tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54974573791427078472024-03-06T04:57:50.405+10:00Fearless, Fabulous, Female... and 40 something!!A Journey of Self Discovery...Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-10488830976526395822013-01-13T14:51:00.000+10:002013-01-13T14:53:54.642+10:00You're Fired!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I am here to Fess Up, and tell you that all the things I said I was going to do.... I didn't do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and as usual I started with the berating of myself, the "You're Useless", "You never follow through" blah blah blah, makes me feel worse and less inclined to actually get back on track. Why do I always let myself down?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mentioned in a previous post that I have recently started a new job, and my new boss is so inspiring. She is super-fit and healthy. We often talk about healthy eating and exercise, and I feel so inspired, and although we do both succumb to the very occasional 3pm sweetfix (</span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ok for her its very occasional, for me a bit more often</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">) in general terms she is a very good influence on me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were joking the other day how we could include weigh in results in my KPI's, because I am very conscientious at work, a perfectionist, and if my 'Boss' wants me to do something, I would do it, and do it well.... Obviously it would not be acceptable by our Human Resources department to actually do this (</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>... I mean what workplace would judge your performance on how much you weigh?</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">), but it got me thinking about how I will do whatever if takes to avoid letting down my boss, but I don't bat an eyelid to let myself down, time and time again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have realised that if I was the boss of me (</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>erm, excuse me what? I <u>am</u> the boss of me</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">) and I had hired myself to take care of this very important project (my health and body) and I (employee) had made excuses, not turned up when I said I would, made a half-assed effort, cheated, played on Facebook when I should be working, and basically not done anything that was expected of me, then I have no doubt that I would have fired me by now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I need to start looking at my personal life as a business, or at least a workplace. I am in the business of getting fit and healthy, and I am working on myself The results are easy to measure, and even though the results are their own reward, maybe I do need to 'pay' myself when goals are achieved. I don't get to go to the movies until I have done my work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Essentially what I need to do is consider myself self-employed in all hours that I am not at work, and hold myself accountable for what happens in those hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It means I have to embrace my split personality more, Healthy me is the Boss of Unhealthy me, and I have drawn up a contract with myself to outline what is expected.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, as a Boss I am aware that I need to grow and develop my employee, she is not going to know how to do everything straight off the bat, she needs clear guidelines, appropriate coaching and support, and all the tools she needs to succeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As with a new employee, or an employee on a performance management plan - which is more of what we are dealing with here - it is important to clearly state what is required, by when, and what the consequences will be if these goals and deadlines are not met. To start with we will have short contract terms, 'review periods' so that we can monitor the progress. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't intend to micro-manage my employee, I will meet weekly to discuss performance, results, issues that occurred and to set the new goals for the upcoming week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We will set the initial 'probation period' of 6 weeks. My Contract with myself is now written and signed, and you can view it <a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/p/my-contract.html">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well my new job being responsible for this body starts tomorrow, better go and get prepared. </span></div>
Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-60774909551395335342013-01-06T22:01:00.001+10:002013-01-06T22:06:55.023+10:00Did I say New Years Resolution?Well if I did, I'm now 6 days in and have not been perfect. (Perfect was never the goal remember, just better - improved - Swap it not Stop it). <br />
To be completely honest, i never actually intended to start this until January 7th, for 2 reasons... we have had family visiting, and they leave for home on the 7th, so we have been having a lot of lunches and dinners out, plus <b>TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!,</b> so I had to have cake! (See in essence today is the 'New Year' for me)<br />
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Yes that's right folks, its been a whole year since the <a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/party-party-party.html">Latin themed 40th Bash</a>, and I am now 41 (and at the time of writing still deciding whether to adjust the name of the blog to suit). Right now I am sitting here with my belly so jammed packed with the massive lunch today, no need for dinner.<br />
I have one more day off before I head back to work, and back to the old routine....errrr, actually the old routine for the past few months was bad, so its back to work and a <b>NEW ROUTINE</b>.<br />
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Tonight I will be planning, and organising my days ahead to make sure I get through as easily as possible.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>First on the agenda is FINDING A GYM</b>.</span><br />
I have decided that the time has come to become a Gym Bunny again. I realised I was spending $16-$20 a week for 2 exercise classes, and as good as they are, it seems more logical to pay $15-$20 a week for unlimited classes, plus treadmills/bikes/cross-trainers on tap. <br />
I've been checking out the options - What I need is a Gym - Close to home or, with lots of classes, with long opening hours, preferably without a 'lock in' contract, not to overcrowded, a good atmosphere, and ideally a pool as well.... and I can tell you, this does not exist.<br />
The gyms really close to home are 24 hour Gyms, without classes. The next closest is Goodlife, a nationwide chain, with good hours, and a lot of classes, and priced between $17-$25 per week, the cheapest being a 12 month contract for one branch only, the dearest being a flexi-contract for all clubs in the chain. I have been to this Gym before and the classes were always really busy/crowded.<br />
Another option is half way between work and home, which is handy because I will be primarily visiting before or after work. Looking at the class schedule, there are almost twice as many class options in the time frames I can go (before work, after work, and weekends), and I have heard that the pricing is $15 pw, two month contract. I haven't experienced it myself, and have both positive and negative feedback from friends, but this is looking like the front runner right now.<br />
Then there is another option, further out of my way, not as many classes, but it does include a pool. No pricing information on the website... will have to find out more.<br />
Anyway my point is that I really won't know which gym is right for me until I go and try them out myself... and as luck would have it there is a great website called <a href="http://www.gymlink.com.au/" target="_blank">Gym Link</a> where you can download free trial passes for most gyms, so that is what I am going to do.<br />
I'm going to try these gyms (<i>and suffer through the pushy sales pitches</i>) until I find the right fit for me.<br />
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As luck would have it, as I was researching Gyms, and checking out their respective facebook profiles, when I saw that a friend of mine liked a page for a new local <a href="http://crossfithelensvale.com/index.php/crossfit-chicks" target="_blank">Chicks Cross Fit Class</a>. They had on offer a 7 day trial pass for $7, and I have paid my $7 and booked in for 3 sessions... <b>GULP</b>. I am quite petrified about this but I am serious about completing this journey so I am going to give it all I have, (for at least 3 sessions anyway).<br />
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On a side note, my parents have been here on holiday,(my first Christmas and Birthday with them in 7 years), and the other day my Husband asked my Father what he had enjoyed most on his holiday so far, and he said that it was seeing me so happy and healthy!... that made my spirit sing, and guess what... <b><span style="color: blue;">He aint seen nothin' yet!</span></b><br />
<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-92110885883222119532013-01-03T16:18:00.000+10:002013-01-03T16:18:16.554+10:00I'm BackWell, firstly I'm guessing you have fallen off your chair with shock that there is a new post in this blog that has been laying dormant since October, and if you have, I don't blame you.<br />
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I'll be honest, I haven't blogged because I fell off the wagon, and now that it is the New Year, and one year since this journey began, I thought I had better get back on the horse!<br />
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My reasons (excuses) for falling off the wagon? - Really only one. I started a New Job in April, and the weight loss successes slowly came to a halt. I hated the job, it was stressful, and I regretted taking it, and I ate my way through the emotions of self pity. I was always tried and grumpy when I got home (so could not / did not exercise) and was too tired to get up early... Blah Blah Blah, all EXCUSES I know, but they did feel like valid reasons at the time. I really lost myself, that woman I had fought so hard to bring to life was disappearing, and the old one was returning.<br />
2 weeks before the Christmas break I started a new job, which I LOVE and I am starting to find myself again.<br />
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The Bad News is that I have put some weight back on, the Good News is its only a third of what I lost.<br />
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So here we go again... starting over,new year, new focus, new goals, and the return if the new me.<br />
The facts... I started at 99.9kg this time last year, and got down to 79.2kg. A total loss of 20.7kg. Weigh in on Wednesday had me at 86.9 a re-gain of 7.7kg. It could have been a whole lot worse, and it would be if didn't pull myself into line now.<br />
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My plan this year is to get back to basics. I'm trying to eat '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet">Paleo</a>' (aka Caveman Diet, Stone Age Diet, Hunter Gatherer Diet) In essence I am trying to eat like a caveman would have; Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts, Seeds, Meat, Fish, Poultry, eggs, - trying to steer clear of anything processed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrwYZb30H4UVH4kKX-Jo7dIVUlixeFhR6pCA813X2kvcG16g2132HTPkDkqwEa-kanBocPTl2ed42Bw5OouhrIrw5mROVJO9yyh4XnI516F2bTdm_oBS-fY2fdazlZazuzadd6a1NE0JQ/s1600/paleo-diet-what-is-it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrwYZb30H4UVH4kKX-Jo7dIVUlixeFhR6pCA813X2kvcG16g2132HTPkDkqwEa-kanBocPTl2ed42Bw5OouhrIrw5mROVJO9yyh4XnI516F2bTdm_oBS-fY2fdazlZazuzadd6a1NE0JQ/s400/paleo-diet-what-is-it.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I do, however, live in the real world, and although I will try to go organic where I can, or try to not eat anything that comes in a can, or from a factory, I am realistic and know that personally I would not be able to sustain this type of diet when I consider that I have a family to feed, and budgets to stick to. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIiNK_0OUdvc7XsMbTuzcG3hjng-OcRiYkVn3ZETQyQIwUgxh_5546Vgcq83lKZ_Csaa3aHGa9JsxCFKgWVgDbBWKUCBrriHQsKq0NGvfobI2IDeScW6VlJ6Bx6eQ56tXfmT1vhgP9lJm/s1600/gab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIiNK_0OUdvc7XsMbTuzcG3hjng-OcRiYkVn3ZETQyQIwUgxh_5546Vgcq83lKZ_Csaa3aHGa9JsxCFKgWVgDbBWKUCBrriHQsKq0NGvfobI2IDeScW6VlJ6Bx6eQ56tXfmT1vhgP9lJm/s200/gab.JPG" width="155" /></a>So in conjunction with this I will be following the advice of Jon Gabriel <a href="http://www.thegabrielmethod.com/">www.thegabrielmethod.com</a>, who similarly believes we need to eat like our ancestors, with natural unprocessed foods, but also believes that as long as you are fuelling your body with all the nutrients it needs, it will be 'satisfied' and not have the need to store fat. Basically when we are missing anything essential from our diets, the body 'thinks' its starving, and stores fat.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91K_mw0INlKcJWe1wuTZ5mA84qWoH1o6H0kcyshsKdt1v7EZlhkHXF_H-9nUSvnTm4SQfQLamee6wjra1G3VQH5DfraWWWeKGOaZYbT4ysM_0UvTl1HXMu8rJcsOWLC_bu15SJBtziIrk/s1600/phil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91K_mw0INlKcJWe1wuTZ5mA84qWoH1o6H0kcyshsKdt1v7EZlhkHXF_H-9nUSvnTm4SQfQLamee6wjra1G3VQH5DfraWWWeKGOaZYbT4ysM_0UvTl1HXMu8rJcsOWLC_bu15SJBtziIrk/s200/phil.JPG" width="136" /></a>I will also be taking the advice of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phil-Clayton-Father-Coach-Athlete/197125160348189">Phil Clayton</a>, former Iron Man Champion and current coach and mentor, who came to speak to us at work as part of our 'Be Well' program. He recommends cutting out as many chemicals as we can in our lives, and choosing organic options and using natural ingredients. The modern diet consists of foods made in labs rather than grown in gardens, and the human race is the unhealthiest it has ever been. He believes in the 'Phil'osophy, (excuse the pun) of '<a href="http://swapit.gov.au/">Swap it, don't Stop it</a>' like the Australian Govt Campaign, meaning to make small changes in your lifestyle so that you can maintain them long term. Drastic huge life changes will make you feel deprived and be harder to stick to.<br />
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One small change I intend to make is tied into when I am unable to sustain Paleo eating. I am going to eliminate WHITE. If its not naturally white, and it is white, then it has been bleached. Bleach = Chemical.<br />
So IF...When I do eat Bread, Rice or Pasta, I will be choosing Wholegrain, or Brown.<br />
I will be trying to cut out sugar, but I do expect the odd slip up here and there on this one, and if I do need a sweet fix, I will try to opt for something naturally sweetened. I have read that artificial sweeteners, although containing no calories, actually make your body crave fatty foods, and besides artificial sweeteners are chemicals.<br />
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I am not going to spend any money 'signing up' to healthy eating programs, or pay for diet advice. There is plenty of this available on the web for free.<br />
I personally love the new Special K campaign. I won't be eating Special K often (as its processed) but the new campaign focuses on what you have to GAIN by eating healthy, rather than what weight you want to LOSE. I love this! In all other aspects of the word Gaining in preferable to Losing, except weightloss. In weightloss, a GAIN is terrible thing. For someone like me who believes in trying to focus on positive, I don't like to be verbalising loss all the time, so to switch it up and focus on what you gain from a healthy diet is so refreshing.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>I want to gain Health, Strength, Confidence, Fitness, Pride, and a lot of Participation medals from Fun Runs, Obstacle Courses and Half Marathons. </b></i></span><br />
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So there it is folks, my intentions, my New Year Resolutions.... I also resolve to blog regularly to keep myself accountable.<br />
