Two more sleeps..

The carols are playing, the shopping is done, the champers is chilling, and I'm out of mun!  Lol, how's that for some festive prose? 

But seriously, I'm sorted. The presents are complete, the food is prepared, the drinks are on ice. It's all systems go for the one big family day of the year. 

The laughs, the good natured ribbing, the tickling, the obligatory beer at 6am.. I love it. I wait all year for this one day, where we all get together to chill. 

Usually there's an over abundance of food and wine. This year, it's different. The food is home made, lovingly prepared by Cate and I, with Hugo cooking the roast for lunch. My Xmas will come ready made by loving hands not prepackaged or factory mass produced. 

The family recipes handed down from generation to generation are used, with the tricks and techniques passed on, in case one year, I'm not here. I'm one of those cooks who measure by feel, and transferring those skills to Cate is hard, almost a cup of that, a cup and a splash of that.. Maybe it would have been easier to measure, but where's the fun in that? 

I will, without a doubt, eat food I know isn't the best choice, but you know what? One bad choice doesn't make a huge difference, it's the consistent bad choices that matter. 

So, this Xmas Day, eat, drink and be merry. Love those children and laugh till your lungs hurt, but most importantly, relax, enjoy, and have a glass of champagne to celebrate a fabulous year! 

With much much love at Xmas time. 

Jak.  

Get thin, get smart, get rich.

Oops, time has once again gotten away from me.

With all good intentions, I try to blog bi weekly, and then it happens. Life. It gets in the way. I get busy, I get slack, I get lazy, or maybe I'm just utilising avoidance tactics.

Writing a blog is soul bareing, and sometimes I forget that people actually read what I write,what I feel and they know all about what I'm thinking...  Having strangers approach me and talk about my latest blog scares me sometimes, especially if it's a subject close to my heart. I forget that I'm not just a nobody, with thoughts and feelings of disappointment, happiness, frustration and fear, that other people too are feeling the same. It's weird, exhilarating to think that my words on a screen can sometimes resonate with people, yet it can creep me out when some random lady at Coles, comments on my shopping trolley contents.

So, I've been missing in action again, getting my head straight, thinking about the positive effects of this blog, and trying not to worry about the Trolley Sniffers. Yes, I know I talk about not eating cereal, but the particular brand I have in my trolley is gluten free, consisting of nuts n seeds, with a little dried fruit, and by the way, why the hell do I feel I need to justify myself to you?

I've spent this last week in Brisbane, reflecting on the past year and how I've spent my time. The majority of it has been exercising, eating well and being health focused. I've travelled a lot, seen fabulous new places and met wonderful people. Some of my time however, has been hiding away from the masses and laying safe in my blanket fort, overwhelmed with the world and all it's contents. I'm human. I feel pain, and hurt and stress. I get discouraged when my skirt feels tighter than last week, I get lonely when I'm home all by myself, I get bored and I over eat. But over the years,  I have learned to distract myself as much as possible, to find a route that takes me further from the fridge, and closer to my goals.

This year, I also decided to get back into coaching, I have had ten totally committed clients who have just smashed their goals this year, they have set themselves targets, stepped up to the mark and just got the job done without any looking back. I'm very proud of these guys. They are the people that make my job worth it. They are the people who have made major transformation this year, and they deserve to be really proud of themselves, because I'm proud of the personal commitment they have shown.

There are also clients, who are just not ready, yet. They know they should lose weight, make healthier choices, yet still don't. These are the people I love to work with,  because getting that head into the right spot, for whatever reason, is the turning point. The light switch that goes on and bam, the game changes for the better. Getting clients to see that there is hope, there is opportunity, and to understand why they are carrying their weight around, is so cathartic. Is it a barrier to keep people away, is it emotional weight from someone else, is it even your junk you're carrying??  This will be the focus for next year, helping people move forward and away from the emotional and psychological baggage that they lug about.. Release those burdens and see how good they feel. 

I've also used this week as a planning opportunity for 2015. If you don't plan or ask for what you want, how does the body know what you're aiming for? Remember the old biblical quote, Ask and Ye Shall Receive? I need you to spend a moment to think on what you're asking for, what is it that you put out to the universe? Eg, I am strong, fit and healthy vs I can never loose weight?

As Xmas fast approaches, I'd love for you to find the time, to focus on the things you achieved this year, and the things that are still on your list.

Wishing for a trip to New York? Get that on your list. Investigate flights, accommodation, put money aside for this every week? Is $50 a week more important in the bank for your trip or in the pokies every Friday?
Need a new man? Write a shopping list of every trait you wish this man to have - and then trust he universe to find him for you. Don't laugh, this works!

If you only have time for one personal thing between now and New Years, do this. Write that damn list. Put everything on it. Want 5k in the bank at years end, write it down. Want to fit into a bikini for your cruise, write it down.

Then, put it in a drawer till the Xmas madness is over. Once the world has calmed again, get it out, and refine it. Put plans in place behind every goal. Small steps to get you where you wanna be.

Amongst my goals for 2015, is to continue my exercise journey, find more enjoyable ways to exercise eg my new found love for Zumba, blog more regularly and focus more on group sessions for SYMMYA in the area. These are a lot more specific, but you're getting the gist. 

Get Thin, Get Smart, Get Rich, was my mantra for many a year, and it worked. I had smaller steps behind each of these, get thin was obvious, get smart was a trigger for me to focus on making smarter personal choices and complete some study, and get rich was a reminder to save enough money to provide my kids with a safe haven, a home to come to when the world gets harsh. Having that broken down into a quick, easy to remember Mantra was a great way for me to stay focussed. 

"Love more, laugh more, learn more" is my new Mantra. 

Look out 2015, I'm coming for you. 

Healthy on Holudays

I know it can be hard to 'be good' on Holidays, especially when  when it comes to food choices. 

So, I'm in Ireland, land of beef pies and mashed potato, and I'll be honest, I've been worried about how I was going to manage to eat well. 

I don't know why I worried. We have had amazing food and a range of choices at each meal, I'm feeling way more confident today. 

Yesterday started with a really long walk into town, coffee then the walk home. A slice of home baked bread went down a treat. I usually have gluten related issues after eating bread, but one slice of this bread, made with minimal preservatives apparently was fine. And tasty! 

Lunch was the best tasting Tomato Soup I have ever eaten! Randomly came across a lunch spot in the town of Navan, after hearing the chefs singing whilst We walked thru the lane. No food is better than one cooked by a happy chef! 

Dinner last night was at a Lebanese bistro and  was divine. Lebanese lamp chops cooked with spices and herbs, along with carrot mash. Yum! 

Hugo and I walked for hours yesterday, we climbed spiral stair cases, and run up hills, I don't think we have anything to worry about with our exercise levels! 

Off to work today, I'm excited! 

OMG I'm going stir crazy!

19 hours straight on a plane is enough to do anyone's head in, but particularly for someone like me who is not used to sitting down for long periods of time. I'm starting to get bored, and fidgety, and I'm starting to enjoy annoying Hugo, purely for my own entertainment. 

I had prepared books, a notepad, and a list of things to do whilst on the plane, but I had almost polished all of those off, during the 6 hour delay on the Tarmac in Brisbane. I currently need a stretch, a big glass of water, some fresh air. I'm counting my blessings that the people that are also inhabiting this small space, don't smell bad, are quite personable, and are not totally impatient pricks like some others,a few rows back. 

By the time we get off this plane, we will have been sitting for 20 hours... With still another 7 hour flight to go! But, no point complaining, I'm very lucky to be here to experience it. No doubt Emirates will meet us in the gate Lounge and give us rescheduled information for the connection that we have already missed. So, I have nothing to worry about except time itself, and how best to use it without Hugo stabbing me with a plastic fork.

