Welcome to Body By Jo

The Jolly fat man came and went! He left pressies galore, 2 very happy children and a pretty humbled Mum! Thanks Santa!!!

2009 left imprinted in me some BIG changes…and we all know how difficult change can be…regardless of whether we are trying to create change, resist change or just damn hang on while everything else is changing around you!! Either way for change to happen, you have to create enough pressure, get uncomfortable and eventually an adaptation will occur…RIGHT??? Well I’m pleased to report that moving to a new city, for a new job created pressure….leaving my old friends felt uncomfortable BUT ….. My children and I now love life in Wellington! Furthermore, I now have new friends to share golden moments with!!

My Xmas and New Years was relaxing and peaceful. I stayed in Wellington and covered a bunch of Group Fitness classes at Les Mills before heading back to the far North to lay to rest 2009 and welcome 2010 with my whanau in the place I call HOME!!

Training over this period was consistent and my eating relaxed but not over the top!! As for the alcohol, I had my yearly 1 glass of wine at the stroke of midnight!

For the first time in EVER… the children and I had Christmas by ourselves…off course we invited my parents and they joined us, so that was awesome! The most important thing for me was that xmas day was stress free…. We woke up done the present thing and then chilled…. My dad arrived from Auckland on the earliest flight on Christmas morning after working a night shift, so he was pretty wasted, but it was nice to have him there. It was nice for me to be able to make a fuss over my parents!

Christmas is always a bitter sweet time for me, I am always grateful for my family and loved ones but am also gently reminded about Patrick, who fall sick at this time of year…..anyway….my children a easily pleased and all they wanted for breakfast was eggs, baked beans and Bacon!! It was a done deal, I enjoyed a couple of poached eggs and I great cup of tea Filled to the brim with good conversation with my mum and dad!! At a reasonable hour, I went for a run and my son came too….

I had been gathering seafood for a great seafood xmas lunch and that’s what we had, Cray’s, Paua, Muscles, Oysters…there truly was a divine selection!

I spent the early part of New Years Eve with the kids – just chilling, for me it’s the little things… Sometimes I watch my children and am in ‘awe’ with awesomeness! And when the kids crashed out, I joined my cousins at the local, watched the madness on the dance floor, caught up with old friends and done everything I could to stay awake until midnight! I’m not much of a party girl these days…and my cousin and I had a good crack up about our ‘booze hag days’…..cracking up about the pool table dancing, drunken swims off the wharf at midnight, endless days surfing and all the other wreck less things you do when you are young, invincible and FEARLESS!!!! LOL!

2010 - A massive year ahead of me, looking to work hard and make my mark at my workplace, keep contributing to Les Mills Group Fitness Classes and help change the lives of the peeps who pride themselves in the sport of group fitness! Continue to grow and learn as a Mother, Keep chipping away at my own training goals, and keep sharpening up my mind!

“It’s about slowly and surely chipping away that thing you want” a little bit at a time, that is what 2010 is about for me celebrating the small successes along the way!

Over the last week or so, the gym and group fitness classes are filling back up with the look of

I am always humbled and find a great sense of motivation from people who make a conscious decision to make positive lifestyle CHANGES. It is said that it takes 4 weeks to establish a New Habit but you a never rid of old habits…..so this time of year is crucial for all those peeps on a mission, to establish new habits, suppress old habits and get the change train rolling….. My one new habit I am in the process of cementing is getting enough sleep every night…small habit but will help me on my road to my Bigger goals…

19 days of Confessions
DAY 1 – Monday

After a day of feeling seedy - chills - aches - generally unwell, i cancelled my pt with Mandi thinking i'd be a write off today....surprisingly woke up feeling not too bad..not 100% but well enough to get these poto Maori girl legs running for a decent 40mins!!! STINK though - well enough to run....yeap well enough to drag my butt to mahi (work)!!

5am - Run 40min (stink treadmill one - kids sound alseep....you know i would be out and back before they even woke up......Jokes all you sibs reader i would NEVER do that)

Protein shake on the go, kids lunches, reading books...i signed permission slips for trips i don't even know about, oh well tonight I’ll read the notice properly and see how much $ it will cost!!! Yay 2 more weeks of school...
A run to the bus stop - LATE - usual Monday madness.....
WORK - on time - empty office - everyone else is out for the day !! Yeah BOI....cranked up the rock sounds and blitzed out my reports!!Oh and i ate my brunch too!! Protein pancakes....AND then my boss turned up...tuned back in the classic hits and put my shoes back on! LOL!
Lunch today was a tuna salad - sitting in the sun it was peaceful until i got a phone call from....a frequent energy vampire caller - why are some people so pessimistic about EVERYTHING...Life is good people, the minute you decide it will be!!

Afternoon work - Home to pick the kids up from school ....ahh feet up, nap time zzzzzzzzzzzz......Tonight I’m going to sharpen up my choreography for the newest PUMP and RPM releases..
Days to go…18

Still feeling a bit under the weather – I am missing my friends in Auckland today and feeling a bit blaaaahhhh………………Today’s training - 30min run, pump, rpm! Kai on track as per plan! I got cover for my RPM pm class tonight as my boy has been a bit under the weather and needed some mummy loving - a blessing in disguise i think i needed the rest - got to bed early for a decent sleep...

