Quaking Quads

Wednesday Jan 19

Geez...I was convinced that a long soak in the tub would be enough to make this morning bearable! Oh how wrong was I?! As I lay there wishing I could 'beam' myself out of bed and into the shower, I did some calculations: 3 sets of 15 medicine ball 'dead lifts' and 3 sets of 15 sumo squats gives me a grand total of 90 squats!!! No wonder my quads are killing me!

Of course, today is a train day. I hobbled up the stairs at the station, grimacing, but determined not to catch the lift. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just my quads that were hurting. My right knee is extremely sore too. I don't understand. I mean, I figured all the squats that I've been doing over the past few months would be strengthening my knee in some way. Just gotta hang in there, though. I'm sure it's making a difference.

Walking is a bit uncomfortable, but not as much as the process of sitting or standing. Now that is unpleasant!! G was teasing me on the train and telling me that I should have more compassion for her when she can't keep up with me. 

I smiled and jokingly said, 'Hey, if you can't keep up with the fat girl...." and shrugged.

She turned to me and replied, "Hmmm...you've got to stop referring to yourself that way."

I thought for a second and shot back, "Just call me Lactic Acid Girl!!" 

Both of us laughed. I wish I could fly...cuz man, walking is not ideal!!

Work was uneventful. My legs weren't feeling any better by the time I got home, so I decided to give the treadmill a miss. I know that all of me will get a full on workout during tomorrow's group PT session.

Dinner. The first of Oprah's Australian episodes. The new season of Fringe and then it's definitely bed.

Tuesday Jan 18

I woke up feeling very emotional. I'm grateful that we have training scheduled today at work because I'm not sure that I could manage speaking to customers. Our training is about stress management and how to handle, identify and manage stress-specifically in the workplace, but I'm sure many of the skills will be transferrable to our personal lives.

When it came time for lunch, I was nervous and excited. The sandwiches looked divine...but they were all made using *gulp* white bread! One of my favourite things. And, one of the things that mustn't appear in my food diary. Ohhh...what to do!!

They were cut into triangles and after much deliberation, I choose 2 tuna and 2 egg sandwiches. As the first bite touched my tongue, I closed my eyes. 

One of my work friends caught me in the act and quipped, "Don't speak, she's savouring her first white bread in months!!'

Everybody laughed!!

At first, I thoroughly enjoyed the taste. As I ate the 3rd triangle, the thought of finishing the last one became less and less appealing. My stomach was not happy with me. I'm sure it wasn't just the bread. I hadn't had butter in months either.  Add mayo to that equation, and it was no wonder I was feeling a bit queasy.

The fruit platter was spectacular! Yummo. I filled up on kiwi, apple slices and strawberries. Knowing I was only hours away from a training session made it easier to turn down afternoon tea: caramel slice, florentines, pastries, brownies and other delights.

Worried that I would be late for my session with J, I left the training as quickly as I could. Turns out I was only a couple of minutes late. A quick chat about my food diary, my knee and my left ankle and then we were straight into it.

The 'new' warmup: 30 seconds of ski jumps, 8 'laps' of the centre and then 30 seconds of star jumps. I'm puffing and sweaty. Stretches and then onto the core: curls ups on the Swiss ball to target my obliques, rolling on the ball and stretching forward without allowing my back to dip. Then it's game on!

15 medicine ball dead lifts, 15 jacknifes, 15 sumo squats and then running the length of the Centre and back. Repeat 3 times. Short break. 2 sets of 15 leg lifts, 2 sets of cobra stretches. Warm down stretches. And done for the day.

My legs are a bit wobbly on the way down the stairs and I have to hold on to the railing to keep my balance. I reckon I'll be sore tomorrow. Hopefully a bath with Raddox will take the edge off.

Bath. Book. Dinner and bed.

Monday Jan 17

Little Miss woke up early when G went in to give her a kiss good-bye. She climbed into bed with me for a cuddle. I love her so much. She's not one to lay around in bed, so it was up and into the kitchen to get breakfast ready. Fresh fruit and toast for S and my usual yogurt and muesli. 

We played in her room for a bit but she still felt like something was missing. When I asked her what she really wanted to do, she told me she wanted to do some painting. We have the paint; we just didn't have anything to paint. Time to shrug off our PJ's and head out to the shops to see what we could find.

We ended up with some canvasses and, after a quick wander through K-Mart, we picked up a sticker mosaic jewellery box. I wasn't convinced that S would enjoy doing the mosaic. WOW! Was I wrong! From 11.30am until 2.30pm, with only a 15 minute break for lunch, S dedicated herself to applying every last mosaic sticker! It was amazing!! I was so proud of her. It looked fantastic! We didn't have any other distractions: no TV, no music, just her and me and 800+ stickers! 

I love spending time with S. As Kindergarten approaches-it's now only 2 weeks away- I feel an over-whelming bittersweet sadness. I am going to miss our Monday's together. My baby girl is growing up.

I gave her a big hug and told her that I was so happy that she loved spending time with me. In a teasing voice, I told her one day when she was a teenager, she would think that hanging out with me wasn't cool. Much to my surprise, she burst into tears. I hugged her tight and asked her what was wrong.

In a trembling voice, she said, "You hurt my feelings, Mumma Jay."

I cuddled her close, apologised and tried to explain that I hadn't meant to upset her. When she had collected herself, I went to get the laundry out of the dryer. She followed me outside and said, "You have to promise that you will never say something like that to kid who is just about 5. I love you very much."

And it was then that I realised that in her mind, it was inconceivable to even imagine a world or a time where she would not want to spend time with me. That moment was very humbling. At not-quite-5yrs old, she is such a wise soul and she teaches me so much.

I hugged her tight when it came time to say good bye. She grabbed my hand, held it close to her cheek and for a few minutes, refused to let me go. When she finally lifted her head, there was one solitary tear on her face. It breaks my heart each time I drop her off.

Feeling sad, I made my way home, waited until G finished her workout and took my turn on the treadmill. Symbolism. I walk and walk. And, yet, when I look up, I have made no discernible progress. 

Progress

Sunday Jan 16

Wow! What a night!! I made every effort to be in bed at a reasonable time and it was probably a good thing too! It was so hot and humid that poor little S came in about 12.50am because she was too hot in her room. She climbed over me to her spot in the middle. I got up and turned on the fan. It made a difference, but with 3 of us (and a long-haired cat) on the bed, there was too much body heat for any of us to sleep comfortably.

I suggested that S take off her singlet and tucked her back into her own bed. That didn’t last long. 30mins later, she was standing beside me again. I rolled off the bed, turned on the fan so that S & G would be comfortable, and went into the lounge room. I figured the only way any of us would get a decent sleep, would be to take the black fan into S’s room. I get it all up and then picked her up off my bed and settled her into her own.

