Back Into It

We have been away for a lovely week at Airlie Beach.

As much as it is fantastic to get away I'm glad to be back home and hopefully get back into some routine with regard to diet and exercise ... the old work pants were a bit tight when I got dressed this morning.

Today was a squat day.  I really struggled this morning and felt weak and shaky as a result of way too many refined carbs last night (and the last week and a bit).  I only managed to get to 50 kg in my squats.  The second half was a fun partner WOD of:

Accumulate as many reps as possible:

0-2 min: Back Squat (60/40kg)
2-4 min: Pull ups
4-6 min: Hang Power Cleans (60/40kg)
6-8 min: Box Jumps (24″)
8-9 min: Rest
9-11 min: Double Unders
11-12 min: Rest
12-14 min: Box Jumps
14-16 min: Hang Power Cleans
16-18 min: Pull ups
18-20 min: Back Squat

 

I was put into a team of 3 with Tracey and Julia with Tracey and I working at the same time.  I quite enjoyed this workout as it was challenging but we still got some rest periods.  We all had a weight of 25 kg for the squat and cleans, I did unassisted pull ups and 12" box jumps.  I didn't accumulate many pull ups but I'm glad I went without a band.

I'm going to try to get to weightlifting tonight and I'm hoping to try and get there once a week as I feel like I need to work on these movements.  I hope only going once a week will help me even a little.

A Weekend Away

What a weekend!  I feel so lucky that I was able to take my daughters down to Sydney to watch the Allstars Affiliate Series final and cheer on the Gladstone and CQ teams.  CrossFit Gladstone did so well to finish 16th and CrossFit CQ fought hard for their 40th position.  It was so inspirational to watch all the athletes compete on the weekend.

I also took the opportunity to catch up with some ex-12wbters that I met during my Lean and Strong days.  A couple of them are fellow Crossfitters so they were more than keen to come along to the competition on Saturday.  It was so nice to have some people to chat about all things Crossfit.

The girls were fantastic all weekend and it was so cute to hear them cheering for our teams.  They got into it as much as me and we all had sore throats by the end of each day from barracking for the crews.

We left a little bit early on the second day of the competition to allow us to fit in a little bit of sightseeing and caught a train to Circular Quay to see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

It was a fabulous weekend and I wish we had a little bit longer to see a few more things but at the same time it was great to get back home.

Christmas Week

The gym hours have changed this week and they have cut my 6 am class and only having a 7 am session and 1 afternoon session.  This is a logistical nightmare for me as I have to get to work and the kids are home while I'm at work.  The girls were keen to come along this morning but the WOD was snatch practice which is something I need but I didn't feel like it was worth the effort of potentially being late for work and it's not a WOD the girls would be able to do so they would be home for another hour by themselves.  Instead I decided to take the day off and tried to tackle my ever increasing mountain of folding and will walk the dog, work on my handstands and other weaknesses at home this afternoon.

Thud!

I have been brought back to reality with a thud.  We had a lovely few weeks in Thailand and while I'm glad to be home I'm also not ready to get back into day-to-day routine.  I enjoyed our couple of weeks and had some fantastic adventures with the highlights being riding the elephants, snorkelling at Phi Phi Island and bathing, feeding and playing with tiger cubs.  Here are a few pics:

Swimming in Phi Phi Lagoon

At the Phuket Fantasea Show

The girls and a tiger.  Can we keep it?

mmmm ... cocktails!

As it was a public holiday yesterday I had to do a workout at home.  I chose to do one of the WODs from last week which included strict pull ups and then a finisher of double unders, toes to bar (I did knee to chest) and walking lunges.  It was an horrendous workout.  I was barely able to do any pull ups nor could I string together double unders.  I was so disappointed in how my fitness has dropped,
granted I had a week and a half off prior to holidays so there hasn't been much training at all in the last month.

Today I fared a little better although I didn't reach my max for either of my push jerks or squats.  All good though, I expected much worse results.

I have been getting a little disheartened with CrossFit of late and it's largely due to hitting a plateau.  As I have said before, I notice people are overtaking me and it's a bitter pill to swallow but doing research on weightlifting it is common to get the best gains in the first year and then you have to dig deep and fight for any improvement.  I have to admit that there are times when I think I may as well give up because I'll never be as strong as the other girls at the box.  Luckily, I did CrossFit Total before I went on holidays which is where you find your 1RM for strict press, squat and deadlift and add them up to give your total number.  You then compare your bodyweight against the total and see where you sit with regard to strength.  For my weight I am in the intermediate lifting division which I'm pretty darn proud of.  I often forget that I'm smaller than a lot of people that I train with.

