I ate the wagon...

So you know the expression, "I fell off the wagon".... well I fell off the wagon but not only that I think I ate the wagon too.
Now when I say I fell off the wagon, dont get carried away, i didnt go binging on burgers, pizza and chocolate, I just ate too much and drank alcohol.
This last weekend was a real test, saturday was my neices 1st birthday party bbq at a playground, my best friend was down from melbourne and it was also Clipsal weekend and for those that dont know, my future sister inlaws father races in the ute division at clipsal, so Clipsal is always a big exciting weekend.
So what did I do.... I ate ..... and ate .... and ate.... oh and drank.
Now granted I enjoyed myself immensely but the horrible feeling I had on Monday of guilt wasnt worth it.
Now the food I ate wasnt junk food, but I did eat steak and "bbq salads" eg pasta salad, potato salad etc or as I like to say carbs carbs carbs....mmmm carbs... hahaha!
Whilst I have been doing well on this journey, I havent yet got it down pat. As you would all know, temptation is a killer and following a plan at home is easy, its when you go out in to the world that makes it hard and that little voice in your head telling you to have a small portion or to leave that pasta salad alone, is drowned out by the sound of race cars and drunken bogans....
So I have learnt by my mistakes and know how to improve on this for next time.

Now...
With all that eating I still managed to lose half a kilo this week, which I am happy with as honestly I thought I would gain this week not lose, but it also brings me to think, what would that number be if I had behaved myself on the weekend?? dammit.
This week started off fantasticly! I worked my ass off in Body attack on monday and I am now doing the 2nd option for tricep pushups which is exciting! My eating has been spot on, including changing my food plan to make the roast lamb I cooked for the whole family on wednesday my "treat meal", when in the past I wouldnt recognise that and I would still have a treat meal too.
Tuesday night was kickboxing, wednesday was 1 on 1 training with Dion where we did some really interesting training and I got to man handle him, got to grab him by the neck, push him round and finish him off with a knee (if only I knew those moves when we were kids, he would have been in big trouble.... yeah our little "kumate" sessions from the movie Bloodsport would have ended a whole lot differently) Then yesterday I woke up with a sore throat and "tender" glands. But after missing group training last week, I couldnt miss it again, and so off I went and lucky I did as we did a boxing session (my favourite obviously!) but as the day went on I felt worse and worse.
So when Paul rang and asked what I needed from the chemist I told him "anything that would make me feel better". Now this to me meant some echinacea tablets, but part of me was wishing he would interpret this as a big block of chocolate (hahaha what can I say, im female!) but alas he returned home with echinacea tablets.
Woke up this morning with really swollen glands, tonsils and a head that may just explode.... not cool. So it looks like a day on the couch in my pj's is in order, which means my eating needs to be spot on, so I get better quickly and can get my ass back into the gym....what am I going to do without my "Smashing Saturday Session"!!!?

To finish, a few people have been asking me what a typical days food would involve for me so here goes.
I am sticking to around 1200 calories a day + upto 500 extra calories as I am breastfeeding.
Breakfast lunch and dinner should be around 300 calories each which leaves 2 snacks at around 150 calories each- this makes up 1200 calories.
Breakfast I like to mix it up. Either cereal with soy milk and a banana. Yogurt with kiwi fruit and natural muesli, or burgen fruit toast with low fat ricotta.
Lunch normally some sort of salad or wrap. My favourite salad at the moment is roast vegetables, with chick peas and a dill yogurt dressing (with lots of garlic).
Dinner- Ive found the key is to find dressing or sauces that are low cal and tasty! so a simple small chicken breast and steamed vegetables with a mustard sauce is really tasty and good for you. (Mustard sauce = spring onion, garlic, chicken stock, water and wholegrain mustard- cook until reduced)
The window for fat burning means 3-4 hourly meals so snacks are a necessity. I loooove smoothies!!
Low fat yogurt, frozen raspberries, milk or orange juice for a nice tang and a little bit of protein powder.... amazing.