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<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-19219922676067460882012-10-06T22:36:00.000+10:002013-01-05T10:48:05.352+10:00Spring, Sunshine and Superfoods.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here in Australia, it's Spring - only 9 more days and we're halfway through Spring I've been told (My Daughter's birthday falls on the same day).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today was a brilliant day... Heat wave almost, and we spent the day in the Sunshine and Water. I'm still coming to terms with the smaller version of me walking around the water park, and feeling confident, and climbing masses of stairs with a ride tube above my head without almost dying. My kids enjoying the fact that I riding the slides with them, and not sitting on the sidelines like I used to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today just felt like happiness. I can't ask for more than that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other thing I wanted to write about today was Superfoods. About a year ago, I was lucky enough to go to a Superfoods seminar, and it really opened my eyes to some amazing foods that I previously didn't know existed. Superfoods is a buzz-word that has been around since the 90's and was sort of synonymous with new age hippie types. The foods themselves were only found in health food stores and the like, but in the past few years these superfoods have begun to find their way on to the regular family dinner table.. including mine. So what makes a superfood? What Criteria are we looking at?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Essentially a Superfood :</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is Especially potent in Nutritional Value - being high in antioxidants, and essential nutrients that our bodies can't produce. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">has Health benefits like lowering cholesterol, and blood pressure, preventing cancer and heart disease, protecting the organs from toxins and helping to regulate metabolism and reduce body fat.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is no official list of Superfoods, (so beware of marketing of products using the term without evidence to back up the claims), however many of the superfoods on the 'unofficial' list are already regulars on most families shopping lists, like Tomatoes, Brazil Nuts, Berries, Broccoli, Natural Yoghurt, and Tea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, this little seminar I attended was run by <a href="http://www.nutrifood.com.au/">Ronaldo Fulieri</a>, and with his enthusiastic Brazillian flavour, he inspired me to try a couple new 'Superfoods', which I am happy to say have been staples in my kitchen ever since.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><b>QUINOA </b></span>(<i>pronounced keen-wah</i>),</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No longer just in Health Stores</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M4DWEBhfAu281JEtkgEu-GcBEgdeQeZ60UH7ny0uB93ONXIrV1N_9Hbymksrxwq8qzOyvO2zDDmYArHoEelNAn-1XzBuZDcfTFuJVb9djuUGeD-PZdHsQm-86VHfZBgdeLPqFCGx6BQL/s1600/IMG_20121006_213601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M4DWEBhfAu281JEtkgEu-GcBEgdeQeZ60UH7ny0uB93ONXIrV1N_9Hbymksrxwq8qzOyvO2zDDmYArHoEelNAn-1XzBuZDcfTFuJVb9djuUGeD-PZdHsQm-86VHfZBgdeLPqFCGx6BQL/s200/IMG_20121006_213601.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The small grain like seed before its cooked</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quinoa is a grain-like edible seed, high in protein, dietry fibre, phosphorous, magnesium and iron, and is gluten free. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You cook it sort of like rice or couscous... 1 part Quinoa to 2 parts liquid (water or for extra flavour try Chicken Stock). Bring it to the boil, and then slowly simmer until the little tails come out. You can also microwave if you prefer!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then add whatever you like, finely chopped onion, tomato... whatever you like the taste of, and voila! Quinoa Salad!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have also recently been collecting recipes for Quinoa Porridge, Quinoa patties, even quinoa crumble, and I'm slowly trying them all.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>CHIA SEEDS </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pronounced chee-ya)</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chia seeds contain protein, essential fats, dietary fibre, phosphorus, manganese, calcium, potassium and sodium. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Super easy to use... simply sprinkle a pinch of the tiny seeds into anything from a stirfry to a casserole. Add to baking or sauces by making chia paste first, which is adding a spoonful of chia to water and leave to form a gel like substance. Such an easy way to add masses of nutrients to your diet.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWv6GfdUN9RPTG4XRWzGXD53MaKzv90bFSd2AoxYIVyrydonp5XyTup1HX9XcWIc-p1o3DuKgFJDGOymtItFGmtnie3xE94iXDxUV7uJS75PEoAziE6Qu7PjoZRKU82aQh3jyhJSySziB/s1600/chia-seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWv6GfdUN9RPTG4XRWzGXD53MaKzv90bFSd2AoxYIVyrydonp5XyTup1HX9XcWIc-p1o3DuKgFJDGOymtItFGmtnie3xE94iXDxUV7uJS75PEoAziE6Qu7PjoZRKU82aQh3jyhJSySziB/s320/chia-seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chia Seeds - so easy</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>ACAI BERRIES </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pronounced as-eye-ee) </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>KALE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My next goals for Superfoods is to introduce these two into my diet. I have been seeing all about these just about every where I look recently, and the health benefits sound amazing. I am yet to find these on my local supermarket shelves so I am thinking a trip to Mrs Flannerys is in order.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbOkj9gTFHVmwAF86lwz-7VIyDvbC9r4dLx0euuIlS9y8AZvOsNhkNfT_pQJBV6J7-bIk2LVvY3ZafkmSuEk9XMC8B9XDBpTQZC4uxr29aZ35j8Hjwb6POj3zuUsrws_32RPliz2pBlNg/s1600/GR_457135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbOkj9gTFHVmwAF86lwz-7VIyDvbC9r4dLx0euuIlS9y8AZvOsNhkNfT_pQJBV6J7-bIk2LVvY3ZafkmSuEk9XMC8B9XDBpTQZC4uxr29aZ35j8Hjwb6POj3zuUsrws_32RPliz2pBlNg/s200/GR_457135.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Awojfq7UF4G0KFaNtiSdPjoJlYzFvnjcMQmpc2P1PXe7X-xVNTRhB7ZHBjkznvFFsoN3vR1fK5UF-pxcu-WaA8h715ojtPpMOlHzwCRLDHlyHNoJ2bMDy9LZwCIQZx15QNxk3oNr1VjB/s1600/acai-berry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Awojfq7UF4G0KFaNtiSdPjoJlYzFvnjcMQmpc2P1PXe7X-xVNTRhB7ZHBjkznvFFsoN3vR1fK5UF-pxcu-WaA8h715ojtPpMOlHzwCRLDHlyHNoJ2bMDy9LZwCIQZx15QNxk3oNr1VjB/s200/acai-berry.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo12w27C9eKYDfBepSJTo28qRYd4cE5QDjVTUJvj0iUngHRj85lM8X_KAOfgGwsX4bm2Yk1LaA6X4Z4CtFOveYjAEioVyPpOorxCQqgnvmsEB9_g14LMYxKXeu6Y2tkfmUeuv5CHMBIIq/s1600/banana_kale_smoothie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo12w27C9eKYDfBepSJTo28qRYd4cE5QDjVTUJvj0iUngHRj85lM8X_KAOfgGwsX4bm2Yk1LaA6X4Z4CtFOveYjAEioVyPpOorxCQqgnvmsEB9_g14LMYxKXeu6Y2tkfmUeuv5CHMBIIq/s200/banana_kale_smoothie.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1yQA8wYPwVWnmFbRcnFAtC6YVdxSxLWfCCUaCX_QkFujGd4f5yszglBRH1JskmMmHs2rE3y4VUeckZTnhRAK4KIml0T5r0Ltj_tCEXwv_8okKCzuqqQnHgwq9mNZpEq0A9MGVnAcy_2k/s1600/kool-kale+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1yQA8wYPwVWnmFbRcnFAtC6YVdxSxLWfCCUaCX_QkFujGd4f5yszglBRH1JskmMmHs2rE3y4VUeckZTnhRAK4KIml0T5r0Ltj_tCEXwv_8okKCzuqqQnHgwq9mNZpEq0A9MGVnAcy_2k/s200/kool-kale+(1).jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I'll let you know the verdict! and I would love to hear your tips.</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-62098975367096822132012-09-29T23:40:00.002+10:002012-09-29T23:40:57.440+10:00Go Jump off a Cliff!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seriously... Do it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are anything like me, you will shake, almost cry, freak out, get over it (the edge and the fear) then cruise to the bottom, because you don't know how to stop! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you haven't guessed yet, today I went abseiling. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBwK1YrD4_3-ZkXux1xrMc5_qYkUj9ImT_hKzY6fFNYJAwPK2kv3uV1H066NsLxqnsihXjjB_YXbkoE6a7nRNpkKGPwO-shdjjrN6Add6CGgyhkXclbfCAtsZxiD_psmzlfO6X14eSrDb/s1600/abseiling-and-rock-climbing-adventure-for-up-to-6-people-margaret-river-wa_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBwK1YrD4_3-ZkXux1xrMc5_qYkUj9ImT_hKzY6fFNYJAwPK2kv3uV1H066NsLxqnsihXjjB_YXbkoE6a7nRNpkKGPwO-shdjjrN6Add6CGgyhkXclbfCAtsZxiD_psmzlfO6X14eSrDb/s1600/abseiling-and-rock-climbing-adventure-for-up-to-6-people-margaret-river-wa_large.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not me - I didn't have my camera when doing it...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The last time I did it was approximately 29 years ago, at Form 1 camp ( I think - my memory isn't what it used to be, but it was about then) same age as my eldest daughter is now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I had been like she is, I would have wholeheartedly thrown myself into the challenge and tackled the fear head on, but no.. I avoided it, cried, tried to quit, and eventually realised that they were not going to let us out of it, so I did it... and from what I remember I actually enjoyed it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For years I have said that I'd like to do it again, but it took until today to make it happen. A few weeks ago I saw a <a href="http://www.scoopon.com.au/deals/16477/kangaroo-point---choose-your-own-adventure-from-rock-climbing-abseiling-paddle-boarding-and-more">scoopon </a>deal for abseiling (with instruction for $19 (normally $39) and with only a few hours to grab the deal, I bit the bullet. Well ok, I first had to coerce another crazy fool to come with me... Cass agreed, and we booked in with <a href="http://www.riverlife.com.au/abseiling/">RiverLife</a> to walk over the edge of a cliff at Kangaroo Point.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.riverlife.com.au/activities/"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cM13AVk_Q-7kL7NDWf8vtrRRvWmerBTl-iq5mnDd4ppegMBo4fN7eLmB1qtrRbS12A7aDfIna8uhYhnekDqUY4NMY_blTA7P6pwl59BuAiQTChsVUVxdIcp0HCW4EqfmMjMFhZA4wRLA/s320/Capture.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I need to point out that I have a fear of heights, actually that is not technically correct, I actually have a fear of edges... that fear gets worse the higher I get, but essentially I don't like edges even a foot off the ground.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My children enjoy torturing me when we walk to the end of piers or jetties, when I walk smack down the middle, don't go near the edge, and freak out when they do. If I get to the edge, I get vertigo, get shaky... you get the picture. So why oh why am I now going to lower myself over the edge of a cliff?... Feel the fear, and do it anyway. My new mantra to make sure that I no longer deprive myself of experiences, just because I'm scared.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So today was the day, we travelled over an hour by train and foot to get there, and we were surprisingly calm, even after climbing the hundreds of butt-screaming stairs to get to the top of the cliff, and still when standing at the top of the cliff with harnesses and hardhats on. We learn how to hold the rope behind our backs as the brake, and to bring it out to the side for the accelerator...seems simple enough.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We split into two groups and we watch the first girl go (first timer, a little nervous, but no problems). Then we turn around to see the other group with the first guy over the edge with his feet i the air! How the hell...? Oh great, this does not instil great confidence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway back to my group, 2nd one to go, a cocky know-it-all guy who has obviously done it before leapt of the edge and was at the bottom in seconds flat... shit, that means my turn is closer. Next guy goes, newbie, no probs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next girl, she's nervous... phew, I think... I will be better than that, I don't even feel nervous. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then its Cass's turn. I watch her heart rate monitor jump from 94 to 140 in the seconds when she climbs over the railing and walks out to the edge (Safety harness attached of course). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She looks anxious, a bit grey in the face, and she looks at me with a look to say "you got me into this"... and over the edge she goes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh god, now its me. Stepping over the railing, and out to the edge was hard. I held on tight, and Proud (the instructor - yep thats his name) could obviously see i was already struggling. He reminded me to breathe, reminded me that I was attached to him, and that he had the other rope that could take control if necessary. "Now just slowly walk backwards towards the edge"... Shuffle, shuffle... I'm staunch, I can do this...."bit more, bit more, lean back, right on your toes, bit more"... Oh God, this rope won't hold me, I'm going to slip and fall face first into the rock... I looked him in the eye, and said "I'm Scared". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then I leaned back, lowered my butt until i was almost horizontal. That is by far the hardest part, having to let all your weight go on that rope. I stopped thinking and just listened to his instructions, and "there you go" he said, "Rock and Roll", one step then another.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpyr1l0gy-CCx_9F4Y3c5MFyYvtfL8ngfy7-GM6E3fR9ZUCzG5cvl0cIQjOXoIlBIKwryN25pQU1dvkRsDFdTF4YkOhZWsi1ciwoZCrlqALEE7LXOHpIIzw_NJHqbbNPkaBWzmn-_8qRw/s1600/76568_4062642636942_1645998610_n+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpyr1l0gy-CCx_9F4Y3c5MFyYvtfL8ngfy7-GM6E3fR9ZUCzG5cvl0cIQjOXoIlBIKwryN25pQU1dvkRsDFdTF4YkOhZWsi1ciwoZCrlqALEE7LXOHpIIzw_NJHqbbNPkaBWzmn-_8qRw/s640/76568_4062642636942_1645998610_n+(1).jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But I did have my camera after and took this shot afterwards</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once I got moving it was actually quite easy, but halfway down I realised that no matter how hard i squeezed that rope, and tried to pull it behind my back to brake and slow down, I couldn't get my arm back there. I wasn't going too fast, but a part of me wanted to stop for a second and refocus, but because I couldn't figure out how to stop, I decided to just go with it, and actually started pushing off the wall and swinging out a bit, like what the real abseilers do... yeah, yeah, I probably felt like that, when in reality it probably wasn't like that at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And there I was, at the bottom. Only seconds after finally getting over the edge, I was at the bottom. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The muscles in my right arm were screaming, from the intense grip I had been using, and my legs were shaking, but most of all the feeling of 'I did it and I did it without a fuss' was enveloping me, and I was so proud of myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We could have climbed the stairs for another go, but both Cass and I agreed that once was enough. It was far scarier than I expected, and I still did it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, 8 hours later, I'm wishing I had had that second go... isn't hindsight wonderful, and just like with childbirth, I've forgotten that terror I felt, and looking forward to the next time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, while there are a lot of the <a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/goal-achieved.html">goals</a> that I set earlier in the year that I haven't achieved, I can proudly say that I have achieved this one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And you know what... if my Mother now says "If all your friends were jumping of a cliff, would you?"... I would probably say "YES!!