There is so much with regard to technique that I need to learn and I can get a little uncoordinated particularly when the weight gets heavy.  I'll continue to listen to my coaches and work on my form,  maybe talk to my coaches with regard to nutrition to ensure I'm feeding myself enough and, most importantly, not give up.

What a Weekend!

I was lucky enough to be able to spend the weekend down at Brissy with a few girlfriends to see Pink in concert.  OMG what a show!  She is absolutely amazing and so athletic ... to be able to perform while flipping upside down is just incredible and she seems so down to earth as well.

The stage musical Grease was on at QPAC as well and while a few of my friends were shopping my mate and I decided to wander over to see if there were any tickets available.  It was meant to be because as we were there chatting to the people in the ticket office 2 tickets became available that were in the middle and near the front.  Luck was on our side!  Both J and I loved every minute of it and spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about our favourite parts.

The remainder of the weekend was spent doing a little bit of shopping but mostly eating.  I had organised a trip to a Teppanyaki restaurant.  We had a fantastic night (even if it got a bit messy).

Today it was back to reality.  I was grateful that it was a pretty cruisy day at CrossFit, just working on our power clean technique.  There were only 4 of us in today's class and it always intrigues me how people pick and choose their workouts.  Met cons are always really busy wherease strength and technique days are quiet.  I think people don't feel like they work hard enough in the latter even though Sean always pops in a finisher at the end of the workout, today was max pull ups and max double unders where both get your heartrate up.

I don't mind the fact that there was only a few of us because it felt like we were getting some one-on-one coaching.  Yet again I was given some great tips which will help me with my lifts in the future ... I sometimes find it hard to break a certain habit (like bending my arms too early in the high pull) but it is just a matter of breaking the lift down to focus on the parts that I need to work on.

Running Amok

I had a girl's trip to Brissy last weekend.  The few days consisted of a lot of:

 And a bit of this:

 And some touristy stuff thrown in:

It was a whole lot of fun but I'm not sure if my poor old body could cope with another day of eating and drinking like that.

A Break Away

We decided to head away to Elliott Heads last weekend for the May Day holiday.  We went with another family with daughters that are a similar age to my girls which was great as the kids went off on their bikes together to the park and basically had a little bit of freedom which they wouldn't normally have at home.  That's what I love most about camping.  On Sunday, we headed into Bundy for something to do and discovered that not much was open in town, however Rivers has Sunday trading so we went in for a quick look as both Moo and I needed a new pair of Ugg boots for when we go to Cania in June.  I also managed to pick up a couple of things for me as well.

I also bought myself a cardigan, singlet, belt combo which goes nicely with the maxi skirt, I just couldn't find the 'right' shoes but I have a trip to Brissy coming up so I'm sure I'll get something I like.  My goal is to look more feminine.  As I work in industry, my current uniform is black shirt and black pants with steel-cap boots and my previous jobs involved wearing hi-vis clothing (yep, that bright yellow with reflective strips.  YUK!)  Of course, if I'm not wearing my work uniform I'm wearing gym clothes so I have a tendency on the weekend to wear shorts with a singlet because that's what I feel comfortable in.  I love the list of things Meaghan has suggested as they are both comfy but also a little girly.  Of course, she still has shorts and jeans but has given me ideas on how to jazz them up a little.  Now all I need is to have some time to shop!

Some Down Time

It's back into the swing of things after a few days off for Easter.  I did over-indulge a little in the old chockie department but am not feeling an ounce of guilt over it.  I continued to train but did workouts that I enjoy.  One of those was Cathe's Turbobarre DVD.  Maybe 'enjoy' is not the best word to describe it but I know I get wicked DOMS from it.  Who would think lifting about 3 - 4kg could make your biceps burn.  I gave my SSS the flick in favour of heading to the beach with the family and a group of friends.  I don't know if it was the Vitamin D or the fact I was just relaxing with great company but I felt truly happy for the first time in awhile.  I think the weekend was just what I needed :-)

Holiday Over

We had THE best time on our hols.  It was fabulous to spend time with the family and our good friends.  My birthday was spent at a day spa with my sister, niece and good mate.  I was joking with the receptionist at the spa that we were there to celebrate my 30 + 10th.  At lunch, the staff surprised me with a slice of cheesecake with a birthday cake.  It was really lovely.

We shared it amongst the 4 of us.  I got a slice of mudcake at dinner that night with 30 + 10 on it too.  LOL!  The rest of the holiday was lazing around not doing too much at all ... just what I needed.

One Week To Go!