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Mates…in Aucks...
Days to go…17

Feeling HEAPS better! I got cover for my early morning PUMP class i usually teach as i have a few work commitments - (i hate when work gets in the way so - today’s workout - 45min Run in the am - taught RPM @ lunchtime! Food on track, Sleep hours on track...sometimes you don't realise just how tired you get aye!!! Today i felt xmasy! THE tree went up - A real live smelly, lopsided one, decorated by the kids.....so all the decorations are in one place - its GOLDEN and they LOVE IT!!! It will be our first christmas with just US...WE THREE... :) We are planning to go snorkelling on Christmas day morning across the road in the rock pool - it is a marine reserve so there is lots too see!!
Days to go…16

the TREE & wE 3!!

Day 4 - Thursday
Woke up feeling all jacked up on mountain dew....Yeah Boi - A decent 10k run this morn...*sigh...WORK WAS BUSY TODAY!! KIDS WERE RESTLESS & GRUMPY TODAY....Gggrrrrrr :/ Hit the Gym this afternoon for first session in the Weights room ALL week - back/arms/abs - left feeling satisfied :) and HUNGRY...feed the beast and tucked myself into bed!! Bliss! A golden moment today, we are sitting at the table and the kids ask, "what should we do on New Years Eve?"...............Whitiora thinks a relax, maybe go out to dinner mum, or we can just stay home and i can rub your feet! Maia thinks we should make a birthday cake for Jesus Christ.....LOL!
Days to go…15

Day 5 - Friday
Run 45min...it was flippin muggy this morning in the capital - the doors & windows were open and the slight drizzle was coming in - it was kind cool - the closet thing to morning run in the rain i've had in a while...bloody kids and Friday mornings...My son had Maia crying in 3mins, 3mins after waking up...WTF!!! Lucky i was feeling good after my morning effort and was able to mediate the situation without too many frown lines popping out!! Trained with Mandi - Shoulders + Chest......those bloody sets of 100's does the job!!...Taught RPM @ lunchtime.....This evening the Body Pump crew are meeting for a team class followed by a get together….Hmmmm – I’m thinking I’m going to keep banking my sleep hours….Tommorrow I teach pump, and I have a Leg workout to mark off before the end of the week…..so I might show face then hit the couch!!
Days to go…14

Start XMAS shopping
Survive XMAS shopping
Survive Xmas shopping with my Kids
Survive xmas shopping with my Kids & Mum
Survive xmas shopping with my kids & Mum & all the other people…… oh I would much rather be bonding with my bike…….my board….my wetsuit…anything but the MALL…. I can do it, I can do it!!!!

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The Jolly Fat Man.....

Count down is on to that crazy time of year... I just read Monty's update and i it is true - often other people make more of a deal about your food choices!

The last 2 weeks has been manic, my dad visited, just in the nick of time...my dad seems to turn up when things get "hard".... so that was nice.

Work has been busy and i've had a few other distractions...all of which i could use as an excuse, for couple of shocking eating days WTF!!! calling them treat days would be a lie - and just as Monty described, got swollen feet, legs felt 50x heavier and i felt like heffalump when i was running.... Geez :/?

I have learned a couple of things about myself and my behaviours over the years

1. When i am tired i do one of two things - either eat crap food or just curl up and go to sleep ( and then be more tired, unfuelled the next day)
2. When I have more than the normal stressors of life, i don't sleep well...

I haven't been sleeping well and getting too tired!!! Uuurgghhh How much should you sleep?? I have lost count of what is a reasonable number of sleep hours .. i probaly sleep a max of 6 hours a night and this is often interupted with at least one get up to the kids (they are both quite fretful in their sleep and my daughter sleep walks)..i try and get a little afternoon power nap 20mins in also, but don't always get this in.. The good thing is, i'm fully aware of this behaviour :)

Do selfish friends count as friends? - those friends that off load and then the minute you are having a rough patch - they are busy..... Uuummm...

My training has been good...but my food/diet is still not 100% and i'm not getting enough sleep... whenever i feel myslef on a bit of a downer, i re address my motivation - why do i choose to do this? I sit and go through all my reasons WHY and accept the minor distraction and get straight back on track....

Mandi has been awesome to train with, i am going to see her a couple of times a week until xmas... i'm looking forward to that!

This morning i woke up with the shivers in a cold sweet and aches and pains everywhere :( i have been lying low all day, but still feel like crap - got a feeling i'm going to be resting up for a couple of days :( Maybe thats what the doc ordered!!

I am looking forward to seeing the event calender and getting a date locked in for myself, but mostly be inspired by the seasoned atheletes!!

Hear from me again soon...

The Skinny Jean wiggle, jump jack wobble and a day to remember....

A couple of weeks have passed REAL fast!! Why is it that the time in a day seems to speed up when it nears Christmas?

