...in the joyful mess.

'

There are photos that are anything but flattering, but yet, they're the ones that bring a smile to my face without fail. They were taken in moments where laughter mattered more than appearance & my ego slipped away into a corner and stayed there for a while. It's in the mess that I find the most joy. 

I'd always feared exercise because I had this fear of looking silly. I didn't like the thought of puffing and panting by the side of the road during a run, and the mere idea of being in a gym was scary - people much fitter than I would be there and I was sure they would silently be mocking me. Weights were a whole other story. I imagined dropping dumbbells on my feet and tripping over them - landing face first at some muscular guys feet. He'd step over me awkwardly and walk away. 

Yes, I have a very active imagination. 

But these last two years I've spent time in the gym, and running beside the road. I've even conquered my fear of weights rooms. I've been covered in slime twice - once at a kids camp, where a child won the right to tip a bucket of slime and BBQ sauce on my year, and another time at church, when as a fundraiser people voted with cash to decide which youth leader got slimed - I won by $300. 

So loved, right?! 

I've stumbled my way through mud, crawled through mud, tripped into mud, and probably eaten some mud too. 

In these messy moments, I've learnt a lot. But there's one thing that I've learnt above all, and I think you need to hear it just as much as you need to hear how to lose weight: Life is not about being the right number, it's about living. 

Do something that scares you. 

Get covered in slime, and laugh about it. 

Slip and slide in mud and don't worry about looking like a fool. 

Lose weight, yes.

But, more than anything, we need to live. 

For me, life is best lived in this crazy joyful mess.  

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New Exercise Joy - FOUND!

About a week or so ago a Round 3 Twitter/Facebook friend of mine Erica tweeted that she was going to an Xtend Barre class in the next few days. Being the sticky beak that I am, I promptly asked her to share what this was and when I found out it was a fusion between ballet and pilates I got more than a little excited at the thought!

I've been doing my New York City Ballet DVD on occasion and making some stabs at Pilates at the gym but just not finding any joy in either.

Once I did a Youtube search for these Xtend Barre classes I was hooked.

Having changed my base school next term I am about 15 minutes away from one of the studios and being school holidays I thought I would book in for a class during the day. Today was the day.

I recorded a vlog in the car after the class. It's quite shaky because my arms were so freakishly shaky! 

Loved this so much that I paid for 5 sessions and I have another one booked in for Saturday. Even though I am at the stage now where I REALLY don't feel like lifting my arms. At all. ;)

I was reading Jayne's blog yesterday and there were some things she said about getting uncomfortable that really stood out for me. So did this -

For me it's not about the way that I look or feel about myself! I'm happy within myself for me it's about working hard to accomplishing something that I believe with all my heart I can achieve! I know I can do it and I want to experience it and everything that comes along with the journey to getting there and beyond!!

So now that I've found my exercise joy - even though it's hard and going to hurt like nothing else tomorrow - I'd love to know what your exercise joy is ? Running? Horseriding? Roller blading? Yoga?

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Weekly Blog....Vlog Style!

Hey Guys,

I did this weeks blog as a vlog (last night). It goes for 12 minutes because I couldn't be bothered doing it again, or cutting it down. Not due to laziness though. Just exhausted. You will see, hoping for some feedback also. 

Thanks guys

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Body vs Brain

Now, if any of you are familiar with my endless struggles with my emotional eating and self hate etc through my weight loss journey you already know how much my brain and body are constantly on different teams. OH don't worry though, they change teams, they are just NEVER on the same one. 

So, usually my brain is a real b***** telling me I am no good, completely worthless etc etc but I have been taking proactive steps to train my brain and I think it is starting to work. It is really bad for me to hang all my hopes on a guy, and I won't but I have also been on a few dates with one guy, not sure how it will pan out but he makes me feel great and it is a good reminder for me. EDIT: He has just messaged me and told me "Bec, I don't like you. We don't have enough in common I think and  your body I don't like it.... you will be amazing if you lose at least another 30 kgs"

I weighed in on Wednesday, as you guys know I went away to a secret location for the weekend, my eating was maintained however exercise was not present at all. I lost 600grams this last week and I am really actually happy with that. I kept saying, I want more, I want more. But it accurately reflects the work I put in before and after my weekend away. So I am happy. I know what needed to be changed and yeah. 