I'm getting so excited!  This time next week we will be on our way to Fiji!!  I guess with regard to the 12wbt this would be classed as 'Red Flag Days'.  There is a small part of me that thinks that I should pack my trusty resistance band or plan to visit the hotel gym but I am also thinking that my body needs and deserves a bit of rest.  My plan is to do the 4 days of weight training over the weekend and Monday and Tuesday morning before we leave and then I won't feel guilty for missing days.  Besides I will get a bit of exercise in the form of swimming and snorkelling while we are away.  If the mood hits, I will train but I'm not going to plan workout sessions.

The kids are so excited about the upcoming holiday and we have been looking at all the activities they can do.  I think they will have a ball, particularly seeing as our good friends, my sister and her family and my brother and his family are all coming too so they will have a few people to play with.  Me, I'm looking forward to our Day Spa day that I will be sharing with my sister and my 2 grown nieces.  Can't wait :)

3 Sleeps

Until we are on holidays. Yippee!!! At the start of the year I thought I would be really smart and take the 3 days off between Easter and May Day, not realising that the kids would actually be back in school. Oopsie! Nevermind, it'll be nice to have a few days child-free.

Training has been sporadic the last few weeks and diet has been less than stellar. I have been grumpy as all get out to boot (hmmmm ... I wonder if it's connected to the crap diet and lack of exercise). I think some time away from work and getting up at the 'crack of arse' will be the best thing to get me back on track. The last month has been super-duper busy with prep for the Dance Festival and the start of soccer and netball, but I've said it once and I'll say it a thousand times ... it is all worth it. The girls danced beautifully at the Dance Festival and I was incredibly proud of them both.

Yesterday I took the girls and Missy T's BFF to an ice skating rink that has been temporarily set up for the holidays. I have to admit I was very apprehensive about getting on the ice as I have never tried it before and I think the last time I roller skated I was in primary school. Although I am no ice skating queen I was surprised how quickly I picked it up. Even the kids were skating around the middle by the end. I was totally knackered by the time we left and I thought I would be feeling the effects of it today. My legs are really good but my abs are sore (must be from trying to balance).

I'm starting to get that feeling of aimlessness (is that a word?) and feel like I need to start working toward a goal again. I don't want to compete again but I'm not really sure what I want to do. At the same time, I like the freedom of exercising just for fun. Guess I'll figure it out eventually :o)

Home Again

Man, what a hectic week. Mal spent the first half of the week up in Mackay for a job interview and I have spent the latter part of the week down in Brisbane to see the stage show 'Wicked'. I had a great time with my sister, niece and Mum. I also caught up with my aunty and her family on Wednesday for lunch. They made the yummiest lentil, mashed potato and basil patties for lunch, something I will definitely be trying at home.

'Wicked' was fantastic and I could easily go again. I only wish I had taken the kids to see it as I think they would have enjoyed it as well.

Back from Adelaide

I swear we have been on more plane trips in the last month than we have in the last 10 years. We had a short but fun trip to Adelaide. I had the opportunity to catch up with Kristy on Saturday morning which was lovely. The thing with meeting fellow bloggers is that you kind of know them already so its almost like catching up with an old friend. The wedding was fantastic - we had a blast and although we didn't know many people we met some new people and had plenty of laughs. Mal decided to party on (we were just across the road from the Casino) while I went to bed (I had massive blisters from my awesome yet totally uncomfortable shoes). The excitement of the evening for him was when they decided to go for Macca's in the wee hours of the morning and there was a gunfight in the street. Of course he wasn't too stressed - he was more interested in getting his burger.

We spent Sunday morning at the Adelaide Oval watching cricket which was so relaxing - particularly considering how "tired" we were. A friend then came to pick us up for lunch and a little sight seeing. She took us to a fabulous Vietnamese restaurant, being Vietnamese herself she took control of all the ordering - very noice. After a bit of a drive around we went back to the hotel for a nanna nap and then dinner.

It was a great weekend and it was nice to have a weekend away without the girls even though I had a massive guilt trip over being away for Missy T's birthday - not that she cared any. Now its time to get back to reality. *sigh*

A Quickie

Just a quick check-in. I had an awesome weekend away with my girlfriends with loads of laughs and incredibly bad singing on Sing Star. The girls who organised the weekend had planned loads of pampering as well and we enjoyed soaking our feet in milk baths and doing our nails - all very girly. It was a shame to come back to work yesterday.

We are off to Adelaide this weekend and I should be catching up with Kristy for a cuppa while we are there.

Training has been non-existant this week as I am really struggling with fatigue. I am planning a trip to the docs at some point to get some blood work done to see if I'm deficient in anything but part of me just believes that I'm burning the candle at both ends. One of the joys of working fulltime with kidlets.

