Where Spirit Leads

"The important thing is this:

To be ready at any moment

to sacrifice what you are

for what you could become."

- Charles Dubois

Taken from the book, 'Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior', by Dan Millman

Wk 4, Aussie Day & Crab Arms

Week 4...

....61.6kg...an increase of 900g! I think I should throw the scales away. It's been my most physical week. Nutrition mostly good except for a couple of hot cross buns on Sunday. I've decided that instead of a 3 monthly program, this is going to be 12 months. I mean, my goals are for the whole year anyway. It'll take me that long to see results and changes this year. However, I'm not feeling so fat and bloated. My core has tightened up and I've lost fat around the tummy. My lats feel like they're growing though. We'll see when I do my 6 weekly measurements. I'm not expecting great things yet, with the way things are going ATM....more about this later...

Aussie Day...

...had a lovely morning up at Mt Tamborine with AW and Phil. We had a lovely picnic morning tea at Mt Tamborine Botanical Gardens, and Phil and I walked through the gardens (last two pics). It was then off to what use to be my favourite haunt, the Polish Gallery (top three pics), which overlooks the Great Dividing Range for a coffee, and then we had a look at a local cheese factory in Eagle Heights. I was naughty and had roasted macadamia ice-cream and Phil had bubble gum ice cream (it was pink...her favourite colour...lol...), which is made on premises with their own jersey milk...best macadamia ice-cream I've ever tasted! I had packed the cricket bat and ball and soccer ball to play with Phil, but it was just getting too hot, and I wasn't up for anything physical. The reason for why, you'll find out now...

Crab Arms...

...this is how I've been looking the last few days. Well, my arms anyway. I haven't been able to straighten them in three days! Apparently I have 'Crab Arm'...the culprit?...PULL-UPS!

When I first heard this term, I exclaimed..."that's hilarious!" Because it was exactly how I'd been feeling, not being able to straight my arms.

Yesterday I was a very unhappy chappy and feeling quite upset and confused. You see...my arms were still so frickin' sore (not to mention my lats, rear delts and pecs) from Thursday's Pull Up session, that I couldn't do any Wing Chun training on Saturday. I mean...I couldn't even do one full pull-up anyway, by the time I tried. I started on Progressive pull-ups or 'negatives', then attempted a full pull-up, and ended working on Kipping Pull-ups. I had no problems with this session. In fact I felt great doing the session and was pleased with my efforts since it was my first pull-up session. In the past I've only done jumping pull-ups.

Come Monday...no better and I was upset because I knew it was probably not a good idea to train Wing Chun on Monday night either.


However, I didn't make this decision until Monday morning, when I was putting cream on my arms and noticed how puffy they were around the elbows. My arms were swollen around the elbow joints and I knew then that this just wasn't normal.

I sent of an ugent email for help to CF Brisbane, and got a phone call from Wendy (Swift). When she told me I had 'crab arms' I had a bit of a giggle, but in all honesty, what I had could have been more serious. It seems I have or had (the swelling is going down) what Crossfitters term as 'Crossfit Induced Rhabdo' or 'Rhabdomyolysis' (you can download PDF file next to article for a full explanation). A basic explanation of what it is (quote from PDF file)..."a potentially lethal systematic meltdown initiated by the kidneys in response to the presence of shed muscle-fiber debris and exhaust in the bloodstream."

I have obviously had a mild case, as my urine wasn't brown. I wore compression bandages on my arms yesterday, drank plenty of water, applied ice and rested. I was also feeling very tired and a little queasy. I'm much better today and my arms are still swollen, but they've gone down alot. My arms are still very weak though and the LHS is worse and more sore than the RHS.

I hazarded a guess it was the pull-up progressions I did on Thursday, and after reading up on it, found out that the 'negatives' I did would have triggered it. Apparently it's the 'eccentric' part of the negatives (where you are lowering down, and the arm is straightening) which can be more damaging.

Anyway, apparently it only happens to beginners in Crossfit. I must have exerted myself more than I thought. I mean, I was feeling fine during the session and afterwards and apart from being sore, I wasn't experiencing anything unusual. Oh well! I did read about it when I joined CF (you are made aware of it before signing anything), but didn't think it would happen to me.

Needless to say, I feel a little stupid. I'm not even doing anything of serious intensity or consistency yet. Hence, the feeling of frustration. Tomorrow I'm going back to Crossfit (no Wing Chun this week), but can only do legs and will be resting the upper body for now.

The challenges continue...but I'm in good spirits today.

