Tag Archives: fitness

A Month of Personal Bests!

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After starting winter on a downer from catching every germ going around, it took a while then for me to pick myself up! The nasty gastro bug I caught got me the most! I was left feeling drained, tired and energy-less all the time. I lost too much weight and all I wanted to do was eat rubbish! But I never lost sight of what my main agenda is for myself and that is to be a good mum and wife, eat healthy, keep fit and be happy!

Before all of this I was at the peak of my fitness. I was running really well and achieving my goals and then a crack appeared in my path. I was determined not to let any of the hard work I’d done for a long time to be wasted so I battled through it! I’ve kept up with my running but some days have been a struggle! The power of the mind has had a huge impact on me continuing my successful running path and if my mind wasn’t in a good place I wouldn’t be running the times I am now!

About a month ago I thought there was seriously something wrong with me! I was keeping up my exercise but still feeling tired all the time and not having the spring in my step I’d found since exercising! Each run I did hurt like it was my first and I was beginning to think I needed to go to the doctors! But then I reassessed things. I was starting to eat more rubbish than normal, I had a constant head cold and I was still trying to exercise on my work days! A reality check allowed me to make some adjustments which I’m so glad I’ve done!

I now only exercise on my non work days, treat myself once a day rather than binge eat and force myself to rest when I feel I need it! Since doing this I feel great again!! I don’t feel exhausted anymore, my spring is back in my step, life isn’t as overwhelming and I’m running as good as ever!!!! Even though through all of this I’ve maintained my goal weight, I contribute my running PBs to my healthy eating that I’ve regained! It’s ok to eat a bit of rubbish here and there and keep up your exercise as one really cancels the other out! But eating a well balanced diet really plays a huge part in feeling great, therefore exercising well!

An over abundance of bad food, whilst at the time may taste delicious, really ends in our bodies feeling sluggish and tired! I noticed a huge difference from when my diet went off track and now I’m back on track things are looking up again!!! I’m finally, in the last few weeks, back to my peak with my running! This last week has been a huge week for achieving personal bests! It’s amazing how good eating, a good mind set, a good pair of running shoes (new pair) and comfy pants set you up for running your best! It’s also helped that the weather is starting to warm up, so I’m hoping things will only keep getting better!

My PBs now are:
2km – 9.40 mins
3km – 14.54 mins
4km – 19.55 mins
5km – 25.15 mins
7.5kms – 40 mins

My next goal is to complete a 10km run under an hour!

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My Direction Has Taken a Wrong Turn:/

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It’s quite ironic as I read my ‘Power of the Mind’ blog I wrote a week ago and my last few words read…..”I couldn’t be happier!” and now from my sick bed where I’ve layed for the the past 5 days I’m trying to be happy, but really I’m just feeling really crappy……

I was feeling so focussed, in control of everything I needed to be in control of! My job is so busy at the moment with reports and deadlines due before the school holidays. I was at the peak of my fitness and feeling really content in most areas of my life and then Monday night is where things took a wrong turn!

Of course my husband had a week of work to do away in Moree so it was single parent duties for me, but that’s ok I’ve done it before and I’m getting pretty good at it now:) I left work later than anticipated, but managed to pick Sie Sie up, got home cooked a big batch of bolognaise, bathed and fed the kids and myself, cleaned up, got all the school stuff ready for the next day and the kids and I were all sitting down by 6.30 enjoying cuddles and giggles together!

By 7.30 all were sound asleep in bed and then the time of day which I LOVE was about to be enjoyed. As I got all cosy on the lounge with my iPad and remote I suddenly felt cramps in my belly. I didn’t think too much about it as I thought I must have pigged out too much on dinner! I went to bed at my normal time after The Voice and the cramps were still there! Thankfully I fell fast asleep but then 1.30am approached and my wrong turn became a bad turn of events! I took some panadol and managed to get back to sleep until Mia woke up crying her little eyes out at 4.45am! When I looked at the clock I thought “Nooooooo!” Mummy’s cuddles got her back to sleep and I then went back to sleep and woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a bus:( I had an hour until I was to leave for work, so as much as my body was screaming “do not get up!” I knew I just had to do it!!!