The extra hours have given me plenty of opportunity to think. About food choices and the effects on the body, lack of exercise and the effect that has on the body also.. I've watched parents fill their kids with lollies, then growl when they cannot sit still. I've watched people eat their food so quickly, I'm sure they didn't taste it.. And I've noticed these are also the same people looking for more food from the hostess an hour later. I have also wondered why a caterer would feed 680 people confined to a very small space, baked beans for breakfast. 

I've also thought about adults using the oxygen mask first, before fitting their children's. Everyone enroute accepts that as a given. We listen to the steward and read the emergency card in the seat pocket in front of us. It Makes sense, of course you cannot help your children if you don't first fit your mask. You are of no value to anyone, least of all your children, if you fall ill in an emergency situation. 

Agree?

Then why is it that most mothers, will dedicate their time, their energy, their oxygen, their life force, to assisting everyone else surrounding them, putting themselves last all the time?

Does that sound familiar? Are you one of these people who thinks scheduling time to maximise your health and well being, is selfish? 

Do you ever stop to think that your children would prefer to have you healthy, happy and around for a long time? That your husband would prefer you were fit enough to spend your retirement travelling and enjoying yourselves?

Do you think its time to change? To spend an hour a day in the pursuit of health and happiness. One hour. That's not much time. People tell me they are unable to find time to exercise, or shop for healthy food, yet they can fill me in on what's happening on the latest TV series? Prioritise your time and think long term. Are your current habits going to sustain you into your 80's? 

If you cannot find time in your current waking hours, get up an hour earlier. The weather is perfect for early morning walks, the gyms are open 24 hours these days. There are no excuses. 

This week, whilst I am wandering about the Emerald Isle in search of free wifi, I want you to stop and think, what would happen if you were too sick to care for your family? Who would have the kids, who would do the shopping, the washing, the cooking, the cleaning? And then ask yourself if you are happy about that situation. Ask yourself if you are looking after yourself and your family, in the smartest possible way? Ask yourself if you watch more TV than exercise? Ask yourself where you can add in an hour of health focus, whether that be exercise, de cluttering your mind, buying healthy food, or taking time out for a long bath by candlelight. 

Stop making excuses, and start making a difference. 

Wellness Coaching ... Why?

I've had many queries about Wellness Coaching recently, and why it's working.

Wellness coaching is about making changes, tweaking your lifestyle in how you eat, exercise, and how you think. 

Self belief makes a massive difference to how you think, feel and behave. Wellness coaching gives you the power to make the changes required for maximum health. 

There's no pills, potions or shakes, it's not willpower. It's self empowerment. You can do this, you are in charge of your body. You know what you need to do to make your body operate at peak performance, wellness coaching works through the reasons why you don't! 

Little things can make a huge difference, even a 1% change a day will make an amazing difference long term. Wellness coaching will help re-ignite your passion and zest for life.

Sessions usually last an hour and are tailored for you specifically. This is not a one in, all in approach, together we will get to the bottom of why you are overweight, and create strategies in conquering them. 

It sounds like a simple process, because it is. Don't delay it any longer. Make an appointment and make a difference. 

Holidays don't have to mean weight gain.

Holidays... Usually symbolistic of over indulgence and a break from the old exercise routines. But it does not have to be that way. With a little forward planning and a tiny bit of organisation, your holiday does not have to mean the end of all your hard work.

Plan to take healthy snacks on the flight, to alleviate the mid flight munchies. Drink lots of water during the flight and avoid alcohol.

Once at your destination, walk a lot. So many hidden gems can be found just when out walking. That incredible sunset, the cliff face that can't be seen from the road, the animals in the paddocks, the hidden shops and cafés down the arcades and hidden from the high street. These are the things that make your holiday unique. Special. Unforgettable. Yours.

In your hotel room, you can do tricep dips on the chairs or the edge of the table, you could swim in the hotel pool,  do push-ups, run up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Carry your own shopping. Run along the beach. Pack resistance bands in your bag, they are really light and are so versatile.

Eat mindfully. Try the locally cooked foods, freshly made salads, fruit, veges. Stay away from the Macca's, the KFC's, the Hungry Hippo's etc, and eat locally grown foods. Taste the local delicacies, sample the cuisine and savour the flavours. Don't miss out on anything, but make sure what you are eating is freshly prepared.

Hugo and I are off to Ireland and the UK for a month. 30 days of English and Irish breakfasts, of Guinness and Pear Cider.
My plan, which I am hoping will work, is to eat a protein based breakfast, no doubt much later than we eat here, and a sensible sized dinner. Lunch, if I'm hungry will be very light, probably a piece of fruit.

I've also factored in exercise every day. Walking, hill climbing, zip lining, bike riding. Yes, we are doing a road trip of Ireland, but that doesn't mean that we have to be stuck in the car all day long. Ireland is a gorgeous country and the opportunity for exercise based sight seeing is vast. No, I'm not keen in lining up for three hours to see the Book of Kells, but I would love to do the Ghost Walk for the same amount of time that evening, thanks.

Holidays are all about you. About your attitude and how you treat yourself. How you relax and enjoy your down time. Me? I choose to exercise on my holidays, because I've worked way too damn hard to throw away all my great work.

So, as the school holidays approach, and I see Facebook status' counting down to cruises, trips to NZ, and Fiji, take the time to prepare. Make this holiday an active one, a healthy one, and live long enough to enjoy many many more.

I'm going to spend my time, trying to figure out if this photo is really telling me the truth... :) wish me luck.

Attitude

What if our weight issues are directly related to our attitude towards ourselves?

What if the extra fat we carry around is actually just stored emotions?

What if they only thing we had to do to be thin and fit and healthy, was to be kind to ourselves? Honour, nourish and encourage ourselves like we would a small child?

Would you have to change your current self talk to lose weight? Would you need to be gentler on yourself? Why is it that the only person that you can rely on 100% for the whole of your life is often the most crtitical? Why do you do that to yourself?

What would it feel like to be your own personal cheerleader? To focus on the positive things about you rather than the negative? To lie in bed every night and give yourself credit for three things that you achieved for the day? 

I want you to try it for a week, be gentle, be kind and be supportive to yourself. Thank those thighs for giving you the strength to walk to the coffee machine. Thank that glute muscle for the support holding up your knickers, your tuck shop lady arms for letting you cuddle your children or your wrinkles for growing from years of laughter. 

Appreciate what you are. Adore what you are. Love what you are. 

Humans are funny creatures, and for some reason we will place value in things that others do as well. Think for example, A sought after restaurant that is always booked out, glistening diamonds, name brand clothing. And we will pay more for this perceived value. We think a Mercedes is better than a Commodore. Because it's dearer and more sought after, more valued.

Who values you if you aren't prepared to value yourself? 

Your lesson for today is, stop bullshitting yourself, stop wallowing and moaning about negativity; and start looking at yourself through your kids eyes. Start being the person they think you are, beautiful, competent, compassionate, loving. Think of all of the qualities you wish to portray as a mother, a sister, an aunt, and do that. Fake it till you make it, if need be. 

Thin and healthy, successful and wealthy, happy, loved, kind. What else would you add to your list?

Apologies...I'm human.

I get busy. 

I lose track of time.

I spend my day being distracted by other things.

I have visitors, and a wedding and another wedding tomorrow and I am planning an overseas trip..

 I'm delivering workshops and I'm coaching others to take responsibility, to lose weight and to get healthy.

So, sometimes I miss the opportunity to blog.. I wish I didn't, because it's my release, but sometimes life gets in the way. I guess I can get bent out of shape about it, or I can go with the flow for a week or two.

The weddings will be over soon, my house will be empty soon, and my trip will come and go even if I haven't had a chance to plan every minute of it before I leave.. 

That's life. 

The best made plans often go astray, but so long as you keep your eye on the main objective, you'll be okay. There is only a certain amount of hours in the day, and you can only do what you can do in that given time.

 But have you ever stopped to think how you do spend your time? How many hours watching TV, on the net, on Facebook, reading a book? Are you also one of those people who can never find the time to exercise because they are too busy?