Crossfit Challenge & My Own Challenges

The above video is a taste of Crossfit challenges. The one above was last Saturday and was held at the new Seventile Miles Rock branch of crossfit, Crossfit Rocks, which is run by Doug Armstrong, who was a previous member of Crossfit Brisbane. The main guy in the video is Matt Swift, who is the owner and main trainer of CF Brisbane. He walks his talk, as you can see.

I couldn't go along to have a look, as I had Cheryl's 50th birthday party to help organise. Apparently it was a great day and very successful. Lisa Stokes competed in the challenge, as part of her preparation for the upcoming big event at CF Brisbane on 7th March. She placed 8th overall in the women's division, out of 29 competitors, and considering she's just returned from injury, had a fantastic result! Lisa is a great inspiration for CF women (considering she's only be doing CF a short period of time), and is one hell of a strong athlete! I'm pretty sure she trains at least 5 days a week in Crossfit, and if you've seen the workouts, that's pretty impressive.

The Crossfit challenges, from my perspective as a beginner, look pretty daunting. You can start competing once you can initiate correct form and technique of your main skills, i.e. pull-ups, deadlifts, squats, etc. You don't have to be a seasoned Crossfitter. Like the training, competitions are scaled to the individual. You're not competing against others, it's more about competing with yourself and seeing what you're made of.

Needless to say, competitions are not in my sights this year. It's more about building my skills, strength and fitness without injury and correcting my muscular imbalances, so that I can do what I want to do and function at my optimal level. I have to admit though, the more I train in CF, the more I want to train. You definitely start to get an itch for it.

I've noticed lately in quite a few blogs, there seems to be a current theme where people are having difficulty with motivation and direction in their training and overall 'fire in the belly' feeling, as Hannah described it recently. I've been thinking about that lately and the reasons why. My conclusion is, last year saw such huge growth and achievement for most of my fellow bloggers, that recapturing that drive is proving difficult. I think 2009 took alot out of all of us, and once you hit such high goals and aspirations, how do you trump that?

I have to admit that I'm going through the same thing. The strange thing is, as I've said in recent posts, my nutrition is going great and my exercise is slowly increasing, but I just haven't felt the same 'WHAMMO' feeling, like I had last year.

However, I know why...majorly different plans have been put in place, requiring a total shift in paradigms for me.

Last year I trained hard, continuously 5-6 days a week for the major part of the year, with a week's break in-between programs for recovery. I had a set plan all written out and worked out for me. I had a weights/cardio program that was progressively scaled to keep things challenging and all a nutrition program all worked out for me as well. Keeping track statistically was very easy, because the workouts were set for a period of time, i.e. 4-6 weeks, then a new program incorporated. I knew exactly where I was in the scheme of things and where I was heading.

This year everything has changed (except my nutrition at this point in time). I've started back in martial arts (Wing Chun at present) and am now doing Crossfit training, as well as trying to incorporate regular running sessions, and then hopefully start to do more martial arts specific training which is more physically challenging than Wing Chun (where training is heavily geared towards upper body/shoulder endurance, being a close distance fighting system).

With Crossfit, you can't plan sessions like you do at a gym. Crossfit incorporates a 'cross-section' of training modalities. The definition of Crossfit by founder, Greg Glassman is..."Crossfit is a strength and conditioning program built on consistent and varied, if not randomised, functional movements executed at high intensity." *There are 3 fitness standards. The first is based on 10 general physical skills, i.e. cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, flexibility, power, co-ordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. The second is "about performing well at any and every task imaginable". The third is based on the 'three metabolic pathways' or engines, a) Phosphagen, b) glycolytic, c) oxidative. 1st pathway is centred around high-powered activities lasting around 10secs. 2nd pathway incorporate activities lasting up to several minutes. And the 3rd pathway, oxidative, incorporates activities lasting in excess of several minutes. So CF fitness as specified in the 3rd standard is all about 'metabolic conditioning' and "how and why we do cardio".

Anyway, I find this stuff fascinating. But back to my own challenges....because the way I am doing training is so different to last year, and is more 'intuitive', requires alot more flexibility and lessens my ability to plan right down to the last detail (which is what I love to do), it's really messing with my head.

Theoretically, I know what I need to do. I need to be patient! Not one of my virtues. I need to build up gradually and listen to my body, because this isn't going to happen overnight. In fact, to really see results, I need to give myself 6-12 months, consistently training in CF to really understand what this Crossfit thing is all about.

