate intensity) for cardio. My legs felt really wierd when it was all over. I guess thats a good thing.

But the best thing was having my protein/oat pancake with sugar free maple syrup, LSA and a banana as my post workout recovery meal. Thats my idea of sheer heaven :-)

After that I'm keeping my cals down today so I can enjoy a treat meal tonight at our anniversary dinner (oh and a few wines). Since Tuesday I've lost 2.8kgs but before you go "OMG thats outstanding" I'll confess that about 1.5 of that was just post-Easter-bloat. On Easter Monday I did some baking with my BS and had way too many fresh choc chip biscuits, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner. It was a bit of a piggie day LOL.

Cheers all and I hope you're having a great weekend too.

Magda

AN INTERLUDE WITH MY FEAST BEAST

My Feast Beast surfaced at morning tea time today. The spread was amazing yet again, the tables groaning with junky, fatty, sugary foods (oh and some fruit). Here’s what happened:

Me: wander over to the cafeteria area with my crispbread, tuna and a peach. Glance at the spread and go to sit well away from it.

Feast Beast (FB) whispering to me: Mmmmm the streusel looks fantastic. You know you want some.

Me: Yes I do but I wont.

FB whispering: What about the cinnamon donuts? You LOVE cinnamon donuts. Go on have some.

Me: No!

FB whispering again: OK then just have some crackers with cheese and kabana. Its almost healthy you know.

Me: Bull sh*t. Shut up and leave me alone. I’ll eat my snack and nothing else. You, Feast Beast will have to starve. So just F*** OFF.

And I did just that and then stayed well clear of that area as much as I could. Now that I've survived the taunting my FB is hibernating again. But I know he’ll be back and probably roaring instead of whispering. But I’m prepared for him. I know the game he plays and the tricks he uses and I can beat him at it.

Cheers all

Magda

MY TAKE 5

In response to Stacy's invite here is my Take 5:



5 FAVE SNACK FOODS


I'll try to be reasonable here and not just put down junk foods LOL


Nuts
Rice cakes with low fat cream cheese, smoked salmon and avocado
Muffin Break bran muffins (a real indulgence)
Cracker biscuits with crunchy peanut butter
Fruit in season


5 FAVE QUOTES


Whether you believe you can or believe you cant, you're right.
Nothing tastes as good as slim feels.
Geez there are so many more but I just cant think of them right now

5 THINGS YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB

The variety people I work with both in my team in the office and on each of the different project teams.
Seeing physical evidence of what I do
Knowing that I'm improving the learning of students in state schools
Travel around the state
Flexitime (should be first on the list!!)

5 PLACES YOU'D LIKE TO LIVE

Noosa
Vancouver
New York (for a while but not forever)
Greek Islands
Anywhere hot

5 FAVE TV SHOWS THAT ARE CURRENT

This is a really hard 1 as I hardly watch any TV. But here's my picks.

Dancing With the Stars
Sunrise
Desperate Housewives (will try to get back into it this year)
Kath & Kim
Music channels on Foxtel.


Cheers

Magda

TAMING THE FEAST BEAST - REVIEW

When I was training with Liz I was still having a really hard time controlling my eating. Despite eating plenty of good food and setting out each day with the best intentions, I was finding myself falling off the wagon on many days.

Liz recommended that I read this book (available through Amazon.com) and I've only recently finished it. Here is my review for anybody who struggles with compulsive over-eating, binge eating or other eating disorders.

This is one of the best books I've read on this topic. Much of its content struck a real chord with me. In simple terms it outlines several irrational beliefs/excuses/justifications that over-eaters face when they eat inappropriately. Then it goes on to dispel those irrational thoughts and gives a rational alternative/explanation instead. It explains how to identify those thoughts when they happen and most importantly how to address them and not give in to the over-eating urge. It sends a very clear message that each individual is in control of themselves and it explains how to exert that control.

What I loved about it: It was easy to read, easy to understand and I could identify with the situations in it.

What I didnt like about it: The last couple of chapters were a drag as they went into great detail about 12 step programs (as used by AA) and why the program outlined in this book (called Rational Recovery) was superior. YAWN!! I didnt really care (But the logic was sound).

Would I recommend it: ABSOLUTELY. If you are level headed and a realist then this book will appeal. Take what you need from it and ignore what may not be relevant to you. Its helped me to understand why I do the things I do and I'll certainly apply its teachings when the need arises.

Magda

DAY 3 - 177 DAYS TO GO

Yep my Training Journal is officially counting up and counting down.

Yesterday was all good with my first bit of training since Fiji. Today I increased my duration and intensity and it felt good. This is just moderate cardio though. Saturday will be my first weight training day with legs scheduled. And boy do they need it. The lack of activity has caused my hammies and glutes to sieze up. Stretching is very painful as is moving around after sitting for extended periods (unavoidable at work).

Diet has been good and I’ve been a bit hungry due to the cooler weather and not being able to just “have a little something when I fancy it”. Its ok though as with every bout of hunger I’m imagining my fat cells being melted away. (I must hold this thought for when the going gets tougher LOL).

Nearly forgot my other BIG NEWS.

I’M GOING TO MELBOURNE FOR THE ALL FEMALES.

Not competing (there’s no way I’d be ready) but cant wait to see all the lovely ladies from Blogland who will be strutting their stuff and those who are going to watch and cheer. I’m really excited about this and I’ll be there with my camera snapping away and soaking up the atmosphere.

