Taking health for Granted.

I used to take my health for granted. It was something that was just always there, sure I would get the odd cold but generally I was always healthy and my health was just there. After having Anna I got into shape, I started running and lost all my preggy weight and was in the best shape of my life. I felt fantastic.......but I was also drinking a fair bit and having late nights and after the initial health kick wore off I was eating some nasty sugary foods quite regulary.......chocolate bullets being my main weakness. But I still felt awesome most of the time. 

Now I have to work hard to feel healthy. If I drink that little too much I crash, if I eat too much sugar I crash, if i don't get enough sleep I crash. I am obviously still in a semi fragile state but when I do everything right I really feel AWESOME. Like right now. This week I have stayed alcohol free (last Say was my last drink) and besides two bowls of ice-cream (not like me I know but it's been hot) I have been excellent with my sugar intake. The week before however I drank too much alcohol, I was eating and sleeping well but my alcohol intake was pretty bloody bad and I payed for it. I felt low again, and I put on 500gm despite all the exercise and how controlled I was with food.

I wasn't going to weight myself this week, I think I might go to monthly weigh ins but something made me get on that scale yesterday and was shocked when I had lost that evil 500gm because although I have not touched a drop of alcohol for 7 days I have not been walking (WAY too hot) and only made it to the gym twice. Oh and I have been eating up a storm, not bad food, just alot more of what I have been eating. I seemed to be so much more hungry this week and figured "whats the point" after last week so just gave into the hunger. I can't help but wonder if last week I wasn't eating enough. I dunno. Anyway, whatever. All I can do is keep trying and keep taking it slow so I don't burn out. I am putting off the walk/run regime for a bit longer. I feel ready to start it but with the heat the way it is I would rather just put it off and put in the hard yards at the gym and build my strength up even more. Speaking of the Gym, wow.....I really feel my strength improving now. I am LOVING it. When I first started back I felt weak and heavy and kind of blobbed my way around the circuit. The standard practice at COntours is to do two circuits, I used to always do three because I enjoy it and it is my only "me time" so I made the most of it......however when I first started back I would be looking forward to the end just after completeing the first circuit. My muscles were tired and I just wanted to stop, and this is after dropping all my weights down to below what they were when I first started there. Anyway, I don't know exactly how many visits I have had there since starting back.......six perhaps, lets say six, so after six visits I am bouncing around the circuit THREE times and I have upped most of my weights, I have actually upped my weights on four of the machines to more than what I had them at before I took my "break". It's awesome. Today I have some achies but they are good achies. I feel I am supporting myself better at the machines, rather than struggeling to stand or sit up straight at them and one of the instructors has been helping me get more out of the cardio boards. My only sook is that I can;t get there enough. If only they had child minding facilities LOL. 

Oh and the other night when I blogged I did eventually pick out some photos to get printed for next months Camera Club Comp. Well I could not fully decide so I just uploaded a small selection to get printed and figured I could make up my mind once I see the prints, I got the prints back yesterday and think I have made my selection. Can't wait. The theme is "Up Close & Personal". We can submitt two small and two large colour prints and one Monochrome but the monochrome doesn't have to be in the set theme, its "open" so I am submitting what I think is my all time fav monochrome of Anna as a 8x12 print. Wish me luck LOL.

One more thing I want to blog about, because it was a milestone to our family, is Ryan's first swim at the beach. He has been to the beach (not often) but never for a swim. We all went yesterday.....as a family.....all four of us. Things like this don't happen often enough. Anyway it was awesome. Anna is obviously over her fear of the beach, which is why we stopped going because she was just miserable everytime we went and Ryan headed straight for the water..........but didn;t like going in to far with us, he was just happy to stand at the shoreline and throw things into the water. Eventually he was happy to go knee deep and sit in there as the little waves came in. He was so cute. All giggles and smiles. They each only nearly drowned once. We were there for 3 hours and by the time we left we all had stingy red beach eyes. I am happy to report absolutely NO sunburn. No photos because there was no way I was taking my camera. Cam got some on his phone but I am sure that is where they will stay. If I ever get him to get them off I will have to add some here. I topped the day off with a mega workout at the gym, I was the only one there which was awesome, it was air conned which was double awesome, by the time I got home the power had gone off here and the house was not a nice place to be......lucky for us it was only out for a few hours. It went out again during the night, I bloody hope it doesn't happen today.

