Oh, by the way,,,

I have a new blog. On food and fitness. 100. As in one hundred days of weight loss.

Ignite!

After my Jillian (and Jackie!) challenge in November...and my green skirt now looser around my waist...it seemed to me a good idea to continue themed workout challenges for awhile.

This month, I am doing FIRM workouts.

A bit Stepford wife-ish of me.

And this week I am using the FIRM Ignite series...two twenty minute workouts on one DVD. High impact. High intensity. Cardio and weights. And yes I can go heavier than I do on 30 Day Shred in general and Ripped in 30.

They also have more of a fun woo hoo factor...the group feel, the we are in this together no drill sergeant thing.

They are low in ab work..just some standing abs tucked into the very short cool down. So on my less busy days I am adding in abs. Or doing longer FIRMs on those days...

And why not check out Jez's FIRM Challenge blog?

Here comes November!

As the October Challenge draws to a close, I have planned and begun my November Challenge. By default.

Jillian Michaels.

Namely, Ripped in 30 and 30 Day Shred. Chosen because the mix of intervals, of cardio and strength and abs usually give me good results in a short amount of time. Healthwise.

Often tough but effective and good to push one self without the exhaustion of hour long pushing.

Those of you who workout will understand.

And I am planning on revisiting some old favourites for the eating part of the challenge.. Old favorite books that is. Secrets of a Former Fat Girl, The Do-able Diet,  The Lazy Girl's Guide to Dieting, Calorie Queens.

What is the common thread in these books? All written by women who used to be overweight. That been there done that thing.

"You don't have to be perfect, you just have to bring it." To quote Jillian from today's workout, workout one of the Ripped in 30  workout DVD.

Good advice!

That October Challenge!

"I had at last become a true child of the modern world,completely tangled up in petty and useless concerns with myself.." Thomas Merton, in The Seven Storey Mountain.

And so I consider these words as I continue with my October Challenge. I want to be healthier and fitter, and lets face it , look better .... I want it all... Fitness and holiness, without concern for self.

Can the two mesh together?

And is this a dilemma of the modern age?

It has cast a new slant on my October Challenge.

As Merton before me, I could be in danger of .."worrying about a lot of imaginary rules of health, standards of food value...."

My October Challenge is attempting to eat with some balance...not often achieved but those days that I do are glorious. And I note that these days are more often weekends, days that are busy and full but without my crazy work schedules.

My fitness has been that walking/jogging rotation...and I am loving it! I am singing, I am walking and jogging and dancing and I am enjoying not feeling so worn out after a workout...you know, when I am often busy and sleep deprived, adding a push myself to my limits workout can be fun..but exhausting. Walking and jogging every day, with a little bit of strength training, makes me feel less tired right now...and it's great to do cardio every day...great fun and good for health and body...and mind ( those prayers while working out). And I can push myself and feel worked out, nicely tired...not I-can't-make-it-up-the-stairs tired.

One more week of the October Challenge to go!

A Fitness Challenge

Fat and frumpy. Old and ugly.

You know those things we say to ourselves.

It's that self loathing. And for many women it began in their teen years.

For me, it began in my childhood. But that's a whole other story.

As Ajay Rochester says in her 5 Minute Diet Book, starting from a point of self disgust is not helpful.

Instead, we should begin a new fitness venture from a point of being positive... Affirmations if need be. Self control over negative thoughts. Choosing workouts that make us smile.

Lately I have been doing more walking and jogging workouts.Outside. Or inside... Leslie Sansone being some of these workouts.

Leslie is bubbly, chatty, positive. I can pray while walking or jogging, otherwise mindless workouts. ....Hail Mary... Contemplation instead of mindlessness...

And if I am walking, jogging, doing upper body strength training in my family room, I can ham it up. Act like a dork. Dance. Sing. Who is to see or care?

Leslie has an October walking and jogging challenge beginning on Monday. To overcome these I-hate-me feelings I am taking the challenge. Setting a plan for x number of kilometres.

