Fit and Healthy Week 3

Well week 2 was pretty good.

I managed to achieve all of my workout goals except for my second shoulder workout but I went water skiing instead & had a go on the knee board. That was a great shoulder workout, especially seen as though I hadnt done anything like that since my teenage years...ouch!

Week3

So this weeks plan is really just a repeat of last week, I have been letting the sugary snacks sneak their way back in a little so I need to tighten my belt there.

Week 3 of couch to 5k, I know it steps up a bit this week so will be more challenging.

I found a great circuit to do. It has 6 exercises that you do 10. Reps of each & repeat 6x.

You time yourself  so when you do it next you have to beat the previuos time which is a great idea.

The last exercise is burpee's & they really bring me unstuck.

I have gotten my treadmill & recumbant bike out of storage so I can still do some cardio no matter the weather which will be a god send as Ive been rained out every morning this week. No more excuses...eeek!

So how was your week?

CHEERS

Trish xx

Fit & Healthy- Week 2

One week in & I am happy to report I am ridiculously sore EVERYWHERE!!

A crazy statement I know but you do have to experience some level of discomfort on the path to being fit & healthy.

I worked hard at cutting down on my sugar intake just as I had planned.

 I did suffer some withdrawal symptoms, mostly just a dull headache that lasted for 2 days & I was a tad moody/snappy.

Sorry kids :-)

The week went well during the week, but I did unfortunately fall of the wagon on the weekend as far as my nutrition is concerned, having a few cookies & pizza one night for dinner.

 I also enjoyed a few glasses of wine as planned.

My training was fantastic all week. I completed week 1 of the Couch to 5 k program plus added an extra 2 walks.

I also managed to do a weights work out for every muscle group.

At this stage my weights program for this first 4 weeks consists of 3 -4 different exercises for each muscle group with 3 sets of up to 12 reps. I am trying to set my weight so I do lift to failure by the third set & its working a treat, hence the sore muscles.

This weeks plan of attack

Nutrition - 

Keep trying to beat that sugar addiction.

I have made some clean sweet treats to help with that, you can get my protein ball recipe 

Here

I will share more recipes as we go along some using protein, some without.

I will also be cutting down on my carb intake at night which will also reduce my dinner size, something that is necessary as I eat far to large a meal at night considering I am not doing anything physical.

Training -

I will tackle Week 2 of Couch to 5K

  I will  continue with my weight training program but this week I am going up my ab training to twice a week  as good core strength is the foundation for everything & i would like to pick a muscle group each week to target a second time, this week I think its going to be shoulders.

I did weigh, measure & take a couple of BEFORE pics last week as a measure of how I am trekking but I know if I check in on those stats to regularly, I tend to self sabotage, so I will just keep at it for a few weeks, until I can feel some changes in my clothes, before I worry about those tasks.

I do however fell less bloated & a little more energetic already.

I will be participating in the February

Maxines Shape up Challenge

so perhaps I will wait until then to measure my progress.

Remember, If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't work!!

If you would like to catch up on last weeks post you can read it  here

How are your fitness & nutrition goals for 2015 coming along?

CHEERS

Trish x

My neighborhood

It would be an understatement if I said I LOVE where I live

it really is a beautiful location & a great neighborhood.

I walk most mornings & these are the sights I see around my neighborhood.

Tree lined streets

Farm land along the river

This house sits at the end of our street, my kids call it "The Haunted House"

It looks especially spooky surrounded by storm clouds.

The Hunter River

Beautiful lane ways

These are just pics from my iPhone that I take whilst I walk.

Such a beautiful way to start the day don't you think?

CHEERS

Trish xx

Fit & Healthy Week 1

For most of my life I have been interested in fitness & nutrition.

I was a sporty kid & then started working in the fitness industry at the age of twenty as an aerobics instructor.

This is me in my mid twenties after 2 kids. I used to love teaching Les Mills classes & still enjoy participating in them if I am ever in a gym.

I studied  to become a personal trainer & nutritionist. I even started my own personal training studio & worked in this industry until my early thirties, when baby no.3 came along. 

The hours became to challenging with a family. Most clients needed to train early in the morning or after work, the busy times in a family home.

 Sadly I let my qualifications go by the way side & eventually my healthy habits became more inconsistent.

 I have never fully abandoned my healthy lifestyle,I just became inconsistent & that doesn't get results, or at least not the results I wanted.

I'm not particularly over weight or unfit but I am about 5kg away from where I would like to be.

I want to be able to run 5km & see some muscle tone.

I want to go clothes shopping & not have to shop for clothes that hide my muffin top & I want to be able to have a photo taken & not think argh, look at that chubby face!

In 2013 I participated in the Maxines 12 week Shape up Challenge & got great results, but then got sick, which really played havoc with my health for about 3 months .

 I just never got back into the habit after that, we then moved house & well here I am, with no excuses now other than failing to start!!!

This was my final photo after the Maxines challenge,I wanted to lose just a touch more after this yet here I am 18months later & 2kg heavier.

Plan of attack

As Nike suggest I am going to "Just Do It!!!!"

I am starting with the Couch to 5k running program, they have a great app for your phone & a nice lady tells me when to run & when to walk.You only need to do it 3 x a week which is very achievable.

If you want to burn fat you need to do some cardio, you need to challenge yourself.

I walk most mornings but its not a challenge so it is only useful for maintaining my current weight & fitness level.

