So I took another before picture.... and posted it live.

Putting a sneaky few kilos on since Christmas isn't a big deal for most people.  I am not most people. I am the most stubborn person I know who gets super annoyed when things don't go my way (Aries much?), and that includes being relaxed on my healthy lifestyle.  Yes I am harsh on myself, that is something I deal with on a daily basis. But am slowly learning to just accept things and not stress.  I have always been a fitness fanatic and major stress head.


I like a challenge. 


So, my before photo looks pretty good. I am not fat. I am just a little softer than I would like to be. I still love training, I am still strong and have increased my weights in the gym, I have also relaxed a little with my nutrition (instead of 90/10 rule, more like the 70/30 rule) and finding my jeans a little snug. tight.


I like to think I am invincible some days. If I get too relaxed with my eating I get wider. OK when I say eating, I mean wine. I do love a glass or five & sometimes that is nice with cheese (I am human, right?). There is that voice in my head that tells me, you know what you need to do to keep the weight off and you know you CAN do it... but I just say yeah yeah and drown her out with another vino.  


LIFE FOR ME HAS CHANGED.


So lighten up I hear you say. Trust me I am telling myself the same thing. Easy to say it, but I have a new excuse, one that I haven't had for years... I have found love. It has been many (like seriously many) years since I have told a boy I love them.  I am enjoying the quiet nights in with company, or as I refer to him "the boy". As much as I love "smashing it out in the gym",  I enjoy not being the "fitness freak" all the time and it is nice just to relax and just let life be awesome, to be loved, and love someone back.  


The boy and I have planned a trip in winter, to Thailand. So of course the first thing that pops into my head is BIKINI.  Such a girl, I know.  Of course I am excited about the FIRST big overseas holiday with my boy and staying in gorgeous 5-star resorts and just having a ball, but in the back of this normal girl's mind is BEACH = BIKINI. Of course the boy love me just the way I am (flashback to Mr Darcy comments from Bridget Jones) but I also guarantee you one thing, he won't be complaining :) 


So another challenge has been set.  This is Week 1. Not that I am a big scale person but to keep me accountable and on track I have weighed myself and need to lose approx 8kgs.  The 5kgs I have put back on since October last year and another 3kgs for good measure.  Have dexascan booked so would love the bodyfat to be reduced and more muscle to put on.


So far the scales show I have lost 1.8kg this week. F A B U L O U S!
Have been feeling very frustrated due to my knees playing up (I know, again). So lots of physio appts, gym rehab and massages to ensure the little feckers are strong (and the muscles adjoining are strengthened and switching on properly to stabilise and support each other) I will be ramping up my training.


SO, life doesn't always take you on the smooth path, speed bumps & hurdles  will always appear (and good ones).  So now it is a time to re-connect with myself, to just be still and say thanks, for letting my life be awesome. To have awesome people in my life. TO be loved by family and friends and most importantly, myself.  


BEFORE PICTURE - taken Tuesday 24 April 2012.

 My last picture I took - much leaner.

My biggest hurdle, is me.

I have always strived to be the best at everything I do. In the past I used to set goals TOO HIGH for myself and wonder why "I failed".  Putting uncesseary hurdles in the way. I have since learnt that setting smaller realistic goals are the stepping stones to the BIG goals and if along the way the path changes, so be it, I would of still achieved goals set.

Last year I decided I wanted to compete, stand on stage and enter a BB competition.  I have changed my mind.  I might decide later on down the track that I want to do it and will address it then if it does indeed pop back into my head.  The biggest challenge for me was being comfortable with my decision that I didn't want to compete anymore, I hadn't failed myself or anyone else, I had simply changed my path and I tell you what, it felt good, I felt in control & don't have to prove myself to anyone.

I still have my goals, I still challenge myself daily body mentally and physically and I love that I can change the stepping stones along the way, because you know what, it is my path and I cannot wait to see where it takes me!  

How I do #Paleo

Paleo - it is the new thing, that is confusing so many people.  Like anyone else I am intrigued when I hear of something "new" in the health and fitness space, I will always read up and do my own research about the new fad, diet, whatever it might be.  I like to just take different bit of information I find and use what I feel works for me.  The basic idea is to eat like our ancestors did before supermarkets and fast food chains appeared everywhere! Living off the land, eating food that was available depending on the seasons.