The next couple of months are my LEAST favorite, despite lots of cool events and the beautiful weather... still my least favourite! I have many reminders of a past life, that sometimes seems A VERY LONG TIME AGO and sometimes just like yesterday....

Training has been consistent, but last week i was a bit disappointed with the intensity of my workout......not looking for excuses but i started my week tired :( and by Wednesday i was shattered!! I had a pretty physical weekend, feel victim too the "too tired to be bothered to cook" and curled up hungry and went to sleep....what a stupid...after a morning of my own training and then a day loaded with group fitness classes (5) !!! And then a Sunday, which is usually my bean bag day, full of mountain biking (as i promised my son, because i was out all day on Saturday).....long story short i was wasted, hungry and exhausted...And then it was MONDAY again..... Do you ever get over tired, and it becomes hard to sleep?? So food rating for the last week i would say...about....6/10!

I guess you can't run at 150% all the time!!

Moving on, i survived a full on week at work, taught my Pump's & Rpm's, smashed out my run's and got my weights done. But my biggest achievement has to be my costume i 'helped' make for the school production!! Ok all you super mum's it wasn't a ball gown, but i was PROUD!! My children consistantly keep me REAL!! it's awesome!

10 years ago last week i got married, it was a weird day to remember. Our wedding was beautiful and i married my high school sweetheart, we had our son and had been together for 13 years already. A weird day to remember, because if Patrick was still alive, i wonder where, how and what i would be doing..... living in should've, would've, could'ves is not cool, but every now and then it is nice to look back and give thanks to those who have helped along this crazy journey of life!! And so i sat and remembered some of the crazy coolness we done, Pre - children days.....We had an HQ Holden, painted primer grey, with a bench seat in the front, no WOF or REGO, the doors were welded shut (you had to climb through the window) and boy did we have some cool times road tripping, partying, and other R18 stuff in that car!! Goodtimes.... and then the small stuff...like having someone run you a bath or bring you a glass of water when you are sick.....and the hard stuff! It is funny how life sometimes just happens - admittedly i lost a bit of me and he lost a bit of him in amongst it all....or was just because we were so young that we hadn't really figured out who that "me" and "him" actually were?? Yeah so as you can see, one of those days......

I was feeling 'fat', 'frumpy' and 'fedup to the eyeballs', when i was getting ready for work after teaching a class. I happened to look over, i saw something that left me laughing on the inside! A very young, thin, like very very super slim, no girl bumps/lumps, you know a very tiny package of a woman...anyway, she too was getting ready for her day! Now I was just not built to wear skinny jeans, admittedly i own a pair, but just cause they fit dosen't mean they look good aye.....anyway back to the small package lady, even she had to do the skinny jean dance..and i know you know what i'm talking about...the jumping the pulling the wiggling and finally the sigh when they are on! LOL! "tiny packeage woman" came to apply her makeup next to me in the mirrors, SHE said, "god, i feel so fat today and i just wasn't built for skinny jeans" - i smiled and assured her she looked great in her 'skinny' jeans!!

PMS bitchiness.....this happened too!! (I don't need to go into this)!!

Training with Mandi was awesome on friday, i head rushed a few times as i soldiered on some 100rep sets on shoulders, triceps and back..thanks Mandi, i know you will read this, "Burn the *ith" hahahaha

I am looking forward to getting a date circled in the calender to aim towards, in my mind this will make it more real - er!!

My Dad is coming to visit for a couple of days next week and i am looking forward to this, i am close with my dad and he is probably the only person i moan to about 'men' issues...and just on the quiet, there is recently lots to maon about!! Most of my family worry that i am going to grow old a spinister (like thats a bad thing), but my dad just listen's and reassures me to never just settle!!! and so until the time is right i keep my life Full :)

Today (saturday), i ran, taught pump and have been chillaxin all day, tommorrow i am going to REST!! i might even sleep in....yeah right!! whatever the case i am in a rest deficit and need to get that sorted before monday as i don't want to roll into monday like last monday!!!

Oh and can i just say, how cool are the other to stunning atheletes on Jo's page, (makes me look and sound pretty ordinary LOL)!!

My Kids are starting to ask whats for dinner so i better go get something that resembles a nutritious meal sorted!

Moment of Cool - Had Coffee with a super special friend, situation at the mo dosen't allow for this often, so it was nice :)
Wicked Cool Proud moment - Watching my kids in their school production!

Training Goal for next week - leave each workout feeling fully satisfied knowing i worked my hardest!!!

Breaking the Silence
15.11.09

.....and then there was 2 weeks of no updates, WTF? Did she fall of the wagon after 1 week?Bwhahaha...

HELL no...Training continues as the same, focused, discliplined, hard and off course enjoyable - cos you know you have to love what you do aye!!
There has been a couple of days when 1% of doubt creeps in to your mind.....and you say, " why am i doing this again, COS I CAN and SO I WILL" is always my answer!!