By concentrating in Crossfit it's going to improve my results in other areas of my life...martial arts, army and overall fitness. As Wendy said yesterday, I don't need to do specific running training to improve my running and times. Just by concentrating on training a min. of 3 times per week in CF, my improvements will be a given. She gave me an example of when she first started out as a swimmer and did triathlons. After 12 months and not doing specific 'running' training, just training in CF, she slashed her running times. Of course if you a triathlete and marathon runner, you do need to be doing specific training for your training modality.

The problem is, I'm in a place I haven't been for some time...a complete beginner! And when you're starting out at something she can't help but develop the 'monkey-mind'. Inherently, you know what you need to do...just follow the goddamned program!! But as a beginner, you start to do things to totally confuse and sabotage your efforts. How do I know this? Cause that's what goes through the minds of alot of people starting out in Ideal Bodies online. Instead of following the recommendations and program, they change it a little, but for some reason still expect the results. Isn't that the definition of 'insanity'? BTW, this ability by beginners to totally get themselves befuddled and not trust in the process, is applicable to all skills and areas of life. It used to happen with students starting out in martial arts too.

But here I am, a beginner, going through the same things. Though, I have an advantage - I recognise my folly, so after talking to Wendy yesterday I feel much better, and that monkey-mind has been quietened for the time being. I'm happy to keep training as I am and trust in the process. I'm looking to the people who have done it and are doing it, and this is what I need to do if I want to experience success, not only in Crossfit, but in all areas of my fitness.

Anyway...this is where I'm at. I am loving Crossfit at the moment though, and have decided to train again tonight, even though I'm sore and have torn open a blister. Luckily no pull-ups, but I still have to be able to grip the bar. I'm sure I'll be fine.

*information and quotes are taken from the 'Crossfit Journal', featuring 'What is Crossfit', dated Oct 2002.

Black Fungus anyone?

Okay...just to get this out of the way...my weekly weigh-in - 60.7kg, which is an increase of 100g. So at this point, change of diet is obviously not going to cut it anymore to get back to my happy weight, now that I've been back on my normal nutrition.

It's time to start upping my cardio. Actually, making a start would be great...lol... I haven't done any more jogs since my hip seized up a couple of weeks ago. I did do some short runs (200m) as part of my Crossfit training last week and my hip was fine. So this week I'll start integrating jogging back into the program, beginning with my jog/walk combos of course, and see how my hip handles it. All I know, is that I'm not getting enough steady state cardio. But, I've been gradually increasing my exercise, and cardio (especially running) is one that I've been a bit apprehensive about because of my hips and weakened glutes. I feel confident though this week, but I need to pull my finger out. I also need to get some consistency again with my rehab/isolation exercises.

Anyway...Black Fungus, otherwise known as 'Wood Ear', is something I've been eating a little of the past week. I try to eat alot of vegetables, and am looking to increase my vegetable intake, and wondered why I hadn't thought of chinese vegetables. My mother, being part chinese, practically raised us on chinese cuisine and I always took for granted the richness and variety of chinese food. I've been getting a bit bored with steamed veges, so I'm starting to incorporate more chinese veges. There is soooo much variety and they are so delicious. You just have to know which ones go with what, but if you can get hold of chinese recipes, that can help you choose. Some are more suitable for soups, and others for stir-fry, and some you can use in both.

My favourite and easily accessible ones from your local supermarket are wombok, pak choy, buk choy and dried mushrooms (shitaki mushrooms). Otherwise, if you have an asian grocery store close by, they'll have more variety and they're usually more fresh and better priced.

Both wombok and pak choy are great in stir-fry and soups.

Lately, I've had a hankering for seafood and recognising that I need some variety on the protein front, I thought I'd make some seafood soup, chinese style. You can't go past it for taste, texture, and it's very filling.

You'll see the last photo is what I've been having for dinner lately. So here's the recipe. There's no name really, because I usually just throw everything together and put in what I want. Asian grocery stores also have 'soup mixes' which are made up of dried chinese nuts/vegetables which double as herbs and are very good for your health. Just make sure you read the packet carefully and research the herbs/combinations. They usually have a variety which cover sweet, bitter, savoury,etc, so you need to follow the directions, as some herbs/veges require soaking, etc.

Okay...the recipe...

Ingredients:

• seafood marinara mix (fresh or frozen)
• wombuk
• pak choy
• garlic (fresh)
• black fungus or dried mushroom
• vegetable stock
• tamari (or soy sauce)
• salt to taste
• shirataki noodles (or your choice of noodle)
• water

Now before you begin, you need to soak your black fungus or dried mushrooms if using (you have to soak the fungus in warm water for 2hrs beforehand).

