Love you Em ... you have made an amazing transformation and deserve every success.
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 October 2009
emBODY Your Dreams
Love you Em ... you have made an amazing transformation and deserve every success.
Saturday, 26 September 2009
The Next Step ~ Your Very Own Lifestyle Coach
I was listening to a podcast today not specifically related to the "Fuck It" Diet self care and I couldn't understand 99% of what he was talking about.
I promise I am not taking the piss but if you can interpret the following, please let me know ~
The 1% I understood was ~
My mind has been busy for 5 years researching, learning, studying and integrating all the information I could get my hands on concerning nutrition, human movement and basic motivation. I have concentrated on my intellectual growth and now I have reached the limit of proficiency. The secret to taking great care of my body isn't found in a book, on the interweb or from an expert.
The secret is paying attention to my body.
My body - hormones, endocrine system, digestion, cellular renewal, sensory receptors, blood, muscle and bones - all work together in seamless cooperation. I am in charge of a complex organism that I barely understand. Yet my inflated sense of ego tells me that my brain knows best and my body is trying to betray me so I should ignore it's messages of hunger, fullness, cravings and pain.
This is my greatest folly, and the simplest to remedy.
The way to take great care of my body is to listen to its clear and persuasive voice. Once I quieten the monkey chatter in my brain, my body will guide every decision that I make.
How does this work practically?
When I wake in the morning I concentrate on feeling the sensations in my muscles as I move. Am I stiff and sore, or just a bit tender in places? Do I have energy and vitality or am I dragging myself around? Do I have pain or discomfort in the places I usually get sick (head and stomach)?
With that data I contemplate my training decision for the day. I imagine a couple of scenarios - weight training, cardio, walking, stretching, yoga, or nothing - and notice how the thought of each makes me feel. If I feel a sense of calmness and peace when I think of what I'll do, then I go right ahead. Right now, most mornings I run through the following sequence ~ yoga (10 x sun salutes), walking meditation (10 minutes connected with my breath), 4 sets 12 reps of one lift (connected with my breath and the muscle I am working), 10 more sun salutes, finished off with meditation. I love every moment of it, I feel energised and awake afterwards, and my muscles are pleasantly sore the next day. I have a particularly "super" TTOM at the moment which is probably driving this gentler choice of movement, but as I write this I predict a good sweaty run will soon be on the cards.
I also use my body's innate wisdom to inform my food choices. At meal times I stop, empty my mind, place my hands on my stomach and listen carefully to see if I am hungry. I imagine the food choices in my head and notice my physical reaction to each one. I also consider how the food will make me feel between now and the next meal. I have noticed that sometimes I feel like more carbs (oats for breakfast instead of protein pancakes) and sometimes I need more fat ... almond, brazil nut and cashew butter goes with everything! My 'cravings' are indicators I what I need to eat, rather than what I should resist. When I listen, I am quickly satisfied and the craving goes away.
I eat until my stomach is physically full. I need to keep checking in with my body because my brain tells me that feeling full is overeating. I take my lead from the portions other healthy people eat - especially the naturally slender ones who eat far more than I ever did on a diet.
In between meals I also pay attention to how I'm feeling. I have noticed that apples appear to make me hungry. What they actually do is give me heartburn and I associate stomach pain with hunger so I think I need to eat. It's not 'fruit' as a category because I can happily munch on a banana without any issues.
I usually get breakfast just right [probably because I am most centred first thing in the morning], but lunch is pretty hit and miss [because I have to decide what I'm taking to work in the morning and sometimes I don't feel like it when lunch rolls around but I don't have time to go searching for something else]. If I don't feel satisfied in the afternoon, I simply grab some nuts or fruit to hold me over until I get home. Dinner is the most fascinating of all. Last night I had a marinated baked chicken breast and roast veggies. I was wasn't quite contented at the end of the meal so I went back and had more veggies. Other nights I will have dessert which is usually a warmed banana, nut butter and light toffee ice cream. Last night I had one square of chocolate.