I've done this program before it  really does make the progression from walking to running reasonably easy & if you are struggling you just repeat the day or week until you are ready to move forward. 

I have my own gym set up at home so there is no reason I cant do a weight training program, nothing to stop me but laziness. I have written myself a   program so I can do a little something each day.There are however a wealth of great programs on bodybuilding.com if I want something a little different.

 The best results come from lifting weights, changing your body shape & boosting your metabolism.

Once again, it has to be challenging to work

I will also be cutting a lot of crap from my diet, mostly sugar, just making small changes each day over a few weeks until I am eating clean again.

Baby steps to form lifelong good habits, rather than an all or nothing attitude.

So feel free to join me, I will be updating once a week on how I am going, results or no results.

You can document your journey in the comments if you like or would any fellow bloggers like to join me & we could make a link party, a great way to share training, motivational tips & recipes.

What are your thought?

Have you lost your way & need a little boost to get going again as well?

CHEERS

Trish xx

House Tour

Welcome to the first tour of our home

'St Elmo'

This is what we saw for our first inspection with the real estate.

It looks a whole lot different now just because we have our furniture in, but there is so so much change to come.

The house needs to be re piered first,  so we will work our way through one room at a time.

It really will be a five year project but I will style & decorate as best I can, on a limited budget to make it feel like our home. Realistically our funds are best spent on the major reno's rather than decorator items, BUUUUT, I have waited a long time for this, so I may not be able to help myself at times, he he he!

So watch this space for further developments.

CHEERS

Trish xx

Giving your home a lift with fresh flowers

I really do think fresh flowers will give a lift to any room in any home.

Whether it is in a vase, jug or mason jar you can create a great centre piece on your dining table, liven up your kitchen bench or a small fresh posie on your bedside table to greet you in the morning is always nice.

Our house is pretty run down & in need of some major work

but I still take great pleasure in dressing it up where ever I can.

Its also nice to breathe in the scent of beautiful flowers when you walk in  the room.

It feels very luxurious & creates a really relaxing atmosphere to have a beautiful bunch of flowers & be burning a scented candle of an evening.

I have been fortunate enough to have been able to make the most of the over abundant supply of flowers growing in the cottage garden planted by the previous owners of the house.

We have however, pulled out most of that garden over the last couple of weeks to give the home a tidier, more formal finish.  It was all very over grown & not how we envision the house to look once finished.

We have maintained or relocated quite a few of the plants & we will introduce more of the things we love over time,  but that's a whole other post with before & after pics...

we all love a good before & after story!

I do apologise for the quality of my photo's as they are just iPhone pics, meant more for a quick instagram update. I must put more focus on getting out my DSLR & taking pics specifically for my blog this year.

Every girl has to have something pretty to look at even if her husband is ripping up her floor or jacking up piers & cracking the plaster walls, wouldn't you agree!

Do you have flowers around the house?

I am thinking now that my supply is limited I may need to invest in some indoor plants & try a little greenery.

What do you think?

CHEERS

Trish xx

2015 ALREADY!!!!

Seriously, 2015 already!!!

How quickly did the past 12 months pass us by ?

We had a nice night ringing in the new year with some lovely friends.

We made the most of where we live & all walked to the river to watch the 9pm fireworks & then back home to count down until midnight.

I have lots of plans for the new year, how about you?

We have lots of plans for repairing & rejuvenating our home, it will be a slow & ongoing process as we will be trying ever so hard to save for each stage rather than create debt for our reno's.

So having a strict budget & sticking to it will be a priority, sounds boring I know, but it will pay off down the track.

Lucky this big guy is clever & we wont need to hire to many outside trades, I will be the chief designer & lackie whilst he does the clever stuff.

My kids all have big years ahead, full of change

No.1 is going into her 2nd year of studying Graphic Design at Billie Blue Design College & living & working in Sydney. She has really made a great life for herself & enjoys city living.

No.2 Has just completed a Cert 4 in Business Admin & is now on the lookout for employment. She has a huge list of goals to kick this year & I have no doubt she will achieve them all.

No.3 Is just about to start High School & is maturing at a rapid pace. He really is looking forward to the change & plans on tackling it with great gusto

&

No.4 goes into primary school, she really is growing up way to fast.

2014 was full of ups & downs for us, it does sometimes feel like every time we are getting ahead something changes to pull us back again. Generally after a lot of frustration, life heads in a new direction & it sorts itself out again.

Career wise this has certainly been truer than true.

I will be looking for the perfect part time job, I have no real direction there, do I return to hairdressing, look for something sales orientated in line with my last job(New Home Sales consultant), work in retail, preferably homewares or home furnishings or learn something new.

I think it will be dictated more by the work hours on offer & what works family wise rather than passion.

I have been very inconsistent with my fitness & nutrition over the past 6 months & it shows.

I feel very sluggish & my clothes have become a little to snug for comfort.

Its time to get back on track & build regular exercise back into my daily routine . I really do need to cut back on the sweet treats & wine

This may hurt.......

So to cut a long story short, my goals for 2015

Happy kids

Happy husband

Renovate our home

Save Money

Eat healthy

Exercise

Get a job

& have a few adventures along the way.

How about you, do you have any major resolutions?

Happy 2015 everyone, here's to a healthy, wealthy, smooth sailing 2015

CHEERS

Trish xx