This week, I would like you to write down what you do with your "down time", the time between working and cooking, cleaning etc..  Then ask yourself if you really are too busy for exercise. Or is there time that you could spend more wisely? 

It's your life and you can choose what you do with it, but don't wish your time away, whilst watching TV and complaining about being unwell. 

Your life. Your choice. Your responsibility.

6 days to Go!

Where has this last month gone? 

It's disappeared in a flurry of gym visits, dress fittings, hair dressing appointments and trips to Brisbane. 

It's almost here.The Wedding. Oh my bloody god. 

I've spent the last 34 days at the gym, lifting weights, running, rowing and riding. But I'm still the same person externally....

I've spent the last 34 days worrying about how I'll fit in my dress, whether my speech will sound okay, whether all the family will turn up.... But the wedding will go on regardless. There will be love and laughter, friends and family. Together in one place to enjoy the union of two beautiful people, to wish them well and celebrate their decision to spend the rest of their lives together. 

It'll be fun, the weather will be perfect, the venue will be amazing, everyone will be smiling, my mascara will have run all down my cheeks, the twins will be sneaking alcohol shots thinking I'm not looking,  And my arms will finally fit into the perfect dress. 

In 5 years time, I'm hoping I will look back at the photos and marvel at how much further I will have come. The wedding photos will be a vision of just one moment in time, another point in my journey to wellness. I may not be my "perfect" size yet, but I couldn't be prouder of the effort I've put in to get to this point.

As they say, I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday.. And, after much soul searching, I am now okay with that. I may look very similiar to what I did a month ago, but I can assure you, I am far from being the same person.

40 days to Fabulous

Today, is 40 days till my eldest son gets married to the girl of his dreams.

It will be without doubt, one of the proudest moments of my life. Thinking of it even now, causes my eyes to leak, a little...

He's done so well for himself.. He has been through the worst times in my life, and made it out the other end smiling. Not only smiling, but winning. He is a born survivor, winner, achiever. You know, one of those people that are so damn persistent that good luck follows them? Yep, that's him.  That's my boy. 

He's worked hard to get where he is, and he's done it all himself. 

In order to celebrate his wedding in the very best possible way, I'm on a mission to be the best person I can be, as well. I am going to be thin, and fit, and fabulous.

I'm actually gonna be so damn fabulous, that he is will be almost as proud of me, as I am of him! I want him to look at me and say, "Wow, that beautiful lady over there is my Mum"

So, today is Day One of 40 Days to Fabulous.

Each day, I will update Facebook or this blog with my efforts. During this time, I need you to stick with me, cheer me on, motivate me, keep me accountable, every day, till August 9... Please. 

Today- I've been to the gym for a weights session. Cardio isn't gonna cut it this time. I've been going to cardio sessions up to ten times a week all year, and although I'm fit, I know that it won't loose me a dress size in the next 40 days.

This morning, It's cold, and I'm busy with work , and I very nearly didn't go this morning, but as I sat back down in my office chair, I had a sudden rush of "nope, I can do this". This time, there's no way out, no excuses, nothing in my world is as important as August 9 2014. This time, I know I'm going to do it.

I'd love for you to come along for the ride, let's see what we can all achieve in 40 days of fabulous!

 

What are you really hungry for?

When I'm bored, I check the pantry one more time to see if anything has miraculously appeared since ten minutes ago... Anything in there to eat? Anything in there that will fill the hole, extinguish the hunger I have today?

Sound familiar? 

Yep, I'm sure it does. It used to happen to me. I used to look in the fridge, in the pantry, even in my gym bag to see if there was anything that would satisfy my hunger, my craving for "something", even though I didn't really know what that something was. 

But, no matter how much I ate, I was still hungry. Still searching for that elusive something. 

Yesterday, I had my lightbulb moment.

Like 5 years ago at a Craig Harper session, a light went on again. It really was that simple. The realisation of "knowing" what you need to do to make this work. Just Whoosh.. And there it was. It truly was a " Why the hell didn't I know that?" moment.

I understand now that the something I have been searching for is purpose. My inner fire. The real reason I exist.

No amount of food is ever going to satisfy the hunger for action, for living out my dreams, for taking a stand. For having a go. 

Now, I know. 

Food is not what I need, is not what I'm searching for. What I was searching for was my quest to take SYMMYA to the world. To help each and every one of the people I know that struggles with their weight, with their world. To turn every single person into a SYMMYA Goddess, and have a heap of laughs along the way. I feel like the fire has been ignited, I feel energised and enthused and really excited about the journey. 

What is it that you yearn for? That you want to do but have never had the chance? Never had the funds or e time, or the courage? What is it that you crave? That lights your fire?

Join me. Laugh with me. Let me be the one who turns on the light for you. Come share my vision. You'll love it. 

Black Friday Blues

Happy beautiful sunshiny Black Friday to you!

Just returned home from a long walk in the sunshine, winter is a coming I'm told, but I'm desperately utilising the final days of bliss. Usually Fridays consist  of a 6am class at the gym then a MMA style session in the local botanical gardens, but today, work got in the way of those.. And to be honest I'm glad.

A long walk in the sun was just what my body craved, to feel the warm rays on my hair, on my shoulders and on my face, warming my soul right to the core... I've come home feeling like I've been hugged by an old friend.

Initially I was a little grumpy at my routine being disrupted, typical start to a Black Friday.. But along my walk I got to thinking, do bad things usually happen today because we expect them to? Do we attract that negative energy just because Friday falls on the 13th this month? How silly?

But, in my Facebook newsfeed, I've seen people sad because black Friday has caused them to hit the garage door, to be late for work, to spill their coffee, for their day carer to be sick, and for their flight to be delayed... And then there's me, annoyed because I helped someone out of a bind, missed classes but instead I was rewarded with a beautiful relaxing way to start my morning.. How lucky am I?

How many of you guys are superstitious? Who will only start a new diet or exercise plan on a Monday? Which one of you eats everything in the pantry that's remotely unhealthy on a Sunday night in preparation for the beginning of the new life on Monday morning?

I know sportspeople who have lucky socks, favourite pair of skins to train in.. Me, I have a few pairs of lucky jox that I wear to the gym... They are the ones that don't decide to slide down with my new super expensive athletic tights that I wasted way too much money on, aside from that I don't think I hold too many weird ideas about superstition.... I do, though, believe very strongly in what you declare, you achieve. So keep those thoughts focused on what you do want rather than what you don't! 

I do hope that your Black Friday is as beautiful as mine, that the sun is shining on you at your place, that you end your week feeling as warm and supported as I do. 

Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy that full moon tonight..... :)

Today's a great day to eat cake.

June 11.

It's my birthday. Phew, I've made it through yet another year of the madness and chaos that I call my world. It's a huge bonus knowing that I'm improving every year, each birthday now brings a time for reflection, for taking stock of all the great things that have happened this year, and for giving thanks.

I am not one that usually celebrates my birthday, for a number of personal reasons, so this year I decided to meet up with some women that I know only through Facebook, instead.

People that are not in my usual sphere of friends, people I am not really sure what they look like,or what their real name is, virtual confidants who's sense of humour, or straight talking attitude has attracted me on FB.

At first I forgot it was my birthday when I arranged to meet for coffee today, and then I thought, why not? What better day to make new friends than on your birthday?

We chatted about kids, and diets, healthy eating and even the flu that's working its way through town. We laughed and smiled and found we have things in common. We connected. Not virtually, but in reality. 

The food was delicious, the coffee hot and the conversation flowed.

I also ate cake.  Without one ounce of guilt. That is a really big step for me. I usually beat myself up about any thing I put in my mouth that isn't in the plan.. I mentally turn a treat into such a negative experience, that my body feels bad just eating it!

Not today. I tasted every mouthful of that sweet gooey chocolatey delight, felt the icy cold ice cream clash with the warm cake... It was heaven. I have worked hard for that cake. I have earned it. Because now my mind knows that, so long as I work hard in the gym, and exercise regularly, I can eat anything I want, without guilt. Without negativity. 