If you are using fresh marinara mix, you need to lightly fry it in olive oil and garlic, before adding water. If you are using frozen marinara mix, boil the water first and throw in your garlic and marinara mix and bring to boil and then turn down heat. Add your vegetable stock (I use powder), salt and tamari.

Chop your fresh veges, throw in and turn up heat slightly. Add your black fungus or mushrooms (chopped or cut into pieces) and let simmer. While simmering, drain the shirataki noodles, wash and cut into shorter pieces. Add it into the soup mix, simmer for a little while longer, and wala! It's finished!

Just make sure that you let it cool down before eating. It's always tastes better with chopsticks by the way and allows you to taste and savour your food. Make sure you drink all the soup, because there's alot of goodness in it!

Notes:

• you can substitute the seafood mix for any choice of protein, e.g. chicken, pork, beef
• I only make up enough for myself for one meal. Just play with the quantities for what you want.
• Black fungus when soaked, expands, so be careful you don't soak too much of it.
• Black fungus has a rubbery sought of texture, and doesn't have a strong taste, but I love it!
• Shirataki noodles (2nd photo) or 'miracle noodles', can only be found in asian grocery stores in the Japanese section. There are hardly any calories or carbs in these. I got onto them from Pauline Nordin's fighter diet recipes. I use them as a filler, as I like to keep my carb intake low.

Okay, time to go. Sorry I havent been reading blogs or facebook much, but there seems to be so much I need to get organised lately, and stuff I have to get done! I'll catch up eventually. Take care and have a great week!

Weekend Ramblings

No, it's not an audition for Priscilla Queen of the Desert! These are a few pics of me dressed up for my girlfriends 50th birthday bash, which also happened to be a 60's & 70's revival party.

I had a great night and actually let my hair down (or up and out as you can see). Cheryl had a fantastic night herself, and after all the dramas (health scares - she was rushed to hospital on Christmas day, funeral, etc) of the last couple of weeks for her, it was good to see her really enjoying herself. We threw in a bit of something different and asked the guests to bring as a surprise, something 'naughty' for not only our amusement, but Cheryl's.

I thought I did rather well on the costume. I bought my dress for $20 bucks at Vinnies in West End and found my boots at the Salvos for $5 bucks! (one of the guests offered me $10 bucks for my boots...she has a shoe fetish). I got my tights at Myer on special for $14 bucks for 3. And I got my GAWWWJUS eyelashes at a cosmetics plus where I also got my jewellry and accessories. In fact...my eyelashes were SO GAWWWJUS that everybody commented on them and wanted to know where I got them. Cheryl's scrapbooking friends went into a tizzy over them and decided they are now holding a 'GAWWWJUS EYELASH' (or something like that...lol...) theme at their next scrapbooking night. And my fab make-up was done by my girlfriend who did my face for my photo shoot. She knew exactly what I wanted and didn't disappoint. Oh! And the hair is mine! ;)

(Chery's family, less Cheryl)

In a Whole Other Dimension

Well I happen to have an hour to relax a little before I start getting ready for my girlfriends 50th birthday party, which is also a '60's & 70's Revival Party'. I've been busy helping decorate and getting all my gear ready. Another friend who lives in the same complex, and who did my make-up for my photo shoot, is doing my face again for tonight. I'm going as a black version of Twiggy, from the 60's. And yes Em and Frankie, I will have photos.

I'm quite looking forward to dressing up. It's not often I get the chance to do something a little different. I always did want to be a hippie and wish I'd been born earlier. Of course, I look nothing like Twiggy, and I'm not as skinny. But what the hey...I had this vision in my head of her, but it doesn't quite match her pics. I was mainly thinking of knee high boots, short dresses and thick, dark eye make-up.



This is more what I had in mind...except with an afro (and wish I had longer legs), and my boots are black and I'm going silver and black. Actually...I'm going to look nothing like these women...ha..ha..ha...

Okay...the whole other dimension.

I'm just in a real weird place right now. It's like an out-of-body experience. I'm going through all the motions that I've set myself up for. Nutrition is great, exercise is starting to pick up, and there's lots of goings-on, and things are in the pipeline. But it's like I'm physically here, but I'm not feeling my life with the kind of depth I was last year.

It's really hard to explain. And I don't know how to. I'm connected to what's going on around me, but I'm not connected with me. Geez...can't explain. It's like I'm living in a whole different universe. Everything seems to be the same, but different...I don't know...I'm grasping at straws.

What I have recognised lately is that I need to get some other areas of my life organised. AW is going back to work on Monday; Phil is starting daycare on Tuesday; and my previous life is about to change, and my future life is about to take a step in a different direction.