I have had a couple of awesome sessions with Mandi now since the last time i wrote you, on thursday just gone i got the LEG smash... i woke up early on Friday morning and i felt like my ass was on fire, deep and high into the butt cheeks! HAHAHAHA!! I had to laugh, and i cast my mind back to when i first started training and my very first "proper" leg workout and i almost had to invest in a frame to help lower myself down onto the loo!!!! BWhahahaha..

It seems that my training times are similar to a couple of guys time, and so i have a couple of new gym peeps! When i first moved to wellington i missed my mates - sometimes not even people you talk to at the gym, but people that are there training hard, training focused as you are at the same time - and when they are not there you think, huh i wonder where they are today???? ANyway, back to the story, so i got some new friends to help spot me, keep me honest - on a stink note - i asked a woman to spot me and she looked me up and down and said ..." aah NO" with great poo face attitude!!! BIARCH! i smiled the biggest smile i could and said SWEET AZ! That's when i took my new friends offer up - i almost forgot how much benefit/intensity you get from that "just one more" knowing you've got someone to help on standby!!! So at the end of that week - my body felt well and truely worked!! Bliss!! Enjoying every sensation of hard work!

So my own training has been on PAH! My kai - same, same.... focused as!!! The most testing time in the kai department was school gala time - BAKING UP A STORM!! Geez- do people know how much butter, sugar go into cakes....??? anyway cakes, cookies, slices and fudges.....5 hours of baking and almost 5lbs of butter later........my kitchen bench, dining room table was covered in divine cooked sugar and butter disguised in an acceptable eatable form...all i had to do was endure a night of heavenly aromas and not be tempted!! Of course i mastered the mind and won that battle!!! And of of course i saved i slice of my favourite cake to enjoy at Sunday bean bag time!! And i did...enjoy that is! :) But seriously people - the amount of BUTTER that goes into cakes....OMG!

With school gala out of the way, we have school camp, school production - it is all go!!

I am a pretty confident person in many ways - but i have been challenged quite some as an active parent contributing to school life - baking (first time i ever made a cake, a real cake, was for the school fair just gone) and now, now - my son brings home a notice asking if "any talented, skilled mums who can help sew costumes for the school production......." Oh the pressure!! I'll keep you posted on that one!!

It is that time of year, when things get busy, unpaid bills need paying, the stress of xmas just around the corner starts looming......and me, it is a weird time of year, i try really hard to enjoy this time for my children, but is a time a work extra hard to stay focused! The next couple of months mark anniversary dates of my wedding, my husbands death and his birthday! Some days i miss him very much and lately my son has had more questions for me his dad. it is almost like he is starting to internalize what it means to have a deceased father, and beautiful people there is a marked difference from having an absent father and a deceased father!! So that has been a bit rough... BUT, all the more fuel for my focus to upgrade the mind & the body!!

I am sitting at my dad's house in auckland typing this, i'm up here work, visiting friends etc...and i went a visited Jo ..... and i am happy to report i have gained 500gram of muscle!! As per norm, after talking with Jo, your motivation tank is full and ready to rumble in the game of fitness again.....so i figure with Jo and Mandi and my new friends I'll get to my short term goal before xmas and roll into the new year in comfortable shoes for the long term goal!!

Oh and to all the wicked cool people who have introduced themselves, either in person or online and said, love your story on Jo's site, when are you updating..... thanks for the support!

GOLDEN MOMENT of the last 2 weeks - visiting one of my longest and dearest friends in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD ( we have been friends since we were 3) and breaking out the "swing ball" set!! Good times! Good friends are hard to find and it is so true - they are the family you get to choose!!

Book of the Moment - Round heeled Woman (this ladies & gents is a side splitting very REAL experience of a woman who places a personal ad that read, "before i am 67 next year i want to have lots of sex with a man i like")

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Today ends 1 week of DAILY writing to Jo, reporting in food and training. It is funny how when you write down what you do in a day, or don't do - you think...chur, that was a busy day!!

I slept in today 7am - it was bliss, then i opened my door and let the sea air in, lay in bed and reading for another hour..a perfect start to a Sunday.
Feeling well rested, i slipped into my sneakers - tried hard to convince the kids to jump on their bikes and come for a ride (selfishly i wanted to run outside) but they were both super engrossed in sunday morning kiddie tele...so it was a treadmill run again!! A humble 6k this morning seemed to be enough to free up the mind and get set for a fab day. As i finished, i gave myself the 'internal tick of proudness' you know the internal yeaah, another one down..at that moment i had to chuckle as i thought of the people lining up to do the auckland marathon, and here i was saluting my 6k hahaha!! :)

Breakfast was poached eggs on toast, some mushrooms... as i was contemplating how i could best use my time today, i received a message, work related and had to head in. Soo feeling URBER peeved about this i ended up doing a combat class instead of Yoga i had planned!! I was home, calm and ready to work on my tan all before mid afternoon.... I made myself an arrangement of raw veges, salmon (tin) c cheese, tomato and bonded with the bean bag in the sun....