The fan did the trick and all of us managed to sleep the rest of the night through. Nights like last night make me think longingly of air-conditioning!

Breakfast, whilst watching the rest of Pocahontas and then it was time to play some computer games. We started with Barbie Island Princess, and ended with Leo’s Cool School. S practiced drawing all of the letters of the alphabet. Only 2 weeks to go until she’s officially in kindergarten.

Our plan today is to take S to see Disney Live at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. We promised her lunch at McDonald’s. I was not prepared to have McDonald’s appear again on my food journal, so I made myself a healthy pizza and ate it before we left.

By the time we parked the car, walked to the Entertainment Centre and found a table, we were running out of time for lunch. G went in to brave the crowds at McD’s and S and I sat and waited anxiously. I still needed to collect the tickets from the ticket office. Finally, I turned to S, asked if she could wait until after the show for lunch (she’d already had a snack of grapes before we left) and when she nodded, we jumped up from our seats and headed into McD’s to get G. She was the next person in line. I tapped her on the shoulder, explained the change of plans and we went off in search of the ticket office.

Collecting them was easier than I expected.  With the tickets in our hot little hands, it was time to execute a ‘quick change’. We slipped her Disney Princess Tiana dress on over her head and then, quickly took off her light pink trousers. Change complete!

There were heaps of little princesses strolling around! We saw lots of Snow Whites, a few Sleeping Beauties, some beautiful Belles, a few Cinderellas and even an Ariel or 2. As far as we could see, S was the only Tiana.

The show was fantastic! They enacted 3 Fairy Tales: Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella & Beauty & the Beast. Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck & Goofy introduced each Fairy Tale and they engaged the audience as well. It was like being transported back to Disneyland for just a couple of hours! Magic!

S had a wonderful time and so did we. 

Saturday Jan 15

Today we’ve been invited out for brunch! To insure I wouldn’t over-indulge, I thought it best to have breakfast at 8 when we all woke up. We watched a bit of TV and then got ready to go.

Our friends put on a brilliant spread: poached eggs, bacon, English spinach, pancakes, and croissants. Divine! We had a lovely visit. S watched a couple of Disney movies while we chatted.

It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. G dropped us off at home and went out to face the crowds at the shopping centre. It’s amazing how quickly we go through fresh fruits & veggies! We seem to be at the shops twice a week to restock!

S and I played some computer games and then we popped her into the bath so that she would be ready for bed after dinner.

For dinner, we had broiled salmon with lemon juice and a healthy salad. S had 3 fish fingers with some veggies. Then we settled in to watch part of Pocahontas.

Then bed.

Friday Jan 14

And there it is. I thought it was too good to be true!! Some time during the night, the rest of my muscles jumped on the bandwagon- particularly those connected to any part of my arms, shoulders, back, neck and legs! I thought I was sore yesterday, but today, my arms are very unhappy with me! My left arm and shoulder seem to be worse than my right side.  That’s ok! Now that I can see some definition in them, I’m willing to put up with a bit of soreness!

Typical day at work. I’m a grateful that it’s Friday for 2 reasons: the obvious and the fact that it’s an S weekend!! I watch the arms travel slowly around the face of the clock until it’s finally time to tidy up my desk and hit the road!  Traffic is not as bad as I expected and I arrive at our drop off point 15 minutes early. No problem.

I rolled down my window, turned off the engine, grabbed my snack from my bag and settled in to get through as much of my novel as I could! I’m reading the Millennium series and I’m only part way through the first book. It’s got me hooked!

S isn’t as talkative today. Perhaps it’s because C and I chatted about her latest adventures. Strict rules for this visit. S had to have a molar pulled out due to an abscess and the Dentist is concerned that 2 others are at risk. That means: no lollies, no juice and extra teeth brushing!

Homemade pizza on our brand new pizza maker, an episode of Handy Manny and then time for bed. I have a surprise planned for tonight! Earlier in the week, I downloaded the Velveteen Rabbit on my iPhone. I remember loving the story as a child but both S & G have never heard it.

S cuddled up in my lap and G sat beside me on the bed. S held the iPhone and the 3 of us settled in for the story. There’s one part in the story where the little boy becomes very ill and once he’s recovered, the doctor orders all of his clothes, his bed linen and his stuffed velveteen rabbit to be burned. At this point, S burst into tears. G’s eyes were watering and my eyes had been leaking for ages! It took us a while to convince S that the rabbit was going to be ok. Both of them were very relieved that the story had a happy ending!

As I tucked S into her bed, we chatted about her stuffed animals and which ones we thought were loved enough to be ‘real’. It’s wonderful to have her here to tuck into bed. I miss her so much when she’s not with me.

Thursday Jan 13: ‘The new group circuit”

It’s just me and A today. J has designed a whole new program for us starting with the warm up.

warm up: medicine ball squat and raise to the sky x 10; lunge across the centre and back, run 4 times back and forth

new stretches:

cobra: lying on your stomach raise your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades close together

lower back rotation with medicine ball between my knees

The new circuits look very challenging. Some of the new things have already been incorporated in my ‘B’ day one-on-one sessions with J, so I know what to expect.  As she walks us through each exercise and demonstrates the proper technique, I’m convinced there’s no way we’ll be able to make it through the each circuit twice in 15 mins!

New triceps: 

20 x hip ext (back & chest on ball so that it forms a  bridge, lowering bum and raising it. Essentially it’s the reverse of the previous hip extensions that we were doing)

20 x triceps dips on weight bench: supporting my weight with my arms, I lower my bum below the bench, then raise myself back up. I can’t make it to 20 and J lets me stop after 15.

20 x leg extensions: lying on my stomach on the weight bench, I have to lift my legs until they are level with my body

20 x chest press on the ball keeping hips up: forming another bridge with my upper back on the ball and my knees bent at 90 degree angle, I have to keep my hips up, and chest press 6kg in each arm.

10 x running across centre

20 x squat & hold for 3 secs- not as bad as my new ‘A’ day Tuesday routine where I have to hold each squat for 10 secs, but by the time I get close to the end of the set of 20, my legs are definitely burning.

J takes pity on us and gives us a 3-minute break before we have to swap over to the other circuit. I think this one will be easier to get through.

New bicep:

10 x bicep curl with the same leg lifted off ball (balancing) as the arm holding the dumb bell.

20 x sword pulls per arm

20 x hamstring curls: I can manage 12 on a good day…so I’m not sure how I’ll get through 20 twice!!

20 x push-ups

20 x jumping jacks

20 x squats with 3kg bar on shoulder: the bar bell isn’t heavy, but 3 kg’s on my shoulders definitely make a difference

By the end of today’s session, I’m stuffed. The 3 minutes of BLISS are much needed and I flop gratefully onto the floor where I stood. No time or energy to make it to a mat.

