What are you thinking?

The body is a reflection of the subconscious mind where emotions determine your physical body. An analogy is simply thinking about food which activates your digestive system causing you to salivate. The average person thinks 60-72000 thoughts a day, mostly negative, repetitive, past or future related. So what are the consequences on our health if this fact is correct?

I had a conversation yesterday, admit it was not face to face, but nevertheless a long overdue one, but to cut a long story short, I actually feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders! I missed talking to you! I am reading a book that my very good friend has put me onto 'There are only two times in life - Now & Too Late.' So the thoughts we process often reflect in life without knowing what is happening.

I have read one thing that I have already started on this journey of mine back in September 2007, Fake it till you make it! If I'm feeling crappy, I force myself to smile (may not come across genuine, but it is a smile). If I feel like quitting some work I'm doing because it's too hard, I force myself to keep going (it may be so boring or repetitious but its still got to be done). If I feel like stopping my cardio or weight session, I force myself to keep doing one lift after the next or dropping one foot in front of the next). If I feel like quitting eating clean, I force myself to make sure I try and eat clean.

Enuf physco babble stuff and onto life in general. I managed a great spinning class, - no injury issues(I think I already said that yesterday morning) and balance was just great last night - slept all night through! Didn't put any pressure on the knee. I have taken this morning off again as I felt my knee just needed a break inbetween cardio session, I am going to climb steps tomorro morning (walk them). I bought takaway last night for tea as it was late and my fridge has basically been cleaned out (making my son a salad everyday - didn't plan for that food wise), so I bought Red Rooster but my choice was fantastic. I bought a chook and garden salads. Too easy. Took skin off (much to husbands despair!) and so we had chicken and salad.

Well heres to a great day, an happy first of the month tomorrow, an energetic weekend.
Ciao!
X:D)

Bye Bye Baby, Don't Cry!

Bye Bye Baby, that is what I said to my car on Tuesday night! I will miss the cute little thing, but onwards!
Well I didn't manage cardio on Monday, knee was still a little tender. I did leg weights (no walking lunges, only static) on tuesday and followed it with boxing and spinning. In spinning was unable to do resistance high. Could only load the knee half way, but all good. I have been wearing a support bandage when doing cardio, so the pressure is eased slightly. I gave my knee a rest on Wednesday and managed a spinning class this morning. All good. Have balance tonight and will do some xtrainer tomorrow. I might do the steps on Saturday, but just walk up them as many times as my knee will hold out. Might even do some more cardio to catch up for the days I had off, as I have no real social life it can be done!

Emotions are abit weird at the moment, too raw to talk about it. Mind is doing and thinking stupid things. Feeling alienated! Won't go there at the moment. I am reading a book at the moment and come across this chapter called 'Perception is Projection'. Its opening lines striked me very hard and made open my eyes about a few people! You project what you perceive! Well I beleive that has happened to me. I was once told by a friend that some other friends think I am too hard work and basically in a nutshell said that it is not worth the effort to be put in. I was originally cut by that, thinking WOW, don't you have off days, but now after reading these few chapters, I beleive they projected what they perceived and it is their issue. I need to stop tearing myself up about it! I am NOW, not my past! Self judgement and judgement from others is such a sad way of living! So what if there is emotion that others don't understand, surely one could see that it is not understood by the person who is feeling that emotion. This book by Terry Hawkins also says 'that sometimes life feels as though we are locked up in chains. For everyone there comes a time when they need to find the key and unlock the things that inhibit them'

TTOM has decided to stay away, so it is now week 2-3 over due visiting date!!! That would explain the extreme hot flushes and night sweats. Going to buy some more Remifemin again this weekend and have another course on that.

Food clean and kept to plan.

Well talk soon
Ciao!
X:D)

The saying 'it gets worse before it gets better' baffles me!