I’m keeping this post a bit short but will be back with more soon, including my review of “Taming the Feast Beast” (for Kristy) and my Take 5 (for Stacy).

Cheers guys

Magda

GETTING ORGANISED

The amateur picture above is my Comp Prep plan for April. On the left is my weight training program divided into a 4 day split. The columns will allow me to record my weights and reps (with sets already programmed). On the right is my overall plan which details:

• My starting stats for weight and measurements (DEPRESSING!!) and has room for my stats at the end of April.
• My weight loss goal for the month.
• Weights Program - which body parts get done on which days
• Cardio - different type/intensity/duration
• Weekly Program - how weights and cardio come together
• Diet - cals/day + macronutrient ratios; scheduled treats
• Daily Diet Checklist - foods/behaviours I'm aiming for every day
• Supplements
• Mental Prep - only 2 items but probably THE most important thing on the list.

Without a trainer to guide me and monitor me I feel the formality of this program will help to keep me focussed and accountable. I have a formal plan rather than a "see-what-I-feel-like" approach. Thats got to be a good thing.

Finally I got my BS to snap my starting pics so that I have a record of my progress. They are UGLY to say the least but they are me now and they wont be me in a month's time. I will post them when I have a comparsion pic to show which I'm proud of.

So this morning I decided that I WOULD NOT BE SICK ANY LONGER. Despite my headache still lurking and not feeling 100% I did a 1/2 hour walk just to get moving again. It felt good and I'm looking forward to doing a bit more tomorrow. (Its a worry when you start prep and on the first day you dont train coz you're still crook).

Well thats 1 day down and day 2 going good.

Cheers all

Magda

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DARLING

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. This pic was taken at Xmas. My husband gave me the funniest card this morning. It was an old couple having dinner together. She had a bowl of spagetti tipped over her head. He had a fork stuck in his head. The waiter is asking "Separate bills?" Comment in the card was "Hope our dinner is better than this".

So on Saturday I'm having a "planned treat" dinner out at a nice Italian restaurant (not your standard pizza, pasta menu) with drinks at one of our fave pubs first. Not a silly "eat as much as you can possibly stuff in" night but a chance to celebrate and enjoy a nice meal together.

Cant wait!!

Magda

DECISION MADE

I'M IN

Ok deep down this is what I wanted all along but I was really doubting myself and the fear of failure was holding me back from just plunging in. The reality is that I'm not starting from a good position. I dont have the luxury of a "muscle building phase" followed by a "diet down phase". I have to work on reducing my body fat NOW albeit slowly and steadily so that I dont have to diet to starvation and cardio til I drop as comp day draws closer.

Can I do it?? Only time and my efforts will tell. But I'm going to give it my best shot. One day at a time. One step at a time. And starting NOW!! Lia your brutally honest comment on my last post was JUST what I needed and I truly thank you for slapping me out of my head-in-the-sand mindset. You know the one where its all like "yeah I'll do it tomorrow". Well tomorrow comes and then another day and another and all that time slips by when I could have (should have) been prepping already. Well I started TODAY!!

I have my weight training program that I put together and now I just need to schedule my cardio. Clean my food up and ditch the treats and most importantly BE CONSISTENT. I'm also going to focus more on using NLP to achieve my goals and keep me focussed and moving forward. Plus I will blog my highs and lows and achievements and disappointments as this is the only place I can communicate regularly about comp stuff.

Despits the headcold lurgie still having a hold on me, I'm feeling good about my decision and the next 6 months.

Cheers all Magda

TO COMPETE OR NOT COMPETE - THAT IS THE QUESTION

Despite the massive sleep yesterday I still feel awful today. This is unusual for me as I generally have an iron constitution and rarely get sick and then its usually just mild and I bounce back quickly. Whilst I'm not seriously sick the fact that its dragging on (about a week now) is annoying and admittedly a bit depressing.

OK enough whinging coz I actually need to vent other stuff that I've been mulling over and over this month......to compete or not compete this year. I've given myself til the end of March to decide once and for all.

Here's what's been going through my head:

FACTS:

• WNBF SA show is on Sunday 21 September. Its 26 weeks from yesterday (thats 6 months).
• I need to lose at least 15kgs to match last year's comp weight. (Ideally I'd like to compete 1 kg lighter but carry more muscle especially in my hammies and glutes.)
• Our financial priorities are such that I have a limited budget for this year's comp season if I choose to compete and if I still want some form of life in the meantime.
• WH will support my decision but once again I cannot rely on him for motivation, inspiration or much else. I DO believe though that he will accept what I need to do and that is all I can ask really and I'm ok with that.
• I have a personal longer term comp goal that is pulling me forwards (albeit it in fits and starts)

POSITIVE FEELINGS:

• When I stepped off the stage at the end of both the Adelaide and Sydney Championship shows last year I was on a mega high and couldnt wait to do it all again. I truly believed that I had finally found a sport that I loved and could be good at.
• I actually like the discipline of this sport. Its tough for sure and there are times when I just DONT want to do it but achieveing the goal of stepping up on stage in the best condition of your life is rewarding beyond words.
• Very deep down I do believe that once I put my mind to it I can do it. I proved it last year against LOTS of adversity so I know I have it in me.