ALMOST alseep. i was interrupted by the sound of six 10year old boys creating chaos downstairs, and my son yelling out, "Mum, can you make us something to eat?".....and like all good mothers on a Sunday, i turned my Ipod up louder and pretended i couldn't hear. Hearing foot steps coming upstairs...like all good mothers on a Sunday, i closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep! "i know, lets just make some toasties" is what i heard my son say! Toasted sandwich makers are GOLD for growing boys!

Once i heard the boys exit, i thought it safe to go find food for myself.... I light salad for lunch today..The kitchen was trashed, BUT like all good mum's on a Sunday...i maneuvered around, through and between the "boy food" mess!

More Sun, more book, BLISS..

Chicken stir fry for Dinner tonight..

Wicked Cool Moment - Sleeping In
Thought of the day - I love Summer
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Another stunning Day in the capital..... Up & At it early...

5am 10k run (stink it was on the treadmill, but nice views of the ocean)..

Fuelled up on some oats & protein then off to teach PUMP @ les Mills Hutt City! Feeling the chest & tricep workout (thanks Mandi) from yesterday, i felt like i had "puffed out chest syndrome" LOL!

Chugged down a protein shake on the way home.. as i was pulling up the drive way i TOTALLY forgot about our bodycorporate working bee.....DOH! But whaT THE HELL, It was such a beautiful day....so 2 trips to the dump and a large skip of rubbish later...we were done!! Now i quite enjoy baking, i'm not good at it, but something i started doing because...i don't know why...just because, and my kids get to take homemade cookies, muffins etc.... So back to the working bee...i whipped up some banana, choc chip muffins, cheese & ham scones and fed the "busy bees"! It was choice cos i got to bake and there was no left overs, and i was extra proud because i wasn't even tempted to have any....i didn't want to waste my treat meal on a muffin! Anyway, this was the first time i have actually met ALL my neighbours, and i have pretty cool neighbours! :)

It was a BBQ lunch today - I chucked together a green salad - jammed some chicken breast on a skewer and joined the neighbours! :) It was a great afternoon, they were having a few beers on the deck and it was all round good conversation and company.

Dinner tonight was a vege & egg white omelette, i was didn't feel very hungry tonight, tired though, and i probably didn't drink enough being out in the sun all day & I didn't have anything to eat between lunch & Dinner!! :/

But all and all not too bad a day!! I am looking forward to a sleep in tommorrow and resting..i will probably have a wee run in the morn, then chill! My morning run over the years has become part of my morning ritual, like clock work, hit the snooze 3x, stumble to the loo, slip into sneakers, RUN..... its a habit i'm quite proud of!! It is something i enjoy and it gives me time to clear my mind and refocus.

The journey for continiuos improvement is a constant process of self reflection, and acknowledging all of the bits that make you, YOU! AFter Patrick died I thought, who would be interested in a 25year old widow with 2 children??? And being a single parent was hard...but now i think my children are my biggest strength, and i have become more interested in me, defining who & what i want to be in this life....I once read that to be interesting...you genuienly need to be interested.....

Wicked Cool Moment Today - laughing so hard i had sore cheeks :)

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Friday 30 October....
BoyFood & Chillax

I LOVE FRIDAY'S because I DON'T have to WORK FRIDAYS!

5.30am - A humble 5km run on the treadmill...took a while to get going this morning, but by my 3rd song on my play list, i was sweet!!

Oats, p powder

MORNING MADNESS - with the kids - by Friday its almost WWIII in our house! My daughter isn't a morning person, she moves at snail pace and my son hates being late!! My son is almost 10 and his sulking is INCREDIBLE..it drives my mental (er)!! This morning he was sulking because his sister was taking to long in the bathroom...he continued to pick on her, until she was crying...anyway, i am pretty liberal in my views about parenting, but enough is enough!! I said to him, "I sick and tired of your bloody sulking, pick up you lips and get out of my face until you can be nice to other people in this family..." He finished breakfast in silence, brushed his teeth and out the door he went....(he rides his bike to school on a friday) - "ride careful, have a great day, love you...", I call out the kitchen window!

About 10 minutes later, I comes storming in, with his hands on his hips, he says, "yeah, well i'm sick of living with a house full of girls, with girls things everywhere and girls stuff in the bathroom and girl food and girl every thing...." I had to try hard not to laugh because he was so upset. We talked it over, negotiated bathroom space for his 'gel & man comb'. and next time we do groceries he would like to come and buy some "boy" food...i don't know what that looks like, but i'll keep you posted!! Bless his little growing heart!!!

Anyway, peace in house again, off to school we go!! :)

trained with Mandi at the Les Mills at the HUTT! Chest & Tri's ! What a choice chick, I managed to make it through the session without breaking, phew!

I sank a protein shake & a nice juicy crunchy apple while driving back into the city to teach RPM at The Terrace...Had a ripper class, it was a full house today! Hats off to the energy in RPM DOJO today - a fine mix of lean limbed cycling atheletes preparing for Taupo event, Cooperates having a mid day get away, those trying to strip off their winter layers....what ever their motivation, it FELT GOOD!!

HUNGRY as , i chowed down my lunch - Bean, broc, asparagus tuna - yeah i know almost the same as yesterday - I need to do some shopping...