Well that is how it is. Yesterday I did the right thing and not do anything apart from clean a little, get some groceries and a few odd sods. I could barely walk by the time I got home and had to lay with my knee up high with ice packs on and off every 30 mins. Really painful but determined not to take pain killers. Got up this morning, and leg was a bit dicey, pain had moved to side of knee and mid thigh, almost pinpointing the bicep femoris muscle in my quad???? by mid morning, my knee did not hurt but was very very tight. Feels like good news to me. Wahoo! I have been lying on floor with knee up on chair with an ice pack on it this afternoon for good measure. Fingers crossed it is okay tomorrow for a little light cardio on the bike maybe, no heavy resistance, just some light spinning to start with.

Yes I hear you Sabine, rest should have been in order in the first instance, but groove thing happening, you know all that, and common sense often goes out the window. Bit like exercising with a cold!!! I will get there Desley, hey wots happening with you of late. How did you go???

Hello Miss M! Nice to see you look in! I feel more accountable if I blog and now it has become a bit of a pasttime for me. I am blogged hooked. I love reading other people's and other blogs on other peoples. There is a lot out there blogging especially from the physique competitor world.

Inspiration picture I just love. Whether you like muscle or not, you just got to love Jo's style on stage. She is amazing and so inspirational. I admire her acheivements greatly................and I love the music she poses to. It is complimentary to Jo's posing style.



Ciao!
X:D)

Uh oh - small injury leading to bigger injury!

I stole this picture from Craig Harpers blog..................this is how I feel. I am hobbled! I took yesterday off all training, in hoping that my knee would come good, then did spinning this morning! Whoops shouldn't have done that. I am suffering big time at the moment. I have been icing my knee on and off all day. Soooooo I guess I wont be doing anything from now until the end of the weekend. I have already planned to give upper body a big break next week with no weights, looks like I may be doing that with my knee as well.

Fingers crossed that it heals itself over the weekend. I actually feel like I am behind bars! Almost lazy because I can not do anything at the moment. So strange, I have been doing some sort of cardio or weights everyday now for over six months and just when I got my groove thing happening, it has to be put on hold. Bummer!

On food note, all clean and straight to plan. Hooked on my baked fish balls and chicken balls with celery at the moment. Still can't get enuf fish during the week, with almost every dinner containing some sort of fish. Tonite I had Mahi Mahi, a nice firm fish that almost taste like chicken when you bake it. Yummy. I made some fish balls on the weekend, blended scallop meat and perch together with a couple of red onions, baked until golden brown and presto, moist fish balls that has a bit of different taste due to the scallop meat.

Well I best go some dishes and get my food ready for tomorrow. Go put my knee up and read a little while. Have a nice day tomorrow.

Ciao!

X:D)

Uhoh! Small Injury!

I think I have an injured ITB at the knee. I have a sharp acute pain every now and then and tightness all day long. I think sprinting the first part of the steps may have done it. I am hindered doing lunges and when I am boxing.

I may have to have this weekend off from the steps to make sure my very small injury does not become a big injury.

Well full on tuesday has come and gone again. Did a very good and heavy chest and triceps. I think will feel this lot tomorrow and thursday. I am leaving leg weights until Friday to see if recovery is good. Currently icing. Boxing was good but not my normal workout, as again I did not have a great partner, but I had a beginner and it was good teaching someone how to box and hold pads. Spinning was hard, I left totally drained.

Yep Sabine, David did do one set of steps, but I am going to try and make him walk to get his paper on sunday. Got to make sure we do this slowly, so he doesn't think he is exercising!!! Got to be sneaky about it.

Eating clean and fresh - a big tick! Have a headache but, TTOM was due to visit last thursday but has not arrived. Have had the hot flushes so bad, I wake up on the hour at night so hot and so wet........................man I wish it was just over with!!!!!

Well best be going

Ciao!

X:D)

Must make smaller goals!