Anyway, I need to get a silverside on so we can have cold meat and salad for dinner. Toodles. XX

Procrastinating

I am supposed to be picking the photos to enter in the next Camera Club comp but just can't bring myself to do it. I HAVE TO THOUGH cos I am running out of time to get them printed. AAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Anyway, oops I just accidentally published this before finishing LOL. Anyway, I woke up this monring and my knee felt better, went to the gym and all wasy GOOD so WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Yay. Last thing I need right now is an injury when I am feeling so damn motivated.

It's hot today and I mean HOT. You know it's hot when you hang washing out and get burnt, you need to drink a lt of water afterwards and by the time you hang the last item the first ones you hung out are almost dry.......oh and the pegs all snap cos they are so brittle. Lucky for us we have cooling, poor Cam is trying to sleep in this heat though. 

It's been a while since I posted pics. A few od my old school friends and I got together last Saturday for a sausage sizzle with all our kiddlets, it was awesome. Below are a few pics. I had a great time, even if I did set the BBQ on fire......oooops. 

Teans little man Will.

Tean

Nikki's stunning DD2 Indi

Nikki's stunning DD3 Miette (Nikki makes stunning babies)

and below is ME LOL. Having fun with a self portrait so I could change my flickr buddy icon. 

Ouch.......

Effen OUCH!!!!!

I dunno if it is the new shoes or not but I have woken up this morning with a bloody sore, really sore knee. Hurts to bend both ways, hurts to put weight on. 

We went for two walks yesterday but they were tame walks, hills but only small ones. I spent A LOT of time surfing the net yesterday and I have this terrible habbit of sitting with my legs crossed like a kid when they sit on the floor, I am actually wondering if that is what has done it. 

I am going to rest it as much as I can today cos as of tomorrow I can actually make it to the gym 3 days in a row then Mon, Tues, Fri next week and I really want to go. 

It's meant to be 40deg for the next 4 or 5 days, so it works out well that I can make it to the Gym.

Anyway, I have to do the grocery shopping, at two different shops with both kids. Give me strength LOL. 

Low.

I'm on a low.

I did not resist the wine yesterday (not that I got drunk or anything but I still had some) and I did not resist a cupcake (but I was smart enough to send the leftover ones home with Nikki for her family to enjoy.....thanks Nikki, so only one it was). 

I'm not feeling great today, I am 98% sure I know why (the choc craving gives it away, always does). 

Some good news though, my friend did end up having her baby. Congratulations Katie. She had a little girl, 5-6 weeks early. 5lb 12oz from memory, in special care but doing OK. That is all I know for now. I can't wait to see this little princess.

Oh. And I got new "wheels" today. Will take them for a spin tomorrow. It's funny how my old ones feel like concrete now LOL. 

Anyway, that's it from me. Might skip weigh in this week. 

It's Friday......weigh in day.

I put on 500 bloody grams.

With last weeks big loss I wasn't expecting much this week, but I wasn't expecting a gain. I went back over my diary, I exercised twice all but one day. My diet was fantatsic. My alcohol consumption was terrible......this week is to be 100% alcohol free. I also ate a massive Thai meal on Wednesday night. Still, with the amount of bloody exercise I am doing I wasn't expecting a gain. 

A small part of me wants to say "F This" and eat a block of chocolate and sit on my bum and watch a chick flick. Thankfully the rest of me is enjoying the extra energy I have an the fresh air and seeing how I don't even feel like sweet treats like chocolate eating a block of it would just be silly. And if I am going to be totally honest with myself I have to admitt that clothes are beginning to fit better. This is just a minor set back. Next week will be better (It bloody better be). 