Today, I had my cake and ate it too.

Thanks girls  ( and Jimmy) for a wonderful afternoon, for the positive conversation, for the gift of friendship.

Aside from the sugar headache I have given myself, I am feeling on top of the world.

Happy birthday to me!! :)

Weekend housework, metaphorically speaking...

Monday, for once I am very glad to see you..

I spent the whole of my weekend, cleaning one of our work accommodation units. Yep. ALL weekend. The whole of Saturday and the whole of Sunday taken up with cleaning up someone else's mess.

At first, I was eager to get the job done, then, As time wore on and I realised the enormity of the task, I got cross.  I started frowning, grumbling away at myself about the situation. It was also about then that I became distracted.  I was starting a job, then leaving it to do another, coming back to the first one and leaving it again.. I had lost focus, swearing under my breath and getting angry. I was achieving nothing.

After a time, I realised that I could either suck it up and get the task over and done with, or I could spend more time grumbling and moaning about it. Once I decided to roll up the sleeves, take a big breath and get my head back in the oven, the job seemed to finish up more quickly. The end result was amazing. 

Thinking about it last night, I came to realise that my attitude yesterday could easily be compared to my reactions about getting healthy.. I approach everything with gusto, then I get cross that I'm not getting results fast enough, and start looking for quick fixes.

But, as we all know, to finish cleaning a unit, one has to be methodical. Take all the steps in the right order to make sure it's complete. You wouldn't wash the floors before you swept, would you?

Are you one of those people who stuff things under cushions, hide ironing in the cupboard, magazines under the bed? Are you also one of those people who eat in private? Sneak a chocolate when no one can see? Clean up your lifestyle like you would clean the house, room by room, methodically. Clean up, clear out. 

Eating well, drinking lots of water, exercising and getting plenty of sleep. That is what works, that is what will clean your personal unit effectively. Just roll up your sleeves, take a deep breath and know that you will do it. You will win this battle. 

We all know that using mildew spray in the shower, unless you clean it continually, the mildew returns. Same as using the latest fad meal replacement, unless you choose to pay $350 a month for the rest of your life, that weight is gonna return.  You have to create for yourself, a workable routine, not one that makes you feel hungry and sick or tired, but one that fills you with energy and vitality. A routine that allows you to be the best you can be, happy and healthy, and one where the money stays in your pocket for more meaningful pursuits. 

Loosing weight is really about our mental approach, the internal dialogue we have with ourselves. "Go girl you can do it, scrubbing these tiles for three hours on your hands and knees is a fantastic workout for your upper arms"- or "FFS the people that live in this house are just pigs, look at this mess!!" You choose your attitude. It's up to you, to keep positive, keep that internal dialogue upbeat and encouraging. What you declare, you achieve, so make sure your goals are always positive! Feel free to borrow my mantra if you need to..  I'm thin and healthy, successful and wealthy. :)

Get your head in the game, get your thoughts straight, plan why you want to loose weight, think of all the great things you will gain by loosing weight, and keep your focus on the end result.

It may take a little longer, but getting your personal space clean and clear, bright and sparkling, is a job worth doing properly. 

And you alone, have the power to get it done. Now. Monday. No better time to start. 

A day in the big smoke...

After last weeks episode of hiding in my blankie fort, vowing never to come out... I have finally made it out in the real world again. Still feeling bruised and emotionally battered, and struggling to understand why I'm feeling like this. I've nothing to be sad about, I'm the luckiest girl in the world.. 

Yesterday I flew to Brisbane, for a business meeting this morning, and i spent the evening strolling through the city streets, watching people scurry about their business, in a hurry, drinking coffee or talking on their phones, earphones in.. Everywhere I went, people were distracted by phones, by music playing loud enough in their ears for me to enjoy too... Or not.. Even couples walking together, with earphones in and checking Facebook.. Weird huh?

It got me thinking about how the world is becoming an increasingly lonely place, with every new app or social media option, we are becoming more and more disconnected from each other, and more reliant on the virtual world. A world where we can be whoever we wanna be... We can be single and hunting on Zoosh, we can be millionaires looking to buy property on the French Riveria, ( or is that just me??). Or we can be 50 year old women writing blogs about how hard it is to win the battle over weight... Yep, anyone we want to be... Virtually.

Today, I got up early, and went for my favourite jog in Brisbane. Over the bridge, through Southbank and back over the other bridge. Today, I decided to engage with as many people as I could today, just to see what happened.

I made a joke with the rubbish collector going over the bridge, I winked at the sad African fellow walking to work, I gave the disabled singer a thumbs up for his efforts, I told a man he looked really dapper in his red pants and orange suspenders, I thanked every person I saw in a Blues Jersey, I bought a single Gerbera from the Farmers Market and gave it to a old lady waiting to cross the road, I had a conversation with a man called Andrew who used to work in the Dept Administration Services, I hugged a beautiful lady who had lost a lot of weight recently, i thanked the cleaner in the toilets at Central Station, I bought a coffee and a muffin for the homeless lady in Queen St, I called a cab and made sure the young girl who was crying in Adelaide St got away safely, and I bought another chocolate for the man on security at the airport. 

An older Asian lady came and shook my hand after watching me deliver the coffee and muffin to the homeless lady, I'm not sure what she said, but her eyes told me that she approved. Everyone of these people connected, looking at me with smiling eyes, and said thank you. 

Tonight as I write this blog update on the flight home, I feel somehow lighter, happier that maybe I made a small difference in someone's world today, and it somehow feels like its healed me a little too. Perhaps I was just lonely too, spending all my time either in the gym or in my home office... 

Give it a go. See if spreading a little connection makes a difference in your world too. And message me with the updates. Please.

Oh and by the way, you are looking fabulous today! :)

Who the hell am I anyway?

Today I'm struggling.. Really struggling.

Seems. I've lost my sense of purpose.

Once upon a time I used to be the mother of 5 kids, or the person who ran that shutdown team, or that bitch of a safety officer from GCM..but, I was always "someone". maybe it was just the fat lady that helped out the senior cits on Thursday... but i had a reason to be alive, a purpose.

Today, I felt like a nobody.

I walked into coffee shops and it took them 15 minutes to see me standing there, I roamed listlessly through the house trying to find things to amuse myself during the day. I watch on whilst Hugo came home from a days work, to set up his computer and do all the things that I could have done...but wasn't asked to.

I waited till this afternoon to go to boot camp then miss my chance because Hugo is busy doing something else. I'm bored, I'm cranky and I'm lonely.

And that, may I tell you, is a very dangerous situation for me.

It is in situations like this that I make life changing decisions. Some smart, some not so..

In the past, it usually signals a time for me to walk away, look elsewhere, wander off in search of things to keep me learning, reaching, extending myself to bigger or better things.... Or not. 

Sometimes in situations like this, I have made choices that I came to regret.. Like over eating out of boredom. 

I need something to think about, to plan, to work on. 

Hence my creation of a new website today.. Yep, I got that bored that I made a website. All by myself. Yep, amazing huh? Even I'm surprised. 

I'm just finishing the final touches in the coming weeks, getting my checkout and online shop sorted, before it goes live... LOOK OUT WORLD, I'M COMING!

Very soon, you will be able to buy SYMMYA tshirts, and take selfies, wearing them for me to upload, and all kinds of exciting things.. I bet you can't wait? Lol..

I started the day directionless, sad and felling lost... And ended with a seething anger, channelled into determination to succeed.. At everything.

Encouragement and all that good stuff....

Some one once told me I am the Gordon Ramsey of weight loss... I was flattered, well I think I was..

Gordon Ramsey hasn't really got a very pleasant demeanour but he gets the job done, regardless.  

If you have found my site looking for warm and fuzzy.. I think maybe you're in the wrong place. 

If you're here to find the reason to get off your backside and get this show in the road... Well buckle up, lovely, and enjoy the ride.