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-50880510188177193382012-09-22T10:41:00.000+10:002012-09-22T10:41:38.060+10:00How to be a Quitter<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes Boys and Girls, todays talk is about how to be a quitter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see, I'm an expert at it, always have been. As a kid I quit piano, ballet, netball... the list goes on. I just don't seem to have that that inner spark that says when the going gets tough, the tough get going.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I was doing parkrun and I quit. I hurt my hip halfway through and rather than saying "ok, won't be a best time, I'm in a bit of pain, but I can walk to the end"... yeah rather than that...I quit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it started me thinking...why am I so good at quitting? What is it about me that chooses to give up, rather than battling through when things get hard? I mean I know I can persevere... I was in far more pain during the Mothers Day classic 8km, and I kept going. I think maybe it hinges on how much I have invested... I mean I paid to enter the Mothers Day Classic, and I had my family at the finish line cheering me on... I had to finish. Today, ParkRun is free, my daughter was running with me (and way ahead) and really the only one I was letting down was me... so I did. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And there we have it. I won't let other people down, but I will let myself down time and time again. Why do I not have the self worth to not want to let myself down?</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.transparencyrevolution.com/2011/10/quit-now/quitter/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkKoDIiYjAaszDTED5LqpXxH-m0D5O9mF8GwToT-hIVh1ArN9vf1gMgiLFz5f8CI1hbZrnnOd-xoaHDJjLhg7s4B-gw6-9MFrWahDTzA-8Bi2trWutPQ7gx20JgfA3BD_XCGmvUCas1KJ/s320/quitter.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking at my three children, I have two that are like me... will look for any excuse, find the easy way out, give up when it gets hard, ... and I have one who is self motivated, hardworking, and won't quit - even when she wants to. She must take after her father. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't know if Quitting is genetic (I can't find any evidence to support that it is - and I spent a whole 4 mins googling it before I quit searching) or if a quitters mentality comes from environmental factors... You know, Shit happens when you are a kid, that makes you not have belief in yourself, and because you don't have that self worth, you don't think you are worth that extra commitment, you let yourself down so you can say ...see I am worthless after all! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think its a bit of both.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So we have established that I am very good at quitting, however events of the past year have also proven that I can do more than I ever thought I could. It appears that unbeknownst to me, I have slowly been making deposits into my Self Worth Bank, and I have discovered that maybe, just maybe, I don't want to let myself down any more. Maybe I want to quit quitting.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2rtMtB-TiYHKveDUKL11PlNlNX7GxxIAkYbOMxjY-040H85Vmef0MHMM0UCC4O_IfNq8Ku5yyCuRKySwE-iW-6U4RU7AC_yswYzY2rcFFKRtFppRnD6VN7UBgb_hybXj-Fs8keG-JyWI/s1600/Goodbye_Quitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2rtMtB-TiYHKveDUKL11PlNlNX7GxxIAkYbOMxjY-040H85Vmef0MHMM0UCC4O_IfNq8Ku5yyCuRKySwE-iW-6U4RU7AC_yswYzY2rcFFKRtFppRnD6VN7UBgb_hybXj-Fs8keG-JyWI/s320/Goodbye_Quitter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quitting, or being a quitter, has such a negative connotation, but as addicts know, sometimes quitting is the hard thing to do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was a smoker once, years ago, not for very long compared to alot of smokers I know, but I was smoking enough for it to be a problem... and then I quit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I quit easy. It was easy because I had a reason to, a reason that I wanted more than I wanted to smoke. That reason was singing. I had been asked to join a band, and I knew that I couldn't get through a night of singing and dancing in the audience without losing my voice, so I needed to make sure I had a voice. I came down to singing or smoking, I chose singing. End of story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So quitting can be a good thing, and seeing as I am an expert at it, I am going on a quitting spree.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the help of Google, and my supporters, I am going to find out how to be a quitter, find out tips and strategies on how to quit effectively, and I am going to quit the following things :</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quitting</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Making Excuses</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Soft Drink</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Feeling sorry for myself</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">... BECAUSE WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING! and I have decided that I am tough enough... after all I plan to do Tough Mudder next year, can't get any tougher than that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I found an exercise to start with </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.yournewblueprint.com/Roland/kick-the-quitter-out-your-life/">http://www.yournewblueprint.com/Roland/kick-the-quitter-out-your-life/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and I am writing a letter to my quitter inside, and kicking her butt to the kerb.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyYkNJ8x3hwjHRdHGGtz5ru0YZr3cfuINCpb62iiqqxw8JtsSf0ZGDEBSwFSTrsqP96MnVmd6EzeKup5xBGXNKRXRgo8FtKnPJgO_ho5owEG0PDz3zgKGnfOnGZGijONJRDsgmX5VBd7z/s1600/letter+to+quitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyYkNJ8x3hwjHRdHGGtz5ru0YZr3cfuINCpb62iiqqxw8JtsSf0ZGDEBSwFSTrsqP96MnVmd6EzeKup5xBGXNKRXRgo8FtKnPJgO_ho5owEG0PDz3zgKGnfOnGZGijONJRDsgmX5VBd7z/s400/letter+to+quitter.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/I-Quit-Sugar-Sarah-Wilson/9781742612577=fearlessforty"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNtjoOoQEy8x2rOQ0NTmZ7afxAMcCGa8MERXkSTQDNIVMfxNClN9ngcmVWNN4fstJiGIa_Tnqj7G2qilIIsOGOktdMA8Ti_HRHOUdQ-9UgjAceD4L0tA2TMdJdfpWzyxR7k57-gn9_X9t/s200/sarah-i-quit-sugar1.jpg" width="140" /></a><a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Sweet-Poison-Quit-Plan-David-Gillespie/9780670074440=fearlessforty"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfKFiQU4MtuZ3k_qh8Fvu4O_55d2Ei5__87RVh0XN6f6C507XG52W3RdSo40cphKbM0Y7wrOt3CjWQt05vGkJGOG0zWAvC0ARRb6OcrZxFKV_Fut_d7mC4lKENbQI3iUk3V3AzCJ1Cbts/s200/the-sweet-poison-quit-plan-how-to-kick-the-sugar-habit-and-lose-weight.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am going to 'invest' in a quit sugar book and start on the quest today!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-11291873320617778872012-09-21T21:51:00.000+10:002012-09-21T21:51:44.465+10:00Accountable<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I have to show you how I am I doing on my small changes that I </span><a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/back-to-basics.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">blogged</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> about a few days ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday and today I have had a good nutritious breakfast BEFORE leaving for work. I have drunk 3 litres of water a day (... and needed to pee every hour!!) and I went for a run yesterday morning! - Here comes the accountable bit ... I DIDN'T run this morning.. in my defense... oh alright!... my pathetic excuse was that I had a really bad nights sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HOWEVER in addition to that I did do a 2 hour Kickboxing class last night, including 50.. YES 50! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQom97-3Ks4" target="_blank">throw downs</a> (in a row without stopping, but including a excruciating cry of pain during the last 3).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have also been '<a href="http://swapit.gov.au/" target="_blank">swapping</a>' the lift for the stairs at work. 6 flights, and it doesn't matter how often I do it, the first three flights are "pfft, easy", and the burn starts on the transition between 3 and 4, and by the 6th I'm dying.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kJkTXtg1GCLagepS8uxWDMetfH2DSeKQ5ayx52osrMj7zYixYMU6WmUM1moFgT8yEtS5YK8C0FfHOv-LOx1R_473isV6kc0JUXqjdykgq1V7lVSiNlVTuzzHXeGamUcw1raHbKUGhvo-/s1600/BeFunky_IMAG1705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kJkTXtg1GCLagepS8uxWDMetfH2DSeKQ5ayx52osrMj7zYixYMU6WmUM1moFgT8yEtS5YK8C0FfHOv-LOx1R_473isV6kc0JUXqjdykgq1V7lVSiNlVTuzzHXeGamUcw1raHbKUGhvo-/s320/BeFunky_IMAG1705.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Healthy Lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEymq8PQf9TGupSvKSxEgEwawvtZmsh4Yms5iTSNAIVOlIQlL9wXI2LcRmkMx5QzOp5dTgTWrzxbYSO8O9xjjOs8cFtMbHhjIsuOA8eYV-gdyiE36Cqnsn5cqGNXb7Cb9Xt5adtKDnMnA/s1600/BeFunky_IMAG1707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEymq8PQf9TGupSvKSxEgEwawvtZmsh4Yms5iTSNAIVOlIQlL9wXI2LcRmkMx5QzOp5dTgTWrzxbYSO8O9xjjOs8cFtMbHhjIsuOA8eYV-gdyiE36Cqnsn5cqGNXb7Cb9Xt5adtKDnMnA/s320/BeFunky_IMAG1707.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 of these a day!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCc8YoRd_WyQ6IV1-VNrnQkshmeOP6dMKo1MHPmCanYcA56oJrbOeY51DzvgtpLnnCSTwLL-MXJnyXzikFN7BYtXRd7ZrGdybDEsivzCJtD5dAJF33W9kAhcPXuoz72fpV2C4qS7TOjWs/s1600/BeFunky_IMAG1630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCc8YoRd_WyQ6IV1-VNrnQkshmeOP6dMKo1MHPmCanYcA56oJrbOeY51DzvgtpLnnCSTwLL-MXJnyXzikFN7BYtXRd7ZrGdybDEsivzCJtD5dAJF33W9kAhcPXuoz72fpV2C4qS7TOjWs/s320/BeFunky_IMAG1630.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stairs to my office</td></tr>
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<br /><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2U49_O7jwBU/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2U49_O7jwBU?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2U49_O7jwBU?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<i>I recorded a little message while running ... If you can't understand me it's cos I was whispering so the other walkers didn't think I was talking to myself! LOL. I said "I'm up, I'm running, I'm doing it" , "Check out this beautiful view" and "See ya"</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Heading out to Park Run in the morning, knowing that my personal best time is not at risk of being set, but I'm going to do the best I can. Also planning a trip to the farmers market on Sunday, and some bulk cooking to prep some healthy meals for the week ahead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As of this morning I weighed 80.4.... SOOOOOO NOT impressed to see that 8 again. Weigh in Wednesday, lets see if I can get that 7 back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also found a link on Facebook today, that <strike>intrigues</strike> scares the hell out of me... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do you think?? </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.weighitup.com.au/emotional-wellbeing-lifestyle/choctober-challenge" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDzig8Beo3MVOiaHrH2hOZ-nQ09yb4-R3Mw4PjuqiwDKOsebmKLi_gsohUK0-AlRrRr9IcHOALp43ltN_nssuGMi9dUSrGYOVWGv4HASyLIc6KKWF8i_LNqED8p_Qa4q5dxlMHpVn4eT2/s400/choctober.57-am.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh and we signed up to do it again...jump through fire, crawl through mud etc</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.warriordash.com/register2012_queensland.php#" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqK98MgKt5dLNte38qovgyT4gRxbw4iliRGMNmkklc8PE81RWGmGNyfN0UjnaobRqLI6AOWj6GvG18XbVDsFNuGkZa72qleKW5Qnn23v0HPTBtVobslSazGYMXGQwFWgESMVnJ3k5GKKW/s400/warrior.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All going well, I will have some time to blog again tomorrow! See you then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-66948976159953056532012-09-19T21:42:00.001+10:002012-09-19T21:42:51.337+10:00Back to Basics<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time to Fess Up! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time to admit that I haven't been blogging about weight loss, because I haven't been losing weight... in fact I have reverted back to my old habits, and if I keep it up I will revert back to where I started and I am not about to let that happen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So at least 15 times I have started over, and not got to the end of the day before I have fallen off the wagon. I'm so frustrated with myself, and today was a particularly bad 'binge' day so I need to start again, again. Obviously its not as easy this time around. The <strike>reasons</strike> excuses I have been using are - Its so cold, I'll wait until Spring (**excuse me, Spring started 19 days ago**), Work has been getting me down, and I am eating through my emotions (**true, but lets find an alternative coping strategy**), I'm too tired - hitting snooze too many times in the morning... and the list goes on. I have lost my Just Do It mantra.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what do I do to get back on track?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think I need to :</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Start small..Baby steps, and slowly build up momentum</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be accountable - Tell you what I have planned and own up if I don't do it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Go through the mind exercises again - Get real, Plan, and Set Goals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here we go -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tomorrow I plan to start on the basics</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>WATER</b> - Drink 2 litres (I didn't have any water today, or yesterday)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>RUN </b>- a morning run before work. If I leave by 6am, I am back by 6.45 and still have at least an hour before I need to leave for work,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>BREAKFAST </b>- Non-negotiable, no more "I'll have it at work", and then getting to 11am before realising I haven't had it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So that's it! The plan for this week is above, I will check in tomorrow and let you know how it went.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd-7VdhZ06dH9xmDShKYGpBX124B4vbc2-O7yqVFFsyQ48wJucGRzrxeaxL22MsoFE-anoFZorTrdjLyJ_bBD3A2UHK64Ipuun9_-fIFcE6l-YPkVtVfXcdXU67e4G6uDPnGzVsCw2zmz/s1600/will-murai-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd-7VdhZ06dH9xmDShKYGpBX124B4vbc2-O7yqVFFsyQ48wJucGRzrxeaxL22MsoFE-anoFZorTrdjLyJ_bBD3A2UHK64Ipuun9_-fIFcE6l-YPkVtVfXcdXU67e4G6uDPnGzVsCw2zmz/s640/will-murai-1.jpg" width="484" /></a></div>
