The full body what??

Well exercise was the focus of the week.  I managed 4 out of 7 days exercising.  Wanted a little better, however excuses, courses and feeling down deterred me a few of the days.  On the plus side, it was more than what I have done most weeks.

Two sessions were Personal Training sessions - My trainer Clayton doesn't tend to take shit from me (this is a good thing).  The first session on the Tuesday almost....made me cry.  But didnt.  It involved many versions of squats, free weights with squats, flipping rugby bags, exercycles, and pressups.  Needless to say...achey the next day, but then later that afternoon I had another session.  I thought it may be easier, but NO!  It was basically the same work out.  Clayton refers to it as the metabolism jump start or....the full body fuckup.   No pain no gain...right???   I do feel slightly virtuous once I have done it, and it is good knowing the aches aren't because I am old.

The other exercise was dog walking on the beach on the first fine day in a long time, and today a cardio workout (treadmill, cross trainer, and exercycle plus a few arm exercises, stretches and medicine ball crunches).  Good workout.

I found a couple of photos of before pics when doing a weight loss challenge earlier this year (didn't suit me - poor mans weight watchers).  I fully hate them but hope it will inspire me to look better. If I can put improved pics on for comparison, I think that will boost my motivation.

The next two are from a family wedding in Auckland a couple of weeks ago.  Again photos I cannot stand - use them to motivate myself.

So this weeks goal - do six days of exercise, and no morning tea from the tea lady or ones that are put on (unless there is a healthy option...after all those ones are free).

I am also going to look for some celebrity pics I can use as motivation and are semi realistic.

Bye bye bread

So after a week, my first challenge was to eliminate something from my diet.

I chose bread and bread products.

Bread is my weakness, and I do love it so.

How did I cope.  Well I managed a week without bread.  I have to say my energy has been better and have not been feeling so sluggish and bloated.  I do wonder if I have slight gluten intolerance.  My proudest moments in bread avoidance was avoiding the oh so tasty cheese scones that the tea lady sells, not eating sandwiches and not eating any of the homemade garlic bread with a dash of mustard seasoning at a dinner party.

I can't say I could avoid it forever, but I do see the benefits of cutting right back, especially with energy.

The week was harder by having a cold...damn snotty noses and sneezing.  Exercise suffered so that will be the next goal for this week.

My motivation for the journey is still a work in progress.

With chances of pregnancy being less than positive, the whole issue is still something I have to deal with.  Some days good, some not.  This weekend has been a not phase.  I just feel no one understands.  Im not coping that well, but may be next week will be better. My Dad and others tell me not to let it get to me or it will eat me up....my question is...how do you do that?

Watch this space.....

I am going to resume my weight loss journey - with a few differences this time. 

I feel now I am in a better place with a clearer mind to focus on this.

I will blog more often - this will be one of the requirements.

More will be revealed in the next week....so watch this space :)  or the cuties above...awwwww

Gone too soon

I was about to launch into my second memoir 2001.

I then had to check my facebook briefly...you know how it goes.

A student at the College I teach at passed away today succumbing to the wrath of cancer. This was the third student death I have encountered during my career. The first two were suicides.

My memory of this student was positive. I remember him dressed as Scooby Doo at athletics day. While I never personally taught him, he used his illness in a positive way - to help others. There was never a point where he wanted sympathy. Instead, he campaigned to get funds to help others with cancer. This included the sale of Canteen bandanas at school (not normally allowed due to gang affiliations). All students got right in behind it and the school was a rainbow of colours for a week. He was on Good Morning for his cause. When it became known that there was nothing more that could be done, he still came to school, went to classes and continued on as normal as can be.

My last memory of him was at the leavers dinner last year, when the Principal thanked him for his strength, and his spirit. He lived his life to the fullest.

Life is precious. We must remember to live each day as if it was our last.

R.I.P David

Memoirs of the last decade....2000

Although there are arguements on when the new decade actually begins, I am taking the view that 2010 is the start of the 10's (does it then become teens in 2013?). For myself, a lot has happened in the last decade to shape me the way I am today so Im doing a concise memoir of each year with personal events as well as notable other events in the world.