Post Holiday Slump

Its seems as though I have been hit with a case of the blues after our holiday. I guess its largely because we have had to hit the ground running since getting back. The girls have had their tap exams this week which meant extra lessons so there was lots of extra running around the last two weeks. The upside of that is that my gym is just around the corner so a couple of times I could get in an extra workout for the week. Despite my lack of motivation I have got in some great workouts. Routine is such a fantastic thing. I swear if I didn't have Mossy I would find it a lot harder to get up in the morning, having a border collie means I have to at least go walking everyday.

Next weekend I am heading to Rocky/Yeppoon for the weekend with my girlfriends. It should be fantastic and some much needed "girltime" then the following weekend Mal and I are heading to Adelaide for another wedding sans kidlets - exciting!!

I'm Back

Above are photos of the family at my niece's wedding. It was an absolutely fantastic day and the weather was perfect - pretty amazing considering it was cold and raining all week and then raining again the day after. The weather came as a rude shock to us as we had spent the few days before leaving in singlets and shorts with the air con going, when we got to Perth is was 12degC in the middle of the day! Yikes! Mind you, it was lovely to see green grass for a change.

We had a fabulous time taking the kids to the zoo, aquarium and King's Park to see the wild flowers (and for them to roll down the hill) plus the science nerd in me had to take them to Scitech. The old credit card got a flogging - got my LJ fix and, of course, we made a couple of trips to various wineries and breweries (as well as the chocolate and nougat factory).

Apart from walking around the sites and dancing up a storm at the wedding, I did absolutely no exercise for the 2 weeks over there as there was no way in hell I was getting up in the cold and rain. I remember saying to Mal at one point how lovely it was to not think about food and training. It has amazed me catching up on the many blogs that I am at a similar point to a lot of people in the blog world. Yes, I love my training and I also love eating clean but life is too short to weigh up every morsel of food and to live out of tuppaware containers. Time to start enjoying life.

Outta Here

This time tomorrow we will be on the plane to Perth. It will be interesting being without a computer for 2 weeks, Mal went out to have a look at laptops yesterday but came home with nothing. It most probably won't be a bad thing to have some time without blogs, Facebook or Twitter. Mind you, I will be able to update from my phone.

I have a few challenges coming up in the next couple of weeks - food being the biggest of all. I have plans of having snacks in my bag and eat out at lunch, its as much about cost as it is about eating clean. The hardest part will be when we are around my family - my sis does love her coffee and cake. I'm planning on taking my resistance bands and as we are staying at a caravan park, I will be able to use the playground equipment for some workouts if I feel like it. Training isn't high on my priority list as I really feel like a mini-break from it all but I want to be prepared if I get in the mood for a sesh.

I guess I better go and pack. See you on the flipside!

I Can't Wait!!

Its so close now - this time next week we'll be in Perth!!!! This week seems to be taking forever to be over. We got the girl's flowergirl dresses on Friday and they are absolutely adorable, the girls should look like princesses at the wedding. I'm hanging out to hit the shops, Lorna Jane here I come! I don't get much of an opportunity to go shopping, what with working fulltime and the fact I live in the boonies, so when I do I go off. I've been saving for a year for this trip. LOL!

I've been in a fantastic mood this week which I think is partly due to holidays next week and partly due to it being my birthday on Monday. Even though I had to work I had a great day and my darling Hubby cooked me the yummiest roast pork and we finished the evening with Black Forest Cake - totally guilt-free! I've gotten over my disappointment of not being able to fit into my skinny jeans and am loving where I'm at. Life is good :o)

8 Days To Go

In 8 days we will be in Perth for my niece's wedding. I can't wait!!! I haven't reached my goal weight which unfortunately means I won't be wearing my fave jeans. I was really quite down about it all yesterday - on the plus side, I'm totally loving my upper body atm.

I went to Body Attack for the first time since the start of the year yesterday and, boy, I really felt the extra weight (and those jiggly bits, hey Kek!). Overall training has been pretty good this week. It was time to change my program and I felt like doing my Cathe DVDs so it has been DOMS city here. I like doing these DVDs to mix it up - I don't have to think too much about what I'm doing. Normally I will be totally slack and use lower weights but this time I really pushed myself with heavier weights (I must be inspired by Shelley). I was a shaking mess by the end of each session.

Anyways, I have a child telling me all about fairies so I best go.

8 weeks to go

In 8 weeks time we will be in Perth for my niece's wedding. We can't wait as we haven't had a holiday for awhile. So I have 8 weeks to get rid of some of this lard from my butt. Can I lose 3 kgs in 8 weeks. Sure I can!!

This week's goal is to eat clean on the weekend. This is my major downfall and has been undoing all the hard work put in throughout the week.