Why hello there little blog!

Well it has been a long time since we posted on here. But soooo much has even going on. As you can see by the last post on here by ' Sa ' she is back in Canadian territory. I'm still down under, doing my thing. Since my last post lots has happened. I have changed from working part time to working full time as a store manager, as well as being a full time mum and wife. It has been a bit of an adjustment, but we are getting on pretty ok. My fitness dropped off a bit in the adjustment to working full time, but I still have managed to achieve many of my fitness goals.

* August 2012 - I ran my first ever 10k race. It wasn't fast but I did it. 1:08:55 was my time. And I was pretty stoked to have completed it so strongly. Having never actually run that distance before.

* January 2013 - I rocked up for my 3rd Australia Day fun run and knocked almost 8 minutes off my time from last year! I was pretty damn happy about that. It was odd though running it without Melissa though.

March 2013 - I competed in the Magnetic island "dirty weekend", Adventurethon.
( http://www.adventurethon.com.au ) I competed in the " Taste of adventurethon" which involved a 1 k kayak ( I had to learn how to kayak! ) a 10k bike ride and a 2.4 k " run". I had an amazing time, a few hic ups but I finished in exactly the time I was hoping for. 1:44:35. (I wanted less then 1:45:00) I had some bike related technical issues. Lol but I will be back next year to better my time!

I'm hoping to compete in another upcoming adventerthon event in July. The national challenge.
Really need to get my bum into gear for that one! And repeat my 10k event in August.

My diet has changed somewhat too. I have take to primal eating and have really noticed a difference in myself from this. Grains and processed foods haven't place in my diet anymore. I have definitely noticed the difference. I'm planing to blog more often. I want to share and journal my primal fitness journey...

So little blog...I'm back.:) no excuses.

When you gotta run....

You gotta run, Baby!! I ran Solo tonight, with Sa unfortunately out with a bad case of allergies. So since I was solo I thought it would be a good chance to push myself to see just how I would go. I am Very VERY happy with it, even if I did feel like my head was gonna explode!!!  I think my brains iht have fried just a little bit. :P

A great time for me, not my fastest, but still not bad! My usual route - 38min 46 seconds.

Sweaty Sweaty mess!

Im pretty happy with that!! And I seemed to have figured out my hip issue too. I think I am not striding right when I run. I think I kind of pull short on the left leg. I made a point of extending my stride and it felt better. So I might work on that.

I know that this is not the kind of running that I can do all the time. Im just not fit enough yet. But I will be. Mark my words.

1 Month Goals:

·       Eat well - cut down on processed foods

·       Lose 8 kg

·       Exercise at least 4 times a week

·       Drink at least 2 litres of water

·       5k in  40 mins        - DONE!!!

Day 6

So last night everyone else went to Jeff's parents for a bbq. Melanie told me to go ahead and run if I wanted as they were probably going to be a little late. Well, I decided I wasn't going to run, but I'd do Jillian's 30 day shred. Well after eating and everything I put it on just before 8 and only got halfway through before everyone came home. So, naturally I stopped, but Melanie was keen to go for a jog then so off we went.

We did fairly well, we had 10 intervals of running totalling probably 15 minutes worth at least. I pushed as much as I could push last night. We made it in 45 minutes 44 seconds (I bought a stopwatch). I also got pedometers and Melanie's was about 2000 more than mine! Apparently though I was wearing it in the wrong place, so next time we'll see. It should be a it closer.

Anyways, I was beet red after and my face was soooo hot!

This was taken more than 20 minutes after I got home, sitting in front of a fan even.

I had a crappy time falling asleep last night though. I'm not sure if it was all the exercise just before or not, but I was exhausted and couldn't fall asleep until after midnight.

Anyway, eating is going well. Only one or two more days with no carbs, then likely we'll do LESS carbs.

I feel like I'm doing well on the 12 week challenge as well (it's only week one, but I'm keeping up on the challenges).

I ended up doing 15 pushups (at a time) on Tuesday at the class, I tried to do more last night but my arms were still sore and I could only do 12. So sticking with the 15 lol.