NEGATIVE FEELINGS:

• OMG How could I let myself put on THIS much weight in the off-season? How hard will it be to diet it all off again? Why have I made it SO hard for myself?
• What f I just cant get it all together? What if I keep having stuff ups and dont progress at the rate I need to?
• Can I make it without a trainer/coach to give me encouragement, feedback, a kick in the bum or a pat on tha back?
• What if I fail?

I guess many other competitors have gone through this same dilemma and maybe even more than once? I dont think I'm alone but I feel like I am right now.

Your comments, thoughts, suggestions, warnings or encouragement will all be welcome.

Cheers

Magda

EASTER FEASTER - HOW'S YOUR EASTER?

I'm still feeling blaaaah :-(
My headcold is making sure I enjoy I nice headache 24/7. My throat is dry (but not too sore thank goodness) and my nose is running. I'm very lethargic and once again havent trained today. Cant bear the thought of running. Rowing is out of the question so it leaves walking or riding the exercise bike ... yawn...NOT INSPIRED. One of the things I want to achieve before the break is over is to work out my new weight training program. Job for tomorrow!!

Today I craved soup. I sometimes used to have the Country Ladle Minestrone or Tomato and Vegetable with Pasta. Loved both of these athough they arent exactly clean food (high in carbs, not much protein and VERY salty). But I didnt have any in my pantry and the shops are closed today. I even thought of making my own minestrone and found a recipe but realised it would take over 2 hours to make and it was 1 o'clock already. WH said "have the mushroom whatever cup-a-soup" to which I quickly replied "thats NOT food". He just gave me a wierd look. I'm happy to say that the packet stayed in the pantry waiting for WH to eat that cr*p in the winter.

After lunch I took some painkillers (something I dont do often) and laid down to give them a chance to work. I ended up sleeping for 2 1/2 hours and woke up feeling no better :-( At least BS is well again today. After a huge sleep yesterday and last night he's all good now.

So not much else to share today as you can tell I'm feling a bit down and sorry for myself. Will go to bed hoping that I wake up feeling good once again.

Cheers all

Magda

THE FIJI EXPERIENCE

Dinner on the last night was a "No Sulu (sarong), No Dinner" night so we got into the spirit and threw on the sulus and enjoyed a great feed. BS was on his way to Kids Club while the adults had their dinner time.


Thats my SIL in the gren sulu and the big pot in the foreground has kava in it (Its made from taro and tastes foul). Irrespective, we followed Fijian tradition and skulled a cupful ... and then washed it down with a good swig of rum punch :-)

I rediscovered my love of kayaking and really put some grunt into the paddling movement. For several moments there I was imagining that I was paddling on the Aussie Olympic Team - oh except for that ugly roll of fat around my middle ... looking embarassed ... What a great upper body workout that was!!

Staff at the resort performed for us on our last night. It was great show with lots of loud singing and dancing and a magical atmosphere. The perfect end to a fantastic holiday.

In case you're wondering we stayed at Castaway Island Resort which I would highly recommend to anyone. Its family friendly but also great for couples. We loved it. Whilst the weather was good we did lots of beach / water activities and did a guided tour around the island (literally). This was amazing as we didnt know what to expect. We were told that it would take 1 hour and we had to wear shoes. BS was with us and so were my ILs (aged in their mid 60s and both quite overweight). Our guide was a lovely Fijian woman who worked in the Kids Club. Her name was Aseri and she was 37 years old and had 6 kids. Amazingly fit too!!

Well we set off after she reluctantly allowed BS to come with us saying it was a long walk and that WH would have to piggy back him. After a short stretch of sandy beach we hit some rocks that had to be climbed over. No drama. It slowed us down a bit but all good. Then more rocks and more rocks and the ILs are now way behind and I'm doing ok just slow as I assess how to best navigate through this neverending expanse of rock. (BTW, BS is doing a great job climbing over the rocks considering he doesnt have a sporty bone in his body!!).

Then we get to a spot where we have to step over a chasm and scale a rockface before we are on flat ground (rock) again. Our guide does it effortlessly but I am literally cr*pping my pants. And what about BS???? This is NOT GOOD!! Anyway Aseri says that BS must get on her shoulders so she can take him across. (BTW if she or anyone falls its into the ocean, albeit shallow but with large dangerous rocks below as well). BS is not keen but after some stern words he realises there is NO choice and allows her to lift him (all 20kgs+) onto her shoulders and take him across to the other side where she leaves him alone and comes back to get the rest of us across. WH is next and I'm terrified for him as I know he is very afraid of heights. His legs are all cut on the rockface and he's bleeding but by some miracle he makes it.

OMG its my turn now and I cant bear the thought of scaling that rockface so I choose to climb down into the water (its just below my crotch in depth), wade through the rocks and climb back out and up on the other side. Its still scary and dangerous but I feel safer knowing where my feet are and the ILs both do the same.

The 1 hour round the island walk took our group 2 1/2 hours - a new record according to Aseri LOL!! But we made it and BS did it all on his own without any piggybacking. There were many times that we had to step up high and lift ourselves up or step down very low and lower ourselves down. I was so thankful that I had good strong legs and the expedition wasnt physically challenging for me or WH. The ILs suffered though. Mentally it was tough as every step had to be carefully navigated. We saw poisonous snakes, wild goats, crabs galore and other marine life so it was certainly eventful and interesting and one of the things I'll never forget about Fiji.