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<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-19819630002919569032012-09-16T20:02:00.000+10:002012-09-16T20:04:09.484+10:00Dedication<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today's post is a dedication more than anything else. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A personal blog post, that I am willing to open up and share.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">23 years ago today I was 17, and numb.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had been told that my 19 year old boyfriend had been killed in a car accident, only hours after dropping me home. 3am on Saturday 16th September 1989. The crash claimed 2 best friends, and seriously injured 2 more, and the lives of many were changed forever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After the initial shock, when the numbness wore off and the pain set in, and after the funeral, I shut down - emotionally. I didn't know how to cope, and I almost checked out myself to try to escape the pain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When everyone else appeared to carry on with life, I was walking around with a big hole inside, and I see now that I tried to fill that hole with food.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As painful as that was, for many, many years, I now see how that losing Rob, and finding ways to survive, led me to spirituality, opened my soul up bare and raw, and molded me into the person I am today. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So after 23 years I have learned to be grateful for that experience, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">bizarrely grateful for losing him. Because, you know what, I now know that I can survive. There are other things I have survived, and no doubt more that I will in the future, but today on the Anniversary, I am grateful for having known him, having loved him, and having lost him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For years, September 16th made me cry, and now it makes me smile, I never ever thought I would say that, and be at peace with it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaKyI221HOHHZg8K18xU1hK5WCDOh3s3POmkJCsaIb78Kxd582t5a4TiYQfBSZJaXcCEfhYadSXuU6__yB5c41_u03tu1wS0ZjpBNOYphc5xLuTqfZHmsz2z1pP6JdBbbdf124p9ZvQVI/s1600/09UGUIF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaKyI221HOHHZg8K18xU1hK5WCDOh3s3POmkJCsaIb78Kxd582t5a4TiYQfBSZJaXcCEfhYadSXuU6__yB5c41_u03tu1wS0ZjpBNOYphc5xLuTqfZHmsz2z1pP6JdBbbdf124p9ZvQVI/s320/09UGUIF.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a few weeks before the crash</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So on this day, a day that passes every year and I think of Rob, it is opportune for today to be the day that I decide, I promise myself, to learn other ways to cope with pain, and stress. Get back to meditation, which helped me in the early years, and I have not had time for lately. To write more, journaling/blogging to get it out, before it festers and I need to eat... to move on and start dealing with the other traumas of the past that caused me to get to 100kg, to once and for all allow myself to really 'feel' and not anaesthetise my emotions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To Rob's family, wherever you are, I'm thinking of you </span><br />
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Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-82894463330939734502012-09-10T23:12:00.000+10:002012-09-10T23:12:06.310+10:00Laughter is the Best Medicine<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A policeman in the big city stops a man in a car with a zebra in the front seat. "What are you doing with that zebra?" He exclaimed, "You should take it to the zoo." The following week, the same policeman sees the same man with the zebra again in the front seat, with both of them wearing sunglasses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The policeman pulls him over. "I thought you were going to take that zebra to the zoo!" The man replied, "I did. We had such a good time we are going to the beach this weekend!"</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNtbFB3dDSJVMgIyaB8nWkad-QdIlSLrjOL-KdCM0jLbgPWPJVzNJ57MyPUj8MJnpyxXSEfwq-44JvhTYUNreMuhPmh2f6VDMLUf1BBcBXciOa0ABynTJiyDg2bbfnAPRHHZ6PedTiHGF/s1600/zebra-laughing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNtbFB3dDSJVMgIyaB8nWkad-QdIlSLrjOL-KdCM0jLbgPWPJVzNJ57MyPUj8MJnpyxXSEfwq-44JvhTYUNreMuhPmh2f6VDMLUf1BBcBXciOa0ABynTJiyDg2bbfnAPRHHZ6PedTiHGF/s320/zebra-laughing.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alright that is a pretty bad joke, and it's not going to have you rolling in the aisles, but if it did, it would be very good for your health.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week, my workplace, as part of a company initiative called "Be Well" month, we had a lunchtime seminar with 2 guys from <a href="http://www.elementx.com.au/" target="_blank">Element X</a>. Former World Iron Man champion Phil Clayton and Athlete Mentor/Manager, Creator of the original Kellogg’s Nutri Grain Series David Simons spoke to us about the best Nutrition to get the most out of our bodies. While this was informative, it was David's talk about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong" target="_blank">Qigong</a>, and focusing on breathing that really interested me. His positive outlook and sense of humour really inspired me - I want to look at my life, and it's challenges with the same fervour that he does. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He explained that many people do not breath effectively, to really take in the oxygen we need to function properly. He showed us how to exercise our diaphragm through fast short breaths, then showed us how the same muscle movements were gained by laughing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADDxv05pG_ragZPCG7vENX6pZiBYmNKhQvN-QY444s-9AFU6d089uhZ1s3NLNbZAER2Jii4WWmGqjCs3MNDj2QIzoG_d11yKydcH2X1glo8CHvLp41hxVI32qL8xCs7f0l6EUjuHtdtqt/s1600/sports-training-diaphragm-breathing1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADDxv05pG_ragZPCG7vENX6pZiBYmNKhQvN-QY444s-9AFU6d089uhZ1s3NLNbZAER2Jii4WWmGqjCs3MNDj2QIzoG_d11yKydcH2X1glo8CHvLp41hxVI32qL8xCs7f0l6EUjuHtdtqt/s320/sports-training-diaphragm-breathing1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It appears that back in the early 1800's Lord Byron knew what he was talking about when he said ... "Always Laugh when you can. It's cheap medicine". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Probably the most famous case of someone laughing their way to health, is that of Norman Cousins who, when doctors had given him the news of his impending death, added an extra 10 years to his life by laughing himself back to health.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not sick, but I am not leading the most healthy lifestyle either, and ultimately I have realised that my quest for fitness and health, is really a quest for happiness, and when you think about it, what goes hand in hand with happiness?... LAUGHTER!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've done some research and decided I definitely need to laugh more, and this is why:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laughter therapy is an excellent aerobic exercise.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laughter helps you lose weight. (15 minutes of laughter burns as much as 50 calories).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Improves breathing (respiration) and blood circulation</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laughter Improves mood</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laughter</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> e</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ases anxiety and fear</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laughter r</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">elaxes the body and muscles, and relieves physical tensions for up to 45 mins</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laughter</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> l</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">owers stress hormones, Boosts the immune system and infection fighting antibodies which improves your resistance to disease.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laughter</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> r</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">eleases endorphins, the body's natural feel good chemical, which can also relieve pain</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, easier said than done. I can't just sit here and make myself laugh, can I?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well actually, funny thing is I probably can, if I laugh it makes my husband laugh at me, and then I laugh at his laugh, and before we know it we are cracking up at each other and don't even know why... so all I need to do is find a few things to kick start that laughter like :</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watching the comedy channel</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watching funny video's on you tube</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watching my kids play stupid games</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get out and do fun activities</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spend more time with friends who make me laugh </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Play games</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have tickle-fights?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My goal for this coming week is to laugh more. A nice simple goal, one of many that I will be implementing into my life, to help me get closer to finding my authentic self. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is a few to get us started.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UjXi6X-moxE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/RP4abiHdQpc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hooid1LJ9Kc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-85415994950475237332012-09-08T20:54:00.000+10:002012-09-08T20:54:55.870+10:00What a difference a year makes.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last September I weighed 98.5kg, and was an inactive unenthusiastic lump.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have been following my blog, you will know that a lot has changed since then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only 8 days into this September, and I have achieved a couple of amazing things this month alone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First of all, my hubby and I went on a 3 night 'Lifestyle' cruise, a cruise to nowhere out of Brisbane. My first cruise, something I had always wanted to do, and it's now ticked off my bucket list (I plan to go on a longer one now I know I can handle my sea legs). The best thing being, the cruise was free... a competition prize I won. I prefer to think of it as the Universe rewarding me for making such positive changes in my life.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKetCMSgTyBVhsxYPjwcnmhtxV6b1iLo5zgM-DWlC0BCgLbs-rcVTVHeU_sZI-D2Yyny2_7wn9UFb8pQj0ml57MhUUheAXPiqA6HY228cpyYtrBcyrQFg7n2-UBzk-G2NAMBYzVg5GI94/s1600/20120901_142347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKetCMSgTyBVhsxYPjwcnmhtxV6b1iLo5zgM-DWlC0BCgLbs-rcVTVHeU_sZI-D2Yyny2_7wn9UFb8pQj0ml57MhUUheAXPiqA6HY228cpyYtrBcyrQFg7n2-UBzk-G2NAMBYzVg5GI94/s320/20120901_142347.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HERE'S TO MY NEW LIFE</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JCRLYuE2td2ftTe7Wv_7uKMC8x2Ce7wRLGgygP2_EGls194rqWMp4K_arQHm8GPqDMfHJUupeeA7m31WNvdqX2Nn0AfIy63VVIf70hhA67w_isGMSCXNQKjwJSHIN5xO6QgU9WzTLba2/s1600/20120901_174821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JCRLYuE2td2ftTe7Wv_7uKMC8x2Ce7wRLGgygP2_EGls194rqWMp4K_arQHm8GPqDMfHJUupeeA7m31WNvdqX2Nn0AfIy63VVIf70hhA67w_isGMSCXNQKjwJSHIN5xO6QgU9WzTLba2/s320/20120901_174821.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SAILING AWAY</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpMFM67gY2h23OHwHqDlLSG34qQWCDuNxEFcb01RWu7hgu3eIhDRBUZnvXtWAaji2z82mYZLNC1c0WB4eG84nGC2kREZj3OpvN_UP3Qx7D-YQL21vkrRvRbNjLXipLdMbg3S8bwpN_SYq/s1600/IMAG1469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpMFM67gY2h23OHwHqDlLSG34qQWCDuNxEFcb01RWu7hgu3eIhDRBUZnvXtWAaji2z82mYZLNC1c0WB4eG84nGC2kREZj3OpvN_UP3Qx7D-YQL21vkrRvRbNjLXipLdMbg3S8bwpN_SYq/s320/IMAG1469.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WATCHING BEAUTIFUL SUNSETS WITH MY MAN</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now today I ran in <a href="http://www.thestampede.com.au/" target="_blank">"The Stampede"</a> I signed up months ago, as a challenge to myself, and all these months I was secretly packing myself... until today. Today it was truly excitement, not nerves. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thestampede.com.au/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbW7v53C0s0CnY1TekEKpQWoRsn9dQ8QJMnQSH9-25QeGrJ-3rrTu30mIPu3I0-pyKIM_ezZ35k5pzfvK1UgOWorqEAKNy_o3j85BKU2GRqzFhXgn3hMMat5ckhmzbVksUUQW54q-FsEQ/s1600/logo.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I decided that any obstacle I encountered I would tackle, and I did, every last one of them, from crawling through mud under barbed wire, jumping over burning logs, climbing over a bus, to running through live electrical wires (yes I willingly got zapped by 10,000 volts - and it hurt!) - and that is to name only a few.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No times, no medals... just downright dirty fun, and my goodness was it ever. I am exhausted now, my feet hurt, and I am still finding mud in my hair, ears, and other bodily crevices, and I can't wait to do it again. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppjrz1b1DM_DD3nE3yR3F6AkwEVkcwKzZzSubEG6jD_-N-8JqXS1vf0s0I7EByOBNlg4vs5lcMNf8kzTM5X5AkfynoXTqTe-fed_bjK4ftdfRYMqfsp2Pum_Mm-vJxPe8ak4F0EadEAY8/s1600/546085_3972838671899_673083279_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppjrz1b1DM_DD3nE3yR3F6AkwEVkcwKzZzSubEG6jD_-N-8JqXS1vf0s0I7EByOBNlg4vs5lcMNf8kzTM5X5AkfynoXTqTe-fed_bjK4ftdfRYMqfsp2Pum_Mm-vJxPe8ak4F0EadEAY8/s400/546085_3972838671899_673083279_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BEFORE</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AFTER</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The old me would never have had the courage to do this, would never have believed that I could. If I can make such huge changes in a year, I can only imagine what I can achieve in 2 years, or 5 years,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, September is here, the Sun has decided that our Spring should be more like a Summer, and we are definitely going to make the most of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next big adventure?...I'm booked in to go abseiling on Sept 29th. </span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-60635952471817828392012-08-28T21:52:00.004+10:002012-08-28T21:52:53.717+10:00Hibernation<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've gone through this cold miserable winter and have not made any progress on my weight or exercise goals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While I am disappointed in myself, and used winter as an excuse, it really has been a big factor in my lapse. I still have the dregs of a cold, and a cough that will not quit! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However in the past few days, the weather has been absolutely beautiful, and it really feels like winter is over... even though its not officially over until Saturday. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So Spring's arrival will mean a fresh start.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a group of us 12WBTers who are not re-signing up again (well really after the effort of the past twelve weeks, I wasn't going to let myself sign up again), anyway a group of us are setting ourselves challenges and monitoring our intake and exercise, and hopefully helping each other to stay on track.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However I do have one little obstacle to overcome... I am going on a Cruise on Saturday. Its a 3 nighter, and I won it in a competition, and I am soooo excited, but you know what everyone says about cruises...You come back 5 kgs heavier!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I fully intend to make good use of the gym, and jogging track,.... and the smorgasbord, and everything will start when we get back. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-48016310316595699732012-08-19T19:56:00.000+10:002012-08-19T19:56:02.758+10:00Courage, Dreams and Destiny<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This post might also be called "My Ramblings" and I apologise in advance, but I had something to get off my chest.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tcG6JdM6icTUUp0LV5I8Ahdyhzj18-3O3i-HDhvHCuzrJOv1RDDINPV6aZptKcOBIPv7q40Yz3wrkqh8iTR6mOVUXX8_LbbYLgPFEnddz6iopa42WGCxf17-BFH1SgwkgsUMmKP6X_iz/s1600/success_and_happiness1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tcG6JdM6icTUUp0LV5I8Ahdyhzj18-3O3i-HDhvHCuzrJOv1RDDINPV6aZptKcOBIPv7q40Yz3wrkqh8iTR6mOVUXX8_LbbYLgPFEnddz6iopa42WGCxf17-BFH1SgwkgsUMmKP6X_iz/s1600/success_and_happiness1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I believe we all have a purpose in life, the reason we're here, the Universe's design for us. I also believe that as a soul, </span><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WE </u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">decide on our quest. Before we come to this earth we chose the theme our life will take, this time, last time, next time, every time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we arrive here, we are a-new, we've forgotten 'the plan', and it is our purpose in life to find it again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Depending on how advanced our soul is, the plan can be simple, or it can be multi-faceted, complex and testing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While we search for our plan - our destiny - we can feel lost and unfulfilled, with a knowing that there is more to this life. We could have a yearning, a dream, that we know in our heart and soul that <u>THIS</u> is what I am meant to be. Problem is many of us get to middle age (Yes I am talking about myself now) and have not followed the plan. We have wandered aimlessly, we have not committed, we have wasted opportunities. We feel like we've been robbed, like somehow we've missed out, and it's too late to ever get there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I believe I know what my plan is, and despite 'knowing' for a very long time, I am yet to arrive at that destiny. I have blamed circumstances, I have always put others needs before my own, I have always procrastinated, and I have always remained a dreamer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Why?