Failure! Oh no! But success in same token.
I went and did my steps yesterday again - had set myself a goal of 10 times. But did not manage 10 times, my legs were shaking by end of 7 times and I could barely lift them up - I think i would have to had crawled up on my hands and knees. Felt disappointed but elated at same time. I did it seven times, much faster but the disappointment was I didn't do it 10 times!. Must learn to make smaller goals, then not so disappointed.
Luv Sue's article in 'Body and Soul' - Mind over matter! and her 15 tips of maintaining mental toughness.
The most successful outcome of yesterday was that my hubby wanted to come along to have a look at what I do and I managed to get him to climb the steps once! & to get out of bed and come with me 6.00am in the morning! Once only but if you knew this male ozi ocka who does not do cardio! This was a great achievement. So I am thinking if I can get him to some form of cardio once a week to start with, we may see a different person. Wahoo!
Saturday did my usual powerwalk around the hills of Ormeau with Chris and Bella and Bear (2 beautiful Staffy's who I love to death- Bear is so funny, Chris was saying every saturday he watches Chris get dressed and when he sees her put shorts on, he just goes ape!), then did some groceries and chores from 10.00am until 4.00pm - long day out and about. My legs were just dying by end of day - almost tempted to give sunday away. But woke up Sunday with determination and motivation.
Clean food for the week was great and prepared and grated salad stuff ready for this week, along with getting protein sorted.
Did Back and shoulders this morning, a little tight but my biceps are shot! Forarms didn't fail this morning, a plus!
Better get and do some work!
Ciao!
X:D)

There's a very good reason why women live longer than men!

Grrrr!

Husbands, sometimes they just.....................grrr! And they talk about women and their mood swings!

Well spinning class was a killer yesterday again, a really good hard session on legs, but didn't make it to gym in time to another 30min cardio last night before balance, thank god! New balance - great but man the strength track a killer. It is a leg workout world unto its own. I was in pain after that track and to try and do the balance track directly afterwards..............! I am unbelievably sore today. Had chest and tris to do this morning and usually I pack in as many different exercises as I can in 1 hour, but today I only managed 2 different exercise with a supaset on chest and 3 on tris. Jumped in and did 25min of cardio as well, cardio was easier on the muscles!!!! Can you believe I actually said that?

Well thats it for today exercise way, Saturday I have my 1&1/2 hour powerwalk with friend around the hills of Ormeau and on sunday (which I am actually looking forward to) I am going to try and do the 'steps' 10 times!!!!!!!! Ow before I even get there.

Eating has been incrediably clean, still loving my Syntha-6 protein shake - banana flavour as a treat every afternoon. Usually I get sick of protein shakes by now but this one is just so tasty made on water.

On another note, I am getting excited about going to the INBA titles in May as there will be so many people I am going to meet. So good to put a body to a conversation.

Thanks for the compliment Sabine, I can only hope that it continues the way its going. I will follow that t-shirt slogan of Lorna Jane, 'Never never never never give up'! I have to thank everyone for their comments and encouragements. It really does give you a boost.

Well I have better get some work done, have a great weekend, will catch up soon.

Ciao!

X:D)

If you're not motivated - just do it anyway!

Thats me this morning, not motivated but went and did it anyway and half way through got so motivated I added an extra 10 mins to the workout. I did intensity training on incline tready/sprint bike. Oww! My legs have been copping an absolute hiding the last couple of weeks. Eating still pretty clean, but missed morning tea today...............not intentionally. Had 5gms of chocolate as well in afternoon with small cup of coffee.

Been suffering the sweats of late as well, just break out in a hot fluster and small sweat session just doing nothing. I have notice some changes in myself, so I will keep going with the way I am going, all coming to fruition (I hope).

Tomorro spinning in morning, hopefully 30 min cardio in afternoon, finished with body balance, a nice hot and sweaty stretching session. We had a very full class last week and as tomorro is launch for new coro, it will be a full class again. Will have to try and make sure I am there early!