There is so much more I could write about but I'll wrap it up there. I developed a headcold whilst away and I'm still feeling very blaaaah. I've eaten well today but couldnt train due to BS also getting sick, me feeling like cr*p, having to shop for groceries and other post holiday stuff that needed doing. Cest la vie. Tomorrow is another day.

Cheers all

Magda

GOING ON HOLIDAYS

Hi all,

Tomorrow we fly out to Fiji for a week. BS is SOOOOOOOO excited LOL.

I'll be back blogging at Easter.

Take care til then.

Magda

PS Dad got his op date wrong and its this coming Tuesday when we're away :-( Nothing we can do about that now just keep our fingers crossed that it all goes ok in our absence.

MY DAD

I love this picture of my dad with my BS. He is the BEST Grandpa and BS loves him to bits.

After his regular annual check up a few weeks ago, Dad was referred back to his Cardiologist as some tests were showing potential heart problems. Over 10 years ago, he had suffered a mild heart-attack and as a result of that he had an angioplasty and all was good again.

Well on the Tuesday after Easter Dad is going back into hospital for another angioplasty. He's been having tingling in his arms and he is getting quite out of breath on his daily walks with Mum. All the sign are there that this procedure is now required again. In the meantime he has some extra medication to reduce his chances of a heart-attack and he's taking things a bit easier.

I'll be at the hospital that day just making sure my Mum is OK and being there to hear first hand how he is and how it all went. Its not a major procedure but I know that there is the risk of complications so all fingers will be crossed that once again, it all goes beautifully for him and that he's out trotting the pavements with Mum soon after on their daily walks.

I love you, Dad and I'm praying that all goes well for you again

XX Magda

DECISIONS DECISIONS DECISIONS

Yep life is full of them isn’t it??

During February I agonised over my potential career change and had a very bad month eating wise with some missed training sessions thrown in just to make a bad situation even worse. There was a period there when I really doubted whether I would compete again this year. Firstly because the change in jobs would have been right around comp time and secondly because I had lost my self confidence and didn’t believe I had it in me to drag myself back up from the dark hole I had fallen into. All that dieting and training just seemed insurmountable when my mindset was so negative. It seemed there was no question really but to sit out 2008.

But this month I have dragged myself out of my dark pit and I’m feeling good about things and myself. As you know I’ve been training hard lately and that means I’ve kept my options open. Competing is back on the radar and I have given myself to the end of the month to make a decision about what I’ll do.

Will I compete this year and how will I train? Do I train myself or turn to professional help again? Local or on-line?

Or do I take this year off and use it to make some good gains and then jump back in with a vengeance next year? If I choose this option, will I still have the drive to train hard, watch what I eat but hold out for the extra 12 months?

So many things are going through my mind but this time I’m just going with the flow because I know that give it time and the answer will just come to me. I’m not stressing about it and that’s making a big difference to my well-being.

Cheers all

Magda

TAG TEAM TRAINING

This morning WH and I tagged teamed our training. Here's how it worked.

Round 1:

WH: Out jogging approx 30 mins
Me: Exercise Room: Upper body

Round 2:

WH: Exercise Room: 30 min row
Me: walk/jog for some moderate intensity cardio.

Somebody was always home with our BS but we both took advantage of the glorious morning AND we both trained for approximately an hour. BLISS!!

For some reason I feel very tired today. Lethargic and just unmotivated to tackle the housework (Em we could really use you in our household LOL). Now typically days like this would have me looking for "a little something to pick me up" but I have stayed on track 99%. Why not 100% you ask? Well I cooked BS some home made fresh chiken schitzels made from the tenderloins and I had 1 small (DEVINE!!) mouthful as I was cutting it up for him. But that was it ... I swear!

We had marlin steaks for dinner marinated in a little oil, white wine and fresh chilli, ginger and lemongrass. WH did them on the BBQ and with the spinach/roasted pumpkin/fat free sundried tomato/low fat feta and pine nut salad we had another superb clean and healthy meal. AND I still have about 200 cals for "dessert" to take me up to my 1500 cals / day. (BTW dessert will be some low fat creamed cottage cheese sprinkled with cinnamon and Splenda + a Diet Lite yogurt).
I'm being very careful to eat my required calories every day so as not to slip into the "Diet/Binge" cycle as I have MANY times before. Small steps but all moving in the right direction :-)

Well not much else to report excpet we took BS to the beach today. Its not my favourite place (I'm not a lover of sand everywhere) but he had a ball so it was worth it. Now the long weekend is almost over and tomorrow and its back to work . I can feel a bad case of Mondayitis coming on but having a short week will compensate.

Cheers all

Magda

MORE SUNDAY RAMBLINGS

After this morning's delicious (but big) breakfast I knew I was at risk of throwing all reason out the window and going on another big "how much cr*p can I stuff down today?" fest. This has been the norm lately.

BUT NOT TODAY. Admittedly we busied ourselves my being out for a good part of the afternoon but there were still opportunities to eat rubbish and I didnt want to. I wasnt even tempted. I did indulge in a Corona with my WH as it was a scorchingly hot day and we had been in and out of the heat all day. I didnt have wine with dinner though. And despite a bit of a debate around getting pizza for dinner we stuck to the planned Chicken with Chilli and Basil stir fry which was delicious. (I used lots of bok choy and red capsicum for our vege intake).

I've also prepped some meals for the week and am sitting pretty to clock up another good week.