I know I am not the best at listening to excuses why exercise isn't a priority, and I do find it hard not to glaze over whilst watching you eat yet another muffin, but that doesn't mean I don't care. I'm just busy.

Really I am, I like to utilise my time with people who are fair dinkum. Honest. I apologise in advance if my eyes start rolling when you give me the same old excuses about why you missed gym again this week.. It's not my fault, it's my allergic reaction to bullshit.

But, I have always made more enemies than I've made friends, so Much so, that it now doesn't bother me if you like me or not. What you think of me is none of my business. I'm blunt, I'm direct, And I will tell you the things you don't want to hear if you ask me the wrong questions. But, I also am the person who will keep you accountable. If you tell me your aim is to exercise, or eat right or stop smoking, I expect that you are telling me the truth. I expect you are also being truthful to yourself. 

Since starting this blog, I have noticed I have lost contact with some people who weren't being true to themselves. People i thought were my friends. At first I took it personally, but over time I have realised that maybe it was easier for them to stay home and complain, than to join me in a walk or exercise class and commit to making healthy decisions. I'm sorry if the sight of me makes you feel guilty about eating cake, or drinking wine, but is that my problem, or yours?

If exercise or giving up smoking is not one of your goals, or not high on your list of priorities, don't kid yourself. Don't make a goal according to someone else's values ( yes, even mine.. ) Set yourself a goal that you know you will be able to achieve eg cleaning out all the kitchen cupboards. Start small, and work up to the ones that really matter to you, rather than kidding yourself that you will go to gym every day, when that really doesn't float your boat.

Be real. Be realistic. Be kind to yourself and stop setting yourself up for failure. If you are happy to sit at home on the lounge, watching reality shows, and then kid yourself that a re-run of A Biggest Loser is a weight loss tool,  then that's fantastic.. 

But if you are, like me, one of those people who need a kick up the pants, a virtual shakeup, and the feeling like there is someone watching you enter that coffee shop... Welcome to the world of SYMMYA.

 A land where we are accountable for our actions, where every action has a consequence and where we know that it is up to us to make the change. 

And in the words of good old Gordie... FFS, shut your mouth and move your arse.

You will thank me in the long run. 

It's all in your head..

My Mum gave me all kinds of pointers when I was growing up, look both ways when crossing the road, don't talk to strangers, never barrack for Collingwood, wash your hands after playing with the oleander tree and, wait for it.....  bananas will make you fat.

WTF?

Bananas.. A fantastic source of potassium, a portable post exercise snack, were apparently the sole reason that I was overweight as a kid. I loved eating bananas as an after school snack. My brother ate Sugar Frosties. Bowls and bowls of them... But that was okay, because he was the boy and My Mums diet tips were reserved for me.. The fat one.

I remember being told in a dressing room at Fairlies Dept Store that I was never going to have nice clothes because I was just too fat, I would have been about 8 at the time... What a shock that was to me that day... I remember thinking, well I'm never gonna be able to get married because I'll be too fat to get a dress to wear. At 8 years old. 

I remember the day like it was yesterday, I went to straight to Coles and bought myself a fake diamond ring for 69  cents knowing it was probably going to be the only diamond I was ever going to get.. And yes, it was the biggest bit of bling Coles department store had.

It's taken me a long time to be able to eat a banana without hearing my mothers voice telling me that it will make me fat.. A banana. My enemy for 48 years.

My internal dialogue used to take away any enjoyment from that simple fruit, instead have me visualising blobs of banana flavoured fat clumping together on my thighs?? Looking back I realise how ridiculous that sounds... But my Mum told me that. It's got be true. Doesn't it?

Now, I feel the damage that was done to me as a kid, a fat kid. Do the parents amongst us realise the damage we cause by our negative self projections to our children? What I was hearing was, "I don't like you because you're fat." I didn't hear, you are my beautiful, gorgeous, funny, smart, witty, clever daughter... Nope, Not once, probably not ever.

As a nation we are the fattest we have ever been, yet we are over run with diets, with gyms, with boot camps and protein shakes and prepackaged, Pre weighed, Pre digested food....  Or something similar.. If it was that easy, we would all the thin, and trim and taut and terrific. But we aren't. 

The secret is, what is in our heads. It's about how we speak to ourselves, our internal relationship with food. What we believe about ourselves. How we see our strengths, how we see our weaknesses.

How we react to those is the secret.. So remember, set your goal. Do what's necessary to win.. Every day. 

why?

Because you are one of the smartest, most beautiful people I have ever met. You deserve to be healthy too. 

If you are struggling with your internal dialogue and setting goals, give me a call.. I'm proud to say my Life and Wellness Coaching Centre is up and running, and achieving amazing successes already. You can be one of them.. :)

Sacrifice

Dieting and healthy living is apparently about sacrifice. 

It's about giving up the 'good things' in life and focusing on the healthy, according to some trains of thought.

Sacrifice to me, is about giving yourself, all of you, wholeheartedly for a better life. 

The ANZAC's made sacrifices, the Australians and other allied troops that died fighting for peace, made sacrifices. To give us, their children, their grandchildren a better way of life. 

They walked and slept and fought for months and years  on end, in the bitter cold, with wet clothes, wet boots, minimal food and in atrocious conditions, so we could have a better life.

Our generation is very lucky to think that the only sacrifice we have to deal with now, is not eating chocolate, or minimising our alcohol content.

When did we, as Aussies, loose our fighting spirit, and become a nation of people all too ready with an excuse for over eating... Big bones, genetics, medication effects?

How about today, Anzac Day, we stand together as one, and make a sacrifice, again for our children and our grandchildren?  Lets fight the battle of obesity and laziness for them, to allow them to learn healthy habits, to give them a better life.

We will win this battle, as proud Aussies before us.

Lest we forget.

Paleo eating for all the scaredy cats...

I know I rabbit on and on here about Paleo food, its benefits and I've had many a question about why and how I maintain this lifestyle since loosing 70 kgs. I want to explain how simple it really is.

I guess for me it started through pure laziness and lack of resources... Which sounds extremely negative but let me elaborate.

I was a battling single Mum for years, struggling to make ends meet in regard to both food and time. I lived in a fairly remote community, with minimal resources or access to the usual Weight loss program's. I worked enormous hours, I had no time to weigh food, count calories, and no money to buy prepackaged weight loss foods. 

I dieted hard but i always struggled to maintain momentum. I would walk and eat well, loose 6 kilos and within weeks return to my old habits.

In the end I just gave up. It was all too bloody hard. Weigh this, eat then, eat more, eat less, walk more, lift weights, eat carbs, minimise fruit, check the labels.... ARRGGHHHHH... 

So, I began to eat real food, just meat, vegetables, nuts, berries and a little fruit. I ate when I felt like it, and whatever I felt like. I gave up bread, pasta, refined flours and sugars. I guess back then I was eating intuitively, although I didn't know it at the time. 

I also gave up regular alcohol. I went to bed earlier and minimised the stresses in my life. I let go of emotional baggage that I had collected. 

Weight started to fall off, even without a huge change in exercise. I felt better, I was sleeping better. People started to comment on my skin, my hair, my sparkly eyes. I had more energy, I wanted to exercise, I ran when I used to drag my feet. I felt fantastic and I still do. I still exercise every day in one form or another, we go camping and bush walking on weekends, we are much more energetic and have way more fun than ever before. 

A lot of people knock the Paleo way of life, citing that we must eat grains and whole wheats etc for optimal nutrition. Me? I can't eat any of that without hearing my Dads voice telling me that cereals are used to fatten cows. 

I'm really not sure if I completely fit in the mould of Paleo, because I still eat some dairy. I eat butter, not margarine, and I eat good quality Greek yoghurt, not diet stuffed full of poison yoghurt. 

My theory, and I've said in the past, I'm not a Dr nor have any medical degrees, is that the packaged foods we eat are so jam packed full of preservatives that we are getting fatter and succumbing to more illnesses than ever before.