I like my inspirational picture tonight - good to inspire to.

must go and get all the clothes and food ready for tomorro. Have a great day yourselves tomorro.

Ciao!

X:D)

Don't have an emotional attachment to a particular workout, machine or way of doing things.

Hey bloggers, feeling a bit off today and yesterday, not sick just???????????????Lonely.

Did back and shoulders yesterday morning, did a few new numbers on my shoulders that were interesting and different along with the usual, also reversed my usual back routine and managed to get more out heavier as my fore arms weren't shot. Did legs and calves this afternoon, then boxing for an hour (I had to box with a guy as usual boxing partner not there and Traci wanted to box with Lee - very different to have a partner who does not hold like the usual gang - very hard too), felt a bit out of sorts???????????? Don't know so don't ask! Then a good hard 45min spinning cycle. My calves have been suffering from Sunday morning, so I really felt them today. And doh! I forgot my crop tops, so I had to do running and boxing in my bra, which by the way is not a sports bra and being so well endowed, it is just horrible to think that you are bouncing all over the place. YUCK! Wish I was flat!

Well heres to hoping to feeling a little different tomorro! Here's a saying that I am using as my chantra at the moment - GET USED TO A LITTLE DISCOMFORT. I have my new bike/tready intensity session in the morning, nothing like really hitting it hard before I sit on my ass for most of the day at work.

Ciao!

X:D)

Five Times!

Hey bloggers
Was a weekend of hills! Saturday went for the long power walk with friend Chris around the hills of Ormeau. No shin splint pain! Wahoo! learnt when the pain hits, it is the downward run in the beginning, so concentrated on form going down before we start the walk. a little tight when we hit the bottom, but is loosened up a 3rd way into the walk and then all good after that.
Today I did the steps 5 times. Here is another section of the steps. I met some truly inspirational people this morning as I slept in and didn't there first thing. These elderly couple do the stairs every sunday morning 5 times. She just walks down with him then turns around and waits at the top for him and they start all over again. The inspirational part is the gentleman wears a 20kg backpack and he goes all the way to the street and then starts up again. He does it a little slower, but so he should with 20kg on his back. I would put them both in their late 60's. Truly Awesome!
Another clean weekend with food and that makes a good weekend of cardio as well. I actually feel like I could go to sleep now. Just had my banana protein shake, I always look forward to this as a little treat, as previously stated in several blogs before. I still have a couple of loads of washing to do, but house has been cleaned, food prepared for next week. I still have to do my workbook for the first aid course I did at work during the week. This is great as my CPR was due and so was Senior First Aid. I realised this week that I have done Senior First Aid for 21 years.
Davids back is playing up a little today so I decided to mow the yard today. I have done 3/4's of it and that took me 3 & 1/2 hours. Thankgod we have only cleared 3 acres of the 6! I got a bit of colour and I think also a touch of the sun. Feeling a bit funny. My obliques are sore and I haven't done abs this week. Trying to work out where I really used my core...........I am thinking when I was doing biceps. Well must go, clothes to fold and bed to make.
Hope you all had a good weekend.
Ciao!
X:D)

Get used to a little discomfort!

Ever done a weight session and walked away feeling like your muscles were twice as big as they were before you started. That is how I feel everytime I do biceps! I dedicated a whole half hour to biceps this morning as that is all I had left to do. I managed 20kg on cable single curl with D-strap handle. Wohoo! Really locked in my core and concentrated on the bicep itself. Fatiqued after each set of 8 but gave myself 2mins rest each bicep, ie left one then right one and then 1 min break, so in reality each arm had a 2 min break. The last couple of reps were a real struggle, but got them up, I think in the last set, the last couple of reps were poor form. But thats what you get when you have no one to spot you. I am thinking that I am going to have some serious DOMS in bis tomorro. I was going to do 1/2 hour cardio, but got to talking to some friends and then before you know it, 15mins had gone by...................good day for a cardio break as I will be doing cardio both Saturday and Sunday. Powerwalk and Steps!

