TWO BIRDS...ONE STONE

Well some things are sent to try us, best laid plans... and all those clichés.  After the events of the past few days I found myself in a bit of a pickle.


#1 My car broke down on Monday,  and the decision has been made to retire the poor old thing. Replacement will be some time coming, so it's public transport for me.  This means I needed to get my husband to drive me to the train station to catch the 8am train, and he had to hang around until at least 8.20 until he could drop the girls at school. Not ideal. He didn't mind, but I felt Guilty.  Having to leave earlier than when I was driving, I found I didn't have as much time to do my walks in the morning, and get ready for work.  I could catch the 6.30 train and go to the work gym (which is not as scenic as walking the lake), but I would then need to get my husband up at 6am to take me.. More guilt, or  I could get up earlier than 5.30. I was already struggling with 5.30 but this was going to have to be the way.


#2 Then Wednesday brought torrential rain, and the Gold Coast started to flood. Our house was fine, but my beautiful lake rose and rose, and the water engulfed the path. Now my morning walk/run is out as an option, so it's going to have to be early train, or a home workout followed by the inconvenience to my family. 

My hubby and Daughter standing on the path where I normally start my run.

Then driving back from Westfield Helensvale today , which is also where the train station is located, it dawned on me... How long would it take me to walk to the train station in the mornings?  Instead of walking around a lake, I can walk myself to where I need to be!  Makes sense!  I can solve two problems with one walk.  I am lucky enough to have showers at work, so I can get ready there.


So I decided that this afternoon I needed to do a test run, to see how long the walk would take me, so then I can figure out when I would need to leave to catch each train.  My husband guessed it would take two hours, I thought an hour and a half, Google Maps said 1 hour 20mins... so I set of on my misson.

I took the direct route, without footpaths in some areas, but there is a 400m longer paved alternative. I didn't stroll, this is a workout as well, and I sat down on a bench at the train station 1 hour and 11 minutes later. Sweaty, happy and 720 calories burned.

I'm so proud of myself for not letting excuses (that would be so easy to find) get the better of me, and finding an excellent solution.
Now I just gotta go pack my bag for tomorrow (work clothes, shoes, towel, toilet bag etc) and tomorrow I start day 1 of my new routine. 
The only other problem I foresee is how the other commuters are going to feel about  a sweaty and smelly woman on the train and bus.. But hey, that's their problem, not mine. 

Day of Mixed Fortune

Not sure if it was the Chinese New Year changing into the year of the Dragon, or the New Moon but today was  one of those days, you know... one of those days when you wish you had just stayed in bed!


I had the perfect day all planned out, as follows :

My Healthy Lunch that I forgot

Alarm set for 5.30am

Walk/Run around the Lake 6-7am

Breakfast, Shower, ready for work, leave 8am

Pack my gym gear for a lunchtime mini workout

Lunch already made the night before

Start work 9am

Come home  and settle in to watch the Biggest Loser on telly.

How the day ACTUALLY turned out, 

• Alarm went off at 5.30, turned it off, and somehow fell back asleep before my feet hit the floor
• Woke up 6.45 - Arghh missed my run, need to figure out how to burn 500cals some other way. Get ready, Pack my gym gear
• Leave on time
• Half way to work, realise I missed breakfast, and forgotten lunch 
• text work to warn I will be late
• turn car around
• half way home... car gives up (he had been on the way out for a while - but we just can't afford to replace it right now, so it looks like public transport for me for a few months).
• Frantically call hubby to come get me (who was in midst of dropping kids off for first day of school), and he drives me home to get my lunch, and then to work.
• Arrive 15 mins late - and not in a very good mood.
• On my desk is an inter-office envelope, with a thank you from a colleague, containing chocolate! A lovely gesture, but not what a person about to embark on a 12 week body transformation challenge needs.
• Unhealthy Me, thought 'Yeah! After the shitty morning I have had, I'm gonna scoff this, and make myself feel better.... but Healthy Me, said "Thanks, but No thanks", and immediately strolled out to the call centre and donated it to another colleague. That was the proudest part of my day today - I did not give in to emotional eating.

What I found interesting, intriguing and peculiar is the fact that before I left for work Michelle had sent us our next pre-season Challenge, which was to set our goals and make them S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Based).
We were challenged to plan in 12 month, 6 month, 3 month and even 1 month blocks, and when setting our goals, it is just as crucial to plan out how I am going to achieve them, not just what my goals are.
And not just weight-loss goals, all goals.
So this very morning, I wrote down that one of my goals was to get a new car by 6 months.... Now if you know me, you know I believe in the Law of Attraction - so when the car went Kaput this morning I looked up to the Universe and screamed NOT YET!  Yes, I wonder if the universe's way of making me achieve my goal was to get rid of my old one first! Well it makes sense, it's definitely put the saving and searching into action.
So here I was, trying really hard to accept my new transport situation without getting myself down, and looking up to the sky saying "hey, if this is how it is, I have no idea where the money is coming from for this new car, I completely leave it in your hands... Show me the money!"

So I get to work, and ask my team leader if we can check our syndicate lotto ticket, because I need some money... and I really need something to go right today. I had a feeling we were going to win. There are 6 of us in our syndicate, and we buy a 5 week ticket.  We had won $18 on our first week, but due to holidays had not checked the last 4 weeks. 

Check week 2 - Nada

Check week 3 - Nothing

Check week 4 - Zilch

Check week 5 -  # 2 YES, # 9 YES, # 14 YES, # 22 YES (You are kidding), # 31 YES (OMFG)... #45?? Nup... BUT WE GOT 5 NUMBERS, DIVISION 5 - $1021 to share between 6. $173 closer to my new car!! Thanks Universe, only another $3000 or so required.  I'll look forward to the creative way you deliver.

WHAT A DAY!

Back on track tomorrow!