I'm actually sitting here (mentally) shaking my head as things have absolutely turned around for me in the last week or so. I like where I am. I like where I'm heading and I'm happy with myself.
(Now to just hold onto all this goodness!!)

Cheers all

Magda

SUNDAY RAMBLINGS

Our beloved exercise room. It was here that I did most of my weight training for my comps last year. (There is a barbell and extra dumbbells that you cant see.) In this room I achieved, I worried, I rejoiced, I cried, I sweated and I swore. But this where I transformed myself from Fat Girl to Figure Girl (+ lots of outdoor running) ..... so its a pretty special place.

My cruddy exercise bike and our new whiz bang rower (that is WH's favourite exercise toy). Its all a bit of a mess but then its used nearly every day so it should look like people train there. I love this room and I love the "me time" I spend in there. But all too often, BS wanders in while I'm training, picks up the 2kg DBs and lifts with me. Aaaaaah a chip off the old block I say LOL!!

Eeeegads I look awful but I'm proud of this shot. I had just finished a 1 hour + 5 mins cardio session this morning. I've been redder but today I finished with rowing so it wasnt the most intense block of the session. I was feeling GREAT!!

I woke up early today so when it got light(ish) I headed out for some early training. I did a walk/jog warm-up then 12 repeats of 30 sec run / 30 sec walk then 12 repeats of 100m sprint / 100m walk then jog home and 12 mins ss on exercise bike and 12 mins rowing ss (Program 1) on Level 10 (moderate - hard). Cals burned = a smidge over 500. (Punching the air to the tune of Eye of the Tiger).

We went out for breakfast to The Store in Melbourne Street North Adelaide and I had portugese rye bread toasted with grilled gypsy ham, scrambled eggs + roasted tomatoes with basil pesto. It was to die for :-) It was a big serve and I ate most of it but that'll keep me going for a good many hours so not a lot of damage done (me thinks). Dinner will be a basil/chilli/chicken stir fry and lunch ... well not sure if I'll need it as such. (Will certainly wait til I'm hungry before I eat again.)

Scale weight had dropped a bit more this morning so am now a smidge over 66 and I LIKE IT!!!

Have a great day guys.

Magda

SATURDAY RAMBLINGS

I'm pleased to be able to say that I've clocked up another good day. WOOHOO!!

Lower body training this morning saw me increase my weights on ALL of the exercises - even the dreaded step-ups. Then I followed it up with a 1/2 hour walk/jog as my legs felt a bit tired and heavy. I put my HRM on from the beginning of the leg session and although that didnt get my HR up significantly I'm happy to report that I burned just shy of 400 cals all up.

My scale weight was down a little more today which is good but it could easily be water fluctuations too. Its not the number on the scale that is making me feel so good I know.

Training was followed up by my fave at home breakfast (oats/vanilla soy protein/psyllium husks/egg whites/cinnamon/Splenda cooked into a pancake and served with sugar free maple syrup, LSA and a chopped banana. I think I told my WH no less than 3 times how GREAT I felt.

Then it was domestic chores around the house and grocery shopping where I took my time reading more labels and comparing the nutrition info of some of my fave products. As I was doing this I thought of Cat's post where she wrote about the habits of lean and healthy people. Well I was one of them today!! No junk in my trolley - I tell a lie, I have a son and I do allow him treats AFTER he has eaten his healthy meals. I had a ball though. I even saw the El Paso wholewheat tortillas and immediately thought of Raechelle LOL!!

I didnt manage a photo of it today but I made something really nice (and clean) for dinner tonight. Its modified from the Womens Weekly Easy Spanish Style Cookery book.

CRUMBED SARDINES WITH ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE

7 fresh sardine fillets (these are small-medium butterflied doubles - I had 3 and WH had 4)
1 egg white
70g fresh wholemeal bread crumbs (because the fillets are small you use a fair bit to coat them all)
handful of chopped continental parsley.

I seasoned the fish in a little salt and more pepper, coated them in the egg white and then in the breadcrumbs with the parsley in it. Then I sprayed them with cooking spray and "baked" them in the oven for about 15mins.

ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE

3 medium Roma (egg) tomatoes (about 225g) roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled/crushed
1T red wine vinegar
2t brown sugar (1/2 what the recipe called for)
1 med onion (about 100g) roughly chopped
2t olive oil (1/2 what the recipe called for)

Combine all ingredients in a baking dish . Bake, uncovered in hot oven about 30 mins or until onions are soft. Blend or process until smooth.

Serve the fish fillets with the sauce on the side and a tossed salad. This was delicious and my meal ,with 1 cup of salad was:

Cals: 419
Fat: 17g (sardines are a higher fat fish but its all good Omega 3s so dont let this number worry you!!)
Protein: 32g
Carbs: 34g
Fibre: 10g

If you cant get fresh sardine fillets then tommy roughs are a good substitute.

So I hope you also had a good day and lets all make the most of tomorrow.

Cheers guys

Magda

STRIKING GOLD

For Lisa, my (almost) 6 year old son snapped this tonight so sorry about the quality but here I am at a smidge under 67kgs. Too big and flabby around the middle for my liking and these shorts hide the worst part of my legs. But its me as I am now. (And I'm smiling so its not THAT BAD)

Every now and then you just have a day when it feels like you've struck gold. Today was my day. Here's why.