A and I stagger down the stairs and out into the early morning sunshine. My arms are heavy and I’m hoping a warm shower at work will be enough to loosen them up.

No such luck. They feel like they’re made of lead. Lifting them shoulder height takes effort and even just typing and using the mouse is uncomfortable. Foolishly, I tell the girls that my plan is to go home and spend another 30 mins on the treadmill tonight. I know my arms are sore, but I figure I can still get a bit more out of my legs. Turns out I can’t. I’m happy to just relax when I get home.

Wednesday Jan 12

Remarkably, my legs still bend and getting out of bed is not the nightmare I was expecting. I’m pleased. This definitely means that my fitness is improving. My legs are tougher than I thought!

There’s a surprise waiting in my inbox when I get to work. J has obviously passed on my progress photos to V and she’s posted them on the Sacred Centre website.

At first, it takes me a minute to register what I’m looking at. Then it sinks in that the shot on the left of each pose is the ‘before’ and the shot on the right side is the ‘progress’.  The voice in my head tells me that the difference is due to the way J took the shots. After much inner dialogue, I convince that voice to ‘rack off’ and I am finally able to see and accept the changes.

I’ve lost 8kgs and I can fit into clothes that I haven’t worn for more than 3 yrs. That is definitely progress! My session with V on Monday really helped to cement that for me. Up until now, I’ve been very attached to the numbers-to the kgs—needing to get to 25kgs less before I see any of my success. Now, I’m thinking that maybe I can measure success in a few ways. If I can’t make 25kgs by my birthday, perhaps I can assess my goal by the size of the clothes that I’m wearing then.

Spurred on by my photos, I decide to work out when I get home. I know I worked out yesterday with J and I have a group session tomorrow, but a little more can’t hurt, right?

I walk 2.5kms on the treadmill and gently do the following weights. I know I shouldn’t over due it today: 2 x 10 bicep curls with 9.5kg,2 x 10 chest press with 9.5kg, 2 x 10 curl ups, lower back rotation 2 x 10. A quick shower, some TV and then definitely bed!

Tuesday  Jan 11

J decides to add a twist to today’s work out, starting with the warm up. I’m expecting to run across the Centre, but it’s not that simple. We start with running 4 times across. Then it’s 30 seconds of ski jumps followed by 30 seconds of star jumps. Thank goodness I forgot my work out shirt and NOT my sports bra!! I’d have been in big trouble!

It’s the normal Tuesday day ‘A’ but instead of holding each squat for 5 seconds, she’s increased the time to 10! OMG. That would be hard enough, but she’s also increased the reps from 12 to 15. My legs are jelly but somehow, I manage to hold all 15 for 10 secs in the first set, 12 in the second and 11 in the third. The remaining squats in each set, I hold for 5.

She’s also changed one of my arm exercises.  Rather than lift the barbell from a kneeling position, I now sit on the Swiss ball, a 3kg dumb bell in each hand, and leading with my elbows, I raise both weights until they are level with my nose. I feel a bit like a bird flapping its wings. 15 of those followed by the normal shoulder weights and my arms are shaking. I know I’m going to feel this tomorrow.

J put me through the paces today. I felt like crying at times-especially during the squats- but I survived. J always tells me that she never gives me anything that she thinks I can’t do. I’m here for the ‘tough love’ and that’s what she gives me. I’m always amazed and impressed with what she’s able to bring out in me.

I’ve got the best team ever.

Monday Jan 10

I’m looking forward to my session tonight with V. It’s been a month since my last appointment, and I can feel that I’m due for it.

True to form, she hones in on the difficulties that I’ve been having. I’m going through the motions, but it feels like something is holding me back. I need to get my head sorted out.

We talk a lot about my inability to see how far I’ve come. I’m feeling the pressure of my birthday being less than 2 months away because I’ve lost less than half of what I wanted to lose. I can feel that iPad slipping through my fingers.

V is persistent; she doesn’t let me off easily and I’m persuaded to see things from her perspective – a healthy perspective. It feels much better than the thoughts that have taken root in my mind over the past couple of weeks.

I walk out of the Centre, feeling like the garden of my mind has been thoroughly weeded; the unhealthy thoughts plucked from it and tossed aside. Much like a real garden, I know I’ll have to continue this process regularly.

Sunday Jan 9:

So tired. Not cut out for late nights anymore. And, 1am isn’t really late by most people’s standards. I feel hung over- but I think that has more to do with all of the cigarette smokers last night. It’s been ages since I’ve been around smoke for any length of time. Besides, water wouldn’t give me a headache like this.

Coffee, breakfast and a shower later, I’m feeling much more like myself. We have a friend coming over at 11 for a visit and lunch out. I’ve already decided what I’m having: 300g of rib eye steak, with pepper sauce, mashed potatoes and grilled veggies. If I can convince G, we’ll be sharing another order of mixed berry crepes. Ahhhh. YUM!

I do not add sugar to my cappuccino when it comes. I know that won’t make up for the ice cream, but at least it won’t compound the situation.

By the time we finish lunch, I’m stuffed! We strolled through the shopping centre to see if Target has a pizza maker. Ours finally bit the dust a couple of weeks back, and I’m missing it. As luck would have it, they did. It’s a beautiful black model and I can’t wait to use it. Won’t be tonight though. In fact, I’m so full after lunch I don’t eat another thing before bed. Not the greatest thing for my metabolism.

Saturday Jan 8:

The plan for today was to get up early, head off to Marrickville for a haircut, come home and work out, then head off to have a BBQ with my workmates. Well, we managed to get up early and get our haircut, but by the time we got home, I really wasn't feeling very well. The intention to work out was definitely there. While we were out, we picked up a barbell to add to our collection of workout gear and a couple of pairs of running shorts and a top for G. Rather than put myself through the paces, I drank some water, had a second cup of coffee and watched a bit of . It didn’t help that I was still recovering from Thursday’s session with J.

About 2.30pm, it was time to jump in the car and head out Campbelltown way to meet up with out friends for a BBQ. I packed 2 litres of water so that I wouldn't be tempted to drink anything else. When we got there, A had put out the standard cabanossi, Jatz crackers and cubes of tasty cheese, along with a bowl of salt & vinegar chips. I tried very hard to ignore the jar of my favourite lollies that were perched at the other end of the table. I finally succumbed to the cabanossi, cracker & cheese combo -eating more than should have, but much less than I wanted and was capable of eating! Salt & vinegar chips are a weakness as well and 3 small handfuls later, I had eaten enough to satisfy that itch as well.