This was tested when I spent some time in France last year. I ate everything, croissants, chocolate, bread! French people use fresh food. There are few supermarkets and every block has a baker, a butcher, and a fruit stall. People buy their food daily. Not a kilo was collected and my hot flushes were non existent. Back to Australia and back into the preservative laden food, bam, fluid gain, aching joints and hot flushes to the max. 

Recently, I read a Peter McCallum Hospital study that notes cancer cells need glucose to live, hmmmm don't have to be an oncologist to work out that its time to minimise sugar intakes. Quickly. 

Paleo is not a really diet, it's not always even a weight loss tool, but it has increased my health 1000 fold. Just eat real food. if it comes from a farm, eat it, if it comes from a factory, avoid it. 

imagine your local supermarket, you only need to skirt the edges, grab fruit, veges, eggs, meat, fish, chicken, and butter. i cook in coconut oil, instead of the canola oil i used to use. Theres no need to venture into the aisles. The only thing I buy in a tin is salmon or tuna. 

Some people will say its expensive to eat like this, but we have no medical nor pharmacy bills. We don't get colds. Overall I think it's an investment in long term living. Hugo and I have 10 kids and 4 grandchildren, and I want to be around to spoil them all as much as I can. I want to travel the world and be well enough when I'm 90 to go to Uni. 

There is so much information on the net about specifics, I'm not going to bore you all with it here, because its so simple. Eat real food. Eat Well, Feel Well.

Google Nerd Fitness ( my favourite site), PaleOMG, check out Paleo recipes online,  Buy Peter Evans new cookbook, if you need help or inspiration.  It takes a little tweaking to personalise but you can easily live a full life round this way of eating. If I have chicken fillets out for dinner, I will often google paleo dinner with chicken, if looking for a change. Experiment with different spices or herbs, grow your own food. Reconnect with the idea that food is nutrition, eat slowly, at the dining room table, and make it a ritual rather than a rush. 

There will still be those amongst us who won't give up alcohol, or chocolate, or cereal and that's fine, it's your life and your choices. Please remember, though that every decision has a consequence.

I'm now in the process of launching my Wellness Coaching business, amongst other things, so please contact me if you would like a session in getting your life, your health, your energy and vitality back where it should be. You won't regret it. 

Let me show you why diets don't work but wellness coaching does... 

Repeat after me... Focus!

Hello everyone, 

It's been a fortnight since I posted, the time just slips away too fast these days. 

I had taken on a project that thankfully is now complete, so you'll be hearing more from me now I've freed up some time. 

Im sure you all know I've been recently really hung up on my plateau, watching every single thing I eat, recording it all madly, wearing an exercise monitor, worrying about it 24/7. Trying to make some sort of sense out of a nonsensical problem. 

I really should know better. 

It is what it is. 

I've wasted so much emotional energy thinking about it when i know I've hit plateaus before and worked through them. And I will this time as well. 

So, I've actually given up worrying. As my beautiful Cate would say 'be a warrior not a worrier'. 

I've stopped focussing on the plateau and started once again to focus on the exercise. Because as we all know, what we focus on, gets bigger. Like attracts like, so to speak. 

I was so busy thinking about how I was stuck at the same weight, I wasn't allowing my body a chance to do its stuff. Now I'm thinking about the class I've attended and the muscles I've moved! Feeling the burn for hours after... I'm becoming addicted to that feeling, I think. 

So, I'm trying new classes, harder, more intense classes and I know that very soon I'm gonna get those scales out of the box I threw them in, and I'll be lighter, fitter, leaner. 

We all hit plateaus, we all gain a kilo here and there. Each time it happens, it should serve as a reminder that our body is taking time to adjust to the change, and we should continue to work through it. 

So, Push yourselves, step out of that same old routine -  skip, squat, run across the court.. 

Why?

Because its different, because it requires focus, and stamina, determination and patience. All the requirements we need to maintain a weight loss program. Step away from your comfort zone. Move your body in new ways, use new muscles, try something new. 

Push through that plateau- keep focused on your goal - and you will be rewarded with success.  

Just as I have been.. Finally. 

Stop doing what doesn't work.

For 16 years you've walked the same walking route at the same time every morning, usually with the very same person. 6 kilometres, every morning, yet still you're overweight... What does that tell you?

It's not working. 

Your body has got used to that amount of exercise and has made the adjustments internally to accommodate the same amount of energy you burn each morning. 

From where I am standing, you have two options. Continue to do the same, and continue to get the same results or change to something else that works. 

Ride a bike, buy some hand weights, skip, jog a little, walk another route in the evening instead, visit a gym, see a PT who really does have your best interests at heart, go for a swim. Anything that gives your body something else to think about. It does not have to be difficult nor cost a lot of money. 

Same results or different?

You choose. 

Food Focus.. Mindless eating

More flights, more airline food, more Qantas club coffee and treats.... I'm up to my eyes in poor food choices, in free licorice all sorts and snack packs of corn nuts hard enough to break diamonds. Having racked up more frequent flyer points this month than in the first 6 months of last year, I have come to a number of conclusions, airline hostesses are not dieticians,  the 'healthy treat' served on QF 2410 is not actually a healthy treat, the bizarre combination of chicken, pimento and risone gives me bad chest pain, and Qantas clubs should have a separate section for beer swilling, thong wearing shutdown workers flying home on days off. 

These days, I spend a lot of time in airport lounges, supposedly writing speeches and creating presentations on healthy lifestyle choices. But instead I find  myself studying people. To pass the time, I makeup stories to match what I see, like the little girls catching a flight today to visit an absent Dad, or the elderly couple heading off to a great grandchild's christening. 

I also study body language, demeanour, habits. And if people choose to sit near me and speak overly loudly in pompous voices on their mobile phones, I will listen in. Sometimes I have to stop myself from responding, but only sometimes. 

So here I sit amongst thousands of people, most of whom are mindlessly eating and drinking  their time away, all waiting for flights. I've  just watched whilst a fellow, who's comfortably perched on two velour cubes pushed together, munch his way through three bowls of crunchy snacks, two large handfuls of jelly beans, 6 Venetian biscuits and 6 beers, all without taking his eyes off his computer screen. His travelling partner, PA, wife, long suffering girlfriend, whomever, has hopped up and filled the bowls, or beers as required, without one word being uttered.

I wonder if he actually tasted any of that food? If he could describe to me the crunch of the first bite of Ventian Pastry, recall the tang of the sweet passionfruit icing? I wondered if he could remember the tasty spice flavouring of the crunchy pappadum type of cracker he devoured? I thought about if he looked at the colour of each sweet sugary jellybean that he threw into his cavernous mouth? I wonder if he realised the bowl was actually empty as his hand searched for more?

How many of us are guilty of that? Of being so busy focusing on something else that we eat only because we are bored, or we are in a hurry, or we throw our food down quickly before our babies start to cry. We eat almost out of habit rather than necessity or for enjoyment. 

When my twins were very small and Will was just 10 months older, and  the beautiful Cate 12 months younger, I remember taking up drinking hot water, because at least when it went invariably cold, I could still drink it when I had time, unlike my coffee. 

Life was busy, and I learned to make our own versions of fast food. I created one pot wonders, to minimise washing up, I fed all three babies with one bowl and one spoon, usually whilst breast feeding the other. I was the Queen of Fast, home prepared but easy to cook, probably not extremely nutritious food, out of sheer necessity. I cooked fast, I ate fast. Everything was frantic! 

No longer.

I have learned the hard way, that mindless eating and eating quickly has an unwelcome effect. I try now to eat slowly, to taste the food, to cook with finest ingredients that my budget allows, to use fresh produce and minimise the preservatives I use every day.

I still eat at Qantas Club, I still eat the odd Counter lunch at the Star, I still have my trusty favourite foods that I can create at home in a wink of an eye, but the difference is, I'm now mindful about what I eat and how I eat. And that, I'm sure makes the difference.