And looking at my chaotic eating habits... Yes, my life means I tend to be chaotic in eating. As described in Intuitive Eating..." The Chaotic Unconscious Eater often lives an over scheduled life, too busy, too many things to do. The chaotic eating style is haphazard; whatever's available will be grabbed....nutrition and diet are often important to this person...just not at the critical point of the chaos. Chaotic eaters are so busy putting out fires ( in my case doing all that I need to do and working two jobs and homeschooling and trying to eat what's on hand to save money..) they have difficulty recognizing biological hunger until it's fiercely ravenous. Not surprisingly, the Chaotic Eater often goes long periods of time without eating."

Mmm. Me to a tee.

So my October fitness challenge is to hate myself a little bit less ( son Thomas always says to me, Mum you are worse than my friends, girls my age, about hating your looks and body! ...yep, that's me..), to walk and jog perhaps with Leslie, to structure eating and be more mindful.

I'll report back regularly!

And .....want to join me?

Fitness. Highs. Lows.

Fitness Highs and Lows

July Highs

1. Did copious weights workouts. Kelley Coffey-Myers 30 Minutes to Fitness Weights and Jari Love's Get Extremely Ripped, split onto the two thirty minute workouts. When work is busy and I am short of time...I need thirty minute workouts. But tough, effective ones. These two are great, especially for biceps and pecs and both are active so get your heart rate up for a cardio effect (think Body Pump classes).

2. Read some stuff on the whys of eating....parts of the Don't Go Hungry For Life book, parts of Losing It In France, parts of Intuitve Eating.

What is intuitive eating?

"It is free of obsession. It acknowledges that our compulsions are due to biochemical or emotional reasons and any over- or under-eating is a clue to begin looking further as an opportunity for learning."

3. I went to a dinner dance on Saturday night and I ate all three courses but only half of everything...it's okay, others at the table liked my leftovers! Half my pumpkin soup, half the fish and vegetables, half the caramel apple tart. And practiced some moderation with alcohol! Woo hoo!

July Lows

1. I put on some kilos. Yes, that little, horrible, sneaky weight trip. I realize that for me it's not enough to try to be intuitive, to be honest ....less intuition and more self discipline seem to be the ticket here. I mean, the feel good stuff is good is but I need plans and action. I'm just that kind of person. Hence my moderation at the dinner dance (see above) and my moderation all weekend. Go girl!

2. Not enough cardio. In line with the above, I realized that I need more cardio. Tough love. The last two days I have been doing those walking and jogging workouts, 45 minutes. I kind of like those endorphins and I need that cardio to lose that weight. Your mileage may vary but this works for me. And changing it up.

3. I hate my body. There, I said it. Not following a plan makes me feel fat, and makes me actually fat...those kilos I mentioned above. My skinny jeans fit but I look fat in them. My abs have gone to hell. See what happens when I don't watch what I eat...whereas two days of cardio and A Plan make me feel less fat... Sure I haven't lost weight yet, weight loss is slow for me, I know I am always in this for life and I am not after fast weight loss or a perfect body...but I feel more in control with that sensible eating plan. An "I've got this covered" feeling!

So there you have it. My July fitness post.

I've brushed myself off, thinking positively, dragged out some old mottoes, created some new.

"I've lost 40 kg in the last, a few kgs now won't be hard." No, that one doesn't work anymore. Makes.me feel like a failure.

" I take care of myself." Yes, that's a new one but a good one. A reminder when I want to turn to food.

" What I want most, WIWM." Yep, that still works. I really want to be healthier, look better in my clothes, not avoid the mirror when I'm wearing my skinny jeans or getting dressed.

" It's not an option INO." From Secrets of a Former Fat Girl. And, yes, it's not an option to drop the plan, I'm not like other people who can eat or not eat and not worry. I have a history of eating disorders so their eating and exercise habits are not an option for me.

And - " I don't do that any more." No, I don't. Or I tell myself I don't. Don't eat emotionally, for example. Don't expect perfection. Don't make it too hard or too easy on myself.

I don't.

Do you have any July fitness highs and lows?