There was much laughter and teasing! We exchanged work stories and chatted over the cheerful sounds of kids splashing in the pool behind us. About 7.40pm, the guys made a move and got the BBQ lit. A brought out lamb chops, sausages, onions, mushrooms, 2 different salads, rolls and condiments. Unfortunately, the bugs liked the smell of the BBQ as much as we did, and it wasn't long before flying ants of all shapes and sizes made their presence known. By 9.30, we'd made short work of the food. However, it wasn't until 11 when we finally got up to say our good byes.

Needless to say, it was well past my 10pm bedtime by the time my head hit the pillow. Sleep, glorious sleep!

Be Afraid Day...

Jan 7

My eyes open and I try to take stock of my body. Sore? Without question. My abs, both upper & lower, are achy. My legs? Very unwilling to take themselves off the bed. Even my arms and shoulders are sore. They say day 2 is often worse and they're right.

Time wins the 'stand-off' and I'm forced to roll out of bed and get ready for work. At least it's casual day, and I can slip into some jeans. Not just any jeans. Jeans I haven't worn in over 2 YEARS! And, they're even a bit loose! Very very cool!

The scales still refuse to show what G and others are noticing. Maybe I should pay more attention to my measurements instead of the digital read out. Still, it frustrates me.

One of the girls at work notices that I'm looking different and she asks if I've lost weight. That felt really, really good. It's nice to be able to say that I have lost weight. And, it's super cool that others are starting to notice.

Home to a nice healthy dinner, TV and my blog.

Night all!

Jan 6 "B Day"

I slept badly last night. It often happens when I know I have to get up early the next day. Add a few disturbing dreams to the mix and it's no wonder I wake up feeling exhausted. Fortunately, I organised my clothes last night before dropping into bed. I pull on my workout gear, zip up my bag and head to the kitchen to prepare my lunch and my pre-workout breakfast. Bananas are hard for me to eat first up so I cut one in half and throw it and a nectarine in the ziplock. I'll eat them on the way.

It's cool this morning and it looks a bit like rain. Traffic is still pretty reasonable. Some people must still be on vacation. Suits me fine. A little aircon, some tunes to get my blood pumping and an easy trip across the Harbour Bridge. Not a bad start to the day.  I wonder if it will just be me or if A will be joining us today.

It looks like it's gonna be me and J. She's got the new circuit worked out for me. We start with the familiar warm up of running back & forth across the Centre. Stretches and then straight into the new stuff. Elbows on the ball, and rolling forward to stretch my lower back. 2 sets of 15. Then, with my lower back on the ball, it's curl ups with a twist to target my obliques. 2 sets of 15. Hip extensions- 2 sets of 15.  Are you noticing a pattern!? Finally, we finish that bit with a new stretch. I steady myself against the wall, bend my knees slightly and then raise up on my toes. It's meant to target a muscle in my foot and ankle. Seems ok, but by the second set of 15, I'm feeling it.

Then the real fun begins. The new circuits are predominantly legs and core. We start with the 'medicine ball dead lift'- essentially a squat to pick up and put down a medicine ball. Yep you guessed it- 15! Followed by sumo squats- standing with legs wider than shoulder width apart with the heels pointing towards each other. How many you ask? 15.

When J shows me the next exercise I give her a look of complete disbelief! She smiles and demonstrates it for me. She lies face down on one Swiss ball with it positioned under her chest. Then, she lifts her feet and places them on the 2nd ball. After steadying herself, she rolls the ball under her feet towards the one she's resting on and then rolls it back. It's like a hamstring curl but instead of lying flat on my back, I'm gonna be suspended between 2 balls on my stomach!! This is insane! My attempt did not go so well. I couldn't get the hang of balancing.

Let's put it all together, she says.

Yeah, let's, I think to myself.

So, here we go: 15 medicine ball lifts, 15 sumo squats, 15 jack-knife rolls, run back and forth and start all over.  The second set of Jack knife swiss ball rolls go better in the balance department, but my legs are killing me.

Time to move this party into the weight room. I get my wish. It's finally time to use V's weight bench! But, instead of lying on my back doing, some wicked chest presses, J's got me lying on my stomach, with only my legs dangling off. Now, using my glutes, I've got to lift my legs level with the rest of my back. Another 2 sets of 15.

I haven't felt this bad during a workout for a long time. New exercises are always challenging, J tells me. And, she's preaching to the converted. I'm definitely a believer.

We finish with a cobra stretch. I lie on the floor on my stomach, lift my chest and squeeze my shoulder blades together. 2 sets of 15. It's harder than it sounds. Stretches to warm down. As I sit on the ball to stretch out my neck muscles, I get a painful head-rush. I can feel each heart beat as it pulses through my brain. J asks if I'm ok. I know if I breath deeply, I'll get through it.

By the time I finish the stretches, my head is back to normal. Then, I collapse in a heap on the floor. J gets the Bliss cd sorted...but it seems to have a mind of it's own. It sticks a bit and it sounds like a DJ remix! Both of us have a giggle and then J changes it. Man, I'm needing this 3 mins of BLISS. Today has been really tough. I was right to think 'B-day' could stand for "Be afraid day'! Oh, where was A when I needed him! He could have saved me from this circuit --well, at least prolonged the inevitable for another few days!

I say good bye to J and make my way slowly down the stairs. My body aches in a whole bunch of new places!

Later in the day, I try sucking my guts in, but I can't. Guess that's the true measure of a good core muscle work out.

My workmates gang up on me- and 2 of them order pad se ew for lunch. I wonder when I'll be able to eat Thai again. Certainly won't be for a while. My birthday deadline is looming!

Home for a long, luxurious bath and a good book. Then TV. Salmon for dinner and early to bed.




Jan 5

I'm not as sore as I thought I'd be after yesterday's full on '60min 4x through the Tuesday circuits' session with J. Actually I am quite impressed with myself for getting through it. 2 months ago, I would have paled at the thought of all of those squats! Today, I can say I DID IT! Too cool!

Typical day at work. My work mate has a thing for vegetarian pad se ew. She sits beside me, and as soon as she unfolds the flaps on the takeaway container the aroma fills our pod. OMG. Thai used to be one of my staples. In fact, from 2005 to 2009 I'd say I prolly had Thai for lunch 98% of the time and pad se ew was one of my 3 favourites. It is SOO hard to look forward to my healthy lite cottage cheese with the smell of her lunch in the air. Sigh...

After work, G and I pop by Woollies to pick up some more supplies. They're out of mangos. Bummer! I've been loving my daily mango. Instead I have to substitute with kiwis, bananas and nectarines. Thought I'd branch out a bit so I popped a package of tofu into the trolly. Might be nice to shake things up a bit. J mentioned quinoa as a pasta substitute, but I think I'll save that for next time!