One trick I've started to use is mentally describe my first mouthful of food... Is is salty, sweet, hot cold, flavoured? It makes me focus on what I'm eating and has helped me slow down, to relax and enjoy the food. And I've now stopped eating food that is boring or bland. A trip to Paris has made me realise the beauty in food, and in slowing down to enjoy the moments. It taught me to eat well. To eat fresh food, to shop daily and stop buying processed food. it taught me To laugh a lot, to love my family and the appreciate the beauty in my surroundings. 

I can't wait to go back. One day, I will spend 6 months in the French countryside. 

Until then, Bon appetit. 

Negativity and the effects of..

Howdy,

First blog in a while, because I've been depressed and hiding in my room. Seriously, I have.. 

I've recently been unwell, having caught one of those 36 hour bugs which I don't usually get. It actually knocked me rotten. I have struggled to get back to where I was fitness wise since then, but I've listened to my body and taken it slowly. Been gentle with myself for probably the first time ever. 

During this period, I also volunteered to be the guinea pig for a friend who is completing an assessment in her fitness course. I was just starting to feel better, and I was just getting back into walking. Life was returning to normal. I arrived for my first session to be weighed and measured..  I was pretty upbeat and happy that I could help.

After I left that session, I collapsed into a state of deep depression. According to an electronic device sold in chemists, that measures an electrical current and the resistance your body has to it, my body fat percentage was 40%. 

40% WTF?

 All I could think of was almost half of my remaining body weight is fat? I'm a size 12 and I have 40% body fat? How much did I have before I lost 70kgs? 160%?

This figure rocked me to the core. I eat Paleo, I do not eat chocolate, or lollies, or drink alcohol etc. I exercise every day of the week. And most of that exercise is high energy, hard work exercise. I run 4 times a week. All these things were spinning through my head at a million miles an hour. I went to my local gym to see what the machine there said, but no one knew how to use it. Probably a good thing.

That number has spent the last week rattling around in my head. I've spent hours web searching how to make a difference, other than exercise every day and eat well. That number has consumed me, my waking thoughts, my dreams at night. I have not been in a good place. 

Over the weekend, I gave myself a bit of a pep talk - I couldn't believe that I had let something as silly as a digital number in a screen have such a negative effect on my head. I got up this morning with a renewed zest for exercise and headed off to Boot Camp. I huffed and puffed my way through 50 minutes of hard work, of weights and burpees and push-ups... And I feel fantastic.

I've drank more water today than I probably did for the whole of last week, and I feel more energetic, more alive and much happier than at any stage in the last fortnight. 

Today I found out that the machine was not reading right, and according the the good old calliper pinch test, my results are nowhere near that. But, even if they were, it's a number. Just like the reading on the scales, it does not define you. You are not your weight. You are a beautiful, alive, happy, healthy woman that does her best to get where she wants to go, every day.

In the last fortnight, I have not blogged because I have felt like a fraud, a fake, all because of that one bloody number.  But really, Why should it matter? 

If, as a person, you know in your heart that you are doing the best you can every day, to reach your goal, that should be all that matters. You against you. Your personal best of yesterday against your personal best of today. Your goals, your life, your way.

That's what matters. Not the scales, not the body fat percentage, not the callipers.. 

You matter, your health matters, and your happiness matters. Do what you can do to make a difference to those. 

I'm glad I crawled out from my cave of sadness this morning... Hope you are too. It's a much nicer world out here.

Maree the Superwoman.

Hey! 

I just finished reading a whole heaps of emails and messages via Facebook regarding your personal challenges. 100 days, seems so little time when it's compared to the rest of your life.

I think we are at Day 22 ish, as I know not everyone started on the same date. I'd love to hear more from you guys about what's going on, are you succeeding, are you struggling, are you finding it hard to find the time? Message me via Facebook or email me at jakimac3@gmail.com

Apparently, so far,  there has been successes, there have been tears, and there have been injuries. But in all the communications I have received, there is one common  thread. There is determination. There is grit, and perspiration, and there is gumption. There is the will to succeed this time. 

And also There is my daughter in law, a beautiful girl who is undertaking to loose a bit of baby weight, after the recent birth of another gorgeous baby for me to spoil. This young woman would have to be one of the most strong minded, yet kind and compassionate people I have ever met. Maree is a Mum of three small children, her husband works away, she has recently packed up and moved house, she works, she cooks, she plays games with her kids. She also walks, and swims and exercises every day.

To me, she is a superwoman.  She achieves everything she sets her mind to, she is the epitome of SYMMYA. She knows what needs to happen, and she is doing it - along with all of her daily chores. There is no excuses, no grizzling, no whinging, no moaning. Everyday, she wakes early with my baby grandson ( cutest in the world without a doubt)  and just gets on with it. Amongst all of the other things she has to do with her allotted 24 hours, she finds the time to exercise and eat well.

She, along with all of you, is working hard to make her world better, her life healthier, and her kids life healthier. 

Somehow recently, for most of you, there has been a light bulb moment. The precise moment in time that you realise that you can do this, you can make positive change, and you are. 

Pat yourselves on the back, give yourself a huge hug! You are doing a fantastic job at making a difference.

And I can't ask for more than that. 

No longer living in the beige

Anyone who's ever seen Billy Connelly knows he hates beige. 

Billy attributes beige to getting old, he seems to think that as we age, we tone ourselves down, we dye our hair beige, we wear beige coloured clothing, and our world becomes beige, boring, bland.

I remember his quote coming to mind, when I was standing at a hilltop lookout in Bath in the UK, overlooking the city. A vast arrangement of beige, and grey. Of sameness, of bland. No bloody wonder we have so many Poms in Australia, I'd go bonkers walking around without colour in my world like they do.. Even their money is beige. Boring!!!! It's like they have no oomph.

It was then I decided to get out of the Beige zone. Get away from the world of bland and dull, and make a difference. Get loud. Get wild. Get busy. Get away.

I thought about what zone I'd like to inhabit. Hmm, not red, sounds way too frantic, too busy. What about blue? Well, no, sounds too peaceful, too calm for my everyday living. I started asking those people around me this question and I was surprised at some of the answers. 

After a great deal of thought, I decided to go with gold.

I've spent years living in the gold zone, because to me, that signifies success. I've always been attracted to things that glitter, that sparkle and that are worthy. Things that radiate hard work, excitement, success. To me, that's gold.

When i was in the gym, struggling to complete the final set of lateral pull downs, I'd look down on those weights and visualise them as being gold. It helped me focus in my zone. Visualise the success and accomplishment of meeting my goals. 

These days my life is going green. My world still has the tinges of gold, but its predominantly green. I am surrounded by garden, beautiful hedges and flowering trees that bring birds to join me for breakfast each morning. I eat clean, green, healthy food each day. I feel centred. Alive.

I'd love to know what colour your zone is, and if I can give you just one bit of advice..Step Away From The  Beige!!!!

Don't plant a lemon tree and expect oranges..

According to my Dad, who was one of the wisest people I knew, you can't plant a lemon tree and expect to grow oranges.

For years he would listen patiently to me complain about all my first world teenage problems, and that statement was almost always his come back.. 

At the time, I had no clue what he was on about.. I mean, really, no doubt my social life had just been crippled and he was worried about citrus fruit? Wtf? Or whatever we said in the 70's..

I read the very same quote in a book this morning and thoughts of him came flooding back. I thought about his calm, 'fix anything with baling twine' attitude, and I suddenly realised 2 things. One was how much I miss him, and the other was how wise he actually was, and I wished I understood that at the time.

Planting lemons and hoping for oranges is a great metaphor for my life now, I know if I am to get all the benefits from my work, I have to put the right plans into place. 

Select the right seedlings (ideas and goals)

Water and nurture the plants as they strengthen (look after yourself, eat right, drink plenty of water)

Fertilise appropriately. ( eat good healthy foods)

Stake if required ( look for support as needed)

Persevere and trust that this plant will give you fruit.