Anyway, that's all for now. Looking forward to our big gym session tomorrow.

Day 4

Hello all,

We got our butts up early again and ran, kinda, at 5am this morning. Both of us were a bit stiff and sore from the class on Tuesday still, but we went. I always seem to have a problem when walking/running. :( I always have to go to the bathroom about halfway though. Sometimes that's a good 15 min walk from a bathroom which is not easy. It's super frustrating and I can't figure out how to stop it. It affects the quality of our run and the time. And down right pisses me off. *sigh* Anyway.

At work today (kindy/daycare) it was one of the kids birthdays, so of course, cake. But not just any cake, THREE chocolate cakes with chocolate frosting. Being on quick start I couldn't even have the tiniest taste and it smelled SOOOOOOOOO good! Had to make it, make the frosting, frost it, cut it and serve it. Then dump all the little bits in the bin (this was painful) and watch all the munchkins eating their delicious cake. Jealous much? Naaah..... man it looked good. I didn't have any. Not even a little frosting. So proud of myself but it was SO hard!!! I had to eat a sugar free lolly just to keep myself from eating it!

So, no picture today. We may be reconsidering this early morning stuff, and postponing it until evenings. It's a pain in the butt getting up that early, then I'm tired for the rest of the day. blah.

Well, that's all for today. Eating plan still going excellently! Lets hope the scales are good to us on Sunday/Monday.

New Year, New Me

Happy New Year all.

So it's January 1st and I'm all geared up for a new start tomorrow. Going on quick start (no carbs) for a week. It can be challenging, but if I put in the physical effort as well, it can pay off. I will weigh in tomorrow morning and I think we're taking photos again. We've signed up for a 12 week Challenge with Ben and his crew, so hopefully it will keep us motivated and inspired as well.

Apparently the plan is to jog 3 mornings a week, class at the gym on Tuesdays, our 2 hr Sunday session and miscellaneous other activities throughout the week.

So here's to it. I ended the year a year ago (2010) at a healthy weight, and I'm going to start this year getting back there.

The Gym = Meltdown prevention

So today I felt like I needed to go to the gym, after happily finishing a 2000 word essay about children's literature and then realising I couldn't use one of the books which was a little more than half the essay. So, in place of a severe meltdown, I went to the gym.  I ran 3 mins walked 2 for a bit then ran 2 mins walked 2.  My right knee has given me trouble before when I've tried to run and it seems like it's only when I run for 3 minutes continually, and it started acting up today. Feels alright now, but will start to use my brace again if I intend on running.  Did a few weights, then jumped on the bike for 20 mins and did nearly 8km.
I did a bit of people watching today.  Not really intentionally, I just noticed some things.   One girl was running a bit like Phoebe on Friends.  HUGE long strides and I thought for sure she was going to fall off the end! Another woman, thin as a rail, was leisurely peddling on a bike, got up, did something else, and came back to the bike next to me. She would have been on the think for maybe 2-3 minutes and was peddling at 50 rpms.  Really? REALLY?  I was peddling twice as fast as she was.  Then she left. Must have been there all of 15 minutes and was gone.  I don't understand why she bothered?

So, between the bike and run I did 10kms today. YAY.  Tomorrow we're going to have a good intense session which I feel I really need. I've been feeling slack this week, but it's not for lack of wanting.  We just haven't really had the chance to get to the gym.  I've still been eating well, and on Thursday when I weighed in I'd lost just another kg (or 2.2 lbs). But it's still 2.5kg (5.5lbs) since I started two weeks ago.  I'm yet to feel much in my clothes, but my body itself feels tighter.  I noticed most in my sides, just feeling held in better.

But yeah, I think that's all for now.  Just have to go rework that essay and fix it up.  Good think I noticed with still a week left before it's due.

Super Sunday!