Another Fitness Post

Weight: Two kilos gone. Two. In one week. Is there something wrong? Should I worry? Can I not self sabotage? Look out skinny jeans..here I come!

Food Epiphany: 1. Alcohol can fit into a calorie controlled diet. Just sayin'. In case you were worried.

2. There is an argument for counting calories carefully and not estimating all the time. And for not eating too little...duh, Leonie! Avoiding the eating too few calories trap has taken me awhile. See Calorie Queens .

General: Good quote..."After decades in this field, I can honestly say that most, if not all, of the disordered eaters I have known or worked with are excellent caretakers of others and poor caretakers of themselves." The Rules of Normal Eating.

Fitness: Battling a cough and cold and this is reflected in workouts.

Sat: The FIRM Cardio Workout with the accompanying weighted gloves. A kickboxing inspired workout with some nice plank work for abs at the end. Pulls a lot of punches (pun intended!) in twenty minutes.

Sun: Dance With Julianne. A sweaty dance workout, really works your abs and makes you feel like you are dancing in a music clip. Contemporary. Forty minutes. Intermediate level. Good workout, choreographed by Jen Galardi, a fave dance fitness instructor of mine. Julianne looks a bit like a Barbie doll and over uses the word sexy and with my headache I could not, would not, shake my head and hair as she did...but the cardio was fun and my body was worked.

Mon: Leslie Sansone Walk Away Your Waistline. Gosh, I chose this because Monday was not a good day for me and I needed a mindless workout. But I loved the ab belt. You really suck in your abs and the weighted handles provide some upper body toning when you do the arm movements while walking with Leslie and her "pals." 3 miles 45 minutes.

Tues: Too much coughing. Too busy. No workout. Grr. I hate giving in.

Wed: Today. The other twenty minute FIRM Ignite workout ( see last week). I've done this before, but it was harder today...that cough and cold! Major coughing fit after but it was too cool a workout to ignore. Cardio, then cardio bursts with intervals of weights, followed by cardio and an ab toning cool down/stretch. Burpees with weighted squats!

Okay,that's fitness today in a nut shell. For those of you who asked...you know who you are, my fellow fitness friends..

Fitness today

Fitness today

Workout: The FIRM Ignite Calorie Burn

Food epiphany: 1. Sometimes I can eat calorie controlled junk instead of dinner. Really. No guilt.

2 it's good to eat breakfast ( muesli and low fat yogurt) even if it's at 10,30 am.

3. From Nice Girls Finish Fat - one doesn't always have to be perfect, do everything well.

General: I lost over a kg this week. With cardio ( mostly Just Sweat), calorie awareness and mindfulness.

The FIRM Ignite workout is two workouts, each roughly twenty minutes. You can do one or both workouts and , to my mind, are the FIRM's answer to the very popular Jillian Michaels' twenty minute workouts. High intensity cardio bursts with strength training intervals.

I like these workouts. The two instructors, Emily and Rebekah, are encouraging. Since the strength training is not done at lightening speed, I can actually go a bit heavier than I can with Jillian. I used 3 kgs.

There are cardio bursts, each athletic and each eight seconds. Four in a row, with twelve second recovery moves in between, before the next strength training or cardio or standing abs.

Today I fell flat on my face, doing the big boy push ups and tricep kickbacks with weights, in Rebekah's Interval Blast The workout fairy must have had a good laugh!

And the morning glories, with bicep curl and overhead press...well let's just say a core and balance challenge for this mum of seven!

I'd rate the workouts high intermediate or low advanced. Not killer. But good. One could make it easier with low impact and lighter weights. Or harder with even more energy and heavier weights.

And twenty minutes on time challenged days is super...good calorie burn intervals equal the burn of slower, steady rate cardio.

And fun! The fun factor, you know, is pretty important to me.

So, another fitness post! Check in next week for an update....

A fitness post

Be strong.

Be fit.

Have fun.

Lose weight.

Billy Blanks' Taebo motto.

I haven't had a fitness post in awhile. But I'm still working out. And wanting to lose a few kgs

But how? As someone who lost almost 40kg over a five year period, I know the ins and the outs, the ups and the downs, of weight loss. Of weight maintenance .