Husaband went to doctor again today after waking to excruiating pain (never listens to me) and had an xray. Has a dengenerative condition of his spine, spurs form on the vertebrae. One vertebrae (S1) has developed a large spur and is rubbing on another bone. Disk between vertebrae has deteriated and reduced the protective distance between the bones. As a result of bending down badly and picking something up, he has caused a major friction between two bones, hence the swelling to the disk, hence the unbearable pain. Now has very strong painkillers and also awakened to the fact he has to lose weight. Yahoo! This is a hidden blessing in disguise. I have him even agreeing to go for a walk sunday morning (we will take it slow at first).
Had wild barra again tonite, just can't seem to get enuf of fish these days. Lunch with boss was good except turned out bad. I chose a dish of steamed lemon pepper calamari on salad, but when boss placed order he said calamari, and like typical pub nosh, they brought out crumbed calamari with chips and salad. Yuck! Too late to order something else, & I didn't bring anything to work, I ate the calamari (8 small rings = 207 cal approx) and the tossed salad. Left chips for them to scraped off the plate. The calamari attacked me all afternoon, until I had my protein shake in afternoon, then it all settled down. So I guess I had my cheat meal for the week. Shit, not what I was hoping for. I was hanging for my beautiful egg white omelette on Sunday morning. Guess I will have to re-arrange my omelette to be more in line with everyday plan. Oh well, no worries, was not that bad.
Well I am yawning so much, I have tears in my eyes, I guess I best be going to bed.
Ciao!
X:D)

Knowledge is not power, it is potential power.

Wouldn't it be nice to make a body as easy as this?? Certainly puts a new perspective on Halle Berry.

Well just done balance and now feeling very relaxed. Need to go and get my clothes ready for tomorrow. Boss is taking us girls out for lunch tomorrow, hope there will be a serve of fish and salad. I have been really enjoying fish at night at the moment. Just had some yummy barramundi with thai spices on a bed of lettuce sprinkled with seasoned rice vinegar.

Hve done 5 cardios, 2 weights and one leg circiut so far this week, have biceps still to do, powerwalk on Saturday and steps on Sunday.

Eating has been very clean. Have not strayed from game plan. DOMS all over but not hindering. Legs are really feeling it at the moment, seeing everyday have done something extremely challenging on legs for the last 6 days. Well better go and prepare tomorrows stuff and go read a few more chapters of 'Fattitude'.

Talk to you all again soon.

Ciao!

X:D)

It s not what happens that matters, it is how you react to what happens that matters.

Hey bloggers

i have DOMs in my legs and I haven't done weights yet??? All thoses steps, leg circuit on Monday, boxing and spinning Tuesday and Wednesday morning bike/tready intensity training, has left me with very sore quads and calves. & i have spinning tomorro morning. I was going for a powerwalk this afternoon but it rained very hard, not so invigorating, just plain crazy to walk in that weather. instead I brought home some work and am doing that. Had enuf, so I am about to sign off and go ready Craig Harper's book 'Fattitude'. Good reading, then I have another book to read thanks to Sabine, Now and Too Late. An inspirational book by Terry Hawkins.

Bring on balance tomorro night. So tired, so sore...........but funnily enuf I am enjoying being so sore especially my legs without having to do weights. I am going to do my steps again on sunday at least 4 times, will try for 5. I am also impressed with my strength building up, making some very interesting pb's in lifting.

My food and exercise has been 150% still, amazingly I have not strayed. Even my cheat meals are not cheat meals as such. This is good. Along with that, I am not really trying to be so strict with myself, just ensuring I eat cleanly.

Well best be going, will talk another day.

Ciao!

X:D)

True Balance! Unlock the secrets to your best body: Hard work, discipline, commitment, scarifice and sweat!