The key though people is PLAN AND PREPARE!!!!
i spend fridays and saturdays planning the following weeks meals, so I can write out my full shopping list and do the food shopping either saturday or sunday, that way everything I need for the week is there ready. I have my food plan written out so I never have to sit and wonder what to cook which leads to snacking on the wrong foods due to hunger while trying to find something to make for dinner (we all have done that, dont deny it  ;)
This also means I can prepare and make the following days lunches too, which has lead to a very satisfied and happy husband too ;)

I think thats enough for now. Look out on Saturday or Sunday Im posting 2 recipes of the week... a healthy chicken parmagiana and a very quick and tasty stirfry!

P.s thankyou all for your "motivating screams" (especially you Brett) when you see me training at the gym or running down the street, I appreciate it... keep it up!
xx

Ummmm where did the week go??

So it feels like I only blogged yesterday but its been over a week!!
What happened week?
Well Thursday was Rena's group training followed by BodyBalance and Friday body attack of course!
Saturday I decided to step it up a notch and introduce "Superhero Saturday"!!
One of my closest friends Maddy is getting married in May and trains like a superstar so we decided to train together on saturdays, starting with the block run and then a kickboxing "superhero session"...
Let me just say that "exhausted" is an understatement.... we were absolutely knackered! But felt fantastic afterwards and ready for my treat meal which I had defenitely earnt!

So with the long weekend, on a personal note it was time I let my hair down. While Paul was away at the shack on a boys weekend, I got my ticket and my dancing shoes and headed to the Future Music Festival, while mum had Taya for her first sleepover!
I decided to be smart and had my cereal for breakfast and a chicken salad for lunch...then vodka for dinner...hahaha yep I spent the day drinking vodka...and dancing! I had an absolute ball and dont regret it at all! It just meant that I had to train even harder in the coming days and not expect a too big a number on the scales on wednesday!.
So hangover and all I trained in Dions class on tuesday night and surprisingly felt FANTASTIC afterwards!
Wednesday morning was weigh in day and I lost half a kilo....once again a little low but this brought me to nearly 5kg in my first month!! Im right on track!!
With that I trained with Dion and trained so hard that I wanted to cry?? Yep not about anything inparticular, I wasnt thinking about anything, I just had an overwhelming sensation to cry?? hmmm if anyone knows why, please tell me , that was really weird!!
Thursday would be the first day since returning to training that I have not felt up to it. I woke and really struggled to get out of bed.... maybe my lack of sleep, constant intense exercise, and a day of drinking had caught up with me!
So I did what I havent done in a long time and i lied on the couch with a blanket and skipped training :(
Maybe I needed a morning off, because Friday I was on fire!!! A day full of energy and I felt fantastic!
My food this week has been good but not great.... Im not sure why I just have this feeling.... the main problem is my portion sizes.... so that is my goal for the next week! Make sure you check up on me in the club!

Lastly I thought I would share a good recipe with you, its fast, tasty and extremely healthy!!
steam some bok choy and brocolini, cook a chicken breast on a grill then put aside.
In the pan cook 1 spring onion (finely chopped) for a few minutes, add a crushed clove of garlic, 1/4 cup chicken stock, 1/4 cup water and 3 heaped teaspoons of wholegrain mustard.... stir and let reduce then spoon this on to your chicken and veges!! mmmmm yum! and so easy!!
Enjoy!

Hello motivation where have you been???!