Well Ok, maybe not super Sunday, but it has been a pretty decent Sunday so far. Well for the most part.
As I said yesterday, we went off early this morning to go do the Riverway circuit. It was lovely and cool, a slight hint of smoke in the air due to some local bushfires but a great day to be outside and working out. We started out early enough that the air was nice and the sun was only just starting to warm up. We had every intention of using the Podcast of C25k (week 2) to pace ourselves. I managed to finish off the podcast as planned but as Sa said she struggled a little today. But by the end of the podcast she had caught up with me. So while she may not have been able to pace to the podcast I think she did ok!  So as promised I took some pictures using my phone...in the process I misplaced my drivers license.:(  We went back to where I had taken my phone out hoping that I might find it with no luck. :(  But anyway... Some pictures!!

We did the Orange Circuit. where you see the blue lines is the section we did three times! GAH!

Sa Pretending she was Dying. Lol

A proper sweaty Mess!

Some of our view! Lots to see!

DUCKS!!! Lots and LOTS of ducks!

Looked very inviting! Maybe one day we can do some laps here?

That last Picture was taken just before I realised My License wasn't in the "fanny pack" ( Bumbag we call it here) and we back tracked to try to find it. So that added on a bit to our workout. But we still kicked it in a decent time I think.

Then I got home and went with The Family to a family Birthday party (FIL turned 60 today!). I even ate well there..turned down not one..but TWO Delicious looking cakes! I ate an apple I brought from home instead!

So there you have it folks! A Sunday workout in pictures!

Australia Day Fun run!

So we were up at the Crack of Dawn this very Fine Australia day to participate in our very first Running event, The Walters IGA Australia Day Fun run. We had no intentions of placing. It was about doing it and getting it done!

It was a nice day..clear blue skies... humid and hot. There was a great turn out. I was amazed at some of the costumes!!! We seen Bush rangers, boxing kangaroos , Australian decked out Girls, dogs with Aussie flag coloured tails and little ones with painted faces! We were not so creative. Lol.

We had planned to use our pod cast to help pace us. But neither of us actually did. Jeni and I got a bit ahead of Sa, I had to remind myself to pace myself and Not try to pace with Jeni. She has longer legs and is a better runner. But I managed to keep pace with her for the most part.( sorry for holding you back Jeni!!) Sa struggles in the heat and humidity, but caught us up on the home stretch! So we all managed to finish together! We did really well considering the fact that Sa and I are NOT runners! We finished in less then 42 mins. Jeni was first around 41:46 min, Then myself at 41.48 min and Sa at around 41:50 min.

We even managed to get some photos!!!

 Jeni , Me ( Mel) & Melissa

 

Finish time!

Finish place?

Sa's finish Card

Jeni, Me and Sa at the end!

 

A nice Stranger took this one for us!

So that's our First even done! Im so pleased with how well we did! The next one Im aiming for ( Sa swears she is NOT doing it again! lol) Is the Mothers day Run in May.  Hoping to be much fitter and in a better running space by then!

Til next time!

"Fun" Run

First... I finished, and I wasn't last!!! Actually I did pretty good time at 41:50 for 4.5km. Probably about what I'd have done on the treadmill, BUT I had a hell of a time breathing. I was good until I started getting winded jogging and then I just couldn't catch my breath. It was about 30 degrees in the shade and let me tell you, it wasn't all shady. At one point, I told Melanie and Jeni to go off ahead. I kept them in view for most of the time but lost them at the bridge.

The running wasn't the issue for me, it was the heat/humidity. I didn't follow my podcast, I wouldn't have been able to make 3 mins at a time in that heat. I pushed as long as I could when I did run. At one point I looked across the river to see the leaders running past. BASTARDS I thought to myself.

I just kept pushing on. As much as I felt like stopping I just kept going. Passing person after person. I was hot and breathing heavy. I caught Melanie and Jeni in my sights again and was determined to catch up to them. Just before we entered the stadium again I DID! I was proud that I caught up to them even if I had to lag behind before, I made up for it!

I was exhausted at the end. It took all I had to run the last 150 meters or so, but I did it. Sweat dripping everywhere, blah.

Here was our route (I just wanted to add a picture :P)





At this point, I'm not keen on the Mothers Day run. The biggest thing is the weather. It will be cooling down by then so we'll see. *sigh* Likely I'll end up doing it 'cause I'm a sucker and will probably forget how badly off I was during this run.