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have asked myself this question many, many times, and what it comes down to is ......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>COURAGE!</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite the 'Fearless' in the title of my blog (<i>this was named at the start of the mid-life crisis</i>), I have always been the kind of person who didn't want to try something new unless I already knew that I could do it - Afraid of Failure, Afraid of trying.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHxKgu4nn2YXH2ZV_5Q9b9TxtR5iDKRBOaa_m7YlyuxwzUOevM2dfpsvkqOu3X1gJTjSPjk6OwchgXOpFdUKJtPT9A76dwE1wpc5O0hUADWjqU9ptT04zNWwsBtJ6bnZ6gKRaLONYEPjW/s1600/Quotes-A-Day-Courage-Quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHxKgu4nn2YXH2ZV_5Q9b9TxtR5iDKRBOaa_m7YlyuxwzUOevM2dfpsvkqOu3X1gJTjSPjk6OwchgXOpFdUKJtPT9A76dwE1wpc5O0hUADWjqU9ptT04zNWwsBtJ6bnZ6gKRaLONYEPjW/s320/Quotes-A-Day-Courage-Quote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Case in point: When I was a kid we were on a visit with friends on a farm. My parents wanted me to try to ride a kids motorbike with the other kids. I didn't think I could do it, the machine seemed unpredictable, I was scared of falling, or being hurt, or not being able to control it. So I used every trick in the book to avoid it, to convince everybody that #1 I didn't want to #2 I wasn't interested #3 I didn't mind not being part of the fun - so I sat there on the sidelines, staunch, and watched everyone else have the time of their lives. What a fool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just last week at work we had some Leadership training, and one of our Senior Vice Presidents came to speak to our group. He spoke about the qualities he thought made a good leader. Among the List... was Courage, and it started this train of thought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not sure if I ever want to be a leader at work, but in my personal life, as a role model to my kids, and to lead myself to success, I need to find that same courage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He spoke candidly about his life, growing up as a privileged white kid in South Africa, not </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">understanding or</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> realising </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">apartheid existed</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. When he reached university, and began to see his country and it's politics for what it was, he realised that could no longer accept it. Eventually he packed up his wife and new baby, left a very good career, and moved to another country. He was down to $50 in the bank before he landed a job in Canada, and it was a really scary time. He was courageous. He took a leap of faith and he looked fear in the face and did what felt right in his heart. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooTxSlZi0_b_RVfqE3mLhbmBxfnKdV_2bQ1CfMbU8SuDK0mmjHlwXjrgKFqVxkRRDE61NrRvO8USfnTTbB2KOzyywnFs9hXYEjvWA6013hMwI6owTR2fsHOmbiO0QAHa9zBciYW5V25iI/s1600/mandela+courage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooTxSlZi0_b_RVfqE3mLhbmBxfnKdV_2bQ1CfMbU8SuDK0mmjHlwXjrgKFqVxkRRDE61NrRvO8USfnTTbB2KOzyywnFs9hXYEjvWA6013hMwI6owTR2fsHOmbiO0QAHa9zBciYW5V25iI/s320/mandela+courage.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I related with his story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also had the courage to pack up a young family and move across and ocean, and start again. Like him, we had pretty strong motivation to leave certain elements of our lives behind, but that doesn't make it any less scary to leave behind the stability of a home, jobs and family support. We had the courage to do that, and survived. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More recently, I have had the courage to leave a job that I had been comfortable doing for years, but had come to feel bored and unfulfilled, and to try something new. 6 months in, I have realised that this is definitely NOT the direction I want to be going, but it has made me focus on what I do want, what my strengths are, and what feels right. It may be a while before I can move in that direction but at least I am now facing the right way. If I had stayed where I was, I might not ever have known. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On a smaller scale I have had the courage to try things new, Zumba, 10km runs.... both things that I couldn't do when I started, and that required courage, and now achieved... and check out the countdown for 'The Stampede'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I need to reassess what else I have been putting off, and what I<strike> might</strike> now have courage to do, what is that is holding me back from achieving my dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Speaking of dreams, I had an interesting dream last night. I was in a highrise in Surfers Paradise with my husband, and Cass and John. We were on the 6th floor, and watching out the window when we could see a Tsunami coming. We held on tight as the wall of water hit the building, but we were safe on our floor... but it was really scary. After the water went down, we ran through the streets trying to get to our children which we knew were on higher ground elsewhere. We ran towards the local RSL or Surf Club, and I turned to look around and lost sight of the others. I was alone. I found the side entrance to the club but the steps where in a spiral, and the steps were too small for my feet, and I kept slipping off. I could not climb the steps no matter how I tried. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wasn't distressed, just frustrated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Weirdly</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, My husband also had a dream last night involving stairs. He knew our girls were in trouble, and was trying to get to them, but he couldn't get <u>down</u> the stairs. The stairs were never ending, and he was getting distressed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interesting huh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having a look at the Dream Dictionary, it's intriguing. Basically, Tidal waves often appear in our dreams when are under a lot of pressure or when significant change is occurring. If your dream contains a set of stairs then this indicates that you are starting to move towards some clear goals.To see spiral or winding stairs signify growth and/or rebirth.... Interesting how I couldn't climb them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Six (6th floor) is indicative of cooperation, balance, tranquility, perfection, warmth, union, marriage, family, and love. Your mental, emotional, and spiritual states are in harmony.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gives me hope, and courage. </span><br />
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<br />Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-36961758313638762692012-08-12T19:11:00.000+10:002012-08-12T19:11:54.881+10:00Glorious Gold Coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been lucky enough to have lived on the 'Gold Coast' of Australia for the past 6 years, and while I still love my home town of Tauranga, NZ... the Gold Coast is just such an awesome place to be, especially for someone who is trying to be more Active and Healthy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5li4LTqcFwWAc0IyFQRhu5mZrxABbpYfFMA6oZWTyQa4zb51yCGxHAbQNVVnRkSAZgZfIYlvzX9pS1d30HSNVV7kagnEi9rXznm_PzTk0Y0ZnngTp6DyLTcxeV7vqw-4z8QpE-F46KxoM/s1600/2839_gold+coast+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5li4LTqcFwWAc0IyFQRhu5mZrxABbpYfFMA6oZWTyQa4zb51yCGxHAbQNVVnRkSAZgZfIYlvzX9pS1d30HSNVV7kagnEi9rXznm_PzTk0Y0ZnngTp6DyLTcxeV7vqw-4z8QpE-F46KxoM/s320/2839_gold+coast+beach.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take this weekend for example, It's August 11 & 12, officially winter. It's not spring for another 3 weeks, but the sunshine is out, and families all over the coast are out and about.... including us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We started with <a href="http://www.parkrun.com.au/coomera/" target="_blank">Park Run</a>, my daughter and I went along to a new venue closer to home in <a href="http://www.facebook.com/coomeraparkrun" target="_blank">Coomera</a>. Nice location, but the course involved some hills... eeek! Still we did our 5km timed run at 7am, and the weekend was off to a great start. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday was also 'sign on' day for our girls at their local Athletics club. They have been going to Little Athletics for 3 years, and had a lot of success.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.helensvalelittleathletics.org.au/index.php" target="_blank">Helensvale Little Athletics</a> club had an open day, for kids to come and have a try at shot put or Long jump etc, and sign up for this season, which starts on Friday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My girls are super proud of their club, one of the reasons being that Olympic Gold Medallist Sally Pearson went to their club as a girl. My 12 year old is even more impressed as Sally also went to her High School, and through the same Sports Excellence Program that she is attending.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In fact, because the Gold Coast is such an amazing place to be active, it is the training base of many other London 2012 medallists, including kayakers Tate Smith and Jacob Clear (Gold Medal K4 1000m), Matt Belcher Gold Medal winning sailor, 16 year old Diving Silver Medallist Brittany Broben, and Gold & Silver Medal winning swimmer Melanie Schlanger... and Swimmer, World Record holder Sun Yang (Representing China) also chooses the Gold Coast as his training base. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the Gold Coast winning the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the city is a buzz with excitement, and potential. I wonder how many Helensvale Little Athletes will be representing in 2018... I know it would be a dream come true for my two.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO99Iz6WB4nJleIcd1JV_1piFDy3GPRggREeLp1yuraosKb2zfEFeSqeAfoHM8-D4rWp8fnF-P0I13ZWp_kKt3NTRUuDXmF44GhRJzgESaM3OfDatiKxNsxEi8-WJQN06D2c-zooLid4Tv/s1600/sally-pearson-australia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO99Iz6WB4nJleIcd1JV_1piFDy3GPRggREeLp1yuraosKb2zfEFeSqeAfoHM8-D4rWp8fnF-P0I13ZWp_kKt3NTRUuDXmF44GhRJzgESaM3OfDatiKxNsxEi8-WJQN06D2c-zooLid4Tv/s320/sally-pearson-australia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sally Pearson - a huge inspiration for my girls</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a busy day at sign on, we took our dog for a walk around the lovely man-made lake that we are lucky enough to live by. My youngest daughter is constantly, and I mean C-O-N-S-T-A-N-T-L-Y doing handstands and cartwheels, so I took some fun photos of our afternoon in the sun.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59P8qUya8vp-CwaAfQPWQX9W2ImdC5hyphenhyphency9NSRmJycxHj2XTKnkifsPDft6P7hDYOZRY345jtXJ-zMUXJqVZuP-zlxUILAD4YUjICQ-eqDUJiSG0RIhkIp8pG3G1eplqjk-u23fZ2r58F/s1600/IMG_20120811_154918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59P8qUya8vp-CwaAfQPWQX9W2ImdC5hyphenhyphency9NSRmJycxHj2XTKnkifsPDft6P7hDYOZRY345jtXJ-zMUXJqVZuP-zlxUILAD4YUjICQ-eqDUJiSG0RIhkIp8pG3G1eplqjk-u23fZ2r58F/s200/IMG_20120811_154918.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgOnfe8pg0i00_AJXHRufZBxtvUKeMntjNTHvrm16k4Ia5Dx2YWp7A3pNChkyYjsrmr0gGid4IswoAyQOfF8osl8Nr0af0qVzK9OBNic-7teNwPo6f5LDb0xnT8f-Enp6Fwi2XLMUc8-1/s1600/IMG_20120811_154710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgOnfe8pg0i00_AJXHRufZBxtvUKeMntjNTHvrm16k4Ia5Dx2YWp7A3pNChkyYjsrmr0gGid4IswoAyQOfF8osl8Nr0af0qVzK9OBNic-7teNwPo6f5LDb0xnT8f-Enp6Fwi2XLMUc8-1/s200/IMG_20120811_154710.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d2e8Elo5swhLqA7T3O6mjQz6DFMvsDCYAJdzfugf90ogpkHgkXiCapIIOuDiEIY0-SaRQ8tQUIUG7jsmLVugLVI8GEXjXJjyJF-foXz7vAsRHGxPjjKDby8cf9lHP-ctKhhByNW-RqqD/s1600/RwNHWLM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-d2e8Elo5swhLqA7T3O6mjQz6DFMvsDCYAJdzfugf90ogpkHgkXiCapIIOuDiEIY0-SaRQ8tQUIUG7jsmLVugLVI8GEXjXJjyJF-foXz7vAsRHGxPjjKDby8cf9lHP-ctKhhByNW-RqqD/s640/RwNHWLM.jpg" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Daughter having fun in the sun</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Parks like these are all over the coast. Plenty of outdoor fun to be had, and lots of opportunity for free family activity. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNXEHS-gtaYWI8GCfsdvJC7V0eolvUMLQE7XpPAPDdIXnKDY42uKDiikK3vneaP-KvQLx3z6dtlx_nHo3TKD711g62GqSCsqgqW8GMCx9yLP_YwYgnYLSVRghfXKvnXVbz0j27XAQ5ji3/s1600/IMAG1160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNXEHS-gtaYWI8GCfsdvJC7V0eolvUMLQE7XpPAPDdIXnKDY42uKDiikK3vneaP-KvQLx3z6dtlx_nHo3TKD711g62GqSCsqgqW8GMCx9yLP_YwYgnYLSVRghfXKvnXVbz0j27XAQ5ji3/s320/IMAG1160.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free Excercise Equipment</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQRq8e9_YeayglRrl3HuFmhDKI76AqAHA9bFTaJG1ehmr787oJkGH4DwgBE2cEzfZ8KXhtlwPHRxINeXCy7vqJUXaJjgp0h9jjxk0RzB_tUFeWusMDCmW-idjYObOp0GkfT2nyIB-uEId/s1600/IMAG1154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQRq8e9_YeayglRrl3HuFmhDKI76AqAHA9bFTaJG1ehmr787oJkGH4DwgBE2cEzfZ8KXhtlwPHRxINeXCy7vqJUXaJjgp0h9jjxk0RzB_tUFeWusMDCmW-idjYObOp0GkfT2nyIB-uEId/s320/IMAG1154.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayak anyone?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday, we headed out to the <a href="http://www.gcparks.com.au/parks.aspx?page=162" target="_blank">Southport Broadwater Parklands</a> where the Gold Coast Council was hosting a free family fun day promoting their A<a href="http://www.gcparks.com.au/activities.aspx?page=35" target="_blank">ctive and Healthy</a> programme. Each year the council provides a booklet (downloadable from the link) full of free or low coast family activities. We have booked in for free orientation and archery in the Gold Coast Hinterland, for a Kayaking tour to wavebreak island for $5, for Stand Up Paddleboarding for $10, plus diarised for the many activities where bookings are not required. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today's family fun day also included a free 30 minute Zumba class by none other than my favourite Instructor Kassy! My daughter got to the top of the Rock Climbing wall, and they had a whale of a time at the Jumping pillow!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.gcparks.com.au/activities.aspx?page=120" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wuV9KUkFHrsy-8oMDvUgcUlE3o4p7s4yiLCnPu4PCe0SR1hsqp4_zcgm3y3lUXQQT7PXRHCDSQHXiKi02GpIYGpnwEQ7V0CiOpT-YUjLL0k8pksF4o5angmYCkwBdT1kkSGLuDF5jvar/s400/o1gxwc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuk2_3uRmZ172k7OsX41awu4npimm093NjzNXAaGTvDMRLV9lfnbrp8N42Lu2gR2EfUEBrtl4hyevPw5re38kzUQZonvfQzOHdqxLEJqLkC7SC9TMvnXnuS8fykq7Pt0Y2A1RnKhEiB8v/s1600/IMAG1231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuk2_3uRmZ172k7OsX41awu4npimm093NjzNXAaGTvDMRLV9lfnbrp8N42Lu2gR2EfUEBrtl4hyevPw5re38kzUQZonvfQzOHdqxLEJqLkC7SC9TMvnXnuS8fykq7Pt0Y2A1RnKhEiB8v/s400/IMAG1231.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zumba Kass motivates the Gold Coast public<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKJpcXRLjnsdiM-0gNh1iZpTNwPpjAFrp1fzbOvmvHgwiF2Ngt6VgGew8JOCSo0aADXrDPAq9E_LaMrTLUEVhxt-DjHX6VZO0ynS7sOfGXPZ-g0CqPGa-LO58Oo_i4sZBe5MkDVAI2-Ro/s1600/IMAG1284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKJpcXRLjnsdiM-0gNh1iZpTNwPpjAFrp1fzbOvmvHgwiF2Ngt6VgGew8JOCSo0aADXrDPAq9E_LaMrTLUEVhxt-DjHX6VZO0ynS7sOfGXPZ-g0CqPGa-LO58Oo_i4sZBe5MkDVAI2-Ro/s640/IMAG1284.