The Year 2000

Do you remember this campaign??

The stress that the computers would not be able to deal with going from 1999 to 2000, and the campaign that followed where we had to have emergency supplies for 3 days. I remember my parents going to extremes of sorts, and am sure we would still have supplies today left over. I also remember my Dad getting cranky when I said to my friends to come on over if they were stuck - they should be more organised and look after themselves -oookkk. Y2K was a non event - nothing happened out of the ordinary and life went on.

For New Years I was in the Octagon with Frances, Fiona, and Dana (not sure if anyone else). I also remember walking to the waterfront in Dunedin and watching fireworks on the harbour, then waiting hours and hours outside Pak 'n' Save for a taxi with achy feet.

In 2000 I was in my last year of Uni. I had completed my BA in Anthropology in 1999, and was finishing my BSc in Zoology and discoved geography which I loved - especially Climatology. I finished the BSc, and applied for Teachers College all over the country - getting into every one. This involved me going to the North Island for the first time (Yes - I was 22). As I went to interviews in Wellington, Auckland, and Palmy with Davanea taking me everywhere. I saw the Sky City tower and watch the Matrix on the giant MAX screen.

In the world....

2000 was the Year of International Peace

Vladimir Putin was elected President of Russia

A preliminary draft of the Human Genome Project was completed

There seems to have been a lot of plane crashes

Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics

George W Bush defeats Al Gore in one of the more dodgy elections I have seen, as Florida could not count their voting papers properly

New Zealander Alan MacDiarmid won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry (came from Masterton)

New Goal

A few weeks later and what has happened....well I haven't been to WW for a few weeks. My depression got the better of me, and I burnt out after boot camp, blood pressure dropped, so have been resting up for the past week or so.

Went to the doctor, as no pregnancy luck. I could see in her eyes, she doesn't have a lot of options left. She wants me to consider spending a lot of money on lap band surgery ($15-20,000) - don't have it anyway. However, at this point I don't want it. I'm not in this for a quick fix (although if it didnt cost anything, I may have considered it), but its not going to make me fit. I told her Im the fittest Ive been for ages, smaller now than what I was when having periods so don't get it. My cholesterol is fine, and don't have diabetes. So next step - referral to the gynocologist/fertility clinic to see if taking chlomiphene will be an option. I wasn't upset so much this time....see what happens I guess. Reading info on it, weirdly enough, Body builders use it as it is a steroid....eeek! I've also started thinking about adoption.

Anyway, still getting hypnotised. It's awesome! Last one this week coming. Not sure if completely working, but only time will tell. Need to saturate the sub consciencous with suggestions over and over. I have a very strong mind over matter - could explain a lot with how I think!

Just found out next boot camp is early October - outside one - hoping for more car pulling :)

At the weekend, I spent it at Fitness testing/profiling school for my uni paper. It was at the stadium. Totally wicked weekend - met people on my course, got to design fitness circuits and show fellow students how they worked, learnt how to take blood pressure, and do skin fold tests, looked a facilities to use to measure if people have the right positioning in exercises (called time warp). We also had to give a presentation on a programme profile for an athlete of our choice. I used a volleyball player from a school team. Even though Im a teacher, I hate getting up infront of my peers, but I think it went alright, although won't know I guess until I get the mark, but good feedback - especially since I was the only one who hasn't or isn't in the fitness industry! I am heaps more confident in writing fitness programmes for people now!

The other thing I decided after being all inspired! Im going to do the Ocean Swim on January 30th - not the 2.8 km but the 750m swim in the Wellington harbour. I figure I can do this, and be a good way to get back in the pool and increase my fitness further. I also figure I need a distraction - and this one is a healthy one!

Below is a couple of pics of my rugby team Im manager for at school. Got to the finals but got beaten by St Marys - great team though! :) Proud of them!

Okay, stop procrastinating Cassie - do some exam marking!