Weighed this morning and was a smidge under 67kgs. I know its only a number but its nice when the number in the current week is less than the number in the previous week.

Then its time for my upper body training and I (confidently) increase the weights on my bench press and deadrows. Its hard work but I make it and I'm feeling very pleased with myself.

As I've posted before, every Friday our floor has a shared morning tea. In past times I've had the strength to resist all the junky carbs but recently this hasnt been the case. Lately I've loaded one small plate full of cakes, biscuits, bread, cheese and crackers and then often gone back for a 2nd, 3rd or (dare I say) 4th helping. Some days I've just grazed on the left-overs all day :-( I felt different today. I packed my usual morning tea (low fat creamed cottage cheese sprinkled with cinnamon and Splenda + an apple) and decided that I would have that and not risk approaching the "danger zone". So morning tea came around and I went to the cafeteria area. OMG the spread was AMAZING. So many cakes, hot X buns, donuts, Tim Tams, cheese and crackers and 2 big bowls of mixed fruit + nuts. (These are all foods I absolutely LOVE!!!). For a moment I looked at it and thought "OMG that looks fantastic" but then I realised I actually DIDNT WANT ANY OF IT. And it wasnt even a case of "Geez I'd love some but I wont/cant". I actually DIDNT WANT IT!!!!!! I ate my snack and felt fine. No anxiety. No feelings of deprivation. No need to call on some superhuman strength to resist it. I just didnt want it. (Somebody please tell me how to capture this and bottle it).

Today I really threw myself into an aspect of my job thats been much neglected over recnt times. I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed it and how much more motivated it made me about my work. Its ignited a spark which will see me push myself harder to achieve more and this I know will result in improved self-esteem and will take my mind off food when I'm at work. I'm going to prove (just to myself mainly) that you dont always need to change jobs to find happiness. Sometimes a change in approach and ATTITUDE can have a very positive result.

So all good with the food today. No cardio today but will be huffing and puffing again tomorrow. I have some nice dinners planned for our Adelaide Cup long weekend and we are having breakfast out on Sunday morning as WH's golf game was cancelled due to the forecast scorching heat.

I'm sure I'll blog more over the weekend. Have a great one guys.

Cheers

Magda

THE RETIRED INSTRUCTOR COMES OUT OF RETIREMENT - FOR ONE NIGHT

Hi all,

just a quick post about my venture back to the gym, back on stage, all miced up (verb of microphone) and ready to rock the 5.30 Basic Step class LOL

I walked on the wild side and dared to bare my legs in shorts. Not totally happy but they were (fake) tanned and I wore my best shorts in terms of the fabric having good hold and being flattering. I arrived early and was ambushed by one of the owners wanting to do a big catch up on the comp stuff + where I'm at today. I had to cut him off so I culd go and set up.

YIKES!! New sound equipment and the other Instructor gave me a 10 xecond lesson on how to use it. It wasnt enough and I had major problems cueing to the tracks I wanted to use. OK but put that aside and the class went well. I slipped into my warm-up like a comfortable pair of old slippers. I was cruising. The step chorey went well and I worked them HARD with lots of crossing the step across the width. I had forgotten how hard it is to keep talking (loudly) while you are also training. We have mics but its still tough on the voice.

Then I was let down BIG TIME. My gym no longer has a Les Mills licence and Body Pump is no longer offered. They have replaced it with a step/aerobics/weights hybrid class the name of which I've forgotten. It was awful. Weight increases on a barbell in very short time, single count moves for small muscle groups with heavy weights and just so much chopping and changing that I almost fell over my barbell and certainly dropped the weight plates. It felt like I spent more time stuffing around with the barbell and plates than I did training. NOT FOR ME!!! I'll stick to training as I know it now.

So will I teach again? Maybe to help them out but I wont be racing back for more just yet. Some of my old regulars were there and it was nice to be welcomed back but I told the boss (again) that I'm not interested in any permanent classes.

So on that note I'll take myself off to bed and look forwardto my (effective) upper body training session tomorrow morning.

G'night all

Magda

A LITTLE MORE ON NLP

“Have you ever started an exercise program, all guns blazing, and then sabotaged yourself? Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is all about effectively training, or reprogramming the brain so that we can overcome existing limits and fears to create new behavioural choices that will help us in what’s important to us.” Women’s Health and Fitness Vol. 13 No. 11.

This is what grabbed my interest and I’m working with it but from a nutrition perspective. I’ll keep you posted as to how I feel its working, or not. I feel good again today.

Yesterday my copy of “Taming the Feast Beast” arrived and this also looks like a good resource to help me gain control over my eating and stop battling constant weight loss and gain. (A big thanks to Liz for recommending it in another one of my desperate moments).

OK onto lighter stuff as there is more to life than my eating struggles.

We are enjoying another bout of hot weather here in gloriously sunny Adelaide. Some would argue about my use of the word “enjoying” but for me its nothing but!! I’m loving this heat and lapping it up as I know it wont be long before Autumn sets in and then another long, cold winter is right on our doorstep once again.

Earlier this week I was mapping out my training for the week and had decided that I wouldn’t train early this morning as I was teaching a Step class tonight and then I was going to stay and participate in Pump. So why get up early when both cardio and weights would be covered in the evening? But I love training early morning when the weather is warm and its not windy. So up I got and did some run/walk intervals and then some sprint/walk intervals. I felt so good when it was done and yep add tonight’s session and it will make for a BIG training day.