Picked the kids up from school.....CHILLAX time!!!

Now i love them Frappe type coffees...all thick and uuummm, i used to Love very vanilla chiller's (extra thick), anyhow in my attempt to sharpen up all areas of my life, including my budget, I make my own variation! Basically I just add coffee to my protein shake, and have minimal water (like just enough so the blender can work) and heaps of ice....i use the Bsc Choc p powder and i find this to go nice and thick.....anyway to me it was like a choc & coffee thickshake...i blopped a strawberry on top..BLISS!

Probably because i was all drugged up on coffee, i didn't need my afternoon nap today, so i capitalised on the energy surplus and got ahead start on the house cleaning, before my Friday night cuisine cooked by my kids!!

So..they wanted pizza! Off to the supermarket we go to buy supplies.... Pita Bread, Cheese, pineapple, Ham.. i talked them into a portebello mushroom for my "pizza base" & Cottage cheese for my "CHEESE"...and i don't like ham so YEAP they choose.....TUNA as a substitue.... anyway i heck of a messy later....we sat down and i enjoyed my "MUSHROOM PIZZA" - at the end of our meal, my son said, "mum thats kinda not really a pizza aye...but i hope you liked it! My daughter made the salad it was awesome...i would have paid & tipped the cook if i was out....it even came with a foot massage!!

I'm about ready for bed, might have a hot choc drink and read a little....I teach PUMP on a Saturday morning at 9, and i try and do a Long ( long for my short maori girl legs!) earlier!

Thought of the day - Why would you settle for average?

Wicked cool Moment - got to meet Mandi, and train, and i didn't break!

Okay i got 2 more days to write food & training daily - The weekends folks are my weakness, but not anymore!!! :)
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Thursday 29th October
"Excellence is a habit"

I love these pics of Helen taken at a Les Mill choreography launch.. Personality Rocks.

5am - Treadmill run 30min + 40min cadence drills (for RPM)

Chocolate (p powder) -oaty, egg whitey stuff + a dolop of yoghurt!! (to me, this tastes like a choc rice pudding!) Anyway i enjoyed this today, cos i got to sit down and eat it, at the table with my kids!! Its gold you know...the family discussions at the table!!!!

MORNING RUSH - out the door on time, kids to school on time, ME to work ON TIME!!! Office was chaos, as we are relocating. I was packing some "stuff" that required me to climb up and down a chair....my backside was still a bit sore from tuesdays training, it was quite funny...i had the internal chuckles going on!!

Tuna, cottage cheese, Ryvita

Bean, asparagus, broc, tuna salad with a little bit of honey mustard dressing - (this a fav of mine, sometimes i slap some eggs in, or some chopped up almonds...umm..) i know i'm not much of a cook! If only my nana could see me, "the youth of today...blah, blah, blah."

Trained Back

Protein shake

Rush to get the KIDS ..... home, afternoon snack for kids, homework, washing, reading, power nap zzzzzzzz

Thursday night ME time - sometimes its a movie, sometimes its a facial, sometimes yoga...sometimes its nothing at all, but i invest in a babysitter for ME time!!! Tonight ME time was a Bodyattack class, knees & kicks and plyometric stuff all up in the house...geez, all i could feel was my wobbly bits...HAHA!! i think i'm going to use ME time like this more often....

Chicken salad tonight!

i nice refreshing peppermint tea as i type and a decent chapter waiting to be read!!!

tomorrow morning i'm training with Mandi...i'm kind of nervous...i hope i don't get broken!! I'm glad its friday tommorrow - Friday night in our house is Jnr Scrabble night!! Yeah..... Kids cook!! Its a real treat, i get a foot massage, some colourful vegetable creation (often with a TIN of tuna, literally in a TIN).. Last week i got scrambled eggs (minus the yolks, that were like rubber, blasted in the microwave) ... again moments like this are golden...

THOUGHT of THE day - Geez i got awesome kids, i reackon i learn more from them, and i hope that when they grow up, my mistakes need not affect them!!!

:)
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Wednesday 28th October

5am - 30min treadmill run

6.30am - Teach Bodypump

Morning Rush - Kids to school, lunches, even hang the washing out...phew!!

Protein pancakes - on the run again, driving to work - STRONG BLACK COFFEE...aaahhh

WORK on time today....!!

Crackers & Tuna

12.30 - Teach lunchtime RPM @ LM Terrace

Salad, chicken, Kumara

Afternoon rush - extra kids today! Friends over to play - so, a loaf of bread in spag toasties later for a bunch of growing 10 year old boys..<protein shake & strawberries while making these>.... I had a sneaky Power nap zzzzzzz pretending to listen to Maia's Reading , The big black cat!!

Trained Biceps & Abs @ Home... There is not one thing about bicep training i like, but it was helping me deny the echo of yesterdays leg workout that i can feel high into my butt cheeks tonight!!!