HOWEVER, something happened, Wednesday was weigh in, that day at work was big and emotional and stressful, I didn't eat well on the Wednesday because I was away at a conference and I am a sucker for saving money and getting free food but I had still worked out hard in the morning and stuck to 'majority' salads. So after a massive day I was wrecked, Thursday morning....I slept through 4 alarms, that's right 4. (I have 4 because I have one for 5:00 and one for 5:05 and one for 6:30 and one for 6:35, I don't believe in the snooze button evidently.) The night before I had prepped, you know lay out all your gear in order so basically you only have to breathe in the morning and be ready. I wanted to exercise but clearly I was exhausted and my body needed rest which I could appreciate (I did really want to work out) but my eating yesterday was no good... I need to go to the gym, because I don't want to eat crap through the day and ruin what I have achieved. Today... a similar thing happened I couldn't sleep at all and I didn't wake up. I do however expect a less stressful day, I have packed all my healthy lunch and snacks. I have no excuses. 

It's just really annoying. I have decided I need to work on the following:

1. Change my alarm tone
2. Get to bed half hour earlier then what I am.
3. Be more organised in regards to shopping for food.  

That's it, I have been swamped of late, my doctor has suggested I go on stress leave but I just can't. I also decided I probably won't be going to Perth, sorry guys! I just always work the elections and its too much money for me to ignore, even though I am exhausted by the end of the day I just have to do it I think... plus I did just do something pretty bold yesterday... and I enrolled into uni by correspondence. You guys are looking at a student of Bachelor in Behavioral Studies (Psychology). I am really excited but also super nervous. It's a commitment for 6 years, but I am going to work for 5 and it starts in August. Eek!


Love ya guys, appreciate the time you take to read the blog. xo

Hot Tip: One cup of green tea per day is enough to help have more glowing skin! Thanks to the antioxidants in it, helps to get rid of all the bad stuff in your body.

P.S Check out Vikki's post about Dresses and Skirts, I love the analogy of the Coke and Pepsi Bottles, nice work Vik!

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Bikram Yoga.

Hi Everyone, hope you are all kicking butt in this round :)

A few months ago I started Bikram Yoga , for those who don't know what it is , it's Yoga in a hot room of 40 degrees. If you are looking to Mix up your training it's great , you do 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises, every exercise is done twice. The classes run for 90 minutes. I will admit the first few times is difficult and they just ask that you concentrate on just staying in the room , also attempting every pose.
A few of the benefits you get out of Bikram are,
Increased flexibility
Increased energy
Improved muscle tone
Lowered blood pressure
Loss of weight
Improved concentration
Prevention of disease
Reduced stress
Stimulation of the immune system.

Now if you're wondering why on earth it's done in a hot room , it's because the heat helps
Relax the muscles as they are stretched, open the pores and detoxify the body as toxins are removed by sweat, prevent injury and also improve the cardiovascular workout by increasing the heart rate even though the breathing remains regular.

I often use Bikram in my SSS because you burn 800-900 calories , and afterwords I either walk around the block or go for a walk/run along the beach depending how I'm feeling after it, if anyone is interested in having a go I Highly recommend the one down in Wollongong , they have an introductory price it's $19 for 10 days or $39 for 30 days and you can go unlimited times during that time. But there are other studios around.
Below I Posted picture of the poses you do, they aren't as hard as they look I promise :D

I hope everyone has a great healthy week.

Kristin xxx

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WEEK 1 SSS

We worked hard today! Check these pics out....and these were only the ones that people posted.

I'm pretty sure our Crew earned our rest day tomorrow and our treat meal and/or dessert tonight!

Special shout out to Cora who not only did 3 classes back to back and some time on the treadmill but did it until the fabulous Danni hit her 1000cal target today. Now that's friendship!

Hope you have a great Saturday night!

Annemarie

Michael & Roisin

Marianne

Vikki

Aleksandra

                 
               

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SSS - That happens to be a Sunday session - no matter ;)

I'll come back to a weekly wrap up later on this afternoon if I can pry myself away from the tissues, strepsils and nurofen plus but I just wanted to share Ashleigh's awe inspiring calorie melted count that she posted on the group this morning. :)

2 hour cardio and weight session smashed! Awesome cals burnt! And at the end of it did my 1km and did it in 6 mins 21 sec! Not bad considering I'd come from night shift to training!!!

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