Things are busy with Ideal Bodies Online on the personal mentor side of things (which is great), and all of a sudden I'm getting requests for help, advice, coffees, etc, etc. Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining. I always did say to myself that I needed to give more of myself, and I think this is God's (or the universe, depending on your perspective) way of delivering on my prayers. At first, I didn't think I was really helping anyone, but then I realised that sometimes any type of help, however small can be a big thing in somebody else's eyes. I have come to think that maybe I am making a difference, and that's a good thing.

However, I'm also at the stage where I need to prioritise my life and those things I said I'd cut out, I need to do very soon, and then put in the action to get everything back into balance. I've also had a request from a particular friend (you know who you are) to think about going back to teaching martial arts. Whoa!! That just totally shook my world, and was out of left field. I'd thought about it for some time, over the last number of years, but once I'd finally accepted that the past should be left in the past, and had finally made peace with that part of my life, that I'd neatly folded it up and tucked it away in a safe place...until last week, when my friend propositioned me about this. I never say never, however, there's just so much to consider, and one of those things was about my time and what I wanted to spend it on. It seems that even though I'm starting to give back, I am at a stage where I'm fiercely guarding the time I have to spend on my own fitness and martial arts pursuit. And I want to finish things that I start. So...who knows what the future will bring.

Okay...think my time is up. I want to enjoy the rest of my cuppa and put my feet up before the mad rush to get ready and head out the door. Hope you are all having a fab weekend!

Week 2 Weigh-in & Ramblings

First of all...today's Weigh-in...60.6kg...1.2kg loss. 2.6kg more to hit my happy weight of 58kg.

I'm very happy with this. I've been back on track with my nutrition. I haven't been anal either about every morsel of food. I'm still going out and seeing friends, and if I've been eating out I'm making sensible choices...Saturday I had a lovely big greek salad with grilled chicken...olives and fetta, which are not on my normal plan, and I enjoyed it. And I'm still having my Chai Lattes too (only when coffeeing or eating out with friends). Apart from those little indiscretions, it's all on track. My hunger pains are no longer (unless it's any more than 2 & 2.5 hrs in-between meals), and I'm not feeling bloated. I've increased my fish oil intake as an experiment. I upped it when my hip was sore. It's no longer sore, but I've still been taking increased doses. I've also been having extra (good) fats on days where I'm training (except Wing Chun days), and carbs in Meal 4. At present, my exertion level isn't high, so I'm skipping meal 6 because I just don't need it at present.

All-in-all, I'm pretty happy and just cruising along. My exercise intensity is slowly increasing, though had hiccups with the RHS hip and straining my neck muscles last week. So...in spite of the very slow start, I'm still losing weight. It's satisfying to know that I'm following a (Ideal Bodies Online) nutrition plan that is conducive to both fat loss and my health.

I have been doing alot of reading on types of nutrition plans though, as I want to experiment a bit this year in my pursuit of getting and staying lean. I'm not a person who is 'strictly this' or 'strictly that'. I like to try different things to see how they work, and then I'll take the best of it and alter it to suit me. Crossfit Brisbane owner and trainer, Matt, follows and recommends the Paleo Diet (those who know Matt will know how dedicated he is to Crossfit training, and how ripped he is...he walks his talk). So I'm checking that out at the moment and I like what I'm reading, which is 'The Paleo Diet for Athletes' by Loren Cordain, PhD and Joe Friel, MS. I bought it from LizN who's been offloading books in preparation for house moving.

Okay...need to get moving now! We're off to Musical Theatre for kids this morning at the State Library. I can't wait to take Philomena to more plays and shows. This morning we're going to see Nadia's Wish. The write-up describes it like this..."Nadia, a colourful singing gypsy, wishes her best friend Marcello Mozzarella a safe return from his world adventures. Drop by and be scooped up in a delicious patchwork of homespun songs, stories and good ol' fashioned musical fun."

I'm really looking forward to it and then we're meeting an old school friend and her little girl for a picnic lunch and some playtime for the girls. Geez...look at the time! Gotta go...bye.

Living YOUR Life

"You're gonna be a shining star, fancy clothes, fancy car-ars.

And then you'll see you're gonna go far.

Cause everyone knows, who you are-are.

So live your life ay ay ay

instead of chasing that paper.

Just live your life (Oh) ay ay ay

Ain't got no time for haters

Just live your life (Oh) ay ay ay.

No tellin where it'll take you.