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Daughter tackles the Climbing wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IpiMjs48UI492oKXbBDpS3o3KvMIrrse_dQYW1NkzQSSWoBK-A4rMeP_KYXoUXq7sz-cuXeWKATC_1SX9iu7t7mKwyPpSWqyX3Ya42yc5dzyqDFCZYqkHcud4IeAQ_cg4GbVLbOnpynE/s1600/IMAG1304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IpiMjs48UI492oKXbBDpS3o3KvMIrrse_dQYW1NkzQSSWoBK-A4rMeP_KYXoUXq7sz-cuXeWKATC_1SX9iu7t7mKwyPpSWqyX3Ya42yc5dzyqDFCZYqkHcud4IeAQ_cg4GbVLbOnpynE/s640/IMAG1304.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woo Hoo! And its a permanent fixture</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So while visitors come from all over to visit the Gold Coast, and cram in the Theme Parks, Zoo's and beaches into their stay, this is how local Gold Coaster's spend a winter weekend... Can you imagine what a summer weekend is like?! Bring it on, I can't wait.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-84671936234939455672012-08-03T22:10:00.000+10:002012-08-12T19:12:47.989+10:00I'm So Lucky<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been having a little 'feel sorry for myself', stamp my feet cos "It's not Fair" moment, brought on by the fact that some lucky buggar won the $50Million PowerBall lotto last night...and it wasn't me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggHJdRFnH_9AcKPeooqjkbMvX53DaOEwANbVewZkkzY00z40klAV-LoRDWantva8K-sUGm69ilGBKtZ293ldB22BSEIkizvynHrPDW7-5To55gWzMdQNJbyWtAbt3HXDKARH2tDSW6gbO/s1600/PBL+$50+Million.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggHJdRFnH_9AcKPeooqjkbMvX53DaOEwANbVewZkkzY00z40klAV-LoRDWantva8K-sUGm69ilGBKtZ293ldB22BSEIkizvynHrPDW7-5To55gWzMdQNJbyWtAbt3HXDKARH2tDSW6gbO/s200/PBL+$50+Million.png" width="181" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm driving around in an old dunger of a car, my bank balance is pathetic, we'll probably never own our own house again, I am trying to raise a family on a single salary, my husband, and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">daughters</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> have health issues, and sometimes it all </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">just</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> feels too much... It's not fair! When is it our turn to have some good luck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then I saw this post on Facebook...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqlfikuHfg2pmCJtrr3tn73dkki99jneR-p-ZexwujHQmSaXBnEB4KZzTw2SgXaEcmPY4EOmMJsDPPDIA9h8GLCBtvsLr64WhQEgVSZSADFQWId_yGYm0PzLdSg3fM6X00CuSMfwPthVx/s1600/528726_452371828130494_1985529101_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqlfikuHfg2pmCJtrr3tn73dkki99jneR-p-ZexwujHQmSaXBnEB4KZzTw2SgXaEcmPY4EOmMJsDPPDIA9h8GLCBtvsLr64WhQEgVSZSADFQWId_yGYm0PzLdSg3fM6X00CuSMfwPthVx/s400/528726_452371828130494_1985529101_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5497457379142707847">Labels</a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It done stood up and slapped me in the face! Of course I'm not Unlucky, I don't have to sleep on the streets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been trying to practise the principles of the Law of Attraction, and feel like I have been putting in my order to the Universe, practising gratitude daily on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheGratefulList" target="_blank">The Grateful List</a> but I'm not sure I really 'got it' until tonight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was parked next to my dream car tonight, not some sporty unrealistic car, but my favourite... what I wish I drove, a white BMW X5 (or Audi q7 - I'm not fussy), and I went through the little bargaining, with the Universe, in my head.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPInfq36nKvFqewpzUufvzuo2287m5pkGh_UWnRlRMqyBfcNgTD9qLU1bYjPH5PBHt_uqEoN_nsYx2g2lg8WxOeUqjZJqOQUB_4jFEI7fWYjca4b6zBZpPwIwVCsHAT9q7fkfXYWeMDRu/s1600/BMW-092_600-600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPInfq36nKvFqewpzUufvzuo2287m5pkGh_UWnRlRMqyBfcNgTD9qLU1bYjPH5PBHt_uqEoN_nsYx2g2lg8WxOeUqjZJqOQUB_4jFEI7fWYjca4b6zBZpPwIwVCsHAT9q7fkfXYWeMDRu/s200/BMW-092_600-600x400.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"We really need a new car, I think I am a good person, surely you can see your way to make this happen for us? That car is top of my list of things I want...."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and I stopped in my tracks! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The penny dropped...You idiot... No it's not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The top 5 of 'What you really want', in order of most importance is:</span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For my husband to be healthy again</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For my children to grow to old age, with a full life of adventure, achievements, love and sensible decisions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to always have a roof over my head, and food on the fridge.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to stay happy and healthy myself</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to travel and see the parts of the world that I have always dreamt of.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A BMW doesn't even register in the big picture.... and this little realisation reminded me of the picture above, and...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">PING! </span>Light Bulb Moment.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>"Don't complain about your life because you don't have the car or house that you wanted... being unlucky means something else."</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky to have a husband who adores me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that he has survived some serious close calls, and lived to tell the tale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that my daughters only have a bone disease, and not something that threatens their life on a daily basis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky to have given birth to 3 healthy babies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that all my children are smart, and doing well, and get a free education.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that we live in a nice 4 bedroom house, near a lake, with water, electricity, and plenty of food.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that I have transport.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that I have a good job (I may not be enjoying it right now but..) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that I work for an great company with amazing opportunities.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky that I have wonderful friends that really care about me.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky to have been born in a wonderful country, and I am lucky that I get to live in another equally wonderful country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky to have two arms, legs, eyes and ears that do what they were designed to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky to have loved and lost, so that I learned to appreciate what I have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky to have been raised by two loving parents, who demonstrated commitment, taught us values, and showed us how to laugh as a family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am lucky to have realised that I don't need riches to feel rich. I have all the riches I need in what is listed above, and more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Message received, Universe, Loud and Clear.</b></span></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-49717236328099615102012-08-01T14:37:00.000+10:002012-08-12T19:13:35.618+10:00Breakaway<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>I'll spread my wings, and I'll learn how to fly</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>And I'll make a wish</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Take a chance</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Make a change</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>And breakaway </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><b>Kelly Clarkson</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well peeps, I'm taking a well deserved week off from work... apparently it's well deserved, so my workmates say... I'm just pleased to be away from that desk - for 9 whole days it's somebody else's problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway I managed to get a last minute timeshare week , 2bedroom apartment at<a href="http://www.boambeebay.com/" target="_blank"> Boambee Beach Resort</a> for $199 (perks of the industry suppose) and on Saturday we packed up the car and headed off on the 4 hour drive to Coffs Harbour. We couldn't stay the whole week, but decided a long weekend would be enough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On arrival, I was impressed with the resort. The apartment was roomy, clean, with everything we needed... including the spa bath!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a quick trip to the local Toormina shopping centre for supplies, followed by a twilight explore of the resort facilities, we settled in to watch the the first night of Olympic competition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got up early-ish (we are on holidays after all) and went for a run, and found myself exploring the picturesque Boambee Creek Reserve. After breakfast, we headed off to the Coffs Markets, 3 lots on a Sunday. Not the best markets I have seen, but we did discover Dutch Caramel Waffles... Yum!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the Jetty Foreshore Markets, Coffs Coast Camels were doing Camel rides for $10, and when Isabella asked if she could have one, I decided that I would too... It was on my Bucket List, and I always imagined doing it somewhere exotic overseas, but I thought... Why not here? Why not now? and why not share it with my daughter. She was quite thrilled to do something special with Mum, and I was quite thrilled that I wasn't worried about being too heavy for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After the Markets we went to the <a href="http://plantationhotel.com.au/" target="_blank">Plantation Hotel</a> for $8 lunches, followed by a Baskin Robins Waffle cone, before lumbering back to the resort for a swim.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trying out my new swimsuit, the pool was heated but still cold, and the spa was warm, but after a while I braved the cold water and did lots of laps. Another family joined us in the spa, and my husband whispered to me "how does it feel to not be the fat one anymore?".... it felt bloody awesome!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Day 2 we hit our favourite Coffs Harbour attraction, <a href="http://www.dolphinmarinemagic.com.au/" target="_blank">the Pet Porpoise Pool</a>. Its a small place, but you interact directly with the dolphins. The Dolphins choose to interact with you. After the show, we just hung around and watched them play, and one dolphin brought his ball to my daughter and threw it at her, wanting to play catch. We stood for the next hour playing ball with Zippy... one of the most rewarding experiences ever. The girls had been before when they were younger, but I am pleased we took them back now they are older so they can remember it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best thing about this holiday for me, was that I got involved. Rather than sitting on the sidelines watching my family experience things... I WAS DOING IT. I ran, I swam, I played Tennis, I played basketball, I played Mini Golf, I rode a Camel, I played with a dolphin... and unfortunately I ate a lot of bad food... but that is a different story. </span></div>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-82460090268594154032012-07-15T19:41:00.001+10:002012-07-15T21:29:47.554+10:00Wake Up ... and smell the coffee<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here I am feeling sorry for myself, because I think I have failed in this second round of 12WBT, and for those of you who know me, Failure is not something that I like to experience (well who does). But you know what, a small fail here and there, does not mean that success is now out of the question. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>FALL DOWN 9 TIMES, GET UP 10</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went back to my Pre-Season task of 'Set your goals', and looked at what I wrote in that task about 10 weeks back ... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012_05_01_archive.html" target="_blank">I said at one month into the round i wanted to have achieved :</a></b> A <a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/zero-to-10km-in-6months.html" target="_blank">10km run</a>, to beat my <a href="http://www.parkrun.com.au/mainbeach/results/athletehistory?AthleteNumber=261733" target="_blank">5km PB</a>, and run under 35mins, and my weight to be <a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/weigh-in.html" target="_blank">76kg</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I actually achieved all of those before schedule - (my weight is now 77kg, but I did achieve 76kg by the 4 week mark)... <b><span style="color: red;">WAKE UP MANDY, THAT IS NOT FAILURE.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right now I am definitely behind schedule to achieve my next lot of goals, my three month goals, but I can do it.... and If I don't, I will pick myself back up, dust myself off and keep going.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This journey is definitely a rollercoaster of ups and downs, highs and lows, successes and failures... but at the end of the ride I will be ecstatic that I did it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have done too much, and worked to hard to throw my hands in the air and say 'its too hard, I give up'. I've done that before, and it doesn't work, I end up back at the start wishing I was where I am now... that is one huge waste of energy. I just have to keep going, one foot in front of the other, one day at a time, forever.... there is no end, this is a journey to a new life, a new lifestyle, and when I get there the purpose is not to then stop and turn around, but to enjoy the view, and then start the journey to a new more exciting, dream fulfilling destination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have started this journey before, multiple times, and I always turned back when it got too hard, I have even got this far in the journey at least 3 times, and didn't make it to the end, I can't do it this time, I have to keep moving, I am running out of time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This time is different though, I must admit. I was talking with Cass last night and we had a little lightbulb moment... the other times were diets, be it weightwatchers or similar, and exercise was the secondary focus. I would exercise to get bonus points etc, but I would never really like it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This time, with the 12WBT, I have learned to love exercise, I have changed into someone who has an active life, and the eating is the secondary focus. I believe this is what will keep me going. If I slip on the eating, but I remain active, I will not relapse like previous efforts, and if I focus on the food as well... well the world is my oyster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-8211257754317952952012-07-14T17:36:00.000+10:002012-07-15T09:37:28.464+10:00Crikey ... I haven't seen you in a while.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, Where have I been? 2 weeks of slience?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Honestly I have been hiding from you. I have not been prepared to fess up to the total and utter relapse that has occurred. Crikey, I hadn't seen her for a while ...but the old me is back, the old habits are back, the old lies and excuses and laziness, have snuck up behind me, ambushed me and left me dazed and confused. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I knew it had happened, I pretended it hadn't by telling myself I'm just taking a break, but now at 6 weeks into my 2nd round of 12WBT I have not progressed any further towards my goal. Although I am happy to say I have not put on weight, I haven't lost any either, and I have lost my way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm just sitting here listening to the bullshit I have been telling myself about why I have not done what I said I would. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its Winter, It's too cold, dark, wet to get up early to train</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been too tired to plan, or record correctly </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven't had time to prepare healthy food</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been stressed, so i've been emotional eating</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't say no when there is all this food around, and it's a special occasion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been sick, and chocolate makes me feels better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yep... heard it all before. 23 kilos ago.... so I ask myself this question...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here I am... frantically searching for Motivation to get back up on my feet, and back on track, the track towards my own finish line. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So Motivation .... where do you find it? It's not in the pantry or the fridge (I looked, and while I was there.... *sigh*), and it's not falling on my lap while lying in bed or on the sofa, and believe it or not (and this is a shocker!) it's not on Facebook or Pinterest - although a lot of pages seem to be motivation, but just reading about it doesn't make it happen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being so far behind on my Michelle Bridges program, I decided that may be the best place to start with Week 6's video messages... and lo and behold this weeks mindset message is about... drum roll please...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love how Michelle puts it, Motivation is a Crock of sh*t!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Motivation is like a Bad Boyfriend,...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: red;">NEVER</span> there when you need it most!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The answer is to not wait for motivation to strike, the answer is to just do it, day in, day out.... </span><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">CONSISTENCY</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. This is what I have lost, and the only way to get that back is to </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>JFDI.</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsEXhsEyalLAMMolNSrkOe0EcSJZNTuywaQ4mShMgksBy-WohEd1A1x8wjaOyyDckCvfqDOydQmYCKphJNLqA92-XfLqB-lXP7GXo3luvBjDyEIftgWBfwaBSrF3LtQdfzvSsRjPvaSRK/s1600/532864_421536587886177_325573134_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsEXhsEyalLAMMolNSrkOe0EcSJZNTuywaQ4mShMgksBy-WohEd1A1x8wjaOyyDckCvfqDOydQmYCKphJNLqA92-XfLqB-lXP7GXo3luvBjDyEIftgWBfwaBSrF3LtQdfzvSsRjPvaSRK/s1600/532864_421536587886177_325573134_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here we go folks... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-73324355691856034442012-06-30T11:14:00.000+10:002012-07-15T09:38:21.055+10:00Zero to 10km in 6months<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who remembers about 6 months ago when I <a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/commitment.html" target="_blank">posted a little commitment video</a> on my blog, promising a certain Mrs Cass Thurston that I would run a 10km fun run. I meant it, but I didn't believe it, and today I did it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I JUST FRICKEN DID IT.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ274kbHgd1kOyiURQ0ZKOp25qCfF-XTTIltgzad6QYk3SPrXpEwshe5IuH7sekrZrGTcgIN00Ymdk19P6uSZxfkGRvu6ukEjRXJ66cSasI4Zsp0Qfl8nwVrl9Gv5g-KoO8rFMnNDxxDp/s1600/IMAG0684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ274kbHgd1kOyiURQ0ZKOp25qCfF-XTTIltgzad6QYk3SPrXpEwshe5IuH7sekrZrGTcgIN00Ymdk19P6uSZxfkGRvu6ukEjRXJ66cSasI4Zsp0Qfl8nwVrl9Gv5g-KoO8rFMnNDxxDp/s320/IMAG0684.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Here is Video of the proof!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like the fact that this race was on June 30, the last day of the first half of 2012. Because it was on the first day of 2012 that this journey started, and I am pretty damn proud of myself for going from being able to run zilch, to 10km in 6 months... imagine where I could be in another 6, or this time next year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZGGxzsN6DDcQ2xFI7YOMOAdZ0W4inZ41KllUcUL6b4gF4PMN7o-qNwnowG9vKNwHtut1KWUH6lCmoUK5N1Tkjo_twB6ubhvHQFAfeTbvpLuCmVsxvKavt6_9rftWmp4w9qKlABQiDY0s/s1600/Capturehjh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZGGxzsN6DDcQ2xFI7YOMOAdZ0W4inZ41KllUcUL6b4gF4PMN7o-qNwnowG9vKNwHtut1KWUH6lCmoUK5N1Tkjo_twB6ubhvHQFAfeTbvpLuCmVsxvKavt6_9rftWmp4w9qKlABQiDY0s/s320/Capturehjh.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-64865677208717250062012-06-27T23:06:00.001+10:002012-07-15T09:39:46.732+10:00Lightbulbs<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, some of you may remember a wee post I did the other day when I wrote a letter to my inner child. I thought she was hurt, and scared, and acting out... and I was determined to get to the bottom of why she acted out with Food, and what I could do to help her... I thought we'd come to an understanding. Well since then, ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm talking no exercise, bulk chocolate & lollies, and even Pizza... HOLY CRAP!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was just in the shower, berating myself for letting this happen again.. and BAM! out of nowhere it hit me. It wasn't her after all... it was me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know as a child, and any of you who are Mum's will know even better, than when a child is hurt, scared, tired, ratty.. we try to soothe them. The crying or screaming sounds are painful to us, we don't want to hear it, so we ssshh, and rock, and sing... and when they don't stop, we revert to treats.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes Folks, it dawned on me that it is not my inner child craving th chocolate, or even wanting the chocolate. My inner child in calling out, crying, screaming for me to hear her, and I find it uncomfortable so I shove a pile of junk food down her throat in hopes it will quiet her down for a while, because I DON'T WANNA LISTEN.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qCyA6vsw4s1eFgnk6KrCE8HERqhXP7cVB10RXNskq0d3vfhrKKfdv2Fd5QJZndbFY6WbY2i09v5_qRPgkvzhYE9Q3BWuZ3GX71kZmgk_Rf7_VPYgVf-pn9oHKkXdXFk0s8eJ96fqM7rO/s1600/41403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qCyA6vsw4s1eFgnk6KrCE8HERqhXP7cVB10RXNskq0d3vfhrKKfdv2Fd5QJZndbFY6WbY2i09v5_qRPgkvzhYE9Q3BWuZ3GX71kZmgk_Rf7_VPYgVf-pn9oHKkXdXFk0s8eJ96fqM7rO/s320/41403.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is it that I don't wanna hear? What is it that I don't want to face, or take ownership for? She is stuck in time warp where she believes the things she heard as a child. Let me make this clear right off the bat, I am not about to start bashing my parents for anything they may have said or did when I was growing up. This is not their doing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I developed my own beliefs, and my own self worth, from my own perception of what I saw around me. I will say that there are a few people that over my childhood (and I'm counting up to the age of 18) that definitely skewed my take on the world, and I somehow let them convince me that I was not worthy of the life that I dreamed off.... and she still believes it. I still believe it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilD7lytJUb8IYttIcg3QYGZ5MZz2XmSDu11-TFS5wL426Y4m94E-HtA8snbVg0kJTT6pfEa6jDBIrDzWYAkfdd24fmxRnIwERq96jA_-djpD9wbMDxkrz3XBvQUrJYbdxkWdsSshSD3I_8/s1600/224125_1079944191345_1008482541_30267275_9663_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilD7lytJUb8IYttIcg3QYGZ5MZz2XmSDu11-TFS5wL426Y4m94E-HtA8snbVg0kJTT6pfEa6jDBIrDzWYAkfdd24fmxRnIwERq96jA_-djpD9wbMDxkrz3XBvQUrJYbdxkWdsSshSD3I_8/s320/224125_1079944191345_1008482541_30267275_9663_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have to convince this little girl that this body she was given is worth respecting. That her mind has got the capability to take her anywhere, and she is loveable no matter what. Everyone makes mistakes, and it's how you rise from them that determines how far you go. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, we are making progress. I now need to recognise when I want to scoff a bag of Jelly snakes, that it is not the Snakes that I want, its that she is having an emotion, and expressing something that I don't want to hear or acknowledge - and I need to take time everyday to listen to her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a bit scared of what she is going to say. I mean it's easier to blame so and so from when I was 14, than it is to acknowledge my own part in the whole thing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok, so now here is the hard bit. The actual putting it out there. Please don't judge me (Wooooah as I wrote that I realised that THAT IS what I am afraid of - being judged). Ok here goes.... What I (we) really believe is that if I reach my goal weight, If I get thin, If I get sexy ... I will get unwanted attention, the kind of attention I got in the past, the kind that leads to trouble. You can read between the lines. Maybe soon I will be brave enough to actually say it, to type the words that I have never ever been able to write or speak before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thing is I have something now that I didn't have before. I have a husband who loves me for who I am. He's loved me thin, He's loved me fat. He loves me when I'm crazy, he loves me when I'm so stressed that I bitch at him constantly (maybe not so much then). He saw the real me, and found something lovable about it. Maybe one day he will finally get me to see what that is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what started as a quick shower to wash my hair and shave my legs, has resulted in me sitting on the floor of my bedroom, typing frantically with tears rolling down my face. ... I think I may have hit a nerve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll be honest - I am petrified of hitting 'publish' on this one, even more so of 'share'. I think I will start with the 12WBT girls first, they won't judge. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who would have thought that a weight loss challenge could turn you inside out like this, but it reminds me of one of my favourite movie quotes :</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> '</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: #333333;">Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation' </b><span style="color: #76a5af;">eat</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">pray</span><span style="color: #e06666;">love</span></span></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-20786440450490727162012-06-26T20:07:00.001+10:002012-07-15T09:40:40.542+10:00A Good Deed<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I ticked another item of my Bucket list.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have no idea why it took me 40 years to do it, but today I finally donated my blood. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My workplace organised a pickup from work in the Blood Donor Van, and my Workmate Melissa (another first timer) and I went off to do our good deed on Works time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ladies were lovely, and made us feel at ease, 500mls of the Red Stuff later and we were treated to pastries, milkshakes, cheese & crackers, lollies.. before I thought...oh crap the calories.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZCvF0sru0GrUoDhhXMJyWOwH3DlmRlvQxy70xjXyaV1KFOnOyJ4ZE-EukJbNz6-UpSZ6DrlaJoBFekM-0aqAkgD5NlMUFJIdRrRiSrjmhnnaf8CJ_8-AiZOz-RgQqCBNHXBitq6lSGMW/s1600/blood-donor-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZCvF0sru0GrUoDhhXMJyWOwH3DlmRlvQxy70xjXyaV1KFOnOyJ4ZE-EukJbNz6-UpSZ6DrlaJoBFekM-0aqAkgD5NlMUFJIdRrRiSrjmhnnaf8CJ_8-AiZOz-RgQqCBNHXBitq6lSGMW/s320/blood-donor-day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I got told not to do any strenuous activity for 24 hours, and I realised I would have to miss my Zumba class tonight! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmmm not the best behaviour the day before weigh in (again) but at least this time I can feel pleased that today I did something good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I saved lives today.</span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-42904682357167443092012-06-23T14:35:00.003+10:002012-07-15T09:41:49.620+10:00My Nemesis ... Is it the Frog? or Me?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I have not had a great week... Outwardly, I am blaming a new nemesis, a certain little green frog, who has been calling my name for the past week. His name is Freddo Frog.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRanixuXRXzWVXGJGUp7OFbtp4U_opLkLCQT0r8Iv4yfMypVDiIZoDme6ZAik6vtpwwFLwNYyye4q_NvFA3U2vK_8ucGqQXonK5c1WUtCVCx4FOLKSdv02LXEwx1MuRAVk9cQobI02poLZ/s1600/article-freddo-200x0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRanixuXRXzWVXGJGUp7OFbtp4U_opLkLCQT0r8Iv4yfMypVDiIZoDme6ZAik6vtpwwFLwNYyye4q_NvFA3U2vK_8ucGqQXonK5c1WUtCVCx4FOLKSdv02LXEwx1MuRAVk9cQobI02poLZ/s1600/article-freddo-200x0.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It seems to be Fundraising time... no less than 3 boxes of 50 Freddo's are sitting in our office, just $1 each... It's all for a good cause right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of these boxes is located less than 2 metres from where I sit for 8 hours a day, and despite walking in every morning with a strong resolve... by 3pm each day it's dissolved into a pile of chocolate! Dammit Dammit Dammit, why can't I flex my willpower muscle and Just say NO!. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When it comes down to it I am sabotaging myself... I know that this behaviour is not going to help me reach my goals, if it continues it will send me back to where I started. I'm letting my guard down, and the old UnHealthy me has been sneaking back into control and talking me back into old habits. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So it's time to sit down with 'her' - the old unhealthy me - and have a little discussion. I have to admit she's been quiet lately, she hardly even makes a sound when we run, she doesn't even show up to zumba, but I hadn't noticed her stealth approach to sneak back in control of what was going into my mouth. She had been doing the "JFDI" in reverse, she had been sneaking in the "One won't hurt - JFDI" and I have been falling for it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The chocolate is gone in a minute, sometimes in 3 bites, and there is absolutely no long lasting goodness, but the annoyance and bad self talk that follows goes on for a while, and then she starts the old "well you've done it now you might as well have another" - and yes I fell for that too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So where do we go from here ? I thought we were making progress. I need to know why I am allowing myself to 'self-sabotage'. I've done it time and time again. I get to a weight that I can live with - I'm 76/77kgs, I'm a size 12, and somewhere in my head she's telling me "thats enough - it's ok". And yeah, I am a lot healthier now than I was, I'm a lot fitter now than I was, but this is not where the story ends. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I set myself a goal to be in the Healthy BMI range, and I have not reached that goal yet... I'm close, but it's <b>NOT</b> enough. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So anyway, I was having a little chat with my unhealthy self and trying to suss out #1 why I had become fat in the first place, #2 why I have lost weight before but not kept it off, #3 why I seem to sabotage myself when I get close to my goal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well these answers don't come easy. She needs a little coaxing to be honest with me, to feel confident enough to trust me, because somewhere along the line she's been hurt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Correction, we've been hurt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want my whole self to be happy, and that includes her - to help me enjoy the fun things in life again but I think that for the past 30-40 years she has been hiding in the corner, to scared to really stand out and feel the sun on her face. Why? I want to know why, so I can help her to heal.