Human beings are strange creatures, we need something to follow, something to preach about to others, something to try, how about saying, I choose to eat healthy fresh food, food that  hasn't been through a process to strip the minerals and vitamins that our bodies require?   I also say use your head - COMMON SENSE. 

Could you imagine if as a society we ate NO processed foods? No milk, no wheat, no bread, no cakes, no lollies, no soft drink, no alcohol, nothing that came in a packet/package...  so many companies would go broke, we would all be healthier and maybe even reduce some health issues as a nation! 

The way I do "paleo" is by eating predominately "clean" foods.  My daily intake of food consists of vegetables, eggs, fruit, nuts, meat, wholefoods - I have taken out dairy, wheat and most processed foods.  I find for ME that my body LOVES it, and functions so much better!  I am human, I do love chocolate, especially dark chocolate... I do love the odd soy latte and I do love red wine, all in moderation of course.  I am not going to go to extremes and not allow myself the odd yummy treat now and then.... where is the fun in that? I report to myself and myself only. 

So if you are having issues with the paleo way of thinking, adapt it to suit your needs... better still don't say you are doing paleo, just use the information as a guide like I do, call it healthy eating.  Live life, enjoy your food, just make sure it is more fresh than processed, be aware of where your meat and eggs are coming from, do some research on market fruit/vegetables compared to Coles/Woolworths.  

Oh I had cream in my long black coffee the other day, was delicious.... oops.

Do I walk the talk most of the time?

Or is it all in my head?... I am fine tuning it to get myself to doing it 100% - that darn fear factor keeps creeping back in, that self doubt, can I achieve the goals I set for myself?  Of course I can!  Then why am I still not pushing myself that extra mile?

Excuses - I hate them. I get mad when I hear others use them! But I seem to have let a few sneak back in the last couple of weeks. Is it because I am still in a relaxed frame of mind after the holidays, or is it because I really do fear what will happen when I achieve my goals. How people will treat me...  How strange is that. Fear of success.  I suppose if it was easy then everyone would be kicking arse! 

I know exactly what is letting me down with getting results and it is nutrition.  I am good, excellent 80-90% of the time, it is that pesky 10% that is kicking my butt, and not in a productive way.  I have started letting that good excuses back into my head "but you train so hard you deserve this chocolate cake".... yes one piece of cake isn't going to hurt, but we had cake two days in a row last week and I went out for lunch three times.... I think that is more than 10%.  Slap my head #smh.... change or remain the same Dons.

The exercise side of things is perfect, I LOVE training, I get tingles of excitement during the day leading up to training, I visualise the smashing workout, I know exactly how to tweak my workouts to get that little more pump.. I just have to control what I am NOT in 100% control of, my food.

Not letting external influences get in the way, or be an excuse is my key focus, I sometimes am such a people pleaser, leaving myself out of the equation and then feel blergh cause I have eaten thai, pizza or too much rice at Japanese for lunch the peeps. Time to flick the switch ON FULLY again.   I have found since slipping a little on the #paleo diet my cravings have returned (chocolate NOW,  must have or I will DIE) which is a great learning curve, reminds me of how great I felt when I started #paleo last year.  I still don't miss milk or cheese, but have enjoyed greek yoghurt back into the eating plan now and then.  I don't miss bread or pasta at all and am still enjoying my LONG BLACK coffeeeeeee - how I love thee (I think the boy thinks I love coffee more than him, the jury is still out with that one.. all i know is that I have been in love with coffee for over 20 years and a relationship that has lasted that long should be cherished!).

Looking back at my before and after photos from last year is helping me re-focus ALOT!  My body shape has changed even more now with my training, so I know I CAN achieve the next steps to totally transform my body shape even MORE. 

I received a compliment at the gym the other day - was training chest and decided that I can increase my incline chest press to 12.5kgs dumbbells.  Was pressing away thinking how in control & strong I felt (and how Melody would be so proud, and I really need to get up to doing 17kgs dbs). I got up and had just finished doing my push-ups I like to smashout in between sets when one of the older regular guys came up and introduced himself.  He said he has been watching me train for months and thinks I am looking great, he said "you have really transformed the way you train and stepped it up a notch, looking good" - It was such a great compliment because I have always admired how he trains, he works with his partner and they totally have transformed their bodies, so I was pretty chuffed and had a stupid grin on my face for the next couple of hours.    It left me thinking, if I really step it up to 130%, how awesome would the changes be..... 