Oh, I am having a BBQ with some old school friends on Saturday, I am making cupcakes......I think I will be able to resist alcohol but will I be able to resist a cupcake? 

Signing off, 

Peahen, the fatty Boom Bada.

P.S. My dear friend Katie's waters broke at 34 weeks in the wee hours of Wed morning. Today she will find out if they need to induce or they can send her home with antibiotics. If I was the praying type I would pray that Katie gets to go home and her little girl gets at least another 3 weeks in the oven. Thinking of you Katie. If you come home I hope you do nothing but REST REST REST. No more processing ungrateful "friends" photos untill the wee hours of the morning. 

Back from the natropath. 

WHOO HOO. I feel like I have passed some kind of exam in highschool. As soon as I saw my blood scan on the screen even I could see the improvement LOL. I have good looking while blood cells and apparently a high count now. Inflamation gone and my red blood cells are separated (still room for improvement) and I think they stayed plump, he didn't mention them collapsing like they usually do LOL. 

The only thing on my list of symptems that has not improved is my skin, I told him if anything it is worse. My hands are so dry it's uncomfortable. He had a look with with his microscope and as he grabbed my hand straight away he commented on how cold they were. He had me on Iodine for my thyroid but it hasn't helped at all. My BBT is still low and even dropped a little. He is convinced I have a thyroid problem and has now put me on a new treatement. Homopathic Thyroid Oxine. Fingers crossed this one works. The money I spent today could have gone well towards a new pair of bloody runners.

Next I mentioned my suspected hormone imbalance, the pigmentation on my face has got worse. He said it could all be thyroid related but also the Mirena has thrown my balance out and he has given me some red Clover to help balance my hormones. If not I will take a test and it will be sent off to see where I am at. 

The extrememe thirst, well, fingers crossed it's all related to the thyroid. If it persists we have to look at doing a glucose test to see if I am pre-diabetic. He suggested I make sure I am having enough salt, especially if I am exercising and sweating my salts out then not replacing them. He suggested soda water (Ewwwwww) then  even salt in my water (Ewwwwwwww even more). 

Best news, Infection is under control finally and I am kicking arse. 

So motivated.

I am just so so soooooo happy when I am motivated. I have so much more energy these days and find myself unable to sit still.

Yesterday I was going to have a "free day" which to me doesn't mean sugary or fatty binges, it just means that I can relax a little on the bood v's bad carbs and have a home made wheat free pizza without beating myself up over it LOL. Speaking of the "risk promoting carbs" I have been eating corn on the cob this week and I had raw carrots twice. UmmmmmmMah. I know. I just can't follow this zone thing strictly, though I am still useing it strongly as a base to my diet. 

So, yesterday, I thought I might give my legs a rest, being walking alot of hills but this glorious weather sucks me in everytime and we ended up out after dinner again. Same route as the night before, about 40mins and yes there were hills but they are tollerable. However, my shins started to hurt as soon as we set off so I am thinking these hills are getting the last bloody word in. Am I going to have a break from them.......well anyone who knows me well knows that I am most certainly going to keep giving it hell untill I am crippled with shin pain PMSL. Goes to show how much of a beating my body has copped in the last 2-3 years, shin pain just from walking.....god help me when I actually start running.

Anyway. I have my natropath appointment today, I have alot to talk with him about. I am definately going to mention my recent increase in thirst. Yes I understand I am exercising usually twice a day but seriously......3-4lt and still thirsty and my skin is so dry it is cracking. Something seriously not right there. I had two small glasses of wine last night and drank TWO litres afterwards I was so thirsty, that wine dried me out so much.....that made my water tally almost 5lt yesterday, and I know what your thinking.....No I wasn't up all night peeing. 