This picture is truly inspirational! This Korean girl is 10years old in this picture, has no legs and is doing pushups. Mind over matter!

Nothing really exciting to talk about, did a 45min leg circiut yesterday morning before my training session with trainer, thought i would have a 15min break, but he decides to come early so straight into a heavy back and shoulder session. I was truly fatiqued on my back. I managed to get more reps out on the shoulders at the incredible weight of 25kg each side on the smith..............obviously you do get stronger. I still can not beleive I am lifting that sort of weight.

I tried to sleep in this morning but husband has torn some ligaments in his back and he has been tossing and turning, moaning and groaning and was up at 3.30am this morning. I couldn't sleep anymore, so I got up and cooked him breakfast so he will take some pain killers. We do't believe in taking pain killers without food in stomach, too many stories of stripped stomach linings.

Have my usual marathon tuesday again, weights, boxing and spinning. actually looking forward to it even with some DOMS in my legs.

Well talk to you later

Ciao!

X:D)

'I AM NO A QUITTER!' WAHOO!

I am not a quitter. So Chuffed! Explanation: I found the elusive stairs. I was told to go to the reservoir on Springwood Road, enter the conservation park and follow the path. 20mins of walking on the path at a brisk pace up and down hills, I found the stairs. Looking down, whoa, there looked a lot of stairs, so down I go. Walked around the little centre at the bottom, found the directions how to get there directly then steeled myself to go up! Up I went and my heart was pratically jumping out of my ribs when I got to the top, so I thought okay, today once, next week twice, so I tottled off along the hilly path back to the car. Got to the car, decided to find the way into the stairs directly for next week, when I got there I thought, Doris, you had a 10min break in an airconditioned car, go again. Left side of brain saying, no you have done it once, slowly does it, right side saying go for it, you can do it. Soooooo, away I went, this time it was uphill first then down hill. Welllll, my legs were so heavy going up, it was amazing, I felt like I was lifting my leg and a 10kg weight strapped to it. finally got up the top, caught my breath, stopped my heart from jumping out of my rib cage, then stepped back down. Actually going down was a little rough as I had to be careful of my Tibilias Anterior, not to put too much pressure on them. Got back to the car, and the sweat, I was dripping! And I didn't bring a towel. It took almost till I got home before I wasn't hot and sweaty and that took 20mins. I am so chuffed I did it twice. There are 135 steps one way and steep as you can see on one of the pictures I took. There are four photos I took with my phone, as the stairs went around corners and rocks. There is no flat section to catch your breath until you get to the top.

Eating is still clean, but had bacon and eggs this morning as a bit of a treat. Poached eggs (the best way to have eggs) and grilled bacon, nice and lean stuff. So overall very happy with current journey.

Thank you Hiliary, Desley, Carolyn, Sue and Sabine for your well wishes. It was a week of birthdays, first Carolyn, then Hiliary and myself. Us Aquarians, we will rule!

I purchased myself a new 'Iriver' as it would have cost almost the same amount of money to buy a battery for the current one. I will keep the old one as a backup and eventually buy a battery for it. the new 'Irivers' use the same batteries as the Nokia phones, awesome, no longer having to wait for a special battery like the old one I have. My new Iriver, only cost $100 for 2gig of memory, over 600 songs or 3 movies. Also has a radio and internet connection. The screen is bigger and not as bulky as the old one I have. I also got an exended 3 year warranty for $29. Awesome. An extra $50 for different headphones that don't fallout, as those round things don't stay in my ears. Two plastic cases and a arm band thrown in when they heard I was buying it as a birthday present for myself. A good deal I think overall. I was severley spoilt on my birthday from both friends and family. Very special.

Well better go now as I am going for a quick powerwalk in the rain, so it will be invigorating!

I hope you all had a good weekend and your week is going to be awesome. I know mine can only be as great as the last week.

Catchalata!

Ciao!

X:D)