I am chubby. I don't think I will ever be slim. There was a period just after my weight loss when I was sick and I lost even more weight.. And people at church said I looked fantastic. Maybe I did. I wasn't eating but I was working out hard.

But I can't continue that in my normal life. Well, not at the present. So I am at a normal weight for me now. Not a fantastic looking weight.

However, I would like to lose a few kgs. Not to be at that fantastic looking hard for me to maintain weight . But to be healthier. To not cringe quite so much, when I look at myself.

And to work on that emotional eating.

Because one day recently I not only felt strong emotions but I expressed them. And as soon as I did I knew I needed to eat. Eat something fattening. To help with feeling and expressing those strong emotions.

I wanted pasta but settled for fish and chips. Too much fish and chips.

Mmmm

I know I eat to deal with emotions but I do it anyway. ( At least it's a big step up from not knowing why I eat)

Nice Girls Finish Fat. A book I have owned for awhile but that I couldn't let myself get into. Because I like being nice. And what would happen if I wasn't?

I read a section and thought, well, maybe I can set limits and boundaries. For myself. And others.

For example, I can make The Plan for my continuing workouts and for getting eating on track. I can make food the last thing I turn to when dealing with emotions. I can enjoy the food and alcohol but choose lower calorie versions . I can savour and eat mindfully.

I can put a stop button on myself.

I can blog my weekly exercise and food because maybe others are here, too.

I can pray.

I can risk not always being nice.

I can take who I am as a strong person, a strong woman, and be strong where I am weak. With the strength of prayer . Because Mary, our Mother, was strong, too. And her prayers are strong.

So... Update for this week? I have loved, loved, loved more cardio workouts ... Especially Just Sweat, the workout part to the Wii Just Dance game. And Ellen Barrett's pilates based floorwork. And today a very cool kickboxing work.

And watching my calories. Yet still eating yummy stuff!

And doing that whole mindful thing... Why are you eating?

It's been fun! Especially the cardio workouts. I am a bit addicted to those.

So maybe I will blog on fitness again. Every now and then.

We are what we eat. And do. And think.

That's living without school.

Praying

When your mind is full of Many Things, it helps to do cardio. And pray.

Cardio?

Yes, simple, mindless jogging and walking, so that as you move, as you develop a rhythm, you get an endorphin high ( that woo hoo feeling....would that all of life was lived on that high)....and you have time to pray.

I prayed my rosary each day this week while doing walking and jogging workouts.

Prayer without ceasing.

At the RCIA group , we talked about the Catholic Church, the faithful, the role of the laity. And thus of prayer.

The New Testament leaves us in no doubt that we should pray regularly. Our Lord taught, by word and example, that we should pray continually and never lose heart ( Luke 18:1). St Paul and other writers of the New Testament re-echo Our Lord's teaching that we must "pray constantly" (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:16)

For this reason, the public and communal prayer of the faithful has always been considered among the first duties of the Church. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that from the very beginning the baptised " remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers." ( Acts 2:42)

One thing I have learned is that prayer throughout the day sanctifies my day, makes me aware of God and helps me to worship Him throughout the day.

And so I pray the Divine Office, in the morning and in the evening. I pray at Mass. We pray the Angelus, and grace before meals as a family.

But more than this, I find that I can pray throughout my day, while involved in otherwise mindless tasks. That jogging and walking or junk mail delivery walking, for example.

We shared at the RCIA programme how to make a simple prayer part of our day, part of our activity.

A morning offering perhaps.

Joy..

Yes, joy for me in spending that time in a fitness walk or jog, with Our Lord. Sometimes, I am passionate. I pour my thoughts and concerns for others into my rosary and into my walk/jog. Sometimes, I am dry and dusty. I meditate on the rosary in an almost mechanical rhythm , attuned to my feet jogging and or pattering in sequenced unison.

Regardless of feeling, I pray.