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dear Unhealthy Mandy, </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I thought you were extinct. But I was wrong. And I realise now that you may have periods of silence, but you will always be there laying dormant, so we need to come to a better understanding of what I need to do to keep you from acting out the way you do. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Firstly I need you to understand that I need to finish this. I need to reach the goal. My entire life has been full of not finishing what I have started, from stories I have started writing, courses I have started taking, artworks I have started creating... none finished. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This turning 40 thing... call it a mid life crisis if you want... was time to change. I wasted the first half of my life not finishing anything I started, I only have half my life left and I have got some big dreams to fulfil. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What I need to do is not let you feel deprived. To give you your 'sweet fix' every now and again, but do it in a planned and controlled way ; to let you savour each mouthful. I also need to educate you on why sugars and fats are bad for us.... Lets be honest , If I die, you die, so we need to work together to ensure we stay here as long as possible. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you help me, if you stop trying to overrule me, if you help me flex my will power muscle, I will give you your dreams. Do you remember the dreams we had when we were a kid? I know that you had them, being unhealthy doesn't mean that you don't have dreams, it just meant that you never really believed you could have them.... But I am here to tell you that you can be swimming in the Mediterranean like you wanted, and we can also be doing it in the Red Bikini like I want. We can travel the Amalfi Coastline like you have wanted since you were 12, and we can do it on foot by doing the 'Walk of the Gods'.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLxDMqzBXko1JPtOroBeQEUZmjw3N-gT5dP0fd6Nc9TekXWXey8KlFaBAUthhzFKZlhPZQXNf3xo7QyZi2DZSF8zxq_Gb12N7JvpbTKuNqmLFfvs-HTrBZEIG491XYtVhdTV7KN5h979Y/s1600/To-Positano-partof-the-Walk-of-the-Gods-1024x726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLxDMqzBXko1JPtOroBeQEUZmjw3N-gT5dP0fd6Nc9TekXWXey8KlFaBAUthhzFKZlhPZQXNf3xo7QyZi2DZSF8zxq_Gb12N7JvpbTKuNqmLFfvs-HTrBZEIG491XYtVhdTV7KN5h979Y/s320/To-Positano-partof-the-Walk-of-the-Gods-1024x726.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Path of "The Walk of the Gods" between Positano and Praiano</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>So next time we get that craving, next time there are lollies or chocolate in the vicinity, I need you to think about the potential of what we are giving up, if I give in to you. We need to be strong enough together to forgo the immediate gratification (that does not last) and hold out for the good stuff.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Until this year, I didn't now how it felt to achieve something that I thought was impossible... believe me it feels great. I want you to feel it too. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>You know what.. I am no longer going to refer to you as unhealthy me... you are not. You just didn't know any better. And by calling you that, I am making it a reality. You are my inner child. You are scared, you are innocent, you are unprepared. I will be brave for you, I will be wise for you, I will be prepared for you. All I need is for you to come along for the ride, and support me. I do know what I am doing, and I am doing what is best for us. If you help me, I will show you that we can have the life you always wanted.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>I Love you. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Fit, Healthy and Powerful Mandy.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-12706645150597310602012-06-21T07:07:00.001+10:002012-07-15T09:42:36.800+10:00Weigh In<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even though it's Thursday ... and Weigh in is on Wednesday... Today I weigh .... <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>76.3kg!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That is 2 kgs down from my start weight of this round.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realised it had been a while since I posted my graph.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeOObJcImlUiR5OhnQENEexVg82XbVrEsM9r5Owz3HKATNFZ9f_nncr_6gZRSWMH4MBKc5pHIvC3-NLTPfh5-GJRA-qtpJ0qMGM9ZmS6PRRhpZxMfQAzYOJOSRfsLMWteET2SX2mly49B/s1600/graphjun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeOObJcImlUiR5OhnQENEexVg82XbVrEsM9r5Owz3HKATNFZ9f_nncr_6gZRSWMH4MBKc5pHIvC3-NLTPfh5-GJRA-qtpJ0qMGM9ZmS6PRRhpZxMfQAzYOJOSRfsLMWteET2SX2mly49B/s320/graphjun.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am less than 4 kgs away from my original goal of 72.5 (Healthy BMI), which originally seemed so far away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I go closer to this, I reassessed the goal down to 70kg, then to 68kg. They are now really within reach and I am still quite stunned. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are not many mini goals on my list left to achieve now....</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDn5XT0MPmlznSMJ815sIn8TKluMz8CTTy8Q1q3fTYAW2YFZM6MEiD1HAkWUoC_Z-vbObUtj3fBaVjYhENM6TVWnYgQL-m99ttOJthYUJz3ZQ5rrxuYe2CN5gutqJ1UNDNQs5IP9lwlL8/s1600/goals2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDn5XT0MPmlznSMJ815sIn8TKluMz8CTTy8Q1q3fTYAW2YFZM6MEiD1HAkWUoC_Z-vbObUtj3fBaVjYhENM6TVWnYgQL-m99ttOJthYUJz3ZQ5rrxuYe2CN5gutqJ1UNDNQs5IP9lwlL8/s320/goals2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are mixed results amongst my friends doing the challenge as well. One of my dear friends sent me her results yesterday "Only 500g down" she said... ONLY! ONLY 500g! There are some 12WBTers who gained, some who lost 100g, some who lost 2.1kg last week. One thing I have learned on this journey is to celebrate every loss, even the small ones, because its heading in the right direction. If its a gain... it's happened, there is no point freaking out. Calmly reassess the week, look at what you did (or didn't do) that contributed to the result, Own it, and work harder this week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Found this little pic to keep in mind, next time you 'only' lose 500g (1.1lb).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZoSM358YZKQew75GYvRTUaV4rPdJoPq-hVy52pGhie8btltCC_6WIHd5qTgTkqpr9XrhYaaDgC3P_w0sqqZDH-20rZz6MgkgZbRZRwB41k7TJ8doHGBiWCXLgL1_svNFYnKBMjvF-f_S/s1600/20120524-184352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZoSM358YZKQew75GYvRTUaV4rPdJoPq-hVy52pGhie8btltCC_6WIHd5qTgTkqpr9XrhYaaDgC3P_w0sqqZDH-20rZz6MgkgZbRZRwB41k7TJ8doHGBiWCXLgL1_svNFYnKBMjvF-f_S/s320/20120524-184352.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-80593681388736301772012-06-17T21:16:00.000+10:002012-07-15T09:43:57.383+10:00Weekly Surprise<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Part of the regular features of the 12WBT is Michelle's weekly surprise. Every Sunday night the 'Surprise' opens, and we have 6 days/nights to complete the activity and submit it to be in to win a Prize. - optional of course, but if you not in, you not win!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Previous surprises have included the Fitness Tests, Creating a Recipe, Creating a Workout (from last round), and so far in this round we have had a nutritional pop quiz </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(which I failed BTW - probably should've googled, but I thought I knew better! LOL), </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">we have made an</span><a href="http://pinterest.com/mandy_howells/12wbt-vision-board/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank"> inspiration board</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and now we have to submit a blog... Well that's easy.... DONE!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdFrhg1eZFkUXNh2JFBBH2Ll93TCdcl5LVixJrnLb0beV2HMiYedKfowDucShzfm_whxz4ID3IrjvCFPNYy_uNklezSfUf2dsmuFI4oSBD3EFUPLOUFirRujtVeVw6136nITL79B9ha0t/s1600/268527196502195500_0g7CFI34_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdFrhg1eZFkUXNh2JFBBH2Ll93TCdcl5LVixJrnLb0beV2HMiYedKfowDucShzfm_whxz4ID3IrjvCFPNYy_uNklezSfUf2dsmuFI4oSBD3EFUPLOUFirRujtVeVw6136nITL79B9ha0t/s320/268527196502195500_0g7CFI34_f.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the images from my Inspiration Board.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not every challenge is this easy. I've got to say I have struggled with my organisation this round. I can sit there with my diary, and write it down, plan and decide what I am going to do this week... and by mid week it's all gone to crap. I'm still losing weight, and on track, but I know if I could focus just a little more, I would be seeing so much more success. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimzJ7mG6gur-lui29igXXEuySOPclN9wNMSOIu0VGln72_pk6nnKtD9YO_Rv5qtenzohOI8qoYMok1tGuxv4L6JcbgpAZwnKz1IRCrl6sljdicM6pFujnifm2kL-IV0hS0Nhgemlrvt2h/s1600/Focus+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimzJ7mG6gur-lui29igXXEuySOPclN9wNMSOIu0VGln72_pk6nnKtD9YO_Rv5qtenzohOI8qoYMok1tGuxv4L6JcbgpAZwnKz1IRCrl6sljdicM6pFujnifm2kL-IV0hS0Nhgemlrvt2h/s320/Focus+woman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My word of the moment is BALANCE! I feel unbalanced, and this is what I need to FOCUS on to get myself back on track. I am unbalanced because... Work is insanely busy, and I am bringing the stresses home with me, using my mental exhaustion as an excuse, not knowing how to switch off.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was thinking today... <i>(yeah, look it's not that rare for me to be thinking)</i> and the thought dawned on me that I have been stressing over this new job (not so new any more) trying to make sure that I was good enough, that I was doing enough to impress, trying to prove to anyone (myself) that I was good enough for it... and not having enough hours in the day to be as perfect as I want to be. I am killing myself trying to be perfect for a job that I don't even particularly like... at the expense of my life! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From now on, I will <b><span style="color: red;">WORK to LIVE, not LIVE to WORK!</span></b> I will work as hard as I can when I am there, but when I clock out, I need to give all of myself back to me. I am working to get paid, so I can spend that pay on my family, my life and my experience. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwS9XYoxOZ_NijZ1yMbTMjgOGs1BYdKzLPPHAC56rL5gXunEYXlskJyWmyjU9kCjmnrZ6uOxvVa9GGXRkQwyOWHCPkhASXQf003zAlfY67osOfehGlsiOqXClGKdoGZBV8fIcflfDgEf_/s1600/workLifeBalance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwS9XYoxOZ_NijZ1yMbTMjgOGs1BYdKzLPPHAC56rL5gXunEYXlskJyWmyjU9kCjmnrZ6uOxvVa9GGXRkQwyOWHCPkhASXQf003zAlfY67osOfehGlsiOqXClGKdoGZBV8fIcflfDgEf_/s320/workLifeBalance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think once I get this balance right, the other things will start to balance out too... my organisation of my eating and workout will start to fall into place. </span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497457379142707847.post-20312126053835145722012-06-16T15:12:00.001+10:002012-07-15T09:44:44.851+10:00Going for Distance...<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why is it that I do my best thinking in the shower? Doesn't everyone though? Is it the lack of interuption, the rhythmic sound of the water falling, the warmth, the comfort - it allows your mind to settle, and your soul to awaken, inspiration can kick in, it's me time - time to get in touch with me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have discovered another time when I feel this same way, the rhythmic sound of my breathing, of my shoes hitting the footpath. I am alone, and most often watching the sunrise or sunset, and I can have that conversation in my head that does not have the opportunity to do during the busy working day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm shocked to say it, but I am beginning to love running. It's my 'me time'.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNHSWiYrN3u6jR37uxpEE-8Cadlm0_hu69P-FdXusGPXIzx8xEP-YLdyGRpiIBPE_RS9R0be_rhitJVfAiYrqhSEpnKYMARA5fp9LBeV5jQuf4hCbsgOlSVk3oteNlSRKMkK-v9-6ukyR/s1600/107030928613809481_u4bHetuD_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNHSWiYrN3u6jR37uxpEE-8Cadlm0_hu69P-FdXusGPXIzx8xEP-YLdyGRpiIBPE_RS9R0be_rhitJVfAiYrqhSEpnKYMARA5fp9LBeV5jQuf4hCbsgOlSVk3oteNlSRKMkK-v9-6ukyR/s320/107030928613809481_u4bHetuD_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been a little freaked out about the 10km in 2 weeks. The last few 5km runs, I have pushed myself for a better time, and felt completely shattered by the end of the 5km, and it made me really worried about how I was going to cope with 10km.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this morning I set myself a goal to go the distance, to run further than I have before, to not be concerned with time, but to run the distance I set myself. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You would have seen me talk about my lake before, some of you may remember when I achieved <a href="http://fearless-forty.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/milestone.html" target="_blank">my goal to run a lap of the lake without stopping</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I now know that from my front door, around the lake and back to my front door is 4.9km, So I thought I would do 2 laps, and it should be about about 9km door to door....and further than the 8km Mothers Day Classic (when I did walk about 500m at the 6-7km mark).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIv4N47ycQ3YyxWeIo-djoMb0iuzyl-kAELmc7eTR4UOw7YgCw0XCwmfsXVRifX18vm7Yt7Ut0VOArbkcu7yRJL9tBB-yUzj5fIciU_jep0s0W-dcuteW3sVWtNX5z94BQFhl9-Ffi-2Xc/s1600/1055599882362975_ku5PNj5q_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIv4N47ycQ3YyxWeIo-djoMb0iuzyl-kAELmc7eTR4UOw7YgCw0XCwmfsXVRifX18vm7Yt7Ut0VOArbkcu7yRJL9tBB-yUzj5fIciU_jep0s0W-dcuteW3sVWtNX5z94BQFhl9-Ffi-2Xc/s1600/1055599882362975_ku5PNj5q_b.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I set off, at a slower, comfortable pace. My Run Keeper was telling me I was running at an average of 8.03mins per km(I have gotten my 5km down to average 7mins per km). The first lap was fine, no breathing issues, just nice comfortable steady pace. The second lap was harder, but I was more than halfway through the second lap before I started to feel fatigued.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My back was starting to hurt, I tried to pick up the pace but my legs were getting heavier, but I got to the end of the second lap, and continued on to the next exit (the lake path has about 4 entry points), and then up the path, and down the street to home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-large;"><b>RESULT. 9.27km in 1hr 14mins.</b></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although I felt like I had nothing left in the tank, I've gotta say, I was in less pain than when I finished the 8km, and with only 750m more to make 10km, I now know <b><span style="color: red;">I CAN DO IT. </span></b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been hoping for a 10km time of around 80mins. 70mins meant doing 2 x my fastest ever 5kms back to back, so I thought 80mins was more realistic, so to do 9.27 in 74mins, puts me right on pace for the 10km in 80mins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm really pleased that I JFDI today, as it has taken the fear out of the actual 10km run on June 30....and you know what else I learned today...?</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOlYkROOX8RbpmbDRp0iac60Fggo23UUeKwM25SAPpAp3qxwgMattaUfzeGtqbatTFLovkTXeG83WH94MPgTC4AiVIx0-ycrW-3JOSBoYYOYFPu0bu9UKz98VlYRePDKKlAb4BTrpcEfc/s1600/run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOlYkROOX8RbpmbDRp0iac60Fggo23UUeKwM25SAPpAp3qxwgMattaUfzeGtqbatTFLovkTXeG83WH94MPgTC4AiVIx0-ycrW-3JOSBoYYOYFPu0bu9UKz98VlYRePDKKlAb4BTrpcEfc/s320/run.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I learned ... I AM A RUNNER!</b></span>Mandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05605277699836064642noreply@blogger.com1