Oooh, an old friend popped over yesterday morning. Crissy, my old running partner in crime LOL. Fingers crossed she is about to have some changes in her working hours and we will be able to start seeing each other more again. Having her over yesterday really confirmed how much I miss her friendship and now I am feeling so much more switched on and social I really want to get it back. She is a friend who shares my passion for exercise but at the same time shares the lazy moments and while on a run would think nothing of it if I needed to pull back or stop for a stretch. Hopefully it's not too long before we are both on that glorious Nunns walk track again, plodding along while having a nice little chat. 

P.S. This will NOT be a AFD, I WILL be finishing that bottle of white tonight, probably while watching an embarrasing amount of Greys Anatomy episodes in bed LOL. Ah Bliss. 

Walking on the spot.

I woke up feeling flat this morning, though I was in bed by 8pm last night I did not go to sleep till about 11pm as i was watching episode after episode of Americas Next Top Model. Most women probably watch that show dreaming of having the looks, bodies and personality to become a model.......I watch it and dream of being the one taking photos of these women LOL. Anyway, I decided to take it a bit easier today and just walk to the shops and that's it. But it really was a nice day out and it felt so good to be out walking and the kids were so happy in the pram, a 30min walk was easily doubled and we ended up at the bottom of the steepest hill I have ever tackled with these two in the pram. I swear it was like climbing a mountain. At one point, I honestly felt like I was walking on the spot and at any moment the pram would actually push me back and we would all roll all the way back to the bottom PMSL. 

I am seriously loving getting out with the pram again. It certainly adds resistance to a basic walk LOL and gets us all out of our messy house.

Now we are all tackeling a massive pile of fruit, watermelon, blackberries, strawberries and apple, oh and some almonds. 

*Note: My fav black cargo style pants are getting way too big. WHOOT. Can't wait till I fit into my old fav pants, I have them all out of thier boxes hanging in full view for inspiration. Tried on a pair yesterday.....have a fair way to go. 

* Come back to add in tonights walk, after dinner Poppy asked to go for another walk, I wasn't going to do an after dinner walk cos of this mornings efforts but the sun was out and it looked too good outside to say "no" so off we went. Again what was meant to be a small walk was doubled LOL. 40mins but flat compared to this morning, any hill well appear flat after this morning LOL. I am absolutely LOVING being on the move again. I am hoping all this walking is a good work up to when I start the Run/walk. I can't wait. I need new shoes though, mine have gaping holes in the inside at the heal exposing the plastic inside and that is causing rubbing that HURTS. 

Got my photos back.

These are the photos I got first place for in my first comp last year. I am still very very happy with myself. I only just got them back yesterday so I thought I would get a picture of them with the certificates.

I also have my own photo matting gear now so I had a go last night. I got these two done and will enter them this month. I stuffed 3 attempts. 

This image is my wallpaper on my puter LOL. I love it. It was a special rose from a very special man. 

Cop this for motivation, exercising and blogging. YEAH! Once the kids were in bed today I jumped on the bike, and the sun is shinning so looks like an early dinner followed by a nice long walk may be in order for me and the kids tonight. Lovin life. 

Sucking it up or taking the easy way out?

Would it have been easier to take the car to the shops this morning to get our bread and milk? Bloody oath......it's blowing a gale outside which if your walking on your own is fine but with a double pram with two heavy kids in it going up a rather steep incline (well even the smallest inclines feel steep when your pushing two kids in a pram)it can feel like your making a huge mistake LOL. Still, I love to walk to the shops because I HATE HATE HATE getting both kids in and out of the car and walking them through that dredful car park at Bentons square so it's all good. 

So. Yay to me, for not taking the easy way out. There was a time late last year when it was a struggle to get off the couch and have a pee, I am loving my new energy and getting my motivation back. This is the Karina I used to know LOL. 

Oh, have some photos to post later. 

A nice surprise.

Weight this morning.........63kg

I wanna chicken out......

............from tomorrows weigh in.

I have eaten really well this week, I have exercised most days if not all of them but still I do not feel I have lost weight, I don't feel lighter and if anything I feel like I have put on. I have done everything right, I know I have, I have done the best I can in the condition I am in.

