Getting back into the swing ...

Well we've managed to make it half way through the first week after school holidays and I can already see the tiredness in Master 6's eyes. Mine aren't far behind but that's another story!

As much as I miss the kids ( well, I do sometimes ) I do look forward to being able to get back into a routine and feel a bit more organised and in control.  No, I'm not a control freak, really I'm not! 
On holidays we tend to fly a bit by the seat of our pants, but I think this helps me to appreciate more the structure and routine that we have during term, especially when it comes to my eating and exercise.

Dinners, lunches and snacks are a little bit out the window during holidays which leads me to include a few extra things that I wouldn't normally include in my regular diet.

I usually plan the meals for the week then head out to do a grocery shop either on Sunday afternoon or squeeze it in somewhere on Monday .. I have been known to order online and have it delivered too! This way I am sure that I have everything I need to get dinner prepped and done without running around in the evenings. 

Another reason I plan my meals and snacks is so that I don't get lazy and eat too much of the things that I shouldn't. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely not perfect!
I don't always get it right and I don't always stick to the menu but it's there to keep me on track as much as I can.  And I know I've always got a healthy, nutritious snack when I need it.

So, these past few days I've been getting myself into routine again as I know this is key for me to not straying too far off track.  I don't want to have to do too much hard work to get back in shape when the weather starts heating up again!

This is what is on the menu at our house this week ...

Do you plan your weekly menu?  What's on your menu this week?

Have you planned your week?

Lots of exercise gurus talk about writing down your workouts in your diary .. an appointment with yourself.
I know that I'm not the only one who has to plan their workout around various "obstacles" so I do like this idea .. planning your week so that you know what's going on when.

This quote really brings some clarity to why you should be planning your workouts ...

"Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now."  

Alan Lakein



You want the end result don't you?  Plan it, do something about it now!

If you're not a planner, would you be willing to give it a go?

Have a great week!

Vicki x

Weekly Challenge ...

While there are many things that I would like to include in my weekly challenges, I feel that at the moment I am going to keep my focus on the basics .. once I get these down, I'll get a bit more adventurous!

This week my challenge is going to be the same as the one that many other people face ... I've been thinking a bit about it since I wrote my Monday Motivation ... Consistency.  All too often we start out on a new exercise program or diet only to fall off the wagon in the first few days or week.  Something comes up and throws us off track .. it all then seems too hard and we don't get back on the wagon.  I'm not quite at this stage, however, I will say that my consistency has been lacking a bit lately.  Not so much with my training but with my diet ... I know, I seem to be mentioning it a lot!  

All things considered, I really do have a healthy, balanced diet .. where I do get a bit sidetracked are the weekends.  Friends over one day, family the next .. or in the case of this week .. friends over, baby showers, birthday lunches, birthday parties ... looking back I feel like I've been eating for a week!  And you know what .. I'm the one who hasn't kept an eye on it and kept myself under control.  And I'm paying the price!  

After this last week, I really must get back some consistency to my clean eating ... everyday, every meal .. maintain consistency and I will be back on track.  It's all about choice .. my choice!

On the training front ... I maintain my consistency if not the intensity that I normally train at.  Some days it might just mean I take the dog for a walk, but I am keeping up the routine.

I've taken the first step and accepted that I'm to blame for not making the right choices, when the option was there to make them.  Now I'm going to be the one to get myself back to where I want to be.   I'm going to get there by being consistent ... by eating clean and keeping up regular training.

It's all about choice .. my choice .. and I've made it!  I know I call these my weekly challenges .. but they are not weekly .. I am introducing these changes into my life one week at a time .. that way they are going to hang around and continue to be part of my life and my lifestyle!

My life, my body, my choice!
Your life, your body, your choice!

Stay focused,  Stay strong

Fit Mum x  

     

Monday's Motivation ...

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential" Liane Cardes

This is quite often the most overlooked ingredient when it comes to achieving your goals and getting the best results.  

I could put it another way ... consistency, consistency, consistency ...

Consistent effort in training will have you well on your way to getting the results you want.

Consistent efforts in keeping your diet clean and nutritious will get you the results you want.

Getting into a routine with your training is going to help with keeping your training consistent.  Build it into your life and your lifestyle.

Plan your diet each week .. or day .. so that you are allowing yourself to be successful. 

If there is one thing that you keep telling yourself ...

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency

Stay focused, Stay Strong

Fit Mum x   

Last week's workout wrap up ...