Another dinner of scrambled eggs and sauteed vegetables. YUM. A bit of TV and it's time to hit the blog. Gotta catch up on the last few days. It takes me longer than I think. I don't make it to bed until 10.45pm.

New Year's Eve & the first few days of 2011

Tuesday  Jan 4

Back at work. Always tough after a great weekend with S. I've got my work out bag packed for tonight's session with J. Should be interesting.

Work. Today was tough. Difficult customers. No motivation. Time seemed to drag on, until about 3pm when it started to speed up. My workout was approaching faster than I wanted it to. As I walked down to the car, I thought about how easy it would be to just head home. Not that long ago, I would have. Hang in there. My destiny awaits.

As usual, we go through my food diary. J cringes when she gets to the bit about McDonalds. We talk about my failure to reduce the sugar that I'm adding to my hot drinks. I explain that sometimes knowing I have that bit of sweetness to look forward to keeps me from eating worse things, like chocolate, lollies or pizza shapes. Sigh. I know it's not ideal, but it seems like the lesser of the 2 evils. At least I'm in control of how much sugar I consume in my hot drinks. I mention that weekends with my daughter make it tricky to exercise so we try to include some physical activity to make up for it. I still haven't mastered the 'eating every 4 hours' rule, so I ask J if maybe I should try eating every 2 hrs: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack etc to try to 'trick' myself into meeting that 4 hour gap. She thinks it's worth a try as long as I'm careful with portion sizes. 

My homework for this week: adding probiotics to my diet, reducing non-vegetable carbs at night, eating only 1/2 of a home made pizza for dinner, exercising regularly, getting to bed before 10pm more regularly and reducing the sugar in my hot drinks. Maybe I should make myself a chart and give myself gold stars when I achieve my targets!! LOL 

On to the work out. J advises me that she wants to do what we did last Thursday in 90 minutes and speed it up so I complete it in 60 minutes! Far out! We start with the normal warm up -and I use the word 'normal' loosely! I still feel like a git when I'm doing it! 

Then 4 times through the Tuesday circuits of: squat & hold, bar bell lift, shoulder weights whilst sitting on the Swiss ball, and then running to the other side of the Centre and back. Then, straight into the scarecrow, the zombie and the sword play! Followed by 2 sets of hamstring curls (aka hamstring hell),  core exercises and then into the stretches to warm down. Unbelievable!! I managed to fit in everything but the transverse core muscle exercises! WOW!! 

J congratulates me on a job well done. Then, with a twinkle in her eye she tells me that she will have a new circuit sorted for me for Thursday. She calls it a 'B' day- one that I'll be able to alternate the Tuesday routine with.  In this case, the Tuesday routine would technically be 'A' day. But knowing J as I do, in my mind, I'm calling it 'Be Afraid day'! *grins*

A quick shower, dinner, TV and bed! G thoughtfully rubs some Deep Heat into my left shoulder and bicep so I won't be too sore for tomorrow. Ahhhhh. Nothing like crawling into freshly washed sheets after a long day.

Monday  Jan 3

Overcast and rainy today. Looks like S will get the 'home day' that she loves so much. Bit of colouring, bit of TV watching,  bit of craft and, of course, we had to fit in a few games of Barbie Island Princess on the computer. 

I'm feeling a bit tired and worn out. It's been an eventful weekend! I still struggle with eating the right foods. It's so easy to reach out and pop something 'bad' into my mouth. Sometimes, the cravings are so over-whelming and it takes all of my self-control to not succumb. Part of my brain still thinks that eating sugar will make me feel better emotionally. I wish I could find a way to change this. 

By the time I get back from dropping S off, I'm feeling glum and restless. I know I should exercise, but I just can't bring myself to do it. G and I catch up on some recorded programs and head off to bed.

Sunday  Jan 2

S pops in about 7.15 to wake us up. The weather doesn't look too bad, so we decide to pack a picnic breakfast and head off to the beach. A perfect way to ring in day 2 of the New Year! Armed with eggs, bacon, onions, fruit and a thermos of coffee we're on our way.

The key to finding parking at any Sydney beach is to arrive early. We do. And, there waiting for us, is a picnic table close to the BBQs- almost as if we booked it in advance! S is hungry. G starts up the BBQ and a few minutes later, we're munching on breakfast with a million dollar view. Perfect!

I'm a water baby, and when S decides she's ready to head down to the beach, I'm keen to follow. She's slim and tiny which means she gets cold very quickly. We decide to make a sandcastle first then go for a swim.  I can feel the difference that the exercise is making- especially the killer squat and hold. I don't like getting covered in sand, so I squat to fill the bucket with sand and to shape the sandcastle. Very pleased with myself!

The water is nice, but the breeze is a bit cool. S & I only last for about 15 minutes. Off to meet G who is relaxing in the park, so we can dry off and get warm. Home time. S settles in for a 2 hour nap and the 2 of us relax in front of the TV. 

We have another special event planned for tonight. We have tickets to a sneak preview showing of Disney's new movie Tangled. S is BESIDE herself! G gives her a princess manicure. We put her into her Tangled dress and head out to the theatre. Because it's a special event, they have a kid's colouring station set up and a face-painter! S is rapt! We take 2 Tangled growth charts so that she can take one home to share with her baby sister.

The movie itself is FANTASTIC!! Disney's done it again. We laughed. We (ok, S & I cried). Awesome! Highly recommend it!

Home to bed. Another wonderful day.

Saturday  Jan 1 New Year's Day

Welcome to 2011!! The day dawns hot and sunny- a true tribute to a new year and a new decade!

I'm steering clear of New Year's resolutions this year. I figure the lifestyle change that I started back in Oct 2010 is huge enough for me. And, if I can stick to this, 2011 is gonna be the best year YET! Imagine starting a new decade slim, trim and healthy? Too good to be true- well, it used to be. Now I'm well on the way!

After breakfast, we decide to head down to the park to test out S's new Barbie bicycle. She's a little hesitant at first, but once she realises that she can do it, her excitement builds! We make it all the way around the park without any major incidents. After a couple of kerb crashes, S gets the hang of pushing back and down to activate the back brakes! 

The sun is hot and the wind is warm and dry. I figure we should head to the local McDonalds to a) get into some air-conditioning cuz  this born and bred Canadian is suffering & b) to celebrate S's efforts with a cold drink or an ice cream. I am desperate for a medium quarter pounder meal with a frozen Coke, but I settle for a salad with no dressing and a McSnack wrap. I didn't realise the McSnack wrap was essentially a mini Big Mac- a oval-shaped meat patty, with Big Mac sauce & lettuce tucked into a wrap. Had I known, I might have made a different choice. I added 6 of S's fries and a few sips of her frozen raspberry Fanta to round out my meal. 