So 110% used to be my motto & what the guys at the gym call me (thanks to the LJ tank top I have)  I might need to get one printed with 130%. 

I could be a little too self critical and harsh on myself, but it is the only way to push myself to achieve BIGGER and BETTER results....    

Time to put pictures and videos up on my blog, to push me and motivate me even more to smash my goals.    My planning is done... time to execute and SMASHITUP @fitbydons style.

Are You Scared Of What Might Happen If You Reach Your Dreams?

Read a great post yesterday on Kat Eden's website and it had me nodding away, yes I kept thinking..... It isn't the fear of NOT being able to achieve my goals, it is the fear of what happens when I do achieve them? How will people treat me, will they like me less because I have changed in their eyes? Will I treat myself differently or those around me? I know that I already have the energy, passion and drive, but is there a little fear of success in there somewhere? I like to think I have the mental strength to get me anywhere... but I did also put on 10kgs in the last couple years thinking that I had things "under control"!

Are You Scared Of What Might Happen If You Reach Your Dreams?

Fear of change but positive change. I know I am not scared anymore, I just put one foot in front of the other and see where things end up, I am much better at dealing with situations and keeping a postitive frame of mind, surrounding myself with those who inspire and motivate me in SO many different ways (not all fitness related) helps me push forward.  I am so excited to see how my body looks in three months time, I just hope my mind lets me get there!

DOMS - Don's Ongoing Muscle Strength....

DOMS baby is back! Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - aka the Dons muscle strength.....  I haven't had a big leg weights session since before Christmas as my left quad has been so tight (thanks to my SI joint (pelvis/hip being out) so gradually getting the alignment back & working on muscle balance! Trying to be patient... trying... breathing in and out.

Sunday after I smashed myself in BODYJAM! Gosh I miss that class I trained chest/triceps & yesterday legs (bru).  Feeling very strong and in control. Concentrating on technique and form, to ensure I hit the target muscles and have reduced my weights (in legs), just a little so I can obviously still feel the burn but with less load.

Chest was great, smashed it up with my good mate Justin at Randwick FF. Dumbbell chest press, push ups, incline chest press, db flyes, cable press & flyes with some triceps dips, tricep overheads and extra pushups to smash me.  I love Randwick FF gym - they have dbells that increase in 1kg increments. Genius. I increased my chest flyes from 10kgs to 13kgs. Lots of leaning in doorways today.

Legs yesterday felt great, knee slightly pulling today, so lots of stretching and isolation work to ensure muscles fire in the right order (yes ass, talking to you)!  Started off with squats, nice and light at 50kgs - felt good, range was perfect and lots of stability in lower back and core, knee didn't pull.  Happy girl.  Mixed up squats with some plank holds and then did some front squats with the bar, 30kgs, again ensuring good form and stability in core/lower back, mixed it up with some lunges holding 20kg plate, alternating legs, that got the butt switched on even more - BOOM!  Finished off with some light deadlifts with 40kg bar and to smash me some tuck jumps - 2 x 12. They felt gooood. The stairs on the way down were slow, and the walk home wobbly - love LOVE LOVE that feeling!  

Lane rage for session II

Planning is key I keep telling myself and others. Well I didn't plan well for my second swim in the #smashitup2012 challenge.  I went to the pool on a Monday night at 6pm.  MADNESS! What on earth was I thinking.  I work at the centre, I know Monday's have swim squad, school lane, walking lane AND aqua aerobics at 6:30pm.

The fast lane had at least 12 people in it at one stage, I rarely get lane rage, but I was getting super shitty about not being able to finish 50m without stopping for some slow coach who was doing breast-stroke or backstroke or in one case an older man doing the double back stroke across the lane (funny  now, not at the time)  So the first 20 laps took me 35mins!! I kept eyeing off the lifeguards and they eventually opened another lane and mumbled something about "safety", yeah safety for you from me I thought.... (deep breath in and out Dons).   So jumped lanes as soon as the squad was out and swam another 20 laps and then got out, was over it, my arms felt tired,  was hungry and had lots my mojo, so 2kms it was.  I will plan my other swimming sessions on days when I know traffic will be minimal, like Mondays at 6AM not PM!

So next time I will keep it cool in the pool!  And will swim 4km.