I’ve recently gone off my morning oats a bit. Adding the (much needed) psyllium husks makes the texture a bit unpleasant (think gelatinous) and although I put up with it for a while I’ve decided I’m NOT EATING something I just don’t like. So I’ve been enjoying a protein shake with the psyllium husks added to that and then having natural muesli with diet yogurt. The carbs and protein are fairly well balanced and I’m off-season so I figure its quite an acceptable meal. I do look forward to my Saturday morning treat of the oat/protein pancake with sugar free maple syrup, banana and LSA. A bit high in calories but I always have it after training around mid morning and miss my morning snack so it works out well.

I’m surprisingly calm about teaching again tonight as its been about 9 months since I last strutted my stuff in front of a class. And I haven’t even been going to classes. I’m hoping that the old “its like riding a bike” philosophy just kicks in and all will be well. It’s a “Basic Step” class – freestyle and simple chorey but I always make them work hard – in my book simple doesn’t equal easy. Last night I was trying on different pairs of shorts to see which were more flattering but I also threw a pair of long pants into my gym bag just in case I chicken out. I even spray tanned my legs this morning. Do you sense some vanity or self consciousness coming through there????

Wish me luck folks. I look forward to reporting back.

Cheers

Magda

THE POWER OF NLP

I’m working hard to improve myself this month. Already I’ve hit some rocky patches with the lunch out on Sunday followed by a conference day where again I ate stuff I’m trying to avoid (or at least just have occasionally). Yesterday I could feel myself falling back into my dark hole where I’m consumed by negativity and all I want to do is eat, eat and eat some more.

I knew I had to take action quickly before March ended up as bad as or worse than February. I know my problem is in my mind and in my beliefs and the unhelpful self dialogue I have with myself when troubled times hit. But how do I fix it? And how do I fix it permanently? Actually I believe it cant be “fixed” but it can be “managed”. So how do I better manage this issue/problem/situation that (sometimes) dominates my life?

I remember reading about Neuro Linguistic Programming in recent issues of Women’s Health and Fitness. From the brief information I’d read it sounded like it could help me so I checked out some info on the web only to find that courses were very expensive (and for once they were available in Adelaide). So I went to an old issue of WH &F and re-read an article on it and just did the exercises described in the article.

Things are looking up today. I’m not touting this as a miracle cure but I’ve had many instances lately where I’ve tried all sorts of different things to pull myself out of the negative doldrums without success so this has been a nice breath of fresh air. I know that I’ll look further into this but would welcome any comments from others who’ve had experience with NLP or other similar therapies.

Cheers

Magda

PERCEPTIONS PART 2

After reading the comments added to my last post I thought I’d add my replies via this Part 2 post. I tried to snap some pics of me before my training this morning but the flash reflected off the mirror and they didn’t work out. I’ll try to get some soon.

I truly believe that the average man (who is not into body building) prefers a woman who eats and who is curvy and happy and relaxed around food. I don’t believe that the average man places any importance on body fat levels being under a magical number or worries about whether our bums look big in whatever (unless of course they are huge). I reckon the average man would look at a size 12-14 woman and if she was well groomed, dressed nicely and had a good sense of self he’d think she looked good. These are my thoughts based on what I observe about my husband and other average men in my life.

Its us women that set ourselves the sometimes unreasonable high standards and battle our insecurities around whether we are thin enough, toned enough, muscly enough. Most men, up to a point, couldn’t really care less.

My WH found the comp prep very hard to deal with last year. Aside from the weird dieting, the full-on training and the time commitment required, he HATED the way I looked. He finds nothing sexy about muscles on women. Nope not interested. I lost my butt and was as flat as through that area. Sexy?? No way. Boobs: My D cups turned into sagging skin. Sexy?? Anything but!! And he is a big breast man (literally!!). At 57kgs he hated the way I looked saying I was a bag of bones (and to some extent I was) and I started to consciously hide my body from him as much as I could. Did this make for a healthy relationship??

He likes me slim with some tone but in his perception that’s at 63 – 65kgs. Get down near 60 and its just not THAT attractive to him.

Like Pip I have also ridden the weight rollercoaster even before competing last year. I’m 171cms (5 foot 7 inches) and before competing last year my weight had ranged from 59 kgs (for about 1 or 2 days) up to 76 kgs (after a 3 month holiday). However I tried to keep my weight around 67 kgs and certainly under 70kgs (not because that was a weight I was happy with but because I never had the focus or determination to keep the weight off all the times I lost it to get under that weight.) This is a battle I’m still fighting hence the miserable time I’ve had lately.

Undoubtedly some people get very uncomfortable when previously large people start to lose weight and I have experienced this many times. I’m not sure if its jealousy, envy, or just making them feel like they are slack or maybe a bit of a sloth but reactions are often negative. I have friends who are slimmer than me and they didn’t feel comfortable when I became slimmer than them. On the flip side, I also have a friend who was always a bit heavier than me who went through a marriage break up and lost a lot of weight. When I eventually saw her (after moving back to Adelaide) looking so slim I felt really awful about how I looked and I didn’t like the fact she looked better than me. I’m sure there is a weight pecking order amongst friends and she had changed it to my detriment. NOT HAPPY!! (I might add that I was far more upset about her marriage break up – I’m not THAT shallow – but the weight issue still registered negatively on my radar).