It's tricky to execute a structured exercise routine when we have S. Because we only get to see each other for 3 days every fortnight, we much prefer to hang out together while she's awake.  I know I'll pay for this time off next week when I meet up with J on Tuesday night, but for now, it's worth it.

To make up for this, we decide to play our new Nintendo Wii game 'Just Dance 2'. It's wicked fun! The 3 of us totally get into it, and before you know it, we're all hot and sweaty again! *grins* Time to settle down and watch a movie. I make some popcorn (no butter / no salt) and we all curl up on our queensize bed to watch Happily N'ever After 2. I last maybe 35 mins before I drift off to dreamland.

Then dinner, bath, and off to bed for our little one. And, we're not too far behind!

Friday  Dec 31 New Year's Eve

Ok, I was expecting to be sore today, but man, trying to do up my bra behind my back is next to impossible! Talk about working new muscle groups- far out!! 

I only have to make it through a half day today-thank goodness! We start the day with another Gloria Jeans coffee and then it's off to work we go! It was much quieter this morning. People must have been more concerned with getting prepared for tonight's festivities. Suits me just fine.

I spend a bit of time going over my application for our new Emerging Leaders program. I'm not holding my breath for an interview, but I'm keen to show that I'm interested in furthering my career. I reckon any initiative in our current environment has got to be a good thing. It takes me longer than I expect and I don't make it out of office until 1.15pm. Not happy. It's going to cut into my grocery shopping time and I'm expecting it to be 'ugly' in the supermarket with everyone getting their last minute New Year's Eve nibblies. Sigh...I wish I was one of them. But, instead, I'm on a mission for fruit and other healthy foods.

I pick up what I need and head off to the usual meeting place to pick up S. She is spending the weekend with us and I'm excited to see her. I wonder what Santa brought to her other house? She's just as excited to see me as I am to see her. We talk about her Christmas presents on the way back to my place.

Dinner is home-made pizza. I use Lebanese bread as the base and add 1 tbsp of pizza sauce & 1 tbsp of lite ricotta cheese. Then we add the toppings that we like and pop it in the oven. YUM! It satisfies my craving for Dominos pizza on a thin & crispy base. I really want NYE snacks and I figure having a pizza makes me feel a bit more 'normal'. We watch a bit of TV until it's time to head to the local park. We have a good view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and we get there in time for the 9pm Family Fireworks. AMAZING! S sits on G's shoulders and has the best seat in the house. The only thing missing was the appearance of Tinker Bell at the finale, but maybe that kind of magic only happens in Disneyland.

Then it's home for a hot drink- tea for us and Milo for S. We tuck her into bed and settle in to wait for the midnight fireworks. Sydney's NYE display is phenomenal! I've never seen anything like it! And every year, it takes my breath away. Amazing. I stayed up past 1am to finish last week's blog, then it's off to dreamland for me. Sleeping in is a rare commodity when S is around.

Counting Down 2010

Thursday Dec 30

It's finally here! No more sleeps. It's 90min training day!! And what is this feeling in the pit of my stomach? Anticipation? Fear? I re-read my Christmas Day blog and wonder what J has in store for me tonight.

We talk about my food diary. I know it's not great but I'm really proud of myself for writing down everything that passed these lips. J wasn't too hard on me- she's lovely. It's obvious to both of us where I've 'fallen off the wagon'. So after a brief chat about my diet and some new homework regarding cutting down the amount of sugar that I add to my hot drinks (which was inevitable!), the real fun begins!

Warm up consisted of running back and forth across the Centre 4 times normally, 2 times high-stepping knees to chest, 2 times heels to butt, then another 4 times normally.  I'm grateful it's just me and her. And the main workout? Tuesday night circuits...not 3 reps but 4! OMG! And, just for a bit of fun, J has me run the length of the Centre and back between each circuit. Nothing like a bit of cardio to get the old heart pumping!

To soften the blow, J sweet-talks me with some new arm toning exercises. There's the normal 'scarecrow'- holding my arms out to the side with a 1kg weight in each hand (hold for 20 secs and repeat 3 times). Then, it's the 'zombie' which involves holding my arms out in front of me whilst holding a 1kg weight in each hand. Again- hold for 20 secs and repeat 3 times.

Just when I think I'm done, J rolls out the swiss ball & grabs a dumb bell. Time for a little sword play! I have to sit on the ball and imagine that I'm grabbing a sword out of its scabbard. I hold the dumb bell in my right hand across my body so that it's resting against my left thigh. Then I pull my arm across and back until the weight is parallel to my ear. 2 sets of 10 for each hand.

I think about how I'm going to drive home. At this rate, my quads will be too sore to work the pedals and I won't even be able to lift my arm to thumb a ride!! Should be interesting! In November, I could hardly manage to walk down the stairs at the Centre after my first circuit training. In fact, I couldn't walk up or down stairs for 4 days!! Different story now. My right knee stills utters a protest and threatens to give out on me on occasion, but overall, I'm feeling fitter.

Home for dinner. We finish off Victor Victoria and G sends me to bed close to 10. I'm exhausted!

Wednesday Dec 29

First day back at work. Not used to the 6am start. Could so be sleeping. Oh well, as long as I'm there in body, right? The city is dead and we're forced into World Square to start the day with a coffee from Gloria Jeans. This time, I order a cappuccino. Much better.

Work was busier than I expected, but not crazy busy. I spent a couple of hours getting trained up in our new record management system. Seems ok.

G decides to go for a run when we get home. I'm content to hang out and finish my Patricia Cornwall novel. Awesome! I love reading! There's nothing better than losing myself in a good book.  Seems like a normal night. Then, one 5 minute phone call later, it's like we've entered an alternate reality.

Just like that, our plans for New Year's Eve have changed and both of us are reeling.

People are strange. Relationships are complex. I guess that's what makes the world an interesting place.

We stay up late chatting, trying to make sense of the situation.

Tuesday Dec 28

I could get used to this life of leisure. Sleeping in. Relaxing. Not having to rush for the train or fight off other commuters. Ahhh to be independently wealthy! Some day! As well as being a foodie, I admit that I might have a blossoming addiction to iPhone applications! As much as I love scrolling through to see all the price drops and new releases, I must update apps as soon as an update is available. Imagine what I'll be like when I finally get my paws on the iPad!!

So, before investigating fully, I update my movie collection app. Bad move. All of the movies that I had painstakingly added one by one....GONE! I hadn't thought to back them up. Dumb. So I spent almost 3 hours re-entering them. By the end of that, I was less than impressed, and I'm only half way through my collection. Sigh.. I emerge from the back room (where I actually get decent 3G reception on my iPhone) frustrated and a little grumpy.

