Gym success and first veggies!

Just a quick one tonight, managed to get to the gym sans enfant! Outcome = splits training in quiet room surrounded by mirrors to check form, plus a little flex n twerk when no ones around! Ahhhh no interruptions, no dog hair, no toddler pouring milk over your hair or giving you snotty kisses, bliss! (Though I do love those adoring little smooches too!)

Came home to whip up homemade beefburgers, potato, bacon and pumpkin cheesey bake and picked spinach and lettuce from my garden! The lettuce was so sweet and crunchy, I can’t wait for my herbs and other veggies to be ready, it’s really quite exciting being a gardener. 

Spinach is a great veggie, for smoothies, salads and I like using it in lasagne too. 

And I couldn’t link the gym and veggies in a finer way than to finish with this gem! Popeye the sailor man, with his super strength biceps after eating a can of spinach! 

 

Progress for 2015

It’s almost May…4 months of the year gone already.
So how am I tracking?
Goal 1 – reading my bible daily, ✔️
Going well, sometimes I don’t complete all the readings but generally I am reading everyday! Nicky Gumbel’s devotions are funny, warm and challenging and I’m really enjoying his insight and wisdom as I open my Bible. 

Goal 2 – complete 7 units of my degree this year. ✔️
Again, I’m on target. I passed my positive psychology unit with a distinction and am now studying Counselling Skills and Health and Wellness. I’ve just submitted two assignments and am keeping everything crossed I get a good pass on each.

Goal 3 – Middle splits, I’m at the last few inches, so will need to get the blocks out soon and start oversplitting. I’m working on my back flexibility too, which is shocking at present.  

Goal 4 – practice pole regularly, well not as regularly as I would hope, and my only tiny excuse is that I’m so sore from my Tuesday pole class that I can’t physically move much until at least Friday! 😥

   

 

I’ve started at a new pole studio, and I am enjoying learning routines, wearing heels and dancing! But I’ll write about that next time! 

Until then I’ll keep plodding along with my goals, one chapter, one unit, one stretch, one dance at a time! 

  

Goals – week 2 progress

Just a quick check in…
✔️ I am up to date with my Bible reading.
✔️ I have started my counselling summer school subject (positive psychology – you’re going to be hearing a lot about this subject from me in the future).
✔️I have done lots of splits training.

The only goal I haven’t really focussed on is my running. Here in Adelaide we have had searing hot days, and I’m not a fair weather runner, so I have walked the dog and slow jogged a few 5km routes these last couple of weeks.
So yay for goals, yay for progress and here’s to more running, flexible hips, a positive mind and a faith filled heart!

Rewards for goals?

I said yesterday I would think about some rewards for when I reached my 2015 goals. But I’m stuck! For me, it seems reaching the goal is a reward in itself. I can understand weight loss goals that are rewarded by a new wardrobe as that is often a necessity as well as a nice treat.
Although I’m about 8kgs over my ideal weight, I purposely didn’t set myself a weight loss goal, as I don’t find them very helpful, and after all, the number on a scale doesn’t define my flexibility, brain power, mental strength or spirituality. I do hope that a few kilos will come off as a by product of running and half marathon training, but that will be an added bonus not a focal point.
Anyway the only reward I could think of was, a nice massage after my half marathon and another item of the awesome Black Milk range when I get my middle splits. I think a touchdown shooter would be very applicable!
I love this Harry Potter one.

Here in Adelaide, the weather has been scorching, awesome for stretching, not for running. So I’ve done 2 days of stretch classes and will do the RLNA dvd tonight now the breeze is blowing through my hot house.
Middle Splits….I will get you this year, and then I can get that awesome top!

20 things to start doing

I found this picture on the internet a while back and just loved it!
It totally fits in with my life ethos at present, so I’m going to make this a challenge, try to do at least one of these every day.
Today I am going to Pilates class at the pole studio Flirty fitness, so that’s number 14 done, and I do try to stretch everyday, either in a class, using Cleo’s DVD or in front of the tv doing my own stretches.
A lady today told me she was going to go to yoga this week for the first time, and was worried as she wasn’t very flexible. How proud was I to tell her that in the last year at 42 I can now do the splits! “Total brag moment!”

Tomorrow I am going to try a green tea and listen some peaceful music.

Long time no blog

Hi all, it’s been a long time since I was on here.
So here’s what’s new…
Started a degree in counselling

Am in intermediate 4 pole dancing

Have got obsessed with Black milk clothing (especially leggings)

Am worship leading in church once a month

Have been following The Respect Dare since July (which is amazing)

Am working 3 days a week this term, still as a school Chaplain

Am going to be entering a 60 day splits challenge from Nov 1st

Am still in a love/hate relationship with food and my body…that’s a work in process.

So…what would you like me to expand upon?

the respect dare

splits challenge

Black milk Clothing

Dancing Queen, a little over 17!