We all know that planting oranges will, if we are lucky, end up with a small flower, just a tiny bud which will then grow through remarkable odds to be able to produce sweet tasting fruit. 

And nothing tastes sweeter than success, am I right?

So finally Dad, on this day, 28th Jan, the anniversary of the day you married Mum, I get it. I now know what you meant. To be able to reap the rewards,one must first prepare properly. And to understand, that without all of the preparation, hard work, commitment, perseverance and trust, you will not get the results you expect.

I went to the local hardware store today, and I bought an orange tree. Happy Anniversary. 

Same six words

Feel free to message me all you like, with your hints and tips and recipes and requests for advice. I don't mind, I actually am happy to help.

I love spreading the news about how to be healthy and happy, about how to live a productive life. 

This week though, I have received a couple of messages from people looking for me to do it for them. To write down exactly what I eat, when I exercise, what I do differently, and then tell me all kinds of reasons why they cannot do the same.. This is not rocket science. 

Let me tell you just one thing, I cannot make you thin, that's your job. I cannot make you exercise, that's your responsibility. This is your journey, and yours alone. If you want to be thin, healthy and eat well, do what you have to do to get to that goal. Simple.

If you are not prepared to take the step, to walk to road to good health, well no amount of sending  messages to me, asking me to hold your hand, is gonna work.

I will say this one more time.... Listen closely... Shut Your Mouth, Move Your Arse.

Then, and only then, can you message me and look for support.. You must make the effort. Yourself. Either you want to do this, or you don't. 

You choose.

Day Three of Your Personal Challenge

For those of you participating in your own Personal Challenge, well done. Bravo for taking the first step, no matter how small, that first step is going to be the most important step of your new life.

Whether you are riding your stationary bike, walking round the block, or running up Castle Hill with 24kg of extra weight... It's a job well done. It's the first step of making your world a better place to inhabit. Every drop of sweat inches you closer to a better life, a healthier and happier life.

I've had so many messages, these last few days, from people almost apologising because all they had time to do, was a quick short walk. 

No need to apologise, nor beat yourself up about it, because as we all know, life happens. There will be days that our exercise plans may not quite come off.. Don't get upset, or frustrated, just do what you can, as often as you can. Be kind to yourself. Every bit of exercise that you do adds up.. And even if you can only manage 15 minutes today, you are still beating everyone else that's still laying on the lounge. 

Perhaps set a weekly exercise time target rather than a daily one? eg 3.5 hours of exercise time this week. If the world gets busy today, make it up with a longer session tomorrow. 

One way I manage to fit in at least one 45 minute exercise session every day, is to forward plan. 

I know you will know that I am a list writer, (if you have read any of my past blogs) and that each morning, over my morning juice, I write a list of things I will achieve for that day. I include home chores, business tasks, meetings, bills to pay, reminders and always includes exercise. Whether it be gym, training session, a run, or an evening bike ride, it's on the list. And each day I get great satisfaction from marking it off. 

This year I have managed to find a notebook that even has a place to record glasses of water consumed.. How cool is that? A training friend of mine has an exercise journal she bought from Officeworks, a small notepad that is designed to record training sessions, it has space for goals, and room to record weights and reps etc, but you could just use an everyday exercise book.. Use the one that's right for you. It doesn't have to cost the earth, it just needs to be suitable for your personal goals.

I savour the time each morning, and think carefully about what my plans are for the day. It allows me to focus on what needs to be done, and gives weight to my overall or long term plans. It gives me a way of dealing with temptation, and with distractions and having plans in place to deal with these should they occur. 

My morning time can be as short as 15 minutes, or as long as an hour. I'm a little spoilt at the moment as I currently run an office from home, but in the past I have been known to voice record or write a list whilst travelling to work. We all have the same amount of time in our days, learning to use that time productively is an art. If I have an early morning meeting, or flight, I often plan my day the night before, preparing for the smooth execution of the day. 

No stress, no last minute panic, no lost car keys or gym shoes. 

Nowadays there are also interactive apps you can use in conjunction with your smartphone technology, to assist with your exercise needs. Nike has a good one, outlining areas of the body and designing exercises to work specific muscles groups. Runkeeper is another good way of tracking your progress, I love it when they send me emails telling me I have set a Personal Best time for distance or time. It's these little things, that offer motivation, enthusiasm, and a way of measuring your success. I need that. 

I've decided to run a 10k fun run in every state of Australia. It's made it to my revised bucket list now, and even though its a long term goal, I try to do something every day that will make me into a runner. I have started running on a treadmill, because it accurately measures distance. I have researched training for beginners in the Internet, I have talked to people who run marathons and gotten insights into what they do, and to get advice on how to start. Yes, my first run is months away, but I'm preparing, both mentally and physically for it already. I'm now even brave enough to run outside in the daylight.. Which till recently I've never been able to do. I was always too embarrassed about being overweight, hot, sweaty, lacking in the graceful fluid motions that runners have. I used to run till a car came down the street, then walk till it passed. Or run at night where no one could see.. And I mean midnight, not just dusk. Looking back that was ridiculous behaviour, but it was my mindset of the time. If you ever drive past me, be gentle, give me a yell or a wave for encouragement, I'm getting there... 

I'm fifty, as far removed physically from the physique of a runner as possible, I've not run competitively since high school but now its seems like something I could achieve if I tried. So, I'm trying. I'm going to be a runner. Who would ever have thought? My plans in place, I'm now ready for action. 

You?

A lot can happen in 100 days..

Remember yesterday when we spoke about goal setting? setting a specific date? Well, guess what?

Yesterday, when you couldn't think of a goal, or a target or a specific date... I decided to make one for you.

In 100 days ish, it will be the 4th of May. Big deal, you say? Well, aside from the fact that it is a special day for us, being my son "Will's" 19th birthday, it's a great date to have as a target. 

Starting today (or tomorrow, if you're anything like me and want to polish off all the chocolate in the fridge first), I want you to commit to 100 days of health. 

100 days of exercising and eating as close to nature as possible, as often as you can. Even if its 6 days out of 7, and you have a small splurge day, that's going to be 85ish% better than you are now. All positive change is better than none. 

Exercising at least once a day, even if its just a short stroll down the street. Changing your exercise often, from using home equipment for weights eg jam tins, or going to an exercise class, or aqua aerobics, change your methods often. Google how to use household items for fitness, towels to stretch etc. 

I would like you to measure your bust, midriff, waist, hips and thighs, arms too if you wish. If you like you can weigh yourself..  Write it in your diary, because in 100 days time, you will be amazed at the changes in your shape. 

Then I want you to write on an A4 sheet of paper the following words....

 "It is the 4th May 2014,and  I am standing in front of my mirror, proud of the positive changes I have created in my body. Excited and happy at the way my skin glows, my hair shines. And at how fabulous I look in my new clothes. I am now -- kg, healthy, fit and toned. I am strong, and fit, healthy and happy. Thank you body for making the change to be healthy. I feel fantastic"

Stick this paper somewhere you will see it often. Every time you walk by it, I want you to read it out loud. ( have one on the bathroom mirror, and one on the fridge if you wish.. Have as many as you like, but you must say out loud when you read it.) visualise yourself as the new you, sleek and slim and healthy. See that smile? You've come a long way. You deserve to be happy about it. Think about how you will feel at the end of 100 days, feel the warm glow of pride, the increase in self confidence. Try and hold that feeling for as long as you can each time.

You have your goal, now get out there and do what you have to, to achieve it.

So there you have it. Its really that simple. 

100 days to make a difference in your whole life. 

In 100 days you will be sleeping better, breathing easier, laughing more, and feeling absolutely fantastic. You'll be so proud of yourself for your achievement, you'll be cross you didn't start earlier. It is that easy. 

100 days.

Relax, girl, you got this. 

May the 4th be with you!