Just living my life (ay), my life (oh), my life (ay), my life (oh)

Just living my life (ay), my life (oh), my life (ay), my life (oh)"

"Got everybody watchin what I do

Come walk in my shoes

And see the way I'm livin if you really want to

Got my mind on my money

And I'm not goin nowhere

So keep on gettin your paper

And keep on climbing

Look in the mirror and keep on shining

Till the game ends, till the clock stops

We gon' post up on the top spot

Livin the life, the life

In a brand new city got my whole team with me

The life, my life

I do what I wanna do

I'm livin my life, my life

I will never lose, I'm living my life, my life

And I'm not stopping

So live you life!"

I love the above lyrics to 'Live your Life', by Rianna feat. TI. Listen carefully to the narrated parts too - there's alot of wisdom in them. It's basically a gangster song, but it's a song about hope. What I think it emphasizes, is that regardless of your situation - regardless of how hopeless things may seem, that you have the power to change it. And by living your life - the way you are meant to live your life, with all it's triumphs and failings, that if you have hope and keep striving, that you too can shine and be proud.

If you get lost along the way, try to recall why you started and where you started. For me, I know the key to living my life, was working out how to live a life that was authentically me, rather than someone elses.

I'm writing this, because I've been following and reading Robyn's blog, and her posts have really got me thinking about authenticity. My motto for life is 'To thine self be true'. Though admittedly, for some of us, finding out what the truth is can take some time and there can be alot of twists and turns before we're able to discover what it is.

The most beautiful thing is though, on your way to discovering the truth, that's where all your best learnings take place. Without those learnings, what do we know what we're truly capable of and what life can offer us? As Sandra said in her most recent post..."Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans".

So I say...live your life which is authentic for you (whatever that is), because only then can you find and make peace with yourself.

Have a great week!

I'm Fine...Really

This is something along the lines of how I felt this morning after I got out of bed, and what was going through my head during the rest of the day.

Upon waking

• hmmm...stiff neck

Morning

• okay...really stiff neck, hard to turn
• shit...pinched nerve, neck hurts
• fark, my traps are tight! knew I shouldn't have trained straight after an adjustment (chiropractic). Must have been all that Chi Sao (holding arms up and in front of body while resisting/pushing/working other person holding their arms in front of body, while trying to strike, punch, trap, elbow, unbalance and basically cream the other guy...basically trash the traps and shoulders).
• just a bit of muscle tightness...I should be fine for Crossfit tonight...don't want to miss tonight's session...it's a kick-ass WOD...just what I need!

Lunch-time

• geez...I'm starting to struggle here...think my neck is out again. Think I'll have to go back and have another adjustment...shit...bugger...piss!

This Afternoon

• Chiropractor..."yeah...I was going to say something about you training, but then I knew even if I told you not to, you'd go anyway". Kerry...***sheepish grin
• Chiropractor..."hmmm...your traps are really tight"
• a little while later after adjusting between the shoulder blades and my neck...Chiropractor..."seems like you've strained a muscle in your neck"
• Kerry...***it dawns on her that she won't be doing any Crossfit tonight or even tomorrow night..."So does that mean I can't do any shoulder work for a while?" ***der!
• Chiropractor..."That would be a YES...give it a week's rest"
• Kerry thinking..."FARK, FARK, FARK! My first week back training...my hip fark's up and now my neck...FARK! SHIT! BUGGER!!!!!"

So, that was how my day went...in a nutshell.

On the way home I was feeling rather angry and frustrated at first. Because, on the drive to the Chiropractor I'd realised that I was so frickin' pumped about tonight's Crossfit session and that even though I was motivated for 2010 and all my plans, I hadn't felt this excited about training hard since before Kapooka!

It was the same excitement I felt when I first started my Ideal Bodies Online program. I knew that feeling... you know...when you're body is so highly strung and coiled from thinking about training, that it quivers with excitable tension? You're so pumped and just want to train that you feel you might explode if you don't!

So, to know that I can't train Crossfit tonight or tomorrow night (with a night's rest) and definitely no jogging has put a little dampener on my day. I had actually started feeling positive and upbeat again, as my hip feels good again - no stiffness, and last night for the first time since Kapooka, I noticed that my hamstrings weren't as tight and my flexibility has started (ever so slowly) to return.

Again, I had to think logically and positively and accept that I had to rest tonight, and that I cannot work my shoulders for about a week (I'll see how I am on Monday and gauge it then). However, I do have alternatives! I can work my legs still, but I am in desperate need and want of cardio...I really want to get my heart pumping this week.