Food and running and such

First of all let me say I'm a lot LESS picky than I used to be, and the only thing I don't eat that the rest do on a weekly/biweekly basis is steak. :P
I eat a lot better than I used to. Honestly I don't find it that hard to eat properly once you start. It's when you give in and eat something you know you shouldn't. The problem isn't eating it that one time, it's that it makes you want it again and again. So personally, I find it easier to avoid those yummy fatty greasy food that are so tempting. For the most part. Some people will tell you to give in to a craving. Honestly I'll only do that if it's REALLY bad and depends on what it is.

Anyways.... my run today... was day one of week 3. two intervals of 90 seconds and two with 3mins of running. I was ok until partway through the last interval. I felt like I was about to die. Seriously. I did have some light chest pains (Don't worry, if they were bad, I'd stop and get checked out) and having some issues breathing, but I made it. If I wasn't so exhausted I'd feel like it was an accomplishment. I DO feel that way but my god, I'm worried about week 4 now if I feel this way in week 3.

Wednesday I've been told we're doing a 'fun run'. it's 4.5km around a park and a river by us. It's early enough in the morning so hopefully it wont be too hot. It will be one of our running days, so we'll do the podcast for the first 26 mins and then probably see how we feel for the rest.

mmmm I can smell the roasting pumpkin (sweet squash) and red capsicum (red pepper) in the oven for lunch. YUM!

Swimming

Today we took the kids swimming. Decided to run tomorrow as we would be moving a lot in the water with them.
We all had a ball.



They were kicking and blowing bubbles lol. Was good fun.

A lot of tossing children and swinging them around, hauling them around on my back or swimming with them attached to me. Also, childfree, I did a few laps. I'm not a pro swimmer, but I can do a lap or two.

A pic of your bloggers (Sa on the left, Mel on right)





I have my day 3 of week 2 tomorrow. I've been pushing myself for those 90 seconds. I'm a bit worried about next week. I'm not sure what the intervals are. Maybe 2 mins running. It seems scary.
So yes, Wednesday I lost a little. About 600g I think or 700g. I'm still up from the first weigh which pisses me. I guess we'll see Monday. I might suggest moving weigh in until Tuesday where we haven't just eaten our usual roast chook or pork and veggie dinner. It's usually our largest meal of the week.

Anyways, that's it for now. Thank you. Come again.

C25K Week 2!

In the bag! It was a little bit of a struggle. My Right leg felt like it was gonna give way..But I soldiered on and finished it up with a better pace and distance then week one! WOOHOOO! As promised..My Photo...

I did 3.312 in just over 30 minutes. With a pace of 9.22 min/km. Im a little unsure about next one..Lol. I have not read what to expect of the intervals on week 3. But hey, I am up for the challenge!!!

So We weighed in again on Wednesday...I was down another 700g so I was happy..Sa was down too..Still up some but had a decent loss.   So that what matters. So next weigh is Monday! Bring it on!

We got our Miracle Noodles on Tuesday too. Just in time for spaghetti night! They were awesome!!! Was so good to be able to have spaghetti and not feel like I was blowing all those carbs! Check out the Links we love for the site!

Till next time...:)

Done week one

Ok, so I'm a day behind Melanie. Only because I didn't have the podcast when she started. Anyways, I'm done week one! YAY. I did 3.15km in the 30 mins today. Sadly it was a bit slack. We were both REALLY tired. Up late and up early..ish. Anyways, Monday I start week two. Which is 90 sec of running, 2 min walking. Melanie did hers today and she said she preferred it to last week. We'll see how I go. Was a bit dehydrated today and one of my calf's started to act like it was going to cramp. I stopped just long enough to rub it a bit (maybe 8-10 seconds) then back on.

Also did some weights. I would have liked to do a bit more, but we'd told Jeff we'd only be an hour and Melanie looked like she was very done. Did some hip abductors, seated rows, chest presses, deltoid raises, bicep curls and tricep lifts. The latter three about half as many as I would have liked. Then we went and did a bit of abs. Still not much as we had to get going. Tomorrow, we'll likely do a circuit they have set up there.