I join in with the centuries of Christians who have prayed the rosary and meditated on the mysteries of Christ's life. I pray because Our Lord, and the Church, has asked us to pray. I pray for others; I pray for joy, to be almost surprised by joy, as C. S. Lewis described. A sometimes uncetain joy, a joy not always felt, a joy that comes, sometimes, in the midst of pain or discomfort or sacrifice for others ( pain and sorrow in life, discomfort and sacrifice in the discipline of making myself get up early and workout and walk and jog and not think of Other Things, physical pain in that sometimes aching heel).

Joy and pain and prayer.

"If you are joyful, it will shine in your eyes and in your look, in your conversation and in your countenance. You will not be able to hide it because joy overflows.

Joy must be one of the pivots of our life. It is the token of a generous personality. Sometimes it is also a mantle that clothes a life of sacrifice and self-giving. A person who has this gift often reaches high summits. He or she is like a sun in a community.” ~ Mother Teresa

Some things never change

Last year, on the feast of St Martha, today, July 29, I posted this (below) on my blog.

My.... some things never change. Do they?

Just this week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I did my Cindy Crawford workouts. And today s tough Results lower body circuit.

Just this week, I thought of changing my phone's ring tone from Lady GaGa to - that's right, you guessed it, Blondie.

And , as always, as I remember St Martha I try to think and pray about getting that balance right, that balance between being and doing, between contemplation and busyness...And I remember ora et labora. And this post.

At Mass this morning, Mass for St Martha, Fr. mentioned something like ~ Some of us are called to be contemplatives. Some are called to action. Some to a balance of both. Whatever we are called to, we do it all for God.

Nice thought, as we remember St Martha.

O blessed St. Martha, your faith led Jesus to proclaim, "I am the resurrection and the life"; and faith let you see beyond his humanity when you cried out, "Lord I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God." With firm hope you said, I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him, and Jesus called your brother Lazarus back from the dead. With pure love for Jesus you welcomed him into your home. Friend and servant of our Savior, I too am "troubled about many things." (Pause for silent prayer.) Pray for me that I may grow in faith, hope and love, and that Jesus, who sat at your table, will hear me and grant me a place at the banquet of eternal life. Amen.

We are all fighting the sniffles and colds. Poor dh has had a terrible cough..getting better now! I am sure the soup I made and the chocolate and crisps I bought him have helped, have cheered him up! Just call me St Martha, even Martha Stewart, Queen of the Kitchen!

Saint Martha is called by the French la travailleuse de Dieu — the worker for God; this we know she was always and in more ways than one. The Italians know her asl'albergatrice de Cristo — the hostess of Christ.

She is the patron of cookery and of housewives. We all know the familiar story of how, as she was busy with preparing the dinner, her sister Mary sat at the feet of their Guest and listened to His words of love and wisdom.

My workout today, my St Martha's day workout? Cindy Crawford The Next Challenge. I adore this workout. Challenge it is - a fantastic workout, great scenery, cool music (Deborah Harry ~ Looking on The Outside) , lots of jumps and kicks and cardio sparks with three full sets of abs and a killer upper body and chest sequence. Guess who will be feeling it tomorrow?

This Martha..Wanting to work and pray like St Martha, to be a worker for God and to follow in her footsteps as a hostess, serving Christ...Wanting to look like Cindy Crawford in her workouts, fit and healthy...Wanting to dress like Deborah Harry and sing along with Blondie..

Hey, found this WikiHow article ~ How To Dress Like Deborah Harry.

Wear simple plain tops in bright colors with belts around the middle.
Put leggings under 3/4 lengths or mini skirts. Try animal prints; they were a big thing in the 80's. Leggings are coming back into fashion for fall and winter 2006.
Wear dolly shoes, knee high boots or converse for shoes.
Wear bright red lipstick.
Wear your hair really messy or flipped out.
Mini dresses are your friend!

Fun, Fun, Fun

"We're gonna have fun, fun, fun.."

I'm having a lot of fun lately. I have been dying, panting, sweating, groaning..in my family room..in front of the DVD player...doing some new, tough workouts.

I workout regularly, it is who I am. I workout for health, for fitness, to keep my weight in check and for personal me-time, de-stress time, fun time.