Had my first day back at the gym today. Went well, dropped my weights and took it easy. My legs feel tired and heavy now the muscles in my upper back, are they lats? Anyway they are also feeling heavy and tired. 

I have decided to hold off the walk/run for a week or two, I really want to do this right and planned to ease pack into it all so started the gym and the walk/run at the same time seemed silly. So I will give the gym a week or so then start it, I have to do the walk/run straight after the gym so I don't recon I would go too well ATM anyway LOL. 

Have been walking more with the kids the last few weeks. We order our bread from bakers delight, they only bake wheat free on a friday so every friday we walk to get it, plus the odd walk during the week and now a few after dinner. I love the after dinner walk. I want to make the most of that before daylight savings ends. The kids love it. 

Tonight the kids and Cam had fish & chips. Cam loves his fish & chips. I hate it. I hate fish and since going off most nasty carbs I don;t miss potato so you can shove the chips. Have never liked battered stuff (except those franks in batter when i was a kid) which is good cos due to the wheat they are right off the menu. So I made myself grilled chicken and a really simple salad. I was going to have a few chips but they were rank so I had two and left it at that. 

If there is anything I want to do differently next week it will be my alcohol intake. Though I have been drinking in moderation I have been drinking the last 4 nights. The hot weather a few days ago had me fanging for a beer (or two) and tonight I am finishing last nights bottle of Merlot. Everything else I have been happy with. I feel GREAT, motivated and on my way. Of course I am hoping for a weight loss tomorrow but I don't think I am going to get it. I remember after having Anna I was going boot camp for months and never really lost much, then I started running, and still didn't lose much untill all the sudden it all just fell off. It was frustrating when I wasn't losing but it payed off in the end. So if the loss is slow to start with I will just keep going in hope it happens like that again. 

Anyway, wasn't gonna blog tonight but I am waiting for Crissy to come online for a chat so I had some time on my hands. Now I wont have to say much tomorrow cos I have already blogged LOL.

If I don't blog tomorrow you know it was bad news on the scales and I am off scoffing a batch of nachos with loads of avacado LOL. 

A goal for 09

I never make resolutions. EVER. but this year I made ONE general resolution and that was to set goals to achieve one thing.....to get back to my old happy self. With last years, what I refer to as my "Crash", I really became very unhappy. I am frustrated at my level of fitness and motivation and my weight but at the same time I was too tired and sick to do anything about it. It was a very very VERY frustrating and upsetting time for me and I am sure Cam and the kids. Anyway. I feel I am in a better place now to start getting my life back on track and gaining some much needed control. Time to set some of these much needed goals. Not all my goals will be blogged and the ones that will be blogged will not all be blogged at once. While I have always found my blog a great motivational tool I also hated putting myself "out there" only to crash and burn and be embarrased. So one thing at a time here.

Goal #1 - Lose 5kg.

I have not decided yet if I will add my weekly weights, though I will be a good sport and add my starting weight, as of last Friday so the 9th Jan.......65kg. Why Fridays, cos that is how I work, I have always weighed in on a thurs or friday. Cop it. 

I am in a great position to do this. My food cravings are well under control, since seeing that natropath my sugar cravings are killed and I really no longer feel a slave to sugar. Theory is the reason I was loading up so much on it was cos of the bacteria infection I had, bacteria feeds on sugar so it tricks your body into thinking it needs sugar so you get cravings. Seriosuly since getting that bacteria infection under some control I have noticed a MASSIVE difference in my sugar intake. Anyway, I am drinking loads of water and green tea, I am limiting alcohol by setting myself a certain amount of alcohol free days a week (I have to have at least that many but of course having whole alcohol free weeks would be better). I am eating more protein and fresh food while following the zone diet as well as I can. I have started walking and using my bike ove rthe last few weeks and have not fallen sick so am upping the anti LOL. So yes this is it, it's now or never, it's time to shed that weight. 