Chicken Breast stuffed with a bit of Cottage cheese, Asparagus, mushroom & Green Stuff (salad)

Ok so thats me, another day, done and dusted.... I'm about to make me a Hot choc - Low Cal kind, of course - crawl up the stairs .... and sharpen up the mind and READ - what good is trying to upgrade the body without upgrading the MIND aye??!!

Another FULL day and its not even 8.30pm !!!

THOUGHT of THE DAY ....I was asked today, "Uuummm WHY?" my answer, " COS I CAN!"......to that the reply was, "U need a man" - I failed to see the connection between that suggestion of 'needing a man' and my desire to be fitter, stronger, leaner, sharper both physically and mentally - and so too my overweight, huffed & puffed collegue eating her cream donut washed down with a coke, maoning about being fat and her 'man'....i simple replied, "yeap, I can see needing a man worked a treat for you hun...!"
P.S - No offence mean't to all you beautiful Men Kind out there :)

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Tuesday 27th October

5am - 40min Run & 45 Rpm training (cadence work to assist with my leg speed when i teach)
Protein Shake, strawberries
Morning rush... Kids to school, usual chaos :)
8.45am Leg Weights :/ aawww
Protein Pancakes... i love that i can multitask (eat, walk and text while battling an infamous Wellington Southerly!)
Arrive at Work .... LATE with a tingling backside
Salad, Tuna, Kumara
Afternoon Rush....kids from school, homework - reading, science projects, permission slip signing, blah, blah, blah...grab a quick 20min power nap~ zzzz
Protein Shake
STRONG BLACK COFFEE....bliss....Cook Macaroni & cheese for the kiddies, Baby sitter arrives....
6.30pm -teach RPM @ Les Mills Extreme
Egg White Omelet with some tuna...Veges...
Make Lunches....Low calorie hot choc.....
Good night John Boy!!!!
My thoughts on todays effort - not to bad :) I felt rushed eating today...I like to enjoy my food, you know sit down and ENJOY..tomorrow i will make sure i have enough time to sit and enjoy.
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26 October
Long weekend Fever!!!

Feeling Frumpy and Fat after a week of half pie training, and over indulgence on Sunday afternoon.... Geez, i don't know, when will i learn!!

Without a moment to lose this morning i was up and running! (felt heavy and wobbly, LOL) I actually lay in bed until 7 ish this morning, and that's a MAJOR for me! It was a beautiful morning and i thought, what the hell! My ran on my treadmill this morning as neither of my kids wanted to ride their bikes while i ran, i prefer to run outside. I can distract myself easier when i'm outside, but on the treadmill all you see is the blasted numbers, going up or down! BUT I do actually have a lovely view from my room where i train at home! Soo i ran for an hour, hang my washing out then jacked my bike up on my wind trainer, put my favourite metal tunes from high school days and rode like a bat outta hell!!! Hahaha!!!!

The view of Island Bay from Helens bedroom window

I filled the rest of the day catching up on some house work, a bit of gardening, shopping AND all in time to catch a spot of sunbathing in the afternoon!!

Out came the bikini top and a shorts....shock horror...the shorts were snug! So nothing like a bit of shock treatment to 'pull your head in' aye!!!

This evening i trained shoulders and Abs (at home), then it was such a beautiful evening, the kids and i went for a walk and had a picnic dinner again!! I love that my children a so much part of what i choose to do! Whether it is riding their bikes when i'm out running, counting reps, filling up drink bottles, creating playlists... its choice!! I think they are just on to the fact that if i don't do something and get my fix, i'm a grumpy MUM!

I have a crazy week at work ahead, as we a moving offices, and my child minder is out of town for a week....so fitting everything in this week is going to be interesting!! I plan to hit the gym during lunch break this week to make sure i get my training in.

I'm not sure what the rest of New Zealand was like today, but Wellington was STUNNING!! I lay in the sun, reading, cat napping and listening to some tunes, ahh, it reminded me of those long hot summer days surfing, when you'd wear the matching bikini bottoms (not tight shorts) at a beach that actually had OTHER people at it, as opposed to the privacy of your own yard! Hahahaha!!

I'm up in Auckland in a couple of weeks to see Jo :) and on Friday i'm going to train with Mandi! I'm super excited about that, please don't break me!

WICKED COOL MOMENT OF CLARITY - F#%k the mind is real good at denying the nasty...BUT my trusty summer shorts are just flat out HONEST!!! (evil, nervous cackle..hehehe)

Thought of the DAY - Embrace, forgive, let go - GET ON WITH IT!!

...............and that's the plan of attack for this week ahead!! To keep me honest i'll write my food diary and training daily!!!

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17 October 2009 .

The highs, the lows and energy vampires!!!

The high road, this is the preferable road, when we are on track, ETA to destination is as scheduled!

The low road, where the mind makes it difficult to focus and your goals seem WAY WAY to big and self doubt creeps in!

Energy Vampires - the people that suck you dry and leave you dehydrated on the low road!!

......and so after climbing out of low road living, I'm always conscious of my thoughts and behaviors related to low road traveling! For me, these are the days where i have "just one more" at food time, when my morning run is slower or shorter and the mind excuses half arsed attempts!!! The low road is also full of energy vampires - who feed off what little energy you have - you find yourself exchanging stories over who has the shittest life....... Low road traveling sux! After Patrick died i selfishly spent 4 days in bed thinking about my choices........