I decided that it was time to get some new workouts . My workout time had become mundane. Blah even. I thought some new workout DVDs would rekindle my passion.

And they have! I have bought about six new workout DVDs; many of these have several workouts on the DVD. I am in fitness DVD heaven!

Today, I worked my way through Ten Days To A Better Body - high impact intervals; alternating one minute cardio and one minute strength for the whole workout. There are two workouts - an upper body and abs circut workout and a lower body and abs circuit workout. The upper body in particular is a killer. Puke-in-a-bucket workout for sure! ( You know, that feeling when you have pushed yourself almost too far...I've talked about it here before.).

Yep, puke-in-a-bucket workouts. That's what my friends at the VF Video Fitness internet forum call hard workouts, workouts that may push you a little to the edge, that may make you want to puke. Barf. Vomit. Pass out.

Call me masochistic but I love those sort of workouts. Yes, they may (sometimes) have a high dread factor for me but, I feel a great sense of accomplishment when the workout is over. I feel like an athlete, like it is so worth the pain. And I can't wait to do the workout again!

It does sound masochistic, doesn't it? But there is something liberating about rising to the challenge and seeing what one can achieve physically. Those endorphins last! (As does the muscle soreness..that delicious feeling of muscle soreness the next morning, when you climb out of bed, after the previous day's tough workout).

This morning, my alarm went early. So I could get up and get ready for morning Mass. As I rolled out of bed in the dark, dark, cold, cold morning, I felt, really felt, my abs, my backside, my arms. Ouch!

The muscle soreness came from yesterday's workout...Tracy Anderson, the trainer of Madonna and of Gwynneth Paltrow. The killer abs and lower body section from Perfect Design and the tough arms from her Mat Workout.

As Jane Fonda used to say, in those old Jane Fonda workouts ~ Feel the burn.

Isn't this more fun than dieting?

A quote from the old classic FIRM workout Volume 1.

Such an 80s workout classic. Yet so effective. Cardio and weights. You can do the whole 70 minutes or break it up into parts. I'm addicted to the high impact cardio, the push ups on the dumb bells, the killer legwork, the chest work, the abs....I don't often do the whole workout but have been doing parts since Wed of last week, every day, after I heard of the untimely death of the workout's creator.

The FIRM used to promise visible results in ten workouts. And it is kind of true. I've done six days of the FIRM Volume 1 in a row and people have already asked me if I have lost weight.

It is more fun than dieting..I find I need tough-ish workouts to help me lose weight, to keep that waist line in shape...And I need to watch what I eat...That is the tricky part right now!

I am reading the book I mentioned a few posts back - Finally Thin.

At first, I didn't feel the book was helpful for me. She lost a lot of weight, as I did, but she looks thin and gorgeous while I look...fat and ugly.

The author raves about never having to worry do I look fat in this? But I worry about that most days.

And she doesn't do a lot of talk about emotional eating. Eating to cover up emotions.

But then, I gave myself a mental shake up. A mental slap. Come on, girl!

I realised that maybe I was just being way too negative and that this negativity was attributing to my inability to lose a few more kilograms.

Now, I am reading the book with a positive frame of mind. I might be old. I might be fat. But I am not as fat as I was. I might never be as thin as the author. I might never rejoice at what I see in photos.

But I can learn some more positive food habits .

Like - thinking, really thinking, before I eat. And allowing myself to feel...well, stuff.

And returning to my own, personalised sort of food plan..meals and calorie allowances that suit me. Not someone else.

Knowing there is never just one way.

And learning that it is okay to take care of myself, too.

Ouch!

St Martha..Cindy Crawford..Deborah Harry

At Mass this morning, Mass for St Martha, Fr. mentioned something like ~ Some of us are called to be contemplatives. Some are called to action. Some to a balance of both. Whatever we are called to, we do it all for God.

Nice thought, as we remember St Martha.