Not so long ago I was inspired by my 2 beautiful nieces to dance, not just jigging about on the dance floor at a party or swaying to a lively song at church, but learn how to dance, and to enjoy the creativity and freedom that dancing brings. My nieces are learning several disciplines of dance, ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, musical theatre and acrobatics…I may have missed some…they are busy girls, and my sister is a real life dance mom!
Anyway, I’m not doing ballet or tap…earthquake warning right there, but have started burlesque, pole flow, and hip hop as well as pole dancing.
I am loving the variety. There are those pole days when I just don’t have grip, strength or the mojo to achieve the new trick we’re learning, but I find pole flow or burlesque extremely satisfying, we learn a little routine to music, and we all leave feeling like Beyoncé!
I’ve only done one hip hop class so far and i loved it, it was challenging but really fun!

As well as four dance classes and two stretch classes I’m still working on my splits using Cleo the Hurricane’s Rockin legs n abs DVD. Here is me getting my foofah to the floor tonight!

Wish I’d pointed my toes!

Oh and after my carb overload yesterday, my macros were perfect today! Lots of protein; eggs, tuna, steak, veggies, protein bars, shake, almonds, berries, Greek yoghurt! Yummy and it feels good to be on track again.

Carbs, carbs, carbs!

My name is Louise and I am a Carboholic!
I’ve always used bread, cakes, biscuits and pastries as my drug of choice, and old habits die hard…well mine clearly hasn’t died at all, my carb habit was just taking a siesta and awoke this morning with a vengeance. Sadly, I am an addict.
My “nutrition” today consisted of:
Bircher muesli, home made cookies, (they were a Mother’s Day gift, it would be rude to turn them down!) white cheese rolls, muesli bar, Oreos, potato, and steak.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day!
On the plus side I have been stretching lots and now am working towards my oversplits, thank you Cleo and my stretch n flex instructors!
I’m really excited about my new dance classes too, will write more about them soon!
The fallout for today; my belly feels bloated, I’m lethargic and my brain feels sluggish….I’m guessing my body isn’t too impressed with my food choices today! I’m going to plan my meals for tomorrow and check my macros through “my fitness pal” and have a great day!
Hope you all do too!

RLNA Hardcore challenge

Time to get serious! For the next month I’ll be attempting the Hardcore challenge from Cleo the Hurricane’s Rockin Legs n Abs DVD.
You may remember I did the beginners challenge about 6 weeks ago, so I’ve taken some time off, continued to stretch regularly but now need to up the ante and progress towards my oversplits and get lower in those dreaded middles!
So here is a couple of start pix,
Unfortunately my dear son deleted my middles one…I’ll get another one on Sunday 😳

I’m in an intermediate 3 class at pole and we are starting to do more and more moves that require splits, this is my motivation!
Here’s a little comic from Pole dancing adventures that illustrates the reason behind my splits training rather well.

A month of IIFYM eating, so far, so good!

So after lamenting my flabby bits, (see ‘Mummy’s midriff musings’ blog entry) I set to work this month. I have added some weights sessions, I have taken bubs and doggy out most mornings for an early walk to the local shop, (I have been buying the squeezy yoghurt for Bubba instead of choccy at the shops), and I have been following the IIFYM plan, (If it fits your macros). I’ve heard a lot of good things about this “flexible diet” thingy so I went onto their website, checked it out, and calculated my macros (protein, carbs, fat and fibre) according to my age, weight, current level of activity and desired outcomes (ie lose weight/bulk up/maintain etc). I forgot to tick the gender box so my first lot of macros were based on being a man- um no!
Anyway once we’d established I was indeed female I got the macros calculated.
I use myfitnesspal to log my foods and keep track of the macros, it takes a bit of forethought and organisation but I’m loving the flexibility of it. Yesterday I chose to have a hot cross bun for breakfast so I cut my carb intake throughout the day. I’d much rather have an Easter bun than a dollop of mash any day! I’m eating a lot of lean protein and making up my fat quota with peanut butter, having butter on my vegs, or using more olive oil, tough gig hey?
I’m not hungry, instead of being on a 1200 cal weight loss plan, I’m eating closer to 1450 a day, and still losing weight, I feel like I have more energy and know I’m putting good food into my body. I guess it’s another way I’m learning to apply balance in my life, eating well across the food groups, and utilizing the veggies from the organic co-op I’m in!
In the first couple of weeks I’ve lost almost 2kgs, which is a fabulous result for me. The measurements are going down too, which is the main thing, happy dance💃
I’ll post kgs and cms lost at the end of each month, as that will keep me accountable, as well as my splits progress (which is going quite well thank you very much!)

If you want to try IIFYM for yourself, you can look on their website or even better… pop over to Healthy Chelsea ‘s blog. Chelsea is studying health and nutrition and will calculate your macros for a small fee of $10 which is going straight to her chosen charity of Women’s cancer research. You win, she wins, and the charity wins….which in turn could save your life one day….everyone’s a winner 😃</