OK .. I'm a few days late .. again time seems to have buzzed by on the weekend and I'm sure I missed some of it ...

Last week was a bit hit and miss with training, which I am a bit disappointed about, but as I mentioned in my last post, I listen to my body a lot more these days and this last week it was telling me to STOP!!

I still managed a few training sessions, however they may not have all been quality, which is what disappoints me the most.

Monday          PT Session .. these just don't get any easier, that's all I can say except that
                        I felt this session for the next 3 days ...
                        30 mins
                        Again, I'm out there losing my voice in the cold night training the girls at Netball
                        only 2 more games until the end of the season .. and just when they are starting
                        to pull it all together!

Tuesday         I'm in a world of hurt ... and I'm exhausted ... like I can't keep my eyes open
                        Thank goodness there was time for a half hour nanna nap today
                        Still, sense evades me and I join the girls for a 5km run while Miss 9 is at physie
                        I know .. I felt every step of this run don't worry!  Now what time is bed time?

Wednesday   Supposed to run at lunch time, however my partners had to pull the pin for one
                        reason or another ... I'm still that completely exhausted that I'm taking this as a
                        sign and I'm resting my poor battered mind and body

Thursday        Usually a rest day ... I did plan on running with Baxter, however after a minor
                       concerning "emergency" in our street I decided against it ...
                       Did I mention I wasn't entirely devastated about this occurrence .. still haven't
                       caught up with myself ... 

Friday            One of my running partners came over and we ran the bush trail at lunch time.
                       Apart from the fact that my hamstrings and calves seized at every step and I 
                       am still exhausted, it was great to run the track with someone and our time was
                       around the same as my usual time.

Saturday /     The usual run around with the kids and housecleaning ... I spent heaps of time in
Sunday          the kitchen, which I love!  


It's not quite the training routine that I had in mind for the week but I guess my body had different ideas and I just had to listen.  The coming week is going to be different.  I'm not going to change my training too much and hope that last week was just a catch up week.

Just a quick mention about my challenge to myself last week .. writing everything in my food diary ... I've had mixed success ... I have a notebook ... and I did think about writing in it ...
Besides, after the things I cooked over the weekend for dinner and dessert, my notebook would have run away and hidden ... it's Monday tomorrow and there's still a few days left for me to actually succeed and get into a routine with recording my food. 

I hope that everyone else has had a great week and weekend! See you all next week!

Stay focused,  Stay strong

Fit Mum x

Weekly workout 25 July - 31 July ...

And so I have made it to the end of another week!  I followed pretty much the same training routine that I have followed for the last 2 weeks.  I increased the intensity just a little bit in two of the workouts.  I'm really taking it easy and not increasing the intensity or changing the workouts drastically as I am completely focussed on staying healthy and not running myself down too much.  It seems to be working!

Monday             Regular PT strength session

                        Nothing spectacular to report other than I’m loving it! Strength

                        training is so empowering!

                        30 minutes

                        Trained the girls at netball again tonight so I don’t stiffen up in

                        the cold night air …

Tuesday           Instead of my usual walk with Baxter, I changed this to a run and

                       Clocked 5.5km on the hill trail near our house

                       Unreal run .. absolutely loved this one .. I had to write it down here ...  

                       40 minutes .. hilly trail

Wednesday      Our usual mid week run / walk intervals

                       The weather was beautiful and the company again was great!

                       6km .. 46 minutes

Thursday         Rest day

Friday             Weight training circuit .. love this one!

                       I increased the intensity of a few of the exercises which certainly

                       had my heart rate up there

                       35 minutes ( includes warm up and warm down )

Saturday /      I’m going to have the weekend off again, which really seems to be

Sunday            working for me at the moment with things so busy with kids

                       sport. 

                       It’s also my mum’s birthday this weekend, so we are heading up the

                       coast for a visit!  Pretty excited about this one!

I think I’m going to keep at this routine for the next few weeks and then I’m going

to revisit my training and change it up.  Constantly challenging the body is the way

to get stronger and make changes and improvements.  I'm still thinking about whether

or not I am going to set some goals with my training .. here's some goal setting info ...

I am proud to say that I have had much more success on the diet front this week.

I have been more focused and have got myself organised and in routine which is

making it much easier for me to keep my diet clean and full of nutritious,

healthy meals .. well except for the white Tim Tam that I’m going to have for

dessert tonight!

Until next week’s update …

Stay focused,  Stay strong

Fit Mum x