Well its been a week.... and what a week. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster!
So this is what Id like to call the 2-3 week blues....Im 3 weeks into my journey and I will admit that this week my mindset has been completely out of whack.... Im not entirely sure why but I have been majorly struggling with negative thoughts.... which for people who know me is strange as I am always a very postivie and optimistic person.
Part of it may have to do with my 800g weight loss last week after I felt I worked so hard and it didnt really show on the scales, but whatever the reason the feelings and thoughts I have had this past week have not been the best. :(
Last week my little bundle of joy had been a little "out of routine" waking at different hours of the night really threw me for a loop and I found myself battling with tiredness (but never gave in ;)] and to be honest I just felt fat...plain and simple I felt overweight and like I had put on weight. I had been following my food plan but constantly felt hungry.
As I have said in past posts Im super organised with my food now except my snacks so I wasnt snacking enough. So I was hungry, tired and grumpy (not a good combination!) That along with challenges during training sessions like skipping during a boxing session and literally not being able to lift my legs, shin splints probably due to the extra weight I am carrying and my poor legs not handling the impact, and a very bad case of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) although there was nothing delayed about it, after tuesdays training my legs were sore pretty  much until the following monday!!!
With the negative thoughts running through my head I started being a little leanient with portion sizes and when having dinner at my in laws rather than having a small portion I was so hungry and just gave in and ate until I was stuffed.... then went home upset.
As you can see the situation last week was at about defqon 2.....
In normal situtions I wouldnt allow these thoughts to happen and would work on overcoming these problems and thoughts and work harder.... thats what prompted me to ask...
"Hello? Motivation where are you??"
If I were truly motivated these things wouldnt be an issue. I would be able to overcome these thoughts. This means finding motivation that works for me. So when I went for my run on Saturday I said to myself enough is enough snap out of it and started thinking... what motivates me? what is going to drive me to lose the next 23kilo's?
So now I will share with you what motivates me as for those of you who are on a  journey of your own this may help you work out what motivates you. Please also check a great article written by my brother Dion about  Motivation techniques http://www.vivafitness.com.au/posts/view/16/Motivate_your_strength_or_toning_goals

But now what motivates me?

1- Positive Affirmations
When I train I like to think positive thoughts. I like to have competitions against myself in my own head...yes strange I know but it works. When I run I will constantly think...."this is easy! You got this in the bag...nothing can stop you. Youre not going to stop now?" etc etc and I find myself talking back saying "yeah this IS easy and no way Ill never stop." Basically I build my ego while I run. I talk about running as this has become a favourite thing for me to do as it is hard and it allows me to be completely focused in my own thoughts.

2- People who inspire me.
As you know my family and close friends are all fit and active and live healthy lifestyles. People like my mum, brother Dion and his fiance Kristy are all hugely inspiring.
If you dont know my brother Dion is a kickboxer and started fighting at 18, and after only 2 fights was offered a state title fight and won. For those of you who know the discipline it takes to fight will appreciate what he went through in the lead up to all of his fights, how hard he trained and focused on his goal and nothing could stop him.
Then to Kristy who in 2008 won the Miss Figure Australia title and started her intense preparation 5 months before the competition. The sacrifices she made in order to achieve her goal are far beyond anything I could even dream of.... but she did it and she won.
Then my mum, who has been in the fitness industry for nearly 30 years but more importantly has overcome many hurdles in her life, being a single mother just making ends meet and the major sacrifices to support both my brother and I, to get where she is today shows a very strong, passionate and inspiring woman.
Lastly the members at Viva.... the "front row mums" (and instructors) Rena, Jade,Renee, Melina, Lidia, just to name a few... who look amazing after having children, some of them even better than before children!
The people in Dions kickboxing class who are all fitter, stronger and faster than I am, inspire me to be just as good and even better! (Give me 3 months and you'll all be chasing me in the block run)

and lastly
3- The person I want to be...The role model
I dont necessarily have an image of myself but more importantly the feeling when  I achieve this goal, the reaction from my husband and the praise I will receive.
Knowing that your husband finds you attractive or sexy is a comforting feeling, something that I dont feel at the moment, but this will drive me to make this happen.
Being a role model for my clients that I have trained who are now "gym junkies" and to my future clients who will be inspired by me achieving my goal.

So there you have it I dug deep and re focused. Went in with a fresh head on Monday, did Body attack and went for a walk in the afternoon, did group training on tuesday night and then PT with Dion on wednesday morning and another afternoon walk.
Which leads me to weigh in day and guess what? I lost 1.5kg!! Back on track and feeling fantastic!

So what did I learn this week?
The going WILL get tough, things wont always be easy and you WILL have slip ups. But that is all they are, bad "moments". Its how we get out of these "funks" and overcome these slip ups that truly make us succeed and help us along the way to being the people we want to be.