G is relaxing on the lounge, catching up on TV shows that we recorded through the week. I know I've got to go out and pick up a replacement headlight bulb to get our car ready for another trip to Canberra and a new light bulb for the bathroom light, but I'm not looking forward to it. G is looking forward to it even less, so she decides to stay home and send me out to face the holiday crowds on my own.

Surprisingly enough, getting the headlight was no drama. Finding a globe for the bathroom lamp- well, not so straightforward. Guess I'll be brushing my teeth by fairy light tonight!

Sooo not wanting to exercise tonight, so I delay as long as I can. Finally, I can procrastinate no longer (well, I could, but I reckon it's best not to!) and I get ready. 5 minute warm up on the treadmill (500m). Stretching. Then straight into my Thursday morning group circuits. As I finish my last set of squats, I think longingly of a shower, but then Rocky Road flashes like a neon light in my mind and I know that 30mins of quality time with the treadmill awaits. I can't face the weigh-loss program. My knees are still sore from Sunday's run. So, I figure I'll give the walking program a try.

3mins at speed 2. 3mins at speed 3. 3 minutes at speed 4. 3 minutes at speed 5. 6 minutes at speed 6. Then down to 5, then 4. I can't handle the super slow speeds, I do 6 minutes at speed 4 and then 3 minutes at speed 3 to finish off.

G puts the salmon in the oven and I haul myself into a luke warm shower to freshen up.

After dinner, we decide to watch Julie Andrews in Victor Victoria. Loved it! By 11pm, I was too tired to continue, so we agreed to finish the video (no, that's not a typo, this was vintage VHS) tomorrow.

Indulgences and Atonement

Monday Dec 27

Loving this whole public holiday gig! A sleep in until 8.30. Breakfast. A healthy dose of TV. Then it's off to the shops. Our fridge is bare. No healthy food in sight. The shops are packed and both of us are glad that we only have to face the crowds in Woollies.

It's nice to have supplies. I make myself a healthy pizza (Lebanese bread, ricotta cheese, pizza sauce, mushrooms, onions, red capsicum and a bit of minced beef leftover from last night's dinner). YUM! Then, more relaxing in front of the TV.

G is up for another run, but I am feeling pretty sore from yesterday's exertions. I intend to write my blog, make dinner and check out iTunes this afternoon. Tomorrow is soon enough for me to don my workout gear. It will be another 90 minute session. Perhaps the Thursday circuits and 30 mins on the treadmill.

G'nite all!

Sunday Dec 26    Boxing Day

Ah yes. The day of reckoning. The day of Atonement. A sleep in, a healthy breakfast, a bit of a relax in front of the TV and then it's time to pay the piper. The voice of Christmas Past (which sounded remarkably like the deep baritones of Rocky Road) whispered in my ear. Reluctantly I got off the lounge, changed into my workout gear and got ready to pay my dues.

I knew a circuit would not be enough to right yesterdays wrongs, so I started off with a brisk 5 minute & 500m walk on the treadmill. Jumped off to stretch. Then back onto the treadmill. G always does the weight-loss program so I thought I'd give it a try. 3 minutes at speed 3. 3 minutes at speed 6. So far so good. 3 minutes at speed 8. Next thing I know I'm running. No-that's not a typo. I'm not jogging. Not walking quickly. I'm running!! I last for 2 minutes. Then I jump onto the side rails and rest for a minute. The treadmill jumps up to speed 10. Speed 10!! What am I thinking!? I take a deep breath and jump on. I last for 1 minute. Jump off. Rest for 2. Manage 90 secs at speed 8. Rest for a 90 secs and then slow the treadmill down to 6 and walk for the next 5 minutes. Then slow it down to 4.5 and walk for another 3.

Now, it's time for the Tuesday circuit. Agony. I have no idea how I'm going to hold each squat for 5 secs, so rather than rely on myself to count honestly, I grab my iPhone and set the timer. 5 seconds. Man, it takes ages and the first set nearly kills me. However, aside from the killer shoulder weights, it seems to get easier as I go along. For a brief moment, I entertain the thought of holding the last squat of the last set for 10 secs, but, with a nod to J, I stop after 5. I know she would have pushed me those extra 5 seconds and my thoughts flash forward to my upcoming 90 minute training session this Thursday. One look at my Christmas food diary and I know she's not going to let me off easy!

I do my stretches to warm down. I'm drenched. The only cure for this is another bath! The water is hot and I gratefully slide into it, book in hand. The treadmill beats an easy rhythm in the front room as G steps up to pay for her indulgences yesterday.

Dinner. TV and early to bed.


Saturday Dec 25  Christmas!

It's Christmas Day! We're off to spend Christmas with our close friends. Their son is G's godson. Regardless of the weather in Sydney, I know it's destined to be stinking hot out west where they live. So, after my breakfast of yogurt & muesli (might as well start the day out right!!) and a refreshing shower, I hop into some cool, cotton clothes.

We organise the seafood in our cooler bag, the phrase 'off like a bucket of prawns in the sun' scrolling through our minds like a mantra. I carefully place all of the cooler freezy things strategically around the prawns, salmon, steak and pasta salads. For good measure, we grab some ice blocks and slip them in the noticeable holes. Food poisoning is HIGH on my list of things to avoid.

I'd made the decision to relax my eating regime for today. I mean, it's Christmas right? Surely, I can be a bit more lenient with myself- especially if I promise to work it off later. 2 bowls of Doritos, a plate of Jatz crackers and some crinkle crisps/ chips are placed within easy reach on the coffee table.  Be strong, I tell myself. And it works. For a while. I finally succumb and have 2 Jatz crackers with a tiny smear of French onion dip and 2 very small handfuls of crinkle chips.

Then it's lunch. Yum! Salmon steak, 2 prawn skewers, 5 prawns dipped in Thousand Island dressing, 1 tbsp of creamy potato salad, 2 tbsp of creamy pasta salad, a large serving of green salad and a dinner roll. Normally, I would have added a piece of T-bone steak, maybe a sausage, at least another bread roll or 2 with butter, and definitely more creamy pasta salad. So, all in all, I think I did not too badly. I drank my PiMag water that I'd brought from home and reluctantly turned down some Sprite. Tough to do on such a hot day!

When dessert came out at 5pm, I didn't fare so well. Rocky Road. Not just any old Rocky Road, Darrell Lea milk chocolate Rocky Road. It was my undoing. 3 pieces and a slight sugar coma later, I was blissed out. Creaming soda with vanilla ice cream? Uh...no thanks! It was easy to turn that down; I'm not much of a 'spider' fan unless it's with Root Beer (which isn't so easy to come by in Australia!) Besides, I didn't want anything to wash the taste of that Rocky Road out of my mouth. My tongue hunted around the crevices in my teeth, seeking out tiny unchewed pieces of nuts or a morsel of chocolate. I could hardly concentrate.