So I did I got up did the usual – made the beds, got the kids breakfast, took one mouthful of my cereal and have pretty much been on my back since! I couldn’t stand up. I started shivering uncontrollably and once I made it to the lounge not one bit of soul in my body was able to get up! I was like this for 48-72 hours. I went from shivering to sweating, had severe body aches, fevers, cramps in my belly and of course the joys of gastro! I obviously didn’t go to work and thank goodness for my sweet angel of a mother, who came to my rescue until Kane came back from Moree, otherwise my poor kids would have done a lot of fending for themselves!

It’s day 5 now and I’m still not over this awful virus, better, but not a 100%! I’ve had a lot of time to think this week. This is the 4th time I’ve been sick in the last two months. Prior to all of this I hadn’t had anything bad since winter last year! I know it’s the season for it but four things in two months! And I’m the mum, I can’t keep getting sick. My poor little darlings ask me everyday “are you better mummy?” They are use to seeing mummy leading the pack, running, darting from here and there and the only time I reside on the lounge is after dinner at night!

I’m now left feeling weak, tired, drained and overwhelmed at the feeling of picking myself up and getting things back on track! I weighed myself….I’m down to my wedding day weight! Most people would be excited about this, but that wasn’t my goal! I was 24 back then and carried it better, now I look like a sick stick figure which is not what I was hoping to achieve! I have no reserves left and cannot afford to get sick again! I questioned: why me when I’m so fit and healthy? This is it….people who are fit are at risk to not being able to fight off germs and I look back now and I was always sick when I was younger and at the peak of my fitness! You can’t win really! I’ve gone from one extreme to the next where I’m now facing changing my eating and exercise plan to put on weight so I can get back to the fit and healthy me! So my advice is: when losing weight get back to a nice comfortable weight and have room for reserves if you get sick. I was that at my 60kgs, but I’m now playing with fire and have no reserves left!

I know I can do this and I will do this! My direction has taken a wrong turn, but I’m going to turn things around with all the strength and knowledge I’ve gained over the past 8 months and will be back in the right direction in no time!

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The Power of the Mind!

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I often refer to the saying “it’s mind over matter” as I believe this statement is so true! The mind is such a powerful thing that works over time, day in and day out. It has the capability to work even while we are sleeping. It thinks all day long about anything and everything, yet if we aren’t really on the same page as what our minds think, then things we really want to happen won’t be achieved!

It’s so easy to think I want this and I want that, but it takes strength, determination and dedication of our minds to accomplish what we want. I’m up to the 8th month of obtaining the old me, through healthy eating and exercising, but without my mind being in the place it is right now, I would have achieved very little. Prior to having my 3 beautiful children, I was always so fit and healthy and my mind was in that fit and healthy space for most of my life! Then somewhere along the way while having 3 children in 5 years, my mind was busy focussing on other things and lost its way on that path, but I never stopped thinking about the past and how I use to be!

My mind set after having kids has always been once I’ve had all my children then I’ll work on getting myself back to the old me! My last baby Mia, was 8 months old before the penny dropped and my mind set suddenly changed and it changed for the better! I now crave healthy food and the time to go for my run! I crave challenging myself and improving on my PBs for each distance that I run. There are days where I could eat everything in sight and there are days when I don’t feel like dragging myself out of bed to go for a run, but then my state of mind kicks in and takes over! It hasn’t been easy and I’ve had to work really hard at training my mind back to the way it use to be, but I feel it’s back to where it was and even better!

Now my mind is in a good place, I feel like I have the strength to take on anything. When I go for a run I may not always feel fantastic but I keep thinking as long as I keep going and not stop until I’m finished, I’m happy with that! When I wake up in the morning and it’s less than 10 degrees, I dress in more layers than normal and push past the coldness and go for my run. When I’m running and know I’m close to beating a PB, I push that little bit harder to achieve that! When I wake up and not feel flash I go for a walk instead of a run as walking is still being active! When I feel like eating a loaf of bread or a tub of ice-cream, I think about all the new clothes I’ve been able to buy and fit into and I gladly cut up my tossed salad and fruit! And when I do want to treat myself with a milkshake or muffin I do, because I know my mind has the strength to go back to its healthy ways after the treat!