O blessed St. Martha, your faith led Jesus to proclaim, "I am the resurrection and the life"; and faith let you see beyond his humanity when you cried out, "Lord I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God." With firm hope you said, I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him, and Jesus called your brother Lazarus back from the dead. With pure love for Jesus you welcomed him into your home. Friend and servant of our Savior, I too am "troubled about many things." (Pause for silent prayer.) Pray for me that I may grow in faith, hope and love, and that Jesus, who sat at your table, will hear me and grant me a place at the banquet of eternal life. Amen.

We are all fighting the sniffles and colds. Poor dh has had a terrible cough..getting better now! I am sure the soup I made and the chocolate and crisps I bought him have helped, have cheered him up! Just call me St Martha, even Martha Stewart, Queen of the Kitchen!

Saint Martha is called by the French la travailleuse de Dieu — the worker for God; this we know she was always and in more ways than one. The Italians know her as l'albergatrice de Cristo — the hostess of Christ.

She is the patron of cookery and of housewives. We all know the familiar story of how, as she was busy with preparing the dinner, her sister Mary sat at the feet of their Guest and listened to His words of love and wisdom.

My workout today, my St Martha's day workout? Cindy Crawford The Next Challenge. I adore this workout. Challenge it is - a fantastic workout, great scenery, cool music (Deborah Harry ~ Looking on The Outside) , lots of jumps and kicks and cardio sparks with three full sets of abs and a killer upper body and chest sequence. Guess who will be feeling it tomorrow?

This Martha..Wanting to work and pray like St Martha, to be a worker for God and to follow in her footsteps as a hostess, serving Christ...Wanting to look like Cindy Crawford in her workouts, fit and healthy...Wanting to dress like Deborah Harry and sing along with Blondie..

Hey, found this WikiHow article ~ How To Dress Like Deborah Harry.

Wear simple plain tops in bright colors with belts around the middle.
Put leggings under 3/4 lengths or mini skirts. Try animal prints; they were a big thing in the 80's. Leggings are coming back into fashion for fall and winter 2006.
Wear dolly shoes, knee high boots or converse for shoes.
Wear bright red lipstick.
Wear your hair really messy or flipped out.
Minidresses are your friend!

Weights

My new wrist weights -.45 kg - fun for kickboxing!

Working it hard with the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Working it hard. Giving myself very little leeway.

It came to me this week that I needed to learn self control. Self control in a couple of areas.

One of which is the area of eating habits.

It came to me this week that, instead of always hating the way I look, I could practise more self control and do something about it.

I always work it hard when it comes to exercise. But I have been skipping meals, eating junk. And it shows .

So I am praying. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is continency or control. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are one of the effects of the gifts of the Holy Spirit .The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to do things that may be, or may seem to be, humanly impossible.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is, charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, 23 Mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity. Against such there is no law 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified their flesh, with the vices and concupiscences. Galations 5:22-24

Continency is control over impure desires.

Well, maybe my bad eating habits aren't really impure, if you get my drift, but they do show lack of self control.

So, I'm working it hard to get rid of some of this chubbiness. Chubby looks good, even cute, on some people, but not on me. Cute is not me. I am not cute. There are many things I can't change about my looks and my health but I can change this. To be a bit less chubby, at least!

It came to me this week that I can plan some of my eating; I can watch portions; I can be more mindful of calories.

And so I have. With prayer. Already I feel better ... I don't look any better, that is a difficult task, but how one feels is a terribly important part of the wellness equation, to my mind.

I have even seen a loss of weight on the scale.

One of the FIRM instructors, on a FIRM workout DVD, says , while doing an aerobic step move, Getting down with the fanny lifter!

This always makes me laugh.

And so I'm changing it to Working it hard with the fruits of the Holy Spirit!

At least this makes me laugh! Out loud.

The Power of Words

Feeling fat and ugly ....did a Taebo Advanced Live Workout today..and Billy Blanks, the instructor, reminded me of why I do this..it is not all about looks but also about health..and fitness..and energy..and who I am and how I feel..and learning self control and discipline..and smiling ( those endorphins!).

One of Billy Blanks' maxims ~

Get Fit
Be Strong
Have Fun
And put the losing weight part last...

The power of words.