As it happens, tomorrow morning I am doing RPM for the first time (never had any previous desire)! I will just have to watch my posture and make sure I'm not straining my neck. Though I'm a little worried, as I am doing an RPM class with LizN (Liz, your reputation precedes you). On the other hand, I'm relishing the thought of being pushed and feeling shagged at the end! And I think that it will do me the world of good and put my mindset back on track!

Anyway, I'll keep soldiering on and I know that tomorrow morning everything will be much better! It usually is.

Quote of the Day

"Knowing others is intelligence;

knowing yourself is true wisdom.

Mastering others is strength;

mastering yourself is true power."

-Lao Tsu

Week 1 Weigh-in

My RHS hip has been sore since last Thursday, when I went for my first official jog/walk combo. Obviously the total amount of jog time was too much (22mins), because it's still very sore, and after martial arts training last night, where we did some low level kicking, my hip was more stiff and sore afterward. It's settled down this morning, which I'm guessing means I've stirred up the Bursitis. I haven't had any bursitis symptoms since I started my Ideal Bodies Online program back in July 2008.

So I was rather frustrated last night, since this is my first week back on scheduled training. Going to Kapooka has been more detrimental to my fitness than I thought it would. It's taking me a lot longer to recover from injuries sustained during my basic training.

I tried to push those feelings of frustration aside, and think logically. I've been down this road before, and it's not as if I'm starting from the same place I did back in 2008. I'm much further ahead. At least I know what I need to do. I just have to be patient and do what I need to, to keep progressing. So probably no jogging this week. I really need to do more scheduled cardio, so I will have to get back into the pool this week. I'll be ringing my physio shortly to discuss what's happening. I'm pretty sure he will agree with me on what I should be doing. As he always tells me..."Kerry, you know what you need to do - just listen to what your body tells you".

The frustration lies in what I've set myself as far as goals. I know I've got a whole year, but I also know that it's something you don't keep procrastinating about. I've had 2-3 months of procrastination and that's enough now. I'm paying the price. Yes, I needed a well-deserved rest after Kapooka, but I really dragged that excuse out.

Anyway, I'm still feeling optimistic, just not ecstatic. Having the extra bit of weight on, and not feeling myself has dulled my enthusiasm a little as well. My nutrition has been very good. Still not 100%, but pretty much on par. I'll be streamlining that more as the weeks go on, and I become more disciplined overall. Getting back to some regular and consistent exercise will make a big difference to my enthusiasm, as well as getting back to my happy weight of 58kg.

I know I just have to keep plodding along and keep putting in the action. I may be feeling like a turtle today, but I'm not racing anyone else but myself. I don't have to be better or stronger than anybody else, I just have be better and stronger than where I am today.

***Just spoke to my physio who said to persist with the jogging, but change the ratio to 1:2 jog/walk and cap it at 30mins. He doesn't seem to think it's bursitis, but there's obviously some inflammation happening. Phew!

The Child Within...

"Give a little time for the child within you...

...don't be afraid to be young and free..."

I was thinking about having more photos taken when I'm a 'Sexy Bitch'. I thought more photos would be a great incentive and reward at the end of this year.

Ainslie has a beautiful music intro to her Wildspirit photography website. It really took my thoughts away to somewhere magical...

My favourite photo is of the little girl in the red dress, holding her face up to the sky...I hope you enjoy this little intro and it takes you away somewhere magical. Have a great week! :)

A Day of Spontaneity

Today we did something spontaneous. We went for a short bushwalk at Mt Tamborine. I was thinking about it doing something yesterday as a family. And I wanted to take Philomena on her first bushwalk and introduce her to rainforests.

As she gets older, I'd like her to experience more things outdoor. It not only gets her out of the house and more active, but I think it's important for her to appreciate nature, with all its' beauty and wonders.

It was only a short walk, about an hour return (with a small child whom are known for their dawdling abilities) or so out to Cameron Falls. She really loved it, and the fact that she could just keep going and going and there so was so much to absorb her senses was lovely to see. All the new smells, sounds and sights really captured her imagination. It's good to stop every now and again and just listen. So often when you walk, you're so busy walking and talking, you never get a real feel for nature...it's important just to be still. Of course, with a child, you can only stay still for a short period, but it's long enough to get your point across.

Philomena just loved the 'mud'. I knew it was going to be a bit muddy on the walk, so I made sure she wore her trusty gumboots. She wanted to stay a bit longer to splash in the water, but we didn't have much time today. It was more of an introduction, and anyway, there was a bit of rumbling going on, and a storm was approaching, so we couldn't dawdle for too much longer. We made it back in time to eat our lunch in the car, as it had started to rain, and then head of home, driving through heavy rain. We were supposed to have a lovely picnic lunch and play some cricket and soccer, but that wasn't to be. Oh well...the walk was lovely and Anthony got to relax a little with a coffee (he didn't join us on our walk).