My body has stopped being the enemy. I don't crave junk, and if I feel like something that is processed I have a bite or two and then I'm fine. Last night the boys were eating hot pull apart bread and I had a piece that was 2 bites and walked away [I have been known to eat an entire loaf on my own covered in butter but these days I can't even fathom why I would want to eat the whole loaf ...].
As mentioned, I am in the midst of a proper period, not just one day of spotting, so my hormonal system is healing. I am pooping on my own which is astounding considering the length of time I took laxatives twice a day so my digestive system is back on line. I am no longer constantly freezing because it is summer at last because my thermostat is functioning again. My skin is healthy, my hair is shining and my nails are strong.
And it is entirely possible I am releasing some excess fat cells but I don't know for sure because I keep forgetting to stand on the scales when I first get up. If my "bloated period stomach + after huge breakfast + two giant cups of tea + haven't pooped yet" recent weigh in data is anything to go by, I'm certainly not getting any fatter.
My body is the expert and it knows what it needs. All I need to do is listen with my heart and remember that my thoughts ... have reached the limit of their own proficiency.
I promise I am not taking the piss but if you can interpret the following, please let me know ~
We will introduce you to the different types of matrices that we all must interface with, evolve through and be regulated by. Some of the prevalent matrices are: the Solar System, society and governments, the physical body with the womb as a matrix (which regulates all matter with it) the mind, the emotions are also a matrix; the medical world is a matrix and the world of electricity with machines, devices, and the internet are all examples of various matrices that operate simultaneously in layers through our lives. We all must evolve at the same time to have some kind of alignment to the greater needs and usages of the matrices we operate and perceive life through. We also are seeking to live beyond the physical matrix that is controlling us, the social matrix that is containing us the psychological and environmental matrices that are propelling us and the spiritual matrix which is directing us.
The 1% I understood was ~
Individuals come to a point where they have reached the limit of their own proficiency.Although this statement was referring to the fact that we will eventually need to connect with the energy of other travellers on the same journey in order to reach our true potential it reminded me that one of the most important steps in moving beyond dieting is to listen to the wisdom of my ultimate lifestyle coach ~ my physical body.
My mind has been busy for 5 years researching, learning, studying and integrating all the information I could get my hands on concerning nutrition, human movement and basic motivation. I have concentrated on my intellectual growth and now I have reached the limit of proficiency. The secret to taking great care of my body isn't found in a book, on the interweb or from an expert.
The secret is paying attention to my body.
My body - hormones, endocrine system, digestion, cellular renewal, sensory receptors, blood, muscle and bones - all work together in seamless cooperation. I am in charge of a complex organism that I barely understand. Yet my inflated sense of ego tells me that my brain knows best and my body is trying to betray me so I should ignore it's messages of hunger, fullness, cravings and pain.
This is my greatest folly, and the simplest to remedy.
The way to take great care of my body is to listen to its clear and persuasive voice. Once I quieten the monkey chatter in my brain, my body will guide every decision that I make.
How does this work practically?
When I wake in the morning I concentrate on feeling the sensations in my muscles as I move. Am I stiff and sore, or just a bit tender in places? Do I have energy and vitality or am I dragging myself around? Do I have pain or discomfort in the places I usually get sick (head and stomach)?
I also use my body's innate wisdom to inform my food choices. At meal times I stop, empty my mind, place my hands on my stomach and listen carefully to see if I am hungry. I imagine the food choices in my head and notice my physical reaction to each one. I also consider how the food will make me feel between now and the next meal. I have noticed that sometimes I feel like more carbs (oats for breakfast instead of protein pancakes) and sometimes I need more fat ... almond, brazil nut and cashew butter goes with everything! My 'cravings' are indicators I what I need to eat, rather than what I should resist. When I listen, I am quickly satisfied and the craving goes away.
I eat until my stomach is physically full. I need to keep checking in with my body because my brain tells me that feeling full is overeating. I take my lead from the portions other healthy people eat - especially the naturally slender ones who eat far more than I ever did on a diet.
In between meals I also pay attention to how I'm feeling. I have noticed that apples appear to make me hungry. What they actually do is give me heartburn and I associate stomach pain with hunger so I think I need to eat. It's not 'fruit' as a category because I can happily munch on a banana without any issues.