Make it Happen!!
xx

Mixed Emotions....

So before I start, I have been approached by a lot of people saying they are reading this blog and really enjoying it, so if you are I ask you please to become a "follower", I guess so I really know that people are listening and so that you may leave me comments, I would love some feedback and Im sure at times I may need some words of motivation from you! Oh and then you can ask me for any recipes you want to see! All that it asks is for your email address and it will alert you when I post a new blog post.... no spam or anything!

Anyways onto this post.... Mixed Emotions...
So as you know I have been lucky enough to be fit in to the verrry busy schedule of my brother Dion to become one of his clients..... not sure if that was a smart move as a lot of you know when it comes to training he is a sadistic bastard.....
Well maybe Im only saying this now as it is Thursday and I still cant walk properly after a group torture session, oops I mean training session, on Tuesday night.
But all that aside he is a fantastic trainer as all the Push_ Trainers are and when we train I am no longer his sister but another woman trying to be the best I can be. So I feel very lucky to be fit into his schedule, so just another person I dont want to let down.

This week started with the Body Attack class as you all saw on Monday and then my usual walk with the Yummy Mummys on Tuesday morning followed by my first session in Dions Tuesday night kickboxing class although we didnt box this week we did a "testing" session including a run and then various horrible strength/power exercises non stop as fast as we can then in 6 weeks time we will do it all again to see our improvement!
So I was booked in for some one on one kickboxing wednesday morning- I think I knew this was a bad idea when Taya woke at 3am for a feed and I sat for 5 mins hoping she would just get up, jump out of her bassinette and into bed with me to feed as I physically couldnt move my legs without wanting to cry...needless to say she didnt move so we cried together until I peeled myself out of bed to feed her.

After psyching myself up all morning at home I ventured to the gym for our session but more importantly it was weigh in day!! Now last week I lost 1.5kg so was expecting around the same especially as my eating had been close to perfect bar that on icecream, that delicious creamy delightful icecream.... sorry got a little sidetracked, so yes I was expecting a good number....
The whole drive there I was saying in my head, "98..98..98"  just hoping it would be 98kg.... but unfortunately I only lost 800g so was quite disappointed for a moment then a lightbulb went off.... 800g is nearly a kilo and I have lost nearly 2 and a half kilos in 2 weeks thats not bad at all and Im now under 3 digits (thank bloody god for that!!)
So went into my training session with mixed feelings of looking at the positives and still mildly disappointed.
We started our session with our usual corrective exercises for my weak glute medius...yes just because I have a big butt doesnt mean its strong (but it will be ;)] Then we started with a skipping round. 3 mins of continous skipping consisting of 20 secs fast as you can with knees up, then 10 secs easy skipping then a break and repeat the 3 min round 2 times. Now in case you didnt realise, skipping is a lot harder when you're used to skipping when you're 13kg lighter!! That along with the fact my legs felt like i was wearing cement shoes meant this exercise was extremely hard so as i stared at the wall trying my hardest, I tried to motivate myself by picturing myself when I reach my goal but that didnt work for me, then all I could think was "25..25..25" my goal 25kg...eyes on the prize.... and I felt a fire, a drive, a challenge and it worked.
Then onto the kickboxing and I kept that thought in my mind.... I think Ive found my motivation!
Felt fantastic after my session .... that was until I got home and collapsed in a heap, I cant believe I used to miss training like this!
Then onto today and just when I thought it couldnt get any worse it even hurts to sit now, as when I sit especially on a hard surface I can feel my bones digging into my muscles... like knives..... oh the joys.

I finally made it to Rena's group training class this morning  after Taya was a little gremlin and kept me up pretty much from 3:30am until my alarm went off, I felt like a zombie but I knew id feel better in the end and within minutes I had forgotten I was sleep deprived and on with the workout I went and as always it was a good one!

So what did I learn....
- Find a motivation technique that works for you
- When you are tired and dont want to train, you always feel better after a good hard workout
- and skipping with cement shoes is FRIGGEN hard!!

Whats on the agenda tomorrow... Body Attack thats what! Whos game enough to do it with me??