So I've decided our next stint we'll take Philomena to Cedar Creek Falls. I haven't been there for years and it's the best place for kids. Lots of beautiful rock pools and a waterfall where we can swim and slide down the rocks. I'm sure Philomena will love it just as much as I do!

Anyway...I'm glad we did something spontaneous. We don't do enough of that really. When you have little kids, it's a little harder to do because you have to be so organised. But also, you get a little lazy too...I know I do anyway.

Well that's about it. Tomorrow marks the first day of training, as I start to get into my schedule for 2010. I'll be starting off slowly for January and building up to 3 Crossfit sessions per week. Depending on what type of session we do, it can take me days to recover. Also, after my first bit of running proper (jogging actually) last week since Kapooka, my RHS hip was all stiff and sore, which means the muscles have weakened quite considerably around the hip joint. I was rather annoyed and feeling decrepit all of a sudden. So I will have to halve the amount of time I'm jogging in ratio to walking this week. It might be better for me to decrease the time and increase the frequency at first and gradually build up to a time, and then increase the intensity once I can build up the time without any repercussions.

I hope everyone has started on the right foot for 2010! Have a great week all, and as LizN has said in one of her recent posts...JUST DO IT! I'm sought of leaning toward that this year as part of mixing things up a little and just keeping things moving.

A Message to all you SEXY BITCHES out there...OPERATION SEXY BITCH 2010 begins!

This is our year! So how are you going to complete your mission...what path are you choosing to become a SEXY BITCH (on the outside...cause we're already sexy on the inside *wink *wink) in 2010?

Here's the path I've chosen...it's mostly a repeat from a December 2009 post, plus extra stuff.

MISSION: To achieve a high state of physical fitness (for me), and become and stay as lean as possible all year round (my definition of a SEXY BITCH).

A high state of physical fitness for me, means to have superior upper body; core; glute and quad (leg) strength and power, as well as a moderate-to-high level of muscular endurance, and a substantially increased level of aerboic fitness (than I currently have), as per the Crossfit definition of fitness.

By achieving this, my aim is to considerably decrease, if not eliminate altogether, current muscular imbalances pertaining to RHS gluteals and multifidus muscles. I aim to achieve this and remain injury-free, by ensuring a balanced approach to my physical training, rest and recover, as well as nutrition.

MY GOALS:

1. Obtain and maintain a lean 58kg throughout the year.
2. Decrease and/or eliminate body fat significantly, especially around the abdominals, thighs and hips. I will go on how I look, and the feel of my clothes, rather than using BF% as a guide.
3. To increase muscle size, concentrating on glutes and quads.
4. To reach Level 5 in Wing Chun Kung Fu (altered goal).
5. To complete 10 full, straight 'Pull-ups' (chin above bar, unassisted).
6. To complete 50 straight 'Push-ups' (as per Army standard.
7. To run 2.4km (as per Army standard), in: a) 12 mins within 6 mths; b) 10 mins by the end of 12mths.

HOW I WILL ACHIEVE MY MISSION & GOALS:

1. Train in Crossfit for 3 sessions per week min.
2. Complete 1 x running session per week for time, for 2.4km.
3. Wing Chun training for 2 sessions per week min.
4. Maintain my stretching, mobility/activation, rehab exercises as part of every training session/day.
5. Maintain for the time-being, my current nutrition program for Fat-loss and/or energy, i.e. 5-6 meals p/day (approx. 1450 cal p/day, low carb) and/or increased carb meals depending on energy requirements; min. 3ltrs water p/day; 1 cheat meal per week (if I choose). Nutrition program may change once reached goal weight of 58kg to become leaner.
Use whatever visual stimulation and music to motivate and reinforce my goals, working toward my mission. I will do this DAILY.
7. Incorporate (Shaolin) Kung Fu training basics, conditioning/bagwork, circuit or otherwise (1 p/w) into my schedule, once the first 3 steps have been achieved on a regular and consistent basis. This is to be self-taught and administered (altered).

END POINTS:

• My Goals and How I will achieve my mission and Goals, will be reviewed at the end of June 2010 (6 months).
• Pauline Nordin is my 'Inspirational Pin-up Girl' for 2010, and is a reflection of what I would like to achieve aesthetically. I do not necessarily want to 'become' her, rather, use her example and achievemets as a catalyst to achieve my own personal health and fitness goals.

I hope everyone had a fantabulous New Year and is really excited...I know I am!