At 8 when people were starting to think about dinner, I wandered into the kitchen. I opened the fridge; I scouted around the bench tops. Nothing caught my fancy. Too much effort to get out the pasta salad or the steak. As much as I wanted a bread roll, I knew that I had already done my dash with the Rocky Road. The smell of Coke permeated the room. Coke. I could polish off a litre easy. Desperate, I asked G if she was planning on having some Coke. She said yes and as soon as it was poured, I allowed myself 3 small sips- just enough to take the edge off. Then, someone suggested cheese and crackers. Uh oh.

10 Jatz crackers: 6 with cheddar cheese & 4 with Camembert, plus 5 tiny pieces of Cabonossi. If that was dinner, I'd had it! Oh, it was hard to stop at just that many! Real cheese. Not lite cottage cheese, not lite tasty cheese, not lite ricotta. Real full fat cheese. Wow.  3 months ago, before J, I could have planted myself in front of that cheese platter and really done some damage! I didn't even touch the soft cheese with chives or the Gouda.  Stopped myself after 5 pieces of cabanossi. Let's be real. That's hardly a taste.

I know it will look bad when it's all written down in black and white in my food diary. Sometimes I wish I could write down all the stuff I didn't eat so I could show much self-restraint I actually managed to exhibit. Hmmm. I know I fell off the wagon today, but it was a controlled fall--Hollywood style. I didn't crash and burn and eat without a conscience. Surely that has to be progress?

I finish the night off with a cup of tea, sweetened with white sugar because raw wasn't available. However, unlike G, I'm not feeling overstuffed and unwell. Sleep comes quickly to me, but G is up for another hour waiting for her stomach to feel better.

Well, that's Christmas over and done for another year.


Friday Dec 24     Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve and we're on our way to work. The city is dead. Our normal coffee shop is closed and we're forced into World Square to get our coffee from Gloria Jeans. It's not the same. Mine isn't hot. Perhaps a latte was a bad choice. Should've stuck with a cappuccino. I'm finding today tough. I always get super homesick at Christmas. I thought after being at home with my family in September, that this year would be easier, but it's not. I get a bit teary as I head off to work...so I pop into JB Hi Fi to see if I can pull myself together and perhaps pick up a last minute pressie.

Managed to pull myself together, but there was no last minute pressie to be had. Made my way to work thinking I could slide in under the radar...but as it turns out, our manager is hanging out in my pod chatting with my team. We had a bit of a giggle and my day seems to brighten again.

When one of my workmates heads out for coffee, I hand her $5 and beg her to pick me up another cappuccino! I figure 2 tsp raw sugar in another coffee has GOT to be better than all the sweets and goodies that are being passed around the office! Oh Christmas, when will you stop tormenting me with food that I love that I cannot eat!

Only 2 of us remain after lunch. The phones are dead. Most people are either on their way to family or picking up their last minute presents! No one is keen to talk to us. Suits me fine. Means I can catch up on some of my work. Our manager takes pity on us, and before we know it, the office is empty by 4.07pm. G & I head over to Paddy's Markets. It's the only place I think I might be able to source a new crystal for her chain. No success with that, but we do walk out with a really cool 'tree of life' pendant and some capsicum for tomorrow's prawn skewers.

I'm achy so while G dutifully works out again, I slide into a nice warm bath to get through another 100 pages of my Patricia Cornwell novel. Nice.

Bit of stirfry for dinner, then we take turns wrapping our last minute gifts. I make tea and watch The Myer Music Carols Special while G peels the prawns. I just cannot bring myself to 'peel' prawns. And what a strange word it is to describe the process! First, one has to twist and rip the head off the prawn, being careful to twist it in just the right spot so as not to leave too much of the yellowish brain goo on the body. YUCK. Then, tearing off the hard plastic-like casing and legs; finishing with a tug of the muscle that is connected to the 'poo channel' so that it comes off all in one piece. Even once they're peeled, I find it hard to eat them. Can you tell that I was raised on the prairie? Gimme a steak or turkey any day!

Bed at 11.

Thursday Dec 23

I am SOO exhausted! My first Wednesday without college and I end up in bed way later than a college night!! I really don't understand how it can be 5.20am already. It feels like I just closed my eyes moments ago. How am I gonna muster the energy to get out of bed, let alone make it through an hour of quality time with J? *groan*

If I didn't have a personal trainer to hold me accountable, I think today is one of those days where I would simply hit the snooze button, roll over and sleep in. But, alas, I DO have a personal trainer! So against all odds, I roll out of bed, gather my gear, pack my lunch, grab a banana off the counter and head out to the car. Must be another Christmas Miracle!

Just the 2 of us at training today. By the time I get to the Centre, I'm finally awake. Good thing cuz it's game on! I think A & I have a friendly competition blooming. It's awesome! So, it's the usual warm up, then stretches, then on to the circuits. Today I got through the triceps twice in 15 mins + 20 hip extensions. A one minute break and it's time to swap sides. Biceps twice in 15 mins + 20 bicep curls, 20 shoulder pressses and 20 push ups!! I'm on fire today! Almost 3 times through!! WICKED!

Then stretches to warm down. As usual, J is putting away the gear as we're stretching. By the time she changes the cd and switches off the light, I'm keen for the 3 mins of BLISS! I expect to relax, feel the tension drain out of my muscles and perhaps take a mini-nap. Instead, I feel awake. My thoughts are racing.  So much for relaxation! What's happening to me!

It's short-lived though. By the time 9.15am rolls around, I'm desperate for a coffee! The day does not improve. It feels like I'm walking through molasses (hmmm...perhaps treacle is a better analogy for my aussie mates). At any rate, I feel slow, tired and perhaps a bit achy. Think those extra bicep curls have caught up to me. Not only do I have to resist the urge to sleep, I have to flex my will-power and turn down: a Krispy Kreme donut, white chocolate rocky road slice, Lindt chocolates and a candy cane. Can this day be any more challenging?? Wait for it.

The afternoon is drawing to a close and the thought of making our way to the Sydney Fish Markets to pick up seafood for our Christmas lunch with 1.5 million other Sydney-siders is becoming less and less appealing by the second!! I share my reluctance with my workmates and the girls come to my rescue! Of course, we could stop at the Broadway shopping centre, pick up our seafood at the local fresh seafood shop, our steaks at the butcher and the remaining incidentals at Coles! Brilliant!! Especially since I can hardly keep my eyes open!

Our shopping mission was a HUGE success! Ticked everything off our list and we were home by 6.15! Victory.

Time for a little book reading on the lounge while G goes for a run. I've already done my exercise for today. Bit of TV. Then definitely bed. I'm exhausted!