I usually get breakfast just right [probably because I am most centred first thing in the morning], but lunch is pretty hit and miss [because I have to decide what I'm taking to work in the morning and sometimes I don't feel like it when lunch rolls around but I don't have time to go searching for something else]. If I don't feel satisfied in the afternoon, I simply grab some nuts or fruit to hold me over until I get home. Dinner is the most fascinating of all. Last night I had a marinated baked chicken breast and roast veggies. I was wasn't quite contented at the end of the meal so I went back and had more veggies. Other nights I will have dessert which is usually a warmed banana, nut butter and light toffee ice cream. Last night I had one square of chocolate.
My body has stopped being the enemy. I don't crave junk, and if I feel like something that is processed I have a bite or two and then I'm fine. Last night the boys were eating hot pull apart bread and I had a piece that was 2 bites and walked away [I have been known to eat an entire loaf on my own covered in butter but these days I can't even fathom why I would want to eat the whole loaf ...].
As mentioned, I am in the midst of a proper period, not just one day of spotting, so my hormonal system is healing. I am pooping on my own which is astounding considering the length of time I took laxatives twice a day so my digestive system is back on line. I am no longer constantly freezing because it is summer at last because my thermostat is functioning again. My skin is healthy, my hair is shining and my nails are strong.
And it is entirely possible I am releasing some excess fat cells but I don't know for sure because I keep forgetting to stand on the scales when I first get up. If my "bloated period stomach + after huge breakfast + two giant cups of tea + haven't pooped yet" recent weigh in data is anything to go by, I'm certainly not getting any fatter.
My body is the expert and it knows what it needs. All I need to do is listen with my heart and remember that my thoughts ... have reached the limit of their own proficiency.
Friday, 25 September 2009
Taking the First Step
So Katie, I'm sick of all this dieting, punishing myself in the gym, feeling like a failure all the time, and so consumed with how I look that I am missing out on my family, my friends and my life. You say the only way to have the body and the life of my dreams is simply taking great care of myself ... but where do I start?The very first step on this amazing journey is to recognise that whatever you are doing now isn't working. It hasn't worked for you even though you've given it your very best shot. You've set goals, you've been motivated, you've put in the hard work, you wanted it more than anything in your life, and yet you end up falling in a heap over and over again.
You have been strong and committed to the traditional principals of weight loss for a long, long time and yet you still have to push yourself to get to the gym and the smell of hot chips or freshly baked bread makes you weak at the knees. Instead of it getting easier, it feels like it's getting harder.
Consider your daily thoughts and actions and ask yourself if you would wish this life on your best girlfriend or on your daughter. If you could swap yesterday with someone you loved, would you be giving them a gift or a day of misery? If you wouldn't want someone you care for to have to walk in your shoes for one day, then you are not taking great care of yourself.
If you want, more than anything else, for the torture to end then you are ready to change. You have to want it more than being lean, more than a number on the scale and more than feeling in control. You have to hold on to the belief that there is another way, and it will work if you give it a chance.
Then, the next time you are hungry, decide what you would like to eat, add up the calories, fat grams and carbs in your head (because you will) and then say the magic words "Fuck It" and eat it anyway. Then refuse to feel guilty -- repeat to yourself : even though I feel like I've been bad/weak/indulgent/undisciplined I deeply and completely love and accept myself.Tomorrow morning when you walk in the door of the gym with your pre-planned training schedule, say the magic words "Fuck this Shit" and go play on a piece of equipment while you read a trashy magazine, get a massage, or go for a slow walk while listening to your breath and the sounds of nature. Then refuse to feel guilty -- repeat to yourself : even though I feel like I've been bad/lazy/weak/undisciplined I deeply and completely love and accept myself.
It will feel like you have given up, that you have no discipline, that you will get fatter and fatter by the minute, but you won't. You have great habits and your body knows that good food and an active lifestyle makes you feel amazing. You have taught it well and it will not let you down.
It may be uncomfortable to take away all the rules and follow your instincts and sometimes things will seem to get worse before they get better [I binged more frequently at the beginning but my binges were less intense and didn't last as long], but I can guarantee that just when it seems like you're doing everything wrong you will find your miracle.