Short Workouts

What workouts do you do, when you have little time but still want an effective and not easy workout?

Like today - I had exactly one half hour to workout after early Mass ( Our Lady of Fatima) and before I had to go to work meetings. I chose Jillian Michaels' Biggest Winner Cardio Kickbox - fats paced kickbox and calisthenics, bootcamp in feel.

So my list of short but not easy workouts are ~

Jillian Michaels' Biggest Winner series - Cardio Kickbox, Shape Up Frontside, Shape Up Backside - all bootcamp style

Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred - any level but especially levels 2 and 3 - circuit training

Turbo Jam Fat Blaster - four turbos, each done low impact then high impact.

Turbo Jam Cardio Party Remix - fun music, high impact danbce and kickbox, two turbo drills.

Cindy Crawford's Shape Your Body Workouts 1 and 2 - weights, low weight, high repetition, great music, great production.

Turbo Jam Kickin' Core - just the 30 minute high impact cardio section...

Taebo Cardio Circuit 1, with light weights

Taebo Original Bootcamp 1

Taebo Abs and Glutes ( ouch, is all I can say!).Joyce Vedral's book workouts, to my own music - Definition or The College Dorm Workout or The Fatburning Workout ( all weight workouts).

A thought for this week.

From "Secrets of a Former Fat Girl" by Lisa Delaney ~ Really getting in touch with why you eat can help you start shutting down your appetite when its had enough. For instance, I bet you would say you eat because you like food. It makes you feel good. It comforts you when you're sad, tired, stressed, or lonely. And I believe you. But thats not the whole story.

Have you ever thought that on some level maybe you're using food to punish yourself, too? Your Fat Girl programming drives you to eat anything and everything, overriding all commonsense, all vanity, all ego, all the qualities you might respect in yourself..

Why else would you continue to eat when you know you're full, when you don't even like what you are putting into your mouth, when you know that what you're doing is unhealthy physically and emotionally?

I love food. I love reading about it, trying new dishes, and discovering new recipes and techniques. I have loved food since I was a kid. But for a long time I couldn't distinguish between a healthy passion for food and an unhealthy drive to eat. I used my love of food to justify abusing myself with it...

You need to start thinking about what you're putting into your mouth and what's in it for you...What matters more than how many fat grams it has or how many calories it paxks is why you're eating it.
Start asking; "What will (insert food here) do FOR me?"
You'll be surprised at how many times the answer is "Nothing."

Working on...

Currently working on...a number of things. A routine for our homeschool. Working on my Kumon centre. And working on my weight.

A person close to me thinks I should lose weight. They are probably right. I have been thinking about their comment the last two weeks or so, and hating my recent pics.

Yes, I am happy that I lost 38kg over a four/five year period. Yes, I am happy that I am average BMI, I am no longer obese, I have been maintaining my weight for a year.

But, as this person pointed out, and as pics show, I am still not slim. I am resting on my laurels, just because I am so glad to be having a pretty normal relationship with food.

Says she, eating a chocolate Easter Bunny while planning a diet!

So, do I want to lose weight?

Yes and No.

Yes, who wouldn't want to be slimmer, to cringe less at photos?

No, because I have a history of eating disorders ( overeating or making myself throw up as a way of dealing with emotions). I don 't want to go there again. To be obsessed.

And I am scared that I won't be able to lose the weight. I'll feel like a failure.


So, where has my thinking taken me?

I will aim to watch portions, I already have the workout part down pat. Now, for me, weight loss will be primarily about my eating.

I'd like to lose another 10 kg. For now.

I am a slow loser. So no time goal.

Just deciding to plod along, allow for small victories and small defeats and work on eventually losing those 10 kg. On being healthier, fitter, slimmer.

I have started a diet journal again, an occasional journal to help with thoughts and ideas and motivation.

Food is like sex: when you abstain, even the worst stuff begins to look good. ~Beth McCollister
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they are sticking to their diets. ~Author Unknown
Dieters live life in the fasting lane. ~Author Unknown

In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and cahins. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale. ~Stephen Phillips

Not very inspiring quotes, but funny anyway!