So I sit here today at 67 – 68 kgs. Its not a weight that I feel good at so I’m working on fixing that. I may be off-season but I'm creeping back to the "fat girl" I want to leave behind. But I have listened to my boss and I’ve accepted the compliment and I’ve come away telling myself that the number on the scales will NOT determine my worth as a person. Whilst I don’t feel like one hot chickie babe right now, I know that a few kilos away I will and until then I’ll just fake it.

Cheers

Magda

PERCEPTIONS

Today we had lunch at a friend's country property with a group from work. It was a lovely day out with good food (they did a lamb roast and we were all waiting for Tom to Cruise in LOL), a few wines and great conversation.

Our Director (read that "big boss") was there just casually socialising with us all. I'll call him JC (coz they're his initials and for no other reason). JC is a very focussed and determined high achiever. In December last year he climbed Mira Peak (in Tibet) with a group led by Duncan Chessell who is a world famous mountaineer. It wasnt his first mountain climb and we were told today it wont be his last even though he is 56 years old. I have always admired and respected JC. I've always gotten along well with him and found him easy to talk to and very interesting to talk to.

So at lunch today JC leans over the table and says to me "Magda do you mind if I ask you a personal question?".
I'm a bit nervous but I reply "No go ahead" (very slight hesitation there).
"How much weight have you gained since your comps last year?"
Now at this point I'm sure I turned red (it felt like it) and I just wanted to crawl under the table and die of shame. But I did a very quick calc in my head and told him the amount quickly adding that yes it was a bit too much and I wasnt happy about it rarara.
What do you think he said?





Blow me over his reply was "Magda you look fantastic (again). Doesnt she look fantastic guys (to the others there)? Its great to have the old Magda back".

And all this with not a hint of ridicule or sarcasm or put down. He was 100% genuine.

I sit here shaking my head as you all know that I'm NOT HAPPY with the weight I've gained back and yet twice in a week I've been told how good I look.

GO FIGURE???!!!

Cheers

Magda

A DAY IN THE LIFE .....

7.10Woken up by BS. Send him to watch TV. Its too early to get up. I neeeeeed more sleep pleeeease.

7.30 BS: "Mummy I'm a bit hungry now". Grrr have to get up and feed the munchkin.

7.35 Hop on scales. 68.1 (I wish the last 2 numbers were the other way around LOL). Cest la vie. I'm feeling good today and this WILL NOT ruin my day. Go back to bed.

8.05 Training time :-) Upper body + cardio on the rower and exercise bike. A good session.

9.40 Oat/protein pancake with sugar free maple syrup, LSA + banana for breakfast. YUMMO!! By now I'm feeling great. I could slay dragons and I'm ready to tackle the day.

10.10 Shower and get ready. Hmmm size 11 jeans dont ft anymore (sadly they are not stretch fabric) so I resort to black trackie pants. At least they are good quality, clean and look as good on as trackie pants can. I put on a nice lipstick to compensate for the trackie pants. Its all good.

10.35 Throw a load of washing in.

10.40 Grocery shopping. Most people hate grocery shopping but I really enjoy it. I read labels, compare prices, sneak in a few treats for my BS and consider all this to be "fun".

11.35 I believe in supporting my local businesses so I stop in for a skim cappuccino and enjoy it WITHOUT a cake or biscuit. GO ME!!

12.30 Arrive home with food - yay we can all eat now. I make BS his lunch and put groceries away.

1.30 Lunch time. Wholegrain pasta with lots of veges + a tin of sardines in tomato sauce. YUMMO AGAIN :-)

2.15 Housework hustle time. Again I'm wishing we lived in a modest townhouse instead of this sprawling house with way too much space for 3 people. I clean and wipe and sweep and mop and I barely scratch the surface of all there is to do. Oh well in my busy schedule somethings gotta give and its the housework.

3.30 Time to drag BS off the computer and hit the kitchen. We make chocolate crackles. BS eats the mixture before it has set and I dont touch it. ANOTHER WIN.

4.50 Yummo its time for my afternoon snack. I have a DietLite yogurt (passionfruit) with added WPI + a peach. Happy again.

5.00 Start preparing dinner. WH has chosen a Lamb Biryani recipe from the CSIRO 2 book. Its a bit of work as I've bought a leg of lamb that needs cutting off the bone, trimming of fat and then dicing. The rest is easy peasy.

7.00 We have the Lamb Biryani for dinner with steamed asparagus. I resist having wine (will have some tomorrow as we are out for lunch). Dinner is delish. We sit outside and chat about our next big venture. Do we do it or dont we? Its a great debate.

8.30 Bath and bed time for BS. Sort and fold washing. Clean up kitchen.

9.45 Kick WH off computer and catch up with blogs and blogging.

So today was a bit of a busy blur. Where did it go? But in amongst all that I had time to reflect on what I've been through in the last few weeks. Where I went wrong and why I seem to do it over and over again. I loved the food I had today and my training felt great. So how/why do things always go off the rails for me?

I have accepted a fill in class at my old gym on Thursday evening. Its just a Basic Step class but its one I used to teach before I moved interstate. I wish I was a bit leaner and therefore in a bit better shape after not having seen the members there for some time (July last year). But this is who I am right now and I'll just have to do an outstanding job of teaching so I'm judged on that and not on how podgy I am around the middle or on the legs.

Cheers all

Magda