A healthy mind set not only helps with my healthy eating and exercising but everyday stuff too. I’m only human and I’m not here to say I’m now perfect in every way, I’m the first to admit I make mistakes. Compared to where my mind set was 8 months ago to now, things around the house and the ability to be able to cope with the demands of being a mum to 3 kids under 6, seems so much easier! I now bounce out of bed instead of falling out and then struggle to get to my feet. When I have those moments of not feeling like doing the groceries, housework or cleaning out the linen cupboard that I said I was going to do for five years, I now just do it! And even though I still have many sleepless nights, I have the strength to get through the day without feeling like I’m drowning!

A classic example of the mind being powerful happened yesterday morning…..
I had 8 hours uninterrupted sleep (that hardly ever happens) and then stayed in bed chilling for over an hour. The weather looked a bit dodgy outside but hadn’t started raining yet. I run every Saturday morning and due to having more time up my sleeve I usually run at least 5km, but because of the weather I thought I’d only run 4km. Before I left I felt different, awesome different and I had it in my head that I was going to run a PB. From the second I started running, I knew I had it in me to achieve my 4km in 20 mins that I’d already come so close to a couple of times in the past month. I got to the first kilometer 4.33 (PB) then the second, 9.57 (PB) and when I was 15.25 mins (PB) at the 3rd kilometer my 4km in 20 minute goal was well in sight! I ended up reaching my 4km destination in 19.55 mins even better than I hoped! There were a couple of times where I thought “mmmm maybe not today” but I kept telling myself I can do this and that I did! And the prize at the end….self satisfaction! It’s also nice to get home to my very own fan club who greet me with cuddles and “did you have a good run mum!”:)

No one has the ability to change someone’s mind for them, encourage yes, but it’s up to the individual to control how one’s mind thinks and it takes time for this to happen. The first step is recognising what you want and then from there steps are put in place to achieve that. Those steps can be two forward and three back at first, but in time those steps become easier and easier to the point of it being a natural part of day to day life…..and this is where I’m at now and I couldn’t be happier!

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Maintaining the Groove!

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It’s been 7 months now since I took the first and hardest step of putting on my running shoes and getting the courage to become fit again. It’s been a fantastic 7 months and I’ve been able to achieve some great goals! Since my ‘Jackpot’ post, I’ve achieved my goal weight by losing 10kgs and new PBs for both my 4km and 5km runs! My new PB for 4km is 20.38 mins and for 5km is 27.33 mins!
I’m so close to achieving my new goals which are 4km in 20 mins flat and 5km in 25 mins flat:)

When I say it’s been a fantastic 7 months it has been, up until the last month. I was doing so well. Keeping up my exercise plan of half an hour a day 6 days a week, which included running 3-4 times a week and power walking the other days! But three bouts of illness has proven to be a challenge, but I was so determined not to let any of my hard work be jeopardised!

I’m not a silly person and I know when my body needs rest or not. On the days I was sick I rested but when I felt well, I would exercise even if it meant walking more that week than running. I only ever run when I know I feel awesome! As long as I move in some way each day for half an hour, I am happy:) Even after a whirlwind month I’ve managed to maintain my fitness and goal weight loss. I don’t find it difficult anymore, it’s a part of my everyday life now….I’ve officially got my groove on!

In the past week or so I’ve changed my running routine a bit. I was starting to get a little bored with my route and was wanting a new challenge so I’ve changed my running route which now includes hills…7 of the suckers to be fact! I run this route about 1-2 times a week and it’s already making a difference to when I go back to running my original 4 and 5 km route. I’m hoping this will help me reach my new goals.

I believe that everything we do is mind over matter and once you become comfortable in a good mind set, things will fall into place how you want it to! It then becomes a matter of maintaining the groove that you originally worked so hard to get!

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