1. I can lay here, just lay here feeling sad ass and broken until the universe couldn't stand it anymore and would open up and consume me, or
2. Get up and live, finish all the things Patrick and i had planned, and be brave enough to carry on living the width of my life, not just the length!

.....so HIT the high road folks!!

and my last week.....I've been hindered by an old knee injury, which is a pain in the Booty! I also done something strange to my lower back... woke up with a real dull pain - i went out riding and got a bit of a chill, perhaps this???? Anyhow, again it is a pain in the ass, just enough to hinder decent training! So i've been taking it easy which has left me feeling a bit flat :/

Wicked Cool Moment - Made a time to train with Mandi :) I hope i live!!

Thought of the week - '...gotta keep rolling like a stone....'

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OK, Shit sorting can get messy.....

Between Life this week i managed to hull ass to the gym and train with intensity that i haven't in a while! I was proud of my sore backside!
I'd humbly have to say a good effort! Keeping the food honest proved to be fine with not too many thoughts of deviating off the plan, and those that do creep in get stomped out real quick!

It is funny how when you start shit sorting in one area of your life, it seems to radiate into other area's of your life, Work, Children, Career, relationships etc... aye?

Perhaps i fell victim to OVER ANALYSISing (i tend to do this) - but anyway this fueled me with motivation to slip into my running shoes and clear my mind! Now my poto (that means short) Maori girl legs just weren't built for running, but hey if you can walk, chances are you can run right! I ran until in my mind i had rough idea of how i was going to approach/fit everything in. And just like Forrest Gump when he had his moment of Clarity and stopped running...... i thought to myself, "it's easy, one thing at a time! Thats the fastest way to get anything done!" and with that i turned around and ran home . . .And can i just say map my run is awesome.... 24kms! Thats how long it took me to run to that conclusion - DOH!

The weekend saw my Daddy come and visit, my 2nd best friend in the world! He was returning my children from their holiday in the far north. Always nice to catch up with Dad!!

I think i forgot to mention that i teach group fitness. Pump and Rpm to be specific. I enjoy the energy transfer of participants/me - me/participants - participants/participants - me/music - pariticipants/music - music/pariticipants! It should be an empowering experience and if you haven't tried a class yet, you prob should!

I guess i should mention here, that my definition of my LAZY fit phase is purely based on my expectation of myself! And you tend to be your harshest critic aye? But i thought it important to clarify that as i pride myself on living an active lifestyle, both in my choice to 'do the gym thing' and in my adventures in the outdoors, so i'm not a complete couch potato! :=)

MY MOMENT OF WICKED COOLNESS this week - mountain biking with my kids around Red Rocks! We've got such a beautiful country!

BOOK of week - Short fat chick to marathon runner!

Thats all from me for the now...Ciao

H

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I meet Jo in 2007, I had a friend who was getting married in Gisborne and I wanted to sharpen up for her wedding. I was working at Les Mills in New Lynn at the time and a work colleague sp oke very highly of Jo…..so off I went!

I have had my share of life experiences to date. I have 2 beautiful children who continue to be my sole motivation for being, I was widowed at 25 after my husband and best friend of 14 years died suddenly of cancer, an indescribable experience that has taught me to truly appreciate people, places and times that bring you real JOY!

Remaining physically fit/strong has been an important part of ‘coping’ – some would say it was my form of escapism, perhaps, but in my turbulent times I just ran further, pushed heavier…it’s not as if I turned into a ‘crack whore P addict with tendancies to drown my sorrows’!

I’ve just moved to Wellington, been here 14 weeks. My children are 10 and 7 (yes you smart people, I’m 30+ish, now turning 30 proved to be another crisis point in my life, but more of that another time). From the time I meet Jo I felt inspired by her share determination and discipline to be the success that she is. Between health concerns of my own, I have maintained a level of fitness, but sometimes, sometimes, fall into the LAZY FIT category, you know when you do just enough, just enough to Just- ify over indulging 1 too many times in a week!

So feeling myself slipping into a LAZY FIT zone, Jo suggested I write a blog, to keep me honest! Now I’m no stranger to her site and am fully aware of the calibre of people who share their stories, but if my very humble training blog (haha) and stories to GET MY SHIT SORTED (that’s code for look hot this summer) help keep me honest then SO BE IT!

I have never competed, the thought has crossed my mind…ummm…let’s just leave it at that for now!

I have about 2.5kg of Fat I would like to lose before Christmas, this will see me sitting comfortably at 10kg of Fat. So let this be my official commitment to getting MY SHIT SORTED!

Now Jo said I need to post some pics so that I’m not all talk…like there needs to be some show as well….so when my son is home form his holiday, I’ll get him to take some pics of his mummy!

And I think how it works is, I’ll share my shit sorting journey and as Jo could reassure, there is NEVER a dull moment in my life…so I’ll share those adventures too!!