One day the emptiness inside will disappear, food will just be food, you'll pass on the chips because you honestly don't feel like them, and you will move your body because it makes you happier than sitting still.
And best of all, you will have all this extra time on your hands and space in your head to play with your kids, write a book, paint, sing, hug the cat, and marvel at the miracle of being alive and aware of your blessings. You will be happy, you will be at peace and the beauty you feel inside will manifest itself in your best body ever.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
100 Day Challenge - Day 42 - I Was the Most Beautiful
An English naval officer was marooned on a remote island in the South Pacific. He had befriended a native man to whom he was constantly trying to prove his superiority. For the Englishman, everything was a contest. This puzzled the native, for whom life was fun, like a game.
One day the Englishman, in a typical fashion, threw down a challenge to the native. Pointing out a spot about half a mile down the beautiful sandy beach, he announced, "We will have a competition from here to that distant point."
The native agreed. The Englishman, always taking charge of things, set up the conditions: "We will train in our own style, privately, for two weeks. On the fourteenth day, we will compete."
When the day arrived, they took their places on the starting line and set off. With his usual intensity, pushing himself to the limit of his physical ability and grimacing with the strain, he drove himself through the sand until, gasping for breath, he lunged for the finish line. Exhausted and soaked in sweat, he turned to see how his opponent was doing.
To his joy and amazement, the native was only about halfway to the finish line. The Englishman watched him float gracefully along the shoreline with long, comfortable strides, a smile on his handsome face. When he finally pranced across the finish line he found the Englishman jumping and down and shouting "I won! I won!"
The native looked at the Englishman in disbelief. "What? You won? No, I won, I was the most beautiful!"
from
Body, Mind, and Sport: The Mind-Body Guide to Lifelong Health, Fitness, and Your Personal Best
One day the Englishman, in a typical fashion, threw down a challenge to the native. Pointing out a spot about half a mile down the beautiful sandy beach, he announced, "We will have a competition from here to that distant point."
The native agreed. The Englishman, always taking charge of things, set up the conditions: "We will train in our own style, privately, for two weeks. On the fourteenth day, we will compete."
When the day arrived, they took their places on the starting line and set off. With his usual intensity, pushing himself to the limit of his physical ability and grimacing with the strain, he drove himself through the sand until, gasping for breath, he lunged for the finish line. Exhausted and soaked in sweat, he turned to see how his opponent was doing.To his joy and amazement, the native was only about halfway to the finish line. The Englishman watched him float gracefully along the shoreline with long, comfortable strides, a smile on his handsome face. When he finally pranced across the finish line he found the Englishman jumping and down and shouting "I won! I won!"
The native looked at the Englishman in disbelief. "What? You won? No, I won, I was the most beautiful!"
from
Body, Mind, and Sport: The Mind-Body Guide to Lifelong Health, Fitness, and Your Personal Best
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
I is Very Very Sad :(
Sunday, 19 July 2009
Sunday, 12 July 2009
Sunday, 5 July 2009
It is a Cruel Irony
It is a cruel irony that after 2 days of eating crap from morning to night I am stronger than ever, I can run for hours without tiring, I look cut, veiny and pumped and I am not the slightest bit hungry. Talk about positive reinforcement for negative behaviour -- no wonder I am mildly psychotic!
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Sunday, 10 May 2009
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Training Totals W/E 8 February
Calories : 3533
Time : 8 hours 06 min
Count : 6 sessions
Light zone : 3 hours 44 min
Moderate zone : 2 hour 08 min
Heavy zone : 1 hour 56 min
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Training Totals W/E 1 February
Calories : 3235
Time : 7 hours 10 min
Count : 6 sessions
Light zone : 3 hours 36 min
Moderate zone : 1 hour 32 min
Heavy zone : 1 hour 56 min
Sunday, 25 January 2009
Training Totals W/E 25 January
Calories : 3397
Time : 7 hours 26 min
Count : 6 sessions
Light zone : 3 hours 23 min
Moderate zone : 1 hour 43 min
Heavy zone : 2 hours 13 min
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