And then it struck!

So, the deadly virus has struck. I have the most awful sore throat, combined with what I call my sex phone voice. I have been surviving for the last two days continuing to deny that there's anything wrong. It was only when I went into the office this morning and realised I didn't want to be one of 'those' people, so I collected my gear and have been working from home so I don't infect anyone.
How is this different? Well, instead of giving up I'm upping the fluids, eating well and am going to attend my exercise class tonight even though the easy option would be to not go (and I have to take the kids with me this time). 3 months ago I would have used feeling a bit yuck as an excuse to eat junk and then do nothing and end up feeling worse.
It's a start.


Annie

It may just be a visit - I actually don't know

So, I'm back, maybe just for a post, maybe for me, I'm still not sure. While trying to juggle being a mum, working, studying, volunteering, being a wife and I don't know, writing policy for the childcare centre the blog just kind of got left off.

Not sure why I'm back yet. Have really enjoyed reading a lot of other people's blogs - particularly around study time when procrastination needs are high.

A general update would be that I'm back on WW - the online thing just didn't have sticking power for me, so as there's no local meeting within an hours drive I've gone with the at home package which includes 13 weeks of phone follow up. My consultants name is Jenny and I love her in a deeply disturbing way. She has hit the nail on the head every time for me. I have lost 4.5kgs in 6 weeks. My weight had ballooned to the highest ever. The sadness of moving and not having close friends, the stress of study and work and just general life had kind of beat me down. Thankfully I have the best husband in the world who when I said I needed help said then let's get some! I'm still running but not in the same way. I did do a 5km last year, the Glenelg Classic and can proudly say I ran the whole thing. I have decided to do the same one again this year as last year was so fabulous. Again the aim just to keep running for the whole thing. I'm now involved with a group training program, three times a week with the most awesome trainer - hey Em - and that's been great to help stretch me. Sometimes you just need someone else to kick your arse for a while.

So, that's about it at this point, let's see what happens next.

Annie

Running update

Hmmm, well, the ankles are better, I've run further than i have at any other point in my life, and if i could just stop comparing myself to other people then i think i'd be pretty happy!
I'm about to start week 5, which the third session of is running for 20mins without stopping, freaking out about that a bit. Cause the lead up seems much less, run 5mins, walk 3 or run 8mins walk 5.....oh well, the only way is to just do it, and 20mins can't be that long can it??

Will update when i make it through week 5.

Hmm, oh and the freeze your arse off cold where i live is also not an encouragement for my running. Am working on a plan that involves me running at lunchtime one of my work days, on the weekend another run and then i have to fit one in on a morning...brrrrrrr

A week later

So, i've managed to find a time that works for me at the moment with extra work on my plate - that hour before dinner, straight after getting home from work. It's been fantastic to look forward to my run.
I've been working through and am ready to move on from week 3. Tonight I went for a run and did the standard program and then just kept running and went an additional 1km. Felt fabulous and was the push I think I needed to give myself. It will be interesting to see how my legs feel tomorrow. For so long i've been doing the standard runs and haven't really felt anything the next day.
Am still planning on the 6kms for the City to Bay, but am open to doing the 12km if i've progressed well by then.
I decided tonight to put the scales away for a few weeks and to get the tape measure out. I've been finding it really offputting to get on the scales and not see any weight change even though i'm eating well and running, and yet i feel like my pants fit better, so we'll do it the old fashioned way for a while and in a month or so i'll pull them out again and hopefully it will be more encouraging!
Well, that's it for now, can't wait to report that i've done 20 continuous minutes running.

Change of focus

Floating around in my mind for quite some time now is a desire to 'do' something with my running program once I have got up to the 5kms. I've decided that the best way to move forward is to change my focus to what I AM going to do......run 5kms in the City to Bay this year (2010). For those who don't know, its a fun run on September 19th, there's an opportunity to walk or run various lengths, but i'm sticking with my 5kms. For now.
So far I have managed twice to get to week 4 of the C25K running program and then hit a hitch, the first time it was pregnancy, this time it was 2 sprained ankles and some serious pain. With some treatment I am almost back to running and looking forward to getting past that week 4 hump! (By the way, didn't sprain the ankles running, managed to do it firefighting, damn hilly terrain).

My blog from now on will be a weekly update of my running, maybe a weight update, but i'm more interested in focusing on the mins/kms achieved.
So, if by any chance you're reading, feel free to add some encouragement or advice and join me as I work my way to a real goal.

Cheers
Annie

Easter & a kilo!

So, easter is past, had myself some yummy dark chocolate eggs (thanks hubby) and had pre-planned saving points and eating some really low point meals on Easter Sunday so was stoked to have got on the scales to weigh in on Monday and lost another kilo!!!! Woohooo.
May i say again how well ww is working out for me! So, 3kgs in 3 weeks. My lovely fantasy is that i can keep up this pace for the first 5 weeks and hit the 5kgs before going away to a workshop for a week. I think the additional weight loss will be great motivation to go walking in the mornings and evenings as i will have no control over the food while i'm there (i will of course have control over my healthy food choices - and have big plans to take my own biccies and snacks to have during the days)
I'm now a cm away from fitting into some jeans i bought 2 years ago while on an OS holiday, they are a wonderful length for me, and they have an adjustable waist, i bought them thinking great while i keep losing weight i'll be able to adjust these they'll be wonderful....did i mention it was 2 years ago.....hmmmm

So, did an exercise class at the local gym tonight, freebie thank goodness, no way i can afford the gym, and a crappy time (6pm when there's feeding and getting ready for bed to be done) but it was good to do something different, might be an idea to shake it up once a month or something for a bit of extra motivation. Girlfriend warned me that it was a terrible class in terms of feeling like you were gonna die....sad to say that although my shoulders are feeling tender it was no different than my current weighs dvd. Oh well.

Anyway, off for a relaxing radox bath, i think next post i must talk about some of the wonderful recipes that we've tried!
Cheers
Ann

How to smash roadblocks

You know the friend, the one who's great fun and who you love lots and yet never wants to support the things that are important to you and can't understand anything she hasn't experienced herself. So, you end up spending half your time coming home having had a wonderful time and the other half so p'd off that you want to break things! How do we cope with these people in our lives? Well, i know what my mate Dani would say, start praying for help with forgiveness - and i do agree, i really need some help with that one. I think there's another side though, about how to accept that people are not going to behave the way you believe they should and as long as they aren't so toxic that it's damaging you then i think it's worth continuing to be friends. It's about being able to balance your frustration with an equal amount of knowing that what is important to you is actually important whether it's validated or not, and at the end of the day not being manipulated into something that's bad for you.
There was a great quote on Oprah not that long ago that i love, it was
"when you say no to someone and they start arguing with you, you need to ask yourself, why is this person trying to control me?"
Something i think a lot of women should think about, when you say a clear no you don't need to give a reason, you should be respected for your no, and if you're not, well that says something about the other person doesn't it!

Hope you all have a wonderful easter,
cheers & big ears!