My natropath says I may have a little trouble shedding the weight due to my sluggish thyroid, and TBH I have been very surprised that I have not been losing much weight with the way I have been eating (I really have made HUGE changes in the last 2 months)but I will try not to worry too much untill I have been exercising consistantly. I am hoping that getting back to regular exercise will help my thyroid naturally, and when (if) my body ever starts working properly after the iud removal and my hormones come back to normal that will also help. 

I would love to start the walk/run regime. I just don't know if I can dedicate 3 days a week to it.......It's not like I want to wish the years away with the kids but this is one thing I am going to love about the kids being in school. Just to be able to take 30-60mins out of the day for ME consistantly....sweet. Anyway, I will have to do it on Gym days, I am hoping to go back to the gym tomorrow......the decision is pending but looking very very hopeful. If I can I will perhaps go for my first walk/run. I am really looking forward to the walk/run regime.....esp the first week so I know I can do it easily.....not like the first time I did it LOL. I have the tools I need to do it right this time, I know how to take it slow, the first time I did this it was more like a walk/sprint and I wondered why it was so damn hard. 

Anyway. So there, it's out there. Yes I NEED to lose this weight but I also really WANT to. I can only count on myself for motivation so I need to be focused and strong. Today, I just want to take the kids to the park. It's a decent walk with two large kids in the pram so I am happy with that for exercise. Just checked the radar and though it looks gloomy we will not be rained on. So off to get Ryan his milk then off we go. 

Walk Run Regime

When I was really struggling with ingury when I first started jogging after having Anna a dude from the running forum posted the "Walk/Run" Regime for me. It was a great way to start running. I can't believe I have to start right back at the start again......Oh well, I am just happy to be feeling well enough (for now) to even feel like getting back out there at all. So this is it, copy and pasted from the forum.

Running Regime for Beginners 

Each session takes 30 minutes 

Week 1 - Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes. 5 repetitions 

Week 2 - Run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes. 5 repetitions. 

Week 3 - Run 5 minutes, walk 2.5minutes. 4 repetitions. 

Week 4 - Run 7 minutes, walk 3 minutes. 3 repetitions. 

Week 5 - Run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes. 3 repetitions. 

Week 6 - Run 9 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat then run 8 minutes. 

Week 7 - Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute. 3 repetitions. 

Week 8 - Run 13 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Repeat. 

Week 9 - Run 14 minutes, walk 1 minute. Repeat. 

Week 10 - Run 30 minutes. 


Some rules to remember. 

Run as slowly as possible, especially in the first few weeks. You should be able to maintain a conversation while running even if you don’t particularly want to. 

Always stretch your calves, quads, hamstrings and groin after running but not before. 

After the first two weeks, buy proper running shoes. You can’t spend too much on shoes. 

Do three sessions per week. Never run two or more days in a row in the first ten weeks. Your legs will need at least forty-eight hours to recover from the stress of each run. 

Have fun. If you follow the regime and the rules you should stay injury free. You’ll be amazed at the results.

I don't know when I will start this, I just wanted it here for when I do, might add it to the direct links bar so I don't have to look for it when I need it. 

"Zone" Breaky

I am adding this to my blog mainly for my own benefit, the sheet my natropath gave me with this recipe on it is getting all mangled in my kitchen and water drops are washing the ink away. So.....this is the breaky my natropath put em on to to replace porriage with banana and honey. I love it.

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups unprocessed bran

1 cup oatbran

1 cup rice bran

1/2 cup natural sultanas

1/2 cup currents

1/2 cup chopped dried aplicots

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup green pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Being wheat free I have had to alter it a little, I replace the 2 cups of unprocessed bran with a cup of each rice bran and oat bran, or usually 1.5 cups oatbran and half a cup rice bran depending on my mood the day I make the batch. 

I could not find rice bran at the supermarket but I was able to get it at the local gluten free shop. I am sure health food shops would also stock it.