That's all for now.
On to week two Monday.

C25K week One!

Is in the Bag!! Finished up week one just a little while ago! WOOHOO! 1 week down...8 to go. It was a bit more of a challenge today. We roller skater yesterday for like 2 hours.My legs were stiff but I managed a good effort. Almost as good as day 2. With a little push/sprint in the last interval.

I will take a pic on day 3 every week as a record. Hopefully a good way to keep track of my progress!

Im actually looking forward to hitting week 2!!! YAY! I might be a runner yet!

C25K Yay!

So I did it! YAY!! The stifled tied up runner in me is slowly breaking out. Ran 8 intervals of 60 seconds with 90 in between. It's a start! And I feel good. I tried running a bit on my own last year, but meh. I'm committed to doing my best. I may never be able to run the full 5 km's but I will go as far as I can.
Next time I will have to bring my knee brace as about 2/3 of the way through my right knee started bothering me. Also, I started to get a bit of a stitch in my side just at the last interval. I didn't stop though.

Did a bit of upper body work as I felt my legs had had enough. Some chest presses, bicep curls, tricep stuff and some deltoid raises and a little bit of ab stuff.
Also, there was the vibrating machine thingy Melanie was talking about before. It felt weird!! I got on and said it just felt like my ass was jiggling all over the place. Althooough.... there was one position that vibrated something else and I threatened to stay there. lol Yay for cheap thrills at the gym. hehehehe.

Anyways.... we're meant to rest a day between runs, so I guess I'll be doing day two on Wednesday.

Today was a good food day too. Had a ham and cheese and salad wrap and a peach for lunch, a protein bar before the gym and have tried to drink water, but I know I haven't drank enough. I never do. Having satay and brown rice and veggies tonight. Yum smart, but normal food again!

Anyways, that's all for now.

Welcome back Carbs

I had a conundrum. Breakfast. What to have first. Will it be the coffee I've done without for a week b/c I can't stand creme in it? (blah) Or the multi-grain toast with peanut butter? The strawberry yogurt? Or the yummy fresh peach. Hmmmm. Well of course it was the coffee! Followed by toast. mmm toast. So, as Melanie said, we've both lost about 3 kg or so. I'm down 1/2 kg from when I got here. I know I gained some from indulging in my goodies, but back in a decent place now. My goal while I was away was to get below a certain number and I just made it before I left, now I'm 2 kg under that mark.

I've got the podcasts on my mp3 now. After much hassling with them, so I suppose I'm going to start on that today. Yesterday we were going to go for a walk, but had an awesome storm come through and we didn't go. (Did however pick up some more cute gym clothes at Kmart for like $5-$10 each).

So I'm feeling much better about this quick start than last time. Felt like it was a waste of time last time. I'm happy to be off it. I didn't want crap while I was doing it, I just wanted NORMAL food sometimes.

Yesterday Melanie pulls out her shorts and says "Look! I've lost some!" lol she had! They were loser around her waist for sure! :)

Anyways, I'm sure I'll update you on how the running goes later on.

Also, I wanted to welcome our new follower! We were so excited to have a random follower!! HELLO!!

Blah

I feel less productive today. I haven't got the podcast thingy yet, so I kind of have been doing my own thing. Also today my stomach was a bit upset, so it wasn't the workout I expected to have. I did jog a little, but the treadmill for me today sucked. Stupid stomach.

Anyway, yeah we did the body balance class. Was alright, but the instructor moved way too fast. I'd just get settled into a position and start to enjoy the stretch when we'd have to move. At one point I just kind of sat there on my haunches 'cause she just kept going too fast. I needed the stretch. After the weights yesterday, parts of me were pretty stiff and sore.

I'm going to try the c25k thingy. Like I said before, I'm not a runner, but I'll give it a shot. As long as my knees allow it. And apparently I've been told I'm doing a run on Mothers day. I thought that was a day to relax? geesh.

anyways, I'm just disappointed with my workout today. I still did about 20 mins, but it was definitely lacking.

Sa.